tions is absolutely shocking. (See Romans i, 21-32; iii; 9–19, and 23.)

Such is the moral and spiritual death-a death in trespasses and sins-in which the original offense has involved all mankind. A corruption so extensive, so universal, cannot, in the nature of things, be supposed to proceed from causes which are only partial or occasional in their operation. The influence of bad education or example, though it may have augmented the evil, is not sufficient to account either for its origin or for the universality of its prevalence. The only rational way of explaining the historical fact, namely, that all mankind in an unregenerate state are dead to God, and destitute of his image, is to admit the scriptural declaration, that in Adam all die. By reason of his transgression, and the moral death which he experienced in consequence, we are all tainted to the very core. The disease is a constitutional one, and inheres in our degenerate nature. Now, as a dead man cannot perform any of the functions of vitality, so a dead sinner has in himself, considered apart from the grace of God, no power to do a good work, to speak a good word, or to think a good thought. And were it not that the Spirit of God is in some measure given to every man that cometh into the world, every man would choose not good but evil, and only evil, and that continually. While, therefore, we maintain, against the Pharisees and Necessitarians, the freedom of the human will, we must at the same time maintain, against the Sadducees and Socinians, that this freedom of our will to choose good is not natural to us, but conferred upon us by the grace of the Holy Spirit, “preventing us that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will."* So that boasting is totally excluded, and salvation is all of grace.

The doctrine of Divine influence on the hearts of men, and of the necessity of this in order to salvation, is rational as well as scriptural. Though the Sadducees denied it of old, and though modern Sadducees ridicule all pretensions to this grace as rank enthusiasm, let us continue to pray that God would cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of his

* Articles, No. X.

Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love him, and worthily magnify his holy name." Let us remember that without Christ we can do nothing can neither repent nor believe the Gospel; that in us, that is, in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing; and that, "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Brethren, take heed and beware of the leaven of the Sadducees. Do not presumptuously reject the express and positive testimony of Scripture. Though you should not be able to answer all the little cavils and petty objections of sophistical men, let your faith rest on the plain testimony of God. Fall into nothing before your Maker; and, while you take to yourselves the disgrace and guilt of everything bad in you, ascribe all that is good to the quickening power of divine grace, purchased for you by Christ's death, and conferred upon you in answer to his intercession.

2. The Sadducees not only rejected the traditions of the elders, but explained away much of the Old Testament, and thus rendered its teaching of none effect. Many have argued, indeed, that they received only the Five Books of Moses. If so, they were led to this course, perhaps, by observing that the other books of the Old Testament, particularly the Psalms and the prophetic writings, contain many clear allusions to a future state, which they did not believe: or they may have been drawn into this heresy by the natural tendency of the human mind to run into extremes, and by the facility with which we pass from one extreme to the very reverse. For it appears that at first the Sadducees only denied the divine obligation of the traditions of the elders, and refused to imitate the practices of the Pharisees. So far their conduct was laudable; but in process of time they ran from superstition, not knowing where to stop, into infidelity.*

Brethren, beware of imitating the Sadducees in this respect. It may be that thousands in the present age have unhappily fallen into the very same error. Their minds have been disgusted, and justly, at the irrational doctrines and superstitious practices which some have grafted upon Christianity; and, for

There is no proof, however, that the Sadducees rejected the post-Mosaic books of the Old Testament.-EDITOR.

want of properly distinguishing between the pure Gospel and the inaccurate representations which have been given of it, they have strangely confounded Christianity with the corruptians of Christianity, and given up superstition and the Gospel together. How unwise, how unreasonable, is such a procedure! Let us but examine the religion of Christ as it really is; and then, while we "prove all things," we shall "hold fast that which is good."

But it is possible to fall into Sadducean errors without becoming avowed infidels. Many there are who profess to believe the Bible, and yet in fact contrive to disbelieve its great and distinguishing doctrines by explaining away such parts as contradict their preconceived notions and opinions. Various sections of the New Testament, they will tell us, though very suitable to the first ages of the Church, are now obsolete and superfluous; as relating only to local and temporary concerns, and not intended for general or lasting use. It is by such sophistry as this that they attempt to prove that to talk in these days of conversion, or the new birth, or divine influence, is enthusiasm; and that these great works of the Holy Ghost were confined to the primitive Church. Now, in answer to this, it may be allowed that the extraordinary and miraculous influences of the Spirit were confined to the first ages of the Church; but this does not prove that his ordinary influences were so limited. The fact appears, both from Scripture and reason, to be the very reverse. Is not conversion-is not the new birth—as necessary to a baptized heathen as to an unbaptized one? Is not true religion one and the same in all ages? And has not Christ declared this, without any limitation of his words to the first ages? "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

It is on the same principle of explaining the Scriptures into nothing, without positively denying them, that others have been bold enough to advise us to leave the Epistles of St. Paul, for instance, as of little or no concern to us, and confine our attention to the morality of the Gospel, as summed up in our Saviour's sermon on the Mount. All this may at first sight appear very plausible; but, if closely examined, it will

be found to savor very much of the leaven of the Sadducees. For what man in his natural state ever did, or ever could, come up to the standard of morality there laid down? The tree is naturally bad, and must therefore be made good by the power and grace of God, before the fruits of holiness, so admirably described in that sermon, can be produced. Man not only wants the knowledge of his duty, but the power to perform it when he does know it, as well as a pardon for past deviations. O brethren, submit to the whole Gospel. Take Christ as your Priest, as well as your Prophet and King. Do not, by rejecting him in any one of his offices, lose the benefit of them all.

3. The Sadducees denied the existence of angels and spirits, the resurrection of the dead, and a future state of rewards and punishments. They asserted "that there was no spiritual being but God only; that, as to man, this world is his all; and that, at his death, body and soul both die, never to live again." In short, they were Epicurean deists, save only in allowing that God made the world by his power, and governs men in this life by his providence.

And are not the same errors now traceable both in doctrine and in practice? What immense pains have lately been taken by the advocates of materialism to persuade us that we have no souls, or that our souls are mere matter, formed, like our bodies, out of the dust of the earth, and equally subject to dissolution and decay! a notion this directly contrary to Scripture, and contradicted also by experience. For we often find the mental faculties most acute, vigorous, and lively when the body is reduced by disease to the lowest degree of weakness. And, whereas the materialists tell us that some part of the brain is endued with the power of thought, it has been clearly proved by anatomical authorities that at one time or another every portion of the brain has been destroyed, either by accident or disease, (if indeed, in some cases, the whole texture of that organ has not dissolved,) and yet the mental faculties have remained. So that, though the brain be the medium of thought, it is clearly not the thinking principle itself. It is not the soul; but only the organ by which the soul communicates its volitions to the body.

Again. The Sadducees denied the resurrection and a future state. But has not the same impious doctrine been revived and propagated by the infidel philosophy, falsely so called, of our own times? Have not all means been tried to inculcate the idea, so formally adopted by the deistical senate of a neighboring nation, that death is an eternal sleep? Brethren, take heed of the leaven of the Sadducees! There is another world. "Men may live fools, but fools they" seldom "die." What terrible instances are upon record of persons who gloried in their infidelity while in health and strength, but have been made in their last hours monuments of the divine vengeance, and constrained, when conscience spoke and would be heard, to acknowledge a fearful looking for of judgment !

Are there not some of you who hold the truth in unrighteousness; who are orthodox in opinions, but infidels in practice? "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (James ii, 19, 20.) Notwithstanding all this assent to the doctrines of Christianity, some among ourselves are practical Sadducees and lovers of pleasure, seeking the world as their chief good. To such I had almost said, Be consistent Christians or consistent infidels. Rather let me say, If you do believe in futurity, O prepare to meet your God!

And now, brethren, take heed and beware of the leaven of the Sadducees. Meditate on what you have heard, and pray to God for his blessing, that you may be preserved from error and from sin, and be found at peace at last. Amen.