any essential value; when, it is certainly announced that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." This is either true or false. If it is true, we are bound to believe it; but if not, the whole authority of the writings that are called sacred, is at once annihilated. Such a palpable falsehood must destroy forever the credibility of any testimony. It is incumbent on us to take heed how we are led by the reasonings of men, "who lie in wait to deceive;" and who are, "with good words and fair speeches," corrupting the religious principles " of the simple" and undesigning part of mankind. The general agreement of the Christian world, in relation to the complete inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, is a powerful evidence that this article of faith is true, and founded on irresistible and ample testimony. On this head, the agreement of the church has been as general, through the course of eighteen hundred years, as it is at the present day. A number of my hearers have solemnly assented to this article of the Christian faith, in the presence of God, angels and men. You, my brethren, have laid yourselves under high obligation to resist every temptation to give up this cardinal point in revealed religion.

We have reason to fear, lest some of the members of our families should be induced to renounce the Trinitarian doctrine, under the peculiar circumstances in which we are placed in providence. To guard ourselves and them also, from such a catastrophe, is a thing of the last importance.. Whenever we set aside the complete inspiration of the Scriptures, and refuse to acknowledge them as an unerring standard of truth; we are entirely afloat in relation to doctrine, duty and hope. When this ground is taken, our own opinion is the only guide. This appears to be the case with many, who enjoy the means of being better ininformed. They profess to extend charity to all men,

whom they think sincere, let their religious principles be what they may. This is believing that people may honestly misunderstand the essential truths of the Bible-reject them all-yet be sincere, virtuous servants of the Lord, and profitable teachers of mankind. But if this is a correct sentiment, then, God ought to acknowledge to men, that his word is expressed in such an enigmatical manner, that he has not given them sufficient abilities to comprehend its meaning. This view of the case, is very inconsistent with the following divine injunctions, namely, “If any man speak, let him speak as the Oracles of God." 1 Pet. 4. 11. "If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds." 2 John, 1. 10. "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Gal. 1. 8. Such sayings are very impertinent and offensive, if the Scriptures are not the only test of doctrine and duty. If they are either obscure in their meaning, or destitute of divine authority, they cannot be sufficient to make us "wise unto salvation." The point under consideration may, therefore, be viewed as fairly and forever settled. AMEN.

SERMON XIV.

ISAIAH VIII. 20.

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

In the preceding discourse, it has been made to appear, that the Holy Scriptures are the only standard of decision on matters of faith and practice. In conformity with the order adopted, it is to be shown,

II. What the ways are, in which our opponents refuse to speak according to this rule. The Anti-Trinitarians, however, are not the only people who depart unwarrantably from this unerring standard. But there is no other sect that I know of, that take an equal liberty with the Scriptures; whose teachers bestow such unwearied pains, and employ such learning and talents, to rase them to the very foundation. I shall now endeavor to make a short and correct statement of the various ways they have adopted, to accomplish their designs. And,

1. They assert, that the following passages, relating to the doctrine of the Trinity, and the Deity of Christ, are interpolations; or, to use the words of the Rev. T. Lindsey, "False readings, or alterations of the words of Scripture, made with design, or through mistake, before the art of printing was invented."

The passages referred to, are these: Acts 20. 28; 1 Cor. 15. 47; Eph. 3. 9, 19; 1 Tim. 3. 16; 1 John 2. 16; 1 John 5. 7, and 5. 20; Jude, verse 25; Rev. 1. 11.

1 John, 5. 7, is the most vulnerable of any of the passages that have been mentioned; and yet, as we have seen, the evidence of its authenticity is great. But the unremitting efforts of the Anti-Trinitarians to prove the above passages to be spurious readings, show the hostility of their hearts to the doctrines which they contain, as they stand in our translation. The end which they have to answer by effecting the death of these Divine witnesses, is such, that we may justly stand in doubt of their impartiality as Biblical critics. It is not my design, at present, to enter into an examination of the merits of the above list of passages; but merely to show the engagedness of our opponents to overthrow the doctrines which appear to be "the Alpha and Omega" of the Holy Scriptures. They would not have bestowed so much labor in trying to prove the spuriousness of such parts of Scripture, unless they had assumed the opinion previously, that the doctrine of the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, the Atonement, and the Personality of the Holy Ghost, are unreasonable doctrines. Taking this course, however, is not speaking according "to the law and the testimony," independent of the passages in question.

But, when the plea of interpolation fails them in supporting their cause, the next alternative is,

2. The charge of mistranslation. They have endeavored to place the following list of passages in that predicament. I shall place them in the order in which they appear in the writings of the Rev. T. Lindsey:-Isa. 9. 6, and 53. 8; Jer. 23. 6; Hos. 1. 7; Zech. 12. 10, & 13. 7; Matth. 12. 31; John 1, to the close of the 14th verse; John 1. 15, & 10. 18; John 3. 18, & 5. 18; John 6. 23,

and 8.58; John 18. 3, and 17. 24; Acts 13. 26, and 4. 27, 30; Acts 3. 14, 15, and 7. 59; Acts 9. 14, 21; 1 Cor. 1. 2; Acts 18. 29, and 20. 28; Rom. 1. 3, 20; Rom. 9. 5; 1 Cor. 2. 14, and 10. 9; Gal. 4. 7, and 4. 32; Col. 2. 9; Phil. 2. 5, 6, 7, 8; Heb. 1. 2, 5, 6; John 3. 16, 18; Heb. 1. 8, and 2. 14, 16; 1 John 1. 12, 3.

No trespass, my hearers, shall be committed on your patience, by stating the reasons which are assigned for varying from our translation, in this list of passages. Some of them, however, are very extraordinary. Those who desire to see the matter investigated, are cheerfully referred to the Sermons of the Rev. R. Wardlaw, on the Socinian controversy. A number of the texts stated above, are ably defended by that eloquent and learned writer. All that I have now in view, is simply to show the perseverance and determination of the Anti-Trinitarian writers, in opposing the common doctrines of the Bible. When writers set out with the ardent desire of finding interpolations and mistranslations, we have great reason to be on our guard in relation to the result of their researches. No man would be willing to venture his life in the hands of a juror, if he knew him to be an enemy, whatever good opinion he might have of the extent of his learning, and the soundness of his judgment. People of reading must know that the Anti-Trinitarian authors differ greatly among themselves, as well as from other writers, in their criticisms on, and translations of the Scriptures. But the plea of mistranslation is one way in which they are endeavoring to effect an escape from Trinitarian doctrines; and that is all that I wish to prove at present.

In many passages, however, which relate to the doctrines in question, this subterfuge wholly fails them; and, therefore,

3. They have recourse to the plan of giving any mean

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