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murmuring, dissatisfied, aud faulting madness, the height of madnes. Behis father's conduct; while, at the cause we are sure, not only, of not same time, his father, a person of pro- succeeding, but also, of involving ourfound sagacity, actuated by the high-selves in difficulties amazingly great est affection for his whole family, is and inextricable. Let the briars, the constantly and zealously engaged, to thorns, and the stubble array themconduct every thing, in a manner the selves against the raging flame, driven best calculated to advance its highest on by the fierce northern blast-What interests? Should such a parent be wit-will be the result? Why, the more ness to all his son says and thinks; closely they are arranged, and the Should he condescend to expostulate more strongly they are connected, the with him in terms full, at once, of pa-|| more easy and complete will be their ternal tenderness, and powerful con- overthrow. So it is in our opposition viction? Yet, after all, have the morti- to God. At any rate, if final opposers fication to find, that all he says, and all of God, we must be destroyed; and he does, proves an occasion of strength- the horrors of our destruction will arise ening the restless spirit of his son-in proportion to our opposition to God. How must he feel towards the frow-What dreadful depravity and madness, ard conduct, and perverse character of then, doth it argue, for us to continue this unworthy part of his own body.—in rebellion against so good and so gloWhat sensations must have been exci-rious a God!

choosing that all things should be conducted by such perfection, it freely leaves itself, and all its concerns, in the hands of God; resting assured, that he

Being

ted in the prodigal's father, by the IX. From what has been said we selfish, morose, sullen temper mani- may learn what it is to live by faith.-fested by the elder brother, at the re- By faith the soul discovers the perfecturn of the Prodigal? Did he not, in spite |tion of God to be a present reality, and of paternal affection, despise and abhor such a character? How then must the unsubmissive, haughty, complaining, rebellious temperf& conduct of men appear to the heart-searching and all-see-will conduct so as to aggrandize and ing God, who has never done any thing endear his character to all such as love that did not tend to the highest good what is truly great and good. of his universal family; and who has friends to God, those who live by faith done such wonders, of wisdom and are zealous to have him acquit himself goodness for his creatures? Especial- with honor, in a manner that will bear ly, after he has expostulated with us so the nicest scrutiny, and, after all, apmuch, and so long, in a manner so af-pear to be, not only unblemished, but fectionate and convincing? No wonder gloriously great and godlike. They, sin is the thing which God's soul hateth!||without reserve, believing he will do VII. From what has been said, it so, rest joyfully satisfied in this their appears to be great folly in us to op-hope, which is an anchor to the soul pose God. We always act a foolish sure and steadfast-this hope, which part when we attempt what cannot be maketh not ashamed. Have you no performed; and in all our opposition son, husband, brother, father, friend, to God, we must finally fail of success, who stands in some conspicuous place? though, for a season, we may seem to be If you have, have you not an earnest successful. We shall spend our strength || desire he should conduct so as to do for nought, & our money for that which himself real honor? If you can depend is not bread. We may, for a while, on his doing so, do you not rest satisficompass ourselves with sparks of oured in this expectation, and look forown kindling, but must, at last, lay our-ward, with pleasure, to the day when selves down in sorrow.

VIII. It is not only wickedness and folly in us to oppose God, but it is also

he shall stand distinguished, and receive the applause, due to his merit? God is unspeakably dearer to the be

DOCUMENTS

Relative to the Dismission of LORING D. DEWEY from the Theological Seminary in New-York

ADVERTISEMENT.

It is deemed necessary, to a fair under

liever than the nearest and dearest rel- could not satisfy our souls, while we ative in life; and his confidence that God|| neglect that benevolent interest which will acquit himself so as to merit the will, most certainly, be found by such highest reputation and esteem, is as as seek it; and will, completely, satismuch stronger, and better supported. ||fy their boundless appetites! God grant The believer has no interest but that us hearts to turn from the deceitful of the universe. This is too precious, paths of folly; and betake ourselves in his esteem, to be trusted in any to that fountain of living waters, which hands but those of an all-perfect God. proceeds from the throne, the supreme In God he sees such perfection as war- government of the Most High. rants and secures their security and highest improvement. For the sake of the greatest general good of the universe he is willing to be crossed, and disappointed, and distressed ; and knows, at the same time, that God doth not cross, or afflict him wantonly, or for any other purpose, than that of per-standing of the following documents, to fecting the highest good. Such is the present to the public a brief statement of state of his mind, that the first senti- the facts which preceded my dismission ment excited by adversity is, that God, York. from the Theological Seminary in Newin his infinite wisdom, has ordered it The discourse which procured this dişfor purposes altogether glorious.- mission, was prepared to fulfil in my turn, Through the medium of divine provi- my part of the ordinary duties that devolve dence, he sees that his present adver- on the members of a private Theological sity is necessary in bringing about his Society composed solely of the students of the seminary, and instituted for the purgrand pursuit; and therefore he freely pose of Theological investigation. The submits. It gives him pleasure that Society, believing my views erroneous, apthe disposition, neither of himself, nor pointed two of their number a committee, any thing connected with him, is in his to request the discourse for examination, own hands; but in those which are and to make a report to the Society. It was given them, and being represented to much more worthy of confidence. The contain many and dangerous errors, the glory of God is his food, and he feeds Society directed their committee to lay on it by faith. Faith teaches him that the report before the Professors of the God is continually glorifying himself, Seminary. The discourse being requested though he frequently does it in ways condemned as heretical and contradictory, by the Professors, for examination, was wholly unnoticed by reason, and seem-in a conversation I had with them; and a ingly repugnant to it. He knows the few days after the letter of dismission was vanity of sensible things. They are, received; which, as it contains the grounds therefore, no food to him. His soul of dismission, is published as one of the pants for something more substantial. documents. To that letter a reply, exFaith alone can give him the present tain the opinions I do, was made; as at plaining some of the reasons why I mainpossession of this; and this can be that time I had no contemplation of pubdone, yea, is done by faith. O, what sin lishing the discourse. The reply, that the folly and madness is it in us, to refuse public may know all relating to my disto commit ourselves and all, into the mission, will also be found in the following hands of this faithful creator! What Pages. But as the dismission is necessarily public, and as it necessarily exposes sin, folly and madness not to make the me to obloquy, wherever it is known, espeglory of God-the good of the uni- cially while each is left to form his own verse, the great object of our pursuit ! conjectures, with no data to judge by, the What loss do we bring on ourselves, by natural conclusion being, that if a person is spending this short life, in pursuingly, if from a Theological Seminary, there dismissed from any Seminary, and certainthat selfish interest, which we never must be some just cause, and one of course can obtain; and which, if obtained, reproachful to the person dismissed.; it is

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thought just, both to the Seminary and to his. Hence the inquiry, what does the myself to make the grounds of the dismis- apostle mean, when he uses the words, sion public also. The discourse, therefore, "being justified?" This, with a few unaltered, unfit for publication, as a produc- inferences, will constitute the subject tion usually would be, which is prepared for such an occasion as that on which it matter of what I shall say at this time. was delivered, is given to the public, that The inquiry is, What is the meanall who are inclined to judge, may have ing of the words, "being justified?” the means of forming a fair judgment, whether it be for or against the writer. Notes, by way of illustrating some points, barely hinted at, or but slightly discussed, are added to exhibit more clearly the writer's views. A few words explanatory, between brackets, have been added in the body of the discourse. But in no instance has there been even a verbal alteration

from the original, excepting in one or two grammatical inaccuracies.

To this I may add, that the opinions of several most respectable gentlemen have concurred to strengthen my own, in favor of publication.

All which is respectfully submitted.
L. D. DEWEY.

New-York, 1816.

I shall first notice two uses of these

words, in their application to the saved of God. One in reference to the state of a man as to his eternal welfare; as we say of a man, he is. in a justified state; being justified, his is a happy condition; that is, he is now a child of God, an heir of glory. Another use is in reference to the acceptance of the To these already suggested, there have sinner by God, that act of adjudication bcen furnished some inducements to pub-which transfers a sinner from a state of lish, from the consideration that a Theo-condemnation, to that in which there logical Seminary holds a high interest in The word justithe feelings of the religious public, and is no condemnation. that it is it that public should know what fied is used in both these ways by the qualifications are requisite for a student New Testament writers. The latter who may wish to pass through a course of you must perceive to be the subject of Theological study in this Seminary. the present inquiry; for the first needs no investigation. We know what the state of those is who are justified, whether they be the just made perfect, or those still warring with their depravity. But the other use has afforded ground of controversy. One says, it is a sentence which pronounces the sinner just, truly and wholly so, and thus entilles him to all the joys of heaven. Another says, it is a sentence of pardon, a grant of all the favors of THESE words, you perceive, are ta- God, even the gift of eternal life.ken from St. Paul's exposition of the Which of these does the apostle mean? doctrine of justification. The use I for, that he meant one of them, I think intend to make of them is to place can be easily shown. Which of these is them as the basis of an investigation the true interpretation? One contends into the scriptural idea of this doctrine. for the literal, judicial sense of the As it is an exclamation long ago made, word; although it [the sentence that "How should man be just with God!" declares the sinner just in such a sense] and as the apostle applies these words does not result from the sinners own to man, sinful man, it is intended to merits, but from the merits of another, show what he meant by thein. That "made his."] The other contends he meant literal justification, we do not for a figurative sense of the word, suppose; for Paul was no opposer of meaning unlimited pardon, granted for the doctrine of human depravity. Man the sake and intercession of another. being sinful, can never present himself The latter was the faith of the Westbefore his God, and say, am clean;minster Assembly of Divines, as apthere is no fault in me." This, we pears from their Confession of Faith know, would be his literal justification; and Catechism. "Justification," say but this, we also know, can never be they, "is an act of God's free grace,

DISCOURSE.

ROMANS III. 24.

Being justified,

wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and bove definition, I lay down these three accepteth us as righteous in his sightf." propositions.

I do not give the other part of the 1. Moral turpitude, guilt of sin, can question. "What is justification?" be be removed only by pardon; therecause, at this time, I have nothing to fore the sinner can never be justified do with the condition of justification; in any literal sense of that word [justiat most, no more than their close con-fication] nexion will require. It will not be my II. Pardon is the way guilt is removendeavor to invalidate the testimony ed,* in the Bible scheme of redempof this assembly of Divines; but to tion; therefore the word justified must show, by a few considerations, the be used in a figurative sense. truth of their definition; that St. Paul's III. Justified is used to signify parmeaning was as they represent it, and don in the New Testament. as I understand them to represent it. I. Proposition. Moral turpitude, One remark illustrative of my under-guilt of sin, can be removed only by standing the phrase, "accepteth us as pardon. righteous in his sight." It means that, if we were righteous, our acceptance by God would not be different [from what it is; certainly not better, although sinners,] and not that he accepts because righteous, with a righteousness really ours, though not of our working out.

By guilt, I mean obligation to punishment; and not what is usually meant in the use of that word; as, when we say of a person, he is guilty, he shows guilt, he has guilt; for what we mean in such a use, can never be removed, because ever will it be applicable to say of that person, he is guilty of that To establish the truth of the a-act, while it remains a fact that he did This is the definition, simply, all of it:acter, any more than there is an imputaand what follows both in the Confessiontion of sin to Christ of such a nature as to and Catechism, is a statement of its condi- alter his character. He, in the midst of his tion, and the way it is conferred upon the sufferings, was truly righteous; we, in the believer. That this discourse will afford midst of heavenly joys, (if we are so wise an inference that their representation of as to improve offered mercy) shall remain the mode of justifying the sinner, is not truly sinners; but pardoned sinners; therecorect in every particular, I will not deny; fore under no obligation to punishmentprovided they meant by the word impute' therefore fit objects of the mercies of God, and the phrase accepteth us as righteous,' and therefore shall we have cause ever to what some understand them to mean; and shout the praises of redeeming love.not as I have construed the phrase ac- While on earth, our Saviour was not ashacepteth,' &c. and understand imputation.med to be found in the midst of sinners; I took the definition, because I believed it in his glory too, theirs shall be the note of correct, and because it is well known; and his highest praise. If this is true, then the I did not then know but I understood it as phrase declares the manner of our acceptothers do. I did not suppose the words ance-the way we are treated; but does as righteous,' were understood by any to not specify our character, only impliedly, represent the real character of the justi-and the implication is, that we are unrightfied; but the manner of their acceptance.eous. It says, had we been, our whole exI was led to make the remark I did on the phrase for the sake of perspicuity, and of being explicit. But I since learn that I not only understood this phrase differently from my fellow students and others who hold like peculiar sentiments, but also the word pardoneth.' In a following note I shall have occasion to speak of pardon. In explication of my understanding of the above phrase, I will add, I suppose in that transaction the Deity views man as he real[The notes distinguished by asterisks ly is, unrighteous, a violater of his law, and that there is no such imputation of were added before the discourse was givrighteousness as alters this, his real char-en to the Committee of the Society.]

istence, of spotless righteousness, our treatment from the hands of God would not have been better; the blessings he bestows more precious; no, nor so much so; our being unrighteous enhances the preciousness of the unmerited bounty.

*By removed, I mean annulled, abrogated, taken out of existence as a

claim.

straight; and this too, although those courses are run by beings infinitely superior to himself. For what can be more than straight? And what being, capable of moral action, is not bound to do right-go straight? And what one, capable of moral action, is not bound to do right for himself? And what one, bound to do right for himself, can do more than right—go more than straight? The being, then, that is chargeable with sin, must ever be chargeable; and bound to endure the penalty of the broken law, unless the offended Lawgiver say, "I will remember it against thee no more for ever.".

that act. But obligation to punish- their perfection never can remedy his ment can be removed: there is a way imperfection, no more than his imperby which it may be said of the guilty, fection injure their perfection. Still it thou hast guilt no more. The strong must remain the crooked among the chain that chains the criminal to the endurance of the penalty of the broken law, can be sundered. Its band of brass will melt at the touch of mercy. Pardon can unloose its firm hold, and pardon only. For nothing can cancel [b] this obligation, because nothing can alter the demerit of sin. Moral pollution must ever remain moral pollution. Our God cannot change its nature; and the being once contaminated by its baleful touch, can never be cleansed but by the streams of mercy. The turpitude of sin nothing can wipe away. Natural turpitude may be washed away -the gold that has become dim, may be burnished again—the garments that are polluted may be cleansed by wash- Substitution cannot do it. All it ing-but the stain of the soul, moral can do, is to alter the direction of its pollution, deviation from right, breach force; direct it from the first criminal of law, nothing can undo, nothing rem- to the substitute. It does not remove edy, nothing wash away, nothing take the obligation to punishment. It canout its indelible hue, save this word of not annul its force. Still its victim is God, "Sins and iniquities I will re- held in steeled jaws. No exertions member no more for ever." Man, be- can rescue it. But let mercy prevail ing bound by the very constitution of with him who holdeth judgment, and his nature ever to do right, if he but this more than brazen band is solved once step aside from the path of recti- in the breath of forgiveness. This tude, & should then return and never a- reason sanctions, and what says the gain swerve from his course; still this a- Scripture? So far from pointing out berration must ever remain against him any other way, it assures us that even for condemnation. Ten thousand on this-forgiveness, pardon, is inconsiseach side may continue undeviating in tent with the perfections of Deity, withtheir course; but their course can nev-out an expiation. "Through his blood er alter his, no more than his theirs;

we have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins." "Without the shed[6] I find I have attached more to the ding of blood, there is no remission," meaning of this word cancel, than it im ports in its ordinary use. I have used it says St. Paul; and the reason is obto mean not merely, to cross out, but to vious. If man is under obligation to cross out in consideration of a claim's be- punishment, some one is obligated to ing satisfied as the charge on a mer-punish him; and as all sin is commit chant's book is cancelled-crossed out in ted against God, God, as lawgiver, consideration of the amount's being bal

anced. I got my idea of the word from its must be the being obligated to punish use in mathematics-as in the reduction him. Now, as he that is offended aof a compound fraction to a simple one, lone has the right to forgive the ofthe numerator of one term, if the same fig-fence, this right can be exercised by ure as the denominator of another, or its God only. But being under obligaown, cancels that denominator; or, in alge- tion to punish the offender, the exerbraical equations, a negative quantity is said to cancel a positive quantity of the cise of forgiveness cannot take place same symbol. till this obligation is removed.

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