DISCOURSE I. AN EXHORTATION TO A SERIOUS ENQUIRY INTO THE DOCTRINES OF THE GOSPEL, IN REGARD TO SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL DUTIES OF SOCIAL LIFE. 1 THESS. V. 21. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. THE enemies of the Gospel have often objected to its precepts that they lay a restraint on the free exercise of human intellect in the search of religious truth. Of such objections St. Paul here furnishes us with a complete refutation; not only permitting but positively requiring us to "prove all things," to exert our utmost diligence in the examination of every doctrine and duty. B On the other hand it might be supposed that this habit of free enquiry would tend to make the mind unsettled in matters where a steady conviction is absolutely necessary to its peace; but here also the apostolic precept will be found satisfactory, directing us so to conduct our investigations as ultimately to "hold fast that which is good." The doubts and difficulties which arise in the mind of a person anxiously enquiring after the things that belong unto salvation demand the respect of all, and deserve the peculiar attention of the Christian minister; and the text has been selected as affording a principle which may become most effectual for their settlement and satisfaction. It seems to say that enquiry is a duty, and yet to pronounce unsteadiness a fault; it is designed at once to promote investigation, and to define its object and its use; furnishing at the same time the enquirer with a criterion by whose use that which is to be held fast may be discerned from that which must be rejected. Since I proceed to the consideration of this most interesting subject with a deep sense of the responsibility which lies on the office of a teacher, of the risk of error attaching to every human effort towards the elucidation of divine truth. however the words of inspiration are diversely interpreted by mankind, it becomes the duty of those who minister therein to expound them to the best of their power; and the exhortation to prove or try all things is to them an additional motive towards exertion in the convincing of others. I exhort you therefore, according to the words of the text, to prove (1) or try those notions which now distract your mind by the |