Articles on Christian Charity. BY REV. THOMAS SMYTH, D. D. Extracted from CHRISTIAN CHARITY. FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS. In the first place, we remark that there must be fundamental truths in christianity, as distinguished from those that are of minor importance. This arises out of the very nature of things. Every system of opinions is described by those views which distinguish it from all others to which it may have a resemblance, and with which it may hold many things in common. So it is with every order, society, and association among men. And so also must it be with christianity, both as an organization and as a system of revealed truth. There are, and must be, certain great and fundamental principles by which it is characterized, and essentially distinguished from Paganism, Mohamedanism, and Deism. Fundamental truths are those which affect the foundation upon which christianity rests, just as fundamental error is that from which all other errors spring, and which involves the rejection of what is essential to the gospel. Those truths on which christianity rests, and by which it subsists, are fundamental, since without them the whole building and superstructure must fall. These constitute its laws, its first principles, its axioms, its data; the foundation on which rest its promises, its overtures, and all its blessings; and its essence, without which neither the form nor the substance of christianity can remain. "ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration," and contains what is true and profitable, but there is a great difference in the intrinsic and relative importance of these truths. None can be rejected or denied when once known to be revealed, but all are not absolutely necessary to be known. The knowledge of all is profitable, but "this is eternal life, to know the true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent." All are to be believed as far as they are, or may be, known, because they have a bearing upon the confirmation, proof, or illustration of what is essential; but there are some things which are to be believed for their own sake. These constitute "the word of truth, by which we are begotten," and "by which we are sanctified;"+ "the incorruptible seed of divine truth, which liveth and abideth for ever;" "the word of truth," and "the gospel of salvation."§ *James i. 18. †John xvii. 17-19. 1 Pet. i. 23. §Eph. i. 13; 2 Tim. ii. 15; 1 Peter i. 22. Some truths, therefore, are useful, but others are essential. Some are chronological, geographical, historical, genealogical, and typical, which we are bound rather not to deny or contradict than positively to understand and remember, to receive implicitly rather than explicitly; but other truths relate to that grace and peace which are multiplied unto us "through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that BY THESE we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." There are, in short, truths in the gospel as well as in the law which "are weightier matters," while others are like "the tithing of mint, anise and cummin;" truths which constitute "the foundation laid in Zion," the rock on which the church is built, and others which are only built thereon, or are necessary, in order to fix our hopes more surely, and more comfortably upon them; some truths which are necessary to the very being of a christian, and others which contribute only to his well-being. It is very important to observe, that as Scripture is an infallible guide to practice as well as to faith, sincere and universal obedience to what God requires is as necessary to salvation as sincere and universal assent to what God reveals. We must "confess with the mouth as well as believe with the heart;" and while "faith justifies," it "works also by love," "purifies the heart," and constrains to obedience and the keeping of all Christ's commandments, so that "faith without such fruits is dead," and "profiteth nothing." But while this obedience, to be sincere, must be universal, so that it will lead us, in all things and at all times, to do what we know to be in accordance with God's will, is there no difference between the relative importance of the things that are to be done so that while some things are of such a nature, that we cannot be christians without doing them, others only become necessary from the circumstances in which we may, or may not be placed, and from our knowledge of their requirement by the word and will of God? Most assuredly this will be denied by none; and hence it is equally certain that the same distinction must be made in things to be believed, since in both cases the disposition to obey-to obey the truth, and the precept―must be sincere and universal in order to salvation. A similar inference may be drawn from a consideration of the various elements of the worship of the Deity, of which, ||2 Peter i. 2-4. |