"The very refpectable fociety of Pro"testant Diffenters in Manchester have fuf"tained a very uncommon lofs, first by the

difability, and after that by the death of "the Rev. Mr. Seddon, who as a public "teacher was well furnished, and faithful in "his work. He was a truly Nazarene chris"tian, who openly taught the unity of God, " and the proper humanity of Chrift. He "has left few behind him fo well acquainted "with the New Teftament, and fo much "detached from human theology. He lived "and died a chriftian. He now refts from "his labours, and is gone where his works "will follow him."

THE

THE

SCRIPTURE IDEA

OF

CHRIST.

SERMON THE FIRST.

ACTS ii. 22.

YE MEN OF ISRAEL, HEAR THESE WORDS; JESUS OF NAZARETH, A MAN APPROVED OF GOD AMONG YOU, BY MIRACLES, AND WONDERS, AND SIGNS, WHICH GOD DID BY HIM IN THE MIDST OF YOU, AS YE YOURSELVES ALSO KNOW.

I AM intending, in a few discourses, to speak

my fentiments relating to a controverted fubject, with all freedom and plainnefs, and to exprefs, without reserve or disguise, my own disapprobation of fome principles, that have been very generally received among chriftians in later ages, but for which I do not perceive any real ground in the word of God. I prefume not to dictate to

any nor do I expect or defire regard any farther, than as what I deliver, fhall recommend itself to your own judgment and confcience. I speak as to wife men; judge ye what I fay. It is your glory, to be able to hear opinions which may have long prevailed, called in question, and to give up fuch as, upon examination, appear to be groundless and indefenfible. One important end of life is to bear witness to the truth: and though we are not bound in all places, and at all times, to utter our whole mind; yet we are never to profefs any belief, contrary to the real convictions of our own understanding, or to use any measures to fupport in others, an attachment to principles, of whose falfehood we ourfelves are fatisfied. All fhould declare and act in the affair of religion, according to the perfuafion of their own judgment. We fhould prove all things and hold faft that which is good. A fpirit of free inquiry may detect falfehood and impofture; but what is true and right will be confirmed and established by it and it becomes the friends of truth and liberty, of rational religion and the genuine gofpel, to bear an open teftimony against popular errors, fteadily to avow what is juft and right, without regarding the rafh cenfures of artful and defigning, or ignorant and bigoted perfons.

We are not to reft fatisfied with an implicit faith in the fentiments of those who have gone before us. In religion especially, it concerns us

to

It is of no fmall

to fee with our own eyes. moment to all, that they do not receive among the articles of their religious faith any principles, but fuch as appear to their own understandings rational and true. It particularly concerns us as christians, to embrace, or retain no tenets, or fentiments, as doctrines of the gospel, but what may be clearly derived from, and fupported by those pure and facred fountains of chriftian knowledge, thofe pillars of our chriftian faith, the divinely inspired fcriptures: nay our own difcernment that they have a real foundation there, is the only just ground of our belief of them. Many things have paffed current amongst chriftians, been confidently afferted, authoritatively impofed, and implicitly embraced, which upon inquiry are found not to have even the appearance of proof in the facred record: and many things have been admitted, very generally received, and warmly and zealously maintained, without due fearch and examination, which yet, when closely confidered, brought to the test of scripture, and tried by the proper rule, have plainly appeared to have no better foundation, than fingle, detached fcripture fentences, misunderstood and mifapplied. right understanding of christianity, depends upon the right understanding of the NEW TESTAMENT: and the difficulty of the fcriptures has arisen, more from our being accustomed to misunderstand them, and affix a wrong meaning to them, than

B 2

The

from