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SERMON X.

BY THOMAS WETHERALD.

DELIVERED AT FRIENDS' MEETING, WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, JUNE 8TH, 1826.

It is a truth" that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions." And in nothing, I apprehend, has the invention of man had so great a tendency to frustrate the designs of omnipotence, as in those subjects connected with religion.

What is religion in itself? It is an operative principle. It is God in each of our souls, reproving, condemning, and bringing into sorrow, trouble, and condemnation, for every offence which we commit against the divinity. And as we submit unto this, we shall also experience joy, peace, and consolation, for every act of obedience unto this same divinity.

Here is the sum total of religion. And it is as we attend unto these individual manifestations,

that we come to experience a growth in grace, and in the knowledge of the truth. And there needs none of the inventions of man; but if we attend immediately unto the manifestations of this principle, we shall advance from a state of negative purity, into a state of positive virtue; and into communion with God, the Father of spirits. And we shall know his life to be our life, and his spirit to nourish up our souls into this life, which is life everlasting.

But let us look a little at the systems which the ingenuity of man has invented, by which they impose on us a variety of circumstances which are totally unconnected with our natures, and which cannot be applied to us as individuals; which are applicable only to us as a community. And they so evidently betray their origin, that it has often been a matter of surprise to me, that mankind will be so hood-winked, while they are bound under systems so full fraught with absurdity. These impose on us a certain routine of belief. And from whence is this belief drawn? In some cases from the views of the ancient heathens-in others they have been devised by the ingenuity of man in later ages-and some, perhaps, have been formed of the two combined, thus producing a heterogeneous mixture which passes for faith, and by many is looked upon as

such. But it conveys no knowledge of God, for there is no knowledge of God contained in it; and none of us can convey that which we have not in our possession. Therefore these systems being built upon a sandy foundation, the superstructure must fall.

These systems impose a routine of rites, ceremonies, and ordinances; and these are called worship. But their effect is only upon our imagination and external senses; it has no tendency to bring us to the footstool of God, or to bring us into that spirit in which we can alone adopt the language, Abba, Father: nor to reduce the spirit of our minds to that state in which perfect love will cast out all fear. Were our minds brought under the influence of the divine spirit, which is of a universal nature, the language of every soul, brought under this operation, would assuredly be, Abba, Father. And the anthem, which has always been sung on the advent of the Messiah, would be found on our tongues: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'

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Now that which has been dignified with the name of religion, bears ample testimony of its origin, for it leads into strife and enmity. And is this a characteristic of the divinity of the gospel of Jesus Christ? No. Is it not obvious that

the features of these systems bear evident marks of their founders? Some have approached much nearer the truth than others; and others again have been much more remote. But in one thing they have all agreed in a very remarkable manner, and that is a full and convincing proof of the corruptibility of their origin:-they have evidently imposed, not only systems of belief, which pass for faith, and ceremonies, which pass for worship, but, under the influence of interested motives, they have imposed their avaricious feelings upon the community, and under their constitutions have applied to the benefit of the few, what they have taken from the many. The multitude are made to serve the interest of a few individuals—men of interested minds, and, what if I say, reprobates concerning the true faith.

The whole of this system is corrupt and without foundation. And notwithstanding all the preaching, praying, singing, and baptizing with water; notwithstanding all the principles and doctrines which the invention of man has so beautifully systematized; yet all these cannot produce the desired effect. Because they can not remove one single stumbling stone, which separates us from the divinity. The whole of this systematized religion, which has been adapted to communities, has not that individual nature

which will regulate one inordinate passion. It can never crucify one solitary lust. Hence it is, that the Christian world, as it consists at the present day, and all the individual members of the Christian church, who are built up in the inventions of man, form a component part of "mystery Babylon the great, the mother of harlots. and abominations of the earth." And it must be obvious to every reflecting mind, that religion has wonderfully increased in our land. And as religion has increased, very much in the same ratio rites and ceremonies have increased; and as they have increased, genuine christianity has gradually declined.

core.

Under this view of the subject, these systems must necessarily be judged rotten to the very And where is there a remedy for a disease, so rotten, so unsound and alarming? It never can correct itself-there must be a counteracting power; and this is not to be found in opinions and sentiments, or in what are called principles and doctrines of religion, but in our own hearts, and there only. And when we are willing to come under the influence of that principle which is God in man, or Christ manifest in your flesh-"Christ in you the hope of glory"— then we shall believe, and the foundation of this belief is the knowledge of God.

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