JUDE. V. 3.-It was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you, that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

WERE the apostle who wrote this epistle now on the earth, he would hardly find cause to complain, that there is not contention enough in the Christian Church; or that existing controversies are not conducted with sufficient earnestness; though he might not always approve of the ground of contention. And if any one has an inclination to engage in theological warfare, he may have an ample field for the exercise of his powers. Among the divisions and subdivisions of sects and parties, he may find abundant opportunity to exhibit his controversial skill. But in selecting the ground which he is to defend or attack, he may have occasion to inquire, whether by engaging in this or that theological contest, he will approve himself to God. Our text furnishes a rule, by which we may be safely guided, in choosing the field of our controversial labors, "Earnestly contend," says the apostle, "for the faith which was once delivered to the saints."

The word faith, in this place, as in many other passages of Scripture, is evidently used to signify, not the act of believing, but the Vol. XIII. No. 1.

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object of belief; the doctrines of the true religion, as they had been made known to the Church. These truths, upon which our salvation depends, the apostle calls upon Christians to defend, with the earnestness which their immeasurable importance demands. The exhortation is confined to revealed truths. It makes no reference to the inventions of men; to the speculations of human philosophy. Its import may be expressed, in the following simple proposition

IT IS THE DUTY OF CHRISTIANS, TO CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE SYSTEM OF DOCTRINES MADE KNOWN IN THE SCRIPTURES.

To illustrate this proposition, is the design of the present discourse. I propose to consider, first, what is implied in contending for the faith delivered to the saints; and secondly, what is not necessarily included, in a right performance of this duty.

I. Contending for the faith once delivered to the saints implies, 1. That, in opposition to infidels, we exhibit the evidence of the authenticity of the Scriptures.

The Bible contains the only original records which we have of the communications of the will of God to the prophets and apostles. If its authority be set aside, we are left without any satisfactory account of the system of truth delivered to the saints. The evidences of Christianity, as they are commonly termed, are the foundation of all our knowledge of scriptural theology. We are bound, therefore, to guard effectually against the sophistry and artful suggestions by which the primary article of our faith is liable to be assailed. Christians, at the present day, indeed, will rarely find opportunity to meet the infidel, in the use of fair and direct argument. But we are exposed to the more efficient weapons of ridicule, sly insinuation, and affected contempt. To ward off these, it is necessary to be well furnished with that defensive armor which historical truth, and the benevolent spirit of the Christian religion, so abundantly supply.

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2. The next step, in defending the faith delivered to the saints, is to maintain the ground, that the Bible is not only an authentic record; but that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" that "holy men of God spake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." the Scriptures were only the work of well-meaning but erring men, we should have no infallible standard of doctrine and practice; no determinate rule to which we might refer our earnest discussions, for final adjudication. Theological controversies would be truly interminable.

But the faith of which the apostle speaks in our text, is that which was delivered to the saints; not that which they had discovered, by their own powers of reasoning. "I certify you, brethren," says

Paul, "that the gospel which was preached of me, is not after man : for I neither received it of man; neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."* To the Thessalonians he says, "When ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it, not as the word of men; but as it is in truth, the word of God."t This is the broad and immoveable foundation of the Christian's faith.. So long as we have evidence, that God has spoken to us in the Scriptures, so long may we know, that we have there the words of everlasting truth. There can be no firmer ground, on which to rest our religious belief and our hopes of salvation.

3. We are to contend for those principles of interpretation, which will lay open to our view the true meaning of the Scriptures; and not bring to them a meaning derived from our own preconceived opinions.

There are two widely different methods of interpreting the word of God. According to one of these, we first determine for ourselves what doctrines and precepts the Scriptures probably contain; and then set ourselves at work, to extort from them a meaning, in conformity with the opinions which we have already formed. All the arts of plastic criticism are applied, to modify and explain away the passages which, at first view, stand in the way of our favorite theories. There is no text, however unequivocal its genuine meaning, which may not be made to yield to this transforming process. The critical alchymy will bring forth from the crucible, any product which the dexterous operator wishes to obtain. The word of God may be appealed to, in support of as many different systems of theology, as ardent theorists choose to propose. If we can determine beforehand,what God ought to reveal to us, for what purpose do we need a revelation? On this supposition, our own powers of reasoning, without aid from above, can teach us all which it concerns us to know. It is a vain pretence, to profess to make the word of God the standard of our faith; while we mould it and shape it, at our pleasure, to render it conformable to schemes of theology of our own devising. It is not unfrequently the case, that far greater liberties are taken with the Scriptures, than would be tolerated, in interpreting any other book.

But the true method of interpretation goes upon the supposition, that God has spoken to us, with a purpose of being understood; that his communications to us have one definite meaning; and that this is to be learned, by the ordinary rules of construction, by inquiring how the language would be understood, by those to whom it was * Gal. i. 11, 12.

† 1 Thess. ii. 13.

originally addressed. When we have thus found what God has actually spoken, we are not at liberty to substitute in the place of it, something else, which we should have thought would more probably be revealed. The true point of inquiry is, what saith the Scripture ; what meaning does its language convey to us; and not, what construction may be forced upon it, by the perverted refinements of criticism. We are not, indeed, required to believe assertions which are intuitively or demonstrably false. If such were found in the Bible, they would prove it not to be the word of God. But he may reveal to us mysteries, which our own unaided reason would never have discovered. "Behold," says the apostle, "I show you a mystery." We are to contend, then, for those principles of interpretation, which will unfold to us the revelation of God, as it really is; and not transform it into another gospel.

4. We are to contend for the very system of truth which was delivered to the saints; to maintain it in its simplicity and purity, unadulterated with additions from the speculations of men.

There is one invariable meaning of the Scriptures; that which was given them, when originally written. Nothing has been added to this meaning, since the book of Revelation was brought to a close, by the apostle John. It will remain the same, till the heavens and the earth are no more. The same portion of the Bible has not different meanings for different ages of the world; for different ranks of society; for different denominations of Christians. Its import may be more correctly understood at one time than another. It may have different applications to the learned and the ignorant; to the rich and the poor; to the monarch and his subjects. But the meaning of the word of God was the same, when used by Luther and his fellow-laborers, to expose the corruptions of popery; as when read, at the present day, in Christian lands; or carried to the heathen, in India, or Africa, or the islands of the Pacific. It is this one uniform meaning, which we are bound to search for, as for hid treasures; and which we are to keep distinct from every addition or variation suggested by the wisdom of men. If philosophizing Christians insist upon bringing forward their theories, and systems, and discoveries; let them have all due credit, for the products of their genius. But let them not blend their speculations with the truths which have come to us, in a voice from heaven. Let us always have it in our power, to distinguish the one from the other. Let there be a broad line of separation, between the reasonings of men, and communications from the infinite fountain of truth.

Contending for the Christian faith, implies that we contend for the