Jam. v. 1{), 20. Brethren, if any of you do err front (he truth, and one convert him ; let him know, that he which convert el h the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from dcatli, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
IN the apostolic age, the power of working miracles was vouchsafed to many; and was much coveted, not only on account of the benefit which it enabled its possessor to impart, but on account of the honour which it brought to him that exercised it. That power has long since been withdrawn, it being no longer necessary for the support and credit of the Christian cause. Nor need we regret its discon- tinuance; since there is yet communicated to every true Christian a power of infinitely greater value ; namely, a power to instruct and save the souls of men. We cannot any longer by the prayer of faith save the sick, and raise him up from the bed of sick- ness, and remove the judgments that have been inflicted on him on account of his sinsa: but by instructing a sinner, and turning him from the error of his sins, we can now, no less than in the apostolic age, save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins. The miraculous power was in the hands of
" ver. 1 1, 13.
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few, even of " the elders of the Church ;" but this spiritual power, as my text intimates, is common to all, and is to be exercised by all.
From hence we see, I. Our duty towards our erring brethren —
There are still, as formerly, many, who, whilst they are called Christians, do materially " err from the truth"—
[No one can read this epistle without seeing that very awful errors obtained in the Church, both in relation to faith and practice : and no one can know any thing of the Christian world, and not know, that Christianity amongst them is little more than a name. The very way of salvation, simple as it is, is very little understood. There is scarcely any one who is not expecting to be saved in whole, or in part, by some works of his own. The generality imagine that their repentance and reformation are to recommend them to God : and even those who acknowledge their obligations to the Lord Jesus Christ for what he has done and suffered for them, yet hope to obtain an interest in Him by their good works, or acceptance on account of their tvorks through him. The simple life of faith is but little known: and frequently but little experienced, even where in terms the necessity of it is acknowledged.
The same may be said of men's practice also. Look at the life and conduct of the whole Christian world, and say, what resemblance you see in it to the life of Christ. Christians are said to be " epistles of Christ, known and read of all men." But what more would you learn of the mind and will of Christ, from what you see in the Christian world, than from what you might find in the better sort of heathens ? In the Lord Jesus Christ there was an entire superiority to the world : but in his professed followers you see an entire subjection to it. In the Lord Jesus Christ you find that " it was his meat and drink to do the will of his heavenly Father :" but in his professed followers you will see no such effort, no such determination to serve and honour God. Let all of you, who are here present, look at their own principles, and their oivn practice, and see whether they are founded altogether upon God's revealed will, and altogether conformed to the pattern set before them in the Scriptures. The more candidly these matters be inquired into, the more clearly will you see, that the gi'eat mass of no- minal Christians are " erring from the truth," and need to " be converted from the error of their ways."]