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decided views of Christian doctrine。
I cannot withhold my conviction that the professing Church of the
nineteenth century is as much damaged by laxity and indistinctness
about matters of doctrine within； as it is by sceptics and unbelievers
without。 Myriads of professing Christians nowadays seem utterly unable
to distinguish things that differ。 Like people afflicted with
colour…blindness； they are incapable of discerning what is true and
what is false； what is sound and what is unsound。 If a preacher of
religion is only clever and eloquent and earnest； they appear to think
he is all right； however strange and heterogeneous his sermons may be。
They are destitute of spiritual sense； apparently； and cannot detect
error。 Popery or Protestantism； an atonement or no atonement； a
personal Holy Ghost or no Holy Ghost； future punishment or no future
punishment； High Church or Low Church or Broad Church； Trinitarianism；
Arianism； or Unitarianism； nothing es amiss to them： they can
swallow it all； if they cannot digest it！ Carried away by a fancied
liberality and charity； they seem to think everybody is right and
nobody is wrong； every clergyman is sound and none are unsound；
everybody is going to be saved and nobody going to be lost。 Their
religion is made up of negatives； and the only positive thing about
them is that they dislike distinctness and think all extreme and
decided and positive views are very naughty and very wrong！
These people live in a kind of mist or fog。 They see nothing clearly；
and do not know what they believe。 They have not made up their minds
about any great point in the Gospel； and seem content to be honorary
members of all schools of thought。 For their lives they could not tell
you what they think is truth about justification； or regeneration； or
sanctification； or the Lord's Supper； or baptism； or faith； or
conversion； or inspiration； or the future state。 They are eaten up with
a morbid dread of controversy and an ignorant dislike of party spirit；
and yet they really cannot define what they mean by these phrases。 The
only point you can make out is that they admire earnestness and
cleverness and charity； and cannot believe that any clever； earnest；
charitable man can ever be in the wrong！ And so they live on undecided；
and too often undecided they drift down to the grave； without fort
in their religion； and； I am afraid； often without hope。
The explanation of this boneless； nerveless； jelly…fish condition of
soul is not difficult to find。 To begin with； the heart of man is
naturally in the dark about religionhas no intuitive sense of
truthand really needs instruction and illumination。 Besides this； the
natural heart in most men hates exertion in religion； and cordially
dislikes patient； painstaking inquiry。 Above all； the natural heart
generally likes the praise of others； shrinks from collision； and loves
to be thought charitable and liberal。 The whole result is that a kind
of broad religious 〃agnosticism〃 just suits an immense number of
people； and specially suits young persons。 They are content to shovel
aside all disputed points as rubbish； and if you charge them with
indecision； they will tell you： 〃I do not pretend to understand
controversy； I decline to examine controverted points。 I daresay it is
all the same in the long run。〃Who does not know that such people
swarm and abound everywhere？
Now I do beseech all who read this paper to beware of this undecided
state of mind in religion。 It is a pestilence which walketh in
darkness； and a destruction that killeth in noonday。 It is a lazy； idle
frame of soul which； doubtless； saves men the trouble of thought and
investigation； but it is a frame of soul for which there is no warrant
in the Bible； nor yet in the Articles or Prayer…book of the Church of
England。 For your own soul's sake； dare to make up your mind what you
believe； and dare to have positive； distinct views of truth and error。
Never； never be afraid to hold decided doctrinal opinions； and let no
fear of man and no morbid dread of being thought party…spirited；
narrow； or controversial； make you rest contented with a bloodless；
boneless； tasteless； colourless； lukewarm； undogmatic Christianity。
Mark what I say。 If you want to do good in these times； you must throw
aside indecision； and take up a distinct； sharply…cut； doctrinal
religion。 If you believe little； those to whom you try to do good will
believe nothing。 The victories of Christianity； wherever they have been
won； have been won by distinct doctrinal theology； by telling men
roundly of Christ's vicarious death and sacrifice； by showing them
Christ's substitution on the cross； and His precious blood； by teaching
them justification by faith； and bidding them believe on a crucified
Saviour； by preaching ruin by sin； redemption by Christ； regeneration
by the Spirit； by lifting up the brazen serpent； by telling men to look
and fiveto believe； repent； and be converted。 Thisthis is the only
teaching which for eighteen centuries God has honoured with success；
and is honouring at the present day both at home and abroad。 Let the
clever advocates of a broad and undogmatic theologythe preachers of
the Gospel of earnestness； and sincerity and cold moralitylet them； I
say； show us at this day any English village or parish； or city； or
town； or district； which has been evangelized without 〃dogma；〃 by their
principles。 They cannot do it； and they never will。 Christianity
without distinct doctrine is a powerless thing。 It may be beautiful to
some minds； but it is childless and barren。 There is no getting over
facts。 The good that is done in the earth may be paratively small。
Evil may abound； and ignorant impatience may murmur and cry out that
Christianity has failed。 But； depend on it； if we want to 〃do good〃 and
shake the world； we must fight with the old apostolic weapons； and
stick to 〃dogma。〃 No dogma