men from a plain and important duty, they have a baleful
effect. They may be well intended. Doubtless they are so by the
generality of those who attend them. It is painful to be obliged to
dissent from men whom we receive as brethren, and revere as
Christians. But after much deliberation, such are our views of the
subject before us; and we offer them to the serious consideration of
the followers of Christ.

* * * * *

But these are well intended. So probably was Uzzah's steadying the
ark--But some of these do help on the cause of God, and even more than
the stale attendance on Lord's day duties. So thought those who
introduced images and paintings into churches. [Some indeed attend
those who neglected Lord's day duties.]

Have we then discovered defects in the divine plan! And do we feel
ourselves capable of making emendations in it!--Of "teaching eternal
wisdom how to rule!"--How to effect its purposes of mercy!

Beware _lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,
after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not
after Christ_. Vain man would be wise--He naturally thinks himself
qualified, even to ameliorate divine institutions. Temptation to this
sin coincides with a natural bias in depraved humanity. Many and very
mischievous errors have issued from it. Would we escape the snare, we
must listen to the apostle speaking in the text. The sum of his advice
is to keep to the divine directions, especially in matters of
religion. These are contained and plainly taught in the holy
Scriptures, which we have in our hands, and of the sense of which we
must judge for ourselves; remembering that we are accountable to God
the judge of all.

As some are _spoiled through philosophy and vain deceit_, others are
corrupted by regard to _the tradition of men and rudiments of the
world_. This endangered the Colossians, and eventually ruined the
church at Rome. The leading errors of paganism were thereby introduced
into that Christian church, and rendered it completely antichristian.
Errors which seemed to have been destroyed by Christianity, were again
revived, and the abominations which they had occasioned, were acted
over again with enlargements!

The _traditions of men and rudiments of the world_, have still their
seducing influence. Most men swim down with the current of the times
--adopt the sentiments and conform to the usages of those with whom
they live. The popular scheme of religion, th