Prescriptions Not to Be Altered

“The prescriptions of a physiciait must not be altered, either by the apothecary or the patient; so we, the preachers, must 7iot alter Cods prescriptions, neither must you, the hearers. We must ?iot shim to declare, nor you to 7’eceive, ‘’The whole counsel of God J” It is as much as a man’s soul is worth to alter a word of the Lord’s own writing: to take away from the book, or to add to it, is forbidden; and threatened with the heaviest penalties. It is not ours to improve the gospel, but to repeat it when we preach, and obey it when we hear. The gospel, the whole gospel, and nothing but the gospel, must be our religion, or we are lost men. Imagine a dispenser altering the ingredients of a medicine to suit his own notions! We should soon have him on trial for manslaughter; and surely he would deserve to be tried on a still higher charge should a patient die through his folly. The gospel prescription is such that an omission or an addition may soon make that which was ordained to life to be unto death. We may not attempt to be wiser than God, for the idea involves constructive blasphemy. No, it is ours to follow our copy to the letter, come what may of it.

Lord, in my teaching I have ever kept to what thou hast said; and therefore men think me old-fashioned, and behind the age. Give me grace to continue so. Never may I aspire to practise a new pharmacy, but may I faithfully dispense thine own ancient and unvarying prescription of salvation by grace through faith.