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Cornell University Library 
 BV4241 .B94 
 
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Cornell University 
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 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
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VILLAGE SERMONS; 
 
 OR, 
 
 FIFTY-TWO PLAIN AND SHORT DISCOURSES 
 
 OS 
 
 THE PRINCIPAL DOCTRINES OF THE GOSPEL: 
 
 INTENDED 
 
 FOR THE USB OF FAMILIES, SUNDAY-SCHOOLS, OR COMPANIES ASSEM- 
 BLED FOR RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN COUNTRY VILLAGES. 
 
 BY REV. GEORGE MURDER. 
 
 Come, let us go forth into the field ; let us lodge in the vilbges. — Song op Solomon. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE 
 AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 
 
 NEW YORK; 150 NASSAU-STREET. 
 BOSTON: 28 COBNHILL. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 :26, 
 
 21, 
 
 1. The Conversion of the JaUer, Acts 16 : 30, 31, 
 
 2. The Broad and Narrow Way, Matt. 7 : 13, 14, . 
 
 3. The Nature, Spirituality, and Use of the Law, Eom. 1 : 9, 
 
 4. Christ the End of the Law for Eighteousness, Eom. 10 : 4, 
 
 5. The Fall of Man, Eccl. 7 : 29, 
 
 6. Eedemption, Eph. 1:7 
 
 1. Eegeneration of the New Birth, John 3 : 3, 
 
 8. Eepentance, Mark 6 : 12, . 
 
 9. The Work of the Holy Spirit, Eom. 8 : 9, 
 
 10. Holiness, Heb. 12 : 14, . 
 
 11. Death and Judgment, Heb. 9 : 27, 
 
 12. Hell and Heaven, Matt. 25 : 46, 
 
 13. A New Heart the Child's Best Portion, Ezek. 36 
 
 14. The Lord's Prayer, Matt. 6 : 9-13, . 
 
 15. The danger of Formality and Hypocrisy, Matt. 7 
 
 16. The Pharisee and Publican, Luke 18 : 13, . 
 
 17. Zeal for the Salvation of Sinners, Eom. 10 : 1, 
 
 18. The Prodigal Son, or the Penitent joyfully Eeceived, Luke 15 
 
 19. Christ the Way to God and Heaven, John 14 : 6, . 
 
 20. Coming Sinners welcome to Christ, John 6 : 37, 
 
 21. The vain Excuses of Sinners Exposed, Luke 14 : 18, 
 
 22. Christ the Bread of Life — the Nature of Faith in Him, John 
 
 23. A Sinner changed by Grace, 1 Pet. 4 : 3, 4, . 
 
 24. Dives and Lazarus, Luke 16 : 31, 
 
 25. The Pleasures of Eeligion, addressed to Youth, Prov. 3 : 17, 
 
 26. The Value of the Soul, Matt. 16 : 26, 
 
 27. Conviction of Sin, 1 Cor. 14 : 24, 25, ... . 
 
 28. The Lamb of God beheld by Faith, John 1 : 29, . 
 
 29. The Conversion of St. Paul, Acts 9 : 11, 
 
 30. The Love of God, John 3:16, 
 
 31.«0n the Sabbath, or Lord's Day, Exod. 20 : 8, 
 
 24, 
 
 27, 
 
 7 
 
 17 
 
 27 
 
 37 
 
 47 
 
 57 
 
 67 
 
 77 
 
 87 
 
 97 
 
 107 
 
 117 
 
 127 
 
 136 
 
 146 
 
 157 
 
 168 
 
 179 
 
 190 
 
 201 
 
 212 
 
 222 
 
 232 
 
 248 
 
 254 
 
 264 
 
 276 
 
 288 
 
 299 
 
 310 
 
 321 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 32. The only Foundation, 1 Cor. 3 : 11, . 
 
 33. The Doctrine of the Trinity, 1 John 5:7, 
 
 34. The Power of the Gospel, Eom. 1 : 16, 
 
 35. Sui and Death, or Grace and Life, Eom. 8 : 13, 
 
 36. Pardoning Mercy, Isa. 1 : 18, 
 
 37. The Penitent Thief, Luke 23 : 42, 43, . 
 
 38. The World to Come, Luke 20 : 35, 36, . . . 
 
 39. Safety in the Ark for Perishing Sinners, Gen. 7 : 1, 
 
 40. The Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ, PhD. 3 : 8, 
 
 41. The Heart Taken, Luke 11 : 21, 22, . 
 
 42. Christ is All, Col. 3:11, . . . 
 
 43. Apostasy from Christ to be Dreaded, John 6 : 67, 68, 
 
 44. The Birth of Christ, Luke 2 : 15, 
 
 45. The Cross of Christ the Christian's Glory, Gal. 6 : 14, 
 
 46. The Eesurrection of Christ, Luke 24 : 34, . 
 
 47. The Descent of the Holy Ghost, Acts= 2:4,. 
 
 48. Christ our Benefactor, Acts 10 : 38, . 
 
 49. The Christian Temper, Phil. 2:5, 
 
 50. Christian Practice, Titus 2 : 11, 12, . 
 
 51. Non-conformity to the World, Eom. 12 : 2, , 
 
 52. Preparation for Death, Matt. 24 : 44, . 
 
 332 
 343 
 354 
 365 
 376 
 386 
 397 
 408 
 419 
 430 
 441 
 452 
 463 
 474 
 485 
 496 
 507 
 518 
 529 
 540 
 651 
 
PREFATORY NOTICE. 
 
 The first twelve of these Village Sermons were originally issued in 
 1796 in one volume, which were so well received that the author soon 
 published a second, and then a third, each comprising twelve sermons, 
 and in 1800 he added a fourth volume of sixteen sermons, making the 
 fifty-two in the present volume, or a sermon for every week in the year.' 
 These sermons, to which in 1820 about fifty more had been added, have 
 been published in numerous and various editions both in this and the 
 mother country, and have been among the most acceptable and useful 
 discourses ever given to the public. They were written in the dark 
 period of the prevalence of French infidelity, and their plain, heart- 
 searching, evangelical truths were among the means blessed of God in 
 the revival of his work at the beginning of this century, and have con- 
 tinued to be blessed in the salvation of multitudes of souls. Some 
 pains has been taken to select the best edition, and by comparing vari- 
 ous readings, detecting errors of the press, and a slight revision, to give 
 the discourses the best form for permanency. 
 
 BRIEF SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR'S LIFE. 
 
 Geoege Bueder was born in London, of pious parents, June 5, 1Y52. 
 After his mother's death, when he was nine years old, he was for a time 
 drawn aside by sinful companions ; but he continued to attend public 
 worship, and at twenty-three united with the church at the Tabernacle, 
 founded by Whitefield, which was then blessed with the ministry of the 
 eminent Rev. William Romaine. He soon entered on the study of the- 
 ology ; preached in the villages in the vicinity of some of his father's 
 estates and in various pulpits in London ; and October 29, 1776, at the 
 age of twenty-six, was ordained pastor at Lancaster, where he labored 
 with great fidelity, extending his services to destitute villages around 
 him, often in the midst of opposition and persecution, till at the end of 
 one year, he had travelled on horseback " about twenty-five hundred 
 miles, and preached two hundred and fifty-four times, besides a variety 
 of exhortations at prayer-meetings and church meetings." 
 
6 SKETCH OP AUTHOE'S LIFE 
 
 In 1781 he published the celebrated tract, "The Good Old Way," 
 of ■which hundreds of thousands have been circulated. In 1783 his 
 pastoral labors were transferred to Coventry, and about this time he 
 wrote " The Closet Companion," and delivered lectures otf " The Pil- 
 grim's Progress," the substance of which was embodied in notes to sev- 
 eral editions of that work. In 1792 he issued his abridgment of Dr. 
 Owen's great work "On the Holy Spirit."' 
 
 He became deeply interested in missionary efforts for the destitute 
 at home, and was one of the founders of the London Missionary Society, 
 whose influence has been felt throughout the world. In 1799 he was 
 prominent in founding the Religious Tract Society in London, as he 
 also took part in 1804 in the formation of the British and Foreign 
 Bible Society. 
 
 In 1803 he was called to relinquish his abundant and successful 
 labors of twenty yearS in Coventry, amidst the deepest regrets of his 
 people, and removed to London, where he became pastor of the congre- 
 gation in Fetter Lane, and at the same time Secretary of the London 
 Missionary Society, and editor of the Evangelical Magazine. To the 
 fulfilling of the arduous duties of these three stations he devoted, for 
 about a quarter of a century, the remaining energies of his life ; relin- 
 quishing the Magazine in 1825, at the age of seventy-four, and the next 
 year resigning the office of secretary, and accepting the aid of a co-pas- 
 tor in Fetter Lane. 
 
 In addition to these labors, he published, in 1821, a volume of twelve 
 Sea Sermons, and within the next five years twenty-four Cottage Ser- 
 mons in two successive volumes, and in 1828, twelve Sermons to the 
 Aged, all of which were published by the Religious Tract Society, and 
 of which more than one miUion copies have been circulated. 
 
 At the age of seventy-eight he became entirely blind, when he had 
 his sermons written by an amanuensis. They were read to him before 
 he entered the pulpit, and he was able to preach them with ease and 
 fluency. His last sermon was delivered March 5, 1830, and on March 
 29, 1832, in the eightieth year ofhis age, he calmly entered into rest. 
 
VILLAGE SEEMONS. 
 
 THE CONVERSION OF THE JAILER. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 "SIKS, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? AND THEY SAID, BELIEVE ON THE 
 LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED." Acts 16:30, 31. 
 
 The question I have read to you was asked by the jailer 
 at Philippi, and the answer was given by Paul and Silas. 
 The case was this : Paul and Silas were taken up for preach- 
 ing the gospel, and brought before the rulers. The rulers 
 unjustly caused them to be severely whipped, and then " cast 
 them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely; 
 who, having receive^ such a charge, thrust them into the 
 inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks." 
 
 But these good men were not unhappy ; their Master was 
 with them, according to his gracious promise, and filled their 
 hearts with joy ; so that, even at midnight, they could not 
 refrain from singing praises to G-od ; and their fellow-prison- 
 ers, in other dungeons, heard them with surprise. 
 
 Just then, that Grod might show his regard to them, and 
 his anger against their persecutors, there was, all on a sud- 
 den, a very great and awful earthquake, so that the founda- 
 tions of the prison were shaken by it. At the same time, all 
 the doors flew open ; and all the bands and fetters that were 
 on them, and the rest of the prisoners, dropped off at once. 
 
 The keeper of the jail starting up from his sleep, and 
 finding the prisoners at liberty, was so terrified lest he should 
 
8 CONVEKSION OF THE JAILEK. 
 
 1)6 charged with a hreach of trust in letting them escape, 
 that he drew his sword,, and was going to stab himself. 
 
 But Paul knowing his wicked design, and moved with 
 pity for him, though he had used them so ill, cried out aloud, 
 " Do thyself no harm, for we are all here." The jailer, call- 
 ing for a light, ran with all speed into the inner prison ; and 
 heing full of horror at such an appearance of God in favor of 
 his servants, and at the same time struck hy the Holy Spirit 
 with a deep conviction of his own guilt and danger, he 
 threw himself on the ground hefore them, and asked their 
 direction for the relief of his soul, in the words of our text, 
 "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" A more important 
 question was never asked. It becomes every one to make 
 the inquiry; and if any of you have never before seriously 
 made it, God grant you may do so now. The answer given, 
 and the only proper answer that could be given^ was, "Be- 
 lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." 
 May the Lord assist us while we consider these two parts of 
 our text. 
 
 1. An important question. 
 v2. A gospel answer. 
 
 I. The question. It is in few words, but they are full of 
 meaning. Let us examine it. And I shall consider it, first, 
 
 As the language of conviction. By conviction, I mean 
 that work of the Holy Spirit on the mind of a sinner, where- 
 by he is convinced that he is a sinner, and is properly 
 affected with it. "Without this, people try to excuse or les- 
 sen their sins. Some lay the blame of their sins upon others, 
 as Adam did upon Eve, and as Eve did upon the serpent. 
 People in general think very little, and very lightly, of their 
 sin. Some even make a mock at. sin, and glory in it. This 
 is a sad state to be in. Such persons are very far from God, 
 and have no religion at all, whatever they may pretend to 
 have. Such were the Pharisees, who were thought to be 
 very religious ; but they generally despised and opposed Je- 
 sus Christ ; -rfor, as he told them, "the whole need not a 
 physician, but they that are sick." 
 
SERMON I. 9 
 
 But it is a good thing to be sensible of our sin. It is the 
 first work of G-od upon the soul to make us so. For this 
 purpose we must consider the holy law of G-od contained in 
 the Ten Commandments. " By the law is the knowledge of 
 siu ; " and, " Sin is the transgression of the law." Thus St. 
 Paul himself came to see he was a sinner, as he tells us: 
 " I was alive without the law bnce ; but when the command- 
 ment came, sin revived, and I died." Rom. 7:9. If ever 
 we have broken the law, even once in our lives, we are sin- 
 ners ; for, as it is written, " Cursed is every one that contin- 
 ueth not in all things which are written in the book of the 
 law, to do them." Gral. 3 : 10. Now, who is there that can 
 pretend to say, he never sinned in all his life ? Do you not 
 often, at public prayers, say, you are miserable sinners? 
 But it is one thing to say so, merely in a customary way; 
 and another, to be seriously convinced of it, and deeply 
 affected with it. 
 
 The Holy Spirit not only brings us to admit, what we 
 can hardly deny, that we have sinned, but he also shows 
 us that we have sinned much and often; that we have 
 sinned in our hearts thousands of times, when we have not 
 seemed to others to sin. 
 
 He also shows us the very great evil there is in sin. He 
 shows us what abominable ingratitude there is in it; for 
 " G-od has nourished us, and brought us up as children, and 
 we have rebelled against him." He shows what a base and 
 filthy thing sin is ; that it makes us hateful and abominable 
 in his sight, viler than the brutes that perish. And he also 
 shows us the danger there is in sin. " The wages of sin is 
 death." Sin brought all our miseries into the world. It is 
 owing to sin that we must all die, and return to dust; and 
 what is worse, sin exposes us to the wrath of God and the 
 flames of hell for ever. Now the jailer saw all this, and 
 therefore cried out, " What must I do to be saved ?" And 
 this leads me next to observe, that 
 
 This question bespeaks /<?ar. Yes, my brethren, it is the 
 lg,nguage of fear; it is the language of terror and consterna- 
 
10 ' CONVERSION OP THE JAILER. 
 
 tion. "Whenever we are alarmed at the approach of some 
 dreadful evil, it is natural to cry, What shall I do ? And 
 have not sinners much to fear ? Is it not " a fearful thing 
 to fall into the hands of the living God ?" Oh, consider who 
 he is that we have provoked hy our sins. It is the great, the 
 Almighty G-od, who made the world with a word, and can 
 cruSh it in a moment. It is " the Lord, who hath his way in 
 the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of 
 his feet. The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and 
 the earth is burned at his presence. Who can stand before 
 his indignation ? and who can abide in the fierceness of his 
 anger ?" Nahum 1 : 3-6. This is that dreadful God, who 
 has said, that " the wicked shall be turned into hell, with all 
 who forget him." Shall we not fear him then? shall we 
 not tremble at his presence? Yea, saith the Lord, I say 
 unto you, " fear him which is able to destroy both soul and 
 body in hell.^' Oh, how would you shudder to see a fellow- 
 creature burning at a stake; how would you wish that 
 death would speedily end his pain! But how would you 
 feel to see him burn a whole hour, a whole day, a whole 
 week, and all the time filling the air with horrid shrieks, and 
 crying in vain for ease or death ? Horrid as' this would be, 
 it gives but a faint idea of hell ; that dreadful place of tor- 
 ment, " where the worm dieth not, and where the fire is not 
 quenched." It was the dread of this that made the jailer 
 cry, "What must I do to be saved?" And it was well for 
 him that he foresaw the evil, and found a refuge from it. 
 God grant we may all do the same. But there is more in 
 the question. 
 
 It is also the language of desire — earnest, ardent desire. 
 The natural maji desires only carnal things. What shall I 
 eat, what shall I drink, what shall I wear? How may I be 
 rich and happy and respected? or, as the Psalmist expresses 
 it, " Who will show me any good ?" any worldly good, any 
 temporary good. But " that which is born of the Spirit is 
 spirit." The awakened soul has new desires ; or rather, all 
 his desires are brought into one, and that one is salvation. 
 
SEKMON I. 11 
 
 "What shall I do to be saved? to be delivered from the 
 wrath to come ; to have my sins pardoned, to be restored to 
 the divine favor?" This is now "the one thing needful." 
 "Without this, all other things are of no value; they are less 
 than nothing, and vanity, compared with salvation. This 
 earnest desire will soon be expressed in prayer. For the 
 sinner knows that salvation can come only from Grod; and 
 as it was remarked by Christ himself, concerning Saul when 
 converted, " Behold, he prayeth ;" so it will always be found, 
 that the desire of the new-born soul will vent itself in pfayer. 
 Those who live without prayer are strangers to this desire, 
 and are totally destitute of religion. 
 
 The question in our text is likewise the language of 
 hope. I do not mean a lively and believing hope, founded 
 upon the gospel, but a feeble, wavering hope, arising from a 
 general notion of the mercy of God. For there is in the 
 minds of all mankind some notion that God is merciful, and 
 may possibly pardon; and though this is too often abused, 
 and people encourage themselves by it to go on in sin, yet it 
 is of great service to convinced sinners, and keeps them from 
 despair, till the Spirit of God leads them by the gospel to 
 know that there is indeed forgiveness with him, and that the 
 blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin. Therefore the poor 
 jailer, though a blind heatheU, does not say, "There is no 
 mercy fot me ; I am such a sinner I never can be saved." 
 But his question seems to say, as the repenting Ninevites 
 said, on the preaching of Jonah, " Who can tell if God will 
 turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that 
 we perish not ?" Jonah 3 : 9. 
 
 Once more, we may observe, that the jailer's question 
 includes a confession of his ignorance. He wanted to be 
 saved, but he knew not how; nor can any man know this 
 aright till he is taught of God; It is the true character of 
 natural men, as mentioned Rom. 3 : 17, that " the way of 
 peace have they not known." By the fall of man, in Adam, 
 " darkness has covered the earth, and gross darkness the peo- 
 ple." And this is the state, not only of the blind heathens, 
 
12 CONVEESION OF THE JAILER. 
 
 who have not the Bible, but of a great many called Christians. 
 How many are there among us, who are entirely ignorant of 
 the way in which poor sinners are saved by Jesus Christ ! 
 But to remove this fatal darkness, Christ the Sun of right- 
 eousness has arisen upon the earth. He is the light of the 
 world; and he has commanded his ministers to "preach the 
 gospel to every creature." Paul and Silas were so employed 
 before they were cast into prison. It had been declared in 
 the city concerning them, " These men are the servants of 
 the most high God, which show unto us the way of salva- 
 tion." Rom. 3:17, As soon, therefore, as the jailer was 
 convinced of his need of salvation, and his ignorance, he 
 earnestly desires to be taught by them. He no longer reviles 
 and abuses these ministers of Christ, but applies to them for 
 instruction. And thus it will be with all who are trtily 
 serious. They will not mock at preachers of the gospel, 
 but rather, "stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old 
 paths, where is the good way, and walk' therein, that they 
 may find rest for their souls." Jer. 6 : 16. And now say, my 
 friends, whether you have ever felt in your minds, this ear- 
 nest desire to know the way of God more perfectly; For 
 this end, do you bow your knees to God in prayer ? Do you 
 read your Bible for this purpose ? And with this view do 
 you go to hear the ministers of Christ ? Be assured, this is 
 the pursuit of all who are under divine influence. 
 
 This question is also the language of legality. By legal- 
 ity, I mean cleaving to the law ; or, " going about to estab- 
 lish our own righteousness" by the deeds of the law, or our 
 good works. When God made man at first, he made a cove- 
 nant of works with him. If he obeyed the will of God per- 
 fectly, he was to. live; but if he failed in a single instance, 
 he was to die. He did fail, and therefore could never attain 
 life by his own righteousness. God was pleased to save him 
 by grace, and not by works. InJike manner, the Scripture 
 assures us that by grace alone we are saved through faith, 
 and not by any works of righteousness which we have done. 
 But, till we are taught of God, we are all apt to think we 
 
SERMON I. 13 
 
 can save ourselves, wholly or partly by our own doings. 
 The poor jailer was of this mind, and therefore asks, " What 
 must I do to be saved ?" He thought it must be by doing 
 something, that we must obtain the pardon of our sins and 
 eternal life; but he was soon better informed by the minis- 
 ters of the gospel. 
 
 Finally, I consider this question as the language of sub- 
 mission. Poor man; his heart was alarmed with fear and 
 humbled for sin. He saw nothing but eternal destruction 
 before him, and would give all the world to avoid it; and 
 therefore he cries, "What shall I do? As if he had said. 
 Show me my duty, and let it be ever so hard and ^difficult, 
 I am ready to do it. I would go through fire or water, so 
 that my precious soul may be saved. And is it so with you ? 
 Are you willing to part with your sins? Depend upon it 
 you are not in the way to salvation till you are willing to 
 part with all for Christ ; • and if you are, how gladly will you 
 hear the true way to salvation, as declared by these inspired 
 servants of the Lord, • This is contained in the second part 
 of our subject; or, 
 
 II. The gospel answer given to the jailer's question. 
 This short and plain answer is the only true one that can be 
 given to the important inquiry ; and it is of vast importance 
 that a convinced soul be led in the right way. I am afraid 
 that some men, some ministers, would not have given this 
 answer. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I am afraid that 
 if a person, tinder that sense of sin which I have described, 
 were to go %o an ungodly minister, and say. Oh, sir, what 
 must I do to be saved ? he would give different advice. He 
 would say, " I hope you have done nothing very bad. You 
 have not killed any body. You have not robbed any body. 
 You are no worse than your neighbors. I would have you 
 lay aside such gloomy notions.. Go into company, and be 
 amused. Continue to do your duty, and you need not fear. 
 But be sure you do not go among the Methodists; they will 
 drive you mad." But you may learn from the text, that it 
 is no madness to be concerned for the salvation of our souls, 
 
14 Conversion of the jailer. 
 
 nor to be earnest in learning how we must be saved. The 
 jailer never acted a more rational part, nor asked a wiser 
 question, than in this instance. They are the madmen, who 
 sell their souls for the short-lived pleasures of sin. You may 
 also learn from this passage, who are the true ministers of 
 Christ; they are those who preach him, and direct you to 
 flee to him for salvation. Now all .these, with one accord, in 
 all countries, and of all parties, will.unite and say, " Believe 
 on the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 And here you may observe how false that -notion is 
 which some people maintain of zealous ministers, naipely, 
 that they preach nothing but damnation; whereas the sub- 
 ject of what wepreaoh is salvation. If we say any thing of 
 damnation, it is that you may avoid it, and flee to Christ, as 
 the deliverer from it. There is no need for the vilest sinner 
 to despair. St. Paul says to the jailer, though he had been 
 a very bad man, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou 
 shalt be saved." The gospel is good news, my friends; it 
 publishes a free,- full, everlasting salvation, to the chief of 
 sinners. 
 
 Observe who it is that St. Paul recommends to the 
 notice of this distressed man. It is th^ Lord Jesus Christ. 
 It is the Lord. The Maker of heaven and earth. Col. 1 : 16; 
 " the Lord of all," Acts 10 : 36, who came down from heaven; 
 the " Son of God," who became "the Son of man," that we 
 the children of men might become the children of G-od. His 
 name is called Jesus, which signifies a Saviour, and he was 
 so called, because " he came to save us from our ^ins." Matt. 
 1:21. Yes, this is indeed " a faithful saying, and worthy 
 of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to 
 save sinners." He is also called Christ, or the Messiah, long 
 promised, and long expected by the Jews; and it signifies 
 the Anointed, which implies that he was every way qualified 
 for the work of salvation, and appointed to it. This then is 
 the glorious person to whom a sinner is directed to look for 
 salvation, Believa on the Lord Jesus Christ. He exhorts, 
 him to believe. What is it to believe on him ? I answer, it 
 
SEKMOlf I. 15 
 
 is to believe all that G-od says in the gospel concerning him, 
 so as to look to him alone for salvation. Faith is explained 
 by coming to Christ; it is the application of the mind to 
 him for relief by prayer. It is called receiving _^ Christ ; the 
 soul accepts him as held forth in the gospel, in all his saving 
 characters and offices — as Prophet, Priest, and King. It is a 
 committing the soul to him, knowing there is salvation in 
 him and in no other, and humbly relying on his love and 
 faithfulness to preserve it unto eternal salvation. 
 
 Observe, further, the comfortable assurance that is here 
 given to the distressed jailer. Thou shalt he saved. Salva- 
 tion was what he longed for. He wanted to know the way 
 of it. He is directed to Jesus as the Saviour, and to believe 
 on him, as the way of being saved by him ; and in so doing, 
 he is assured that salvation shall be his. Blessed be God for 
 many precious promises to this purpose in his word. Hear 
 what Jesus Christ himself saith : "He that believeth on the 
 Son hath everlasting life." John 3 : 36. And in another 
 place, " This is the will of him that sent me, that every one 
 which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have ever- 
 lasting life." John 6 : 40. 
 
 And now, my friends, let me ask you, Are you concerned 
 about your souls ? Were you ever brought, like the jailer, to 
 ask with seriousness, with earnestness of soul, What must I 
 do to be saved ? Are we not all sinners ? Are you not a 
 dying sinner ? Must you not soon appear before your Judge ? 
 What, then, will you plead ? Are you ready for the solemn 
 trial ? Oh, consider these things ! Trifle no longer with 
 your souls ! Eternity is at hand, heaven or hell will soon be 
 your portion. And can you be unconcerned? Be assured 
 that serious consideration and deep conviction are absolutely 
 necessary. There is no real religion without these. If you 
 never felt a concern for the salvation of your soul — if you 
 never felt a desire to know how you must be saved, you are 
 yet a stranger to any true religion. You are a Christian 
 only in name. You are far from G-od, and in a most dan- 
 
16 CONVERSION OF THE JAILER. 
 
 gerous condition. then look up to God for the teaching of 
 his Spirit; beg him to take away your heart of stone, and to 
 make you truly desirous of his salvation. 
 
 If you are concerned ahout your soul, which way do you 
 look for help? If you would be saved, what course do you 
 take? Do you say, "I must repent and reform?" It is 
 true ; so you must. But do you think that repentance, or 
 reformation, is sufficient to save your soul ? No ; Jesus is the 
 only Saviour. The apostles directed sinners to believed in 
 him. That is your first business. Pray for faith.. It is the 
 gift of God; and he will give it you, if you will ask him. 
 And if you truly believe, repentance; and reformation will 
 surely follow, together with all good works, by which a, true 
 faith is as certainly known as a tree is discerned by its fruits. 
 How soon did the jailer provfr the truth of his faith in this 
 manner ? He showed the utmost readiness to hear the gos- 
 pel preached by the ministers of Christ; and he joined to 
 works of piety, those of charity: "he took Paul and Silas, 
 the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes;" he 
 also took upon himself the full profession of this new and 
 despised religion, by being baptized, arid so separating him- 
 self from all his heathen neighbors. Thus let us immediately 
 separate ourselves irom the vain world, and boldly confess to 
 whom we belong ; while we show the strongest affection to 
 the ministers and people of God. 
 
SERMON II. 17 
 
 THE BROAD AND THE NARROW WAY. 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 "ENTER YE IN AT THE STRAIT GATE : FOR WIDE IS THE GATE AND BROAD 
 IS THE WAY THAT LEADETH TO DESTRUCTION, AND MANY THERE BE 
 WHICH GO IN THEREAT : BECAUSE STRAIT IS THE GATE, AND NARROW 
 IS THE WAY, WHICH LEADETH UNTO LIFE, AND FEW THERE BE THAT 
 FIND IT." Matt. 7:13, 14. 
 
 It is with great propriety that human life is compared to 
 a journey, and every man to a traveller, for life is very short, 
 and the present state is not our final rest, but only prepara- 
 tory to it. Every man has some particular point at which 
 he aims, and is daily travelling either -to heaven or hell. 
 
 These words must have great weight with all who rever- 
 ence the name of Jesus Christ ; for they are his words, and 
 they contain matter of eternal importance to us all. They 
 consist of a short exhortation, " Enter ye in at the strait 
 gate;" and a very important reason for preferring that to the 
 wide gate; for the wide gate leads to destruction, but the 
 narrow one to eternal life. In discoursing on the text, let us 
 consider, 
 
 1. The wide gate, and the broad way, with the end of it. 
 
 2. The strait gate, and the narrow way, with what it 
 leads to. And, 
 
 3. Enforce the exhortation, " Enter ye in at the strait 
 gate." 
 
 And now, Thou that beholdest the evil and the good; 
 Thou who knowest every heart, and . seest which of these 
 ways we are in, make the word useful to us all, and incline 
 poor sinners to choose the narrow way, that so they may find 
 everlasting life. 
 
 I. We will consider the wide gate, and the broad way. 
 And what is this but sin ? If there is a way to everlasting 
 
18 'bkoad and naerow way. 
 
 death, sin is certainly that way, for " the wages of sin is 
 death;" but let such persons remember, that "what a man 
 soweth, that shall he also reap." "If we live after the flesh 
 we shall die." Rom. 6 : 23. But to be more particular, this 
 broad way includes a thoughtless mind, a carnal heart, and 
 a wicked life. 
 
 1. A thoughtless mind. And Oh, how common this is! 
 How many live as thoughtless about their souls as if they 
 had none. They think no more of God, and Christ, and sal- 
 vation, than if they were incapable of thinking; they are 
 like the beasts that perish. Although the great end of our 
 being is to know, serve, and glorify God, yet this is wholly 
 lost sight of ajid forgotten. Although the fear of God is the 
 beginning of wisdom, and the care of the soul- is^ the one 
 thing needful, yet thousands, even in this Christian country, 
 live like atheists, and God is not in all their thoughts. Oh, 
 prodigious and lamentable stupidity. Awake, sleeper; 
 arise, and call upon thy God, lest thou perish. Where is 
 thy conscience ? What says death ? Is it not approaching ? 
 rouse yburselves from this dangerous lethargy, and think 
 what you are, and where you are going. Some of you may 
 be free from the grosser vices, not chargeable perhaps with 
 profaneness or drunkenness ; yet know, that if living in ease 
 and security, without any care about your, soul and eternity, 
 you are, equally with the vilest characters, in the broad road 
 to destruction. 
 
 Again, the carnal ox filthy heart is included; so the Holy 
 Ghost describes the heart of man in its natural and depraved 
 state. The immortal mind of man, originally created in the 
 image of God, and formed for spiritual exercises, is now, by 
 the fall of Adam, become carnal. So St. Paul speaks : 
 "They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the 
 flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the 
 Spirit." Rom. 8:5. The carnal man is all for the world. 
 His cares, his hopes, his fears, his desires, his pleasures, his 
 pains, his conversation, are all about the world. His fleshly 
 mind is crowded with worldly thoughts, and as it was at 
 
SEKMON II. 19 
 
 Bethlehem, there is no room for Christ in the inn. But let 
 it be observed, that whoever is in this case is in the broad 
 road, for the Scripture declares that *'they that are in the 
 flesh cannot please God," and that this " carnal mind is en- 
 mity against God." This is the miserable condition of many 
 who pass for moral, industrious, good sort of people ; but they 
 are far from God ; they are " sensual, not having the Spirit;" 
 and minding only earthly things, their end is destruction. 
 Phil. 3 : 19. 
 
 Once more, observe that the broad way includes a wicked 
 life — a life of sin. Whoever lives in wilful disobedience to 
 the commands of God, is assuredly in the road to destruction. 
 Let none deceive themselves with vain words and idle ex- 
 cuses. " He that committeth sin is of the devil." 1 John 
 3:8. "Know ye not," saith the apostle Paul, "that the 
 •unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not 
 deceived: neither thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, etc., 
 shall inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor. 6 : 9, 10. God 
 will not hold him guiltness who taketh his name in vain ; 
 nor will the Sabbath-breaker escape unpunished. How is 
 it, then, that poor sinners flatter themselves with hopes of 
 salvation ; " for because of these things cometh the wrath of 
 God upon the children of disobedience." Eph. 5:6. 
 
 To these destructive sins another may be added, which is 
 more destructive than them all, namely, the sin of unbelief 
 Though a person , should be free from many of the sins just 
 mentioned, yet unbelief would be like a millstone about his 
 neck, and sink him for ever into the gulf of perdition. God 
 having, in his rich mercy to mankind, sent his Son to be a 
 Saviour, and sent his gospel to publish this in our ears, 
 nothing can be more displeasing to him than to " neglect 
 his great salvation,'-' or "refuse him that speaketh from 
 heaven." Our blessed Saviour, while he mercifully prom- 
 ises that "he who believeth shall be saved," solemnly de- 
 clares that " he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 
 16:16. 
 
 This, then, is the wide gate and the broad way, mamely. 
 
20 BROAD AND NARROW WAY. 
 
 a thoughtless mind, a carnal heart, and a wicked life; all 
 which, by unbelief which refuses the only method of salva- 
 tion, lead to certain and everlasting ruin. 
 
 But you will ask. Why are these things so described? 
 Why are they compared to a wide gate and a broad, way ? 
 The reason is plain ; for as it is easy to go through a wide 
 gate and walk in a broad road, so the sinner finds no hinder- 
 ance to his entering on a life of sin, and little or no difficulty 
 in pursuing it. 
 
 Our corrupt nature strongly inclines us to sin. David 
 says we are conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity. Psalm 
 51 : 5 ; and that "the wicked are estranged from the womb ; 
 they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking- lies." You 
 know that children need no teacher to make them wicked; 
 Sin is in our very nature, and we walk in this road of our 
 own accord; it is natural and pleasant to us: while we as^ 
 naturally dislike the narrow road, and despise those who 
 walk in it. 
 
 Besides, those who are in the broad road meet with no 
 hinderances from the world or from the devil. The broad 
 way is the way of the world ; for, as the apostle John saith, 
 " The whole world lieth in wickedness," except the happy 
 few who are delivered from it by the grace of G-od. In this- 
 broad way all ranks of men maybe seen, from kings and 
 princes down to slaves and'beggars. Now it is easy to walk 
 in a broad road with a multitude, provided they are all going 
 one way, which is the case here; and the world will love 
 its own. In this road, persons feel the great force of exam- 
 ple, and plead, you know, for what they do, by the common- 
 ness of it, or its being the way of the world. They are afraid 
 of appearing singular, even though conscience sometimes re- 
 monstrates against their evil courses. The pleasures of sin 
 entice them to go forward, notwithstanding every warning 
 of their danger ; and the hopes of gain, and the favor of maji- 
 kind, seduce them ; for these they are afraid of losing if they 
 become religious. 
 
 This road is wide and easy, because the devil gives no 
 
SERMON II. 21 
 
 disturbance to them that walk in it. While "the strong 
 man armed keeps the house, the goods are in peace." He 
 strongly opposes the people of God who are in the narrow 
 way; he disputes every inch of ground with them; but he 
 is in league with those of the world ; he endeavors to keep 
 them from all fear of consequences; he blinds their minds, 
 lest the light of the gospel should shine into them; and he 
 fills their hearts with prejudices against faithful preachers, 
 who would point out their sin and danger. Yea, he takes 
 the same course with them as he did with our first mother, 
 when he tempted her to eat the forbidden fruit. G-od had 
 said, " If ye eat it, ye shall surely die ;"- but this father of lies 
 directly contradicts the threatening, and induces her to eat. 
 by saying, " Ye shall not surely die." So in this case our 
 Saviour plainly declares, that the broad road of sin leads to 
 destruction ; but Satan deceives poor sinners, and prevails 
 upon them to believe, that though they live in sin and un- 
 belief, they shall not experience the destruction threatened. 
 
 But whom will you believe — the God of truth, or the 
 father of lies ? Observe the tfext : the broad road leads to 
 destruction ; and Oh, think what that destruction is. Think 
 what " a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living 
 G-od." Think, think of "the worm that never dies, and 
 the fire that is never quenched." What would you not do 
 to prevent the destruction Of your property, the destruction of 
 your dear relations, the destruction of your life ? But what 
 are all these to your soul, your immortal soul? "For what 
 is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his 
 own soul ? or, what shall a man give in exchange for his 
 soul ?" Well then, would you, avoid this destruction, and 
 surely you would, this broad road must be forsaken; and 
 blessed be God, that it is not yet too late to forsake it; and 
 you must enter into the narrow way, by the strait gate men- 
 tioned in the text. Let us therefore, in the second place, 
 
 11. Consider what is meant by the strait gate, and the 
 NARROW way, and what it leads to. 
 
 The design of these expressions is to show that the en- 
 
22 BROAD AND NARROW WAY. 
 
 trance into a religipus course of life is painful and difficult, 
 and that tribulation is to be expected in our progress. We 
 may include the whole in three words, repentance, faith, 
 and holiness; a little examination of these particulars will 
 prove the propriety of the phrases in the text. 
 
 John the Baptist, our Saviour, and his apostles, all went 
 out and preached repentance ; and without this we ace as- 
 sured men must perish. Now repentance cannot but be 
 painful, for it consists chiefly in a godly sorrow for sin, 
 together with a firm resolution to forsake it at all events, 
 and whatever it may cost us. The penitent sinner, being 
 convinced that he has sinned, and come short of the glory of 
 Grod; that he has by sin destroyed himself, and become lia- 
 ble to the dreadful wrath of G-od, perceives that he has all 
 his life been, acting a most foolish and hurtful part; but that 
 he must now forsake all his sins,, though dear 'to him as his 
 right eye, and useful to hini as his right hand. Now all this 
 appears to a natural man irksome and unpleasant. He is 
 unwilling to think seriously of his sins and of their fatal con- 
 sequences, and still more unwilling to part with them.' He 
 therefore shuns this, as a man would avoid passing through 
 a very strait and low door, when a spacious one offered itself 
 at the same time. , 
 
 Faith is also intended by the narrow way. " By grace 
 are we saved through' faith," and " without faith it is impos- 
 sible to please God." True faith consists in so believing the 
 gospel of Jesus Christ as to take him for our only Saviour ; 
 utterly renouncing all dependence on our own works and 
 righteousness ; submitting to be saved by the mere favor of 
 God in Christ, as a poor beggar is relieved by alms. Jesus 
 Christ is himself the way. "I," saith he, "am the way; 
 no man cometh to the Father but by me," John 14 : 6 ; and 
 it is by faith that we walk in this way; for all true Chris- 
 tians live by faith, and walk with God by faith. 
 
 Now this way of living, renouncing all our own works 
 in point of dependence, and accounting them in that respect 
 as "dung and dross, that we may win Christ" — this way is 
 
SERMON II. 23 
 
 so contrary to our natural inclinations, and so humbling to a 
 self-righteous spirit, that it may well be called a narrow way. 
 There are thousands who are so proud of their good hearts 
 and their good works, that they scorn to be indebted to 
 Christ for his righteousness. They think themselves rich, 
 and increased with goods, and that they stand in need of 
 nothing, while, in fact, they are poor, wretched, miserable, 
 blind, and naked. Rev. 3 : 18. The boasting Pharisee, 
 whom we read of in the gospel, was so swollen with the 
 pride of his duties and works, that he could not enter in at 
 the strait gate; but the poor publican, who saw and felt 
 himself a sinner, stooping low before God, entered it, crying 
 out, " God be merciful to me a sinner !" 
 
 The way of holiness is also a narrow way. Holiness 
 consists in the conformity of our will to the will of God ; it 
 is produced by the power of. the Holy Spirit in the regenera- 
 tion of a sinner. The law of God is written on his heart ; 
 whereby he is disposed to resist temptation, to forsake sin, 
 and to practise obedience to the commands of God. In do- 
 ing this, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, 
 and follow Christ. "We must mortify the flesh, with its 
 affections and lusts. We must crucify the old man of sin, 
 and walk, not according to the course of the world, nor ac- 
 cording to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Now, in 
 doing this, we cannot but meet with difficulties. We shall 
 meet with continual opposition from our own corruptions, the 
 law in our members warring against the law of our minds. 
 We shall also suffer reproach and contempt from the world ; 
 for all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perse- 
 cution. And- besides all this, God our heavenly Pather sees 
 it necessary to chastise us with the rod of affliction, of which 
 all his children are partakers, for their spiritual good. 
 
 Considering therefore the nature of repentance, faith, and 
 holiness, we clearly see how properly a true Christian may 
 be said to enter upon a religious life by a strait gate, and to 
 proceed in it by a narrow way. 
 
 But here, perhaps, an objection may be started. Does 
 
24 BROAD AND NAEROW WAY. 
 
 not our Lord say, " Take my yoke upon you ; for my yoke is 
 easy, and my burden is light ?" Does not Solomon say, 
 the ways of wisdom are pleasantness, and her paths peace ? 
 And does not St. John say that Christ's commands are not 
 grievous ? How then is it true, that the gate is strait and 
 the way narrow ? 
 
 I answer, the ways of religion are perfectly easy and 
 pleasant in their own nature ; the difficulty arises from the 
 depravity and corruption of our nature. Angels do the will 
 of G-od with perfect ease and pleasure, for they have no sin 
 in their nature to oppose it. But through the power of sin in 
 our hearts, the entrance into religion becomes painful and 
 difficult, and through the remains of it in regenerate persons, 
 more or less of that difficulty is found in the whole journey. 
 Yet grace renders it practicable, and often pleasant ; so that 
 no believer repents of his choice, nor wishes to turn back 
 because of the hardships he endures ; but like Moses of old, 
 " chooses rather to suffer affliction with the people of G-od, 
 than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season ; esteeming the 
 reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt," 
 and for the same good reason, having " respect to the recom- 
 pense of reward." And this leads us to the last particular, 
 namely, 
 
 III. To enforce the exhortation, " Enter ye in at the 
 
 STRAIT GATE." 
 
 how wise, how gracious, how reasonable is this advice ! 
 May <xod dispose all our hearts to obey it. There are but 
 two ways that we can travel : the one leads to eternal mis- 
 ery ; the other to eternal bliss. And that we may not miss 
 our way, the blessed Jesus clearly marks out the right one 
 so that we cannot mistake ; the gate is strait, the way is nar- 
 row, and there are few travellers in it. It is true, there are 
 difficulties in the way, but heaven will make amends for all. 
 Heaven is worth every thing, or it is worth nothing. Let us 
 not be such cowards as to be frighted at a little trouble. 
 Nothing, even in this life, can be attained without it. A 
 child cannot learn to read without difficulty. A boy cannot 
 
SERMON II. 25 
 
 learn a trade without pains. We cannot carry on any busi- 
 ness without care and labor. But are we therefore prevented 
 from these things ? No ; we wisely consider the advantage, 
 and act accordingly. 
 
 Neither let us be swayed by numbers. " Pollow not a 
 multitude to do evil." Let us not think ourselves right, be- 
 cause we do as others. We must suspect ourselves if we do. 
 The broad road is thronged with travellers ; but the narrow 
 has only a pilgrim here and there. And this should keep us 
 from being ashamed of singularity in a good cause. Christ 
 here teaches us to expect that religion will have few advo- 
 cates comparatively. God grant that we, however, may be 
 of that happy few., 
 
 Well then, let us, by divine grace, resolve on eternal life 
 at all events. On the one hand, here is a broad road, full of 
 passengers, in which, it is true, the poor, paltry, perishing, 
 intoxicating pleasure of sin may be enjoyed for a moment, 
 though not without many a pang; and at the end of this 
 short course is — tremble, my soul, at the thought — destruc- 
 tion ; not a ceasing to be, but an utter end of all pleasure for 
 evermore. Misery, pains, torments, without mitigation, with- 
 out cessation, without end. Everlasting separation from the 
 presence of God, the fountain of life; and confinement in 
 chains of darkness, with devils and damned spirits to all 
 eternity. 
 
 On the other hand, God has set before us the way of life. 
 The entrance is strait, the way is narrow. Difficulties in- 
 deed there are; but grace lessens them all, and sweetens 
 them all: so that the worst of Christ's Way is better than 
 the best of Satan's way ; and what is best of all, the end is 
 eternal life. And Oh, what tongue can tell, what heart con- 
 ceive, what God has laid up for them that love him ? Is 
 there a redeemed soul in glory, who now repents of the pains 
 he took in religion ? Does he repent of his repentance ? 
 Does he regret that he believed in the Son of God ? Is he 
 sorry that he walked in the ways of holiness ? no. Each 
 glorified saint reviews, with ecstasy of joy, the rich grace of 
 
26 BROAD AND NARROW WAY. 
 
 God, that enabled him to discover the danger of that broad 
 road in which he onoe travelled, and that placed his feet in 
 the narrow but sure and safe road to eternal bliss. 
 
 Obey then the words of our Lord, " Strive to enter in at 
 the strait gate." Agonize to do it. Do it at all events. Do 
 it directly. Let not a moment be lost. "Escape for your 
 life ; look not behind you ; neither tarry ye in all the plain : 
 escape to the mountain, lest ye be consumed." Fly from the 
 wrath to come. " For many will seek to enter in, and shall 
 not be able." Luke 13 : 24. Many who would willingly go 
 to heaven, seek after it in so cold and slothful a manner, or 
 by such false and mistaken ways, that they never obtain it ; 
 and Oh, how many, who now neglect it altogether, will knock 
 for admittance when the door is shut ! Now, therefore, while 
 it is called to-day, let us hear his voice. Let us be diligent 
 in observing the Sabbath, attending on the preached word as 
 often as possible, reading the Scriptures daily; and espe- 
 cially, let us wrestle hard with God in prayer, that he would 
 give us his Spirit to teach and assist us, and work in our 
 hearts that deep repentance, that true faith, and that gen- 
 uine holiness, which are the proper exercises of all who travel 
 in the narrow way to heaven. 
 
 THE ALMOST GHEISTIAN AND APOSTATE. 
 
 Broad is the road that leads to death. 
 And thousan(Js walk together, there ; 
 
 But wisdom shows a narrow path, 
 With here and there a traveller. 
 
 " Deny thyself, and iake thy cross," 
 Is the Redeemer's great command. 
 Nature must count her gold but dross, 
 If she would gain the heavenly land. 
 
 The fearful soul that tires and faints, 
 And walks the ways of God no more, 
 
 Is but esteemed almost a saint, , ^ 
 
 And makes his own. destruction sura 
 
 Lord, let not all my hopes be vain ; 
 
 Create my heart entirely new ; 
 Which hypocrites could ne'er attain — 
 
 Which false apostates never knew. 
 
SERMON III. 27 
 
 THE NATURE, SPIRITUALITY, AND USE OF 
 
 THE LAW. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 "FOR I WAS ALIVE "WITHOUT THE LAW ONCE; BUT WHEN THE COMMAND- 
 MENT CAME, SIN REVIVED, AND I DIED." Rom. 7 : 9. 
 
 It is a most true maxim of Scripture, that the whole 
 need not a physician, but those who are sick. The church 
 of Christ has been justly compared to a hospital, to which 
 none but the sick repair ; no wonder then that the gay and 
 healthy shun it. But, whether we know it or not, our' souls 
 are sadly and dangerously diseased ; and the worst symptom 
 of all is, we know it not. 
 
 It may not be pleasant to a person to be told of any thing 
 amiss in his health, his family, or his affairs ; yet he is a true 
 friend who gives the information, and he is a wise man who 
 thankfully receives it. With this view, John the Baptist 
 was sent before Christ, by preaching repentance to prepare 
 the way for him ; and the disciples of John gladly received 
 the Saviour. Without the knowledge of ourselves as sin- 
 ners, we cannot understand the gospel, nor prize Jesus. And 
 this is the true key to what would otherwise be unaccounta- 
 ble, the general neglect of the great salvation. When our 
 Lord himself and his inspired apostles, with every possible 
 advantage, preached the gospel, few believed the heavenly 
 report : almost all, with one consent, began to make excuse ; 
 one going to his farm, and another to his merchandise. Now, 
 as men are all alive to worldly pleasure and profit, it is evi- 
 dent that their neglect arises from ignorance of their true 
 state; and this is from their ignorance of the law of God, 
 which is the only certain rule and standard by which to 
 measure ourselves. 
 
28 THE HOLY LAW OF GOD. 
 
 Hence St. Paul, designing in this epistle to treat fully 
 the great point of justification, or being made righteous be- 
 fore God, takes care, in the first place, to prove that all men 
 in the world are sinners — the Gentiles against the law of 
 nature, and the Jews against the written law, or ten com- 
 mandments. ' He well knew the importance of this method, 
 by his own experience; for he says in the text, he "was 
 alive without the law once," that is, when he was uncon- 
 verted, and, a proud Pharisee, he had high swelling thoughts 
 of himself; thought all was well between God and him ; he 
 did not see himself dead in law, being justly condemned by 
 it for his sin ; but he was all alive in his own opinion : his 
 mistake arose from ignorance of the law. He was " without 
 the law " — -not without the letter of it ; he could have said it 
 by heart; but he did not know its spiritual meaning, and 
 high requirements. But when the commandment came, 
 especially the tenth commandment — -when it came in the 
 light and energy of the Holy Spirit, to his mind and con- 
 science — when he saw that it reached to the thoughts, prin- 
 ciples, views, and desires of the heart, as well as to his 
 words and actions — requiring perfect purity, and condemning 
 for a single sin, even in thought — then saith he, then "sin 
 revived, and I died." Then he saw thousands of thinors to 
 be sins which he never thought such before, and he found sin 
 had full power and life in him ; sin revived in his conscience ; 
 he saw it in all its dreadful terror, as justly exposing him to 
 the wrath of God; and he fell under a sense of death and 
 condeiflnation, as a man condemned by God's law, and de- 
 serving to die eternally. 
 
 Now, that we may rightly understand the law, and that 
 it may be " our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ," let us, 
 
 1. Take a view of the holy law, by which is knowledge 
 of sin; and, 
 
 2. Consider the proper effect of a work of the law on the 
 heart. 
 
 I. Let us take a view of the holy law of Gon; fo(r hereby 
 is the knowledge of sin. 
 
SERMOJ^^ III. 29 
 
 Eemember, my friends, that God, who is the maker of the 
 world, is also the governor of it. God prefaces his law with 
 these words: 1 am Jehovah, the self-existent Being, the source 
 of all being, on whom all beings depend ; and he adds, I am 
 thy God, to remind the Jews of their relation to him, for they 
 were his professed worshippers, as we also are. He adds, 
 who " brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house 
 of bondage." Here are the obligations to him on account of 
 their wonderful deliverance ; so the redemption of sinners by 
 Jesus Christ lays them under infinite obligations to holy 
 obedience. Man is a rational being, and accountable to God 
 for his conduct. Brutes are led by instinct; but it is fit that 
 man should be led by proper motives willingly to obey his 
 Maker's will. Now, from the first, God gave a law to man. 
 It was not indeed written. There was no occasion for it. 
 Men lived almost a thousand years, and could easily teach 
 their children what God at first taught Adam, At length, 
 however, God saw fit to give his law from mount Sinai, in 
 dreadful thunders; and also to write it on two tables of stone. 
 
 You will observe that the law of God is summed up in 
 one word, namely, love; and that this love has two objects; 
 love to God for what he is in himself, and for the blessings he 
 gives us; and /owe to man for God's sake. 
 
 The love we owe to God is to be expressed in four ways ; 
 and these are set forth in the first four commandments. 
 
 Thejirst commandment is, Tiiou shalt have no other gods 
 but me. This requires us to know and confess the true God, 
 Pather, Son, and Holy Spirit,' as the only living God, and our 
 God in opposition to all idolatry; it requires us also to love 
 and adore him, as the author of our being, and the source of 
 our happiness; arid this commandment is broken, not only by 
 worshipping other gods, but by setting up idols in our hearts, 
 by excessive self-love, or love of creatures, relations, money, 
 or gratifications of the flesh ; so that, according to this, there 
 are many atheists living without God in thq world, and 
 many idolaters worshipping the creature. 
 
 The second commandment forbids all worship of images, 
 
30 THE HOLY LAW OF GOD. 
 
 and requires us to worship God in the way he has appointed ;. 
 but, alas, how many wholly neglect and despise his worship ! 
 How many, worship G-od with various superstitions and in- 
 ventions of men! How many others forget that God is a 
 Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth ! What 
 levity and folly do many mix with their pretended devotions ; 
 but in vain do we thus mock God, and play the hypocrite, 
 drawing nigh to him with the lips, when our hearts are far 
 from him. The reason added to this commandment, for I the 
 Lord thy God am a jealous God, etc., shows how extremely 
 displeasing to him it is to neglect his worship, or worship him 
 in an improper manner, and that he will resent this sin not 
 only to the persons who commit it, but to their posterity. 
 
 The third commandment forbids the taking the Lord's 
 name in vain. But Oh, how awful is the common practice 
 of cursing and swearing! "We may truly say, "Because of 
 swearing the land mourneth ;" the breath of some men is 
 nothing but blasphemy; "their throat is an open sepulchre ;" 
 the stench of their profaneness is infinitely worse than that of 
 a stinking carcass ; and many who do not use the most horrid 
 oaths, will cry out, Lord ! God ! Christ ! God bless us ! 
 Lord have mercy! etc. But however common this practice 
 is, let all men know, that God declares, "he will not hold 
 them guiltless that take his name in vain." consider what 
 a great God we have to do with ; and let his name never be 
 mentioned without a serious pause, allowing us time to think 
 who he is, and that he is greatly to be feared. 
 
 The fourth commandment respects the religious observa- 
 tion of the Lord's day, or Christian Sabbath. We can never 
 enough admire the goodness of God in the appointment of it. 
 Persons should prepare for it by having every thing in readi- 
 ness as much as possible, that no part of it, especially the 
 morning, which is the best part of it, should be lost. All 
 unnecessary works are to be laid aside : no journeys, no visits, 
 no settling accounts, writing letters, nor paying and receiving 
 wages. The whole day, from morning to night, should be 
 spent in acts of religious worship, public and private, except 
 
SERMON III. 31 
 
 SO much as must be employed in works of necessity and 
 mercy. 
 
 Oh, how awfully is this holy day profaned by idleness, by 
 needless journeys and visits, by wilfully staying away from 
 public worship, or by persons going to church merely to meet 
 with neighbors for worldly business, or to show their new 
 clothes ; by going to public-houses, by reading newspapers, or 
 by mere worldly discourse and amusement. 
 
 Now the breach of this commandment, and of the three 
 former, evidently proceeds from want of love to Grod. If we 
 loved him as the best of beings,' we should love his day, re- 
 vere his name, and prize his worship. And have we not 
 broken all these commandmeilts ? Have we not reason to 
 cry. Lord, have mercy upon us for having broken these laws, 
 and incline our hearts to keep them in time to come. 
 
 We now proceed to the second table of the law. The six 
 last commandments respect our love to our neighbor. The 
 sum of all is, " Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." 
 
 Hhe Jifth commandment respects our nearest neighbor — 
 our relations, our parents. These have the care and expense 
 of education ; we can never repay their kindness. We should 
 honor them by obedience to their directions, and treating them 
 with the greatest respect ; and that not only in childhood, but 
 in youth and riper years ; we should study to preserve their 
 reputation, to alleviate their infirmities, and if necessary, to 
 support them in old age. 
 
 This command also includes all relative duties, whether 
 to superiors, inferiors, or equals ; it includes the duty that ser- 
 vants owe to their masters, and subjects to their governors ; 
 it forbids mere eye-service, wasting the property of superiors, 
 or being unfaithful in what they commit to our trust. 
 
 The sixth commandment directs us how to show our love 
 to our neighbor by a regard to his life and health ; and it 
 forbids not only actual murder, but 'anger, hatred, malice, 
 and other murderous tempers ; for " whosoever hateth his 
 brother is a murderer." 1 John 3:15. Whoever saith to 
 his brother, Raoa, thou vile fellow, or, " thou fool, shall be in 
 
32 THE HOLY LAW OF GOD. 
 
 danger of hell-fire ;" so our Lord declares, Matt. 5:22. All 
 unjust wars, fighting, quarrelling, ill usage, or provocations 
 which may hurt the health and life of another, are forbidden. 
 Many aged parents are murdered by the base conduct of their 
 children ; many wives are murdered by the drunkenness, idle- 
 ness, and abuse of their husbands ; and many poor children 
 are murdered by the neglect and wickedness of their parents. 
 Self-murder is also hereby forbidden, no man having a right 
 over his own life any more than over that of his neighbor. 
 But the worst of all, is soul murder. Parents who neglect to 
 instruct their children, and who are examples of vice to them'; 
 drunkards. Whoremongers, and adulterers, who allure others 
 to" sin jvith them — all these are soul murderers. 
 
 The seventh commandment respects the love of our neigh- 
 bor with regard to purity of heart, word, and deed: it for- 
 bids not only the actual adultery of married persons, but all 
 fornication, lasciviousness, and wantonness. Every lustful 
 thought, word, or look, makes a person an adulterer in God's 
 sight; for so Christ himself explains this commandment: 
 " Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath com- 
 mitted adultery with her already in his heart." Matt. 5 : 28. 
 All private uncleanness, known only to God and conscience, 
 and practised, perhaps, by those who pass for chaste and vir- 
 tuous people, is forbidden. Immodest dress tends to the 
 breaking of this law ; as also do lewd books, novels, plays, 
 songs, and pictures. In a word, this commandment requires 
 the most perfect purity in heart, speech, and behavior, and an 
 endeavor to promote the same in others. 
 
 The eighth comiriaridment directs us how to show our 
 love to our neighbor by a regard to his property. It forbids 
 taking to our own use what belongs to another. Covetous- 
 ness has led men to invent a thousand ways to cheat and 
 defraud. Those who deceive in selling by. false weights and 
 measures ; those who run in debt without the prospect of 
 paying again; those who oppress the poor; servants who 
 neglect their business, or waste their master's property, are 
 all thieves in God's esteem. This command extends much 
 
SEEMON III. 33 
 
 further than human laws can reach ; and requires that we 
 should treat our neighhor, with respect to his property, as we 
 could wish to he treated by him. 
 
 The ninth commandment respects our love to our neigh- 
 bor in his reputation or good name. Not only taking a false 
 oath before a magistrate, but all lying, slandering, and evil 
 speaking, is forbidden. And Oh, how is the world filled with 
 this ! And what is the greater part of common conversation 
 but a wanton breach of this law? It requires us to be as 
 tender of another man's character and reputation as of our 
 own, and to avoid all such remarks, reports, censures, and 
 ridicule,, as we should be unwilling to receive from others. 
 
 The last commandment enjoins the love of our neighbor 
 by requiring us to be content with our condition ; forbidding 
 us to envy or grieve at the good of our neighbor, or wish to 
 deprive him of it, that we may enjoy it. Yea, it goes much 
 further, and forbids the most secret wish of the heart to obtain 
 any thing that Grod forbids ; and this is particularly the com- 
 mandment that St. Paul speaks of in the text: "I had not 
 known lust," saith he, " except the law had said, Thou shalt 
 not covet." Eom. 7:7. When this commandment came with 
 power tq his mind, he saw that the secret workings and first 
 motions of inordinate affections were sins. Before he saw 
 this, he thought all was well, for he was free from gross and 
 outward offences ; he was what the world calls a good liver : 
 but this commandment showed him the sins of his heart. He 
 found the law was spiritual — reaching to the thoughts and 
 desires of the heart ; and thus " sin by the commandment 
 became exceeding sinful." Having taken this brief view of 
 the lawy we may proceed, 
 
 II. To consider the proper effect of a work of the law 
 upon the heart. " Sin revived, and I died." 
 
 The law" is " the ministration of condemnation, and of 
 death." 2 Cor. 3 : 7-9, If a person could keep it perfectly, 
 it would entitle him to life ; for it was originally " ordained 
 to life," but " I found it," saith St. Paul, " to be unto death." 
 The reason is, because we cannot, through the weakness of 
 
34 THE HOLY LAW OF GOD. 
 
 our fallen nature, keep it perfectly; and if we fail in one 
 point, we are guilty of all. Therefore it is written, "As 
 many as axe of the works of the law," that is, who trust to 
 the works of the law for salvation, " are under the curse; for 
 cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written 
 in the hook of the law to do them." 
 
 Now this is the sad condition of us all, till we believe in 
 Christ for righteousness. It is to no purpose for any one to 
 plead, I have not sinned so and so. Hast thou sinned at 
 all? Hast thou sinned .once? Then thou art guilty, and 
 the law condemns thee to eternal death. The law makes no 
 allowances, no abatements; it does not say a word about 
 sincere obedience, or doing as well as we can. No; the law 
 says. Do all things that are commanded. Do them perfectly. 
 Continue all thy life to do them; and then thou mayest be 
 justified by thy works; but, if thou fail in one instance, thou 
 comest under the ciirse; for " whosoever shall keep the whole 
 law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 
 2 : 10. Now, my friends, which of us can say we have kept 
 all these laws ? 
 
 A person may say. It is true I have sinned; but I am very 
 sorry for my sins, and will amend my life; will not this re- 
 lieve me from the curse ? No. The law has made no provis- 
 ion for repentance, reformation, or pardon. The style of the 
 law is not. Repent and live; or, Eeform and live. But, keep 
 the whole law perfectly and continually, and live: transgress 
 it, and die. It is true that the ghspel brings relief for the sin- 
 ner, because it reveals Christ and his righteousness; but the 
 law knows nothing of mercy. It is not, intended to give life, 
 but to kill, and destroy all hopes of life by obedience, and to 
 force the sinner to fly to Christ. So St. Paul speaks: "Now 
 we know, that whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them that 
 are under the law ; that every mouth may be stopped, and all 
 the world become guilty before Cod." Eom. 3:19. This 
 then, cuts ofi" all hopes of salvation by works ; for the apostle 
 adds, " Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be 
 justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin." 
 
SERMON III. 35 
 
 This is its use. It can go no further. It is by the gospel we 
 have the knowledge of rigliteousness. 
 
 We should be very careful to distinguish between the law 
 and the gospel, for many mistakes arise from mingling them 
 together. 
 
 According to the law, salvation is by works ; according to 
 the gospel, it is by grace. 
 
 The law says, Do this, and be saved; but the gospel 
 says. Believe this, and thou shalt be saved. 
 
 The law threatens to punish the sinner for the first 
 offence; but the gospel offers him pardon for many offences. 
 
 The law sentences him to death; the gospel offers him. 
 justification to life. 
 
 By the law, he is a guilty sinner; by the gospel, he may 
 be made a glorious saint. 
 
 If he die under the guilt of the broken law, hell will be 
 his everlasting portion ; if he die a partaker of the grace of the 
 gospel, heaven will be his eternal inheritance. 
 
 And now, my dear friends, having laid before you the 
 nature of the law, let me beg you most seriously to consider 
 what has been said, and that with regard to yourselves. 
 What do you know of God's law, by your own experience ? 
 Have you not seen that it is exceeding broad ; that it requires 
 you to love God with all your heart, and soul, and strength ; 
 and your neighbor as yourself? And have you done this? 
 Alas, your conscience smites you, and your own mouth must 
 condemn you. How often have you said, " We have offended 
 against thy holy . laws. We have left undone those things 
 which we ought to have done ; and we have done those things 
 which we ought not to have done." Probably you have often 
 joined in the church service, and said, after the reading of the 
 comanandmeuts, " Lord, have mercy upon us," that is, forgive 
 our disobedience to them, " and write all these thy laws in 
 our hearts, we beseech thee." Did you mean what you said? If 
 not, you lied before God : if you did, you plead guilty ; you have 
 confessed you are a breaker of the law, and under its curse. 
 
36 THE HOLY LAW OF GOD. 
 
 And have you considered what "a fearful thing it is to 
 fall into the hands of the living God ?" Oh, how would your 
 heart melt within you, if you duly considered what it is to be 
 under his curse, and to hear his wrath to all eternity. If you 
 can hear the curses of this law, and not be alarmed for your 
 safety, your heart is hard indeed. May God have mercy 
 upon you, and take away the heart of stone ! 
 
 Perhaps you are saying, Must I despair, then ? No ; God 
 forbid ! You must despair of obtaining salvation by your 
 works, your sorrow for sin, or your future amendment. And 
 this will make the gospel welcome to you. The law has 
 done its ofEce, if it drives you to Christ. It is preached for 
 this very purpose, and "Christ is the end af the law for right- 
 eousness." The gospel reveals a free, full, and everlasting 
 salvation. It publishes to the convinced sinner pardon and 
 lifoj as the free gift of God ; for Christ has obeyed the precepts 
 of the law in our stead. He has also borne the punishment 
 in our room. "He hath redeemed' us from the curse of the 
 law, being made a curse for us." What a blessing have you 
 already received, if God, by his good Spirit, has convinced 
 you of sin ! This is the dawn of a glorious day. He will 
 also convince you of righteousness,- and show you that it may 
 be yours. Cast yourselves down at the footstool of mercy. 
 Confess your sins. Acknowledge your guilt. Own your 
 helplessness. Cry for pardon. Fly to Jesus, who waits to 
 be gracious, and all shall yet be well. He hath wounded, 
 that he may heal ; he hath killed, that he may make alive. 
 You now will be glad of the Physician, for you feel your 
 sickness ; and he waits to be gracious. You are weary, and 
 heavy-laden, and he will give you rest. 
 
 " Go, you that rest upon the law, 
 And madly Seek salvation there, 
 Look to the flames that Moses saw, . 
 And shrink, and tremble, and despair. 
 
 But I '11 retire beneath the cross ; 
 
 Saviour, at thy dear feet I lie : 
 And the keen sword that justice draws, 
 
 Flaming and red, shall pass me by," 
 
SEEMON IV. 37 
 
 CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHT- 
 
 • EOUSNESS. 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 "FOB CHEIST IS THE END OP THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, TO EVERY 
 ONE THAT BELIEVETH." Rom. 10:4. 
 
 The two principal parts of Scripture which it concerns us 
 most to know, are the law and the gospel. "He who can 
 rightly distinguish hetween these," says Luther, " is a good 
 divine;" and we may add, that he who knows how to use 
 both aright, in an experimental a.nd practical manner, is a 
 good Christian. 
 
 The nature and use of the law have been already consid- 
 ered. The proper effect of it is the same in every believer as 
 it was in St. Paul. " I was alive without the law once; but 
 when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died," The 
 person brought into this state will be put on the inquiry. 
 How then can I come before God and hope for pardon? If 
 the law be so holy and strict— if it can do nothing for me, but 
 convince me of sin, and condemn me for it, by what means 
 can I be accepted ? 
 
 Now there are but two ways that ever were proposed of 
 Grod, or devised by man: the one, according to the old cove- 
 nant. Do, and live; the other, according to the new, " Believe 
 on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." What- 
 ever ways and means have been thought of, by people of all 
 religions, they may be reduced to these twQ — worhs or grace. 
 And these cannot be mixed ; for if any merit be allowed to 
 works, there is an end to grace ; and if salvation be of grace, 
 then there is no place for the merit of works. So St. Paul 
 speaks: " If by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise 
 grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no 
 
38 CHKIST THE END OF THE LAW. 
 
 more grace; otherwise work is no more work." Rom, 11 : 6. 
 So that you see salvation cannot be by grace and works 
 mixed, it must be by one or the other alone; and we are 
 repeatedly assured in the Scripture, that " by grace are we 
 saved, through faith," and "not by works, lest any man 
 should boast." Eph. 2 : 8, 9. , 
 
 It is of vast importance to be rightly informed on this 
 head. This may be inferred from what St. Paul says of the 
 Jews: "The Gentiles," saith he, "who followed not after 
 righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the right- 
 eousness which is of faith; but Israel, which followed after 
 the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of 
 righteousness." Rom. 9 : 30. This, you will say, is strange ! 
 What can be the reason of it ? He tells us, ver. 32, " Because 
 they sought it not by faith." How then ? " As it were by 
 the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling 
 stone." Alas, how many thousands called Christians have 
 stumbled in the same way. God preserve us from it ! How 
 earnestly did the good apostle wish for the salvation of his 
 mistaken brethren. His "heart's desire and prayer to God 
 for them was, that they might be saved." He saw that 
 while they were looking for life by their works, they were 
 not in the way of salvation. It is true, they had a great zeal 
 for God, but it was good for nothing; it was founded in 
 ignorance. " They were ignorant of God's righteousness," 
 namely, this in the text; and being ignorant of this, and yet 
 wanting a righteousness, " they went about to establish their 
 own;" they tried' to set it up, and make it stand for their 
 acceptance, even their own poor, imperfect, ceremonial, and 
 outward works; but they were totally insufficient for that 
 purpose; and thus through the pride of their hearts, which 
 scorned to be entirely beholden to free grace, they refused to 
 stoop and submit to be saved by the righteousness of another, 
 even of Christ, who is said in the text to be the " end of the 
 law for righteousness to every one that believeth." May God 
 keep us from this worst sort of pride; and enlighten our minds 
 while we attend to the three following particulars. 
 
SEEMON IV. 39 
 
 1. Jesus Christ, by his obedience unto death, performed a 
 perfect righteousness. 
 
 2. In so doing, he is the end of the law ; and, 
 
 3. This righteousness is given to every believer. 
 
 I. Jesus Christ by his obedience unto death, performed 
 
 A PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS. 
 
 " Grod made man upright." He gave him a law to be the 
 rule of his actions, including a promise if he kept it, and a 
 threatening if he broke it. If he obeyed the law perfectly, 
 Grod would esteem him righteous. Adam fell, and with him 
 all his posterity ; for he was appointed their head and repre- 
 sentative. " By one man's disobedience many were made 
 sirmers." Rom. 5:19. Our nature is now corrupt ; and we 
 are born with enmity in our hearts against Grod. " The car- 
 nal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can 
 it be," while it remains carnal. But the law is not altered. 
 It requires, what it always did, love. This was always due 
 from man to his Creator, and always will be dufr, whether 
 men pay it or not. If man refuse to give it, he is a rebel and 
 an idolater. The law being ever the same, it thunders out 
 its dreadful curses against every sinner, for every sin. But 
 the law provides no remedy. It will not accept of sincere 
 obedience instead of perfect obedience. It says not a word of 
 accepting a sinner's tears for payment, or admitting his future 
 obedience as a recompense for past sins. No ; it constantly 
 demands supreme love and perfect obedience, and condemns 
 the sinner for the want of it in a single instance. 
 
 " But what the law could not do, because of the weakness 
 of the flesh," God has done another way. God has sent his 
 Son to be our righteousness. As the law could not abate in 
 its demands, and must have obedience from the creature, or 
 punish the sinner, Jesus Christ graciously undertook to obey 
 and suffer for his people — ^to obey all the precepts of the law, 
 and to suflFer all its pains and penalties. The law required 
 perfect obedience of them ; Christ came as their surety to obey 
 for them ; and so, as it is written, " By the obedience of one 
 shall many be made righteous." 
 
40 CHEIST THE END OF THE LAW. 
 
 This blessed anii comfortable truth may be fully proved 
 from many scriptures. Take the following : " He hath made 
 him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be 
 made the righteousness of Grod in him," 2 Cor. 5:21. 
 
 Jesus Christ knew no sin. He was free from sin in his 
 nature; that holy thing which was bom of the virgin being 
 the Son of God. His whole life was as pure as his birth. 
 He knew no sin in thought, word, or deed. He challenged 
 his bitterest enemies to prove him a sinner : " "Which of you," 
 said he, " convinceth me of sin ?" Yea, the great enemy, the 
 devil, came, and " found nothing in him" — no sin in his heart, 
 no sin in his life. Thus was he the pure and spotless Lamb 
 of God, prepared to bear away the sin of the world. 
 
 But Jesus Christ, who knew, no sin,, was "made sin," that 
 is, by imputation; it was reckoned to him, put to his ac- 
 count, in the same manner as his righteousness is imputed 
 to us, or put to our account. Out of his great love to his 
 people, he became their surety, to answer for their sins, and 
 to bear their punishment. So the prophet Isaiah speaks: 
 " Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. 
 He was wounded for our transgressions ; he was bruised for 
 our iniquities ; the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of 
 us all." Isa. 53 : 4. . 
 
 The design of Christ's being made sin for us was, "that 
 we might be made the righteousness of God in him," Right- 
 eousness is a perfect conformity to the law of God, without 
 which no man can be saved ; for it is written, " The unright- 
 eous shall not inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor, 6 : 9, 
 Now we are all unrighteous, because we have broken the 
 law, "There is none righteous" upon earthy in himself; 
 " no, not one." And yet, without a righteousness we cannot 
 be saved. What then^ean we do? Where can we look? 
 Only to Jesus, " Surely shall one say. In the Lord have I 
 righteousness and strength." It is not said, in my own 
 works, in my own repentance, no, nor in my own faith, but 
 in the Leap Jesus have I righteousness— righteousness for jus- 
 tification, and strength for sanctification ; an imputed right- 
 
SERMON IV. 41 
 
 eousness, to procure my acceptance; an imparted strength, to 
 produce my holiness. Surely, which expresses a firm persua- 
 sion, and an unshaken affiance. To him give all the proph- 
 ets witness; for "this righteousness of God without the law, 
 is witnessed by the law and the prophets." Hear what the 
 prophet Daniel says of him: " To finish the transgression, and 
 to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniqui- 
 ty, and to bring in everlasting righteousness." Dan. 9:24. 
 All this Christ actually did by his obedience unto death ; and 
 thus he became the end of the law, which is the second thing 
 we proposed. 
 
 II. Jesus Christ, by his righteousness, is become the end 
 OF THE law; for, 
 
 1. Hereby he put an end to the ceremonial law, or those 
 ordinances, such as sacrifices, which were types or emblems 
 of him. You may remember, that our Saviour, just before 
 his death, cried out, " It is finished /" as if he had said, My 
 engagements with my Father are accomplished — ^the types 
 and prophecies are fulfilled — my dreadful sufferings are at 
 an end — ^the ceremonial law is abolished. Thus "the law 
 was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 2. The moral law, or law of the ten commandments, 
 was hereby satisfied and magnified; according to the proph- 
 ecy, "He will magnify the law, and make it honorable." 
 Isa. 42 : 21. The law must have its end, and be completely 
 fulfilled, or we cannot appear as righteous before God ; but 
 we are unable to fulfil it ourselves. What w-e, however, 
 could not do. He, as our surety, has done. The law demands 
 a righteousness of us ; this is the end at which it aims, but 
 we cannot effect it. Christ has done it for us, and is become 
 the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believ- 
 eth. With this the law is satisfied, and like the avenger of 
 blood, pursues the sinner only till he takes refuge in Christ ; 
 in him the believer finds a sanctuary, and the law retires, 
 satisfied and well pleased for his righteousness' sake. 
 
 We have only now to show, 
 
42 CHRIST THE END OP THE LAW. 
 
 III. That this righteousness is given to every believer; 
 or, that it is by faith we become interested therein. 
 
 The righteousness wrought out by Jesus is freely giyen to 
 the believer; so St. Paul says, " The judgment was by one" 
 offence " to condemnation, but the free gift is of many of- 
 fences unto justification." Rom. 5 : 16. 
 
 If it be asked, How can the righteousness of another be 
 made ours? we answer, in the same manner that our sins 
 were made Christ's, that is, by imputation. Christ, who had 
 no sin of his own, was ijiade sin for us — reckoned as a sinner, 
 and dealt with as such; so we, who have no righteousness of 
 our own, are made the righteousness of G-od in him — not in 
 ourselves. The sins of the elect were not inherent in Christ, 
 but put to his accoimt; so the righteousness of Christ is not 
 inherent in us, but imputed to us; and God is graciously 
 pleased to deal with us accordingly : he treats us as if we had 
 not sinned, and accepts us as perfectly righteous, so that there 
 is no condemnation whatever to us. 
 
 The nature of this may be learned from the dealings of 
 mankind with one another. We read in St. Paul's epistle to 
 Philemon, to whom he wrote in behalf of Onesimus, a run- 
 away servant, who was afterwards converted, desiring him 
 to receive him again : *' If he hath wronged thee, or oweth 
 thee aught," saith Paul, " impute it to »ne," put it to my ac- 
 count. And thus it is with bondsmen, or sureties, who make 
 themselves liable to pay the debt of another: what they pay 
 is imputed to the person for whom they are bound, and he is 
 reckoned to have paid it by them ; and thus, as a plain man 
 expresses it, " the gospel is nothing but good news— that a rich 
 man is come into the country to pay poor people's debts." 
 
 Now this glorious gift of righteousness becomes ours by 
 faith ; it is therefore- called " the righteousness of faith ;" and 
 " the righteousness of God, which is by faith ; and which is 
 to all, and upon all that believe." Hence, also, we are said 
 to be "justified by faith;" and to be " saved by grace, through 
 faith." 
 
 The person who has been convinced of sin by the law. 
 
SERMON IV. 43 
 
 alarmed by his sense of danger, led to seek for salvation, and 
 enlightened in the knowledge of Christ, gladly receives this 
 gift of righteousness. He sees no other way. He is pleased 
 with this way. He receives this righte'ousness, and relies 
 upon it for his acceptance with God. 
 
 We must always remember, that the only person who can 
 or will receive this righteousness, is one who has been con- 
 vinced that he is unrighteous in himself, and who is looking 
 out for deliverance from that state in which the law leaves 
 him. He hears the proposal of the gospel; assents to it as 
 true; delights in it as good; renounces all other ways of ob- 
 taining relief, and heartily consents to be saved by grace 
 alone. This is that faith frequently described in the Scrip- 
 ture by receiving Christ, coming to Christ, and trusting in 
 Christ. 
 
 And now, my dear friends, consider, I beseech you, the 
 great importance of this subject. That great reformer Lu- 
 ther said, that "justification by faith is that article on which 
 the whole church must stand or fall." It was the pillar of 
 the Reformation. It is the leading doctrine of the church of 
 England. In one of the Thirty-nine Articles, which you will 
 do well to read, this grand truth is thus expressed : " We are 
 accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. 
 Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most 
 wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort." The Prayer- 
 book speaks the same language. Perhaps you may remember 
 these expressions: "0 Lord God, who seest that we put not 
 our trust in any thing that we do." Again, " We lean only 
 on the hope of thy heavenly grace." In another place, " We 
 do not presume to come to this thy table, trusting in our own 
 righteousness." 
 
 Take also a few passages from the book of Homilies. 
 " Man cannot make himself righteous by his own works, nei- 
 ther in whole nor in part; for that were the greatest arro- 
 gancy arid presumption of man, that antichrist could set up 
 
44 CHEIST THE END OP THE LAW. 
 
 against God, to affirm that man might, by his own works, 
 take away his sins, and so justify himself." In another, place 
 we have these excellent words :" Christ is now become the 
 righteousness of all them that do truly believe in him; He, 
 for them, paid the ransom by his death; He, for them, ful- 
 filled the law in his lif<?." Once more, " This righteousness, 
 which we so receive of God's mercy, and Christ's merits, 
 embraced by faith, is taken, accepted, and allowed of God, 
 our perfect and full justification." 
 
 Think of this matter with respect to yourselves. You 
 must die. You must appear before a holy God who hates 
 sin, and has declared that the soul that sinneth shall die. 
 Are you not asking, "Wherewith shall I come before the 
 Lord, and appear before the most high God?" You have 
 now heard. Not by works of righteousness which you have 
 done. These are imperfect and insufficient. The best of 
 them is mixed with sin. Trust not to them. Renounce 
 them all, and say with St. Paul, " Yea, doubtless, and I count 
 all things but loss— ^that I may win Christ, and be found in 
 him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, 
 but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteous- 
 ness which is of God by faith." If you trust to any thing 
 else, you "frustrate," as much as you can, " the grace of God," 
 and in effect say, that "Christ died in vain." This is a blas- 
 phemy that you do not intend, but all self-righteousness 
 speaks this horrid language. Hemember what is written, 
 " Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which 
 is Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 3:11. This alone can bear the 
 weight of a sirmer's salvation ; every other will give way 
 when the storm comes, and bury the builder in its ruins. 
 
 But I hope better things of you, my brethren, even the 
 things which accompany salvation. I hope you are convinced 
 of sin, and also of righteousness ; that you are hungering and 
 thirsting after it. Be of good comfort. It is the gift of God, 
 freely bestowed, without any deservings on the part of the 
 sinner. " Ask, and ye sha,ll receive. Seek, and ye shall find. 
 Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Pray to God for 
 
SERMON IV. 45 
 
 faith. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to produce it. Paith 
 Cometh by hearing. Hear and read his word; and expect 
 that, in waiting upon God, he will enable you to mix faith 
 with it, that so it may profit your soul. 
 
 Have any of you, my brethren, put on the Lord Jesus ? Is 
 he the foundation of your hopes ? Is his righteousness the 
 rock on which you build; the wedding-garment in which 
 you resolve to appear before him ? I call upon you to rejoice. 
 Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they 
 hear. Blessed is your heart, for therewith you have believed 
 unto Isalvation. Now you may say with the church, " I will 
 greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my 
 God ; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation ; 
 he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness." Isa. 61 : 10. 
 " A robe that hides every sin, which in thought, word, or deed, 
 I have committed. A robe which screens from the sword of 
 justice, the curse of the law, and all the vengeance which my 
 iniquities have deserved. A robe which adorns and dignifies 
 my soul; renders it fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and 
 meet for the inheritance of the saints in light." Happy be- 
 liever ! go on thy way rejoicing. The sting of death is gone. 
 Who shall condemn thee ? God hath justified thee. Thou 
 knowest in whom thou hast believed ; and he will assuredly 
 keep that which thou hast committed unto him. Wear this 
 righteousness as thy breastplate. It shall guard thy heart 
 from fear, in sickness and in death; yea, thus defended, thou 
 shalt appear with boldness in the presence of God. Filled 
 with holy joy and gratitude, let thy lips and life proclaim 
 that the same faith which justifies the soul, sanctifies the 
 heart; that this doctrine is according to godliness; and that 
 " the grace of God which bringeth salvation, teacKeth us to 
 deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, 
 soberly, and godly, in this present evil world." Let the fol- 
 lowing lines be the sincere language of every soul : 
 " Be all my heart, and all my ways, 
 
 Directed to thy single praise ; 
 
 And let my glad obedience prove 
 
 How much I owe, how much I love." 
 
46 CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. 
 
 THE LAW AND GOSPEL DISTINGUISHED. 
 
 The law commands, and makes us know 
 What duties to our God we owe ; 
 But 'tis the gospel must reveal 
 Where lies our strength to do his will. 
 
 The law discovers guilt and sin, 
 
 And shows how vile our hearts have been ; 
 
 Only the gospel can express 
 
 Forgiving love and cleansing grace. 
 
 What curses doth the law denounce , 
 Against the man that falls but once ! 
 But in the gospel Christ appears. 
 Pardoning the guilt of numerous years. 
 
 My soul, no more attempt to draw 
 Thy life and comfort from the law : 
 Fly to the hope the gospel gives ; 
 The man that trusts the promise, lives. 
 
 WATTS. 
 
SEKMON V. 47 
 
 THE FALL OF MAN. 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 "GOD HATH MADE MAN UPRIGHT; BUT THEY HAVE SOUGHT OUT MANY 
 INVENTIONS." EccL. 7 : 29. 
 
 These are the words of Solomon the king of Israel, and 
 appear to be the result of much observation and experience. 
 Possessed of superior talents, and placed in the highest sta- 
 tion, he resolved to attain the utmost degree of wisdom ; but 
 his success was not equal to his wishes. He perceived, how- 
 ever, the extreme folly of having so many wives and concu- 
 bines; and says, " One man among a thousand have I found; 
 but a woman among all those have I not found," Eccl. 7 : 28 ; 
 that is, among his courtiers and flatterers, one man, perhaps, 
 among a thousand, he found on whom he could depend ; but 
 not one among his thousand wives and concubines. "But 
 this only," saith he, " have I found, that God hath made 
 man upright;, but they have sought out many inventions." 
 This he was sure of. He had no doubt respecting this ; and 
 to this apostasy of man he traces up the evils he saw and felt. 
 
 These words represent two things, namely, the original 
 and the apostate state of man. 
 
 I. Let us consider the original state of man. " God made 
 man upright." 
 
 Man, signifies the first man, Adam, the father and head 
 of all men; in whom the whole human race was included. 
 God made him ; formed him out of the dust of the earth, and 
 breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Gen. 2 : 7. God 
 made him upright : this does not mean in his bodily stature, 
 but in the frame and disposition of his mind. " God created 
 man in his own image, in his own likeness." He was nat- 
 urally and habitually righteous. His heart was properly dis- 
 
48 THE FALL OF MAN. 
 
 posea towards God ; with a love of good, and a hatred of evil. 
 The law was not written for him in tables of stone, but it was 
 written upon his heart. 
 
 His mind was endued with true knowledge, Col. 3:5. 
 He knew his Maker. He knew his glorious perfections — his 
 power, his wisdom, his holiness, and his goodness. He knew 
 his relation to God, his duty to him, and his dependence on 
 him. He saw the glory and goodness of God in his works. 
 He studied them, that he might glorify God in them ; hence 
 we find him giving names to the creatures, which, in-, the 
 original, show that he had observed t^em, and understood 
 their nature. 
 
 His will was conformed to the will of God. It had no 
 such bias to evil as we now have; but it was disposed to 
 comply with the divine will in all respects. 
 
 The affections of his soul were holy and heavenly. He 
 loved God above all. He considered him as the supreme 
 good, and the grand source of his happiness. He loved the 
 creatures for God's sake, and all the beauty or sweetness he 
 found in them, led him to ador>e and love his God the more. 
 
 In this state, man was truly blessed and honorable. His 
 mind was calm. His conscience was easy. He knew no 
 guilt. He felt no shame. He was a stranger to fear. No 
 angry passions disturbed his soul. His body was free from 
 disease and pain. He conversed with God, and was as happy 
 as Paradise could make him. 
 
 Had he continued in his state of uprightness for a Certain 
 time, he would, probably, have been translated, without pain 
 or death, to a heavenly state, still happier; and all his pos- 
 terity would have been confirmed in the same condition of 
 holiness and happiness, without the danger of falling, as he 
 did: for as it is certain that all mankind descended from 
 Adam, and are involved in the consequences of his fall, we 
 may justly conclude, that had he maintained his integrity, 
 they would all have shared in the happy fruit of it. But alas 
 though "God made man. upright, he hath sought out many 
 inventidns," " The crown is fallen from our head, the glory 
 
SERMON V. 49 
 
 is departed from us." This is a point which it greatly con- 
 cerns us to know. This is one of the first principles of our 
 religion, on which all the rest depend. Eor if man is not at 
 variance with his Creator, what need of a Mediator ? If he 
 is not depraved and undone, what necessity of a Restorer 
 and Saviour ? If he is not enslaved to sin, why is he re- . 
 deemed by Jesus Christ ? If he is not polluted, why must he 
 be washed in the blood of the Lamb ? If his soul is not dis- 
 ordered, what occasion is there for a divine Physician ? In 
 a word, if he is not born in sin, why is a new birth so neces- 
 sary, that Christ solemnly declares, without it no man can 
 " see the kingdom of God ?" Let us then consider, 
 
 II. The present apostate state of man. 
 
 Satan, fall of hatred to God, and envying the happiness 
 of man, devised the method of his destruction with infernal 
 cunning. He assaulted " the weaker vessel:" first questioned, 
 and then denied the word of God ; represented the command 
 not to eat of the tree, as very severe ; and the eating of it as 
 quite harmless, yea, as highly advantageous. " Ye shall not 
 surely die," said the devil ; though God had said, " Ye shall 
 surely die." Thus Eve was deceived, and became the un- 
 happy means of seducing her husband. Thus both our first 
 parents fell from their original state of purity and bliss ; and 
 as a token of God's dreadful displeasure, were banished from 
 the garden of Eden. 
 
 But you must observe, that in and by this fall of our first 
 parents, all their posterity likewise fell. So St. Paul assures 
 us : " By one man, sin entered into the world, and death by 
 sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have 
 sinned;" and again, "Through the offence of one, many are 
 dead;" and again, "By the offence of one, judgment came 
 upon all men to condemnation." Rom. 5 : 12, 15, 18. 
 
 In consequence of our fall in Adam, our nature is wholly 
 corrupt. Our hearts are naturally carnal and worldly. We 
 forsake God, the foundation of happiness, and vainly strive 
 to make ourselves happy in sin and folly ; or, as our text has 
 it, "we have sought out many inventions"-— many vain rea- 
 
50 THE FALL OF MAN. 
 
 sonings, many foolish questions and speculations. We may- 
 read our depravity in our misery. In our present fallen state 
 we can relish only earthly things, and they all conspire to 
 disappoint our expectations. What are the numberless in- 
 ventions of men, but weak and wicked attempts to procure 
 happiness without Grod, and contrary to his will. What 
 inventions to please th6 imagination! Hence the loads of 
 novels which burden the world, and are read and relished far 
 better than the word of truth. What inventions to delight 
 the eyes! Hence plays, and shows, and all the vanity of 
 dress. What inventions to please, the ear ! Hence all the 
 charms of music, vocal and instrumental. What inventions 
 to gratify the taste ! Hence all the art of cookery, collecting 
 nicdties from every quarter of the world. Of how many may 
 it be said, that their kitchen is their temple, the cook their 
 priest, and their belly their god. What inventions are. there 
 to kill time ! Short as life is, and we all complain it is so 
 short, yet it drags on too slowly for many. Hence the vari- 
 ous amusements, especially playing at pards, invented on 
 purpose to kill time. Ah, how soon will these murderers of 
 time wish for one of their lost hours, when time with them 
 shall be no more. What inventions are there to gratify 
 pride ! What contrivances to make us look greater and finer 
 than our neighbors ! What inventions to become rich arid 
 great ! for this men spend all their strength, and risk their 
 health and life. What inventions to deceive one another, 
 and to appear what we really are not ! 
 
 But there are worse inventions still in matters of- religion. 
 What inventions of doctrine ; how many teach for divine 
 truth the commandments of men ! What inventions in the 
 worship of G-od ! Hence all idolatry and superstition ; hate- 
 ful to G-od, and hurtful to man. What inventions as to the 
 way of acceptance with God ! There is but one true way, 
 and that is Christ; but instead of this, men have invented a 
 thousand ways — ^pretending by their own virtue, goodness, 
 morality, charity, and devotion, to recommend themselves to 
 God. . , 
 
SEKMON V. 51 
 
 Not to dwell any longer on the word " inventions," let us 
 take a general view of man in his fallen state. 
 
 See what ignorance veils his mind ! How wretched and 
 near to the state of brute beasts are millions of the human 
 race — ^the Indians of America, and the blacks of Africa ! Yea, 
 even in Europe, which is more enlightened ; and in England 
 too, a country full of churches and Bibles, Oh how many 
 thousands are in darkness and the shadow of death ! Yes, 
 even many of those who are scholars, who are wise enough 
 in worldly things, know not God, know riot themselves, know 
 not Jesus Christ. How many that seem to be religious, wor- 
 ship an " unknown God," being ignorant of their fallen state, 
 and therefore ignorant of the salvation of the Redeemer. 
 
 But ignorance is not all. Consider the carnality of the 
 mind. The heart is gone from God. It does "not like to 
 retain God in its knowledge." How many are saying to 
 God, " Depart from us ; we desire not the knowledge of thy 
 ways :" and say, my brethren. Is it not so with some of you ? 
 Why else is it that you do not love prayer ? Why do you 
 neglect the Bible ? Why do you break the Sabbath ? Why 
 do you take pleasure in the company of the wicked, while 
 you laugh at serious people, and true piety ? Your conscience 
 sometimes smites you for this, for you know they are right, 
 and you are wrong; and were you on a dying bed, you would 
 gladly be in their state. You have an immortal soul, which 
 you know must be saved for ever, or lost for ever, and yet 
 you live as if you had no soul at all. And though religion 
 be the great business of man, it is the only business that you 
 neglect; it is the only business that you hate to see others 
 mind. And does not this convince you that you are carnal 
 indeed ? 
 
 "Even a child is known by his doings;" "foolishness is 
 bound up in the heart of a child." Prov. 20 : 11; 22 : 15. 
 Have you never observed the envy, pride, and passion of little 
 children? They could not learn these evil tempers from 
 others. They brought them into the world with them. They 
 were born in sin. 
 
52 THE FALL OP MAN. 
 
 Look at young people. The seeds of sin which were in 
 their nature spring up and grow apace. The bud of vice now 
 begins to blow. See the forward, rash youth, full of pride 
 and self-conceit, despising his parents, impatient of control, 
 bursting every bond that he may pursue his pleasures, and 
 determined to indulge his lusts, though at the expense of 
 health, character, and life itself "Oh, who can lament, as it 
 deserves, the shameful, the worse than brutal lewdness of 
 both sexes? This vice awfully prevails; and though some 
 may laugh at it, and think it a little, sin, let them, know that 
 " whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Heb. 13 : 4. 
 
 What shall we say oi prof oneness ? " Because of swear- 
 ing the land mourneth;" England groans under the burden 
 of this horrid crime, this unprofitable vice;, the streets, the 
 roads, the fields, the ale-houses, ring with the horrid lan- 
 guage. The throat of the swearer is " an open sepulchre," 
 belching forth, in oaths and curses, a stench more hateful to 
 Grod than the smell of a human carcass to man. This is so 
 common that we almost forget its criminality; but what 
 saith the law? " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord 
 thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless 
 that taketh his name in vain." Perjury is a sin which aw- 
 fully prevails. Oaths are .multiplied, and taken without 
 solemnity or sincerity; yea, an appeal is often made to God 
 for the truth of that declaration which thei abandoned swearer 
 knows to be false. Surely this' is a sin, which, above most 
 others, shows that man is wofully fallen and wicked ; or 
 how could he practise, how could he love, this unprofitable 
 vice ? 
 
 Time would fail us to speak of a thousand other evils 
 which proceed out of the heart. Read the catalogue given 
 by our Saviour himself: "EviL thoughts, murders, adulteries, 
 fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; these come 
 forth from the heart, and they defile the man." Matt. 15 : 19. 
 
 The Scriptures abound with testimonies to this sad truth. 
 Read the following: "And God saw that the wickedness of 
 man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of 
 
SEKMON V. 53 
 
 the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually ; and it 
 repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and 
 it grieved him at his heart." G-en. 6 : 5. See also Gen. 8:21, 
 " The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." 
 Read also Job 11 : 12, " Vaint man would be wise, though 
 man be born like a wild ass's colt ;" and chap. 15 : 14, " What 
 is man, that he should be clean ? and he which is born of a 
 woman, that he should be righteous ?" And lest any should 
 think that all people are not so bad, and that these things 
 are said only of openly wicked persons, observe what the 
 following scripture declares: "'The Lord looked down from 
 heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any 
 that did understand and seek God. They are all gone aside ; 
 they are all together become filthy ; there is none that doeth 
 good, no, not one. ^^ Psa. 14: 2, 3. In a word, see the true 
 picture of fallen man, in Jer. 17:9, " The heart is deceitful 
 above all things, and desperately wicked ; who can know it?" 
 
 Thus then is this terrible but useful truth fully con- 
 firmed. None can deny it, without denying the word of 
 God. But if these testiitnonies are not enough, turn your 
 eyes to the state of mankind in this present evil world, and 
 you will firfd sad proof that man is in a fallen state. " How 
 astonishing is the quantity of misery in the wMd ! How 
 many thousands are rending the air with the cry of pain or 
 wretchedness ! Strange that ever there should be So much — 
 that there should be any suffering in the creation of a good 
 God ! Doubtless there is a cause for it ; and if the Bible had 
 not told us what it is, we should be for ever in the dark. 
 Oh, Adam, what hast thou done ! Oh, man, what art thou 
 always doing! Is not "the earth cursed for man's sake?" 
 and why doth it bring forth so plentifully thorns and briars^ 
 while useful plants and fruit and grain cannot be produced 
 without great labor? The earth itself preaches to us this 
 humbling doctrine; aiid while man gains his daily bread 
 with the sweat of his brow, let him learn that sin is the fatal 
 cause. 
 
 Sometimes the earth is deluged with dangerous floods ;\ at 
 
54 THE PALI OF MAN.^ 
 
 other times it is hardened with excessive drought. Dreadful 
 peals of thunder shake the heavens ; fearful flashes of light- 
 ning fill the skies. Horrible earthquakes cleave the ground, 
 and open a sudden grave for thousands. ' Burning mountains 
 belch forth their destructive contents. The seas, raised to 
 fury by stormy winds, bury the poor helpleiss seamen. Terri- 
 ble plagues sweep away whole cities in a few days. "What 
 is the language of these fearful messengers ? They all unite 
 to say, Man is fallen, and G-od is angry. 
 
 Consider also the sorrows of mothers in bringing forth 
 their offspring ; the cries and tears and pains and death of 
 little babes. Think of the various fierce and agonizing dis- 
 eases of mankind. What is the world but a huge hospital ; 
 and where almost the house that there is not one sick ? How 
 many of our poor fellow-creatures are pining in poverty, or 
 racked with pain, or raving with madness ! Turn your eyes 
 to the dying bed of a fellow-mortal. Look ait his ghastly 
 countenance. See how he is convulsed; how he labors for 
 life. At last, with a mournful groan, he bids adieu to- this 
 wretched world. Behold the pale and lifeless corpse. In a 
 few days, perhaps in a few hours, it begins to change. Putre- 
 faction seizes it ; and the body, once so dear and pleasant, the 
 parent, the*wife, and the child^ must be "buiried out of our 
 sight" — must be consigned to the dark, cold, and loathsome 
 grave, to become the prey of sordid worms. What a terrible 
 proof does all this afibrd of our sinful state ! 
 
 And now what shall we «ay of these things ? Is this the 
 state of man? How necessary is it that he should know it. 
 We observed at the beginning, that it is one of the first prin- 
 ciples of our religion, and without knowing this, we cannot 
 understand the rest. " When the veil is upon the heart, the 
 veil is upon every thing." There are three things the abso- 
 lute necessity of which we may learn from what has been 
 said, n&m.elYfl'edemption, repentance, and regeneration. 
 
 1. Redemption. God hates sin with infinite abhorrence. 
 Sin renders us abominable in his sight. " The wages of sin 
 
SEEMON V. 55 
 
 is death." " He will render indignation and wrath, tribula- 
 tion and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil." 
 How then can we escape the damnation of hell ? Blessed be 
 God, he hath so loved the world, as to give his only begotten 
 Son to be our Redeemer and Saviour. Jesus Christ has died 
 for sinners, " the just for the unjust, to bring us to God." By 
 his blood, reconciliation is made for iniquity; and by his 
 Spirit our nature is renewed; so that we may be fully re- 
 stored to the favor and image of God. " Jesus, what hast 
 thou not done to loosen guilt and pain, to sweeten adversity, 
 to blunt the sting of death, to restore happiness in some de- 
 gree to the earth, and to insure it in eternity." 
 
 2. See also the need of repentance, or such a sight and 
 sense of sin as leads to godly sorrow and self-abhorrence, 
 " Sin is the only thing that God hates, and almost the only 
 thing that man loves ;" but grace will make us hate it heart- 
 ily, and ourselves on account of it. Alas, how far from this 
 are many who yet call themselves Christians ! Hear the 
 proud Pharisee crying, " God, I thank thee that I am not as 
 other men are;" or boasting that he has a good heart, and a 
 clear conscience; that he does his duty to the best of his 
 power, and never hurt any body in all his life. This is the 
 wretched cant of poor deluded- souls who -know not the 
 " plague of their own hearts." God forbid this should be our 
 case. Let us rather, like the good men we read of in Scrip- 
 ture, confess our sins, loathe ourselves, and repent in dust and 
 ashes. Then shall we thankfully receive the free mercy and 
 forgiving love of God through Jesus Christ. 
 
 3. From hence also we learn the necessity of regeneration. 
 Nothing short of this is sufficient; for " striving against nature 
 is like holding a weathercock with one's hand : as soon as the 
 force is taken off, it veers again with the wind." If we are 
 born in sin, we must be born again. So our Saviour solemnly 
 declared to Nioodemus, " Verily, verily, I say unto thee, ex- 
 cept a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 
 John 8:3. We must have a new heart, that is, a new dis- 
 position of heart; such a change within as may be justly 
 
56 THE PALL OF MAN. 
 
 called a new creation. And rthis is far more than the bap- 
 tism of water. We must be " born of water, and of the Holy 
 G-host;" that is, we must experience the power of the Spirit 
 on our heart to cleanse and purify it from sin. There is " a 
 death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness." The 
 regenerate person hates sin, and earnestly desires deliverance 
 from it. The sincere language of the soul is, "Oo, sin; go 
 for ever, thou rebel to God; thou crucifier of Christ; thou 
 griever of the Spirit; thou curse of the earth; thou poison in 
 my blood; thou plague of my soul, and bane of all my hap- 
 piness." 
 
 How important then is the knowledge.of our fallen state! 
 "It is the devil's masterpiece to make us think well of our- 
 selves." It is God's great and gracious work to discover tq 
 us our true condition. May the Holy Spirit so bless what has 
 now been said concerning it, that discovering the disease; of 
 our nature, we may highly prize the great Physician of our 
 souls; may lie low before a holy God in the duist of hurailia- 
 tion; yet looking up for patdoning mercy, and for saUetifying 
 grace daUy to renew us in the spirit of our mind: till being 
 made meet for heaven, we are admitted into tha.t blessed 
 state where siti and sorrow shall be known no more; arid 
 where,,'with all the redeemed, we shall celebrate our glorious 
 recovery from the ruins of the fall, ascribing salvation to God 
 and the Lamb for ever and ever. Amen. , 
 
SERMON VI. 57 
 
 REDEMPTION. 
 
 SERMON YI. 
 
 "IN WHOM we' HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD." Eph. 1:7. 
 
 The word redemption is perhaps the most comprehensive 
 that our own language, or any other, can afford. Redemption 
 itself is certainly the greatest blessing that God can bestow, 
 or man receive. It is this that strikes the joyful strings of the 
 heavenly harpers. This is the burden of that ever-new ^ong 
 which none but the redeemed can sing, " Worthy is the Lamb 
 that was slain; for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, 
 out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." 
 
 The salvation of man, under whatever name it is de- 
 scribed; always supposes his fallen, guilty, ruined, and help- 
 less state: nor can we understand' one word of the gospel 
 aright without knowing this. He is dangerously diseased: 
 Christ is the physician, and salvation his cure. He is naked : 
 Christ covers him with his righteousness. He is famished: 
 Christ is his meat and drink. He is in darkness: Christ is his 
 light. He stands at the bar accused, and ready to be con- 
 demned : Christ appears as his surety, and pleads his right- 
 eousness for his justification. So here in the text. Man is 
 in bondage: Christ pays the ransom, and procures his dis- 
 charge. 
 
 Come then, my friends, and let us attend to this great 
 subject; and remember, that we are fixing our minds on the 
 same delightful theme that engages the hearts and harps of 
 glorified saints ; and which will employ our grateful tongues 
 to all eternity, if we are found among the ransomed of the 
 Lord. 
 
 Redemption, among men, is the deliverance of persons out 
 of a state of captivity and bondage by an act of power, or 
 
58 REDEMPTION. 
 
 rather, by the payment of a price for their ransom. The re- 
 covery of God's chosen ' people from the ruins of the fall is 
 therefore described by this term ; because they are by nature 
 in a wretched state of bondage and slavery; from which they 
 could never deliver themselves, and in which, if not delivered, 
 they must perish for ever. But Christ the Son of God, out 
 of his infinite love and compassion, und^ook the deliverance ; 
 and by paying, down a sufficient price, even his own precious 
 blood as a ransom, delivered them from ruin, and restored 
 them to liberty. 
 
 That w-e may better understand this redemption of lost 
 man, let us consider his captivity, his helplessness, and the 
 means of his deliverance. 
 
 Consider, first, the state of man as a captive and a slave. 
 Captives, among men, are persons taken in war and made 
 prisoners. In many cases they have been used very ill : put 
 to shame; doomed to hard labor; confined. in chains, prisons, 
 or mines ; led at the chariot wheels of their conquerors ; and 
 sometimes put to death in a wanton and cruel manner. To 
 this day the poor blacks are treated as captives, and kept in 
 a state of bondage. Ships are sent from England and other 
 countries to Africa, on purpose to get hundreds and thousands 
 of them for slaves. They are stolen, or procured under vari- 
 ous and wicked pretences ; torn from the bosoms of their dear- 
 est . relations ; forced away from their own country; closely 
 stowed together in a ship; and when brought to the West 
 Indies, sold like beasts in a market. They are then doomed 
 to hard labor, and often to cruel usage; till death puts an 
 end to their miseries, or their liberty is obtained by paying a 
 sum of money for it. In such a case, a man may be said to 
 be redeemed; and ceasing to be a slave, he becomes a free- 
 man. This may give us some idea of the nature of redemp- 
 tion. When God made man, he made him upright; he made 
 him free; but he soon lost his liberty. Satan attacked him, 
 and prevailed against him; and not against him only, but 
 against all his posterity, i In this state we are born; in this 
 we live; and in this we die and perish, unless the redemption 
 
SERMON VI. 59 
 
 of Christ is applied to our souls by the Holy Spirit. You 
 would pity a number of poor captives if you saw them in 
 heavy chains; if you saw them stripped of their clothing, 
 robbed of their wealth, or sold like beasts ; if you saw them 
 cruelly abused and beaten, and pining to death in pain and 
 misery. Well, this is our own state by nature. We are 
 conquered by Satan; far removed from our original happy 
 condition; deprived of our true riches, the image and favor of 
 God; tied and bound with the chains of our sins; basely em- 
 ployed by the devil in the horrid drudgery of our lusts; and 
 if grace prevent it not, liable to be summoned by death into 
 an awful eternity, to receive the wages of our sin, which is 
 eternal misery. 
 
 From this sad condition we cannot deliver ourselves. We 
 have neither the will nor the power. It is the peculiar misery 
 of sinful man that he knows not his misery. Other captives 
 groan for freedom. Even a bird or a beast, deprived of liberty, 
 struggles to get free; but more wretched and stupid sinners 
 deny that they are slaves ; and foolishly boast, like the Jews, 
 that " they were never in bondage to any man." They hug 
 their yoke; they love their prison, and fancy music in the 
 rattling of their chains. If any here are in this condition, 
 may G-od open their eyes, and deliver them from the sad 
 infatuation. 
 
 But if a man had a will to be free, he has not the power. 
 What ransom can he offer ? Can he make satisfaction to the 
 injured law of G-od ? Can he render back to his Maker the 
 glory of which he has robbed him ? Or can he restore to his 
 own soul the image of God, which is lost and spoiled by sin ? 
 Can he renew his sinful nature to holiness, or make himself 
 a new creature? No; it is impossible. If the heart of God* 
 do not pity, if the hand of God do not help, he must die a 
 slave, and be the eternal companion, of his cruel tyrant and 
 fellow-slaves in the prison of hell. 
 
 But blessed be God for Jesus Christ! When there was 
 no eye to pity, no hand to help, his own almighty arm 
 brought salvation. The Son of God, touched with compas- 
 
60 • EEDEMPTION. 
 
 sion for perishing man, descended from his throne of glory, 
 and visited our wretched abode; and because those whom he 
 came to redeem were partakers of flesh and bloody "he also 
 himself likewise took part of the same; that through death 
 he might destroy him that had the power of death,, thfit is, 
 the devil; and deliver them who, through fear of death, were 
 all their lifetime subject to bondage." Heb. 2 : 14, 15. 
 
 Among the Jews, the right of redemption belonged to the 
 kinsman. Jesus Christ, in order to redeem us, became a man, 
 the kinsman of our nature, " bone of our bone, flesh of our 
 flesh;" "for both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanc- 
 tified, are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to 
 call them brethren." Heb. 2 : 11. 
 
 The redemption of captives is usually by paying a price 
 or ransom. This Christ paid, and the price was no less than 
 his blood; so says our text: "tn whom we have redemptictti 
 through his blood." And so St. Peter speaks: "Ye were not 
 redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold; but 
 with the precious blood of Christ." 1 Pet.' 1 :' 18. Not by so 
 mean a price as the perishing riches of this world, such as the 
 silver and gold which are paid for ibuying poor captives out 
 of bondage, misery, and slavery among men; but it was at 
 no less a:price than the noble and invaluable precious blood, 
 sufferings, and death of the Son of G-od. 
 
 Having taken a general view of redemption, let us de- 
 scend to some particulars by which- we may better under- 
 stand the subject, and be more affected with it. The natural 
 man is a captive of the devil, o{ the Jlesh, of the world, of the 
 law, and of the gra,ve. Froih all these Christ delivers his 
 people. 
 
 1. We are all, by nature, captives of the devil. This may 
 seem to you a hard saying, but it is too true; see the proof 
 of it in 2 Tim. 2 : 26, "that they may recover themselves out 
 of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his 
 will:" taken alive, as captives of war, to be enslaved and 
 ruined by the devil. how dreadful is the power of Satan 
 over wicked men ! They are not aware of it, or they would 
 
SEKMON VI. 61 
 
 earnestly pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us 
 from evil," or the evil one. St. John says, " Th,e whole world 
 lieth in wickedness," or in the wicked one, 1 John 5:19; and 
 St. Paul says, " He worketh ip the children of disobedience." 
 Eph. 2:2. So that there is more truth in some common ex- 
 pressions used by wicked people than they are aware of; as 
 when they say, " The devil is in you." It is awfully true of 
 all unconverted sinners. And it deserves notice how such 
 people continually sport with such words as these: hell, and 
 hellish; devil, and devilish; danm, and damnation. Surely 
 these words show who is their master, and what is likely to 
 be their place and portion. May G-od discover the evil of 
 such things to all who practise them. 
 
 Now the Jblessed Redeemer came down from heaven to 
 destroy the works of the devil. He overcame all his tempta- 
 tions in the wilderness; he triumphed over him on the cross; 
 and when he ascended into heaven, " he led captivity cap- 
 tive," conquered the conqueror, and bound the strong one. 
 He showed his power over devils, by casting them out of the 
 bodies of men; and he still shows his power, by casting him 
 out of the souls of all who believe in him. that he may 
 show this power among us this moment; 
 
 Yes, my friends, if we are redeemed from Satan, we are 
 "redeemed to God" — redeemed to God, as his peculiar prop- 
 erty, for his honor and service — for communion with him 
 now, and for the everlasting enjoyment of him in glory. 
 
 2. We are all, by nature, captives of the,^«'sA; our minds 
 are fleshly: " Sin reigns in our mortal bodies; we obey it in 
 the lusts thereof; our members are instruments of unright- 
 eousness; we have yielded our members servants to unclean- 
 ness, and to iniquity; for his servants we are to whom we 
 obey." -Rom. 6 : 12, etc. 
 
 Is not this true, my friends ? Are not some here present 
 yet the slaves of sin: one of drunkenness, another of swear- 
 ing, another of fornication, another of lying, another of thiev- 
 ing, or some other heinous sin ? Ah, sirs, " the end of these 
 things is death;" " for these things' sake cometh the wrath of 
 
62 REDEMPTION. 
 
 Grod upon the children of disobedience." Alas, how many 
 are strong advocates for human liberty, who are themselves 
 the slaves of corruption ! " For of whom a man is overcome, 
 of the same is he brought in bondage." 2 Pet. 2 : 19. 
 
 But, adored be Jesus, he came to " save us from our sins;" 
 "that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, 
 might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness 
 before him, all the days of our life." By the power of his 
 Spirit, his people are "born again," and made "new crea- 
 tures in Christ Jesus; old things- pass away, and all things 
 become new." They are not in the flesh, but in the Spirif; 
 they walk not according to the flesh ; they are enabled to cru- 
 cify the old man of sin, and to put on the new man of grace ; 
 and to live, in some degree, in that holiness without which 
 no man can see the Lord. So St. Paul speaks to the con- 
 verted Romans, "God be thanked, that" though "ye were 
 the servants of sin; but ye have obeyed from the heart that 
 form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made 
 free , from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." Rom. 
 6:17,18. 
 
 3. "We are all, by nature, captives of the world; or, as the 
 Scripture expresses it, " walk according to the course of this 
 world," willingly carried along with the streg-m of sin, and 
 foolishly thinking we shall do well, because we do like others ; 
 forgetting that " broad is the road that leadeth to death, and 
 many there be that walk therein;" while the narrow way to 
 life is found by very few. By nature we are conformed to 
 the world ; to its foolish customs, maxims, dress; and amuse- 
 ments ; and also- to its dangerous, mistaken p^otions of relig- 
 ion. People are afraid to think for themselves ; they take the 
 religion of their neighbors on trust, without examining, by the 
 word of God, whether it be right or wrong, true or false. 
 
 But our blessed Lord " gave himself for our sins, that he 
 might deliver us from this present evil world," from the sins, 
 snares, customs, and fashions of the men of this world. St. 
 Peter speaks of being redeemed from " our vain conversation, 
 received by tradition from our fathers." It matters not what 
 
SERMON VI. 63 
 
 we were brought up to, nor what our forefathers lived in: if 
 it was wrong, we naust forsake it. We must confess Christ 
 before men, or he will deny us before angels: and we shall 
 not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, if we know it to be 
 the power of Q-od to our own salvation; but rather glory in 
 the cross of Christ, by which we ^re crucified to the world, 
 and the world to us. Then are we the true disciples of 
 Christ7 when we are not of the world, even as he was not of 
 the world. 
 
 4. We are all, as sinners, captives and prisoners to the 
 broken law and offended y^s^ice of G-od. The law justly de- 
 mands of us perfect and perpetual obedience. If we fail in 
 one point, we are guilty of all; and fall under itsi fearful 
 curse. The law demands our obedience, or our blood. If we 
 disobey but once, our lives are forfeited. We are condemned 
 already; and if death finds us in that state, it shuts us up for 
 ever in bell. 
 
 But, glory be to the Lamb of Grod, that he came into the 
 world to save sinners; and as there could be no remission of 
 sins but by the shedding of blood, he freely gave himself up 
 for us, and died for our sins, " the just for the unjust, that he 
 might bring us to God." Thus he gave himself " a ransom" 
 for us; and "redeemed us from the curse of the law, being 
 made a curse for us." G-al. 3 : 13. Hereby, all -who believe 
 in him are '' delivered from the wrath to come." " There is 
 therefore now no condemnation to them." They have passed 
 from death xinto life; and "who shall lay any thing to the 
 chai;ge of God's elect ? It is God that justifietL Who is he 
 that pondemneth ? - It is Christ that died." In consequence 
 of this, they are entitled to peace of conscience, even the 
 peace of God, thatpasseth all understanding. 
 
 Finally, we are all, by reason of sin, doomed to d^ath, and 
 shall shortly be prisoners of the grave. This is the house 
 appointed for all living; to this dark abode we must soon 
 remove, and there remain till the great day, when there shall 
 be a resurrection both of the just and of the unjust. 
 
 But the glorious Redeemer has said of his people, " I will 
 
64 KEDEMPTION. 
 
 ransom tliem from the power of the grave ; I will redeem them 
 from death: death, I will be thy plagues; grave, I will 
 be thy destruction !" Yes, Jesus is made unto us redemption, 
 namely, "the redemption of' the body;" and "the creature 
 itself," that is, the body, " shall be delivered from the bondage 
 of corruption, into the glorjpu's. liberty of the children of God." 
 Rom. 8:21. " Then shall be brought to pass the sayhig that 
 is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. death, where 
 is thy sting ? grave, where is thy victory ? The sting of 
 death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law: but thanks 
 be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 And now, my friends, what think you of redemption? 
 Does it appear to yon a little or a great matter ? How are 
 your hearts affected with it? Do you know that you are, or 
 once was, in this miserable bondage ? You can never desire 
 deliverance, nor love the deliverer, till yoiu know this. When 
 Israel was in Egypt, " they sighed by reason of their bondage, 
 and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of 
 their bondage." Again, when Israel was in' Babylon, "they 
 sat down by the rivers and wept; lyea, they wept, when they 
 remembered Zidn." Depend upon it, if you never saw this 
 to be your condition, it is your condition now. If you never 
 sought redemption, you never partook of it. If you never 
 saw any excellence and preeiousness in Christ, you are yet 
 " in the gall of bitterness, yet in the bond of iniquity." Be 
 advised, when you go home, to retire, and on your knees 
 implore the blessed Redeemer to set you free. Say, with the 
 Psalmist, "Draw nigh to my soul, and redeem it.", Look 
 through the bars of your prison to heaven. Cry to the Lord 
 in your trouble, and he will save you out of your distresses. 
 Hear him saying, "Wilt thou be made free?" He stands 
 ready to knock off thy fetters, and set thee at liberty. If it 
 was necessary for you to pay the price of redemption, you 
 might well despair ; but the price is paid ; nothing on your 
 part is wanting but a heart and a hand to receive it. Come 
 
SERMON VI. 65 
 
 then, for all things are ready. " Let Israel hope in the Lord, 
 for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him . is plenteous 
 redemption." Psa. 130 : 7. Here is the sum of the gospel. 
 Here are glad tidings of great joy to souls burdened with sin. 
 Are you afflicted with a sense of your sin and jnisery ? Well, 
 there is hope in Israel concerning this. " Hope in the Lord ;" 
 not in yourselves, not in your own works, but in Jehovah; 
 and your encoura:gement to do so is, " with him is mercy," 
 grace, goodness, bounty. He is, of his own nature, disposed 
 to forgive; and there is this further encouragement, " with him 
 there is plenteous redemption." Christ has shed his precious 
 blood as the ransom price. The redemption is plenteous. 
 The boundless stores of grace and mercy are fully equal to all 
 your wants. Hope then in the Lord, and let your expectation 
 be fixed alone in him ; for " he shall redeem Israel from all 
 his iniquities." 
 
 And you who, through grace, have believed to the saving 
 of your souls, come and consider the sad state you were in; 
 from which nothing could deliver you but the astonishing 
 ransom of the Saviour's blood. O see the malignity of sin, in 
 the Redeemer's bloody sweat in the garden, and in his dread- 
 ful pains on the cross. see what sin has done ! See and 
 detest the murderer of thy gracious Lord. Hate it with a 
 perfect hatred, and resolve to wage eternal war against it. 
 
 Come and meditate on the love of Christ, " who loved you, 
 and gave himself for you," and who has, by his Spirit, brought 
 home the redemption to your heart. There was nothing good 
 in you to engage him to do this ; for " while we were yet 
 enemies, Christ died for us." be thankful for your won- 
 derful deliverance. " give thanks unto the Lord, for he is 
 good ; for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of 
 the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of 
 the enemy." Had a generous fellow-creature delivered you 
 from Turkish slaveiy, or from a Spanish inquisition, how 
 ■would you express your thanks ? " Oh, sir," would you say, 
 " I am under inexpressible obligations; I have not such another 
 friend in all the world ; I shall never forget your kindness 
 
66 EEDEMPTION. 
 
 while I live." But no earthly friend can redeem your soul 
 from sin and hell. "Oh, would to God," said a holy man, 
 " I could cause paper and ink to speak the worth and excel- 
 lency, the high and loud praises of our brother Ransomer! 
 Oh, the Ransomer needs not my report; but if he Vvould 
 voiichsafe to take and use it, I should be happy if I had an 
 errand to this world, but for some few years, to spread proc- 
 lamations of the glory of the Ransomer, whose clothes were 
 wet and dyed in blood; if even, after that, my soul and 
 body should return to their original nothing." 
 
 Thus, my friends, let us think of Christ; and thus think- 
 ing of him, let iis show our love by keeping his command- 
 ments ; ever remembering, that " we are not our own, for we 
 are bought with a price; therefore let us glorify God in our 
 body, and in our spirit, which are God's." Remember you 
 are yet in the body, a body of sin and death; and though 
 through, grace, you " delight in the law of the Lord after the 
 inward man^ yet is there another law in your members, war- 
 ring against the law of your mind." Watch against it then, 
 lest at any time it should " bring you into captivity to the 
 law of sin." Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith 
 Christ hath made you free; and rejoice in hope of the com- 
 plete, everlasting, and glorious liberty of the children of God 
 in a better world. 
 
 Jesus, with all thy saints above, 
 
 My tongue would bear her part, 
 Would souud aloud thy saving love, 
 
 And sing thy bleeding heart. , 
 
 Blessed bo the Lamb, my dearest Lord, 
 
 Who bought me with his blood, 
 And quenched his Father's flaming sword 
 
 In his own vital flood :-- 
 The Lamb- that freed my captive soul 
 
 From Satan's heavy chains, 
 And sent the lion down to howl 
 
 Where hell and horror reigns. 
 All glory to the dying Lamb, 
 
 And never-ceasing praise, 
 While angels live to know his name, 
 
 Or saints to feel his grace. 
 
SEEMON VII. 67 
 
 REGENERATION, OR THE NEW BIRTH. 
 
 SERMON" YII. 
 
 "JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, VERILY,. VERILY, I SAY UNTO 
 THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM 
 OF GOD." John 3:3. 
 
 The two grand truths of the Christian religion are, our 
 ruin in Adam, and our recovery in Christ; and till we know 
 both these, we can perforin no duty, nor enjoy any privilege 
 aright; we can neither serve God here, nor enter into his 
 glory hereafter. 
 
 You must have observed, that the Scriptures always divide 
 mankind into two classes — ^the wicked and the righteous, 
 sinners and saints, believers and unbelievers, heirs of hell and 
 heirs of heaven. These are all mixed together on earth, but 
 they will be separated at the day of judgment; and their 
 eternal state will then be fixed according to what was their 
 true character here. What then can be of greater importance 
 to us than to know our real state at present ? And observe, 
 that though there is that difference between men which was 
 just mentioned, we are all by nature in one and the same 
 condition; that is, sinners and children of wrath. So that 
 unless a change passes upon us, we continue in it, live and 
 die in it, and are lost for ever. 
 
 This is the solemn truth which Jesus Christ in our text 
 declared to Nicodemus. Perhaps you may like to know who 
 he was, and how Christ came to say this to him. I will tell 
 you. Nicodemus was a great man among the Jews. He 
 was a teacher, and a ruler; and having heard that Jesus 
 Christ had said and done many wonderful things, he came 
 to him one night, being ashamed to come by daylight, and 
 said, " Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from 
 God." Jesus Christ directly begins to teach Nicodemus; 
 
68 THE NEW BIRTH. 
 
 and he begins with the most important truth that was ever 
 taught — ^the necessity of the new birth, which he asserts in 
 the strongest manner possible: "Verily, veriJy, I say unto 
 thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the king- 
 dom of God." As if he had said, I, who am the truth itself, 
 assure you, that no man, considering his fallen and corrupt 
 nature, can understand or enjoy the blessings of that king- 
 dom of grace which I am come to set up, nor can he enter 
 the kingdom of glory to which it leads, unless his heart is 
 changed by power from above. 
 
 It seems that Nicodemus did not at first rightly under- 
 stand what our Lord meant by this, and Jie asked how it 
 could be. But our Lord insists upon it agaiii and again, and 
 we doubt not that Nicodemus came to understand it at last, 
 and really became a new creature. The Lord grant that we 
 also may become new creatures, so as to serve him herCj and. 
 enjoy him hereafter. 
 
 Being born again signifies a great change anade in the 
 heart of a sinner by the power of the Holy Spirit. It means 
 that something is done in us, and for us, which we cannot do 
 for ourselves^something to which we were before strangers — 
 some change, whereby we begin to live as we did not live 
 before — ^yea, something whereby such a life begins as shall 
 last for ever; for, as by our first birth we are born to die, so 
 by our second birth we are born to live for ever. 
 
 That we may better understand the new birth j or this 
 change of heart, let us more particularly consider, 
 
 1. The nature of this change ; and, 
 
 2. The necessity of it. 
 
 I. Let us consider the nature of this change. " It is not 
 a change of the substance and faculties of the soul. Sin did 
 not destroy the essence of the soul, but its rectitude; so grace 
 does not give a new faculty, but a new quality. It is not 
 destroying the metal, but the old stamp upon it, to imprint a 
 new one. It is not breaking the candlestick, but putting a 
 new light in it. It is a new stringing of the instrument, to 
 make new harmony." 
 
SERMON VII. 69 
 
 It is a great change, or else such a term as " the new 
 birth," or " a new creation," or " a resurrection," would not 
 be proper. When a child is born, its way of existing and of 
 getting nourishment is quite different from what it was be- 
 fore; so by the new birth we live in a very different manner. 
 The greatness of this change is elsewhere described by " pass- 
 ing from darkness to light;" yea, by "passing from death to 
 life." " You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses 
 and sins." It makes a man quite the contrary to what he 
 was before; as contrary as east to west, north to south, 
 light to darkness, flesh to spirit. It is such a change as if a 
 black man should become white, or a lion become a lamb. 
 In a word, God takes away the heart of stone, and gives a 
 heart of flesh. 
 
 It is a universal change, " a new creature" a complete 
 creature — not a monster, with some human parts, and others 
 wanting. It is God^s work, and therefore perfect in its parts; 
 though there is room for growth in every part, as in a new- 
 born child. Oh, let us not deceive ourselves with a partial 
 change, such as taking up some new opinion, or joining a 
 new sect; or leaving off some old sins, or performing some 
 moral or religious duties. The common changes of age and 
 life may occasion some partial alterations ; but this is a change 
 of the whole man. In the understanding, there is light in- 
 stead of darkness. In the ivill, there is softness instead of 
 hardness. In the affections, there is love instead of enmity. 
 
 It is an inward change. It will indeed produce an out- 
 ward change, if the life were before immoral; but there may 
 be strict morality without this inward change. Reformation 
 is not regeneration, though too often mistaken for it. It is a 
 change of heart. We must be " renewed in the spirit of our 
 mind." Eph. 4 : 23. " Man looketh at the outward appear- 
 ance, but God looketh on the heaj-t." God has promised to 
 give his people "a new heart;" and the penitent Psalmist 
 prays for it: " Create in me a clean heart, God; and renew 
 a right spirit within me." Without this there is no true 
 change. " The spring and wheels of a clock must be mended 
 
70 THE NEW BIRTH. 
 
 before the hand of the dial will stand right. It may stand 
 right twice in the day, when the time of the day comes to it, 
 but not from any motion or rectitude in itself. So a man 
 may seem by one or two actions to be a changed man; but 
 the inward spring being amiss, it is but a deceit." There 
 is a great difference between virtue and religion^-between 
 morality and holiness. Many people abstain from some sins, 
 and perform some duties, for the sake of health, reputation, or 
 profit; but in the new creature there is a change oi principle. 
 The principle of a new creature is faith — " faith working by 
 love ; and this abides." He is not like a clock that is wound 
 up, and goes only while it is acted upon by the weight; but, 
 having the Spirit of God within him, and the life of Grod in 
 his soul, grace is as " a well of water, springing up into ever- 
 lasting life," 
 
 There is in tne new creature a change of the end he has 
 in view, as well as of the principle from which he acts. 
 " The glory of G-od is the end of the new man : self is the 
 end of the old man." Nothing is a greater evidence of being 
 born again, than to be taken off the old centre of self, and to 
 aim at the glory of G-od in every thing: whether we eat or 
 drink, whether we are in private or public, whether we are 
 engaged in religious or common affairs, to desire and aim 
 sincerely at the glory of God ; knowing that " we are not our 
 own, but bought with a price," we are to glorify God with 
 our body, soul, and spirit, all which are his. 
 
 That the new birth is such a change as has been described, « 
 namely, a great change, an universal change, and an inward 
 change, will still more plainly appear if you consider the 
 alteration it makes in a person's views and apprehensions. 
 He has new thoughts of God, of himself, of the world, of eter- 
 nity, of Jesus Christ, and of all divine ordinances. 
 
 He has new thoughts of Qod. Before, he lived in a^reat 
 measure "without God in the world;" without any true 
 knowledge of God ; without any proper regard to God ; and 
 was ready to think God " altogether such a one as himself" 
 But now he sees that with God there is " terrible majesty, 
 
SEEMON VII. 71 
 
 perfect purity, strict justice, anfi thatjhe is indeed greatly to 
 "be feared." Now he knows that God's eye is always upon 
 him; and that if he were to enter into judgment with him, 
 he could never stand. But he learns also, from the gospel, 
 that God in Christ is full of grace, and goodness, and love; 
 so that " he fears the Lord and his goodness." 
 
 The new creature has very different thoughts of himself. 
 He once acted as his own master; followed his own wicked 
 will ; was ready to excuse his worst actions ; .thought lightly 
 of his sins, perhaps gloried in his shame. Now he sees the 
 evil of his former ways ; he mourns sincerely for his sins ; he 
 sees the badness of his heart from whence they flowed; he 
 ranks himself among the chief of sinners ; and he wonders more 
 at the patience of God in not cutting him off with some sud- 
 den stroke of his judgment. In short, he cries, " Behold, I 
 am vile. I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." 
 
 The new creature has new thoughts of the world, of the 
 men of it, and of the things of it. Once he loved the com- 
 pany of profane and unclean persons ; now he shuns them as 
 he would the plague ; and his language is, " Depart from me, 
 ye evil-doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God." 
 Before, he hated the very sight of a godly person; now his 
 heart unites with those who fear the Lord; he thinks them 
 "the excellent of the earth," wishing to live and die with 
 them. How different also are his views of the things of the 
 world ! Once they were his only portion. He sighed to be 
 great; he longed to be rich; he panted for pleasure. Eating 
 and drinking, cards and plays, music and dancing, or other 
 vain amusements, were his dear delight; and to enjoy these 
 he would sacrifice every thing. Now he sees the vanity of 
 them all. He sees the danger They had led him to the 
 brink of ruin ; and now he can truly say, 
 
 " These pleasures now no longer please, 
 No more delight afford : 
 Far from my heart be joys like these, 
 Now I have known the Lord." 
 
 But Oh, what new apprehensions has he of eternity ! He 
 
72 THE NEW BITRH. 
 
 hardly ever used to think of it; now it is ahnost always on 
 his mind ; for now he has that faith which is " the substance 
 of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Now, 
 therefore, he looks not at things that are seen, for he knows 
 they are temporal ; but at the things which are not seen, for 
 they are eternal. He knows that he must live for ever ; either 
 in a glorious heaven, or in a dreadful hell. Compared, there- 
 fore, with eternal concerns, all worldly things appear as empty 
 shadows, and he considers every thing below according to the 
 relation it bears to his eternal happiness. 
 
 The new creature has also very diflferent thoughts of Jesus 
 Christ from what he had before. Oiice he was without form 
 and comeliness to him; now he appears "the chief among 
 ten thousand, and altogether lovely." He did not wish to 
 hear of him, or read of him, or speak of him, except to pro- 
 fane his name; now he can never iear enough of him, for he 
 sees that if ever he is saved, he owes it all to Jesus; and 
 therefore "counts all things but loss, that he may know him, 
 and win him, and be found in him." 
 
 He also thinks very differently of religious ordinances. 
 He could not bear to keep the Sabbath holy. Either he 
 wholly neglected public worship, and took his carnal pleas- 
 ure, or if he came, it was a burden ; he did not join in prayer; 
 singing, at best, was an amusement; he disregarded the word 
 preatehed, perhaps derided it; and as for private prayer, he 
 hated it. How great the change! Now the Sabbath is his 
 delight; "the holy of the Lord, and honorable.'' The house 
 of God is his home, the word of God his food, the Bible his 
 dear companion, and prayer the breath of his soul. 
 
 Thus you see what a change has taken place in his views; 
 and if time permitted, we might show that these new views 
 are attended with new affections: he loves what before he 
 hated; he hates what before he loved. He has new desires, 
 new fears, new joys, and new sorrows. He makes new reso- 
 lutions. He is employed in new labors. He has new enter- 
 tainments. He has new hopes and prospects. How justly 
 then is he called a new creature ! 
 
SERMON VII. , 73 
 
 Having briefly shown the nature of regeneration, let us 
 consider, 
 
 II. The NECESSITY of it. Observe how very strongly our 
 Lord asserts in the text, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, 
 Except a man be born again, he cainiot see the kingdom of 
 Grod." Surely these words must have great weight with us, 
 if we believe the God of truth. But you will ask. What is 
 meant by the kingdom of God ? I answer. It means the king- 
 dom of grace upon earth, and the kingdom of glory in heaven. 
 Now, without the new birth, no person whatever can see the 
 kingdom of God. It is not said he may not, or he shall not, 
 but he cannot; it is impossible in the nature of things. 
 
 With respect to the gospel state here, in which Christ 
 reigns, no man can be a true Christian unless he is born 
 again ; he cannot be a true member of the church of Christ, 
 or of that society which is governed by Christ; he cannot 
 perform any of the duties required of the subjects of this king- 
 dom, nor can he enjoy any of the privileges bestowed in it. 
 
 He cannot perform any of the duties. Fallen man is 
 ignorant of what is truly good. "He calls evil good, and 
 good evil." He is " to every good work reprobate." Tit. 1 : 16. 
 And he has a dislike to that which is good. " The carnal 
 mind is enmity against God," and shows its enmity by rebel- 
 lion against the law of God. Rom. 8 : 7. Now, remaining in 
 this state, he cannot answer the end of his being, which is to 
 glorify God; and having this unfitness and unwillingness to 
 answer that end, there is an absolute and universal necessity 
 for this change.. It is " in Christ Jesus we are created to 
 good works." We cannot "pray in the Spirit," till we are 
 "born of the Spirit;" we cannot "sing with grace in our 
 hearts," till we have grace; "we cannot worship God in the 
 spirit," while we are in the flesh, A dead sinner cannot pre- 
 sent " a living sacrifice." The duties of a natural man are 
 lifeless and selfish: "he cannot serve God spiritually," be- 
 cause he is carnal; nor graciously, for he is corrupt; nor 
 vitally, because he is dead; nor freely, for he is enmity against 
 God; nor delightfully, for his heart is alienated; nor sincerely, 
 
74; THE NEW BIRTH. 
 
 for his heart is deceit; nor acceptably, "for he that is in the 
 flesh cannot please God." 
 
 In like manner, the unregenerate person cannot enjoy any 
 of the blessed privileges of the gospel state. He knows noth- 
 ing of the joys of salvation. He is a stranger to the peace of 
 the gospel. He has no relish for the sincere milk of the word. 
 He cannot delight in prayer, nor enjoy communion with God 
 or communion with the saints, for things that are not natural 
 can never be; delightful. And this also makes it plain, that 
 
 The unrenewed man cannot see the kingdom of glory. 
 The new birth does not indeed entitle a person to heaven, 
 but it makes him " meet for the inheritance of the saints in 
 light." The unrenewed sinner is shut out from heaven by 
 the unalterable determination of God himself, who has de- 
 clared, that "nothing which defileth" shall enter that place; 
 and that " without holiness no man shall see the Lord." 
 
 And if you^ consider what the joys and employments of 
 heaven are, and what the disposition of a sinner is, it will 
 plainly appear that he cannot see theikingdom of God. " The 
 happiness of heaven is holiness ; and to talk of being happy 
 without it, is as great nonsense, as to talk of being well with- 
 out health, or being saved without salvation." People are 
 ready to think, if they go to heaven they must be happy; 
 but without a new nature, a man might be as much out of 
 his element in heaven, as a fish out of the bottom of the sea 
 would be in a green meadow, or an ox in the bottom of the 
 sea. Can a wicked man, who now hates the godly, expect 
 to be- happy among none but saints ? Can. he who cannot 
 keep three hours of the Sabbath holy, bear to keep an eternal 
 Sabbath? Can he who now curses and swears, imagine 
 that his tongue shall be for ever employed in praising God ? 
 Can he who now hates to think of God, love to employ his 
 mind in the eternal contemplation of him ? No, no. Hell is 
 the sinner's "own place;" there he will have his own com- 
 pany, and in some measure his old employments, though 
 without the pleasure of them; but as to heaven, he can 
 never see it till he be born again. 
 
SERMON VII. 75 
 
 From what was first said of the nature of the new birth, 
 let us learn to avoid the mistake, that baptism is regeneration. 
 It represents it, but it is not the thing itself We must " be 
 born of water and of the Spirit," John 3:5; that is, of the 
 Holy Spirit, whose grace renews the soul. Take not the 
 shadow for the substance. Do any of you live in drunken- 
 ness, profaneness. Sabbath-breaking, or any other sin ? Or 
 do you live unconcerned about your soul, careless about sal- 
 vation, without Christ, without prayer? know for certain, 
 that you are yet a stranger to this great and blessed change. 
 And yet, without it, the God of truth assures you it is impos- 
 sible for you to be saved. You must 'be born again. Do not 
 think that outward reformation, or morality, or religious pro- 
 fessions, or religious duties, are sufficient. All these are far 
 short of this inward spiritual change. You must be born 
 again. As sure as there is a God in heaven you must be 
 born again, or you can never go to heaveri. And can you 
 bear the thought of being shut out? Put the question to 
 yourself "Can I dwell with everlasting burnings ? Can I 
 endure eternal darkness ? Can I bear to be eternally sep- 
 arated from the blessed God ? Is my present sinful, sensual 
 life to be preferred before eternal joys? Is there one text in 
 the Bible to give me comfort in this state ?" that you may 
 be so deeply convinced of the immediate necessity of this 
 change, that you may, ere you sleep this night, fall down on 
 your knees before God, and earnestly desire him to make you 
 a new creature. He can do it in a moment; and he has 
 promised his Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Say not, as 
 the foolish do, I will not change my religion. Let me ask 
 you a question. Has your religion changed you ? If not, it is 
 high time to change it. But do not be deceived by appear- 
 ance, forms, and names. True religion is not the business of 
 the lip or the knee, but of the heart. " The kingdom of God 
 is not meat and drink," or outward ceremonies ; no ; but it is 
 within — it consists in "righteousness, peace, and joy in the 
 Holy Ghost." Be advised also to read and hear his word, for 
 this is the instrument which God employs in effecting this 
 
76 THE NEW BIKTH. 
 
 great change. " Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by 
 the word of God." 
 
 And as for you who have experienced this blessed change, 
 forgot not to give the glory to Grodj and take the comfort of it 
 to yourselves. Are you born of God ? then heaven is yours. 
 The righteousness of Christ is your title to it, but herein is 
 your fitness for it. Except a man be born again, he cannot 
 see the kingdom of God: it follows therefore, that if he be 
 born again he shall see it. Thank God for it. You are re- 
 newed for this very purpose, that you should show forth his 
 praise. God has made you to differ from the mass of man- 
 kind. He has done more for you than if he had made you 
 kings and emperors; for he has made you sons of God and 
 heirs of glory — " heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus 
 Christ." Often reflect on your former state, and admire the 
 grace that has made the difference. God has given you his 
 Spirit, and in him a sure earnest of your heavenly inherit- 
 ance. " He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is 
 God." Oh, be concerned to live and walk as renewed per- 
 sons ; so shall you prove the reality of the change,, adorn the 
 gospel, edify your neighbor, and glorify God. 
 
 How helpless guilty nature lies, 
 
 Unconscious of its load ! 
 The heart unchanged can never rise 
 
 To happiness and God. 
 
 Can aught bene£|,th a power divine 
 
 The stubborn will subdue ? 
 'T is thine, eternal Spirit, thine 
 
 To form the heart anew. 
 
 'T is thine the passions to recall, 
 
 And-upwards bid them rise ; 
 And make the scales of error fall 
 
 Fi'om reason's darkened eyes. 
 
 change these wretched hearts of ours, 
 
 And give them life divine ; 
 Then shall our passions and our powers, 
 
 Almighty Lord, be thiue. 
 
SEEMON VIII. 71 
 
 REPENTANCE. 
 
 SERMOK YIII. 
 
 " AND THEY WENT OUT, AND PREACHED THAT MEN SHOULD EEPENT."' 
 
 Maek 6 : 12. 
 
 It is remarkable, that whatever differdnt notions men 
 have of religion, they all believe that repentance is necessary 
 to salvation. But it may be feared, that many mistake its 
 true nature, and take the shadow for the substance. There 
 are also many, who, though they think it necessary, delay 
 their repentance to some future period ; and more than a few 
 die without it, and perish in their sins. It is therefore of 
 great importance that we should know wherein true repent- 
 ance consists; and that we should be urged ourselves to re- 
 pent, that we perish not. That repentance, then, which is 
 true and genuine, and " needeth not to be repented of," will 
 be found to include the four following things: ' 
 
 1. Conviction of sin. 
 
 2. Contrition for sin. 
 
 3. Confession of sin. 
 
 4. Conversion from sin. 
 
 I. The first thing that belongs to true repentance is a 
 CONVICTION OF SIN, OT a clcar sight and feeling sense of our sin- 
 fulness: without this there is no repentance, no religion; for 
 the gospel may be justly called "the religion of a sinner;" 
 none but sinners can need mercy or repentance; and Jesus 
 Christ expressly declares, "he came not to call the righteous," 
 that is, such as the Pharisees, who thought themselves right- 
 eous, "but sinners, to repentance." Now, all men are sin- 
 ners — ^not the most profane and openly wicked only, but the 
 most moral, religious, and blameless people among us; for 
 " all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." 
 
78 EEPENTANCE. 
 
 The word repentance signifies a change of mind, or after- 
 thought — a great change in the mind and disposition of a 
 person, especially about himself, as a sinner. For this pur- 
 pose the Holy Spirit opens his eyes to see the holy law of 
 God, as contained in the ten commandments. This law 
 requires of every person, love to God, and love to man. It 
 requires us to love God supremely, and our neighbor as our- 
 selves. It requires perfect, constant, unsinning obedience, all 
 our lives long. It does not demand only sincere obedience, 
 doing as well as we can, but doing all, and doing it always ; 
 so that if a man fail only in one point, he is thereby made a 
 sinner : the law is broken ; the curse follows ; and if he be 
 not pardoned through the blood of Christ, hell must be his 
 portion. j 
 
 In general, the repenting sinner is first alarmed on account 
 of some great and open sin, if he has committed such ; as the 
 woman of Samaria, when Christ charged her with adultery; 
 or as Paul was, when convinced of his murderous persecution 
 of the saints. But conviction will not stop here; it will trace 
 the streams of sin to the spring, namely, that corrupt nature 
 we brought into the world with us. We shall freely confess 
 with David, that we were born in sin, and in iniquity did 
 our mothers conceive us. Psalm 51 : 5. We shall acknow- 
 ledge with Paul, that " in us, that is, in our flesh," our cor- 
 rupt nature, " there is no good thing ;" but that " every 
 imagination of the thought of our hearts is only evil contin- 
 ually." Gen. 6 : 5. The penitent will readily own he . has 
 been a rebel against God all his life ; that he has indeed " left 
 undone those things which he ought to have done ; and done 
 those things which he ought not to have done." 
 
 The law of God is spiritual; it reaches to the mofet secret 
 thoughts, desires, wishes, and purposes of the mind. It for- 
 bids and condemns the sins of the heart, as well as those, of 
 the lips and the life. - A convinced sinner is sensible of heart- 
 sins, thousands and millions of them. He sees that his best 
 duties and services are mingled with sin; even his prayers, 
 and all his religious exercises. He sees that, he has, all his 
 
SERMON VIII. 79 
 
 life, lived without God in the world, and paid no regard to 
 his will and glory; that he has loved himself, the world, and 
 the creature, far more than God ; and that he has been doing 
 all this contrary to light and knowledge; notwithstanding 
 the checks of his conscience and many resolutions to the con- 
 traiy, and notwithstanding the mercies and the judgments 
 which God had sent to reclaim him. Wherever there is this 
 conviction, it will be accompanied with contrition. 
 
 11. Contrition, or -a genuine sorrow for sin, and pain of 
 heart on account of it. This is that " soft heart," or " heart 
 of flesh," which God has promised to give his people ; instead 
 of that " heart of stone with which we are born, and which 
 has no spiritual feeling." 
 
 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and 
 a contrite heart, God, thou wilt not despise." Psa. 51 : 17. 
 Men despise broken things. So the Pharisee despised the 
 broken-hearted publican in the temple; but God did not 
 despise him. So far from it, he accounts the sorrow knd 
 shame of a penitent sinner more valuable than many costly 
 sacrifices of rams and bullocks. A heart that trembles at the 
 word of God ; a hea,rt breaking, not in despair, but in humil- 
 iation ; a heart breaking with itself, and breaking away from 
 sin. So Peter, when duly affected with the sin of denying 
 his Master, "went out and wept bitterly;" and Mary Magda- 
 lene, sensible of former iniquities, washed her Saviour's feet 
 with her tears. 
 
 There is indeed a false sorrow, which many mistake for 
 the true. When a person is sidk, and fears he shall die, it is 
 not uncommon to hear him say he is sorry for sin ; and if God 
 will spare his life, he will amend his ways. But too often, 
 such a one is only sorry that God is so holy, that the law is 
 so strict, and that he is in danger of being damned for his 
 sins. He is not grieved that he has offended God, his best 
 friend and benefactor, who has followed him with goodness 
 and mercy all his life. But the rottenness of this repentance 
 often appears when the sick person recovers ; when the fright 
 is over, he returns to the same carnal course as before. The 
 
80 KEPENTANCE. 
 
 sorrow is no better than that of some criminals at the gallows: 
 very sorry they are that they have forfeited their lives, but 
 they are not affected with the criminality of their actions. 
 Pelix trembled, but did not repent ; and Judas was sorry for 
 what he had done, but not in a godly manner. And this 
 shows how very uncertain, for the most part, i^ the repentance 
 of a dying bed. God forbid we should delay our repentance 
 to that season ! 
 
 But the sorrow of a true penitent is for sin, as committed 
 against a holy and good God. Such was the penitence of 
 David, who says, "Against thee, thee only, have I siimed, 
 and done this evil in thy sight." Psa. 51 : 4. It is true that 
 he had sinned against his fellow-creatures; against Uriah, 
 and Bathsheba, and Joab, and all Israel: doubtless he la- 
 mented this; but what cut him to the heart was, his sin 
 against God — that God who had raised him from the sheep- 
 fold to the throne ; who had saved him from the hand of Saul, 
 and given him his master's house; and if- that had been too 
 little, would have given him more — for thus Nathan the 
 prophet aggravated his sin. " Against thee, Lord," said 
 this broken-hearted penitent, "against thee, thee only, have 
 I sinned." Thus, "the goodness of God led him to repent- 
 ance." Observe, likewise, the tone of the returning prodigal. 
 " I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, 
 Pather, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and 
 am no more worthy to be called thy son." He might have 
 said, Sir, I have spent my fortune, hurt my health, become a 
 beggar, and am ready to starve; be pleased to relieve me. 
 No; his heart is affected with his sin and his folly. So it is 
 with a repenting sinner. He considers the majesty of that 
 holy Being he has offended ; the reasonableness of his com- 
 mands, the obligations he has broken through, and especially 
 the base ingratitude of his conduct. Then he will feel the 
 force of those affecting words, " Hear, heavens, and give ear 
 earth; for the Lord hath spoken: I have nourished and 
 brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 
 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; 
 
SERMON VIII. 81 
 
 but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." 
 Isa. 1 : 2, 3. 
 
 The goodness of God to a sinner, in the way of providence, 
 ihay well excite this godly sorrow ; but how much more, the 
 consideration of redeeming love ! What, did God " so love 
 the world of rebel men as to send them his only begotten 
 Son ?" And did he send his Son, " not to condemn the world, 
 but that the world through him might be saved ?" Oh, love 
 beyond degree, beyond example, beyond expression ! - 
 
 Let the penitent also remember Jesus — :the innocent, the 
 amiable, the benevolent Jesus; Jesus, who left his throne of 
 glory, and became a poor and afflicted nian. Why was he 
 despised and rejected of men ? Why a man of sorrows, and 
 acquainted with grief? Why had he not a place where to 
 lay his blessed head ? Why did he endure the contradiction 
 of sinners? Why was he oppressed and afflicted? Why 
 was his visage so marred more than any man, and his form 
 more than the sons of men ? I know the reason, may the 
 weeping penitent say: surely "he hath borne my griefs, and 
 carried my sorrows; he was wounded for my transgressions, 
 and bruised for my iniquities." 
 
 '"Twere you, my sins, my cruel sins, 
 His chief tormentors were ; 
 Each of my crimes became a nail, 
 And unbelief ihe spear. 
 
 " 'T wore you that pulled the rengeance down 
 Upon his guiltless head : 
 Break, bred,k, my heart, Oh, burst mine eyes, , 
 And let my sorrows bleed." 
 
 III. Confession of sin will also be made by the true peni- 
 tent. By nature we are rather disposed to conceal, deny, and 
 excuse our sins ; to say we are no worse than others, that we 
 could not help committing them, and that we see no great 
 harm in them. But it is not so where true repentance is 
 found. We shall take the advice that Joshua gave to Achan. 
 " My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord, and make con- 
 fession unto him." To hide or deny our sin, is to dishonor 
 God; as if he did not see, or would not punish it; but to con- 
 
82 REPENTANCE. 
 
 fess our sins, is to honor his holy law, which we have broken; 
 to honor his all-seeing eye, which beheld all our crimes; to 
 honor his justice, which might take vengeance upon them ; 
 and to honor his patience, which has forborne, to strike the 
 fatal blow. And indeed a frank and free confession of our 
 sins is the best way of finding peace. " When I kept si- 
 lence," says the Psalmist, " my bones waxed old through my 
 roaring all the day long: but I acknowledge my sin unto 
 thee, mine iniquity have I not hid; I said I will confess my 
 transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity 
 of my sin." Psa. 32 : 3, 5. ' 
 
 Secret sins require only secret confession to that God who 
 seeth in secret; but sins that are publieand scandalous ought 
 to be more openly acknowledged, that we may undo, as far 
 as we can, the evil committed. 
 
 The true penitent is sincere in his public confessions. 
 How many call themselves " miserable sinners," declare that 
 " the remembrance of their sins is grievous^ and the burden 
 of them intolerable," and cry, " Lord have mercy upon us, 
 Christ have mercy upon us," without the least sense of the 
 evil or burden of iniquity. This is abominable hypocrisy, 
 and adding sin to sin. But the renewed soul is truly sincere 
 in his confessions ; he finds the words of Scripture well adapted 
 to his feelings, and can cordially adopt those of Job, " Behold, 
 I am vile; I abhor myself, f^id repent in dust and ashes;" or 
 the words of the publican, " God be merciful to me a sinner;" 
 or the words of Paul, who calls himself " the chief of sinners." 
 
 We havie now considered conviction, contrition, and con' 
 fession, as three essential ingredients in true repeiitance; and 
 to these we must add one more: 
 
 IV, Conversion, which is forsaking sin, and turning from 
 it to God. John the Baptist, that great preacher of repent, 
 ance, exhorted his hearers to "bring forth fruits meet for re- 
 pentance." And thus St. Paul preached both to Jews and 
 Gentiles, " that they should repent and turn to God, and do 
 work's meet for repentance." Acts 26 : 20. Without this, 
 the most humbling expressions and confessions, the greatest 
 
SERMOJsr VIII. 83 
 
 • 
 
 alarms of conscience, or floods of tears, will prove insufficient. 
 " Though Cain's terror, Judas' confession, Pharaoh's promises, 
 Ahal)'s humiliation, Herod's hearing John gladly and doing 
 many things, were all combined in one man, they would not 
 prove him a real penitent, while the love of one sin remained 
 tinmortified in the heart, or the practice of ii allowed in his 
 life." True repentance is not content to lop off the branches, 
 but "lays the axe at the root of the tree." The devil may 
 suggest that a beloved sin is but a little one, and may be 
 spared; but grace will know that as one small leak may 
 sink a ship, so one indulged sin may condemn a soul. How- 
 ever dear therefore a sin may be, or however hard to be parted 
 with, it must be forsaken. So our Lord directs: " If thy right 
 eye offend .thee, pluck it out; if thy right hand offend thee, 
 cut it off;" that is, if thine eye or thy hand cause thee to 
 offend, or incline thee to sin, turn away thine eye from it, as 
 if thou hadst no eye to see it, or hand to practise it; and be 
 as willing to part with a beloved sin, as a man who has a 
 mortified hand or foot, is willing to part with it to preserve 
 his life. " For it is better to enter into life thus maimed, 
 than having two eyes or two hands to be cast into hell, where 
 the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." 
 
 You have a fine instance of true repentance in Zaccheus 
 the converted publican. When Christ and salvation came to 
 his house and heart, he, who had probably been a great sin- 
 ner, stands and says to the Lord, " Behold, Lord, the half of 
 my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing 
 from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold." 
 Here was not only confession of sin, but forsaking it. He 
 who had been an extortioner, becomes not only honest, but 
 liberal. He makes restitution, and so will every true peni- 
 tent. He will undo what he has done, if possible. Alas, how 
 many evils is it now impossible to undo! Some poor souls 
 are perhaps in tonnent, to whose destruction our wickedness 
 contributed. But grace will enable us to do what is possible; 
 sin shall not have dominion: and we shall now be as earnest 
 to please and serve God, as once we were to serve Satan. 
 
84 REPENTANCE. 
 
 If this be repentance, the great point is, Have we repented? 
 Oh, let us not deceive ourselves. Jesus Christ, the faithful 
 and true witness, has said, ".Except ye repent, ye shall all 
 likewise perish:" not come to nothing, or cease to be — happy 
 would it be for impenitent sinners were that their case — ^but 
 they shall " be punished with everlasting destruction from the 
 presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power," Do 
 not mistake. Repentance is universally necessary, for "all 
 have sinned." If it could be proved that we had committed 
 but one single sin, repentance would be absolutely necessary. 
 One theft, one murder, proved against a man at a human bar 
 is enough to procure his condemnation; so one sin against 
 God is enough to condemn us to eternal misery. But it is 
 not one, it is not ten thousand sins on|y, that .we have to 
 lament; " Who can understand his errors ?" Listen not to the 
 father of lies : he promised Eve, that eating of the forbidden 
 fruit should do her no harm; but she found, and we all find, 
 the dreadful effects of that first sin. Say not with the wicked 
 man of old, " Who, when he heareth the words of this curse, 
 shall bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, 
 though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunk- 
 enness to thirst." Grod forbid; for, mark the consequence, 
 " The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the 
 Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all 
 the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him." 
 Deut. 29 : 19. Repent, or perish, is the solemn decision of 
 G-od. He commandeth all men everywhere to repent; and 
 what can be more reasonable? The law which we have 
 broken, is "holy, and just, and good." To love him was our 
 most reasonable service, and would have been for our un- 
 speakable benefit. Having then broken it, and by so doing 
 incurred his wrath, and exposed ourselves to ruin, can it be 
 thought' unreasonable that we should make a humble sub- 
 mission, and implore his mercy ? 
 
 Come then, and be encouraged to instant repentance. He 
 might have cut you off" in your sins, without a moment's 
 warning; but he has given you time and space for repent- 
 
SERMON VIII, 85 
 
 ance. His very command is encouragement. It implies, 
 that "there is forgiveness with him;" for pardon of sin and 
 repentance are inseparably connected. " Christ is exalted to 
 give repentance and forgiveness of sins." " Let the wicked 
 forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and 
 let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon 
 him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Only 
 do not suppose that repentance deserves or merits pardon. 
 Salvation is all of grace; but this is the order appointed of 
 God; for by penitential sorrow the heart is prepared to re- 
 ceive the mercy of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 
 Let the " goodness of God lead thee to repentance." He 
 delighteth not in the death of a sinner, but rather rejbiceth in 
 his return. And our Saviour assures us, that " there is joy in 
 heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety 
 and nine just persons who need no repentance." Arise, sin- 
 ner, for he calleth thee. Does your heart begin to relent ? 
 Are you saying, " I will arise, and go to my Father ?" Arise, 
 then, and go at once. He will see thee afar off, and run to 
 meet thee ; he waits to be gracious, and there shall be joy in 
 heaven, and joy on earth, upon thy return. 
 
 Thousands as vile and base as you have found mercy. 
 Let not Satan say it is too late; the door is open: nor let him 
 say it is too soon. He may say, to-morrow will do. God 
 says, to-day, " While it is called to-day;" then, hear his voice. 
 To-morrow may be too late. " This night may thy soul be 
 required of thee." Beware of deferring repentance to a dying 
 bed. Will you not then have enough to do, to bear with 
 patience the pains and agonies of dissolving nature ? Why 
 should you plant thorns in your dying pillow ? Why should 
 you not then have the peace of God and the joy of the Holy 
 Ghost, to support and comfort your heart ? Who can tell but 
 sudden death may be your lot: if not, extreme pain, or a dis- 
 ordered head, may prevent the possibility of repentance. And 
 do not imagine that repentance has any thing in it forbid- 
 ding. Christ has said, "Blessed are they that mourn, for 
 they shall be comforted." The penitent has more pleasure 
 
86 KEPENTANCE. 
 
 in his tears, than the worldling in all his gayety. Besides, if 
 the door be strait, it opens into boundless pleasures — pleas- 
 ures not confined to time, but which will last to all eternity. 
 God now dwells in the contrite heart; and soon shall every 
 true penitent dwell with him in paradise. 
 
 Let thos6 who know what true repentance is, give thanks 
 to Him who has graciously bestowed it. Know, my friends, 
 that repentance is not the work of a day, but of life. The 
 more you know of your own heart, and the more you know 
 of Christ, the more need will you feel of a repenting spirit. 
 "Walk humbly with thy God;'' and let the remembrance of 
 forgiven sins keep you low in your own eyes : having received 
 mercy, love much, for much is forgiven; and labor daily to 
 maintain a con^tsience void of offence towards God and towards 
 all men. 
 
 " Oh, how I hate those sins of mine 
 That crucified my God ; 
 Those sins that pierced and nailed his fleSh 
 Fast to the fatal wood 1 
 
 " While with a melting broken heart 
 My murdered Lord I view, 
 I'll raise revenge against my sins, 
 And slay the murderers too." 
 
SERMON IX. 87 
 
 THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 
 "NQW IF ANY MAN HAVE NOT, THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE IS NONE OF 
 
 HIS." Rom. 8:9. , 
 
 Notwithstanding the various distinctions which subsist 
 among men, there are but two of any real consequence in the 
 sight of Grod; and these are mentioned by St. Paul just before 
 our text: " They that are after the flesh, do mind the things 
 of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things 
 of the Spirit," verse 5 : that is, those people who, remaining 
 in the state in which they were born, do habitually consult 
 and relish, pursue and delight in worldly, sensual, and sinful 
 things ; or on the contrary, those who, being born again of the 
 Spirit, are under his guidance and influence and therefore 
 pursue, regard, and love things that are of a spiritual and 
 heavenly nature. Every person here belongs to one of these 
 classes, and it behooves us seriously to examine to which of 
 them, for on this depends our eternal all. He who is after 
 the flesh " cannot please God," verse 8, but is in a state of 
 death, verse 6 ; or, as it is in the text, is none of Christ's, that 
 is, not a member of his body, not a child in his family, not a 
 subject of his kingdom; and dying in this state, Christ will 
 not own him for his, nor adjudge him to eternal life at the 
 great day. But if, by the grace of God, we have the Holy 
 Spirit, and live under his gracious influences, it is a proof 
 that we belong to Christ, and shall obtain eternal glory with 
 him. How necessary is it then that we should be able to 
 decide with certainty on this great question, and to know 
 whether we belong to Christ or not. That we may be able 
 to do this, let us pray to God to assist us while we, 
 
 1. Consider who the Spirit of Christ is; 
 
88 WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 2. Prove that all real Christians have the Spirit of Christ, 
 and show for what purposes ; and, 
 
 3. Point out the evidence of our state arising from thence. 
 I. Let us consider who the Spirit of Christ is. 
 
 The whole Scripture declares that " there is but one only 
 living and true God;" but the Scripture clearly shows, that 
 in the unity of the Godhead there are three, whom we call 
 persons: thus, " There are three that bear record in heaven; 
 the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three 
 are one." 1 John 5:7. They are generally called by the 
 names, Pather, Son, and Holy Ghost; which names are not 
 intended to describe their manner of subsistence among them- 
 selves — for that is a branch of knowledga above our capacity, 
 and is not revealed — ^but the manner of their operations in the 
 covenant of grace. To each of these divine persons particular 
 attributes and works are ascribed, and each of them is ex- 
 pressly called God. The divine person we now speak of is 
 the Holy Spirit; called in the same verse with our text, " the 
 Spirit of God." That he~ is properly called a person appears 
 from the personal properties and works ascribed to him. He 
 is said to have understanding or wisdom, 1 Cor. 2 : 10 ; Isa. 
 2 : 3. He is said to have a will, 1 Cor. 12 : 11. He is pos- 
 sessed of power, ^am. 15 : 13. He is said to teach us, John - 
 14 : 26; 1 John 2 : 27, to lead, to guide, to convince, to renew, 
 to speak, to show,- to call, and send ministers. This plainly 
 proves that he is a person, and not merely a quality or prop- 
 erty of deity, as some have vainly pretended. 
 
 It is equally evident that he is a divine person, or truly 
 and properly God, equal with the Father and the Son; for 
 divine perfections are ascribed to him, as eternity^ omnipres- 
 ence, or being everywhere, and omniscience, or knowing all 
 things. The Holy Spirit is expressly called Godf. Ananias 
 is said to lie to the Holy Ghost, Acts 5:3; and in the next 
 verse, St. Peter says to him, " Thou hast not lied unto men, 
 but unto God." The same person is intended in both verses, 
 which plainly shows that the Holy Ghost is God. This also 
 appears from the sin against the Holy Ghost; if he were not 
 
SERMON IX. , 89 
 
 God, would Waspheming him be a sin, an unpardonable sin ? 
 But above all, consider the form of baptism. Our Lord com- 
 mands his apostles to " teach all nations, baptizing them in 
 the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy- 
 Ghost." So likewise in the usual form of benediction: "The 
 grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and thft fel- 
 lowship of the Holy Ghost be with you." In both these 
 eases, the very same honors are ascribed to the Spirit as are 
 given to the other divine persons, which would be blasphemy, 
 if he were not a divine person, or truly and properly God. 
 
 He is called in our text the Spirit of Christ, not only 
 because hB proceeded ixom. Christ, as well as from the Father, 
 but because he was promised by Christ, and sent by Christ. 
 He was the Spirit of Christ in all the ancient prophets ; . and 
 he now " testifies of Christ," " takes the things of Christ, and 
 shows them unto us ;" in a word, because the whole salvation 
 of Christ is applied to the heart by his sacred influences. We 
 are now, 
 
 II. To prove that all real Christians have the Spirit 
 OF Christ^ and to show for what purposes they have him. 
 So necessary is this to salvation, that St. Paul declares in our 
 text, that " if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is 
 none of his ;" that is, he is not a Christian. 
 
 It is one of the most dangerous errors of this day, to main- 
 tain that the influences of the Spirit are not now to be ex- 
 pected, and that they were confined ' to the days of the apos- 
 tles when they had power to work miracles. In consequence 
 of this wicked notion, all that is said of conversion, regenera- 
 tion, and consolation, is thought to be out of date; and poor 
 ignorant souls are lulled asleep in carnal security, contentedly 
 resting in the foi^m of godliness without the power; while 
 they are taught by their blind leaders, to call all true, vital, 
 and heartfelt religion, nonsense and enthusiasm. 
 
 That any of the clergy of the Church of England should 
 thus deny the work of the Spirit, is extremely absurd and 
 inconsistent, because that church strongly maintains the 
 necessity of it in many pajts of the Common Prayer Book. 
 
90 WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 In the collects you may remember these petitions: "G-rant 
 unto us, thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we 
 may think those things that be good." In another place, 
 "Send thy Holy Spirit, and pour into our hearts that most 
 excellent gift of charity." In the communion-service she 
 prays, " Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration 
 of thy Holy Spirit." Observe also the prayer for the king: 
 "Replenish him with the grace of thy Holy Spirit;" and for 
 the royal family, " Endue them with thy Holy' Spirit." In 
 the Thirteenth Article of the church it is affirmed, that 
 "works done before the grace of Christ, arid the inspiration 
 of the Holy Spirit, are not pleasant to G-od." Every clergy- 
 man, at his ordination, is asked by the Bishop this question: 
 " Do you trust that you are moved by the Holy Grhost to take 
 upon you this office?" To which the minister replies, "I 
 trust so." And in the collect for Whit-Sunday, the church 
 thus prays : " God, who, as at this time, didst teach the 
 hearts of thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of 
 thy Holy Spirit; grant us, hy the satne Spirit, to have a 
 right judgment in all things; and evermore to rejoice in his 
 holy comfort." Also in the collect for the Sunday after 
 Ascension-day, "We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; 
 but send to us thy Holy Spirit to comfort us." You see 
 then, my brethren, that the Church of England strongly 
 maintains the continuance of the work of the Spirit as neces- 
 sary to all true ministers and Christians. How then do any 
 affirm that his influences have ceased seventeen hundred 
 years? But as our faith must not rest on the authority of 
 men, let us search the Scriptures to prove that the work of the 
 Spirit on the heart is absolutely necessary to true godliness. 
 
 We freely grant, indeed, that the extraprdinary gifts of 
 the Holy Ghost were confined to the first ages. Who now 
 pretends to the gifb of tongues, or power of working miracles? 
 We do not plead for infallibility, or knowledge of future 
 events, or ability to know any thing not revealed in the 
 Bible. It is for the sanctifying influences of the Spirit we 
 plead. But the apostles and first Christians received from 
 
SEEMON IX. 91 
 
 the Spirit not only the miraculous powers just mentioned, but 
 also light in their understandings, conviction of sin in their 
 consciences, and faith and love to Christ in their hearts. 
 " They purified their souls in obeying the truth through the 
 Spirit;" they "abounded in hope by the Holy Ghost;" they 
 had "joy in the Holy G-host;" "the love of God was shed 
 abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost." Through the 
 same Spirit they "mortified the deeds of the body;" and 
 cried, " Abba, Father." The Spirit was " the earnest of their 
 heavenly inheritance ;" and all their holy tempers, affections, 
 and actions, are called the " fruit of the Spirit." Are not all 
 these things as necessary to us as they were to them? Cor- 
 rupt nature is just the same now as then, and needs the same 
 power to change it. Grace is also just the same now as it 
 was then, and is derived from the same source. This alone 
 is enough to prove the necessity of the Spirit's work. 
 
 Observe also, that our blessed Lord promised that his 
 Spirit should abide and continue with the church, instead of 
 his bodily presence. So he says, " I will pray the Father, 
 and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide 
 with you for ever." John 14 : 18. Observe, he was promised 
 to abide with the church for ever — .not with the apostles only, 
 for he was to be " given to all who should believe ;" and that, 
 not for two or three hundred years, but for ever— all the time 
 of Christ's absence from earth, until he shall come the second 
 time to judgment. But this will more fully appear by con- 
 sidering the purposes for which the Spirit is given. 
 
 All men are by nature " dead in trespasses and sins;" dead 
 to God and spiritual things ; as a corpse in the grave is dead 
 to the affairs of this world. Now " it is the Spirit that quick- 
 eneth." John 6 : 63. The word of Christ in the gospel is 
 employed! for this .end. " The dead shall hear the voice of 
 the Son of God;" but it is by the Spirit's power that the 
 dead soul is quickened to hear it. The word is brought home 
 to the heart, and is then heard, " not as the word of man, but 
 as it is in truth, the word of God." Oh, that the word may 
 now be heard among us in this manner ! " There is but one 
 
92 WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 word in Scripture for the air which the body hreathes/ and 
 for that grace which is the breath of our spiritual life; and 
 therefore, when our blessed Lord breathed upon the apostles, 
 he at the same time explained the meaning of what he did, 
 by saying, ^Receive ye the Holy Ghost f and hence it is 
 called inspiration, or breathing in, for it is the gracious office 
 of the Holy Ghost to act upon the soul as breath does on the 
 body." 
 
 The Spirit of G-od is called "the Spirit of truth." No 
 man knows the truth, in a saving manner, but by his teach- 
 ing. A scholar may know the letter of it, but no human 
 learning can give its true meaning. St. Paul affirms, " The 
 natural man," that is, the unrenewed man, "receiveth not 
 the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto 
 him; neither can he know them, for they are spiritually dis-^ 
 cerned," 1 Cor. 2 : 14; and he says, verse 12, "We have re- 
 ceived the Spirit of God, that we might know the things that 
 are freely given to us of God;" that is, we have been taught 
 and enlightened by him, that we might have a true and sav- 
 ing knowledge of the great and glorious blessings of the gos- 
 pel ; and indeed, no other teaching is sufficient for the purpose. 
 It is well said in one of the Homilies, " Man's human and 
 worldly wisdom and science is not needful to the understand- 
 ing of the Scriptures, but the revelation of the Holy Ghost,, 
 who inspireth the true meaning unto them that with humil- 
 ity and diligence search therefor.'' This is great comfort for 
 poor people, who are apt to say they are no scholars, and 
 therefore cannot understand the Bible. Pray, my friends, for 
 the Holy Spirit, and you will then understand it better than 
 the most learned man who has not the Spirit. 
 
 Again, the Spirit is given to every real Christian to " re- 
 prove, or convince of sin." "We are by nature ignorant of 
 God's holy law, and therefore of sin, which is the transgres- 
 sion of the law. We are " alive without the law," as St. 
 Paul once was; but when the commandment comes home to 
 the conscience by the power of the blessed Spirit, then we 
 are deeply sensible of our lost and ruined condition; of the 
 
SERMON IX. " 93 
 
 sins of our life, sins of omission as well as of commission ; of 
 the sins of our heart; and of the sin of our. nature; but the 
 Holy Spirit convinces us especially of the great sin of unbe- 
 lief, in rejecting Christ, and neglecting his precious salvation. 
 
 Again, it is by the power of the Spirit that we are enabled 
 to believe to the saving of the soul. If we see the need of sal- 
 vation, it is by his grace. If we see the way of salvation, it is 
 by his teaching. If we are made willing to be saved in that 
 way, it is by his power. Faith is the gift of God. We 
 believe by the operation of the Spirit. And indeed it is a 
 great thing to believe — ^to receive cordially the whole testi- 
 mony of Grod concerning Jesus Christ; in the view of our 
 sin and misery, as children of wrath, to believe that Christ 
 can and will save us; with a heavy burden of guilt on the 
 conscience, to cast that burden on the Lord, and so find rest 
 to our souls; to renounce our own works and merits, and 
 trust alone to the righteousness of Christ. This is a great 
 work — a work that none can perform but by the " Spirit of 
 faith." 
 
 The Spirit of Christ is also called " the Spirit of holiness ;" 
 for he is the author of that " holiness without which no man 
 shall see the Lord." Believers are "chosen to salvation 
 through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth." 
 Regeneration is the beginning of a new and spiritual life. 
 Sanctification is the work of the Spirit in preserving and 
 increasing that life. All true Christians are saints, as you 
 may see in several of the epistles, which were written to the 
 saints: and though through the folly and wickedness of many, 
 that name is become a term of reproach, let all men know, 
 that if we are not saints we cannot be saved. 
 
 Another purpose for which believers have the Spirit, is to 
 assist them in all religious duties, "Without me," said 
 Christ, "ye can do nothing;" and St. Paul says, "We are 
 not sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as of ourselves ; 
 but our sufficiency is of God ;" that is, we have it by acl;ual 
 supplies of the Holy Ghost. Christ is present, by his Spirit, 
 "wherever two or three are gathered together in his name;" 
 
94 WOEK OP THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 and if they get a blessing under the word preached, or in 
 singing psalms or hymns, or in prayer, it is entirely from the 
 influence of the Holy Ghost. He is said to help our infirmi- 
 ties in prayer, Rom. 8 : 26; and we read also of "praying in 
 the -Spirit," and of " singing in the Spirit." 
 
 The Holy Ghost is also given to believers as a comforter. 
 Under this pleasing name, Jesus Christ promised to send him 
 to his sorrowful disciples, and said he should always abide iri 
 the church as a comforter. Blessed be God; there is comfort 
 in religion. The ways of God are pleasantness and peace, 
 and none will deny it but those who never tried them. True 
 happiness is found only in the way of faith, love, and obedi- 
 ence. The knowledge ' of sin forgiven ; peace of conscience 
 through the blood of Christ; a good hope through grace; 
 victory over the fear of death: are not the&'e comfortable and 
 blessed things ? What can the world, or sin, propose of equal 
 value ? All these are from the gracious and powerful influ- 
 ences of the Spirit; and this leads us to the last thing pro- 
 posed. 
 
 Ill, The evidence of our state, as it arises from having 
 or not having the Spirit. Our text says, that " if, any man 
 have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his;" consequently 
 he is in a dreadful condition, and dying so must perish for 
 ever without remedy. But the words imply a glorious truth, 
 namesly, that some persons do belong to Christ. Yes, they 
 are his dear people, by the gift of the Father, by the purchase 
 of his blood, and by the power of his Spirit, whereby they 
 gave themselves up to him; 
 
 Having the Spirit in the manner and for the purposes we 
 have heard, is the grand proof of being in a state of salvation. 
 These are called the sealed, 2 Cor. 1 : 22; Eph. 1 .\13; 4 : 30. 
 Valuable things are sealed, for the security of them and to 
 denote whose property they are. Thus are believers sealed. 
 It is not any particular impulse on the mind which is called 
 the . " sealing," or " the earnest of the Spirit," but it is the 
 communication of the Holy Spirit himself to the hearts of 
 believers. God has given them his Spirit, he dwells in their 
 
SERMON IX. 95 
 
 souls; he quickens them; he enlightens them; he convinces 
 them of sin; he enables them to believe in Christ; he sancti- 
 fies them; he helps them to pray; he comforts their hearts. 
 This is Grod's seal : " There is no condemnation to the!ra. 
 which are in Christ Jesus," and who prove they. are in him 
 by " walking after the Spirit." To be spiritually minded |is 
 life and peace. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, 
 they are the sons of God." Whoever has the Spirit has the 
 sure rarwesi of heaven, 2 Cor. 1 : 22; Eph; 1 : 14; he becomes 
 " a joint-heir with Jesus Christ; he has the Jirst-fruits of the 
 Spirit;" and both soul and body shall certainly be made hap- 
 py for ever in the eternal world. 
 
 And now, my friends, what do you think of these things ? 
 Seeing that having the Spirit of God determines our state, 
 how is it with you? Have you the Spirit? It may be 
 known. It ought to be known ; for our all depends upon it. 
 Heaven is ours if we have the Spirit. Hell will be Ours if we 
 die without him. Eecollect a moment what has been said, 
 and pray with David, " Search me, Lord, and try my heart." 
 You have heard for what purposes every believer receives the 
 Spirit. He quickens the dead soul. Has he quickened you? 
 Are you alive to God, or are you alive to sin and the world ? 
 He enlightens the mind in the knowledge of the truth. Do 
 you know, distinguish, and love the truth of the gospel, or do 
 you despise and hate it ? He convinces of sin. Are you con- 
 vinced and humbled for your iniquity ? or do you make light 
 of it — ^perhaps boast of it ? He is the author of faith. Do 
 you believe in Jesus, or do you neglect his salvation ? He 
 sanctifies the soul. Is your soul sanctified by his grace, or 
 are you still living in sin ? He helps the true Christian to 
 pray. Do you know any thing of his gracious help in prayer, 
 or do you live without prayer, or, which is nearly as bad, 
 content yourself with a lifeless form of bare words without 
 the heart? The Spirit of God is a comforter. Is your com- 
 fort or pleasure derived from him, or from the vanities and 
 vices of the world ? May the Lord enable you to give a 
 
96 WOKK OF THE HOLY SPIEIT. 
 
 serious and honest answer to these inquiries. If, as it may- 
 be feared, some of you are withbut the Spirit, what is your 
 case? You belong not to Christ; you are none of his. Trem- 
 ble at the dreadful thought. Die you must; and you must 
 come to judgment too. When you see him on the awful 
 throne, how you will wish to belong to him, and to be 
 owned by him. then, be persuaded this moment, to lift 
 up your heart to G-od, and say, Merciful God, give me thy 
 Holy Spirit ! He has promised to give Mm to those who ask. 
 This blessed gift may yet be yours, and shall, if you sincerely 
 desire it. "Ask then, and you shall receive; seek, and you 
 shall find; kndck, and the door shall be opened." May God 
 Almighty, in compassion to your souls, enable you to do this. 
 And as to those who have obtained this greatest of bless- 
 ings, who have the Holy Spirit, what more can be said to 
 you ? Survey the wondrous gift with grateful acknowledg- 
 ment. What has God wrought ! Deny not, from false hu- 
 mility, the heavenly benefit. Have you experienced those 
 sacred efiects of the Spirit which have been so frequently 
 mentioned ? Here then is the broad seal of the MaJBsty of 
 heaven, securing your relation to Christ, and your title to 
 mansions of ^lory. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; and 
 having received the Spirit, take care to "walk in the Spirit;" 
 be careful not to "grieve the Spirit;" and be concerned to 
 bring forth "the fruits of the Spirit," which are by Jesus 
 Christ, to the praise and glory of God. Amen. 
 
SERMON X. 97 
 
 HOLINESS. 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 "HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD." Heb. 12 : 14. 
 
 " Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord G-od Almighty !" This is 
 the language of saints and angels in their solemn worship. 
 Yes; the God who made us, the God who rules us, the Grod 
 who will judge us, is most holy; "Who is like unto him, 
 glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders ?" The 
 due consideration of Grod's holiness will make us serious at 
 all times, and especially when we consider our own unholi- 
 ness. Well may each of us adopt the words of the prophet 
 Isaiah, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man 
 of unclean lips ; and I dwell in the midst of a people of un- 
 clean lips." "Who is able to stand before this holy Lord 
 aod ?" 
 
 When God created man, he made him holy. God created 
 man in his own image, which image was holiness ; for this 
 is the peculiar character of God. But man soon lost the 
 glory of his nature by sin. He became an unholy being; 
 and God, " who is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and who 
 cannot look upon iniquity," banished him from paradise ; for 
 sin broke off the happy intiniacy that before subsisted. As 
 there can be no communion between light and darkness, so 
 there can be no communion between a holy God aind an unholy 
 sinner. And this is the reason of what is affirmed in our text, 
 that " without holiness no man shall see the Lord." To " see 
 the Lord," is'a description of the happiness of heaven, where 
 all his divine perfections will be displaiyed to the admiration 
 and delight of all the redeemed; but we cannot see him 
 without holiness. Now God, who made man holy at first, 
 has graciously contrived to make him holy again. This is a 
 
98 HOLINESS. ' 
 
 chief part of his great salvation; for, by the blood of Christ, 
 the guilt of sin is taken away from believers ; and by tha 
 Spirit of Christ, they are born again, and made new crea- 
 tures; that is, they are made holy, and so made meet for 
 heaven, which is seeing G-od. " The pure in heart shall see 
 God." 
 
 Our business at this time is, 
 
 1. To show what holiness is. 
 
 2. To prove the necessity of holiness ; and, 
 
 3. To point out the means of holiness. 
 
 I. Let us consider the nature of true holiness. Briefly, 
 holiness is the image of G-od restored in the soul ; or, in other 
 words, " Holiness is that purity of a man in his nature, incli- 
 nations, and actions, which is an imitation and expression of 
 the divine image." 
 
 Observe here, holiness is purity^-i\i& contrary of that hor- 
 rid defilement sin has produced in the soul of man. There 
 are two things in sin, the guilt of it, and the defilement of it. 
 By the guilt of it, we are liable to eternal punishment; by 
 the defilement of it, we are made unfit to serve or enjoy God. 
 G-uilt makes us afraid. Defilement makes us ashamed. 
 Thus Adam had both guilt and fear upon his first sin. Now, 
 in the salvation of Jesus Christ, G-od has provided for taking 
 both these aw;ay from us. The guilt of sin is wholly removed 
 from those who believe by the blood of Christ, which made, 
 atonement for it. The filth of «in is removed by the grace of 
 the Holy Spirit, in all those who are born again. 
 
 The purity we speak of is the purity of the heart, or na- 
 ture. It is not enough that the outward actions are not 
 impure; there can be no true holiness till the heart is puri- 
 fied. Now many people overlook this entirely. They think 
 it enough if they are good livers, as they call it^ or do good 
 works. This was the fatal mistake of the Pharisees, so 
 severely exposed by our blessed Lord. They were very par- 
 ticular about meats and drinks, and washing every thing, to 
 prevent defilement; but he charges them with washing the 
 outside only, and taking no care of the heart: they drew nigh 
 
SERMON X. 99 
 
 to G-od with the mouth, but their heart was far from him. 
 Their inward part was very wickedness; they were like 
 whitewashed tombs, beautiful without, but full of dead 
 men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Our Lord therefore 
 insisted upon the necessity of being born again, or being 
 partaker of a new and divine nature. Believers are " born 
 from above," "born of God;" and as every child partakes of 
 the same nature with his father, so do the new-born sons of 
 God: they "put off concerning the former conversation the 
 old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 
 they are renewed jn the spirit of their minds, and put on the 
 new man, which after God is created in righteousness and 
 true holiness." Eph. 4 : 22-24. 
 
 The heart being thus renewed, there must of course be 
 new dispositions and inclinations. Every ilature has its 
 proper desires and inclinations. Those of the Christian are 
 holy, in conformity to the will of God. The alteration that 
 grace makes is strikingly represented by the prophet Isaiah, 
 in the 11th chapter: "The wolf also shall dwell with the 
 lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the 
 calf and the young lion and the fatliiig together; and a 
 little child shall lead them;" that is, wicked men, however 
 fierce, shall be so, altered by the efficacy of the gospel. and 
 grace of Christ, that they shall become meek and gentle and 
 loving, even to the weakest Christians. Brethren, have you 
 experienced any change of this sort? And what must we 
 think of persecutors, who despise religion ; who hate and hurt 
 serious people ? Surely these are still lions and wolves, and 
 cannot be esteemed the sheep of Christ. Oh, that such may 
 know what it is to be born again ! 
 
 Let us now consider briefly, what are the prevailing dis- 
 positions and inclinations of holy persons. 
 
 . They are under the habitual influence of the fear of 
 God — not the fear of a slave, but the fear of a child. God 
 has put his fear into their hearts ; so that, instead of living 
 without him, and contrary to him, as once they did, they are 
 in the fear of God all the day long. They know that his eye 
 
100 HOLINESS. 
 
 is upon them; they set him always hefore them, and their 
 desire is to please and glorify him in all they think and 
 speak and do. 
 
 Again, they are humble. Humility is the root of all other 
 graces, and the only soil in which they will grow. They 
 know themselves ; they know the plague of their own hearts; 
 they are conscious of innumerahle sins to which the world 
 are strangers. The rememhrance of sins committed in their 
 carnal state covers them with shame, and the sense of much 
 remaining corruption keeps them low in their own eyes; so 
 that they not only lie in the dust before God, but they are 
 kept from despising their neighbor. If they differ from the 
 worst of mankind, they remember that grace alone made them 
 to differ. Thus, being converted, they receive the kingdom of 
 heaven as little children, and learn to live constantly dependent 
 on the wisdom, grace, and power of their heavenly Pather. 
 
 Once more, holy persons are spiritual and heavenly 
 minded: for, "to be carnally minded is death; but to be 
 spiritually minded is life and peace;" Faith has led them 
 to regard future and eternal things far above the vanities of 
 time; for that faith by which they now live is "the sub- 
 stance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not 
 seen." " That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Their 
 minds are disposed to prefer spiritual to carnal things. When 
 engaged in spiritual duties they are in their element; and at 
 times can look down with becoming indifference on all the 
 trifles of time. Their " conversation is in heaven." By the 
 cross of Christ "the world is crucified io them;", that is, they 
 are no more delighted with the world, than a living man 
 would be with the rotten carcass of a malefactor; and they 
 likewise are " crucified to the world" — ^the world can act upon 
 them with no greater efficacy than the objects of sense can 
 act upon a dead person. 
 
 But above all, /owe is the: grand prevailing disposition of 
 holy persons. Without love, all attainments and professions 
 are vain. God says, "My son, give me thy heart;" and the 
 believer replies, 
 
SERMON X. • 101 
 
 " Take my poor heart, and let it be 
 For ever closed to all but thee." 
 
 G-od appears infinitely lovely to all true believers. His 
 love in Christ Jesus is strongly attractive. They love hiiu 
 because he first loved them. Having a good hope through 
 grace that God for Christ's sake has pardoned their sins, 
 accepted their persons, and that he viriH bring them to glory, 
 they feel themselves constrained to depart from iniquity, 
 which they know he hates, and to practise holiness, which 
 they know he loves. Hence his people, his word, his day, 
 his cause, become their delight; and to glorify him is the 
 new end of their being. 
 
 This leads us further to observe, that the actions of such 
 persons must needs be holy also. Their nature being re- 
 newed, and their dispositions sanctified, they become holy in 
 all manner of conversation and godliness. It would be infa- 
 mous hypocrisy in a man to profess that his heart is holy, 
 if his life is immoral. Morality there may be without holi- 
 ness, but there can be no holiness without morality. The 
 law of God being written on the heart, and the love of God 
 shed abroad in it, obedience will become easy and pleasant. 
 Christ's yoke( is easy, and his burden is light. But here is a 
 large field which we can but just enter upon. 
 
 Good works, properly so called, must be done from a right 
 principle, that is, the new nature, or grace of the Spirit in a 
 believer; they must be done according to a right rule, which 
 is the word of God ; and they must be done to a right end, 
 and that is, to glorify God. how few works are truly good, 
 if tried by these rules ! 
 
 Holiness comprehends all the duties we owe to God: these 
 must be regarded in ih.e jirst place; whereas many people 
 leave them entirely out of their account. What is more com- 
 mon than to hear ignorant persons comfort themselves against 
 the fears of death by their haviUg been honest, land having 
 paid every one his own. To such people we may put the 
 question that a minister once put to such a person on a dying 
 bed: " But have you paid God what you owed him ?" Alas, 
 
102 HOLINESS. 
 
 we owe God our hearts, "our love, our obedience; but how 
 many have forgotten God, lived without God, and rebel- 
 led against God, all their lives! But a holy man has a 
 steady regard to the Word, will, and glory of God, in all his 
 ways. 
 
 Nor will our neighbor be forgotten. Religion does not 
 consist entirely in praying and worshipping God: the holy 
 man brings religion into all his concerns, according to that 
 ancient promise, " In that day shall there be upon the bells 
 of the horses. Holiness unto the Lord" Zech. 14 : 20 ; that is, 
 holiness shall not be confined to priests and temples, it shall 
 be brought into common life, and all the concerns of it be 
 managed to the glory of God. It is a great truth, that " to 
 be really holy is to be relatively holy." Holiness will make 
 good husbands and wives, good parents and children, good 
 masters and mistresses, good tradesmen, good servants, and 
 good subjects. It tnust do this. It actually does it, to the 
 astonishment of all who observe it ; and this is the best way 
 that people ,can take to promote the gospel and make their 
 neighbors like it. Thus must every believer become a prac- 
 tical preacher, " holding forth the word of life." Our " light 
 must shine before men," and then "they, seeing our good 
 works, will glorify our Father which is in heaven." This is 
 a short account of real holiness : let us now proceed, 
 
 II. To prove the necessity of holiness: our text declares, 
 that "without it, no man shall see the Lord." The whole 
 Scripture testifies to the same truth. And surely it must be 
 evident in a moment, to every considerate person, for it is a 
 part of our salvation; and to talk of being saved without 
 holiness, is as absurd as to speak of being saved without sal- 
 vation. Jesus' Christ came to save us from our sins, not to 
 save us in them. To be saved from the guilt of sin, or to be 
 pardoned, is but half our salvation; Jesus Christ equally de- 
 signed by his death to " redeem us from all iniquity, and to 
 purify unto himself a peculiar people; zealous of good works." 
 Christ therefore cannot, will not be divided; we must have 
 the whole of his salvation, or none- of it. Let therefore not 
 
SEEMON X. 103 
 
 any dream of salvation while the love and practice of sin is 
 voluntarily continued. 
 
 Besides, the command of God shows the necessity of holi- 
 ness. What is the language of the law ? "I am the Lord 
 your God ; ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall 
 be holy, for I am holy;" and it is the language of the holy 
 gospel too. To show the eternal force and propriety of this 
 reason, it is transferred to the New Testament, where St. Peter 
 saith, " As he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in 
 all manner of conversation." The same " gospel that brings 
 salvation, teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly 
 lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this pres- 
 ent world." 
 
 Again, the electing love of God proves the necessity of 
 hbliness. Did God choose from all eternity those whom he 
 will finally glorify ? Yes ; but for what purpose ? " That 
 they should he holy." Eph. 1 : 4. Did he predestinate them 
 to eternal life ? Yes, and for this^ end, that they should " be 
 conformed to the image of his Son." Rom. 8 : 29. And 
 accordingly such persons are exhorted by St. Paul, to " put 
 on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, 
 kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness," etCi, Col. 3 : 12. 
 These things become them, and are required of them, on 
 account of their interest in the electing love of God. 
 
 Above all, the nature of God, who is himself infinite holi- 
 ness, and the nature of heaven, which consists in the sight, 
 service, and enjoyment of God, make it absolutely necessary 
 that we should be holy; for "without this," as our text 
 affirms, "no man shall see the Lord." No man, be he who 
 he may ; whether high or low, rich or poor, learned or igno- 
 rant, esteemed or despised of men. No man, ;whatever his 
 knowledge or religion may be, or however high his profession; 
 whether he boast of his virtue or his creed, of his works or 
 his prayers— all, "all is in vain without holiness. Let no man 
 then deceive himself with vain words, for the God of heaven 
 has decreed that the unholy man shall not enter into his 
 kingdom. 
 
104 HOLINESS. 
 
 Indeed, it is most certain that heaven itself would be a 
 hell to the wicked. ,The. natural man w^ll knows and must 
 confess he has no relish for any thing heavenly. His pleas- 
 ures are sensual and worldly. His delight is in folly, and 
 vanity, and sin. The wicked of the earth are his chosen 
 companions. He hates and persecutes the godly; despises 
 them because they are saints ; perhaps disturbs their worship, 
 and injures their persons. Prayer and praise, reading and 
 hearing the word of God, are dull and melancholy things. 
 The Sabbath itsplf is a burden. How then can an unholy 
 soul go to heaven ? It is impossible in the nature of things, 
 and doubly impossible by the decree of God. Much more 
 might be said to show the necessity of holiness, but surely 
 enough has been said to satisfy every reasonable person. 
 May we not hope that some are now sayjng, Yes, it is plaiin 
 enough. God has said it, and I believe it. I, believe it for 
 myself, and I am now ready to inquire, JIow may I, who am 
 an unholy creature by nature and by practice, become holy ? 
 We shair gladly answer so necessary an inquiry, for this is 
 the last thing proposed, namely, 
 
 III. The means whereby we may become holy. 
 
 And here it is necessary to observe, that; no person in a 
 natural state can arrive at true holiness by his own power or 
 exertions. " That which is born of the flesh is flesh" — noth- 
 ing more, nothing better, nor ever will be. Till we are born 
 again; till we believe in Christ; till we are united to him, 
 " we can never be holy in the least degree. The shadow and 
 resemblance of holiness there may be, in morality and virtue ; 
 but all the true holiness that ever was in the world, or ever 
 will be in it, is as much from Christ as all the light we have 
 is from the sun. In vain therefore do poor ignorant souls 
 labor for very vanity in fasting, praying, penances, etc., while 
 they forget Christ. Equally wrong is their notion who think 
 they must be indebted to Christ for pardon, but to their own 
 good endeavors iox holiness; the language of the true Chris- 
 tian is, " Surely in the Lord Jesus have I righteousness and 
 strength.^^ 
 
SERMON X. 105 
 
 Know therefore, iiay friends, that as the sin of our nature 
 was derived to us from Adam, the first man, so all the holi- 
 ness of our new nature must he derived to us from Jesus 
 Christ, the second Adam; that "as we have home the image 
 of the earthy, we may also bear the image of the heavenly." 
 Now, Messed he Grod, there is a fulness of grace in Christ for 
 his whole church; of which church are we, if enabled by 
 faith to receive Christ, and out of his fulness leceive grace 
 for grace. 
 
 Faith is that grace which Grod has appointed as the means 
 of our becoming holy. People have a very wrong notion of 
 faith, who think it an enemy to holiness, or good works. If 
 we look into the Scripture, we shall find that the hearts of the 
 vilest heathens were "purified by faith in Christ," Acts 
 15: '9, and "sanctified by faith." Acts 26: 18. The faith 
 that brings the convinced sinner to Christ for salvation, re- 
 ceives from him, as it were, pardon with one hand, and holi- 
 ness with the other; both being equally the design of Christ 
 in his mediatorial work, and equally the desire of every new- 
 born soul. 
 
 Observe, likewise, that the comforts of the gospel, such as 
 assurance of God's love and pardon of our sins, peace of con- 
 science, joy in the Holy Ghost, and the hope of glory, have a 
 wonderful tendency to prornote our holiness. 
 
 Por the same purpose, we must diligently read our Bibles, 
 frequently hear the preached gospel, and especially abound 
 in prayer. These are properly called means of grace; and 
 though they have no power in themselves to make us holy, 
 yet are they appointed of God for our use : h& has graciously 
 promised to bless them; and in the diligent use of them, 
 every grace of the Spirit is exercised, and by exercise in- 
 creased. Thus a sense of the evil of sin, and of the beauty 
 of holiness, is kept up ; and thus especially, are our souls led 
 out of themselves in direct acts of faith to Jesus, and so 
 enabled to receive daily supplies of grace for our growth in 
 holiness, even " grace for grace." 
 
106 HOLINESS. 
 
 And is this holiness ? Oh, my friends, where is it to he 
 fonnd ? how little is it to be seen in our world ! Yet this 
 is indeed that image of God in which every true Christian is 
 renewed,' and without which a person is yet in his sins, and 
 dying so must perish for ever. [' 
 
 And does jiot this alarm the careless sinner, who daily 
 indulges the love and practice of sin? Say, dying fellow- 
 creature, is not thy heart as far from this holiness as the east 
 is from the west ? You know it is. And what must be the 
 consequence? Do you not believe the God of truth, that 
 unholiness must shut you out of heaven ? Has it not been 
 clearly proved that such as you cannot be admitted there ? 
 Your own heart allows that it is impossible. 
 
 But surely you are not willing matters should remain 
 thup. Does a desire arise in your heart, that I were holy? 
 Well, Messed be God for such a desire. Know, my friends, 
 that all are alike by nature. If any here are made holy, 
 sovereign grace made them so. Do you begin to cry, "What 
 must I do ? We answer, first look to Christ for the pardon 
 of your sins; and then, for the purification of your hfeart. 
 You must riot first strive to make yourselves better, and then 
 think your may come to him with better hope of salvation; 
 but come now, come just as you are, and the Priend of sinners 
 will receive you. r 
 
 The same direction -may be useful to those who are seek- 
 ing the kingdom of God and his righteousness; who mouni 
 over remaining corruption, and long for the image of God. 
 Look to Jesus for it. Remember that by virtue of union to 
 Christ, you may by faith derive daily grace from him, through 
 the power of the Holy Spirit. " Without him you can do 
 nothing;" but "his grace is sufficient" for all things. In, the 
 exercise of constant faith, and in the diligent use of all ap- 
 pointed means, expect the siupplies of the Spirit; believing 
 assuredly, that He who has begun the good work in you will 
 carry it on, till you are made mieet for the heavenly inherit- 
 ance. 
 
SERMON XI. 107 
 
 DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 
 
 SERMON XI. 
 
 "IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MEN ONCE TO DIE, BUT AFTER THIS THE 
 JUDGMENT." Hkb. 9:27. 
 
 It is recorded of Philip, king of Macedon, that he ordered 
 one of his pages to come every morning to his chamber door, 
 and cry aloud, " Philip, remember thou art mortal !" How 
 much the conduct of this heathen prince shames numbers of 
 people called Christians, who, instead of keeping their mor- 
 tality in mind, do all in their power to forget it. This dis- 
 course is intended to call your serious attention to what so 
 much concerns you. Like Moses therefore we say, "O that 
 you were wise, that you understood this, that you would con- 
 sider your latter end !" May you be led to pray, " So teach 
 us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto 
 wisdom." 
 
 Our first business at this time is with DEATH. There is 
 something solemn in the very name ; but Oh, who can tell 
 what death is? None of our relations or neighbors return 
 from the grave to inform us ; we must learn its nature, its 
 cause, and its consequences from the faithf^l word of God. 
 We may indeed see something of it in our dying friends. 
 We may see the hasty progress of some fatal disease. The 
 pains, the groans, the agonies of the dying, we have observed. 
 We have seen many a man cut down in the midst of life: 
 hearty, strong, and cheerful, one week; the next, a pale, cold, 
 lifeless corpse, lying in his coffin, and carried to the church- 
 yard. Others we have seen or heard' of, cut off without a 
 moment's warning : perfectly well one moment, the next in 
 eternity. How' true is the Scripture. "All flesh is grass, 
 and all the goodliness' thereof is as the flower of the field: in 
 
108 DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 
 
 the morning it-flourisheth; in the evening it is cut down, and 
 withereth." How frail is man ! At " his hest estate he is 
 altogether vanity." He is crushed sooner than the moth. 
 
 What awful separations does death make ! It removes 
 us at Once from our nearest relations and dearest friends. 
 We shut our eyes to all the world ; we shall see man no more 
 in the land of the living. Beath puts a sudden period to all 
 our projects, good or bad; "in that very day our thoughts 
 perish." It deprives the great of all their pomp and power; 
 and the rich of all their possessions, for man " bringeth noth- 
 ing with him into this world, and it is certain he can carry 
 nothing out." 
 
 Death is universal. Other evils are partial. But all men 
 die; "for what man is he that liveth, and shall not see 
 death ?" Death has reigned in all ages; and though in early 
 times some men lived many hundred years, yet they all died 
 at last. Death reigns in all countries: as certainly as the 
 tide ebbs and flows, so "one generation passeth away, and 
 another cometh." This is "the way of all flesh," "The 
 grave is the house appointed for all living." " There is no 
 discharge in this war." " We must needs die," i 
 
 Death is in itself awful. The fear of death; this agonies 
 of death; the ghastly appearance of the dead; the sad change 
 that takes place in the body, which renders it offensive,, and 
 obliges us to bury it out of our sight; the coffin, the shroud, 
 the cold grave, the crawling worms, the sordid dust— all these 
 are terrible things to nature. But what makes death a thou- 
 sand times more terrible is, that it is the effect of God's anger. 
 Had there been no sin, there had been no death, God, to 
 keep Adam from sin, threatened him. with death; but Satan, 
 the father of lies,, said he should not die. He ventured on the 
 forbidden fruit, and so by his sin " death came into the world, 
 and hath passed upon all" his children in every succeeding 
 age. Death, then, is "the wages of sin," and carries with it 
 the most . awful marks of God's anger. This is justly called 
 by St. Paul the sting of death: •'' The sting of death is sin." 
 It is the consciousness of guilt, and the just dread of future 
 
SEEMON XI. 109 
 
 misery, which makes death so very dreadful. Poor thought- 
 less mortals, neglecting to regard the glorious gospel of Jesus 
 Christ, which hrings a sovereign remedy and antidote to 
 death, are unwilling to think of it; they put off as much as 
 possible the evil day: but did they know the love of Christ 
 in dying to disarm death of its sting; did they consider, that 
 by faith in Jesus all the danger of death may be avoided, 
 they would sit down and look death in the face, and wisely 
 consider how they may meet; with safety and pleasure, what 
 they can never avoid. 
 
 Eor let it be remembered, that the death of each of us 
 here present is absolutely certain. Our text says, " It is ap- 
 pointed:'" it is the firm decree of God, which cannot be re- 
 versed. It is the unalterable law of God, a law which no 
 sinner can transgress ; other laws of God are trampled under 
 feet, but ^this must be obeyed • We know not tvhen, or how 
 we shall die; but we are sure that we must die. Whether 
 we are high or low, rich or poor, male or female, young or 
 old, " it is appointed for us once to die." Possibly, when 
 death comes, we may be very unfit to die, very unwilling to 
 die; but death will not delay on that account: ready or un- 
 ready, when the hour comes we must submit. It is said of 
 the wicked, "He is driven away in his wickedness "-^swf?- 
 denly perhaps; at least unexpectedly. It was when the rich 
 fool talked of many years to come, that God said to him, 
 " This night shall thy soul be required of thee." Wicked men 
 are often violently dragged, to the grave, like a malefactor to 
 the gallows. what would some great and rich sinners 
 have given for a few weeks, or a few hours of life, if money 
 could have bought them; but death will not be bribed: go 
 the sinner must, " although the physicians help, friends groan, 
 the wife and children weep, and the man himself use his 
 utmost endeavors to retain the spirit ; his soul is required of 
 him, yield he must, and go where he shall never more see the 
 light." ^ 
 
 Here let us stop a moment, and apply to ourselves what 
 has already been said. 
 
110 DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 
 
 Is life so short ? Then -Vvfhy should we waste it ? Why- 
 should we make it shorter by our sia and folly ? How much 
 of our precious time is entirely lost ! What shall we think 
 of sports and pastimes, cards and plays, and dancing, which 
 are expressly intended to kill time ? — to kill time ! Shocking 
 expression to the ears of a Christian ! had you heard what 
 some dying sinners have said pf their murdered time, when 
 time with them was nearly over, you would dread the thought 
 of killing time; rather would you. study how to "redeem 
 time," and obey the direction of the wise man: "Whatsoever; 
 thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might ; for there is no 
 work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, 
 whither thou goest.*^ Eccl. 9 : 10. Particularly be careful 
 to improve holy time, I mean the Lord's day — the day which 
 the Lord has graciously appointed for your spiritual improve- 
 ment. The abuse of this day is one of the greatest sources of 
 sin and infidelity ; and the recollection of the neglect of it is 
 often dreadfully painful to dying people. Be exhorted then, 
 diligently to regard the means oi grace on this day, and to im- 
 prove every Sabbath as the most precious portion of a short life. 
 
 Is death certain ? Will it surdy come, and^ you know 
 not how soon ? Then let it be your first business, to prepare: 
 for it. This is our Lord's advice: "Be ye also ready; for in 
 such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." It is 
 appointed unto, men once to die, once only: now that which 
 can be done but onpe, should be well done; especially as our 
 eternal all depends upon it. As the tree falls, so it lies; as 
 death leaves us, judgment finds us; if an error happens here, 
 it can never be remedied. Surely then it is the highest wis- 
 dom of man to prepare for this great change. Do you ask 
 what it is to be prepared ? I answer, it is to have your sins 
 pardoned, and your soul sanctified; for "sin is the sting of 
 death:" if your sins are pardoned you need not fear to die; 
 and if your soul is sanctified by grace, death will be your 
 gain. This then is your great concern, your immediate busi- 
 ness. Fly, instantly fly to the Saviour's cross. He died that 
 we might live. His blood cleanseth from all sin.. He will 
 
SERMON XI. Ill 
 
 wash every soul from sin who applies to him for that purpose ; 
 and will a,t the same time bestow his Holy Spirit to sanctify 
 the^soul, and make it meet for the inheritance of the saints in 
 light. Happy for those who are in this blessed state ; they 
 may say, "Whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or 
 whether we die, we die unto the Lord ; whether we live 
 therefore or die, we are the Lord's." G-od grant this may be 
 the happy condition of us alL 
 
 Let us now proceed to the second part of this great sub- 
 ject, namely, ETERNAL JUDaMENT— " after death the 
 judgment." 
 
 Immediately after death, it is presunied, the soul, sepa- 
 rated from the body, appears before God; and by a private, 
 particular, and personal judgment, receives the sentence of 
 eternal life, or eternal death. The Scripture abundantly 
 shows that the soul subsists in a separate state from the 
 body. Our Lord promised the dying thief that he should be 
 with him, on the very day of his death, in paradise ; and St. 
 Paul longed to be absent from the body, and present with the 
 Lord ; accounting it " far better " than the highest state of 
 privilege or usefulness in the church. 
 
 But the accounts we have in the Scriptures of the judg- 
 ment refer to the great day, when the dead shall be raised 
 from their graves, when small and great shall stand before 
 the judgment-seat" of Christ. The glory and grandeur of that 
 day will be far beyond the power of language to express. 
 " The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised." 
 "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming 
 fire, with his mighty angels." " The Son of man shall come 
 in his glory, and all the holy angels with him : then shall he 
 sit upon the throne of his glory ; and before him shall be 
 gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from 
 another, as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats." 
 
 Reason itself must allow the necessity of a future judg- 
 ment. At present, we often see the wicked prosper, while 
 good men are muph afflicted. How many murderers, op- 
 pressors, and persecutors, escape punishment. But it is in- 
 
112 DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 
 
 consistent with the justice of G-od that it should always be so. 
 "He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the 
 world in righteousness, when all men shall give an account 
 of what they have done in the body,' whether it be good or 
 bad." Even now conscience testifies to the future judgment, 
 by passing a private sentence on all our actions; and sum- 
 moning us'to appear at the bar of God, to answer for them.' 
 
 To show how justly and righteously every thing will be 
 done on that occasion, it is said, " The books were opened, 
 and the dead were judged out of those things which were 
 written in the books, according to their works." Rev. 20 : 12. 
 
 The book of the' law will be opened. The commandjnents 
 of God are the rule of men's actions ; and are any hoping to 
 be justified by "the works of the law?" Do they seek 
 righteousness by their doings ? Let them now appeal to the 
 Searcher of hearts, that they never broke this law in thought, 
 word, or deed, but loved and served. God perfectly without 
 sin all their lives: then may they claim life by the law;' but 
 this is impossible. No man living will be justified in this 
 manner; but the law will for ever eondernn all who have 
 broken it, yet have neglected the great salvation revealed in 
 the gospel. 
 
 The book of the gospel. In this blessed book " the law 
 of faith" is revealed; the righteousness of God by faith, is 
 revealed to faith: it is declared, that he that believeth in 
 Jesus shall be saved ; and happy will it be for those who are 
 found true believers, who, having known their ruined and 
 helpless state by the law, have fled for refuge to the grace' of 
 the gospel, and believing in Jesus for righteousness are " found 
 in him." ^ , 
 
 Besides these, the book of Gocfs remembrance will be 
 opened. God who knows all our actions, and all our secret 
 thoughts, records them in his book. Nothing done by man, 
 whether good or bad, is forgotten; for it is written, that he 
 will bring every secret thing into judgment, and that for 
 every idle Word that men speak, they shall render an ac, 
 count. 
 
SERMON XI. 113 
 
 Exactly agreeing with this will be the book of conscience^ 
 which shall also be opened ; or in plainer words, every man 
 shall stand convicted in his own conscience, that he is guilty 
 of every charge brought against him by the law. At present 
 sinners take little notice of their sins ; and if they feel a little 
 remorse of conscience, soon forget it ; but at the great day, 
 they will all rush upon the memory. Conscience shall serve 
 instead of a thousand witnesses ; and as the Scripture speaks, 
 " Every mouth shall be stopped, and all . the world become 
 guilty before God." 
 
 But, blessed be G-od, there will be one more book opened, 
 and that is, the book of life, containing- a list of all the names 
 of the people of God ; even of those who were chosen by the 
 Father to salvation, redeemed by the blood of Christ, and 
 who were called, renewed, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 
 Here willbe found the names of those people who were con- 
 vinced of their sin and misery, humbled on account of their 
 abominations, and who, being enlightened in the knowledge 
 of Christ, came to him by precious faith for life and salva- 
 tion ; and who proved the truth of their faith by the holiness 
 of their lives and conversation. 
 
 Now hear, from the word of God, what will be the sen- 
 tences pronounced on the assembled world at that awful 
 period. When a poor criminal is tried for his life, what a 
 solemn moment is that when, silence being demanded by an 
 officer of the court, every voice is hushed, and every eye is 
 fixed on the judge ! Each of us shall then become, not a 
 spectator of another's trial, but an expectant of our own sen- 
 tence-r-that sentence which shall fix, beyond the possibility 
 of an alteration, our happy, or our miserable doom. 
 
 Now, hearken : " Then shall the King say unto them on 
 his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Eather, inherit the 
 kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world ; 
 for I was ahungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, 
 and ye gave me drink," etc. Matt. 25 : 34. Let us take 
 care, my friends, to understand this aright ; for many have 
 sadly mistaken it. We are not to imagine that such good 
 
114 DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 
 
 works as here are mentioned merit heaven; this is not only 
 contrary to the whole gospel, but contrary also to the mean- 
 ing of this place. You are to observe, that the judgment 
 here represented is of professors of the gospel: all the persons 
 here spoken of, both at the right and left hand of Christ, are 
 such as were called by his name, and professed to be believers 
 in him; and when it is said they are judged according to 
 their works, it means according to the evidence of their 
 works; that is, whether the faith they pretended to have, 
 brought forth good works or not. The sentence passed is not 
 for their works, nor for their faith. The kingdom they re- 
 ceive is not their wages, but their inheritance — not merited, 
 as it were yesterday, but " prepared for them beibre the foun- 
 dation of the world;" and they were prepared for it, not by 
 their works, but by the grace of G-od, which united them to 
 Christ, led them to believe, and enabled them to bring forth 
 the fruits here mentioned, namely, works of love to the saints — 
 not mere works of humanity, but of love to the poor despised 
 saints of God, because they belonged to Jesus. These happy 
 persons you see had no proud thoughts of the merit of their 
 actions, for they humbly cry, " Lord, when saw we thee hun- 
 gry, and gave thee meat," etc. 
 
 But Oh, how awful is the other sentence! " Thea shall he 
 say unto them on the left hand. Depart, ye cursed, into ever- 
 lasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." what 
 a word is that — " Dejjart^ "What, depart from Christ — 
 depart from the fountain of all happiness ? It will be to the 
 condemned siimer the most dreadful word that ever sounded 
 in his ears: and yet how dreadfully just ! for it will be said to 
 that sinner who, in his heart, has said a thousand times to 
 Christ, " Depart from me, for I desire not the knowledge of 
 thy ways." 
 
 This sentence will be pronounced against those professors 
 of religion whose pretended faith did not produce the fruits 
 of love to the saints. Sins of omission only are here men- 
 tioned — ^neglecting to help and relieve the poor and afflicted 
 members of Christ. And if this will be sufficient ground of 
 
SERMON XI. 115 
 
 condemnation, what, think you, will be the lot of persecutors, 
 who, instead of feeding, clothing, and visiting the members 
 of Christ, robbed them of their food, raiment, liberty, and life ? 
 What will be the portion of drunkards, swearers, Sabbath- 
 breakers, and the whole herd of profane and vicious sinners ? 
 Such, we are elsewhere assured, shall not inherit the king- 
 dom of heaven, but must have their portion with devils and 
 damned spirits, unless they are brought to repentance by faith 
 in Christ. 
 
 AVhen St. Paul reasoned " of righteousness, temperance, 
 and judgment to come, Felix trembled." Did a heathen 
 judge tremble, and shall a Christian be stupid and unaf- 
 fected ? " Behold, he cometh with clouds ! Every eye shall 
 see him !" Your eyes shall see him. You have received the 
 solemn summons this day. What will you do 1 If wise, 
 you will act like Noah, " who being warned of G-od of things 
 not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the sav- 
 ing of his house." If unwise, you will be like his infidel 
 neighbors who laughed him to scorn, and perished in the 
 flood. If ever you would wish then to be numbered with 
 the saints, now lay to heart the solemn truths you have 
 heard. Retire a little from the bustle' of the world, and from 
 the company of the gay. Endeavor to realize the important 
 scene. think of the tremendous day, and the miserable 
 state of poor Christless sinners. " Those who are then found 
 Christless, will also be Speechless, helpless, and hopeless. 
 How will their heads hang down, and their knees knock 
 together! what pale faces, quivering lips, and fainting 
 hearts ! dreadful day, when the earth shall be trembling, 
 the stars falling, the trumpet sounding, the dead rising, the 
 elements melting, and the world on fire !" 
 
 This scene so tremendous to a sinner, will be the most 
 happy and joyful that ever was known to the humble believer 
 in Jesus. The second coming of Christ is spoken of in Scrip- 
 ture as a most desirable event ; and true Christians are de- 
 scribed as " loving his appearing," and saying, " Come, Lord 
 
116 DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 
 
 Jesus, come quickly." And would you not wish to call this 
 great and glorious Judge your friend, and to he owned hy 
 him at the great day? Well then, know, my friends, that 
 he is now set hefore you in the gospel as an all-sufficient and 
 most gracious Saviour. He is now as gracious as he will 
 then be glorious. Why would you keep at a distance from 
 him ? His blood can cleanse you from all your past sins, 
 though deeply dyed as scarlet and crimson. He came to 
 seek and save such sinners as you. Look then to him and 
 be saved. Come but to him, he will not cast you out. Be- 
 lieve in him, and he will be your friend. Your first business 
 in religion is to fly to your Saviour, and find solvation in his 
 blood, He will then give you his Holy Spirit to soften your 
 heart, subdue your iniquities, and enable you to bring forth 
 those works of love which he will graciously own and reward 
 in the great day. 
 
 Let the thoughts of "apipointed death and judgment" be 
 duly improved by the believer. " Seeing then that all these 
 things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we 
 to be in all holy conversation and godliness,' looking for and 
 hastening unto the coming of the day of Grod ?" What 
 watchfulness, what seriousness become us! Let us be con- 
 cerned to be always ready : daily walking humbly and closely 
 with God ; sitting loose to all created objects, from which 
 death may so suddenly separate us ; and having our affections 
 set on heavenly^ things, to which death will so readily trans- 
 mit us. Look on death as a disarmed fo& — a serpent which 
 may hiss, but cannot sting. Look on judgment as a most 
 desirable event; when soul and body being united, and made 
 perfect in holiness, the believer shall be openly acknowledged,' 
 and for ever made happy in the full enjoyment of Christ to 
 all eternity. / 
 
 Blessed be G-od for Jesus Christ. 
 
SEEMON XII. 117 
 
 HELL AND HEAVEN. 
 
 SERMON XII. 
 
 "AND THESE SHALL GO AWAY INTO EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT; BUT 
 THE KIGHTEOUS INTO LIFE ETERNAL." Matt. 25 : 46. 
 
 That there are two eternal states, the one of happiness, 
 and the other of miseryj in one of which each of us will soon 
 be fixed, is a truth which most men profess to helieve. But 
 if we look at the actions of most men, and these speak louder 
 than their words, we are forced to say with the Scripture, " All 
 men have not faith." A true belief of an eternal hell and an 
 eternal heaven cannot fail to make us fly from the one, and 
 endeavor to secure the other. But even where we may hope 
 there is a settled belief of these things, it must be owned, 
 through the cares and labors, or pleasures of life, they do not 
 make so strong an impression upon us as they ought, nor are 
 we so diligent in our preparation for eternity as we should be. 
 It will be therefore profitable for us to consider those two states 
 of hell and heaven, which are spoken of in the text; which 
 tells us what will be the immediate consequence of the sen- 
 tences which; Christ, the great Judge of quick and dead, shall 
 pronounce, on all mankind at the great day. To those on 
 his right hand he will say, " Come, ye blessed;" to those on 
 his left, "Go, ye cursed." The sentence will be no sooner 
 pronounced than executed. " These shall go away into ever- 
 lasting punishment; but the; righteous into life eternal." 
 
 The very word eternity ought to fix our attention on this 
 great subject. that it may have as good an effect upon 
 every person here, as it had upon a lady, of whom the follow- 
 ing story is related by several authors: A lady who was fond 
 of gayety, spent the whole afternoon and evening with a party 
 at cards, and other vain amusements ; and returning home 
 
118 HELL AND HEAYEN. 
 
 late at night, found her waiting-maid diligently reading a 
 religious book. Happening to look over her shoulder, she 
 saw what it was, and said, " Poor melancholy soul, why dost 
 thou sit here so long poring upon thy book?" After this she 
 retired to bed, but could not sleep; she lay sighing and weep- 
 ing for several hours. Being repeatedly asked by her servant 
 what was the matter, she burst into tears and said, " Oh, it 
 was one word that 1 saw in your ,book that troubles me ; 
 there I saw the word eterniti/." God grant, my friends, that 
 we may now so consider eternity, that the word may not be 
 a trouble to us, but a pleasure. In order to this, we must, 
 first, consider the Scripture account of hell, that so we may 
 escape it; and secondly, the Scripture account of heaven, 
 that so we may be put upon seeking it. 
 
 I. Let us turn our thoughts to the account that the word 
 of God gives us of hell. It is true, it is an awful subject, 
 and wicked men do not love to hear of it; but if they cannot 
 bear to hear of it, how will they be able to endure it ? Our 
 Saviour, in the text, calls it everlasting punishment. 
 
 It is punishment. Punishment is a pain inflicted on ac- 
 count of the breaking some law. Hell is the prison where 
 the breakers of God's law will be confined and punished. 
 God has made known his will in the ten commandments. 
 These require us to love and serve him; but being fallen 
 creatures, and unable of ourselves to do it aright, he has also 
 given us his gospel. Herein Christ is set forth as an all-sufii- 
 cient Saviour, able and willing to save lis from the guilt, 
 already contracted by our sins, and to renew and sanctify us, 
 that we may comply with his will, and serve him acceptably. 
 This is certainly our reasonable service. But the sinner re- 
 fuses it, He is so strongly bound with the cords of his sins, 
 so in love with the lusts of the flesh, so besotted with the 
 love of the world, that he persists in his sin, notwithstanding 
 the warnings of God, and neglects salvation, though a thou- 
 sand times invited and entreated. Thus he lives, and thus 
 he dies. What must be the consequence? God is just, as 
 well as merciful. His laws cannot be dispensed with. The 
 
SERMON XII. 119 
 
 sinner has no room to complain. He was warned, he was 
 entreated, but he chose the ways of sin, and now he must 
 take the wages; for "the wages of sin is death." Not the 
 death of the hody only, for good men as well as bad men die ; 
 but the second death, the death of the soul in its everlasting 
 separation from God, the fountain of life and happiness. 
 
 This is the import of that awful word Depart. In the 
 present world, whether men know it or not, all their comfort 
 flows from his favor. God is the chief good, and the source 
 of all the good in the world. It is he who has made crea- 
 tures what they are. It is his sun which fills the world with 
 light ; it is his power by which man subsists, and enjoys his 
 senses and his health. It is from his creatures we get our 
 food and raiment ; and though wicked men forget God in all 
 their mercies, they are nevertheless from him, and in their 
 proper tendency lead to him, for " the goodness of God leadeth 
 us to repentance.^' But in hell, all these comforts will be 
 withdrawn. They did not answer their purpose to soften the 
 hard and rebellious heart to obedience; and now, the season 
 of trial and the day of grace being over, there is no end for 
 which they should be continued. 
 
 Eut it is not the loss of bodily comforts only that the 
 damned must sustain; they must for ever lose the infinite 
 pleasures that the redeemed will enjoy in the presence of 
 Christ, and in the society of the blessed. This indeed they 
 do not value now; but they will then. They will then 
 plainly see that heaven itself consists in the presence and 
 favor of G«d. They will have a tormenting prospect of the 
 happiness of others: so Dives, in the parable, is represented 
 as seeing " Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom:" and 
 this will aggravate their misery, as it would that of a man 
 perishing with hunger, to see others feasting; or, as our Lord 
 expresses it, " There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, 
 when ye shall see Abraham; Isaac, and Jacob, and all the 
 prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust 
 out." Luke 13 : 28. 
 
 The punishment of /oss is not all, there is the punishment 
 
120 HELL AND HEAVEN. 
 
 of sense likewise; hell is not only the loss of happiness, but 
 it is the sense and feeling of the most exquisite sufferings. 
 Take an account of it from the lips of Jesus Christ himself; 
 speaking of hell, he says, " Where their worm dieth not, and 
 the fire is not quenched." This is the description he gives of 
 it over and over again, in Mark 9. By " the worm that dieth 
 not" is generally understood the gnawings of a guilty con- 
 science, or that painful remorse which sinners will feel when 
 they remember the sin and folly which brought them to hell. 
 Thus, in the parable, Abraham speaks to Dives, and says, 
 "Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy 
 good things." Luke 16 : 25. .. 
 
 Mem,ory will be a dreadful source of misery. " Son, re- 
 m,ember r said Abraham to, Dives. Poor sinners will remem- 
 ber the good instructions they received from their parents, the 
 faithful sermons they heard from their ministers, the solemn 
 admonitions they had from their own conscience. They will 
 remember what Sabbaths they misspent, what mercies they 
 abused, what judgments they slighted. They will remember 
 with what contempt they treated serious piety; and in vain 
 will they wish to be in the place of those they once despised. 
 It will be intolerable for them to reflect on their folly in part- 
 ing with heaven for such wretched trifles. How despicably 
 small will the pleasures of sin then appear to them. They 
 will not be able to bear themselves, when they think for 
 what they have lost their God, their heaven, and their souls. 
 And this will fill them with the most horrid rage and fury. 
 They will be inwardly racked with envy, hatred, and resent- 
 ment against God, against their tempters, against the com- 
 panions of their sins, and especially against themselves. 
 
 But besides this inward torment, or " the worm that never 
 dies," there will be outward torm,ent, or " the fire that is never 
 quenched." The nature of this fire, or the place where it is, 
 are niatters of foolish curiosity ; our busijiess is not to amuse 
 ourselves with, questions about it, but to take care to avoid it. 
 God who sustained the companions of Daniel in a hot fur- 
 nace, so that they were not scorched, can easily support life 
 
SERMON XII. 121 
 
 in the burnings of hell. The wrath of God, who, as an 
 avenger of sin, is " a consuming fire," is the hell of hell; and 
 " who can tell the power of his anger ?" Our utmost fears of 
 it come short of the truth. A spark of this fire in a guilty- 
 conscience is intolerable, for "a wounded spirit who can 
 bear ?" Job, in his affliction, cried, " The arrows of the 
 Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my 
 spirit : the terrors of God set themselves in array against me." 
 
 What will terribly add to the greatness of these sufferings 
 is, that they are without any intermission or mitigation. In 
 the greatest miseries of this life, God is graciously pleased to 
 allow some intervals of rest ; but of those in hell it is said, 
 "They have no rest day nor night." Rev. 14 : 11. Think 
 of this, you who never cease from sin, but do evil day and 
 night : the damned have no rest from their torment. Dives 
 asked but a momentary alleviation of his torture, when he 
 desired that Lazarus might be sent "to dip the tip of his 
 finger in water, and cool his tongue;" but even this was 
 denied him. 
 
 This, my friends, is a very short and slight account from 
 the Scriptures of truth of the dreadful sufferings of miserable 
 sinners in hell. And who, in his senses, would venture upon 
 such a course of life as must lead to one -hour's suffering of 
 this kind ? But Oh, it is not an hour, it is not a day, it is 
 not a week, it. is not a month, it is not a year — it is not seven 
 years, or fourteen years, or a hundred years — it is not a thou- 
 sand years — it is not merely as long as from the foundation of 
 the world to this day — how would the damned rejoice, if 
 ten thousand years might finish their miseries — ^but it is for 
 ETERNITJ! Do you start at the word? It is Christ's 
 word. Christ says in the text, " These shall go away into 
 everlasting punishment," In vain do letter-learned men try 
 to reason away the solemn truths and lessen the duration of 
 future punishment: Christ says it is eternal; and uses the 
 very same word to signify an eternal heaven as he does to 
 express an eternal hell, for the words are the same in the 
 original ; besides, it is said, " The smoke of their torment 
 
122 HELL AND HEAVEN. 
 
 ascendeth up for ever and ever," Rev. 14 : 11; and our Lord 
 also declares, " Their worm dieth not, and their fire is not 
 quenched." 
 
 Tremble, sinner, at the "wrath to come" That wrath 
 which is now coming, and will soon be here, will even then 
 " be wrath to corned When a million million naillion years 
 are past it will still be "wrath to come," because it shall 
 never have an end ! 
 
 O that we could impress upon you a lasting idea of eter- 
 nity. Suppose all the vast ocean to be distilled by single 
 drops, and a thousand years to pass between CA-^ery drop; how 
 many millions of years would it take to empty it ? Suppose 
 the whole world to be made up of grains of sand, and one 
 grain only to be taken away in a thousand years ; how many 
 millions of years would it take to remove the whole ? We 
 cannot count how long; yet we suppose it may be done in a 
 most immense length of time. Suppose it done. Suppose 
 the ocean emptied, drop by drop. Suppose the globe reduced, 
 grain by grain, to the last sand. But would eternity be spent? 
 Would eternity be lessened? No, not at all. It is a whole 
 eternity still; and the torments of the damned would be as 
 far from an end as when the reckoning began. A minute 
 bears some proportion to a million of years, but millions of 
 millions bear no proportion to eternity. 
 
 Sinner, have you reason? Have you common-sense? 
 Have you self-love ? Summon up your powers then, and de- 
 termine this moment, whether you had best go in the way 
 of sin, for the sake of your short-lived pleasures, thus tq be 
 repaid with everlasting woe; or whether it will not be your 
 wisdom this moment to forsake them, and by the grace of 
 God choose the way to eternal life. 
 
 Before we proceed, stop and take a view of sin. Will any 
 man but a fool " make a mock of sin," when he sees what its 
 wages are ? Is that " a madman who casteth about arrows, 
 firebrands, and death, and saith, Am I not in sport ?" He 
 is ten thousand times more /mad, who sports with sin, and 
 laughs at that which fills hell with groans and tears. Be 
 
SEEMON XII. 123 
 
 persuaded not to trifle, as many do, with the name of hell 
 and danmation. Many who cannot bear to hear these in a 
 sermon, use them in a jesting manner, in their common dis- 
 course. This is one of Satan's ways to ruin souls. People 
 sport with these things, till they forget their importance, and 
 find, too late, that they are serious matters. 
 
 " Who laughs at sin, laughs at his Maker's frowns — 
 Laughs at the sword of justice o'er his head — • 
 Laughs at the dear Eedeemer's tears and wounds, 
 Who, but for sin, had never groaned nor bled !" 
 
 " Awake then, thou that sleepest, and arise from the 
 dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Fly, sinner, from 
 the " wrath to come." " Escape for thy life, look not behind 
 thee, neither stay thou in all the plain, lest thou be con- 
 sumed." Think what a miserable soul in hell would give 
 to be in thy present situation. Think how hell would re- 
 sound with joy, could the good news of salvation be preached 
 to lost souls. Well, sirs, they are preached to you. This day 
 is salvation come to this house. As yet, there is hope. Christ 
 came to deliver from the wrath to come. It may be, you 
 were brought here at this time for the very purpose of being 
 warned to fly to the Refuge. Christ is a mighty Saviour. 
 Nothing is too hard for him. " Come, then, for all things are 
 ready." If God has made you willing, depend upon it he 
 will make you welcome. "Who can tell but instead of being 
 fuel for everlasting burnings, it. may be said of you, " Is i^ot 
 this a brand plucked out of the fire ?" 
 
 II. We now gladly turn to the more pleasing part of our 
 text: "But the righteous into life eternal." 
 
 Who are the righteous ? " There is none righteous" upon 
 the earth, saith the Scripture, "no, not one;" that is, in him- 
 self. A righteous man, and a sinner, are two contraries: to 
 be righteous, is to keep the law perfectly, which no mere 
 man ever did, and no fallen, man can, for " all have sinned;" 
 sin being "the transgression of the law." How then can any 
 man, being a sinner, become righteous? There is but one 
 way. It is by the righteousness of Christ put to the account 
 
124 HELL* AND HEAVEN. 
 
 of an unrighteous man. This righteousness Christ wrought 
 out hy his perfect obedience to the law. This righteousness 
 is held out in the gospel; and when a sinner is convinced that 
 he wants it, and must perish without it, he comes to G-od for 
 it; Grod gives it to him; he receives it by faith,- puts it on, 
 wears it, lives and dies in it, and being "found in Christ," 
 he is admitted, in this wedding garment, to the marriage 
 supper of the Lamb. ' 
 
 The persons called "righteous" in the text had thus put 
 on Christ; and. the faith whereby they did so, wrought by 
 love. The context shows how their faith wrought by works : 
 they loved the members of Christ for Christ's sake, and 
 showed their love to him by helping them in their afflictions. 
 These, are the persons who go into life eternal. 
 
 What is heaven? A carnal man can have no idea of it^; 
 or none but what is carnal and erroneous. It is not a Ma- 
 hommedan paradise, where the lusts of the flesh may be 
 indulged. No ; " life and immortality are brought to light 
 through the gospel;" and there we find it consists in a com- 
 plete deliverance from all the evils of the present state, and 
 in the enjoyment of all that can render the soul perfectly and 
 for ever happy. 
 
 Need we be told that " man is born to trouble ?" This is 
 our sad and only certain inheritance, mingled indeed with 
 a thousand undeserved mercies. But all the sorrows of a 
 believer shall cease at his death. No more excessive labor 
 and fatigue. No pinching want and poverty. No painful, 
 irksome, loathsome diseases. The inhabitant of heaven shall 
 not say, " I am sickJ' Nor shall any of the numberless sor- 
 rows of the mind we now feel, follow us to glory. We shall 
 not suffer in our own persons, nor shall we suffer in or by our 
 relations or friends. We shall "drop the body of sin" in the 
 dust, and we shall no more be the grieved spectators of sin in 
 the world. "God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes; 
 and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, 
 neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things 
 are passed away." Rev. 21:4. 
 
• SERMON XII. 125 
 
 But this is not all. Our knowledge, which is now so very 
 small, shall be wonderfully increased. It is eternal life to 
 know Grod ; but Oh, how little do we now know of him ! but 
 "the pure in heart shall see God," and know in a moment 
 more than all the learned could attain in many years. " We 
 shall know, even as we are known:" we shall have as cer- 
 tain, immediate, and familiar a knowledge of divine things, 
 as any of our most intimate friends now have of us; yea, we 
 shall know G-od and Christ and angels in the same kind of 
 way that they now know us — not "through a glass darkly," 
 but " face to face," as clearly and distinctly as one man be- 
 holds another when they converse together. But the heaven 
 of heaven will be the presence of Christ, being with Christ, 
 and beholding his gloxy. This is what Christ, as Mediator, 
 prayed for in behalf of his disciples. " Father, I will that 
 they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; 
 that they may behold my glory." John 17 : 24. This is 
 what Paul longed for, and wished to depart to enjoy : " Hav- 
 ing a desire to depart, and to be with Christ." Phil. 1 : 23. 
 And what will render the vision of Christ so very excellent 
 is, that " we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is ;" 
 we shall bear his amiable and illustrious image of light and 
 love, holiness and happiness, in our souls. Even our bodies, 
 now vile by reason of sin, and which must soon be viler still 
 in the corruption of the grave, shall, when raised from the 
 dead, be made like unto his glorious body. Add to this 
 another most desirable blessing, the constant company of the 
 saints. Believers shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and 
 Jacob, with the prophets and ; apostles, and with all the re- 
 deemed of every nation. But what tongue can tgU, what 
 heart can conceive, what God has prepared for them that 
 love him ? 
 
 What more can be said to engage your regard to religion, 
 than what has been now said. Life and death, blessing and 
 cursing, heaven and hell, have been set before you. Surely 
 " one thing is needful,^^ even the care of the soul. 
 
126 ~ HELL AND HEAVEN. 
 
 " Is there a dreadful hell ?" Well, we have been warned 
 of the danger, arid advised to fly to Jesus, the only deliverer 
 from the wrath to come. 
 
 How great is the evil of sin, seeing that God will punish 
 it in this dreadful manner ! Is there a hell of eternal torment 
 for sinners? then be afraid of sin, however pleasant it 
 may be. Who would drink a glass of the most delicious 
 liquor, however thirsty he might be, if he knew that deadly 
 poison was mixed with it ? Beware then of sin, which infal- 
 libly destroys the soul, and shun it as you would shun hell. 
 
 Is there a glorious heaiven? We are invited to seek it. 
 There is but one way to heaven, and Christ is that way. 
 what a Saviour is Jesus! Can we, who deserve hell, avoid 
 it? Yes; glory be to Him, he shed his precious blood to 
 redeem his people from it. His perfect righteousness is the 
 only title to glory, and this righteousness is theirs who be- 
 lieve in him. There must also be &, fitness iox this holy state, 
 and this is the work of the Spirit. If we are found among 
 the redeemed, we owe it to the Father's lov'e, the Son's sal- 
 vation, and the Spirit's grace. G-od grant that we may so 
 hear his word, at this and at all times, that mixing faith 
 with it, we may profit thereby ; and " growing up into Christ 
 in all things," and " looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ unto eternal life," we may faithfully and diligently 
 serve him and our generation according to his will, enjoy his 
 gracious presence in all the means of grace, experience the 
 support of his gospel in the trying hour of death, and finally 
 have abundant entrance afforded us into his everlasting king- 
 dom and glory. 
 
 Now^to the God of our salvation, Father, Son, and Holy 
 Spirit, be universal and everlasting praise. Ainen. 
 
SERMON XIII. 127 
 
 A NEW HEART THE CHILD'S BEST PORTION. 
 
 SEEMON XIIL 
 
 TO CHILDREN. 
 
 r 
 "A NEW HEAET WILL I GIVE YOU." Ezek. 36:26. 
 
 My dear children, I hope you will mind what I am going 
 to say to you. I am going to read you a sermon made on 
 purpose for children, and made so plain that 1 hope you will 
 understand it all. I suppose you know that you have souls 
 which must live when you die, and must go to heaven or hell 
 for ever. Now do you not think it is right to mind your 
 souls, so that they may not go to hell ? I know that you- 
 love to play, and it is right you should play sometimes ; but 
 you should mind something else besides play. You know 
 there is a God that lives in heaven, and it is he who gives 
 you meat and drink and clothes ; it is he who keeps you 
 from being sick, and from dying, and he does this, that you 
 may have time to think of him, and pray to him. For I 
 would have you know, that it is a terrible thing for Grod to 
 be angry with you. It is a great deal worse than for your 
 father and mother, or master, to be angry with you. Perhaps 
 they may beat you when they are angry ; but G-od Almighty 
 can cast you into hell, to be burned in the fire for ever and 
 ever. 
 
 Perhaps you will say, I hope he will not do so to me. 
 My dear children, I hope so too ; and I read this to you, that 
 you may know how to avoid that misery, and that you may 
 learn the way to heaven. Now Jesus Christ is the way to 
 heaven. He came down from heaven to save us from going 
 to hell ; and he did this by suffering and dying for our sins, 
 that we might not suffer for them ourselves ; just as if one 
 of you were going to be beat, and punished for doing wrong, 
 
128 A NEW HEAET. 
 
 and another person should, in love to you, and to keep you 
 from heing hurt, he heat in your stead, and so you escape the 
 punishment. 
 
 The first thing that must be known in order to your being 
 saved, is this, that you are sinners ; that you have " left un- 
 done what you ought to have done, and that you have done 
 the things you ought not to have done." "When your parents 
 have been angry with you for doing wrong, you have, per- 
 haps, thought of it afterwards, and have been very sorry for 
 it ; and when you feel sorry for it, you want them to forgive 
 you, and you go to them and ask their pardon. You also 
 promise to do so no more. Now there is something in relig-^ 
 ion like this. We have all done what we should not do, and 
 God may justly be angry with lis ; but " there is forgiveness 
 with him, that he may he feared." His dear Son Jesus Christ 
 bore his anger for us ; and he sends his servants with the 
 gospel, that is, good news ; telling us, that if we come to him 
 by Jesus Christ, he will forgive us, and be kind to us, and 
 help us to do better for time to come. 
 
 Now the text I have read is Grod's kind promise to his 
 children. A new heart will I give you. The word heart 
 does not signify a part of your bodies, but it means the mind, 
 the spirit, the disposition; that God will make it new and 
 right and good, so th?it you should love and serve and enjoy 
 him, both here and hereafter. It is the same thing that is in 
 another place called being born again. You may remember 
 reading, in the third chapter of St. John, that a man named 
 Nioodemus came to Jesus Christ by night, to be taught by 
 him ; and that our Saviour said to him, " Verily, verily, I say 
 unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the 
 kingdom of God." By this he meant a change of heart, 
 which is made by the power and grace of the Spirit of God. 
 Now if the heart were not bad, there would be no need to 
 change it; but the heart of every person, of every child, is 
 very bad till grace alters it. We are all born in sin, and love 
 sin until we are born again ; and then we love Christ, and 
 every thing that is good. And you will observe, that being 
 
SERMON XIII, 129 
 
 baptized, or christened, is not the same as being bom again. 
 Water cannot cleanse or change the heart j it may represent 
 this, but it is not grace itself. 
 
 The nature of this gracious change I shall now explain to 
 you, by describing both the old heart which God takes away, 
 and the new heart which God gives. 
 
 1. The heart is by nature hard: it is compared in the 
 words after the text to a stone, that feels nothing ; the heart 
 of man by nature has no feeling ; that is, no feeling of spirit- 
 ual things. A person who has no grace may be tender- 
 hearted to his fellow^creatures, and "weep with them that 
 weep ;" but yet not mind what God says to him in the Bible. 
 The Bible says we are all lost and ruined sinners; that the 
 wrath of God abideth on us if we believe not ; that God is 
 angry with the wicked, and will turn them into hell. But 
 how few people regard this. They eat and drink and take 
 their pleasure, even on the Lord's day, as if nothing was the 
 matter. " Is this not owing to the hardness of their hearts ? 
 If you were to see a poor wretch at the bar condemned to die 
 by the judge, and he was to remain unmoved, or even laugh 
 in his face, you would think he had a very hard heart. Now 
 this is the case of every sinner. My dear children, is it not 
 your case ? You are " by nature children of wrath, even as 
 others ;" but when were you concerned about it ? You would 
 cry and be very sorry if your parents were angry with you, 
 and threatened to turn you out of doors, and never see you 
 any more ; but how much worse would it be if God should 
 say to you, " Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire." 
 
 The hardness of the heart appears also in not being moved 
 and melted with the goodness of God. how good is God 
 to us all! He makes the sun to shine, and the flowers to 
 spring, and the corn and herbs to grow. It is he who gives 
 us food by day, and rest by night ; and " his goodness should 
 lead us to repentance." "He has also so loved the world,'' 
 wicked as it is, " that he gave his only begotten Son, that 
 whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have ever- 
 lasting life." And he has sent his ministers to us with th© 
 
130 A NEW HEART. 
 
 glad tidings of this salvation, and they warn us to flee from 
 the wrath to come ; they invite and heseech us to he recon- 
 ciled to God. But how hard is the heart that remains un- 
 moved hy all this tender love and goodness. What should 
 you think of a child who treated a dear father or a kind 
 mother with neglect and scorn, after they had spoken and 
 hehaved in the kindest manner to him? Would you not 
 think him very brutish and wicked? Well, thus sinners 
 treat the blessed God. 
 
 And have not you done so ? It is God who has led and 
 fed you all your days. He gave you kind parents and friends 
 to care for you when infants, ar you must have been starved 
 to death, and perished for want. He gives you clothes and 
 food and health and pleasure and friends ; and he does more, 
 he gives you his gospelj he sends you the word of salvation, 
 he gives you opportunity to learn to read it, and hear it ; and 
 what return have you made for all his goodness ? that 
 your hearts may melt in godly sorrow for sin! May 'the Lord 
 give you " the heart of flesh," the soft heart, the feeling heart, 
 which " trembles at his word," and " fears the Lord and his 
 goodness." Then will you be afraid of the least sin ; you 
 will avoid all bad company ; you will not dare to take the 
 name of the Lord in vain ; you will not play on the Sabbath- 
 day ; nor will you behave badly to your parents, or any othet 
 persons. And if you have this soft heart, you will be very 
 sorry for your sins, and sorry to think you have offended God, 
 and sorry to think that the blessed Jesus should suffer ^sueh 
 shocking pains as he did for your sins. 
 
 2. The heart is by nature proud; but the new heart is 
 humble. Man, as a creature, has no cause to.be proud, much 
 less as a sitmer, yet we are all by nature proud. There never 
 was a person born without a proud heart, though some do 
 not show it so much as others. You that are children know 
 how apt you are to be proud of new clothes and fine things, 
 and how fond you are of showing them to others; and as peo- 
 ple grow up, they grow prouder— proud of beauty, riches, 
 learning, or office ; yea, proud of being religious. So you 
 
SEfeMON Xlll. 131 
 
 read of the Pharisee who went up to the temple to pray, and 
 with monstrous pride stood hy himself and said, " God, I 
 thank thee that I am not as other men are, nor even as this 
 puhlican;" and then he boasted of his good works. But God 
 abhorred this proud wretch, while he looked with compassion 
 on the man whom the Pharisee despised — ^the poor publican, 
 whose heart was broken for sin, and who had nothing to say 
 for himself but, " G-od be merciful to me a sinner !" Even 
 children are proud of their religion ; they will boast of being 
 better than their brothers and sifters : they love to tell of their 
 faults, and of their own goodness. My dear children, why do 
 you hope to go to heaven ? Is it because you are not so bad 
 as others ; because you say your prayers, and go to church or 
 meeting ? If so, you are proud — proud of your own righteous- 
 ness, which the Scripture calls "filthy rags." Now who 
 would be proud of filthy rags ? But the righteousness of 
 Christ is like a fine clean white robe ; is not that better ? 
 and would you not be glad to have it ? Pray then to God to 
 clothe you with it. 
 
 The new heart is a humble heart. The person who has 
 it thinks so highly of the great and blessed God, the majesty 
 of heaven and earth, that he shrinks as it were into nothing 
 before him. He has such a view of the holiness of God and 
 his commandments, and such a sense of the wickedness and 
 deceitfulness of his own heart, that he lies as it were in the 
 dust, " abhors himself, and repents in dust and ashes." 
 
 3. The heart is by nature worldly. All natural men are 
 called, in Scripture, " men of the world, whose portion is in 
 this life:" they think only of the world, they speak only of 
 the world, and all their desires are worldly. " What shall 
 we eat, what shall we drink, and how shall we be clothed ?" 
 After all these, and only such things as these, do worldly 
 men seek. In this case there is no heart for religion, " God 
 is not in all their thoughts ;" and for the sake of the world, 
 they neglect the gospel, and lose their own souls. " They 
 are careful about many things," with Martha, but do not 
 choose "the one thing needful," with Mary. Now this is a 
 
132 A NEW HEART. 
 
 sad state to be in. " If we love the world, the love of Crod 
 is not in us." 1 John 2 : 15, If we mind " earthly things," 
 so as to make them our chief good, our " end will be destruc- 
 tion." Phil. 3:19. And say now, my dear children, are 
 not your hearts worldly? Though you arc not engaged in 
 worldly business, yet your little hearts love only the things of 
 this world. Are not play and pleasure allryou seek and de- 
 light in ? Perhaps you do not like prayer ; either you do not 
 pray at all in secret, or you satisfy yourselves with a few 
 formal words which you have got by heart, without feeling 
 any desire after Christ, and grace and salvatioij. And when 
 your parents pray in their families, as I hope they do, you do 
 not regard what is said; and when you are in- the house of 
 G-od, perhaps you do not mind what the minister says, or you 
 content yourself merely with remembering the text. But this 
 is not religion. The worldly heart must be taken away, and 
 you must have a heavenly, spiritual heart, that delights in 
 God and Christ, and prayer and praise — in the word of God 
 and spiritual conversation. Blessed be G-od, there have been 
 many such children ; perhaps you have read of them in " Jane- 
 way's Token for Children," The Lord make you like them ; 
 that so you may live to God, if you are spared to live longer; 
 or made fit for heaven, if he should be pleased to remove you. 
 4. The heart is by nature wicked; the Scripture says it is 
 desperately wicked, Jer, 17 : 9. And our Saviour says, "Out 
 of the heart proceed evil thoughts, thefts, murders," Matt. 
 15 : 19, and many other bad things. Now you know they 
 must be in the heart, or they could not come out of it. Some 
 people will tell you they have good hearts^ even though they 
 speak bad words and do bad actions. But this is a mistake. 
 A good tree bears good fruit ; and a sweet spring does not 
 send forth bitter waters. Now every person's heart is wicked 
 by nature ; and if some people do not commit such wicked 
 actions as others, it is not because their hearts are better by 
 nature, but because God would not let them be so wicked as 
 they would ; just as they chain up wild beasts to keep them 
 from destroying us. 
 
SERMON XIII. 133 
 
 My dear children, you may see the truth. of this in your- 
 selves. You know how apt you are, or were once, to tell lies. 
 Nobody told you how to tell lies. You did it naturally. Now 
 is not that a proof of a wicked heart ? Lying is a great sin. 
 It is a work of the devil, who is " a liar, and the father of 
 lies." Lying is so hateful to God, that he will not let any 
 liars go to heaven, " nothing that maketh a lie," Rev. 22 : 15; 
 but he says, " All liars shall have their part in the lake which 
 burneth with fire and brimstone." Rev. 21:8. pray to 
 God to forgive you this great sin. You may know that your 
 hearts are wicked by your going into a passion when you 
 are crossed; and great anger is a degree of murder in God's 
 esteem. Matt. 5 : 22. But the wickedness of the heart ap- 
 pears most of all in its enmity against God ; for St. Paul says, 
 "The carnal mind is enmity against God," Rom. 8:7; and 
 have not you shown this in your dislike of religion, in break- 
 ing the Sabbath, in taking the Lord's name in vain, in dis- 
 obeying your parents, and in many other ways ? See then 
 how needful it is that you should have a new heart ; and the 
 new heart is a jture heart. Jesus Christ says, " Blessed are 
 the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matt, o : 8. Now 
 the heart is " purified by faith." "When we see what a wicked 
 heart we have, and are filled with grief and fear, then we fly 
 for refuge to Jesus Christ. Then God pardons our past sins 
 for his sake, and gives us his Holy Spirit to make us hate sin^ 
 and fight against it — to make us desire to know his will, and 
 love to do it. Pray then with David, " Create in me a clean 
 heart, God, and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 
 51:10. Remember, that "Avithout holiness no man shall 
 see the Lord." 
 
 0. The heart by nature is deceitful; yea, the Scripture 
 says, "deceitful above all things." It calls good evil, and 
 evil good. It cheats people with false pretences and vain 
 excuses ; so that the way of the wicked seems right to them, 
 although it leads to destruction. There is scarcely any sin- 
 ner, however great, that does not flatter himself all will be 
 well at last, though God tells him to the contrary. On this 
 
134 A NEW HEART. 
 
 account, "he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool." But 
 when the Lord gives a new heart, he makes it sincere. A 
 real Christian is like Nathaniel, of whom our Saviour said, 
 " Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile;" that 
 is, no allowed hypocrisy in his dealings with G-od or man. 
 
 6. The heart is naturally an unbelieving heart. It is a 
 sad thing that man should be more ready to believe the father 
 of lies than the God of truth. It was by hearkening to the 
 devil that Eve, our first mother, sinned; and there has been 
 in mankind ever since " an evil heart of unbelief in departing 
 from the living G-od." It is plain that people do not believe 
 God. If th«y believed what he says of sin, they would not 
 dare to practise it. If they believed what he says of Christ, 
 surely they would come to him for life and salvation. And 
 the reason they do not, is, they " love darkness rather than 
 light, because their deeds are evil." But the new heart is a 
 believing heart. The Christian takes God .at his word. He 
 believes his threatenings, and fears. He believes his prom- 
 ises in Christ, and hopes. He believes his commandments, 
 and obeys. Without this faith " it is impossible to please 
 God;" for he that believeth not' God hath made him a liar. 
 But faith glorifies God. " He that believeth on the Son of 
 God hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son 
 shall not see life; but the wrath of G-od abideth on him." 
 John 3 : 36. 
 
 And now, dear children, I have told you what sort of 
 hearts we have by nature, and what the Lord can rriake 
 them by his grace. I hope you will consider what I have 
 said, and consider what hearts you have. Are they not ha7-d 
 and proud and worldly and wiched axidi deceitful and unbe- 
 lieving ? I think you must own they are so by nature. And 
 does iipt this show you that you must be born again, and 
 have a new heart? If your heart should not be changed, 
 you will grow more wicked as you grow older; and if you 
 should die in your sins, you will be lost for ever. 
 
 But, my dear children, I hope better things. Do not you 
 
SERMON XIII. 135 
 
 know that Jesus Christ came " to seek, and to save that 
 which was lost?" And do not you remember reading that 
 some good people brought their little children to him, and 
 desired him to bless them ? And he said, " Suffer little chil- 
 dren to come unto me." Would you not be very glad if he 
 were here now, and you could go and kneel down to him, 
 and say, Blessed Jesus, bless me, even me also ? Well, though 
 he is in heaven, you maiy do this now. He is the same 
 to-day that he was then. He loves little children as well as 
 ever. And I beg a,nd beseech each of you, when you go 
 home, to go into some private place, and kneel down, and 
 say. Blessed Jesus, 1 have a wicked heart, that makes me do 
 wicked things, and 1 am afraid of thy anger: but 1 have 
 heard in the gospel that thou hast died for sinners, to save 
 them from hell, and sin, and the world; save me, lest I 
 perish: Take away my heart of stone, and give me a heart 
 of flesh — a heart to know, trust, and love thee, that I may 
 serve thee? in this world, and be for ever happy in the world 
 to come. 
 
 Let none of you say, "I am not old enough, or not big 
 enough to be religious; it is time enough yet." Dear chil- 
 dren, you are not too young to die. Younger than you are in 
 the grave. Besides, you cannot be too young to serve the 
 Lord. Can you be safe too soon ? Can you be happy too 
 soon? Can you glorify God too much? Surely not. Well 
 then, pray for a new heart. It is the best gift that God can 
 give you, or you receive; and may God, Almighty, for Christ's 
 sake, bestow it upon every one of you. Amen. 
 
 Oil, where can trembling sinnCrs flee ? 
 To no one, Jesus, but to tliee ; 
 Thy life and death, thy cross and grave, 
 Proclaim thy willingness to save. 
 
 To me thy tender mercy show, 
 Thy great'salvation may 1 know ; 
 And by thy Spirit's grace impart 
 To me a new and holy heart. 
 
136 THE LOED'S PKAYER. 
 
 THE LORD'S PRAYER. 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 
 "AFTER THIS MANNER THEREFORE PRAY YE: OUR FATHER WHICH ART 
 IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME. THY 
 WILL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY 
 OUR DAILY BREAD. AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE 
 OUR DEBTORS. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER 
 US FROM EVIL : FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND 
 THE GLORY, FOR EVER. AMEN." Matt. 6 : 9-13. 
 
 Prayer to God is the bounden duty of all men. "We 
 live and move and have our being in him." " Every good 
 and perfect gift proceeds from him." " Men ought therefore 
 always to pray, and not to faint." We are so sinful, that we 
 always need mercy. We are so weak, that we always need 
 help. We are so empty, that we always need supplies. We 
 are so exposed, that we always need protection, How rea^ 
 sonable then that we should continue in prayer. 
 
 But we greatly need direction in prayer. We know not 
 how to pray, nor what to pray for, as we ought. Therefore 
 Christ has been pleased to teach us in these words, which 
 contain an excellent pattern for prayer. Not that we are tied 
 down to use these very words, much less to use thena always; 
 but after this manner we are to pray. Now, as many persons 
 constantly use this prayer, it may be very useful to explain 
 it, because it may be feared that a great many say the words 
 without knowing their meaning, which is formality at best; 
 and many contradict every part of this prayer by their wicked 
 lives, which is base hypocrisy. May we therefore be assisted 
 by the good Spirit rightly to understand it, that so, whenever 
 we use it hereafter, we may offer up a reasonable and spiritual 
 sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 
 
 1. Our Father which art in heaven. We should always 
 
SERMON XIV. 137 
 
 begin our prayers with proper thoughts of God, And what 
 thoughts of him are so proper as those suggested by these 
 words, namely, his goodness and his greatness ? As a Father, 
 he is good. As a heavenly Father, he is great. Thus are we 
 taught to approach him with confidence and reverence. 
 
 As the Creator of all men, God may, in a general sense, 
 be called the Eather of all ; but it is in a higher and sweeter 
 sense that he is here called a Father. "We are to t^ke it in a 
 gospel view — God is reconciled to believing sinners through 
 faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. God is angry with the 
 wicked every day. He does not look down upon them with 
 a father's eye, nor do they look up to him with a child-like 
 spirit. Thfsrefore this prayer is not fit for the use of a man 
 who lives in sin, whose carnal mind is enmity against God. 
 How dare the swearer, the liar, the drunkard, call God a 
 father ? God will not own the relation. If such men pray, 
 might they not rather cry. Our father which art in hell? for 
 Christ said to such persons, " Ye are of your father the devil, 
 and the lusts of your father ye will do." John 8 : 44. 
 
 But when a person is convinced of his lost estate by 
 sin; when he is enlightened to know Christ as a Saviour; 
 and when, by precious faith, he comes to God through him, 
 then God is reconciled to him ; his anger is turned away, and 
 he comforts him. Then he may look up to God as a merciful 
 God, " forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin ;" for " to as 
 many as receive Christ, and the atonement through him, he 
 giveth power to become the sons of God, even to them that 
 believe in his name;" and to such only is "the spirit of 
 adoption" given, whereby they cry, "Abba, Father." For it 
 is one thing to use the word father, and another to approach 
 him, as a loving child comes to a tender parent, with a per- 
 suasion of his being able and willing to supply his wants. 
 To such persons this name is full of comfort ; for they are 
 emboldened to believe, that if earthly parents, though evil, 
 know how to give good gifts to their children, God our heav- 
 enly Father is much more disposed to do them good, and bless 
 them with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. 
 
138 THE LORD'S PEAYER. 
 
 But this name teaches us also the greatness of God.. Chil- 
 dren ought to treat their earthly parents with greiat respect ; 
 but what reverence is due to the Father of spirits, whose 
 throne is in the heavens ! yea, " the heaven of heavens can- 
 not contain hiin." God is everywhere present: he is not 
 confined to heaven; but he is said to dwell there, because 
 there he displays the brightest beams of his glorious majesty; 
 and there angels and saints bow low before his feet, crying, 
 day and night, " Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty!" 
 Such thoughts as these should possess our minds when we 
 say, Our Father who art in heaven. Think of his goodness 
 and his greatness when you pray. Take care to lift up your 
 hearts to heaven when you pray to him who dwells in heaven, 
 or else your prayers will never reach his throne. 
 
 2. Hallowed be thy naine. This is the first petition; and 
 is placed first, to show us that our first and chief desire should 
 be, that God may he glorified; for that is the meaning of it. 
 The name of God signifies God himself, as he is pleased to 
 make himself known to us by his names and titles, his words 
 and works ; for as a man is known to us by his name, so God 
 has made himself known to us in the gospel. There all his 
 glorious perfections shine and unite. There he shows him- 
 self "a just God and a Saviour." Now, to hallow God's 
 name, is to sanctify it, to hold it sacred; for to sanctify any 
 thing is to set it apart from every profane and common use. 
 In this petition, then, we pray that God would enable us to 
 glorify him in all things whereby he makes himself known. 
 We must glorify him in our hearts, by high, holy, reverent 
 thoughts of him. We must glorify him by out tongues, by 
 always speaking of him in the most serious manner. We 
 must glorify him in all our actions — not only by acts of 
 solemn worship, but by the most common actions of life; for, 
 whether we eat or drink, all should be done with a view to 
 the glory of God. 
 
 Now, how dreadfully fi^r from this are many who say this 
 prayer, and who no sooner rise from their knees than they 
 profane and blaspheme his holy name. Think of this, you 
 
SERMON XIV. 139 
 
 who curse and swear, or take the Lord's name in vain. 
 When you say in a thoughtless manner, God hless us, 
 God, Christ, etc., is this to hallow the name of God ? 
 Leave off praying, or leave off swearing; for swearing and 
 praying cannot agree together. 
 
 But let every one that fears God remember, that the glory 
 of God is the first and chief thing that we are to ask for, and 
 to desire and seek, even before our own good. Now, that 
 we and others may do this, we are taught, in the next place, 
 to pray, 
 
 3. Thy kingdom come. Now this does hot mean the 
 kingdom of God's providence, which rules over all : this can- 
 not be said to come, for it is come already, and will never 
 cease; but it means that spiritual kingdom which Christ 
 came to set up in the world. That kingdom of the Mes- 
 siah which the pious Jews had long expected, and which, 
 when this prayer was given to the disciples, was said to be 
 at hand. This kingdom of Christ did come soon after. It 
 was set up when Christ ascended to heaven, and the Spirit 
 descended from it. But still the prayer is as necessary as 
 ever; for we pray that this kingdom may be established in 
 our own hearts, and extended to all the world. 
 
 The kingdom of Christ is erected on purpose to destroy 
 the kingdom of Satan. The devil has usurped a dominion 
 over all mankind; and though he does not now possess the 
 bodies of men as once he did, yet he "ruleth in the hearts of 
 the children of disobedience," who are " taken captive by him 
 at his will;" and in some parts of the world he is still wor- 
 shipped as God. Now, in order to destroy this infernal king- 
 dom, Jesus Christ came into the world ; he overcame Satan 
 in all his attempts to seduce him; and on the cross he spoiled 
 principalities and powers, and conquered when he fell; he 
 deprived Satan of his power, and led captivity captive. 
 Wherever he sends his gospel, he proclaims liberty; and 
 wherever he gives his grace to any person, there Satan is 
 dethroned: and being made willing to, submit to Christ, the 
 believer is translated out of Satan's kingdom of sin and 
 
140 THE LOKD'S PRAYEE. 
 
 darkness into the holy and happy kingdom of God's dear 
 Son. 
 
 Now when we say thtf kingdom come, we pray that the 
 light, power, liberty, and glory of Christ's spiritual kingdona 
 may be more fully experienced in our own hearts, more fully 
 established in our own souls. For as one observes, " In wor- 
 ship, we pay our homage to God. In the word, we come to 
 learn his laws. In the sacraments, we renew our oaths of 
 allegiance. In almsgiving, we pay him tribute. In prayer, 
 we ask his leave; and praise is our rent to the great Lord, 
 from whom we hold our all." 
 
 Thus also we express our soul's desire for our poor fellow- 
 sinners. Deeply affected with the state of heathens, Jews, 
 Mohammedans, and wickfed Christians, we pour forth our 
 souls in holy longings for their conversion, earnestly desiring 
 the joyful day when it shall be said, " The kingdoms of this 
 world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, 
 and he shall reign for ever and ever." Rev. 11 : 15. 
 
 4. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. In utter- 
 ing this petition, let us seriously ask ourselves how the angels 
 in heaven do the will of their heavenly Father? they wor- 
 ship him day and night, with diligence and cheerfulnes's, they 
 worship him in sincerity and truth. Let us lift up our hearts, 
 that we may likewise, as far as our sinful fleshly nature will 
 admit, be "enabled like them Jo worship him in spirit and in 
 truth. God, the glorious maker of the world, has a right to 
 govern it. His will is the proper rule of his creatures' ac- 
 tions ; and it is obeyed by them all, except men and devils. 
 God has made known his will to us in his word. The law 
 of the ten commandments shows what obedience he requires 
 of us; but, as fallen creatures, we have rendered ourselves 
 incapable of perfect obedience to it, and so of obtaining life 
 by it. God has graciously given us the law of faith, or the 
 gospel of salvation by Jesus Christ; and this is his command- 
 ment, " that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus 
 Christ, and love one another." But the natural man refuses 
 obedience to this also; he is either unconcerned about salvd- 
 
SERMON XIV. 141 
 
 tion, or dislikes the way of it; and while he remains in this 
 state, he cannot do the will of God in any respect acceptably, 
 " for without faith it is impossible to please him." In short, 
 "the carnal mind is enmity against God;" the will of the 
 flesh is directly contrary to the will of God; but it accords 
 with the will of Satan, sinners being "taken captive by him 
 at his will." 
 
 How necessary then is this petition — thy will be done ! 
 And it includes, 1. A desire to knoiv it; as the Psalmist 
 prays, " Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God ;" or, 
 as converted Saul, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" 
 2. A heart to do it — a heart on which God has written his 
 laws. I remember a person who told me, when he was 
 teaching his child to say this prayer, and came to this peti- 
 tion, ";f% will be done," the child refused to say it, and 
 would have it " my will be done." This poor simple child 
 was far more honest than many of us, who say thy will be 
 done, and yet determine to follow our own will : but the real 
 Christian's desire is, " that there were such a heart in me, 
 to fear God, and keep all his commandments always !" Deut. 
 5 : 29. We pray also, 3. For strength to do the will of God : 
 for "to will" may be present, and yet how to perform that 
 which is good we may not find; but knowing that the Lord 
 worketh in his people both to will and to do, we hereby pray 
 that he would " make us perfect in every good work to do 
 his will, working in us that which is well pleasing in his 
 sight, through Jesus Christ." This petition "also includes 
 holy submission to the will of his providence however afflic- 
 tive, and that we may learn to bear it without murm!uring, 
 knowing that it is his will, and for our good. 
 
 Now, we pray for grace to do all this, in imitation of the 
 spirits of just men made perfect, and of the sinless angels in 
 heaven. " God's will is done in heaven^ The angels that 
 excel in strength do his commandment, hearkening to the 
 voice of his word : they do it humbly, cheerfully, diligently, 
 constantly ; and so do glorified saints in heaven, " for there 
 his servants shall serve him." So let it be our meat and 
 
142 THE LORD'S PRAYER. 
 
 drink to do the will of our heavenly Father, and to bear 
 Christ's yoke which is easy, and his burden which is light. 
 
 5. Give us this day our daily bread. This petition im- 
 plies our dependence on God for food, and all the supports 
 and comforts of life. Man as a fallen creature has forfeited 
 the good things of this life, and deserves to be deprived of 
 them all. The earth was cursed for man's sake, therefore in 
 sorrow and labor he eats of it; but it is through the goodness 
 of G-od that he has power to labor — that rain from heaven 
 and fruitful seasons are even granted. It i« " he who gives 
 us our corn and wine and oil;" and though the poor man 
 works hard for his daily bread, it is no less the gift of God. 
 To him also we owe the appetite that makes our food pleas- 
 ant, and the power of digestion that makes it nourishing. 
 
 Moderation in our desires is here expressed. We are not 
 taught to ask for riches and honors; they are often the de- 
 structive snares of those who possess them; but we may law- 
 fully ask for food and raiment, " for our heavenly Father 
 knoweth that we have need of all these things," Matt. 6 : 32 ; 
 and having these, we ought to be content. 
 
 We are not to ask for weekly bread, or monthly htediA, or 
 yearly bread, but for daily bread; for we must not boast of 
 to-morrow, or depend on future years, but live in daily de- 
 pendence on God, without anxious cares for a future time. 
 " Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof;" and sufficient for 
 the day is the good thereof; so that we are to exercise our- 
 selves in daily prayer, and receive every meal and every mor- 
 sel as the gift of a good God, which will make it sweeter. 
 
 The Christian will also ask for bread for his soul as well 
 as his body. Christ is to the believer's soul what food is to 
 the body. He is "the bread of life;" and if we are born of 
 G-od, we shall daily desire to feed upon him in our hearts by 
 faith with thanksgiving. 
 
 6. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 
 This petition is joined to the last by the word and, which 
 
 ' may teach us, that without the forgiveness of sins the com- 
 forts of this life can do us no real good; " for what is a man 
 
SERMON XIV. 143 
 
 profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own 
 soul ?" Every man is a sinner. There is not a creature who 
 wants daily bread, that does not also want daily pardon; and 
 yet how few are sensible of it ! Sin is here compared to a 
 debt. There is a debt of duty we owe to God ; and in case 
 of failure, we contract a new debt to the justice of G-od. The 
 debts we owe to man expose us to misery here ; but the debt 
 we owe to Grod exposes us to eternal misery", for " the wages 
 of sin is death." 
 
 And be it remembered, we are not able to pay a single 
 farthing of this debt : if ever we are delivered from going to 
 the prison of hell, it must be by a free pardon, for so we here 
 pray, ^'forgive us our debts;" or, as it is elsewhere, "forgive 
 us our trespasses." God will take no composition. We can 
 itiake }io amends. It is not taking care not to contract a 
 new debt that will discharge an old one: this will not do 
 with our neighbors, nor will it do with God. Free forgive- 
 ness alone will prevent our punishment. Eut be it carefully 
 observed, that though a sinner is justified freely, it is only 
 "through the redemption that is in Christ." It costs us 
 nothing, but it cost him dear. And it is only through faith in 
 his blood that we can receive it. With believing and peni- 
 tent hearts we must go to God by Jesus Christ, and plead for 
 his mercy for Christ's sake. 
 
 At the same time we are here taught what is the true 
 disposition of a gracious, soul, a forgiving temper — " as we 
 forgive our debtors;" that is, as we forgive those who have 
 injured us in our property, person, or name. Not that our 
 kindness to another deserves forgiveness at the hand of God ; 
 but that, as we cannot expect pardon from God while we 
 refuse it to those who ask us for it, we may humbly hope 
 that if we are enabled by grace to forgive others, God, whose 
 thoughts and ways are infinitely above ours, will not reject 
 our prayer for pardoning mercy through Jesus Christ. 
 
 7. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from 
 evil. Those whose sins are forgiven will be afraid of sinning 
 again ; and knowing the power of temptation, will pray to be 
 
144 THE LORD'S PRAYER. 
 
 kept from it. Now temptation is any thing which makes 
 trial of us, and proves what is in our hearts. Afflictions are 
 G-od's trials of us, for our good; hut all Satan's temptations 
 are to lead us into evil. The person who uses this prayer 
 ■aright, is afraid of sin ; knows the plague of his own heart, 
 the power of his corruptions, the snares of the world, and the 
 devices of the "devil ; and he offers up this petition to God, 
 that he would keep him out of the way of such trials as 
 would be too hard for him, or grant sufficient strength to 
 resist and overcome the devil, " the evil one" the wicked one, 
 the great tempter, " who goeth about like a roaring lion, seek- 
 ing whom he may devour." But this must be accompanied 
 with watching, and avoiding all wilful occasions of sin, or 
 else these words do but mock G-od. 
 
 8. The conclusion of this prayer is. For thine is the hing- 
 dom, and the power, and the glory, foi- ever. Amen. This 
 shows why we should pray to God, and why we may hope 
 to be heard. The kingdom is his. G-od is King of all the 
 world, and has a right to dispose of all things in it. The 
 power is his, as well as the authority: whatever our wants 
 are, he can supply them; whoever our enemies are, he can 
 subdue them. He therefore can answer our prayers; and as 
 a loving Father, we hope he will. His then will be the glory. 
 Whatever God does is for his own glory ; and if we are dis- 
 posed to give him all the glory of what he does for us, we 
 may hope that our petitions will be granted. This kingdom, 
 this power, this glory, are foi- ever; he will never want the 
 power to help ; and if we are saved, we shall never cease to 
 give him praise. 
 
 The force of the whole prayer lies in the first and last 
 words of it, Our Father, and Amen. In the first, we apply 
 to God in Christ, as reconciled to us ; in the last, we set our 
 seal to the whole, and say. Amen; so let it be; so, we humbly 
 hope, it shall be, for Christ's sake. 
 
 How awfully is this prayer abused ! Ignorant peoplfe use 
 it as a kind of charm ; and think it enough to say the words, 
 
SERMON XIV. 145 
 
 without considering the meaning. heware^ as you love 
 your soi\ls, of mocking God by thoughtless praying. Can you 
 call him a Eather, while you obey the devil ? "Will you say, 
 " hallowed , be thy name," , and yet profane it daily ? What 
 do you care for his kihgdom, while you belong to another ; or 
 why talk of God's will without wishing to do it? Do you 
 not forget him when you eat and drink ? Are you not care- 
 less about the forgiveness of your sins, adding daily to the 
 dreadful debt, and perhaps living in malice and wrath ? How 
 can you pray that God will not lead you into temptation, 
 when you run wilfully dnto the way of it; frequenting the 
 ale-house, the playhouse, the fair, and the cbmpany of the 
 profane and thie drunken? Dear fellov^-oreature, permit me 
 to say, that thus contradicting your prayers by your life, you 
 cannot expect to be heard; nay, God may justly say to you 
 at last, " Out of thine own mouth will I condemn thee, thou 
 wicked servant." But Gqd forbid ! Think over this prayer 
 before you use it again; and beg of God to enable you to use 
 it with . Understanding and siricerity, that the rich blessings 
 asked for in it may be yours, and God be glorified in your 
 everlasting salvation. 
 
 Those who are "born of God," and have "the spirit of 
 grace and supplication," teaching them to pray, will not con- 
 fine themselves at all times to these words; yet they may be 
 used with great comfort and edification. God is your father; 
 he is more disposed to gives than you to ask : plead that dear 
 relation. Let his glory be your first desire; the increase of 
 his kingdom your highest wish. Let his will be done in love; 
 by saints below as well as those ^bove; then fear not to de- 
 pend upon his providence for daily supplies. " There is for- 
 giveness with him, that he may be feared ;" and He that is for 
 us is greater than he who is against us. Though surrounded 
 with snares, his sheep- are in his hand; and they stall be 
 kept by his power, through faith, unto salvation. Then shall 
 prayer be turned into praise ; and all the ransomed of the Lord 
 shall unite in full chorus, and say, " Thine is the kingdorn, and 
 the power, and the glory, for ever and ever." Amen and Amen. 
 
 Vil. Ser. 10 
 
146 DANGER OP FORMALITY. 
 
 THE DANGER OF FORMALITY AND HYPOCRISY. 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 "NOT ETERY ONE THAT SAITH UNTO ME, LORD, LORD, SHALL.ENTEE INTO 
 THE KINGDOM OF, HEAVEN; BU-T HE THAT DOETH. THE WILL OF MX 
 FATJIER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." Matt. 7 : 21. , 
 
 "We have before us Etn eternal World, in which there are 
 hut two states, the one inexpressihly happy, the other incon- 
 ceivably wretched ; and in one of these each of us must very 
 soon be fixed. But in which? Is it possible we can be 
 indifferent about knowing in which, when an hour, a mo- 
 ment may place us in one of theirl ? Perhaps you will say, 
 How can a' person know ? I answer, it may be known, 
 clearly known by the word of God ; for in the Scripture the 
 characters of saints and sinners are exactly drawn. It is 
 plainly laid down who shall go to heaven, and who shall go 
 to hell; and having this rule, we are often exhorted to try 
 ourselves by it, " to examine ourselves whether we be in the 
 faith," and thus "to make our calling and election sure." 
 The Words of our text are of this nature; and you will re- 
 member that they are the words of Jesus Christ, who is to be 
 our judge; so that the same lips which declared this to us, 
 will pronounce upon each of us the sentence of life or death. 
 that we may now learn, whait all the world shall then 
 lisarh, that true religion does not consist in words; or profes^ 
 sion of regard to Christ, or in gifts, or zeal. Or usefulness;; but 
 in doing the will of God from the heart. 
 
 1. We learn from these words, that a^ the great day there 
 will he an earnest desire in many to enter into the Jeingdom 
 of heaven. By "the kingdom of heaven" is sometimes in- 
 tended the kingdom of grace in the church of Christ oh earth; 
 but here it means the state of glory above, where Jesus shall 
 
SERMON XV. 147 
 
 reign in all his divine glory, and all his subjects enjoy perfect 
 hliss. That this is referred to appears from the next verse, 
 " Many will say unto me in that day, Lord; Lord." In that 
 day: it is not said m what di&j ; nor was there any need to 
 say what day, for all the disciples of Christ know what is 
 meant by it. They are often thinking* on that day when 
 they shall " see the Son of man coming in the clouds with 
 great glory;" '* when the Lord Jesus shall be- revealed from 
 heaven with all his mighty angels in flaming fire." This is 
 called the great day — a day of the greatest grandeur, a day 
 of the greatest joy, and a day of the greatest terror. It is 
 also called the day of the Lord, and the day of Christ. The 
 present time is too often regarded as man's day; yea, the 
 devil's day, when sinners triumph, and Satan reigns; but 
 the triumph of the wicked is short, and the prince of this 
 world shall be judged. 
 
 how careless are most people now about this great day. 
 Scoffers abound in these latter times, and say, " Where is the 
 promise of his coming?" Now and then, indeed, a just con- 
 cern has prevailed for a season; as under John's ministry, 
 " the kingdom, of heaven suffered violence, and all men were 
 for pressing into it." When a nation has been frightened by 
 an earthquake or a plague, multitudes have been alarmed for 
 a while. A few years ago thousands followed Mr. Whitefield 
 into the ppeii fields to hear the word; and we have read of 
 great awakenings in America and other places. that we 
 could now see the same ! that now, when the judgments 
 of the Lord are abroad in the earth, this sinful nation would 
 learn righteousness ! 
 
 But Oh, how will it b& with us when the day cornes? 
 How will it be when the ti;umpet shall Sound ? What terror 
 will seize the he^rt of the wicked man ! Ah, will he say^ is 
 the dreadful day come at last; the day I so often heard of, so 
 often laughed at? my folly, O my vain and hurtful lusts! 
 Eor what have I lostmy soul? Por the sake of my business, 
 my pleasures, my qompanions, I have lost my soul, my heav- 
 en, my all, that Ihad never been born! But perhaps he 
 
148 DANGER OF FORMALITY. 
 
 may say, Am not I a Christian? was not I baptized and con- 
 firmed, and did I not take the sacrament ? Lord, Lord, open 
 to n^e ; but it will be too late, the door is shut : many shall 
 then seek to enter in, but shall not be able. The Judge will 
 "profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye 
 workers of iniquity." And this leads us to observe in the 
 ne;xt placej that, 
 
 2. A mere profession of religion will then he found'in- 
 svfficient. The judgment of men is regarded now; but it is 
 a small matter to be judged of man's judgment. Man looks 
 only at the outward appearance, but the Lord searcheth the 
 heart; and ha will then make the result of Ms search public. 
 The young man may now rejoice in his youthful pleasures; 
 he may walk in the ways of his .heart, and in the sight of his 
 eyes; but let him know — and O that he may consider it — that 
 " for all these things, God will bring him into judgmeht." 
 Eccl. 11:9. Yea, G-od will bring every secret thing into 
 judgment: what is spoken in the ear in the closet shall be 
 proclaimed on the house-top; and then shall the secrets of all 
 hearts be made manifest. Then shall many that were first, 
 be last ; and many that were last, shall be first. Then shall 
 the hypocrites be detected and exposed. Then shall a Sepa- 
 ration be made between the tares and the wheat; between 
 the sheep and the goats; between the foolish and the wise 
 virgins. Then shall he say to poor vain formalists, " I never 
 knew you." But let us more particularly examine the pre-- 
 tensions of these people. 
 
 It should seem that they used to pray; they used to say, 
 " Lord, Lord !" It is certainly a bad sign for any one, that he 
 does not pray ; and it is generally a good sign when a person 
 dpes pray, but it is not a certain, sign of grace. The wicked 
 sometimes pour out a prayer when God's chastening is upon 
 them. Afflictions will sometimes extort prayers and vows, 
 and many duties of religion; but when the affliction is Over 
 there is an end of their devotion, and they return to their 
 sins as the dog to his vomit. So there may be transient 
 convictions of sin, and terrific fears of hell, especially in the 
 
SERMON XV. 149 
 
 time of sickness and apprehension of death; and these may 
 lead not only to a temporary reformation, but to doing many 
 things, as Herod did when he heard John gladly, and as num- 
 bers of persons, in popish countries who do penance for their 
 sins ; but there may be all this and much more while men 
 remain workers of iniquity. 
 
 Again, these people appeared to be zealous in religion, as 
 the repetition of the word, "Lord, Lord," seems to intimate; 
 and we find in the next verse, that they " prophesied in the 
 name of Christ." Most of the prophets, especially the stated 
 prophets, were " holy men ;" but some, especially of the occa- 
 sional ones, as Balaam; Saul, and Caiaphas, were wicked 
 men. So were some of the first preachers of Christianity; 
 and so are many now. This is an awful word for the carnal 
 clergy of any church, and wicked preacher of any denomina- 
 tion; and it shows that zeal for religion is no proof of sin- 
 cerity in it. 
 
 These men did more still : " they cast out devils in Christ's 
 name." When Christ was upon earth, and for some ages 
 after, the devil was permitted to possess the bodies of men; 
 but Christ and his apostles were able to cast them out; and 
 so did common Christians for a long time after, by the men- 
 tion of his name. But this and other extraordinary gifts 
 were not confined to real Christians ; wicked professors some- 
 times did it, and here, we see, boasted of it and pleaded it ; 
 but the plea is not adm.itted. Other " wonderful works" they 
 also did; for so the Lord permitted, in order to promote the 
 spread of Christianity; but what availed all this, while the 
 devil was not cast out of their own hearts, and the wonderful 
 works of G-od's grace had never been wrought in their own 
 souls? Men may be famous and useful in the church, yet, 
 after all, be " cast away." 
 
 These people also professed obedience to Christ; they 
 called him Lord. He is " Lord of all." He has all power in 
 heaven and earth ; and to him every knee shall bow. But it 
 is to no purpose to call him Master and Lord, if we do not 
 the things which he commands. Christ is not deceived by 
 
150 DANGER OF POEMALITY. 
 
 compliments, and he will reject that false davotion which 
 consists only in wofds; . " Saying and doing are two things 
 often parted in the conversation of men. He that said, ' I go, 
 sir,' never stirred a step." Matt. 21 : 30. 
 
 jSTow, notwithstanding all the professions of these people, 
 it appears from the words of Christ himself, that they were 
 workers of iniquity. They loved sin, they lived in sin, they 
 made a trade of sin; it was their calling and business, at 
 which they daily worked, as a man at his proper trade. All 
 this they did under the mask of religion, and are therefore 
 rejected. '' Depart from me, I never knew you." 
 
 Observe here, my friends, the deceitfulness of sin, and the 
 deceitfulness of the heart. Though these formal professors 
 lived in sin, and must have known they did so, yet they con- 
 tinued to depend on their outward forms, and to approach the 
 bar of God yith a lie in their right hands. Alas, how many 
 deceivers live and die deceived, and their fatal mistake is 
 never detected till it is past remedy ! Just like the Jews of 
 old, to whom St. Paul thus speaks: "Behold, thou art called 
 a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy bOast of God, 
 and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more 
 excellent, being instructed out of the law ; and art confident 
 that ihoM thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them 
 which are in. darkness^ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher 
 of babes, which hast the form of -knowledge and of the truth 
 in the law." Rom. 2:17-20. These outward things the 
 Jews rested in, presumed upon, and were proud of; while 
 they were ignorant of the spiritual design of their own rites, 
 and many of them so wicked, that " the name of God was 
 blasphemed among the Gentiles" by their sins. They were 
 strangers to that- important distinction which the apostle 
 makes, verse 28, 29; of that chapter, where he says, "He is 
 not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circum- 
 cision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew, which 
 is one inwardly; and circumcision is of -the heart, ia. the 
 spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but 
 of God." Thus, you see there is a great difference between 
 
SEEMON XV. 151 
 
 outward and inward religion — between the religion of form, 
 and the religion of the heart. "What circumcision, sacrifices, 
 and the temple were to the Jews of old, baptism, the Lord's 
 supper, and public worship are to professing Christians now; 
 and as the ignorant Jews put their trilst in their church priv- 
 ileges, so do many nominal Christians now; but if this be all, 
 their praise will be not of God, but of men only. 
 
 This is evident from our text, in which a claim on Christ, 
 
 « ■ 
 
 founded on these things, is rejected. "I never knew you;" 
 that is, "I never esteemed or approved of you as my true 
 disciples and servants ; nor will I own or accept you as such. 
 Depart from me: I now banish you from my blessed and 
 glorious presence to everlasting misery and despair, all ye 
 wilful transgressors." How dreadful will that word be, De- 
 part ! How did Peter dread the thought of departing from 
 Christ, when, many of his disciples having forsaken him, he 
 said to the apostles, " Will ye also go away ?" Peter, in the 
 name of the, rest, replied, " Lord, to whom shall we go? thou 
 hast the words of eternal life." A holy so^il dreads the idea 
 of departing from Christ by apostasy; but how terrible will 
 it be to hear the great Judge command us to depart ! Grod 
 grant, that now we may depart from all iniquity. If there 
 be any iniquity in us which we know not, merciful Saviour, 
 discover it to us, and deliver us from it; and never let us 
 hear thee say, "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity." 
 We now proceed to the last and most pleasing part of our 
 subject, and observe, 
 
 3. That all true and obedient believers will be admitted 
 into the heavenly kingdom. Here is our Lord's description 
 of them, of every one of them: "He that doeth the will of 
 my Father, which is in heaven." The will of God cannot be 
 known but by his word. The Scriptures are given us on pur- 
 pose that we may know his will ; and there are two principal 
 things in the Scriptures, namely, what we are to believe con- 
 cerning God, and the duty which he requires of us; or, in 
 other words, /a^if^ and practice; and both these are equally 
 iiecessary, for we can never dothe will of God in holy obedi- 
 
152 DANGER OF FORMALITY. 
 
 ence without first believing in God through Jesus Christ; the 
 whole of the Christian, religion consisting in this, faith, ixhich 
 wofheih by love. 
 
 Faith is first necessary in order to obedience; so when the 
 people asked Christ, "What shall we do, that we may work 
 the works of God ?" John 6 : 28, etc. " This is the work of 
 God," said he,, "that ye believe on him whom he hath sent;" 
 as if he had said, " The great and important duty which I am 
 come to point out to you, and which leads the way to all 
 others, and is necessary to the acceptance of yoUr persons, 
 and of all your obedience, and which therefore God com- 
 mands, approves, and is the author of, is this, that ye cor- 
 dially embrace, and yield yourselves up by faith to me, as 
 the true Messiah, the only Mediator, according to the discov- 
 eries I make of myself, and of the way of salvation by me." 
 And St. John also says, " This is his commandment, that 
 we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ." 
 1 John 3 : 23. When people read or hear of 'the command- 
 ments, they think the ten commandments only are meant; 
 but this is a great mistake, for the very first business of a 
 poor guilty helpless sinner is to come to Christ for salvation* 
 We are not to suppose that we must first prepare, or make 
 ourselves worthy, by sorrow for sin, purifying our hearts, or 
 reforming our lives, before we may venture to trust in Christ; 
 all these are the proper fruits ^nd iefiects of faith. We must 
 believe in him ^'■who juUifieth the xtsgo'dly," and riot think 
 first to make ourselves godly, and then hope in him. Paith 
 is the first -Vvork. Look to Jesus. Come to Jesus. Trust in 
 Jesus, and then a good hope of pardoning mercy will incline 
 the heart to love him, and hate every evil way. We cannot 
 do good works till we are in Christ by faith, any more thari 
 the branch of a tree can produce fruit when separate from the 
 stock. Christ is the vine, .and we are the branches ; and by 
 virtue of union to him we become fruitful in every good word 
 and work. -"• ' 
 
 This also is the will of God, even our sanctification. God 
 is holy; therefore must we be holy. We are (?hosen in Chris-t 
 
SERMON XV. 153 
 
 unto sanotification and obedience. The Lord gives his people 
 a new heart, upon which he writes his laws, and which, 
 through his grace, become pleasant to them. Being crucified 
 with Christ, the old man of sin is crucified. They reckon 
 themselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive to God, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. The daily inquiry of a new- 
 born soul is, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?" " Teach 
 me to do thy will, for thou art my God." " I will run in the 
 way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my 
 heart." And this disposition will show itself in all the rela- 
 tions and circumstances of life; in the family, the workshop, 
 and in all common actions, as well as in the house of God. 
 Whether we are husbands, wives, children, servants, subjects, 
 filling up our places to God's glory will be our constant aim. 
 Particularly shall we be desirous to fulfil the royal law" of 
 love to our brethren, on which great stress is laid in the New 
 Testament ; for the law, as far as it relates to our neighbor, is 
 fulfilled in one word, love. 
 
 Now persons of this character shall have an abundant 
 entrance into the kingdom and glory of Jesus Christ. While 
 formalists and hypocrites are shut out, the blessed Redeemer 
 will smile upon these, and say, " Come, ye blessed of my 
 Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foun- 
 dation of the world;" and he will mention, as the evidence 
 of their election and fruit of their faith, the acts of Christian 
 love which they performed to their hungry, thirsty, naked, 
 sick, or imprisoned brethren: taking them as kindly as if they 
 had been done to himself: "for inasmuch as ye have done it 
 to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto 
 me." See Matt. 25 : 34-40. 
 
 And now, my friends, having heard how awful, the fate of 
 mere formalists and hypocrit(?s will prove at the great day, it 
 surely becomes us seriously to examine of what kind our 
 religion is. It plainly appears, from what has been said, 
 that " the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." 
 1 Cor. 4 : 20. And as there are many who have the form of 
 
154 DANGER OP FORMALITY. 
 
 godliness, but who deny the power of it, it is most necessary, 
 as we value the salvation of our souls, to determine whether 
 our religion is in form or power, that so we may know 
 whether the great Judge will own or disown us at the last. 
 
 Consider therefore what your religion consists in, and 
 what you depend upon. Is it that you were born and bred 
 a Christian ; that you were baptized ; that you have gone to 
 church; that you can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and 
 the Ten Commandments; that you have taken the sacra- 
 ment, been sorry for your sins, and have done to others as 
 you would be done by ? Or that you have done your best ? 
 Are these your pleas ? Is this your religion ? Then pardon 
 me if I speak the truth in love, and tell you plainly this will 
 not do. These empty boasts prove that you are a stranger to 
 true heart religion. All these things you may imagine you 
 have done: but if this be all, it is , only crying. Lord, Lord. 
 Had you gone much farther than this, and equalled the Phar- 
 isees in their zeal and devotion, all would be insufficient 
 without a conviction of your sin and misery; a heart hum- 
 bled for your iniquities ; a view of the only way of salvation 
 through Jesus Christ ; and that faith in him which purifies 
 the heart, works by love, and overcomes the world. Be not 
 deceived, then. Satisfy yourselves with nothing short of that 
 which Christ will accept and approve at last. This isdoiiig 
 the will of G-od ; which will, as you have now heard, requires 
 in the first place, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ — coming 
 to him as a guilty helpless sinner, and receiving him as your 
 wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Come 
 then, my fellow-sinner, to Jesus. Beg of him to teach you. 
 Beg of him to wash you in his blood. Beg of him to give 
 you his Spirit, and emable you, from a principle of love, to 
 forsake every evil way, and cleave to him with purpose of 
 heart. Then shall ye know that the " kingdom of God is not 
 meat and drink," forms and ceremonies, "but righteousness, 
 peace, and joy in the Holy G-host." 
 
 Let me drop a word of caution to those who perhaps may 
 boast that they are no hypocrites, for they do not pretend to 
 
SEEMON XV. 155 
 
 any religion. Can you think that this will be admitted as 
 an excuse? Will you dare to approach the awful bar of God, 
 and plead, "Lord, I never pretended to serve thee. I never 
 thought it worth my while to know or worship thee. I loved 
 the world and my sins so well, that I lived like an atheist." 
 sirs, deceive not yourselves. Answer that question, if you 
 can: " How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" 
 Formalists and hypocrites pay some compliment to religion 
 by counterfeiting it and imitating it; yet they will perish; 
 but you despise it. You treat the blessed God and the gra- 
 cious Saviour as unworthy your notice. "What then can you 
 expect but to have your portion with hypocrites and unbe- 
 lievers, and to be turned into hell with all those who forget 
 God? 
 
 These words may probably be very alarming to the tender 
 spirits of some who truly fear God. Some of the sincere and 
 humble followers of the Lamb may be ready to fear lest he 
 should be angry with them at last, and say, " Depart, I never 
 knew you." But, my dear brethren, tell me, is it not your 
 heart's desire to know and to do the will of God, particularly 
 in those two grand points, faith and holiness? Say, is not 
 Jesus high in your esteem; the chief of ten thousand, and 
 altogether lovely; and would not you gladly be conformed to 
 him in cheerfully doing, and patiently suffering the will of 
 God ? Take courage, then. These words are as full of com- 
 fort for you as they are full of terror to formalists and hypo- 
 crites. The Friend of sinners will say to his dear people, 
 Cqme, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared 
 for you, and for which my grace prepared your souls on earth. 
 Enter into the joy of your Lord. 
 
 And now, are any of you beginning to say, I fear I have 
 been deceived. I fear my religion will not stand the test. I 
 have mistaken the shadow for the substance; the shell for 
 the kernel. What shall I do ? I answer, it is an infinite 
 mercy that you have discovered your mistake. You might 
 have died deceived, and have been rejected by Christ. But 
 it may be hoped that it is a token for good, and the dawn of 
 
156 DANGEK OF FOEMALITY. 
 
 mercy to your soul. Let your fears bring you to your knees, 
 and at the throne of grace implore divine aid. Say, with the 
 Psalmist, " Search me, G-od, and know my heart ; try me, 
 and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way 
 in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." 
 
 God is a Spirit just and wise, 
 
 He sees our inmost mind ; 
 In vain to heaven we raise our cries, 
 
 And leave our souls behind. 
 
 Nothing but ^ruth before his throne 
 
 With honor can appear ; 
 The painted hypocrites are known 
 
 Through the disguise they wear. 
 
 Their lifted eyes salute the ski^js, 
 
 Their bended knees the ground ; 
 But God abhors the sacrifice 
 
 Where not the heart is found. 
 
 Lord, search my thoughts and try my ways, 
 
 And make my soul sincere ; 
 Then shall I stand before thy face, 
 • And find acceptance there. 
 
SERMON XVI. 157 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 
 
 SEEMON XVI. 
 
 GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER. Luke 18 :13. 
 
 There is a time approaching when mercy will appear to 
 all mankind the most valuable thing in the world. Figure 
 to yourselves the awful hour when you shall he ahout to quit 
 this mortal state, and launch into an unknown world : realize 
 the still more awful moment, when the trumpet shall sound, 
 and the dead shall be raised; when the great white throne 
 shall be erected, and the assembled world shall appear before 
 the universal Judge; when the grand separation shall be 
 made between the righteous and the wicked, the one being 
 placed at the right hand, the other at the left of Christ — then, 
 my friends, then will the full value of mercy be known. 
 what a word will mercy be then; a. world for mercy then! 
 " Vessels of mercy," obtainers of mercy, how will they shout 
 and sing, " give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good ; for 
 his mercy endureth for ever." While others, in all the bitter- 
 ness of fruitless woe, shall cry, O that we had but known the 
 need of mercy, the way of mercy, and the value of mercy, 
 while it might have been had ! But now the door is shut ; 
 the mercies of God are clean gone for ever, and he will be 
 -favorable no more. 
 
 With this amazing scene in prospect, let us address our- 
 selves to the text, and to the parable of the Pharisee and pub- 
 lican, of which it is a part. The introduction to it, and the 
 conclusion of it, will be the best key to its true meaning. 
 Our Saviour " spake this parable unto certain which trusted 
 in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." 
 Here are two bad things in their character. 1. They trusted 
 in themselves, which no man can do if he knows the holy 
 
158 THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 
 
 law of God; and 2. They despised others, which we cannot 
 do if we know our own hearts. The conclusion shows how 
 God dislikes such people, while he accepts a poor dejected 
 sinner; for ", every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; 
 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 
 18 : 9, 14. 
 
 " Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a 
 Pharisee, and the other a publican." Luke 18 : 10. The 
 Pharisees were a sect of people in high repute in those days 
 for religion; they separated themselves from others, as if more 
 holy ; they distinguished themselves by peculiar zeal for cere- 
 monies; but many of them were rank hypocrites, neglecting 
 the religion of the heart, and indulging themselves in cruelty 
 and oppression. The publican also appeared at the same 
 place, at the same time, and on the same errand; but ho-vv: 
 different their characters ! Had we seen them both together, 
 we should perhaps have thought far better of the Pharisee 
 than of the publican; "for man looketh on the outward ap- 
 pearance, but God looketh at the heart." Very different 
 motives brought them there. The Pharisee came because it 
 was a public place, and he wished to be seen and admired; 
 the publican came because it was " a house of prayer," and 
 he wanted to pour forth his soul before God. Thus, my 
 friends, in all our places of worship, there is a mixture of 
 characters; but let us remember, God is the searcher of the 
 heart, and he knows what brings us to his house. 
 
 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself/' 
 Luke 18 : 11 : he stood by himself , with, great formality, in 
 a place where the people must notice him; he grayed thus- 
 tmth himself, and to himself, not to God: there are many 
 people pray to themselves; they speak not to God; their 
 words never reach him; they utter sounds", but not desires; 
 this praying will do no good. It is remarkable that in all 
 the Pharisee's prayer there is not one petition: he came to 
 pray, but surely he forgot his errarid, for he asks nothing. 
 Praise to God is certainly a proper and a noble part of prayer; 
 but though he pretends to praise, he only boasts. But let us 
 
SERMON XVI. 159 
 
 hear his fine prayer: " G-od; I thank thee, that I am not as 
 other men are." What is this but ignorance, pride, and cen- 
 soriousness 1 He was as other men are, for all men are sin- 
 ners; in this respect all are on a level; there is no difference, 
 as the Scripture speaks, " for all have sinned, and come short 
 of the glory of G-od." Eom. 3 : 22, 23. It is true that some 
 men are restrained from sins that others commit; but the 
 seeds of every sin are by nature in the heart of every man ; 
 and if we have not actually committed them, we owe it to 
 the restraining power or the changing grace of God. The 
 Pharisee seems to admit of this by saying, " God, I thank 
 thee ; " but we have reason to doubt his sincerity in so say- 
 ing, and to ' think they were words of course and form, for 
 so proud a heart as his could not be duly sensible of his obli- 
 gations to divine grace; and there are many who, like him, 
 use words of praise, but feel no gratitude to God. His mean- 
 ing was probably this, " God, thou Author of my being, I 
 thank thee for the noble powers with which thou hast en- 
 dowed me, by my own wise and careful improvement of which 
 I have kept myself from being so wicked as other people." 
 
 You will observe that, there were two principal parts of the 
 law; the one respected morals, the other ceremonials. Now 
 the Pharisee takes care to brag of his regard to both; and 
 first, to the moral law, " I am not as other men are." Well, 
 what are other men? Why, according to his account, it 
 should seem that most other men are " extortioners, unjvistj 
 adulterers." At all times there are too many such people as 
 these; but his way of mentioning them was merely for the 
 purpose of exalting himself and his own sect, some of whom 
 were equally criminal, though under the mask of religion. It 
 may be the Pharisee was not an "extortioner" — did not 
 cruelly oppress his neighbor ; but we have Christ's authority 
 for it that the Pharisees were generally " covetous," and some 
 of them " devoured widows' houses." He says he was not 
 "unjust"— not a knave or a cheat; but could he say he had 
 never coveted his neighbor's goods ? for this is heart-robbery, 
 in the sight of G-od. He says he was not an " adulterer;" it 
 
160 THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 
 
 may be so, but our Lord says, that " he who looketh upon a 
 woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery already 
 with her in his heart." Matt. 5 : 28. But this was the folly 
 of such men ; they washed the outside of the cup and the 
 platter, but within they were " full of extortion and excess ; 
 righteous iwithout, but full of hypocrisy and iniquity within ;" 
 so Christ declares, Matt. 23 : 25, 28. 
 
 Not content with boasting of himself, he must abuse the 
 poor publican : " I am not as this publican." What business 
 had he with the publican ? He ought to have rejoiced to see 
 him in the temple; he might have hoped it was a symptom 
 of his reformation. He should have gone and shook hands 
 with him, and given him some ^ood advice. But liis proud 
 heart spurns the broken-hearted sinner; just as modern Phari-t 
 sees, who look upon mourning souls as poor canting, whining 
 hypocrites, far beneath their notice. There was a great deal 
 of cruelty in this ; he could hot say his own prayers without 
 putting in a caveat, as it were, against the petition of his poor 
 neighbor. 
 
 But the Pharisee has yet more to boast of. He had not 
 only " done nobody any harm," as the common phrase is, but 
 he had been mighty religious; he kept "Lent all the year." 
 "I fast," said he, "twice a week." Occasional fasting, in 
 order to humble ourselves before God for our sins, is very 
 commendable, whether by private persons or public bodies; 
 but the Pharisee's fasting was not for that purpose, but for 
 ostentation, and withf a view to merit at the hand of God, 
 as appears by his boasting of it. Besides this, he tells God 
 " he gave tithes of all he possessed" — not only of what the 
 law of Moses required, but of the herbs in his garden; he 
 devoted a tenth part of all he had to religious uses, whether 
 titheable or not by the law. 
 
 Thus you have the Pharisee's prayer — a prayer which God 
 rejected; for though he justified Aimse//", G'oc? did not justify 
 him. And now, my friends, let us exaihine ourselves, Is 
 there nothing of the Pharisee's spirit in us ? Do we not hear 
 people speaking the same language sometimes ? Is not this 
 
SERMON XVI. 161 
 
 all the hope of some persons, that they never did any person 
 harm, that they pay every one his due, and perhaps that they 
 go to church constantly, hehave decently, take the sacrament, 
 give, alms, and so on ? How often do we hear this language 
 on a dying bed. Poor ignorant souls rush into the presence 
 of God with no other foundation for their hope than the Phari- 
 see had; while we hear not a word of true humility, poverty 
 of spirit, sense of sin, or hope in Jesus, as the sinner's only 
 friend and hope. beware of resembling the Pharisee. 
 Pleas like this, may have weight with men, but they will not 
 succeed with God: rather let us resemble the poor broken*- 
 hearted publican, whose character and prayer we next con- 
 sider. 
 
 "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so 
 much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, say- 
 ing, God be merciful to me a sinner." Luke 18 : 13. By a 
 publican you are not to understand the keeper of a public- 
 house, but a tax-gatherer. The Jews were, at this time, sub- 
 ject to the Roman emperor, and paid him taxes, which were 
 sometimes farmed by the rich publicans, who in the execu- 
 tion of their office were top often dishonest and oppressive ; on 
 account of which, and on account of the taxes themselves, 
 which were vexatious to the Jews, the name of a publican 
 was abominable, and was classed with those of great sinners. 
 
 Whether this publican was an extortioner or not, we can- 
 not say. Doubtless he was a sinner ; and by some means or 
 other he became a convinced sinner, a penitent sinner, and a 
 praying sinner. Perhaps this 'was the first time that ever he 
 prayed in his life; for sinning generally keeps men from 
 praying. It is plain that the Spirit of God had humbled his 
 heart; he was one of those blessed men who are "poor in 
 spirit," and he was one of those blessed mourners who " shall 
 be coraiforted." Oh, my friends, let us rejoice with those who 
 are thus brought to repentance, and pray for grace to mourn 
 likewise for our sins. 
 
 Observe his posture: he stood afar off— 'At a great dis- 
 tance from the holy place, where the priest officiated; he 
 
 Vil. Str. 11 
 
162 THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 
 
 knew this became him, for he had lived at a great distance 
 from God as a siiiner; and he knew he deserved that God 
 should for ever behold him afar oflf. 
 
 . Observe also his dejected looks, he could not look up; he 
 thought it would be presumptuous in him to lift ixp his eyes 
 to heaven, the habitation of God's glory. Other sinners have 
 thought, the same: David says, "Innumerable evils have 
 compassed me about; mine iniquities have taken hold upon 
 jine, so that I am not able to look up," Psa. 40 : 12; but those 
 downcast eyes attracted the eye of God; he could not lift up 
 his eyes, but he lifted up his heart; and there is no beauty 
 in the sight of God greater than blushing for sin. " For to 
 this man will I look," saith the Lord, "even to him that is 
 poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." 
 Isa. 66 : 2. ' 
 
 Another mark of his repentance, was his smiting his 
 breast: he knew his heart^^he did not think it a good heart, 
 as some very ignorant people speak; no, he knew the plague 
 of his heart — ^^he knew it was the seat aud source of all his 
 sins, and by smiting on his breast he seemed as if he would 
 take revenge upon his own wicked heart ; it expresses his 
 indignation against himself, and the vehemence. of his anger 
 against sin. My friends, what do we know of such a dispoi 
 sition as this ? "When were you thus angry with yourselves, 
 and filled with shame and confusion of face because of your 
 sins? Know this, that such is the temper of all who are 
 taught of God; and if you have never felt in this manner, 
 you are yet strangers to true repentance. 
 
 Now we come to his prayer. It was very short, but very 
 good; no man ever offered a better, or to better purpose. Not 
 that the mere words are of any avail ; too many people use 
 such words profanely, when they say on a surprise, God bless 
 us ! or. Lord have mercy on us ! But such praying: as this is 
 the way to get a curse, not a, blessing. "When the publican 
 said, God be merciful to me a sinner, he felt what he said — 
 he felt he was a perishing sinner, and he felt an earnest desire 
 for mercy. 
 
SERMO-N XVI. 163 
 
 He calls himself a sinner, ox the sinner, as some would 
 render it, or the chief of sinners, as Paul called himself. The 
 word sinner was a term of reproach among^ the Jews, and 
 seemed to he applied chiefly to some notorious offender; hut 
 the publican takes it to himself. It is very likely he spoke 
 this aloud, in the hearing of the Pharisee, and of others who 
 did not think themselves sinners; for he was not unwilling' 
 to appear before men what he well knew he was before God* 
 He would not have been angry with that sort of preaching 
 which lays men low; nor would he have been displeased 
 with a friend who should have said, you are a very great 
 sinner. But say, my friend, what would you think of a per- 
 son who shall charge you in that manner ? j Would you not 
 be very angry, and say, I am no worse than others ? but a 
 true penitent can never find words sufficient to express the 
 sense he has of his vileness. 
 
 If we know the meaning and extent of the ten com- 
 mandments, we shftll say after each of them, "Lord, have 
 mercy upon us." And if we see any thing of the holiness, 
 majesty, and glory of the great God, we shall cry with Isaiah, 
 " Woe is me, for I am undone;" or with Job, " I have heard of 
 thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee; 
 wherefore I abhor myself,; and repent in dust and ashes." 
 No person truly enlightened will say, as many have done, I 
 am not a great sinner;* for, in fact, there cannot be a little 
 sinner, unless there v\^ere a little law to break, a little God to 
 offend, and a little wrath to incur. It is too common for per- 
 sons to comfort themselves with the idea that they are not 
 such great sinners as some others: many dying people do 
 this, and even wretches at the gallows < have done so. But 
 this is very absurd; for the question is not, whether we have 
 sinned as much as others, but whether we have sinned at all, 
 that is, whether we have broken the holy law of God: if so, 
 we are sinners, and stand exposed to the just wrath of the 
 Most High ; nor can we escape it, but by partaking of that 
 great mercy for which the publican prayed. 
 
 You will next observe, that his sense of sin and danger 
 
Ui THE PHAEISEE AND PUBLICAN. 
 
 put him upon prayer. Many people live without prayer; 
 and what is the reason 1 They do not feel the need of mer- 
 cy, for this is the first thing a convinced sinner prays for; 
 and it is a good sign of grace when a desire for mercy sends 
 a man to his knees. Angels rejoice on such an occasion, and 
 point to the new-born soul, saying, "Behold, he prayeth." 
 My friends, do you pray for mercy? "If not, how can you 
 expect it ; and what must become of you without it? that 
 you may begin to pray ! 
 
 This poor man cried to the Lord ; and whither can a crea- 
 ture fly for help but to God? He is our Maker; he is our 
 G-ovemor; he is our Judge; he is able to save or destroy; he 
 is oflended with our sins, yet is he most gracious and ready 
 to forgive. How reasonable, then, that a guilty, helpless 
 sinner, ready to perish, should apply " to Him that is able 
 to save to the uttermost all who come to him by Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 He begs for mercy. What is mercy ? We know what it 
 is by our own feelings. It is compassion to the miserable— it 
 is a disposition to pity and relieve the distressed; and we 
 never speak of mercy but with reference to misery. It is 
 not, then, a light unfeeling use of solemn words, that can 
 encourage us to hope- for mercy: it is not saying, without 
 feeling. Lord have mercy upon us ! Christ have mercy upon 
 us! but it is coming with the publican's spirit, with his 
 broken heart, with his remorse, .with his desires, and in ear- 
 nest prayer claiming this precious blessing. 
 
 Observe, it is mercy he asks. Here is not a word of merit, 
 Mercy and merit are opposite things. The Pharisee's prayer 
 was a mere boast pf meritorious deeds; the publican has 
 nothing to plead: nor does he ask ' for wealth, or honor, or 
 pleasure; his heart is dead to these,. all his desires centre in 
 one, and that one is mercy, 
 
 " Mercy, good Lord, mercy I ask, 
 This IS the total sum ; 
 For mercy, Lord, is all my suit ; 
 let thy mercy come I" 
 
SERMON XVI. 165 
 
 But the petition, be merciful, includes something more 
 than is commonly understood by it: the word translated 
 merciful, has respect to the atonement made by blood — ta 
 the sacrifices offered up at the temple, which were types of 
 Christ, " whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through 
 faith in his blood." Rom. 3 : 25. At the temple, in the court 
 of which the publican stood, there was a lamb offered every 
 morning at nine o'clock, and every evening at three; and 
 these were the hours of prayer ; so that the pious Jews came 
 then to pray, that by virtue of the atonement of Christ repre- 
 sented by blood, and of his intercession represented by the 
 incense, their prayers might find acceptance. His prayer 
 then Was, Grod be propitious to me a sinner; accept the 
 atonement iii my behalf; let my soul be cleansed in the 
 blood of Christ. In this manner, by faith in Jesus, let us 
 seek the mercy of G-od. Let us not dream of mere absolute 
 mercy. " A God all mercy, is a God unjust." The mercy of 
 God cannot be bestowed without regard to his justice. Now 
 God has glorified his justice by punishing sin in the person of 
 our glorious Redeemer, upon whom " he laid the iniquities of 
 us all," and through whom he is at once^" a just God, and a 
 Saviour." In this way, and in no other, can a sinner obtain 
 mercy; for our Lord declares, that no man cometh to the 
 Father but by him; and no mercy cometh to the sinner but 
 through him; but in his dear name we may "come boldly 
 unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find 
 grace to help in time of need." 
 
 Thus came the publican, and in this way he succeeded. 
 It was not the depth of his humility, the sincerity of his 
 repentance, nor the fervency of his devotion, that merited 
 acceptance; these dispositions, were the gifts of God, and 
 could merit nothing ; but it was the merit of the Redeemer's 
 precious blood, typified by the blood of the lambs, which he 
 pleaded, and .which shall never be pleaded in vain. Our 
 Lord tells us,.^" This man went down to his house justified, 
 rather than the other," or not the other; the reason of which 
 he adds: " For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased ; 
 
166 THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 
 
 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."- what a 
 blessing ! " He went down to his house justified ; " there was 
 ilo condemnation to him; he was accepted in the Beloved; 
 he had passed from death to life. Happy man ! 
 
 Shall we not then: "go and do likewise?" Are we not 
 sinners? Fly instantly to the throne of grace. The Lord 
 waits to be gracious. This is the accepted time ; lose it, not 
 by delay. To-morrow may be too late. Now, then, with the 
 publican's spirit, let each of us cry, " God be merciful to me a 
 sinner." 
 
 But Oh, beware of the Pharisee's spirit. Every man is born 
 a Pharisee. Ask your little children why they hope to go to 
 heaven; aiid if they have not been better taught, you will 
 find their hope is, because they are not so bad as others. 
 Would to God it were not so with grown-up persons too ! 
 But let no one dare to persist in a self-righteous course; "for 
 he that exalteth himself shall be abased" — abased even to 
 hell. Renounce then your own righfeousness, as, St. Paul 
 the converted Pharisee did, who says, " What things were 
 gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ: yea, doubtless, 
 and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the know- 
 ledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the 
 loss of all things, and do count thexahnt dung, that I may 
 win Christ, and be found in him." Phil. 3 : 7. 
 
 The publican's success is a great encouragement to every 
 penitent sinner seeking for mercy. Seek like him, and like 
 him you shall obtain it. And Oh, let those who have ob- 
 tained it be full of joy: "Praise the Lord, for he is good; 
 for his merey endureth for ever;" and as an evidence of 
 having obtained mercy from God, show mercy to men: 
 "Be ye therefore merciful^ as your Father also is merci- 
 ful." 
 
 Behold bow sinners disagree, 
 The publican and Pharisee : 
 One doth his righteousness proclaim, 
 The other owns his guilt and shame. 
 
SERMON XVI. 16T 
 
 This man at humble distance stands, 
 And cries for grace, with lifted hands ; 
 That boldly rises near the throne, 
 And tallis of duties he has done. 
 
 The Lord their different language knows, 
 And different answers he bestows : 
 The humble soul with grace he crowns, 
 While on the proud his anger frowns. 
 
 Defer Father, let me never be 
 Joined with the boasting Pharisee ; 
 I have no merits of my own, 
 But plead the sufferings of thy Son, 
 
168 ZEAL FOR SALVATION OF SINNERS. 
 
 ZEAL FOR THE SALVATION OF SINNERS. 
 
 SEKMON xyii. 
 
 "BRETHREN, MY HEART'S DESIRE AND PRAYER TO GOD FOR ISRAEL IS, 
 THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED." Rom. 10 :1. 
 
 True religion consists chiefly in love to God, and love to 
 man; and wherever one of these is found, there' is the other 
 also. It was love that brought the Saviour down from the 
 throne of glory to this mean and wretched world, that he 
 might "seek and save those who were lost." While he lived 
 on earth, " he went about doing good;" and when he returned 
 to heaven, he commanded his ministers and people to follow 
 his example, and to do good to all men as they had opportu- ' 
 nity. The apostles and first Christians gladly obeyed, and 
 were very active in spreading abroad the knowledge of their 
 gracious Master and his great salvation. 
 
 Among these, St. Paul was one of the most zealous, as his 
 great labors and affectionate writings fully testify. Our text 
 is an expression of his strong desires for the salvation of Israel, 
 or the Jews, who were his countrymen; and the particular 
 reason of his anxiety about them was, because he knew they 
 were not in the way to obtain salvation. It is true they had 
 a zeal for religion, but it was not a zeal according to know- 
 ledge. They were under a very fatal mistake, whidh was 
 their seeking salvation by their own works, for " tHlpy«tjiTm- 
 bled at that stumbling-stone," as, alas, many people Ifal led 
 Christians do still. Knowing therefore their danger of being 
 eternally lost, he expresses his feelings in these words : " My 
 heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might 
 be saved." And will you, my friends, who are here present, 
 permit us to say that we hope and trust we are moved by the 
 same desire ? If any person should inquire, and it is natural • 
 
SERMON XVII. 169 
 
 and proper for them to inquire, why we come here to pray 
 and sing and read a sermon; we humbly reply, For no other 
 reason upon earth than this, that we may promote your sal- 
 vation; that we may stir yoU up to consider your need of it; 
 that we may show you, from the gospel, the only true way of 
 it; and that we may put you upon seeking it immediately. 
 
 "We purpose to show you from these words, 
 
 1~. That serious Christians plainly see the dangerous state 
 in which many of their neighbors are. 
 
 2. That they earnestly desire their deliverance from it. 
 
 I. We observe that serious Christians plainly perceive the 
 DANGEROUS STATE of • uuconvertcd sinners around them. We 
 cannot tell what the grace of God may do hereafter for the 
 worst of men, and the actual condition of some may be" 
 doubtful ; but in many cases, it is too evident that men " are 
 in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity," as St. 
 Peter said of Simon Magus : at least, so much may be discov- 
 ered as fully warrants our fears on their behalf Now this 
 sad condition of men appears, 
 
 1. From their living in open sin; for indeed " some men's 
 sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment;" some 
 proclaim their sin as Sodom, and glory in their shame. St. 
 Paul says, " The works of the flesh are manifest," among 
 which he names " adultery, Tornication, uncleanness, wrath, 
 murder, and drunkenness." Gal. 5 : 19. Our Saviour has 
 directed us to judge of men by their fruits; "for every good 
 tree briiigeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth 
 evil fruit;" and he adds — observe his solemn words— " Every 
 tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast 
 into the fire." Matt. 7:17. "We are forced to conclude there- 
 fore, that " if men live after the flesh, they musi die;" that if 
 they proceed in the broad road, it must be to destruction; and 
 that " the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God." 
 " The wicked will be turned into hell, and all the people that 
 forget God." Some men are evidently " men of the world," 
 "servants of sin," and "captives of Satan;" to whom our 
 Lord said, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of 
 
no ZEAL FOR SALVATION OF SINNERS. 
 
 your father ye will do." "When we see persons living iii sin- 
 ful pleasure, we know " they are dead while they live." HoW 
 can we suppose the profane swearer has the fear of God, or 
 that the Sabbath-hreaker has any regard for his soul ? 
 
 2, Carelessness about religion is another alarming symp- 
 tom of a graceless, and therefore dangerous state. There are 
 many who have no concern about their solils or salvation. 
 Like Grallio, they care for none of these things. But this 
 carelessness is as strong, a proof of being in a state of nature 
 and of wrath as living in open sin is; for it is written, "How 
 shall we escape, if we neglects great salvation ?" Heb. 2:3. 
 To neglect this salvation, is to omit all those duties which 
 are necessary to a profitable hearing and keeping the word 
 preached. How many are there whoi every Sabbath turn 
 their backs on the house of God, where his gospel is preached, 
 and spend the- day in idleness and sinful pleasure ! How 
 many are there who are able to read the Bible, but who 
 never look into that sacred book, that they may become wise 
 to salvation ! How many are there who never lift up their 
 hearts to God in prayer for his teaching and his mercy ! Now, 
 how shall such. escape? Those who despised the law of Mo- 
 ses died without mercy ; but to despise the gospel is a greater 
 crime, and deserves a greater punishment. Those who seek 
 not mercy now, according to the gospel,- shall never have it. 
 " Now is the accepted time ; now is the day of salvation :" if 
 this be neglected, let poor sinners expect no more to hear of 
 mercy through all eternity. 
 
 3. Formality in religion is another evidence of being in a 
 dangerous condition. tThere are some who dare not omit all 
 religious duties, public and private ; but they are like the 
 Pharisees, "who drew nigh to God with their mouth, and 
 honored him with their lips, but their heart was far from 
 him ;" by many religious ceremonies " they washed the out- 
 side of the cup and platter, but within they were full of 
 extortion and excess." Matt* 23 : 25. How many say their 
 prayers like parrots, without knowing their meaning! How 
 many go to church only to see and be seen; and when they 
 
SERMON' XVII. 171 
 
 come away, are full of mirth and folly; thinking no more of 
 what has passed, and spending the rest of the day in worldly 
 conversation, or amusement ! Others think that because they 
 belong to a good church, and have been baptized, and say 
 their prayers, and take the sacrament, all is well with them; 
 while they are strangers to heart-work in religion- — ^were never 
 alarmed on account of their sins, never humbled for their 
 sins, never fled to Jesus for refuge from their sins, and never 
 knew anything of that great change of heart called in Scrip- 
 ture regeneration or the new birth. Now, when we see our 
 neighbors content with this poor empty form of godliness, and 
 denying the power thereof, we cannot but be deeply concerned 
 on account of their danger. 
 
 4. There is another thing which alarms us on their be- 
 half; that is, when we see them receive for truth great and 
 fundamental errors as to the doctrine of religion. We know 
 it is commonly said, that it does not signify what a man 
 believes, if he does but live a good life. But we testify 
 against this opinion, as destructive of the souls of men. Did 
 not the great Redeemer come into the world to enlighten it ? 
 Is he not the great Teacher, who,' by his word and Spirit, 
 reveals the will of God for our salvation 1 Has he not prom- 
 ised his people that they shall " know the truth, and the truth 
 shall make them free ?" And has he not said that his sheep 
 hear and know his voice, but will not follow the voice of a 
 stranger ? How then can error be harmless ? The Scripture 
 speaks of "damnable heresies" as well as damnable victe. 
 Surely it is of great importance that we have right views of 
 the blessed God as to his holiness, justice, and mercy; that we 
 have right views of ourselves as fallen, guilty, helpless siiniers; 
 and especially that we have right views of Jesus Christ, and 
 of the nature and way of salvation through him by faith. It 
 was the want of these that made St. Paul use the words of 
 our text. The Jews rejected Christ and his righteousness, 
 and "went about to-establish their own righteousness," Rom. 
 10 : 3 ; thus they stumbled at Christ ; and St. Paul knew that, 
 if they died in this state, they must perish for ever; and this 
 
172 ZEAL FOR SALVATION OP SINNERS. 
 
 led him to say, "My heart's desire and prayer to God for 
 Israel is, that they might he saved." And this leads us to 
 ohserve, in the next place, 
 
 II. That serious Christians earnestly and sincerely desire 
 THE SALVATION of their neighbors, whom they thus perceive to 
 be in a dangerous state. 
 
 If love to our neighbor requires that we should pity and 
 
 help him in a time of sickness, poverty, or any other kind of 
 
 temporal distress, how much more that we should care for his 
 
 soul, and labor to prevent his eternal ruin! All the love and 
 
 politeness that worldly men show to their neighbor, is for the 
 
 perishing body; while they care not for the soul, but perhaps 
 
 contribute much to its eternal destruction. But if the love of 
 
 Gdd be shed abroad in our hearts, the salvation of souls will 
 
 be the first object we have in view, and happy shall we be if 
 
 we can in any wise be instruments in then* future happiness; 
 
 for, 
 
 , , , \ 
 
 1 . " We tremble to think of their future misery. We know 
 
 assuredly that " the wrath of God is revealed from heaven 
 against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." Rom. 
 1 : 18. We certainly know that all men are born in sin, and 
 are children of wrath; and that without an interest in Christ 
 by faith, and a heart changed by grace, no man shall see the 
 Lord; that "the wrath of God abideth" on every unbeliever, 
 and that " he will render indignation and wrath, tribulation 
 and anguish, upon every 'man who dies in his sins," impeni- 
 tent, unpardoned, unrenewed. Now, can we think of our rela- 
 tions, our friends, our neighbors, being in this state, without 
 pitying them, praying for them, and exhorting them to " fly 
 from -the wrath to come ?" It is impossible. If any man 
 can, how dwelleth the love of God in him ? When our com- 
 passionate Saviour paid his last visit to Jerusalem, and from 
 a hill beheld that great and wicked city, which, on account 
 of unbelief, was to be destroyed in about forty years, he wept 
 over it: Though then surrounded with a multitude, crying, 
 "Hosanua," he lamented over it with tears, saying, "If thou 
 hadst known, even thou, at least in this tby day, the things 
 
SERMON XVII. 173 
 
 which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from 
 thine eyes." Luke 19 : 42, And may not we be permitted, 
 with some small portion of^the same love and compassion to 
 our perishing neighbors, to say, how happy would it be for 
 you, now to know those things which are ijecessary to your 
 present peace and everlasting salvation; lest, ere long, God 
 should deprive you of the means of grace; and give you up to 
 the blindness of your minds, and the hardness of your hearts ? 
 It would shock us beyond measure to see one of you burning 
 in a great fire, were it but for a few minutes ; but who can 
 think without horror of everlasting burnings ? We there- 
 fore would, as St. Jude speaks, " save you with fear, pulling 
 you out of the fire," ver. 23 ; or, as St. Paul speaks, " Knowing 
 the terrors of the Lord, we persuade men." 2 Cor. 5 : 10, 11. 
 
 2. As we wish to .prevent your future destruction, so liker 
 wise we earnestly desire that you may share with us in the 
 joys and glories of the heavenly world. We believe " there 
 is a reward for the righteous ;" that " the pure in heart shall 
 see God;" that "in his presence is fulness of joy, and at his 
 right hand there are pleasures for evermore," We believe 
 that Christ is gone to heaven to prepare mansions for his' peo- 
 ple, and that in due time they shall be with him, to behold 
 his glory, to enter into his rest, to sit down with him on his 
 throne, and to wear a crown of glory. We humbly hope, 
 through Jesus, to partake of these blessings, and we would 
 gladly take all the world alon^ with us. We are grieved to 
 think that any shovild despise the good lajid, slight the invi- 
 tations of heaven, or expect it on false grounds. We are 
 grieved to think that so many cleave to the dust, and for the 
 sake of the short-lived pleasures of sin, and a portion in this 
 world, are in danger of losing eternal joys. This therefore 
 puts us upon urging you to seek first the kingdom of God, 
 and the righteousness thereof, that you may also be admitted 
 into the kingdom of glory, 
 
 3, We wish you to know and enjoy the present pleasures 
 of .true religion. Let strangers to godliness say what they 
 please, the ways ~of wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and aU 
 
174 ZEAL FOE SALVATION OF SINNERS. 
 
 her paths are peace. Some of us have tried both the pleasures 
 of sin and the pleasures of religion, and we are bold to say, 
 there is more satisfaction in one hour's communion with Go4, 
 than in. days and months of «inful indulgence. We can say 
 with David^ " A day in thy courts is better than a thousand. 
 I had rather be a 'door-keeper in the house of my Grod, than 
 to dwell in the tents of wickedness." A good hope through 
 grace, a knowledge of the pardon of our sins, a persuasion of 
 the favor of G-od towards us, a belief that all things are work- 
 ing together for our good, and that we shall go to heaven 
 when we die; together with the actual delight we find in 
 prayer, praise, hearing, reading, and conversation with the 
 people of Grod— these are joys that satisfy and sanctify the 
 mind, and compared to which, all the 'frothy mirth and carnal 
 pleasures of the wicked are mean as the toys of children, and 
 hurtful as the sports of madmen. We wish you therefore; 
 brethren, to be partakers of the grace of G-od, and we say to 
 you, As Moses to Hobab, " Come thou with us, and we will 
 do thee good; for the Lord, hath sppken good concerning Is- 
 rael." Num. 10 : 29. ; 
 
 4. We wish the salvation of others on account of the glory 
 of God, fox which we feel ourselves concerned, and which 
 will be promoted thereby. We are taught to pTay, " hallowed 
 be thy name." Let. God' be glorified. And surely^ when a 
 poor sinner ceases to be a rebel to his Maker, throws himself 
 at the feet of mercy, and swears allegiance to the God of his 
 salvation, the Lord is glorified. Satan loses another subject, 
 and one is added to the kingdom of Jesus. The love of Christ 
 constraineth us, and our loyalty to the King of heaven makes 
 us long to see his kingdom flourish. We cannot tell of how 
 great importance may be the value of one converted soul: a 
 wife, a husband, the children of the family, the servants, the 
 connections, may all be the better for it ; the gospel may be 
 spread, more souls may be converted, and generations yet 
 unborn may derive benefit from it. We would therefore 
 compass sea and land to make one proselyte, not to our party, 
 or any particular sect, but that Jesus may be exalted: for 
 
SERMON XVII. 175 
 
 "blessed be his gloriouss n^me for ever; and let the whole earth 
 be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen." Psa. 72 : 19. 
 
 5. Again, we wish for the salvatiott of sinners for the sake 
 of the good of the nation where we dwell. True Christians 
 are the salt af the earth, that keep it from perishing. Sodom 
 would have been preserved from destruction if ten righteous 
 men could have been found in it. And may not we say, in 
 these threatening times, " Except the Lord had left us a seed, 
 we had been as Sodom, and- been made like unto Gomorrah?" 
 Rom. 9 : 29. The prayers of God's people are a greater de^ 
 fence to their country than all its fleets and armies; and that 
 kingdom is most likely to flourish, in which truth and right- 
 eousness most abound. 
 
 6. Besides all the reasons before mentioned, we have some 
 view to our own peace and happiness. We do find that the 
 meanest service of Christ has refreshment in it. Our good 
 Master sends not his servants on a warfare at their own 
 charge. He that.watereth the souls of others shall himself 
 be waterejd. We think the conversion of a soul to God is 
 the greatest honor and happiness, next to our own salvation, 
 that we can enjoy; and though we know that no man has 
 any claim upon God for what he does, all being unprofitable 
 servants, that the best aqtion of man has no merit in it, yet 
 we believe that there is a reward of grace for the faithful ser- 
 vants of Christ, who has promised that so small a gift as a 
 cup of cold water given to any one because he belongs to 
 Christ, shall not be forgotten; and as to those whom he em- 
 ploys in his work, "they that.be wise shall shine as the 
 brightness- of the firmament ; and they that turn inany to 
 righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever." Dan. 12 : 3. 
 
 Let us now show in what manner a desire for the salva- 
 tion of sinners ought to be expressed; for this desire, when 
 true, will not be idle, but active, and will put persons on 
 earnest endeavors to accomplish it, 
 
 1, By prayer. The conversion of a soul, like the creation 
 of the world, is the work of God alone, A real Christian is a 
 new creature, "born, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the 
 
176 ZEAL FOR SALVATION OP SINNERS. 
 
 ■will of man, but of God." John 1,: 13. St. Paul therefore, 
 in our text, mentions not only his "heart's desire," but "his 
 prayer to God" also. Those who truly pray for themselves, 
 will pray for others too. If a husband or a wife has a part- 
 ner who knows not the Lord, prayer will be -immediately 
 offered. If a parent has an ungodly child, like Abi;aham he 
 will cry, "0-,that Ishmael might live before thee!" or like 
 the poor man, " Lord, have mercy upon my son." Matt, 
 17 : 15. Thus Job rose early in the morning, and offered up 
 ten offerings for his ten children, because he feared they had 
 sinned, agairist God in their feasts with eaieh Other. , 
 
 2. We shgnld urge our friends to come and hear the gos- 
 j)el. Do not be ashamed to invite them to hear that word 
 which God has made his power to your salvation. When 
 Christ called Andrew to be his disciple, Andrew soon invited 
 his brother Peter; and the day after, when Clirist called 
 Philip, Philip presently finds Nathanael, and invites him to 
 come and hear Jesus. So when the Lord sent Peter to preach 
 to Cornelius, a Roman officer, he fouiid Cornelius bad called 
 together his kinsmen and friends, and they were all gathered 
 together in a private house, as you may be here, to hear all 
 things which God had commanded Peter to preach. how- 
 many have had reason to 'bless God for ever, that some kind 
 friend first invited them to go and hear a gospel sermon! 
 Practise, this, my friends ; all of you who have tasted that 
 the Lord is gracious, say to others, " taste, and see that the 
 Lord is good." Sinners, as you all know, are very active to 
 bring others irito sin, and tq invite them to plays and merry 
 meetings; why should not we be more active to save souls, 
 than sinners are to destroy them? 
 
 3. There is another way in which we should show our de- 
 sire for the salvation of our fellow-creatures, and that is, by the 
 Christian education of children, our own, and our neighbor's. 
 Abraham was commended of God for this : " I know him, 
 said the Lord, that he will command his children and his 
 household after him;" and parents were ordered, by the law, 
 to "teach their children the words of God diligently; to talk 
 
SERMON XVII. 177 
 
 of them when they sat down in the house, when they walked 
 by the way, when they lay down, and when they rose up." 
 Deut, 6:7. If parents wish well to the souls of their chil- 
 dren, they will try to inform their minds, bring them under 
 the word, and restrain them as much as possible from Sab- 
 bath-breaking and other sins. And as there are some parents 
 who will not, or cannot instruct their own children, let us do 
 what we can for them. Why should one of these little ones 
 perish, while Sunday-schools may be kept up? The Lord 
 prosper this good work more and more. And to this we may 
 add, constant regard to family worship, by those who are at 
 the head of families. Surely they have little regard to the 
 souls of children and servants, who do not daily read the 
 Scriptures, and pray with their families. 
 
 4. Personal exhortation is a great means of good to the 
 souls of men. "Exhort one another daily, while it is called 
 to-day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness 
 of sin." How often has G-od blessed one sentence, spoken in 
 his fear and love ! A " word spoken in due season, how good 
 is it !" let us try, whenever we can, mildly to reprove sin ; 
 and give a hint on all proper occasions, in company, on a jour- 
 ney, at work, whereby we may prove, if the Lord bless it, the 
 instrument of our neighbor's conversion. 
 
 5. To all this, one thing more must necessarily be added, 
 and that is, a holy. life. Actions speak louder than words. 
 " Let our light shine before men, that they, seeing our good 
 works" as well as hearing our good words, ,^' may glorify 
 Grod." There is a testimony for ,God in the life of a holy 
 man that the wicked may despise, but cannot resist. Thus 
 let all Christians hold forth the word of life, that so even the 
 prejudiced who will not hear the word, "may without the 
 word be won by our conversation." 1 Pet. 3:1. 
 
 Men and brethren, is it the duty and practice of all real 
 Christians to be thus affectionately concerned for the salvation 
 of others? Should. you not be much more concerned for your 
 own salvation — you who have hitherto totally jieglected it? 
 
 Tir. Ser. 12 
 
178 ZEAL FOE SALVATION OF SINNERS. 
 
 consider the value of your souls. Are you not sinners ? 
 And must you not soon receive the wages of your sins, unless 
 they are pardoned for Christ's sake? And can you expect 
 pardon without seeking it ? then be wise. Rouse your- 
 selves from your dreadful stupidity. Cry to God for his mercy 
 and grace, lest you perish. This is the day of salvation. To 
 you is the word of salvation sent. that it may not be sent in 
 vain ! Jesus Christ is a great and gracious Saviour ; he was 
 never known to reject one perishing sinner who came to him for 
 life. Let this be an encouragement, to you to apply to him, 
 and you will find him able and willing to save to the utmost. 
 
 From what has been said, we may learn the nature of true 
 grace, how it opens the heart, and shows itself in love to God 
 and man. This may afford some comfort to those who fear 
 they are destitute of it. Ask your hearts whether they do 
 iiot long for the salvation of your fellow-men; and whether 
 you do not, with Christ, angels, and all good men, rejoice in 
 their conversion? If so, it is a good evidence of grace. On 
 the contrary, those selfish souls who can be content to go to 
 heaven alone, while they care not if all around them perish, 
 while they make no one effort to rescue them from destruc^ 
 tion, such persons have reason to fear ; for if we love ilot our 
 neighbor whom we have seen, how can we love God whom 
 we have not seen ? 
 
 Finally, let every serious hearer suffer the word of exhor- 
 tation. See^ in St. Paul, a pattern of holy zeal, and imitate 
 ' it. Like him, let it be your heart's desire and prayer to God, 
 that Israel may be saved. Look around you, and see who is 
 there to whom you may be useful ? Consider, by what means 
 you may best advance the glory of the great Redeemer, by 
 bringing souls to him. Remember that life is short, and all 
 opportunities of usefulness will cease. Work then while it is 
 day, for the night of death is coming, when no man can work. 
 " Serve.your generation according to the will of God," and then 
 enter iiito the promised rest; where, with all the redeemed, 
 you shall glorify the riches of free grace to all eternity. 
 
SEEMO]!^ XVIII. 179 
 
 THE PRODIGAL SON, OR THE PENITENT JOY- 
 FULLY RECEIVED. 
 
 SERMON XYIU. 
 
 '/FOR. THIS MY SON WAS DEAD, AND IS ALIVE AGAIN; HE WAS LOST, AND 
 IS FOUND. AND THEY BEGAN TO BE MERRY." Lukk 15 : 24. 
 
 Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; he 
 therefore was kind and aflfable to aH, even to some who had 
 been very great sinners. This offended the Jews, and es- 
 pecially the self-righteous Pharisees. They thought that a 
 holy prophet should have nothing to do with. such bad peo- 
 pie; not considering that he went among them on purpose to 
 save them from their sins. But Jesus Christ vindicates his 
 conduct by appealing to the custom of men in general, who 
 always rejoice when they recover any valuable thing that 
 was lost. In this beautiful and affecting parable we have, 
 
 1. The prodigal's sin and folly, in. departing from his 
 father, and living in a riotous manner. 
 
 2. His repentance and return. 
 
 3. His kind reception. 
 
 4. The envy of his elder brother upon that occasion. 
 
 I. We have the prodigal's sin and folly: " A certain man 
 had: two sons: and the younger of them said to his father, 
 Father, give ine the portion of goods that falleth to me; and 
 he divided unto them his living, And not many days after, 
 the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey 
 into a far country, and there wasted his substance, with riot- 
 ous living." Luke 15 : 11-13. / 
 
 The prodigal son is an emblem of a sinner. He disliked 
 the restraint of his pious father. : He wanted to be his own 
 master; to live in a state of independence, and to be governed 
 by his own corrupt judgment The language of sinners is, 
 
180 THE PRODIGAL SON. 
 
 "Let us break his bonds asunder, and cast away his cords 
 from us;" they say unto God, "Depart from us; for we de- 
 sire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty, 
 that we should serve him ? and what profit should we have, 
 if we pray imto him?" Job 21 : 15. AH natural men are, 
 like the prodigal, men of the world, and want their portion 
 in this life, regardless of a portion in heaven ; and like him, 
 they wish to live at a distance from God, and as much as 
 possible, " without God in the world." 
 
 But let us stop a moment, and ask whether this is not a 
 picture of ourselves. Has not each of us, more or less, acted 
 the same part? Is there not in us, even in us, an evil heart 
 of unbelief, in departing from the living God? Is not this 
 the reason that so many forsake the house of God, even on 
 the Lord's day — that they dislike to hear God speak to them 
 in his preached word — ^that- they, refuse to speak to God in 
 their prayers — and that they despise truly religious persons, 
 who are of the family of God ? , Surely all this arises from 
 hearts "alienated from the life of God;" this is "the carnal 
 mind," which is enmity against him. 
 
 Observe now, how he behaves in the distant country to 
 which he went. Probably he told, his father that he' would 
 traffic with his money, and. so mend his fortune; or at least, 
 that he would travel for the improvement of his mind ; but 
 he no sooner gets this portion into his hands, and becomes his 
 own master, than he enters upon a riotous way of life, in the 
 company of wicked companions. Thus he wasted his . sub- 
 stance, and abused the gifts of God; gave himself up to lux- 
 ury and sin, "to work all uncleanness with greediness;" 
 
 See the consequence of b^ing left to ourselves— the miseiy 
 of departing from God ; and Oh, let us beware of wasting his 
 gifts! Our reason, our health, our strength, our tiine, our 
 money, our influence, are all talents committed to our trust : 
 let them be used to promote the glory of God and the salva- 
 tion of our souls, and not abused to the purposes of sin and 
 destruction. 
 
 Mark now, my friends, how certainly misery follows sin. 
 
SERMON XVIII. 181 
 
 " "When he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that 
 land ; and he began to be in want." Luke 15 : 14. Here is 
 a proof of the truth of that old proverb, " Wilful waste makes 
 woful want." See how the pleasures of sense perish in the 
 using; for " as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the 
 laughter of the fool:" a noisy blaze, succeeded by dismal 
 darkness. Let this, as Solomon advises, "keep thee from the 
 evil woman ; from the flattery of the tongue of a strange 
 woman; for by mieans of a whorish woman a man is brought 
 to a piece of bread. She hath cast down many wounded. 
 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of 
 death." Prov. 6:24; 7:26. 
 
 What had become of the prodigal's gay friends ? Would 
 none who had feasted at his table come forward to supply his 
 wants ? No ; they all deserted him. Place no dependence 
 on sinful companions. Many adore the rising sun, who turn 
 their backs upon it when it sets. And how just it is, that he 
 who acts as an enemy to God, should not be able to find a 
 friend among men. 
 
 One should have thought that now, in his adversity, he 
 would have turned his thoughts homeward. Surely this was 
 a proper time for serious reflection. But he was not suffi- 
 ciently humbled; rather than go back to his father, he will 
 submit to the most servile state : " He went and joined him- 
 self to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his 
 fields to feed swine." Luke 15 : 15. It is no disgrace in this 
 country to be a servant, or to feed ahy sort of cattle ; but you 
 are to observe that he was a Jew, and as swine's flesh was 
 forbidden to the Jews, there could be nothing more odious 
 and abpiriinable to him than the care of swine. It seems 
 too that this gay youth was a poor worthless creature, and 
 notwithstanding his education, fit for no better employment. 
 how are the mighty fallen, and how is human nature de- 
 graded by sin ! 
 
 But far greater is the disgrace of sinful man. Created at 
 first in the image of God; honorable and happy in connnun- 
 ion with him: see him now, fallen from his high estate, 
 
182 THE PEODIGAL SON. 
 
 become a servant of sin, yea, a slave of the devil, a compan- 
 ion of beasts; yea, himself, as Bishop Hall speaks, " half a 
 beast arid half a devil V Whatever sinners may think of 
 themselves, their wretched business is no other than the prodi- 
 gal's; they are "making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the 
 lusts thereof," and that is no better than feeding swine. 
 
 Disgraceful as his employment was, could he have got 
 wholesome, though plain food, he might have made himself 
 content; But, to fill up the measure of his misery, we find 
 he was almost starved to death. Having, perhaps, a hard- 
 hearted master, and that in a time of famine, he had not a 
 morsel of bread ; he must not only feed the swine, but feed 
 with them, and eat the siame food'. "He would fain have 
 filled his belly with the husks which the swine did eat," 
 Luke 15 : 16 ; wild chestnuts, probably, or some such thing 
 not fit for a man to eat; but though he would have been glad' 
 of them, he could not get them, or not enough of them to 
 satisfy his hunger. 
 
 Here also is a picture of the sinner. Husks are food for 
 swine, not for men ; so the things of this world are no more 
 fit to satisfy the immortal soul, than husks to feed the body. 
 They suit not our nature, nor satisfy our desires. 
 
 " Why seek ye that which is not bread, 
 V Nor can your- hungry' souls sustain ? 
 
 On ashes, husks, and air you feed ; 
 Ye spend your little all in vain." ^ 
 
 II. His eepentance and return. "It is a long lane, they 
 say, which has' no turning," and yet, alas, thousands go onall 
 their days in the way to eternal ruin ! But here we have an 
 instance of a sinner,, rediiced to the last^ extremity, to whoHi; 
 his afflictions were sanctified, beginning to repent and return 
 to God. "And when he came to himself, he said, Hftw inany 
 hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, 
 and I perish with hunger !" Luke 15 : 17. 
 
 '■He Came to himself " — ^remarkable expression! He had 
 heen beside himself — he had acted the part of a iriadmian; 
 and indeed "the heart of the sons of men is fiiU of evil, and 
 
SERMON XVIII. 183 
 
 madness is in their heart." Eccl. 9:3. Do madmen mis- 
 take their own condition, and fancy themselves kings and 
 emperors, so do poor sinners; they think themselves spirit- 
 ually "rich, and increased with goods, etc., and know not 
 that they are wretched and miserable, and poor and blind 
 and naked." Madmen are often desperately mischievous, 
 and even self-murderers. So are all sinners. What madness 
 can be equal to the eternal destruction of the soul for the 
 sake of a few momentary pleasures? Yes, we are all far 
 from ourselves when we are far from Grod; and we never 
 return to ourselves, till God in mercy returns to us. Regard 
 not then the foolish reproach of the world, who will say, 
 when you are truly concerned for your souls, that you are 
 mad. No; they are the madmen who live in sin; you, who 
 are coming to God, have come to yourselves. 
 
 The prodigal compares his own wretched state with the 
 condition of his father's meanest servants. "I am starving; 
 they are feasting. I am miserable; they are happy." Just 
 so a repenting sinner plainly perceives his own/ miserable 
 case, and longs to partake of their happiness who live in the 
 house of God, and are his devoted servants. " I perish," said 
 he; so may every man say who lives in sin, "I perish; but 
 there are others who dwell in the house of the Lord, feast 
 upon his rich grace, know that their sins are pardoned, and 
 are full of peace and joy in believing." 
 
 What is the natiiral consequence of such a comparison ? 
 Why, an effort, an immediate effort to mend his condition. 
 Hripe springs up in his heart ; and though there was but a 
 may-be, a mere peradventure of success, he makes the follow- 
 ing wise resolution: "I will arise and go to my father, and 
 will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and 
 before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son ; 
 make me as one of thy hired servants." Luke 15 : 18, 19. 
 
 He resolves to return to his father. Now, what is conver- 
 sion, but, the sinner's return to God ? this is what God calls 
 us to in his word: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the 
 unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the 
 
184 THE PEODIGAL SON. 
 
 Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our G-od, for 
 he will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55 : 7. But with what 
 spirit will he return 1 Will he feign an excuse, and go with 
 a lie in his mouth ? Will he say, " I have been very unfor- 
 tunate; I have been robbed of my. property; been, deceived 
 by swindlers ; or had a shipwreck at sea ?" Or, will he plead 
 his youth and indiscretion, and say, " Though I have done 
 wrong, I had a good heart?" Such, my friends, are the 
 wretched excuses of unhumbled sinners. But -the. prodigal 
 now perceived the plague of his own heart ; he was " poor in 
 spirit:" he would make no excuses, but own his guilt, and 
 confess he was unworthy to be treated as a son; he would 
 be contented and thankful to be admitted into the kitchen, 
 "Make me as one of thy hired servants." , Thus it will be 
 with every true penitent; he will give glory to' God by mak- 
 ing full confession of his sin, and will sincerely admit that he 
 is totally unworthy of the grace and mercy of God." 
 
 Observe, he says, "I have sinned against heaven" — 
 against the God of heaven; against the high authority of 
 God, and against the wonderful goodness of God. It is a 
 foolish and hurtful mistake of some people, when they speak 
 of a drunkard, or any other wicked man,. to say, "he hurts 
 none but' himself " It is true, sinners hurt themselves; but 
 they also offend and provoke the God of heaven; and in 
 true repentance, the sinner, like the prodigal, and like the 
 Psalmist, will say, "Against thee,- thee only have I sinned, 
 and done this evil in thy sight." Before ?Aee, said he; the 
 prodigal had sinned against his father, by throwing off his 
 easy yoke; and let young people remember, that disobedient 
 and undutiful behavior to their parents is a sin against God 
 that needs his pardoning mercy, and must be repented of 
 
 Shall we pause a inoinent, and ask ourselves whether we 
 find in our hearts a disposition like that of the prodigal. We 
 have all sinried with him, but which of us repents with him ? 
 Depend upon it, we shall not .think of returning to .God, till 
 we feel the misery of departing from him. We have forsaken 
 God, we have set up for our own guides, we have abused the 
 
SERMON XVIII. 185 
 
 gift of Grod, we have been the slaves of sin; and have we not 
 found emptiness, insujSiciency, dissatisfaction, misery, and 
 danger in this condition ? If not, may God open our eyes, 
 and help us to discover it. If we are convinced of these 
 things, let us make the prodigal's resolution, "I will arise;" 
 and not only make it, but execute it; for we read, " He arose 
 and came to his father." Luke 15 : 20. There are many 
 good resolutions formed, which come to nothing. It has been 
 said, that " hell is paved with good resolutions :" perhaps 
 there is not one unhappy creature alive, who did not at one 
 time or other say, "I will arise and go to my father;" but 
 their resolutions died away. The prodigal, however, arose 
 and began his journey — a long journey, for you will remem- 
 ber that he went into "a far country." Ah, who can tell 
 what painful fears and doubts assailed his mind on the way? 
 Hunger had brought him very low; and he might have said, 
 -"How can these trembling limbs carry me so many miles? 
 I must beg my way ; perhaps I may die on the road : and oh, 
 if I live to reach the place, how can I bear the sight of the 
 house ? My father, my offended father, will refuse to see me, 
 forbid me the house; and after all my labor, I may be rejected, 
 and justly too. But however, though I may perish if I go, I 
 must perish if I stay. . I will arise, and go to my father." 
 He goes. He continues his journey; and at length, after 
 many a weary step, and many a toilsome day, he catches a 
 glimpse of the mansion ; he halts, his heart beats, a thousand 
 fears rush into his mind. Ah, what shall I do ? What shall 
 I say ? , , . , , : 
 
 Just then, for so Providence ordered it, " when he was yet 
 a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion on 
 him, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." This 
 we are next to consider. 
 
 III. His kind reception. God's eyes are upon all his 
 creatures. "He looketh upon men," to see if there be any 
 that regard, any that return; and the very first motions of 
 the heart towards him are noticed. " He looketh upon men; 
 and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was 
 
186 THE PEODIGAL SON. 
 
 right, and it profited me not; he will deliver his soul from 
 going down into the pit, and his life shall see the light." 
 Job 33 : 27, 28, 
 
 He had compassion: A parent can readily conceive what 
 tender feelings would he excited by the sight of a long-lost 
 child returning in this miserable plight; and by these feel- 
 ings the God of mercy is pleased to express his perfect readi- 
 ness to receive and forgive a repenting sinner. 
 
 He ran. The prodigal perhaps stopped short, afraid to 
 venture on; but the father runs: forgetting his age, and the 
 gravity of his character, he runs to meet him, impatient to 
 embrace him. 
 
 He fell on his neck, and kissed him — though ragged, though 
 filthy, though lately come from feeding swine. Any other 
 than a father would have loathed him; but the parent loves, 
 and manifests his love by his affectionate embraces. 
 
 What a wonderful display is this of the love of God ! It 
 is thus that God prevents us with the blessings of his good'- 
 ness. It is. thus that repenting sinners are welcomed by the 
 God of mercy. Hear it, my friends, hear it for your en- 
 couragement, that our God is " ready to pardon, gracious and 
 merciful, slow to anger, and of great, kindness." Neh. 9 : 17: 
 Hear his own words: " I have surely heard Ephraim bemoan- 
 ing himself thus: Thou hast chastised me, and I was chas- 
 tised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, 
 and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God. Surely 
 after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was 
 instructed, I smote upon my thigh : I was ashamed, yea, even 
 confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth." 
 Jer. 31 : 18. This is the language of Ephraim's repentance. 
 Now hear the language of God's compassion: "Is Ephraim 
 my dear son ? Is he a pleasant child ? For since I spake 
 against him, I do earnestly remeauber him still; therefore my 
 bowels: are troubled for him: I will surely have mercy upon 
 him, saith the Lord." Jer. 31:20. Yes, my friends, God, 
 for Christ's sake, keeps mercy in store for the chief of sinners 
 who returns to him. 
 
SERMON xvrir. 187 
 
 Now what effect had this kind behavior on the prodigal ? 
 Did it make him suppress his intended confession? Did it 
 prevent the humiliation he resolved upon ? No ; it rather 
 increased his contrition and godly sorrow. An awakened 
 sinner is affected and melted down with the discov^ies of 
 G-od's free, full, pardoning love in Christ Jesus, it appears so 
 great, so undeserved, and so excellent. 
 
 " Law and terrors do but harden, 
 All the while they work alone ; 
 But a sense of blood-bought pajdon, 
 Soon dissolves a heart of stone.'' 
 
 The prodigal no sooner meets his father than he cries, 
 " Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and 
 am no more worthy to he called thy son" — he was going on; 
 he would have said more; but the father stopped him, and 
 said to his servants, who with surprise had followed him, and 
 gathered round to behold the affecting scene, " Bring forth 
 the best robe, and put it on him ; and put a ring on his hand, 
 and shoes on his feet : and bring hither the fatted calf, and 
 kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was 
 dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." Liike 
 15 : 22-24. 
 
 The prodigfil was half naked; he is no-W' clothed, and that 
 with a robe — ^the dress of a prince rather than of a servant; 
 He had the appearance of a wretched slave; the ornaments 
 of a free man were put upon him. He was ready to starve ; 
 the most delicate food is prepared for him. He was almost 
 overwhelmed with grief; cheerfulness and joy now fill his 
 heart. Thus, the lower a penitent sinks in humility, the 
 higher will Grod raise him, and heap upon him the greater 
 benefits; The reconciled sinner shall be treated as a child; 
 he shall be clothed with the garment of salvation, with the 
 righteousness of Christ; 'he shall have the seal of adoption, 
 and the graces of the Spirit enabling him to walk in thei 
 ways of God. ' 
 
 IV. We have scarcely time to notice the bkhavior of his 
 ill-natured elder brother. Suffice it to say, it was a picture 
 
188 THE PRODIGAL SON. 
 
 of the Pharisees ; and represents the character of many, "who 
 value themselves on the regularity of their own conduct, and 
 betray a strong aversion to, the rich grace of the gospel, which 
 is e¥;tended to the greatest sinners ; they are oflFended that no 
 peculiAr cgmpliment is paid tp their excellence, and that 
 others whom they despised are put on a level with them. ' 
 Thus Christ reproves them. 
 
 t 
 
 My friends, there are two things in this parable whiph 1 
 trust you will not forget-^the folly X)f sinners, and the com- 
 passion of God. Let each one of us consider whether he has 
 not imgratefully run away from G-od, disliked his restraints, 
 been wise in his own conceit, indulged forbidden sins, and 
 abused the bounties of heaven. And yet perhaps he has 
 been totally insensible of the evil, of so base conduct. In the 
 midst of prosperity there was not a thought of returning to 
 Grod; and .even in affliction, any other method was tried 
 rather than that. But surely it is high time to bethink our- 
 selves. May divine grace bring us all to ourselves, as the 
 necessary means of bringing us to God. Let us resolve, 
 withiput a moineht's delay, to humble ourselves at his feet ; 
 and let us be encouraged to do so by the affecting account 
 we have heard of Grod's kindness. " He sees afar off the re- 
 turning sinners; he pities, he meets, he pardons, he embraces 
 them. He arrays them with the robe of the Redeemer's right- 
 eousness; adorns them with the ornaments of sanctifying 
 grace; honors them with the tokens of adopting love; and 
 invests them with all the privileges of his dear children." 
 O.that we may feel the charming force of these heavenly 
 attractions ! May there be joy in heaven and earth this day 
 on our account ; and may we, thus received into the house of 
 God, abide; there all the days of our life, admiring and adoring 
 the sovereign, free, and everlasting grace of God ; and saying, 
 ''Behold, what manner of love the Eather has bestowed upon 
 us, that we should be called the sons of G-od." 
 
SEEMON XVIII. 189 
 
 "The mighty God will not despise 
 The contrite lieart for sacrifice ; 
 The deep-fetched sigh, the secret groan, 
 Kises accepted to the throne. 
 
 He meets with tokens of his grace, 
 The trembUng lip, the blushing face ; 
 His bowels yearn when sinners pray, 
 And Mercy bears their sins away. 
 
 When filled with grief, o'erwhelmcd with shame, 
 He, pitying, heals their broken frame ; 
 He hears their sad complaints, and spies 
 His image in their weeping eyes. 
 
 Thus, what rapturous joy possessed 
 The tender parent's throbbing breast. 
 To see his spendthrift son return. 
 And hear him his past follies mourn !" 
 
 And now let lis, who long have been 
 The wretched slaves of hell and sin, 
 Kepeut — made wiser by the rod — 
 Come to ourselves, and then to God. 
 
190 CHRIST THE WAY. 
 
 CHRIST THE WAY TO GOD AND HEAVEN. 
 
 SERMON XIX. 
 
 " I AM THE WAY.- ' John 14 : 6. 
 
 If we believe there is a future state of happiness called 
 heaven, and a future state of misery called hell, there can be 
 nothing of greater consequence to us than to obtain the one, 
 and escape the other. If we have any serious thoughts of 
 these things, we cannot but inquire, Which is the true way 
 to heaven ? Every thing that calls itself religion pretends to 
 be the way, but as there are so many different ways they 
 cannot all be right; yea, we are bold to say they are all 
 wrong except one, and that one is declared in the text: "I 
 am the way," said Jesus; "no man cometh unto the Eather, 
 but by me." Our Lord spoke these words to his disciples when 
 they were full of trouble because he was about to leave them. 
 He comforts them by saying he was going to heaven, his 
 Father's house, to prepare a place for them; and that he 
 would come again, and receive them to himself, that where 
 he .was they also might be; and then he adds, " Whither I go 
 ye know, and the way ye know." But Thomas, who was 
 rather of a doubting turn of mind, replied. Lord, after all thou 
 hast said, we are still at a loss about the place where thou 
 art going, and how then can we know the way to follow 
 thee? Jesus answered, I am the imy; which is as if he 
 had said, I am the Mediator between God and man; I am 
 the means of intercourse between heaven and earth: what- 
 ever comes from Grod to a sinner, comes through me; and 
 whatever of an acceptable kind goes from a sinful man to 
 God, must pass through my hands. In treating upon these 
 very important and useful words we shall show, 
 
 1. To what Christ is a way; and, 
 
SERMON XIX. 191 
 
 2. What sort of a way he is, 
 
 I. We are to consider, what Christ is a wav to. Every- 
 way or road leads from some place to another; now, as he is 
 pleased to call himself a way,m condescension to our mean 
 capacities, we are to .consider what he is the wajfrom, and 
 what he is the way to. We are to remember that we are 
 fallen, guilty creatures, in a state of sin, and liable to all 
 miseries here and hereafter ; and that we are far from God, 
 from righteousness, and from heaven: now, if ever we are 
 brought back to God and a state of grace here, and to a state 
 of glory hereafter, it must be in and through Jesus Christ 
 alone. We say then, that Christ is .the way to God, and the 
 way to heaven. 
 
 The first of these is directly expressed by our blessed Lord 
 in the text: "I am the way — no man cometh to the Father but 
 by me." When man was first created, he lived in a happy 
 state of nearness to God; he knew God, and delighted in him 
 as his chief good ; but sin, cursed sin, soon made a dreadful 
 separation: and n&w we come into the world "estranged 
 from God, and go astray from the womb;" we desire abseince 
 from God ; " he is not in all our thoughts ;" but we seek hap- 
 piness in sin and folly. Yet is the Lord our God pleased to 
 invite us back to him by the promises and blessings of his 
 gospel, and by the ordinances of his house. And although 
 multitudes despise these, and madly resolve to pursue the 
 way of destruction, yet a happy few there are who hear the 
 voice of the Son of God in his word, are made sensible that, 
 being far from him, they must perish, and that it is good for 
 them to draw nigh to him. But these persons have often- 
 times such an awful view of the glorious and dreadful maj- 
 esty of God, as an infinitely holy and just being, and of the 
 distance that sin has occasioned, that they know not how to 
 approach him. The prophet Micah thus expresses the anxious 
 desires of such a one: "Wherewith shall I come before the 
 Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come 
 before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old ? 
 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten 
 
192 CHRIST THE WAY. 
 
 thousands of rivers of oil ? Shall I give my first-born for my 
 transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ?" 
 Mic. 6 : 6. Blessed be the Lord, "he hath showed us what 
 is good." He hath given us a full answer to these inquiries 
 in our text. Jesus is the way. It is not by costly offerings 
 of blood or oil, nor at the dreadful expense of sacrificing a 
 darling child ; but Jesus is the way. He not only came to 
 show us the way, but to be the way. He did not come to tell 
 us how we may make our peace \^ith God, as some express 
 themselves, but to be our peace ; for " he made peace through 
 the blood of his cross." It is by the death of Jesus that we 
 draw near to God: so St. Peter tells us, " He suffered for sins, 
 the just for the unjust, that he vaxghi bring us to God." We 
 were far from him; we had neither the will nor the power to 
 return; and sin, if not atoned for, must have made an ever- 
 lasting separation between a holy God and vile Sinners; but 
 Jesus, who was perfectly just and righteous, endured the 
 most shameful and painful sufferings on the cross for us, 
 that is, in our room and stead, that he nlight reconcile us to 
 God, and bring us to a holy conformity to him, and happy 
 communion with him here, and to the eternal enjoyment of 
 him hereafter. ■ ' 
 
 In this way, that is, in Jesus, we have free access to the 
 glorious Majesty of heaven; we may, by prayer in his name, 
 " come with boldness to the throne of grace," thei-e to " obtain 
 mercy, and find grace to help us." Hear what St. Paul says 
 of this matter: "Having therefore boldness to enter into the 
 holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which 
 he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, 
 his flesh— let us draw near with a true heart, in full assur- 
 ance of faith." Heb. 10 : 19, etc. What a glorious privilege 
 is this ! We may approach the great God as our reconciled 
 God and Father ; we may use holy freedom with him in our 
 prayers; we have this liberty of access by the merit of Christ's 
 blood, and by the application of it to our consciences through 
 faith therein. This is the way prepared for our use, even 
 Jesus, who is "the way, the truth, and the life;" he is the 
 
SERMON XIX. 193 
 
 truth and substance of all the ordinances of the Old Testa- 
 ment, with particular reference to the rending of that veil 
 which separated the holy of holies in the temple from the 
 holy place, and which rending took place at the moment of 
 our Saviour's death; which signified, that' now the way to 
 Grod and heaven is laid opeii for all believers. 
 
 2. Jesns Christ is the way to heaven. This indeed fol- 
 lows the other ; for if we come to God by Jesus as our recon- 
 ciled Father — if sin be pardoned, and we are admitted to a 
 life of holy communion with him here, it is certain that we 
 shall also have " an abundant entrance into his heavenly 
 kingdom and glory." Jesus died to " redeem us to God" to 
 his favor and image here, and to his glory hereafter. He 
 died to " bring many sons to glory;" that they may be satisfied 
 with the goodness of his house, even of his holy temple ; that 
 they may be " pillars in that temple, never more to go out ;" 
 that they may approach him in a more sublime way of wor- 
 ship than at present, without the help of means and ordi- 
 nances ; that they may see him face to face, without a cloud 
 to hide his glory from them, and without the clog of sinful 
 flesh and blood. Now Jesus is the only way to heaven. 
 This is the record of the gospel: "God hath given to us 
 eternal life, and this life is in his Son." ' There it is, and 
 nowhere else; and whoever thinks to get to heaven another 
 way, misses the true road, and will be eternally disappointed. 
 There are many ways to hell, but only one to heaven; and if 
 Jesus be not our way, we shall never get thither. As sinners^ 
 we have forfeited heaven and deserved hell ; but Jesus Christ 
 has not only redeemed his people from the curse, that they 
 may not go to hell, but by his perfect obedience, or righteous- 
 ness, he has procured for them a title to heaven. The right- 
 eousness of Christ is "to and upon all who believe in him;" 
 it is transferred to them, imputed to them, or reckoned to 
 their account, as if they had themselves performed it ; and 
 on this ground it is that they are admitted into the realms of 
 light and glory ; " therefore are they before the throne, because 
 they have washed their robes, and made them white in the 
 
 Vil Ser. 13 
 
194 CHBIST THE WAY. 
 
 blood of the Lam"b;" and not on account of any goodness, 
 virtue, or good works of their own. 
 
 Besides this, there is a fitness for heaven, a meetness of 
 disposition, and capacity of enjoyment, for that holy state, 
 without which no man can see the Lord ; for it is plain that 
 a wicked man, a carnal man, could not enjoy heaven, were 
 he admitted into it; there must therefore be a change of 
 heart, a love of G-od and holiness, as well as a title to glory. 
 This also we have from Jesus Christ. We are not pardoned 
 by his blood, and then sanctified by our own endeavors — 
 though these also are to be used — but " Christ is made unto 
 us sanctification." It is by the Spirit of Christ, dwelling and 
 working in us, that we are renewed in the spirit of our minds; 
 the love and power of sin mortified ; the world with all its 
 vanities crucified to us, and we led into a spiritual life of 
 communion with God here, as the preparation and pledge of 
 our eternal happiness in heaven. Thus is Jesus, in every 
 point of view, the way to heaven. 
 
 Having briefly shown that Christ is the way to God and 
 heaven, let us stop a moment, and ask ourselves whether we 
 have any desire that he may be oto- way in these respects. 
 Are there not some who are so far from wishing todraw nigh 
 to God, that their hearts and lives plainly say, " Depart from 
 us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways ?" You dare 
 not say so in words; but your actions say so. God and sin 
 cannot reign in the same heart; and when you choose shi 
 and indulge it, you do in effect say, " G-od, begone ! I hate 
 your company, I love your enemy, I love sin, and will sub- 
 mit to the devil's rule; 1 will have nothing to do with God. 
 I hate prayer. I hate the Bible. I hate the saints." This 
 is horrid language, and you dislike the sound of the words; 
 but is not this the fair language of your profane cursing and 
 swearing — pf your lust and lewdness, fornication and unclean- 
 ness ? Is not this the language of your Sabbath-breaking, 
 and contempt of religious ordinances and means of grace? 
 When you get drunk and swear and lie, or steal, or commit 
 any bad action, do you not say, Depart from me, 9,nd let sin 
 
SERMON XIX. 195 
 
 and Satan have nae ? my friends, consider what will be 
 the end of these things. You must die, and then appear 
 before God— a holy, a just, an offended Grod; and should you 
 not inquire. How -may I come before him acceptably? Re- 
 member then that Jesus is the way, and O that you may be 
 made " willing in the day of his power," to come to him for 
 pardon and life; for "he is able to save them to the utter- 
 most that come unto God by him." 
 
 The same may be said of Christ as the way to heaven. 
 Oh, how many care nothing about heaven ! " And can it be 
 supposed that any man will ever come to heaven, who never 
 thought of it before he came thither?" No, indeed. It is 
 " the prize set before us," and the Christian must " so run as 
 to obtain it;" and there is no way to run in, but Jesus Christ. 
 Most men hope to go to heaven when they die, and yet few 
 consider whether they are in the right way. As Christ only 
 is the way, let any person inquire, when any thing is pro- 
 posed to him as the way, Is it Christ? If men say, Good 
 works are the way, ask, Are good works Christ? If they say 
 baptism and the Lord's supper are the way, ask again. Are 
 these Christ ? Is repentance Christ? Are alms Christ ? This 
 is a very easy method of conuhg to the truth. Christ is the 
 way; and therefore whatever is not Christ, is not the )vay. 
 He, then, only, being the way, let us, 
 
 11. Show WHAT SORT OF A WAY Christ is. 
 
 1. Christ is a new way; so he is called, Heb. 10 : 20. Not 
 that the way of salvation by Christ is a new invention, for 
 he is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." 
 Adam, Abel, and Abraham, went to heaven in this way ; but 
 it is called new because there was one before it. The first 
 way in which it was proposed for man to be happy, was by 
 his own innocence and perfect obedience ; and if Adam had 
 not sinned, this would have been his way to heaven: but as 
 soon as he sinned and fell, and we in him, this way was shut 
 up for ever; so that no soul ever got to heaven in the way of 
 works, nor ever will. This way, by grace, came after the 
 other, and instead of it, and is therefore called a new way. 
 
196 CHRIST THE WAY. 
 
 It Ls called new because it was newly made when the 
 New Testament was written. Jesus Christ had lately died 
 to become this way. It is new, because newly and more 
 plainly revealed in gospel times than it was before; and be- 
 cause it will always be new, and never give place to any 
 other. 
 
 2. It is a living way. This way to heaven was by 
 Christ's dying; yet it is called a living way, because all our 
 life springs from his death. Christ is the life of all who live, 
 spiritually or eternally. This way is trodden only by such. 
 All who are in this way are alive to God; and what is more, 
 they shall never die. The eternal life of all who are in Christ 
 and walk in him, is secure; for because he lives, they shall 
 live also. No man ever died upon this road. " I am," saith 
 Christ, " the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in 
 me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever 
 liveth and believeth in me shall never die." The body indeed 
 must die, because of sin, though that is more properly called 
 sleei) in the New Testament, and the body shall be raised in 
 glory ; " but the spirit is life, because of righteousness," and 
 shall never perish, but have everlasting life. 
 
 3. It is a plain way. Some ways are hard to find; have 
 many turnings and windings and cross paths ; but this way 
 is easy to find, and to keep. The prophet Isaiah, speaking 
 of it, says, " The wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err 
 therein." Isa. 35 : 8. It is an infinite mercy that the things 
 which belong to our peace are not difficult. There are, it is 
 true, deep and difficult things in the Bible; but the grand 
 truths which concern our salvation are plerfectly plain and 
 easy. What can be plainer than what is said about our fall- 
 en, sinful, helpless state, as sinners ; or about Jesus Christ, 
 as the only all-sufficient Saviour; or about our duty, as saved 
 sinners, towards God and man? It is a great blessing to 
 poor people that these things are so plain, and that God by 
 his Spirit uiakes them so, even to "babes and sucklings;" 
 for "the entrance of his word giveth light; it giveth under- 
 standing to the simple." 
 
SERMON XIX. 197 
 
 4. It is a free way. There are private ways that belong 
 to great men, and they are open to few; it would be a tres- 
 pass for a stranger to he found in them ; but this is a public 
 way, the King's highway. St. Paul says, it is consecrated, 
 that is, appointed, dedicated, devoted to this purpose, and free 
 for the use of all who desire to travel in it. There are no 
 bars or toll-gates, where travellers must pay for permission 
 to enter or proceed ; for salvatioij is " without money and 
 without price." Isaiah 55 : 1. It is a way prepared on pur- 
 pose for the use of sinners who are returning to God, and 
 no objections are made to such persons. No worthiness, 
 nor qualifications, nor conditions, are required of the trav- 
 eller: whosoever will, may come and welcome. It is a free 
 way. 
 
 5. It is a safe and sure way. It is a firm solid road, there 
 is no danger of sinking in it ; for Christ is the Rock of ages. 
 It sufiers no alterations by rains and floods, as other ways do; 
 it is passable at all times; there is nothing at any time to 
 hinder our access to God, and progress to heaven. Nor is 
 there any occasion to fear enemies upon it. There are such, 
 but they cannot prevail. " The devil," says one, " has been 
 busy upon this road for about five thousand years, but yet 
 never slew one believer ; for every traveller is ' kept by the 
 power of God through faith unto salvation.' So that he 
 may walk on with boldness, and fear no evil; rejoicing to 
 think that every believer that once set his foot in this way, 
 has been enabled to proceed, and not one of them failed 
 of ' receiving the end of his faith, even the salvation of his 
 soul.' " 
 
 6. It is a pleasant way. The Scripture says,' " The ways 
 of wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are 
 peace." Satan invites men to travel in the ways of sin, 
 under the notion of their being pleasant : and there certainly 
 are pleasures in sin ; but they are for a short season ; they are 
 now mingled with bitter pains and pangs of conscience, and 
 they will issue in misery everlasting. But " the ransomed of 
 the Lord," who return to the heavenly Zion, "shall come 
 
198 CHRIST THE WAY. 
 
 with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads." Believers 
 are called upon to " rejoice always in the Lord." Those who 
 travel in this way are not only secure from harm, as you have 
 heard, but the Lord has engaged for their supply on the road ; 
 he has promised that " they shall be abundantly satisfied 
 with the fatness of his house, and drink of the river of his 
 pleasures." They shall "sit Tinder his shadow with great 
 delight, and his fruit be sweet to their taste." They shall 
 enjoy the company of the saints as their fellow-travellers, 
 with whom their communion shall be sweet. Yea, the Lord 
 of the way hiniself has promised to bear them company, and 
 has said, " Fear not, for I am with thee;" and " I will never 
 leavej nor forsake thee." 
 
 Lastly, it is the only way. Many ways to G-od and 
 heaven have been proposed by mistaken men, under the 
 influence of the great deceiver, the devil; and it is too com- 
 monly supposed that any way will do, if a man is but sincere 
 in it. But this cannot be true; for if any way of man's in- 
 vention might suffice, what occasion was there for Christ to 
 come from heaven, obey the law, and endure the curse, that 
 he might become our way ? for " if righteousness come by 
 the law," or men can be their own saviors, or partake of the 
 mercy of God without an atonement, all the vast expense of 
 Christ's sufferings and death might have been spared; yea, 
 in that case " the grace of G-od is set aside, and Christ is dead 
 in vain." G-al. 2:21. But Christ crucified is the only way; 
 so St. Peter solemnly declares: "Neither is there salvation in 
 any other; for there is none other name under heaven given 
 among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4 : 12. There 
 is salvation in his name; it was procured by him, and he 
 ever lives to bestow it: it is also published by divine author- 
 ity; it is given forth in the preached gospel; but there is jio 
 other, under heaven, given for that purpose ; none given by 
 Grod's orders; if any others are giveii, it is by impostors and 
 deceivers. Jesus only is the way to God and heaven. Thus 
 you see that Christ is a new way, a living way, a free way, 
 a safe way, a pleasant way, and the only way. 
 
SERMON XIX. 199 
 
 My dear friends, suffer me to remind you that as certainly 
 as there is a way to heaven, and Christ is that way, so cer- 
 tainly there is a way to hell, and sin is that way; and so 
 surely as the believer in Christ shall arrive at heaven, so 
 surely shall the sinner, going on in his wicked way, get to hell 
 at last. Oh, my friends, do not despise this. Do not laugh 
 at it. It becomes you to be serious in serious matters. " Now 
 thereforCj thus saith the Lord, Consider your ways^ The 
 Scripture speaks of a false way, a crooked way, a perverse 
 way, a wicked way. Now what is your way; is it the 
 way of the flesh, the way of the world ? Then give me 
 leave to tell you "it leadeth to destruction." The Lord's 
 eye is upon you. He knows the way you take, " and the 
 way of the wicked is an abomination to him." Now, it is 
 possible you may be deceived concerning the way you are 
 in; you may think it safe, while you are in the utmost 
 danger, for " the way of the wicked seduceth them," Prov. 
 12:26; and the Scripture declares, that "there is a way 
 which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are 
 the ways of death." Prov. 14:12. Is it not then your wis- 
 dom to examine very carefully whether you are in the right 
 way or not ? And as the heart is very deceitful, let me recom- 
 mend it to you to pray for the Lord's help, lest, after all, you 
 should be deceived. Let me advise you to use that prayer 
 which you will find in the 139th Psalm, the 23d verse, 
 " Search me, Grod, and know my heart : try me, and know 
 my 1;houghts ; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and 
 lead me in the way everlasting." 
 
 Listen to the voice from heaven, which invites you in 
 these words: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the un- 
 righteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the 
 Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for 
 he will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55 : 7. Let it be your 
 prayer that G-od would teach you his way, and convert you 
 from the error oi your own ways; and for this purpose read 
 and hear the word of G-od. Say to your companions, in the 
 words of the prophet, "Come ye, and let us go to the house of 
 
2D0 CHRIST THE WAY. 
 
 G-od ; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in 
 his paths," Isa. 2:3. that God may direct your feet into 
 the way of peace ! 
 
 Is Christ the way to God ? then, believers, make daily 
 use of lum as such. Come boldly . to the throne of grace. 
 This is a way consecrated for you, and free for your use. 
 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Remem- 
 ber he is a living way. Live upon him, and live to him. 
 Let others see you are in Christ, by your walking not accord- 
 ing to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Remember he is 
 a sure way ; you may walk with confidence in it, without fear 
 of miscarrying: "He is faithful who hath promised." Christ 
 hath promised to keep his sheep, and that none shall pluck 
 them out of his hand. The world may oppose and Satan 
 oppose, but greater is " He thkt is in you, than he that is in 
 the world;" and "if God be for us, who can be against us ?" 
 Is Christ the way to heaven ? and are any of you in him ? 
 look forward with joyful hope of the glory of God. Bless 
 him for bringing you out of the paths of destruction, and 
 leading you into the way of peace. Love Jesus, for becom- 
 ing your way, at such an expense to himself; and be con- 
 cerned to walk even as he walked. Thus shall you recom- 
 mend this way to others, and constrain them to say. We will 
 go with you, for God is with you of a truth 
 
 Jesus, my all, to heaven is gone, 
 
 He whom I fix my hopes upon : 
 
 His track I see, and I '11 pursue 
 
 The narrow way till him I view. 
 
 The way the holy prophets went, 
 The road that leads from banishment 
 The King's highway of holiness 
 I '11 go, for all his paths are peace, 
 
 This is the way I long have sought, 
 And mourned because I found it not ; 
 My grief my burden long has been. 
 Because I could not cease from sin. 
 
 The more I strove against its power, 
 I sinned and stumbled but the more. 
 Till late I heard my Saviour say, 
 " Come hither, soul, I am the way." 
 
SERMON XX. 201 
 
 COMING SINNERS WELCOME TO CHRIST. 
 
 SERMON XX. 
 
 "HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT." John 6 :37. 
 
 Two things are necessary to encourage a convinced sinner 
 to come to Christ for salvation: the one is, that he is able to 
 save; the other is, that he is willing. Of the former, few 
 comparatively doubt. And who can doubt at all, if he be- 
 lieves that Christ is the great Creator of the world ? Por " is 
 any thing too hard for the Lord ?" Nor is there the least 
 reason to doubt of his good will to save. And yet how many 
 are distressed with fear on this account ! There are few who 
 say, " If thou canst do any thing, help us." But there are 
 many who cry, " Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me 
 clean." Happy the soul that comes thus far. Jesus will 
 answer, as he did of old, "/ will; be thou clean." This 
 assurance he gives us in many parts of the Scripture, but in 
 none perhaps more fully than in the text. Our Lord is here 
 speaking to a multitude of the Jews, who, having seen the 
 miracle of feeding five thousand people with five loaves, fol- 
 lowed him a great way in hope of seeing such another mira- 
 cle, and perhaps of living upon his bounty. But he exhorts 
 them to seek the bread of life for their souls; laments their 
 unbelief; but comforts himself in this, that all who were 
 given to him by the Father should certainly come to him; 
 and declares his perfect readiness to receive every coming 
 soul. This, my friends, is indeed good news — glad tidings of 
 great joy to those of you who are seeking salvation, and who 
 know that it is to be had only in Jesus; especially if your 
 fearful hearts have been tempted to think he will not receive 
 you. Be no longer faithless, but believing; he says, that if 
 you come, he will in no wise cast you out — he will on no 
 
202 SINNERS WELCOME TO CHRIST. 
 
 account whatever reject or refuse you, but readily embrace 
 you in the arms of his mercy, and give you pardon, peace, 
 holiness, and heaven. Now, that we may clearly understand 
 this, and get the full comfort of it, let us consider, 
 
 1. What is meant by coming to Christ; and, 
 
 2. The encouragement held out in the text to all comers. 
 I. What is meant by coming to Christ ? None can sup- 
 
 pose it is coming to him with our bodies: this is now impos^ 
 sible, for the heavens have received him out of our sight ; 
 and though his ditine presence is everywhere, his glorified 
 body is only in heaven. And were he on fearth, as he once 
 was, coming to him with our bodies only would be of no use, 
 as appears from this chapter, verse 36, where he says to the 
 people who were round about him, "Ye also have seen me, 
 and believed not." Nor is it merely coming to his house, 
 where he is preached ; nor to his table, where he is set forth. 
 Many do all this who are none the nearer to Christ, Ezek. 
 33 : 31. But this coming is to be understood spiritually: it 
 is the coming of the heart; it is the motion of the mind ; it is 
 the "flight of the soul to Christ." It is therefore much the 
 same as believing in Christ : " And Jesus "said unto them, I 
 am the bread of life : he that conieth to me shall never hun- 
 ger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst," John 
 6 : 35 ; the same person is intended, and the same act of the 
 mind. 
 
 But you will observe, that such a comer to Christ is con- 
 vinced of his sin and danger, and comes to Christ for help; 
 just as it is said by the prophet Isaiah, "The great trum- 
 pet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready 
 to perish." Isaiah 27:13. No man will go and beg for 
 bread till he is pinched with want. The prodigal son never 
 said, " I will arise and go to my father," till he was ready to 
 perish with hunger. It is a sense of sin, and a fear of hell, 
 together with a hope of mercy, that puts a man upon coming 
 to Christ ; for he himself declares, when speaking to the Jews, 
 "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." Life, 
 you see, is what a sinner must come for; the life of his soul, 
 
SERMON XX. 203 
 
 for now he sees that he is exposed by sin to eternal death. 
 Now, " all that a man hath, will he give for his life." When 
 this is in danger, he will be in earnest ; he will be in haste ; 
 and the language of the coming sinner is, " What shall I do 
 to be saved ?" " Lord, save, or I perish." 
 
 This coming of the soul to Christ supposes faith. No man 
 can come to him till he has heard of him ; and no man can hear 
 of him but by the gospel. Now the gospel means good news — 
 glad tidings. The gospel tells us that " Jesus Christ is come 
 into the world to save sinners ;" that " he is come to seek and 
 to save that which is lost ;" that " his blood cleanseth from 
 all sin." The gospel also calls and invites poor sinners to 
 apply to Jesus, that they may have life. For instance, Jesus 
 says, " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, 
 and I will give you rest." Matt. 11 : 28. Now the sinner 
 hears these gracious words. The Holy Spirit gives him light 
 to understand them. He mixes faith with them. He be- 
 lieves them to be true. Now, he cannot believe these things 
 without being affected by them — without having a desire to 
 be interested in them. If he is persuaded of the freeness, ful- 
 ness, and suitableness of the salvation that is in Christ, his 
 thoughts must and will be much engaged about it — his affec- 
 tions will be moved; in other words, he comes to Christ, his 
 mind flies to him for refuge, and there it rests. 
 
 Now, this application of the soul to Jesus has a respect to 
 the various offices and characters which he sustains for our 
 salvation. Por instance. Is he called a Saviour, that is, a 
 deliverer ? the soul deSires and hopes for deliverance from sin 
 and hell by him alone. Is he a Prophet ? the soul, sensible 
 of its woful ignorance, comes to him with an humble, teach- 
 able spirit, to be taught and made wise to salvation. Is he a 
 Physician ? the convinced sinner, sick to death of sin, eagerly 
 applies to him for health and cure. Is he a Priest ? the sin- 
 ner, longing for pardoning mercy, depends alone upon the 
 merit of his sacrifice. Is he a King? the soul, heartily 
 weary of Satan's tyranny, willingly submits to his mild gov- 
 ernment, and relies on his heavenly protection. In a word. 
 
204 SINNERS WELCOME TO CHRIST. 
 
 he "receives Christ Jesus the Lord," as offered to him in 
 the gospel. 
 
 Here let us stop a moment, and put a question. We have 
 been told what believing is, what coming to Christ is; now, 
 my friends, the question is, Do we thus come to Christ ? He 
 that Cometh shall be sav^d; but he that cometh not, shall not 
 be saved. let us not neglect this great concern ! " How 
 shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ?" Think of 
 a dying hour. Think of the judgment-day. 
 
 And Oh, how dreadful would it be if Christ should say 
 to any one of us, " Wretched creature, ruined sinner, your 
 destruction lies at your own door ! You were told of your 
 danger; you were invited to believe in me; you were assured, 
 that if you came to me, I would save you; but you refused; 
 you would not come to me, that you might have life. Perish 
 therefore. Perish without pity. Perish without remedy I" 
 God forbid that we should hear such dreadful words ; rather 
 let us, one and all, this very moment, fly, in the wishes and 
 desires of our hearts, to this compassionate Friend of sinnere. 
 
 But perhaps there are some here who earnestly desire to 
 be saved, yet their hearts are full of fear lest they should be 
 rejected. They have such a sight of the greatness of their 
 sins, of their ignorance, of their unworthiness, of tKe wick- 
 edness of their hearts^ that they are afraid to come, lest the 
 Lord should cast them out. 
 
 This is a very common case. You must not think that 
 scarcely any one feels and fears as you do. Were you to talk 
 with serious persons in general, you would find that almost 
 all of them, especially at first, have had the very same fears^ 
 and have been so anuch distressed at times, that they were 
 almost in despair. Jesus Christ knew beforehand that it 
 would be thus; and he therefore graciously spoke these kind 
 encouraging words, on purpose to comfort poor doubting, 
 trembling sinners: "Him that cometh to me I will in no 
 wise cast out." That we may take the comfort of ihese pre- 
 cious words, let us, 
 
 II. Consider the encouragement held out in the text to 
 
SEKMON XX. 205 
 
 all comers : I say, to all comers — -" him that cometh ;" let him 
 be who he may; high or low, rich or poor, young or old, 
 learned or ignorant ; yea, even great sinners, the chief of 
 sinners : all who come shall be welcome. Great sinners need 
 great encouragement; and here they have it. What words 
 could have been spoken more comfortable to the distressed 
 sinner ? Many are afraid that there is something peculiar in 
 their case — something on account of which they shall cer- 
 tainly be cast out; but our gracious Lord, who well knew 
 what timid creatures his people are, has provided in these 
 words an eflfectual antidote to their fears. This word him 
 takes in all sorts of persons, in all ages and places ; all sorts 
 of sinners, even the greatest: it includes liars, drunkards, har- 
 lots, thieves, murderers, and all other kinds and degrees of 
 sinness whomsoever. If any doubt of the truth of this, let 
 them turn to the following texts: Isa. 1 : 18; Matt. 12 : 31; 
 21 : 31; Mark 16 : 15, 16; Acts 13 : 39. Only let them come, 
 they shall be received ; no difficulties made, no objections 
 started; whatever they have been, whatever they have done, 
 they shall not be cast out. Nay, more, Jesus says, " I will 
 in no wise cast him out." I will not by any means, or on 
 any account whatsoever, let.it be what it may, cast him out, 
 though he may deserve it ; though he may dread it : let him 
 take my word for it, I will receive and embrace him; 1 will 
 show him all the mercy he needs, for pardon, peace, and 
 holiness: I will save him for ever. Such is the import of 
 these most gracious words. And this might be enough, were 
 it not that sinners who are coming to Christ, are commonly 
 fruitful in fears and objections, and can scarcely be persuaded 
 of this truth : it seems too great and too good to be true, at 
 least, as applied to them, who see their unworthiness and feel 
 their guilt. For the greater satisfaction, then, of such trem- 
 bling souls, let us attend to a few considerations, from which 
 it will appear that Jesus Christ will heartily welcome every 
 coming sinner. 
 
 1. Consider, the gracious nature, the kind disposition of 
 Christ towards sinners. " God is love." Jesus is love incar- 
 
206 SINNERS WELCOME TO CHRIST. 
 
 nate. He is the God of love in human nature. " His heart 
 is made of tenderness, his howels melt with love." We are 
 to remember that he is a brother in our nature. Because we 
 are flesh and blood, he became such, that he might be a mer- 
 ciful high-priest, and through death, abolish death. "Ye 
 know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was 
 rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his 
 poverty might be rich." Heb. 2 : 14, 17. Had he not loved 
 sinners, he had never forsaken the throng of heavenly glory ; 
 condescended to be born of a poor virgin; to be laid in a 
 manger ; to be always a man of sorrows, labors, and suffer- 
 ings; to endure the contradiction of sinners against himself; 
 and after all, to be betrayed, falsely accused, scourged, smit- 
 ten, spit upon, crowned with thorns, and nailed to a cross. 
 Who that considers this, can doubt whether Jesus loves sin- 
 ners ? 
 
 The names of Christ, both in the Old and New Testament, 
 point out his gracious nature. Simeon waited for the Conso- 
 lation of Israel Now if Jesus had not a gracious heart, his 
 appearance in the world would have been no consolation to 
 sinful men. The prophet Isaiah says, "He shall feed his 
 flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his 
 arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead 
 those that are with young." Jesus is this good and gracious 
 Shepherd, who even laid down his life for the sheep; who 
 feeds them in his pleasant pastures, and guards them with 
 his almighty hand. He is the tender and skilful Physician 
 who heals the sick, disordered, and dyin^ soul; who never 
 refuses a patient, nor fails in the most desperate case. He 
 is the good Samaritan, who pities and helps the wounded 
 and dying traveller, neglected and forsaken of men. He is 
 the Husband of his church, a name that implies tender care 
 and kind affection; and whose love is the patterji for mortals 
 to imitate. In short, he is, as his enemies reproachfully said, 
 the Friend of sinners; not of sm, as they pretended, but that 
 best of friends, who " delivers us from our sins." 
 
 2. Consider fAe office of Christ, as another argument to 
 
SERMON XX. 207 
 
 prove his readiness to receive a coming sinner. Jesus Christ, 
 as touching his G-odhead, is equal with the Father; hut he 
 condescended to hecome a servant for our salvation. As such, 
 he often speaks of being " sent ;" and of doing, " not his own 
 will, but the will of his Father." And what is the will of 
 the Father, think you ? " This" saith Jesus, " is the Father's 
 will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me 
 I should lose nothing ;" but " that every one which seeth the 
 Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life." John 
 6:39, 40. Jesus Christ is " the Apostle and High-priest of 
 our profession." The high-priest was an officer of the Jewish 
 church, whose business it was to offer gifts and sacrifices ; it 
 was necessary for him to be tender-hearted to the ignorant, 
 and those who were out of the way, and to be faithful to God 
 and man. Thus Jesus, our great High-priest, is compassion- 
 ate, " is touched with the feeling of our infirmities ; was in 
 all points tempted like as we are;" " and being made perfect 
 through sufferings, he became the author of eternal salvation 
 unto all them that obey him." Heb. 4 : 15; 5:9. Now it 
 is the office and business of Jesus Christ to save sinners. 
 The high-priest of old had nothing to do but with sinners; 
 it was an office on purpose for sinners : and this was the only 
 errand of Christ to our world. He came "not to condemn 
 the world;" he declined any thing of that sort; as you may 
 remember respecting the woman taken in adultery, he would 
 not condemn' her, John 8:11; he abhorred her sin, but it was 
 not his office to condemn; he came to save. And as to proud 
 self-righteous people, he had nothing to do with them; for 
 " he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." 
 Look then upon Jesus as a public officer appointed by divine 
 authority to dispense mercy and pardon to every coming sin- 
 ner — to every one who comes to God for mercy through him. 
 As it is the duty of a judge to dispense the laws, and do jus- 
 tice between man and man ; or as it is the daty of the phy- 
 sician of a hospital to take care of all the sick who are in it ; 
 so it is the gracious office of the Lord Jesus to dispense mercy, 
 pardon, grace, life, and salvation to all who apply to him; and 
 
208 SINNERS WELCOME TO CHRIST. 
 
 were it possible — we speak it with the deepest reverence — 
 were it possible, which it is not, that the blessed Jesus should 
 refuse and reject one sinner who comes to him for life, he 
 would be unfaithful; but this can never be, we have his 
 word for it in the text: '.' I will in no wise cast out him that 
 Cometh." 
 
 3. Consider, once more, the gracious conduct and behavior 
 of our Saviour when he was upon earth. " He went about 
 doing good." And who were the objects, of his regard ? Were 
 they the princes and rulers, the rich and prosperous, the wise 
 and learned ? No. These, in general, despised and rejected 
 him. He turned his attention to the poor and needy, the sick 
 and miserable; yea, to publicans and harlots, that he might 
 reclaim and save them. This was his reproach — " a friend 
 of sinners." Did he see a multitude of ignorant people fol- 
 lowing him for instruction ? How did he exert himself in 
 teaching them — in houses, in synagogues, in the temple, in a 
 ship, on a mountain! How plainly, how sweetly, how forci- 
 bly did he lead them into divine knowledge ! -Nor did he 
 forget their bodies. Were they hungry, and ready to faint ? 
 he had compassion on them, and worked miracles to supply 
 them with food. See also what vast numbers of diseased 
 persons apply to him : the blind, the deaf, the dumb, the dis- 
 eased with fever, leprosy, palsy, and others possessed with 
 the devil ; he heals them all. You never read of one poor, 
 sick, miserable creature that he rejected; if they came they 
 were welcome; he never sent them away disappointed; and 
 do you think he will show less pity to the sorrows of the mind, 
 to the diseases of the soul ? Surely not ; for the salvation of 
 one soul is of more consequence than all the thousands of 
 bodily cures he wrought upon earth. Every man and woman 
 that Christ healed, died at last ; but he whom Jesus saved 
 " shall never die, but have everlasting life." And yet this, 
 great as it is, is as easy to him as to say to a leper. Be thou 
 clean. Come but to him, fellow-sinner, and he will directly 
 say, Be thou saved. 
 
 Remember too, what kind attention Jesus paid to mourn- 
 
SEKMON XX. 209 
 
 ing sinners. Remember the penitent harlot in the Pharisee's 
 house: she came behind him, and washed his feet with peni- 
 tential tears; she was despised by the Pharisee because she 
 had been a great sinner, but Christ speaks kindly to her, and 
 says, " Thy sins are forgivein thee." Remember what he said 
 to another great sinner, the Samaritan woman at the well of 
 Sychar : " If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that 
 saith unto thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked 
 of him, and he would have given thee living water." John 
 4 : 10. If you knew the worth of salvation, and would ask it 
 of Christ, you should have it; and he says the very same to 
 us: " If you knew the value of my salvation, ,felt yotir nieed 
 of it, and would apply to me for it/ you should not be denied." 
 Remember, my friends, how Jesus mourned and wept when 
 hardened sinners were about to perish in their unbelief; re- 
 member how he wept to think of Jerusalem's approaching 
 destruction. Remember too, how he rejoiced at the prospect 
 of a sinner's salvation : though he was a man of sorrows, this 
 filled him with joy. And can you doubt, after all this, 
 whether Jesus will receive you or not ? Oh, be not faithless, 
 but believing. Stagger not at this precious promise through 
 unbelief; but be strong in faith, glorifying God. 
 
 , From what has been said, we may learn what an impor- 
 tant thing it is to come to Christ. We are all by nature at a 
 dreadful distance; and "they that are far from him," if they 
 die so, " must perish." This then is the first and chief thing 
 in religion, to come to Christ ;" that is, so to believe the gos- 
 pel as tp apply in heart and mind to him for salvation. It is 
 not enough to come to church, or come to meeting, or come 
 to sacrament: allis in vain, if we do not come to Christ; for 
 salvation is to be had of none but Christ, and not of him 
 without coming for it. 
 
 Come then, you who never came before. You shall have 
 heaven, if you come; hell must be your portion, if you do not 
 come. Pray to God to draw you. "Draw me," says the 
 church, " we will run after thee." Come quickly. You may 
 
 ViL Ser. , 14 
 
210 SINNERS WELCOME TO CHRIST. 
 
 be less disposed to come to-morrow; yea, to-morrow itself may 
 never come to you. Consider the encouragement that these 
 words of Christ afford. " Come to me," said Jesus, " for I am 
 meek and lowly of heart." You need not be afraid to come, 
 for he says, and you may believe him, "he will in no wise 
 cast you out." Make no excuses. Say not, I am ignorant. 
 Come to him, and he will teach you. , Say not, I have a hard 
 heart. Come to him, and he will soften it. Say not, I have 
 a corrupt heart. Come to him, and he will sanctify it. S'ay 
 not, I am a great sinner — this is the very reason why you 
 should come. "This man receiveth sinners;" he came on 
 purpose to save them, and bids you come, that he may save 
 you. Think not foolishly, first to mend yourselves, and then 
 come to him ; you will never be better till you do come. 
 
 " Come needy, come guilty, come loathsome, and bare,-l 
 You can't come too filthy ; come just as you are." 
 
 And you who have come, adore the grace that inclined 
 you to come^ that made you willing in the day of Grod's gra- 
 cious power, and that made you welcome in .the day of his 
 wonderful mercy. 
 
 " 'T was the same love that spread the feast. 
 That sweetly forced us in ; 
 Else we had still refused to taste. 
 And perished in our sin." 
 
 "What hath G-od wrought ! Is it not good to draw near 
 to God? Have you not tasted that the Lord is gracious? 
 " God hath strewed all the way from the gate of hell where' 
 thou wast, to the gate of heaven, whither thou art going, with 
 flowers out of his own garden. Behold how the promises, 
 invitations, calls, and encouragements of the gospel lie round 
 about thee." keep near to thy Saviour; there is safety, 
 there is peace. 
 
 This last affords to every believer a sure mark of his elec- 
 tion. Do you sometimes fear whether your name is written 
 in heaven ; whether you are among his elect ? Behold the 
 certain proof " All that the Father hath given to me shall 
 come to me." Have you come to Christ? Well then, this 
 
SEEMON XX. 211 
 
 is the proof of your being one of thJDse isvho were given to him. 
 Thus make "your calling and election sure;" your election, 
 by your calling. 
 
 Finally, let those who have cbnie to Christ by faith, re- 
 joice to think, that in the heavenly world they shall come to 
 him in a superior manner. "Now we see through a glass 
 darkly, but then face to face." Faith shall be changed into 
 sight, and hope into possession. " So shall we ever be with 
 the Lord." 
 
 " Come, weary souls w^h sin distressed, 
 Come, and accept' the promised rest; 
 The Saviour's g^ac^o^s call obey, 
 And cast your gloomy fears away. 
 
 Oppressed with guilt, a painful load, 
 come and spread your woes abroad ; 
 Divine compassion, mighty love, 
 Will all the painful load remove. 
 
 Here mercy's boundless ocean flows. 
 To cleanse your guilt, and heal your woes ; 
 Pardon and life, and endless peace ; 
 How rich the gift, how free the grace 1 
 
 Lord, we accept with thankful heart. 
 The h,ope thy gracious words impart : 
 We come with trembling, yet rejoice, 
 And bless the kind inviting voice. 
 
 Dear Saviour, let thy powerful love 
 Confirm our faith, our fjbars remove, 
 And sweetly influence every breast ; 
 And guide us to eternal rest." 
 
212 EXCUSES OF SINNERS EXPOSED. 
 
 THE VAIN EXCUSES OF SII^NEKS EXPOSED. 
 
 SEEMON^ XXI. 
 
 "AND THEY ALL. WITH ONE CONSENT BE&AN TO MAKE EXCUSE." 
 
 Luke 14 : 18. 
 
 ■ The blessings of the gospel of Christ are, in. the parable 
 of which the text is a part, fitly compared to the dainties of a 
 noble and costly feast. " A certairt. man made a great supper, 
 and bade many," ver. 16. So Christ has made plentiful pro- 
 vision in his gospel for the souls of men, and freely invites all 
 who hear it to be partakers. " And he sent his servant at 
 supper-time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all 
 things are now ready," ver. 17. So Christ having called the 
 Jews by his own ministry, sent the apostles after his resur- 
 rection to renew the invitation, and to say that the work of 
 redemption was finished, and that he was willing to receive 
 all who should, come by faith to him ; and this is the lan- 
 guage of the gospel wherever it is preached. 
 
 If we consider the nature of a feast, we shall see how 
 properly our Saviour compares the blessings of our salvation 
 to it. In a feast we expect "vvholesome provision, plenty, 
 variety, elegance, company, and the whole gratis. All these, 
 and more, Jesus gives us in his gospel. Here is " the bread 
 of life which came down from heaven," without which we 
 must for ever perish; but eating which secures our eternal 
 life. In our Father's house there is bread enough, and to 
 spare ; and however many the guests who come, still " there 
 is room." Here is pardon, peace, holiness, adoption, joy in 
 the Holy G-host, communion with God, and glory to crown 
 the whole. "Christ's flesh is meat indeed, and his blood 
 is drink indeed." Here "we come to an innumerable com- 
 pany of angels, to the general assembly and church of the 
 
SEKMON XXI. 213 
 
 first-born, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of 
 just men made perfect, and to Jesus." It is gratis — " with- 
 out money, and without price:" the poorest are the most 
 welcome here. 
 
 Now, if these great and glorious blessings are considered — 
 how necessary, how free, how precious andMrelightful — one 
 would naturally suppose that all men to whom the gospel 
 offers them, would as readily and joyfully receive them, as 
 they usually accept an invitation to a plentiful and agreeable 
 entertainment. But, alas, it is not so ! If we examine the 
 word, or look into the world, we shall find it quite otherwise. 
 " They all with one cpnsent. began to make excuse;" for all 
 men, till changed by the grace of Grod, are blind and lame 
 and deaf and dead as to all spiritual things : seduced by the 
 devil's lies, and in love with the world, they vainly strive to 
 fill their belly with the husks of swine, but have no more 
 relish for salvation than a sick man for wholesome food; yea, 
 like him, their soul loathes dainty meat. 
 
 Yet amidst this awful depravity, to the honor of Scripture 
 and the truths of Grod, men are ashamed to give a direct re- 
 fusal; conscience admits the value of the gospel, and there- 
 fore to make their neglect of it appear justifiable, they have 
 recourse to various excuses, with which they strive to satisfy 
 themselves and their neighbors, and vainly hope to satisfy 
 God. To describe these excuses and to answer them, to 
 show what they are and the folly of them, is the business 
 which, with the Lord's assistance, I shall now attempt; and 
 
 that the Spirit of our God may succeed what shall be said 
 to the conviction of these excusers, and the sweeping away 
 all their "refuges of lies." Isa. 28 : 17. 
 
 We shall first notice the three excuses which follow our 
 text, and then proceed to mention other excuses and objec- 
 tions which are often made. 
 
 1. The first said, " I have bought a piece of ground, and 
 
 1 must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused." 
 
 This is the plea of a rich man, who had been adding field 
 to field. He was under no kind of necessity to view the land 
 
214 EXCUSES OP SINNEES EXPOSED. 
 
 he had boyght : probably he had seen it before he had bought 
 it; if not, he might have staid till another da,y, and have 
 found the field in the same condition ; but he wanted .to feast 
 his eyes upon his new .purchase. See here an instance of the 
 inordinate love of the world, the pride of possession, the de- 
 ceitM^ss of riches. This was "a man of the world, whose 
 poritron was in this life," for the sake of which he was deaf 
 to the call of Christ. O how hardly shall they who are rich 
 enter into the kingdom of heaven! so great is the danger of 
 loving the world too muph. 
 
 2. And another said, "I have bought five yoke of oxen, 
 and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excusisd." Here 
 is the man of business: the former was taken up with pleas- 
 ure; this, with care. " Too much leisure, or too much busi- 
 ness, are equally dangerous to the soul." This was a frivo- 
 lous excuse, like the formier; another day would ^ave done 
 as well for proving oxen in the plough, for the purchase was 
 already made ; but anxiety for the world prevailed over his 
 spiritual interests. And what is this, but the common excuse 
 of tradesmen, laborers, and women who have families ? I 
 have no time to spare for religion. Let me ask you. What 
 is your time for? Is not the oare of the soul the one thing 
 needful? Should you not seek first the kingdom of God and 
 his righteousness ? Besides, " what will it profit, if you gain 
 the whole world, and lose, your own soul,?" There is time 
 enough to mind the afiairs of both worlds, and both are best 
 minded together; the one need not shut out the other. Re- 
 ligion will not make men idle; it will make an idle man 
 industrious; it tends even to worldly prosperity. "G-odlineSs 
 is profitable unto all, things, having promise of the life that 
 now is, and (rf'that which is to come." 
 
 How can any man say he has no time for religion, when 
 the Sabbath-day is appointed for that very_pjirpose ; yet that 
 holy day is profaned by many by business, idleness, or, taking 
 pleasure. There are fifty-two Sabbaths in every year, which 
 ought to be wholly employed in public or private duties of 
 religion. "What account will they give to God of their time, 
 
SERMON XXI. 215 
 
 who have squandered away their precious hours in sin and 
 folly, and who have turned their hacks on the means of 
 grace, which might have made them wise unto salvation? 
 There are many who cannot find time to serve God, who can 
 find time to sin: they can find time to swear, to talk wick- 
 edly, and to he drunken. Yea,. some of these people complain 
 of too much time ; and therefore they invent amusements to 
 hill time. Oh, if the hours that some consume at puhlic- 
 houses, and merry meetings, were spent in hearing and read- 
 ing the word of God, in prayer, and singing his praises, to 
 how much better account would they turn out ! 
 
 3. The excuse of a third person was, " I have married a 
 wife, and therefore I cannot come." Here is an excuse of 
 another kind, which takes in too great a regard to creatures, 
 too much fondness for domestic enjoyments, and the pleasures 
 of this life. It was a very weak excuse ; for though he had 
 married a wife, he might surely have left her for a few hours, 
 without a breach of proper affection ; or he might have taken 
 her with him to such a great feast as this, where so many 
 were bidden, and none forbidden ; or he might have gone 
 alone, if he could not persuade her to go with him. How 
 many perish by the unlawful use of lawful things, and undue 
 regard to carnal relations ! Husbands and wives, who ought 
 to help each other in the great concerns of salvation, are often 
 deadly hinderances ; and will reproach each other to all eter- 
 nity for being such. Thus Adam ruined himself and all his 
 posterity by loving the creature more than the Creator. Let 
 married persons be on their guard ; and remember that Adam 
 laid the fault of his disobedience on his wife. God did not 
 accept that as an excuse for his sin. 
 
 All these excuses were, as you see, frivolous and foolish: 
 they were all of a worldly kind ; and indeed it is the world, 
 in some form or other, that proves the great hinderance of 
 men's salvation. But there are many other excuses which 
 people are apt to make, equally absurd. I shall proceed to 
 notice some of them. 
 
 Religion, says one, is a hard and difficult thing; hard to 
 
216 EXCUSES OF SINNERS EXPOSED. 
 
 understand, and difficult to practise. I answer, Is it neces- 
 sary ? Christ says it is the one thing necessary or needful. 
 It is just as necessary as salvation is. And do you object to 
 every thing necessary, because it is difficult ? Do not you 
 find hardships in your trade or business? and yet you pursue 
 it. Consider also.it will be much harder to bear the torments 
 of hell, than to practise the duties of religion. A person who 
 wanted one of the martyrs to recant, said, " Life is sweet, and 
 death is bitter." " True," said he, " but heaven is sweeter 
 still, and hell is more bitter still." "Will not heaven make 
 amends for all our pains and labors ? Do you think there is 
 a saint in heaven that repents of what he did or sufiered for 
 Christ; but, in fact, trtte religion is not so difficult as you 
 may imagine: the path is so plain, that "th& way-faring 
 man, though a fool, shall not err therein." And Jesus says, 
 " Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy, and my burden 
 is- light ;" his commands are not grievous, and grace makes 
 them pleasant. Religion is far from "being a gloomy busi- 
 ness. " "Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her 
 paths are peace," Can it make a man unhappy to tove God, 
 and be loved by him ? Is it a gloomy thing to be at peace 
 with God, to know that our sins are pardoned, and to have 
 the earnest of glory?. There are joys in religion far beyond 
 any that the world can pretend to, and such as wicked men 
 would be glad to possess when they come to lie on a dying 
 bed : then is the value of true religion known, when the 
 world can afford no further help 
 
 Some object, and say, Your religious people are hypo- 
 crites; after all their pretences, they are like other folks. I 
 answer by a question, Are they all hypocrites ? If so, then 
 there is no such thing as religion in the world; if so, the 
 Bible is all a lie, and Christ must have shed his blood in 
 vain ; for he died to redeem us from the world, and our vain 
 conversation in it, and to make us a holy people, zealous of 
 good works. It is admitted there are some hypocrites; and 
 woe be to them ! There was a hypocrite, a Judas, even 
 among the apostles; but religion did not cease because of 
 
SERMON XXI. 217 
 
 him. If there were not a reality and an excellenay in relig- 
 ion, there would be no hypocrites ; if guineas and bank-notes 
 were not valuable, there would be no counterfeits : and I pre- 
 sume you do not refuse to take any money because there is 
 base coin ; nor would you excuse yourself from paying your 
 rent to your landlord because you are afraid of paying bad 
 money. If there are hypocrites, then there is the greater need 
 to look to yourself, that you are sincere ; but I greatly doubt 
 the sincerity of those who make this excuse; and their hearts 
 tell them it will not be admitted at the bar of Grod. Besides, 
 it is censorious and wicked to judge another man, and to call 
 him a hypocrite, unless his life is bad ; but because you ca^ 
 find no blemish in the life of a truly religious person, you 
 presume to search his heart, and call him a hypocrite, ^e 
 truth is, you would be glad to prove him such, as an excuse 
 for your own want of religion. 
 
 Some will say, / see no occasion to make so much fuss 
 about religion. They say truly, they do not see. But their 
 not seeing is a proof of nothing but their own blindness; a 
 blind man gees nothing. If you examine the word of God, 
 you will find the Christian life compared to a warfare ; now 
 a soldier's life, in the time of actual service, is not idle. It is 
 compared to a race, in which great exertion and aptivity are 
 necessary, if a man would so run as to obtain the prize. A 
 Christian is represented in Scripture as " crucifying the old 
 man of sin," and "mortifying the deeds of the flesh;" as for- 
 saking and leaving off" his most darling sins, though ever so 
 dear to him, and as difficult as to pluck out a right eye, or to 
 cut off a right hand; and can these things be done by the 
 slothful "man, who is a stranger to zeal hitnself,. and hat;es to 
 see it in another? Has not God required you to love him 
 with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind, and 
 all your strength ; and do you know any body that does more 
 than this ? Let me also ask you, Why is it that you com- 
 mend industry in worldly business, and despise it in religion? 
 If there be a hell to avoid,^ and a heaven to obtain, and sin to 
 destroy, and a God to serve, and a soul to save, why should 
 
218 EXCUSES OP SINNERS EXPOSED. 
 
 we not be as earnest in religion as you are in the world ? 
 "Why should not a Christian love God as much as you love 
 money, or sin ? I know the answer your heart makes. 
 
 Another, cries, I shall do as tcell as my neighbor: and if 
 I perish, God help thousands. If you do not. better than the 
 thousands that perish, God help you. Jesus Christ has said, 
 " Wide is the gatp, and broad is the way, that leadeth to de- 
 struction, and niany there be which go in thereat;" while the 
 narrow way to life is found and trodden by few. Think not 
 well of your state because you are like others: you have 
 greater cause to suspect it. Christ's flock is small; but the 
 devil's herd is large. "The whole world," says St. John, 
 " lieth in wickedness." Follow notj then, the multitude to 
 do evil; but consider their end, and be wise. It is a very 
 affecting and useful story that Mr. Baxter relates, in his 
 "Vllall to the Unconverted:" "I remember," says he, "a cir- 
 cumstance that a gentleman told me he saw upon Acham 
 bridge, over the Severn near Shrewsbury. A man was driv- 
 ing a flock of lambs ; and something meeting them, and hin- 
 dering their passage, one of the lambs leaped on the wall of 
 the bridge, and his legs slipping from under him, he fell into 
 the stream ; the rest seeing him, did, one after another, leap 
 over the bridge into the: stream, and were all, or almost allj 
 drowned. Those that were behind did little know what was 
 become of them that were gone before, but thought they 
 might venture to follow their companions; but as soon as 
 ever they were over the wall, and falling headlong, the case 
 was altered." Even so it is with unconverted carnal anexu 
 One dieth, and another follows the same way; and yet they 
 will go after them, because they think not whither they are 
 gone : but when death hath once opened their eyes, and they 
 see what is on the other side of the grave even in another 
 world, then what would they give to be where they were 1 
 
 Another may say, But I hope to do better than many, for 
 I aril not so bad a sinner as some. "We are not to be com- 
 pared with others, but with the law of God, which requires 
 perfect obedience. Now, 'compared with this, you will be 
 
SEEMON XXI, 219 
 
 found a sinner; and it is not being a less sinner than another 
 that will save you, but faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose 
 •righteousness is " to and upon all that believe in him." Be- 
 sides, the folly of such an excuse is manifest; for, if finding 
 another man worse than one's self would do, then all sinners 
 might escape except that one who is worst of all. 
 
 Perhaps another person will say, It is true, I am a sinner 
 had enough; but I do some good things, and will not they 
 atone for my sins ? St. Paul shall answer : " Without shed- 
 ding of blood there is no remission ;" the good works of men 
 were never appointed to the office of a Saviour ; for " if right- 
 eousness come by the law, Christ is dead in vain." Why do 
 we call Jesus a Saviour, and yet hope to be saved by our 
 works ? which is, to become our own savior. But the word 
 of G-od has settled this, and declares, " By grace are we saved 
 through faith ; and that not of ourselves : it is the gift of God ; 
 not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2 : 8. And 
 to say the truth, no man can do works good in the sight of 
 God until he is first justified by faith, for even " the prayer of 
 the wicked is an abomination to him;" and the thirteenth 
 Article of the Church of England truly says, that " works 
 done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his 
 Spirit, are not pleasant to God; and we doubt not but they 
 have the nature of sin." . 
 
 Unwilling to humble himself, and cry for mercy, another 
 says, I am no scholar, and God expects no more than he gives. 
 You may be a true Christian, and yet no scholar. God has 
 sent you his word, and you can hear it, if you cannot read 
 it: and since Sunday-schools have been set up, every person 
 almost may learn to read if he will. But know this, my 
 friends, that ignorance will excuse none. Where knowledge 
 is a duty, ignorance is a sin. It is not your want of opportu- 
 nity to know the gospel, but your want of inclination to it, 
 that keeps you ignorant. You take pains to know how you 
 may get food and raiment, or charity ; why then remain con- 
 tentedly ignorant of the things which belong to your everlast- 
 ing peace ? Isa. 27:11; 2 Thess. 1 : 8. 
 
220 EXCJJSES OF SINNERS EXPOSED. 
 
 Another person, advanced, in years, may say, I am toe! old 
 to change my religion. What do you call religion? Is it a 
 set of notions and ceremonies? Is it an attachment to cer- 
 tain ministers and buildings ? This is not religion. Religion 
 is the devotedness of the heart to God, and without this the 
 most pompous forms are of no avail. Nicodemus was an old 
 man when he came to Christ, who said to him, " Except a 
 man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Grod." In 
 a word, if our religion has not changed us, it is high time to 
 change our religion. 
 
 Another may say, / intend to he better at some future 
 time. So did Felix, who trembled when Paul preached, and 
 said to him, " When I have a convenient season, I will call 
 for thee;" but that season never came. Hell is paved with 
 good intentions. Should you die in your sins, which God 
 forbid, out of your own mouth will you be condemned ; for 
 you are forced to admit that all is not- right, and yet you 
 venture to go on in sin,, though you know not what a day 
 may bring forth. Go to the. sick and dying bed of a neigh- 
 bor, and hear him groan and complain of an aching head and 
 a sick stomach; observe his shaking hand and disordered 
 pulse, the rattling throat, the convulsed limbs, atid the cold 
 sweat ; and say, is this a time for repentance ? Are these 
 poor dregs of life all you should offer to God ? Oh, be wiser; 
 nor leave the service of God, or the salvation of your soul, to 
 so improper a season. 
 
 But, after all, the true reason remains untold.- May not 
 all our excuses be summed up in this one — / love sin, and 
 cannot •part with, it ? But observe, we must part with sin, or 
 part with heaven. We must turn, or burn. And can we be 
 content to enjoy the present pleasures of sin for a moment, 
 and ^endure everlasting pains, which are their certain conse- 
 quence ? I have read of a man :who, by his excesses, was in 
 danger of losing his^ sight; and being told by the physician, 
 that he must change his course or lose his sight, replied, 
 " Then farewell, dear light !" Thus many, by persisting in 
 sin, seem to say, Farewell, God of mercy, Saviour of sinners. 
 
SEEMON XXI. 221 
 
 Spirit of holiness ! farewell, ye people of God ! farewell, life 
 and happiness, heaven and glory ; and for the sake of dear 
 sin, welqome devils, welcome darkness, despair, and misery 
 for evermore ! 
 
 Thus, my friends, we have taken notice of some of those 
 excuses which sinners often ftiake, who love darkness rather 
 than light ; who follow lying vanities, and forsake their own 
 mercies. But it is plain that all these excuses arise from the 
 darkness, worldliness, and enmity bf our fallen nature, and 
 they show the necessity of having " a new heart and a right 
 spirit." These excuses will scarcely now satisfy those who 
 make them ; they will miserably fail them in the prospect of 
 death; arid they cannot be accepted at the bar of God. In 
 this parable before us it is said, that "when the servant 
 showed his Lord these things, he was angry, and said, None 
 of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper." 
 God forbid, this sentence should go forth against any person 
 here. As yet, our gracious Lord commands his servants to 
 go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to 
 come in, that his house may be filled. In his name, we come 
 and call you to the gospel feast. Knowing the terrors of the 
 Lord, we persuade you ; and knowing the bounty of the Lord, 
 we invite you. None ever repented of coming; nor were any 
 rejected who came. Come then to Jesus. " The Spirit and 
 the Bride say, Come; and let him that heareth say. Come; 
 and let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him 
 take the water of life freely." 
 
 "All things are ready ; come away, 
 Nor weak excuses frame ; 
 Crowd to. your places at the feast, 
 And bless the Founder's name." 
 
222 CHRIST THE BEEAD OF LIFE. 
 
 CHRIST THE BREAD OF LIFE-AND THE 
 NATURE OF FAITH IN HIM. 
 
 SERMON XXII. 
 
 " LABOR NOT FOR THE MEAT WHICH PEEISHETH, BUT FOR THAT MEAT 
 WHICH ENDURETH UNTO EVERLASTING LIFE, WHICH THE SON OF MAN 
 SHALL GIVE UNTO YOU." John 6 : 27. 
 
 When our Saviour had fed five thousand people with five 
 loaves and two fishes, they were so struck with the miracle, 
 that they determined to proclaim him for their king — ^the 
 Messiah, But he refused their ofier, and got out of their 
 way. They followed him next day to a great distance; but 
 our Lord, who knew their hearts, told them, plainly that they 
 acted from a corrupt principle in following him. " Jesus 
 said, Verily, verily, I say unto you. Ye seek me, not because 
 ye saw the miracles,* but because ye did eat of the loaves, and 
 were filled." John 6 : 26. There may be a great show of 
 zeal in running after prayers and preaching, without a spark 
 of grace. Few persons seek Christ for his own sake, or for 
 spiritual blessings only. Many follow him fot loaves, not for 
 love. Let us beware of hypocrisy. These people had come 
 many miles in hopes of another miracle; all their labor in 
 coming so far was for bread. Now Christ shows them a 
 more excellent way; he puts them upon a better plan: he 
 bids them be more moderate in their worldly pursuits, and 
 more diligent in their heavenly pursuits. But when he says, 
 " Labor not for the meat which perisheth," you cannot sup- 
 pose that he forbids men to labor in an honest way to get 
 their daily bread. No; for God has laid that burden on all 
 the children of Adam: " In the sweat of thy brow shalt thOu 
 eat bread ;" and, " He that will not work, neither let him eat." 
 But we are to understand it, comparatively thus. Labor not 
 
SEKMON XXII. 223 
 
 for worldly bread in the first and chief place ; it must not be 
 our principal care and concern; and for this good reason, it 
 perisheth: not only our necessary food, but the wealth, honor, 
 and pleasure of the world, which men hunger for, like meat, 
 perish; they perish in the using, and they who use them 
 must soon perish in the grave. This shows the folly of being 
 too eager in the pursuit of them; and at the same time should 
 put us upon the greatest diligence in seeking for the food of 
 our immortal souls, even Christ himself, who is the bread of 
 life, as he largely shows in this chapter. Now, to help you 
 in doing this, we shall, 
 
 1. Consider Jesus Christ under the emblem oi food; and, 
 
 2. Inquire into the nature of that labor which is here 
 recommended in order to obtain it. 
 
 I. Let us consider Jesus Christ under the emblem of food. 
 As we cannot understand any thing that is spiritual, but as 
 it is compared to something that is natural, Grod is pleased in 
 his word to use many similitudes, whereby to set forth the 
 excellences of the Lord Jesus Christ, and recommend him to 
 us. Hence he is called a Sun, to signify light; a Rock, to 
 signify support; a Refuge, to signify safety; and here he 
 compares himself to food. And this way of teaching not 
 only helps us to understand spiritual things, but it serves to 
 put us in mind of them; so that when we see the sun, it may 
 remind us of Christ our light ; and when we take our meat, 
 it may put us in luind of Jesus, the meat which endureth to 
 eternal life. This is a part of that spiritual mindedness 
 which to enjoy is life and peace. A few particulars will 
 convince you how properly Christ is compared to food. 
 
 1. Because Christ is as necessary to the life of the soul as 
 meat is to the support of the body. You know G-od has so 
 formed our bodies that we cannot live long without food. 
 Christ is no less necessary for the soul; so it is written in this 
 chapter: " Eor the bread of God is he which cometh down from 
 heaven, and giveth light to the world," ver. 33; and again, " I 
 am the bread of life," ver. 35 ; and " If any man eat of this 
 bread, he shall live for ever," ver. 51. The same is asserted 
 
224 CHEIST THE BREAD OF LIFE. 
 
 again and again throughout this chapter; the whole of which 
 you will do well to read when you go home. 
 
 2. All kinds pf fooa are the gift of God: no man in the 
 world can, make any thing eatahle. Man can plant and sow 
 and rear cattle; he can also cook his food with endless vari- 
 ety when he has got the materials; but he can make none 
 of them. No man s can give lifei to a plant, or to a beast. 
 Every thing we eat is the gift of a good God. Just so, Christ, 
 the bread of life, is the gift of God. " God gave his Son." 
 " Blessed be God for his unspeakable gift." The manna that 
 God sent down to feed Israel in the wilderness, was a lively 
 type of Jesus; "for the bread of God is he which cometh 
 down from heaven." John 6 : 33. 
 
 3. Most kinds of food are prepared for our use hj fire. So 
 Christ, as our sacrifice, endured, in the garden and on the 
 cross, the dreadful wrath of God, as "a consuming fire." 
 This was set forth in a lively manner by the sacrifices of old, 
 which were burnt on the altar; which represented that Christ 
 was to be consumed by the flames of his love for his Father 
 and his elect, and at the same time by the flames of the 
 divine wrath against sin, which he had undertaken to bear. 
 But the Paschal lamb was not wholly consumed : after it was 
 roasted with fire, it was eaten by the ancient believers; the 
 same sacrifice which procured their safety, became their food: 
 and thus it is with us, if by faith we feed upon Christ cruci- 
 fied. And this leads us to another remark. 
 
 4. Pood must be actually, received, eaten, and digested, in 
 order' to support life. It is not hearing of food, nor seeing itj 
 that will satisfy hunger or nourish the body; nor will merely 
 hearing of Christ, nor attendmg ordinances, nor partaking of 
 sacraments, nourish the soul unto eternal life. By true faith, 
 every believer receives Christ for himself, depends upon him 
 for his. own salvation, and feeds upon him in his heart with 
 thanksgiving. This eating is absolutely necessary to salva- 
 tion, as Christ declares: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, ex- 
 cept ye eat the, flesh of the Son of man, ye have no life in 
 you " John 6 : 53. 
 
SEEMON XXII. 225 
 
 5. There is pleasure and delight in the reception of food, 
 if persons are in health; and so there is in feeding upon 
 Christ by faith. But then there must be spiritual health and 
 appetite. The disordered stomach of a sick man " abhorreth 
 dainty meat;" and there are those who abhor the doctrine of 
 salvation by Christ; but the man who is alive to God, who 
 hungers and thirsts after righteousness, finds sweet and heav- 
 enly delight in partaking of Christ and his benefits. His 
 love, his grace, his blood, his righteousness, his intercession, 
 his glory, are sweeter to the taste than honey to the palate. 
 He sits down to the gospel table, and finds there a feast of fat 
 things full of marrow, and can say with the spouse in the 
 Canticles, " I sat under his shadow with great delight, and 
 his fruit was sweet to my taste." 
 
 6. We may remark that when Christ is compared to food, 
 it intimates the constancy with which believers must make 
 use of him. Many of the businesses and pleasures of life are 
 occasional only; but we canndt live without daily bread. 
 Just so it is that " the life we live in the flesh, must be by 
 the faith of the Son of God." " The just shall live by his 
 faith ;" and he who has once " tasted that the Lord Jesus is 
 gracious," will say, " Evermore give me this bread." 
 
 II. We now proceed to inquire into the nature of that 
 LABOR which Christ recommends in the text ; for he not only 
 directed the people to moderate their worldly pursuits, say- 
 ing, " Labor not for the meat that perisheth," but he directed 
 them to employ themselves diligently, in the pursuit of heav- 
 enly things, as if he had said, " Labor for the meat which en- 
 dureth unto eternal life." But we are not to suppose that any 
 sort of labor is intended by which a sinner can merit eternal 
 life, or that any diligence in religion will make a man wor- 
 thy of Christ, or the mercy of God through him. This is a 
 common and very dangerous mistake; but this would be to 
 subvert the whole gospel, which teacheth us that not by 
 works of righteousness which we have done, but by grace are 
 we saved, through faith;, which faith itself is the gift of God. 
 The Lord will beat down all human pride, and glorying in 
 
 Vil. Ser. 15 
 
226 CHKIST THE BREAD OF LIFE. 
 
 self. He alone must be exalted in our salvation. And it is 
 evident, from the latter part of the. text, that merit is entirely 
 out of the question ; for, of this hread of life it is said, " which 
 the Son of man shall give you." If then it be given, the labor 
 required cannot be in order to merit or purchase it. 
 
 The nature of this labor may be learned from the follow- 
 ing verses: the people asked our Lord what it was. "What 
 shall we do, that we may work the works of God ?" They 
 wanted to know whether he required any other works than 
 Moses did: they thought something very g-reo^ was necessary, 
 which they called " the works of God ;" and they seemed to 
 think that by some of their good deeds they might merit this 
 bread. Now observe Christ's plain answer. " This is the 
 work of God, that ye believe on him w^hom he hath sent." 
 This is the great duty which is necessary to the acceptance 
 of your persons and your works ; this is what God commands, 
 approves, and is the Author of, namely, that ye receive me^ 
 and rest your souls on me for salvation, as appointed of the 
 Father for that purpose, and plainly authorized and approved 
 by the miracles I have wrought. 
 
 Faith, then, is the work intended. Believing in Christ is 
 that labor which he recommends to us, in order to our living 
 upon this heavenly food. You will ask, What is faith ? I 
 answer, in the words of the late Rev. Mr. Romaine, "Faith 
 signifies the believing the word of God. It relates to some 
 word spoken, or to some promise made by him, and it ex- 
 presses the belief which a person who hears it has of its being 
 true. He assents to it, relies upon it, ahd acts accordingly. 
 This is faith," We are to believe all that the word of God 
 declares; but faith, as connected with salvation, chiefly re- 
 lates to the. divine testimony, or record of Christ, concerning 
 Jesus Christ, All faith relates to some testimony, human or 
 divine. Says St. John, " If we receive the witness," or testi- 
 mony, "of men, the witness," or testimony, "of God is great- 
 er ; for this is the witness," or testimony, " of God which he 
 hath testified of his Son: he that believeth on the Son of God 
 hath the witness," that is, the testimony of Christ, "in himself," 
 I 
 
SERMON XXII. 227 
 
 in his own mind or conscience : " he that believeth not God 
 hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record 
 that God gave of his Son. And this is the recotd, that God 
 hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." 
 1 John 5,: 9-11. The Holy Spirit enlightens the mind into 
 the true meaning of this blessed testimony ; and the believer 
 is persuaded of its truth, excellence, and everlasting impor- 
 tance.' He assents to it as true. He delights in it as good, 
 and rests his eternal all on this foundation ; expecting that 
 God, who is faithful to his promise, will not suffer him to 
 perish, but give him eternal life. Or, as the renowned Wit- 
 sius expresses it, " As faith is an assent given to the divine 
 truth, it includes in it the acceptance of the benefit offered by 
 the covenant of grace. Here is my Son, says God, and salva- 
 tion in him : / offer him to whoever desires him, and believes 
 that he shall find his salvation m him. Who desires him ? 
 Who believes this ? I do, says the believer ; I greatly long 
 for him : I believe my salvation to be laid up in him : I take 
 him as thus offered to me. Be it so, saith the Lord." 
 
 Perhaps you will now ask me. But why is this called 
 labor ? Is there any difficulty in all this ? Yes ; much 
 every way: for, 
 
 1. Believing in him alone for salvation is quite foreign 
 to the notions of men by nature, and quite contrary to the 
 terms of the, covenant of works, which all natural men are 
 under, artd to which even awakened sinners are much in- 
 clined. St. Paul laments the state of the Jews, who, " being 
 ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish 
 their own righteousness, would not subrhit themselves to the 
 righteousness of God." Rom. 10 : 3. They sought righteous- 
 ness by their works, " they stumbled at that stumbling-stone." 
 Rom. 9 : 32. Now it is one of the hardest things in the world 
 to bring off a moral devout man froih dependence on his good 
 works, to trust his salvation on Christ alone ; therefore is be- 
 lieving called a labor. 
 
 2. There are many other persons who think that believ- 
 ing in Christ for salvation is too easy, cheap, and comirion a 
 
228 OHEIST THE BEEAD OF LIFE. 
 
 thing ; they would rather do some hard and difficult task, 
 something that looks great and meritorious, such as building 
 a church or a hospital, giving a great deal to the poor, or 
 wearing sackcloth, or livioig in a monastery, or going a pil- 
 grimage. There have been people that have walked with 
 spikes in their shoes, and others who have burnt their chiU 
 dren in the fire to appease their godsw But only to believe in 
 Christ seems too simple and easy a thing, and on that very 
 account it is hard to them. Thus we read in the Old Testa- 
 ment of a Syrian generalwho had the leprosy,' and went a 
 long journey to be cured by Elisha the prophet. When this 
 great man came to the door, the .prophet sent out a messen- 
 ger, desiring him to wash in the river Jordan, and he should 
 be healed. . This, you, will say, was an easy thing; So it was ; 
 but that very circumstance made it hard, for it put the great 
 man in a rage. " I thought," said he, " thai he would surely' 
 come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord 
 his God, and strike his hand over the place;" so he went 
 away in a passioil. But one of his servants wisely said, " If 
 the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou 
 not have done it ? How much rather then, when he saith to- 
 thee. Wash, and be clean ?" He took the hint, and was per- 
 fectly healed. 2 Kings 5. 
 
 3: Another thing makes believing a labor. Many think 
 that if much stress is laid upon faith, it will make people 
 neglect good works, and so be hurtful to the interests of virtue 
 and morality. Some think it is not amiss to talk of- Christ 
 and, his merits to dying people, because they cannot live to 
 abuse the doctrine; hut -that little should be preached abQut 
 free grace and the blood of Christ, lest it should lead to licen- 
 tiousness. Alas, for such persons ! It is evident they are 
 " the whole, who need not the physician." If ever they had 
 been convinced of sin, and led to fear the wrath of a just and 
 holy God, they would gladly fly to the only refuge for a sin- 
 ner; and they would know by experience "that the gospel is 
 as good a doctrine to live by, as it is to die by. And indeed 
 it is an abominable reproach upon the holy gospel to charge 
 
SERMON XXII. 229 
 
 it with so bad a tendency. In fact, we know from the word 
 of G-od, from experience, and from observation, that faith 
 purifies the heart, works by love, and produces all the fruits 
 of righteousness and goodness. 
 
 4. But the great thing that makes believing in Christ so 
 labdrious is, the awful view that a convinced sinner often has 
 of his guilt. He sees he has broken the law of G-od, and is 
 exposed to its .dreadfill curse. He knows the corruption of 
 his nature, and the plague of his heart. He' feels that his 
 heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. 
 He ranks himself among the chief of sinners ; thinks there is 
 not another sinner in the world so bad as himself; he fears 
 there is something singular^ in his case: perhaps he is ready 
 to fear that he has committed the unpardonable sin : he com- 
 plains that he is beset with blasphemous thoughts: and on 
 all these, and perhaps on many other accounts, is afraid that 
 there is no help for him in God. 
 
 Besides, the devil is very busy with a convinced sinner. 
 He is afraid of losing a subject ; and as it was of old with a 
 young man who was coming to Christ for bodily cure, "while 
 he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down and tare 
 him;" so Satan tries all his skill, and employs all his agents, 
 to keep the soul from Christ ; he will oppose nothing so much 
 as his flying^ to Christ by faith. 
 
 Add to these difficulties one more. The convinced and 
 enlightened soul, who is fully persuaded there is no salvation 
 but in Christ, is apt to think it would be presumption in him 
 to go to Christ, as he is so guilty, so filthy, so unworthy. He 
 thinks when he is more reformed, more deeply humbled, and 
 has obtained more knowledge and sanctity^ then he may ven- 
 ture to hope in Christ. But this is a great mistake, a hurtful 
 error ; it is turning the gospel upside down. The sinner's first 
 business is to: fly to Christ ; to believe the record of God con- 
 cerning him ; to believe that his blood cleanseth from all sin ; 
 that every coming sinner will be welcome, Christ casting out 
 none that coine to him. 
 
 These considerations fully show how properly our blessed 
 
230 CHRIST THE BEEAD OF LIFE. 
 
 Lord speaks in the text, Labor /or the meat which endureth 
 to eternal life. And yet, Messed be God, who is the Author 
 and Pinisher of faith, he can render this easy to the soul by 
 the power of his Holy Spirit ; fbr " he worketh in us both to 
 will and to do according to his good pleasure." "Our suffi- 
 ciency," in this respect, " is of G-od ;" and hard as it may 
 seem at first, it becomes easier as we continue in the school 
 of Christ, and there " grow in grace, and in the knowledge 
 of Jesus." 
 
 1. This subject reproves us. So our Lord intended it ; so 
 let us receive it. How many among us labor hard ; but iot 
 what? A morsel of bread. Six long days in a week are 
 spent in toil, to procure a few shillings. All this is right. 
 This is no more than what God requires. " Six days shalt 
 thou labor, and <io all thy work." But is this all ? Is there 
 no concern for the soul ? Do not think, my dear friends, that 
 laboring for the body will excuse you from " the one thing 
 needful," which is the " care of the soul." You must mind 
 both worlds ; and both will be best minded when they are 
 minded together. " Seek first the kingdom of God, and his 
 righteousness, and all these things," food and rairhent, "shall 
 be added to you." Think of the vanity of this world. Re- 
 member that earthly things perish in the using; but Christ, 
 the bread of life, endureth for ever; and he that eateth of this 
 bread shall never die. 
 
 2. Do you ask. How shall I get faith ? I answer. It is 
 the gift of God, and is to be sought for by earnest prayer, and 
 daily attention to the gospel, the word of faith. Faith com- 
 eth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Attend 
 therefore where Christ is preached. Christ's sheep know his 
 voice ; they know it from a stranger's voice. May you learn 
 to distinguish: and while you listen to the truth, pray ear- 
 nestly that the Holy Spirit of truth may enlighten your 
 minds, and enable you to mix faith with it; so shall it profit 
 your souls. 
 
 3. We may also learn from this text that many labor in 
 
SERMON XXII. 231 
 
 vain, even in religion. They follow after righteousness; they 
 want to be good, and hope to be saved; but they attain not 
 their desires. "What is the reason ? " They seek it not by 
 faith, but as it were by the works of the law." Rpm. 9:32. 
 Avoid this rock, on which so many split ; and remember, that 
 the first business in religion is to believe in Jesus. Begin 
 with Christ, and every thing will follow in its due order. 
 
 4. To conclude, Have any of you by precious faith re- 
 ceived Christ? Do you take him as the bread of life, the 
 food of your souls? Hejoice then in the assurance which 
 God gives you of eternal life. Those who ate the manna in 
 the wilderness all died; but, saith Christ, "I am the living 
 bread which came down from heaven ; if any man eat of this 
 bread, he shall live for ever. Whoso eateth my flesh, and 
 drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up 
 at the last day." John 6 ; 51, 54, Believe this, and be happy. 
 
 And now, what doth the Lord require of thee, happy be- 
 liever in Jesus ? He requireth thee to ^alk in his ways, and 
 labor in his service. When Elijah was r6ady to starve, the 
 Lord provided food for him: he ate and drank, and lay down 
 to rest. The angel touched him a second time, and said, 
 "Arise, and eat, because the journey is too great for thee. 
 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the 
 strength of that meat, forty days and forty nights, unto Horeb 
 the mount of God." 1 Kings 19 : 7, 8. Thus, Christian, feed 
 upon Christ, " whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is 
 drink indeed;" and in the strength derived from Jesus, thou 
 shalt " run without weariness, and walk without fainting," 
 till thou reach the mountain of God, and sit down at the 
 marriage feast of the Lamb. 
 
 " JeSus, we bow before thy feet; 
 Thy table is divinely stored : 
 Thy sacred flesh our souls have eat ; 
 'T is living bread ; we thank thee, Lord ! 
 
 Joy to the Master of the feast ; 
 
 His name our souls for ever bless : 
 To God the King, and God the Priest, 
 
 A loud Hosanna round the place." 
 
232 A SINNER CHANGED BY GEACE. 
 
 A SINNER CHANGED BY GRACE. 
 
 gEEMOJS" XXIII. 
 
 "FOR THE TIME PAST OF OUR LIFE MAY SUFFICE US TO HAVE WROUGHT 
 THE WILL OF THE GENTILES, WHEN WE WALKED IN LASCIVIOUSNESS, 
 .. LUSTS, EXCESS OF WINE, REVELLINGS, BANQUBTINGS, AND ABOMINA- 
 BLE IDOLATRIES: WHEREIN THEY THINK IT STRANGE THAT YE RUN 
 NOT WITH THEM TO THE SAME EXCESS OF RIOT, SPEAKING EVIL OF 
 YOU." 1 Peter 4: 3, 4. 
 
 Sin was the occasion of our Saviour's death; and he died, 
 not only to save us from the guilt of sin, that we might not 
 be condemned, but to save us also from its power, that it 
 might not rule over us. This double benefit of the Redeem- 
 er's death was signified by the water and the blood which 
 issued from his pierced side; for St. John observes, "This is 
 he that came by water and blood ,^ even Jesus- Christ : not by 
 water only, but by water and blood." 1 John 5 : 6, By the 
 blood, we are justified from the guilt of sin; by the water, our 
 polluted nature is purified. Thus is Jesus a complete Sav- 
 iour. Both these are equally necessary; and what God has 
 joined together, let no man put asunder; for as they were 
 united in the Redeemer's design, so are they united in the 
 experience of all who believe. When, a sinner is awakened 
 and brought to Christ for pardon, then he also feels an earnest 
 desire for this second benefit of his death, a deliverance from 
 the power of sin. So St. Peter teaches us in this chapter: 
 " Eorasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, 
 arm yourselves likewise with the same mind," 1 Pet, 4:1; 
 that is, all Christians should be armed with the same resolu- 
 tion against sin and for holiness as Christ was. But Christ 
 having suffered in the flesh for sin, lived in the Spirit unto 
 God; therefore should we also cease from sin, and live no 
 
SERMON XXIII. 233 
 
 more to the lust of men, but to the will of G-od ; for, saith the 
 apostle, "the time past of our life may suffice." Yes, we 
 have had enough, and too much, of sin; it has taken up too 
 much of our time and affection ; henceforth may we live to 
 God. In these impressive words we have the four, following 
 things: 
 
 1. The walk of a natural man described. 
 
 2. The great change that gnace makes in such a man. 
 
 3. The reasonableness of that change ; and, 
 
 4. The usage which a changed person may expect from 
 the world. 
 
 I. The WALK OF A NATURAL MAN described. He works the 
 will of the Gentiles, and lives in sin. It is not certain 
 whether St. Peter wrote this epistle to the Jews only, or to 
 Gentiles also; nor is it of consequence to us, for there is no 
 great difference between a carnal Jew, a carnal Gentile, or a 
 carnal Christian. All unconverted people live not according 
 to the will of God. The will of God is the proper rille of our 
 actions; but who inquires after this? who says with con- 
 verted Saul, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" No 
 natural man says so; only those who, like Saul, "are con- 
 verted to God." And here is the grand difference between 
 real Christians and all other people. The latter walh accord- 
 ing to the flesh; the former according to the Spirit; for as 
 Paul largely shows in the 8tb chapter to the Romans, " They 
 that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh ; but 
 they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." And 
 what are all the thoughts, words, desires, pursuits, and de- 
 lights of carnal men about, but something of a fleshly kind : 
 they have no knowledge of, no care for, no delight in any 
 thing that is spiritual or heavenly, nor can they, while in 
 that state ; for as our Lord says, " That which is born of the 
 flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." 
 John 3:6. Till a man is born again, he works the will of 
 the Gentiles— ^he walks according to the flesh. The Lord in 
 his mercy discover to those who are in this state the danger 
 of it, and deliver them out of it by his changing grace ! 
 
234 A SINNER CHANGED BY GRACE. 
 
 Observe in the text, the readiness with which men sin: 
 they run to it, it is their delight; their feet are swift to do 
 evil, while to every thing good they are dull and slow. Ob- 
 serve also that men sin in company, and encourage each other 
 in sin: "they think it strange that ye run not with them." 
 Adarii fell in company, and for the sake of company ; and all 
 his children are not only corrupt, but corrupters ; beware then 
 of " evil communications, which corrupt good manners," and 
 take the wise man's advice : " My son, if sinners entice thee, 
 consent thou not." Remark likewise the constancy with 
 which men sin; they "wrought the will of the Gentiles;" 
 they worked at sin as a man works at his trade, not occasion- 
 ally, but daily. Hence, sinners are called worhers of iniqui- 
 ty, and as such are sentenced by Christ the Judge to eteriial 
 misery. 
 
 Let us now take notice of the particulars of this wicked 
 course. Revellings aiid banquetings, feasting with songs and 
 music, including the amusements of the play-house, and simi- 
 lar diversions, which are Satan's traps to catch unwary souls. 
 Abominable idolatries, or the worship of idols, which is an 
 abominable affront to the only living and true Grod; and 
 which was generally attended with abominable lewdness 
 and drunkenness, and other vices. These were the practices 
 of the heathen ; and are they not also the practices of many 
 called Christians ? Are there not in every place some persons 
 who run to excess of riot. that such may see the error of 
 their ways, and cry to the Lord for his mercy and grace. And 
 this Ib next to be considered. 
 
 II. The GREAT CHANGE that the grace of G-od makes in a 
 natural man. 
 
 The change we mean is far more than the mere outward 
 reformation of a sinner's life; it is an inward, supernatural 
 change wrought by the Spirit of God, aaid by means of the 
 gospel of Chri^. So we read, " Tor this cause was the gospel 
 preached also to them that are dead," that is, to those believ- 
 ers who were dead when St. Peter wrote, as well as to those 
 who were then living: " that they might be judged according 
 
SERMON XXIII. 235 
 
 to men in the flesh;" that they might judge and condemn 
 themselves for their sins, and mortify their carnal appetites; 
 and so be dead to sin, "but live according to God in the 
 Spirit," 1 Pet. 4:6; that being quickened from, the death of 
 sin to the life of righteousness, they might, being helped by 
 the Spirit, be conformed to the will of Grod and do those 
 things w^hich are pleasing in his sight. 
 
 It is by the preaching of the gospelthat this change is 
 generally effected; for it is the gospel only which is "the 
 power of God to salvation." This is God's mighty instru- 
 ment for " pulling down the strong holds of the devil ;" for 
 " opening men's eyes, and turning them from darkness unto 
 light, and from the power of Satan unto God." 
 
 The sinner is usually first alarmed by the law, as con- 
 tained in the ten commandments. If his eyes are opened by 
 the Spirit of God, he sees that "the law is spiritual," and 
 reaches to the secret thoughts of his heart; and that having 
 broken the law, he is under its curse. Thus, though before 
 he was " alive without the law," the, commandment comes 
 with power to his conscience, sin revives, and he dies; that 
 is, he now sees he is a dead man in law ; justly condemned 
 to eternal dea.th on account of his sins. 
 
 But the law alone is insufficient to crestroy the power of 
 sin. The gospel is the instrument employed by the Holy 
 Spirit for this purpose. Sin never appears to the believer so 
 sinful as when he beholds Christ crucified for it. Jesus 
 Christ, as crucified for sin, was the grand subject of apostolic 
 preaching. The first ministers of Christ determined to know 
 nothing among the people but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 
 And Oh, how glorious were the triumphs of the cross ! It 
 was this which subdued the hearts of poor, wretched, sinful 
 men, among the heathen. Those who had revelled in sin all 
 their lives, and reduced human nature to the most degraded 
 state, became holy, humble, chaste, sober, teittperate, honest, 
 pious, gentle, useful men. This it was that changed St. Paul 
 from a bloody persecutor of the saints to a humble disciple 
 and flaming preacher of Christ. So he says, "God forbid that 
 
236 A SINNER CHANGED BY GRACE. 
 
 I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by 
 whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." 
 Gal. 6 : 14. So that every believer may say and sing, 
 
 " It was the sight of thy dear cross 
 
 First weaned my, heart from earthly things, 
 And taught me to esteem as dross ' 
 
 The mirth of fools and pomp of kings." ' 
 
 And this shows that the very first business of a convinced 
 sinner, who " hungers and thirsts after righteousness," is to 
 come to Christ. We have no strength and ability in our- 
 selves, by nature, to become holy and subdue our sins; we 
 must begin to live to God in a new way, by faith in Christ. 
 The efforts of a natural man towards holiness are all forced 
 and unnatural; we must have a new nature and new powers; 
 and these we can have only in and from. Christ, and. by vir- 
 tue of union to him through faith. Christ dwells in the 
 hearts of believers, and they "dwell in him. They are "mem- 
 bers of his body, and are so joined to him as to become one 
 spirit." They are branches of Christ the tree, and separate 
 from him they can do nothing; but from union to him proceed" 
 all their good works, and sincere acceptable obedience. Thus 
 the soul is brought to cleave to Christ with purpose of heart, 
 to hate every false Way, and to deny ungodliness and worldly 
 lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this pres-; 
 ent evil world. This is the great change that grace makes.. < 
 
 III. We now proceed to speak of the reasonableness of 
 
 THIS CHANGE. 
 
 " The time past of our life," says our holy apostle, " may 
 suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles." Not as 
 if sin were entitled to aay portion of our short and mortal 
 lives. No. A moment given to sin is a moment too much. 
 But it may well be said, "the time past" may suffice; for, 
 
 Sin is a dreadful waste of precious time. Life is very 
 short. Tinie flies on swift wings; and when once gone, is 
 gone for ever. We can never recall a lost hour. And yet, 
 how is time squandered away! visit dying beds, to learn 
 the value of time. What would some dying people give for 
 
SERMON XXIII. 2S7 
 
 a few weeks, or a few hours? There have been instances of 
 rich men who have offered physicians half their estates, if 
 they could prolong their lives for a few weeks ! And what 
 is "the worm that never dies," but the horrid remorse of 
 a damned sinner, reflecting with intolerable anguish upon 
 the loss of his time and the abuse of his mercies in a life 
 of sin ? 
 
 Sin is also a useless thing. " "What fruit had ye ?" said 
 St. Paul to the converted Romans ; " what fruit had ye then 
 in those things whereof ye are now ashamed ?" What profit, 
 honor, or pleasure did you find in your former sinful courses, 
 even while pursuing them? Were they not attended with 
 remorse, trouble, mischief, and stings of conscience? and 
 what bitter fruits do they produce in reflection; as holy Job 
 says, " Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me 
 to. possess the sins of my youth." 
 
 Sin is extremely hurtful and dangerous to ourselves and 
 others. The sinner is like "the madman, who casteth fire- 
 brands, arrows, and death, and saith, Am not I in sport?" 
 You would shudder to see a child playing with a razor, or 
 with the fire ; or standing on the brink of a steep precipice at 
 the sea-side. Yet such is the state of every man in his sins. 
 Such was once our state : and may not the time past suffice 
 to have wrought the will of the flesh, yea, the will of the devil, 
 who was aiming at our destruction ? " for the end of those 
 things is death ;" the direct tendency and due desert of these 
 sinful practices is nothing less than death temporal and eter- 
 nal. How dreadfully mischievous is the sinner to his neigh- 
 bor ! He cannot be content to perish alone. Like the devil, 
 he labors to bring others into the same condemnation with 
 himself. He is a soul-murderer. What a melaincholy reflec- 
 tion to a considerate mind ! Perhaps there are souls now in 
 hell who perished by my means. It was th& dread of such 
 a reflection that probably made Dives wish that a message 
 might be sent to his five brethren, to prevent their coming to 
 that place of torment ; for it is likely they had been led into 
 sin by his infidel counsel and wicked example ; and he knew 
 
238 A SINNER CHANGED BY GRACE. 
 
 that if they came there, they would upbraid him as the au- 
 thor of their ruin. Now surely the time past may suffice to 
 have been so hurtful to ourselves and others. 
 
 It is also reasonable to forsake sin, because it is so highly 
 dishonorable to the blessed God. Surely God deserves to be 
 loved and obeyed by all his creatures; but sin is an act of 
 robbery; it defrauds God of his just rights, and transfers to 
 Satan the obedience due to him. It is an act of treason and 
 rebellion against the Majesty of heaven. Yea, it is a kind of 
 atheism ; for in vain we profess " to know God, if in works 
 we deny him;" if we live in sin, we live "without God in 
 the world," 
 
 Once more, a life of sin is directly contrary to our Chris- 
 tian profession. Why do we call ourselves Christians, if we 
 neither obey nor resemble Christ ? Why call we him Master 
 and Lord, if we d© not the things which he commands ? . . . 
 To be a Christian indeed, is to be a follower of Christ, to have 
 the same mind in us as was in him, and to walk even as he 
 walked ; but wliat a horrid contradiction there is in such 
 names or characters as these — a lying Christian, a profane 
 Christian. I remember to have read of Alexander the^Great, 
 that he had a soldier in his army of his own name, but un- 
 derstanding that he was a base cowardly fellow, he called 
 him into his presence, and reproaching him with his coward- 
 ice, said, "Either change your name, or fight better." And 
 how properly might the , great and holy Redeemer say to 
 wicked men, professing to be, Christians, Renounce the rfanie 
 of Christians, or live better. How reasonable then is it to 
 forsake sin,- seeing it is such a waste- of precious time; so use- 
 less ; so hurtful to ourselves and others ; so dishonorable to 
 God; and so contrary to our holy profession as Christians. 
 Rather let us obey the exhortation of St. Paul: "I beseech 
 you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye pre- 
 sent your bodies a, living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, 
 which is your reasonable service," Rom. 12 : 1 ; it is fit and 
 right, as we are the creatures of God, the author of all our 
 powers, an J especially if we are partakers of his: grace and 
 
SERMON XXIII. 239 
 
 love in Christ Jesus; "for of him, and through him, and to 
 him, are all things ; to whom be glory for ever. Amen." 
 IV. Lastly, we are to consider thb usage which a changed 
 
 PERSON MAY EXPECT TO MEET WITH FROM A WICKED WORLD: 
 
 " They think it strange that ye run not with them to the same 
 excess of riot, speaking evil of you;" they wonder what is 
 come to you, that you have so suddenly forsaken their com- 
 pany, and their pleasures; they cannot account for such a 
 strange alteration, and they despise you as stiff, unsociable, 
 foolish creatures, or as mad enthusiasts. 
 
 Now here observe, that where such a change as this takes 
 place, it is visible ; for if the world did not see it, they could 
 not hate it. And indeed, when persons who have lived in 
 open sin become serious and holy, the change cannot be hid. 
 It is said of Barnabas, that " when he came to Antioch, and 
 had seen the grace of God,. he was glad:" the grace of G-od, 
 as a spiritual principle in the heart, cannot be seen by bodily 
 eyes, but the effects of it in a holy life and conversation must 
 and will be seen. Christians, however humbled and retired, 
 are like " a city set on a hill, which cannot be hid;" they are 
 like " a candle that giveth light unto all that are in the 
 house : and their light must so shine before men, that they 
 may see their good works, and glorify their Father who is in 
 heaven." Matt. 5 : 14-16. Yes, the change of which we 
 speak will be observed. Carnal companions will be deserted, 
 places of vain amusement forsaken. No oath or filthy jest, 
 or light expression, will proceed from the mouth; the places 
 where the gospel is preached will be frequented, the Sabbath- 
 day will be carefully kept holy, and the whole behavior and 
 appearance will be such as become godliness. 
 
 This will excite hatred. " The carnal mind is enmity 
 against God," and every thing godly and godlike. "When 
 God permits, persecution will follow ; and if this is not pub- 
 lic by the magistrate — which, blessed be God, our laws pre- 
 vent — yet relations, friends, and neighbors show their dislike. 
 " Every one who is godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecu- 
 tion;" so the Scripture declares, and so serious persons will 
 
240 A SINNER CHANGED BY GEACE. 
 
 be sure to find it. Nor let them wonder or be ofBsnded at 
 this, for from the beginning it was so. "He that was born 
 after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit." 
 And every believer must bear the cross: if not Abel's cross, 
 yet Isaac's — if not martyrdom, yet mocking. Thei/ think 
 it strange, and then speak evil: perhaps they will falsely 
 accuse you ; they will say you are hypocrites, and take up a 
 profession of religion to answer some wicked purposes. But 
 be not offended: this is rather "a token for good" on your 
 behalf, while on theirs it is an awful evidence of their Christ- 
 less, dangerous state; for, as it follows in the next- verse, 
 they " shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the 
 quick and the dead;" they must answer for all " their ungodly 
 deeds and hard speeches." And what will they answer, to 
 Jesus, on whom their reproaches fall, when he" shall say, 
 " Why persecute ye me ?" Let persecutots consider how they, 
 will answer this. 
 
 "We have considered, in the first place, the walk of a nat- 
 ^ural man; and may we not say, Lord, what is man? What 
 a wretched, fallen, wicked creature is man! How is our 
 nature depraved, which inclines us to such a course; and 
 what abundant cause is there for mourning and lamentation 
 on this account. And say, my friends, what sort of a walk 
 is ours? Whose will do we follow? Is it the will of the 
 flesh, or the will of God? Which of these do you consult? 
 Do you consider in your daily walk. Will this action I am 
 going to do, this pleasure I am going to take, please God, or 
 not ? Can I ask his blessing upon it ? Are you not rather 
 led captive by your sinful passions, your sensual inclinations, 
 and the custom of the world ? But you plainly see from the 
 text that this way leads to destruction, and you must forsake 
 it or perish. 
 
 Learn also that the commonness of sin affords no excuse 
 for it. The will of the Gentiles, or the way of the world, is 
 the broad way to ruin. Follow not the. multitude to do evil. 
 Forsake the foolish, and five. The narrow road that leads to 
 
SERMON XXIII. 241 
 
 heaven has but few travellers. G-od grant we may be found 
 among the number. 
 
 From what has been said, the necessity of regeneration 
 evidently appears. Is the heart of man so corrupt ? Is he so 
 strongly inclined to the will of the world, and the lusts of the 
 flesh? What then can effect an entire change and alteration, 
 first in the heart, and then in the life ? " Can the Ethiopian 
 change his skin, or the leopard his spots ?" With man this 
 is impossible; but nothing is too hard for the Lord. The 
 people to whom St. Peter wrote had felt this change, and so 
 have thousands in all ages. For this purpose the Lord hath 
 sent his gospel hither. Salvation has come to this house. To 
 you is the word of this salvation sent. The Lord open your 
 hearts, as he did Lydia's, to attend to the word. Are we 
 willing to be saved ; to be saved now; to be saved from sin; 
 to be saved by Jesus ? He is able to save to the uttermost : 
 it is his office to save ; it is his delight to save ; and therefore 
 he sends the gospel in his name, to invite you to come to 
 him; to beseech you to be reconciled to God. Come then, 
 fellow-sinners, all things are ready. Come to this great and 
 loving Saviour, and he will wash you from all your past sins 
 in the fountain of his precious blood, and give you a new 
 heart, a heart to love him, and walk in his holy pleasant 
 ways. Oh that we could be persuaded to forsake our sins, 
 and come to Jesus for life. But this is his work. The Lord 
 make you " willing in the day of his power." 
 
 Christians, with what holy shame and grief may you re- 
 view the former part of your lives ! May not " the time past 
 suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles ?" Did you 
 not live long enough in sin ? Ah, you will say. Too, too long. 
 Oh, the vanity of my childhood and youth ! Oh, misspent 
 Sabbaths! Oh, my youthful wantonness, lusts, and revel- 
 lings ! I look back upon them with a mixture of shame and 
 indignation. I blush to lift up my face to a holy God. I 
 smite my breast with the publican, and say, " God be merci- 
 ful to me a sinner." 
 
 Well, God has been merciful to you. Is not this a brand 
 
 Vil. Ser. 16 
 
242 A SINNEE CHANGED BY GRACE. 
 
 plucked out of the fire ? Oh, what debtors are we to the free, 
 sovereign, almighty grace of Jesus ! You were dead in tres- 
 passes and sins; you hath he quickened, and saved by his 
 grace. " Such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye 
 are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord 
 Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor. 6 : 11. 
 
 And now, my friends, what doth the Lord require of us ? 
 Have we lost. so much time while we were in our sins; let 
 us be doubly diligent in future. Let us redeem the time, for 
 the days are few and evil. Let us be active for Grod, for our 
 own souls, and for others. Let us lay ourselves out for useful- 
 ness. And instead of running with the wicked in the ways 
 of sin, let us run with enlarged hearts in the ways of God. 
 Let us exhort one another daily; and so much the more, ais 
 we see the day approaching. Let us provoke one another to 
 love and to good works. Let us prove our love to Jesus our 
 great Deliverer, by holy obedience and grateful praise. 
 
 Let worldly minds the world pursue, 
 
 It has no charms for me ; 
 Once I admired its trifles too, 
 
 But grace has set me free. 
 
 Its pleasures now no longer please, 
 
 No more content afford : 
 Far from my heart be joys like these, 
 
 Now I have known the Lord. 
 
 As by the light of opening day, 
 
 The stars are all concealed ; 
 So earthly pleasures fade away, 
 
 When Jesus is revealed. 
 
 Creatures no more divide my choice, 
 
 I bid them all depart ; 
 His name, and love, and gracious voice, 
 
 Have fixed my roving heart. 
 
 XEWTOX. 
 
SEEMON XXIV. 243 
 
 DIVES AND LAZARUS; OR, THE SUFFICIENCY 
 OF SCRIPTURE FOR THE PURPOSES OF SAL- 
 VATION. 
 
 INTENDED AS A CHECK TO INFIDELITY. 
 
 SEEMON XXIV. 
 
 "IF THEY HEAR NOT MOSES AND THE PROPHETS, NEITHER WILL THEY 
 BE PERSUADED, THOUGH ONE ROSE FROM THE DEAD." Ldxe 16 : 31. 
 
 Eternity' is at hand ! Let us take a view of it — a view- 
 set before us by Jesus Christ himself: by him who " brought 
 life and immortality to light," and who best knew how to 
 describe the state of a saint in heaven and a sinner in hell. 
 Our text is the conclusion of a parable designed to reprove 
 the Pharisees, who were covetous and worldly. Here we have 
 an account of a very wicked man who was rich, and of a very 
 good man who was poor. Death came and ended all the 
 pleasures of the one, and all the pains of the other. The rich 
 man being in hell, desires that the poor man may be sent 
 from heaven to convert his brethren on earth ; but he is told 
 in these words, that if they will not mind their Bible, they 
 would mind nothing else. The text, my friends, is chosen on 
 purpose to recommend the Bible to you, that you may not 
 neglect the only book whichj under G-od, is able to save your 
 souls. 
 
 We read in the 19th verse, "There was a certain rich 
 man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and who 
 fared sumptuously every day." It is not a sin to be rich; 
 nor is it a sin for the rich to wear handsome clothes, or keep 
 good tables; but it is very dangerous to the soul to be rich, 
 because those who h^ve much of the world are tempted to 
 love the world too much, to forget Grod, and to neglect their 
 souls. A. life of ease, pleasure, and honor, is so contrary to a 
 
244 DIVES AND LAZARUS. 
 
 life of faith, repentance, and self-denial, that few rich men 
 are saved. 
 
 " And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who, 
 was laid at his gate full of sores; and desiring to he fed with 
 the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover 
 the dogs came and licked his sores." Luke 16 : 20, 21. Learn 
 from this, that we cannot judge of any man's state before 
 God by his circumstances in the present world. A wicked 
 man may be very prosperous, and a good man may be in 
 great affliction. Poor Lazarus was helpless indeed, as his 
 name signifies : it is hard to be poor, but harder still to be 
 sick and poor. Lazarus could not work, or he would not 
 have begged. He could not even walk. Somebody was 
 kind enough to bring him to the rich man's gate, in hope that 
 he would be observed, pitied, and relieved. Poor Lazarus 
 was very modest and humble. A bit of broken bread was all 
 he wanted; but this was denied. The wanton pampered 
 dogs came and licked his running sores ; which shows that 
 he had not a bit of linen to cover them, and keep them from 
 the air: and he was so weak that he could not kieep ofi" the 
 dogs which seemed ready to devour him. 
 
 What a picture is this of a hard-hearted rich man, and a 
 patient beggar! "Dives could not plead that he was op- 
 pressed by a number of beggars, for Lazarus was alone ; nor 
 that he was unknown to him, for he lies at the gate; nor 
 could he say he was idle and might work, for he lay helpless 
 on the ground ; nor that he wanted a great deal, for he would 
 have been contented with crumbs ; nor that his servants took 
 care of him, for not one of them relieves him." Well, if man 
 will not pity, God will. 
 
 " It came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by 
 angels into Abraham's bosom." Luke 16 : 22. 
 
 No doubt, death was welcome to him. He had nothing 
 in this world to set his heart upon; that is an advantage 
 wMch the poor have above the rich. Poor Lazarus sunk at 
 last under his heavy burdens. Perhaps his wounds mortified ; 
 or he might be starved to death. But "blessed are the dead 
 
SEEMON X:5[IV. 245 
 
 that die in the Lord;", they cease from their labors and trou- 
 bles, and are at rest, Angels, who are ministering spirits to 
 the saints, carried his departing soul to glory ; where, like an 
 honored guest at a feast, he was placed next to the father of 
 the faithful, in whose steps no doubt he had trod, having been 
 a partaker of the same precious faith in Christ. 
 
 " The rich man also died, and was buried." " Riches 
 profit not in the day of wrath." Money will not bribe death. 
 Dives was bound to the world by a thousand silken cords and 
 golden chains; but death broke them all in a moment, and 
 hurried away his guilty, unprepared soul to the torments of 
 hell. What availed his pompous funeral? The pampered 
 carcass must be the food of worms, while his wretched spirit 
 is confined in the region of despair. 
 
 " And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and 
 seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he 
 cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send 
 Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and 
 cool my tongue; for I am tonnented in this flame." Luke 
 16 : 23, 24. 
 
 His eyes, once fixed on earth and earthly things, and 
 which were always turned away from God and his word, are 
 now forced to look upward; and the glimmering of light only 
 serves to discover, at a dreadful distance; the happiness he 
 had lost by his sins, and the bliss of that neglected child of 
 G-od who once lay at his gate. 
 
 Observe, now he prays. He should have prayed on earth, 
 then he would have been heard, ite prays to a saint: he 
 should have prayed to God. He pleads relation to Abra- 
 ham, calling him " father." Church privileges, or relation to 
 pious people, will not save wicked professors. He asks for 
 mercy; but he asks too late, the door of mercy is for ever 
 shut. He does not expect deliverance, he asks only a mo- 
 ment's partial ease; but this he asks in vain; and how just 
 it is, that he who refused a crumb, should be denied a drop ! 
 for, observe the answer : 
 
 " Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime 
 
246 DIVES AND LAZAEUS. ' 
 
 receivedst thy good things, aud likewise Lazarus evil things ; 
 but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." Luke 
 16 : 25. 
 
 Mark this well, you who place your happiness^ in eating 
 and drinking, and putting on fine clothes. Are these your 
 " good things ?" Poor portion, indeed ! No man can have a 
 greater curse than, to be rich, and take his pleasure, and enjoy 
 himself continually, if this be his all — ^if his heart be set on 
 these things, while he lives in sin, neglects his soul, and is 
 alienated from the life of God. The remembrance of such a 
 carnal state will be the hell of hell. Remorse for such cursed 
 folly is " the worm that never dies," and will add fuel to " the 
 fire that never shall be quenched." Lazarus had all his evil 
 things on earth. He had borne the cross, as every one must 
 do who follows Christ. Not that he was saved by his pov- 
 erty and afflictions. There is no merit in these things: Christ 
 alone can save us from our sins. And there are many who are 
 miserable here, who will be miserable also hereafter. But 
 Lazarus was a pardoned sinner, and was born of God. Per- 
 haps his afflictions led him to God ; and it is happy for poor 
 people when their troubles are sanctified to them, when they 
 learn the evil of sin in the evil of suffering, and having no 
 comfort of a worldly kind, seek comfort in the knowledge of 
 Christ, and of true religion. 
 
 "And besides all this," said Abraham, "between us and 
 you there is a great gulf fixed; so that they which would pass 
 from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that 
 would come from thence." Luke 16 : 26. Awful separation! 
 Now, saints and sinners meet in the same church; but the 
 distinction will soon be made, and no more intercourse be 
 suffered for ever. The kindest relation, the dearest friend, 
 cannot come to speak one word of comfort to the lost soul ; 
 nor can the prisoner of hell ever make his escape, or obtain a 
 release for a single hour. But though the miseries of the 
 damned admit of no relief, they are capable of addition. 
 Should their relations come thither, seduced to sin by their 
 counsel or example, it would add to their torments. This 
 
SERMON XXIV. 247 
 
 was what Dives dreaded, and therefore he cries to Abraham, 
 " I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him 
 to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that he may 
 testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of tor- 
 ment." Luke 16 : 27, 28. 
 
 Dives felt the hell which he had formerly disbelieved. 
 He had made a jest of hell many a time, and laughed at the 
 fears of religious people, and their pains to avoid it. He had 
 taught his brothers to do the same; and encouraged by his 
 example to persist in a sinful course, he had reason to expect 
 each of them would follow him to hell, accuse him as their 
 tempter, and charge their ruin to him. This he knew would 
 increase his sufferings. 
 
 Let this be a warning to those who encourage their ac- 
 quaintance in drunkenness, dishonesty, or other sins. Great 
 is the guilt of enticing others to sin, and great will be their 
 torment when a new sufferer arrives to lay his ruin at their 
 door. 
 
 "Abraham saith unto him. They have Moses and the 
 prophets; let them hear them." Luke 16:29. From this 
 answer it is plain that, in the judgment of Christ, there was 
 enough in the Scriptures of the Old Testament to convince 
 men that there is another life after this, a future state of 
 rewards and punishments, whatever some pretend to the con- 
 trary. It was the privilege of the Jews to have this testi- 
 mony: it was suflicient for their conviction; and it was the 
 sin and ruin of those who disregarded it. We, my friends^ 
 have the same advantage, and a much greater added to it. 
 We have Christ, the evangelists, and the apostles; let us hear 
 them. 
 
 Dives was not satisfied with this reply, but said, " Nay, 
 father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, 
 they will repent." Luke 16 : 30. He carries with him to 
 hell the same slight thoughts he had of the Bible when on 
 earth. He presumes to be wiser than God, and to dictate a 
 more effectual means of conversion than God was pleased to 
 appoint. It is as if he had said, " They do not mind the 
 
248 DIVES AND LAZARUS. 
 
 Bible; its doctrines, commands, and threatenings are grown 
 familiar to them; nay, they make a jest of it all. But an 
 apparition would startle them. If Lazarus, whom they knew 
 to be a good man, were to appear to them, and tell them how 
 happy he is in heaven, and how miserable I am in hell, they 
 would be alarmed, converted, and forsake their sins." 
 
 Observe, now, the final answer that Abraham gives, " If 
 they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be 
 persuaded, though one rose from the dead." This answer 
 well suits the present times, when many wickfed men, with 
 a boldness unknown in former days, try to rob us of our Bi- 
 bles, and cheat us of eternal life. There is nothing new, my 
 friends, under the sun. The devil began his works of destruc- 
 tion by persuading Eve to disbelieve the word of God. He 
 has carried on his murderous designs by the same means ever 
 since ; and he is making a bol^ push by his infamous agents 
 at this day, to keep people in their sins, by denying the truth 
 of Scripture, and so taking away all motives to true religion, 
 arising from the hope of heaven or the fear of hell. 
 
 Consider for a moment what the Scriptures testify, why 
 we should rieceive their testimony, and why, if their testimony 
 is rejected, no other would be effectual. 
 
 The Scriptures certainly testify that the soul of man does 
 not die with the body — that there is a glorious heaven, and a 
 dreadful hell. It seems that Dives laughed at all this. Cer- 
 tainly he did not believe it, or why should Lazarus be sent to 
 certify it to his brethren ? Had he believed it, he would 
 have led a very different life : he would not have lived a life 
 of luxury, but a life of self-denial and holiness; nor could he 
 have been hard-hearted to the poor. Do we believe there is 
 a hell for sinners ? we shall fly from the wrath to come. Do 
 we believe there is a heaven for the people of God ? we shall 
 strive to enter in. Let our practice prove whether we are be- 
 lievers or infidels. "Where there is faith, there must be works. 
 All the rest is hypocrisy. 
 
 The Scriptures also testify that all mankind are, by the 
 fall of Adam, in a polluted apostate state, guilty before God, 
 
SERMON XXIV. 249 
 
 and exposed to his dreadful anger. But they also testify that 
 Grod has so loved the world as to send his Son to be a Sav- 
 iour — to satisfy divine justice by shedding his blood; and 
 that he has sent his Spirit also, to renew by his grace the 
 hearts of men, and make them new creatures ; and that who- 
 soever believes in the Son of God shall not perish, but be 
 saved from sin and brought to glory. Many other things the 
 Scriptures teach, but these are the greatest. 
 
 Now, my brethren, if we are asked why we believe' these 
 things, we are able to give a reason of the hope that is in us. 
 There is no evidence that an unbeliever, like Dives, can now 
 desire, that has not already been given. Dives asked for a 
 miracle. Grod wrought many miracles by Moses, and more 
 by Jesus Christ ; and these are more credible than the appari- 
 tion of a deceased friend would be. Moses performed many 
 miracles in Egypt and the wilderness, for the truth of which 
 he appeals to the whole multitude of Israel. Now, is it pos- 
 sible that a million of people could be persuaded that they 
 saw and heard things which they did not see nor hear? 
 Would they not have contradicted him 1 Could they, for 
 instance, have believed that they had passed through the 
 Red sea, and that they had subsisted upon manna, in a 
 miraculous manner, for many years, and their garments had 
 not worn out, if no such things had happened ? 
 
 But, not to dwell on Moses or the prophets, let us consider 
 the wonderful works- of Jesus Christ, who confirms the char- 
 acter of Moses; so that the character of Moses and of Christ 
 must stand or fall together. 
 
 Jesus Christ appealed to his miracles for the proof of his 
 mission. To the disciples of John, who inquired whether he 
 were the true Messiah or not, he said, " Go and show John 
 again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind re- 
 ceive their 4ght, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, 
 and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have 
 the gospel preached to them," Matt. 11 : 4, 5. 
 
 AH these things are truly miraculous, and such as divine 
 power alone is able to perform; but they were perfectly easy 
 
250 DIVES AND LAZAEUS. 
 
 to him, and they fully proved his divine avithbrity. These 
 things were not done, in a corner ; they were done openly, 
 and some of them before thousands of witnesses. His great 
 enemies, the Jews, could not, did not deny them; they only 
 wickedly ascribed them to the power of the devil. The evan- 
 gelists wrote an accourlt of these miracles in the very country 
 where they were performed, and near the time; so that if they 
 had not been done, thousands would have risen up and con- 
 tradicted their testimony. The apostles went forth into vari- 
 ous countries preaching the gospel of Christ, and confirming 
 its truth by their miraculous works; and surely they cannot 
 be accused of priestcraft. Did not they, as well as the proph- 
 ets, forfeit the esteem of men, and endure great hardships, 
 even death itself? And was not their whole conduct an evi- 
 dence of their sincerity ? 
 
 But our faith does not rest only on the miracles. Proph- 
 ecy, or predicting events long before they happened, is a proof 
 equally strong. "We could give many unanswerable proofs of 
 this kind, but our limits forbid. 
 
 The excellent effect of the Christian religion, wherever it 
 is truly received, is another argument in its favor. We 'daily 
 see, that by the preaching of the gospel, sinners are converted 
 to G-od ; that bad men are made good men ; they become "new 
 creatures," as the Scripture calls them. So it was at first: 
 some of the greatest persecutors became Christians, and whole 
 nations forsook their idols; and thousands in those nations 
 forsook their detestable practices, and became sober, jiist, 
 devout, and benevolent. Now, this is a continued miracle; 
 we see it wrought to this day. May God give you, my 
 friends, to know the power of divine truth in your own hearts, 
 and its holy influence upon your temper and conduct, and 
 then you will bear the witness or testimony in yourselves to 
 the truth of Christianity; and this will be more satisfactory 
 than all other evidences put together. 
 
 And now say, my friends, if any other, any new testimony 
 is wanting to confirm the truth of Scripture. Dives wished 
 that a person might rise from the dead to convince his breth- 
 
SEEMON XXIV. 251 
 
 ren ; and perhaps there are some people now who would wish 
 the same. Suppose God should grant their wish. Suppose 
 that in the silent hours of darkness something should appear, 
 soinething exactly like one of our friends, who we know was 
 dead and buried a month before. Suppose he should say, " I 
 am such a one : I am come to tell you that there is a holy 
 God — there is a glorious heaven — there is a dreadful hell. 
 Forsake your sins, and believe in Jesus, or you will perish for 
 ever." What effect do you think such a vision would have ? 
 Perhaps it would frighten you to death; or if you survived it, 
 and were deeply impressed with it, it is likely that the cares 
 and pleasures of life would wear off the impression in a little 
 time. As to your friends, they would not believe you; they 
 would try to laugh or reason you out of your fancies; they 
 would say it was a dream, or you were mad; and if your 
 heart were not changed by grace, you would yourself begjn 
 to doubt, and judge that you were somehow or other imposed 
 upon ; so would you remain just what you are, or perhaps 
 become worse. 
 
 But not to argue on suppositions, let us resort to matter of 
 fact. The experiment has been tried, and was ineffectual. 
 You remember to have read, in the 11th of John, an "account 
 of the resurrection of another Lazarus, who lived and died at 
 Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem. Jesus Christ 
 went to his tomb, and in the presence of many people, cried 
 aloud, "Lazarus, come forth;" the dead heard the voice of 
 the Son of God and lived ; he that had been dead four days 
 came forth in his shroud, and walked home to his house. 
 This miracle was never denied. It was acknowledged and 
 dreaded by the chief priests and rulers: the neighbors saw 
 him, conversed with him, ate and drank with him ; but what 
 effect had it ? Some indeed believed ; others went and told 
 his enemies, who said, "This man doeth many miracles; if we 
 let him alone, all men will believe on him." From that day, 
 therefore, they sought to murder him. So that we see outward 
 evidence alone, however strong, is insufficient of itself to pro- 
 duce faith in the carnal heart. 
 
252 DIVES AND LAZARUS. 
 
 Take another instance. Our Lord Jesus often declared 
 that he would rise again upon the third ,day after his death. 
 The appointed hour arrived, and behold, there was a great 
 earthq^uake; the Saviour rose; the keepers, the soldiers, were 
 terrified, they became as dead men! But were they con- 
 verted? No; the chief priests and elders hired the soldiers, 
 who saw the resurrection, to tell a lie, and say, that while 
 they slept, the disciples of Jesus stole him away. A. foolish 
 lie it Was, for, if they were asleep, as they pretended, how 
 could they know what happened ? and if not asleep, the pre- 
 tended robbery was impossible. The facts prove that the 
 most sensible, the most awful evidence will not convince or 
 convert men without the concurrent operation of the Holy 
 Spirit. In like manner, we might show that the most singu- 
 lar and awful providence, such as the death of near relations, 
 and remarkable escapes from death, and the most dreadful 
 views of eternity, and the most solemn vows and resolutions 
 made at such times, prove insufficient to make men truly 
 religious. 
 
 Let us now hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Be 
 thankful for your Bible; prize your Bible, read and study your 
 Bible daily, praying to God to give you his Spirit, that you 
 may rightly understand it, and be thereby made wise to sal- 
 vation. Avoid bad books and bad men as you would avoid 
 poison. Regard not their objections; they can make none 
 that have not been answered a thousand times. Their cavils 
 are mere trifling, like a man who despises such a building as 
 St. Paul's church on account of a small flaw or two in the 
 surface of a stone. The Scriptures are fulfilling daily before 
 your eyes; and the very objections of infidels are a proof of 
 their truth ; for, as our Saviour declared, " Men love darkness 
 rather than light, because their deeds are evil;" and this is 
 the grand source of infidelity, ancient and modern. Sinners 
 are against the Bible, because the Bible is against them. 
 
 Read this parable again when you go home; and learn 
 from it not to envy sinners, however rich and prosperous. 
 
SERMON XXIV. 253 
 
 Repine not at poverty ; but pray that it may be sanctified to 
 your souls' benefit. Be, content with the evidence God has 
 given you of a future state ; be concerned, by faith in Jesus, 
 to avoid the miseries of hell ; and to be made meet, by the 
 grace of God, to enjoy, with all the redeemed, the unspeaka- 
 ble joys of the heavenly world, for ever and for ever. God 
 grant this may be the happiness of each of us, for Christ's 
 sake. Amen. 
 
254 THE PLEASURES OF RELIGION. 
 
 THE PLEASURES OF RELIGION. 
 
 ADDRESSED PARTICULARLY TO YOUTH. 
 
 SERMON XXY. 
 
 " HER WATS ARE WAYS OF PLEASANTNESS, AND ALL HER PATHS ARE 
 PEACE." Prov. 3:17. 
 
 It is a maxim admitted by all the world, that " every one 
 is drawn by pleasure." But it is the misery of our fallen 
 nature, that we are not drawn so much by the best pleasures, 
 as by the worst: that the pleasures we generally prefer end 
 in pain; and that the pleasures we commonly neglect, are 
 such as would make us happy for ever. These are, the pleas- 
 ures of religion, called in our text, the ways of wisdom; by 
 which we may understand the ways prescribed to us by 
 Christ, who is Wisdom itself, and the pursuit of which is the 
 true wisdom ef man ; for " the fear of the Lord, that is wis- 
 dom; and to depart from evil is understanding." 
 
 All men seek happiness, but few know where to find it. 
 They may be compared to a number of seamen, sailing from 
 different ports, in quest of a very rich and beautiful country, 
 which they have heard much of, but never saw; and the 
 greater part of whom set out without a map or a compass. 
 Is it any wonder if few of them ever reach the desired spot ? 
 Just so it is with young persons who are eagerly desirous of 
 pleasure; they are willing to take any pains, or run any risk 
 for it; but they never seriously inquire what is true happi- 
 ness, and how they may certainly acquire it ? Now, if we 
 will take Jesus Christ for our counsellor, and " none teacheth 
 like him," he will assure us that " his ways are ways of pleas- 
 antness, and all his paths are peace." Satan indeed says, 
 that the ways of sin are pleasantness ; so he told Eve. She 
 believed him; and you know the consequence. Satan also 
 
SERMON XXV. 255 
 
 says, that the ways of religion are painful and irksome. But 
 whom will you believe: the God of truth, or "the father of 
 lies;" Him that "cannot lie," or "him that deceiveth the 
 whole world ?" G-od's testimony is true ; and it is confirmed 
 by ten thousand witnesses. All the good men that ever lived 
 will bear witness to the pleasures of religion ; yea, the death- 
 beds of wicked men are constrained to confess the same. 
 
 Let us now consider what the pleasures of religion are, 
 and we may rank them under the following heads: 
 
 1. The possession of Christian graces, 
 
 2. The enjoyment of Christian privileges; and, 
 
 3. The performance of Christian duties. 
 
 ^ I. The possession of Christian graces is a source of pleas- 
 ure. 
 
 The great thing which distinguishes a real Christian from 
 another man is, his having the Spirit. " If any man have 
 not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his;" and whoever has 
 the Spirit, has the seal of God, and the earnest of heaven. 
 " The water that I shall give him," said Christ when speak- 
 ing of the Spirit, " shall be in him a well of water springing 
 up unto everlasting life." Now, the Spirit of God is the 
 author of a new and divine life in the soul of a believer. He 
 is born of God. He is a new creature. Every grace is im- 
 planted in the soul; the exercise of which is as natural and 
 pleasant to the new nature, as the due exercise of our senses 
 is to the natural man. Look at some of the graces of this 
 renewed nature. 
 
 Knowledge, the knowledge of God in Christ, is. pleasant. 
 It is, to the soul, what the light of the sun is to the body. 
 " Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the 
 eyes to behold the sun." St. Paul, who was blessed with this 
 knowledge, " counted all things but loss for the excellency of 
 it ;" and was so delighted with it, that " he determined to 
 know nothing else." 
 
 Faith is a pleasant grace. It gives substance to things 
 unseen. It realizes the world to come. It beholds Jesus, 
 though invisible to the carnal eye. It sees him on the cross, 
 
256 THE PLEASURES OF RELIGION. 
 
 and on the throne; and seeing hira, it "rejoices with joy- 
 unspeakable, and full of glory." This is the grace that re- 
 ceives the promises, the " exceeding great and precious prom- 
 ises," and derives infinite sweetness and satisfaction from 
 them. 
 
 Repentance has its pleasures too, our Lord himself being 
 judge. " Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be com- 
 forted." If there be any thing in religion that seems unpleas- 
 ant, it is this ; and yet there is more satisfaction in the tears 
 that are shed for our sins, than there was pleasure in the 
 commission of them. Besides, " he that sows in tears shall 
 reap in joy;" and it is far better to smart for sin on earth, 
 than to burn for it in hell. 
 
 Hope is certainly a pleasant grace. Hope is the cordial 
 of life. The believer's hope is well founded. It is " a good 
 hope, through grace;" not the hope of the hypocrite, which is 
 a flash of light, followed by the blackness of eternal darkness. 
 It is "a lively hope," that shall never make ashamed, for it 
 is founded on Jesus, the Rock of ages. 
 
 Love is undoubtedly pleasant — the love of God. God, 
 reconciled in Christ, is the proper object of the creature's love. 
 All the misery that mortals ever knew is in consequence of 
 forsaking God, and transferring their love to sin; nor can true 
 happiness ever be known till the soul returns to God. The 
 love of our neighbor too affords unspeakable pleasure. There 
 is no luxury upon earth equal to that of doing good. It re- 
 sembles the happiness of God himself. 
 
 II. The enjoyment of Christjan privileges is another 
 spring of religious pleasure. 
 
 It is the Christian's privilege to have peace vrith God, 
 through faith in the blood of Christ. Whoever, under a sense 
 of his sin and misery, flies to the refuge of the Saviour's death, 
 is gladly received, and freely pardoned. In the fountain of 
 his blood, he is washed from all sin. In the righteousness of 
 Jesus, he is justified from all accusations. He is no longer 
 in a state of condemnation ; he has " passed from death unto 
 life." And what condition can equal this ? If a number of 
 
SEEMON XXV. 257 
 
 prisoners were in jail under sentence of death, and one was 
 brought out by the king's pardon ; who would be thought 
 happy ? the pardoned man, though clothed with rags ; or the 
 criminals within, though clothed with purple, and faring 
 sumptuously every day ? The pardoned man, however poor, 
 would be reckoned far happier than the condemned malefac- 
 tors, however rich. And so in this case, " blessed is he whose 
 transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." A sense of 
 this in the conscience, is the greatest happiness upon earth; 
 it is " the peace that passeth all understanding." And it is 
 sad to think that the greater part of mankind live without 
 this, and are deluding themselves with a false peace; for 
 " there is no peace to the wicked," or none but guilty" peace. 
 Oh, how can wicked men enjoy themselves at all ? If their 
 eyes were open, they would be like Belshazzar at his impious 
 feast ; the handwriting upon the wall spoiled all his mirth. 
 So would it be with the ungodly man at the playhouse, the 
 card-table, the ale-house, or the dancing-room; he would see 
 SIN, WR'ATHj DEATH, JUDGMENT, and H^LL, Written, as it were, in 
 flaming letters on the wall ; he would tremble with fear, and 
 take no rest, till he obtained the blessed privilege, "peace 
 with God," by the blood of Christ. 
 
 This holy calm sometimes swells into sacred jot/, yea, 
 "joy unspeakable, and full of glory ;." for the kingdom of G-od 
 is not only "righteousness and peace, but /oy in the Holy 
 Ghost;" What joy results to a believer from the considera- 
 tion of the hell he has escaped, the pardon he has obtained, 
 the grace he has received, and the glory which awaits him! 
 Every thing that can contribute to human joy, and ten thou- 
 sand times more, unite to make him a happy man. The 
 contemplation of Christ alone is enough. What wonders of 
 grace and glory meet in him ! All that is great, noble, amia- 
 ble, heavenly, is seen in Jesus. All power, wisdom, patience, 
 grace, mercy, love, and faithfulness are combined in him. 
 " He is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely." 
 And when the believer can add, "This is mv Beloved, and 
 this is MY Friend !" his joy is full. And well may that object 
 
 Vil. Ser. IT 
 
258 THE PLEASURES OF.EELIGION. 
 
 create bliss in the heart,, which is the heaven of heaven 
 above; for we have no highex. idea of celestial felicity, than 
 that it consists in " being with Christ, and beholding his 
 glory." ^ 
 
 What a privilege is adoption into the family of God! 
 " To as many as have received Christ, he hath given power 
 to become the sons of G-od," And Oh, " what manner of love 
 is this !" Pardoned rebels taken iirto. the house of God, into 
 the arms of Godj yea, into the heart of God ! " I will. be. a 
 Pather unto you, and ye ; shall be my sons and daughters, 
 saith the Lord Alrnighty." And this is not a formal title, or 
 an empty name, like many of those nominal honors which 
 distinguish the sons of men.- No; it is connected with free- 
 dom of access into a father's presence; holy boldness' and 
 familifirity. as with a parent; a constant share of his tender 
 love, gracious communications, and providential boiinty; He 
 who created and governs the world,' bids us" cast all our care 
 upon him," unbosom all our sorrows, and commit all our con- 
 cerns for time and eternity to his managen^ent, for "he careth 
 for us." He promises never to forget Us; to withhold no good 
 thing from us; and to make all things work together for our 
 good. 
 
 These are some of the believer^s privileges in life. But 
 religion never shows its real Talue more than in a dying 
 hour. And then nothing else avails. Wicked men, who 
 have despised it all their lives,, are forced, at last, to have 
 recourse to its forms; and in general, theyl who hai^e. lived 
 without its power, are contenfed and cheated with^ its form 
 when they die. They bear, however, a strong testimony to 
 the excellency of religion; for commonly, "men may live 
 fools, but fools they cannot die." Like wretched Balaam, 
 they wished " to die the deaith of the righteous ;" but most 
 men die as they live. Yet, divine grace has wrought mira- 
 cles of inercy at the eleventh hour. 
 
 But Oh, the privilege of dying in the Lord. " Blessed 
 are the dead which die in the Lord." Mark the end of the 
 Christian: it is peace. The God whom he has feared and 
 
SERMON XXV. 259 
 
 loved and served, will not forsake him now. The Saviour 
 who died for him will support hiiri in dying. Death has lost 
 its sting; and hlessed is the death of him that has an interest 
 in the death of Christ. 
 
 Our limits oblige us very briefly to run over the Christian 
 privileges; let us open another source of his pleasures, namely, 
 
 III. The performance of Christian duties. Of these, 
 prayer is the first and chief "Behold, he prayeth!" was 
 the first mark of Paul's conversion. And this is so pleasant 
 to the Christian, that he cannot live without it. As well 
 might a man live without breathing, as a Christian without 
 praying. He esteems it a blessed privilege to " call upon the 
 Lord in the day of trouble," and to be graciously heard and 
 delivered. He loves the Lord who heard the voice of his 
 supplication,, and determines to call upon him as long as he 
 lives. The duty of praise is. also very pleasant. It is not 
 only a comely, but st, pleasant thing to be thankful. " Is any 
 man merry ?" says St. James,. " let him sing psalms." Sing- 
 ing the praise of God witk th6 heart is a delightful service, 
 akin to the joys of heaven. Reading and hearing the word 
 of God is also exceedingly pleasant. As new-born babes 
 desire milk, so new-born souls desire the sincere milk of the 
 word, that they may grow thereby. " The law of thy mouth," 
 says David, "is better unto me than thousands of gold and 
 sUver. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter 
 than honey to my mouth." "I have. esteemed them," says 
 Job, " more than my necessary food," Yes, whoever is born 
 of G-od, loves the word; and whoever dislikes it, cavils at it, 
 neglects it, has a sure evidence of being in a carnall state. 
 The LordJs day, and the public ordinances of G-od's house, 
 are very pleasant to a believer. From his very soul, he calls 
 the Sabbath " a delight, holy of the Lord, and honorable;" he 
 esteems " a day in his courts better than a thousand;" he is 
 " glad when it is said, Let us go up to the house of theXord, 
 and he will teach us his ways,. and we will walk in his paths." , 
 Oh, if poor carnal sinners knew the pleasures of the godly in 
 the worship of their Lord, they would be ashamed of their 
 
260 THE PLEASURES OF EELI6I0N. 
 
 poor, mean, idle, worldly amusements, and gladly forsake 
 them for the more solid, refilled, and heavenly joys of the 
 children of God. These are but a small part of the Chris- 
 tian's pleasures. We might add, his sacred joy at the table 
 of the Lord; his sweet meditations on divine subjects; his 
 profitable conversation with fellow-Christians, the supports he 
 finds under afilictions; and the prospects he enjoys of eternal 
 felicity. 
 
 And as all these are good and pleasant in themselves,: so 
 they appear to greater advantage, if you compare them with 
 the pleasures of the world. They are certainly far more solid 
 Suiidi satisfying; far more rational and. nobk; and above all, 
 far more durable. " The most innocent of our carnal pleas- 
 ures, such as eating, drinking, sleeping, and the like, are the 
 badges of our weakness, and a sort of reproach upon our na- 
 ture; and it is our inclination to them, rather than any excels 
 lence in^them, that makes them alluring." They are needful, 
 it is true, at present ; but when our nature shall be glorified, 
 we shall be " as the angels," and require none of these things. 
 And when a man places his happiness in sensual pleasures, 
 and carries them to excess in gluttony, drunkenness j unclean- 
 ness, and so on, he becomes a ,brute rather than a man, and 
 the Scripture pronounces him "dead while he liveth.", 
 
 " The good man is satisfied from himself;" he has an 
 inward source of joy; but the carnal man who roves abroad 
 for happiness, is never satisfied. " The eye is not satisfied 
 with seeing, nor the ear with hearing;" The best of his 
 pleasures perish in the using. Solomon says, " As the crack- 
 ling of thorns under a' pot, so is the laughter of the fool" — a 
 noisy blaze, and soon over. Let a wise man listen to the im- 
 pertinent, vain, foolish, prbud, profane conversation of a set of 
 gay and loose people in a tavern ; what a mass of nonsense 
 and wickedness does it appear! and could it be written down 
 and shcfwn to the company themselves, surely they would be 
 ashamed of it. How- childish are the amusements of the 
 card-table ! How strange that a number of rational and 
 immortal beings should spend hours upon hours in playing 
 
SERMON XXV. 261 
 
 with bits of painted paper ! How ridiculous for a company 
 of grown people to be jumping and running about a room in 
 their dancing assemblies ! How foolish for thousands of men 
 and women to travel many miles to a race-ground, just to see 
 one horse's head before another ! Not to mention other pleas- 
 ures of the world which are as criminal as they are mean, 
 which will by no means bear reflection, but fill the mind 
 with painful remorse. Ah, what real pleasure can that man 
 enjoy, who is forced to review the past with regret, arid to 
 look on the present with confusion, and the future with dread 
 and dismay ? 
 
 The carnal pleasure-taker is a hypocrite in his mirth. 
 "Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of 
 that mirth is heaviness." It is recorded in the life of Colonel 
 G-ardiner, that before his conversion, when he gave a loose to 
 all his carnal passions, and lived in many guilty pleasures, 
 when he was thought by his companions so happy, that they 
 called him the happy rake, he was even then so miserable, 
 at times, through the stings of his conscience, that he envied 
 a dog that came into the room, wishing rather to have been 
 that dog, than a man, who " must give an account of himself 
 to God." This is just what wise and holy Job long ago ob- 
 served: " Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth; though 
 he hide it under his tongue; though he spare it, and forsake 
 it not, but keep it still within his mouth ; yet his meat in his 
 bowels is turned • it is the gall of asps within him." How 
 just is the comparison ! Sin is the food of a carnal man ; it 
 is his meat and drink to do the will of his father which is in 
 hell. This food is very sweet to him, sweeter than honey 
 and the honey-comb; so sweet that he is unwilling to lose 
 the relish of it, but tries to enjoy it as long ai possible. But 
 what is the consequence? Is this sweet food wholesome? 
 No. It is turned in his bowels to poison. It is the gall of 
 asps within him. The bite of an asp was deadly. There 
 was no remedy for it ; it killed in four hours, and yet it killed 
 with little pain. Thus Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, destroyed 
 herself. Just so the sinner dies : he may be stupefied, and feel 
 
262 THE PLEASUEES OF EELIGION. 
 
 no terrors in his soul; but the bitterness that flows from sin 
 is the bitterness of everlasting death. 
 
 "We have now taken a view of the pleasures of religion, 
 in the possession of Christian graces, the enjoyment of Chris- 
 tian privileges, and the performance of Christian duties. And 
 now, dear youiig people, are you not almost persuaded to be 
 Christians? May God persuade you altogether. If you 
 doubt the truth of what we have asserted, we appeal to 
 Christ himself Hear him. " Take my yoke upon you, and 
 learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall 
 find rest unto your souls: for my yoke is easy, and my burden 
 is light." Do you^ love pleasure 1 I know you do. Seiek it 
 then in Christ's way, and not in the "vvays of sin. There is 
 nothing in religion that is really irksome and unpleasant. 
 Even that which seems to be so, as repentance, self-denial, 
 and the mortification of sin, is rendered easy by the grace of 
 God. And were it not so, what are the pains of a moment to 
 the pains of eternity ? 
 
 " Who would not give a trifle to prevent 
 What he would give a thousand worlds to cure ?" . 
 
 But the fact is, there is far more pleasure in religion now, 
 than there is in; sin; and we are sure that it will end better. 
 What will it avail any of you, a hundred years hence, that 
 you were gay and merry, that you saw every fine sight, and 
 indulged in every sensua,! pleasure? But it will avail you, a 
 thousand years hence, that. you regard "the one thing need- 
 ful, and choose the good part." And let it be observed; that 
 the person who can take no pleasure in religion, is not at all 
 qualified for the joys of heaven, nor could he be happy there 
 if he were admitted. If you can take no pleasure in the 
 things of God, in singing his praises, in conversing with his 
 people, in obsierving the Sabbath, what would you : do. in 
 heaven, where the delights are not carnal, such as you love, 
 but wholly spiritual, such as you hate? Does not this con- 
 vince you that something is wrong ; that your state and dis- 
 position is not what it should be? "Verily, verily, I say 
 
SEKMON XXV. 263 
 
 unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the 
 kingdom of God." It is regeneration that makes the impor- 
 tant change in a person's views and tastes, for "that which 
 is born of the flesh is flesh," and therefore can relish only car- 
 nal things; but " that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," 
 and therefore enjoys spiritual pleasures. look up to God in 
 earnest, prayer that you may experience this blessed change. 
 Then will sin be the object of your hatred, and holiness that 
 of your delight. Depend upon it, you will be no loser by 
 religion. " Godliness is profitable to all things, having prom- 
 ise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." 
 What can you wish more ? "While your eternal happiness is 
 secured, you will enjoy " a conscience void of offence towards 
 God and man." Your way may be directed, your crosses 
 sanctified, and your earthly comforts doubled. " taste and 
 see that the Lord is good." 
 
 Come, we that love the Lord, 
 And let our joys be known ; 
 • Join in a song of sweet accord, 
 And thus surround the throne. 
 
 The sorrows of the mind 
 
 Be banished from the place ; 
 Eeligion never was designed 
 
 To make our pleasures less. 
 
 Let those refuse to sing 
 
 That never knew our God ; 
 But children of the heavenly King 
 
 May speak their joys abroad. 
 
 The men of grace have found 
 
 Glory begun below ; 
 Celestial fruits. On earthly ground, 
 
 From faith and hope may grow. 
 
 The hill of Zion yields 
 
 A thousand sacred swe/Cts, 
 Before we reach the heavenly fields, 
 
 Or walk the golden streets. 
 
 Then let our songs abound, 
 
 And every tear be dry ; 
 We 're marching through Emmanuel's ground 
 
 To fairer worlds on high. 
 
264 THE VALUE OF THE SOUL. 
 
 THE VALUE OF THE SOUL. 
 
 SERMOI^ XXVI. 
 
 "FOR WHAT IS A MAN PROFITED, IP HE SHALL GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, 
 AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL ? OR WHAT SHALL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE 
 FOR HIS SOUL?" Matt. 16:26. 
 
 In all the Bible I know not a more weighty sentence than 
 this. Were it duly considered, what- a religious world would 
 this become. The disregard of it makes the world that scene 
 of mischief and folly which you behold. To give these words 
 their full force, remember whose they are. They are the 
 words of Jesus Christ, the incarnate God, the Creator of the 
 world. And who so able to deterniine that the soul is worth 
 more than the world, as he who made them both ? He made 
 the soul, and he made the world ; yea, the price he paid for 
 the redemption of the soul was his own precious blood. 
 Surely then he knew the value of the soul. Regard these 
 words, my friends, as'full of truth, and truth of the greatest 
 importance to yourselves. And Oh, that He who first spoke 
 them to his disciples, may now speak them to our hearts by 
 his Holy Spirit. 
 
 In the text there are three things which require our atten- 
 tion : 
 
 1. Every man has a soul of the greatest value. 
 
 2. There is a possibility of a man's losing his soul, yea, 
 great danger of it. 
 
 3. The whole world can make no amends for the loss of a 
 soul. 
 
 I. Every man has a soul of the greatest value. 
 
 The nature of the human soul is, at present, but imper- 
 fectly known. God has not told us so much about it as to 
 gratify our curiosity, but enpugh to assist our faith. From 
 
SEEMON XXVI. 265 
 
 the Scriptures alone we learn any thing satisfactory concern- 
 ing our souls ; and there we find that the soul is a something 
 distinct from the body ; a thinking immortal substance ; and 
 capable of living separately from the body in another world. 
 This appears from Matt. 10 : 28, where our Lord says to his 
 disciples, " Fear not them which kill the body, but are not 
 able to kill the soul ; but rather fear Him which is able to 
 destroy both soul and body in hell." In like manner, we 
 learn from the parable of Dives and Lazarus, that the soul of 
 the former was tormented in hell, while his body lay buried 
 on earth. Jesus Christ assured the penitent thief on the 
 cross, that he should be with him in Paradise, while, as we 
 know, the body of Jesus was laid in the tomb. It is said of 
 Judas, that " he went to his own place," which certainly was 
 hell ; but his wretched carcass was on earth. St, Paul de- 
 clared, that death would be gain to him, because, when 
 " absent from the body," he should be " present with the 
 Lord:" useful as he was in the church, and happy in that 
 usefulness, he rather desired to die, to depart, "to be with 
 Christ," which was far better. 
 
 Now, this immortal soul is of immense value ; and its ex- 
 cellency may be argued from the following considerations. 
 
 1. Its origin; it came immediately from God. Something 
 peculiar is said of the formation of man: " God said. Let us 
 make man in our image, after our likeness." Gen. 1 : 26. 
 Surely it was the soul of man, rather than his earthly body, 
 that bore the divine resemblance. 
 
 2. Consider, again, the vast and noble powers of the soul. 
 When these powers are assisted by learning, how does the 
 philosopher survey, measure, and describe the heavenly bod- 
 ies, or search into the hidden mysteries of nature. And in 
 an ordinary way, how skilfully does the mechanic form vari- 
 ous instruments and engines for the common purposes of life. 
 The farmer cultivates and improves the earth, and produces 
 from it the fruitful grain. Artificers of various names furnish 
 us with useful and ornamental articles of clothes and furni- 
 ture ; while the scholar, like the industrious bee, collects the 
 
266 THE VALUE OF THE SOUL. 
 
 wisdom of all countries and ages. And what is far better, 
 the soul is capable, by divine grace, of knowing God, of being 
 renewed in his holy image, of paying him cheerful service, 
 and of enjoying him for ever in a better world. 
 
 3. Once more, consider the worth of the soul in the amaz- 
 ing price paid down for its redemption. "Eorasmuch as ye 
 know that ye were liot redeemed with corruptible things, as 
 silver and gold ; but with the precious blood of Christ:" 
 1 Pet. 1 : 18, 19, Thousands of rams, or ten thousands of 
 rivers of oil, would not have sufficed : nothing but the blood 
 of the Lamb of God could atone for sin. 
 
 " The rapsom was paid down ; the fupd of Heaven, 
 Heaven's inexhiaustible, exhfausted fund, 
 Amazing; and amazed, poured forth the. price, 
 All price beyond I" 
 
 Surely the ransom-price of the soul bespeaks its infinite 
 value. let us learn to value our souls ! 
 
 4. Consider, again, the contention of heaven and hell for 
 the soul of man. Heaven from above invites us to come to 
 God. Jesus Christ came down on purpose to show us the 
 way; yea, to be himself the way. The ministers of the gos- 
 gel " watch for souls ;" for this they study and pray, and trav- 
 ail and labor, that they may snatch perishing souls from the 
 devouring flames. They are "instant, in season and out of 
 season," and are " all things to all men," that they may win 
 some. Your serious relations, friends, and neighbors, long for 
 your conversion ; for this- purpose they pray for you, speak to 
 you, and lend you books. Yea, the angels of God are wsiit- 
 ing around us, longing to be the messengers of good news to 
 heaven, that sinners are repenting on earth.. 
 
 ^ On the other hand, it is the business of the devil to tempt 
 and destroy the souls of men. As a subtle serpent he lies in 
 wait to deceive,; or as a roaring lion he roams about to destroy. 
 Gladly would he seduce you into sin by the love of pleasure, 
 or get you to naglect salvation by the love of business, or prej- 
 udice your minds against the gospel of life.: What is the 
 reason that preaching the gospel is so much opposed, and 
 
SERMON XXVI. 267 
 
 storms of persecution raised against it ? Satan is afraid of 
 losing his prey. I^e knows that " the gospel is the power of 
 God unto salvation;" he would, therefore, keep men from 
 hearing it, lest any should be " turned from darkness to light, 
 and from the power of Satan unto God." Learn then the 
 worth of your souls from the strife there is between heaven 
 and hell to obtain them ; and say whether you would wish to 
 gladden angels or gratify devils. 
 
 5. Above all, consider the immense value of the soul, in 
 that vast eternity of bliss or woe that awaits it. We are but 
 in an embryo state at present, like a bird in the egg, or an 
 infant in the womb. We shall soon die into eternity. We 
 shall soon begin a state of being that will never end. The 
 present life is merely the seed-time of eternity, and " whatso- 
 ever a man soweth, that shall he also reap; he that soweth 
 iniquity, shall reap vanity" — he shall meet with nothing but 
 disappointment. " He that soweth to the flesh shall reap cor- 
 ruption ; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall reap life ever- 
 lasting." Gal. 6 : 20. Considering the endless duration of a 
 soul, the happiness or misery of one saved or damned sinner 
 will be far greater than the temporal happiness or misery of 
 all the inhabitants of England for a hundred years. Eternity 
 stamps infinite value on the soul; and this is the reason of 
 the comparison made in our text between one single soul and 
 the whole world, and of the question proposed in it, " What 
 shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" The expression 
 seems to allude to the customs of those countries which do 
 not use nioney in their traffic, but exchange one article for 
 another: now what can be exchanged for the soul? Can 
 any thing be offered of equal value ? Certainly not, for every 
 thing in this world is temporal, but the soul of man is eternal. 
 How dreadful then its loss ! And this leads us to show, 
 
 II. That a man may lose his soul, and that he is in dan- 
 ger of so doing. 
 
 The soul of man cannot be Iqst by ceasing to be; for being 
 irrmiortal in its nature, that is impossible. And Oh, how glad- 
 ly would a damned soul cease to be, if it were possible ! But 
 
268 THE VALUE OF THE SOUL. 
 
 for a soul to be lost, is for it to be lost to that happiness, here 
 and hereafter, which is suited to its nature. It is to lose all 
 the present pleasures of religion, " the consolation that is in 
 Christ," "the comfort of love," "the peace that passeth all 
 understanding," and "the joy of the Holy Ghost, which is 
 unspeakable and full of glory." Whaitever Satan and wicked 
 men affirm, we know assuredly that the truly religious man 
 is the only happy man; and therefore j he. who iives without 
 religion, lives without the true happiness of life ; and though 
 he may pretend to defy the danger that awaits him, yet con- 
 science will sometimes speak, and in the midst of his sinful 
 mirth will whisper in his ear, " What will all this profit, if 
 thy soul be lost at last?" 
 
 But Oh, who can tell the fearful import of that word lost, 
 as it respects the future and eternal world ? I remember, a 
 few years ago, that a boy who was sent upon some errand on 
 a cold winter's evening, was overtaken with a dreadful storm; 
 when the snow fell so thick, and drifted in such a manner, 
 that he missed his way; and continuing several hours in that 
 condition, was ready to perish. About midnight, a gentle- 
 man in the neighborhood thought he heard abound, but could 
 not distinguish what it was, till, opening his window, he 
 heard a human voice, at a great distance, pronouncing in a 
 piteous tone, Lost ! lost ! lost ! The poor boy, in some hope 
 of help, kept crying out at intervals. Lost ! lost ! lost ! Hu- 
 manity led the gentleman to send persons diligently to seek 
 for the lad, who was at length found and preserved. Happy 
 for him that he perceived his danger, that he cried for help, 
 and that his cry was heard. So will it be happy for us if, 
 sensible of the value of our souls, and their danger of perish- 
 ing in hell, we now cry for mercy and lielp to that dear arid 
 gracious " Eriend of sinners," that great and generous Deliv- 
 erer who "came to seek and to save that which was lost." 
 But if this be neglected, the soul will be lost indeed, lost 
 without remedy, lost for ever. He who is now a Saviour, , 
 but will shortly be a Judge, has marked out the character 
 of the wicked, and has, said, " These shall go away into 
 
SEEMON X5VI. 269 
 
 everlastiug punishment." Awful wofds : everlasting punish- 
 ment ! He will say to them, " Depart from me, ye cursed, 
 into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." 
 In the fearful expectation of this, a gentleman some years 
 since, who had been a member of parliament, and was es- 
 teemed an orator, but who had neglected his soul and relig- 
 ion, kept crying out on his dying bed, " Lost, lost; my soul is 
 lost for ever !" 
 
 Now, would we escape this dreadful end ? Let us then 
 seriously consider the danger of losing our souls. That there 
 is danger of doing so, the word of God abundantly declares. 
 Remember what Christ himself said, " Enter ye in at the 
 strait gate ; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that 
 leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat." 
 Is there not danger then ? Mark again what is said by the 
 Psalmist : " The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the 
 nations that forget G-od." The word of God describes the 
 very people. See a list of them in 1 Cor. 6 : 9, 10, and mark 
 whether any of you are there described. " Know ye not that 
 the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not 
 deceived: neither fornicators, nor adulterers," that is, persons 
 of lascivious tempers and practices, however private and 
 alone, "nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor swear- 
 ers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." Look 
 over this black catalogue again, and if you find your name 
 there, own it. Blush and tremble to think what it must be 
 to be shut out from the kingdom of God, and so lose your 
 own soul ; and then say, is it worth while to "lose yoUr soul 
 for any of these sinful pleasures and practices ? Will you, 
 with your eyes open, exchange your soul for any^ of these 
 things ?. 
 
 , I find, again, that all impenitent persons, all unconverted 
 persons, all tmregenerate persons, and all neglecters of the 
 gospel, will lose their own souls ; and that you may be sure 
 of this, I will mention the chapter and verse where it is so 
 declared, All impenitent people; " Except ye repent, ye shall 
 all likewise perish." Luke 13 : 3. All unconverted people; 
 
270 THE VALUE OP THE SOUL. 
 
 " Verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted, ye shall not 
 enter the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 18 : 3. All unregen- 
 erate people; "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man 
 be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3 : 3. 
 To these characters we add, all neglecters of the gospel: " How 
 shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Heb. 
 2:3. How can we in our consciences expect to avoid con- 
 demnation for our sins, if through carelessness and unbelief, 
 we despise and. reject, or disregard, and do not embrace the 
 gospel, which brings salvation to lost sinners ? And, again, 
 " If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost." 2 Cor. 
 4:3. The gospel is a glorious light, and leads sinners to sg,l- 
 vation: but if it be hid, if it be. covered and coneealed from 
 the minds of them that hear it, so that they cannot under- 
 stand or receive it, because of the veil of ignorance and blind- 
 ness that remains on their hearts, it is a proof of their being 
 yet in the lost and ruined state into which they were, plunged 
 by the fall; and if they die in that state, they will be lost 
 for ever.' v 
 
 The . apostle adds, " The god of this world," that is, the 
 devil, whom the heathens worship and carnal ' men obey, 
 " hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the 
 light of the glorious gospel should shine unto them." If peo- 
 ple who have the gospel are lost, it is not the fault of the 
 gospel, but it is owing to men's wilful blindness, and the 
 advantage the devil takes of it to keep them in the way to 
 hell. Mr. Flavel illustrates this by the following comparison ; 
 " Let us suppose a number of blind men on an island where 
 there are many snaopth paths, all leading to the top of a steep 
 cliff, and these blind men going on continually in one or 
 other of these paths which lead to the brink of ruin, which 
 they see not — it must needs follow, if they all moved for- 
 ward, the whole number wiir in a short time perish, the 
 island be cleared, and its inhabitants lost in the bottom of 
 the sea. This is the case of carnal men : they are now on 
 this habitable globe, surrounded by the vast ocean of eternity; 
 there are many paths leading to eternal misery, and every 
 
SERMON XXVI. 271 
 
 man turns to. his own way: one to the way of drunkenness, 
 another to the way of swearing, another to the way of lewd- 
 ness, another to pride, another to covptousness, and so on. 
 Forward they go, not once making a stand, or thinking to 
 what end it will hring them^ till, at death, over they g-o, and 
 we hear no more of them in this world. Thus one genera- 
 tion of sinners follows another, and they who come after ap- 
 plaud the miserahle wretches that went hefore them. So hell 
 fills,' and the world empties its inhahitants daily into it." 
 
 , Thus it is plain that the soul may he lost, and that there 
 is great danger of it. Why else did the Son of G-od come 
 down from heaven ? Why else has he sent his gospel to us ? 
 Why else do the ministers of Christ cry aloud and spare not ? 
 Why else do they warn every man, and teach every man, hut 
 that they may convince sinners of their danger, and prevent 
 them from losing their own souls? We now proceed to 
 show that, 
 
 III. The WHOLE WORLD CAN MAKE NO AMENDS FOR THE LOSS 
 OF A SOUL. 
 
 " What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, 
 and lose his own soul ?" It is not here supposed that it is in 
 the power of any man to conquer or possess the whole world. 
 No man ever yet saw all the world, and life would be too 
 short for that purpose. But it is to gain all the riches, hon- 
 ors, delights, and pleasures that a man can possibly enjoy. 
 It is to have every desire accomplished, every sense gratified. 
 It is to have the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the 
 pride of life indulged in the highest perfection. All that can 
 please the palate; the luxuries of all countries collected on 
 the table of the epicure ; all the delightful charms of music ; 
 all the elegances and convenience of a noble palace ; all that 
 can gratify the smell and the touch ; all the pleasures of 
 imagination, arising from grandeur, beauty, and novelty. 
 And supposing all this obtained — Soloinon obtained it all, 
 and what a poor all it proved^— " vanity and vexation of 
 spirit" was the total amount. 
 
 And is this the whole of that for which men risk their 
 
'272 THE VALUE OP- THE SOUL. 
 
 souls ? Foolish barter ! Wretched exchange ! ^ Was Esau 
 wise, who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage ? Was 
 Judas wise, who sold his Master, and his own soul too, for 
 thirty pieces of silver ? Just as wise is the .worldly man 
 who parts with heaven for the «ordid and short-lived pleas- 
 ures of earth. I remember reading of a woman whose house 
 was on fire. She was very active in removing her goods, but 
 forgot her child who was sleeping in the cradle. At length 
 she remembered the babe, and ran with earnest desire to save 
 it. But it was too late. The flame forbade her entrance. 
 Judge of her agony of mind, when she exclaimed, "0 my 
 child, my child ! I have saved my goods, but lost my child !" 
 Just so it will be with many a poor sinner who was all his 
 life "careful and troubled about many things," while "the 
 one thing needful" was forgot. What will it avail for a man 
 to say, " I got a good place, or a good trade, but lost my soul. 
 I got a large fortune, but lost my soul. 1 got many friends, 
 but God is my enemy. I lived in pleasure, but now pain is 
 my everlasting portion. I clothed my body gaily, but my 
 soul is naked before God." Our Lord exposed this folly in 
 the parable of the worldly rich man. Luke 12 : 16. His 
 wealth increased abundantly. He* was about to enlarge his 
 barns. And then he promised himself a long life of idleness, 
 luxufy, and mirth, " But God said to him, Thou fool, tl^is 
 night shall thy soul be req^uired of thee: then whose shall 
 those things be which thou hast provided?" Here, for the 
 sake of the body, the soul was forgot. While he was dream* 
 ing of years to coniie, death was at the door; and little did he 
 think that "the next hour his friends would be scrambliiig 
 for his estate, the worms for his body, and devils for his soul." 
 
 1. Is the soul so valuable? Then do we act as if we 
 believed it so to be ? Are Our chief desires and endeavors for 
 the body, or for the soul ? It is true, that the business of life, 
 and the support of the body, require our daily care and labor. 
 But God has placed no man in such a state as to allow nO 
 time for the care of the soul. One whole day in seven is, by 
 
SERMON XXVI. 273 
 
 his authority, appointed for the care of the soul and the wor- 
 ship of God. Every man, however husy, finds some time for 
 meals and rest and conversation on other days; and if the 
 heart were set on G-od and heaven as it ought to he, many a 
 moment would be found for spiritual exercises without hin- 
 derance to worldly business. Yea, a proper regard to true 
 religion, and the blessing of G-od procured by prayer, would 
 render worldly business more easy, and more prosperous too. 
 But were it otherwise, remember the text, "What shall a 
 man give in exchange for his soul ?" Is it reasonable, think 
 you, that the nobler part, the immortal soul, should have no 
 share in your thoughts and care and endeavors ? Shall the 
 brutal part of man engross all his affections ? If it does, the 
 event will be fatal. " If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; 
 but if ye through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, 
 ye shall live." 
 
 2. Is there danger of losing the soul ? then beware ; be on 
 your guard ; watch and pray, lest you should lose your souls. 
 Remember that sin and ignorance and carelessness and un- 
 belief will certainly ruin the soul. Though the flesh may 
 plead for these things, and you may have the majority of the 
 world on your side, yet God has said, " The end of these 
 things is death." 
 
 But why should you lose your souls? Is there not a 
 Saviour, and a great one ? He came from heaven on purpose 
 to save that which was lost. Do you ask, "What shall I do 
 to be saved ?" We reply, with the apostle Paul, " Believe on 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." There is 
 no name under heaven given among men whereby we must 
 be saved, but that of Jesus. He is the only deliverer from 
 the wrath to come. Take care that you trust in nothing else. 
 Make not your good works, as they are called, your depend- 
 ence. Virtue and morality are excellent things, and promote 
 the peace and welfare of society, but they are not saviors. 
 He that trusts them leans on a broken reed, builds on the 
 yielding sand, and will be wofuily disappointed at last. By 
 grace alone are sinners saved, through /a»f^; and faith is the 
 
 Va Ser. 18 
 
274 THE VALUE OF THE SOUL. 
 
 gift of God. Many who have some concern for their souls, 
 perish toough their ignorance of Christ. They think them- 
 selves moral and devout, and douht not that G-od will accept 
 them. But this is a ruinous mistake. Such moral persons 
 are in as much danger as the most profane. This is the fatal 
 stumbling-block of thousands. But know this, Christ alone 
 can save your souls. He must be your wisdom, your right- 
 eousness, your sanctification, and redemption — your all in all. 
 Fly then to him without delay. If you would not lose your 
 soul, call upon him to save it. This is his office: he is the 
 Saviour. It is his delight: he waits to be gracious. His 
 open arms are ready to receive the trembling sinner. Turn 
 ye to the strong-hold, ye prisoners of hope. Believe in him, 
 and you are safe. You may then say, with St. Paul, " I know 
 whoiri I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to 
 keep that which I have committed to him," namely, the im- 
 mortal soul, with ail its eternal concerns, against that day, 
 the day of final judgment. Yea, you may say, 
 
 " Firm as the earth thy gospel stands, 
 My Lord, my hope, my trust : 
 If I am found in Jesus' hands, 
 My soul can ne'er be lost." 
 
 Finally, can the whole world make no amends for the 
 loss of a soul ? then prize the world less, and the soul more. 
 Learn to think of the world now as you will think of it on a 
 dying bed. " A dying man would give all the world for his 
 soul ; when in health, he does not so much as think of it. 
 While he is able, he will do nothing at all; and he would 
 fain do all when he is no longer able to do any thing. What 
 strange delusion is this ! Will mankind never recover from it, 
 after so many fatal examples ?" Be moderate in your pursuit 
 of the world. " Be diligent in business," but take care to be 
 "fervent in spirit" also. Time is short: eternity is long. 
 Live for eternity. Show your regard for your souls by ear- 
 nestness and diligence in all the means of grace. If you 
 prize your souls, you will prize Sabbaths and Bibles, and 
 sermons and prayers, and serious friends. Redeem then the 
 
SERMON XXVI. 275 
 
 time. Hear the voice of God while it is called to-day; for 
 "now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation." 
 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it 
 is God which worketh in you hoth to will and to do of his 
 good pleasure." Were religion painful and miserable, still, 
 as necessary to eternal happiness, it would be your wisdom 
 to be religious; but to be religious, is to be happy now, and 
 happy for ever. On the contrary, the wicked man is misera- 
 ble now, and will be miserable for ever. So that the choice 
 which is proposed to every man on this subject is this: "Will 
 you have a foretaste of heaven now, and then heaven for ever ; 
 or will you have a foretaste of hell now, and then hell for 
 ever ? " Will you have two hells, or two heavens ?" 
 
276 CONVICTION OP SIN. 
 
 CONVICTION OF SIN. 
 
 SERMOl^ SXVII. 
 
 "IF ALL PROPHESY, AND TflERE COME IN ONE! THAT BELIEVTETH NOT, OR 
 ONE UNLEARNED, HE IS CONVINCED OF ALL, HE IS JUDGED OF ALL: 
 AND THUS ARE THE SECRETS OF HIS HEART MADE .MANIFEST; AND 
 SO FALLma DOWN ON HIS FACE HE WILL WORSHIP GOD, AND RE- 
 PORT THAT GOD IS IN YOU OF A TRUTH." 1 Coe. 14 .-24, 25. 
 
 In thesB words we have an account of the power of preach- 
 ing in the times of the apostles. "We see here what was the 
 design and effect of the word of G-od in those times. And it 
 should be our concern that the same gospel may he blessed in 
 the same manner among ourselves. In those early days there 
 were miraculous gifts in the church: for instance, that of 
 speaking in a language which they had never learned; and 
 this was to enable the preachers to address themselves to peo- 
 ple of all nations. It was then reckoned very honorable to 
 possess the gift of tongues, and some coveted it too much. St. 
 Paul, in this chapter, shows that it was far more desirable to 
 •prophesy or preach: "Follow after love," says he, "and de- 
 sire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy; for he 
 that prophesieth," or preacheth, " speaketh unto men to edifi- 
 cation and exhortation and comfort." And in our text he 
 mentions the blessed effects of preaching, in the conversion of 
 a person to God. He supposes a case, which no doubt often 
 happened : A heathen, or other ignorant person, led by curi- 
 osity, happens to come into an assembly of Christians, in a 
 house, or barn perhaps, wishing to see or hear something of 
 this new religion; he listens to the preacher, and the Spirit 
 of God opening his eyes and touching his heart, he is con- 
 vinced that he is a sinner, he feels himself condemned, he is 
 surprised to find the secret thoughts of his heart laid open ; 
 and so, struck with an .awe of the divine Majesty, he ear- 
 
SERMON XXVII. 277 
 
 nestly implores the mercy of God, and is convinced that G-od 
 is in a special manner present with his people. 
 
 True religion is always the same. The gospel is always 
 " the power of God ;" and when he is pleased to own and 
 hless the preaching or reading of it, the same hlessed effects 
 are produced. Men are convinced of sin, and converted to 
 God. The Lord grant that such may be the effect of his 
 word among us of this place. 
 
 I. We may first observe, that pkeaching the gospel is an 
 ORDINANCE OF GoD, and was constantly used in the primitive 
 church. Our Saviour, when leaving this world, directed his 
 disciples to "go and teach all nations;" to "go into all the 
 world, and preach the gospel to every creature :" he gracious- 
 ly promised to be with the preachers of it, even to the end of 
 the world; and added this solemn sanction, " He that believ- 
 eth, and is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth 
 not, shall be damned." Thus it appears that believing in 
 Christ is necessary to salvation ; and preaching the gospel is 
 generally necessary to believing; for "how shall they call 
 upon him in whom they have not believed ? and how shall 
 they believe in him of whom "they have not heard ? and how 
 shall they hear without a preacher ?" Despised as preaching 
 the gospel was at first, and still is by many, " it hath pleased 
 God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that be- 
 lieve." Mark 16 : 16 ; Rom. 10 : 14; 1 Cor. 1 : 21. A portion 
 of this blessing may be expected by all those who meet to- 
 gether, at any time or place, for reading or hearing the Scrip- 
 tures, or the explanation of them, with a view to their own 
 edification, or that of their neighbors. May we enjoy it now. 
 
 II. Curiosity frequently led persons to the Christian as- 
 semblies. The religion of Christ made a great stir in the 
 world. The true knowledge of God was so lost in general, 
 that wherever the gospel was first preached, it excited great 
 attention ; it seemed a new religion ; it brought strange things 
 to men's ears. Some were greatly prejudiced against it. 
 Many false and malicious reports were spread, and when it 
 was brought to a town, some would say, " These men that 
 
278 CONVICTION OF SIN. 
 
 have turned the world upside down, are come here also." 
 Men who loved sm and lived in sin disliked the light of the 
 gospel, because it discovered their evil deeds ; and persons long 
 used to superstition, error, and devil-worship, were unwilling 
 to forsake their old religion, as they called it. But when 
 they saw miracles performed before their eyes; when they 
 saw numbers of sick people healed with a word or a touch ; 
 when they saw some of their neighbors forsake the altars of 
 their idols, and become moral and lovely in their conduct, 
 they were forced to stop and consider how these things could 
 be, and some of them would of course go and hear for them- 
 selves. Our text supposes such a thing: "If there come in 
 one that believeth not, or one unlearned," an unbeliever, an 
 infidel, or an ignorant person, one unacquainted with Christ, 
 and salvation. G-od often overruled this kind of curiosity for 
 good. Zaccheus, a rich publican, wished much to see Christ 
 when he passed through Jericho. He only wanted to gratify 
 his curiosity in seeing a man who was so much talked of; 
 but Christ in mercy called and converted him. It is good to 
 be near Christ ; he often meets with those who are " in the 
 way," and " is found by those "who sought him not." And it 
 is happy for many that they did not suffer their own preju- 
 dices, or the fear of man, to prevent their going among serious 
 persons, to hear and judge for themselves. 
 
 III. We observe, further, that primitive preaching had a 
 
 TENDENCY TO CONVINCE MEN OF THEIR BEING SINNERS, IN A STATE 
 OF GUILT AND DANGER. 
 
 It was a principal part of the work of the prophets of old, 
 to cry aloud and testify against the sins of the people. John 
 the Baptist preached repentance. So did our Lord himself 
 And he commanded that " repentance and remission of sins 
 should be preached in his name among all nations " — repent- 
 ance j in order to remission. As " the whole need not the 
 physician, but they that are sick;" as the disease must be 
 felt, before the remedy can be desired ; so must all men know 
 the diseased and dangerous state of their souls, before they 
 can believe in Christ" to the saving of their souls;" Accord- 
 
SERMON XXVII. 279 
 
 ingly we find St. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, charging sin 
 upon the people of Jerusalem ; the effect of which was, they 
 were pierced to the heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest 
 of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 
 Thus in our text, the unbeliever, coming into the assembly, 
 is convinced of all, of all the preacher says ; whoever preached, 
 his doctrine had this tendency, to convince the man of sin. 
 This is done, not merely by the power of the word, but by the 
 power of the Holy Spirit going along with the word. This 
 is one of the great works of the Spirit, as our Saviour prom- 
 ised: " When he is come, he shall reprove," or convince, " the 
 world of sin," John 16 :,8 ; it is the same word as in the text: 
 it signifies, to convince by way of argument ; to stop the mouth 
 of the guilty person, convict him by his own conscience, and 
 leave him without excuse. 
 
 The word of G-od is the chief means of convincing people 
 of sin. Reason and conscience alone are not sufficient. It is 
 true, that those who " have not a written law, or the Bible, 
 are a law unto themselves; they show the work of the law 
 written in their hearts," and their consciences accuse them 
 when they do evil, and excuse them when they do well; but 
 all this is done in a very weak and imperfect manner. The 
 light of nature discovers some sins, but not all. It discovers 
 scarcely any sins but those that hurt our neighbor. It dis- 
 covers that there is a God, and that he should be worshipped, 
 but it does not tell us how. It does not tell us half the du- 
 ties we owe to G-od, and therefore not half the sins we commit 
 in not performing them. The light of nature does not show 
 us the root of sin, in our fallen nature. It does not show us 
 what hearts we have, " deceitful and desperately wicked," as 
 they really are. It cannot show us that a wicked look, an 
 angry thought, or a covetous desire is sinful, as our Lord, in 
 his sermon on the mount, declares them all to be. Besides, 
 natural conscience is often stupid and unfaithful. When 
 men live long in sin, the conscience becomes callous and un- 
 feeling, "seared, as it were, with a hot iron." It is corrupt, 
 like all the other powers of our souls, and is too weak and 
 
280 CONVICTION OF SIN. 
 
 feeble, without superior aid, to convince us, in a due manner, 
 of our sinful and dangerous condition. 
 
 The law of God, contained in the ten commandments, is 
 an instrument of mighty power in the hand of the Spirit, to 
 conviace men of sin. The words of the laW, as printed in a 
 hook, or laid up in the memory, or fixed up in a church, are 
 not of themselves sufficient for this purpose. No; but they 
 must be spiritually understood, and applied to the heart. St. 
 Paul himself is a notable instance : " I was alive," says he, 
 "without the law once; but when the commandment came, 
 sin revived, and I died." He never was without the words of 
 the law, he knew them from a child — ^but he was without 
 the true knowledge of the law, as a spiritual laW, requiring 
 "truth in the inward parts," and condemning a sinful thought. 
 It was the tenth commandment that opened his eyes : " I had 
 not known sin," he says, "except the law had said, Thou 
 shalt not covet :" by this he saw that a desire might be sin- 
 ful; and seeing this, he was convinced of sin. Where nat- 
 ural conseience sees one sin, the law shows a thousand. 
 What natural conscience thought a molehill, the law shows 
 to be a mountain. What natural conscience thought merely 
 not quite right, the law shows to be a daring act of rebellion 
 against God, and worthy of eternal death. 
 
 For besides being ^'convinced of all," our text adds, "he 
 is judged of all :" he is tried, cast, and condemned. The 
 consideration of his own sin is fixed on his mind; he cannot 
 get rid of it. " My sin is ever before me," said the Psalmist. 
 It is brought home to his conscience, as when Nathan said to 
 David, " Thou art the man !" The truly convinced sinner 
 receives " the sentence of death in himself" The law says, 
 "The soul that sinneth it shall die." The conscience says, 
 "I have sinned, and therefore I must die." The law says, 
 " Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things writ- 
 ten in the book of the law to do them." The conscience says, 
 " I have not continued in all things, therefore I am cursed." 
 It is the office of an enlightened conscience to anticipate the 
 judgment of the great day: now to inspect the books that 
 
SEKMON XXVII. 281 
 
 will be opened then, and so to judge ourselves that we may 
 not be judged — so to condemn ourselves that we may not 
 then be condemned. Most ihen have such a notion of the 
 mercy of God, as to forget his justice and holiness; they for- 
 tify themselves in his mercy against his ju'^tice. But when 
 a person is convinced of sin, he sees that God is holy and 
 just; and he cannot but dread these terrible attributes, till 
 he learns from the gospel how God is at once "a just God 
 and a Saviour — just, yet the justifier of the ungodly," who 
 believe in Jesus. 
 
 IV. Another observation we make on the text is, Preach- 
 ing the word tends to disclose the secret workings of the 
 HEART, which were unobserved before. "And thus are the 
 secrets of his heart made manifest." 
 
 Most men are so busied in worldly affairs, or stupefied 
 with worldly pleasures, that they are great strangers to them- 
 selves. They are also lulled asleep by the soft preaching of 
 virtue and morality and sincere obedience, which they flatter 
 themselves they have, so that they give themselves no trouble 
 about religion. But the faithful preaching of God's word has 
 a tendency to rouse men from this supineness. The word of 
 God is a mirror that does not flatter. It shows men their 
 hearts. It not only tells men what they ought to be, but 
 shows them what they are. It leads them from observing 
 the streams of their evil actions, to trace them up to the foun- 
 tain, the corrupt fountain of their fallen nature. Thus when 
 David confesses his sin of adultery, in the -Psalm 51, he ac- 
 knowledges the spring of this horrid evil : " Behold, I was 
 shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." 
 So, when our Lord would convince Nicodemus that he must 
 be born again, he showed him that "what was born of the 
 flesh, was flesh," nothing more, nothing better — nothing but 
 corruption and defilement ; as Paul confesses, " In my flesh 
 there dwelleth no good thing;" and elsewhere, "The carnal 
 mind is riot subject to the law of God, neither can it be." 
 So God declared of the old world. " Every imagination of 
 man's heart is only evil continually." Now a convinced sin- 
 
282 CONVICTION OF SIN. 
 
 ner knows this, feels this ; and thus " thfe secrets of his heart 
 are made manifest." " The Lord opens the root of bitterness ; 
 makes us smell the sink of sin; discovers the dunghill where 
 all these little serpents were bred ; shows us the rotten core, 
 as well as the worm-eaten skin ; that the nature of the person 
 lies in wickedness, as a mole in the earth, or a carcass in 
 putrefaction, 1 John 5 : 19, all under sin; no good spring in 
 the heart; that there is a poison in the heart that taints 
 every work of the hand, imagination, fancy, thoughts of the 
 mind, and motions of the will. He brings a man from the 
 chamber of outward sins to the closet of inward iniquities, 
 till he arrives at the large room o{ nature; bids him see if he 
 can find out one clean corner in the heart ; and so conducts 
 him to the first sin of Adam; makes him behold the first 
 fountain whence all issued ; and all little enough to make 
 the proud heart stoop to God : this makes a man vile in his 
 own eyes, so that he cannot look upon himself but with con- 
 fusion and an universal blush." So speaks the excellent Mr. 
 Charnock. 
 
 Persons who have not been used to hear the gospel, are 
 frequently surprised, when they sit under a powerful minis- 
 try, to hear their own case and character so exactly described. 
 It is not uncommon for them to charge their friends with 
 having been to the ministers beforehand, to tell them their 
 case. But this is no new thing. The remembrance of one 
 sin leads to the remembrance of another. Sins that have 
 been forgotten many years have a kind of resurrection in the 
 mind, so that they seem to surround and terrify the soul of 
 an awakened sinner. Thus it was with the woman of Sa- 
 maria, who was coftverted by our Lord at the well. Having 
 detected her in the bad course of life which she led, and 
 being convinced that he was a prophet, she ran to call her 
 neighbors, saying, " Come, see a man who told me all things 
 that ever I did : is not this the Christ ?" This is the proper 
 and powerful efiect of the word of God, which carries with it 
 a mighty and convincing argument of its truth, as being the 
 word of Him " who searcheth the heart, and trieth the reins 
 
SEEMON XXVII. 283 
 
 of the children of men." The person who thus hears the 
 word to purpose, " knows the plague of his own heart." He 
 boasts no more of a good heart. He sees it is full of sin ; which 
 he no longer delights in, nor excuses. He sees its horrid evil 
 described in Scripture as dirt, dung, plague, ulcers, and putre- 
 fying sores; and seeing this in his own heart, he loathes him- 
 self, and cries with Job, Lord, I am vile ! " I abhor myself, 
 and repent in dust and ashes !" Job 42 : 6. And this leads 
 us to another observation. 
 
 V. When a man is converted to God, he always begins to 
 PRAY. The person in our text, already convinced of sin, " falls 
 down on his face and worships Grod." A blind pagan till 
 now, if he worshipped before, it was Bacchus or Venus per- 
 haps ; or he may have been a more heathenish Christian, one 
 who never worships at all. Por how many are there among 
 us who so entirely live without God in the world, that they 
 never pray. But see the effect of God's word when carried 
 to the heart. Regardless of the eye of man, he prostrates 
 himself in the dust of abasement before his offended Maker 
 and Judge. This was the symptom of Paul's own conversion. 
 " Behold, he prayeth," said Christ concerning him, as a proof 
 that he was another man — a new man. 
 
 It is sad to think that so many people never pray. A 
 short form of words, always the same, and always unfelt, is 
 hypocritically offered by some in their beds, or when nearly 
 asleep. By many others this paltry ceremony is quite omitted. 
 Some are ashamed to pray, lest. they should be laughed at for 
 it. Others are afraid, lest the devil should appear to them. 
 Others pretend they cannot get a private place to pray in. 
 But let me ask such. Can you not get a private place to sin 
 in ? and if you loved prayer as you love sin, you would not 
 make this excuse. Behold here a man so overpowered with 
 a sense of the majesty and justice of God, so deeply affected 
 with his danger as a sinner, and so eagerly desirous of his 
 pardoning mercy, that he forgets he is surrounded by mortals, 
 and he falls down before his God with the publican's petition: 
 " God be merciful to me a sinner !" So a condemned crimi- 
 
284 CONVICTION OF SIN. 
 
 nal at a human bar, when the fearful sentence of death has 
 been pronounced, falls down on his knees, and regardless , of 
 the gazing throng, implores the favor of the judge. So dying 
 persons expecting soon to appear before Grod, cry aloud; for 
 mercy, without considering who surround their beds; The 
 place, or the posture of prayer, is of little consequence. It 
 might disturb the public worship for persons to fall down and 
 pray aloud in our assemblies; yet when a person is greatly 
 affected, it will be difficult to conceal his emotions. He will 
 lift up his heart, if not his voice, to G-od ; and when he goes 
 home it will not be with the usual compliment, that he had 
 heard a fine sermon, or a charming preacher; but, retiring to 
 some secret place, he will confess arid lament his sins, and 
 seek the pardon of them through the blood of Christ ; while, 
 conscious also of their loathsome defilement,' he will earnestly 
 crave the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit. One more 
 observation remains. 
 
 VI. Converted persons drop all their prejudices against 
 THE PEOPLE OF GoD, and speak honorably of them. " He will 
 report that G-od is in you of a truth." It is not unlikely that 
 he said before, " The devil is in you." Profane people indulge 
 themselves in abusing religious persons/ They are fond of 
 calling them nicknames; they treat them with contempt 
 and scorn ; and sometimes abuse their persons, injure their 
 property, hurt their character, or hinder their employment. 
 Though religion be protected by the laws of the land, there 
 are a thousand ways in which serious people are now perse- 
 cuted, especially where the gospel is newly introduced into a 
 place ; and the poor, particularly, are threatened by their su- 
 periors that they shall be deprived of support, or other assist- 
 ance, if they dare to judge for themselves, and attend the 
 worship of Grod where they think themselves profited. But 
 these people ought to remember that "the Lord cometh with 
 ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and 
 to convince all that are ungodly among then* of all their 
 ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of 
 all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken 
 
SEEMON XXVII. 285 
 
 against him," Jude 14, 15, for the Lord considers what is done 
 to his people as done to himself; and he says, it were better 
 for a man to have a millstone hung about his neck, and be 
 cast into the sea with it, than for him to offend or hurt one of 
 the least of his disciples who believe in him. Mark 9 : 42. 
 
 But no sooner does a man come to himself, and see things 
 as they are, than he forms a very different opinion of godly 
 persons. They are no longer the objects of contempt and 
 scorn. He sees that they are the excellent of the earth, the 
 children of God, and heirs of eternal glory. He now says, 
 "God is in you of a truth." Blessed truth; Jesus is "Im- 
 manuel, God with us." He is really and truly with his peor 
 pie when they meet to pray and praise and hear his word. 
 " Lo, I am with you alway," saith he, " even to the end of 
 the world." And again, " Where two or three are gathered 
 together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." 
 Matt. 18 : 20. Blessed be Jesus for this precious promise, 
 and blessed be his name for the fulfilment of it. We know 
 he is with us, to observe, guide, assist, encourage, quicken, 
 approve, and succeed us : yea, he comes first to bid us wel- 
 come — " There am I." 
 
 Now, every converted person knows and feels this. He 
 therefore says with Jacob, "How dreadful is this place; it is 
 the house of God, and the gate of heaven." Observe, it is said, 
 "He will report that God is with you." He will not be 
 ashamed to tell the world so; and he will tell it to others, 
 that they may come too. Just as some of our Lord's first dis- 
 ciples did. When Andrew was called by Christ, he went 
 and called his brother Peter ; and when Philip was called, he 
 invited Nathanael; and when Nathanael made sonie objec- 
 tions, and said, " Can any good thing come out of Nazareth ? 
 Philip said. Come and see." In like manner, let all those 
 who have felt the power of God under the word, invite their 
 friends and neighbors to hear and judge for themselves. 
 
 And thus, my friends, we have seen a picture of primitive 
 religion, such as prevailed in the first and best days of Chris- 
 
286 CONVICTION OF SIN. 
 
 tianity. And now let us inquire, Is our religion like this ? 
 Is it thus in our assemblies ? Not in all. In some places 
 what irreverence — laughing, sleeping! The preacher him- 
 self is perhaps in fault. Perhaps it is not the gospel that he 
 preaches ; or, he is unaffected hy it. He performs his duty as 
 the school-boy his task. The people come expecting nothing; 
 they go away having obtained nothing; and a pious specta- 
 tor is constrained to reverse the text, and say, " God is not 
 here, of a truth." 
 
 But where the gospel of Jesus is faithfully preached, the 
 powerful effects mentioned in the text will, by the blessing 
 of God, more or less follow. If the doctrine tend " to humble 
 the sinner, to exalt the Saviour, and to promote holiness," 
 Jesus, by his Spirit, is there, and will set his seal to the heav- 
 enly truth. Both t^e law and the gospel, rightly dispensed, 
 will tend to convince men of their lost and ruined state, to 
 disclose the secret thoughts of the heart ; and when this is 
 done, to lead the sinner in earnest prayer to seek salvation by 
 Jesus Christ. Has the word of God had this effect upon us ? 
 To know and feel ourselves miserable sinners is the first main 
 point in religion. Without this we are blind to every thing 
 else in Scripture. Without this we cannot pray sincerely, or 
 do any thing in religion aright. Sin cannot be taken away 
 till it be discovered ; nor can we ever become what we ought 
 to be, till we know what we are. And when this is rightly 
 known, you see what follows. You^see the convinced sinner 
 prostrate on the ground. Has a sense of sin, an apprehension 
 of its danger, and a hatred of its evil, brought us to our knees ? 
 If so, bless God for it. It is a good beginning. This is the 
 finger of God. Wait upon God, and he who hath begun the 
 good work will finish it. 
 
 What an evidence does this subject afford us of the truth 
 and reality of the religion of Christ.' Can any power but that 
 which is divine thus enlighten the mind, convince the con- 
 science, terrify the soul, disclose the secrets of the heart, hum- 
 ble the proud rebel, and at once turn his affections into an- 
 other channel ? No, no. This is the work of God ; and the 
 
SERMON XXVII. 287 
 
 Scriptures, by which he effects it, are the word of G-od, and 
 he who belie veth hath hereby " a witness in himself" that 
 they are so. May these blessed truths, so useful and neces- 
 sary to the conversion and salvation of souls, be here and 
 everywhere proclaimed ; and may these, their blessed effects, 
 be everywhere produced; so shall multitudes be saved, and 
 glory, glory, glory, be given to God, Father, Son, and Holy 
 Spirit, world without end. Amen. 
 
 Prostrate, dear Jesus, at thy feet, 
 
 A guilty rebel lies ; 
 And upwards to the mercy-seat 
 
 Presumes to lift his eyes. 
 
 If tears of sorrow would suffice 
 
 To pay the debt I owe, 
 Tears should from both my weeping eyes 
 
 In ceaseless torrents flow. 
 
 But no such sacrifice I plead, 
 
 To expiate my guilt ; 
 No tears, but those which thou hast shed — 
 
 No blood, but thou hast spilt. 
 
 Think of thy sorrows, dearest Lord, 
 
 And all my sins forgive ; 
 Justice will well approve the word 
 
 That bids the sinner live. 
 
288 THE LAMB OP GOD BEHELD BY FAITH. 
 
 THE LAMB OF GOD BEHELD BY FAITH. 
 
 SEKMON XXYIII. 
 
 "BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD, WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN QP THE 
 WORLD!" John 1:29. 
 
 There is a vast curiosity in the mind of man, and the 
 world abounds with ohjeots to gratify it. The heavens, the 
 earth, the sea, are full of wonders; and had not man sinned, 
 he might always have read the book of nature with new 
 delight, and have seen the glory of G-od in every line. But 
 now, unhappy fallen man turns l\is hack upon God while 
 he surveys his works, and thinks every trifle better worth his 
 notice than his Maker. In infancy, in youth, in middle life, 
 in old age, a constant succession of vanities court his atten- 
 tion, and he never thinks of beholding Christ till he dies, and 
 appears before his tribunal. 
 
 Like John the Baptist, whose words these are, I would 
 cry aloud, and say to my fellow-men, " Behold the Lamb of 
 God" — " turn- away your eyes from beholding vanities ;" and 
 fix your attention on an object the most wonderful, the most 
 pleasing, and the most useful, that the eyes of men or angels 
 ever beheld. 
 
 John was the harbinger of Christ, "the voice of one cry- 
 ing in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord." With 
 strict austerity of manners, and with great plainness of speech, 
 he preached repentance: "Repent ye, for the kingdom of 
 heaven is at hand." His honest labors were crowned with 
 great success ; and thousands of all descriptions flocked from 
 the cities and towns of Judea into the solitary wilderness, and 
 touched with compunction for their sins, applied to him, say- 
 ing, "What must we do?" that in this our day we could 
 see such an awakening ! 
 
SERMON XXVIII. 289 
 
 Thus the prophet proceeded till Jesus Christ entered on 
 the public stage of action, and came forth from the wilderness, 
 where he had suffered all kinds of temptation. John, far 
 from pretending to be the Messiah, directed his disciples to 
 Jesus, saying, in the words of our text, Behold the Lamh of 
 God. 
 
 In these words let us consider, 
 
 1. The great object presented to our view — The Lamb of 
 God ; and, 
 
 2. The attention we ought to pay to him — Behold the 
 Lamb ! 
 
 L The OBJECT set before us is. Jesus Christ, here called 
 "the Lamb of God." 
 
 No doubt the expression alludes to the sacrifices of the 
 Jews, in which consisted a principal part of their worship, as 
 appointed by God himself In this way God was worshipped 
 from the beginning of the world. "We find Abel, the son of 
 Adam, ofiering up lambs, " the firstlings of the flock, and of ^ 
 the fat thereof;" and this was a sacrifice well pleasing to God, 
 because it was offered up in faith. He believed the promise 
 of a Saviour, which God had made to his father ; he trusted 
 in him, and was justified. It was for this purpose in the first 
 place, and not for amusement or profit, that Abel was ", a 
 keeper of sheep;" and it was probably with the skins of 
 lambs, killed for sacrifices by Adam and his wife, that the 
 Lord God clothed them, instead of the covering of fig leaves 
 which they had made for themselves. Thus, all believers in 
 Jesus are clothed with his righteousness, while blind Phari- 
 sees vainly strive to hide the nakedness of their souls with 
 their own " filthy rags." Thus God continued to be wor- 
 shipped by his own people for four thousand years; even till, 
 " in the fulness of time, God sent forth his own Son," the 
 very person that John here points out as the Lamb of God. 
 And it is remarkable, that almost all nations, however they 
 differ in other notions of religion, have retained something of 
 sacrifices. The sons of Noah, wherever dispersed, carried 
 with them this true notion, that " without shedding of blood 
 
 Vil. Ser. 19 
 
290 THE LAMB OF GOD BEHELD BY FAITH. 
 
 there was no remission." And many of them, mistaking the 
 ancient promises of the great sacrifice of the Son of God, 
 offered up a inan as an atonement for their souls. This was 
 practised in England before the Romans conquered it ; a,nd is 
 practised in the newly discovered islands of the South seas. 
 May God hasten the time when his glorious gospel shall he 
 preached in all the! world, and every pagan sinner he directed 
 to the Lamh, of God, whose " blood alone cleanseth from all 
 sin." 
 
 Various creatures were used in sacrifice by the law of 
 Moses, but the principal and most constant victim was the 
 lamb. One was offered -up at the temple every morning, 
 and another every evening ; and on the Sabbath-day, two in 
 the morning, and two In the evening. Once a year there was 
 a remarkable ordinance-^The Passover. It was first insti- 
 tuted when the children of Israel came out of Egypt; On 
 that dreadful night when God plagued the Egyptians by 
 slaying their first-born, he ordered his own people to kill a 
 lamb, and to sprinkle its blood upon the door-posts of their 
 houses; and when the destroying angel went forth in the 
 night to slay the Egyptians, he was commanded to pass over 
 the houses so distinguished, and not hurt them. Once a yeiar, 
 ever after, they were to observe the same ceremony; and 
 something like it they still observe. Now we are sure, from 
 the New Testanient, that- all this was done to preach Christ 
 unto them, and especially to us. St. Paul says, " Christ our 
 passover is sacrificed for us." 1 Cor. 5 : 7. The paschal lamb 
 was without blemish; Christ was free from all sin, original 
 of actual. The lamb must be of the first year; so Christ laid 
 down his life in the prime of his days. The lamb must be so 
 slain that his blood might copiously flow ; so the Redeemer 
 shed his blood abundantly, by his agony, by the thorns, the 
 scourge, the nails, and the spear; and yet, according to the 
 type, not* a bone of him was broken. In the terhple-service, 
 the lamb was slain before the whole assembly; in like man- 
 ner our Saviour suffered at the great festival, in view of the 
 whole assembled nation. The blood of the lamb was sprin- 
 
SERMON XXVIII. . 291 
 
 kled on the door-posts ; the blood of Christ must be applied to 
 the conscience, and is therefore cfvUed "the blood of sprin- 
 kling." , That blood secured eVery family where it was sprin- 
 kled; the destroying angel was forbidden to hurt them: so 
 the merits of Jesus screen every believer from the stroke 
 of offfended justice, and the bitter pains of eternal death. 
 " What," says the pious Hervey on this passage, " what 
 must have become of the Israelite who, trusting to the up- 
 rightness of his heart, should neglect to make use of this 
 divinely appointed safeguard ? He must inevitably have 
 perished with the death of the first-born. Equally certain, 
 but infinitely more dreadful, will be his conderfinatioVf, who, 
 before the omniscient Judge, shall presume to plead his own 
 integrity, or confide in his repentance, and reject the atone- 
 ment of the dying Jesus." 
 
 The offering up of sacrifices was the chief part of the 
 religion of the Old Testament church. Sacrifices were to 
 believers then, nearly what sacraments are to believers now. 
 Christ the purifier, Christ the peacemaker, was the substance 
 of them. The aniinal offered must be clean, without spot or 
 blemish, that it might signify the perfect purity of Christ, as 
 of a lamb without blemish and without spot. The priest laid 
 his hands upon the creature ofiered for sin, while the sinner 
 confessed his iniquity over the head of the sacrifice ; and thus 
 sin was typically transferred to the victim, which was there- 
 fore called sin or guilt. Thus God " laid upon his Son the 
 iniquities of us all ;" and he bepame sin for us, that we might 
 be lasiAe righteousness in him. The slain sacrifices were 
 burnt on the altar. So Christ was consumed by the flames 
 of his love for his Father and his people, and at the same time 
 by the flames of the diving wrath against sin, which he had 
 undertaken to bear. There was a sweet-smelling savor of 
 incense that ascended with the flames and smoke; and this 
 was to signify how acceptable to God was the death of his 
 Son, " who gave himself for us, an offeiririg and a sacrifice to 
 God, for a sweet-smelling savor." Eph. 5 : 2. The peace- 
 offenngs were not entirely, consumed, but the person who 
 
292 , THE LAMB OP GOD BEHELD BY FAITH. 
 
 offered them might, and did eat of them. A feast was fre- 
 quently made of them, which was a kind of sacrament of 
 communion; a type of that communion which believers in 
 Christ now have, with him and wiith one another, in the 
 sacred ordinance of the Lord's supper. 
 
 But Jesus Christ is called in oUr text,-J%e Lamb o/Cod. 
 This name is given him by way of eminence, and to show 
 his superiority over every other sacrifice. He is the Lamb af 
 God) as he was chosen, appointed, and prepared by G-od the 
 Father, from all eternity. In common sacrifices every man 
 chose his own lamb; here God only chose and appointed. 
 "Grod so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
 Son," that be might be the great sacrifice. His infinite supe- 
 riority also appears in that he was but once offered. Other 
 sacrifices were repeated annually, monthly, yea, daily; this 
 showed their imperfpction, and that they could not, by any 
 virtue of their own, take away sin. " But this man, after he 
 had ofiered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the 
 right hand of God ; for by one ofiering he hath perfected for 
 ever them that are sanctified," Heb. 10 : 14 ; that is, he hath 
 done all that was necessary for the pardon and complete ac- 
 ceptance with God of all those who believe in him, and who 
 were set apart in the purpose of God for glor,y. 
 
 This is that peculiar excellence in the Lamb of God, on 
 account of which we are invited to behold him. Behold him, 
 sinner, for he taketh away sin. The word taketh away 
 signifies he beareth away. This denotes that sin is a heavy 
 burden^ And would to God this were seriously considered. 
 "Fools make a mock at sin;" they make light of it; they 
 make a jest of it; but thereby they show their folly. Let 
 them think a moment — if minds so light com think-^let them 
 think what it was that filled the world with "mourning, 
 lamentation, and woe !" What produced all the sorrows and 
 sufierings that we see, or feel, or fear? Was it not sin, 
 accursed sin ? Let them consider what a burden it is to a 
 guilty conscience, when once its evil is discovered and its 
 efiects dreaded; for though " the spirit of a man may sustain 
 
SEEMON XXVIII. 293 
 
 his infirmity, a wounded spirit who can bear ?" The Psalm- 
 ist, a type of this sin-bearing Lamb, cries out, " There is no 
 soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there 
 any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities 
 are gone over my head; as a heavy burden they are too 
 heavy for me." Psa. 38 : 3, 4. Life itself is a burden to a 
 mind oppressed with the guilt of some particular sin, or of sin 
 in general. This led Judas to suicide, and has led many 
 others to the same fatal end. But this is the way to increase 
 the burden, not to lose it ; for damned souls in hell must for 
 ever lie under the intolerable weight. There the worm dieth 
 not, even the worm of a corroding conscience, always stung 
 by remorse; and the furious fire of divine resentment is pever 
 quenched. 
 
 But blessings for ever to the dear Lamb of Grod ! He bore 
 our sins, and bore them away. In the fifty-third chapter of 
 Isaiah, where the sufierings of Christ are wonderfully de- 
 scribed, it is said, ver. 6, " The Lord hath laid upon him the 
 iniquity of us all;" and St. Peter says, "He himself bare our 
 sins in his own body on the tree." 1 Pet. 2 : 24. As our 
 surety, he made himself answerable for our sins, so that they 
 Were imputed to him ; he bore the punishment due to them, 
 even the wrath and curse of G-od, which, if he had not borne, 
 must have sunk each of us into the pit of hell. And 0, what 
 did Christ endure when this heavy burden was laid upon 
 him ! Hear his groans in the garden : " My soul is exceeding 
 sorrowful," or very heavy, " even unto death : Pather, if it be 
 possible, let this cup pass from me"— let the season of my 
 sufierings be shortened. See the bloody sweat that fell from 
 him in the agony. This was the effect of the burden of our 
 sins, which then were made " to meet upon him." 
 
 There was a very remarkable type of this under the law. 
 Lev, 16. On the great day of atonement two goats were pro- . 
 vided. One of them was killed for a sin-offering: on the 
 other goat " Aaron shall lay both his hands, and confess over 
 him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their 
 transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head 
 
294 THE LAMB OF ,GOD BEHELD BY FAITH. 
 
 of the goat, and shall send him a\yay by the hand of a fit 
 man into the wilderness: and the goat shall bear upon him 
 all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited ; and he shall let 
 go the goat in the wilderness." These goats signify Jesus 
 Christ; the one signified Christ dying, the other Christ living: 
 Christ as dying, satisfied for our sins; but Christ as liviHg, 
 justifies us from them: "He died for our sins, and rose again 
 for our justification."" As the living goat was to have the 
 sins of the people laid Upon him, and was to carry them away 
 with him into the wilderness; so God laid our iniquities on 
 Christ, and he takes them away, as it were, into a land not 
 inhabited, where they shall be heard of no more; and this is 
 exa,ctiy what our text declares, and what God has elsewhere 
 promised: " Your sins and your iniquities will I remember no 
 more ;" if they be sought for, they shall not be found. " As far 
 as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our trans- 
 gressions from us." 
 
 Thus the guilt of theni is for ever removed from true be- 
 lievers. And not only the guilt, when they are justified, but 
 the power also of them is taken away by sanctification. He 
 who gave his dear Son for us, gives also his Holy Spirit to 
 us. He will not sufier sin to rule. They are united to Ohrist 
 by faith, and " sanctified by the faith that is in him." Yea, 
 finally, he will remove sin "altogether— its very being, as well 
 as its effects. " The body of sin and death" shall be purified 
 in the grave, and body and soul shall be eternally pure and 
 happy with Jesus. 
 
 Eurther to recommend to our notice this Lamb of God, the 
 wide extent of his glorious work is mentioned in our text — 
 "He taketh away the sin of the world." By this expression 
 we cannot understand that he takes away the guilt and 
 power of -sin from every man in the world, for if so, none 
 would be damned. Alas, we plainly see thousands from 
 whom neither the guilt nor the power is taken away; we see 
 thousands unconcerned about the removal of their sins; we 
 see thousands who think they can take away their own sins ; 
 and thousands who despise the blood of Christ, and trample 
 
SERMON XXVIII. 295 
 
 it under their infidel feet. But by the "world" and "the 
 wholp world," we are to understand the whole world of be- 
 lievers—the "redeemed of every kindred and tongue and 
 people and nation." All in every place who believe in Jesus, 
 without distinction. And this expression was often used 
 by our Lord and his apostles, because it was a fond notion of 
 the Jews, that the Messiah was to come only to them; and 
 even the believing Jews at first were ofiended that the gospel 
 was preached to the Gentiles. It is also for the encourage- 
 ment of all sorts of sinners, of the chief of sinners, that this 
 general term is used. Those who know and feel that they 
 have a world of sin, a world of guilt, lying upon them, may 
 here find comfort — ^he taketh away the sin of the world. Yea, 
 doubtless, there was a sufficiency in the blood of Christ to take 
 away all the sins of the world, had it been so appointed. If all 
 the whole world were to have been actually saved, there would 
 have been no other offering, no greater offering, nor any more 
 suffering than Christ endured.. But Christ had in view his 
 church, his people, his sheep, all of whom shall hear his voice, 
 believe, and be saved. Nevertheless, the universality of the 
 phrase is a great encouragement to sinners who are seeking 
 salvation ; for no sinner, in all the world, let him be who he 
 will, or what he will, shall be excluded from the benefit of 
 Christ's death, if he come to him by faith. " Him that com- 
 eth to me," said he, " I will in no wise cast out." 
 
 II. Consider what that attention is, which we are here 
 called upon to pay to Christ : " Behold the Lamb of Qod." 
 
 "When John spoke these words, Jesus was in sight ; Jesus 
 was coming to him. John pointed to him with his finger; 
 but he did not mean that his disciples should only look at 
 him with their bodily ^yes, but that they should become his 
 disciples and followers, which they did; that they should 
 view him by faith && \h.e promised Messiah, and admire, 
 receive, and prize him as the Saviour of the world. We can- 
 not now see Christ with our bodily eyes, but by divine grace, 
 we may look unto him and be saved. 
 
 Our attention to Christ is required by the gospel. Let us 
 
296 THE LAMB OF GOD BEHELD BY FAITH. 
 
 turn away bur eyes from behblding> worldly vanities. The 
 eye is never satisfied with seeing them; it always craves 
 something new. But here is the grandest object that ever 
 eyes beheld. Do men eagerly desire to see extraordinary per- 
 sons? here is the most glorious person that ever was seen. 
 The queen of Sheba came a gre&t way to see Solomon; but 
 " a .greater than Solonion is here." When a king or an em- 
 peror appears in public, crowds are anxious to behold him: 
 here is the King of kings, the King of the world. At the 
 assizes, every one wishes to see the judge: here is the great 
 Judge of quick and dead, from whose sacred lips each of us 
 shall receive our sentence. G-enerals and admirals w^ho have 
 had great success in war, are commonly objects of peculiar 
 regard: here is the Conqueror of the world, of sin, of hell, 
 who led captivity captive, and bought, our freedpm with his 
 blood. Here is an Orator whose words not only move the 
 living, but raise the dead. Here is a Physician who has 
 ciired millions of dying souls, and never failed in a single 
 case. In a word, Behold your Saviour ! 
 
 It is the look oi faith that is chiefly intended. Eaith in 
 Christ is described by various names, according to the various 
 names of Christ. When Christ is represented as a, foundation, 
 then faith is resting upon him. If he be compared to food, 
 then faith is eaJmg- and drinking. When he is called a gift, 
 then faith is receiving him. If he is a refuge, faith is flying 
 to him. When he is represented as calling sinners, then faith 
 is hearing him and coming to him ; and here, where Christ 
 is represented as a glorious object, faith is beholding him. 
 
 It is represented in the same manner by our Lord himself: 
 " As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so 
 must the Son of man be lifted up ; that whosoever believeth 
 ill him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3 : 14. 
 When the Jews were dying by the bite of serpents, they were 
 cured merely by looking at the brazen serpent ; so, whoever 
 is ready to perish in his sins, let him look to Jesus, and he 
 shall be ^aved. 
 
 Looking is an act of the mind ; it supposes some knowledge 
 
SERMON XXVIII. \ 297 
 
 of Christ, which is elsewhere called seeing the Son, and joined 
 with believing on him. It supposes a conviction of the need 
 of Christ; looking to Jesus is the act of him who wants to be 
 saved. It supposes that the soul despairs of finding help from 
 any other quarter ; it is looking from every thing else, in order 
 to believe iii him. It supposes a persuasion of his ability to 
 save — ^to save to the uttermost ; and it includes some humble 
 degree of hope, that looking to him will not be in vain. 
 
 Those who thus behold Christ by. faith, will also behold 
 him with affection. With what eyes, think you, did they 
 look at Christ, who had been healed and helped by him — ^the 
 sick, the blind, the lame, the dead, who had felt his miracu- 
 lous power in their recovery ? With eyes melting in tears of 
 gratitude, would they gaze on their kind benefactor, their 
 great deliverer. O with what joy and love should saved sin- 
 ners behold the dear Redeemer ! Yea, it will be the heaven 
 of heaven thus to behold him for ever. 
 
 And now, having considered what a glorious object Jesus 
 Christ is, and what regard we ought to pay to him, let us ask 
 the question. Have we complied with this easy, pleasant, rea- 
 sonable command in the text ? Have we with faith, with 
 affection, beheld this dear Lamb of G-od ? Are not some of 
 your hearts fixed on very different objects; your worldly gain, 
 the gayeties of the world, the base lusts of the flesh ? Are not 
 these your favorite objects ? consider this, you that forget 
 G-od. What can all these do for you ? Even now they sat- 
 isfy not. But what will they do for you in a dying hour ? 
 be persuaded to look to Jesus. How else will you look 
 death in the face; how else will you dare to look the neg- 
 lected Saviour in the face, when you see him on his throne 
 of judgment ? What will all the world think of you, when 
 you shall be pointed out before them, and it shall be pro- 
 claimed, "Here is a man that never thought it worth his 
 while to look to Jesus ?" Will not all heaven say, " Let him 
 be damned — be banished from Him for ever ?" sinner, if 
 you would have Jesus look upon you then, look upon him 
 
298 THE LAMB OF GOD BEHELD BY FAITH. 
 
 now; and if you know not how to do it, pray him to teach 
 you, and ask of him " eye-salve, that thou mayest see." 
 
 Are any here who wish that their sins may be taken 
 away? Their sins are many, and lie heavy on their con- 
 sciences, and they can find no relief " Behold the Lamb of 
 Grod;" he only taketh- away sin. Perhaps you have been 
 looking elsewhere. You have been looking to yourself, your 
 own goodness, your honesty, your church-goings, prayers, and 
 sacraments. Are these saviors? Were these appointed of 
 God to take away sin ? They are good things in their places, 
 but very bad things to be put in the place of Christ. Away 
 with them all in point of dependence, and as a ground of 
 acceptance. With holy Paul you must count them all loss 
 and dung, that yoii may win Christ, and be found in him. 
 Look to nothing but Jesus; for only he " taketh away the sin 
 of the world." 
 
 And to you, believer, also, we still say, " Behold the Lamb 
 of G-od." This Inust be your daily business as long as you 
 live. And nothing can be so iiseful. Have you a hard 
 heart ? look to him, and it will melt. They shall look upon 
 him whom they pierced, and mourn. Are you cast down and 
 full of fears? "they looked unto him, and were lightened; 
 and their faces were not ashamed." Say with Jonah in the 
 whale's belly, " I will look again." Would you obtain genuine 
 humility ? a sight of Christ must eflfect it. ' Job and Isaiah 
 got it by a view of the glory of Christ. Would you entertain 
 a constant hatred of sin ? behold the Lamb of God bleeding 
 for it on the cross. Would you be truly holy ? behold the 
 glory of God in the face of Jesus, and you shall be transformed 
 into the same image from glory to glory. Would you be bold 
 for God, and constant in his cause ? behold the patient Lamb 
 of God, who has left us an example that we should walk in 
 his steps. Thus, Christian, persist in looking to Jesus daily 
 by faith, till death shall shift the scene, and change faith into 
 sight.' Then shall you see him as he is; no longer "through 
 a glass darkly, but face to face ;" nor shall you evermore need 
 the exhortation in the text, "Behold the Lamb of God !" 
 
SEEMON XXIX. 299 
 
 THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 SERMON XXIX. 
 
 "BEHOLD, HE PRAYETH." Acts 9 : 11. 
 
 The grace of G-od was never more gloriously displayed 
 than in the conversion of St. Paul. Speaking of it himself, 
 he says, ' The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant;" 
 and "in me, Jesus Christ showed forth all long suffering, for 
 a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to 
 life everlasting." The change that was wrought in him was 
 so sudden and remarkable, that the disciples of Christ at Da- 
 mascus were afraid it was not real. To remove their suspi- 
 cions, our Lord assures Ananias, their minister, that he was 
 certainly a changed man ; for, " Behold, he prayeth !" As if 
 he had said, "You need not be afraid of him now. He was 
 a bad man, but now he is a new man. He breathed out 
 threatenings and slaughter, but now he breatheth out prayers 
 and supplications. ' Behold, he prayeth.' " 
 
 As St. Paul's praying is here mentioned by Jesus Christ 
 as a proof of his conversion, we shall take occasion from these 
 words to show, that 
 
 A PRAYING PERSON IS A GRACIOUS PERSON. 
 
 This important truth will appear with the stronger evi- 
 dence by considering the history of Paul's conversion, as 
 recorded in this chapter. 
 
 Paul was the son of Jewish parents ; but being born in 
 the city of Tarsus, was entitled to the privileges of a Roman 
 citizen. He was brought up to the business of a tent-maker; 
 for it was the laudable custom of the Jews, however rich, to 
 teach their children some trade. He had, however, a good 
 education, and was sent to Jerusalem, where he studied the 
 Jewish religion under the care of Gamaliel, a learned doctor 
 
300 THE CONVBESION OP ST. PAUI^. 
 
 of the law. He also joined the sect of the Pharisees, who 
 were in great esteem at that time for their apparent piety 
 and zeal. But he unhappily imhibed their self-righteous 
 notions, their bigotry, and their bitter hatred of Jesus Christ 
 and his followers. Paul probably had opportunity to hear 
 the discourses and see the miracles of Jesus, but they made 
 no saving impressions on his mind ; on the contrary, he be- 
 came the implacable enemy of his followers. With all his 
 profession of religion he was a proud man, depending On his 
 own goodness for salvation, and therefore not at all disposed 
 to relish the humbling, self-denying religion of Christ, nor to 
 join himself with the despised Nazarenes. Yea, such were 
 his prejudices, that he became " a blasphemer, and a pferse-; 
 cutor, and injurious." 
 
 The first we read of him in the book of the Acts is, that 
 he assisted at the cruel murder of Stephen, the first Christian 
 martyr; for he took care of the clothes of those who stoned 
 him, and thereby showed his approbation of the bloody deed. 
 After this, he was very active in the persecution. He " made 
 havoc of the church ;" entering into every house, and drag- 
 ging away women as well as men, committed them to jail, 
 that they might be put to death. He "imprisoned, beat, and 
 punished," all the believers he could find in any of the syna- 
 gogues; and "being exceedingly mad" against the Chris- 
 tians, he obliged many of them to take refuge from his fury, 
 by flying to distant places. Not content with this, he applied 
 to the high-priest for authority to extend his persecution to 
 the city of Damascus, which was one hundred and sixty miles 
 off. On this cruel expedition he set out, " breathing threat- 
 enings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord." 
 
 Who would ever have thought that this man should be- 
 come a Christian, a preacher, an apostle, and a mkrtyr ? Was 
 there any thing in him that could entitle him to the favor of 
 God? Some have supposed so, in order to lessen the free, 
 sovereign grace of God in his conversion. They tell us he 
 was sincere in his way, had " virtuous habits," and therefore 
 had a previous disposition to receive the gospel. NothiAf 
 
SERMON XXIX. 301 
 
 can be more false. He tells us hiniself he was " the chief of 
 sinners;" he was " in the flesh," " he went about to establish 
 his own righteousness, not submitting himself to the righteous- 
 ness of God." Surely here was nothing to recommend him 
 to mercy ; but every thing that might provoke the Almighty 
 to destroy him for ever. But " G-od's ways are not as man's 
 ways, nor his thoughts as man's thoughts." Paul "was a 
 vessel of mercy," Rom. 9 : 23, separated from his mother's 
 womb, in the counsels of G-od ; but the call was deferred till 
 a time when the freeness, power, and riches of grace might 
 appear with the brightest lustre. \ 
 
 Paul was now within sight of Damascus, enjoying the 
 thoughts of his expected success ; when suddenly, in a mo- 
 ment, there appeared a light in the firmament, a dazzling 
 brightness, far above that of the sun, which was then shining 
 in its meridian splendor. It was not a flash of lightning, but 
 a continued glory, composed of rays which surrounded the 
 body of our Saviour, who condescended personally to appear 
 for the calling of this atrocious sinner. At the sight of this 
 prodigious splendor, Paul and all his companions " fell to the 
 earth," dazzled and confounded. While prostrate on the 
 ground, a voice full of awful majesty pronounced these 
 words : " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?" It was 
 Jesus who spoke;. but Paul knew him not: yet supposing it 
 must be some divine personage, he summoned up suflicient 
 courage to say, " Who art thou. Lord?" And he immediately 
 replied, with a solemnity and endearment peculiar to himself, 
 and which pierced the rebel's heart: I am Jesus the Naza- 
 rene, whom thou pqrsecutest. It is hard for thee to kick 
 against the pricks. 
 
 Observe here, that Jesus Christ accounts himself perse- 
 cuted, when his poor members are persecuted. Saul thought 
 he was punishing only a despicable set of silly enthusiasts, 
 who had forsaken the church, and espoused the cause of the 
 crucified Jesus; but Christ takes up the cause, and lets him 
 know that he thought himself injured by the injuries done 
 to his followers. Let this be a check to those thoughtless 
 
302 THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 persons who disturb and oppose religious people in their de- 
 votions. You may be as rriuch mistaken as Saul was; for 
 aught you know, the people you despise may be dear to God. 
 If their religion be wrong, it is none of your business to pun- 
 ish them for it. Leave that to God. Yom are not their judge. 
 But if their religion be right, what then are you doing ? Yoii 
 are "fighting against God," and in so doing you are hurting 
 yourself. For so our Lord adds, respecting Satil, " It is hard 
 for thee to kick against the pricks," or goads, alluding to oxen 
 urged on to labor by pricking them with goads : if, instead of 
 quickening their pace, they kick against the instrument that 
 wounded them, they only hurt themselves the more. Just so 
 it is with wicked persecutofs: their rage is as impotent as it 
 is foolish ; they cannot hinder the designs of God, but they 
 may and will hurt their own souls. 
 
 The Saviour asks him, why — " TFAy persecutest thou me ?" 
 Could Saulgive any good answer to this question ? Can any 
 persecutor give a good answer to it ? And what answer wilt 
 thou give, wretched man, to this question, when the glori- 
 ous Jesus shall put it to thee at the judgment-day: " Sinner, 
 why didst thou disturb, abuse, and injure my serious follow- « 
 ers upon earth ?" Alas, thou wilt be speechless. Ask thy- 
 self the question now, and thou wilt persecute no more. 
 
 How astonished must Saul have been to find that it was 
 Jesus who now spoke to him from the heavenly glory ! "I 
 am Jesus the Nazarene" — he who was despised and rejected 
 of men ; he who was treated as a vile impostor, and put to a 
 cruel, shameful death. How must he have been surprised to 
 find that Jesus was still alive, that the account of his resur- 
 rection was actually true; consequently that he was really 
 the Messiah, the King of the Jews, and the Saviour of the 
 world ! And observe, that Christ owns the name of scorn by 
 which he was distinguished — the Nazar-ene. It was a name 
 of contempt and reproach, and on that account affixed to his 
 cross. But Jesus, in all his celestial glory, owns the name, 1 
 am Jesus the Nazarene. Let this teach us to take up the 
 cross, and cheerfully bear a nickname for his sake; yea, let 
 
SERMON XXIX. 303 
 
 us rejoice and be exceeding glad that we are "counted worthy 
 to suffer shame for his name." 
 
 What could Saul now expect ? Convinced of his enor- 
 mous guilt, what could he expect but sudden "destruction 
 from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his 
 power?" But the Lord had, designs of mercy towards him, 
 and towards thousands by him. The power of the Spirit of 
 Grod accompanied this vision and these words, or he would 
 have only been affrighted, not converted. "We do not find 
 that the soldiers who were with him were changed, though 
 no doubt they were alarmed. If God were to speat to men 
 in thunder and lightning and earthquake, by voices from 
 heaven, or visions from the dead, this would not change the 
 heart. No ; nothing but grace will do this. But the heart of 
 Saul was now subdued, and he discovers this by the first word 
 he utters. Trembling and astonished, he said, " Lord, what 
 wilt thou have me to do ?" Thus resigning himself into the 
 hands of Jesus, he obtained forgiveness. He is then directed to 
 go into Damascus, when he should receive further instruction. 
 Then he arose from the earth, and was led by the hand, for he 
 had lost his sight, into the city; where he continued blind for 
 three days, and did neither eat nor drink ; spending, probably, 
 the whole time in serious meditation and fervent prayer. 
 
 At the end of three days, the Lord, pitying the sorrows of 
 this afilicted man, appeared to a disciple in the city named 
 Ananias, arid directed him to go into Straight-street, and in- 
 quire at the house of a person named Judas, for one called 
 Saul of Tarsus, adding the words of our text, " Behold, he 
 prayeth !" Ananias was still afraid to go; and therefore said, 
 " Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he 
 hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: and here he hath 
 authority from the chief, priests to bind all that call on thy 
 name." But the objection was overruled. Ananias went. By 
 his means, Saul was instantly delivered from his blindness, 
 filled with the Holy Ghost, was baptized, and having received 
 meat, was strengthened. Afterwards, as we all know, "he 
 preached the faith which he once destroyed," and was for 
 
304 THE CONVEESION OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 many years a most eminent and useful apostle of Christ, in 
 spreading the kno^yledge of the gospel among many nations. 
 
 The conversion of Saul, afterwards called Paul, has been 
 justly considered as aiFording a yery strong argument for the 
 truth of the Christian religion. And it is worth our while 
 briefly to consider it in that view. If we believe what St. 
 Paul tells us of his own conversion, we must of course believe 
 all that the Bible says, for his doctrines perfectly agree with 
 the rest of the Scriptures; and he declares that he received 
 his doctrines, not from men, but from G-od, And we certainly 
 have reason to believe what St. Paul says of his conversion, 
 unless it could be proved, either that he was an impostor, and 
 meant to deceive, or that he was a weak man, and so was 
 deceived by others, 
 
 Now, there is no reason to think that St. Paul was an 
 impostor, and meant to deceive mankind. Impostors always 
 seek to benefit themselves. They deceive to get money, or 
 power, or fame, or pleasure, But Paul sought none of these: 
 not money; he fprsook the rich party of the Jews, to join the 
 poor party of the Christians ; for' the first Christians were so 
 poor in general, that they were supported by the contributions 
 of the few rich that were among them. Paul himself fre- 
 quently worked with his own hands. Nobody ever suspected 
 Paul of being rich. J 
 
 He sought not power. Who could give it him ? All the 
 powers of the earth, whether Jewish or heathen, were against 
 the Christians, and were employed to crush them. Great 
 numbers were persecuted and put to death, and St. Paul 
 himself at last. 
 
 He sought not fame : he became infam,ous in the esteem 
 of the world; being defamed, saith he, "we entreat; we are 
 made as the offscouring of all things." The name of a Naza- 
 rene, and afterwards that of a Christian, was contemptible 
 and odious to the last degree. 
 
 Nor was it sensual pleasure he sought. No. He took up 
 the cross when he took up Christianity. He knew nothing 
 of carnal ease, or the delight of sense. His life was all ac- 
 
SERMON XXIX. 305 
 
 tivity and suffering. He was stoned, thrice he was heaten 
 with rods; thrice he suffered shipwreck; he was in journey- 
 ings often, in perils of water, in perils of rohbers, in perils in 
 the city, in perils in the wilderness; in weariness and pain- 
 fulness, in watchings often, in cold and nakedness. All these 
 things prove that St. Paul was no impostor; he certainly be- 
 lieved what he taught, and he had no bad design in teaching 
 what he believed. 
 
 It is equally certain that St. Paul was not deceived by 
 others. Who should deceive him ? Not his former compan- 
 ions: they would have murdered him for the change. Not 
 the poor timid Christians: they were afraid to receive him 
 when changed. Who could form such a light in the heav- 
 ens ? Who could form such a sound in the air ? Who could 
 strike him and his numerous companions to the ground ? 
 Who could make Paul blind for three days ? And when 
 blind, who could restore him to sight? Indeed, there is 
 nothing in Paul's character that can lead us to suspect that 
 he was deceived. He was not a weak man, nor an enthusi- 
 ast. And his whole conduct for twenty years after his con- 
 version, the temper he discovered, the doctrines he delivered, 
 the apologies that he made, and the letters that he wrote, as 
 fully prove that he was not a weak enthusiast, and thus de- 
 ceived, as they prove that he was no deceiver. And if Paul 
 was neither deceived in what he believed, nor a deceiver in 
 what he professed, it must follow undeniably that the Chris- 
 tian system is not a delusion, but that it is the truth of G-od. 
 the wisdom of God, and the power of God unto salvation. 
 And let this be an answer to those who may try to cheat you 
 of your faith and of your salvation, by pretending contradic- 
 tions and blunders in the holy, Scriptures: they may tell you 
 that this and that book was not written by the iauthor whose 
 name it bears, a-nd that there is such and such a mistake in 
 names and dates. Instead of regarding their little quibbles 
 and cavilling objections, ask them to account for the conver- 
 sion of St. Paul upon any other principle than that of the 
 truth of the Christian religion, and they will be confounded. 
 
 V,l. S.r. 20 
 
306 THE CONVERSION OP ST. PAUL. 
 
 But to return to the design first proposed. We intended 
 to show that a prai/ing person is a gracious person, for Jesus 
 Christ, in order to prove that Saul was converted, said, " Be- 
 hold, he prayeth." 
 
 This observation made respecting him is very remarkable, 
 if you consider that he had been a Pharisee. Now the Phar- 
 isees were so called because they separated themselves froin 
 others, professing to be more strict in all religious duties and 
 ceremonies than their neighbors. "They fasted twice a 
 week," and "they made long prayers;" they prayed " stand- 
 ing in the , synagogues," and even "in the corners of the 
 streets;" they prayed over and over again, "thinking to be 
 heard for their much speaking." Is it not strange, then, that 
 our Lord should say of Paul, " Behold, he prayeth ?" Was it 
 a new thing for a Pharisee to pray ? 
 
 There was certainly now something very different in his 
 prayers from what he had been used to. All his former 
 prayers ar^ here reckoned for nothing; for now he prayeth, 
 that is, he now begins to pray. It may be observfed, that the 
 Pharisees were fond of making jawS/ic their prayers; we no- 
 where read of their praying in private, and it is likely that 
 they seldom did: for our Lord directs his disciples not to 
 iriake their prayers in the streets, but to enter into their 
 closets and pray. Probably, therefore, this was the first time 
 in air his life that he ever prayed in secret. And there are 
 now many people who would not be thought to neglect theii: 
 prayers at church, who make no conscience of praying at 
 b.ome. But we cannot well suppose that person to be a real 
 Christian whp does not pray alone. 
 
 The prayer that Paul now offered was sincere. He had 
 prayed often with his lips, now his heart prays. There is a 
 ;great deal of sin committed by some people in their prayers. 
 Like the hypocrites of old, " they draw nigh to God with theii: 
 mouths, and honor him with their lips, but their heart is far 
 from him." Christ charged the Pharisees with doing so. Matt. 
 15 : 7, 8. Paul was one of this sort before his conversion; but 
 now he drew near to God with his heart. Nothing deserves 
 
SERMON XXIX. 307 
 
 the name of prayer unless it comes from the heart. It is not 
 words that make prayer, it is desires — the felt desires of the 
 heart made sensible of its state and its wants. There are 
 more lies told in our churches and meetings, than at our 
 markets. What sad hypocrisy is it for a set of gay, proud, 
 wanton people to cry, " Lord, have mercy upon us ; Christ, 
 have mercy upon us ! Incline our hearts to keep these laws," 
 etc., while they neither feel the want of mercy, nor wish to 
 obey the will of Grod. 
 
 Paul now began to pray in another respect. He prayed 
 as a humble sinner, not as a proud Pharisee. When our 
 Lord designed to expose the self-righteous pride of the Phari- 
 sees, he represented, in a parable, these two sorts of men 
 going to the temple to pray.- And what did they differ in ? 
 The one boasted of his goodness; the other, humbled, and 
 almost broken-hearted, under a sense of his guilt, cries out, 
 " God be merciful to me a sinner .'" No man prays, in Grod's 
 account, till he prays as a sinner, for pardoning mercy. It 
 was during these three days' blindness of his body, that the 
 eyes of his understanding were opened. It was then that he 
 first began to know that the law was spiritual. "He was 
 without the law before; but now the commandment came, 
 sin revived, and he died." Jesus saw him in his mournful 
 state, and hastens to his relief. Go to him, Ananias, and 
 heal this broken-hearted penitent ; for under a sense of his sin, 
 behold, he prayeth. 
 
 Paul, we may suppose, was now acquainted with the 
 gospel scheme. It was probably revealed to him during 
 these three days. And now, he not only owns Jesus as the 
 true Messiah, but knows the gracious purpose for which he 
 came. " This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all accepta- 
 tion, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners?' 
 This is a truth which Paul cordially received. Being well 
 versed in the law about sacrifices, he clearly saw in them all, 
 that Jesus Christ is the true " Lamb of God that taketh away 
 the sin of the world." He saw the reason of that humiliation 
 of Jesus and his death on the cross, that was before a stum- 
 
308 THE CONVEKSION OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 bling-block to him; and now he determines to know nothing 
 but Christ crucified, and to glory in nothing but the cross. 
 Before this, his dependence was upon his Jewish privileges, 
 his birth, his circumcision, his zeal, his liilorality; but now all 
 these things, which were gain, are accounted Yoss, "yea, dung 
 and dross, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and 
 an interest in him. How differently would such a man pray 
 from what he did before ! He now comes to Jesus, and to the 
 Father, through him, for eternal life. 
 
 We have now taken a view of converting graqe, in tne 
 example of the apostle Paul. And let it be observed, that 
 conversion is the same in substance at all times, and\ in all 
 persons. Circumstances may differ, but the work is the same. 
 In all cases it is the wonderful wprk of G-od; always unde- 
 served; and always produces like effects. We are not indeed 
 to expect a vision or a voice from heaven as in this instance, 
 but it is generally wrought by means of the word of Christ, set 
 home on the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, See here 
 the mighty hand of God. Is any thing too hard for the Lord ? 
 Here is grace indeed — ;free, sovereign grace, rich grace, abun- 
 dant grace; and all this "for a pattern to them who should 
 hereafter believe." Let none despair when such a sinner as 
 Saul is saved. The same grace that pardoned his gins can 
 pardon thine; and it will do so, if, like him, thy proud heart 
 is brought down, and thou art enabled to say, " Lord, what 
 wilt thou have me to do ?" This was his first petition ; the 
 dawn of eternal day in his soul. that each of us might but 
 say this from his heart !' Can you follow me in these words? 
 "Lord, I give myself up to thee. I have done wickedly; but 
 would do so no more. Oh, what wouldst thou have me to 
 do ? Let me J)e led into a right way for knowing and doing 
 thy will, that I^ may testify my repentance, honor thy name, 
 and obtain the forgiveness of my sins." When Paul prayed 
 thus, the merciful Saviour directed him to go into the city ; 
 and afterwiards sent his servant to instruct and comfort him. 
 So will he say to thee, Arise, wait upon God. Read and hear 
 
SERMON XXIX. 309 
 
 his word ; and he shall visit thy soul with the light, power, 
 and comfort of his great salvation. 
 
 As this text affords great encouragement to praying souls, 
 and furnishes them with a plain and pleasing evidence of 
 their conversion; so it marks out as distinctly, the woful 
 state of a prayerless person. Dost thou live without prayer, 
 man, woman, child ? thou art no Christian. Thou art an 
 atheist; yea, much worse than an atheist. He helieves ne 
 God, arid therefore cannot pray to him. You Say you he- 
 lieve in G-od, hut never seek him. If you can live without 
 prayer, it is a proof of a hlind mind, and of a hard heart ; it 
 shows ingratitude to God, and insensibility of \y'ant. It 
 proves thou art a stranger to faith, to repentance, to hope, to 
 love, to every Christian grace ; for as all these are exercised 
 in true prayer, so the prayerless person proves he is destitute 
 of them all. What is he then? An enemy to God, and a 
 destroyer of his owri soul. " As the Lord liveth, there is but 
 one step between thee and death." " Arise, sleeper, and 
 call upon thy God." Pray or perish ! 
 
 " The Lord never said ^to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in 
 vain." He who said, " Behold, he prayeth," had observed his 
 first breathings for mercy. He was heard. He was pardon- 
 ed. He was saved. He is praising now. Behold, he prais- 
 eth ! He has been praising Christ.for eighteen hundred years, 
 and will do so to all eternity. Who would riot pray now, 
 seeing prayer shall be turned into praise, and issue in ever- 
 lasting songs of joy and triumph? 
 
 Lord, thou hast won, at length I yield ; 
 My heart, by mighty grace compelled, 
 
 Surrenders all to thee : 
 Against thy terrors long I strove. 
 But who can stand against thy love ? 
 
 Love conquers even me. 
 
 Now, Lord, I would be thine alone, 
 Coine, take possession of thine own. 
 
 For thou hast ^et me free : 
 Released from Satan's hard command, 
 See all my pow6rs waiting stand, 
 
 To be employed by thee. 
 
310 THE LOVE OF GOD. 
 
 THE LOVE OF GOD. 
 
 SERMON XXX. 
 
 "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, 
 THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT 
 HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE." JoHN3:i6. 
 
 In these words you have tjie sum of the whole gospel. 
 Good news for sinners; glad tidings of great joy to all people. 
 They are the words of Jesus Christ, in his admirahle discourse 
 with Meodemus, a teacher and a ruler of the Jews. This 
 man being convinced by the miracles of Christ that he was 
 " a teacher come from God," wished to have some conversa- 
 tion with him; but hot having yet courage enough to declare 
 for him openly, came to him privately by night. Our Lord 
 directly began with him on the subject of the new birth. 
 Meodemus, said he, " Except a man be born again, he can- 
 not see the kingdom of God ;" for observe, the knowledge of 
 the corruption of our nature, and of the necessity of being 
 inwardly changed by grace, is the very first thing we must 
 learn in religion. Meodemus, 'with all his learning, was as 
 yet ignorant of this; and so are many of us. But Christ 
 insists upon it, that a man must be born again ; and from 
 this doctrine he passes on to that of fa,ith in Christ, and sal- 
 vation through faith. This he explains by a remarkable type 
 or emblem of it, well known to the Jews. " As Moses lifted 
 up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of 
 man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth on him should 
 not perish, but have eternal life." Here Christ foretells his 
 death upon the cross, and the benefit believers would derive 
 from it. As the wounded Jew was healed by looking at the 
 brazen serpent, so the perishing sinner is saved by lookLiig at 
 Christ crucified. And that the sinner may not fear rejection, 
 
SERMON XXX. 311 
 
 it is declared in our text, that the salration of all who be- 
 lieve was the very thing that God designed- in giving his 
 Son. " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begot- 
 ten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 
 but have everlasting life." It is in the free and eternal 
 love of God that our salvation begins. " The first of God's 
 gifts is his love; the first gift of his love is his Son ; the first 
 gift of his Son is faith ; and faith is the root of all other gi;aces, 
 the principle of the new life, and the key which shuts up hell 
 and opens the gate of heaven." 
 
 It is the love of God we are now to meditate upon. But 
 Oh, who is equal to the subject? "Can we by searching 
 find out God" — the love of God ; God, who is love ? Can we 
 find out the love of God to perfection ? " It is high as heav- 
 en ; what can we do ? Deeper than hell ; what can we 
 know ? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and 
 broader than the sea." that the love of God may now be 
 " shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit ;" that we may 
 " be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, 
 and length, and depth, and height ; and to know the love of 
 Christ, which passeth knowledge." In order to this, let us 
 consider the following things : 
 
 1. The love of God — " God so loved the world." 
 
 2. The evidence of it — "that he gave his Son;" and, 
 
 3. The end, or design of it — " that whosoever believeth 
 might' be saved." 
 
 I. Let us consider the love of God. Consider icAo it is 
 that loves, and. who are the persons beloved. He who loves 
 is the great God, who was from everlasting infinitely happy 
 in himself, and who needed not the aid of any creatures. He 
 who niadeall things' out of nothing by the word of his power. 
 He, " with whom the nations are as a drop of the bucket, and 
 are counted as the small dust of the balance ; they are before 
 him as nothing, yea, less than nothing, and vanity." "Lord, 
 what is man, that thou: art mindful of him?" But what is 
 more wonderful, is, that God, who is infinitely holy, and "of 
 purer eyes than to behold iniquity," should ever love crea- 
 
312 THE LOVE OF GOD. 
 
 tures such as we, who are full of sin. He loved the world — 
 this world; not angels, but men — sinful men, of all ages and 
 countries : not sinners of the Jews only, as some of them 
 fondly dreamed. " Christ," says the apostle John, " is the 
 propitiation for our sins ; . and not for ours only," who are Jews, 
 "hut for the sins of the whole worl4" — for all who shall here- 
 after helieve on him, whether Jews or Gentiles, wheresoever 
 they may he scattered throughout the whole world. 
 
 Nothing is so wonderful as the love of God to sinful man. 
 When man was made at first, he was a little lower than the 
 angels; how much lower is the sinner than the man. In 
 some respects he is lower than the brutes; for "he has the 
 worst qualities of the hrutes 'Without their best." Yej;, " God 
 hath remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth 
 for ever." The love of creatures to one another is generally 
 founded on some real or supposed goodness or excellency ; but 
 there was nothing at all in man to excite the love of God, but 
 on the contrary, much to excite his hatred and wrath. " The 
 whole world lieth in wickedness," or in the wicked one, the 
 devil; under his rule and influence; full of ignorance, car- 
 nality, and enmity against God; in a state of actual rebel- 
 lion against, him, and without the. least desire to know him, 
 serve him, or enjoy him. Yet hear, heavens, and be aston- 
 ished, earth! God so loved this world of sinners. But 
 how much, no tongue can tell, no heart conceive. The love 
 is so matchless, «o unlike any thing in human affairs, that 
 our text makes no comparison in order to describe it ; it has 
 nothing like it among men; and therefore it is only said, 
 " God so loved the world, that he gave us his Son." In most 
 cases human love is expressed better by words than deeds; 
 but the love of God is such that it cannot be expressed at all 
 by words; words are too weak: it is by actions that God 
 commends his love towards us; and above all by this one, 
 the gift of his Son. 
 
 II. The EVIDENCE of God's love: "He gave us his only 
 begotten Son." Many are the gracious gifts of God to this 
 world of sinners. The powers of our minds and bodies, the 
 
SERMON XXX. 313 
 
 food we eat, the garments we wear, the health we enjoy — ten 
 thousand thousand precious gifts call loudly upon us for daily 
 praises. But great as these are, they are all lost in this one, 
 like a drop of water in the sea. St. John speaking of it says, 
 "Herein is love, not that we. loved God, but that he loved us, 
 and sent his; Son ;" as if he had said. This is love indeed ; 
 compared with this, nothing else deserves the name ; and 
 without it, what would all other gifts have proved ? What 
 do they prove to wicked men, who live and die " without 
 Christ ?" This is that gift of &od promised to our first 
 parents in the garden ; and which Abraham^ David, Isaiah, 
 all the patriarchs, and all the prophets, looked and longed for. 
 This was " THE MERCY promised to our fathers." Luke 1 : 72. 
 This is the mercy that never dould have been expected, never 
 desired. It would never have entered into the heart of men 
 or angels to think of such a thing, as that God should give 
 us his Son. And certainly it never could have been deserved. 
 Man deserves nothing but hell. The common blessings of 
 life are all forfeited by sin ; and therefore we properly call ' 
 our food, raiment, and health, mercies, for so they are; but 
 when we consider the greatness of that gift, they disappear 
 like the brightest stars when the sun rises. It will be a 
 matter of astonishment to all eternity, that God should so 
 love the world as to give us his Son. 
 
 The greatness of this love appears in the 'greatness of the 
 gift ; in the glory and excellency of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 who is here called " his only begotten Son." The angels are 
 sons of God by cteation, and believers are sons of God by 
 adoj)tion; but Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. 
 This is a name that we cannot fully explain ; but it certainly 
 signifies, that Jesus partakes of the same divine nature with 
 his Father. " That holy thing which was born of the Virgin, 
 was called the Son of God." Because we, whom he came to 
 save, " were partakers of flesh and blood, he likewise himself 
 partook of the same" nature. He was truly man, "flesh of 
 our flesh, and bone of our bone." But he was also as truly 
 God. God and man in one person. '" In whom dwelleth all 
 
314 THE LOVE OP GOD. 
 
 the fulness of the Godhead bodily." He is " the brightness 
 of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person." 
 " The WoKD, who was made flesh, and dwelt among us, was 
 with God, and was God." And indeed, this is " the great 
 mystery' of godliness, that God was manifested in the flesh." 
 " Emmanuel — God with us." " The Lord our righteousness." 
 And although the Son of God veiled his glory when "on earth, 
 and " made himself of no reputation, and took upon himself 
 the form of a servant," yet his true followers "beheld his 
 glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of 
 grace and truth." " His birth, though humble, was celebrated 
 by a multitude of the heavenly host ; he had a poor lodging, 
 but a star lighted the visitants to it from a far country. He 
 had not such attendants as other kings have,; but he was 
 attended with far better — crowds of patients getting health 
 of body and soul. He made the dumb to sing his praises, 
 and the lame to leap for joy — the deaf to hear his wonders, 
 and the blind to see his glory. And though he submitted to 
 the shameful death of the cross, heaven and earth became 
 mourners on th6 occasion: the sun was clad in black, and if 
 men were unmoved, the earth treznbled ; there were few to 
 rend their garments, but the rocks were not so insensible, 
 they rent asundier. Death and the grave submitted to his 
 power; the king of terrors lost his sting, and the Prince of 
 life triumphed &ver him." This is the great and glorious 
 person whom the Father freely gave from his bosom, "God's 
 own Son;" "God's dear Son;" "^God's well beloved Son;" 
 and surely this was the greatest possible proof of his love. 
 
 When God tried Abraham, he said to him, " Take now 
 thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and offer 
 him up for a burnt-offering." "Was ever command so diffi- 
 cult, so trying ? Every word is like a dagger to a parent's 
 heart ; but he obeys. He consults not with flesh and blood. 
 He takes his son to the mountain ; the altar is built ; the 
 wood laid in order; the youth is bound; the fatal knife up- 
 lifted : but it is enough. The design is answered. Abra- 
 ham's faith is proved, " even the faith that works by love." 
 
SEEMON XXX. '315 
 
 " Now I know," saith the Lord, " that thou fearest G-od, see- 
 ing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine onli/ son from me." 
 And may we not say, Now we know and are sure, we can- 
 not admit a douht of it, that God loves sinful man ; seeing 
 he withheld not his Son, his only begotten Son from us: " He 
 spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." 
 Verily, Crod is love ! 
 
 Abraham's was a rare instance'. What he did was at 
 God's co'mmand ; and it was done in faith that God would 
 raise Isaac again from the dead, rather than the promise 
 should fail. But what would induce a fond parent to part 
 with a child, even for the sake of a friend, much less of an 
 enemy ? History tells, that during a dreadful famine in Ger- 
 many, a poor family, consisting of a man, his wife, and four 
 children, were reduced to the last extremity, and on the very 
 point of being starved to death. Knowing no other method 
 of relief, the husband proposed that one of the children shoi51d 
 be sold, that so they might produre bread for themselves and 
 the rest. To this painful proposal the wife at last reluctantly 
 consents. It was now necessary to consider ■w^Aic A of the four 
 should be sold. The eldest was first mentioned ; but neither 
 of the parents could think of that ; the dear child was their 
 first-bprn ; they could not possibly part with him. The sec- 
 ond child was then produced", but the poor mother objected. 
 The fine boy was the very picture of his father ; she could 
 not spare him. The third, a charming girl, came next in 
 turn ; but the father made a similar objection ; the dear child 
 bore so strong a resemblance of her mother ; she must not go. 
 One only now remained. The youngest appears. But here 
 both at once unite to say. We cannot part with him; this is 
 our Benjamin, the darling child of our old age. No, we will 
 rather perish all together, than part with any one of our dear 
 children. Let this little story illustrate, in some feeble degree, 
 the wondrous love of God. God so loved the World, that he 
 gave his only begotten Son, his dearly beloved Son, to be our 
 Saviour. 
 
 The greatness of this gift will still further appear if we 
 
316 THE LOVE OP GOD. 
 
 consider to what, and for what, he was given. If he had 
 taken our nature in its highest and best form — if he had be- 
 come a prince or an emperor, it had been much. But how 
 much more was it for him to come into our world in the 
 lowe^ circumstances; to be born in a stable, to be laid in a 
 manger; to be persecuted "almost as soon as born; to be a 
 poor man, so poor that he had not a place where *to lay his 
 head; to be a despised "man, "a worm, and no man, a re- 
 proach of men, and despised of the people ;" to be a " man of 
 sorrows;" and especially, "to bear the contradiction of sin- 
 ners against himself" • 
 
 It is a great hardship for a good man to be forced to 
 spend a few hours in bad company-. A man who fears God 
 can hardly endure to travel or sit a few hours with profane, 
 or drunken people. But Christ spent above thirty years in 
 this wicked world. Good men " sigh and cry for the abom- 
 in?ltions they behold ;" " rivers of tears run down their eyes 
 because men keep not God's laws." How thpii must the holy 
 heart of Jesus Christ have been grieved with the wicked 
 actions and words of men, and with their wicked thoughts, 
 all which were present to his mind continually. 
 
 But God's giving his Son includes still more. It includes 
 giving him up into the hands of divine justice, and into the 
 hands of wicked men, as the executioners thereof. " He 
 spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." 
 So St. Peter spoke of him: " Him, being delivered by the de- 
 terminate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, 
 ajid by wicked hands have crucified and slain." The text 
 shows to what purpose he was thus given up. It wasj that 
 believers might not perish. They deserved to perish. They 
 had broken the law; they had incurred the curse; and must 
 have perished, if no satisfaction had been made to the justice 
 of God. But, behold the Lamhof God; provided, appoint- 
 ed, given of God. " God sent his Son in the likeijess of sinful 
 flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." "He was 
 made sin for us, though he knew no sin, that we might be 
 made the righteousness of God in him." Oh, Christian, see 
 
SERMON XXX. 317 
 
 the Son of God in his agony in the garden, sweating great 
 drops of blood. See him standing as a criminal at Pilate's 
 bar, falsely accused and basely treated. See him hanging on 
 the accursed tree; his hands and feet nailed to the cross; 
 derided by the cruel insulting mob, and deserted by his heav- 
 enly Father. And say now, God so loved the world; but 
 how much, thou canst not say. The depth of Christ's suffer- 
 ings, and the height of glory to which they raise thee, express 
 this love in stronger terms than language knows. 
 
 There is yet another way in which God gives his Son — 
 in the preaching of the gospel, and in the application of 
 Christ to the believer's heart. As the brazen serpent Was 
 exposed to view in the camp of Israel, so is Christ set before 
 perishing sinners in the gospel. Herein God "sets forth his 
 Son," and "declares his righteousness" — "brings near his 
 righteousness" — "reveals his righteousness," that it may be 
 received by faith, and become ours by believing. "My Fa- 
 ther," saith Christ, " giveth you the true bread from heaven ; 
 for the, bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, 
 and giveth life to the world." John 6 : 32. It is set before 
 all men who hear the gospel, but it is the food only of those 
 who by faith receive it; and this leads us to the' last thing 
 proposed, which is, 
 
 III. The END or design of this gift of love: " that whosoever 
 believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." 
 
 The salvation of believing sinners, was the object which 
 God had in view when he gave his Son. Supposing God 
 would send his Son into the world, for what purpose might 
 sinners have expected him ? Might they not justly fear it 
 would be to punish them for their sins ? So it seems inti- 
 mated in the next verse: "For God sent not his Son into the 
 world to condemn the world ; but that the world through him 
 might be saved," The whole conduct of our Sp-viour upon 
 earth agreed with this gracious design. He came not to 
 destroy men's lives, but to save them. He came to seek and 
 to save that which was lost. Every thing he did, and every 
 thing he said, had this tendency. 
 
318 THE LOVE OP GOD. 
 
 This gracious design is expressed two ways; the first is, 
 •' that they might not perish." To perish, is foi' a man to die 
 in his sins, under the curse of the law, under the wrath pf 
 God, and to be for ever miserable in hell. This is the proper 
 wages of sin, the real desert of every sinner; and we must 
 know this to be our desert, before we can look to Jesus for 
 salvation. Our Lord, in this passage, alludes to the brazen 
 serpent in the wilderness. Now, for whorri was this erected ? 
 Was it an object of curiosity, to be gazed at by a vain multi- 
 tude ? No ; it was for the cure of the wounded Jews, who 
 had been stung by the fiery serpents ; whose blood had been 
 poisoned by their venom, and who were ready to expire in 
 agony. These men, being ready to perish, would gladly com- 
 ply with the divine command. How easy, how cheap, how 
 pleasant a method of relief! Looh and live, was the heavenly 
 niandate. Just so it is in the gospel of Christ: "Look unto 
 me," saith Christ, " and ye shall be saved." If we receive 
 the gospel as the testimony of God, we shall turn our eyes to 
 • no other qiethod of relief but this. We shall renounce all 
 notions of merit and works, wie shall receive JeSus, and rest 
 upon him alone for salviation. 
 
 But this is not all. Salvation includes the possession of 
 eternal life, as well as deliverance from death. " I am come 
 that they might have life, and that they might have it more 
 abundantly," said Christ. This includes the life of grace, and 
 the life of glory. Believers now live; they live spiritually; 
 they live by faith in the Son of God. Before conversioil 
 they were " dead while they lived." Now they live indeed. 
 Christ by his Spirit lives in them, and they live in him. 
 Christ is nbw their life ; and when he shall appear the second 
 time, they shall also appear with him in glory. Grace is 
 glory in the bud. He that believeth hath everlasting life, 
 ver. 36 : he has not only a title to it, but he has the beginning, 
 security, pledge, earnest, and foretaste of it, which shall cer- 
 tainly issue in the full, complete, and everlasting enjoyment 
 of it in heaven. 
 
 But there is a word of encouragement in our text which 
 
SEKMON XXX. 319 
 
 we must by no means forget — whosoever : God gave his Son, 
 that " whosoever believeth in him might not perish," etc. 
 Persons of every character; high and low, rich and poor, 
 young and old ; sinners of every degree, the greatest, vilest, 
 and most abominable. Not only may the more moral man, 
 who is also a sinner, look to Jesus. and be saved; but that 
 unhappy creature, a man or woman who has gone to uncom- 
 mon lengths in sin, who thinks there is not such another 
 sinner in the world, and who is even tempted to despair of 
 mercy, perhaps tempted to self-murder on account of his pe- 
 culiar and terrible guilt. Whosoever — observe the word, who- 
 soever believeth : here is a warrant for the vilest sinner upon 
 earth to look to Jesus, to come to Jesus, to believe in Jesus ; 
 and the truth of G-od is pledged for it, that he shall not be 
 cast out. " Him that cometh to me I will in ho wise cast 
 out." John 6 : 37. 
 
 We have heard great things to-day. " The angels desire 
 to look into these things." All the millions of the redeemed 
 in glory are now looking into these things. And if we go to 
 heaven, the love of God, the gift of his love, and the effect of 
 this gift, will\ employ pur ravished souls to all eternity. But 
 say, my friends, how do they affect you ? Or are you totally 
 unaffected by them ? Does this vain and wicked world en- 
 gross your hearts, while the .love of God ai^d the gift of Clirist 
 are quite forgotten ? 
 
 But stop a moment, and consider. What are you doing? 
 You are committing the greatest sin in the world. Unbelief 
 is a condemning sin: "He that believeth not is condemned 
 already; and this is the condemnation, that light is come into 
 the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because 
 their deeds are evil ;" so our Lord declares in this chapter. As 
 the gift of Christ is the greatest proof that God could give of 
 his love to the world, so, depend upon it, he will resent the 
 contempt of it as the greatest crime. It is a crime greater 
 than the devils ever committed. They never had a Saviour 
 to despise and reject. beware of the fatal consequences ! 
 
320 THE LOVE OF GOD. 
 
 Death is approaching, and you must appear before Christ; 
 but how will you face him, when you know how yoit have 
 neglected him all your days? Qh, what would sinners give 
 in the great day for an interest in Christ ? Worlds, worlds, 
 millions of worlds would be counted cheap, could they pur- 
 chase an interest in him. "Well, sinner, as yet there is hope; 
 though you have neglected long, it is not yet too late: turn 
 now, even now, thy weeping eyes to the cross of Jesus; be-- 
 hold God's dear Son, and the sinner's dear Saviour, with 
 extended arms open to embrace thee; hear him crying^ 
 " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and 
 .1 will give you rest/' Oh, let your heart reply, "Behold, I 
 come imto thee, for thou art the Lord my God." 
 
 And ye that are humble believers in Jesus, what think 
 ye of Christ ? Is he not precious to you, the pearl of great 
 price, the chief of ten thousand, ?ihd altogether lovely ? What 
 praise and love are due from you to the Father, who gave his 
 Son; to the Son, who gave himself; and to the Holy Spirit,' 
 who led you to know and believe in him! , You can heartily 
 say with St. Paul, " Thanks he to God for his unspeakable 
 GIFT !" This wonderful love of God in the gift of his Son, 
 convinces us, in the most striking manner, of the immense 
 value of the soul, and of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, see- 
 ing that a sinful soul could not be redeemed but at such a 
 vast expense. What encouragement is here to him who sees 
 his sin infinite, that the blood of Christ, the blood of the Son 
 of God, is of infinite value and efficacy ! And what encour- 
 agement is here for the believer, who has received this great- 
 est of gifts, that God will not withhold lesser gifts : for " He 
 that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, 
 how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?" 
 Yes, " all is ours," if Christ is ours*. " He will give grace and 
 glory ; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk 
 uprightly." 
 
 Blessed be God for Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 
SERMON XXXI. 321 
 
 ON THE SABBATH, OR LORD'S DAY. 
 
 SEEMOK XXXI. 
 
 "REMEMBER THE SABBATH-DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY." Exod. 20 : 8. 
 
 This is the commandment of the great God. It is one of 
 the " ten words" spoken with divine majesty on mount Sinai, 
 and also written by the finger of G-od in tables of stone. There 
 is no commandment of the ten of greater importance, yet 
 scarcely any one is so much disregarded. Well, therefore, 
 may it begin with the word remember ; seeing that thought- 
 less mortals are so prone to forget it. 
 
 We are by no means to suppose that this law was given 
 to the Jews only. It is not of a cerernonial nature, but moral, 
 as all the ten are. The Sabbath was not. first instituted 
 when the law was given to Moses; it was only renewed. 
 We read of the Sabbath in the second chapter of Genesis. It 
 began as soon as the world began ; for, " on the seventh day 
 God ended his work which he had made; and God blessed 
 the- seventh day, and sanctified it." There can be no doubt 
 that Adam, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and all the good 
 men of old, observed the Sabbath ; but when the descendants 
 of Abraham became slaves in Eg)rpt, it is probable that they 
 could not observe it as they ought ; but now being delivered 
 from bondage, the law was revived, and they are commanded 
 to remem,ber the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. 
 
 This law, then, is of perpetual obligation. And if God 
 saw it needful for Adam to keep it even in Paradise, and 
 before he sinned, how much more necessary is it for ' us to 
 keep it. He had no hard work to do, from which he required 
 rest ; his heart was full of the love of God, and every day was 
 like a Sabbath ; but as for us, the labors of our bodies and 
 the cares of our minds are such as to make a weekly rest 
 
 Vil. Ser. , 21 
 
322 ON THE SABBATH, OE LOKD'S DAY. 
 
 absolutely necessary. Besides; we are so full of sin, so sur- 
 rounded by temptation, and so apt to forget God and our 
 souls, that we greatly need a weekly Sabbath to call away 
 our affections from the world, and direct them to things above. 
 It is true that we do not keep the selfsame day as the 
 Jews did. They kept the seventh day of the week, but we 
 the first. But the morality of the Sabbath does not consist in 
 its being the seventh day of the week, but in its being the 
 seven,th part of our time. Besides, we have the same author- 
 ity for keeping the first day, as they had for keeping the 
 seventh ; for Jesus Christ is " Lord of the Sabbath ;" and his 
 apostles, who acted by his direction, and under the influence 
 of his Spirit, constantly met for divine worship on the first 
 day of the week, which was called "the Lord's day." Acts 
 20:7; Rev. 1:10. This was kept because it was the day 
 of his resurrection ; and as the Sabbath was first of all kept 
 beciause the work of creation was finished, and renewed when 
 God had finished the great work of redeeming his people from 
 bondage ; so the Christian Sabbath is kept on the day when 
 the Lord arose from the dead, having finished the great work 
 of redeeming souls from sin and death and hell. There is 
 also great reason to think that the creation Sabbath was 
 changed when the Jews came out of Egypt, so that they 
 kept their first Sabbath in. the wilderness on the sixth day of 
 the week, accounting it the seventh from their coming out of 
 Egypt; and that this continued to be the Jewish Sabbath, 
 typical, as all their ordinances were ; and that upon the resur- 
 rection of Christ, the Sabbath revertied to its original seventh 
 day. Many learned men have been of this opinion, and if 
 they have not fully proved it, they have made it very proba- 
 ble. And this opinion seems to be countenanced by what St. 
 Paul says in his epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 4, where, 
 speaking of the Jews, he says, "they entered not into the 
 promised rest on account of their unbelief;" and that David, 
 long after, speaks of " another rest," and of " ilfeother day," 
 or season, in which it might be sought; he concludes that 
 " there remained a rest, or sabbatism, for the people of God ;" 
 
SERMON XXXI. 323 
 
 that is, a New Testament Sabbath, a Christian Sabbath, in 
 which believers rest in the finished work of Christ, and enjoy 
 a foretaste of the heavenly rest. 
 
 The word remember seems to intimate the necessity of 
 preparing for it. "We should remember on the Saturday, that 
 the Lord's day is at hand. People in trade prepare for the 
 market-day ; and why should not Christians get ready for the 
 Sabbath, which is the market-day for their souls? It is a 
 great sin that wages are paid, provisions bought, houses 
 cleaned, perhaps linen washed,, on the Sunday morning. By 
 these, and other worldly employments, the best part of the 
 day is lost, and perhaps only some of the last, hours of it, if 
 any at all, are devoted to G-od. We must remember the Sab- 
 bath-day, and so prepare for it as to be ready for the service 
 of God, and devote the whole of the day to it. 
 
 In the further consideration of this text, we shall, 
 
 1. Show how the Sabbath is to be kept holy; and, 
 
 2. Give some reasons why it should be kept holy. 
 
 I. In keeping the Sabbath holy, we are to consider what 
 OUGHT NOT to be done, and what ought to be done. 
 
 What ought not to be done is expressed in these words: 
 " Thou shalt not do any work — thou, nor thy spn, nor thy 
 daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy 
 cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates." Six days 
 are allowed for labor, but the seventh is a day of rest. Our 
 worldly business, whatever it be, must be laid aside. The 
 whole family, as well as the master of it, must cease from 
 worldly employments ; and this commandment is directed 
 particularly to masters of families, who are to take care that 
 all persons under their roof keep the Sabbath. 
 
 We cannot suppose that only work, or manual labor, or 
 trade, is here forbidden. Every -thing is forbidden that is 
 inconsistent with the design of the day, which is, to serve 
 God, and edify our souls. Travelling, walking, or riding, for 
 mere pleasiJre, trifling visits, paying or receiving wages, fre- 
 quenting public houses, writing letters, settling accounts, 
 reading books on ordinary subjects, yea, conversation of a 
 
324 ON THE SABBATH, OR LORD'S DAY. 
 
 worldly kind, are here forbid-den. Many who will not work 
 on the Lord's day, will play, and take their pleasure ; but 
 this is worse than working. St. Augustin long ago observed, 
 that " it is better to plough on the Sabbath than to dance." 
 
 The Sabbath is as much profaned by idleness as by busi- 
 ness. Mere rest of body is the Sabbath of a beast, not of a 
 man. We have immortal souls, and this is the day in which 
 their eternal welfare is to be sought. We have the authority 
 of God for these assertions : " If thou turn away thy foot from 
 the Sabbath " — from trampling upon it, or from travelling on 
 it, or from walking at large, as if und^r no restraint— " from 
 doing thy pleasure on my holy day," that is, from carnal 
 pleasure— doing that which is agreeable to thy corrupt in- 
 clinations; " and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the 
 Lord, and honorable," esteeming it above all other days, tak- 
 ing holy pleasure in the ways of God ; " and shalt honor him, 
 not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, 
 nor speaking, thine own words" — not gratifying the flesh, nor 
 indulging in trifling and impertinent conversation — " then" 
 saith the Lord, " thou shalt delight thyself in the Lord," etc. — 
 thou shalt have the honor, profit, arid pleasure of it; for God 
 hath blessed this day, Isa. 58 : 13. 
 
 But some will say, What, is nothing at all to be done on 
 the Sabbath? I answer, TForfco/ necessity a»f? mercy are 
 allowed; they were so by the Jewish law. Our Saviour 
 healed the sick on that day, and reproved the Pharisees for 
 their severity and rigor in their observance of it ; showing 
 that if it was lawful to feed or water a beast, it was certainly 
 lawful to do good to men on that day; observing also, that 
 " the Sabbath was made for man,^ and not man for the Sab- 
 bath :" it was made for the good of man, both in body and 
 soul, and therefore he is not to be prevented from that which 
 is necessary to his comfortable support. Doubtless the get- 
 ting of food, clothing ourselves decently, visiting the sick, 
 bestowing alms, taking care of children, and many other 
 things, are lawful on the Sabbath. But great eare must be 
 taken that this indulgence is not carried too far. That can- 
 
SERMON XXXI. 325 
 
 not be accounted a work of necessity or mercy which may be 
 done on Saturday or deferred till Monday. Many abuse the 
 Sabbath by journeys to see their relations and friends, which 
 might be taken on other days. Others begin or finish journeys 
 on that day, to save their own time on the week-days. Mar- 
 riages and funerals are often celebrated on the Lord's day, 
 which might as well be on another day; for hereby many 
 persons are hindered from the proper duties of the Sabbath. 
 Far the greater part of visits made on this day are unlawful, 
 as they occupy the time thait ought to be spent either in pub- 
 lic or private worship, and divert the mind from religious 
 thoughts. Many vainly attempt to sanctify their journeys 
 and visits by going to a place of worship, though they spend 
 most of the day in travelling, feasting, or idle conversation ; 
 but this is, in many cases, only a refined hypocrisy. Nor is 
 it much better for persons to wander miles from home to hear 
 different preachers, if they can hear the true gospel at home. 
 Even the beasts are not to be employed unnecessarily, though 
 they may doubtless be used, if they are conscientiously em- 
 ployed to contribute to our serving G-od the better. Feasting 
 our friends on the Lord's day is a grievous sin, as it employs 
 too much time and care, and tends to make persons less fit 
 for devotion. It is also very blamable to take up much time 
 in dress, and still more so to employ others in it. How sad 
 a reflection is it that perhaps ten thousand hairdressers are 
 employed every Sunday ! Not to mention the vast number 
 of coachmen, chaise-drivers, hostlers, publicans, and servants 
 oi all descriptions, thousands of whom are constantly debarred 
 from the means of grace, and live and die like heathens. 
 
 There are also very many who deceive themselves by 
 attempting to compound matters with the blessed G-od ; they 
 will give him, formally, an hour or two of the day, and em- 
 ploy all the rest in a worldly manner. Where do we read in 
 Scripture of canonical hours, or find a distinction between 
 church hours and others ? Does not the text say, " Remem- 
 ber the Sabbath-DAY, to keep it holy?" And by what argu- 
 ments can it be proved that a Sabbath-day is shorter than 
 
326 ON THE SABBATH, OK LORD'S DAY. 
 
 another? Do other days consist of twelve or twenty-four 
 hours, and this of four, or three, or two ? If you employ a 
 laborer, and pay him for a day, will you be satisfied if he 
 goes to work at eleven in the morning and leaves off at one, 
 and does no more all the day ? Is not this the true cause of 
 a man's being satisfied with serving God so short a time, that 
 he dislikes the service ? And is not that an evidence of his 
 being in a carnal state, and under the wrath of God ? Let 
 conscience answer it. 
 
 But this commandment not only forbids worldly employ- 
 ments on the Sabbath, it requires that the whole day be 
 spent in a religious manner, especially in the public or private 
 exercises of God's worship. 
 
 We should begin the day with private prayer. This is 
 necessary to prepare our minds for public worship. ^We ought 
 to rise early, in order that ourselves and families may be in 
 time at the house of God. " Early," said the Psalmist, " will 
 I seek thee." Those who are alive to God would be ashamed 
 of rising later' on a Sabbath than on another day. Surely the 
 care of our souls demands as early attention as the affairs of 
 the body. The whole family, if possible, should attend the 
 morning service. In some cases, perhaps, this cannot be ; but 
 the mere preparation of a hot dinner is a poor excuse for 
 detaining even one servant at home. Those who fear God 
 need not be told, that family as well as private prayer should 
 be offered up before we go to the public worship. 
 
 Public worship is most evidently an ordinance of God of 
 the greatest possible importance. Prom the beginning of the 
 world, the true worshippers of God have assembled together 
 On his day, for prayer, praise, and instruction. They were 
 always glad when invited to go up to the house of the Lord. 
 They accounted " a day in his courts better than a thousand." 
 Our Saviour countenanced public worship by his own pres- 
 ence and example. The zeal of his Father's house ate him 
 up. He has commanded his gospel to be preached to all the 
 world, and has promised that when two or three gather to- 
 gether in his name, he will be with them. 
 
SERMON XXXI. 327 
 
 To assemble ourselves with our fellow-Christians on the 
 Lord's day, is therefore the hounden duty of all, unless they 
 mean to relinquish Christianity. And yet it is deplorable to 
 consider that perhaps three-fourths of the people of England 
 totally desert the house of God. We j ustly lament the avowed 
 infidelity of a neighboring country ; but what shall we say of 
 Britons, who call themselves Christians, and yet never pro- 
 fess their faith by public acts of homage to their God ahd 
 Saviour ? "We know what excuses are made both by rich 
 and poor; but we know also, that these excuses will not be 
 admitted by the great Judge of quick and dead. Some will 
 say, " We need not go to church, for we know as much as the 
 minister can teach us." If so, you are either very wise, or he 
 is very ignorant. If you are so wise, much may be expected 
 from you; but it is no part of your wisdom to neglect one of 
 the main branches of your duty, in which you ought to seek 
 the glory of God, the welfare of your soul, and the good of 
 your neighbor. Jesus Christ has appointed that his ministers 
 should preach his gospel ; and if it is their duty to preach, it 
 is certainly the people's duty to hear; and ii you may choose 
 to absent yourself, why may not another — why may not all ? 
 What then becomes of Christ's ordinance; or where is your 
 obedience to him as King in Zion ? remember what he has 
 said concerning this very thing : " He that heareth you, hear- 
 eth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me." Luke 
 10 : 16. Yes, whatever pretences may be made, the person 
 who neglects the worship of God in public, will be held guilty 
 of despising Christ. 
 
 But it is not enough merely to attend. We should go 
 with a serious mind, desirous of humbling ourselves before 
 God for our sins in the public confession; earnestly seeking 
 pardon and grace in the petitions offered up, and cheerfully 
 joining the praises and thanksgivings. Our attendance at a 
 place of worship should not be to see and be seen; to be 
 observed by others, and to make our observations on them, 
 as appears often to be the case by the conversation of persons 
 when the service is over. Neither should we sit as critics and 
 
328 ON THE SABBATH, OR LOED'S DAY. 
 
 judges of the minister, merely to praise or blame; for it is 
 plain that many either know nothing at all of the sermon 
 when they come away, or only pronounce it a good or bad 
 one. Our business is to seek the teaching of Christ by his 
 Spirit, through the minister, " Speak, Lord, for thy servant 
 heareth," should be the language of every soul. 
 
 There are some wh,o excuse themselves from public wor- 
 ship on accouAt of their mean clothing. But is a man so 
 poor that he cannot get better ? still let him wait upon God, 
 Godliness hath the promise of this life, as well as of that to 
 come. Had the poor man served God, better, perhaps- he had 
 not been so poor ; certainly this is true, if idleness and extrav- 
 agance occasioned his poverty. But it may be, it is the hand 
 of God which has brought him so low; his poverty is not 
 his fault, but his affliction. Still let him seek and serve the 
 Lord ; wait upon God, who knows what things thou hast 
 need of, and knows how to supply all thy wants. Yea, some 
 of thy fellow- worshippers may cheerfully assist thee in get- 
 ting employment or raiment. And as to the contempt of the 
 proud, fear it not. Good men will pity thee. - They must be 
 bad indeed who will despise thee ; regard them not. 
 
 There are others who excuse themselves from public wor- 
 ship by saying, " We do not see that people who attend are 
 better than others. We are as good as they." What have 
 you to do with, others? To their own Master they stand or 
 fall. Perhaps they would do worse if they did not; so per- 
 haps you would do better if you did. If they abuse the 
 means of grace, will that excuse your neglecting them ? But 
 your business is with yourselves. Worship God. 
 
 But the worship of God in public is not the whole duty of 
 the Sabbath ; reading the Scriptures at honie is equally a 
 necessary part of it. Indeed, they ought to be read daily; 
 but as most persons have more time on the Lord's day, they 
 should then be particularly studied. Meditation, ot fixed 
 afiectionate thinking upon the things of God, with examina- 
 tion of our heart and ways, is another branch of duty,. Those 
 who have families should take care that they all improve the 
 
SERMON XXXI. 329 
 
 day, both in public and private. The neglect of this is the 
 sad cause of so much Sabbath-breaking. But heads of fami- 
 lies may tremble to think that they partake of the sins of 
 children and servants, if they do not endeavor to restrain 
 them. Parents should catechize their children; and inquire 
 "what they remember and understand of the sermons they 
 hear. Above all, earnest prayer should be offered up, and 
 with the whole family ; and. that not only on the Sabbath 
 evening, but on the morning also; and indeed on the morn- 
 ing and evening of every day in the week. 
 
 II. Let us briefly consider the reasons why we should 
 sanctify the Sabbath. 
 
 The authority of God is of itself a sufl[icient reason. God 
 commands; let man obey. It is at his peril if he refuses. 
 Surely we owe this obedience to him who made us, and in 
 whom " we live and move and have our being." We are 
 indebted to him for every breath we draw; and is it too 
 much for us, in return for all his kindness, to separate one 
 day in seven to his blessed service, that we may know him, 
 love him, please him, and glorify him ? Surely this is " our 
 reasonable service." 
 
 The goodness of God calls us to it. If G-od had not ap- 
 pointed a Sabbath, some cruel masters would have allowed 
 their servants no rest from their toil ; yea, covetous men would 
 perhaps have destroyed themselves by their labor. Eut by 
 the goodness of God in this merciful appointment, the wearied 
 body of the laborer is refreshed, and in the cheerful service of 
 his God his mind is enlivened ; and thus is he fitted for the 
 duties of another week, while his immortal soul is prepared 
 , by divine grace for a happier world. 
 
 The example of God is another argument. " In six days 
 the Lord made heaven and earth, and rested the seventh 
 day." The whole work of creation was finished in six days ; 
 after which nothing new was made. God then rested, " not 
 as one weary, but as one well pleased with the instances of 
 his own goodness, and the manifestations of his own glory;" 
 and this he did as an example to man. The patriarchs rested 
 
330 ON THE SABBATH, OE LOED'S DAY. 
 
 in the contemplation of G-od's works of creation. The Jews 
 rested in the thankful rememhrance of their redemption from 
 Egypt. And Christian believers now rest in the finished 
 work of Christ's redeeming love. 
 
 GocPs blessing this ^cty is another reason why we should 
 keep it holy. The Sabbath is a blessed day, for God hath 
 blessed it. He expects us to bless him on it, and we may 
 expect him to bless us. He does bless it. Prom the begin- 
 ning of the world until now, his people have found it good for 
 them to wait upon G-od. His service is perfect freedom. His 
 ways are full of pleasantness. This is the day which the 
 Lord hath made; we \vill be glad, and rejoice therein. 
 
 How aw&illy is the day of God profaned ! It is a great 
 sin. It is a national sin; for though the laws of England 
 require us to obey this law of God, yet it is despised by all 
 sorts of people. The great and rich set the example. Many 
 of them travel on the Lord's day. Others of them have feasts, 
 and some, mijsic and card parties; while others ride abroad 
 to show their fine horses and carriages. Tradesmen, casting 
 off all regard to religion; form parties of pleasure, and resort 
 to the country for carnal amusement. Inferior persons spend 
 the day in idleness, drinking, and sin. Thus all sorts of peo- 
 ple conspire to cast contempt on the authority of G-od, to ruin 
 their own souls, and bring down judgments on a wicked land. 
 In some parts of this kingdom, the Sabbath seems almost for- 
 gotten ; and though the church bell rings, and the shops are 
 shut, yet people buy and sell, drink and swear, proclaiming 
 to all men, that the fear of God is not before their eyes. 
 Magistrates seldom take care to prevent these evils, and thus 
 become partakers of other men's sins. 
 
 But stop and consider, What will be the end of these 
 things ? "Will not God requite it ? He certainly will. Yea, 
 he often shows his anger now against Sabbath-breaking. It 
 is dreadful to consider how many persons are drowned, or 
 otherwise destroyed, while committing this sin. There are 
 ten times more accidents of this kind on the Lord's day than 
 
SEKMON XXXI. 331 
 
 on other days. Sabbath-breaking is the inlet of all other 
 evils, and the certain road to ruin. Habits of vice, contracted 
 by evil company on this day, are often their own punishment 
 in this world. The drunkard, beggars his family, destroys his 
 constitution, and hurts his soul ; and the thief commonly ends 
 his days at the gallows. How many dying malefactors have 
 warned others to avoid this sin, confessing that it was by 
 breaking the Sabbath they were brought to such a dreadful 
 end. Oh, if you have the reason of men, if you have any fear 
 of God, if you have any regard for your family or country, if 
 you have any love to your precious souls, " Remember the 
 Sabbath-day, to keep it holy." 
 
 And Oh, be thankful for this privilege, you who enjoy it. 
 Blessed be G-od, the Sabbath is not abolished in England, as 
 it is in France. May God ever preserve to us the blessing of 
 a Christian Sabbath, and enable us to employ it diligently. 
 Let it be remembered, that " bodily exercise profiteth little ;" 
 God says, "My son, give me thy heart." Let him be wor- 
 shipped in spirit and in truth. Attendance on the means of 
 grace will answer little purpose, unless we are brought by the 
 influence of his Holy Spirit, to know and feel our lost and 
 ruined state as sinners, and are led to know Christ as reveal- 
 ed in the gospel, and to believe on him to the saving of our 
 souls. " Paith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word 
 of God." Let us theirefore " take heed what we hear," that 
 it is the gospel of the free grace of God, and not a system of 
 mere morality, which never converted a soul yet, nor ever 
 will ; and " let us take heed how we hear," that it be seri- 
 ously, and with a desire "to be taught of God." Let us 
 " mix faith with the word, that it may profit our souls." Let 
 us lay it up in our hearts, and practise it in our lives. Thus 
 shall our Sabbaths on earth prepare our souls for the perfect 
 knowledge, love, likeness, and enjoyment of God our Saviour, 
 in the realms of everlasting happiness above. To which, 
 may God of his infinite mercy in Christ bring us all. Amen 
 and Amen. 
 
332 THE ONLY FOUNDATION, 
 
 THE ONLY FOUNDATION. 
 
 SERMON XXXII. 
 
 " OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS 
 JESUS CHRIST. 1 CoE. 3 : 11. 
 
 A FOUNDATION is that part of a building which is first laid, 
 and upon which all the rest stands: if the foundation of a 
 building is bad, or gives way, the whole edifice is in danger; 
 it is therefore of great importance that it be solid and durable. 
 Now the Scriptures often compare spiritual things with nat- 
 ural things; and the church of God is here compared to a 
 house or temple, " a habitation of God through the Spirit," or, 
 as it is expressed, " Ye are God's building." 1 Cor. 3 : 9. Of 
 this building, Jesus Christ is the foundation. The whole 
 church of God, in all ages and in all places, rests entirely 
 upon him. He is, to every true member of it, what a foun- 
 dation is to a building, he bears all the weight of it. 
 
 The occasion of these words was this. There had been 
 divisions among the Christians at Corinth. They admired 
 one preacher and despised another. One party was for Paul, 
 another for Apqllos. St. Paul reproves -them for it, and 
 shows them that all their ministers were but like workmen 
 employed in the same building. Paul, who taught them the 
 first principles of religion, laid the foundation. Apollos, and 
 others preachers who followed him, built them up, or took fur- 
 ther pains for their instruction. But as to the foundation, it 
 was already laid ; and no teacher, taught of God and sent by 
 him, would direct the people to any other way of salvation than 
 through faith in Christ. "For," saith he, " other foundation 
 can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 
 The great truth contained in these words is often mentioned 
 m the Scriptures. When St. Peter was brought before the 
 
SERMON XXXII, 333 
 
 Jewish rulers for preaching Christ, he told them boldly, that 
 " He was the stone which they had set at naught," and 
 added, " Neither is there salvation in any other ; for there is 
 none other name under heaven given among men, whereby 
 we must be saved." In like manner St. Paul, showing that 
 God alone must have the glory of our salvation, says, that 
 " Christ Jesus is made to us wisdom a,nd righteousness and 
 sanctification and redemption ;" that is, " wisdom to enlighten 
 our ignorant minds; righteousness to justify our guilty per- 
 sons ; sanctification to renew our depraved natures ; and re- 
 demption to complete the whole, in the resurrection of our 
 bodies." Or, as more briefly expressed in another place, 
 Christ is all, and in all. 
 
 There are four respects in which Christ may be said to be 
 our foundation. 
 
 1. He is the foundation of all saving knowledge. 
 
 2. He is the foundation of our acceptance with God. 
 
 3. He is the foundation of all holy obedience ; and, 
 
 4. He is the foundation of all true happiness, here and 
 hereafter.* 
 
 I. Jesus Christ is the foundation of all saving knowledge. 
 
 1 mean of that knowledge which is necessary to salvation ; 
 for it is eternal life truly to know God the Father and Christ 
 the Saviour. Christ came to save us from our ignorance'' as 
 well as from our sins. AH men, as born into the world, are 
 in a state of complete darkness and blindness as to the things 
 of God. Reason, or the light of nature, as it is called, leads 
 no man to Christ. The wisest heathens were " vain in their 
 imagination, and their foolish heart was darkened." Rom. 
 1 : 21. ■ Nor is this the case of the heathen only: the natural 
 man, that is, every man by nature, " receiveth not the things 
 of the Spirit of God — ^they are foolishness to him ; neither can 
 he know them, for they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor. 
 
 2 : 14. And what is worse, the natural man hateth the light. 
 
 * The plan, with some other parts of this sermon, are borrowed from 
 two discourses on the same text preached by the late Rev. W. Romaine, 
 before the University of Oxford. 
 
334 THE ONLY FOUNDATION. 
 
 As the thief and the adulterer dread the morning, so every 
 sinner, being under the power of the prince of darkness, 
 "hateth the light, neither cometh he to the light, lest his" 
 evil " deeds should be reproved." John 3 : 20. He shuns the 
 light of God's word, lest he should see himself, and be filled 
 with shame and painful conviction by the discovery of his 
 sin. Now it was one principal end of Christ's coming from 
 heaven, to be the light of the world. He preached recovery 
 of sight to the blind. He opened the bodily eyes of some who 
 were born blind, to show that he could also open the eyes of 
 the mind. He is to the soul of every believer, what the sun 
 is to our bodily eyes. One great design of the gospel is, " to 
 open men's eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light." 
 Acts 26 : 18. Not that the word alone is sufficient for this 
 purpose, unless accompanied by the power of the Spirit of 
 God. He only who commanded the light to shine out of 
 darkness, can shine into our minds so as to give us the true 
 light. 
 
 Here let us stop a moment and inquire, "What do we know 
 of this ? Is it so, that all men are born blind ? Have we 
 been sensible of this ? We should think it a miserable thing 
 to sit for several days, as the Egyptians once did, without the 
 light of the sun. But our state by nature is far worse. It is 
 a good thing to be sensible that this is our case ; for saith St. 
 Paul, in the 18th verse of this chapter, "If any man among 
 you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, 
 that he may be wise;" that is, if he seems to have a large 
 stock of worldly wisdom, let him renounce it all as insuffi- 
 cient to lead him into gospel truth ; let him make Christ, by 
 his word and Spirit, the foundation of all his wisdom, and 
 then patiently endure to be called a fool by the world. let 
 us be like that poor blind man to whom Jesus said, " What 
 wilt thou that I should do unto thee ?" " Lord," said he, 
 "that I might receive my sight." Happy man, he prayed 
 not in vain. " Immediately he received his si^ht, and fol- 
 lowed Jesus in the way." Mark 10. So shall it be with us, 
 if, like him, we cry, " Jesus, have mercy on us !" With this 
 
SERMON XXXII. 335 
 
 desire let us come to the preaching of the gospel ; and when- 
 ever we open our Bibles, let us pray, " Lord, open thou mine 
 eyes, that I may see wonderful things in thy law." 
 
 II. Jesus Christ is the foundation of all acceptance with 
 God the Father. 
 
 All men are sinners. This is generally confessed. But 
 till Christ enlightens the mind of a sinner, he is not affected 
 by it. He sees not the sinfulness of sin. He sees not the 
 horrid impurity of his heart. He is not alarmed with the 
 danger of his condition. He is not aware that the holiness, 
 justice, and truth of God are against him. But this is really 
 his case. The law of God requires perfect love, and sinless 
 obedience, or it puts the offender under the curse; for it is 
 written, " Cursed is every one who continueth not in all 
 things that are written in the book of the law to do them." 
 You must continue without intermission in all things — not 
 keeping nine commandments and breaking the tenth, or keep- 
 ing them all outwardly and breaking them in thought — not 
 only to purpose well, but to do them. And which of us has 
 kept the law in this manner? Who can say that he never 
 offended in thought, word, or deed ? Certainly every mouth 
 must be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God, 
 who searcheth all hearts. 
 
 Now what is the consequence ? " The wages of sin is 
 death." God has passed the decree, " The soul that sinneth 
 it shall die." God is faithful and just to fulfil his decr.ee, and 
 he is almighty to execute his sentence. What then can be 
 done ? Is there no remedy ? Must sinful man sink for ever 
 under the divine wrath? Two things must be done. Pull 
 satisfaction must be made to the holiness and justice of God 
 for past offences, and our sinful nature must be renewed and 
 made holy. But can man do these ? As soon might he create 
 a new world. The natural man has neither the will nor the 
 power to renew and cleanse his nature. Who can say, I have 
 made my heart clean ; I am pure from sin ? No man can say 
 it truly. It is God's work. So David prayed, " Create in me 
 a clean heart, God, and renew; a right spirit within me." 
 
336 THE ONLY FOUNDATION. 
 
 And until G-od create a clean heart, how can any thing clean 
 proceed out of it ? Who can bring a clean thing out of an 
 unclean ? Who, in an impure nature, can do a pure action ? 
 Who, under the curse of the law, under the sentence of con- 
 demnation, can perform a meritorious service ? It is impossi- 
 ble. The Scripture has declared, " There is none righteous, 
 rio, not one ; " and that " by the deeds of the law no flesh shall 
 be justified." 
 
 But what was impossible to man, is possible to God, 
 Blessed be his name, he has, in infinite wisdom and love, 
 devised a way for our acceptance — a way honorable to him- 
 self, and easy for us. He has sent his own Son into our 
 world, in the likeness of sinful flesh, that we may be made 
 the righteousness of God in him. Jesus Christ wds God and 
 man in one person. By the divine and human natures united 
 in him, whatever he did and suffered became truly divifie 
 and infinite. Our nature was wholly defiled and impure. 
 Christ came in a nature perfectly pure and spotless. In this 
 nature he obeyed the whole law; he continued in all things 
 written in the law to do them. He also humbled himself to 
 suffiei? what we deserved to suffer for our disobedience. "He 
 redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse 
 for us." And thus, " as by one man's disobedience many 
 were made sinners, even so by the obedience of one shall 
 many be made righteous." Being made perfect through obey- 
 ing and suffering, he became the author of eternal salvation^ 
 He is now able to save sinners to the .uttermost. He has the 
 infinite merit of his obedience to atone for their disobedience. 
 He has the infinite merit of his suffering to free them from 
 suffering. He died to save them from the second death. He 
 rose again, that they might rise to a newness of life here in 
 grace, and to life everlasting in glory. And he now ever lives 
 to make intercession, and to act as a Mediator between God 
 and man, able and willing to plead the merit of his life and 
 death for the acceptance of every sinner who comes to God 
 the Father through him. 
 
 Thus is Jesus Christ the foundation of all our acceptance 
 
SEKMON XXXII. 337 
 
 with God. Thus St. Paul speaks, " To the praise of the glory 
 of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in xhe be- 
 loved." Eph. 1:6. Christ is the heloved of the Father, 
 " his dear Son." In him he is well pleased — pleased with 
 his person, pleased with his atonement ; it was a sacrifice of 
 a sweet-smelling savor. And for his sake, he is well pleased 
 with us, if we believe in him ; he accepts us in him, and 
 loves us as his dear children. This is being saved by grace. 
 This secures all the glory to God ; and his free grace, which 
 is praiseworthy and glorious, is magnified by men and 
 angels. 
 
 In this way only have sinners been saved from the begin- 
 ning. The Lord God clothed Adam and Eve with the skins 
 of those beasts they slew in sacrifice, and thus they were 
 accepted through faith in the rightfeousness of the great Sac- 
 rifice, and not by their own righteousness denoted by the fig- 
 leaves with which they clothed themselves. It was faith in 
 the promised Lamb of God that rendered Abel and his offer- 
 ing more acceptable than Cain and his offering. Thus Abra- 
 ham was justified, for he believed God, and it was imputed 
 to him for righteousness. This righteousness, St. Paul says, 
 " was witnessed by the law and the prophets — even the right- 
 eousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, 
 and upon all them that believe." 
 
 And now, men and brethren, let it be asked, Is this out 
 foundation? Whatever we look to, hope in, or depend upon, 
 for our acceptance with God, that is our foundation. But it 
 highly concerns us to know whether it be this true and solid 
 foundation, this " Rock of ages," or some other, which will fail 
 us in the day of tria,l. Whatever our foundation be, if it be 
 not Christ, it is wrong; for our text says, " Other foundation 
 can no man lay" than Christ. Now, is any man building his 
 hopes on his own works ? Is he saying,' " I am not so great 
 a sinner as some are — I do no harm— I do -my best endeav- 
 ors — I have a good heart — I say my prayers^ — I go to church — 
 I am sorry for my sins — I am charitable to the poor, and so 
 on." Suffer me to ask. Is this Christ ? All this is building 
 
 V,l. S.r. 22 
 
338 THE ONLY FOUNDATION. 
 
 on self. It discovers a total ignorance of our sinful state Tjy 
 nature, and a total ignorance of the gospel which reveals the 
 righteousness of Christ. Besides, if we could work out a 
 righteousness of our own, then there was no occasion for 
 Jesus, and he died in vain. let us beware of stumbling, as 
 the Jews did, at this stumbling-stone, Rom. 9 : 32 ; for who- 
 ever seeks acceptance by the works of the law, stumbles 
 against this rock, instead of building on it. And so St. Peter 
 speaks, " Unto you who believe, he is precious" — he is speak- 
 ing of Christ as the precious corner-stone of the church ; but 
 he adds, " He is a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, 
 even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient." 
 1 Pet. 2 : 7, 8. On the contrary, he makes it the true char- 
 acter of all believers, that they "come to Christ the living 
 stone, and are built upon him a spiritual house." 
 
 III. Jesus Christ is the foundation of all holy obedience. 
 
 Many persons are afraid that the doctrine of faith is con- 
 trary to good works; and some have said, "If we are not to 
 be saved by good works, what occasion is there for them ?" 
 We answer, " G-ood works are the breath of faith." A living 
 man breathes, and a true faith works. St. James speaks of 
 pretended, or dead faith, and says, " As the body without the 
 spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Works 
 are the proper fruit and evidence of faith, and that which doth 
 not produce, them is false. But the right faith, that which 
 comes to Christ as the foundation, and builds alone on him, 
 is always fruitful. And so far is it from being true, that faith 
 is contrary to good works, that we affirm there can be no 
 good works without faith. The Scripture saith, "Without 
 faith it is impossible to please God," and it declares that 
 "faith worketh by love;" and again, that "it purifies the 
 heart;" and again, that it " overcomes the world:" riot that 
 faith does all this by its own power, but as it unites us to 
 Christ, and derives virtue from him ; and thus he is the foun- 
 dation of all holy obedience. 
 
 Man, in his natural state, cannot perform any holy obedi- 
 ence. He wants both will and power until his person be 
 
SERMON XXXII. 339 
 
 accepted through Jesus Christ, and united to him by true and 
 lively faith. The doctrine of the church of England on this 
 point is very clear and full. In the Thirteenth Article she 
 says, that "works done before the grace of Christ, and the 
 inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to God ; forasmuch 
 as they spring not of faith in Christ — yea, rather for that they 
 are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be 
 done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin." What 
 then becomes of the merit of works ? And how absurd is it, 
 as Bishop Beveridge observes, to think of " being justified by 
 good works, when we can do no good works till we are first 
 justified." Our fallen nature is wholly sinful. " In our flesh 
 dwelleth no good thing;" and till we are in Christ, and so 
 made new creatures, no good thing can dwell in us. " He 
 that believeth not is condemned already." He is in the state 
 of a rebel condemned to die, who cannot do any. legal action 
 till the attainder be removed. Besides, the dominion of sin in 
 a natural man is absolute and universal. Sin reigns in his 
 mortal body, he obeys it in the lusts thereof; he willingly 
 yields his members as instruments of unrighteousness, un- 
 cleannes>s, and iniquity. He is the slave of the devil, led 
 captive by him at his will. Satan says to him, be drunk, be 
 lewd, be profane, and the wretched slave submits, even 
 though his poor body suffers for it, and he sees death and 
 damnation before his eyes. This also the church of England 
 strongly affirms in her Tenth Article. " The condition of man 
 after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and pre- 
 pare himself by his own natural strength and good works to 
 faith and calling upon God : wherefore we have no power to 
 do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the 
 grace of God by Christ preventing," going before, " us, that we 
 may have a good will, and working with us when we have 
 that good will." This is the doctrine of Scripture: " It is God 
 that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleas- 
 ure." Phil. 2 : 13. 
 
 There is a real, spiritual, though mysterious union be- 
 tween Christ and believers, and it is expressed in Scripture 
 
340 THE ONLY FOUNDATION. 
 
 by various images. For instance, Christ is the head of the 
 body; believers are the members of it. Christ is the vine; 
 believers are the branches. So he said to his disciples, "1 
 am the, vine, ye are the branches. As the branch cannot bear 
 fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can ye 
 except ye abide in me." " He that abideth in me, and I in 
 him, the same bringeth forth much fruit ; for , without me," 
 or separate from me, " ye can do nothing.'^ John 15. It is 
 therefore evident that Christ must be the foundation of all 
 holy obedience. It is not enough to be what the world calls 
 a virtuous man, a good liver, a moral person. Acceptable 
 obedience is that which is performed by a man in Christ; 
 one who, sensible of his sin and misery, has come to him by 
 faith for wisdom, then for righteousness, and now for strength. 
 Christ dwells in the heart of such a man ; and whatever trial 
 he- has to bear, whatever duty he has to perform, whatever 
 temptation he has to resist, he comes to Christ for strength, 
 and "out of his fulness he receives, and grace for grace"— 
 grace in the believer answerable in some measure to grace in 
 the Saviour. He is conformed to Christ both in his death and 
 reisurrection : by the influence of the one, he dies to sin; by 
 that of the Other, he lives to God.. 
 
 Brethren, is it so with you ? There are many who seem 
 advocated for virtue and morality, and some, like the Phari- 
 sees, who abound in works of devotion; while, like them, 
 they wash only the outside of the cup and platter; forgetting 
 that the heiart must first be purified, and the person accepted, 
 before there can be any works performed pleasing and accept- 
 able to Gqd. "We are not to imagine. that our own good de- 
 siresand end eavors will recommend us to God — that when we 
 have done all the good we can, we may venture to hope in 
 his mercy, and trust Christ as a makeweight to fill up our 
 defects. No; exactly otherwise. We must first come to God 
 by Christ, as miserable sinners; receive from him the pardon 
 of our sins and acceptance of our persons ; and then seek the 
 sanctification of our natures by the power of the Holy Spirit. 
 In the last place, 
 
SERMON XXXII. 341 
 
 IV. "We are to show that Christ is the foundation of all 
 TRUE HAPPINESS here and hereafter. 
 
 Every man longs to he happy; but few are so. The rea- 
 son is, men seek the living among the dead. It is not in the 
 power of worldly things to make us happy. Sin has written 
 vanity on all the creatures, and filled the world with sorrow. 
 Man, in his search for happiness, has turned his back on God, 
 the fountain of true felicity ; nor can he ever be happy till he 
 returns to God. This can only be by Jesus Christ. Happi- 
 ness must commence in reconciliation to God. It was once 
 well said by a minister who happened to be at an inn, where 
 he heard some persons full of vain and noisy mirth, " Gentle- 
 men," said he, "if your sins are forgiven, you do well to be 
 merry." What title has that man to happiness! who is a child 
 of wrath, and under the curse of the broken law? But when 
 a sinner has fled for refuge to Christ, he is entitled to strong 
 consolation. He that believeth hath everlasting life. Being 
 justified by faith, he hath peace with God. " Be of good 
 cheer," said Christ to some, " your sins are forgiven you." 
 And it is the happiness of some now to know this assuredly. 
 Having the Spirit of God as a spirit of conviction, humiliation, 
 faith, prayer, and holiness, they have thereby the seal of God, 
 the witness or testimony of God, that they have passed from 
 death unto life. They taste that the Lord is gracious. They 
 find solid delight in his word and ways. A day spent in his 
 courts is better than a thousand ; and they prefer an hour of 
 communion with him to all the years they spent in vanity 
 and sin. 
 
 This is the earnest of heaven. Their happiness now is in 
 having Christ with them. Their happiness hereafter shall 
 consist in being with Christ, to behold and to share his glory. 
 An inheritance is reserved for them which is incorruptible, 
 undefiled, and fadeth not away. Freed from this body of sin 
 and death, delivered from this present evil woirld, they shall 
 be for ever employed in admiring, adoring, and praising the 
 riches of free, sovereign, and distinguishing grace. At present 
 we are unable to form a just idea of heavenly glory, but this 
 
342 THE ONLY FOUNDATION. 
 
 we know as to true happiness, whether on earth or in heaven, 
 Jesus Christ is all in all. 
 
 To conclude. "We have now seen that Jesus Christ is the 
 foundation of all true wisdom, of all acceptance with God, 
 of all obedience, and of all real happiness. And is he so to 
 us ? I)o we apply to him, that we may become wise to salva- 
 tion ? Do we seek and expect pardon and acceptance only 
 through him ? Do we derive grace and strength from him ? 
 And is he the source of our happiness ? Important inquiries, 
 brethren, worthy your serious attention. Oh, you that build 
 for eternity, examine your foundation; for if it be not Christ, 
 it will fail. The house will fall, and great will be the fall 
 of it. 
 
 But some have believed through grace. Take encourage- 
 ment from what God himself says, in coimnendation of this 
 foundation : " Behold, I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone, 
 a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation : he 
 that believeth shall not make haste.^' Isaiah 28: 16. "A 
 stone" — every thing else is sliding sand, is yielding air, is a 
 breaking bubble. "A tried stone" — tried by millions of 
 depraved and ruined creatures, who always found him able 
 and willing to save to the uttermost. *'A corner-stone" — 
 uniting Jews and Gentiles and all believers,. in one harmo- 
 nious bond of brotherly love. " A precious stone" — more pre- 
 cious than rubies; the pearl of great price; and the desire of 
 all nations. "A sure foundation" — such as no pressure can 
 shake ; such as will never fail those humble penitents who 
 cast their burden on the Lord. " Whosoever believeth," though 
 pressed with adversities, or surrounded by dangers^ shall not 
 make haste. He shall possess his soul in patience. And not 
 only amidst the perilous changes of life, but even in the day 
 of judgment he shall stand with boldness. He shall look up 
 to the grand Arbitrator^ — look round on all the solemnity of 
 his appearance — look forward to the unalterable sentence, and 
 neither feel anxiety, nor fear damnation. 
 
SERMON XXXIII. 343 
 
 THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY 
 
 SEEMON^ XXXIII. 
 
 " THERE ARE THREE THAT BEAR RECORD IN HEAVEN, THE JfATHER, THE 
 WORD, AND THE HOLT GHOST : AND THESE THREE ARE ONE." 1'Johx 
 5 :7. 
 
 All religion supposes the worship of a God ; and there- 
 fore, in all worship, the first thing to be considered is, who 
 that God is, or what sort of a being is to be worshipped. 
 The heathens worshipped a great many gods; as many as 
 thirty thousand have been mentioned. But all Christians 
 admit there is but one only, the living and true God. Now 
 all the knowledge we have of God is from the Scriptures. If 
 God had not been pleased to give us the Bible, we should to 
 this day have been worshipping idols, as the former inhabit- 
 ants of this country did, and as many millions of pagans now 
 do. Reason alone never yet led any people to the right 
 knowledge of God, nor ever will. The learned Greeks and 
 wise Romans knew no more of God than the savage Indians. 
 The knowledge of God which Noah and his sons had, was 
 gradually lost and corrupted. But God made himself known 
 in a particular manner to Abraham, and to his posterity the 
 Jews, among whom the knowledge of the true God was pre- 
 served till the time of Christ; and now, by his gospel, this 
 knowledge is given to us, and to all who receive the Scrip- 
 tures as the word of God. 
 
 Now the same Scriptures which assure us there is but 
 one God, speak of him under the three names of Father, Son, 
 and Holy Ghost; and our text plainly declares that these 
 three are one. This doctrine is generally called the doctrine 
 of the Trinity, which signifies tri-unity, or three in one. 
 This doctrine has been thought by most Christians ta be very 
 plainly revealed in the word of God ; nevertheless there were 
 
344 DOCTEINE OF THE TKINITY. 
 
 some persons of old, and there are some now, who dispute or 
 deny it ; and these people are called Arians, or Socinians, and 
 some of them now call themselves Unitarians. "We oug^ht to 
 be much on our guard against those who would rob us of 
 " the faith once delivered to the saints," and of which this is 
 an eminent part. For you will please to observe, that those 
 who deny the doctrine of the Trinity, seldom stop there ; they 
 generally deny also the atonement of Jesus Christ,' and the 
 work of the Holy Spirit on the heart, and so leave us very 
 little of the gospel to believe. Indeed, many who begin by 
 the denial of the Trinity, finish in becoming downright infi- 
 dels and atheists. As a right notion of G-od is connected with 
 all true faith and holy practice, it is of great consequence for 
 us to be well established in this doctrine. It shall therefore 
 be our present business to prove, that. 
 
 In the unity op the G-odhead, there are three divine 
 Persons. 
 
 It may be proper to remark that, with respect to this doc- 
 trine, it is not necessary that we should be able fully to 
 explain it, or show how the three divine persons subsist. 
 This is, and must be, a mystery. There are many people, in 
 this age of reason, as they call it, who dislike apd reject every 
 thing mysterious; but this arises entirely from their pride. 
 There are many mysteries in nature ; we are mysteries to our- 
 selves. We know little of the nature of our own bodies, and 
 still less of our souls. Is it any wonder then that we should 
 know little of G-od, or that the divine nature should be mys- 
 terious to us ? Let us beware of pride, especially the pride of 
 our understanding. ' This pride ruined the angels who fell. It 
 ruined our first parents ; and it will ruin us eternally, if it be 
 suffered to prevail. As we should never have known any 
 thing of God but by the Bible, let us be content to take the 
 Bible account of God, which is, indeed, his own account of 
 himself And let us remember what our Saviour said to his 
 disciples, when he discovered the workings of pride among 
 them. Having set a child in the midst of them, he said, 
 " Yerily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become 
 
SEEMON XXXIII. 345 
 
 as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of 
 heaven." Matt. 18 : 3. A little child is obliged to take upon 
 trust what his infant capacity cannot yet comprehend ; and 
 it is the office of Christian faith to take God at his word. 
 
 I would also remark, that in our reception of this scrip- 
 ture doctrine, we are not bound to adopt the mode of expres- 
 sion used or enforced by any particular divines or churches. 
 Some good men, in their attempts to explain the doctrine, 
 have rather perplexed it. Some good men have said, that 
 "the Father is the fountain of Deity" — that "he communi- 
 cated his whole essence to the Son" — that "the Son is eter- 
 nally begotten of the Father," and that he is " very God, of 
 very God." As these expressions are only private interpreta- 
 tions of a Bible truth, we are at liberty to admit or reject 
 them, as they appear to us to be scriptural or not. 
 
 Now let us proceed to a brief proof of the doctrine ad- 
 vanced, namely, In the unity of the Godhead there are three 
 divine persons. By Godhead we mean the divine nature. 
 We maintain the unity of the Godhead — ^that there is but 
 one God ; yet we assert, as our text does, that there are three 
 in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and that these 
 three are one.* There is but one God. It is impossible there 
 should be more. Reason itself shows that there cannot be 
 more than one being who is first. God is the first cause of 
 all being, and we cannot conceive of two or more first causes. 
 God is also a self-sufficient being ; he existed alone ; he can 
 do every thing of himself; he needs not the help of other' 
 beings. "Now, if there were two such beings, they could do 
 no more than one could do; if they could, then one could not 
 be self-sufficient and all-sufficient ; each of them could not be 
 of God, if they could want or receive any help from one an- 
 other. There cannot therefore be two Gods ; for if one is all- 
 
 * Perhaps you will be told that this verse is not found in some ancient 
 manuscripts of the New Testament, but has been added by the Trinitarians. 
 But we are assured by men of the first learning and credibility, that it is 
 found in the most ancient copies-; and whoever examines will find that the 
 sense of the chapter is not complete without it. But the truth of the doc- 
 trine does not depend on a single text; as we shall plainly prove. 
 
346 DOCTRINE OF THE TEINITY. 
 
 sufficient, the other would be needless and useless." It is 
 the great doctrine of Scripture, that there is one God : " I am 
 the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me." 
 Isa. 45 : 5. " Hear, Israel : the Lord our God is one Lord." 
 Deut. 6:4. " There is one God ; and there is none other but 
 he." Mark 12 : 32. " Do not I fill Jieaven and earth? saith 
 the Lord." Jer. 23 : 24. " For thou, even thou only, know- 
 est the hearts of all the children of men." 1 Kings 8 : 39. 
 This is the God alone who ought to be worshipped. " Thou 
 shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou 
 serve." Matt. 4 : 10. 
 
 The adversaries of this doctrine call themselves Unitari- 
 ans, by which they mean to intimate their belief of only one 
 God, and insinuate that we who believe the Trinity, admit 
 of more than one God. But we deny the charge. We main- 
 tain, as strongly as they, that there is only one God ; and we 
 think it perfectly consistent with this belief to acknowledge 
 three persons in the Godhead. We allow that the word 
 " persons " is not found in Scripture, and may convey an idea 
 somewhat too gross. But this is owing to the poverty of our 
 language, which does not furnish us with a better term. And 
 we think it justifiable, because personal properties and per- 
 sonal acts are ascribed to each of the divine Three, But we 
 contend not for the word, but the thing. It is enough for us 
 to say with the text, " There are three that bear record in 
 heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost." 
 
 That there is a plurality in the Deity, is evident from the 
 Old Testament. This, you know, was written in Hebrew; 
 and the name which is generally translated by the English 
 word God, is in the Hebrew plural, stnd signifies more than 
 one. It is Elohim, which is in the plural number, as Gods 
 would be in English : and this word is often joined with the 
 Hebrew word Jehovah, which is translated Lord ; and when- 
 ever you find the word Lord in capital letters thus. Lord, it 
 means Jehovah, a name which signifies the essence of God, 
 "He who was, and is, and is to come." Now there is a pas- 
 sage in Deut. 6 : 4, where you have both these names, and 
 
SERMON XXXIII. . 347 
 
 which fully proves the doctrine of the Trinity. " Hear, 
 
 Israel : the Lord our Gtod is one Lord." If the word Lord 
 
 and the word God signified just the same, the passage would 
 
 be nonsense ; it would be only saying, the Lord is Lord, or one 
 
 is one : but the meariing is, that Jehovah, our Elohirp,, our 
 
 covenant God, ^Father, Son, and Spirit, is one Jehovah. He 
 
 is one in essence, though three in person. The Jews are 
 
 unwilling to own that this is the meaning of the names of 
 
 God in Hebrew, but it is entirely owing to their hatred to 
 
 Jesus Christ. If any are converted to Christianity, as some 
 
 have been, they own it immediately.* Thus John Xeres, a 
 
 converted Jew about ninety years ago, when he published 
 
 his reasons for becoming a Christian, says, " The Christians 
 
 confess Jesus to, be God ; and it is this that makes us look 
 
 upon the gospels as books that overturn the very principles 
 
 of religion, the truth of which is built upon this article, the 
 
 unity of God. In this argument lies the strength of what 
 
 you object against in the Christian religion." There he 
 
 undertakes to prove, that the unity of God is not such as he 
 
 once understood it to be, in unity of person, but of essence, 
 
 under which more persons than one are comprehended ; and 
 
 the first proof he offers is, that of the name of Elohim. 
 
 " Why else," says he, " is that frequent mention of God by 
 
 means of the plural number, as in Genesis 1:1, where the 
 
 word Elohim, which is rendered God, is of the plural nam- . 
 
 ber, though annexed to a verb of the singular number ; which 
 
 demonstrates that there are several persons partaking of the 
 
 same divine nature and essence ?" 
 
 This plurality is restricted to a trinity of persons, namely, 
 three, whose names we have in the text. And here observe, 
 that the names, Father, Word, or Son, and Spirit, are not 
 intended to describe the maimer in which the three divine 
 Persons subsist, but the manner in which they acif .• not what 
 they are in themselves^-thai is not revealed— but what they 
 
 * See an excellent treatise, entitled, The Catholic Doctrine of a Trinity, 
 proved by above a Hundred short and clear Arguments in the Words of 
 Scripture, by Mr. Jones, Eector of Pluckley, etc., printed for Eivington. 
 
348 . DOCTRINE OP THE TRINITY. 
 
 are to us, according to the respective offices which they have 
 been pleased to assume in the redemption of man. And 
 therefore, though one of the names of office may seem greater 
 than the rest, yet this does not denote that the person who 
 bears the name is greater than the other. The name of the 
 Father may seem greiater than that of the Son, or of the 
 Spirit; and Christ speaks of the Father as greater than he; 
 and the Spirit as well as the Son is " sent ;" but as these are 
 names of office, and not of essence, they only describe the 
 nature of the office assumed, which may be greater or less : but 
 as to the essence, there is no difference nor inequality, as it 
 is expressed in the Athanasian Creed : " In this Trinity, none 
 is afore nor after other ; none is greater or less than another ; 
 but the whole three persons are coeternal together, and coequal. 
 The Grodhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy G-host, 
 is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal." 
 
 Our further proof of the Trinity shall be from the history 
 of man's creation, the application of the name of the Deity 
 to each divine Person distinctly, the institution of baptism, 
 and the apostolical blessing. 
 
 In the history of man's creation we find these words, 
 " And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our 
 likeness." G-en. 1 : 26. Surely this expression denotes that 
 there is a plurality of persons in the divine nature, or why 
 should it be used ? Some tell us it is only an accommodation 
 to the mode of speaking used by kings, who in their public 
 acts say we and us. But this is ridiculous; for kings had no 
 existence before the creation of man. Besides, kings use this 
 phrase out of modesty, or to signify the concurrence of their 
 council ; but " who hath known the mind of the Lord ? or who 
 hath been his counsellor?" Rom. 11 : 34. In like manner 
 we find the Lord God saying, after one had fallen, "Behold, 
 the man is become as one of us." Gen. 3 : 22. Some think 
 this was spoken ironically, in allusion to Satan's promise 
 when he tempted our first parents to eat of the forbidden tree, 
 "Ye shall be as gods," etc. Others think it refers to the 
 covenant, in which one of the divine persons had engaged to 
 
SERMON XXXIII. 349 
 
 become man, in order to redeem man. Be this as it may, the 
 expression plainly proves a plurality, such as is more plainly 
 expressed: " In the beginning was the Word," the very name 
 used for Christ in the text, " and the Word was with God, 
 and the Word was God." John 1:1. But again, 
 
 The name of God is applied to each of the divine persons 
 distinctly. That the Father is called God need not be proved. 
 Jesus Christ is also called God in many places of Scripture. 
 Thomas said to him, " My Lord and my God." John 20 : 28. 
 St. Paul says, " He is over all, God blessed for ever." Rom. 
 9 : 5. St. John says, Jesus Christ is " the true God, and 
 eternal life." 1 John 5:20. The Psalmist says that the 
 Israelites in the wilderness " tempted and provoked the most 
 HIGH God ;" and St. Paul, speaking of the same thing, says, 
 " They tempted Christ;" consequently he is "the most high 
 God." Psalm 78 : 56, and 1 Cor. 10 : 9. Isaiah had a vision, 
 concerning which he says, " Mine eyes have seen the King, 
 the Lord of hosts." Isa. 6 : 5. St. John, speaking of that 
 vision says, " These things said Esaias, when he saw his," 
 Christ's, " glory, and spake of him," John 12 : 41 ; from 
 whence it follows, that Jesus is the Lord of hosts. And 
 let it be carefully observed, that the name Lord or Jehovah, 
 which signifies the essence of God, is never, upon any occa- 
 sion, given to a creature. Yet this name is given to Jesus 
 Christ, as in the text last mentioned, and also in the follow- 
 ing: " This is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord," 
 that is, Jehovah, " our righteousness." Jer. 23 : 6. Now who 
 is the righteousness of believers ? Every Christian kijows, 
 that " Christ is made unto us— righteousness." And in Isa. 
 43 : 11, "I, even I, am the Lord; and besides me there is no 
 Saviour." But we know who alone is the Saviour of the 
 world, even " our Lord and .Saviour Jesus Christ." But 
 unless he were God as well as man, he could be no Saviour ; 
 for Jehovah says there is no Saviour besides himself* Pass- 
 
 * If the reader wishes to see more proofs of this kind, let him consult 
 the following places : Isa. 8 : 13, 14-, with 1 Pet. 2 : 7, 8 ; Isa. 44 : 5, with 
 Rev. 22 : 13 ; Luke 1 : 76, with Matt. 11:10; 2 Cor. 5 : 19 ; John 14 : 11 ; 
 
350 DOCTEINE OP THE TRINITY. 
 
 ing by many more texts, for want of room, we shall mention 
 but one more in proof of our Lord's divinity. Our Saviour 
 has graciously promised his presence with all his people 
 whenever they assemble together. "Where two or three 
 are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst 
 of them." Matt. 18 : 20. Now how is it possible for Christ 
 to be present in all the thousands of places where Christians 
 are assembled, unless he be the true G-od ? 
 
 In like manner, we might show that the jieculiar names 
 of the Deity are given to the Holy Spirit, and that therefore 
 he also is a Person, and a divine Person. One, out of many, 
 may be suiBcient. St. Peter reproving Ananias for the lie he 
 had told respecting his substance, saith, " Why hath Satan 
 filled thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost ?" Acts 5:3; 
 and in the next verse, he adds, "Thou, hast not lied unto 
 men, but unto God^ This is a most plain and undeniable 
 proof that the Holy Grhost is Grod.* 
 
 The ordinance of Christian baptism affords another proof 
 of the Trinity. In the baptism of our Lord himself, a voice 
 from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son;" also, "The 
 Holy Spirit descended" visibly, "like a dove, lighting upon 
 him." Matt. 3 : 16, 17. Here was the Trinity. The Father 
 testifying to the Son, and the Spirit descending upon him. 
 Hence, the primitive Christians used to say to any who 
 doubted the truth of this doctrine, " Gro to Jordan, and you 
 will see the Trinity.^ Plainer still is this truth from the 
 form of words appointed to oe used in Christian baptism, 
 " Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
 and of the Holy G-host." This is an ordinance of initiation ; 
 it stands as it were at the threshold of Christianity ; so that 
 in taking upon us this distinguishing badge of the Christian 
 profession, we avow this gre.at doctrine. We are baptized 
 
 Isa. 9:6; Rev. 1:8; 1 Kings 8 : 39, with Rev. 2 : 23. And as to those 
 places in which Christ saith, The Father is greater than I, etc., they are 
 understood as his human nature and office, or as the Creed expresses it, 
 " inferior to the Father as touching his manhood." 
 
 * .Other proofs may be found in Acts 13 : 2, 4 ; 2 Tim. 3 : 16, compared 
 with 2 Pet. 1 : 21 ; 1 Cor. 3 : 16, with 1 Cor. 6 : 19 ; 2 : 11, 14 ; Psa. 139 : 7. 
 
SERMON XXXm. 351 
 
 into the name of each divine Person, that is, hy the authority 
 of each, and into the faith, worship, and profession of each, 
 equally and alike, as the One Grod of the Christian religion. 
 Hereby we profess the Trinity, that is, One God in three 
 Persons, in opposition to all false gods and false worship, and 
 thereby dedicate ourselves to them, according to their per- 
 sonal relations: to the Father as our Creator, and as recon- 
 ciled in Christ ; to Christ as our Redeemer, to deliver us from 
 the guilt and power of sin ; and to the Holy Spirit, to teach, 
 comfort, and sanctify us. This is a kind of proof of the doc- 
 trine suited to the weakest capacity. Each of the sacred 
 Three is mentioned distinctly and by name, which certainly 
 implies a distinction of persons; yet they are all united in 
 the same ordinance of baptism, which shows their equality 
 and unity. So that all who would not renounce that sacred 
 ordinance may see in it a full, clear, and satisfactory proof of 
 the Trinity. 
 
 Much the same may be said of the apostolical benediction, 
 " The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, 
 and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. 
 Amen." 2 Cor. 13 : 14. In these words St. Paul prayed for 
 the Corinthians, and in the same words almost all Christian 
 ministers pray for their people at the close of every public 
 service. It is a kind of prayer to each divine Person singly, 
 expressing a desire that the people may partake of the grace 
 of Christ, who is " full of grace," through whose mediation 
 we are reconciled to God ; that they may also enjoy the love 
 of God, namely, of God the Father, which is the source of our 
 whole salvation, manifested in the gift of his Son, his Spirit, 
 and his word ; and finally, that they may partake of the 
 Holy Ghost, as all real Christians do, in his application to 
 their souls of all the blessings of salvation proceeding from 
 the Father, and flowing to us through the Son. And thus 
 are we continually reminded of this great truth, and led also 
 to make a practical use of it, in seeking from each of the 
 divine Persons the peculiar blessing that each, in the economy 
 of the covenant, has undertaken to bestow. 
 
352 DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. 
 
 From what has been said, however briefly, it is sufficient- 
 ly evident that the doctrine of the Trinity is a scrijitnral 
 doctrine ; and as such, we are bound to receive it, unless we 
 renounce our Bibles. It is true that it is a sublime and mys- 
 terious doctrine, yet there is nothing at all in it contrary to 
 reason. Some men make a great outcry against it. They 
 tell us it is absolutely impossible that three should be one, 
 and that the Trinitarians must believe there are three Gods. 
 In answer to this we say, we do not affirm that the three are 
 one in the same sense that they are three. They are three 
 in one respect, one in another. We say they are three in 
 person, one in essence. We affirm that the Father, Son, 
 and Holy Grhost are not three Grods, but one God. We have 
 abundantly proved from Scripture, that there are three to 
 whom divine names are given, divine attributes ascribed, and 
 divine offices assigned ; and we affirm, with our text, and 
 according to the whole tenor of Scripture, and the voice of 
 reason too, that there are Three in One. And what is there 
 in all this absurd or contradictory ? Were we to affirm that 
 three are one in the same respect as they are three, it would 
 no doubt be a contradiction in terms: we say not that three 
 persons are one person, or three Gods are one God; but we 
 say that the three persons , are one God. This is revealed, 
 therefore we believe \t ; and though we cannot fully compre- 
 hend it, we think it becomes such weak and falliblb creatures 
 as ourselves humbly to receive it, with other truths, as the 
 word of God, and not of man. 
 
 But it is by no means enough merely to assent to the doc- 
 trine, we ought to inake a practical use of it. It is far from 
 being a matter of speculation; it is a branch of our "most 
 holy faith." We should be concerned not to hold this, or any 
 other truth, in unrighteousness: and no doctrine, however 
 true and important, will avail us, without an experience of 
 its sanctifying power on our hearts. Let us be concerned 
 then, as perishing sinners, to apply to each of the divine Per- 
 sons: to the Father, for the pardon of our sins through his 
 infinite love and free mercy; to the Son, for an interest in his 
 
SEEMON XXXIir. 353 
 
 blood, righteousness, and intercession ; and to the Holy Spirit, 
 for his illuminating; sanctifying, quickening, and influencing 
 comforts. 
 
 Let us adore and praise the eternal Three : the Father, for 
 his electing love, and the unspeakable gift of that love, the 
 Lord Jesus Christ his only begotten Son. Let us adore and 
 praise the dear Redeemer, ascribing blessing, and honor, and 
 glory, and praise, to him that loved us, and washed us from 
 our sins in hife own blood. Let us adore and praise the Holy 
 Spirit, for his gracious influences accompanying the word of 
 truth, whereby we knew ourselves, and felt the power of the 
 gospel to our salvation. Thus shall we resemble the blessed 
 angels, who are incessantly praising the glorious Trinity, and 
 crying, " Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty, which was, 
 and is, and is to come." 
 
 We shall close the whole with that excellent collect used 
 by the church of England on Trinity Sunday. 
 
 " Almighty and everlasting G-od, who hast given unto us, 
 thy servants, grabe, by the confession of a true faith, to ac- 
 knowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power 
 of the divine Majesty to worship the Unity; we beseech thee 
 that thou wouldest keep us steadfast in this faith, and ever- 
 more defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest 
 One God, world without end. Atnen." 
 
354 POWER OF THE GOSPEL. 
 
 THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL. 
 
 SERMOJiT XXXIY. 
 
 "I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OP CHRIST ; FOR IT IS THE POWER 
 OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERY ONE. THAT BELIEVETH." Rom. 
 1:16. 
 
 If we wisely consider the signs of the times, we are con- 
 strained to say, " This is a day of rebuke and hlasphemy." 
 Knowledge increases ; arts and sciences flourish ; commerce 
 is extended ; almost every thing is in a state of improve- 
 ment : but what shall we say of religion ? Alas, how many 
 among us content ourselves with the name and the shadow 
 of it, while we deny its power. How many others, still more 
 careless, neglect even the form of godliness; "while others, 
 grown bolder in sin, are weary of the gospel itself, dispute 
 its truth, revile its power, and are seated in the chair of the 
 scorner; in a word, are " ashamed of the gospel of Christ," 
 
 Not so that great and good man whose words we have 
 read. He was a. bold and successful minister of the gospel 
 He had preached it in many countries, but hitherto had no 
 opportunity of preaching it at Rome; but hearing that Chris- 
 tians were even there, he sends them this letter, expresses his 
 love to their souls, and his earnest desire to pome and preach 
 Christ's gospel there. It was a great and populous city, one 
 of the greatest in the world, and he well knew he should meet 
 with much opposition, and perhaps be in danger of his life, yet 
 he says, " I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ;" adding 
 this good reason for his boldness, " for it is the power of God 
 unto^salvation," to every believer, whether Jew or Gentile. 
 Now, that it may, by the Blessing of God, be so to us, let us, 
 
 1. Take a general view of the nature of the gospel. 
 
 2. Consider the important design and use of it — ^it is " the 
 power of God unto salvation ; " and then, 
 
SERMON XXXIV. 355 
 
 3. Show that there is no reason why we should be ashamed 
 of it, but rather that we ought to glory in it. 
 
 I. Let us take a general view of the nature of the gospel. 
 What is the gospel 1 what do we mean by it ? It may be 
 feared that many who are called Christians,; would be at a 
 loss for an answer to this question. Now there are several 
 points of view in which we may behold the gospel. It cer- 
 tainly contains a history of the most remarkable and impor- 
 tant events, especially the incarnation of the Son of God, his 
 holy and spotless life, his amazing miracles, his excellent 
 sermons, his bloody passion and cruel death, his resurrection 
 from the grave, and his ascension to glory. The gospel also 
 contains the purest and best system of morals that was ever 
 offered to the world ; and would to God they were but prac- 
 tised ! The gospel likewise displays the infinite perfections 
 of God, his holiness, justice, and love especially; for " He who 
 was in the bosom of the Father hath declared him." The 
 gospel demands our attention also, as it affords a wonderful 
 discovery of a future state, an eternal heaven and hell, in one 
 of which each of us -must soon be fixed for ever. In all these 
 respects the gospel deserves and requires our serious and cor- 
 dial regard. 
 
 But all this falls infinitely short of the true niature of the 
 gospel. The word gospel, in the original, signifies good news, 
 or glad tidings, as it is written in the prophet, Isa. 52 : 7, and 
 quoted by St. Paul, "How beautiful are the feet of them that 
 preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good 
 things!" — observe, glad tidings of good things! Rom. 10 : 15. 
 This is a just description of the. gospel: never were there 
 things so good as those contained in the gospel ; never were 
 there tidings so glad as those reported by the gospel. You 
 are to consider the gospel as a message of mercy from God to 
 sinners, as a declaration of his good wi,ll to lost and ruined 
 man. Take it in Christ's own words, " God so loved the 
 world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
 believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." 
 Or take it in the words of St. Paul, " This is a faithful say- 
 
356 POWER OF THE GOSPEL. 
 
 ing, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came 
 into the world to save sinners." Now you will observe in 
 these texts, the condition of those to whom these glad tidings 
 are sent — a world of men ready to perish, and who must have 
 perished if God had not sent his Son to save them. They 
 are sinners whoin. Christ came to save. My friends, we can 
 never rightly understand one word of the gospel, unless we 
 know and feel our miserable and perishing state as sinners. 
 In Adam we all fell. From him we derive a sinful nature. 
 Our minds are in total darkness as to Grod, and the things 
 which belong. to our peace. Our hearts are disaffected to 
 God ; we shun him ; we fly from him, as Adam did when he 
 had sinned. And as to our lives, they are lives of rebellion 
 against him. Our carnal minds are " enmity against God ;" 
 they are " not subject to the law of God," neither can they be, 
 till renewed by grace. And being breakers of the holy law, 
 we are under the curse and penalty of it ; obnoxious to the di- 
 vine wrath, and liable every minute to death and damnation.' 
 
 Now, do we know this; do we believe this; do we feel 
 and lament that this is our case ; and does this lead us to cry 
 out in good earnest, "Men and brethren, what. must we do to 
 be saved ?" If so, we are prepared to receive the good news 
 of the gospel. To such persons especially, is the word of 
 this salvation sent. It informs them that God, in his infinite 
 mercy to sinful man, has sent his only begotten Son to take our 
 nature; and in this nature, and as our surety, to obey the laws 
 which we had broken — ^to make an atoiiement, or satisfaction 
 for sin by his death, and so reconcile us to God. And also that 
 he will give his Holy Spirit to his people, by whose influences 
 accompanying the gospel, their, minds shall be enlightened in 
 the knowledge of the truth ; they shall be enabled to believe 
 in Jesus, to repent of their sins after a godly sort, and to be- 
 come new creatures, so as to love, obey, and enjoy him here, 
 and at length be made perfectly happy in heaven for ever. 
 
 And is not this good news? So the first Christians 
 ■ thought. Wheii Philip went down to Samaria, and " preach- 
 ed Christ " there, we are told " there was great joy in that 
 
SERMON XXXIV. 357 
 
 city." When the G-alatians first heard a gospel preached, 
 they received him "as an angel of God, even as Christ Je- 
 sus ;" and had it heen possible, they would have plucked out 
 their eyes, and have given them to him ; such was the blessed- 
 ness they then enjoyed. And when the poor heathen jailer 
 of Philippi was brought to the saving knowledge of Christ, 
 " he rejoiced, believing in G-od with all his house." And so 
 it will be with us, in some measure, if we are sensible of our 
 need of Christ, and if we heartily receive this good news. If 
 an army of rebels subdued in war, and at the will of their 
 conqueror, were doomed to death, would it not fill their 
 hearts with joy to be told that the king, for the sake of his 
 son, had freely pardoned them all, and received them to his 
 favor, and would never more remember their offence ? Or if a 
 company of miserable prisoners in such a place as the French 
 bastile, or the Spanish inquisition, who had endured all the 
 horrors of a rigorous confinement for many years, were to hear 
 the sound of liberty and freedom, would it not gladden their 
 very souls ? Such are the " glad tidings of great joy" which 
 the gospel brings to this present company to-day ; and such will 
 be their effect too, if you believe to the saving of your souls. 
 
 And this, you will perceive, is a very different scheme 
 from that of those who tell us, that if we are but sincere, and 
 do as well as we can, God is merciful, and we need not fear ; 
 and who make no more of Christ than a good man, who 
 came to teach good things, and to set us a good example, and 
 to assure us that God will accept our repentance and sincere 
 obedience, instead of that which his law requires. Beware 
 of this merely moral scheme ; it will be poison to your souls. 
 If Paul had taught only morality, he need not have said, " I 
 am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." The philosophers 
 of Rome would have made no objection to it ; but it was the 
 satisfaction of Christ, the sacrifice of Christ, the righteousness 
 of Christ, which they despised. . The cross was the stumbling- 
 block of the Jews, and the banter of the Gentiles. But noth- 
 ing deserves the name of gospel which does not make a pre- 
 cious Jesus " all in all," "the first and the last" in our whole 
 
358 POWER OP THE GOSPEL. 
 
 salvation. Therefore when the 'gospel Began to he corrupted 
 by false teachers, who told them they must be circumcised 
 and keep the law of Moses, besides believing in Christ, St. 
 Paul cried out aloud against the motley mixture of Christ's 
 righteousness and man's righteousness; he called it another 
 gospel, and protested against it,, saying, " If any man preach 
 any other gospel unto yoii, than that which we have preached 
 unto you, let him be accursed." 
 
 TI. The important design and use of the gospel — it is the 
 power of God tinto salvation ; that is, it is the powerful in- 
 strument which God employs, and makes effectual to the 
 salvation of believing sinners. 
 
 Salvation is the grand object which G-od has in view in 
 , the gospel. Salvation is a great word, hut a greater thing. 
 Nothing so great, nothing so important, as the salvation of a 
 soul that must be happy or miserable for • ever. And it is 
 sad to think that poor thoughtless nrortgsls should ever use 
 such a word in a light and profane manner, ^'V^hat is more 
 common than to hear a person say, As I hope to be saved! 
 And what notion have such people of salvation 1 They only 
 hope that when they die. " they shall not go down to hell, a 
 place of fire and torment ; hut that they shall go up to heaven, 
 to some fine unknown shining place above the skies, where 
 they shall be free from all pain and uneasiness." Poor igno- 
 rant creatures,, they have no desire to be saved from sin, nei- 
 ther frbm the guilt nor the power of it — no desire to have 
 their hearts changed, their nature refined, and their souls 
 filled with the love of Christ. But the salvation proposed 
 in the gospel is great and glorious beyond description; the 
 greatest blessing that God can bestow, or man receive. And 
 it is by the gospel that he conveys this blessing. "Wise men 
 in all ages have seen the need of some remedy for human 
 nature in its miserable and fallen state. Philosophers and 
 lawgivers have tried their skill in vain. They were physi- 
 cians of no value. The gospel provides the only medicine for 
 the cure of the soul, and this is effectual. It is God's power 
 to salvation. It is the po-werfnl means, in the hand of the 
 
SEEMON XXXIV. 35,9 
 
 Spirit, to save us from the guilt of sin, £i,nd. to give us a right 
 to heaven ;. and to save us from the power of sin, and to make 
 us fit for heaven. 
 
 1. It is the power of God with respect to the pardon of 
 our sins, and the justification of our jyersons. Without the 
 gospel we could never have heen sure that the great God 
 would pardon a sinner ; we could never have known upon 
 what terms he would do it. We could never have heen 
 certain that we were actually in a state of favor. Eut the 
 gospel is a message from God himself, assuring us not only 
 that " there is forgiveness with him,", but inviting us to apply 
 for it and accept of it. The gospel is " the ministry of recon- 
 ciliation ; namely, that God was in Christ, reconciling the 
 world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." 
 God has appointed and accepted the mediation and sacrifice 
 of his Son, for the satisfaction of his law and justice, and 
 making peace ; so that he might not charge any sin, or inflict 
 any punishment upon those who believe, or receive the atone- 
 ment. Upon this gfound, the ministers of the gospel, as am- 
 bassadors for Christ, pray and beseech sinners to be reconciled 
 to God. Since satisfaction is actually made to the justice of 
 God by the death of his Son, that he may honorably show 
 favor to sinners, they entreat them, by these gracious encour- 
 agements, to throw down their arms of rebellion, to submit to 
 mercy in God's own way, and to yield themselves up to him 
 without reserve, that everlasting peace and friendship may 
 be estabjished. 
 
 That this is the principal design of the text appears from 
 the next verse. Por in the gospel is the righteousness of God 
 by faith revealed to faith — the righteousness of Christ, which 
 becomes ours by faith^ is revealed to be believed on, and 
 trusted in. Now, God makes this gospel his power to salva- 
 tion. This is the doctrine which he owns and blesses. By 
 the power of his Spirit he opens the understanding to receive 
 it, and the heart to believe it. Thus the sinner comes to 
 God, is accepted, and saved. 
 
 2. It is the power of God with respect to renewing our 
 
360 POWER OF THE GOSPEL. 
 
 spirit, restoring the image of God in our souls, subduing our 
 sins, and forming us to that " holiness, without which no man 
 can see the Lord." It was as much the design of Christ to 
 save us from sin, as to save us from hell. We are to esteem 
 it a precious part of his salvation, to he delivered from the 
 slavery of the devil, and the tyranny of our native corrup- 
 tions. The doctrine of " salvation hy grace, through faith," 
 is so far from heing contrary to holiness, or hurtful to good 
 works, that it is G-od's pbwerful instrument of producing 
 them. The gospel of Jesus Christ contains the purest pre- 
 cepts in the world. ■ The instructions of Christ to his disciples 
 contain the nohlest morality, infinitely better than all that 
 the heathen sages ever knew. The gospel also furnishes us 
 with motives to obedience infinitely stronger than any other. 
 Here sin appears to be sinful indeed, especially in the agonies 
 and sufferings of Jesus. Hejre holiness appears with heavenly 
 beauty, in the character and conduct of the dear Redeemer. 
 Here we are forcibly drawn by the love of Christ, who re^ 
 quires, as a proof of our love to him, that we keep his com- 
 mandments. He expects all his followers to reseirible him. 
 He requires them to deny themselves and to take up their 
 cross daily: to mortify the deeds of the body; to part with 
 sin, though as dear as a right hand or a right eye; to set 
 their affections on things above;. to be fervent in their devo- 
 tions to God ; to abound in every good word and work ; to be 
 honest and just in all their actions; to be charitable to the 
 poor and needy; tb visit the sick, to feed the hungry, to clothe 
 the naked ; in a word, to " love our neighbor as ourselves." 
 
 Nor does the gospel only require such holy dispositions 
 and actions, but it enables believers to attain and perform 
 them. By the same faith which receives Christ as our right- 
 eousness, we are united to him; for without him we can do 
 nothing, and by virtue of union to him we can do all things. 
 As the branch derives virtue from the tree to bear fruit, so be- 
 lievers receive out of the fulness of Christ, " grace for grace," 
 so that they bring forth the fruits of righteousness and goodness, 
 which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. 
 
SEKMON XXXIV. 361 
 
 3. The salvation of God thus begun, shall he perfected in 
 glory. Grace is the bud of glory. Even now, the heius of 
 heaven have a foretaste of heaven. They have the Spirit of 
 God, who is the seal and the earnest. "Hereby," says St. 
 John, "know we that we dwell in God, and he in us," be- 
 cause he hath given us of his Spirit. This is the great 
 evidence, the great ground of assurance^ that we are in a 
 state of salvation, that we have everlasting life; and having 
 the earnest, we may depend upon the full possession. What 
 a source of consolation is this, in all the troubles of this mis- 
 erable world ! Here only is an antidote to death. And this 
 is enough. If sin be pardoned, death cannot hurt us. The 
 sting of death is sin, but Christ has extracted the sting. 
 Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. Soon shall the believer be delivered from 
 all the trials of the present state. The separated spirit shall 
 be with Christ, and the mortal body shall be raised a glorious 
 body. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the 
 kingdom of the Pather. Thus, you see, the gospel is the 
 power of God to present and eternal salvation. And is this 
 a thing to be ashamed of? God forbid. This is what we 
 were in the third and last place to prove, namely, that, 
 
 III. There is no reason why we should be ashamed of the 
 gospel, but rather that we ought to glory in it. 
 
 Shame is a very powerful passion. It was introduced by 
 sin, and should be applied to nothing else. But it is the 
 misery of our fallen nature that we " glory in our shame," 
 and are ashamed of our glory. Wicked men are not ashamed 
 of sin, bvit they areashamedof that gospel which would save 
 them from sin. Through the temptations of the devil, and 
 the ignorance, pride, and carnality of the human heart, true 
 religion has always been accounted a shameful thing, so that 
 it has always required a holy boldness to make an open pro- 
 fession of it. But let us see what it is that makes men 
 ashamed of the gospel, and whether there be any good reason 
 for being so. 
 
 1. Some are ashamed of the gospel, because it is chiefly 
 
362 pow;er op the gospel. 
 
 poor and mean people who profess it. This was an objection, 
 made by the Pharisees to our Saviour himself: " Have any of 
 the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed on him ?" The mean- 
 ness of Christ's outward appearance, and that of his followers,, 
 was a stiiinbling-block to the Jews. But there is nothing 
 solid in this objection. The design of G-od in the gospel is to 
 humble the pride, of man, and therefore he hath chosen the 
 foolish, weak, base, and despised things of the world to con- 
 found the things that are wise, mighty, and honorable, that 
 no flesh should glory in his presence. Christ rejoiced that 
 "the poor had the gospel preached unto them," and that 
 divine things were " revealed unto babes." 
 
 2. Some ate, ashamed of the gospel, because it is, as they 
 pretend, such as none but weak and ignorant people can em- 
 brace. So the Greeks, who were IcEirned and wise, accounted 
 it at first. So many who are " wise in their own conceit," now 
 reckon it. They pretend that there are mysteries in it which 
 cannot be understood, such as the Trinity, the incarnation, 
 the atonement, regeneration, the resurrection, etc. To this we 
 answer, there are mysteries in nature which the wisest man 
 cannot explain, and is it any wonder that there should (be 
 mysteries in religion; especially that God, who is an infinite 
 Spirit, should be above our comprehension ? It is true, that 
 there are many things in the gospel alcove our reason, but we 
 defy any man to prove that there is one thing contrary to 
 reason. Besides, it should be remembered that man is a 
 fallen creature ; that the thoughts of his heart are evil con- 
 tinually; that "the natural man," the animal or rational 
 man, " reeeivetli not the things, of the Spirit of God, neither 
 can he know them, because they are spiritually, discerned." 
 Hence we see that reason, though a noble gift of God, is in- 
 sufficient to guide us in matters of religion; and he who 
 would be saved, must humble himsfelf as a little child, and 
 pray to be taught of God. But, 
 
 3. The true and greatest cause why many are ashamed 
 of the gospel is, that it requires a separation from the world, 
 the denial of self, the mortification of sin. It will not allow 
 
SERMON XXXIV. 363 
 
 a man to live like a brute in the indulgence of his carnal 
 lusts. It requires a life of faith, repentance, devotion ; in a 
 word, Christ says to every professor of his religion, "Give 
 me thy heart." Now, while a man remains in his natural 
 state, he loves the world, he loves sin, and his heart is enmity 
 against God ; " he loves darkness rather than light, because 
 his deeds are evil." 
 
 But this holy teudency of the gospel is so far from being 
 an objection to it, that we should prize it on this very ac- 
 count ; this proves it came from God, and on this account St. 
 Paul gloried in it. " God forbid that I should glory, save in 
 the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is cru- 
 cified to me, and I ain crucified to the world." 
 
 Ar)d now, men and brethren, suffer the word of exhorta- 
 tion. Has God, in his infinite mercy, sent us this glorious 
 gospel ? then let us be very thankful for it, and very atten- 
 tive to it. Let it be the study of our lives, and the delight of 
 o^ur hearts. Nothing so justly demands, nothing can so well 
 repay our best regard, as this. It is God's greatest and best 
 gift to a lost world. And he takes particular notice how we 
 receive it. let us beware of neglecting it. Angels desire 
 to look into these things; and shall not we study them dili- 
 gently, w^ho are so much^ more interested in them ? Com- 
 pared with the gospel, all other books are waste paper. Com- 
 pared with the gospel tidings, all other news is trifling. This 
 alone can teach us how we may be pardoned and sanctified ; 
 this alone can secure our happiness in time and eternity. 
 
 We have now heard that the gospel is the power of God ; 
 it is that which he works by, and renders effectual to the 
 salvation — of whom ? To whom is this gospel the powerful 
 instrument of salvation ? It is only to them that believe. 
 Let infidels tremble; they, alas, have no part nor lot in this 
 matter. Faith begins in an assent, a cordial assent to the 
 truth of the gospel. It is received as a divine testimony. 
 The believer sets his seal to it, that it is true. Faith pro- 
 ceeds to trust in Christ. " He first gives a firm assent to the 
 
364 POWEE OF THE GOSPEL. 
 
 gospel, then cordially accepts its blessings; from a conviction 
 that the doctrine is true, he passes to a persuasion that the 
 privileges are his own." The believer then cleaves insepa- 
 rably to Christ, depends incessantly on Christ. Glaldly does 
 he renounce all dependence on himself, all ideas of human 
 merit; he flies to this refuge, there he is safe; he builds on 
 this foundation, and he shall never be removed. This done, 
 sweet peace takes possession of his conscience; hope enlivens 
 his breast; love warms his heart; zeal fires his soul; and he 
 cries, " Dearest Saviour, I am thine. Henceforth I will follow 
 thee. I will serve thee all my days on earth, and I desire to 
 be. with thee for ever in heaven." 
 
 Are any ashamed of this gospel^^a gospel so wise, so holy, 
 so honorable to God, so safe to man ? Let them be ashamed 
 of it who never knew its nature, who never felt its power. 
 No man can be ashamed of it, if it be the power of Grod to 
 his soul. No; " he that believeth hath the witness," or testi- 
 mony, "in himself;" he can give a reason of the hope that 
 is in him. And being baptized unto Christ, he will not be 
 " ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and man- 
 fully to fight under his banner against, sin, the world, and the 
 devil ; and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant 
 unto his life's end." And Oh, beware, beware, young people, 
 lest any seduce you from the faith by the pride of reason and 
 sophistry of wicked men. Ever be on your guard, and remem- 
 ber those awfal words of Christ : " Whosoever shall be asham- 
 ed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful gener- 
 ation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when 
 he Cometh in the glory of his Eather with the holy angels." 
 
 Finally, " let every one that nameth the name of Christ 
 depart from all iniquity." As we must not be ashamed of 
 the gospel, neither let us be a shame to it. Many are too 
 much prejudiced against the Bible even to read it, but they 
 love to read the lives of professors. Let them see the holy 
 gospel transcribed in our daily walk. So shall we adorn and 
 recommend it to the world, and constrain them to say that 
 Christianity is all divine. 
 
SERMON XXXV. 365 
 
 SIK AND DEATH, OR GRACE AND LIFE. 
 
 SERMON XXXV. 
 
 "IF YE LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YE SHALL DIE; BUT IF YE THROUGH 
 THE SPIRIT DO MORTIFY THE DEEDS OF THE BODY, YE SHALL LIVE.'- 
 Rom. 8 : 13. 
 
 These words set before us life and death — eternal life, 
 or eternal death : they plainly show us what will be the 
 eternal consequence of a life of sin, or of a state of' grace ; and 
 therefore it is of the greatest importance to us clearly to un- 
 derstand tbem, in order that we may know what will be our 
 future portion. "It is a question," said an old divine, "you 
 ought seriously to put to yourselves, Shall I be saved, or shall 
 I be damned? If you have any spark of conscience left, 
 when you are sick, or dying, you will put it with an anxious 
 and trembling heart. Poor soul, whither art thou going ?" It 
 is better, my friends, to put this question now, while you have 
 opportunity to correct your error, if hitherto you have been 
 wrong. And nothing will sooner determine it than this text. 
 " If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die," etc. These words 
 contain two things which I shall express in two plain sen- 
 tences. 
 
 1. If sin live in us, we must die eternally; and, 
 
 2. If sin die in us, we shall live eternally. 
 
 I. If sin LIVE in us, we shall die ; that is, if it reign and 
 rule: " if we live after the flesh, we shall die." 
 
 By the flesh, we are to understand human nature in its 
 present fallen state. Man is made up of two parts, body and 
 soul, or flesh and spirit, but man is now called ^esA, because 
 the spirit is dead to God, and he lives only a fleshly or animal 
 life. So God spoke of the wicked world before the flood : 
 " And the Lord said. My Spirit shall not always strive with 
 man " that is, by the good counsels and faithful warnings of 
 
366 DEATH AND LIFE. 
 
 Noah and others, "for that he also is flesh" — ^incurably cor- 
 rupt, carnal and sensual ; sunk into the mire of sin and flesh- 
 ly lusts. Gen. 6 : 3. This is still the case of all men hefoi'e 
 they receive the grace of God — ^they are flesh. They take 
 their name from that part which rules, which is the flesh, 
 and not the spirit ; they are wholly engaged by things which 
 concern the body and its sensual delights. Hence it is that 
 the mind itself is called carnal ox fleshly : "For they that 
 are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh ; but they 
 that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be 
 carnally minded is death ; but to be spiritually minded is life 
 and peace." Rom. 8 : 5, 6. This bad turn of mind is called 
 flesh, because it exerts itself by means of the senses and 
 members of the body; for carnal men "yield their members 
 servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity." Rom. 
 6 : 19. Habits and practices of uncleanness and iniquity are 
 like tyrannical lords and masters, which rule over sinners, to 
 whom they have resigned the members of their bodies, and 
 the affections of their minds. 
 
 Now, to "live after the flesh," is to obey the dictates and 
 orders of our corrupt nature — -to gratify its sinful desires with- 
 out regard to the will of God, yea, in direct contradiction to 
 his will. And this will appear more plainly by considering 
 the actions, the words, and the thoughts of a carnal man. 
 
 Take a view, in the first place, of his actions. Among 
 these the apostle mentions " adultery, fornication, unclean- 
 ness," etc* Gal. 5:19. These are abominations to which 
 corrupt nature is strongly inclined. The world is full of pul- 
 lution through lust. In youth, especially, these sins are pre- 
 dominant ; and " it is a shame even to speak of those things 
 that are done in secret." And however lightly the sins of 
 uncleanness may be thought of in general, we are assured by 
 the Scriptures, that " whoremongers and adulterers God will 
 judge." Drunkenness is a work of the flesh. Fools make a 
 mock at this sin, but St. Paul declares, that "drunkards 
 shall not inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor. 6 : 10. It is 
 very conunon for a person to promise himself security in this 
 
SERMON XXXV. 367 
 
 sin, arid tq say, " I shall have peace, though I walk in the 
 imagination of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst ;" 
 but what does God say in this case ? " The Lord will not 
 spare him, but the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall 
 smoke against that man." Deut. 29 : 19. The profane man 
 also lives after the flesh. What can be a plainer proof that 
 man is destitute of the fear of God, than his daring to set the 
 Most High at defiance, and wantonly and wickedly to take 
 his awful name in vain ? The Sabbath-breaker lives after 
 the flesh : the man who, having no regard to the authority 
 of God, no love to his service, and no care for his own soul, 
 dares to spend the sacred hours of the Lord's day in worldly 
 business, idleness, and pleasure. The conduct of the Sab- 
 bath-breaker proves, in a dreadful manner, that he is flesh, 
 and as much a stranger to the life of God in the soul as the 
 beasts that perish. " Let no man^then deceive himself with 
 vain words ; for because of these things cometh the wrath of 
 God upon the children of disobedience." 
 
 Eut it is not only by these grossly immoral actions that 
 men appear to live after the flesh, a man's speech betrayeth 
 him. " Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak- 
 eth." We have already mentioned cursing and swearing, on 
 account of which our land moumeth. Equally carnal is that 
 " corrupt communication which proceedeth out of the mouth ;" 
 that "filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting, which are not 
 convenient." how is the tongue, the glory of man, debased 
 by lying, slandering, evil speaking, lewd songs, and wanton 
 speeches. "The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity; it 
 defileth our members, and is set on fire of hell." Jas. 3 : 6. 
 The conversation of carnal men is wholly carnal. They can 
 talk fluently for hours together upon worldly subjects, but 
 let the things of God be introduced, the company is struck 
 dumb ; natural men can find nothing to say to God, or to one 
 another, on the great and glorious subjects of salvation and ■ 
 eternal life. 
 
 But we must go a step further: " As a man thinheth in his 
 heart, so is he." A man must be judged of by his prevailing,> 
 
368 DEATH AND LIFE. 
 
 ehosien, and delightful thoughts. "Out of the heart;" said 
 our Lord, " proceed evil thoughts." A good man may have 
 bad thoughts, but a bad man, a natural man, cannot have 
 good thoughts. A good man hates vain, wicked, or blas- 
 phemous thoughts; but a wicked man loves, cherishes, and 
 delights in them. It is said of the wicked, " God is not in 
 all his thoughts." He rises in the morning without any 
 thoughts of God. He goes about his business without any 
 thoughts of him. He sits down to his table, and rises from 
 it without any thoughts of him. And he goes to rest like a 
 beast, in the same manner. Thus it is said, in verse five of this 
 chapter, " They that are after the flesh do mind the things 
 of the flesh"— they are c'arnally minded ; they constantly and 
 habitually consult and relish, pursue and delight in only 
 worldly, sensual, and sinful things, such as are agreeable to 
 their carnal and unrenewed appetitiss. Arid this may serve 
 to convince some persons how much they deceive themselves 
 respecting their true state before God. They flatter them- 
 selves that they shall be saved because they are not so 
 wicked- as others, but they have never noticed the prevailing 
 bent and inclination of their minds. They are not drunk- 
 ards, or swearers, or liars, but "they mind earthly things;" 
 and St. John assures us, that " if we love the world, the love 
 of the Father is riot in us." Doubtless there is a necessary, 
 lawful, and commendable regard to our proper callings and 
 worldly affairs, and there is a lawful ^enjoyment of worldly 
 comforts^; but the evil lies in this, so to love the vi^orld as to 
 make it our portion, our chief good — to love the world more 
 than God, who does not reckon himself to be loved sincerely, 
 unless he .be loved supremely, " with all our heart, and soul, 
 and strength." The love of God and the love. of the world 
 are like the two scales of a balance, as the one rises the other 
 falls ; and let every man ask himself how it is with him. 
 how little place have the blessed God, the precious Eedeemer, 
 the Holy Spirit, the care of the soul, the duties of religion, or 
 the concerns of eternity, in the hearts of natural men ! The 
 thoughts of these things are seldom entertained, and then they 
 
SERMON XXXV. 369 
 
 are not welcomed. They are a burden and a task ; and the 
 mind, when forced to regard them, dislikes them, and springs 
 from them again into the worldly matters with delight, as a 
 fish into the water which is its own proper element. 
 
 Now, my friends, as you love your souls, mark the conse- 
 quence of living after the flesh : *' If ye live after the flesh, ye 
 shall die !" Dreadful words, " Ye shall die !" " To be car- 
 nally minded is death." It is a kind of death in itself. The 
 carnal man is now dead to Grod ; "dead while he liveth;" 
 " dead in trespasses and sins." And " the wages of sin is 
 death"-— not only the death of the body, which is the separa- 
 tion of the soul from it, but the death of soul and body too, 
 in their everlasting separation from G-od, the fountain of all 
 happiness. " This is the second death," as it comes after 
 that of the body, and is inexpressibly more terrible; and 
 shall never end in a resurrection to eternal life. At present, 
 God exercises much patience towards his enemies. His sun 
 shines and his rain descends both on good and bad men. He 
 gives them time and space for repentance, to which his mer- 
 ciful goodness ought to lead them. But when all these have 
 proved in vain, and the man has persisted in his carnal course 
 to tTie end of life, then God will withdraw all his favors ; his 
 mercy indeed will be clean gone for ever, and he will be 
 favorable no more. And Oh, woe, woe, woe to the man from 
 whom God departs, and to whom he will say, " Depart from 
 me, ye cursed." 
 
 All this is the natural and necessary consequence of living 
 after the flesh. What else could be reasonably expected? 
 There are but two eternal states for men after this life. 
 Every man is training up for one of these. The parnal man 
 is unfit for heaven. There he cannot come; for all the joys 
 and employments of the blessed are spiritual. Delighting in 
 G-od, loving God, praising God, are the charming employ- 
 ments of the redeemed. But the carnal man well knows 
 that he has no relish for these things; and he could not be 
 happy in heaven, were he admitted there. "What then must 
 be his portion? There is no other place for him but hell;, 
 
370 DEATH AND LIFE. 
 
 and for this he was fitting himself all his days. He was 
 training up in enmity against God, hardening his heart, and 
 abusing his mercies, despising his grace, neglecting his salva- 
 tion, trampling on his authority, and blaspheming his name; 
 thus was he preparing for that horrid dungeon where he must 
 be the companion of men like-minded, and of devils whose 
 dictates he obeyed. " Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, 
 prepared for the devil and his angels." 
 
 think of this, ye who live in sin ! See what an enemy 
 you have, even the flesh ; an enemy within-r-an enemy with- 
 out which the devil might tempt and the world invite in vain. 
 Beware, then, of indulging the flesh ; it may seem to be your 
 friend, but it is your worst foe, and like Judas, it kisses to 
 betray. Fly then from the allurements of sinful pleasure and 
 sensual enjoyments. I beseech you to "abstain from fleshly 
 lusts, which war against the soul ;" and in your turri declare 
 war against the flesh. This, indeed, is a just and necessary 
 war — a war that shall be successful and glorious ; for, as it is 
 added in our text, " If ye through the Spirit do mortify the 
 deeds of the body, ye shall live;" which leads us to the 
 second thing proposed, namely, 
 
 II. If sin DIE in us, we shall live eternally. 
 
 Here we must consider what is meant by mortifying sin ; 
 by what help we may do it ; and the blessed consequences of 
 doing it. , 
 
 To mortify sin, is to kill it — ^to put it to death, bls the 
 magistrates put a felon to death by due course of justice. 
 He is suspected, apprehended, tried, and executed. "We must 
 first suspect ourselves and our sins. Consideration is the first 
 step in religion. He who never suspected he was wrong, 
 may depend upon it he is not yet right. Sin must be consid- 
 ered as our worst enemy — ^the tyrant that would enslave and 
 destroy our souls. We must find out our sins, or " be sure 
 they will find us out." We must determine, by the grace of 
 God, to destroy them, or they will destroy us. The matter 
 must be brought to this issue, kill or be killed. You must 
 kill sin, or it will kill you. 
 
SEEMON XXXV. 371 
 
 But how is this to be done ? Sin must be crucified. This 
 is the manner of killing it which God has appointed. " They 
 that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections 
 and lusts." Gal. 5 : 24. The destruction of our sins is com- 
 pared to the crucifixion of Christ, not only because it is like it, 
 but because it proceeds from it. There is no death of sin but 
 by the death of Christ — ^by virtue of it, and by interest in it. 
 
 Crucifixion is a violent and painful death ; and so is the 
 death of sin. Our sins must not be left to die of themselves. 
 Some people, especially old people, think that they have left 
 their sins, when the fact is, their sins have left them, or one 
 sin has left them to make room for another. Sin must be 
 seized, though in the height of its health and power — seized 
 as a thief or murderer who breaks into your house. It may 
 be very painful to mortify the deeds of the body. Jesus 
 Christ compares it to cutting off" a right hand, or plucking 
 out a right eye; but he says this is better than going to hell 
 with two hands, or two eyes. It may be very hard to break 
 off" from old sins, but it must be done; and by the grace of 
 God, it may be done. 
 
 Crucifixion is a scandalous death. Only the worst of 
 slaves and criminals were put to death in this manner. So 
 the Christian, who through the Spirit mortifies the deeds of 
 the body, and thus puts off" the old man of sin, and puts on 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, may expect to be despised as his 
 Saviour was. The world will bear morality, but it hates 
 holiness. Religion has generally borne some nickname. For- 
 merly they called pious men Puritans, as if it were a scanda- 
 lous thing to be purified from the pollutions of the world ; 
 and now they call religious people Methodists, as if it were 
 shameful to pursue methods which God himself prescribes. 
 But " he that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer per- 
 secution." 
 
 Crucifixion is a slow and lingering death. Our Lord was 
 several hours on the cross; and some have been as many 
 days. So sin dies slowly^. Mortifying the deeds of the body 
 is a constant act, to be continued as long as we live. The 
 
372 DEATH AND LIFE. 
 
 best believer cannot say sin is dead, but he can bless God 
 that sin is dying. It is nailed to the cross; has received 
 some mortal wounds ; it is gradually weakening; and ere 
 long God will send death to give the finishing stroke, and 
 the believer shalL shout, Victory, saying. Blessed be God, 
 who hath delivered me from this body of sin and death ; 1 
 thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 
 But by what means, or by what help, may we efiectually 
 mortify sin?" Our text says, "Through the Spirit": — by the 
 gracious aid and influence of the Holy Spirit enabling us to 
 do it. "Without me," said Christ, "ye can do nothing;" 
 and experience proves it true. How many poor souls have 
 been sensible of the error of their ways, at times alarmed 
 about thei/ sins, and have resolved to forsake them, and lead 
 a new life ; but knowing nothing of their own weakness or 
 of Christ's strength, they have 
 
 "Resolved, and reresolved, and died the- same." 
 To as little purpose have others said many prayers, fasted 
 certain days, denied themselves the comforts of life, or sub- 
 mitted to the painful penance of popish priests. The power 
 of sin was not lessened ; the principle of sin was iiot weak- 
 ened; the practice of sin was not prevented. When the sense 
 of sin was worn off, and the fears of hell abated, they " re- 
 turned like the dog to his vomit, and the sow that was washed 
 to her wallowing in the mire." 
 
 " A young gentleman whose sensual lusts were extremely 
 violent, procured an entire female skull, and every morning, 
 before he went out, spent some minutes in surveying it; ex- 
 pecting that the sight of so unpleasing an object would oper- 
 ate as an antidote to the power of that temptation to which 
 he was so subject. But alas, his corrupt inclination still 
 prevailed, and he sinned as freq^uently as ever. So he gave 
 away the skull, finding it did him no service. Afterwards 
 God was pleased to convert him ; and vital grace did that for 
 him which a dead skull was unable to effect. His easily 
 besetting sin had no more dominion over him from the day 
 that the Holy Ghost laid effectual hold on his heart." 
 
SEEMON XXXV, 373 
 
 We must first have the Spirit, that we may experience 
 his sanctifying power. Having the Spirit makes all the dif- 
 ference bistween a true Christian and a man of the world ; 
 for " if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of 
 his." " That which is bdrn of the 'flesh is flesh." There is 
 nothing in the flesh, or corrupt nature, that can crucify the 
 flesh, or prevent its corrupt actings. Something of a nature 
 directly contrary to it must be added, and that is, a new and 
 divine principle implanted by regeneration ; for " that which 
 is born of the Spirit is spirit." The regenerated person is a 
 spiritual person, possessed of a principle like its Author ; and 
 this principle acts according to its spiritual nature, in spirit- 
 ual duties, and particularly in this, the mortification of sin. 
 
 The Spirit helps us to mortify sin by enabling us to dis- 
 cover it, and by showing us its hateful and abominable na- 
 ture ; filling our souls with a sincere dislike to it, and a holy 
 determination to destroy it. He takes away the stony insen- 
 sible heart, and gives us a heart of flesh, a heart to mourn for 
 sin, a heart to oppose sin, a heart to watch against sin, and 
 shun the first approaches towards it. 
 
 But especially, he helps us to mortify sin by giving us 
 faith, and leading us to Christ for pardon, righteousness, and 
 strength. In the first verse of this chapter it is said, " There 
 is no condemnation, to them which are in Christ Jesus," and 
 then it follows, " who walk not after the flesh, but after the 
 Spirit." Many of the Jews " followed after righteousness, but 
 they did not attain it. "Wherefore ? Because they sought it 
 not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law ; for they 
 stumbled at that stumbling-stone." Let us beware of stum- 
 bling in the same manner. Faith in Christ is the chief in- 
 strument for killing sin. Behold the Lamb of God, bleeding 
 and dying, not only to take away the guilt of sin, that it may 
 not condemn, but, the power of sin also, that it may not pre- 
 vail. " Sin shall not have dominion over thee, believer, for 
 thou art not under the law, but under grace." See, flowing 
 from the wounded side of thy crucified Lord, blood and water; 
 blood to pardon, water to cleanse. It was the design of the 
 
374 DEATH AND LIFE. 
 
 dear Redeemer "to destroy the works of the devil;" "to 
 redeem us from all iniC[uity, and to purify unto himself a 
 peculiar people, zealous of good works." The Lord Jesus 
 having thus designed the death of sin in believers by his 
 own death, is ready to apply the po\v'er of it for that purpose 
 to all who believe in him. Come, then, by faith to Jesus ; 
 tell him of the power of thy sins, and of thy inability to 
 destroy them; plead the fulness that is in him for thy sup- 
 ply; beseech him to subdue thine iniquities, and leaA'^e the* 
 matter in his hands. His grace is sufficient for thee: his 
 strength shall be perfected in thy weakness. Expect his 
 help. His power, his grace, his faithfulness, are all engaged 
 for thine assistance, and thou shalt not apply or wait in vain. 
 
 This promised help of the Spirit does not exclude the use 
 of means on our part. The Spirit so works m us as also to 
 work by us. The duty is ours; the grace is his. We must 
 watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation. We nuist 
 remember his eye is always upon us. We must call to mind 
 the obligations we are under from duty, from gratitude, from 
 covenant engagements ; the relations we bear to Christ, to the 
 church, and the world. We must use with moderation the 
 comforts of life, and instead of pampering the body, bring it 
 under and keep it in subjection. 
 
 3. Thus doing, we shall live. There is no condemnation 
 to persons of this character. Though they find, to their daily 
 sorrow, that "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit," they have 
 reason to rejoice that " the Spirit fighteth against the flesh." 
 This is an evidence that they have " passed from death unto 
 life." They live indeed, for Christ liveth in them. They 
 live to purpose, they live to God. And in this their gradual 
 sanctification, consists their meetness for heaven, where sin 
 shall be done away. Oh, Christian, go on. Be not weary 
 in well-doing; fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on 
 eternal life. 
 
 But Oh, sinner, what will be the end of thy present pur- 
 suits ? " The end of these things is death." Lay to heart 
 the solemn truths you heard in the beginning of this dis- 
 
SERMON XXXV. 375 
 
 course. Remember that life and death have been set before 
 you : life, if sin be slain ; death, if sin prevail. . Put home 
 then to thy conscience the important question, Am I living 
 after the flesh, or after the Spirit? And by this you may 
 determine your present state and future prospects. If thou 
 livest after the flesh thou shalt die; that is, thou shalt be 
 damned. And are you in love with death and destruction ? 
 Is it nothing to you that the terrors of the Almighty are 
 sounded in your ears ? Do you love your sins so well as to 
 be damned for them? Oh, be wiser! Set eternal pains 
 against momentary pleasures. " The pleasures of sin are 
 but for a season, but tiie paifis of sin are for evermore." And 
 Oh, do not flatter yourselves that you may enjoy the pleas- 
 ures of sin in this world, and yet enjoy the pleasures of 
 heaven in another. The God who says in our text, " If ye 
 live after the flesh ye shall die," is a God of truth ; he cannot 
 lie. " Upon the wicked he will rain snares, fire and brim- 
 stone, and a horrible tempest ; this shall be the portioa of 
 their cup." Come, then, forsake the foolish and live. Wrong 
 not your own souls. Forsake not your own mercies. Let 
 the time past suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, 
 and to have served divers lusts and pleasures. Open your 
 eyes and behold your danger. Flee from the wrath to come. 
 Confess your sins to God. ^ Beseech him to pardon th^m ; 
 and pray for the Holy Spirit to work faith in your heart, and 
 enable you to " mortify the deeds of the body, that you may 
 live." 
 
376 PAEDONIN-G MERCY. 
 
 PARDONING MERCY. 
 
 SERMON XXXVI. 
 
 "COME NOW, AND LET US REASON TOGETHER, SAITH THE LORD : THOUGH 
 YOUR Sms BE AS SCARLET, THET SHALL BE AS WHITE AS SNOW ; 
 THOUGHL THEY BE RED LIKE CRIMSON, THEY SHALL BE AS WOOL." 
 ISA. 1 : 18. 
 
 '^The pardon of sin has been justly called, the Ufehlood 
 of religion. It is this which runs through all parts of the 
 Scripture, like the blood in our veins, and is the foremost 
 object in the glorious gospel. No man has a grain of religion 
 till he sees the need, and feels the want of the pardon of his 
 sins. No maa is happy in religion till he has reason to con- 
 clude that his sins are pardoned. G-ratitude for this blessing 
 is the grand motive to holy obedience, and triumph on ac- 
 count of it forms the bliss of glorified saints. How "worthy, 
 then, is this subject of our most serious regard. We all need 
 pardon ; and pardon or punishment must be our portion. 
 
 Among the precious promises of God's word, this, in our 
 text, is one of the chief. And it appears the more gracious, 
 as it follows a list of most heinous and abominable sins 
 charged upon the Jews. This will appear more clearly by 
 considering the three parts of our text. 
 
 1. A charge. 
 
 2. An invitation ; and, 
 8. A promise. 
 
 I. The first thing in the text is a charge implied, and 
 more particularly expressed in the former verses of this chap- 
 ter. The charge is sin — sin the most aggravated, the most 
 horrid, the most enormous. Sins are here called scarlet and 
 crimson. The greatness of sin is intended by these words. 
 Scarlet and crimson are colors far remote from white, which 
 is the emblem of innocence or righteousness. The sauits in 
 
SEEMON XXXVI. 377 
 
 glory are represented as " clothed in white robes," and " in' 
 fine linen, clean and white," which is the righteousness of 
 the saints. But here, sinners are represented as in garments 
 stained with blood. The bloody, murderous, destructive na- 
 ture of sin may be intended. Sin has slain its millions. If 
 all the bodies of the dead were heaped up, they would form 
 the greatest mountain in the world ; and we might say, Sin 
 slew all these ; " for by one man sin entered into the world, 
 and death by sin ; and death hath passed upon all men, for 
 that all have sinned." Some understand by the word scarlet, 
 double-dyed — as deeply tinctured by sin as possible ; as when 
 any garment has been twice dyed, first in the wool, and again 
 in the thread or piece. So great sinners are twice dyed : first 
 in their corrupt nature, for all men are born in sin ; and then 
 dyed again in the long confirmed habit of actual transgression. 
 
 But let us look over the particulars of this charge. Sin- 
 ners are first charged with ingratitude : " Hear, heavens, 
 and give ear, earth; for the Lord hath spoken; I have 
 nourished and brought up children, arid they have rebelled 
 against me." Isa. 1 : 2. Call a man ungrateful, and you 
 call him all that is bad ; but the ingratitude of children is 
 the worst ingratitude. Children are under the greatest obli- 
 gations to their tender parents, for food and raiment, protec- 
 tion and education ; but if, instead of dutiful obedience and 
 afiectionate care, they return evil for good, rebellion instead 
 of subjection, it is like fixing a dagger in a parent's heart. 
 Such a trial David felt in the wicked conduct of his beloved 
 Absalom. In this manner G-od speaks of man's sin. God is 
 good, and "the goodness of G-od leadeth us to repentance;" 
 but impenitent, sinners " despise the riches of his goodness 
 and forbearance and long-suffering, and thus treasure up 
 wrath against the day of wrath." 
 
 Again, sinners are charged with insensibility : " The ox 
 knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib ; but Israel 
 doth not know, my people do not consider." Isa. 1:3. It is 
 a sad thing indeed, that man, who was made in the image of 
 G-od, should be made by sin like the beasts that perish ; yea, 
 
378 PAKDONING MERCY. 
 
 worse than they are. The ox is a stupid creature, yet he 
 knows his owner, and submits his neck to the yoke; the ass 
 is still more stupid, yet he knows when he is well off, and 
 abides by his master's crib ; but sinners are more base, more 
 ignorant, more stupid: "they have the worst qualities of 
 brutes, without the best." They do not know G-od ; they do 
 not consider their duty to God, nor their obligations to God ; 
 even Israel, that might and ought to know better. 
 
 They are further charged with forsaking God. All sinners 
 do so. They turn their backs upon him. They say, in effect, 
 " Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy wa,ys :" 
 " What is the Almigljty, that we should serve him ; and what 
 profit shall we have if we pray unto him ?" Besides this, they 
 corrupted others. They were not content to eat the devil's 
 morsel alone; they must entice others to poison them with it. 
 And indeed, this is awfully common among us. When young 
 persons fall into the sin of un cleanness, how active are they 
 to seduce others; when men fall into the sin of drunkenness, 
 how busy are they to 'engage others in the same vice. 
 
 These sins were universal : " Ah, sinful nation, a people 
 laden with iniquity." Isa. 1:4. All orders of people were 
 guilty; the whole head was sick, the whole heart was faint. 
 God knows it is thus in England. We are a wicked people, 
 and the Lord is provoked with us. All the miseries of human 
 life, all the terrors and agonies of death, all the torments of 
 the damned, are proofs of God's anger against sin. Sin is a 
 heavy load, though fools make light of it. And they who 
 make light of it now, are likely to feel its dreadful weight in 
 another world. Sooner or later it will be found a burden too 
 heavy to bear. Happy they who now, feeling its load, obey 
 the kind invitation of Christ, " Come unto me, all ye that 
 labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." 
 
 The condition of Israel, and of every sinner, is compared 
 to that of a human body wholly disordered and become intol- 
 erably loathsome. " From the sole of the foot even unto the 
 head there is no soundness in it ; but wounds, and bruises, 
 and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither 
 
SERMON XXXVI. 379 
 
 bound up, neither mollified with ointment." Isa. 1 : 6. See, 
 sinner, thy wretched picture ! Sin is the disease of thy soul, 
 and the worst symptom is, thou knowest it not. We pity 
 the ravings of a man in a fever, who fancies himself in health ; 
 such is the dangerous condition of sinners who boast of their 
 " good hearts," or call their abominations " human frailties," 
 or " youthful follies." In the eye of a pure and holy God, 
 the sinner is far more loathsome than a carcass covered with 
 bleeding wounds, running sores, or filthy ulcers. 
 
 It is absolutely necessary that each of us should person- 
 ally know that this is his own case. Ministers are, at the 
 peril of their own souls, obliged to declare this; they must 
 show the people their sins, and warn them from God, or the 
 sinners' blood will be required at their hands. But if sinners 
 are faithfully warned, ministers are free from their blood ; 
 their blood is on their own heads. Eut Oh, how unwilling 
 are men to see and own their true condition ! How do they 
 shut their eyes against the light that would make manifest 
 their works of darkness ! How dearly do they love the dark- 
 ness that conceals their sins ! How angry are they when told 
 of their disease ! How do they hate the gospel that reveals 
 a remedy, and shun the kind Physician who would cure 
 them! And yet, mark their inconsistency. Do you not 
 hear them deny to men that they are condemned, and yet 
 cry to God to have mercy on them ? But if they are not con- 
 d emn§d, what need have they of mercy ? And if they are, why 
 do they deny their lost estate ? We hear them also praising 
 God for " his inestimable love in the redemption of the world 
 by our Lord Jesus Christ ;" but how absurd is this if they be- 
 lieve not, if they feel not the wretched bondage of their sins. 
 
 But now observe, with wonder and joy, the astonishing 
 grace of God. What language might sinners justly expect, 
 who had been convicted of ingratitude, rebellion, insensibility, 
 and every provoking sin ? Might they not well expect that 
 God should say, "Depart from me, ye cursed?" But 0, sur- 
 prising inercyj his language is, " Come now, and let us reason 
 together ;" and this is the second thing in our text. 
 
380 PARDONING MERCY. 
 
 11. The invitation : " And is this the manner of man, 
 Lord?" Far from it. Truly, "his thoughts are not our 
 thoughts, neither are his ways our ways." Grod does not deal 
 with men, as men deal with each other. " If a man find his 
 enemy, will he let him go well away?" No; hut God, from 
 whom no enemy can escape, and who can at any time take 
 the deserved vengeance, invites poor sinners to come and 
 reason with him. God had charged Israel with their many 
 sins. He had' visited them with national judgments. He 
 had refused to accept their hypocritical devotions. He had 
 threatened to give them up, and utterly forsake them; and 
 lastly, he had called th6m to repentance and reformation. 
 " Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings 
 from before mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well ; 
 seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, 
 plead for the widow." Isa. 1 : 16, 17. , And then he adds, 
 " Come now, and let us reason together." God is willing to 
 show the equity of his conduct. Let these bold offenders 
 come and plead their own cause, and show what they have 
 to say for themselves; and let them find fault, if they can, 
 with the divine proceedings. If they will persist in sin, their 
 damnation is just. If they confess and forsake it, they shall 
 find mercy: their scarlet sins sh^U be as white as snow. 
 
 We shall hence take occasion briefly to show that true re- 
 ligion, vital religion, is the most reasonable thing in the world. 
 
 7s not self-preservation highly reasonable ? We account 
 it the first law of nature, and should blame the man who 
 neglects it.. Is a house on fire ? let the inhabitant escape for 
 his life. Is the prodigal ready to starve ? let him hasten to 
 his father's house. Is the man drowjiing ? let him seize on 
 the rope- thrown out for help. Is the ship sinking? let the 
 sailors throw overljoard their valuable stores, for " all that a 
 man hath will he give for his life." But is the life of the 
 body all ? What must become of the soul ? Shall we take 
 pains to preserve a life that must inevitably end, and shall 
 we take no pains to save a soul that is immortal, and which 
 must live for ever in heaven or hell ? Hear how Christ rea- 
 
SERMON XXXVI. 381 
 
 sons : " Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able 
 to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is- able to destroy 
 both soul and body in hell :" for consider, God asks the ques- 
 tion, " Can thy heart endure, or can thy hands be strong, in 
 the day that 1 shall deal with thee ?" Matt. 10 : 28. 
 
 Is it not reasonable for a man to do well for himself? 
 Yes ; " men will praise thee when thou doest well for thy- 
 self?" We commend the honest, ingenious, industrious 
 tradesman; but Oh, "the children of this world are wiser 
 in their generation than the children of light." Is it reason- 
 able for a man to mind his own business? Well, "one 
 thing is needful ;" the care of thy soul is the business of life. 
 Is it reasonable to improve opportunities for business, as fairs 
 and markets ? RedeeiT^ then the time, and catch the golden 
 opportunities of gain to thy soul. Is it reasonable to make a 
 good bargain? The Christian makes the best in the world. 
 He is the wise merchant, who, seeking goodly pearls, findeth, 
 at length, Jesus Christ, the pearl of great price, and goeth 
 and selleth all that he hath to buy it. Is it reasonable to lay 
 up for a rainy day ? .How much more to provide-for a dying 
 day, that we may be ready for the great change, and find it 
 gain to die. Is it reasonable to cultivate friendship with the 
 wise, the good, and the great? how wise to make Christ 
 our friend, to have an agent in heaven, an advocate with the 
 Father ; for indeed, " Jesus Christ is the best friend, or the 
 worst enemy we can have." 
 
 Is it not reasonable to believe the God of truth ? The 
 word of God has every confirmation we could wish. It is 
 confirmed by the exact fulfilment of numerous predictions, by 
 the performance of unquestionable miracles; by its perfect 
 agreement with matters of fact, both in observation and ex- 
 perience ; and by the daily wonders of grace performed by its 
 means. Whatever some men pretend to the contrary, they 
 and they only act a rational part who take God at his word ; 
 while others are so unreasonable as to " make God a liar," 
 and give credit to the grand deceiver. 
 
 Is not love to God and man perfectly reasonable ? This 
 
382 PARDONING MERCY. 
 
 is the whole of our religion. Is it reasonable or not, think 
 you, to love the best of beings better than all other beings ? 
 And if we love him, we should believe him, and obey him. 
 Should not a creature love his Maker ? Should not a de^ 
 pendent love his benefactor ? Should not a redeemed sinner 
 love his Saviour ? And what is the whole of morality, as it 
 respects man, but loving our neighbor as ourselves ; and 
 where is the man who wishes not thus to be treated by 
 others ? But, 
 
 in. We have a further and a very strong inducement to 
 obey the invitation of God, and to come and reason with him, 
 for he has made a most gracious promise in the text : " Though 
 your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though 
 they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." 
 
 The pardon of sin is, as We observed at the beginning, the 
 first and chief thing in religion. It was the great business 
 of Christ upon earth to procure it ; he took our flesh that he 
 might take our sin, and died, " the just for the unjust, that 
 he might bring us to God." It is the principal design of the 
 gospel which is preached to Us, " that we may obtain forgiye- 
 ness of sins." It is the first blessing sought by renewed souls ; 
 " for this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a 
 time when thou mayest be found." It constitutes one of the 
 titles of the blessed God : " Who is like unto thee, that par- 
 doneth iniquity?" And it composes a part of the songs of 
 heaven ; for the redeemed continually adore " the Lamb that 
 was slain, who washed them from their sins in his own blood." 
 
 The pardon of sjn originates in the free mercy and sove- 
 reign grace of God, without respect to any thing good in the 
 creature. That men are saved rather than angels, and that 
 one man is pardoned rather than another, is a matter of mercy 
 alone; for " it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that run- 
 neth, but of God that showeth mercy ; for he saith to Moses, 
 I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy, and I will 
 have compassion on whom I will have compassion." It was 
 mere mercy that a Saviour was provided, for " God so loved 
 the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
 
SERMON XXXVI. 383 
 
 believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." 
 God delighteth in mercy. It is his most glorious name. 
 When Moses desired to see his glory, God caused bis good- 
 ness to pass before him, and proclaimed his name; which 
 name was this : " The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gra- 
 cious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 
 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and trans- 
 gression and sin." Exod. 33 : 18, 19, and 34 : 5, 6. We are 
 not to suppose that some men obtain mercy because they 
 have not sinned so much as others. As great sins do not 
 prevent pardon, so little sinners cannot lay a claim to it. 
 Nor are we to think that there are some good things in some 
 sinners to balance their bad ones, and so entitle th^em tc 
 mercy; nor that the tears, or prayers, or reformation of an) 
 man can merit favor at the hands of God. No. AH these, 
 and every thing else that looks like merit, must be renounced 
 altogether. Every mouth must be stopped. All the world 
 must plead guilty; and all the saved must own, that God, 
 " for his own name's sake " alone, pardons their iniquity. 
 
 But we are not to expect the pardon of sin from an abso- 
 lute God. The pardon of sin is an act of justice as well as 
 of mercy — mercy on God's part, but justice on the account 
 of Christ. In the pardon of sin, justice must be considered 
 as well as mercy. If God had pardoned sin without a satis- 
 faction, what provision would have been made for the honor 
 of his holiness, justice, or truth ? God would have seemed 
 to wink at sin ; he would have seemed to have no concern 
 for the moral government of the world ; and his truth, which 
 was engaged to see the threatening against sin fulfilled, would 
 have been forfeited ; but in the redemption of Jesus Christ, 
 " mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace 
 have embraced each other ;" in a word, " God is just, and the 
 justifier of him that believeth in Jesus ;" he is " a just God 
 and a Saviour." In this blessed way, justice itself becomes 
 the believer's friend : for Christ having paid the debt, it can- 
 not be demanded a second time of the believer ; and there- 
 fore God is not only merciful in pardoning sin, but " he is 
 
384 PAEDONING MEEOY. 
 
 faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us 
 from all mirighteousness." 1 John 1 : 9. 
 
 Another principal thing in the doctrine of forgiveness is, 
 that it is by faith alone we are made partakers of pardoning 
 mercy. Jesus Christ himself says, " That they may receive 
 forgiveness of sins through faith that is in me," Acts 26:18; 
 and St. Paul says, " By grace are ye ssbved, through faith." 
 By faith, we mean " a helief of the truth," especially of the 
 testimony of God concerning his Son Jesus Christ ; " that he 
 hath given to us eternal life, and that this life is in his Son." 
 The man who is taught of God, made sensible of his sin, and 
 desirous of mercy, hears the gospel, which is good news of 
 salvation by Jesus Christ ; he hears that " there is forgiveness 
 with God, that he may be feared ■" that Christ is willing and 
 able to save sinners, and that "his blood cleanseth from all 
 sin." He assents to this truth, he relies upon it, and acts 
 accordingly; and in proportion to the credit which he gives 
 to the gospel, and the dependence he places on the faithful- 
 ness of God, such is his joy and peace in believing. 
 
 One thing more must be noticed : .the perfection of pardon, 
 which is expressed by making -scarlet as snow, and crimson 
 like wool. We are to understand this of the sinner, not of 
 his sins. Pardon does not alter the nature or lessen the evil 
 of sin ; but the sinner, however deeply dyed in sin, double- 
 dyed, and drenched in the most enormous, aggravated, and 
 bloody sins, shall, upon believing, be as thoroughly discharged 
 from the guilt of them as if he had never sinned at all. This 
 is an act of almighty powen To discharge the colors of 
 scarlet and criinson may be impossible to human art, but to 
 pardon the vilest sinners is perfectly easy to God. Elsewhere 
 the same idea is expressed by casting our sins behind his 
 back — losing them in the depths of the sea-^-blotting them 
 out of a book— forgetting them, and removing them from us 
 as far as the east is from the west. Such is the perfection of 
 pardoning mercy ! 
 
 Now, my friends, what think you of sin ? Perhaps you 
 forget it; but God does not forget it. If it he not pardoned, 
 
SEEMON XXXVI. 385 
 
 it will be brought into judgment. Think not yourselves safe, 
 because you fancy your sins are little, or because they give 
 you no disturbance, or because you prosper in the world, or 
 because you have, hopes of mercy. " The wages of sin is 
 death." The law curses you for one offence ; and if you are 
 not redeemed, you must be ruined ; if not pardoned, you must 
 be punished./ If you believe not in Christ, you are condemned 
 already. Notwithstanding the mercy of God and the merits 
 of Christ, if you continue in a state of ignorance, carng/lity, 
 and unbelief, they will not at all avail you. Food cannot 
 nourish, if not received; nor a medicine heal, if not applied. 
 You will be none the better for Christ, if you do not come to 
 him ; but you will be much the worse ; for how shall you 
 escape, if you neglect so great salvation ? Think of these 
 things, O ye children of men, before it be too late. How can 
 you enjoy a meal, or sleep in your beds, while your sins re- 
 main unpardoned ? delay no longer. No longer abuse the 
 patience and goodness of Grod. Instantly fly to the refuge, 
 ye prisoners of hope. As yet the door is open. ' Grod will 
 pardon the greatest sinner that comes to him by Jesus Christ. 
 Take with you the words of the text and say,^ " Lord, I come 
 at thy call : my sins are indeed as scarlet ; for thy name's sake, 
 make them white as snow : my crimes are red like crimson ; 
 wash me in the fountain of the Saviour's blood, and they 
 shall be as wool." 
 
 Believer, all hail ! " Blessed art thou whose transgres- 
 sion is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man 
 unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity." Happy art 
 thou. God gave thee to see thy sins, to feel thy sins, to 
 lament thy sins. God opened thine eyes to understand his 
 gospel. God enabled thee to come with all thy sins to Christ ; 
 and believing in him, thou hast passed from death Unto life, 
 and shalt never come into condemnation. Admire the love 
 of God. Admire the blood of Christ. Admire the grace of 
 the Holy Spirit : 
 
 "And let your glad obedience prove 
 How much you owe, how much you love." 
 
 Vil. Ser. 25 
 
386 THE PENITENT THIEF. 
 
 THE PENITENT THIEF. 
 
 SERMON XXXVII. 
 
 "AND HE SAID UNTO JESUS, LOKD, REMEMBER ME WHEN THOU COMEST 
 INTO THY ICINGDOM. AND JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, VERILY I SAY UNTO 
 THEE, TO-DAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE." Lukk 23 : 42, 43. 
 
 Who can read these words, or consider the conversion and 
 pardon of the dying thief, without exclaiming in the words 
 of St. Paul, " Where sin abounded, grace did much more 
 abound !" Here is a wonderful instance of divine, free, and 
 sovereign grace abounding towards the chief of sinners : it is 
 recorded for the encouragement of great sinners in every age, 
 that they may take refuge in Christ " who are ready to per- 
 ish;" and it affords a pleasing proof that "He is able to save 
 to the uttermost, all who come to God by him." 
 
 Our blessed Lord was crucified with two thieves, and 
 placed between them, that he might be thought the worst of 
 the three. But thus the Scripture was fulfilled : " He was 
 numbered with the transgressors," or criminals. The chief 
 priests, the scribes, the rulers, and the mob, all joined in 
 mocking and deriding him ; not content with beholding his 
 extreme sufferings, they had the cruelty to add insult to his 
 pains.^ " Come down from the cross," said they, "and we 
 will believQ. Thou that didst save others, save thyself ;" and 
 " save us too," said the thieves : not seriously, but by way of 
 taunt ; for it is written, " The thieves also which were cruci- 
 fied with him, cast the same in his teeth." what an in- 
 stance is this of the savage hardness of the human heart,; 
 how dreadful, that wicked men, dying in their sins, should 
 strive to forget their own agonies, that they might join in 
 abusing and insulting the Son of G-od ! A state of more des- 
 perate and confirmed wickedness can hardly be conceived. 
 
SERMON XXXVII. 387 
 
 But behold the grace of ;God ! One of these men is 
 snatched as a brand from the fire; plucked, as in an instant, 
 out of the very jaws of destruction. An astonishing, perhaps 
 a sudden change is produced. He cries for mercy, and he 
 obtains it. He looks to Jesus, and is saved. From being a 
 hardened sinner, he becomes at once an eminent saint ; ob- 
 tains assurance of immedia.te bliss ; and passes from the cross 
 to glory. 
 
 Let us now carefully consider the two parts of our text, 
 into which it naturally divides itself: 
 
 1. The prayer of the dying malefactor. 
 
 2. The gracious answer of the Saviour. 
 
 I. In attending to his prayer, consider for a moment the 
 character of the criminal, for a criminal he was ; a malefac- 
 tor) a highwayman, one who belonged to a desperate gang of 
 robbers who infested that country, a set of seditious banditti, 
 who were for shaking off the Roman yoke, and who lived by 
 rapine and plunder. It is not improbable that he was a mur- 
 derer also, for such men scruple hot to kill as well as steal. 
 This is the man who becomes the trophy of sovereign grace. 
 For surely it will be admitted that here was no previous good- 
 ness or worthiness to recommend, him to the divine favor. 
 
 Is it not astonishing to hear such a man as this suing for 
 mercy? But what cannot grace effect, and that in a mo- 
 ment ! He -who in the first creation said, " Let there be light, 
 and there was light," can, in an instant, dart a ray of spirit- 
 ual light into the darkest mind. Whether any means were 
 employed for the communication of this light or not, we can- 
 not say. Some imagine he was first affected by the strange, 
 total, supernatural darkness, which then suddenly overspread 
 the latid; — an emblem of the inward darkness which soon 
 involved the sacred soul of our dear Redeemer ; and a dismal 
 presage of the dreadful ignorance and darkness which should 
 cover the Jews, and which has covered them ever since. 
 Possibly the pathetic prayer of our Lord for his murderers 
 first touched his heart : " Father, forgive them, for they know 
 not what they do." There was so much dignity, so much 
 
388 THE PENITENT THIEF. 
 
 tenderness and mercy, in this, that perhaps it was the means, 
 in the hands of the Spirit, for melting the rock of ice in his 
 bosom. Or who can say. whether, before this unhappy, or 
 shall I say, now happy man, joined himself to the gang of 
 thieves, he had not, now and then, mingled with the multi- 
 tude who heard our Saviour's sermons,- and saw his amazing 
 miracles; and though his vices had long suppressed every 
 good motion in his heart, yet no^, in the time of his trouble, 
 he calls to mind what he had before neglected. "For a grain 
 of the divine word frequently falls on an uncultivated soil; 
 so that it produces no fruit till many years after, when suffer- 
 ings and afflictions cause it to spring up." And this may 
 afford a ray of comfort to ministers and pareiits, encouraging 
 them to hope, that though their prayers and instructions seem 
 for the present to be lost, yet finally " their labor shall not be 
 in vain in the Lord." 
 
 " Behold, he prayeth !" So it was observed of Saul, as a 
 proof of his conversion. So we say, with wonder and surprise, 
 of the thief — Behold, he prayeth ! Perhaps he never prayed 
 before, or he had lorig forgot to pray;' Had he prayed, he had 
 not come to the cross; he had not been a thief; for accord- 
 ing to the Dutch proverb, "Praying will make a man leave 
 sinning, or sinning will make a man leave praying^." Now 
 he prays; and most wonderful, prays to him who hung upon, 
 a cross. He becomes a Christian at once, for a Christian is 
 one who "with the heart believieth unto righteousness, and 
 with the mouth maketh confession" of that faith " unto sal- 
 vation." Rom. 10 : 10. 
 
 He calls Jesus Lord, which no man can do aright " but 
 by the Holy Ghost." He gives him this title of dignity and 
 authority, though degraded by the whole Jewish nation, and 
 branded with the name of a rebel, a Samaritan, an impostor. 
 
 He owns him also as a King, for he begs to be remem- 
 bered by Jesus "when he shall come into his Mngdom" 
 You know the title that Pilate put over his head on the cross 
 was, " Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews ;" and it was put 
 there to intimate his crime, in assuming the character of 
 
SERMON XXXVII. 389 
 
 King in opposition to Caesar ; but he was really a king ; he 
 came into the world to be a king — to set up a new and spir- 
 itual kingdom in opposition, not to Csesar, but to Satan ; and 
 this character he boldly avowed before Pilate. The penitent 
 thief allows his claim, and begs to be admitted among his 
 subjects. He understands also that " Christ's kingdom is not 
 of this world," as the Jews foolishly thought the kingdom of 
 the Messiah was to be ; and this was their fatal mistake^ 
 for on this account they rejected the humble Lord of glory. 
 They despised his mean appearance ; they saw " no form, nor 
 comeliness, nor any beauty, that they should desire him ;■' he 
 was not accounted in the number of men. " He was despised, 
 and they esteemed him not." Isa. 53 : 2, 3. But the faith 
 of the thief broke through the cloudy which obscured his real 
 dignity, and "beheld the glory as of the only begotten of the 
 Father, full of grace and truth." 
 
 He pays him the just honor of having heaven at his dis- 
 posal, according to what our Lord afterwards declared : " I am 
 he that liveth, and was dead ; and behold, I am alive for ever- 
 more ; and have the keys of hell," or rather, the unseen world, 
 including both heaven and hell. Eev. 1 : 18. The dying 
 thief believed this, and his prayer was the language of faith, 
 a confidential address to the Saviour. 
 
 Observe also the modesty of his application. Remember 
 me: not prefer me to honor in thy kingdom, as the two ambi- 
 tious disciples had formerly requested ; but simply, remember 
 me ! he does not dictate how, or in what manner ; he leaves 
 it all to the Lord ; but he commits his cause, his soul, to 
 Christ ; and no doubt, with some degree of that satisfaction 
 which St. Paul expressed in the view of death; " I know in 
 whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to 
 keep that which I have committed unto him against that 
 , day.'' 2 Tim. 1 : 12. . It was a request like that which Jo- 
 seph made to the butler, " Think on me, when it shall be well 
 with thee ; yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but 
 forgat him." Gen. 40 : 14. The poor thief succeedied better : 
 he was remembered, and saved ; for Jesus never said to any 
 
390 THE PENITENT THIEF. 
 
 soul, " Seek irle in vain." " Whosoever shall call on the 
 name of the Lord shall be saved." 
 
 As the case of this man Was singular and extraordinary, 
 so he gave very singular and extraordinary proofs of his sin- 
 cerity. The professions of repentance and faith Jirst made 
 in the hour of distress, and in the prospect of death, are often 
 uncertain, and may justly be suspected. Too many who, in 
 the expectation of death, have seemed to be much in earnest, 
 and gave great hopes to Christian friends of a real change, 
 have proved by their conduct when they recovered, that they 
 were not sincere ; for the vilest of men \generaUy respect relig- 
 ion in their dying hours. But the penitent thief was enabled 
 to give the most satisfactory evidence of sincerity ; and the 
 answer of Christ to him puts it beyond a doubt. Observe 
 now the marks of his sincerity. 
 
 1. He reproves sin in his comrade, especially his sin in 
 reviling Christ : " Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in 
 the same condemnation ?" Persecutors of Christ, in his per- 
 son, or in his members, awfully prove their want of the fear 
 of God ; and every sin is greatly aggravated by that hardness 
 of heart which persists in it, even in the time of sore afflic- 
 tion. True repentance will always occasion a sincere hatred 
 to sin. True grace will ever make a man feel for others. 
 The love of God and the love of man are always united. 
 The true penitent will say with penitent David, " Then will 
 I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted 
 unto thee." Psa. 51 : 13. 
 
 2. He condemns himself, and admits the justice of God 
 and of the magistrate in bringing him to the fatal tree : 
 "We suffer justly, for we receive the due reward of our 
 deeds"' — shameful and painful as our death is, it is no more 
 than we deserve. A just sense of sin willinake a sufferer 
 patient. He will say, " Against thee, thee only have I sinned, 
 and done this evil in thy sight ; that thou migfhtest be justi- 
 fied when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." 
 Psa. 51:4. 
 
 3. He vindicates Christ : " But this man hath done noth- 
 
SERMON XXXVII. 391 
 
 ing amiss." The Jewish courts had condemned him to death 
 as the vilest of miscreants, and the whole multitude had cried, 
 " Crucify him, crucify him ;" but the thief, more honest and 
 better taught than they, justifies his whole character, and 
 truly says " he hath done nothing amiss." Thus, in the face 
 of all his infamous and powerful slanderers, he declares the 
 innocence of Jesus, who was indeed " holy, harmless, unde- 
 filed, and separate from sinners." 
 
 Thus was clearly manifested the reality of that great and 
 gracious change which had taken place in his heart. He 
 was evidently enlightened in the knowledge of Christ ; he 
 was convinced of his sin and misery ; he was humbled for it ; 
 he reproved sin in his neighbor ; he honored the character of 
 Christ; b.e owned him as Lord and King and Saviour; and 
 he committed his departing spirit into his faithful hands. 
 What wonders of grace were crowded, into this small space ; 
 enablirig him, in a few minutes, to give more glory to Christ 
 than many do in the whole course of their lives ! 
 
 II. Let us now proceed to consider the gracious answer 
 of our Saviour to his dying request. " And Jesus said unto 
 hiraf, Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in 
 paradise." 
 
 Recollect, m.y friends, the situation of our Lord when he 
 made this answer. Call to mind his personal sufferings at 
 the moment. Behold him naked upon the cross. He that 
 clothed the heavens with stars, the earth with flowers, and 
 man with raiment, is despoiled of all his garments, and hangs 
 exposed to the scorn of the rude mob. Great was ^;he torment 
 of crucifixion, Pirst stretched and racked upon the cross, 
 while it lay on the ground; then nailed to it, through the 
 palms of his hands and the soles of his feet, with exquisite 
 torture; the tree being elevated, is by a violent concussion 
 settled in the ground ; while every joint and sinew is pain- 
 fully distended, and his whole weight borne by the wounded 
 parts. But the sufferings of his soul were the soul of his 
 sufferings. A sense of his Father's wrath, and the burden of 
 the sins of the world, now lay heavy upon his soul. Dark- 
 
392 THE PENITENT THIEF. 
 
 ness that might be felt filled his holy mind, and in the agony 
 of his spirit he cries aloud, " My G-od^ my Grod, why hast thou 
 forsaken me ?" 
 
 Remember, it was during this inexpressible grief, that the 
 Lord of life vouchsafes this gracious answer. Excessive pain 
 or grief usually prevents our care for others ; but the agonies 
 of our Saviour lessened not his compassion for the souls of 
 men. From the moment of his last visit to Jerusalem, when 
 " he wept over it," unttl he gave up the ghost, tender pity to 
 sinful men vented itself in the most aifeotionate accents. 
 Witness his parting diseourse and pathetic prayer after the 
 passover. "Witness his kind apology for his sleeping disciples. 
 Witness his direction to the sympathizing females, " Weep not 
 for me ; but weep for yourselves, and for your children." Wit- 
 ness his intercession for his murderers: " Father, forgive them, 
 for they know not what they do." And now, upon the first 
 application of this poor abandoned sinner, he instaritly com- 
 plies with his request, and grants him "exceeding abundantly 
 above all he could ask or think." 
 
 How readily does G-od regard the sinner's, cry ! With 
 speed like that which winged the feet of the prodigal's aged 
 father, who no sooner beheld at a distance his long lost, but 
 now returning son, but " while he was yet a great way ofi", 
 had compassion,, and lan, and. fell upon his neck, and kissed 
 him." God is slow to anger, but quick to mercy ; ready to 
 forgive. He discerns the first motion of the soul heaven- 
 ward, and while the sinner is "vet speaking" in prayer, the 
 prayer is heard and answered. 
 
 Observe the substance of the answer : a place in para- 
 dise—Christ's company there^-immediately, "to-day;'' and 
 the solemn assurance of the whole, " Verily I say unto thee " 
 it shall be so. 
 
 1. A place in paradise is promised ; a place in hell was 
 his desert, and would have been his portion, had he died in 
 the same state he was half an hour before. Heaven is here 
 called " Paradise," in allusion to the garden of Eden, which 
 the Lord God himself planted, and in which he put the man 
 
SJ3EM0N XXXVII. • 393 
 
 he had formed. By sin, Adam soon lost his garden and his 
 God. " He drove out the man." " By the first Adam, para- 
 dise is lost; by the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, 
 paradise is regained; a fq^r better paradise — a garden from 
 whence the blessed inhabitant shall never be driven. Here 
 grows the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the valley. Here 
 flourishes the Plant of renown ; here the unforbidden tree of 
 knowledge, and the unguarded tree of life." No subtle Ser- 
 pent annoys this happy spot, any more to seduce ; nor shall 
 the free will of man betray him to ruin again. 
 
 2. Jesus promises to the penitent the enjoyment of his 
 own company there : " This day shalt thou be with me in 
 paradise." Christ, then, was going to heaven ; where he 
 assures the thief he shall also be. It is' the presence of 
 Christ that makes heaven so glorious and happy. With this 
 he consoled his mourning friends : " I go to prepare a place for 
 you ; and I will come again, and receive you to myself, that 
 where I am, there ye may be also." John 14 : 2, 3. Amazing 
 favor, " to be with Christ !" this is enough. He asked a bare 
 remembrance, as if distant; Jesus promises his own imme- 
 diate presence. 
 
 3. And how quichly was this to be enjoyed ! " To-day." 
 He had prayed, " Lord, remember me when thou comest into 
 thy kingdom." He knew not when that might be ; perhaps 
 he thought of some very distant time. Christ says, "to-day." 
 How short and speedy was this man's journey to glory ! In 
 the morning, he was posting to hell ; in the evening, he is 
 with Christ in heaven. This scripture teaches us a pleas- 
 ant truth,, namely, that there is no interval between the time 
 of our departure from this world by death, and our admission 
 into the realms of glory. Some have dreanxed" that the soul 
 sleeps till the resurrection ; but Christ assures the thief, and 
 assures us by the same word, of an immediate entrance into 
 heaven ; that so, being " absent from the body," we may be 
 " present with the Lord." 
 
 4. Of all this, Jesus vouchsafes the most solemn assurance ; 
 he adds his usual asseveration, "Verily." Perhaps he saw 
 
394 THE PENITENT THJEF. 
 
 some rising doubts in the sinner's mind. The Messing prom- 
 ised was so vast and unexpected ; he might feel so much his 
 own vileness and unworthiness, as to fear he should not 
 obtain ,it ; but to put the matter out of all doubt, Christ adds 
 a kind of oath to his promise, that so this "heir of promise 
 might have strong consolation." And is not the Scripture 
 full of assurances, that " whosoever believeth in Jesus shall 
 not perish, but have everlasting life ;" yea, more, " he that 
 believeth Aa?^ " — even now " hath everlasting life ; and shall 
 not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto 
 life?" "Wherefore then dost thou doubt, thou of little 
 faith ?" 
 
 Beware of abusing this glorious instance of free grace. 
 Many have been very cautious in speaking of it, and have 
 rather labored to obscure its glory, by studying to find out 
 something good in the character of the thief, lest this exam- 
 ple of grace, purely free, and granted at the last hour, should 
 have a dangerous tendency, and encourage men to defer their 
 jrepentance; presumptuously hoping to be saved at the last 
 moment, like the thief But a sober consideration of the 
 matter m^y prevent this abuse ; while we must take care to 
 do nothing to diminish the' gldry of divine grace, in this in- 
 stance so illustriously displayed. It has been often and 
 justly observed, " "We have but one such instance recorded in 
 the Bible : one sinner converted at the hour of death, that we 
 may hope ; and but one, that we may fear." And suppose it 
 had once happened that a person had leaped down from a 
 lofty precipice without losing his life, would it be prudent for 
 ten thousand other people to run the risk, and leap down after 
 him ? Dreadfully hazardous indeed it - is, for men to pre- 
 sume on a death-bed repentance. " Repentance is the gift of 
 God ;" he is bound to bestow it at no time ; and can it be 
 reasonably expected at the close of a life of sin and rebellion? 
 Let it be considered how many die suddenly, without a mo- 
 ment's warriing; how many die on their beds, who are so 
 flattered by their disorder or their friends, that they have no 
 
SERMON XXXVII. 395 
 
 expectation at all of ■^death. Others die in the delirium of a 
 fever, or are otherwise disabled by extreme agony or weak- 
 ness for serious reflection. And some die hardened, like the 
 other thief on the cross ; for, in general, men die as they live. 
 
 But behold, and admire the grace of God ! Salvation is 
 always of grace. Surely it was so in this instance. Sin 
 indeed abounded, but grace superabounded. Whoever is 
 saved, must be saved on the very same terms as the thief 
 was, "justified freely by his grace, through the redemption 
 that is in Christ;" "without money, and without price;" 
 "not of works, lest any man should boast." Boasting is 
 always excluded in salvation, whoever is the subject of it. 
 How eminently so here ! Who was it that made one thief to 
 difier from the other ? Bishop Hall says, " Lord, he could not 
 have spoken this to thee, but by thee. What possibility was 
 there for a thief to think of thy kingdom without thy Spirit ? 
 That good Spirit of thine breathed upon this man, breathed 
 not upon his fellow : their trade was alike ; their state alike; 
 their sin was alike; their cross alike; only thy mercy makes 
 them unlike. One is taken, the other left. Blessed be thy 
 mercy, in taking one ; blessed be thy justice, in leaving the 
 other ! Who can despair of that mercy ? who can but trem- 
 ble at that justice ?" 
 
 Let every sinner who reads or hears this, know he needs 
 mercy just as much as this criininal. " But I am not a 
 thief," says one. Perhaps you have not robbed man, but 
 have you not " robbed God ?" Have you not defrauded him 
 of "the glory due to his name?" Have you not robbed him 
 of the Sabbath, a portion of time which he demands for his 
 own service? Have you not embezzled his talents, which 
 were given you to trade with for the purposes of his honor, 
 and your own salvation ? Boast not, then, that you " have 
 paid every man his own," when you have, in a thousand 
 instances, defrauded the blessed God of his due. See, then, 
 the nedessity of mercy, and dread the thought of a double 
 condemnation — ^the one for sin, and the other for unbelief. 
 
 May the goodness of God so divinely displayed in this 
 
396 THE PENITENT THIjEF. 
 
 instance, draw thee to repentance. Jesus Christ "came to 
 seek and to save that which was lost." This was always his 
 character, and he maintained it to the last. His enemies 
 reproached him for it : they called him, " the friend of sin- 
 ners ;" so he was ; but not the friend of sin. Blessed he his 
 name, he is " the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." He 
 casts out none that come. come and try him. What 
 encouragement is here for him *'that is ready to perish ;" who 
 has a world of guilt, and not a grain of worthiness! Say 
 with the dying thief, " Lord, remember me, now thou art in 
 thy kingdom," and he will find a place in paradise for you, 
 even for you. 
 
 This prayer will suit the Christian all his days, " Lord, 
 remember me." When guilt recurs, when temptations assault, 
 when troubles arise,, look to the Saviour. He who " remem- 
 bered thee in thy low estate," will not forget thee now. Like 
 the high-priest of old, he bears the names of all tis people 
 on his heart ; and though even a tender, mother may forget 
 her sucking child, yet he protests he will remember thee. In 
 return, go thou and remember him. 
 
SERMON XXXVIII. 397 
 
 THE WORLD TO COME. 
 
 SERMON XXXVIII. 
 
 "BUT THEY WHICH SHALL BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO OBTAIN THAT 
 WORLD, AND THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD, NEITHER MARRY, 
 NOR ARE GIVEN pi MARRIAGE : NEITHER CAN THEY DIE ANY MORE : 
 FOR THEY ARE EQUAL UNTO THE ANGELS; AND ARE THE CHILDREN 
 OP GOD, BEING THE CHILDREN OF THE RESURRECTION." Lckb 20 : 35, 36. 
 
 It may justly excite our wonder and our grief, that be- 
 lievers, who are professed candidates for another world, should 
 have their hearts so little set upoti their heavenly home. The 
 glory that shall be revealed, and which faith humbly expects, 
 ^ sO exceedingly great, that one should suppose the children 
 of Grod would scarcely be able to think or speak of any thing 
 else. But alas, it is not so. " Our souls cleave unto the 
 dust," and we have abundant cause to pray, " Quicken thou 
 us, according to thy word." May the Lord bless our medita- 
 tions on this passage of Scripture, in which Jesus Christ 
 replies to the objections of the Sadducees against the doc- 
 trine of the resurrection. The Sadducees were probably the 
 disciples of Sadoc, and composed one of the four sects of the 
 Jews: their leading notion was, that "there is no resurrec- 
 tion," Luke 20 : 27 ; they also denied the existence of angels, 
 the immortality of the soul, and a future state. The Saddu- 
 cees thought to perplex the doctrine of the resurrection by 
 propiosing the case of a woman who had been married to 
 seven different men. " In the resurrection," said they, " whose 
 wife of them is she ?" Our Lord mildly answered this imper- 
 tinent question by showing that there is a vast difference 
 between the state of men on earth, and that of the children 
 of God in heaven ; a great difference between this world, and 
 that world, The whole passage is full of instruction, which 
 
398 THE WORLD TO COME. 
 
 we shall endeavor to obtain by making several observations 
 upon it. 
 
 I. There is another world. 
 
 Our Lord calls it that world : it is evidently opposed to 
 ''this world," verse 34, "the children of this world." We 
 know a little. of this world. that we knew it aright ! 
 that we saw it with the eyes of faith ! We should then con- 
 fess it to be a vain world ; "for all that is in the world, the 
 lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is 
 not of the Father, but is of the world." Solomon, who made 
 a full trial of the world, with advantages for making it above 
 all other men, solemnly pronounces the whole to be " vanity 
 of vanities, vanity of vanities, vexation of spirit." How em- 
 phatically is it expressed — as if his heart was full of the idea; 
 as if he longed to impress it upon others ; as if he could not 
 find sufficient words to do H» And remember who it was that 
 declared this. Not a hermit, who never saw the world: iiot 
 a pauper, who has got nothing in the world: not a spend- 
 thrift, who has lost all he had in the world ; but " the king 
 of Jerusalem," who abounded in wealth and honor, and who 
 had tried the whole round of worldly pleasures. If he pro- 
 nounces all to be vanity, we need not make the fruitless 
 experiment ; for " what shall the man do who cometh after 
 the king ?" 
 
 This world is as wicked as it is vain. " This present evil 
 world," St. Paul calls it ; " the world that lieth in wicked- 
 ness," saith St, John. It was good when God first made it, 
 " very good ;" but sin has made it evil, filled it with snares 
 and sorrows ; insomuch that it is a part of Christ's redemp- 
 tion, "to deliver us from this present evil world;" and from 
 Satan, " the prince of this world," who makes use of its pleas- 
 ures as baits, to destroy the souls of men. And yet such is 
 the evil heart of man, that he dotes upon this evil world he 
 seeks " his good things in this world ;" " his portion is in this 
 life;" he is "a man of the wOrld;" or, as Christ says, "a 
 child of this world," verse 34. 
 
 But there is another world. Solemn truth! generally 
 
SERMON XXXVIII. 399 
 
 admitted, but little regarded. think of it, you who trifle 
 away your precious time. There is another world ; and 
 though you forget it, you are hastening towards it every 
 moment. Yes ; there is another world, Jesus Christ, who 
 came from it, and who is gone to it again, Jesus Christ as- 
 sures us of it. "He has brought life and: immortality to 
 light ;" he has made a plain revelation of it in the gospel, 
 which shows us the certainty of it; the sublime, excellent, 
 and spiritual nature of it, as in our text ; together with the 
 true and only way of obtaining eternal life, which is by Jesus 
 Christ. Our Lord in his public discourses often spoke of 
 another world, of heaven, and of hell, very plainly, very 
 familiarly, very solemnly ; urging his hearers, by arguments 
 drawn from eternity, to regard the things which belonged to 
 their peace. 
 
 The world, of which we speak is a world of light and 
 purity and joy. " There is no night there." Hell is eternal 
 darkness ; heaven eternal light. No ignorance, no errors, 
 no mistakes ; but the knowledge of God in Christ begun on 
 earth, is there completed ; for " we shall know even as we 
 are known." The heavenly world is all purity and holiness. 
 Nothing retaining the defilement of sin can have admission 
 there ; only " the pure in heart shall see God." And there, 
 joy, which also commenced on earth in the possession of 
 " spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus," shall be full, uninter- 
 rupted, and evierlasting. " God shall wipe away all tears 
 from their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, neither 
 sorrow, nor crying ; neither shall there be any more pain : for 
 the former things are passed away." 
 
 Such is that world which our Lord here speaks of; and ij; 
 is the grand object of faith. Believers in all ages have kept 
 it in view. Abraham and Isaac and Jacob lived and died 
 in the faith of it ; " they desired a heavenly country," and in 
 the hope of it, were dead to this world; "confessing them- 
 selves strangers and pilgrims on earth." The apostles, " hav- 
 ing the same spirit of faith," looked intently — like archers 
 who fix their eye on the mark — ^but " not at the things which 
 
400 THE WORLD TO COME. 
 
 are seen ;" their object was nothing visible and sensible ; but 
 they " looked at the things unseen ;" they seriously regarded, 
 and carefully aimed at heavenly things, as the grand mark, 
 the noble prize of their high calling in Christ Jesus. 
 
 And is this the character' of real Christians ? Stop a mo- 
 ment and ask : Is it yours ? Amidst the unavoidable labors 
 and the lawful pleasures of this world, is heaven the princi- 
 pal object ? Or do you wholly forget it ? Has it, scarcely 
 ever a place in your thoughts ? And can you suppose you 
 shall ever enjoy glory without seekiiig it ? Be not deceived, 
 for observe, 
 
 II. It will be a great matter to obtain that world. 
 
 Notice our Saviour's words, "they which shall be ac- 
 counted wbrthy to obtain that world." it will be a great 
 matter to obtain that world. ' Surely men dtf not believe 
 there is such a world, for faith of any sort will work. What 
 is it sets the world of men in motion ; what makes them so 
 busy from morning to night ? Is it not the belief that they 
 shall obtain something worth their pains ? Why then are no 
 pains taken to obtain heaven ? Infidelity lies at the bottom 
 of their sloth, or people would seek heaven as diligently as 
 they seek this present world. " So run," saith St Paul, " that 
 ye may obtain." " Know ye not," saith he, " that they which 
 run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize ? So run 
 that ye may obtain." 1 Cor.. 9 : 24. The Christian life is a 
 race, and heaven is the prize : and a race implies motion, 
 vehement motion, and continued motion. let us be in good 
 earnest for heaven. Lazy wishes and formal religion will not 
 do. Christ represents it as a great thing to obtain that world. 
 , It will be a matter of amazing grace and favor. Labor, 
 we must ; yet, after all, it is a matter of pure mercy, for " the 
 gift of God is eternal life." Every glorified saint will bp 
 filled with surprise, and be ready to say. Lord, is it I? 
 
 " How c^n it be, ihou heavenly King, 
 That thou shouldst me to glory bring ; 
 Make slaves the partners of thy throne, 
 Decked with the never-fading crown I" 
 
SERMON X'XXVIII. 401 
 
 And Oh, what a matter of infinite joy will it be! If 
 angels rejoice at the conversion of a sinner, it is because they 
 foresee its final result ; the foundation is laid, and they rejoice 
 to think they shall witness the top-stone laid also, and shall 
 shout, " Grrace, Grace unto it." Yea, the blessed Redeemer 
 himself shall rejoice, " when he sees the travail of his soul ;" 
 he will reckon all his pains and sorrows and sufferings amply 
 recompensed, when he beholds the millions of his elect safely 
 brought to glory. 
 
 then, let the obtaining of that world be our first busi- 
 ness in this. So Christ directs : " Seek first the kingdom of 
 God and his righteousness ;" let care for heaven precede all 
 other cares. Seek it first, seek it early in life ; and seek it 
 early every morning. Seek it earnestly as the chief thing, 
 " for what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and ■ 
 lose his own soul ?" Heaven is all, and heaven will make 
 amends for all. Observe, 
 
 III. Some kind of worthiness is necessary to the obtain- 
 ing of that world : " they which shall be accounted worthy to 
 obtain that world." 
 
 This worthiness includes merit and meetness, or a title to 
 glory, and a, fitness for it. Both these are necessary. But 
 where shall we Ipok for merit? Not in man. Man is a sin- 
 ner, and a sinner merits only hell, for "the wages of sin is 
 death." " All men have sinned, and come short of the glory 
 of God." The best man in the world can lay no claim to 
 heaven; if he could, there would be 1-oom for boasting : "but 
 boasting is excluded." " No flesh shall glory in his presence." 
 If any man glory, it must be in the Lord. It is the merit, or, 
 more properly speaking, the righteousness of Christ, which is 
 the believer's title to heaven. This, like the wedding garment 
 in the parable, is the only dress in which a sinner can appear 
 before God, or sit down at the marriage^supper of the Lamb. 
 
 But there is a meetness or fitness for that world which is 
 equally necessary. St. Paul gives thanks to God, " who hath 
 made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints 
 in light." Col. 1 : 12. Observe, heaven is for saints^ that is, 
 
 Vil. Ser. 26 
 
402 THE WOELD TO COME. 
 
 sanctified persons ; and they who are not saints on earth, will 
 never be saints in heaven. All who are designed for heaven 
 hereafter, are prepared for heaven now. Only those who are 
 sanctified shall be glorified. And this is eyident to common- 
 sense. Every creature has its proper element. The fish can- 
 not fly in the air, nor the bird swim in the water. And how 
 can we suppose that the man who drinketh in iniquity like 
 water, can be fit to be with angels and the spirits of just men 
 made perfect, where all is pure and holy. A good man who 
 was dying, said, *' I shall change my place, but not my com- 
 pany." Let them think of this whose chosen company is 
 the profane and the lewd. how vain 9,re the hopes which 
 many persons entertain of future happiness ! In vain the 
 proud Pharisee, who talks of his good heart and his good 
 works, expects a place among the redeemed ; for their song 
 isj not " worthy is self," but, '* Worthy is the Lamb that was 
 slain, who hath redeemed us to God by his blood." As vain 
 are the hopes of the carnal and worldly man whose affections 
 cleave to earth, who lives in the love and practice of knqwn 
 iniquity, whose inmost soul abhors the spiritual life, who 
 accounts the Sabbath a burden, and who lives "without 
 Christ in the world." Know, vain man, thy hope is folly 
 and presumption, and hear what Christ :has declared with a 
 double verily : " Except a man be born again, he cannot see 
 the kihgdom of God." John 3:3. > 
 
 But thrice happy are they who are prepared for heaven; 
 who are " born of the Spirit," and made spiritual in the frame 
 of their mind; whose hearts are weaned in some degree from 
 earthly things ; who possess the world as though they pos- 
 sessed it not; who have affections and desires suited to the 
 work and delight of heaven: "He who hath wrought us for 
 the self-same thing is God :" these are " the first-fruits of the 
 Spirit," the foretaste of heaven ; and those who enjoy it shall 
 be " accounted worthy to obtain that world." Observe, 
 
 IV. That the relations of the present world will not 
 SUBSIST IN the world TO COME ; our Lord says, "They neither 
 marry, nor are given in marriage." 
 
SERMON XXXVni. 403 
 
 This expression is not intended to disparage that kind of 
 union ; for marriage was ordained of God himself, while yet 
 our first parents retained their originaV innocence. This rela- 
 tion is the first that subsisted between human beings ; it is 
 the source of all other relations, and superior to them all ; for, 
 " for this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, 
 and cleave unto his wife." And our Lord was so far from 
 discouraging marriage, that he graced a marriage-feast with 
 Ms presence, and wrought his first miracle there. 
 
 But in heaven this relation will cease, because the pur- 
 poses for which it was instituted will also cease. There will 
 be no death in heaven ; consequently no vacancies such as 
 death here makes, to be filled up. In this world, " one gen- 
 eration passeth away, and another cometh." The world is 
 like an inn, where travellers take a hasty refreshment, and are 
 gone ; while a succession of new travellers occupy their places. 
 Where are the former inhabitants of this place ? they are min- 
 gled with the dust ; the places which knew them, know them no 
 more. We who are present supply their room ; and in a short 
 time another generation shall succeed us. But the inhabitants 
 of heaven dwell in a "continuing city," "a house not made 
 with hands, ■whose, builder and maker is G-od ;" yea, they are 
 like " pillars in his temple, and shall go no more out." 
 
 The blessed God, who is of purer eyes than to behold 
 iniquity, has been pleased to appoint marrig-ge as a remedy 
 against fornication, that natural desires, might not become 
 brutal, ,but be under' direction and control.: Alas,, what 
 abomirxations spring from the neglect of this remedy ; what 
 impurities, what excesses, what poverty, what disease, what 
 infamy, whaft bloodshed, what misery, have abounded in the 
 world by the unbridled lusts of the sexes ! And Oh, how few 
 consider that, "for all these, things God will bring them into 
 judgment!" But in the heavenly world, those who were on 
 earth purified iri measure, shall be perfectly pure; the body 
 of sin and death. shall also be purged in the graye, and no 
 disorderly passions, nor sensual appetites, shall ever molest 
 them again. 
 
404 THE WORLD TO COME. 
 
 Nor shall the glorified need the aid of that domestic 
 friendship and comfort which result from the married state, 
 and which are well suited to our embodied condition; for 
 even in paradise the Creator judged " it was not good for man 
 to.be alone." But in heaven there will be ho occasion for 
 the lesser streams of happiness, when believers have arrived 
 at the fountain. In that blessed . state, "the tabernacle of 
 God shall be with men, and he will dwell with them, and 
 they shall be his people, and Grod himself shall be with them, 
 and be their God." Rev. 21:3. And it is added, " The city- 
 had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for 
 the glory of the Lord did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light 
 thereof" Rev. 21 : 22. God in Christ will be the everlast- 
 ing fountain of knowledge and joy ; so that the aid of crea- 
 ture comforts shall no more be wanted than the light of a 
 candle at noonday. 
 
 let us learn from hence to sit loose to all creatures and 
 creature, comforts : "it remaineth, that both they that have 
 wives be as though they had none; and- they that weep, as 
 though they wept not ; and they that rejoice, as though they 
 rejoiced not ; and they that use this world, as not abusing it ; 
 for the fashion of this world passeth away." 1 Cor. 7 : 29-31. 
 Observe, 
 
 V. In that world, death will be for ever abolished. 
 
 This is a dying world. We are placed as in a field of 
 battle; our relations and neighbors are falling all around us, so 
 that we may almost say, " Where is the earth that hath not 
 been alive?" Death is, to mortals, "the king of terrors." 
 Many thoughtless creatures, indeed, will hardly allow them- 
 selves to think of it ; but when it approaches, what agonies 
 and terrors seize their souls ; sin is neither pardoned nor sub- 
 dued, and preparation for eternity is not begun. Even some 
 of the tirnid flock of Christ, weak in the faith, are, incon- 
 sistently with the glorious gospel they profess^ too much in 
 bondage through fear of death.' -But " Christ hath abolished 
 death." 2 Tim. 1 : 11. He hath taken away its sting, and 
 changed its very nature, turning the curse into a blessing ; 
 
SERMON XXXVIII. 405 
 
 and as to the second death, far more dreadful than the first, 
 it is lost and gone for ever : " He that believeth in me shall 
 never die. Belie vest thou this ?" John 11. Instead of death, 
 eternal life is the believer's portion ; even now the Christian 
 hath it, and it shall be perfected at the resuri'ection, when 
 this mortal shall put on iimnortality. death, where is thy 
 sting ? grave, where is thy victory ? 
 
 Let this reconcile us to death. We shall die but once. 
 It alleviates the distress of some bodily disorders, as the small- 
 pox, for instance, that persons suffer them but once, and are 
 not liable to have them again. It is a far greater satisfaction 
 which Christ affords us in our text : " Neither shall they die 
 any more;" especially as death itself is also become a privi- 
 lege : it is the gate of life, and ushers us into his presence, 
 where " there is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore." 
 Observe, 
 
 VI. The blessed inhabitants of that world shall be like 
 THE ANGELS ; " they are equal to the angels." 
 
 Angels are spiritual beings, not having bodies as we have, 
 but possessing rational powers superior to ours. They are 
 pure and holy beings, having never rebelled against G-od, as 
 their fallen brethren the devils have, and as we the children 
 of men have. They do the will of Qod with pleasure, and 
 are the messengers of God's inercy to men ; " ministering 
 spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of 
 salvation." 
 
 At present, we are far inferior to angels, not only in our 
 natural powers, but especially in holiness and purity; ^"We 
 inhabit a body of sin and death, and by our connection with 
 a system of flesh and blood, are greatly hindered in our spirit- 
 ual pursuits, and disposed to evil. Thus the apostle speaks: 
 " I delight in the law of God after the inward man," the 
 renewed mind ; " but I see another law in my members, war- 
 ring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into cap- 
 tivity to the law of sin which is in my members ;" and on 
 this account he cries, " wretched man that I am ! who shall 
 deliver me from the body of this death ?" Eom. 7:22. All 
 
406 THE WORLD TO COME. 
 
 believers have daily cause to make the same complaint ; for 
 the flesh lusteth always conttary to the spirit, so that' they 
 cannot do the things that they would. On this ground, our 
 suffering Saviour kindly apologized for his sleeping disciples 
 in the garden : " The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is 
 weak." 
 
 But our Lord here assures his people they shall be equal 
 with the angels; they shall drop the clog of their mortal 
 bodies, and lose the incumbrance of flesh and blood : no seh.- 
 sual appetites shall divert their affections from spiritual 
 objects; but with the same agility and spirituality as the 
 angels- themselves, they shall serve their dear Lord day and 
 night in his temple, and be supremely happy in the full 
 enjoyment of God and the Lamb. 
 
 let tis endeavor to resemble angels now, as much as 
 possible. We are taught to pray, " Thy will be done on earth, 
 as it is in heaven ;" and that we may do it, let us not indulge 
 aur sensual appetites too much, but with St. Paul, "bring 
 our bodies into subjection, and keep them under." Observe, 
 
 VII. The resurrection of the body will perfect the bliss 
 of Grod's people ; " they are the children of God, being the 
 children of the resurrection ; they shall be accounted worthy 
 to obtain that world, and the •resurrection from the dead." 
 
 The heavenly felicity of believers shall commence at the 
 moment of death. No sooner are they "arbsent from the 
 body," but they are "present with the Lord;" but their bliss 
 will not be consummated till the morn of the resurrection. 
 In. the prospect of this, holy Job says, "All the days of iny 
 appointed time," that is, in the grave, "will I wait, till my 
 change come ;" gloridus change it will be ! for " the Lord will 
 change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like his glo- 
 rious body." " Thou shalt call," saith he, " and I will answer 
 thee;" for the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: 
 " thou wilt have a desire to the work of thy hands." Job 
 14 : 14, 15. The human body is the exquisite workmanship 
 of God's hands ; and being redeemed by Jesus Christ, as well 
 as the soul, it shall be rescued from, the power of the grave. 
 
SERMON XXXVIII. 407 
 
 Then "the creature," the corporeal part of the Christian, 
 which had long been made subject to vanity, "shall be de- 
 livered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious lib- 
 erty of the' children of God." This is the "manifestation of 
 the sons of God," when they shall appear like themselves, 
 a.nd like their glorious Redeemer. This is also called " the 
 adoption." Believers are now the adopted sons of God ; but 
 this dignity is denied by the world, and sometimes obscured 
 to themselves : but then God will own and publish it before 
 all the world, and the matter will be put beyond dispute. 
 Their bodies then shall be as much more glorious than those 
 of the wicked, as their souls are now more gracious than 
 theirs. And as Christ was by his resurrection " deolared to 
 be the Son of God with power," so shall his humble followers 
 be. Rom. 8 : 19-23. 
 
 Thus we have taken a distant view of the future world, 
 of which so many useful hints are suggested in the text. Let 
 us daily walk as expectants of another world. Let us remem- 
 ber it will be a great matter to obtain that world. Let us 
 recollect what that worthiness is which is requisite to the 
 obtaining of it, namely, the righteousness of Christ, and the 
 sanctifying influence of the Spirit. Let us remember, that 
 human relations and connections, however useful and com- 
 fortable at present, will cease at death ; but that death itself 
 shall also be abolished. Let us enjoy the thought of being 
 holy, happy, and spiritual, like the blessed angels ; and try 
 to resemble them now in our cheerful and active obedience. 
 Finally, in the prospect of a glorious resurrection, let us "be 
 steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the 
 Lord ; forasmuch as we know that our labor is not in vain in 
 the Lord." 
 
408 THE ARK OP SAFETY. 
 
 SAFETY IN THE ARK FOR PERISHING SINNERS. 
 
 SERMON XXXIX. 
 
 " COME THOU AND ALL THY HOUSE INTO THE ARK." Gen. 7 : 1. 
 
 This is the gracious invitation which G-od gave to Noah, 
 just before the flood came upon the world of the ungodly. 
 The world had been formed about sixteen hundred years, and 
 the number of mankind was greatly multiplied. But wicked- 
 ness also greatly increased, until the wra^h of God was dread- 
 fully kindled, and he determined upon the general destruction 
 of sinners. " And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I 
 have created from the face of the earth ; for it repenteth, me 
 that I have made him." But Noah, who, amidst the general 
 depravity, was righteous and pious, " found grace in th^ eyes 
 of the Lord." To him God made known his designs a hun- 
 dred and twenty years before the flood; and directed him to 
 build an immense vessel like the hull of a ship, in which 
 himself and family should be preserve^l. ; Noah believed, and 
 obeyed. The ark was ready, and the deluge was at hand. 
 " Then the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy 
 house into the ark." Noah entered. The Lord shut him in. 
 The flood prevailed. , Mankind was destroyed, Noah and 
 his family continue a year in the ark in safety, are then 
 released from their confinement^ and become the founders of 
 a new world. 
 
 There is much instruction to be gathered from this affect- 
 ing history; and it affords a lively- type or emblem of the 
 salvation that is in Christ for perishing sinners. It is still 
 the determination, of the holy God to punish the ungodly. 
 He gives them warning, and allows them time and space for 
 repentance. He has also provided an ark for the preservation 
 of those who foresee their danger ; and by the gospel he in- 
 
SERMON XXXIX. 409 
 
 vites sinners to fly to this refuge. Happy tliey who, like 
 Noah, believe and obey, and are saved. For the sake of order 
 and of memory, we shall divide our discourse into three parts, 
 and observe', 
 
 1. There is a deluge of wrath coming upon sinners, 
 
 2. There is an ark provided for preservation. 
 
 3. God graciously invites sinners to come into it. 
 
 I. There is a dreadful deluge of wrath coming upon the 
 ungodly. Sin only was the cause of the flood in Noah's time, 
 and sin will bring upon every impenitent unpardoned soul a 
 more dreadful punishment. *' By one man sin entered into 
 the world," and that man lived long enough to witness its 
 rapid growth ; he lived to see the world peopled with men, 
 and overrun with wickedness. But in the family of Seth, 
 from which it was designed that the Saviour should come, 
 the fear and worship of God was long preserved. While this 
 family continued separate from the posterity of Cain, there 
 was a seed to serve the Lord. But at length this distinction 
 ceased : for " the sons of God," the children of Seth, " saw the 
 daughters of men," the posterity of Cain, " that they were 
 fair, and they took them wives of all which they chose." 
 The professors of religion married the profane; they were 
 " unequally yoked with unbelievers ;" and what was the con- 
 sequence? Iniquity increased faster than ever. "The bad 
 will sooner debauch the good, than the good reform the bad." 
 Wickedness became triumphant, and many seem to have been 
 giants in sin as well as in size. " And God saw that the 
 wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every 
 imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil. con- 
 tinually." " The earth also was corrupt before God ; and the 
 earth was filled with violence, for all flesh had corrupted his 
 way upon the earth." The Lord, who saw all this, was greatly 
 displeased ; and speaking after the manner of man, " he re- 
 pented that he had made man, and it grieved him at his 
 heart." The blessed God cannot be disturbed by any uneasy 
 passion, but these expressions signify his extreme displeasure 
 against sin and sinners ; they show that sin is most odious to 
 
410 THE ARK OF SAFETY. 
 
 his holiness, and sinners most obnoxious to his justice. Being 
 thus provoked to anger, he said, " My Spirit shall not always 
 strive with man, for that he also is Jlesh;" that is,' wholly 
 fleshly, carnally minded, entirely sensual, sunk in fleshly lust. 
 He therefore determined on the utter destruction of all man- " 
 kind by an universal deluge. Yet he is pleased to give warn- 
 ing of it, and suspend the threatened ruin for one hundred 
 and twenty years, which as men then lived about nine hun- 
 dred years, was such a reprieve to theih as nine or ten years 
 would be to us. 
 
 Men and brethren, sin is the same evil and destructive 
 thing now that it was then. God is equally angry with sin- 
 ners ; and though he does not generally execute his wrath 
 upon them in this world, yet he will assuredly do it in the 
 world to come. Hear what the holy, fiery law of God saith 
 to every transgressor : " Cursed is every one that continueth 
 not in all things which are written in the book of the law to 
 do them." Gal. 3 : 10. The condition of life by the law is 
 personal, perpetual, perfect obedience to all its commands,' 
 doing all things required, and doing them always, without 
 one omission, ; without one transgression. A single: failure, 
 even in thought, spoils a whole life of obedience, and incurs 
 the curse. You will say then, upon these terms, who can be 
 saved ? We answer, none. "By the deeds of the law shall 
 no flesh living be justified." - It is a vain thing therefore to 
 look for life by the law, or our good works, as they are called; 
 if ever we escape the curse, it must be through faith in Jesus 
 Christ, who " hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, 
 being made a curse for us." The whole book of God is full 
 of threatenings against sin. It declares that "the wicked 
 shall be turned into hell;" that "if the wicked turn not, he 
 will whet his^ sword ; he hath bent his bow, and made it 
 ready ; he hath prepared the instruments of death." Psalm 
 7 : 11, 13. What awful woi-ds are these! You tremble to 
 see a criminal just ready for execution : behold, the instru- 
 ments of eternal death are ready. And this is your own case 
 at this very moment, if you are yet in your sins. " The 
 
SERMON' XXXIX. 411 
 
 wrath of God abideth upon you ;" and the longer you live in 
 sin, the more are you " treasuring up wrath against the day of, 
 wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." 
 
 How merciful was God in giving warning to the old 
 world. His servant Noah was a preacher of righteousness. 
 The Spirit of Christ was in him, and by this Spirit he 
 preached to the disobedient and rebellious sinners of that 
 time, as St. Peter speaks : " By which" Spirit, " he went and 
 preached to the spirits in prison ; which sometime were dis- 
 obedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the 
 days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing." 1 Pet. 3 : 19. 
 Christ, by his Spirit in Noah, was the preacher. The hearers 
 were the wicked people of the world in Noah's days, but 
 when Peter wrote this they were spirits — disembodied spirits 
 in prison, that is, in the prison of hell ; so that they were not 
 only drowned, but damned. This passage therefore does not 
 mean that they were in prison when Christ preached to them, 
 as the Papists pretend: but Christ, by his Spirit, preached to 
 them on earth ; yet, alas, to no purpose. , Noah might say, 
 with the apostles and others, "Who hath believed our re- 
 port?" They. were disobedient; they did not regard the 
 merciful warning ; and very probably despised and ridiculed 
 Noah for his faith, his preaching, and his building. Thou- 
 sands would come to see the ark, and ask him what it was 
 for ; they would ask him whether he meant to sail on dry 
 land, or where so much water must come from as would 
 drown the world. Such a thing, they would say, is quite 
 contrary to reason ; such a thing never was, nor ever can be ; 
 and no doubt they would say Noah was righteous overmuch, 
 and religion had turned his brain. 
 
 In the very same manner the merciful warnings of God 
 are treated to this day. Serious religion is despised. Holi- 
 ness is accounted needless preciseness ; and •' the terrors of 
 the Lord," by which we would persuade men, are reckoned 
 idle bugbears, fit only to alarm weak people and children. 
 Thus unbelief tends to eternal ruin and destruction ; for no 
 person will fly from the wrath to come, who does not believe 
 
412 THE ARK OF SAFETY, 
 
 wrath, is coining — who does not believe God, who says it is 
 coming. But this very unbelief fulfils the Scriptures. St. 
 Peter says, " There shall come in the last days scoffers, walk- 
 ing after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the prbmise of 
 his coming ? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things con- 
 tinue as they were from the beginning of the creation." But 
 this is false. The world was once destroyed by water, and it 
 shall be again by fire. Not only does the Scripture assure us 
 of the deluge, but almost all nations retain a tradition of it ; 
 and we may see the traces of it with our own, eyes. The 
 trees which are found in the bowels of the earth, and the 
 shells and bones of fishes dug out of mountains reniote from 
 the sea, are ocular proofs of this event. But sin hardens the 
 hearts of nyen, and they will not believe till they feel. Our 
 Saviour tells us it will be just the same at the day of judg- 
 ment: "But as the days of Noah wer6, so shall also the com- 
 ing of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were 
 before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying 
 and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into 
 the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all 
 away ; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 
 24 : 37-39. 
 
 They kneiv not. Mark the expression : They hnew not. 
 How could they help knowing, when they were told of it for 
 one hundred and twenty years ? The meaning is, they be- 
 lieved not. They might have known, but they would not 
 know ; they would not believe ; they reasoned themselves out 
 of it. Just so do sinners now. They love sin, and they will 
 not believe that Grod will punish it ; which is^, in fact, saying 
 that God is a liar; and will not do as he has said. They 
 were secure because they were sensual ; they were eating 
 and drinking, minding the things that were seen, and so neg- 
 lecting the things that were not seen. 
 
 Nevertheless, " the flood came, and took them all away." 
 " If we believe not, God abideth faithful ; he cannot deny 
 himself" "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but his 
 words shall not pass away." Whatever God threatens or 
 
SERMON XXXIX. 413 
 
 promises is sure to come to pass. The flood came. Then 
 they saw what they would not believe. The day of mercy 
 was ended. There was^ no hope for them, no means of es- 
 cape ; but they miserably perished in the mighty waters. 
 
 Let us now turn our eyes from this dreadful scene, to con- 
 template the goodness of God towards Noah and his family ; 
 let us consider, 
 
 II. The ARK PROVIDED fot his pieservation. 
 
 God himself devised this means of safety. He directed 
 him to build a vessel of immense size, and pointed out all 
 the dimensions of it. Proper rooms were to be made for his 
 family, and others for. a small remnant of all other creatures, 
 who were thus to be preserved from the universal desolation.* 
 
 Thus the salvation of the church is by a plan of God's 
 own contrivance. The method of salvation by Jesus Christ 
 is wholly of God. It could never have entered into the heart 
 of man. No human or angelic being could ever have thought 
 of God's taking our nature into union with his own, or have 
 devised the astonishing plan of redemption by the blood of 
 his Son. So remote- is this method from the wisdom of man, 
 that he calls it "foolishness:" but it is "the wisdom of 
 God;" yea, "the manifold wisdom of God" is therein dis- 
 played ; and it will be the admiration of saints and angels to 
 all eternity. 
 
 As fallen man is totally ruined, it is necessary that his 
 restoration should be in such a way as to secure the whole 
 glory of it to God alone. And so it does. In the redemption 
 of sinners by Jesus Christ, " grace reigns" from first to last. 
 Grace devised the charming plan. Grace gave Jesus, the 
 unspeakable gift. It is by grace we are called. By grace 
 
 * Infidels have pretended that the ark was not big enough to hold all the 
 creatures, etc., but it appears from the calculation of learned men that it was 
 amply sufficient. It was about 550 feet long, 90 feet wide, and 50 feet high ; 
 so that it contained near 43,000 tons of lading, and would hold more than 40 
 of our ships of 1,000 tons each. It was nearly as long as St. Paul's church 
 in London. And if all the animals together, as the learned have computed, 
 would not be equal to 500 horses, there would surely be room enough and 
 to spare. 
 
414 THE ARK OF SAFETY. 
 
 we are justified. We are sanctified by grace. By grace we 
 are preserved: and the top-stone of salvation, in the everlast- 
 ing glory of the elect, shall be brought forth, shoutirlg, Grace, 
 grace unto it ! . 
 
 It was the same grace that selected Noah from the great 
 mass of the profane and wicked of that day. The nature of 
 Noah was no better than that of others, but grace madrf him 
 to differ. It is said, " Noah found grace in the eyes ,of the 
 Lord." Gen. 6 : 8. The like expression is used concerning 
 Lot. When Sodom was destroyed, he was delivered ; " the 
 Lord being merciful to him." The salvation of the best men 
 must be ascribed to God's mercy, not ta their own merit. Gn- 
 esiphorus was a good man, but St, Paul prayed for him, that 
 he might find mercy of the. Lord at the last day : and it will 
 then be manifest, with respect to all the redeemed, that it was 
 " not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God 
 that showeth mercy." Rom. 9 : 15, 16. 
 
 The ark afforded perfect security. Noah being forewarned 
 of the approaching flood, and having received full instructions 
 how to build the ark, believed God and obeyed. St. Paul, 
 treating of faith, mentions him as an eminent believer : " By 
 faith, Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, 
 moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house ; 
 by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of 
 the righteousness which is by faith." Heb. 11. Here is the 
 way of salvation. God warns. The Christian believes the 
 warning. He fears the misery threatened. He flies^ to the 
 refuge provided, and there he is safe, 
 
 Believing that God would do as he said,, he began to build 
 the ark. It was a work of great labor, but he did not shun it 
 on that account. It was an unexampled thing ; he had no 
 precedent for it ; and it required no small courage and reso- 
 lution to persist in the work. Reason might hesitate and 
 form objections, but " the Lord hath said it," Was an answer 
 to them all. The world would despise him, and treat, him 
 as a visionary romantic fool, who frightened himself, and 
 wanted to frighten others, with ungrounded danger ; but the 
 
SERMON XXXIS. 415 
 
 power of faith, carried him through every difficulty, and at the 
 appointed season he received the end of his faith, even the 
 salvation of himself and his family. 
 
 Eor now the hundred and twenty years are just expired. 
 The long expected day is just at hand : " For yet seven days," 
 said the Lord, " and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty 
 days and forty nights ; and every living substance that I have 
 ITiade will I destroy from off the face of the earth." Here 
 was a fresh warning. While the time was distant they dis- 
 rega?rded it. But now there is pnly a week to turn them- 
 selves in ; and this week was spent like the rest. We -do 
 not hear of one person converted in the last week. The week 
 is expired. And now the rain descends, not in drops, but in 
 torrents ; and not for a few hours, but for six weeks together, 
 without intermission. And not only were " the windows of 
 heaven opened," but "the foundations of the great deep were 
 broken up"^r-the great abyss of waters under the earth, which 
 hitherto God had confined by certain bounds, "that they 
 might not pass over to cover the earth." Psa. 104 : 9. But 
 now these bounds are removed, and the water covers the sur- 
 face of the land. 
 
 " Probably many of the profane scoiFers, when they saw 
 the increasing violence of the waters, came wading middle 
 deep to the ark, earnestly craving admittance ; but as they 
 formerly rejected God, now they are justly rejected by him. 
 Ere vengeance begins, repentance is seasonable ; but if judg- 
 ment be once gone out, we cry too late. While the gospel 
 solicits us, the doors of the ark are open; if we neglect the 
 time of grace, in vain we seek it with tears. God holds it no 
 mercy to pity the obstinate. Others, more bold than they, 
 hope to overrun the judgment ; and climbing up to the high 
 mountains, look down upon the waters with more hope than 
 fear. And now when they see their hills become islands, they 
 climb up into the tallest trees; there with; paleness and hor- 
 ror they look for death, and study to avoid it, whom the 
 waves overtake at last, half dead with famine, and half with 
 fear. Lo, now from the tops of the mountains they descry 
 
416 THE AKK OF SAFETY. 
 
 the ark floating upon the waters, and behold with envy tiiat 
 which before they beheld with scorn." 
 
 In' the mean time Noah ^its secure in the ark. The tor- 
 rents of rain battering on the roof, the swelling of the waves 
 which bore him up, the bellowing «f the dying beasts, and 
 the shrieks of the expiring multitude, create neither disturb- 
 ance nor fear. He who " shut him in," had promised preser- 
 vation; and while all was horror without, within all was 
 safety and peace and praise. 
 
 And who ever trtisted in the Lord and was confounded ? 
 See the blessed effects of faith. " There is no condemnation 
 to them who are in. Christ Jesus," as Noah was in the ark. 
 The law may thunder out its fearful curse. Satan, unwill- 
 ing to lose his prey, may rage and roar. The world con- 
 demned by the believer's faith, as once by Noah's, may frown 
 and fret and persecute, but the believer is safe. " The law 
 of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made him free from 
 the law of sin and death." " The Lord knoweth how to de- 
 liver the godly out of temptation ;" and well may he triuinph 
 over the world, for Christ hath said, " Be of good cheer ; I 
 have overcome the world." Yea, when the king of terrors 
 himself shall advance, secure in Christ the life, he may say, 
 ",0 death, where is thy sting?" 
 
 how enviable, to the distressed multitude, was now the 
 favored situation of Noah. But alas, it was too late. The 
 same almighty hand which shut him in, had shut them out. 
 Blessed be God, it is not so yet with any of us. The door of 
 the ark is yet open ; and the language of the gospel is, " Come 
 thou and all thy house into the ark." This is what we are 
 now to consider. 
 
 in. God GRACIOUSLY INVITES siuucrs to comeinto the ark. 
 
 When the mighty waters were fast increasing, when no 
 hope appeared from any other quarter, how would it have 
 rejoiced the people to hear such an invitation as this : " Come, 
 perishing men and women, come into the ark. Come, and 
 bring all your dear little ones with you. Here is room enough, 
 and to spare : and here you shall find a hearty welcome." 
 
SERMON XXXIX. 41? 
 
 They were not favored thus. But we are called. " Go 
 ye into all the world," said Christ to his disciples, "and 
 preach the gospel to every creature." And what is this gos- 
 pel, but good news of a refuge from the storm, and a covert 
 from the tempest ? Pardon, safety, and eternal life to every 
 believer? Christ, the ordinance of God for complete salva- 
 tion, to every one who sees his need of him, and waftts to 
 "fly front the wrath to come." So Moses lifted up the ser- 
 pent in the wilderness : the people stung by fiery serpents 
 beheld it and lived. So the Israelites in Egypt sprinkled 
 their doors with blood, and the angel of death, who destroyed 
 their enemies, beheld the peaceful sign, and preserved their 
 lives. To this moment the gracious Redeemer is crying aloud 
 by his word, " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy- 
 laden, and I will give you rest," Come into the ark, thou 
 and all thy house. Parents, come not alone. Ask your sons 
 and daughters to come along with you. They will be wel- 
 come, for Jesus still saith, " Suffer little children to come 
 unto me, and forbid them not ; for of such is the kingdom of 
 heaven." may God make you and them willing to come 
 into the ark ! 
 
 How kind is God! — kind in warning sinners "so long 
 beforehand of their dreadful danger ; kind' in providing an 
 ark — in giving his Son to be a Saviour; kind in inviting 
 perishing men to come and be saved by him. praise the 
 Lord, for he is good ; for his mercy endureth for ever. 
 
 But are we aware of the danger ? Do we really believe 
 there is a deluge of wrath coming upon sinners ? Here most 
 men fail. Sin is so pleasant, they are unwilling to think it 
 destructive. But who shall we believe, the God of truth, or 
 the father of lies ? See the fate of these unbelievers. They 
 would not believe God, and were therefore secure ; but the 
 flood came, and took them all away. But Noah believed, was 
 moved with fear, built an ark, and was saved. You have no 
 ark to build. It is built already. Yet a few days, and the 
 flood will come. Have not some large drops of affliction 
 
 VU. Ser. 27 
 
418 THE ARK OP SAFETY 
 
 already fallen, to give you the necessary alarm? Lose no 
 time then. The very beasts will hurry home when a storm 
 is at hand. O seek a shelter in Jesus, and nowhere else. 
 Neither the mountains nor the trees could save the unbeliev- 
 ers of old. Nor is there a saving name in heaven or earth, 
 but that of Jesus. Come thou then into the iark. 
 
 And what say the rest of your house ? Shall the husband 
 come, and the wife be shut out ; or the wife enter, and the 
 husband be excluded ? Or, dear young people, shall your 
 parents be safe in the ark, and you their children perish in 
 the water ? God forbid. families, be concerned to be saved 
 altogether. Come thou and o^H thy house into the ark ; ser- 
 vants arid all. If one be left behind, he perishes for ever^ 
 God make you willing to be saved. 
 
 And you, believers in Jesus, who are safe in the ark, re- 
 joice in your security. Who can conceive what must have 
 been the grateful feelings of Noah's heart when the Lord shut 
 him in; and especially when all was over, and he came 
 safely out. Such, however, are the grateful feelings of a 
 believer safe in Christ, and a believer safe in glory. Blessed 
 be God for Jesus Christ ! 
 
SERMON XL. 419 
 
 THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF 
 
 CHRIST. 
 
 SERMON XL. 
 
 " THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD." 
 
 Phil. 3 : 8. 
 
 Life is short. It is a most serious reflection, Life is short. 
 The weakness and folly of childhood, the vanity and vices of 
 youth, the bustle and care of middle life, and the infirmities 
 of old age — -if we live to be old^what do they leave us ? A 
 short life indeed. 
 
 "Yet man has a soul of vast desires. He is* capable of 
 much, and aims at more. Many things he cannot attain, 
 and many are not worth the pains. Oh, 'tis pity that man 
 should not know how to choose the good and refuse the evil ; 
 how to make the most and the best of sd short a life. 
 
 Now there is an infallibly guide. O that man would 
 regard it ! Once hath Grod spoken ; yea, twice have I heard 
 this, What is the chief end, the first business, the true interest 
 of man ? 
 
 Job was a man truly wise and eminently good : he had 
 deeply considered the nature and value of wisdom ; but he 
 inquires. Where is it to be got? Men know where to get 
 gold and silver; and get them they will, if possible, though 
 at the hazard of life. " But where shall wisdom be found, 
 and where is the place of understanding ?" AH nature falters 
 in giving an answer; but God himself vouchsafes to give it. 
 To man he said, perhaps to Adam the first man ; however, to 
 us, to every man of us he says, "The fear of the Lord, be- 
 hold, that is wisdom ; and to ; depart from evil is understand- 
 ing." True religion is the true wisdom. 
 
 Solomon, deemed the wisest of men, speaks the same Ian- 
 
420 KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST. 
 
 guage, and thus concludes his book of dear-bought wisdom. 
 " Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter" — of what 
 matter? The subject he proposed in the beginning of his 
 book, What is the chief good ? " "What is that good for the 
 sons of men, which they should do all the days of their life?" 
 Eccl. 2:3. And here we have it. " Fear G-od, and keep his 
 commandments, for this is the whole duty of man," or rather 
 the whole of man, his highest wisdom, his proper duty, his 
 true excellence, his best interest. 
 
 But a greater than Solomon is here. What saith Jesus, 
 " the Wisdom of God," Wisdom incarnate ? " This is life 
 eternal, that they might know thee, the only true G-od, and 
 Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent," John 17 : 3 ; as if he had 
 said, The way to eternal life, the earnest of it, the evidence 
 of right and title to it, and the final enjoyment of it, consists 
 in, and is connected with, the knowledge of the only true 
 God, iji opf>osition to all false, gods; and in the like know- 
 ledge of Christ his Son, the only Mediator and Saviour, in 
 opposition to every other mediator or pretended way of accept- 
 ance with God. 
 
 In our text, St. Paul adds his testimony to the former, 
 the testimony of his own experience. He was a man of 
 learning, and had been a zealot for the Jewish law, a hater 
 of Christ, and a bloody persecutor of his church ; but grace 
 had renewed his mind and changed his heart ; he no longer 
 boasted of his works, or went about to establish his own right- 
 eousness; but the law became his schoolmaster to bring him 
 to Christ ; through the law, he became dead to the law ; now 
 he desires to be found in Christ, arid depends alone upon his 
 righteousness. r 
 
 What things were gain to him, he counted loss for Christ ; 
 and that, not only at his first conversion, but many years 
 after, when he wrote this epistle, he was still of the same 
 mind. "Yea doubtless," saith he, "I count all things but 
 loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my 
 Lord." He gladly parted with all his carnal confidence, all 
 his former reputation, and all his worldly enjoyments, for 
 
SERMON XL. 421 
 
 this excellent knowledge, and thought himself an immense 
 gainer by the change. 
 
 The true knowledge of Christ is as excellent as ever. We 
 ought to value it as much as Paul did ; and that we may do 
 so, let us consider, 
 
 1. What this knowledge is ; and, 
 
 2. The excellency of it. 
 
 I. Let us show what this knowledge is. 
 
 "We may consider the knowledge of Christ as opposed to 
 paganism, to Judaism, and to the merely notional religion 
 of formal professors. 
 
 The knowledge of Christ stands opposed to the ignorance 
 of the heathen. " The world by wisdom knew not God." 
 1 Cor. 1:21. The wisest pagans by their natural light and 
 boasted philosophy did not attain a true knowledge of God 
 and the way of salvation; "they became vain in their imag- 
 inations, and their foolish hearts were darkened." Witness 
 not only their altar "to the unknown God," but also the 
 multitude of idols they woi-shipped, the absurd notions they 
 entertained of their gods, and the horrid, bloody, and obscene 
 rites of their worship. 
 
 The knowledge of Christ is to be distinguished from thfe 
 knowledge of the, law of Moses. " The law was given by 
 Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ:" The 
 religion of the Jews consisted much in rites and ordinances, 
 which were obscure, compared with the religion of the gospel. 
 They had " the shadow of good things to come," we have the 
 substance. 
 
 This knowledge is also something far superior to the spec- 
 ulative, unsanctified notions of nominal Christians, " who pro- 
 fess they know God, but in works deny him;" who have 
 " the form of godliness, but deny the power ;" who name the 
 name of Christ, but depart not from iniquity, and to whom 
 Christ will say, "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, I 
 never knew you." That knowledge which Paul so much 
 prized, was truly valuable and useful, and indeed includes 
 the whole of true vital religion. We may define it to be 
 
422 KNOWLEDGE OF CHEIST. 
 
 A ^iritual, supernatural, experimental, and practical 
 knowledge of Christ, in his person, character, and work, as 
 revealed in the gospel. 
 
 It is spiritual . It is the work of the Spirit of G-od to 
 communicate it : " Grod shines into the heart." Believers 
 have " the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge 
 of Christ," Ephj 1 : 17 ; and the words which he speaks to 
 the goul "are spirit and life;" "it is the spirit that quicken- 
 eth; the flesh pfofiteth nothing." John 6 : 63, 
 
 It is therefore supernatural; it is above nature. No man 
 can give it; no natural man can receive it. We are assured ^ 
 that " the natural man"— that is, the animal or rational man, 
 he who acts only upon principles of reason — '"receiveth, hot 
 the things of the Spirit of God," 1 Oor. 2 : 14 ; that is, he does 
 not embrace and approve them; "for they are foolishness to 
 him :" through the darkness, pride, sensuality, and depravity 
 of his mind, he cannot reconcile them to his own mistaken 
 views of things, and therefore condemns them as weak; irra- 
 tional, enthusiastic: the apostle adds, "neither can he know 
 them, because they are spiritually discerned ;" for want of a 
 renewed faculty he cannot receive them, for they are per- 
 ceived in their divine truth, beauty, and glory, only by an 
 understanding illuminated and rectified by the Spirit of God. 
 "What an eminent instance of this was St. Paul himself. Be- 
 fore conversion, no man hated the gospel more ; after conver- 
 sion, no man loved it better ; and to this day, the change that 
 takes place in the minds of men respecting gospel truth is 
 little less remarkable. 
 
 It is experimental. Believers " receive the love of the 
 truth;" they "taste that the Lord is gracious;" "as new- 
 born babes they desire the sincere milk of the word ;" the 
 faith which they mix with the word gives a subsistence and 
 reality to the truth in their minds; so that; it greatly differs 
 from a bare speculation ; the truth is in them, and the truth 
 makes them free. Once more. 
 
 It is practical. Knowledge, in Scripture, is sometimes 
 put for the whole of religion, and fonns the grand distinction 
 
SERMON XL. 423 
 
 between the church and the world. Hence wicked men are 
 often said not to know the Lord; as the sons of Eli, for in- 
 stance, though they certainly had a speculative knowledge 
 of the whole law. Knowledge often includes all its proper 
 effects, as assent, to the truth known, affiance in the person 
 known, and that love to him which secures obedience. Thus 
 St. John speaks, " He that saith, I know him, and keepeth 
 not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him ; 
 and thereby we know that we know him, if we keep his com- 
 mandments." 1 John, 2:3, 4. 
 
 The knowledge we speak of^ and which St. Paul so much 
 commends, is the knowledge of Chrjst. Christ is the object 
 of it ; Christ Jesus my Lord. It is a principal part of this 
 knowledge to have right views of him; accordingly we find 
 our Lord himself catechising his disciples upon this point : 
 " Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am ?" and again, 
 " Whom say ye that I am ?" To others he said, " What think 
 ye of Christ ? Whose Son is he ?" Peter answered, " Thou 
 art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matt. 16. This 
 was a good answer, and he greatly commended it, saying, 
 " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona : for flesh and blood hath 
 not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." 
 His knowledge of the person of Christ was supernatural ; and 
 our Lord, further to show the importance of it, adds, " thou 
 art Pe^er "-—which signifies a rock, and having mentioned 
 his name, takes occasion to speak of this confession he made, 
 this article of faith, as the rock or foundation on which the 
 whole New Testament church shall be built. Indeed, this is 
 "the pillar and ground of truth ;" and without doubt, the great 
 mystery of godliness, that Jesus Christ is "G-od manifest in 
 the flesh;" "the Word made flesh, who dwelt among us." 
 
 The character, office, or worJe of Christ, is of equal im- 
 portance. St. Paul's resolution was, "to know nothing but 
 Jesus Christ, and him crucified." Christ as crucified, as a 
 sacrifice and atonement, was his darling topic : though it was 
 a stumbling-block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks, 
 he knew it to be "the power of God to salvation;" and in- 
 
424 KNOWLEDGE OF CHKIST. 
 
 deed, the names he mentijons in the text include much the 
 same — Christ Jesus, my Lord. The word Christ signifies 
 anointed. Priests and others used to be anointed with oil, 
 which denoted their, fitness for the office, and their appoint- 
 ment to it ; so Christ was anointed by the Father, filled with 
 the Holy Spirit, and set apart by divine authority to be the 
 prophet, priest, and king of the church. The name Jesus 
 signifies a Saviour ; it was given him " because he should 
 save his people from their sins." And the apostle adds, my 
 Lord : he acknowledges him to be the sovereign ruler of his 
 people, head over all things, and calls him his, because he 
 was his sworn servant. 
 
 The knowledge of Christ includes an acquaintance with 
 his whole character, as drawn out in the New Testament, 
 Here we see his innocence, his benevolence, his zeal, and 
 especially his regard to poor sinners ; how readily he listened 
 to the cry of misery ; how graciously he relieved the sick, the 
 poor, and the guilty, when they applied to him; in a word, 
 we see his glory, "the glory as of the only begotten of the 
 Father, full of grace and truth." 
 
 But the knowledge of Christ also includes /oiY^ in him, 
 according to that Scripture, " By his knowledge shall my 
 righteous servant justify many," Isa, 53:11; this cannot 
 mean the knowledge that is in Christ, but the knowledge of 
 Christ that is in his people, and so stands for faith, which 
 alone justifies the sinner in the sight of God. The true know- 
 ledge of Christ is alw'ays accompanied with faith in him, for 
 "they that know, his name will put their jtrust in him." 
 , This then is that knowledge which St. Paul attained, and 
 which he prized so highly that he said, " I count all things 
 but loss" on account of it. Surely it must be most excellent" 
 in itself and in its efiects to be preferred above all things. If 
 * we saw a man willingly parting with all* his property; sell- 
 ing his furniture, his house, his land, for the sake of buying 
 one single article, we must cdnblude, if we had a good opin- 
 ion of his prudence, that the article was of extraordinary 
 value. And this is no more than the Christian is expected 
 
SERMON XL. 425 
 
 to do, according to our Lord's parable, " The kingdom of 
 heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls : 
 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and 
 sold all that he had, and bought it." Matt. 13 : 45. Such a 
 merchant was our apostle. May divine grace make us such 
 also. That we may see the wisdom of his conduct, let us 
 now proceed to consider, 
 
 II. The ExcELLENcy of this knowledge of Christ. 
 
 1. It is the most necessary kind of knowledge. Of many 
 things we must be ignorant, because we cannot attain the 
 knowledge of them; and of many things we may safely be 
 ignorant ; but the knowledge of Christ is necessary to salva- 
 tion. " That the soul be without knowledge, is not good." 
 Prov. 19:2. There can be no faith in Jesus without it, and 
 without faith, no salvation. There can be no love to Jesus 
 without it, and if no love, no salvation. Indeed, we may see 
 how necessary it is, by the pains which Satan takes to pre- 
 vent the attainment of it ; for he, as the god of this world, 
 hath blinded the eyes of men, lest they should get this know- 
 ledge by the gospel. On the other hand, we learn its neces- 
 sity from Christ's zeal to extend the word of salvation; for 
 God our Saviour "will have all men," that is, all sorts of 
 men, " to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the 
 truth," 1 Tim. 2 : 4. Observe, they must have the kiibw- 
 ledge of the truth in order to their being saved. 
 
 2. It is the most heavenly kind of knowledge. Every 
 good gift comes down from God, but this e3pecially. He 
 who first created light in the world, " shines into the heart of 
 man." It is the Holy Spirit who takes the things of Christ, 
 and shows them unto us. It is written in the ptophets, and 
 daily fulfilled in the church, "All thy children shall be 
 taught of God." The Spirit of God is the great teacher ; but 
 he teaches by the word. " To expect that the Spirit will 
 teach you without the word, is rank enthusiasm; as great 
 madness as to hope to see without eyes ; and to expect that 
 the word will teach you without the Spirit, is as great an 
 absurdity as to pretend to see without light. God has joined 
 
426 KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST. 
 
 the word and the Spirit together, and let no man put them 
 asunder." We read of having " the eyes of our understand- 
 ing enlightened," Eph. 1 : 18, and we read also of Christ's 
 "opening the understanding of his disciples, that they might 
 understand the Scriptures." It therefore becomes every one 
 who wishes for this heavenly knowledge, to pray with David, 
 "0 Lord, open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous 
 things out of thy law." 
 
 3. It is the most useful kind of knowledge. Every kind 
 of knowledge is useful in its place, for it is to the mind what 
 light is to the eyes ; but this knowledge exceeds all other in 
 its blessed effects. What was it that made so vast an altera- 
 tion in the heathen world, so that from beasts and devils they 
 became holy saints and children of God ? It was the gospel, 
 which "opened their eyes, and turned them from darkness to 
 light, and from the power of Satan unto Grod." Hereby thou- 
 sands and thousands escape the pollutions of the world. In 
 this consists much of our regeneration ; for the new man is 
 "renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created 
 him." Col. 3 : 10. And this renewing work is carried on by 
 the same means ; " beholdijig as in a glass the glory of the 
 Lord, we are transformed into the same image froim glory to 
 glory." As the face of Moses got a heavenly lustre by con- 
 verge with G-od, so, by the clear view of Christ's glory, in the 
 looking-glass of the gospel, we ourselves obtain something of 
 his amiable and holy likeness. Oh, the excellency of the 
 knowledge of Christ, which makes us like Christ ! and de- 
 pend upon it, the more you know him, the more you will be 
 like him. 
 
 This knowledge will humble the soul. Other knowledge 
 puffeth up. The rays of the sun, which show its own glory, 
 discover the uncleanness of a room into vvhich they shine ; so 
 this excellent knowledge at once makes manifest the glory of 
 Christ, and the deformity of the sinner. Isaiah, upon behold- 
 ing Christ, the Lord of hosts, cries out, "Woe is me! I am 
 unclean," Job also exclaims, " Behold I am vile ;" and John 
 fell at his glorious Saviour's feet as one dead. 
 
SERMON XL, 427 
 
 We observed before that this knowledge is connected with 
 faith: "they that know thy name will put their trust in 
 thee." It would be arrant folly to trust a stranger with our 
 all ; but the knowledge of Christ encouriages the soul to con- 
 fide in him, " In whom ye trusted, after that ye heard the 
 word of truth," saith St. Paul to the Ephesians. None can 
 trust him till they know him, and whoever knows him arighji 
 will trust him. Well may we trust him when we consider 
 his almighty power, his infinite love, his divine righteousness, 
 and his perfect faithfulness. In the view of these, Paul, in 
 the prospect of death, could say, " I know whom I have be- 
 lieved, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which 
 I have committed unto him against that day." If we had a 
 thousand souls we might safely trust Jesus with them all. 
 
 4. This knowledge is, of all knowledge, the most pleasant. 
 Knowledge, in general, is grateful to the mind ; and yet some 
 kinds of knowledge are painful. Solomon says, " In much 
 wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge 
 increaseth sorrow." Eocl. 1 : 18. There must be a great 
 deal of pains ,to get it, and a great deal of care to keep it: 
 the more we know, the more we see remains to be known, 
 and the more we perceive of the folly, madness, and misery 
 of men. But there are no such inconveniences attending this 
 knowledge ; it is- more easily attained ; and he that increas- 
 eth it increaseth his joy at the same time. " I rejoice at thy 
 word," saith the Psalmist, " as he that findeth great spoil." 
 " The law of thy mouth is to me better than gold or silver." 
 " Thy.. word was found of me, and I did eat it, and it was 
 the joy and rejoicing of my heart." What support does the 
 afiiicted Christian find in the gospel of Christ? He may say, 
 " Thy statutes have been my song in the house of my pil- 
 grimage." Hear Paul and Silas singing aloud at midnight 
 in the jail at Philippi; it was the knowledge of Christ that 
 made them sing. And thousands of dying believers have 
 rejoiced in Christ amidst the pains of dissolving nature, and 
 even in the flames of martyrdom. How excellent then is the 
 knowledge of Christ ! 
 
428 KNOWLEDGE OF CHKIST. 
 
 Is the knowledge of Christ so excellent, then. Do we pos- 
 sess it ? St. Paul said to the Corinthians, " Some of you have 
 not the knowledge of Grod : I speak this^to your shame ;" and a 
 shame indeed it is for those who have the means of knowledge 
 to remain destitute of it. And it is more than a shame. It 
 is a sin, and a sin of the most fatal kind ; it keeps us from 
 the exercise of repentance, faith, love, and ohedience ; yea, our 
 Lord makes it the grand cause of final ruin. " This is the con- 
 demnation, that light is come into the world, and men have 
 loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil." 
 
 think of this, while opportunity remains to obtain the 
 knowledge of Christ. Seek it in the means of his appoint- 
 ment.. " If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of Grod." 
 Seek it earnestly, according to the divine direction. " If thou 
 criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understand- 
 ing ; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for 
 hid treasure ; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, 
 and find the knowledge of God ; for the Lord giveth wisdom, 
 he layeth up sound, wisdom for the righteous." Prov. 2 : 3-7. 
 
 And Oh, what cause have they for thankfulness who have 
 obtained this " sound wisdom," this most excellent knowledgie 
 of Jesus Christ ! You cannot have a greater cause for joy. 
 Christ himself gives you joy of it. " Blessed are your eyes, 
 for they see." On a like occasion " Jesus rejoiced, and said, 
 I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou 
 hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast 
 revealed them unto babes ; even «o, Father, sfor so it seemed 
 good ill thy sight." You have greater cause for joy and 
 praise, than if you had got the knowledge of all languages, 
 arts, and sciences ; these might make you famous among 
 men, but their advantage would be dropped in the grave. A 
 very learned man once said on his dying bed, " I have spent 
 my life in laborious trifling." He only is truly wise who is 
 "wise to salvation." In this excellent knowledge you are 
 allowed to glory ; for " thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise 
 man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory 
 in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but 
 
SERMON XL. 429 
 
 let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and 
 knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving- 
 kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth." Jer. 
 9 : 23, 24. O be thankful to Him who hath called you out 
 of darkness into this marvellous light. 
 
 But while you are thankful for it, do not be proud of it. 
 The wisest know but little of what is to be known. " Follow 
 on to know the Lord." " Grow in grace, and in the know- 
 ledge of our- Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Read the 
 word, and meditate on it day and night. Pray over it, and 
 pray for the Spirit to lead you into all truth. And while you 
 praise him with your lips, remember also to praise him with 
 your lives. Let it not be said, " What do you more than 
 others ?" But prove the superior excellency of your know- 
 ledge, by the superior excellency of your conduct ; " for ye 
 were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: 
 walk as children of light, proving what is acceptable unto 
 the Lord." Believers are appointed to be lights in the world ; 
 and much of their duty is comprehended in one word, shine. 
 "Let your light," says our Saviour, " shine," and shine "before 
 men" too ; that is not forbidden ; yea, it is commanded. But 
 it is thus commanded : " Let your light so shine before men 
 that they, seeing your good worhs" — yourselves as little as 
 may be, your works more than yourselves, as the sun giving 
 us light will scarcely suffer us to look upon itself — "may 
 glorify" — whom ? you ? no ; but, " your Father, who is in 
 heaven." Let your light shine ; it is given for that purpose ; 
 but let it always shine to the glory of " the Father of lights." 
 Thus may you be filled with the knowledge of his will, in 
 all wisdom, and spiritual understanding; being fruitful in 
 every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God, 
 until you see him, no more " through a glass darkly, but face 
 to face ;" until you know, even as also you are known. 
 
 Now unto God the Father of lights, to Jesus Christ the 
 Sun of righteousness, and to the Holy Spirit of truth, be all 
 glory, by every enlightened mind in heaven and earth, for 
 ever and ever. Amen. 
 
430 THE HEAET TAKEN, 
 
 THE HEART TAKEN. 
 
 SERMON XLI. 
 
 '.'WHEN A^STEONa MAN AEMED KEEPETH HIS PALACE, HIS GOODS ARE IN 
 PEACE: BUT WHEN A STRONGER THAN HE SHALL COME UPON HIM, 
 AND OVERCOME HIM, HE TAKETH FROM HIM. ALL HIS ARMOR WHERE- 
 IN HE TRUSTED, AND DIVIDETH HIS SPOILS." Ldke 11 : 21, 22. 
 
 The miracles which our Lord performed we're so obvious, 
 that it was impossible for his greatest enemies to deny them ; 
 but such was the malice of their hearts, that they sq,id he 
 performed them by the power of the devil. Our Saviour, in 
 answer to this, shows how unreasonable and absurd it is to 
 suppose that Satan should cast out himself, or any way op- 
 pose his own kingdom ; " for every kingdom divided against 
 itself is brought into desolation, and a house divided against 
 itself falleth." But in the text he shows how he had per- 
 formed the miracle of casting out Satan, namely^ by his supe- 
 rior power. He compares Satan to a strong man, armed with 
 weapons to defend his house; and he compares himself to one 
 that is stronger than the strong man. He. allows that the 
 devil is strong, but asserts that he is much stronger, and there- 
 fore- able to cast him out. By this similitude our Lord vindi- 
 cates his miracles, and proves he did not act in concert with 
 Satan. But the words are also fairly applicable to Christ's 
 continual victories over the devil in the hearts of inen^ by that 
 power which still goes along with the preaching of the gospel. 
 They describe two things: 
 
 1. The sad condition of an unconverted sinner ; and, 
 
 2. The wonderful power of divine grace in his conversion. 
 I. Here is the sad condition of an imcoNVEKTED sinner : 
 
 his heart is the habitation of Satan ; the faculties of his mind, 
 and the members of his body, are Satan's goods ; they are 
 employed by him in the service of sin ; and while this is the 
 
SEEMON XLI. 431 
 
 case, there is peace — a false and dangerous security — until 
 Christ by his gospel disturbs it, and by his grace delivers 
 the prey from the hands of the mighty. 
 
 1. The human heart is &, palace, a noble building ; at first 
 erected far the habitation of the great and glorious God, who 
 made man " in his own imagp, after his own likeness," " in 
 knowledge, righteousness, and holiness." " But the holy God 
 has withdrawn himself, and left this temple desolate. The 
 stately ruins are visible to every eye, and bear in their front 
 this doleful inscription-^HERE God once dwelt. The comely 
 order of this house is turned into confusion ; the beauties of 
 holiness into noisome impurities ; the house of prayer into a 
 den of thieves ; the noble powers of the soul, designed for 
 divine contemplp,tion and delight, are alienated to the service 
 of base idols and despicable lusts. The whole soul is like the 
 ruined palace of some great prince, in which you see, here the 
 fragments of a lofty pillar, there the shattered remains of a 
 curious statue, and all lying neglected and useless among 
 heaps of dirt. The faded glory, the darkness, the impurity of 
 this place plainly show the great inhabitant is gone." But, 
 
 2. The heart is now become the palace of Satan. Great 
 is the power of the devil in this world, and over the minds of 
 wicked men. This is an unwelcome truth, but it must be told. 
 Our Saviour calls him, " the prince of this world," John 14 : 30 ; 
 he who rules in this kingdom of darkness, and who is called 
 " the god of this world," 2 Cor. 4 : 4, because of the great 
 interest he has in this world, and the homage that is paid to 
 him in the world, and the great sway that, by divine permis- 
 sion, he beareth in the hearts of his subjects. The worship 
 of the heathen is the worship of the devil. Those who wor- 
 ship Jupiter, Bacchus, Venus, or any other idol, do really 
 worship the devil; and the foolish, filthy, and bloody rites 
 and ceremonies of their worsMp, are very fit for such devilish 
 gods. But it is not only among pagans that he reigns. St. 
 Paul assures us that unconverted men "walk according to 
 the course of this world, according to the prince of the power 
 of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of dis? 
 
432 THE HEART TAKEN. 
 
 obedience," Eph. 2:2; those who are disobedient to God, or 
 obedient to Satan : he works powerfully in them ; they follow 
 his suggestions ; they comply with his teinptations ; they are 
 subject to his commandments, and are "led captive by him 
 at his will." This is a very, avirful state. People may be in 
 it without knowing ii. But all are in it by nature ; all are 
 yet in it who " walk after the flesh, fulfilling the lusts of the 
 flesh, and of the mind." 
 
 The dwelling of Satan in a sinner is further insisted on in 
 this chapter, verse 24, etc. : " When the unclean spirit is gone 
 out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest ; 
 and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house." 
 There may be a partial and temporary reformation in a sin- 
 ner ; but without a real change, the devil .will resume his 
 power, " and the last state of that man is worse than the first." 
 
 The heart of man is either God's house, or Satan's. If 
 God does not rule there by his Spirit, Satan does : and it may 
 easily be known who rules. St. John plainly decides this 
 matter: "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that 
 doeth righteousness, is righteous. He that committeth sin is 
 of the devil. In this the children of God are manifest, and 
 the children of the devil." 1 John 3 : 7. Our Lord spoke the 
 same language to the wicked Jews. They boasted that they 
 were Abraham's children, and the people of God ; but he 
 faithfully told them, " Ye are of your father the devil, and 
 the lusts of your father ye will do." " Know ye not," saith 
 the apostle Paul, " that to whom ye yield yourselves servants 
 to obey, his servants jQ are to whom ye obey ; whether of 
 sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Rom* 
 6 : 16. Sin is the devil's work, and death is the wages of sin. 
 One person is under the power of drunkenness, another of 
 uncleanness, another curses and swears, another lies, another 
 steals. AH these are Satan's « drudges and slaves. Their 
 slavery is the most abject in the world, and is worse than 
 any other, for in other cases the poor slave longs for freedom, 
 and gladly escapes if he can ; but here the wretched sinner 
 hugs his yoke, fancies music in his chains, and scorns the 
 
SERMON XLI. 433 
 
 proposal of liberty. All this is owing to the power and craft 
 of the devil, who, i 
 
 3. Endeavors by all means to keep possession — "the strong 
 man armed keepeth the house ;" and this he does by hiding 
 from his vassals the fatal, consequences of sin, by hindering 
 any intercourse with the right owner, and by filling the heart 
 with prejudice against him. / 
 
 He keeps possession of the sinner's heart by hiding from 
 him the evil and wages of sin. He is called a ruler of darkness ; 
 he reigns in darkness, aiid by darkness. Sinners little think 
 where he is leading them. "Surely in vain is the net spread 
 in the sight of any bird." Prov. 1 : 17. The silly birds are 
 wiser than sinners. Sinners are told of their danger, but to 
 no purpose. Satan hath shut their eyes, and they are dister- 
 mined to keep them shut ; " they love darkness rather than 
 light, because their deeds are evil:" and how justly may a 
 holy God doom that soul to everlasting darkness, who wil- 
 fully rejected the light of life. 
 
 Satan does all he can to prevent any intercourse between 
 the sinner and the blessed God, who is the driginal and right- 
 ful owner of the heart. Such is the love of God to his rebel- 
 lious creatures, that he has sent his Son into the world to 
 make reconciliation ; and he has also sent his servants to 
 publish the gospel, or the ministry of reconciliation, " be- 
 seeching sinners, in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God." 
 But Satan dreads the effects of the gospel, and therefore tries 
 to hinder it. St. Paul says Satan hath blinded the minds of 
 unbelievers, " lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine 
 unto them." He would keep the light of the gospel out of 
 the world if he could, and he tries hard for it in some places, 
 by his persecuting agents ; but as he cannot do this, he will 
 keep it out of men's hearts, if possible. He loves to keep men 
 in ignorance and error. He persuades some to break the Sab- 
 bath, and to forsake the house of God, and to neglect the 
 Bible ; and he keeps others in a state of wretched formality : 
 they worship God with their bodies, but their hearts are far 
 from him. 
 
434 THE HEART TAKEN. 
 
 He fills the hearts of many with prejudices against Christ 
 and the gospel. Those who preach it and receive it, gener- 
 ally go under some name of reproach, and are so misrepre- 
 sented by ignorant, interested, and -carnal persons, that they 
 are afraid to hear and judge for themselves. "Where" open 
 persecution is not permitted, this is one of Satan's principal 
 means of keeping the possession of the sinnei''s heart. But 
 this snare would be broken, if men would remember that it 
 has always been the lot of good men to be despised-^that 
 Christ himself was treated in the same manner — ^that he tells 
 all his followers to expect reproach ; and calls upon th«m to 
 rejoice and be exceeding glad on that account. Thus you 
 see that, ' ' , ■ 
 
 4. Satan is but too well qualified to maintain his ground ; 
 he is compared to a strong mem, and to a strong man armed. 
 Devils are fallen angels, strong in their natural powers ; 
 vastly superior to men ; and they have been long practised in 
 the arts of destruction; they are like enemies flushed with 
 victory, having succeeded in millions of instances, and were 
 therefore not afraid to attack the innocent Jesus himself 
 Satan is armed — armed with astonishing cunning; he is 
 "the old serpent, that deceived the whole world" — armed 
 with inveterate malice against God and against man: as a 
 hungry and ravenous lion, he goeth about seeking whom he 
 may devour. 
 
 "We read of Satan's " strong-holds," 2 Cor. 10 :'4 — fortified 
 places. Ignorance, prejudice, beloved lusts, evil habits, the 
 way of the world, etc., are Satan's strong-holds in the' hearts 
 of some ; vain imaginations, carnal reasonings, and proud con- 
 ceits of self-righteousness, exalt themselves in others against 
 the knowledge of God; and. by these means the devil keeps 
 men ffom faith in Christ, and retains the possession of their 
 hearts as his own property. 
 
 5. While the strong man thus armed keepeth his palace, 
 " his goods are in peace." There is indeed " no" true " peace 
 to the' wicked." God hath not spoken peace, but sinners 
 speak peace to themselves ; and Satan, by wicked and car- 
 
SEEMON XLI. 435 
 
 nal ministers, who are somfe of his best agents, speaks peace 
 also. Carnal persons have generally a good opinion of them- 
 selves and of their state ; they think they have good hearts, 
 are not so bad as others, and have no occasion to be uneasy. 
 Just like St. Paul before his conversion : " I was alive," saith 
 he, " without the law, once." ■ He thought that if any man 
 would go to heaven, he should. He trusted in his birth and 
 education ; his good church, aiid his good life : Satan, the 
 strong man armed, had then full possession of his heart, 
 and therefore all was quiet ; " but when the commandment 
 came" — when the holy, fiery, spiritual law, Christ's pioneer, 
 came, and showed him he was a sinner, a great sinner, the 
 chief of sinners — then farewell this old peace, this false peace, 
 this fatal peace ; then, he saw what he was, and where he 
 was, and was glad to get peace from another quarter, even 
 from the blood of Jesus, the Prince of peace. 
 
 If a person were never uneasy about his sins, it is no good 
 sign. It may be feared that Satan keeps his heart ; for wher- 
 ever the gospel comes, though it be the gospel of peace, it 
 creates disturbance. It often occasions great agitation in a 
 parish, in a family, and in the heart; and be not offended, 
 brethren, if it do so among you. Jesus Christ has told us it 
 . will do so. " Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on 
 earth ? I tell you, Nay ; but rather division " — " a sword," 
 "a fire." Luke 12 : 49, 51. The gospel certainly tends to 
 promote peace with G-od and man ; but through the carnal 
 enmity of the natural man, it becomes an occasion of great 
 discord. Wherever the gospel was first preached by the apos- 
 tles, it excited disturbance and persecution ; and to this day, 
 where the true gospel is newly preached, it makes " no small 
 stir," and people are ready to say, as of old, " The men who 
 have turned the world upside down are come hither also." 
 Satan will not quietly part with his prey ; and ungodly 
 men who know not the nature and need of the gospel, will 
 oppose it. 
 
 The gospel is designed to bring the heart to rest and peape 
 in Jesus ; but as the soul must change masters, this resolu- 
 
436 THE HEAET TAKEN. 
 
 tion cannot, be brought about without division. There must 
 be a separation of the heart from the creature, in order to^ its 
 union with God ; for peace with the world and peace with 
 him are inconsistent. 
 
 Having thus shown you the first thing in the text, name- 
 ly, the sad condition of an unconverted sinner, let us pro- 
 ceed to display, ' 
 
 II. The WONDERFUL powEB OF DIVINE GRACE ill his Conver- 
 sion : " when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and 
 overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he 
 trusted, and divideth his spoils.'f • . 
 
 Observe here the greatness of the Conqueror, Jesus Christ; 
 he alone is stronger than Satan. Strong as the devil is, he is 
 but a creature, and his power is finite : Jesus Christ is the 
 Creator, and his power is infinite. He made the worlds. 
 This earthly ball, the glittering stars, the silver moon, and 
 the glorious sun, are all the work of his hands ; and by his 
 power all nature stands : " in him all, things consist ;" " for 
 of him, and through him^ and to him are all things ; to whom 
 be glory for ever. Amen." This glorious and gracious God 
 " was manifested in the flesh;" he took our feeble nature, and 
 ■ became a man, that he might " destroy the works of the devil," 
 and rescue his people from Satan's destructive hands. 
 
 See him in the wilderness encountering this hellish foe: 
 he was tempted in all points like ourselves ; but he van- 
 quished the enemy, and he fled from him. See him display- 
 ing his superior power in casting out devils from the bodies 
 of many miserable people. They oould^ never resist his com- 
 mand. By a single word he relieved multitudes who had 
 long been oppressed by Satan, and whose bodies as well as 
 souls had been his habitation. He gave a portion of the same 
 power to his disciples, who, returning from their mission, joy- 
 fully cried, " Even the devils are subject unto us through thy 
 name!" "I beheld," said he, " Satan fall as lightning from 
 heaven." Thus was " the prince of this world judged." The 
 conquest was completed when he hung on the cross ; and the 
 triumph was celebrated when he rose to the skies: "He spoiled 
 
SERMON XLI. 437 
 
 principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly ;" 
 "he led captivity eaptive, and received gifts for men." 
 
 The power of Christ Over Satan was displayed in every 
 country where the gospel was preached. The heathen he- 
 came ashamed of their idols, and the altars of their gods were 
 deserted. Those oracles in which perhaps Satan had heen 
 suffered to speak, were struck dumb ; the most abandoned of 
 mankind were reformed and renewed, and the world was 
 astonished at the triumphs of the cross. F6r it was not by 
 ' the force of human laws, it was not by the edge of the sword, 
 nor was it by the power of eloqtience, that the gospel pre- 
 vailed ; no, " the weapons of this warfare were not carnal," 
 and however mean they seemed in the eyes of men, they 
 were mighty, through God, to pull down the strong-holds of 
 the devil. Every man who knew its nature and felt its 
 effects, would say with the apostle, " I am not ashamed of 
 the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of Grod unto salva- 
 tion, to every one that believeth ;" " God forbid that I should 
 glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ ; by which 
 the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world." 
 
 As the strong man was armed, Jesus Christ is also armed. 
 So speaks the Psalmist : " Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, 
 most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty : and in thy 
 majesty ride prosperously, because of truth and meekness and 
 righteousness ; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible 
 things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's 
 enemies, whereby the people fall under thee." Psalm 45. 
 Here Christ is described as a warrior armed for the field. 
 The sword is "the word of Christ," or the gospel; with this 
 weapon he prevailed, and made his " glory and majesty " 
 known throughout the world, subduing idolatry and iniquity 
 to the faith and temper of the gospel, and thus rescuing his 
 elect from the power of the devil. 
 
 In this conquest, Christ " takes away the armor" on which 
 so much dependence was placed. By the teaching of the 
 Holy Spirit, he takes away the scales of ignorance which 
 covered the eyes ; the soul discovers its danger and ruin. He 
 
438 THE HEART TAKEN. 
 
 renews the will, for his people are " nnuade willing in the day 
 of his power ;" they are glad to quit the service of their old 
 master, and " willingly yield themselves unto the Lord." 
 Thus is that prophecy of Isaiah fulfilled, "I will divide him 
 a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with 
 the strong." Isa. 53 : 12. Having conquered Satan, he takes 
 possession. Much of the glory of Christ consists in va^st mul- 
 titudes of redeemed souls becoming his faithful subjects and 
 humble followers. Subdued by his grace, they give up them- 
 selves to him, to be saved, taught, and governed: "thus he 
 sees of the travail of his soul," the fruit of his sufferings ; and 
 thus " the pleasure of the Lord prospers in his hands." 
 
 " He divideth the spoil." As a conqueror takes possession 
 of the enemy's property, so Christ, having subdued the sin- 
 ner, now possesses whp.t was before at the disposal of Satan. 
 It is a sad truth, that whatever gifts a natural man has, they 
 are applied to the purposes of sin : his wealth, his wisdom, 
 his time, his influence, and all that he hath. How reasona- 
 ble is it then, that the saved sinner, constrained by the mer- 
 cies of Grod,. should present his body a living sacrifice to the 
 Lord, holy and acceptable ; it is indeed his reasonable service, 
 and the poet's sweet language^ will be cordially adopted : 
 
 " Were the whole realm of nature mine, 
 That were a present far too small ; 
 Love so amazing, so divine, 
 Demands my soul, my life, my all." 
 
 Whose habitation are wei Christ's, or the devil's ? One 
 or the other rules in , our hearts. Every man is under, the 
 influence of the good Spirit of God, or of the evil spirit of the 
 devil. " Know ye not that ye are the temple of the Holy 
 Grhost ?" said the apostle to the first Christians. So we may 
 say to wicked men, Know ye not that ye are the temples of 
 Satan, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobe- 
 dience? Does sin reign in you, or Christ? What is your 
 leisure time devoted to ? "What are your affections set upon ? 
 Is it upon vanity, pleasure, the lusts of the, flesh ; while 
 Christ and his great salvation, are neglected, the soul forgot- 
 
SERMON XLI. 439 
 
 ten, sin indulged, prayer omitted, religion despised ? Oh, my 
 friends, your case is dreadful. You may perhaps laugh at 
 all this;, you may even say there is no such being as the 
 devil — that the Scriptures speak in a figurative way, and use 
 strong eastern figures. But you may as well, deny that you 
 have a rational spirit within you, as deny the existence of 
 good and evil spirits without you. Our Lord teaches us daily 
 to pray, " Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from 
 evil ;" or as it might be rendered, from the evil one. that 
 you might put up that prayer from your heart. that you 
 had a wish to be delivered from his power ; for if you should 
 live and die under it, you must hear that awful sentence from 
 the mouth of Christ, " Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever- 
 lasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Horrible 
 company ! frightful association ! Yet, how just ! Sinners 
 hearkened to his temptations,' and they must partake in his 
 torments. His works they would do, his wages they must 
 receive. In this life, they joined with devils against G-od 
 and holiness ; in the other, they must be shut up with them 
 for ever. that men would consider this in time, renounce 
 the devil and his works, and open the door of their hearts to 
 the Lord ! Why should men choose that company in this 
 world, which they would abhor in the next? Those who 
 hate the company of the religious now, will not be troubled 
 with it hereafter; but as ungodly company is their delight 
 now, they will have a miserable eternity to pass with it :' and 
 let those who foolishly invoke the devil to take them, soberly 
 consider, that the company so often invited will be terrible 
 when it comes. 
 
 But 0, believer in Jesus, hail ; thou art happily delivered. 
 Adore and love the great Deliverer. Had not he interposed, 
 had he not conquered Satan for thee on the cross, and in thee 
 by his Spirit, thou hadst still been his wretched vassal. When 
 Jesus had cast the devil out of a man who had been misera- 
 bly treated by him, he was so transported with love and grat- 
 itude, that he besought him that " he might be with him," 
 Luke 8 : 38 ; he longed to enjoy his? company, as Mary Mag- 
 
440 THE HEART TAKEN. 
 
 dalene and others whom he had healed did ; but our Lord saw 
 
 fit to deny him this request, and ordered him "to return to 
 
 his own house, and show what great things God had done for 
 
 him." Go, Christian, and do likewise. Like hini, " publish 
 
 throughout the whole city how great things Jesus has done 
 
 for thee." 
 
 " The castle of the human hearty 
 Strong in its native sin, 
 Is guarded well in every part 
 By him who dwells within. 
 
 Thus Satan for a season reigns, 
 
 And keeps his goods in peace ; 
 The soul is pleased to wear his chains^ 
 
 Nor wishes a release. 
 
 But Jesus, stronger far than he, ' 
 
 In his appointed hour 
 Appears, to set his people free 
 
 From the usurper's power. 
 
 The rebel soul that once withstood 
 
 The Saviour's kindest call. 
 Rejoices now, by grace subdued, 
 
 To serve him with her all. 
 
 I Olney Hymnf. 
 
SERMON XLII. 441 
 
 CHRIST IS ALL. 
 
 SBEMON XLII. 
 
 " CHRIST IS ALL." Col. 3 : 11. 
 
 The necessity of having some religion is generally ad- 
 mitted, even by the most ignorant and profane. . All agree 
 that we ought to be religious ; but what true religion consists 
 in, is very much disputed. Every man forms a system for 
 himself, and then .flatters himself it must be right. But as 
 there are various schemes which contradict each other, we 
 are sure they cannot all be right. How then shall we judge 
 whether they are right or wrong ? I answer, the gospel is our 
 only rule. Bring every thing called religion to this touch- 
 stdne. Bring it to this text, Christ is all; that is, in the 
 true Christian religion, Christ is all ; he is the sum and sub- 
 stsince of it, the beginning and the end of it. v 
 
 St. Paul is here speaking of a conduct agreeable to the 
 Christian profession; he is recommending to the Colossians 
 the mortification of all corrupt affections ; to " put ofi" the old 
 man of sin," and to "put on the new man of grace;" for a 
 true Christian is " a new creature ;" and in this state of 
 renovation, or under the present gospel dispensation, he says, 
 " There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircum- 
 cision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free ; but Christ is all, 
 and in all :" that is, under the gospel, G-od has no partial 
 respect to persons, on account of their country, their religious 
 forms, customs, or situations in life : Christ has taken away 
 all partition walls, and men of all sorts stand on the same 
 level before God, both as to duty and privilege ; and for this 
 reason, Christ is the all of a Christian, let him be who he 
 may, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, master or servant — his" 
 
442 CHRIST IS ALL. 
 
 whole salvation, hope, and happiness, from firSt to last. The 
 words then teach us this grand truth, that. 
 
 In tht religion, of the gospel, Christ is all. 
 
 This is the general language of Scripture. Whatever we 
 want in religion, we must have it from Jesus. So St. Paul 
 speaks: " Christ is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanc- 
 tijication, and redemption." 1 Cor. 1 : 30. We are ignofant 
 and foolish in the things of God ; Christ, hy his word and 
 Spirit, is made wisdom to us. We are guilty sinners, liable 
 to Grod's wrath ; he is made righteousness to us — -he is our 
 great atonement and sacrifice. We are depraved and cor- 
 rupt, he is made sanciijication ; to us he is the source of all 
 grace, " and out of his fulness we receive g^a'ce for graces" 
 We must die and see corruption ; bat if united to him, he 
 shall raise us up again, and deliver us from the power of the 
 grave, and so be made redemption to us. Thus is he our all, 
 that " no flesh should glory in his presence," but that, as 
 " Christ is all," Christ may have all the glory. » 
 
 Whatever we w:ant in religion we have in Christ.. To be 
 accepted of God, to }3e,sanctiji^d in heart and life, and to be 
 made happy here and hereafter, are the great things we seek 
 in religion. In Jesus we hiave them all. 
 
 I. Jesus Christ is all in our justification. 
 
 We are sinners. We have broken the holy law of God, 
 and by so doing we have exposed ourselves to the dreadful 
 curse of the law, and to the terrible wrath of an offended God. 
 However easy and secure ignorant sinners may be, it is a cer- 
 tain truth that sin renders us lig,ble to wrath. Fornication 
 and uncleanness, drunkenness and covetousness, shut men 
 but of the kingdom of God. " Let no man deceive you with 
 vain words ; for because of these things cometh the wrath of 
 God upon the children of disobedience." Eph. 5 : 3, 6. And 
 Oh, who can tell the power of his anger ! " It is a fearful 
 thing to fall into the hands of the living God." 
 
 Now when the blessed God intends mercy for a sinner, he 
 opens his eyes to behold his true condition. He perceives 
 that he has to do with a most holy God, who hates sin, and 
 
SERMON XLII. 443 
 
 will certainly punish it. He sees plainly that he is a sinner, 
 a great sinner, a rebel against God. He is alarmed, and 
 justly too. His fears are well grounded ; and in the manner 
 of persons terrified at the approach of danger, he cries out. 
 What shall I do to be saved ? Is salvation possible ? How 
 may I get it? I would fly from the wrath. to come; but 
 whither must I fly ? . 
 
 To a person in this state the gospel is welcome indeed. 
 It affords glad tidings of great joy. It sets before the dis- 
 tressed sinner just exactly what he wants : a Saviour, 
 mighty and ready to save — 'to "save to the uttermost" all 
 who come unto God by him. 
 
 Som&, indeed, who are under concern of soul, do not at 
 first see that Christ must be , all, in their coming to God. 
 Sensible of sin, and afraid of hell, " they go about for a time, 
 to establish their own righteousness." " I have been a wicked 
 sinner," saith one, " but I will reform my life ; and if I do my 
 best, will not that suffice ? I will be sorry for what is past, 
 and amend in future. I will be religious, devout, and charit- 
 able ; will not God then accept me ?" 
 
 I answer by another question, Is this making Christ all? 
 No; it is making him nothing. Christ alone is a sinner's 
 righteousness. See what the Scriptures say on this head. 
 
 Is the wrath of God due to sin ? " Christ hath delivered 
 us from the wrath to come." 1 Thess. 1 : 10. Does the holy 
 law denounce a curse against- every transgressor ? " Christ 
 hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a 
 curse for us." Gal. 3 : 13. Can there beno remission of sin 
 without shedding of blood? " Christ hath shed his blood for 
 the remission of sins." Matt. 26 : 28. Does the law require 
 of us a perfect righteousness ? " Christ was made sin for us, 
 that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 
 2 Cor. 5:21. Are we far from God ? " Christ died, the just 
 for the unjust, to bring us to God." 1 Pet. 3 : 18. Are we, 
 as sinners, abominable to God, and justly rejected ? If be- 
 lievers in Christy "we are accepted in the beloved." Eph. 
 1:6. Are we every way imperfect in ourselves? "We are 
 
444 CHRIST IS ALL. 
 
 complete in him." Col. 2 : 10. Are we pursued by the law ? 
 "We have fled for refuge, to lay hold on" Christ, "the hope 
 set before us in the gospel." Heb. 6:1. Are we filthy by 
 reason of sin ? " The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all 
 sin." 1 John, 1:7. 
 
 These scriptures, and many more which might be quoted, 
 show that, in the grand aflair of a sinner's justification, or 
 acceptance with God, ^' Christ is all." Nothing more is 
 needed; and everything else must be rejected. No works 
 or righteousness of our own have any thing to do in this mat- 
 ter. G-ood works are the proper fruits of faith, and necessary 
 in their place ; but in a sinner's pardon and acceptance with 
 God, let Christ alone be exalted; for "by grace are we saved 
 through faith : not of works, lest any man should boast." 
 Eph. 2 : 8, 9. 
 
 II. Jesus Christ is all in our sanctification. 
 
 It is admitted, on all hands, that men should be good and 
 holy. Morality, at least, is thought necessary ; but the Scrip- 
 tures go further, and require not only morality of conduct, 
 but holiness of heart; and declare that "without holiness 
 no ihan shall see the Lord," or go to heaven. But the great 
 matter is, how shall this holiness be obtained ? Many think 
 that the free will and natural powers of many properly ex- 
 cited by fear of punishment and hope of rewaird, will produce 
 it. But this is a great mistake. " Who can bring a clean 
 thing out of an unclean ? Not one." In this business then 
 of sanctification, as well as in that of justification, we shall 
 prove that Christ is all. 
 
 " Sanctification, or holiness, is the work of the Holy Spirit 
 on the souls of believers, purifying their nature from the pol- 
 lution of sin, renewing them in the image of God, and 
 enabling them, from a principle of grace, to yield obedience 
 to him ; and all this done by virtue of the life and death of 
 Jesus Christ, and the union of believers to him." 
 
 Many devout persons take pains to reform and purify their 
 hearts and lives without sufficiently looking to Christ. They 
 admit that they must be justified by the righteousness of 
 
SERMON XLJI. 445 
 
 Christ, but suppose they must be sanctified by a holiness 
 wyought out by themselves, which, as one says, " is ' like' 
 squeezing oil out of a flint." They are not aware that sanc- 
 tifioation is effected by receiving a new iiature from above, 
 and by union to Christ himself. Christ dwells in the hearts 
 of believers ; they are members of his'body, of his flesh, and 
 of his bones. " He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit." 
 It is therefore by virtue derived from him that we become 
 holy. Abide in me, saith Jesus, and I in you. As the 
 branch cannot bear fruit of itself j^ except it abide in the 
 vine ; no more can ye, expept ye abide in me ; for without 
 me, ye can do nothing. John 15 : 4. Thus " Christ is made 
 unto us sanctification." He procured it for us ; it is one of 
 the fruits of his death, what he designed in dying for us : 
 " He gave himself for us, that he might purify us unto him- 
 self, a people zealous of good works." Tit. 2 : 14. It is one 
 of "the spiritual blessings with which we are blessed in 
 him," a special part of his salvation. All the springs of our 
 sanctification are in him ; and they are communicated to us 
 by the constant agency of the Spirit of Christ, who dwells in 
 all believers. 
 
 The example of Christ is also the grand rule of our sanc- 
 tification. "We are predestinated to be coilformed to his 
 image," that " as he was, so we naay be in this world." He 
 is proposed to us in the gospel, in the purity of his nature, in 
 the glory of his graces, and in the usefulness of his conversa- 
 tion, as the holy example which we should constantly imitate. 
 It was one design of his coming into our world, that we might 
 have before our eyes, in our own nature, a perfect model of 
 love to God and man^of holiness, innocence, meekness, pa- 
 tience, devotion, and zeal. Nor is he a Christian, except 
 merely in name, who does not daily strive to follow Him who 
 was "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." 
 Happy would it be for Christians, if they labored more to be 
 like Christ ; by constantly meditating on the beauty of holi- 
 ness in him, they would be " changed into the same image 
 from glory to glory." 
 
446 CHKJST IS ALL. 
 
 The word of Christ is the great instrument of our sancti- 
 fication. By the word of Christ we are begotten again, and 
 by the same word we are nourished unto eternal life. When 
 our Saviour prayed for the sanctification of his disciples, he 
 mentioned the means or instrument thereof: "Sanctify them 
 through thy truth; thy^ word is truth." It is the truth of the 
 gospel, the knowledge of Christ as our Redeemer and Saviour, 
 that the Lord blesses for our purification. We must indeed 
 study the la\v, as contained in the ten commandments, not in 
 order by our obedience to it to obtain heaven, but to learn its 
 spirituality and purity, to be made sensible of our inability to 
 obey it perfectly, and then to see Christ as the fulfiUer of the 
 law, that we may live by faith in his righteousness. Confi- 
 dence in Jesus, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy jGrhost, 
 and hope of glory, will wonderfully contribute to oUr growth 
 in holiness. Thus it appears that Jesus Christ is all in the 
 matter of our sanctification. • 
 
 III. Christ is all in respect of true happiness, both h6re 
 and hereaftter. 
 
 That man is a miserable creature, few will deny; and 
 that sin alone has made him such, none will deny who know 
 the Scripture^ It is therefore only the removal of what 
 made him mi^rable, that can ever make him happy again ; 
 and none can do this but Jesus Christ. Sin has blinded the 
 eyes of men, in their pursuit of good. They seek the living 
 among the dead ; like Satan himself, they " wander about 
 "seeking rest, and finding none." On the contrary, sin pro- 
 cures misery. The pleasures of sin are momentary, but fol-^ 
 lowed by long and tedious hours of painful reflection and 
 remorse. Envy and wrath, and anger and malice, frequently 
 raise a storm in the sinner's bosom; and many a gay world- 
 ling feels, at times, a foreboding and dismal prelude of that 
 " indignation and wrath, -tribulation and anguish," which will 
 be the sinner's portion in hell hereafter. 
 
 But Oh, the matchless mercy of God our Saviour ! "He 
 remembered us in our low estate." He looked down from 
 heaven with an eye of compassion. He pitied our miserable 
 
SERMON XLII. 447 
 
 condition, and determined upon our relief. "Ye know the 
 grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet 
 for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty 
 might be rich." ' 
 
 The religion of the gospel is calculated to make man hap- 
 py. " The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in 
 the Holy Grhost," Rom. 14 : 17 ; that is, in the righteousness 
 of faith, and true holiness in heart and life ; in solid peace of 
 conscience, through the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, and 
 a peaceable /temper towards others, under a sense of God's 
 being at peace with us; and in holy, heavenly joy, in com- 
 munion with God, and lively expectation of eternal glory. 
 
 Christ is the author of true peace. It does not arise from 
 a Christian's good opinion of himself and his duties— not from 
 his good heart, or his good frame, or his good deeds — not from 
 any thing done by him, or wrought in him ; but from what 
 Christ has done and suffered — from the glory of his person, 
 the love of his heart, the perfection of his righteousness, and 
 the fulness of his grace. The believer looks not at, depends 
 not upon himself, but upon Jesus, and draws all his safety 
 and happiness from him. " His conscience says, I will have 
 nothing to do with any thing for salvation, but the righteous- 
 ness of Jehovah Jesus, and his atonement on the tree. His 
 heart says, this is all my salvation, and all my desire. Hope 
 says, I have cast anchor in Jesus, I cannot be disappointed. 
 Fear says, I would not for the world offend my God and 
 Father. Thus the whole man bows in subjection to Father, 
 Son, and Holy Spirit, the miserable sinner becomes a happy 
 believer, and Christ is all in all." 
 
 Abundant is the provision made in the covenant of grace 
 for the present happiness of the Christian in his way to 
 heaven ; and look at this which way you will, Christ is the 
 sum and substance of it. Many are the great and precious 
 promises made to believers, and " all the promises are in him 
 Yea, and in him Amen." The Christian's state is safe, be- 
 cause Christ is his keeper; his sheep are in his hand, and none 
 shall ever pluck them thence. 
 
448 CHEIST IS ALL. 
 
 And as much of the believer's comfort is conveyed to him 
 through the channel of ordinances, let ^t be observed that in 
 them also Christ is all in all. Does he prajf ? he cannot live 
 without it; but Christ is the life of his prayers. He only is 
 the way to the Father — the new and living way into the 
 holiest of all, by which he has access with boldness and con- 
 fidence, being encouraged to ask what he will, and expect 
 what he asks. Does he offer praise ? the chief matter of it 
 is, "Blessed be Grod, who hath blessed me with all spiritual 
 blessings in Christ Jesus." He sees all temporal blessings 
 flowing to him through Jesus, and is thankful for them ; but 
 his highest note of praise is, " Thanks be to G-od, for his 
 unspeakable gift !" Does he read or hear the word ? he loves 
 it because it is' "the word of Christ," and no preaching has 
 any sweetness in it, if Jesus is. forgotten or slighted. 
 
 Look at thp ordinances, and you will find them saying, 
 Christ is all. What is baptism, but a declaration of our 
 misery by sin, our need of Christ, and a badge of our belong- 
 ing to him 1 We are " baptized into Christ," we are " buried 
 and risen with Christ," we " put on Christ." The Lord^s 
 supper was instituted to be a memorial of Christ; the bread 
 is the communion of his body, and the cup the communion 
 of his blood. This ordinance shows us that Christ is the 
 food of our souls, sufficient to nourish them unto eternal life ; 
 and is intended to stir up and strengthen believers to re- 
 ceive and feed upon him in their hearts by faith with 
 thanksgiving. 
 
 As Christ is the Christian's all through life, so is he espe- 
 cially his all in a dying hour. In that important season, 
 creatures, however useful before, are no longer of any use. 
 What can then support the soul just entering into eternity, 
 but a precious Christ ? It is his death that takes away the 
 sting of death. It is the hope of being with him, and being- 
 like him, that Reconciles the believer to the great change; 
 together with his faithful promise, that "of all the Father 
 hath given him, none shall be lost, and he will raise them up 
 at the last day." Through Christ alone it is that the dying 
 
SERMON XLII. 449 
 
 Christian may, and often do6s triumph; saying, "0 death, 
 where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 
 
 We go one step further, and add, that in heaven itself 
 Jesus Christ is all in all. It is his glorious presence that 
 brightens and cheers the heavenly world. " I have a desire 
 to depart, and to h& with Christ," said St. Paul. This was 
 what he thought "far better" than all his spiritual enjoy- 
 ments and useful employments below. Yea, Christ himself 
 expresses his most affectionate desires for the happiness of his 
 people, by saying, " Father, I will that they whom thou hast 
 given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my 
 glory." It is an infinite mercy to be in Christ, this is our 
 security ; it is an unspeakable favor to have Christ with us, 
 this is our chief happiness on earth : but the blessing that 
 completes and crowns the whole is, to be with Christ for ever 
 and ever. There all the anillions of the redeemed shall be of 
 one heart and of one mind, and with one voice concur to sing, 
 that Jesus Christ is all in all. 
 
 1. From what has been said it appears how erroneous, 
 unscriptural, false, defective, and destructive, every system of 
 religion must be wherein Christ is not all. Look around 
 you ; such systems will readily be found in which Christ is 
 not all, in which he is little or nothing. The mere moral 
 scheme, or the notion of men being saved by their good 
 works, deprives him of all his glory, and renders the expense 
 of his precious blood a needless waste ; " for if righteousness 
 come by the law, Christ is dead in vain." Gal. 2:21. Be- 
 ware of every doctrine that would lessen the honor of Jesus, 
 and your regard to him. You cannot raise him too high, or 
 exalt him too much : he is all in all. 
 
 2. Let every one of us then examine his own religion by 
 this rule. "What is Christ to me ? Do I prize and esteem 
 him above all ; as " the chief of ten thousand, and altogether 
 lovely?" In the all-important concern of approaching to 
 God, and seeking acceptance with him, what do I, a guilty, 
 filthy, helpless sinner, look to and rest upon? Is it Jesus 
 
 Vil. Ser. / 29 • 
 
450 CHEIST IS ALL. 
 
 alonfi ? Is he my all in coming to God ? In the grand affair 
 of sanctification, the love of G-od and the love of man, do 1 
 consider this as a part of the salvation that is in Christ, as 
 prepared for me, and laid up in Jesus to be received daily out 
 of his fulness by faith? And as to my happiness in this 
 world of misery, do I draw it out of the broken cisterns of 
 perishing creatures, or from the unfailing and boundless ocean 
 of divine love? Do I daily endeavor to walk with God as 
 my God, reconciled to me in Jesus; trusting in hiin for all 
 needful blessings to keep me safe, and render me happy ; 
 seeing all my affairs in his hands working together for my 
 good, and leading me forward, step by step, to his blessed 
 presence, where there is fulness of joy, and where there are 
 pleasures for evermore ? Happy, thrice " happy is the man 
 that is in such a case ; yea, happy is that man whose God is 
 the Lord." Psa.. 144 : 15. 
 
 How rich is the believer ! He who has Christ haS all, 
 for Christ is all. " All things are yours," says the apostle, 
 " whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or 
 death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours." 
 1 Cor. 3 : 21,. 22. The various gifts of Christian ministers 
 are yours ; the government of the world is upOn the shoulders 
 of Christ, who is " Head over all things to the church :" your 
 lives are given you for a blessing, whether they be long or 
 short, prosperous or adverse ; death itself, the king of terrors, 
 is disarmed of its sting; and in whatever form it comes, it 
 comes to be your eternal gain. All present things, spiritual 
 or temporal, comfortable or afflictive, work together for your 
 good; every occurrence yet before us in this world, is wisely 
 adjusted by infinite love : and to crown all, in the future 
 world there is " an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and 
 that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, and ready 
 to be revealed." 
 
 On the othet hand, how poor, how miserably pool: is the 
 carnal worldling, the careless sinner, the man who lives 
 " without Christ in the world !" He has nothing, let him 
 possess what he may. Could he call both the Indies his 
 
SERMON XLII. 451 
 
 own, he is " poor and wretched and miserable and blind and 
 naked;" even now he feels, an aching void, and death will 
 soon convince hiih that all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 
 that you may be wise in time. Behold, this glorious Sav- 
 iour stands at the door of your hearts, and sues for admission. 
 consider the matter well, before it be too late. Have you 
 sins, or have you none? If you have, whither should you 
 go, but to the Lamb of God, which iaketh away the sin 
 of the world ? Have you souls, or have you none ? If you 
 have, whither should you go but to the Saviour of souls ? Is 
 there a life to come, or is there not? If there is, whither 
 should you go, but to Him who only hath the words of eternal 
 life? Is there a wrath to come, or is there not ? If there is, 
 whither .should you go, but to Him who only can deliver from 
 the wrath to come ? And will he not receive you ? If he 
 yielded himself into the hands of them that sought his life, 
 will he hide himself from the hearts of them that seek his 
 mercy? If he was willing to be taken by the hand of vio- 
 lence, is he not much more willing to be taken by the hand 
 of faith ? come, come, come ! I charge you, come. I be- 
 seech you, come. Come, and he will give you life. Come, 
 and he will give you rest. GomiC, and he will receive you. 
 Come as thou art, come poor, come needy, come empty ; 
 " Christ is alf/' and has all, and will giv£ thee all, to make 
 thee happy now and for'eyer. 
 
 I 
 
 To Him who is all in all, be all glory, now and ever. 
 Amen. 
 
452 APOSTASY FEOM CHRIST. 
 
 APOSTASY FROM CHRIST TO BE DREADED. 
 
 SERMON XLIIL 
 
 '"THEN SAID JESUS UNTO THE TWELVE, WILL YE ALSO GO AWAY?, THEN 
 SIMON PETER ANSWERED HIM, LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? THQU 
 HAST THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE." John 6 : 67, 68. 
 
 These words were occasiGned by a remarkable falling off 
 among the followers of our Lord. Vast numbers of people 
 attended his ministry, and no wonder. The sanctity of his 
 character, the benevolence of his heart, the amazing miracle^ 
 that he wrotight, and especially his sweet, heavenly, powerful 
 manner of preaching, could not but excite, great multitudes to 
 follow him. Thousands and thousands listened to him with 
 pleasure, and yet the number of his genuine disciples was 
 small. '•■ 
 
 Having performed an amazing miracle, in feeding five 
 thousand people with five loaves, the people were satisfied 
 that he was the Messiah, and determined to make him a 
 king. Our Lord withdrew, and crossed the se^. The people 
 followed him ; when he. took occasion to deal very closely 
 with them, and to point out the cause of their not coming to 
 him for life. This gave them great offence ; but it proved 
 who were his true disciples, and that the rest were such only 
 in pretence. The whole of his conference with them displays 
 the faithfulness of Christ, and the fickleness of men. 
 
 The words of ^our text are very affecting. Many of his 
 nominal disciples having left him, he puts the question to the 
 twelve apostles, "Will ye also go away?" Will you follow 
 their example ; or will you abide with me ? Petef, in the 
 name of the rest, dreading the thought of apostasy, answered, 
 " Lord, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eter- 
 nal life ;" we can never expect such happiness from another. 
 
SERMON XLIII. 453 
 
 And he answered well; for those who forsake Christ will 
 never mend themselves, go where they will. 
 
 The words may he usefully applied to ourselves. Let us 
 consider Jesus as putting the same question to every one of 
 us ; and may we, with Peter's sincerity, make the same reply. 
 
 I. Let us consider the question, " Will ye also go away ?" 
 
 This question was put to persons who had professed some 
 regard for Christ. They had seen his miracles with admira- 
 tion. They had heard his preaching with delight ; and they ' 
 had crossed the lake to meet him again. The same question, 
 therefore, as put to us, supposes a professed regard for Christ, 
 as set before us in the gospel; for if we have not, in some 
 sense, come to him, of course we cannot forsake him. But 
 as the people of old followed him from false motives, and 
 with Wrong views, it may he proper for us to consider what 
 it is that makes many among us profess to follow him. And 
 it is plain that the little profession which some make, is the 
 mere efiect of custom. They are Christians because their 
 parents were such, and because their neighbors are such. It 
 is the religion of the country ; and were these people in Tur- 
 key, they would be Mahonlmedans. The influence of supe- 
 riors or friends sometimes brings them to hear the gospel, and 
 the love of novelty keeps them under it for a time. Some 
 persons are much struck with the fervency of a minister of 
 Christ, who speaks in earnest and from the heart ; while the 
 seriousness, the fervor, and the singing of a, lively congrega- 
 tion, make an additional impression. Self-interest and worldly 
 advantage make other men professors ; as the people referred 
 to in our text followed Christ for the loaves and fishes. A 
 few others were alarmed by sickness and the fear of death, or 
 affected at some public calamity. 
 
 But if a person's religion has no better foundation than 
 these afibrd, we wonder not at his apostasy. Sooner or later 
 such professors will go back, and follow Christ no more. And 
 the world abounds with temptations, which will be fatal to 
 those who have not "the root of the njiatter" in them. It 
 may be profitable to point out some of these. 
 
454 APOSTASY FROM CHRIST. 
 
 Persecution frightens some. Our Lord has hid us expect 
 opposition in following him, for" they who will live godly in 
 Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." We must "take up 
 the cross" if we follow him; and those who sit not, down to 
 count the cost, will he offended when the trial comes. If 
 relations and friends are angry and frown upon them, if 
 superiors and employers withdraw their favors, if their neigh- 
 hors ridicule and laiigh at them, they hegin to repent of he- 
 coming religious. They regard man more than G-qd, and 
 resolve to be religidus only so far as may consist with their 
 worldly easfe and advantage. These are the people described 
 by our Lord in the parable bf the sower: "He that received 
 the seed into stony places, the same is he that: heareth the 
 word, and anon with joy receiveth it. Yet hath he not root 
 in himself, but ehdureth for a while; for when tribulation or 
 persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is 
 offended." Matt. 18 : 20. 
 
 Worldly pleasures, imrldly cares, and worldly connections 
 make others forsake Christ. The Christian life is a spiritual 
 life. "Whoever is led by the Spirit, will not fulfil the lusts of 
 the flesh, nor walk according to the flesh. " If we live after 
 the flesh we shall die ; but if we, through the Spirit, do mor- 
 tify the deeds of the body, we shall live." If we are Chris- 
 tians indeed, the world will be crucified to us, and we to the 
 world ;. and though we are in it, we shall not be of it. But 
 if the professor forgets this, and is drawn by degrees into self- 
 indulgence; if he gets a taste for gayety and public amuse- 
 ments ; if he can visit the playhouse, and sit down at the 
 cardrtable, he will gradually lose the savor of the gospel ; and 
 finding a manifest contradiction between the two masters he 
 serves, he will soon quit one of them. He cannot follow 
 Christ and the world too. 
 
 Excessive cares are almost as dangerous. Tfaey distract 
 the mind, and make it unfit for religious duties. They steal 
 away the 'hfeart from Christ. Anxiety about the world per- 
 plexes the mind; and they who "will be rich," and deter- 
 mine, at all events, to make a fortune, usually make such 
 
SEEMON XLIII. 455 
 
 compliances with that view as are inconsistent with their 
 profession ; they " fall into temptation and a snare, and into 
 many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruc- 
 tion and perdition." 1 Tim. 6 : 9. Thus our Lord saith, 
 " He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hear- 
 eth the word ; and the care of this world, and the deceitful- 
 ness of riches, choke the word, and he hecometh unfruitful." 
 
 Worldly connections ruin others. It is a precept of great 
 importance, hut too little regarded : " Be not unequally yoked 
 with unhelievers." Christians should marry "only in the 
 Lord." How many have made shipwreck of faith and of a 
 good conscience by neglectiiig this rule, and by presuming 
 upon their ability both to keep their own ground, and influ- 
 ence their partnejr also. When' Lot was about to leave Sodom,, 
 the angels bid him give warning to all his relations of the 
 destruction that was coming; accordingly he went to "his 
 sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, Up, get 
 you out of this place ; for the Lord will destroy this city : but 
 he seemed to them as one that mocked." Thus the two 
 daughters who had married carnal men perished, while the 
 two who wese with him at home, escaped the fire with their 
 father. Gren. 19. 
 
 Familiarity with worldly men has a bad influence on the 
 mind, "They that feared the Lord," in old time, "spake 
 often one to another ;" the primitive Christians were much 
 together, and continued daily in social religion ; and while 
 they did so, they were edified and multiplied. But if pro- 
 fessors needlessly associate with wicked and vain persons, 
 they will sogn resemble them, learn, their manners, and go 
 back from Christ. 
 
 Negligence in religiotis duties is another cause of apos- 
 tasy.' The means of grace are of divine appointment ; they 
 are wisely calculated to promote the life of (3-6d in the soul ; 
 and they have the promise of the Lord's "blessing to make 
 them effectual. They cannot therefore be slighted without 
 injury. As the body must suffer, if there be not proper atten- 
 tion to wholesome food ; so the soul must be injured if prayer 
 
456 APOSTASY FEOM CHEIST. 
 
 be omitted-, or carele^ssly attended to. Declensions in religion 
 usually begin in the closet, then extend to social duties, and 
 at length to the duties of the Sabbath and the house of God. 
 Be not slothful then, but "be diligent;" followers of them 
 who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 
 
 The falls and divisions of some professors have a very ill 
 effect upon others. It is common for beginners in religion to 
 entertain too high an opinion of serioiis characters, and to 
 place too much confidence in them ; and if any of these mis- 
 carry, they are hurt, and rashly conclude that there is no 
 reality iq. religion. But they forget that there was a Judas 
 among the twelve, and in every age there have been apos- 
 tates ; " nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, 
 having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his." , But 
 " woe to the world," and to ignorant professors of this sort, 
 " because of offences ; for it must needs be that offences come : 
 but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh." Matt. 
 18 : 7. 
 
 This chapter will furnish us with another common cause 
 of apostasy. We shall find that it was the doctrine of Christ 
 which offended those "many disciples who went back, and 
 walked no more with him." John 6 : 66. Let us see what 
 this offensive doctrine was. 
 
 The multitude had followed him because of the miracu- 
 lous entertainment he gave them. This raised their hopes of 
 his being a temporal king, and of their getting rich in his 
 service. Our Lord, who knew their thoughts, directed them 
 to spek, not the bread which perisheth, but that which endur- 
 eth to eternal life — not meat for their bodies, but for their 
 souls. lie also declared himself to be that meat ; that he 
 came down from heaven ; that he would give, his flesh for 
 the life of the world ; and that except a man should eat his 
 fleshj and drink his bloody he could have no life in him : but 
 that whoever should partake of him should never die, but 
 have eternal life. 
 
 These high and mysterious declarations confounded and 
 offended them. They murmured when he said he came down 
 
SERMON XLIII, 457 
 
 from heaven, for they knew Joseph his reputed father ; and 
 having no spiritual ideas of his discourse, they cried, " How 
 can this man give us his flesh to eat ?" In short, they thought 
 these " hard sayings," not to he understood or believed. 
 
 Our Lord still maintained the doctrine of his descent from 
 heaven, and intimated that ere long they would see him 
 ascend thither. He told them that eating his flesh was not 
 to be taken in the gross sense of the words, but was to be 
 understood spiritually. He also showed them that their 
 cavils and murmurs arose from the ignorance, corruption, and 
 unbelief of their hearts ; and that they needed divine teach- 
 ing to make them wise to salvation, and that no man could 
 or would come to him, and believe on him, without superior 
 assistance. " No man can come unto me, except the Father, 
 who sent me, draw him." 
 
 These were the sublime and mysterious, but great and 
 glorious truths which so offended the Jews, and occasioned 
 such a falling off" among the disciples. 
 
 And is it not just the same to this day ? Do we not still 
 find that these doctrines give offence ? The claim of Christ 
 to a divine origin is opposed by some. The doctrine of his 
 atonement is rejected by others. And the humbling doctrines 
 of the ivecessity of divine influences, and of the sovereignty of 
 God in bestowing them where he pleases, are held in abhor- 
 rence by many. Talk to men of morality, virtue, and good 
 works, and they will hear you ; but speak of grace, of the 
 blood of Christ, of faith in his blood, of being taught of God, 
 and drawn by the Spirit, and then they cry. Enthusiasm, fa- 
 naticism, etc. But let us not be offended at this. It should 
 confirm us in the belief of the truth. And while many go 
 back and follow Christ no more, let us consider him as 
 putting the solemn question to us, " Will ye also go away ?" 
 
 The question is the language of affection. It speaks the 
 kindness of his loving heart. Our. gracious Lord has a real 
 concern for his servants, for his friends, for his brethren ; and 
 he is not willing to part with them. But he would have 
 them serve him freely, and without constraint. He keeps no 
 
458 APOSTASY PKOM CHRIST. 
 
 slaves. This question was put to try them, to give them an 
 occasion of reflecting upon their own happiness, and upon the 
 misery of those who had just forsaken him. And it- operated 
 accordingly. It gave occasion for, 
 
 II. The EXCELLENT ANSWER, of Peter, which we now pro- 
 ceed to consider. 
 
 " Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall 
 we go ? thou hast the words of eternal life." In ihis an- 
 swer, we see the character of the man who made it. Peter 
 was bold and forward, but sincere, affectionate, and candid. 
 He speaks in the name of all his brethren, taking it for 
 granted they were all of, the same mind ; though, alas, there 
 was a Judas, a deVil, among them — one who had "no part 
 nor lot in this matter." Peter answers the question of our 
 Lord by another question, " To whom shall we go ?" We 
 seek eternal life, and where can we find it but in thee. It is 
 as if he had said, " Whose disciples shall we be, if we cease 
 to be thine ? Shall we go to the heathen philosophers for 
 instruction ? They are become vain in their imaginations : 
 professing themselves to be wise, they are fools in the matter 
 of eternal life. Shall we go to the scribes and Pharisees? 
 They are blind leaders of the blind. Shall we go to Moses? 
 He will send us back to thee. Therefore we will stay where 
 we are' ; wexshall never do better. 
 
 It is observable, that in Peter's answer eternal life appears 
 to be the grand object of the disciples ; and the reason why 
 they would not forsake Christ is, because he has the words of 
 eternal life. He teaches the true doctrine of eternal life, and 
 he is able and willing to give us eternal life, as his discourse 
 has largely shown. Let it then be remembered, that 
 
 Serious thoughts of eternity, and sincere desires for eter- 
 nal life, have a powerful tendency to prevent apostasy. 
 
 Serious thoughts of eternity; alas, how few possess 
 them! In how few do they abide and operate; how few 
 live under the daily impression of the shortness of time, and 
 the length of eternity! Which is as much as to say. How 
 few are believers ; for it is the oflSoe of faith to look forward 
 
SERMON XLIII. 459 
 
 to things " not ^een," and to be influenced by theiii as if they 
 were present. And indeed this forms the grand distinction 
 between tha children of God and the children of this world. 
 He that is of the earth is earthly, he thinks and speaks of 
 earthly things ; he that is born of heaven, is heavenly-minded. 
 " That which is born of the flesh, is flesh ; and that which is 
 born of the Spirit, is spirit." And it highly concerns each of 
 us to know AvHch of these is our character. It must be one. 
 There is no middle state. And according to our state here, 
 such will be our state hereafter. If eternal life be not our 
 pursuit, it will never be our portion. 
 
 Those wlio are duly afiected with eternal things, will cer- 
 taihly be desirous of instruction. They will seriously inquire 
 how eternal life may be obtained. " What shall we do to be 
 saved ?" is the substance of their inquiry. Even the people 
 who forsook Christ asked a question of this kind: "What 
 shall we do, that we may work the works of God ?" John 
 6:28. Our Lord gave them this plain answer : " This is the 
 work bf God, that ye believe in me." As elsewhere also he 
 declares, " He that believeth in me sha;ll not perish, but have 
 everlasting life." 
 
 Every thing that j-elates to eternal life depends on Jesus. 
 He has the words of eternal life. He discovered it more fully, 
 and revealed it more plainly, than any of the prophets. His 
 gospel gives us a clear account of the blessed life, and immor- 
 tal glory of" soul and body, in the heavenly world. It shows 
 us the true and spiritual nature of that state, and what will 
 be the business and blessedness of glorified saints. It leaves 
 us to no uncertain conjectures, poetical fancies, or sensual 
 notions of paradise; but clearly describes it as a state of 
 knowledge, purity, and bliss, in the presence of Immanuel, 
 God with us. 
 
 The true and only «<7ay to eternal life is revealed by Christ. 
 Many ways have been devised by men. A thousand super- 
 stitions have been invented by crafty or deluded men, and 
 imposed upon the world, as means of obtaining eternal felic- 
 ity. Every country and every impostor has produced some- 
 
460 APOSTASY FEOM CHKIST. 
 
 thing with this view : and carnal men still ludicrously and 
 profanely talk of every one setting up his own ladder to 
 heaven. But away with all these. Christ has the words of 
 eternal life. " Whither I go," said he to his disciples, " ye 
 know, and the way ye know." John 14 : 4. Thomas, mis- 
 taking his meaning, said, " Lord, we know not whither thou 
 goest, and how can we know the way?" This mistake gave 
 occasion for a charrttihg declaration on our Lord's part. " Je- 
 sus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life : 
 no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." No words 
 before were ever so plain. The substance of this great truth 
 was indeed taught by sacrifices. These preached the neces- 
 si^ of a Mediator, and showed that without shedding of 
 blood there could be no remission of" sins ; but it remained 
 for Him. who is the truth, the substance of all the Old Testa- 
 ment types, himself to say, I am the way. . Christy by his 
 death, opened the gates of heaven. The cross of Christ is the 
 only key that opens the door of glory. ' " We have boldness 
 to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." This alludes 
 to the high-priest of the Jews, who, once a year, went into 
 the holy of holies with the blood of an animal. The way 
 into this was by the veil which separated it from the holy 
 place. Our way to heaven is through the veil of Christ's 
 body, crucified for us. And it is remarkable that, at the time 
 of his death, the veil of the temple was rient in two, without 
 hands, from the top to the bottom; which signified, that 
 every obstruction to our entrance into heaven was removed 
 by the death of Jesus ; so that we may now draw near to 
 G-od, and enter into glory, in full assurance of faith. 
 
 The words of Christ are "the words of eternal life" on 
 another acfiount. They are the means and instrument of that 
 new and spiritual life in the soul, whereby it is prepared for 
 eternal life. "The words that I speafk unto you," said our 
 Lord, " they are spirit, and they are life," John 6 : 63 ; they 
 are to be taken, not in a carnal, but in a spiritvial sense ; arid 
 they are the means of conveying the Holy Spirit, whose influ- 
 ence is effectual unto spiritual and eternal life. It is by the. 
 
SEEMON XLIII. 461 
 
 gospel that Christ speaketh from heaven; and when the gospel 
 is accompanied with the power of the Spirit, the dead hear 
 the voice of the Son of God, and live. For this purpose it 
 was that the apostles, though forbidden of men; were com- 
 manded of Christ to "go stand and speak in the temple to 
 the people all the words, of this life." By the same words the 
 children of God are directed, established, encouraged, and 
 nourished unto eternal life. 
 
 In the view of advantages like these, well might Peter 
 say, " Lord, to whom shall we go ?" Eternal life is our aim. 
 Thy words reveal it. Thou showest us the way to it. Thou 
 art thyself the way. Thy word is the seed of life in our souls. 
 Yea, thou art eternal life. To whom then can we go ? We 
 cannot, we dare not, we will not forsake thee. 
 
 Such, my brethren, are the sentiments of every gracious 
 soul. With such views as these we shall cleave to the Lord 
 with purpose of heart, and abhor the thoughts of apostasy 
 from him. 
 
 Have we come to Christ ? Are we, in any sense, his fol- 
 lowers ? > If not, as we have already said, we cannot forsake 
 him; but our case is no less dangerous. Woe be to those 
 who, in a Christian land, a land of Bibles and of sermons, 
 " refuse to hear Him that speaketh from heaven." Woe be to 
 us if he should say to us, " Ye will not come unto me, that 
 ye might have life." Oh, consider of it, thoughtless souls. 
 If you would have eternal life, and surely you wish for it, 
 remember you must have the words of eternal life. You 
 must learn the way of life. You must be interested in Jesus, 
 who is the life. The Lord incline you, while it is called to- 
 day, to hear his voice and live. 
 
 What we have heard of the words of life should endear 
 them to us. The doctrines of grace are not idle speculations, 
 or needless disputings about words and names ; they are not 
 a vain thing ; they are words iOf life. then " let the word 
 of Christ dwell in us richly ;" let us lay it up in our hearts, 
 and prize it above our chief treasure. 
 
462 APOSTASY FROM CHKIST. 
 
 And now, let us consider Christ himself as putting this 
 question to each one of us: "Wilt thou go away?" Others 
 do. We live in a day when great numbers do; Like the 
 apostate Jews referred to in our text, their carnal minds, 
 filled with reasoning pride, reject the gospel, revile the Scrip- 
 tures, deny Christ, and renounce the very name of Christian. 
 The Lord pity them, and bring them back again to his fold ! 
 But wilt thou also go away ? consider well before you go. 
 To whom will you go? Will you go to the modern philoso- 
 phers? Not for eternal life surely. They say there is no 
 such thing ; and if you do want eternal life, where will you 
 find it but in Jesus? Will' you go back into the world? 
 Alas, it is vain, and will deceive you. Will you return to 
 sin and folly ? It will insure your eternal death. Resolve 
 then with Peter to cleave to Christ. 
 
 But pray for persevering grace. Be sensible of your weak- 
 ness, and pray, " Lord, leave me not to my own wilL To be 
 willing to go away and leave thee, is to be willing to perish; 
 and I shall infallibly be willing to do it, if thou leavest my 
 will to itself." You must watch and pray continually. Re- 
 sist the first motions to coldness, negligence, arid apostasy. 
 Guard against the seductions of the world, and the bewitching 
 pleasures of sin. And may God fulfil his gracious promise : 
 " I will put 'my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart 
 from, me." 
 
 " Lord, thou alone hast power, I know, 
 To save a wretch like me ; 
 To whom, or whither couldrl go, 
 If I should turn from thee ? 
 
 No voice but; thine can give me rest, ■ 
 
 And bid my fears depart ; 
 No love but thine can make me blest, 
 
 And satisfy my heart. - ' 
 
 What anguish has that question stirred, 
 
 If 1 will also go ? 
 Yet, Lord, relying on thy word, 
 
 I humbly answer, No !" 
 
 NEWTON. 
 
SEKMON XLIV. 463 
 
 THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. 
 
 SERMON XLIV. 
 
 "LET US. NOW GO EVEN UNTO BETHLEHEM, AND SEE THIS THING WHICH 
 IS COME TO PASS." Ldke 2 : 16. 
 
 The wise man observes, that "the eye is not satisfied 
 with seeing." The truth of this observation is confirmed by 
 the experience of all ages ; it admits only of one exception : 
 there is one object, and only one which can satisfy the eye of 
 the mind, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. We have a 
 proof of this in, good old Simeon, mentioned in the 29th and 
 30th verses of this chapter, He had long waited for Christ, 
 "the Consolation of Israel," and he lived to see the infant 
 Saviour brought into the temple; when, clasping the holy 
 child in his feeble arms, "he blessed God, and said, Lord, 
 now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy 
 word ; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." Some of the 
 Turks, it is said, put out their eyes as soon as they have seen 
 Mahomet's tomb, because they would not defile, them again 
 by regarding any common object; Does superstition teach 
 them so to adttiire the grave of a wicked impostor: let us, 
 as Christians, hasten to behold a sight' of real glory ; let us 
 " turn away our eyes from beholding vanity ;" let us fix them 
 upon the adorable Jesus ; let us say, with the admiring shep- 
 herds in our text, when just informed of the Saviour's birth, 
 "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing 
 which is come to pass." 
 
 It was to shepherds, poor, honest, industrious men, that 
 the good, news was first announced : an encouraging circum- 
 stance for the poor of this world ; and an encouragement for 
 such to be " diligent in business," for it was when the shep- 
 herds were watching their flocks by night, that these glad 
 
464 THE BIRTH OP CHRIST. 
 
 tidings were "brought to them. An angel delivered the mes- 
 sage; and a multitude of- angels joined in chorus, "Glory to 
 God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards 
 men." Here humility and glory were joined in their ex- 
 tremes. Christ empties himself of his heavenly glory; he 
 takes upon him human nature ; his mother is a poor woman ; 
 a common inn is the place of his birth ; he is horn in a stable ; 
 he is laid in a manger. deep humiliation of the Son of 
 God, the Creator of the world ! And yet behold the glory ! 
 A new star directs the wise men of the east to the honored 
 spot, and a multitude of ministering spirits hymn his birth. 
 Never was the birth of any earthly prince so highly honored. 
 
 God gives us information to put us upon action. , When 
 the shepherds were informed of what had happened, and 
 where it happened, it put them upon action. Is the Saviour 
 born in the city of David? Let us go then, said they, and 
 see him. The wise men made the same improvement of their 
 information. They saw his star in a distant country, and 
 they followed its direction till they came to Bethlehem. 
 
 Let us learn another piece of instruction from them : " Let 
 us go now" said they. What, at midnight? Cool reason 
 would have said, it is an unseasonable hour ; and covetous- 
 ness would have said, What must become of our flocks ? But 
 these plain men,- who had left their beds to attend their flocks, 
 now leave their flocks to inquire after their Saviour. Let 
 religion then be our first business ; it is " the one thing need- 
 ful :" and what we do in it, let us do it quickly; the sooner 
 the better, without a moment's delay. 
 
 We may learn another thing from their example : " Let 
 us go," said they; they excited one another to this good 
 work. Let the advantages of society be brought into relig- 
 ion. How many, especially in holiday seasons, will say one 
 to another, " Let us go to such an amusement, such a public- 
 house, such a party of pleasure;" let us rather say,, "Let us 
 go up to the house of the Lord, and he will teach us of his 
 ways." Let us go to Bethlehem, and see Jesus. 
 
 The shepherds did as they proposed : " They came with 
 
SEEMON XLIV. 465 
 
 haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a 
 manger." They believed before they came; but now their 
 faith is confirmed by sight. They were gratified and edified 
 by the view ; and " they returned, glorifying and praising 
 God for all the things that they had heard and seen." 
 
 Let us, then, who are here present, imitate these happy 
 and simple-hearted men. Let us go to Bethlehem : the name 
 signifies the house of bread ; there, in the contemplation of 
 Jesus, may we find bread for our souls. To excite your seri- 
 ous attention to this divine object, let me inform you what 
 you may expect to see — 
 
 Deity displayed, Man redeemed, and Satan ruined. 
 
 I. Let us go to Bethlehem, and see Dkity displayed. The 
 first promise that God made to guilty man was, that "the 
 seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head." Jesus 
 Christ, as to the flesh, is the seed of the woman ; but he is 
 also infinitely more. St. Paul says, "When the fulness of 
 time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman." 
 Gal. 4:4. It was necessary to our redemption that the 
 Saviour of men should be a man ; for the same nature that 
 sinned must bear the punishment of sin. But had Christ 
 been produced in the ordinary way of human generation, he 
 must have been a partaker of a sinful nature : this was pre- 
 vented by the miraculous way of his conception, by the power 
 of the Holy Ghost. Thus that holy thing which was born 
 of the blessed Virgin, was to be called the Son of God, " holy, 
 harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners," fit to become 
 " sin for us because he knew no sin." 
 
 In what manner the human nature was united to the 
 divine, we cannot tell. It is enough for us that it was so 
 united. The testimony of Scriptnre is most abundant and 
 satisfactory on this head. Let the following texts suffice. 
 " His name ^haU be called Emmanuel, which signifies, God 
 WITH us." Matt. 1 : 23. " In the beginning was the Word, 
 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the 
 Word was laade Jlesh, and dwelt among us." John 1 : 1, 14-^ 
 St. Paul assures us, that this^ is " the pillar and ground of 
 
 yd. Scr. 30 
 
466 THE BIRTH OF CHEIST.- 
 
 the truth ; and without controversy the great mystery of 
 godliness ;" namely, that " G-od was manifest in the ilesh." 
 1 Tim. 3 : 15, 16. 
 
 glorious and pleasing truth, God is manifest in the 
 flesh! Surely it is highly desirable for feeble mortals to 
 know their Maker ; and because we could not ascend to him, 
 lo, he descends to us ! Deplorable darkness had long covered 
 the «arthj and the wisest of men bowed down "to an un- 
 known God ;" but, glory be to his name, " the only begotten 
 Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared 
 him." John 1 : 18. This is he who is " the briglitness of the 
 Father's glory, and the express image of his person" — "the 
 image of the invisible God." Heb. 1 : 3. This is he, "who, 
 being in the form of God," and thinking it " no robbery to be 
 equal with God," condescends to become a man, a poor man, 
 a servant, that we through his poverty might become eter- 
 nally rich. By his heavenly doctrine, by his astonishing 
 miracles, in his lovely disposition, and especially in his 
 divine person, G-od was manifested to man, " Show us the 
 Father," sard one of his disciples to him, "and it sufficeth 
 us." Philip wanted some visible representation of God, such 
 as was sometimes granted to the prophets. Jesus, in a way 
 of gentle rebuke, replied, "Have I been so long time with 
 you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?" and then 
 added these remarkable words, fully proving that God was 
 manifested in the flesh : "He that hath seen me hath seen 
 the Father." John 14 : 8, 9. " Believest thou not that I am 
 in the Father, and the Father in me? Henceforth ye know 
 him, and have seen him." " land my Father are one." John 
 14: 7, 10. Jesus Christ, then, is God manifest in the flesh. 
 Let us go to Bethlehem, and see this great sight: angels 
 desire to look into it. Glorious mystery! We cannot fully 
 eonlprehend it. " Men may speak and write of it ; but it iS 
 not so proper to describe it, as to say that it cannot be de- 
 scribed. We may speak of it, but the most we can say 
 about it is, that it is unspeakable ; and the most we know 
 is, that it passeth knowledge." Suffice it, that we believe 
 
SEEMON XHV. 467 
 
 and adore. Let but " the light shine into our hearts, to give 
 us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face 
 of Jesus Christ," and it is enough : we will dwell at Eethle- 
 hem all our days, until he shall remove us to Bethel above, 
 where we hope no longer to see " through a glass darkly, but 
 face to face." 
 
 II. Let us go to Bethlehem and behold man redeemed. 
 
 The redemption of fallen, guilty, helpless man, was the 
 grand design of the Saviour's birth. " God sent forth his 
 Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them 
 that were under the, law." He was named Jesus, because he 
 came to " save his people from their sins." There is some- 
 thing delightful in the name Saviour. Cicero, the Roman 
 orator, said, that when travelling in Greece, he saw a pillar 
 inscribed with this word. Saviour. He admired the fulness 
 of the name, but he knew not its Christian meaning.- How 
 much more may the redeemed sinner admire it ? 
 
 " 'Tis music in the sinner's ears, 
 'Tis life, and health, and peace.'' 
 
 It was in this character that the saints of old long ex- 
 pected his appearance. " To him give all the prophets wit- 
 ness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall 
 receive remission of sins." About the time of his coming, the 
 godly people in Jerusalem were " looking for redemption," 
 and with Simeon, " waiting for the consolation of Israel." 
 Our Lord himself declares this to be the chief design of his 
 coming: "God so loved the world that he gave his only be- 
 gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, 
 but have everlasting life." John 3 : 16. Observe, it was to 
 save sinners from perishing; for perish we must, without an 
 interest in him. Do we know this ? Why do we call him a 
 Saviour, if we see not our need of deliverance ? arid from 
 what? from sin, and horn, hell, If we are not saved from 
 sin here, we shall not be saved from hell hereafter. 
 
 " God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and" by 
 making him a sacrifice " foir sin, condemned sin in the flesh." 
 Rom. 8 : 3. Mark how the Son of God appeared : " in the 
 
468 THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. 
 
 likeness of sinful flesh ;" his nature was perfectly pure ; but 
 it had the likeness of ours, which is wholly corrupt. " He 
 knew no sin ;" none, in nature, none in practice. He had "a 
 clean heart, and pure hands.',' He could challenge his bitter- 
 est enemies to convince him of sin ; yea, he defied Satan him- 
 self, the great accuser : " The prince of this world- cometh, 
 and hath nothing in me." Thus he was a pure and spotless 
 lamb, fit to become a sacrifice for sin. Under the law, every 
 victim must be. perfect, and without blemish. It was neces- 
 sary the Lamb of G-od should be so ; for " he was manifested 
 to take away our sins ; and in him is no sin." 1 J ohn, 3:5. 
 
 Being thus pure and holy, the sins of the whole church-' 
 were laid upon him. " He was made sin for Us ;" " he suf- 
 fered for our sins ;" " the Lord laid upon him our iniquities ;" 
 " he bore our sins in his own body on the tree." And thus 
 Grod condemned sin in the flesh; he condemned our sin in 
 the flesh of Christ ; he showed his extreme hatred of it ; he 
 passed sentence of death upon it ; and executed that sentence 
 in the dreadful death of our Lord. And thus the condemning 
 of sin in Christ our surety, prevents the condemning of it in 
 our persons. And this is the ground of that excellent privi- 
 lege mentioned : "There is therefore now no condemnation 
 to them that are in Christ Jesus." Rom. 8:1. But this is 
 not all: the end and design of this is, that the righteousness 
 of the law might be fulfilled in us, whd walk not after the 
 flesh, but after the Spirit. Thus the perfect righteousness 
 demanded by the moral law is fulfilled in us : not in us per- 
 sonally, but by our surety in our nature, and in our stead; 
 and so might be deemed, in legal estimation, to be fulfilled 
 for, and by all those of us who truly believe, and who prove 
 the sincerity of our faith by a holy walk. 
 
 the grace and love of the blessed Jesus ! He, the most 
 high God, blessed for evermore, consented to become man. 
 He who was life, and gives life to all, became a mortal man. 
 He was born to die. Because we were " partakers of flesh 
 and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same." 
 love beyond example or degree ! 
 
SERMON XLIV. 469 
 
 ; " for this love let rocks and hills 
 Their lasting silence break ; 
 And all harmonious human tongues, 
 The Saviour's praises speak." 
 
 Thus Jesus " delivered us from the wrath to come." Our 
 sin deserved wrath, the wrath that is to come; for God hears 
 with sinners now, and* " endures, with much long-suffering, 
 the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction." But God is recon- 
 ciled to every believer in Jesus. He was angry, hut his anger 
 is turned away. Those who believe, " have passed from death 
 unto life;" those who are "redeemed from the curse of the 
 law, receive the adoption of sons." They are also redeemed 
 from the power and dominion of sin ; it shall not reign in 
 their mortal bodies. They are redeemed to God : body, soul, 
 spirit, substance, talents, all they have, and all they are, 
 belong to the Lord; and when they have served him and 
 their generation during his appointed time, he will take 
 them to himself, and they shall know the full meaning of 
 that comprehensive phrase^-^ETERNAL life. Such are the 
 inestimable blessings which Jesus, the Redeemer of man, 
 came to procure. But let us take another turn to Bethlehem, 
 and see, 
 
 III. Satan ruined. 
 
 It was Satan, the head of fallen spirits, who, assuming 
 the form of a cunning serpent, seduced our first parents in 
 the garden. Thus were the flood gates of sin opened in our 
 world. Thus Satan usurped a sovereign authority over the 
 souls of men ; insomuch that, in sacred writ, he is distin- 
 guished by the names of "the prince of this world," yea, 
 " the god of this world." He has set up an opposite throne 
 to that of God ; he rules in the hearts of the children of dis- 
 obedience, who are led captive by him at his will. Millions 
 of souls have readily submitted to his chains, and have lived 
 and died in love with their bondage. Cruel tyrant, who shall 
 deliver us from thy destructive power ? 
 
 It was when our fallen parents stood trembling before 
 their Judge, expectiiig every moment to taste the threatened 
 
470 THE BIETH OP OHEIST. 
 
 death — it was then that a dawn of mercy ^liminered in the 
 first, gospel promise. The LoRd, turning to the serpent who 
 seduced them, utters this curse : " Because thou hast done 
 this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast 
 of the field ; upon thy belly shall; thou go, and dust shalt thou 
 eat all the days of thy life: and I will put enmity between 
 thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed ; it 
 shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Gen, 
 3 : 14, 15. The devil is here condemned, under the name of 
 the serpent, because he had assumed the form of that crea- 
 ture in order to deceive man. He is cursed ; for everlasting 
 fire is prepared for him and his angels. His power was to be 
 contracted; he was to creep, not fly: his power should be 
 restrained to the dust; that is, to earthly minded men, or to 
 the bodies of the saints. His head was to be bruised ; that 
 is, his power was to be finally destroyed by Jesas Christ ; for 
 so St. John expounds it : " The Son of God was manifested, 
 that he might destroy the works of the devil." The serpent's 
 poison, craft, and life, are in his head ; if this be bruised, he 
 is destroyed. Jesus Christ, in his temptatiop, baffled the 
 tempter in all his cunning assaults. He cast out devils from 
 the bodies of men : he enabled his disciples to do the same, 
 and empowered them " to tread on serpents and scorpions," 
 and over all the power of the enemy ; and he has promised 
 also to his people, that, " he will bruise Satan under their feet 
 shortly." 
 
 God also declared there should be constant enmity be- 
 tween the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, 
 which includes the sanotification of all the elect. Uncon- 
 verted men are at peace with the devil ; but, when grace 
 comes, war commences, and God will make the believer more 
 than a conqueror. 
 
 But all this is in consequence of the birth of Jesus. He 
 is most eminently "the seed of the woman," the Son of God, 
 " made of a woman." By the merit of his death, and by the 
 grace of his Spirit, he destroys the power of the old serpent. 
 Satan was, indeed, allowed to bruise his heeL: and he did so, 
 
SERMON XLIV. 471 
 
 by his agents, when he prevailed to procure the crucifixion of 
 our Lord ; but it was then, even then that he bruised Satan's 
 head, and laid the foundation of his everlasting destructidn 
 Never before did fallen spirits discover so much opposition to 
 Christ. " They were aware probably of Christ's design to over- 
 turn their empire ; therefore they mustered all their forces, 
 employed all their skill ; and as all was at stake, made one 
 strong efibrt in a kind of decisive engagement. They armed 
 every proper instrument, and set every engine at work — 
 temptations, persecutions, violence, slander, treachery, and 
 the like. Our Lord, whom they opposed, made no formida- 
 ble appearance ; he was despised of men, a worm, and no 
 man. But this made the event more glorious. It was a 
 spectacle worth the admiration of the universe, to see the 
 despised Gralilean turn all the artillery of hell back upon 
 itself: to see one in the likeness of men, wresting the keys 
 of hell and death out of the hands of the devil ; to see him 
 entangle the powers of darkness in their own net, and make 
 them ruin their own designs with their own stratagems. 
 They made one disciple betray him, and another deny him ; 
 they made the Jews accuse him, and the Romans crucify 
 him. But these were the very means of spoiling and tri- 
 umphing over themselves. Col. 2 : 15. The cruelty of Satan 
 and his' instruments was made subservient to the designs of 
 infinite mercy, and the sins of men overruled for " making an 
 end of sin, and bringing in everlasting righteousness."* 
 
 Thus was " the prince of this world judged." Christ, by 
 his death, " hath destroyed him that had the power of death," 
 and rendered this evident, by the miracles that attended his 
 gospel, and the power of his grace in the experience of all 
 believers. AH the effects of Satan's usurpation shall finally 
 be abolished. Christ shall reign universally through the earth. 
 Satan shall be bound for a thousand years ; and though loosed 
 for a short season, shall be utterly cast out, and confined to 
 hell. The grave shall resign all its dead, and Jehovah Jesus 
 
 * See Maclaurin's most admirable sermon on glorying in the cross of 
 Christ. 
 
472 THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. 
 
 shall reign for ever: "The Lord God omnipoteht." Glory, 
 glqry, glory be to him. 
 
 Having heen to Bethlehem, to see this thing which is 
 come to pass, let us now, like the shepherds, " return, glorify- 
 ing God for all things we have heard and seen." "We have 
 learned, that in the incarnation of the Son of God we may 
 see Deity displayed, man redeemed^ and Satan ruined. How 
 vast and glorious are these designs of a Saviour's birth ! The 
 angels knew this when they sang, "Glory to God in the 
 highest; on earth peace, good will towards men." But are 
 these purposes of his appearance answered as to us ? " Is God, 
 in all his glorious perfections, manifested in the person of 
 Jesus ? Poes this attract our notice, and engage our souls to 
 adore, and love, and praise him, " magnifying the God of 
 Israel ?" " The Lord hath visited and redeemed his people." 
 Are we among his redeemed ? Are we actually redeemed 
 from the guilt and power of our own sins, and from the follies 
 and vanities of this world ? The throne of Satan is shaken ; 
 but is his power in us abolished ? Are we " delivered from 
 the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of 
 God's dear Son?" 
 
 This is the way in which we are to consider this grand 
 event ; and if the ends of Christ's birth be answered in our 
 own experience, we have abundant cause for joy. But then 
 it will not be the vain, frothy, carnal joy of the world. The 
 manner in which some pretend to celebrate the birth of Christ 
 at the season called Christmas, \& a disgrace to a Christian 
 nation. They contradict, as much as possible, the design of 
 his coming. He came "to destroy the works of the devil;" 
 they try to keep them up. What have cards, dancing, songs, 
 gluttony, and drunkenness, to do with the birth of Jesus ? He 
 came to save his people from their *sins, not in them. let 
 young people guard against the temptations of such a season ; 
 for there is more sin committed at Christmas in a few days, 
 than in many weeks at other times ; and the sin is the more 
 aggravated, as it passes under the notion of religious joy. 
 
SEKMON XLIV. 473 
 
 But it is an affront to a holy God, a reproach to the Christian 
 name, and ruinous to the souls of men. 
 
 Let -us rather go to Bethlehem : let us, like Mary, " pon- 
 der these things in our hearts." No sooner did the shepherds 
 hear of him, than they ran to inquire after him. Let us also 
 say, " We would see Jesus." And where shall we seek him 
 but in his house, in his word ? and if we seek him earnestly, 
 we shall find that the church of G-od is still a Bethlehem, " a 
 house of bread." God will feed our souls with " the bread 
 which came down from heaven, and which endureth to eter- 
 nal life." 
 
 . We may also see and serve him in his poor members. 
 " The poor we have always with us." As Christ was found 
 in his stable, so we may find some of his in a cottage, in a 
 garret, forsaken and destitute. Let us go and visit poor fami- 
 lies, sick persons, fatherless children, in honor of him who 
 was " wrapt in swaddling clothes, and lay in a manger ;" he 
 will accept the kindness, and say, " Inasmuch as ye did it to 
 one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me." 
 
4U THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 
 
 THE CROSS OF CHRIST THE CHRISTIAN'S 
 
 GLORY. 
 
 SEEMON XLY. 
 
 "GOD FORBID THAT I SHOULD GLORY, SAVE IN THE CROSS OF OUR LORD 
 JESUS CHRIST, BY WHOM THE WORLD IS CRUCIFIED UNTO ME, 'AND I 
 UNTO THE WORLD." Gal. 6 : U.^ 
 
 The apostle Paul, whose words these are, had good reason 
 for glorying in the cross of Christ. He tells us, in the text, 
 how useful it was to him. And whoever obtains the true 
 knowledge of " Christ crucified," will, like him, " determine 
 to know nothing else," and " esteem all things but loss for the 
 excellency of it." It is well known that the cross of Christ 
 was "a stumbling-block" to the Jews. Nothing offended 
 them so much as the plainness, the poverty, the sufferings 
 and death of Jesus: but St. Paul gloried in the cross; yea, 
 he would glory in nothing else. The Jews gloried in their 
 relation to Abraham, in their teniple, in their religious cere- 
 monies ; but he who knew that these were but " shadows of 
 good things to come," gloried in the substance, gloried in the 
 cross of Christ. 
 
 "The cross of Christ" signifies either our sufferings for 
 him, or his sufferings for us. In the former sense, we are 
 "to take up the cross, and follow him;" but here, we are to 
 understand his sufferings for us, for these are what the 
 apostle gloried in. "The cross of Christ" sometimes in- 
 cludes the whole gospel, the doctrine of him who died on the 
 cross, of which his meritorious death for sinners is the prin- 
 cipal part. 
 
 As the cross of Christ is of so much use to a Christian, 
 let us, 
 
 1. Take a view of it, or contemplate the sufferings of 
 Christ upon it ; and then, 
 
SEKMON XLV. 475 
 
 2. Consider its practical uses, or the reasons we have for 
 glorifying in it 
 
 I. Let us CONTEMPLATE THE SUFFERINGS of OUr Lord. 
 
 But how, or where shall we hegin? Let no one rush 
 into this solemn work in a thoughtless manner. Few per- 
 sons are properly prepared for it, A mind polluted with 
 sensual pleasures, or a heart crowded with worldly cares, is 
 ill-qualified for the task. When Moses approached the burn- 
 ing bush, he was commanded to take off his shoes, for the 
 place on which he stood was holy ground. Gethsemane and 
 Calvary are also holy ground. Let us approach with godly 
 fear, not with vain curiosity; and may the good Spirit of 
 God, the glorifier of Jesus, take these sacred things, respect- 
 ing his " agony and bloody sweat, his cross and passion," 
 and so show thein to us as that we may repent, believe, and 
 rejoice. 
 
 We ought to remember, that the whole life of Christ was a 
 life of suffering. He was " a man of sorrows, and acquainted 
 with grief." For our sakes he became poor, and endured the 
 contradiction of sinners against himself. But we must now 
 confine our meditations to his last sufferings in the garden, 
 during his trial, and at Golgotha. 
 
 Our blessed Lord having " loved his own which were in 
 the world, loved them to the end ;" and gave a most affecting 
 proof of it, by washing their feet, celebrating the Passover 
 with them, instituting the sacred Supper, and by his pathetic 
 discourse and affectionate prayers. He then went forth out 
 of the city, accompanied by all the apostles, except Judas, 
 who was preparing to betray him, to a garden where he used 
 to retire, and had spent many nights in devotion. At the 
 entrance of this, he left eight of the disciples, taking Peter, 
 James, and John to a separate place^ where they were spec- 
 tators of his distress. 
 
 Then Jesus "began to be sorrowful, and very heavy" — ^to 
 be " sore amazed :" the words signify much more than they 
 express ; " they imply that he was possiessed with fear, horror, 
 and amazement; encompassed with grief, and overwhelmed 
 
476 THE GEOSS OF CHEIST. 
 
 with sorrow ; pressed down with consternation and dejection 
 of mind ; tormented with anxiety and disquietude of spirit " 
 
 How vast must that pressure have been, which obliged 
 him to complain, and to complain to his inferiors: "My soul 
 is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." He was in an 
 " agony" — a word used nowhere else in the New Testament — 
 an agony so great and astonishing, that " his sweat was as it 
 were great drops of blood falling down to the -ground." In 
 this extreme distress he betook himself to prayer : he first 
 kneeled down, and afterwards fell on his face upon the 
 ground, saying, " Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass 
 from me ; nevertheless, not as I will, but as' thou wilt." 
 
 What a mysterious scene is this ! What could be the 
 occasion of this agony ? It was no human enemy that hurt 
 him ; nor was it the fear of his approaching death. Probably 
 it was some peculiar conflict with the powers of darkness, for 
 this was " their hour." Perhaps the restraint usually laid on 
 these malignant spirits was now removed ; and who can tell 
 what terrors they may inflict, if permitted ? Probably our 
 Lord had now before his eyes the collected guilt of millions 
 of sinners, and the intolerable misery due to their iniquities; 
 and what an agony must this occasion, when an individual 
 finds one " Wounded spirit" more than he can bear ? 
 
 Here stop, and see the sinfulness of sin. Perhaps you 
 have seen it only in the garden of pleasure, wearing th« 
 mask of happiness. Here, in the garden of sorrow, behold 
 sin stripped of its mask. See, in the agony of Jesus, its true 
 nature and proper eifects. "The wages of sin is death;" 
 therefore the soul of Christ was sorrowful, " even unto death." 
 See here a specimen of that "indignation and wrath, tribula- 
 tion and anguish," which every soul of man not interested in 
 Christ must sufier, not for a few hours, but to all eternity. 
 And here, believer, see what thou must have suffered, if Jesus 
 had not suffered it for thee. But " it pleased the Lord to 
 bruise hiin, and put him to grief," that thou mayest be filled 
 with joy unspeakable. He drank this bitter cup, that he 
 might put into thy hand the sweet cup of salvation. 
 
■ SERMON XLV. 477 
 
 Our Lord, who knew beforehand all things which should 
 befall him, intimated to his disciples the near approach of the 
 traitor Judas. " Rise," said he, " let us be going ; he is at 
 hand that betrayeth me." This infamous man had sold his 
 affectionate Master to the priests ; and knowing the place of 
 his retirement, comes attended with an armed force : yet, still 
 pretending friendship, salutes himwith a kiss, which was the 
 appointed signal for his apprehension. Jesus offers no resist- 
 ance, nor attempts an escape. The Lamb of God freely offers 
 himself up, and with surprising intrepidity and composure, 
 tells them who he is. He could have slain them all in a 
 moment, for he no sooner uttered the words, / am he, than 
 his enemies drew back, and "fell to the ground" as if they 
 had been struck with lightning. H6 asks nothing for him- 
 self, but desires a passport to insure the safety of those sloth- 
 ful' disciples, who had been too careless to watch with him 
 one hour. He rebukes Peter for using his sword, and kindly 
 heals the officer whom he had wounded. " Then all his dis- 
 ciples forsook him, and fled." 
 
 Now let us follow our Lord from the garden through the 
 streets of Jerusalem, bound and hurried along as if he had 
 been a thief, from one part of the city to another ; > first to the 
 house of Annas, and then to the palace of Caiaphas, where, 
 though it was night, the principal part of the Sanhedrim were 
 met to receive their prisoner. 
 
 And here, what horrid injustice reigned. So innocent 
 was he, that his enemies were forced to contrive to forge the 
 shadow of a charge against him. They could scarcely find 
 any villains hardy enough to come forward and accuse him. 
 At length two witnesses arose, pretending that three years 
 before, he had talked about destroying the temple, and re- 
 building it in three days. This foolish charge, founded on a 
 gross perversion of his words, was deemed sufficient ground of 
 accusation. And accordingly, early in the morning, he was 
 brought before the great council, and put upon his defence. 
 But he thought proper to decline any vindication of himself, 
 before bloody men who were determined to murder him. 
 
478 THE CEOSS OF CHEIST. 
 
 Thus " he was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his 
 mouth : He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a 
 sheep before her shearers is dtamb, so he opened not his 
 mouth." 
 
 Being adjured by the high-priest to declare whether he 
 was the Messiah, the Son of the blessed G-od, he affirmed it 
 fully. These wretched hypocrites, taking the advantage of 
 his confession, and pretending great concern for the honor of 
 Grod, charged him with blasphemy, and immediately adjudged 
 him to death. 
 
 But as the power of life and death was in a great meas- 
 ure taken from them by the Romans, instead of putting him 
 to death by stoning, they took him to Pontius Pilate, the Ro- 
 man governor, who, at their request, proceeded to his trial. 
 Here, with malignant cunning they charge him, not with 
 blasphemy, but with sedition, refusing to pay tribute to Cae- 
 sar, and calling himself a king, in opposition to the emperor. 
 Our Lord was still silent; at which Pilate was astonished. 
 Pilate having examined him privately, was satisfied of his 
 innocence, and wished to discharge him. But the Jews in- 
 creased in their vehemence against him, insisting upon it that 
 he should be put to death. To' which, at length, Pilate, an 
 unjust, time-serving man, reluctantly consented. 
 
 Shocking were the insults which he endured at various 
 times and places, from the officers of the priests, and from the 
 soldiers. He was mocked, buffeted, spit upon, blindfolded, 
 crowned with thorns, and most severely scourged. But thus 
 was the Scripture fulfilled; for it is remarkable, that every 
 particular part of his sufferings was predicted long before by 
 the prophets ; and thus, under the influence of their own 
 wicked passions, they unwittingly accomplished the divine 
 decrees, " for to do whatsoever his hand and his counsel deter-* 
 mined before to be done." Acts 4 : 28. 
 
 And now they speedily proceed to the execution of the 
 unjust and bloody sentence. And, he, bearing his cross, went 
 forth to a place called Golgotha, or the place of a scull, for 
 there the bodies of many criminals were buried. Oh, how 
 
SERMON XLV. 479 
 
 different a procession was this, from one which had passed 
 the streets a- few days before. Then, the multitude welcomed 
 him into the city, shouting, Hosanna! now they hasten his 
 death as a malefactor, crying, "Away with him; crucify him." 
 So little is popular applause to be regarded. A few, indeed, 
 sympathize with our suffering Lord; but he, affected more 
 with their future woe, than with his own present sufferings, 
 says, "Weep not for me; but weep for yourselves, and for your 
 children." 
 
 Fatigued, and ready to faint with pain, loss of blood, and 
 the weight of the cross, which he carried upon his bleeding 
 shoulders, Simon, a stranger, is compelled to bear it for him. 
 At length they arrive at the place. It was "without the 
 city;" in answer to the types of old, which required that the 
 sin-offering should be made without the camp; and as an 
 example to us, that we should be willing to follow him 
 " without the camp, bearing his reproach." The cross being 
 laid upon the ground, the sacred body of our Lord, now strip- 
 ped of all his garments, is laid upon it, stretched as upon a 
 rack, and fastened to it with large ^pike nails, cruelly driven 
 through his hands and his feet. The cross was then drawn 
 upright, its foot being placed in a hole dug for the purpose. 
 There our Lord hangs, the whole weight of his blessed body 
 bearing upon the wounded parts of it. Not content with the 
 corporeal pains he endured, the cruel people endeavored to 
 aggravate them by bitter taunts and reproaches. They 
 amused themselves with his misery. They ridiculed his 
 pretending to be the Son of Grod, and the King of Israel; his 
 rebuilding the temple : they bid him " come down from the 
 cross," and then they would believe on him ; they tell him 
 " to save himself," if he could save others. And in all this, 
 the chief priests and scribes, forgetting their dignity, joined 
 the unthinking rabble. 
 
 Thus " it behooved Christ to suffer," and thus " the Scrip- 
 tures were fulfilled." Thus was he "lifted up" like his 
 type, the brazen serpent, in the wilderness. He was " cut 
 off, but not for himself," as Daniel predicted. " They pierced 
 
480 THE CROSS OP CHRIST. 
 
 his hands and his feet," as said the Psalmist. He was 
 "mocked, scourged, and crucified," as himself had before 
 declared. " They cast lots for his garments," and " he was 
 numbered with the transgressors." 
 
 In this painful situation our Lord continued for several 
 hours; for it was a slow, lingering, and extremely painful 
 kind of death. It was also shameful in the highest degree ; 
 a gallows and a gibbet are not names of greater infamy among 
 us, than that of the cross then was. It was also deemed an 
 accursed death. By the law of Moses, a person hanged upon 
 a tree was deemed accursed of God. Alluding to this, St. 
 Paul says, " Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the 
 law, being made a curse for us." G-al. 3 : 13. 
 
 Our Lord, who when at large went about doing good, 
 continued to manifest his benevolence even upon the cross. 
 He prays for his unfeeling murderers : " Father,; forgive them; 
 they know not what they do." To the penitent thief he said, 
 " This day shalt thou be with me in paradise." He com- 
 mitted the care of his mother to John, his beloved disciple. 
 All this was done while Jie suffered the most shocking pains, 
 But the agony of his mindj it should seeln, far exceeded them. 
 He was suffering the wrath of God due to sin. The horrible 
 darkness that for three hours covered the land, was an em- 
 blem of the more dreadful darkness and terror of soul which 
 he endured, and which extorted that mysterious cry, "My 
 God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" 
 
 But the painful scene draws to a close. All the prophe^ 
 cies were fulfilled. All the Father gave him to do was 
 accomplished. His sufferings therefore must terminate. Ex- 
 ulting, then, in the completion of his vast and glorious work, 
 he cried. It is finished. And then, that with his dying^ breath 
 he might teach us how to die, he said, " Father, into thy hdnds 
 I commit my spirit;" and having said thus, "bowing his 
 head, he gave up the ghost," or dismissed his spirit. 
 
 Thus have we taken a brief view of the cross of Christ. 
 We have seen the blessed Redeemer taken and bound as a 
 thief; hurried. from place to place through the night; un. 
 
SERMON XLV. 481 
 
 justly condemned both in the ecclesiastical and civil court; 
 treated with all the indignity and insult that hellish malice 
 could devise; buffeted, scourged, and spit upon; and at 
 length put to death on the cross. In all this, the carnal eye 
 beholds nothing but weakness, pain, and ignominy ; but the 
 enlightened eye of faith sees a beauty, a grandeur, a glory, 
 far surpassing the brightest objects of sense. So far from 
 blushing at the meanness or shame of the cross, the true be- 
 liever will cordially unite with St. Paul and say, " God forbid 
 that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." 
 Let us then proceed to consider, 
 
 II. The reasons we have for glorying in the cross. 
 
 Many reasons may be offered, btit we have room to men- 
 tion only three. By the cross of Christ, the perfections of God 
 are displayed, the believing sinner is fully justified, and pro- 
 vision is made for his sanctification. 
 
 We glory in the cross of Christ because Goc? is glorified 
 in it. The goodness, mercy, and love of God appear in all 
 his gifts to men ; but most of all in this unspeakable gift. 
 Of no other gift is it said, "God so loved the world" as. to 
 bestow it. " Herein is love," a love so great that it includes 
 and insures every other good ; for He that spared not his own 
 Son, but freely gave him up for us all, will assuredly deny us 
 nothing good. And Oh, " the manifold wisdom " that beams 
 from the cross. How deep the contrivance, to make " mercy 
 and truth meet together, righteousness and peace embrace 
 each other." Never did the spotless holiness and the inflexi- 
 ble justice of God appear with such awful splendor as at Cal- 
 vary. Not all the sufferings of the damned can put such 
 honor on the holy law, as it received from the suffering of 
 Jesus upon the cross : those sufferings " magnified the law, 
 and made it honorable." Thus God declared his justice in 
 the remission of sins, so that " the law as well as the siimer 
 may justly glory in the cross of Christ ; for both receive eter- 
 nal honor from it." 
 
 Again, that which endears the cross of Christ to believers 
 is, that from thence they derive free and full justification ; 
 
 Vil. Ser. 31 
 
482 THE CEOSS OF CHEIST. 
 
 they are "justified freely, through the redemption that is in 
 Christ Jesus." How glorious is that declaration, " The Lord 
 hath laid on him the iniquity of us all !" That heavy burden, 
 enough to crush a world, was borne by him ; and, blessed be 
 G-od, borne away by him ; so borne away, that if sought for, 
 it shall not be found. We behold then in a crucified Saviour, 
 " the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." 
 The real Christian will glory in nothing else. He places no 
 dependence on his prayers, his repentance, his duties, his 
 charity, his sufferings ; all these are for ever discarded, in 
 respect of justification by them. To trust upon these, in 
 whole or in part, would be the greatest dishonor to Christ, 
 and render his cross a nfeedless, useless thing. This he ab- 
 hors from his heart, as the vilest blasphemy and sacrilege ; 
 and therefore sincerely says with the apostle, " God forbid 
 that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 But there is another reason for glorying in the cross, 
 namely, it is the cause and the instrument of our sanctifica- 
 tion ; hereby the world is crucified unto us, and we are cru- 
 cified to the world. Nothing but a spiritual sight of the glory 
 of the crpss, and a good hope of personal interest in its bless- 
 ings, will ever efiectually wean our hearts, from the world. 
 To be dead to the world, is of the utmost importance in the 
 matter of our sanctification ; for the love of the world is the 
 principal source of our sins. We shall never cease to make 
 the World our portion, till we get: something better in its 
 stead. It is 'by the doctrine of Christ we learn its vanity. 
 It is by the example of Christ we learn to despise it. His 
 whole humiliation from the manger to the cross, poured con- 
 tempt on human greatness, and has sanctified to his followers 
 a life of labor, poverty, and reproach. A true follower of 
 Christ will be ashamed to glory in those, worldly objects 
 which his Saviour trampled beneath his feet, while it will 
 sweetly reconcile him to a humble lot, that his Master en- 
 dured the same ; and thus will he learn " to deny himself, 
 take up his cross, and follow Jesus." 
 
SEEMON XLV. 483 
 
 When the people who came together to see the doleful 
 spectacle of the crucifixion, beheld the things that were done, 
 they smote their breasts and returned. And surely, when 
 we return from this view of the cross, and consider what we 
 have seen and heard ; above all, if we reflect on our sins which 
 caused all his agonies, we have reason to smite our breasts, 
 and be deeply affected with our sins and his sufierings. Na- 
 ture itself seemed to sympathize with our suffering Lord. 
 The sun was darkened. The earth quaked. The rocks were 
 torn asunder. The veil of the temple was rent. The graves 
 were opened ; and the heathen guards were constrained to 
 say, " Truly this was the Son of God !" And now, how are 
 our hearts affected ? Is all this " nothing to us ?" Can we 
 behold this awful scene with cold indifference ? If we can, 
 it may be feared our hearts are harder than the rocks, and that 
 we have no part nor lot in the matter. Surely this awful 
 spectacle will command our attention, and excite our serious 
 thoughts. Come, you who have loved and lived in sin, who 
 have rolled it as a sweet morsel under your tongues, who 
 have laughed at, and often said. What harm is there in it? 
 come and see the Saviour in his agony, sweating as it were 
 great drops of blood ; see him buffeted and despised ; see him 
 bleeding, groaning, and dying on the cross. And what was 
 all this for ? It was for sin. It was to make atonement for 
 sin. He died, "the just for the unjust, that he might bring 
 us to God." It was to save such sinners as you from eternal 
 sufferings. Such was his love. sinner, let this love con- 
 strain thee to forsake thy sins, and come to him, that thou 
 mayest have life. 
 
 When " I am lifted up," said Jesus, before his crucifixion, 
 " I will draw all men unto me." what blessed attraction 
 is there in the cross of Christ ! Here is salvation — a salva- 
 tion complete and free ; just such as a guilty helpless sinner 
 needs. When Christ crucified was first preached by Peter, 
 three thousand souls, and among them perhaps many of his 
 murderers, were drawn to him in one day. To-day, by this 
 sermon he is lifted up, " crucified before your eyes." for 
 
484 THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 
 
 the power of the Holy Spirit, to draw your hearts to him ! 
 Come, and he will receive you. Come, and he will pardon 
 you. Come, and he will give you rest., His arms, once ex- 
 tended on the cross, are still open to receive the chief of sin- 
 ners. His blood still oleanseth from all sin : 
 
 " Each purple drop proclaims there 's room, 
 And bids the poor and needy come.'' 
 
 And now, that every professed disciple of Christ would 
 consider the latter part of the tejct, and ask himself this ques- 
 tion: "Is the world crucified to me, and I to the world?" 
 Does the cross of my Saviour throw a salutary shade over the 
 gaudy glories of the world ? Is it crucified ? Is it a dead, or 
 at least, a dying thing, in my esteem ; and am I, because of 
 my attachment to the truth, cause, and people of Christ, be- 
 come like a dead man in the world's esteem ? Such, breth- 
 ren, in some happy degree, is the true influence of the crOss 
 of Christ. Such is the holy practical tendency of gospel 
 trulii ; ana whoever finds this in himself, has abundant cause 
 to glory in the cross of Christ. 
 
 May divine grace teach us more and more to esteem the 
 cross of Christ, and to glory in nothing but our knowledge of 
 it, interest in it, expectations from it, and its practical influ- 
 ence in our hearts. Then may we hope, ere long, to see " the 
 Lamb that was slain, seated in the midst of the throne ;" and 
 with our feeble voices, to make some little addition to the 
 grand chorus of the redeemed, singing, " Worthy is the Lamb 
 that was slain, and who hath redeemed us to God by his 
 blood." 
 
SEKMON XLVI, 485 
 
 THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 
 
 SERMON XLVI. 
 
 "THE LORD IS RISEN INDEED." Ldkb24:34. 
 
 Never was there a day of greater gladness than that on 
 which our Lord arose ; never was there greater cause for joy ; 
 for weriB not Christ risen, our faith and hope would be in vain, 
 and we should yet be in our sins. . 
 
 When Jesus Christ was laid in the grave, great was the 
 triumph of his enemies, and great was the dejection of his 
 friends. The sorrowful disciples had fondly hoped "it had 
 been He who should have redeemed Israel;" but now their 
 hopes are buried in his grave. How great then must have 
 been their surprise, and their joy, when Jesus actually arose,« 
 and appeared unto several of them. Our text is an exclama- 
 tion expressive of these passions ; it was made by the ten 
 apostles to the two brethren who had seen Christ at Em- 
 maus, and who had just returned from thence to relate the 
 joyful news. Before they could well speak, the apostles 
 salute them with this pleasing sentence: " The Lord is risen 
 indeed, and hath appeared to Simon." The two disciples, in 
 their turn, communicate what they had seen and heard, and 
 how "Jesus was known to them in breaking of bread." 
 Blessed and heavenly news ! well might they all be eager to 
 tell it.' The primitive Christians, it is said, used to salute 
 each other on the Lord's-day morning with these words. The 
 Lord is risen! And it is a pleasing custom still continued 
 in London, that the boys belonging to Christ's Hospital ap- 
 pear, in Easter week, each v^ith a printed label affixed to his 
 coat having the same inscription, " The Lord is risen." 
 Happy if those poor children, or the multitude beholding 
 them walk in procession to church, knew the sacred import 
 
486 KESUERECTION OF CHEIST. 
 
 of that charming sentence. It will be happy for us, if now 
 we are taught " the power of his resurrection," and so con- 
 template these precious words " that our faith and hope may 
 be in God." 
 
 We may place the words of our text in three points of 
 view, and consider them as the language of 
 
 Wonder, certainty, and joy. 
 
 I. Let us consider the words as expressive of their wondee,. 
 
 And yet we wonder it should appear so wonderful to 
 them. Had not our Lord often told them he should rise from 
 the dead ? Had he not said, " Destroy this temple," meaning 
 his body, "and in three days I will raise it up?" Had he 
 not said, " There shall no sign be given to this generation, but 
 the sign of the prophet Jonas ; for as Jonas was three days 
 and thre^ nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man 
 be thre& days and three nights in the heart of the earth ?" 
 Could the disciples forget these sayings ? The Jews cer- 
 tainly remembered them, and therefore, sealed and guarded 
 .the sepulchre. There were many intimations of the resurrec- 
 tion in the writings of the prophets. It was evident from the 
 Scriptures, tha-t " thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise 
 from the dead the third day." Indeed, our Lord rested the 
 whole weight of his mission on this event ; to this he referred 
 the whole credibility of all he asserted. It was therefore of 
 infinite consequence to the disciples, that their Master should 
 revive, and forsake the tomb. 
 
 But who can describe the state of their minds when they 
 saw their Lord in the hands of his foes, bound, tried, con- 
 demned, executed, and laid in the prison of the grave ? There 
 was much ignorance and unbelief jemaining in them. They 
 had not wholly got rid of their foolish notion of a temporal 
 kingdom ; but their hopes of this kind were now completely 
 baffled. They might also have many distressing apprehen- 
 sions about their own personal safety. In short, they were 
 perplexed and distressed beyond measure; and they had 
 either forgotten what Christ had said of rising again, or did 
 not clearly understand it, or desponded as to the event. 
 
SEEMON XLVI. 487 
 
 Grreat, therefore, was their surprise and astonishment 
 when first informed of his resurrection. Mary Magdalene, 
 and some other pious women, were the first witnesses of the 
 fact ; they ran to inform Peter and John, who immediately 
 hastened to the spot; they found the tomb open, and the 
 grave-clothes left in it, but saw not Jesus. But Peter after- 
 wards saw him. He made himself known to the two disci- 
 ples at Emmaus on the same day. The news quickly spread 
 among them all, and though they were " slow of heart to 
 believe," they were constrained to admit the fact; but they 
 were overpowered with surprise and astonishment, and this 
 they expressed in the text, " The Lord is risen indeed!" But, 
 
 11. These words imply the certainty of this important 
 fact, " The Lord is risen indeed ." strange as it is, it is true ; 
 it is absolutely certain ; we are perfectly satisfied of it. And 
 this certainty was immediately afterwards abundantly con- 
 firmed ; for, while they were y6t speaking, he appeared in 
 the midst of them ; and to convince them he was not a mere 
 spirit, he not only showed them his wounded hands and feet, 
 but also ate and drank with them 
 
 The certainty of this event is of the utmost consequence. 
 This great pillar bears all the weight of the Christian system; 
 and could the Samson of infidelity remove it, the whole-fabric 
 must fall to the ground. , But, blessed be God, we have no 
 fears on this head. We know that " we have not followed 
 cunningly devised fables," but that this grand truth comes to 
 us confirmed by " many infallible proofs," on which our faith 
 securely rests. Acts 1 : 3. Let us examine some of these : 
 
 1. The very fear of imposition tended to this certainty. 
 The chief priests having heard that Christ declared hei should 
 rise again, applied to Pilate, saying, " Sir, we remember that 
 that deceiver said, while *T^^as yet alive. After three days 
 I will rise again. Gommaircl, therefore, that the sepulchre 
 be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by 
 night and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is 
 risen from the dead : so the last error shall be worse than 
 the first." Ma,tt. 27 r 62, Pilate complied with their wishes. 
 
488 RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 
 
 The huge stone that secured the entrance of the sepulchre 
 was sealed with the public seal, which none might break 
 upon pain of death ; and a sttong guard of soldiers was 
 placed to defend the whole. But how vain is it for man to 
 fight with God ! The stone, the seal, the guard, can never 
 keep the Lord of life a prisoner to death ; but they all tended 
 exceedingly to confirm the truth of his resurrection. Had 
 these malicious precautions been omitted, we had lost one of 
 the strongest proofs of the event. 
 
 The ignorance or the forgetfulness of the disciples respect- 
 ing his rising again, their cowardice at the time, rendering 
 them totally unfit to venture to steal the body, had they been 
 so disposed, and their incredulity when first told that he 
 was risen, all unite in strengthening the evidence ; but espe- 
 cially the unbelief of Thomas, who for a whole week persisted 
 in refusing to believe any evidence but that of his own senses, 
 which at length was granted. 
 
 2. The number of witnesses to the fact strongly confirms 
 it. Mary Magdalfene was the first. Much was forgiven her, 
 and she loved much ; her love was rewarded with this honor. 
 She first saw Jesus, and mistook him for the gardener ; but 
 she knew her Shepherd's voice, and owned her Lord, by whose 
 direction she runs to tell the apostles. Next he appeared to 
 the other Mary and Salome when they were flying from the 
 empty tomb, terrified at the sight of the angel. " Jesus met 
 them, saying, All hail !" They held him by the feet, and wor- 
 shipped him. Peter was then favored with, a sight of his 
 risen Lord. Marvellous kindness to the man who had de- 
 serted and denied him ! Let it stand as a proof of Christ's 
 regard to penitent backsliders. In the afternoon, on the same 
 day, he joined company with two disciples, walking to a vil- 
 lage seven miles from Jerusalem:^ They knew him not at 
 first, but he talked to them — so sweetly opened the Scrip- 
 tures, and showed the necessity of the resurrection, that their 
 hearts glowed with holy fire. He condescended also to sup 
 with them. It was then, while he broke the bread and 
 blessed it, in a manner peculiar to himself, that they recol- 
 
SEEMON XLVI. 489 
 
 lected his person. FiTed with love, and filled with joy, they 
 swiftly retrace the seven miles back to the city ; and eager 
 to publish the glad event, they hasten to the chamber -of the 
 apostles, where they relate " what things were done In the 
 way, and how he was known of them in bre£(,king of bread." 
 
 Immediately " Jesus appears in the midst ;" mild majesty 
 beaming in his placid countenance, and heavenly consolatioji 
 flowing from his lips, " Peace be unto you." "When they dis- 
 covered fear, he added, " Why are ye troubled ? Behold my 
 hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; 
 for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." 
 And when he had spoken thus, he showed them his hands 
 and his feet ; there they saw the certain marks of his suffer- 
 ings, and his identity was fully proved. Nor did he immedi- 
 ately vanish; he continued with them a considerable time. 
 He showed them, from the Scriptures, the necessity of* his 
 resurrection; upbraided them with their unbelief; and to 
 put the matter out of all doubt, he offered to eat with them, 
 and did actually eat a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honey- 
 comb. Luke 24 : 42. 
 
 During forty days that followed this event, he met them 
 frequently in different places, instructing them at large " in 
 things pertaining to the kingdom of God." At one of these 
 seasons, Thomas was perfectly convinced, and with profound 
 reverence and adoration, cried, " My Lord, and my God !" 
 He appeared upon another occasion "to above five hundred 
 brethren at once," most, of whom were alive when St. Paul 
 recorded it. 1 Cor. 15 : 6. Surely it was impossible that all 
 these witnesses could be deceived, and it is equally impossible 
 they could mean to deceive others ; for, 
 
 3. They were credible witnesses, they were sufficient judges 
 of what they saw and heard, and they could have no tempta- 
 tion to impose upon the world. No temporal advantage could 
 be looked for ; but, on the contrary, all the terrors of persecu- 
 tion, which many of them actually endured ; yet they lived 
 and died steadfastly witnessing to this fundamental truth. 
 
 4. The very heathen admitted the fact. Pilate wrote to 
 
490 RESUKRECTION OF CHEIST. 
 
 Tiberius, the Roman emperor, assuring him that Christ, who 
 was a very extraordinary person, and who had been put to 
 death, at Jerusalem, was risen again. And Tiberius proposed 
 to the senate at Rome, that his name should be enrolled 
 among the number of their gods. 
 
 5. The weakness of those who denied the fact, tends to its 
 confirmation. The soldiers who composed the guard, being 
 afirighted by the earthquake which happened at the moment 
 of the resurrection, ran into the city to inform their employers 
 what had taken place. Upon which the elders called a coun- 
 cil, to consider what must be done to prevent the belief of 
 Christ's resurrection ; when it was determined to bribe the 
 soldiers, and put this lie in their mouth : " Say ye, His disci- 
 ples came by night, and stole him away while we slept." 
 What a palpable contradiction does this excuse contain ! If 
 the^oldiers were asleep, how could they know this ? and- if 
 they were not asleep, how could the disciples effect it ? But 
 they were not asleep. Jt was death to a Roman soldier to 
 sleep on his watch. And who, that considers the cowardice 
 of the disciples at the time, can ever believe that they would 
 venture upon so difficult and hazardous a business ? ^ut the 
 priests had the villany to invent the lie, the soldiers had the 
 baseness to propagate it, and the Jews had the folly to believe 
 it; and justly may God give up men to "strong delusion to 
 believe a lie," who will not be persuaded, even by miracles, 
 to believe the truth. 
 
 Surely these are infallible proofs, and we may safely ex- 
 press our certainty of the event, by saying, " The Lord is 
 risen indeed.'" The important fact being thus ascertained, 
 let us, in the last place, consider the text as, 
 
 III. The language of joy. 
 
 In prospect of this grand event, the Psalmist says, " This 
 is the day which the Lord hath made ; we will rejoice, and be 
 glad in it." Psa. 118 : 24. The world never saw such a day 
 before. There was joy in heaven, and joy on earth. "A 
 morning then dawned which is to be followed by no even- 
 ing ; a brighter sun arose upon the world which is to set no 
 
SERMON XLVI. 491 
 
 more, a day began which shall never end; and night and 
 darkness departed to return not again," "Then were the 
 disciples glad when they saw the Lord ;" and well they 
 might be. They had often seen him with delight, but never 
 so much as now. Christ himself proposes this as an argu- 
 ment of joy : " I am the first, and the last : I am he that liveth, 
 and was dead ; and behold, / am alive for evermore. Amen." 
 "We now consider the causes of their joy. 
 
 1. Hereby the truth of his mission was fully confirmed. 
 This is the broad seal of heaven, afiixed to his credentials : 
 " The sign of Jonas the prophet," to which he referred. " He 
 was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to 
 the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." 
 Rom. 1 : 4. He was publicly demonstrated to be the Son of 
 God by the immediate power of the Holy Spirit, owned in 
 the face of the world, and freed from all suspicion of being an 
 impostor. 
 
 2. The sufficiency and acceptableness of his sacrifice 
 was hereby acknowledged. The apostle truly argues, 1 Cor. 
 15 : 17, if Christ be not risen^ we are yet in our sins — under 
 the guilt and power of them, condemned for ever, since they 
 could never be taken away but by the sacrifice of Christ; and 
 if he were not risen, there could be no proof that he had taken 
 them away. But, blesised be God, he is risen, that our faith 
 and hope might rise too. The God of peace hath brought 
 again from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep : for he 
 was delivered for ojir offences, and raised again for our justi- 
 fication. When he was discharged from the prison of the 
 grave, God declared, in effect, that the ransom price was paid, 
 the full penalty of the law which required death was borne, 
 justice was entirely satisfied, reconciliation was made, and 
 pardon and peace procured through the blood of atonement. 
 
 Hence spring the lively hopes of the Christian. Thus 
 Peter s3ng : '* Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath 
 begotten us again to a lively hope, by the resurrection of 
 Jesus Christ from the dead." Thus Paul triuiriphed i " Who 
 
492 EBSUKRECTION OF CHRIST. 
 
 shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? It is G-od 
 that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ 
 that died, yea, rather, that is risen again." Rom. 8 : 33. 
 
 3. The resurrection of Christ is the cause of our spiritual 
 resurrection from the death of sin to the life of righteousness. 
 This is what St. Paul principally designed in that pious 
 wish, That I may know the power of his resurrection, Phil. 
 3 : 10 ; to experience that divine power in my soul, quicken- 
 ing me to a life of grace, which Christ experienced in quicken- 
 ing his dead body in the grave ; and indeed it requires a power 
 no less. None but God can quicken a poor lifeless, carnal 
 soul, dead in pleasure, dead to God, dead in sin. But virtu- 
 ally all believers were " quickened together with Christ :" the 
 whole body was quickened together, the members with the 
 head ; and in due time, by virtue of union with him, and the 
 power of the Spirit in them, they shall be planted together, 
 both "in the likeness of his death, and of his resurrection ;" 
 that as " he died unto sin once," but now " liveth unto God," 
 so shall they be " dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6 : 5, 10, 11. 
 
 4. The resurrection of Christ is a cause of joy, as it was 
 introductory to his ascension to heaven, his intercession there, 
 and the setting up of his new and everlasting kingdom. Im- 
 mediately after he arose, he said to Mary, "Go to my breth- 
 ren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your 
 Father, and to my God and your God." All this was no less 
 necessary to our complete salvation, than his sufferings and 
 death. Because he lives, his people shall live also. Because 
 he intercedes, " he is able to save them to the uttermost." 
 Because he reigns, they shall be secured. Because he is en- 
 throned, they also shall be glorified. The resurrection neces- 
 sarily preceded all these, and therefore, with them, is a cause 
 of joy unspeakable. 
 
 5. The resurrection of Christ affords to believers a certain 
 pledge and infallible assurance of their joyful resurrection 
 to eternal life. The one is inseparably connected with the 
 other, they stand or fall together; for says St. Paul, "If 
 
SERMON XLVI. 493 
 
 Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some 
 among you, that there is no resurrection of the dead ? We 
 have testified of G-od that he raised up Christ: whom he 
 raised not up, if so he that the dead rise not. But now is 
 Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them 
 that slept." Jesus Christ arose as a public person, as the 
 forerunner and representative of all his people. He arose as 
 a mighty conqueror over death, and his resurrection was 
 graced with that of many bodies of the sairits, who appeared 
 to their friends in Jerusalem, to testify the grand event. 
 Thus, as by Adam came death, by Jesus Christ came the 
 resurrection of the dead ; and as surely as the first-fruits were 
 gathered, so surely shall the whole harvest be collected. Of 
 all that were given to Christ, the bodies of his people in- 
 cluded, nothing shall be lost; and he has promised to raise 
 them up at the last day, for "they are the children of the 
 resurrection." 
 
 And now, how are our hearts affected by this glorious 
 subject ? The first disciples were filled with joy ; they con- 
 gratulated each other, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed!" 
 The fact is now familiar to us, so that the relation may not 
 occasion wonder; but are we satisfied as to the certainty of 
 it ? If it be not ir\xe, there is no truth in Christianity. If it 
 he true, then Christianity is also true. The whole religion of 
 Christ stands on this firm foundation, and is so connected with 
 it that every part is confirmed together with it. This estab- 
 lishes the whole revelation that he made of God, of heaven, 
 and of hell. This ratifies all his doctrines concerning man as 
 a sinner, and himself as a Saviour. It confirms his authority 
 to rule and govern the church ; and it obliges us to believe 
 that he will fulfil all his promises to his people, and all his 
 threatenings to his enemies. And it especially strengthens 
 our faith in the belief of the general resurrection at the last 
 day. For after his resurrection thus evidenced, " why should 
 it be thought a thing incredible, that God should raise the 
 dead ?" Is any thing too hard for the Lord ? All things are 
 
494 RESUEEECTION OF OHEIST. 
 
 possible to him. He can raise the dead, for he is almighty ; 
 and he will raise them, for he has promised to do so. 
 
 There shall then, be a resurrection of the dead, both of the 
 just and the unjust. All men shall be raised. But Oh, iii 
 what a different manner, and to what different destinations ! 
 Hear how Christ himself describes it. " Marvel not at this ; 
 for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the 
 gra\>-es shall hear his voice, and shall come forth: they that 
 have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that 
 have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." How 
 important is our present state and conduct ! We shall come 
 forth from our graves such as we enter in : and how soon may 
 we enter ! What then is our present state ? Are we con- 
 vinced of sin; humbled for sin? Have we believed in 
 Jesus, and fled for refuge to him? Does our faith work by 
 love, so that we do good ? This is the proper fruit sLnd evi- 
 dence of faith, and what will be called for at the judgment- 
 day. that then we may be " found in Christ," justified by 
 his righteousness ; while our faith in that righteousness is 
 justified by its good and holy fruits. 
 
 The Lord is risen ! Blessed and delightful truth ! The 
 Lord is risen indeed ! Then we may say with Job, " I know 
 that my Redeemer liveth," and because he liveth, I shall live 
 also. He is the resurrection, and the life. Believing in him, 
 though I were dead, yet shall I live; and now, living and 
 believing in him, I shall Hever die. John 11 : 25, 26. What 
 have 1 to fear? G-od is reconciled; he is the God of peace, 
 who raised up Jesus from the dead. Justice is satisfied, for 
 the debt is discharged, and the prisoner released. If any 
 accusation is made, I have " the answer of a good conscience, 
 by the. resurrection of Christ from the dead ;" for " who is he 
 that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is 
 risen again." 
 
 And if we are thus risen with Christ, through the faith of 
 the operation of God, let us " seek those things which are 
 above;" let us "set our affections on things above, not on 
 things on the earth." Are we united to Christ ? He is in 
 
SERMON XLVI. 495 
 
 heaven, preparing places for 'us ; let us follow him in the 
 affections and desires of our hearts. This world is not oar 
 rest and portion. "We are dead" to it, hy profession and 
 obligation, " and our life is hid with Christ in God." The 
 life of grace is a secret life, of which Christ is the author and 
 the keeper ; and " when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, 
 then shall we also appear with him in glory." When he 
 who began, who supports, and will complete the spiritual life 
 in us, shall appear as the Judge of the world in all his glory, 
 then shall our mortal bodies be quickened by his Spirit which 
 dwelleth in us, and resemble his own glorious body; then 
 shall " the creature itself "^— the animal frame — be delivered 
 from the bondage of corruption, and be introduced into the 
 glorious liberty of the sons of God. " So when this corrupti- 
 ble shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have 
 put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying 
 that is written. Death is swallowed up in victory. death, 
 where is thy sting ? grave, where is thy victory ?" 1 Cor. 
 15 : 54, 55. 
 
 "With joy like Christ's, shalt every saint 
 His empty topab survey ; 
 Then rise, with his ascending Lord, 
 To realms of endless day." 
 
496 .DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST. 
 
 THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST. 
 
 SERMOIS^ XLYII. 
 
 "AND THEY WERE FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST." Acts 2 : 4. 
 
 Among the ancient predictions of gospel times and gospel 
 blessings, the prophecy Of Joel is none of the least : " It shall 
 come to pass in the last days," saith God, " / will pour out 
 my Spirit upon all flesh." St. Peter, under the immediate 
 influences of that Spirit, assures us in this chapter, verse 16, 
 that the promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost : " This 
 is that "vvhich was spoken by the prophet Joel." John the 
 Baptist, the harbinger of Christ, had also said to his disciples, 
 " I indeed baptize you with water; but he shall baptize you 
 with the Holy Ghost, and with^/-e." Our Lord himself com- 
 forted his disciples with a fresh promise of this great blessing: 
 " I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Com- 
 forter, which is the Holy G-host, the Spirit of truth, who 
 shall teach you all things ; who shall be in you, and abide 
 with you for ever." John 14 : 16, 17, 26. Our risen Saviour, 
 when just about to ascend up to glory,, renewed the promise, 
 assuring them it should be fulfilled in a few days, and com- 
 manded them to abide' in Jerusalem till it was accomplished. 
 In dependence upon his word, and in expectation of the bless- 
 ing, " they all continued with one accord in prayer and sup- 
 plication." 
 
 The joyful day arrived. It was the Lord's day. It was 
 also the day of Pentecost; a day observed by the Jews in 
 memory of giving the law at mount Sinai, about fifteen hun- 
 dred years before. On this day they presented the first-fruits 
 of their harvest to God. How highly was this day honored. 
 A new sanction was given to the observation of the first day 
 of the week as the Christian Sabbath ; the law of faith was 
 first published from mount Sion ; and the first-fruits of a glo- 
 
SERMON XLVII. 497 
 
 rious harvest of saved sinners were presented to God. And 
 thus our Lord, who had heen crucified at the Passover feast, 
 fifty days before, was glorified at the feast of weeks ; upon 
 Both which occasions there was a vast assemblage of people 
 at Jerusalem. 
 
 "The day of Pentecost was fully come," The disciples, 
 obedient to their Master's order, were assembled together, in 
 the same place, waiting for the promised Comforter; when 
 "suddenly there came a sound. from heaven, as of a rushing 
 mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were 
 sitting." This was not only to engage their attention, but to 
 serve as an emblem of the powerful influences of the Holy 
 Spirit on the minds of men ; for by the energy of his sacred 
 operations the whole world was to be shaken. Our Lord had 
 made use of the emblem of wind, or air in motion, when he 
 discoursed with Nicodemus on regeneration : " The wind 
 bloweth where it listeth — so is every one that is born of the 
 Spirit." As the wind, or air, is the food of natural life, so is 
 the Holy Spirit the beginner and supporter of spiritual life. 
 Thus Jesus, after his resurrection, breathed upon the apostles, 
 saying, " Receive ye the Holy Ghost." John 20 : 22. Per- 
 haps he alluded to the creation of man at first, when " the 
 Lord God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and 
 man became a living soul." Gen. 2:7. As the vital air is 
 necessary to our existence in the body, so the Spirit of God is 
 necessary to our spiritual qxistence, or living to God. There 
 was a striking emblem of the same kind in the parable of the 
 dry bones. Ezek. 37. When Ezekiel, according to God's 
 command, prophesied to them, " there was a noise, and a 
 shaking; the bones came together; the flesh came upon 
 them, and the skin covered them ; but th6re was no breath 
 in them :" then the Lord said. Prophecy to the wind, and say, 
 " Come from the four winds, breath of the Lord, and breathe 
 upon these slain, that they may live." This parable, or vision, 
 fitly represents not only the political state of the Jews and 
 their recovery, but also the deplorable condition of men, dead 
 in trespasses and in sins, and their revival to spiritual life by 
 
 Vil, Ser. 32 
 
498 DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST. 
 
 the word and Spirit of Christ ; and it shows there may be a 
 lifeless form of godliness, hut that the power and life are from 
 the Holy Ghost, " for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, 
 he is none of his." This great truth seems to have been inti- 
 mated by " the iriighty rushing wind." 
 
 Another very remarkable sign accompanied the descent 
 of the Spirit on the disciple? : " There appeared unto them 
 cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them;" 
 a bright appearance over the head of each, resembling, a 
 tongue, terminating in several points^a very -suitable em- 
 blem of the " gift of tongues," which was then granted them; 
 for at that moment "they were filled with the Holy Ghost, 
 and began, to .speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave 
 them utterance." The intention of this miracle was to ena- 
 ble them at once to speak the language of every country to 
 which they might be sent to preach the gospel; and this 
 ability was attained, not in the ordinary and slow way of 
 learning a foreign tongue as we do, but in a moment, as an 
 attestation to the truth of the gospel. ^ The dividing of tonguefe 
 at Babel proved the unhappy means of losing the true know- 
 ledge of the true God; but by this new division of tongues, 
 the knowledge of God in Christ was restored, and readily 
 communicated to men of every nation. A specimen of this 
 was immediately afforded; for, as this happened at the time 
 of a great festival, there were then in Jerusalem devout Jews, 
 who did not usually reside there, but sojournied there, having 
 visited the temple from all parts of the known world ; and 
 when, upon the report of what had happened, the multitude 
 were gathered together, they were quite confounded and 
 amazed ; for every one of this various assembly heard one or 
 other of the apostles and disciples, as they addressed them- 
 selves by turns to people of a different language, speaking to 
 them in his own proper dialect. And they were all amazed 
 at this wonderful event, knowing that the speakers were all 
 Galileans ; yet did they who before knew no language but 
 their own, speak to this mixed assembly in a great variety of 
 tongues. 
 
SERMON XLVII. 499 
 
 This was a wonderful testimony to the truth of the gospel 
 which they preached ; and it was intended to put an honor 
 upon preaching ' the word : it is the appointment of God for 
 the conversion of sinners ; it is " the power of God to salva- 
 tion;" and. therefore the first miracle, after the Spirit was 
 given, was to enable his serv-ants to preach it. 
 
 The tongues were o^ fire. Thus the prophecy was ful- 
 filled : "He shall baptize you with the Hdy Ghost, and with 
 firer And does not this emblem denote the illuminating and 
 animating nature of divine truth? When the gospel is at- 
 ■ tended with the power of the Spirit, it both enlightens and 
 warms the heart. Gospel truths are not cold speculations ; 
 they afford both light and heat; they purify the mindj purge 
 away the dross of sin, and make the soul mount heavenward. 
 Thus the hearts of the two disciples " burnt within them," 
 wjien Jesus walked with them, and opened the Scriptures. 
 Come, celestial flame, come and sit upon us also: enlighten 
 our darkness, purify our affections, consume our corruptions, 
 and fill us with thyself H- < 
 
 And do not these tongues oj fire %^<sak. a lesson to all the 
 ministers of the gospel ? Do they not ^intimate the manner 
 in which they ought to preach the truth? Not with cold 
 indifference or frozen formality, but enlightening and warm- 
 ing like John, Who was "a burning and a shining light" — 
 with fervency of spirit and vigor of affection, as men in ear- 
 nest, believing and feeling what they speak, anxious for the 
 glory of Christ, and eager to win souls. 
 
 "What was the sw5;'ccf which first engaged the heaven- 
 tavtght tongues of the disciples ? " The wonderful works of 
 God." "We do hear them speak in our own tongues the 
 wonderful w^orks of God" — the great things of God, the mag- 
 nificent, stupendous things of God. And what were they? 
 Surely they were those "things of Christ" which the Spirit 
 was given to show them, that they might glorify him : the 
 person, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, 
 together with this effusion of the Spirit — in a word, the glo- 
 rious salvation, of the Son of God ; and these will always be 
 
500 DESCENT OP THE HOLY GHOST. 
 
 the favorite subjects of those whose tongues are touched with 
 the flame of the altar. 
 
 The multitude who witnessed this remarkfible scene were 
 in amazement and perplexity, and said to one another, What 
 can this mean? The pious and devout were thus affected; 
 but their minds were prepared to listen to the voice of -God, 
 as soon as they were convinced it was his. Others, probably 
 the native Jews, who understood none of these foreign lan- 
 guages, and heard only unintelligible soundsj derided them, 
 ascribing their preaching to intoxication. " These men," said 
 they, "are full of new wine." Let us not wonder if, in bur 
 day, the preaching of the gospel is treated in the same man- 
 ner. There always have been mockers, to whom the gospel 
 of Christ has been foolishness. The Lord pity and pardon 
 them. 
 
 Then Peter, full of the Holy Ghost, standing up with the 
 eleven apostles, lifted up his voice and addressed the multi- 
 tude. He begged them to have so much candor as not rashly 
 to conclude them to be men overcome with liqilor, especially 
 by nine o'clock in the morning : an hour in which, it should 
 seem, no Jew was ever known to be drunk. But he directs 
 their attention to a well-known passage of Scripture, a proph- 
 ecy of Joel, in which the Lord says, " It shall come to pass, 
 in the last days, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh ; 
 and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your 
 young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream 
 dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens I 
 will pour out in those days of my Spirit ; and they shall 
 prophesy. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall 
 call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." The apostle 
 declares this prophecy to be then fulfilling ; and proceeds to 
 show them that Jesus of Nazareth, whom God approved 
 among them by many miracles, and whom they had lately 
 crucified, was the true Messiah, the Son of God ; and that, 
 while they gratified their own wicked passions in putting 
 him to death, they had fulfilled the divine decrees concerning 
 him. But that all their malice had been in vain, for God 
 
SEEMON XLVII. 501 
 
 had raised him up, according to the prophecies of David. 
 Peter declares himself and his brethren-witnesses of his res- 
 urrection from the dead, and affirms that his divine Master, 
 having ascended to heaven, had sent down on that day the 
 promised Spirit, whose operation on his disciples they now 
 beheld. » 
 
 The design of this sermon was to convince them of sin, 
 which is the first work of the Holy Spirit; and the Lord, 
 crowned it with vast success. Multitudes were pierced to 
 the heart with a sense of their guilt, and especially with the 
 guilt incurred by the murder of Christ ; and filled with terror 
 and perplexity, they applied to the apostles for advice, say- 
 ing, " Men and brethren, what shall we do ?" Then Peter, 
 agreeably to the Lord's direction, "preached reperitance and 
 remission of sins in his name, beginning at Jerusalem." Here 
 is a fine specimen of gospel preaching : he exhorts the vilest 
 sinners to repent; encouraging them thereto by the hope of 
 the full pardon of all their sins, upon believing in Jesus ; 
 " and with many other words did he testify and exhort, say- 
 ing, Save yourselves from this untoward generation." 
 
 Wonderful was the success of this day — three thousand 
 souls converted to God at once! Most of them, probably, 
 bigoted Jews, ignorantly attached to the law of Moses, and 
 bitter enemies of Jesus Christ. Many of them, perhaps, had 
 cried, " Crucify him, crucify him !" and had said, " His blood 
 be upon us, and upon our children." Surprising grace ! What 
 mercy, what power, was that day displayed ! What cannot 
 God do ? Three thousand converted ; not merely alarrried, 
 but changed in heart. Their sincerity was manifest : they 
 sacrificed all their worldly interest to Christ : the pardon of 
 sin filled their hearts with gladness : they were all love and 
 liberality ; arid they continued steadfast in the apostles' doc- 
 trine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers; 
 praising God, and having favor with all the people. 
 
 Glorious confirmation this of the truth of the gospel ! 
 Delightful encouragement to the preachers of it ! Charming 
 specimen of its happy effects, and blessed first-fruits of an 
 
502 DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST. 
 
 extensive harvest ! for another outpouring of the hlesse'd 
 Spirit upon the churches ! Such we expect, in fulfihnent of 
 many precious promises. In the meaja time, may we be the 
 happy subjects and witnesses of the ordinary work of the 
 Spirit in the conversion of sinners, and in the edification of 
 the saints. 
 
 This STATED WORK of the Holy Spirit is what we shall 
 now, in the second place, consider. 
 
 We have taken a brief view of the glorious events which 
 took place on the day of I'entecost. We have seen the apos- 
 tles, and probably the rest of the hundred and twenty disci- 
 ples, endued with the gift of tongues. This gift, together 
 with the power of healing diseases, casting out devils, with 
 many other miraculous workSj was long continued in the 
 church ; perhaps above a hundred years. These are generally 
 called the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit. These have long 
 since ceased. When Christianity was established, there was 
 no 'longer occasion for them.> But have all the operations of 
 the Spirit ceased ? The extraordinary powers just mentioned 
 are withdrawn, but the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit 
 on the minds of believers are still continued, and there is no 
 true vital religion without them. 
 
 The extraordinary gifts at first possessed by Christians 
 did not necessarily imply those gracious irtflueiioes for which 
 we plead. It is probable that some had the former, who were 
 destitute of the latter; for St. Paulj 1 Cor. 13 : 1, etc., seems 
 to intimate that a person might speak with various tongues, 
 have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries, and work 
 miracles, and yet not have love^ an eminent "fruit of the 
 Spirit:" from which we conclude, that the ordinary and gra- 
 cious operations of the Spirit upon the souls of men may be 
 continued, although his miraculous gifts are withdrawn, and 
 we shall prove that the former are promised to be continued 
 in the church,, and that they are now as necessary to make 
 men Christians, as they were in the apostles' days. 
 
 When our Lord promised to send his Holy Spirit to his 
 disciples, he assured them that he should " abide with them 
 
SERMON XLVII. 503 
 
 for ever" John 14 : 16 : he was to abide, to continue with 
 them, not for three or four years, as our Lord had done, but 
 for ever ; and as this presence of the Comforter was to supply 
 the place of Christ on earth, we may safely conclude, that 
 the proniise extended not to the apostles only, but, like his 
 intercession, "to them also who should believe on him, 
 through their word," even unto the end of the world. John 
 17:20. 
 
 The Holy Spirit is promised as the common privilege of 
 all believers : " He that believeth on me, out of his heart shall 
 flow rivers of living water- This spake he of the Spirit, which 
 they that believe on him .should receive." John 7 : 38. This 
 promise is not confined to believers of the first century, or to 
 the age of miracles ; it is as much a promise to believers at 
 large, as any other in the New Testament. A similar prom- 
 ise is made, John 4 : 14. 
 
 The Holy Spirit is said to dwell in believers : " The Spirit 
 of God dwelleth in you;" "Your body is the temple of the 
 Holy Ghost." 1 Cor. 3 : 16, and 6 : 19. This is spoken to 
 the whole body of Corinthian Christians, without a single 
 hirit that the blessing was intended to be confined to them, 
 or to Christians of that age only. "Were we to admit that 
 expressions of this kind, respecting the Spirit, must be con- 
 fined to the first believers, we should be obliged to admit the 
 same restriction as to all the privileges, tempers, and duties 
 of Christians in general. And indeed, those who deny the 
 work of the Spirit, do generally give up all the essentials of 
 the gospel, and leave us nothing but a system of mere moral- 
 ity — a refined heathenism graced with the name of Christ. 
 And we may seriously " advise persons to be cautious of con- 
 fining the Spirit to primitive times, lest they confine heaven to 
 primitive times, and so miss of it themselves ; for indeed there 
 is no going to heaven without receiving the Holy Spirit." 
 
 This will appear still more clearly, if we consider for 
 mhat purposes he is given %o the church : we shall then see 
 that there is always the same occasion for his gracious influ- 
 ences as there was at first. 
 
504 DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST 
 
 The whole dispensation of the gospel is called, " the min- 
 istration of the Spirit." 2 Cor. 3 : 8. The whole business of 
 gospel salvation, from first to last, is in the hands of the Spirit. 
 Not only at first, but in all ages, he calls, qualifies, and assists 
 the ministers of the gospel in preaching it ; and all its effi- 
 cacy in the world is from the power of his grace. 
 
 Illumination is his work. No truth of the gospel is rightly 
 understood but by his teaching. He was promised as "the 
 Spirit of truth," who was to glorify Christ by showing the 
 things of Christ to men. This is fully proved by those words 
 of St. Paul, "The natural man," that is, every man by na- 
 ture, " receiveth not the things of the Spirit of G-od, for they 
 are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because 
 they are spiritually discerned," 1 Cor. 2 : 14 ; that is, they are 
 known only by the teaching of the Spirit in the use of the 
 word. Now, as all real Christians are illuminated and taught 
 of God, it is evidently iiecessary that they should all have the 
 Spirit ; and if the Spirit be not given, then no man in the 
 world knows, or can know, the things of Grod. 
 
 Again, all real Christians are praying persons; but no 
 man knows " how to pray, nor what to pray for," without his 
 assistance ; and therefore it is mentioned, Rom. 8 : 26, as the 
 common privilege of all believers, that "the Spirit itself help- 
 eth our infirmities" in this duty; which shows that, all Chris- 
 tians, in all ages, need the influence of the Spirit. 
 
 Our Saviour in his discourse with Nicodemus, John 3, 
 strongly insisted on the necessity of regeneration, or the new 
 birth; solemnly declaring, that "unless a man be born again, 
 or born of the Spirit, he could not be saved." This then 
 shows that every Christian must needs have the Spirit, for 
 he is the author of that inward chjinge without which no 
 man is inwardly a Christian. 
 
 Sanctijicqtion is also the privilege of all true believers ; 
 they are "elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the 
 Father, through sanctification of the Spirit J' 1 Pet. 2 : 2. 
 No man can be saved who is not sanctified, and no man can 
 be sanctified but by the Spirit. 
 
SEEMON XLVII. 505 
 
 The Holy Ghost was ^promised " to convince of sin, of 
 righteousness, and of judgment." But will any person say 
 it is less necessary now to be convinced of sin, etc., than at 
 first ? Can there be any repentance without it ? Certainly 
 not : and if not, then the Spirit is as necessary as ever. 
 
 He is also called the Spirit of faith. He is the Comforter, 
 the seal, the witness, the first-fruits of heaven. No man then 
 can have faith in Christ, spiritual joy and comfort, nor any 
 evidence for heaven, unless he have the Holy Spirit. This 
 might be more abundantly proved from a great number of 
 texts and arguments, but the narrow limits of a short sermon 
 forbid.* 
 
 "Have ye received the Holy Grhost?" said St. Palil to 
 some early disciples. We ask the same question: Have ye 
 received the Holy G-host ? We have proved the necessity of 
 his sacred influejices : do we know any thing of them by 
 experience ? Remember what the Scripture says : "If any 
 man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom. 
 8:9. And how awful must their portion be, who are not his! 
 The whole world is under the dominion either of the good 
 Spirit of G-od, or of the evil spirit, "who worketh in the 
 hearts of all the children of disobedience." It is therefore of 
 the greatest importance for us to consider under whose influ- 
 ence we act. " If we sow to the flesh, we shall of the flesh 
 reap corruption ; if we sow to the Spirit, we shall of the 
 Spirit reap eternal life." By our fruits are we known. " The 
 fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentle- 
 ness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." The works of 
 the flesh are adultery, fornication, hatred, drunkenness, etc., 
 and " they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom 
 of G-od." What does our conduct say? - conscience, be 
 faithful, give a true verdict ! Does it appear that you are a 
 
 * The necessity of divine influences is displayed, in a very pleasing man- 
 ner, by Mr. T. Williams, in his book, called " An historic Defence of Experi- 
 mental Keligion, as' supported by the authority of Scripture, and the experi- 
 ence of the wisest and best Men in all ages," etc. 
 
506 DESCENT OP THE HOLY GHOST. 
 
 stranger to his grace, in enlightening the mind, renewing the 
 will, convincing of sin, leading the soul to Christ, and sancti- 
 fying the whole man ? Know then, that your state is deplor- 
 able and dangerous. May you be sensible of it : and if you 
 are, you will earnestly pray to God to give you his Spirit, 
 which he has promised to them that ask him. 
 
 To those who know the J^ord, the effusion of the Holy 
 Spirit on the day of Pentecost will appear exceedingly glo- 
 rious. Such persons will rejoice to think that his gracious 
 influence is still continued in the church. Above all, they 
 will be continually desirous to experience it. All the light, 
 love, peace, joy, and consolation to be found in the religion 
 of Jesus, spring from his constant operations. Honor, then, 
 this blessed Spirit, .by seeking his daily assistance. When 
 you pray, read, hear, or perform any spiritual action, seek his 
 help. Thus shall you " be filled with all joy and peace in 
 believing ;" thus shall the love of God be shpd abroad in your 
 hearts; thus shall you "abound in hope, through the power 
 of the Holy Ghost ;" and having this experience, you possess 
 "the seal" of God, and "the earnest" of heaven; for "he 
 that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also 
 hath given us the earnest of his Spirit." This is the grand 
 evidence of our being Christians indeed ; and " hereby know 
 we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given 
 us of his Spirit." 
 
 To the blessed Spirit of all grace, to Jesus Christ the only 
 Saviour, and to the Eather. of mercies, the one covenant 
 God of our salvation, be glory in all the churches, world 
 without end. Amen. 
 
 " Let thy kind Spirit in my heart 
 For ever dwell, God of love ; 
 And light and, heavenly peace impart, 
 Sweet earnest of the joys above." 
 
SEEMON XLyill. 50t 
 
 CHRIST OUR BENEFACTOR. 
 
 SEEMON XLVIII. 
 
 " WHO WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD." Acts 10 : 38. 
 
 The apostle Peter said this of our Lord Jesu| Christ. The 
 occasion of his saying it shows us that the i^irit of Grod 
 works upon the minds of men, and inclines them to serve 
 him, even before they know how to serve him in a right 
 manner. In this case, they are very glad and thankful to be 
 taught the will of God. , Do you, brethren, wish to know 
 how you may please God, and become " wise to salvation ?" 
 If we did not wish to do you good, we should not come to 
 you. The Lord is altogether good, and is always doing good; , 
 We may surely hope he will do us good now, if we are truly 
 desirous of knowing his will. 
 
 We find, from this chapter, that the words of the text 
 were spoken by Peter to Cornelius, who was an officer in the 
 Roman army, and had been brought up a heathen and an 
 idolater. He was quartered among the Jews, who were the 
 only nation at that time that knew there is only one God, 
 who is eternal and holy. Cornelius learned from them this 
 doctrine, which is the ground of all true religion; and he 
 prayed to God, as every body should do, who believes there 
 is a God. If you do not pray to God you are worse than the 
 heathens, for they do not know there is a God to pray to. 
 Besides this, we are tojd that Cornelius " feared God with all 
 
 * This discourse was composed by the Kev. Samuel Greatheed, solely 
 for the use of some persons who visited the villages near Newport- Pagnell, 
 Bucks, and who read written or printed sermons to the people, and before 
 the publication of the first volume of Village Sermons ; consequently with- 
 out an intention of its publication from the press. But it appears in this 
 volume by the particular desire of Mr. Burder, who wishes it to stand as a 
 token of his ynfefgned respect for the author, and a memorial of their mutual 
 friendship. 
 
508 CHEIS^ftiStfR BENEFACTOR 
 
 his house." Do i/ou try tq lea^,,^™^ faSfees and friends to 
 
 nis house. i)o you try tq leatU^lp ia||iT»es and mends to 
 know and serve God? If "not, yM seeHtt^^nstead of being 
 true Christians, you come far short of what Cornelius did 
 before he ever heard of the gospel of Christ. . , ^ 
 
 They who do not prawto #Qd are without excuse, be- 
 cause God assures us, in%ilwvord, that he hears and answers 
 prayer. The history of Cornelius gives a proof of it. The 
 apostle Peter was preaching the gospel 'at a place about forty 
 miles distani from the town where Cornelius lived. The 
 Lord inforii^™ 'Cornelius of this, and told him to send for 
 Peter' to come and instruct him. Peter accordingly came, 
 and preached Jesus Christ to all who had met on the occa- 
 sion; showing them how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth 
 with the Holy Ghost, and with power ; who went about do- 
 h%g good. He told them also much more about Jesus Christ; 
 and indeed, if he had not preached about Christ, he need not 
 have come there; "Christ is the way, the truth, and the 
 life;" by whom alone a sinner can find mercy with God. 
 Wherever the apostles went they preached Christ. This is 
 one mark by which you may know who they are that preach 
 most like the apostles. If you hear little- or nothing about 
 Christ, you are likely to get little or no good. 
 
 The apostle Peter informed Cornelius and his family, that 
 the doctrine he had to deliver was the same which they must 
 have heard of, as it had been published throughout all the 
 neighboring country of Judea; and had, indeed, been first 
 preached in "Galilee, the country where they then were. You 
 perhaps may think it strange that Cornelius had not inquired 
 about it sooner ; but the reason probably wa,s, that Christian- 
 ity was then everywhere spoken against; the apostles and 
 disciples of Christ were suspected, even by their own coun- 
 trymen the Jews, to be either mad or wicked men, because 
 they worshipped God in a way different from that which was 
 established by law, and because they continued preaching 
 Christ to their neighbors when it was opposed and forbidden 
 by the great people and rulers. If you read the book of the 
 Acts you will see this was the case ; and 'you will not be sur- 
 
SERMON XLVIII. 509 
 
 prised at it^ if you consider that Jesus Christ himself was 
 crucified-^Vfhich. is like being hanged in our country — for 
 both the rulers and the mob accused him of the vilest crimes. 
 But the prejudices of Cornelius were now removed, and it 
 was an excellent disposition which he discovered when he 
 said to the apostle, " Now therefore are we all here present 
 before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of 
 God." May the Lord give us now the same disposition. 
 
 One thing which Peter told Cornelius concerning Jesus 
 Christ was, that " he went about doing good." If Cornelius 
 had heard any thing of Christ before, it might be that he 
 went about doing harm. Christ had been charged by the 
 Jews with treason and blasphemy. He had been tried, con- 
 demned, and executed as a malefactor. Cornelius was likely, 
 from the common report, to have a very bad opinion of Christ. 
 He determined, however, to hear all that Peter had to say in 
 behalf of Christ ; and then to judge for himself. Let us all 
 be careful how we take matters upon hearsay, especially 
 about religion and religious people. 
 
 Peter convinced Cornelius that Jesus Christ went about 
 doing good. So far as you know the history of Christ, you 
 are doubtless convinced that he did not go about to hurt peo- 
 ple, but to do them good. Even those ignorant and foolish 
 persons who deny that Christ was sent from heaven, own 
 that he did good in some respects. But what we should 
 desire to know is, whether he can, and will do us good. If 
 we do not obtain good from Christ in this life, and in that to 
 come, we might as well never have heard of him. 
 
 As to the power of Christ to do us good, we have reason 
 to trust in it, from the wonderful power he had to do good to 
 all, as long as he was upon earth. His works were such as 
 no man ever did before nor since. He satisfied the hunger of 
 many thousands of people with a very few small loaves and 
 fishes. By merely touching, or even speaking to weak and 
 sick persons, he cured them of the most desperate diseases. 
 He raised up several people from death to life ; one man who 
 had been buried some days, was restored to his afflicted rela- 
 
610 CHRIST OUR BENEFACTOR. 
 
 tions. In that age of the world, when God was so little 
 known, the devil was worshipped by many ; and he was per- 
 mitted to torment the bodies of mankind in a shocking man- 
 ner ; but no wicked spirit could keep possession of any person 
 who was brought to Christ for relief One, word from him 
 was enough to restore any one to perfect health and reason. 
 The power of Christ was also shown in preserving his. disci- 
 ples in a dreadful storm at sea. He said to the wind and the 
 waves, "Be still," and they became perfectly calm in a mo- 
 ment. But it is not possible now to tell you a hundredth 
 part of the proofs that Jesus gave of his power to do good to 
 those around him. The four gospels are full of such accounts ; 
 yet, at the close of the last, St. John says, " There were also 
 many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should 
 be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself 
 could not contain the books that should be written." 
 
 People in general are fond of reading and hearing wonder- 
 ful things. Now there is no true history, nor scarcely any 
 story that contains things so wonderful as those which Jesus 
 did for the good of mankind. Yet they are all certainly true, 
 for they were written by four different persons, who saw what 
 they relate; who were honest and good men; who did good 
 like their Master; and suffered themselves to be put to death, 
 rather than deny what they knew to be true, or keep silence 
 about it. You would do well, as often as you can, to take up 
 your Bibles and read the history of Jesus Christ ; and also 
 consider, whenever you read it, what was his reason for doing 
 good in such surprising ways. Why was the history of his 
 actions written over and over again, and handed down to us, 
 so many hundred years after ? The whole must surely be 
 meant for our good. It would be tantalizing you to tell you 
 of his doing so much good to others, if you could get no good 
 from him. You suffer pains and wants ; your relations and 
 neighbors are afflicted; if Christ was now upon earth, he 
 might do them the same good he formerly did to others. 
 
 But if you read the Scriptures with care, you may see that 
 Jesus took more pains to teach people than toAheal them. He 
 
SEEMON XLVIII. 511 
 
 performed all these miracles to gain their attention, and their 
 belief of what he taught. His doctrine could do them much 
 greater good than the healing of their diseases. If you could 
 he certain that G-od forgave all your sins, and would give 
 you eternal life, would you not think it a greater benefit 
 than merely to be cured of a bodily complaint? The doc- 
 trine of Christ was, that "God so loved the world, that he 
 gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him 
 might not perish, but have everlasting life." And according- 
 ly he healed one man of the palsy on purpose to show he 
 could forgive his sin. When the poor creature was brought 
 to our Lord, his first words to him were, " Son, thy sins are 
 forgiven thee." Some who were present murmured at his 
 pretending to forgive sin ; but he soon silenced them. " That 
 ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to 
 forgive sins," said he, turning to the poor man, " I say unto 
 thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go to thy house." And 
 immediately he arose, took up his bed, a!nd went forth before 
 them all. See Mark 2 : 3-12. 
 
 Now, brethren, what think ye of the power of Christ to do 
 good 1 Nothing could be more true or just than the principle 
 upon which the Jews reasoned among themselves : " Who 
 can forgive sins but God only ?" But you see our Lord Jesus 
 Christ did forgive sins, and proved his power to do so by 
 working a miracle. It is plain, therefore, that Jesus Christ 
 is God. All of you have probably been told so from your 
 infancy ; but now you see it cannot be otherwise. On this 
 account, the Scriptures call him " Emmanuel," which signi- 
 fies " God with us :" they also call him " the Son of God," 
 having the same nature with his Father; and they declare 
 that " all men should- honor the Son, even as they honor the 
 Father," for He and the Father are one : they also call him 
 " the Word of God," and then say, " The Word was God." 
 
 Now as our Lord Jesus Christ is "over all, God blessed 
 for ever," his power to do good must be boundless, and 
 always the same. You have seen that he wrought a miracle 
 ,to prove that, while on earth, he had power to forgive sins ; 
 
512 CHKIST OUE BENEFACTOR. 
 
 and surely, now he is exalted to heaven, he must have the 
 same power. If while he was on earth in the form of a 
 servant he had this power, you cannot reasonably doubt 
 that now he reigns in heaven King of the world, "he is able 
 even to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by 
 him." 
 
 And do you not all need his pardoning mercy ? Have 
 you not transgressed his holy law ? Remember it is written, 
 " Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which 
 are written in the book of the law to do them," Gal. 3 : 10. 
 If you have obeyed it in some respects, or even in most things, 
 this will not excuse you for having disobeyed or neglected it 
 in others. . The law of God admits of no composition, and 
 makes no allowance for any failure whatever. The apostle 
 James assures us, that " whosoever shall keep the whole law, 
 and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Jas. 2 :.10. 
 And the reason he gives for this is, that it is the same author- 
 ity which enforces each of the commandments ; so that who- 
 ever disobeys any one of them tramples upon all the authority 
 of God. Instead, therefore, of inquiring who can forgive sins 
 but God, it might be asked. How can God himself forgive 
 sins committed against that law which he himself hath given 
 to mankind for the rule of their conduct, arid by which he 
 has appointed that men should be judged? This question 
 must for ever have perplexed a convinced sinner, if the gospel 
 had not told us that "God was in Christ, reconciling the 
 world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;" 
 for " God made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that 
 we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor. 
 5 : 19, 21. On this ground there "is encouragement to hope 
 for pardon. " There is forgiveness with God, that he may be 
 feared." Yea, "it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all 
 acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save 
 sinners." 
 
 So that if any of you have been distressed and terrified 
 on account of your sins, you see it is not right for you to 
 despair of forgiveness. Christ was crucified, that he might 
 
SERMON XLVIII. 513 
 
 bear the punishment due to your sins ; and after being buried, 
 he performed the greatest miracle of all, in raising up his own 
 body, by his own power, from the grave, in order that he 
 might prove he had fully discharged the debt which sinners 
 had incurred. He afterwards ascended up to heaven ; and in 
 some of his last words to his disciples, said, "Go ye into all 
 the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that 
 believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believ- 
 eth not shall be damned." Mark 16 : 15, 16.- We are all 
 under condemnation ; for all have sinned. No obedience that 
 we can pay in future to the law of God, can make amends 
 for past sins. But Christ has power to forgive them; "for 
 by grace are ye saved through faith : and that not of your- 
 selves : it is the gift of God." When a certain person came to 
 Christ on earth, he seemed to doubt his power to help, say- 
 ing, " If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and 
 help us." Jesus said unto him, " If thou canst believe, all 
 things are possible to him that believeth." "Lord," answered 
 the poor man with tears, " I believe ; help thou mine unbe- 
 lief;" so, under the fears about the possibility of your sins 
 being forgiven, go to Jesus by prayer ; plead what he has 
 said, "He that believeth shall be saved," and cry, "Lord, I 
 believe ; help thou mine unbelief." 
 
 I hope you are now satisfied as to the power of Jesus to 
 do you good. If so, it should be your chief concern to know 
 whether he is willing also to do you good, and all the good 
 that you need. May the Spirit of Christ make you as ear- 
 nest on this point, as reasonable creatures with the word of 
 God before them ought to be. What would it profit you, if 
 you could gain the whole world, and should lose your own 
 souls ? You think, perhaps, but little of this now. But you 
 are near the hour of death ; you don't know how near. And 
 if you have reason then, you will wonder how you could have 
 been so stupid through your lives, as not to be concerned, 
 ab^fe.all things, to know whether Christ was willing to save 
 your souls. It may then be too Jate^ and you would, in vain, 
 give the whole world for a few minutes' time like those which 
 
 Vil. Ser. 33 
 
514 CHEIST OUR BENEFACTOR. 
 
 we yet have to spend together. But "now" I have to de- 
 clare to you, from the Scriptures, " now is the accepted time ; 
 now is the day of salvatioii." "seek the Lord while he 
 may be found, pall upon him while he is near." 
 
 You have heard that Jesus Christ is the everrblessed God ; 
 be assured then, from the gracious character in whjch God 
 has revealed himself in his word, that he will not despise any 
 soul that is truly humbled and contrite on account of his sin. 
 "The tender mercy of God is over all his works." You see, 
 every day, what compassion he shows to the evil and un- 
 thankful. His rain descends and his sunbeams shine on the 
 land of the wicked, as well as on that of the good. And has 
 he less compassioU on your souls than on your bodies ? ^ By 
 no means. He desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather 
 that he should turn from' his wickedness and Jive. "Turn 
 ye," said the Lord to the rebellious house of Israel, "turn ye 
 from your evil ways ; for why; will ye die ?" How long 
 already h£is God delayed avenging hiniself upon us for sins! 
 Why? _ "Not that he is slack concerning his promise, but 
 that he is long-suffering to us- ward; not willing that any 
 should perish, but that all should come to repentance.". " For 
 except we repent, we must all perish;" but a godly sorrow 
 worketh repentance unto salvation. 
 
 You have heard that " God was manifest in the flesh" in 
 the person of Jesus Christ. Astonishing as it is, It is certain 
 that be took upon him the form, of a servant, suffered infirm- 
 ity, want, conten^pt, persecution, and a shameful, miserable 
 death. So wonderful an event must answer some good pur- 
 pose. The propheciess of the Old Testainent concur with the 
 sayings of our Lord himself, and his apostles, in the New 
 Testajnent, to teach us what was the design of. the sufferings 
 and; death of Christ. " He bore our griefs, and carried, our 
 sorrows; was wounded for, our transgressions, and -bruised for 
 our iniquities: i, the chastisement of our peace was upon him ; 
 and with his stripes we are healed. All we like shee^jftre 
 gone astray ; we have turned every one to his ownwaM^Wd 
 the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." . Isa. 
 
 %k\ 
 
 ¥:■ 
 
SEEMON XLVIII. 515 
 
 53:4-6. "I am the good shepherd," said Jesus; "I lay 
 down my life for the sheep. They shall never perish, but I 
 give unto them eternal life." John 10:14, 28, "Whom 
 God hath set forth," says the apostle Paul, " to be a propitia- 
 tion through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness 
 for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbear- 
 ance of God ; that he might be just, and the justifier of him 
 that believeth in Jesus." Rom. 3 : 25, 26. And can any one 
 believe that Jesus humbled himself as a man, and suffered as 
 if he had been a malefactor, for the sole purpose of saving 
 sinners, and yet suspect that he will refuse salvation to those 
 that seek it from him? It was for "the joy" of saving sin- 
 ners that he " endured the cross, despising the shame." Well 
 may it then be said, that " there is joy in heaven over one 
 sinner that repenteth." May you now believe in Christ, that 
 he may "see of the travail of his soul" in your salvation, 
 " and be satisfied." 
 
 Consider what is said in the text, "He went about doing 
 good." He not only never rejected one request for help, of 
 all the numberless persons who applied to him, but he went 
 about in order to " seek and save that which was lost." He 
 travelled for this purpose on foot, with much weariness and 
 faintness, from one end of the land of Canaan to the other, 
 again and again. He compares himself to a shepherd who 
 seeks far and wide for a poor wandering sheep, that never 
 could have found its way back to the fold. So his willing- 
 ness to do good to sinners is still proved by his cdnlmand to 
 those who are intrusted with the gospel, that they should 
 preach it to all mankind ; by his providence in sending his 
 disciples throughout the world, without which the gospel 
 would to this day have been unknown in England; and by 
 the influence of his Spirit upon the hearts of all those who 
 are made willing in the day of his power, to lay hold on the 
 hope set before thi^m; for what but the sovereign grace of 
 God makes any of you who long for his salvation, to differ 
 from the rest, who reject it to their everlasting destruction? 
 If we feel any love to God, it is " because he first loved us ;" 
 
516 CHRIST OUR BENEFACTOR. , 
 
 and he hath said, " All that the Father giveth me shall come 
 to me ; and him that cometh to me I will in n<3 wise cast out." 
 
 Brethren, the Scriptures inform us that, besides the two 
 great purposes for which, as we have observed, 'Christ came 
 into this world, there was a third. He came not only to 
 declare to us the will of God, and to offer himself up for the 
 pardon of our sins, but also "to leave us an example, that 
 we might walk in his steps." " He was holy, harmless, un- 
 defiled, and separate from sinners." We are unworthy ito be 
 called Christians, if we do not imitate him. Let us set his 
 bright and blessed example before us, as the text holds it 
 forth. Let us do all the good we can to those around us, 
 both to their bodies and their souls; yea, even to "our ene- 
 mies, persecutors, . and slfinderers ;" but especially to our re- 
 lations and friends, and to those who serve G-od. Let us 
 remember Christ's labor and patience in going about to do 
 good to those who either could not, or would not come to him 
 to receive it. We are humbly trying to follow our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, in coming here to do you good. Our consciences bear 
 us witness that we earnestly desire your welfare, and have 
 no other end in view. We know nothing that can do you 
 greater good, than to lead you to think more of God and 
 eternity, and to promote in you the knowledge and love of 
 Jesus Christ. We hope that God is visiting you by our 
 means; and that he will, by his Spirit, make this meeting 
 useful to your souls. 
 
 If you remain strangers and enemies to God, it is not for 
 want of the power or willirigness of Christ to do you good. 
 Do not forget what has been said to you on this subject. " I 
 beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present 
 your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which 
 is your reasonable service." If you do not, every mercy you 
 have receivisd, and this very means of instruction you have 
 now had, must appear against you at the day of judgment. 
 
 But if your hearts are now seriously affected with what 
 you have heard ; if you feel yourselves to be guilty and help- 
 less creatures ; if you earnestly desire the pardon of your sins, 
 
SERMON XLVIII. ' 517 
 
 through the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to have your 
 minds renewed, and made like the mind that was in him ; 
 these things should encourage you to pray to Christ, to depend 
 upon his grace, and to rejoice in the fulness of his salvation. 
 We shall be extremely glad to find that this is the case with 
 any among you ; for we know that " He who begins a good 
 work in you will perform it until the day of Christ." " Now, 
 to Him who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us 
 faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy ; 
 to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and niajesty, do- 
 minion and power, both now and ever. Amen." 
 
 One there is, above all others, 
 
 Well deserves the name of friend ; 
 His is love beyond a brother's, 
 
 Costly, free, and knows no end. 
 They v^hoonce his kindness prove, 
 Find it everlasting love. 
 
 Which, of all our friends, to save us, 
 Could or would have shed his blood ? 
 
 But our Jesus died to have us 
 Reconciled in him to God : 
 
 This was boundless love indeed, 
 
 Jesus is a friend in need. 
 
 When he lived on earth abased. 
 
 Friend of sinners was his name ; 
 Now, above all glory raised. 
 
 He rejoices in the same : 
 Still he calls them brethren, friends, 
 And to all their wants attends. 
 
 for grace our heart's to soften I 
 
 Teach us. Lord, at length to love ; 
 We, alas, forget too often 
 
 What a friend we have above ; 
 But when home our souls are brought, 
 We shall love thee as we ought. 
 
 NEWTON. 
 
518 ■ THE CHKISTIAN TEMPEE. 
 
 THE CHRISTIAN TEMPER. 
 
 SEEMOJST XLIX. 
 
 " LET TfflS MIND BE IN YOU, WHICH WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS!" Phh.. 2:5. 
 
 Whoever takes a view of Christianity as displayed in 
 the precepts and example of Christ its great founder, must 
 acknowledge it to be a very lovely religion; admirably cal- 
 culated to promote the happiness of man in the present world, 
 as well as to secure his eternal salvation in the next. 
 
 " It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, 
 that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners" — to 
 save them "from their sins;" not only to deliver them from 
 the wrath to come, which is the wages of sin, but also to 
 restore in them the holy image bf God, which they had lost 
 by their fall in Adam. He came not only to restrain the 
 practice of sin, but to purify the fountain of the heart, from 
 whence the streams of sinful practice proceed. 
 
 To effect these great designs, he became a sacrifice for sin; 
 he was made sin for us ; he died for our sins, the just for the 
 unjust, that he might bring us to God. He procured for us, 
 and sent down to us, the Holy Spirit, the great sanctifier of 
 the church. And having given to the world the purest pre- 
 cepts that were ever delivered, he gave infinite force to them 
 by a perfect example of purity' in his ovs^n temper and walk, 
 and has left us this example for our imitation. ' 
 
 All true Christians are followers of Christ — they must 
 walk even as he walked ; and in order to this, they must 
 possess the same holy temper, or as it is expressed in the 
 text, " the same mind" must be in them, which was in Christ 
 Jesus. This mind, or disposition, is the subject of the present 
 discourse. May the good Spirit of God explain it to us, and 
 produce it in us. 
 
SERMON XLIX. 519 
 
 "We might express the whole in a single word. Love is 
 the mind of Christ ; for " God is love." The whole law is 
 fulfilled in love : love to G-od, and love to man. This filled 
 the heart of the great Redeemer, actuated him in the whole 
 of his obedience and sufferings, supported him under them, 
 and i^endered them acceptable, meritorious, and efficacious to 
 the salvation of the church. This is the mind that was in 
 Christ, this his prevailing disposition ; and the principal part 
 of our holiness consists in being like him, and living under 
 the daily influence of love to God and love to man. But it 
 is necessary to be more particular, and to consider the Chris- 
 tian temper in its several branches. We begin with, 
 
 I. Humility. This deserves the first place, both because 
 it is that grace in Christ to which the text refers, and be- 
 cause it is, in every believer, the root of all other graces. 
 Wonderful indeed was the humility of the Son of God, " who 
 being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal 
 with God ; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon 
 him the form of a servant, and was niade in the likeness of 
 men : and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled him- 
 self, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the 
 cross." Behold here the greatest example of humility that 
 the world ever saw, or ever will see ; and this example is pro- 
 posed to our imitation. And what argument can be so forci- 
 ble? for shall the glorious Saviour be humble, and the miser- 
 able sinner be proud ? How preposterous ! How absurd ! 
 
 Pride is natural to apostate man. It was a principal 
 ingredient in the sin of Adam, and every child of his- is born 
 proud. Adam got it from the devil, and we get it from Adam. 
 And yet it is truly said, "Pride was not made for man;" it 
 ill becomes him. Por a sinner to be proud, is the most mon- 
 strous thing in the iworld.. Nothing is so hateful to God; 
 and if we are born of God, nothing will be so hateful to us. 
 Now faith lays the axe at the root of pride. Paith beholds 
 the majesty and holiness of God, and shrinks, as it were, into 
 nothing before him. The proud man swells by comparing 
 himself with other sinners; but the Christian compares him- 
 
520 THE CHRISTIAN. TEMPER. 
 
 %• . 
 
 self, his cojiduct, and then his heart, with the most pure, holy, 
 
 spiritual law of God : this prevents self-righteous hoasting-, 
 and shows that even his best duties are tinged with sin. He 
 was " alive without the law once; but now the command- 
 ment is come, sin revives, and he dies." This experience 
 will force him to the cross; he will gladly renounce his own 
 works and righteousness, and supremely desire to be "found 
 in Christ." 
 
 Let but the Christian think of three things, and it will 
 promote his humility — what he was, what he is, and what he 
 shall be. He was a poor, blind, naked, filthy rebel ; an enemy 
 to God, and an heir of hell. He is, by grace, a pardoned sin- 
 ner, and an adopted child; but Oh, what imperfection in all 
 his graces ! What defects in all his duties ! What strength 
 in his corruptions ! What a disproportion bettveen his obli- 
 gations, and his returns to God ; between his professions, and 
 his practice ; between his privileges, and his enjoyments ! So 
 that he can cordially unite with a better man than himself in 
 saying, " I am the chief of sinners," and " less than the least 
 of ^11 saints." Let him also consider, what he shall be — he 
 shall be "with Christ;" he shall be "like Christ;" he shall 
 wear a crown of glory ; he shall possess a heavenly inherit- 
 ance ; he shall be a king and a priest to God. Amazing pros- 
 pects! Animating, yet humbling hopes! He will then, with 
 David, sit down and say, " Who am I, Lord God, that thou 
 hast brought me hitherto 1 And as if this were a small thing 
 in thy sight, thou hast spoken of thy servant's house for a 
 great while yet to come. And is this the manner of man, 
 Lord ? And what more can David say unto thee ?" 
 
 II. Piety, or " the fear of God," or " godliness," was an 
 eminent branch of the mind that was in the man Christ 
 Jesus. These terms are nearly of the same import, and de- 
 note the habitual, prevailing frame of the mind, in its regard 
 to the blessed God. It is the character of the natural man 
 that he is " ungodly," " there is no fear of God before his 
 eyes ;" he lives " without God in the world," he is " alienated 
 from the life of God ;" he says to the Almighty, " Depart from 
 
SERMON XLIX. 521 
 
 me." The very reverse of all this is the temper of the Chris- 
 tian, as it was also of his Master. "We learn from the gos- 
 pels, and more abundantly from the Psalms, what a spirit of 
 devotion continually animated the humkn nature of Christ. 
 What reverential fear, what supreme affection, what lively 
 zeal, what fervent prayer ! A portion of the same spirit per- 
 vades the heart of every real Christian. " The fear of the 
 Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and " the whole of man" — 
 his great duty, his first interest, his chief delight. And this 
 divine principle is implanted in the heart of every believer. 
 " I will put my fear in their heart," is the grand covenant 
 promise, and it is fulfilled to every elect soul, when called by 
 grace. The new-born soul turns naturally to God, as flowers 
 to the sun, or the needle to the pole ; and though it may be 
 disturbed or diverted for a time, the heavenly principle within 
 abides and prevails, and the Christian is constrained to say, 
 " Return to thy rest, my soul ; for the Lord hath dealt boun- 
 tifully with thee." 
 
 The spirit of piety will render those acts of religion which 
 were intolerably burdensome to the unconverted man, natural 
 and pleasant. Eeligion is no longer his medicine, but his 
 food ; not his task, but his delight. And the fear of God will 
 certainly produce a reverence for his name : the Christian 
 cannot.be a profane man; he cannot habitually "take in 
 vain," in the light manner of the world, the great and fearful 
 name of the Lord his God. And this principle will insure 
 his sacred regard to the holy Sabbath, the Bible, the house of 
 God, the preached gospel, the table of the Lord, and every 
 means divinely appointed for his growth in grace. 
 
 III. Spirituality is another essential part of the Christian 
 temper. This is a necessary effect of regeneration, for as 
 " that which is born of the flesh is flesh," so " that which is 
 born of the Spirit is spirit." Every nature generates its own 
 likeness. We derive from our first parent the' likeness of his 
 apostate nature, earthly and sensual, not having the Spirit; 
 but if begotten again by the Holy Ghost, we derive from 
 him a natuie that is spiritual. Natural men " mind earthly 
 
522 THE CHRISTIAN TEMPER. 
 
 things ;" they understand, pursue, and relish only things of a 
 worldly nature, while the things of the Spirit of Grod are fooK 
 ishness to them ; hut the heliever, heing born from abore, 
 minds heavenly things, and sets his affections supremely on 
 things above, and not on things below. This constitutes the 
 grand difference between the children of this world, and the 
 children of Grod; and our future destinations will be accord- 
 ingly ; for "to be carnally minded is death, but to be spirit- 
 ually minded is life and peace." While ^ve are in the world, 
 a due regard must be paid to our worldly callings ; for religi 
 ion, so far from encouraging sloth and idleness, requires us to 
 be "diligent in business ;" but it requires us also to be "fer- 
 vent in spirit, serving the Lord." The things of this world, 
 however great and important in some views, will be consid- 
 ered, in the light of eternity, as empty bubbles, insignificant 
 trifles, and childish toys. The Christian weighs every thing 
 in the balances of eternity. He^ considers what their value 
 will be when he is on a dying bed ; and judges how far they 
 may be made conducive to his everlasting interest,, for he, 
 " walks by faith, not by sight." 
 
 Besides, he is " crucified to the world, and the world to 
 him," by the cross of Christ. Our gracious Lord never discov- 
 ered any taste or relish for the pomps and vanities of this 
 world. As Lord of all, he could have commanded every 
 thing that was noble and great. But it is evident that he 
 poured contempt on worldly grandeur. His whole life, death, 
 and doctrine, tended to stain the pride of human glory, and to 
 sanctify to his humble followers that loVi^ly state he intended 
 for them. Luxury of living, gayety of dress, and conformity 
 to the vain world, can plead no countenance from the exam- 
 ple of Christ ; but self-denial, plainness of living and man- 
 ners, and deadness to the world, and heavenly-mindednesS, 
 are the very mind that was in Christ, and will be in us if we 
 are his genuine followers. 
 
 IV. Contentment is another feature of the Christian char- 
 acter. And this will result, in a happy degree, from spirit- 
 uality and heavenly-mindedness, A proper view by faith of 
 
SERMON XLIX. 523 
 
 eternal things, and a good hope hy grace of an interest in 
 them, will occasion a holy indifference about worldly matters, 
 and render us content with our present lot. Of old time, those 
 persons took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, who knew 
 in themselves that they had in heaven a better and more 
 enduring substance. Heb. 10 : 34. The way to be happy in 
 this world is, not to elevate our station to our mind, but to 
 bring down our mind to our station. The first is, perhaps, 
 impossible ; for the ambitious mind of the prosperous man 
 continues to rise with his lot; so that he is never satisfied. 
 The last may, by divine grace, be accomplished. The Chris- 
 tian believes that God reigns, that his providence is universal, 
 that a sparrow does not fall without his observation, and that 
 the very hairs of his head are numbered ; and if so, he has 
 reason to conclude that a special and most gracious provi- 
 dence presides over all his afiairs. The believer, therefore, 
 having committed all his concerns to the Lord's care, in the 
 diligent and prudent use of means, will rest satisfied with the 
 disposal of heaven. He will say, " It is the Lord ; let him do 
 what seemeth him good." We are led to expect trouble in 
 this world : man, being born in sin, is born to trouble ; and 
 instead of wondering that things are so bad, we have reason 
 to wonder that they are no worse. He who knows the evil 
 of sin, and the plague of his own heart, will say at the worst 
 of times, " He hath not dealt with me after my sins, nor re- 
 warded me according to mine iniquities." Besides, there is 
 generally some cause for praise. 
 
 " There is mercy in every case, 
 
 And mercy — encouraging thought-^ 
 Gives even affliction a grace, ^ 
 And reconciles man to his lot." 
 
 Thrice happy was the apostle Paul, who could say, "I 
 have learned, in whatsoever §tate I am, therewith to be con- 
 tent. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to 
 abound : everywhere and in all things I am instructed both 
 to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer 
 need." Should you think this a difficult lesson, and that in 
 
524 THE CHEISTIAN TEMPER. 
 
 certain cases you could not practise it, mark what foliows : 
 " I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.'.' 
 Phil. 4 : 11, 12, 13. St. Paul, in himself, was as weak as 
 another man; but he had learned to live upon Christ, and 
 by faith to receive out of his fulness grace for grace; Every 
 believer may do the same. And let him remember, this pia- 
 tient temper is "the mind that was in Christ." Through a 
 whole life of poverty and sufferings here, we read not of a 
 single murmur ; and when, in his agony, the bitterest cup 
 that ever was mingled was put into his hands, he said, " The 
 cup which my Father hath given me to drink, shall I not 
 drink it ? Not my will, but thine be done." 
 
 V. Meekness must also be mentioned as an amiable 
 branch of the Christian temper. Jesus Christ was remarka- 
 bly meek, and he pronounced a blessing on his meek follow- 
 ers. " Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth." 
 We read of " the gentleness of Christ." How calmly did he 
 endure the contradiction of sinners against himself; how 
 meekly submit to the vilest indignities ! Happiest they who 
 most resemble him. It is a great victory for a man to sub- 
 due his own angry temper, and to preserve a sacred com- 
 posure amidst all the ruffling storms and tempests of cross 
 affairs, affronts, losses, and injuries. This meekness is not 
 the effect of constitution, a temper naturally mild, nor the 
 result of art and deceit, but a truly Christian grace, wrought 
 by the Holy Spirit, arising from self-knowledge, self-posses- 
 sion, a sense of the goodness, and love of God; it is seated 
 in the heart, and will discover itself in the countenance and 
 in the language. The meek Christian may be angry, but 
 meekness will restrain his anger within proper bounds as to 
 the degree, duration, and effects of it: he will not be easily 
 provoked ; he will readily forgive, and will acquire that happy, 
 useful art, the government of the tongue. A loud, clamor- 
 ous, boisterous, boasting professor, little resembles the meek 
 Jesus ; but the meek Christian adorns the doctrine of God 
 his Saviour, greatly recommends the gospel of Christ, and 
 enjoys a tranquillity of soul which is heaven begun on 
 
SERMON XLIX. 525 
 
 earth— ra blessed foretaste of the undistarbed serenity of glori- 
 fied saints. 
 
 VI. Mercy was a distinguishing grace in the character of 
 Christ, and must be the prevailing disposition of his follow- 
 ers. Compassion to perishing sinners brought him down from 
 heaven. Compassion dictated all his words, and directed all 
 his actions ; and blessed be God, we have still " a merciful 
 and faithful High-priest, who can have compassion on the 
 ignorant, and on them who are out of the way." When the 
 sick and afflicted were brought to Jesus, he had compassion 
 on them, and healed them. When the multitude who fol- 
 lowed him from far to hear him preach, were hungry and 
 faint, he had ct)mpassion on them, and fed them. He went 
 about doing good. let us be like him. 
 
 Hard as a rock is the heart of man by nature. Anger, 
 envy, malice, revenge, and selfishness reign, and make men 
 resemble the devil. The greater part of men called Christians 
 " live to themselves," and are satisfied if they do no harm, 
 though they do no good ; are selfish, angry, peevish ; confine 
 their kindness to their relations ; do little good but what they 
 are pressed to ; esteem all loss that is done for the relief of 
 others ; and think it wise to be cautious, and disbelieve the 
 necessities of men : in a word, they make self the end of 
 their lives : whatever their profession be, they very little 
 represent or glorify G-od in the world. But on the contrary, 
 a man . whose nature is cured and rectified by grace, freed 
 from pride, envy, and selfishness, g-nd thence rendered benev- 
 olent, and useful to his fellow-men, is the best representation 
 we have of God upon earth since the human nature of Christ 
 was removed from it. 
 
 " Blessed are the merciful," said the benevolent Redeemer; 
 " for they shall obtain mercy." We are not to purchase God's 
 mercy by our mercy ; but it is a good evidence of being our- 
 selves " vessels of mercy," when we are inwardly disposed to 
 be merciful. We are exhorted to " put on, as the elect of 
 God, bowels of mercies." If we have felt the need of mercy, 
 and tasted the sweetness of itrefcy, we shall find a divine 
 
526 THE CHRISTIAN TEMPER. 
 
 pleasure in being merciful to the sons and daughters of afflic- 
 tion — we shall be forward to give and forgive, to pity and 
 relieve them. 
 
 The souls of men claim our first regard. Millions of men 
 are perishing for lack of knowledge. The merciful man will 
 not only pray for them, but will gladly endeavor to send the 
 glorious gospel of Jesus to them: he willcast a pitying eye 
 upon the poor ignorant- children around him, and promote 
 their religious instruction: he will gladly support the' Chris- 
 tian ministry, knowing its important use in the conversion of 
 sinners. Nor will the bodies of men be neglected. He will 
 pity and visit the sick; he will feed the hungry; he will 
 clothe the naked ; and in order to do this, he will rather deny 
 himself even lawful indulgences, than be disabled from acts 
 of generosity. The word of G-od abounds with exhortations 
 to this disposition ; and if there be not a desire and endeavor 
 thus to be useful, we may say, with St. John, " How dwell- 
 eth the love of God in him?" 
 
 The narrow lirnits of this discourse prevent the mention 
 of several other branches of this holy terhper, as well as a 
 proper enlargement on those already mentioned. We have 
 room only to propose one more, which is the beatity and 
 strength of them all, namely, 
 
 VII. Sin'cerity. This is the very soul of all religion ; for 
 every Christian grace has its counterfeit. There are men 
 who assume a profession of religion on purpose the better to 
 deceive others, and pretend to be devout towards God that 
 they may more efFectually cheat and defraud their neighbors. 
 From this vile hypocrisy, good Lord, deliver us. If there be 
 a place in hell hotter than another, it will be the portion of 
 the hypocrite; for how shall such " escape the damnation of 
 hell?" Great is the importance of truth and uprightness. 
 The Christian must needs be an honest man, exact and con- 
 scientious in all his affairs, eonforming himself, in all his deal-: 
 ings, to that golden, that divine rule, " Whatsoever ye Would 
 that men should do to you, do y« even so to them." The 
 Christian will study "•simplicity and godly sincerity," speak- 
 
SEKMON XLIX. 527 
 
 ing the truth in love, and managing all the affairs of life as 
 under the eye of G-od, and with a regard to his glory. Happy 
 the man of whom the Lord will testify, as of Nathanael, " Be- 
 hold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile !" 
 
 "We may learn, from what has heen said of the Christian 
 temper, how excellent is the religion, and how holy the gos- 
 pel of Jesus Christ; how admirably calculated to promote god- 
 liness, and brotherly kindness, and charity. What a happy 
 world would this be, if men who profess and call themselves 
 Christians, possessed the mind that was in Christ. We may 
 learn also the necessity of something more than morality. 
 Men may be honest and h9.rmless, but this is not enough. 
 We see . many who are deemed moral characters, who are 
 ungodly, unbelievers, neglecters of Christ, despisers of the 
 gospel. Let them not suppose that their regard to men will 
 atone for their contempt of God. Let them know, that 
 " without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." 
 
 How vain also is that profession of the truths of the gos- 
 gel which leaves a man destitute of the Christian temper, a 
 slave to his wretched passions, and under the dominion of 
 covetousness, pride, anger, selfishness, and worldly-minded^ 
 ness. Eor some there are, not only negligent of holy tem- 
 pers, but who despise that preaching which enforces them, 
 calling it legal and low. But it is evident that our Lord 
 insisted much upon inward purity, and pronounced his first 
 blessings upon heavenly dispositions. The apostles abound in 
 similar exhortations throughout their epistles: nor is he a 
 Christian who does not hunger and thirst after the attain- 
 ment of them ; all believers being " predestinated to be con- 
 formed to the image of God's dear Son." 
 
 On the survey of this brief sketch of the " mind that was 
 in Christ," who has not cause to blush and sigh, and say. 
 Holy Jesus, how far am I. from possessing thy likeness ? One 
 of the ancients, on a like occasion, cried, " Blessed Lord, either 
 these are not thy precepts, or we are not Christians." But 
 let me ask, Is this the temper you sincerely and earnestly 
 
528 THE CHRISTIAN TEMPEE. 
 
 desire? Do you mourn over your daily defects ? Do you see 
 an excellency and a beauty in holiness, and do you ardently 
 long to resemble your Saviour ? If so, be not dejected. This 
 desire is from the Lord, and is a token for good. Let no be- 
 liever sit down in sullen despair, and say, when he contem- 
 plates the character of Jesus, It is tod high and great ; J can 
 never master my corruptionSj and attain his dispositions. 
 Why not ? All things are possible to God ; all things are 
 possible to him that believeth. Does not all fulness dwell in 
 Christ; and is it not treasured up for thy use? Go to him 
 for it, make free, it is thine for asking. Ask, and ye shall 
 receive, that your joy may be full. Come boldly to the 
 throne of grace, to find grace ; there is grace sufficient for 
 thee. Open thy mouth wide, and it shall be filled. And 
 though conscious, like the apostle Paul, that you have not 
 already attained, neither are you already perfect; yet, like 
 him, follow after, reach forth unto those things which are 
 before ; press towards the mark for the prize of the high call- 
 ing of God in Christ Jesus*. Look- much at Christ ; it will 
 make you like him ; you shall be " transformed into the same 
 image, from glory to glory;" and ere long, you "shall see 
 him as he is," and "be satisfied when you awake, with his 
 likeness." 
 
SERMON L. 529 
 
 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. 
 
 SERMON L. 
 
 "FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION HATH APPEAR- 
 ED TO ALL MEN, TEACHING US THAT, DENYING UNGODLINESS AND 
 WORLDLY LUSTS, WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND 
 GODLY, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD." Titus 2 : U, 12.. 
 
 The disease of our nature, our dislike of that which is 
 good, and our love of that vrhich is evil, has heen observed 
 and lamented by w^ise men in all ages. The fact could not 
 be denied. The difficulty was, where to find a cure. Many 
 attempts were tried, but all in vain, till Jesus Christ the 
 great physician appeared. The gospel alone affords a cer- 
 tain and universal remedy for the fatal distemper of the soul ; 
 and this is the substance of our text. 
 
 , St. Paul is here directing Titus, who was a minister of 
 the gospel, how to discharge his duty, so as to be useful to 
 all sorts of people, because the gospel was sent to all sorts of 
 people. He was to teach and exhort both young and old, 
 parents and children, masters and servants ; it being the de- 
 sign of the gospel to bring a present salvation from sin, as 
 well as a future deliverance from hell, and to teach all sorts 
 of men to deny all doctrines and practices which are ungodly, 
 and all worldly lusts of sensuality ; and that we should live 
 soberly with respect to ourselves, righteously and , honestly 
 with respect to our neighbor, and in a holy manner with re- 
 spect to Grod. This will appear more plainly by considering 
 the several parts of the text distinctly, and in the following 
 order : 
 
 1. We learn by the text that the gospel of Christ is the 
 grace or gift of Grod. 
 
 2. It bringeth salvation. 
 
 3. It hath appeared to all men. 
 
 Vil. Ser. 34 
 
530 CHEISTIAN PEACTICB. 
 
 4. It teacheth us to live a holy life. 
 
 I. The gospel is the grace of God. The word grace sigi 
 nifies, in general, the free favor of Grod, either in his good- will 
 towards us, or in his good gifts to us. Here it means one of 
 his good gifts to us, namely, the gospel : and the gospel may 
 well he called his grace, for it is the gift of his grace; it is 
 the revelation of his grace ; and it is the instrument of his 
 grace. 
 
 The gospel is called the grace of G-od, because it is the 
 gift of his grace : it is a matter of pure favor that we have 
 the gospel; it ought to be thought a very great blessirlg in- 
 deed, and to be esteemed above all earthly blessings; It is a 
 mercy to have health, it is a mercy to have bread, but it is a 
 much greater mercy to have the gospel. " Blessed is the peor 
 pie who know the joyful sound." 
 
 The gospel is called the grace of God, because it is the 
 revelation of his grace and good- will to poor sinners. We 
 could never have known whether God would be gracious to 
 sinners or not, without the Bible. ' We could never have 
 known that salvation is by grace. AH mankind naturally 
 seek it by their own works, and not by grace. But the very 
 design of the gospel is to declare the grace of God ; to let us 
 know ^he love of God to man, which he has proved in the 
 gift of his Son, and in his readiness to pardon sin for the sake 
 of his Son. Sinners had more reason to expect a revelation 
 of his wrath, than of his mercy, for all have sinned, and "the 
 wages of sin is death." As soon as our first parents had 
 sinned, and heard the voice of the Lord God in the garden, 
 they were afraid, and ran to hide themselves, for they ex- 
 pected to hear nothing but the sentence of death. But they 
 were mistaken, for God was pleased to give them a promise 
 of his Son. In all ages he gave some hints of his intended 
 mercy, but never so plainly as by the gospel, or good news of 
 salvation by grace. We must take care to distinguish the 
 gospel from the law. The law of the ten commandments 
 requires perfect love and perfect obedience, and it condemns 
 every man who breaks it but once. Ignorant people expect 
 
SERMON L. 531 
 
 little from the Bible but to teaoh them their duty, and how 
 to be good, and so to get to heaven by their obedience. To 
 be sure the Bible does teach us our duty, and it would be 
 well if people learned and did it better ; but the first design 
 of the Bible is to reveal Christ as a Saviour : the design of the 
 law is not only to teach us our duty, but to convince us we 
 have not done it ; to show us our sin and our danger, and to 
 oblige us to fly to Christ, that we may be saved by grace. 
 
 Again, the gospel is called the grace of God, because it is 
 ■(he instrument of his grace. It is what he sends by his min- 
 isters, and blesses by his Spirit, " to open men's eyes, and to 
 turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan 
 unto G-od." Nothing but the truth of God will do this. All 
 the finest preaching in the world about virtue and morality, 
 will do no good as to the conversion or salvation of a sinner. 
 It often makes men proud of themselves, keeps them ignorant 
 of Christ, and makes them " go about to establish their own 
 righteousness ;" which is to " frustrate the grace of God," and 
 is as much as to say that " Christ died in vain." But "the 
 gospel is the sword of the Spirit, the rod of his strength, and 
 the power of God to salvation, to every one that believeth. 
 You see, therefore, with what good reasdn the gospel is called 
 the grace of God, We are now to show that, 
 
 II. The gospel bringeth salvation. 
 
 The grand object of this gospel is salvation. It supposes 
 the guilt and danger of man as a sinner. It declares what 
 Christ has done and suffered for our deliverance. It declares 
 God's readiness to forgive all manner of sin and blasphemy, if 
 we come to him by Jesus Christ. In short, it is to restore 
 man from all' the effects of his fall. Is he far gone from God ? 
 it is to bring him back. Is he fallen ? it is to raise him up. 
 Is he condemned on account of sin ? it is to justify him from 
 all things. Is he an enemy of God? it is to make him a 
 friend. Is he a slave of Satan ? it is to make him a free man. 
 Thus it bringeth salvation. 
 
 It brings it to the ear. The trumpet of the gospel sounds 
 with an inviting voice, it is a joyful sound. No music was 
 
532 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. 
 
 ever so sweet as the sound of mercy to a convinced sinner. 
 And faith conieth by hearing. It is the will of God that this 
 sound should go out into all the earth, and that the gospel 
 should be preached to every creature. " He that hath ears to 
 hear let him hear." , 
 
 It brings it to the mind or understanding. All God's 
 children are taught of God, and every one that is taught of 
 God Cometh to Christ. Many people plead their ignoranee, 
 and think they shall be excused on account of it ; but the 
 gospel is sent on purpose to enlighten the ignorant; and it 
 will be our own fault, and our own ruin, if we remain in the 
 dark ; it can only be because we love darkness rather than 
 light. The gospel is a glorious light, and when it is attended 
 with the power of the Spirit, it chases away all the natural 
 darkness of our minds, and makes us clearly see the wonder- 
 ful plan of salvation by grace. 
 
 It brings it to the heart. It comes with power and life. 
 It is not entertained with a cold and formal assent, as a mat- 
 ter of small concern, but cordially welcomed, as the messenger 
 of life. It is said of Lydia, in the Acts of the Apostles^ that 
 " the Lord opened her heart, so that she attended to the things 
 which were spoken of Paul." He does the same for all real 
 Christians. They receive the word with joy. They approve 
 of it heartily. It brings peace to their troubled consciences, 
 and it brings love to God and man into their hearts. 
 
 It brings it to the life. It is designed to regulate the 
 conduct, and to make the believer holy in all manner of con- 
 versation and godliness. But this will appear more plainly 
 hereafter. 
 
 III. The gospel of salvation hath appeared to all men. 
 
 To all nations of men ; it was not confined to the Jews, 
 as they thought it would be. Jesus Christ ordered it to be 
 preached to all nations, to all the world, to every creature. 
 Accordingly on the day of Pentecost the apostles preached it 
 in a great variety of languages to people,of various countries, 
 and afterwards they, and many other preachers, went into all 
 the countries then known. 
 
SERMON L. 533 
 
 To all sorts of men. This is the chief design of the words. 
 In human society there must be various ranks and orders of 
 men, and they must be distinguished by different names ; but 
 the gospel knows no distinctions; it is equally serit to high 
 and low, rich and poor, bond and free, male and female, for 
 " Christ is all, and in all." Cbl. 3 : 11.. Let none, therefore, 
 think they may be excused from regarding it. Many of the 
 rich think the gospel is well enough for the poor, but they are 
 too wise to need it. Many of the poor, on their part, think 
 religion rather belongs to the rich ; but they are so ignorant, 
 and have so much to mind for, the body, that they think they 
 may be excused. But you see this salvation is sent to all 
 men ; and " how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salva- 
 tion ?" But again, this gospel is sent 
 
 To sinners of ievery degree — great sinners, or little sinners, 
 if it be proper to call any so. Jesus Christ came to call, not 
 the righteous, but sinners to repentance; and none but those 
 who feel themselves to be sinners will regard his call. Such 
 persons heard him gladly on earth, while the proud Pharisees, 
 who thought themselves good, despised him, and abused him 
 as the " friend of publicans and simiers." Blessed be God 
 that sinners, however great, are not excluded from the hope 
 of the gospel. Christ commanded it to be first preached at 
 Jerusalem, among his murderers; where, probably, many of 
 them were converted ; , and to this very day " the blood of 
 Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." 
 
 Let it also be observed that our text says, the gospel 
 bringeth salvation; not, it shall hxing it hereafter, but it 
 bringeth it now. It brings it near at this moment; "the 
 word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart." 
 Many people dreadfully mistake the matter, who look only 
 for a salvation hereafter ; they do not think of being saved 
 till they die ; but salvation is a present business, and if we 
 are not saved before we die, we shall never be saved at all. 
 We must now be enlightened, convinced, believe in Christ, 
 pass from death unto life, and thus be made new creatures, 
 or we can never enter into the kingdom of heaven. that 
 
534 CHEISTIAN PEACTICE. 
 
 this gospel may now bring into our hearts a present^ sal- 
 vation! We proceed to the last and principal thing in our 
 text. 
 
 IV. The gospel which bringeth salvation, teacheth us to 
 LIVE A HOLY LIFE — it tcachcth US that, " denying ungodliness 
 and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and 
 godly, in this present world ; " that is, it teacheth us what a 
 holy life is, the necessity of living such a life, and how we 
 may attain it. 
 
 The gospel, which bringeth salvation, teacheth us what a 
 holy life is — ^the true nature, and full extent of it. We have 
 no other sufficient rule. The world affords nothing but im- 
 perfect examples, and our own deceitful hearts would often 
 curtail the perfect rule; This is our teacher. Let us ever 
 hear and read it with this view. Let it be a light to our feet, 
 and a lamp to our paths. 
 
 This holy guide directs us, in the first place, "to deny 
 ungodliness ;" to renounce, abhor, and forsake all infidelity, 
 idolatry, and impiety of every kind — every thing contrary to 
 the four first commandments. If the devil, or wicked men, 
 or our own wicked hearts, would tempt us to neglect the 
 worship of God, or to take his name in vain, or to break the 
 Sabbath, we must deny and refuse to do it. We must also 
 "deny worldly lusts," all irregular inclinations and desires 
 forbidden by the last six commandments. These are worldly 
 lusts ; such as the men of the world gratify, and place their 
 happiness in. These will often ask for indulgence. They 
 will plead very strongly that they are natural, that there is 
 no harm in them, and that all the world indulges them; but 
 they are " worldly lusts," and must be denied, unless we are 
 willing to be damned with the world ; for "the end of these 
 things is death." These are the things that chain men to the 
 world and to a life of sense, make us like the brutes, cause 
 us to forget God, to neglect the salvation of our souls ; and 
 " for these things' sake, cometh the wrath of God upon the 
 children of disobedience." This ungodliness, and these world- 
 ly lusts, must therefore be denied ; and this is that self-denial 
 
SERMON L. 535 
 
 which out Lord insists upon, and without which we cannot 
 be his disciples. 
 
 But this is not all. We are taught by the gospel how to 
 live. We are to live " soberly, righteously, and godly ;" these 
 three words tell us our duty as to ourselves, our neighbor, and 
 our God. 
 
 To live soberly, is not only to abstain from drunkenness, 
 which is a damnable sin, but frorn all excess in eating, drink- 
 ing, and other bodily indulgences. It is to be sober and mod- 
 erate in our passions, our recreations, our speech, our dress, 
 and whole behavior : it is to be temperate and moderate in 
 all lawful things, using the world as not abusing it — using it 
 as pilgrims and strangers ; not rnaking it our rest or portion, 
 but making all worldly comforts secondary things, subservient 
 to the interests of our souls and the glory of our Grod. This 
 is to live soberly. 
 
 We are also to live righteously, that is, in respect of our 
 neighbor; to give every one his due; to honor all men; and 
 do the duty of our stations, whether to our superiors, inferiors, 
 or equals. The New Testament is full of excellent directions 
 as to relative duties. The apostles largely teach us the duties 
 of husbands and wives, parents and children, masters, ser- 
 vants, and subjects. A true Christian will study his Bible 
 with this view ; and in every relation of life, he will endeavor 
 to conform himself to it ; and he that pretends to religion 
 without this, is a mere hypocrite. This is too little regarded 
 by many professors of religion, as beneath their notice ; they 
 would even deter ministers from enforcing the relative duties, 
 by calling it " legal stuff, working for life, and Arminianism;" 
 but these people know not what they say, and how much 
 they disgrace the gospel of Christ, which our text declares is 
 intended to teach us these things. It was a weighty saying 
 of Mr. Whitefield, that " to be really holy, is to be relatively 
 holy." All sincere believers think so, and act accordingly. 
 
 But the gospel also requires us to live godly. Many igno- 
 rant people think that if they live soberly and righteously it 
 is enough. How many do we hear excusing themselves from 
 
536 GHKISTIAN PKACTICE 
 
 all regard to gospel religion, by pleading that they are sober 
 and honest. And will these people call themselves Chris- 
 tians? Moral heathens they may be^ We deny they are 
 Christians, for the Christian has a constant regard to God in 
 Christ; he knows him, he believes in him, he fears him, he 
 loves him, he prays to him, he converses with him, he lives 
 to him. . the miserable blindness of many in this land of 
 light! How many on a dying bed build all their hopes on 
 their honesty, and having done no harm ; while they have 
 lived all their days in neglect of the salvation of Christ, neg- 
 lect of his Sabbath and worship, buried aliye in the cares of 
 the world j sensual, worldly, covetous ; perjiaps opposers of 
 the gospel, and persecutors of the faithful. The Lord in his 
 infinite mercy open the eyes of siich mistaken persons, and 
 preserve them from going out of the world with a lie in their 
 right hand ! 
 
 To live godly includes a great deak We must know God 
 by the teaching of his Spirit. We must believe on him as a 
 God reconciled in Christ. We must love him as our heavenly 
 Father. We shall then love his law, arid gladly be governed 
 by his commandments. His word will be precious to us; his 
 Sabbath delightful; his worship pleasant; his ordinances 
 sweet. In a word, we shall " walk humbly with our God ;" 
 it will be our meat and drink to do his will; and being no 
 longer our own, but bought with a price, w^ shall glorify 
 God in our bodies, and in our spirits, which are his. 
 
 This is that kind of life which the gospel teaches us. 
 This is its nature and extent. The gospel also shows us the 
 absolute necessity of it. Many deceive themselves with vain 
 words, and think there is no occasion to be so strict ; and they 
 labor to render a life of holiness contemptibly by calling it ill 
 names, such as fanaticism and enthusiasm, and by ridiculing 
 serious persons as methodists, hypocrites, and righteous over- 
 much. But we abide by the Bible. We abide by our text. 
 The God of truth has prescribed this as the way of life; and 
 has awfully declared that, without repentance, without faith, 
 without holiness and godliness, no man shall see the Lord. 
 
SEEMON L. 537 
 
 By this we are determined to abide, and let others lopk to 
 themselves. 
 
 But should any say, All this is very right and good, but 
 who can come up to it ? By what means can we attain it ? 
 I answer, the gospel that bringeth salvation teacheth us how 
 to attain it, and this is the peculiar excellency of the gospel. 
 The teachers of mere morality are like the taskmasters of 
 Pharaoh, who required the Israelites to make brick without 
 straw. They are always preaching that men should do this 
 and that, but they tell them not their own inability, nor 
 where their great strength lies. When we view a natural 
 man wedded to the world, or tied and bound with the chains 
 of his sin, or wallowing in the mire of sensual lusts, we are 
 ready to say. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leop- 
 ard his spots ? But nothing is too hard for the Lord. The 
 gospel first directs the sinner to repair by faith to Christ, and 
 to obtain the pardon of his sins through his precious blood. 
 This is his first business : and if the sinner be enabled to be- 
 lieve in Jesus, his faith will work by love, will purify his 
 heart, and overcome his lusts. We are not, by our own 
 power, first to reform our lives, and then, as gracious and 
 good people, to trust in Christ for salvation ; but as soon as 
 ever we discover our need of a Saviour, to fly to him without 
 delay, just as we are. And he casts out none that come to 
 him. Believing in him will give a new turn to our affections. 
 We shall mourn for pardoned sin. We shall hate the mur- 
 derers of our Lord. We shall be crucified to the world by the 
 cross of Jesus ; and the ways of godliness will no longer be a 
 burden and a task, but our pleasant and easy service. The 
 love of Christ will constrain us, and we shall "judge that if 
 one died for all, then were all dead ; and that he died for all, 
 that they which live should henceforth not live to themselves, 
 but unto him who died for them." 
 
 Besides, whoever believes in Jesus is really united to 
 him, in the same manner as the vine and its branches are 
 united. All. our fruitfulness in good works depends on this 
 union. " Abide in me," said our Lord ; " thus shall ye bring 
 
538 CHKISTIAN PRACTICE. 
 
 forth much fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing." This 
 is the true secret of godliness, the gospel mystery of sanctifi^ 
 cation, and the only way of hecoming holy. In, this way 
 nothing is too hard to be accomplished ; and on this ground 
 every believer may say with St. Paul, " I can do all things 
 through Christ which strengtheneth me." . We shall now 
 conclude with some inferences and exhortations. 
 
 1. Is the gospel the grace of God; the gift of his grace; 
 the revelation of his grace ; and the instrument of his grace ? 
 Then take care to distinguish the gospel froiri all false doc- 
 trine. Beware of " another gospel." Whatever does not bring 
 to helpless sinners the good news of a free grace salvation is 
 not the gospel. Reject it. 
 
 And Oh, take care that " you receive not the grace of God 
 in vain." 2 Cor. 6:1. The grace of God, as a divine prin- 
 ciple in the heart, cannot be received in vain ; but the gospel, 
 which is also called the grace of God, is often received in 
 vain. It is a great privilege to have the gospel preached to 
 us, but a dreadful thing to have it prove " the savor of death 
 unto death ;" for Christ has said it, " He that believeth not 
 shall be damned." Mark 16 : 16. 
 
 2. Is the gospel the grace of God ? Prize it yourselves, 
 and recommend it to others. Next to Christ himself, it is the 
 greatest gift of God to a ruined world. What an inexpressi- 
 ble privilege and honor is it, to be in any way instrumental 
 in communicating this heavenly gift to others ! Let us invite 
 our neighbors to hear it. Let us put gospel tracts into their 
 hands. Let us speak of it to our relations and friends. Let 
 us support and countenance the preaching of it at home and 
 abroad ; and especially, let us recommend it to others by the 
 holy effects it has produced on ourselves. Let us recommend 
 it by our lives. 
 
 3. It appears from what has been said, that there is no 
 ground for the reproach often cast on the gospel of grace, that 
 it leads to licentiousness, or that the doctrine of faith and 
 grace is hurtful to morality and good works. It is a foul and 
 
SERMON L. 539 
 
 groundless slander. Nothing is more false. Our text con- 
 futes it at once. "We have shown that the gospel is properly- 
 called the grace of God ; it is the gospel that hringeth salva- 
 tion hy grace ; and this free-grace gospel teacheth us to live 
 a holy life. What can be plainer ? And let it be noted, that 
 nothing but the gospel of grace can truly teach or produce a 
 holy life. This was, at first, the power of GTod to the salva- 
 tion of bigoted Jews and beastly heathens. In every suc- 
 ceeding age it has had the same blessed effects. And it is the 
 same to this day. "While moral preachers labor in vain, and 
 many of them address their heathen lectures to sleepy hearers 
 and empty pews, we know and are sure that the plain truths 
 of the gospel are effectual to quicken dead sinners, to convert 
 notorious rebels, and to produce in numberless persons " the 
 fruits of good living." This is its proper tendency ; these its 
 genuine fruits. And we adore the grace that renders the 
 word powerful for these blessed purposes. 
 
 4. If any false professors of religion abuse the doctrines of 
 grace for licentious practices, they have no countenance in so 
 doing from the gospel, or the preachers of it. Our text will 
 at once confront and confound such base hypocrites. It 
 teaches them the nature, necessity, and method of attaining 
 a holy life. Believers were "chosen in Christ, that they 
 might be holy, and without blame before him in love." All 
 the commands of God, both in the Old and New Testament, 
 require it. It was an eminent branch of the design of Christ 
 in dying for his people. It is necessary to the present peace 
 and happiness of our souls, in this World of sin and vanity. 
 This is the way in which God expects us to glorify him 
 among men. And in this consists our meetness for " the in- 
 heritance of the saints in light." 
 
 May our holy God, who has favored us with his holy gos- 
 pel, render it effectual by his Holy Spirit, to make us "holy 
 in all manner of conversation and godliness;" and at the great 
 day, "present us holy and unblamable and unreprovable in 
 his sight," To Him be glory now and for ever. Amen. 
 
540 NON-CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. 
 
 NON-CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. 
 
 SERMON LI. 
 
 "AND BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD." Rom. 12 : 2.* 
 
 This is a general exhortation, adapted to, a great varipty 
 of occasions. It affords an excellent rule for the Christian's 
 conduct, which he may readily apply when tempted to follow 
 the course of this world. It is easy to know what the world 
 loves and pursues, and it is easy to remember that the Chris- 
 tian must take a different course. The way of the world is 
 the hroad way to destruction ; the way of life is narrow, and 
 trodden but by few. 
 
 The text is a plain and direct prohibition against con- 
 formity to the world. It is addressed to the people of God, 
 and stands connected with an affectionate exhortation to be 
 devoted to him. This chapter is wholly practical ; and fol- 
 lows a large and excellent discourse upon the exceeding riches 
 of, divine grace to sinners, in their free and full justification 
 through faith in Christ Jesus, and the most noble and glori- 
 ous privileges to which they are called. " I beseech you, 
 brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies 
 a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your 
 reasonable service." Thus are the doctrines of grace sweetly 
 connected with a gracious walk and conversation. They are 
 connected in the Bible, and they are connected in all those 
 who are taught of God. May we happily know their sacred 
 union by our own experience. 
 
 In order to this complete devotedness to God, the apostle 
 
 * As this sermon is designed to expose the sin and danger of carnal games 
 and amusements, especially in the professors of religion, it may be usefully read 
 in holiday-seasons, at the time of affair or wakes, or when theatrical amusements 
 are introduced into a town. It may also be lent to a friend who is in danger 
 of being tempted to sinful compliances upon such ocbasions. 
 
SERMON LI. 541 
 
 here advises believers "not tp he conformed to this world;" 
 not to te moulded into the same fashion — not to comply with 
 their temper and spirit — not to imitate their depraved customs 
 and manners; but, on the contrary, to "be transformed by the 
 renewing of their minds ;" to be changed into a contrary, bet- 
 ter, more glorious, and abiding form — in the daily renovation 
 of their souls, yet more and more, by the Holy Spirit. The 
 text therefore teaches us this great and useful doctrine, that 
 
 Christians must not be conformed to this world. 
 
 By " the world," we are certainly to understand, the men 
 of the world, in opposition to true believers, or the people of 
 God. That there is a real and essential distinction between 
 the world and the church, is abundantly plain from the Scrip- 
 tures. Jesus Christ saith of his disciples, " They are not oi 
 the world, even as I am not of the world;" and St. John 
 saith of believers, " We know we are of G-od, and the whole 
 world lieth in wickedness." This important distinction pre- 
 vails throughout the Bible. Everywhere God's people are 
 represented as differing from the world. Believers are called 
 children of God ; others, the children of the devil, and the 
 children of wrath : the one are friends, the other enemies ; the 
 one far from God, the other are brought nigh to God. 
 
 It was the design of Christ, in dying foj* his people, "to 
 deliver them from this present evil world" — to save them 
 "from the evil that is in the world" — ^to make an evident 
 separation, and " to purify unto himself a peculiar people, 
 zealous of good works ;" that is, to separate them from the 
 wicked world for his own use, and for his own glory, as his 
 precious and peculiar property, that they might be zealously 
 affected towards him and his cause, in the performance of 
 every good work. 
 
 The gospel of Jesus Christ calls believers to this separa- 
 tion, and is the instrumerlt of effecting it. " Come out from 
 among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch 
 not the unclean thing, and I will receive you." 2 Cor. 6 : 17^ 
 There is much danger in the company of idolaters, and in 
 connection with unbelievers; there is danger of being in- 
 
542 NON-CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. 
 
 fected and defiled ; therefore a proper distance must be kept. 
 And the gospel of Christ becomes an occasion of this separa- 
 tion ; it creates division, it causes disunion ; the believer is 
 crucified to the world, and the world unto him. Thus faith, 
 which is the bond of union with Christ, is the instrument of 
 separation from the wsrld. And how reasonable is it to ex- 
 pect, that persons whose state and character now differ essen- 
 tially from others, and who will be eternally separated as far 
 as heaven is from hell, should now bear the visible marks of 
 distinction, and not be conformed to this world. 
 
 We may now proceed to inquire in what this non-con- 
 formity consists, or in what degree it is required ; for a total 
 separation is impossible, in the present state of things. There 
 are family connections, which are not to be dissolved because 
 some of the parties are gracious, arid others remain in their 
 sin, 1 Cor. 7 : 10. There are also civil connections, in the 
 lawful affairs of this world, with which religion cannot inter- 
 fere. If we would wholly avoid intercourse with the wicked, 
 " we mpst needs go out of the world," for the world is full of 
 them. 1 Cor. 5 : 10. Neither does religion require or coun- 
 tenance a morose and sullen or uncivil behavior to the men 
 of the world ; much less does it demand an entire exclusion 
 from the affairs of life, and a solitary confinement in a mon- 
 astery or nunnery. Christians are not, like the old Pharisees, 
 to say to others, " Stand off; we are holier than you." On 
 the contrary, believers are " the salt of the earth," and by 
 their necessary and lawful connections with the world, are 
 the happy means of preserving it from utter corruption ; they 
 are "the lights of the world," and diffuse some genial rays of 
 knowledge amidst the general darkness. And by their wise, 
 holy, and prudent conduct among men, are to condemn the 
 world, as to what is evil in it, and recommend the gospel they 
 profess to the notice and approbation of others. But while 
 they are thus engaged, they are not to be conformed to the 
 world in the following respects. 
 
 I. As to THE ERKORS of the world — ^their false and danger- 
 ous sentiments in religion. The doctrines of the gospel are 
 
SERMON LI. 543 
 
 directly contrary to the generally received opinions of worldly 
 men : they directly tend to humble the sinner, to exalt the 
 Saviour, and to promote holiness ; while the notions of the 
 world tend to make the sinner proud, with some fancied opin- 
 ion of his goodness, works, and righteousness ; to diminish the 
 glory of Jesus Christ as " the Lord our righteousness ;" and 
 to make holiness in heart and life a needless, if not a con- 
 temptible thing. It'is the high privilege of God's people to 
 be "taught of Grod ;" to have " the Spirit of truth, whom the 
 world cannot receive;" to "know the truth," to be of the 
 truth, to kefep the truth, and to be sanctified by the truth. 
 False teachers " are of the world, therefore they speak of the 
 world, and the world heareth them ;" but he that is of God, 
 and knoweth God, heartily embraces the truth of the gospel ; 
 he heareth the voice of Christ the true Shepherd, but the 
 voice of a stranger he will not follow. 1 John, 4:5, 6 ; John 
 10 : 16, 26, 27. This separation from the religious errors of 
 the world is of the greatest importance; and while we pay 
 all civil respects to all men, and abhor persecution, we must 
 give no countenance to error. St. John gives us this direc- 
 tion : " If there come any unto you, and bring not this doc- 
 trine," the doctrine of Christ, "receive him not into youf 
 house, neither bid him God speed ; for he that biddeth him 
 God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds." 2 John, 10 : 11, 
 
 -II. We must not be conformed to the world in its sinful 
 PRACTICES. "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and 
 the pride of life," are called " the world's trinity," their god 
 whom they worship and obey. The works of the flesh, and 
 the fruits of the Spirit, are directly contrary to each other ; 
 they who are in the flesh practise the one, they that are in 
 the Spirit practise the other. " Now the works of the flesh 
 are manifest, which are these : adultery, fornication, unclean- 
 ness, lasciviousness, idolatry, wrath, strife, seditions, envyings, 
 murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like," the doers of 
 which shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal. 5 : 19-21. 
 But "if we walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfil the lusts of 
 the flesh ; and they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh 
 
544 I'fON-CONFOEMITY TO THE WOKLD. 
 
 with its affections and lusts." The Christian niust therefore 
 dissent from the world in its evil practices ; even " the ap- 
 pearance of evil " must be carefully shunned. Pure religion 
 and undefiled is to keep himself unspotted from the world — to 
 behave in such a circumspect and holy manner as to keep 
 clear of the pollutions of this evil and ensnaring world, that he 
 may not bring a slur upon his conscience or his character. 
 
 III. Christians must not be conforme'd to the spirit of the 
 world. There is a certaih disposition and taste which forms 
 the true character of a man of the world, and which operates 
 as a powerful principle in the regulation of his whole conduct. 
 There is also an opposite principle given to the people of G-od 
 in their new birth, which gives a new taste to their minds, 
 and a new bias to their affections. St. Paul, speaking of both 
 these, saith, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the 
 world, but the spirit which is of God." 1 Cor. 2:12. The 
 spirit of the world must of course be a worldly spirit, or, in 
 the language of Scripture, a " carnal mind ; " it can be no 
 other, for " that which is born of the flesh is flesh." So God 
 himself declared of man before the flood, "My Spirit shall 
 not always strive with man, for that he also is ^esA," wholly 
 fleshly and carnal, " sensual, not having the Spirit." The 
 desires, the pursuits, the delights of natural men are only 
 worldly. Their cry is, "Who will show us any good?" 
 " What shall we eat, what shall we drink, and wherewithal 
 shall we be clothed?" The world, in some form or other, is 
 their beloved object. But the people of God, redeemed from 
 their vain conversation, have a nobler object in view. They 
 are spiritual in their taste and pursuits ; they can no longer 
 grovel in the dust, or feed on husks ; they are renewed in the 
 spirit of their minds, and seek the things that are above. 
 How poor and mean and low are the sordid objects of the 
 world in their esteem! Eveathe wisest and greatest among 
 natural men are amusing themselves with the toys of chil- 
 dren, the baubles of idiots, or the pranks of madmen, com- 
 pared with the manly, solid, heavenly aims and employments 
 of true believers. 
 
SERMON LI. 545 
 
 IV. The Christian must not he conformed to the company 
 of the .world. The men of the world are not his chosen com- 
 panions. We have already observed, that converse with them 
 cannot be wholly avoided. The lawful business of life will 
 necessarily bring them together. But we speak of making 
 them intimate friends, and the companions of leisure hours. 
 But "how can two walk together, except they be agreed?" 
 What fellowship hath light with darkness? What concord 
 hath Christ with Belial, or Christians with the sons of Belial? 
 Either must the Christian conform himself to the light, vain, 
 frothy, and often profane conversation of worldly men, or 
 they must conform themselves to his spiritual views ; and 
 which of these is most likely to happen, it is not hard to tell. 
 We become insensibly like our intimate friends, and naturally 
 drink into their spirit; as therefore there is in general but 
 little probability of doing good to carnal men by our com- 
 pany, it is far wisest and safest for us to keep our distance. 
 Intimate and habitual friendship with wicked men is consid- 
 ered, in the Scripture, as opposition to G-od. St. James, 
 addressing himself to conforming professors, saith, " Ye adul- 
 terers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the 
 world is enmity with God? whoever, therefore, will be a 
 friend of the world, is the enemy of God." If our chief hap- 
 piness be in the things of the world, and if we court the 
 friendship of wicked men in order to procure them, we are 
 at heart enemies to God ; and in persons of a religious, char- 
 acter, who profess to be betrothed unto Christ as their spirit- 
 ual husband, this is heart-adultery. 
 
 And if this occasional conformity to worldly persons be so 
 blamable, what must we think of forming connections with 
 them for life ? How criminal, and how dangerous, to act 
 directly contrary to the grand rule in this case — to marry 
 " only in the Lord." 1 Cor. 7:39. 
 
 V. Christians must not conform themselves to the world 
 in their carnal amusements. The taste of men discovers 
 itself in nothing more plainly than in their choice of amuse- 
 merits. It is easy to know what these are, and what is 
 
 Vil. Ser. 35 
 
546 NON-CONFOEMITY TO THE WORLD. 
 
 adapted to the corrupt taste of the carnal mmd. "Worldly 
 men are never so much in their element as when engaged in 
 them ; and to enjoy them, they will often sacrifice their most 
 important interests. 
 
 Among these the amusements of the theatre have the first 
 place ; for these the world strongly pleads, and afiects to place 
 them on a level with divine ordinances, by saying they can 
 learn as much from a good, play as from a sermon. But it 
 should be remembered that sermons, and means of grace, 
 derive all their virtue from the authority of Christ who 
 appointed them, and has .promised to bless them; but the 
 advocates of plays can never pretend that Christ has either 
 ordained them, or engaged to put his blessing upon them. 
 
 So far are plays from being useful to the cause of virtue, 
 that they are one of the most successful engines of vice, that 
 Satan ever invented. Several of the heathen philosophers 
 and lawgivers opposed them in the strongest terms. Plato 
 banishes them from his commonwealth. Xenophon com- 
 mends the Persians for not suffering their youth to hear, any 
 thing amorous, thinking it dangerous to add any weight to 
 the bias of nature. Seneca complaiiis that by the stage vice 
 made an insensible approadh, and stole on the people in the 
 disguise of pleasure. Tacitus says the German ladies pre- 
 served their honor by having no playhouses among them. 
 The Athenians would not suffer a judge to compose a comedy. 
 The Lacedemonians would not endure the stage, under any 
 kind of regulation. The Romans, in their better times, reck- 
 oned the stage so disgraceful, that any Roman turning actor 
 was degraded. And we may add, that the English laws, till 
 very lately, denominated stage-players rogues, vagabonds, and 
 sturdy beggars. 
 
 The earliest Christians abhorred them. Tertullian, in the 
 second century, says, "We," Christiaris, " have nothing to do 
 with the frenzies of the raCe-ground, the playhouse, or the 
 .barbarities of the bear-garden." Some of the ancient councils 
 ordained that players should be excommunicated, and that 
 even the sons of clergymen must not be present at plays, "it 
 
SERMON LI. 547 
 
 being always unlawful for Christians to come among blas- 
 phemers." A good writer says, " Will you not avoid this seat 
 of infection ? The very air suffers by their impurities, and 
 they breathe the plague. What though the performance be 
 entertaining ; what though innocence and virtue shijie in 
 some parts of it ; it is not the custom to prepare poison un- 
 palatably. No ; to make the mischief spread, tjiey must 
 oblige the sense, and make the dose pleasant. Thus the 
 devil throws in a cordial drop to make the draught go down, 
 and steals some ingredients from the dispensatory of heaven. 
 Look upon all their fine sentences, their flights of fortitude, 
 and their loftiness of style — as honey dropping from the bow- 
 els of a toad, or the bag of a spider." " And admitting," says 
 another, " that some good may be learned at the playhouse — 
 do people send their daughters to a house of ill-fame to learn 
 discipline _? Do gentlemen educate their sons under highway- 
 men to teach them courage? Or will any man venture on 
 board a leaky vessel, that he may learn the art of shifting in 
 a storm 1" Besides, if plays haye such a moral tendency, 
 how is it that the players are generally the most immoral 
 people in the world, and the neighborhood of playhouses the 
 very sink of filthiness ? 
 
 Archbishop Tillotson thought plays " a mighty reproach 
 to Britain, and not fit to be tolerated in a civilized, much less 
 in a Christian nation." He calls the playhouse " the devil's 
 chapel, the school and nursery of vice and lewdness." And 
 one of the judges well said, " One playhouse ruins more souls 
 than fifty churches can save." 
 
 The dancing of both sexes, and especially in public places, 
 is another species of amusernent highly pleasing to the world, 
 but extremely dangerous to good morals^ Tb.e, gayety it in- 
 spires, the company into which it leads, and various evils 
 connected with it, render -it every way unbecoming the Chris- 
 tian, who has the utmost need to cultivate seriousneiss and 
 gravity, and to live and act as a pilgrim and a stranger. 
 There is scarcely any thing, not absolutely and notoriously 
 wicked, in which conformity to the world consists more than 
 
548 NON-CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. 
 
 the amusement of the ballroom. Not a few have been called 
 out of it into eternity; but where is the. person who would 
 wish, when summoned to the bar of God, to be found so em- 
 ployed ? - 
 
 Playing at cards is another favorite diversion with the 
 world. The express purpose of this amusement is a sufficient 
 argument against it— ^it is to kill time. Alas, our time is 
 short enough, andwill die of itself ; we need not hasten its 
 exit. Our days are as a handbreadth, and our age is as 
 nothing. We complain of the shortness of life, and yet labor 
 to reduce its narrow span. It may justly be doubted whether 
 any game be lawful which depends upon casting a lot; for 
 dealing the cards is of that nature, and is therefore a kind of 
 appeal to God for the success of our play, for "the lot is cast 
 into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." 
 But, not to insist upon this, it is really a childish business. 
 It is a poor erriployment for rational and immortal beings to 
 spend many hours of precious time in throwing about bits of 
 spotted paper. The conversation that accompanies it is gen- 
 erally frivolous and foolish. The passions of avarice and 
 anger are frequently excited, and the tragical consequences 
 of gaming are so perfectly opposite to the Christian character, 
 that a good man ought to reject the amusement altogethrer. 
 
 There are other diversions, as horseraces, cock-fighting, 
 bull-baiting, etc., as well as conformity to the world in gay, 
 indecent, or too expensive fashions of dress, upon which we 
 have not room to comment particularly. There is one grand 
 rule applicable to them all, and which may afford a pretty 
 good test of their propriety or impropriety. You will find 
 this apostolic direction in Col. 3 : 17 : "Whatsoever ye do in 
 word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving 
 thanks to God and the Father by him." Now, can we see a 
 play, dance, or play at cards, " in the name of the Lord Jesus, 
 and to the glory of God ?" Can you pray for the Lord's pres- 
 ence and blessing on these engagements ? A good man once 
 convinced a company of the folly of these things, by offering 
 to say grace before cards, or to pray for a blessing on them 
 
SERMON LI. 549 
 
 The company felt the impropriety, and asked him what he 
 Was going to do ? The good man replied, " God forbid I 
 should do any thing on which I cannot ask his blessing." 
 Common-sense forbids you to say, *' Lord, go with me to the 
 playhouse, and bless the good instruction I go to receive !" 
 or, " Lord, give me a good hand at cards !" Such petitions 
 would be justly reckoned impious ; but the impropriety clearly 
 shows that what cannot Jbe done with prayer, cannot be done 
 with a good conscience, cannot be done to the glory of God, 
 and therefore ought not to be done at all. In all these things 
 the consistent Christian must remember the text : " Be not 
 conformed to this world." 
 
 From what has been said, it is surely evident that it is 
 the duty of Christians not to be conformed to this world. It 
 is plain that God's people are a distinct people, and ought to 
 be a separate people. There is a holy singularity, though 
 not an affected singularity, which well becomes them. This 
 indeed requires courage. In certain situations, where persons 
 have been closely connected with the carnal and the gay, and 
 especially with the .great, it will not be very easy to come 
 out from among them, and avow that they belong to Christ. 
 Yet, let none despair. The Scripture shows us how it may 
 be done : " Whosoever is horn of God, overcometh the world ; 
 and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our 
 FAITH." 1 John, 5:4. By the new nature which the Chris- 
 tian receives, he gets above the terrors and allurements of the 
 men and things of this world, so as not to be driven away by 
 the one, or drawn aside by the other, from his duty to God. 
 And this noble conquest is obtained, not by our own power, 
 but by the strengtli we derive from Christ, through faith in 
 him. Faith realizes eternal things, and shows us how vain 
 and mean are the pursuits of the world. Faith also realizes 
 the presence of God, and judges his approbation to be infi- 
 nitely superior, to the friendship of men. 
 
 Thus Moses, the man of God, triumphed over the world. 
 " When come to years, he refused to be called the son of Pha- 
 
550 NON-CONFOEMITY TO THE WORLD. 
 
 raoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the 
 people of G-od) than tp enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season : 
 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treas- 
 ures in Egypt." Heb. 11 : 24. It was by faith that Moses 
 did this. Faith showed him the vanity and danger of a • 
 court-life, of riches and grandeur and sensual pleasure. 
 Faith also showed him "the recompense of reward:" the 
 glories of the eternal world, Which he should continue to 
 enjoy when all human pomp is buried in the dust. He 
 therefore wisely chose the better part, though attended with 
 poverty and shame. With the crown of glory in view, he 
 was willing to take up the cross, and even ta glory in it. He 
 determined to unite himself with God's people, and suffer 
 reproach and affliction with them, rather than be confoi'med 
 to this sinful and perishing world. 
 
 This subject shows us the necessity of the new birth. If 
 we would not be conformed to this world, it is necessary for us 
 to be transformed hy the renewing of our m,ind, as the apos- 
 tle adds immediately after our text. Be ye transformed — 
 changed into a better form — from being "earthly, sensual, 
 and devilish,^" to become heavenly, spiri'tual, angelical; and 
 this is done "by the renewing of pur minds." The Holy 
 Spirit begins this renewing work in regeneration ; it is grad- 
 ually carried on in sanctification — ^in dying more aiid more 
 to sin and the world, until the blessed work be perfected in 
 everlasting glory. Thus shall we "prove what is that good 
 and acceptable and perfect will of God." The will of God, 
 as revealed in his word, for our direction in this particular, 
 and in every Other branch of duty, is good — good in itself, and 
 good for us ; conformity to* it is acceptable and well-pleasing 
 in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; and^ it is perfect— it is 
 sufficient to make a finished Christian, " thoroughly furnished 
 to every good work." that divine grace may so transform 
 pur hearts that we may prove, and prove by our own expe- 
 rience — for nothing else can teach it — how happy a thing it 
 is to be wholly devoted to God, and to be governed in every 
 respect by his sacred will. 
 
SERMON LII. 551 
 
 PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 
 
 SERMOJS^ LII. 
 
 "THEREFORE BE YE ALSO READY." Matt. 24:44.* 
 
 Death is a most serious thing. It is impossible to ex- 
 press in words what a most serious thing death is. Those 
 who have thought and said the most about it in the time of 
 their health, have found dying to be a far more serious matter 
 than they could before conceive. " The living know that 
 they must die ; " and yet, how few lay it to heart ! How 
 few there are who "so number their days as to apply their 
 hearts unto wisdom!" In small country villages, where 
 death seldom comes, the people scarcely think of it; and 
 "their inward thought seems to be, that their houses shall 
 continue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all genera- 
 tions :" and in large cities where the bell tolls every day, and 
 people constantly see coffins and funerals, the commonness of 
 death takes away the solemnity of it. In some places, it is 
 shocking to reflect how little seriousness attends a funeral, 
 and that by excessive eating, drinking, and unseasonable 
 mirth, the house of mourning is turned into the house of 
 feasting. All this shows that the heart of man is filled with 
 criminal vanity, and how far it is from that constant serious- 
 ness which becomes mortals living on the borders of eternity. 
 Yet, when death comes into our houses or our neighborhood, 
 we should be particularly thoughtful, "When it plieases God 
 to remove a relation, a friei;id, or a neighbor, we should con- 
 sider him as speaking to us — speaking the solemn language 
 of the text, " Be ye also ready." It is as if he said, " Thought- 
 less mortals, remember your latter end. Consider this provi- 
 
 * This sermon may be peculiarly seasonable when the providence of God 
 has removed a relation, a friend, or a neighbor. • 
 
552 PEEPARATION FOR DEATH. 
 
 dence. Your fellow-creature is dead : he speaks no more, he 
 moves no more, he breathes no more: he has done with all 
 the businesses, all the pleasures, all the relations of life : he is 
 stripped of his former raiment, and wrapped in a shroud : he 
 walk;s no more at large, but is confined to the narrow limits 
 of the coffin ; he mixes in human society no more : he is now 
 the companion' of worms : he has forsaken all his former pos- 
 sessions, and retains nothing but a little spot of earth, with 
 which he will shortly mingle, so as not to be distinguished 
 from it. This is the end of man. This will shortly be your 
 end* Prepare for it — prepare to die— prepare to meet your 
 God." Such is the language of Providence. He that hath 
 an ear to hear, let him hear it. 
 
 The words of our text were spoken by Jesus Christ to his 
 disciples, with respect to the> destruction of Jerusalem, and 
 also with respect to the end of the world. The destruction 
 of Jerusalem was a "coming of the Son of man," to execute 
 terrible judgments on the unbelieving Jews. The Son of 
 man will also come to judge the world at the last day. But 
 the particular time of the first event was kept secret ; " the 
 day and the hour was known to no man." The same may 
 be said of the day of judgment. Our Saviour uses this as an 
 argument with his disciples to be always ready. " Watch, 
 therefore," saith he, "for ye know not what hour your Lord 
 doth come." And this he enforces by two comparisons taken 
 from the common prudence of men. If any housekeeper was 
 told that some time or another in the night his house would 
 be attacked by thieves, he would be sure to watch, at every 
 hour, till the danger was over. And if a servant is ordered 
 to sit up for his master, but knows not whether he will come 
 home at twelve o'clock, at two, or at three, he ought to be 
 watching, that whenever he comes he may be ready to open 
 the door ; so, " be ye also ready, for ye know not what hour 
 your Lord doth come." 
 
 The hour of death is the hour of the Lord's coming to us. 
 He comes to put a, period to that life which his power had 
 constantly supported. He comes to separate the immortal 
 
SERMON LII. 553 
 
 spirit from the ijiortal body. He comes to call the soul to his 
 tribunal, and fix its state in endless bliss or woe. And al- 
 though his coming will not be visible, attended with angels 
 in the clouds of heaven, as his last grand coming shall be, yet 
 it is equally important and solemn in its consequences to each 
 individual. Jesus has " the keys of death ;" he has a right 
 to close our lives when he pleases ; and he has " the keys of 
 the unseen world," to open the doors of heaven to his people, 
 and to open the doors of hell to the wicked. 
 
 But the time of his coming is a profound secret ; " of that 
 day and of that hour knoweth no man." There is, indeed, 
 an appointed time to man upon the earth ; his days are de- 
 termined ; " the number of his months are with God," who 
 has fixed "bounds which he cannot pass," But where the 
 bounds are fixed, or how many the years and months and 
 days, who can tell ? It is not fit for us to know. If wicked 
 men certainly knew they should yet live many years, their 
 hearts would be fully set in them to do evil ; they would be 
 more presumptuously wicked than they are. And if weakly 
 and timorous people knew the time of their death, they would 
 thereby be made unfit for any of the enjoyments or duties of 
 life. It is therefore best as it is. Thus we are kept depend- 
 ent on the God of our lives ; and if truly wise, we are kept 
 always watchful — always desiring and endeavoring, accord- 
 ing to our Saviour's advice in the text, to be ready, which is 
 the subject of the present discourse. We therefore observe, 
 
 I. To be ALWAYS READY FOR DEATH, should be the first, the 
 grand business of our lives. 
 
 No man remaining in his natural state of sin, is, or can 
 be ready for death. " The wages of sin is death," and he 
 who dies in his sins must receive the wages of them. " The 
 wicked is driven away in his wickedness," " chased out of 
 the world," forced away in anger, and against his will, like a 
 malefactor to the dungeon, or a criminal to the gibbet. The 
 natural man cleaves to the dust ; his head and heart are full 
 of worldly schemes and projects of happiness ; but death 
 unexpectedly arrives, and stops_ him short. " In that very 
 
554 PREPAEATION FOR DEATH. 
 
 day his thoughts perish ;" and while he saith, " Peace and 
 safety, sudden, destruction cometh upon -him, as travail upon 
 a woman with child, and he shall not escape." He is per- 
 haps saying to himself, " Soul, thou hast much goods laid up 
 for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry:'' 
 but God saith unto him, " Thou fool, this night thy soul shall 
 be required of thee." 
 
 It is unspeakably awful for a person to die in his sins; 
 his guilt unpardoned ; his heart unrenewed ; under the power 
 of that carnal mind which is enmity against God. " Guilt," 
 says one, " is a bad companion in life, but how terrible will 
 it be in death ! It lies now, perhaps, like cold brimstone on 
 their benumbed consciences ; but when death opens the way 
 for the sparks of diyine vengeance to fall upon it, it will make 
 dreadful flames in the conscience, in which the soul will be 
 wrapt up for ever." 
 
 Vain are the hopes of ungodly men with respect to death. 
 They do not like to think of dying; but when they do, they 
 flatter themselves in their iniquity, and hope they shal 1 do 
 very well at last ; they think they have good hearts, or that 
 their good deeds will make amends for their bad ones ; or that 
 they shall have time to repent and make their" peace with 
 Gocl, receive the sacrament,, and so get the priest's passport to 
 lieaven. vain and delusive hope ! Such men generally 
 die as they live; and "what is the hope of the hypocrite, 
 though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?" 
 These foolish hopes, not being founded on the word of God, 
 are like a house built upon the sand ; and when the rain shall 
 descend, the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon 
 the house, down it mvist fall, and great will be the fall of it. 
 
 Only "the pure in heart shall see God." How can the 
 profane man, who blasphemes his Maker every day, and with 
 almost every breath calls for damnation, expect to meet God 
 with safety ? How can the unclean, the whoremonger, the 
 adulterer, or the lascivious, expect to be admitted into the 
 presence of a pure and Jioly God? How can the Sabbath- 
 breaker imagine he shall be permitted to keep perpetual Sab- 
 
SERMON LII. 555 
 
 bath in heaven, who could not endure the work of a short 
 Sabbath once a week on earth? Shall the wilfully ignorant 
 dream of a share in the inheritance of the saints in light ; the 
 dishonest man think to rank with the righteous; the self- 
 righteous with those who have washed their robes in the 
 blood of the Lamb? Alas, all such hopes will be disap- 
 pointed : "their hope shall be cut off, and their trust shall be 
 as a spider's web." 
 
 II. What then is it to be ready for death ? In what 
 does a real preparation for it consist ? 
 
 1. The foundation of the whole is, an interest in Christ. 
 " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." Sin and death 
 came by Adam; righteousness and life come by Christ. " By 
 one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and 
 so death hath passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." 
 " Through the offence of one many are dead ;" yea, " by the 
 offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemna- 
 tion." Now, as our being in Adam is the cause of death, 
 being in Christ is the cause of life. Our union with the first 
 man has subjected us to sin, misery, death, and hell ; union 
 with the second can alone afford us righteousness, happiness, 
 life, and glory. " I am," said Jesus, " the life. I am come 
 that theyvmay have life : and he that believeth in me, though 
 he were dead, yet shall he live ; and whosoever liveth, and 
 believeth in me, shall never die." 
 
 There is no security against the fatal consequences of 
 death, but by believing in Jesus. The soul that is truly 
 convinced of sin, that sees its danger, that is sensible of its 
 helplessness, that is enlightened in the knowledge of Christ, 
 will fly for refuge to him, will trust alone in his perfect right- 
 eousness ; and in doing so is secure. " The name of the Lord 
 is a strong tower ; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." 
 This, therefore, was the summit of St. Paul's wish : " that I 
 may he found in him;" that is, as he explains it, not having 
 on his own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ by 
 faith. Phil. 8:9. He saw that his own righteousness was 
 insufficient. In the days of his ignorance he trusted to it ; 
 
556- PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 
 
 but being taught of G-od, he discarded it; he despised it, as 
 to the thought of appearing in it, or being justified by it. 
 He now longs to be found in Christ, that is, in his jight- . 
 eousness — to be found in it as a safe refuge, in which the 
 avenger of blood cannot reach him — to be found in it as the 
 Wedding-garment, in which the master of the feast would 
 accept him. There is no living happily, nor dying safely, but 
 as we are in Christ ; and some who have vainly trusted in 
 their own works in the secure hour of prosperity, have wisely 
 thought better of it when they came to die, and confessed " it 
 was safer to trust to the righteousness of Christ." 
 
 If we are united to Christ, and are interested in his right- 
 eousness, death cannot hurt us ; it is like a serpent that has 
 lost its sting. So the apostle beautifully speaks : " The sting 
 of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the laio ; but thanks 
 be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus 
 Christ." 1 Cor. 15 : 56. Death is compared to a venomous 
 serpent, that pierces and poisons. Sin is the sting of this 
 deadly serpent* It is sin that makes death so terrible to 
 nature ; were it not for sin, death would be of little conse- 
 quence, considering what a vain and vexatious world thi^ is. 
 And the strength of sin is the law. That which gives such a 
 formidable power to siii, whereby it subjects us to the death 
 of the body, and to everlasting misery, is the holy and right- 
 eous law of God, armed with its fearful curse, and binding 
 the sinner under the guilt of his sin to th« destruction of both 
 body and soul. But thanks be to God, Jesus Christ has taken 
 away the sins of his people by the sacrifice of himself; re- 
 deemed us from the curse of the law, by becoming a curse for 
 us ; and thus he hath deprived death of its sting. " Death shot 
 its sting into our Saviour's side; there left it; there lost it." 
 
 This is the true and only foundation of our preparation 
 for death. It is sin that makes death terrible; but Christ 
 hath taken away sin, and so taken away the sting of death. 
 If, therefore, we believe in him, death cannot hurt us; for 
 " there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus," 
 the gospel having freed them from the law of sin and death. 
 
"SERMON LIT. 55? 
 
 " He that hath the Son hath life ;" he shall never perish, hut 
 shall have everlasting life. 
 
 How much to be pitied are those poor ignorant creatures, 
 who, in the prospect of death, comfort themselves with the 
 thoughts of having done no harm ; having paid every one his 
 own ; having been good livers ; having kept church and sac- ■ 
 rament ; and having been good to the poor, and so oh. All 
 these are refuges of lies, and will leave the sinner exposed to 
 the curse of the law, and to the sting of death. As no man 
 can keep the law, no man can be saved by the law. Only 
 Christ our surety could keep the law perfectly : he did so ; 
 and by so doing has brought in " everlasting righteousness," 
 which is to all and upon all who believe. Blessed then are 
 they, and they only, who die in the Lord. To he in Christ, 
 then, is the groundwork of our readiness for death ; to have 
 Christ in us, by his Spirit sanctifying our nature, is equally 
 necessary ; and these blessings are always connected. " He 
 that is joined to the Lord is one spirit ;" for " if any man have 
 not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." 
 
 2. "We cannot be prepared for death unless we are pre- 
 pared for heaven ; and no man is prepared for heaven but by 
 the Holy Ghost. Our Lord has most solemnly declared that 
 " except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of 
 God." Natural men think little of heaven ; they have little 
 other notion of it than that it is riot hell. But if they had 
 any just conception of that holy and happy state, their reason 
 would convince them that without an inward change they 
 could never attain or enjoy it. Heaven would be a burden to 
 a graceless soul. As well might a swine that wallows in 
 filthy mire be delighted with the splendors of a palace, or a 
 stupid ass be enchanted with the harniony of a concert, as a , , 
 sensual carnal man be satisfied with the joys of the heavenly 
 world. There must be a new heart, a new nature,. and new 
 affections, or there can be no relish for a better world. The 
 more any thing, or person, on earth, is like heaven, the more 
 the sinner hates it ; and the more resemblance it bears to hell, 
 the more he loves it. His carnality of soul, his love of- sen- 
 
558 PREPAEATION FOR DEATH. 
 
 sual pleasures, with all the wicked passions of his mind, are 
 daily fitting him for another place, and another sort of com-» 
 pany. He is treasuring up food for the worm that never dies, 
 and fuel for the fire that shall never be quenched. 
 
 But by regenerating grace, the believer is formed for glory. 
 God has given a new bias to hi«- affections. He sees the evil 
 of sin, and sincerely hates it. He sees the beauty of holiness, 
 and ardently desires it. He sees the excellency of the dear 
 Redeemer, and cordially loves him. He delights in the law 
 of the Lord, after the inward man. He loves the truth, the 
 day, the ordinances, the people of Grod. He sees the vanity 
 of the world, and is, in some degree, weaned from it. He has 
 a glimpse of the glory that shall be revealed, and longs to 
 behold it; and in this experience he enjoys a foretaste of 
 heaven. He is not altogether a stranger to the joys of that 
 celestial place. "He who hath wrought us for the selfsame 
 thing is God ;" and this experience is a blessed earnest of the 
 future possession; The believer's title to heaven is in the 
 righteousness of Christ alone ; but his fitness for it is by these 
 gracious operations of the Holy Spirit ; and he who enjoys 
 them in the greatest degree, is the person best prepared for 
 the great change. 
 
 In these blessed dispositions consists the believer's habit- 
 ual readiness for death ; but it is usual also to speak of his 
 actual readiness. Our Lord has illustrated the difference be- 
 tween habitual and actual preparation, by the similes em- 
 ployed in the context. "A housekeeper is habitually ready 
 for the thief, when he has taker), all proper measures to secure 
 his habitation by doors and bars and bolts ; but he is actually 
 ready when he stands armed to oppose his entrance. So the 
 faithful servant is habitually ready to serve his master at any 
 hour of the day, in any work to which he may be called : he 
 is actually ready for his lord's return when he keeps waking, 
 with the light in his hand." 
 
 The believer is actually ready for death when the graces 
 of the Spirit in his soul are in their lively exercise. When 
 faith is strong, triumphing over doubt and uncertainty ; when 
 
SERMON LII. 559 
 
 hope is firm, subduing painful fears ; when love to God, and 
 Christ, and heavenly things," is ardent ; when he is actually- 
 employed in performing the proper duties of his station, or 
 when calmly submitting to the afflicting hand of God ; when 
 he is guarding against excessive cares, or undue indulgence 
 of the flesh ; and especially when the thoughts of death be- 
 come familiar and pleasant, and the views of glory bright 
 and enchanting — then, with the world under his feet, heaven 
 in his eye, and Christ in his arms, he may say with pious 
 Simeon,: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, 
 according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." 
 
 How important is readiness for death ! Remember, death 
 will come at its appointed hour, whether you are ready or 
 not ; and Oh, how often at an unexpected hour ! Not seldom, 
 death comes suddenly. How often do we hear of sudden 
 deaths ! How many go to bed well, and never rise more ; or 
 go out from home well, and never return ! Some are snatched 
 away in the midst of their amusements, and others while 
 engaged in their callings. How necessary then to be always 
 ready, to be ready now. Delay in this case is dangerous indeed. 
 Almost all men talk of preparing at some future time : when 
 sickness shakes them over the grave, or whfen the Lord re- 
 moves a relation or a neighbor by some alarming stroke, they 
 promise themselves they; will repent and reform ; but the im- 
 pression soon dies away ; the world, like the returning tide, 
 fills their hearts with its cares and pleasures, and the writing 
 on the sand is all erased. " So dies in human hearts the 
 thoughts of death." 
 
 But Oh, consider the unspeakably dreadful consequence 
 of dying unprepared. We can die but once ; and if we die 
 in our sins, we are lost — lost for ever. There is no repentance 
 in the grave, no pardon in the grave, no regeneration in the 
 grave. Now then is the time ; it may be the only time ; cer- 
 tainly the best time. It may be, now or never. 
 
 How happy is the life of that man who has " a good hope 
 through grace;" "the full assurance of hope;" a solid, scrip- 
 
560 PREPAEATTON FOR DEATH. 
 
 tural persuasion of his interest in Christ. He truly enjoys 
 life ; and he may smile at death. He may say with St. Paul, 
 " for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." While I live 
 here, Christ is with me ; when I die, I shall be with Christ. 
 How contented and cheerful may he be in the humblest lot, 
 who knows that he is an heir of God, and a joint-heir with 
 Christ. happy, happy, happy man ! Do not you wish to 
 be like him ? 
 
 But what is your present course ? If you are living in 
 sin, gratifying the lusts of the flesh, and departing from the 
 living Grod, you cannot have this assurance. If any man be 
 in Christ, he is a new creature ; and he walks not according 
 to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. If you are living in 
 sin, you cannot be happy. You know you are not. You try 
 to be happy by forgetting death; but you cannot forget it. 
 The tolling of the bell, the sight of a funeral, or the news of 
 another's decease,-will force the recollection of it, and it makes 
 you miserable. You are like the man at the banquet, with 
 a drawn sword hung over his head by a hair. You cannot 
 enjoy life, for fear of death. that you were wise, for relig- 
 ion is true wisdom. Eorsake the foolish and live. Let the 
 wicked forsake his way, and turn unto the Lord. Let him 
 cry to God for the help of his Holy Spirit, without which no 
 efibrts of nature to get rid of sin will prove effectual ; but 
 with which the strongest corruptions may be subdued, and 
 the sinner prepared for death and heaven. 
 
 Let Christians remember their Lord's advice : " Be ye also 
 ready; for ye know not the hour when your Lord cometh." 
 Remember even the "wise virgins" slumbered and slept. 
 Guard against this slothful temper. Cannot ye watch one 
 hour? Be sober; be vigilant. The judge is at the door. 
 Be diligent, believer in Jesus, and like your Master, "work 
 while it is called to-day ; the night cometh, in which no man 
 can work." Many have, on a dying-bed, repented of their 
 negligence — none of their diligence, Now is the time for 
 activity ; there will be rest enough in the grave. And Oh, 
 daily guard against every obstruction to actual readiness. 
 
SEEMON LII. 561 
 
 Conform not to the world in its levities and vanities. Be 
 much alone — ^be much with G-od. Make conscience of re- 
 deeming precious time, and employing all your talents for 
 the glory of Grod, the welfare of your family, the church, and 
 the world. In a word, die daily. 
 
 When God removes any one who is dear to us, what cor- 
 dial consolation does it afford, if we have reason to believe he 
 was ready for death. We must not sorrow as men without 
 hope. The change is his great advantage. It would be self- 
 ish to wish him out of heaven, to reside again in this vale of 
 tears. "We should scarcely dare to weep," said one, "if 
 Christ had evidently taken the body along with the soul of 
 our friend to heaven;" and why weep now? Absent from 
 the body, he is present with the Lord ; and though the body 
 must see corruption, it shall not always be the prisoner of the 
 grave. Jesus has engaged to raise it up at the last day, and 
 to fashion it like his own glorious body. O let us prepare to 
 follow our pious friends, favored with an earlier call to glory : 
 while we remain below, let us be active for Grod ; and soon 
 shall we join our kindred spirits before the throne, unite in 
 the song of the redeemed, and " so be for ever with the Lord." 
 
 VU. Ser. 36 
 
OBEX 
 
 OP 
 
 SUBJECTS DISCUSSED IN THE VILLAGE SERMONS. 
 
 *»* The first figure after each article refers to the sermon, the second to the page. 
 
 A. 
 
 Acceptance with God, only by Christ, xxxii. 335-338 ; xlii. 442, 443. 
 
 Aaxss to God, by Jesus, xix. 191, 192. 
 
 Adoption, the Spirit of, xiv. 137 ; privileges of, xxv. 255 ; xxxviii. 407. 
 
 Agony of Christ in the garden, xlv. 475, 476. 
 
 Air, a type of the Spirit, xlvii. 497. 
 
 Amusements, carnal, to be avoided, li. 545. 
 
 Anecdotes, xii. 117 ; xxi. 218, 169, 171 ; xxiii. 238 ; xxv. 261 ; xxvi. 268, 269, 
 
 270 ; XXX. 315 ; xxxiii. 347 ; xxxv. 372. 
 .ATjg-eZs, believers shall be like the, xxxviii. 405. 
 Anger of God against sin, v. 54. 
 Apostasy from Christ to be dreaded, xliii. 452-461. 
 Ark of Noah, a type of Christ, xxxix. 408-416; ample dimensions of the, 
 
 xxxix. 413. 
 Articles of the Church of England quoted, iv. 43 ; xxi. 219 ; xxxii. 339. 
 Ashamed of Christ, the Christian not, xxxiv. 354. 
 Athanasian creed, quoted, xxxiii. 348. 
 
 B. 
 
 Baptism not regeneration, xiii. 129 ; the form of, a proof of the Trinity, 
 
 xxxiii. 351. 
 Bdieving in Christ the first great business of a sinner, xv. 152 ; xxii. 226 ; 
 
 xxiii. 236. 
 Benediction, the apostolic, explained, xxxiii. 351. 
 Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, xliv. 463-467. 
 Bible proved to be the word of God, xxiv. 248-252. 
 Blood and water, from the side of Christ, xxxv. 373. 
 Bones, the parable of the dry, xlvii. 497. 
 Books, the, opened at the day of judgment, xi. 112. 
 
564 INDEX. 
 
 ^- ' 
 
 Capivmty of sinners, vi. 53. 
 
 Card-playing, the evil of, li. 548. 
 
 Cardessness about religion, fatal, xvii. I'lO. 
 
 Carnal mind described, ii. 18 ; xxv. 260 ; xxxv. 366 ; the enmity of the, 
 xxiii. 233 ; leads to death, xxxv. 369-3T4. 
 
 Change, the, wrought in regeneration, vii. 68 ; iii. 28 ; xxiii. 233. 
 
 Chastity, what is, iii. 32. 
 
 Children, tokens of their depravity, v. 51 : a sermon to, xui. 
 
 CHBigi, his nativity, xliv. 463-413 ; seed of the woman, xliv. 410 ; his 
 divinity, see Trinity ; our Benefactor, xlviii. 501-511 ; his superiority 
 over Satan, xU. 430 ; the true vine, ixxii. 340 ; the way, xix. 190-209 ; 
 the bread of life, xxii. 222 ; the end of the law for righteousness, 
 iv. 31-46 ; the only Foundation, xxxii. 332 ; our Passover, xxviii. 288 ; 
 a King, xxxvii. 388 ; xx. 203 ; his crucifixion, xlv. 414-484, 485 ; his 
 resurrection, xlvi. 518-528 ; all in all, vi. 51 ; xlii. 441. 
 
 Christian temper, the, xlix. 389-396 ; practice, 1. 529-539. 
 
 Christian naiM, dishonored by many, xxiii. 238. 
 
 Christless religion worthless, ilii. 441, 442. 
 
 Christmas abused by many, xliv. 412. 
 
 Commandments explained, iii. 29-33. 
 
 Coming to Christ, what is, xx. 202, 203 ; sinners who come, welcome, xx. 
 201-208. 
 
 Company of the wicked dangerous, xxxix. 409 ; li. 542. 
 
 Compassion of God to penitent souls, xviii. 186. 
 
 Compassion of Christ, xx. 201 ; xxxvii. 391, 392 ; xlix. 625. 
 
 Conformity to the world forbidden, li. 540-550. 
 
 Connections with the world dangerous, xliii. 454. 
 
 Conviction of sin, i. 8 ; viii. 11, 18 ; ix. 92 ; xxvii. 218-282 ; xlvii. 501. 
 
 Conversion of the jailer, i. 1-16 ; of Saul, xxix. 299-308. 
 
 Cornelius, Peter sent to instruct him, xlviii. 501-508. 
 
 Cross of Christ, the triumph of, xxiii. 235 ; the Christian's glory, xlv. 414-484. 
 
 D. 
 
 Dandng, the mixed, of both sexes, and public, a dangerous amusement, li. 
 
 541. 
 Darkness, Satan rules in and by, xli. 433, 434. 
 Death, xi. 101-110 ; the effect of sin, iv. 44 ; xxxv. 365-311 ; vi. 59 ; the 
 
 sting of, taken away, xlii. 448 ; Iii. 553 ; preparation for, xi. 110 ; xxv. 
 
 258 ; Iii. 555-559 ; abolished in heaven, xxxviii. 404. 
 Decdtfidness of the heart, xiii. 133 ; xv. 150. 
 Depart, the import of that awful word, xii. 119. 
 Departing from Christ, to be dreaded, xv. 151. 
 Descent of the Holy Spirit, xlvii. 496-501. 
 Destruction, the certain consequence of sin, ii. 19, 20, 22. 
 Difference, between the law and the gospel, iii. 35. 
 Difficulties in religion, whence they arise, ii. 24 ; xxi. 216. 
 Distinction between the church and the world, a real, li. 549; 
 Diversions, carnal, the danger of, li. 545-549. 
 
INDEX. 565 
 
 E. 
 
 Ease and pleasantness of Christ's ways, ii. 24. 
 
 Education of children important, xvii. 176. 
 
 Elohim, meaning of the name, xxxiii. 346. 
 
 Encouragement of the gospel to convinced sinners, xx. 201-205. 
 
 Error, the danger of, xvii. 445, 516 ; li. 410. 
 
 Example of Christ, the efficacy of the, xlii. 445 ; xlviii. 516 ; xlix. 518. 
 
 Excdknt effects of the gospel, an argument for its truth, xxiv. 250. 
 
 Excuses of sinners exposed, xxi. 213-220 ; xxxi. 328. 
 
 Exhortation, mutual, recommended, xvii. 177. 
 
 Evidences of Christianity sufficient, xxiv. 251-252 ; xxvii. 285, 286. 
 
 F. 
 
 Faith, Mr. Eomainc's definition of, xxii. 226, 227 ; Witsius' xxii. 177 ; the 
 
 nature of, xxii. 225-227 ; a coming to Christ, xx. 203 ; recommended, i. 
 
 14 ; ii. 22 ; xxii. 226 ; xxxvi. 384 ; when true, operative, xxxii. 342 ; 
 
 XXXV. 373 ; necessary to produce obedience, xv. 152 ; of Noah, xxxix, 
 
 414-416. 
 Fall of man, v. 49-54 ; its sad effects, v. 51, 52. 
 Falls of professors, xliii. 453. 
 
 Father, God to be prayed to as a, xiv. 137. _ 
 
 Fear of God, x. 99 ; xlix. 520 ; occasioned by sin, i. 10. 
 Fears of convinced sinners, an antidote to the, xxvi. 265-267. 
 Fitness for heaven, xix. 194 ; xxxviii. 401. 
 Fire of hell, xii. 120. 
 
 Flesh, walking according to the, xxiii. 233 ; xxxv. 365. 
 Folly of sinners, xviii. 179-188 ; xxiii. 237. 
 Formality and hypocrisy, the danger of, xv. 146-156 ; xvii. 170. 
 Forsaking God, xviii. 180 ; xxxvi. 378. 
 Foundation, Christ the only true, xxxii. 332-342. 
 Funeral, a sermon adapted to a, lii. 551. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gate, the straight and wide, ii. 17-26. 
 
 Garden, Christ's sufferings in the, xlv. 475. 
 
 Gentiles, following the will of the, what is, xxiii. 233. 
 
 Glory of God, the chief end of man, vii; 70 ; xvii. 174. 
 
 God manifested in the flesh, xliv. 466. 
 
 Good, Christ went about doing, xlviii. 509 ; works, what are truly, x. 101. 
 
 Godliness, taught by the gospel, 1. 530. 
 
 Gospel, what is the, xxxiv. 355 ; why called the grace of God, 1. 530 ; the 
 
 power of God to salvation, xxxiv. 357 ; teacheth holiness, 1. 532 ; 
 
 opposed by Satan, xli. 433 ; occasions strife and division, xli. 435 ; 
 
 feast, xxi. 212 ; not detrimental to holiness, xxxiv. 356 ; recommended 
 
 by a holy life, xvii. 177 ; xxxiv. 358 ; we should invite people to hear 
 
 it, xvii. 176. 
 Grace of God, in receiving sinners, xviii. 185 ; xx. 204-208 ; in renewing sin- 
 
566 INDEX. 
 
 ners, xxiii. 234 ; displayed in the conversion of Saul, xxix. 299-308 ; of 
 
 the dying thief, xxxvii. ,387-391. 
 Grace and works, inconsistent in justification, iv. 43. 
 Grace and duty, consistent in sanctification, xxxv. 372. 
 Guill, a terrible companion in death, lii. 553. 
 
 H. 
 
 Hallowing the name of God, xiv. 138. 
 
 Happiness of true believers, xxv. 255-260 ; xvii. 174 ; xix. 197 ; xxxii. 341, 
 
 342 ; Christ the source of, xxxii. 340 ; xlii. 446. 
 Hardness of the heart, xiii. 129. 
 Heart of stone and flesh, vii. 69 ; of man by nature hard, proud, worldly, 
 
 wicked, deceitful, unbelieving, the source of evil, xiii. 129-133 ; the 
 
 secrets of the, disclosed, xxvii. 281. 
 Heaven, what is, xxii. 103 ; xvii. 176 ; xxxviii. 399-407 ; a title to, xix. 193.; 
 
 way to it, xix. 191-193 ; fitness for, vii. 76 ; x. 103, 262 ; Christ the 
 
 heaven of heaven, xlii. 449. 
 Hell, the misery of, ii. 21 ; xxiv. 245, 247. • 
 
 Holiday seasons, a sermon adapted to, li. 540-548. 
 Holiness, what is, x. 98 ; necessity of, x. 102 ; the means of, x. 104 ; the nar- 
 
 now way of, ii. 23 ; attained only by the gospel, xxxiv. 360 ; 1. 355, 356. 
 Holt Spirit a divine person, see Trinity. 
 Honesty requii'ed by the eighth commandment, iii. 32. 
 Humility, what is, x. 100 ; xi. 107 ; xlix. 519. 
 Hypocrisy, the danger of, xv. 146-150 ; xvi. 157 ; xxi. 213 ; xxix. 307. 
 
 I. 
 
 Image of God, man made in the, v. 47. 
 
 Immanuel, see Birt/i of Christ. 
 
 Importance of Christ's resurrection, xlvi. 491—493. 
 
 Imputation, the nature of, iv. 38. 
 
 Ignorance of fallen man, v. 51. 
 
 Influences of the Spirit, ix. 87-93 ; continued to this day, xlvii. 503. 
 
 JmsctiotW^ of sinners, xxxvi. 377. 
 
 Inventions of fallen men, v. 50. 
 
 Invitations of the gospel, xx. 201, 206 ; xxi. 212-213 ; xxxvi. 380. 
 
 J- 
 
 Jailer, the conversion of the, i. 8-1 6. 
 Jehovah, meaning of the name, xxxiii. 346. 
 Judgment, eternal, xi. Ill ; xv. 154. 
 
 Justification, the importance of, iv. 40 ; by the righteousness of Christ, iv. 39 ; 
 xlv. 482 ; of the publican, xvi. 165. 
 
 K. 
 
 Kingdom of Christ, xiv. 139 ; xxxvii. 388 ; of Satan, xiv. 140. 
 Knowledge of ourselves, and of sin by the law, iii. 28-33 ; v. 54 ; of right- 
 eousness by the gospel, iii. 32 ; of God only from the Bible, xxxiii. 343 ; 
 
INDEX. 567 
 
 when true, includes faith, xl. 424 ; is pleasant, xxv. 255 ; xl. 425 ; spir- 
 itual, supernatural, experimental, and practical, xl. 423 ; of Christ, what 
 is a, xl. 422-425. 
 
 L. 
 
 Labor for spiritual food, what is, xxii. 225. 
 
 Law, the nature and use of the, iii. 28-36 ; xvi. 159 ; xxvii. 280 ; the minis- 
 tration of death, xxiii. 235, 236 ; cannot save, xlii. 443 ; iv. 37 ; xxiii. 
 235 ; satisfied and honored by Christ, iv. 38. 
 
 Legality of sinners newly convinced, i. 12 ; xlii. 440. 
 
 Lewdness, the abomination of, xxxviii. 403. 
 
 Life, shortness of, xi. 110 ; and death set before us, xxxv. 369. 
 
 Lord's day profaned, iii. 32 ; delightful, xxv. 259 ; on the observation of the, 
 xxxi. 321-329. 
 
 Loss of the soul tremendous, xxvi. 268, 
 
 Love of God, in the gift of his Son, xxx. 311-317 ; the sum of the whole law, 
 iii. 31; iv. 37; xv. 153 ; xxxv. 372 ; the prevailing disposition of renewed 
 persons, x. 101 ; xxv. 259 ; of the world, xiii. 132 ; li. 540-544. 
 
 Luther, a saying of, iv. 37-43. 
 
 Lying, the sin of, xiii. 103. 
 
 M. 
 
 Mad, sinners are, not serious persons, i. 11 ; xxiii. 237. 
 
 Man, his original state, iv. 36 ; of the world, xxi. 213. 
 
 Marriage, the design of, xxxviii. 403 ; with infidels unlawful; xxxlx. 409. 
 
 Means of grace, what are, x. 104. 
 
 Meekness, a branch of the Christian temper, xlix. 524. 
 
 Memory, a source of misery in hell, xii. 120 ; xxiv. 246. 
 
 Mercy, its value at the great day, xvi. 164; sought, xvi. 166; pardoning, 
 xxxvi. 376-380 ; a Christian temper, xlix. 525. 
 
 Miracles of Christ, xxiv. 250 ; an evidence of Christianity, xxiv. 251. 
 
 Mockers at serious things, xxxix. 412. 
 
 Morality, the insufficiency of, x. 98 ; xxviii. 298 ; xlix. 526 ; the gospel pro- 
 duces true, xxxiv. 360. 
 
 Multitude, the, not to be followed, ii. 20. 
 
 Murder, ways in which it is committed, iii. 32. . 
 
 N. 
 
 Name of God profaned, iii. 30. 
 
 JSTames of Christ, i. 14 ; xx. 203, 206 ; xxii. 223 ; xl. 424. 
 
 Negligence in religion dangerous, xliii. 455. 
 
 Neighbor, the love of our, iii. 31 ; duty to, x. 103. 
 
 Nicodemus, Christ's discourse with, vii. 67 ; xiii. 128. 
 
 Noah's ark a type of Christ, xxxix. 413-416. 
 
 0. 
 
 Obedience, Christ is the foundation of all holy, xxxii. 338. 
 Objections of infidels one proof of the truth of Scripture, xxiv. 251. 
 
568 INDEX. 
 
 Offices and characters of Christ, encouraging to sinners, xx. 205. 
 Ordinances, religious, the delight of the new creature, vii. 61 ; xlii. 448. 
 Original state of men, v. 41, 49 ; sin, one Of the first principles of our relig- 
 ion, V. 49 ; acknowledged, viii. 82. 
 Outward religion, its insufficiency, xv. 148-151. 
 
 P. 
 
 JPalace, the human heart a, xli. 431. 
 
 Pardon of sin, by the gospel, xxxiv. 362 ; xxxvi. 316-380. 
 
 PauVs conversion, a proof of the truth of the gospel, xxix. 304-308. 
 
 Passover, Christ our, xxviii. 290. 
 
 Peace with God, how made, xix. 192 ; xxv. 251 ; xlii. 441 ; false, xli. 435. 
 
 Peter's confession, xl. 423 ; his character, xliii. 458 ; sent to Cornelius, xlviii. 
 
 501. 
 Persecution excited by the gospel, xxiii. 239 ; xxvii. 284 ; xxix. 300 ; its ef- 
 fects upon some, xliii. 456. 
 Pentecost, the day of, xlvii. 496-501. 
 Pharisee &nA. publican, xvi. 151-166. 
 Pharisees, all men born, xvi. 166 ; their customs, xxix. 300 ; their! dislike of 
 
 penitent sinners, xviii. 188 ; their mistakes, x. 98. 
 Piety, the Christian temper, xlix. 522. 
 Plague of the heart, xxvii. 282. 
 Pleasures of religion, xvii. 115 ; xix. 191 ; xxv. 362 ; xlii. 441 ; of religious 
 
 duties, xxv, 361 ; of divine knowledge, xl. 421. 
 Plays, a dangerous amusement, li. 546. 
 Plurality of divine persons in Jehovah, see Trinity. 
 Power of the gospel, xxvii. 211-281 ; of Christ to do good, xli. 436 ; xlviii. 
 
 509 ; of Satan over wicked men, xli. 430. 
 Portivn, a new heart, the child's best, xiii. 121-134; of wicked men in this 
 
 life, see world. 
 Practice, the Christian, 1. 529-539. 
 Prayer, xxv. 559 ; of a convinced sinner, xxvii. 283; of the publican, xvi. 
 
 162 of the thief, xxxvii. 381 ; for others, xvii. 116 ; the Lord's prayer 
 
 explained, xiv. 136-144 ; hinderances to prayer, xxvii. 283 ; prayerless 
 
 persons are atheists, xxix. 309 ; xlviii. 501. 
 Prejudices against the gospel, i. 12 ; xli. 434 ; removed, xxvii. 284. 
 Preparation for heaven, vii. 14 ; lii. 551 ; for death, lii. 551-558. 
 Preaching of the gospel, an ordinance' of God, xxvii. 211 ; opposed by Satan, 
 
 xli. 433. 
 Priest, Christ our great and compassionate, xx. 203. . 
 Pride of the heart, xiii. 130 ; xlix. 519 ; of reason, xliii. 451 ; how destroyed, 
 
 xlix. 520 ; of the Pharisee, xvi. 158-160. 
 Punishment of sin in hell, xii; 118. 
 Purity of heart, xiii. 128. 
 
 R. 
 
 Reasonableness of religion,' xxxvi. 380. 
 Reasons of our faith, xxiv. 249. 
 
INDEX. 569 
 
 Reasoning pride dangerous, xliii. 45T. 
 
 JRmdiness for death, lii. 551- -561. 
 
 Regeneration, yii. 68-73 ; xxiii. 234 ; xxv. 255 ; reformation not, vii. 10. 
 
 Relative duties, iii. 31 ; holiness, 1. 534. 
 
 Relations, human, cease in heaven, xxxviii. 403, 404. 
 
 Rdigion, the pleasure of, xxv. 555-563 ; the excellency of, xl. 425-429. 
 
 Renewing of the Holy Ghost, xxxiv. 856. 
 
 Repentance, ii. 22 ; viii. 11-84 ; xxvii. 218 ; of the dying thief, xxxvii. 386-389 ; 
 
 counterfeit of, viii. 84 ; pleasant, xxv. 256. 
 Remrreaion of Christ, xxiv. 252 ; xlvi. 485-491 ; of the dead, xi. Ill ; 
 
 xxxviii. 400-406 ; of believers, insured by that of Christ, xlvi. 494. 
 Righteousness of Christ, what it is, iv. 39, 40 ; a gift, iv. 42 ; revealed in the 
 
 gospel, xxxiv. 355 ; imputed, iv. 44 ; xii. 123 ; its use in a dying hour, 
 
 lii. 556. 
 Role of Christ's righteousness, iv. 46 ; xviii. 188. 
 Rutherford, Mr., a fine passage from, vi. 66. 
 
 s. 
 
 Sabbath, the right observation of the, iii. 30 ; xxxi. 321-331 ; disliked by 
 wicked men, the delight of the Christian, vii. 14. 
 
 Sacrifices, the ancient use of, xxviii. 291. 
 
 Safety in the ark for perishing sinners, xxxix. 413-418. 
 
 Salvation God's own contrivance, xxxix. 413 ; wholly, of grace, xxxix. 414 ; 
 how brought by the gospel, 1. 531 ; of believers, certain, i. 12. 
 
 Samaritan woman, Christ's regard to the, xx. 209. 
 
 Sanctification of believers the will of God, xv. 152 ; Christ the source of, xlii. 
 444, 445 ; xlv. 482. 
 ■ Satan, his power over wicked men, vi. 59 ; vii. 13 ; xli. 433 ; ruined, xliv. 
 411. 
 
 Saviour, the excellent name of the, xliv. 465. 
 
 Secrets of the heart detected, xxvii. 281. 
 
 Security of believers in Christ, xix. 191, 198 ; xxxix. 416. 
 
 Scripture, sufficiency qf the, xxiv. 248-252. 
 
 Self, the idol of natural men, xlix. 525. 
 
 Self-righteous pride, iv. 43 ; xvi. 158. 
 
 Self-knowledge, vii. 11. 
 
 Sdf-preservation reasonable, xxxvi. 380. 
 
 Sentences pronounced at the great day, xi. 114, 
 
 Sensual, see carnal. 
 
 Shame on account of sin, xxiii. 241 ; on account of the gospel, xxxiv. 355. 
 
 Sheep, silly, follow one another to destruction, an anecdote, xxi. 218. 
 
 Sin, conviction of, i. 8 ; xxvii. 218; sense of, xviii. 280; xxxvi. 184; sor- 
 row for, viii. 19 ; a heavy load, xxvi. 264 ; xlv. 414 ; forgiven, xiv. 
 143; and death, xxxv. 310; the sting of death, xi. 110; lii. 556 ; the 
 evil of, i. 8 ; xxvii. 210 ; xlv. 416-480 ; useless, xxiii. 231 ; certainly 
 destructive, ii. 20 ; xxiii. 288 ; xxxix, 410, 411 ; xli. 435, 436 ; a sense 
 of sin will make men pray, xvi. 162 ; mortified, xxxv. 313. 
 
 Sinners, their danger, xvii. 169 ; xxvi. 261 ; changed by grace, xxiii. 234- 
 281. 
 
5T0 INDEX. 
 
 Sincerity, evidences of, xxxviii. 401 ; xlix. 521 ; xiii. 135. 
 
 Soul, its nature, xxvi. 264 ; of immense value, xxvi. 265-269. 
 
 Son of God given to men, xxx. 312-318 ; manifested to destroy the works of 
 the devil, xliv. 469. 
 
 Sovereignty of divine grace offensive to some, xliii. 451. 
 
 Sorrow, none in heaven, xii. 124. 
 
 Spirit of God, who he is, ix. 88 ; all beUevers have the, ix. 89 ; xxxv. 313 ; 
 his descent, xlvii. 496-501 ; his influences continued, xlvii. 500 ; an ear- 
 nest of heaven, vii. 16 ; enables to mortify sin, xxxv. 311. 
 
 Spirit of the world to be avoided, li. 544. 
 
 Sufferings of Christ, xxxvii. 391 ; xlv. 415, 416. 
 
 T. 
 
 Temper, the Christian, xlix. 518-528. 
 
 Temptation prayed against, xiv. 144. 
 
 Testimony of God, received by faith, xxii. 230. 
 
 Thief, the penitent, xxxvii. 386-390. 
 
 Threatenings of God will be executed, xxxix. 409. 
 
 Tongv£s, the gift of, xlvii. 498.- 
 
 Torment of the damned, see Hdl. 
 
 Trinity, the doctrine of the, stated, xxxiii. 343-350. 
 
 u. 
 
 Vnbdief, fatal, ii. 21. 
 
 Union with Christ, lii. 555. 
 
 Usefulness of divine knowledge, xl. 426. 
 
 V. 
 
 Vain excuses of sinner's exposed, xxi. 212-220. 
 
 Value of the soul, xxvi. 265-210 ; of religion in a dying hour, xxv. 258. 
 
 Vanity of carnal amusements, xxv. 260 ; li. 545-549 ; of the world, xxvi. 
 
 211 ; xxxii. 334. 
 Victory over the world, by faith, li. 549. 
 
 w. 
 
 Walk of a natural man described, xxiii. 233. 
 
 Way, the narrow and the broad, described, ii. 11-24 ; Christ the way to God 
 
 and heaven, xix. 190-198 ; xliii. 459. 
 Warnings, of God to Noah, etc., xxxix. 411. 
 Wedding garment, xii. l^i. 
 
 Willingness of Christ to receive sinners, xx. 201-205 ; xlviii. 513. 
 Wisdom, the tTVLe,xl.A25,A26. 
 Whole, the, need not Christ, iii. 21. 
 Word of God, the means of conviction, xxvii. 219 ; of sanctification, xlii. 443 ; 
 
 of eternal life, xliii. 458 ; pleasant to the believer, xxv. 260 ; incarnate, 
 
 XXX. 314; xliv. 463-410. 
 Works of the devil, destroyed by Christ, xliv. 469 ; when truly good, x. 98 ; 
 
 cannot justify, xxvi. 214-215. 
 
INDEX. 571 
 
 World, the power of the, over natural men, vi. 62 ; to come, xxxviii. 397- 
 401 ; the love of this, dangerous, xxl. 215 ; xxiv. 246 ; vanity of the, 
 xxvi. 274 ; xxxviii. 398 ; occasions apostasy, xliii. 462 ; crucified to a 
 believer, xlv. 482 ; non-conformity to it, H. 540-549. 
 
 Worldly men, excuses of, xxi. 213-219 ; cares dangerous, when excessive, 
 . xliii. 454. 
 
 Worship of God, iii. 30 ; public, ought to be attended, xxxi. 326. 
 
 Worthiness, what is, xxxviii. 400. 
 
 Wrath to come, what is, xii. 118, 119 ; xxxix. 409, 411. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Yoiith, the vices of, v. 52 ; a sermon to, xxv. 254-264. 
 
 z. 
 
 Zaccheus, the conversion of, viii. 83 ; 
 
 Zeal no certain proof of grace, xv. 149 ; for the salvation of sinners, xvii. 
 168-178.