THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, I Princeton, N. J. d-^BF r-^i / * 7 ?/•' rJ*PKt)«^iSE oi fpecjal Grace to the Unregenerate. • *? ^ i,->*> . ■■ y Vindication of Gofpel-Truth, AND Refutation of fome dangerous Errors, In Relation to that important Question, Whe- ther there be Promises (?/* the Bejiowment of Ipecial Grace, made in Scripture to the Unre- GENERATE, on Condition of any Endeavours, Strivings, or Doings of theirs whatfoever ? CONTAINING A Reply to what the Author of a late Letter from Arijiocles to Authades^ has offer 'd on the Affirmative Side of the Queftion, with a View to invalidate the Arguments advanced by the Rev. Mr. Cooke (of Str at field) in his printed Sermon in Favour of the Nezatiyji^ r ;, .-^ In a letter! p. To the Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson, EpSf ^'tal Sftjt ^ Miflionary at Stratford, By JedidiahIvIills, A. M. Paftor of a Church at Ripton in Stratford. £ O S T O N . N. E. Printed and Sold by Rogers and Fowle in Queen-ftreet. i;47. Lji tout luui iKA/* "uw ^jv "N/y *iA^ ""jii^ '^lD/• "^fc* %iv *\&(" '\&^ "w* '^jy ^JV "W *\iv ^lO^ Prefatory Epiftle TO THE READER. Sfi^^^'l^i'SS^i'S '?' '^ '' S^ them. And for that Reafon they are often pafs'd over by wife i^^^SI ^^"' "^ ""^ worthy of any clofe Attention or warm Debate.- But the Cafe is other wife in the Controverfy now before us ; the SubjeSl whereof is not any light Matter, or bare Circumflantial of Chriflianity : But 'tis one \of the great T\\\ngs of the G of pel ; nothing lefs than wherein the Nature and Extent of the Gofpel it felf, atid New Covenant, therein revealed, tonfifls. — So that on what Side of this Debate, the Truth lies, there lies the Co- venant of Grace, and real Gofpel of Jefus Chrifl : But, en the other Side lies an- other Covenant, and another Gofpel, as to this Particular, a Covenant of Man's vzon devifing, a Gofpel fuch as Divine Revelation knows nothing of. We, on the one- Band, readily own, that the New Covenant promifes eternal Life to unfeigned Faith, Repentance, Love, iffc. And in a Word, to all Obedi- ence thence arifing ; which in a Gofpel-Senfe is termed. Good Works, Fruits of Righteouinefs, l^c. But then (as is obferved in the following Papers) we are exprefly taught by the Holy Ghofi, that none fuch can be performed by us, previous to our Regeneration. Moreover, it is readily acknowledged by us, that the Encouragement given to all, to whom the Gofpel is publifh^d, to labour after a faving Compliance therewith, is great ; and fuch as by an infinite Wifdom is futed to the State of the fallen Crea- ture : But Jim, Jhort of a Pjomife, afcertaining the Succefs of his Endeavours VI To the READER. fo as that, zahcnever firfl: Grace, or faving Converfton, is bejlotved, it Jhould be in the Way cf GOD's performing a Covenant Obligation, he had graciou'fly laid him- felf tinder, on Condition of any Seekings, Strivings, or Doings of the Sinner. What Dr. Johnfon and thofe with him on the other Side, advance, is, That GOD has gracleufiy obliged himfelf in the Nezc Covenant, not only to beflow eternal Life on the fincerely Penitent, or Godly {as above) but alfo to beflovj his fpecial, ef- ffdlual Grace on the Unregeneraie, upon Condition of certain Endeavours put forth by them, whilft under the Dominion and Guilt of Sin. So that the Contreverfy here plainly refpcRs the Nature and Extent of the New- Covenant. — Tn there- fore of the fame Importance, that we rightly underfland what Truth is in this Point-, as that we rightly underfland what the Covenant of Grace is. — Bor is it plfible the Sinner fiould know in what Form or Manner he may hope fucce/sfully to addrefs the Divine Majejly by Prayer for the Brflowment of Ipecial Grace, but by rightly under flanding the Nature and Extent of the New Covenant, in regard of this Particular. — For if fpscial Grace be given only in Purfuance of a Cove- nant-Engagement, or in the Way of performing fame Promil'e of GOD, made to certain Doings of the unctnverted Sinner, then doubtlefs it muft be a very wrong Method for the Sinner to feek it otherwife, than in the Way of Covenant- Right, or Claim, by having performed thofe Things to which it is gracioufly promifed : Be- caufe that would he to feek it out of GOD's covenanted Way of beflowing of it. Whereas, on the other Hand, if it be given meerly in the Way of Sovereignty, and not at all, in the Way of GOD' s performing any gracious Promife of his, made to the Doings of the Sinner, then it mufi be very wrong for the Sinner to feek it as a Bleffing promis'd him, to which he has or may have a Covenant-Right by any Doings of his, in his unrcgenerate State : Becaufe that would be to feek it in an An'i-icripiural Way, a Way in which GOD hath never by any Engagement oj his ^iven him the leaf Encouragement to expert the Befowment of it. Jnd if this ^latter be theCafe,it mujl then certainly follow, that all Pretence € To the READER. vil Jome Tttni finee his Letter came abroad ; but e/pecially becaufe it hath already received a fufficient Anjiaer- from the Rev. Mr. Dickinlon ; after which it may be thought, vothing further can be needful. / toouldfay then, i ft. That when I entered upon this Affair, it was with a View, that the Dr's Letter was not like to receive any Jnfwer at all. And therefore, though I knew my felf one of the leajl among my Brethren, and by no Means able to give the Caufe that full Advantage, which Truth would allow : Tet taking it to be the Cdufe of GOD, and of common Concernment, I was willing to do my Part in the Defence of it ; even as the leaJl of the King's SubjeSls ought not to fland by and fee the Interejl of his Prince fuffer, without attempting what is in his Fewer to defend it. Thus was I induced to make the pre fen t Attempt. Jind, 2dly. Though the Sufficiency of Mr. Dickinfon'/ Reply be fully conceeded, as to be fure it is by me : Neverthelefs, doubtlefs, this will be allowed by all, that how- ever well Error is remonjirated againjl, and Truth vindicated by one, yet fill the fame Thing being done by another Hand in a different Manner, tends to Confirma- tion : And ufually carries this Advantage with it, viz. That fome who did not fo tlearly fee Truth in the former Reprefentation, will more clearly difcern it in the' latter : And that, even, when the latter is greatly inferior to the former ; which I am fenfible is the prcfent Cafe ; and yet I conceive it poffthle, that even this Meannefs may ferve the better to accomodate what is faid, to the Vnderfianding and j^cceptation of the more Illiterate. Upon this View, together with other Confidera- tions, J have by the Importunity of Friends, been prevailed en to eonfent, that the following Sheets ( which indeed for fome Time have lain by) might be made publick. As to the Manner cf compojlng, I am not infenjible, that the fame Things, zviih fome Variation of Expreffion, are once and again repiated in fever al Places of this Performance ; which, though naturally diftaflcful to the polite and dijcern'uig Reader, will (1 hope) be eafily overlook'' d, Jince "'twas out of a comp.ifftonate Defign thereby of accomodating 'ihtngs better to the zveakeffUnderfanding; that J o, if pffible, every Capacity might be reacVd with a Con^ction of Truth. As to any Thing of Per emptor inefs of Expreffton made Ul'e of by me in this De- hate, all that I would be underjlood thereby to Jignify, is, that thufe Things, in the Writing of them, to me appeared confiderably clear : Not that I expeB that this Manner of Expreffton fhould be of any further Infiuence with the Reader, than the Evidence of Truth, with which it is accompanied, juflly requires. If any Thing of undue Warmth or Harfhnefs of Language towards the Rev. Dr. Jolmfon, if any Thing of that Kind beyond what the Nature of the Caufe, and the Defence of Truth required, and what Chrijiianity it felf will vindicate, f:all he found in the follotving Debate, to have dropt from my Pen, it is what I have not upon a cool RefleBion been able to obferve, and fhall readily retraSi any fuch Jnjlance, upi,n being convinced hereof. Though I pretend not to an Exemption of what I have here wrote, from much •f H 'eaknefs and humane Frailty ; yet this, I trufl. I may fay with good Affurance, that f» far as 1 am confcious to my ozvn Views and Defigns, I have done it for the Sake of what I really believe will be found at laji to be divine Truth ; and with viii To the READER. vjith an Aim (fo far as it may pleafe GOD to blefs ?ny weak Endeavdun) to pre- iienty at leafi in fome Meafure, an Inundation of (what are cofnmonly called) Pelagian and Arminian Errors ; which, to my bejl Obfervation,have a very threat- jiifig Jfpe^ on the dear Churches of God in this Land, and do fpeak their Danger^ of being fooner or later carried off, at leaf in feme effential Points^ from the Gof- pel of Chrift (zvhich our Fathers valued above all their worldly Inter eft Sy and which they brought over into this IJ'ilderneJs, and left as a precious Legacy to their Pof' ferity) even to the receiving another Gofpel. In fine, Jll I Jhall requeft of the Reader, is. that you would perufe with Can- dour, and an unhiafs''d Ji?n at Truth ; compare what is here /aid, with the public Confeffions of Faith, efpe daily with the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England, but above all with the Holy Scriptures, weighing it in the Ballance of the SanSiuary : And if in any Thing you find it contrary to GOWs Word, rejeh it ', but fo far as you find it agreeable to that f acred Standard, receive and em- brace it. And may the Father of Lights and of Mercies guide you into a faving Acquaintance with all Truth, fan8tfy you by, and eftablijh your Heart in^ the Truth, for Jefus Sake. Amen. Thus wijhes and prays Tour Soul- Friend, and humble Servant ^ J. Mills. ^Letter to the Rev, Dr. Johnson, kb^c. Rev. Sir^ A VING been requefted by a Friend, to make fuch Re- marks on that Part of your laie Performance, intitled, A Letter from Jriftocks to Jtithades, which relates to the Fromifes, as to me might appear neceflary, for the Fin- dkation of feme of the great and precious Truths of the Gojpel ; and having taken faid Letter, in that Part, under Confidera- tion, it appears to me mofl unexceptionable, in a Matter of fo great Importance, as that of the Caufe of GOD, wherein (as you acknow- ledge) f/;(? eternal Salvation of Souls is very nearly concerned^ to appear open and free : and as I iruft, you will find me equally far from a djfputatious Temper, as you profefs your felf to be, fo I hope I fliall find my felf, by your own Example, fecured of a kind and candid Acceptance. Therefore I fliall, without any further Apology, ad-. drefs my felf to you, Sir, in what I have to offer on this Head. ' Now that our Readers may have a clear Underftanding of this Matter, I think it proper to be noticed, that what gave Occafion to your Letter, was a Sermon publiflied by the Rev. Mr. Cooke of Stratfieldy in Vindication oi the Sovereignty of GOD, in the Dilpenfa- tion of his fpecial Grace to loft Sinners, on Exod. xxxiii. iS- In the Improvement of which Sermon it is inferred. That there are no Pro- viife'! of fpecial Grace made unto any Doings of the Unregenerate, by the Performance of which they jnight become intitled to it. Accordingly your Letter confifls of two Parts ,* the Former on the Sovereignty of GOD, the Latter on the Promifes. It is the Latter, that I am here principally concerned with. Haying finilhed the former Head of Difcourfe, you introduce the latter in the following Words. Pag. 22. Indeed yowwas then only un- dertaking to prove, that there are no Promifes in the Scripture to ths Un- regenerate \ [meaning by the Unregenerate, thofe ('whether baptized, or m) who are under the Dominion and Guilt of Sin.] B Here lo Special Grace «of promifed Here, that I may proceed with the greater Clearnefs, I lliall I. State the Queftion. Il.^Confider wliat is offer'd by you to invalidate the Rev. Mr. Cooke's Arguments advanced in his Sermon, in Favour of the Nega- tive Side of the Qiiellion. III. Confider what you have ofFer'd in Confirmation of the Jffir- mative. And then, IV. Suggeft a few Things to Confideration which ferve, among many others, to perfuade me, that the Truth lies on the Negative Side. ^According to this Method, I am I. To State the Qiiejiioi7.-—'^ow in Order to this it may be ob- ferved. That the Queftion between Mr. Cooke and you is not, JVhe- ther there be any Promifes in the Bible ? Which you feem, wildly enough, to infinuate. {Page 21, 22, 23.)—- Nor is it. Whether there are any conditional Promifei made to Sinners in the Scrip' tures ? Neither is ir, Whether it be the Sinner's indifpenfable Duty, in the UJe of appointed Means, earneftly tofeek after the Attainment offpe- cial Grace ? — Nor yer, Whether God's Beftowment of fpecial Grace upon Sinners be crdinarHy in the Way of the Sinners diligent, earneft, and painful Endeavours, in the Ufe of appointed Means ? Nor, Whether the Encouragement Sinner's have, in the Gofpel, to hope that Succefs may attend their thus feeking, be very great and precious '? Nor yer, Whether the Sinner's Encouragement to hops for the Succefs of his En- deavours^ rifss in Proportion to his Diligence and Painfulnefs in the Ufe of appointed Means ?— None of all thefe properly belong to the Con- troverfy in Hand. You do indeed, Sir, charge Mr. CQolie,\ri feme o'f his Expreffions, with denying there are any Promifes at all in the Scripture, Pag. 22., But yet at the fame Time you are oblig'd to confefs,. That he iKias only undertaking to prove there 'were no Promifes, in the Scripture, to the Unregenerate. So that it is evident, vou did not really un- derftand him to mean, what you infinuate his Words fpeak. But to come diredlly to the Cafe.— - The Quefiion properly now before us is, Whether there be Promifes- of the BTftcwment of fpecial Grace, made in the Scripture to unregenerate- Sinners, on Condition of any Endeavours-, Strivings, or Doings of theirs. nsohatfoevcr ? or, which amounts tQ much the fame. to any Endeavours of the Unregenerate. h Whether God bejiows fpecial Grace on the Unregenerate^ in the Way of performing a Covenant- Promife, made to any Doings of theirs whatfo- ever ; allozving that Prmife, both as to the Matter and Being of it, to be of tneer Grace ? The Qiieflion being thus fairly dated, the Bufinefs is brought into a narrosv Compafs ; and had you proved either of thefe, both had readily been granted : But Nothing of this Nature hath hitherto been found in your Letter. You do indeed, once and again, infift upon it, That in the final Retributions to be awarded to Men in the Life to come, God adts as a righteous Judge of the Behaviour of his ^ Crea- tures, and revoards or punifhes according to Stipulation ; and that in this grand J ff air ahfdlute Sovereignty has no Place. Pag. 6, 20.— And who of us ever entertained one fmgle Thought to the contrary ? What therefore, Sir, you would be at, in infirting fo much on this Point, I am unable to conceive ; unlefs you would hereby infinuate to the World, that the Rev. Author of that Sermon, referr'd to in your Letter, is of a contrary Mind, and if fo, you had doae well to pro- duce your Evidence.--- Or, Can it once be imagined, that becaufe God adls as a Judge in the final Retributions to be awarded to Men, at the Day of Judg- ment, therefore he a6ls as a Judge alfo in the Beftowment of efFeftual Grace here in this World, while in a State of Probation ? Where is the Connection between thefe Things? Efpecially, fince you concede. That God is entirely fovereign and arbitrary as a BenefaSior in the Dijlribution of his Talents and Favours, both fpiritual and temporal, as proper Means of Trial and Probation in this World, i. e. (fay you) the various Abilities, Capacities, Priviledges and Advantages he bejiows on Mankind : He is intirely at Liberty (meaning as to thefe Things) to do what he will with his own. Pag. 6.— Now is not fpecial Grace, beftowed on Men in this World, a Favour, a Priviledge, and an Ad- vantage to thofe on whom it is beftowed ? And is it not a preci- ous Talent, given for Improvement, as a proper Means of Trial and Probation here ? Efpecially fince, according to your own Notion of Things, it may be, and oftentimes is lojl for ivant of Improvement, and it's Avail to the eternal Salvation of any one, is intirely owing to a due Improvement. —-So that I fee nor, but that according to y.our own Account, taken in your own Words, the great God is Lord of his own, withRefpe6l as well to theBeftowment of fpecial Grace, as other fpnutual Priviledges and Talents difpenfed to Men under the Gofpel.-— If you fay. Nay, but God beftows fpecial Grace, not as a Bene- fatlor, but as a Righteous Judge of the Behaviour of his Creatures , I :j2 Special Grace «oJ promifed I anlVer, This is the Thing you fliould have proved ; and had you done thiSy inftead of explaining your JVay of thinking fo largely, you had dorie fomething to the Purpofe : but fo long as this is not done, you have really done juft Nothing. For it is not Acquaintance with your Way of thinking, which we want; but Evidence, that your Way of thinking is grounded upon the tVord of God. Moreover, it appears to me, you have abundantly conceded, that God adts as a Benefador in the Beftowment of fpecial Grace, when in Pag. 8. you grant that Every Thing beyond what is ju/i fitfficient to render Being de/irable, even to a perfed; Creature bow obedient foever, is Matter of meer fovereign Goodnefs, in which God may go into what Va- riety he pleafes : Much more (fay you) tnuji the whole Syjtem of the Go- fpel to fallen Man be Matter of meer fovereign free Grace. — IS^ow if the whole Syftem of the Gofpel beftow'd on fallen Man, in this State of Probation, be, in an eminent Degree, Matter of meer fovereign free Gr^f^, becaufe it goes far beyond what is jufl fufficient to render Being delirable. Why is not the Beflowment of Jpecial Grace on fome of the fallen Race, in this State of Probation, at leaft in ane- qual Degree, Matter of meer fovereign free Gift ? Is not the Be- ftowment of fpecial Grace on fome of the fallen Race, at leaft as much beyond what is juft fufficient to render Being defirable, as the Syftem of the Gofpel ,* fmce the former is the End, and Defign of the latter ?"■- Again, You acknowledge, that common Grace is given of God, as a Bene- fa&or ; your Words are, ahfolutely given in Chrijl to all. Page 25. By which Tprefume you intend. Given in a Way of Sovereignty, by an abfolute Proprietor. And if.fo, then I ask. Since God beftpws common Grace as a fovereign Benefactor, why not fpecial Grace too ? Seeing according to ^ou, fpecial d.nd cwwwiow Grace differ in Degree only, not in Kind ; fo that all that is ueceftary in Order ta render common Grace, where it is beftowed on any, fpecial, is only the Addition of fome further Degrees of the fame Kind. And fmce you grant, that God beftows fome Degrees of common Grace, as a BenefaSior, in the Way of Sovereignty, How does it appear, that God never adds fuch further Degrees of the fame Kind, as are neceflary to render it fpe- tial, in the fame Way of Sovereignty ? Efpecially fince you grant, as above, that What is beyond what is jufl fufficient to render Being de- firable, — - God may go into what Variety he pleafes. i. e. There is no Objeftion juftly lying againft it (according to you) if God pleafes to add thofe further Degrees of the fame Kind, that are necelFary to render common Grace, where it is beftowed, fpecial • c Bwtftill more exprefs, if it be poffible, is what you fay m Page to any Endeavours of the Unregenerate. 13 5, 6. where you tell us ; In Order to think clearly on this SubjeB^ — it Jeems, to you, very necejfary to dijlinguifh between the Conjideration of Cod as a Benefa^or, and as a Judge : And between the Beftowment of various Talents and Favours upon Men in this Life, which is a State of Probation^ and the Retributions to be awarded in the Life to come, accord- ing to what Ufe they /JmU have made of them here. In the one (i. e. in the Beftowmenc of various Talents and Favours upon Men in this Life, you fay) God a6ts as a fovereign Lord of his Favours : In the other, as a righteous Judge. Now is it not certain that the Beftow- ment of fpecial Grace belongs to the State of Probation in this Life, and not to the State of Retribution in the Life to come ? And is it not certain, thatthofe endowed with this precious Talent here, will receive a Reward in the Life to come, according to their Improve- ment here ? And if fo, then. Is it not certain, according to your own Diftinftion, that God a6ts as a Benefactor, and not as a Judge in the Beftowment of it ? So that, by your own exprefs Declarations, you feem intirely to have given up the Queflion.— - However, I IhaN now proceed, according to what I have propofed, II. To confider what you have offered to invalidate Mr. Cooke's Ar- guments, advanced in Favour of the Negative Part of the Queflion. Where it is obfervable, after you have propofed the Queftion, as^ above, your firft Attack is by way of Qiiery, thus,* But, pray Sir, bow did you prove it ? fVhy by this Argument ; '* If God had bound himfelf *' by his Promife, to any of his Creatures, he is no more at perfefl " Liberty, either to grant, or with-hold the promifed Bleffing, as " may pleafe him,"--Now (fay you) furely if this Argument proves any Thing, it proves that no Promife at all, to Good, or Bad, is confiflent with the divine Sovereignty ; and fo on. — Here, Sir, you muft have Patience with me, whilfl I attempt to fet this Matter in a true Light ; becaufe, I apprehend, you have at leaft, when we have made the belt of it, here committed a Blunder, and then made your own Miftake the intire Ground of your break- ing out into fome warm Relle6lions upon the Rev. Mr. Cooy^-^, Author of the&rmowreferr'd to ; as excluding the A^m Covenant y and contem- ning the holy Scriptures, as an utterly fenfelefs and unmeaning Thing. P. 21,22. An awful Charge this ! and ftillmore fo to him that brings it againfl another, if founded intirely on his own Mifiake. Now, in or- der to fet this Matter in a clear View, it may not be amifs, to take No- tice, that the Argument quoted by you is fetcht from the Author's Im- provement of that Subjea, in the Way of Inference, viz r « That " It IS a great Miftake, and of very dangerous Confequence, which many carnal Perfons under th« Light of the GofpeJfall into, who .** w;ill 14 Special Grace not promifed *' will perfuade themfelves, that they are able (wich the common *' Concurrence of divine Providence in upholding their Beings and *' FacLilcies) to do that which hath a certain Connection with, or which *' fliall a[juTedly ijjhe in, their Converfion and eternal Salvation." (Serm. Pag. 16.) That is, as the Author abundantly explains him- jelf, throughout the following Part of that Difcourfe, " They per- *^ fwade themfelves, that they are able to do that, which will intitle *' them to certain Promifes of the Beftowment of effe6tual Grace.'"-" And having faid feveral Things for the Illuftration of this Poinr, he at length argues in this Form, viz : " If God be a Sovereign " Difpenfer of his faving Graces and Favours, and may grant or '* with-hold them, according to his meer good Pleafure, as I have en- '* deavoured before to (hew ,• then Sinners in their natural State. ^^ have no Claim to the Promifes. ''-—ThQ Form of Reafoning here made ufe of, is plainly that of an hypothetick Syllogifm.— -The Jf- fumption, or Minor Proportion, viz; *' That God is a fovereign Dif- " penferof Jois faving Grace, and may give, or with-hold it, according to *' his meer good Pleafure, " This the Author intimates he had befere made good. The Confequence is clear and undeniable, viz. '* That " if God be a So'sereign Difpenfer of his faving Grace to Sinners, ^' may grant, or with-hold it, according to his meer good Pleafure, '' then, Sinners have no Claim to it by gracious Promifes made by God " to any Doings of theirs." Now the whole Defign of the Juthor in the Ufe of thofe Words (quoted by you) was to confirm this Confequence ; and lay open the Inconfiftency there is, between God's bellowing faving Grace on the Sinner, in the way oi fovereign free Favour, as being at perfedl Li- lerty, either to grant, or with-hold it, according to his meer good Pleafure,-— And his a6ling herein at the fame time in the Charafter of a Judge or Rewarder, obliged by his Promifes to the Doings of the 'Sinner. And the Words fully anfwer the Purpofe, for which they were ufed : for if God once makes a Promife to his Creatures, ]^e is no more at perfeft Liberty, whether to grant, or with-hold the promifed Bleffing. So that the Inconfiftency between thefe two is equal to that of the fame Perfon's being bound and free, at the fame. Time, and in the fame Refpeft : Things impoffible in Na- ture, oppofite States, Contraries, that can never agree to one and the fame Perfon. So that if one of thefe be true, the other mult neceffarily be fal/^. Thus it is evident, the Words you quote, do fully prove what they were brought to prove. Now inftead of properly denying any Part of the Argument, or difcovering any Weaknefs in it, you only with great Aflurance at- ro fl«y Endeavours o/ f/;^ Unregener ATE. 15 firm, that furely if this Argument proves any Thing, it proves that no Promife at all, to Good or Bad, is confiflent with the Divine Sovereign- ty : and then where is there any Place for any New Covenant, or indeed Old either ? And if the Cafe be fo (fay you) away with the Bible fure enough /' and fo on. But pray, Sir, think a little, whether you have Truth with you, in what you here affirm. You fay, If this Argument proves any Thing, it proves that no Promife at all, to Good or Bad, is conjiflent with the di- vine Sovereignty.-- "MVkh your Leave, Sir, Had you here juflly and/ carefully diflinguiflied, and faid, This Argument proves, that n6 Promife at all to Good or Bad, is conOftent with abfolute Sovereign- ty, in Refpedl to conferring the Good promlfed : i. e. That there- in God a— But fiill you *' injijt upon it, that there is no Promife to the Unregenerate."— Mean- ing by the Unregenerate (as in pag. 22. you exprefs your underftand- ing of the Author) tho/e (whether baptized or not) who are under ths Dominion and Guilt of Sin. Where, having faid feveral Things, you demand of the Author to tell you, '^ it there be no Medium between an objlinate relentlefs Sin- " ner, and one that is throughly regenerate, in his Sevfe of the IVord ?" And having explained what you mean by a Sinnec.in a middle State, between the Objlinate and the Regenerate^ viz. " Gne who is brought *^ by the AJfiftance of common Grace— -to be ferious, and really folicitous *' for Salvation, fo as being deeply fenfihle of his o'j^n Guilt and fVeak- '' nefs, earneftly to cry to God for Help, and ftrive in earneft that he *' may be qualified for God's Help.-— Now (fay you) this is the Man to " whom J fay the Projnifes of divine efficacious Aid or fpecial Grace do " belong. This is he who hath, to whom flmll be given, in our Savi- ^' our's Senfe, Matth. 25. 29."— -That is, fuch an awakened fi:riv- ing Sinner, though by your own ConfefTion " not yet throughly con- " verted from Sin to God," you fay, is the Man who hath, in our Sa- viour's Senfe, where he faith, Unto every one that hath, [Jjall he given, and he /hall have Abundance. Here, fince you confidently affirm your Opinion on the Place, though without advancing any the leafl Shadow of Proof, I fiiall take Leave to enquire into the Meaning of this Text : in ^Order to which, it may not be amifs to obferve, I. That the Scope and Defign of the Parable of the Talents, to which this Text belongs, is evidently to fhew, wherein our Rea- dinefs fo ^wy Endeavours 0/ f/;g Unregenerate. 25 dinefs for Chrift's coming to Judgment muQ: confid ,• and what will be the md\n Inquiry oi the great Day, upon which the final Decifion of our everlafting Fate will then turn, viz. whether we have done well, or ill, in the Account of the New Covenant? whether we've been^ooJ and faithful Servants of the Lord, or imked and flothful, >:iiiijin the Management of the Talents, with which we have been in- truded ?— This doubtjefs will readily be granted by every impartial atten- tive Reader, who duly confiders the Occafion of this Parable, viz. The Difcourfe, begun by our Saviour, in the preceeding Chapter, of his Second coming 10 Judgment, and continued down through this: followed here firfi with the Parable of the Ten Virgins, evidently referring to Chrift's Coming to Judgment, at the End of the World, and principally defign'd to awaken Chriflians to the greater Watch- fulnefs from the Confiderationof the Uncertainty 'of the Time. t-i3- IVatch therefore, for ye know neither the Day nor the Hour, wherein the Son of Man cometh.'—NQXi follows this Parable of the Talents, ma- nifeftly defign'd ( as has been obferved ) to hold forth wherein our Readinffs for Chrifl:'s fecond Coming to Judgment will confifl:, viz. in our having fincerely improved the Advantages, with [which we have been intrulted, and fo having approv'd ourfelves good and faithful Servant s,'m the Account of the New Covenant. And wherein this will confifi, is further illufl:rated in a particular Infi:ance, put for all the refl:, viz. that of honouring the Lord with our Subftance, in A6ls of Charity to the Poor, done for Chrift's Sake : contain'd in a Defcripcion of the Procefs of the laft Judgment, continued to the End of the Chapcer.—And hence, 2. By the Reckoning, here mentioned zs deferred for a long Tims, is. plainly to be underfiood the final Account, which we mufl all in thac. Day render to God, of our refpeftive Improvements. This is fur- ther evident from the Reward afiign'd to the Faithful, and the Doom pafi^ed on the Unfaithful. To the one isfaid, Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord : but of the other,---- G7/Z the uv.prrjitable Servant into outer Darhicfs, there ffjall be JVeeping and Gnafiing of Teeth. Wliere our Saviour infenfiblv ilides out of the Parable, into the Thing in- tended to be fignified : and thereby gives us an infallible Key ro the whole ; it being plain here, tiiac ihcfe KxpreiWons, Outer Dark- nefs, where there is JVeeping and Gnafhing of Teeth, are, by a Pe- riphrafis, ufed by our Saviour^o fignify'the Miferies of the Damned in //e//.-— Hence, 3. It follows, that by him that hath, is evidently meant one who fliall then be found to have, in the Account of^God, what the Ncvy C Covenant 2(5 Special Grace not promifed Covenant requires, what in the Eye of that Covenant will denomi- nate him a Good and Faithful Servant, or one that has done well. This is plain, in Regard 'cis with an evident Reference to the making up of that final Account in the Day o( Judgment, that he is here faid to have.— 'And hence, 4. It is equally evident, that by the following Expreffion, To him flail be given, is meant the final Reward of Glory in the future World.-— ^ Now if the Reckoning here mentioned, refers iniirely to the final Account in the Day of Judgment ; and if it be the Scope and Dc- fign of this Parable, to poinc out what that is, which will then fland us in Stead, in that Day of Reckoning, viz. IVelldoingy in the Ac- count of the New-Covenant ; And if by him that hath, be meant one that hath already exemplified that ff'ell-doing, and is thereupon adjudg'd unto Glory ; How is it poffible that the feeking ftriving Sinner, " not yet converted throughly from Sin to God," but *' flill under the Dominion and Guilt of Sin, " fliould be ^' the " Man that hath, in our Saviour's Senfe, " in this Parable ?--Whac hath fi-ich 3 Man ? Hath he that which would fland him in ftsad, were he now ftanding at the Bar of God ? Hath he what the New Covenant demands ? Hath he what, in the Eye of that Covenant, will denominate him a good and faithful Servant, one ihai has done well, and ftands intiiled to eternsl Glory ? Can this poffibly be true of one, who (according to your own Conceffion) is *' under the Do- " minion and- Guile of Sin," and confequently an Unbeliever and iivi Impenitent in the Gofpel-Senfe, unreconciled to God, and in a State of Enmity and Rebellion againflGod, and under a righteous Sen- tence of Condemnation ? Nay, is not the Alan that hath, to whomjhall he given, in this Parable of the Talents, evidently reprefented by our Saviour as one who has pafs'd the awful Trial of thg Great Day, and is publickly approved, and welcomed to Glory ? Well done, thou good and faithful Servant, —enter into the Joy of thy Lord. And docs the feeking, ftriving Sinner, which you defcribe, anfwer the Charaftcr of this Man? Hath he pafs'd his laft Trial? Is he cpenly approv'd of his Lord, and Vv'elcomed to the State of the BlelTed ? How therefore you could, fo confidently as you do, af- firm him to be this Man, in our Saviour's Senfe, I mufl leave. If you (hould excufe your Miftake, by alledging the Judgment of fom-e great and learned Men, that have conftrued this Parable in Fr = vour of the Opinion ycu here advance ; I anfwer, Every Error, ad- x'snced in the ChriRian World, has its Pretence of being grounded en fcn-ic Text cf Scrifturc. Nor is this ai all to bewonder'd at : for when to any Endeivours of the Unregenerate. 27 when once Perfons have fallen into any erroneous Opinion, the Fruit of their own Imagination, and what appears to them reafonable, in their own very partial View of Things, they will eafily fancy fuch Opinion fupported by this or that Text of facred Scripture ; it may be, by a great Variety : And fometimes (becaufe it is impoflible, in that Cafe, to fix upon any Text, that is full and clear to their Pur- pofe) they pretend, that the Current of the iuhole Scripture runs that Way, from the Beginning of Genefts to the End of Revelation. Ne- verthelefs, certainly this is not to come to the Scriptures as a pure Fountain, to derive our Opinions from thence ,- but to bring our O- pinions with us to the Scripture, and by the Help of a llrong Imagi- nation, to mould the Bible by them. Now, This I take to be evidently the Cafe of thofe who urge a Promife to the Unregenerate, from this Parable. They firfl:, it feems, con- clude from their own View of Things, that fuch 3 Promife to the Sin- ner is highly reafonable, as may fecure it in his ov^n Povoer (at lead morally) to be everlaftingly happy : Which ConcluHon being ground- ed partly on 3 fa^vourable Thought of the State of the fillen Creature, efpccialiy on the State of an awakened reforming Sinner, as defcrib- ed above, they feem to conceive fome Fitnefs in fuch a State of the Sinner, qualifying him fir Help from God, and conflituting him a pro- per Subjcft of gracious Promijes. This feems to be intimated in \our Notion of there beii-ig a certain " Medium between an obfli- nate relentlefs Sinner, and one that is throughly regenerate^ or intirely devoted to God," and feems to be the Ground of your infilling that the Sinner be brought to " Jirive in earnejl, that he may be quali- fiedfor God's Help."— -And now being fix'd m this Opinion, that there" is a Meetnefs in this State of a Sinner to receive Help (i. e. efficaci- cus Aid, or fpecial Grace) fom God, thefe Gentlemen bringing this Opinion with them to the facred Text, they read here that To every me that hath, /hall be given, and thence conclude a Promife from God rnade to the flriving Sinner, though not yet thorowly devoted to God in Jefus Chriit. But, good Sir, by whofe Authority do they make this Concluflon ? Does It How from divine Promifes ? Chrift indeed in the Parable hath faid. Unto him that hath, fljall be given : But hath he any where iaid, that thcjhiving (but unconverted) Sinner is this Man that h^'h ? Or, Is there in all this Parable one Word, or Syllable, about the Jtriving Sinner, or of the BeRowment of convening Grace ? Surely nothing like ir. No, I'his is the preconceiv'd human Opinion ({ Jpake of) whjcn every cne brings with him to the divine Text, wha inters a Prmife to Sinners from this Parable. And it is injpollibie ■ ■ ■ ■ c^ 2S Special Grace «of promifed to argue any Thing, for their Opinion, conclufively from the Para- ble k fei:. You go on to fay, '^ Jnd I amtindsr an invincible NeccJJity of un- derftanding Matth. 7. 7. and 11. 28. Luke ii. 13. &c. as belorg- jng to fuch as he.'' Thefe Promifes, you hold, do belong to the Unregenerate, though under the Dominion and Guilt of Sin, yetfeek- ing, and Jiriving, as aforefaid. But how do you prove this ? Why firftby ihe NeceJJity you find your Jelf under thus to iinderftand them : You plead, that you are necejjttated fo to underfland them, and that you cannot for your Life help thus interpreting them, &c. As if you meant to carry the Argument intirely by Dint of this Plea from a felt NeceJJity upon you. ----But fince it is allowed, on all Hands, that wrong Conceptions through Prejudice, or Want of a clear Under- ftanding of the Cafe, may be the Ground of fuch an apprehended NeceJJity, as well as the Evidence of Truth, you will doubtlefs allow this Confideration to be abfolutely fet afide, in the prefent Debate, as containing nothing conclufive or argumentative in the Cafe be- fore us. You proceed, and fay,-—" Can any one be fo ahfurd as to interpret thefe Promifes thus ? Ton that have akeady received the fpecial Grace of God, Ask, and ve (liall receive :--- Ton that have already found Mercy, Seek,and ye fiiall find :--Tou to -j^bom the Gate of Mercy is already opened^ and are already got ivlthin it. Knock, and it fhall be opened :-— Tou 'ivho have already got Rejl, Come to m,e, and I will give you Reft, '^c.—- Is not this (fay you) making perfed; Nonfenfe of the precious Promifes of God ! To me 'it feems nothing can be more fo. And yet this mujt be -your own Interpretation (fav you to the Rev. Juthor) if you deny their being made, even to the Unregenerate :" i. e. to fuch of them as have been defcribed. , „ , i ^1 r j The Argument ufed here is what is called Reduftio ad Abjurdum : And its whole Force lies in this, That thefe Promifes cannot be other- wife interpreted, than as belonging to the Unregenerate, whiltfuch, but by refolving their Meaning into perfeci Nonfevfe. Now, it this can be proved, I own, the Argument mud be yielded : l^or, to be fure, we muft not make perfeB Nonfenfe of the holy Scriptures. --;- But where is the Proof? You, Sir, indeed have faid it ; and ;hat s all '-To refute this your Notion of the Abfurdity of underflanding xht^Q Promifes otherwife, than as belonging to the Unregenerate, whiilt fuch, it may fuffice to obferve, that it is intirely grounded on one or other, or all of the following falfe Hypothefes : viz. I. That thefe conditional Promifes were not fpoken, or meant, to Believers, but to others exclufivs of them. ^^^^ to any Endeavours of the Unregenerate. 29 2, That the Matter of Petition and 'Inquiry here, or what is here enjoined to be asked and fought, is limited to the firfl Grace of fav- ing Converfion, and extends not to After- Grace, in progrejjtve San6li- fication. 3. That the asking, feeking, knocking, and coming to Chrifl:, unto which the Fromife is here annexed, are to be conceived as Doings that are fhort of that Faith, which implies a thorow Converfion to God in Chrift. Thefe, I think, muft be the Suppoficions, on which your Notion. of the Abfirdity of our Interpretation is intirely grounded : Which being fairly examined, and removed by the Force of Truth, thefe Promifes inay be interpreted as we underftand them, without any the leafl Shadow of Jbfurdity, and be fure, without any Danger of their being made perfeh Nonfenje. And now, I. That thefe Things are here fuppofed, and made the intire Ground of that Abfurdity, pretended to be in underftanding thofe Promifes otherwife than as belonging to the Unregenerate, whilfl: fuch, is evi- dent from this Confideration, That the removing of thefe Suppofitions- is the removing of all Appearances of Jbfurdity, and leaves not any the leafl Shadow of it in the Cafe. For if thefe Promifes are fpoken and meant to Believers, and the Matter of the Petition here enjf^in- ed, is not limited to the firfl Grace of Converfion, exclufive of After- Grace in Order to progrefllve San6lificacion, where is the Abfiirdity you fpeak of, even according to your own Reading of the Text? *^ Ton that have already received the fpecial Grace of God, that are true Believers, Heirs of the Promifes, that have Grace and Glory and e- very good Thing laid up in them. Ask, and ye fjjall receive ;•■- you ixiho have already found Mercy y Seek and ye fJjall find, i. e. further Mercy, or more Grace. Is it abfurd, that he which hath Life, fiiould have it more abundantly 1 Is it at all abfurd, that the Believer, who has received the firjt Grace, fliould be enjoined to ask, feek, and knock at the Door of Mercy, for further Supplies ? Or, is it abfurd^ that he fliould be promifed Succefs in fo doing ? So, if the Asking, to which the Promife is here annexed, be asking in Faith, where is the Abfurdity of underftanding thefe Promifes otber-wife than as be- Icnging to the Unregenerate, continuing fuch? Nay, howis itpollible that they fliould belong to them at all, while continuing in their Unbelief, and not through Chrifl having Accefs by the Spirit unto the Fa- ther ?--- Thus it is fully evident, here, that the whole Pretence of Abfurdity, in underflanding thefe Promifes otherwife than as belong- ing to the Unregenerate, depends intirely on the Truth of this, and the other Suppofuions ; Which if found noi true, the Objection you make 30 SpecialGrace not promifed make, vaniilies intirely. So that what remains for me to do here, is, 2 . To evince the utter Falfenefs of each of thefe Suppofuions.- — And, 1. The Suppofuion, that thefe Promifes were not fpoken and meant to Believers, but to others exdujive of them, is evidently a M'ljiake, For it is certain, that ChrifVs Difcipks were prefenc at the preaching of this Sermon on the Mount, Chap. 5. i. And likewife that what is faid by our Saviour in Luk. 11. 13. was faid diredlly to his Difcipks^ on their Requefl that he would teacb them to pray, f. i. Certain it is therefore, that thefe Promifes were fpoken and meant to Believers, and not to others exdujive of them ; unlefs ic be fup- pofed here, that Chrift's Difcipks were not Believers ; what no one, I prefume, will pretend. Nay, which is more, to make good this Suppofuion, it mud be proved, that there was not one of the whole Company prefent a Believer. 2. The Suppofition, that the Matter of the Petition and Inqui- ry here, or what is here enjoined to be asked and fought, is limited to the firft Grace of Con'serfion, exclufive of confequent Grace in ^rc^ip/Z^feSandlification, is alfo evidently falfe. For llnce thefe Du- ties were enjoined upon the Difdples themfelves, with Promifes of Succefs, and not on others exclufive of them, it mull therefore be impoffible, that the Matter of Petition and Inquiry enjoined them ihould be limited to the firft Grace, becaufe this chey had already re- ceived ; and therefore to enjoin them to ask and feek that, would be an Inconflftency and Abfurdity indeed. ---The Suppofition, 3. That the asking, feeking, &c. to which Succefs is here promifed^ are Doings fhort of that Faith, which implies an intire Devotednefs to God in Chrift, is alfo evidently falfe. For, if the asking and feek- ing, &c. to which the Promife here is annex'd, be any Doings fmrt of unfeigned Faith, then we are to underfland our Saviour here to en- join thefe Duties without regarding their neceflary Principle, which is Faith. The Injunction ought in Reafon to be interpreted in the fame Latitude as the Promife that is annexed. And can it once be imagined, that our bleifed Saviour would enjoin his Difciples to ask, feek, and knock by Prayer, without Faith unfdgned ? Would not this be to teach them to approach unto God oiherwife than ihrough a Mediator ; contrary to the grand Dcfign oUhe Grfpd? Which isftiled Rom. 16. 26. The Revelation of the Myfiery made knoim to all Nations for the Obedience of Faith. Would it not to be to enjoin what could by no Means be pleafing or acceptable to God ? Since (Heb. 11. 6.) Without Faith it is impofRbh to pleak God. Do not the Scriptures ^ ^ enjoin 10 any Endeavours of the U nr e g e n e r a t e. 3 r enjoin us (Col. 3. 17) to do all in the Name of the Lord Jcftis Chrifl ? And can this be done without Faith ? Yea, do not the Scriptures require the Exercife 0^ Faith ^ in every Inflance, to accompany Pray- er y Seeing they declare it the Will of God (i Tim. 2. 8-) That Menpray every whcre,lf ting tip holy Hands, without f^rath and Doubting. And can Prayer be performed with holyHands lifted up, where that Faith is wanting, which purifieth the Heart and Hands ? But certainly, it cannot be done 'xithout Doubting. Does not the Apoftle James ex- prefly caution all againfl thisMiftake, of placing Dependance on the Succefs of Prayer deditute of Faith ? Jam. i. 5, 6, 7. If any Man lack JViJdom, let him ask of God., that giveth to all Men liberally, and up- braideth not ; and it fjall be given him. But let him askin Faith, nothing 'voavering : for he that wavereth, is like a Wave of the Sea, driven mtb the TVind, and tojjed. For let not that Man think that he fhall receivt any Thing rf the Lord. q. d. Taking into Confideration the Extent of the New-Covenant, the whole Defign of God's Mercy to fallen Mankind through a Mediator, and the unbounded Goodnefs of God's Nature, whereby, in this New-Covenant-Way, he deals out to all Men moft liberally, without upbraiding any ; yet neverthelefs, upon the largefl View of thefe Things, let no Man fall into this Miflake, that a faithlefs Prayer will take hold of God, or obtain any Mercy at all, at his Hand. ---From all which, and much more that might be cfFered, were it needful, it is inconteftibly evident, that the lad of thefe Suppofitions, as well as the two former, is intirely aMiftakc. Nor is it lefs evident, that the Coming to Chrifl^ to which a Promife of Refl (lands annexed (Matth. 11. 28.) is plainly meant of coming by Faith ; and it were eafy to (hew, it is generally fo' underftood by Divines, of every Denomination. But if an Appeal be had here from the Authority of Men to the Authority of God, and according to that mofl excellent Pvule of interpreting Scripture by Scripture, you are difpofed to refl: fatisfied in a Decifion of this Matter, by our Lord Jefus Chrifl himfelf, we then have kin John- 6. 35. 1 am the Bread of Life : he that cometh to me, flmll never hun- ger ', and he that believcth on me, /hall never thirfi. Where it is ex- ceeding obvious, that coming to Chrifl, as the Bread cf Life, and be- lieving on him, are ufed as Terms of the fame Import, and eqna' Sig- nificancy : the fame fpiritual and everlaflingly fatisfying lileffings being promifed to each. Nov/, upon the whole. If it be certain, that the Intire Reafon you have aflign'd, why thefe Promifes fliould be underfl-ood, as belong-' ing to the Unregenerate, whilfl: fuch, is the ^//i/rf/zVyof underflanding them otherwife ; which indeed you fay, cannot be done wichouc ir.ak- 32 Special Gracil not prcmifed making perfeu^ Nonjenfe of them ;— -and if it be alfo certain, that this Notion of the Abfurdity of underflanding them otherwife, be grounded_ wholly on certain Siippofuions ; Which Suppofitions, no Jefs certainly are meer Miftakes, and utterly ungrounded : Then it niuffc,^! think, undeniably follow, that the whole Reafon you have airign'd why thefe Promifes fliould be underfhood as belonging to the Unregenerate, whilfl: fuch, is intirely removed and vacated. Having thus refcued thefe Texts from that unnatural Force puc upon them, by means of /^//"i? Suppofitions, and reftored their true and genuine Meaning ,• all that are honeftly minded, and have no preconcewd Scheme of their own to ferve by ixirefiing the Scriptures^ will (I doubt not) be sble to read thefe Promifes as made immedi- ately to the Children of God, to excite them to be much and ear- nefl in the great Duty of Prayer^ from the Confideration of the Certainty of Succcfs to attend the Prayer of Faith ; the effectual fer- 'Dent Prayer of a righteous Man availing much. Though they are im- provable alfo as an Excitement and Encouragement to all others, to be concern'd that they may be brought likewife to ask,feek, knock, and come by Faith to the Mercy of God through the Mediator, as the only certain Means of Succefs, taught us in the Scriptures of Truth, by Divine Promifes made thereto. Having, as you fuppofed, eftablifhed the Senfe of thefe Texts in your own Favour ,• you, in the next Place, thus proceed. " For God's fake. Dear Sir, let us take Care that we do not, from a violent Attach- ment to any preconceived humane Schemes, pervert the plaineft and moft obvious Declarations, and Promifes of the G of pel. To me it is manifejl^ that this is what thofe on your Side really do ; and that your whole Syjiem, where it is peculiar, is not founded on the holy Scriptures {taken in the whole, and critically read and confidered) but on the empty Cob-webs of Scholallical Metaphyfics (vain Philofophy, Science falfly fo called) together with fame few obfcure Texts, not rightly underftood, for want of a critical Skill in the ancient Languages, and the Notions and Contro- 'uerfies of thofe Times, and for want of an exad; Attention to the Scope- and Argument of the f acred JVriters ; In Confequence of which yon ma- nifejily torture the plaineft Texts, to make them fpeak your Senfe., and fo corrupt the Plainnefs and Simplicity of the Gofpel, and in Effe^ make'' it a meer unintelligible Riddle." Here, Sir, being ftruck with the utmofl Surprize, I mufl beg leave to paufe a while, as not able fuddenly to refolve what is beft to fay .' — Is this the Charity ! — This the following after Peace and Hulinefs ! — which you foem fo earneftly to pray for, in yoiir heXE Page.""Is this the melting of your Bowels, for them, ever whom {Page to any Endeavours o/fi^UNREGENERAXE. 33 {Pag. 22.) youprofefs to grieve , and for whom {Pag. i) you ex- prefs your Charity, as Serious Chrijiians, that are not at all fenfible of their Miflake ! Was it poffible, Sir, that you fliould conceive any the lead '1 endency, in thefe aftonifliing Lines of yours, to win upon their AlTeftions, or to fet before them any Matter of Convi6lion ;— - unlefs it were of the prefent Temper of their quondam Friend to- wards them ? Could you once imagine, Sir, that the Loudnefs of your Cry a- gainfl: others, as being violently attached to human Schemes, perverting the plairfefi Texts^ building on empty Cobwebs &c. would fecure you from the fame Imputations; or prevent your being, in the Sequel, found in the Number of thofe, againft whom you make fuch a hi- deous Outcry ? The dark Chara6ler, jou have here drawn, may perhaps in the Subftance of it really agree to one or other of thefe contending Parties : But then what Right have you, 'good Sir, to fie ^udge, in your own Caufe ? Which, to make fure Work, you have done : and no wonder at all, that you have carried the Cafe in your own Favour.—However, the Right of Appeal is challenged ; and the Matter chearfully fubmitted to the Judgment of impartial Readers, whether you have gained your Point, or not : /. e. Whe- ther the Scriptures you have alledged, with your Reafons enforcing them, compared with what has now been replied, do clearly and fully prove the Affirmative Part of the Quedion before us ; I fay, clearly and fully,'— for fuch ought to be the Proof in this important Cafe ; fince the Opinion you've advanced, affefts the very Conflitu- tion of the Neix- Covenant, and adds to it an ejjential Branch, that we know nothing of. The Covenant of Grace we acknowledge ; the Tenor whereof ii plainly this, He that believetb on the Son of God hath everlajling Life, and /hall never perifJj. According to this, God is a Covenant-God and Father to Believers. But a Covenant-Obligation, whereby God is bound to give his fpecial efficacious Grace, and Co ImSpirit, and his Chrifl, to the Unregencrate, by Virtue of his own Promfe, made to any Do- ings, Seekings, Strivings of theirs, fliort of that Kiitb^ by which the Ju/t do live, is what iy^ don't know any Thing of, neither do the Scriptures of Truth, nor indeed any publick Confcffion of Faith in the Proteftant World, that we are acquainted with, nor even the Arti- cles and Homilies of your own Church of England. And therefore until this Point, which you fo contend for, be fettled, by clear and full Evidence from Divine Teftimony, we mufl: not, we dare not, ad- mit of it, left we be found guilty of adding to the-JVordof God. But what ismoft of all furprizing here, is, that you iliould not on^y £ fo 34 b FECIAL {j R AC 2 not promijed Co peremptorily decide the Cafe in your ov/n Favour, but that yoa lliould in fo confident a Manner accufe and condemn all on the other Side, as *^ perverting the plainejl Declarations of the Go/pel^--- founding their whole Syflem, fo far as it is peculiar (which at leafl muQ: in your Senfe, take in this of denying Promifes of fpecial Grace to any Do- ings of the Unregenerate) on the empty Cobwebs of fcboJaflical Meta- phyjicks, vain Fhilofophy, Science faffly fo called, — Scripture not rightly underflood, for Want of critical Skill in the antient Languages, and exaii Attention to the Scope and Argument of the facred IVriters ; in Confe- qiience of which (fay yoit to the Rev. Author and thofe of his Mind) you manifeftly torture the plainefi Texts to make them f peak your Senfe y and corrupt the Simplicity of the Gofpel, and make it in p.ffeSt a meer unin- telligible Riddle." Now, Sir, I pray tell me, was this truly the Cafe with all thofe famous Bipjops, Do.^srs, and Clergy of the Church of England, who have given their Suffrages full in Favour of the Negative Side of the Queftion ? Or was this indeed the Cafe with the whole Body of the Clergy of the Church of Scotland, from t!ie firfl; Dawn of the Re- formation? And was this the Cafe with all thofe other eminentDivines at home and abroad, living and dead, that might be menuon- ed, as favouring the Negative in the prefent Qiieftion ? In fober Earnefl;, tell me, Sir, Do all thefe pervert the mojt obvious Promifes of the Cofpol, from a violent Attachment to human Schemes ? Do all thefe godly, learned IMen torture the plainefi Texts, to make them fpeak their Senfe ? Do they all, in this Point at leafi, build upon the empty Cobwebs of Scholafiick Metaphyficks, and vain Pbikfophy ? Have none of them ever been Mafters of a fufficient critical Skill in the ancient Languages? &c. &c. I might here confront your Opinion with the contrary Judgment of many of the greaiefk Writers in your own Church : from whom I might eafily collect enough to fill up a confiderable Volume. But I Ihall at prefent give you only aQuotation from thatrenowned Prelate, pious and learned Bifliop Hopkins,on the Covenant (P. 152) where having faid feveralThings on this Head, he fums up the Matter thus. " In brief, «' the abfohite Covenant promifeth the firft Grace of Converfion toGod; <« the Conditional promifeth Life, if we be converted. The Conditional (( promifeth Life, if we believe : The Abfolute promifeth Faith, «' whereby we may believe to the faving of our Souls ; and there- " fore it is called an abfolute Covemm, becaufe the firfi^ Grace of Con- *« verfion to God cannot be given upon Conditions.— -It is indeed com- «' monly wrought in Men by the right Ufe of Means, as hearing « the Word, Meditation, Prayer, &c. but thefe Means are not Co?> ditwns ?(? flwy Endeavours ^/ ^^? Unregenerati^. 35 " ditions of Grace, becaufe we have found that in fome InflaRces ** God haih not limited himfelf to them.---- And indeed^ what is *^ there that can in Reafon be fuppofed a Condition of God's beftow- <^' ing the Gift of the fir[i Grace upon us ? Either it rauft be fome " Atl of Grace, or of meer Nature. Not of Grace, for then the firjl " Grace would be already given : Nor of Nature, for then Grace *' would be given according to Works, which is the Sum and Up[hot *' of Pelagianism." Now, Sir, for my own Part, though I am far from concluding, that ei^ery one, who is in this Error, is a Pelagian : Becaufe this may be the Cafe with fome, who have, ere they were aware, been induced, by what they have heard plaufibly faid on this Point, to entertain a favourable Thought of it : Yet I am fully perfuaded, that this learn- ed Bishop throughly underjtood what he here fays, and that when ever Truth in this Point is fearched to the Bottom, the affirmative Part of the Qtieflion will be found the pernicious Fruit of Error, growing on the Pelagian Root of denying the Doftrine of Original Sin, as held forth in our publick Confeffwns of Faith, and in the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England :---And that, referving Credit to the Doc- trine of Original Sin, it will be found a much harder Task to recon- cile with the Divine Attributes this unaccountable Notion of a Grant: in the Gofpel, of New Covenant -Bleffings, on Condition of Old Cove- nant-fVorks, i, e. certain Doings of the Unregenerate, whilfl; fuch, than to reconcile with the Divine Attributes, the Notion of God's permiting fallen Mankind to come into the World in fuch a corrupt and finful State, as not to have it fecured in all Refpe£ls in their Power (as well Morally, i. e. notwithftanding any inherent Viciouf- nefs or Depravity, as naturally) to be everlaftingly happy. And here, Sir, by the Way, fince you have been ready to impute it to Prejudice, when any among your DiJJenting Brethren (zs you call them) have doubted of your Orthodoxy in the grand Point of Original Sin, 1 would obferve that you have now (on what is recited above) an advantage of confidering the Matter more free from Prejudice ; fince it is not the doubtful Tho't, but firm perfuafion of one of your own Bijloops, that the Error, which you plead for is the very Sum and Up- fhot of Pelagianifm. What now remains ofyour Letter, is chiefly a repeating and urging of ihzit invincible Neceffity, which you fay you are under, of under- flanding thefe Promifes as belonging to tiie unregenerate, i. e. whilft fuch.. <' I cannot for my Life (fay you) help interpreting thefe, and the like Proviifes in this plain, eafy and obvious Manner : Ton that have not yet received the Grace of God, for the thorow Renovation of your Souls, 36 Special Grace not promifed Souls, Ask andye fhall receive." Again you hy^—'Thus I am necef- Jitated,-'SLnd--Thus I am obliged—*^ Which concludes the Argumen- tative Part of your Letter, Pag. 26, 27. Here I (hall only appeal to the impartial Reader, Whether it be not abundantly evident, from what has been argued and remark'da- bove, that no fuch invincible NeceJJtty, or Obligation, as you plead, arifeth from any thing either exprefled or implied jin thofe facred Texts. To me it is evident, that whenever this Matter is thorow- ly examin'd, it will be found, that the Necefjitatim or Obligation up- on you, refults not in the leafl from the genuine Senfe or true Force of thefe Scriptures y as unavoidably to be interpreted, as including this Point of Doftrine, which you plead to be held forth in them : but I doubt, you find and feel, in the prefent Debate, a preffing Necef- fity upon you, in Order to fupport your Scheme, a NeceJJity (I fay) of alledging fome plaufible Texts from the Book of God, to counte- nance your Notion of God's being obliged to the Beftowment of con- verting Grace, by virtue of his own Promife made to the Doings of the Unregenerate, whilft continuing fuch. There being an infeparable Connection between the Opinion of God's being obliged, by Covenant, as above, and what you feem to make a grand Foundation-Principle in your Scheme, (pag. 6.) *^ That it is inconfifient with the Attributes of God to give Being to any of his In- telligent Creatures (the Corruption of the F<3//notwithfl:anding) without futting them into a Condition, that {every Thing being confidered, in the whole of their Nature and Duration) would render Being defirable to them ;" No Wonder then, that you are fo earneflly intent upon finding cue fome Texts of Scripture interpretable in Favour of your Opinion a- bout a Promife to the Unregencrate. For if, as you fay, it be thus inconfifient with the Attributes of God, to give Being to any of the Offspring of fallen Adam, without put- ting them into this defirable State of Being, above defcribed, then it mufl be alfo inconfifient with God's Attributes, to give them any Being at all, without fecuring it in their Power, in all Refpefts (as well Morally, as Naturally) to be, in fome Degree at \Q2i{):, finally happy : un- iefs you fhould fuppofe, that that State of Being is defirable, that is deftitute of fufficient Power to be in any Degree finally happy; which doubtlefs you will be far from allowing.-— And fince you readily ac- knowledge (pag. 24.) that <' the Sinner cannot, of himfelf [even under all the external Advantages of the Gofpel'] truly repent and turn to God, without his Help ', i. e. Divine efficacious Aid, or fpecial Grace ; and fo confequently without this, has not fufficient Power to be in any Degree finally happy : Is it not a clear Cafe, that unlefs you can to any Endeavours of the Unregenerate, 37 weld this Link of your Theological Chain, and faften it into the o- thtr, by proving from the Word of God, that He has actually pro- miful Special Grace, or (as you call it) Efficacious Aid, to the Unrege- nerate, on Condition of fome Doings of theirs, wbilfi fitch, your Chain muft fail you, and fo your Superftru&ure smd Foundation nwidnQCQ^^^nly fink together 1 Hence, No Wonder, you have beflirM your felf fo vigoroufly, in fiicb a Seafon, when the Power of Sovereign Grace hath been dif- play'd, in a Manner thacis truly admirable, for Conviction, unto great Numbers in one Place and another, of this great Goipel-Truth, by- happy Experience of a Work of Grace (hopefully) wrought in their Hearts ; and efpecially fmce, by long Obfervation and Experience it is found, that according as the fVork of God's Grace in the faving Converfion of Sinners fenjibly goes on among a People, this Error, or miftaken Opinion of God's being by Covenant obliged to difpenfe his fpecial renewing Grace, on the Doings of Unregenerate Sinners, whillt fuch, fenfibly goes down among them.— So that the Scheme you defend, has not only been in imminent Danger, in the late remark" able Seafon of Grace ; but has really fallen in the Hearts of very many, who, being (hopefully) turned from Darknefs to Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God, have of their own Accord confefled their full ConviSlion in this Point, and frequently bemoaned their pafl/^- norance in fuch Language as this,— -Once we thought, God befiowed re- newing Grace on Sinners^ as having promifed it to their Endeavours ; but vow we know, it is otherwife, and are convinced by our own Experience, agreabk to the Scriptures, that when ever God converts and faves any, it is meerly^ becaufe fo it feemeth good in his Sight ! 0(Jay they) how fpiritually blind we were ! for alas, what can there be in the Doings of a wretched^ finful, all over polluted, guilty Creature, out of Chriji,that an infinitely holy God foould oblige himfelfto /—-It was therefore. Sir, but reafonable to expeft (confidering the View which you have of Things) that you fliould on this Occafion bring forth your jlrongReafonsj and produce the whole Strength of Argument,that could be gathered,froni all that hath been Hiid on your Side of theQueftion, or that the Cafe would poflibly admit in Defence of this Principle of yours. Accord- ingly ic is obiervable, that the Run of your Letter is correfpondenc with what others have faid before you : and the Scriptures you quote, the fame that have chiefly been infifted on by them ; though to nic indeed in the fame groundlefs Manner, and very far fliort of bring- ing out a Conclufion in your Favour. But relying on the Reafons already affigned, which I fubmit to the Impartial, I will difmifs the prefenc Head, when I have only made one jfurther jRemark.— - How 38 Special Grace not pvonvfcd How it is pofiible, that any Reafonable Creature fliould, upon a due and deliberate Meditation on thofe Scriptures^ be able (from the pure Force of what is therein exprefs'dor imply'd) to appeal toOm- nifcience, and fay, Lord, according to my beft Underdanding, Ihere clearly read thy gracious Promife, of the Beftovvment of effehual con- •verting Grace, Pxiade to certain Doings of the Unregenerate whWUfnch I ---This, I muft confefs, is quite beyond all the Power of Difcerning I am confcious of in my felf. Thus 1 have done with the third Thing propofed, and now pro- ceed to the next and laft. IV. To fuggell and urge fome Confiderations in Favour of the Ne- gative Side of the Queflion before us ,• which will lead me to illuf- irate and confirm the main Arguments advanc'd by Mr. Cooke in his Sermon. Though the Negative necefTarily (lands Good, 'till the Affirmative be proved ; and (if true) needs no other Vindication, than this, viz. It does not appear, or 'tis not evident, from Divine Revelation, that God, is by Covenant obliged, as you hold : Yet, fmce it mayn't be with- out its Ufe, I fliall touch on fome of the many Confiderations, that offer themfelves in Confirmation of the contrary, held by us, And here, It appears to me reafonable, and juft, to allow the firfl Place to the Rev. Mr. Cooke's Arguments (which you have not formally con- fidered) as they lie in his Sermon ; where, under the Application, having firfl infer'd, *' That it is a great Mijtake, and of dangerous Confequence, which many carnal Perfons under the Gofpel fall into, who will perfuade themfelves, that by their own Doings (though they cannot properly 7nerit, yet) they are infured of fpiritual and faving Mercies, by Virtue of Promifes, which God hath made to them in his Word ?" This the Rev. Author proceeds to enforce and illuflrate, by fundry Arguments. (Vid. Serm. Pag. i6, to 22.) He argues, I. That this Miftake in the Sinner muft be dangerous, as it con- tains nothing lei's in it, than his flicking faft to the firfi Covenant, the Covenant of PVorks : and that fince, by that Covenant, Life was fecured to Man's own Doings, not as ftriftly meritorious, but " meerly <' by Virtue of God's Covenant -Promife, therefore for a poor Sinner *' to perfuade himfelf, upon what he has done, or can do, that he *' hath, a good Claim to converting and faving Mercies, by Virtue *' of the ^Promifes, is nothing more or lefs than to fland, to this Mo- .. *^ ment, on the Foot of a Covenant of fVorks, as really, in the EfTen- *' tials of it, as ever Man in the Beginning did : And the unhappy ^' Creature to any Endeavours of the U nr e g e n e r A t e. 3^. <^ Creature is all this while going about to efiablifjj a Righteoufnefs of <^ his own, for the general Kind the fame with That, required in the " fi^'ft Covenant." The Author argues againft that miftaken Perfwafion, 2. That it leaves Room for Boajiing : And this, he juftly obferves, " is quite inconfiftent with and contrary to the whole Tenor and main Defign of the Go/pel, which is perfe6lly to exclude all Boaji- ing in and of our fehes, and to lay the Crown of our Salvation on the Head of rich, free, and fovereign Grace through Chrifl: Jefus." Omitting at prefent the three other- fubfervient Confideracions, mentioned by the Author in his Sermon, I (liall confine my Thoughts to the two above-recited ; And confidering thefe in one complex View, as they are of fuch near Affinity, and fo clofely conne6]:ed, I fhall vindicate them both together^ for Brevity's Sake. ;' Now, to open the Way to this Defence, allow me to make a few- preliminary Obfervations. And I fay in general. If it can be made evident, that to hold certain Scekings, Strivings, or Doings whatfo- ever of the Unregenerate, whilft fuch, conditional of the Beftowraent of fpecial converting Grace, or that to which the Promife of fuch Grace is made, be to countenance the fallen Creature's going about to efia- hiijh his own PJghteouJnefs, and to allow of that Boajiing, to which the Gofpel every where exprefly denies any Place in the AfFair of "bringing us unto God ; it will then doubtlefs be acknowledg'd, upon fuch Evidence, that ihc Arguments above are folid and concluflve.— And the Truth of the foregoing Propofition, may, I think, be evinc- ed by the following Confiderations. 1. That to fuppofe fpecial converting Grace enfured or fecured to the Unregenerate, by a Promife thereof made to any Doings of theirs, whilfl: under the Dominion and Guilt of Sin, and eflablifhing a Con- nexion between fuch his Grace, and fuch their Doings, is to fuppofe God's a61ing properly as a moral Governor in this Alfair, and making the Sinner's pTorks the Rule of his Difpenfations, even in point of Regenerating Grace, or effe6tual Calling.-— And again, 2. This fuppofes fome acceptable Degree of moral Goodnefs, in- trinfick Worth, or true Excellency, in thefe Doings of the Unregene- rate ; fomething in them of vital and true Holinefs, in God's Ac- count: and implies that his Method offavingus is by IVorks of Righ- teoufnefs, which we have done, and not meerly according to his Mercy, or fovereign Grace. -— Becaufe, if there were not fome acceptable Meafure of moral ReElitude and true Goodnefs, or nothing that is truly vital, fpiritual and holy, in fuch their Doings, it feems not reconcila- ble with the moral Perfe^iions of God, and therefore impoflible in the 4 o S p E c I A L G R A c E nof promifed the Nature of Things, that he fliould eflablifli a Rule, rerpe6lfng thefe Doings of theirs as the Condition of his Promife, according to which, as a moral Governor, he condufis himfelf in the Difpenfation of his firjl fpecial Grace to Sinners. ----And now, 3. To affert, that there is any the lead true Vitality, Spirituality, QT moral Reffl,itude before God, in the heO: Doings of the Unregenerate, even of Sinners in your middle Condition ^i. e, '' Such as are re illy felicitous for Salvation, but not yet throughly converted from Sin to God," and accordingly to confide in and plead any fach Doings as intitling (though by virtue of the Promifes only) to fpecial Grace, —.this it felf is that very ^o^j?/«^, which by the whole Tenor of the Chriflian Revelation is excluded out of the Bufinefs of our feek' ing to be jujtifyd by Chrijl, and coming to God by him for Salvation.-— And hence it inevitably follows, 4. That to teach for Doflrine, that any the befl Endeavours and highefl Improvements of Sinners Unregenerate, or in your Senfe of the Word, fuch as are *' not yet intirely devoted to God," are the reveal'd federal Condition of promifed converting Grace, is in true Conftruc- tion nothing lefs than to introduce into the Scheme of Salvation that very Boajling, which the Gofpel moft exprefly /huts out, and to pa- tron ife that going about to ejiablifh our own Righteoufnefs, which is inconfiftent with a due SuhmiJJion to the Righteoufnefs that is of God hy Faith. — This Conclufion will neceflarily arife out of the Premi- fes,- which, as I apprehend, admit of the eafiefl and mofl copious Proofs, from Revelation and Reafon. As to the Thing fuppofed in the firfl Propofition, it appears to me one] of the leading Principles in the Arminian Scheme,^ and is agreable (Sir) to your profefs'd Opinion,ThatGod difpenfeshisyp^c/a/ Grace, or in your Senfe of the Words, his efficacious Aid, not as an abfolute Proprietor and fovereign Benefadtor, but as a moral Go- verfior, and righteous Judge of the Behaviour and Improvements of his Creatures. And as to the Jecond Propofition, this is flriaiy demonftrable from the firfl : fince to fuppofe the Behaviour and Improvements of the Creature to be the Rule, which God refpefts, as a moral Gover- nor and righteous Judge, in the Difpenfation of his fpecial efficacious Grace,and yet at'the fame time to fuppofe the faidBehayiour and Im- provem.ents quite devoid of all true moral Goodnefs or vital H»hnefs in the fighi of God, would be nothing lefs than to make two incompa- tthle Suppofuions, and to run yourfelf into a flat Contradi^ion. ^ So thai the only Article in the Premifes, that demands Proof, m '' Order to any Endeavours of the unregenerate. 41 Order to bring out the Concliifion, and eflablifli the Argument ia hand, is the third,-"d.5 above. And this again is tooev'denr, to need any elaborate Confirmation of it. For the Sinner'3 conceiving fo highly of his own Doings, or any pofTible Strivings, Seekings, or Comiuffs to Chrijl, which he is cipabie of in his unregenerate Condieion, and while (according to you) not yet thorcugbly converted, as to imagine fome true Virtue, fome proper Righteoufnefs, or moral Reftitude in fuch his Performances and Endeavours, and accordingly to imagine a Right to the Bleffing 0^ fpecial Grace, or Divine efficacious Aid, pctfs'd over to him by Means of thefe his Doings and Attempts, though only as Compliances with the Divine conditional Promife, in which God is fuppofed to have made a fure Connection between renewing Grace and fuch Endeavours ; This, if I know any thing of Gofpel- Humility, is not to think foberly, but to think of him/elf more highly than he ought to think, as the Cafe appears to me. Here is fpiritual Pride, founded on vain Imaginations, f lere are Falfehoods fet up for Truths, and improved to S.: If Right eoufnefs, and to fuch Self-Boajh ing, as hath much of moral Evil in ir. And methinkK, none fhould doubt whether the Gofpel-Scheme of Salvation excludes this, when it is fo exprefly declared th^t Boajting (all fiaful Boafting) is excluded by the Law of Faith. The only Point here, requiring Proof, I think is this, That the Suppofition of any true moral Excellency ?.viS folid Goodnefs in the bed: polTible Doings of the Unregenerate, whilfl fuch, is bur ameer Dream zind vain Imagination. And though this appears to me inconteftibly evident, both from Scripture and Reafon, yet becaufe I would not anticipate what will more properly be offer'd in another Place hereafter, I fliall at pre- fent only fuggeO: and argue a little with you upon the Impoffibility, in the Nature of Thing?, that this Suppofition fliould be true. For, fince the Ible original Standard, by which the moral Goodnefs or Re6lirude of the Creatures Adlions can be meafur'd and deter- mined, is the moral Perfeftions of God, and fjnce Sin is the pre- dominant Principle in the unrenewed Man, from whence all his Aclions mult take their principal Denomination and have their Specification, how is it poffible for the bed Doings of fuch a Man, while under the Dominion of^m, to harmonife in'any Degree with the moral Nature of God, fo as to be approvable in his Sight ? Ic's impoffible then, that the Suppofition before us fhouid have any Foundation in Tm^.-.-And I argue upon this ; If the heft Doings of the Unregenerate have- no proper moral Goodnefs in them, they then have no moral Fitnefs to be the Condition in a Divine Promife F of 42 S p E c I A L G R A c E K(?f pYomifed of fpecial Grace ; and confequently to plead fuch a morally unfit Condition, though perform'd to the highefl: Degree that an unrege- nerate State will admit of, as intitling the Doer (in Virtue of a pre- tended Promife) to faving Grace, is to rejoice in a Thing of Nought^ and to bring in that vain Boajiing, which the Gofpel-Scheme intirely pjiits out. To fuppofe therefore any J^orks of the Unregenerate, in God's Promife, cloathed v/ith fuch a ConditiGnaHty, as hath this ex- cluded Boajiing inftp^r^WiY connefted with it, is nothing lefs than to pervert the Go/pel of Chri[i, and thwart its true Defign, in this Par- ticular. It appears to me a clear Scripture-Truth, that with a View to the Exchifon ofBoaJiing, all Works of the Unregenerate are, in the Scheme of the Gofpel, excluded from being conditional of the Befcowmenc of to bis Mercy, he fa^icd us. 2. Tim. i. 9. fFho hath faved us, and called us 'voith an holy Calling, not according to our Works, hut according to his oivn Purpofe and Grace. — The Apoftle fpeaks not of a meer Salvability, but of aciual Salvation; aflerts a then-exifting State ,• and points out the Method of Introdu61ion into it, both neg.uively and pofitively. — Hath faved us. i.e. notonly given us the external Means of Sah^ation, and brought us into his viiible Kingdom, but into a juftify'd and renew'd State,- the Apoftlefpeaking this knowingly for nimfelf, and charitably for others : nor can any reafonable Doubt a- rife here of his ufing the Word [faved] in this Senfe. And as to the I\le':hod of bringing them into this fa'ved State, he peremptorily determines it to be, in its negative View, Ji&r by Works of Right eon f- 7iefs ivhichthey had done ; not accord ing to Works, any at all whatfoever, previous to and conditional of the Befiowment of faving Grace. He does not meerly fay, not for Works, but not by or through them, yea, even not according "to them, i, e. not with any Pvcference to them, as 3 Condition. But, in a pofitive View of the Cafe, 'twas intirely ac- cording to God's Mercy, according to his own Purpofe and Grace. His own Mercy was all his Motive to faving them : and his ozvn Purpofe his only Rule in Difpenfing his Grace.— Again, we read, i Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another ? and zvhat haft thou, that thou didjl not rffceive ? Now if thou didft receive it, why do/i thou glory [or boaft] as though thou hadft not received it ?— -So Rom. 4.. 2, &c. If Abraham were juftified by Works, he hath whereof to glory ; but not be- fore God.'"To him that worketb, is the Reward not reckoned of Grace, but of Debt. — To him that worketbnot, but bslievetb on Him who juftifietb '' the to any Endeavours cf the Unregenerate. 43 the Ungodly, his Faith is counted for Right eoufnefs. — Unto them God im- piteth Righteoiifnefs without Works.-- Again, Rom. 3. 27. Where is Boafting then ? It is excluded. By what Law ? Of works ! Nay^ hut by the Law of Faith. And Chap. 11. 6. Jf by Grace, then it is no more cf Works : otherwife Grace is no more Grace. But if it be of Works, then is it no more Grace : otherwife Work is no more Work. Again, Eph. 2. 9. Not of Works, lefi any Man fljouhl boaJL— And once more I Cor. I. 29. That no Flefj /Jjonld glory in his Pref nee. Ic appears to me exceeding evident from thefe and other parallel Tex:s, chac with a View to the Exchijion of all Glorying or Boafting in and of ourfelves, the Works of the Unregenerate mufl be under- ftood, as confider'd under fome certain Notion, Relation, or Qualityy to be excluded from the BuGnefs of their Recovery out of a perilling State of Nature into a State 0^ Salvation, i. e. a juftify'd and fanfti- fy'd State. For, Boafting is faid to be excluded, Not by the Law of Works, but by the Law of Faith. However,^ we make void the Laiv through Faith ? God forbid ! Yea, we sjlablifo the Law. Certain- ly therefore PForks are not excluded as to their ^erieral Being, or in Refpeft of our moral Obligation to them ; but the Law ftriSUy requires them of every Man. And hence it is a clear Confequence, that fince the Law is not made void through Faith, therefore theExclufion of Works by the Gofpel muft be taken in fome qualified and limited Senfe, and mull: refpedl thefe Works as confider'd under fome certain fpecial Notion, Relation, or imagin'd ()uality.----Aud what can thefe be ? I anfwer, They are all poifible miftaken Notions, Relations or fuppofed Qualities, under which thofe Works being confidered, they do contain Grounds of Boafting. This is evident from the Scrip- ture's faying, Not of PForks, lefi any Man Jhoujd boaft : which {liews, that were it of Works, it would threaten this Confequence, and there- fore that the View in excluding Works is for the fake of excluding Boafting. But more particularly, the Works of the Unregenerate are excluded with this View, whenconfider'd under the Notion (i-)Oi tlieir containing in them a proper F.fficiency or Power to renew and purify their Hearts, cure their moral Diforders, and recover them to llappinefs, in Concurrence with the external Advantages of the Gofpel.— Or (2.) Of their carrying flricl and proper Merit in them, to intitle them to Divine fpecial Grace.-- Or (3) Of their having in them fomethingof Mo;v7/ Goodnefs or true Re&itudein God's Accounr, to recommend them to his Acceptance, and us to his Favour.— Or (4-) Of their being an appointed Condition in the Gorpel-Covenant^ and having the Prow7> of ' fpecial Grace made to them.— Thefe are fome of the miftaken Notions or Refpe6l;s, under which the unrege- nerate 44 SvECiAL Grace not prowJfed rerateflrlvin^iT Sinner may be apt to conceive toohighly of his Works; and we may juflly fuppofe, his befl fForks are, under all fuch Con- fiderarions of them, excluded by the Law of Faith, for the Sake of ex- cluding Z;/?^y?/77^. Thefe imply fo many vain EfFons of the fallen Creature in g'olng abut to Fjfablifh his o'uon Right eoufnejs, and toreflore himfelf to Happinefs, by Virtue of his own Sufficiency, withouryi^Z?- vntting himfelf to the Right eoufnefs of God, or being dependant on his fovereign Grace for Salvation. Now, though k were no difficult Task,. to prove, that PForks^^s confider'd under all the above-mentioned Refpe^ls, are by the Gof- pel-Scheme of Salvation excluded, for the-fake of excluding Boafiing\ yet becaufe 'tis the Ja[i only I am here concerned with, I fliall wholly pafs the or hers ; fave only fo far as ei:her of them may ferve foe a Me- dium, applicable to my purpofe, in the prcTent Debate.--'],' wo Things are proper to be atrempted, for clearing the Point now before us. (i.) Tnat the Works of the Unregeneratc are in the Scheme of Man's Salvation excluded, for the fake of excluding BoaJling.----Arid (2.) Their being excluded with this View, argues that they muflof NeceiTity be denied the Place of Cojj^/^/onx in any Divine Promife of fpecial Grace. [i.] I am to fliew, that the PVorks of the Unre generate, wbile fuchy even at! their befl Duties, Endeavours, and Improvements Tchatever, fup- pofed by thetnfelves or others to have forne true Goodnrfs and moral Excel- lency, ivhereby they might be acceptable to God, are, as conjidered under that Notion., excluded from the Biifmefs of a Sinner's being brought into a faved State, for the fake of excluding Boading. I'he Truth of tins may be evinc'd from fundry Confiderations, As, I. From Scripuire-rveprefentaiions of tlie End defign'd in the Ex- clufion of PVcrks, viz. that Bonjiing may be excluded. --By the Texts before cited, it appears, that fVorks are excluded for the fake of ex- cluding Boafling : and if fo, it muft be concluded, the Defign is to exclude them under every Notion, which contains the Grounds, of or leaves Room for Boafling. By Confequence, it muft be the Inten- tion of the Holy Ghofl to exclude them under the Notion of their being morally good, in the fight of God ; fince Works, confider'd m this View, do contain evident Grounds of Boafling, or at leafl: evi- dently leave Room for it ; Moral Reftitude being the very Image of God, which was the primitive Glory of Man, and the highefl: Excellency that can be attributed to any Doings of the Creature.— It were abfurd, to aflert that the Scripture Ihould exclude Works for the fake of excluding Boafling, and yet at the fame time to fuppofe fo a«y Endeavours p/ r^^ Unre GENE RATE. 45 it allows them to have any true Moral Goof^nefs in rbem ; flrce in this Cafe the defign would be frullated, and Bnajiing would bv no means be excluded, though fi^orks were under everv other Notion, but this, excluded. Accordingly we find, thar the Holy d'hofi:. by the Pen of the Apoftle, in all that he fays on this Subje(:!Vin the places above cited, fliews it plainly to be his Defign and Drift, to exclude fVorks, as confider'd under this midaken Notion of their having in them Moral Goodnep J or true Holinefs, in the fight of God. 'ihus when the Apoftle ufes fuch Expreffions as thefe, By Grace ye are fav- ed^—not of fVorks ;----Not hy IVorh of Righteoufnefs which we have done, &c. his Meaning can't be, to deny that he or others chen in a re- new'd State had before their Conversion done any Works whatfoe- ver, that were materially good, fuch as praying, and the like com- manded Duties ; but to difclaim the formal Goodncfs of them, and deny them to have true Morality in God's Account, or any fuch Con- formity to his righteous Law, as makes them pleafmg to Him ; which the Pride and Ignorance of the fallen Creature flatter him with vain Imaginations of —All Works therefore of the Unregenerate, as con- fider'd under this Notion of being morally good, mufl by the Gofpcl be utterly excluded, in Order that hereby all Crrounds o^ .Boafttng might be remov'd, and no Place left for it in the Scheme of Man's Salvation. ---Let it be obferv'd now, ^ 2. That all Works of the Unregenerate, fuppofed to be of a true moral Complexion, as above defcribed, are the very Works, which the Scripture clearly points out as defign'd to be excluded, for the fake of exclud ing Boajling. Here it may fuffice to cite two or three plain Text?. Thus, Eph. 2. 5. Even when we were dead in Sins, be hath quickned us together with Chrift. (By Grace ye are faved) The Sin- ner's being brought into a State of Salvation is here, in the flrongeft Language, intirely refolved into jyivmeGrace : and in like Language the fame Apoftle declares it to be not of our /elves, --not of Works, ver. 8, 9- ^tid agreeably in Rom. 11. 6. Grace and Works zre op- pofed to each other, as incompatible in this Affair. Now that Works of the Unregenerate, pretended to be of a fpiritual and moral Cha- ra6ler, are comprehended here, and defignedly by the Apoflle ex- cluded frorn the Bufinefs of their being brought into a faved State, appears evidently, by his fetching an Argument, for the Illuftration of Divine Grace, from their antecedent State, which he defcribes as a State of fpiritual or mor^l Death : and this carries in it the ftrongefl: Implication of their total Incapacity to do Works truly moral and fpiritual. Thefe Works then, to preferve the Force of the Apoflle's Reafoning, we mult underfland to be here meant by him, when he tells -iL6 Special Grace not promifed tells them, that their Salvation was not cf fForks.---- And this Con- ni-uci'ion may be enforced, by confidering the End, for which (as he cbferves) /-Forks are excluded, f. g. Not cf Works, left any Man fhoiild Boaft. Upon which it immediately follows, For zvie are God's iVorkmanJhipy created in Chrift Jcfus unto good fVorks. — Salvation cannot be f/ Works, any good Works whaifoever ; becaiife none rruly fuch in God's Account can poffibly precede Salvation begun, in this being created in Chrift J ejus.- - -Though in the firft PaiTage the Apo'lle fpeaks of Works indefinitely, yet the End he aifigns for their Exclufion, Difcovers a particular Reference to fuch as are cf a lau- dable i\fpeft, and fiippofed by the Doers of them to be morally Good in the Account of God. Elfe what Grounds of Boafting could be pretended?---However,to intimate the moral fpecifickDifference there is between the befl Duties done before Converfion, and the fame done after, he diftinguiflies the latter by a peculiar Epithet, and in- titles them Good Works. And the Force of the Argument here, to confirm his Point, lies chiefly in this, That good Works (truly fuch) are fuhfequent Fruits of Salvation already begun in the Soul : and therefore they cannot either in the Nature of Things, by their own Efficiency, be the produftiveCaufe of it; nor yet in the Scheme of the Gofpe'^ by Divine Appointment, be the Covenant -Condition of it; nor by virtue of any relative or intrinfick Excellency in them, be the nwoing Confideration with God to beflow it ; becaufe in either of thefe Views of them, an Antecedency is fuppofed, that is repug- nant to the Scripture, which dates their Exiftence, not before, buc after Converfion. For we are his WorkmanfJoip, created in Chrijl Jefus unto good Works. Nov/ can there be any Shadow of a reafonable Ground to doubr, whether the Apoftle, where he reje6ls the Notion of Salvation's being of Works (fo far as it refpe6ts its Beginning at leafl) intends fuz\\ Worksop the Unregenerate, as they are apt fondly to imagine are of the fame moral Kind and excellent Q^iality with ihofethat Believers are faid to be created in Chrift Jefus unto, which the Apoftle calls good JVorh., and which are fo indeed, being in point of Principle and End and iKlanner, as well as Matter, truly (chough imperfeftly) confor- mable to the Nature and Will of God, the Rule and Pattern of moral Gooi/n^y?. — Surely it were unworthy the Charaiter ofan in- fpir'd Apoflle, to make him fo weak and inconfillent a Reafoner, as to argue, that Salvation is not of PForks, becaufe otherwife Boaft- ing were mt excluded ; and yet all the while to have his Eye here, DOC to fuch Works as Men flatter themfelves with the Suppofitionof a moral Goodnefs in, and which only can be imagin'd to carry in them any fo fl»y Endeavours excluded are fometimes exprefly chara6leriz'd : as in in that Text, A'^of by Works of Right coitfnefs, which we have done, &c. And in rhofe Places, ^i" many as are of the Works of the Law, are under the dufe — Bat the Man that doeth them, fJjal! live in them.— For MnWs defciibeth the Right eoufnefs which is of the Law, that the Man which doeih thef^ Things, Poall live hy them. — Which are Defcripcions molt pr ■[>cTi\r applicable to Works of the Moral Law, and feem more immediat^'ty to have them in View.----Yet further, I argue from the profcfs'd'Z)?- fign of Works being excluded. How is it pofiible to exclude all Bocijiing, if only Ceremonial Works were excluded ? Do fuch Works only leave Room for Boafiifig? Nay, Cmce Works of the Ceremonial Law are but Matters of Indifference in themfelves, how do thefe contain any Grounds at all of Boafling, fave on the Account of al fuppofed vioral Goodnefs in them ; in virtue of their being reducible to the moral Law, as fo many Inflances of that general Duty here- in requir'd, SubjedHon to God's revealed Will ? Befides, as all the World, Gentiles, as well disjews^zre equally concern'd in the Gofpel- Scheme of Salvation, why lliould it not in this important Point of excluding Works for the fake of excluding Bnafting, be interpreted fa as to reach every one*s Cafe ,• and comprehend, not only ihofe at- tached to the Levitical Law, but even the created Aliens from the Common-wealth of Ifrael, and Strangers from the Covenants of Promfe, knowing nothing further jthan the Law written on their Hearts, and being (as the Scripture fpeaks) a Law unto themfelves ? And it is tO' my Purpofe, to obferve, fuch were the Ephefians (not Jews, but Sin- ners of the Gentiles) fuch the Corinthians, and fuch the Romans, to whomthe Apoftle is writing in the Epifiles, whence I have alledged the principal Texts, from which I have been reafoning againftyour Opinion, and which account for their (as well as the Jews) Salva- tion as of Grace, and not ef Works. A fure Sign (I think) that the feeming Virtues or moral Endeavours of the fobereft Heathen, and by Confequeocc the beil Works of Unrcgmms Frofeflbrs ^unc'er the 54- SpecialGrace not promifed the Gofpel, are in the Apoflle's Senfe excluded for the fake of ex- cluding Boajting; and not yiJiu/Z/jObfervancesonly, as isby fome pre- tended. However, if flill this Objeftion (licks with any, I refer them to Mr. Ed-wards on Jujlification ( Pag. 29, to 50. ) where this Point is difliiidliy handled, and the Objection anfwer'd, I think, in the raofh fatisfa61ory Manner. Now, Sir, if you are pleas'd to except againd theFairnefs of my Management in this Debate, Object. 2. That I make frequent Ufe of the Term, Work?, ijohkh is $f a doubtful Signification, without a determinate Idea, and without any due Diflinftion — I anfwer. That in general by Works, in this Controverf;, it feems to me agreed between us, are meant the z^^'a.XQni good Pf^orks of Perfons not yet throughly converted to God, whom v/e ufually call Unregenerate. And I ufe a Variety of Terms,fuchas Doings, En- deavours, Seekings, Strivings, &c, becaufel would fpeak comprehen- fively, and include all poiTible IVorks of the Unregenerate, which you may be difpofed to call good Works, and to which you are apt to conceive a Promife of fpecial Grace made in Scripture. ---Though I often fpeak o^ Works that appear to carry moral Excellency in them, I don't mean to confine the Idea to what is commonly call'd moral Honefly, Sobriety, focial Virtue, or the like, exclufive of what is of the devotional Kind, and a more £?;awgf//Vfl/ Afpedt : butltakeinto the Idea and really intend all thofe Attainments, Performances, and Qualifications, of whatever Sort, that enter into theCharadlerof any Ida.n feeming to be religious, but deceiving his own Heart. Infhort, Sir, I include in the Term, Works, every Idea (i. e. every Idea that can in Truth agree to the Cafe of one not yet thoroughly converted, but ftill under the Dominion of Sin) which you have been pleas'd to put into your Defcription (Pag. 25.) of the Man, whom you hold to be the Obje6l of a Promife of Divine efficacious Aid, or Jpecial Grace. -—This, I think, is plain enough from the Current of my Language every where through the whole of what I have faid. But to proceed— -If you objeft to me again. Object. 3. That I feem fometimes to infinuate, as if the Opinion held by you in this Matter vjere too nearly connected zvith the Dodtrine of Merit ; though you have exprefiy renounced all Pretence of Merit in the prefent Cafe, and therefore {as you imagine) are far from teaching or fitting up that Boafling, which the Gofpel defigns to exclude—- To this I repiv, in the following Obfervacions, I. That this Obje6tion labours of a grand Miftake ( already fuf- iiciently expos 'd) as if the Exclufion of Merit ia Works were an in tire to any Endeavours of the Unregenerati. 55:. jntire Exclufion of Boa/ting. For, as we have feen, there are other Notions of thefe Works, that contain Grounds of Boa/ling (in the Apoftle's Senfe) befides that of their being meritorious : And it is the evident De(ign of the Gofpel to exclude Works under every "No^ tion of them, that (being admitted) would let in Boafting. — How- ever, in Order to a more full anfwering the Objedlion, it feems ne- ceiTury to obferve, 2. That the Word Merit is varioufly to be underftood, either in a high and jlridt, or in a lower and more large Senfe. You know very well, Sir, the ufual Diftin6lion between Merit of Condignity and Merit of Congruity. And here according to the Senfe in which you would be underftood, when you fay you exclude Merit, fomutl the Anfwer be. If we underfland Merit In the ahfolute and mofl proper SenCe, theiv I fay, it mufl be a great Miftake, to fuppofe that the excluding or denying of this only amounts to the full Senfe of the Scripture, when it excludes Works, for the Sake of excluding Boajling. —-Bat I per- fuade my felf. Sir, there's no Need of arguing this foint with you.^ I think, you nuift intend the lower Kind of Merit, or Merit in Jhe large Senfe, when you exclude it from the Works of the Unregene- rate. Now by this Kind of Merit, I conceive, muft be intended aD leaft fome moral Excellency, true Worth inefs, Goodnefs, or Virtue in their Works, before God. And is this. Sir, the Merit, which you renounce? Is the Exclufion of this Kind of Merit the juft Import of your Expreflions, where you tell us (P. 24.) In his (i. e. ChriiVs Right we mufl plead ( viz. for fpecial Grace ) who has purchafed this Bern fit for us ; and not in the Firtue or Merit of any L'hing we do, which we can only humbly confider as meer ChiaUfications, &c. Do you (I fliy) really mean here to difclaim all Pretence of Merit, in the lovvell and largefl: Senfe of the Word, as above explain'd ? If fo, I anfwer then, there mufl be a palpable Inconfijtency in your Scheme : Since you ftrenuoufly infifi:, throughout your Letter, that God in difpenfing his fpecial Grace afts not in the Charafler of an abfulute Proprietor or fovereign Benefaftor, at perfeSl Liberty ta give or to withhold the Benefit as he pleafeth, but only in the Capa^ city of a moral Governor and righteous Judge of the Behaviour and Im- provements of his Creatures, and difpenfing it or not according to their . Conduit in the Ufe of the Talent they've receivd. Now, if this be fo^ 1 beg to be inform'd what that Behaviour of th^ Creature is, according to you, which is thus the Rule of God's Difpenfation in this Matter. Can it be any other than a true ?noral Behaviour, in its formal Ni- sure, plcafing to God ? Is ic poffible, that the Creature's Behaviour ihuuld ^6 Special Grace «of promijed :fiio«ld pafs the Teft with him as a moral Governor ^nd righteous Judge ; and yet ac the fame Time not have any true 7noral Goodnefs in ic !. V\^hich it cannot have, and fo cannot have the lower Kind of Merit, Worthinefs, or recommending Excellency, unlefs it be as well for- mafly, as materially good. How evidently impofuble the Cafe ! And how abfurd the Sappofition ! For a Thing to be, and not to be, at the fame Time and in the fame Refpeft, is fcarce a greater Con- iradi6lioTi. Now fince there is this notorious Incoherence in your Scheme, and both Parts of a Contradiftion can't be true, one of the repugnant Principles you mufl certainly give up. And give up which you will, for ought I can fee, your Scheme muft fall with it. For if you pare with your Principle, of God\i\i for Anfwer, Imuft own (Sir) for my parr, I cou'd never lell how to reconcile this Notion to thofe exprefs Words of the A- poftle : If by Grace, then is it no more of Works : But if it be of Works, then is it no more Grace. According to the Apoftle here,ic feems. Works and Grace can't be fo blended together, as you may apprehend, in this Affair of Sinners being brought into a State of Sal- vation. Becaufe, for Salvation to ht by Grace, and to be of Works; or (which means the fame) to he according to God's Purpofe and Grace, and to be according to our Works, i. e. fuppofed Works of Rigbteoufnefs antecedent to Regeneration ; thefe are real Contraries, mutually ex- pelling each other, fo that if the one takes Place, the other of Con- fequence is excluded, Otherwife Grace is no more Grace : or. Other- mfe Work is no more Work. Here the Apoftle teaches us thus much, at leafl; ; That to fuppofe Salvation to be of Works, is to deftroy the Nature fo ^fjy Endeavours ^ r^5 Unregeneuate. s9 Nature or deny the Being of Grace : and on the contrary, to fup- pofe it to be by Grace, is to deftroy the Nature or deny the Being of fVorks. How then can thefe unalterable Oppofites poffibly be made to agree in this Affair ? The Attempt is vain, and will be found an eternal Impoffibility, {o long as the Gofpel excludes fVorks in the Manner it does, with a View to fecure the Honour of God's Grace, ■ and intirely remove every Ground oiMzn'sBoaJling. ForfomeGround of ^o-^y^m^ will remain, fo long as Salvation is imagin'J to be of Works, whether in Regard of any true moral Worthinefs in them, or any conditional Right annexed to them, which God as a moral Governor is fuppofedto aft in Confideration of, when he beftows his Jpecial Grace on the fallen Creature. If Works of an unregenerate Man, whilft fuch, be allow'd the Power of a fufpending Condition, or That to which a Promife of converting Grace is made, in Virtue where- of a Right to it is pafTed over to him,----ihis is fuch a Scheme as flatters the natural Pride of his Heart, leads to a Claim of Merit (at lead of the lower kind) and opens a wide Door to Boajiing and Fain- glory. But, if it be further objefted here. Object. 4. That, granting the Works of Unregenerate Men, (fuppos'd morally good) to be by the Gofpel, for the fake of excluding Boafting, all of them excluded from being (under that Notion) the Ccnditiony to ijohich a Promife of fpecial Grace is made ; and granting, that to make Works conditional in this Cafe, as confider'd under that Notion, laouJd be to efiahlifh that Boalling, ivhich the Gofpel excludes : yet it will by no Means follow upon thefe Conceffions, that the Hypothefis of their being made conditional, is fo effentially conne^ed with and fo intirely founded in that Notion of them, as that we cannot rationally fuppofe them confider'd, in the conditional Promife under fome other Rsfped; or f^iew, fairly confflent with the perfect EkcIuCiou of Boafting. For Anfwertothisplaufible Pretence, it may fuffice to fay in brief; -—I know of none that deny God's afting in this Affair as a fo- vereign Proprietor and abfolute Benefaftor, who do not at the fame Time affert his afting in it as a moral Governor and righteous Judge of the Behaviour of his Creatures. But how is it pofTible, He fliould aft in this laff Charafter, without refpeBing at all the moral Goodnefs of their Behaviour ? Can he be fuppos'd, while afting in this Ca- pacity, and fo neceffarily having an Eye to his Rule of Goverr- ment, yet to have no Eye to the Goodnefs of that Behaviour, in poinc of its Conformity to his preceptive Will, although it be the efta- bliili'd Condition, on which l^e has fufpended his Promife of fpecial Grace ? If che Behaviour have true moral Excellency in it, why (hould noc 6o Special Grace Ko^ promlfed not this be both refpefted in the conditional Promife, and ey'd by him in his Execution of it ?----Nor am I able to conceive what other pojjibk Notion of Men's Behaviour, any can fuppofe refpe^ed in mak- ing this Conditional oi the ^xomWd BlefTing, but what, if receiv'd and afted upon, will certainly, be inconfiflent (as well as that of moral Goodnefs) with the intire and abfolute Exclufion of Boafting, in a Gof- pel- Account.— To reduce the Controverfy here to an IfTue, I wou'd a little further argue the Point, after I have obferv'd, That in what- ever other View or Notion PForks may poffibly be confider'd in this Affair, yet if the Notion of their moral Goodnefs be at all taken in, it feems to me impoffible perfedlly to exclude Boafting. I fay then. Either this Notion of moral Goodnejs, in the Works of Unregenerate Men is quite excluded from this Affair of their being made Conditi- onal of the Beftowment of fpecial Grace : Or it is not quite exclu- ded.-— Now, if you aflume, and fay, That this Notion of them is intirely excluded, i. e. if you give up the Point of their moral Goodnefs, and allow that there is nothing of true Re^itude or godly Sincerity in the beft Endeavours of the Man (according to your Defcription) in a middle State, neither relentlefs nor yet thoroughly converted : To this I reply, that upon fuch a View of the Cafe it don't appear to me in the leaffc rational, to fuppofe Endeavours of this Kind made condi' ■ tional in a Divine Promife, upon any e^/;^r Notion of them whatever. If God in difpeniing fpecial Grace to fuch a Man, does at all refpe61: his Endeavours, as the Confideration upon which he a6ls, Pie muft (I think)refpe6l them either as morally good, or wot.---Butnow to fyppoie- Him a£ting herein upon the Confideration of Works nof morally good, is to fuppofe a Thing that has no Congruity with the Idea of a mo- ral Governor and righteous Judge. If you don't maintain the Being of fome true moral Re6btude and godly Sincerity in thefe Doings of the ftriving Sinner, while you plead for their Conditionahty, methinks you had better divejl them of this too, in Honour to God's reftoral Holinefs, rather than fuppofe Him annexing a great and precious Promife to a morally unfit Condition, or difpenfing a promifed Bleffing without refpefting any Goodnejs in his Creature's Behaviour, tho' made the Rule of his Adminiftration. I cannot but think it infinitely more honorary to God, to fuppofe with us, that in this Affair of difpenfing fpecial Grace to the Unregenerate, He afts zszfovereign Benefaetor, out of abfolute, and (meaning in Oppofitionto your con- ditional Promife) out of unpromifed, and irrefpeftive Mercy, accord- inf Men,'' <6c..— Bur, Sir, what fignifies this Profellion, fo long a-s 3'ou efpoufe and promote Opinions, thac.run quite counter to re ? Indeed, to any ilndeavours of ths Unre generate. 71 Indeed, Sir, I cannot fee how to reconcile your Poflfcript with the Body of your Letter, in this Point. You fay, You don't aim at un- dermining the humbling Do6trines of the Gofpel : and yet it is the main Defign and Drift of your whole Letter to undermine that Doc- trine touching God's Sovereignty in Converfion, which only is cal- culated for the End of eifedlually bumbling the loft Sinner ; and you fee your felf to fupport that Doftrine of a Promife of fpe- cial Grace, to the Unregenerate, on Condition of their own Endea- vours, which fo ftrongly tends to flatter the Pride of the fallen Creature, and to countenance that ^o^y^fw^ which the Gofpel for ever excludes. You feem loath to fpeak out plainly the whole Truth concerning the Guilt, Pollution and Wretchednefs of "the Sinner's natural State; you appear loath, that fallen Man fhould be reprefented in fuch impove- riih'd and diflrefs'd Circumftances, as to be oblig'd to come {Forma pauperis) in the humble Poflure and Spirit of a Beggar, to fue for divine Alms, without Money and without Price ; but you would bolfler him up with the Notion of a Right, at lead a conditional Righty palTed over to him by a divine Promife, made to his Cries and Endeavours, and fecuring to him Succefs ; and not leaving the fovereign God at abfolute Liberty, either to give or to with- hold as he pleafeth. Nay, upon a Suppofition that" God hath referv'd fuch a Liberty to himfelf, and not bound himfelf by exprefs Promife, to difpenfe his Grace to the Rebel-Creature, upon Condition of bis own Endeavours, you infinuate as if in that Cafe God would aft like a hard Majler,&c. even notwithltanding all the condefcerding Invitations and gracious Encouragements which the Gofpel abounds with, to the returning Sinner.—- Now, furely if this be the Spirit of your Letter, I muft needs fay, it looks fo very much like aim- ing to undermine the Soul humbling Doctrines of the Gofpel, that I fhould have verily thought you had really aim'd at this, if vou had not profefled otherwife. And if others judge your foleran Dec'ara- lion of fufficient Force to remove that Imputation, I mufl leave it : Only I will here remind you of Bp. Hopkins's Cenfure upon your Scheme, viz. That to fuppofe Grace given according to fVorks is ths Sum and Up/hot of Pelagianifm. And indeed. Sir, whether you faw the full Force and Meaning of your own Language, or not, tell me what lefs than the compleat Ex- tent of Pelagianifm in the Point of Original Sin, can in any fair Con- ftruftion be made of thofe PafTages in your Letter (Pag. 6, 7, 8.) where you fay, " Indeed I cannot think is confiflent with the Divine •' Attributes—to give Being to any of his Intelligent Creatures " [here jou don't fo much as except the Race of faUen Jdam'] '' without 5* putting 72 S p E c I A L G R A c E Hof promjjed ** putting them into a Condition, that (every thing being conjidered in '■^ the whole of their Nature and Duration {would render Being defirable " to them, 6i.c."--But every Thing beyond what is juji fufficient toren- *^ der Being defirable, even to a perfeft Creature, however fo obedient, I " take to be Matter of meer fovereign Goodnefs." — Which Paragraph you fhut up wiih this Obfervation with reference to Man, that '• he /Jjall not be accountable for what he never received, " &c. where, I fuppofe from the Current of your Difcourfe, you mean never receivd perfonally. Now, Sir, if this be your Opinion, that Mankind are accountable only for what they (themfclves, perfonally) have receivd^ then it feems, what human Nature once receivd and lofi again in^- dam, our firfl Father and common Head, is totally excluded the JC' count ; and we are no longer to believe with the Apoftle, That the judgment was by One (the Offence of one Man) to Condemnation, or that in Adam all die.— If it be your Opinion, with refpeft to the Offspring cf jidamy That God's Perfe^ions (as you ex^efs it) oblige him, in giving them Being, to put them into a Conditien, that is in the whole better than not to\be, or that (every thing confide/ d in the whole of their Nature, &c.) would render Being defirable to them, and by no Means to put them into a worfe Condition, but in Cafe of their own [i. e. perfonal] wilful Difobedi- ence : And if it be your Opinion at the fame Time, That it is as much as God is oblig'd from his Perfeftions, to do for perfe^ and m- S20cent Creatures, to put them into this Condition, which implies No- thing more than what is jufi: fufficient to render Being defirable to them ,• every Thing beyond this, being the Refult o^ fovereign Good- Tiefs, i. e. unoblig'd free Favour : I fay. Sir, if thefe be your real Sentiments, then I think, it mufl: be your Opinion, upon the whole. That God's Perfeftions oblige him to treat innocent Adam and his Tofterity Alike, with Refpedt to the Condition, which, in giving them Being, his Attributes did and ftill do oblige him to put them into. Nor, according to thofe your Principles, is he oblig'd, when giving Being io zny pure and perfect Creature whatever, to put him into a Condition at all more defirable, than that which (according to you) he is oblig'd by his Perfe6lions to put fallen Man into, when bringing him into Being. For all that exceeds what is jufl fufficient to render Being defirable, is more than his Perfeftions oblige him to, even in that Cafe, and mufl fpring from m^QX arbitrary Kindnefs. And fiire- ly you Claim as much on the behalf, of ^J^m'sDefeendants. Is this. Sir, the Scheme you are upon / If fo, then I think, it follows, 'tis your Opinion, That Adam's Offspring are born pure and innocent Crea- tures. For a State of Sin and fpiritual Death is, I think, a worfe Condition, chan t-hac of not-being : unlefs a Remedy and Deliverance be to any Endeavours oj- iDe u nregenerate. 73 iiippos'd provided in that Cafe. But did God's Perfections &Z>//^5hini to make iKis Frovifion in our Cafe? Might he not, confifl-ently v/itli the Honour of his Goodnefs, have glorify 'd his Jufticey without a Remedy in the Cafe oi fallen Man, even as in thai c^ fallen Angehl Was it not therefore an A61 offovereign Goodncfs in Him to provide a Saviour, to raife up a fecond Jdam, when we were ruin'd in the Firft ? Yet without doing this for us, will you fay, that God was abligdy in giving us Being, to put us into a Condition exempt from the Guilt and Pollution of Original Sin ? Or will you chufe DOW to fubfcribe to the Do6lrine of Original Sin, and further (to be confiftent with the Principles you have advanced) fay, that to be born in a State of Sin and Mifery, is to have Being given us in a Condition better, than not to be at all, even though a Redeemer had jtjoc been provided, but efpecially fince God has in Fa6l rais'd up a Horn of Salvation for us ? In fliort, Sir, be but confiftenr, and you mud either deny the Do6trine of Original Sin, which will be indeed to undertone a Soul-humbling Do£lrine of the Gofpel : or elfe, confefling this Dodtrine, you muft deny and renounce the main Principles defended in your Letter, and learn to look on poor fallen Man as having in his native Condition no other Refuge but fovereign Goodnefs, free Grace and Mercy in Chrifl, not in the leaft fecur^d by any conditional Promife made to the Sinner's own impotent and polluted Doings in his unregenerate State. Sir, to return to the main Point immediately in Debate between us, I would propofe to you two Inquiries, (r.) Does not the JLight to fpecial Grace, which you plead for, as by a Divine Pro- mife pafled over to the Jlriving Sinner, does not this (I fay) necef- farily imply an a6lual Agreement or Reconciliation between an offend- ed God and his Rebel-Creature ? Does it not evidently fuppofe, that the Lord is aftually become this Mans reconciled Covenant-God ^ and oblig'd by his JuHice and Veracity to blefs him with allfpiritual Bleflings ?-— For it would be abfurd, to aflert a Right on the Sinner's part, with an Obligation on God's parr, both by Virtue of a Promife of Grace, and yet at the fame time to fuppofe no Agreement or Peace at all between the Parties.^— -And then (2.) I ask, whether it be poflible, that there fliould he this Reconcili- ation or Agreement between thefe extream Oppofites in Nature (i. e. whilfl: remaining fuch) a God of infinite HoUnefs, and a Creature mder the Dominion and Guilt of Sin ? Pleafe, Sir, to turn to thofe Divine Declarations to the Purpofe, in 2 Cor. 6. 14, 15. and i 3^oh. I. 6, Compar'd with Amos 3. 3. When you have maturely confider'd thefc two Inquiries pleafe to give me the Refult of K your 74 Special Grace Kof promifed your Thoughts, and it ir.ay contribute to an eafy liTue of this "Debate. I beg Leave, Sir, before I finifh, to offer fome Hints on n Text, you have prefs'd into your Service, which has hitherto efcapsd my Notice. In the Advertife merit before your Letter you allude to this PaiTage, in Philip. 2. 12, 13. Work out your own. Salvation ivith Fear and Trembling : for it is God which worketh in you^ both to mil and to do of his good P leaf tire. It were in effect charging you with Impertinence, not to fuppofc that you under- ftood thefe Words as importing a Promije of fpecial Grace, made to the Endeavours of Unregenerate Men under the Dominion and Guilt of Sin. Yet indeed there is not the lead Colour for fuch a Conflruftion of the Words, neither from the Text nor Con- text. There is a total Silence here, as to the Cafe of an Unrege-- nerate Man. ----So there is with regard to the Sinner's working be- ing conditional of God's working. Nay, the Contrary appears, in as much as God's working is here confidered as prior to Man's working, and (as fuch) urged as a Motive to it. — Neither is there any Mention made here of converting Grace, nor muft we necef- fiirily conceive firjl Grace to be intended here by the Salvation fpoken of: but it may as properly mean prooT^j^rj^ Salvation here, and compleat Salvation hereafter : in which Views the Word is often ufed, and is (o in this Epiftle. (Chap. i. 19, 28.)--Nor is the Fear and Trembling, here mentioned, fuch as is common to the Unregenerate, but may as well, and doubtlefs doth, intend a jilia} Reverence and godly Fear, peculiar to true Chriflians. — - And the Exhortation here is expredy directed to thofe whom the Apoflle calls his Beloved, and 'of whom he fays they had always obeyed, Afure Sign, he did not here addrefs fuch as he fuppofed to be Un- regenerate.--"And the Argument he ufes to enforce it, is. For it :> God that worketh in you, &c. Wnich runs not directly in the Form of ^Promife, but feems only a Declaration of Fact : q. d. It is the Defign of God's working in you, as he has done, and the proper Improve- ment you fhouldmake of Grace received, is, to put you upon Endeavours afcer progreiTive Sanctification, and taking Pains for the Furtheranct cf your Salvation.— -Yei the Words may implicitly couch in them a Promife, but it is to Saints in Chrift Jefus.'—Nor would I be un- derftood here to deny, that this Text may feveral Ways be adapted and apply'd for Excitation and Encouragement to the feeking Jiriir- ing Sinner, ^nd efpecially for the promoting his Humiliation, by 9. Conviction of his own fpiritual Impotence, and the Sovereignty of to any Lndeavours of ihe unregenerate. 75 of God in the Operations of efficacious Grace, &c. However, Sir, this is no Help to your Argument. I ihall now take a brief Notice of what you have advanced in your Letter (Pag. 3.) where you tell us, *' Nothing can fo effec- *' tually tend to cut the Sinews of all Endeavours to repent^'--as even " the moji dijlant Surmife, that pojjlbly all our Labour may be in vain." "—This, Sir, is to my bed Underftanding one of the mod palpable Miftakes. And if applied to any important Bufmefs in humane Life, will be found contrary to plain Fa£l, in our daily Experience and Obfcrvation. Doth not the Husbandman plow in Hope, without the kaft Certainty of Succefs? Doth not the Mariner fail in dangerous Sea- fonsof the Year, and in Times of War ? Doth not the Merchant ad- venture his Subflance acrofs the Sea to foreign Countries, even when Sailing is dangerous ? And do thefe Men a6l without any the moft diftant Surmife of the Poflibility of Difappointments in their Affairs ? Or in Cafe of Sicknefs, won't Men fend for the Pbyfi- cian and ufe many Medicines, notwithflanding apparent Hazard of never recovering ? How unjuftifiable then mufl; be the Condudl of Sinners, if in a Cafe of infinitely greater Importance, and of eternal Confequence, they fuffer any dijlavt Surmife of all their La- hour's being in vain, to cut the Sinews of their Endeavours ! Ought they not in this moft momentous Cafe, if they would /hew them- fekes Men and confiftent Agents, to aft upon like Encouragement, as in Matters of inferior Concernment ? It being a Cafe, in whicli any the leaft Probability, yea, a bare Fojfibility of Succefs is infinite- ly more valuable, than in any other Cafe imaginable ,* and a Cafe, where Neceffity calls aloud for their moft ardent Defires, their molt incei^dini Strivings to enter in at the fir ait Gate, their utmoft Pains in preffing into the Kingdom of Goi. — Was the Man-Jlaycr under the Law fure of Succefs, and yet was he not wont to flee with all his Might to the City of Refuge ? And fhould not the awak- ened Sinner, though without a Promife of certain Succefs, yen upon the Encouragement of a Probability, or even a meer PoJJi- iility, flee for Refuge to lay Hold on the Hope fet before Him ? Did not the Ninevites acl meerly upon the Encouragement of a Who can tell if God will return .'-—And the Ifraelite^, were thev not ftimulated by an uncertain Hope, faying, ^'ho knowetb if God will repent, and leave a BleJJmg behind him !--.-Once more, when an infpired Apoftle had an hypocritical Profeilor of the Gofpel in Dealing, I mean Simon, whom he perceived to be in. tile Gall of Bitternefs and Bond of Iniquity, with what Encour- agement doth he enforce his Exhorcatioa' to him 10 repent, anJL: fraytoGod? Doth he tell him of a Prcr.ufe, and ur^e his Endeavours as 7o i3PEGiALijriiACE HOT promi/ea 3S Conditions, in the Manner that you do ? No, Sir, but he puts ail to the Rifque ; he rnencions but a Peradventure.—?ray God, if perhaps He may forgive thee. — - This Perhaps, as here ufed, imports indeed only a Sufpicion of the Truth of the Man's Repentance, and not any Doubt of God's Forgivenefs in Cafe his Repentance were^fincere.— -Note, Sir, We have here a plain Scripture-Exam- ple of a ProfeiTor ftill Unregenerate, and under the Dominion and Guilt of Sin ; and of the Encouragement, which the Gofpel gives to iuch an one, when awakened, to cry to God for Mercy. The /poftle only mentions a Perhaps ; and never lifps to him the moll dillanc Surmife of a Promife, to fecure certain Succefs. Now in this, will you fay of an Infpired Apoftle, that he took the ready Method to cut the Sinews of Simon'j Endeavours to repent ! — I hope furely, in this Cafe you will fay No. What then i« the Divinity you teach, in this Particular ! Is it not too near akin to that vain Philofophy, vou fo loudly exclaim againft ? Or, is noK ihe Language of your Obje£tion in this Cafe, too agreeable to thae of the Jlothful Man, who in Excufe of his Averfion to taking any Pains without Certainty of Succefs, fays on every Occafion, There is a Lion in the Way ! But, Sir, however thofe on your Side of the Queflion may un- dervalue anv Gofpel-Encouragement, ihort of a Promife afcertain- ing the Succefs of a Sinner's Endeavours ; Yet we on the other Jiand are conflrained, in the View of the glorious Encourage* inents of the Gofpel (ihough from meer Sovereign Mercy, un- promifed to any Endeavours of the Unregenerate) to admire the Wifdom of God in the Conflicution of the Covenant of Grace, i'o adapted to the Defign of exiking his own Sovereignty, and fecuring the Honours of his Mercy and Holinefs together, and ^o^ fidapted to promote at the fame Time both the Humiliation and the Encouragement of the fallen Creature ! Equally calculated ta swaken the Sinner's Fear of God's Wrath, and to fupport a Hope in his Mercy ,• fo, to guard him againft the Dangers of Security, Prefumption, and Delay, on the one hand, and on the other againft all Temptations to Defpair and Deje6lion. Thus, Sir, I have finiflied what I propofed on this Occafion.-— I am confcious of much Infirmity, and ask your Candour. I think, I can fay uprightly, I have not committed any wilful Miftakes : but have wrote in the Fear of God, the very Senfe of my Heart, according to my beft Light. , On the whole, I would juft make this one Remark, and be iC temember'd : Though I deny any Promife, by virtue pf which to any endeavours of the Unregenerate. ' 77 the fpecial Grace of God can poflibly become due to tte Prayers and Endeavours of the Unregenerate, whilit fiich ; Yet however, I am perfwaded, that it is the Duty of Sinners to be feeking and ftriving after it ; and that not a fingle Inftance will be found of any Sinner in the Day of Judgment able to ftand forth, and plead ia Truth, Lori, I did my befl Endeavour to the very lajl, that I might obtain the Salvation which is by J ejus Chrift, and looked diligently left I Jhould fail of the Grace of God, but after all was deny'd. To be perfwa- ded of this Fa^, on the Score of the Riches of God's Mercy, and yet at the fame Time to renounce all Pretence of a Promife to the Sinner's Endeavours, appear to me Things very well confiitent. Though, guided by the Word, I limit the Promifes of God to the Believer : Yet far be it from me, to entertain a Thought of limiting Him in his unpromifed Mercy towards Sinners, which knows no other Bounds, in this, or any other Cafe, confident with his moral Perfections, but the meer good Pleafure of his Will. May the Spirit of Truth leads us into all Truth ,• and may the Spirit of Grace make all Grace to abound towards us and in us -I 'Tis the flncere Wiih of, Rev. Sir, Tour humble Servant^ Riptor^ April 22. 1747. 7. M. FINIS. ERRATA. Among other Miftakes, which are left to the Candour of intelligent Rea- iers, thcfe which follow are to be corrected thus.-— Pag. 49. lin. 38. read It's a good—.- P. 61. 1. 14. r. Gofpel-Scbeme of-^ P. 63. 1 2. has the Truth.... Ibid. J. 37. r. isJUH^^- aud 1. 39. r. feeming— P. 65. 1.5. r. Crfaturef ^ ^ » ^ ' jbojLon, uctcb. 15. 1747. WHEREAS the Rev. Mr. Jonathan Dkkwjon hath prepared fir the Prefs an excellent Defence of Tome of the peculiar and important Do61rines of the Gofpel (Perfonal EkStion, Original Sin, Jitftijicauon by Faith, Special Grace in ConverHon, ^c.) in a Piece, Incidcd, A Second Vindication of GOD^s fovereign free Grace. Being in Anfwer to the Exceptions made againil his former Vindica- Siof], by Meflirs John/on and Beach. It is propofed, that the faid Work fhall fpeedily be publiflied at about iha Price of Tivo Shillings and fix Pence {New Tenor) per Book. Thofe that fubfcribe for fix Books (hall have a feventh gratis. SUBSCRIPTIONS are taken in by Rogeus and Fowle in Queen-flrcet, next to the Prifon. Juji Puhlijh'd, (and fold by Rogers and Fowle in Qiieen-ftreet) One of the inofi iifeful Books of the kind extant : Neceflary to be had in all Families. Troper to be given by MiflreiTes to their Maids, or Parents to their Daughters, A Prefent for a Servant-Maid ; Or, The fure Means of gaining Love and Ejleem. In which are Directions for going to Market ; Alfo, for drefling any common Difh, whether Flejh^ Fifh, or Fowl. With Rules for Wafhing, &c. The whole calculated for making both the Miftrefs and Maid happy. The following Recommendation of the above Book is taken from the Gentleman's Magazine in London. 'f This fmall Treatife is fo well done, and fo much approved of by " Perfons of all Ranks, that great Numbers have been fold here ; ** Landlords give them to their Tenants, Parents to their Children, ^ MiftrefTes to their Servants, Governors and Directors of Charity " Schools enjoin the Miftrefles to teach the Girls to read this Book, " as the befl: extant to qualify them for Services of any kind." Juft PublifJjd in 2 Volumes, The Hlflory pf the Martyrs, Alphabetically epitomiz'd : Being a Cloud of WitnelLjs ; Or, the Sufferers Mirrour,made up of the Swan like Son 5;?, and other Choice Paffages of a great Number of Martyrs aid Confellors ro the End of the Sixteenth Century, in their Trea-. tifes. Speeches, Letfers, Prayers, ^c. in their Prifons, or Exiles : at the Bar, or Slake, ^c. Colleaed oat: of the Ecclefiaftical Hiftories o^ Euf bitty, Fo.x, Fuller, Clark, Petrie, Scotland, 2indMr. SatfmlfVard's^ Life of FarJi in Death, &c. By Thomas Mall, M. A. BOOKS fold by Rogers and Fowie in Boflon. A SUMMARY, Hiaorical and Political, Of the fird Planting, progreffive Improvements, and prefent State of the Bntifh Settle- ments in North-America j with fome tranfienc Accounts of the Bordering French and Spani/h Settlements. By fV. D. m. d. N. B. 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A Prefent for an Apprentice : Or, a fme Guide to gain both Efteem and Eilate ; with Rules for his Conduce to his Mafter, and in the World. By a late Lord Mayor of London, Praftical Difcourfes on the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Being a ferious Call and Admonition to Watchfulnefs and Diligence in pre- paring for Death and Judgment. By Benjamin Colman, D. D. Paf- torofaChurchin Bojtonj New- England. WATTS' s 44 Sermons bound in one Volume. Three valuable Pieces. Viz. StleEk Cafes Refolved ; Fird Principles of the Oracles of GOD, or. Sum of Chriflian Religion ; Both correfted by four feveral Editions : And a private Diary ; Containing Meditations and Experiences never before Publifhed. By Thomas Shepard, M. A. Of Emmanuel College in Ca?nbridge'm England : Afterward Minifter of the Church of Cambridge in Nkv- England, With fome Account of che Rev. Author. ■^^ SERMON Preached before the 9 Synod of NETT-TORKy Convened at Newark, in New-Jersey, September 30, 1756. 'By AARON BUFtR, A. M. Preftdent of the College of New-Jersey. Publijhed by the Desire of the Synod. \ Zecha. xiv, 6, 7. And it ftiall come to pafs, in that Day, that the \ Light (hall not be clear, nor dark ; but it (hall be one Day which fhall be known to the Lord ; not Day, nor Night : But it Ihall come to pafs, that at Evening Time, it (hall be Light. N E IV - r O R K: Printed and Sold by H. Gaine, at the Bible ^ Crown, in Slueen-Jireet, between the Fly and Meal- Markets, i yc^S. j-ne ^^^"^ .1^ ( 3 ) S E R M O N, c. , ISAIAH xxi. II, 12. ^'be Burden of DuMAH. He calleth tome mt of Seib:» JVatebmcn, What of the Night ? IVatchfiian, What of the Night ? TheJVatchmanfaid, The Morning cometh^ andalfo the Nighty if ye will enquire i enquire, ye j return j come. IT may doubdefs, at firft View, appear ftrange Wttaj Brethren, that I have choien this ohfeure Paffage :- ( 5 ) the Keeper of Israel ; or to the Son, who is reprefented as the Shepherd of his People^ I think groundlefs. It is not fuppofable, that the Idumeans had any fuch diftinfl Notion ot the Father or the Son^ as to addrefs one or the ether by this Title.— To apply it to the Prophet hiwfelf, feems much more natural ; the Prophets being well known by the Character of Watchmen.^ as pointing out the Defign and Duties of their Office : And thus they are frequently ftiled in Jacred }Vrit* 1 have fet Watchmen on thy Walls^ O Je r u- SALEM, ^^ I have made thee^ fays GOD to Ezekiel, a " Watchman to the Houfe of Israel/'-j- The Character is taken from thofe that are let to guard a City, or on a Watch- *Tower to defcry approaching Danger,and give the Signal : And they ought to be Men of Courage, that will not be frighted at the Shaking of a Leaf-, faithful, who will not betray theirTruft; vigilant, that will not fuffer the Enemy to come by Surprize while they are afleep •, quick fighted, to fpy the Danger; confiant and unwearied m their Attendance ■on the Duties of their Station ; and being continually awake, k might be expeded could readily give the Hour of the Night. 'Tis eafy to fee how applicable this is, not only to the Prophets, but to all the Minifters of the Gofpel, who are fet as Watchmen, on the Walls of God's Jerufalem ; whofe Z)«/y and Bufinefs it is, to watch over the Heritage of the Lord ; to give fealbnable, plain and faithful Warn- ing to Saints and Sinners. The various remarkable Dif- penfations of God to his Church,\^tTt revealed to the Pro^ fhets'j they foretold the defolating Judgments that were brought not only on the JewSy but the neighbouring Na^' irons ; knew fomething of the Time, Manner and Dura- tion of the dark Night they had to pafs through ; and fo might properly be enquired of as to this Matter—Watch- man, What of the Night ? What have you difcovered as to^ theState of thtNight ? How far is it advanced ? What rc-^ mains ? Do you difccrn any Signs of the Msrning ? Any Signs * IsAi. Ixii, 6, t EzEK, iji, 17, ( « ) Signs that the prefent Scene of Barknefs will foon be over? The Qiieftion is undoubtedly not about a natural but we- taphorical Night,— that State of Calamity and Dijirefs the Jezi^s and Idumeans were under by the AJfyrians or Babylo- Jtians ; or, that dark Difpenfation of the Law^ the End of which was then expected, and earneftly defired. The Repetition of it, reprefents the Panic they were in j their JDtJirefs^ or rather their Impatience, for an Anfwer. It may perhaps fcem ftrange zx.firji View^xhdX the Idu- means fhould make this Inquiry. What had they to do with the Prophets or the divine Oracles ?^ Who were Aliens from the Common-Wealth of Ifrael, and Strangers from the Covenant of Promife.— But, the Difficulty will vanifh, if we confider that the Scheme of this Prophefy is cmblma- ileal and figurative. The Idumeans are introduced here hy the Prophet, as breathing alter Deliverance under their Calamities, and making fuch anxious Inquiries as it is natural to fuppofe a People in their Situation would ; and hearing that Deliverance was expeded by xkitjewiflo N(^tkny, il was natural for them to defire to know the Time and Manner of it, in Hopes they alfo might Share in its Fa- vour.— To this may be added — That the eaflern Nations had a Veneration for the Prophets of the God of Ifrael, whofe Fame was fpread among them. And if we apply it to the then dark State ot the Church, an Enquiry refpe<5b- ing a more glorious Difpenfation, in which themfelves,. and all the gentile World were concerned, comes from them^ with fingular Propriety. Some fuppofe the Queftion put by way of Derifion, but I think without Foundation •, had' 'that been the Cafe, the Prophet would have given them a very different Anfwer. They feem to have a Degree o£ Earnejlnefs about the Matter, and yet do not enquire with, that Faith, and fuch religious Views as they ought. This, is evident from the Prophets reply. The Morning comethj, mdalfo the Night, if ye will enquire; enquire, ye ; return; come.. (i, e.) The Morning will be as dangerous as the Night, hy ibme.. Others tranflate it, theM?m«^comethj, and yet iti ( 7 ) it is Nigbf. i. e. Tho' there be a Deliverance fr6m prefeht Calamities, yet it will be hut partial ', Light comes, but Darknefs will be intermixed with it ; or according to our Tranflation, The Morning cometh, hut the Night will Jo on fticceed. It may mean. That the' the Morning is coming to the People of God, it would ftill be Night with the Idu- means. 'Tis eafy to fee, that as Night is put for a State of Jffli^lion, Day is a proper Emblem of Joy and Comfort. If ye will enquire', enquire, ye; return; come. I'he o\6.Englifh Tranflation undt^ Henry the^lllth, has it thus, " If ye will ** enquire indeed, and ajk ^efiions in Earnejl, enquire of God ; *"' fi^f^ ^fi ^^^ Mercy, and then come again, andyoujhall have " a more favourable Anfwer^^ which feems not far from the true Meaning. As the Queftion, tho' not put with that Serioufnefs and Sincerity as it ought, implied a Defire to know the Pur- pofe of God relating to t\itv: frefent dark and difmal Situ- ation ; the Anfwer feems to be to this Purpofe, viz. Since you Idumeans, in your diftrcffed Condition, feem to come to yourfelves, exprefs a Defire of returning to God, and knowing his Will concerning you, be in earneft in the Matter, enquire with Hearts fuitably affed:ed, with the Difpenfations of divine Providence, with finc^ren and twinkling Stars, vanifhes before the rJ/ing Sun. This Difpenfation was not ou\y gloomy and dark^ when compared to the fuperior Light of the Chrijlian Revelation, but was •in a peculiar Manner fo, by Reafon of the Blindnefs, Pre- judices and Unbelief, of thofe to whom it was given ; which is fitly reprefented by the Fail Mofes put on his Face while he delivered them the Law, to cover its daz- zling Brightnefs, which they could not behold. This Vaily the Apeftle exprefsly tells us, was on their Hearts '^y fo that they could not look to the End of that which was to be abolifhed. They were as unable to behold the Mind of Mofes in that (Economy, as they were his Face •, when he turned to theLord he took off thcFail -, which implies, that that Difpenfation, as it came from God, and was re- vealed toJiim, was full of Grace, and (hone with a divine Luftre ; but when he converfed with the People he had it on, for the internal Glories of his Miniftration which were delivered in Types and Figures of good Things to comcy were rendered obfcure and dark, by the Blindnefs and Prejudices of their carnal Hearts. When they fhall turn to the Lord, at the bleffed Period of their general Conver- fion, this Vail fhall be taken away, and they fhall clearly fee how xht glorious Grace of the Gofpelwus revealed under all the Types and Shadows of the Law, But, by Reafon of the Darknefs of their Minds, and the obfcure Manner in which Chrifl, and the Blefllngs of his Kingdom, were then typified,theCy&«r(ri) continued in a dark and benighted State. There was indeed a Mixture of Light with that Darknefs •, the Prophets were like fo many fhining Stars in the Churchy and they had many fure Words of Prophefy^ to 'Which they might give Heed \ but it was only as to a Light fhining in a dark Place, till the Day-jiar appear ed^ and the glorious Sun of Righteoufnefs arofe. And * 2 Cor. iii. 13, 14. ( tl ) Akd 'tis worthy Obfervation, that the Ni^ht was pe- culiarly ^loomy^ towards the Clofe of this Difpenfation, when the Darknefs was much increafed, by almoft con- tinual Perfecutions and Oppreffions^ trom the Kings of Syria^ without i while the internal Glories of it were greatly ob- fcured, and almoft wholly loft, by thofe dangerous Cor- ruptions in Do£Irifte, Difcipline and IVorJJoip^ which then over-fpread the Jewijh Churck, and thofe fcandalous Di- vifions into which it fell. It was alfo eminently Nighi^ with the gentile IVorld^ who being funk into deplorable Darknefs, were given up to the moft abominable Idolatry and vile AflTcdiions; But as an Expecflation of the Coming of the Mejfiah^ the promifed Deliverer, began now to prevail and become general, *tis not ftrange, that fome among the Gentiles^ a^ well as the Jews^ are reprefented, crying to the Watchman^ What of the Night? When will the Darknefs of the prefent * Difpenlation be over, and z. Deliverer come out ^/Zion, t9 turn azvay htiquity from Jacob ? When will thofe Times of Ignorance which God has hitherto winked at in the gentile IVorld, be at an End, and Light arife to thofe that now fit in the Region of the Shadow of Death ? How much of this dark Scafon is paft ? What yet remains ? When will the Day break by the Appearance of that glorious Perfony who is to be a J^ight to the Gentiles ^ and a Glory to God's People Ifracl ? It might be fuppofed, that the Watchmen who were enquiring and fearching diligently^ what Manner of Time the Spirit in them did fignify^ when it tefiified before Handy the Sufferings of Chrifl, and the Glory that fhould followy could give an Anfwer to fuch aQueftion, as the Time and Manner of his Appearance were fo clearly pointed out. TKcy might fee, that the Scepter was about to de- part from Judahy according to Jacob's Prophefy *, That Daniel's 70 IVeekSy or 490 Years, were near expiring. And as it mufl be during the Standing of the fecondTempky to which he was fuddenly to come, and fill with his Glory, according to Malachi ||, it could not be long delayed. By B thefe * Gkv.zHx, 10. I M4LACHI iii| f. ( 12 ) thefe Hints, the V/atchmen m'lpfht know the ISJizht was far fpent^ and aniv»/er as in the Text, The Morning cometh, the Ipng expeded Day, is at Hand. In this View of the Words, the JVatchman's, Anfwer, that the Morning ccmcth^ may point out the Light and Joy brought to the World by the Appearance of the' Son of God. The Day began" to dawn under the Miniflry of John the Baptiji. He was' indeed a burning and a Jhining Lights compared v/ith the other Prophets •, but was not the true Light, tho' like the Morning Star he ufhered in the Day. But, when the Sun of Righteoujnefs, arofe with Healing under his IVings., he diffufed Light., Life, and Joy, thro' a dark, dead, and chearlefs World. The Shadows of the former Difpenfa- tlon, and the thick Clouds of heathenifh Ignorance and Su- ferfliiioyi, fled before him, as the Darknefs_ of the Night Before the rifing Sun. It' was prophelied of him', that his going forth, fhould he prepared as the Morning.* As the natural Sun in the Morning fpreads Joy and Gladnefs, thro' the wide Creation, fo did Christ thro' a loft and ivUined World, The Angel brings the News of his Birth, as Tidings ot great Joy to all People. The Gofpei preached in his Name, was a ravifhing Sound to all that heard and received it : Like the Morning Light, it fpread far and wide ; grew brighter and brighter, toy!2ixdiiji perfe£f Day. It had free Courfe, and was glorified -^^ triumphing over all .the Oppofition of Earth and Hell. With what divine Luftre and Beauty did' the Church •ihine, in this Morning of her Days, when the pure DoSirin^ o? the Gofpei, were taught ^>vithout that corrupt Mixture", which the Pride and Ignorance of Men have fmce intro- du,ced/.. She was as a City fet on a Hill, and Multitudes hoi^l'^ews and Gentiles rejoiced in her Light. She feem^ tq'anfw'er the Defcnptiort given of her, by Sit. John, m ijs prbphetlc Vifioh ;§ where Aie is re|)tefented, as clothed with the Sun, having the Moon under her Feet, and a Crown of 1 2 Stars on her Head -, a bfeautifcil Image, exprefling, in ,^ lively Mannier, fhe Clofy, ticndur, and Digmty of the :! ;..■.,...,-„,. .:■ ..■:■ c,>.. .... .,-^^,.;..,... - . -,. ... .,,,Shurch. * Hs:)^EA ti, J, Luke ii/ i*. § Riv. xif, i. ( 13 ^ ) Church. There appeared in her Members, in nhis- ^^r/y yige^ fiich genuine PzV/y,and fervent Devotion •, fuch lively Hope^and llrong Failh j fuch warm and unfeigned Love to one another •, fuch Meeknefs^ and undifTembled Humility \ fuch Hcavenly-mindednefs and Beadnefs to the World -, fuch univerfal Holinefs^ and Purity of Life •, as made thtmjlmie like Lights in , the World. Religion then appeared amiable and alluring., as exemplified in the Lives of ProfefTors ; which tended greatly to the propagating the Gofpel. The Brightnefs of this Morning was foon obfcured. Many Errors of, pernicious Influence crept into the Church., even ^while under the Conduit of infpired Men : But after the Apojlles Deceafe, Mm of corrupt Minds, began with more Freedom, to propagate their dangerous Dodrines,. . ^nd licentious Pra6lices, bringing fwift DeJiru5lion on them fehes, '^ and their Followers. Towards the Ciofe of the Z?;/?, and ^during the fecond, and third Centuries., the Church was greatly infefted with Perfons, who advanced the moft abfurd and dangerous Opinions, tending to the Defirudlion of all natural and revealed Religio;i i— the Nicolaitans, va- rious Se6ls of the Gnojtics, Corinthians, Valentinians, Mar- cionites, and Manichaans, with a Train of other ,//^r^//<:j-, who appeared 'm.'^f^ early Ages of theChurch; yen}:ing mapy impious Notions about God and Chrijl ; the, Origin of Gofid and Evil ; tjie faired Writings \ and t]:^e. Way of. Salvaiiojt-by Chrid ; to the great Reproach and Hindrance of the Gof- pel.— Some makingGoD theyfz^/i^orofSin J others denyino- the Unity of the Godhead v fome the Divinity sZnd many the Hmnanity of Christ ; whilq others even blaiphemoufly pre- tended to be the Saviour of the. World thcmfelyes. What c^ added to the Scandal of their Errors, ;hevilefVz3^^^«^/??m>j, —the moft abominable Cn'^^^j were countenanced and prac- tifed, under the Cloak of Religion j which i\\^ Enemies pi .. Chriftianity, \yere malicious enpugh to impute, howeyer unjuftly,, to all its ProfeiTors. Whil^ the Church was thus darkened,, corrupted,, and exceedingly /candalifei by He- reiies within; ihe was almofl; continually harralTed with violent Pppreaipfis\^an,d cruel , |^ej:fpcu.tions,' ui>der the heatheH ( u ) h-eathen Ernfcrcrs Uovn withot-.t \ v-'hich continued with but little Intervals uf Peace and Rejl^ during the three firll Centuries. Tho' there was, in thole early Ages of Chrvfli- anity, much fpiritual Light, and plentiful Comnnunica- tions ofDivine Gra'e-, yet during the itn genercil Pcrfe- ' cutions^ which ib quickly fucceeded one another, it might ' well be called Nii^ht \ when comt^arej to that State of f:v- tcrnal Peace and Profperit)\ which the Church fhall enjoy in the latter Days, dire, with Refpect to the glorious Diffu- fion of Go/pel Light, which may then be expefted. At the Clofe of t'ne third, and Beginning oi tht fourth 'Century, the Church v^as reduced to the hii Extremity, by 'a Number of cruel Perlecutors, who feemed to combine together, for the utter Deftrudion of the Chriflian Name t and Caufe. Galerius, Diocletian, Maximin, and Maxentius, * afted as if they vi-^d with one another, in the unheard of ^■Cruelties, and monftrous Barbarities, exercifed towards the innocent Difciples of Christ : But the Churches Extremity, is GoD*s Opportunity > He begins to make bare his Arm ; vifibly to efpoufe tht- Caufe of his diftrefled People ; and to recompence Vengeance to thofe that affli5fed them. Galerius, being feized with an incurable and intolerable Dileafe, expires in the Midft of moft bitter Ahgliifh and Torm.ent. Diocletian, forced to rcfign his Authority, opprelTed with a Load o^ Guilt, groans and fighs away his miferable Life. Maximin, after being defeated by Licinius, attempts to put an End to his own Life ; but dies a lingering Death, amidft the moft amazing Torment.*?, acknowledging his Guilt, in having perfecuted the Chrijlians. In this dark Period, God alfo raifes up that great Deliverer and Defcn- ■ der of his Church, Conjiantine ; who, yf. D. 312, gains a compleat Vidiory over that cruel Tyrant and grand Per- fecutor, Maxentius ; which gave reft to the Church in the TVeJi : And the Death of Licinius, which happened foon after, who was firft a Favourer, but afterwards a cruel Perfecutor of the Chriftians, feemed to put an End to all their Troubles : They enjoyed free Liberty every where.— Conjlantine afcribcs the Glory of all his Victories, to the God ( '5 ) Gcd and Father of our Lord^ Jes'js Christ. . Aiul as a Token of Gratitude-, gives public Councer.anct to the Chrijlian Religion \ iccurcs it by EdiiTis and Laivs ; creto Schools •, builds and cp.dows CLurchcs •, bcftowf, many ]m~ miDuties and Privileges on the Clergy, and diitinguifiiLS thera with many public Marks of Honour and Rej'pcci. 'i hus the Darknefs which had ovcrfpread the Church^bt^zn to fcatter, and the Morni.ig to appear. The Gofpe! had free Ccurfc and was glorified •, there was opened an effectual Door^ which no Man was allowed to {liur. A delightful Scene feemed now to open on the Churchy and looked like the Beginning of a bright and glorious Day. Many had r ai fed Expectations, that the happy Period was now come, when the Kingdoms of this IVorld^ '■jaould become the Kingdoms cf our Lord^ and his Chrifl : But alas ! how different did the Event prove. This Alcrning was foon overcafl, and fucceeded by a dark and diimal Night. The Honouri, Dignities and Riches conferred on the Clergy^ and the Church, introduced Luxury, Pride and Ignorance, with a long Train of dangerous Confequences. About this 'I'ime, the Arian Herefy fprung up, and fpreading itfelf over a great Part of the Chrijlian Church, proved deitru£bive to the Faith once delivered to the Saints •, threw the Church into great Confurions,and produced very fore Perfecutions : The Emperors favouring fometimes the Arian^ and fomc- times the orthodox Party ; which brought infinite Scandal on the Chriflian Name, and caufed the Enemy to blaf- pheme. SooM after Chriftianity had fpread over a great Part of the Roman Empire, under Protedion of the Government-, the moft terrible Defolation, was brought on the IVefiern Empire, by the northern barbarous Nations, i/iz. the Goths, Vandals, Almains, Sarmatians, Pi5ls and Scots -, who feemed to confpire together for its utter Ruin, and for a long I'ime continued wafting, burning, and deftroying all before them. About A. D. 410, Alaricus the Goth, facked and plundered Rome \ about Fifty-five Years after which, it was again plundered, and burnt by Genfericus., the ( I6 ) the Vandal. Soon after, it met with the fame Fate from Ruhomerus 472 ; twice by Totiln •, and again by Attila^ King of tlie Huns., who was above' all the Reft, a fore Scourge., in the Hand of Providence, to the degenerate Chriftians of that Day. While the Empire was in this dreadful Confufion, by thofe barbarous Nations^ grofs Ignorance began to over- fpread the Chrifiian World \ for, by the Ravages they com- mitted. Schools were difiipated, Minijlers baniflied, and Learning buried. Thofe who were then on the Stage^ being loon wafted with the Sword and Age; the rifing Generation ;grev/ up in lamentable Ignorance. The moft indeed of the JRulers of thofe barbarous Nations embraced Chriftianity,; but being very Ignorant, became an eafy Prey to the Pride and Policy of the corrupt and degenerate Clergy of the Day. This Opportunity the BifJoop of Rome improved, to fet him- felf up as the Head of the Church j the Succejfor of St. Peter •, Christ's Vicar on Earth ; and found it but too eafy a Matter to impofe on thofe weak Princes., and an ignorant People, and thus to introduce thofe grofs Corrup- tions., Superjiitions., and falfe Do^rines, which have fince proved fo fatal to the Church. Thus Antichrid began to be revealed, and gradually grew up to that Height of Wickednefs, which he afterwards difcovered •, exalting himfelf. above all that is called God. The Darknefs of this 'iVz^i?/, brought on the Church, by Ignorance, Superftition, and the abominable Corruptions, of Popery, were greatly increafed by the Rife of that falfe Prophet and grand Im- poftor Mahomet, who made his Appearance, A. D. 606 j and notwithftanding the People ot'Jdecca, attempted to crufh the I?npof ore in the Bud, yet, A. D. 615, it began to fprcad ; for having by an apoftate Je-za, and Neftorian Monk, cpmpofed his Alcoran, and deluded his Followers, with a Notion of his being railed up by God, to inftitute y.'fiew Religion;, he teaches them, that it is to be propaga.te^ by the Sword, and that it is meritorious to die for it.:-— -jBy this JVleans, -he foon brought ^\4rabia into his Power-, an4 his Follower*? (wjio, Jroip.xheir pretended Pefcent from ( 17 ) from Sarah, Abraham's Wife, were called Saracens) foon over- run the greateft Part of Jfia^ and began to fpread themfelves exceeding fall in Europe^ till their memorable Defeat by Charles Mart el. A, D. 734. The- Miferies brought on the Chru'cian Church,' by the Spread of this Impoftore, were exceeding great. The glorious Light of the Gofpel, which began to beobfcured, with the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rcme^ feemed as if it would have been wholly extinguifhed. By this.xhzy brought fuch Ignorance and Error, Deceit^ Yio-; lence and Slavery, where ever they came, that it feeraedr as if the bottomlefs Pit had been opened, and Satan atr the Head of the Powers of Darknefs, come forth, accor- ding to the prophetic Defcription of the Rife of this hn~ pofiore. Rev. IX. 2. And he opened the bottomlefs Pit, and there arofe a Smoke out of the Pit, as the Smoke of a great Furnace, and the Sun and Air were darkened by Reafon of th. Smoke of the Pit, and cut of the Smoke Locujls came, which- fitly enough defcribes the Miiery and Woe, ftupid Igno- rance and Superftition, which every where attended the Progrefs of the Mahometan Religion. The coming up .ot the Locufis, and Deftrudion they make where ever they go, emphatically reprefents the amazing and deflrud:ive Progrefs of the Saracens. This dark and difmal Night, brought on the Church by the Rife of Popery, on the one Hand, and the Maho- metan Impoftore on the other, continued for a long Time with but a little glimmering of Gofpel Light, among a few that kept the Faith : Religion and Learning feemed likely to be banillied from the World. But at the Clofe of the 15th, and Beginning of the. 1 6th Centuries, the Day began to dawn., by a glorious Reformation, which had been attempted, and ftruggled for, by Wickliff, in England \ the Waldenfes and Albigenfes, in France ; and John Hufs, in Germany, long before ; But was now car- ried on by Luther, under the Prote6lion of the Ele£lor of Saxony, with furprizing Succefs, in many Parts of Germany -^ who was joined by Melan£ion, and other nobk Reformers ; whilft ( i8 ) vvhilfl: Calvin, at Geneva, Zwinglius and Farellus, with a Train of faithful Witnefles for the Truth, who appeared about this Time, were flrenuoufly fupporting, and vigo- roufly carrying on, (tho' with fome fmall Difference, in leiTer Matters) the fame glorious Caufe, The Light of the Gofpel feemed for a Seafon to fhine brighter and brighter, fpread far and wide in Spite of all the Methods the Popijh Party made ufe of, by Bulls, Decrees cf Councils, and the moft unheard of Cruelties, to flop and fupprefs it. The Pope^i Authority began very fafi: to decline. The Nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland, the northern Kingdoms of Denmark and Szveden, with great Numbers in France, Hungary and Bohemia, all received the Reforma- tion, and difclaimed any Subjeftion to the Kingdom of the Berjl. These Things appeared like the Beginning of a joyful Day, and many were ready to think, the glorious Things fpoken of Zion, in the latter Days, were now at Hand, There appeared in many of the firfl: Reformers, fuch a Love to the Truth, and Zeal for pra<5lical Godiinefs, as gava a fair Profpe(5t of a thorough Reformation \ from all the Corruptions in Do^rine, Dijcipline and Worfhip, which had crept into the Church : But the Event fell far fhort of the raifed Hopes of Zion\ Friends. In many Places it was carried on chiefly by the civil Magiflrate, who v/cnt no farther than to anfwer their political Schemes, and in moft it was too much 3,formal,nominalThing,condu6}:cd by the JVifdom of this JVorld. So that it foon came to a Stand, and has been for many Years paft on the Decline, as to the Principles and Praftice o^ real Religion, and this fad Dcclenfion is growing faft on the prefent Generation. Some miay be ready perhaps by this Time, to put to Me the Queftion in the Text, IVatchman, what of the Night? "Whereabouts are We } Is it Night, or Day ? What are the Signs of the Times, in which we are fallen ? What may wc look for ^ To which I anfwer, I am very far from pretending to a Spirit of Prophefy, or any fuch Infighc into the prophetic Writings, as precifely to fix the ( 19 ) the Dates of thofe Times and Serjons^ about which learned and pious Men have lb widely differed •, I may venture however,' to affirm, fome Things that appear evident and plain, and modeftly offer my Thoughts about others, more doubtful and uncertain. It is, I think, very evident, that tWt Night brought on the Church, by the Delufions and Superftition oi Mahomet ^ and the Pope, ftill continues. Notwithftanding the fre- quent Appearances of the Morning, the Darknefs ftill re- mains, and at prefcnt feems to increafc. Popery did in- deed receive a great Wound at the Reformation, and the Pope confidered as a temporal Prince, has, as to Kxs, fecular Power, been ever fmce, very much on the Decline, very little Regard being paid him to what formerly was ; but this in many, arifes more from Contempt of the Go/pel, and all revealed Religion, than a Diflike to the Corruptions- of Popery, or Regard to the Truth ; and however, he be declined in fecular Power, the Popijfj Religion, ftill greatly prevails. The greateft Part oi Chriflendom zxt profcffedly of that Communion, and acknowledge Subjedlion to the Pope, as their fpiritual Head -, and the corrupt Doftrines of that Church, have of late Years very much prevailed in Proteftant Countries. -- The Turks, who," when they defeated the Saracenyl adopted fheir Religion and Manners, which they have ever fmce been propagating, by their victorious Arms, (the* they have been fomething weakened by their late Wars with the Germans) are yet in PoiTefTion of a confiderable Part of 4fja, Europe, and Africa, where the Chriftian Re- ligion formerly flourifhed. The Mahometans have ever been profefTed Enemies to Chriftianity, and endeavour to root it out wherever they come, and are at prefent, the greateft Objiacle in the Way of fpreading the Gcfpel. And how great a Part of the World is yet involved in heathenifh Darknefs and Idolatry ? When with thefe Things, wecon- iider thefad Declenfions, Corruptions and Divifions of the ■ Reformed Churches., we are conltrained to pronounce it .^-•' C Night, ( 20 ) Night. The Light of the Gofpel does Indeed Ihine, but 'tis like twinkling Stars in the Midft oi' Darknefs, and Error. Should it now be enquired. What of this Nighi ? How far is it advanced ? And how much is yet to come ? 1 anfwer, it appears to me, that wc are in the Clofe of this dark Nighty and that the Morning cometh. Could' we de- termine when this Night began, it would be ealy to fix on the Time of it's End\ the Duration of it being plainly pointed out in prophetic Writings. The Bcajt to whom the Dragon (the Roman Emperor) gave his Seat^ Authority., and Power .^ was to continue (peaking great Things and Elaf- phemies, 42 Months^ Rev. xiii. 2 and 5 -, which is jufl equal to the Time, Times, and half Time •, while the JVoman^ i. e. the Church is drove into the IVildernefs, and there nou- rifhedy Rev. xii. 14. 'During this Period, the fi^itneJJ'es are to Prophejy in Sackchth, or the faithful Meffengers of Christ, are to Labour under Difcouragements and Op- pofition, which was to continue 1260 Days, Rev. xi. 3. Thefe feveral Numbers in prophetic Stile, taking a Day for a Tear, make the fame Period 1260 Years. So long the perfecuting Power of the 5^^ will continue -, and while it does, the Church will be in a wildernefs State, and the faithful Miniflers of Christ will Prophefy in Sackcloth, This perfecuted, opprefled, benighted State of the Churchy will be fucceeded by thofe glorious Times, when Satan will be confined to the hottomlefs Pit, that he may no longer deceive the Nations, and when there Jhall be nothing to offend in all God's holy Mount. But when this dark State of the Church fhall End, or where to fix it's Beginning, is z Matter of Uncertainty, as it feems to have come gradually on. St. Paul, indeed tell us. That the wicked one^ whofe coming was to he after the Workings of Satan, with all Power, Signs, and lying Wonders fhould be revealed, when J?e that then let or hindered, was taken out of the Way. By him, that Let, the ancient, as well as modern Expofitors, underftand, the Roman Emperor, who, as long as he held his Seat and Power, prevented the Pope of Rome from de- ceiving the Nations, with his lywg Wonders, • The ancient Ckrijiiam ( 21 ) Chrijlians, therefore iifed to pray for the Continuance of the Roman Empire^ that the coming oi Antichriji miglit be delayed. If the Downfal of the Roman Empire^ may be reclvoned from Rome's, being fackcd, and taken by the Ir- ruptions of the Northern Nations, when almolt the whole Empire, was over run and divided among them; when the ien Horns, or Kingdoms arofe, and gave their Power and Strength to the Beajl ; || the Deftrudion ot Antichrijl, and the End of this Night oi PopiJJj Darknefs, is near at Hand ; 'when hcjhall he dejtroyed, by the Breath tf/" Christ's Mouth, and the Brightnefs of his Coming. But, tho' this Night it evidently far fpent, and the Day draws nigh, yet it appears to me not improbable, that the darkeft Part of the Night yet remains, and that the glorious Times, the Church will enjoy in the latter Day, will be preceded with a Seafon of the foreit Calamity and Diftrefs. It is the Opinion of many- learned Divines, that there will be a general Slaughter of the JVitneJfes, who have thro' all the dark Ages oi Popery^ born a faithful Teftimony to the Truth and Ways of Chriji„ a little before the fevejith Angel lo,unds his Trumpet, for the utter Deftrudtion of Antichriji's Kingdom, juft when' they are about finifhing their Teftimony, and confequently that this Event is future. But as fome eminent Divines^, and One, for v/hofe Judgment I have the higheft Venera- tion, are of a diiFercnt Opinion, and think It is already paft, I (hall offer what I have to fay on this Head, wit^i all Humility, and much Diffidence of my own Sentiment?^ about fo dark an Event : The Account we have of it is. Rev. xi. 7—13. And when they fh all have finiJJjed their Tef- timony, the Beafl that afcends out of the hottomlefs Pit, fhall make War againfi them, and fhall overcome them, and kill them ; and their dead Bodies Jh all lie in the Street of the great City., -which fpiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where ^Ijo our Lord was crucified. And they of the People, and Kindreds and Tongues, and Nations, fhall fee their dead Bodies three D^iys and an Half:, and fhall not fuffer their dead Bodies to H Rev. xvii. iz, 13. ( 22 ) to he pit in Graves. . And they that d-vjell upon the Earthy /hall rejoice over thefn^ and make merry, and Jhall fend Gifts one to another •, becaufe theje tzvo Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the Earth. And after three Days and an Halfy the Spirit of Lifejrom God entered, into them : And they flood upon their Feet, and great Fear fell upon them, which faw them. And they heard a great Voice from hieaven, faying unto them, " Come up hither''': And they afcended up to Hea- ven in a .Cloud, and their Enemies lehcld them. The Sum of which PaflUige feems to be this, viz. That when thefe faithful Witneffes who have fo long prophefied in Sackcloth, are about concluding their Teflimony, there will be a fevere Perfecution railed by the antichriflian Party j whereby all the faithful Minifters of the Gofpei, will appear to be filenced or flain, and that in the mofl: public, open, and ignominious Manner, fo that their Enemies fhall triumph as tho' the Day were their own ; but this will continue only for a fhort Time, three Days and art Half; which, if it does not mean three Tears and an Half^ taking according to prophetic Stile, a Day for a Tear; yet it doubtlefs means, that this Time of their Suffering will be but fhort, compared to the Time of their prophefyijig in Sackcloth; it will be but as a Day to a Year, as that is a ^ime, 'Times and half a Time, 1260 Tears. After this they Ihall not only be reilored to their former Liberty, but exalted to fuch a State of Dignity and Security, as they never before enjoyed, and that in the Prefencc, and to the Con- fufion of their Enemies ; and the Reafons which have made it appear to me not improbable that the Church has this diftrelling Scene yet to pals thro', are fuch as thefe : ifi. It is to be at the Conclufion of their prophefying in Sackcloth, when they have juft finilhed their Tefti- mony. JVhen they pall havefinifloed their Teftimony. Thus we tranflatc it, which indeed feems the moft natural, genuine Conftruflion of hotan telefnji, cum perfecerinty when they have about compleated or finifhed off their Tefti- mony, as the original Word properly fignifies ; at the Clofe of 1260 Days, when the Period oiAntichrifl's Reign - - " " wiU ( 23 ) tvill be jiift ?.t an End. But, as yet, this Period evidently continues, the faithful Minifters of Chrift may, on many Accounts, be faid, itill to propbefy in Sackcloth^ as the Mahometan and Antichrifitan Darknefs yet remains, and they are carrying on their Work under great Difcourage- ments. 2^, History affords no pad Events to which the Jlaying and Refurre^ion of the Witneffcs, can well be ap- plied. Some learned Men have, I know, endeavoured. to find the Accomplifhment of it, in fundry Perfecutions^ bro't on the faithful Witneffes for the Truth, none of which feem fully to anfwer the prophetic Defcription given of that Event. The Waldenfes (Followers oi Peter Waldo, a Merchant of Lyons, in France) A.D. 1160, wereper- fecuted Vv'ith great Severity : 'Tis computed, that not lefs than 80,000 fealed their Teflimony to the Truths of Gcd^ ■with their Blood. Above a Million of the Alhigenfes (fo called from their native Country in Languedoc) fell a Sa- crifice in the fame glorious Caufe ; but thefe were of too early a Date to anfwer the Defcription ; of too long Con- tinuance, and confined to a particular Country -, whereas the Jlaying of the Witnefj'es will be a general Thing ; and it is worthy of Remark, that this was in a Country where the Witneffes have, almofl ever fince, prophefied in 5'^fi'- cloth, as all acquainted with the Hiflory of France, well know. If they were flain in that Place, it is hard to fay, when they rofe, or were exalted. Much lefs can we find this Event accomplifhed, in the fhort Perfecutions by ^een Mary, in England, or under the Duke of Savoy, in Pied- mont, which were confined to fo fmall a Part of the Church, however exaftly they may feem to anfwer as to Duration. Many fevere Perfecutions have been carried on by the Papijls, againft the Protejiants, in Hungary, Bohemia, many Parts of Germany, and repeatedly in France ; but all thefe were only p?Lni2L\ flaying of thelVitneffes. They were never fo univerfally cut off, as the Prophefy feems to reprefent. 3^, ( 24 ) 3^, It would bfe difficult to ihow, that there ever has been that ReJtirreUion^ and glorious E>cdiation of the Wit- . nefles, which is to follow immediately after their lying dead three Days and an Half. What like this has happened upon any of the Perferutions that have yet been on the protef- tant Churches ? They arc not only to be rellored to Life^ but to afcendupinto Heaven., i. e. to be exalted to an higher State of Dignity and Power, than they have ever yet en- joyed-, and this is to be in a public, open Manner, in the Prefence, and to the Confufion of theirEnemies. They are to put off their Sackcloth^ and put it on no more. The Reproach of their former fuf!^ring State, will be wiped away : But the faithful WitnefTes of Chrifl don't feem ever yet to have enjoyed any fuch State of Honour, Fcwer^ Influence and Security, as is here reprefented. Something indeed, like this, feemed to have happened at the Refor- mation, when many of the firft Reformers were protected and encouraged in their Work, againft the Attempts of their Popifh Adverfaries -, but when we confider the Op- pofition they met with, the frequent Perfecutions in many Parts of the Proteflatit Countries, the great Difcouragements one Way or another, under which the faithful WitnefTes of Chrift have laboured -, we cannot but conclude, that the Time of their f>rophefying in Sackcloth yet cojitinues. ^th, Tu^fecond Woe, does not appear yet to have pafTed away, nor any fuch Deflru6tion and Confternation to be brought on the Seat of the Beaft, as is to be at the fame Time with the Slaughter and Refurredion of the JVitneJes, If the J econd Woe, or Plague of the Sixth Trumpet, was brought on the Church, by the pouring out of the flftb Vial, when a Way was prefared for the Kings of the Eafl ; or, the Turks fuffered to over-run a confiderable Part of Europe -, or, if it be referred to the Deftrudion and Dark- nefs brought on many Parts of Chriflendom, by the Sara- cens ; I fav, to which foever >of thefe Events it is referred, 'tis evident, this Woe brought by tktMahometan Impoflun, is not yet pafTed away, great Part of the World flill groan- ine under it ; and it is probable, this Woe is to end with the ( 25 ) the total Deftru6lion and Abolition of the I'urhjh Empirt. Neither does there appear to have been any fuch Dejlru5iiett and Revolution in the Antichrijlian Dominions, as is repre- fented by the great Earthquake -, the Deftru6lion of the Tenth Part of theCit)\ and Jlaughter of 7000 Men of Name j efpecially the Time never has yet been, when the Refc were affrighted^ and gave Glory to God. They have been grieved, vexed and tormented, at the Progrefs of the Reformation^ the Liberty granted to the faithful WitnefTes j but fo far have they been from repenting^ and giving Glory to God^ that, on the Contrary, they have been continually venting their Spite and Malice againft the Reformed Churches^ and labouring, by all their hellirti Arts, and popiJbR^ige^ to ruin and deftroy them. ^th. It has been God's ufual Metho4 to prepare his Church and People for extraordinary Favours, by extraor- dinary Trials, and in the prefent corrupt State of Things, it feems highly proper that it Ihould be fo. The Affairs of Jacob' ^ Family, are in the moft diftrefled Situation, before he hears that Jofeph was yet alive, and that by him a Door was open for their Reliet. The Chil- dren of Ifrael were reduced to the laft Extremity, in their Egyptian Bondage, jult before their remarkable Deliverance. When was David in a greater Strait than at the Burning of Ziklag, a little before he was exalted to the Throne of Ifrael^ The Perfecution of the Church under tht Emperors of Rome, was by far the mofl extreme and dangerous under Diocleftan, when her Deliverance drew nigh, and fhe was ready to be exalted under Conjiantine. The Experience of many Chrif- tians can teflify, that thofe Seafons in which they have been moft highly favoured, with fpecial Communications of Light and Love, have been preceded by remarkable Darknefs and Perplexity. That he fliould therefore pre- pare his Church, for thofe glorious Things fpoken of it in the latter Days, by fome extraordinaryTrials, is no improba- ble Suppofition. This Obfervation will be much ftrength- ened, by confidering the prefent degenerate State of the pTQteJiant Churches, which is fuch, that it can hardly be ex- pe^^ed ( 26 ) pected God (hould pafs by, without fome fpecial Tokens of his Difpleafure. And if the Slaying of the IVitneJj'es is not yet pad, it is probable it may be near at Hand. But however it may be as to that particular Event, -f- about which I would be far from making any pofitivc Conclufions, many Things may make us expeft that difficult and trying Times are coming on the Church and the World. Ihe dark Cloud that gathers fo faft over our Nation and Land, feems to forebode Difhrefs and Calamity, to the proteftant Churches in general. The Britijlj Nation has been for a long Time the great Bulvoark ot the Reformation, and fhould it be fubdued, the other Protedant Powers in Europe could, by no Means, be a Match for x.\\t\r antichrifnan Enemies, when united together ; and a Door would open for a diftreiTing Scene of Perfecution, throughout all the reformed Churches. It gives me no Pleafure to be a MefTengerof evil Tidings, nor would I make pofitive Affertions 2S:>qw\. future Events ; yet 1 muft fay, our puhlick Affairs wear a dark Afpe6l. The Nation we are engaged v/ith in War, is numerous, powerful and politic. Frayice abounds with Men, and the King commands as many as hepleafes into theTield ; on every Occafion fhows himfeif fuperior to our Expecfations; and his being anabfolute Monarch gives great Advantage in Point of Secrecy and Difpatch. Our old Friend and Ally, the S^iiecn of Hungary, has joined the King of France, 3.nd fo far as we can judge from her Condud, defigns to forfake us, whatever plaufible Pretences, t The Reafons for fuppofing this Event already pall, are fet in a ftrong, and clear Light, in that excellent Treatife, J/i hmnbk At- temp to promote extraordinary Frayer for the Ret'lval of Religion ; which I had not by me when I wrote this Difcourfe, but on a Review cf it fince, find that iuch a Seafon of Trials, as I fuppofe the prefent degenerate State of the Church requires, may be expefled on the Aoihor's Scheme ihat thi; Witncffes are flain ; for he fays, Page 125, *' 'Tistrue there is abundant Evidence in Scnpture, that there is yet . •* remaining a mighty Conflid between the Church and her Enemies, " the moft violent Struggle o^ Satan and his Adherents, inOppofition *' to true Religion, &c. -'^nd forac Farts of ihe Chuich may fufter " hard Things in this Confiift. c ti ) Pretences, Ihe may make to the Contrary. No other- Conftrudion can be put on her joining our fworn Enemy^ - when at open War with us, in the Manner (he has done ; No Power in Europe^ under greater Obligations to the Britijh Nation; almoft all the Wars we have been. engaged* in, fince the Acceffion of King IVilliam, have been under-i" taken in Favour of the Ila^e of Aujiria. Louijbourgh, thit important Fortrefs, was given up, that the Places the King of France had taken from her in Flanders, might be reftored •, yet now flie has forfaken us at a critical Juncture •, and what may we then expeft from other PopiJIj Powers. Spain appears waiting for nothing but a favourable Opportunity of declaring againft us. The King of Poland, (Eleftor of Saxony) by a ftrange Turn of Politics, fcems inclined to efpoufe the Intcreft of France. The Connexions of the King of the two Sicilies are fuch, that he will readilyjoin their Confederacy : And perhaps the King of Sardinia, will be obliged to join or f^and neuter, in his own Defence. When to this, we add the Coldnefs,to fay no worfe, with which we are treated by fome of our Protejlant Allies -, it gives the Situation of our publick Af- fairs a dangerous afid threatnihg Afpedl:. And if we caft our Eyes on the Britijh Colonies m America, Things look ftill darker. All our Schemes hitherto prove unfuccefsful j our Enemies, fmall and contemptible as their Numbers appeared to us, every where get the Advantage. BraddocFs mournful Defeat lafl Year, has been attended with a Train of deftrudtiye Cortfequenc^s. 'Tis not eafy to conceive, what wc have fuffered from the barbarous Natives, under the Influence, and by the Afliftance of the French -, fcarce a Paper from the Southward but brings Accounts of new Depredahons and Murders. What ruinous Confequences may we cxpe6l from the LofsofOJwego ? What an Ad- vantage is hereby put into the Enemy's Hand ; the Lake wholly at their Command, where w-e have expended fuch Sums. 0\.\v Shipping,' Artillery, with the . other Warlike Stores and Provijions, which we had conveyed there with great Coft and Labour •, all fallen Into the Hands of the D Enemy (: 2^ ) Eneiny, id. be employdd againft us. All ihcfne Counirf. adjacent, loft -, and the tew Indians that have hitherto con-^ tinued in our FriendJhip^-^iW probably forfake us ; and thofe that have remained neuter, join in with the Enemy ; for now feems verified the Obfervation they made in a late Treaty at Albany^ '* The French a6l like Men^ build Forts a;id defend tliem ; but the Englijh aft like IVomen. Dark Tidings of late, likejc-^'s Meffengers, come in thick Succefllon, one after another. In the Midft of our Lamentations for the fad Fate o^ Ofwego, comes the melan- cholly Ngws^M Ptfrl-Mabon's being taken : The Lofs of a Jformfs fo important, of fuch Confequence to the Britijh "Irade^ in the Mediterraman, and which gives fo much Advantage to the Enemy, muft be exceeding great, highly aggravated by the difgraceful Circumftances which attended it ; the Ferment into which it has thrown the Nation, and the lafting Difhonour done to the jBr/Vi/^ Flag, I fhall leave it to the Politicians of the Day, to point out the Caufe of thofe fore Calamities, and make but one Remark, which muft be obvious to all ferious and think- ing Perfons. , That our Misfortunes have come upionus,. iri fuch a Mariner, as plainly to point out the Hand of Qpd therein ■„ and ftiows us, that our Dependance on our o^nlVifdom and Strength^ while by our Sins, we engage Heaven againft ■Hs, is as vain as it is fmful. We have been greatly dif- pofed to boaft ofour fuperior Strength by 5^*3, an^ g'orjf in our Fleets^ as a fure Refuge in a Tii;iie, of Dangen; but even //^^yhave failed usy and at a 5^^/^;/,' when; we mol^ needed their Help, and feemed to have, the higheft.Rsal^:} of Dependance upon them. This might ferve to cure us of our Infidelity and vain Confidence^ and tea,ch us our ^Tiiixt Dependance on God^ a^d hgw great our ganger is, while his HmdS\% fo evidently ftretched forth againft-us. Out- Expedition to few^-Pi'/^/i wi},l.pt- together with our divided Counfels, and dilatory Methods of proceeding,' make. the Situati^i^QJ^ public,; Affairs, lool^ , " exceedin"^ ( 29 ; exceeding dangerous, and may well alarm our Fe^rs, a to what is coming on our Nation, and Country. And if wc confider the prelent State of tlie Protejlant Churches^ will it not tend to increafe our dark Apprehenfions on this Head. What mournful Declenfions, as to Do^lrine, Bif- cipline, and p-a£lical GodUnefs ! God has evidently with- drawn his Spirit -j-^-a fad Decay, as to vital Piety.^ is almoft every where lamentably vifible ; A Midnight Security feems to have fallen on the Churches-, Both Minifters and iPeople, Saints and Sinners, Jlumler zndijleep. Iniquity abounds ; the Love of many waxes cold. Lukewarmne'ls and Indifference, in fpiritual and divine Things -, Want, of Affedion to God and Chrifi, to the Truths and Ordinances oftheGofpel, are growing fall on the Profeflbrs of this ^ge. The Things that remain are jujl ready to die^ and our Works are not found perfe^i before God.—T\\t Gofpel, and all its Glories, grow more and more contemptible in the Eyes of Sinners^ and lefs precious in the Eyes ot Sain^s.--- The Lord's-Day, public Worfhip, and Ordinances of his Houfe, difregarded and flighted j- --The Minifters of the Gofpel treated with Contempt by many, with too much Negle6l and Difregard by all -, their Perfons and Families poorly kipported, their CharaEler and Office little reveren- ced, and the important Meffages they bring, undervalued and rejected. How widely different are Things in this Refped, from what they were in the Memorv of many now alive ! How little of that Reverence and Ffleem for tht minijlerial Character, which was lo remarkable, among our Fore-fathers, is to be feen in our Day ; and thefe Things are waxing worfe and worfe. Whether this arifes from Declenfions among Miniflers or People.^ or both, it muft be efteemed a dark Symptom on the Church. Time would fail me, to fpeak of the mournful Growth ot Infidelity, Profancnefs, and all kind of abominable Immoralities : And when we confider thefe Thingsy have we not Reafon to fear, that God will purify his Churches in the Fiirnofc, that they may come forth as Gold tried and refined ? Can we exped, that fo much Brofs and CorruptioUy as is now found ( 30 ) found among ns, will be purged off any other Way ? The PopiJ/j Fovjcrs may be furifered to unite their Strength, ro prevail, and carry all before them for a Seajon \ to Jlay^ o\' fdence the faithful IVitnejfes of Chrift ; to rejoice^ and fend'Gifts^ as if the Day was their own, and to imagine they have nothing to fear from them, who ufed to torment than Night and Day. This, as it will be the laft Effort of the Mim of Sirr^ and his Adherents, may, probably, be one of the mod defperate Attacks, he has ever made on xht Reformed Churches. Satan will feem to be loofed from the bottsmlefs Pit^ and will come in great Wrath, becaufe his Time is fliort. But, blefTed be God, tho' this will be a Time of great Darknefs and Dijirefs, yet it will foon be over. The triumphing of the Enemies of Chrift, will be fhort. When they think themfelves mod fecure, and that there are none to oppofc their Defigns, Judden DeJlru5lion Jhall come upon them, as on a Woman in Travil, and they ' Jhall not efcape. When the Whore of Babylon, or myflical "Rofiie, fhall fay, IJit as a ^een, am no Widow, and Jhall fee no Sorrow ', then her Doom draws nigh ; her Plagues fhall come in one Day •, Death, Mourning and Famine •, and fhefhall he utterly burnt with Fire ■\. Happy fhall they then ' be, who have come out from her, and are not Partakers of her Sin, that they may not receive of her Plagues. The De- ftruftion o^ Antichriji, will not be all at once; yet on the Refurre5lion and Exaltation of the Witnelfes, he fliall re- ceive d. deadly Wound, of which he fhall never be healed, *- but confume away by the Breath of Chrifs Mouth, and 'Brightnefs of his Coming. Such fudden and awful Judg- ments will then be brought upon ^/w, as fhall affrighten the Refi of the World, and caufe them to give Glory to God. This, with the pafTing away of the fecond Woe, in the Overthrow of the Turkijh Fjnpire, will open a Door for that glorious Spread of the Gofpel promifed in the latter ' J)ays. The third Woe, under the founding of the feventh Angel, which cometh quickly, will iffue in the final and complete t Rev. xviii. 7, 8. ( 3' ) tomplete Bejiru^fien of Antichriji^ and Confufton of all the implacable Enemies of the Church. Then fhall be heard great Voices in Heaven, and the joyful Sound will fpread far and wide on the Earth, faying. The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, aijd his Chriji, and he fhall reign for ever ayid everf. Then, My Brethren^ the' we may be entering on the darke/l, and moft gloomy Part of the Nighty which has continued fo long, we may lift up our Heads with Joy, our Salvation draws near. The Night is far fpent, and the Day is at Hand. The Morning cometh, and will ufher in a glorious Day^ when the Sun of Righteoufnefs fjjall arije, and difpel the dark Clouds which now hang over his Church, become a Light to the Gentiles, and a Glory to God's People Ifrael -, whtn the Light of the Moon fhall be as the Light of the Sun, and the Light of the Sun fevenfold as the Light of f even Days §. This Day of the Churches Profperity, is to continue for a fhoufand Tears ',i6m& fuppofe, prophetically taken, 360,000 Years, that Chrift may have a longer Reign, and greater Number of Subje6ls, than the Prince of Darknefs has had ; but this may be accomplifhed in the Space of rooo Years, (literally takenj of fuch Peace and Profperity as the Church will then enjoy, when the Increafe of Mankind will be lo much greater, and their DeJlru5lion fo much lefs than at other Times 1]. Some fuppofe Chrift will reign perfonally here on Earth, during thele 1000 Years, and that his bodily Prefence will be the Glory of his Church ; that the Saints, or, at leaft, the Martyrs, will be raifed from the Dead, and reign with him. But fuch perplexing Queilions and Difficulties, are ftarted on this Head, as I have never yet feen anfwered ; and fince it is reprelented as a greater Blcfling to the Church, to have Chrift ijiterceding in Hea- ven, and the Prefence of his Spirit on Earth ; I fee no Reafon, either to defire or exped: it. 'Tis expedient (fays CnriftJ) That 1 go away ; for, unlefs I go, the Comforter will t Rhv. xi. 14, i;. § IsAi. XXX. 26. II See this particularly illuHrated in the Treatife above mcmioncd, Page 47 and 48. % John xvi. 7. (' 32 ) 'Wilt not* Corns unto you. Without pronounci ng any Tiling decifively, about the exa^ Circtimjlances of thefe glorioui TimeSy and the Manner in which th^y will be brought on, I will only fay, That it feems evident by the prophetic Defcription given of thofe Times, that their Glory will - confift in the univerfal Promotion of true Chrijiianity and real Religion, in the Gofpel's having its genuine Effect on the Hearts and Lives of Men •, fuch as were before hateful^ and hating one another, will then have Hearts glowing with Love to God, and one another; fuch as were before the Plagues and Pcfts of Society, will then become its Ornament, Delight and Defence ; fuch as were before fierce and favage, malicious and revengeful, barbarous and cruel, will then become kind and gentle, courteous and forgiving, meek and humble. The Lyon will be turned into the Lamb -, and there Jhall be Nothing to offend in God's holy Mount. When fupreme Love to God, and undilTembled Affedlion to one another, reign, it will pro- duce univerfal Harmony and Peace. Wars and Conten- tions, angry Jars and Difputes, will ceafe ; the Lamb Jh^ It lie down with the Wolf, and the Nations of the Earth zvill learn War no more. Such a glorious Change, in fuch a corrupt apoftate World, can be brought about by Nothing lliort of a plentiful, out -pouring of the Spirit of all Grace, who has immediate Accefs to the Hearts of the Children of Men, by his enlightning, purifying, and all-conque- ring Influences. That the Change muft begin here ; that without this, all Means muft prove ineffeftual ; and that this is fufficient to effe6l it, might be eafily proved. Such abundant Effufion of the divine Spirit, will open an effculual Door for the Gofpel, to have free Courfe and be glorified, which no Man fhall be able to fliut. A preached Gofpel will be attended with fuch Life and Power, as will fubdue and foften the hardeli Heart ; it will fhine with fuch Light and Glory, as that the Remainder of Pagan, Popifh and Mahometan Darknefs, will flee before it, as the Shadows of the Night before the rif^ng Sun. The Inhabitants of the Earth fiiall be filled with the fpiritual Knowledge of God i 33 ) God and Chrift, as the Waters cover the Sea J j Converfi- ons will be greatly multiplied •, Sinners will flock toChrift, as Clouds, and as Doves to their Windows >— -it will leem as if Nations were born in a T)ay : Then will God remember Mercy for his ancient People, the Jews. They fhall be brought in with the Fullnefs of the Gentile JVorldy which will he Life from the Dead *. This is exprefsly promifed I|, The Children of Ifrael Jhall abide tnany Days without a Kingy and a Prince, without a Sacrifice, Image, Ephod, &c. After- wards Jhall they return, and feek the Lord their God, and David, their king. Then may it be faid to the Church, Arife ; fhine forth -, for thy Light is come, and the Glory of the Lord -is rijen upon thee -, his Glory fJjall he feen upon thee, and the Gentiles fhall come to thy Light, and Kings to the Brightnefs of thy Rifing §. PRINCES and Potentates, will, I imagine, par- take of this plentiful Effufion of divine Grace, whereby Kings fhall be made nurfing Fathers, and 9lueens nurfing Mothers to the Church-\, difpofed to caft their Crowns at the Feet of 7^/«j, and employ all their fuperior Advan- tages for the Honour of his Name, and Advancement of his C^ufe ; and vvith what flriking Beauty a;d Force will Religion then fhine, when reconimended by fuch diftin- gUiflied Examples ! ' -.''." Ministers of the Gofpel,' wiM doubtlefs have a double Portion of the %V//, when it is fo remarkably poured forth. They will then be like the Angel fpoken of in Revelations, who flew through Heaven, having the everlafiing (jofpel. They will fly on the Wings of Zeal and Love, to publifh the Wonders of divine Grace to a lofl: and ruined World. And their Meeknefs, Humility and Wifdom, will be equal to their Zeal. How different in that Day, will be the Preaching, Converfation and Examples of Mini- fters,from what we now behold ? And wh3.t glorious Effe^s may be expc6ted from theGofpel, when it is publifhed by thofe whole Hearts are full of a Senfe of its Excellency, Truth tlfai. xi. 9. * Rom. xi. 15. || Hofca iii. 4. 5. § Ifai Ix, 1, 2, 3, t Ifai Ix. 16. Truih and Lnporiance -, and when this J^Wj forth in their Lives. Alc.s \ how little do we know ol this in the prefent Day ? what a mournful withdrawment of the divine Spirit ! our Words freeze between our Lips ; the divine Art of reaching the Hearty and alluring Souls to Chrifl: is departed from us. Long experienced Unfuccefsfulnefs damps our Spirits •, we fpeak as thofe that expeft to labour in vain, and Jpend cur Strength for Nought, Christians, in general, will be favoured with unufual Communications of divine Grace, and Jkine as Lights in the World. There will be fomcthing convincing and al- luring in their Examfle : That mean, low, fordid Temper, that contentious, jangHng, quarrelfome Spirit, which now appears in molt Profejfors^ obfcures the Beauty of our holy Religion m the Eyes of Strangers, and is one of the greateft Objlacks to the Spread of the GofpeL But when true Religion comes to be properly exemplified in the Lives of ChriJlianSy there will appear fuch a Charm, and Excel- lency in it, as will ftrike and allure the Beholders, and have a peculiar Tendency to propagate it throughout th^lVorld. Families will then, 'tis probable, be as remarkable for htm^ Nurferies of Piety, as they now are for being' Scenes of Diforder, Corruption, and l^ice ; when Children ■will indeed be trained up for God, and come on the Stage of Adion with Hearts animated with Love to him, and to 2i\\ Mankind, and glowing Defires of being diftinguifhed Bleflings in their Day. PuBLicK Schools, and Seminaries of Learning, will probably become Seats remarkable for Virtue, and true Religion:, where it fhall fliine with d^w'mt Lujlre, anddif- fufe its benign Influence far and wide : From thofe Foun- tains thus purified, will ilTue Streams that fhall make^W the City of our God. I hint at thefe Things, as probable Means ^hcxthy the glorious Defigns of God's Grace will be carried on, in the latter Day, that with our fervent Prayer, V7Q may unite our earneft Endeavours for their -Accomplifliment. ^ What ( 35 ) "What z glorious Change will {oon be produced, when God ihalj yifit' thefe dark Abodes, with iuch plentiful EffufiooS of his, Spirit I What a new Face of Things muft then appear in the moral, IVorld. Beheld^ I create a new Heaven^ and a new Earth s be ye glad^ and rejoice^ for every in what I create^ for 1 create Jerufakm a rejoicings and -her People a Joy\ My Heart is inlarged on this delightful \Subjed:, but having greatly tranfgreffed ray Bounds,^ I niuft conclude with a very brief Addrefs, to' My Reverend and dear Brethren^ in the Gofpel, who are convened-on»-tlie prefent Occafion. :. <::':^- ly?. Let uspvtp3.rt for dark znd diJireJJijtg'Tmes^ if God Ihould fee fit to bring them on the Church in our D^iy. - Tho' it be not for us to know the Titnes and Seafons which God has referved in his own Power -, yet when he is both by his IVord and Providence^ giving Intimations of approaching Judgments, we ought, like Noah^ to be moved with Fear^ and prepare to meet them. This may efpecially be expected, of us, who are appointed asfVatch- metty to give warning to others. Tho' we can't pretend to penetrate into the Council of Heaven^ as to future Events, yet he that runs, may read the prefent threatning AfpeSl of divine Provideiice i. the loud Calls God is giving to the Worldy. and to his Churches, to prepare to meet him : He fpeaks once-, yea, twice-, and thatin a moft folemn and mov- ingManner; tho' tew regard him. The C^«^ gathers thick and dark upon us -, our Nation and Land, filled With Sin againfl the holy one of Ifrael ; challenging God to vindicate the Honour of his Majcfly ^--engaged in War with an ambitious, politic and warlike Nation, llrengthned by a pow- erful Confederacy,— a Nation that has Jong been drunk with the. Blood of the Saints ;-— our -Councils and divided Schemes, turned into Foolifhnefs ; our vain Boafting,<; and groLlndlefs Expeftations, repeatedly difappointcd. Have we not then Reafon to tremble, for Fear of thofe Things chat are coming upon us ? Should our Enemies, enraged as they have,. been, and flufli'd with ViElory as they now are, E - be * ISAI. Iv. 17, 18. ( 3^ J be fiiffered to prevail, and put in Execution theif wicked Defigns, to fill with Defolation and IVoe^ with the direful EfFe6ls of popjp Bigotry, and lawlefs Tyranny, this once happy Land, which has fo long been difl-jnguifhcd with Peace and Plenty, with Gofpel Light and Uberty ; what a hmentable Seem would it open ! and what can wc expeft, but that Judgment will begin at the Houle of God. The N^atchmen will doubtlefs firfl: be attacked •,— the Shepherd finitten, that the Sheep may befcattered. What are we better than our Fathers ? than the glorious Train of Martyrs^ who hnvefealed their Teftimony with their Blood ) and why fhould we exped to die quietly in our Neds ? And are we, My Brethren, prepared for fuch trying Times as may foon come upon us ? Is Chrijl, his Truths, and Ways, dearer to us, than Qi\^xLives? And can we freely facrifice the lattet in Defence of the /or;!?;i?r ? Should we who are Z^^^frj in Ghrift's Army, give back, and cowardly defert the glorious Gaufe wherewith we areentrufted, our Guilt and Condem- nation would be exceeding great. This would be to cruci- fy the Lord afrefh, and put htm to open Shame, and for fuch there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin, but a certain iGoking for ef Judgment, 2.^^ fiery Indignation, /w' < 'aj^ ^ iui'.' '^^ii j We may, perhaps, in a warm Mood, like Peflr, hy, Tho* all Men forfake thee, yet will not we. But have we that Self-denial, Faith and Love, that would carry us thro* th^ fiery Trial, bear us up under all the Variety of Tortures, >vhich the Wit and Malice of our Enemies may;invent ? It muft be Lovey Jironger than Death, fuch as vtai^ Waters iannot quench. We are loudly called in this Day, to f and with our Loins girt, and Lamps burning -, to have all our Graces, in a lively vigorous Exercife •, our Evidences for* Heaven clear, that we may be ready, if the Lord fhould come as a Refiner'' s Fire, and Fuller'' s Soap, to purify the Sons of Levif. Let us continually look to the Author arid Fi- nifher of our Faith, and be animated cheerfully to /»^- "with him here, under the glorious Profped that we fhall reign with him for ever. ^d. With ' < I I I II ■■ - I II. — . - , .1 1 1 1 t Mai. iii. 2, 3. ( 37 ) 2d. With wTiat Pleafure fliould we look forward to tinfi joyful Period, when i/je Kingdoms of this World Jhall become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Chriji •, and how ar- dently fhould we long and pray, for the Approach of it ? Tho' many Trials may yet await us, and we fl:iould be called off from the Stage, before the Darknefs o( the prefent Night be pad; yet it muft be a delightful Thought, that the Morning comethy and will ufher in a glorious Day to the Church, when the Caufeof Truth and Holinefs, Peace and Purity, fliall univerfally prevail, in Oppofition to all the Herely and Wickednefs, Tumults and Corruptions, which have hitherto overfpread the Earth ; when the Prayers of the Saints in all Ages, for the Profperity of Zion, lliaU be anfwered, and the glorious Things fpoken ot her in the facred Oracles, be fully accomplifhed. We, indeed, may be laid in the filentDuft, before this hleffed Day appears •, but we can now behold it, as Abraham faw the Day ot Chrift ; and if we are pofTelFed of the fame excellent Spirit, fhall rejoice and be exceeding glad. Aft Heart touched with a dutiful Senfe of God's Honour and Intereft, can't but be pleafcd, that he will be highly glo- rified in this apofiate World, where he has been infolently affronted, and provoked, for fo long a Time : Such muft feel fome peculiar Emotions of Joy. While fome fay with the Pfalmtfi, in Faith, be thou exalted, ! God, above the Heavens, and thy Glory above all the Earth §. To a Soul animated with unfeigned Love to, and zealous Concern for, the Caufe and Kingdom of the dear Redeemer, how delightful the Profpc6l !"-that he will one Day, have the greateft Interefl in the Hearts of Men -, take to himfelf Power, and reign from Land to Land, and Sea to Sea ; that his bleffed Gofpel, which is now treated with Scorn, and Contempt, by lofl and perifhing Sinners, fhall triumph over all the Oppofition of^Earth and Hell, have free Courfe and be glorified, throughout the World, O ! WHAT a refrefhing, what a reviving Thought ! that thefc Regions of Darknefs, Guilt and Mifery, Ihali be fil- led ^ Pfalm cviii. 5. ( 38 ) led with fplritual Light, Life and Joy. The prefent lan- gu./hinit State of true Religion, is, indeed, diftrefling ; and the nnore fo, when we confider, that it may poflibly continue to the End of our Lives : But how pleafing the Contemplation, that it will certainly be revived., and JIoii- rijlj, tho' among future Generations •, that God fhall be ferved anc gloritied, by our Pojierity, in a far better Man- ner than he has ever been by us. And that a People which JhaU be created, Jhall praife the Lord §. This may folace us, under the near Views of approaching Death, if, with good old Jacob, we can fay to our Children, JFe die, but the Lord will be with you jl. As a believing View of Z/(?«'s further Prosperity and Glory, fiiould fupport and comfort us, under our prefent Labours and Trials ; fo it fhould enlarge our Hearts, in conftant, fervent Supplications to the Throne of Grace, that it may be accomplilhed. The Reprefentation I have given, of the ^a:<:^^^?>?^ corrupt and degenerate State of the Church, with other dark Profpecbs in the prefent Day, fhould be fo far from difcouraging, that it fhould greatly enliven and animate our Prayers ; partly,, as it tends to give us an affe6ting Senfe of our entire De-i pendafice on God, for fo great a Mercy ; and the utter Jnfufficiency of all Means for the Revival, and general Spread of true Religion in the World, without a plentiful Effufion of the divine Spirit : And, partly, becaufe Infidelity and Wickednefs have arrived to fo, great an Height.,, and Re- ligion is brought to fo low- an. Ebb, that it feerrus as. if Things were come to the lafi Eictrerrnty, and that it was a fit Time for God to appear, and difplay the Greatnefs of his Power, Love and Faithful nefs, to his Church, to convince the World, that the Gates of Hell fhall not prevail againji her. Inilead therefore of defponding, under the ■pr&knt gloomy Jppearance of Things, let us be awakned to greater Fervency in Prayer, and look forward with more earnejl Expectations, for the Dawn of that glorious Day, when the whole Earth fhall be filled with the Knowledge of tbf^qjrd^ And tho' he fliouid come as a Refiner's Fir e^: b-^" ■■"■ " ' ^^ — • — • '■■' ■ ■ -. ■ ■ ■■■ ' § Pi'alm cii. i8. X ^en. xlviii. 21. f 99 h tp, purge and purify his Churches, ih' fhe Furnace of Affli,y\ hi\u Finally, Let us he aiv/ikned in this dark and difficult Day, to a fait^tul zealous Z)i/"<:^<^r^^ of the Duties of our Statiorks., tit. would be fad indeed, it, at fuch a Time, we fhould do the Work of the Lord carelejly and deceitfully ; if; by our Sloth and Neghgence\ we fhould increafe the deplo- rable Darknefs and IDeadnefsy which is already ©n the Churches, and fuffer the Caufe.of God to die in our Hands*' We have every Motive to awaken our Zeal, and quickens our Diligence, in our great Work. What we find to do for God, the Soi4h;Q^ our Hearers, and our hlcedmg Country, we fhould, in fuch a Day as this, do with all our Might. Allow me in particular, to prefs the Necejfity and Impor- tance of uniting our molt vigorous Attempts for a thorough and general Reformation. This is what we propofed in our judicatory, ^nd to which vrc unanimoujly agreed, viz. That we would not only explain, and zvarmly prefs in our public Difcourjes, the Necejfity of a Reformation, but exert ourf elves in our J ever al Spheres of Influence, to bringit about. This is what God- is mofl evidently and loudly calling us to, in the prefent Day. He has of late been giving extraordinary Warnings, ot impending Judgments, by mighty Winds, prceternatural hiundations, apd terrible Earthquakes in divers Places^ THe;Framc: ofi^atrtire feem.s.to have been caft iota a trembling Diforder, at the Approach of an angry God, and as it were in, Aftonifhment, fokmnly to call on the Inhabitants of a guilty World, tor^^«/, and return, before; his Wrath comes upon them to the utmoft. The Difplea- fure of Heaven, has been once and again teftificd againfl our Nation 2ind- JLand. We have 'felt ihf^ Rebukes of an.: incenfed Deity. Tht Caufe of all which Calamities,- is noto- ' rious arid evident to all, who have any due Scnje ot God on their Minds, or beheve that he, rules among the Children . of Men. God is openly and publiekly affronted; his Name ufed and prophaned, . in. ilhe- moft atheiftical ^\2i\\- ner-i-^-hisX^zi^j violated \—:Am<,4uthority delpifcd j— the loud ( 4** f loud Calls of his Word and 'Providence difregarded ;-'— an3' all the Riches of his Grace^ In the Golpel, flighted •,— — while Profanity and Infidelity^ Luxury and Debauchery^ Pride and Opprejfion^ reign without Controul, among thofe that make no Pretenfions to Religion. Decays in P'aith, Love and Zeal, a Conformity to the World, and Deadnejs to fpi- ritual and divine 1 hings, are vifible, and lamentable, among its Profejfors. Thefe Things have kindled the Anger of Heaven againft iis, and it is not turned away ; but his avenging HtTind is Jiretched out Jiill. Andjloall not Ccd pinijh for thefe Things ? Will he not he avenged on ftich a People as this ? Can we expeft, that all the public Con-' icmpt thrown on his Authority and Government, will be pafTed by without Tokens of his angry Refentment, unlefs Repentance and Reformation prevent. It is well known, that I have not been backward in ufing the little Influence I have, in animating my Country^ men, to a vigorous Defence of their Lives and Liberties, m the ufe of all proper Means •, and I wifh it were in my Power, to awake in them a greater Senfe of the Neccfllty of being alive, and thoroughly engaged in this Matter. But I muft freely declare, I have no Expectations of Safe- ty to the Nation or hand, from any of our PreparaticnSy till a Senfe of our Dependance or\ God, and a Difpofition to return to him by Repentance and Reformation, prevails. The Judgments of Heaven are manifeftly on us ; but who lays it to Heart? Who fuitably regards the Works of the Lord, and the Operations of his Hand ? We can difcern, or imagine we difcern, the Caufe of our Calamities, in the Weaknefs of one, the Cowardice of another, and the Treachery of a third, whilft the procuring Caufe of all is overlooked and forgot. That our Danger is great, and near^ is ac- knowledged by all •, but where do we look forDeliverance ? Is it not to our victorious Fleets ? the IVifdom of our Commanders? — the Number and Bravery o{ our Men ? Our mournful Difappointments,- inftead of curing, do but increafe our Infidelity and Folly. We can fee the Error of our lafi Scheme, and determine to rectify it in the next •, almoft e 41 ) Jllmoft ever/ 6n6 imagines, ht could rotTdu(5t Matters bet- ter, and point out a Way of Safety, if he was at the Head of Affairs 5 but forgets, that ibe Race is not to the S-xift^ nor the Battle to the Strong. The Hand of God is difregar- ded v— no fuitable Pains taken, to remove the Caufe of his awful Difpleafure againft us. But till there be fome public, vifible Humiliation for, and Reformation of, thofe open Abominations, which cry to Heaven for Vengeance ; we need not think it ftrange, if God Ihould fend fuch a Spirit of Confufion'mio 2\\ ouv Qoxmcih •,— -fuffer fuch crofs Jnterejis, mutual Jealoufies^ and Difiruft\ (uchDivi/io'/is and Perplexities^ to prevail in our Schemes, as naturally tend to defeat all our Attempts, and bring about our Ruin. Should this, Ifay, befal us, it would be no ftrange Thing ; 'tis no more than what has frequently happened to a ^- ful, impenitent People i — no more than what we have Reafon to expedt, if Repentance prevent not §. We, My Brethren, who are fet on the IValls of God's Jernfaleni, to give V/arning of approaching Danger, can't but fee the Neccffity of Repentance and Reformation, to avert im- pending Judgments ; and iurely it concerns us, to join in with the alarmingCalls of divine Providence, and endeavour to awakefli in all around ys, a Senfe of thefe Things. The Eyes ot God, Angels and Men, are upon us, to obferve our Conduft in this Day of publick Calamity and Diftrefs. From KJ, the beginning and carrying on, thisfo 7iecef]\iry A Work, \s ju-ftly expedled, whofe Obligations to, and Advantages for i't, are great and diftinguifhing. The Gkry of God-, the hiterefl ot Religion ; the Wel- fare of our bleeding Country, and the folemn Account wc mull foon give to our Judge, call aloud for our diligent Activity and Zeal, in this Matter, as well as our own public voluntary Agreement, that we would unite our En- deavours, and exerc our Influence in -our feveral Stations, for this Purpofe i in which we humbly hope, and earneitly defire, that we may be joined by our Brethren of every Denomination § IsAi. Ix. 12. ( 42' y Dw"ioTnvnatiort'''tlirotigb6ot the Land. ' The Exanhpre ahd Advice of thofe of the faered Chara^er^ -we might rea- fonably €xpe£t, woiild aftimat-e Afe^/j^r^/^j, and Heads of Fmnilks^ to engage in the fame laudabh Defigri^ prove the Means of bringing aboutthe'fo much needed, and wifli'd for Refctmation^ and- fo of faving a finning Land^ from deferved impending it^/m. Let our Attempts for this Purpofe, according to ourPn&pafiil'^i, be accompanied with extraordinary /V^'^T to God, who 'has the>7/i?«r/j of all Men in his Hand-, arid ito 'this w-e may- be excited' and en^ couraged, by aVariety of Moti\?es j and in p'articular, from a Profpeft of being joined by many in feveral Parts of the Land. Our Brethren, in f>me Parts of New-England, have fet us a laudable^ Example, in this Refpe^t, and I hope their Zeal and Forwardnefs, will provoke very many ; and now God begins to pour outa Spirit of Prayer, and Supplication of Repentance and Reformation, on Minifters and People §, we ought to efteem it a Token for Good;—' it fhould animate our Prayers -^—envigordte our Hopes ;-- 2Lnd enliven all our Attempts for the Safety and Deliverance of our Country. And while we are opening to' our People a dark Scene, from the crying 5m, and diftrefling C^/«w///>j of the Day, to alarm and aroufe them from theifr Security and vain Confidence-, I truft we Ihall not -fail to animate them to a vigorous Defence of .their Lives and Properties, by letting before them all the Horrors oi Popery, Slavery and Death, which may follow the vitioxtms. Arms of our antichriRian Foes, on t?he one Hand; and o^ the other, all- the invahiablei^nw/^^f5 of unadulterated C/?f/,'??>w;Vy, Bri- tifij Liberty ■mdPropeny,\^ a delightful and fruitful C^«;?- /?j, which :may' be the hiappy Cohiequences of ^ our vlgo- rcujly exerting our felves to Bring them to honourable Terms ■ -.^-..v-. ,, of __; . ^ , , — -I— -«— I 'r n', jtV;..'\. • ;;' i " j. .1 iA:j.i — r. » :i:'' " " - * The Synod agreed to recommend it to their Gbn^i^egatioiis, to fpend j» Part of the laft.Thurfday of e«ery .Month, in extraodinary Prayer to God, on Account of the diftreffed Situation of our public Affairs. ' .. § While-I wa-ft-tr-anfcribing this-Part of-myBtfcoaTieyreeeiv-fQ- iemc encouracrino; Accounts of this Kind. { 43 ) of Peace.— Privileges of infinite Value ! for which we fhould bravely refolve, to fpend our laft Breath, in Prayer -, the laft Penny of our Eftates, and the laft Drop of our Blood. The Face of our public Affairs has indeed hitherto looked i^ark, from a Spirit of Animojity and Divifton, which has fpread thro' the Country ;— divided our Councils ;— con- fufed and greatly weakened all our Schemes. But, blejfed he God, there is now a Foundation laid, for our happy Union under a noble Commander, a Branch of that illuftrious Family, which has fo long been diftinguifhed for their warm Attachment to, and Zeal for, the Religion and Li- berties of their Country. The fignal Proofs he has already given, of his good Condu£f, unfloaken Loyalty, and fleady Attachment to our excellent Confiitution ; his generous dif- interefted Love to the Britifh American Colonies, which in- duced him to fubmit to all the Fatigues and Dangers of his important Station, for their Relief, joined with all the amiable ^alities he has difcovered ; confpire to raife him high in our EJleem and Regard; and muft naturally tend to raife our drooping Spirits, and enkindle in every Breaft, a noble Ardor to diltinguifh themfelves in the Service of their Country. And, fhould the feveral Colonies harmonioufly unite, to ftrengthen his Hands, and nobly exert themfelves in the common Caufe, he might be, under God, a happy Injlru- ment of retrieving our fhameful Loffes, of humbling our ambitious triumphing Foes, and reftoring Peace and Tran- quility to this bleeding Land. Which, may GOD, of his infinite Mercy, grant, thro' Jesus Christ, our Lord, AMEN. FINIS, ■^.S'-.'J 3f. i ^ m pi r { I A f - D I ---'tZ' in pi 7 J *^ <:» % J o H n;p I e r s oi^, ^. m. Mi7iijier of the Gafpel at Woodbriuge, New-Jerfey, II i I Cor. iv. 2. // zV required in Sfe'w.7rds that a Man be found Fuitlful. I Cor.^vii. 25. As one that hath obtained Mercy of the Lord to be FaiihfJ. 'W~ ''^J '-3'?^ ISl E W-T O R Kt Printed and Sold by James Parker^ at the New- Printing-Officc in Beaver- ftreet. 1748. fe ijiery &c. an Epi Andh efihe aicribed, holy Hill 0, King and ChrilHan B and Title gelift, or Gofpel in the unchri public Affairs of the Churches t ■ 21. 'airs, and ho\ tjai^j^NlTnif^r ch the infpired vvlicn he was e fent by this . ention made; ^lycLici^Sy . he endearing , 'action to him : , a MiniJI&r h:y or e is emphatically Gad hath Jet upon his ch, and the univerfal Perfon was not only a ^Lord Christ, which is a Name He feems to have been an Evan- g ♦ith» the Apoftle, in fpreading the and ii?* going on his Errands in the for the Minillry of the Evangclifts was fubordinate and fubfervient to that of the Apoftles, by w'hom therefore they were direflcd in the Difcharge of their Office. And to his facred Character is added this honourable Epithet, Faithful; He is ftiled, a faithful MiniJIcr ef the Lord ; and this is mentioned of him to his liigh and lafting Honour, and juft Commendation : And this Commendation, the Apoftle did not rafhly or overhaftily give him ; for we find, that having Occafion to men- tion him again in another Epiille, he ufes the fame Language, and appliei to him the fame honourable Charafter ; All my State Jhall Tychicus declare unto you, nvho is a bcLted Brother, and a faithful Minifer, and Fellcw- Sewunt in the Lord -f. So that this Honour he had, to be acknowledged by the infpired Apoftle, a faithful Minijitr of Chrif : Whence we may obfervd this Doftrine, Doer. That it is to a Matis true Honour, jujl and great Comtnendation to he fi faithful Minijler of the Lord ]e&vs Christ ; or to be truly faithful in the Difcharge of the Gofpel Miniflry, and Performance of the Duties thereof, to be a faithful MinifJer cfChriJi, is a truh honourable Churader. This entitles a Man to true Honour, even that wliich comes from God only, who is the alone Fountain of all true Honour. Here I lliall endeavour to fliew, I. WHAT * Cui- iv. 7, i^ lit. iii. iz. t ^ol 4 ^ke Faithful Mlnlfier ; I. "V7 HAT 15 implied in t\iQ fnthful Difcharge of the Gofpel Minldrjr-,, or when a Man may, be '.aid to ba indeed ^^tg|A^|kaK^^^Or, what is necef- iary co conicitatc and adorn the Chchj/^^^^^^^^f^Bt^-^'^ of Chriil.. of the Cha- II. Shew, why this Fiji, I am t(f-<*n Goipe^ Minidri' : Or what is raaer ^3 fai:hfjd MiniHer I. 'ff^iinJ'-it.drhty ChnJU^d is cJjMt ly^ other EndowrQHB|^r M O will not entijl^WRo Miailier^tlieGof Holinefs, (wha I)ulies of hi; that holy and tear of God, ( vho is faidifj ch-irged them, c pcrfrSi Hear true Fear of (Jo Charaftcr of a fai enjoyned by Apoftolic i Lo^c, Patience, McckAefs out true Godlinefs, a C And fuch none can be without wrought in hitn by the Rev~e^^^ one that defjres to en':er into the* officiate therein, ought moll ferijju4l not forget that it is required of a Miniver he )tb he ipture "iTi it is Fcdtb, 'od with- Chrijiian ? S&ic'.iilcation "ore every y, or does Tieuce of; and rhl, that \\Q be klamehf;, fohery jujl, !.o!)\ te;?:pcrrte § ; and that he exercife himfdf laito Godlinefs 1|. Holincfs then (even that Holinefs ^Mithont ^Jdch fw Man /hall fee the Laid) belongs ta. the Scripture Charafter of a Steward of God ; And this all unfanftiiied, un- holy Miniftersi have Rcafon to think of with trembling. In a Word, it appears from the V/ork, Dcfign, Ends, and Ufe of the Gofpel Miniflry, and Scripture Qnalincations required pf him who oiHciates therein, that he mull be a Mzxi 0^ fncere Piety and true Godlinfs. 2. It belongs to the Chai\iSi.r cf a faithful Mimfler of Corif., that he er.ters npcn, and cficiates in the Gofpel Mini fry, iiith right Jims 'and Intentions, and rwitb pious Fiev.'s to the great Ends therecf ; and that he mahs the Glory of God, the Honour a;'d Inter efi of Chrif, the fpiritital Good and eternal Uappinefs of inifnortrl Souls, the great and governing Drfgn cf his Mini fry ; and that he titrightly purfiis thiir noble and holy Ends in the nx:hole Difcharge of it. Nothing tends more to render a Miniilcr unfaithful in his facred Trud, X\is.nfalf: and --vsrcng E::ds, and eo^-rvpt Difgns in his entering upon, and dif- char'.'ini^ of it : Thefe will be a Eyafs on his Mind to vitiate his whole Con- daaf and deprave all his Minillradons, It mail not be any Fart of his End Yl. 1 1 . Chron. xix. 9. Excd. xviii. 21. 2 Sam. xxiii. ^ X Tit. iii. 5. § Tit. 1.7.^. I I Tim. iv. 7. A Funeral SERMON. ^ •r Motive, much lefs his primary Intention and laft Defign, to provide liimfelf with eardily Accoiumodations, and get a Livelihood in the World; as re- tnembring the folemn Charge of the ApoiUe, to take theOverJight of the Flock (or Church) c-f God, not for filthy Lucrt, but of a ready Mind *. Neither may he be ailu^ted herein Men : He mufi; not k Glory froni th not be influen^pP|j|ffe Gairv, and vain Appra?if( always ha(/e the Glory Happiners of Men in hi and iail End of all Thin diredly tends to advu; alienated from t.\\edi-viue Life Faith in Chrift, and v and in this IVay brin pinefs, nvhcrein God fallcft Manifefci pious View the v/hole affeflionate tlie Advanc*n^ adapted : He Kingdom, and fpfeai extend the bleffed ^" Av t(0 his own Honour and Applaufe among ff^ttl\, ox he defirous thiriof\, nor feek 'ouHIr comes from God only || : He mufi: pus, and carnal Defigns, or purfue worldy ifeh'arge of his lioly Office ; bat therein £h?iil, and the fpiritual Good and eternal The Glory of God is the grand Defign ticular of the Gofpel Minillry, which e it, by recovering Men (naturally rue Knowledge and Love of God, thro' .Obedience to his revealed Will ; ftlvation, and heavenly Hap- y the brighteft Difplay and ''Feyfcdions : And with a utMinifier will attend to alfo liSve a religious and tere'ft of his great Lord ; for Miniliry was inftituted, and is well fign to advance the Name, inlarge the ot Chrill among Men, and more and more Grace in the World ; To hi?,! to li-~je is Chrift : And vvith facred SolfcituJe he will endeavour, that Chrif may be magnified ** by him in the univerfal Difcharge of hi? Duty : He will twt preach himfclu but Chrif the Lord W ; and ftudioully endeavour to promote his Intereft in the V/orld ; he will not feek his own Glory, but the Glory cf him that fht him X\, according to xh.&Exa?nple of his holy Mailer. In a Word, a faithful Miniller will perform every Part, and all the Duties of his facred Fundion,; with /wj /7t Divine ll'if do7n (or a due Knowledge oftheGolpel) is necclfary to direft him in his whole miniilerial Duty and Condud : The Want hereof is of pernicious Tendency. The wife Man obferves, that He that ftndeth a Miffuge h^ the Hand of a Fcol, cutttth off the Feet, and drlnketh Damage \ ; as was molt fadly exemplified in the Cafe of the Spies fent to view the Land of C'^wi?^^, Numb. x\\\. 31,32, 33. compared with the following Chapter. And if the Want of Wildom in one employed about the common Affairs of this Life, be of fuch iil Confequence ; what will it be in a Mefienger employed in the great Affairs of Chrift's Kingdom and Interell in the World, and of the precious Souls of Men, who ought to be one of aThoufand || ! He that would approve himfelf faithful in the miniflerial Work, before he enters upon it, mull: be in a fuperior Degree, Jkilfil in the Word cj Right eoufnefs, and be furnifhed with fuitable Attainments in Chrifcian Knowledge, and confiderable Acquaintance with the Myfteries of the Kingdom of God ; and he muft ufe earnelt Diligenca to m.ake good Proficiency therein; and to this Y.w^y.gi've hirnfelf to Rcadivgy Meditation, and Prayer, that his profiting may appear to all **. He will incur the Guilt of horrid Unfaithfulnejs if he be flothful and negligent in his Studies : It requires much Study and painful Diligence to obtain fuch a Mea- fure of divine Knowledge and miniflerial Furniture, as is proportionable to the Greatnefs and Difficulty of his Work, which is fuch as would be equal to the Capacities of the bright Angels of Light, were they cmplcyed therein.--- Itisnofmall Meafure of Knowledge and fpiritual Endowments, that is fuf- ficient • Matt. xvi. 19. f 2 Tim. ii. e, and 24. 1 Tim. iii. 2, + Prov, ji. 30. i Prov. ;txvi, 6. || Job xxxiii. 23, ^ i Tiro. iv. ^3, v;5,- S l^he Faith Jul Minijier', ficient to qualify a Man for the right and faichful Difcharge of the minifterial Office: lie muft not only have fomeAcquaintancewith the learned Languages, rnd liberal Arts, (\vbich will be ufefal to him in the Difcharge of his Office) but alfo be richly furnifh'd with Knowledge and Skill in Divinity : He muft be well acquainted with the Principles of the Doftrine of Chrift, in their proper Order and Connexion, with the whole Syftem of Gofpel Dodlrines, and Scheme and Dcfign of the Chriilian Revelation, as exhibited to us in the divine Oracles ; and have fuch a diftinft clear View thereof, as may jenable him to declare all the Council of God, and make known to Men the Gofpel Way of Salvation by Jefus Chrift; and inftrudl them in iheir whole Duty to God and Man : For he muft hold faft, and hold forth, the Fonn cf frjiiTid Words in Faith and Lo'vc in Chriji Jifus *. Neither may he be unac- quainted Vvfith the Controverfies which have fo much troubled the Church of Chrifi, even from its early Ages ; or be unfkilful in ^iefending the Truths of the Gofpel ; for he muft be able by found Dodrine both to exhort and con- vince Gain-faj-ers f . But efpecially and above aU it is necefiary, that he be well vcrfed in textual Divinity, and ha-^'e the Word cf Chrifi dnxiell in him richly in all Wifdom % 5 that he be much acquainted with the holy Scriptures, and cultivate a facred Familiarity with them ; that hi(|rSermons may be em- bellifa'd with the Language of th* MJllpi Writings, &0 v/ith fuch Pafiages thereof as are proper to well-illuftrate and confirm th^fSjubjecEls of them, which is their real Beauty, true Excellency, and beft Ornament ; and is commended to us by Apoftolic Example §, which is our Pattern : He muft be furniftied with fuch Knowledge of the divine Oracles, as may enable him to riglitly expound and gii.e the true Sctife cf them j], and lead his Hearers into a due Underftanding thereof: For he muft endeavour to teach Men all whatfoever is revealed or commanded by Chrift in his V/ord **, and fpeak as the Oracles of God 'W, and confirm his Doftrines by the Laiv a7id the '■Irfif)2ony J J ; and therefore it is efpecially the Duty of Chrift's Minifter^, to gi-ve Att aide nee to reading the Word of God §§, and meditate therein Day and Night 1||] ; and to daily fearch §*, and be abundantly convcrfant in the holy Scriptures, a« knowing require -no fmall Degree of holy Knowledge and divine Skill in a Chriftian Minifter, to rr.ake pcrfonal, fui^-.ble, and reafonable Applications and Ad- dre'fTes to the People of his Charge in private, Vv'ith refped to their fpiritual Affairs and Intcreits ; and to inftru£l, reprove, exhort, and comfort them as Occafion requires and Opportunity offers. And this may by no Means be negledled by thofe that would approve themfelves faithful in their minifterial Duty • Tou knoiv (faith the Apoftle) hoiv ^j:e exhorted, arj comforted, and c^^mged e-je-ry one cf you, as a Father doth his Children 1%, And this Part of the minifterial Work when performed (in Imitation of the Apoftle's Example) with parental Tenderncfs, affeftionate Gentlenefs, and Chriftian Meeknefs, is of happy Tendency to promote and carry on the holy Ends and great Def- * 2 Tim i n. t Tit. i. 9. X Col. iii 16. § Adsii. i6,t0 3 5.A6ts — .. '^^^^ An A I II Neh. viii. 8. ** Matt, xxviii. 20. ft i Pet. r.."'5lftvifi J « .Ti,n.i..,3. ll«Pfal.i... 5' Afts xvE ,;. fS^Tim. iii. 15, 16,17. lit iTheffa.!!. 11. A Funeral SERMON. 9 Defign of the Gofpel Miniftry ; neirhcr can a Minifler's Care for the fpiritual Good of his People, in the Sight cf God duely appear, in * the Neo-Jeft of this Duty. And therefore how greatly to be lamented is the two freouent and common Negled thereof It does alfo require not a little fpiritual Skill and di'vine Learmng, to /peak a Word in Sccfcn to tJiofe that are •v.-cary \, and deal wifely, fafely, and faithfully with awakened and dillrefTcd Confcicncies ; and to fhun the dangerous Extremes of Soul- deftroying Flattery on the one Hand, and a Soul-difcouraging Severity on the other ; both which every faithful Miniiler will endeavour carefully to avoid. In fine, a good Meafure of fpiritual Gifts and minifterial Abiliaes is neccfTary in Chrilt's Minifters, that they maybe able to carry the Cafes and NecefTities of their People before the 1 hrone of Grace, in proper and fuitable Addrefles to Heaven on their* Behalf, both in public Worfhip, and on more private Occafions and Emer- gencies. From all which it is clearly evident, that no fmall Attainments in divine Knowledge and minifterial Gifts, are requifite to conllitute and adorn the Chara£\er of a faithful Servant of Christ. 5. A faithful Minilter of Chrill ivill ?nake it his great Dejtgn, earnrjl Care, and confiant Endeosjour to pleafe his holy Lord and di-vine Mnjler, in the Dijcharge *^ of his Offue, and njohole ininif.crinl Conduif. He that is allowed of God to be put in Trufl with the Gofpel (and is faithful thereiH) n.Li!lfpcak, preach and perform all Gofpel Miniftrations not as pleafmg Men, but God, ^.vho trid'h his Heart J. He w ill not feek to pleafe Men, by accommodating his Miniftry to their corrupt Difpofitior.s ; hut ly the Mar.ifcjlation of the i'ritth, co7n7ncnd hivifclf to enj^ty Mans Confcicnce in the Sight of God §. He will not corrupt, or adulterate, the H'ord cf God, difguifc Tr.:th, varniih over Errors, or endeavour to fuit his Doclriaes to the Luils of Men, and preach fmooth Things to them ; hut feed them ^^ith the fnc.re Milk of the Word, declare the Truth as it is in Jesus, and nvith facnd Sincei i.'y fptak as in the Sight of God \. He will not negkft to preach and inculcate Gofpel Truths and Duties, becaufe they are di;la:kful to the erring Minds, and depraved Inclinations of his Hearers ; nor conceal divine Truths, or abate from tjie Stridlnefs of Gofpel Commands to gain their Favour, or fecure their Friendfiiip ; but endeavour to declare all the Council of God, and keep hack nothii.g that is profitable for them **. He will not flatter Men in their Sins and Unregeneracy with vain Hopes of Impunity and Safety, faying. Peace to thi?n, nvhcn there is no Peace j f, but Danger of their fudden Defiruftion XX : But on the Contrary, will faithfully /-^-ti; them their Sitjs and Liabhncfs to Ruin \\, and warn them from the V/ord of God, ivhethcr they ivill hear, or ivkethcr they nll fliew all good Fidelity in a formed unOiaken Purpofe, and in earneft unfiiintiiig Endeavours to pleaie his divine MaAer in all Things, by con- B forminsfr * 2 Cor. vii. 12. f ifa. 1. 4. I i Thella.. ii. 4. \ z Cor. iv. 2, |[ I Pet. ii. 2. Eph. iv. 21. 2 Cor. ii. 17, ** Ads xx. zo. ff Er.e: xiii. »0- XX I The/f v. 3. S\ Ifa. Iviii. i. )||{ Ez^.ii. 7. \\ Eze. iii. 17? ib', ij. :t|| Mattii. .\;iiii. 10. ■jp V^he Faithful Mi nljler :; forrning-all lus mln'ulerial Tranfadiions and Conduft to the Will of Clirift r-evealcd in liis Word ; without which he cannot juilly cxpeift the blelled Smiles of his high and hea^^enly Judge, nor to hear fi'om his facred Lips in the great reckoning Day, Hell done thuu good and fcithful Sewant * ; but to be ciilown'd and rejecced by lum with Shame raid e^jerlafring Contempt . 6. lltinofi Diligence, and eonf.ant Application, are JiccrJJary to the faithful Dif charge cf the ininifterial Of ice and W^ork. The Station of Chriil's Minifters is a Stage of Aftion ; various and ir.any are the Duties thereof, and cannot be faithfully performed without greatelt Adivity, and unwearied Induflry — With facred Solemnity it is enjoined upon them by the infpired Apoftle, to ufe utmoll Diligence in preaching the J/ ord. The Apoftle chargith Timothy to preach the Word in Seafon and out cf Sea/an f ; which fecms to imply great Affiduity and Confiancy. With no lefs Authority this is recommended to them by the facred Examples of Chriil and his Apcilles. ilow diligent and unwearied our llefed Lord was in preaching tliC Gofpel of his Kingdom, appears from the facred Hitlory thereof on divine Record : Herein he hath fet his Minifters an Example, and they are bound to follow his Steps ; as we find his aflive and zealous Apoftles did, di.ily in theTcviple^ and in every Hotfe, they ceafd ?iot to teach and preach Jesus Christ %. And how great and difiicult is the Work of a Minifter in this Part of it ? Herein he muft endeavour clearly to open, well explain, and faith'i uUy declare unto the People of his Charge, all the great Articles of the Chificn Faith, and Duties of an holy, chriftian Life, and make due Ap- plication thereof to them, according to their various Conditions : He muft encicavour to inform and ccn'vince the Ignorant and Erroneous, a^^-vakcn the Secure, rcitfe up fleepy Confciences, dete£t Self-deceivers, reprc-\e the Willful, rebuke the Obfdnate, ivarn the Unruly, comfort theTeehlc-mindcdfupporttheWiak § cjicourage the Fearful, declare the Cenfolations cf the Gcfbel to Mourners in Zion 11, confrtn the Vv''avering, reduce \\\& Straying, and exhort e^jc-ry ofie nvith all Long-fjfering and Dc^rinc **. We need not Wonder to find the Labours of Minifters compared in holy Scripture, to the Toils of Men /;/ Har^ccfi f f , and to the Fatigues of Soldiers W- Briefly : What a vaft Variety, and great Abundance cf Labour and Duty, are to be performed by them ? How many fublime Truths and Gofpel Myfteries, have they to ftudy and preach ? How many Wiles of Satan, and Deceits of the Hearts of Men, to deteft ? How many Cafes of Confcience to refolve ? They cannot therefore approve theiiifelves Chrift's faithful Servants, unlefs they always abide in the unfailing Excrcife of an indefatigable Spirit in the Dilcharge of their Duty. And hence 'tis evident, that for them to indulge themfelves in fecular Avocations, and unnecefihry Diverfions from their minifterial Work, is very fmful in the Sight of God, 'as being plainly repugnant to the Diredions and Precepts of his holy Word ; which forbids them to entangle themfelves with the Affairs of this Life §§, and requires them to give themfelves wholly to the Bufmefs of their facred Calling Pjj. 7. Minifterial Fidelity requires, that the Servant of Chrift do attend unto the nx:hole Difchargc cf his Work and Duty, ivith godly Zeal and facred Fewour cf Spirit. ^^ « Matt. XXV. 21. i 2 Tim. iv. i, 2. J Afts v. 42. § i Theflh. v. 14. jj Ifa. xl. I. ** 2 Tim. iv. 2. ff Matt. ix. 38. %% i Tim. ji. 3, §^ 2Tim.ii. 4. HI i Tim. iv. 15. A Funeral S E R M ON. ii"' He muft riot only be diligent in the Bufinefs and Duties of his OfSte, (na before obferved) but alfo therein he ftrnjcnt in Sfisit, fer'ving the Lord '*. Holy fervent Zeal La the Ways and Things of God, is indifpenfibly required of all ChriiHans f ; how much more cf a Chriftian Miniiler : He mull be a burning as well as a joining Light % ; he muft like Phineas, be e.ccdcus for his God^ ; zealous for the Glory of God in Man's Salvation ; zealous for the Ho-' nour and Jnitrell of his great Lord and blcfTed Saviour ; zealous for the fpi- ritual and immortal Wcll'are of precious Souls ; All v.hich are nearly con- cerned in the faithful Performance of his Work and Duty. — The Strength and Vigour of his AfFeciions and Endeavours, mull be exerted and employed in advancing the Kingdom of Chrill among Men, by the Converfion of Sin- ners and Ediiication of Saints, and in doing Good to the Souls of Men, and' endeavouring to promote their fpiritual Weal and eternal Happinefs. Ecrncjl Di fires II v.'hereof, fpringing from holy Zeal for the Glory of God in Chrill,^ a real Com.paffion for immortal Souls, and from a facred Regard unto his" Office, in refpeil to its Nature, awful Trull, and final Reward; muf: enlit'ea all his AdndniHrations and m.iniilerial Tranfa>Hions : \Vhatevcr his Hand' finds to do. in the Diicharge of his Office, he muft do it with his Might ** ; therein he. muft exert himfelf with unlanguiihing Vigour, and uncer.fmg Ardour of Soul; an inward facred V/armth of Spirit, muft coRtlnuaTiy ' animate his Breaft, and invigorate him in all the Duties of his f»4iniftry, pub- lick and private; and engage him to well-hulband his Time, and em.ploy all his-Taleuts in the Service of Chrift, and of the Souls of Men ; as knowing he ferves a great and good Mailer, and matches for Souls as Ofie that muf glue ^c:ouHt X^^ to hi in that is ready to judge quick a>td dead. If he indulge a flugcdlh indolent Spirit, and be perfunctory and ftothful in his Duty, he performs the Work of the Lord deceitfully §§, and refleds great Difhonour upon his divine and glorious Mafter, calls high Contempt on his Service, and expofes him- felf to his awful Rcf^ntments ; and rnull expeft from him that tremendous Reprimand, Thcufotl.fiil Scr-vant -j -f , at the final Judgment. 8. Mi;:illc7ial Fidelity requires a firicl and cx'\SiImpartiditf in all Gofpel ' Adminiftrations. — The Minifters of Chrift muft imitate the facred Example he hatii fet them in his own perfonal Miniftry when here on Earth, v>'hich is their moft perfecSt Pattern. They muft reprove the Sins and Faults of the Rich and Honourable, as well as thofe of a lower Character, as theirdivine ■ and holy Mufter did, Johnx. 38. Aid ye ha-ve not his Word abiding i/tjou;' for k that of a Gofpel Mimficr is ; and that te perform it faithfully, is a 'j hirg of no eafy Attain- ment. The Confideration hereof may well caufe us to exclaim in the Apoflle's Language, U he is fupeient for thif Things XX ^ TJie Miniiters of Chriil are rot fujj:cunt of ih.?nfl^ocs to^hink any Thing aright in the Difcharge of their hoiy Office, as of themfelvcs, or to rightly perform the leaft Aft of D. ty tliCf-ein ; but all their Supeicncy for it is of God §§, by his Communication of the Gifis, Graces, and blelled Influences of the holy Spirit unto them, 'vjhere- hy thy are mad^ able Miniftcrs of the h'L'nj.-Teftament-, and capable to perform facred Miniitracions to the Glory of God, and the Ipiritoal Advantage of the Souls of is'ien. Such is the Greatnefs and L>ifi:calty of their Work, that- vithout a conilant and liberal Supply of tne Spirit of Chriil 'jil, and continual renewed Succour and AfTiilance of his Grace, they would certainly faint in their Duty ; and therefore thzYfouid v:ell aeccpt, and comply with the^ Ex- hortation, to be frong in the Grace that is in Christ Je; u^ \X- }'^^ '^^ '^^ "°^ any Grace that is in theraielves, but tiiat oiily wiiicii ii m chrift, that caa enable them unto the faithful Performance of their Duty ;. They muft there- fore live a Life of Faith on the never failing Promiie of Grace, by \s Iiich. they * Rev ii. lo. t Rev. iii. 31. X L^I^e i. 17- § Rom.viii. 2. ![ Johit viiL 3-2, and 36. «•* Rom. viii. 21. ff Col. i 12. ;:{: 2 Cor. a. lO. ^ : Cor. iii, ;, 6. liU Hiil. i. i^. JX z Tim. u. r. A Funeral SERMON. 17 they are afTured, that Chrift will be always "xkh them *, by his Spirit to dnable them to be faithful wtto the Death f . How full of Support, Comfort, And Encouragement, is this bleffed Promife of Cliriil to his faithful JVlinifcers ? Use IV. Since the Work and Duty of Chriit's Minillers is fuch as has ■been defcribed, and Fidelity tlierein of fuch difficult Attainment, aiid they of themfelves utterly infufficient for it j htnce it is apparait thiy ought m'ft earnrftly to feek to God and look to Chrift, implore, a?id htlicvingly luait fer the rich Communications of his fff.cicnt Grace to enable them to Fuitbjulncfs in their Duty : They mull: bonv their Knees unto the Father cfourLcrd]}L?,\}s Christ J, the Father of Mercies ^, and God of all Grace ^, and ardently ^ivrtf lie nxith him for larger Meajures of Fitnejs for this Work, arid for needful Jfif.ance unta their Duty, Acceptance, and Succefs therein. They muft be affiduous and fer- vent in retired Addreffes unto Heaven, for perfonal Mercies, and uiih unceafmg Ardours of fecret Devotion, ply thel hrone of Grace for all need- ful Supplies of divine Help, as knowing God is able to make all Grace abound toward them, that they always hailing all Suf^ciency in all 'Ihings •relating to their Office, may abound unio ei-ery good Work **, neceiTary to the faithful Difcharge thereof, And they mult alio pray exceedingly 'Night and Day ff for the People of their Charge, that Sinners may, under a divine Agency, fenfibly and effcftually difcera their lail: Neceffity of Chriil: in his All-Fulne{s, and fo receive him by a true Heart- purifying-Fai.ii, as to lualk in him X\ ; and that what is lacking in the Faith, and other Graces of Saints, may be perfc^id ; that God ivould fulfl all the good Plerfure of his Goodncfs in them, and the Work of Faith ixith Po^ver §§ ; that they may fand pcrfcS and compleat in all the Will of God W- It is worth obferving, that the devout Apoftle in all his Epifdes t« the Churches (the Care of^hich came daily upon him X\) praying to God in their Behalf, which is a good Pattern worthy of Imitation by all Chrift's Minifters toward the People of their Charge, and doubtlcfs will be imitated by all fuch as imitate him in his holy Zeal for the Chriftian Intereft, and Salvation of immortal Souls- And it is no lefs the Duty, aud alfo the Intereft of the People, to be abundantly pra> erful to God in Behalf of fuch as minifter to them in holy Thin-^s, and have have the Care and Charge of their Souls. How do we find'^the inipired Apoftle (who had fo liberal an Allowance of the extraordinary Gifts, Graces, and Affiftances of God's Spirit) afking the Prayers of Chriftian People to whoni he wrote ? In what moft pthetic Terms does he befeech the Chriftians of Rome, that for the Lord Jesvs Christ's fake, and for theLo've of the Spirit, they nuould ftri've together ixith him in their Prayers to God for him $|:. And indeed the Nature and Defign of a Minifter's Work, aiiord unto his People mofl: powerful Perfuafives hereunto. Neither can they exprefs any due Regard ro tile Honour and Intereft of Chrift, or holy Love of the Spirit, any fuitable Compaffion and Care for precious Souls, their own, and others, or Chriftian Tendemefs for their Minifters, in the Negleft of this important Duty. Let me further add, that Minifters had need not only be themfelves very prayerful to God, and alfo have the Help of their People's Prayers ; but alfo apply themfelves very clofely, wholly, and indefatigably unto the great Bufinefs and important Duties of their Office, and not fuifer themfelves by any Means, to be diverted or clogg'd therein, if they ddfire and hope to give up *W\r C Account ♦ Matt.xxviii. 20. f Rev. ii. 10. % Eph. viii. 14. % z Cor.~i. r. II 1 Pet. v. 10, ** 2 Cor. ix. 8. ff i Theffa. iii. 10. U ^-ol, ii. o. is 2 Theffa. i.ii, |1| Col.iv. 12. Jf a Cor. xi. 28. %X Rom.xv. 30. I S I'he Faithful Minijler ; Account with joy : For the Labours and Duties of the Gofpel PJinlflry, are- more than a full Employment for the moll accomplifh'd and laborious of the Soas of Men ; They are fufficient to employ all our Powers, Time and Talents, had we the Capacities, Agility, and Indefatigablenefs of thofe fera- phic Spirits, that encompafs theThrone of God above. And, Oh ! therefore, my reverend Brethren, let us who have the Honour to be put in Trull wivh the glorious Gofpel of the bleffed God, give all pofiible Diligence, and fpare no Pains to approve our felves faithful in the Service of ChrilT, and of the Souls of Men : Let us moil folemnly confider cf what infinite Importance it is thus to do ; Let us lay deeply to Heart how much the Glory of God, the Honour and Intereil of Chrii!:, and the fpiritual Welfare and immortal Happinefs of Men, are concern'd in our Fidelity : Let us earneftly wreftle with God, and conftantly rely on Chrift for his AU-fuf- ficient Help and Grace, to enable us to be faithful to him, who will render to us according to our Works : Let us with godiy Remorfe confider, and be. duly humbled for all our pafl Defects and Short-comings in our Work. Alas ! how little have we done therein for God, and the Souls of Man : Let us form and vigoroufly profecute an unfailing Refolution of more clofe, carneft, and faithful Diligence in our Duty : Let us always be very mindfuL of our folemn Charge, facred Vows, and final Account which we (hall be caird unto before the judgment Seat of Christ, at the gi-eat Day cf his appearing and Kingdom : Let us remember -WQ-axz Stcvjards, and moft leri- ouily confider, that it is indifpenfably required '^ffuch to he faithful* ; and that it is but a little uncertain Time, before our great and holy Lord will come by Death, and fay to us, you may no longer he Stc^osards, gi've Jccuunt of your Stevjardjtip J ; ive cannot continue by Reo.fon of Death %. We have the moll folemn and awful Warning given us hereof, by the Death of our beloved Brother and Fellow-Servant in the Lord, whofe Obfequies we are now attending : His Removal from us, is a very humbling Difpenfation of Heaven °to the whole Minilby, and more efpecially to us in thefe Parts ;. Hereby very m^uch of our Strength and Glory is gone and departed from us; and on the Account hereof, we have great Caufe to adopt that moving La- mentation of the mournful Prophet, L^;«. v. 15, i6, 17. 1'he Joy of our Heart is cecfcd, our Dance is turned into Mourning, the Crown is fallen from our Heads^ Kvoe untJ us that ^:e ha-ve finned ; for this our Heart is faint, for this our Eye ^ are dim Does not the holy God, by this heavy Blow of his provok d Hand, lift up his a^vful Voice to us like a Trumpet §, and fay to us hereby, be ye faitlnul to the Death \\, be ye alio ready**. „; .- ^ d ./ Use. V. Hence we may infer, it is a rich and great Bhfiing, for a feople Srcat Lofs, and a terrible Rebuke 0; at-otne rro'via.?ice. 1 n^ j^uju^...v... ... thefe how liehty foever efteem'd by the Godlefs and Prophane, is wont^to be hicrhl'y valued by fuch as know how to fet a due Eftimate on fpixitualPriviieges: The iVlinnlry, and faithful Minifters of the Gofpel, are the Purchafe of the Death and Humiliation of Jefus the Son of God, ^^^ho dfcended into the lo^xer^ Tar^s of the Earth ft, to procure them for his People ; the Beilowment hereof is a <-reat Donation cf the glorified Saviour, an eminent Fruit of Chriu s iix- . » altation^ » , Cor. iv. .. t Lukexvi. z. % Heb. vii. 23. §. Ka. Iviii- U \\ Rev. ii. X. ^* Luke xii. 40. ft Ep'^- i"- 9- A tuJieral bJiKMOiN. 19 altation, an illuftrious EfFedl of his mediatorial Power and Acminiftration, and iio-nal Evidence of his continued Love and Care toward his Church on Earth J for he that defcended is the fame that alfo afcmdcd up fr abo-ue all litavcniy that he might f II all Things, (that is, liis Church with Officers, and his Officers with Gifts, as a great Author expounds it) and ga^vc Pflors ancf *Ieachersfor the Work of the Mimfry, and edifyiiig the Body of Cl.rifi * ; Tliefe are Means and Inilruments of delivering finful Men from the Pcnxier of Durk- nefs, and tranflating them into the Kingdom of God'' s dear Son -^-j and of building tip Saints, and gi'ving them an Inheritance among all them niihich are fandi fife ;J. 15- n Rom/i, 16. zConiu 16. la Toe fatihfid Mmtfter iame Confolations^ ii'herewith we ourfehes are comforted of God, And is it not a Favour to be made thus ufeful to God's Peo- ple ? We were call'd in ©ur Work fo carry the Lambs in our Bofom^ and g^tfy to lead thofe that are with Toutig^ after the Example and under the Influence of the great, the chief Shepherd (p). We are to give Milk to Babes ^ as v^'ell as firong Meat to the more grown (q) X.o jlrengthen the Weak, tofx the Wavering, to guide the Doubting, to quicken the Backward, to fuccour the Tempted, to diredi Believers to be firong^ not in the Grace they have received, but in the Grace which is in Chriji fefus j and to be engaged, through Grace, in improving the Comforts they enjoy, as Encouragements and Means to an higher End, even Holinefs and the Divine Glory. Thus our Work, the minijierial Work is adapted, and thus it is bleft to the Benefit of many Souls : We may juftly fay then, JVe have this Mini flrjy as we have -received Mercy : Efpecially lince, 3. We may, with Divine Afliftance, by and in this Work, in an eminent Degree promote the Divine Glory in the World. How is the Glory of God and Chrift and true Religion ma- nifefted by our Increafe in Gifts and Grace, in Holinefs and Ufefulnefs Thence it appears in fome Meafure what a Maf- ter we ferve, what a God we worfliip, what a Saviour we preach and offer, what a Religion we profefs and recom- mend. My Brethren^ certainly God is thegreateft and befl of Be- ings ; furely then, the fetting him forth to be, or manifeft- ing him as fuch, is the greatefl: andhigheil End that can be : This is his Glory, this End is worthy of a God, and this is the higheft End of all his Friends, Children and Servants : This End, the Work of the Miniftry, is wonderfully luited and bleft to promote : What a Mercy is it then to any of us "viky apoftate and perijhing Sons of Men, to be brought plfa.xli, q \Cor,\\\. i, 2. home ho«ie to Chrift, and call'd to this facred V/oik. We h{r:a this Minijlry^ as ive have received Mercy. I would ^ere make two Re?i7ti?'ks on this Head, before we pais to the next. • * I . We may plainly fee, that we wKo ^re fn the Mitiiftry^ have no reafon to tkink. highly of ourfelves, no reafon to be proud and Vain-ghricus. We fliould indeed take Care "to tnagjiify cur Office^ and in -no Inflanceis or reipCLi^s to under- a(it the facred Chara6ter ; but at the fmie Time, the Lan- guage of each of our Souls, muil: be that of "Job^ Behold I am vile (r)X, The Temper of our Minds, and the Tenor of our Lives, fliould be humble and holy. How fhould we be clothed with Humility, as it were from Head to Foot, who are Minifters of the meek and towly Jefus : How Ihouid wc watch and pray againft Pride, hate and fliun this \i\^ Monjicr and this dangerous Snare, tliis awful Cojidemnation of the De- vil. Let us often think, for our Humiliation, What have we J that is in any Meafure good and valuable, that we haroe not received f And again, what have we that we have not mifimproved ? And as to the Gofpel Minilliry, it will be a fpecial Guard againfl Pride, to realize, through Grace, liow we came by it, namely, by meer undcfcrved Mercy ^ and fhall we be proud of Mercy ? V/e have this' Miriijiry orh as we have received Mercy. Where is Boafting then ? It is'ex- eluded. 2. Hence t " It h a divine as well as wife and jjft Remark mad- by one of hec^reatr^ft " JMjJrrs ot ^hctiirht in the lart Age, that P-rlons cf- ^m.?///)- and Ch'arjitcr *' oughrto )>avc tw... Sjcts of Thoughts by which to regulate iheir Cotidiict : By ** xhi: nns rhcvafeto view themleives.inrlieirSi:.ueofi.iilia|^nifhinf»£7(j:«?/w;?, w irch *' i> nor from >-;:]ture, but arbitrary IJlMi'^mept ; by tlie ether they are to rake a *' Prpfp'-dt cf themfclves in their natural Conditio!) of I?Jim:ity ar.d Icjf.alHjy <» with the rcli of Mankind." (And I may here add, of Sin and Mifer/.j Pemberton'i Electkn Sermov, p. i, r Job xL 4, 14 The faithful Mini ft er 2. Hence wc may obferve Ground of peculiar Encourage- ment in the Work of the Miniftry amidft all the Difficulties that attend it. We have this Miniflry\ as we hcve ?-e*ceived Mercj 5 and is it a Mercy we have it, and fhall we be i^u^ Gouraged with it t Shall we be dilcouraged witli Mercy ? Therefore let us T^ot faint. With this Thought we come by an eafy Tranfition, to the 2. General Head^ under whi-ch I 9m to confider and fet be- fore you fome of the many Reafons and Argiments inducing to Faithfulnefs in the Minifteriai Work : And here, I . The Command in God's Word iliould powerfully and conilantly engage to be faithful and not faint in this great Work. This Command we have in thcfe Words (f) Go ye and teach all Nations^ baptizing them 'in the Name of the Father^ and of the Son, and f the Holy Ghoft : Teaching them to obferve all Things whatfcever I have commanded you. And in another Place, Take heed to your [elves ^ ajid to all the Fleck, over which the Holy Ghofl hath made Tou Overfeers, to feed the Church of God, which be hath pur chafed with his own Blood. And again, I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jefus Chrifl, who fall fudge the ^dck afid the Dead at his Appearing, a?id his King- dom : Preach the Word, be infiant in Seafon, and out of Seafon -, reprove, rebuke, ^exhort with all Longfuffering and DoBrine. IVatchthouin all Things, endure Affiidlions, do the Work of an Evangelift, make full Proof of thy Minifry. With many other" PafTages to the fame Purpofe. Surely, my Brethren, the Mind and Will of the Lord, infinitely glorious in him- felf, and withal our Maker, Preferver, and Governor, Be- nefador and Redeemer, thus revealed in his Word, fhould engage us, through Grace, to chearful, conftant and faithfal Obedience. Therefore feeing we have this Mijiiftry, as we have received Mercy, let us not faint. 2. The f Mat,xxvnu 19,20* JBsxx.2d. 2Tim.iv. i, 2, 5^ 2. The Example cf Chrifi fiiould animate us in the mini- fterial Work. Here we have a perfedt Pattern to copy after. The blef- fed Jefus difcover'd from Time to Time the moil ardent Love to God and Man in his more public and private Trapi- a6i:ions and Miniilrations, and Icuglit not his own Glory, but the Glory of him tliat fent him i io fhould we, .tlir-ougli his Grace. How zealous and couragious was he, and yet how pru- dent and diicreet ? How plain and pungent, and yet how compaflionate, how regardlefs of the Flatteries or Frowns oi the ¥/orld ? how meek and lov/ly of Heart ? how faithful in the Difcharge o{ perlbnal and relative Duties ? how holy and pure ? how refigned to his Heavenly Father's Difpolai ? how frequent and fervent in Prayer, and how laborious in his beloved Work ? (t) I mufi work, fays he, the Works cf him that jhit me, while it is Day. And again, My Meat is to do the Will of him that fe7it me, and tofinifh his Work. How willing was he to do and fuffer what he was call'd to, even to the Death ? Oh Sirs ! Let the fame mi fid be in us, that was in him : Wherefore, holy Brethren, Partakers of tloe heavenly Calling, let us confider the Apoftle and High Prieji of our Profefjion, Chrifi Jefus ; who was faithful to him that ap- pointed him, as alfoMoks was faithful in all his Houfe (u). Let us not then be weary or faint in our minds, or flag in the more difficult Part, or latter Stages of our road ; but may we fay, and fpeak it with Truth, Seeing we hai>e this Mini- ftry, as we have received Mercy [of the Lord] we faint ?iot. 3. The Example of Chr if; s faithful Servants in the Mini- ftry fhould animate us in the Work. 'Tis true, my Bre- thren, the beft of Chrift's Minifters are imperfed in the pre- fent State, and therefore not to be propos'd as perfe(5t Pat- terns t John x\, 4* John iv. 34. u Heb, iii. i, 2. 1 6 The faithful Mini ft er terns for Imitation -, but we are to be Fclhwers cfthem, even ds they are of Chriji (w) j fo far as they are fo, and no far- tlier. How encouraging is it to obferve them, while attend- ed with a Body of Sin and Death, and a/Tauited by Temp- tations from the World and the Devil, as we are 3 yet, through Grace, approving themfelves fincere, and in a good Degree engag'd in their Work. What a lovely Example is fet before us in our Text, and tne following Verfe j Therefore feemg we have this Miniflry, as we have received Mercy, we faint not : But have retiounced the hidden Things of Diponejly, not walking in Craftinefs^ nor handling the Word of God deceitfully^ but by manifefiation of the Truths commending ourfehes to every mans Confcience in. the Sight of God. And again, in the fame Epiflle, F/e do all Things, dearly Beloved, for your Edifying (x). Our Exhort- ation, faith this great Apoftle of the Gentiles, in another E- piitle (yj was not of Deceit, nor of Uncleannefs, nor in Guile ^ but as we were allowed of God to be put in T?'uji with the Gofpel, even fo wefpeak, not as pleafing Men, but God, which trieth our Hearts. For neither at any Time ufed we flattering Words, as ye know, nor a Cloke of Covet 01 fnefs ; God is Witnefs. Nor of men fought we Glory, neither of youi nor yet of others : Be- ing affeSlionately defirous of Ton, we were willing to have im- parted unto Toil, not the Gofpel of God only, but alfo our own Souls, becaufe Te were dear unto us. Te are Witnefjes, and God alfo, how holily, and juftly, and unblameably we behaved ourfehes amonglTou that believe : And elfewhere fz). I take Toil to record this Day, that I am pure from the Blood of all -men -, for I have not Jhunned to declare unto Tou, the whole Coimfel of God. Te know how I kept back nothing that was pro- fitable unto Tou, but have fiewed Tou, and have taught Tou pub- lickly w I Cor.yii. i. x 2Cor.xn. 19. ^ i Thefiu 3,4,5,6, S, 10. z Adisxx, 26, 2ji 1 8, 20, 31, 24* Encouraged^ <^'c. 17 lickly and frofn Hcufe tc Hotife, Remember that hy the Space of Tb'ee Tears, I ceafed not to 'warn every one Night a?id Day ?nfes of Cod's Word, fliould comfort and a- nimate us in our Work. Many and great are our Trials and Difficulties from without and v/ithin, and they often meet and join their Forces ; we may well fay then, Who is fiifficient for thefe Things [k) ? And we (hould furely iinlc,, had we not a mo-re than human Prep, at fuch a Time, a divine Support ; fuch as Paulh-did. given him, when afiiided with a Thorn in the Flef\ the Mefhiger of S>atan to buffet him : When in this D.ilrefs, he befought the Lord thrice, he had this Anfwer (/) My Grace is jufficient for thee, for my Strength is made perfeB in IVeakriefs. How is it with Paul now ? he is kept from fainting, he is refrelh'd, he even re- joices and triumphs, and gives God the Glory ; Mo/i gladly therefore, fays he, will I rather glory in my Infirmities, that the Power of Chrijl may refl upon me. Again he tells us elfe- where, t Beware whaf Earth calls Happinefs ; beware Ail Joy.v, but J >• % tl-.at never can evpire. Who builds on LTs than an immoyt.^l B.ife, Fond as he feems, cond.mns bis Joys to Death. Ni^bt Iboughts* k z Cor, ii. 1 6. ■/ 2 Cor, xii. 9^ ri The faithful Mini jler where {jn) He can do all Things^ through Chrifl^ ivhich jireiigtheneth him ; lb may we too, living by Faith on the fame Mediator of the New Covenant^ which is well ordered in all Things, and Jure : Let us then trti/i in the Lord for ever ; in the Lord Jehovah is everlafiing Strength (;z). But what need I enlarge ? Have we not the exprefs Promife of our Lord Jefus Chriffc to his faithful Minifrers (). The remains of Corruption within us, give great Strength to his Temptati- ons ; and the Difficulty and Danger is increas'd by the V/orld ', I mean by the Fears and the Hopes of the prefent • State. Oh ! what Need have we to live near to God, that we may be well fupplied and fortified againfl thefe Aflaults -, and hkewife flrength'ned and engaged through Gr?.ce, to pluck m Phil. iv. 13.. n Ifa. xxvi. 4.. Mat. xxviii. 20. f Zech. iii» i . Encouraged y <^c, ij pluck Souls as Brands out of the Burnings and to ufe fkiifuliy and faithfully thofe Weapons of Dodrine and Difcipiine, which are not carnal^ but mighty^ through Gcd, to the pulling down of flrong Holds (q) the ftrong Holds of Sin, eipeciaiiy Licentioufnefs and Seif-righteoufnefs, and of Satan and the V/orld, who are join'd in a moil difmal and dangerous Con- federacy. Ao-ain, the Dangers that at prefent furround our Land and Nation, fliould deeply affed us, and engage us in en- crealing Zeal, Labours and Faithfulnefs. We are indeed bleft with very great Privileges both ci'vil andfacred, under the Smiles of iridulgent Heaven, and' the mild and juft Adminiflration of the befl of Kings, who may well be filled a Father of his People ; but the haughty, perfidious and cruel French, with their Confederates, are bent upon rending thefe Privileges if poffible from us ; tip- on deflroying our Lives, or, which ought to be much dear- er to us, our Liberty and our Religion. An holy and righteous God, tho' he has favour'd us with fome remarkable Inftances of undeferved Goodnefs and Suc- cefs in the Eaji and North ; for which we ought furely to return him our mofl grateful Acknowledgments in Heart, Lip and Life ; yet becaufe of the many and grievous Sins of this Land and Nation has fuffer'd cur Enemies to gain fome Advantages againfl us, efpecially in our late awful Defeat to the Wefward. Thus we fee in fome Meafure what we are when left to ourfelves; but ^^o will be indeed to us if God depart from us (r) an A a Deluge of Po/^r^, Tyranny and 5/rf"i;^ry overwhelm us. Our Danger is evidently much encreafed by the aforefaid terrible Frown of Divine Providence i but what makes our Cafe q 2 Cor, X. 4. r Hef ix. 12. a4' The faithful MiniRer Cafe moft of all dark and dlfmal is this, viz. Our continuing in general ftupid and unrefornid^ unbelieving and impenitetit under this late aufid Judgment, added to tlie Droughty and to other Judgments fent before, as well as under the many and great Mercies and Privileges we have long enjoy'd, and long ahiisd and mifimp-rcvd^ which the Lord in his Provi- dence tlyerefore loudly threatens to take from us, to v/ith- draw hi-i gracious Inliuence and Proted:ion at once, and what wouid then be left behind, but Darknefs and Perplexi- ty, Co?>fufiof2 ajid Horror, Defolation and Mifery ? In this Day of Darknefs and Gioominefs, jny Brethren, we fliould be deeply humbled and penitent ourfelves, and faith-, fully promote others being fo. In this Day of imminent Danger, let us not fail to found the Alarm with Faithfulnefs and Gompailion, with Piainnefs and Pungency. Let us cry aloud, and not f pare (J^J let us fiew to our People, and the People of this Land and Nation, their •Tranfgreffions and th€)V Sins, Sins a^ainfl: God's Law and againfl his Grace, &c. and let us, through Grace, be more faithful than ever in our Labours, both in public and private for the good of dear precious Souls : And how fliould we Brethren withal, as Ddifiel' fuccefsfuily did (t) fet our Face to the Lord God, to feek by Prayer and Supplication, with Falling and Humiliati- on, and confejjing our Sin, and the Sin of our People. Thus let us lland in the Gap, as well as on the Wa^ch 'Tower : For Zioris Sah' we will not hold our Peace, and for yerufalem's Sake we will ?'iot rejl, until the Righ-eoufnefs thereof go Jorth as Brightnrjs, and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burn- eth (u). jTherfore feeing we have this Miniftry, as we have re- ceived Mercy, we faint not, and, thro' Grace, v/e will not faint. Several / Tfa, Ivlii.i. t Dan, IX. 3, 20. u Ifi. Ixii. i. Encouraged^ ^c, X5 Several other Arguments engaging to Faithfulnefs In the ;minii^erial Work, might here be conlidered, but as I would not be tedious, I purpofe to mentioa them more briefly in. a concluding Addrels, and pafs now to the APPLICATION. i^j I. Hence we learn, what young Men fhould have a true and juft Senib of, who are about to enter upon the Work of the feofpel Miniftry j even of thefe important Arguments and Motives mentioned, and fuch like. Surely they ought to fit down and count the Coji in the firft Place : — It would be extream Folly to do otherwife, and if they do that well, they would by no Means venture on the Work, without a real and fpiritual Senfe of the Mo- tives engaging to Faithfulnefs therein ; for without that, they might juftly exped: to faint and fail under the Difficulties of the Work, v/hich are fuch, as would be too hard for a Gahriely unailifled to grapple with. What Prefumption, what Madnefs is it tlien, for any one to undertake this Work in his own Strength, which is Weaknefs itfeJJ\ and will be as nothings when fet againft the united Temptations of the Worlds the FleJJj and the Devil ? How is the poor Soul made an eafy Prey, being without God, and without his Grace and Strength fecured ? and what is like to become then of the miferable Souls he undertakes the Care of ? How awful is it for a Perfon to promife before God^ Angels and Men, to be faithful in a Work, which is properly fpiri- tual J and which at the fame Time he, being unconverted^ hates, becaufe it is fpiritual, from the Bottom of his Heart j. for the carnal Hindis Enmity againfi God {w) J, -f . w Rom. viii. 7. D Is ^ What greater Solccifm than a A/an of God without true GodUnefty a GyrijUnn r6 The faithful Mintfler Is not he more likely to make the Hearts ©f God's People fad, than to feed Chrift's Sheep and Lambs^ while he is void of any true Love to Chrift {x) ? Is not he more likely to diredt poor Souls that are enquiring the Way to Glory into fome Soul-ruining By-path, e(pecially the Path he is in him- felf, than to point them to the right road, which he is expe- rimentally an utter Stranger to ? Oh ! tliat young Men would be cautious upon this Head, left they incur the Guilt of Blood to an amazing Degree, and pave the Way to a moft aggravated Condemnation*. And how careful fbould theMiniftersof theGofpel be, with Tcfpedl to the Introdudion of others into the facred Work|| : X John xxi. 15, 16, 17. Tho* Miniper^ that is not a trite and real CJ^rifiian ; and (ijch none can be withoiK red Regeneration, and true Santtificatton wrought in him hy the RemewiM^s »f' the Holy Ghefi ; which therefore every one that defires to enter into the Holy Of- fice of the Gofpel Miniftry, or does officiate therein, ought mott fcrioufly to enquire into his EKpcrience of ; and not forget, that ic i** required of a Miniftef of Chrift, that he be Uamehfs, foberf juji, holy, temperate^ and that he extrfift him- felf unto Godlineft. Holinefs then (even that Holinefs tvitbout Hvhkh nt iMn (haH jee the Lord) belongs to the Scripture Charader of a Sceward of God ; and this all unfandificd, unholy Minifters ought to think of with Trembling. In a Word, it ap^ars from the Work, Dcfign, Ends, and Ufe of the Gofpel Mini- cftry, and Scripture Qualifications required of him who officiates therein, that he tnuft be a Man of fincere Piety, and true Godlincfs. Pierfon'j Sermon et$ Mr. Dickinfon's Death. f And it fcems to line tliefe would aft very unadvifcdly, that fliould enter on that preat and facred Work (of the Miniftry) before they had comfortable Sa- tisfa6tion concerning themfelves, that they have had a faving Work of God oo their Souls. Edwards'j thoughts concerning the Revival of Religion. * We have all of us perfonal Guik enough upon us, let us not add other Mens Guilt to our Account : To be guilty of the Blood of .h': -noaneft Man up- on Earth, is a Sin, v/hich will cry in yourCoi;fcience< ; bar to be guilty of the Blood of Souls. Lord ! who can bear it 1 Fiavel'j ^reatije cf tie Soul of Aian. II In the Light of this Truth, ife the Day of fmall Tbhtgs (b). Urtder the Judgment i we feel or fear, let us be humblet^ fcut not difcouraged. Corbe, my beloved Brethren^ let us arife, through ;Grace, and (hake ourfelves 5 let us, for God's Sake, for .Ckrifi's Sake,' and for precious Soul's Sake, arife, and ib^e oSJjcernains of Sloth and Backwardncfs on the one Hand> t Zed/iY, 10. Encouraged y ^c. gi Hand, and finking Difcouragements on the other : Let us, in the Lord's Strength, quit ourfehes like Men^ yea, like Me7i of God^ in this dark, degenerate and difficult Day. Oh ! what Honor would tliis reflect on God and religion ! Let us walk with God, as Enoch did (cj : Let us be va- liant, and yet difcreet, adive and diligent 'yjiedfajl^afidun- movable, fervent in Spirit, and full of the Holy Ghoft ; always abounding in the JVork of the Lord-, knowing that our Labcur is not in vain in the Lord (d). If we are faithful, and Souls be not gathered, yet we fhall be glorious in the Eyes of the Lord ; — if they be, then we {hall fay e er long. Lord, here we are, and the Children thou ha/i gracioufly given us ; and (hall rejoice with them in Glory for ever. Oh ! my Fathers, my Brethren, the Eyes of Chrift, who will judge the ^ick and the Dead at his Appearing, and his Kingdom, his Eyes, I fay, which are as a Flame of Fire {e) are upon us continually in all Parts of our Work and Condud, with reference to the final Judgment, and that ftrid Account we muft give at his Bar : And if any of us fliould then meet with the Doom of the Slothful Servant, how dreadful I how intolerable 1 The very Thought is big with Horror I and Words fail I— — But on the other Hand, how glorious, inconceivably glorious, is the Reward we rtiall have, if we are faithful, through Grace : Oh ! how (hall we exult with extatic Joy, when our Lord fays to us, Well do?ie good and faithful Ser- vants, enter into the Joy, the eternal Joy, of your Lord. With this Profper^/for*MS,andwe vti^fght " for you :" Yea, I may fay farther. Do yoM pray for us, f I Thef v. 25. E and 3+ Tloe faithful Minifter and we will nsoark for you, TlvA pray for you too, through Grace, that you may grow in Grace ^ and in tloe Knowledge of mr Lord and Saviour yefus Chriji^ that you may live by Faith on him, continually bring forth much Fruity adorn your Profeffion, and ripen apace for Glory ; and Oh 1 Give the Lord no Reji, till he make ferufalem a Praife and yoy in the Earth. And, dear Brethren, pray often, and pray ear- jieftly, iov poor, Chrijllefs, perijlnng Souls. I would now, 3 . Conclude with an Addrefs to fuch. No fmall Part of our Work, my dear Hearers, who are yet in the difiiial State of XJnregeneracy relates to you ; and many Difficulties, Services and Fatigues we are willing to .^o through without fainting, out of Love to, and Concern for your precious Souls, if by any Means we may win you over to the Knowledge and Love of God and Chrill, and, at leaft, favefome, ■ , Oh 1 confent to be happy, and to live for ever, and don't liill yourfelves ; don't throw yourfelves Body and Soul into Hell : This you will ^o, if you continue in Sin and Unbe- lief . . ^ We come in God's Name to you, and pray you in Chriji*s Stead to be reconciled to God : — We- preach the Terrors of the Law, as Means fuited to awaken and convince you of your finful, awful State, 2in^ MohiiQ Need o^ 2i Saviour -, and we fet before you the Invitations of theGofpel, and the Grace, Beauties and Glories of Immanuel ; with Delires, that you may, by the Almighty Power and Grace of God, be made = willing to receive Chrift Jefus, juft as he is offered in the • Gofpel, and reft upon him alone for Salvation : Then, my Brethren^ you will be inconceivably happy and bleffed for i^yer. But Encouraged ^ <^c. 35 • But Oh ! if you continue to negled; and refufe 'Chrifl, you muil perifh. The faithful a?idtrue Witnejs has declared plainly with his own Mouth, He that belicveth not^ fl:all be dafuned (g). If you will go to Hell, after all, from under the glorious Advantages of the Gofpel, how aggravated muft your Damnation be (h) ^ Oil ! can you bear to lie under the dreadful Wrath o^ the great and terrible God in th« Flames of Hell, without one Drop of Water to cool your fccrched Tongues ; where the Worm of Confcience ne^^er dies^ ami the Fire is not quenched ; and where you mufl lie roar- ing, waili?jg afid gnafjifig your Teeth^ for ever and ever. Oh ! then red not in your prefent Condition j and, ths' you mufl take all pofjibk Fains in religion, read^ hear, p^^y^ pieditatCy and, in a Word, ftrive with all Earneftncfs, yet don't reft upon that, or think that God is ol)liged hereupon to fave you j but acknowledge he might vc\o{^juJlIy after all this, caft you into Hell : — Come therefore as dipcor, guilty, empty, 'vile, finfid, perijhing, ill-deferving^ andFlell-defer^ing Creature to 2. full, glorious and all-fufficient Chrift, who is moft ready and willing to fave. If any Man thirjl, let him come to Ch.v\{i and dri7tk. Oh \ come, poor Souls, here 2ire many of u% Ambajjddors of Jefus Chrift together ; I truft we join moft cordially and affeSlionately in warning you to flee from the Wrath to come, and in calling and inviting you to Chrift. Oh ! come before the Majler of the Houfe is rifen up, and has fut to the Door (/) for then it will be too late for ever. Oh ! dont delay, Thoufands have been ruind that way. Flear the Lord's ^o/Vf, thro' his Grace, To-day : Oh ! let there be foy in Heaven o- ver you this Day, and then I truft we ftiall meet e'er long in pure, perfed and eternal Glory : Which may the Lord grant, tliro' Jefus Chrift ! Amen and Amen. g Markxvi. 16. h Mat. xi. 21, 22, 23, 24. / Luke xiiL 25. FINIS. J / .-■-.•/••.■*: itLit'i.l