LIBRARY PRI^CETOW, W. J. No, DONATION OF S A M U K 1. A a N K W , ^ ^.^ o f H H 1 L A J) K L P U 1 A . P A . Letter O '•C- "^ / J d • /■ ADVERTISEMENT TO VOL. II. Whex the an-angements for iiublishing this work were made, it Avas supposed that there were materials sufficient to constitute three full volumes. Upon this calculation the prospectus was issued. After some little progress had been made, however, in the printing, it was found that the calcvdation had been erroneous ; (each sermon making fewer pages than Avas expected;) and that if the original plan were persisted in, and the materials distributed into so many volumes, they would be of an unusually small size, and that subscribers, upon the terms of subscription first stated, would have reason to complain of the expense of the work. It was resolved therefore to alter the original plan, and comprise the whole in two volumes, which would neither be too large in size nor have too crowded a page. The work, as thus pubhshed, will appear much better than if executed as was at first announced, and subscribers will gain a considerable advantage ; receiving the whole works of Bishop Ravenscroft at the reasonable price of $5. The second volume first makes its appearance ; as the memoir, which belongs to the first volume, was not entirely completed when the work was put to press. The materials for the first volume are now complete, and it is in press. New-York, Nov.^Z, 1830. THE WORKS THE RIGHT REVEREND JOHN STARK 'llAVENSCROFT, D. D., BISHOP OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF NORTH-CAKOHNA. CONTAINING HIS SERMONS, CHARGES, AND CONTROVERSIAL TRACTS TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, A MEMOIR OF HIS LIFE; DEVISED BY THE AUTHOR TO THE " EPISCOPAL BIBLE, PRAYER BOOK, TRACT, AND MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF NORTH-CAROLINA," AND NOW PUBLISHED FOR THEIR BENEFIT. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. NEW-YORK : PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL PRESS. MDCCCXXX. Southern District of New-York, ss. Be It i&cmcraberell, That on the 19th day of Nov. A. D., 1830, in the 55th year of the Independence of the United States of America, John V. Van Ingen, of the said District, (for William M. Green, George W. Freeman, and William D. Cairns, proprietors, in trust •for the " Episcopal Bible, Prayer Book, Tract, and Missionary Society of North Carolina,") hath deposited in this office, the title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as Proprietor, in the words following, to wit : "The works of the Right Reverend John Stark Ravenscroft, D. D., Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the diocese ol North Carolina. Containing his Sermons, Charges, and Con- troversial Tracts ; to which is prefixed, a Memoir of his Life. Devised by the author to the " Epis- copal Bible, Prayer Book, Tract, and Missionary Society of North Carolina," and now pub- lished for their benefit." In two volumes. In conformity to the Actof Congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned." And also to an Act, entitled " An Act, sup- plemental y to an Act, entitled an Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints?' FREDERICK J BETTS, Clerk of the Southern District of Neur- York CONTENTS TO V O L II SERMON I. THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. PAGE. 1 Kings xviii. 21. — And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow him -.but if Baal, then follow him. .- - 1 SERMON II. THE NECESSITY OF EXERCISING A RIGHT JUDGMENT IN OUR RELIGIOUS CONCERNS. Luke xii. 57. — Yea, and why, even of yourselves, judge ye not what is right 1 14 SERMON III. THE FOLLY AND WICKEDNESS OF EXCUSES AGAINST RELIGION. Luke xiv. 18.— And they all, with one consent, began to make excuse. - 25 SERMON IV. FAITH IN GOD. Hebrews xi. 6.— But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that Cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him 36 SERMON V. god's anger AGAINST THE WICKED. PsALks vii. ll.^GoD is angry with the wicked every da)'. - - - 49 SERMON VI. THE NATURAL MAN. 1 Corinthians ii. 14.— But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooUshness unto him ; neither can he know theih, because they are spiritually discerned. - - - 61 SERMON VII. SIN. Romans vii. 13.— But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good ; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 73 SERMON VIII. SIN AND DEATH. Romans v. 12.— Wherefore as bj one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have smned. 85 *^ CONTENTS. PAGE. SERMON IX. DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIN. Hebrews iii. 13, last clause.— Lest any of you be hardened through the deccitf uhicss of sin. 97 SERMON X. WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. Daniel xii. 10, latler part. — And none of the wicked shall understand ; but the wise shall understand. 109 SERMON XI. THE jailor's question TO ST. PAUL. Acts XVI. 30, ZaWercZawse.— What must I do to be saved? - - -119 SERMON XII. CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE. John iii, 16. — For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - - 133 SERMON XIII. CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. 2 Corinthians v. 21. — For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. - 144 SERMON XIV. THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. 1 Timothy ii. 5. — For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. - - 157 SERMON XV. CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. Romans x. 4. — For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. icg SERMON XVI. CHRIST ALL IN ALL. John xv. 5, latter clause, — For without me ye can do nothing. - . - - 182 SERMON XVII. ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. MicAH vi. 6. — Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? " - - 195 SERMON XVIII. Christ's call to repentance. Luke v, 32. — I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. - 207 CONTENTS. V* PAGE. SERMON XIX. HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. Luke ix. 23. — And he said to them all, If any man will come after nie, let him deny himselfj and take up liis cross daily, and follow nic. - - 217 SERMON XX. THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. John v. 40. — And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. - - 229 SERMON XXI. REVERENCE OF CHRIST. Matthew xxi. 37. — But, last of all, he sent unto them his Son, saying, They will reverence my Son. 242 SERMON XXII. CONFESSION OF CHRIST. Matthew x. 32, 33. — Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whoso- ever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 253 SERMON XXIII. FAITH IN CHRIST THE ONLY CONDITION OF SALVATION. John viii. 24. last clause. — For if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sms. 265 SERMON XXIV. LIFE AND IMMORTALITY BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE GOSPEL. 2 Timothy i. 10. — Who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortahty to light by the gospel. --- 276 SERMON XXV. SALVATION TROUGH GRACE. SACRAMENTAL. 1 John iv. 10. — Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ... 288 SERMON XXVI. NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. Hebrews ii. 3, 4. — How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him ; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will 7 . . , . 301 V» CONTENTS. SERMON XXVn. THE DANGER OF DELAYED REPENTANCE. Hebrews xii. 16, 17. — Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright ; for ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected ; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it careSfuUy with tears. 311 SERMON XXVIII. THE WARNINGS OF CONSCIENCE NOT TO BE NEGLECTED. Acts xxiv. 25. — And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judg- ment to come, Felix trembled, and answered. Go thy way for this time ; when I have a more convenient season, 1 will call for thee. - 322 SERMON XXX. A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. John iii. 18. — But he that believeth not, is condemned already. - - . 333 SERMON XXXI. THE DANGER OF FORFEITING THE HEAVENLY REST. Hebhews iv. 1. — Let us, therefore, fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. - - 346 SERMON XXXII. THE RULE OF FUTURE JUDGMENT. Matthew vii. 21. — Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 359 SERMON XXXIII. THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OF RELIGION. Titus iii. 8. — This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. 369 SERMON XX^IV. DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 2 Peter iii. 14. — Wherefore, beloved, seeing ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 382 SERMON XXXV. THE LOVE OF THE WORLD INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE LOVE OF CHRIST. SACRAMENTAL. 1 John ii. 15. — Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. - 393 SERMON XXXVI. RELIGIOUS EXAMINATION. 2 Corinthians xiii. 5. — Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves. 409 CONTENTS. Vn SERMON XXXVII. NON-COiNFORMlTY WITH THE WORLD. Romans xii. 2, first daiusc. — And be not confornicd to this world. - - 419 SERMON XXXVIII. THE WEDDING GARMENT. Matthew xxii. II, 12. — And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment ; and he said unto him, Friend, how earnest thou in hither, not having a wedding gar- ment ] And he was speechless. .-..., 431 SERMON XXXIX. PARABLE OF THE TALENTS. Matthew xxv. 14 — 30. — For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelHng into a far country, who called his own servants, and dehvered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one ; to every man according to his several ability ; and straitway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents, went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one, went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents, came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deli- veredst unto me five talents : behold, I have gained besides them five talents more. His lord said unto him. Well done, thou good and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things .- enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came, and said. Lord, thou dehveredst unto me two talents : behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things ; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came, and said. Lord I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed : and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth : lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou k newest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strewed : thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance : but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 444 SERMON XL. PARABLE OF THE SOWER. Luke viii. 13.— But that on the good ground are they, who in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. 456 Vm CONTENTS*. SERMON XLL FRUIT ACCORDING TO SEED SOWN. Galatians vi. 7. — 15o not deceived ; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. ...--- 466 SERMON XLII. UNFRUITFUL FIG TREE. Luke xiii. 7. — Then said he to the dresser of liis vineyajd, Behold, these three years I conic seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none : cut it down ; why cumbereth it the ground 1------- 477 SERMON XLIII. THE CAUSE OF UNFRUITFULNESS IN RELIGION. Hebrews iv. 2. — But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 490 SERMON XLIV. GRIEVING THE SPIRIT. Ephesians iv. 30. — And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 503 SERMON XLV. THE ORIGIN AND USE OF WORLDLY AFFLICTIONS. Job v. 6, 7. — Although aflhction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground ; yet man is bom unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. -- 514 SERMON XLVI. THE LOVE OF GOD TO SINNERS. SACRAMENTAL. 1 John iii. 1. — Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that wo should be called the sons of God ! .... 526 SERMON XLVII. CAIN AND ABEL. SACRAMENTAL. Genesis iv. 3, 4, 5. — And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an oflermg mito the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of liis flock, and of the fat thereof And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and unto his offering : but, unto Cain and to his offering, he had not respect. ... 539 SERMON XLVIII. THE STATE OF THE DEPARTED. A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. Job xiv. 14. — If a man die, shall he live again ? - - , - - . - 551 SERMON XLIX. GOD IS WITNESS. 1 Thessaloniaks ii. b, last clause. — God is witness. - - ''V - -566 SERMONS. SERMON I. THE REASONABLENESS OP RELIGION. 1 Kings xviii. 21. " And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him ; But if Baal, then follow him." The reasonableness of religion is the reproach of those who neglect it ; and the benefits it proposes and confers on those who embrace and follow its salutary laws, is the just condemna- tion of all who are not led by its sanctions to prefer the interests of eternity to those of time ; and so to prefer them, as to mani- fest, in the conduct of life, that what is highest in value, and first in importance, is chief in desire, and foremost in pursuit. Now while I am sure, that there is not one among those to whom I am speaking who would hesitate a moment to acknow- ledge their belief in the being of God, and the consequent obligation of all his creatures to serve and please him, I would ask how it comes to pass, nevertheless, that so few are influenced, in any degree, by this so universal admission 1 To this, I doubt not, that some would return one kind of answer, some another, and some no answer at all. The true answer, however, I fancy, will be, the want of consideration, the neglect of any serious exami- tion of our actual condition, and of the truths of revelation, as connected with that condition. It is want of serious reflection, my dear hearers, that gives to the enemy of our souls his chief power against us, and enables him to array the world and the things that are in it in so capti- vating a dress as to be taken, by many, in exchange for the favour of God and eternal life in the world to come. Vol. II.— 1 2 THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION.) Yet I should suppose, that if any thing short of eternity can bring us to reflect seriously, it must be the end that awaits us, when this world and all its deluding promises shall pass away as a dream ivhen one cmaketh— it must be the reahty of our present condition, as in the sight of God, whether we are in his favour, or exposed to his wrath— it must be the principle by which we are actuated in this life, and which shall determine our state m that which is to come. But what says experience 1 what say the consciences of the greater part now present, both of young and old ? Alas ! the answer is ready ; we have not thought of these things ; we have not realized them. To-day, then, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, but meet your eternal interests with a fair consideration of their value, and if the Lord he Goj) folloio him, but ij Baal, then follow him. Surely, my friends, it is a most fair alternative, and just such an appeal to our reason and understanding as contenders for the supremacy of human reason require ; and such, moreover, as might teach the enemies of Christianity, who ignorantly charge it with requiring of them what is contrary to reason, to consider rather, how very reasonable a service it is, how exactly accommodated to our condition, calculated to exalt our reason, enlarge our perceptions, elevate our hopes, refine our natures, purify our hearts, and fit us, sinners that we are, for Heavenly glory. In discoursing on this passage of Scripture, I shall First point out what is to be understood by the word Baal, in connexion with its application to the present circumstances of Christians ; Secondly, I shall inquire into the general causes of that hesitation and reluctance to embrace religion which is so mam- fest among us ; and, then, Conclude with an application of the subject : Jlnd Elijah came to all the people, and said, How long halt ye between ttvo opinions? if the Lord be God, follow Mm; but if Baal, then follow him. L First I am to point out what is to be understood by the word Baal, in connexion with its application to the present circumstances of Christians. THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. »> The proneness of the Jev/Ish nation to actual idolatry, was a very remarkable trait in the character of that people. Re- peated instances are recorded in the Old Testament, of their offending in this way, and it was not until after the severe chas- tisement of the Babylonish captivity that they were cured of it. The particular case referred to in the text was, the idolatrous worship set up by Jeroboam, on the revolt of the ten tribes from Rehoboam, the son of Solomon ; and the Baal here men- tioned is generally understood as the same with Belus, or the Sun. This was the most ancient form of idolatry in the world. That the idol was a material one, the context informs us ; and that it had its too crowded temples, priests, and sacrifices, similar to those appointed for the worship of the true God, established in Jerusalem. Now, my hearers, I doubt not but that it seems a strange thing, that rational beings, especially those who were favoured with an express revelation of and from God, could so far be deluded as to render homage and worship to a senseless block of matter, and put their trust in a graven image made by them- selves, for help and deliverance, either in life or death. Yet it differs in nothing from the virtual idolatry of wealth- worship, world-homage, and pleasure-service, so prevalent in the Chris- tian world. The essence of the sin lies not in the thing wor- shipped, but in the departure of the heart from God. And we become just as criminally idolaters by setting up an idol in our hearts, as by falling down before it in our houses. The man who puts his trust in uncertain riches makes gold his god. The slave of sensual pleasure sacrifices to the flesh. The man who pursues the honours and state of the world bows down at the shrine of ambition ; and the giddy, thoughtless votary of folly and fashion worships the ghttering and ever-changing idol of the world and dissipation. And however various the idols, yet one common character is stamped upon the worshippers — God is not in all their thoughts ; their hearts are gone away from him. In the present circumstances of Christians, then, the right application of the word Baal is to whatever profit, pleasure, or pursuit interferes with and supersedes the gospel, and draws them off from the duty they owe to God, and the care of their 4 THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. immortal souls ; and the appeal made in my text is to the un- reasonableness of such a course of conduct : yet how dead is the world to so fair a proposition ; how readily can those who feel that it applies unanswerably to their particular condition put it away from them. Yea, how many of those now present, both young- and old, will nevertheless hug their idol closer to their hearts, and stifle the reason of their own minds and the affec- tionate warning of God's holy truth, in a more devoted wor- ship of their particular Baal. Thus is that light which is given to guide them to their duty and their happiness, exchanged for darkness ; and thus is the god of this world permitted to blind the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glo- rious gospel 0/ Christ should shine unto them; yea thus, and for this cause, does God send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie — that they all might be damned loho believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Oh ! how similar in every age is the spirit of infidelity in its effects, whether it be manifested in the gross idolatry of graven images, or in the more refined influence of philosophical unbe- lief and disregard of revelation. How is the heart dead to God, even under the clear disclosure of that love and mercy in which he is manifested by the gospel, to the faith and fear of his redeemed creatures. What numbers are wilfully ignorant of what he hath spoken unto us by his son. What still greater numbers hold themselves back from every improvement of the knowledge they do pos- sess, and never take one step towards the mercy seat ; never withhold themselves from the desire they can gratify ; never think of Heaven, of Hell, of Death, of Judgment ; never bend the knee in prayer, or ask, what must I do to be saved 1 What multitudes strive to reconcile the service of God with that of the Baal whom they worship, and are straightway offended, when a faithful Elijah strips the mask from their idol, uncovers the iniquity of their hearts, and shows them its enmity to God. Above all, when he appeals to their reason, as in the words of my text, to prove that their Baal has no power to help or save them, but is cheating them out of their souls — that their boasted honesty and morality are but selfish sins, and not atoning THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. 5 saviours — how does the pride of unhumbled hearts swell and rise against the truth, and a preached gospel become the savour of death, of double death, to those who will listen neither to reason or revelation in behalf of their souls. O, if there be any such present this day, any who, by neglect of the word and worship of God, are joined unto their idol, let the message wherewith I am charged come to their ears and to their hearts, in the power and spirit of the God of Eli- jah, and awaken them to consider whom they serve, and what wages they are to receive. O, let them for once hear the words of truth and soberness: and if the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, be God, follow him ; but if the world, the flesh, or the devil, be God, and a God mighty to save, then follow them. Be no longer crippled by divided opinion, be no longer deluded with the vain expectation that this world and the things that are in it, and the world to come and the things that are in it, at the right hand of God, are to be gained by the same means. No, there is a gulf between them which we must pass in the present life. Over this gulf there is but one straight and narrow way, marked with the blood of Christ, and lighted up with faith and holiness. It is strewed, indeed, with self-denial and sometimes with suffering, but it leads to eternal life and heavenly glory. O that you may this day hear your heavenly leader's voice calling unto you strive to enter in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction. IL Secondly I am to inquire into the general causes of that hesitation and reluctance to embrace religion which is so mani- fest amongst us. To attempt a statement of them all, my friends, would ex- ceed your patience and my strength. Every one, however, by a little attention to the frame of his or her own spirit to the motives and expectations of his or her conduct, may supply what may either necessarily or inadvertently escape my notice. The first I will mention is, ignorance of what religion really is. This, as it is a very effectual cause of hesitation, so is it a most inexcuseable one, and what men are seldom guilty of in any matter of worldly interest. That it exists and operates to 6 THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. the injury of thousands, is capable of such instant proof as no honest and sincere man can deny. — As thus : Let me ask those present who have no concern with rehgion, (I fear I might ask some who call themselves Christians,) whether God's message to the world by his prophets, by Jesus Christ, and by his apostles, has received as careful a consider- ation of its evidences, and as deep a study of its doctrines, its discoveries, its rewards, and penalties, as the most common call- ing and profession by which men earn their daily bread '? Have its advantages been inquired into as diligently, and what are considered its disadvantages by worldy men, been weighed and estimated with as much care as would be given to the poor con- cern of the purchase of an estate ? Has the loss or the gain, exhibited in its eternal sanctions, been revolved in the mind with the same caution that is bestowed on a speculation of worldly interest 1 Let those ccncerned answer these questions according to truth, and then consider how enmity to God, the only possession of the carnal or worldly mind, is thus detected in its very ele- ments, and manifested in this neglect of his word and worship ; and let them further reflect, how justly they may be charged with the idolatry of the heart, who give their affections to, and place their dependence upon, some temporal good. Alas ! when ledgers, and law books, and novels, and the tools of our trade, hunt the Bible out of doors, and not even the Lord's day is spared from the business and the pleasure of the world, what is it better than open renunciation of God, and, under the light of the gospel, how is it less criminal than the actual idolatry of Heathen lands 1 What ! shall God speak 1 shall the Most High God, the maker of heaven and earth, reveal to us his will, and disclose all the wonders of his love for our good, and the sinful creature for whom all this is done, turn his back upon it, and put it away from him as a thing of less consequence than business, or profit, or pleasure, and yet think to stand excused 1 Would we excuse any dependant who should thus treat us 1 would we permit him to plead ignorance, when it was his first duty, and his highest interest, to inform himself, and to act accordingly 1 No, indeed. THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. 7 How then shall those escape icho neglect so great salvation ? And why shall not the same measure be meted out to them where- with they have measured to others 1 And what but hesita- tion and reluctance, yea, and actual hostility to religion, can be expected from those who are carelessly ignorant of God, of his gracious purposes of mercy towards them, and of his wonderful means to sanctify and save sinners ! A second cause of hesitation and reluctance to embrace reli- gion is, love of the world. By love of the world I mean, such delight in and engagement with the poor portion it has to bestow, as swallows up the care of the soul, and drowns men in destruction and perdition. In such persons, sense so far prevails against faith as to hide from them the baits with which Satan is continually drawing them further and further into his snare. Arguments in favour of the reasonableness and necessity of religion fall upon a pre- occupied ear and a blinded mind. Religion is not seriously con- sidered in its origin, its use, its end. Even the occasional con- victions of conscience are escaped from, if not stifled ; and excuses, which even at the moment are felt to be unsafe, resort- ed to. Oh ! how readily can the spirit of the world make " the worse appear the better reason." To what poor perversions and miserable sophistry will men, fallen men, resort, to obscure and resist the truth, and give the god of this world, his advantage against the gospel of Christ. My brethren and hearers, shall we be warned that the friendship of the world is enmity with God that if any man love the world and the things that are in it, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, the love of the Father is not in him ; shall reason, and revelation, and expe- rience all combine to prove to us, that all its enjoyments are vain, transitory, and unsatisfying, that they cannot fill the aching void in the heart of an immortal spirit, while separated from God the only and the enduring good ; that the whole purchase of its power, and praise, and honour, and splendour, cannot reach the value of one soul, or give to God a ransom for its for- feit. Shall all this be told us, and by the Son of God himself, and any yet hesitate, between God and this Baal 1 Is there no help in either faith, fear, or love, against this modern iMoloch, to 8 THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. which SO many sacrifice themselves, and their sons, and their daughters 1 Yes, there is help, thanks be to God, but it is no where to be found but in the cross of Christ ; on that he over- came the world, and the God of its idolatry ; and under this banner only can we obtain the victory, and gain the crown of eternal life. He lived, he died, he conquered for us, my brethren — he despised its glory, he overcame its temptation, he endured its scoff", he meekly submitted to its rage, for the joy that was set before him; he submitted to it all, and from the throne of his glory he calls to all his faithful followers, in the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the xDorld. O let it strengthen us my brethren to overcome every sinful conformity to its vain and vicious pursuits. We are called to an incorruptible inheritance, we are offered a crown of glory, where I am there shall my servants be also. For the joy set be- fore us, then, let us press towards the mark, for the prize of our high calling, and show that this is the victory ivhich overcometh the xcorld, even our faith. But what shall those do who have not faith 1 I answer, why have you not faith 1 Shines not the light which is the life of men to you even as to others 1 Have you made one effort to obtain it 1 Have you reflected upon the revelation of God's will ] Have you opened your ears and your heart to his message of mercy 1 Have you broken off your sins by repentance 1 Have you sought a throne of grace through a Redeemer's merits, or are you yet bowing down be- fore this great Moloch of eternal death '? How is it with you in this respect 1 O let God's Holy Word be your warrant to come to him — your want, your slavery, your sin, be your passports to his presence : be not faithless, but believing ; and, like wrestling Jacob, hold fast the word of promise till he bless you. Cast off the badges of your slavery, take up a new course, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, till the day star arise in your heart, and you realize, with every faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus, / can do all things through Christ which strength- eneth me. The third and last cause which I shall mention of hesita- tion and reluctance to embrace the Christian religion is, the fear of shame. THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. 9 That numbers are deterred from embracing religion by a false shame, that it will expose them to notice and remark, to ridicule and sneering observation, that it will separate them from their usual companions, and render them irksome to their associates, with many other such false reasonings, is unhappily too com- mon to require proof ; and as it is generally the young and the timid, who are thus involved in difficulty, there is the greater need to point out the fallacy of this excuse, and to guard and strengthen them against the influence of this false principle. To such, therefore, I would say, in the first place, be not ashamed ivhen it concerneth thy soul, for there is a shame which hringeth sin, and there is a shame ivhich is glory and grace.* Jesus Christ was not ashamed to bear contempt and reproach for you ; be not ashamed to endure it for him. This is a sacrifice which he requires of all who would be his disciples ; and he warns us, that if we are ashamed to confess him before men, he will be ashamed of, and disown us, before his Father. Next, as this fear can only respect two things, the persons from whom mockery and derision will come, and the thing scoff- ed at, consider my young friends, whether there is any just ground on which either to be ashamed or afraid. For, first, what kind of persons are they from whom mockery and derision of that /ear of the Lord, lohich is the beginning of wisdom, will come. Is their weight and influence in society such, that their contempt, even were it real, which it is not, would deprive you of any rational enjoyment, defeat any real advantage, or bring upon you any actual loss ? Can your peace of mind or worldly comfort be in any shape dependant on the dissolute and ungodly 1 for none other would treat your good resolutions and endeavours with lightness and ridicule. On the other hand, will not every good and pious person be on your side, and rejoice to support and countenance you "? will not God be with you, and an approving conscience be a shield and defence against every weapon that fools, who make a mock at sin, can wield against you ] Next, what is there in the thing itself, in religion, to be * Ecclus. iv. 21. Vol. II.— 2 10 THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. ashamed of? Is it a disgraceful thing, to show openly, that you reverence and love your Almighty Maker and bountiful Bene- factor 1 to profess your desire and intention to serve and please Him 1 Can it be a subject of reproach to own and confess that merciful Saviour who bought you with his blood and redeemed you from eternal death ? Is it shameful to love goodness, to de- sire happiness, to hope for glory 1 Is it a dishonourable thing to bend the knee in prayer, to lift up the voice in praise, to learn the will of our heavenly Father, and to strive to do it 1 Is it a ridiculous thing to worship God, and unite with saints and angels, and with the spirits of just men made perfect, in adoring the Giver of every good and perfect gift to us every way unde- serving creatures ? Or is the shame altogether on the other side, and justly to be imputed to those who know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 who, dog-like, snap at the hand that feeds them, blaspheme the mercy that spares them, and trample on the blood that bought them and would save them ? Is sin a shameful thing 1 Is ingratitude a base thing 1 Is glorying in our shame a detestable thing 1 Then have these mockers at religion wherewithal to be deeply ashamed. Fear them not, therefore, my dear young friends, but rather fear Him, who invites and commands you to remember your Crea- tor in the days of your youth. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both sold and body in hell ! who, in a coming day, will mock at these scoffers, and laugh when their fear cometh. Fear not to confess before the world your merciful Saviour, but rather fear lest he be ashamed of and deny you, in that great and dreadful day, when all the proud and all who have done wickedly shall be stubble, when the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorce- rers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. Oh ! how beautiful is early piety — how sweet it is to see that good foundation laid in youth, which shall keep them innocent of the great transgression, and enable them to escape the pollu- tions that are in the world through lust, which doubles every enjoyment God gives, which brightens the day of prosperity— THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. II cheers the hour of adversity — makes Hfe joyful, and death ^^PPy> in the sure and certain hope of a resurrection to glory. These, my young friends, are some of the many blessings which religion confers on those who seek her pleasant and peaceful ways. Be no longer, then, afraid of the scoff of fools ; be no longer ashamed of the gospel of Christ ; halt no longer between two opinions, but cast in your lot with the children of God here — they will do you good mid not evil all the days of your life; they will counsel you with their experience, and help you with their prayers ; they will share in your •reproach, and rejoice in your victory. Above all, the blessed angels will glory over a returning brother or sister ; your Al- mighty Saviour loill see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; and God's reconciled countenance lifted up upon you, shall guide and sustain you on your way, and bring you triumphant over death, hell, and the grave, to the everlasting joy of his presence, where trial will be ended, and all tears wiped from your eyes for ever. But thither the scoffers at God and religion, the mockers and despisers of his people, shall never come ; their place is elsewhere ; they shall, however, see the triumph of the Chris- tian, and, groaning in anguish of spirit, shall cry out, this is he or she whom we had sometime in derision, and a proverb of reproach — We fools counted his life madness, and his end to be mthout honour; but now, how is he numbered loith the children of God, and his lot is among the saints.*' In all our concerns, we know by experience, my friends, that if the heart is not with the work it never prospers. This God knows better than we ; and, therefore, requires an unqualified preference of his service over all other pursuits, as4he condition on which his blessing will make it both pleasant and profitable tons.— My son give me thy heart. How, then, is it with us in this respect 1 hath God no competitor in our affections? Do none of the many Baals of the world and the flesh contest his righteous supremacy over us as our God and Saviour 1 O enter deep into your hearts my Christian brethren, and let this search- ing question hunt out every lurking deceit. Bring your religion to this test, and try- it by its fruits. * Wisdom V. 5, 6. 12 THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION. Are the fruits of the Spirit^ in all goodness, and righteousnessj and truth, abundant in your life ? is the world crucified to you, and you to the world, and your hope full of immortahty ? then may you have confidence towards God. If not^ then may you be equally sure, that in something your heart is divided, for the fruit of righteousness is peace, ar^d the effect of righteous- ness quietness and assurance for ever. Or is your religion tainted with the spirit of the world, with the vain attempt to serve two masters 1 Try this also by the same rule. Is your duty to God made to bend to your worldly interests and fleshly pleasures, on some deceitful plea of neces- sary care for your family, or regard for your health, or indiffer- ence in the thing, whatever it may be, or are all these made to bow and bend to the word of God's holy requirements, and chained down to simplicity and godly sincerity by the solemn thought — Thou, God, seestme, and spiest out my thoughts afar off? O be faithful to your souls, and let not the enemy deceive you with a form of godliness, without the power — with crying Lord, without doing the things which he commands. Remember, dear brethren, that as the light of the body is the eye, so does the motive determine the quality of an action in the sight of God. Let your eye, then, be single, your motive and intention right in the service of God, as well knowing that ye cannot serve two masters, and that his servants ye are to ivhom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. To you, my poor friends, who place yourselves above the claims of revealed religion, and the instituted means of grace, who know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, let what has been said be so applied, as to awaken you to a serious consideration of the question put in my text. It cannot be said, indeed, that you are halting between two opinions ; but evident it is, that you have never given the subject the serious consideration it deserves. Take, then, this most fair proposal of God's merciful warning home to your earnest meditations. Begin from this moment to act the part of rational beings, by ascertaining what master you serve, and what wages you are to expect. Bring your reason to act upon it — ^bring the hopes and fears of an accountable being to act THE REASONABLENESS OF RELIGION, 13 upon it — bring heaven and hell to bear upon the choice you shall make ; and no longer cheat your immortal soul out of its birthright, by turning away from that light which is the life of men. Choose ye then, this day, whom ye will serve. Let neither a careless neglect, a doubting mind, or a divided heart, cramp your endeavours, whether for time or eternity — whether for God or for the world. Both you cannot have, as most likely you wish to have them ; one only can be your portion. If then the Lord be God, folloio him; if Baal or the world he God, then follow him. And may that infinitely merciful God, who is not willing that any should perish, direct and assist you to choose that good part lohich shall not be taken from you. SERMON II. THE NECESSITY OF EXERCISING A RIGHT JUDGMENT IN OUR RELIGIOUS CONCERNS. St. Luke xii. 57. " Yea, and why, even of yourselves, judge ye not what is right 1" This question of our blessed Lord, addressed to his hearers at large, is a just reproof of that perversion of their moral facul- ties, which men in general exhibit on the subject of religion ; and the connexion, in which the application is made, to the use of those faculties on other subjects, marks, very plainly, the guilt and danger incurre;!, by refusing to the gospel that serious consideration which the interests involved in its discoveries so reasonably call for. By the exercise of observation and experience, men learn to provide against those uncertain changes in the seasons, which otherwise would either be useless or injurious to their worldly business — they can discern the face of the sky and the earth ; but they are negligent and averse to applying the same faculties of discernment to their spiritual concerns, under the inevitable condition of changing one state of being for another. In like manner, the controversies which arise from conflicting temporal interests, and the penalties incurred by the violation of human laws, are provided against and avoided by corresponding pre- cautions ; while, in the grand controversy with God, the law, the judge, the prison, and the penalty, are disregarded and kept out of sight by those very beings, who are so acute and active on the comparatively trifling concerns of a perishing mortality. At this unreasonable disregard of their highest interests, mani- fested by those to whom he addressed himself, our Lord ex- presses his surprise and concern, in the language of my text. They had every kind of proof that could be desired, that he was a teacher sent from God. They had all the means which the THE NECESSITY OP EXERCISING, &C, 15 public preaching of his doctrine could give, for judging of its reasonableness and fitness to answer all the ends of true religion ; and they had the evidence of his life to manifest its effects, and to show, by example, the influence it would have upon human happiness ; yet they refused it, and thereby incurred a tempoial ruin, which was a striking emblem of that everlasting destruction denounced against the rejectors of Christ and his gospel. The question in my text, then, is an appeal to the reason and to the conscience of every man, on the folly and guilt of refusing or neglecting to apply the same principles of discern- ment and precaution to his religious concerns, which are exer- cised in the choice and direction of his worldly business. And, in this view, I shall endeavour to illustrate and enforce it in the following discourse : Yea, and ivhy, even of xjourselves, judge ye not what is right ? And FIRST, As to the revelation itself. Have we such a thing ? Has God made a discovery of himself to us beyond what we may learn of him from his works ? This is the primary question, which every accountable being has to settle with himself And as it is a question of fact, to be determined by its proper evidence, it is strictly within 'the provmce of that investigation and reasonable determination which my text authorizes and exhorts to. It is very true, my hearers, that we grow up under the belief that we have such a communication from God, and, insensibly almost, we acquire the knowledge of the leading facts and doctrines of the religion it teaches ; but it is equally true, that in general, we grow up without that impression of its divine obligation and importance, which is indispensable to any personal benefit— any saving effect, being derived therefrom. Such being the case, the question for every one's reason and conscience to entertain is, is this right ? is it such a proceeding as the reason of my own mind approves ? is it at all analogous to the course I would pursue on a temporal interest of the same importance 1 And as the answer shall in truth be, will the question in my text apply l-Yea, and why, even of yourselves, tiage ye not what is right ? Now there are not a few before me, who, I am sure, would 16 THE NECESSITY OP EXERCISING acknowledge, upon reflection, and with seriousness, their entire belief in the scriptures, as a revelation from God. But let us suppose that doubt is entertained by some, either in whole or in part ; and by doubt I mean honest doubt, and not the affected doubts of those who must deny, because they knowingly disobey. What is the part that should be taken in such a case^ Is it to take the doubt for a certainty, and to act as if it was estabhshed ? Is it to let the doubt remain uninvestigated and unsettled ? Have doubts and difficulties, of a very formidable character, never been cleared up on other subjects, where less certainty even is attainable ? And is it thus you act on a doubt or difficulty in the constitution or law of the land, or on any point of serious temporal interest 1 If not, does not the ques- tion of my text meet you with its strong reproof, for thus leaving undetermined the truth or the falsehood of a subject, which involves more than all the certainties of this world are worth 1 There are also not a few before me, who will confess that this revelation, thus believed, has not received from them that attention and study of its contents, which its acknowledged divine derivation and surpassing importance justly demand. But is this neglect justifiable on any grounds 1 Is the conse- quent ignorance of your personal interest, in its high discoveries and holy hope, excusable upon any plea of reasonable allow- ance *? Is it thus that the books which teach your profession, the laws which guard your personal rights, and the title deeds which secure your estate, are neglected 1 Has the last will and disposition of his goods, by your earthly parent, been hastily glanced at and laid aside unexamined, or its contents taken upon trust from the information of others 1 If not, where does conscience find an escape from the reasonable service of acting in the concerns of your soul, with the same caution and diligence that you do for your estate 1 And there is not one of those now before me, who does not entertain some sort of hope for hereafter, derived from this very revelation. But the appeal which the question in my text makes to your consciences is : Is this hope well grounded 1 Is it en- tertained according to the conditions on which it is expressly limited in this revelation, or is it assumed merely, on some par- A RIGHT JUDGMENT IN OUR RELIGIOUS CONCERNS. 17 tJal or mistaken view of its purport and meaning 1 What prin- ciple would guide your determination of the right claimed to an inheritance in this world 1 Would it be simply that the claim- ant called himself, or was called, by the name of the testator, and professed to be the heir ? Would you not require some proof of relationship, some knowledge of the family history and alhances, an acknowledgment from some branch thereof, that the claimant was of the blood and lineage of the testator, that he had not been disinherited, or had been restored by some public act, to which reference could be had ? If so-if principles like these would govern your decision, on a claim to a worldly in- heritance, why, Oh ! ivhy, even of yourselves, judge ye not what is right of the hope, which puts this world and its inheritances with the small dust of the balance 1 It is a wide spread and a wasting delusion in Christian lands my brethren and hearers, to entertain the hope of the gospel severed from the conditions of the gospel ; and whatever be its root, whether the natural corruption of the heart, or the divi- sions which the enemy hath accomplished in the Church, it is tatal to the soul. What thousands, under the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ, come to their death bed, un- known to any religious profession, unconnected with the gospel by the sacraments of its hope, and strangers to the transforma. tion wrought by its grace ? Yet they will talk of repentance, speak of their good intentions, express sorrow for their sins, and hope that God will be merciful to them for Christ's sake And this passes for a Christian end, and relations and friends console themselves therewith, and dream on in the same indifference to all that is written and commanded by the Holv Ghost until their souls also are required; and a death-bed repentance 'is the only Chnstian mark, perhaps, they leave behind them. But will this answer, my hearers ? May men safely commit their souls to a death-bed repentance 1 And here take notice, that the question is not, whether a death-bed repentance may not be available to salvation, but whether the person, who, under the ight and advantages of the gospel, puts off his repentance from time to time until at length death seizes upon him, can reason- ably hope that is, can hope from what is revealed, that this his IS THE NECESSITY OF EXERCISING repentance will be accepted. Let us try this question, then, upon the principle recognised in my text. In what condition does the gospel assume mankind to be 1 Undeniably, in a state of condemnation and alienation from God, by the operation of sin. What is the declared purpose of the gospel 1 Plainly and expressly, the recovery of mankind to God, by the defeat of sin, both in its love and in its practice, and by regaining the purity and holiness of a new nature. What directions and means does the gospel prescribe for the attain- ment of this end ? Indispensably, repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as the conditions on which the Holy Spirit is promised, in order to the sanctitication of the sinner. What period is allowed, within which those con- ditions must be performed 1 None, not a moment is allowed for men to continue in sin, after they are warned of it and fur- nished with the remedy against it. Now, my dear friends, what fear of God or regard for his word is manifested by the person who knows this, as all under the gospel must or may know it, and yet puts off his repent- ance to a more convenient season 1 What part of the purpose of the gospel is answered by the man who puts off the very first requisition of the gospel to the last act of his life 1 What change of heart or of habit is wrought in him who, through the whole of his accountable life, has walked according to the course of this world, unknown to any Christian denomination as a member of their communion — who has never professed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by an open confession of his name before men, or acknowledged the efficacy of his death in the salvation of sinners, by partaking of the appointed sacrament of his body and blood ] Is there, in all or any of this, a single mark given us in the Scriptures, of the person who is entitled to the hope of the gospel ? Is there a single lineament or feature of the new man, the new creature in Christ Jesus, to be dis- cerned in such a person '? If not, what is the hope he enter- tains worth, according to the plain principles, and, I will say, the only principles accessible to us, by which we are directed to try it 1 Why, then, even of yourselves, judge ye not what is right, and cast away from you for ever this cruel delusion, which turns A RIGHT JUDGMENT IN OUR RELIGIOUS CONCERNS. 19 th» grace of our God into lasciviousness, makes Christ the minister of sin by a wilfully delayed repentance, and the revealed mercy of God in him the snare and the destruction of the souls he died to save. Alas ! my hearers, are there not many among you in this dangerous condition, many who have nothing more of the Christian than birth and baptism, and are thereby accountable in a higher degree 1 And will you smother this appeal to your consciences, and go away and forget to try your hope by the standard of divine truth 1 May God forbid. But it is a strong delusion — let us, therefore, try the question under another form. Suppose an impenitent sinner, who nevertheless comforts himself with the hope that God will accept him on the day of judgment, is arrested by a sudden death, and passed into eternity in this condition ; what judgment does the word of God teach us to form of the worth of such a hope 1 But let us again suppose, that this same person, instead of being snatched to his doom, is warned by the preaching of the word, and, for a number of years afterwards, continues still impenitent ; at length, how- ever, he is seized with his last sickness, and, in a few days or weeks, surrenders his soul, entertaining the same kind of hope, and professing then to be penitent ; is his condition hereby altered in any shape for the better 1 Is the unfruitful hope of a sick bed more efficacious than the equally unfruitful hope of health and opportunity ? Is the intention to repent at some future time, in which his day of grace was wasted, fulfilled and perfected by the forced and suspicious repentance of a dying bed ? My dear friends, consider, God is not mocked, and, even of yourselves, judge what is right. But further yet ; what is repentance 1 Is it the mere lip- service of sorrow or regret expressed for wrong done, with the naked intention to forsake sin and repair the evil of its commis- sion, at some future time 1 Will this satisfy the gracious purpose of this indispensable qualification for the exercise of mercy on the part of Almighty God towards sinners 1 Would it be counted of any worth, as a ground of forgiveness and recon- ciUation, in a matter of offence among men 1 If not, lohy, even of yourselves, judge ye not what is riQht ? for true repentance is 20 THE NECESSITY OF EXERCISING a godly sorrow for sin, manifested by an instant and continued abandonment of its practice, by every possible reparation for its commission, by renewed obedience to the commands of God, and by a hearty application to the blood of Christ for pardon and grace. Any thing short of this is but the sorrow of the world, which worketh death, by supposing that God will be satis- fied with words instead of things, with professions and inten- tions instead of fruits meet for repentance, and that the great work of preparing a sinful creature for heavenly glory, by the attainment and exhibition of a new nature in the present life, may be accomplished under the feebleness of decay and the distractions of dissolution. And what is hope, a good hope, the hope of the gospel 1 Is it the mental delusion of visionary desire, of unfounded expect- ations, of an end without the means 1 No, my hearers, this is the hope of the hypocrite, which shall perish. The hope of the gospel is a branch of faith, a saving grace wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost, and grounded on the promises of God to the penitent, through the merits and death of his only begotten Son. And as faith worketh by love unto obedience, so doth hope work by desire unto purity. Every one, says the apostle, that hath this hope in him purijieth himself, after the example of Christ. How, then, does this agree with the hope of the delaying sinner 1 O let your consciences rouse your reason to act upon this delusion, and, even of yourselves, judge what is right. Why will you build on the sand, when the sure founda- tion which God hath laid is set before you 1 Why will you add to the anxieties, and fears, and sufferings of your dying hours, by putting off your repentance, and leaving your peace with God unmade until the feebleness of disease shall unfit you for so serious and solemn a duty ; and why will you waste your day of grace in treasuring up wrath against the day of tsrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. But this perversion of the moral faculties, which alone render men capable of religion, stops not at this ; the very disabilities which it is the purpose of divine grace to supply, are made accessaries to unbehef The delusion of an unfounded hope may be exposed, and the understanding awakened to detect its A RIGHT JUDGMENT IN OUR RELIGIOUS CONCERNS. 21 fallacy — the danger of delayed repentance may be exhibited, and the conscience awakened to distrust its security. But the carnal mind has yet its refuges of lies, under which to hide its enmity against God. My reason may be convinced, says the impenitent sinner, I may own the obligations of God's revealed will, but I cannot repent, I cannot supply the requisites to a spiritual renewal — of myself I can do nothing. Indeed ! And ought not this, at the very outset, mightily to confirm thy faith in the divine word 1 Is not this exactly the description of persons for whom the bless- ings of redemption and grace, of instruction and hope, are provided by the love of God in Christ Jesus 1 Are not such the very lost and undone creatures whom he came to seek and to save, whom he hath restored to the moral competency of accountable beings, and whom he invites to come to him, that they may have life 1 Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did ! was the exclamation of the woman of Samaria^ when the secrets of her life were discovered to her by our Lord. And shall the secrets of your heart, that world of sin and misery within you, be laid bare in the divine word, and be confirmed by your own personal experience and observation, without a similar impression of its truth, and confidence in its efficacy 1 Is not this the Christ, said the woman ; and is not this the book of God, should the sinner say, did he, even of himself, judge what is right. But you cannot repent. — Now how do you know this *? Have you ever made the attempt *? If not, do you judge what is right ? Do the Scriptures give any countenance to a disability of this kind 1 What is the very first word of God's message of mercy to the world by his only begotten Son 1 Is it liot, repent and be- lieve the gospel ? Is it right, then, that you should charge God with a mockery of his creatures, in requiring of them a condi- tion which they cannot perform 1 Have you considered what the repentance is which is required of you 1 If not, do you judge xchat is right in assuming that you cannot perform it ? God requires of you to break off your sins by repentance, and your iniquities by righteousness — to cease from youF violations of his holy law, as the first and indispensa- 22 THE NECESSITY OF EXERCISING ble step in a return to his favour ? And do you say that you cannot do this? that you cannot refrain from idolatry, blasphemy, Sabbath-breaking, parricide, murder, adultery, theft, perjury, and lust 1 God req^es you also to view sin as evil in itself — as hateful to him, and ruinous to the souls and bodies of men ; and, therefore, as a moral being restored to religious capacity, he commands you to consider the heinousness of its nature, its malignant opposition to all his perfections, its utter inconsistency with the peace and happiness of the world, and as such to learn to hate it, to feel grieved for having yielded to its commission, to acknowledge the guilt thereby incurred, to implore forgive- ness for the past, and to resolve against it for the future. And do you say that you cannot do this ? That, as redeemed to God and called to the knowledge of this grace by the gospel, you cannot apply the reason of your own mind, the experience of your own life, and the authority of God's holy word to judge what is right, and to set yourself to follow it 1 And do you not herein greatly err, not knowing the Scriptures, and the power of God 1 For the question is not of a repentance concluded and perfected, in those spiritual attainments to which it surely leads if sincerely followed out ; but it is of a repentance commenced on the authority and in the fear of God, in order to this attain- ment : nor is it a question of your inclination or will to hate and abandon sin, but of your duty as a moral being, the subject of God's government, and the object of his mercy, to obey his commands. And w^ill you say that you cannot repent 1 What ! hath not the grace of God which bringeth salvation appeared unto all men, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly hi this present loorld, looking for another and a better, according to his promise 1 Say no more, then, neither give any entrance to the thought, that you cannot repent in the sense of breaking off from your sins with sorrow ; that you have, by them, offended God, and incur- red a guilt which you cannot expiate ; for such is the condition only of devils : but rather bear in mind, that except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish, and thence, even of yourselves, judge what is right. You cannot supply the requisites to a spiritual renewal. True, A RIGHT JUDGMENT IN OUR RELIGIOUS CONCERNS. 23 and who hath required this at your hands 1 Doth God require of you to change your own heart, to renew the Holy Spirit in your own soul, and to sanctify your own corrupt nature 1 Wherefore, then, resort to this deceit of sin 1 Do you in this judge what is right ? or do you not again greatly err, not knoxcng the Scriptures ? But hath not God, whose sole prerogative it is, promised to work this renewal in you 1 Hath he not provided means to that end, and instructed you how to use them 1 What are re- pentance, faith, prayer, the divine word, the holy sacraments, but means of grace for the renewal of sinners 1 and hath not God promised his Holy Spirit to them that ask him ? How say you, then, that you cannot supply the requisites to a spiritual change ] You cannot command the seasons, either the kindly influence of the sun and of the rain upon the fruits of the earth ; but do you, therefore, neither plant, nor sow, nor labour, for the meat that perisheth 1 And is the provision made for the nourishment of your souls, by the bread of life, less certain and more un- manageable than the seasons on which the nourishment of your bodies depend 1 Hath not the Sun of Righteousness risen upon you with healing in his icings ? and are not the rain and the dew of God's heavenly blessing upon his holy word and precious pro- mises made over to you in Christ Jesus *? Alas ! my friends, lohy of yourselves judge ye not what is right, and, by an Instant resort to the^means of grace, labour for that bread which endureth unto everlasting life ? God hath opened a new and living way to his heavenly king- dom, through his only begotten Son. He hath called you to the knowledge of this grace by the gospel ; he invites and com- mands you to believe his word and obey his laws, as the condi- tion of eternal life. What you could not do for yourselves he hath accomplished for you, and laid your help upon one who is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him. Cast away from you, therefore, my dear hearers, these refuges of unbelief, and awake to the truth of your condition, as redeemed beings on probation for eternity, with means and mercies equal to all your wants. 24 THE NECESSITY OF EXERCISING, &C. * Say not thou, it is through the Lord that I fell away : for thou oughtest not to do the things which he hatcth. Say not thou, he hath caused me to err : for he hath no need of the sinful man. The Lord hateth all ahomination ; and they that fear God, love it not. He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel ; If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform accept- able faithfulness. He hath set fire and water before thee; stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt. Before man is life and death ; and whether him liketh, shall b^ given him. For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things. And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man. He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man license to sin. ♦ Ecclus. XV. 11—90. SERMON III. THE FOLLY AND WICKEDNESS OF EXCUSES AGAINST RELIGION. St. Luke xiv. 18. " And they all, with one consent, began to make excuse." The consideration of the reception which the gospel has me with in the world, presents a very profitable and awakening reflection. That the present life is but the prelude to another and more important state of being, seems the most indelible impression Avhich the human mind has retained ; and, in their anxiety to penetrate its nature, extent, and mode of application to themselves, men have exhausted the resources of ingenuity and superstition. Reasonably, therefore, might it be inferred, that when information on this point, possessing every character of certainty, was tendered to them, it would be most eagerly received and implicitly relied upon. Yet the history of the world, my brethren and hearers, is one widely extended record to the contrary. Under every dispensation of light from heaven, the great majority of mankind have preferred darkness ; and, turning their ingenuity in another direction, have again exhaust- ed it, in framing excuses for the perverseness of their unbelief. Particularly remarkable, my hearers, is this unreasonable opposition to the light of life, under the full, final, and satisfac- factory discoveries concerning time and of eternity, which God hath made to the world by his only begotten Son. A future and endless state of being, in the re-union of soul and body, is certified even to sense, by the resurrection and ascension into heaven of the man Christ Jesus ; while the purpose it is to answer, of judgment and retribution, according to the deeds done in the body, is the awakening, the equitable, and reason- able ground of personal interest and superlative concern to every soul of man. Yet, how superficial is the effect of this merciful disclosure of the connexion between time and eternity Vol. II.— 4 26 THE FOLLY AND WICKEDNESS among ourselves ? How readily do men patch up excuses to quiet an uneasy impression, and put otf till to-morrow the business of to-day 1 Yea, how daringly is this miserable subter- fuge of sin disregarded by many, and the tremendous sanctions of eternity scoffed at and trodden under foot ? There is, however, another point of view, which magnifies, if possible, the unreasonableness of the neglect with which it is treated. The gospel unveils our deadly malady at its source, in a heart estranged from God, through sin ; it sets forth the deep corruption of our nature in terms confirmed by our own expe- rience ; it declares the cause and the consequences of our alienation from God ; it exhibits the provision made for our recovery and restoration ; it offers the most effectual means for the renewal of our hearts and the sanctification of our nature through the gift of the Holy Ghost, and it invites every man to come and take of the water of life freely, in the means of grace therein provided. And there is yet a third feature in this gracious provision of light, and life, and love, which stamps the neglect of its high discoveries with unpardonable malignity. The gospel is not only the full disclosure, to us, of what vi^as otherwise inaccessible to our sin-ruined faculties, on the high and anxious interests of eternity, but it is the manifestation of the highest love for our souls— of the deepest interest in our welfare — and of the most unsearchable wisdom, in providing for our present and everlast- ing good, which God could vouchsafe to a world of sinners ; and is, moreover, the single, the one only way whereby to regain his favour and attain the life and immortahty therein brought to light. This, my brethren, is a fair and moderate state of the case between the gospel and the world. Yet it is such a one, that, were it not sustained by the uniform testimony of eighteen hun- dred years, it might be stigmatized as a most outrageous libel upon human nature ; but, supported, as it is, by the threefold testimony of prophetic inspiration, recorded experience, and existing condi- tion, it calls loudly upon all who are trifling with God and endangering their souls, under any pretence whatever, to awake to their condition — to consider their obligations under thib OF EXCUSES AGAINST RELIGION. 27 manifestation of grace antf truth — to test their particular views by the standard of God's word — to weigh the reasons and motives of their conduct in the balance of the sanctuary ; and to act, in this momentous concern, with the care and diligence of rational, redeemed beings, who have an eternity of happiness or misery revealed to them, as the fruit of the present short and uncertain life. God only knows, my dear friends, how long I may be permit- ted to warn and exhort, and you to hear and disregard. My earthly tabernacle is fast wearing out, and gives many intima- tions that it must, ere long, be dissolved. Death too, hath been busy among us of late ; warnings have flowed thick and fast around : while, therefore, we have space granted us, let us mutually endeavour to improve it, by considering seriously the weight and worth of those various excuses which blind and harden the heart, and bar out sinners from the needed and offered mercy of God. That what I may find to say on this subject may be the more profitable to all, I shall observe the following order : First, the excuses themselves. Secondly, their unreasonableness and fallacy. Thirdly, what it is that we desire to be excused from, and, then, Conclude with a short application of the subject: Jlnd they all, uith one consent, began to make excuse. I. First, I am to consider the excuses themselves. Whatever change may have taken place in the external circumstances of Christianity, none has or can take place in its unchangeable nature and most gracious purpose. In like manner, whatever change may have taken place in the external condition of mankind, however they may have advanced in knowledge, and improved in the arts and accommodations of civiUzed, life under the light of the gospel, yet no change has taken place in the original nature and corrupt disposition of the being for whose benefit it is provided, and before whom all its unspeakable blessings are spread out, and to whom the invitation is put forth, to come and partake of this heavenly feast. He is still the same fallen creature, to be saved only by 28 THE FOLLY AND WICKEDNESS grace, and who can obtain the grace that saveth no otherwise than by embracing the gospel. That the ground of opposition, then, and the excuses resorted to, for the neglect of this manifestation of the love of God to a world of sinners, should be of the same character and descrip- tion now as at the beginning, we are prepared to expect. And that they are scions from the same root of bitterness, the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, the terms in which the para- ble is framed put beyond all reasonable doubt. >/l certain man made a great supper, and bade many : and sent his servant, at supper time, to say to them that were bidden, come, for all things are noiv ready ; and they all, with one consent, began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it — / pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them — / pray thee have me excused. Jlnd another said, I have married a wife, and, therefore, I cannot come. Of the excuses themselves, then, we are instructed by the parable, that they are all of a worldly and sensual nature, that they are prompted by that inordinate preference of temporal advantages and delights, which constitutes the wisdom of the natural man, and that they amount to a wilful rejection of sal- vation. The enemy of God and man finds his most powerful weapon against our souls, by presenting the riches and the pleasures, the enjoyments and the sufferings of the present life, under such an aspect as removes them altogether from their lawful and appointed use, and renders them sinful and destructive. Hence it is that he is called the god of this world, and the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, or unbelief; for God has neither left us in ignorance of the true and profitable use and improvement of our wordly condition, nor yet abridged us in the safe and lawful enjoyment of those blessings and com- forts which his mercy hath bestowed on our unworthiness. Farms and merchandise, and professions and occupations, in all their variety, are lawful in themselves, helpful to the accom- modations of life, and necessary to maintain the state of the world ; without them, mankind must have continued in a state of OF EXCUSES AGAINST RELIGION. 29 ignorance and barbarism but little removed from the condition of the beasts that perish. They are, therefore, the appointment of God for the order and repose of social life ; and, as such, cannot, in themselves, be in opposition to or inconsistent with any other of his appointments for the well-being of his crea- tures : but religion, or the occupation of preparing for and securing a state of happiness in the life that is to come, is equally, though in a higher sense, the appointment of God. Our worldly duties, therefore, so far as they are of God, can never be inconsistent with the duties of religion, nor form a jus- tifiable excuse for the neglect of them. Whenever, therefore, they conflict with each other, that is, when our wordly interest or enjoyment comes in opposition to the interest of our souls, we are before-hand sure which is the good part which shall not be taken from us. By preferring our souls to the world, how- ever flattering its promises or frightful its threatenings, we secure both present peace and everlasting reward ; whereas, by yielding to the temptation, our gain, or advantage, or enjoyment, which ever it maybe, even if we succeed, is but for a moment ; for the few and uncertain years of the life that now is are loaded with the fearful apprehensions of an evil conscience, and will be met, on the threshhold of eternity, with the awful inquiry, What is a man jyrojited, if he shall gain the ivhole world and lose his own soul ? Unanswerable, however, as these truths are, and fully as they are responded to by the secret voice of every conscience, yet such is the power of inordinate affection, of the law in the mem- bers waring against the law of the mind, that the world, called Christian, is but one mournful display, that the things of the Spirit of God are foolishness to the natural man. His prefer- ence is for the things that are seen, his dependence is upon the things which perish, his expectations are limited by time, his views of the future are dark and uneasy, yea, sometimes trou- blesome and painful ; but they can be obscured or blotted out under the care of other things, and, while this can be done, he begs to be excused. He looks light in the face, the light of eternal life in the discovery of the gospel, and yet he prefers darkness ; hence it is that worldly prosperity and worldly 30 THF, FOLLY AND WICKEDNESS engagement are both such enemies to the soul. J\*ot many tcise men after tlie jiesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called ; called, indeed, they are, but they pray to be excused, and, therefore, the apostle expresses their refusal in a phraseology peculiar to the Scriptures. In like manner, they that will be rich, says the same apostle, they whose hearts are set upon a portion in this life, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drotvn men in destruction and per- dition, so that if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost, through inordinate preference of temporal advantages and de- lights, or, as the same blessed apostle again expresses it, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them, that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, ii»/io is the image of God, shoidd shine unto them. Hence we learn, my breth- ren, the wholesome but unpalatable lesson of the goodness, yea, even of the mercy of God, in those various visitations of his Providence whereby he blasts our fondest earthly hopes, strikes away our worldly props and defences, and thereby admo- nishes us to place our dependence on a more secure foundation, even on Him whose word shall endure when this world and all its glory shall be dissolved in the consuming fire of the second advent of him who once came to save and will again come to judge. But what demonstrates more fully the madness of this pro- pensity and leaves its entertainers without excuse, is, the just and obvious conclusion which the divine wisdom draws from such conduct. God having put forth the wonders of his love for our recovery from sin and eternal death, and invited us to return to his favour and everlasting life, through the merits and death of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to reject the gospel, or, which is exactly the same thing in effect, to excuse ourselves from its requirements, is a wilful rejection of the means of grace, and, consequently, of salvation. / say unto you, says our Lord, that none of those men which were hidden shall taste of my supper. I know, indeed, that it is not the deliberate purpose of those who thus trifle with eternity to embrace perdition ; but as all are bound to consider impartially the grounds and arguments of revealed religion, as all can deduce this necessary conse- quence from the nature and express conditions of the gospel ; OF EXCUSES AGAINST RELIGION- 31 and as reason itself is competent to refute the most specious excuses on so tremendous an alternative as that of everlasting life or eternal death, put to the choice of accountable creatures ; neglect of the gospel is justly considered and treated, by the Searcher of hearts, as the deliberate rejection of all that God hath done and Christ hath suffered for the salvation of sinners. Now, my dear hearers, wherein do the excuses of the present day differ, either in their letter or their spirit, from those detailed in the parable 1 And wherefore shall not the same measure be meted to those who now slight the invitation of the gospel, as to those persons who first desired to be excused from accept- ing it ? Yet to look around in the world, and consider the number and description of persons who make the lawful duties and occupations of the present life an excuse for overlooking the care of their immortal souls, one might suppose that some alteration had taken place in the counsels of heaven ; or, that the love of the world and of the things that are therein had changed its character, and become the ready way to obtain the favour of God and the rewards of the life to come. For if we consider this subject with the care it deserves, we shall perceive that these excuses are not made by the poor and profligate, but by the more decent, orderly, and careful sort of people, by the men of wealth and substance, of name and note — the possessors of farms and teams, and of the means of sensual gratification. And it is not an unreasonable conclusion, that the parable was thus framed in order to present a more striking warning against this powerful, prominent, and destructive propensity of our fallen nature,— to knock at the door of their hearts, who hear the word indeed, but suffer it to be choked and rendered unfruitful by the thorns and briars of worldly occupation and sensual delights. To show the wealthy and the prosperous, and the busy and the thoughtless, where their danger lies, and to set their calculations at work upon eternity. The poor and the profligate have their excuses also against the gospel ; but they are of a different character, and are equally provided against in that word which is able to make all sorts of sinners wise unto salvation. But as the main deceit of sin, as 32 THE FOLLr AND WICKEDNESS the most present and powerful delusion of the devil, the love of the world, including the pleasures which the world can bestow, is chiefly dwelt upon, is placed in the front of our common danger, and the light of divine truth is thrown so clear and strong upon it, as to render excuse inexcusable. If any man love the xcorld the love of the Father is not hi him. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, knovj ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever, therefore, icill he a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Yes, indeed, ye know it ; but ye beg to be excused from taking heed either to the warning or the invitation. But let the world send forth its invitations, who, then, returns the contemptuous refusal 1 Alas ! that even those who profess that they seek a better country, too often exercise their ingenuity in fashioning excuses, and are found sitting at meat in the idol's temple. And what is the result, the open unblushing result, in this Christian land 1 Full theatres, over- flowing parties of pleasure, and empty churches ; thousands squandered on folly, fashion, and sin, and the religion of the gospel, the science of salvation, turned over to the meagre support of the scraps and remnants which the full-fed world can spare from the table of its delights. O truth, where is thy force ? O reason, where is thy power 1 O conscience, where is thy voice 1 O shame, where is thy blush 1 II. Secondly, I am to show the unreasonableness and fallacy of these and all other excuses on this subject. This you may say, my hearers, is needless — the point is self- evident ; but if so, then surely their guilt is the greater, who thus say and do not. If ye ivere blind, said our Lord to the Pharisees, ye should have no sin ; but now ye say, we see, there- fore, your sin remaineth. Yet as we know from experience, that many are prejudiced against the gospel under the wide- spread delusion that a profession of religion is incompatible with the business of the world ; to such it may be helpful, while to others it cannot be grievous, to show how utterly unfounded the notion is, and thereby manifest more clearly the folly and sinfulness of every objection to the only hope man is possessed of on this side the grave. OF EXCUSES AGAINST RELIGION. 33 Now the objection itself is founded on an erroneous view both of religion and of the world. Men take certain things for granted, on each side, and thence conclude, without sufficient examination, that there is no point of agreement between their known oppositions. And this, itself, is sufficient to show the unreasonableness of the conclusion, and of the excuses founded on it ; because a little more care to understand what religion really is, and in what manner its supreme obligations bear upon and are connected with the present life, would give an entirely different view of the subject ; and show, beyond dispute, that as the religion of the gospel is contrived and instituted by infinite wisdom, for man in this world, every calling and occupation which the state of the world demands, and variety of condition calls into operation, may be followed in the fear of God, and in agreement with the requirements of Christianity. But the objection is further shown to be unreasonable from this, that it never springs from any opposition between religion and the fair and honest exercise of our particular .calling, but between religion and fraudulent, injurious, or oppressive conduct, which would bring advantage to one, to the loss of another or of many. This God abhors and religion condemns, because it is iniquity ; and, therefore, those men who possess the disposition of beasts of prey, and would live by devouring their fellow creatures, condemn religion, and pray to be excused from its duties. For religion is the great guardian of human rights and of human happiness ; its gracious purpose is, peace and good will on earth, the alleviation of human misery by the fruits of kind- ness, compassion, and mercy, and to perpetuate, in eternity, the felicity which flows from the exercise of mutual love. Equally unreasonable is the objection to religion, from the unfounded notion, that Christianity is inconsistent with the pleasures and enjoyments of life. On this mistaken but prevail- ing notion the young and the gay, equally with the dissolute and the profligate, stand back from the due consideration of rehgion, and excuse themselves from its indispensable obliga- tions. That the vicious should thus act is not to be wondered at ; that the profligate should be opposed to what condemns their course of life is to be expected ; but that those who can Vol. II.— 5 34 THE FOLLY AND VVlCKEDNESsi neither l;e called vicious or profligate, further than by seeking amusement find satisfaction where the vicious and the profligate are too surely to be found, should thus sacrifice the respect due to religion and themselves, may justly excite admiration : yet so it is, and every assembly for what is called public amusement, is proof of the deplorable bias upon the mind of man, to find pleasure in the dissipation of thought, and entertainment from the exhibition of human depravity. Could they, however, be prevailed upon to reflect — would they but give the claims of the gospel a fair and unprejudiced healing — above all, would they but make the experiment of what it denies and what it grants, to those who embrace it, they would learn, that, within the bounds of innocence, religion lays no interdict upon enjoyment — her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Her wise and wholesome regula- tions guard only against sin, as the grand enemy of all true pleasure: and, as sin makes its insidious approaches chiefly under the mask of profit and enjoyment, religion calls upon her votaries to be on their guard against these too seductive evils ; to weigh their tendency as respects the great purpose of the present life in preparing for another ; and, according as the welfare of eternity will be effected, to follow or renounce them. Yet what numbers, nevertheless, desire to be excused from the reasonable service, which their duty to God and to their own souls, their comfort here and their happiness hereafter, requires. How many, who would start with aff'right from what is directly sinful, under the spell of this delusion feel neither the disgrace of being companions of the vicious, the unreasonableness of such unprofitable waste of time, or the deadly sin of closing their ears and hardening their hearts against the invitations of the gospel. Yet even the youngest must know that a time will come when consolation will be sought, when an approaching change of being will prompt questions to the soul, which the world cannot answer ; when neither its profits nor its pleasures can give ease to a wounded spirit, or assuage the anguish of remorse ; and when all that is contained within the circle of its power would be surrendered for that peace which religion confers on the dying bed of the Christian. Carry forward your OF EXCUSES AGAINST RELIGION, 35 thoughts, then, my hearers, to that moment which none can escape ; hring the excuses, under which you are hlinding yourselves against the light to this test ; and, if they will not serve you then, be ye as sure as truth can make it, that they are now no other than a worthless fallacy — a deceit of sin — a snare of the devil, from which you cannot too speedily rescue your souls. Clear, however, as this must be to all, it will be still more apparent if we consider, as was proposed, III. In the third place, what it is, that we desire to be excused from. And what is it, my dear friends, that so many of you seem not only opposed to, but even afraid of? Alas ! that so few permit their thoughts to dwell upon the purpose of religion — the gracious purpose of God's love to rescue immortal souls from the power of sin and eternal death, and prepare them, by the renewal and sanctification of their natures, for everlast- ing life and endless felicity, in his heavenly kingdom. It is heaven, then, with all its glories ; it is God with all his perfec- tions ; it is Christ and his unspeakable love that you beg to be excused from, for these are no otherwise to be attained than by the grace of the gospel ; nor can that grace be obtained otherwise than by coming to Christ in the open profession and practice of his religion. And can many words be necessary to convince you of the folly and wickedness of such excuses ? God forbid. For how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? Yet this is not all that is involved in making light of the invitations of the gospel. You do not only hereby reject heaven, but you prefer hell ; you do not only refuse salvation, but you choose perdition; you do not only turn away from holiness, but you embrace sin ; you do not only deny your Saviour, but you trample on his blood, and choose your betrayer for your king — for there is no alternative between being saved or lost — no middle ground between heaven and hell ; nor is there any Saviour but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. To this awful condition will these excuses, if persisted in, bring all who now resort to them ; and if this is as sure as the truth of God, there can be but one application for all to make of what has been said. Cast away, then, these refua:es of lies, 36 THE FOLLY AND AVICKEDNESS, &,C. receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls ; and now, even to-day, if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts, but come to that mercy and love which God hath provided, through his only begotten Son, for penitent sinners. Delay not till to-morrow, but now, while conscience is awaken- ed, hearken to the Spirit of God in his gracious convictions, follow the admonitions of his saving wisdom, and reap the blessed fruit of that peace which the world cannot give, which it cannot take away, and which shall endure for even SERMON IV. FAITH IN GOD. Hebrews xi. G. " But without faith it is impossible to please Him ; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek liim." The parable of the house built upon the rock and that built upon the sand sets before us, in a very instructive manner, my brethren, the necessity, as well as advantage, of looking well to the foundation on which we construct our scheme of present and future happiness. As rational beings there must be some governing principle by which the tenour of our lives and con- versation is directed, some main object of pursuit to which all others are subordinate, and by which our true character is determined. To act without a motive is hardly possible, and though this motive may not at all times be equally well defined even to our own consciousness, yet it surely exists, and possesses this most important quality, that it gives to our actions their intrinsic value. As accountable beings this principle has a wide range ; and in its application to our individual condition, opens a field of deep and extensive self-examination. If it is the condition of our being that there is no indiiferency in our actions, if the whole of our conduct in the present life has its bearing upon the life that, is to come, and if the motive or intention gives to our actions the moral quality of good or evil, in the sight of God, the principle on which we act should be well considered, carefully selected, and well followed. That this doctrine is particularly applicable to the commence- ment and progress of religion in the soul, is set forth in many passages of Scripture, but in none more directly than in the words of my text ; in which the apostle lays it down in the most express terms, that we can only be acceptable to God, in 38 FAITH IN GOD, SO far as it is our real intention to please him ; and that this in- tention can only spring from such a firm belief in his being and attributes, discoverable in his works, and confirmed by revela- tion, as leads us to reverence, love, and serve him. In discoursing on this passage of Scripture, my object will be to enforce this leading principle of all religion. I shall, there- fore, endeavour, in the First place, to show you what that faith is, without which it is impossible to please God. Secondly, why it is impossible without it to please him. Thirdly, I shall inquire what is meant by coming to .God. Fourthly, how we, under the gospel, are to come to him. Fifthly and Lastly, I shall make an application of the subject : But without faith it is impossible to please him ; for he that Cometh fo God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. I. First, I am to show you what that faith is without which it is impossible to please God. Perhaps, my hearers, no single word or doctrine has been the subject of such various and conflicting opinion as faith ; nor ought we much to wonder at it, when we consider what pre- cious promises and infinite consequences are annexed to the entertainment of what the word really means. That present acceptance with God and eternal fife in the world to come are set forth in the Scriptures as dependent on the sincerity, purity, and constancy of our faith, is evident beyond dispute. That the power of working miracles, and of receiving benefit from miraculous power in others, was according to the faith of the parties, is equally certain, as it also is that the want of faith is always considered as a criminal defect. Hence it has come to pass, that weak and heated minds, losing sight of the true Scripture meaning of the word, have transferred it to as many and as various shades of befief as are to be found betwixt the genuine fruit of the Spirit of God and the Antinomian de- lusion of a dead and barren credulity. But we might reasonably expect, I think, what was so vitally important to our religious advancement — that a duty to which we FAITH IN GOD. 39 are so frequently and earnestly exhorted in tlie Scriptures, would not be rendered ineffectual, by the obscuiity and uncertainty with which its nature and object was declared and explained. And had the plain words of Scripture, in their obvious meaning-, been duly attended to, most, if not all, of the unsound, enthusiastic, and corrupt notions of this doctrine, entertained in the world, would have died away with the inventors. This I trust to make manifest to all present, from the explanation given of it by the apostle in the chapter from which my text is taken. Faith, says the apostle, in the first verse of this chapter, is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The word translated substance, means, in the original, the firm and assured expectation of things hoped for, such a substantial reliance on what revelation makes known and reason confirms, as rules the life. What those things are, which not being evident to sense are yet made manifest by faith, he declares in the w^ords of my text. They are, saith he, the being of God and the rewards of the life to come. He that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Faith, therefore, is that firm belief of things at present not seen ; that conviction upon the mind of the truth of the promises and threatenings of God, made known in the gospel ; of the certain reality of the rewards and punish- ments of the life to come, which enables a man, in opposition to all the temptations of a corrupt nature and sinful world, to obey God, in expectation of an invisible reward hereafter. This is that faith which, in Scripture, is always represented as a moral virtue — indeed, as the principal moral virtue, and the living root of all other virtues ; because it is an act, not of the understanding only, but also and chiefly of the will, so to consider impartially — so to approve and embrace the doctrine of the gospel, as to make it the great rule of our lives and actions. With this meaning of the word faith all the examples of its influence and effect, set forth in this chapter, agree. The faith of Abraham was, that he beheved God, not only in the promises which were special and personal to himself, but in those also which apply equally to all mankind. — He looked for a 40 FAITH IN GOD. city which hath foundations, even the heavenly Jerusalem, spoken of in the prophecies, tvhose builder and maker is God. The faith of the other patriarchs was, that confessing themselves strangers and pilgrims on the earth, they declared plainly that they sought a better country, that is an heavenly. The faith of Moses was, that he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; for he had respect unto the recompense of reward, and endured as seeing him who is invisible. The faith of the martyrs was, that they loere tortured, not accepting deliverance, that thexj might obtain a better resurrection. Now, my hearers, is not this a most plain and intelligible notion of faith, is there any thing in it to puzzle or offend the understanding 1 And may not we, as well as these Old Testa- ment worthies, give the most full and fixed belief to the truth of God 1 Yea, may we not, even in a higher sense than they could do it, realize the invisible but revealed things of God ; for they saw the promises only obscurely and afar off, while we live under their fulfilment. The same God — the same world of his workmanship — the same providence of his government, which they had, we have. While in the proofs of his faithfulness and love, his tender mercy and compassion, in the knowledge of his holy will, and in the clear discoveries of a future state, we as far exceed them as the certainty of knowledge exceeds the dubious conjectures of ignorance. And yet, by confounding this plain and practical meaning of the word faith with the oftentimes unintelligible doctrines of men, its power and influence over the life and conversation of Christians comes far short of their bright example ; although we are fully assured, that unto whom much is given, of the same shall much be required. But while this is undeniably the principal and most important sense of the word faith, yet it is not the only sense in which it is used in Scripture. Sometimes it signifies that peculiar trust and confidence in the power of God, to which, in the apostles' times, was annexed the gift of working miracles ; and as it was an extraordinary effect of the Holy Spirit, was required only of those upon whom it was conferred. In other places the word faith is used to denote faithfulness to any trust reposed in men. Thus, in our Lord's charge against the Pharisees — ye FAITH IN GOD. 41 have omitted the weightier matters of the late, judgmenty mercy, and faith. Another and much more usual signification of the word faith, is, to denote the whole gospel of Christ, in opposition to the ritual works of the law given by Moses, to distinguish the Christian from the Jewish religion. Thus we read, the number of the disciples muUvplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith, that is, embraced the gospel. Again, a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law ; that is, by the conditions of the gospel. We are, indeed, justified by faith only — by faith in Jesus Christ, as the propitiation and atonement for the sins of the whole world. By this faith, however, we are not to understand a mere confident reliance on the merits of Christ, to do that for us which he expressly requires we should do for ourselves, through his grace enabling us ; but a thankful reception of him as revealed in the gospel, with a faithful observance of the commands and example he hath left us. This, indeed, is the most general meaning of the word throughout the writings of the apostles ; and the reason why the whole gospel is so often expressed by the word faith, is, because the great motives and promises of the gospel are the invisible things of a future state, which can be discerned by faith only. But with whatever variety of meaning and application the word may be used in the New Testament, of whic«h a careful consideration of the context will inform us, the most general and practically useful meaning of the word is, in its plain, literal, and most natural sense, a rational persuasion and firm belief of the being of God, of the truth of his promises made to us in and by his Son Jesus Christ, and of the rewards and punishments of the life to come. By this to govern and direct our lives is to dig deep, and build upon a rock that cannot be moved ; while any and every other dependance will prove but shifting sand before the sweeping storm of his righteous judgment. For without faith it is impossible to please God. II. Secondly, I am to show you why it is impossible without faith to please God. The short and simple reason why it is so, is this, that what is done without a motive, purpose or intention, in a moral sense, is not done at all, and is no more capable of praise or reward. Vol. II.— 6 42 FAITH IN GOD. or of pleasing the unclonded intelligence of the great Moral Governor of the universe, than the casual motions of hfeless matter. The apostle does not mean to say, that virtue or right- eousness can, under any circumstances, he displeasing to God, or require to be spiced and seasoned with any addition, to meet his favour ; but he means to assert and enforce the great govern- ing principle of religion, that without a right motive there cannot be a right action, and without faith in God no possible motive to serve him. Was this attended to as it ought to be, there never could have been any room for the senseless disputes about the value of faith without works, and works without faith, which have occupied so much time and thought that might have been better employed. For the truth is, neither is of any value without the other, it being the union of a proper motive with a right action which alone causes it to be good and pleasing to God. Now, let us ask ourselves, my brethren and hearers, what principle can be devised equally reasonable, comprehen- sive, and effectual in its application to moral agents, with the one required by my text ? Who can consider himself as the creature and servant of God until he believes that there is a God, or who can set himself to act with a view to the favour of a being whose existence he does not realise 1 The idea is absurd, and though millions under the light of the gospel are in this predicament, owning with their lips that there is a God, (though the awful fact has never influenced a single action of their lives,) yet the truth of the argument is not in the least shaken thereby, but strengthened, and the principle itself illus- trated, for to such persons there might as well be no God. Until this belief is fixed in the mind we continue, in fact, athe- ists, and how an atheist can possibly please God has yet to be found out by the liberal free-thinkers of the age ; as it also has to be determined by those who make light of the doctrine of faith, and rest upon the morality of their lives, how an action which, neither ^in its elements or performance, is originated or influenced by a regard to God and a future state, can be pleas- ing to him or rewarded by him. But there is yet another ground on which to show why without this faith it is impossible to please God. FAITH IN GOD. 43 The rational being who can contemplate Him in the wonders of creation, who lives by his bounty, and is protected and pre- served by his providence, and is not thereby led-to discern his eternal power and godhead, to fear, reverence, worship, and serve him, discovers such a total disregard to the blessing of a rational nature, such a cold ungrateful temper, as not only to be displeasing to his Maker and Benefactor, but worthy to be delivered to the vile affections of a corrupt heart to work all uncleanness with greediness. And if this be true as respects the Heathen, how much more as respects those who are favoured with the contemplation of Him in the wonders of redemp- tion, and are not drawn by the God of nature and of all grace to love him with all the heart and soul and strength. Can the creature who is not drawn by such cords of love to believe, trust, and serve his God and Saviour, have in him a single quahty on which infinite purity and holiness can look with accept- ance 1 Impossible, my friends, from the nature of man and from the nature of God. HI. Thirdly, I am to inquire what is meant by coming to God. By coming to God, we are to understand the commencement of a religious life, the undertaking to live here in obedience to God's commands, and in expectation of his approbation here- after. While it is too evident to require proof, that he who thus acts must, according to the text, first believe that God is, and that he is both able and willing to reward him, it is not unworthy of remark, that the expression itself denotes a change or alteration in the direction of our course. By nature we are all, unhappily, distant from and opposed to God. And it is only by serious reflection, produced and aided by divine grace, that we are brought to see the danger of such a state, and to seek for help and deliverance from it. To come to God, then, is so to consider the proofs we are furnished with of his being and attributes, in his works and in his word, as heartily to embrace this first foundation of all religion, so to weigh the arguments and motives of religion as to be convinced that God is our chief good, and so to obey liis laws as to ensure his present favour, and the future rewards he hath promised for our encouragement in his service. 44 FAITH IN GOD. Religion, my friends, under every dispensation, is a reason- able service, and can neither be begun nor continued to any j)rofitable results without the exercise of our understandings and the deliberate choice of our wills. An impulse upon our feelings may start us to run the race, but it will not carry us far, nor yet safe, in the conflicts we have to engage in with a rebel- lious nature and a corrupt world. These can only be overcome by that faith which is firmly and understandingly fixed on the primary truth, that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Until this foundation is laid no progress can be made ; and exactly according to the strength or weak- ness of the impression — according as it is a serious and affecting persuasion of the heart, or a mere speculative act of the mind, will the effect be. Hence we are able to account for the affecting circumstance, that among the numbers who are blessed with all the helps which instruction and example can give, to enforce this truth, so few, nevertheless, come to God ; and why, among those who do come outwardly, such coldness, languor, and deadness is found. To enjoy the comforts and consolations of religion we must be hearty in the cause, as those who firmly believe, that verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth. IV. Fourthly, I am to show you how we, under the gospel, are to come to him. By the wise and merciful appointment of God, in the salvation of sinners, the means have always been, the same, and the different degrees of light have attended different dispensations of his grace ; yet faith in his promises has been, in all, the simple and universal condition on which his favour and help could be obtained. From righteous Abel to the present moment, salva- tion has been by grace through faith, and faith has universally shown itself by obedience to the commands of God. When Cain and Abel came to God, the one offered a more excellent sacrifice than the other ; and we read that he offered it thus by faith ; and his faith, we learn from the circumstances, consist- ed not merely in the frame of his spirit, in the devout temper with which the act was performed, but in discerning the purpose of the appointment, and obeying the command of God, with his FAITH IN GOD. 45 iiaith fixed on that great and effectual sin-offering which the first- ling of his flock prefigured. Cain offered as well as Abel, and had the same means of understanding what was meant as his brother ; but he lacked faith, he did not submit himself to the righteousness of God— he, therefore, failed. This is what constituted the difference between them, and this only. For no possible reason can be given why a lamb should be more acceptable to God, in an act of sacrificial worship, than a sheaf of corn, unless by the express appointment of Him who is excellent in knowledge and wonderful in counsel, and by its connexion with or relation to the great procuring cause of any acceptable worship from sinners. Let us carry out this analogy, then, my hearers, to illustrate this head of our discourse, and it will show us how we, under the gospel, must come to God ; and it will warn us emphati- cally, if we rightly consider it, that other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ ; it will caution us against going in the xoay of Cain, and hewing out to ourselves broken cisterns which can hold no water; it will teach us that faith is not always what a man may feel fully persuaded of, or that that is right which we happen to think so. No, faith has its rule as well as its reward ; and that rule is, thus saith THE Lord. The profane despiser of revelation may think to come to God in the way of natural religion, and, with the corn sheaf of his own righteousness in his hand, look for acceptance. But, no, says the Lord from heaven, no man cometh unto the Father but by me ; without shedding of blood there is no remission. The careless neglecter of God's blessed word, may speak peace to himself in the knowledge of the general mercy proclaimed in the gospel by Jesus Christ. But, no, says the living word that came down from heaven, if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins. He that believeth not is condemned already. And the non-professor, who is ashamed of the gospel, and keeps himself from any outward and open acknowledgment of God and religion, trusting that he is sincere and honest in the way that he comes to God, will find, when it is too late, that he leans upon a broken reed. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall 46 FAITH IN GOD. the iion oj Mmi he ashamed, when he comcth in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven, [never knew you, depart from me 'ye workers of iniquity. And to every shade and variety of unbelief which the evil heart of man would mark out for a way of salvation, it is now said, and in that great day it will again be said, there is none other name under heaven given amongst men {^hereby toe must be saved only the name of Jesus Christ of J^azareth. He is the great sin-offering to which Abel looked, by faith, and was accepted, and which Cain refused and was rejected. By faith in him, whom all their sacrifices represented, did the saints of God before the flood, Seth, Enoch, Noah, come to him. By faith Abraham saw his day and was glad ; and though they saw the promises afar off, yet knowing that he is faithful that promised, they committed their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator, and received the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls. And thus must it be with us under the gospel, my hearers. What they saw afar off and promised, we contemplate as near at hand and fulfilled — what was obscurely shadowed out to them by a city which hath foundations, we behold in the clear discoveries of a future state, the resurrection of the dead, the general judgment, and the rewards and punishments of eternity. We must come to God as he hath appointed for us. This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that lohosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Hear, then, my fellow sinners, the glad tidings of great joy which Christ the Lord proclaims to a lost world : Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he ivere dead yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. And come unto God by him, confessing his name before the world, as your atonement, wisdom, righteousness, and redemption, pro- fessing his holy religion, and obeying his holy laws ; then shall you realise that to this faith all things are possible, and receiv- ing grace to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, sit down vs'lth Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God, FAITH IN GOD. 47 Lastly, to apply what has been said. The proof of the being of God is so plain and manifest from his works, as to lie level with every capacity. The more these are studied, to be sure, and the deeper we search into the wis- dom, power, and goodness which contrived and maintains them all in harmonious dependence on his infinite will, the stronger does the proof become, and the more glorious He, loho in toisdom hath made them all. But herein the most enlightened philosopher hath nothing more certain to depend upon than the plainest understanding, for the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work. That there should, therefore, be really and truly such a thing as an atheist is next to impossible ; but that there are multitudes who live without God in the world, and are, consequently, practically atheists, is unhappily too susceptible of proof. Of this description are all those persons who give neither time or thought to the consider- ation of religion, or who content themselves with such a super- ficial view of the subject as makes no impression upon the heart and life. To such I would first address myself, and beg and intreat them to consider how every way deplorable and ruinous their condition is. Experience tells you, my friends, that this world passes away and the things that ar^ in it, that but a little while, and how soon you know not, eternity will receive you. My text tells you, and your own consciences tell you, that preparation must be made for it under the penalty of everlasting perdition. Now, the question is, ought a rational being to risk the bare possibility of such a state upon any thing short of demonstration that there is no God 1 What name, then, can be given to those who, in the very teeth of a testi- mony as wide as the universe, in opposition to the witness of heaven and earth, of angels and men, and of personal con- sciousness, hold themselves back from comfort in time and reward in eternity on the terms of the gospel. Who with the gospel in their hands, the invitations of heaven's mercy sound- ing in their ears, and echoed back from their hearts in the want and misery of our ruined nature, yet resist it all, and force a God of love to reject them and consign them to the darkness they have chosen. O bethink you, while it is yet time. Look 48 FAITH IN GOD. to the heavens above and to the earth beneath and behold the God that made them. Ponder the frame of your own spirit, and see there, though in ruins, the image of God. Open the book of his message to his creatures, there learn his holy and righteous will, the wonders of his love, and the terrors of his vengeance, and come, even now, at the eleventh hour, come to the God of all grace, by faith in his only begotten Son, who this day assures you, by me, his poor servant and minister, that he that Cometh unto him he will in no loise cast out. To sincere behevers the application of what has been said, is the confirmation of the faith which they have. To be assured that there is a God over all, mighty in power, infinite in mercy, and glorious in holiness, who is watchful for their good, and without whose permission no evil can befall them, sheds over the wilderness of this poor world the light and comfort which renders the sorrows, sufferings, and disappointments it is filled with, bearable and profitable. Take it from us, my brethren, (though, thanks be to God, it is impossible to take it from us,) and whither could we turn for hope or patience 1 We know that our humble love and sincere though imperfect service will meet with an eternal reward ; that though every way unworthy of it, yet, through our Lord Jesus Christ, an inhe- ritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, is laid up in heaven for us. Who, dear brethren, shall be able to separate us from this precious hope 1 Shall unbelief, with its dark and uncomfortable prospects ; shall the world, with its flattering temptations ; or sin, with its deceitful promises, step in between us and our God ? No, God forbid. Let us holdfast, therefore, the profession of our faith loithout wavering. Having east the anchor of our souls on the never to be shaken truth, that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Thanks be to God for all his mercies, and for Jesus Christ through whom they are ours. SERMON V. GOd'3 anger against the WrCKKD. Psalm vii. 11. "God is angry with tlie wicked every day." The most alarming and dangerous condition that can be imagined is, that of exposure to the wrath of God. No serious mmd can contemplate it with any composure, nor can any ra- tional mind choose to continue liable to such utter and irrever- sible destruction as must follow its exercise. To what, then, my brethren and hearers, are we to ascribe the prevailmg disregard of the sanctions of eternity manifested by the numbers who know and profess to believe that life and immortality arc brought to light by the gospel, that the wrath of OrOD IS revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men, that God hath appointed a day in the lohich he will judge the world in righteousness, when the wicked shall be turned into hell and allthe nations that forget God 1 Is it to unbelief-that they really do not give credence to what nevertheless they profess to re- ceive as the truth of God ? Certainly the Scriptures ascribe it to this cause upon the sure ground that a belief professed which yet produces no corresponding effect, is, in fact, no belief But as this IS affirmed, rather of the saving efficacy of faith, as a fruit ot the Holy Spirit, than of the fact, that men may and do believe m the sense of acknowledging what nevertheless pro- duces httle or no effect upon the conduct of their lives ; some other cause must be assigned for this disregard in practice of what IS yet admitted and assented to by all. As the most general, then, I would assign the want of due consideration. Men content themselves with the admission of he fact, but they do not take and carry It out in its application to themselves; they do not dwell upon it as a practical truth, upon which both time and eternity are suspended. They do Vol. II. — 7 50 god's anger >'7ainst the wicked. not consider it as divine and infallible information, kindly given for them to act upon as upon any other truth affecting their interest ; and thus the way is open for every delusion of the world, every deceit cf sin, and every artifice of the devil, to enter in and prevail against their souls. To what but inconsideration of known and admitted truth, can it be ascribed, my brethren, that the threatenings of God against sin and the promises of God to repentance are equally disregarded by those who yet, in terms, confess that they are sinners, and consequently are exposed to the wrath of God ? To what other cause can it be assigned, that, amidst the visible uncertainties of human life, we see all ages so utterly negligent of the only rational preparation for a peaceful and happy death 1 What else is it that deludes the habitual, wilful sinner into the monstrous absurdity of setting off the mercy of God against the wrath of God, and thence en- couraging himself to go on still in his wickedness 1 From what other source does it spring, that the more orderly and moral portion of the community speak peace to themselves in a right- eousness which exceeds not the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees 1 And how otherwise can we account for the prepon- derance of the world and the things that are in it in the affec- tion and pursuit of immortal beings, who have revealed to them and prepared for them an everlasting and unfading inheritance of heavenly glory, on the condition of overcoming the world 1 These are inquiries of force, sufficient to detect that evil heart of unbelief which neutralizes both the promises and threaten- ings of Almighty God, converts the glorious discoveries of the gospel into a dead letter, and the ministry of reconciliation into an occasion of deeper condemnation, and which, if followed out as they ought to be, will prove mighty to awaken in every heart the serious investigation of its condition as in the sight of God, and enable us all to determine, whether we are vessels of wrath or vessels of mercy. It is a very solemn inquiry, my hearers, and one which no ■person should be heedless or even indifferent in making, much less opposed to ; because it is only by knowing what we are that we can be confirmed in what is right, "or be moved to be- pome what we should, and what we may be. Let us, therefore, GODS ANGER AGAINST THE WICKED. 51 consider the text as presenting the following points to our most serious attention : First, what description of persons is here intended, by the words the wicked. Secondly, what will be the consequences of God's anger to those who continue to be of this description. Thirdly, by what means the character itself may be chang- ed, and the consequences escaped. God is angry with the wicked every day. I. First, to consider what descriptions of persons are here intended by the Avords the wicked. In the actual condition of the world, and from the very nature of virtue and vice, there can be but two descriptions of charac- ters among mankind, in the estimation of Almighty God. And these are, the righteous and the wicked. And though there are undoubtedly degrees in virtue as well as vice, not only in our sight, but also in the sight of God, yet as these are opposite principles, one of which must have the ascendancy in every individual, his denomination is thereby determined. In a state of trial for recovery from the fatal effects of sin, which is that of mankind in the present life, every thing of a moral nature must be progressive ; men grow gradually better, or gradually worse, according to the means and exertions made use of. In this mixed condition, to find a character so bad that in it there is no good thing, or so good that in it there is nothing bad, is out of the range of our experience ; and though with our limited view of motive and conduct, we may not always be able to ascertain with certainty the predominant principle, and thereby the denomination of the man, yet to Almighty God there is no such obstacle, but every individual stands fully disclosed and thoroughly understood in the absolute truth of the presiding principle which determines his moral condition as righteous or wicked. This standard principle, for the determination of moral condi- tion, is set forth in Scripture under a great variety of expressions, all enforcing the irrefragable truth, that the union of a right motive with a good action, is that which alone renders the con- duct of accountable beings righteous and acceptable with God. 52 god's anger against the wicked. Either make the tree good and his fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt ; for the tree is known by his fruit. Hence, as the love of God is the love of goodness, absolute and unqualified — where this principle is shed abroad in the heart, as the apostle expresses it — it will manifest itself by its proper fruits. These may and, indeed, will be accompanied with much imperfection, and mixed up with many of the corruptions of a fallen nature, even in the best of men. Nevertheless, as God looks upon the heart, as he sees there its true desire, and discerns the godly sorrow and self abasement, which grow out of this infirmity and corruption, and how earnestly it is prayed and striven against, he also sees there his own image renewed in part ; he sees it improving to a fuller and stronger likeness, and he approves of and accepts it according to the merciful conditions of the grace given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began. On the other hand, as the love of sin is the love of vice and wickedness, equally absolute and unqualified, where this predominates, it will also manifest itself by its proper fruits. These, in like manner, may be accompanied with occasional instances of good done to and compassion manifested for others. But, as the same God sees in the heart no feature of his renewed image ; as he discerns no motive to sanctify the exercise of constitutional good-nature and self-gratification ; as the love of sin, and not the love of God and goodness, rules and predominates over the conduct of the man, he is classed, accord- ingly, among those with whom God is angry every day or continually. Hence, the two descriptions of mankind are represented in the Scriptures according to the principle by which they are respectively actuated. Of the wicked it is said, that God is not in all his thoughts ; that there is no fear of God before his eyes ; that the wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God. And of the righteous it is said, that they delight in God ; that they fear God and keep his commandments ; that they set the Lord continually before them ; that they seek after God. From this delineation of character, we may understand to what description of persons the words of my text apply — and so apply. GOD S ANGER AGAINST THH WICKED. 53 that every individual may therefrom learn to which class he belongs. But, however plain and direct the general principle may be, it is necessary to press upon your attention, my brethren and hearers, that in its application to ourselves, as under a particular dispensation of religion, great self-deception may be and is practised. Nothing is more common in Christian lands, and I fear it is extending with accelerated speed, than for men to rest upon this general principle, divested of those peculiar evidences which the gospel requires, as the only allowable proof— that the assumption of it is warranted and may be relied upon, for hope towards God. What sentiment more common and more relied upon than this, that if the heart be right towards God, it matters not as to other things. And what notion has tended more to sever Christians from each other— to lower in their estimation the appointments of the gospel, and to generate and support those divisions and separations from the very bond of peace, and of all virtues which prostrate the gospel of the grace of God at the foot-stool of natural religion, and render stipulated conditions of mercy and instituted means of grace subservient to the caprice or convenience of human opinion. True it is, that if the heart be right with God, the main point, the one thing needful, is gained. But how can that person's heart be right with God, whose life is not conformed to the requirements of God, in the gospel of his Son 1 To assume that the heart is right, and thence to conclude that the life cannot be wrong, is, to invert the whole ground of Christian assurance, and, in fact, to subvert the gospel, as the standard of hope to man. Because the tree is only to be known by its fruit. What ground has any person to conclude that his heart is right towards God, other than by the fruit of its affections, made visible in the actions of the life 1 Ground, certainly, there is none, other than that of miraculous attestation, which, whosoever now contends for, is evidently under a strong delusion. And yet, through this door of deceit, what a flood of laxity, indifference, and consequent infidelity of revealed religion, has entered in. How is charity broken, unity dissolved, faith falsified, and Christ divided 1 And what is the auswer, the standing answer, to all admonition on these vital 54 god's anger against the wicked. points 1 If the heart be right, all is right. Counsel is taken from feelings, rather than from commandments, and the word of God made of none effects Yet certain it is, my brethren, that only on the conditions God hath been pleased to reveal and to appoint for our observ- ance can there be a good hope of his favour ; such a hope as a rational being should rest upon for eternity. And in pursuing the inquiry into our individual condition, suggested by my text, to what other standard than the gospel must we, who are under its blessed light, come to determine to what class of this world's population we belong ? God is angry icith the ivicked every day, says my text. Let us, then, inquire, who are the wicked under the gospel 1 In the first place, and undisputed by any, all who live in the commission of known and wilful sin are thereby ranked in the number of the wicked, and, therefore, exposed to the wrath of God, nor is there a possibility of escape otherwise than by repentance toicards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the second place, all who live in the wilful omission of any known and commanded duty do thereby come under the denomination of wicked persons, with whom God is continually angry. Under the circumstances in which all who are favoured with the gospel are placed, sins of omission have one quality of aggravation which sins of commission have not, and that is in°"ratitude. All sin implies contempt of God's authority, but sins of omission add thereto contempt of his loving kindness and tender mercy ; and yet they give less uneasiness to those who are guilty of them than the other. Of those now before me, there is not one, I trust, who woujd not be truly concerned to have upon his soul the guilt of blood or of any other grievous crime, yet how perfectly unconcerned are those same persons, under the guilt of delayed repentance, of God's message of mercy and love by his only begotten Son slighted and made lio-ht of, of the confession of Jesus Christ before the world by a public profession of his religion refused, of the commemora- tion of his dying love disregarded, with many others which might be named ; and yet these are not only commanded as expressly as we are commanded to do no murder, but are com- GOD S ANGER AGAINST THE WICKED. 55 manded lor our personal advantage as means of grace, as chan- nels of favour and blessing from God of a special nature, and as proofs that we entertain a grateful sense of the great love wherewith God hath loved us. Now, my dear friends, where must those be classed, by a heart-searching God, who thus ne- glect the prime duties of redeemed creatures ; who are neither drawn by love, nor driven by fear, to save themselves from the wrath of God ] Belong they to the righteous, or to the wicked with whom God is angry every day 1 O let your consciences awake to the truth of your condition ; listen to none of the de- ceitful and ruinous excuses with which the father of lies would persuade you to put off till to-morrow what cannot be delayed but at the risk of everlasting despair ; give no place to the whis- pers of self-righteousness, to the Pharisaic pride of being better than many others whom you can name. For there is no middle or neutral ground on which to place you between the righteous and the wicked. You may not be as wicked as many others, and yet wicked enough to be driven from God for ever. There is no place between salvation and damnation for good moral peo- ple to be consigned to. We, indeed, read of some who are said to be not far from the kingdom of God. But this only repre- sents their state as being relatively more hopeful than that of others ; not that they have changed their denomination by that surrender of themselves to God, and that observance of his commands, which enable him to lay aside his anger, and to re- gard them with favour and affection as his children. This is yet to do, and the word of divine truth warns us that we may be so near as to lack but one thing, one single step, and yet refuse to take that one. O world, world, world, what hast thou to give in exchange for the immortal souls which are brought to ruin by thy perishing treasure of riches, honours, and pleasures, which are not of the Father 1 O fools and blind, who are bewitched with the sorceries of sin, to forget the realities of eternity, and dream through your day of grace, unconcerned for death and judgment — what will it profit you if ijou gain the world and lose your oicn souls ? Let us, then, consider, II. Secondly, what will be the consequences of God's anger to those who continue to be of this description. oh GOD S ANGER AGAINST THE WICKED, Now these will include a state of privation and a state of positive suffering'. The state of privation will consist of exclusion from God the chief good, from the glory and blessedness of heaven, and from all means to regain what is lost. The icicked will be banished from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, with an everlasting destruction. This, my brethren, is a view of the sub- ject, with which our thoughts are not as familiar as they should be ; yet not only from express revelation, but from the very reason and nature of things, it must be so. By the impenitent and unbelieving- every invitation of the love of God has been refused, every threatening of the wrath of G od has been un- heeded, every means of the grace of God has been neglected, no change of heart, no transformation of character has been effected, no participation of the divine nature has been attained in the present life .There being, therefore, no point of union and agreement, there can be no society, no intercourse, no inter- change of affection between God and them, and separation is inevitable. Now, my dear hearers, were this all, were future misery confined to exclusion from God for ever, it would in itself amount to perdition. An immortal, unchangeable sinner, sub- limed by his immortality to the highest virulence of sin, wander- ing forever in darkness and despair, is a most horrible contem- plation, and sufficient of itself to alarm us from the love and practice of sin, and to drive us to the cross of Christ for deliver- ance from its power and guilt. And it must and it will be thus with the wicked, for He who cannot lie hath said. If ye die in your sins, where I am thither ye cannot come. But this is not all — the wicked will not only be deprived of the beatific vision of God, and of the bliss which his presence confers, but they will be exposed to the additional misery of positive suffering, of actual torture, inconceivable, and intermina- ble. This is set forth to us in the word of God, as affecting both the body and the soul — the body exposed to everlasting burnings, and the soul to the gnawings of the icorm that never dies. These, indeed, are figurative expressions, but they are not, therefore, the less real, and figures are, therefore, made use of, because we can only form our conceptions of future sufferings, as well as of future enjoyments, by comparison. Things, there- god's anger against the wicked. 57 fore, of which we can form some idea, by experience, of their effects, are made use of to convey to our apprehension, things of which we can form no adequate notion. Thus the torment of actual fire and the tortures of an awakened conscience are resorted to, to bring our sense of known pain to act upon what cannot be described, what only can and must be endured by those who know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The use of figurative language, therefore, is no argu- ment against the positive torments of the wicked in a future state, but rather the reverse ; and the resorting to this mode, is a proof of God's great condescension to the weakness of our faculties, and of his earnest desire to save us from our sins, if not by the mercies of his love, yet by the terrors of his wrath. We know something of pain in the present life, my brethren, by the acute tortures which even a mortal body can sustain, under God's visitations of chastening correction for our good, and should not this serve to give us some idea of the dreadful nature of those torments which are poured out in wrath, not in love to punish, not to reclaim. My hearers, what is it that omnipo- tence cannot inflict 1 what is it that an immortal being cannot endure 1 what increase of misery may not grow with eternity 1 what is it of imaginable or unimaginable suffering which the rejectors of Jesus Christ and him crucified, do not deserve ] O let these awful realities strip the mask from sin and show it in all its horrors, present and future ; count the cost at which its transient pleasures must be purchased; and now, while escape is possible, flee from the wrath to come. Reflect, I beseech you, how short, to many, is the remainder of life — how much shorter to all a sudden death may make it ; and now, while it is called to-day, turn to the strong hold ye prisoners of hope, to the mercy offered you in the gospel, and make the cross of Christ your refuge from everlasting burnings. III. Thirdly, let us consider by what means the character itself may be changed and these consequences escaped. To any profitable use and application of God's revealed mercy to a world of sinners, it is first of all necessary that we obtain a just view of our actual condition. It is not enough to admit in terms, as we have been taught perhaps, that we are Vol. II.— 8 58 god's A^.OER AGAIISST THE WICKED. sinners ; no, my friends, the condition itself must be felt, must be realized in all the extent of its danger and destitution. Nothing short of this can create the desire for relief and deliver- ance— nothing but the sense of our disease can bring us to the physician of souls. What, then, is the sinner"? The enemy of God — his enemy by wicked works — an outcast from his favour — the miserable prey of disease, death, and hell ; this is all that he is in himself And is this a desirable condition for an immor- tal being, for one who cannot, if he would, hide from himself that there is another life, and that there the retributions of justice and the sanctions of eternity await him? But whence do we learn that we are by nature this abject miserable thing 1 From the word of God and from our own hearts, my hearers, deceitful though they be. Oh ! there is a voice within us which responds to the truth of God, and by every emotion of fear and apprehension, at real or imaginary danger, proclaims that we are separated from our God — that con- fidence is gone — that love is extinguished by fear — and desire by hatred. These are strong expressions, my friends, but they are the words of inspiration and experience. Inspiration tells us, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; that there is none righteous, no, not one ; that the wages of sin is death ; that the sinner knows not that he is wretched, and miserable^ and poor, and blind, and naked. And experience tells us, that the good that I icould I do not, but the evil which I icould not that I do. If, then, I do that ivhich I icould not, I consent unto the law that it is good. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. Oh ! wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? This is the sinner, in the truth of his condition — but it is the awakened sinner — the sinner crying out, what must I do to be saved? And thanks be to God, who hath provided deliverance and salvation for all who seek it, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Hearken, then, and learn the way, the truth, and the life, as it is in Jesus. Let the word of God, and the witness of your own hearts, cure your unbelief. Be no longer faithless, but believing; and learn that you are this poor, undone. god's anger against the wicked. 69 wretched thing, called a sinner. As such, seek unto God in prayer for the help of his Holy Spirit, that his saving con- victions may deepen your penitence unto godly sorrow, and strengthen you to cease from sin. Ask and ye shall receive ; seek and ye shall find ; knock and it shall be opened unto you. Continue in his word, by reading, meditation, and prayer, that you may grow in the knowledge of divine things, and be nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine. Listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart through the word of life, that he may show you the things that are freely given you of God — even the humiliation, passion, and death of his only begotten Son, to make atonement for your sins, that you might have life through his name. Dwell on this exceeding great love of God our Saviour, which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, till your heart warms under the contemplation, and you learn to love him who hath first loved you, and loving, to confess him before men as your Saviour and your God. Pray for the renewing, sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost with constancy and fervour, and strive to be what you pray for. Watch continually against sin, mortifying the sinful desires of the flesh and of the mind. Look for the evidences of your acceptance in the Beloved in increased longings after God, increased delight in his service, diminished power of temptation, and victory over sin. These shall speak a language to your heart which cannot deceive, for they are the fruits of the blessed Spirit of promise dwelling in you, and working in you both to xcill and to do. Thus shall you possess the witness in yourself, and find joy and peace in believing, and thus shall the trans- forming power of divine grace separate you from the world, enrol you in the family of God, and keep you by his mighty power, through faith, unto salvation. To the believer the wrath due to sin is quenched in the blood of Christ ; the fear that hath torment gives place to that perfect love which casteth out fear ; and righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, adorn the life and make happy the death of him, who, by hearty repentance and true faith, has found peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. God is angry with the wicked every day ; yet, to the eternal 60 god's anger against the wicked. praise of his abounding love, he hath provided for these very wicked, that they may turn from their wickedness and be for- given, and made heirs of everlasting life. This message of salvation is sent to each one of us, my hearers. Mercy and forgiveness are freely offered to us all on the terms of the gospel. Shall we, then, believe God, obey and live ; or go down to death loaded with the heinous guilt of having rejected the counsel of God against our own souls, of having put away from us the means of grace, the hope of mercy and eternal life, purchased by the blood of Christ 1 This is the solemn inquiry that meets you this day, and which this day is given you to answer ; another may not be yours. Meet it, then, with the seriousness it deserves, and may grace be given you to choose that good part which shall not be taken from you. SERMON VI. THE NATURAL MAN. 1 Corinthians ii. 14. " But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." It requires but a small acquamtance with ourselves, my brethren, and no very extensive observation of human nature, to discover the import of the text ; but it requires a deeper consideration than men in general are disposed to give it, to attain those advantages which flow from divine truth received and acted upon. The primary object of revelation being to give to mankind information of what they could not otherwise know, and the information given being of things spiritual and heavenly, bearing upon our peace and comfort in time and our well-being in eter- nity, its claims upon our attention can only be rightly measured by the interests which are at stake ; and it might most reasonably be presumed, that what was so vitally important to every indi- vidual person, would be as gladly and joyfully attended to, as thankfully embraced and followed out in its directions, as hght is welcomed by the weary and benighted traveller, or the means of healing and health by the sick and diseased. Yet observation and experience prove to us, my hearers, that it is othervi^ise in the practice of the world. The text, therefore, is verified to us in its assertion ; and intimately connected as it is with the truth of our present condition, may lead to an improve- ment profitable to all present. The subject before us, in connexion with the context, presents to our consideration two descriptions of persons, alike in their original but different in their actual character, the natural and the spiritual man. It, therefore, obviously leads us to examine not only the distinction between them, but the cause, oa THE NATURAL MAN. also, of that distinction, with the consequences which attach to their respective states, as well by the reason of the thing as by the wise appointment of God. I shall, therefore, endeavour to show you. First, what we are to understand by the words natural man, as here used by the apostle. Secondly, whatthose things of the Spirit of God are which are foolishness to the natural man. Thirdly, I shall inquire why these particular things are counted foolishness ; and, then. Conclude with some remarks on the consequences which must follow to those who remain in this condition. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. I. First, I am to show you what we are to understand by the words natural man, as here used by the apostle. In limiting the meaning of the words to the particular sense in which they are here used by the apostle, it is not to be infer- red that there is no other and useful meaning in which this passage of Scripture is to be taken. It was not the apostle's intention, nor is it mine, to exclude the awfully verified truth, that to man fallen there is not, by his nature, any true know- ledge of his own condition, or any saving knowledge of God. In this respect, we are all alike destitute of spiritual capacity or spiritual power. So true is this, that had God been silent, or withheld his Holy Spirit, it never could have entered into the heart of man to conceive any thing of his nature, or of the wor- ship and service due to him from rational beings. For though mankind are not deprived, by their fallen condition, of any of the faculties of rational creatures, yet so debased and degraded are those faculties, so perverted and turned round from their original destination, that they serve only a secondary purpose, and are conversant, not with spiritual, but sensible things, so that experience confirms the truth of God's word, that the world by wisdom never knew God. In another respect, however, this disability is removed ; for the grace of God, ^vhich bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all THE NATURAL MAN. 63 men. Particularly under the gospel is this distinguishing privi- lege conferred on all who hear the joyful sound ; they are called, as our catechism expresses it, to a state of salvation by Jesus Christ, and furnished with all the means necessary thereto. Yet, though this is undeniably the case, and the only view of the subject which makes religion a reasonable service, neverthe- less, the glad tidings of the gospel and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ do not operate as charms. As we are rational beings, the information given us is to be acted upon, the help offered us is to be resorted to, and the duties enjoined upon u§ are to be performed, otherwise there is no benefit to be expected. Revelation is addressed, first to our understandings, next to our wants, then to our interests, and, through all these to our affections. And when either sufficiently proved or admitted, as a communication from God, our reason has no other province than to receive or reject it. It is not the prerogative of our rational faculties to sit in judgment on the mode or the manner in which God shall reveal himself to his creatures, or yet on the means by which his benefits shall be conferred on us; with all this we have nothing to do, we are saved by grace through faith. To act upon a different principle, then, is to usurp a station which does not belong to us, to the details of which we are not competent, and by the entertainment of which we manifest the very temper denounced in my text. Hence we learn, my breth- ren, to what description of persons St. Paul applies the expres- sion of natural man, in the passage of Scripture under consider- ation. It is the man who sets the wisdom of the world on a par with the wisdom of God. It is the man who would bring the myste- ries of the divine will in the redemption of the world, to be tried at the bar of human reason ; it is the man who proudly rejects what his shallow reason cannot fathom ; it is the man who care- lessly neglects the treasures of divine wisdom furnished in the Scriptures of truth ; it is the wise man, the philosopher, the disputer of this world, who would try the gospel, its glorious discoveries, its means, and its mercies, by a standard beneath its measure, and receive or reject it according as it agreed 64 THE NATURAL MAN. therewith. It is the Greek, who counted the preaching of the cross foolishness, because it squared not with the rules of the philosophy of the day. This, my hearers, is the natural man whom the apostle had in his eye when he penned this passage, who receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, and to whom they are foolishness. The apostle speaks not here of the natural inability of fallen creatures to regain the favour of God, to comply with his holy and spiritual law, and prepare themselves for his presence in glory. This deficiency he was provided to remedy in every sincere mind, by the grace of that Jesus whom he preach- ed to them ; but he speaks of those who, when the gospel was proposed to them, received not the truth in the love of it, who submitted not themselves to the righteousness of God, by believing and obeying his message, but resisted it upon the strength of their own reason, or through the love of their own corruptions ; making themselves wiser than God, and prefer- ring time to eternity. And are there none of this description of persons in the present day ] Are there none among us who are entitled, in this acceptation of the words, to the name of natural men 1 Alas ! for the multitudes who, either by neglect or perversion, bar themselves out from the grace of the gospel. Alas ! for the thousands who dispute against the gospel, who think it an accomplishment to be above its faith and its duties, and who listen with greedy ears to what perverted reason can muster up in behalf of infidelity in some of its protean shapes. Alas ! alas ! cannot fallen sinners find the way to hell readily enough without deepening their damnation by sinning against light and know- ledge, denying the Lord that bought them, and treading under foot the Son of God. But it may and will be asked of what use, then, is our reason, the distinguishing attribute of man, if it is not to be applied in this our supreme concern 1 And who ever said or thought that it is not to be here applied, yea, earnestly and diligently applied 1 Certainly I have never said so, nor yet given room for any to think I said so, unless by such an overhasty conclusion as dark- ens counsel. Permit me, however, in my turn, to ask a question of these FAITH IN GOD. 65 contenders for the supremacy of human reason. To what end, think you, was reason given you as respects things spiritual and invisible 1 what is its proper province in application to them 1 Have you ever asked yourself this question 1 Can you answer it ? If not, your boasted reason has not yet done the best part of its office for you. Learn, then, that the highest use of the faculty of reason in man, fallen, is to render him capable of instruction in things of a spiritual and heavenly nature. Human reason can have no privity with the mind or will of God, and, had God been silent, never could have advanced one step beyond the things that are seen ; for even the superstitions of the Heathen are all resolva- ble into the original revelation made to Adam after his fall. Revelation, then, is to reason in things spiritual what light is to the eye in things natural ; for reason is the eye of the mind. However perfect, therefore, in all its parts the eye may be, take away the material light and where or what is its use ? It is an incumbrance, a hindrance, presenting something to rely upon which yet answers not the purpose. In like manner, my brethren, and by an analogy of the strict- est kind, however perfect human reason may be, however improved and extended in all its capacities, deprive it of the light of revealed truth, and what is its value in spiritual things 1 Of what use, in particular, is it in the deep mystery of man's redemp- tion by the Son of God 1 Alas ! is it not, even to our experience, a hindrance, a stumbling block, a betrayer of souls to all those who will not learn its right use, but proudly exalt a depraved and perverted attribute of the creature into the place and station of the Most High God. Human reason, my friends, is competent to determine whether we have a revelation of the will of God, because it is by this faculty alone, that the truth and certainty of the evidences by which its title is established are to be judged. But this being done reason can go no further ; it is not competent to decide on the propriety or fitness of what is revealed. For example — Whether the doctrine of the trinity be a part of the revelation made to our faith, is a question for our reason to examine and Vol. II.— 9 66 FAITH IN GOD. determine. But whether it be consistent with the nature of the Supreme Being that such should be the manner of his subsistence, is a question we have no means of resolving, and, therefore, ought not to entertain. To assent, then, upon grounds of human reason, that it is inconsistent with the unity of the Godhead that it should consist in three coeternal subsistences, is not only to be wise above what is written, Intruding into thhigs not seen, vainly puffed up by a fleshly mind, but is an illogical assumption of the point in argument. And to support this assertion by reasonings from the incomprehensibility to us of such a mode of subsistence in deity is, in fact, atheistical. Because the same a^'gument is equally good against the being of God under any other mode of subsistence ; for a self-existent, underived, eternal Being, as the Almighty must be in his nature or not be at all, is as incomprehensible to our faculty in a single essence as in three. The sum is this, my hearers — the fact our reason can compass, the mode it cannot compass. We, therefore, have nothing to do with the mode ; and to intrude into it with our puny measure of intelligence is precisely that abuse and perversion of reason which marks the natural man of my text, to whom the things of the Spirit of God, that is, the mysteries revealed to our faith, are foolishness. Let, then, these plain and practical truths guard you, my breth- ren and hearers, against the seductive sophistry, which would exalt your reason at the expense of your souls — which would lead you away from the only foundation, and leave you on the dark and slippery steps of an unreasonable infidelity. For, as the apostle argues, in the 11th verse of this chapter, what man knoiceth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him, even so the things of God knowelhno man, hut the Spirit of God. But, while this is undoubtedly the primary sense in which the apostle here uses the words natural man, as is evident from the context — for he, throughout, contrasts the natural man with the spiritual, or spiritually enlightened man — yet, as I observed in the outset, this is not the only sense in which the text is to be used and applied by us. For we may apply it to man as he now is, a fallen, depraved creature, savouring only the things of FAITH IN GOD. 67 time and sense, and indisposed and averse to the entertainment of things spiritual and heavenly. It also denotes the unrenewed man, the person upon whom the grace of the gospel has produced no change ; upon whom the Spirit of God hath not operated the mighty transformation of a new creature. And this, because the discoveries of the gospel have not been met in faith, and God sought unto, as he is therein revealed and set forth, by and through our Lord Jesus Christ. This gives to the words of my text a wide range, my brethren, inasmuch as it includes all who hold themselves back from the claims of the gospel upon their attention and observance, whether that proceed from the proud and lofty pretensions of infidel reason, or the carelessness and neglect of worldly occupation, or the love of sensual indulgence. To what extent and under which designation the words may be most properly applied, those who hear them are the most competent judges ; and I •earnestly beseech all present, who are not conscious of that spiritual change which must pass upon all who would see God and live, seriously to lay to heart the unutterable consequences of turning a deaf ear to saving truth, and an unwilling mind to commanded duty. The day of grace is shortening — the day of eternity is drawing near — awake, then, thou thai sleepest in thy natural state, and Christ shall give thee light. 11. Secondly, I am to show you what those things of the Spirit of God are, which are foolishness to the natural man. That these are the mysteries of the gospel, the things which in an especial manner are the things of Jesus Christ, and which he told his disciples the Holy Spirit would take and show unto them, is clear, both from the tenour and purpose of the gospel, and from the whole structure of the apostle's argument in this epistle. The Grecian philosophers of St. Paul's day decried and derided the doctrines of the cross ; they brought the things of the Spirit of God, preached by him with great plainness of speech, indeed, but with miraculous attestation to their truth — to the standard of the wisdom of their schools, and, because not answer- able to the principles of their philosophy, they rejected them. It was not the morality of the gospel, my hearers, that was 68 FAITH IN GOD. foolishness in their view, but its spirituality. No men taught more zealously the moral principles of truth, justice, and temperance, than the ancient sages of Greece. With this part of Christianity there was no difliculty. But they stumbled at those mysterious but heaven-attested doctrines, in union with which only can the morality of fallen sinners be exalted to the dignified station of rehgion. It was the stupendous doctrine of God made sin, that man might be made the righteousness of God in him, with all that flows from this doctrine, of our lost and undone condi- tion, and of our need of renewing grace that offended their self- righteous estimation of their own worth. It was the incarnation of God the Son — the sacrifice of the cross — the virtue of the atonement thereby made for sin, and the unqualified necessity of faith in tliis crucified Jesus, as God manifest in the flesh — dying for our sins — rising for our justification — ascended into heaven for our assurance of immortality — glorified and reigning for salvation to the ends of the earth, and constituted the judge of quick and dead — these were the high discoveries which over- threw the systems of their fanciful mythology. It was at these stumbling truths that their pride revolted. It was by these mysterious doctrines that their wisdom was confounded ; and as they received not the love of truth that they might be saved, they incurred the delusion of believing a lie that they might be damned. And is there nothing in this warning, my friends, which knocks awfully at the hearts of those who stand in the like danger by incurring the like guilt 1 Is there nothing to alarm the fears of those who exalt the meagre and vapid reasonings of infidel science against God and the word of his grace 1 Is there nothing to show the wise, and the mighty, and the noble of this Christian land, why the gospel is not the power of God unto salvation to them ? Is there nothing in this delinea- tion of the first principles of religion, to enable all present to determine whether they are natural or spiritual men 1 Above all, is there nothing to show them that better way which God has marked out and promised to bless all who walk in it ? O, beware, my dear brethren and hearers, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit — after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. And FAITH IN GOD. C9 O, beware that ye stop not short of that renewal of the Spirit of God in you, which alone can prepare a fallen, spiritually dead creature for life and glory eternal ! III. Thirdly, I am to inquire why these particular things are counted foolishness. To say that this is occasioned by the want of senses exercised to discern the application and efficacy of the discoveries of the gospel, would be leaving the subject where we found it, and leaving those, also, who are in this deplorable state, without the help and counsel provided for them. It is, therefore, to the neglect of obvious duty on the part of those who are favoured with divine revelation, that this state of indifference and dead- ness to the interests of hereafter, is to be ascribed. That such multitudes, Gallio-like, care for none of those things, and the activity of rational natures, made, and formed, and furnished to glorify God and enjoy him for ever, are content to famish on the husks and garbage of a perishing world, are content to remain in the darkness and hopelessness of the things that are seen, even amid the bright shining of the light of life. Of this, the true cause of the evil and the just answer to this inquiry, the proof, I trust, will be evident from the following considerations : First, if God hath spoken to us, and we are in possession of his will and directions, the undeniable duty of every rational being, is, to acquaint himself with that will and to follow those directions. Secondly, it is on the performance of this duty that God hath limited his blessing in the growth and increase of spiritual help and power. The first consideration is so self-evidently true as to meet the unqualified assent of all who hear it : and it follows, undeniably, in an equal degree, that whoever does not carefully consider and follow out the will of God, either denies the fact of a revela- tion or despises the revealer ; and, consequently, cannot expect any of the spiritual benefits promised to faith and obedience. O that they loere ime, that they understood this, that they loould consider their latter end. How shall we escape, if ive neglect so great salvation. 70 FAITH IN GOD. The second consideration is equally capable of proof, and of a proof not only derived from authority, but from the reason of the thing. God hath no need of the sinful man, therefore it is by grace that we are saved. God so loved the ivorld, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. The mercies of redemption and the means of grace, there- fore, are the talents, in their various extent, committed to our trust on the declared condition of improvement. To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance ; but from him that hath not, shall be taken aioay even that ivhich he hath. With this equitable rule, all that the Saviour of the world hath taught and promised is in perfect agreement. / came not to destroy men's lives but to save them. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the light of the world ; he that follow eth me shall not walk in darkness, hut shall have the light of life. He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall floio rivers of living waters ; he that believeth not shall he damned. From all which, and much more that might be produced, it must be evident that the blessing of spiritual illumination, so essential to a fallen creature, is limited on the previous condi- tion of our faith in and submission to the revealed will of God ; nor can it be conceived in what other way religion, as a reason- able and possible duty, can be addressed to moral creatures in a state of reprieve and probation for eternity. All doubt on this point, however, is happily done away by the standing declara- tion of the gospel — Ask and ye shall receive ; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. For, says our blessed Lord, and happy experience confirms the truth, every one that asketh, receiveth ; and he that seeketh, findeth ; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Hence it must be evident, and I pray God that it may be the effectual conviction of every soul that now hears me, that if we are natural men in the sense here used by the apostle ; if we are indifferent to the high discoveries of the gospel ; if we are careless of the manifestation of God, therein made to the faith and observance of his creatures ; if the course and occupation FAITH IN GOD. 7\ of our lives, or the open or secret tenour of our thoughts, show louder than words, that they are foolishness unto us ; it must be our fault, it cannot be our infirmity ; it must be our condemna- tion, it cannot be our excuse. God hath done all that is neces- sary to remove our natural disability for spiritual things ; he hath set before us whatever can confirm faith, excite hope, or alarm fear in rational creatures : but if we will none of his ways, if we will be wiser than God in the things of God, and risk our immortal souls on the unreasonable venture, what remains, but that having chosen darkness rather than light, the way of life shall be hid from us for ever. For if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his; neither is their salva- tion in any other— for there is none other name under heaven given amongst men xoherehy toe must be saved only the name of Jesus Christ of J^azareth. I have now to conclude with some remarks on the conse- seqences which must follow to those who remain in this condi- tion. And first, it must, I think, be evident that were those consequences confined to the present life, they are worth an exertion to be avoided ; for either all serious thought must be excluded or thought must be painful. The natural man differs but little from the brute, and that difference is against the man. In the day of prosperity and enjoyment, the natural man, like the ox in a fat pasture, may give himself up to every delight of the carnal mind, and drown and extinguish the voice of reason and reflection in the festivities of wantonness, or occupy his faculties exclusively in the acquisitions of time ; but in the day of adver- sity where is his resource ? The brute has no anticipations— the man has. As his prosperity was without God, so is his adver- sity without one ray of comfort. Thought is his enemy and reflection his torment, because he perverts his distinguishing character as a rational being, and will not point it to God. But more than this ; it is a sense of God, of his undeserved good- ness, of the wonders of his love in the gift of Jesus Christ for the redemption of sinners, which gives to the various mercies of his providence their proper character; this the natural man deprives himself of. The most prosperous and happy condition 72 FAITH IN GOD. terminates with the short uncertainty of time ; the natural man cannot look beyond it, further than conjecture ; but it is not so with adversity. God, in aid of his truth, hath planted an impression in every heart, that adversity ends not with this life to the sinner. A certain fearful looking for of judgment, which he cannot shake off though he can resist it, for he is a moral being and not a machine, haunts the natural man, with the fear which hath torment ; his prosperity, therefore, is unblessed — his adversity is without comfort. If more than this is the portion of the natural man, of the man who hath no discernment or desire of the things of the Spirit op God, it can only be what he has in common with the beasts that perish. But, secondly, when this world and all its delusions come to close, when the inevitable sentence to which all must submit makes the truth of God victorious over all the vain reasonings of an infidel philosophy, when the pride of opinion can no longer bear up against the realities which this hour brings forward — what then, my hearers, are the consequences to the natural man, to the man for whom Christ has died in vain, with whom the Holy Spirit has striven in vain, and God put forth the whole extent of his love, for salvation, without effect 1 Shall I attempt to speak of them 1 No, imagination is exhausted and expres- sion overwhelmed under the awful contemplation. To jour hearts, to your consciences, then, I refer you for what cannot be uttered, and may God in mercy seal his truth to your soul's health. SERMON Vlf. SIN. Romans vii. 13. '■ But sill, that it mi^rht appear sin, working death in me by that wliich is good ; that sin by the commanduient might become exceeding suilul." That there is a principle at work in the world which is in opposition to the reason of our own minds, to the peace and comfort of society, and to individual happiness, has in every age of the world been the experience and the acknowledgment of all descriptions of persons. Heathen philosophers equally with Christian moralists and professors of religion, have united in one unvarying testimony to a state of disorder in the moral world — the mind and affections of man— as plainly marked as that which is displayed in the world called natural. This priur ciple, under the personification of a power or agent working in us, is denominated sin, and is set forth in the Scriptures as the true and only cause of all the disorder and misery known and suffered in this world, and of all that can be anticipated by the conscious objects of its influence in that which is to come. This knowledge, however, of the cause and of the connexion of the state of disorder in the natural and moral world, was hid from the Heathen philosopher. He could conjecture and reason, and an occasional gleam from traditionary revelation would bring him to the confines of the truth ; but certainty and satisfaction were beyond his reach. Alas ! that so many Christian moralists, especially the more modern ones, by pre- ferring the rush-light of human reason in matters beyond their experience, to the clear and decisive discoveries of revealed truth, should be in no better case. But to the Christian, and to the Christian only it is given, to trace these acknowledged effects to their cause, to account for the connexion between them, to understand their bearing upon himself, and to give to the cause Vol. U.—IO 74 SIN. itself its true and genuine character, colour, and operation. And happy had it been for Christian lands, had this their privi- lege and advantage been duly estimated and rightly applied ; yea, happy will it be for that Christian land, for that individual Christian, who will yet make this improvement of what is so freely bestowed upon them. That it may be thus considered and applied by that portion of Christian people who are now present, is my desire and de- sign. And, as we cannot rightly appreciate the advantages of revelation and the obligations of religion, without considering deeply what it is that has rendered revealed religion and insti- tuted means of grace necessary to us, and an interposition of heaven's mercy in our behalf, whatever is calculated to bring our thoughts to act upon so essential a part of our religious and moral condition, must be helpful to us — must be profitable to our souls. To this end nothing, in my judgment, can contribute so effec- tually as a serious consideration of the nature, influence, and consequences of sin as a component part of our fallen frame, exerting a constraining power over us, and operating to our ruin now and for ever. And though this is a subject on which most will suppose that they need nothing, either to inform or impress them, I am well persuaded of the contrary. I am fully convinced, that there is no one subject, religion itself excepted, on which there are such vague and unsettled notions, or on which men so readily content themselves with admission in the gross, and with disregard in the particulars. What, let me ask, is more universally admitted as existing and operating to our destruction ? And yet, how few in comparison, are engaged in breaking its chain and escaping from its snare 1 What more common with all classes of men, even with those who make the service of sin their daily occu- pation as it were, than to admit in words, its dangerous and destructive nature, and yet the next minute go in pursuit of some of its miserable deceits 1 What more common with those who call themselves Christians, with professors of religion, than to find even them parleying and tampering with it in some unlawful conformity to the world, in its vain and SIN. 75 vicious pursuits, and manifesting little or no anxiety respecting its influence on their children, their friends, and their neighbours, like the Pharisees of old, limiting sin to the letter of the law, and if not forbidden in the decalogue, shutting their eyes to the spiritual extent of that holy law. But could this be so, were the real malignity, the damning nature, the universal influence, and the dreadful consequences of sin felt, and considered, and realized as they ought to be*? Could it be thus if the very purpose of a law against sin in particulars, was borne in mind 1 And yet Christians are instructed that by the laic is the knoicledge of sin ; and St. Paul tells us that he had not known lust, that is, the existence of sin in this shape within him, except the laio had said, Thou shall not covet. This opened up to him a mine of iniquity within, far beyond the specific pro- hibitions of the law, and made him feel what a wretched man he was without the gospel. This explains to us how it is that icith- out the law sin was dead, that is, dormant, not felt in its stirrings. How, without the law, that is, the law not recognised, not con- sidered, not realized in the extent of its obligation, and, therefore, as if there was no law, St. Paul says, he was once alive, at one period without fear or apprehension from the sanctions of the law denounced against sin. Under this view we come to under- stand how it is, that when the commandment came, when the law of God was seen in the purity and extent of its precepts, sin revived and he died. Sin, before dormant and quiet, because not interrupted by positive prohibition, was thereby roused into active resistance, and showed by prevailing against the precept, that however holy, and just, and good the law was in itself, it was nevertheless powerless, weak through the flesh to subdue and conquer sin, and, therefore, could only confirm the death due to and denounced against it, and against him as under its power and dominion. In this experimental delineation of the awakenings of the Spirit we learn to understand, my brethren, in what sense the law is the strength of sin. How it comes to pass that prohibition actually increases the desire to transgress, and stirs up the carnal mind to resist the authority and the reason of the law, and the conscience and interest of the sinner. We are prepared to meet 76 SIN. the apostle in the question preceding the text, to perceive a pur- pose in the law itself which, otherwise, we should not have thought of, and thus to find the law our schoolmaster, to bring us to Christ for that grace, without which sin must continue its mastery over us ; shutting us out forever from God, and deliver- ing us over to his wrath. JVas, then, that ivhich is good made death unto me ? says the apostle. Was it the purpose of the law of God to increase our misery, by showing the utter hopeless- ness of fulfilling its requirements and escaping its penalty 1 God forbid. No. But sin, that it might appear sin, icorking death in me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful — that, being shown in its true colours by an express command against it, the guilt of its commission might be aggravated, and men, deterred from its hateful and ruinous practice, might be awakened to the danger, and drawn to the only remedy against its power, in the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The text being thus explained, in connexion with the context, and the apparent difficulty, from the manner of expression, removed, I will now proceed to enforce the weighty warning and instruction contained in it, by considering. First, the nature of sin. Secondly, the extent of its influence. Thirdly, the consequences both present and future ; and, then, Close with an application of the whole. I. First, I am to consider the nature of sin. Sin, in its nature, is opposition to God, actual hatred of and enmity to his purity and holiness. It must, therefore, be the chief evil, and, as such, the abhorrence of the Chief Good. No language can express it more truly, no delineation can describe it more exactly, or enable us to realize more fully its detestable qualities, in all the darkness of their malignity. Again, sin, in its nature, is an internal principle, seated in the heart. In this viewjf'sin is not so properly an act or series of actions, as a habit or disposition of the soul. We are told, indeed, in the word of God, that sin is the transgression of the law, and it is so most certainly ; but it is this in such wise, as the breach of SIN. 7T the law is conclusive evidence of the sinful principle existing within us. Sin and transgression stand to each other in the relation of cause and eftcct ; was there no sinful principle there would be no sinful practice. This may be illustrated by the principle which obtains in the administration of civil laws. In the case of unlawful killing, the overt act of murder is evidence of the malus animus, the malice aforethought, which constitutes the crime. In like manner of theft, profaneness, and any other forbidden act. Human laws, indeed, concern themselves mainly to repress the outward action, and when this is not committed, they have no operation. The divine law, on the contrary, takes cognizance of the intention, the disposition which gives birth to the action ; it most pointedly forbids and condemns the sinful act, but reserves a deeper condemnation for the hostile principle to God and goodness thereby mani- fested. Once more, sin in its nature is a unit, and is, therefore, independent of more or less in the outward evidences of its existence. It is not the number or the magnitude of transgres- sions which constitutes sin, these are only the evidences of the greater or less degree of the power it has over us. The princi- ple of opposition to God is as truly manifested by one as by one hundred trangressions, just as one murder as completely deter- mines the presence of malice, as any number could do ; not that the degree of guilt from one transgression, either in the sight of God or man, is as great as from many, but that it is sufficient evidence of the fact. And this is the ground and the reason of the Scripture declaration, whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. II. Secondly, I am to consider the extent of its influence. Alas ! my hearers, where, in the boundary of this poor world, shall we find the spot free from the influence of sin 1 We shift from place to place, we change occupation and pursuit, we flee to new and unexplored countries ; but we cannot escape from ourselves, — sin goes with us — we carry it in our hearts — it follows us like a shadow. Alas ! that it should be so favourite a companion. 78 SIN. Its influence, then, may be pronounced universal. To love it in some shape is the taint and infection it hath brought upon our nature ; to yield to its temptations, yea, to hunt out its short-lived perishing pleasures ; madly to pluck and eat this forbidden fruit is the pregnant evidence of its all-pervading presence. What stage of our being is free from its influence 1 Alas ! before we can fairly be considered accountable beings, its buds appear, its blossoms open, its fruit forms. It takes the start of reason, and, too often, it keeps the track. When reason, lagging behind, comes up, what can it do with this mighty foe, who holds the reins and drives the passions headlong to present enjoyment. Its powers are weakened, its perceptions dark- ened, its will perverted by the very adversary it has to hold in check ; it can see the good, but how to do it it finds not ; it may say, drive not so madly, but the law in the members is stronger than the law of the mind ; it may say stop, and stop it may in one direction, secure of another in which its influence, though less obvious, will be equally sure. Oh ! what a Proteus is this ever present enemy, even with the aid of divine revelation, by which all its deceits are exposed, all its dangers declared, and through which help is offered against this enemy. How feeble and powerless is this boasted defence against the influence of sin ? If this is not so, how comes it to pass that so many of those now before me, both men and women, who have reason, who have revelation, who have warning, are yet the servants of sin in some of its multifarious deceits ? Is there no opposition to God in the hearts of those who, instead of remembering their Creatoit in the days of their youth, rush into every folly and vanity which the world spreads before them, and drown the care of the soul in the vortex of dissipation 1 Is there no enmity to the purity and holiness of God in those who sow to the flesh, and, in the lusts of uncleanness and the brutishness of intempe- rance, set reason and religion both at defiance 1 Is there no mark of the carnal mind in those who cooly and decently labour and strive for a portion in this life ; good, orderly, moral, church or meeting going people — God not in all their thoughts — no fear of him before their eyes — no love of him in their hearts — who SIN. 79 never give an hour to his service beyond the heartless formality of a Sunday forenoon 1 Yea, even in the professing world, is there no seasoning of sin in drawing near to God with the lips while the heart is far from him — in conforming to the world — in narrowing duty — in neglect of prayer — in selfishness — in spiritual pride — in separations and divisions 1 Above all, what but the influence of sin can make professing parents negligent of the welfare of their children's spiritual concerns, or be content with a cold and occasional admonition 1 Oh ! loretched creatures that ice are ! who shall deliver us from the body of this death ? O, that I could hear the groan echoing from every heart : for there is deliverance, thanks be to God, there is deliverance from the reigning power of this tyrant ; but it is not in man ; it is not in any effort of his reason, nor in any exertion of his own fallen, sin-infected powers. God, even the Almighty, must put forth the might of a new creation to quicken us into life; the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, ivho was made sin for us that ice might be made the righteousness of God in him^ alone can stay the plague and create a new heart, and renew a right spirit within us : and the law of God with its eternal sanctions ; and the revelation of God with its precious promises ; and the love of Christ with its winning attractions, are all set forth with divine evidence, to awaken and encourage, and engage us to seek the help that is in him. Faith is the talisman which strips the mask from sin, snatches the reins from her maddening hand, and delivers them over to the Spirit of God, under whose holy discipline the power of sin is broken, the influence of sin is defeated ; old things are done away — a new life begins, and the 'path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Yet, mighty as is this help, freely as it is offered, and great as is our neces- sity, behold, once more, how great and how extended is the influence of sin. Let one hour pass, and where will these truths be which now fall so heavy on your consciences *? Let one week pass, and to how many of you, whose eyes are now cast down under the home truth of God's faithful word, shall I be as one that hath a pleasant voice and can play icell on an instrument, and that truth itself cast down under the dominion of 80 SIN. sin 1 Again, I say, Oh ! wretched men thai we are, who shall deliver us from the body of this death? That we may in earnest seek this deliverance, I will now con- sider and point out, as was proposed, III. Thirdly, the consequences of sin, both present and future. That to sin, pursued and followed in some shape by ourselves or others, we owe all the distresses and miseries of this life, is alike the witness of revelation and the result of experience. God has laid his curse upon sin, and sin, in the malignity of her revenge, transfers her curse upon man, the favoured creature of God. Fools and blind, that we are, to yield ourselves the servants of this deceiver, against knowledge, against warning, against experience, against help and means, freely provided and held forth, against the fear of hell and the hope of heaven. Broken health, ruined fortunes, misery and crime, are the bitter fruits with which sin repays her votaries in the present life. And, though there may be some who, to appearance, escape these consequences, and in success and enjoyment glitter above their fellow servants, yet are these but exceptions which confirm the general rule, and show more fearfully in the end, on what a slippery steep they stand ; for it is but for a season. Sooner or later the blast overtakes them, the sand gives way under them, their master deceives them and pays their faithful services with his only wages — shame and contempt, poverty and nakedness, remorse and despair, disease and death. But were outward calamity and suffering all we had to dread in yielding to the deceits of sin, though a dear price for its perish- ing gratifications, the folly and madness of the choice would not be so great ; there might be a sort of balance struck between the price and the purchase, as concerns the present life, and the arithmetic of the sinner would cast it up in his own favour. When, however, we must take into the account the inward misery that follows in the accusations of conscience, the gnaw- ings of guilt, the fear that hath torment, the anticipations of judgment, an offended God and a rejected Saviour, what is there in the utmost range of sinful enjoyment to balance this mental agony 1 Oh ! how gladly would the sufferer give it all back for one SIN. 81 moments ease, for a single hour of peace from the gnawings of the worm that never dies. But there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. There is yet another consequence of sin in the present life, my hearers, more common, more destructive, and not as much considered as it ought to be, which I will mention, and that is the effect produced by negligence and delay in forsaking the ways of sin. Now this is universally a deadening of the feelings, a hardening of the heart, a callousness of the conscience, almost hopeless to any religious impression. This is a condition more dangerous than even that of the outbreaking profligate sinner, inasmuch as the one may be alarmed and arrested by the very madness of his folly, while the other dreams on under the sleep of sin ; and as this is the case with the more orderly and decent part of society, who give some countenance to religion, but go no further, it is both more common and more destructive to souls than any other deceit. If I were to name the most general and destructive sin in my knowledge, I would at once name procrastination ; the putting off till to-morrow, the neglect of warnings — the being false to the voice of conscience. And as the very act is and ought to be full proof that we prefer sin, that sin reigns, no other con- sequence can follow, than deeper subjection to its power, and greater estrangement from God. What, let me ask this congre- gation of Christian people, ought to be the course of every one of them, under the information and grace of the gospel ] Ought they to sit still, folding their hands like the sluggard, and waiting passively to be converted 1 Ought they to continue in the active service of sin, in the miserable delusion of repenting here- after 1 Or ought every one of them to be up and doing now, while it is called to-day ; not conferring with flesh and blood, but breaking off their sins by repentance, and their iniquities by righteousness, labouring and striving to make their calling and election sure 1 Can one hour's delay in such a case be justified 1 And yet, who among you will act upon the verdict conscience now brings in against yourselves, before Goo the Judge 1 Alas ! alas ! that, turn which way we will, the influence of sin meets us, and casts its damning veil over truth and reason^ Vol. II.— 11 82 SIN. and conscience and revelation. But will this excuse us 1 No, my dear hearers, it will rather condemn us. For it is the very point heaven is in conflict with ; which Christ died to save us from, and which the grace of God is given us to overcome. Put forth an effort, then, against this enemy. With prayer for grace make trial of the means which God has provided ia Christ Jesus, and promised to bless. You owe it to the good- ness of God ; you owe it to the love of Christ ; you owe it to your own souls. For, says unchangeable truth, except ye repent ye shall perish, which is the future consequence of sin unrepented, unforsaken. That the enemy of God should be for ever shut out from his presence, we are prepared, by natural equity, to acknowledge and feel to be just. The sinner, then, continuing such, must surrender all hope of happiness hereafter. Yet sin the deceiver will whisper, be not afraid, God is merciful — Christ has died, you will escape somehow — at any rate you can repent here- after. That the rebel, lying at the mercy of Omnipotence, who rejects offered mercy, and spurns from him pardon and reward, deserves punishment in its severest form, our own sense of justice pronounces right. The sinner, then, continuing such, under the offered mercy, pardon, and grace of the gospel, passes his own sentence, and must go away into perdition by the judgment of his own lips. For to be for ever shut out from God, and endure the infliction of his wrath, is perdition ; yet the enemy of God and man will argue, as in the beginning,.j/e shall not surely die ; God will not punish a finite offence with an infinite punishment ; sin is not that hateful thing the ministers of Christ represent it, but a thing to be desired, which will add to your present happi- ness, enlarge the sphere of your knowledge, and extend your experience of life. And sits there the man before me whom the enemy has not encountered in this guise 1 Sits there the man or woman before me, who has not held this parley with sin, and yielded to this sophistry, and put forth the rebellious hand and plucked and eaten of this forbidden fruit ? And sits there, then, one before me who has not incurred the penalty denounced against sin by the law of God 1 — The soul that sinneth it shall die. SIN. 83 And what constitutes the death of the soul 1 Not extinction of being — the image of God's eternity must needs be immortal, it cannot die in that sense in which the moital body is resolved into its original dust. The death of the soul, then, niust consist in privation of that good for which it was formed, in suffering that evil which it has wilfully followed, and in enduring that punishment which is set forth in the torments of endless despair and everlasting burnings, loliere the icorm dieth not and thejire is not quenched. Now, my friends, have you ever tried to realize perdition under any shape 1 Have you ever reflected on an eternity of suffering, measured in its degree only by the unlimited power of Omni- potence, and in its duration, by the capacity of an immortal soul, in a body rendered imperishable to this very end ? O, if you never have, let what has now been said awaken you to the solemn meditation, and lead you to a profitable apphcation of this warning, and of the deliverance within your reach. To the conscience, to the reason, to the experience, then, of every soul now present let me appeal. Is this testimony of God's word, a true and faithful witness on the subject before us 1 Do reason, and experience, and con- science, all unite in confirming this to be the true condition of fallen man — carnal, sold under sin. Are we all conscious of a law in our members, \oarring against the law of our minds ? Have we the experience, that when we ivould do good evil is present with us ? Do we not see the good, and approve of the good, and yet find not how to do it ? And is not this sufficient to convince us that there is an enemy within, which must be dispossessed before the divine image can be renewed in our hearts 1 Is it not of sufficient weight to interest and engage every being capable of thought, in this spiritual contest 1 Awake, then, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Awake, and look thy condition in the face. Be no longer blinded by the deceitfulness of sin, but learn the full extent of this mighty undoing — that Jesus Christ, and him crucified, may be the anchor of hope to thy soul. He came to put away sin by the sacrifice of him- self. He came to purchase mercy and grace for sinners penitent 84 SIN. and believing. He came to destroy death, and him that had the power of death, and having finished the vi^ork he had under- taken for us men, and for our salvation, he calls to the ends of the earth, to come unto him and be saved. To-day, then, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Think not lightly of that vi^hich cost the Son of God his life, to stay the sentence gone forth against it, and purchase a reprieve for sinners. Trifle not with the mortal disease which rankles in every fibre of soul and body with the contagion of eternal death — but come to the great physician of souls, who alone can arrest its progress and deprive it of its virulence. Come to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness in the blood of Christ, which taketh away the sins of the world. Come to the grace of the gospel, which renews the heartand reforms the life. Hear his faithful promise — sin shall not have dominion overy you — and let it impart strength to the sin-sick soul, to pray and not to faint. Hear his awful threatening — As for these mine enemies, ivho would not have me to reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before my face; and let it startle every delaying, parleying sinner, to count the cost at which he is trifling with eternity. 0 that they were wise, that they understood this, that they loould consider their latter end' Merciful God unstop their ears, unclose their eyes, take the veil from their hearts, that they may learn the things which make for their peace, before they are for ever hid from their eyes, and iniquity prove their everlasting ruin. % SERMON VIII. SIN AND DEATH. Romans v. 12. " Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Had heavenly wisdom never declared it to us, the cause of that sin and misery here, and of that eternal condemnation here- after, to which we are all liable, my hearers, must for ever have remained hid from us, and aggravated the sufferings of time, by the hopelessness of any relief from them, even by the release of death. And it is but to consider the close connexion of what is revealed with our original inward impressions — the bear- ing it has upon our actual condition, and the universal relief it administers to our most pressing anxieties, to endear to our hearts the comfortable and blessed light which the gospel sheds over the dreary scene of this prison-house of sinners. I say universal relief, for even the sinner himself, though at war with God and the word of his grace, yet by a perversion without a parallel, takes comfort, from the discoveries therein made, against the horror and despair which must otherwise haunt every moment of cool reflection. And I appeal to the law written in the heart of every sinner present, whether he is not thereby condemned already ; and to the knowledge which his education in a Christian land has given him of Jesus Christ, whether he makes him not the minister of sin, by a loose, inconsiderate expectation, that notwithstanding his heart condemns him, and the law of God condemns him, and the gospel of Christ con- demns him, yet somehow or another, God's mercy will excuse and acquit him at the judgment of the great day. If this be true — and I fear not the answer that can be given to it — it confirms the leading truth of revelation, set forth in my text, of the fallen, ruined condition of our nature, of the 86 SIN AND DEATH. misery of our state, as aliens from God, and enemies to his purity and holiness, and of the hopelessness of our prospects from any thing in ourselves. For surely that person who sees the good, yet finds not how to do it, who does the evil which the law of his own mind and the law of God alike condemn him for, and, in such circumstances, turns with contempt and disgust from the offer of grace and mercy procured for him hy the merits of another, must have lost the original character impressed on him by his Creator. Could this be doubted, the prevalence of the self-righteous principle in fallen man would confirm it ; than which, the pride which ruins us, never sent forth a more destructive scion — for it consists in that presumptuous sense of his own worthiness, of the goodness of his heart, of the moral rectitude of his hfe, which betrays the sinner into meeting the requirements of God's holy law, without a shield from that infinite justice which demands, for every infraction of its purity, the tremendous vindi- cation of eternal death. And it is at once a curious, instructive, and humbling exercise, to trace the workings of it in the heart, to consider how it prevails by the flattery of its approaches • how it wards off or disarms the testimony of the sinner's own heart to the guilt of his life, balancing many directly sinful actions by one or more real virtues or amiable traits of consti- tutional character. It is true, will it say, you are profane in your ^conversation, but it is only habit, there is no malignity in your heart ; you are lewd in your conduct, but you are just in your dealings and true to your word ; you doubt whether you love God, but you show that you do so in the best sense, for you are friendly, liberal, and humane — you are charitable to the poor, and charity, you know, covers the multitude of sins. There is no occasion for uneasjness if persons of your correct deportment are in danger of damnation. Who, then, can be saved 1 And thus are thousands content to be hoodwinked by the ruinous sophistry, that because they are not the veriest profligates that disgrace human nature, they are, therefore, in a safe way of salvation, and this in the very teeth of the misgivings of their own hearts, that all is not right for eternity. SIN AND DEATH. 87 But should these misgivings of mind be happily of a deeper and more hopeful nature, so as not to suffer them to rest satis- fied with such commonplace defences ; this evil spirit has still further resources of the same description. Should the sinner really admit that he is such, it can tell him that we are all sinners in the sight of God ; that as fallen creatures we cannot be otherwise ; that God does not expect or require perfection from such; that he has given his Son Jesus Christ to atone for our sins, and supply all the deficiencies of our frail and imperfect endeavours ; that he only requires us to be sorry for our sins, to confess them, and trust in him for the pardon of them. And thus do multitudes stifle the convictions of a better spirit, and settle down upon the sandy foundation of their own righteousness, as far as it will go, and the mercy of God, with or without Jesus Christ, as it happens, for the balance. But, all this while, what God himself hath declared is unheeded ; his acknowledged word lies unopened, unconsulted ; his clear and express testimony that there is salvation for the race of Adam only in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom God hath made to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness 0/ God in him, and that the justice of God can no otherwise harmonize with his mercy, in the justification even of a penitent sinner, than as that sinner is found united in Christ by a living faith, is wholly diregarded. Now let me ask this congregation of Christian people, do not those who thus act under the known and dread alternative of eternal glory or everlasting misery, set their seal to the truth of the doctrine contained in my text, and demonstrate, not merely the fact as revealed in the word of God, but the desperate and deceitful nature of the malady under which we all labour, and from which a h^eavenly physician alone can recover us. But as they that are whole, or think themselves so, can hardly be persuaded to apply to the means of help and healing, and as no danger is so great as that which really impends over us, but is neither seen or regarded, I shall endeavour, with God's good help and blessing, so to apply the text as to demonstrate from the express declarations of God's word, from the confessions and acknowledgments of all holy men in all ages, and from the 88 SIN AND DEATH. actual condition of all present, that there is nothing in us to warrant our meeting the judgment of God in our righteousness, or to propitiate his favour for our sins and imperfections. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the loorld and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned. I. First, the express declarations of God's word. The Holy Ghost who inspired the writing of the Scriptures of our faith, is in nothing more earnest than to do away all occasion for pride and vain glory in the creature. And this, 1 am persuaded, from the knowledge that of all our other vices, it is the most deeply rooted in human nature, and the most ruinous to our souls. The book of God, accordingly, abounds with most pointed lessons against the fatal consequences of this inveterate principle, and to teach us that humility which is the only entrance to all-saving knowledge, sets before us the lowly original of our nature. The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground. And when sin had deprived him of the image of God impressed upon this dust ; when rebellion had driven him out from the presence of his Maker, condemned to toil and labour, exposed to sorrow and suffering, disease and death, his sentence was so expressed as to remind him, would he but hear it, of his lowly origin. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the ground : for out of it wert thou taken : for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return. Here, as in a glass, my friends, we may see our humble origin, and learn how much lower sin hath degraded us ; here we may understand that pride was not made for man ; that however rich or great, or noble or wise, it is in fact but earth and dust in its short progress to dust again ; that however fair or beauteous or lovely, it is but a clod of the valley clothed with flowers, which shall wither and fade like the grass of the field ; and that however imposing the exterior may be, if not quickened and renewed by the Spirit of Christ, the greatest and the fairest among us is not only the prey of death but outcast from God and fuel for everlasting burnings. But it is in the effect of sin upon the soul that the word of God is most express in pointing out its deadly consequences — that it separated it for ever from all communion and intercourse with its maker — that it obliterated every divine and heavenly SIN AND DEATH. 89 impression stamped on it by its Creator, when it came forth at his bidding very good, to inhabit the body prepared for it ; and though immortal in its nature, became so depraved and pervert- ed as to relish only the perishing delights of time and sense. Hear the witness of the Spirit of God to this humbling truth. God saw that the toickedness of man ivas great in the earthy and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart loas only evil con- tinually. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth ^was filled withviolence; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. Every one of them is gone back, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doeth good, no not one. There is no fear of God before their eyes. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself, but I will reprove thee, and set thy wickedness in order before thine eyes. Thus, before the flood, and under the Old Testament dispensation after it, is there one unvarying testimony to the inherent depra- vity of fallen man ; and the history we have of his conduct, both in the Scriptures and elsewhere, prove that it is a true and faith- ful witness. But, is there no difference, it may be asked, under the gospel, under the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ ? Alas ! no. He is yet the same creature, sprung from the same cor- rupt root, and brings with him into the world the same mortal taint and infection. Hear him who knew what is in man, and poured out his soul unto death to redeem him from eternal death. There is none good but one, that is God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of GoD,/or they are foolishness unto him, neither can he knoiv them, because they are spiritually discerned^ Jill have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Now let me ask, are these the true sayings of God % If they are, their influence is this moment at work in this congregation, and the spirit of every self-righteous sinner present rises against them, and is contriving to elude the verdict Vol. n.— 13 90 SIN AND DEATH. of conscience in their favour. But you do it at your peril, for it proves the very point I am striving to bring home to your hearts. O that God would be pleased to open them, that the truth may not prove the savour of death unto death. It may be said, however, that these are allegorical expressions, not to be taken according to the strictness of the letter, but with the necessary allowances for the florid and figurative style of Eastern writings. But in such case of what value or authority would the Scriptures be as the fixed and only rule of faith and practice 1 Who does not see that on this principle all depend- ance on Scripture is done away. Heaven and hell may be an allegory, as well as these revolting but saving truths. To try this subterfuge of unbelief, pride, and self-righteousness by the only safe rule, let us, in the II. Second place, hear the confessions and acknowledgments of all holy men in all ages. To begin with Job, who certainly confided more in the right- eousness of his life, for the assurance of God's favour, than could be allowed under the light of the gospel. What is the testimony of this approved man to this point, Hoio should man be just with God ] If he iv'dl contend icith him he cannot answer him one of a thousand, how much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him whom though I loere right- eous yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. If I justify myself mine own mouth shall condemn me : if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. Though I were perfect yet would I not know my soul, I would despise my life. If I wash myself with snow water and make my hands never so clean, yet shall thou plunge me in the ditch and mine own clothes shall abhor me. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? JVof one. How, then, can man be justified xcith God ? Or hoio can he he clean that is born of a tooman ? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not, yea^ the stars are not pure in his sight, hoio much less man, that is a worm, and the son of man which is a worm ? And at the close of his trial when it pleased God to turn his mourn- ing into rejoicing, and make a clearer manifestation of himself to his righteous servant, what was the effect 1 Deeper humiliation and self-abasement. / have heard of thee by the hearing of the SIN AND DEATH. 91 mr, but now mine eye seeth thee, icherefore, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. What is the confession of David, the man after God's own heart, an inspired prophet, and a type of the Messiah : Behold I loas shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Who can tell hoio oft he offendeth. O cleanse thou me from my secret faults. Enter not into judgment with thy servant, 0 Lord /or in thy sight shall no man living be justified. What acknowledgment doth Daniel make in this behalf — a man whom his very enemies admitted they could find no occa- sion against, unless they found it concerning the law of his God. 0 Lord the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his command- ments, we have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy pre- cepts and thy judgments. What saith .Tohn the Baptist, who was more than a prophet, and sanctified with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. 1 have need to be baptised of thee, and contest thou to me ? What is St. Paul's confession ? / know that in me divelleth no good thing. And though he could say, that touching the righteous- ness which is in the law, that is, the outward morality of his hie, he was blameless — yet what things were gain to me, says he, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all ihingSj and do count them but dung, that I may icin Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law but that lohich is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. What is the acknowledgment of St. John, the beloved disciple 1 If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us ; if tve say that we have not sinned, ive make him a liar, and his word is not in us. And what is the confession of every true Christian from that day to this ] JVot by ivorks of righteousness which ice have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. Now, then, let me ask, is there any thing allegorical or figura- 92 SIN AND DEATH. five in these plain and direct confessions of sin, original and actual, and of the utter worthlessness of every thing that can be done by a fallen, imperfect creature, to propitiate and please a just and perfect God. No, it is matter of fact and of expe- rience, as is ready to be testified by every Christian present. How, then, shall those escape who resist such conclusive testi- mony, and refuse a righteousness perfect and complete, pro- vided for them by the mercy of God, in Christ Jesus. O flee to the strong hold ye prisoners of hope — tarry not in the plain, however pleasant it may appear — and look not behind you, neither turn back to gather up the filthy rags of your own righteousness — they will but encumber your flight, and mar your progress to the city of refuge. III. For, thirdly, the actual condition of all present is such as to prove beyond dispute, that in our own righteousness we can- not stand the severity of God's judgment. To satisfy you on this point, let us first consider what that God is, whom we have thus to meet. Now can any of you, even the wisest among you, tell me any thing of his nature and attributes, by a knowledge of your own 1 How, then, are we to know any thing of him, unless by revelation 1 And what, in this respect, says the true and faithful witness, who was with him from the beginning, and hath plainly showed us of the Father 1 Pure, holy, perfect, and unchangeable ; who cannot behold iniquity, or look upon sin with the least degree of allowance — yet gracious and merciful, compassionate and long-suffering — not willing that any should perish. Do you require a proof of his hatred of sin. Behold him exacting from his only Son, as our representative, the penalty due to it, as the sole condition of its pardon. Do you want one of his loving kindness and tender mercy *? Behold it in his so loving the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. But what is sin ] Sin is the transgression of the unchangeable law of this pure and holy being, in any of its literal or spiritual requirements. Cursed is every one that continueth not, in all things loritten in the Book of the Law^ to do them. And now let us all view ourselves in the glass of this Holy SIN AND DEATH. 93 Law — do we perfectly fulfil either of the two great command- ments, into which all the others are resolvable, in the love of God and our neighbour 1 Do we love the glorious God and Father of the spirits of all flesh, with all our heart, and soul, and strength, without abatement or intermission 1 Do we love our neighbour as ourselves 1 Has selfishness, hatred, or envy no part in us 1 If to neither of these we can answer a word, but must all lay our hands upon our mouths, what possible ground can there be for the self-righteous delusion, under which so many are posting to the consuming fire of God's righteous judgment. But it will be said, God does not now require perfect unsinning obedience from us. What "? God not require perfect obedience from those who proudly stand in their own righteousness'? Why, what saith the law ] The man that doeth these things shall live by them. But what if he doeth them not? The soul that sinnethit shall die. But to come a little closer yet. Have you com- mitted one sin ; have you taken the name of God in vain, have you profaned his day of holy rest and privileged worship 1 Have you given way to hatred or revenge, have you defrauded or exacted, have you lusted or coveted, and this even in thought ; what becomes of you 1 Where is your boasted righteousness 1 But we repent of our sins, and are sorry for them, you will say. But I say, that without faith in Christ you do a needless work, and one that will profit you nothing ; for there is no room left for repentance in the law itself ; nor, from the very nature of the thing, can there be provision of mercy, in favour of the violater of it, in any law, divine or human. Such a provision would nullify it as a law, and invite to the breach of what it for- bids. Mercy and means to undo wrong must be sought for elsewhere. But did not Christ die for us, and redeem human nature from the curse under which it laboured 1 Yes. Blessed be the merciful God, who freely delivered him for us all — that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. But let me ask, does the name of Christ act like a charm, and save those who never have recourse to it, as set forth in the gospel — who are such righteous, good sort of people, that they do not need his interposition but in part t Oh ! what a cruel and 94 SIN AND DEATH. desperate disease, is this deep-rooted and wide-spread propensity in our fallen nature, to be in whole or in part our own saviours. How does it cast contempt on the gospel of our salvation, and make the blood of Christ a needless thing? How does it bar up the door of our hearts, against the entrance of that convic- tion of our sinful, lost, and undone condition, which alone makes Christ precious to the believer ? How does it stupify, and stifle, and drown the wholesome convictions of the Holy Spirit, as belonging only to the very profligates of our race 1 Did it not thus act on the self-righteous Pharisees, my hearers, who rejected the preaching, both of John and of our Saviour, while the Publicans and harlots pressed into the kingdom of God before them '? Oh ! how many estimable persons — how many dear and precious souls are dreaming out their day of grace, under this delusion — turning aside the arrows of God's true and faithful word, and crying peace, peace, lohen there is no peace. How many are indolently resting on the general proclamation of the gospel, for mercy with God, through Jesus Christ, who have not even taken the first step towards securing that mercy, by professing his religion, confessing his name before men, and par- taking of the ordinances he hath appointed in his Church, who are in fact, afraid and ashamed of the self-denials these things draw after them, but never think of the awful threatening — Whosoever shall be asharned of me and my words, in an adul- terous and sinful generation, of him will I he ashamed before my Father and the Holy Angels. O thou, who art thus sleeping, awake, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Hear him calling to the ends of the earth to come unto him, and be saved. Hear him declaring, that whosoever cometh unto him, he will in no wise cast out. Be no longer faithless, but believing — for unto thee is the word of this salvation sent. But come as a sinner, for he also declares that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance — for the sick only have need of the physician. And let not the plain and unadorned manner in which I have endeavoured to set before you the mortal disease, under which we all labour, my hearers, revolt you against the wholesome warning. To speak smooth things, and to prophesy deceits, SIN AND DEATH. 95 might please more, perhaps, for the little hour you were listen- ing ; but what, then, becomes of your souls and my own 1 How deep and loud would your curses be upon me, when together we shall prove the truth or falsehood of this doctrine, in the great day of Eternity ; but how much deeper the curse of God upon my soul, for healing the hurt of the daughters of his people slightly; and, as the Lord's watchman, failing to warn the wicked from his way. God being my helper, your blood shall not be required at my hand. I might, indeed, have set before you the rich mercy of God in Christ Jesus to his creatures, or I might have expatiated upon the joys and glories which await the righteous in the presence of God, and been to you as the sound of one who has a pleasant voice and can play loell upon an instrument. But such is our miserable condition, that until con- vinced that we need mercy we spurn the offer : and the glories of heaven are prepared for those only who, hj faith, are made the righteousness of God in him whom God hath made to be sin for us ; for those who, born from above, bring forth the fruits of their heavenly birth, in all hohness of life and godliness of conversation, and overcoming the world by faith in the Son of God, shall be accounted worthy to sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb. But to this the righteousness of the crea- ture is an insuperable bar, and as surely excludes from the Paradise of God as the flaming sword of the cherubim kept the way of the tree of life from our fallen first parents. Suffer, then, the word of exhortation ; take its leading truth to your private meditations and prayers ; bring it to the law and to the testimony in the word of life ; and may that light which is the life of men shine into your hearts and guide you to light and glory eternal. And you, my Christian brethren, who know and confess that in the Lord only have we righteousness and strength, whose con- stant cry is, not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy great name be given the glory and the praise ; cease not to strive together in your prayers to God, for these, your brethren, and with them in your lives— letting your light so shine before men that all may take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus. Strengthen not the self-righteous delusion under which 96 SIN AND DEATH. they labour, by such conformity to the world, in any of its pur- suits or pleasures, as shall bring down the difference between you to a mere name. Alas the day ! when a Christian has to sound a trumpet before him, to tell what he is ; for though it is no excuse to them, yet is it a reproach to that holy name by the which ye are called, and strengthens the unbelief of those who seek occasion against the gospel. Remember that it is not cry- ing Lord, Lord, that will open the gate of eternal life to you, but the doing the will of your father which is in heaven. Remem- ber that feelings and fervours are not fruits, and that every tree which beareth not good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Let your fruit, then, be unto holiness that the end may be ever- lasting life. Now the God of peace, that brovght again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. SERMON IX. DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIN. Hebrews iii. 13, last clause. " Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." The words immediately connected with my text, are the ibllowing : — Take heed, brethren, lest there be, in any of you, an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, ivhile it is called to-day ; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. We learn from them, that all sin is a departure from the living God — a separation of ourselves from his service because we prefer another master. That this separation from God, in becoming the servants of sin, proceeds from unbelief — from the want of a serious and full persuasion of the heart, that the promises and threatenings of Almighty God, revealed in his word, are actually his fixed and unchangeable purpose. And it is called an evil heart of unbelief, because it is a wilful rejection of the plainest declarations and most undeniable testimony that can be made and given; nothing being more certain than that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unright- eousness of men, and that this revelation is in our hands by the gospel. Against this the apostle cautions Christians to take heed, that is, to be on their guard, for themselves, and to exhort each other continually, as against a danger very artful and insidious in its commencement and progress, and most destruct- ive in its consequences. A common danger and a common duty, therefore, my breth- ren, will engage us all, I trust, in exertions for the common benefit. For the direction here given is the same in substance with the old commandment — Thou shalt in any loise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him ; and is, in the truest and Vol. II.— 13 98 DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIN. highest sense, a fulfilling of the new commandment — Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself. That we may the better understand the ground and reason of this duty, I will endeavour to exjDlain, First, what is meant by being hardened in sin. Secondly, I will point out what are the causes of men's growing hardened in sin. Thirdly, I will show how insufficient these causes are to excuse their guilt. Lastly, I shall enforce the obligation of my text upon Christians, to mutual encouragement and assistance in working out their salvation. Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. I. First, to explain what is meant by being hardened in sin. Being hardened in sin undoubtedly means, in this connexion^ the being shut up and concluded under the power and dominion of sin, or, as it is otherwise expressed, the being given over to a reprobate mind ; and it is against this awful condition, as the final result of sin indulged and persisted in, that the apostle utters his warning. Hence we learn, my friends, that there is a progression in the finally impenitent character, increasing in danger and malignity as we continue to disregard the warnings and admonitions of the word of God, of our friends, and of our consciences; and we also learn, that the inevitable consequence of sin persisted in, is the destruction of the moral sense and of all hope or capacity of salvation. But as there are degrees or grades in this hardening, it is against these, in every stage, that we are exhorted to be on our guard, and to caution one another. Of these degrees, a thoughtless yet criminal unconcern on the subject of religion is the lowest; it is also the most frequent; and if not arrested by serious reflection, by the admonition of friends, or by some startling Providence, continues gradually to plunge men deeper into unbelief In such persons we may remark a strange inattention to every thing connected with religion, a disregard of the clearest evidence and arguments ui favour of it, and a prodigality of youth, of health, and fortune, in the dissipations or pursuits of the worldj as if they had not times DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIN. 99 even if they had the inclination, to listen to any thing in behalf of their souls. This primarily thoughtless unconcern, however^ is, before long, succeeded by a perverseness of temper which not only neglects but resents admonition, and may be considered as the next stage in the process of hardening. The deceitful influence of sin has gradually overcome that levity of mind which distin- guishes the youthful novice in the ways of vice, and trained him up to regard whatever is opposed to his course as an enemy ; and here begins that strain of infidel objection to revelation, that proud entertainment of doubt as to its truth, certainty, and importance, which disfigures so many minds evidently intended for better things, and is so fruitful in gaining proselytes from less gifted but equally passion-driven followers of the flesh and of the mind. The word of God, they well know, is unrelentingly opposed to all that they delight in. It must, therefore, be invalidated in some way, and, to the love of sin, my hearers, we owe every effort against the Scriptures. Never was there yet an infidel, but from the love of sin in some of its many deceits. From this state of opposition to truth and reason the progress is rapid to the last stage of hardness and impenitency. To that fixed love of what is directly immoral, that aversion to every thing of a religious nature, that stubborn, callous disposition, which is alike impenetrable to the fear or the favour of Almighty God, which is described in Scripture as having tlie understanding darkened and the mind blinded ; as being past feelings and repro- bate to every good work; as given over to vile affections, to work all uncleanness with greediness ; as being sold under sin. This it is to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, according to the Scriptural meaning of that expression, and as we have instances of this wretched condition continually before our eyes, not only in actual outbreaking wickedness, but in the equally fatal influence of some master sin, occupying the heart against God, nothing further needs be said either to point it out or to explain it. II. Secondly, I am to point out to you the causes of men's growing hardened in sin. The first cause or occasion of our being drawn into sin is, our IGO DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIN. natural frailty and the temptations to which we are exposed. The one is the consequence of our fallen condition ; the other is a necessar}' attendant on a state of trial. It is the allurement of temptations from without and of passions from within, there- fore, which, properly speaking, form the deceitfulness of sin. Deceit, we all know, is the promise, in some way, of enjoyment or advantage, which is not made good ; and in this view sin is the completest deception that ever was played off upon rational beings. For in its very highest attainments there is no perpe- tuity, and even what gratification there is, is sooner or later fol- lowed by disappointment, suffering, and remorse. We are surrounded by various enticements to evil, and the weakness of our fallen nature and the wilfulness of inordinate desire is too prone to comply with them. The oftener we do so the more do we increase their strength ; the less able and the less willing do we become to resist them. Custom in sin silences the conscience, habit becomes inveterate, so that, as the Scrip- ture expresses it, we cannot cease from sin, till at length we may truly be said to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, deluded by it and besotted to it, stupidly regardless of our real good, deaf to admonition, impatient of restraint. The next cause of men's continuing in sin, is the custom of the world and the frequency of example. Experience teaches us, my hearers, that the oftener we com- mit any sin ourselves, or see it committed by others, the more indifferent does it grow to us ; we are too quickly accustomed to it, and, in no long time, shake off that fear and alarm which all, more or less, feel at first. We become familiarized to sin ; it is a school in which we are apt scholars and take our degrees with great applause. This miserable delusion is encouraged in various ways — evil communications corrupt good manners : but the most common is, the strange notion that the evil is not great because we are no worse than our neighbours, perhaps not so bad as some of them ; as if the being countenanced by com- panions could lessen guilt, or the number of criminals either decrease crime or lighten its punishment. Hence it comes to pass, that whatever offence against the law of God is most com- mon is least censured, while another no less sinful and blame- DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIN. 101 worthy, is marked with infamy only because less frequent and less familiar. A third means of becoming- hardened in sin is, a false and unscriptural notion of the mercy of God. This, my brethren and hearers, is, undoubtedly, the most fertile delusion which Satan ever invented to deceive rational beings to their ruin. Clemency and compassion form so con- spicuous a part of the character of the Deity, as revealed to us, that we are apt to forget his other attributes ; and this is increas- ed by the propensity of our nature to consider as actually such, what we greatly desire should be so. In such case temptation finds us more than half overcome, our fallen nature is on the side of the enemy ; and when this is encouraged by the hope of impunity, sin prevails to the establishment of its dominion over us. "The wish is father to the thought." and we are soon persuaded to risk even eternity on so slender a foundation ; and I am sure that I have only to appeal to the hearts of all present for the proof of this powerful cause of men's becoming hardened in sin. In the fourth place, we become hardened in sin by faint, irre- solute, procrastinated promises and purposes of amendment. Next to unauthorized trust in God's mercy this that I have just mentioned is the great betrayer of the souls of men into a state of confirmed sinfulness; and the reason is perfectly obvi- ous. There is a close connexion between guilt and uneasiness of mind. The sinner, until thoroughly hardened, feels and betrays this uneasiness, and to escape from it he resorts to the compromise of future repentance ; thus lulling and blinding his conscience while the enemy is daily drawing closer around him those cords of everlasting misery and despair which await the sinner who thus trifles with the awakenings of the Holy Spirit and the long suffering mercy and revealed wrath of Almighty God. Lastly, that which completes the hardening power of sin, and shows that it has full dominion over body and soul, is, denying religion, scoffing at its sanctions, and becoming advocates for infidelity. When men have lived in such a manner that they have every 102 DANGER OP BEING HARDENED IN SIN. thing to fear and nothing to hope from religion, their only resource is to treat it as a forgery — to give importance to every objection against it — that they may obtain some present relief against the remembrance of those sins, which yet they are determined not to forsake. And herein, my brethren and hearers, is showed the concluding power of sin persisted in, to harden the heart and close up every avenue to pardon and peace. The religion of the gospel denounces the wrath of God, for ever, against sin ; and, at the same time, offers to the sinner the means of escape from this unalterable curse. This the resolved sinner knows — throughout his whole course of rebellion against God it has repeatedly been pressed upon him — but he would not hear ; and in the last struggle of the Holy Spirit with him for his soul, it is again presented to his thoughts. But so harden- ed has he become, that the only medicine which can heal him is rejected, is scoffed at, and vilified as a cheat and imposition — as a contrivance of priestcraft, to deprive men of their liberty, and make them the slaves and the dupes of superstition and fraud. As St. Jude expresses it — Clouds they are ivithout water, carried about of winds ; trees whose fruit withereth, tvithout fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots ; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame ; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. III. Thirdly, I am to show you how insufficient these causes are to excuse their guilt. Nothing is more frequently or freely resorted to, as an excuse for sin, than our natural frailty and the strength of temptation. But, that it forms no reasonable justification of transgression will abundantly apj)e.ar fi )m the following considerations. No single instance can be inentioned in which we are under the necessity of following any passion or inclination, beyond its lawful bounds. Whatever the temptation may be, every man must be conscious that he has power over the outward act, at the least ; and, therefore, giving way to temptation, especially at the beginning, is a voluntary act. Indeed, until the conscience has become deadened by the effects of sin, no man ever commits a wicked or even a foolish action without wishing he had not DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIN. 103 done it, and condemning himself for so doing, which proves his consciousness that he had power to refrain from it, and that he ought to have exerted it, Again, it is the result of observation and experience, that men are restrained from many crimes by the laws of their coun- try, by respect for particular characters, by the fear of disgrace, and the dread of present punishment. Now this undeniably shows, that no necessity to sin is laid upon any man, and, there- fore, that all wickedness is voluntary, and justly charged as our own act. Once more, admitting the most that can be desired in excuse for sin from the frailty of our nature and the power of tempta- tion, it will avail us nothing before our judge, because he has provided and offered the assistance of liis grace to supply our weakness, in the strength whereof all temptation is powerless. If, therefore, we neglect or refuse to apply for this help, we are doubly guilty, not only guilty of the sinful act, but guilty of slighting that offered and effectual help through which tempta- tion could have been resisted and overcome. Let no man, therefore, pretend to excuse his sin by the strength of the temptation which led to it. God will not suffer us to be tempted beyond the provision he has made for us to resist it. Therefore, if we yield we dishonour God, both by distrusting and disobeying him ; if we can withstand temptation in some cases, we may in all; if human laws can control sinful actions, much more ought the laws of God to hold them in subjection ; if the presence of an earthly superior can control and check the vicious and the profligate in their behaviour, the consideration that the eye of heaven is continually upon us, ought to be a much more powerful restraint upon rational beings ; if the laws and the judges, and the prisons, and the gibbets of this world are of force to deter criminals from their evil works, what should be the restraining power of the law, and the judge, and the prison, and the sentence, and the execu- tion of eternity ] Oh ! what an audacious criminal is the gospel sinner, who wilfully sets at nought both the fear of man and the power of God. 104 DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIN. Equally unfounded is the excuse made for sin, from the custom of the world and the frequency of bad example. If the guilt of sin decreased in the ratio that the numbers committing sin increased, there would be some sense and reason *n giving way to such a course. Indeed, it would be the interest of every man to hasten into sin, in order to reduce the amount .as low as possible ; but as such an imagination is a complete absurdity, so is the excuse for sin, from custom and example, as complete a folly. Sin can neither lose its character nor be separated from its consequences by combinations in its favour, any more than the plague can become less dangerous and mortal in proportion as those infected with it increase in number. Again, if fellowship in suffering lessened the pain of individual torment, the folly of deriving encouragement to sin, or of feeling quiet and unconcerned under the practice of it, from the custom and example of the world, would be less intolerable. But when reason and experience both convince us that it is not so, when the analogy of present pain certifies to our senses, that indi- vidual anguish is in no degree mitigated by one or by one hundred others suffering at 'ihe same time, or in the same manner with ourselves ; this dangerous deceit of sin should be abandoned as a snare to our souls. And further, if the fallacy that numbers in the same condem- nation will have a favourable effect on the sentence of the judge, has found any place in our thoughts, it ought at once to be abandoned, when we reflect that God hath no need of the sinful man, and has solemnly declared, that though hand join in hand yet shall not the wicked go unpunished. In like manner, my brethren and hearers, of that most exten- sive delusion in favour of the deceitfulness of sin, unfounded reliance upon the mercy of God, which is exactly what St. Paul describes by continuing in sin that grace may abound. It is undoubtedly a ground of the most solid comfort to know, that the world is under the government of a wise, omnipotent, and good being, tvhose tender mercies are over all his works ; but as a bad use may be made of the best things, and the plainest truths may be perverted or misapplied, we should be very careful DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIN. 105 not to deceive ourselves by wrongly considering the divine perfections. To confine the Deity to one single attribute, or what is the same thing, to exalt one in such wise as to supersede the exercise of the others in his dealings with his creatures, is to deprive him of that without which he could neither be a wise governor or a righteous judge. Rewards and punishments are equally necessary in the government of moral creatures ; we are sensible of their good effects in the present life, and must believe them equally necessary as regards the life that is to come. A righteous God must punish the wicked, or be unjust to himself and to the righteous. The vindication of his truth requires it, as well as the honour of his holy law, broken by sinners ; besides, how unlimited soever we conceive his mercy to be, still it has its rule in the application. It can, therefore, only be applied to capable subjects, and as impenitent sinners are not of that number, they can never taste of it. The mercy of God is revealed for our comfort and encouragement; its object is, to lead us to repentance, not to confirm us in sin ; and unless it produces this effect, it will but the more deeply condemn us. It was purchased by the blood of Christ, poured out upon the cross, and it is revealed that God may be feared and not sported with. The folly and unreasonableness, of putting off till some future time, that repentance and amendment of life, which is indis- pensable to pardon of sin and acceptance with God, will be evident, I trust, from the following considerations : The intention to repent and amend the life at some future time, is an acknowledgment, that in whole or in part, it is at present wrong, and contrary to the known will of God. To delay, then, is, of set purpose, wilfully and deliberately to affront the Almighty, by professing to intend that, which nevertheless, we do not mean to comply with. In truth, for the time reserved, it is an unqualified preference of sin, incompatible with any sincere intention of ever forsaking it, and as such, a most fre- quent cause of being given over to hardness of heart. For, if it be necessary and right to repent and amend, it can never be either necessary or right, to put off so important a work. If sin be justly liable to the wrath of God, it must be the more so Vol. II.— U 106 DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIK. the longer it is persisted in. If repentance is now irksome to think of and difficult to commence, will it not become more irk- some and difficult through the inveterate power of sin, more and more confirmed by delay '? May not God be provoked to cut you off, and death overtake you and prevent your purpose, even if it be real 1 Now all this is very possible, and very dreadful to think of; yet it has happened to thousands, and there is no reason can be given, nor any assurance offered, why it may not happen to every delaying sinner present, who is in this wise parleying with destruction. As to the last resort of the resolved sinner, in renouncing religion and becoming the advocate of infidelity, words are insuffi- cient to express the greatness of his folly. For by this he com- i^letcly shuts the door against hope for ever, there being hope for the sinner no where but in the gospel. The highest stretch of thought, the most unbounded imagina- tion of the nature and properties of the Supreme Being, which man can indulge, present no hope, can draw no conjecture even, of what awaits us after death, without aid from Revelation. The infidel, therefore, or rejector of the gospel, for they are the same, does in fact extinguish, as to himself, the light of life ; and all that he can possibly gain by it is, relief for the present from the fear of hell. This is the very utmost — ^but with this, remember, he renounces any possible expectation of heaven, and thus brings his being down to a level with the beasts that perish. But, my hearers, there is such a thing as religion, let who will disbelieve it. There are such places as heaven and hell, in spite of all the efforts of all the infidels that have been since Adam. Yes, and there are such things as death and judgment too, to which the hardiest unbeliever must come, as well as the humblest Christian. And there are everlasting burnings for sin, which infidels cannot quench, and eternal joys for righteousness, which neither unbelievers nor devils can deprive them of, and which these shall never taste. Well, then, is it enjoined upon Chris- tians, to exhort one another continually against the deceitful- ness of sin, and the following arguments may serve to enforce this duty, and as an application of the subject. In whatever light the careless and the thoughtless, the young DANGER OF BEING HARDENED IN SIN. 107 and the gay, the libertine and the infidel, may choose to view sin — to the Christian it presents but one aspect. To him it is the thing which God abhors ; which he has expressly forbidden, and will everlastingly punish. To him it is the cause of all the misery that is in this world, bbth to himself and to others ; and will be the cause of all the horror and despair which the finally impenitent must endure for ever in the torments of hell. If, therefore, he is worthy of the name of Christian, if he possesses a spark of that benevolence and good will towards his fellow creatures, which is the spirit of religion, he will not remain listless and unconcerned for the multitudes of immortal souls all around him, who are madly driving down the broad and beaten road of everlasting destruction. He will not be content with his example merely, but, by every prudent and affectionate remonstrance and persuasion — by every argument of reason and religion, will endeavour to prevail with those he has access to or influence over, to see their danger and to escape from it. Another consideration to enforce this duty upon Christians is, that their own experience both entitles and enables them to perform it with effect. The Christian is obliged to know something of sin and its deceits, from dear-bought experience. He must have felt its strength, detected its cunning, proved its misery, and learned how to resist and overcome its power. Upon whom then more properly can this duty be laid, than upon those who are thus qualified by experience, to warn, exhort, and instruct others — who are prompted by feeling, and furnished with knowledge, to guide the unwary and inexperienced, through the snares and pit-falls of temptation, acting upon depraved and unmastered passions. A third argument to enforce this duty, is to be drawn from the returns the Christian owes to his God and Saviour, for his own deliverance from the deceitfulness and power of sin. We love him because he first loved us, says every true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. But, if a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar, says the apostle, for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen. What higher proof, then, can be given 108 DANGER OP BEING HARDENED IN SIN. of hatred, that is, of unconcern for, of indifference to our brother, on the one hand — or of love, that is, of regard for, of affectionate interest in him, on the other, than the neglect or performance of this Christian duty. Moreover, Christians pray continually, thy kingdom come. But the kingdom of God is the reign of righteousness, the prevalence of true religion, which can only come to pass by the defeat and destruction of Sin, in its power over man. Do we, then, wish our prayers to be heard and answered 1 Do we truly desire the present and eternal welfare of our children, relations, brethren, friends, and fellow-creatures 1 — Are we in earnest working out our own salvation 1 Let us remember, my brethren, that it is an indispensable part of it to exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy — to the only wise God our Saviour — Father, Son, and HoLV Ghost, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. SERMON X. WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. Daniel xii. 10, latter part. " And none of the wicked shall understand ; but the wise shall tuiderstand." Whether we consider these words as an elucidation of an effect by assigning its cause, or as an appointment of that wisdom which ruleth over all, their importance to us is just the same, my brethren. Their truth is confirmed by observation and experi- ence of human conduct, and the warning and instruction to be drawn from them is directly practical. Opposition to the gospel is here assigned to its true cause, the wickedness of man, and an opposite conduct is set forth as the consequence of a serious consideration of revealed truth. The improvement I shall endeavour to make of the text, there- fore, will be, to show, by some examples, how it comes to pass that the practice of wickedness shuts the understanding against the reception of divine truth. And on the other hand, where- fore it is, that a virtuous life disposes the mind to receive and the heart to embrace the gospel, and, then, conclude with some practical inferences from the subject. ti3nd none of the wicked shall understand ; hut the wise shall understand. I. First, I am to show by some examples, how it comes to pass, that the practice of wickedness shuts the understanding against the reception of divine truth. With whatever variety of natural disposition we may come into the world, my brethren, (and I am disposed to think that it is very great,) as fallen creatures, our ultimate character will depend entirely upon the care and pains taken to form it. That the seeds of sin manifest themselves very early in all, is, unhap- pily, too true, and, therefore, the greater responsibility is laid upon those who have the care and charge of young persons 110 WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. committed to them. For though the corruptions of our nature manifest themselves from the first, yet the rich provision of divine grace, giving effect to careful instruction, watchful re- straint, and judicious correction, is fully competent to subdue and root out those corruptions, to cherish and mature good dispositions, and fortify the mind to resist the temptations and perfect the virtues of active life. And even where this has been neglected there is yet no excuse or hcense for wickedness ; for when reason is matured and men undertake the direction of their own actions, it is incumbent on them to reflect upon the end they have in view, on the just purposes of the present life, and on the the unspeakable interests of the life that is to come. These are proper subjects for the exercise of the rational facul- ties, and are in such a sense duties of the highest obligation that there is no accountable being who does not, in some way, and to some extent, pass them in review. And though the difficulty and the danger of making a wise choice is greatly enhanced by the previous neglect, yet the same divine grace is still present to lend its salutary and effectual aid in favour of religion and virtue. The practice of wickedness, then, is always matter of choice, and hence it is that the wicked and the right- eous are contrasted in the text and throughout the Scriptures by the folly or the wisdom of their respective pursuits. J^one of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. This is fully exemplified in the profligate and debauched of all ages. However acute their understandings may be in other things, however well informed their minds may be in general, yet on this subject it is literally true, that they have eyes and see not, ears have they yet they hear not, and hearts but they understand not. The natural, indeed, the inevitable tendency of a vicious disposition is, to corrupt the principles and subvert the judgment. Spiritual things cannot be discerned, however clearly propounded ; and having lost all relish for any thing above sense, the claims and the duties, the hopes and the fears of religion are foolishness unto them. How often do we see it the case, my hearers, when these high, and holy, and awful things are proposed to such persons, that they can by no means be made to comprehend them, they cannot even be WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. Ill induced to consider them — or, if they venture to answer, it is in such wise as to show, that they have become vain in their imag-ina- tions, and their foolish heart is darkened. But, further, the love of sin, and the practice of wickedness, not only blinds men's minds, and hinders them from consider- ing and applying divine truth, but it, moreover, prejudices them against it, and causes them even to hate it, and become its pro- fessed enemies. They hate to be reformed^ and, therefore, cast God's uwrds behind them. Their carnal mind is enmity against God, and, therefore, is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. The person who gives them the best advice comes to be considered as their enemy, because he tells them the truth. They knowingly choose darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil, and reject the truth, because they have pleasure in unrighteousness. Thus the Scriptures describe the effects of resolved outbreaking wickedness, and give a most sufficient reason why none such shall or can understand ; and present, at the same time, a most awakening warning to all who, by ne- glect of religion, are in danger of coming to such a hopeless state of blindness and obstinate rejection of saving truth. Nothing is more common than for objections to be raised and entertained against religion in general, from some supposed dif- ficulty in understanding it ; and we sometimes hear this objection from persons who do not manifest that depraved and vicious disposition which, in the language of the world, is denominated wickedness. It is, nevertheless, very certain, my brethren and hearers, that much depends upon the inward temper of the heart for the attainment of religious knowledge, and still more for the profitable application of it. If, therefore, the heart be occupied exclusively with something alien to God, this will con- stitute such a species of wickedness as will prevent the under- standing of divine things. Of this description are worldly mindedness and covetousness, with all similar descriptions of inordinate affection ; and from persons of such characters it is that we most commonly hear this objection. But did they consider the subject with any se- riousness, they must soon perceive that the difficulty is with themselves, and not in religion. 112 WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. The covetous man has set up an idol in his heart, which usurps the place due to Almighty God ; and the worship paid to this false god absorbing all the faculties, the mind becomes blinded to the light of divine truth, and this inordinate affection actually swallows up all others. Hence St. Paul calls covet- ousness idolatry, and points out its invariable effect in pervert- ing the understanding on the vital subject of religion. — If our gospel he hid, says he, that is, be difficult to understand, it is hid to them that are lost. A better rendering of the words would be, through the things which perish. In whom — rather, by which — the god of this world hath blinded the minds oj them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, ^vho is the Image of God, should shine unto them. On this as well as on other accounts, he styles the love of money the root of all eviU^ Our Lord also cautions his disciples against this vice — Take heed, says he, and beware of covetousness. In like manner, the effect is nearly the same through over- engagement with the lawful business of life. When the farms and the merchandise of the world occupy the place which the ho- nour of God and the care of our souls ought to possess, the life and power of religion is unknown — its forms and its decencies may be kept up, but we understand it not — the heart is gone after its covetousness, and no room is left for the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Hence our Saviour's strong admonitions against over-carefulness and anxiety about worldly accommoda- tions— Take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. But seek ye first the kingdom, of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Another branch of that wickedness which perverts the under- standing on the subject of religion, and blinds the mind to the beauty of holiness, is found in that levity and thoughtlessness of youth, which is yet free from the grossness of outbreaking pro- fligacy and vice. Persons of this description are a most nume- rous body, my hearers, and the effect is evidenced by the com- paratively small number of youth who manifest any concern for their souls ; which surely would not be the case, were it not for the inevitable consequences of carelessness and unconcern on WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. 113 the subject of religion, to every period of accountable age. The honour of God and the care of the soul being the highest duties of rational beings, the neglect of them comes very properly un- der the general denomination of wickedness. Hence, such per- sons are described in Scripture as lovers of pleasure more than lovers o/GoD — as dead xohile they live — as idlers^ xoandering about from house to house, and the effects are such as to increase unlo more ungodliness. For as the mind is dissipated in the frivolous nothings of folly and fashion, it gradually becomes more and more indisposed to, indeed incapable of, serious thought ; and all that relates to religion grows more irksome and uninterest- ing, until it ceases to affect the mind at all. From these examples, though briefly detailed, we may learn, I think, the meaning of the text, in describing, as it does, the effect of every kind of wickedness, in blinding the mind ^and blunting the feelings to the great concerns of eternity ; and be furnished with a most persuasive argument to escape from so imminent a danger, before sin hath bound us to our ruin with a chain which cannot be broken. For in addition to the natural effects of the love and practice of sin, God threatens to with- draw his Holy Spirit from such as go on in their wickedness — to deliver them over to a reprobate viind — to send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unright- eousness. Whoever, therefore, feels disposed to escape from the duties of religion, and to take shelter under the objection that it is dif- ficult to understand, let him thereby be warned that there is something greatly wrong within him — that he is deluded by some deceit of sin, which, unless it be detected and put away, will blind him still more. And this is certainly the cause of all opposition and objection to the gospel. For no fair mind caa possibly object to the philanthropy and morality of the gospel. No reasonable mind can reject the proofs by which it is con- firmed as a divine revelation. No teachable disposition will re- fuse to be made wise unto salvation ; nor will any sane mind sport with the sanctions of God's righteous judgment. Yet with all this is the person chargeable who refuses himself to the Vol. II.— 15 114 WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. gospel, either througli the levity of youth, the engagements of the world, or the love of sin in its licentious and profligate in- dulgences. In all these cases, however great their variety, the wicked shall not understand, both from the natural tendency of vice and the righteous appointment of God in withdrawing his Holy Spirit, II. Let us, in the next place, examine wherefore it is that a virtuous disposition disposes the understanding to receive and the heart to embrace the gospel. The loise shall under- stand. In the study of every human science there is some previous temper, some particular predisposition of mind, which gives greater aptness, as well as inclination, for that particular science, and enables those thus predisposed, to understand it more readily and to acquire it with more ease, than those not thus inclined. The same holds proportionally true, likewise, in the divine science of religion. A teachable disposition, a well disposed temper, an equitable, fair, and charitable spirit, and a just sense of the necessity and reasonableness of obeying the commands of God, IS the first principle and beginning of religion — the best prepa- rative to open the understanding, to make men study divine truths with satisfaction — to comprehend them readily, and judge 01 them rightly. The fear of the Lord is the beginning ofioisdom, says the Psalmist ; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments; his jiraise endureth for ever. And our Saviour compares a virtuous disposition to good ground. — Those on the good ground are they who, in an honest and good heart, having heard the loord, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Such persons, also, he elsewhere calls his sheep, and describes them as hearing his voice and following him as their shepherd. But, further, as the knowledge of any science is only profit- able according as it is reduced to practice in like manner the practice of righteousness is the true and profitable improvement of religious knowledge. As in human sciences the man who applies what he already knows is constantly adding to his know- ledge and acquiring more extended and perfect views of that science, so, likewise, in the science of religion, practice and WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. 115 experience in the course of a virtuous life and in the obedience of God's commandments, continually extend and enlarge the understanding of and capacity for the things of God. He that keepeth the laio of the Lord, getteth the understanding thereof, says the wise son of Sirach. Evil men understand not judgment ; hut they that seek the Lord understand all things, says Solomon, / have more understanding than all my teachers ; for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts, says David. If ye continue in my word, says the Saviour, ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Thus, the wise shall understand. For, in the religion of the gospel there is no man truly wise and knowing but he that lives hke a Christian. But, further, in addition to the natural tendency of a virtuous disposition to lead men to the knowledge and love of divine things, God hath promised the assistance of his Holy Spirit to enlighten and direct all who sincerely desire to know and to do his will. If any man will do his unll, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God. If ye love me keep my commandments ; and I will pray the Father^ and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of Truth. Jlnd when he, the Spirit op Truth is come, he xoill guide you into all truth. Hence St. John, exhorting Christians against the doctrine of those false teachers who had left the Church, tells them. Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye knotv not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you : but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him. Thus is the virtuous man secured against all fatal error and furnished for all saving truth, not only by the natural tendency of his pursuits, but by the special appointment of the only wise and just governor of the universe ; while the wicked, in all their various shades, by the operation of the righteous and unchange- able constitution of moral causes, are precluded, by their own perverse abuse of common mercies, from the blessing annexed 116 WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. to them, both here and hereafter. Jlnd none oflhc inched shall understand, hut the ivise shall understand. Of which words our Saviour himself has given the true and awakening exposition, in his application of the parable of the talents. — For unto him that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance ; but from him that hath not, shall be taken away even that which he hath. From what has been said the following inferences seem plain and obvious, my brethren : First, the religion of the gospel is not the creature of impulse and feeling, arbitrarily imparted once for all, and to be found most readily where reason and understanding are the farthest removed from their just influence. But it is the happy and enduring fruit of knowledge diligently sought, wisely applied, faithfully improved, and virtuously practised. It is, therefore, a gradual attainment, and as such, requires and is provided with all those means which the goodness of God has prepared and appointed to that end. Now, these means consist of our own exertions and of his grace ; to separate them is to deprive our- selves of both. He that would reach heaven in his own strength will nerer rise, even to the view of its blessed mansions of glory ; while he that waits for divine grace, without putting forth the strength already given, and which is to be found in reading, medita- tion, prayer, and penitence, will wait in vain. God hath no need of the sinful man, therefore he must be sought unto by all such. They must come to him for this blessing, without which we can do nothing, that is, nothing that we can do is of any worth with- out it. Hence, we are instructed and exhorted to work out our salvation with fear and trembling ; — For it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. — To add to our faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kind-> ness, charity, with all diligence. — Thus making our calling and election sure, Secondly, as the continuing to neglect both our duty and our interest, in securing the salvation of our souls, is showed by the text to be followed by increasing blindness and corruption of mind, to the final destruction of all spiritual sense and feeling, it follows, as a most reasonable inference, that all delay to turn WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. 117 from such a ruinous course, is a further tempting of God, and an undeniable proof of that Avickedness which shall not under- stand. All warning, my dear hearers, is given for us to profit by, and our reason is to judge of the just application of that warning. To your reason, then, 1 appeal, to the sober reason of all present, in whatever degree the text finds you, whether of the thoughtless, the over-engaged, or the actually vicious. Are the pursuits you are occupied with, such as God will approve of and reward hereafter 1 If they are, if they are such as you can bring to the standard of his word, and find them there approved; yea, further, if they are such as your own experience shows to be profitable for the advancement of spiritual light in your minds and the increase of the power of God over your hearts and lives, then cleave to them, and engage yet more diligently in them ; but if they are not, if your own reason and conscience, if the observation and experience of all who are competent to judge, above all, if the word and wisdom of God testifies with these, that they are hourly sinking you deeper into darkness and delusion, hourly carrying you away further from God, from hope, and from happiness ; what then — what says reason, what says conscience, what says religion, what say the united voices of the wise and the good in all ages 1 Forsake the foolish and live ; make no tarrying to turn to the Lord ; we have sinned, ice have done wickedly, and, therefore, the icay of truth is hid from us. And what says the mercy of God to those Avho turn to him in righteousness 1 When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeih that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten So7i, that ivhosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And lest this should not be thought warning and encouragement sufficient, by the sin-darkened hearts of a crooked and perverse generation, what says this only begotten Son to all under the gospel 1 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ; — him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. And what says this merciful Saviour even to the blindness of sin and unbelief? / am the light of the world; 118 WICKEDNESS THE CAUSE OF BLINDNESS. he that folloioeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life ; he that hath ears to hear let him hear ; and he that hath a heart to jierceive let him understand ; and whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely. To-day, then, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, hut turn unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon you, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. SERMON XI. THE jailer's question TO ST. PAUL. Acts xvi. 30, latter clause. " What must I do to be saved 1" Some degree of concern, and even of anxiety, as to the failure or success of important interests, is inseparable, I believe, ray brethren, from our present condition. While hope and fear vibrate in uncertainty, the restlessness of insecurity must be felt, and will manifest a corresponding influence upon the thoughts and upon the conduct. That this concern and anxiety is more frequent as well as stronger in degree respecting our temporal than our spiritual interests, is, unhappily, the expe- rience of every Christian land. And while it is acknowledged to be altogether Inconsistent with the relative importance of the two interests, but feeble efforts are made to counteract it ; and the consequence certainly follows, that it increases in power, and ultimately excludes every spiritual desire and inclination. Now though this is known to be the effect, and notwithstanding the admonitions of Scripture are full and express against undue or misplaced anxiety as to worldly condition, the things that are seen prevail over the things that are not seen, and, in a variety of ways, blind the minds of them that believe not, to their everlasting ruin. Yet public opinion, as well as private inclination, is dis- posed to treat this departure from God, or rather this refusal to come to God, leniently, and in the common guilt to lose sight of the common danger ; and because some respect can be and is shown to the outward observances of Christianity, and because less of open out-breaking wickedness is perpetrated by the careful and worldly-minded than by the careless and dissolute, therefore the delusion is cherished that the high and holy hope of the gospel may, for such, be relied upon. There are however, some minds so overrun with levity and 120 THE jailer's question to st. paul. thoughtlessness, that they appear impenetrable to every thing like serious impression, or continued application. Trifles alone interest them and engage their activity. But of such, no man augurs well, nor is much disposition felt to admit the excuse which may be offered on the ground of natural disposition ; it is condemned as inconsistent with either feeling or reflection, and as precluding any reasonable hope of usefulness or success in life. This judgment, I believe, is correct in the general ; for experience and observation concur in proving, that until this frivolous, inconsiderate state of mind is cured, the expectation of any thing profitable to themselves or useful to others is hardly to be entertained. Thus do we reason and decide, my brethren, and correctly too, as regards the interests of time. But wherefore is it, that we stop short of the extent to which this mode of reasoning would carry us — that we are not instructed by the analogy which temporal things bear to those which are eternal, and are not moved thereby to feel the same anxiety, and put forth the same diligence for the welfare of our souls, which we manifest for that of our bodies? Wherefore do the careful, and the thoughtful, and the calculating men of business, condemn the equally busy, though careless and inconsiderate men of pleasure, as it is called 1 If their pursuits are alike bounded by the present life, wherein do they differ in event, as respects the great purpose of our being ? This is the touchstone of all wordly condition — the test of all present occupation to accountable beings — for, surely, when compared with eternity, the gravest as well as the gayest, the weightiest as well as the more trifling pursuits of the world, are alike frivolous and unworthy the exclusive regard of an immortal soul. In the sight of God what matters it, my hearers, whether our hearts are set on business or on pleasure, during the four-score years of our limited pilgrimage'? These equally usurp the place which he alone should fill, and they alike mili- tate against the great and declared purpose of his wisdom and mercy in permitting the world to continue, and in granting to its inhabitants opportunity and means to regain the bright inheritance which by sin was forfeited, and escape the condem- nation which by sin was incurred. These are considerations THE jailer's question TO ST. PAUL. 121 which sweep into nothing the anxieties of the careful, and the frivolities of the thoughtless ; which conclude, unanswerably, against all false estimates of moral condition, as grounds of hope towards God ; and, if allowed to operate, force from the convicted conscience the alarmed exclamation of my text — What must I do to be saved 1 Happy, my brethren, yea, thrice happy for those who, either by some startling providence of God or by the equally effica- cious and more ordinary method of his grace operating through the written word, are brought to this point, and awakened to their true condition before the dream of life is surprised by the realities of eternity. For if there be a life beyond this pre- sent mortal existence, if death do not put a final period to our being, if joy or sorrow, and for ever, too, await us beyond the grave, what equally important inquiry can occupy the attention of accountable beings with that of the condition into which we shall pass when we drop these mortal bodies and enter upon a new and never-ending existence. From this passage of Scripture, therefore, I will first lay before you some reflections calculated to explain and apply the text, and then give the answer to this anxious and most important inquiry — What must I do to be saved ? I. These words, we know, my hearers, were uttered by the jailer of Philippi, on occasion of the midnight earthquake which attended the imprisonment of Paul and Silas, because of the religion which they preached. This was an event very alarming in itself, and, connected with the circumstances which preceded the arrest of the apostle and his companion, well calculated to produce that deep impression of guilty fear, which imminent dan- ger awakens in the conscience of the sinner. The man, indeed, was a Heathen ; but he was not, therefore, without those apprehen- sions of futurity which are inseparable from human nature. The doctrine of those servants of Christ had been the subject of attention in the city, and was doubtless known to him. And the miraculous attestation to its truth which the earthquake afforded, produced, at once, full conviction of his danger as a sinner ignorant of God and unprepared to meet his righteous judgment ; but with hope of deliverance through those Vol. II.— 16 122 THE jailer's question to ST. PAUL. heralds of mercy, whose prayers and praises were thus visibly answered. Are we, therefore, to expect such extraordinary manifesta- tions of divine power now, my brethren and hearers, in order to awaken men to their danger as sinners, and convert them to God 1 No, by no means. On the contrary, we know that miraculous interposition has long been withdrawn from the gospel, and that the pretence to it, in any shape, is a mark of Anti- Christ. We also know, that even in the age of miracles all conversions were not thus produced, and the probability is, that. such were few in proportion to the whole number of converts to the faith. Of this we have a particular instance in this same city of Philippi, under the same ministers, in the conversion of Lydia, by the ordinary operation of the Holy Spirit, disposing the heart to believe and obey the truth as it is in Jesus. With the proof of divine origin for Christianity, confirmed by centuries of opposition and success, and with a recorded Scrip- ture, established as the word of God by the highest attestation, men are not now to wait or look for miraculous displays of the Spirit, and those who do, will wait and look in vain for aught but the deceits of an enthusiast's imagination. The providences of God are, indeed, so ordered as to work together with the warning and instruction of his holy word, to lead men to repent- ance, so great is his mercy to us ward ; but independent of this it is now made the duty of all men, every where, to believe the gospel, to acquaint themselves with the will of God, to repent and cease from sin, and to pray earnestly for the light and succour of his Holy Spirit, to make his word Ufe and power to their souls. The effect of thus obeying the divine precepts is just as certain as the promise of God to bless the means of grace, faith- fully used, is sure and unbroken. And if men were only as desirous to be saved as God is that they should be converted in order thereto, the ordinary means of grace would be just as efficient without as with those extraordinary operations, which, after all, derive their whole moral effect from the influence of the Holy Ghost, THE jailer's question to ST. PAUL. 123 The words of the text also suggest to us the hopeless condi- tion of mankind by nature. What must I do to be saved? Hence, it appears, that in his actual condition the jailer was not saved, that he was made sensible of this, that he considered it a state of great danger, and was prompted to seek deliverance from it. Now it is very certain that the earthquake could not, of itself, do this. But the discoveries of the gospel, as preached by St. Paul, applied to the conscience by the Spirit of God, were fully competent to show the true condition of man as a fallen creature, and of himself as one of that guilty race. Reflection and self-examination could not fail to strengthen this conviction of divine truth, which the earthquake confirmed, by showing him the imminence of his danger, and, by bringing his fears to a point, made him a sincere supplicant for the light of life. The words of the text, then, are not altogether the conse- quence of fear and alarm, but the result of reflection on previous information, quickened into effect by a visible display of the power of God ; nor yet are they to be confined to this or to any other extraordinary instance of conversion to God, but, either in themselves or in the sentiment which they so strongly express, ought to be the heartfelt language of every child of Adam to whom the word of this salvation is sent. The leading discoveries of the gospel are, the fall of man by the commission of sin, the corruption of his nature, his conse- quent separation from God and condemnation to death temporal and eternal ; and the recovery of this fallen creature by the undertaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, his consequent reprieve from the execution of the sentence, with , the provision of adequate means for his renewal and sanctification by the gift of the Holy Ghost. These are the great and momentous truths which are commanded to be preached among all nations for the obedience of faith, which every man must believe and apply to himself, and from which it follows, that the inquiry of my text, must, at some period, be the personal inquiry of all who shall ever come to God on the terms of the gospel. As fallen creatures we come into life, my dear hearers ; as fallen creatures we shall pass out of this present short and uncertain existence into endless separation from God, unless these discoveries of 124 THE jailer's question to ST. PAUL. divine mercy are so realized as to convince us of the one truth, in such wise as to bring us to desire the other with all the intensity of a heart that feels its own ruin and hopelessness without help from God. Now, who is here present to whom these discoveries are not made 1 who among you is ignorant of these awful truths, and incapable of drawing the just conclusions from them 1 and which of you knows not that death and judgment, that heaven and hell await the use made of them by accountable beings 1 And yet how few, comparatively, have ever seriously put to them- selves the question of my text, have ever followed out the occasional misgivings of their own hearts, the alarms of sickness and danger, and the warnings of the word of God, so as to meet fairly, and faithfully to consider the state of their souls as saved or lost 1 Under such circumstances, my friends, u^hy stand ye here all the day idle 1 Do you wait for some convulsion of nature — some sign from heaven to startle you into salvation ] Is not the veracity of God sufficient for your faith to build the commanded duties of religion upon 1 sufficient for you to choose that good part which, even reason teaches, may be gain and cannot be loss 1 Is God's command to repent and believe the gospel of no force without a sign from heaven ] O deceive not your own souls, and cloak not your love of sin by pretending an insufficient revelation. Know ye not, that they who continued to require more signs, in the midst of signs and wonders, were left to the hardness of their own deceitful hearts 1 A wicked and adulter- ous generation asketh after a sign, but there shall no sign be given unto it but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And have you not that sign in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, by virtue of which only the gospel with all its blessings has come unto you ? O beware, lest that come upon you which is written — Behold ye despisers, and ivonder and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. A work, indeed, shall be wrought in confirm- ation of the gospel, which you shall see but it will then be too late to profit by it. An earthquake you shall have, in the convulsions of an expiring world, when the earth and the sea shall give up their dead ; a sign from heaven, also, you shall have THE jailer's question TO ST. PAUL. 125 in the Son of man comins? in the clouds, with power and great glory. How will you then feel, how will you then look back upon the precious opportunities now slighted, and curse the wilful unbelief which has betrayed you to perdition. O let the overwhelming thought now fix the commanding truth upon your conscience, and occupy your meditations until it draws from your heart the solemn inquiry, ichat must I do to be saved ? For the text, furthermore, suggests the reflection, that there is something to be done on our part, in order to our being saved. The jailer was conscious that as he was, he was not saved — was not in a state of favour with God — and this very conscious- ness, as it was the ground of his alarm and inquiry, so was it the entrance to his salvation. Ought not, then, the same con- sciousness to produce the same effect now, and bring every person who has not a well-grounded Scriptural hope of God's favour through the Lord Jesus Christ, so to doubt the safety of his condition, as to inquire scrupulously into it, holding him- self in readiness to forego whatever is in opposition to the gospel, and to embrace whatever it requires ? This appears to have been the temper of the jailer, and, surely, it ought to be the dispo- sition of all who, like him, have reason to fear their condition for hereafter to be either dangerous or doubtful. Religion, my dear hearers, the religion of Jesus Christ is not an abstract speculation of the intellectual faculty, but a system of practical truth for personal observance and improvement. What must I do to be saved 1 What is my particular duty ] What am I to learn, and believe, and do, in order to escape everlasting destruc- tion and obtain eternal life ? But this is the commencement only — the first fruits of a truly awakened sinner, of a sincere seeker after God, which must be followed up by doing whatso- ever is commanded in the gospel. How thoroughly at variance, then, with this active engagement on so high an interest, is the loose indifference of these latter days to the discoveries of the gospel, to the high and holy hope which it gives to man 1 What thousands and tens of thousands are flattering themselves with the benefit of this hope, who have never resorted to those appointed means of grace by which it is certified and maintained. 126 THE jailer's question to ST. PAUL. and have yet to ask themselves the vital question — What must I do to be saved ? What numbers among ourselves leave this great interest uncared for, while they give themselves without reserve to the world, in its business or in its pleasures. How shall I get rich 1 How shall I secure my temporal interests 'I How shall I compass the pleasures of the world % What shall I eat? what shall I drink 1 and wherewithal shall I be clothed] are allowed to swallow up the anxieties and pervert the exertions which eternity calls for, and without which it must be miserable and undone. And wherefore is it thus 1 — wherefore is it, that beings who can reason, and calculate, and discern, and exert themselves for a present interest, will not apply the same faculties to that which is future, and on surer grounds of success combine them all into one continued effort in working out their everlasting salvation 1 Alas ! it is for the very reason which should constrain them to do otherwise. It is because they are fallen creatures, with cor- rupt hearts, blinded minds, and perverted desires. It is because they will not receive the truth, even from God. Because they will not come to the light which his holy word sheds over their condition, and consider and apply its gracious and glorious discoveries to themselves. It is because they will not pray for the help and succour of the Holy Spirit to lead them to the truth, and make it effectual to the renewal of their hearts. And, above all, it is because they do not cease from sin, but resist the godly motions and admonitions of the Holy Ghost in their consciences, doing despite to the Spirit of grace, and not because they cannot do otherwise, or are not aware that they ought to act otherwise. This is the condemnation, that light has come into the world but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. No one, under the light of the gospel, can plead ignorance of the will of God. No one under the grace of the gospel can plead inability to do the will of God. His wisdom hath left us all without excuse, my friends, and his command hath made it the first, the highest, the most immediate duty of every soul who hears its joyful sound, to inquire, as for life — What must I do to be saved? God grant it may be so THE jailer's question TO ST. PAUL. 127 impressed upon your hearts this da)', that we may hear the welcome question from all who have hitherto heen negligent of their souls. II. I come now, as was proposed, to give the answer to the inquiry made in my text. That it is in our power to answer it ought to be a subject of the deepest thankfulness, my brethren and hearers ; and it may serve, perhaps, to awaken a higher sense of what we owe to God for this distinction, to reflect what our condition would be were we deprived of it. What a dark and dismal gloom would settle over our prospects for hereafter, and how heavily the soul would drag through a weary existence to the painful uncertainty of an unknown eternity. It may serve, also, to startle those into reflection, who, having such great things provided for them by the love of Christ, yet neither ask the question nor seek for the answer. God grant that they may now give heed to it. The direct answer is given in very few words in Scripture, and both by our Lord himself and by St. Paul, in the same terms. To the question from the Jews — What shall we do, that ice might work the icork of God 1 Our Lord replied. This is the work of God, that ye believe on him ichom he hath sent. And to the question from the jailer of Philippi, What must I do to he saved? St. Paul rephed, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall he saved. But however briefly expressed, the answer comprises the whole body of Christian doctrine and practice, and must be understood by us as if he had said. You must be- heve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the only Saviour of sinners ; you must receive his doctrine, obey the laws of his kingdom, and follow the bright example of his holy life, if you would be saved. To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, then to the attainment of eternal salvation, will include faith, obe- dience, and perseverance. First, of faith. — This, as the root of all religious attain- ment and the entrance to the privileges of the gospel, is indis- pensable ; for, as he that cometh to God must believe that he is so he that cometh to God through his only begotten Son, must believe that Jesus Christ is, both in nature and office, what the Scriptures represent him to be. This is expressed in Scripture 128 THE jailer's question to ST. PAUL, by receiving the testimony which God hath given of his Son— the Scriptures being the record of that testimony, inspired and verified by the Holy Ghost. This faith includes his divine nature as the Son of God. That he who took our nature upon him, in order to accompUsh the work of our redemption, was God as well as man — one with the Father — of the same eter- nity, power, and glory — God over all, blessed for ever. This is fundamental, my brethren, and lies at the very threshold of the gospel ; because on this depends the whole virtue and effi- cacy of his death as an atonement for sin, of his merits as the gjound of man's acceptance with God, and of his mediatorial office between God and man. This was the faith of Peter, not revealed to him by flesh and blood — the faith on which, as on a rock, the church is built — this was the faith professed by the Ethiopian eunuch, when baptized by Philip — this is the faith once delivered to the saints — this is the faith into which we are baptized, my brethren, and which we must keep, if we would be saved. Nor is there an instance, in Scripture or in the primi- tive Church, of any person being admitted to the Christian name and privileges, but on the profession of this faith. Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ includes, also, the be- lief of the doctrines he taught, by himself and by his apostles, as contained in the Scriptures. These are to us what the preach- ing of the inspired men was to the first Christians, and contain all things necessary to be believed and practised in order to our being saved. As a leading doctrine — a primary truth, without which the whole Sciipture is an unintelligible fable — that of the fallen, lost, ruined, and utterly helpless condition of mankind, by reason of sin, must be received and firmly believed by all who would be saved. This is the doctrine which gives consis- tency to the plan of our redemption by the Son of God — which confirms the harmonious connexion of all the other doctrines of his religion, and whichalonemakes Jesus Christ precious to the believer. Nothing, my dear hearers, but the full, the realized conviction of this fundamental truth, can bring men to inquire, in earnest, what they must do to be saved. No other view of human nature can cast down the pride which exalts itself against God and the word of his grace, and bring men to desire and THE jailer's question TO ST. PAUL. 129 to pray for the Holy Spirit, as the author and source of all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works in the renewed creature. But it is the very doctrine which the natural man most abhors, and exerts all his ingenuity to escape from ; and, therefore, it is, that it is laid at the commencement of religious attainment, and that no man under the light of the gospel can be saved, until truly convinced, by the word and Spirit of God, that in himself he is lost and undone — that in the Lord Jesus only has he righteousness and strength ; and is thereby brought to repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, for pardon and acceptance, for the renewal of the Holy Ghost, and for eternal life. This is the doctrine, my brethren, and the only doctrine which realizes the truth of Scripture, which makes religion a reasonable service, and presents to every man under the gospel the means of determining in regard to his personal condition, whether he hath indeed come to the light or is yet walking in darkness. For certain it is, that no man ever sought and ob- tained the favour of God and eternal life, who had not first been savingly convinced that he was, by nature and practice, the enemy of God, the slave of sin, and the heir of eternal death. Secondly, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ includes obedience to his commandments. Faith and obedience are inseparable, my brethren, in any just estimate of spiritual condition. He who disregards a command which he professes to believe is enjoined by Almighty God, must be presumed to labour under some strange delusion as to the nature of faith, or knowingly to act in defiance of his Maker. Otherwise, his disobedience would convince him of unbelief, or true belief would cure his disobedience. While, therefore, any person continues in open disobedience to any of the commands of Christ, knowing that they are so commanded — which is the case with all under the gospel who are not wilfully ignorant — such a person can have no good ground to hope that he so be- lieves in the Lord Jesus Christ that he shall be saved. Among the commands of Christ, left with his disciples, one is, that they should openly profess his name and religion before the world, as his peculiar people. Now this all true believers Vol. n.— 17 130 THE jailer's question to ST. PAUL. do. But there are thousands upon thousands, in every Chris- tian land, who have never done this beyond that of their bap- tism in infancy — all the benellt of wliich, repentance excepted, they have forfeited, again and again, by personal sin. Yet these persons profess to believe in Christ, and entertain some expect- ation of being saved through his merits. But must not this be a wilful delusion, seeing their belief is not sufficient to lead them to obey this first and easiest command of their Lord and Saviour 1 Another command of Christ is, that men should repent of their past sins, and cease from sin in future, if they would be saved by him. And this every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ certainly does. Yet there are multitudes of men and women living in the practice of known sin, in various ways and degrees, who yet profess to believe in Christ, and to hope for forgiveness and salvation through him, though this belief has never dimmed their eye with the tear of penitence, nor withheld their heart from the sinful pleasures of the world, or from in- dulgence in its vain pursuits. But is not this a still stronger delusion of the devil 1 an actual making of Christ the minister of sin, and a defeating of the very purpose of his coming, which was to save his people from their sins ? How, then, shall those be saved from wrath, through him, who will not repent and cease from sin at his command 1 A third command of the Lord Jesus Christ is, that his disciples should, on suitable occasions, commemorate his death by partaking together of the holy sacrament which he instituted as a perpetual memorial of his love in thus dying for them. This all true believers not only do, but consider it the highest privilege to be permitted thus to testify their sense of the un- speakable benefits by his precious blood-shedding procured for them ; yet the countless m.ajority in Christian lands professing to hope in Christ, are utterly regardless of this command of their dying benefactor, and flee away as rapidly from the symbols of his broken body and shed blood as if injury and not blessing lay hid in their mysterious properties. How, then, shall such persons be saved by faith in Christ, if they continue to disregard the plain commands of Christ 1 O my dear friends, awake, I beseech you, from this delusion of a barren and speculative faith, from THE jailer's question TO ST. PAUL. 131 the presumption of a disobedient hope, and from the misery of a delayed, perhaps an unavailing repentance, and learn, that if you would be saved you must so believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, as to obey his commandments. No other proof can you give or will he receive that you do believe in him. I have given instances in three of his commands only, and these the plainest and most openly distinctive of believers. But they are the three most openly disregarded, and upon pretences which aggravate rather than extenuate the offence. Remember, I beseech you, that himself warns us, that in the great day of eternity many will claim an interest in Christ which he will not acknowledge, and that it is not crying Lord, Lord, but the doing the will of God as revealed in his word, that will entitle to an entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Thirdly, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ includes perseverance in faith and holiness. Religion being the improvement of our moral nature, must be progressive in its attainments. The heart may be changed in a moment, but the life must be amended by degrees. The princi- ple on which the whole depends, may be the fruit of a short ex- ercise of the faculties of the soul, but the trial and development of that principle is the business of the subsequent life ; and to this, perseverance, that is continuance in a course begun, is just as essential as truth and obedience. For as all the faculties are strengthened by use and exercise, in like manner our spiritual graces are enlarged and confirmed by patient continuance in well doing, until habitual reverence of God, constant regard to his favour, and steadfast preference of his will, become the established temper of the soul. The trial of the present life, my Christian brethren, is, to determine our fitness for eternal glory ; and, as this can be wrought out only by a total change of the desires and affections of the soul, and can be manifested only by fruits of righteousness towards men and of piety towards God, in the conduct of the life — perseverance in obedience to the law of Christ, is the ci'own of religion. To this duty, and it is spoken of in Scripture only as a duty, we are exhorted and 132 THE jailer's question to ST. PAUL. encouraged by every consideration that can add force to the highest and most glorious interest that a fallen creature can contemplate. Behold I come quickly ; hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. But take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For we are made partakers of Christ if we holdfast the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. That we may fall away, therefore, is very possible, and nothing but watchfulness and diligence can keep our loins girt and our lights burning. But the promises of God are more than equal to this danger. To those promises, then, let us look, my brethren, as the anchor of the soul. In the hour of temptation let us hear our heavenly leaderh voice, encouraging us to fight the good fight of faith, with the cheering declaration — my grace is sufficient for thee. He that endureth to the end the same shall be saved. That which ye have already, hold fast till I come ; and he that overcometh and keepeth my loorks unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them tcith a rod of iron. God grant, my brethren, that the blessed expectation may fire our hearts with renewed zeal to win the crown of eternal life — and that the power of his Holy Spirit may stir up the hearts of all present so to consider what has been said, as forthwith to come to Christ, and learn of him what they must do to be saved. SERMON XII. CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE. John iii. 16. " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." In this epitome or abridged declaration of the gospel, my brethren, we have our thoughts and meditations directed to the only foundation of Christian faith and hope, in that love of God which prompted him to provide and bring to pass the redemp- tion and salvation of a sin-ruined world. Whether in any, and in how many other ways this might have been effected by infinite wisdom, omnipotent power, and boundless love, must ever be a vain and useless speculation. Sufficient, it would appear, yea, and more than sufficient, in respect to any claim we could possibly have, is it, that we have been in any way cared for ; and the gratitude due for such undeserved favour, should chase away every overweening conceit of the wisdom of the world, every high thought which exalts itself against God and the word of his grace. Yet, if we are called on to convince gainsayers, or rather, to give a right direction to the views and inquiries of those who do err, because they know not the Scriptures and the power of God — (for ignorance is the parent of infidelity) — we are not unprovided with facts and arguments to demonstrate the perfect agreement of the means with the end, to show the connexion of the purpose and the plan of our salvation, by the incarnation of the Son of God, and the harmonious union of the high attributes of heaven's justice and dignity with the manifestation of mercy to man, by the sacrifice of the cross. These, though high, holy, and mysterious things, are yet the very life-blood of the religion we profess, and the constant theme of Christian gratitude, 134 CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE. admiration, and j)raise. Brought down, also, as they are, to the comprehension of our limited and clouded faculties, and bearing upon our present and eternal welfare, there can be no excuse for the neglect of them, or of that improvement of love and mercy thus manifested, which only can deliver us, who are favoured with the gospel, from the double condemnation of sin and rebellion persisted in against light and knowledge, and salvation by the blood of Christ rejected and trampled under foot. Oh ! what a fearful thought it is, to reflect on the thousands around whom the light of divine truth and saving mercy shines with the bright eff'ulgence of gospel day, who are yet as unconcerned for the consequences as if this life were all they had to provide for; as careless of the judgment which must pass upon them for these mighty benefits, as if there were neither a heaven or a hell to receive them ; and as negligent of the appointed means to reap the fruit of redeeming love, as if God had no claims upon them as his creatures, and faith and holiness no reward, and sin and unbelief no punishment provided under his righteous government. My hearers, you cannot escape from the claim which the gospel has upon you. Do what you will, or think as you will, the word spoken unto you must judge you at the last day. Let me, then, prevail with you for attention to the doctrine contained in my text, and for its application to your present condition, that light may enter your minds, and truth prevail against the cruel delusion of meeting death and eternity unpre- pared for either — that truth which sets forth the great and glorious God who has no need of the sinful man, yet interpos- ing the might of his transcendant attributes to redeem his soul, and at the unspeakable price of his only begotten Son, surren- dered to humiliation, sufferings, and death, to buy him back from sin and death to holiness and life eternal — that truth which proclaims in my text, the antecedent, unbought love of God the Father Almighty, to a rebellious world, which is proclaimed in the gospel and commanded to be preached to all nations for the obedience of faith — that truth which calls particulaily for our attention at this time, when the stated services of the Church fix our meditations on the advent of our Lord, to fulfil the high CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE. 135 and holy purposes of that eternal counsel which he purposed in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world, and which is, indeed, the only predestination known to the Scriptures that we can apply to any profitable or comfortable purpose. In discoursing on this passage of Scripture, therefore, I shall, in the First place, point out the connexion of the text with the context. Secondly, I shall endeavour to explain what is so clearly implied in the text — that but for the coming of Christ man must have perished. Thirdly, I shall point out the nature of the salvation thus wrought out for us ; and, then. Conclude with an application of the whole. For God so loved the uwrld that he gave his only begotten Soriy that u'hosotver believeth in him shoidd not jierish, but have everlast- ing life. I. First, I am to point out the connexion of the text with the context. That this particular passage is a part of our Lord's conver- sation with Nicodemus, is known to all who are acquainted with their Bibles, as it also is known that he therein briefly set forth the whole gospel, with the reason of that particular method in which only the salvation of sinners could be accomplished, consistently with the divine perfections. God's purpose being, not merely to vindicate his justice by the infliction of the threatened penalty for disobedience, but the farther and more gracious purpose of reclaiming the offender, and restoring him to the favour he had forfeited — therefore, the execution of the sentence could not be on the sinner him- self, because this would have involved his immediate death and consequent condemnation. Hence the necessity of a substitute of the same nature, and hence the necessity of the incarnation of the Son of God, when appointed and accepted by the Father, to fulfil this mighty and gracious purpose. The conversation with Nicodemus, therefore, is so directed as to embrace both these particulars — the satisfaction to he made for sin, and the means thereupon and thereby provided for the renewal of the sinner. 136 CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE. Keeping this in view, what is needful for our present purpose is plain. — Our Saviour informs Nicodemus of God's proposed mercy, and of the means by which it was procured ; and declares the necessity which man, as a fallen sinner, was under, of a new and spiritual birth, to render him capable of the advantages pro- posed to him, and of the appointed and only sacrifice for sin, of which all others were typical. He informs him, that they had a figure and a representation in the Old Testament Church, which, in connexion with the prophecies respecting the Mes- siah, might have instructed them that the fulness of time, or the predicted time, was come, when all should be fulfilled. For as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man he lifted up. That as, in the one case, those who were bitten of actual venomous serpents, were cured by behold- ing the brazen serpent — so, in the other case, the soul bitten and poisoned by the venom of sin, mig'lit be healed by beholding the Lamb of God lifted up on the cross, to take away the sins of the whole world. Of the necessity of that renewal which a spiritually dead creature must obtain, to render him capable of spiritual things, expressed under the figure of a new birth, or birth from above, he chides Nicodemus for being ignorant. — Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things ? Seeing that both the insti- tution of sacrifice, which is an acknowledgment of guilt and for- feited life on the part of the offerer, and the very reason of the thing, require such a change to pass upon us. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. — By your natural birth you have no title to a heavenly inheritance, nor any qualification for it. The one can only be obtained by faith in me — the other, by repentance towards God, wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost, and bringing forth fruit unto holiness of life. And this birth from above, this renewal of the Spirit, is only to be obtained by believing in my Person — embracing my doctrine — entering my Church by baptism, and continuing therein as my disciple. Ex- cept a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God — either that kingdom which I am come to set up and establish in the world, or that higher, but, at present, invisible kingdom, to which the profession of my religion is a CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE. 137 preparatory and indispensable step. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Therefore, I atn come into the world to gather into one the children of God scat- tered abroad, to fulfil the law and the prophets — to declare the way of God more perfectly, and by tasting death for every man to open a new and living way, through faith and holiness, to eternal life. Thus is light come into the woild ; that light which is the life of men ; and this light is witnessed both by the law-^nd the prophets, and confirmed by my doctrine and miracles. For God sejit not his Son into the world to condemn the worlds hut that the world through him m,ight he saved. He that believeth on him, is not condemned, hut he that helieveth not is condemned already. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. Thus do we perceive, my hearers, the connexion of the par- ticular passage before us, not only with this conversation, but with the whole gospel. It is, in fact, the germ of the gospel, and contains in itself, as in a seed, both the root and the branches of that glorious dispensation of grace under whose saving influence it is our unspeakable privilege to be placed. God hath given his only begotten Son, and that well beloved Son hath come, and shed the light of life over a benighted and sin-enslaved world. And yet what numbers refuse to come to this light ; and for the old reason, because their deeds are evil. What multitudes cling to the world as their hope, though they know it is with themselves hasting to vanish away ! And what still greater numbers care for none of these things, but flutter down the stream of time, amused with the bubbles which burst on its surface — occupied with the vanities which perish as they are gained — or engaged in plans and expectations which pro- mote the advantage of one with the injury, perhaps the misery, of numbers. Yet these all have souls, immortal souls, too, and for which Christ hath paid his blood. These must all be judged by the word spoken unto them, and suffer the eternal forfeit of God's love derided, his mercy despised, his revealed wrath dared, unless they come to repentance, and flee to that Vol. II.— 18 1S8 CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE, cross which is at one and the same time the release and the con- demnation of sin and sinners. To this they are invited by the love of God, and commanded by his authority — to this they are drawn by every motive which is known to have force with rea- sonable creatures, and, beyond all, by the tremendous truth contained in my text and enforced throughout the gospel, that without an interest in Christ they must perish for ever ; which brings me to the II. Second point proposed, which was, to explain what is so clearly implied in the text, that but for the coming of Christ man must have perished. It is but to consider the nature of sin and its effect on the sinner, my brethren, to comprehend the value and efficacy of this unspeakable gift to a world of sinners. Sin is any want of conformity to the pure and holy nature of God. Of course there can be no fellowship or agreement between the sinner and God. Nor on the part of the sinner is it wished — the holiness of God being that attribute in Deity which the habitual sinner is most at war with. But more particularly, sin is the wilful transgression of any express command of God. Now this can- not take place, without setting at nought both the authority and the goodness of God. So that sin, in its nature, comprehends rebellion, contempt, and ingratitude. These enter into the very elements of sin ; and where they exist, as they do in every sin- ner, though he may not be conscious of them without reflection, it is plainly impossible that any union should continue between the parties. The effect or consequence of sin is two-fold, as respects God and as it respects ourselves. As respects God. Seeing he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance, it must at once cut off the sinner from whatever state of favour he was previously in. And as it is moreover direct rebellion against his sovereign authority, as supreme law- giver, it calls loudly for the vindication of that authority, by the infliction of the punishment due to and denounced against it. Hence, as respects God, the inevitable consequence of sin is^ renunciation, wrath, and punishment. CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE. 139 As respects ourselves, the effect or consequence of sin is, separation or excision from God ; and this virtually, by raising the standard of rebellion in our hearts, against his authority and government — and actually, by siding with his enemy. And were there nothing more, no farther consequences to be appre- hended, this in itself would be destruction ; for to be cut off from the only source of all comfort, hope, and blessing, with- out a possibility of return, is, in fact, to an immortal creature, to perish forever. But this separation or excision from God because of sin, involves further the loss of his Holy Spirit, which is the prin- ciple of life — spiritual life in the soul; the depravation of all the faculties of the mind, and the decay and death of the body. Hence, natural evil is the consequence of sin, and had no place in the creation of God until sin, entertained in the will and per- fected in the act by the first man, opened a door for all its plagues to enter in and overwhelm us. Now if the nature and effect of sin be as I have very briefly stated it, my hearers, and my warrant is the word of God, what must become either of an individual or of a world in such a situa- tion 1 Is it competent to the rebel lying at mercy to settle the conditions on which he is to be forgiven ? Is it competent to the offender to say what satisfaction shall be sufficient to com- pensate for his ofience 1 Or is this the prerogative of the party rebelled against and offended ? Let common sense and com- mon usage teach us wisdom in this infinite interest. But sup- pose the punishment and penalty could be, by us, either borne or escaped from, or satisfied in any way, what becomes of the distance it hath put between God and our souls 1 How is that barrier to be removed ? Can a human hand wrest the flaming sword that guards the tree of life from the hand of the cheru- bim, and regain the Paradise from which sin hath driven him out 1 But let us admit even this monstrous proposition. Would Para- dise or Heaven be such to the sinner 1 And is the creature, the work of another hand, able to re-create himself? Can he who hath lost the image of God restore it to himself ? Will the Holy Spirit return at his bidding, and renew him in the spirit of his mind, and restore what sin hath decayed 1 Alas ! here is an im- 140 CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVK. pregnable barrier which we cannot force, and without which God is but lost to us for ever. Every way, therefore, we are undone in ourselves. Hope is cut off, and heaven barred against us. And thus we see how man could not but have perished for ever, had Jr.sus Christ never been given. He only could make the required satisfaction for the sins of the whole world. He only was worthy to be heard in our behalf. None other than a divine person could make that atonement which balanced and overweighed the infinite demerit of sin. And none other than the only wise God could so have met our want with the riches of his grace, as is displayed in the gospel ; where mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other — where sin is pardoned and justice satisfied — the sinner reclaimed and holiness established — death conquered and immortality brought to light — God glorified and the sinner saved — hell overcome and heaven replenished by the cross of Christ. Well did St. Paul say, God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of my Lord Jesus Christ. And O that the millions to whom this saving doctrine is plainly set forth by the preaching of the word would but consider the bearing it has upon their eternal interests ; that they would so meditate upon the gracious and merciful purpose which clothed him in our nature and stretched him upon the cross, as to prepare for his second advent in glory, to judge the world, to triumph over his enemies, and reward his servants. O come that blessed day when trial will be over, suffering at an end, and Christ be glorified in all his saints — when the Church triumphant shall celebrate the praises of her God and Saviour, in hosannas lasting as eternity ! But to attain this joyful and glorious hope, my brethren, the gracious purpose wherewith God was pleased to give his only begotten Son, must be answered ; which brings me to the in. Third head I proposed to speak of, which was to point out the nature of the salvation thus wrought out for us. To under- stand this aright and to apply it profitably we must consider the nature and extent of our undoing. As this undoing extended both to body and soul, the salva- tion wrought out for us by Christ reaches to the same extent. CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE. 141 The salvation of the body is accomplished in its resurrection from the dead, whereof we have the assurance in the resur- rection of Christ's body, which was of the same mortal and corruptible nature as that in which we arc found. Jis in Mam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. Md to this end Christ both died and rose again, and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. As the entertainment of sin established the empire of death over man fallen, so the con- quest of sin, and of him who had the power of death, by our representative, restores that immortality to the body for which it was originally created. This peculiar and distinguishing doctrine of Christianity was one of the fruits of Christ's under- taking for us ; and while it is full of hope and comfort, to those who embrace and obey the gospel, increases the horror and despair of those who reject it. Because it is for the purpose of judgment that the dead shall be raised, that soul and body, once more united, and for evermore incapable of decay or dissolution, may suffer or enjoy, according to the deeds done in the body, to all eternity. Oh ! what a price will those who now sacrifice to the flesh then pay, for the short lived, unsatisfying enjoyments of sense ; and what a rich reward will those who now crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts of a fallen nature, then reap. O that we could realize this awful truth as we ought, and see the intemperance and thoughtlessness of both old and young falling before it. But alas ! while this is unheeded iniquity will abound. The salvation of the soul is accomplished by restoring it to the image from which it is fallen. As sin committed proved the death of the soul, the destruction of hs faculties of knowing, loving, and pleasing God, so by the destruction of sin is the soul restored to its original health, and rendered capable of all that the gospel requires. Now^ it is only by the Spirit of God (that same Spirit which formed the life of their souls in our first parents, but departed from them when they sinned) that this can be wrought in us their progeny. And this Spirit is the purchase of Christ's death, who, ichen he ascended up on high, led captivity captive and received gifts for men. This is the turning point of the religion of the gospel, which is, therefore. 142 CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE. called, emphatically, the dispensation of the Spirit. It is by this Spirit that we are convinced of sin and moved to repentance. It is by this Spirit that we are renewed to holiness and con- firmed in faith. It is by this Spirit that our union with Christ is witnessed, and the atonement of his death personally applied to the pardon of our sins and acceptance with God. And it is by this Spirit dwelling in us that our mortal bodies will be raised at the last day. This precious gift is the promise of the Father and the purchase of the Son. As without His quickening, renewing power, all the other parts of our redemption and sal- vation would have been in vain, so unless we obtain and follow the Spirit we can never be prepared for heaven. And what is thus so necessary for all is freely offered to all under the gospel ; it is offered to our prayers, to our earnest endeavours to con- form to the will of God ; yea, he is present in every one of you, my hearers, at this present moment, though ye know him not — ready to perform his gracious operations upon your hearts and bring you back to God, turning you from sin. He stands ready to enlighten your ignorance, to strengthen your weakness, to reprove your folly, and admonish your carelessness. And how often have you grieved him, and turned away from the gracious convictions he hath wrought in your hearts. O turn not away from his wholesome though sometimes painful discipline, but yield yourselves to the truth which saveth ; that, renewed in the spirit of your minds, the salvation wrought out for you by the Son of God may be accomplished by victory over sin in this life, by the attainment of the mind that was in Christ, and by the final triumph of soul and body together, over death and hell, in the great day of eternity. Thus shall the gracious purpose wherefore God gave his Son, and that Son consented to be given for us, be answered. Thus shall he see of the travail of his soul, and his second coming welcome you to the joy and glory of his heavenly kingdom. The religion of the gospel, my friends, is a provision of God's mercy to save your souls from eternal death, not absolutely, but on condition that you apply the means furnished you, to conquer sin and attain to that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. The sentence of eternal death stands firm against CHRIST GIVEN TO SAVE. 143 every son of Adam who rejects the gospel and the love and compassion of God in giving his Son ; and the sufferings of that Son for you vrill increase that condemnation heyond all power of expression. From this there is no escape. It is the appoint- ment from heaven and cannot be reversed. Take, then, the warning of this day, and let the application of what has been said lead you to a serious consideration of what God hath done for you — of the answer you will be able to make when your account is called for, and from this judge of your state. In vain will Christ have been given by the love of God, if the purpose for which he came and suffered is not answered. In vain will faith in him be, if that faith is not fruitful in hoHness. In vain shall we call him Lord, if we do not the things which he says. Alas ! alas ! that so many who know all these things should, nevertheless, remain unmoved by them, and never take a single step godward ; who hear to condemnation, and make a preached gospel the savour of death to their souls ; whom neither love can draw nor fear drive from the follies of the world and the witcheries of sin. Merciful Lord ! point the truth of thy word to their hearts ; and let this, thy holy day, witness thy power to save, by bringing some poor sinner /rom darkness to lights and from the power of Satan to God. SERMON XIII. CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. 2 Corinthians v. 21. " For he hath made him to be sin for us, wlio knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." This fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith, on which the gospel with all its gracious invitations, encouraging promises, and enlivening hopes, is founded — from which all the appoint- ments, ordinances, and means of religion derive their whole efficacy, and to which, as the procuring cause of pardon, grace, and everlasting life to sinful mortals, it continually refers the devout worshipper of God and his Christ, forms at all times a proper and profitable subject for the meditations of Christians. It must, consequently, be to all a most solemn and impressive subject, my brethren and hearers, seeing it involves in its con- sideration the heinous and destructive nature of sin, the utter insufficiency of all and every human means to expiate the guilt of its commission, the wonderful provision of God's love, mercy, and wisdom, to constitute sinners righteous in his sight by the merits of Christ, and the personal interest each individual present has in this only propitiation, atonement, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, whether original or actual. I shall, therefore, consider the text as comprising the following points of doctrine : First, that all men stand in need of a Saviour. Secondly, that the righteousness or morality of our lives can avail us nothing for acceptance with God, otherwise than under the shield of Christ's perfect righteousness. Thirdly, that we can secure an interest in the satisfaction made to the divine justice by the death of Christ, no otherwise than by so receiving the testimony God hath given of his Son as to believe and obey the gospel. CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. 145 Fourthly, that to those only who thus receive and apply it is this wonderful appointment of God, set forth in the text, made effectual to salvation. For he hath made him to be sin for us wlio knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. I. First, then, we learn from the text that all men stand in need of a saviour. Our condition with respect to God, how we stand in regard to his present and future favour, is infinitely the most important of all our concerns, my brethren. It may be well or it may be ill with us in the present Me ; we may enjoy or we may suffer ; but in either case we can look to the end of it. In another life, however, this advantage is done away, and whatever our condi- tion shall be, it is a never ending and unchangeable one. And this it is which stamps with such superlative folly the guilt of those who neglect to consider, with the attention and seriousness it deserves, the ground of their expectations, whatever these may be, when death shall close the scene of temporal things and introduce them to those which are eternal. One very strong proof of the divine original of the Scriptures of our faith, is their agreement with the universal impressions of mankind ; whether aided by revelation or left in the darkness of their natural state ; and the complete relief which these Scrip- tures give on the difficulties of our present, and on the anxieties respecting our future condition, is one of the most convincing arguments for our thankful reception of them. Were we innocent creatures we could not possibly reconcile the sorrows and sufferings, the pains, diseases, and deaths, under which the world labours, with the loving kindness and tender mercies of our heavenly Father, and were we only obnoxious to temporal evils, though we should fear and dread them, yet our fear could not be of that indescribable quality which accompanies the expectation of those which are future, and to which death is but the prelude. This demonstrates, I think, that there is something radically Avrong in the constitution of human nature. Death could not be so much the object of fear and abhorrence to all men, seeing it is so certain a remedy for the miseries of time, were it not that there is something thereafter still more to Vol. II.— 19 146 CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. be dreaded, to which we are justly liable. And let no one here say, that it is to revelation we owe this fear and anxiety, because tkose who never heard of heaven or hell, or of the fall and redemption of man, are as full}^ if not more, in bondage to the fear which hath torment than those who are favoured with the explicit knowledge of the rewards and punishments of another life. Here, then, is one ground on which it may truly be affirmed that all stand in need of an interposition of heaven's mercy, to give relief to our labouring minds and save us from the hopeless conjectures of our sin-darkened minds, and from the cruel dominion of our relentless enemy ; and this, we are accordingly informed, is one of the gracious purposes embraced in the precious gift of Jesus Christ, who took our nature upon him that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. But whence became we thus guilty and obnoxious to all the consequences of guilt, in ignorance of God and alienation from him, opposed to his holy nature, and labouring under the curse which entailed sorrow and suffering, disease and death, both temporal and eternal, upon polluted mortality 1 This is a question, my hearers, which no human wisdom oould ever answer. Heaven alone possessed the power, and, blessed be God, it possessed the will to bring to light not only the disease but the remedy. And here is another, and that the chief ground on which rests the fundamental truth, that all men stand in need of a saviour. We are too apt, my friends and brethren, to consider the interposition of Christ as respects our personal sins only ; but God's gracious purpose in making him to be sin for us had a previous object in view, which was to reprieve the offenders from the sentence of condemnation, under which the first sinner and all who should proceed from him were held, and by reconciling the world to himself, through his Son, to put them once more upon trial, with means to regain all that was forfeited. On this rests the grace of the gospel ; in which God makes known to the v/orld, that for what Christ hath done and suffered as our representative, he is reconciled to his offending creatures, and calls upon them to be reconciled to CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. 147 him by believing in his only begotten Son, whom he hath given that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlast- ing life. Hence, we learn, my brethren, that there is a sense in which, had Christ never been given for us, we could not but have perished, that is, we must have remained exposed to all the consequences of Adam's sin, both temporal and eternal, without the remotest possibility of escape ; and this we have exemplified to us in the continuance of those temporal evils which are now the means of our probation, and are hereafter to be entirely done away in that higher state to which Jesus Christ hath undertaken to advance all those who believe and obey him. Thus we see that infants, who certainly have not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, are never- theless subject to pain and suffering, to disease and death, equally with those who are personally guilty, which proves the state of condemnation under which all mankind are by nature, and the consequent necessity that they should be delivered from it. From hence we also learn, that this deliverance, of which all stand in need, and which Christ has wrought for us, is not absolute and unconditional, but dependant on the condition of our believing in him whom God hath sent. We can be, and we are, accounted righteous in the sight of God, or, as the text expresses it, we are made the righteousness of God, only by faith in Christ our righteousness. This we can entertain and manifest no otherwise than by embracing and obeying the gos])el ; and such is the importance of the gospel message, so every way suited to our Avants and fitted to our state, that our Saviour declares of all to whom the gospel has come, he that believeth not is condemned already ; and the wrath of God abideth on him. This should be an alarming consideration to that great number who are favoured by the mercy of God with the gospel and yet make light of the salvation it offers, comforting them selves with the delusive hope, that an unprofessed and unprac- tised religion will profit them, though his own most firm word declares, that whosoever is not for him is against him; and ichoso- ever shall be ashamed of me and my words, says he, of him ivill I also be ashamed before my Father and the holy angels. But there is yet another and more familiar ground on which 148 CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. to demonstrate that all men stand in need of a Saviour, and that is, our personal condition, my hearers, as sinners, both by na- ture and practice. As there is no just view which we can take of Almighty God which presents us with any thing like imperfection in his nature and attributes, so there is none which we can take of ourselves but what is loaded with imperfection, sin, and guilt. Wicked men, indeed, would gladly flatter themselves that this is not so,' and particularly do they wish to think that God is so entirely merciful that his attribute of justice will be left out of sight in his dealings with sinners. So that notwithstanding the clear and express declarations of his holy word, confirmed by his laying upon his only and beloved Son the iniquities of us all, and ex- acting from him the penalty due by us, they venture to enter- tain the delusion that the religion of the gospel requires only the outward morality of the life, without the renewed transformation of the heart. Thus, also, do men of proud and unhumbled minds contend for the meritorious righteousness of their own corrupt, broken, and imperfect performance of the duties which are owing by the creature to the Creator, and by one creature to another. But neither of these deceits can stand the test even of reason, far less of revelation. For, independent of the direct testimony furnished by the wonderful plan of our redemption, as set forth in the words of my text — that nothing but an act of the highest love and mercy, of the most wonderful wisdom and contrivance — an act which even the angels desire to look into, was compe- tent to arrest the sentence of the broken law and convert a state of alienation, sin, and death (which is that of man when considered as divested of Christ) into a state of reconciliation, trial, and hope — independent of this testimony, I say, the very best of us all, even with the aid of divine grace, cannot but be conscious of such impurity of motive, such weakness of endea- vour, such failure in duty, such actual transgression in what we know to be forbidden, and therefore contrary to God, as by no possibility to stand the scrutiny of his holy and righteous judgment. And if it be thus under the grace of the gospel, in the regeneration, as our Saviour terms it, what must it have CHRIST THE SIN OFF RING. 149 been had this great and effectual sin offering never been made *? And what, let me ask, must it yet be to those who either proudly reject or carelessly neglect it now that it is made, and the highest assurance given that there is no other nor any more sacrifice for sins, nor any other name or means by the which we can be accepted of God, obtain his mercy, and find grace to help in working out our eternal salvation 1 If the righteous scarcely he saved — if the most holy and righteous per- son that ever lived can be saved no otherwise than by beino- made the righteousness of God in Christ, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ? With what face shall the gospel sinner, for whom all this is provided, to whom it is freely offered, and by whom it is impiously slighted and rejected, meet God in judg- ment 1 Let me beseech you, then, my friends, who continue to treat the gospel of our salvation as a mere visiting acquaintance, but contract no familiarity with its saving grace, nor endeavour at any nearer intimacy with its great author— let me beseech you to consider where it must end. If you are conscious of one sin, of one disobedience to the law of Christ, much more of habitual disregard of his gracious appointments and ordinances, how are you to escape the wages due to it 1 Can you conceive it possible that God should give such a conclusive proof of his hatred and abhorrence of all sin as to make his pardon of it to depend upon the voluntary sufferings and death of his only Son, as a sacrifice to the justice of his holy law, that those towards whom this rich redeeming love is displayed might continue to sin with impunity 1 No, God forbid ! He was given, and he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity. And observe, 1 pray you, none will ever be accounted righteous for his sake, or, as the text expresses it, be made the righteousness of God in him, but those who become, in fact, righteous by the means he hath provided and made known in the gospel. But let me ask you, can means, however effectual, profit those who never make use of them 1 Alas ! my friends, be not deceived ; all the wonders of our redemption by Jesus Christ are set forth, and made known, and offered, and pressed upon sinful mortals to the intent that they should use and apply them, and to such only as thus act are they made the power of God 150 CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. unto salvation. While to those who neglect and despise the wise and wonderful means provided to enlighten the ignorance of fallen creatures, to reprieve condemned rebels, and constitute sinners righteous in the sight of a pure and holy God, through Jesus Christ, the mercy of God and the love of Christ thus disregarded will prove the worm that never dies, the fire that never shall be quenched throughout an undone eternity. Be persuaded, then, I beseech you, while the sparing mercy of God surrounds you with the means of grace, to consider seriously, that as even innocent creatures have no claim of right to eternal life, for it is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord, far less can guilty, sinful creatures form any reasonable hope of it from any thing in themselves. For, as all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, so there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, only the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth — whom God hath made to be sin for us, that we might he made the righteousness of God in him. II. Secondly, I am to show that the righteousness or morality of our lives can avail us nothing, for acceptance with God, otherwise than under the shield of Christ's perfect righteous- ness. The most obvious ground on which the truth of this proposi- tion rests is, that as nothing but what is pure and perfect can be agreeable in the sight of God, or hope for acceptance with him, and as neither the thoughts, words, or actions of fallen crea- tures can possibly possess this character, therefore, there can be nothing in them meritorious of reward. When we have done all, we are but unprofitable servants, we have done no more than our bare duty. This is the hard saying which is so grievous to the pride and self-sufficiency of human nature. But it is a clear consequence from the fundamental doctrine of our religion, that we are saved by grace ; which means this, that the whole of our salvation, from first to last, not only in the great procuring cause which effected reconciliation with God for us, but in the fruit thereof, in our hearts and lives, in all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, is the operation of God in and upon us by the Holy Ghost ; which is the pur- chase of Christ's death, essential to the renewal of our fallen CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. 151 natures, and on his ascension into heaven was shed abroad upon the world to prepare mankind for the gospel, and to enable them to profit by it. Whence it follows, that as we have nothing that we have not received, to look upon our good actions as wrought by our own strength, or as at all uieritorious of reward, or even as free from imperfection, is, not only to rob God of the glory due to his grace, but to show evidently that we know nothing of ourselves as yet as we ought to know it — of the true condition of human nature as fallen and depraved, and of what God hath done to raise it, and revive his image upon it, and bring it back to himself. And this is confirmed to us both by observation and experience. For those who contend for the morality of their lives as meritorious of salvation, and rest their hope of hereafter on this sandy foundation, are generally such persons as, though not in direct opposition to the gospel, are yet not professors of religion, or, if they chance to be so, are such for reasons distinct from any saving conviction of their own danger because of personal sin, or from any realizing view of Christ as the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth. The knowledge of the fact as revealed, may bring men to assent in terms to Christ in all his oflices as set forth in the gospel ; but nothing short of a deep sense of their own personal guilt and danger by reason of sin, such as can be wrought in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit alone, and that in the Lord only have we righteousness and strength, can bring them to renounce themselves, their poor, broken, impure, and imperfect works, earnestly desiring to win Christ and to be found in him; not having iheir own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ — whom God hath made to be sin for us, that we tni.o-ht be made the righteousness of God in him. This we know to be perfect, and, therefore, acceptable before God ; our own we know to be imperfect, and, therefore, not to be trusted to in so serious a concern as the loss or salvation of our souls. That it must be perfect and complete, lacking nothing, the text teaches us, inasmuch as even the sacrifice through which mercy reaches the sinner was required to be spotless. Him tvho kneic no sin hath God made to be sin for us. He can accept nothing polluted or imperfect. Hence we see the danger of trusting to our own 152 CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. righteousness, the absolute necessity of an interest in Christ, the Lord our righteousness ; and the depth of that wisdom which hath provided for fallen creatures a righteousness, in which to see God and live. Hence also it is called in Scripture the righteousness of God, because it is perfect, and of his institu- tion, ordination, and appointment, and that v^^hich alone he will accept from the sinner for justification of life ; and it is called the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ, because it is received and applied only by faith in Christ as the procuring cause. Hence we learn, HI. Thirdly, that we can secure an interest in the satisfaction made to the divine justice by the death of Christ no other- wise than by so receiving the testimony God hath given of his Son as to believe and obey the gospel. That God, intending to redeem fallen creatures, should make known to them both the method and the conditions of his mercy, is not to be disputed without involving an absurdity. And, admitting we are redeemed, the only inquiry which befits and can be useful to those who are the objects of redemption, is, by what method and on what conditions is it effected. Now we all profess to believe, in one sense or another, that God has in- terposed by his Son to turn away the sad consequences of sin and rebellion from his guilty creatures ; and had we no gospel, no revelation, or was it hard to come at, and difficult to understand, sure I am we should consider it a great hardship, but should be much more intent than we now are to find out all that related to it. But surely we might reflect that the ease and readiness with which we can come at the knowledge of what most concerns us, will serve to deepen the guilt of remaining ignorant of or unaffected by so gracious a proof of God's good will and tender love to- wards us as is displayed in the gospel of Christ. Now let me ask this congregation of Christian people, suppose their eternal salvation was this moment to be decided according to the care and attention with which each one had endeavoured to make himself acquainted with the Scriptures as the revealed will of God, how many of those now present would reap any advan- tage from such an offer ? I make these remarks and put this question, my hearers, in the hope it may startle the neglecters CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. 153 of God's word, and convince them how vain it Is to expect religious benefit if they take no pains to become religious, that it may rouse them to consider carefully what it is, and the interest they have in making it their own. For so sure as God hath spoken to us by his Son, my brethren, and we are to be judged by the word thus spoken, so sure is it, that if we do not seek we shall not find ; so sure is it, that if the value of our immortal souls does not interest us, so as to inquire, and that earnestly too, what must we do to be saved, we never can be saved. For it is not that the salvation or damna- tion of thousands of such worlds as this can in any way affect Almighty God, he is infinitely beyond such considera- tions, and hath no need of the sinful man ; but it is of his essential and undeserved goodness, and for our advantage, that all the wonders of his redeeming love have been wrought and made known ; so that the sin of ingratitude is added to that of disobedience, in all who fail to search the Scriptures and satisfy themselves respecting the great truths of our holy religion. The testimony which God hath given of his Son is so direct, and at the same time so consonant with his dignity and the nature of his office as the instructor, propitiation, and Saviour of sinners, as at once to draw the attention and deserve the most serious consideration of those who are favour- ed with it ; while the unspeakable interests dependent on its reception or rejection are calculated to secure that accurate investigation which accountable beings might fairly be supposed to make. Yet notwithstanding all this, on no other subject is so much carelessness manifested, on no other do men so gene- rally content themselves with acknowledgment in the gross and disregard in the particulars ; satisfied with the mere cursory knowledge of the facts, without considering the bearing those facts have on their present and future welfare. But, my breth- ren and hearers, the mere knowledge of the gospel, though in itself an advantage, and one to be accounted for, is no other- wise effectual than as it is improved in our practice. The testimony God hath given of his Son, is to assure us that we may safely trust our souls to his saving power. To reject or neglect this testimony is to make God a Uar, and to bar our- VoL. II.— 20 154 CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. selves out from any entrance of religion into our souls. For to as many as receive him, and to them only, does he give the power or privilege to become the sons of God. While we con- tent ourselves, then, with the mere knowledge of the gospel, without becoming the disciples of Christ by an open profession of him as our only Saviour, or making such profession without obeying the laws and rules of his kingdom, we deceive ourselves if we expect any benefit from his death. For, IV. Fourthly, to those only who thus receive and apply it, is this wonderful appointment of God, set forth in the text, made effectual to salvation. That a gracious God, in bringing salvation to sinners should have so appointed as to make the whole dependant on another, and not on the sinners themselves, is a stumbling block to the wisdom of the world. But we may be sure, from its being thus ordered, that it is not only most consonant with the perfections and dignity of God, as the supreme governor of the universe, but the best and the wisest, also, for those for whom it is provided. And the reason of thus providing for us through the righteous- ness of another, is plain and convincing, even to our poor appre- hensions. For, says the apostle, ichat the lavo could not do, in that it icas weak through the Jlesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after thejleshbut after theSpiuir. The law of the Lord is perfect; but whence could fallen creatures, with faculties impaired and depraved, fulfil its holy conditions, even say that no previous condemnation was to be removed to make room for a new trial ; and the goodness of God is as eminently displayed in providing a particular method for bestowing his favour upon us, as if he did it without any such particular provision. The question is not in how many or what other ways the omnipotence of God could have saved sinners, but according to what method and upon what conditions has he done it. This is all that concerns us in the first place ; as humble, thankful acceptance, and dili- gent observance of the means appointed, is what concerns us ill the next place. For we may be perfectly sure, that God having condescended to mark out a way for the attainment of CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. 155 heaven, that and that alone can bring us thither. Vain and ruinous, therefore, is the expectation that the gospel will profit us, unless we take care to profit by the grace it brings us ; and miserable and dreadful the disappointment of those who consider so little the mercy and wisdom of God, in making him icho knew no sin to be sin for us, that ice might be made the righteousness of God in him, as never to have taken one step towards securing the advantages so freely offered us in Christ Jesus. No, not even so much as professing the religion he taught, or observing the ordinances he has commanded. Oh ! to how many thousands, if they continue thus, will that merciful Saviour, who was con- tent to be made sin for them, have to say in the great day of eternity — / never knew you ! Lord, were we not born under thy gospel, baptized in thy name, and knew we not thee always as the Saviour of sinners, may they say. But, alas ! what will they answer to such replies as these, my careless, unconverted hearers — Have ye kept your baptismal vow 1 Were you saved from sin when in the world 1 Did you obey the precepts and example I left with you 1 Did you ever openly confess me before men 1 How often have I been set forth before your eyes, evidently crucified for you, and you have turned your backs upon my body broken and blood shed to buy your souls 1 Lord, we trusted in thy mercy. And hath not mercy and warning waited upon you twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy years; but now the door of mercy is shut. I am no longer a Saviour, but a Judge. Ye would not be made holy in your day of grace, ye cannot he made happy in eternity. Depart ye cursed to the por- tion ye have chosen. O that God may be pleased to sanctify his truth to your hearts, and that that merciful Saviour, whom you now slight may yet intercede for you and lengthen your day of grace, and give you to perceive and to seek after the things which make for your peace before they are for ever hid from your eyes. And, dear brethren, let us ever bear in mind the high purpose for which God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us — the holy and merciful design with which he gave himself for us — the gracious end of all the ordinances and commandments of our Lord, that our lives may be answerable to the hope we profess ; 156 CHRIST THE SIN OFFERING. and that at the last day, when he shall come again with power and great glory to judge the world, we may be found the righteous- ness of God in him who loved us, and gave himself for us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God, even his Father. To whom, in the unity of the eternal Godhead, be glory and praise now and for ever ! SERMON XIV. THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. 1 Timothy ii. 5. " For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Chbist Jesus." From the nature of God and the actual condition of the world, it would be utterly impossible, without further informa- tion, to deduce the reasonableness, the obligation, or the advan- tage of any religious duty whatever, on the part of man towards his Maker. That the perfections of Almighty God are all abso- lute, and without any limitation, deficiency, or qualification what- ever, is one of those original, self-evident truths, which are in- dependent of all proof and admit of no more question than the existence and necessary attributes of the Supreme Moral Gover- nor of the Universe. That the condition of man is the very reverse of this is equally evident, from our experience of our- selves and from what observation teaches us of others. Hence, as there can be no point of union between perfection and imper- fection in the parties themselves, the claims of natural religion, as it is called, are totally groundless, and all arguments founded on such an assumption are mere nullities, because the thing itself never did and never can exist. If man is now what his Maker originally created him, and acting now in his every day conduct according to the law at first impressed upon his nature, which must be the case if he has never swerved from God, then he is a guiltless creature, and nothing more or better can be required of him, even by infinite justice. But if this is not the case, if by the Cv;fnmon consent of natural reason, and by the higher authority ol heav- enly revelation, he is shown to be a fallen creature, departed from his original character, separated, in consequence, from God 158 THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. his Maker, with broken faculties and depraved affections, then is he at once a guilty and a powerless being, without a shadow of help in himself to alter or amend this miserable state, to propitiate God, or to render him any acceptable, much less rewardable service. Hence, if religion has any claims upon us at all, it must be upon the principle set forth in my text ; it must be upon this demonstrable position — that if there be a point of union between God as he is and man as he is, it must be found in some third person, whose qualifications are such as fully to meet the claims and demands of the one, and the wants and ne- cessities of the other of the two parties to this awful controversy. Irrefragable as this position is from the plainest principles of reason, it is, happily, my brethren, put beyond all dispute by the whole structure of the religion we profess, whose fundamental doctrines are the fall and depravation of man by sin, and his recovery by and through a mediator between God and man. That we should have right views on this subject is, therefore, of the highest importance ; because all application on our part to God, either to obtain his favour or to deprecate his wrath, must spring from these two sources ; first, a sense of want and exposure on our part ; secondly, some well grounded hope that God is placable and may be sought unto. Deprive mankind of either of these, I care not which, and you deprive them of all religious motive, obligation, help, and hope. And in proportion as these doctrines are realized in the just extent of their application, or neutralized and perverted by the natural enmity of the carnal mind to their humbling, yet saving efficacy, will the fruits of genuine religion or counterfeit Christianity be visible. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, -which is Jesus Christ. JVo man cometh to the Father but by me, says our Lord, and I am yet to learn where or how fallen man can obtain any knowledge of God as a God of mercy, unconnected with Jesus Christ as the procuring cause of that pardon, grace, and eternal life which is offered to a world of sinners, through faith in his only saving name. Let us then, my brethren, endeavour to obtain clear and settled views on this most influential subject, that we may be guarded alike from entertaining a hope for which we can render THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. 159 no satisfactory reason, or from trusting to an expectation whose foundation is laid in the sand. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and meny the man Christ Jesus. In furtherance of this object, I will consider. First, the nature of our Lord's mediatorial office. Secondly, the suitableness of the person appointed. Thirdly, our duty and privilege under this provision of the love of God our Saviour. L First, the nature of our Lord's mediatorial office, A mediator, as the word itself implies, means one who inter- poses between persons at variance, who uses influence of any kind to reconcile and restore to friendly intercourse those who are separated from each other. The office which the Lord Jesus Christ sustains, therefore, is of this kind, and from the condition of human nature, must be in coniinual operation, that is, must be exercised so long as any variance shall continue between God and men. Hence we read, that he ever liveth to make intercession/or us. It is, however, by considering the cause and the consequences of the rupture and separation between God and his creature, that we shall best understand and appreciate this relation in which the man Jesus Christ is presented to us. The cause, then, was sin, manifested by the transgression of an express command of God by our first parents, the represen- tatives of the whole human race ; and the consequences were, the loss of God's favour, exclusion from his presence, spiritual death, and exposure to all the penalties previously denounced against disobedience by the law which was broken ; and these effects followed, not singly to the first transgressors, but as they were spared by the mediation of the Son of God, and reprieved from the immediate execution of the sentence, to us also, their descendants. Here I would digress for a moment, my hearers, to obviate a very common ground of objection and unbelief, in considering it unjust to extend these consequences to the unoffending offspring of the first sinners. This, however, as well as all other unbelief, proceeds from not duly considering the subject. As our first parents, on their trial, stood for their 160 THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. posterity as well as for themselves, and we should have reaped the blessed effects of their faithfuhiess had they withstood the temptation, the justice of God stands clear of all imputation in our sharing in and suffering under the consequences of their sin. As a fallen sinner, we read, that Adam begat a son in his own likeness, as an obedient believer the event would in like manner have corresponded with his condition. Sin having thus entered into that new created world, which its Almighty Maker pronounced very good, and the conse- quences denounced against it being inevitable from the truth and justice of Jehovah, we have but to ask ourselves, what help or means there was with the sinner himself to avoid or escape from the curse, to enable us to form some just and proper notion of the mediatorial office of our ever blessed Redeemer. For in the first place, the justice of God demanded, inexora- bly, that full satisfaction should be made to the broken law ; but this involved the personal destruction of the offender by the suffering of death, and by consequence precluded all exercise of mercy. A substitute, therefore, must be found equal to the extent of this demand, to suffering and overcoming the death denounced against sin. And this substitute presented himself for us in the only begotten Son of God, who took our nature upon him, that through death he might destroy death, and him that had the power of it. Secondly, sin itself, as that which God abhors, and upon which the purity and holiness of his nature cannot look with the least degree of allowance, was to be put away and banished for ever from the presence of God. But what sinner can undo his own sin as an offence against God 1 The means for this also were to be found in another, and that other was found in the same Son of God, who afterwards became the man Christ Jesus, icho for us men and for ou salvation came down from heaven; who put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, who undertook to bring in everlasting righteousness, and is now carrying on and will finally accomplish this mighty and glorious work, in that new heaven and new earth wherein righteousness shall dwell for ever, while death and hell shall be cast into the lake of fire. THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. 161 Thirdly, the renewal of spiritual life in the sinner spirit- ually dead was essential to give this holy and merciful under- taking its effect, and to fit fallen man for the new state of trial thus procured for him. But who can confer this indispensable gift but Gou only 1 Is it, can it be, in man fallen to renew himself? Is it in man, the sinner, destitute and helpless, to turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God 1 No, my brethren, by every testimony which can give certainty to truth, and by every proof which experience can supply, that ivkich is horn of the flesh is flesh, and can rise no higher ; thatonhj which is horn of the Spirit is spirit, or spiritual. Here then is a difficulty, were there no other, insuperable to human power, beyond the reach of human means, which can be removed only by and through the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the Holy Ghost given for this purpose, carries on the great work of regenerating, converting and sanctifying the world. Hence we read, that ichen he had hy himself purged our sins, hearing them in his- own body on the tree, he rose from the dead, ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and received gifts for men. Thus we learn, my brethren and hearers, to understand the nature and extent of the office which the man Christ Jesus fills, as mediator between God and men. That it is not confined to his present intercession for sinners, as we are apt too carelessly to imagine ; but that it reaches back to the first procurement of mercy, pervades the whole order of God's providence, and extends forward to the final consummation of the mystery of God in Christ, when all enemies being subdued under his feet, and the gracious purpose of his undertaking the office being answered in the everlasting salvation of all who believe and obey the gospel, the mediatorial kingdom of grace shall end and the kingdom of glory commence, where there shall be no more sin, no more death, neither shall there be any more pain • where God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of his servants, and the Lamb lohich is in the midst of the throne, which redeemed them to God by his blood, shall feed them, and lead them beside Vol. II.— 21 162 THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. living fountains of water, and God himself shall be with them, and he their God. II. Secondly, I am to consider the suitableness of the person appointed to fill this office. That the office of a peace-maker, a reconciler of differences between those who are at variance, may be performed by any who possess that kind and Christian disposition, we all under- stand, my friends. Yet there is to our apprehensions a certain fitness and propriety of character, according to the condition of the parties and the circumstances of the case, in the person who undertakes the office, which gives weight and impression to his representations ; and we know by experience that considera- tions which produce no effect when urged by one person, will, nevertheless, succeed when presented by another. Hence we are prepared to expect, and I think I may say to require, that the person who stands in this relation between God and men, should possess that fitness and that propriety of character and condition, as respects the parties, which shall give reasonable ground to hope for success. Now, in every requisite, according to our comprehension of them, the man Christ Jesus will be found not only suitable, but the only person capable of sustaining this office, of meeting fully all its requirements, and supplying all its necessities. First, as the only begotten Son of God, and consequently of the same nature and essence with his Father, he alone was worthy and competent to step forward either to ask or to offer in our behalf. To perceive this more clearly let us reflect a moment, my brethren, on the nature of the controversy. This was not a case in which there might be blame on both sides, and by mutual concession the breach be repaired ; but one in which the offence was altogether on one side. This was not a case of offence between equals either in na- ture or condition, but between parties infinitely removed from each other in both these respects. This was not a case of offence finite in its nature and tran- sient in its consequences, but permanently opposed to and opposing all the perfections of Deity. THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. 163 This was not a case in which compensation could be made by the offender, but one which involved his utter destruction as the only vindication commensurate with the offence. And the object to be gained was not mere reconciliation, but beyond this, the procuring- of means to undo the mischief, to defeat the consequences, and restore the offender, on proper and possible conditions, to the happiness he had forfeited— to con- vert a state of sin and death into one of holiness and life eternal. Now, my dear brethren, iViends, and hearers, where, in the whole range of possible thought, can a person be found compe- tent to mterpose and to mediate with effect in such a strife and between such parties, other than the man Christ Jesus, as set forth to us in the word of God 1 Where else shall a Day's Man, as Job styles him, be found, qualified to lay his hand upon both, that IS, possessing properties where both might meet and be at one ? Suppose, for a moment, that the offence was only this day com- mitted, and we were met to consult how to undo it or escape from the consequences, to what quarter could we turn, to what resource could we resort ? >Suppose we were willing to make submission and to implore forgiveness, whom among our fellows in iniquity should we pitcli upon to appear before God in our behalf? Oh ! would not the reason that is left tell us it must be all in vain— that our envoy, partaking of the common guilt, would himself stand in need of a mediator— that, partaking of but one nature, he could have no access to God, and must'' be consumed by his holy presence 1 In the proper divinity of the man Christ Jesus, then, is fallen man's only hope. His mediatorial qualifications would be incomplete without it. There being nothing in his nature common to both parties, he could only be a mediator of one, and could not meet the requirements of the nature he did not possess. ^ How far it is competent for Almighty God to make the me- diation of a created being available to the redemption and salva- tion of sinners, is a question which will never be entertained by any sane mind, because it is one which never can be resolved. Nothing, it appears to me, short of the full qualification for this 164 THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. ofEce, which consists in possessing the nature belonging to each of the parties, can present any reasonable ground of confidence to sinners in the awful anticipations of death and judgment, and reheve mankind from the deplorable dilemma of being without any revelation of the will of God, or with one so uncertain as to be utterly unworthy of the name, and unable to make }jls wise unto salvation. For to this result all speculations which trench upon the divinity of the man Christ Jesus inevitably lead ; and it is my duty, my brethren, not only to warn you against them, but to give you plain grounds on which to resist the sophistry wherewith they are inculcated, among which I know of none, not drawn from the express words of Scripture, plainer or stronger than that which is found in a just view of his mediato- rial office. Secondly, as the Son of Man, (so called from having taken the human nature into union with the divine in his own person,) he was competent to represent all mankind, and, as such, to undertake to do and to suffer whatever v/as required by the per- fections of Deity in order to reconcile the world to himself, and usher in a dispensation of mercy and grace to men. This, my brethren, completes the mediatorial character of our Lord, and presents him to our view as every way suited to our case. Whatever the honour and dignity of the divine government required to be inflicted upon the transgressor of God's holy law was met by a representative both able and willing to bear the stroke of vindictive justice, and make that full satisfaction which alone could usher in the exercise of mercy. Whatever the holiness of the divine law demanded of perfect obedience to its precepts, in all the length, and breadth, and height, and depth of its spiritual as well as literal extent, could be paid, and its just claims discharged, in the very nature which transgressed. Whatever of example was needed to encourage redeemed man to rise from the death of sin and strive for the attainment of holiness, was given in the life of the man Christ Jesus. And whatever can invigorate faith and hope with prospects beyond the grave, is certified and assured by the resurrection THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. 165 and ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven, there, in both natures, to appear in the presence of Gofffor us. Now, my dear hearers, let us ask ourselves, and with that seriousness which an immortal interest should produce, what is there lacking in the qualities of the mediator provided for us by God 1 Is there any thing that you would wish added, altered, or taken away 1 Is there a single provision in his mediatorial character for which there is not a corresponding want in the condition of man 1 Is this poor delineation of it founded on and in agreement with the word of God 1 And have you better authority for his nature, his office, and the connexion of both with your actual condition 1 Oh ! what unspeakable interests are connected with right views and a right practice of and under this provision of heaven's wisdom, mercy, and love. May a gracious God keep and defend you from the contagion of that pride which rises against the humbling truth, that man in himself is nothing — that his salvation is of grace, and all his sufficiency of God, by and through a divine mediator. III. Thirdly, I am to consider and point out our duty and privileges, under this provision of the love of God our Saviour. An obligation conferred implies a duty to be performed ; if not in kind — which maybe impossible — yet in the sentiment enter- tained of the favour bestowed. This is true of the common concerns of life, and must be proportionally more obligatory in the higher interests of eternity. The redeemed state of man- kind, therefore, declared and authenticated by the gospel, as it is the highest favour that could be conferred, involves the strongest possible obligation to embrace and improve it. To those, there- fore, who are called to the knowledge of this grace, the duty of applying themselves to whatever can further and forward the ultimate object of eternal salvation, must be the first and highest obligation they feel themselves under. And did men only give a reasonable portion of attention and serious consideration to their condition as accountable beings, as immortal beings, as redeemed beings, they could not fail to be more deeply impressed with what they owe to God and their own souls, and more earnestly engaged in seeking the pearl of great price. They would apprehend better what religion really is, they would under- 166 THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. Stand more clearly the part they have to perform in working out their eternal salvation, and be induced more heartily to engage in it. For surely where every obstacle is removed, all needful help promised, and the highest reward offered, the deepest sense of gratitude and love should fill the hearts, and the most earnest engagement rule the lives of all under the gospel. My brethren and hearers, we are redeemed that we may be saved ; the means of grace are provided that they may be used ; a mediator is appointed to stand between the holiness of God and our unwor- thiness ; salvation is Hmited on faith in his name ; his qualifica- tions are every way suitable ; and the gospel is the proclamation of these facts for our information and assurance. Our duty, therefore, is to believe the gospel, to follow the direction and example there given us, by personal endeavour to bring ourselves within reach of its promised grace and saving mercy, and by exertion and perseverance to press toward the mark for the prize of our high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Nothing else can prove that we have any just sense of what God hath done for us, any fear or reverence of his glorious name, any desire to be saved. For so long as we slight the invitations of the gospel, and on any pretence hold ourselves back from the duties it enjoins, we do, in fact, persist in rebellion against God, reject the mediation of Jesus Christ, and if we continue thus must perish for ever. What is thus so clearly our duty is also our privilege, my brethren and hearers. For as God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and as Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man, it is the privilege, the heaven-granted, blood-pur- chased privilege of every child of Adam, to come unto God by him ; to return to his Father's house ; to receive the welcome of a pardoned penitent, and to be clothed with the best robe, even the unspotted righteousness of Christ. It is the high privilege, I say, of all who hear the joyful sound of the gospel, on the simple faith of the message itself, to draw near to God through Jesus Christ. It is the warrant to believe, that God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. What saith the Father in this mes- THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. 167 sage of love and mercy to man 1 This is imj beloved Son, hear ye him — and what saith that beloved Son ? Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I ivill give you rest ; learn of me. And what saith the Spirit of truth to the Churches of this beloved Son 1 He is able to save, to the uttermost, all icho come unto God by him. It is your high privilege, then, my dear hearers, forthwith to cast your idols (the vanities of the world and the lusts of the flesh) to the moles and to the bats ; to lay down the weapons of your rebellion, and return to him who hath made and redeemed you ; to enter the school of Christ, and there be made wise unto salvation. Ml things are ready, come ye to the marriage. And what hinders ? Who can stand up and show cause why this gracious invitation should not be accepted ? Alas ! alas ! that immortal souls, that reasonable creatures, should prefer darkness to light, and choose death in the face of eternal life. Yet so it is — the gospel is a savour of death as well as a savour of life, but not by God's appointment. Eternal death is the wages of unbelief, the end of those who will not receive the love of truth, that they might be saved, who will not believe that message of mercy which God hath spoken unto us by his Son. But it is more particularly, my brethren, the privilege of the believer, through this one mediator to approach God in acts of private and public worship, especially in prayer. This is the foundation on which, in the chapter from which my text is taken, St. Paul rests the obligation and the efficacy of the worship of God. This is a faithful saying, says he, in the chapter before this, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the toorld to save sinners. I exhort, therefore, that first of all sup- plications, prayers, and intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men ; for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who loill have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all. I will, therefore, that men pray every where, lift- ing up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. Hence, it would appear, my brethren, that in the judgment of St. Paul, the only reasonable ground of religious duty or reli- 168 THE MEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. gious hope in man, is found in the mediation of the man Christ Jesus ; and that this mode of access to the Father being provided for us, it becomes not only the duty but the privilege of believers to draw near to God in supplications for themselves and others. More particularly does it appear, that this is the privilege of public worship, of joint or common prayer ; and the reason, I think, is obvious. Whatever we do is coupled with imperfection, the holiest of our duties need the intercession of a mediator, holy, harmless, and undefiled, to render them accept- able to a pure and holy God. Without a mediator, therefore, faith is vain, prayer useless, and hope a delusion ; but with an intercessor possessing the qualifications of our great High Priest, a new and living way is opened for us to a throne of grace. Let us, therefore, my brethren, draw near with true hearts, in full assurance of faith, that he who spared not his own Son but freely delivered him up for us all, will, with him, also freely give us all things. That we are thus furnished is an argument to warm the coldest heart, to encourage the most timid spirit. That we are thus provided, is a warning that we come not before God otherwise than he hath appointed. Wo unto that man who, in the fond conceit of his own worthiness, looks to God through himself, rejects the one only mediator between God and man, or adds others to His infinite sufficiency. God out of Christ is a consuming fire. Christ rejected is an accusing witness, a condemning judge. Christ dishonoured is double perdition. Let us, therefore, my brethren, have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, that when faith shall end in sight, and the man Christ Jesus come in the glory of his Father with the holy angels, we may be accounted worthy to enter in through the gates into the city, and to join with all the company of heaven in ascribing glory^ honour, and salvation, to him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God even his Father, world without end. SERMON XV. CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. Romans x. 4. " For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." As the accountability of moral agents is to be inferred from their nature, as obedience required implies a law given by which it is to be tested, and. as a judgment expected necessarily involves acquittal or condemnation, the process by which we arrive at our real condition as amenable to him who hath made us, is within the reach of every rational being, independently of what we are in the habit of considering as revelation. Upon this ground, the apostle's argument in the first part of this epistle respecting the Gentile world, seems to be constructed where he infers their capacity to know God from the considera- tion of his works, and their obligation to worship and serve him according to the law written in their hearts ; and so far there is not a dissenting voice in the world of his creatures, whether Pagan or Christian, But the nature of that accountability, my hearers, the extent and quality of that obedience, and the consequences of that judgment, can never be satisfactorily ascertained by this general principle. For however undeniable in its truth, universal in its acknowledgment, and infinite in its application and use, yet, nevertheless, it sheds but a faint and obscure light upon the ten thousand anxieties which occupy the heart awake and alive to the unspeakable interests of eternity. Hence not only the absolute necessity, but the infinite and priceless value of the revelation we are favoured with in the Scriptures of our faith, which is truly a light shining in a dark place, and the only light which can afford us a gleam of hope or a ray of comfort in the deep, and solemn, and overwhelming inquiry — wherewithal shall I appear before the Lord 1 what shall Vol. II.— 22 170 CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW, / do to he saved ? To this there is but one answer, my friends', and as we are able with a good conscience to apply it to ourselves, will it be well or ill with us for ever. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, is the short but comprehensive reply of God's most true and faithful word to the convinced and penitent sinner ; as it, also, is the clear and express declaration of the same unchangeable word, that there is none other name under heaven given among men tohereby we must be saved, only the name of Jesus Christ of Jfazareth. And hence the deep importance to each one of us personally, to examine and ascertain whether we are believers, in the Scripture sense of the word ; because on this one point depends whether we have the slightest interest in the mercy revealed in the gospel. And so indisputably certain is this truth, that if every other point in the obedience of faith were fulfilled by us under the gospel, this foundation and corner stone of all being want- ing, the rest would profit us nothing. This I purpose, with God's good help, to demonstrate to you from the words of my text, applying them as St. Paul did, to shake, and I pray God it may be granted me, to pull down the unfounded confidence of too many in these days, who like those of whom the apostle speaks in this chapter, but not with the same excuse, going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted them- selves to the righteousness of God. In discoursing on this subject, I shall, in the First place, consider in what sense we are to take the word law, as here used by the apostle. Secondly, what is the extent and nature of that claim which the law of God has upon us. Thirdly, the means by which alone that claim can be satisfied. Fourthly, what is meant by Christ's being the end of the law. Lastly, I shall apply the subject. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. I. First, I am to consider in what sense we are to take the word law, 9s here used by the apostle. CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. 171 1 believe I am not mistaken when I take for granted that to the generality of Christians there is considerable difficulty and no small confusion of mind on the subject, occasioned princi- pally by want of attention to the various meanings in which the word law is used by this and the other apostles in the New Tes- tament— and that this difficulty is increased by the plausible man- ner in which the word, and those passages of Scripture in which it is found, have been pressed into the service and support of different systems of divinity ; an evil which is now perhaps without remedy, however evident it may be that the particular system is constructed on such a sense and meaning given to a particular word, such as law, faith, elect, &c., as is not consistent with the general tenour of the word of God taken as a whole ; under which impression the Scriptures are read with a bias and prejudice upon the mind, in favour of that interpretation which best accords with the system of doctrine we may have adopted. And wonderful it is to reflect with what readiness, remote and even irrelevant passages of Scripture seem to come together in our minds, to support and confirm our previous impressions ; and how those which militate against us, and conflict with our favourite notions, fall powerless on our pre-occupied under- standings. On which, I will only observe — that while each must make the application for himself, all should be on their guard against that dangerous influence which risks a soul for the sake of a system. By the word law we understand, in general, a rule of con- duct enforced by a penalty. And the divine law, which is our pre- sent subject, differs in nothing from human law except in the supreme nature of its authority and of the sanctions by which it is enforced. This will be evident, if we consider that the same principles are common to both. Neither affects those who are subject to it unless it be disobeyed. What effect has the law of the land against gaming, for instance, upon the man who never plays, or the law of God against theft, upon the man who does not steal 1 The penalty sleeps in both cases — and in this sense it is that St. Paul says, the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient. In like man- 172 CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. ner when either of them is disobeyed, that moment guilt is in- curred, which never can be removed and the law satisfied, unless by the infliction of the penalty on the offender. From the very nature of law it can know nothing of mercy ; that, if to be had at all, must be sought for elsewhere. Moreover, neither divine nor human laws propose any reward for the performance of duty. Protection and safety in the state we are in is all that law, considered in itself, proposes or confers on the obedient. This our own experience shows to be the case in the operation of human laws ; and revelation teaches us that it was thus with Adam under the original law of Gpn ; for we read of nothing like reward or an addition to the state he was in promised to his obedience by the terms of the law. But while they thus agree in those principles which are common to law, as such, they differ in one respect. Human laws may and must be altered, amended, and repealed, according to the change of times and circum- stances ; but God's Holy Law being a transcript of his own perfections, is everlasting and unchangeable. These observa- tions are necessary to be borne in mind, my brethren, if we would come to a safe and practical understanding of the subject before us. It is plain, from the context, that the apostle, speaking in this chapter of the Jews, uses the word law as referring to the law given by Moses — but it would be to defeat the whole purpose of this epistle, indeed of the New Testament revelation, were we to confine it to the Jews. Christ was indeed the end or object of that dispensation of the supreme original law of God ; to him all its enactments pointed. And it is expressly said that it was added becatise of transgression, until the seed should come to whom the promise was made. But my text says, that Christ is the end of the laio to every one that believeth. Of course not to the Jew only, but also to the Gentile. Therefore, the word law must here be understood as applying to that original universal law of God, under the obligations of which all rational natures, whether angels or men, are held. And here opens upon us, my brethren, a wide and extensive range of investigation, in which all our care and caution must be put forth, lest we wander from the testimony into some flowery CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. 173 but unfruitful field of speculation, while we lose sight of the simple truth as it is in Jf.sus. Let us, then, in the II. Second place, inquire into the extent and nature of that claim which the law of God has upon us. And here some one, I doubt not, is ready to say, if it is the law of God there can be no limit to the extent of its claims upon us, but the full obedience it requires. True, my hearers, and would to God we were all more under the influence of this solemn truth than we are. But as the Antinomian will tell you that he is freed from the law, that being dead in which he was held ; as the Solitidian will wrest the Scriptures in support of a banner of faith ; as the self-righteous moralist will sneer at faith, that he may establish his own righteousness ; and as the great crowd of thoughtless sinners forget that there is a God to serve, a law to keep, and a judgment to meet, therefore it may not be unprofitable to consider in its particulars, what has so direct a bearing u()on the edification to be drawn from my text. For Christ is only valued as we see and feel our need of him. That God placed man, at his creation, under the law, as a covenant of life — that he broke it, and thereby incurred for him- self and all his posterity, not only the loss of present blessings, but the penalty of death, with all the other miseries which the curse inflicted, we know and feel, my brethren, by the preva- lence of sin and death in this poor world ; and it is surely of the first importance to ascertain whether and to what extent we are bound by this law, and by what means we may be able to fulfil its conditions and escape its penalties. The question then is — is this law in force under the gospel 1 To which I answer, that we read of no repeal — that, from the nature of God, no such repeal could take place ; and to the objection that the law of faith revealed in the gospel made void or rendered useless the original law of God, St. Paul replies, that it did the very reverse, for that it established the law. And from the words of my text this conclusion is strengthened ; for if Christ is the end of the law to believers, so long as there are believers there must be that law to them of which he is the end. How then, it may be asked, are we to understand and recon- cile the many passages of Scripture which sound as if the law was 174 CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. superseded by the gospel 1 To this I answer, that in such places either the law ceremonial is meant, which was clearly annulled by the coming of Christ, all its shadows being found in him as the substance ; or the law itself, not as a law, but as a condi- tion of justification and title to eternal life by the righteousness thereof. As the supreme law of God, partaking of his holy nature and binding heaven and earth, it is unchangeable, and holy, and just, and good ; and not one jot or one tittle, says our Lord, shall pass from the law till all be fulfilled. But as a ground or condition of justification, which can only be by its perfect ful- filment, it has become impossible to fallen creatures ; for to Such by the law is the knowledge of sin, and not the means of salvation. W herefore, St. Paul argues, that verily, if there could have been a law given which could have given life, then should righteousness have been by the law. But, if unrepealed, it must yet be in force as a rule of life to us in its full extent ; and this, my brethren, is our actual con- dition, and the very doctrine, and the only doctrine, which gives to the dispensation of the gospel its gracious and merciful character ; to the gift of Jesus Christ its infinite preciousness ; and to the love of God in the redemption of fallen man, that unsearchable quality of wisdom and knowledge which, while the purity and dignity of his holy law was magnified, and his original purpose in creating man for his glory maintained against sin, death, and hell, could thus cause mercy and truth to meet together, and the glorious perfections of the Creator to harmo- nize with the imperfections of the creature. To suppose, as some do, from insulated passages of Scripture, and from the impossibility that fallen sinful creatures should fulfil its exact and holy requirements, that therefore it is a dead letter, is to deceive our own souls fatally, and to upturn the very foundations of Christianity. For the grace of the gospel is constructed only on the claims of the law and our inability to discharge them. On the other hand, to assert the claims of the law to the perfect obedience it demands, and supply the notorious defects in our duty by an arbitrary imputation of what another hath done in this respect to certain persons con- sidered as elect, is to wrest the Scriptures to our awn destruc- CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. 175 tion, and open a wide dour for confusion and evenj evil work to enter in. No, my brethren, to us it is yet said by this holy law, Thou shah love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and tvith all thy mind, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thyself. This royal law the gospel enforces by all the sanctions which time and eternity can comprehend, and all the authority which love manifested by example and benefits conferred on the undeserving, can give to the precept of the Sovereign Lawgiver. _ But while the law of God is thus unimpaired in the extent of Its righteous claims upon us in the nature and kind of the obe- dience required, it is modified and mitigated by the equity and mercy of the lawgiver proclaimed in the gospel. To man in his integrity, that is, before his fall, the law pre sented itself in its rightful claim of perfect, unceasing, unsinnino- obedience ; and it found him furnished by his wise and merciful Creator to discharge all its pure, holy, and life-giving demands- no law in his members warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin and death— no cor- ruption of his mind leading him oflf from God, his chief good after the vain delights of a perishing world. But when sin obtained the mastery over him, banished the Holy Spirit from his soul, and perverted and depraved the pure and perfect faculties bestowed on him by his Maker then could this pure and holy law no longer be to him a covenant of life and peace, but an everlasting bond of fear, and wrath, and death. What, then, was to be done 1 Was the law of heaven to yield and surrender to the law of sin, and the gracious purpose of God in the creation of man as an instrument of his glory to be defeated by the craft and malice of the devil 1 Yet this must have followed but for the resources of that infinite wisdom mercy, and love which had provided in the eternal counsel of he adorable Three in Deity against this foreseen event. Here then my friends, rises to our astonished and admiring view thai wonderful appointment in which we once more stand for life or death, by the gift of Jesus Christ to take our nature upon him, and in the nature that sinned to bear the curse and satify 176 CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. the justice of the broken law — to fulfil its utmost demands upon human nature, and, by so doing, to purchase for the sinner a reprieve from the sentence of eternal death, a renewal of spiritual life, and a day of grace, in which, upon the merciful and possi- ble conditions of the gospel, to regain the heaven he had lost. — Oh ! the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ; how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past find- ing out. Our Lord Jesus Christ, as the mediator of this new cove- nant, now proclaims to a lost world that, whosoever believing in him as the only begotten Son of God and promised Saviour of sinners, shall heartily and truly repent him of his former sins, and for the time to come endeavour with all his might to obey sincerely though not without failures and infirmities all the com- mandments of God, shall, through the merits of his sufferings and death, have his sincerity accepted instead of perfect obedi- ence. This is the condition of the gospel covenant, the grace and faith which came by Jesus Christ, the reasonable service of reasonable and redeemed creatures. This is that righteous- ness of faith so highly spoken of in the Scriptures, and it is so called, because faith in what God hath spoken unto us by his Son, is the rpot or spring of that turning to God or conversion from sin to which the gospel invites ixs and which it requires, not only as the condition of our acceptance, but as the only evidence that we really do believe. This is that righteousness of God nithout the law, which is hy faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, because it is of his appoint- ment, and what alone he will accept at the sinner's hands for justification of life. And thus argues the apostle, Abraham be- lieved God, and it was counted to him for righteousness, and not to him only, but to us also it shall be counted, or allowed, if we believe on Him who raised up Jesus our Lord /rom the dead, who teas delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification. III. Thirdly, I am to consider by what means the claims of the law upon us are to be satisfied. Now, these, by the wise and merciful appointment of God, can no otherwise be answered than by faith in Christ. What shall we do that we might work the works of God 1 was the ques- CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. 177 tion put by the Jews to our Lord, in the days of his flesh. This is l/ie work o/God tliat ye believe in him ivhom he hath sent, was the answer of the living word which came down from heaven. And this short reply, my brethren, contains all that we need either know or practice to secure the salvation of our souls, as will appear by considering that we are debtors to the law in two accounts ; first, for the penalty due to our disobedience, and secondly, for the renewed obedience we owe to it. Coming into the world as sinners, and liable to the curse of the broken law, we continue such until by some act on our part we resort to the remedy provided for us. And here let those who think lightly of or reject infant baptism, consider the bear- ing it has upon this appointment of Christ as the end of the law for righteousness both to believing parents and their children, its efficacy on original or birth sin, and its purpose of bringing into a state of covenant relation with God those who have no claim upon him but what springs from their relation to Christ. Let them consider this, and be no longer led away after inven- tions of men to debar their infants from the mighty benefits conferred on them in this ordinance. But being actual sinners also in our own persons, the law calls for our blood, for ivithout shedding of blood there is no remission, and from this claim the blood of Christ is our only refuge, for God made him who kneio no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. But this blood can be obtained or made over to us no otherwise than by believing in him as the Lamb of God lohich taketh away the sins of the world. By faith ^nly can we be united to Christ. By our union with him only, and as found in him, can the satisfaction he hath made to the law be counted or made over to us, and we stand justified or acquitted from the claims it has upon us for the penalty due to our sins. And O that poor thoughtless sinners would consider that there is but this one way under heaven to pay their debt, and that the faith which justifies, to give either comfort or assurance, must be as much the subject of con- sciousness as the sin which demands an atonement before it can be given. Secondly, we are debtors to the law under gospel grace for Vol. IL— 23 178 CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. renewed obedience. And this claim can only be satisfied in the renewal of our minds by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. In him as our living head all fulness dwells, and from him de- scend those streams of spiritual strength and nourishment which give health and increase to his body, the Church, and to every member of it. Without him we can do nothing. By his Spirit we are born again, by his grace we are strengthened, by his wisdom we are enlightened, by his providence we are defended and disposed of, and by his intercession our sincere though im- perfect services find acceptance and reward. Thus we can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us, and thus, from first to last, is salvation by grace through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast ; and thus are sinners provided by the love of God in Christ Jesus to regain the glory lost by sin, but which shall again be revealed in them that believe. O that the thousands to whom it is now given to put forth the hand of faith, and pluck and eat of the tree of life, would but consider where their refusal of the gospel must end ; how they will be able to meet the claims of the law, and the righteous judgment of God upon their sins, and upon this their crying sin, the rejection of Christ and him crucified ; how they will endure the everlasting inflictions of the wrath of God poured out upon their souls in all the torments of eternal damnation. O bethink you of the unutterable horror and despair that will seize upon your souls, when this Jesus whom you now despise shall be revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance, the vengeance of the law and of the gospel, on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and now while it is called to-day, flee to the cross of Christ as the only refuge for all who have sinned and come short of the glory of God. IV. Fourthly, I am to show you what is meant by Christ's being the end of the law. The common meaning of the word end being liable to mis- lead us in the right understanding of this passage of Scripture, we must consider that, besides denoting the close or conclusion of a thing, it also frequently expresses the object or purpose in view, and it is used here in both those meanings. For, First, he was the end or conclusion of the legal dispensations CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. 179 as it Is called, or method of religion enjoined upon the Jews, which was imposed until the promised seed should come. But he was also the end or object to which all its sacrifices and expiations pointed, and on whom the devout worshipper was directed to fix his faith, as the true sin offering and propitiation shadowed out by the temple service ; as he also was of all the sacrifices and acts of worship enjoined upon men from the beginning, as we see exemplified in the case of Abel, who was accepted as righteous because he offered by faith, or with faith in that great atonement for sin which was to be manifested in due time. Secondly, as the original purpose or design of the law under which man was put, was the prevention of sin, and as Christ hath put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, therefore, having accomplished what the law could not do, he is said to be the end of the law as having answered its object. For thus the apostle argues, What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the Jlesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Lastly, as the law required obedience or death, and its claims upon us grew out of transgression, therefore, he who fulfilled all its demands by the obedience of his life and the submission of his death, and did this that he might bring in everlasting right- eousness, may nghtly be said to have answered all its purposes, and, therefore, be styled the end of the law for righteousness ; and thus, my brethren, we may discern why and how he is so to every one that believeth. The claims of the law upon us arising only from our sins, and the death of Christ having fully satis- fied the demands of penal justice, a door is opened for mercy to enter in, while the law is magnified and honoured, so that God can be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. And hence we leam why faith in Christ is the indispensable condi- tion of the new covenant purchased by his blood. By no other means can we become parties to this covenant but by a per- sonal submission to the law of Christ in the gospel, for unless we believe it, the gospel is a dead letter. By no other means can 180 CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. we escape from the condemnation of the law. — Cursed is every one that conlinueth not in all things written in the laiv, to do them — For he that believeth not is condemned already. By no other means can we obtain that grace which renews the heart and guides the Hfe to holiness. — He that believeth in me, as the Scrip- ture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living ivater. By no other means are we reconciled to God and adopted as his children. — Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. By no other means than faith in the Son of God can we obtain a happy life, a peaceful death, a joyful resurrection, and a glorious immortality. — / am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord ; he that believeth in me, though he ivere dead yet shall he live, and whosoever livcth and believeth in me shall never die. Thus may every believer say with the apostle, / through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God ; / am cru- cified with Christ, nevertheless 1 live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. God grant, dear brethren, that we may all make this applica- tion of what has been said, and of what this fruitful subject may present to our private meditations, and no longer live to another, but to liim who hath bought us with his own blood, and made us kings and priests to God, even his Father ; never forgetting, that though we are indeed dead to the law hy the body of Christ as a covenant of life, yet we are not without law to God, but under the law to Christ, even the law of faith, which worketh by love, overcomes the world, and sits down at the right hand of God, whither Jesus is gone before to prepare a place for us, that where he is there we may be also, beholding his glory. And may the same gracious God grant that these our dear friends and connexions present, and all under the sound of the gospel who are yet strangers to this Jesus, may be moved to lay these solemn truths to heart. May they hear the holy law of God requiring their obedience or their blood ; and if love cannot draw, may the terrors of the Lord drive them to the cross of Christ as their only refuge from its claims. Oh ! my poor fellow sinners, ask yourselves seriously why it is that the glad tidings of the gospel have no charms for you? CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW. 181 why an offered heaven and a threatened hell have so little power to move you from the tents of sin 1 why a stricken con- science is put aside to another opportunity 1 and you will learn that it is through unbelief, and awake, perhaps, to the danger of your state. Oh ! the wretched condition of that person who lives without God in the world, without a Saviour, without faith, without hope, without love, exposed to all the claims of the law without a shelter from its vengeance — who must come to death and judgment Avith nothing to present to God but a body and soul poisoned with sin, and fit only for the society of devils and damned spirits. Oh ! the misery of the gospel sinner ! How will the fallen angels mock at him, and glory over him, in the great and dreadful day of the Lord ! How gladly would they embrace what he makes light of — salvation provided, righteous- ness wrought out, a Saviour offered, peace given, heaven opened, and glory promised. Aioake then, thou that steepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. He is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, and no man cometh unto the Father but by him ; for there is none other name under heaven given amongst men ivhereby we must be saved, only the name 0/ Jesus Christ of J^azareth. SERMON XVI. CHRIST ALL IN ALL. John xv. 5, latter clause. " For without me ye can do notliing." Among the many inventions which men have sought out on the subject of religion, or, which is the same tiling, on the means of obtaining and securing the favour of God, there is none more prevalent in the present day, or more ruinous to the souls of men, than that of a partial reception of the gospel. But few can be found who are hardy enough to reject and disclaim it altogether. Though there are some such, yet there are multitudes who receive it no farther than to claim for their sins the cover of its mercy, while they refuse their hearts and hves to its trans- forming grace and holy requirements. But, as it must be evident to all that this desperate delusion which makes Christ the minister of sin, could have no place were the gospel with its awful discoveries and merciful provi- sions more carefully considered, I trust it will answer my purpose for your edification, so to apply the words of my text as to show the folly and insufficiency of a partial reception of Christ and his message ; First, to man as a fallen sinner ; and. Secondly, to the same creature as a penitent behever. This I shall endeavour, with God's help, to lay plainly before you ; and, then, Conclude with an application of the whole. For without me ye can do nothing. I. First, I am to apply these words to man as a fallen sinner. To do this to any advantage we must consider both the con- dition itself and its consequences. A train of thought, my hearers, too seldom permitted to occupy the meditations either of the more serious or of the more thoughtless portion of those CHRIST ALL IN ALL. 183 who are, nevertheless, the subjects of this tremendous ruin, and the objects of that rich redeeming love whereby its desola- tions are staid and its miseries may be averted. The state of man as a fallen sinner, is that of alienation from God, condemnation to eternal death for the violation of his holy law, without the means of escape or the hope of deliver- ance by any thing in himself And the consequences of this state are, spiritual death, or the loss of that faculty of the soul by which God is apprehended as the chief good, loved supremely, relied upon unreservedly, and obeyed implicitly ; the prevalence of the animal nature, or flesh, as it is called in Scripture, where- by the original order of the affections and desires is perverted, so that instead of being in subjection to the law of the mind, the mind or reason of the man is become subservient to the law in the members ; and the exposure, without remedy, to natural evil, in pain, sickness, decay, and death of the body with fear alarm, disappointment, sorrow, and suffering, both of mind and body, as the bitter fruit of that heavy curse which sin has entailed upon this earth, and upon all its inhabitants. This is the true condition of fallen man when considered as unredeemed, and is indispensable to any rational comprehension of the actual condition of mankind, and of their obligations and duties under the advantages of revealed religion and instituted means of grace. It is also his condition as redeemed, with this difference, that what in the one case was absolute and irrecover- able by man himself, is now, by the undertaking of the Lord Jesus Christ as man's representative, become conditional and recoverable. The spiritual death consequent on the first trans- gression, and which precluded the possibility of trial, is removed by the restored competency of moral beings to apprehend the truth of their condition, and to apply the means provided for their restoration to the favour of God and to eternal life, through the grace given them in Christ Jesus. And thus St Paul argues in his epistle to the Romans-.^, by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so, by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men, unto justifica- tion of life. And again, in his epistle to Titus- n. grace of Gob which bnngeth salvation, hath appeared to all men. Now this free 184 CHRIST ALL IN ALL. gift and measure of divine grace, are equally the purchase a( the death of Christ, by virtue of which the gospel is preached to us, and we are rendered capable of believing its truth, embracing its promises, obeying its precepts, and inheriting its reward. Of this new state, Jesus Christ, as the purchaser and pro- curer, is constituted the Lord and king. It is the kingdom of God's dear Son, as the apostle expresses it. Whatever relates to its government and administration is delegated to him. God hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church, in which Christ ruleth as a son over his own house ; angels, and authorities, and principalities, and powers, being made subject unto him. And all that concerns its close and con- summation, is to be transacted by him in person. — The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. For we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive according to the deeds done in this body, wliether they he good or ivhether they be evil. With the deepest truth, therefore, is it said in my text, Without me ye can do nothing. Would fallen man, then, blind and ignorant as he is in himself, know the truth of his actual condition, he must come to Jesus Christ, the word and the wisdom of God, a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. No where else can certainty and satisfaction be obtained on those points which are beyond the range of his experience and observation. Would fallen man profit by the knowledge thus revealed from Heaven, he must come to Jesus Christ, that the Spirit of life may quicken him to apprehend the saving truths of the gospel. The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life, says our blessed Lord. Would fallen man be delivered from the condemnation under which he is held by reason of original sin, he must come to Jesus Christ, who hath redeemed us from the curse of the laiv, being made a curse for us. Would he be released from the guilt of his own personal sins. CHRIST ALL IN ALL. 185 he must come to Jesus Christ, tchom God hath set forth to be a propitiation for the sins of the whole xcorld; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Would fallen man be quickened into spiritual life, he must come to Jesus Christ, who alone baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. Would he be reconciled to God and translated into the kingdon of his dear Son, he must come to Jesus Christ, who hath made peace by the blood of his cross — in whom God tvas reconciling the tcorld to himself, by whom only ive have access to the Father. And would fallen man be furnished for this hi's new relation to God, and for the duties and the hopes which belong to it, he must come to Jesus Christ, the prophet, the priest, and the king of this gracious dispensation of mercy and love. For in him are hid all the treasures of insdom and knowledge, in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness shoidd dwell, of whose ful- ness we have all received, and who tells us in my text, without me ye can do nothing. Thus indispensable, my dear hearers, is the Lord Jesus Christ, to all spiritual attainment in fallen man. As he inter- posed by the will of God between tJie sentence of the law and its infliction on the first transgressors, and by consenting to suffer the penalty in their stead obtained a reprieve for them, so did he also obtain for them the means of recovery and salvation ; and in due time came forth from the Father, to proclaim the glad tidings to the world, to expiate the guilt of sin by the sacri- fice of the cross, and by the high discoveries of the gospel to draw mankind to that eternal life which is only to be found in him. But to be found it must be sought, as the one thing needful, as the main concern of this short and uncertain state of being. For salvation is the fate of no man's nature, but the purchased reward of faith and renewed obedience to the law of life in the gospel. As the undertaking of the Son of God restored the moral competency of human nature, that competency must be put forth by each individual, according to the conditions of that dispensation of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, under which it pleases God to call him into being. Under the light of the gospel, more especially, is this duty indispensably required of Vol. IL— 24 186 CHRIST ALL IN ALL. all who would be saved ; Christ and the power of his grace are freely offered to all to whom the gospel is preached — but to be obtained men must come to Christ according to the direc- tions of the gospel. They must strive to enter in at the strait gate, by a hearty repentance and forsaking all sin, and to walk in the narrow way of holy obedience to the commands and example of Christ, For the gospel does not act like a charm, nor yet will Christ be found the minister of sin, by owning those who ccdl him Lord, yet do not the things ivhich he says. And on so weighty a concern as salvation, carelessness and unconcern are nothing short of contempt of God, and if persisted in must be fol- lowed by the gnawingsof the worm that never dies,by the torments of the fire that never shall be quenched. From this endless misery Christ alone can save you, my dear hearers ; and he can and will save you no otherwise than as he hath openly proclaimed in his word. Awake then, thou that steepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. There is yet place for repentance ; the sparing mercy of God yet waits for you, and that same Jesus who this day tells you, without me ye can da nothing, also proclaims, him that cometh unto me I ivill in no wise cast out. But it is not only as the purchaser of a day of reprieve and grace to fallen man, that Jesus Christ is thus all important. He is the finisher as well as the author of our faith and hope. This he represents to us in the verse immediately before my text, by the figure of a vine and its branches. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me the same bringeth forth much fruit — for with- out me ye can do nothing. Now though these words were spoken primarily to and of his apostles, and had an application to them, and yet have to those who come after them in the ministry of the gospel, distinct from what they have to men in general, yet in their plain and obvious meaning they refer to all who claim an interest in the gospel- As Christ is the head of the body, and Christians are every one members in particular, their union with him and abiding in him is just as essential for the CHRIST ALL IN ALL. 187 supply of spiritual life and motion, as that of the members with the natural body, or of the branches with the vine. But the entertainment of sin severs this union with Christ, and destroys our abiding in him ; which can no otherwise be restored than by a true and effectual repentance- And as the grace of repentance is obtained for fallen creatures by the undertaking of the Son of God, and is accepted only for his sake, and through faith in him, a consideration of the particulars which must unite to render repentance and faith available to the pardon of sin, will show as was proposed, in the 11. Second place, the absolute importance of the Lord Jesus Christ to the hope of the penitent sinner. Sin is an offence against Almighty God by the transgression of his positive command, and for which eternal death is an- nounced as the just punishment. Conviction of sin is the sense of guilt and condemnation thereby incurred, impressed upon the heart by the Holy Ghost. Repentance is a godly sorrow for sin, wrought in the soul by the same Holy Spirit, and evidenced by forsaking sin and by earnest desire of pardon and reconciliation with God, expressed in fervent and continued prayer and supplication. But the Holy Ghost, with all his operations in and upon the hearts of men for salvation, is the purchase of the death of Christ. Hence there is neither conviction of sin, nor repen- tance for sin, nor faith to apprehend its danger, nor deliverance from its condemnation without Christ, without an entire Saviour, the Alpha and the Omega of man's salvation. What satisfaction can the convinced sinner make to the infinite justice of Almighty God, for those violations of his holy law of which he feels and owns himself guilty 1 Repentance is not atone- ment, nor can amended life, were either of them possible without the grace given us in Christ Jesus, undo past guilt and remove incurred condemnation. Without shedding of blood there is no remission. But the sinner's own blood is demanded by the law, not as an expiation but as a penalty. What resort is there, then, but to him ivho is exalted a prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sinsi Where can the 188 CHRIST ALL IN ALL. sinner find an atonement but in that blood which was poured out upon the cross, as a propitiation and full satisfaction to the divine justice for the sins of the whole world ] This is the only expia- tion for the guilt of sin worthy for man to offer or for God to accept. It is the only substitute for the sinner's own blood, forfeited to the justice of God ; and the revealed atonement to which the Holy Spirit directs the penitent behever, enabling him to apply it to himself personally, as the meritorious ground of his forgiveness and acceptance with God. — Being justified by faithf we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. But not only in what is outward and visible in the regulation of the life, but in the mightier work of renewing the heart and purifying it from the corruptions which sin hath engendered, of transforming the soul to the image of its holy Creator, and of sanctifying the whole creature to God, is it evident that icilhout Christ xoe can do nothing. We have no access to the heart, my dear hearers, not even to discern its desperate wickedness and estrangement from God, far less to change its affections and renew its qualities, without light from heaven. This is the work of the great physician of souls, and only by following his prescriptions can its original health be restored. To call off the affections from the perish- ing vanities of time, to elevate them to holy and heavenly desires, and fix them on God as the chief good is no human work ; yet it is set before us as the condition on which eternal life depends. Without Christ, then, my friends, what can we do, without his Holy Spirit to work this mighty change, to create in us a new heart, and renew a right spirit within us, what hope of success 1 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? O that those who go about to establish their own righteousness, and contract religion to the meagre morality of external decency and decorum of conduct, would but consider this ; that the Pharisees of the gospel, who have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof, would bring their accommodations of reli- gion to the will of the flesh, to the experience of a new principle wrought in the soul by the Spirit op Christ! Then they might see and understand the application of motives to the conduct of moral beings ; how the very same actions in different CHRIST ALL IN ALL. 189 persons are, nevertheless, in the sight of God, of opposite qualities. He looketh on the heart, my brethren, and can accept nothing from fallen creatures but what springs from the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, purifying it and working by- love. Can a muddy fountain send forth pure water 1 No, my hearers. How, then, can the unrenewed heart bring forth fruit unto God. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots ? No, my friends, neither can the fallen sinner change his nature or undo his guilt. Come, then, to Jesus Christ, that what without him ye cannot do may by his grace be accomplished. This is the turning point of this great salvation. As none but the sick need the physician, so until we feel that there is no health in us — until we learn the plague of our own hearts, and are savingly convinced of the ruined helplessness of our sinful nature ; there is no form or comeliness in Jesus Christ that we should desire him. We neither understand or feel, that the whole sufficiency of fallen sinners is of God ; that from first to last we are saved by grace, and that without Christ we can do nothing. As the grace and power of our Lord Jesus Christ are thus indispensable to quicken us to repentance and faith, and the virtue of his blood shed for us alov-e available to procure the par- don of sin, they are no less essential to render all that we subse- quently do in the way of duty acceptable to God. Our repentance and faith, our love and obedience, our prayers and praises, our worship and service, are in themselves imperfect and unworthy of that pure and holy Being in whose sight the heavens are not clean, and who charges even his angels with folly. The very holiest of our duties have in them a seasoning of sin, my brethren, and the most earnest of our endeavours are coupled with infirmity both of purpose and performance. Here, then, we may reahze the absolute import- ance to us of that Jesus, who not only procured a day and means of grace for sinners, but who ever liveth to make inter- cession for them ; to present their prayers and praises before the throne of God ; to render their sincere though imperfect services acceptable in the eye of purity and hoHness, and as their great High Priest to offer up continually in the presence of 190 CHRIST ALL IN ALL. God, in behalf of his people, the meritorious righteousness and perfect obedience of his sinless life, the humiliation of his passion, and the atonement of his death, as the ground of their faith and hope of the favour of God and eternal life. Nor is this all, my brethren. When the life of faith has carried the Christian victorious through the trials of this mortal pilgrim- age, the grave, nevertheless, avi^aits him, and he must receive the wages due to sin in the stroke of death. Here, then, if no where else, if never before, must man perceive and feel his own impotency, must acknowledge his utmost strength to be but corruption. His prospects all closed, his expectations cut oif, his active powers mouldered into dust, what would the hope even of the righteous be worth, but for Jesus Christ'? Can human power burst the prison of the grave and recall the dead to life 1 No. The voice of the Son of God alone is competent to this Almighty work ; and the hour is coming ichen all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. This is what gives such an awful impression to the hour of our dissolution, my hearers. This is what gives to the grace and hope of the gospel their infinite value, and.to the name of Jesus Christ its high pre-eminence above every name in heaven and on earth. He tasted death for every man, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death. He rose from the dead to give assurance unto all men, that they also should not be holden of death. He ascended up into heaven the first born of many brethren, whither he has gone before to prepare a place for his faithful followers. And he will come again in the glory of his Father with the retinue of heaven, to sit in judgment on his people and on the world. Then will be seen the full extent of his power, and then will be felt the full value of that union with him which is now to be obtained on the conditions of the gospel, and including as it does, by the appointment of God, the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption of obedient believers, will consti- tute their title to a place at his right hand. Then will be realized the deep importance of confessing him before men, both with CHRIST ALL IN ALL. 191 the lips and with the life. Then shall be perceived the unspeak- able advantage of Christian privileges, however lightly they are now esteemed by the thousands who disdainfully cast them behind their backs, and are wilfully strangers to their use. Then will these now despised things be found the power of God unto salvation through faith working by love, and a preached gospel, with its high discoveries, its precious promises, its life- giving hope, and its saving sacraments, become by neglect the savour of death in them that perish, will deepen torment with the never ceasing but useless regret that they might have escaped, but they Avould not. Oh! what a tormenting thought it will be— and never to pass into forgetfulness, my hearers — that during our day of grace we turned a deaf ear to the counsel of God, a hard heart to the love of Christ, and stifled the convictions of his Holy Spirit ; that we never received because we would not ask ; that we never found because we would not seek ; that the door of mercy is shut against us for ever because while it stood open to receive us we refused to enter in ; that our blood is now demanded by the righteous law of God because we trampled under foot the blood of Christ, and, though sinners in nature and practice, dared to meet God in judgment without the shield of the Redeemer's merits sought and obtained by faith. Thus have I shown you, my brethren and hearers, though in a very brief and contracted manner, compared with the extent of the subject, that in our main concern, the salvation of our souls, the Lord Jesus Christ is all in all ; that, as the pro- curing cause and sustaining power of all spiritual life, he is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last ; that, from the first seed of divine grace implanted in the heart to the awful consummation of Come ye blessed, or. Depart ye cursed, without him we can do nothing. The application, then, or improvement of what has been said, refers to the personal condition of all present, as if about to appear before God, and will be profitable to you, my hearers, only as this is realized. The wonderful and effectual provision for your salvation, revealed in the gospel, hath surrounded you from infancy to the present moment ; the truths connected 192 CHRIST ALL IN ALL. with it have been repeatedly pressed upon your consciences ; and the experience of your own hearts must have confirmed the testimony of revelation to the fallen, depraved condition of human nature, and the consequent alienation from God of every sinful creature. Now is this to continue ] I speak to those who are careless of and unconnected with religion — alas ! that they should be the great majority in every Christian land — is this state of desperate and wilful opposition to God to be persisted in? If not — and I trust that this is the better thought which some- times presents its awakenings to your consciences, wherefore is it not at once acted upon 1 If the power of sin over you now is so great, and the love of sin in you so strong as to overrule the command of God and the reason of your own minds, will its influence be weakened by indulgence, or its mastery be more easily shaken off when confirmed by habit 1 Who among you has not the testimony in his own experience, confirming that of St. Paul, to the power and prevalence of the carnal mind] To will is present loith me, but hoiv to perform that which is good I find not ; for the good that I would I do not, hut the evil which I would not that I do. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man, but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin lohich is in my members — and who is not hereby taught the practical lesson, that if he would be saved he must be delivered from the body of his death ? And shall it speak so plain and come so close to your con- sciences, only to be driven away with the thousands of good resolutions, and yet deferred amendments of life, which the law of sin has already triumphed over? God forbid, my dear hearers. Rather let counsel be taken from past weakness, and courage be derived from this precious gift of the love of God yet waiting upon you, to come to Christ. Let the sin that so easily besets you, that you have tried once and again to conquer but have failed, let the frequent resolve to begin a Christian life, which has vanished before the temptations of the world like the morning cloud and the early dew, prove to you that in your own strength you can do nothing; and bring you, with purpose of heart, to the sure and sufficient friend of the weary and heavy CHRIST ALL IN ALL. 193 laden sinner, in the Lord Jesus Christ, wlio came that a race of sinners might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly ; who redeemed them to God by his own blood, that he might redeem them from all iniquity by the power of his grace ; and who assures them, in my text, that without him they can do nothing. To follow the world, to glitter amidst the giddy whirl of its intoxicating vanities, to catch its vain applause, and to reap its still more vain reward, may be accomplished perhaps without Christ ; and the angels are weeping over the thousands of redeemed and warned immortals, who make no better use of the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ. But to overcome the world, to withstand its allurements, to triumph alike over its smiles and its frowns, and so to use as not abusing the accommodations and enjoyments which are left amidst the sin-blasted ruins of its once happier condition — who of himself, my brethren, is sufficient for this work '? Yet, if heaven is our hope on the ground of revealed promises, this must be accom- plished in all who would see God. The hold which the world has upon our affections must be loosed, the power it possesses over our desires must be broken, and the grovelling inclinations of our fallen nature elevated to more substantial and enduring good than this transitory existence can supply. And whence is this to come but from above 1 And how is this to be obtain- ed but through the Lord Jesus Christ, who for the joy that icas set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is noio set down at the right hand of the throne of God, having left us an example that we should follow his steps. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the toorld. Reason can strike the balance betwixt time and eternity, and master the calculation which dethrones the world and the things that are in it. But it cannot change the heart and turn the longings of the soul to God, the only good. Experience can certify how weak and worthless the highest worldly delights are to satisfy the soul and confer solid peace and lasting happiness ; but it cannot fill the aching void which this Vol. IL— 25 194 CHRIST ALL IN ALL. discovery makes, or teach a new and living w^ay to life and bliss. These must come from God the Holy Ghost, through the merits and intercession of the great High Priest. These must be sought and wrestled for in fervent, persevering prayer, in watchful self-denial, in confiding reliance that he who hath called us to the knowledge of this grace will not withhold his mercies from the sin-sick soul, but will bless the endeavours of all who come unto God by him. Without me ye can do nothing. Truth, Loud ! And may thy blessing write it in every heart, thy grace make it triumphant over all opposition, and thy power bring a willing and obedient people to live by the faith of the Son of God. SERMON XVII. ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. MicAH vi. G. " Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before the high God." Reflections of a very impressive and practical character are presented to every serious mind by this passage of Scrip- ture, and can hardly fail, I should think, at least for the moment, to prompt a similar inquiry even to the more thoughtless and indifferent, on the commanding interest of their relation to God and expectations from him. No sentiment is more universal, I believe, than that of the homage due to the Supreme Being ; no duty more important than to ascertain in what manner that homage is to be rendered ; and when, if we carry out our sense of accountability to the end, we shall all stand before our Judge, language is insufficient to describe the misery which must follow the neglect of so plain an obligation. It is an overwhelming thought, my brethren, to imagine a dependent, ignorant, and sinful being like man, about to approach the glorious m.ajesty, resplendent light, and unspotted holiness of Almighty God ; to picture to ourselves the conflicting emotions which throb around his heart, the awful anticipations which absorb his thoughts, and the agonizing suspense which weighs down his spirit, under the fearful forecast of an issue which involves eternity. But it is a wise and a profitable exercise of the mind, my hearers, for it is an interview which we have all to meet, and on our preparation for it more will depend than can be conceived or spoken of. The words of my text do not, indeed, refer directly to the concluding scene of our trial and probation, but they include it> as the point to which all present intercourse with God should be directed, as the end in which all the means now made use of must terminate. I have, therefore, selected them, as calculated 196 ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. to engage your thoughts in a profitable and appropriate course of meditation, to lead you to a serious scrutiny and careful exam- ination of your own hearts, as to the grounds on which your religious duties, both private and public, are performed, as to the constancy and devotion with which they are followed, and as to the effect thereby produced on the heart and on the life. These form at all times a sure test of religious condition, and if duly attended to, will teach you the advantage of frequently inquiring, Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and how my- self before the high God. I shall, therefore, consider them, I. First, as a source of appropriate and profitable meditation. Seasons of retirement and recollection are indispensable to the Christian ; periods of serious thought and devout engage- ment of the heart, when the cares and duties of the world are intermitted, and its occupations give place to the higher occu- pation of acquainting ourselves with God, and of communing with our own spirit. Without this salutary practice, it may safely be affirmed, that religious impressions cannot continue, but will decline into mere formality, and defiver us back to the world in a worse condition than when we forsook its follies. If the unclean spirit hath really been cast out, yet if his former habitation continue empty, however well it may be garnished with outward profession, our Saviour himself gives the warning, that he will return with a reinforcement, and take up his abode more securely than before. Hence it would appear, that religious impression, to be pro- fitable, must be encouraged by our own exertions, must be strengthened by reading and meditation, deepened by prayer and self-examination, and confirmed by the practice of the duties of religion ; and to all these, seasons of retirement and devout recollection are essential. For the mind can hardly engage in religious self-examination, or in the meditation of holy things, when exposed to interruption. Neither can it enter upon this duty without seriousness of spirit, without some solemn impres- sion of God, of eternity, of our interest in him, and of our condi- tion as respects his known will, and the appointments of his grace for our salvation. Now, to all this, the thought, wherewith shall I come before the Lord, must, either directly or indirectly, be ACCESS TO GOD ONLV THROUGH CHRIST. 197 previous. For it is the sense of seclusion with God, of his pre- sence who reads the heart. It is the feeling sense of our own vileness and sinfulness, when compared with his perfect purity and holiness, and of his infinite goodness in providing for our recovery, that solemnizes the spirit and shuts out inferior things. So, that whether we read his word, or meditate on the discoveries of his wisdom and mercy to his creatures, or recall his provi- dences to ourselves — whether we scan the frame of our own spirit, or bring our sins and omissions of duty to account — whether we are humbled in penitence or exalted in praise, God presides over the thoughts and occupies the workings of the heart. According, then, to the frequency and solemnity with which such seasons are sought for and improved, may Christians look for the power and comfort of religion to increase with them may they expect the strength of temptation to decline, the power of sin to be broken, and the practice of righteousness to be con- firmed. And according to the sincerity and fervour with which they persevere in thus frequently shutting out the world that they may hold converse with God, will the world be overcome, and the comfort of hope and the assurance of faith be realized. For in religion, as in other things, it is practice that makes per- fect; and progress in the school of Christ is regulated by the same law, which, in all other pursuits, limits attainment by endeavour, and bestows advancement according to proficiency. Unto him that hath, shall be given, and he shall have more abundance, is the encouraging declaration which our gracious master holds out to his disciples to industry and perseverance in their high calling, while he warns the slothful and the negli- gent, that from him that hath not, shall be taken away, even that which he hath. II. Secondly, I will consider the text as prompting examina- tion as to the grounds on which your religious duties, both private and pubhc, are performed. As religion is the reasonable service of rational beings, all who pretend to it should consider carefully whereon it is found- ed, and on what grounds their particular views of its doctrines and practice of its duties are supported, by the plain precepts of God's most holy word, Whereivith shall I come before the Lord, 198 ACCESS TO GOD ONLY TIIROUGFI CHRIST. and bow myself before the high God, is an inquiry which, from the nature of things, must precede all religious duty on the part of mankind, and must ever form an important subject of consi- deration to a serious mind. But as the answer can be derived from no other source than Cod himself, to his true and faithful word only can we look with certainty lor information and direction. Now, my brethren, this is an advantage which we possess as Christians, not as men, and which, as Christians, we all have to account for. And I would to God, that both as men and Christians, we were more alive to our privileges and obligations, under the light of revealed truth. That we have no means independent of revelation of know- ing the will of God concerning us, and of determining satisfac- torily in what manner he is to be worshipped and wherewithal rendered propitious and favourable to his creatures, is a truth proved to us by the enormous and disgusting superstitions of Heathen lands both ancient and modern. The impression is universal and indelible that man owes reve- rence and worship to his Creator. So powerful is the sentiment that it must, in some way, be satisfied. Yet so dense is the cloud which sin has spread over the world, that where God hath not interposed to give light, men have only bewildered themselves in seeking out many inventions, not one of which was worthy of the object nor consistent with enlightened reason, and (it is well worth your notice, because conclusive against the infidel claim for the sufficiency of human reason in matters of religion) that where this faculty was most cultivated and had advanced the farthest in other sciences among Heathen nations, the science of religion was at the lowest ebb, and the ritual of its worship pro- portionally impure, bloody, and abhorrent. In thus drawing your attention, my brethren, to the unspeak- able advantage you possess in the light of life, and to the sure ground from thence on which you may advance with a firm faith to the performance of every religious duty, I wish it to be felt as a privilege for which no adequate return can ever be made — as a distinction from God which must be cherished and improved to the high and holy purposes for which it is conferred ; ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. 199 and that it may be thus felt and cherished, mark the contrast which my text suggests. A Heathen inquires, Wherewith shall I come before the Lord 1 But there is none to answer save a senseless and bloody super- stition, scorned even by the clouded understanding of its own ministers. The glories of the firmament, the grandeur of the universe, prompt him to boio himself before the high God their Maker ; but there is no voice to tell him with what offerings to come into his courts— no hand to point to the propitiation made upon the cross for human guilt— no message of love and mercy displaymg in its highest exercise the heavenly feeling of com- passion towards a race of sinners. Under the silence of nature as to what man can perform here or hope for hereafter, reason .becomes bewildered in the maze of conjecture, and wanderin- farther and farther into its own darkness dishonours God and debases his fairest work with impurity, impiety, and crime. How different, my brethren, is the condition of the same bemg under the light of the gospel ! He, too, asks. Wherewith shalllcome before the Lord ? and, lo ! the page of inspiration stands ready to satisfy his most anxious wish. Where the book of nature closes the book of God takes up the wondrous tale and by unveiling Deity to his adoring creature, calls forth the faculty of reason to its noblest use. Every step in the grand discovery gives increasing light, until God manifest in the flesh provides for every want, supplies every disability, and fulfils every wish which humanity can feel, or deplore, or Ion- for Wherewith shall I come before the Lord 1 He hath showed thee Oman, what is good; and ivhat doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ? Wherewith shall I bow myself before the high God ^ He hath showed thee, O Christian, how to render acceptable service.-/ a«^ the way, the truth, and the life, says the Son of God Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shah be saved. Repent and believe the gospel. Such is the solid and unshaken foundation which the believer occupies as the ground of all his religious duties. To him there is^ no uncertainty, no conjecture, no doubt in drawing near to God. Light has come into the world, and he walks in the light 200 ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. A new and living way is opened to the presence of God. Life and immortality are brought to light by the gospel. A fountain is opened for sin and for uncleanness. Grace is given to renew his nature, and eternal life promised to faith and obedience. These are the glorious and gracious purchase of the love of Christ, and all these, my brethren, are prompted to your meditations by my text. G od grant that they may stir you up and strengthen you not only to meditate but to act under a more lively sense of his rich redeeming love, a deeper penitence, and a more active faith. But let it not be overlooked, I beseech you, that as all you are favoured with is the appointment and gift of God for your good, that good is not to be expected disjoined from the means. Revealed religion and instituted means of grace are not the creatures of human caprice or convenience ; and what-, ever may be conceded to honest ignorance or sincere mistake in religious duty, it is a concession on the part of man only, a conjecture of human reason and not a declaration of the word of God. And this I say not only to enforce the duty suggested by the text, but to caution you, my brethren, against the promi- nent delusion of being wise in holy things above what is written, wresting the Scriptures to your own destruction. As the noblest work of creation, the image of his Maker, man hath dominion over all terrestrial things. He may construct systems of phi- losophy or policy, and alter and amend or abrogate them at his convenience. He may change the face of nature, and improve and beautify it to suit the taste of an ever varying fancy ; but religion is fenced about with the sanctity of heaven from such profane intrusion. He touches the ark at his eternal peril — he departs from revealed direction at the risk of threatened delusion. Under every dispensation religion has come perfect and complete from its author. It admits of but one improve- ment at the hand of man, and that is, faith and obedience in a conversation such as becometh the gospel of Christ. HI. Thirdly, the text forms a proper ground of meditation as to the constancy and devotion with which your religious duties are followed. As the influence of religion upon the human heart is progres- sive, and dependent on the care and diligence wherewith its ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. 201 olivine impressions are cultivated, Christians should be very watchful over themselves in this respect. Knowing as they do, the opposition of their fallen nature, the corruption of their hearts, and the tendency of worldly occupation to beget remiss- ness, and lead them insensibly almost, to a luke-warm formality, frequent self-examination is not only one of the most necessary, but one of the most profitable exercises in which the Christian can engage. The person who most frequently takes himself to task as respects God, will most frequently also, be drawn to the duty of prayer. And the person who most carefully tries his religious condition by the devout affections which his heart enter- tains, will be most devotional, that is, most engaged and in earnest in his religious duties. The forms of religion are eaaily assumed, its exterior is easily imitated, regular times for prayer and reading the Scriptures may grow into a habit, the interruption of which will cause uneasiness; attendance upon public worship v/ith satisfaction, and increase of knowledge in the doctrines and mysteries of religion may proceed from the force of education, and the influence of particular society. These are all good in themselves, and God forbid that I should say a word to impair their value. But they may all exist, and it is to be feared that they may often be found where the power of religion is unfelt and unknown. Against this dangerous, I had almost said hopeless condition, my text forms an excellent safe-guard, because it chains down the mind to the proper preparation for religious duty, whether in private or public, in the solemn thought, that the act itself is an interview with God, an approach of the worth- less, sinful creature to the great and glorious Creator ; an appli- cation of the sinner to his Saviour, of the suppliant to his Jud^-e. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and how myself before the high God I What train of thought my brethren, better fitted to solemnize the mind, to engage the spirit, to fill the heart with devotional feelings when habitually entertained ? What sentiment better fitted to prompt us to frequent application to God, than the combined feeling of want and supply contained in this meditation 1 And what feeling so calculated to elevate the soul, as the contemplation of the rich provision which God hath made, through our Lord Jesus Christ, for the wants of the Vol. II.— 26 202 ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. Christian 1 But these, to he felt, must be seriously dwelt upon in our meditations — must be contrasted with the darkness, doubt and uncertainty, which their privation would occasion, and must be drawn forth into active operation, by applying them to the practical duties of religion. With this inquiry before the mind the heart v/ill be serious, and seriousness on the subject of religion is the parent of devo- tion. But without this quickening principle the whole round of religion may be followed out, yet all be without profit, without any of that deep and heartfelt enjoyment which follows the restoration of a lost hope, and accompanies that sure trust and confidence in the promises of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the anchor of the soul to the humble believer. A mind truly serious, truly in earnest on the subject of eternity, will not be put off with the forms and speculations of religion. It cannot subsist on such unsubstantial nourishment. It longs for more of God than it has yet attained, nor can it be satisfied with past experiences of the divine goodness. Hence, constancy in religious duties springs from the desire of religious attainment. The person who, like David, is athirst for God, will consider every opportunity of approaching him as a privilege. His Sabbaths will not be a weariness, nor his worship tedious and tiresome. Private devotion will not be interrupted, either for the fear or the praise of men, nor yet will it be intruded with Pharisaical ostentation. The Bible will not be laid in sight only, but will be studied, and its precepts inscribed on the heart and practised in the life. It will be the man of his counsel to the Christian, his study in the day, and his meditation in the night watches. From the condition of man, and from the nature and design of revealed religion, constancy, continuance, perseverance in religious duty, is indispensable, my brethren. Without this there can be no progress, no growth in grace, no attainment in the fruits of the Spirit ; and without improvement, without increase there can be no reward. Religion is not an impulse upon the mind, once for all, as too many seem to think. But it is a measure of the Spirit of God, which commences with serious thought, grows up under devout meditation, and is matured by ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. 203 constancy in religious duty. And did we but consider that it is an exotic, a plant of heavenly growth, transplanted into an ungenial soil, which can live, and grow, and become fruitful only through constant care and diligent cultivation, dependent for efTect on the fostering influence of God's blessing, more earnest- ness would be manifested, more joy and peace in believing be experienced, and multitudes who now stand aloof from the gospel would be encouraged to strive to enter in at the strait gate. But the coldness of Christians causes the decline of religion in the world. As they appear to enjoy but little, others are not stimulated to seek the pearl of great price, and not a few are led to doubt whether the religion of Jesus Christ be preferable to the morality of the world. This is a reproach and an injury, my brethren, which Christians are bound to remove from their holy profession, and nothing will contribute so speedily and effectually to this happy end as manifesting that they are themselves in earnest, by the constancy and fervour with which they press towards the mark, for the prize of their high calling of God in Christ Jesus. My text leads to the inquiry — IV. Fourthly, as to the efi'ect produced on the heart and on the life by religious duties performed. As the tree is known by its fruit, so is the Christian known by the fruits of the Spirit in the conversation of his life ; and where there is care to learn and diligence to put in practice the precepts of the gospel, those fruits will be brought forth, in some thirty, in some sixty, and in some an hundred fold, accord- ing to the various conditions and capacities which the providence of Almighty God apportions to his creatures. Whether, therefore, our religion be in word merely, or in power, must be determined by bringing both the inward and the outward man to the standard given us in the word of God ; and as the person who resorts most frequently to this investigation will be better acquainted with himself, and with the duties which God requires of him as a redeemed sinner, than the person who either altogether neglects or carelessly performs it, so will the effect surely be in proportion. God hath set forth this principle in his holy word, as the rule by which he dispenses the blessing 204 ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. of his grace in the present life, and his rewards in the Hfe that is to come, idsk and ye shall receive ; seek and ye shall find ; knock and it shall be opened unto you. To him that hath shall be given. He thatfolloweth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life. On the constancy and seriousness, then, with which our religious course is pursued, will depend our advance- ment in the divine life, our comfort in our own feelings, and our place in eternity : — consequences, my brethren, which cannot be lightly estimated, and which ought to ensure that deep and earnest entry into the temper of our own hearts, that honest scrutiny into the practice of our lives which shall recover us to a more unreserved surrender of ourselves to God, a more marked separation from the vanities and follies of the world, a more constant pursuit of our private and public opportunities of drawing near to him in meditation and prayer, and as the blessed effect, a more lively enjoyment of the cheering hope which his promises convey to the heart that trusts in them. Professors of religion are much in the habit of looking to their comfort, and certainly, the religion which affords no actual consolation to its professors, cannot be worthy of much sacri- fice. Professing Christians, also, are much in the habit of com- plaining of desertion and discomfort under the hidings of God's face from them, and certainly, the religion which presents its enjoyments equally to the diligent and the slothful, to the stead- fast and to the unstable professor of its hope, would be still less worthy of its author and of our exertions. But let us not deceive ourselves, my brethren, either by expecting too much, or by refusing what we may conceive to be too little ; neither let us attempt to force comfort from the Spirit of God, and thereby be deceived into assuming what we are not entitled to, or what he sees fit to withhold. The only true and safe ground on which to expect the comforts of revealed religion, is the performance of commanded duty. Let us do this with fervour and constancy, and, as God is true, the effect will follow ; let us be more intent upon our work than upon our daily wages, and if our comforts are withheld let us not charge God foolishly, let us rather fear that the work has not been well done, that it may ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. 205 gtir us up to greater diligence ; above all let us never despair, but let patience have her perfect loork, for in due time we shall reap if ice faint not. Thus profitably may the meditations to be drawn from my text be applied by Christians. It is indeed but an outline which 1 have given, but one which, I trust, my brethren, you will endea- vour to fill up with the sincerity of purpose which its importance calls for. I will, therefore, Conclude with a few words, by way of practical improvement, both to Christians and others. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God. Apt and proper as this sentiment is to precede every act of religious worship, by "vvhat proportion of those now present was it entertained previous to coming up to the house of GodI My hearers you can answer, and as that answer shall be, let the re- proof or the acquittal follow ; but, in either case, let it press upon your hearts the propriety, the advantage, yea, the necessity, that the rich provision God hath made for your salvation, should be the subject of serious thought and active improvement. My dear friends, this lies at the very threshold of any benefit from the gospel. God is revealed that he may be sought unto by men ; and how he is to be approached without knowing wherewith to come before him, or how this is to be known but from himself through his word, passes my understanding. You may, indeed, say that you know the terms and conditions of the gospel. True ; and so much the sorer your condenmation, if you shall continue to slight its gracious invitation. But you must also know, that revealed religion is not a system of abstract, speculative truth, but of practical duty. Its rewards are not proposed to know- ledge as such, but to knowledge as applied and improved to its proper end. Ponder, therefore, in your hearts, the parable of the talents, and consider carefully the case of the unprofitable servant, lest it shall be said to you also, and when you shall have nought to answer, out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou mcked servant. 20Q ACCESS TO GOD ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and how myself before the high God ? The practical improvement of these words, and of what I have found to say upon them, is founded on their connexion with what, I trust, will be the occupation of the ensuing week, my brethren. The solemn events in our Redeemer's history which it is specially appropriated to celebrate, ought to be marked with the deepest interest by his disciples. Jesus Christ, and him crucified for us, is an affecting theme to the heart of the believer, and it embraces a wide field for the range of devout and profitable meditation. But in nothing is it more compre- hensive than in its connexion with our drawing near to God. Without his interposition we can neither begin, nor continue, nor end. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord 1 The answer is, JVo man cometh unto the Father but by me. Without me ye can do nothing. Wherewith shall I bow myself before the high God 1 The answer is. Through Him we have access by one Spirit to the Father^ and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin. What shall we do that we might work the works of God 1 The answer is. This is the work of God, that ye believe in him whom he hath sent. What shall we do that we may inherit eternal life ? The answer is. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Take with you, then, my brethren, into the retirement of your Tcligious medita'ions and exercises, this deep and impressive inquiry. Dwell u])on it in the full extent of its connexion with your religious comfort and religious hope, and may God own his word and increase its power in your hearts, that your light may shine before men, to the glory of his name and the a.dvancement of his kingdom. Amen. SERMON XVIII. Christ's call to repeatance. Luke v. 32. " I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to rei/entance." That our duties should, at the same time, be favours and privileges, is the peculiar characteristic of the gospel, my breth- ren ; and that even those duties which carry the appearance of harshness and severity in their appointment and exercise, should be of this description, is a most convincing proof, when duly considered, of that wisdom, mercy, and love, which contrived and fulfilled the wondrous plan whereby the perfections of God and the imperfections of fallen man are made to harmonize, and the operations of divine grace reconciled with the free agency of accountable beings. In no part of our religious duty is this more evident than in that which forms the subject matter of my text. Until considered, applied, and exercised, it presents a most forbidding aspect ; we associate whatever is gloomy and severe to our imaginations with the very idea of repentance, and dread the thought of even attempting to enter upon it as a duty. But this mistaken view of the subject does not arise from the duty itself, but from the preference of that of which we are called upon to repent; it is the love of sin in some of its almost innumerable deceits which is at the bottom of this reluctance, and hence it is, that whatever the enemy of our souls or our own false hearts can suggest against it is greedily listened to. Yet, beyond any dispute it is a privilege conferred upon the sinner, and of the highest kind ; to be permitted to repent is a favour which he could not even ask ; far less to have his repentance accepted and his sin forgiven, to have his heart dis- posed by the Spirit of God to listen to the grounds, the motives, the necessity of repentance, and his natural reluctance and even 208 Christ's call to repentance. inability to enter upon it, removed and supplied by divine grace : as it also is a privilege and advantage of no common charac- ter that what is so essential to all religious attainments, should be pressed upon the attention by the preaching of the gospel, should be set forth as the first step in the divine life, the unalter- able, and, at the same time, wise and merciful appointment of God to regain his favour. I trust, therefore, it will be helpful to all present to consider, more at length, the particular purpose mentioned by our Lord in my text — / came not to call the right- eous, but sinners to repentance. In discoursing on these words on the present occasion and to illustrate the text, I shall inquire. First, whom our Lord means by the word righteous. Secondly, whom by the word sinners. Thirdly, what he means by repentance. Fourthly, what by calling sinners to repentance. And shall, then, Conclude with an application of the whole. L First, I am to inquire what description of persons our Lord here calls the righteous. As it is the clear and express condition of the gospel, and the very foundation on which its grace and mercy rest, that, in the view of unspotted purity and holiness, none such are to be found in this fallen world, our Lord cannot be supposed to speak of persons righteous in this sense ; for it is written. There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not. There is none righteous, no not one. But though not in the strict and legal sense, yet in an evangelical sense, to which, in multiplied pas- sages of Scripture, the phrase is adapted, there can be no ques- tion but that there were many righteous persons upon earth at that time. In every age of the world and under every dispensa- tion of religion, God hath always had a people who feared and honoured his holy name, and served him in faithfulness and truth according to the light afforded them. Of this we have many examples both in the Old and New Testaments, such as Enoch and Noah before the flood. Job, Melchizedek, Abraham, and Lot after it, Moses, Samuel, and the prophets under the law, together with those in our Saviour's day who are expressly Christ's call to repentance. 209 mentioned as just and righteous persons, such as Zacharias and Elizabeth, Simeon and Anna, Joseph and Mary the mother of our Lord, with Nathaniel and many others whose names are not mentioned ; all of whom, as they feared God and wrought righteousness, he was pleased, according to the terms of the new covenant, to accept of as righteous through Christ, though not strictly so in themselves. Such persons as these, therefore, having by repentance and faith tied to the refuge of their souls in God's revealed method of mercy for them, needed not to be called to it again. Some have supposed that our Lord on this occasion spake ironically, in derision of the Pharisees, who counted that they were righteous and despised others, and consequently would not listen to a call to repentance. But it appears to me that the grave and dignified nature of our Lord's otSce, with the importance of every word he spake, forbids a resort to this con- struction. Neither is it necessary ; for we have only to advert to similar expressions to understand fully his meaning. Thus, in the case of the Syro-Phenician woman, our Saviour says, / amnot sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; where it is evidently the meaning that he was sent to them in the first place ; that his per- sonal ministry was to he confined to the nation of the Jews ; that the gospel was first to be preached to them, while nevertheless his name was to be for salvation to the ends of the earth. So in the case before us, when reproached by the conceited and self-righteous Pharisees for associating with publicans and sin- ners, he justified himself and reproved them in the words of my text. As if he had said. The purpose for which I am come into the world is to reform and reclaim such as these, therefore I associate with them. As it is the sick only who have need of a physician, so it is to sinners that a call to repentance should be most earnestly addressed. The righteous stand not in such pressing or immediate need of my help, therefore I am not come so expressly to call them, but sinners, to repentance. Hence we are taught to consider repentance in two senses — one, in which the first awakenings of the sinner are stirred up to a sin- cere and godly sorrow for sin, and to conversion from its prac- tice to a new lile ; the other, in which the believer is continually Vol. 1L--27 210 Christ's call to repentance. exercised under a sense of his many failures and short comings in his best duties, and of the mercy and love of God in Christ Jesus manifested towards him. These, as they, are totally dif- ferent in nature and degree, are to be carefully distinguished by us, that this primary and continual duty may be pressed accord- ing to its true and actual necessity upon each description of our hearers. Without this discrimination confusion of mind is too often the consequence, and, ultimately, rejection of saving truth. II. Secondly, let us inquire whom doth our Saviour here mean by the term sinners. It must be evident, I think, both from the reason of the thing and the opposition of the two words in the text, that our Lord here means, in the first or chief place, open, outbreaking persons who were living in commission of known sin — adulter- ers, fornicators, drunkards, profane swearers, thieves, liars, extortioners, and such like. These, as standing in the most open and imminent danger and in the most pressing need, engaged his most earnest sympathy and compassion for their miserable condition. Next, the more orderly and decent part of the community, who were nevertheless equally strangers to God and themselves and equally regardless of the duties and ordinances of religion, living without God in the world ; and, lastly, the religious part of the community as having much to perfect and complete, even in an evangelical sense of repent- ance and amendment of life. To these three classes the term sinners will apply in different senses, as will also the nature and degree of that repentance to which they are called. Of the first class there can be no dispute. They must repent and bring forth fruits meet for repentance, or perish for ever. Of the second there is more dispute, though the certainty is equally clear. The dispute, however, is with themselves and at their own peril, not with the appointments of God. Like the Pharisees of old, they may count that they are righteous, and look down with scorn upon the poor reprobate outcasts of society; but all the while they are just as far from God, as much unknown to any act of submission to his revealed will, as dis- tant from the ordinances and public duties of religion as the Christ's call to repentance. 211 veriest profligate can be, with this most offensive addition to their guilt, that they justify themselves and make void and of none effect the wise and merciful appointments of God to save them. Of the third class there is not one entitled to the name of religious who does not take to him and herself in the true and genuine sense, the appellation of sinner, and who feels not both the duty and the privilege of that repentance to which they are called. To all, then, the appellation of sinners, made use of in the text, is found to apply ; while there is, nevertheless, a sense in which it is more specially to be understood, and in that sense, whoever is not righteous in the Scriptural sense of the word, is a sinner who is called to repentance, who is exhorted to avail himself of this privilege, and thereby secure the salva- tion of his soul. For there are but two classes of persons in the world, the righteous and the wicked ; in the sight of God there is no middle or neutral ground between these two. There are, indeed, degrees in sin, and consequently in guilt ; but sin in any degree unrepented of is fatal, for the Scripture saith, loho- soever shall keep the lohole laic and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Hence the danger of allowing ourselves in what are called little sins, of thinking lightly of and neglecting the ordinances of religion, of comforting ourselves that we are not as great sinners as some others are. For, take notice, my hear- ers, we may be as notorious and open sinners in the sight of God as the most vicious profligates are in our sight ; so that if a man perform ever so many duties, if there be any which he doth not perform, or if he avoid ever so many sins, and yet there be any he doth not avoid, he is still a sinner, who, with- out repentance, must perish for ever. I come now, in the III. Third place, to inquire what is meant by repentance. The original and direct meaning of the word is an after thought, a reaction of the mind, and may accordingly apply to any change of mind whatever, but in the case before us is to be considered exclusively as respects things moral and spiritual. In this connexion, then, it will mean such an after thought as produces a change of mind or disposition on the serious sub- 212 Christ's call to repentance. jects of God and religion. This after thought, the result of reflection and consideration impressed on the mind by the Spirit of God, produces such a conviction in the heart of the guilt and danger of sin, as connnitted against the holiness and the command of God, as to fill the sinner with fear and dismay at the consequences, and with desire to be delivered from its power and from its condemnation. Hence arises that godly sorrow mentioned in the Scriptures, which worketh repentance unto life, and is opposed in the same Scriptures to the sorrow of the world — the mere regret for the consequences of sin, whether present or future, which worketh death. For sincere and genuine sorrov/ for sin as an offence against God is always accompanied with a change of conduct, or, as it is expressed in Scripture, brings forth fruits meet for or answerable to true repentance, whereas, mere sorrow for the consequences of sin as it has in it no element of godliness — of either the fear or the love of God — produces no such fruits ; the love of sin remains, and wants but a suitable opportunity to be again indulged in. Thus we see that true repentance does not consist singly in a change of mind or alteration of conduct, but in the union of both, springing from a religious motive. The true penitent does not only hate sin, but fears it and flees from it. He does not forsake some, say the grosser and more open sins of his life, but all and every sin. He does not content himself with the out- ward restraint of sin, but labours and strives for the destruction of its power in his heart. He does not only cease to do evil, but he learns to do well — becomes earnest, active, and diligent in the use and application of those means of grace which are ap- pointed in the word of God, which he once neglected, perhaps despised. Behold he prayeth, is the mark by which the angels of God discern the penitent ; and the penitent who prays through the mediation of Jesus Christ learns, sooner or later, that the prayer of faith is mighty to obtain the blessing of that God who is ever ready to receive humble and penitent sinners for his dear Son's sake ; like the poor prodigal mentioned in the gospel, he coines to himself, he recovers his senses, he remembers his father's house — / icill arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and Christ's call to repentance, 213 before thee, and am no more ivorthy to be called thy son. He is seen entering the house of God, engaging in the worship of God, walking with the people of God ; and the joy felt in heaven over the sinner that repenteth, spreads its gladsome feeling over the Church on earth; every child of God rejoices to see another wanderer brought back to the fold of Christ — another immor- tal soul snatched as a brand from the burning. Such, my brethren and hearers, is the true Scripture notion of repentance. Not merely a change of conduct, but a revolu- tion of sentiment, a renovation of heart in its whole progress, wrought by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, whereby the mind or disposition is wholly taken off from sin, turned round or converted to God, and set to obey his commandments. This is the repentance our Lord means in the text, that repentance to which he calls sinners by the gospel, that repentance without which there is no hope for them, without which they must perish for ever. IV. Fourthly, I am to inquire what we are to understand by his calling sinners to repentance. As sin originally separated us from God, so, while persisted in, it precludes us from all possible return to his favour. It must, therefore, be repented of and forsaken. That this might be rendered both practicable and acceptable, the ever blessed Son of God undertook the redemption of fallen man, by expia- ting their sins in his own person, and thereby procuring for them easier conditions of salvation than the rigour of the law demanded or the holiness and justice of God permitted, without an adequate atonement. To this end, he took our nature upon him, suffered death upon the cross, and having thereby made satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, he became the mediator of a new covenant, in which, by repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, sinners might be delivered from the curse and condem- nation of the law, and restored to the hope and the attainment of eternal life. This is the foundation of the gospel, and the subject matter of those glad tidings of great joy, which angels proclaimed at his birth, and which through the mercy of God have reached even unto us. By our Lord's calling sinners to 214 Christ's call to repentance, repentance, then, we are to understand his making known to them the terms and conditions of the covenant of grace, pur- chased by his blood, whereof repentance is the first ; together with the invitations, exhortations, promises, and threatenings of the gospel, whereby he requires, persuades, and commands them, in consideration of what he hath done and suffered for them, to forsake their sins, throw down the weapons of their rebellion, and follow him in the bright example of his holiness, humility, faith, and patience ; giving them full assurance, by his glorious resurrection from the dead, that he had fully accom- plished the mighty work of redemption, and opened the king- dom of heaven to all believers — that as he hath redeemed them to God by his blood, so hath he also purchased gi^ace, or renewal of spiritual power, lost by sin, to enable them to fulfil the conditions required of them. This is properly his calling them to repent- ance ; and thus in every gospel land are sinners called, by the word and Spirit of God, to forsake the foolish, and live, to turn from the error of their ways, flee from the wrath to come, and lay hold on eternal life. Thus have I laid before you, my hearers, the outline of this leading doctrine of the gospel of Christ ; of the persons to whom it applies, and of the authority by which it is pressed upon your attention. Take heed, then, how ye hear, for he that despiseth, despiseth not man but God. As an ambassador of Christ I pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God ; I testify to all present, that except they repent they shall perish. Lastly, to apply what has been said. It is not my province, generally speaking, my friends, to pro- nounce who are the righteous, and who the sinners ; but from the word of God, to lay before men those marks by which they may try themselves and their ways, and decide on their true condition in the sight of God. By what you have this day heard, then, and by what your Bibles shall further teach you on this and every other subject connected with your eternal salvation, let me counsel you to examine whether you have repented or no. Many are the calls you have had, not only outwardly by the word, but inwardly by the strivings of God's Holy Spirit within you. To-day, then, Christ's call to repentance. 215 if ye will hear his voice, hardennot your hearts. Every neglected call weakens your power and inclination to listen to the next, until you may be left to the hardness of an impenitent and blinded heart. Oh, did you but know your danger, could you but apprehend how much may depend on this little moment, a last warning, perhaps, before eternity lays hold of some poor sinner present, you would not cast it from you with the neglect so many exhibit. But whether you will hear or whether you will forbear, I must deliver my own soul. Therefore I call upon them in the name of Christ, to repent of their sins, to flee to the mercy of God revealed through Jesus Christ for pardon and salvation, believing what Christ hath spoken, relying on what he hath promised, and observing whatsoever he hath commanded. Assuring every sinner present, that he is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him, and that there is none other name or means under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved, only the name and grace of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. O, ask yourselves now, what it will profit you in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel — what will it profit you, to have enjoyed all the pleasures of sin in this life, at the price of eternal misery in the next 1 Your most merciful Saviour now offers himself to you, in the words of peace and love ; but in that day he will appear as your inexorable Judge. Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. Behold now is the accepted time, noiv is the day of salvation. And you, my brethren, who through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are accounted righteous before God, think not that you are unconcerned in this great and universal duty. Sinless per- fection is not the attainment of this life, and daily experience must teach you how far short you come even of that which you know, and desire, and strive to attain unto. And herein is con- tinual occasion for watchfulness, for self-abasement, for peni- tential sorrow, that we receive so much and return so little to the giver of every good and perfect gift to his creatures. Let this sense, then, of the goodness of God deepen your repent- 216 Christ's call to repentance. ance, strengthen your faith, increase your hope, and brighten your charity. Use seasons of retirement to enter deeper into your own hearts, to mortify and cast out the remains of the old Adam, that the whole body of sin may be destroyed, and the hfe of faith perfected in you. Keep yourselves in the love of God ; looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, ivho for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God, where he ever liveth, to make intercession for us^ SERMON XIX. HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. Luke ix. 23. " And he said to them all, If an}' man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." It is worthy of particular notice, my brethren, and deserves to be carefully considered by every Christian, that the leHgion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ made its way in the world and prevailed over the various forms of Heathen superstition, and the corrupt prejudices of human natute, not only without any politic accommodation of its holy principles to the esta- blished notions, habits of thinking, customs and manners of the times, but with the most uncompromising rejection and condemn- ation as sinful of all that is most dear and pleasant to the natural man, most cherished and followed by the spirit of the world. That under such circumstances it should have succeeded, forms a very conclusive argument in favour of the divine original of Christianity and of its author. But when to this circumstance we add the confirmation derived from the unpaialelled fact, that this religion made its way to the hearts of men, and accomplish- ed its triumphs over the darkness and lewdness of the times, under the clear and explicit disclosure, that poverty, reproach, and contempt, that suffering in all its shapes, even to bonds, imprisonment, and death, was the portion which those who first embraced it were to expect in the present life, the conviction is irresistable, that divine power alone could have brought this to pass. As from these facts we derive an unanswerable argument for the divine origin and obligation of the religion we profess, so may we also derive from it, my brethren, a sure and impartial standard whereby to determine our personal religion. For it is the same world, out of which the first Christians were called, that Vol. II.— 28 218 HOW TO COMK TO CHRIST. the gospel invites us to come out from. The same corrupt nature, the same vicious propensities, the same preference of sensual delights, and the same determination of the affections towards earthly things, so visible in them, is equally present in us. The gross darkness of Heathen ignorance, and the disgusting impu- rity of Heathen manners, differ only in degree from the instruct- ed and practical infidelity, and the more refined dissoluteness of modern vice in Christian lands. In kind they are the same, and in the sight of God, perhaps, more hateful in us than in them ; the same means, also, provided for their instruction, renewal, and sanctification, are afforded to us, and the same fruit unto holiness is unalterably required. As we are conformed to or separated from the vicious customs of the world in our day, as our affections are set upon things above, or tied down to the farms and the merchandise, the professions and the pleasures of the world, as we make open acknowledgment of the Christian faith, and live answerable to the requirements of the gospel, so is our spiritual condition, my hearers. The command, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, is still in force to us as to the first Christians ; and it is equally important to all present that the inquiry should be made, whether they are in such wise friends of the world, as to be the enemies of God ; or have so learnt to use it as those who know that this world passeth away, and that in heaven only they have a better country — a more enduring substance. The inquiry, whether we are truly religious or not, is only another form of speech for the inquiry whether we are in the favour of God or exposed to his wrath. An inquiry, my dear friends, which never can be indifferent to an immortal being, under the uncertainties of the present life, an inquiry to which it is my duty to call your attention, and for the determination of which, satisfactorily, you are furnished in the meditations sug- gested by my text. Have you come to Christ 1 Have you denied yourself and taken up the cross 1 Are you followers of Jesus, or followers of the world? These are questions which naturally grow out of this very solemn declaration of our Lord ; and that you may be enabled to answer them understandingly and profitably, I will endeavour to explain and enforce the par- HOW TO COME TO CHRIST, 219 ticular points of Christian duty contained in the text, in the order in which they there stand. t^nd he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, andfoUoio me. I. First what are we to understand by the words, if any man will come after me. That these words refer to the obligation all are under to embrace the gospel to whom it is proposed, is too evident to require any proof. As the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, to instruct them in the will of God, and show them the way of life and happiness eternal, those who believed his divine authority and received his doctrine, were denominated his disciples or followers : to these he imparted his instructions in a more clear and familiar manner than to the multitudes who flocked to hear his preaching and see the mira- cles which he wrought, and to these he addressed those precious promises which are in a pecuhar sense the property of those who are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but unto them that are icithout all these things are done in parables. Whoso heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Whosoever shall confess me before men, him ivill I also confess before my Father which is in heaven. If a man love me he loill keep my ivords, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. Now, while it is undeniable that these are inducements sufficient to engage the attention of every rational being, it is no less clear that, to obtain these advantages, we must comply with the conditions on which they are offered, we must become the disciples or followers of Christ, we must learn of him, we must study his doctrine, obey his precepts, and follow his example. The immediate reflection, therefore, presented to all present by this clause of my text, is this ; Am I a disciple of Jesus Christ 1 am I a professor of his name and religion before the world 1 am I in communion with his Church upon earth 1 am I striving to attain his promises 1 and according as this can honestly be answered is there ground of comfort or alarm to 230 HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. every one of you. Now, as you can all make answer with cer- tainty upon this point, so can you understand, even by human analogies, that where a previous condition is required it must be performed in order to reap the benefit. The invitation of the gospel, therefore, must be complied with on your part before there can be any hope of the blessings of the gospel. Come unto me, says Christ to every weary, heavy laden sinner, and I will give you rest. But if they never come, how shall they obtain rest to their souls ? And how can any now come to Christ but through the ordinances of his Church ? You may say, indeed, that you have already come to Christ by baptism, and so far your advantage is great ; but do you not know that therein you incurred obligations which, if not fulfilled, will more deeply condemn you ] Have you, then, fulfilled your baptismal engagements 1 If not, v/here is the profit of it unless you repent and do your first works, and by a true and lively faith in the Lord Jesus Christ obtain the pardon of your sins, and be reinstated in t\^^at from which you are fallen away. Surely no reasonable person can suppose that the ordinances of religion operate after the manner of charms ; and yet the great majority in Christian lands act as if this was the case, and never seem to apprehend that to be entitled to the hope of the gospel we must fulfil the conditions of the gospel — must first come to Christ by an open profession of his name and religion before the world, and thenceforward continue in his word, that is, in obedience to his commandments — as the sole ground on Avhich spiritual attainment and eternal life is promised. Nothing is more clearly declared in the gospel than this, that until we are in Christ by some personal act which the gospel prescribes and recognizes, we have neither part nor lot in the promises of the gospel. Our entrance into the covenant of mercy and grace by baptism in our infancy is valid and effectual until forfeited by personal sin, and when thus forfeited — as, alas ! it most com- monly is by those who arrive at years of discretion, or rather, as they should be called, of indiscretion — there is no other resource, no other refuge than open repentance and acknowledgment of sin, declared reliance on the blood of Christ as the only atonement, renewed obedience to the law of life in the gospel. HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. 221 with humble dependance on the mercy of God for pardon and acceptance through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ. These God hath promised to accept from the siimer, truly penitent, unto justification of hfe, and having accommodated his grace and mercy so fully to our feeble condition, the con- clusion is inevitable that less than this he will accept from no man who hears the gospel. And I pray and intreat all those who are sitting loose to this the first and indispensable duty of redeemed sinners, to reflect upon their condition, to burst the bonds of unbelief, to listen to the reason of their own minds and the voice of their own consciences confirmed by the word of God, and pass the Rubicon, the narrow and, I may say, the only obstacle which keeps them from the succour and help of that divine grace by which only the world can be overcome and salvation accomplished. If any man will come after me, lei him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, andfolloio me. But, my dear hearers, we must first come to Christ before we can even think of such religious duties as are here required of Christians, and still more before we can be enabled to perform them. The morality of the world may go a certain length in imitating the fruits of true religion, and thereby add much to the comfort and accommodation of the present life. Nor is it a light argument for the divine original of Christianity that the mere copy of its virtues by those who yet disown its power should shed so benign an influence over the condition of gospel lands. But it can go no farther than the boundary of time. The shadow of religion passeth away — the substance only can endure the shock of dis- solving nature and a burning world, and enter in within that veil where God sits enthroned in all his glory, and where mansions of everlasting blessedness are prepared for those who through faith and patience inherit the promises of the gospel. II. Secondly, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself. The religious doctrine and Christian duty of self-denial is grounded altogether on the fundamental doctrine of the fallen, depraved, condition of human nature. Was our reason uncloud- ed by depraved affections, our choice unbiassed by a perverted will ; were our faculties entire for the discernment of good and evil, and cur strength unimpaired to resist temptation ; there 222 HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. could be no occasion for inculcating this dut3^ But, situated as we are, my brethren, with the love of sin predominant in our nature, it is not only profitable but essential, it is not only reason- able, but indispensable, if we would enjoy the comforts of reli- gion in time, and secure its reward in eternity, that we learn to deny ourselves. Yet who does not feel that this is the hard say- ing which we are not able to hear, the great stumbling block to the reception of the gospel. Intuitively, almost, we anticipate its application to the things that are most pleasant to the natural man, and dread to encounter the privations which imagination is on the alert to magnify beyond their due proportion. To cor- rect this propensity, then, and to place this indispensable duty on its Scriptural foundation, let us inquire what we are to under- stand by the self-denial here enjoined, and that this may be the more distinct and clear to your apprehensions I will consider it both negatively and affirmatively ; and. First, religious self-denial does not consist in words or acknowledgments. The clearest views of Scripture doctrine, the most unqualified confession of our depraved and dependant condition, the most forcible admission of the awful state of ruin into which sin hath sunk our nature, cannot meet the just requirements of this duty ; and for this plain reason, because the duty is practical, whereas such acknowledgments are as much in the reach of the most selfish sensualist as of the most watchful Christian. And I mention this because it is now much the fashion among persons of religious profession to abound more in expres- sions of self-abasement than in acts of self-denial ; and because it is quite common for persons who make no profession and have no concern with religion, to comfort themselves with the acknow- ledgment that they are poor, weak, sinful creatures, without a single effort to burst the chains of sin and struggle into the liberty, wherewith Christ hath made them free. Self-denial does not consist in a sour, morose temper, refusing either ourselves or others the lawful, thankful enjoyment of al the blessings conferred on us by the good providence of Almighty God. On the contrary, as God loveth the cheerful giver, so doth he love a thankful receiver of his various blessings. To use so as not to abuse, to enjoy so as not to forget the Giver of HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. 223 every good and perfect gift to his creatures, is the condition on which they are bestowed, and within which he giveth us all things richly to enjoy. A different view of the subject, equally opposite to Scripture and reason, has given rise to all the super- stition and debauchery of monastic institutions, under the absurd notion that the salvation of our souls could best be secured by flying from the duties of that station in life which the providence of God had assigned us. Nor yet does self-denial consist in such a neglect of the duties belonging to our worldly condition as to defeat the industry and application due to its lawful improvement. A state of trial must ever be a state of activity and exertion, variety of condition, also, is a necessary part of its composition, and this variety, in all its grades, is among the talents committed to our trust. These are all capable of improvement to the glory of God and the good of our fellow-creatures, and, as there can be no improvement with- out increase, without an addition to the original stock, care and diligence, economy and industry in our worldly callings, are religious duties, without which we cannot fulfil the obligations we owe to God and to our neighbour. Hence, it is just as incumbent on the rich to exert a provident care and industry, and to avoid all extravagance and waste of their worldly goods as it is upon the poor to use the same means to better their worldly condition, for both are bound by the law of Christian love to be ready and willing to distribute proportionally to the wants and necessities of all around them. Secondly, self-denial does consist in relinquishing every thing that is contrary to the divine command, or injurious to our own spiritual welfare. This is the true meaning of the term, the practical operation of the duty, and within this boundary it must be exercised by all who would be considered followers of Christ. Hence, whatever is directly sinful, or indirectly lead- ing to sin, however pleasant, however apparently advantageous it may seem, is the subject of this duty. The pleasures and the practices of the world, as they are formally renounced by every Christian at his baptism, are to be as constantly watched against in the exercise of self-denial. The inordinate aftections of the mind, the unlawful gratification of the flesh, and the rebellious inclina- 224 HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. tions of our corrupt wills, must all be restrained under the salu- tary control of self-denial. These wild beasts of our fallen nature, if I may so speak, must be kept in their cage, and the door carefully watched, for if they once make their escape it is a hard and a painful task to bring them once more into subjection. Another branch of this practical duty finds its profitable exer- cise in the regulation and control of our understanding. As knowledge of divine things is derived from divine communica- tion, it is a primary duty to submit our rational faculties to the wisdom of God, and receive loith meekness the engrafted word which is able to save our souls. Yet there is a pride, a loftiness in the wisdom of the world, which would measure the divine mind by its own puny standard, and look down with contempt on the simplicity of the gospel ; which dares to intrude into things not seen, and speculate on the mysteries of God as on some branch of natural knowledge. Against this most unreasonable and ruinous perversion of our highest faculty, self-denial must stand ever on its guard, and this the more resolutely, as it is unanswerably true, that in things spiritual, there is to us no other source of knowledge than the divine word, as contained in the Scriptures of our faith. These are to us the law and the testi- mony, and without their supreme warrant, there is neither sense or safety in any system of faith and practice. Connected with this, and very intimately, as experience demonstrates, is another danger, against which self-denial has to exert all its powers of opposition and mortification, and that is self-righteousness ; in other words, the relying on the merit of our own works of righteousness, for acceptance with God. And I connect it with the pride of science, falsely so called, because it is the main danger of the better informed and more moral part of the community, who have never felt the plague of their own hearts, in thorough conviction of the absolute sinful- ness of their nature, and separation from God ; who speculate on the mystery of godliness, as a provision for cases more extreme than theirs, and receive not the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lord their righteousness. And if there is a condition under the light of the gospel, from which hope of mercy is pre- HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. 225 eluded, it must be found in that pride of understanding which would be wise, not only above, but contrary to, what is written ; which would defraud the Saviour of the efficacy of his death, and make that eternal life which he has purchased for sinners, the reward of debt, and not of grace. Yet, my brethren, it is a temptation, however blasphemous, which we are all prone to entertain in some of its multifarious deceits, and from which nothing can shield us but that true self-knowledge which we obtain from the word of God, kept in constant operation by the exercise of self-denial. It is a scion from the root of unbelief, which must be torn from our hearts if we would be in such wise followers of Christ, as to obtain a share of that glory wherewith his unparalleled self-denial has been rewarded for himself, and for his faithful followers. III. Thirdly, If any man loill come after me, let him deny him- self, and take up his cross daily. Under an established state of Christianitj'^, and in the ab- sence of all persecution on account of religion, it is not very easy to draw the line between the duty of self-denial and that of taking up the cross. To come after Christ, and to live in the exercise of self-denial, as just explained, amounts so nearly to any idea we can entertain of the particular duty of taking up our cross, that these words may be considered as expressing the full extent of the two previous duties combined ; thereby denoting as marked a separation from the world, with as entire a dedica- tion of ourselves to the service of God, as Christ himself pre- sented, and as is compatible with our actual condition when compared with his. Yet as there certainly is a sense in which the duty of taking up our cross, here enjoined, may be profitably understood and applied by all Christians, as distinct from the duty of self-denial, I shall endeavour to explain it in that sense in which it is appli- cable to existing circumstances in our religious condition. First, it includes an open and public profession of the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ ; the confession of him as the Christ of GoD,the promised Saviour of sinners; the thankful acceptance of the atonement of his death as the only sacrifice for sin, with obedience to the commands he hath left us in the gospel Vol. II.— 29 226 HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. This may be considered as the lowest sense indeed, in which the taking up the cross is to be understood. Yet it is certainly a part of the duty, and one which I heartily wish was more con- sidered and acted upon than it is ; for it is essential to any benefit by and through the Lord Jesus Christ. He that is not for me is against me, says our Lord, and he threatens to deny all such in the last day, as shall be either afraid or ashamed to confess him before men. The words of my text also point to this meaning of the com- mand to take up our cross. Many went after Christ to hear his doctrine, and see the miracles he wrought to confirm it as divine, who yet from various causes did not openly become his disciples ; and we may reasonably suppose, that it was by way of rebuke and wai-ning to such persons, that he expressed him- self as in the words of my text. In like manner, in the present day, multitudes come after Christ, in so far as attendance upon the public ordinances of religion may be thus called, who yet go no farther ; who take not up the cross in this sense of the words ; who from some cause, alien to a just sense either of the benefits to be derived from Christ, or of the loss and danger incurred by thus tampering and trifling with this indispensable duty, hang upon the skirts of religion, as it were, without once realizing that awful day, when Christ shall justly say to them, I never knew you — ye were ashamed of me before men — I can- not confess you before my Father and the holy angels. Secondly, to take up our cross daily, includes a ready and willing submission to those particular trials wherewith the provi- dence of Almighty God sees fit to exercise our faith and prove our obedience. As self-denial consists chiefly in foregoing some present gratification, because inconsistent with the care of our souls, and contrary to the honour of God, the taking up the cross in this sense of the words, will consist in suffering patiently whatever of privation or of direct infliction the divine wisdom sees necessary to purify and perfect our fallen nature, to wean us from the world and prepare us for glory. This is the method by which the dross of earthly desires can best be purged off", and therefore are they sent. Our Saviour himself, as man, was made perfect through suff'erings, and we must be made like unto him HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. 227 in this as in all other respects, if we would be partakers with him in that glory to which his obedience hath exalted him. Thirdly, to take up our cross includes in the highest sense of the words, the being ready to encounter all worldly loss, to endure all worldly suffering, to submit to persecution, and even to the loss of life itself, rather than deny Christ or sur- render our religion. Of this triumph of faith, of this fixed and unshaken trust in God our Saviour, thousands have set the example, not counting their lives dear unto themselves, so they might win Christ and be found in him. And though we are not called, my brethren, to such trials, yet are we called to possess the same believing, confiding spirit, the mind that was in Christ and in these his faithful disciples. The same grace, also, through which they were borne onward to the prize of their high calling, is yet in operation, and suflScient for every duty required at our hands ; and sure we may be, that if our trials are lighter our obligations are higher, if less is required at our hands, the more thankful, the more faithful, and the more earnest we should be in what is enjoined us ; and that if we take not up the cross appointed for our day, Christ's light and and easy yoke, we must bear for ever the bitter cross of the curse of God, the insupportable load of everlasting torment. Lastly — If any man tcill come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. To follow Christ means, in this connexion, to continue steadfast in the profession and practice of his religion, neither terrified by persecution nor seduced by temptation. Perseverance in holiness is the condition of salvation, my brethren. He that endureth to the end the same shall be saved, says our Lord, but if he draiv back my soul shall have no plea- sure in him, says God. The reward of eternal life, as it exceeds all computation, as it is a free gift to undeserving creatures through the merits of Christ, is not to be lightly esteemed or trifled with, nor are the means of attaining it, set forth in the word of God, to be taken up or put down upon any calculations of present interest or convenience. JVo man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is ft for the kingdom of God. If 228 HOW TO COME TO CHRIST. the business or the pleasures of the world, or the indolence or inadvertence of our corrupt hearts, are permitted to withstand or to neutralize the solemn assurances of death, judgment, and eternity, awaiting accountable beings, favoured with the glad tidings of the gospel and furnished with the means of grace, it ivere better for us, my hearers, never to have known the xoay of righteousness than to depart from the holy commandment de- livered to us ; it were good for us that we had never been born, if we fall away from the offered mercy of God, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and break the solemn obliga- tions undertaken at our baptism. Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life, says the faithful and true witness. He that overcometh shall inherit all things. But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolators, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. What then is our part, my dear friends, under the undeniable responsibilities of our condition'? Where is room even for hesi- tation under the vast alternative of life or death eternal 1 Let truth then prevail ; let the reasonableness of our duty recom- mend it to our most serious attention ; let the awful uncertainty of the present life throw its weight into the scale of our salva- tion, and bring us forthwith to Christ, prepared to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, and to follow Jesus in the way which he hath trodden before us, through all the changes and chances of this mortal life. Let us do this, my brethren and hearers, under the happy assurance that he, whose strength is made perfect in our weakness, will be with us in all our trials, and make good his encouraging declaration, that his yoke is easy and his burden light. Come unto me all ye that are iceary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Learn of me — and ye shall find rest unto your souls. O that the answer may be from all ; — Lord to whom else shall we go, for thou hast the words of eternal life. SERMON XX. THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. John v. 40. "And ye will not come to me that ye might have life." Nothing is so fatal to our souls, my brethren and hearers, as indifference and carelessness on the subject of religion. Nothing forms so complete a bar to the grace of the gospel as that obsti- nate unwillingness to be saved which is evidenced by those who resist the warning and instruction of God's word, the reason of their own minds, and the verdict of their own consciences, to say nothing of those strivings of the Holy Spirit which ever and anon apply the truth to their hearts with such power as almost to persuade them to yield. But they loill not come to Christ that they might have life. Some deceit of sin — some flattering bait of the God of this world — some engagement with the things of time and sense on which they are more bent than on the care of their immortal souls, stifles the conviction of guilt and danger, and delivers them over once more to the strong delusion which ends in their being hardened in sin. I speak not now of those bold contenders against God and the word of his grace who make a mock at sin, scoff at revelation, and sufficient for their own expectations here and hereafter, deny the Lord that bought them, and trample on his blood — such cannot be expected to come to him for life — but of that greater number on whom the word of life is bestowed in vain, for they search not the Scriptures — on whom warning is thrown away, for they heed it not — in whose hearts conviction is deadened by the care of other things, and by whom time is not measured by its advancement towards eternity, but as it promotes or retards the gainsj'jhe enjoyments, the disappointments or the sufferings of the life that now is. Oh ! what multitudes are in this danger- ous condition in this Christian land, and who are thus, partly 230 THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. from mistaken views of the doctrines of the gospel, but chiefly from thoughtlessness and carelessness on the subject of religion, adding force to the natural enmity of the carnal mind and increasing the power of those temptations which lead them farther and farther from God. And shall no effort be made to show them their danger, and point them to a better course 1 Yes, by Goo's good blessing, this day shall be a witness for me in this behalf, and, I trust, for some of them, by showing them, First, what are the chief hindrances which prevent people from coming to Christ that they might have life. SECoNBLr, in what manner they must come to obtain this blessing. And then by making in conclusion a short application of the subject. t^nd ye will not come unto me that ye might have life. I. First, I am to point out the chief hindrances which pre- vent people from coming to Christ that they might have life. The first and main obstacle is want of serious consideration. Few or none can plead ignorance of the great outlines of Chris- tianity. But in religion, as in all other sciences, knowledge, when unapplied, differs in nothing from ignorance. Now to consider and apply knowledge is a habit or qualification of mind to be acquired by practice and discipline, and it is the great art which makes education of every kind useful and profitable. In religion especially, which to fallen creatures is in every sense a forced state, this habit of considering and applying the truths revealed to us lies at the very entrance of any advance- ment or progress whatever. Without this, whatever knowledge we attain to of God and ourselves, of the means provided for our benefit and the use we are required to make of them, is nothing but a mere speculation of the understanding, as desti- tute of any moral power over the will and affections as the reinembi'ance of any abstruse mathematical demonstration. And yet we might well imagine that was there any one thing the intrinsic importance of which would bear down all opposi- tion and engage exclusively the attention and endeavours of intelligent and accountable beings, it must be religion ; for what is rehgion but the science of being happy here and happy THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. 231 for ever, and this upon as sure a foundation as the being and truth of Almighty God. The nature of God and his just claims upon us as our Crea- tor being once admitted, the way is open to all the wonders of his wisdom and love in the redemption of the world, through careful consideration. The plan of this mighty work is found to be so exactly suited to our condition, so adequate to the relief of our most pressing wants, so calculated to give certainty and assurance to what we must otherwise for ever have remained ignorant of, that the conclusion from this branch of the evidence is almost compulsory. But to produce any effect it must be considered, must be dwelt upon, must be applied and carried out to the thoughts, and the words, and the actions of the man, must in this way be brought to bear upon the real complexion of his character and conduct as in the sight of God, as transacted before one who cannot be deceived, and whose judgment must ever be according to truth. It is by this process that we come to understand our true condition, to perceive something of the purity of God and of the malignity of sin as opposed to the holiness of his nature, that we are drawn to count up the endless yearsof eternity and the tremendous sanctions with which it is made to bear upon the short and uncertain state of being which is hourly drawing us nearer and nearer to all that it has to enjoy or to suffer ; and are led to entertain the solemn meditation — What shall I do to be saved? It is by consideration only that we arrive at that conclusive proof in favour of revelation which grows out of the exact agreement of the representation therein given of man fallen, with what experience and observation have taught us of our- selves and others. It is by this we perceive that the plan of redemption, though embracing the world in its ample enclosure, is yet special to every individual sinner. So much so that was there not another but himself in the boundary of the universe, the whole of this glorious provision of the love of God, in the wonderful comprehension of its breadth, and length, and height, and depth, would have been needed to bring that single sinner back to holiness and God. Thus far can consideration of what is revealed to us, aided by 232 THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. that divine grace of which all baptized persons are partakers, bring those who give themselves seriously to it ; and to this very end is the whole counsel of God addressed to us as reasonable beings, and made to bear upon hopes and fears which we can estimate and apply. But there is one step further to which consideration of divine truth can lead us, and that is to prayer ; for prayer is the fruit of a sense of want and danger, and is the evidence which heaven requires of our sincerity. On this is suspended all its mighty benefits to us in the gift of the Holy Spirit. Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be open- ed unto you. For if ye being evil knoiv how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Now the Holy Spirit is that mighty agent in the great work of our salvation, without whom we can do nothing. It is by him that thought, and reflection, and consideration of divine things is prompted and guided. It is by him that the truth is witnessed and faith strengthened to receive and apply it. It is by him that sin is shown in its true colours, and its most just sen- tence brought home to the personal conviction of the sinner. It is by him that the heart is softened to penitence, and the prayer of faith put forth with groanings that cannot be uttered. It is by him that God is revealed as accessible to the penitent through Jesus Christ, and hope inspired through his prevailing intercession. It is by him that the things which are Christ's — the atonement of his death, the power of his resurrection, and the grace of his mediatorial kingdom — are taken and showed unto us. It is by him that these unspeakable gifts of the mercy of God and the love of Christ, are applied to the peace and comfort of the soul, through the faith of the operation of God, and thus is the message of the gospel of God concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord made life and power to all who give it the attention it deserves; while to the thoughtless and unconcerned, to the dissolute and worldly minded, who never carry forward their thoughts to the awful realities of death and judgment, who are so occupied with time that they forget eternity, who turn a deaf ear to the warnings of God's word, and stifle the misgivings THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. 233 and convictions of their own consciences, the voice of God within them. These things, though known and understood in some degree, are yet mere speculations of something distant and fortuitous — not near and dear reaUties on which peace and comfort in time, and happiness in eternity, unchangeably depend. And thus do we see, my brethren and hearers, how want of consideration bars us out from the very entrance of religion ; how it stops up all the avenues by which saving truth might reach the heart, and spreads the darkening veil of unbe- lief over our own wants and heaven's mercies. Especially do we see how it blinds the mind to the efficacy, sufficiency, and necessity of Jesus Christ to the hope of a sinner or the acceptance of a saint — and why it is, that under the clear light of the gospel the compassionate reproach of our blessed Lord to his then hearers contained in my text. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life, can yet be addressed to such multitudes in every Christian land — why in this little congregation there are so many who care for none of these things. Alas ! Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider, and therefore it is that they will none of me. But whom else will you have ? within the bound of thought is there any thing that can fill the desires of an immortal spirit but God only ? And will you care- lessly remain ignorant of him and of all his plans of mercy and love for your good ? or knowing them by the hearing of the ear, will you cast them under your ieet, and madly rush upon destruction 1 Yet this is what too surely awaits you if you give no care to the thought of your souls. You may say in the levity of your minds and the blindness of your heart. We feel no want, we experience no uneasiness or injury to the pursuits we are engaged in from the absence of religion, we perceive no need of Jesus Christ to our happiness, nor is there any form or comeliness in him that we should desire him. Alas ! I know it is even so, for I have been as you are, and may God awaken you. But, nevertheless, your want remaineth — in alienation from God, opposition to his holy nature, and unfit- ness for his holy presence — while death is drawing nearer and nearer every day to transmit you to his righteous judgment. O ask yourselves, are you prepared for it, have you an Vol. II.— 30 234 THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. answer ready for the searcher of hearts, as you have for your own consciences ; have you one that he will be quieted with, that you know he will accept ? Alas ! were the real truth known, there are moments when you dare not trust to it your- selves, when you feel that all is not right, when something whispers in your heart — There is another life, there is a God, there is a judgment day, there is a heaven, there is a hell ! O let it now take possession of your most serious thought, and carry you out to that full and faithful examination of the claims of religion, of your own want and sinfulness, of the means and mercy provided for you in the gospel, which you have hitherto neglected. And let me tell you for your encourage- ment, that among those means you will find a Saviour, just such as your soul would desire, who has redeemed you to God by his own blood, who has called you to the hope of the gospel, who ever liveth to make intercession for you, who invites you to come to him for pardon, peace, and eternal life, and who, this day, meets all your obstinate disregard and contempt of his merciful long suffering, not with wrath and vengeance, but with the mild and gracious reproof, ye ivill not come to me that ye might have life. But let me also warn you, my friends, it will not be always thus. There is a limit to the long suffering even of God, there is to every individual under the gospel a day of grace, within which the door of mercy stands open for his return, but beyond which, it is for ever barred against him. Remember the foolish virgins, who slumbered and slept until their oil was all consumed; they went and bought more, lit up their lamps and came and knocked, but found no admittance. 1 thought when I began, my brethren, to have gone on with an enumeration of those particular hindrances which prevent men from coming to Christ, such as unbelief, self-righteous- ness, love of the world, false notions of the mercy of God, pro- crastination, and, what lies at the root of all the rest, the carnal mind, the naturally hostile disposition of every fallen creature against the holiness of God. But as all these, with the exception of the last named, either originate hi want of consideration, or are increased in their THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. 235 power over us, by carelessly shutting our eyes against the light, It would be needless repetition to go over them separately. ° It being evident to the plainest mind, that unbelief can never stand against the sincere and honest examination of revelation and its proofs, the serious consideration of the nature of God, and the condition of man ; that self-righteousness can have no place in that man who has studied himself even slightly; that there can be no gain in giving our immortal souls in exchange for that which we cannot keep even if we had it; that the mercy of God is made known to us that he may be feared and sought unto, not that he may be trifled with and mocked; and that to beings who know not what a day may bring forth to put in the distance, the awful concerns of death, judgment, and eternity, IS the foolishness of folly and madness. With respect to the carnal mind, the original corruption of our nature, I would say a few words :— while it is admitted that no extent or seriousness of consideration is competent to remove this taint and Infection of sin, that being the prerogative of the HoLv Spirit only ; certain it is, that if we never consider, that IS, reflect seriously on our state, our chains will be rivetted the faster, and our hereditary enmity to God increased. Whereas by meeting what is presented to us, on the high authority of a message from God, with the care and attention it deserves, we obtain not only the knowledge and confirmation of a most dangerous and fatal disease, but are furnished with a sovereign remedy against it, are directed to the great physician of souls, encouraged to take the medicine he prescribes, and watched over and nursed under its operation by his Holy Spirit, to the entire renovation of our nature, the fruit being unto holiness and the end everlasting life. II. Secondly, I am to show you in what manner we must come to him to obtain this blessing. To understand this aright, we must consider who Jesus Christ was, what he did, and what he did it for, together with what he IS now. Our only authority, therefore, the Bible informs us that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, one with the b ather from all eternity ; that he came to this world, took upon 236 THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. him our mortal nature, and appeared in the lowly condition of a servant. In this state he spent a life of toil, privation, and suffering, was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; that after preaching the gospel and instructing mankind, both by precept and example, in that pure religion he came to establish in the world, he suffered himself to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies, and submitted to a most cruel and ignominous death upon the cross. But why did he submit to all this '? the same authority informs us, that it was all for man, and for man's salvation ; to redeem us from the curse of the law, broken by sin, he was content to be made a curse for us ; to reconcile God to his creatures, he bore our sins in his own body on the tree ; by shedding his own most precious blood he atoned for the guilt of sin, and he submitted to death to purchase eternal life for all who believe and obey him. Having thus fulfilled the will of the Father, and finished the work he had given him to do, he rose from the dead, ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and received gifts for man, pardon of sin, restoration to God's favour, and the Holy Spirit to renew them to repentance, to give them the victory over sin and death, and prepare them for heavenly glory and eternal life ; and he is now exalted to the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens, all things in heaven and in earth being put in subjection under him, where he ever liveth to watch over his Church and people, to extend the gospel in the world, to accomplish the number of his elect, to guide them through the trials of time, and, when all shall be concluded, to raise up their mortal bodies by his Spirit dwelling in them to meet the judgment of the great day, and to be rewarded or punished everlastingly, according to the conditions of the gospel now preached unto them. And thus are we led to see with what dispositions of mind, in what way and manner, we are to come to this ever blessed, all powerful, and most merciful Redeemer, that we may have life. The first thing, therefore, we should be sensible of, and that most deeply, is, that sin is that dreadful and destructive evil the Bible describes it to be. Eternally opposed to all God's perfec- tions, eternally hated of him, and justly deserving his everlasting THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. 237 wrath. Which is demonstrated to us by his exacting from his only begotten Son the penalty due to it by the justice of his holy law, to prepare the way for its pardon. Next, a humbling sense of our own many and grievous offences against God, both in thought, word and deed — with a true and genuine sorrow for our ingratitude and baseness against our Creator and Benefactor. There is indeed a sorrow of the world which worketh death, by being mistaken for that godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto life. And herein lies the dis- tinction. What is denominated the sorrow of the world, springs from the present consequences of the particular sin or sins upon ourselves, and would never have been felt, had no disappoint- ment or suffering followed. But godly sorrow, true contrition for sin, has respect to the offence as against God. „^gainst thee, thee only, have I sinned, says David, making his confession to God even in as heinous crimes as adultery and murder, com- mitted against his neighbour. And herein is the worth and efficacy of the one over the other manifested, inasmuch as godly sorrow for sin always includes the ill done to our neighbour — for without reparation and restitution where either is possible, there is no true repentance. Whereas the sorrow of the world has no respect whatever to the offence as against God, but is entirely personal and selfish. A third disposition of mind is a true hatred of sin, and an instant forsaking of it in all its practices, with a hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Cease to do evil, learn to do well. Make me a clean heart O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. Lastly, a complete sense of our own helplessness and insuffi- ciency, with a humble, yet confident reliance on the promised mercy of God, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ye are saved by grace, through faith. Our sufficiency is of God. Without me ye can do nothing. My grace is sufficient for thee. With such views and such dispositions of mind, let us come to the Lord Jesus Christ for the two blessings we all stand in need of — mercy to cover our sins, negligences and ignorances ; and grace to renew our hearts daily before him in righteousness. Let us come to him drawing near with true hearts, in full assur- 238 THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. ance of faith, encouraged by his most gracious invitation. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I xoill give you rest. These words are the full warrant for every sinner to break the chains of his bondage to death, and come to the Lord Jesus, that he may have life. And O, that while the Spirit and the bride also say come, he that heareth may say — I come ! and he that is athirst may come, and take of the water of life freely. I come now to make a short application of the subject, and of what has been said upon it. First, to those who come not : 1 wonder if any who are present in this dangerous condition, could give an answer to — Why do you not come 1 Can you ])lead ignorance of the message and its infinite importance to your souls'? Surely none present can say so. Will you say that the invitation has never been made to you 1 God is my witness, that I have not failed for the space of seven years to press it upon you in every shape I could devise. Must it not be, then, for the reason given by our Lord, in my text ; Ye will not come. Ye do resist the Holy Ghost then, and what must the end be of them who put offered salvation from them 1 But you will say, we have never thought of these things, we have not considered them. This I believe, and therefore have I pressed this duty upon you to-day. I trust there is no settled hostility to religion in any of you ; but in the mean time, life is wasting apace, and carelessness is just as dangerous as unbelief — for as faith cometh by hearing, so does application to Jesus Christ, and all the blessed effects of religion flow from considering carefully what we hear. Of this, what is set forth for our learning in the Scrip- tures is one continued proof You say you have not considered these things. And was it not just so before the flood, under the preaching of Noah ] But did they continue thoughtless and unconcerned think ye, when they saw the waters begin to rise and pursue them from hill to mountain 1 Or did they curse the carelessness and security which thus betrayed them to destruc- tion 1 And how will it be with you continuing thus, when death knocks at the door of your chamber, when your reviving bodies hear the sound of the last trumpet, when you see the Son of Man THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. 239 coming in the clouds of heaven, the frame of nature dissolving, the judgment set, the books opened, the universe assembled, and the sentence of eternal death about to be passed on all who know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? Did not Sodom also and the cities of the plain exhibit an instance of the same careless indifference and want of thought 1 While Lot warned and exhorted they danced, they sung, they feasted and made merry ; they bought, they sold, and laid themselves out for the world, till the day that God rained fire and brimstone upon them from heaven, and took them off in the pride of their hearts and ripeness of their sins, to the fire that never shall be quenched. And does not our Lord say that it shall be more tolerable in the day of judgment for Sodom and Gomorrah than for careless, delaying gospel sinners. But, perhaps, as it is becoming fashionable, you will say you do not believe these things. And, what then ; shall your unbelief make the truth of God of none effect ? When the minister of God earnestly warns you of these things do you say we do not believe him. But upon what grounds do you refuse to believe him 1 You confess that you have not considered them, and, therefore, cannot be competent to decide their truth or false- hood. O deceive not your own souls, but say at once, we will not believe them, for that is the real truth. And was it not just so when Noah preached, and Lot warned, and the Roman armies encompassed Jerusalem ! But did the water, or the fire, or the sword, therefore, stay their vengeance, and are not all these expressly set forth to us as types and representations of that greit and dreadful day when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire to punish the ungodly. When eternity is thus at issue shall any who have souls to be saved continue careless ? shall youth think it too soon, manhood be too much occupied with the world, or old age think it too late to come to Christ? a vain thing to consider and lay to heart the things which make for their peace. God forbid. To the young in particular I would now speak, and through them to every age. To you, then, who build upon your youth as an excuse for the neglect of religion, I would put but one question, to show you 240 THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. thedangerof such presumptuous procrastination. Have you made a covenant with death, or received from the Almighty an assurance of long life 1 If not, whence this blindness to the common expe- rience of mankind. Do the young, and the healthy, and the robust never die ? Or is not death busier with our early years than with all the rest 1 O forget not, my young friends, that it is only here one and there another, that comes to old age. Remem- ber the poor man who said to his soul — Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But in the midst of his security God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee — and apply it as a solemn warning to all who put off coming to Christ on the presumption that it is time enough yet, or from a love of the company, the amusements, the pleasures or the business of the world. You may fancy you are happy, my young friends ; you may flatter yourselves with many years, and in present enjoy- ment drown the claims of your God and Saviour upon your souls, but all this must come to an end. And what then. In all this time what preparation is made for death, for judgment, for eternity — where is your pardon, your interest in Jesus Christ, and without these how will you face your last enemy ? Oh ! what an awful thought it is to have to meet death with the fixed con- viction that he is but the forerunner of the second death, which knows not how to die or to escape from eternal misery and despair — that dreadful death from which Jesus now calls you but you will not come to him that you might have life, even life eternal. That miserable death which you now choose in the error of your life in opposition to truth, to reason, to interest, tcb the mercy of God and the love of Christ. Oh ! terrible voice of most just judgment, which shall then be pronounced upon you, when the Lord Jesus, who died to save you, who in this world so mercifully invites you to come to him but ye will not, shall say unto you — Ye would not come to me, ye would not be made holy in time, ye cannot be made happy in eternity — Depart, therefore, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. But, thanks be to God, my brethren, there is a relief from this dark and dreary prospect, in the blessedness which awaits THE CAUSE OF NOT COMING TO CHRIST. 241 those who, in this the day of their visitation, come to Jesus Christ for life, who learn of him and find rest to their souls. From that ha[)[)y moment they are his peculiar care. The power of his providence and the blessings of his grace are all engaged in their behalf. Wisely, but darkly and wonderfully sometimes, he orders their course through the world, but whether in pros- perity or adversity all things are made to work together for their good ; and in the closing scene of all our hopes and fears, he will be found as faithful in his promises as in his threatenings. When those who have here rejected him shall be banished for ever from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power. Those who have here come to him and have endured unto the end shall enter into the joy of their Lord, into that inheritance incor- ruptible and iindefiled, and which fadeth not aivay ivhere there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. In this blessed hope, dear brethren, let us purify ourselves, even as He is pure. Let us walk worthy of our heavenly callino-, adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things ; ascribing to God the Father, whose love and mercy provided our deliver- ance— to God the Son who died to procure it, and to God the Holy Ghost who won us over to enjoy it, all the glory and praise of our salvation, now and ever, world without end. Vol. n.— 31 SERMON XXI. REVERENCE OF CHRIST. Matthew xxi. 37. "But, last of all, he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son." The favour and providence of God tovrards the Jewish Church and nation, as being the vineyard he had planted and had watered with his heavenly dew, the doctrine of the law and of the prophets, with the unfruitful and ungrateful conduct of that people, form the groundwork of this parable : In which, by a very lively representation of their case and such as came home to the consciences of all who heard it, (for they at once united in acknowledging the just retribution due to their unjust and rebellious refusal of the rights of the lord of the vineyard, their cruel treatment of his messengers, and avaricious murder of his only son, and in deprecating the consequences of such con- duct,) our blessed Lord endeavoured to awaken them to a right sense of the enormity of their guilt and imminent danger in slight- ing and rejecting this last overture of heaven's mercy ; and in its application to the gospel Church to give to Christians in all ages the same warning, the same instruction. — For what the Jews once were, we now are — ^the Lord's vineyard. Ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building, says St. Paul to the Corinthian Church, and as from them, so from us the owner of the vine- yard yet expects those fruits, those grateful and obedient returns to his fatherly love and abundant goodness which not only justice but feeling, sincere love on our part and thankful sub- jection, should lead us to render. But, alas ! how much like that of the Jews is the present state of the Christian world. How are we become dead to the peculiar blessings of a state of covenant relation to God, cold to the continued proofs of his love, and insensible to the awful threatenings which are REVERENCE OF CHRIST. 243 denounced against the abuse of his mercies. How is that name which, for the suffering of death for us God hath exalted above every name and made the only passport to his favour, and by the which we, as Christians, are called — how is it lessened and hghtly esteemed, and even profaned and blasphemed, and the truth of his everlasting word and the convictions of his Holy Spirit put aside by us for the world and its vanities, for our own vain conceits and groundless imaginations, as by the Jews of old. We cannot, indeed, equal them in infidelity, for obvious reasons. We cannot resist the evidence of Christ's miracles to our senses, because they are not wrought before our eyes. We cannot revile him to his face. We cannot crucify him at the gates of Jerusalem. But we can exceed their guilt in all these things by resisting the demonstration of the Spirit to the truth of the gospel, the convictions of our own consciences, the concurring testimony of eighteen hundred years, and the actual witness of the state of this very people, who are to this day outcasts and unowned, because they disowned the only begotten Son of God as their promised Messiah and offered Saviour ; and we can and do crucify him afresh every hour of the day, and put him to an open shame by leading unchristian lives. This Scripture figure, so emphatically applied, by the apostle Paul, to ungodly Christians, we are too apt to consider as a mere figure of speech, or, what is more common, not to consider it at all. But if there is any truth in the promises and threatenings of the gospel — if none whom God is pleased to call to the know- ledge of his grace by the revelation of Jesus Christ can excusably remain neutral even to the hopes and duties growing out of it, to the faith and holiness required by it, then should all such most deeply fear incurring the particular guilt thereby denounced, even in a higher degree than those very Jews who crucified the Lord of glory. For it cannot be said in our behalf as was in theirs, that we do it ignorantly in unbelief; every person under the gospel being fully informed of the person, office, and dignity of Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. It may be profitable for us all ; both those who profess them- selves his disciples and those who, though they are spared 244 REVERENCE OF CHRIST. only through his intercession and provided with the freeness of his grace to tlie attainment of eternal life, yet feel no sense of what they owe to his love for their souls ; to consider seriously the two following points : First, the obligations we are all under to reverence the Son of God, as the text expresses it. Secondly, in what manner we shall best declare our rever- ence of him. I. First, then, though the reasons and arguments which enforce this obligation are all of the weightiest nature, yet the one referred to in the text may properly enough be considered the chief. The first argument, then, that calls upon us to reverence the Son of God, and consequently the message he brought us from the Father, is the greatness of his character, the superlative dignity of his person. It was a most natural expectation in the owner of the vine- yard that his tenants would show a peculiar regard to the last messenger he sent, who, as his only son and of course his heir, was next in station and authority to himself. And here we may observe, my friends, how exactly the whole moral of the parable is made to bear upon the most general feelings and reasonings of our own minds, and how it includes us all, by the judgment we unhesitatingly pass upon things of a far inferior kind. For just as certainly as we should consider the refusal of a just claim aggravated in proportion to the dignity and importance of the person employed to make it, so sure may we be that we condemn ourselves by refusing or contemptuously disregarding this last and greatest of all God's prophets. And certainly our reverence should always be proportioned to the known or supposed importance of its object. Now beyond all dispute, not only in the dignity of the messenger but in the importance of the message, the gospel far transcends any and every other interest whatever. What, then, say the Scriptures concerning the person and character of Christ ? for the Scrip- tures are the only authority we can safely follow in such an inquiry. God, (says St. Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews,) who in REVERENCE OP CHRIST. 245 time past spake unto the fathers h\j the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his So7i, n-liom he hath appointed heir of all things, by ichom also he made the worlds, icho is the brightness of his glory, and upholdeth all things by the word of his power, who is made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. And here let me observe, that we have a most express declaration of this apostle to the divinity of our blessed Saviour ; he not only declares his superiority to the angels, but refers that superiority to a cause perfectly distinct from any act of creation, to wit, to an inherited and consequently inherent superiority; than which no other mode of expression could better have conveyed to our limited understandings the true and plain meaning of that fundamental article of the Christian faith, "the Son of God, begotten, not made." So likewise, in writing to the Colossians, this same apostle styles Christ, the image of the invisible God, and tells us, that by him God created all things whether in heaven or in earth ; and St. John — who wrote the last of all the apostles, and lived to hear the divinity of his adorable master doubted and denied — to meet this damnable heresy, declares in the outset of his gospel — In the beginning loas the word, and the ivord loas with God, and the ivord xoas God ; the ivord was made flesh and dwelt among us; he came unto his oicn and his own received received him not. Now these passages of Scripture, with many others to the same purpose, though they do not explain to us the formal nature or essential being of this Son of God, a subject which, with our present faculties, we could not be made to compre- hend, neither are we in the smallest degree concerned to know it ; yet they teach us what is abundantly sufficient as well as perfectly intelligible ; namely, that his character is supremely excellent, his dignity supremely eminent, far above the number- less orders of beings in the universe ; which is unanswerably a most sufficient argument why we should pay him the profound- est reverence. Secondly, we are further bound to reverence this heavenly messenger from the importance of the message itself with which he was sent into the world. Now let us ask ourselves whether 246 REVERENCE OF CHRIST. any other than an afFah' of the highest moment, could have in- duced the Almighty Father to employ in the execution of it so exalted a personage 1 Why, our own principles of reasoning and acting will answer the question ; and, in truth, it was no- thing less than our eternal salvation, which infinite wisdom saw could no otherwise consistently be provided for, and which infi- nite love undertook to perform. It was to purchase life for con- demned sinners ; to reconcile a rebel world to a justly offended sovereign ; to make satisfaction to his violated law, by suffering the penalty therein denounced against every transgression and transgressor of it. It was to command us to forsake our sins — and to assure us of the divine mercy if we did so ; to instruct us in pure and undefiled religion, and to engage us to all the duties we owe to God and to each other, by the clear revelation of a future state, to be adjudged to each one of us for everlasting happiness or misery, according to the deeds done in this body. For all which purposes it was necessary that a body should be prepared for this heavenly messenger, that in the familiar con- verse of our nature he might teach us, set us an example of patience, submission, and holiness, to follow, and in the very nature which had sinned offer a full, perfect, and sufficient atonement and propitiation for the sins of the whole world by his death upon the cross. Let the importance, therefore, of the errand on which the Son of God came to us, the vital importance of it especially to each man's individual concern, be a fresh argument and a prevailing- reason for paying him that veneration— may I not say that grate- ful sense of benefits conferred — to which he has so just a claim. Therefore let us give the more earnest heed to the things ivhich ice have heard, lest at any time ive should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels ivas steadfast, and every transgression received a just recompense, how shall we escape if wc neglect so great salvation, wrought out for and communicated to us, not by angels, but by the Lord of angels 1 Thirdly, all our obligations to reverence the Son of God are increased and completed by the consideration that he is the last messenger, and his message the last overture heaven will send us. Last of all, says the parable, he sent unto them his REVERENCE OF CHRIST. 247 Son, which might serve to convince us that God intends no fur- ther or other means of salvation for us than that made known by his Son. And surely if this is not sufficient, no other that even infinite wisdom could devise, would prevail with us. For more gracious terms of reconciliation, a more dignified or powerful intercessor, clearer instructions in our duty, or more glorious rewards or fearful punishments, for the performance or neglect of it, are not within the range of possible expectation. Let no one, therefore, deceive himself either with vain words or more vain hopes. Let no one vainly expect that another Son will come to us from the offended Father, or that we can come again to him otherwise than by and through this Son whom he hath sent. No, my brethren and hearers, it is the last time, the last off'er of his mercy, the last trial of our reverence and obedience ; and if this be slighted tliere remaineth no more or other sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judg- ment and fiery indignation, ivhich shall consume the adversaries. When the husbandmen in the parable had refused submission to their master's Son there was nothing left but to punish the aggravated guilt of all their former wickedness, and utterly to expel them from the vineyai^d. What, then, loill the Lord of the vineyard do to those husbandmen is the question, which each one of us should put to ourselves, as respects the gospel, and the answer stands ready recorded, with which the equity of our own minds accords. He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard to others, who shall render him the fruits in their season. This very vineyard is now let out to us, my hearers, and wo be unto us if we take not warning by the fate of those who were cast out for refusing him who came to redeem and save them. Such being our obligations to reverence the Son of God, I am to inquire, IL Secondly, in what manner we shall best declare our rever- ence of him ; that is, with what disposition of mind, with what course of external behaviour, we shall most truly manifest our reverence and regard for him and the message he came to deliver to us. Now the first step towards a due veneration of Christ and 248 REVERENCE OF ©HRIST. his religion, is, seriously to consider what in truth it is, the pur- pose it is to answer, and our need of such eflfectual help. To drown such a reasonable duty, either in the cares or the plea- sures of life, or by the shorter process of unbelief; to dismiss the claims of our souls, and join the great multitude who live here as if there was no hereafter ; no God, no Saviour, no heaven, no hell ; or if they acknowledge God and a future state yet will take no pains to ascertain whether he has spoken to us, and what he has said concerning our future interests, but risk their eternal all upon the sandy foundation of some notion of their own shallow conceptions — why what is this but to count ourselves, and to show that we are, unworthy of that eternal life to which, nevertheless, we vainly hope to come. My hearers, see that ye refuse not him that speakelh from heaven, for it is a complete bar, while it is persisted in, to all religious advance- ment, to all sense of favour conferred on us through him, to any regard for his person, or interest in the mercy he hath pur- chased for a world of sinners ; it dries up the very springs of faith and love in our hearts, for the source of all gratitude is the remembrance of our benefactors, of the favours we have received from them. And it is infinitely more owing to inatten- tion than to ignorance, that men are so little moved with the argu- ments of religion, so little affected, so slightly influenced by them. We too seldom consider the dignified character of that Son of God who was sent to us by the Father, or the commanding nature of the business on which he was sent, and of course forget and become dead to the regards we owe to his person, as well as his office. Whereas if these subjects were made familiar to our thoughts, and thus came to possess our hearts, which they would surely soon do, they could not fail to produce those outward expressions of reverence, and that conscientious care to fulfil our duties, which is the only evidence of the reli- gious principle being formed within us. It was certainly upon this principle that our blessed Lord originally instituted the sacrament of the last supper, which was designed to cherish and keep alive, in the minds of his disciples, the remembrance of himself, of his ministry upon earth, of the relation he bears to them, of the great things he did and suffered REVERENCE OF CHRIST. 249 for them as the proper foundation of that practical reverence and regard they are to pay him in all holy conversation and godli- ness, after the bright example he hath set them. Now you are all called and invited to become his disciples, and to learn of him ; you have all of you sufficient leisure to think on these all important subjects, even at home in your own houses, and with your families, but especially by meeting together for public worship, are they presented and pressed upon you. Do not, therefore, waste that leisure in careless indolence or sinful idleness, or make a preached gospel the savour of death to your souls, but wisely improve every oppor- tunity God affords you, to bring your heart more and more under the influence of revealed truth, and your life under the law of faith. This is the fruit which the Lord of the vineyard requires, and which alone he will accept at your hands. Had the husbandmen in the parable rightly considered who the last messenger was their master sent to them, how just the demand he came to make of them, what forbearance and indul- gence the Father had already showed them, with the conse- quences that must inevitably follow, if they persisted in their rebellion — had they reflected at all on these things, they would doubtless have repented of their past iniquity, and received him with becoming marks of humiliation and sorrow. But, alas ! they did not give themselves time to reflect, as soon as they saw him they determined to murder him. This is the heir, come let us kill him and seize on his inheritance. And thus do unreflect- ing sinners deny the Lord that bought them, and full of them- selves, and ripe in rebellion, turn away from the word of the truth of the gospel, beholding no form or comeliness in Jesus Christ, that they should desire him. Secondly, we must show our reverence for the Son of God and for the gospel which he brought to us from his Father, not only by having and maintaining an habitual sense of its excellence and importance in our minds, together with the practice of its duties in our lives, but, also, by being earnest for its credit and advancement in the world, beginning with our families and branching out as far as ability and opportunity serve. This will lead us to avoid the company and fellowship Vol. IL— 32 250 REVERENCE OP CHRIST. of all persons who, like Solomon's fools, make a mock at sin, or treat religion scornfully, or who speak irreverently of God, pro- faning his holy name, or lightly or disrespectfully of our Maker and only Saviour Jesus Christ. Especially will it lead us to be watchful against all such abominations in our own families. The very sound of profligate, profane discourse, damps that reverence for sacred subjects which almost every creature feels, until corrupted by some such wicked art. With respect to young people more especially, the effect is dreadful. It destroys their native diffidence, sows the seeds of impiety in their tender minds, draws out the latent hostility of the carnal mind to God, and is often the first cause of their everlasting ruin. Indeed, to those who are more advanced in life the influence of such asso- ciates is always more or less injurious ; for there is an insensi- ble conformity in the thoughts, words, and actions of those who live much together, which marks distinctly the tenour of their conversation in life. Let us imagine a number of men in a similar situation with the husbandmen in the parable. Let us moreover suppose that only some of them had a design to abuse their master in the manner there described, and that these wanted to bring the others over to their schemes. They would naturally begin with arguing them into a contempt for their master, making light of his authority and power to punish, ridiculing their fears, scoffing at a danger so remote, and inflaming their passions with the present enjoyments and advantages their crime would put them in possession of By v/hich means they would not only harden themselves, but gradually infuse their poison into the hearts of the better disposed, until they were all mad enough to join in any desperate project. In like manner does it come to pass in the world, where the young, and thoughtless, and comparatively innocent are exposed to the contagious compan}' of the profane or practical despisers of Christ and his gospel. The impious jest, the well-turned ridicule, the bold unbelief, the cool defiance of heaven and hell manifested by such persons, gradually over- come the guards both of nature and grace, set the passions in a flame, and by magnifying the pleasures of a life set free from the restraints of religion, tempt them to pluck the forbidden REVERENCE OF CHRIST. 251 fruit, and to become as miserable as their tempters. And shall no voice be lifted up in behalf of the young and rising hope of this gospel land, and ring in the ears of professing parents their bounden duty in this respect. Yes, my brethren, there shall be one, who, however lightly esteemed, shall not fail fear- lessly to counsel you to shut your doors against the irreligious and ungodly, however amiable their manners or pleasing their conversation ; for the master whom they serve is ever on the watch to prompt and to give the opportunity to counteract your pious care, and to sow those bitter seeds whose certain fruit is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Thirdly and lastly, the strongest proof we can give of our reverence for the Son of God will be, sincerely and thank- fully to own and acknowledge him in all the dignity of his cha- racter, faithfully to obey his laws, and diligently to copy the bright example he hath left us. It is set forth to us in the parable, my hearers, that the busi- ness on which the servants, and last of all the son himself was sent, was to receive the fruits of the vineyard. In like manner it is required of us to render to our Master and only Saviour Jesus Christ those fruits of the gospel which it was designed to produce in us. Now by those fruits the Scriptures univer- sally mean the good influence which religion has upon our con- duct in life, in the exercise of faith, hope, and charity. Teaching us that a holy and righteous conversation in the world is as essential to the character of a Christian, as the production of its proper fruit is to the value of a tree in your garden ; and as every such tree that bears no fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, so will God finally destroy every man who openly dis- claims the gospel, or who pretends to be religious while he is barren of good works. And is this the unalterable truth of heaven's unchangeable decree 1 Then God be merciful to this barren gospel land — God be merciful to the thousands who hear the joyful sound of salvation through the Son of God, yet are like the deaf adder which will not be charmed. God be merciful to those who, led away with the error of the wicked, openly r/euy the Lord mho bought them, and not only refuse the fruits in their season, but 252 REVERENCE OF CHRIST. join in casting out the heir, and would dethrone him from the glory he had with the Father before the world was. And God be merciful to his people, and to his little flock in this portion of his vineyard, and keep them by his mighty power, through faith, unto salvation. Dear brethren, let us manifest our reverence for our blessed Lord by a yet more earnest rendering to him of the fruits of that love, trust, and obedience we profess to him. In this day of rebuke and blasphemy, when the love of many has waxed cold, let us cleave to our first love, and honouring the Son even as we honour the Father, make all men see ivhat is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, in whom loe have boldness and access with confidence, by the faith of him. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the ivhole family in heaven and earth is named, that he looidd grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man ; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ which fasseth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fxdness of God. JVoic unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that loorketh in us, unto him be glory in the Church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages, world without end. Amen, SERMON XXII. CONFESSION OF CHRIST. Matthew x. 32, 33. "Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father wluch is in heaven." O that they were loise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end, was the earnest and affectionate apos- trophe of Moses to the Israelites, under the prophetic view which he had of their defection from God, in becoming indiffer- ent and insensible to the wonders, providences, and judgments, by which they were declared his peculiar people. And is there not occasion, my brethren and hearers, for a surprise and a concern of an equally impressive character when we look round on the state and condition of this gospel land, and behold the multitudes, who, dismissing from their consideration the claims of Jesus Christ to their love, veneration and obedience, live here as if hereafter had no account to settle with them individually, and eternity no retributions commensurate with its everlasting nature. Is it not a heart-sinking prospect to survey any assembly of Christian people, and count up what a small proportion of them are known, even by outward profession, as the disciples of Christ, or have, in any shape whatever, brought themselves within the terms upon which alone heaven offers its mei-cy and proposes its rewards to our fallen race ; to behold the thousands who from infancy even to grey hairs, have had it rung in their ears, that there is but one only name and means under heaven for men to betake themselves to for reconciliation with God, yet are, nevertheless, trifling away their little and daily shortening span of being in the frivolous vanities and insipid dissipations of folly and fashion ; or more gravely occu- pied, are exclusively devoted to the god of this world, and the portion he has to bestow ; or, still more shamefully abandoned, 254 CONFESSION OF CHRIST, defy heaven's King with their daily blasphemies, and outrage even the decency of a world that lietli in wickedness, by the grossness of their impiety. Alas ! my hearers, is this picture overcharged, or is the record too true to be falsified by all the subterfuges of lies which the practical deniers of Christ and his gospel, of God and his Son, resort to, to hide from them- selves the direct and positive bearing of the awful declaration contained in my text. If the offer of mercy to sinners is limited by conditions to be performed on their part, and the conditions themselves be openly and clearly propounded in the offer, then must this mighty question be Avithin the reach of every man's determination who has access to the record ; and if among those conditions there should be one paramount, to which all the others are subordinate and consequential, then must it be still more readily determined to which of the two grand divisions of this world's population we belong. To think otherwise of what heaven in its mercy and wisdom hath revealed to us, for our government and direction, for our comfort and assurance, is to defeat the whole gracious plan of man's salvation, to throw the veil of mystery over what is plain and practical, and by our own act to bring a cloud over that Sun of Righteousness which hath arisen upon the world with healing in his wings. Yet experi- ence and observation prove to us that it is the case with thou- sands, who, on the gratuitous assumption of a mysteriousness in practical religion, settle down either in unbelief, or, what is just as fatal, some unwarranted scheme of general mercy which is to prove effectual for their eternal happiness, even though un- sought and unobtained. Hence the carelessness and indifference to the gospel and its message of mercy. Hence the coldness and deadness to the high interests of eternity, and to the only means whereby to secure its unfading glories, so prevalent in the world ; and hence the contemptuous neglect of Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, which stamps the ungrateful character of man with its most odious feature. Had such persons, indeed, never heard the words of my text, had they no knowledge of the nature and office of Him who uttered them, the case were different — but, alas ! it is not so. They have grown up under the sound of the gospel ; thousands CONFESSION OF CHRIST. 255 of times has it been propounded to them, and their consciences have borne witness to its truth, but they have put it away from them ; they have seen of all descriptions of persons, from the most gifted and cultivated grade of intellect down to the poorest and most illiterate of their fellows, brought under the influence of Christ's religion, and counting it their highest privilege to confess the name of Jesus, not only under the favourable circumstances of established Christianity, but in the face of tor- tures and death, as their only but all sufficient hope and assu- rance of eternal life. These things have they seen and known, but alas ! they have not considered them, like the Israelites of old, they have never brought them to bear upon the deep anxieties of a dying bed, upon the eternal interests of an immor- tal soul about to appear before its Judge laden with sin. But, my hearers, ice must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. He is not only offered as our Saviour, but is constituted our Judge. As he hath bought and ransomed us so will he alone determine our everlasting condition according to that unchangeable word which he hath spoken unto us. In that word you hear it declared by the Judge of quick and dead, that on the confession or denial of the Lord Jesus Christ by us in this world will depend our condition in the world to come. Very immediate, therefore, is the interest which we all have in settlino- what is comprised in this Christian duty, lest in the most trying moment which either time or eternity shall ever witness we find our expectations disappointed, our hopes confounded, and all the day dreams of our own righteousness and of God's mercy swept away by the irreversible / never knew you of our rio-ht- eous judge. I shall, therefore, endeavour to show you what we are to understand by the terms confess and deny, as here used by our Lord Jesus Christ, and then conclude with some practical infercKces from the subject. Not, my friends, that there is one among you to whom the very sound of the words does not convey the awful import of their meaning and application to your individual state and condition, as respects the account you have to give in for all God's mercies, and especially for the grace of the gospel — no — but if, happily, through God's 256 CONFESSION OF CHRIST. good blessing I may win some of you over to count the cost at which you sacrifice to the world the present peace and solid comfort of the gospel, and the future acknowledgement of him who is King of kings, and Lord of lords. Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But ivhoso- ever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father ichich is in heaven. In common speech to confess or deny means, to acknowledge or disown something that is affirmed or offered ; and though the words as used in my text might with perfect safety be thus limited in their application, seeing the gospel is the record of the testimony which God hath given to the world concern- ing the person and office of Jesus Christ ; yet in the lan- guage and usage of Scripture, they carry with them a more extended and inclusive meaning, involving not only acknow- ledgment or denial, but acceptance and rejection likewise, together with the temper and disposition of mind with which we act. Hence, to comprehend the full force of this passage of Scripture, we must bear in mind what it is that is proposed to us, to be acknowledged or disowned, received or rejected, with the ground or reason on which the proposition is constructed. Now, as this involves the whole of that revelation which God has made to us, it includes our entire acceptance or rejection of it. In this no qualification whatever can be admitted, not only because of its author, but because each part is so con- nected and interwoven with all the rest, that the minutest and apparently most unimportant circumstance could not be with- drawn without injuriously affecting the whole. In the most extended sense of the text, therefore, to confess Jesus Christ is, with a thankful believing spirit to embrace the message of mercy God hath sent to us by him as the foundation of our faith, the ground of our hope, and the rule of our life. While actually to reject revelation, or carelessly to neglect the mighty interests therein made known to us, is in the same sense to deny him, to treat with contempt the condescending interposi- tion of heaven in our behalf, and to bar ourselves out from any possible benefit from this great salvation. CONFESSION OF CHRIST. 257 To set forth, however, more at large, the particulars in which the confession of Jesus Christ mentioned in my text con- sists, we must observe. First, that it includes the acknowledgment of his divine nature — Immanuel, God loitJi us, or in our nature ; that is to say, that the Second Person in the Trinity emptied himself of his essential glory, had a body prepared for him, and came down from heaven to this ruined world to complete the atone- ment he had undertaken to make for the sins of the creature, and redeem fallen man from the curse of the law which he had broken, becoming, in consequence, an alien and an enemy to God, the slave of sin, and the prey of death, both temporal and eternal. This acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as God over all, blessed for ever, is fundamental, my hearers, and lies at the very threshold of any and all saving faith. For however high our imaginations may soar in the idea of created excellence — however omnipotent and effectual we admit the will of God to be in the choice and appointment of the means to the fulfilment of his purposes, still there is a flaw in our title to eternal life, my brethren, if he through whom alone we hope for it and have even now the. assurance of it, hath it not in himself. Yes, my hearers, if he who died for my sins on Calvary was not God in all his essential properties, clothed in my mortal nature, then is there no atonement yet made for them adequate to their infinite demerit in the eye of sovereign purity and holiness : I am yet in my sins, I am yet unredeemed, nor will the hope I entertain equal the weight of a feather to counterpoise their damning nature. But blessed be God, my brethren, it is not so ; for he that believeth hath the witness in himself that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son — and this is his com- mandment, that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father. To disown the deity of the Saviour, then, or to pervert the testimony which God the Father hath given of it by God th^' Holy Ghost, or to qualify with any shade of creatureship this only foundation of Christian hope, is to deny the Lord Jesus Christ, and just such a denial too, as will render all other sin Vol.. II.~33 258 CONFESSION OF CHRIST. needless to draw from the lips of the glorified Jesus, the awful rejection on his part, / never knew you. O my dear brethren and hearers, be upon your guard against the many vain talkers and deceivers, who are once more at work to overturn this sure foundation stone of the Catholic faith ; arm yourselves with ike sword of the Spirit, and in the more sure word of prophecy y behold him spoken of both as God and man, and, therefore, just such a mediator as our case needed, just such a day's man betwixt God and us, as might lay his hand upon both in the great controversy of this world's rebellion. Cast the anchor of your soul in this sure-holding ground, and then let infidelity rage, you shall not be moved away from the hope of the gospel, you shall not be shaken though high and gifted men set their seal to the falsehood ; and in a coming day, from which I counsel you never to turn away your thoughts, when all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, then shall the well done my good and faithful servant of thy Lord and thy God, confess and own thee before his Father and the holy angels. O glorious and blessed hope. Who that feels it but must lift up his voice against this damnable heresy, which wrenches from fallen man both time and eternity. Secondly, thus owning Jesus Christ as the eternal and only begotten Son of God, we must witness this good confession of him, by openly and heartily embracing the religion he hath established in the world, and following the holy example he hath set us. That this is a reasonable duty, the dignity of his person, the nature of his office, and the unspeakable benefits conferred on us by and through hiin, demonstrate, independently of any future consequences, whether good or bad. What, then, let me ask, should be the impressiveness of this duty upon our hearts, when we read, as we do in the text, that an open profession of Christ's religion before the world is essential to our reaping any benefit, either here or hereafter, by what he hath done and suf- fered for us. Whosoever shall confess or deny me before men, him will I confess or deny, accordingly, before my Father which is in heaven. And is it so, my hearers, that simple failure to profess ourselves openly to be the disciples of the crucified Jesus, will pass us to CONFESSION OF CHRIST. 259 the left hand on the great day of eternity? That however orderly and exemplary our lives may have been, however free from the great and crying enormities of the openly profane and ungodly — that however the praise of men may have followed us, this one neglect shall stamp us as deniers of God and his Christ 1 Yes, it is so ; as surely as heaven is now recording the thoughts of every heart in this congregation, it is so ; because the failure, however unimportant it may seem, is direct rebellion against heaven's King, and saying in so many words ice will not have this man to reign over us. — It is so, because it is direct evidence that we are ashamed of the gospel of Christ. — It is so, because it demonstrates that the world, in some of its delusions, has more hold upon our affections than the honour of God, or the eternal interests of our immortal souls. — It is so, because it is in pointed disobedience to the express command of the author and finisher of our faith. But do the Scriptures speak thus decidedly upon this point 1 Yes, verily. Wherefore God, also, hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should how, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue shoidd confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. If any man icill he my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. What, then, becomes of the delusion under which so many labour, who in the main are not actually opposed to the religion of the gospel, and even cherish something like hope towards God through the Lord Jesus Christ, whilst they are unknown to any Christian profession 1 What possible excuse can be made for them in this neglect, when the many express texts of Scrip- ture which bear upon the point are strengthened and enforced by the very nature of the subject, and by the positive declara- tion of our Lord himself, that in the mighty strife between light and darkness, between sin and holiness, between heaven and hell, for our souls, there can be no neutrality permitted, we 260 CONFESSION OF CHRIST. must of necessity take sides, and that openly, so as to be known as soldiers of Jesus Christ, or confederates and servants of the devil. He that is not for me is against me, saith the Saviour, and he that galhereth not 'with me scattereth abroad. Do non- professors hear this and yet continue unconcerned ] Do the wavering and double minded hear it, and not burst through the cobweb excuses which keep them in the verge of sin and death 1 Does the careless and thoughtless sinner, who is openly fighting against God, hear it, without realizing the inevitable doom that awaits him 1 Will any plead ignorance of the conditions on which salvation is offered 1 Why, on such an interest as eternity, the very excuse condemns him who makes it. Will any one say that they choose and prefer damnation 1 No, not one. Yet they could not take a more certain method to ensure it than to deny the Lord that bought them. Oh ! what a deep and desperate delusion has the god of this world spread over the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, ivho is the image of God, should shine unto them. Oh ! how many amiable and estimable persons there are, of whom every thing that is lovely and of good report can be witnessed by all who know them, who are yet unknown to the Lord Jesus, as confessors of his only saving name. Oh ! what a death-doing mischief it is, that the men of name and note among us, of wealth and influence, of learning and leisure, think scorn of confessing the name of Christ, and never consider the deadly blow which their descending example inflicts upon reli- gion and morals, and upon the peace and order of social life ; nor yet of the awful account they have to give in, in this respect, for themselves and others. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they loould consider their latter end. The open and outward confession of the name of Christ, though in itself of such importance as to render useless what- ever else we do, this being refused, yet is no otherwise effectual to our salvation, my hearers, than as it binds us to the profession and practice of his religion. Whatever he hath done and com- manded, therefore, that are we to observe and do ; and this not only once or occasionally, but constantly, throughout the whole course of our pilgrimage here. For he hath set us an example CONFESSION OF CHRIST. 261 that we should follow his steps. Here, then, my brethren, the whole personal history of Jesus of Nazareth is set forth as the model by which we are to frame and fashion the course of our lives. . Whatever of patient, prayerful submission to the will of God was manifested by him, must, in our measure and degree, be exemplified by us. Whatever of non-conformity to the world, in its vain and vicious attractions to power and pleasure, whatever of self-denial, humility, meekness, and holiness shone in his conversation in the world, must mark our course through its temptations, provocations, and disappointments. Whatever of mercy, benevolence, ready forgiveness of injuries, and righteous- ness in rendering to all their dues, was shown and observed by him, must also be shown and steadily followed after by those who would be his disciples indeed. As he fulfilled all the public and private duties enjoined by the Jewish religion, so must we be found walking in all the commandments and ordinances of that which he hath established in his Church, not only as trials of our obedience, but as means of his grace. That these are required of all who name the name of Christ, and hope for a share in his heavenly kingdom, is clear beyond controversy, as it also is, that only through the power and grace of our Redeemer can fallen creatures be furnished to fulfil them. How, then, let me ask, can those who deny the Saviour, by refusing themselves to the profession of his religion and the participation of its ordi- nances, the utmost of whose acknowledgment of him is occa- sional attendance on the public worship he has instituted, in whose families the voice of prayer and praise is unknown, how can such, I say, entertain the slightest hope either of grace to perform their duties, or of mercy to obtain acceptance for such poor, broken services as the best of us can render. And yet talk with such persons in a more serious moment, and you will find a sort of careless unformed reliance upon Christ and his merits, for their future happiness, or rather for their escape from future misery ; or see them at the approach of that hour when this world and all its promises is about to fail them, and you will find them as busy and as earnest in their calls upon the Saviour, as intent upon the forlorn hope of a death-bed repentance, as eager to grasp at his sufficiency to save as if the name of Christ 262 CONFESSION OF CHRIST. acted like a charm, and the mighty purpose which brought him from heaven to earth, stretched him upon the cross, and con- signed him to death, could safely be sported with by the rebels he came to redeem. Oh! the deceitfulness of sin. Oh! the perverse- ness of the unrenewed heart. Oh ! the deadly enmity of the carnal mind, even against a God of love and salvation. Gracious Lord put forth thy Almighty grace, and quicken us all to our duties and privileges as Christians. Thirdly, our confession of Jesus Christ must be witnessed in the face of persecution, tortures, and death, should we thereto be called. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not tBorthy of me — and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. Yea, and he that hateth not his oivn life also, he cannot be my disciple. Therefore, he that by denying me jindeth his life, or any other present good, shall lose it — and he that loseth his life, or any other present good, for my sake, shall find it. Hence, my brethren and hearers, we may learn to esti- mate the vital importance of an open profession and constant perseverance in the faith of the gospel. For if the Christian, who, to avoid persecution, concealed his profession, or at the stake, overcome by the terrors of a cruel death, and to escape from it, denied and renounced his Lord and Master, did by per- sisting in such denial, blot his name out of the book of life, how much more shall the same righteous principle sweep into perdi- tion those who are either afraid or ashamed to take upon them the light and easy yoke which our Redeemer hath laid upon us. If, indeed, the fires of persecution were let loose upon.us, though there could be no excuse there would be more pity and com- passion for those who thus barter eternity for time. But where neither loss, nor disgrace, nor suffering is to be encountered, how shall we not rather receive greater damnation, if we con- tinue to put away from our hearts the solemn warning and express condition of my text — Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. In this short passage of Scripture what a wide range of thought is opened to us my friends. Yet through whatever varieties of CONFESSION OF CHRIST. 263 required faith and commanded duty it may lead our meditations, it ends in that awful close when an assembled world shall stand before its Judge, and the confession or denial of us by Jesus Christ, be conclusive to each one for happiness or misery eternal. And it binds us down to the great master principle by which our acceptance or rejection will then be determined — faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for pardon, life, and salvation, openly pro- fessed, steadfastly persisted in, and bearing fruit unto holiness. What shall we say, then, to these things, my hearers 1 What is the only improvement that we can all make of them ? Why this — Let us no longer be ashamed of the gospel of Christ ! Take the Redeemer's yoke upon you as the first and indispensa- ble step to the attainment of his grace, for while you refuse to come to him it is in vain to expect any help at his hand. Learn of him by reading, meditation, and prayer ; and the teaching of his Holy Spirit shall guide you on your way and show you that all things are possible to him that believeth. He will strengthen you to overcome the world in the fear of its scoff and in the snare of its unhallowed pleasures and pursuits. He will lead you through all the wonders of a spiritual change, from faith to faith, and from grace to glory, till a loell done from your heavenly Master, Almighty Saviour, and righteous Judge, shall crown your repentance and renewed obedience with eternal life. And you, my professing brethren, whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life, while you take to yourselves the holy comfort of his promise in the text, let it arm you with strength and engage you with affection to walk worthy of it, that being found in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blame- less, your light may so shine before men as to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Much depends upon your example, my Christian brethren, for the praise or reproach of the gospel, for the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, or the growth of that infidel spirit which threatens the downfall of all religion in the casting away of the only hope which heaven in its mercy has vouchsafed to fallen man, in the Lord our righteousness. Show yourselves, then, a living epistle of Christ to be read of all men, in life and con- versation conformed to the gospel of Christ, and while you 264 CONFESSION OF CHRIST. encourage yourselves in the holy comfort of your acceptance in the beloved, rejoice with trembling, for you are yet on trial, and he who hath promised to confess you before God warns you that not every one that saith to him Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of his Father which is in heaven. Of doing that will our blessed Saviour hath set us a most pure example. By that, then, as your polar star steer your course through the trials and temptations of this world. To that, as your copy, labour and strive to bring both your out- ward life and inward spirit, that the mind which was in him being in you, you may rise with him to the life immortal, and pass to a full reward in glory and blessedness for ever, through the merit and righteousness, the power and grace of this Jesus our Lord and our God ; to whom with God the Father, and God the Holy Ghost, three persons and one God, be universal glory and praise world without end ! SERMON XXIII. t^AlTII IN CHRIST THE ONLY CONDITION OF SALVATION. John viii. 24, last clause. " For if ye believe not that I am He ye shall die in your sins." It is a strong confirmation of the external proofs we are furnished with of the divine original of Christianity, that its lead- ing truths and fundamental doctrines should be the full and clear disclosure of those original, indelible, and universal impressions on the heart of man which are independent of the fortuitous circumstances of country, complexion, and education. And I have often thought, my brethren and hearers, that when Chris- tian navigators, in the first range of discovery, found continents and islands peopled with beings like themselves, though of a strange speech and different colour, when they saw the priest, the altar, and the victim, invariably accompanying their worship of an unknown but acknowledged God, they must have felt the deepest conviction of a common origin, a common nature, a common guilt, and common hope ; they must have seen revela- tion confirmed, and as the new wine is found in the cluster so was the cross of Christ, and a propitiation for personal guilt by the blood of another, shadowed out in their ignorant supersti- tions as the one only hope of our fallen race. And may not we, my friends, by an honest attention to the frame of our own spirits, to what passes within us, when serious thought realizes the condition of our being, the account we have each to give in to God for his gifts of nature and grace, and when conscience summons up in dread array the actual sins and shame- ful neglects we are guilty of towards our Maker, or when danger surprises guilt into fear and sinks the boldest among us into dismay at the near prospect of a death bed unprovided for — may not these and the many other intimations which the still, smal^ voice of God now whispers to our hearts, prompt us all to inquire Vol. II.— 34 266 FAITH IN CHRIST seriously into our state, to seek after the best information we can obtain, and to try what is presented to us as a message from heaven by its outward proofs, by the internal witness we all have in its agreement with our previous impressions, and by its fitness to relieve our most pressing wants, in the cheering light it sheds over the otherwise dark and anxious anticipations of a future being, and in the fruit of its truth believed and its counsel followed. Would not this be the part of prudence as well as interest on so momentous and imposing a subject. And how can any man be said to have acted an honest or even a rational part by his immortal soul who has not made a sincere and per- severing effort, under the direction of the gospel, to secure its hope and enjoy its comfort. If ye believe not that I am He ye shall die in your sins, says a messenger from heaven, accredited to our senses by all that can avouch the authority of heaven, and to our hearts by every impression which truth, duty, and interest can give to feeling and consciousness. And what do we, too many of us, but set to work to invalidate the testimony rather than examine the proofs — to dispute the dignity of the messenger rather than consider the message itself — to cavil at the conditions rather than thank- fully to embrace a free and gracious offer of mercy and salva- tion— to enlist the powers and faculties, not of rational but of rebellious creatures, and the stores and resources, not of wisdom, but of science falsely so called — to obscure and resist the truth rather than to promote the present and eternal welfare of all around us, and the glory of the Giver of every good and perfect gift to his creatures ; while by so doing we contribute to bring]a night of darkness and despair over the moral world, taking from faith its foundation, from hope its comfort, from charity its motive, from fear its sanction, and from righteousness its reward. And is this a result to be desired, my friends ] Are the checks to human depravity so plenty and so efficient, that the pride and vanity of learning may safely and innocently be allowed to sport itself with interests which have no other mea- sure than eternity ? Yet such is the inevitable result if the words of my text rest upon any lower authority for their claim to your attention than that of heaven's King and this world's THE ONLY CONDITION OF SALVATION. 267 JucVe. And I were a betrayer of Christ, accountable as I know that I am, and speaking to those who must meet me before his judgment seat, if I proposed them to you with less than their weight, as the words of Him who cannot ^'^-^^^th less than their authority, as the unchangeable word of the Most High God. As such, therefore, 1 shall proceed, in the tear ot God, to explain and enforce them. For if ye believe not that I am He ye shall die in yovr sins. The 'structure of the sentence requires us to consider the words in the same light as those to whom they were spoken. Prophecy and expectation, grounded on the fulfilment of a remote promise made by the Almighty to a fallen world of which the Jewish nation were the depositaries, and with which the whole frame and polity of their state was inseparably mter- woven, led that people to look forward to the advent of their promised deliverer with the most intense interest. That bless- in-s which language laboured to describe were to accompany his appearance they were fully assured, but of the particular nature and kind they were, with a few exceptions, altogether ignorant. Vainly puffed up by a fleshly mind, corrupt in their morals in proportion to their departure from the spirit of their religion, ambitious of worldly power and grandeur, and pressed under the yoke of foreign and Heathen despotism, they over- looked the spiritual application of their inspired writings, and from the kingly titles and supreme dominion ascribed therem to their Messiah, expected and desired only a temporal deliverance, and the re-establishment of their ancient kingdom in unchange- able supremacy over all the kingdoms of this world. Hence, when Jesus of Nazareth appeared in the lowly condition ot a servant, and opened up to them the nature of that kingdom which he came to set up-when he explained the spiritual extent ot that holy law which God had given them, and denouncmg their sins, called upon them to repent and believe in him for pardon, grace, and everlasting life-when he showed the kind of deliver- ance he had undertaken to achieve for them, and mstead of that worldly power and grandeur which they fondly anticipated, required them to renounce their proud and vain glorious expectations, and to follow him in humility, self-denial, and 268 FAITH IN CHRIST holiness, to a kingdom not of this woilci, they rejected him almost to a man, and with one voice exclaimed. We will not have this man to reign over us. Yea, when his predicted fore- runner, whom they all acknowledged to be a prophet, publicly proclaimed him as the promised Messiah, as the Son of God, and the Lamb of God which taketh away the sh\ of the world — when prophecies fulfilled to the very letter, and miracles wrought before their eyes, confounded every reasonable ground of oppo- sition and refusal, their perverseness was sharpened into malice, and they conspired to take away liis life. With this view they watched all his motions, laid snares for him in his speech, and when the innocence and wisdom of his life defeated all their attempts, at last bribed one of his intimate friends to betray him into their hands. In one of those attempts to ensnare him, the conversation of which my text forms a part occurred, in which, having baffled a deep laid scheme to involve him with the civil or ecclesiastical rulers of the country, he proceeded to set before them the dreadful consequences of continuing to reject his person and doctrine, to warn them that he was not to remain much longer with them, and that if this the day of their visitation was neglect- ed, their ruin was irrevocably decreed. lam the light of the world, I am from above, I am not of this world. Ye are from beneath. If ye were Abraham'' s children ye would do the loorks of Abraham. Ye do the ivoi'ks of your father the devil, and because I tell you the truth ye believe me not. I go my way, and whither I go ye cannot come. Ye shall seek me, but ye shall die in your sins. For if ye believe not that I am He ye shall die in your sins. The words of my text, therefore, are an epitome of the gospel, an abbreviated manner of setting forth that method of salvation which the mercy of God has provided for sinners, through Jesus Christ. And while they briefly but forcibly declare both the danger and the remedy, and enforce the grand Chris- tian doctrine of salvation by grace through faith, they bind down the attention of every serious mind to the personal interest of the sinner in the atonement of the cross. Ye are sinners, says our Lord to the Jews ; and in such sort sinners, that notwith- standing your being God's chosen people — notwithstanding your THE ONLY CONDITION OF SALVATION. 269 dependence upon the promises made to your father Abraham — notwithstanding your confidence in the sacrifices and expiations of the law given you by jNIoses — yet as Abraham saw my day, and though afar off, rejoiced and was glad, and by faith in the promise only was justified and accepted, and as Moses himself, and your law with all its provisions, were but types of me, and pointed to me, so must you also, by personally believing in or rejecting me, be partakers of the promise, or be cut off from the hope of Israel. JMoses gave you not that bread from heaven, hut my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. I am that bread of life. I am the living bread ichich came doicn from heaven, if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever. Verily, verily 1 say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. In like manner it is said to each one of us — Ye are sinners, and no otherwise than by faith in the only begotten Son of God, can you escape either from your sins or the awful penalty denounced against them by the unchangeable law of God. But as with the Jews so with us, my hearers. Though he tells us the truth, and because it is the truth, and we feel assured that it is the truth by a testimony not to be mistaken, yet too often we believe him not. That is, we do not act upon the conviction thence arising, as we usually do on far inferior interests, from convictions which have less certainty. For instance : were I to ask this congregation, man by man and woman by woman, whether they did not know and feel, in other words, were convinced, that they were sinners, in the Scripture sense of the word, and as such could have no confidence in themselves to meet with safety the righteous judgment of God, would there be any found who could honestly say that they even doubted about it 1 Yet many I fear would have to say, in the same honesty, that this sense of sin had never been so attended to and acted upon as to drive them to Jesus Christ, the only physician of souls. But were I to ask the same persons, whether, when labouring under a bodily disease they thus act, or in managing a temporal interest they thus hesitate, and put off what is needful, would they not be obliged to answer differ- ently 1 Yet surely the danger from a bodily disease, or the loss or gain of a temporal interest is neither so certain or so great 270 FAITH IN CHRIST as in the case of the soul. Nor can there reasonably be sup- posed the sarne'ground of reliance on the judgment of a friend, the skill of a physician, or on the efficacy of the counsel and means which they advise, in the one case as in the other. By this analogy, then, let us be instructed my friends. For as surely as a curable distemper may prove mortal to the body when the skill of the physician and the means he prescribes are neglected, so will the disease of sin prove fatal to the soul unless arrested in its progress by the grace of the gospel, and deprived of its virulence by the blood of Christ. If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins- This mode of expressing himself, made use of by our Lord, called the Jews at once to consider and compare the circum- stances predicted of their Messiah with what was passing before their eyes. And, had prejudice and prepossession allowed them to search those Scriptures to which he so often referred them, they must have seen the fulfilment of prophecy stand out in such bold relief as to draw from their whole nation the acknowledgment of Nathaniel — Rabbi thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. That this was a mode of speaking familiar to the Jews, when their expected Messiah was the subject, we learn from different instances of its use in the Scriptures. Thus, when Philip, obeying the Saviour's call, communicated the circumstance to Nathaniel, JVe have found him, says he, of whom JMoses in the laiv and the prophets did write, Jesus of JSTazareth the son of Joseph. And when John the Baptist, desirous to satisfy his disciples that Jesus was the Messiah, sent them to him, his message was expressed in the same peculiar mode of speaking — i^rt thou He that should come, or do ive look for another ? And that it was purposely made use of by our Lord on this occasion we have good reason to infer from his answer to John's message — Go and show John again those things ivhich ye do hear and see ; the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. Which answer, as it is a literal application of the prophecies to the times and marks of the Messiah, so was it intended to give to them and to THE ONLY CONDITION OP SALVATION. 371 all Other inquirers, that substantial and convincing evidence which springs from the coincidence of a deep and wonderful counsel, a declared purpose, and an exact fulfilnaent ; compared with which no other proof possesses so complete a power over the understanding, neither is any other so marked with the impress of heaven, or so well calculated to produce conviction in every fair and unprejudiced mind. Hence it was that our Lord made use of it to confirm to his immediate disciples the other proofs they had of his person and character — JVoio / tell you before it come, that when it is come to pass ye may believe that lam He. And hence the effect which they have recorded that it produced upon their failh — When, therefore, he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them, and they believed the Scripture, and the icord which Jesus had said. In which, let it be observed and remembered, that it was not simply our Lord's ability to foretel future events which confirmed his disciples, but the plain and evident connexion and agreement of long recorded prophecies with the person and character of Jesus Christ, the time of his appearing, and the events of his life and death. The former would have entitled him to the prophetic character only, in which he had many predecessors, but the latter pointed him out as the object and end of all prophetic inspiration, the promised seed of the woman, the angel of the covenant, the Shiloh unto whom the gathering of the people should be, the great prophet whom Moses told the Israelites God would raise up unto them of their brethren, the Lord God of the holy prophets, the expected Messiah of the Jews, the appointed and only Saviour of sinners, God manifest in the flesh to destroy the works of the devil, God over all blessed for ever. And, therefore, they not only believed his word, but they believed in him as he that should come, their Lord and their God. If ye believe not that I am He ye shall die in your sins. The purchase of mercy for a ruined world, and the proper propitiation for the sin which produced and continued that ruin, can be declared only by Him who is the fountain of mercy, and to whom the atonement was to be made : man has nothing to do with it but to accept or refuse it ; and we may assume, with- 272 FAITH IN CHRIST out danger of contradiction, that had heaven been silent on its high and holy purposes towards fallen man, it never would have entered into his heart to conceive either this or any other mode of reconciliation and restoration. It is so far above and beyond the conception and reach of the natural many yea, it is such foolishness to him even when made known, that we safely thus conclude. Yet in its great outline it is written in the heart of every living, thinking being, and we can trace its presence through the long hidden, and unconnected islands of the great deep, through the leading features of Heathen superstition, through the sacrifices and expiations of the Jews, to the fulfil- ment of what these all shadowed out in the offering up of the body of Christ once for all. It is on this universal testimony, that without shedding of blood there is no remission, confirmed by the express declaration of God's revealed will, that we are called on and commanded to believe in Christ. As he was the true sin-offering of which all other sacrifices. Patriarchal, Pagan, or Jewish, were but types ; as his blood alone taketh away the sin of the world by washing out the guilt of rebellion against God ; so hath it pleased the Almighty Father to appoint that no otherwise than by faith in his only begotten Son can sinful man look up to him with hope ; that no otherwise than through faith in the merits of his blood shed for us to satisfy the demands of the broken law can either original or actual guilt be atoned for, and the sinner stand justi- fied or accounted righteous in the sight of a holy God. And that no otherwise than by the power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell, can sinful creatures be renewed in the spirit of their minds to that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Hence it is that faith in Christ' is so often put for the whole of religion, that we are told that without faith it is impos- sible to please God, that he that believeth not is condemned already. For, until we believe the message of mercy revealed by and through Jesus Christ in the gospel, the wit of man cannot invent a ground of hope or confidence towards God, for that creature who is opposed to him in all his thoughts and in all his ways. But in believing all things are made possible, God THE ONLY CONDITION OF SALVATION. 273 can be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus ; the world, sin, death, and hell can be overcome by faith in the only begotten Son of God, and heaven with all its glories realized to him who walks by faith and not by sight ; while to the unbeliever there is nothing possible, because there is no motive, neither is there any help promised or given. He may, indeed, and most generally he does, to tranquilize the indwelling fears of his misgiving conscience, patch up some motley system of belief for himself, in which he fashions a God after his own liking, and draws largely on revelation for the mercy it holds out, without once thinking, that the Scripture cannot be broken — that revelation is a whole, and must be taken altogether or not at all ; that we can know nothing of God as a God of mercy but by the revelation of Christ and his cross ; and that taking a part of what is revealed, will only condemn him, by proving that he had the whole, and thence makes God a liar, by discrediting the testimony he hath therein given to his only begotten Son. If ye believe not that I am He ye shall die in your sins. This is the issue which the gospel is furnished to make up with us all, my friends. If we are not sinners we need neither its mercy, its atonement, or its grace, and the Bible is a libel on human nature ; but if we are sinners in the true meaning of the word, that is, aliens from God by virtue of a most just sentence already pronounced, enemies to his purity and holiness in our desires and our actions, without help or means in ourselves to renew our nature and regain his favour, mercy on me ! by what name shall they be called who venture upon eternity in this con- dition with the gospel sounding in their ears. On such an issue, of whom should we take counsel, my hearers. The sure word of God, and its counterpart in our own hearts, or the vain inven- tions and shallow reasonings of men like ourselves 1 Have we not within us, yea, even those who dispute against it, have we not the witness that we cannot answer even one of a thousand of the fair and just claims of Him who made and redeemed us upon the love and obedience of his creatures ; have we not without us the speaking witness of our ruin, in the frame of both the natural and moral world, disordered, disjointed, and out of Vol. n.—So 274 FAITH IN CHRIST course ; storms and tempests, earthquakes and volcanoes, wars and pestilence, poverty and nakedness, cold and hunger, mar- ling the beauty and breaking in upon the arrangement of the natural world, and darkness and ignorance, sorrow and suffer- ing, disease and death, lording it over the image of God, and over the unconscious creatures he hath made 1 And did he make them to this end, brethren 1 Is either natural or moral evil the creature of a perfectly pure, wise, and omnipotent Being? No, my friends, God forbid you should think it; what came from his creating hands came forth very good. But sin entered and the curse followed, which for our sakes extended even to things which cannot sin ; Cursed is the ground for thy sake. — Sad proof of the hatred and abhorrence with which God regards sin, and speaking argument to us to escape from its snare. O my dear hearers, let us listen to the faithful counsel of our heavenly Father, confirmed as it is by all that we see around us, and by all that we feel within us — above all, let us look to the convincing demonstration of his hatred of sin and love to poor •inners, manifested in laying upon his beloved Son the iniquity of lis all, and exacting from him the penalty which all creation could not pay. Look to that compassionate Saviour who gave himself for us, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, who took upon him our nature, that he might teach us, die for us, and save us, and rose again from the dead that we might have a hope beyond the grave. Hear him, this day, calling upon you — Come unto me all ye ends of the earth and be saved. Hear him reproaching you — you tvill not come unto me that ye might have life ; and hear all his invitations and reproofs echoed back upon your souls in the solemn warning — If ye believe not that I am He ye shall die in your sins. But what is it to die in our sins ? It is to enter upon an eternal existence with the curse of God upon our souls, to pass the intermediate state in a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation which shall consume the adversary. It is to rise to the judgment of the great day, with the claims of the law in full force against us for every violation of its holy and THE ONLY CONDITION OF SALVATION. 275 unchangeable precepts, without a shield from its justice, a refuge from its vengeance, or a plea for mercy ; to appear before the judgment seat of Christ with warnings slighted, opportunities neglected, mercies abused, and love, bleeding love, despised. It is to be banished for ever from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power, to dwell with unceasing regret, unmixed despair, and everlasting burnings. O, my poor fellow sinners, be persuaded to think of these things now, as you will surely think of them then. For, if but to hear of them from the lips of a minister of Christ, and a poor dying creature like yourselves, makes your heart to sink within you, what will it be when you hear them from the lips of the Lord Jesus himself, when the thunder of heaven proclaims the irreversible sentence. Depart ye cursed into everlasting Jire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Oh ! the horror of that moment, when unbelief stands aghast at the sound of the last trumpet — when the earth, heaving into life, gives up its buried millions to judgment — when a burning world and a blazing heaven proclaim the pollution of sin by passing through the purification of fire for having witnessed it — when the gospel sinner sees the Judge of quick and dead appear in his glory, with the powers of heaven in his train and the marks of the cross in his person — when hope dies for ever and the second death seizes upon those who, in their day of grace, might have come, but they would not. And shall we risk it, my friends, against truth, against reason, against conscience, against interest, against demonstration — shall we risk it upon the weak and beggarly elements of a reason that would be wiser than God — upon the authority of men like ourselves who can- not give to God a ransom for their own souls nor redeem their brother from the grave ? God forbid ! To whom, then, can we go but to Him who has the words of eternal life, who calls upon you to make your peace with God by hearty repentance and true faith, and this day sets before you the unchangeable condi- tion of gospel hope and gospel mercy in the words of my text — For if ye believe not that I am He ye shall die in your sins. SERMON XXIV. LIFE AND IMMORTALITY BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE GOSPEL. 2 Timothy i. 10. " Who hath abolished death, and brought Ufe and immortality to light by the gospel." The particular exhortations to Timothy to be earnest, stead- fast, and constant in the profession and practice of religion, and in the performance of his duty as a minister of Christ and ruler in the Church, are grounded on the facts declared in my text ; and as those facts have a proportional bearing upon every man who hears them proclaimed, their app^.ication is universal. As death and judgment await as well private Christians as pub- lic teachers of religion, as well those who make no profession of and have no concern with religion as those who do and are openly engaged on the Lord's side, all, without exception, are concerned to consider and lay to heart the infinite consequences which follow from the discoveries made to us of another state of being. Mankind, indeed, are universally under the impression that there is a life after this present one, and they are also aware in some good degree, that its chief purpose will be to reward the good and punish the wicked, but it is only by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, which we this day celebrate, that the full and explicit knowledge of the nature and extent of that life and of the manner in which it will affect us, is confirmed to our faith. Hence the doctrine of a future state is not only the comprehensive and conclusive argumen twhich the apostle makes use of to enforce upon Timothy the private and public observance of his own particular duties, but that, also, which applies to every other individual in the world, according to the measure which it has pleased God to deal out to him. In this respect God hath no where left himself without witness ; for the conclusions reason is able to come to from the impression of a LIFE BROUGHT TO LIGHT IN THE GOSPEL. 277 future state, are all in favour of that fear and reverence of Almighty God v/hich leads to obedience of his holy law, whether that be the law written on the heart, or the law of love and life proclaimed in the gospel. To consider seriously, then, the doctrine declared in my text, is to open the door for the claims of religion to engage our atten- tion. For religion is just what God, in his wisdom, has been pleased to appoint, to prepare us for a happy eternity — is just what is requisite to assimilate us otherwise sinful creatures to his pure and holy nature, that we may be capable of enjoying the glory and blessedness of his presence, and, in a state of end- less being, reap those rich rewards which his loving mercy hath prepared and promised to all who believe and obey him. While to banish from our minds this awakening subject, to occu- py our thoughts with present and sensible things, is to exclude all entrance to the fear of God in our hearts, all reverence for him in our lives. For, to the man who never realizes another life, religion, or what is the same thing, the love and service of God can present no obligations. In fact there might as well be no God. When this universal impression of a future being is confirmed by express revelation, when the otherwise dark and dubious con- jectures of our anxious minds are put to rest, and cleared up by the explicit confirmation of the gospel, and when, what all must wish for, but none could attain unto, has, by the resur- rection of Jesus Christ become the birthright and inheritance, as it were, of Christian lands, it must be profitable both to those who receive and those who reject the light to examine and consider what Christianity teaches concerning a life to come, and then apply the instruction it shall give us — which life to come is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, icho hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light by the gospel. I. First, if there is another life alter this, our present life must form a part of it, or be in some way connected with it. We are, accordingly, informed and assured in the Scriptures that our.ipresent life is a state of reprieve and probation — that it flows from Goa's free mercy, by the mediation of Jesus 278 LIFE AND IMMORTALITY Christ — that it is intended to ascertain who are fit objects of God's further mercy in everlasting salvation, upon the gracious conditions of the new covenant, or fit only for the everlasting exercise of his wrath, as irreclaimable, impenitent, unbelieving, and disobedient. The purpose of the present life, then, is to prepare ourselves, by victory over sin and the attainment of holiness, for another which is to follow it; and the duties which religion requires, and the grace or assistance afforded, are in order to enable us to attain this end, while the judgment we have to meet, is to ascertain who have and who have not made this wise improvement of God's sparing mercy. Hence, we learn that every part of our present behaviour will be strictly and impartially inquired into, and our thoughts as well as our actions laid open before the Searcher of hearts, who will render to every man according to his deeds ; to them who by patient continuance in tvell-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life; but to them who are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil ; but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that icorketh good, xoithout respect of persons. This is the great and fundamental discovery of the gospel on the condition of our future life — that the righteous shall be rewarded and the wicked punished everlastingly, is the express declaration of God's word, repeated in more instances than I have time to quote, and varied under every mode of expression which can engage attention, excite hope, or alarm fear. And this, perhaps, to the further purpose of counteracting the fatal propensity so frequent in the Christian world, of a careless, unfounded trust for salvation in that love and mercy of God which shines so bright in the gift of Jesus Christ, without once reflecting that this and every other instance of God's goodness, is intended to lead us to repentance, to faith, to holiness, and unless it produces this effect, will only the more deeply con- demn us — without once considering that mercy, hov ever large and free, if unsought, unfound, here, cannot be obtained here- after, and that icithout holiness no man shall see th<^ Lord. We may certainly collect, then, from the Fcripture account BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE GOSPEL. 279 of our future life, that it will be a state in which men will reap the fruit of their doings in the present life — in which the reward of their hands shall he given them — in which he that sowclh to thejlesh shall ofthejlesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. II. Secondly, if there is another life in connexion with this, the means of attaining it must be within our reach. To keep the word of promise to the ear, and break it to the hope, is truly the character of the father of lies, not of the Father of mercies and God of all comfort and consolation. And as God in his mercy hath seen fit to reprieve sinners from eternal death, and to put them once more on trial for eternal life, he who doeth all things well must have furnished them to profit by this wonderful display of his wisdom and love ; and we are bound t9 believe, whatever specious objections may be brought against the doctrine, that every human being under the sound of the gospel, to go no farther, though I am willing to include the race of Adam, is provided, by the undertaking of Jesus Christ, to escape that eternal death from which he is reprieved, to overcome that sin which entailed it upon him, to attain that holiness required by the gospel, and as its reward, that eternal life which is yet the free gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. With this view of the subject agrees the whole tenour of revelation. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. For God sent not his Son into the world to con- demn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. God made him who knew no sin to he sin for us, that we might he made the righteousness of God in him. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever helieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Accordingly of Jesus Christ and his undertaking for us, we are taught to believe that he tasted death for every man ; that he gave himself a ransom for all ; that the atonement of his death is as extensive as human sin ; that he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world ; that because he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross, therefore God also hath highly exalted him, that he might be head over all things to his Church, in which he rules as a Son in his own house ; that when he 280 LIFE AND IMMORTALITY ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, even the Holy Spirit, to abide continually with his Church, to convince, convert, and save ; that, having overcome death and him that had the power of it, and having all things committed unto him of the Father, he proclaims to a lost world, Come unto me all the ends of the earth, and be saved. Him that Cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. He that helieveth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall floic rivers of living water. He that belicveth on me hath eternal life, and I icill raise him up at the last day. Of the Holy Spirit we are taught to believe, that by his operations upon our hearts, we are enlightened and quickened from a state of spiritual death to one of life and knowledge ; that by his convincing power we are brought to a right sense of the heinous nature of sin, and enabled to resolve against it ;• that by his sanctifying grace we are renewed in the spirit of our minds to love God and to serve him in holiness, to believe his word, to trust his promise, and to embrace the offer of his mercy in and through Jesus Christ as our only hope of eternal life ; that in the great work of our salvation, from first to last, it is by the Holy Ghost that God works in us to will and to do; and that as it is by him only that we are prepared for glory, so by him are we raised from the dead to partake of it. Such is the won- derful provision of the love of God in Christ Jesus, to bring back a world of fallen, sinful creatures to himself, and by the gospel the gracious invitation is to all, the means are offered to all, and it is proclaimed even to the chief of sinners — ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. And it is surely a much more reasonable, as well as scriptural method of accounting for the disregard manifested for the gospel, to ascribe it to the perverseness of human nature, to the power of the god of this world in blinding the minds of them that will not believe, to the love of sin, or to any cause rather than to some secret reserve on the part of Almighty God, at war with the plain declarations of his public message by his only begotten Son, however right and just such a proceed- in may be shown in the abstract to be, and most consistent, in the view of man's wisdom, with the claims of his unlimited sove- BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE GOSPEL. 281 rei^nty. No, my fellow sinners, there is no bar to the mercy of the gospel but yourselves — the Spirit and the bride say come, and let him that heareth say come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him come, and take of the water of life freely. If you are not athirst for the water of life, it is because you have turned a deaf ear to the warning of God's word, to the testimony therein given to your lost condition ; it is because you stifle the convictions of your conscience awakened by the Holy Spirit, and drive him from you ; it is because you love the pleasures of sin and the vanities of the world more than your immortal souls; it is because you will not believe even one who has arisen from the dead, to reveal to you the unspeakable interests which await you beyond the grave, and are dependant for their everlasting happiness or misery on the present short, fleeting, and uncertain state of being; it is because you receive not the truth in the love of it that you might be saved ; it is because you Avill not come to the light, lest your deeds should be reproved, and not because God either Avithholds his grace or restrains you from profiting by it. No, he this day calls upon you to repent and believe the gospel ; he offers you the sacrifice of his only Son to atone for your sins, the grace of his Holy Spirit to renew your hearts, the comfort of his precious promises to strengthen your weak endeavours, the terrors of his avenging wrath to alarm your guilty fears, a judgment revealed to determine your everlasting condition, and eternity awaiting you to crown with its endless sanctions the part you shall now take. O that his light may this day dawn upon your souls with life and power, that you may be no longer faithless but believing, and enabled to choose that good part which shall not be taken from you. For your eternal interest is now depending, and depending upon yourselves. The terms of the gospel, life and death, are set before you. Your condition in the future world will be determined by your behaviour in this. Eternal life, through the free and undeserved gift of God through Jesus Christ, can no otherwise be obtain- ed by us than by our own most earnest and unremitting endea- vours to become worthy of it, by that personal holiness which is the crown of religion ; for he that will be saved, must work Vol. n.— 36 282 LIFE AND IMMORTALITY out his own salvation in the fear of God, and as God has appointed, now while it is called to-day. In what is thus revealed to us in the word of God, of a future state, and of the means provided for our attainment of its bless- edness, we find the whole adapted to our weak and infirm condition, my hearers, yet so adapted as to give no encourage- ment to sin, no excuse to indolence and carelessness, no hope to the fearful and unbelieving, which is a strong and convincing argument that it is not of man, neither by man, but the wisdom, and the power, and the love of God, manifested to advance his glory in the salvation of souls. And a strong and instant appeal it is to all who hear the joyful sound of the gospel, not to trifle with their day of grace, not to put away from them the warnings of God's word, the convictions of his Holy Spirit, the reason of their own minds, and the unspeakable interests of eternity. In what pertains to the judgment through which we must all pass to the rewards or punishments of a future state, the same merciful regard to our circumstances is manifested by our heavenly Father. For we are informed, III. Thirdly, that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead, so that the same person will pass sentence on our sins who suffered and died for them. In the consideration of what belongs to this point of doctrine, it is hardly possible to determine whether there is in it more of hope for the penitent believer or of despair to the impenitent sinner. Compassed about as we are with infirmity, my brethren, and deeply sensible how far short we come of what our Lawgiver and Judge might righteously demand at our hands, it is a never to be forgotten, and an ever to be praised proof of God's clemency and goodness towards us, that one who was in all things tempted like as we are, yet without sin, who in the very truth of our nature experienced its weakness, though he rose superior to its frailty, and therefore knows how to have compassion on the ignorant, and them that are out of the way, that one who can be touched with a feeling of our infirmities, ehould, in the last resort, be constituted our Judge. BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE GOSPEL. 283 To the believer it is full of hope and comfort that he has not to meet a stranger in that trying day, one to whom he is wholly unknown, but one to whose mediation and intercession he has often had recourse, of whose fulness, all spiritual grace and advancement has been wrought in him, in whose righteousness alone he trusts, in whose all-atoning blood he has washed and purified the. polluted robes of his own righteousness, and m whose promise he confides for eternal life ; while to the impenitent sinner, all that Jesus is to the bdiever, is a source of the blackest despair. That unbelief which he cherished against the convictions of his conscience is now put to flight, by seeing eye to eye, and face to face. That Jesus, whom he derided as an impostor, or acknowledged only as a man, now appears before him with life and death eternal dependant on his almighty decision. The judgment is set and the books are opened, and the great white throne presents to an admiring universe that same Jesus of Nazareth who bore his cross through Jerusalem to Calvary, who bore our sins m his own body on the tree, who tasted death for a lost world, and rising triumphant from the grave, became the author of eternal salva- tion to all that obey him, exalted as Judge of quick and dead. All this the impenitent gospel sinner then sees, in that flood of uncreated light which surrounds the throne of the Eternal. All this the gospel sinner hears in the thunderings, and lightnings, and voices which proceed from the throne itself. While memory rolls back upon his awakened conscience invitations slighted, warnings neglected, mercies abused, and time wasted— heaven defied, hell derided, and judgment dared. That world which he took for his portion now rolls a smoking ruin under his feet. The golden god of his idolatry is reduced to a cinder. The pleasures he pursued have left only their sting behind them. The morality in which he trusted, touched by the sceptre of eternal truth, evaporates into selfishness, while naked and defenceless he trembles before his righteous Judge. In horror and amazement, a plea for mercy would rush to his lips ; but the day of mercy is past— it is the day of judgment ! his own mouth anticipates the sentence of the Judge, and he sinks into that 284 LIFE AND IMMORTALITY bottomless gulf, where the loorm never dies, and the fire never shall be quenched. 0 blessed Lord, thou most worthy Judge eternal, look down upon us in thy mercy, and give to the truth of thy holy and unchangeable word its life and power. Fasten an arrow of conviction in the heart of some poor sinner present ; yea, Lord, of all who are present, that they may flee from the wrath to come, and escape the terrors of thy great and dreadful day, the horrors of everlasting despair, and the death that never dies. O my dear brethren, let us keep ever before us this awful close of all our hopes and fears, that it may stir us up so to pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal. That holding faith and a good conscience we may reap a full reward. In that awful day, what will the world and its vanities be worth 1 What advantage will the pursuits of ambi- tion, profit, and pleasure then yield us ] Where will be the gain of riches if we are not rich towards God, rich in faith, rich in good works 1 Bring your worldly condition to this blessed light, my brethren, and whatever in it will not bear this test, cease from it, and put it away from you. For it is better to enter into life naked of every worldly accommodation, than, clothed in purple and fine linen, to awake in hell being in torments. 1 come, in the last place, to make a brief application of the instruction we may draw from the text, and from what has been said upon it. Have we, then, my friends, realized and brought near to us this final close of all that we are engaged so busily and earnestly about ? Have we ever paused upon the awakening thought that death and judgment await us, and that we are advancing towards them as fast as the tide of time can roll us onward to the fated moment, when the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 1 Or have we permitted it to pass through the mind as a specula- tion of something distant and future, which might be put off to a more convenient season? Alas! how many thousands who yet cannot plead ignorance, are nevertheless as every way uncon- cerned about this event as if they liad no interest whatever in the mighty determination then to be made. How many millions BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE GOSPEL. 285 in gospel lands have yet to awake to the solemn truth contained in my text, to shake off the thorns and briars of worldly occu- pation, and give some share of thought and attention to the interests of eternity. And even in this little assembly, where not a week passes without its honest warning, what a small proportion have brought the truths of religion to bear upon the deep anxieties of a dying bed, upon the account which each must give of himself to God. Alas ! how is it in these days, as it was in the days of Noah and of Lot. One goes to his farm, another to his merchandise, and a third to his profession or his pleasure, regardless of the certain truth, that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night, and of the only preparation which can enable a fallen, sinful creature to meet it with composure. But, my hearers, if these things are so, what manner of per- sons ought we to he who profess to believe them, and whether we believe them or not, must, nevertheless, meet them, with this miserable addition to our guilt, that we had timely warning and effectual means to escape the snare 1 If a day is fixed and drawing nearer and nearer, when Christ will come to take account of his servants, how earnestly engaged should we be, that xoe may be found of him in peace. Is it the part of prudence to be careless about so great an event 1 or can any sacrifice be too great to secure a ivell done from our heavenly Master 1 Reason says no, revelation says no, heaven says no, hell says no. Will any here present, then, say yes 1 No, not one will speak out ; and yet in one little hour how many will declare by their actions, which speak louder than words, that they have no relish for heavenly things — that they prefer the pleasures of sin, the gain of ungodhness, and a portion in this life with the awful curse which follows them in the life to come, to the incorruptible inheritance of a heavenly kingdom — to that fulness of joy which beams from the presence of God — to those endless pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore. O that I could persuade you to give as much thought to your souls as you do to your sins ; to bestow as much labour on your eternal, as you waste upon your temporal interests — as much attention to be adorned with righteousness in your lives, 286 LIFE AND IMMORTALITY as with finery on your persons. Then there might be some hope ; but, alas ! alas ! while the present life swallows up the care and attention due to another, what else can be expected but that iniquity should abound, the love of many wax cold, and the leaden slumber of infidelity settle into that deep and death-like sleep from which the voice of the archangel and the trump of God alone shall wake them, Jlwake, then, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. There is yet one little precious hour in which to redeem the time that is wasted — in which, by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, thy ingratitude may be forgotten, thy sins blotted out, and the renewal of the Holy Ghost, prepare thee to reap the rich reward of everlasting hfe and blessedness in the kingdom of Christ and of God. To the Christian, in like manner, the doctrine of a future state is full of warning and encouragement at the same time. It warns him that this world is not his rest, and thereby enables him to resist and to overcome the temptation of its prosperity. It sets before him a kingdom which caimot be moved, and thereby engages him to seek the best things, to lay up his treasure where neither disappointment, or loss, or decay can ever come. In the hour of adversity, the contemplation of an incorruptible inheritance laid up in heaven for him, encourages him to wait with faith and patience, and to endure as seeing Him who is invisible except to the eye of faith. And even in the hour of dissolution, the assurance of a joyful resurrection through the merits of a risen Redeemer, cheers the dark valley of the shadow of death with light from heaven, and transmits him through the darkness of the grave to the uncreated light of God's everlast- ing presence. His faith is built on the resurrection of Jesus, his hope is founded on the promise of his Lord. Because I live, ye shall live also. I will come again and receive you to myself. This is the anchor of his soul to the Christian, the joyful expect- ation of which supports him through his pilgrimage, and strengthens him to purify and prepare himself for the well done of his Saviour and his Judge. It is the resurrection of Christ, my brethren, which gives life and power to his gospel. We BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE GOSPEL. 287 may admire the holiness of his life — we may mourn over the tragedy of his death, it is his resurrection from the dead which makes the gospel a joyful sound. Take it away, or, what is the same thing in effect, let it be disregarded, unapplied, and of what worth is the gospel 1 Take it away, and to what purpose should we celebrate his death as the highest solemnity of religion, or expect to derive comfort or increase of grace from a Saviour who himself continued the victim of death, and imprisoned in the grave 1 I^utnow is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept, therefore, we draw near to God with confi- dence through him who is thus the first born of many brethren. His death for us is sanctified as a means of grace by the triumph of his resurrection. The promises of God to a sinful world are sealed to every believer in this proof that the great sin offering is accepted, and assurance given to all men that they shall stand before him as their Judge, Let us, therefore, my brethren, as partakers of this hope, keep ever before us the gracious purpose of his life, his death, and his resurrection, that, as he came to redeem us from all iniquity, we may purify our hearts even as he is pure ; and drawing near to this commemoration of his passion and death for our sins, with a true and lively faith, we may realize the power of his resurrection, through the renewal of our spiritual strength, and pass at the last to our joyful resurrection through his Spirit dweUing in us, who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light by the gospel. To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. SERMON XXV. SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. 1 John iv. 10. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." The mercies of God to his creatures present the most moving appeal which can be made to their hearts ; they speak a language which all can understand, however slow of heart to practise the lesson they teach. And as they are universal in their distribution, and are over all his works, they form the ground- work of that condemnation or acquittal, that reward or punishment which his righteous judgment shall determine upon them. This is presented to us in many shapes in the Scriptures of our faith, my brethren, and many most affectionate exhorta- tions, drawn from this source, are set forth to quicken our languid tempers, and stir up the best affections of our souls to love and honour, to serve and please our unwearied Benefac- tor. God is love, and all that we can know and perceive, all that we enjoy or suffer, whatever we possess in time or can hope for in eternity, is grounded on this never to be shaken foundation. His sovereign power, indeed, claims of right, our entire duty and obedience, our most unreserved submission to his holy will, and the most unqualified disposal of our destiny ; nor is it in man, or in any created being to measure arms with Jehovah. But though this is imprinted on our hearts and set forth in his word as the unanswerable argument for rational creatures to learn the will of God, and to do it, yet in the benignity of his pure and perfect nature, he rather applies to a sense of benefits conferred, of compassion entertained, of favour and mercy promised, to move our gratitude and win our willing obedience. Of this I might cite many passages and proofs from the SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. 289 Scriptures, for it is but to open the Bible to find them. Yet have we a larger volume, my hearers, in which to read this quickening truth. We have only to open our eyes, and lo, the goodness of God surrounds us on every side ! We have but to look back on our past lives, and to see and to realize, each one for himself, the long-suffering patience and forbearance of our heavenly Father, who is not willing that any should perish, hut that all should come to repentance, and that whatever is adverse and unprosperous in our present circumstances, is the fruit of our own headstrong passions, or perverse neglect of his word and warning ; and we have only to consider the purpose and appointment of this day to be assured of the soul comforting truth, that that God loho so loved the loorld that he spared not his oicn Son, but delivered him up for us all, willioith him also freely give us all things. These speaking proofs of God's love to a world of sinners as they are obvious to all, so do they speak to all, of those grateful, thankful, and hearty returns of love and obedience, which is the poor but only acknowledgment we can pay for such unequalled goodness, which all true Christians feel and render, and which the apostle from whom my text is taken pressed upon his hearers, with all the persuasiveness of a heart which spake out of the abundance wherewith it was filled. But, my brethren, while the tender mercies of our God are thus strong and imperative in the claim they have upon us, there is one circumstance attending this display of his love and com- passion, which should give a still deeper sense of it to our souls. And that is, that it was and is wholly undeserved — what we had no right to expect, neither could put in any claim for. This it is which gives its point to the text, and sets forth the kindness of God our Saviour toward man in all the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of his rich, redeeming love. This it is which St. John presses upon Christians as the conclusive argu- ment for that spirit of love and fellowship among themselves, which is the new commandment in the religion of the gospel, and the proof, that as disciples of Christ we have passed from death unto life. Herein is love, says he, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Vol. II.— 37 ^90 SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. In directing your Jiieditations to this passage of Scripture, my brethren, I shall confine your attention to two heads of doctrine, obviously to be drawn from it. The one, that our ' salvation, with all that leads to it, is of mere grace, unsought and unprocurable by us. The other, that this salvation, thus wrought out and offered to sinners by the gospel, is no otherwise attainable than in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. These two points will naturally lead to such practical reflec- tions as will put you in possession, I trust, of the spirit of the text, and prepare you with devout and understanding hearts to entertain the meditations of the season, and, while you hail the advent of the Saviour with joyful hearts, pass forward in spirit to the concluding proof of that love which overcame death with his own weapons, and opened the gate of everlasting life to redeemed man ; while they may be made effectual by God's good blessing to awaken consideration in those who, surrounded by the love of God in the mercies of the gospel, feel neither the benefits they slight, nor the ingratitude they are guilty of. I. First, that our salvation, with all that leads to it, is of mere grace, unsought and unprocurable by us. As pride in some of its detestable workings was the cause of that transgression which separated man from his Maker, and overspread this poor world with sin in all its varied but destruc- tive shapes ; so it is to this day the root of all opposition to and disregard of the salvation of the gospel. As it was the ground work on which the devil contrived that temptation which ended in the ruin of our first parents, so it is the great instrument by which he takes captive and holds in his snare the tens of thousands who, in spite of warning and conviction, continue the servants of sin. Hence that swelling and rising of the carnal mind against this fundamental doctrine of salvation by grace, and the strong propensity, even in awakened man, to be his own saviour, either in whole or in part, and by his own merits to make out a title to the reward of eternal life. But assuredly pride was not made for man, either in his upright or in his fallen condition ; as a creature, a created being, he had nothing which he had not received, nor could he rightfully withhold the inward SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. 291 affections of his soul or the outward service of his l)0(ly from the grand purpose of his creation. He ventured, however, in an evil hour, to listen to the whispers of pride, to think himself or his adviser wiser than God, and, in the ambitious desire to know more and to stand higher than belonged to his station, he stepped upon forbidden ground and sunk into irretrievable ruin. Enter- taining in his heart another image, another desire than of God himself, the original likeness in which he was made departed and left him the helpless victim of sin, spiritually dead and eternally condemned. This is no ideal picture, my friends, but the simple truth of man's condition from God's true and faithful word. In this state, what was left to the fallen creature where- with to undo his sin and restore his hope. Could his betrayer furnish him to regain the height from whence he was precipi- tated ] Alas ! he himself had fallen from a still higher eleva- tion. Pride had destroyed the glory even of the angelic nature, and sunk a seraph to the bottomless pit of eternal despair. Was there aught within reach of the sinner himself to atone for his guilt, to make satisfaction for his offence 1 Could ages of suffer- ing on the part of the offender compensate for his crime 1 Alas ! the offence was infinite, the offender a finite dying creature, every way betrayed and undone, without help, and devoid even of hope. Whence came his deliverance ] Blessed be the Father of mercies, that we are able to answer this question, to trace to its source both our ruin and recovery, and in the truth of his holy word, in the help of his renewing grace, to know whence our salvation cometh ; to know that when there was no eye to pity, no hand to save, his own right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory, and wrought out salvation for us ; that to the antecedent original love and compassion of God the Father Almighty, we owe the whole work of our redemption. This the Scriptures set forth to us in a great number of places and in much variety of expression, and our Lord himself uniformly teaches this doctrine—/ came not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me : God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life : And the gospel itself, as ^92 SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. containing the glad tidings of salvation, is styled the gospel of the grace of God. Indeed, no doctrine is more clearly taught throughout both the gospels and epistles than this, that to the original goodness and mercy of God the Father, we owe both the appointment and acceptance of the sacrifice of Christ's death as an atonement for the sins of the whole world- God commendeth his love towards us, saith St. Paul, in that while ice were yet sinners Christ died for us; and the same apostle sums up the whole in one short sentence — The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. If saved at all, then, my friends — that is, if provision is made for our deliverance from the curse entailed upon sin, and means appointed to restore the image of God in our souls, and bring us back to that glorious and happy state from whence we are fallen and far distant — it must be altogether of mere grace on the part of God, nothing moving him thereto but the original inhe- rent compassion of his nature, and pity for the work of his hands, betrayed and ruined by the malice of the devil. Herein is love, ray brethren, even the love of God ; and let us keep it steadily in view, ascribing to the glorious Trinity in our salvation, what is due to each and to all ; for it is an unworthy and improper notion of Almighty God to conceive of him as so implacable and severe that he was only prevailed on by the interposition of Christ to have mercy on fallen man, as a passionate man is sometimes made to yield by the entreaties of his friend. It is the undoubted doctrine of the Scriptures, that while, as the righteous governor of the universe, he was bound to punish sin, yet as the Lord God merciful and gracious, he contrived, appointed, and accepted those wonderful means, by which, while sin should not go unpunished, a door of mercy and hope was opened to the sinner. Oh ! the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judg- ments, and his ways past finding out. But our salvation, my brethren, is shown to be yet more strictly of mere grace, inasmuch as it was unsought and unpro- curable by any means in our reach. Here, my friends, we have an opportunity of viewing sin in SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. 293 all its malignity, not only in exposing us to the loss of God's favour and the terrors of his w^rath, but in hardening the heart against them, and deadening the spiritual sense to the desire to be delivered from them. The sinner never prays. Of this we have a memorable instance in the first transgressors ; no symp- tom of contrition, no sorrow of heart for the offence they have committed against their Maker and Benefactor, is manifested by either of them ; they knew and felt that they were guilty, and their guilt led them to hide themselves from Him whose voice had heretofore been music to their ears ; no supplication for mercy, no prayer for pardon, no entreaty for a mitigation of their sentence is heard from them, any more than from their betrayer ; nothing is seen in them but the hard and sullen temper which disdains acknowledgment and resents reproof. Oh ! how near to the state and temper of devils does sin reduce its votaries ; yet, at this very moment, did the infinite compas- sion of God meet them with the mercies of redemption, unsought, unprocurable. Freely, and of his unbounded good- ness and love, did the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort and consolation, while denouncing the curse under which we all labour, present his only and well beloved Son, to shield them and us their progeny from the demands of the law, broken and dishonoured by their sin, and in due time to become that seed of the woman which should bruise the head of the serpent; and freely did the love of Christ move him to undertake the mighty ransom of them, and of the countless millions which fell in them. Thus is our salvation from first to last, my brethren, of the mere grace and unsought favour of a merciful God. Herein is love, dear brethren, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. O that the hard hearts of the impenitent and ungodly ma}' melt and soften under this wonderful display of God's hatred of their sins and love for their souls. O that the proud and lofty despisers of the cross of Christ, may in this see on -^yhat a sandy foundation their self-righteous hopes are built, and, renouncing their own righteousness, submit themselves to the righteousness of God, whichis by faith of Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to 294 SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. be a propiiiation through faith in his blood, that he might he just and the justifier of all that believe in this Redeemer. II. For the salvation thus wrought out and offered to sinners by the gospel, is no otherwise attainable than through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is evident, not only from the express declarations of Scripture, but from the nature of the thing itself. The whole of our salvation being founded on the gratuitous appointment of Almighty God, the means to be used by us in the attainment of it must be ordered and directed by the same all-wise and gracious Being. Inventions and contrivances of men can have no place in this great work, and can only tend to defeat its efficacy on those who in this manner add to or take away from the more sure word of prophecy. The object in view being two-fold, not merely the deliverance of the sinner from punishment by the substitution of an atonement sufficient for the expiation of his guilt, but, furthermore, the renewal and sanctification of his corrupt and sinful nature, without which there can be no salvation, it must follow that He who made us, who saw the full extent of our undoing, and knew the fittest means to counteract the apostacy of accountable creatures, alone could judge and appoint what was most effectual to this end, and at the same time most consonant with his own perfections. Again, as God was the party offended by human sin, it rested solely with himself whether to accept any, or what kind of atonement for it, as also what application to make of the altered condition of his creature. It was not for the sinner at the time, neither is it for him now, to say by v/hom or on what conditions he will be saved. His part is the deepest thankfulness for such an unspeakable gift, with the most earnest and devoted diligence to walk worthy of it. Thus we judge in things of a temporal nature, my hearers, and the same rule will equally apply to those eternal things now under consideration. But when to this reasoning we add the clear and unequivocal declarations of God's revealed word, as respects both our ruiri and our remedy, there can be no refuge but in unbelief. Ml have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one. Cursed is every one that continueth not, in all things loritten SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. 295 in the hook of the. law, to do ihem. As hy one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin — so death passed upon all men^ for that all have sinned. Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For ivhen toe were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For what the law could not do, in that it loas weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son, in the like- ness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. For ice see Jesus, leho was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man. Wherefore God also hath highly exalt- ed him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name 0/ Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. JVeither is there salva- tion in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must he saved only the name of Jesvs Christ of JSTazareth. Many more passages of Scripture of a similar import migiit be brought forward, my brethren and hearers, but these I think quite sufficient, because whoever can withstand them would just as readily resist the whole artillery of the word of God. Thus is it shown you, my friends, that our whole salvation is of the mere grace of Almighty God, unde- served, unsought, and unprocurable by us, and that no otherwise is it attainable by us than through the Lord Jesus Christ. Many and various are the reflections, my brethren, which rise in the mind on a near view like this of the state and condi- tion of accountable creatures, whom a few short years, perhaps days, perhaps hours — who can tell — must consign to all the realities of an eternal world, to the righteous judgment of God, to heaven or to hell. There is something deeply affecting in such a thought, and the more so, when it applies to relations and friends, to neighbours and acquaintances, persons whom we know, for whom we entertain a regard, but of whom we are obliged to know that religious considerations form none, or but a very small part in their estimate of happiness. Can it be 296 SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. because they do not believe there is such a thing as a future state 1 This is next to impossible ; and if you ask them they will tell you they have no doubt of it. Is it because they reject the revelation God hath made to us 1 They say no — both by speech and otherwise, for not one of them but what hopes for the mercy of God upon his soul ; and otherwise than by revelation we can none of us know any thing of mercy with God. To what, then, must we attribute this almost universal disregard of the things that are most surely believed among us 1 Alas ! my brethren, to what but that love of sin, in some of its deceitful shapes, which is stronger than all those cords of love wherewith God daily and hourly draws them to himself — more powerful than the compassionate intreaties of Christ, the lively admonitions of the Holy Ghost, the reason and conviction of their own minds — yea, more alluring than the joys of heaven, and hardly restrained by the torments of hell. This is the cause why such multitudes of old and young, of high and low, of rich and poor, of bond and free, even with the gospel of salvation in their hands, prefer a portion in this life, and live without God in the world. The aged, too often, it is to be feared, have trifled with their day of grace until it has passed away from them, never to return. In the middle stage of life, when all the faculties are in perfec- tion, and accountability at its height, when experience might teach some wisdom, yet then it is that the God of this world is most devoutly worshipped. One goes to his farm and another to his merchandise, one chases ambition and another pursues plea- sure, regardless of the steady though silent approach of that hour when it shall be said unto each. Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided. In early life, when this fleeting scene spreads all its enchant- ments, when passion warms and hope flatters, when reason yields, and prudence is yet remote, it is but an unwelcome office to hint at the then far off things of eternity, indeed it is too com- monly an useless one. Yet then is the time : ere the heart is hardened, and shame deadened, and the conscience seared in the crooked and cruel paths of dissipated, sinful pleasure. O for a warning voice to reach the hearts of the thousands of SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. 297 young and comparatively innocent creatures who are now on the turning point of life and death eternal. O for a warning voice to reach the hearts of fathers and mothers, Christians as well as others, in behalf of the rising generation. But, alas ! so many fathers and mothers look only at this world, that they encourage what they ought to check, and vitiate the minds while they deck the bodies of their offspring in all the meretri- cious ornaments of alluring fashion ; so that even Christian parents are constrained to do like their neighbours, and thus evil communications corrupt good manners. O that the young persons and their parents who are now present would let me strip the mask from this hydra of fashion and folly, that they may see the diseases and death both of body and soul that lurk beneath it — that they would let me show them the thorn beneath the rose, ere it enter into their flesh and rankle and fester into a wounded spirit — that they would let me discover the serpent beneath the flower ere it sting them to madness. O that they would hear the voice of one who has tried it in all its depths, yea, drank it to the dregs, and only by the love of God in Christ Jesus, has been saved from total shipwreck of body and soul in hell. O if there is truth in God, if there is warning in his word, if there is wisdom in experience, now let it take eifect, and this deadly evil be put away from us, my brethren. Say not with Lot, Is it not a little one ? Alas 1 know ye not that even in this sense, a little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation ? For the beginning of sin, as' well as of strife, is like the letting out of waters, no one can say where it shall stop. ^ But to return. That God who has no need of the sinful man — who could, with the most perfect ease, have called a new race of beings into existence, should, nevertheless, prefer that method of his mercy which revelation makes known to us, to promote his own glory and the final good of his creatures, must ever be a subject of the deepest admiration and thankfulness, and should teach us that it is not to be trifled with. We may be very sure, my hearers, that as the gift of Jesus Christ is the highest proof God could give of his love towards us, either to reject or to neglect it must be the height of contempt. Vol. II.— 38 298 SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. ingratitude, and rebellion, and can never go unpunished. We may, and, alas ! we do, too many of us, flatter ourselves that after all, God will not be so severe as to carry his threatenings into full effect ; that, some how or another, the great mass of irreligious people who are not openly profligate and abandoned, will escape the damnation of hell. But what is this, my friends, but one of those many deceits of the devil operating upon our love of sin, with which he labours to ensnare souls 1 what is it but making Christ the minister of sin, and religion a pious fraud. But we are sure that God cannot and will not deceive. We are sure that there is no deception in the hatred his pure and holy nature bears towards sin in all its shapes. The miseries of the present life, the cross of Christ, and the pains of hell, bear witness to its malignity ; and had it been possible that God should intend to deceive us for our good by heighten- ing the description of its destructive nature, this might have been done without the humiliation, sufferings, and death of his only Son. What a desperate game, then, must it be to risk our immortal souls on so flimsy a delusion ! What an awful proof of the corruption of all our faculties by the poison of sin, that against light and knowledge, against warning and conviction, unmoved by hope, unawed by fear, in defiance of God's threat- ened wrath, in despite of his offered love, in contempt of means and mercies, we continue in sin, slight the only Saviour, and will not come to him that we may have life ! Oh ! what a specta- cle does the world called Christian present — God's holy word laid aside, unbelief and impiety increasing, the ordinances of religion made light cf, the cross of Christ slighted, sin and folly triumphant, and the children of God to be sought for here and there, like gleaning grapes in a vineyard ! And now, my brethren and hearers, as God hath laid help for us upon one who is mighty and able to save, as without him we can do nothing acceptable to God, or available for the sal- vation of our souls, let us consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, in what he hath, by the will of God, done for us. He hath removed the barrier raised by human sin betwixt SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. 299 God and our souls, and placed mankind in a new relation to their Maker, becoming a second Adam or representative of the human race. In this sense it is that the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, and that he, bij the grace of God, tasted death for every man, having borne in his own body the curse of the law. To Christians, in particular, that is, to baptized believers, he hath opened a new and living way to the kingdom of heaven, through faith in his blood. He hath fulfilled the conditions of the covenant of works for them, and procured a new and more gracious covenant by which repentance and renew- ed obedience Is accepted through him instead of sinless per- fection. He hath fully declared and made known the will of God, for the direction of their lives, and left them the example of his own life as the explanation of it. He hath sent forth the Holy Spirit to be a perpetual guide and comfort to his Church, in working out their salvation. He hath laid down his life upon the cross, for their forfeited lives, and poured out his blood as an atonement to God, for all sins repented of and forsaken. He was buried and rose again the third day, thereby giving assur- ance unto all men, that the sacrifice was accepted, and that they also shall rise again from the dead. He hath thus brought that life and immortality to light, through the gospel, in which every man shall be happy or miserable for ever, according to the righteous judgment of God on the deeds done in the body. And he hath ascended into heaven, where, as the bead of all principality and power, he rules and governs his Church as a son in his own house, watching over his people, supplying their wants, and rendering their prayers and praises acceptable to God, through his prevailing intercessions for them. All this he hath done for us, my hearers. This he hath done and suffered, that he might bring us to God. Of his death, as the price of all, he hath commanded us to continue a perpetual memorial, until he come again to receive us to himself. That memorial is now before you. The mighty benefits it represents you are partakers of, through grace. Let us then draw near with true hearts, in full assurance of faith, that, if when ice were 300 SALVATION THROUGH GRACE SACRAMENTAL. ene7nies we were reconciled io God % the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life. And let it be ever in our hearts, dear brethren, that herein is love indeed, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. SERMON XXVI. NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. Hebrews ii. 3, 4. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ; which at the first began to be spoken by the Loed, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him ; God also bearing them witness, botli with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will '! " The consideration of the question put in the text, instructs us, my brethren and hearers, how very inexcusable all men are who neglect the salvation offered in the gospel, either by reject- ing it through unbelief, when proposed to them, or by living un- worthily of it after they have professed to embrace it. There are many considerations which greatly aggravate the fault of such persons as contemptuously neglect the proposal of a favour, which it is both their duty and their highest interest to accept ; and many circumstances make them more and more inexcusable, and justly to deserve the severest punishment for their ingrati- tude and contempt. Now as we regulate our judgments accord- ing to this principle, in the common affairs of this life, it is but just that it should be extended to the higher and more important concerns of the life that is to come ; and it is to this j^oint, to the equity of the case, that St. Paul directs our attention. And to gain your attention, my friends, and to engage you in behalf of your best interests, to rouse you, if possible, from the heart- less torpor of indifference to the mercies of redemption, and awaken you to the worth of your souls, I will endeavour to point out from the text itself, what commanding considera- tions are set at naught, and what clear and convincing proofs are withstood, by all who neglect the gospel. Hotv shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him ; God also hearing them witness 302 NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. both with signs and iconders, and iinlh divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own nnll? In these words are contained, I. First, the intrinsic goodness and excellency of the thing itself, which is rejected. A slight acquaintance with the gospel of Christ is sufficient to impress upon the mind of every man some idea of its import- ance ; and as this should naturally incline those who possess this advantage to search deeper into its high discoveries, the neglect of this duty is generally attended with a corresponding carelessness, either as to its promises or its threatenings, and a deeper engagement with present things. For it is, when viewed in its whole extent, in its divine origin, its gracious purpose and effectual means, it is, when considered in its application to the condition of man, that we discern what the gospel really is, and learn that it is truly a great salvation. It is a salvation from sin and misery, from the power and tyranny of the devil, and from the punishment of eternal death. Sin, in its own nature, independent of its being an obstinate disobedience to the revealed will of God, is in itself every way unreasonable and inexcusable ; because it is opposite to the light of reason, the dictates of natural conscience, and the agreeing opinion of all wise and good men ; because it is contrary to every idea we can form of the perfections of God, destructive to the public welfare of mankind, to the health of our own bodies, to the peace of our own minds, and to the order, quiet, and comfort of society. The love and practice of sin is the subjecting our reason to vile affections, to inordinate and brutish appetites, to inflamed and ungoverned passions, than which there cannot be a more abject state of slavery imagined for a rational being. To speak after the manner of men, how con- trary to the dignity of man to see and approve what is good, and yet not be able to prevail with ourselves to practise it ; to be sensible of the destructive consequences of sin, and yet, through the strength of evil habits, to continue under the power and dominion of it ; to feel ourselves deprived of our present happi- ness, and of our best hopes of what is to come, to travel through life loaded with and conscious of guilt, to lie down in death NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. 303 Overwlielmcd with remorse and despair, whicli every impeni- tent sinner must do, and yet to continue to cherish such vicious dispositions and practices, as are the only causes of all this misery, is evidently the most dreadful condition that can be. Now to have a way proposed to us, my hearers, of being delivered from this body of sin into the glorious liberty of the children of God, of breaking the chain w^hich binds every fallen creature to this body of death, to have a method laid before us of being rescued from guilt and fear in life, from horror and despair in death, and from everlasting burnings in eternity, and to be put into a way of securing a quiet conscience, the peace of God through life, hope and composure in death, and eternal life in mansions of glory for ever and ever, this is the otFer of a great salvation. And evident it must be to the equity of our own minds, that whoever shall neglect this offer is absolutely inexcusable, and justly deserves to fall into that misery from which he would not accept deliverance. Was there, indeed, any other way to accomplish this work, had we a choice in the means of deliverance from the power and the punishment of sin, the case were different ; but as this is not so, as salvation is altogether of grace, as there is no other name or means under heaven given unto men whereby we must be saved, only the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and the means revealed in the gospel, the guilt and folly of neglecting it is hereby infinitely increased, because it is treating God's offered mercy and favour with contempt, and adding ingratitude to rebellion against his revealed will, and is therefore worthy of the severest punishment. For II. Secondly, the further consideration that the gospel is an express and positive revelation of the will of God, is a very high aggravation of the sin of neglecting so great salvation. He that, on the information of the gospel, desires not to be delivered from the dominion of sin, and acquires no thirst after a life of righteousness, for that very reason does not deserve to be saved from the punishment of sin, and is, in his very nature, unqualified for the rewards of holiness. But when to this preference of sin, there is added, moreover, a direct contempt of God, the reasonableness of leaving such person to himself, 304 NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. and of finally punishing him for his sin, is increased into a necessity, because God must and will maintain the honour of his supreme dominion, and vindicate upon all such despisers the insult offered to the purity and holiness of his divine attributes. When God, in the exercise of his mercy and love, has declared unto men his will by an immediate revelation, when he has given his only begotten Son, that whosoever beUeveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. When he has offered pardon to sinners upon their sincere repentance, vouchsafed them the assistance of his Holy Spirit, to enable them to fulfil this and every other duty enjoined upon them, and promised them eternal life as the reward of their faith and obedience ; when, moreover, the wrath of God is, by the gospel, most expressly revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men; after all this, to continue still to despise so great salvation — what is it but with a high hand to exalt ourselves against God — an avowed despising and contemning his authority — an actual daring of his vengeance, and saying, in so many words, we will not have this man to reign over us. And is this the language of all present who have not embraced the gospel, who have not said to the world by their professed subjection to its holy requirements, that they are on the Lord's side, or who are walking unworthy of such profession 1 Yes, my brethren and hearers, thus heaven interprets the language of your actions, of your course and conversation in the world. Whatever you may think, what- ever you may intend hereafter, if you are now unknown to the gospel, by an open confession of the Lord Jesus Christ before men, you are unknown to God in any saving sense, and unentitled to the hope of the gospel ; you are neglecters of this great salvation, purchased at so high a price, so freely offered to you, so earnestly pressed upon you, and pregnant with such infinite consequences. For on this mighty interest no neutrality can be permitted. — He that is not for me is against me, saith the Lord. And this is confirmed to us by a variety of considerations. For, if sinning barely against the law of nature, the law written in the heart, was sufficient to consign sinners of this sort to unavoidable destruction, well may we ask, How shall we escape if we continue to neglect this great salvation, and to sin against the NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. 305 law of nature and revelation united. As many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law. If the servant that knew not his Lord's will, who had no express revelation of the will of God, was nevertheless to be beaten with stripes, because he did things in themselves worthy of stripes, how much more severely must they expect to be punished, who do the same things in direct opposition to the express will and known com- mand of God 1 Are there any present, then, who know this and yet neglect the gospel 1 How shall they escape ? Are there any present who know not the conditions of the gospel 1 God forbid ! But lest there should be such a one, and to refresh your memories, hear them now — Repent and believe the gospel ; repent and be converted every one of you, that your sins may be blotted out ; except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish, for God now commandeth all men every where to repent, because he hath appoint- ed a day in the ivhich he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained : We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive according to the deeds done in the body, ichether they be good or whether they he evil. If, thei'efore, after that the clearest light is come into the world, and none under the gospel can plead ignorance of his duty, men will still neglect this great salvation, there being no excuse left, no alleviation of their condemnation is to be expected. They must perish for ever. III. Thirdly, the dignity and excellency of the person by and through whom this salvation is proposed to us, is a further aggravation of the sin of rejecting it. It first began to be spoken by the Lord. The dignity of the person by whose interposition any favour is procured, and by whom it is transmitted, shows both the greatness and importance of the thing itself, and the love and condescension of the original author of it ; and the neglecting it in this case, implies not only folly, contempt, and rebellion, but, moreover, the greatest obstinacy also which no authority can prevail over, together with the basest ingratitude, which no kindness can overcome. And surely, my friends and hearers, whoever is guilty of this complicated opposition to God, all of Vol. II.— 39 306 NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. which is implied in the neglect of this great salvation, must be confessed to deserve most justly the severest of punishments. This is what our Saviour compelled the Jews to acknowledge, and made them condemn themselves for it with their own mouths, in the parable of the householder, who, having planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen, first sent his servants to receive the fruits of it ; and when the husbandmen had resisted and slain the servants, he afterwards sent his own son to them, saying, Surely they will reverence my son ; but him also they resisted and slew — whereupon, when our Saviour ap- pealed to the Pharisees themselves to judge what it. was fit for the lord of the vineyard to do unto those husbandmen, they immediately replied. He will miserably destroy those loicked men, and let out his vineyard to other husbandmen, loho shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Unwarily, thus, they passed a just sen- tence against themselves, that for rejecting the gospel preached by Christ himself, they deserved a severer condemnation than their fathers, who had before rejected the preaching and admo- nitions of the prophets. And may not a similar condemnation be, in like manner, draAvn from the mouth of every soul under the gospel who neglects this great salvation 1 Is it not, in fact, a refusal, by such, of the fruits of the vineyard to the great Householder, through his only Son ? And is not this the very application St. Paul points us to when he says, noio all these things happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of t)ie loorld are come. Christians are now the Lord's vineyard, gospel lands are his inheritance, and if any of us refuse the fruits in their season, we bring ourselves into the same condemnation, and must perish in the same miserable destruction. The argument in favour of the gospel, from the superior dignity of the Revealer, is frequently applied by the apostle in this epistle. In the words immediately before my text, he uses it to enforce the duty of embracing the gospel. If the ivord spoken by angels was steadfast, saith he, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape ifioe neglect so great salvation, which at the first began NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. 307 to be spoken by the Lord, In the tenth chapter he presses the same argument upon their attention in these words — lie that despised JMoses^ Law, died without mercy : of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he he thought u'orthy, xcho hath trodden under foot the Son of God ? And enforces it in the twelfth chapter by a very solemn exhortation. — See that ye refuse not Hint that speaketh ; for if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not loe escape if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven. Lastly, the strength and clearness of the evidence, and the number and greatness of the proofs made use of to assure men of the truth and certainty of the gospel, is the highest aggrava- tion of the guilt of those who neglect or disobey it. The gospel began to be spoken by the Lord, and ivas after- loards confirmed to us by them that heard him. God also beax- ing them witness both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own ivill. The stronger the evidence of any truth be, the more inex- cusable is the opposition made to It. And the highest aggrava- tion of this crime is, to continue to oppose a truth after the best and greatest evidence has been given of it that the nature of the thing was capable of. In such a case, opposition can proceed from nothing but either wilful obstinacy and jjerverseness, or the love of sin in some of its many shapes. Now this is plainly the case of those who reject the gospel after the undeniable evidences which have been given of its truth. Their rejecting it cannot proceed from want of sufficient conviction, but only from a love of vice, and a resolution not to be reformed, which is a height of wickedness from which the hope, even, of excuse is cut off, and which, the only remedy being rejected, there is no means of amending. When clear light is come into the world, and men still continue their works of darkness, then it becomes evident that their wickedness does not proceed from ignorance and want of instruction, but from choice. They love darkness rather than light, and stand in open defiance of God and his supreme authority. This is what our Saviour says of the Jews, If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin. If 308 NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. / had not done among them the works which no other man did, they had not had sin ; hut now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. This is the reason of his declaring to the cities of Judea that it should be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment than for them; because, if the mighty works that were done in them had been done in Sodom., it would have repented in sackcloth and ashes. This is the reason of his declaring to those Pharisees who blasphemed the Holy Spirit, that they should never have forgiveness, neither in this world nor that which is to come. Because they resisted the last and greatest means that God would ever make use of to bring them to repentance ; and not only resisted it, but reviled it also. They saw with their own eyes the clearest and strongest proofs of the truth of the gospel that could possibly be given, and yet they not only withstood the evidence of those mighty works, but ascribed them, moreover, to the agency of the devil. Their crime was singular and unexampled, and their con- demnation was likewise singular. But all others, also, who reject the gospel are, in proportion to the greatness of the evidence they resist, and according to the degree of their obstinacy and wickedness in so doing, in like manner inex- cusable, and despisers of Him that speaketh from heaven. Upon these commanding, just, and reasonable grounds, rests the claim of the gospel of Christ to ready and hearty reception from all mankind, and when in addition to this, it is their highest interest to embrace it joyfully and thankfully, to seek its grace, and to occupy themselves diligently in finding the pearl of great price, there cannot be the slightest excuse for indifference, even, to its lively hope. Thousands, however, live in the midst of its light, its privileges, its blessings — thousands look to it in some degree for hope as to hereafter, who are yet perfect strangers to any act or endeavour on their part, to obtain its grace, and experience its transforming power. How, then, shall they escape ] It is but seldom, my friends, that we hear of an open and acknowledged rejecter of the gospel; but we have in abundance the unhappy experience of a carelessness and neglect of its exhortations, encouragement, and commands, which amount to NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. 309 the same thing in fact, and must prove the same in the event to those who continue thus. How sliall they who are thus care- less and indiU'crent as to God and their own souls — how shall they escape 1 Would to God that those now before me in this little assembly, who have no interest in the gospel by any per- sonal submission to the law of Christ ; who have never, by any one act of their lives, unfurled the banner of the cross over them, and said to the world, I am on the Lord's side ; who have no claim on the mercy of God, beyond baptismal engage- ments, which they have repeatedly trodden under foot ; who know nothing of repentance and contrition for their accumu- lated sin in this respect, beyond the feeble intention of future amendment ; who are engaged with the world, or fluttering down the stream of sin and vanity, of thoughtlessness and unconcern. — Would to God they could be prevailed upon to ask their souls this question, while there is yet, through the goodness of God, time, opportunity, and means to escape. For what is thy life, my fellow sinner ] A certainty or an uncer- tainty 1 And what would be your condition, neglecters of this great salvation, should God this night require your souls 1 How would you appear '? What could you answer 1 Oh ! it will be a heart-sinking sound to hear the Lord Jesus Christ say, / nei-er knew you. And as God is true, it must and will be said to every soul under the gospel who denies the Lord that bought him, by refusing himself to the profession and practice of his religion. — Whosoever shall confess me before men hhmoill I also confess before my Father toldch is in heaven, but whosoever shall deny me before men, him icill I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Why stand ye then here all the day idle 1 Hath no man hired youl God is my witness that 1 have offered you the work and the wages of the gospel, but the world has the greater attraction, and what can the world do for your souls but sink them into deeper, and deeper, and deeper perdition? What can it plead for you in the day of account, when the reward of your hands shall be given you, when you shall eat the fruit of your doings for ever ] Has the world any atonement for sin, any intercession for sinners, to present unto God in your behalf? If it has not, and you feel at this moment that it will not answer 310 NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEX. in that awful day, O be persuaded to carry your thoughts onward till you learn where only mercy is, where it may be sought and can be found even now — and then ask yourselves, under the solemn certainty of death and judgment, How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? Now, to Him who loved us and gave his only begotten Son to die for us, to Him who redeemed us to God and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and to Him who sanctifieth all the elect people of God — to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost> be glory, and praise, for ever and ever. Amen. SERMON XXVII. THE DANGER OF DELAYED REPENTANCE. Hebrews xii. 16, 17. *' Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright ; for ye know how that atlerward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected ; for lie found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." Truly is it said, my brethren, of God's ancient people, the -children of Israel, that all these things happened unto them for ensamples, and they are ivrittenfor our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come ; and whether we consider them nation- ally or individually — whether we look for general or particular examples — whether we need warning against the ways of wick- edness, or encouragement in the practice of righteousness, the record of their history in the inspired volume, and the conse- quences which followed their conduct under the government of a merciful, but wise, holy, and just God, is full of instruction to us, and amply deserves the high character given of it by St. Paul to Timothy — That it is able to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ. Of this ability many proofs might be adduced, both of a general and special nature, in the just application of which to ourselves we might reap the rich harvest of that wisdom which cometh down from above, whose heavenly fruit is faith in God and elevation of the soul above the deceits of sin and the vanities of the world, but none, perhaps, more pregnant with warning and instruction, because more parallel with the present conduct of a careless and sinful genera- tion, than that set forth in my text. In discoursing upon this subject, therefore, it shall be my part to point out to you the close application of Esau's conduct to that of every careless, and, therefore, contemptuous neglecter of the gospel, in the hope that it will be your part seriously to count the cost and look to the end, as set forth in bis fate, that 312 THE DANGER OF DELAYED REPENTANCE. ye may escape that final and everlasting rejection from aheavenly inheritance, of which his history is a most lively representation. Lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright ; for ye know how that after- ward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he ivas rejected ; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully icith tears. From these words we may draw the following heads of prac- tical meditation and improvement. First, that it is a true description of all sinners, that for one morsel of meat they sell their birthright. Secondly, that repentance of some kind must, of necessity, be the consequence of sin. Thirdly and lastly, that repentance maybe delayed and put off until it will be too late to be accepted. I. First, it is a true description of all sinners, that for one morsel of meat they sell their birthright. By the undertaking of the Lord Jesus Christ for a lost world, a reconciled God, pardon of sin, and sanctifying grace to the attainment of eternal life, are procured and freely offered to all who seek for them through the atonement made to the Almighty Father of the universe, by the sacrifice of the cross. Of these glad tidings to a world of condemned sinners the gospel is the authentic proclamation, calling upon all men every where to repent and believe, to obey and be saved — giving them the fullest assurance of another state of being, by the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and thereby bringing life and immor- tality to light, with the awful sanctions which await them under the righteous judgment of a pure and holy God upon the deeds done in this body. This state of reconciliation, hope, and help for sinful creatures, purchased for them by the death of Christ, together with the reward which is promised to the due improve- ment of it, is styled in Scripture the birthright or inheritance of the saints, and it is thus described on various accounts, but all referring to the procuring cause and to the qualifications for it. Thus in the most extended sense in which the expression can be taken as embracing the seed of Adam, the advantages spe- cially revealed to all under the gospel, are, nevertheless, securely THE DANGER OF DELAYED REPENTANCE. S13 laid up for those to whom the gospel has not come, who, accord- ing to the light of their respective dispensations, have feared Goo and icroxi^ht righteousness. For, as in the inscrutable counsel and foresight of the Almighty Father of the universe, provision was made for the recovery of fallen man through the Son of God, even before his creation, all who are born into the world are, in different degrees, the heirs of these mighty benefits. Hence Christ is called in Scripture, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the icorld ; and the revelation of this mysterv at sundry times and in divers manners by the prophets, and finally and fully by the gospel, is by St. Paul, and for this reason, styled God's own purpose and grace, which uas given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, and the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is, therefore with the utmost propriety called a birthright or inheritable pro- perty. For God xvas in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man. Nor are any debarred from this benefit who do not exclude themselves by personal sin and the neglect of timely repentance. In a more restricted though still general sense, the benefits and advantages of the gospel dispensation are the birthright of all under its joyful sound ; and the reward of that eternal life, which is therein promised to faith and obedience, is the incor- ruptible inheritance to which they are called. At their very entrance into life as it were, this general claim to the favour and mercy of God through Christ is appropriated in the sacra- ment of baptism, wherein they are made " members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven," and as such are registered in the Lamb's book of life, as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ — a sealed title to heavenly glory, which nothing can deprive them of but a life of sin and wicked- ness impenitently persisted in. In a still more restricted and higher sense, (and to which all previous gospel advantages, when duly improved, surely bring us,) this inheritance is the birthright of those who to natural birth and baptismal regeneration have added repentance towards God, (for there is no man that liveth and sinneth not,) and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, with holiness; thus Vol. II.— 40 314 THE DANGER OF DELAyED llEPENTANCB- making their calling and election sure, or as St. John expresses it in his gospel, as many as received him, to them gave he power, (that is, light or privilege,) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the loill of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but o/God. Such, my brethren and hearers, according to the Scriptures, being the extent and efficacy of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, there can be no question of the high duty and command- ing obligation all present are under, to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, and secure their title to this heavenly inheritance by such a conversation in life as becometh the gospel of Christ. For the gospel, with all its high, holy, and heavenly hopes, with all its encouraging and effectual helps, and with all its heart-stirring sanctions, is your birthright, my hearers ; but we are instructed by the text, that this invaluable patrimony may be alienated, sold, and bartered away for a worthless consideration, and we learn from woful experience that there are, even now, many Esaus. The counterpart of this character, then, here set forth for our warning, is found in all profligate, vicious, and wicked men ; for one morsel of meat they sell their birthright ; for a present inconsiderable trifle they part with a most valuable estate in reversion ; for the momentary pleasures of sin in this transitory and uncertain world, they exchange their heavenly and eternal portion in the city of the living God. Being shown the field containing the pearl of great price, according to our Saviour's figure in the parable, instead of selling all that they possess in order to purchase it, they madly sell the inestimable pearl purchased for them by the Son of God, for that which profit- eth not. The votaries of the world, also, who with more of decency but with equal folly lay themselves out for its riches and its. honours, resemble Esau in the poor and perishing price for which they sell their birthright. The lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God likewise realize the same ruinous self-deception, in bartering away an unfading inheritance for what, literally, perishes in the using — the THE DANGER OF DELAYED REPENTANCE. 315 mere gratifications of sense or the transient enjoyments of pride and vanity. But more exactly alike, and, alas ! more frequent than the others, is the numerous class of careless neglecters of the gospel, of whom nothing openly flagitious and profligate can be said, on the contrary, outward respect is shown by many of them for religion, and the morality of their lives is even conspicuous ; yet in the very sense in which Esau is represented as despising his birthright do they despise theirs. For neglect of the gospel can only proceed from the preference of something opposite to it, or from profane contempt of its promises and threatenings. On such an interest as that of being delivered from the curse of God and everlasting misery, and the obtaining the favour of the Almighty and endless felicity, not to be engaged is to be oppos- ed, to be neutral, even, is to be counted an enemy — He that is not for me is against me, saith the Son of God. Hence, and still more from the reason of the thing, all under the light of the gospel, particularly all baptized persons, who are careless and negligent on this duty, who sit loose to any profession of reli- gion, and disregard the solemn engagements of the baptismal covenant, are in fact guilty of the sin of despising their birth- right, and stand in the same danger, and are liable to incur the same rejection denounced against Esau. Let me beseech you, therefore, and all other impenitent sin- ners, to consider, with the seriousness it deserves, this awakening passage of Scripture — to look to those other Scripture histories, which, under various similitudes, set forth for our warning and instruction the dangerous consequences of trifling with the appointments of God for our salvation, and thence learn that the case of Esau is not a solitary instance of profanely despising the advantages of birth, condition, and opportunity. From Adam forward, through the whole Scripture, what do the various examples of disobedience and contempt of God therein given say to sinners of every class ? For one forbidden delight Adam forfeited both that and all other delights ; for the gratifi- cation of one impatient appetite Esau parted with his right as the first born, with all the high privileges both of a temporal and spiritual nature which were annexed to his birth, and of which 316 THE DANGER OF DELAYED REPENTANCE, he could not be deprived but by his own act. For a mess of pottage, however, for one morsel of meat he bartered thein away ; and the consideration of his case, and of the many others of a like kind recorded for our learning, speaks to every impeni- tent, careless, delaying sinner under the gospel in the words of Nathan to David — Thou art the man. Thou art the Adam, thou art the Esau, who, for a transient, perishing gratification of brute-like appetite, art selling thy birthright to an everlasting and incorruptible inheritance of glory ; thou art the man who, for the momentary enjoyments of sin, for the brutal pleasures of debauchery, for the unprofitable gains of fraud, extortion, and usury, and the fleeting distinctions of worldly honour, art bartering away the solid and enduring pleasures and honours which are at the right hand of God for evermore. But, my sin-deceived brothers and sisters, what are your gains worth, even when obtained 1 How long will they continue 1 Alas ! what is our life at most but as a flower of the grass, that speedily fadeth, or as a thin vapour, a morning mist, that pass- eth away and cometh not again 1 Where are noAv the many whom yourselves have seen and heard of, who chased these shadows of better things but forgot the substance, where are they with their contempt of the gospel, and dissolute pleasures, and unrighteous gains, and air-built, earthly honours ] Have these gone with them into the separate state 1 Do they now enjoy them 1 Alas ! for the bitter exchange, the unprofitable barter, but it cannot be recalled. Yes, my dear hearers, and unless speedy repentance deliver you from the snare soon, and how soon you know not, you will have to join them in saying, with anguish of soul, All those things are passed away as a shadow and as a post that hasted by, and as a ship that passeth over the waves of the water, which, when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found, or as when a bird has flown through the air, there is no token of her way to be found, even so we in like manner, as soon as we were born, began to draw to our end, and, having no sign of virtue to show, are con- sumed in our own wickedness. Lay to heart, then, I beseech you, my friends, the warning herein given, and bear in mind, that the comparison here made THE DANGER OP DELAYED REPENTANCE. 317 by the apostle between the behaviour of Esau and other profane persons, though it may not agree with the particulars of their sin, is, nevertheless, exact in the general notion of their folly, and is by him applied as a warning to Christians. II. Secondly, we are instructed from the text that repentance of some kind must of necessity be the consequence of sin. Esau sought a place of repentance, and he sought it carefully, with tears. All the pleasures of sin are vanity and disappointment. They are contrary to nature, contrary to reason, contrary to the will and appointment of God. Sooner or later, therefore, my hearers, the true nature of things will discover itself, and all false colours will be wiped off. Whenever this is the case, repentance succeeds, necessarily and of course. But much depends upon the time and the nature of the repentance to which we are brought, for there is a sorrow of the world, as well as a godly sorrow, which characterizes repentance. If in early life sinners are brought, by the grace of God working in them, through serious reflection, to discover the heinous and destructive nature of sin, and to resolve against it, then their repentance becomes effectual ; it is a godly sorrow for sin, which brings forth fruits meet for repentance in reformed and amended life. But if those awakenings and convictions of the Holy Spirit, which all under the gospel experience, are resisted and stifled, and the conscience becomes seared and hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; yet, finally, when their end draws near, when they would inherit the blessing but fear that they have forfeited their title to it, then the very worst of men must be brought to repentance. But this is a repentance which can avail them nothing, because it is not a virtue but a passion only, necessary and unavoidable, and a part of their punishment. It springs not from any godly sorrow and true contrition of heart for their sins, as against God, but from the passionate fear of the consequences of their sins to themselves, which they realize when it is too late, and dread to encounter. Yet such will be the fate, my brethren and hearers, of every careless, delaying Esau, who makes light of the promises and threatenings of the gospel, who turns a deaf ear to the warnings 318 THE DANGER OF DELAYED REPENTANCE. of God's word and the voice of his own conscience, who receives the grace of God in vain, and, by putting off till to- morrow the care of his soul, has to meet the righteous judg- ment of God in the awful condition described by the author of the book of Wisdom — when they cast up the account of their sins they shall come with fear, and their own iniquities shall con- vince them to their face ; and they, repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit, shall say within themselves. We have erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us. For the hope of the ungodly is like dust, that is blown away with the wind ; like a thin froth, that is driven away with the storm ; like as the smoke, which is dispersed here and there with a tempest, and passeth away as the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but a day. Very awful and very affecting indeed, my brethren, are the descriptions given us of the state of the ungodly and impenitent, when surprised by death and summoned to judgment ; but none more so, than that contained in the first chapter of the book of Proverbs — Because I have called, and ye refused ; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded ; hut ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity ; I will mock when your fear cometh, when your fear Cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind ; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not anstver ; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me ; for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsel ; they despised all my reproof Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled icith their own devices. Alas ! my dear hearers, there is a time when God will be no longer entreated ; when even the intercession of Jesus Christ, the friend of sinners, will no more be put forth for them ; but as they have obstinately preferred sin to God, so shall sin and an awakened conscience be their companions and tormentors for ever, in the misery and despair of everlasting burnings. Let every impenitent sinner, therefore, consider seriously the danger of his condition — For, in the III. Third and last place, we learn from the text that repent- THE DANGER OF DELAYED REPENTANCE. 319 ance may be put off and delayed, until it will be too late to be accepted. Ye know that afterward, lohen he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected ; for he found no place of repentance^ though he sought it carefullij, loith tears. What hope, then, for those who never shed a tear over their sins, as offences against God, in their lives ; who have never once considered the blessing offered them in the gospel, or put forth an effort to obtain it ; who give the prime of their days, their strength and manhood, to the world, the flesh, and the devil ; and at the most, intend to give only the dregs of life to their Creator and Saviour ] Oh ! the folly of a delayed, perhaps a death-bed, repentance. Oh ! the unspeakable danger of a sudden death — cut off with the morsel between his teeth, every sin ripe, and even bursting to judgment. As reason must condemn the folly of delay on such an unspeakable interest as eternity, so does Scripture warn us that we may delay too long. My fellow sinner, thy day of grace is limited — there is a point beyond which thou mayest knock at the door of mprcy in vain. The foolish virgins found it so — the city of Jerusalem found it so — Esau found it so. The foolish virgins were unprovided when notice was given that the bridegroom was near. They went in haste to buy oil for their lamps, but the bridegroom passed on — And they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. After- wards these same persons came and knocked at the door, but there was no admittance ; and thus our blessed Lord applies the warning — When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us ; he shall answer and say unto you, I knoiv you not, whence you are. The nation of the Jews also, and particularly the city o^ Jerusalem, had repeated warnings to repent and escape the judgments denounced against them, but they made light of them and derided the mercy that was in store for them, so that even their Messiah himself pronounced them shut up in judicial blindness and hardness of heart. And when he toas come near he beheld the city and wept over it, saying. If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong 320 THE DANGER OF DELAYED REPENTANCE. to thy peace ; hut noio they are hid from thine eyes, because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. And of Esau we read in the text, that he found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears. Esau, when he would have inherited the blessing, was rejected, notwithstanding his repent- ance and his tears, and this example is urged by the apostle upon Christians, as a warning or admonition that they amend their lives while there is yet time and means to perform their duty, lest afterwards, when they shall desire to inherit the blessing, (at the day of judgment certainly, upon their death-bed most probably,) their repentance and their tears both prove unavailing. And let no man make his escape from the counsel and the warning of this example, by resorting to the miserable perversion of all religion. That Esau being in the number of those who are reprobated by God's eternal decree, and being consequently a castaway from all hope of favour and acceptance on any terms, his case cannot be brought into general application. For St. Paul, I presume, knew better than the inventors of such doctrine how the case stood, and he certainly uses it for general edification ; besides, when it is said of Esau, as it is in the text, that he found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears, it does not signify that he could not repent, that the power of repentance was withheld from him by any act of God ; on the contrary, the text expressly says that he did repent, and earnestly too ; but the meaning plainly is, that his repentance being too late, and being only the passion of repent- ance, what St. Paul calls the sorrow of the world, and not a genuine amendment of the mind, a repentance coming upon him at the time when the blessing was to be distributed, and not when his duty might have been performed ; for that reason it could not be accepted. So likewise, in other places of Scrip- ture— God's giving men repentance, or granting them repentance unto life, does not signify his causing them to repent, but his accepting their repentance, through faith in Christ, or allowing it to become available for their pardon. Neither let any be deterred from setting about this essential work from the fear that it is now too late for him to find accept- THE DANGER OF DELATED REPENTANCE. 321 ance; but rather let all be most seriously moved to make no loiig'er delay, lest, indeed, the door be shut, and every effort to obtain admittance prove in vain. This is the true improvement of tliis example, and uf what has been said to explain and enforce it. This improvement you are all capable of makinjj; ^nd may a gracious God, who has provided for your warning this day, incline and enable you to apply it to the health and comfort of your souls. Amen. Vol. II.— 41 SERMON XXVIII. THE WARNINGS OF CONSCIENCE NOT TO BE NEGLECTED. Acts xxiv. 25. "And as he rcasor-.ed of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time ; when I have a more con- venient season I will call for thee." Whatever the state of our thoughts may be in regard to religion, or whatever the practice of our Hves as respects the great and universal standard of moral justice, there is in every man a sense of retribution and accountability to the Supreme and invisible Governor of the Universe, which meets the sinful propensities of our fallen nature with so pointed a reproof, as to render men inexcusable in the neglect of so faithful a monitor. Whether the power of this principle, which we call natural conscience, be in itself sufficient to guide tnen to that moral rectitude which is their first duty towards each other, may admit of much ditFerence of opinion. This much, however, we are wananted in saying, from the highest authority, that to the mass of njankind, in every age of the world, it is the standard by which the lighteous Judge of all the earth will regulate his dealings in the great day of eternity — For those ichn have not the laic are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts ; their conscience also hearing witness, and their thoughts the mean xohile accusing or else excusing one another. Upon this piinciple the apostle lays it down as the und )ubted doctrine of revelation, that as many as have sinned ivithout law shall also perish ivithout tht laiv, and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. However, therefore, we may be disposed to settle the question as to the power of natural conscience, and to consider it, as some do, as sufficient of itself, without the help of revelation, to bring men to that state of moral perfection which is required THE WARNINGS OF CONSCIENCE, &:c. 323 of them by their Maker, and is essential to their peace and happiness bo'h here and hereafter, yet in this wfi must a!l agree, that such is the depravity and prrverseness of human nature, that som<'thing more powerful than the mere conscience of right and wrong — something tnore quickening than the mere knowledge of a judgment to come, is essential to give to con- science and revelation united their proper effect. Of this our Own experience might satisfy us, my brethren. We are not only furnished, in common with the Heathen, with the work of the law written in our hearts, but with the full and clear discovery of God's pure and perfect law. We have not only, in common with the great body of mankind, a confused appre- hension of a future judgment, but the explicit knowledge of the rewards and punishments of eternity. We have not only the inward motions and checks of natural conscience and enlight- ened reason, but the convincing power of God's Holy Spirit speaking within us. And yet what multitudes like Felix, yea, even more hardened than that poor Heathen, for we read that he trembled under the convincing power of St. Paul's reason- ing— what thousands in this Christian land hear continually of death and judgment, of heaven and hell, without being moved at all, except, perhaps, to scoff at them either by speech or conduct, oftenti.nes by both ; while, of the few who occasionally manifest some symptoms of concern, the Roman governor is a faithful copy, in that procrastinating temper which risks doing despite to the Spirit of grace, by putting off till to-morrow the convictions of to-day. To show you the great and increasing danger of thus trifling •with youi' most serious concern, I shall follow the example of the apostle, and reason with you, in the First place, of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come. I shall Next endeavour to point out the guilt and folly of neglecting the warnings of your conscience, and the impressions made on your n\inds by the word of God, whether preached or read ; and, then. Conclude with an application of the whole. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment 324 THE WARNINGS OP CONSCIENCE to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time / when I havQM more convenient season I will call for thee. I. That what I may have to say on the first head may be the more impressive, I shall preface it b}"^ an explanation of the points which the apostle pressed upon Felix, to wit : righteous- ness, temperance, and a judgment to come. These are alike essen- tial, though in ditlferent degrees, to the Heathen, to the infidel, and to the believer. To the first, they are the law written in the heart ; to the second, they are the substitute for revealed religion ; and to the third, they are the practical effect of the grace cf God upon the renewed creature. By righteousness, as here used by the apostle, we are to understand justice, the rendering to all men their just claims upon us, and this not only in a pecuniary sense, but in that extent which is demanded by a common origin, a common nature, a mutual dependance on each other for whatever can contiibute to the advancement of general or particular happi- ness, and by a common end. By temperance, which would have been better expressed by the word continence, is meant the rule and mastery of our natural lusts, passions, and appetites, so that they are restrained from hurting either ourselves or others. By a judgment to come, is to be understood, that account which every one of us shall give to God for the use of a rational nature, for the light of revealed truth, and for the mercies of redemption by Jesus Christ. Come, then, my hearers, especially those who are as yet in opposition to the gospel, let us reason together of these things. In this short abstract of what the Lord our God requires of us, of what the gospel proposes, and is provided to work in us by the transforming power of grace, what is there to which any of you should be opposed 1 Are you, indeed, enemies to integrity and fair dealing among men, to peace and order in society, to quiet and repose in the world ] Are you desirous that the beastly passions of our nature should be set free from the restraints of law and conscience, and lewdness and inconti- nence be allowed to revel in unrestrained debauchery 1 Are you willing that those checks to the commission of secure and NOT TO BE NEGLECTED. 325 secret wickedness, which the apprehensions of futurity alone supply, should be removed from the consciences of wicked men ] No, you will say, God forbid that in any of these respects the salutary Influence of law and religion on the wel- fare of the world should be done away. Why, then, let me ask, has not that religion, whose object and aim it is to enforce and enlarge all the relative duties of life, to increase the sum of human happiness in time and to perpetuate it in eternity, your decided countenance and support? Can any one of you — can the collected ingenuity of all put together, render a reason of any kind (for I will not call for a satisfactory one) of your neglect of religion. But let me reason with you further. Are you not aware that all temporal blessings, that security of life and property, that the endearing relations of family and kindred, with all that sweet- ens the pilgrimage of this world to us poor, perishing creatures, depend for their whole value on the sanctions of religion. For, however wisely human laws may be contrived, however severely their penalties may be enforced, it is nevertheless to men's natural apprehensions of hereafter that they owe their chief power. The sanctity of an oath, on which the life, the property, the character, peace, and comfort of every man more or less depends, derives its whole importance from this, that verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth. And the penalty of death, the highest which human laws can inflict, derives its chief tenour from the apprehension in the criminal of what awaits him after death. Hence it follows, undeniably, that all neglect or contempt of religion is a public offence, inasmuch as it saps the foundations of social order, and tends directly to the downfall of all that is venerable and desirable in life ; and every individual is just so far concerned in the prevalence and advancement of religion among mankind, as he is interested for life and property, for public peace and private repose. Thus might I continue to reason with you, my friends, and unanswerably, too, even from temporal considerations. What, then, ought to be the effect, when we extend our reasonings to those which are eternal ; when we consider the awful perfec- tions of Almighty God, the astonishing discoveries made to us 326 THE WARNINGS OF CONSCIENCE by revelation, the wonderful method of our redemption by his only Son becoming a sacrifice for our sins, with all the means provided for the renewal and sanctification of sinful creatures — and that it is our unspeakable privilege to be called to the knowledge of this grace, and to the hope of eternal life through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth ? Where can the shadow of a reason be found for indifference to such a lively hope, much more for contempt and opposition to what reason, revelation, and conscience unite in pressing upon us as our first duty, our highest and best interest 1 Let me reason with you a little further, my friends. Would the profession and practice of religion make you less valuable members of society 1 — worse men, worse citizens, worse husbands and wives, worse parents and children, worse relations and friends ? You cannot think so. Would they interfere with your progress and advancement in the present life 1 In no shape, whatever, unless, indeed, that advancement depended on unrighteous gain, or was sought for the sake of intemperate enjoyment ; for religion requires us to deny ourselves of nothing but ungodliness and worldly lusts. Is it any hardship, is it, indeed, grievous to you to be true in your sayings, just in your dealings, merciful and compassionate to your fellow creatures, to do unto all men as ye would they should do unto you 1 Yet this is the law and the prophets. Is there any thing disgraceful or dishonourable in acknowledging your dependence upon your heavenly Father, in praising him for the abundance of his mercy and goodness, in worshipping his glorious majesty, in reverencing his bound- less power and might, and in setting your hearts to obey his righteous laws ? Yet to fear God and keep his commandments is the whole duty of man. Is there any thing discouraging in the hope of eternal life 1 Yet this is assured to the believer, and to the believer only, in the gospel of Christ. Oh, my hearers, what shall we say to these things 1 What is this world, and all its perishing vanities, to heaven and immortal glory 1 What will it profit you in the end if, for a portion of time, you give your souls in exchange ? Thus you see that the reason- ableness of religion is the great reproach of those who neglect k ; for whai doth the Lord thy God require of thee, O man, but to NOT TO BE NEGLECTED. 327 do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ? And thus might I continue to reason with you, my hearers, from the nature of right and wrong, from the conscience of your own minds, and from the agreement of both with God's revealed word. But as sufficient has been said to satisfy all who are not hardened against truth and reason, I shall pass on to the II. Next head of my discourse, in which I proposed to point out to you the guilt and folly of neglecting the warnings of your conscience and the impressions made on your minds by the word of God, whether preached or read. As it hath pleased God to remove the disability of our fallen condition so as to make us capable of religion, and this in a man- ner consistent with his own glorious perfections and our qualifi- cations as intelligent, moral creatures, it follows that we have a part to perform in working out our own salvation. To under- stand what that part is should, therefore, be our first duty, and to perforn) it when known our most earnest endeavour. For the one, we must go to revelation, to the word which God in these last days hath spoken unto us by his Son ; for the other, we must apply ourselves to the use of those means by which God works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Now, these means are, first, that clear discovery of his will concerning us, made in the Sciiptures of our faith ; next, the reason and conscience of our own minds ; and, lastly, the help and power of his Holy Spirit, by whose enlightening, sanctifying influences the two first become profitable to our eternal salvation ; and the constant unvarying agreement of these three is a powerful proof that they are alike divine in their origin. Hence it follows that the guilt of neglecting, opposing, and stifling the warnings of the monitor within us, and of the impressions made upon our minds by the word of God, is precisely the guilt of rejecting the counsel of God against our own souls, perversely setting ourselves in opposition to his known will, slighting his pro- mises, defying his threatenings, and daring his vengeance. And t.ie folly of acting thus iu a matter of such unspeakable import- ance as the loss or salvation of our immortal souls, is manfested by the following particulars : — First, all the helps and advantages we enjoy for the advance- 328 THE WARNINGS OF CONSCIENCE ment of religion in our souls, are none of them of our own procuring, but the free gift of God's mercy to undeserving crea- tures ; therefore, they are not at our command to come and go at our bidding. We are saved by grace. Secondly, we are threatened with the loss of them if slighted or abused — From kim that hath not shall be taken aioay even that which he hath. Thirdly, if deprived of them, all spiritual attainment is at an end — Without me, says our Lord, ye can do nothing. If to these we add, that it is the very nature of sin persisted in, to harden the heart, and render men callous to reproof and admo- nition ; that all habits are strengthened by indulgence ; that our repentance and reformation must be completed in the short and uncertain period of the present life, we cannot but see that care- lessness and neglect, thoughtlessness and delay in such a case, is not merely folly, but the frantic madness of despising our own mercies and provoking God to take them from us. And so great is our danger in this respect, that we are, above all other things, cautioned against grieving, quenching, and doing despite to the Spirit of grace. He that being often reproved hardenelh himself, shall suddenly be destroyed and that tvithout remedy. For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believe not the truth hut had pleasure in unrighteousness. And yet in defiance of danger, in despite of warnings, what multitudes set aside the invitations of the gospel, the reason of their own minds, the voice of con- science, and the afi'ectionate reproofs and admonitions of God's Holy Spirit. What numbers, like the poor Heathen mention- ed in the text, say to the united testimony of God and nature. Go thy loay for this time ; ichen I have a more convenient season I will call for thee. What an epitome of human nature is this Roman governor ! How exactly may every procrastinating, delaying sinner behold his own case in this particular trait of the character of Felix. How strikingly is the power of conscience set before us in the alarm which this cruel and rapacious, this unjust and incontinent Heathen experienced while St. Paul reasoned with him of the consequences which must follow from the righteous judgment of God ; and yet he had nothing but the NOT TO BE NEGLECTED. 329 light of nature and the witness of his own spirit to testify of the reasonableness, truth, and certainty of the apostle's argument. If, then, the amount of all that the religion of the gospel requires of us is thus found written in our hearts by the finger of God— if the natural apprehensions of what his infinite justice, purity, and holmess demand from reasonable creatures are thus sutfi- cient to alarm the guilty and show the sinner the folly of his ways, what power of language can express the madness of those Who, to this universal testimony, have the clearand express decla- ration of the wrath of God revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men-the explicit knowledge that God hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in right- eousness-the awful assurance that eternal happiness or everlast- ing misery will follow that judgment, according as we have done good or evil— with the blessed promise of the Holy Spirit to make effectual the natural powers and faculties wherewith God hath endowed them 1 Beloved, says the apostle, if our hearts condemn us-if the natural reason and conscience of our own minds bear witness against us, God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things-he sees the secret springs and motives of all our conduct ; he, therefore, sees deeper into our guilt, and must most surely condemn us. Thus, my hearers, are we left without excuse every way Even the plea of ignorance is taken from us ; and deep must be the damnation of those who continue to turn a deaf ear to the warnings of conscience and the counsel of God by his word and Spirit. The application of what we have said is both general and particular. As we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and shall receive according to the deeds done in the body the consequences of that day should be uppermost in our thoughts and foremost in our endeavours ; and as it hath pleased God to favour us with the rule which shall guide his righteous judg- ment, the award of that tribunal ought to be the test by which to try the worth of our wordly condition. Whatever our state in this life may be, whether high or low, rich or poor, bond or Iree, the duties belonging to it form the second great branch of Vol. II.— 42 330 THE WARNINGS OF CONSCIENCE the whole duty of man, and are all comprehended under the two heads of justice and tem[)erance. In the observance of the one, we render to all their dues ; by the other, we are restrained from whatever may prove hurtful either to ourselves or to others. And these points, we are informed by our Lord, in the gospel, will be the subject matter of his righteous judgment- Hence, we learn, my hearers, that the great practical pur- pose of Christ's religion is, the restraint of our sinful, huitfu! passions, and the improvement of our moral natures to the attainment of all goodness, righteousness, and truth. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God ami approved of men. By this rule, then, let us try ourselves and prove our religion ; learning, by the example of Felix, that there can be no sure and lasting peace to the unjust and incontinent — that, sooner or later, our sins will find us out — that, however securely or secretly committed, however we may be able to stifle the voice of conscience, yet a da}' is coining when they will be openly exposed before an assembled universe. If a poor Heathen was constiained to tremble at the prospect of Goo's righteous judg- ment on the injustice and lewdness of his hfe, what alarms should seize their consciences, who, under the light of the gospel, perhaps with the profession of it in their mouths, not only do such things, but have pleasure in them that do them. By the circumstances which belong to this ])assage of Scripture, we are instructed, that however profitable the practice of fraud and iniquity may be — however high the chase of ambition may exalt us — however gratifying the indulgence of our sensual })assions may be, yet a weight is suspended to such practices which acts with accumulating power in sinking such as follow the lu.sts of the flesh to the lowest grade of illfam3^ Reason and revelation alike condemn the unjust and sensual person ; and the admonition of God's Holy Spip.it is responded to by the verdict of conscience, in that state of tremour and alarm with which a sense of guilt, the fear of discovery even among their fellow creatures, with the more terrible apprehensions of a future judgment, haunt the fears of wicked men. From this preponderating weight there is no escape but by the surrender KOT TO BE NEGLECTED. 331 of every hope which can cheer the valley and shadow of death by prospects beyond the grave. The voice of conscience may, indeed, be silenced by custom in sin, but it is not, therefore, dead. Awake it will, most commonly, even in this life, as we see exemplified in the case before us ; but if not here, yet surely hereafter, when a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation shall consume the adversary, not only of God and his fellow creatures, but of his own soul. The particular application of the subject, is, to the most universal sin of which mankind are guilty. Some excel in one species of wickedness and some in another ; but in slighting and stifling the secret voice of conscience, in rejecting the admonition of God's holy word, in opposing the convictions of God's Holy Spirit, where is the person who is not. in some good degree, guilty before God, and at this moment conscious of having repeatedly said, if not in words, yet in conduct. Go thy way for this time ; when I have a more convenient season I will call for thee. My fellow sinner, who art thus treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, let the example of j)oor Felix, and what little I have been enabled to say upon it, be a warning to thee ft)r the time to come. I know thy mind is now busy, and a contest is going on within thee, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh — the pride of thy unhumbled heart against the guilt and folly of persisting in rebellion against God and nature, against the reason of thy own mind, the convictions of thy conscience, and the religion of the gospel. Oh ! let me now throw my mite into the scale of thy salvation, and, in the impressive words of my Redeemer, ask thee, What will it prof t thee to gain the whole ivorld and lose thy own soul ? What will ihe gains of injustice, the enjoyments of sinful pleasure, the praise of men, or the applause of scoffers and mockers at religion do for thee in that day when God shall judge the secrets of men according to the gospel of Christ 1 O let not the secret workings of thy heart this day, then, rise in judgment against thee, and another putting otf to a more convenient season the many calls and invitations of God's Holy Spikit 332 THE WARNINGS OF CONSCIENCE, &C. shut thee up, perhaps, in judicial blindness and hardness of heart. Make not a preached gospel the savour of death to thy soul by rejecting the truth which is according to godliness, but surrender thyself to that word which now whispers, This is the way, walk ye in ii. My Christian brethren, let us, too, take warning by the admonition given us in the case of Felix. Let us make con- science of what we profess. Remember, that unto whom much is given, of the same shall much be required. That not every one that saith to Christ, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. That to all workers of iniquity, to all unchaste and unclean persons, no matter how loud and zealous they may be in a profession of religion, he will say, / know you not, depart from me, ye cursed. Remember that the agreement of practice with profession constitutes the beauty of holiness ; that we are bound to exercise ourselves continually to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men. Therefore, my brethren, If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them. An approving conscience is the witness of God within us. Watch, therefore, for that testimony ; and when, in the many trials of the present life, temptation may get the better of you, listen to the reproof conscience shall then bring with a ready mind, follow the direction it shall give, and let instant repentance and reparation be the convenient season to call for that help which God is ever ready to give to those who tremble at his word. Thus shall the kingdom of God be set up in your hearts, and righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, give you a foretaste of that blessedness which awaits the faithful at the riarht hand of God. SERMON XXX. A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. John iii. 18, middle clause. " But he that believeth not is condemned already." The great purpose of revelation is, to discover to us mortals, those things which our senses can by no means compass, or of which we at best can have but a feeble and obscure percep- tion. Though the visible things of God, the wonders of the material world, hourly declare his eternal power and godhead, and present him to us in all the splendour of his incommunica- ble attributes ; though the daily and hourly mercies of his providence might teach us that lesson of love, gratitude, and thankfulness, which protection, support, and supply should bring home to our hearts ; yet our own experience, to say nothing of the great record of human depravity, might instruct us that more is needed than the outward natural knowledge of God, to contribute to our present or future comfort. The things that may he known of God, from the contemplation of his works, though grand and impressive, are, nevertheless, oppressive and overcoming to our feeble and depraved faculties. So infinite is the distance between the glorious Creator, and the poor, finite, perishing creature, that it appears presumptuous in the extreme to venture upon such lofty meditations. Yet from the very constitution of our nature we are drawn to such contemplations whenever our nobler faculties are disengaged from the immediate contact of sensible things, the spirit within us seeks her kindred skies, and the active mind labours to draw aside the veil which shrouds the Eternal from our view. But, alas ! my friends, all is darkness and conjecture to our limited powers ; and what is worse, all is overwhelming and comfort- less to our labouring, anxious minds : clouds and darkness are round about him, so that man cannot search out the Almighty 334 A WARNTNG TO UNBELIEVERS. to perfection. What he can attain to independent of revela- tion fills him with wonder, amazement, and fear ; so that he is ready now, as on the first transgression, to hide himself from God — to make his escape fiom Him, in whom he lives, and moves, and has his being, by whose power he is protected and preserved, by whose mercy he is spared, by whose bounty his wants are supplied, and by whose compassionate love all his disability, ignorance, poverty, weakness, and sinfulness is pro- vided for and removed. Could this be so, my hearers, was every thing between God and our souls at peace and in harmony 1 Could the contem- plation of the only wise, infinitely good, and most merciful God fill our hearts with fear and dismay, were we not conscious of such a sej)aralion between him and us as can be removed by no human power 1 Could our natural notions of that great and good Being who governs the universe be painful and oppressive, were it not that we feel that we are, every way, in every imagination and thought of our hearts, and in the whole practice of our lives, opposed to his righteous government, and unworthy of his regard.? Impossible, my brethren ; there must be a cause for every effect, and the same argument which is conclusive for the being of God, is equally strong in its applica- tion to the existence of sin, as the fatal cause of that enmity and opposition to him, which is ma-nifested in the natural man. If, with the volume of nature spread out before us, we can per- ceive nothing of God but what binds us up in sullen subjection to his infinite power — if his eternal godhead, abstract from what is I'cvealed, furnishes no channel of help, no conifoct of hope, no offer of mercy to such creatures as we are, what do we not owe, my fiiends, to that revelation v/hich so richly sup[)lies our severest v^ant, and so freely provides for our highest comfort, in the knowledge of God reconciling the world to himself by Jesus Christ, and in the discoveries made to us of our original, present, and future condition ] Here, and here only, can our anxious fears and restless conjectures find repose. And, how- ever impiety may rave, or infidelity muster up her shattered arguments and powerless objections — however the cares of this life, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. 335 may and, alas ! do defeat the gracious purpose of God in the revehuion of his Son, yet in the closing scene of this life's pilgrimage, when the hopes and fears of time give place to those of eternity, the united testimony of saint and sinner bears witness to that recorded truth by which the everlasting condition of each shall be determined ; then it is, when trembling on the verge of a new being, that those who, in the day of health and strength, in the pursuit of profit and pleasure, care for none of these things, and harden their hearts against the truth, show that there is a witness for revelation which no sophistry can defeat. To that revelation, then, let me now direct your most earnest attention, as the only source from whence you can derive any useful knowledge of yourselves, any comfortable knowledge of God, or any hope that is worth depending upon ; and, in going along with me in the consideration of the momentous discovery made in the words of my text, prepare yourselves to settle the most awful inquiry which can occupy the thoughts of account- able beings, to wit : whether you are believers in the Scripture sense of the word, or whether you are yet in the gall of bitter- ness and in the bonds of iniquity. For he that believeth not is condemned already. To assist what I can in this very important inquiry, in the FiKST place, I shall show you the ground on which our Lord asserts the fact declared in the words of the text — that every unbeliever is condemned already. Secondlv, I shall point out to you the method which God hath been pleased to provide and appoint for the removal of this condemnation. In the Third place, I shall show you what is meant by believing in Christ; and, then. Conclude with an application of the subject to the different descriptions of those who are now in the presence of God for life or for death. I. First, the ground on which our Lord asserts the fact, declared in the word < of the text, that every unbeliever is con- demned already, that is, is under a sentence of eternal death. Before I come directly to the point I wish to premise that the 336 A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. words of my text are a part of that remarkable discourse which our blessed Lord held with Nicodemus. The inquiry of the Jewish Rabbi was prompted by an anxious concern for the wel- fare of his soul. Though a member of the Jewish Sanhedrim, and from what we learn of him in holy writ, a worthy member of the Old Testament Church, yet the fame of our Saviour's miracles and the nature of his doctrine led him to such a con- sideration of all that Moses and the prophets had spoken, that he saw there was yet in reserve a fulfilment of the mercy pro- mised to the fathers, which embraced still clearer discoveries of that great purpose of God, which was obscurely shadowed out in the sacrifices and expiations of the ceremonial law. The fulness of time, too, was come in which He who was the desire of all nations should be manifested to Israel. From all these circumstances he was moved, I doubt not, by the Spirit op God, to desire that interview with Jesus of Nazareth which St. John has recorded, from which he received the great outline of the gospel, and from which we derive, in express words, those fundamental doctrines which, however they may be contained in and inferred from other passages of the Scriptures, yet had this part of the gospel never come down to us, would have been, more than they now are, the objects of dispute and contention in the Christian world. Hardly, my hearers, do we believe what God hath spoken to us by his Son of the truth of which we have an internal witness — eagerly do we catch at any supposed ambiguity in the great rule of our religious duties, and most Avillingly would we pare down the law of righteousness to our sinful standard. What, then, would have been our darkness had these first principles been wrapt up in that mystery which would have opened to the most persevering and anxious research, and to that alone, the foundation of our hope, the rule of our conduct, Mark here, my brethren, the wisdom and prudence of Him, who, seeing from the beginning to the end, and knowing what is in man, hath so directed the revelation of his will that he that runs may read, that he that hears may understand, that he that understands may apply — so that he that thus hath may have more abundance, while he that thus hath not shall be deprived of that which he seemeth to have, that every mouth may be stopped before God, A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. 337 and ourlinal condemnation proceed from our own lips. O the dcplh of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, Iiow tmsearchahle are his judgments, and his ioays past finding out. These reflections, my hearers, are drawn from me, not only from the circumstances attending the words which make the subject matter of my discourse, but because they strike at the root of that carelessness and neglect of the Scriptures which is the true cause of the unbelief and impiety which abounds among us, at that presumptuous enlargement and contraction of God's true and faithful word, which shall make it fit our depraved standard, and give countenance to a hope which is like the spider's web or the chaff which the wind scattereth abroad upon the face of the earth. But, my brethren and hearers, this vain and delusive, unfound- ed and inconsiderate hope, in the sweeping exercise of which so many take shelter while they are perfect strangers to the only foundation, is rooted out by the words of my text, which contain a doctrine of all others the most abhorent to the nomi- nal superficial believer in the Christian religion. They affirm, in terms which admit of no subterfuge or qualification, the fallen, ruined condition of the human lace— the total separation from God, and absolute condemnation to death, temporal and eter- nal, which original sin drew down upon Adam and all his poste- rity, and as a clear consequence, the utter incapacity of man to retrieve himself from this body of death— the corruption of all his faculties — the destruction of all his vain and self-righteous hopes. This is the fact which our Lord affirms so strongly in the words of my text ; and the ground or reason on which the assertion is made, is this : — When it pleased God to call into existence a race of beings, made only a little lower than the angels, and endued with all the faculties correspondent to their place in the scale of crea- tion, he placed them under the direction of a law, pure, holy, and perfect, a transcript of the divine perfections. In obedience to this law for a season — (according to the universal impres- sions of all divines, though no where in the word of God so far as I know it, is the limits defined ; nevertheless, from the circum- stances it is fairly inferred)— in obedience to this law for a season Vol. II.— 43 338 A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS, I say, a deathless life and immortal glory were attainable, while the awful alternative of endless death and eternal misery were fairly threatened as the consequence of disobedience. This do, and thou shall live — this transgress, and thou shall die, was the fair and declared condition upon which man, thoroughly furnish- ed for his trial, stood for immortality. But he transgressed and fell, he disobeyed and incurred the curse — In the day thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die. Die he did, my brethren, to all spiritual and heavenly purposes ; the image of God in his soul was extinguished, the empire of death over his body was estab- lished, and an impassable barrier between heaven and earth was built up by human sin, which no human righteousness could take away. But he fell not alone — the curse of the law was not exhausted on the transgressor, nor the appetite of death satisfied with one sacrifice — with him his posterity were subjected to all the penalties consequent on his sin. For as by one man sin entered into the ivorld, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men, in that all have sinned. But let no man say there is unrighteousness with God, in thus visiting the sins of the father upon the children. For, as we who are his posterity would have shared all the advantages of his triumph had he stood, the justice of God stands clear of all imputation in our suffering under the consequences of his disgrace, even though we have not sinned after the similitude of Jidani's transgression. Such, my hearers, is the ground or reason of that universal condemnation asserted in the text. For disobedience to this pure and holy law, in the progenitor and representative of the human race, the sentence of the law hath gone forth against all mankind ; and they are unalterably bound by the infinite truth, purity, holiness, and justice of Almighty God, to the perform- ance or the penalty. This is the true state of every soul born into this present evil world. The rigorous demands of the law must be complied with, the offended justice of God must be satisfied, while our fallen condition has rendered either impos- sible. Shut up and concluded under sin, independent of our own personal transgressions against God, well may we join the apostle Paul, in his deep experience of the boundless extent of our depravity and ruin, and exclaim with him, O wretched A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. 339 creatures that we are ! who shall deliver us from the body of this death ? Delivered we must be, my hearers, or perish eternally ; and thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ, this deliverance is freely offered in the gospel to every child of Adam. II. Of the method of this deliverance I am now, in the second place, to speak. It is a remark I have somewhere met with, that man's ex- tremity is God's opportunity. And while this is verified in the constant experience of his providence, it is most powerfully brought home to the heart in the contemplation of the riches of his grace, in the redemption of the world by his only be- gotten Son. Sunk in all the misery and helplessness of sin ; justly cast off from the favour of God ; pursued by the curse of the broken law ; exposed to the vengeance which infinite justice demanded, whither could the fallen sinner flee 1 Heaven was barred against him ; the earth was cursed for his sake ; hell was moved from beneath to receive him ; no mercy could be found in the law itself; future obedience, had it been possible, could avail nothing to cancel the debt already contracted— T/iws, by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation. In this ex- tremity, God, who is rich in mercy, had compassion on the work of his hands, and, by his only begotten Son, provided for our recovery. To remove the condemnation under which we laboured, consistent with the dignity and hohness of Jehovah, no other mode remained, than by rendering to offend- ed justice the satisfaction required by the broken law, and to the law itself, the obedience demanded by the purity and holi- ness of its precepts. This was the price to be paid for our ransom — the purchase of that mercy, which, by the gospel, is freely offered to us. As we fell in a representative, so in a representative are we saved. The Lord Jesus, by the will of God, became the representative of fallen man, undertook in our stead to fulfil the demands of the law, and atone for our sins. Hence the deep mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, that, in the very truth of that nature in which it was brolcen, the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled. That he who as God, could not suffer, might, in the pain and agony 340 A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. of the cross, taste death for every man, and expiate the guilt of human sin. By this great and gracious undertaking of our blessed Lord, the relation in which man stood to his Creator was changed. By the personal obedience of Jesus as our representative, the law was fulfilled and honoured. By the personal sufferings of the Son of God, in our stead, full satis- faction was made to the Divine justice, and a door of mercy opened, so that God could be just, and the justifier of him that believed in Jesus. The demands of the law being fully satis- fied by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men to justification of life. This great glorious, and gracious undertaking, my brethren, is the foundation of the gospel ; and the gospel itself is a communication from heaven, declaring the glad tidings to sinful mortals, for the obedience of faith ; that is, that they might believe, obey, and be saved. In this message of grace, God reveals himself, by his Son, reconciled to his crea- tures ; and, in the freeness and fulness of his mercy, discharges them from the law or covenant of works, and proposes a new and more gracious covenant, according to which, the reward of eternal life is promised to the renewed obedience of penitent sinners, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Him hath God exalted a prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel, and remission of sins. To him is committed the management and direction of that Church which he bought with his own blood ; in him is laid up for us sinners fulness of grace to sanc- tify and save ; and to him is transferred and made over the right to judge his people, to acquit and condemn them, according to the merciful and gracious terms of the gospel. So that every way, there is none other name under heaven given among men, ivhereby we must be saved, save only the name of Jesus Christ of JVazareth. Thus we see, my brethren, the wonderful method which the wisdom of God hath provided and appointed for our deliverance from the curse of the law, to remove the condemnation which sin had brought upon the world, and make room for the exer- cise of mercy ; and this in a way consistent with all his perfec- tions— so that mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. And thus we see the ground A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. 341 of the grand doctrine of our religion, salvation by grace through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast. We were gone for ever, my hearers, every way lost and undone, con- demned by the righteous judgment of God, and delivered over to the awful consequences of sin and rebellion. To relieve or deliver from this condition, there was no help in man — no atonement in his power to make. Therefore, if saved at all, it must be by an act of grace or favour on the part of God ; and the method, together with the means, must be alto- gether of his appointment. But of what use to us if not made known ? How shall ice call on Him in xohom we have not believed^ and how shall we believe on Him of whom we have not heard, and how shall loe hear without a preacher, without a revelation from God 1 Ponder these things, ye who carelessly neglect the word of God and the means of grace. Commune with your own hearts, and see what you can do, or what you can hope for without this help from heaven ; and be no longer faithless but believing — no longer reject the counsel of God against your own souls, but submit yourselves to the righteousness of God, which, by the gospel, is now manifested without the law, even that righteousness which is by faith of Jesus Christ. For he that believeth not is condemned already. I come now, in the III. Third place, to show you what is meant by believing in Christ. And, first, it is to believe all that God has revealed to us in the Scriptures ; a hearty, humble assent to the truth of our own condition as therein made known to us. This it is which must prepare the way for our recovery from the power of sin and Satan, and turn our views to God ; for nothing but a knowledge of our disease can bring us to seek a remedy against it. All that we can perceive with our outward senses speaks to us of a Power supreme and invisible, by whom all things are created and upheld, and in lohom we live, and move, and have our being. Our relation to that Being, and the purpose we are to answer in the infinite scale of his works, must ever be a subject of anxious thought and inquiry to a reasonable creature. But whence shall we derive this knowledge unless from the source 342 A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. of all wisdom, and goodness, and truth. Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold ivhere they find it. Natural things, those which are outward and the objects of our senses, we are capable, in some good degree, of comprehending, but all beyond is darkness, doubt, and conjecture. Where, then, shall wisdom he found, and where is the place of understanding 1 JVIan knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of the living. Whence, then, but by revelation can we compass ill For God alone under standeth the ivay thereof, and koiveththe place thereof. To him, then, alone must we look, and from him alone can we receive what is so needful to our present comfort, so encouraging to our future hopes. For all that our internal senses, the active power of our souls in the exercise of our rational faculties can bring us to, is, the deplorable darkness and ignorance under which we labour respecting spiritual things, so that the word which God hath revealed to us by his Son is no less the subject matter of faith than the object of divine desire to every considerate, well disposed mind. Hence, we see, my hearers, that neglect or rejection of revelation is a bar to all progress or advancement in the way of salvation, inasmuch as it is equally a contempt of our own wants and of God's mercy — of the reason of our own minds and of the truth as it is in Jesus. And hence it is, that so many are delivered over to strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, in some inven- tion of man or deceit of the devil to the ruin of their souls — Who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. O that those who are brave enough thus to risk their immortal souls in neglecting this great salvation would but consider their folly in thinking themselves wiser than God, and better able to understand his will and purpose in the salvation of sinners than that Word which was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and hath plainly showed unto us the way of salvation. Secondly, it is so to believe the testimony God hath given of his Son in the Scriptures of truth, as to rely on him for life and salvation. This includes in it, my brethren, a reception of Jesus as the light and Ufe of men — as the word and wisdom of God, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth — the great atonement for our lives in the sacrifice of the cross — A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. 343 the assurance of our hope in the triumph of his resurrection — the dependance of his people for every supply of spiritual grace — the only Mediator between God and man — the great Inter- cessor through whom the infirmity of our prayers and the unworthiness of our best services find acceptance with God — the Revealer of his will to us creatures — Lord of all things — Judge of all men — God manifest in the flesh to destroy the works of the devil. With these commanding claims on our attention, the gospel invites us to come to him — to receive him as THE Lord our Righteousness, and to commit our souls, bodies, and spirits to his love, faithfulness, and power, for eternal life. It includes, also, a renunciation of all merit or deserving on our part, from any righteousness of our own ; all proud, lofty endeavour of ourselves to please God, and by our works to pur- chase salvation. This is the hard saying which few are able to hear — this is the great stumbling block to the pride of our fallen nature, but it is the very entrance to salvation by grace through faith. For if righteousness come by the law — if we as fallen crea- tures can answer the demands of the law, then is Christ dead in vain. By thus going about to establish our own righteousness, we rebel against that righteousness of God's appointment which is by faith of Jesus Christ. For he is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth and speaketh on this loise. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe hi thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Lastly, it is heartily and steadily to obey the commands of Christ delivered to us in the gospel. This is the crown of the whole, the only evidence we can have that we possess the faith of God's elect, the saving faith of the gospel, which unites us to our living Head as branches to the vine, and derives from him that living power which over- comes the world ; that spiritual help by which holiness is begun, maintained, and perfected in the present life, making us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. Any other notion of faith, my hearers, is false and unscriptural — any other definition of it than as a principle of love and obedience, is sure to cast those who entertain it into all the danger and difficulty of anti- 344 A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. nomian delusion or Pharisaical presumption. Bare abstract believing can save no man. It is dead, says St. James, being alone; which is fully confirmed by John the Baptist's declaration — He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the xorath of God abideth on him ; that is, he is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God, so as to keep his commandments. It remains to apply what has been said. It appears, then, my hearers, that we stand in the situation of condemned criminals reprieved by the mercy of the judge ; that the present life is to determine whether the original sen- tence shall be executed upon us or not. This in itself is more than sufficient to stir up every exertion we are capable of, to escape the condemnation we labour under. But when, in addi- tion to this, we consider that the compassion of God and love of Christ hath provided, not only for our escape from a most just sentence, but for our attainment of the original glory and blessed- ness from which sin had shut us out, what limit should there be to the grateful love with which we should hear and receive the glad tidings of mercy revealed in the gospel, to that willing obedience we should render to what is required of us. Let me ask you, then — and O that God would help ypu to the true answer — are you believers or not in the name of the only begotten Son of God 1 On the answer you can make to this important question depends all that can be dear to you in time and in eternity. Therefore, let me exhort you, by the worth of your immortal souls, not to trifle with this solemn inquiry. Many, it is to be feared, have built up for themselves some unhallowed hope in which they speak peace to themselves while there is no peace. Careless of God's revealed word, ignorant of the true condition of human nature, and of the terms of salvation through faith in a crucified Saviour, they run, blinded by their own folly and presumption, headlong to destruction. To such let the solemn warning of my text be a word in season this day. Against the condemnation therein proclaimed there is but one refuge, in a hearty submission to God's appointed method of deliverance by faith in that Jesus who died, the just for the unjust^ that he A WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS. 345 itiight bring us to God. Let those who consent in general to the truth of revelation, but go no deeper into it than to skim from the surface a vogue and indeterminate trust in God's mercy, Jearn from hence, that that mercy has a rule, and that no other- wise can it be apphed to their souls than by a real, livipg, and effectual reception of the truth, to the renewal and sanctifica- tion of the life. To those who trust in the morality of their lives — who flatter themselves that they do no harm — that they are, upon the whole, better than others, and proudly trust in their own righteousness, renouncing it only in words— let the words of my text give a juster view of themselves, and show them that in the Lord Jesus only have we righteousness and strength. That until we are interested in him by the faith of the operation of God, we are condemned and helpless aliens from God and without a hope of his mercy. And let the whole tribe of careless, thoughtless, pray- erless, world-hunting, pleasure-loving creatures see here their true condition. Condemned already, and wasting the precious moments of their repiieve in treasuring up wrath against the day of xcrath. O that God would now be pleased to touch your hearts, to show you your danger, and to sanctify his true and faithful word to awaken you from the sleep of death, before everlasting ruin sieze upon your souls. Amen. Vol. IL— 4 4 SERMON XXXI. TBE DANGER OF FORFEITING THE HEAVENLY REST» Hebrews iv. ]. " Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." Whatsoever things were written aforetime^ were written for our learning, says the apostle ; the volume of inspiration, therefore, contains all that is wanted by us for instruction in righteousness. And in this collection of the experience of the people of God in past ages, we see as in a glass, my brethren, the contest of our fallen nature with divine grace, and are admonished, both by the failure and success of those who have gone before us, to take heed to ourselves, and to increase our diligence, in making our calling and election sure. But more particularly, in the dealings of God with the children of Israel, his chosen people, is the Christian Church admonished to take heed, lest there be in any of its members on evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, either by perverting the doctrines, or by de| art- ing from the j)recepts of the gospel. For, says the same apostle, all these things happened unto them for ensamples ; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Very frequent, therefore, are the allusions made in the New: Testament to the fate and fortunes of the Jewish people ; and in this epistle, addressed expressly to persons of that nation, who had embraced Christianity, does their countryman, St. Paul, a Hebrew of the Hebrews and an Jiposlle of Jesus Christ, point out the close connexion of the two dispensations, and establish the superior dignity and importance of the gospel, both in its helps and in its promises. In the chapter immedi- ately preceding that from which my text is taken, having drawn a comparison between the promises made through Moses to the THE DANGER OF FORFEITING THE HEAVENLY REST. 347 Israelites, as the peculiar people of God, of a temporal inherit- ance, and of a pi^aceful and honourable rest In the land of Canaan, on condition of their obedience to the divine com- mands; and the assurances which Christ gives in the gospel, to his faithful followers, of an eternal inheritance and glorious rest in the heavenly Canaan; — and having shown that the Israelites, by their unbelief and rebellion against God, had forfeited the promised rent, and were condenmed to wander as outcasts, and and to die in the wilderness ; he draws from this very noted circumstance in the history of that people, not only here, but in many other passages of his writings, a warning to Christians, lest they also, after the same example of imbelief should forfeit the heavenly rest and inheritance promised to them as the children of God, by faJth in Christ Jesus. Hence the great importance of the exhortation in my text. Let us Christians, also fear, lest we forfeit the hi^h |)rivileges and unspeakable blessings promised through our Lord Jesus Christ, by a like disobedience and rebellion against the Captain of our salvation. God has indeed callfd us, my brethren and hearers, to a gloiious hope of everlasting lite and happiness, through our blessefl Redeemer. He has given us all reasonable certainty and assurance, that we shall in due time be made partakers of it ; but there are conditions required on our part, both to qualify us for and to entitle us to this happiness. And if, as did the Israelites, we foil to fulfil them, we shall, like them, find our expectations cut otf, and a far sorer punishment incurred, in proportion as the high discoveries of the gospel exceed the shadows of the legal dispensation. That we may come short of it, as they did, is not only possible, but greatly to be feared, for two reasons. One is, that we are men of like passions with those who have gone before us — of the same fallen nature, and exposed to the same temptations. The other is, that failure, as well as success, is inseparable from a state of trial, sucii as the present life. That we may succeed, is not only possible, but the highest assurance is given, that succes'j is attainable if we strive for it. First, from the invitations of the gospel. For God cannot nijck and delude his creaiures with oifers of an impossible S48 THE DANGER OF FORFEITING attainment. And secondly, from the effectual provision made therefor, by the operation and assistance of divine grace. That God has left us a promise of entering into his rest, and graciously provided the means whereby it may be attained, is the only ground on which exertion and endeavour can be put forth by rational beings, under a state of probation. Break in upon this piinciple by any modification of the doctrines of the gospel, and you at once render religion, or the love and service of God with accountability, impossible to man, as a moral being. Whatever our blessed Saviour did or suffered whilst he was upon earth, or has commanded us to do or to suffer after his example ; all the precepts, all the promises, all the threat- enings, all the discoveries of the gospel ; are but one continued argument to convince men of this truth, and to engage them to act upon it. If there be no such thing as another life after this, in which we shall receive the everlasting reward of faith and obedience, or suffer the eternal punishment of sin and unbelief, then the whole business of religion is an illusion. Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. But if there be another life, then does religion stand forth as the one thing needful, and calls upon all to whom the knowledge of this great salvation is vouchsafed, to ask themselves, What shall the end he of those who knoio not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of ii. In discoursing on these words, I shall, in the First place, endeavour to show you the greatness and the certainty of the reward promised hereafter to the righteous. Secondly, what good reason the apostle had to exhort Christians to fear lest they should forfeit it. Thirdly, I shall conclude with an application of the subject. I. First, I am to show the greatness and the certainty of the reward promised hereafter to the righteous. This, though a subject never to be fully apprehended by us until we come to the enjoyment of it, is, nevertheless, very necessary and profitable to be frequently in our thoughts, my brethren, in order to animate and encourage us to hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. The person THE HEAVENLY REST. 349 who seldom meditates upon heaven, and upon the reward laid up for the righteous, will soon cease to strive for the crown of glory, and soon be taken captive by the world and its delights. The affections cannot long remain unoccupied, and if no pains are taken to direct them to better things, they will fix themselves according to the corrupt and perverted bias which sin has pro- duced in all our inclinations. It is not, indeed, for me to speak as with knowledge of those excellent and glorious things which are, as yet, the objects not of sense but of faith. Even St. Paul himself, though caught up into paradise, and admitted to the nearest contemplation of them — to what no mortal man but him- self ever enjoyed— yet all that inspiration enabled him to say on this unutterable subject was, to declare, that eye had not seen, nor ear heard, neither had it entered into the heart of man to con- eeive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But notwithstanding this is so, yet — as in speaking of God him- self, though we cannot fully compn-hend the divine nature, yet by putting together the highest ideas we can form of his infinite perfections as revealed to us in the Scriptures, we can raise in our souls some suitable though faint apprehensions of the glory and excellency of the divine character — so here also, it has pleased our good and gracious God to give us such general descriptions of the everlasting rest as may suffice to warm our hearts with longing desires for it, and to quicken our endeavours to diligence and perseverance in the attainment of it. And this he has done, as most suitable to our clouded and limited faculties, chiefly by the contrast of our present condition. Here we live in a vale of misery surrounded by sin and sorrow, and only measuring the good by its exemption from evil. From the cradle to the grave, life is one unceasing effort to fence off the miseries which our own sinful propensities bring upon us, or which are occasioned by the wickedness of others, while disease and suffering in ourselves or in those nearest to our affections break in upon our partial enjoyments, and death, either near at hand or in the distance, marks the sum of earthly good with such a transitory character as thoughtlessness alone can esteem. But in heaven, as the word of God teaches us, there will be a perfect deliverance from all trouble. No pains S50 THE DANGER OF FORFEITING or diseases, no weakness or infirmity, shall affect our incor- ruptible bodies ; no lusts or passions, no iriegular or inordinate desires, shall discompose our souls. For sin, the cause of all our present misery, shall be shut out for ever from the abodes of the righteous, and with it whatever can possibly defeat, or even interrupt, the pure and unmixed felicity which flows from the presence of God. Here we live, my brethren, in a continual warfare with our spiritual enemies. Temptations surround and assault us on every side ; the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, so that it is a continual stiuggle between our desires and our duty. But heaven is a place as innocent as it is glorious. There no temptation will draw us from our duty or render it painful in the performance, but it will be the eager bent and desire of our souls to perform the pure and perfect will of God. There it will be not only our employment but our delight, unceasingly to adore and worship the infinite perfections of our God and Saviour, continually manifested to our ravished view — to praise and magnify his holy name for the redemption of our souls from everlasting death, and for conferring upon us such a state of happiness and glory. Here we live in the continual expectation, that death will soon, and we know not how soon, put an end to the enjoy- ments this world can bestow. But in heaven no such appre- hension shall be known. In the heavenly rest there shall be no more death, no change or decay, no end or abatement of bliss for ever and ever. Oh! what heartfelt thanksgivings to God and the Lamb — what loud hosannas of praise, will spring from the lips of the redeem- ed when faith shall be lost in sight, and hope swallowed up in enjoyment ; when eye to eye, and face to face, my brethren, we behold that Jesus who laid down his life for our souls, and bought with his own most precious blood this rich inheritance of endless glory for us, lost and ruined sinners ! Oh ! what joy and gladness when long separated friends meet to part no more — when the remembrance of past sorrows will increase the sense of present bliss, and inflame every heart and inspire every tongue to ascribe to Him that sitteth on the throne, and to the THE HEAVENLT REST. 851 Lamb, blessing, and glory, and honour, and power for ever ! Oh ! what a glorious ineeling, my dear brethren, when we come to the heavenly Jerusalem, and lo an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant — when from the church militant we become mem- bers of the church triumphant, and receiving the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls, find all that we now see as through a glass darkly realized, and exceeding the utmost stretch of imagination. Who is not athirst for such pure, and glorious, and lasting enjoyments 1 Who is not willing to ex- change the fleeting, unsatisfying vanities of the world for the rest that reinaiiieth to the people of God 1 O ye deluded, sin- deceived souls, who, for a portion in this life, barter away your birthright ; who, for the perishing riches, honours, and [jleasures of fl:e world make light of the uns-earchahle riches of Chrjst; awake, and consider your ways — ask yourselves about eternity, about death and judgment, about heaven and hell — inquire what your present pursuits are doing for your souls, and where you would take your rest were God this night to require them of you — think of the worm that never dies, of the fire that never shall never be quenched. Contrast these with the fulness of joy which the presence of God sheds over the mansions of rest and blessedness, and ask your souls what will it profit to gala this world and all it has to bestow, if in exchange heaven must be surrendered 1 And let those who, by their Christian profession, say plainly that they seek a better country, treasure up in their hearts the greatness and the certainty of their reward, as the great pre- servative against coming short of it. Set your affections on things above, my brethren, and let the frequent contemplation strengthen you to put down those worldly lusts which war against the soul, and animate you to watch and pray, to wrestle and strive, to do, and even lo suffer, according to the will of God that you may reap a full reward. Let not the baubles of the world despoil you of your heavenly crown. But a little while, and He that shall come, will come to gather 852 THE DANGER OF FORFEITING you to himself. But a little while, and the strife and turmoil of this sinful world will be over, and rest and peace, repose and safety, endless, undisturbed, and increasing, be your rich reward. This is the rest, however faintly 1 have described it, of which my text speaks, which is provided for the people of God, and of which we shall be made partakers if we live here answerably to such glorious expectations. But it may be forfeited, my text tells us. In various ways we may come short of it, and this the apostle urges as a ground of caution to Christians. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. I will, therefore, II, Secondly, endeavour to show, what good reason the apostle had to exhort Chri.stians to fear, lest they should forfeit it. If our first parents, in the integrity of their moral powers, declined from God, and, by yielding to temptation, forfeited the happy condition in which they were placed by their Creator, what have not we, theii corrupt and sinful progeny, wiih broken powers and perverted wills, to fear — lest we also fail in the triaf granted us by the divine compassion, to regain the inheritance forfeited by sin— lest we also abuse the grace given us in our Redeemer, Christ Jesus, and come short of our high calling of God in him ! If the Israelites, under a dispensation of religion which pre- sented its proofs and its sanctions to their senses, gave way to unbelief — if the miraculous food and drink which followed them in all their wanderings in the wilderness, and hourly reminded them of that God, whose voice they heard and whose presence was manifested in the mount that burned with fire, proved unequal to restrain the corrupt propensities of a sinful nature m them, with good reason is the Christian, under a dispensation whose sanctions are discerned by faith only, exhorted to work out his salvation with fear and trembling, and to be diligent and watchful, lest through carelessness or neglect, through love of the world, or the prevalence of any other corruption, he forfeit the heavenly rest. If the promises of God were absolute and unconditional, and religious attainment independent on any exertions of our THE HEAVENLY REST. 353 own, all fear of the event would be useless, and all exhortation to caution and watchfulness would be superfluous. But when this is not the case, when the whole tenour of Scripture as well as the reason of the thing demonstrates, that the promises of God to his people are all conditional, that there are duties to be performed on their part in order to obtain the reward promised on God's part, they cannot be too frequently or too earnestly exhorted to bear continually in mind, that loe are made partakers 0/ Christ if we holdfast the he ginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end — that he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved, and that God declares, if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. God has plainly set before us the terms of our salvation— what we are to believe, and what we are to do, if we hope to attain it. Should not we, therefore, my hearers, who are born and raised under the light and privileges of the gospel, be very care- ful not to come short of the high reward therein offered us, by suffering any present interests or temptations to draw us aside from our duty 1 Yet we see thousands in this Christian land acting as carelessly respecting eternity as if its happy attain- ment depended on the neglect of religious duty. Surely, then, there is not only good but great reason to exhort such persons to consider, how vain the hope must be of the favour of Goo and eternal life, if they persist in a course of sin and disregard of the gospel. No one can possibly have any pretensions to sincerity who professes to believe the gospel, and yet openly neglects the appointments of religion. There is something in the very sound of an eternal reward or punishment — believed in — that forbids the desperate risk ; and yet there are multitudes who, because they are friendly to religion as it is called, flatter themselves with the hope of acceptance through the merits of the Saviour, and expect to gain the eternal reward without the self-denials and surrenders of religion. Now what is to with- stand this delusion but the exhortations derived from the revealed danger, that we way fail of the grace of God, that we must sow if we expect to reap, that we must labour and strive if we would gain a crown of life, and that we must openly confess Christ before the world if we hope to be owned by Vol. II.— 46 854 THE DANGER OF FORFEITING him before his Father and the holy angels in the great day of account. If men can be saved without the sacraments of religion, where opportunity is had for their reception, it would be very dilhcult to account for their being so very solemnly enacted, and so very reverently esteemed, and profitably used by all truly pious persons. Yet there are multitudes of these friends to religion, who come to their death -bed with their baptismal vows broken, their repentance unacknowledged, and their faith unprofessed over the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ, evidently set forth crucified among or before them, in the Holy Communion, as the appointed memorial of his death. And is there no danger that such should come short of the rest he hath purchased for them 1 no good reason why such should be warned and exhorted, lest they be found in the nuujber to whom Christ will say, / never knew you. Alas ! my dear hearers, trifle not thus with your souls ; waste not your day of grace in vain and unfounded expectations, but learn to fear that you may fail, that thus you may be stirred up to enter in at the strait gate, and to walk in the narrow way, which leadeth unto life. And even among professors of religion — among those who con- fess the Lord Jesus Christ before men, as their only hope of the heavenly rest, is it needful and profitable to remind them that if they would enter into life, they must keep the commandments, that they must stir up the gift of God that is in them, and return their Lord's goods — his heavenly grace, and providen- tial condition in the world — with increase, otherwise they will come short of their high calling, and take their portion with the unprofitable servant. My dear brethren, the world is against you, your own hearts are against you, the enemy of God and man is against you ! Is there not, then, good reason to fear these potent adversaries, so as to increase your caution and watchfulness, lest they betray you into some snare and entangle you in their deceits, and thus prevail agaitist your hope, by blinding you against the danger of coming short of it 1 St. Paul thought it very necessary to give this caution, even to primitive Christians ; and experience must surely teach us, that it is yet a word in season. And it will be a word in THE HEAVENLY REST. S62> season to all who so learn from it to distrust themselves, as to cleave closer and closer to their great and effectual defence in the Loud Jesus Christ ; and in obedience to his hoh* com- mandments, and blessed example, so pass the time of their sojourning here, in fear, as to increase their diligence and earnestness, that when their Lord cometh he may find them ready, with their loins girded about and their lights burning. Thus have 1 showed 3'ou, my brethren and hearers, what good reason the apostle had to exhort Christians to fear, lest they should forfeit the heavenly rest. And the application I wish to make of what has been said, is, to increase the care and diligence of professors of religion, in working out their eternal salvation ; to strengthen and encourage the feeble and the timid to stay themselves upon the living God ; and to awaken the careless, of every description, from the dreadful delusion of meeting with unasked mercy, and of obtaining unsought salva- tion. My professing brethren, we stand on trial, from first to last, as believers in Chkist; and can no otherwise secure the crown of life and glory, than by giving all diligence to make our calling and election sure. As accountable beings we have each of us his own part to perform, his particular talent to improve. As fallen, sinful creatures, our sufficiency for all spiritual attain- ment is of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are saved by grace. And because of this sufficiency conferred upon all mankind, it is, that we are capable of religion, and shall be rewarded or punished everlastingly, according to our conduct in the present life. On this, there is no discretion to any. He that believeth not is condemned already, and he that believeth shall be judged by the word spoken unto him in the gospel. As believers, the word of God is your only standard ; by that you must measure your hope, and try the foundation on which it is built ; by that you must examine your life, and determine its conformity to the divine pattern, in the man Christ Jesus. Short of this, your hope cannot be such as will stand the trial of the great day. Now, in this standard, the prize and the forfeit are plainly set before you; the road you have to travel clearly marked out ; 356 THE DANGER OF FORFEITING the dangers and the difficulties you have to encounter are distinctly set forth ; the help you may look for is openly pro- claimed ; aiul, to quicken your diiig-ence, God hath warned you that such is the woful corruption of your nature, that you may, nevertheless, miss ihe prize of your Iiigh calling, and come short of the heavenly rest. What becomes us, then, my brethren, under such circumstances, but that fear, and care, and jealousy of ourselves, which shall produce a more unreserved surrender of heart and life to the power and grace of our ever merciful Redeemer, Without Him ice can do nothing, but in his name and strength all things are possible to the believer. Keep con- tinually before you, therefore, your reward and your duty, your danger and your help, and, with St. Paul, do this one thing — Forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth unto the things that are before, press toward the mark ; counting all things but loss, that you may loin Christ, and be found in him., and receive the joyful salutation of loell done good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of ihy Lord. And let the feeble and the timid believer, who is conscious of the power of his corruptions, derive courage to contend against them, from the promises of God. He hath laid help for you, my brethren, on one icho is mighty and able to save ; upon one who will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax ; who laid down his life for your souls, that, by this proof of unbounded love, he might draw all men to God. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not xcilh him also freely give us all things. Where' fore lift up the hands which hang cloivn, and the feeble knees ; being persuaded of this one thing, that he loho hath begun a good work in you will carry it on unto the day of Christ. A knowledge of your weakness, my brethren, is the best security against presumption, and the strongest argument for watchfulness and increased earnestness in prayer. Let distrust of yourselves, then, bring you nearer to God for grace to help in time of need ; and his strength shall be made perfect in your weakness, and the work of faith be fulfilled with power. Lastly, let the fear here spoken of, from the awful possibility, yea, from the plain and obvious danger, that men may receive THE HEAVENLir REST. 357 the grace of God in vain, and even Christians, God's peculiar people, come short of the reward promised to faith and obedi- ence, be a word in season to all who have hitherto been careless and unconcerned about their souls. If the righteous scarcely be saved, lohere shall the ungodly and the sinner appear 1 This is a question which all who hear me can answer and apply to themselves. Gon grant that it may awaken them to the danger of delay, on so momentous an interest as their eternal condi- tion. Fools, it is said, make a mock at sin ; but what name must those deserve who make a mock at salvation, and spurn from their regard an everlasting inheritance of heavenly glory ! Merciful God ! rend the veil from their hearts, by the convincing power of thy Holy Spirit. Let not thy word return unto thee empty, but bless thy truth that it may be fruitful to thy praise, in hearts awakened to thy fear, and encouraged to cleave to thy grace in working out their everlasting salvation. SERMON XXXII. THE RULE OF FUTURE JUDGMENT. Matthew vii. 21. ^' Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." The discoveries of the gospel are of a very awful and inter- esting character, my brethren, and very closely allied to the original and better impressions of our own hearts. There is no one, I presume, who has not at some time, perhaps very frequently, found his thoughts drawn out to a future state of being, and his mind engaged, however tiansiently, on his own personal condition in another world. And whoever has attended to his own experience, even thus far, must have some percep- tion of the great uncertainty of all conclusions of a future state, derived from the resources of human wisdom ; and be also aware of the strong propensity in human nature to swerve from the express declarations of the divine word, and bring down the standard of salvation to the 'convenience or the caprice of its own corrupt inclinations. To be furnished, then, against all doubt and uncertainty on so near a concern as our everlasting existence, ought surely to be considered a great blessing, and a ground of the deepest thankfulness, by every rational being ; and should form the onl}'' foundation of their hopes, and of their duties under those hopes. But while this will no doubt be admitted by all who hear me, I fear it must also be admitted, that this heaven-granted help to our severest necessity, has not been thus generally applied; that very few, comparatively speaking, have so brought their personal condition to this standard, as to have formed their expec- tations for hereafter solely upon what it makts known to all as the fixed and unchangeable determination of the Ruler of the THE RULE OP FUTURE JUDGMENT. S59 Universe, in dispensing the rewards and the punishments of eternity. It is a near and an inevitable interest, my dear friends, to which God calls your attention, and for which he hath made such wonderful provision, that it may be glorious to him and happy to you. But it can be so no otherwise than in conformity with those great princi[)les of his moral government, revealed in his word, which shall exhibit him to the universe of men and angels, glorious in holiness and excellent in mercy ; long suflfer- ing and gracious to a race of sinners, yet inexorable against sin persisted in, against the honour of his law, and the manifes- tation of his love. God cannot save sinners, who die such. Salvation must be wrought out in the present life, by a death unto sin and new birth unto righteousness ; and fruhs meet for repentance and faith must manifest the reality of those evan- gelical graces in our conversation in this world, if we hope for their reward in another state of being. This is the clear and reasonable doctrine of the religion which the Son of God taught in person, and which the Holy Ghost hath recorded in the Scriptures of truth, for our learning. Yet clear and reasonable as it is, what multitudes in the present day, as at the beginning, venture to overlook or to disre- gard this authority and to risk eternity, either with no prepara- tion, or with a false or hypocritical one. Many will say to me in that day. Lord ! Lord ! Many will be ready and desirous to acknowledge Christ the Judge, who could not be prevailed upon to confess the crucified Jesus before the world. Many will say to me in that day — Lord, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. Many will be desirous to claim an alliance with the King of heaven upon the unimproved privileges oi" Christian birth, or the mere profeshion of an unfruitful faith. Many will say to me in that day — Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works ? Many who call themselves his ministers, will be confident of being recognized by the great Head of the Church, in the day of judgment, upon false pretences to, and corrupt departure from, his pure and undefiled religion as it was taught and prac- 360 THE RULE OF FUTURE JUDGMENT. tised by his blessed apostles. But my text tells us it will be in vain. The description is sadly prophetic, my brethren, of the awful consequences of those corruptions and divisions which deform, and impede the gospel. And my text is the warning which now addresses itself to me and to you, lest that day come upon us with a false profession and an unfounded hope, unpro- vided to abide its trial and escape its doom. But it is not only the warning, it is the direction also, to shun the danger, and escape the ruin, which it denounces alike against the careless and the presumptuous. JVof every, one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; hut he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. In discoursing on which words, I shall endeavour to explain, in the First place, what we are to understand by the words, J^Tot every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord. Secondly, what is meant by our Saviour's expression of mens' entering into the kingdom of heaven. Thirdly, I shall inquire what qualification must be possessed by those who shall be admitted to enter in ; and, then, Conclude with an application of the subject. L First, I am to explain what we are to understand by the words, JVot every one that saithunto mc, Lord, Lord. As the words of my text were spoken at the close of that divine summary of Christian doctrine and practice, contained in our Saviour's Sermon on the mount, they evidently refer us, as well as those to whom they were spoken, to the trial and proof of all religious condition, in the standard of the gospel. They are, therefore, addressed to all those to whom the gospel is offered, and to whom, thereby, life and immortality are brought to light ; but more particularly to those who in any manner rely on the Lord Jesus Christ for acceptance with God. The whole text is prospective in its bearing, and points us for- ward to that day when God ivill judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to the 'gospel; and the supieme importance of an interest in him will be so manifest, that every THE RULK OF FUTURE JUDGMENT. 361 sremblance even of a knowledge of liim or of his religion, will be resorted to, as a refuge against despair. By calling our Saviour Lord, vs^e acknowledge him to be the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world, thereby admitting his authority as a divine teacher, and owning the truth and obligation of his religion. But as this acknow- Jedgtnent of Christ necessarily includes observance of his msiitutions and example, the words under consideration are an enforcement of this obligation upon all who thus acknowledge him as Lord, with a plain declaration implied, that otherwise, it will profit them nothing. Whij call ije me Lord, and do not the things ichich I say 1 These words in the text, therefore, are equivalent to the declaration — Not every one who is born in a Christian land, and received into the visible Church by baptism — not every one who makes an external profession of religion — not every nominal or pretended believer in Christianity — shall there- by be entitled to the rewards of my kingdom. These, indeed, are all required of those who call me Lord, and are profitable, as means to an end ; but without the end they are but as leaves on the fig tree. The belief of religious truth, if it goes no further — if it produces no fruits, no corresponding effects upon the life, is a barren, useless thing ; it is dead, being alone. This, therefore, says our Lord, will be no recommendation to my favour ; to complete the Christian character, and fit you for the inheritance of the saints, more substantial proofs of faith and holiness are required than the mere accidental advantages of birth and education, or the mere profession of religion. This may easily exist, and even be found prominent, in the midst of inordinate affections, unsubdued lusts, unhumbled pride, and unholy lives. But into my kingdom, no unclean thing can enter; neither whatsoever worketh abon)ination or loveth a lie. These are the words to be understood and applied by a'l under the gospel : a conclusion which is confirmed by the very purpose of religion, independently of any special declara- tion, and, therefore, to be the more seriously considered in every investigation of spiritual condition. Yet, as our blessed Redeemer knew the prevailing propensity of our fallen nature to put words for things, and to substitute form for substance ; Vol. 1L— 46 36S THE RULK OF FUTURE JUDGMENT, as he also knew with what unwearied assiduity the great enemy of God and man would work for the corruption of the truth, and, even through the semblance of religion, seduce multitudes from the simplicity and certainty of the gospel ; therefore, did he warn them beforehand that nothing short of the genuine fruit of the gospel, obtained through the operation of the Holy Ghost upon the heart, and manifested in the present life by a holy conversation in the world, would secure his acknowledg- ment of them as his true disciples, in the great day of eternity. — JSTot every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. IL Secondly, I am to explain what is meant by our Saviour's expression of men's entering into the kingdom of heaven. The words kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God are used in Scripture to express, sometimes the visible Church or com- munion of saints upon earth, and sometimes the kingdom of glory in a future state. In the present connexion there can be no doubt as to which of these our Lord refers in the text. By entering into this kingdom, then, we must understand the being adjudged worthy of a reward of etei-nal life, and as this necessarily leads the thoughts to realize the trial we have to undergo at the tribunal of Christ, it serves to impress more powerfully upon the heart the necessity of that circumspection and earnestness, that diligence and faithfulness in all our duties, without which there can be no good hope of being permitted to enter in. Few things, my brethren, are better calculated to beget a false estimate of religious condition, than to entertain in the imagination expectations of future happiness without a distinct reference to a future judgment. When the mind is excited with high wrought descriptions of the glories of heaven, or with high wrought imaginations of what awaits the righteous in the king- dom of God — when the practice prevails of dwelling upon this subject almost exclusively either in public or in private, and professors of religion are snatched, as it were, from death to glory, overlooking the awful trial which must precede it — the sober duties of the gospel are forgotten, and no relish is enter- tained for any thing in religion, unless as it is calculated to uphold THE RULE OF FUTURE JUDGMENT. 363 the delusion of a mind whose judgment is mastered by its feel- ina^s, and thereby incapacitated, certainly for the time, most probably at all times, for the reasonable service of redeemed beiiii^s to God and to each other. Therefore, as our entrance into the kingdom of heaven will depend altogether on the judg- ment to be passed by a heart-searching God on the deeds done in the body, the constant recollection of this truth is the great preservative against the danger of an extravagant and unfounded hope, derived from feelings casually excited. It is this thought, my brethren and hearers, which brings the conduct, the actions, and motives of the man, rather than his language and his feelings, under examination. It is this thought which solemnizes the high expectation of a heavenly inheritance, and causes its entertainer to feel jealous lest he deceive himself; and which tempers the rejoicing, even of the righteous, with reverence and godly fear. And it is this thought which, by habitually connecting the reward with the duties to which it is promised, presents at once the most powerful motives to per- form them, and the highest assurance of being counted worthy to enter in through the gates into the heavenly Jerusalem. JVof every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the king- dom of heaveii, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. III. Thirdly, I am to inquire what qualifications must be possessed by those who shall be admitted to enter in. Our Saviour's declaration in the text is the full and satisfac- tory answer to this all-important inquiry, my brethren — He that doeth the will of God as revealed in his word. This answer, however short, comprehends all that wisdom can teach or life can practice, and is the sole condition on which the hope of eternal life can safely be entertained. There can be no question, then, either as to the duty or as to the necessity of acquainting ourselves with that will, and of fol- lowing exactly what it prescribes ; bringing our religious profes- sion, our conduct as Christians, and our hope towards God, to the appointments, declarations, and example of his revealed Avord, as the only and the infallible standard of his holy will. Now, though this is certainly within the compass of the ability 364 THE RULE OF FUTURE JUDGMENT. which God giveth, and in itself easy — or he would not require it of all who are favoured with the gospel — nevertheless, such is the situation of the Christian world through corruption of doc- trine and division of order, that the truth is obscured and difficulty greatly increased in ascertaining what that will of God is, which must be followed and obeyed in order to salvation. Yet as this unhappy state of things cannot absolve from the obligation to inquire diligently what his will is, it should surely operate to increase the caution with which modern systems of divine truth are received and relied upon, as the will of God ; and this the rather, not only because we are warned against it in the word itself, but because, in the whole extent of that word, there is not so much as a hint that sincerity in error will render a mis- taken view of the will of God, and the erroneous conduct con- sequent thereon, acceptable to him and available to salvation. Whatever, therefore, may be reasoned by men on this ground, is a gratuitous assumption of what God hath not revealed, and we nmy boldly say, could not reveal without thereby vacating the whole purpose of the Bible as the infallible standard of his holy will to fallen sinners. JMany shall come in my name, saying; I am Chuist, and shall deceive many, but go ye not after them ; for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shots great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. Behold I have told you before. The great purpose of the gospel, and the declared will of God being the sanctification of corrupt and sinful creatures, in order to tit them for future happiness, this qualification must be obtained, or there can be no just hope of acceptance with God. But as no man can sanctify himself, in the proper sense of the word, as no fallen sinner can change his own heart, and renew the image of God in his own soul or in the soul of another, it is the will of God that all men should have recourse to the means of grace provided for this end, in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. He that would be saved, therefore, in the great day of eternity, must, in the present life, receive and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, as he is offered to sinners in the gospel. He must repent and forsake his sins, according to the conditions of the baptismal covenant in and by which he THE RULE OF FUTURE JUDGMENT. 365 is made a member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven ; and as in this new relation to Goo all the helps and privileges of the covenant of grace are conferred upon him, he is required, and does therein engage to lead a nev^r life, following the commandments of God. In which, if he persevere to the end, growing in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, his title to the heavenly reward is acknowledged by the Judge, he is owned as a good and faithful servant, and enters into the joy of his Lord. But in point of fact, few or none do in this wise fulfil their baptismal engagement ; for the privileges therein conferred are forfeited by personal sin. Yet where men might justly have been left without remedy, God, even the most merciful God, who knows whereof we are made, how fiail and corrupt sin hath made us, and what powerful temptations are presented by the world, the tlesh, and the devil, hath fitted this dispensation of his mercy and grace to our fallen and infirm condition ; and in the grant of repentance and renewed obedience to all who have thus sinned, provides for their conversion and restoration to his favour, through the prevailing intercession of his only begotten Son ; and through iaith in him, accepts them as right- eous, and entitled to all the piivileges and hopes of his adopted children. But the penitent thus restored must continue faith- ful, otherwise he incurs the awful risk of abandonment by the Spirit of grace, being delivered over to the mastery of his own corruptions without restraint, and of being consigned to destruc- tion as utterly incorrigible. The qualifications for eternal life, then, are repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, professed by embracing the gospel, and evidenced by the fruits of faith in all holy conversation and godliness of life ; persisted in to the end as a faithful member of Christ's mystical body, the Church which he bought with his own blood, and for which he gave himself that he might cleanse it from all pollution, and present it to God a glorious Church, purified from the defilement of sin, and renewed in holiness. This purpose the faithful Chris- tian has ever before him ; he looks to the end — to the account SQ6 THE RULE OP FUTURE JUDGMENT, he has to give in, to the Judge who shall assign his everlasting condition. These quicken and strengthen him to crucify the Jlesh wilh the affections and lusts of a fallen, corrupt nature ; to put off the body of the sins of the flesh ; to cleanse himself from all Jilthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God ; and to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Great and manifest imperfection, yea even sin, cleaves to his best services ; he feels that they are nothing worth in the eye of unspotted purity and holiness, that he is in himself an unprofitable servant. But he looks unto Jesus, to the promises of God in him, to the merit of his right- eousness, and to the atoning virtue of his blood. Faith presents these continually to God, and hope looks forward with humble confidence to the reward of grace in the loell done, good and faithfid servant, with which his Lord and his Judge shall confess him before his Father and the holy angels. J^ot every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doelh the will of my Father which is in heaven. The application of this awful subject, and of what I have said upon it, brings home to our consideration, my brethren and hearers, the true design and purpose of the religion of the gospel, in preparing sinful creatures for everlasting happiness in the kingdom of God, by the renewal and sanctification of their corrupt natures in the present life. This alone, if duly considered, might give an importance to time, distinct from every worldly consideration ; and teach us so to number our days as to apply our hearts unto lolsdom. — might rescue this precious talent from the sinful vanities and idolatrous pursuits of the world, and devote it to the higher interests of our eternal state. How, then, let us ask ourselves, are we prepared for the awful solemnity represented in my text 1 My dear hearers, we must all stand before the judgment seat 0/ Christ ; from this there is no escape for any ; and we know not how soon death may seal us up to the judgment of that day, and put repentance and hope for ever beyond our reach. Shall any, then, contiiiue to trifle with this tremendous uncertainty, and, in the wantonness of defiance, provoke God to surrender them to impenitence 1 God forbid ! Rather let it quicken us all, according to our THE RULE OF FUTURE JUDGMENT. 367 several conditions, to search and try our ways, and bring our hope, whatever it may be, to the standard of God's revealed will ; for this it is wliicli alone can correct error and give assurance to truth, and by which we all shall be judged. Let professors of leligion, especially, bring their hope to this standard ; not in part only, but in the whole of its foundation and superstructure. Let them open their Bibles, and then trace, step by step, their conformity with the will and command of Almighty God. Let them open their hearts, and there search for the sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit. Let them inspect their lives, and, from the the fruit thence yielded, judge whether the tree is made good. To them, in particular, is the warning of my text addressed. They are the persons who call Christ Lord ; and he therein affectionately cautions them against the shame and ruin of being by him disowned before God. And let those who have hitherto turned a deaf ear to the counsel of God, who have smothered the voice of conscience, and stifled the convictions of the HoLy Spirit in their hearts; who are yet surrounded with the goodness of God, and certified by the gospel, that He hath not appoinled them to ivrath, ^tut to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ ; who nmst also be judged by the word spoken unto them — Let them awake to the warning of my text, and ask themselves what preparation is made for the day of the Lord, by doing the will of God ? O let them bring the levity and thoughtlessness in which their day of life and grace is fast vanishing away, to the judgment then .to pass upon the deeds done in the body, and ask themselves — Is this what God requires of me that I may be savetl ? Think a moment, my fellow sinners, of what God hath done for your salvation, and of what you have done in return for his love. Think of the awful hour when you must give account of your- selves, to Him who made and redeemed you, for the improvement of this and all his other mercies. And, O think, what horror and despair will seize upon you above all others, when that merciful Saviour who poured out his life to save you from hell, shall be compell'^d to disown you ; when your then earnest Lord, Lord, shall meet no answer from infinite love, but 368 THE RULE OF PUTtfRE JUDGMENT. Depart from me, I never knew you ! O try to realize this awful moment, till your sins become hateful and burdensome, and the cross of Christ your only refuge from the wrath of that day. Now it is given unto you by the long-suffering mercy of God to crv effectually, Lord I come to thee, thou hast the words of eternal life ; Lord / believe, help thou mine unbelief; Lord save or I perish ! And now it is given to Christ to say to you. Him that cometh unto me 1 will in no wise cast out ; Son thy sins be forgiven thee, go and sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee. But then, all this, now so freely offered you in Christ Jesus, will be done away. As your Judge, Christ will know nothing but your works and your words ; the temper of your souls, and the fruit of your doings ; and according to the record of your life must the everlasting sentence be passed. O that a gracious God may impress these solemn truths upon all your hearts, and bring your lives under their blessed influ- ence. O that he would write in all our hearts the unalterable appointment of his wisdom, in bringing sinners to salvation by the cross of Christ ; that if we would be happy hereafter we must become holy here ; that if we would enter into the kingdom of heaven we must do the will of God upon earth, as revealed to us in the gospel of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, SERMON XXXIII. THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OF RELIGION. Titus iii. 8. "This is a faithful saying, and these things 1 will that thou affinii constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works." Could any reasonable doubt be entertained of the obligation Christians are under to adorn their profession by a walk and conversation in the world conformed to the gospel of Christ, the strong terms in which the apostle here presses upon Titus the duty of insisting upon this point in his public preaching, might serve to correct it ; and to warn all professing Christians, that religion without the practice of its duties is no other than the building on the sand, which will be swept away in the day of trial, and confound the expectations of its deluded enter- tainer. At the first view of the subject, it would seem next to impossible that rational beings could so overlook the great pur- pose and design of religion as to satisfy themselves, or to imagine its Divine Author can be satisfied, with an empty profession of faith. Yet the Scriptures themselves and our own experience concur in proving that it is not only a possible, but a very fre- quent delusion, to substitute the form for the power of godliness. It is the bent and bias of our fallen nature, my brethren and hearers, to decline from the strait and narrow way of holiness — to pare down the duties of religion to the standard of our own interest and convenieiice — to search for excuses to uphold some conformity with the world, and by making Christ the minister of sin, to make void, as to ourselves, the gracious purpose of his merciful undertaking for a world of sinners. This the apostle well knew, and, therefore, charged Titus in such strong terms to press upon his hearers the necessity of a holy life, in order to reap any benefit from a right faith. This is a faithful saying; that is, it is not only true, but a truth of such leading importance Vol. II.— 47 370 THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OP RELIGION. as to pervade the whole structure of Christianity, and to give fa the hope derived from the gospel the cha'acter of sure and cer- tain, or of false and unfounded ; therefore, says he, I will thai thou affirm this constantly. St. Paul had also experienced how prone men are to corrupt the cardinal doctrine of justification by faith without works. He knew how readily the corrupt heart and clouded understanding of a fallen race would seize upon an abstract point in a system of religion, and build upon it the fatal delusions of antinomian error. He, therefore, enjoins it upon Titus to guard against this evil, and in the exercise of his public ministry to enforce upon all believers the obligation of good works, not only as a distinct doctrine of the religion he was commissioned to teach, but as the only evidence of a true and saving faith. The union of a right faith and a holy life, therefore, being the only ground of a good hope to the believer, and in order to impress upon those who make a profession of religion the necessity of maintaining all such good works as God hath jtre- pared for them to walk in, in discoursing upon these words I will, in the First place, explain in what sense the words they which have believed in God are to be understood and applied. Secondly, I will consider the nature and kind of the good works by them to be maintained. Thirdly, I shall point out the obligations which are neces- sarily undertaken by all who make a profession of religion ; and, then. Conclude with some practical observations. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. I. First, I am to explain in what manner the vfovds, they which have believed in God are to be understood and applied. It must be evident, I think, my brethren and hearers, that to any just and practical application of divine truth, it is exceedingly necessary that the terms and figures made use of in Scripture to describe the effects produced by the preaching of the gospel under an extraordinary and miraculous dispensation of religion, THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OF RELIGION. 371 should be carefully accommodated to the very different circum- stances of the same religion, and of the persons to whom it is preached, when miraculous attestation is withdrawn. This accommodation, however, ought only to be applied to the manner in which a particular doctrine, or its effects, are exhibited by the inspired writers, and never to the doctrine itself or to the effect, as universally necessary. Thus, the doctrine of the operation of the Holy Spirit in the conversion of sinners and of the witness of the Spirit in believers, as exhibited in the Scriptures under an extraordinary dispensation of the Holy Ghost, to be practically useful, must be accommodated to the circumstances of a dispensation, in which only his ordinary operations are to be looked for and obtained ; while the doctrines themselves are to be enforced as equally indispensable now as at the beginning. For sinners must yet be converted or perish, and there is no power which can change the heart and communi- cate spiritual life but God the Holy Ghost. But, however obvious this accommodation must be, and even essential to the just exhibition and practical application of revealed truth under the present state of the gospel, there is one particular in religious condition to which no difference, either of state or dispensation, admits of any accommodation. Both Heathen and Christian men must believe the gospel if they would be consideied as believing in God. The gospel is his message to mankind by his only begotten Son, It is his testimony in the world to and of his only begot- ten Son, as the sole medium of his mercy and- favour to men, and it is by him commanded to be preached among all nations for the obedience of faith. Whosoever, therefore, receiveth not the gospel believeth not God ; and the Scripture declares of every such person, in its severest language, that he hath made God a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. The expression in my text, then, they which have believed in God, being the designation given by St. Paul to those who from among the Heathen turned to the Lord by embracing the con- ditions of the gospel, must be umlerstood and applied by us exclusively to those persons who, in like manner, by a public profession of faith in Christ, and by an open union with his 372 THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OF RELIGION. visible Church, do show to the world that they have so believed in God, as he by his holy word requires them to believe. This was the evidence given by the first converts to the religion of the gospel. This was the only distinction between being of the world and being of God, known to the apostles of Christ. There was then no middle or neutral ground like the abstract, naked belief of so many in these days, Lut every believer was openly professed, was in full co nmunion with the Church, and was, therefore, only accounted a believer because he thus continued steadfast in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Therefoie, the same evidence must now determine whether we are of the number which have believe 1 in God, or of those who falsify the testimony he hath given by his only begotten Son, as the Saviour of the world. II. Secondly, I am to consider the nature and kind of good works by them to be maintained. It is a maxim of Christ's religion that no man liveth to him- self; and though this is primarily to be taken, as the apostle teaches, of the account we have to give in to God, as our Lord and master, it is also true of the mutual dependence on each other, in which men are placed in the present life ; and of the consequent effects which the conduct of one may produce upon the welfare and happiness of many. Hence, as religion is the substitute which the wisdom of God hath devised, to supply the place of that original rectitude which the entertainment of sin expelled from the heart of man, the good works to be main- tained by those which have believed in God, or who profess to be regulated by the laws of his religion, must be of such nature and kind as are both pleasing to God by being directly religious, and profitable also to men, because contributing to the peace, comfort, and welfare of the world. They which have believed in God, therefore, will be careful to maintain the good work of cultivating the spirit of his religion in their hearts ; by the study of his holy word, by meditating upon his glorious perfections, and by the frequent exercise of prayer. These are means which his wisdom hath devised and directed, to correct and transform the corruption of our hearts, to renew his image in our souls, and prepare us for the glory THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OF RELIGION. 373 and happiness of his heavenly kingdom ; and they are effectnal to this end, through his promised blessing on their use. For what better safe-guard against those evil ihnughls which assault and hurt the soul, than to keep the heart occupied with medita- tions of God ? What safer preventive against the entertain- ment of sin, than the recollection and sobriety of mind which the exercise of private prayer calls for 1 And what so effectual to promote growth in grace, as thus to cherish the Divine Spirit with habitual devotion. For thus runs the promise, to him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. They which have believed in God, will likewise be careful to maintain the good work of the public worship of God by their personal presence in the house of the Lord ; that they may join with their brethren in those holy exercises by which God is glorified, the Church edified, and faith increased. / xvas glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord, is the language in which David expressed his delight in the public duties of religion ; and a portion of the same spirit fills the heart of the devout Christian. When the holy day comes round and invites him to the high privilege of its sacred appointments, he is not of the number of those who, for some slight obstruction or trifling inconvenience to himself, /orsafce the assembling of themselves together with their brethren. Par- ticularly when the great sacrifice for sin is commemorated is his soul alive to the mighty benefits procured for us by the same, and his S|)iiit drawn out to be made one with Him ivho loved us and gave himself for us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Thus, in the exercise of public and private devotion, and in the use of the sacrament of Christ's body and blood as a means of grace to the soul, they which have believed in God are careful to maintain all such good works as he hath prepared for them to walk in, that they may thereby maintain that good work which God hath begun in their hearts by his Holy Spirit, and reap that bright reward which he hath promised to their faith and obedience in his holy word. They which have believed in God will also be careful to main- tain such good works as are profitable to men, not only by 374 THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OF RELIGION. avoiding all actions directly injurious to others, but by the per- formance of all such within their ability as are either useful, beneficial, or consolatory, to their brethren, their friends, and neighbours, and all others in reach of their good otfices. The Christian, then, will be a man of integrity. And, First, he will be just to himself; he will follow no calling or occupation which puts in danger the care of his soul. He will be just to his family, with industry and care providing for their needful support and advancement in life. As he hath covenanted for them with God and before men, he will honestly perform the promise and vow he hath publicly undertaken. He will, therefore, train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, carefully instilling the principles of religion and virtue, and diligently watching against and correcting the buddings of sin, both in temper and conduct. As his children have renounced the world through him as their surety, he will neither lead them into its vanities by his example, nor expose them to its dissipations by his indulgence. From his in- structions they will early learn that the world which surrounds them lieth in wickedness, alienated from God ; that its pleasures and its profits are the snares in which souls are taken captive by the ruler of its darkness, and that their safety consists in keeping away from the blandishment of its temptations ; by his prudence, active employment will leave no vacancy for its follies to fill up, and with the promised blessing of God on these faithful endi^avours, their ears M'ill be open to receive instruc- tion, and their hearts to retain wisdom. Secondly, the Christian will be just to all men. What- ever his calling may be, diligence, truth, and uprightness will preside over all his conduct. His treasure not being on earth, the frauds and extortions by which they that icill be rich fall into a snare; and the maximsof gain, which the convenient morality of the world sanctions, present no temptation to him to violate the higher law by which his life is governed. The Christian, the believer in God, looks habitually to the end, he realizes the continual ins[)ection of an all seeing eye ; and bearing ever in mind the impressive question. What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul 1 — he tinds it a shield THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OP RELIGION. 375 and a buckler against every inducement to unrighteous gain, and over engagement with the things which perish. Thirdly, the Christian will be merciful to all men. As the object and the subject of the highest mercy in his own person, the constant sense of this, under which he lives, prompts his heart to feel and to manifest benevolence, compas- sion, and kindness to every creature of God. Being himself forgiven his ten thousand talents, he retains not the hundred- pence offences of his fellow servants ; but, in the exercise of forgiveness, walks at liberty from the slavery of false honour, and the galling chains of pride, hatred, and revenge. Particu- larly with the unfortunate and the afflicted does he feel himself drawn out to sympathize, and moved to contribute to their relief But if he can do nothing more, he loeeps wilh those xoho weep, and tries to soften and assuage the distress he cannot remove, by sharing in their grief. Because charily seeketh not her own, the Christian pushes not his rights to extremity, the bitter tear of the widow and the fatherless is not made to flow more grievously through his exactions. Having learnt what that meaneth, / xoill have mercy and not sacrifice, no ruin is accom- plished under his hand ; and, where the hardness of the world brings it to pass, he commits the case to Him who judgeth righteously, and ichose tender mercies are over all his works. Fourthly, the Christian will be liberal to all men. His compassion will not be allowed to evaporate in the mere expression of pity, but will show itself by such fruits of active benevolence as the blessing of God has put at his disposal. And, if he is a Christian indeed, the luxury of this duty will not be denied him for want of means. Something will be reserved, even from his own accommodation, if no otherwise to be had, wherewith to relieve the indigent, to assist the destitute, above all — because comprehending all charities in one — above all, to set forward the grand remedy for the miseries of this life, in the advancement of the pure and undefiled religion of the-gospel. This is near the heart of the true Christian, both as promoting the glory of God and insuring the good of men not only now but for ever. And did professing Christians but feel and under- stand as they should do their duty in this respect; did they sacri- 376 THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OF RELIGION. fice less to custom and more to principle ; did they but estimate the souls that are perishing all around them for lack of know- ledge ; did they reflect on the rich interest which would be retri- buted to their own souls in thus caring for the souls of others, they would surely turn what is wasted on the vanities of the world into this channel, and make glad the city of God with their liberality, whilst they also laid up for themselves a good founda- tion against the time to come, in the city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. But these very things the true Christian provides for, by repressing inordinate desires, by interdicting extravagant expenditure, and by putting forth dili- gence and industry in his occupation. These are means which God has put in the reach of all Christians, and has warned them to make to themselves friends of the mammon of unright- eousness; for on this will depend their being counted worthy of the true riches. Such, my brethren, are the good works which Titus was commanded to affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God should be careful to maintain. And surely the religion whose true purpose and genuine fruit it is to promote the glory of God by doing good to our fellow creatures, from a principle of love and obedience to him, must commend itself not only to Christians, but to all who can feel for human misery or desire human happiness. 111. Thirdly, I am to point out the obligations which are necessarily undertaken by all who make a profession of religion. A profession of religion, properly understood, means the declared intention to devote the life to the service of God, according to the directions given in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And whether this be done from the conviction of the understanding that it is the primary duty of every accountable being, to whom the offer of the gospel is ma the prize of his high calling. But he is not called to it in his own weakness, but in the strength of the living God ; who exhorts him to live soberly, to watch diligently, and to strive faithfully, because it is God ivhich worheth in him both to will and to do. A sufficient measure of divine grace is bestowed upon every man, to enable him to believe and come to God, and upon every true believer, suflicient to all required duty ; and in the power of this grace all things are possible to him that believeth. To live soberly, requires from the Christian professor a distinct separation from the deportment of the world in all those things which mark its ungodliness. The world, my brethren, is unholy, and Christians are called to come out of it. Its pomps and its vanities, its lusts and its pleasures, are incon- sistent with all sobriety of mind. Even its more innocent pleasures a.nd amusements can seldom be partaken of without THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OF RELIGION. 379 the painful retrospect of mercies misapplied, without the sad experience that the soul is less inclined to hold its accustomed intercourse with God, or less lively in its addresses to a throne of grace. Yet the sobriety of Christian deportment is neither inconsistent with or opposed to cheerfulness and enjoyment. Christian society has its pleasures as well as the society of the world, with this marked advantage, that those who are quali- fied to enjoy them are not only made happy for the time, but better and happier for the time to come. And when this can be said for the social parties of the world, those who have undertaken to live soberly, as professors of religion may, with- out danger or offence, be found among them ; but not till then. To live righteously, is to do unto others as we would they should do unto us. This is the rule given by our Saviour to his disciples, as comprehending the three great principles of morality — truth, justice, and charity. And it is called the golden rule, not only because of its intrinsic and comprehen- sive wisdom, as the foundation of moral obligation among men, but because it makes our own wants and desires the measure of our charity and benevolence to others. As no man can possibly wish to be deceived, defrauded, or defamed, every man is bound, by that very circumstance, to perform all the offices of truth and justice towards other men, doing no injury to any, in his person, character, or estate. And as every man, when in distress, must wish to be relieved, according to the nature of his suffering, he is thereby bound to afford relief and assistance to others, in the same manner, to the extent of his ability. This obligation every prrofessor of religion specially under- takes, and on his fulfilment of it depends the worth of his profession, both here and hereafter. As human laws cannot enforce the duties of benevolence, the divine law enacts them as a branch of moral righteousness, and hath expressly declared that the unrigldeous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. To live godly, is to add to sobriety of deportment and right- eousness of life the governing principle of the reverence and love of Almighty God. Acting from motives derived from him, and ending in him ; referring continually to his holy will ; depend- 380 THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OF RELIGION. ing wholly on his heavenly grace for direction and support ; hoping for and relying on his promised mercy, solely through the merits and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and mani- festing this principle by a professed subjection to the gospel, by the regular and hearty performance of all the public and private duties of religion, and by bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth, in the life — this is the holiness to which Christians are called, which they profess to desire and to seek for, and without which no man shall see the Lord. Such are the good works which Titus, and all other ministers of Christ after him, was directed to affirm constantly, that they lohich have believed in God should be careful to maintain. And, in the explanation and enforcement of the text which I have laid before you, ye see your calling, my brethren, and you learn the obligations you have come under as professors of reli- gion. You learn, also, the unspeakable consequences which depend on the faithful performance of them. As communi- cants, those obligations have lately again been renewed, and I conceived it my duty to recall your attention to tiiem. Make them, then, the subject of your most serious considera- tion, and bring them to bear faithfully on your spiritual condi- tion. Apply them particularly to two points in it. The one, the state of your heart in its private exercises and aspirations after God. Are you in this faithful to yourselves, cherishing the seed of divine grace in your hearts, by frequent prayer, and meditation in the divine wordi Are you thankful, drawn out in praise for the divine mercies 1 Are you watchful, awake to the stirrings of sin in your hearts, and diligent to resist and drive away the temptation 1 — The other point is, your com- pliance with customs and practices of the world which cannot be reconciled with a fervent spirit of piety, and with that separa- tion from its vanities to which you are pledged. Do you comply with them 1 Do you comply from choice, or from constraint of some kind 1 Do you derive satisfaction or mortification from the compliance 1 These incjuiries will enable you to prove your own selves, and form a good ground of confidence and hope, or will call for penitence and amended Ufe. And great thanks be to THE DUTY OF PROFESSORS OF RELIGION. 381 God, his ear is ever open to the cry of the penitent, and his hand ready to send him deliverance. The great danger of the present times consists in a general propensity to lower the standard of religious duty and attain- ment, and to spread out the hope of the gospel so widely as to cover much in Christian conduct and in Christian condition, that neither the letter or the spirit of the gospel will warrant. This renders it the more necessary that those who make a profession of religion should increase their watchfulness over themselves, and over their brethren ; lest this ruinous deceit find countenance and support through their inadvertent compliance in things not directly sinful, perhaps, in themselves, yet evidently the occa- sion of much sin and erroneous opinion on the subject of reli- gion, and certainly inconsistent with the duties, and obligations, and attainments of those who profess to have believed in God on the faith of his revealed word. The Church of Christ is compared to a city set on an hill, and the members thereof to the light which makes it discoverable amidst the darkness of the world. But if this light itself becomes darkness, by the members gradually conforming to the ways and practices of the world, this purpose is defeated ; and Christians, by putting out the light, become the destroyers of their own hope. Therefore, my Christian brethren, as ye are the body of Christ and members in particular, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good loorks, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. SERMON XXXIV. DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 2 Peter iii. 14. "Wherefore, beloved, seeing ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." Were I called upon to say what I considered most con- ducive to the formation of the religious character, I would unhesitatingly name serious consideiation. And I think 1 am warranted in this from the actual condition of mankind, from the nature of religion, and the manner in which the communi- cations of the gospel are made to us. From the nature of man, fallen and depraved, he is chiefly attracted by present and sensible things. Their power and influence over him is very great, not only because of their subserviency to his present comfort and enjoyment, but because of his natural darkness, and ignorance of higher and still more lasting enjoyments. Yet is there upon tiie mind of this fallen and perverted creature a faint and obscure, yet anxious and uneasy, perception of things which are not the objects of sense ; in which, nevertheless, he is deeply inteiested. Serious con- sideration, therefore, is the only thing which can enable him to form some just estimate of what he is most attracted by, and to give a clearer and more impressive character to those anxious interests which lie beyond the boundary of sense. From the nature of religion also, serious consideration must enter into any safe or profitable examination of its importance to our present as well as future welfare. For religion is a science, even the science of eternal life, upon conditions declared by Almighty God, and proposed to our attainment. Without serious consideration, therefore, it cannot be understood ; and, if not understood, will never be desired and followed as the one thing needful. Religion, moreover, is a reasonable service DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 383 required from man hy his Creator. It must, therefore, be studied and treasured up in its information, its doctrines, its precepts, and its sanctions ; and, though sjiiiitual in its nature, it is made so to us, that is, we imbibe its s|)iiit through the instrumentality of means also proposed to be considered and applied by us. From the manner in which the communications of the gospel are made to us, moreover, the necessity as well as advantage of serious consideration must be still more evident. For the gospel is in the nature of a proclamation or public message from a potentate to his subjects ; and, as it embraces a great variety of matter as well as condition, and includes time that is past and time that is to come, as well as that now present, very careful attention is necessary to apprehend its connexion and bearing upon our individual interests. Having also this public message recorded for our instruction, in such wise as to be equally authoritative with an audible delivery of its contents, the duty of acquainting ourselves with it is enforced by the readiness wherewith we may apply our- selves to this source of saving knowledge in divine things. If serious consideration, then, is thus necessary and profitable to our entrance upon religion at all, it is equally so to our con- tinuance in it with increase and advantage. As in all other sciences, we delight in them more as we become better acquainted with them, so it is in an especial manner with the science of religion. Its instruction is more deep, its discoveries more sublime, its results more certain : all its knowledge leads to a practical result, and a present reward, with this high distinction over all the rest, that this reward shall be increased and perpetuated in eternity. That this serious consideration was recommended by our Lord and by his apostles, we learn from many passages in the gospels and epistles, and that it was practised by the piimitive Christians, and particularly by those to whom St. Peter wrote this epistle, we learn from the context. From this it would appear that meditations upon a future life, and upon the awful eventsof death and judgment, as preparatory to it, and bearing upon its condition for happiness or misery eternal, were the awakening and quickening considerations upon which their faith 384 DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. was fruitful in righteousness and true holiness. Looking for a new heaven and a new earth, according to the promise of God, wherein righteousness only should dwell, they were anxious to secure a place in that kingdom ; and the apostle's exhortation in my text is founded upon this principle, and calculated to encourage them to keep their minds fixed upon these realities as alone competent to counteract and overcome the deceits of sin and the ensnaring influence of temporal things. Wherefore, beloved, seeing ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And do not the same things await us, my hearers 1 And do not some of us at least say in words, that we look for them 1 To deepen the impression, then, upon all our hearts, let us. First, inquire into the particular events which occupy the thoughts of the people of God, that is, of all true Christians. Secondly, into the effect of such necessary though often- times alarming and painful meditations ; and, then, Conclude, with a practical application of the suhject. I. First, to inquire into the particular events which occupy the thoughts of all true Christians. First, then, they are looking for death ; they expect it ; they know it must come. In this they differ from the people of the world. Both, to be sure, are equally certain of death, but one entertains it as a certainty which is to be desired ; the other, which is to be feared. Both, indeed, feel and own the natural reluctance to part with life, and even with its miseries ; but in the one, the rehictance is overcome, even in the most timid, by the power of faith in the promises of God, certified and sealed in the resurrection of Christ ; while in the other it is increased by these very considerations, deepening the certainty of the awful consequences which will follow after death. However a man may live in unbelief, and bid defiance to all the sanctions of refigion and the dictates of reason, he cannot die an infidel. In that hour of truth and reality there is no sporting with eternity, it has him by the hand, nor can all the sophisms of infidelity remove its never ending grasp. By looking to this appointed end the Christian becomes famiUar with it. Often does he, in thought, bring it all before DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 385 him, and acts over his death as a scene through which he must pass ; often is it so realized in the deep abstraction of his spirit, as hardly to be distinguished from the reality, until the mind reacts and returns him once more to the shadows of time — for such, indeed, they are, and never more truly considered as such than when coming back from such a contemplation. I know not, my brethren, that this was exactly St. Paul's meaning when he said to the Corinthians, / protest hy your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, / die daily. But every true Christian must, more or less, have met the hour of his death in those solemn meditations which bring near the end of his faith and the enjoyment of his ho{3e of immortality. Being thus familiar with it, he prepares for it as for a necessary journey — he lays in those supplies, and provides those accommodations, which will enable him to pass through its dark valley with light and safety. His lamp lighted up at the promises of God's faithful word, shows him his Redeemer's footsteps, and guides him through its gloomy shadow to the bright uncreated light of his Father's presence. The Lord is his shepherd, and is loith him ; therefore, he fears no evil. In the serious contemplation of death, the Christian learns the true estimate of temporal things. He, therefore, holds them as accommodations of God's goodness to our present condition, and is thankful for his share of them. As they are to be accounted for as his Master's goods, he strives to be faithful in the management and diligent in the improvement of them. He, therefore, so uses the world as not abusing it ; neither wastino- it in revelling and dissipation, nor hoarding in anxious distrust or idolatrous love, but according to ability and opportunity he gives his Lord's money to the exchangers in the persons of the necessitous and suffering, thus laying up a good foundation against the time to come, that he may lay hold on eternal life. Above all, in the certainty of the event and the uncertainty of the time, seriously considered, the Christian learns that he has here no continuing city. He, therefore, considers himself as a stranger and a pilgrim upon earth, and is hastening his return to another and a better country. His thoughts are at his home, with its loved society, its unspeakable enjoyments, its Vol. n.— 49 386 DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. everlasting reward. In all that God hath done for him and wrought in him here, he hath a foretaste of the greater and better things which shall he conferred on him there. In the love of God in Christ Jesus he realizes the pledge of all needed mercy. In the cross of Christ, he sees justice satisfied, sin atoned for, and God reconciled. In the resurrection of Jesus, he sees death vanquished and life and immortality brought to light. Thus delivered from the bondage created by the fear of death, he meets his last enemy without dismay, and asks him, O death ! where is thy sting 1 0 grave ! where is thy victory ? Secondly, as the Christian is looking for death, it is because this is to him the commencement of another life. He is, there- fore, looking for what must follow it, which St. Peter here calls the coming of the day of God. This is the day which shall finally determine the everlasting condition of men and angels for happiness or misery. It is, therefore, called the day of Gov — the great and terrible day of the Lord — the day of God's vengeance ; because on that day the Almighty will vindicate the equity of all his ways and dealings with his creatures — because he will then convince the xmgodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committedf and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him ; and because on that day he will execute his righteous vengeance in the perdition of ungodly men. It is also called the last day, because it will be the last in which time will be measured by the revolution of the heavenly bodies. As the evening and the morning were the first day at the creation, so, in like manner, will the evening and the morn- ing of this day be the last at the close of this world, and will usher in eternity. Then shall the sun set in darkness and the moon withdraw her light, the stars shall fall from heaven, and the heavens themselves being on fire shall be dissolved. It is, moreover, called the day of judgment, because God ivill then judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead. To this day the Christian knows that he must come ; it is, therefore, much in his thoughts. The awful business then to DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 3S7 be transacted, the infinite consequences then to follow, enter into his constant meditations. They are, indeed, solemn and heart-sinking subjects; but to the believer the awe belonging to them is mixed up with a good hope, a joyful assurance, yea, in some, with a longing desire to come to it. / knoiv in whom I have believed, and am persuaded thai he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. The power and grace of his Redeemer enable the Christian to contemplate even the terrors of the Lord in that day, without sinking under them. His power is almighty, his love is stronger than death, and he is able to save to the utltrmost all ivho^ome unto God by him. Thirdly, as death and judgment enter much into the meditations of the Christian, they necessarily lead him to the last particular to which he looks, and that is, the rest which remainethfor the people o/God. This is that recompense of reward to which he Is taught to look, in expectation of which he is encouraged to persevere, and in the enjoyment of which there will be no limit. Imagina- tion, indeed, cannot measure it, nor language express it, yet it is securely laid up for those who seek it ; it is rest with God — it is a house not made with hands, eternal in the hp.avens. It is a crown of glory which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give to all them that love his appearing. It is an inheritance incorruplibhy undfjiled, and that fadeth not away. n. Secondly, let us inquire into the effect of such necessary, though oftentimes alarming and painful meditations. I know of nothing, my brethren and hearers, so overwhelm- ing to the mind of man, as the first discovery made to the sinner by the Spirit of God, that he is exposed through death, to the righteous judgment of God. There is a quality in this percep- tion of divine things which cannot be described ; it must be felt, and all who have experienced it, and now hear me, know that it is so. But it does not follow, as some very injuriously assert, that none have good ground to trust to, in their conversion to God, but such as have been extraordinarily awakened and turned round from sin ; and I am inclined to think that great injury has bten done to the cause of religion by this erroneous view of the doctrine of conversion, because its tendency has been to cause 388 DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. men rather to look for the extraordinary than to use diligently the ordinary means of grace to this end. Now these oidinary means are the serious consideration, and the faithful application, of what God hath revealed for our iuforn)ation, and commanded for our observance. And we have but to ask ouiseives, my friends, what we might reasonably expect from the discoveries of revelation honestly considered, to form some estimate of the great injury arising from this neglect. Let us but ask ourselves, my brethren, to what end God hath spoken, unless to inform his creatures 1 To what end hath he commanded, unless to require our obedience 1 And why are means provided, but that we should use them ? On any other principle, the great superstruc- ture of revelation is a nullity. With this fixed in the mind, we may form some judgment of the effect which would be produced on the conscience of an out-breaking sinner, by the serious consideration of the conse- quences of death and judgment to himself, as set forth in the word of God. Can he entertain such meditations seriously, and yet retain his sins ? Can he view himself as hourly exposed to eternal death, without alarm, without some attempt to escape from horrors which cannot be uttered ] Can he see such a rich provision made for his recovery, pardon, and salvation, as the gospel is filled with, and not be drawn to make an effort to attain it ? I hardly can think it. We are none of us so hardy as to prefer, seriously, perdition to salvation. I know there 'are thousands who have heard all these things, and are yet unaffected by them ; but 1 also know that they have never formed the sub- ject-matter of one hour's serious meditation, never have yet been formed into prayer, and therefore it is, that they are with- out effect. The word of God has not lost its quality of being quick and poicerful^ and sharper than any two-edged sword. The means of grace have not lost their efficacy, no.r has God with- drawn his promise to bless them in the use. But men have found out the fashion of doing without them, and vainly expect to obtain the end without the means. But until they obtain a crop without waiting and working for it, the expectation is equally vain on the subject of religion. As, therefore, it must be evident that the effect would be DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 389 favourable to all descriptions of men, did they but allow their tlioughis to dwell with seriousness on the high interests of eter- nity, as revealed in the word of God, I would press upon all who have hitherto been negligent in this behalf, to ask them- selves where it must end, and to reflect how every way inexcus- able it is, in a rational being, to risk the sanctions of the gospel upon any other ground than a sincere and persevering effort to obtain its grace and secure its hope. Where this endeavour has been made and failed, then may its efhcacy be doubted, and its use superseded ; but not till then. In other words, when God is found forgetful of his promise to the striving soul, then may men be excused for turning away from the awakeniug truths of death and judgment, and for the neglect of those means of grace which are provided to give us the victory over death and a crown of eternal life. Essential, my brethren, as the entertainment of these solemn truths is to our entrance upon religion at all ; to our continu- ance in the strait and narrow way, they are indispensable. To counteract the ensnaring influence of the world and its deceits, encountering us at every stage and step of our journey, the faith of eternal things is alone competent. This is the vic- tory xckich overcometh the ivorld, even our faith. But faith will flag, will faulter, will die away if not kept in continual exercise. Forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth unto the things which are before, I press towards the mark, says St. Paul. In like manner let every Christian keep constantly be- fore him the things which are not seen — which are above, where Christ ever liveth at the right hand of God. The same are the only effectual means to obtain the victory over ourselves and all other enemies. To be looking for the day of God ; to step out of the body, as it were, and contemplate a burning world and blazing heavens ; to see a new creation come forward, at the command of God, in which nothing sinful or unclean shall have place ; to behold a lake of fire, in which all wickedness shall be confined in daikness and misery for ever and to realize, that in one or the other of these must be hii portion, quickens the Christian to make his calling and election sure. Thus the saints of old exercised themselves, my brethren. 390 DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. Wherefore, beloved, seeing ye also look for such things, be dili- gent, that ye may be found of him in peace, loithout spot, and blameless. I will now conclude with some practical reflections as an application of the subject. And is it so, my dear hearers, that in the midst of life we are in death, that death consij^ns us to judi^ment, and judgment to heaven or to hell for ever 1 Are we all certain that a few years more will be the utmost extent of the longest life among us, and are we all uncertain whether the next day, or even hour, may not close our account, and transmit us to the judgment 1 Are there no instancesof sudden death in our memories, or have we an exemption from such a call 1 Can each of us call to mind some relation, friend, or neighbour, who not long since was with us, but is now in the world of spirits ] How, then, ought such considerations to affect us ? O look forward to that hour and think, would you not wish to be ready ? Would you then wish to look back on a life spent in vice and dissipation, in neglect of God and your soul 1 Would you then desire to find God not reconciled, your sins unpardoned, no Saviour sought unto 1 Yet what but this can be expected by all who neglect the gospel ] O that you were loise, that you understood this, that you would consider your latter end ! Again, the day of God is drawing nearer and nearer, when the voice of the archangel and the trump of God shall call the dust of the earth to judgment. And must we all be there before the judgment seat of Christ, dear friends, young and old, rich and poor, bond and free, with no distinction but from our lives ? Yes, we must all meet there, and receive according to the deeds done in this body. How, then, would we wish to be found of him in that day ? In peace or at war] O remember, my dear hearers, that there is no neutral ground there : if we are not at peace with God, and that peace ratified here on earth, we are at war, and must be treated as enemies. And remember that no sinner ever found peace with God but through the Lord Jesus Christ, accepted as he is ofTered in the gospel, and received by faith. And where would you wish to be placed on that awful day, on the right hand or on the left 1 With what sentence to DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 39l be greeted by your Judge, Depart from me ye cursed, or, Come ye blessed F Yet we shall all hear these mighty words, and feel the effect of them for ever. No repentance will then avail ; no prayer will then he heard. JYow is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. To-day, then, if you will hear his voice, harden not you hearts. Listen to tlie truth that would save you. Flee to the mercy that is not yet shut against your prayers. Entertain the solemn meditations of eternity, and learn that you are immortal, through mortality. Lastly, a blessed, joyful, and glorious eternity with God in heaven, or a cursed, despaii ing, and everlasting perdition with devils and damned spirits in the torments of hell, await us all. What say we, then, to these things, my hearers 1 Have you a choice, a preference, and what is it] Have you asked your- selves the question 1 Have you considered it 1 Have you counted up what it is to be happy or miserable for ever 1 Or have you postponed it, as s )methingat a great distance, and that does not concern you in the days while you can indulge in the propensities of the flesh, in the vanities of the world 1 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and icalk in the sight of thine eyes, and desires of thine heart. But know, that for all these things God will call thee into judgment. Or have you settled it upon the infidel principle, that God is too merciful to punish men for everl Indeed, and how know you that 1 See you no punishment, no misery here, none that endures throughout the period of human life, and, therefore, may just as reasonably endure through another and an eternal existence 1 Oh ! at what a tremendous risk will men try to be wise above what is written, and harden their hearts against the awful events of death, judgment, eternity, the wrath of God omnipotent, the irreversible sentence, the bottomless pit, the lake of fire, the miseries of the damned ! O, my dear hearers, let God be ti ue, and every man a liar who would gainsay his word, his faithful, warning word, which declares — whatever the wicked may say and hope to the contrary — that impenitent sinners shall have their portion where the icorm never dies, and the fire never shall be quenched. Seeing, then, my Christian brethren, that we look for such things, that they are most surely believed by us. What manner 392 DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. of persons ought toe to be in all holy conversation and godliness t How ought our deportment in the world to indicate that we are not of the world 1 Alas ! alas ! because the love of many waxes cold, iniquity abounds ] Let these solemn truths, then, bring us back to what we should be. Let us dwell upon them, and realize them, and act for our eternal interests with at least as much zeal and industry as we do for our earthly accommoda- tions, profits, and pleasures. Let not the name of God be pro- faned through our lukewarmness, coldness, and deadness in our religious profession. The veriest sinner in the world knows how we ought to be affected, and to walk in life, under the professed belief of the gospel. When, therefore, he sees pro- fessing Christians under the declared expectation of heaven or hell, according to the deeds done in the body, walking according to the course of this world, he is not only fortified in unbelief, but filled with contempt for religion. Let this reproach, then, be put away from us, my brethren. Yet a little while and he that shall come will come, and will not tcirry. Let us, then, prepare to meet our God, that when he shall appear, we may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. SERMON XXXV. THE LOVE OF THE WORLD INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE LOVE OF GOD. SACRAMENTAL. 1 John ii. 15. " Love not the worltl, neither tlie things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him." Amidst the various temptations which surround us, my brethren, some are more immediate and more powerful than others, not only in themselves, but also in the depraved att'ec- tions of our cori'upt hearts. Of those temptations, that which in Scripture language is called the world appears to possess the greatest as well as the most general influence over mankind. Hence the frequency and earnestness with whfeh the counsel and warning of God's most holy word is directed to this point ; and the danger to be apprehended from undue preference of and over engagement with its business or its pleasures, is exhibit- ed under the striking contrast of things, which, from their very nature, must perish and come to an end, and of things equally, indeed more certainly, attainable by us which shall endure and continue for ever. Among those warnings my text holds a very conspicuous place. And as it presents to our consideration the solemn obliga- tion to renounce and overcome the world, and to separate themselves from its unhallowed pursuits, which all baptized persons have come under, and all professing Christians have repeatedly renewed, and we are this day once more to renew in the most solemn manner in the sacrament of the death of Christ, I trust it will be a profitable improvement of the occasion, to lay before you such a plain but necessarily brief exposition of this unpalatable but vital subject, as shall, with the blessing of God, fasten upon the consciences of professing Christians their indis- pensable duty, and awaken unbelievers to the dangerous and Vol. II.— 50 394 THE LOVE OF THE WORLD unprofitable nature of those pursuits whose certain and declared end is irretrievable perdition. With this view, I shall, First, inquire what is to be understood by the word worl^ as here used. Secondly, I will endeavour to point out what kind of con- duct exhibits that love of the world, and of the things that are in it, which my text declares to be incompatible with sincerity of religious profession here, expressed by the hve oj the Father. Thirdly, I will conclude with some considerations calculated to enforce the exhortation of my text upon the communicants of the Church. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him. I. First, I am to inquire what is to be understood by the word world, as here used. That the word world is applied in various senses in the Scrip- tures, must be evident to all who have any acquaintance with the contents cf the sacred volume. Sometimes it signifies the frame of the material world, or visible creation, as in the 24th Psalm — The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Sometimes it is used to denote the race of mankind in general, as in the 3d chapter of St. John's Gospel — God so loved the world as to send his Son to save it. In other instances, the wicked and ungodly are called the world, as in our Lord's discourse with his twelve disciples before his Passion, in the 15th chapter of the same Gospel — If ye were of the world the world would love his own ; but because ye are not of the loorld, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. In other places it is applied to the pursuits and occupations of men in the present life, whether innocent or criminal, but chiefly the latter, as in the words of my text — Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, and in the Epistle to the Romans — Be not conformed to this world. The proper meaning of the word in any particular place, therefore, must be determined by the context ; and applying this rule to the word world, as used in the text, and in the chapter from which the text is taken, it is plain that Christians are INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE LOVE OP GOD. 395 exhorted against allowing their desires and affections to become entangled, and their exertions over-engaged with the things that are in the world. And what those things are which are thus dangerous to the health of the soul, the inspired apostle enu- merates under the threefold description of the lust of the fleshy the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The practical meaning of the word world, then, as here used, must be understood of those visible and sensible things which form, at one and the same time, the objects of our desire and pursuit, and the subjects of our trial and probation. Many of these are indispensable to our subsistence, as the necessary occu- pations and business of the present life, whereby alone those blessings and comforts, which the entrance of sin into the world banished from the spontaneous productions of the earth, are to be obtained. Some are objects of desire, and stimulate to indus- try by the gratification and enjoyment which they yield or serve to procure. Others are rendered necessary by the condition of the world — as the honours and emoluments of those offices of power and trust whereby civil government is conducted. And all of them are in themselves good, as serving to maintain the state of the world; perfectly consistent with the religious duties of redeemed sinners in their engagement with them, yet capable of being perverted, and of becoming the fruitful occasion of sin and condemnation by the abuse. In the combined influence of these indispensable, desirable, and necessary things, we learn, my brethren, what that world is, against the love of which we are so earnestly warned and exhorted. And as they are objects of desire and attainment to all, they form a just measure of moral condition in the sight of God — according to the preference given to them, to the means used to obtain them, and to the application made of them when obtained. II. Secondly, I am to point out what kind of conduct exhibits that love of the world and of the things that are in it, which my text declares to be incompatible with sincerity of religious pro- fession here, expressed by the love of the Father. If we bear in mind, my brethren and hearers, to what descrip- tion of persons this and the other epistles of the apostles of 396 THE LOVE OF THE WORLD Christ were addressed, it will present two points of discri- mination in moral condition, of very awakening interest to the two classes into which the world called Christian is divided, and very helpful to a right understanding and safe application of this part of my subject, and of the contents of the epistles generally. Now there can be no reasonable doubt that the epistles were addressed exclusively to believers in Christ, whose faith in him was publicly professed ; who were taken into union with Christ by the sacrament of baptism ; constituted thereby members of his body, the Church ; entitled to all the privileges of the house- hold of faith, in the sacrament of his death, in the sanctifying operations of the Holy Ghost, and in the precious promises of Almighty God, made to them in Christ. This being unde- niably the case, the two points of discrimination in moral con- dition presented to our consideration, are the following : First, that none were considered in union with Christ, and entitled to the promises of the gospel, but those only who were in open communion with the visible Church, and with the apostles as the representatives of Christ upon earth. There not being a single instance in the whole New Testament of any who were accounted and acknowledged as believers in Christ after the day of Pentecost, but such only as followed up their baptismal j)rofession by continuing steadfast in the apostles^ doc- trine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Secondly, the exhortations to watchfulness against sin in general, and against particular temptations to sin, and the warn- ings so frequently repeated, that the promises and privileges of the gospel would all be forfeited by remissness in their duty, and disregard of the obligations entered into at their baptism — being addressed exclusively to Christians, is conclusive testi- mony against all absolute and unconditional doctrine in the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the strongest conceiv- able argument that Christians, as such, should give all diligence to make their calling and election sui e, lest they fail of the grace of God. The inquiry, then, being into a particular course of conduct, by a particular class of persons, under special and declared INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE LOVE OF GOD. 397 obligations, it will be the more easy for me to point out, and for you to apprehend, whereby is exhibited, that love of the world and of the things that are in it, which is incompatible with the profession of a Christian. And, as our engagenu-nt with the world is comprehended under the two heads of its business and its pleasures, I shall confine myself to them as presenting the most profitable, because the most necessary application of my text. First, then, as respects our worldly business. Christians, having the same wants with other men, are obliged to resort to some active means to supply them. Indeed, the first penalty imposed upon man after he became mortal, was labour — In the siceat of thy face shall thou eat bread, until thou return unto the ground. And in some way, though in very various manners and degrees, all have to submit to this univer- sal law. But if the necessary business of life is pursued by the believer with the same views and to the same ends as by the unbeliever ; if he give way to the temptations of gain, or of ambition, or of voluptuousness, and suffer his affections to become bound down to the things that are in the world, however lawful in themselves; if they are sought after for their own sake, or relied upon with unhallowed dependance ; above all, if his worldly business is allowed to interfere with or to supercede the care of his soul, as he differs in nothing but the name and mere outward profession from the men of the world, who have their portion in this life — he is classed with them by that righteous Judge who searcheth the hearts of the children of men, and determines the moral condition of his creatures, not by their professions, but by the motives and ends which actuate and govern their conduct. To fallen beings — whose hearts are corrupt, whose affections are estranged from God, in whom flesh and sense predominate, who by faith only can pass beyond the boundary of the present life, and who can arrive at faith and hope towards God no otherwise than by the preventing grace of the Holy Ghost, the danger is imminent that in the puisuits and occupations of time, eternity should be overlooked. Hence the deep interest manifested by our Lord himself, and by his inspired apostles, 398 THE LOVE OF THE WORLC that all who profess and call themselves Christians, should be constantly on their guard against the seducing- influence of temporal condition in the temptations presented hy the neces- sary business of life, and by the still more insidious and en- croaching operation of the riches, honours, and pleasures of the world ; and hence the plain, earnest, and repeated warnings in the word of God against the danger, both direct and indirect, arising from this cause. As a man's life consisleth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth, our blessed Lord thence derives the various cautions which are recorded for our learning : — Take heed, and beware of covetousness ; Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life ; What is a man profiled if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Hoio hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God / It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And I say unto you make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness ; for, if ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches ? St. Paul's testimony to the danger, to Christians, from the temptations incident to the business of the world, is equally clear and direct. The love of money, says he, is the root of all evil. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. Hence, this apostle classes covetousness with idolatry, and includes it among those sins which exclude men from the kingdom of heaven. For this ye knoiv, says he, writing to the Eijhesians, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous MAN, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and o/God. To the operation of this inordinate appe- tite, likewise, he ascribes the difficulties and obscurities charged against the gospel by those who for this cause rejected it. // our gospel be hid, says he, that is, hard to understand, it is hid through the things which perish, that is, the profits and the plea- sures of the world, whereby, that is, by the influence of which, the God of this icorld hath blinded the minds of them which believe INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE LOVE OF GOD. 399 not, lest the light of the glorious gospel 0/ Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. And hence his exhortations to the Churches under his care — So to use this world as not abusing it. To be content with such things as they have. To set their affec- tions on things above, and not on things on the earth; and, as including all, not to be conformed to this world. St. James, also, sets forth the obstructions thrown in the way of religious attainment, by over-engagement with the things that are in the world, in very strong language. Ye lust and have not ; ye have not, because ye ask not ; ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God 1 Whosoever, therefore, will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God. And, in the same earnest manner, he denounces the ruinous consequences of riches kept by the owners thereof to their hurt. Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you ; your riches are corrupted, your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a tcitness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. And St. John confirms the whole by declaring, as in the words of my text, that over-engagement with the business of the world, however lawful and necessary the business may be, is such evidence of a preference of the world, as ranks its unhappy object as the enemy of God — If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Such is the clear and convincing testimony of divine truth, my brethren, to the danger arising from our necessary con- nexion with the business of the world. The principle is plain and obvious to every apprehension, and there can be no dilHculty in every ^an's so applying it to his own conduct, in connexion with the motives which prompt and govern that conduct, as readily to determine whether he is in such wise a lover of the world, as that the love of the Father cannot be the real temper of his soul. And should any be disposed to think it a hard say- ing, and to repine at so severe a probation, let such reflect seriously on the nature of moral conduct — on the requisites to a state of trial — on the objects to be attained by the self- denial and watchfubess to be exercised, and on the means 400 THE LOVE OF THE WORLD bestowed by a gracious God to ensure victory to the faithful soldier of the cross in this warfare ; and all such sinful repining must be banished from the thoughts, as alike dishonourable to God and injiiiious to ourselves. But, more than this. When it is considered that what Christians are warned against is excess ia the desire and abuse in the application of the things that are in the world, whatever would oppose itself to the equity of his deal- ing with us in this trial of our faith and obedience, must stand condemned as no less unreasonable than sinful ; and the conclu- sion be universally admitted, that it is only by the most inexcus- able neglect of the warnings of God's word, of the solemn obligations of the baptismal covenant, and of the appointed means of grace, that the world prevails against so many immortal and redeemed souls, and robs them of their salvation, under the delusive promises of its most uncertain and most surely perishing reward. Secondly, as respects our worldly enjoyments. Labour and toll, success and disappointment, suffering and death, fill up the chequered scene of this world's pilgrimage. Great travail is created for every man, and an heavy yoke is on the sons of Adam from the day that they go out of their mother's womb, till the day that they return to the mother of all things * Yet while this truth will be felt and acknowledged by all, it would betray a most ungrateful and unthankful spirit to overlook the many sources of comfort and enjoyment which the love of God hath reserved to his creatures, out of the wreck of that unmixed happiness in which they were originally placed by their Creator. And were men but as wise to discern and as willing to be instructed wherein their true happiness consists, as they are eager to pursue pleasure and careless to consider the quality of the delight, the moral condition of the world would speedily change sides, and the balance preponderate in favour of enjoyment. For, God giveth us all things richly to enjoy, and mercifully superadds those warnings and cautions which render enjoyment rational, sure, and lasting. Man, then, is the artificer of his own misery, and strange as * Eccles. xl. 1. INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE LOVE OP GOD. 401 it may appear, he becomes such chiefly in the pursuit of his happiness. But, as it is the happiness of a fallen nature which he pursues, the fruit of his labour is disappointment. The deluding phantom still tlits before him, still escapes his eager grasp; till exhausted passions and decayed powers Nield to that mortal stroke which writes vanity and vexation of spirit upon every pursuit unconnected with eternity. Of the things that are in the world which may be classed under the head of enjoyments, the same is true as of the busi- ness of the world. It is by the quality of its nature, the degree of desire and pursuit, and the extent of its indulgence, that the character of enjoyment, and the evidence thereby given of moral condition, is determined. Lovers of pleasures more than lovers o/GoD — however lawful and innocent in themselves those plea- sures may be — give thereby as direct evidence of the idolatry of the heart, of its preference of the creature to the Creator, as is furnished by the lovers of all evil. And as the Searcher of hearts will be guided by this rule in the judgment of eternity, it forms the standard to which the Christian must bring his condition, and by which he must determine the allowable or forbidden, the profitable or injurious character of his worldly enjoyments. The pleasures of the world which affect most directly our religious condition, may properly be reduced to these two ; the gratifications of sense, and the gratifications of vanity. The former of these, will include the appetites and passions of the body ; the latter, the appetites and passions of the mind. First, then, of the appetites and passions of the body it must be evident that the abuse only can be criminal. They are necessary parts of the frame of our being, and must be sup- plied in their various wants if we would continue to exist. Hence inordinate desire and intemperate indulgence mark that preference of carnal delights which is utterly incom- patible with any serious sense of religious obligation, and, as it tends directly to destroy the body, to debase the faculties of the soul, to efface the image of God stamped upon those faculties, and to degrade a rational being to the level of the beasts that perish, is abhorred of God. Vol. II.— 51 402 - THE LOVE OF THE WORLD Against this strong propensity and ever-present temptation, our blessed Lohd directed his warning when he said to his disci- ples, Take heed lest at any time your hearts be overcharged loith surfeiting and drunkenness : and the existing state of society demonstrates, how thoroughly sensual hidulgence blocks up the avenue to spiritual attainment. Against this danger, the Chris- tian has to arm himself with the greater care, in proportion as the morality of the world has approximated to the standard of the gospel, and the grossness and licentiousness of vice has been banished from the decency of civilized manners. And it is a point of Christian obligation, which requires to be the more strongly enforced, because of the prevailing propensity to measure and compare our moral condition rather with that of those around us, than with the requirements of the gospel ; and if free from the prothgate debauchery of the dissolute, to cherish a Pharisaical righteousness, and thank God that we are not as other men are. But, my brethren, vice changes not its character with its dress. However decent in its exterior, however refined in Us habiliments, it is still the dark and deformed thing which is at enmity with God, and excludes from his favour. Where the heart is set upon self-indulgence — whether it be the lust of the flesh, or the lust of the mind, with whatever decency, or secrecy, or profession of piety it maybe covered, it is impressed with that preference of regard which my text declares incompatible with the love of God. In the external similarity of moral condition and conduct which Chiistian lands exhibit, it would be both tedious and difficult so to illustrate the general principle by particular exam- ples as to meet the variety of cases to which it applies. The Christian, however, the believer in God and in Jesus our Lord, is furnished with eflFectual means in the knowledge of his own heart, and in the counsel and example of the divine word, to determine the governing principle of his life ; and he is bound by the worth of his soul to apply them faithfully. If the love of the Father rules his heart, the apostolic precept, whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory o/God, will preside over the gratifications he allows to the appedtes and INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE LOVE OF GOD. 405J passions of his mortal nature, and will increase their enjoyment by heartfelt thankfuhiess for the bounty which supplies the use* and for the heavenly grace which restrains from the abuse of the divine mercies. But where the love of the world in its sensual gratifications prevails or predominates, and in proportion to the degree, there the sense of God as supreme, of dependance upon him, and of thankfulness to him for his good creatures, is either not in all the thoughts, or the mere transient scintillation of better principle, dying away under the sutfocating influence of those fleshly lusts which loar against the soul. And even where doubt may be entertained as to the governing principle of the conduct, where fears may exist that the love of woildly pleasure is stronger in the heart than the love of God, let the Christian, let the person who would be a Christian, keep in mind, that self-denial is the strait and narrow way which leadeth unto life, and that by thus taking up the. cross he becomes that disciple of Christ, for whom there is treasure laid up in heaven. Secondly, the gratifications of vanity. Under this denomination a class of vices is included equally destructive of and inconsistent with the religious principle in the heart, and as clearly denoting its alienation from God, as the grosser sins of sensual indulgence. Of this, however, ir appears hard to convince men, notwithstanding the testimony of Sciip- ture and reason to the fact, and of observation and experience to the effect. Hence it is the more necessary to point out their danger in this respect to professors of religion, a danger greatly increased by the growing disregard of those wise and reasonable distinctions in external deportment, which mark the separation of the Christian from the world during the rest of the week as well as on the Lord's day. The vicious and sinful indulgencies which come under this head, are such as are connected with and derived from what St. John denominates the pride of life. And as this is to be under- stood of the ostentatious display of worldly power and riches, it will include all those extravagancies over which the fashion of the world bears rule, with a domination more extensive and with an observance more unreserved, than the holy and life-giving 404 THE LOVE OF THE WORLD word of God receives from tlie creatures of his power and the ol'jects of his mercy. But what, my dear brethren, has the Christian to do with any of these things 1 What has the person who has felt and con- fessed himselftobea fallen and depraved creature, a ruined and condemned sinner, a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, who professes to look for another and a better country, even an heavenly — what has such a one to do with the pride of life in any of its shapes 1 Is it for him to glory in his riches or personal consequence, and by an ostentatious display in his domestic establishment, to bring in question the sinceiity of his public profession of religion 1 Surely pride was not made for such a one, or the blessing of God bestowed on his industry to be lavished on any of its destructive temptations. Alas ! my brethren, how loudly will the sufferings of the afflicted members of Christ, the viciousness of the ignorant