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A 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 OF 
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE 
 
 AND 
 
 PRACTICE: 
 
 DESIGNED ESPECIALLY, FOR THE USE OF THE PEOPLE IN 
 
 THE NEW SETTLEMENTS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GXnittb States of &mzvim* 
 
 BY THE TRUSTEES 
 MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF CONNECTICUT. 
 
 WRITTEN AT THE SPECIAL REQUEST OF THE SOCIETY. 
 
 [published according to act of congress.] 
 
 HARTFORD : 
 
 PRINTED BY HUDSON & GOODWIN. 
 1804. 
 
MHMMIIM^ 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 From the earlieft ages of Chriftianity it appears, that the 
 Church of Chrift has been fully purfuaded of the utility and 
 importance of brief Summaries of Chriftian Doctrines. This 
 is evident, from the confeffions of faith which have been com- 
 pofed and circulated, in every age and country, where the Gof- 
 pel has been known and Churches have been formed* 
 
 That there has always been a good ufe made of them, no one 
 will pretend. But, that they may be important and ferve to 
 increafe knowledge, as to divine truth, is exceedingly obvious. 
 
 There are many, in every age and in all places, who are fo 
 deftitute of a fenfe of the importance of Religion, that they 
 would never attend to the facred Scriptures, with that degree of 
 engagednefs, which is neceffary, to collect, from them, any 
 thing like a fyftem of doctrines. But, by the aid of a compen- 
 dium of the doctrines and duties of the Gofpel, accurately- 
 drawn up, with fcripture proofs ; they may, in a fhort time, 
 arrive at the knowledge of every important truth. And, moft 
 certainly, it would greatly aflilt fuch as have an inquifitive turn 
 of mind. 
 
 Befides, fuch as are inclined to devote but a fmall portion of 
 time to religious fubjeets, may have patience, or curiofity at 
 leaft, to perufe a compendium of Chriftian Doctrines, while 
 they neglect the Sacred Volume. — And, farther, fuch a Summa- 
 ry would naturally lead the mind to apprehend the connection 
 and harmony of the various truths which compofe the Chriftian 
 fyftem, as it prefents them to the mind, nearly in one view. In 
 addition to thefe considerations, it is apprehended, that fuch a 
 Summary is well calculated to heighten the comforts and enjoy- 
 ments of real Chriftians, who build all their hopes of future 
 glory on the Gofpel Syitem. When the foundation of all their 
 hopes is exhibited, as it is in the Summary under confideration, 
 it muit be highly calculated to raife their joys 3 increafe their com* 
 forts, and ftrengthen their faith. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 From a perfuafion and convi&ion of the utility and impor- 
 tance of fuch a compendium, the MifTionary Society of Connect- 
 icut, at their meeting, on the third Tuefday of June 1 803, Voted, 
 « That the Truflees of this Society be requefted> to prepare or pro- 
 cure , publi/h and dijlribute^ a Summary of the Chriflian Doclrines> 
 for the benefit of the people in the New Settlements." The view the 
 Society had in fuch a publication, was not to dictate articles of 
 faith, but to aid and affill their brethren and friends in the New 
 Settlements, who but partially enjoy the means of inflru&ion, 
 in forming their faith. 
 
 The Truftees, in conformity to the wifhes of the Miflionary 
 Society, have united in the following Summary. It comprifes, 
 in as fhort a compafs, the various Chriitian Doctrines and duties, 
 as it is thought will confifl with perfpicuity. There is not an 
 attempt fully to obviate the objections, which the oppofers of the 
 doctrines of Chriftianty have ufually made, as it would fwell 
 the work to too great a fize. All that is aimed at, is, to (hew 
 what doctrines are taught in the Sacred Scriptures, with fome 
 references to fuch pafTages as contain them. It is hoped it may 
 inftru£t the ignorant, afliil ferious inquirers, and afford edifica- 
 tion and comfort to the Chriftian mind. Let it be faithfully 
 perufed; and as far as it is found to exprefs the fentiments and 
 doctrines contained in the fcriptures, let it be received ; and the 
 end propofed hi the publication of it will be anfwered. 
 
A SUMMARY 
 
 OF 
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE. 
 
 CHx\PTER t 
 
 Of the being of a God* 
 
 THAT fomething has been from eternity is a plain dic- 
 tate of reafon : for, on the contrary fuppofition, the 
 Univerfe mud have fprung out of nothing, without any caufe or 
 reafon whatever ; and the whole ground of our reafoning from 
 effect to caufe is fubverted : but a fuppofition which fubverts a 
 main ground of our reafoning is plainly contrary to reafon. 
 
 2. That fomething cannot be matter becaufe matter is unin- 
 telligent : for, it is as contrary to reafon to fuppofe unintelligent 
 matter mould produce intelligence, as to fuppofe nothing mould 
 produce fomething ; and becaufe, matter is mutable ; for, mu- 
 tability and eternity are incompatible. That fomething cannot 
 be finite intelligence, for this is equally mutable as matter. 
 
 3. That eternal fomething, then, muft be infinite intelligence, 
 and the caufe of all things which are not eternal, as finite fpir- 
 its and matter ; and is the being or exiftence which we call 
 God. 
 
 4. The vifible Heavens, the Earth and the Seas and all that 
 in them is, in their nature, order and ufe, bear as evident mark's 
 of defign, as the moft curious works of man's device ; and in 
 both, we are irrefiftibly led by the appearance of defign to infer 
 a defigner. 
 
 5. The defigner of the Heavens, the Earth and the Seas, and of 
 the various creatures therein, could not be themfel ves : for no crea- 
 ture or thing can be the defigner of its own exiftence and original 
 perfection. Man cannot be fuppofed the defigner of the works 
 pf nature ; becaufe, the production of thofe works infinitely 
 
tranfcends his wifdom and power ; particularly, not of him- 
 felf : and for this further reafon, that he cannot exercife wifdom 
 and power before he is, with a view to produce himfelf. The 
 parent cannot be the defigner of the offspring, and the abfurd 
 fuppofition of a fucceffion of parent and offspring without a 
 beginning would not help the matter, becaufe the whole feries 
 would be without a defigner, or any caufe at all. The Defigner 
 then of the works of nature muft be the Eternal and Infinite 
 Intelligence, or God : and to him is due eternal homage from 
 all his rational offspring. Thus every houfe is builded by fome 
 man, but he that built all things is God. 
 
 6. Hence it follows, that God is immaterial, or a pure Spir- 
 it ; felf-exiftent or uncaufed by any thing prior to, or without 
 himfelf. He exilts by neceflity of nature, or the reafon of his 
 exiftence refults from his effential nature as God : and though 
 that reafon be incomprehenfible by finite minds, the fuppofition 
 of his non-exiftence is the greater! of all abfurdities, repugnant 
 to the cleareft dictates of reafon, and every way deftroys itfelf. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Of the means ivhereby God maheth himfelf known. 
 
 G 
 
 OD is invifible except in his operations, and in his 
 word. In thefe he makes himfelf known to finite 
 minds, in fuch order and progreffion as is beft fuited to their 
 refpecttve natures and capacities. Thefe operations and acts, 
 taken together, through all duration, are a perfect expreffion, 
 as far as underftood, of the nature and character of God. Their 
 defign is to exprefs his nature and character; and as none of 
 them are in vain, they will be more and more underftood 
 through the progrefs of eternal ages. 
 
 2. No event ever takes place either with, or without the in- 
 tervention or' means, inftruments, or fubordinate agents, but 
 mult be confidered as an effect of divine power j and will, 
 either in its nature, relations, or final ilTue, difplay the true 
 character of God : and this difplay is the Glory of God, and the 
 end of all his works. Pfalm xix. i, 2. civ. 24, 25. I? 23. lxxvi, 
 10. Rom. ix. 17. 
 
 3. The operations and acts of God are comprifed in his giv- 
 ing being to creatures, and in his difpofal of them : or, in the 
 works of creation and providence. Thefe are unfolded in the 
 revelation he has made of himfelf in the Hciy Scriptures, 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Of the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 THE Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament 
 are the word of God and the only perfect rule of 
 faith and manners. 2. Tim. iii. 16. 
 
 2. The proof that thefe Scriptures are the word of God is 
 
 drawn from the following main fources. 
 
 The books of the Old Teftament have been acknowledged to 
 be divine by the body of the Jewifh nation, from the times in 
 which they were received into their cajjfnon, and have been 
 publicly read as fuch, at their folemn feafts, before the afTembled 
 nation, and in their fynagogues, on their weekly and other Sab- 
 baths and days of folemn worfhip, and have always been, and 
 now are, the records of the nation. The miraculous fa&s and 
 events recorded in thofe books are, therefore, true. For, had 
 they been forged and introduced, at any period, as the records of 
 the nation, they would not have bctn received as true, any more 
 than a fimilar ftate of facrs could now be palmed upon any 
 other nation, as their true hiftory. But, if thofe fatls are true 3 
 the Old Teftament is divine. 
 
 The prophecies contained in the Jewifh Scriptures have many 
 of them been fulfilled ; efpecially thofe relating to the MefTiah 
 from Genifis to Malachi have received an admirable accomplim- 
 ment in Jesus Christ •, in refpe£t to ths time, manner, and 
 circumftances of his appearance, perfon, offices, character, 
 mighty works, preaching, fufferings, death, burial, refurrection, 
 glorification and progress of his kingdom ; and thus prove the 
 divine authority of thofe Scriptures, and alfo of the Scriptures 
 of the New Teftament. 
 
 The miracles wrought by Jefus Clirift, and by his difciples 
 in his name, his refurre&ion from the dead, and the miracles 
 wrought by his Apcftles, alfo in his name, for feveral ages after 
 his afcenfion, prove that he was what he claimed to be, the Son 
 of God — the light of the world — the truth and the life — the 
 Sent of God — and the way to the Father. For God would not 
 have raifed from the dead an impoftor, nor htive, in thofe mira- 
 culous works, fet his feal to falfehood. 
 
 The atteftation which Jefus Chrift gave to the Old Tefta- 
 ment Scriptures, in his numerous references to the various parts 
 of it ; in his declaration that it behoved him to fuffer, and to 
 rife from the dead the third day in fulfilment of what was writ- 
 
6 
 
 ten in the law of Mofes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pfalms, 
 concerning him ; in his direction to the Jews to fearch them as 
 the records which teflified of him •, and in the teftimony of his 
 Apoftles, by commiflion from him; that all Scripture is given 
 by infpiration of God ; and that the\Prophecy came not in old 
 time by the will of man, but that holy men of old fpake as they 
 were moved by the Holy Ghoft, demonftrates their truth and 
 infpiration. 
 
 The wonderful agreement of all the parts of the Scriptures, 
 written, as they were, in different ages of the world, and by 
 perfons of various talents, and in different circumfiances, as to 
 fact, doctrine, object:, defign and end, concentrating in Chrift 
 and his redemption, proves them divine. 
 
 The fublime views they give of God, fuited to create rever- 
 ence, efteem, love, truft, confidence and joy ; their conformity 
 to the dictates of right reafon ; the pure morality they incul- 
 cate, with refpect to ourfelves and others, in every pofTible con- 
 dition and relation ; the juft light in which they place the char- 
 acter of man as fallen, depraved, and helplefs, prone to evil and 
 averfe from good, alienated from God and from one another, 
 and utterly loft to hope and happinefs ; the views they give of 
 the plan of falvation through a glorious Mediator — of the per- 
 fect character of the companionate Saviour — of his dying 
 love — of his atonement, righteoufnefs and interceflion — of the 
 perpetuity, extent and glory of his kingdom — of the life and 
 immortality which he has brought to light by the Gofpel, 
 and of the final and utter deftruction of the wicked, are worthy 
 of God, and fuited to the ftate and condition of man, and cor- 
 roborate the proof of their divine authority. 
 
 The fame appears from the happy effects which the Scrip- 
 tures have produced, in the countries where they have been re- 
 ceived, in rooting out idolatry and fuperitition ; in extirpating 
 the errors and abominable rites of polytheifm ; in diminifhing 
 the number and publicity of the molt deteftable vices ; and, 
 where cordially believed, in renovating the heart j in reconcil- 
 ing men to God and to one another 5 in reftoring, in fome good 
 degree, peace on earth and good will to men ; in fubduing the 
 pafhons which rankle in the heart to the empire of reafon ; in 
 reconciling men to affliction and adverfity ; in bearing them 
 above the world ; in vanquifhing the fears of death and the 
 grave ; and in carrying their views forward to a glorious im- 
 mortality : From the inimitable fublimity of a great part of 
 thofe writings, efpecially the prophecies : — From the fimplicity 
 and impartiality which appear in the narration of facts and de- 
 fgriptiou of characters, free from either adulation or cenfure. 
 
 
leaving the reader to draw his own conclufions.— From the ac* 
 cordance of profane hiftory and tradition, recognized in every 
 age and nation, with the relation of the molt important facts and 
 events recorded in the Scriptures — From the teftimony of the 
 enemies of revealed Religion, admitting the reality of the mira- 
 cles wrought by Chrift, and, after him, by his difciples through 
 feveral ages — From the innumerable references, in the Scrip- 
 tures, to the ft ate of things in the world, with refpect to times, 
 places, perfons, characters, conditions and events, which have in 
 no fingle inftance been found to be falfe, though expofed to the 
 investigation of the enemies of Revelation in every age — From 
 the confident and rational account which they, and they alone, 
 give of facrifices, which all the ancient nations offered to their 
 Gods ; their origin, import and end ; of circumcifion, which has 
 been practifed by feveral nations from the days of Abraham to 
 the prefent time ; of the PafTover and innumerable other cere- 
 monies of the JewHh ritual ; their nature, typical relation, ac- 
 complishment and abrogation in Chrift — From the grand and 
 extenfive views they prefent us of the dominion of God, over all 
 creatures and things ; of the perfection, immutability, and eter- 
 nal duration of his government *, and of the nature, progrefs and 
 final glory of his Kingdom. 
 
 The fame appears from the character, circumftances and prof- 
 peels of the witnefles of the truth in every age ; particularly in 
 the age of the Apoftles. The account we have of thefe firft 
 witnefles, proves that they were honeft men ; men of truth and 
 fearers of God. They could not deceive \ becaufe, they could have 
 no motives to deceive, which ever did, or ever can operate on 
 the human mind ; their whole intereft both for this life and the 
 life to come mult oppofe the attempt. And had the facts of 
 which they teftify been falfe, they mult have known that every 
 effort to deceive would have proved abortive. They could not be 
 deceived ; becaufe they were eye witnefles of the facts they re- 
 late ; their eyes had feen and their hands had handled of the 
 word of life — From the conftancy and uniformity of their tef- 
 timony under reproaches, perfecutions and fufferings, in every 
 form and degree, even unto death ; in which, many of them 
 confulnmated and fealed their teftimony — From the credit they 
 obtained even in the City of Jerufalem, where the things they 
 relate, were tranfacted, and where they were oppofed by the 
 whole force and policy of the Government — From the progrefs 
 of their doctrine through a great part of the Roman Empire, 
 notwithstanding the numerous bloody perfecutions by the Em- 
 perors, from Nero to Dioclefian — From the wonderful preferv- 
 ation of the Church, down to the prefent day, amidft the fire of 
 perfecution kindled by Antichrift, and fed with myriods of 
 
 B 
 
viclims through a long fucceflion of ages ; and the more fubtil 
 and dangerous attacks of the infidel Phiiofophifts of the laft and 
 prefent age — From the increafing purity, zeal, and amplitude of 
 the Church, notwithstanding the rage and power of its nume- 
 rous enemies ; and from the accompkihment of the prophecies 
 in thefe great events which embrace the principal changes and 
 revolutions which have taken place, within and beyond, the an- 
 cient limits of the Roman Empire ; and which are now ful- 
 filling, i:i the face of the whole world, in the prefent (late of the 
 nations ; and efpecially of the Jewifh nation ; all which events 
 ar deliniated by the fpirit of infpiration with the accuracy of 
 hifcorical narration. 
 
 To conclude : The unfearchable myfteries which thefe writ- 
 ings reveal, far abound, but not oppoied to the natural concep- 
 tions of men ; the immenfe fcenes which they unfold, difplay- 
 ing to the view oi men all the great events of time, in this and 
 in other worlds, and in their origin and confequences reaching 
 from eternity to eternity \ the incomprehenfible depths of wif- 
 dom which they difclofe, in caufing all things, of however dis- 
 cordant and opponte natures, to unite in producing one great 
 defign, as plainly prove that the eternal and only wife God fpeaks 
 in them, as any other writings, or works of art, prove the de- 
 gree of intelligence and wifdom of their author. 
 
 The Book of Nature and of Revelation being open to view, 
 it remains to point out fome of the leading truths which they 
 difcover. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Of the manner of the Divine fubfiftancc. 
 
 'HE Holy Scriptures teilify that there are Three who bear 
 record in Heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy 
 GhoTt, and that thefe Three arc One. I John v. 7. 
 
 1. The IVord is the fame divine perfon as, in many other 
 parts of Scripture, is called, The Son, and the names by which 
 the perfons in the Sacred Trinity are commonly defignated are 
 The Father, The Son, and Tk >hf}. John i. 14. 
 
 3. The doctrine that God is Three in One and One in Three, 
 is a myftery which cannot be fully coinpreherided by men in the 
 prefent ftate 5 nevel it is i c'oclrine of primary impor- 
 
 tance, and lies at the founds* on of that which is the end and 
 consummation of all God's works, the work of Redemption. 
 
 
II 
 
 4. God cannot be One and Three in the fame refpecls ; be- 
 caufe, to aflert this would be a contradiction in terms, and 
 contrary to reafon ; but it implies no contradiction, to aflert 
 he is fo, as in truth he is, in different refpecls. 
 
 5. The word per/on is not ufed in Scripture, as applied to the 
 Sacred Trinity ; but the perfonal pronouns I, thou, he, and 
 other words which defignate perfons, are applied to it, and the 
 wor<\ perfon ktms moil appropriate, and not liable to any valid 
 objection.* 
 
 6. The Three who bear record in Heaven cannot be under- 
 stood as merely three relations, operations, or offices, becauie per- 
 fection is afcribed to each ; and perfection is not an attribute of 
 relations, operations or offices, but of Being. 
 
 7. The fame perfection, counfel and operation are, in Scrip- 
 ture, attributed to the three perfons in the Trinity, and they are 
 equal in manner of exiftence, in knowledge, power, wifdom, 
 holinefs, glory and happinefs. Gen. i. 1, 2 ; In the beginning 
 Godcreated the Heavens and the Earth. The Spirit of God moved 
 upon the face of the waters. Gen. i. 26. And God f aid let US 
 make man in OUR own image. John i. 1, 3. In the beginning 
 was the WORD, and the word was with God, and the word was 
 God. All things were made by him. Col. i. 17. He, [the Son] 
 is before all things, and by him all things confifl. Pfa. civ. 30. Thou 
 fendejl forth thy SPIRIT they are created and thou renew ejl the face 
 of the Earth. John v. 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I 
 work. 2 1 . For as the Father raifeth up the dead and quickeneth 
 them, evenfo the Son quickeneth whom he will. John vi. 63. It is 
 the Spirit that quickeneth. John xiv. 23. We [the Father and the 
 Son] will come unto him [the believer] and make cur abode with 
 
 * NOTE. In Hebrew i. 3 ; the Son, according to our tranflation, is faid to 
 be the brightnefs of his [God's] glory and the expreis image of his perfon, oil 
 which, it is proper to remark. 
 
 1. That the Greek word Lypojiafs there rendered perfon, more proper 1 )- figni- 
 iiesfubflance, or fubjijlance, than p erj on in its common acceptation, and might have 
 been fo rendered. Perfon more aptly anfwers to the Greek word projtpon. 
 
 1. Be this as it may, the word perfon, as here ufed, is applied to God generally, 
 and not to either divine perfon as diftingnifhed from the other two perfons in 
 the Godhead. 
 
 3. Proper Divinity is, in this chapter, directly applied to the Son, in thofe 
 words, Thy Throne, God, is forever and ever and ever; and impliedly, in other 
 parts of it. Bat the term Son is there ufed to defignate the Lord Chrift, as Me- 
 diator. God is faid to make the worlds by him ; to fpeak to us, in thefe Iaft days, 
 byh\m ; to appoint him to be the heir of all things; to give him, as heir, a more 
 excellent name, than to rhe Angels ; to make him fo much better than the Angels 
 as his name is more excellent than theirs ; and to anoint him with the oil of giad- 
 Iiefs above hisf.L'oivs ': ail which expreffions imply inferiority of office, though 
 he is by nature God : and it appears, that in this office alone, the Son is faid to be 
 'Is brightnefs of God's gory, and the cbaratfei; ir e^prefs image of his perfon. 
 
12 
 
 him. 1 6, 17. He [the Father] iui/1 give you another Comforter, 
 that he may abide with you for ever, even the SPIRIT of truth. 
 Jude 25. To the only wife God our Saviour be glory and majejly, 
 dominion and power both noiv and ever. Amen. 
 
 8. The Three Divine Perfons t>eing pofleffed of infinite 
 knowledge, wifdom, power and rectitude, their affections, voli- 
 tions and acts will be neceffarily the fame, and the union of the 
 Sacred Three will be infinitely perfect. In what other refpects 
 the Three are One, or the One Three, the light of eternity may 
 more fully reveal. 
 
 9. In the effential nature of God there is a foundation for 
 ineffable complacency and communion between the Sacred 
 Three, of which all holy complacency and communion between 
 creatures, and between the Creator and creatures is an expref- 
 fion more or lefs perfect, but dill infinitely fhort of that which 
 exilts between the Sacred Three in One. John xvii. 21. That 
 they all may be one, even as thou Father art in me and I in thee, 
 that they may be one in us. 
 
 10. To the adorable Three in One, the Holy angels with 
 veiled faces, pay their humble adoration, when they cry one to 
 another, faying, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Holts ; and 
 the Church of the firfl born in their univerfal doxology to the 
 Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghcf. To whom be praife 
 and dominion for ever. Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Of the perfections of God. 
 
 PERFECTION in God may be comprifed in his pofTeffion 
 of infinite blefiednefs, and in a propenfity and power, un- 
 limited as his nature, to communicate being and bleflednefs to 
 creatures. 
 
 The notion of abfolute perfection, in general, being confufed, 
 and indiftinct in our minds, it will aid our conceptions to con- 
 fider it in parts, as it is related to different objects. 
 
 The works and word of God lead us to attribute to him 
 Eternity, Infinity, Immutability, Independence, Omniprefence, 
 Omnifcience, Omnipotence, Goodnefs, Wifdom, Jultice, Truth 
 and Holinefs. The {even firft, belonging to power or fufficiency, 
 are called natural perfections ; the five lait, belonging to the 
 heart, are called moral perfections. 
 
£5 
 
 i. Eternity is the mode of the Divine exiftence, as time is, 
 of the exiftence of creatures. It is, of courfe, incomprehenn- 
 ble. It is, in our conceptions, duration without beginning and 
 without end ; but it is duration without fucceflion. Periods 
 marked by the revolution of days, months, years and ages are 
 relative to creature exiitence, but irrelative to the exiftence of 
 God. With him is no fucceflion of counfel or operation ; he 
 poffeffes all things in one prefent, all-comprehenfive, and per- 
 fect view. He is the High and Lofty One who inhabiteth eternity. 
 Ifa. lvii. 15. 
 
 2. Infinity is predicable of the nature and perfections of 
 God, generally. It is not in itfelf a diltinet perfection ; but it 
 imports, that God's nature and perfections are without bounds 
 or control, or that he is fupreme and exalted far above all. 
 Pfa. cxlvii. 5. 
 
 3. Immutability in God refults from, or is neceffarily con- 
 nected with, his eternity. Whatever is predicable of an eternal 
 exiftence mult be itfelf eternal. Change either of mode, cir- 
 cumftance, or action, implies beginning ; and that which hath 
 beginning cannot be eternal. Immutability in God does not 
 imply that he cannot exercife oppofite affections towards the 
 fame being or perfon, at different times, on a change of char- 
 acter of fuch being or perfon, but the contrary. Nor does it 
 imply that he cannot, on fpecial occafions, fufpend, or reverfe, 
 the laws of nature, for fuch fpecial interpofitions are as much 
 embraced in the plan of God's eternal counfels, as the moft 
 common events. But it implies, that his nature and perfec- 
 tions are ever the fame 5 and that his operations are the refult 
 of his eternal counfels. Jam. i. 17. With whom there is no vari- 
 ablenefs neither fjadow of turning. Mai. iii. 6. I am the Lord, I 
 change not. 
 
 4. Independence, as a perfection of God, imports that he 
 is not controled by blind neceflity, fate, chance, or any caufe 
 without himfelf, and that he derives nothing, in relation to his 
 being, volitions, acts, or enjoyments, from creatures. But it 
 does not imply that he would be equally glorious and happy, if 
 creatures had never been formed ; for his glory and happinefs 
 confift, as properly, in doing what he does, as in being what he 
 is : the former is equally neceffary, by a neceflity of fitnefs and 
 wifdom, as the latter is, by a neceflity of nature. Dan. iv. 35. 
 None can fay his hand, or fay uuto him What dof thou ? Pfa. civ. 
 31. The Lord fhall rejoice in his works. Zeph. iii. 17. The Lord 
 thy God will rejoice over thee with joy ; he will reft in his love ; 
 he will joy over thee with fnging. Communicated good is a 
 fource of joy in God, but this docs not imply dependance, be- 
 
*4 
 
 caufe communicated good itfelf is from God, nnd his joy in it 
 is efTential and eternal, though the communication itfelf is, in 
 refpect to creatures, in time. 
 
 5. Omnipresence is not diftinct from univerfal agency, in 
 which, God creates and fupports^ll things, moves all things, 
 lives in all life, and infpires or controls every thought or action 
 of creatures. Its relation to place, or univerfal fpace, is not to 
 be undcrftood itrictly, but figuratively ; (till the notion of uni- 
 verfal prefence is belt accommodated to our conceptions, and 
 expreffions denoting this, are ufed by the Spirit of infpiration. 
 Pfa. exxx. 8, 9, IO. If I afcend up ifito Heaven, thou art there : 
 if I make my, bed in Hell, behold, thou art there : if I take the 
 'wings of the morning and dwell in the utter mofl parts of the Sea, 
 even there Jkall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand Jhall hold 
 me. 
 
 6. Omniscience, or infinite knowledge, extends to all crea- 
 tures, and events, which have been, are, or (hall be : their be- 
 ginning, duration, changes, relations, and end. Particularly, 
 to the itate, circumftances, volitions, actions and eternal desti- 
 nation, of moral agents. It embraces things pofftble as well as 
 actual. It is abfolutely perfect, unlimited and eternal. All 
 things actual are but the expreffion of the perceptions of the 
 Eternal Mind. Acts xv. 1 8. Known unto God are all his works 
 
 from the beginning of the world. Rev. ii. 23. / am he that fear ch^ 
 eth the reins and hearts. Mat. x. 30. The very hairs of your head 
 mre all numbered, 
 
 7. Omnipotence, or infinite power, is the immediate, or 
 mediate, caufe of all things : whether being, flate, attribute, 
 motion,, volition, action, or event, which ever has, or will, come 
 into exiftence : of courfe, nothing- can control, hinder or reiift 
 it. For no effect can refill the caufe which gives it being. 
 Contradictions are no object of power ; nor, any more of infin- 
 ite, than of finite, power : for they involve felf-deftruction. 
 But as to all things which are objects of power, omnipotence 
 has no limitation, but what is prefcribed by fitnefs and wifdom. 
 Mat. xix. 26. With God all things are pofftble. 
 
 8. Goodness in God is that propenfity of the Divine Mind 
 which is pleafed with the exijlenee and the communication of good 
 or happinefs ; with its exiftence, in the Eternal Three, and its 
 communication, to creatures. In relation to communicated 
 good, its object is the greateft poffible good to the fyftem of 
 intelligent creatures *, and the greatelt polfible good to individ- 
 uals, as far as is confident with this *, but it does not fecure the 
 final happinefs of all. Pfa. cxlv. 9. The Lord is good to all, and 
 his tender mercies are over all his works, I. Pet. i. 6. If need be> 
 
ye are in heavinefs through manifold temptations. Rom. ix. 1 7, 
 For this fame purpofe have I raifed thee up, that I might flieiv my 
 power in thee. 
 
 9. Wisdom, in a good fenfe, propofes a good end, and de- 
 vifes the beft means to attain it. So far, as it propofes a good 
 end, it is a moral perfection, and not diftincl from goodnefs ; 
 and fo far, as it devifesthe beft means to attain that end, it is a 
 natural perfection, and not diftincl: from knowledge. Its mod 
 diftinguifhed character, however, is moral, for which reafon it 
 is ranked among the moral perfections. As wifdom exifts in 
 God it propofes and attains the grenteft poflible good : it is dif- 
 played in all his works and eminently in the work of Redemp- 
 tion. Pfa. civ. 24. O Lord hoiu manifold are thy works ? In 
 wifdom haft thou made them all. I. Cor. i. 24. Chnfl the power of 
 God and the wifdom of God. Rom. xvi. 27. To God only wife^ 
 be glory, through Jefus Ghrifl,for ever. Amen. 
 
 10. Justice in God, in its largeft fenfe, is a propenfity to 
 render to all according to their work. To them who, by patient 
 continuance in well doing, feek for glory, honor and immortali- 
 ty, eternal life ; and to them who do not obey the truth, but 
 obey unrighteoufnefs, indignation and wrath. And thus it is 
 the fame as righteoufnefs. This is retributive jif ice. More 
 commonly, to render tribulation to the wicked merely. This is 
 
 ' vindiclive juflice. And fometimes it is fynonymous wiihfaith- 
 fulncfs. 1. John i. 9. If we confefs our fins, God is faithful and 
 jufl to forgive us our fins. Heb. vi. 10. God is not unrighteous U 
 forget your work and labor of love. Vindictive juflice executed 
 on the enemies of God is not an exercife of malevolence towards 
 them, but it is an expreflion of good will towards his holy king- 
 dom ; and good w r ill is as much difplayed in mowing his wrath 
 on the veffels of wrath, as in declaring the riches of his glory, 
 on the velTels of mercy. Pfa. exxxvi. To him who fmote great 
 kings for his mercy endureih for ever. Sihon king of the Amorites, 
 for his mercy endureih for ever. And Og the king cf Bafhan, for 
 his mercy endureth for ever. 
 
 11. Truth in God is that propenfity by which he is necef- 
 farily inclined to reprefent to his creatures, in his word and 
 works, his nature, counfeis, and acts, and whatever he fees fit 
 to make known, as they really are in themfelves. When he 
 
 fays, he that believeth mall be faved, and he that believeth not a. 
 
 fhall be damned, his declaration mult be equally rgSjs^ on, in nl 0// <- * ^ 
 both propofitions. Becaufe, both equally exprefs his purpofe, 
 as it exifts in his own mind. There is nothing which can juftify 
 the fuppofition that God may difpenfe with his threatenings, 
 any more, than with his promiies. God faid to our rirft parents, 
 
i6 
 
 in cafe of difobedience ye f jail furely die : the Tempter faid, 
 yefja/l not furely die ; but he was a murderer and a lhr from 
 the beginning. Num. xxiii. 19. God is not a man that he Jhould 
 lie ; nor the fon of man that he Jhould repent ; hath he /aid, and 
 Jhall he not do it ; or hath he fpoken, ^andjhall he not male it good? 
 Heb. vi. 18. It is hnpoffible for God to lie. 
 
 12. Holiness comprehends the whole moral character of 
 God. The word is the moft apt which can be found to exprefs 
 it. Holinefs is goodnefs or love, it is wifdom, juftice, truth, 
 faithfulnefs, mercy. It is, in a word, moral reclitude. Its dif- 
 tinguifhing character is purity ; to which, fin confidered as a 
 filthy and abominable thing, is contrafted. In view of this 
 divine purity Ifaiah exclaims, Ifa. vi. 5. Woe is me, for I am un- 
 done ; becaufe I am a man of unclean lips ; and I divell in the midjl 
 of a people, of unclean lips ; for mine eyes have feen the king the 
 Lord of Ho/Is. And Job, Job xlii. 5,6. 1 have heard of thee by 
 the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye feeth thee ; Wherefore I 
 abhor myfelf and repent in dufl aud ajhes. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Of the aft s of the "Divine Will, their nature — Of decrees — Of fore- 
 knowledge — Of Sovereignty. 
 
 THE phrafe acls of the will, though in common ufe, is, 
 ftrictly fpeaking, improper. For, acls are predicable 
 of agents or beings, and not of qualities or faculties. They 
 are that energy of agents, in the exercife of which they produce 
 events. They are power, or the expreffion of it. In a large, 
 but improper fenfe, they include counfel, purpofe or decree *, 
 thefe relate to events, but in creatures, do not produce them. 
 
 2. The ground of the exercifes of the will or power of God is 
 fitnefs, arifmg from the nature and relations of things, as viewed 
 in the Divine Mind. For, though nature and relation them- 
 felves are the effect of the will of God, yet nature and relation 
 being produced, or fuppofed, fitnefs refults from them : and 
 this fitnefs is the ground or reafon of all God's acts refpecting 
 them, and ought to be the ground or reafon of the acls of in- 
 telligent creatures. It is fit that God fhould be glorified ; and 
 therefore it is fit that he fhould produce beings with fuch quali- 
 ties as, in his treatment of them, (hall difplay his glory. If a 
 holy creature be fuppofed, it is fit that glory fhould be decreed 
 as his ftate and reward. Ifa finner be fuppofed, it is fit that 
 wrath fhould be decreed as his ftate and reward. Becaufe, 
 
*7 
 
 thefe oppofite rewards will equally difphy the true chara&er of 
 God, as the friend of righteoufnefs and the enemy of unrigh- 
 teoufnefs. If an intelligent creature be produced, it is fit, that 
 he mould reverence, love, and ferve God. If an unintelligent 
 creature be produced, it is fit, that it fhould be made fubfervient 
 to the intelligent. The fitnefs of any thing confiits in its be- 
 ing adapted to the end for which it was made. The end of al! 
 things is the glory of God. That conduct in rational agents 
 which difplays the glory of God is fit and proper conducl : and 
 that which does not, is unfit and improper conduct. It is fit that 
 holy creatures fhould enjoy the favor of God, becaufe they an- 
 fwer the end of their being : and it is fit that finners fhould 
 meet his frowns and difpleafure becaufe they do not anfwer 
 that end ; and are wholly ufelefs except in their deftrutlion. — 
 Rom. ix. 22. What if God) willing tofijow his wrath and make 
 his power known, endureth with much long-fufjfering the vejfels of 
 wrath fitted to deflruclion. 23 >• And that he might make known 
 the riches of his glory on the vefiels of mercy, which he had afore 
 prepared unto glory. 
 
 3. The a£h of the will of God are rteeeflarily according to 
 fitnefs : and hence arifes their obligation on creatures. To the 
 will of God we owe obedience and fubmiffion ; not as his will 
 fimply ; but as his fit and righteous will. Ifa. v. 3. And now, 
 O Inhabitants of Jerufalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, 
 betwixt me and my vineyard. Ezek. xviii. 29. O Houfe of If r a el 
 are not my ways equal ? are not your ways unequal ? 
 
 4. The counfels and purpofes of God are all eternal, and fo 
 are all his a£ts, though they have fucceflion as viewed by crea- 
 tures : for, whatever is predicable of an Eternal Being muft be 
 eternal. 2. Tim. i. 9. According to his own purpofc and grace^ 
 which was given us in Chrijl Jfus, before the world began. 
 
 5. The counfels of God embrace every event which ever 
 takes place : particularly, the being, character, actions, and 
 eternal ftate, of every intelligent creature. — 2. Tim. i. 9 ; fore- 
 cited. I.Peter ii. 8. Being difobedient, whereunto they alfo were 
 appointed. A&s ii. 23. Him being delivered by the determinate 
 counfel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and with wicked 
 hands have crucified and fain. 
 
 6. God, in his eternal counfels, has chofen a certain num- 
 ber of the human race to be heirs of eternal life ; and hath or- 
 dained and provided the instruments and means, which to hi?, 
 wifdom feem meet, for that purpofe. 1. Peter i. 2. Elecl, re- 
 cording to the fore-knowledge of God the Father. Mark xiii. 20-, 
 For the ElecTs fake, whom he hath chofen. Rom, xvL 13. Salute 
 Rufus chofen in the Lord. 
 
 C 
 
i8 
 
 7. The ele&ion of God is not grounded on good works fore- 
 feenand fore-known, of thofe who are called ; but is an act of 
 fovercign goodnefs. 2. Tim. i. 9. Not according ts our works, 
 but according to his purpofe and grace, tuhicb was given us in 
 Chri/l Jefuf, before the world began. x Eph. i. 4. According as 
 he hath chofcn us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we 
 SHOULD BE HOLT. Rom. viii. 29. Whom he did fore-know> 
 he alfo did prcdeftinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. 
 
 8. Knowledge, in the order of nature is prior to purpofe or 
 decree : for nothing can be decreed which is not known, and 
 known to be proper to be brought into exigence. But knowl- 
 edge of the certain futurity of an event, or fore-knowledge, is 
 grounded upon a decree to bring it to pafs : for fuch decree 
 alone is the caufe of its futurity. A£ts xv. 18. Known unto 
 God are all his works from the beginning of the world ; but his 
 works, in purpofe and defign, mufl be prior to fore-knowledge, 
 in order to be its object. 
 
 9. Sovereignty in God is the right to exercife his power in 
 giving being, capacity and happinefs to creatures, and in taking 
 them away, as feems good to him, without being accountable 
 to them. Rom. xi. 34. Who hath known the mind of the Lord ? 
 or who hath been his counfellor ? 
 
 10. In the exercife cf fovereignty God, in fact, has formed 
 creatures with various degrees of being, power, excellence and 
 enjoyment : and difpofes of them, in his providence, fome to 
 honor, and fome to difhonor. He creates Angel^ men and 
 worms. Some creatures he forms for immortality : of thefe, 
 fome are chofen to be heirs of glory, and fome are left to fall 
 into Gn and endlefs ruin. Others he forms to come into exif- 
 tence and periih in a day ; and, laitly, others, without percep- 
 tion, or a capacity for pleafure or pain. 
 
 1 1. The fovereignty of God is exercifed in all his operations 
 and a&s. It is perfectly diftincl: from arbitrariness : and is al- 
 ways limited by fitnefs and wifdom. There are important rea- 
 fons for the diftinctions which God makes among his creatures, 
 in their formation and ufe, tho' often beyond our comprehen- 
 lion. Paul fays, 1. Tim. i. 16. For this caufe obtained I mer- 
 cy, that in mefirjl Jefus Chrifl might fhow forth all longfuffe ring, for 
 a pattern to them which jhall hereafter believe en him to lifc-everlafl- 
 ing, and there are good reafons for every other acl: of fovereign 
 mercy; as well as for every dift.inct.ion which is made among 
 creatures. Dan. iv. 35. He doth according to his will in the ar- 
 my cf Heaven, . g the inhabitants of the Earth ; and none 
 can fay his hand, or fay ttuto him, what dofl thou ? 
 
 12. The fovereignty of God is, as explained, calculated to 
 
.'9 
 
 afford comfort to all who love God and his kingdom. It is 
 matter of great joy that all things are under a wife direction ; 
 and it is the only ground of hope to finners. In view of it, we 
 have reafon to adopt the words of Chrift, Mat. xi. 25. 26. / 
 thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becaufe thou hajl 
 hid thefe things from the wife and prudent, and hajl revealed them 
 unto babes. Even fo, Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight. — 
 And the fublime adoration of Paul, offered up in view of the fame 
 fubjeel:, I. Tim. i. 17. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, 
 invifible, the Only Wise God, be honor and glory, forever and ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Of creation — Of Angels, their orders, their power, their original 
 Jlate, their trial with its confequences, their office aud agency— Of 
 man in his original fate, his trial and fall. 
 
 GOD is the Creator of all things vifible and invifible, 
 whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principali- 
 ties or powers, whether they be things in Heaven or things on 
 Earth. Col. i. 16. 
 
 2. Creation is the a£r. of God alone, producing fomething out 
 of nothing. God faid, Let there be light, and there was light. 
 He fpake, and it was done : He commanded, and it flood faft. 
 It is not merely the formation of the world out of pre-exifting 
 materials, but alfo the production of thofe materials themfelves. 
 Heb. xi. 3. Through faith we underf and that the worlds were 
 
 framed, by the word of God,fo that things which are feen were not 
 made of things which do appear. 
 
 3. God, at a period unknown, created various orders of intel- 
 ligent creatures fuperior to man, who, in Scripture, are called 
 Angels. They were in being, at the creation of this world : for, 
 when God laid the foundations of the Earth, the morning fars 
 fang together, and all the Sons of Godfjoutedforjoy. Job xxxviii. 
 
 7. They are defignated alfo, by the various names, thrones, do- 
 minions, principalities and powers ; which denote their various 
 orders, and alfo their power, authority and excellence. Col. i. 
 16. They are represented as fpiritual effences, in their origi- 
 nal ; of great underftanding and ftrength, and quick to do the 
 will of God. Heb. i. 7. He maketh his Angels fpirits, his min- 
 iflers aflame of fire. Pfa. ciii. 20. Blefs the Lord ye his Angels 
 who excel in flrength, who do his commandments, harkening unto the 
 voice of his word. 
 
20 
 
 4- The Angels were all created holy and happy, and were in 
 the immediate prefence of God in Heaven. They were for a 
 feafon in a date of trial. What the teft of their obedience was, 
 is, to us, unknown. Some of them were chofen to be heirs of 
 glory, who continued, by the grace of God, faithful, through the 
 term of their probation, and are now confirmed in a never-end- 
 ing ftate of holinefs and happinefs'. Their election of God is 
 manifeft. I charge thee, fays Paul to Timothy, i. Tim. v. 21. 
 Before God, and the Lord J ejus Chrifl, and the El eel Angels. — 
 Others were left to themfelves, and they finned, became apoltate 
 from God, were call: out of Heaven, and are now refcrved in 
 chains under darknefs unto the judgment of the great day : and 
 will then be punifhed, in that everlafting fire, which is prepared 
 for them. Jude 6. Thefe evil Angels are, in Scripture, called 
 Devils. They are implacable enemies of God and man, and 
 are forever accurfed. Their gread leader, who was among the 
 Angels, in his nrft eftate, like Lucifer fon of the morning 
 among the other liars, is now called the oldferpent : and, by way 
 of eminence, the Devil, and Satan. He was far above them in 
 power and preeminence, and now is, and will be, as far below 
 them in infamy and ruin. Ifa. xiv. 12. How art thou fallen 
 from Heaven, O Lucifer, Son of the morning ! 
 
 5. The office of the Holy Angels is to minifter to Chrift as 
 Mediator, and to the members of his myftical body. They were 
 created by him and for hirm They are miniflering fpirits, fent 
 forth to minifler for them, luhojhall he heirs of Salvation. Heb. i. 
 14. In this character they a£led at the creation of this world ; 
 at the birth of Chrift ; at the clofe of his temptation in the wil- 
 dernefs ; at his agony in the garden ; at his reiurreclion ; at his 
 afcenfion ; and will attend him at the final judgment. In the 
 fame character they have miniftered to holy men, in every age, 
 and will minifler to fuch, to the end of the world : and, in fo 
 doing, they execute the commands of Chrift, whether for cor- 
 rection, or for fupport, defence and confolation. 
 
 6 The agency of evil Angels is exerted, in attempting to bring 
 difhonor upon God and ruin upon men ; in mifreprefenting the 
 ways, and perverting the word of God ; in feducing men into 
 idolatry and herefy ; in tempting them to leave the fervice of 
 God and to indulge the lufts of the flefh and of the mind ; in 
 hardening them in fin, efpecially in the fin of unbelief •, and, 
 generally, in working in the children of difobedience. Alfo, in 
 tempting and worrying the Saints -, ftirring up their lufts ; tor- 
 menting them with doubts and fears ; leading them to defpon- 
 dencyj and all, to bring them to difhonor God, to wound re- 
 ligion ; to prove (tumbling blocks toothers; and, as far as may 
 be, to hinder their progrefs Heaven-ward. Rev. xii. 9. Eph. 
 ;i. 2. Luke xxii. 31. 
 
21 
 
 7. In the beginning God created the vifible Heavens, the 
 Earth and the Seas, and all things which are therein, within the 
 fpace of fix days ; to each of which was afligned, according to 
 the wildom of God, a particular work ; and, to the hft, the 
 creation of man ; the end and crown of the whole. Gen. i. 
 
 8. God created man upright ; in the image of God made he 
 him -, male and female created he them. He was in the image 
 of God as poifeffed of underftanding to difcern betwixt good and 
 evil ; of rectitude of heart to choofe the good and refufe the 
 evil ; and of dominion over the creatures. Eccl. vii. 29. — 
 Gen. i. 26. 
 
 9. God placed the man whom he had made in the garden of 
 Eden, formed by the munificent hand of the Creator, tofurnim 
 the happy pair both fupport and delight. In the midft of the 
 garden he placed two trees ; the tree of the knowledge of 
 good and evil, the teft of his obedience *, and the tree of life, the 
 pledge of immortality. 
 
 10. God commanded the man, faying, Of the tree of the 
 knowledge of good and evil, thou Jhalt not eat of it, for in the day 
 thou eatejl thereof thou Jhalt fur ely die. Gen. ii. 17. And this 
 threatning of death in cafe of difobedience, with the promife of 
 life reprefented by the tree of life, which was its fymbol, in cafe 
 of obedience, were, in their nature, a covenant of works between 
 God and the firft man Adam, in which, he was acted with, and 
 acted, as the head and reprefentative of the whole human race, 
 his future defcendents, who were to reap the fruits of his obe- 
 dience, or abide the confequences of his difobedience, equally 
 withhimfelf. i.Cor. xv. 22. In Adam all die. Rom. v. 17. 
 By one maris offence death reigned by one. 14. Who (Adam) is the 
 
 figure of him that was to come. 18. As by the offence of on* judg- 
 ment came upon all men to condemnation ; evenfo, by the righteoufnefs 
 pfone the free gift came upon all men u?itojuJlification of life. 
 
 11. Eve, our common mother, being beguiled by the fubtil- 
 ty of Satan, through the ferpent the inftrument of his fraud, 
 Took of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and did 
 eat, and gave alfo to her hufband with her, and he did eat \ and fo 
 incurred the penalty of death for themfelves and all their pofter- 
 rity. Gen. iii. 6. 
 
 12. The life promifed to Adam, in cafe of obedience, was 
 eternal life, and the death threatened in cafe of difobedience was 
 eternal death ; or an equivalent vicarious fuffering. The form- 
 er was of free gift ; the latter was of debt. Rom. vi. 23. The 
 wages of fin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. 1 . Cor. 
 iv. 7. What haft thou which thou didfl not receive ? 
 
22 
 
 13. The penalty threatened will be executed, according to its 
 true import, on every individual of the humaft race : on thofe 
 who do not take benefit of the difpenfation of grace through 
 Chi'ifa perfonaify ; and on thofe who do, in Chrift their furety ; 
 who is made a curfe for them. Gal. iii. 13. Chrifi hath redeem- 
 ed us from the curfe of the law being made a curfe for us. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Of fin — its nature and demerit — Original fin — Depravity. 
 
 SIN is that temper of heart which (lands oppofed to the 
 holy nature, or laws of God. Rom. viii. 7. The carnal 
 mind is enmity againfl God, for it is not fubjccl to the law of God, 
 neither indeed can be. 
 
 2. The holy nature of God, of which his law is a tranfeript, 
 is that propenlity of heart which rejoices in the fum of good 
 which exiits in himfelf ; and which hath been, or (hall be, 
 communicated by him to creatures ; and which is the proper 
 fource of ali communicated good. 
 
 3. External action is not, by itfelf, either holy or finful ; but 
 is merely the evidence or proof of a holy or finful heart, or 
 temper. 1. Sam. xvi. 7. The Lord feeth not as man fceth : for 
 man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the 
 heart. 
 
 4. The demerit of fin is not to be eftimated by its adlual ef- 
 fects ; for thefe are limited and controled by the power and 
 wifdom of God ; but by its proper nature and tendency. Pfa. 
 Ixxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man pall praife thee ; the remain- 
 der of wrath fi alt thou refrain. Gen. 1. 20. But as for you, ye 
 thought evil againfl me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pafs 9 
 as it is this day to five much people alive. 
 
 5. The nature and tendency of fin, in itfelf, is to deftroy all 
 good in God and the creature. Pfalm xiv. 1. The fool hath f aid 
 in his heart,, no God, Rom. viii. 7. The carnal mind is enmity 
 againfl God. Rom. iii. 15, 16. Their feet are fwift to Jhed blood. 
 Definition and mifery are in their ways. 
 
 6. The good fin tends to deftroy is infinite : of courfe, the 
 evil of fin is infinite. Rom. vii. 13. That fin by the command- 
 ment might become exceeding finful. 
 
 7. God hates fin in proportion to its demerit : that is with 
 infinite Jiatred : or with all his heart. Jere. xliv. 4. Howbeit, 
 
 
23 
 
 Ifent unto you all myfervants the prophets, rifing early and fending 
 them , faying^ Oh, do not this abominable thing which I hate. 
 
 8. If fuch infinite hatred of fin exifls in God, it is fit that he 
 {hould exprefs it : becaufe it is fit that he fhould make himfelf 
 known. Rom. ix. 22. What if God, willing to fhow his wrath 
 and make his power known, endured with much long-fajfering, the 
 veffels of wrath fitted to dtfiruBion ? 
 
 9. For God to exprefs his wrath partially, is to mifreprefent 
 it. His wrath againft tinners is made known by bringing on 
 them natural evil or fuffering ; infinite wrath is made known by 
 bringing on them infinite natural evil or fuffering: infinite evil 
 in degree cannot be inflicted on them becaufe they are finite : 
 therefore, it behoves to be infinite in duration. 2 Theff. i. 9. 
 Who foall be puni/hed with everlajling deft ruclion from the prefencc 
 of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. 
 
 1 o. Of thofe who perifh, fome will be greater finners than 
 others ; therefore their punifhment, though equal in duration, 
 will be unequal in degree, and proportionate to their feverai 
 degrees of guilt. 1 Pet. i. 1 7. And if ye call on the Father, 
 who without refpecl of perfons, judgeth according to every man's 
 work, pafs the time of your fojourning here in fear. 
 
 1 1 . Original fin is the fin of the firft man Adam, in taking 
 and eating the forbidden fruit, in which he broke the covenant 
 of works, under which he, and his pofterity in him as their re- 
 prefentative, were, by divine appointment, placed ; and it is fet 
 to their account, as deriving from him a depraved nature, in 
 which, as they come into being, they are united to him, and be- 
 come one with him in a univerfal revolt from God. Job xiv. 4. 
 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? Net one. Rom. 
 v. 17. By one man's offence death reigned by one. 1 Cor. xv. 47, 
 48. The firfl man is of the Earth, earthy. As is the earthy, fuch 
 are they alfo that are earthy. 
 
 - 12. The fentence of condemnation againft all men proceeds 
 on the ground of the lapfe, or the offence, but none are punifhed 
 beyond their perfonal deferts as finners. Rom. v. 16. The 
 judgment was by one [offence] to condemnation. 
 
 13. All men as they come into the world are finners; be- 
 caufe they have a finful nature or temper ; and are deftitute of 
 holinefs ; and this nature or temper is in a degree, manifeft in 
 their earlieft actions, and becomes more and more fo, as they 
 advance towards maturity. Pfa. li. 5. Behold! I was Jbapen in 
 iniquity, and in fin did my mother conceive me. 
 
 14. Men are totally depraved ; and, in themfelves, utterly 
 helplefs. By total depravity, however, is not meant, that they 
 
ii 
 
 are deftitute of thofe natural affections which were original in 
 man ; and, while under due limitation, ufeful in the prefent 
 ftate •, fuch as the conjugal, parental, filial, and fraternal affec- 
 tions ; nor, that they are as finful as poflible : but what is meant 
 is, that they are wholly alienated from God and holinefs. 
 Rom. iii. 12 — 1 8. They are all gone out of the way ; they are to- 
 gether become unprofitable ; there is none that doth good, no not one 
 — There is no fear of God before their eyes. John v. 42. / know 
 you that ye have not the love of God in you. 
 
 15. The impotency of man confifts in this, that he cannot ef- 
 fect a change of nature by his own acts or exercifes, his reign- 
 ing temper being wholly oppofed to God and holinefs ; nor make 
 iatisfaction to divine jultice, for his fins. John vi. 44. A T * 
 man can come to me, except the Father who hathfent me draw him. 
 Rome ix. 16. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that run- 
 neth > but of God that Jhoweth mercy. Rom v. 6. When we were 
 yet without Jlrength in due time, Chrifl died for the ungodly. John 
 r. 40. Te will not come to me that ye might have life. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Of the covenant of Redemption, and covenant of Grace. 
 
 IT feems inconfiftent with the holinefs and truth of God 
 to deliver finners from fuffering the penalty of the law, 
 in their own perfons without an atonement, which fhall equal- 
 ly declare the Divine righteoufnefs. It was clearly impoflible 
 that the cup of fuffering fhould pafs from Chrift the Surety, for, 
 had it been pofiVole, his importunate prayer that it might pafs, 
 would have been fpecifically granted. Mat. xxvi. 39. 
 
 2. To provide an atonement and righteoufnefs that fhould 
 fatisfy the law, in behalf of the: Elect, employed the counfels of 
 the Eternal Three, in that ineffable tranfaction, called the Cove- 
 nant of Redemption. 
 
 3. In this covenant, the Sacred Three are reprefented, in 
 Scripture, as fuftaining appropriate characters. The Father, as 
 claiming fatisfaction for his violated law ; as giving the Elect to 
 the Son as Mediator ; as putting all things under his feet; and 
 a,^> engaging effectual fupport. The Son, as undertaking the 
 work of man's redemption •, engaging to reveal the counfels of 
 God to man ; in due time, to affume human nature, in that na- 
 ture to obey the lav/, and make fatisfaction to the juftice of 
 God, as the head and reprefentative of all who were thus given 
 him -, to govern the world for their fakes, and, in the endj to de- 
 
liver up the kingdom to the Father. The Holy Ghoft a$ en- 
 gaging to renew and fan&ify the redeemed ; and to dwell in 
 them, as the fanctifier and comforter^/ by the Father and the 
 Son. John vi. 37. Eph. i. 22. Ifai. xlii. 4. Pfa. xl. 7. John i. 
 18. 2 Cor. v. 14. Col. i- 16, 17. Eph. i. 22. 1 Cor. xv. 24* 
 John xiv. 26. xv. 26. 
 
 4. The Covenant of Grace is that covenant between God and 
 Chrift as Mediator, and the head and reprefentative of all his 
 fpiritual feed, which, in the Scriptures, is contrafted with the 
 Covenant of works made with Adam, as head and reprefentative 
 of all his natural feed. It is, for fubftance, involved in the Cov- 
 enant of Redemption ; but, it is diftinguifhable from it, in that 
 it contemplates man as actually exifling and fallen \ and tho' 
 made in Chrift, as all the promifes of God are in him, yet every 
 believer, by his own act, even the atl: of Faith, becomes per- 
 fonally interefted in it, fo that God's covenant may be faid, in 
 a ftrict, and proper fenfe, to be with him: which cannot, in the 
 fame latitude, be faid of the Covenant of Redemption. Thus 
 God fays to Abraham Gen. xvii. 4. As for me, behold, my cov~ 
 enant is with thee. 
 
 CHAPTER X, 
 Of the Incarnation of Chrift, his Perfon, names , and pre-eminence* 
 
 IN the fulnefs of time, fixed in the Divine counfels, the 
 fecond perfon in the Sacred Trinity took into a perfonal 
 union with himfelf the nature of man, both foul and body : 
 yet fo, as that the Divine Nature and the human nature are, and 
 for ever will be, diftin£fc and unconfounded. Heb. ii. 16. For 
 ■verily he took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him 
 the feed of Abraham, 1 7. Wherefore it behoved him, in all things , 
 to be made like unto his brethren, 
 
 2, This wonderful perfon was, by the overfhadowing of the 
 Holy Gholt, conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, who 
 was of the fctd of David, and was born of her, and is very God, 
 and very man. Luke i. 35. And the Angel anfwered and faid 
 unto her, the Holy Ghoft fhall come upon thee, and the power of the 
 Highefl fall overfmuow thee , therefore alfo, that holy thing which 
 jballbeborn of thee fhall be called the SON of God. I John v. 20. 
 
 This is the true God and eternal life, Ifai. liii. 3. He is defpifed 
 and rejected of men, A LI AN of for rows and acquainted with grief 
 
 3. The union of the Divine and human natures into one 
 perfon implies, that Chrift was without fin, and this is manifeft 
 
 D 
 
26 
 
 from the whole import of the Scriptures. Luke i. 35. There- 
 fore alfo> that holy thing which JJjall be bom of thee, &c. I Pet. ii. 
 22. Who did trfitiy neither was guile found in his mouth, 
 
 4. The names by which this Divine perfon is known, in 
 Scripture, are numerous : two of them which were ufed in the 
 Old Teftament, and recognized in the New Tcftament, will be 
 noticed. The one is Michael the Archangel. See Jude 9, com- 
 pared with Zech. iii. 1, 2. alfo Rev. xii. 7. the other, which 
 was the moil common and appropriate was Mefftah ; or the 
 anointed ; of the fame import with the name Chri/l, in the New 
 Tcftament. To which is added by direction of the Angel Ga- 
 briel, near the time of the conception, that of Jefus> cr the Savior; 
 thefe united, Jefus Chrifiy or, the Saviour anointed \ conflitute the 
 name by which he is commonly defignated in the New Tefta- 
 ment, and point out his office, and his confecration* to office, 
 by the Father. 
 
 5. Jesus Christ is the brightnefs of God's glory, and the 
 exprefs image of his perfon. All things were made by him ; 
 and by him all things conlift. He is the Lord of Angels and 
 men. The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the 
 firic and the laft. The Wonderful, the Counfellor, the Mighty 
 God, the Everlafling Father, the Prince of Peace. The Judge 
 of the world. The promulgator and end of the law. The An- 
 titype of the whole Jewifh economy, apart from whom it has no 
 meaning or ufe worthy of God, or important to men. The 
 fpirit of prophefy is teftimony concerning him. He is the au- 
 thor and centre of the whole of revelation ; and of all things 
 vifible and invifible. He is the head and Saviour of the body, 
 the Church. In all things he hath the pre-eminence ; and in 
 him dwelleth all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Of the Offices of Chrif—Chri/} as Mediator fuftains the three-. 
 fold character of Prophet , Priefi and King. 
 
 IN the office of a Prophet he reveals to us the counfel and 
 will of God ; r.nd this he does, in creation, which is his 
 work. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament 
 Jhbw'etb his handy work. In Providence, which is the uie to 
 which he applies the world. Col. i. 17. He is before all ik:ngs 9 
 and by him dit things cvnfifl ; and in his word. The whole of re- 
 velation is the word of Chrift •, it is indited by the Spirit 
 of Chrift. 1 Pet. i. 11. Searching wbat t or what manner of 
 
 
27 
 
 time the Spirit of Chri/I in them did fgnify, Zs'c. I lis name is 
 the Word of God, and he is fo in every a<St whereby he makes 
 known the character and mind of God. He is the effulgence of 
 God's glory. He is the Great Teacher who came from God. — 
 He is the Truth. He alone is worthy to take and unfeal the 
 book of God's decrees. John i. 18. No man hath feen Godot 
 any time, the only begotten Son, who is in the bofom of the Father, 
 he hath declared him. 
 
 2. Chrifl acts in the office of a Pried in atoning for fin — in 
 bleffing his people — in pleading the merit of his blood before the 
 throne of God in their behalf : and in prefenting his redeemed 
 Church without fpot to God the Father. He is Riled our Great 
 Highpriefi, and a Priejl forever. He is the fubftance of the 
 Aaronic priefthood, of which that was but the fhadow. He 
 atoned for fin when he offered up himfelf, foul and body, upon 
 the crofs, a facrifice, through the Eternal Spirit, without fpot to 
 God. By this one offering he declared the righteculnefs of Godj 
 and, in behalf of his redeemed Church, bore the penalty of the 
 law and delivered them from its curfe, by becoming a curfe for 
 them. In this character it became him to be holy, harmlefs, 
 undented, and feparate from finners. Accordingly, his obedi- 
 ence was perfect even unto death ; and it was made perfect 
 through fufferings and this obedience, fo perfected, is the only 
 ground of j unification and eternal life both for himfelf, as man, 
 and for all the members of his myftical body. 
 
 3. Chrift a£ts in the office of a King in employing the Holy 
 Angels as his miniftering fervants, in ufing the world in fubfer- 
 viency to his Church — in caufing all things to work together for 
 their good — in fubduing his people and making them willing 
 and obedient — in overcoming the world — in controling and 
 conquering Satan and the powers of darknefs — in raifing the 
 dead at the Laft Day — in judging the world both Angels and 
 men — in condemning the wicked, and punifhing them in Hell — 
 and, in acquitting the righteous, and rewarding them in Heaven. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Of the Go/pel offer— its fncerity — its importance. 
 
 THE offer of pardon, peace with God, and eternal life is 
 made to all, without diftin&ion, to whom the Gofpe! 
 comes. Thus Chrift proclaims : John vii. 37. If any man 
 thirjl let him come unto me and drink. See alfo, Rev. xxii. 17. 
 
 2. It is the command of Chrift, that the Gofpel offer mould 
 
28 
 
 be made to all men. Thus he directs his Apoflles and Minis- 
 ters. Mark xvi. 15. Go ye into all the world and preach the 
 Go/pel to every creature. 1 Tim. ii. 4. Who will have all men 
 to befavedy and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 
 
 3. Though the external call of the N Gofpel extends to many, 
 and lhould be fent to all -, yet none will accept the call but 
 they alcne, who are chefen in Chrift Jefus. Mat. xx. 16. 
 Many are called, but few chofen. John x. 26. Te believe not, be- 
 caufe ye are not of tnyfljeep. 
 
 4. Though Chrift knows that none but his own fheep will 
 hear his voice, yet his call to others is neverthelefs fmcere : for, 
 it remains true, that thofc who come to him, he will in no wife 
 calt out. A fmcere offer of a benefit may be made to an un- 
 willing mind, and known to be fo, by him who makes it. 
 
 5. Sincerity of offer does not fuppofe or imply that the offer 
 will be accepted ; nor does it imply any obligation on the part 
 of him who makes it, fuppofmg him able, to create a willing 
 mind in him to whom it is made. It is fufficient, if he defign 
 to make good his offer, on its being accepted. 
 
 6. The Gofpel offer to the non-elecl: is not only fmcere, but 
 it may be important, for reafons refulting from the nature of the 
 Divine government : and unlefs it can be fhown, that no fuch 
 reafons can exift, it muft be high prefumption to charge God 
 with trifling, much more, with injuftice to his creatures. 
 
 7. There are important reafons for offering the Gofpel to 
 many of the non-elecl:, among which is this *, that now they 
 have no cloak for their fin : and the juftice of God in their de- 
 ilrucl ion will be, on that account, the more confpicuous. John 
 xv. 2 2. If I had not come, and fpohn unto them, fays Chrift, they 
 had not had fin ; but now, have they no cloak for, their fin. 2 Cor. 
 ii. 15. For we are unto God, fays Paul, a fweet favour of Chrifl 
 in them that are faved, and in them that perifh. 1 6. To the one 
 we are the favour of death unto death , and to the other the favour 
 of life unto life, and who is fufficient for thefe things ? 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Of the application of Redemption — Regeneration — Repentance — 
 
 Faith. 
 
 ALTHOUGH a complete and glorious provifion is rnadt 
 through the atonement and righteoufnefs of Chrift, fuf- 
 ficient for the falvation of the whole world 5 yet, fuch is the 
 
29 
 
 oppofirion cf the human heart to Ccd, 2nd to the Gofpel of 
 his grace, that none will comply with the Gofpel offer, unlefs 
 renewed by the Holy GhofL Chrift lays, John v. 40. Ye will 
 not corns to me, that ye might have life. John vi. 44. No man can 
 come to me, except the Father, who hath fent me, drew him. 
 
 2. Regeneration, or the new-birth, is fuch a change of heart 
 as is implied in the prefence and indwelling of the Spirit of God 
 in the Soul, imparting to it, in fuch degree as feemeth him 
 good, his own holy nature. John iii. 6. That which is born of 
 theflejhisfiefhy and that which is born of the Spirit is fpirli. Col. 
 i. 27. Chrifl in you the hope of glory. Phil. ii. 13. ItisGcdthat 
 ivorketh in you both to nvill and to do of his good pleafure. It is 
 fpiritual illumination. Acts xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to 
 turn them from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan unto 
 God. It is the love of God in the heart 1 John iv. 7. Every 
 one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. It is a new cre- 
 ation. 2 Cor. v. 17. If any man be in Chrifl he is a new creature. 
 It is fanctification begun. It is palling from death to life ; the 
 principle imparted is fpiritual life, and the beginning cf eternal 
 life. Chrift in the heart is the Life. The True God and Eternal 
 Life. Phil. i. 6. John xiv. 6. 1 John v. 20. It is effectual 
 calling. Rev. iii. 20. If any man hear my voice, and open the 
 door, I will come in to him, and fup with him, and he with me. 
 John v. 25. Verily, verily, I fay unto you, the time is coming, and 
 now is, when the dead Jkall hear the voice of the Son of God, and 
 they that hearfhall live. As an effect, it is life and action in the 
 fubject. // is God that worheth in you to do. It does not imply 
 lofs or diminution of liberty. It is God th&t worheth in you to ivill. 
 The agent producing this work is the Holy Ghoft, and the means 
 or inftrument, in active ccnverlion, is the word of God. James 
 i. 18. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth. 
 
 3. Repentance is that exercife of the new bcrn foul which 
 confifts in felf-loathing for fin, in view of the fpotlefs purity 
 and holinefs of God, and as committed againft God, with pur- 
 pofe of heart to forfake it. Thus Job expreffes his penitence ; 
 Job xlii. 5. 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but 
 7iow mine eye feeth thee, Wherefore I abhor myfelf, and repent in 
 duft and a/Joes. And David his : Pfa. Ii. 4. Againfl thee, thee 
 only, have Ifnned, and done this evil in thy fight. It is not forrow 
 for fin coniidered fimply as an event, Which may, and will, be 
 overruled for good. New, therefore, fays Jofeph to his brethren, 
 Gen. xlv. 5. Be not grieved nor angry with yourj elves, that ye fold 
 me hither, for God did fend me before you to preferve life. Noras 
 expofing the (inner to punifhment. Mat. xxvii. 4. Judas re~ 
 pented him felf, faying, Ihave fmned, in that I have betrayed the 
 innocent blood, but in horror of inind he went and hanged himfclf, 
 and went to his own place. 
 
3« 
 
 4. Faith, in general, is afient to a propofition, afferting or de- 
 nying a fact, as true, on teftimony. It always implies confi- 
 dence in the moral character of the witnefs. 
 
 Faith in God is afTent to a propofition, refpecting a fact or 
 doctrine, as true, on the teftimony of God, refulting from an 
 affectionate confidence in his perfect and immutable rectitude 
 or goodnefs. Heb. xi. 6. He that cometh to God mufl believe that 
 he is, and that he is a rcwarder of them that diligently feek him. 
 
 Faith in Chrift is receiving him on the teftimony of God, as 
 the faithful and true witnefs, and the great teacher fent from 
 God, with reft of foul on him as an all-fufficient Saviour. Gal. 
 v. 6. For in Jefus Chrifl neither circumcifion availeih any things 
 nor uncircumcifion, but faith which worketh by love. John i. 1 2. 
 As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fans 
 of God, even to them that believe on his name. Faith is to believers, 
 in this world, inflead of fight. They endure as feeing him who 
 is invifible. Heb. xi. 27. To the eye of faith things unfeen 
 are prefented as real and infinitely folemn and important. Faith 
 is, as it were, their fubltance and evidence. Heb. xi. 1. It 
 governs and animates the Chriftian's walk through life. 2 Cor. 
 v. 7. Things ieen and temporal, with them loofe their afcen- 
 dency •, they become ft rangers and pilgrims on the Earth ; and 
 they feek a better, even heavenly country. It is the act which 
 unites the believer to Chrift, fo as to become one with him. It 
 entitles him, through grace, to all the benefits of Chrift's pur- 
 chafe — to pardon of fin through his atonement — to juftification 
 through his righteoufnefs — to adoption — to peace with God — 
 to fanctification through the Spirit — to grace to perfevere, and 
 to the final, complete and eternal, enjoyment of God. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Of the benefits cf redemption — Pardon of fin — Juflification — Adop- 
 tion — SanBification — Peace with God — Hope — Joy — Effcatious 
 grace — Perjeverance. 
 
 THE pardoning of fin is a gracious act of God in behalf 
 of believers, acquitting them from guilt and punifh- 
 ment, on account of the atonement which Chrift has made 
 to the juftice of God, in their room and ftead. Rom. iii. 25. 
 Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, thro faith in his blood, 
 to declare his righteoufnefs, for the remjjjton of fns. It is a gra- 
 cious act, though complete fatisfaction is made ; becaufe, the 
 perfonal ill-defert of believers remains, becaufe the fatisfactioa 
 
3i 
 
 made is not of their own providing or making, and becauf.% 
 faith itfelf, which interefts them in it, is the gift of God. Eph. 
 ii. 8. By grace are ye faved thro faith and that not of yourf elves, it 
 is the gift of God. 
 
 2. Juftification is an acl of God as judge declaring believers 
 to be righteous, or right with the law, on account of the righ- 
 teoufnefs of Chrift, in which they are interefted by faith, and 
 accepting and treating them as fuch. Rom. x. 4. Chrift is the 
 end of the laivfor righteouj hefs, to every one that believeth. It is a 
 gracious a£t, becaufe it is not grounded on perfonal obedience, 
 or good works. Rom. iii. 28. Therefore we conclude that a ma?i 
 is jufifed by faith without the deeds of the law. Faith itfelf is not 
 the ground of juftification confidered as a good work $ but juf- 
 tification is through faith, as the act which forms the union be- 
 tween Chrift and believers, in which, the righteoufnefs of Chrift 
 is fet to their account. It is of faith that it might be by grace. — 
 Rom. iv. 16. They are juftified by works, no otherwife than 
 as good works are the proper evidence of the reality of faith. 
 James ii. 18. Show me thy faith without thy works; and I will 
 
 Jhow thee my faith by my works, 17. Faith without works is dead, 
 being alone. 
 
 3. Adoption is a gracious act of God conftituting believers, 
 in their effectual calling, to be his fons ; heirs of God, joint 
 heirs with Chrift, and heirs of all things ; and treating them as 
 fuch, by fending forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts, 
 crying Abba, Father ; and by bellowing upon them, in due time, 
 the Heavenly inheritance. 1 John iii. 2. Beloved, now are we 
 the fons of God. 1 Cor. iii. at the clofe. All are yours, and ye are 
 Chrift' s, and Chrift is God's. 
 
 4. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit ; or, it is his 
 prefence in the hearts of believers ; enlightening their under- 
 standings to difcern the excellency of Chrift and divine truth ; 
 fpiritualizing their affections ; conftraining their wills ; con- 
 vincing them, more and more of fin *, fubduing their corrup- 
 tions ; encreafing their humility ; invigorating their faith -, 
 weaning them from the world \ animating their hope ; produ- 
 cing in them the peaceable fruits of righteoufnefs ; giving them 
 the earneft of the Heavenly inheritance ; and meetening them, 
 more and more, for the full enjoyment of it. 2. Thes. ii. 13. 
 
 5. Peace with God is that calm ftate of mind which refults 
 from an unreferved fubmiflion of the foul to God, to which we 
 are brought, by the effectual working of his power, in genuine 
 converfion. It is the fruit of the Spirit ; and, as far as perfect- 
 ed, it is the end of the controverfy which the natural man main- 
 tains againfc God, as a holy and fin-hating God. It does not 
 
3* 
 
 originate from a hope that we are forgiven, and become the ob- 
 jects of God's favor ; but, from a fenfe of his excellence; of 
 our own vilenefs and ill-defert as finncrs juftly condemned by 
 his holy law ; and of his fovereign right to caft us off forever. 
 It is a reft of foul in God, even wherbwe may view ourfelves as 
 expofed to his wrath and curfe. It is a fbte of comfort, and 
 even joy in God, without any vifible caufe cr reafon, connected 
 with our own happinefe. In this ftate of foul, we Can fay with 
 the Pfairnift. Tf?. yevii. i. The Lord reigneih, let the Earth 
 rejoice. 
 
 6. Hope is a profpe£t of future good, cenfjdered as attaina- 
 ble. The chriftianhepe is a profpecr, of the future good which 
 God propofes to our acceptance, confidered not only as attain- 
 able, but certain, on embracing the promife which fecures it. — 
 There is a foundation laid for chnftian hope, at firft conversion ; 
 but fenfible exercifes of it do not commonly arife till afterwards. 
 It refults from a diftincr. view of the nature of the good promif- 
 ^d •, and of the character to which the promife is made, and 
 from confeioufnefs, on due examination, comparing curfelves 
 with the description of it in the word of God, that we are of 
 that character. It is, in every degree of it, in the nature of an 
 aflured hope. The nature of the good promifed, and the char- 
 acter to whom the promife is made are defcribed by the Spirit 
 of truth with clearnefs and certainty; the promife itfelf is infalli- 
 ble ; and the only doubt can be, whether we are of that char- 
 acter ; and this may certainly be known, if we are diligent and 
 faithful to ourfelves. Rom. v. 3, 4. Knowing that tribulation 
 "jjorketh patience ; and patience ; experience; and experience, hope. 
 Heb. vi. 11. We defire that every one of you dojhciv the fame dili- 
 gence, to the full affurance of hope unto the end. 
 
 7. Joy is delight in prefent good. It is the confummation 
 and end of hope. For what a manfeeth, why doth lie yet hope 
 for ? Joy in God is delight in him as a prefent good ; dwel- 
 ling in the heart by his Spirit, as the Shechinah dwelt in die 
 temple of old. 1 Cor. iii. 16. Know ye not that ye are the tem- 
 ple cf God, and that the Spirit of God divelieth in you ? A degree 
 
 « of joy attends every degree of hope ; and, when the hope is af- 
 fured, it is unfpeakably great. Rom. xii. 12. Rejoicing in hope. 
 It alfo attends every degree of faith ; becaufe, faith is the fub- 
 Jlance of things hoped for *, and the objects of it are, in a degree 
 proportioned to the degree of faith, actually prefent in tjje foul. 
 Phil. i. 25. And having this confidence, I know that I fi all abide 
 and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy cf faith. — 
 1 Pet. i. 8. Believing, ye rejoice nith akable and full of 
 
 glory. It i$ a fruit of the Spirit, who is the earneft of the 
 Heavenly inheritance, and is itfelf a foretafte or anticipation of it. 
 
 
33 
 
 * 
 
 8. By efficacious grace is meant, that grace in the heart is 
 of fuch divine energy and power, as effectually to fubdue the 
 {inner ; and to bring into captivity every thought to the obedi- 
 ence of Chrift. The heart of the unregenerate finner is wholly 
 oppofed to God, becaufe deftitute of grace ; but the regenerate 
 ceafe to be oppofed fo far as grace operates in the heart, be- 
 caufe its nature is to make them willing and obedient. Pfa. 
 ex. 3. Thy people Jhall be willing in the day of thy power. In 
 making the fubjects willing, it is not oppofed to freedom, any 
 more than any other motive is, which has power fufficient to 
 engage the will. On the contrary, it is the fource of all that 
 freedom which is worth enjoying, or Which is any privilege, or 
 prerogative of a rational agent, freedom in God's fervice. John 
 viii. 34. Whofoever committeth fin is thefervantoffn. 36. If 
 the Son Jhall tn::ke you free, ye /hall be free indeed. 
 
 9. By the perfeverance of the faints is meant, that there is an 
 infallible connection between the firft acl: of faith in the be- 
 liever, and his abiding in the faith to the end of life 5 and be- 
 tween his fo abiding, and his eternal falvation. The promife of! 
 falvation is made to the believer. He that believeth Jhall be faved. 
 His falvation is certain by promife, when he becomes a believ- 
 er. It is equally certain, that he alone (hall be faved who en- 
 dureth to the end. Hence it is as certain, that every believer 
 will endure to the end. Rom. viii. 29. Whom he did foreknow, 
 them he alfo did predflinate to be conformed to the image of his Son ; 
 moreover, whom he did predefii?iate, them he alfo called ; and whom 
 he called, them he alfo jujlified; and whom he jufiified, them he alfo 
 glorified. Rev. ii. 10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will 
 give thee a crown of life. Heb. x. 39. We are not of them that 
 draw bach to perdition, but of them that believe to the faving of the 
 foul. 
 
 The final perfeverance of the faints refls not at all on the 
 (lability of their own wills, or on the indefecubility of grace, 
 but wholly on the liability of God's promife in the covenant of 
 grace. John vi. 37. All that the Father hath given me Jhall 
 come to me ; and he that cometh to me, I will in no wife cafi out. — 
 Nor does it admit, though final falvation be fecured to believers, 
 that they may, at times, be wholly deftitute of grace ; for the 
 Holy Gholl is given them, to abide in them forever. 1 John 
 iii. 9. Whofoever is born of God doth not commit fin, for his feed 
 rcmaineth in him, and he cannot fin, becaufe he is bom cf God. 
 
 G 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Of the evidence of grace, both in ourfclves and others. 
 RACE as it exifts in us, 'lies in the affections ; or, it is 
 the Chriftian temper. The nffe'ftions, as theyexift in 
 E 
 
34 
 
 US, are known to be what they are, not by any procef3 of reas- 
 oning, but by confcioufnefs, or intuition. Whether they are 
 hoi-- ., lions, however, can be known only by com- 
 
 paring them with the proper itandard, and that ftandard is the 
 word of v tions whicli^ are the fruit of the fpirit 
 
 ice, long-fufFering, gentlenefs, goodnefs, faith, 
 'ice. But not every kind of affections * 
 go under thefe names, are the fruit of the fpirit ; nor is every 
 kind of love to God, joy in God, truft in God, &c. the fruit of 
 the fpirit. But fuch only of which God, viewed in his true 
 \ in his wordj is the direct object. We 
 may I ioiis that we exercife love to God, trult in God, 
 
 and joy in Gqcj ; but whether God, in his true character, be 
 the direct object or not, can be known only by the fcriptures 
 rightly undedtood and applied. Thbfe affections which are the 
 fruit o n, fuggeffcion or fuppofed revelation, are fpu- 
 
 rious, enthu'iicutic and wholly felfifti; being built on the falfe 
 hope that- we are born again, and are the favorites of heaven *, 
 and they will be utterly extinct, fo foon as the delufion is re- 
 moved. The proper teft that our affections are genuine, both 
 to ourfeives and others, and without which there can be no 
 evidence at all, is perfevering and univerfal obedience to the 
 will of God, as revealed in the fcriptures. John xiv. 15. If ye 
 love me keep my commandments. 1 John v. 3. This it the I 
 God) that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are 
 not grievous. By perfevering obedience is not meant fmlefs 
 obedience; for to this none, in the prefent life, attain. What 
 is meant is, a g Ik with God. Sin, however, that gains 
 
 the will, arid appears in outward act, and efpecially grofs fin, 
 will diminilh, and often, for a feafon, wholly annihilate the evi- 
 dence of grace ; and that evidence cannot be regained, but by 
 repentance and reformation. The evidence of grace, therefore, 
 muft be in exact proportion to the regularity of our walk. So 
 far as love is perfected, it produces perfect obedience in exter- 
 nal acts and perfect love, and that alone cafteth out fear.-— 
 c : it is that full arTurance of hope is often intermitted, and 
 is ufually, at any one time, of fhort duration. Sins of daily in- 
 curfion, unlefs daily repented of, cannot fail to obfeure the 
 evidence of grace. 
 
 2. ] of grace in others is wholly from external walk. 
 
 The affections in which grace exiits, can themfclves be known 
 only to him who tries the reins and the heart, and to him who is 
 the fubject of them; others can know them only by their 
 rnal walk includes not only external morality, a 
 public profellion of faith, and a regular attendance* en ail intti- 
 tuted duties ; but the whole of that conversion which mows a 
 
1L 
 
 life of faith, weanednefs from the world and heavenhr-minded- 
 
 nefs. This evidence with refpe6r to molt good rrrefl is doubt- 
 ful ; with refpedt to fome, however, it is entirely fatisfa&ory ; 
 but is never infallible. I Cor. iv. 5. Judge not), e the 
 
 time; before the Lord come ; who both will bring ty light tin hidden 
 things ofdarknefS) and iviil make mdntfefl the coiihfels of the hearts, 
 and then Jbali every man have praife of God. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Of a fate of trial — Of death — Of the refurreclion — Of the laf 
 judgment — Of Heaven — Of Hell. 
 
 A DAM for himfelf and all his pofterity, the fecond A- 
 ' jLjL dam excepted, were, by divine conftitution, placed in 
 a (late of trial, under the covenant of works, the condition of 
 which was, no 'and LIVE. The good promifed was eternal 
 life, and the evil threatened was eternal death. In this trial man 
 failed of obedience, and incurred the penalty. In Adam all die. 
 
 By the covenant of grace made in Chrift man is once more 
 brought into a falvable Ttate ; and though he is flill under con- 
 demnation, and a prifoner of juflice, yet he is a prifoner of hope. 
 Zech. ix. 12. Tur?i ye tothefrong hold ye prifoner s of hope. In 
 this covenant the condition is, believe and be faved. 
 
 Under the covenant of grace, the abounding of fin, in addi- 
 tion to the firit offence, is no bar to falvation % and the chief of 
 Tinners may, on the propofed condition, obtain it. He that 
 be lie vet h Jhall be faved. 
 
 The time of probation to each individual continues fo long as 
 he is in a falvable ftate, but never beyond the prefent life ; and 
 it may end before life is ended \ as in cafe of thofe who are 
 judicially hardened, or have committed the fin unto death ; for 
 fuch are not in a falvable ftate ; their final doom is irrevocably 
 fixed. Johnviii. 21. Eccl. ix. ic. Luke xvi. 26. Rev. xxii. 
 11. Mat. xii. 32. 
 
 2. Temporal death is the diflblution of the connexion between 
 the foul and the body 5 on which, the foul or fpirit goes to God 
 who gave it, and the body returns to the duft from whence it 
 was taken. This great change, or what is equivalent to it, is 
 the lot of all men. Heb. ix. 27. 1 Cor. xv. 52. 
 
 At death, the fouls of the righteous will be freed from fin, 
 and perfected in holinefs 5 they will, in a moment, be in the 
 
prefence of Chrift, and will enter into a ftate of endlefs happi- 
 nefs *, and the fouls of die wicked will enter on a ftate of end- 
 Jefs mifery ; which, with refpect to them both, will be confum- 
 mated at the refurrection. Their bodies will diflblve to their 
 original duft. Thofe of ihc righteous will, while they reft in 
 their graves, be dill united to Chrift; and thofe of the wicked 
 will berefervedto wrath. Luke xxiii. 43. xvi. 23. 
 
 3. At the great and laft day, when the trump of God fliall 
 found the alarm, Arife ye dead and ccme to judgment , the bodies 
 of both the righteous and the wicked Avail, by the power of 
 Chrift, be raifed to life again. Thofe of the righteous will be 
 raifed in glory, incorruptible and immortal, and fafhioned like 
 unto Chrift's glorious body ; and thofe of the wicked will be 
 raifed to fhame and everlafting contempt. The fouls and bodies 
 of each fhall be reunited never to be feparated more. The fame 
 bodies, which were laid in the grave, fo far as to conftitute the 
 raifed the fame perfons, fliall be raifed from the dead. The 
 body of Chrift raifed was the fame as that crucified \ and the 
 bodies of the faints which were raifed, at Chrift's refurrection, 
 were the fame as thofe which were laid in the graves, or they 
 would not have been faid to come out of their graves. Dan. 
 xii. 2. John v. 28, 29, 
 
 4. There is a day or period coming in which God fliall judge 
 the world, both Angels and men, in righteoufnefs, by Jefus 
 Chrift, at his fecond coming ; when he fliall appear in his own 
 glory, in the glory of the Father, with the holy Angels. Chrift, 
 as mediator, will judge the world. For God hath appointed a 
 day in ivhich he will judge the world in righteoufnefs ", by that man 
 whom he hath ordained, Acts xvii. 31. The day or period will 
 be of fufficient duration to declare to finite intelligences the 
 righteoufnefs of God ; for it is the day of the revelation of the 
 righteous judgment of God : to make this known is its ob- 
 ject and defign. The time when, is hid in the counfels of God 
 "from all creatures. Mat. xxiv. 36. But of that day and hour 
 knoweth no man, no, not the Angels in heaven, but my Father only. 
 
 The rule of judgment to thofe who have enjoyed the word or 
 the written law of God, w r ill be that word or law ; and to thofe 
 who have not, it will be the law written in the heart. Rom. ii. 
 12. For as many as have firmed without law, fhall alfoperi/h with- 
 cut law ; and as many as have fmned in the law fiall be judged by 
 the law* 14. For when the Gentiles which have not the law do, 
 by nature, the things of the law, thefc having not the law, are a law 
 unto ihemf elves. 1 5 . Who fhow the work of the law written in 
 their hearts. 
 
 The righteous will be acquitted on the ground of Chrift's 
 
 
37 
 
 atonement ; they will be juftified on the ground of his righ- 
 teoufnefs ; and will be rewarded according to their works ; 
 the wicked will be condemned on the ground of the lapfe or of- 
 fence, and will be punifhed as that offence hath abounded in 
 wicked works. The fentcnce of the judge, in cafe of the righ- 
 teous, will be, Come ye biffed of my Father inherit the kingdom, 
 prepared for you, from the foundation of the world', and, in cafe of 
 the wicked, Go ye curfed into everlafingfire, prepared for the Devil 
 and his Angels. Rom. v. 18. Rev. xx. 12. Mat. xxv. 34,41. 
 
 5. Heaven is that perfect ftate of reft and joy in God which, 
 in fcripture, is called evcrlafting life ; and which includes all 
 m<) nner of life, of the foul, fpirit and body, which can be any 
 perfection or blefledncfs. It is the inheritance of Angels and of 
 all the faints, and the inheritance is God himfelf. It is given 
 to Chrift and to all the members of his myftical body, in the 
 covenant of redemption. Chrift is appointed to be the heir of 
 all things : Heb. i. 2. and his members joint-heirs with him. 
 Rom. viii. 17. The fum of the covenant of grace is exprerTed, 
 Lev. xxvi. 12. in thefe words, / will be your God and yefhall be 
 my people. God is their inheritance, and he vouchfafes to make 
 them his. Deut.xxii.9. The Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the 
 lot of his inheritance. It is a ftate of freedom from all pain. Rev. 
 xxi. 4. The blefTed inhabitants fhall all be perfectly conformed 
 to God, in their affections, volitions and actions ; his will in all 
 things fhall be done. Their joy, confifting in the moft blefTed 
 communion between God and them, and with each other, will 
 be confummate. The union between Chrift and his members 
 will be perfected, fo that they will have become one perfetl man, 
 the meafure of the itature of the fulnefs of Chrift. Eph iv. 
 13. The man Chriit Jefus will forever remain one perfon with 
 the fecond perfon of the Godhead ; and his members will for- 
 ever remain, in a fenfe, one with him, their glorious head ; and 
 the joy refulting from hence, to the human nature of Chrift, and 
 to the faints in light, will be an exprefllcn of the bieiTednefs of 
 the Triune God, as perfect as can be effected, in the progrefs of 
 eternal ages, by his infinite power, wifdom and goodnefs. — 
 Their eternal ftate fhall be joy, and their eternal work praife. — 
 I Cor. ii. 9. Eye hath not fee n, nor ear heard, nor have entered 
 into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them 
 that love him ; but God hath revealed them unto us by his fpirit. 
 
 6. Hell is that ftate of eternal torment, which is called eter- 
 nal death; the wages of fin, the portion of all the wicked. It 
 confifts in an eternal and utter feparation from God and ail 
 good — in the unreftrained rage of malignant pafiions, hatred, 
 malice and rage again ft God and one another •, and in the pof- 
 fitive infliction of wrath from the hand of the Almighty. It is 
 
3« 
 
 
 reprefented by the worm that never dies, and by the fire that 
 never (hall be quenched; by everlafling fire, and by a lake of 
 fire burning with brimftone. Whether the wicked in hell will 
 be tormented with elementary fire, or not, is immaterial. Thus 
 much is certain, that the fpirit of truth would not reprefent the 
 torments of the damned beyond their ^reality, by thefe dreadful 
 images ; nor fill the minds of men with vain fears. On the 
 contrary, no representation to a finite mind can give an ade- 
 quate conception of the difplay of that wrath of the Almighty 
 which {hall exhibit the ftrength of his oppofition to fin. 
 
 Such is the difference which {hall be put between the righ- 
 teous and the wicked — between him that ferveth God and him 
 that ferveth him not. 
 
 ' Oh , that they were wifej that they underjlood this, that they would 
 eonfider their latter end. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Of the means if grace — their nature — their importance* 
 
 MEANS, in general, are thofe things which are employ- 
 ed by a voluntary agent, in the production of any 
 work or erTe£t. Confequently, means are, in themfelves, des- 
 titute of power or efficiency ; and whatever of thefe is, in any 
 cafe, exerted, it muft be referred to the agent alone. 
 
 2. God, the fource of all power, can produce any evef?*»Jie 
 pleafes immediately, or without the intervention of means ; but 
 for important reafons, he often employs them, both in the 
 natural and moral world, in the production of events \ and the 
 nature and glory of his operations are, in fuch cafes, thro' them, 
 more perfectly feen and contemplated by creatures. Thus in 
 tha kingdom of grace, the treafure of the gofpel is committed 
 to earthern vefiels, that the excellency of the power might be of 
 God. 2 Cor. iv. 7. 
 
 3. The means which God ufes, in convincing, converting 
 and bringing home to himfelf, his elect, are infinitely diversi- 
 fied ; and they are fuch, in every cafe, as will mofl fully difplay 
 the riches of his grace. Eccl. xi. 5. Thou hwwefl not the way 
 of the fpirit, &c. even fo thou knowefl not the works of God who 
 maleth all. John iii. 8. The wind bloweth where it lifeth, thuii 
 hear eft the found thereof but can ft not tell whence it cometh, n 
 whither it goethy fo is everyone that is born of the fpirit. 
 
 4. The meaus of grace, in a ftricl and proper fenfe, are thofe, 
 
39 
 
 I | | MM 
 
 In which, not only the agency of God, but that of manalfo, are 
 concerned, and the latter required by a divine appointment ; 
 fuch as prayer, reading the word of God, ferious attendance on 
 the public worfhip of God on the Lord's day and other appoint- 
 ed feafons, and on all other inftituted duties. Thefe, when ac- 
 companied with a fpecial divine bleffing, become effectual to 
 falvation. Ezek. xxxvi. 37. I will yet, for this, be enquired of 
 by the houfe of Ifrael to d® it for them. Rom. x. 17. Faith com- 
 eth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 
 
 5. There is no infallible connexion between the ufe of the 
 means of grace by the unregencrate and their falvation ; nor is 
 there between the means the hufband-man employs in the cul- 
 ture of his field, and a crop. In both cafes, fuccefs equally de- 
 pends on the blefling of God on human endeavor. But fuch 
 ufe of means, by the regenerate, as is the fruit of faith, is, by 
 the promife of God, infallibly connected with their falvation. 
 .Mat. xxi. 22. All things whatsoever ye Jhall afk in prayer, believ- 
 ing, yeJJjall receive. 
 
 6. Though the ufe of means, in cafe of the unregenerate, is 
 not infallibly connected with falvation, yet none may hope for 
 falvation in the neglect of them. Faith cometh by hearing. 
 
 7. It does not appear, from fcripture, that any obtain falva- 
 tion without the intervention or ufe of the appointed means of 
 grace. The cafe of fuch children of believing parents as hav- 
 ing been fincerely dedicated to God in baptifm, die in infancy; 
 
 1 though there is re'afon to hope they are faved, is not an excep- 
 tion. For, though fuch are themfelves incapable of ufmg 
 means, yet means are ufed for them, in their dedication accord- 
 ing to God's appointment, fo that the promife of God embraces 
 them. Gen. xvii. 7. I will e/labli/h my covenant between me and 
 thee and thy feed after thee. A£ts ii. 39. The promife is unto you 
 and to your children. Mat. xix. 14. Suffer little children to come 
 unto me and forbid them Tjpt, for of fuch is the kingdom of heaven.^— 
 
 x Nor does it appear, that fuch of the Heathens, Jews or Mahom- 
 etans who live and die ignorant of the gofpel, are an exception. 
 God indeed is no refpetler ofperfons, and in every nation, he that 
 
 feareth God and worketh righteoufnefs is accepted with him. Still it 
 muft be the only living and true God whom they fear, and the 
 righteoufnefs wrought out by them muft be the fruit and evi- 
 dence of faith. For no man, according to the fcriptures, 
 can be juftified. except thro' the righteoufnefs of Chrift, nor 
 through that righteoufnefs, except he be interefted in it, nor 
 can he be interefted in it, except he be united to Chrift by faith, 
 nor can he have faith, except by hearing, nor can he hear ex- 
 cept the word be fent him. Indeed, all who from among the 
 
_4°_ 
 
 Gentiles are turned to God, of whom the fcripturea give art 
 account, are begotten again to a lively hope, by the word of 
 truth. Rom. x. 14, 15, 17. Prov. xxix. 18. Where there is 
 710 vifton the people per ifj, but he that hecpeth the law, happy is he. 
 
 8. The fovcreignty of God in his. various dealings with na- 
 tions, may as caiily be vindicated, as in his various dealings 
 with individuals. For, if all men are juftly condemned as Tin- 
 ners, then the beftowment of grace and glory, in any cafe, is of 
 mere mercy ; but furely none can claim mercy, on the footing 
 of juflice. 
 
 9. Hence appears the vail importance of a diligent attend- 
 ance on all the inflituted means of grace — of an early dedication 
 of ourfelves and offspring to God in his covenant — and of fend- 
 ing the good news of falvation, according to the command of 
 the rifen Saviour, to his ApofUes and their fucceflbrs, to all na- 
 tions. Mark xvi. 15, 16. Go ye into all the world and preach the 
 gofpclto every creature. He that belie vet h and is baptized Jljall be 
 favedy but he that bclieveth notjhall be damned* 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Of duties we ewe to God and Chrifl, 
 
 DUTIES refult from relations. We (land related to God 
 as creatures, formed and fupported by his power and 
 goodnefs ; and alfo to God and Chriit as Tinners, for whom a 
 ranfom of infinite price is paid ; and hence arife various duties 
 which we owe to God, to Chrifl and to ourfelves. "We alfo 
 {land related to the whole family of Adam — to our country, and 
 individuals varioufly, as hufbands and wives, parents and chil- 
 dren, mailers and fervants, fuperiors, inferiors or equals, as 
 neighbors, as members of a family, jnd as members of the 
 Church of Chrifl, from whence refult various other duties ; the 
 moft important of thefe feveral duties will be noticed in their 
 order. 
 
 As the creatures of God we are bound, 
 
 1. To LOVE him with all the heart and foul and ftrength and 
 mind. This aiTeclion of heart is the great principle of obedi- 
 ence ; and the fum of what is required by the divine law, as 
 expounded by Chrift himfelf. Mat. xxii. 37, 38, 39, 40. 
 The love of God is, in its nature, good will to men : or, it is 
 an exercife of univerfal benevolence. If a man fay, I love God, 
 s?id haieth his brother ; he is a liar. 1 John i v. 20. It adds noth- 
 
4* 
 
 ing to God's fulnefs, but it is delight and joy in it as being, in 
 itfelf, of infinite worth ; as well as the fpring of all created 
 good. It is complacence in God ; becaufe his being and per- 
 fections are friendly to the Univerfe : and it is gratitude ; in 
 view of all that good which he bellows on ourfelves or others. 
 
 2. To worship and adore him, and him only. This is 
 the homage of the heart : and implies all outward a&s which 
 are the proper expremon of inward reverence and fear. It is 
 due to God, as God, and our God : and to make any crea- 
 ture, however exalted, the object of worfliip is idolatry j and 
 the higheft affront to God : It is denying him to be God ; giv- 
 ing to the creature his prerogative as God ; and robbing him, 
 as far as in us lies, of his glory. Mat. iv. 10. Thou Jhalt wor- 
 
 Jfjip the Lord thy God, and him only Jhalt thouferve. See thou do it 
 not, fays the angel to John, when about to worfliip him, for I 
 am thy fellow fervant, c*TY. worJJAp God. Exod. xx. 3. Thou 
 
 Jhalt have no other gods before me. 
 
 3. To reverence his name. The name of God is his 
 works and word, or whatever makes him known to creatures : 
 and to think and fpeak of them with awful but filial refpecl:, as 
 expreffions of his excellent greatnefs, and with like refpecl: to 
 mention thofe appellations which he has appropriated to himfelf, 
 is to reverence his name. The oppofite to this is blafphemy, 
 perjury, profane fwearing, denying, or vilifying the fcriptures, 
 and curling or abufing the creatures of God. Exod. xx. 7. 
 Thou jhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the 
 Lord will not hold him guiltlefs, thai taketh his name in vain. 
 
 4. To obey him. This is to be conformed to his preceptive 
 will in our affections, volitions and outward actions, as our 
 law-giver and judge, who has a right to enjoin what is fit, gene- 
 rally, or under fpecial circumftances, and who can enjoin noth- 
 ing but what is fo. His law written in the heart is of the fame 
 obligation with that written in his wotd. The duty refults 
 from the perfection of God's knowledge and will, and the fal- 
 libility of ours. 1 Sam. xv. 23. Behold I to obey is better than 
 facrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as 
 the fin of witchcraft, andjlubbornefs is as iniquity and idolatry. 
 
 5. To submit to his providential will. This duty 
 is, in principle, the fame as obedience. It differs only as it re- 
 lates to the will of God made known in the events of Provi- 
 dence, and as it can be exercifed only when thofe events are 
 afflictive. It confifts in bearing affliction with patience, and 
 cheerful acquiefcence, becaufe the hand of God is feen in them. 
 It arifes from a conviction that all events are brought to pafs by 
 the hand of God, purfuant to the plan of his wife and eternal 
 
 F 
 
4* 
 
 Counfels. Job exprefTes the language of it, Job ii. 10. Shall we 
 receive good at the band f Gjd, and fo all we not receive evil ? Its 
 oppofite is murmuring and complaining under afflictions, which, 
 whether God be thought of or nut, is real rebellion againft him. 
 
 6. To believe his word. This^ duty confifts in relying 
 on the bare word of God, apart from any other evidence of the 
 truth afTerted, merely becaufe God has faid it. Its obligation 
 refults from the immutable truth of God •, and it is moit rea- 
 fonable, becaufe the teltimony of God is as complete demon- 
 stration of the fact, or trush afTerted, as can arile from the evi- 
 dence of fenfe, or the cleared deductions of reafon. Heb. vi. 
 I 8- *-" ' co immutable things in which it was impojfible for 
 God to lie, we might have a flrong confolation. To difbeheve his 
 word, is exceedingly finfuland highly provoking to God. I John 
 v. io. He that beiieveth not God, hath made him a liar, 
 
 7. To trust in god. This is fomething more than a bare 
 afTent to the truth on the teflimony of God ; it is a recumbency 
 of foul on God as a faithful God ; faithful to his promifes, de- 
 firing and embracing the good promifed as the portion of the 
 foul. Its exercifes are ltrongeit in the darkefl feafons. Job 
 exprefies it with great Strength, when in the deepelt affliction. 
 Job xiii. 15. Though he fay me yet willltrujl in him. 
 
 8. To hope in god. This is an affection of heart, as has 
 been faid, looking forward to, and defiring the good which God 
 has promifed, confidered as future and attainable, or rather as 
 certain by the promife of God, notwithstanding the difficulties, 
 however great, which may lie in the way of its attainment. — 
 The Pfalmilt exprefies it fervently. Pfa. xlii. 11. Why art thou 
 cafl d:wn, my foul, why art thou dif quieted within me P Hope 
 thou in God, for ljbatl yet praife him, who is the health of my coun- 
 tenance and my God. 
 
 9. To rejoice in God. It is our duty to be filled with the 
 fpirit, becaufe it is made the fubjecr of command ; but the pre- 
 fence and indwelling of the fpirit is the earneft of the heavenly- 
 inheritance; it is eternal life begun : John iii. 36. He that be- 
 lieveth on the Son hath everlafling life. To rejoice in this is a rea- 
 fonable outgoing of foul in pofiefiion of fuch a portion ; and it 
 is not the lefs a duty, becaufe it is the neceffary effect of the 
 prefence of God in the heart. Phil. iv. 4. Rejoice in the Lord 
 alway ; and again, I fay, rejoice. 
 
 10. To praise God. This is the exprefiion of joy and 
 admiration. Its object is God's excellent greatnefs, and it con- 
 filts in publifhing abroad the elevation of foul we feel in view of 
 it, in pfalms and hymns* and fpiritual fongs, and in other acts, 
 
43 
 
 expreflive of our high efteem of God and delight in him. Pfa. 
 cl 2. Praife him according to his excellent greutnefs. 1. 23. 
 Whop ujfereth praife glorifieth me. 
 
 As finners wejp are bound, 
 
 11. To repent of sin. This is mofr. reafonable, for 
 our oppofition to God, his government and gr t .ce is without 
 reafon, and wholly againit reaion; becaufe, there was every- 
 thing in God to claim our love and demand our obedience *, and 
 becaufe, our own happinefs, or well being, was infeparahly 
 connected with perfeverance in holinefs. The obligation to 
 repent would have relied upon us forever, if grace had never 
 been offered ; and it will forever reft on thofe who perifh in 
 their (ins. But we are now efpecialiy bound to repent, fince 
 the gr^.ce of God hath appeared to men ; and this is the great 
 demand of the gofpel. Mat. iii. 2. Repent , for the Kingdom of 
 Heaven is at hand. Mark i. 15. Repent, and believe the gofpel. 
 Luke xiii. 3. Except ye repent, ye ffjall all likewife perifh. Acts 
 xvii. 30. The times of this ignorance Gcd winked at, but now he 
 commandeth all men every where to repent. 
 
 12. To be humele before God. This is a duty we owe to 
 God as creatures. Even the holy Angels in token of humble 
 adoration, are reprefented as covering their faces and their feet 
 with their wings, in the prefence of the Lord of Hofts ; how 
 much more does it become us who drink iniquity like water, to 
 be humble before God, and to fit in dull and afhes. Humility 
 in us is that fenfe of heart which arifes from a juft view of the 
 majefty and unfpotted holinefs of God, and of our own com- 
 parative nothingnefs, and efpecialiy of our guilt and unworthi- 
 nefs. To be humble is not to degrade ourfelves below the con- 
 dition which providence has affigned us, in fociety ; but it is, 
 not to think more highly of ourfelves than we ought to think \ 
 and to be inclined, without good evidence to the contrary, to 
 efteem others better than ourfelves. Junes iv. 6. God re/if- 
 teth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 10. Humble y our- 
 felves in the fght of the Lord, and he pall lift you up. 
 
 13. To believe in Christ. This is the great condition 
 of gofpel ' falvation. He that believeth fhall be faved, and he that 
 believeth notflmll be damned. Mark xvi. 16. This requirement is 
 molt reafonable, becaufe God has borne teflimony of'Chriil that 
 he is his Son ; and this he has done by a voice from heaven — 
 Mat. iii. 17. Audio, a voice from heaven, faying) This is my be- 
 loved Son, in whom I am well pleafed — by his miraculous works — 
 by his refurre&ion from the dead — and by his afcenfion into 
 heaven : becaufe he is the faithful and true witnefs, fent of 
 God to bear witnefs to the truth ; becaufe he is able to fave to 
 
—li- 
 the uttermoft all that come unto God by him : and becaufe there 
 is no difficulty in believing to an honeit and upright heart. 
 
 In general, we are bound, 
 
 14. To follow the example of Chrift, fo far as it is imita- 
 ble by us — to love him as our God, our Saviour and our elder 
 brother — to obey him as our law giver — to honor him as our 
 king and head — to learn of him as our mafter and teacher — to 
 draw near to God, thro' him, as our intercefTor and advocate 
 with the Father — to fear him as our judge — to be willing to fill 
 up what remains of his fufferings, which may be allotted to us, 
 even unto death — to devote ourfelves, living and dying, to his 
 caufe — to exercife towards him the fame affe&ions of heart, and 
 in the fame degree, as towards the Father — and to pay him 
 equal adoration and praife, becaufe he is the TRUE God AND 
 ETERNAL LIFE. 
 
 In particular, we are bound, 
 
 15. To fanctify the firft day of the week as a Sabbath of 
 reft, purfuant to Chrift's appointment, who is Lord of the Sab- 
 bath. God inftituted the feventh day from the beginning of 
 time, a Sabbath of reft, and blefied it, and fanctified it; becaufe 
 on that day he refted from all his works, which he had created 
 and made. It was fet apart as holy time, for the immediate 
 worihip and fervice of God, in commemoration of the work of 
 creation. It was inftituted for the benefit of man while inno- 
 cent, and alfo after the fall, as placed under a difpenfation of 
 grace. Mark ii. 27. The Sabbath was made for man. 
 
 To keep holy to God a feventh part of time, and one day in 
 feven, is of moral and perpetual obligation, and is enjoined in 
 the fourth commandment of the moral law. Exod. xx. 8, 9, 10. 
 
 Its change from the feventh day of the week to the firft day, 
 is no contravention of the fourtn commandment ; we are ftill 
 to work fix days and to reft the feventh, as from the beginning. 
 Six days thoujhalt do thy work, and the feventh day thoufhalt reft. 
 
 The evidence of its change from the refurredHon of Chrift to 
 the end of the world arifes from the declaration of the Apoftle. 
 Heb. iv. 9, 10. There reniaineth therefore a reft, or, in the ori- 
 ginal, a fabbatifm, or keeping of a Sabbath, to the people of God. 
 For he that is entered into his re/}, he alfo hath ceafedfrom his own 
 works as God did from his — From the peculiar honor which 
 Chrift has put on the firft day — From the early practice of his 
 difciples in meeting on that day to break bread — From its being 
 called the Lord's DAT — From the confideration that the pur- 
 chafe of redemption, a far more glorious work than that of 
 
45 
 
 creation, and the end of it, was completed on that day. And 
 from the general confent, to this point, of the Chriftian Church 
 from the times of the Apoftles to the preient day. 
 
 The Sabbath is to be fanaified by retting from labour, works 
 of neceflity and mercy excepted, and from recreations — by a 
 holy reft of foul in God — by a devout attendance on the public 
 worfhip and ordinances of God's houfe, as opportunity prefents; 
 and by the reading of his word and other religious exercifes 
 and acts of devotion in the family and clofet. Remember the 
 Sabbath day to keep it holy. 
 
 1 6. To confess the name of Chrift before men. This duty 
 refts upon all who have heard of Chrift's name ; and are, or, 
 from their advantages, might be acquainted with his do£hine. 
 Mat. x. 32. Whofcever JJjall confefs me before men, him will I alfo 
 confefs before my Father which is in heaven. To confefs Chrift 
 before men is publicly to profefs faith in Chrift. They who 
 have not faith cannot profefs it without hypocrify ; ftill their 
 want of faith, being their own fault, cannot excufe them in the 
 omiflion of fo plain a duty. 
 
 17. To devote ourfelves and infant children, whether by 
 nature or adoption, to God in the facrament of baptifm. This 
 facrament was inftituted by Chrift, as the initiating feal of the 
 covenant of grace, in which, the wafhing with water, in the 
 name of the Holy Trinity, reprefents, that we are born again, — 
 John iii. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the fpirit he can- 
 not enter into the kingdom of God— -that we are dead to fin and 
 alive to God, Rom. vi. 4. Buried with him by baptifm into deaths 
 that like as Chrifl was raifed up from the dead, by the glory of the 
 Father j even fo we alfofhould walk in newnefs of life — that we 
 are interefted in Chrift, Gal. iii. 27. As many of you as have 
 been baptized into Chrifl, have put on Chrift. It initiates into the 
 vifible Church or family of Chrift, and is to be applied only to 
 fuch as profefs their faith in Chrift, and to their infant chil* 
 dren. A&s viii. 37. And Philip faid, if thou believe/} with all 
 thine heart thou mayeft, (be baptized) and he anfwered and faid % I 
 believe that Jefus Chrift is the Sen of God. A£ts xvi. 33. And 
 he took them the fame hour of the night, and wafhed their ftripss, and 
 was baptized, he, and>all his,ftraightway. The infants of believ- 
 ers are proper fubje&s of baptifm, becaufe God included them 
 in the covenant made with Abraham, which was, for fubftance, 
 the covenant of grace j and on which both the Jewiih and 
 Chriftian Church are founded ; and becaufe they never were 
 cut off. The Church of Chrift is the Olive Tree ; the Jews, 
 the natural branches, are, fome of them broken off by unbelief ; 
 the Gentiles, tho' wild by nature, are graffed in ; the Jews, if 
 
46 
 
 they flill abide not in unbelief, fhall be grafted in again ; and 
 the immunities of the Chriitian Church are not abridged but 
 enlarged. Hence infants have the fame Handing under the 
 Chriitian, as they had under the Jewifh, difpenfation. The 
 evidence of this is corroborated by the declaration of Chrift, — 
 X>lat. xix. 14. Jefus faidy fujfer the little children to come unto 
 mt, and forbid them not, for ofjuch is the kingdom of heaven : And 
 of Peter, A£ts ii. 19. The promife is unto you and your children : 
 by the baptifrn of whole families on profeihon of faith, made by 
 the parent: by the filence of the Jewifh converts, on this point, 
 who were forward to complain of a departure from their initi- 
 tutions, in matters of far lefs importance : and by the early and 
 uniform practice of the primitive Church. 
 
 18. To commemorate the death and fufferings of Chrift 
 -in the ordinance of the Lorcl^s fupper. This is a facrament in- 
 stituted by Chrift. The bread broken reprefents the body of 
 Chriit broken, and the wine poured forth, the blocd of Chriit 
 fhed, upon the crofs, for our redemption. The remembrance 
 of Chriit in this ordinance fuppoies his abfence, and cur ac- 
 ■ quaintance with him; they who have no acquaintance w :,h 
 him cannot remember him with that love, hope and defire of his 
 prefence, which this ordinance is defigned to excite and cherifh; 
 nor with that penitence and humility which cannot fail to ac- 
 company thofe exercifes ; and without which, attendance at his 
 table cannot be an acceptable fervice. 
 
 The command of Chrift, Do this in remembrance cf me, lays 
 an obligation on all adults, who hear the goipel call ; becaufc 
 they are bound to repent and believe, and to walk in all the 
 commandments and ordinances of the Lord; and yet it is ad- 
 drefted immediately to the profefTed difciples of Chrift, and 
 none can do it acceptably, but fuch as are fo in truth ; nor in- 
 deed thofe, unlefs they examine themfelves and come to the or- 
 dinance in the actual exercife of faith, and the graces of the 
 fpirit which attend it. 1 Cor. xi. 28. Ltt a man 
 jif andfo let him cat of that bread and drink cfthat cup. 29. For 
 he that eatcth and drinketh Uffu .itcth and dnr. 
 
 nation, [more properly, judgment in the original] to bimfel^ 
 difcerning the Lortfs body. 
 
 In this ordinance, the worthy receivers commune with Chrift, 
 and with one another ; and bind themfelves, as by an oath, to 
 be the Lord's ; and to watch over one another according to the 
 cf the gofpel. It will continue thro' every age, until 
 Ciirifts' fecond coming; when his prefence will fupercede its 
 life or propriety. Faith will then be fwallowed up in vifion ; 
 hope in complete fruition. 
 
47 
 
 jg. To pray to God in the name op Christ. Prayer, 
 in general, is a humble expreflion of defire of fome good, which 
 the perfon or being addreffed is not bound, injustice, to beftow; 
 but which is craved of his benignity or goodnefs. God is un- 
 der no obligation to beftow good upon creatures, on the ground 
 of jultice, and certainly not on fmful creatures, any farther than 
 he hasgraciouily bound himfelf by promife. He hath promifed 
 no good to men except in anfwer to the prayer of faith, and 
 preferred to him in the name of Chrift. In anfwer to prayer fo 
 preferred, he is bound in jultice to beftow fuch good things as 
 comport with his revealed will ; but it is in juftice to himfelf as 
 a faithful God, and not to men on the ground of perfonal defert. 
 God in fovereignty beftows temporal good things on the evil and 
 unthankful, without their afking for them ; but even fuch good 
 things are the fruit of ChrihVs purchafe, and are continued to 
 men in anfwer to the prayers of the faithful. 
 
 The fubject. of prayer is, that God may, in all tilings be glo- 
 rified ; that his kingdom may come, and that his will may, every 
 where, be done ; that our fins may, for Chrift's fake, be pardon- 
 ed, and we reltored to his love and favor ; that our daily wants 
 may be fupplied ; that we may be kept from fin and temptation ; 
 that we may be fupported under afflictions, and in God's time, 
 be delivered from them, and from all evil — and that, in the end 
 we may obtain life everlafting. What feems mod efiential in 
 prayer is a fupreme defire that God may be glorified. Our re- 
 queues, therefore, ought to exprefs or imply this, as a condition, 
 in all cafes, where his will is not made known. Such was the 
 prayer of Chrift during his agony in the garden. Luke xxii. 42. 
 Father ■, if thou be ivilling, remove this cup from me, neverthelefs y not 
 my iuil/> but thine, be done: And John xvii. 1. Father > glorify thy 
 Son, that thy Son alfo may glorify thee. 
 
 Prayer includes adoration, confefiion of fin, petition for our- 
 felves, intercefiion for others, thankfgiving for good bellowed on 
 ourfelves and on all men, and praife to God for his excellent 
 greatnefs. 
 
 The reafon of the duty arifes from the fulnefs of God, and 
 his ability and willingnefs to confer on us and others all necef- 
 fary good \ from our abfolute dependence on him as creatures ; 
 from its being a mean of the beftowment of every bleiiing, 
 of divine appointment, and from its being a proper expreflion of 
 our high elteem of God, and of our hope, truft and joy in him, 
 as our chief good and only portion. Ezek. xxxvi. 37. 
 
 i. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Of duties which relate to ourfelves. 
 
 OUR own well being is, in itfelf, as important as the 
 well being of others ; and the common Father of men 
 
4 *~ 
 
 regards the welfare of all with equal care, fo far as the nature 
 of his government will admit : and as his views are perfect, 
 our own views, fo far as right, will be conformed to his. Con- 
 fequently, our own rights will be determined by the fame meaf- 
 ure of juflice, as the rights of others ; and our own good, fup- 
 pofe it only equally known, will be fought, in ail proper ways, 
 equally with that of our neighbour. The command, Thoufialt 
 love thy neighbour as thyfdf fuppofes that love to ourfelves may 
 certainly be equal to that of our neighbour. 
 
 2. An unknown good cannot be an object of defire or purfuit. 
 Confequently, a good lefs known cannot be an object of equal 
 defire or purfuit, as a good more knoiun. The good of thofe, 
 therefore, who live in remote regions of the Earth cannot be 
 fought by us, with equal defire, with that of our own country- 
 men : nor theirs, in general, with that of our intimate acquaint- 
 ance : nor theirs, with that of our own families : nor yet theirs, 
 with that of our own perfons. But indeed, in proportion as the 
 good of others is known, it ought to become an object of equal 
 defire with our own. 
 
 3. It may not, in all cafes, be proper to employ the fame 
 means, or if the fame, not in an equal degree, to promote the 
 good of others, if equally known, as in promoting our own 
 good ; becaufe, God has not committed it, equally, to our care 
 and management. But we are bound to employ fuch means as 
 jhe has prefcribed, and as opportunity prefents, with like fin- 
 cerity and affection. 
 
 4. In matters of juflice, or ftrict right, between man and 
 man, we may never difpenfe with it, as due to others *, but we 
 may, for good caufe, difpenfe with it as due to ourfelves : and, 
 in fome cafes, are bound to do it. 1 Cor. vi. 7. Why do ye 
 not rather take wrong ? Why do ye not rather fuffer your/elves to 
 be defrauded ? 
 
 5. With the diftinctions thus made, and fuch as may fpring 
 from them, it is generally true, that the fame duties are due to 
 ourfelves as to our neighbour: regarding always, and in all things, 
 the general intereft of Chrifl's kingdom, as the centre of our 
 defires and purfuits. 
 
 6. All duties enjoined on us, of which God or our neighbour 
 is the immediate object, have relation to ourfelves ; and are ef- 
 fentially connected with our well being : for, in the confeien- 
 tious difcharge of them, we, through grace, fecure the favor 
 of God : and, in the neglect of them, we expofe ourfelves to 
 his wrath a/id curfe, both here and hereafter. But the mod im- 
 portant of thefe are noticed under their proper heads. Chaftity, 
 
 
49 
 
 Temperance and Sobriety, which properlycome under the notion 
 of feif-govcrnment, will be mentioned. 
 
 Chaftity is that purity of heart which implies the empire of 
 prace over impure luft, preventing its conception in thought and 
 its appearance in word or atStion. James i. 15. Lufi when it 
 hath conceived^ bringeth forth death. Mat. v. 28. Whofoever 
 lookcth upofi a woman to hiji after her, hath committed adultery with 
 her already in his heart. This duty is required by the feventh 
 commandment, and is much infilled on throughout the whole 
 Bible, as being efiential in the character of the good man. And 
 whatever is imported by the terms, felf-abufe with mankind, 
 adultery, fornication, uncleanneis, lafcivioufnefs, or by any 
 defcrip^>n of abominable luft which wants a name, is ftrifUy 
 forbidden, as odious in the fight of God, and as awfully expof- 
 ing men to the fire of his wrath. Ileb. xiii. 4. Marriage is 
 honorable in all, and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adul- 
 terers God will judge. Eph. V. 5. For this ye know, that no 
 whoremonger, nor unclean perfon bath any inheritance in the king- 
 dom of Chrijl and of God. Rev. xxi. 8. Whoremongers, &c. 
 (hall have their pert in the lake which lurneth with fire and brim- 
 fione, which is the fecond death. 
 
 Temperance is fucn moderate ufe of the creatures of God 
 given for our f up port and refreshment, as mod contributes to 
 health of body and vigor of mind, and as bell fits us for the 
 fervicc of God and our generation. In a larger fenfe, it may- 
 be ufed in labor, fludy, recreation, reft, pleaiure, or ether ac- 
 tions and things which, in themfeives, and within dviz limits, 
 are innocent ; but without due limits, become occafions of fin. 
 1 Cor. ix. 25. Every one that ftriveth for the mafiery is temperate 
 in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we y 
 an incorruptible. Eph. v. 18. Be not drunk with wine wherein 
 is excefs. Ezek. xvi. 49. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy fi/ter 
 Sodom, pride, fulnefs of bread, and abundance of idlenefs. The 
 fin of intemperance confifts in the injury done thereby to our- 
 felves, and to others ; in the abufeof the creatures which God 
 has given us to enjoy ; in the dimonor done to God by defacing 
 his nobleft work ; and in its unfitting us wholly f«r his fervice. 
 I Cor. vii. 3 1 . And they that ufe this world as not abufwg it. 
 
 Sobriety is that foundnefs of mind which implies the empire 
 of reafon and grace over the appetites and pailions ; limiting 
 them to their proper fphere, and directing them to their proper 
 objects. It (lands oppofed to that difordered (late of mind which 
 is occafioned by the empire of the inferior faculties. 2 Cor. v. 
 1 3 . Whether we be befide ourfelves, it is to God : or whether we 
 befeber, it is fir your cattfi. It includes in it chaftity and jtem- 
 
 G 
 
50 
 
 pcrance, a:xl extends farther. It is the dominion of rccifon and 
 ce ever partial affection, inftin&j appetite, pailion, fancy, 
 imaginatiorf, or other faculty inferior to fan£ti£leci reafon. All 
 thefe faculties are ufeful in their proper place, they belong not 
 to depraved nature as fuch, but are original in the nature of man, 
 and become fmful only when they are left to domineer in the 
 foul j and to trample on the facred rights of reafon. Without 
 proper guide, as they are in all men who are deftitute of 
 grac tre the pregnant fource of infinite mifchief in the 
 
 world - 9 and will be, till the grace of God fhall reign univerfally 
 in tl e hearts of men. It is eiTential to peace with God, pence 
 in oufown fouls, and peace with our fellow men. All Chris- 
 tians, attain to trjis grace, as far as they are fan^tified. Paul 
 could fay, I Cor. ix. 27. I keep under my body and bring it into 
 fubjeflion. It alfo (lands oppofed to drowfmefs or floth which 
 proceed from ferifual indulgences. 1 Thef. v. 6. Let us net 
 jleep as do others, but Id us 'match and be Joker. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 QJ duties ive 6ive to our neighbour. 
 
 WE are bound, 1. To exercise good will to the whole 
 family of Adam, our common progenitor, viewed, es- 
 pecially, as the offspring of God, made at firft in his image, 
 now under a difpenfation of grace, ranfomed by the biocd of 
 Chrift, which atoned for the fins of the whole world, brought 
 thereby into a falvable itate, and capable of inconceivable and 
 eternal happinefs — torefpe£t their rights as fellow creatures — 
 to do them good as we have opportunity, and to fend the gofpel 
 to thole who have it not, that they may partake with us in the 
 common falvation. Luke x. 29 — 37. Mark xvi. 15. 
 
 As to the rights of men with refpe& to each other, we may 
 not invade them. Particularly, we may not deprive them of 
 life, except when authoriied by fentence of the law of the land, 
 or when compelled to do it, in our own defence : nor of bodily- 
 members, health, cafe, or other enjoyment with like Deception. 
 Exod. xx. 13. Thou ' Jbaft not hill. Gal. v. 15. If ye bite and 
 dtvjiir otwanoi heed left ye be conjumed one of another. Not 
 
 of chaftity, either with or without confent : becaufe, fo doing, 
 we expofe ourfclves, or both ourfelves and them, to the curfe- of 
 God, who feeksagodly feed : and this, not only by the acf. of 
 incontinence, but by filthy communication either in word or ac- 
 tion. Exod. xx. 14. Thou Jh all Ttot commit adultery. Col. in. 8. 
 But now you alfo put off all thefe •, anger , wrath, wi/ice, bfqfrhemji 
 
5 r 
 
 filthy communication out of your mouth. Nor of property ; either 
 by robbery, theft, fraud, deceit, trefpafs, or abufe of law. 
 Exod. xx. 15. ThouJhaltnotjhaL Mark x. 19. Defraud not. Nor 
 deny them the truth to which they are entitled, either in our dai- 
 ly intercourfe, or in bearing teftimony before any lawful tribunal. 
 Exod. xx. 16. Thoufnalt not bear falfe witnefs againfl thy neighbouti 
 Nor defire or covet any thing that is their's : for the law of God 
 leaches the heart, as well as the outward conduct. Exod. xx. 
 I 7. Thoty Jhr.lt not co^ ct thy neighbour's houfe, thou J): alt not covet thy 
 neighbour's wife, nor his man fervant y nor his maidfervant. nor his 
 ox, nor his afs, nor any thing that is thy neighbour s \ On the con- 
 trary, we .are bound, in all lawful ways^ as we hive opportunity* 
 to defend and guard, the life, the honor, .he property the rep- 
 utation, s.nd, in a word, all the rights of others, with like fin- 
 cerity and afre&ipn as we would out own. 
 
 2. To love our enemies. This duty was never taught ex- 
 cept in revelation and eminently by Chrill and his difciples and 
 followers, nor does it appear to have been fo. much as thought of 
 by the ancient fages of Greece and Rome. It is however a duty 
 altogether eJential in the Chriftian. It is net to love them with 
 compj v.hich is required, if there appear to be no moral 
 gooariels vn them, for this alone is the object of. complacencial 
 ufTedlion': but it is to exercife benevolence, or good will tow- 
 ards them, as the creatures of God, capable of nappinefs, and 
 xvhofe well' being is as important as our own. The poffibilit'y 
 of its exercife appears in the whole of God's gracious proceed- 
 ings with Mnful men, v v he have become enemies to him through 
 wicked works. For Godfo loved the world, that he gave his only 
 begotten Son, that avhofoever believeth in him, might not perifj, but 
 have everh fling life. John iii. \6. And He commendeih his love 
 toward* A/fi in that while ive were yet f inner s Chrfi died for us. 
 In loving our enemies we do but follow the example of Chrift, 
 who died for the ungodly : and who, en the crots, .prayed for 
 his murderers, faying, Father , forgive them, for they know not 
 what they do. Luke xxiii. 34. And the motive to this duty 
 which Chrift fets before us is, that ive may be the children of our 
 Father who is in Heaven, who makcth his fun to rife on the evil -and 
 on the good, andfendeth rain on thejufl and on the unjufl. Mat. v. 45. 
 
 3. To love our country. It has been faid by fome that 
 patriotism is not taught in the Bible: but this is a foul calumny, 
 for k teaches whatever is eiTential to the common weal. 
 
 This affection is excrcifed in preferring the true intereft of 
 the State to any partial intereft, and in confenting, if called to 
 it, to facrifice our all for its defence againft unjuft aggrefiion. 
 As Magiftrates — in providing good laws — in diftributing impar- 
 
5* 
 
 tial juftice to the rich and to the poor — in protecting all in their 
 rights and guarding the common intereft and fafetv. As Sub- 
 jects — in promoting able and good men to the magistracy, and 
 affording them countenance and iupport — in repofmg due con- 
 fidence in them — in obeying their Ordinances for the Lord's 
 !'L — in contributing freely our juft proportion for trie com- 
 mon defence — in frowning upon fraud, violence- and opprefTion 
 and upon all dillurbers of the cemmon peace. And whether 
 as magi Urates or people — in rcipecling the rights of nations' 
 — in regarding the faith of treatier, arid in avoiding, as the 
 greateli of evils, ciTtnuve and unjuft war. 2 Sam. xxiii. 3. 
 i Pet. ii. 17. Tit. iii. 1. Rom. xiii. 7. lieb. xii. 14. 
 Jam. iv. 1. 
 
 4. As Hufbands, to love our wives, and not be bitter againft 
 them ; to nourifh and cherifh them even as the Lord flie Church ; 
 to cleave to them in the marriage vows renouncing all others ; 
 to dwell with them according to knowledge, giving them honor 
 as to the weaker veuel ; not to put them away except for for- 
 nication •, for the Lord hateth putting away ; and with them to 
 walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, as 
 fellow heirs of the grace of life, that our prayers be nothindred. 
 
 As Wives, to reverence our hufbands; to obey them, in all 
 things lawful ; to be helps meet for them ; to dwell with and 
 cleave to them in the marriage VOWS ; renouncing all others ; 
 and not to depart from them, except for fornication. And in 
 both characters, to reciprocate offices of kindnefs ; to bear each 
 other's burdens ; to participate in each other's joys ; and to 
 cover each other's faults with the mantle oi f. Col. iii. 
 
 19. Eph. v. 29. 1 Peter iii. 7. Mat. v. 32. iMal. ii. 16. 
 Eph.v. 33. 
 
 5. As parents, to protect, provide for and nourifh our chil- 
 dren ; to educate them for their allotted ftation and fphert of 
 life ; to ftore their minds with ufeful knowledge and lelTons of 
 prudence; to fit them to act their parts well as members of 
 fociety ; to devote them early to God in baptifm ; to bring 
 them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; and, as 
 far as in us lies, to qualify them to be fupports and ornaments 
 of the Church of Chrift. 
 
 As Children, to obey our parents in the Lord, to treat them 
 with reverence ; to give heed to their instructions ; to follow 
 their good examples; to cover their failings; to be true t~> 
 their interefts ; to ferve them faithfully ; and to prop and cher- 
 iih their declining years. 2 Cor. xii. 14. Frov. xxii. 6. Gen. 
 xvii, 12. Eph. vi. 4. Eph. vi. 1. 1 Szni. viii. 3, Gen. ix* 
 23. Prov. xxviii. 24. 1 Tim. v. 4. 
 
53 
 
 6. As masters, to inftruft our fervants in the duty of their 
 {late a nd calling •, giving them that which isjuTt and equal ; 
 forbearing threatning, knowing that we have a mailer in heaven, 
 with whom there is no reipect of perfons. 
 
 As Servants to be fubjecl: to our own matters with all fear, 
 not only to the good and gentle, but alfo to the fro ward •, not 
 pin -joining, but with good will doing fervice, as unto God, and 
 not unto men. Eph. vi. 5 — 9. Col. hi. 22, 23, 24. iv. 1. 
 Tit. ii. 9, 10. 1 Pet. ii. 18. 
 
 7. As superiors, to treat our inferiors with gentlcnefs and 
 conclefcenfion ; that our influence with them, to do them goody 
 may be enlarged ; after the example of Chrilt, who beim>- in 
 the form of God, humbled hi infelf for our fakes; and who came 
 not to be miniftered unto, but to minifter. Phil. ii. 8. Mat, 
 xx. 28. 
 
 As Inferiors, to treat our fuperiors with refpecl: ; to rife up 
 before the hoary head *, and to honor the face of the old rh 
 Levit. xix. 32. And, as Equals to treat one another with mu- 
 tual complacency and courtefy. 1 Pet. hi. 8. 
 
 8. As neighbours, to avoid tattling, tale-bearing and ftrife ; 
 to rejoice with thofe who rejoice ; and weep with thofe who 
 weep ; to adminiiter comfort and relief to the frck ; confblation 
 to the mourners 5 charity to the poor j reproof to the vicious ; 
 counfel to the ignorant ; affiance to the unfortunate ; to be 
 juft in our intercourfe ; to do good and lend ; and, in general, to 
 be emulous in the offices of friendfhip. 1 Tim. vi. 18. Jam. i. 
 27. Gal. vi. 10. 1 Tim. v. 13. 
 
 9. As members of a famiey, confidered as a fociety or com- 
 munity, the mailer or head of the family is bound to act as a 
 king, and as a prieft, in his own houfe, according to the will of 
 God. 
 
 As a king, to enjoin on his houfehold, what is fit and reafon- 
 able, as rules of conduct fuited to their reipeclive relation and 
 condition, and to enforce obedience under fuitable penalties. 
 
 Hufband and wife, where that relation exills, are the united 
 head of the family, and have a concurrent authority over the 
 children and domeilics. Col. iii. 20. Expd. xx. 12. The 
 reasonable commands of the latter are equally obligatory as 
 thofe of the former : nor can the buiband oppofe or reftrain the 
 lawful authority-of the wife, without being chargeable with ty- 
 ranny and injustice. Still, as the hufband is the head of the 
 wife, it does not become her to contend with him, by direcl op~ 
 pofition to his will, even for her rights ; but rather to fubmk to 
 injury with patience, contenting herfelf with applications to his 
 

 todcrflanding and coul in the fight of GocL Eph. v. 23. 
 
 The dcfi'gn of all government is to make every one fee! tlie 
 relation in which he ftflrtds to the community, and to compel 
 him to conduct as becomes that relation. If this can be effect- 
 ed by Force of rational motives, all pains and penalties are both 
 unneceffary and tyrannical; if otjierwffe, recoup mull be had 
 to them. In the government of a family, the red of correction, 
 for children who cannot otherwife be brought to a proper tem- 
 per and conduct, is often indifpennble. Prey. xiii. 24. The 
 application of the rod fhouM always be fucli, as to make the 
 fubjecT: feet it to be an exprciLon of good will, in hirr 
 plies it. If, after fu indent trial, it be foi oduce no 
 
 good effect, recourfe muft be had to means more efheacious, or 
 better calculated to operate on his hopes and fears ; and the 
 point mud never be yielded, till it becomes ncceilary to deliver 
 him over to the more powerful arm of die magistrate, as incor- 
 rigible. Deut. xxL 20j 21. 
 
 Far - ■ .11 difciplmed and inftrucled are pillars of both 
 
 Church and State j or, the nurferies from which, from :. 
 
 -■■:::i are lei plied with ufefui members ; fueh as will, in 
 
 feveral' ftations and conditions, feek the common good, by 
 
 hful difch trge of their refpecYi\ . Licentious fami- 
 
 on the contrary, are the nurferies of irreligion and \ 
 
 and^the fource of moil of t^e wickednefs and rnifery which have 
 
 hitherto deluged the earth and fi] .,ence. Hence 
 
 ; cf family gc vernn e - y and the rci- 
 
 1 ifibitity of parents and heads of families incalculable. Prov. 
 
 6. 'Train up a child in the way h t e mould go, and 'when he is 
 
 ivill not depart from it. 
 
 is a pried, to inftruct thofe under hisxare, according tot'ueir 
 age and capacity, their duty to God, as their Creator and Fre- 
 ; to Chrifi as their Redeemer ; to their parents and 
 governors ; to t)j . m and fillers, and other members of 
 
 nily •, to themleives and to ?A\ around them, as th: 
 fifty related to feciety or to the Church of Chrift ; to 1 
 afe to be read, the hjoly fcriptores and other books of in- 
 itrucVion, and to explain and inculcate the truths they contain, 
 as their capacity is able to bear them -, to exhibit an example, in 
 word and deed, worthy of imitation -, to all: the bleffing of God 
 before, and return him thanks after, dated meals ; to re 
 caufe to be read a portion of the fciiptures daily before his af- 
 fembled houfehold, and to pray with them, morning ana 
 ning, widiConfefTion of fin, and thankfgiving for mercies daily 
 received. Dent. vi. 7. 
 
 The children and fervantsin addition to their refpeclive du- 
 
,-55 
 
 ties already explained, are bound to attend the religious feruce 
 of the family, and not abfent rliemfelves, for the fake of bufi- 
 nefs, unlefs of urgent neceflky, much lefs for the fake of com- 
 pany or diverfion. For the fame reafons which make it proper 
 for the head of the family to lead in fuch- fervice, render "it 
 equally proper for them to attend and unite in k. i"ph. ,i. rS. 
 Jer. x. 25. 
 
 10. As members of the Christian Ciiursh we ftand re- 
 lated as Pallor and Church, and as private brethren. 
 
 It is the duty of the Parlor to feed the flock of God, wh*:h 
 lie haspurchafed with his own blood -, to preach the \ on! ; to 
 give himfelf to reading, to meditation, to doctrine \ to dftclarfl 
 the whole counfel of God to the people of his charge, ,s thev 
 may be able to bear it ', to be inflant in fcalbn and oijt of feafpn ; 
 to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-fufFering and doctrine; 
 to vifit and pray with the Tick ; to adminifter confoiation to the 
 afTlicled ; and, as ambafiadors for Chrift, to befe-eeh rmn } in 
 Chrift's Head, to be reconciled to God. Aifo, to adminifler the 
 facraments of baptifm and the Lord's fnpper, on proper occa- 
 fions, to the proper fubjecls ; to admit new members, who ap- 
 pear duly qualified, into the Church, on their public profeiTion 
 of faith in Chriil and obedience to him, with the conjent of the 
 brethren ; and with like confent, to exercife the difcipline of 
 Chrift's houfe, on fuch as are duly convicted of fcandal or of- 
 fence, unto excommunication, in the name and by authority of 
 the Great Head of the Church $ to affiH in forming and organi- 
 zing Churches — in the ordination of Preibyterjes — in the dif- 
 cipline of neighboring Churches in his connexion — and, in gen- 
 eral, in advancing and fpfeading the gofpel of the kingdom. — 
 1 Pet. v. 2. 2Tim.1v. 2. 1 Tim. iv. 13. A£ls xx. 27. Jam. 
 v. i;}. 2 Cor. v. 20. Mat. xxviii. 19. 1 Tim. v. 17. Tit. 
 i. 5. A&s xv. 2. Mark xvi. 15. 
 
 It is our duty as members, in relation to the Pallor, to obey 
 them that have the rule over us, efteeining them worthy of 
 double honor, especially thofe who labor in word and doctrine ; 
 becaufe they watch for fouls aa they that mull give account j to 
 provide for their fupport, as God has prospered us ; to pray for 
 them; to encourage their hearts, and ftrengthen their hands in 
 the good wofk which the Holy Ghcft has committed to them, 
 by counfel, alhihuice and co-operation j and by diligent and 
 faithful attendance on their mihiftry. 1 Tim. v. 17. Heb. 
 Xiii. 17. 1 Ccr. ix. 14. Heb. x. 25. 
 
 As related to eacli other we are bound to watch over one 
 another ; to admonifh one another in love ; to fpeak often one 
 to snatfcer of the things of God ; to bear one another's burdens; 
 
5 6 
 
 to exercife mutual charity and forbearance ; and to deal with 
 each ether, in cafe of oifence, according to the rules of the gof- 
 pel. i Cor. xii. 25. CoL iii. 16. Mai. iii. 16. Col. iii. 13, 
 
 14. Mat. xviii. 15, 16, 17 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 C/* the Church — its officers — its dlfcipline. 
 
 t I T HE term, Church, in a large fenfe, means the general 
 J[_ aflembly cf all thofe, cf every age and nation, who are 
 redeemed to God by the blood of Chrift, and effectually called 
 by his grace. In this fenfe, the Church is compofed cf two 
 parts j the Church triumphant confifting of the fpirits of juft 
 men made perfect in heaven ; and the Church militant con fill- 
 ing of thofe who have not yet accomplished their warfare 0:1 
 earth. It is called the Zion cf God ; the City cf the living 
 God ; the heavenly Jcrufalem ; the Jerufalem which is above ; 
 and the General Aflembly and Church of the firft born, who 
 are written iii heaven. Heb. xii. 22, 23. Gal. iv. 26. This 
 is the only fociety of men which (hall exift forever ; and it is 
 that, for which all other focieties are raifed up, for a time f up- 
 ported, and at laft deftroyed. Mat. xvi. i3. Iiai. xliii. 4. — 
 This fociety alone enjoys true freedom ; becaufe, this alone is 
 actuated, in a fufficient degree, by that charity which is the 
 bond of perfect nefs and peace. Gal. iv. 26. She is the mother 
 of all true Christians. The Church militant travails in birth 
 with them, and when they are born, (he nourishes them with the 
 fincere milk of the word ; is felicitous for their welfare, and 
 cxetcifes a parental watch and difcipline over them ; and th'-. 
 Church triumphant feels, at leaft, an equal inter eft in their birth 
 and nurture. Gal. iv. 19, 26. 1 Peter ii. 2. Mat. xviii. 17, 
 18. Rev. xii. 1, 2. But, 
 
 2. The term is frequently ufed, in a more limited fenfe, to 
 denote any competent number of profetTmg Chriftians who haVjC 
 covenanted to be the Lord's, and to walk together in all the com- 
 mandments and ordinances of the Lord; and who can, and in 
 the name of Chrift do. ob the Lord's day, anil on other 
 occafions duly appointed, for the public worfhip of God, ar 
 communion with God', and with one .mother, in the word and 
 ordinances of the gofpel. Thus we read of the Churches of 
 Galatia, of the GUttrch in the Ciciesof Rome, Corinth, Ephefus, 
 ike. and in the Village of Ccuchrea. Again, 
 
 3. The term fcems to be ufed, fometimes for a number of 
 
57 
 
 particular Churches in connection. The Church at Jerufalem 
 in the time of the Apoftles confided of many thoufands, who 
 mufl have met for divine fervice in feparate congregations or 
 aflemblies, but the whole body of believers in that City are cal- 
 led the Churchy as may be feen A£ls xv. 4, 22. 
 
 4. The orders in the Church, in the Apoflolic age, were nu- 
 merous *, to wit, Apoftles, Prophets, Teachers, Miracles, Gifts 
 of healing, Helps, Governments, Diverfities of tongues, Interpre- 
 tation of tongues. Of thefe, Apoftles have no fucceffbrs. — 
 Prophets, miracles, gifts of healing, diverfities of tongues and 
 interpretation of tongues have long fince ceafed, with the occa- 
 fions which rendered them ufeful and necefiary. There remain 
 only teachers, helps, and governments. 1 Cor. xii. 28. 
 
 5. Teachers are otherwife called Bifhops or Elders; all 
 which are different names of the fame office. Elders are called 
 Bifhops, A£ls xx. 17, 28. And from Miletus he {?zxi\~]fent to 
 Ephefus, and called for the Elders of the Church >, and in his exhor- 
 tation to them he fays, Take heed, therefore, to your/elves, and to 
 all the flocks, over which the Holy Ghojl hath made you OVER- 
 SEERS, in the original, B I SHOES, Alfo in Tit. i. 5,6, 7. For 
 this caufe left I thee hi Crete, that thou fhouldejl fet in order the 
 things that ■ are wanting, and ordain ELDERS in every City. If 
 any be blamelefs, &c. For a BlSHOP mufl be blamelefs. Alfo in 
 1 Pet. v. 1, 2. The Elders which are among you I exhort, 
 who am alfo an Elder, &c. Feed the flock of God tuhich is among 
 you TAKING THE OVERSIGHT, &c. In the original, exercifwg 
 the office of a BijJjop. 
 
 6. Helps. If any office different from thofe now known in 
 the Church is marked by this word, it mufl be uncertain what 
 that office is, and confequently, whether the reafons for it ftill 
 exifl •, but if a known office is defignated by it, it mufl be that 
 of Deacon. The duties of this office originally belonged to the 
 Apoftles and Elders, and were, by divine direction, fevered 
 from their more important duties, to the end, they might give 
 themfelves continually to prayer and to the miniftry of the word, 
 and in this view, the office of Deacon is aptly defignated by the 
 term Helps. That this is the true meaning of the term feems the 
 more probable, becaufe, in the enumeration of the officers of the 
 Church, feveral others, befides this, are pointed out by terms ex- 
 preffive of the nature and objeel of the offices themfelves, 
 and not by appropriate names ; as teachers, miracles, govern- 
 ments, and others ; and becaufe, in a formal recital, the office of 
 Deacon which is agreed to be one, if not intended by this term, 
 b wholly omitted. 
 
 The firft who exercifed this office were chofen by the breth- 
 
 H 
 
58 
 
 ren of the Church at Jerufalem, and were fet before the Apoftles, 
 and by them were fet apart to office, by prayer and impofition 
 of hands. They were men of honeft report, and full of the Holy 
 Ghoft and wifdom. 
 
 Their duty is defcribed to be to ferve tables ; or to diflribute 
 the flock or common property of the Church to widows and 
 other indigent members who had not fuiiicient means of fup- 
 port ; for which purpofe it was committed to their cuftody 
 and management. Acts vi. I — 6. As Deacons they have no 
 authority to teach publicly, or to exercife any other part of the 
 office of Elder. It behoves them to be grave, fincere, tempe- 
 rate, difinterefted, found in the faith, chafte, and to rule their 
 own houfe well, i Tim. iii. 8 — 12. 
 
 7. Governments. Under this term are comprifed all who 
 bear rule in the Church. That fome are fet to bear rule in the 
 Church appears from 1 Cor. xii. 28. aforecited : from 1 Tim. 
 v. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double 
 honor. From Heb. xiii. 7. Remember them which have the rule 
 over you, who have fpoken unto you the word of God. 17. Obey 
 them that have the rule over you, and fab nut yourf elves , for they 
 watch for your fouls as they that mufl give account. It equally ap- 
 pears from the three paffages lalt cited, that the perfons fet to 
 rule are the Elders. The fame appears from John xx. 23. — 
 Whofe foeverfms ye remit they are remitted \ and whofe foevcr fins 
 ye retain they are retained. But in the exercife of thia_ power by 
 the Elders, the concurrence of the Church feems requifite. — 
 I Cor. v. 4, 5. In the name of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, when ye be 
 gathered together, and myfpirit, with the power of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrifl, to deliver fuch an one unto Satan. 13. Therefore put away 
 from among yourf elves that wicked perfou. And the punifhment 
 inflidted, in cafe of offence, is, in a qualified fenfe, the a£t of 
 the Church. 2 Cor. ii. 6. Sufficient to fuch a man is this puniflj- 
 ment, which was inflicted of many. It feems notefTential that the 
 Elders fet to rule in the Church fhould, in every cafe, extrcife 
 the office of a Paftoror Teacher. 1 Tim. v. 17. Let the Elders 
 that rule well be counted worthy of double honor > efpecially they wh§ 
 labor in word and doclrine. 
 
 8. The difcipline of offenders, duly adminiftered, is the a£t 
 of the Great Head of the Church. Its objecl: is to reclaim and 
 reltore them by bringing them to repentance. As an act of the 
 Church it is an cxpreffion of good will to the fubje£t, and of 
 obedience to Chrift. It partakes not of the nature of vindictive 
 punifhment ; but its end is the deftruCtion of the flefh, that the 
 fpiritmaybe faved, in the day of the Lord Jefus. 1 Cor. v. 4, 
 5. 2 Thes. iii. 15. 
 
-i 9 
 
 9. The difciplinc of the Church is exercifcd in a firft and 
 fecond admonition, and if thofe prove ineffectual to gain the of- 
 fending brother, and he be duly convicted, in excommunication. 
 Mat. xviii. 15, 16, 17. Tit. iii. 10. 
 
 10. Excommunication does not diffolve the connection be- 
 tween the Church and the offender, as a brother •, but it excludes 
 him, while impenitent, from the communion of the Church, in 
 all Chriftian ordinances-, particularly, in the facraments of Bap- 
 tifm and the Lord's fupper. But the duty of the Church to ad- 
 monifh him as a brother ftill remains. iCor.v. 1 1. 2Thes.iii. 15. 
 
 11. No member of the Church ought to keep company with 
 an excommunicated brother, in fuch manner, as is calculated to 
 ihow complacency in him, or approbation of his character or 
 conduct, nor even to eat with him at a common table; becaufe 
 this will defeat one main defign of excommunication, which is 
 that the offender may be afhamed. 2 Thes. iii. 14. This rule, 
 however, muft not be confirued to fupercede the due difcharge of 
 relative duties which any member may owe to him, or the duties 
 of kindnefs or charity, becaufe he is not to be treated as an ene- 
 my. 1 Cor. v. 11. 2 Thes. iii. 15. 
 
 12. The offences which demand the cenfures of the Church 
 are herefy, fchifm, fornication, covetoufnels, idolatry, railing, 
 drunkennefs, extortion, eating the bread of idlenefs, and other 
 fuch like crimes, which are a fcandal to the Chriftian profeflion, 
 and a ftumbling-block to thofe who are without. Tit. iii. io« 
 Rom. xvi. 17. 1 Cor. v. 11. 2 Thes. iii. 1 1, 14. 
 
 13. A regular and impartial difcipline in a Church is effential 
 to its well being — to its mining as a light in the world — to its loy- 
 alty to Chrift whofe inftitution it is — and to the edification of 
 its members j and an important mean of the conviction and 
 converfion of others. Without it a Church is a candle under a 
 bufhel ; it is fait without a favour, and fit neither for the land, 
 nor yet for the dung hill. 
 
 He that hath ears to hear let him hear. Rev. ii. 20. Luke 
 *iv- 34>35- 
 
ADDRESS TO THE READERS. 
 
 WE have now, agreeably to the direction of the Mifiionary 
 Society of Connecticut, prefented you with a Summary 
 of Chriftian doctrines and duties, in our apprchenfions agreea- 
 ble to the oracles of God. They are in our view neceflary to 
 be believed and practifed, that men may be found Chriftian s, 
 and inherit eternal life. How neceflary and important it is, in 
 the view of the Mifiionary Society and of their Truftees, that 
 you mould be found in the faith, fettled and immoveably fixed 
 in the belief of the doctrines and duties of Chriftianity, and 
 that your practice fhould be conformable to them, you will be 
 able, in fome meafure, to determine from the direction of the 
 Society, and the confequent labor and expenfe which we have 
 been at to compofe, print, and tranfmit this Summary to you. 
 
 We are perfuaded that what men believe will have a com- 
 manding influence on their practice, prefent comfort, and eter- 
 nal happinefs. And that the true doctrines of the gofpel, above 
 all others, are mighty through God to the pulling down of ftrong 
 • holds, calling down imaginations, and every high thing that 
 exalteth itfelf againft the knowledge of God, and bringing into 
 captivity every thought to the obedience of Chrift : And that 
 your morals will be good in proportion to the foundnefs and 
 meafure of your faith. And we are of the opinion that a Sum- 
 mary of Chriftian doctrines and duties may be more neceflary 
 and important for you, and your children, than for people in 
 the old fettlements, where the gofpel is conftantly preached, 
 and the ordinances ftatedly adminiftered ; where there are much 
 greater advantages for fchooling, than you can enjoy ; and 
 where books on doctrinal points are more common, and may 
 be more eafily obtained. We have therefore wifhed and labor- 
 ed, as far as in our power, to be helpers of your faith and to re- 
 lieve thofe difficulties. At the fame time, we by no means 
 wifh, that your faith mould ftand in the wifdom of men, but 
 in the power of God. f We therefore intreat you, dear breth- 
 ren, like the noble Berean8, to fearch the fcriptures daily wheth- 
 er thefe things are fo. J Try every doctrine by this fure word 
 of prophecy ; and let it in all things direct and govern your 
 faith and practice. This is the divine direction: To the law and 
 to the testimony j if they fpeak not according to this word, it 
 
 f i Cor. ii. 5. I A&s xvii. 11. 
 
6i 
 
 is becaufe there is no light in them. * We befeech you there- 
 fore to give the mofl earned heed unto the things we have writ- 
 ten to you. Examine every article by the word, and as far as 
 you (hall find it to correfpond with that, let it be adopted as an 
 article of your faith. Teach it alio to thofe under your care, 
 
 i that they alio may be nourifhed up in the words of found doc- 
 trine. If you fhould give but a fuperficial attention to thefe 
 great points of doctrine, you will not only lofe the benefit which 
 wc have defigned you and your children, and ill requite our be- 
 nevolent labors and purpofes ; but you will fin againfl God, 
 againft yourfelves, and againft the fruit of your own bodies. 
 
 ! But in proportion as you zealoully attend to the doctrines of 
 our holy religion, fearch the fcriptures, and imbibe the truth, 
 from a conviction that it is divinely taught, you will confult 
 your own happinefs and that of your children, the more happi- 
 ly will you anfwer our defign in this Summary, and conform 
 yourfelves to the divine will. The more entirely you fhall prac- 
 tife the duties which it fuggefts under the like conviction, and in 
 obedience to the fupreme will, the greater will be your prefent 
 
 | peace and ufefulnefs, and your future, eternal reward. 
 
 That you may do thefe duties with the greateft eafe and to the 
 bed advantage, let the words which God hath commanded be in 
 your hearts, and let the word of Chrift dwell in you richly, in 
 all wifdom.§ This will enable you to judge with greater accu- 
 racy concerning the truth, and the better to diftinguifh between 
 ■ that and error. It will more efTec~tually prevent your being car- 
 ried about with every wind of doctrine. It will enable you with 
 greater eafe, and to better advantage, to inftrucl- your children 
 and others under your care, in the truth. This is of the higheft 
 imaginable importance to yourfelves and to them, and to the or- 
 der, peace and profperity of your fettlements. 
 
 If a people will fufFer themfelves to be unprincipled, and thofe 
 under their care to grow up in the fame ftate, they generally will 
 be a people without good morals, and it will terminate in their 
 ihame and ruin. It will bring the fame complaint and threaten- 
 ing of God againft them, which he uttered againft his own 
 covenant people. My people are deftroyed for lack of knowl- 
 edge : becaufe thou haft rejected knowledge, I will alfo reject 
 thee. || That this may not be your unhappy cafe, and efpecially 
 that of your children, in what a peculiar manner does it con- 
 cern you, in conformity to the divine precepts, that the words 
 of the law fhould be in your heart, and that ye fhould teach them 
 diligently to your children ? That ye fhould talk of them 
 fvhen ye fit in the houfe, and when ye walk by the way, and 
 
 * Ifaiah viii. SO. § Col iii. 16. || Hofea iv. 6. 
 
62 
 
 when ye lie down, and when ye rife up ?* This will make you 
 and the generation riling up under your care, like Apollos, 
 mighty in the fcriptures. This will give you great dignity and 
 influence in your families. It will caufe your faces to fhine be- 
 fore men, and make you eminently x ufeful in fociety. It will be 
 a fource of edification and comfort to yourfelves and others. 
 
 You will readily perceive, that thefe duties, which are always 
 of the higheft importance to men, in all circumftances, are more. 
 fo to you, and to all under your care, on the account of your 
 difadvantages with refpect to fchooling, your want of the con- 
 (lant preaching of the word, and by reafon of the fcarcity of 
 good books among you. Thefe deficiencies can be made up to 
 yourfelves, and efpecially to your children only, by your more 
 than ordinary attention to the fcriptures, and to the doGrines 
 and duties which they inculcate, and by your uncommon dili- 
 gence and faithfulnefs in teaching them to your children, and 
 young people. This will (how your faithfulnefs to God and 
 to them ; and do them and ages to come the mod efTential fer- 
 vices. It will be one of the mod effectual means of uniting 
 you in the faith, and order of the gofpel, and of facilitating the 
 Settlement and fupport of the gofpel miniitry among you. It 
 will do honor to God, and be the means of your and your chil- 
 dren's prefent and future edification, ufefulnefs, dignity and 
 happirrefs. 
 
 While we fuggeft thefe things to your mofl ferious confider- 
 ation, and you have this ocular evidence of our labors and con- 
 cern for you, we perfuade ourfelves you will kindly receive our 
 warm and prefiing exhortations, that you zealoufly and faithfully 
 attend to the momentous duties we have been recommending. 
 We befecch you, dear brethren, not only to know the doctrines 
 and duties of religion, but to reduce them to conftant practice. 
 We recommend the words of our bleiTed Saviour, and of his 
 holy Apoftle, relative to this point to your ferious attention. If 
 ye know thefe things, happy are ye if ye do them.^[ Be ye 
 hearers of the word and not doers only, deceiving yourfelves. — 
 Whofo looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth 
 therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but doer of the work, 
 ihall be bleiTed in his deeds.| We mud practice well no lefs 
 than believe well, that we may be happy. Without holinefs no 
 man can fee the Lord. We are all acting for eternity. Our 
 days are flying rapidly to a clofe. Our harveft will foon be paft 
 and our fummer ended. God's eye is upon you, and he will 
 witnefs for us, how we have inftructed and entreated, warned 
 and counfelled you, and how you have regarded our counfels and 
 
 • Deut. vi. 8. ^ John xiii. 17. i James i. 25. 
 
entreaties, and he will give every man according to his works. 
 "We bcfeech you, therefore, beloved brethren, by thefe weighty 
 confiderations, for the fake of your own fouls, for the good o£ 
 your children, and for the fake of ages yet unborn, for the peace 
 and profperity of Zion and the happinefs of the nation, that ye 
 would be Chriftians indeed ; and that ye would grow in grace, 
 and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift,. We 
 urge you by the command and mercies of God, by the folemni- 
 ties of death and final judgment. Yea, if there be any confola- 
 tion in Chrift, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the 
 fpirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye our joy ; that ye be 
 like minded, to believe and obey the gofpel, that ye have the 
 fame love, being of one accord, of one mind. 
 

 

 
DISCOURSE, 
 
 ON THE 
 
 GENUINENESS an d AUTHENTICITY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NEW-TESTAMENT : 
 
 PlLIVERED AT NEW-HAVEN, 
 
 September 10th, 1793* 
 
 AT THE 
 
 ANNUAL LECTURE, 
 
 APPOINTED BY THE GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF 
 
 CONNECTICUT : ON THE TUESDAY BEFORE 
 
 THE PUBLIC COMMENCEMENT. 
 
 — ■!■» 
 
 f 
 
 N E W- YORK: 
 PRINTED by GEORGE BUNCE, & Co. 
 
 MjDCC,XCIV. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 r | y HE teflimony, adduced in the following 
 -*■ difcourfe, was taken principally from 
 Dr. Lardners Credibility of the Gofpel Hiflo* 
 ry. Several other valuable articles cf teflimo* 
 ny 9 collected with an intention to infert them, 
 -were omitted^ on account of the length of the 
 difcourfc ; as were alfo fome additional argu- 
 ments. 
 
 A little more than half of what is now pub- 
 lijhed was delivered frem the defk. If the 
 writer is not deceived, the remainder will he 
 found to be pertinent to the principal defign. 
 He believes the teflimony to be juflly reprefnt- 
 ed ; but, if in the hurry and anxiety, occafion- 
 ed by a long continued ficknefs of his family* 
 and of his parifliioners, any miflakes have been 
 committed, he prefumes they will be pardoned. 
 T. DWIGHI 
 
 Greenfield, July 19th, 1794. 
 
E R RATA, 
 
 r ACE. 
 
 LINE. FO READ. 
 
 8 
 
 20 
 
 principle principles. 
 
 12 
 
 *5 
 
 compl 
 
 *7 
 
 30 
 
 a uth enticity a u thority. 
 
 2 2 
 
 10 
 
 Mariroil Marcicn. 
 
 25 
 
 24 
 
 of to . 
 
 r 2 
 
 /./// 
 
 four fezv. 
 
 63 
 
 j 6 
 
 of t a x ing of the t a x ing. 
 
 54 
 
 wote 
 
 (at ike end) add Lardner. 
 
 59 
 
 »9 
 
 new entirely new and entire! v. 
 
 62 
 
 2 
 
 ig 710% ly ig n m iny . 
 
 64 
 
 20 
 
 preferred preferved. 
 
 6 5 &6; 
 
 ? wote 
 
 JevelVbEoyl.LtVu read Tvells's 
 Boyl. Led. 
 
 6 7 
 
 18 
 
 lhaken flwkcn. 
 
 ibid 
 
 29 af 
 
 "ter ferom dele , end write . . 
 
 7 2 
 
 12 
 
 fiicer/jors juccfjors. 
 
 73 
 
 1 
 
 dnjlrines doctrines. 
 
 i'M- 
 
 M 
 
 ar.s Roman. 
 
 74 
 
 22 
 
 after publicly dele , 
 
 76 
 
 18 
 
 dc le old. 
 
 rbul. 
 
 23 
 
 after cbferveJ write 3 
 
 
 u, 
 
 y -Ch 
 
 
 'Sts ^h- C4-tnr r '2/seZ:), 
 
 
CJ^Z*^<^ t. -^^^v^y^^ 
 
 ti ll I I I ' ' ■■■ " ■ . ■■■■■ ■UiPf!"g*J «^ 
 
 A 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 O N T H K 
 
 GENUINENESS and AUTHENTICITY 
 
 OF T H E 
 
 NEW- TESTAMENT. 
 
 John xxi. 24. 
 
 This is the Difciple, qjoho teflifieth thefe things, and nuroit theft 
 things ; end ive know, that his tcjlimony is true. 
 
 THIS pafTage afTerts the book, in which 
 it is found to have been truly written 
 by St. John. Should the affertion be fair- 
 ly proved by the higheft evidence, applica- 
 ble to fubjefts of this nature, the Genuine- 
 nefs and Authenticity of the whole New- 
 Teuament would, probably, be, by mod 
 perfons, acknowledged to be alfo proved. 
 As the gofpel of St. John contains Narra- 
 tions, and Doclrines, as furprifing and im- 
 probable, as any which are contained in the 
 other books of the New-Teftament; as 
 the admiflion of thefe will be generally al- 
 lowed to be an admiflion of thofe alfo, and 
 B 
 
& CENVINENES5 AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 will involve difficulties, in the eye of hu- 
 man faith, of the fame nature, and the fame 
 magnitude; and as the fame evidence will 
 fupport both alike , few perfons, who arc 
 wholly perfuaded, that the gofpel, attribu- 
 ted to St. John, was written, and truly writ- 
 ten, by him, will hefitate to receive the 
 whole New-Teftament as an authenrc ac- 
 count of the life, death, and refurreclion, 
 the inftruclions, inftitutions, and precepts 
 of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Should thefe obfervations be allowed 
 tobejuft, it will follow, as the unavoida- 
 ble confequence, that, if the Gofpel in 
 queftion can be proved to be a genuine and 
 faithful record of St. John, the New-Tefta- 
 ment is the Word, and Chriftianity the Re- 
 ligion, of the Son of God. For the au- 
 thors of the New-Teftament have declared 
 tbemfelves to be infpired by the Spirit of 
 God, with the unerring knowledge of his ho- 
 ly plcafure, in all things pertaining to life 
 and godlinfcfs. 
 
 To the fcheme of difcourfe, hinted above, 
 the text moil naturally leads. It may how- 
 ever be advantageous to extend my obferva- 
 tions beyond thefe limits, and to examine 
 the authenticity of the whole volume of the 
 New-Teftament. All the books in this vo- 
 lume ftand on the fame ground, and are fup- 
 ported by the fame arguments. The text 
 may, therefore, be fairly viewed as a proper 
 theme of a difcourfe, defigncd to authenti- 
 cate the whole. This purpofe I (hall at- 
 
1 
 
 OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 1 
 
 tempt to accomplifh, in the following man- 
 ner. 
 
 i. I shall endeavor to flicw, that the 
 feveral books in the Ncw-Teftament, par- 
 ticularly the Hiftorical books, were written 
 by the perfons, whole names they bear. 
 
 2. That the writers were neither de- 
 ceived, nor deceivers. 
 
 3 That their writings hive defcended, 
 without airy material alterations, to the pre- 
 fer, t time. 
 
 The firft of thefe proportions includes 
 the firft declaration of the text, extended to 
 the feveral writers of the New Teftament. 
 The other two proportions, if true, will 
 evince, that the prefent ftateof the teftimo- 
 ny, afcribedin the text to St. John, perfect- 
 ly accords with its original ftate j and thus 
 enlarges the laft declaration of the text into 
 a folid ground of faith, for mankind, at the 
 prefent time. 
 
 In fupport of the firft of thefe propofi- 
 tions — —That the feveral books of the 
 New Teftament, particularly the Hiftorical 
 books, were written by the perfons, whofe 
 names they bear ; it may be obferved in the 
 firft place— That the ftate of the Jews, and 
 of the Romans, as alio of other nations, fo 
 far as it is either direclly declared, cr allu- 
 ded to, in thefe books, is abundantly attcft- 
 
8 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 ed by other writers of undoubted authority, 
 and is, therefore, truly represented. 
 
 Particularly there were, at ihe times 
 fpecified,, fuch perfons in Judea, as Herod 
 the great, his four Ions, Herodias, Pontius 
 Pilate, Cyrenius or Ouirinus, Felix, Por- 
 tius Feftus, Annas, Caiaphas, Lyfias, John 
 the Baptift, and Drufilla ; who had the cha- 
 racters, and fituationsinlifc, teflincd by the 
 Evangelifls. 
 
 Such writers have alfo attcfted, that, at 
 the times, and in the places mentioned, 
 there were fuch perfons, as Auguftus, Tibe- 
 rius, Claudius, Nero, Gallio, Sergius Paulus, 
 Cornelius, and Aretas ; living in the fia- 
 tions, and characters, here affigned to them : 
 And, 
 
 That there were fuch claries of men, as 
 Pharifees and Sadducees, Scribes and Law- 
 yers, Kerodians and Samaritans, of the fame 
 characters, for principicsand conduct, as are 
 here afenbed to them. 
 
 These cuftoms of the Jews are alfo 
 abundantly evinced to have exifted, at this 
 time; "viz. That they came from the dif- 
 ferent countries, where they lived, to the 
 feafts at JcrufaUm ; daily frequented the 
 temple; prayed, at the third and at the ninth 
 hour ;* failed until the morning prayer was 
 
 * H^nceths fjree of St Peter' 5 reply, A5ts 2 1 5. 
 
OF THE MEW-TESTAMENT. 9 
 
 ended ; were greatly zealous for the law, 
 and for the temple ; worshipped in fyna- 
 gogues ; read ftatedly portions of the Old 
 Teftament; pra&ifed the vow of the Naz- 
 arite, /having their heads ; inflicted forty 
 [tripes fave one ;* allowed and exercifed 
 furious a£ts of private zeal for Religion; 
 payed tribute to the Romans, and cflcemed 
 it a grievance ; had publicans of their own 
 nation, and abhorred them, for being in this 
 office ; hated, and vehemently perfecuted 
 the Chriftians; were zealous for the Sab- 
 bath, circumcifion, &c. even to bigotry ; 
 and confidered the reft of mankind, as odi- 
 ous and contemptible, with an unexampled 
 deteitation. 
 
 It is alio clearly proved, that their high 
 pricfts rent their clothes, on extraordinary 
 occafions ; that the Pharifees and the Sad- 
 ducees were fteady and bitter enemies to 
 each other; that the Jews and Samaritans 
 hated each other, to a degree wholly fingu- 
 lar; that, out of Judea, the Tews prayed 
 cuftomarily by the fides of rivers, and feas ; 
 that they laboriously made profelytes ; that 
 they were aftonifhingly corrupted in doc- 
 trine, and in manners ; and that they and the 
 Samaritans, at this time, univerfally and 
 Wrongly expected the coming of the Mef- 
 fiah. 
 
 With equal clearnefs are we certified, 
 that the Roman Governor ha i a in judea, 
 
 * Such as thar, recorded Acts a 3, T2. 
 
19 •EMUINEMESa AND AUTHENT1C1TT 
 
 the power of life and death; that public 
 notifications were in Jerufalem, cuftomarily 
 written in Hebrew, Gree-k, and Latin ; that 
 criminals, under the Roman government, 
 always carried their own croffes; were cuf- 
 tomarily fcourged, mocked and abufed, 
 as Christ is laid to have been; that, 
 among the Jews, per fans were put to death 
 without the city ; that burial was not al- 
 ways allowed to malefactors ; but that Ro- 
 man governors might, and ufually did, al- 
 low it; and that the Jews ufually embalm- 
 ed their dead, in the manner recorded by 
 the Evangelifts. 
 
 With the like certainty are we al fa 
 taught, that the Romans examinedprifoners 
 by questioning and fcourging, excepting 
 Roman citizens, who could lawfully be nei- 
 ther bound, nor fcourged, efpecially when 
 uncondemned ; that the Roman Govern- 
 ment gave the power of life and death to 
 Rich officers as Lyfias ; heard no accufers, 
 in the abfence of the accufed ; kept accu- 
 (cd perfons in cudody, <xs Paul was kept ; 
 fen t prifoners from the provinces to Rome, 
 and delivered them to the Captain of the 
 guard; and, at that time, generally treated 
 all nations, particular 1 }' the Jews, and the 
 Christians as being Jews, with mildnefsand 
 equity. 
 
 It is alfo entirely eftablifhed, that the 
 temple was forty-fix years in building; that 
 
«F THE NEW TESTAMENT. si 
 
 Judas of Gallilcc and the Egyptian mention- 
 ed by Lyfias, Afts 21,38, exifted, and did 
 the things afcribed to them ; that Herodias 
 was firfl married to Philip, and then to He- 
 rod, his brother ; that John, the Baptift 
 was put to death by the lame Herod ; that 
 the Emperor Claudius banifhed the Jews 
 from Rome; and that, in his time, there 
 was a famine throughout the land of Judea. 
 
 Of the fa£h and perfons connected im- 
 mediately with the purpofe of the Gofpel I 
 fha.ll have occafion to fpeak hereafter. 
 
 The writers who have fingly teftified to 
 forne, and collectively to all, the things 
 above-mentioned, are Jofephus, Philo, Ci- 
 cero, Tacitus, Ulpian, Hermogenian, Mar- 
 cian, Tertullian, Celfus, Petronius, Dio, 
 Suetonius, and feveral others. 
 
 The two firfl: of thefe writers were Jews ; 
 the reft, except Tertullian, were Heathens; 
 and there is not one inftance, in thefe tefti- 
 monies of Jews, or Heathens, in which ei- 
 ther of them at all intended to witnefs any* 
 faft, in favor of the gofpel, or of chriftians. 
 All of them, who knew any thing of chrif- 
 tianity, were decided enemies to the 
 chriftians, and their teftimony, therefore, 
 efpecially when we take into view their per- 
 fonal reputation, and their advantages for 
 knowing the things, which they affcrt, is 
 completely fatisfacWy. 
 
1% CEWINtN&Sa AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 In few methods, could the genuinenefs 
 of the Ncw-Tcflarnent be more certainly 
 proved, than in this. It is utterly im- 
 poffible for ik writer, dealing largely in al- 
 lufion to the cuftorm, and in aflertions con- 
 cerning the fa£h, and performs, of a prece- 
 ding age, not to be betrayed into many mif- 
 takes concerning them. It is not a little 
 difficult for any writer to porTcfs the know- 
 lege, neceffary to avoid fuch miftakes ; and 
 far more difficult for him to form his mind 
 into a train of thinking, exaftly fuitcd to 
 the crrcamftances of a preceding age, and 
 to keep his attention invariably fixed on fo 
 complete an object, as not frequently to 
 wander from truth and propriety. 
 
 Virgil, a man of primary abilities, and 
 vaft induftry, has, in his Eneis, attempted 
 toprefentthc world with the manners, pro- 
 per to the feveral perfonages, mentioned in 
 that work ; and undoubtedly defigned, that 
 they mould, as much as might be, fuit the 
 age, in which thofe perfonages lived. But 
 it is obvious to every attentive reader, that 
 the manners of that poem much better fuit 
 the age, in which the writer lived. Yet a 
 careful andjufi reprefentatiori of manners 
 was probably one principal object, in the 
 eye of that ingenious poet throughout his 
 
 work. 
 
 josiPPON, or Jofcph Ecngorion, a wri- 
 ter of the tenth., or eleventh century, has 
 undertaken to write a Hiftory of the Jews ; 
 
CF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 13 
 
 in which he profefTes to have lived, at the 
 time of the deftruclion of Jerufalem. This 
 writer, notwithftanding the very great pains 
 he has vifibly taken, to pafs for the charac- 
 ter which he profefTes himfelf to be, has, 
 in many inftances, betrayed himfelf; and 
 that fo far, as to fpeak of feveral things, 
 which cxifted, fome centuries after the 
 time, in which he pretends to have lived. 
 
 Writers of the firft talents, art, and 
 information, have ever found this difficulty 
 infurmountable, when they have made at- 
 tempts of this nature; but it mult -have 
 been peculiarly infurmountable by the wri- 
 ters of the New Teftament, had they been 
 irnpoftors. Their character, education, 
 and information, could, in no degree, qual- 
 ify them for a fuccefsful impofition of this 
 kind. The truth and accuracy with which 
 they have evidently written, on the fubjects 
 above fpecified, even in a vaft number of 
 very minute articles will, to every perfon, 
 qualified to judge, appear to be an unan- 
 swerable argument of the genuinenefs of 
 thefe writings. 
 
 2. The books of the New Teftament 
 have been quoted by both Catholic and He- 
 retical Chriftians, andalfo by Heathens, at 
 fuch periods, and in fuch a manner, as to 
 put their genuinenefs beyond every reason- 
 able doubt. 
 
 C 
 
14 GENUIMENSS AND AUTHENTIC:; r* 
 
 The four Evangel ids, and the A 61s of the 
 Apoftles, are quoted, in the two firft cen- 
 turies, by Juftin Martyr, Clemens of Alex- 
 andria, and Tertullian : 
 
 Mathew, Mark, and Luke, by Clemens 
 of Rome : 
 
 Mathew, Mark, and John, by Polycarp, 
 and Athenagoras : 
 
 Luke, and John, by Theophilus of An- 
 tioch, and the Epiitle of the Churches of 
 Vienne and Lyons , and Mathew by St. 
 Barnabas, and the Acls by the above tilth- 
 tioned Epiftle. 
 
 Beside the above Chriftian writers, all 
 the Evangelifts are quoted by the Emperor 
 Julian, a man every way qualified, and in- 
 clined, to expofe the falfehood of thefe wri- 
 tings, if it exifted; and are quoted with the 
 fulleft proofs, that he had not a doubt of 
 their authenticity. 
 
 All thefe books are referred to by Hcr- 
 mas, and the Recognitions of Clement, aid 
 by the Heathen Philofophers Celfus, and 
 Porphyry : 
 
 Mathew and Mark by Papias, and the 
 Epiftle to Diognetus ; as John alfo is by 
 the laft mentioned work : 
 
 Mathew, Luke, John, and the Acls, by 
 Ignatius, the Acis of Paul and Thecki, and 
 the Teiramcnts of the twelve patriarchs : 
 
CF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 15 
 
 Mathew, Luke, and the Acts, by Hcgcfip- 
 pus, and Polycratcs : 
 
 Mathew, Mark, John, and the Acls by 
 Athenagoras : 
 
 Luke, and John, by Tatian . 
 
 Luke by Theophilus of Antioch : 
 
 John by the Heathen Philofopher Ameli- 
 us : 
 
 And the A£ls by Juftin Martyr, and Po- 
 ly carp. 
 
 The (everal quotations, here referred to, 
 ai hi the very v/ords of the Scriptu- 
 
 ral writers, as they have defcended to us. 
 The references frequently contain feveral 
 of their words, and always the facls, or fen- 
 timents, recorded by them; and are made, 
 in a manner f^o plain, that the reference is 
 ufually of equal evidence and authority 
 with the quotation; and always, at leaft in 
 my opinion, too evident to allow of a rea- 
 fonable doubt. 
 
 To the genuinenefs of the Gofpels of 
 Mathew and Mark, Papias, within fifty-three 
 years from the date of the nrft Gofpel, 
 bears exprefs teftimony; afferring them to 
 be the production of the writers fuppofed. 
 To .the Gofpel, at large, Juftin Martyr, 
 within 77 years from irs firft date, gives the 
 like full teftimony : declaring it to confift 
 of authentic narrations, of Christ and 
 his Apoftles. Tatian compofed a Harmo- 
 ny of the four gofpels, 109 years only, af- 
 
/<r 
 
 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 tcr the firft in order was written ; as did * 
 Bafilides, the Heretic, a commentary, about 
 60 years after the date of the carlicft Gof- 
 pcl. Ircmcus, within 115 years, Clement 
 of Alexandria, within 132, and Tcrtullian, 
 within 1 37 years from the fame date, yield a 
 full and ample tcilimony to the genuine- 
 nefs of all the hooks under confideration ; 
 as full, I conceive, as can be defired or ex- 
 preffed. 
 
 Upwards of feventy other perfons, ma- 
 ny of them of great and deferved reputation 
 for wifdom and integrity, are to he number- 
 ed, as additional witnefTes to thofc, whom I 
 have now mentioned: all flourifhing with- 
 in 140 years after the writing of St. Luke's 
 Gofpel. Mofl of thefe witnefTes yield their 
 teffimony by quotations and references, too 
 exprefs to be denied, or doubted ; while 
 others, in numerous infeances of high cha- 
 racter, fpent much of life in furthering the 
 progrefs of Chriftianity, and fealed their 
 teftimony with their blood. 
 
 Ignatius, alfo, within 44, and theEpif- 
 tle to Diognetus, afcribed to Juftin Martyr, 
 within 77, Melito Bimop of Sardis, within 
 115, and Clement of Alexandria, within 
 132 years from the above date, inform us of 
 a Volume, in which thefe books were col- 
 lected. 
 
 * Bafilides decla-ed, that he was In 11 r lifted by Gl.iuc.is, 
 4" 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 By thefe writers, the books in queftion 
 are fpoken of in terms of the highefl ref. 
 pcet ; as the word, the preaching of Christ; 
 as the'feriptures ; as the Word of God; 
 and as divinely infpired. Thus, for in- 
 ftance, Irer.ccLis declares, that they were 
 written by the will of Goo ; that they are 
 to mankind the foundation of faith ; and 
 that thofe who wrote them, were infpired 
 with infallible knowlege of truth, by the 
 Holy Ghost. Hence he concludes, that 
 to defpife them is to defpife God riimfelfl 
 Athanafius alfo, at a later period, after re- 
 counting the fame books of the Bible which 
 we now poffefs, fays; " Thefe are the 
 fountains of falvation ; in thefe alone the 
 doctrine of religion is taught: let no man 
 add to them or take any thing from them.*' 
 In general, the fentiments of the ancient 
 Chriflians, in the ardour of refpccl for the 
 Scriptures, appear on almoft every page ; 
 and vinbiy exceed even the high reverence, 
 in which they are now held by thofe, who 
 expecl from them everlafling life. 
 
 In the mean time, it is to be carefully 
 remarked, that the books of the New Tes- 
 tament, are the only books, of which they 
 ever fpeak in this manner. All others, 
 they uniformly confider, as the mere ef- 
 forts of men, and of no authoyi jrty in Re- 
 ligion. This fubjeft they often difcufs ; 
 and their decifion is but one, and dcliv- 
 
la 
 
 UlKZKE&l />.SD AUTHENTICITY 
 
 crcd in terms of undoubtirg confidence. 
 As a full j u finical ion of this confidence, 
 ibev inform us, that they received thefe 
 books, by rnoft authentic tradition from 
 the Apodlcs themselves ; the whole of 
 which tradition they were able to trace, a::d 
 10 })rove. Tertiillian particularly aliens, 
 in th.e fulled manner, that, in ihc fevcral 
 Apodolical Churches, the clcareft evidence 
 of this authenticity might be obtained ; as 
 it bad been, by himielf, in the church at 
 Rome. 
 
 All thefe writers flourifhed, and wrote, 
 within one hundred and fifty years after 
 the date of the firft written book of the 
 New Tedamcnt ; and were born 20, 30, 
 40. 50, and in fome inftances 60 years, be- 
 fore the dale here afcribed to them. Bar- 
 nabas, Clement of Rome, Hermas, Igna- 
 tius, and Pojycarp, it is generally agreed, 
 were hearers, and companions, of the Apof- 
 tles themselves; and mod, if not all, of 
 ihofe named, as of thefecondcei tiu - con- 
 verfed wit h thofe, who had li v ed and con ve r 
 fed with the Apofiles. Thefe writers were 
 alfa of very difTerent educations, views f 
 intends, and prejudices ; and were inlnsb 
 Hants of. Aha Minor, Palcfline, Syria, 
 Egypt, Crete, Greece, Africa proper, Italy, 
 ;■-](] Gaul, J^t a time, when the formation 
 of hooks was fo laborious, and the acquifi- 
 t'ion of them fo difficult, and expenfive, it is 
 
 . 1 
 
 !,«, A 
 
 ' ■ ■ 1 accounted tor, horn 1 uc pecul- 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMZNT. tf 
 
 bit zeal and reverence of the early Chrif- 
 tians for the Scriptures, that the New Tci- 
 tament fhould have been fo widely fpread, 
 at this early period". Nor could the fir ft 
 Preachers of Chriftianity have left a fairer 
 proof of their candor, piety, and benevo- 
 lence, than the lingular pains, with which 
 they multiplied, and diffufed, the copies of 
 thefe venerable Oracles. 
 
 I n the third century, begining at lefs than 
 150 vear?, from the date above mentioned, 
 thefe teftimonies, both by quotation and 
 reference, are fo multiplied? that they can- 
 not be particularly al!uded a to> in this Dif~ 
 courl'e. It ought, however, to be obfer- 
 ved, that Caius, Julius Africanus, Origen, 
 Dionifius Bifhop of Alexandria, Cyprian, 
 Victorinus Bifhop of Pettaw, on the river 
 Drave, and Methodius Bifhop of Olympus, 
 in Syria, befidemany others, all men of ta- 
 lents and integrity, have, together with 
 Firmilian Bifhop oF Ccefarea, borne a very 
 full and decifive teftimony to the exiitence, 
 authenticity, facts, and do&rincs, of the 
 New Teftament. Several of thefe men 
 were born, in the fecond century ; and fome 
 ofthem, particularly Origen and Dionihus, 
 werepoffeffed of the greateft advantages, for 
 knowing the whole traditionary, as well as 
 written, Hiftory of the Gofpel, and of its au- 
 thors, of tlie rafts, which they have record- 
 ed, and of the doctrines, which they have 
 left, for the benefit of fucceeding genera- 
 
SO CEkUINBNESS AND AUTHENTICITY* 
 
 tions. The teftimony, which a-11 thcfc wri- 
 ters have given to the books in qucflion is 
 as decifive, as words carrcxprefs ; and the 
 quotations, which have come down to us, 
 although made for other purpofes, and never 
 at all defigned for this. and although a part on- 
 ly of the works of thele writers is, in any in- 
 ftance, extant, and although in very many in- 
 ilances there is nothing remaining, but a 
 few fmall fragments, are yet fo numerous, 
 that a large part of the whole New-Tefta- 
 ment might be collected from them. In 
 the remaining writings of Tertullian, Cle- 
 ment of Alexandria, andlrenceus alone, as 
 Doctor Lardnerhasobferved there are more 
 quotations of the little volume of the New- 
 Teftament, than thofe of the whole works 
 of Cicero, greatly, and juftly, as he has 
 been celebrated for his fuperior talents, which 
 are now to be found in all the writers of 
 feveral ages. 
 
 It is fcarcely neceffary to obferve, that, 
 in the fucceeding century, the teftimonies, 
 both by quotation and reference, multiply 
 to fuch a furprifmg degree, that we find nu- 
 merous catalogues of the books of the New- 
 Tcftament left on record ; generally the 
 fame which we have now; and that not only 
 great numbers of men of high reputation 
 have finslv borne thisteflimonv, ar.d in eve 
 ry conceivable method; but feveral Coun- 
 cils have alio given us their united voice, in 
 
OF THE NEW-TE3TAMENT. it 
 
 fupport of their authenticity, and infpira- 
 tion. 
 
 I shall now beg leave to call your at- 
 tention to teftimonv, in fome meafure, of 
 a different kind : the teftimony of thofe, 
 who have been generally efteemed Here- 
 tics. Thefe men, who more, or lefs, de- 
 parted from the opinions of the Catholic 
 Church, concerning feveral fc riptural fub- 
 jecls, were under various temptations to 
 leffen or to deny, the authority of the New- 
 Teftament, and particularly that of the Hif- 
 torical books. As they embraced their pe- 
 culiar opinions, principally from precon- 
 cievcd do&rines of Philofophy, the prima- 
 ry fource of error, among thofe who have 
 profeffed Chriftianity, they were under 
 much the fame temptations to facrifice the 
 whole New-Teftament, as to facrifice the 
 particular parts, which they actually re- 
 jected. Neverthelefs we have fufficient 
 afiurance, that, even amidft the heat of ve- 
 hement and ill-conducled controverfy, they 
 all regarded the greater part of this Vo- 
 lume, with the higheft reverence ; and have 
 left behind them valuable alterations of its 
 genuinenefs and authenticity. 
 
 Of thefe men, in the firft Century, or 
 the beginning of the fecond, Bafilides with 
 his followers, and the Carpocratians ; in 
 the fecond Century, Heracleon, Cerdon, 
 the Sethians, Artemon, Hermogenes, Theo- 
 dotus, Moiitaniisj Praxeas, Caffian, and the 
 
 D 
 
2S GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 *Manichees, appear to have received the 
 whole of thefe facred writings. Bafilides 
 and Hcracleon commented largely on them ; 
 and the five laft, in the lift here given, quo- 
 ted them ; three of them largely ; and 
 all of this number appear to have received 
 them with a refpec~t, probably not inferiour 
 to that of the Catholics. 
 
 Mark with the Marcofians his followers, 
 Cerinthus, Marc/on, Leucius, Apellcs, 
 Eixai, and the Paulicians, received, as of 
 divine authority, the greater part of the 
 New-Tcftament. The Paulicians received 
 all, except the two Epiftles of Peter; and 
 thefe they rejected, merely becaufe he had 
 denied Christ^ In the miftaking con- 
 duel of thefe men, we have a (Inking at- 
 teftation to the genuinenefs of the facred 
 books; for, even when hardly preifed in 
 controverfy, they acknowlege the great bo- 
 dy of them ; and, for the rejection of a part, 
 aflign, as reafons, their own preconceived 
 opinions, and not any proofs of corruption 
 in the books, which they reject. Even 
 Marcion, the general corrupter of the Bi- 
 ble, and Leucius, the general forger of 
 falfe fcriptures, have exhibited that there 
 were, in their time, the former part of the 
 fecond Century, genuine and authoritative 
 Scriptures. Othcrwifc the Firft could not 
 have afted the part of a corrupter; nor 
 
 * With regard to thefe Heretics, I have followed Di\ 
 Laidner, in pieference to Di. Mcfheim. 
 
OF THE NFW-TESTAMENT. 
 
 would the Laft have acted that of a forger ; 
 it being impoflible, on any other fuppofi- 
 tion, that either means, or temptations to 
 this conduct fhould exift. It ought here 
 to be remarked, that Origcn, who probably 
 knew better than any other man, and who 
 has unquestionably declared what he knew, 
 afferts, that, fo far as his knowledge extend- 
 ed, the Marcionites, and Valentinians, and 
 perhaps Leucius, or, as he is fometimes 
 called, Lucanus, were the only perfons, 
 who had ever corrupted the Scriptures. 
 At the fame time, it ought to be remem- 
 bered, that this conduct of thefe Heretics 
 was highly advantageous to Christianity ; 
 as it induced the early Christians to fcruti- 
 nize with fingular care, and to watch with 
 extreme jealoufy, the writings of the Apof- 
 tles. 
 
 Th i s inveftigation may, perhaps, becon- 
 fidered as more clofely confined to the 
 Historical books oftheNew-TeStament, than 
 was originally propofed. As reafons for 
 this method of treating the fubject, my Au- 
 dience are requested to obferve, 
 
 lit. That the fubjeel would have been 
 otherwife, too extenfive, to be at ail fairly 
 handled, on this occafion : 
 
 2d. That the very fame proofs of quota- 
 tion and reference, as well as almoft all the 
 other evidence, by which the Historical 
 
24 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 books arc fupported, are the fupport, and, 
 as I conceive, equally, of the remaining 
 books. No perfon, therefore, who admits 
 the validity of this evidence, for the Hifto- 
 rical books, will difpute it, as applied to the 
 others. 
 
 3d. The Hiftorical books are the foun- 
 dation,' on which the others wholly reft. In 
 a theological view, therefore, the only view, 
 in which any of them ever became the fub- 
 je61s of controverfy, he, who receives the 
 Hiftorical books as genuine, will find no 
 occafion to queftion the reft. 
 
 On the evidence, here fuggefted, it may 
 be ufeful to remark, that the ftate of things 
 which I have reprefented, cannot be ac- 
 counted for, unlefs the genuinenefs of thefe 
 books be acknowledged. That, in fo fhort 
 a time, fo many perfons, of fo many, and 
 fo diftant countries, of fo different educa- 
 tions, habits, prejudices, and views, of fo 
 fair a character, of fo much understanding, 
 without a felfifh end to aim at, without con 
 cert, without a defign of giving teftimony 
 to this point, and without an apprehenfion 
 that the genuinenefs of thefe books either 
 was, or would ever be called into queuion, 
 mould yet, in fo many inftances, to fo great 
 an extent, and with fuch high and uniform 
 reverence, have thus quoted and referred 
 to them, and thus profefiedly diftinguiftied 
 them from all others; that they fhould have 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 25 
 
 renounced religions, to which before they 
 were habitually attached, even to bigotry, 
 and adopted, from thefe books, a religion 
 totally new, and lingular; and finally that 
 upon' a faithful conformity to them they 
 fhould have thus placed all their hopes of 
 falvation, and have perfifted, through life, 
 in a Heady and unexampled adherence to 
 them, and to the religion founded on them, 
 againft every earthly hope, and with every 
 earthly difcouragement ; is not only incre- 
 dible ; but, in my apprehenfion, irapofiible; 
 on any other fuppofition, than that thefe 
 books are the genuine productions of the 
 Apoftles, and authentic Narratives of the 
 Life, Death, Refurreclion, and Afcenfion, 
 of Jesus Christ, and of the labors of thofe 
 Apoftles, in propagating the Religion, 
 which he taught to mankind. 
 
 To the obfervations, already made, it 
 ought to be added, that, considering the 
 contempt, in which the firft Chriftians were 
 held by the Roman Empire, the teftimony 
 Jo the genuinenefs of thefe books, which 
 appears in the remaining works, and monu- 
 ments, of Heathens, during the above men- 
 tioned periods, is as great, as could be rea- 
 fonably expected. Many are the indubi- 
 table teftimonies which they have left, not 
 only to fafts of the utmolt importance to 
 this queftion, but to the very books them- 
 reives. Celfus, particularly, is a witnefs of 
 the greateft weight, and in a degree, grca- 
 
GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 ter than could fairly be hoped from the 
 fmallnefs of his remaining fragments. His 
 undeniable references to the Hiflorical, and 
 fcveial other, books of the New-Teftainent, 
 are numerous, and made, within one hun- 
 dred and thirteen years from the date of St. 
 Luke's Goipel. Pie was a man of fenfe 
 and learning, a profefTed enemy to the 
 Chriman Religion, and a laborious and in- 
 quifnive champion for Heathenifm. His 
 alterations, therefore, will not be difputed. 
 Thofe of the Emperour Julian, who, after 
 having received a Cbriftian education, and 
 made a Chridian profeffion, publicly de- 
 clared himfelf a Heathen, are of the fame 
 nature, and in fome refpecta of equal im- 
 portance. It is true, he did not pofiefs fo 
 ibund an undemanding, nor live at fo ear- 
 lv a period, as Celfus ; but he had, from 
 his education, the fuller! opportunity to be- 
 come acquainted with the books, and the 
 worfhip. of the Chriftians, and a fufficient 
 one to learn the facls, which were their de- 
 clared foundation, and evidence. At the 
 fame time, he had all the advantages pofli- 
 ble at the period in which he lived, to know, 
 and the utmoft difpofition to declare, all the 
 defects of that evidence, and all the real, or 
 imagined, weaknefs in that foundation. Yet 
 he has not, in the leaft, impeached the 
 facls, or v/eakened their influence. On the 
 contrary, by acknbwledging the books, be- 
 caufe their authenticity could not be difpu- 
 ,ir.d confeffiog the fefts 3 becaufe their 
 
OF THE NF.W-TDSTAMENT. IJ 
 
 reality could not be queftioned, he has ad- 
 ded his own name to the lift of valuable 
 witneifes for that Redeemer, whom he wick- 
 edly denied, and for that fyftem of Reli- 
 gion, whofe doftrines he has childimly la- 
 bored to overthrow. On thefe, and other 
 fimiiar tedimonies, I fhall hereafter make 
 fome further obfervations ; and fliall only 
 add, in this place, that the ediel of Diode? 
 fian, which, in the year three hundred ana 
 three, two hundred and forty years after 
 the date fo often mentioned, ordered, on 
 the fevered penalties, all Chriftiaas to fur- 
 render the Scriptures, that they might be 
 burned, proves at once that the copies of 
 them were exceedingly numerous, and 
 widely difperfed, and that this fagacious 
 Emperour, and his Court, were fully con- 
 vinced of the total impoffibility of extermin- 
 ating Chriftianitv, by tortures, however nu- 
 merous, protracted, or di ft reding, unlefs 
 they accomplished the deftru&ion of the 
 books, on which it was founded -. a proof of 
 the firft magnitude, that Chridianity refted 
 originally on the New-Tedament. 
 
 2d. The teftimonv of the Hiftorical 
 Writers of the New-Teftament, was true: 
 They were neither deceived, nor deceiv- 
 ers. The two parts of this propofuion, I 
 dial! take the liberty to confider either fe- 
 parately or together ; as may bed conduce 
 to their elucidation ; 
 
22 
 
 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 That they were not deceived, with re- 
 gard to the facls, which they have related, 
 is evident, in the fir ft place ; becaufe 
 they were, in every refpeel, competent 
 judges of them : they had fufficicnt facul- 
 ties, and fufTicient opportunities. 
 
 The facls, related in the Gofpcls, may 
 be all comprifed under the Life, Death, 
 Refurreclion, and Afcenfion, of Jesus 
 Christ ; and thofe, related in the remain- 
 ing Hiflorical book, under the title of it — 
 The Acts of the Apoflles. 
 
 The faculties, ncceffary to form a com- 
 petent judge of all thefe facls, are the ufuai 
 fenfes of men, and that degree of undcr- 
 ftanding, which we cuftomarily term Com- 
 mon-fenfe. It will doubtlefs be under- 
 ftood, that I affert thefe to be the only fa- 
 culties, neceflary for this end. Superiour 
 genius, or great attainments of fcience, are 
 not only notnecefTary to enable a man perfect- 
 ly to judge of thefe fubjecls,but would, in no 
 wife render him a better judge, than any other 
 inan^pofleffedofthe faculties above menti- 
 oned. A plain man, thus qualified, would, as 
 perfe&ly as Ariftotk, or Sir Ifaac Newton, 
 know whether Christ lived, preached, 
 wrought miracles 3 fuffered, died, appeared 
 alive after his death, and afcended to Hea- 
 ven. The teftirhony of the fenfes, under 
 the direction of Common-fenfe, is the deci- 
 ding, and the only teflimony. by which the 
 
OF THE NEW-TESTAMENT. 29 
 
 exiftence of thefe facts muft be determined. 
 No man could, better than the Apoftles, 
 judge whether a man were leprous, and re- 
 ftored from his lepfofy, by a command ; 
 whether Lazarus were dead, and raifed to 
 life; and whether Chrsit walked on the 
 waves. Nor could any man with more 
 certainty determine, whether Christ, af- 
 ter being dead, and buried, appeared again 
 alive, talked, moved, ate, inftructed, com- 
 forted, and directed them, rofe up from the 
 earth, in a cloud, and difappeared ; or 
 whether, at their command, the lame were 
 reflored to foundnefs, the fick to health, 
 and the dead to life. They could, alfo, as 
 well as the greater! men living, know wheth- 
 er Christ taught them the lingular pre- 
 cepts, and doctrines, recorded in the Gof- 
 pels ; and whether he lived in that perfectly 
 holy manner, which they have defcribed. 
 It feems, fometimes, to have been imagin- 
 ed, that perfons of fuperior talents would 
 have been better judges of the facts, rela- 
 ted in the Ncw-Teflament; but the idea 
 cannot be ferioufly entertained by any per- 
 ion, who has attended to human life. On 
 the contrary, plain men, accuflomed to ac- 
 tive life, ufually judge of facts, with lefs 
 prejudice, and more accuracy, than philo- 
 fophers, whofe unfortunate difpofuion to 
 theory and fyftem commonly- and greatly 
 warps their judgment from truth. 
 E 
 
2* GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 The opportunities, which the Apodles 
 had of* obferving thefe facls, were aifo fuch, 
 that it is difficult to conceive how they 
 could have been better. The Apoflles 
 were, for more than three, probably for 
 more than four years, the conftant compan- 
 ions of Christ, in his mod retired, as well 
 as in ins mod public, hours. They few, 
 they heard, they knew, every thing con- 
 cerning him, fo far as ref peels the prefent 
 fubjecl. Had they difcovered the lead 
 failing in him, it mufl have dedroyed his 
 whole character, in the eye of perfons, who 
 thought hini theMciilah; and had there 
 been the lead failing in him, they m'ud have 
 difcovered it. 
 
 They w 7 ere the daily witnefTes of his mi- 
 racles; not of one, two, or twenty; but of 
 multitudes; accomplifhed invariably; as 
 often as occafionsprefented themfelves ; and 
 with as much eafe, and certaint}', as accom- 
 pany the moll ordinary occurrences of life. 
 
 After his refurrsft ion, they had every 
 advantage, which could exift, for knowing 
 whether he appeared alive. Nine times, 
 he appeared to fome, or other of them : and 
 twice, to the women, who went to his fe- 
 pulcre. He ate, he converfed with them, 
 and inftructed them, and gave various oth- 
 er proofs of his rcfurreclion, which no man, 
 in his fenfes, and in the like circumftances, 
 cither would, or could difpute. 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 31 
 
 The power, which he promifed them, of 
 working miracles, was, in that promifc, ex- 
 tended through life. Of the fulfilment, 
 they had all poiTihle opportunity, as well 
 as capacity, to judge. If the promife fail- 
 ed of fulfilment, the charm was in a mo- 
 ment diflblved, and the dream at an end. 
 This, it is to be remembered, muft have 
 happened, whether they were difpofed to it, 
 or not. For, as they publifhed the prom- 
 ife to mankind, at an early period, they 
 put their own character, and that of their 
 matter, wholly at hazard; and if the pro- 
 mife were not publicly and evidently fulfill- 
 ed, the impofture, whether acknowledged 
 by them or not, muft have been eafily de- 
 tected by their fellow men. 
 
 2d. They believed in Christ, again f): 
 all thofe motives, which ufually govern 
 mankind. 
 
 When the Apoftles firfl addicted them- 
 felves to Christ, they poflefled, in a riv- 
 eted degree, the Jewifh ideas of a tempo- 
 ral, glorious, conquering, reigning Mef- 
 fiah. This prejudice they plainly held, 
 until the day of Pentecoft. It is moft won- 
 derful, that, with this prejudice, they mould 
 have lidened to him at all; for nothing 
 could be more contrary to his real charac 
 ter ; nor could any thing more unfit them 
 for believing in a Mefliah lowly, delpifed. 
 
32 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 and pcrfecutcd. The only rational me- 
 thod of accounting for this fa&, is, that he 
 /hewed bimfelf to be a perfon, as extraordi- 
 nary; as he is defcribed to be in the Gof- 
 p Is. This induced them to attach them- 
 felves to him, at firft ; and the ftrong per- 
 fuafion, which they cherifhed. that he would 
 affumc his proper character, of fecular 
 fplcndour and dominion, contributed to 
 prolong their attachment. In his true cha- 
 racter they believed, from neceflity and ir- 
 refiftible convi&ion only, with a flow pro- 
 grefs, and a reluQartf fubmifTion to evi 
 dence. All their prejudices were vifibly 
 and (leadily at war with his declarations, 
 and, from time to time led them to neglect, 
 or to difbelieve, many of his mod impor- 
 tant communications. 
 
 But, on the day of Pentecofl, this myf- 
 tery was unfolded to them, at once. From 
 that period, all their preceding hopes van- 
 ifhed. From that period, they cheerfully 
 cfTumed to themfelves the lot of poverty 
 and fhame, coolly prepared for uniform 
 eppofuion and contempt, and advanced to 
 meet perfecution, danger, and death, with 
 a conltancv, which no enemy could alarm, 
 and no power deftroy. Could we To far 
 forfake every dictate of rcafon, as to fup- 
 pofe them deceived at firft, it is wholly im- 
 pofTible, that they mould not have awaked 
 from the delufion, at the roufing calls of 
 obloquy and infamy, of the prifon and the 
 crofs. 
 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 33 
 
 It is here carefully to be remembered, 
 that all thefe evils were uniformly predicted 
 to them, by their mafler. From him 
 they learned, and believed, that, in fol- 
 lowing' him, they muft give up every 
 earthly expectation ; mud bid adieu to 
 friends, and country, to peace, and compe- 
 tence, to the hope of a fettled home, and 
 the pleafures of an affectionate family ; 
 mull wander through the world hated, af- 
 flicted, and tormented ; and muft end this 
 gloomy career of life with all the miferics, 
 devifed by ingenious and malignant perfe- 
 ction. With this melancholy profpeel, 
 often called up to view, their ministerial 
 life was begun ; and by the fevere fuffer- 
 ings, which filled up this profpecl, it was 
 accompanied to the end. 
 
 Enthusiasm has been often objected 
 to the Apoflles, as one method of account- 
 ing for their adherence to Christ, and of 
 leffening the force of their teflimony. 
 This, it is prefumed, has been done, mere- 
 ly becaufe it was the only method of filling 
 a chafm in the fyftem of Infidelity ; for 
 there is not the lead appearance of enthufi- 
 aTm in their character, as it is given to us, 
 either by themfelves, or by others. Never 
 were perfons lefs fairly expofed to fuch an 
 objection. There is nothing in the nature 
 of Christ's life, preaching, or miracles, 
 which could be the object of enthufiatlical 
 Relief, ot winch could ftirnilh a ground for 
 
14 
 
 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 enthufiaftical attainment. On the contra- 
 ry, a:; has been already obferved, to receive 
 him, as the Meffiah 9 required, on their part, 
 a complete (acrifice of every prejudice, and 
 ro adhere to him, of every intereft. — 
 Throughout their whole attendance upon 
 his miniftry, they discovered a continual 
 opposition to all the ; :.culiar charafterif- 
 cics, which, as the Median, he discovered, 
 and were aim oft daily, with the greateft juf- 
 rice, reproved by him, as being of little 
 faith. 
 
 But Enthufiafm is weakly alledged, for 
 the purpofes of infidelity, even if we fhould 
 againjt plain certainty, allow the Apoftles 
 to have pofTeiTed this character. Enthufi- 
 afm would, in no refpecu, account for the 
 things, for which it is alledged. Enthufi- 
 afm could not poflibly make its votaries be- 
 lieve, that a man was born blind, and lived 
 blind for twenty years, and then, at a com- 
 mand, received his fight; that men were 
 encrufted with the leprofy, zvhite as fnozv, 
 and, in a moment, were changed into the 
 ufual healthful' appearance of the human 
 perfon ; and that therkfelves, with eight or 
 ten thou kind others, had eaten to the full 
 of five, or feven loaves, and a few little 
 fifties. Enthufiafm could, in no wife, per- 
 fuade any perfon, otherwife poffeffed of 
 common-fenfe, that Christ daily ancFal- 
 way performed thefe, and the like, won- 
 ul works, at 'nis pleafure, in the moft 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. gj 
 
 public manner, and fo as to convince and 
 alarm the whole country of Judea ; that he 
 taught things, different from all, which had 
 been before taught, and wholly fuperiour 
 to all preceding do&rines of men; and at 
 the fame time, enable that perfori actually 
 to remember the things them Tel ves, and the 
 words, in which they had been communica- 
 ted, and to record them for the infpeclion 
 of others. In a word, to fay nothing of the 
 total infufficiericy of Enthufiafm to bear 
 men above a whole life of uniform fuffer- 
 ing, oppolition, want and wretchednefs, it 
 could never perfuadeany man, that, through 
 a long period, he'himfelf was able, with a 
 word, to heal the fick, to reiiore the lame, 
 and to raife the dead, in the name of Jesus 
 of Nazareth. For thefe, and the like ef- 
 fects, the caufe affigned is wholly inade- 
 quate ; and, but for a peculiar fpirit of op- 
 polition to Chriftiani.y, would never, even 
 in the prefent cafe, have been fuggefted by 
 any man, who had the leaft acquaintance 
 with the human character. 
 
 Thus it is, I prefume, fufflciently evi- 
 dent, that the Apoftles were not deceived. 
 
 I'ii at they were not deceivers, or im- 
 poflors, will, I trult, be rendered equally 
 evident, by the following confiderations. 
 
 id. Had they been inclined to deceive, 
 it Was impoiTiblc, that they fhould ever have 
 
3* 
 
 GfNUINESESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 accomplished fuch a defign. The fa6ls, 
 which conftitute the ium of their informa- 
 tion to mankind, and the foundation of the 
 whole Cbriftian fyftem, were, according to 
 their own reprefentations, of the moft pub- 
 lic notoriety. They dire&ly declare to the 
 Jews, that they, in numerous and fucceffive 
 inftanccs, were witnefFes of thefe fa 61s, 
 equally with themfelves. To the know- 
 ledge, which their countrymen poflefled, of 
 thefe facts, as having been eye, and ear wit- 
 ncfies of them, they boldly and Readily ap- 
 peal; and on this knowledge ground thofe 
 arguments of conviction, and perfuafion, 
 which produced fuch effects, as never were 
 before, or fince, produced by arguments. 
 This is, indeed, very lingular conduct for 
 impoftors to purfue, and may with confi- 
 dence be afTerted to have exifted in no 
 other cafe of impofition. Nothing is more 
 evident, than that, if the Apoftles defigned 
 to impofe on their countrymen, they could 
 not have adopted more obvious, or more 
 effectual means to defeat the defign, at its 
 very commencement. In a word, if the 
 Apoftles are believed, in fuch conduct as 
 this, to have aimed at impofition, they 
 cannot, by thofe who entertain this belief, 
 be vindicated from the character, either 
 of idiocy, or of phrenzy; and one of thefe 
 mu ft probably, in the eyes of all perfons 
 who deliberately attribute to them fuch a 
 defign ; be their real character. 
 
OF THE NEW- TESTAMENT. 
 
 2d. If the Apoftles were deceivers, they 
 Were deceivers, againft all thofe motives, 
 which, in cafes of this nature, have hitherto 
 influenced the human race. 
 
 All men, who are not wholly deprived 
 of reafon, invariably a£i, with a view to 
 fome good, which they expert by acting to 
 obtain. This maxim is as certain, and as 
 acknowledged, as that all bodies gravitate. 
 Arguments are therefore founded on the 
 fir ft of thefe truths, as firmly, as on the laft. 
 The Apoftles, then, if deceivers, undoubt- 
 edly expe&ed fome good from the deceit. 
 But what good could men expect, in the 
 prefent life, from oppofing, without any 
 foundation to reft on, the religion of their 
 country, which, at the fame time* they ac- 
 knowledged to be enjoined by God ? What, 
 from oppofing the religions of the whole 
 human race ? What, from aMerting a defpi- 
 fed and crucified man to be the Son of 
 God, and the author of a new and mod in- 
 terelting Revelation of his will; when they 
 knew that themfelves, and all who had been 
 acquainted with him, alfo, knew, that he 
 had given no probable evidence of merit- 
 ing this character? What good could they 
 expcel from aflerting themfelves to be pof- 
 feffed of the power of working miracles in 
 his name, and from profe fling their ability, 
 and readinefs, to work miracles, of the ut- 
 mo(t importance, and publicity, when they 
 F 
 
1% GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 certainly knew, that they poffeffed no fuel* 
 power ? 
 
 • Admitting, however, this palpable ab- 
 furdity, is it poflible, that they fhould ex- 
 pect, any good from this profjflion, after 
 they had made the experiment, and had in 
 every inftancc failed ? For, in this cafe, 
 they mud have felted in every inflance. 
 What could the\' expect, what could they 
 receive, but uniform contempt, and entire 
 infamy ? 
 
 It is in vain, here, to afTert, . that theie 
 have been parallel inftances. Until Infi- 
 dels fhall produce at lead one parrallel in 
 fiance, it may be confidently aliened, that 
 none has exifted. As to thole, which they 
 have hitherto alledged, they ought to blufh 
 whenever they recoil eel them; for, it is 
 prefumed, that, with all the extravagant and 
 lingular prejudices, manifefted by them 
 againft Chriftianity, they cannot but tec> 
 both from the nature, and the publicity, of 
 the miracles of the Gofpel, an entire and 
 irreconcileable difference between their 
 own workers of miracles, and the Apofiles. 
 
 In the future world, the Apofiles, if de- 
 ceivers, could certainly expeft no good. 
 In (his cafe, they cannot be fuppofed to 
 have believed in either the character, or the 
 declarations, of Christ. AH his pfomifes 
 to them of future and eternal happinefs, if 
 he be fuppofed to have made any, muih in 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 39 
 
 their view, have been idle talcs. Hence, 
 if they expected any good in the future 
 world, they mufl have expected it, merely 
 as the reward of their deception. But can 
 it be imagined, that any man could expect 
 future, cvcrlafling happinefs, efpecially in 
 that future world, and from the hands of 
 that God, whom they have described, as 
 the reward of a lye, or rather of a life fpent 
 in lying ? Can a Jew have formed fuch ex- 
 pectations, with the Old-Teflament in his 
 hands ? Above all, can thofe men have 
 formed fuch expectations, who forbade to 
 do any evil, that any good might come, on 
 pain of damnation ; and who declared, 
 that xvhofoevcr leveth or makcth alyt mall be 
 cut off from all future good ? 
 
 It is unnecefTary to add any thing, un- 
 der this head, further than to obferve, that 
 arguments of this nature are allowed, by 
 Mr. Hume himfelf, to have the fame force 
 with thofe, which are founded on natural 
 caufes. In his EfTay on Liberty and Ne- 
 ceffity, he obferves— c; When we confider 
 how aptly natural and moral evidence link 
 together, and form only one chain of argu- 
 ment, we fhall make no fcrupie to allow, 
 that they are of the fame nature, and' are 
 derived from the fame principles." 
 
 3. Ir is incredible that wicked men, fuch 
 as impoftors of courfe are, fhould have 
 
40 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 aimed at the objects, vifibly aimed at, 
 throughout the Ncw-Teftament. 
 
 The whole end finglv aimed at in the 
 New-Tellament, is manifeftly to make man- 
 kind virtuous. The Hiitory, Do6hincs, 
 Precepts, and Ordinances, unitedly urge 
 men to nothing, but piety to God, a rea- 
 sonable government of thcmfelvcs, and juf- 
 tice and benevolence to each other. Can 
 an impoflor be imagined to aim at this end ? 
 On what grounds, can he be fuppoled to la- 
 bor, for thispurpofe, through a life, encir- 
 cled with daily and extreme diftrefs, and 
 voluntarily, and with undoubting pre- 
 ference, to meet a violent and ignominious 
 death ? I leave to infidels to explain the 
 myftery, to unfold the principles, and to 
 reconcile the purpofe with the character. 
 
 4th. The Apoftles lived fo as no de- 
 ceiver ever lived. 
 
 The Apoftles not only appear to have 
 been virtucfois men. but have been gene- 
 rally acknowledged fairly to claim high 
 diftin£lion, in the lift of the virtuous. To 
 eitablifii. this. diitincYion nothing more is 
 neceffarv, than to compare them with Phi- 
 lofophers in general, particularly with Infi- 
 del Philofophcrs. Let them be compared, 
 for inftance, with Bolingbroke, Hume, 
 Voltaire, and Rouffeau, and there will be 
 found not a near refemblancc, but, in molt 
 
OF THE NEW-TESTAMENT. 4j 
 
 refpects, aftriking contraft. Nor are they 
 totally iuperiour to Infidels alone: but to 
 men of virtue and piety. In the moll exact, 
 fublime, refined, and enduring virtue, they 
 Hand alone ; and very remote from any 
 rival. How is fuch a character to be re- 
 conciled with a life of impofture ? 
 
 5. An impofition committed to fo many 
 perfons could not have efcaped detection. 
 
 The number of the Apoftles, including 
 Matthias and Paul, was thirteen, and that 
 of their coadjutors, though unknown, was 
 evidently much greater. Seventy were 
 commiflioned, as preachers, by Christ; 
 and many more by the Apoftlcs. Perhaps 
 there never was any plot committed to fuch 
 a number of perfons, without detection ; 
 even where it refpe&ed a fingle action, ex- 
 ifled for a little period, and was not extort- 
 ed by any diftreflingacts of violence. But 
 here the fecret, if we fuppofe a fecret to 
 have exifled, was a defign, the moil: com- 
 plex, and the irtoft extenfive, which ever 
 entered into the human mind ; and the 
 profecution of it was extended through life 
 and embittered with oppofition, hatred, 
 want, and infamy. Yet no one of the 
 number ever difcovered it, although they 
 had frequent and zealous contentions, and 
 although none gained, and all fuffered by 
 the concealment. Not a hint of this nature 
 is given, nor a fufpicion warranted, by the 
 
4* GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 whole teftimony of antiquity. Would an 
 opinion fraught with fuch incredibility, as 
 attends that, which is here combated, be 
 admitted, or even fuggefted on any other 
 fubjeft ? 
 
 At the fame time, it is to be remember- 
 ed, that their undefftanding, and inforrna- 
 i, in human policy was too confined, to 
 allow of ff.ch concealment, even if, in oth- 
 er circumftances, it had been pofTibie.— - 
 They were all plain men • like the farmers 
 and mechanics of tigs country ; only far 
 Jefs informed. Such men, limited wholly 
 and of nccelFity, to their own narrow circle 
 of bufinefs, to provide fubfiftence forthem- 
 ielves arid their families, cannot be believ- 
 ed, in that bufinefs, to have imbibed fo 
 profound a policy, or arts of fuch complete 
 and fagacious imposition. 
 
 From thefe arguments it appears incredi- 
 ble, that the Apoftles were deceivers. It 
 may, however, not be improper to fuggett 
 the following reafons to prove, that they 
 were neither deceivers, nor deceived. 
 
 iff. They publifhed the prophecy of 
 Christ, concerning the dcdruclion of [e- 
 rufaiem, feveral years, before that event 
 took place. 
 
 The three firfl Gofpels, in which that 
 event is predicted, were publiflied as early, 
 at leaft as the year fixty-fourj and [erufa- 
 
OF THE NEW-TCSTAMENT. 4.3 
 
 iem was taken, by Titus, on the eighth of 
 September, in the year feventy. This pro- 
 phecy contains fo minute and explicit a 
 defcription of the event, under confidera- 
 tion, with regard to perfons, time, and cir- 
 cumitanccs, as to exclude the pofTibilitv of 
 any material miflake. The Evangelifts, 
 therefore, in giving this prediction to man- 
 kind, put their Matter's character, and their 
 own together with the whole Chriftian caufc, 
 on the iillie. If the prediction were not 
 exactly fulfilled, all fell at once. This they 
 could not but know ; and plainly, there- 
 fore, could not, unlefs they fully believed 
 the prediction, have publifhed it to the 
 world. But, if they were deceivers, they 
 could not have believed it. The confe- 
 quence is obvious, and undeniable. 
 
 TiniTthey were not deceived, with re- 
 gard either to the prediction, or the cha- 
 ra£ter of Christ, "is, with like evidence, 
 proved by the fulfilment of the prediction : 
 a fulfilment fa exact, and entire, as to re- 
 move every doubt ; efpecially when it is 
 remembered, that the Hiiloriar., who, from 
 his own knowledge and prefer.ee, has con- 
 firmed this truth, was a Pharifee. 
 
 2d. This proportion is evidenced by 
 their total inability, of themfelves, to form., 
 and to fill up fuch a character, as that of 
 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
44- CENtttKfiXESS AND UtttWEHtlCltt 
 
 To form a perfect character, and to fill 
 it up with Inch trails, as to make it appear 
 like a real, living, acting being, or like 
 one, who has really lived, and acted, in the 
 world, and to give it proper and charact- 
 critical fentiments and manners, is per- 
 haps, as hard a talk, as was ever underta- 
 ken by the human genius. Virgil, one of" 
 the greateft geniufes, and one of the wiled 
 men, of Heathen antiquity, has attempt- 
 ed it, in his Eneas.— With his fuccefs 
 this Audience are fufficicntly acquaint- 
 ed. Eneas, in the hands of this great 
 matter of fine writing, is not only a fpi- 
 otlcfs and unamiable perfon, but is 
 tine lured, throughout, with groffnefs and 
 immorality. The Heathens, indeed, have 
 in their poetry, exhi-bited one amiable 
 character, becaufe, as is juftly obferved by 
 the Author of the Rambler, they were un- 
 acquainted with Revelation. They had no 
 virtuous models, from which to copy ; and 
 like other men, were wholly unable to form 
 fuch a chara&cr by mere imagination. --- 
 Their morals were fogrofs and their con- 
 ceptions of virtue fo imperfect, that the 
 proper features of fuch a character appear 
 not to havc v cniered their conception. 
 
 But what Virgil could not perform each 
 of e four Evangelifts has in the mod finifh- 
 ed manner performed. The character oi 
 Jesus Christ is wholly that of a real, 
 living, acting perfon ; as diftinft as that of 
 
OF THE new-testament. 4.5 
 
 Hamlet, or Achilles. At the fame time, 
 it is a character of finifhed perfection. All 
 the parts of it are fuited entirely to each 
 other, and, united, conflitute, beyond com- 
 panion, the faired image of pare, uniform 
 and exalted virtue, which ever entered in- 
 to the human mind. The piety, the bene- 
 volence, the wifdom, the integrity, the love- 
 linefs, of the Redeemer have had no rival, 
 no fecond, even in the higheft efforts 
 of the noblell imagination. His Doftxines 
 vifibly excel all other doctrines ; his pre- 
 cepts triumph over all other moral rules; 
 and his conduct leaves out of comparifon 
 every human example. Notwithstanding 
 the beft and wifeft of mankind have labori- 
 oufly imbibed his wifdom, and ftudioufly 
 formed them (elves by his precepts, he ft ill 
 Hands alone ; the meridian- fun, in whofe 
 prefence every little luminary " hides its 
 dimi-nifhed head." 
 
 On this fubject, there is no difpute ; as 
 there can be no doubt. Almofl all the wife 
 men, who have lived, fince the Chriftian 
 aero, and all the virtuous, have united in 
 this fentiment ; and far more of fuch men 
 than the whole earth has produced befides, 
 have diligently ftudied the books, in which 
 the Hiftory of ihis glorious perfon is con- 
 tained ; and they haw, with one voice, 
 agreed, that the wifdom manifefted in them 
 is from Heaven, and that the Author of it 
 is the Son of God, In the meantime, his 
 
 G 
 
46 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 inftru&ions and character have brought in 
 the world, the greater! change, which it has 
 ever experienced, and become the fource 
 ofalmoftall the j lift, moral fentiments, and 
 amiable moral conduct, which have exifted, 
 fince this Hiftory wasfird publifhed, in the 
 Gofpel. The excellence and preeminence 
 of his Character is, therefore, fully eftab- 
 lifhed, and has been acknowledged by many 
 Infidels, bcfide Roufleau. 
 
 Could fuch a character be the reful t ei- 
 ther of enthufiafin, or of deceit ? Whence 
 had the Apoftles fuch ideas ? How were me- 
 chanics and fifhermen enabled to accom- 
 pli fli what none of the human race, bcfide 
 them, has ever accompli fhed ? Can we fup- 
 pofe the fifhermen of Judea to have been 
 io totally fuperiour not only to the fifher- 
 men, but to all the wife and learned men, 
 of every other country ? 
 
 3d. If we allow this abfurdity to have 
 exifted, we fhall ftill be wholly unable to 
 account for their forming fuch a Character, 
 as that of Christ. 
 
 The Apoftles have given us the Charac- 
 ter of the Mefliah. This Perfon thev, with 
 their whole nation, expected to appear, in 
 circumftances of the higheft temporal gran- 
 deur and dignity. With this preconcep- 
 tion firmly riveted, the Apoftles cannot be 
 fuppofed to have departed, without fome 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 4.7 
 
 adequate caufe, from all their preceding 
 ideas of this fplendid Pcrfonage, and to 
 have formed a character of him (o greatly 
 reverfed, as that, which they have actually 
 formed. Nor can any caufe be conceived 
 to be an adequate one, unlefs of equal 
 magnitude with that, which themfelves have 
 left upon record. Nothing, lefs than the 
 evidence of their own eyes and ears, will 
 account for this facTt. They mult have 
 thoroughly known the perfon, to be able to 
 defcribe the character, and by irrefutable 
 conviction have been forced to renounce 
 all their former prejudices, to be willing. 
 
 4th. The truth of the Apoftles teftimo- 
 ny is evinced by the attestations of their 
 Enemies to the principal facts, which they 
 record. 
 
 The teftimony of Judas to the whole 
 character of Christ, efpecially his mo- 
 ral character, may be fairly eiteemed deci- 
 (ive. 
 
 Judas had every advantage for knowing 
 the whole character and conduct of Christ, 
 and every conceivable temptation to pub- 
 lish whatever was defective in it. If he 
 preached not the wifdom, if he wrought not 
 the miracles, if hepractifed not the virtues, 
 profefled by himfelf, and attributed to him 
 by others, Judas could not have been ig- 
 norant of the failure, nor have neglected to 
 
/o ClT.NlMNENEj'S AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 pubjifh the impofition. But, while his 
 temptations operated in the {ligheft degree, 
 is not only accufed him of nothing, and 
 dire£tly declared him innocent ; but by 
 acconiplifhing, at this trying period, his 
 own death, has given the cleared proof 
 that, in his view, Christ was what he pro- 
 feflVd to be; a preacher of truth, a perfect 
 example of holinefs, the author of the mod: 
 wonderful miracles, and : in a word, the 
 Sox of God. 
 
 The Jews were generally moft bitter 
 enemies to Christ. His miracles and 
 life were exhibited to them daily, in fuch 
 a manner, as to enable them competently 
 to judge, of both. If it could have been 
 done with a Shadow of pretence, they miift 
 therefore, have denied his miracles, and af- 
 perfed his character. A few in fiances of 
 fuch afperfion are recorded in the Gofpel ; 
 I need not mention how groundless, or how 
 contemptible. Similar afperfions, if pofli- 
 ble more grouncttefs, and more contempti- 
 ble, are handed down in the || Mifhr.a. and 
 in the Talmud. Generally they dreri not 
 to call his character at all in question, until 
 long after the eftablifhment of Chriftianity 
 iighout the Roman Empire ; as I (hall 
 foon evince, by a paflage from Origen, 
 
 |; Mifhna, a Collection, of Jrwi/h traditions made by 
 V I?, ahoiit the year ore hundred sod ei — 
 
 C mmu.t .1 y t>n the M Cn •■. 
 
 Jcrufaiem falmud, and tkt I -n. 
 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 49 
 
 which I conceive fairly to decide thisquef- 
 tiom His miracles they denied neither in 
 the Gofpels, nor in the Mifhna and Tal- 
 mud ; but acknowledged their existence 
 fully ; attributing them, in the one, to a 
 concert with Belzebub, and, in the other 
 to magic, which they affert him to have 
 learned in Egypt. In the mean time, thefe 
 laii mentioned books, written with the moll: 
 malignant oppofition to Chriftianity, give 
 atteilation to the exiftence of Christ, as 
 the Author of a new Religion, and as a 
 Worker of miracles ; to the ftate of the 
 jews, as defcribed in the Gofpels ; to his 
 Difcipies, as having followed him, and 
 wrought miracles in his name ; to the dci- 
 truclion of jerufalem 3 to the rife, and the 
 prevalence, of Chriftianity ; and to the 
 conftancy of the Chiiftians, in lis early pe- 
 riods. 
 
 A vox o the Heathens, whofe hatred to 
 Chriftianity needs not to be fpecihed (be- 
 fide the teflimony afferted, by Juftin Mar- 
 tyr and Tertullian, to be contained in the 
 Acts of Pilate, the exiftence and authenti- 
 city of which cannot, it is prefumed, be 
 fairly difputed) Tacitus, the Roman K 
 rian whofe character, as a writer, requires 
 no remarks, and who ftourifhed about the 
 year one hundred, thirty-fix years after the 
 Gofpels of Mathew and Mark, were writ- 
 ten, declares the time, name, country, and 
 character, of Christ, as the Author of the 
 
'•> 
 
 ■'■ N'D AUTHENTICITY 
 
 Chriftian Religion ; bears witrefs to his 
 
 I, 2nd death under Pontius Pilate, pro- 
 
 tor of Judea, and to the expectation of 
 
 Meffiah by the Jews ; and records the 
 
 ■action of Jcrufalcm, together with the 
 
 principal events which attended it ; the 
 
 great numbers of Chriftians, at this early 
 
 period extfting in Rome, Judea, and other 
 
 places ; and the terrible perfecution of 
 
 them, by Nero. 
 
 The fame things, generally, are terrified 
 by Sulpicius, Anno four hundred. • 
 
 The banifttment of the Jews, from Rome, 
 by Claudius, is aliened by Suetonius, An- 
 no one hundred and ten; as is alio the def- 
 trucxion of Jerufalem. 
 
 The Emperors Trajan, Anno one hun- 
 I and feven, and Adrian, Anno one 
 hundred and feventeen, tefttfy feveral inter- 
 ring things concerning the Chriftians; 
 :u!arly their great numbers, innocence, 
 and conftancy. 
 
 Pliny, Anno one hundred and feven, 
 te the things juit mentioned, informs 
 us, that the Chriilians fteadfallly oppofed 
 Idolatry; worfhipped, in Affemblies, on 
 the Lord's day ; fung hymns to Christ, as 
 aGoD; held agapce, or feafts of charity ; 
 hr.d church officers ; and engaged, by oath 
 to commit neither theft, robbery, noradul- 
 
OF THE NIW TESTAMENT. 
 
 tery, nor ever to falfify their word, nor to 
 betray any truft. 
 
 C£Lsus,the famous Epicurean philoso- 
 pher and hitter champion for Heathenifrra 
 againftChriftianity, Anno one hL*ndreda™t 
 feventy fix, one hundred and thirteen years 
 after the firft written Gofpel, teftifies be- 
 fide the things already mentioned, that 
 there were books, written by the Difciples 
 of Christ, containing an account of his 
 iife and aclions, his own difcourfes and 
 words; particularly feveral predictions of 
 his ; his Name Logos, or the Word of 
 God ; his genealogy, and that of Mary, his 
 mother. He further teftifies, that he was 
 born of a Virgin, and was reputed to be 
 the fon of a Carpenter ; that the Chalde- 
 ans were reported to have come, and w-or- 
 fhipped him, when he was an infant; that 
 Herod the Tetrarch, being informed of thik, 
 ordered a!!, who had been born in thai 
 village, about that time, to be killed, in- 
 tending to kill him, left he mould after- 
 wards t;.ke the government ; that he wa$ 
 carried into Egypt, left he fhould.be killed; 
 that Angels were fent, on his account ; that 
 he was baptized by John ; that the Holt 
 Ghost defcended on him, in the fhape of 
 a Dove ; that a voice from Heaven, de- 
 clared him to be the Son of God ; that he 
 was very poor ; went about from place l© 
 place; took to himfelften or eleven, a'b- 
 jects, or low people; healed difeafes ; aol 
 
U1SENES3 A\0 AUTHENTICITY 
 
 railed the dead ; fed multitudes with a few 
 loaves, of which large fragments were left ; 
 was called a Nazaraean j reprefCnted him- 
 felf as lent to call not the righteous, bat 
 finners to repentance ; forbade the anxious 
 purfuit of riches; expofed the difficulty of 
 obtaining immortal life by the rich; was 
 called upon to fhow a fign in the temple; 
 was deferted, denied, and betrayed, bv hi* 
 companions ; was derided, clad in a purple 
 robe, crowned with thorns, had a reed put 
 into his hands, thirfted, and had gall and 
 vinegar given to him ; that blood flowed 
 from his fide ; that he died a fhamefu! 
 death, and was reviled at his death ; that he 
 foreknew, and foretold his fiffcrings; rofe 
 again from the dead; (hewed himfelf to a 
 woman, and to feveral others; (hewed the 
 marks of the nails ; breathed on his Difci- 
 ples ; was the firft Author of the Christian 
 perfuafion; taught the doftrine but a few 
 years before Celfus wrote; was at that 
 time efteemed fuperior to Angels, reckon- 
 ed to be the Son of God, and called a 
 God ; and that one Angel, and, in another 
 place, two, were fa id to appear at the fepul- 
 cre qf J £sus. Celfus, alio, teftifies further 
 that the Doftrine of the Refurre&ion of the 
 Body, and of a future, Immortal Life, 
 founded on the life, death, and preaching, 
 of Chrift, was recorded by his Difcipl 
 that many Jews believed on him, and for- 
 fook the worfnip of their own country ; 
 that his followers were, at firft, feui in hum- 
 
 
 
 W 
 
OF THB-NiW TESTAMENT. 
 
 S3 
 
 y 
 
 ber, and of one mind; that they afterwards 
 became numerous, fpread abroad, and were 
 divicjed in opinion; that they cuftomarily 
 met together, in afTemblies, and there taught 
 things agreeable to their fentiments ; that 
 they were forbidden to partake in idol- 
 feafb, and refufed to join in idol-worfhip ; 
 and that the Jews were punifhed for the 
 crucifixion of Jesus. 
 
 Julian, who was pofTeffed of moft of 
 the learning of his age, who had the edu- 
 cation of a Chriftian, and the malice of an 
 Apoftate, and whofe teftimony, therefore, 
 will not be fufpeclcd, declares that Christ. 
 was born, in the reign of Auguftus, and at •, 
 
 the time of taxing, or enrolment, made by 
 Cyrenius, or Ouirinus ; that the Chriftian 
 Religion arofe, in the time of Tiberius, 
 and Claudius ; that the Historical books 
 of the New-Teftament were genuine, and 
 authentic ; that they were the only Hifto- 
 rical books, acknowledged, as of facred 
 authority, by the Chriftians, and the only 
 authentic memoirs of Christ, and his 
 Apoftles ; that the Gofpels were written as 
 early, as is generally believed ; and parti- 
 cularly, that John's, the laft, was wntten 5 
 foon after the death of Peter and Paul. He 
 alfo teltifies, that Christ cured the blind, 
 the lame, and the poiTeiTed, rebuked the 
 winds, and walked on the waves ; that there 
 were multitudes of Chriftians in Greece^ 
 andinltalvj before John wrote his Gofpel; 
 H 
 
£4 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 that, befide perfons in humble life, Cpr- 
 j>eliusand Sergius Paulus were Chriftians ; 
 and that Peter and Paul were the great 
 preachers of Chriftianity.* 
 
 The teftimonies of Porphyry and Hiero- 
 cles are alfo, in feveral ref^etts, of confi- 
 derable value. It is greatly to be regret- 
 ed, that fo fmall a part of their works, efpe- 
 ciaily of thofe of Porphyry, is now remain- 
 ing. From the fcope of them, fo far as we 
 are informed, they would have furnifhed a 
 highly interefting teftimony to the Scrip- 
 tures, A minute account of their remain- 
 ing teftimony cannot now be given ; but 
 it ought to be obferved, that they, together 
 with Celfus and Julian, acknowlege the 
 genuinenefs and authenticity of thefe books; 
 and miferably evade the force of the argu- 
 ment, from the miracles of Christ and his 
 Apoftles, by attributing them to magic. 
 
 There are, alfo, dill remaining, many 
 other uf^ful Heathen teitimonies, which 
 cannot now be particularly mentioned. 
 
 From thofc, which have been mention- 
 ed, the conclufion appears to be fairly 
 drawn, that the Apoftles have given a true 
 teftimony to Mankind. From Celfus, ef- 
 
 * Julian aimed to overthrow the Chi ian Religion, hut 
 has confirmed it. His arguments a£3in(t it are pc ii&ly 
 harmleft, and insufficient ra nril veaiuft-Ch 
 
OV Till NEW»TE5TAMENT. 55 
 
 pecially, do we derive dccifive evidence of 
 this truth. It is not here defigned tore- 
 prefent this Philofopher, as receiving thefe 
 things, in the manner, in which we recieve 
 them. In this cafe 5 he muft have been a 
 Chriftian. But he confidered them, as tr^p 
 acknowledged reprefentatioris of the Evan- 
 gelifts, eye and ear witnefTes of the things 
 which they declare ; reprefentations, in his 
 own time, umverfally received by Chrif- 
 tians, and never impeached. It ought, 
 however, to be here obferved, that Origen 
 declares Celfus to have, by insinuation, af- 
 perfcd, in fome degree, the character of 
 Christ, though with nothing infamous; 
 and to have been the only perfon, of whom 
 himfelf had ever heard, as having afperfed 
 him at all. This declaration of Origen maybe 
 efleemed a fall proof of the perfect fpoileff- 
 nefs of Christ's Character, from his death 
 to the time of Celfus : for Origen could 
 not but know, and has undoubtedly declar- 
 ed, the truth. 
 
 5th. The truth of the Apoftles, teftimo. 
 ny is proved in a peculiarmanner, by fev- 
 eral important inftitutions, and memorials 
 of intcrefting facls, which they have record- 
 ed. Thefe inftitutions and memorials are, 
 
 id. Baptifm, introduced in the room of 
 Ckcumcifion : 
 
5« 
 
 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 2d The Lord's Supper, inftead of the 
 Paflbvcr: 
 
 3d. The Firft-day Sabbath, inftead of the 
 Seventh day Sabbath : 
 
 4th. The Chriftian-worfhip, inftead of 
 the Temple-worfhip : 
 
 5. The Chriftian Church, inftead of the 
 Jewifli : 
 
 6th. Invocation of Christ, as God ; 
 and alfo Invocation in his Name. 
 
 On thefe it is to be obferved generally, 
 that the firft Chriftians, among whom thefe 
 inftitutions and memorials Were originally 
 eftabiifhed, were Jews, and were alio nu- 
 merous ; as the New-Teftament, and Hea- 
 then, Jewifh and Chriftian Antiquity uni- 
 tedly declares. By Jews, therefore, they 
 were firft received. This being premifed, 
 I would further obferve, 
 
 lft. These Jewifli inftitutions were ef- 
 tabiifhed in the Law of Mofes, acknow- 
 ledged by all the Jews, by the Apoftles, 
 and by Christ himfclf, to be the Word of 
 God; and were, therefore, of unqueftion- 
 ed, divine authority. 
 
 ic\ They were, functioned bythe exam- 
 ple of their prophets, priefts, ai d kings ; 
 and by a National adherence of many ecu- 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. $7 
 
 turies ; even from the commencement of 
 their National exigence, to the time of the 
 Apoftles Miffion. 
 
 3d. They were fan&ioncd by the penal 
 laws of Moles ; fo that to fail of the com- 
 manded adherence to them was puniihed 
 with excifion. 
 
 4th. They were fane~lioned by Christ's 
 uniform obfervance of them, and by that 
 of his Apoftles. 
 
 5th. They were eftablifhed in therninds 
 of the Jews, by pride and bigotry, in the 
 extreme. 
 
 6th. They, with the reft of the Mofaic 
 fyftem, were univerfally confidercd. bv the 
 Jews, of that age, as defigned to be perpet- 
 ual. 
 
 But notwithftanding all thefe high fanc- 
 tions, and the unprecedented attachment of 
 the Jews to thefe inftitutions, as the means 
 of perfonal, and national diftinclipn, the 
 Chriftian inftitutions above mentioned were 
 introduced in their place, and to their an- 
 nihilation. 
 
 In the year forty nine, or fifty, the whole 
 Church at Jerufaiem, confiding of the 
 Apoftles, Elders, and Brethren, decreed, 
 that the Gentiles, whole memberfhip in the 
 Jewifh Church, when profelyted, had be- 
 
I 
 
 ft GENUINENESS AND AUTKENTTCITY 
 
 fore deperded, equally with that of the 
 Jew* themfelvesy on an exact conformity to 
 thefe Mofaic inflitutions, mould not be un- 
 der any obligation to obfervc them. This 
 event may be confideredas the annihilation 
 of thefe rnftitutions, in the Chriftian Church; 
 jFbr, though theNazaraean Chriftians appear 
 with fome others, to have continued Jew- 
 ish obfervances, after this period, yet a blow 
 was then given to them, from which they 
 never recovered. Many of the Jews ap- 
 pear to have totally ncgle6ted them, from 
 this, period, and, in fpite of their former 
 in oft 'bigoted adherence, to have viewed 
 fifeni as dene away. 
 
 Os what principles can we account for 
 this Gngular event ? The Mofaic Inftitu- 
 trons were confidered by all Chriftians, as 
 feeing of divineauthcrity; and were public- 
 ly afiertcd to be fo, by the Apoftles, and by 
 their Matter. Could others be introduced 
 mo their place, which were not acknow- 
 ledged to be of at lead equal authority ? 
 
 Baptism and the Lord's Supper were pro- 
 feffed to be memorials of Christ's Death 
 and of the cleanfing of fin, by the effufion of 
 bis blood, declared to have been (hed pub- 
 licly, at Jerufalein, and on the feaft of the 
 Paflbver, by the Roman Government, and 
 the Jewifli Sanhedrim. Is it pofTible, that 
 Christ fhould not have been known thus 
 to have poured out his blocd ; or that his 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 39 
 
 TnfFerings fhould have been thus commemo- 
 rated by thofe, who being conftaiuly ap- 
 pealed to, as eye witnefTes of his death, yei 
 did not know, that he had thus died ? 
 
 The Firfl day Sabbath was inftituted, im- 
 mediately after the day of Pentecofl, as a 
 memorial of Christ's Refurreciion from 
 the dead. Could Jews be fuppoied ft* 
 unite in obferving this inftitution, upoaa 
 fuch an appeal 5 if Christ had not been qui 
 the bed grounds believed to have rifen ; 
 and if circum fiances, lefs extraordinary thai* 
 thofe alledged, had accompanied his Death 
 and refurreciion ; or if either were ie& 
 convincingly attcfted, than is aliened m 
 =the Gofpel ? 
 
 Is it poffible, that the Apoftles could ib& 
 even liftened to, when propoling a Form of o r 
 
 worfhip, new,Yentirely different from due 
 fplendid ritual of the Temple; a Form of 
 worfhip, of which the Aaronic Prie&bood, 
 facrihees, and purifications, were no part; 
 and in which all men were placed upon ai 
 level with the Jews, ail places made equally 
 facred wi T h the Temple, and all perfoas 
 -with the Priefts ; a Form of worfhip, in 
 which univerfal humblenefs and ipirituaiky 
 were fubftituted in the room of unequalled 
 pomp, and of fervices rendered venerable 
 and affecting by the moll forcible exhibi- 
 tions to fenfe and imagination; unlets 
 •Christ had been certainly known to have 
 
6» 
 
 GEXVINtNISS AND A'JTIILN-TICITV 
 
 appeared, with proofs of a character, not 
 equal only, but fuperiour to tha* of Moies, 
 and of an authority, fairly qualifying him to 
 change what God himfclf was confefled to 
 have once eflablifhed ? 
 
 The fame obfervations are, with the fame 
 force, applicable to the fubflitution of the 
 Chriflian Church in the place of the [ew- 
 
 iftFt. 
 
 Coui.d the Invocation of the name of 
 Jesus Christ, which, from Acls 7. 56. is 
 proved to have exified, and from 1 Cor. 1. 
 1.2. Acts 9. 14,20, 21. and from various 
 other paffages, is proved to have exified 
 fo extenfively, as to become a designation 
 of Chriftians in general, have been adopted 
 even by the ApoHlcs themfelves, and, much 
 more, by other Jews, unlefs facts, .as extra- 
 ordinary as thofe recorded in the Gofpels, 
 had evidenced his character and million, 
 and proved him to be the Sox of God, 
 lent into this world to eflablifh a new and 
 perfect Religion, and to accomplifli the 
 Salvation of mankind ? 
 
 All thefc inftitutions were profeffedly 
 built on facts, publicly appealed to, and 
 wholly uncontradicted, for ages ; facts of 
 the mod lingular nature, and of the higheft 
 conceivable importance ; facts, pro felled 
 to have exified as proofs of a moft wonder- 
 ful Miffion of the moil wonderful Perion, 
 ever heard of in this world. The adoption 
 
OF THE NEW-TESTAMENT. 6 X 
 
 tff theft inftitutions, therefore, by thofc 
 among whom thefe fa£ts were declared to 
 have cxifted, and who were appealed to as 
 eye and ear witnefles of their exigence, 
 while thefe fa&s were alledged, as the obli- 
 gatory and only reafons far fuch adoption, 
 appears to be an unanfwerable proof, that 
 the fa6ls themfelves exifted, and of courfe 
 that the Apoftles have given a true teftimo- 
 ny concerning them. At the fame time, 
 the adoption of them by Jews, fo circum- 
 ftanced, and direclly charged with being 
 the enemies, and, in fome fenfe, the mur- 
 derers, of the Perfon who was thus com- 
 memorated and honoured, a Perfon who 
 appeared always in the humbled life, and 
 in a character fo oppofite to that of their 
 expe&ed MefFiah, adds fuch a degree of 
 weight to this evidence, as, one would im- 
 agine, mud, if it were poffible, evenfilence 
 gain faying. 
 
 6:h. The only remaining proof of this 
 point, which I mail now mention, is the 
 apparent Integrity of the Narration itfelf ; 
 and this, becaufe it is fo obvious, and fo 
 generally and eafily underftood, I fhall con- 
 fider in a fummary manner. 
 
 The Integrity of this Narration appears 
 in the firii place, in the frank manner, in 
 which the writers record the low condition 
 of their Matter, the contempt and oppofi- 
 tion, with which he met from the jewifh 
 I 
 
6* GENUININIS* AKD AUTHENTICiTT 
 
 Government and Nation, his fufferings 
 and death, and the ignomy, with which it 
 / - was attended. Nothing was evermore un- 
 like defign, than this account, confidered in 
 all its parts. 
 
 2d. In the like frank exhibition of their 
 own humble (late and character, their er- 
 rors and faults, their prejudices and de- 
 bates, and the numerous inftances in which 
 they defervedly received reproof from the 
 mouth of Christ. 
 
 3d. In the peculiar (impficity and im- 
 partiality, with which they record facts.- — 
 Their Narrations are mere narrations of 
 fa&s, whether favorable or unfavorable to 
 their caufe. In neither cafe do they utter 
 a comment, unlefs for mere explanation. 
 There is no opinion pronounced, a fmgle 
 inftance excepted ; no praife given by them 
 to Christ; no blame charged upon his 
 enemies; no exprefiicn of wonder at his 
 miracles, nor of abhorrence, at the injuf- 
 tice of his murderers ; nothing aggravated ; 
 nothing diminifhed • and, in a word, no 
 appearance of thofe feelings, which could 
 not but be excited by the events, which 
 they relate, On the contrary, they appear 
 to have facrified everv human feeling to 
 the caufe of Truth, and to the obligations 
 of Duty. 
 
 4th. In the entire harmony, which reigns 
 throughout their writings. They wrote, at 
 
OF THE NEW-TESTAMENT. 6j 
 
 different times, and in different countries. 
 The three fir ft Evangelifts appear never to 
 have feen the Gofpels of each other ; and 
 John wrote more properly a fupplement to 
 their Gofpels, than a formal narrative of the 
 Miflion of Christ. That they wrote with- 
 out any concert is certain from what they 
 have written; and that their writings en- 
 tirely harmonize was never denied, unlefs 
 from the love of thedenial. In time, pJace 
 and circumftance, in the characters, con- 
 duel, and manners of thofe, whom they 
 mention, there is an agreement, which can- 
 not be paralleled. Had the Gofpels been 
 fabricated by impofition, fuch could not 
 have been their character. Truth is always 
 confident; Falfhood never. It is alfo to 
 beobferved, that all of them wrote feveral 
 years, after the facts, which they have re- 
 corded, took place. Such an agreement 
 is, therefore, high and convincing evidence 
 of the truth of their tcftimony. 
 
 3d. The teflimony of the Apoftles has 
 been handed down to us, uncorrupted.-— 
 This I will endeavour fummarily to evince, 
 in the following observations. 
 
 lft. The pafTages quoted by the ancient 
 Chriftian writers, and by the Heathen alfo, 
 are generally quoted in the fame words, and 
 almoft always have the fame fenfe, which 
 we find in pafrages now in the New-Tefta- 
 ment. 
 
6\ GENUINENESS AND AUTBENTICITT 
 
 A larce partoftheNew-Tcftament, and 
 particularly of the Hiftorical books, might 
 be obtained from thefe writers, in the very 
 ■words contained in our printed New- 
 Teftaments. This, it is evident, would 
 have been impoffible, had not all quoted 
 from the fame original writings. 
 
 In many inftances, however, their quo- 
 tations are made in words differing, more or 
 lefs, from thole, which are acknowledged 
 by us. On this fubject it may be obferved 
 in the 
 
 lft. Place, that thefe writers often in- 
 tentionally give only the fenfe of the paf- 
 fage, as they feverally underftand it. Of 
 courfe, judging differently, as we do, they 
 neceffarily wrote their different interpreta- 
 tions, in terms fomewhat differing. Moil 
 of the acknowledged terms are frequently 
 preferred ; although in the inftances now 
 referred to, they are preferved rather to 
 exprefs the meaning happily, than to ac- 
 cord exactly with the words of the Scriptu- 
 ral writers. 
 
 2d. Hence they differ, not unfrequent- 
 ly, from each other, in the terms which 
 they ufe, although generally and eafilv re- 
 ■concileable in the meaning. As this is 
 done by thofe, who vifibly ufed, and ac- 
 knowledged, the fame Scriptures, and bar- 
 
OT THt NE\V-TESTAM£NT. 
 
 monized in their theological fentiments, it 
 is evident, that their differences fprung 
 from the fource, to which it is here attribu- 
 ted. 
 
 3d. As they knew, that thofe, to whom, and 
 thofe, for whom, they wrote, had the New* 
 Teftament, as well as themfelves, and as the 
 ♦Authenticity of thefe books was notthen 
 called in queftion, they quoted fecurely, 
 from memory knowing, that, if they made 
 any miflakcs, their readers, as well as their 
 correfpondents, could eafily correcl them. 
 
 These quotations are often made "'mere- 
 ly to illuilrate a doclrine, or to enforce an 
 exhortation, reproof, or confolation ; and 
 hence cannot be expected to po fiefs verbal 
 exactnefs ; it being unneceffary to the pur- 
 pofe in hand. 
 
 ' 4th. Among thofe who thus quoted, 
 fome were of more, and fome of lefs accu- 
 rate characters ; and hence they quoted 
 more or lefs exaclly. 
 
 5th, Their own works, having patted 
 through the hands of many tranferibers, are 
 now doubtlefs lefs exaft, in this refpe&, than 
 they originally were ; fo that we may well 
 be furprifed to find their differences (o few, 
 and fo fmall. 
 
 * The Authenticity of the New. Teftament at large was 
 never called in queftion, until the fixreertli Century. 
 
 Swell's B&\\. Left, 
 
66 GENUINENESS AKD AUTHENTICITY 
 
 6th. Still they arc of trifling impor- 
 tance, and fuch as do not materially affect a 
 finglc doftrinc, or fact. 
 
 Perhaps it may be thought that moft of 
 thole, which are here called quotations* 
 ought rather to be termed references. I 
 have ufed the term quotations, becaufe it 
 has appeared to me, that the writers aimed 
 to quote, but did it imperfectly, for the 
 reafons which are fu^eeMed. 
 
 On this fubjecl, it ought further to be 
 mentioned, that many of thefe writers dif- 
 fered much in opinion, and difputed warm- 
 ly, concerning. Icveral doctrines of high im- 
 portance. We may, therefore, well be af- 
 tonifhed, that the writers, of almoft all feels, 
 IHould fo far agree in iheir quotations. So 
 general was this agreement, to the time of 
 Origcn, that, though poilevTed of more in- 
 formation, concerning this fubjecl, than 
 any, perhaps than all men living, he had 
 never heard of any perfon (Marcion, his 
 followers, the Yalentinians, and perhaps 
 Leucius, excepted) who had corrupted the 
 Scriptures. 
 
 Nor ought it to be here forgotten, that 
 thefe very differences are a flanding proof, 
 that there was not the leaff. concert among 
 Catholics, or Heretics, with refpeft to this 
 matter, nor any defign formed, or even 
 thought of, to impofe thefe books on the 
 
©f THE NEW TESTAMENT. g ? 
 
 belief of mankind. On the contrary, they 
 plainly confidered the books, as ftanding 
 firmly on their own evidence ; and left men 
 to receive, or to reject them, as they fhould 
 think proper. 
 
 2d. v THE fingular reverence, with which 
 the ancient Chriflians regarded the Scrip- 
 tures, forbids even a fufpicion, that they 
 wilfully corrupted them. 
 
 Of this reverence fome notice has been 
 already taken. A few additional observa- 
 tions may however be advantageoufly 
 made. 
 
 The Scriptures are now in every hand* 
 areufedas afchool-book, quoted in ordina- 
 ry converfation, and are queitioned, oppo- 
 fed, and ridiculed by Infidels. Hence good 
 men, although not at all fhaken in their 
 faith by thefe means, appear yet to regard 
 thefe writings with lefs profound venera- 
 tion, than is obfervable in the ancient 
 Chriflians. By them the Scriptures were 
 viewed with fome fuch reverence, as would 
 naturally be rendered to God himfelf, 
 mamfefted in this world, with glory becom- 
 ing his Character. * A remarkable fpeci- 
 men of this reverence, in the members of an 
 ancient Church, is recorded in a letter, 
 from St. Auftin to St. Jerom, Jcrom tranf- 
 lated the Old-Teftament. The Bifhop of 
 
 * SeeTweii's Boy), Left 3 
 
it 
 
 CIM.'I\-L.\2S3 and authenticity 
 
 
 the Church mentioned, ufed this trai.flation, 
 in divine fervicc. In the prophecy of Jo- 
 nah, Jerom had rendered the Hebrew word, 
 franfhred Gourd, by the Latin word H&dr - 
 ra. In the former Latin tranflation, ori- 
 ginally ufed in this Church, the fame He- 
 brew word was rendered by the Latin word 
 Vkcurtija. When the Bifhop read the paf- 
 fage,the people, perceiving the word chang- 
 ed, were alarmed, and would have finally 
 left the Bifhop, if he had not confented to 
 reiiore the original word. Such was their 
 watchfulnefs, andjealoufy, for the preserva- 
 tion of the purity of the Scriptures, even 
 where no fa£l, doctrine, or precept, was 
 materially concerned. 
 
 Situated among pcrfons offuch a cha- 
 racter, few men would dare to mifquote, or 
 corrupt ; and few would be inclined to do 
 it, if they dared. Such corruptions alfo as 
 exifled, would be immediately detected, 
 and regarded with the utmofr. detcflation. 
 Thus the corruptions of Marcion were 
 founded throughout the Chriftian church, 
 and his name configned, for his villainy and 
 impudence, to perpetual infamy. 
 
 3d. The Chriflian fefts were numerous ; 
 and each watched over the conduct of the 
 others, with a careful, jealous, and prying 
 attention. 
 
 If there were at any time, an efpe- 
 cial temptation wilfully to mifquote the 
 
OF THE NEW-TESTAMENT, 69 
 
 Scriptures, \v T e eafily fee, that it would pe- 
 culiarly refpeel thofe paffages which were 
 the favorite ones of particular feels, and 
 which were fuppofed mod to befriend their 
 characleriftical opinions; but we alfo fee 
 that thefe would, by each feci, be watched 
 with an eagle eye, and a continual appre- 
 heniivenefs of danger. Hence arofe an ex- 
 treme difficulty in accomplifhing a defignof 
 this nature, even if it were formed: a dif- 
 ficulty, greatly increafed by the warmth of 
 ftrenuous controverfy, and by the defire, 
 and the pride, of viclory. 
 
 These confiderations will furnifh us 
 with an eafy and fufficient explanation of a 
 facl, otherwife very difficult to be explain- 
 ed ; viz. the general and furprifing agree- 
 ment among fo many perfons thus differing 
 and thus contending, found in their quota- 
 tions of the Scriptures. 
 
 4th. The very great number and difFu- 
 fion of the copies of the New-Teftament, 
 rendered fuch corruption, in any great de- 
 gree, evidently impoffible. 
 
 Copies of this volume were, at an early 
 period numerous in Spain, France, Italy, 
 Greece, Macedonia, Africa proper, Egypt, 
 Syria, Palefline, Ana Minor, Armenia and 
 Perfia. The general, apparent agreement 
 of thefe copies is a demonftraticn, that ve- 
 K 
 
7« GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 ry little corruption has ever taken place in 
 thefe books. N 
 
 5th. The New-Teflament was early 
 tranflated into feveral languages. 
 
 The Old Latin tranflation was made 
 moft probably in the firfl * or very early in 
 the fecond Century. Tertullian exprefsly 
 declares, that there was a Latin Verfion of 
 the Gofpels and Epiftles exifting in his 
 time. 
 
 Jerome's Verfion was done in the fourth 
 Century, and with great care, learning, and 
 exactnefs : 
 
 The Firft Syriac probably in the Fourth : 
 
 The Second Syriac, and the Armenian, 
 in the Fifth : and 
 
 The Coptic in the Sixth Century. 
 
 St. Austin declares, that all attempts 
 to corrupt the Scriptures were in vain, be^ 
 caufe they were then tranflated into fo ma- 
 ny languages ; were in the hands of people 
 of every age and character ; and were fo 
 known, fo efteemcd, and fo celebrated. 
 
 * Michaelis affirms that no man of learning, Dr. Mill 
 excepted, denies this Va Hon to havi been done in the riill 
 Century. Sec Travis's Letters to Gibbon j from vrfotctl 
 thil account ©f the Verfion* heie mentioned ii taken. 
 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 71 
 
 Anno Dom. three hundred ~and ninety ^ 
 five. 
 
 St. Chrysostom alfo declares, Anno 
 Dom. three hundred and ninety-eight, that 
 they were, in his time, already rendered in 
 the languages of Britain, Syria, Egypt, Per- 
 fia, and India: and in the languages of all 
 people in general, whether, barbarians, or 
 others. 
 
 It may, perhaps, be both agreeable and 
 ufeful, in this place to recite a paffage from 
 Theodoret, in which he refers to this fub- 
 je£t. Anno Dom. four hundred and twen- 
 ty three. 
 
 " I will compare the moft celebrated 
 law-givers of the Greeks with our Fifher- 
 men, Publicans, and Tent-makers; and 
 fhew the difference between them. The 
 Laws of the former were forgotten, foon af- 
 ter the death of thofe, who enacted them, 
 but the laws delivered by Fifhermen have 
 flourifhed, and prevailed, and have been 
 received, not only by Greeks, and Romans, 
 but alfo by Scythians, Perfians and other 
 Barbarians. The Heralds of truth were 
 not, indeed, matters of the Greek elo- 
 quence ; but, filled with wifdom, they have 
 carried the divine doctrine to all nations, 
 and have filled the whole world with 
 writings, containing inftru&ions concern- 
 ing religion and virtue. All men, leaving 
 the dreams and fpeculations of Philofo- 
 
7* 
 
 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY 
 
 pliers, now nourifh themfclves with the 
 doftrines of Fifhermen and Publicans, and 
 ftady the writings of a Tent-maker. The 
 feven Wife men of Greece arc forgotten; 
 nor do the Greeks themfclves certainly 
 kr.ow their names; but Mathew, Bartholo- 
 mew, and James, Mofcs, David, and Ifai- 
 ah, with the other Prophets and Apodks, 
 are known to all men, as well as the names 
 of their own children. Whom did Xeno- 
 phanes, Parmenidcs, Pythagoras, Anaxago- 
 rzs, or Speulippus leave as their fucceiiors 
 in Philofophy ? What city follows the 
 Laws of Plato's Republic? You can fhew 
 none who now teach thofe doclrines ; but 
 we can mew the power of the prophetical 
 and ApoRolical doctrines ; for the whole 
 earth is filled with their words." 
 
 " The Hebrew writings (of the Old and 
 New-Teftament) are translated not only in- 
 to Gieek, but into the Latin, Egyptian, 
 Perfian, Indian, Armenian, Scythian, and 
 Samaritan; in a word, into all the langua- 
 ges ufed by the nations. Our Fifhermen, 
 Publicans, and Tent-makers, have perfua- 
 ded not only Greeks, Remans, and Egypt- 
 ians, but all nations of she earth. Nor arc 
 our do&rines underftood by thofe, only, 
 wh:> prefide in the Churches, but by fmiths, 
 wool-combers, taylors, and artificers of all 
 forts, by women, and maid-fcrvants. Nor 
 do thofe only, who dwell in cities, but the 
 country people, alfo, undeiitand, and are 
 
 
OF TH2 NEW TESTAMENT, 
 
 able to difcourfe concerning ou r doctrines ; j£/&*Jie. 
 
 they pra6Ufe virtue, and fliim vicious ac- 
 tions." 
 
 " God had before tried other methods. 
 He taught all men by the wonderful frame 
 of the univerfe. The Jews he reclaimed 
 by the Law and the Prophets. But a more 
 effectual remedy was wanting; and experi- 
 ence has fliown the benefit of it. The 
 whole world has now been enlightened, 
 and idolatry abolifhed. Greeks, Romans, 
 Barbarians, acknowledge a crucified Sa- 
 viour." 
 
 " Compare thefe Fiflrermen and Pub- 
 licans with the Greek and Roman Law- 
 givers. You will find, that thofe Law-giv- 
 ers could not perfuade even their own 
 neighbours to live according to their laws; 
 but thefe Galilaeans have perfuaded not on- 
 ly Greeks and Romans to embrace the 
 Law, and the Doctrine of the Gofpel, but 
 the fubje&s of the Roman Empire in gene- 
 ral, together with Scythians, Sarmatians, 
 Indians, Ethiopians, Perfians, Britons, and 
 Germans. Indeed they have brought all 
 nations, and men of all forts, to receive the 
 Laws of a crucified man; and that not by 
 arms, foldiers, or Pcrfian violence, but by 
 •reafonings and arguments, fhewing the ui'e- 
 fulhefs of thofe Laws. People, whom A u- 
 guftus and the whole power of the Roman 
 Empire could not induce to receive their 
 
7+ 
 
 CUtTTTHENJ AUTHENTICITY 
 
 laws,, venerate the writings of Peter, Paul, 
 Jdh-n, Mathew, Luke and Mark, as if they 
 laid 1 been Tent down from Heaven." 
 
 6th. These books were alio publicly 
 rr^d, in all the Chriftian Aflemblies, 
 throughout the world. 
 
 This praO.ice began, when the books 
 werejult received by the Chriftian Church- 
 es. * Paul laid the Pallors of the Church 
 sfc TheiTalonica under an oath to caufe his 
 jsrfl Efifllt to that Church to be read to all 
 ike holy Brethren, and directed the Colof- 
 fiarns both to read the Epijlle from Laodicea, 
 and to caufe the Epiftle to the Coloflians 
 i&5c read alfo in the Church of the Laodiceans. 
 And, with an immediate view to this pur- 
 pcle, feveral of the Epiftles appear to have 
 been mfcribed ; one to the Churches of Ga- 
 htia ; another To the Church of Corinth, 
 and to all them, who, in (very place, call upon 
 the name of J £s Cr s Christ. 
 
 This practice of publicly reading the 
 Scriptures, originated by Mofes, and fane- 
 tioned by Apoftolic authority, has continu- 
 ed to the preient day. When we confider 
 the character of thofe, before whom they 
 were read, men who fo revered them as to 
 he ready to lay down their lives for them, 
 who proportionally fludied them, and who 
 
 * See I>. Mcknight's New Transition of the Epifiles, 
 P»el. Effays. -.. 
 
 
OF THE NEW TEST AMENI. 75 
 
 were to the laft degree jealous of their pa- 
 rity, we cannot but fee the corruption of 
 them, even in one inftance, rendered, hy 
 tliis praBice, extremely difficult. Beyond 
 all computation miift the difFiculty be en- 
 creafed of corrupting them fo generally, 
 as to produce any important effect To 
 induce fo many perfons, fo remote in place, 
 differing fo much in character and opinion, 
 and agreeing fo entirely in the high-ell rev- 
 erence for the Scriptures, to confent to any 
 fuppofable (et of corruptions, or to inspoie 
 fuch corruptions generally on a body of 
 men fo circumltanced, mull have beem too 
 evident an impoffibility, to be feriou-% un- 
 dertaken by any man, or men, however 
 vifionary or wicked, 
 
 ' jik. The number of Manufcriptsof the 
 New-Teftament,at prefent, or lately exit- 
 ing, is very conflderable ; and thefe fo 
 generally agree, as to forbid all apprehen- 
 sions, that thefe books have been materially 
 corrupted. 
 
 An accurate account of the ManufcripCs 
 of the New-Teftament cannot be expc&ed 
 from one, who is both removed from the 
 places of their exiftence, and unpoflefled of 
 fuch books, as contain a jull exhibition of 
 their number and character. At the lame 
 time, the following observations cannot be 
 unacceptable to this audience 
 
GENUINENESS AM) AU T 21 S N I ICIT Y 
 
 id. Tin. * Alexandrian MS istUKjueft 
 
 tionahly of very great antiquity. Tim M S 
 vas given by Cyril Lucaris, Patriarch of 
 Alexandria, when tranflatcd to the fee of 
 Cpnftantihople, 10 Sir Thomas Roe, the 
 Britifh Embaffador at the Porte, Anno 
 Dom. fixtcen hundred twenty eight, and 
 was declared by the Patriarch to have 
 been written early in the Fourth Centurv, 
 hy Thecla, a noble Egyptian Lady. By Dr. 
 Grabe who has publifhcd a particular account 
 of it, it is believed to have been written in the 
 fourth, and by others in the fifth Century. 
 
 Tins MS. contains all the Canonical 
 books of both Teflamcnts, and a catalogue 
 of them all. It contains alfo feveral books 
 of the Apocrapha, and a few other writings 
 of the like character; fuch as the sjal an- 
 cient Cbriftians elieemed ufef'ul, and read 
 at times, in their public aflemblies; as we 
 fometimes read the fermons of eminent Di- 
 vines in ours. There is not, as has been 
 already obferved ? in all antiquity, the lcaft 
 evidence, that any writings, but thofe now 
 efiecmed Canonical, were ever fo efteem- 
 ed. On the contrary all others are placed 
 in a totally different lift and Character. Yet 
 many books of the fathers were, and very 
 juitly, accounted ufeful and edifying. 
 
 
 * Lardner Vol .$, 
 
 
• F THB NIWTESTAMENT. 77 
 
 t2d. The New-Teftaments of Erafmus, 
 Robert Stephens, Beza, and the Editors of 
 Cornplutum, were collated with a great 
 number of MSS ; and with a care and in- 
 tegrity which generally does the Editors the 
 higheft honour. 
 
 1 3d. That of Wetftein was formed 
 from a confutation of fixty five MSS. 
 All of them did not, however, contain the 
 whole New-Teftament. 
 
 |J 4th. There are now remaining in pub- 
 lic and private libraries, in Europe, more 
 MSS. of the New-Teftament, of different 
 ages, than of any other ancient writings 
 whatever. Many of thefe are of great an- 
 tiquity. 
 
 These MSS. may be confidered, as ha- 
 ving, by their general agreement, decided 
 this queftion ; and as proving the opinion 
 of St. Auguftine to be juft, that it was im- 
 poffible materially to corrupt the Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 Thus have I finifhed the arguments, 
 which I propofed to produce, in fupport of 
 the Genuinenefs and Authenticity of the 
 New-Teftament. 
 
 -f See Travis's Letters to Gibbon. 
 || See Dr. Mackni^ht's New tranflation of the Eyiftle* 
 Prel. Effays, 2. 
 
 L 
 
7* 
 
 GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY £fr. 
 
 No queftion, perhaps, can be of more 
 importance to the divine v Authority of the 
 facred Volume, than this. If its Genuine- 
 nefs and Authenticity be eftablifhed, its 
 
 Authority is alfo eftablifhed. 
 
 If there was fuch a perfon as Jesus 
 Cii R ist ; if he was fo born ; if he fo lived ; 
 if he was fo attefted ; if he fo preached, 
 wrought miracles, died, rofe from the dead, 
 a (bended to Heaven, commiflioned his 
 Apoftles, and enabled them to preach, 
 work miracles in his name, and ere£t his 
 kingdom through the world, in the manner 
 which they Have related; then he was the 
 Son of God ; his Doftrines were true ; his 
 Apoftles were infpired; and his Religion is 
 of Divine Original, and of Divine Authori- 
 ty. Mankind are, of courfe, bound to re- 
 ceive, and obey it. Thofe, who rejeel it, 
 reject it at their peril ; and thofe, who fin- 
 cerely embrace it, are lecured, beyond a 
 hazard, in the certain future poffeflion of 
 its invaluable and immortal bleflings. 
 
 ¥r * 
 
ft 
 
 
 
SERMOl 
 
 ON 
 
 DIVINE DECPvEE'S, ' 
 
 AND 
 
 MORAL NECESSITY, 
 
 RECONCILED WITH 
 
 FREEDOM of the WILL 
 
 IN OPPOSITION TO 
 
 FATALISM and NATURAL COMPULSION* 
 
 ARGUED FROM 
 
 SCRIPTURE, REASON ^n COMMON SENSE> 
 
 By DAVID PORTER, 
 
 Pastor of a CHURCH of CHRIST in CATSKILL. 
 
 If any man wilt do his will, he /ha/I know of the doBrine, 
 ivhether it be of God, or whether I Jpeak ef rnyfelf. Jesus 
 Christ. John vii. 17. 
 
 CATSKILL: 
 PRINTED by MACK AY CROSWELL, 
 
 1804. 
 

SERMON, &c. 
 
 Jeremiah vii. 3, 9, .10. 
 
 Behold ye truft in lying words that cannot profit. Will ye 
 
 Jleal, murder and commit adultery y and /wear falfely, and 
 
 Jburn incenfe unto Baal> and walk after other Gods whom ye 
 
 know not ; and come and /land before me in this houfe, which 
 
 is called by my name and fay y we are delivered to do all 
 
 thefe abominations. 
 
 T 
 
 HE human heart has always been ftudious to 
 fhield ltfelf from blame and danger. To rife above thefe 
 two things has employed the talents and intent application 
 of artful and defigning men in every age. The wicked 
 are leagued together; and yet they have adopted different 
 plans to accomplifh the fame end. Some to rid themfelves 
 from blame and danger, have attached to God's character 
 a fort of good nature, which more highly regards finful fe- 
 licity, than punitive juftice. They have extenuated culpa- 
 bility by foftening down the divine law, and triumphed 0- 
 ver danger by working themfelves into the belief, that God 
 will more readily lave the wicked in their fins, than glori- 
 fy him in their overthrow. 
 
 Others have taken different ground, and imagine^ 
 themfelves fo far independent of God, as to be able to con- 
 trol their wills and become holy at any time, with little 
 afliftance befide their own. 
 
 Others again, actuated by fimilar motives, have rufhed 
 into an oppofite extreme. They have changed the decree 
 of God into fatal necefftty, and plead compulfion in the 
 midft of their enormity to the utter exclufion of accounta- 
 blenefs. Of this latter clafs are thofe brought into view 
 by Jeremiah in the text. 
 
 These men did not pretend they had not committed the 
 whole catalogue of crimes alledged againft them. They 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 met the charge in its full extent, and then to free theni- 
 felvesfrom (in and danger, they fubftituted compulfion for 
 moral rieceffity, and fate for divine decree, and laid they 
 were delivered to do all thcfe abominations ; or, in other 
 words conftrained to do them by a compelling power, 
 which utterly excufed them from blame, and confequently 
 freed them from danger. 
 
 JEREMIAH percieved this evafion of truth and calls it, in 
 the hrfl verfe of the text, " a trufting in lying v/ords which 
 can not profit.'* The infpired penman did not tell them, 
 God had no plan of operation and decreed nothing. He 
 did not intimate r».s though they were independent of God in 
 their actions ; and yet their fcheme was a falfe one, which 
 could not profit, or avail anything to free them from guilt 
 or leiTen their danger. 
 
 These wicked Jews took a different {land from many 
 others, who make God's decrees conditional and them- 
 felves morally independent in acquiring a holy temper. 
 They (hot over the mark as far as others come fhort of it, 
 and quieted themfelves in the vain imagination, that they 
 were compelled to commit fin, and therefore were not ac* 
 countable agents, nor in hazard of punifhment for their a- 
 bominations. This appears to be the amount of their reaf. 
 oning and concjufion. 
 
 To elucidate and fet this fubje& in a fair and fcriptura! 
 light ; I fhall attempt ro point oui, 
 
 I. The difference between fatality and divine decree. 
 
 II. The difference between natural compulfion and mo- 
 ral neceffity. 
 
 III. That fatality and natural compulfion, when appli- 
 ec. to mind and morals, are grounded in the groiTeft wife- 
 hood and error, and are a perverfion of God's decrees and 
 moral neceflity. 
 
 I. I fhall attempt to point put the difference between 
 fatality and divine decree. 
 
 Tins beinr* a very interefting fuhje£r, f it Is hoped the au- 
 dience will be candidly attentive to whit fhall be humbly 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 offered at this time. The ideas affixed to faulity and di- 
 yine decree have often been blended in people's minds and 
 fuppofed to be fynonymous. Tliofe, who have undertaken 
 to advocate and defend the decrees of God have been 
 oppofed by men who could not be made to perceive any 
 difference between decree and abfolute fatality. Mod of 
 thofe who have denied divine decrees have drawn the fame 
 conclufions from them as would flow from the fatal fyftem. 
 Jf all events are decreed, fay they, men are not to blame for 
 committing fin, nor in any fenfe accountable, becaufe they 
 do juft as God would have them do. The wicked Jews 
 mentioned by Jeremiah went into the fame falfe reasoning, 
 and drew this very conclufion, viz. that they were delivered 
 to do all the abominations they had committed, and there- 
 fore, were not at all culpable or blame worthy. It is rea- 
 dily granted that fuch conftru&ion and inference are de- 
 duceable from fatal principles ; and yet it is denied that 
 the decrees of God admit of any fuch confequences. If fo, 
 there muft be a very wide difference between fatality and 
 decree. To point out this difference is the object before 
 us. 
 
 In mowing the difference between any two objects, it is 
 neceflary to have a clear and diftinct view of each. — To fee 
 all the difference, they muft be defined with accuracy, and 
 the inferences muft be fairly drawn from the premifes. 
 
 Before I proceed to a direct definition of divine de- 
 cree ; I would juft obferve, that it is difficult to conceive 
 f ;f an infinite intelligent fpirit, infinitely wife, powerful 
 and good, without choice and plan of operation. An infi- 
 nitely perfect being can never a£l in character, nor like 
 himfelf, if all things do not take place according to his wife 
 ctifpofal. For, if God be infinitely wife and knowing, he 
 muft choofe wifely ; if he be infinitely good, his choice 
 muft be the beft poffibk ; and if he be infinitely powerful, 
 he can not be fruftrated in accomplifhing the purpofes of 
 his infinite mind. This is evident, if fuch perfections ex- 
 ift in the God-head. The light of nature and fcripture 
 hoth confpire in attributing to God thefe perfections- 
 Jiow can we account for the world and the things which 
 ate in it, except in this way, that they had a caqfe infinite- 
 ly wife, powerful and good ? If we fhould fay, that God is 
 not poffeffed of thefe attributes, how could we account for 
 the tffe&s which are vifible and rrianifeft ? this would be 
 
( 6 ; 
 
 impolitic. If we fhould fay, God is pofTcfTed of fucli per* 
 feclion we mult fuppofche has choice md plan ofoperar 
 tion refpe£ting all even's. If God't. plau does not extend 
 to all things, it niufl be, either becaufe all things are not 
 his to fuperintend and difpoie; or that the whole univerfe 
 ^5 too vail for his management. If all worlds and beings 
 are fo many e flicks caufed by God, he muii fo difpofe of 
 them a:- to anfwer the ends for which re iirft de- 
 
 signed. And if God's mind be infinite, the whole nni- 
 verfe can not be too vail for his fuperintendence and man- 
 agement. We can in no way conceive of an infinite being 
 without L g plan and deilgn in all things through the 
 
 wide extent of : ;iure. Should v/e fay his choice is limited 
 and is not exercifed refpecting a!! events ; that many oc- 
 currences arc beneath him becauie fo fmall compared with 
 others, we fluniid betray an inconfiderate mind. Who can 
 fay thofe objects, v/e term fmall are not of infinite import- 
 ance in relation to the great whole ? In machines form d by 
 art, all would be rendered ufelefs by removing or mifplacing 
 fome fmall wheel or fpring. A...d why not the great fvflem 
 of nature fink to nought, if ad every part were not 
 
 fo managed and difpofed as to acjwer their refpective ends ? 
 
 TKATthegreat firftcaufehad plan and choice refpecting all 
 his works, and all events, ever to exit-, agrees with common 
 fenfc and obfervation. God ads in the great fphere. Men 
 act in fmall fpheres; and yet they have plan and choice, how 
 and when they (hall accomplish their feveral ends in their 
 refpeclive occupations The merchant has his calculations. 
 Artificers in wood* iron, brai's, filver and gold have their 
 work all L'id out when they go about it. And how lhall 
 ve conceive of Gcd fo far beneath creatures as to Jiave no 
 fyftem or fcheme in his mind refpecting the events taking 
 place in the natural and moral world ! 
 
 THE fyftem of natural phiiofophy, proved true by actual 
 experiment, perfectlv agrees with the idea of God's hiving 
 a fixed plan of operation according to which every thing is 
 fubordinated and managed. The heavens declare God's 
 glory in this refpect. The planetary fyftem is exactly 
 poifed. Thtfe vail bodies move through the ethereal ex- 
 panfe in the exacted order and harmony, fo that the af- 
 tronomer can ^ive us correct information of their appear- 
 ances in years to come. And does not this fhow Ais that 
 the ic::...: of this vaft fyftem of nature muft have acted 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 from choice and plan ? Could all this cider hr/e fprusg' 
 from unmeaning and blind chance ? certainly not. The 
 face of this earth wears marks of choice and plan in the 
 mind of him who hath fafhioned it. The almoft innume- 
 rable fpecies of creatures evidence the fame thing ; fo that 
 we arc forced by every dictate of rcalbn and common ienfe 
 and experience, to conclude that the eternal God mud have 
 a perfect plan worthy of his infinite mind, agreeably to' 
 which he governs and difpofes all events in the univerfe. 
 Having premifcd thefe few things and fhown, that it is 
 neeeffary that a being of infinite perfection fhouid have 
 choice and plan oC oper i,tk)n refpecting all things, I mall 
 now give a concife definition of divine decree. 
 
 Divine decree is not God's purpofe refpecting any e~ 
 venta luture to himfelf; becaufe all things are intuitively 
 before him, and prefent to his infinite mind. Divine de- 
 cree is God's prefent and eternal purpofe refpecting events 
 which, at any given period, are future to men and angels. 
 On this definition I lhall reft, prefuming it to be both juft 
 and accurate. It may now be queried as before, whether 
 we can conceive of an infinite being, poiTeffing the attri- 
 butes above named, without his decreeing all things in the 
 fenfe defined. Here let it be obferved, that God's thus de- 
 creeing does not deftroy creature agency nor effect it in 
 the leait degree . Ceature agency confilts entirely in volun- 
 tary choice. If then, moral agency which belongs to crea- 
 tures, connfts entirely in voluntary exercife or choice of the 
 will, it can not in any degree be made up of fomething an- 
 tecedent or fubfequent to choice. If choice conftitutes the 
 perfect liberty of moral agents completely, then nothing 
 can effect or deftroy f&ch liberty which does not effect or 
 deftroy choice. If it were pollible for a moral agent to 
 loofe his liberty, it muft be becaufe he ceafed to choofe. 
 Nothing can in the remoteft fenfe interrupt the liberty of 
 moral agents, which does not prevent their choofing or in- 
 terrupt choice. It is necefTary in gaining a clear view of 
 this very interefting part of the iubject that this point be 
 fixed and riveted in the mind. Men will ever be free fo 
 long as they choofe, and nothing can effect their free moral 
 agency which does not in fome degree infringe on choice. 
 
 Now it is eafy to fee that the decree of God does noth- 
 ing towards deftroying the free moral agency of Creatures, 
 if the foregoing be true. For if liberty confifts {imply in 
 
choice of the will, no act of God, whether in decreeing o? 
 caufing choice can have the leaft effect on liberty ; becaufe 
 no part of liberty confifts in decreeing or caufing choice; 
 provided the whole of liberty be made up of choice itfelf « 
 There is a difference between volition and its caufe, and as 
 wide difference as there is between anyothercaufe andeffecX 
 Volition is an efFecl: of which God is the efficient caufe. 
 If we fhould fay, we are not free agents, becaufe God caufes 
 our volitions, we (hould be under the neceffity of denying 
 that free agency conf:fts in choice, for on this ground we 
 muft fuppofe liberty to be configured by fomething prior or 
 antecedent to choice. Thofe who have oppofed the divine 
 decrees on the ground of their inconfiftency with human 
 ^~ . liberty, have contended that free agency is a power in the 
 
 ^ creature to orinaie choice, and not in choice itfelf. They 
 u conceive that moral agency is in the ©riginating caufe of 
 
 a ^'e,*.^f**Z*\o\it\Qn and not in volition itfelf. But if it can be made 
 to appear, that free agency confifts altogether in choice, 
 then thofe who oppofe the doctrine of decrees for the rea- 
 fon above mentioned muft relinquifn their fyftem as untrue 
 and perceive that the decrees of God do not at all clafli 
 with free agency. If all free moral agency in creatures is 
 conftituted by choice or exercifc of the will, decreeing or 
 caufing fuch exercife has nothing to do with the liberty of 
 creaturesin curtailing it in the leaft degree whatfoever. And 
 this is abundantly evident when we diftinguifh between 
 God's acts and thofe of the creature. It is God's act to de- 
 cree and caufe ; — it is the creatures act to choofe and exer- 
 cife his will. The creature's act in exercifing his will is 
 not God's act. It is his own act and conftitutes him a free 
 moral agent. Neither is God's decreeing or caufmg voli- 
 tion any part of the creature's act. This is divine agency 
 or divine action. 
 
 It ought to be kept in mind, that in every volition of 
 moral agents, two diftinct agents are concerned viz. God's 
 agency in caufing volition and the creature's in exercifing i: 
 when caufed. Both agents are equally free — God in cauf- 
 ing and the creature in exercifing. There is, however, 
 this difference. The creature is a dependent agent. God is 
 independent. Man is both dependent and active. Gorl 
 is active and independent. Should any object and fay, 
 that the creature's agency is no agency at all, if he be 
 dependent on God for his volitions — To this it may be 
 replied ; if thero be no fuch thing as dependent 3genry, 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 then it mud follow, that all finite beings are independent of 
 God in their volitions. And if they are independent of 
 God in their volitions, then they mull caufe or give exig- 
 ence to all their volitions, let them be what they may. On 
 this ground, they muft caufe their firft exercifes. They 
 mud caufe their own exiftcnce and moral birth. If this 
 be true, Adam, before he had being, muft have put forth 
 power and caufed his firft holy exercife. If independence 
 is effential to agency, all chrilthns muft caufe their own 
 holinefs of heart. They muft beget and regenerate, and 
 fandHfy themfelves, and independently of God fit them- 
 felves for heavenly glory. But this is directly contrary to 
 the plain language of fcripture. God is reprefented as 
 drawing men — regenerating, fanctifying and making them 
 holy, and by his fpirit preparing them for heaven. All 
 muft fee, that this could not be true, if men were indepen- 
 dent agents. And yet men are free agents and their liberty 
 is perfectly confident with abfolute dependence. Agreeably 
 to what Saint Paul faid ; " work out your falvation with 
 fear and trembling j for it is God which workcth in you 
 both to will and to do of his good pleafure." Here man is 
 confidered as active and free in working; and yet God 
 works in him. Both the dependence and liberty of the 
 creature is pointedly aliened. We are brought fafely on 
 then to this concluficn. If man be entirely free, and yet de- 
 pendent, and God can work in him to will and to do in 
 changing his will without enacting his liberty, then it will 
 follow, that God's decreeing to work in him or even cauf- 
 ing his volitions cannot interfere with his free agency. If 
 God can actually renew the heart, and yet man be free, it 
 Ss eafy to fee, his decreeing to renew it, can never deftroy 
 the liberty of the creature. It is certain on this ground, if 
 free agency confifts in choice, that decreeing and caufing 
 his choice cannot effect liberty in the lead degree whatfo- 
 ever. 
 
 To fet this matter in clear light, the only point to be 
 proved is that free agency confifts altogether in choice or 
 exercife of the will, without regard to any thing antecedent 
 or fubfequent. I am not infenfible that many theories 
 have been attempted to be fupported from the fcriptures ; 
 and yet in regard to what confeitutes free agency, all men 
 in ordinary life have been very much agreed. Men of eve- 
 ry age, nation and feet, practically acknowledge, that all 
 virtue and vice in creatures confift in exercife or choice of 
 
16 
 
 + lie will. When little children are p! * ther jt7\c 
 
 one happens to injure another ; the injured one immediate- 
 ly enquires, did he choofe or mean to hurt me ? IF it ap- 
 pears from circumKc.nces, he chofe or meant to do the in- 
 jury, the injured one, views him as vile and blame-worthy. 
 If on the contrary it fhould he made evident, the one who 
 did the injury, did not choofe or mean to hurt his compan- 
 ion, he is at once acquitted a» innocent a:.<j treated accord- 
 ingly. 
 
 WeUE a man indicted for murder, and fummoned to ap- 
 pear before the jud ; re for trial, the ju''^ in examining the 
 tyilimony, would lock to this tingle point-, viz. whether 
 the criminal bad malice propenfe or murderous inclination 
 or choice, when he committed the act. If it be found, 
 Chat the exerrife of the will was in the murderous acT, the 
 jncg-e views him as criminal and gives fentence accor-jing- 
 jy. Al\ rulers and heads of families proceed in the fame 
 way. They all £gree that virtue and viGe confift in voli- 
 tion or choice. The judge does not pretend to iearch into 
 the originating caufe of fuch choice to know whether the 
 man be guilty. He viewj blame to confifi: in choice itfelf 
 and not its efficient caufe. Should the criminal plead, that 
 } e did not caufe his own fnful exigence, that his bad dif- 
 pofitions were inherent in him from the beginning, and 
 t-har he had nothing to do in originating hi9 murderous in- 
 drnations, this plea would not exculpate him in the leaft 
 degree in the mind of the judge. The judge would not go 
 fo far back to find blame. He would predicate blame on 
 choice {imply withoutregard to anything pnoror fubfequent. 
 This perfectly agrees with Quilt's words. u This is the 
 condemnation that light is come into the world, and men 
 choofe darknefs rather than light." Choice of darknefs or fin 
 was thftt for which Chrifb blamed the obftinate Jews. Now 
 if all praife and blame exift in the will or choice of the 
 creature, then his free agency or liberty mull confift in ex- 
 ercife of the will or choice. It is impoflible that praife 
 and blame fhouM exift in exercife of the will j and \et 
 moral agency be conftituted by fomething diitincc from the 
 will. Ifwefhould fix blame in the will and liberty, in 
 that which is ctiftin£r. from the will, we ihouM be led te 
 this coucluiion, that men are culpable in choofing and not 
 free and active in choonng. Nothing can be more certain 
 than this, that if virtue and vice exiit in voluntary choice 
 or in exercife of the will, frea agency muft be fcated in the 
 
( II ) 
 
 will wholly. And if fo, neither the decree or God. nor 
 divine agency in producing choice can interrupt liberty 
 in any fenfe or degree whatfocver. And hence, the wick- 
 ed Jews, mentioned in the text, could not exculpate them- 
 selves en the decreeing fyftem. They mufc have had a very 
 diiFerent v theory, to plead, that being delivered to do all thefe 
 abominations, they were not to blame. To ^lide over 
 guilt and danger, they went into the fatal fylteru, and did 
 • not admit they were free agents in any i'uch fenfe as to co<v 
 ititute them criminal for their aclions ; and this leads me to 
 give fome definition of fatality and the duFerence between 
 it and divine decree. 
 
 The fyftem of fate was adopted by many of the ancient 
 philofophers, and was in vogue in Pcriia in the time of Je- 
 remia. If I am correal in my observations on the wri- 
 tings of the Old Ttftament, the text prefents us with the 
 firft account, of any adopting this fyftem, who were favor- 
 ed with the light of revelation. As all hearts by nature 
 are totally depraved and felfilh, they all lie open to error, 
 and are inclined to adopt plans to ftiield themfelyes from 
 blame and danger. By what means this fentiment firft 
 crept into the minds of God's profeffing people we cannot 
 at this time determine. It is probable it was borrowed 
 from the heathen philofophers with whom they were co- 
 temporary, and to whom they lived contiguous. Be this 
 as it may, the wicked Jews, alluded to in the text, were 
 fettled down in this fyftem, as appears from their own 
 ftatemenr. They plead excufe, that, " they were deliver- 
 ered to do all thefe abominations." 
 
 The fyftem of fate, plead by the wicked in the text, £oea 
 on the denial of any agency in the creature diftinft from 
 the agency of God. It fuppofes the foul acled upon in 
 fuch a fenfe as to preclude the pofiibiUty of its having an>y 
 diitin£l acls of its own. It makes all fouls a part of God, 
 fo as to render their agency his, and him pleafed with their 
 actions, as with thole of his own infinite mind. And 
 hence fatality may be thus defined ; — It is the aclion of an 
 infinite mind, producing and exercifmg as its own, aJi 
 thoughts and volitions, of angels, men and devils. It an- 
 nihilatesall creature exiftenceand leaves but one mind in the 
 univerfe to choofe and a£t. Settled on this ground, they 
 are obliged to hold, that the foul is an emanation from God, 
 and really constitutes a pare of his eiTencej and in this be- 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 lief, they rife above all refponfibility for their actions how- 
 ever vile and abominable. The fcheme, in fact, difelaims 
 -ill diftinction in the mind of God between moral good and 
 evil. Becaufe it fuppoies, all intellectual and moral exift- 
 ence to be one foul, acting through different organs and di-r 
 verfe ways ; that the rninci of man, is a part of God in him 
 thinking and acting, and that man is no more accountable 
 for what he does, than the wheels of a clock for their mo- 
 tions. 
 
 The futility of this fyftem is eafily expofed. For if the 
 foul be a part of God, coi.ftituting a portion of his effence, 
 it mull: be equally true of all fouls. Now if all fouls are 
 parts of divine effence, then God muft confift of parts. If 
 God confifts of parts, he cannot poiTibly be infinite ; be- 
 caufe parts always fuppofe the whole which they make to 
 be limited. Half of any whole is not infinite, neither does 
 it approach any nearer to infinitude, than the very fmalleft 
 part imaginable ; and if fo double the half, and it will ftill 
 be as far fhort of infinite as when divided. A line reach- 
 ing round the globe is no nearer infinite length, than one 
 a yard long. This notion deftroys divine perfection, and 
 of courfe carries us into atheifm. For a God imperfect is 
 no God at all. Befide, if the foul be a part of God, then 
 all fouls are one, and if one, why are they not acquainted 
 with each other's thoughts ? If all men and angels are one 
 fpirit, why can they not look into each other's minds as ea- 
 fily as into their own ? On this ground, how can fome 
 weep and others rejoice ; fome delight in objects which 
 others view with abhorrence ? The abfurdity is too glaring 
 to dwell upon. Relying on what has been faid to amount 
 to a full definition of fatality, it is eafy to fee a very wide 
 difference between fatality and divine decree. The de- 
 crees make God an infinitely perfect being worthy of fu- 
 preme love and refptct. — Fatality deftroys the moral excel- 
 lency of God's character and leads to the denial of every 
 perfection of his nature. — Decree is perfectly confident 
 with moral agency in creatures, ar.d does not at all clafh with 
 their liberty or accountable nefs. — Fatality makes all finite 
 beings entire machines, and confounds ail diftinctions be- 
 tween virtue and vice. Decree does not at all militate againft 
 the ufe of means ; but includes means as neceflary to gain 
 certain ends. — Fatality includes means as of no ufe and fup- 
 pofes men fo acted upon, that his actions r.re not his own 
 in an; fucb fenfc as to effect bic try. — Di- 
 
( '3 ) 
 
 vine decree correfponds entirely with all God's work, with 
 experience and with the fyftem of philofophy proved true 
 by actual experiment. Fatality contradicts nature, ex- 
 perience and all true philofophy. — Decree, as defined in 
 the foregoing ftatemenr, does not at all clafh with the lenfe 
 of right and wrong in every man's bread, nor with the pain 
 in reflecting on finful actions, nor with the happinefs real- 
 ized and felt by good beings, to which all will teftify. — 
 Fatality is directly contrary to the known feelings of men, 
 of all ages, nations and fects. — Decree does not preclude 
 the propriety of attaching blame to bad, and praife to good, 
 characters, which all men are inclined to do. — Fatality 
 confiders this improper and without grounds. In {hcrt, de- 
 cree comports with God's word, with the momentous trans- 
 actions of the final judgment, and with a future date of end- 
 Jefs rewards and punifhments. — Fatality makes the whole 
 unmeaning, frivolous and not to be regarded, or fuffered 
 to have influence on men's lives and actions. 
 
 II. I proceed to point out the difference between natu- 
 ral compulfion and moral neceflity. 
 
 Like fatality and decree, thefe are often blended in peo- 
 ple's minds, as meaning one and the fame thing. But I 
 conceive they are wholly different. The one is founded 
 in truth ; the other in the grofTeft falfehood and abfurdity. 
 Let us attend to the difference. By moral neceflity, I 
 mean a certainty of purfuing a courfe of action, which 
 certainty arifes out of the difpofition of the agent or actor. 
 All moral beings, up to the infinite God, moft certainly act 
 from fuch neceflity. It is certain God will purfue a courfe 
 of holy action, which certainty arifes from his holy nature. 
 Hence, it may, with propriety be faid, God is under mor- 
 al neceflity to be fuch an holy, good being as he is. The 
 fcripture declares it. « It is impoflible for God to lie." 
 It is morally certain he will eternally be that infinitely juft 
 and holy being he has always been. Finite moral agents 
 are under the fame kind of neceflity. It is certain that all 
 holy beings, remaining in their prefent character, will con- 
 tinue in holy purfuits. It is impoflible they fliould ceafe 
 loving God in their prefent character and views. Sinners 
 are under the fame moral necefliy to do wrong and hate eve- 
 ry thing which is morally excellent and lovely. This a- 
 rifes out of the temper and difpofition of the heart, and re- 
 maining finners, it is morally impoflible they (hould do 
 
( M ) 
 
 otherwift than fin without ccflatioQ. Chrift fpcaking of 
 Judas laid, « It ib impoflble but that offences come, hoc 
 woe unto that man through whom truy corne." With the 
 wicked lieart Judas poiTefTed, and tircumftanced as he was, it 
 was impofliblc hut that he mould betray Chrift. The im- 
 pofUbility of his doing otherwife arofe out of his finful 
 heart. He had that difpofition in him, which neceiTarily 
 3ed him to prefer thirty pieces of fiiver to the Lord and 
 faviour of the world. , This w* z with the ten fons 
 
 of Jacob in felling Jofeph to the Hhmaelites. With their 
 jealoufy and hatred towards him, they were neceiTaniy l?d 
 to embrace the opportunity of difpofing of him as they did. 
 It was juft fo with Pnaroah king o£ Egypt. He was under 
 the fame mo.'ii neceffity of refilling to hear the felicitations 
 of Mofes in behalf of the Israelites. He had a hard heart, 
 and chofe to keep them in bondage ; and fo long as he had 
 tiii. hard heart, it was morally certain he would act ac- 
 cording to its dictates. Chrift represents the fame matter 
 by the corrupt and ^ood trees. A corrupt tree would of 
 necefficy yield evil fruit ; whereas a good tree would yield 
 fruit like itfelf. Neceffity of this kind does not deflroy 
 free agency in beings any more than decree. Who would 
 fay, God is not free, becaufe it is impoffile for him to lie ? 
 God is under abfolute moral neceffity to be good, and does 
 this deflroy his liberty ? certainly nor. If then God can 
 be under moral neceffity without forfeiting his free agency, 
 certainly creatures may be under the fame neceffity, and 
 yet have perfect liberty. Perhaps it may be objected, that 
 creatures <.\o not c?ufe th^ir own exercifefl of heart and 
 that this makes a material difference. To this objection it 
 may be replied. God does not originate or caufe his ex- 
 ercifes or volitions. They eternally exifted unchangeably 
 the fame in his mind. And if God be under a moral ne- 
 ceflity to be good, and is yet free, and does not originate or 
 caufe his own volitions; then creatures may be holy or 
 finful, and yet be free, though they do not caufe their own 
 holy or finful volitions. The o\ jcdlor may go on ftiil far- 
 ther and plead, that God made creatures under fuch necef- 
 fity to adi, and their difpofition to act is not of their own 
 production-, and that this deftroys their liberty and makes 
 them machines. Granted that God made creatures under, 
 fuch neceflity to adl, and that their difpofuion to act is not 
 of their own production •, yea, grant more, that God's a- 
 gency is really concerned in producing their volitions ; 
 ftill theu* libertv remains entire ; and for ihis nkin reafon, 
 
( iS ) 
 
 on whicli we have already enlarged, that liberty corr&fls in 
 volition wholly, and rot in the. caufe of volition, in anv 
 fenfe or degree whatfoeyer. Hence moral neceffity ap- 
 pears to be true, and confident with accountable riefs in ra~ 
 tional agents. 
 
 Natural coropulfion 13 wioelj different. This al- 
 lows of no agency in creatures ; that they are acted upon, 
 but do not act. If one man by compelling power be forc- 
 ed againft another to his injury, the man thus forced does 
 not act in any other fenfe, tnan a tree cleft from the ftnrop 
 in falling to the ground. Wherever compulfion takes 
 place, the creature is no longer an agent in the actions 
 produced by fuch compulfion. A man walking for his a- 
 mufement is a free agent in that exercife, though God up- 
 holds him and " directs his ileps 5" but if he be knocked 
 down by an aflTaflin, he is not a free agent in ths act of 
 falling, any more than a ftone let fall from the hand in 
 patting to the ground. Bthde, jhe will is that faculty 
 which never can be compelled. By arguments, terrors or 
 by motives of various kinds, men may choofe what they 
 otherwife would not have chofen ; but this choofing differ- 
 ently is free under exifting circumftances. The will is de- 
 termined in view of the greateit apparent good. A man 
 to day may not choofe to expofe his life in the field of bat- 
 tie. To- morrow fucli circumftances may turn up, that he 
 will prefer expofing his life, rather than to abide the ccn- 
 fequences of avoiding the encounter. An indolent fervant 
 may not choofe to work 5 and yet when terrors are exhib- 
 ited, his will in view of fuch terrors may be altered; and 
 yet he be perfectly free in the exercife of his will in the 
 very act of changing. In thefe cafe?, and in no other 
 which could be named, is this the lead compulfion on the 
 will. Hence all will fee, there is a material diftinttion 
 between moral nee -futy and natural compulfion ; the for- 
 mer is perfectly confident with free agency, while the lat- 
 ter is wholly fubverfive of it. Judas and Paroah were un- 
 der moral necefliry of doing as they did, and their actions 
 arofe out of the nature of their choice ; and yet they were 
 not compelled to fin by any exterior force contrary to their 
 choice. 
 
 And this leads me to obferve, 
 
 HI. That fatality arid natural compulfion, when ap- 
 plied to mind and morals, are d in the grofluit 
 
( t« ) 
 
 Falfehood and error and are perverfion of God's decrees 
 •»nd moral neceflity. 
 
 Fatality and compulsion have been invented by wick- 
 ed men, as the beft contrivance they could devife to fliield 
 themfelves from blame and danger. The wicked will fall 
 on different plans to accomplish the fame ends. Some will 
 take a man's life for his money ; others by art and diflim- 
 ulation will induce him to confent to let th'rm have it for a 
 thing of no value. It is not ft range, therefore, that fiuful 
 men fhould fall on different fchemes to rile above a fenfe 
 of guilt, and hazard of puniflrmcnt. Thus they have done* 
 and thus they continue to do. And hence, many (inners, 
 though not all, rum into the fatal fyftenw 
 
 It is to be obferved, that ;he wicked are not a little de- 
 firous to fcreen themfelves by theories pretended to be in 
 the bible. It gives them eafc when they can fo conftrue 
 the fcriptures as to excufe themfelves from blame and dan- 
 ger. Hence many have endeavored to confound cliftinc- 
 tions between fatality and decree and between natural com- 
 pulfion and moral neceflity. 
 
 Satan, in tempting Chrift to call himfelf from the pin- 
 nacle of the temple, fuggefted that let him do what he 
 would, God would give his angels charge concerning him, 
 and not fuffer any injury to befal him. This was done by 
 an artful omiflion in a quotation from the old te (lament, 
 leaving out fuch a part of the text as would wholly alter 
 the fenfe of it. Satan thought to deceive Chrift by fubfti- 
 tuting fate for divine decree. It was God's decree and 
 purpofe that Chrift mould be kept from falling into fin > 
 but not that he ihould be kept except in the way of his du- 
 ty, as will appear by a perufal of the paffage to which there 
 is here an a-iufion. He was to be kept in all his way, viz. 
 in a conitant attention to the great ends of his million into 
 the world. But Satan endeavored to infinuate into the 
 mind of Chrift, that even though he (hould comply with 
 the temptation, there was no kind of danger ; becaufe God 
 would keep him, let him do what he would. Satan's 
 whole device in this inftance, was grounded in an artful 
 fubflituting fatality in the room of divine decree. Could 
 he have made this plan fucceed, he would have gained his 
 object and the plan of redemption muft have failed. But 
 Chrift faw the fatal fcheme to be as remote from truth, as 
 
( »7 ) 
 
 fitan from goodnefs, and faid get thee behind me fatan ; 
 « for it is written, thou (halt worfhip the Lord thy God 
 and him only (halt thou ferve." Similar perverfion to that 
 of fatan is in the mouths of multitudes. They fay if all 
 things are decreed, " do what we will, we are obeying 
 God." They draw their conclufions from the fatal fyftem, 
 fubftituted in the room of decree, and excufethemfelves 
 under a pretext of a warrant from God, for fo doing. But 
 is it not eafy to fee, that in this bafenefs there is the molt 
 grofs perverfion ; and that the decree of God does not in 
 the remoteft fenfe countenance fuch an inference ? 
 
 Saint Paul and thofe with him on their voyage to Italy 
 were overtaken with a violent tempeft. They were driv- 
 en to the extremity of momentarily expecting to be fwal- 
 lowed up in the fea. At this awful trifis, it pleafed God 
 to reveal his purpofe concerning them. God firft made 
 known his defign to an angel ; the angel difcovered it, to 
 Paul, and Paul to thofe who were with him in the vefTel. 
 The words of Paul are thefe. " Now I exhort you to be 
 of good cheer ; for there fhall be no lofs of any man's life 
 among you but of the fhip. For there flood by me this 
 night the angel of God, whofe I am and whom I ferve, fay- 
 ing fear not Paul ; thou muft be brought before Csefar : 
 and lo, God hath given thee all them that fail with thee. 
 Wherefore, firs, be of good chser : for I believe God that 
 it fhall be even as it was told me." It appears to have been 
 the fixed purpofe of God that Paul and his companions 
 fhould get fafe to land. The decree of God refpe&ing the 
 event was abfolute. The purpofe of God refpe&ing their; 
 deliverance could not be fruftrated. But this decree was 
 eflentially different from fatality, as appears from what fol- 
 lows. For foon after, the failors perceiving an opportunity 
 to make their efcape, betrayed their defign. No fooner 
 was this defign difcovered by Paul, than " he faid to the 
 Centurion and the foldiers, except thefe abide in the (hip, 
 ye can not be faved". It was decreed they fhould arrive 
 fafely to the more, but not without the fkill and exertion 
 of the failors. The means by which they were to be faved 
 were all decreed as well as the end. The decree made it ne- 
 ceflary, that the feamen, who had the art of managing the 
 veflel (hould employ their united wifdom to fecure an efcape. 
 Neither could they obtain the object without. Becaufe, 
 they were not only decreed by God to be faved froirf the 
 fea, but they were decreed to be fared in this particular 
 
 C 
 
( >8 ) 
 
 v.- ay, or by tliefe particular means. Had Paul been a faf- 
 talift he would have to!d them they would certainly arrive 
 to the fhorc, in all fafcty, even though they mould be 
 wholly inactive, and indifferent to means; yea, even 
 though they mould try ever fo much to fink themfelves in 
 the bottom of the ocean. But Paul did not go on fatal 
 principles. He underftood the decrees of God, and diftin- 
 guifhed between thefe decrees a/id fatality as all will clear- 
 ly perceive. If Paul's ideas of divine decrees were accu- 
 rate, then thofe pervert thefe decrees, who fubftitute fatality 
 in their loom, or confider them as fynonymous. Some pet- 
 verters of the decrees of God will tell us, that there is a cer- 
 tain number of men to be faved, and another certain num- 
 ber to be loft let them do what they will, viz. the number 
 to be faved, will be faved, even though they continue im- 
 penitent and unbelieving to the laft ; and the number to be 
 loft, will be loft, even though they perfevere in holinefs to 
 the end of life. The decrees of God do not give the leaft 
 countenance to fuch conclufion. Decree fuppofes means 
 neceflary to be ufed by thofe who mail be faved, and that 
 ufe of means is included in the decree and efFential to gain- 
 ing the end. On the decreeing fyftem, it is not true that 
 there is a certain number who will be faved, let them do 
 what they will -, becaufe this fuppofes, that this number 
 will be faved, however abominable in character and life to 
 the end. God decreed, or determined to fave a number of 
 people in Antioch ; but how— in what way ? Did he deter- 
 mine to fave them, let them do what they would ? No. 
 Paul was commiffioned to go and preach to them. They 
 muft receive inftruttion, and repent of fin and believe on 
 the Lord Jefus Chrift. If it had been true, that thofe in 
 Antioch, who were ordained to eternal life, would be fav- 
 ed let them do what they would, it was of no fervice for 
 Paul to go and preach to them, or to ufe any means with 
 them , becaufe they muft be faved at any rate, however 
 much oppofed to the gofpel falvation. The truth of the 
 matter was, God was determined to fave fome of that peo- 
 ple, and to effect their falvation, Paul was fent to preach 
 the gofpel to them. God fet home the truth on their 
 hearts and they believed on the Lord Jefus, and were fa- 
 ved. Though it is faid, they were ordained to eternal 
 life, yet the preaching of Paul was neceflary. It was ne- 
 ceffary alfo for them to believe and perfevere in holinefs, 
 as will be readily granted. But if ordaining to eternal life 
 was the fame as fate, Paul's preaching was of no ufe, nor 
 
i 19 ) 
 
 their repentance, and turning to God- Hence to fubfti- 
 tute fatality for decree, or to confider them as fynonymous 
 is grofs perverfion. Like iron and clay, they can never join 
 in one theory. Decree and fate belong to fyftems wholly 
 different — as different as light from darknefs. But it is 
 the way of fome wicked men thus to pervert the doctrine 
 of God ; and having done this, they go on in fin. Like 
 the wicked Jews, they will live in all manner of abomina- 
 tion, and at the fame time holfter themfelves up with the 
 excufe that they are not personally blame-worthy nor ex* 
 pofed to evil. They plead they are delivered by God to 
 do as they do, and are therefore in no danger from finning. 
 But the foregoing diftinctions, it is conceived, are fuffi- 
 cient to make it clear to candid enquirers after truth, that 
 jfuch perverfion is as faHe as vain, and as ruinous as untrue. 
 
 IMPROVEMENT. 
 
 1. From the foregoing difcourfe, we may clearly infer, 
 that errors in opinion are very clolely connected with er- 
 rors in practice. 
 
 Practical religion will never prevail to any confidera- 
 ble degree, while men's fentiments are not in conformity 
 to the doctrines of God. God's character is learned from 
 the works of nature and revelation. The doctrines of the 
 I3ible exhibit the divine character. And hence, incorrect 
 ideas of the doctrines of fcripture, imply an equal degree of 
 erroneous conception refpecting God and his attributer, 
 Every erroneous conception of Deity tends to confound in 
 fhe mind of him who embraces it, that eternal and unalter- 
 able difference, there is between virtue and vice. If our 
 doctrinal views be incorrect, we fhall have partial views of 
 God's law and the evil of fin. This removes reftraint 
 from the mind, and immoral conduct fucceeds. Hence 
 overt iniquity wili abound, very much in proportion to 
 man's inconfiftent views of God, his law and the penalty 
 thereto annexed. The depraved heart is (ludious to afcribe 
 to God nothing which renders him an object of fear ; and 
 having done this, all dread of punifhment fubfides, and 
 loofe reigns are given to finful gratification. This idea U 
 confirmed by the conduct of the rebellious Jews mention- 
 ed in the text. Their ideas of God were abfurd. They 
 grgued themfelves into the notion, that God fatally com- 
 
( ao } 
 
 pelted them to fin> and was the refponfible actor cf all th 
 crimes ; that for him to be difpleafed with them would be 
 to be difplcated with himfeff; and therefore that they had 
 no danger to apprehend from finful purfuits No fooner 
 i* the truth of God changed into a lie, x than men will wor- 
 ihip and fetve the creature more than the creator. Thofe 
 heaven-dating crime.:;, fuch as theft, highway robbery, du- 
 eling, and murder, are committed by men who have no 
 jutt view of God's character, government and law, nor of 
 the nature of fin. Jull conception of God is the moft 
 powerful reftramt upon men. Without fuch conception 
 there are no lengths of iniquity to which they will not go. 
 The friends of moral, good conduct overlook the grand in- 
 centive to virtuous action, unlefs they ccafider the know- 
 ledge of God of primary confederation in fecuring men 
 horn the arms of vice. The unadulterated truths of God's 
 word fet before men, will do more for the happinefs of 
 fociety, than all the moralizing of philosophers a thoufand 
 fold. The idea that fome bible truths are prejudicial to 
 morality is without foundation. The doctrine of univer- 
 fal divine agency, and decrees, clearly exhibited, iuftead 
 of corrupting men, is calculated and tends to reftrain them 
 from finful out-breakings. The friends of good order are 
 invited to weigh and realize the importance of difcounte- 
 nancing errors in opinion as directly tending to errors irj 
 practice. 
 
 2. We may infer the inconfiflency of thofe who oppofc 
 the doctrine of djyine decrees with arguments which ope- 
 rate only againit the fatal feheme. Much of this has been 
 done. By this clafs of difputants, it is often alledged that 
 abfolute decrees in Godjcannot be true, becaufc they deflroy 
 free agency in men and make thtrn machines. If the 
 foregoing distinctions are juft, decree has no futh tenden- 
 cy. Fatality may — and if fo, let the argument be fet 
 where it belongs. Let ir go agsinfl: a fyftem, for which 
 the friends of truth are not contending — let it be fet a- 
 gainll fatality for there it will operate. But remember 
 that fatality is not decree. It is a different thing wholly. 
 
 If any, thinking to overthrow the doctrine of election, 
 mould i~H*, if this be true, men have nothing to do. A 
 certain number are to be laved, let them do what they will, 
 and another certain number to be loll let them do what they 
 will. Let thisclafsconfider that in this conteft^ they are 4oi:^ r 
 
( * ) 
 
 nothing that touches the doctrine of election in the lead ; 
 becaufe election admits no fuch conference. Thofe who 
 thus contend, are not warring with election, but with fome- 
 thing they have fubftituted in its room. If men are op- 
 pafed to divine decrees and election, as undoubtedly many- 
 are, let them make ufe of the proper arguments for the 
 purpofe. Let them advance to the fortrefs they would 
 Jay in ruins and make a direct attack. And if they will 
 do this, they will come forward boldly and fay ; God has 
 no fixed plan of operation 5 the mind of the infinite God 
 does not know with certainty how the affairs of the uni- 
 verfe will terminate ; things are left contingent ; they 
 may terminate in this way or in fome other ; there is no 
 fixednefs in God but what may be altered. — If thefe ideas, 
 and others fimilar, can be maintained and proved true, 
 the doctrine of divine decrees and election rnuft fall. But 
 till that be done, which never can be, thefe doctrines will 
 ftand a firm barrier againft the whole torrent of oppofitiort 
 which may be raifed againft them. Their truth, it is con- 
 ceived, is as plain as the light of day. They have argu- 
 ments from every quarter to corroborate. The fcriptures 
 are explicit. The religion of nature lends her aid. Rea- 
 fon, common fenfe, and all true philofophy, offer their Com- 
 bined fupport, and not one iota of weight is in the other 
 fide of the fcale. This is the fyftem in which the ancient 
 faints gloried j for which multitudes have bled and died, 
 and in which the humble will eternally rejoice. It fets God 
 on the throne. It afiigns the creature his place. " The 
 Lord reigns let the earth rejoice^ let the multitude of the 
 Ifles be glad thereof.' ■ 
 
 3. We may infer from the fubjeet the entire depravity 
 of the human heart, and in what this depravity confifts, 
 
 Men would never have invented excufes for living in 
 fin, excufes too which reflect the higheft difhonor on God, 
 had not their hearts been deftitute of any degree of moral 
 excellence. The conduct of the wicked Correfponds with 
 fcripture ftatements, and gives evidences to the truth of 
 God's declarations refpecting the nature and extent of hu- 
 man depravity. From this fubje& we learn in what this 
 depravity confifts. It confifts in an entire felfifhnefs which 
 is directly contrary to that charity which feeketh not her 
 own. This entire felfiftinefs, natural to all men, in their 
 fallen ftate, is none other than the carnal mind, which is 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 enmity againft God, and not fubjedt to his law. So long 
 as this remains unfubdued, men will remain under the 
 dominion of fin and act it out accordingly as they are cir- 
 cumftanced. They will oppofe every doctrine of God, 
 and every duty he requires, fo foon as perceived, not to 
 correfpond with their inclination*. They will invent 
 means to evade divine threatenings, and frame to them- 
 felves fuch ideas of God, as will give them the leaft dis- 
 turbance in their finful career. Multitudes are fecuie and 
 at eafe refpecting their character and profpects, not confid- 
 eting, that God will bring every fecret thing into judge- 
 ment. Let finners tremble, knowing, that all excufes for 
 finfulnefs of heart and life, will give way, when they (hall 
 Hand before God. They may now vainly alledge, that 
 they are delivered or compelled by God to commit fin, and 
 are hence unamenable for their actions ; but God wjll let 
 them know, that this is a lie in their right hand. Without 
 repentance their iniquity will find them out. Human de- 
 pravity is not capable of an excufe, it is the crime itfelf. 
 The depravity of finners is the fum of their blame- worthy- 
 nefso 
 
 4. It is important for chriftians to give the mod earneft 
 heed to the doctrines of the bible. Error abounds. The 
 artful and crafty are bufily employed in fowing the feeds 
 of delufion. The enemy come in like a flood and truth is 
 attacked on every hand. Some plead in favor of finning 
 without hazard of punilTiment. They vainly prefume on 
 God's mercy, and (hield themfelves with hopes of being 
 happy though they live a bad life and fpend their days in 
 the vileft abominations. This they do by falfe conftruc- 
 tion and grpfs perverfion. How neceiTary and vaftly im- 
 portant it is for thofe who are on the Lord's fide to take 
 their proper ftand and " contend earneflly for the faith 
 once delivered to the faints." Nothing does greater ho- 
 nor to the caufe of truth, than for the people of God to be 
 able by found arguments to convince gainfayer3. To do 
 this, they mud be expert in the fcriptures. They muft have 
 a clear view of the bible doctrines in their connection. 
 And this fuppofes that they mud ftudy and fearch for 
 knowledge as for hid treafure. Chriftians confider, that 
 the enemy is on every fide of truth. Some deny divine 
 decrees and moral neceffity, and view God's purpofe con- 
 ditional, and thereby take the power into their own hand. 
 Others will endeavor to explain away all threatenings a? 
 
( 2 3 ) 
 
 gainft the wicked as infignificant and unmeaning. Others 
 will put all power out of their hands in fuch a fenfe as to 
 deftroy their own agency, and of courfe nulify fin and dan- 
 ger. Hence chriftians are to be on their guard not only 
 againft one error, but errors innumerable. They fhould 
 look in every direction and be able to meet and confront 
 error in all its fpecious and flattexing forms. 
 
 5. If the above be true, minifters of the gofpel, inftead 
 of avoiding hard and difficult fubje&s mould bring them 
 into view, and make all thofe diftin£tions neceflary in ex- 
 hibiting all the doctrines of the bible. Inftead only of 
 talking about doctrines, they ought to be able to tell, what 
 they are, point out their harmony, and fhow where they 
 will terminate. Falfe dodlrines are to be unmafked and 
 expofed in their native deformity ; and truth muft be fet 
 in an undifguifed light or it will never fhine in its full 
 radiance. Clofe and deep ftudy, is, therefore, neceflary in 
 thofe who hold the minifterial office. Let them give them- 
 felves to reading, meditation, and prayer, that their profit- 
 ing may appear. 
 
 6. All who hear the word ought to examine and think 
 clofely and for themfelves. You cannot be too cautious how 
 and what you hear. You are flattered by error gorgeouf- 
 ly attired ; but, remember, there is only one ftraight and 
 narrow way which leads to life. The thought may come 
 into your mind at times, there is no danger in finning be- 
 caufe of decrees, but there is no reft for the foal of your 
 foot here. Your thoughts, and actions are your own and 
 you cannot throw the culpability on another. If you love 
 vanity and fport with things divine, yonr iniquity will prove 
 your ruin. Do not for the price of your life, turn afide to 
 lying word*. Thefe may charm you for a moment ; but at 
 the laft they will bite like a ferpent and fting like an adder. 
 Your fouls are too valuable to hazard on the fand, efpe- 
 cially as you are invited to that rock which is higher than 
 you. Inftead then of trufting in lying words, truft in the 
 living God and you fhall be faved. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
■I 
 

~fr&, 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 3ELIVERBD AT THE INSTALLATION 
 OF THE 
 
 Reverend DANIEL MARSH, 
 
 to the PASTORAL CHARGE of the 
 CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN 
 
 BALLSTON and STILLWATER, 
 
 O&ober 30, 1800. 
 
 ;<<••<•><»•>•*->•> 
 
 vh= 
 
 by DAVID PORTER, 
 
 PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN SPENCERTOWN. 
 
 printed at ^iortibrtfcge, 
 
 By H. Will ard, at the Office of H. }o»ls & C<*> 
 
 MAY, |&dl, . 
 
THE Northern AJfociated PreJbyL- 
 ery in the State of New-York, convened ai 
 Ballfton, voted unanimoii/ly y that they do 
 approve of the Sermon this day delivered by 
 the Rev. DAVID PORTER, at the Li- 
 ft alhtion of the Rev. DANIEL MARSH, 
 and that it is their dfire itjhoidd be printed*, 
 
 A TRUE COPY. 
 ATTEST— 
 
 JESSE TOWNSEND, Scribe. 
 Ballston, 051. 30, i8co. 
 
A S E R M O N, &Co 
 
 EZEK1EL XXIL 26. 
 THEY HAVE PUT NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 
 HOLY AND THE PROPHANE, NEITHER HAVE 
 THEY SHEWED A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 
 CLEAN AND THE UNCLEAN. 
 
 OD eftimates men by their 
 moral worth, and not by their occupations and pro- 
 feflions. In the words read, you perceive blame re- 
 flected on thepriefthood. Their high and facred 
 calling could not extenuate their guilt. They had 
 been folemnly confecrated to their work. They had 
 a literal footing on Jerufalem's fpiritual wall ; and 
 yet they deceitfully glided over the doctrines of God. 
 Setting afide fyftem, they blended characters which 
 were diftinguifhable. What they exhibited was mu- 
 tilated and maimed, and not calculated to apprize 
 the (Inner of his fin and danger, nor to promote the 
 fpiritual welfare of the faint. Their fault feems rath- 
 er to have been a crime of omiflion. There were 
 then exifting in the Jewifri nation many unholy and 
 profane men. The priefts had not pointed them to the 
 awful hand writing, norexpofed to them their dread- 
 ful condemnation. They had withholden the child- 
 ren's bread from the devout worshippers of Go-). — 
 Correfponding oppofite characters, they counteracted 
 
— 4— 
 
 the commandment of God, and confulting their owa 
 eafe and popularity, they would forego duty and 
 hazard the fouls of men, to gratify bafe propenfity. 
 
 What proportion of the priefts had degenera- 
 ted agreeably to the above defcription, we arc not 
 particularly informed. The charge being indifcrim- 
 inate, we need not hefitate to believe, that not a few 
 had departed from their high and holy calling. 
 
 The text not fuggefting every branch of their 
 enormity, a detail ot every feature of turpitude in 
 their character will not be expected. This particu- 
 lar part, it is fuppofed, will afford an ample theme 
 for a difcourfe, and invite the mind to a train of fen- , 
 timent and reflection, pertinent to the momentous 
 and important occafion on which we are convened. 
 
 In difcuffing and, elucidating tlse fubject, 1 (hall 
 nrftly notice the grounds of the charge, brought 
 again ft the priefthood, ftated in the text. The tes- 
 timony of God renders it indubitable that there were 
 grounds for fuch a charge. The Holy Spirit point- 
 edly expreffes the refult of their official bufinefs. 
 They had put no difference between the holy and the 
 profane, neither had they [hewed a difference between 
 the clean and the unclean. And hence the propriety 
 of the charge, and what was the effecl of their in- 
 flrucYions rhuft be clefrly apprehended by every 
 mind. Though we may proceed thus far witkout 
 heiitancy ; yet the grounds themfelves for blame 
 thus reflected on the priefts, need fome itatement and 
 ipecial explanation. 
 
 Here it is worthy of notice, that thefe priefts 
 avoided bringing into view the divine character, in 
 their public inftru&ions. Previoufly to this period, 
 God had revealed himfejf other ways than by his 
 works. 
 
To Mofesbe had difplayed all his glory, when 
 he proclaimed himfelf the Lord God, merciful and 
 gracious, long furTering and abundant in goodnefs 
 and truth, keeping mercy for thoufands, forgiving 
 iniquity, tranfgreffion and fin, and that he would by 
 no means clear the guilty. In the character of I AM 
 that I AM, he went before Ifracf from Egypt to the 
 promifed land, apd in the holieft of all, into which 
 the high priefl went opce every year, not without 
 blood, all the attributes of the infinite majefty of 
 heaven and earth flood like the unclouded fun ever 
 the mercy feat. Neverthelefs, the priefts in the 
 days of Ezekiel, whofe office obligated them to 
 fpend and be fpent in the interesting bufinefs ofin- 
 flructing men into the knowledge of Jehovah, utter- 
 ly failed in this important point of duty. Their ad- 
 vantages to know God augmented their criminality. 
 With the beft means of information, they did no 
 more than blind and deafen men toaqifcovery of that 
 being,an acquaintance with whom is life eternal. The 
 flighteft reflection on the" fubject, will evince them 
 to have been wretchedly culpable in this thing. As 
 they put no difference between the holy and the pro- 
 fance, they mull have been wholly defective in thofe 
 ftatements, which would have reiqlted in obviating 
 fuch difference. If in' their attempts to teach men, 
 ihey had clearly exhibited the character of God, a, 
 finking difparjty between the faint and the {inner, 
 would have been the confequence. A glimpftl of his 
 character realized by the wicked, will make tberri 
 tremble at their fin and danger. A difeovery of the 
 fame character to the faint will infpire him \\\ih joy 
 unfpeakable. This exhibited draws a dividing fine 
 between the holy and profane ; and hence a part of 
 the ground of the charge muft be obvious to every 
 mind. 
 
Further thefe priefts were deficient and fu- 
 perficial in maintaining the law of God and defining 
 its penalty. By the law is the knowledge of fin. 
 This fkilfully and accurately unfolded, will reach the 
 rale of every moral agent, weigh every exercife of 
 heart, and afcertain, without the lead deviation, the 
 txad merit or demerit of rational creatures. Like 
 the refiner's fire, and the fuller's foap, it isfearching, 
 penetrating and diftmgui filing, and leaves no p&l 
 or bias unexplored. It feparates the chaff from the 
 wheat, the adulterated from the pure coin, and lets 
 virtue and vice at an infinite remove from each other. 
 This is the effed of the divine law, when exemplified 
 and enforced with energy. But the priefls had put 
 no difference between the holy and the profane, there- 
 lore they muit have omitted the weightier matters of 
 the law, and fubftituted thofe fuperficial addrefles in 
 its (lead, the tendency of which was to blend oppo- 
 iites and reduce good and evil to a common level. 
 Accordingly, as they glided over the law of God 
 without entering into its merits, fo the penalty of it 
 mud have efcaped their notice. The law and its pe- 
 nalty are adjoining links in the fame chain, and there~ 
 fore any o mi (lions of the prieft's muft have refpeded 
 the latter as well as the former. True it is, they 
 might havealledged a penalty to be inflicted on fin 
 or the finful character of the linner ; but this is as 
 nonfenfical and unphilofophical, as it is unfcriptural. 
 It is in fad making crimes moral agents, and crimi- 
 nals mere cyphers. 
 
 In addition to the preceding obfer vat ions, a lit- 
 tle attention to analogy will fet the whole in a clear 
 and convincing light. Since thefe pri efts were fu- 
 perficial and inadequate in exhibiting God's charac- 
 
 his law and its penalty, they muft have been 
 
Equally defective in their conceptions and treaties rc- 
 fpecting the mediator, his atonement and claims. An 
 error in one material point, implies an equal degree 
 of error in even' other. The mediator is God ; his 
 atonement eftablilhes the law $ and its claims imply 
 the penalty in the full extent. And hence the argu- 
 ment is conclufive, that they were deficient in regard 
 to the whole afTemblage of the leading doctrines of 
 revelation. Did the priefts pafs over the doctrines 
 of God with heedlefs and criminal delinquency ? In 
 thefe things were they to a high degree indefinite, fu- 
 perflcial and partial ? Then they were not diftinguifh- 
 ing in their difcourfes on experimental religion. The 
 doctrines of God and experimental religion are nearly 
 allied. The latter is exercifed in view of the former. 
 Experimental religion confifts in a cordial approba- 
 tion of all the doctrines and duties dated in the bi- 
 ble. It is not to be fuppofed that men can be tho- 
 rough in explaining the nature and effects of religion 
 in the heart, and draw a diftinguiihing line between 
 it and all difguifes and counterfeits, and yet be fu- 
 perficial in treating on thofe very objects towards 
 which it is exercifed. Hence it is eafy to lee that the 
 priefts were wholly inadequate in every thing they 
 faid upon experimental religion. To this part of 
 their fault, the text has immediate refpect. They 
 had put no difference between the holy and the pro- 
 fane, neither had they (hewed a difference between. 
 the clean and the unclean. That is, they talked 
 alike to faints and finners. They as readily applied 
 the promifes to thofe who were dead in fin, as to 
 thofe who were a?ive unto God. The fact was, they 
 did not make a difference where God had made a dif- 
 ference. They approved and di (approved without 
 any difcrimination of character. In ihort, it rate 11 
 
~-8~ . .... 
 
 have been gathered from a complex view of their of- 
 ficial employment, that there was no material difpar- 
 ity between the converted and the unconverted, that 
 they were alike pleafing to God, and might hope 
 with aqual afTurance for a happy immortality in a 
 future (late. From this Qiort (ketch', may at lead 
 be difcovered fome outlines of the grounds of the 
 charge brought by God againfl the priefthood Rated 
 in the text. 
 
 The object which in the fecond place claims at- 
 tention, is a fhtement-of a fummary of thdfe doct- 
 rines which are diftinguifhing, and are diredly cal- 
 culated to (hew a difference between the holy and the 
 profane, the clean and the unclean. 
 
 Blame being reflected on the priefthood for 
 confounding distinctions between the holy and the 
 profane, makes it evident, that to draw an accurate 
 dividing line between the two characters, is a duty ; 
 2nd therefore not impracticable. And if fo, there 
 mud be ways and means to come at the difference. 
 This leads to obferve that the doctrines contained in 
 the Holy Scriptures ate exactly fuited to produce this 
 effect. It would exceed the limits of a fiiigle difcourfe 
 to ftate all thefe doctrines or more than juft glance at 
 thofe which are the principal and mofl material. 
 
 The doctrines on which I fhall remark as dif- 
 tinguifhing, may be fummed up in the following : — 
 The exiftence of one God in three perfons ; his de- 
 crees, foreknowledge, and univerfal government ; 
 human depravity, the atonement, falvation by fever- 
 e'ign grace, and the nature of holy fubmiflion. 
 
 ThAt there is an infinite being at the head of 
 the univerfe is evident from our exiftence, and the 
 innumerable objects about us. If any thing doth 
 now exift, God mufl be the author of its exiftence, 
 
 
or it muft exift independently of any caufe. Where 
 there is an effect, there muft be an adequate caufe to 
 account for that effect. Here the inquiry prefents 
 itfelf, what caufe is adequate to the production of the 
 effecls which are within the fphereof our obfervation ? 
 Did they affume exiftence by their own energy ? 
 On this hypcthefis they muft have had agency and 
 defign prior to exiftence, which is abfurd. Beiide, 
 tbefe exiftingobje&s could not have been the fruit of 
 blind chance, becaufe there is as great evidence of 
 knowledge and defign in the caufe of them as there 
 is that they do exift, arid mere chance can have no 
 knowledge, no defign. The term chance exprefles 
 no more than our ignorance of the manner in which 
 certain matters take place. Bende, if chance ever 
 had agency, it has now, arid do we find men and 
 worlds afluming exiftence by chance ? Nothing of 
 this have we ever feen— -but on the contrary, the 
 harmony and order fuhnfting in this lower creation, 
 confronts the foregoing hypcthefis as vain and nuga- 
 tory, and eftablifhes the exiftence of God. Is there 
 one fu pre me, felf-exiftent being ? Then it is certain 
 there is hut one. To fcppofe two or more infinite be- 
 ings is a contradiction, nnce this would imply a per- 
 fect identity and fame nets, and therefore excludes 
 plurality. Taus far we may realon conclufively from 
 the light of nature. With the help of revelation we 
 are further inftru&ed, that this one Gcd exifts in a 
 trinity of perfons, known by the appellations, Father, 
 Son and Holy Spirit. Thefe perfons are one in ef- 
 fence, each of whom are called God. — Ifaiah ifpeak- 
 ing of the So » ; calls him the mighty God, the ever- 
 lafting Father. In the Acts it is exprciily faid, that 
 Ananias and Sapphirahad lied onto the Holy Ghoft, 
 and this is called lying unto God. The whole Chrif- 
 tian difpenfation is built on the principle of a trinittf 
 of perfons in the Gbdheid. B 
 
— 10— 
 
 The next point in the luminary is the holinefs 
 ur moral excellency of this one Gad in three per- 
 Ions. No fooner is there evidence exhibited of the 
 cxiilence of one fupreme being, than the mind is led 
 to a full aiTent, that he mull be infinite in knowledge, 
 power and great nefs. So far the mind is neceflitated 
 to proceed without induction. Whatever may be 
 laid to the contrary, yet it is conceived, that the in- 
 finite goodnefs of God is clearly cilabliihed both from 
 the light of nature and revelation. It is the moral 
 perfection of God which obligates men to love him. 
 The heathen are under this obligation, and there- 
 fore they have an advantage from the light of nature 
 to difcover his goodnefs. The Apoftle's reafoning in 
 the ririi chapter of Romans and twentieth verfe, con- 
 firms this point. The fcriptures abound with the 
 endfl: iubtlantial proofs of the goodnefs of God. The 
 moral law is a tranlcript of his character. And this 
 is holy, j u ft and good. 
 
 Another important dodrine of revelation is 
 the decrees of God. God's decrees may be argued 
 conclufively from the perfections of his nature. With 
 God all things are one eternal prefent, and therefore 
 his decrees refpect all events which are future to 
 creatuies, none of which are future to himlelf. 
 On this pillar the Chriftian fyftem principally 
 lefts. What is prophecy, but God's decree revealed ? 
 How do we know there will be a day of general judg- 
 ment and a future ftate of rewards and punifliments, 
 only from the revelation of God's purpole and decree 
 refpeding thefe events ? Erafe this fentiment from 
 the book of God, and you leave it * baielefs fabric, 
 ready to (ink into total difuie and infignificancy. To 
 this lentiment we are indebted for an acquaintance 
 with the wayoflife^ and it is interwoven with and 
 constitutes the verv nerves of that fyftem, which 
 brings its nOitality to light. He who (Strikes at this 
 
feiitiment, ftrtkes the grand hinge on which the 
 whole weight of revelation turns. Upo.n this are 
 built the promifes, the glory of God, and the hope 
 of the faints. 
 
 Another material doctrine of revelation is 
 God's perfect foreknowledge. Foreknowledge in God 
 does not fuppofe there is any thing future to him. — 
 Divine foreknowledge may be thus defined. It is 
 his pre lent knowledge of thofe events which are fu- 
 ture to finite beings. The day of judgment is now 
 preient with God ; yet it is an object oi his foreknow- 
 ledge, becaufe to us it has not yet taken place. 
 If God did not now. perfectly view all thofe events 
 which are future to us, he would not be infinite ; 
 therefore this point is materially concerned in exhi- 
 biting his character. 
 
 The univerfal government of God is a doctrine 
 clearly revealed in his works and word, and of prima- 
 ry consideration in the Chriftian fyftem. If God be 
 adequate to the government of any part of his works, 
 he mud be adequate to the fuperintendence. of the 
 whole ; and any abjection againft his univerfal reign, 
 lies with equal force againflhis government in a tingle 
 inftance. That God is adequate to univerfal gov- 
 ernment, will not be denied by any who hold to. t he- 
 perfection of his attributes, and that he does abfo- 
 lately govern in thisextentlve fenfe, is. as evident as 
 that he has made the world. Is it fuppofable that a 
 God of infinite power, wifdom and goodnefs, would 
 create worlds and beings, and immediately on this, 
 fufpend his fuperintending agency over them ? If we 
 give up the notion of chance and ielf-exiuence in 
 things finite, we fhall be under the necefiity of ad- 
 mitting the univertal reign, of God. The fcriptures 
 are explicit in maintaining the reigning agency ol 
 God in things, humanly fpeaking, fin ail an<} trivial, 
 
— 12 — 
 as efpecialty, a? in ihofe which are great and moment- 
 ous. Are not five fparrows fold for two farthings" 
 and not one of them is forgotten before God ? But 
 f-ven the very hairs of your head are all numbered. If 
 Gdd exercifes his fuperinter.ding agency over things 
 fo minute, then all other minute things lie within the 
 fphere of his government. Not a material particle, 
 not a fpire of grals, not the Ieaft ruftle of a leaf is in 
 vain or extraneous to the government of God. The 
 fyftem of God's univerfai government is fuperior in 
 point of excellency to any or all other poflfible fyftemsi 
 Infinite wifdom can devife the moft eligible govern- 
 ment, infinite power can execute it, and infinite good- 
 nefs fee ares fuch execution without failure; and 
 therefore all holy fpectators will eternally adore God's 
 holy government ; ar.d fhout with rapture of joy; 
 Alleluia ; for she Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 
 
 Another leading doclrine of revelation is hu- 
 man depravity. Is this entire, or partial as it refpe&s 
 the heart } In the intellectual faculties, there is no 
 cjircft depravity. The under (landing is darkened ; 
 but this is through the blindnefs of the heart. The 
 depravity of man consequent on the original apofta- 
 cyis wholly oi a moral kind ; and that it is total as it 
 refpeas the heart, is abundantly evident from the 
 confederations of the provifion made to fave iinners, 
 from divine declaration and from fad. From thefe 
 fources juftly contemplated, we have an afternblage of 
 teiiimony, that the heart of man, in his fallen ftate v 
 is deftitute of the leaft* degree of holinefs or moral 
 virtue. 
 
 The atonement is a fundamental theme in 
 
 Chriflian theology. This is the only ground on 
 
 ^Which God exercifes pardoning mercy towards the 
 
 ungodi*-. This was typified by facrifices under the 
 
 legal difpenfationj and was eflfc&ed by Chrift's on- 
 
during the curfe, inftead of the tranfgreffor, on the 
 crofs. Curfed is every one that hangech on^a tree. 
 Hence grow all our hopes of freedom from fin, and a 
 participation of the immortal felicities of the heavenly 
 jftate : for without the (hedding of blood, there is no 
 re million. 
 
 The falvatien of finners by fovereign grace is a 
 (abject no lefs important than the foregoing. Salva- 
 tion is not by works of right eoufnefs which we have 
 done.' God beftows grace by his own fovereign act, 
 without regard to any thing previoufly done by finners 
 to move his commiferation. The beftowment of 
 fovereign, difcriminatjng grace is, on characters in 
 whom there was no previous goodnefs ; but it is gui- 
 ded by infinite wifdom and propriety according to 
 God's holy purpofe in Chrift Jefus before the world 
 bfgan. 
 
 The nature of holy fubmiffion needs the cleareft 
 diftinctions,fince it fcolds a -mo ft important place in 
 the fcriptures of the old and new Teftaments. It is 
 in union with the principle, that difioterefled love 
 conftitutes the edence of true religion. YVhile it 
 feeketh not her own, it implies the accepting of the 
 punifnment of our iniquity^ and a willingnefsof heart, 
 that God (hould have the abfolute difpofal of us, and 
 this without any conditions of our own. The lan- 
 guage of this fubmiffion is, not my will, but thine 
 be done. G Lord ! do with me as feemeth good 
 in thy fight. With thefe doctrines, thus briefly 
 fummed up, there are others correfponding and fyft- 
 ematically connected ; the whole of which, if, duly 
 and judicioufly exemplified and elucidated, will amount 
 to that diftinguiftiing mode of handling the word of 
 God, which will not fail of (hewing a difference, be- 
 tween the holy and the profane, the clean and the 
 unclean. 
 
— 1 4 — ; 
 
 Having made fome little ftalement of the lea- 
 ding and ffioft material doctrines of the bible, 1 (halt 
 proceed thirJly to exemplify the manner in which 
 thefe do&rines mull be exhibited by the minifiers of 
 Ohrift, that tjiey might avoid the cenfure reflected by 
 God on the ancient priefthood. 
 
 i. They mutt exhibit thefe doctrines plainly. 
 If men would itudy to be ufeful in converfing on n.y 
 fubjecf, it is peceffary they guard again ft pbfeurity. 
 Should a tutor in inftructing his pupils in pbilbfbphy 
 or mathematics, labor none to render himiblf intelli- 
 gible, they could piomife themfeives very little bene- 
 fit from his tuition. The great art of initrucYing is, 
 to frmplify and make fubje&s eafily underltood. To, 
 effect tills, great plainnefsis neceitary. Confufion in. 
 words, fen fences, or method mufi be carefully avoid- 
 ed. Thofe who inttruct in any fcience or mathemat- 
 ical art, cannot be too. familiar with this maxim. 
 But for men of no employment or. calling, is plain- 
 neis fo important, as for thofe who hold the place of 
 public inftructors in divinity. The fubjects of which 
 they treat are of eternal, moment. The character of 
 the ever blefied God, the perifhing condition of un- 
 godly (inners, what they mull do to be faved, and 
 the grounds on which they may hope they are objects 
 of divine favor, fall withiutheirprovin.ee. How nc- 
 cefTary they fpeak of thefe things with plainnefs. 
 Chriil and his apoflles ufed great plainnefs of fpeech. 
 Upon every doctrine, their ideas were clear. Their 
 reafoning was accurate. One thing followed another 
 in moil happy connection. All was plain, all was 
 eafy. Atjd thus if minifters of the gofpel, would 
 avoid the charge alicdged by God againft the ancient 
 priefts, they mud bring out to their hearers, the doc-. 
 trines of Gofpel with the mod: ftudied plainnefs, 
 
 2. T«ev mxift exhibit thefe doctrines definitely, 
 
There is a loofe way of harranguing on fubjedts,which 
 refte&s no light on them. Good words are felecred, 
 but they are fo put together, as to convey no fixed 
 ideas. Important truth is tortured by equivocal ex- 
 preliions. This indefinite mode of preaching is not 
 calculated to improve the mind in the knowledge of 
 the Chriftian fyftem. It is very much like fpbfcking 
 in an unknown tongue. Saint Paul reproves indefi- 
 nite preachers in thefe words ; if the trumpet give an 
 uncertain found, who mall prepare himfelf for the bat- 
 tle. If it be a principal defign of preaching to inftrucl, 
 then thofe who are feparated to the work of the gof- 
 pel miniftry incur juft cenfure, in cafe they be indefi- 
 nite in their difcourfes upon the doctrines of the bi- 
 ble. 
 
 3. Ministers to avoid the error mentioned in 
 the text, muft not only preach plainly and definitely ; 
 but they muft preach diftinguifhingly. In exhibit- 
 ing the Chriftian fyftem, peculiar care mould be lifecj, 
 that every doctrine be put in its proper place. Sub- 
 jects in which there is a difference muft be examined. 
 The degrees of this difference are to be pointed out, 
 Error which at firfl view, appears plaufible, muft be 
 expofed. Truth which lies concealed from common 
 obfervation, muft be fet in the light and diftinclly 
 explained. Each link in the grand chain muft be 
 diftinguifhed from the next adjoining. And every 
 part by itfelf muft receive a fair elucidation, and then 
 all put together, like unto a building fitly framed, 
 and compacted by that which every joint fupplieth. 
 The preacher being thus diftinguifhing throughout, 
 will prove himfelf a workman, who needeth not to 
 be amamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 
 
 4. The minifters of Chrift muft exhibit the 
 doftrines of God's word pointedly. Of tins, Chrift, 
 in his public inftruftions, was a remarkable inftance. 
 
I Mi 
 
 He was pointed in improving fin, and in apprizing 
 men of their wickednefs and danger. Having an en- 
 tire command of the conference, he arraigned the (in- 
 ner before God, made hell appear as without a cover- 
 ing, and reprefented the ungodly juft about to leap 
 the gulph and lift up their eyes in torment. Men are 
 naturally braced againfl the truth. They are wilful- 
 ly difinclined to fee themfelves condemned before 
 God, It is not truth fpoken any how, whicfc moves 
 their fenfibility. And hence the mod pointed man- 
 ner of treating divine fubjects is to be regarded. 
 That kind of an edge ought to be given to every 
 truth, which is bed calculated to leave an im predion. 
 What pointed nefs in thefe expreflions of Chrift to the 
 Jews ? Ye are of your father the devil and the lufts of 
 your father, ye will do. Except ye repent, ye fhall ail 
 likewife perifh. 
 
 5. These dbctriaes muft be exhibited thor- 
 oughly. In nothing, it is conceived, do public in- 
 ftructors in religion, fail more materially, than only 
 iuft glancing at hard and difficult fubjects in their dif- 
 courfes and leaving them unexplored. For inftance, 
 they will have a few Icafe fentences on divine fove- 
 reignty, decrees, or election ; but will reflect no ligfct 
 upon either. This mode of proceedure is not im- 
 proving and edifying to the people of God ; neither 
 has it a happy effect on fociety. The tendency of it, 
 is to lead people to doubt of the truth of the fenti- 
 nients themfelves. The mind which is oppofed to 
 doctrines, is always inventing methods to difprove 
 them. If the minifters of Chrift juft hint at them, 
 without any thorough inveftigation, the oppofer 
 takes occafion to triumph in his own boafted wil- 
 dom, in the rejection of doctrines, which he would 
 pretend, have no ftronger evidence to fubftaoriite 
 them, than mere positive aflertion. But are fhcfe 
 
docVines invcftigated thoroughly, canvaffed and ex- 
 plored to purpofe, and brought fully into the light ; 
 and all plauiibleobjectdons anfweredand utterly confu' 
 ted, gainfayers will be filenced, and the enemies of 
 truth will begin to heiitare, whether their own fcheme 
 may not poflibly be fallacious. Perbaps,at flrfl view, 
 we mould imagine, that if faying a few things, in 
 public difcourfe?, on thefe points of doctrine, would 
 rile and difturb people's minds, to be more thorough, 
 would break the bands and fet all afloat. But fuch. 
 is not the tendency of preaching thoroughly. On 
 the contrary, it is directly calculated to draw the 
 cords of fociety, and tends to build up and eitahlifh it 
 on a permanent and happy bafis. But alkie from eve- 
 ry other confederation, the authority of Cod renders 
 it obligatory, on thofe who are fet for a defence of 
 thegofpel, to preach diftinguifhingly. 
 
 6. These dodrines muft be preached impar- 
 tially. For mtnifters to be always crowding at fome 
 certain favorite points is undoubtedly an error. To 
 declare the whole counfel of God, or to exemplify eve- 
 ry part of the fyftem of revealed truth, in its proper 
 place, is an enjoined duty. And if fo, they mud be 
 extremely faulty, who bend their attention only to 
 darling themes. And for this obvious reafon, that 
 it implies an omiffion of certain parts of that beauti- 
 ful and glorious whole, each of which is profitable for 
 doftrine, correction and reproof. Impartial jtfvgffi- 
 gatibns of religious fubjedts, are pleaded for, as bed 
 Calculated to improve the mind in divinity. This 
 mode contemplates each part by itfelf, and in its con- 
 nection ; it carries the mind forward, and leads to 
 fuch inferences and reflections as are weighty, and 
 friendly to the mp'ft rapid progrcfs in things fpirirual 
 and divine, Impartiality, in religious difcufiions, 
 
— 18— 
 
 counteracts finider views, excludes faife inferences/ 
 and allows every idea its ju'ft weight, and no more. 
 3f punctually regarded, it is honorary to the pried- 
 hood, and challenges the minds of men to reflect 
 Chridianity, even though they do not love it. 
 
 7. These doctrines muft be exhibited con- 
 dantly and uniformly. Occafional attempts to un- 
 fold the gofpel fydem are not fufficient, Paul af- 
 fcrts in his charge to Titus thefe things, I will, that 
 thou affirm Conftantfy. If men, in any occupation, 
 would promife themlelves fuccefs, they mud be con:-' 
 ftant and uniform in their bufinefs. Being duly ar- 
 ranged, they mud drive it with 3 uniform, fteady 
 hand. They mull not be off and on, fometimes one 
 thing and then another ; but always the fame, and 
 fwallowcd up" with the duties of their calling. This 
 does not fuppofe it necefiary and required, that in- 
 structors in divinity be every moment employed in 
 actually unfolding and elucidating thefe doctrines. 
 This would militate againd other duties which de- 
 volve upon them. But in their high and holy call- 
 ing, and as frequently as Providence renders it fuita- 
 ble, they muft come with willing minds, to the lame 
 delightful talk, and make every obdruction bow, and 
 every difficulty give way to their uniform and con- 
 stant developement of the doctrines of God. 
 
 8. These Doctrines muft be exhibited feel- 
 ingly. Thofe who unfold arad date iacred and eter- 
 nal truths to the minds of mer/, muft have hearts 
 glowing with pious fenfibility. Having the fear of 
 God before their eyes, their hearts muft be warmed, 
 with the fame benevolent affections, they would fain 
 enkindle in the breads of others. This is a feeling ne- 
 cellary in a work thus hallowed, thus Iacred. The 
 holy ardor to be alive in the foul, is exemplified in 
 the indance of Elihu. Jam full of mater. The- 
 
~I 9 
 
 fpirit within me conflraineth me. Behold my bellv 
 is as wine which hath no vent, it is ready to burft 
 like new bottles. I will fpeak that I tfcay be refrefh- 
 ed. Another inftance is in Saint Paul's fecond letter 
 to the Corinthians. O ye Corinthians 1 our mouth 
 is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Thus I 
 have fubjoined a few things to defcribe the manner 
 in which thefe doctrines muft be exhibited by the 
 minifters of Chrift,that they might avoid the cenfure 
 reflected by God on the ancient priefthood. 
 
 An application will conclude the difcourfe. 
 Ij- the above ftatements be juft and pertinent, 
 then we may infer, i. that thofe who undertake the 
 work of the gofpel miniflry, muft be men of goo,d, 
 natural abilities. To range the foregoing doctrines 
 fyftematically, to fhew their connection and mutual 
 dependence, to draw inferences from complex 'premi- 
 ses with accuracy, and to diftinguifh, in every fuppo- 
 fablecafe, truth from error, is not the mod ea(y talk 
 to perform. For this, acutenefs of thought, keen 
 difcernment, and found nefs of judgment are requi- 
 fite. No fmall proportion of thofe inftructions which 
 are neceiTary to be communicated are gained by in- 
 duction and inference. Divinity comprifes an affem- 
 blage of fubjects, capable of affording endlefs im- 
 provement. Thofe, whole employment, is to in- 
 struct, are commanded to bring out of their, treafure 
 things new. They are not to, confider themielves 
 limited by the acquiiltions of others. The themes 
 are numerous, deep, and infinitely momentous. The 
 more the field is explored, the wider it opens. One 
 truth lies upon the back of another in endlefs fuccef- 
 lion. Looking, into the my'fteries of Godlinefs, and 
 giving every confideration appropriate influence, who 
 can imagine that men of narrow capacities are fufrl- 
 cient for thefe things ? Paul was well informed, ana 
 
,—20— 
 deeply imprefTed in regard to this particular. In de- 
 scribing an elder, among other things, he obferves,he 
 muft be a[)t tojghd^.-, and hence it is extremely de- 
 firable, that thofc who enter into the work of the gof- 
 pel miniffry, be men of good, natural, abilities. 
 
 2. We infer, they muft be men of good acquir- 
 ed abilities. The mind of man in its native ilate is 
 like the diamond in the quarry. It needs the ikilful 
 hand of the artificer to bring it Ko perfection. From 
 the method Chrift took to qualify men tor the work 
 of publifhing the gofpel, we may be afTured, that ac- 
 quired knowledge is absolutely necefTary. The apof- 
 tles, when firft called and chofen, were not deftitute 
 of a good Chare of fclid merit, as men of fenfe and 
 judgment. But this was not enough. Through a 
 miraculous interpolation, they were endowed with 
 the gifi; of tongues, and other talents necetfary to 
 qualify t he m to argue, confute gainfaycrs, digeft fyf- 
 tcm, and evangelize ail nations. The fepa ration of 
 Paul to bean apoftle to the Gentiles, i: a fact which 
 witneflfes in favor of the inference. His acquired 
 knowledge was inferior to none in the age in which 
 he lived. He was brought up at the feet of Gamal- 
 iel, an eminent instructor, and doctor of laws. Ex- 
 pert in all queftions, he knew well the refpective ten- 
 ets of the various Jewifh fects, and was not ignorant 
 of the different fyflerns of Philofophy then in vogue 
 both among the Greeks and Romans. Such an ed- 
 ucation gave him furprifing advantage. Acquainted 
 with human nature, he was apprized of the biafes and 
 pafTions of men in all the (different grades of oflice and 
 occupation. And hence he could become all things 
 to all men. That is, he could exhibit the whole fyf- 
 tem of doctrir.es contained in the two Tefiaments,and 
 adapt them with eafe to high and low, wife and igno- 
 rant, learned and unlearned. Mc,fes was raifed up by 
 
God to be the deliverer of his "people from flayer yi 
 and to conduct them into a land flowing with milk 
 and honey. To prepare him for this arduous and 
 difficult tafk, he was early [aught in all the arts and 
 fciences of the Egyptians. By thefeand fuch like 
 recorded frets, God inftructs us to obferve the necef- 
 ilty and importance of acquired abilities to qualify 
 men for the gofpel miniftry. 
 
 3. We may infer, if it be requifite, for public 
 inftructors to exhibit the dodrines above fpecified in 
 the manner we have been defcribing, they mud be 
 men of real piety. If the blind lead the blind, both 
 fliall fall into. the ditch. Is it to be rationally expec- 
 ted, that thofe who are ftrangers to vital godlinefs. 
 will enter deeply into the Chriftian fyftem, and pur- 
 fue the bufineis of publicly inftrucYmg men in the 
 manner we have been obferving ? It is wholly incredi- 
 ble. Men cannot, and will not, ferve two matters. 
 They will not yield obedience to God and mammon 
 in the fame thing, and at the fame tim? . Will thofe 
 who are dead in fin and enemies to the crofs, pray and 
 befeech men, in Chrift's (lead to be reconciled to 
 God ? A greater abfurdity cannot be imagined. He 
 that is not for me is agaimt me. and he that gather* 
 eth not with me fcattereth abroad. The unholy 
 and profane will not preach ail the doctrines of God, 
 plainly, definitely, diftmguilhingly, pointedly, thor- 
 oughly, impartially, conftanlly anc] uniformly, and 
 feelingly. Without religion no man is qualified foi 
 the hallowed employment. Paul thus inftructed 
 Timothy. The things, thou haft heard of me, the 
 fame commit thee to faithful men, who fliall be able 
 to teach others. In defining to Titus the character 
 of an elder, he confiders holinefs clUmtial. For a 
 biihop mud be bla uelefs, as the fleward of God -, not 
 felf-willed. not foon angry, not given to wine, no 
 
itriker, not given to filthy lucre ; but a lover of hofpi* 
 tality, aJover of good men, fober, juft, holy, tempe- 
 rate. 
 
 4. If it be obligatory on thofe who are engaged 
 3D the work of the mini (Try to declare J he whole coun- 
 fel of God diftinguiftimgly > then it is the duty of 
 thole who partake of the fruits of their labors to aid. 
 and aflift them to the full extent of their ability. 
 Here it is worthy of notice j they mufc take heed 
 how, and what they hear. They are bound to hear 
 with a difcriminating ear, and cordially embrace the 
 ito&rines, which are humiliating and fhew a difference 
 between the holy and profene. It is encouraging to 
 good minifters, to find, that the feed, fown. by their 
 labors, takes root downwards and bears fruit upwards. 
 
 People are not only to aflift their miniuer: by 
 hearing and receiving the ingrafted word ; but by 
 their prayers. To preach the gofpel as defcribed i* 
 difficult and arduous. Thofe who undertake it need 
 aconiliat endowment of wifdom and prudence from 
 on high. And if fo, who, more than they, need the 
 prayers of all who bow the knee before the mercy feat ?. 
 Prayers p^oudy offered up for thofe whom Chrifr- 
 liatb called to labor, in his vineyard, arc availing and 
 will affuredly reach his gracious ear. This is incenfe 
 holy and acceptable unto Chrift, and on every ac- 
 count reafonable, and indifpehfibly obligatory on 
 thofe who are favored with his afcention gifts. 
 
 Beside, thofe who iland on Jerufalem's fpirit- 
 ua) wall, to minifter to the people in holy things, may 
 expec% tltey, in return, will minifter unto them in 
 their carnal things. If they give thcmfelves to their 
 work, and preach d ; .ftir>gui(hingly, it is no (mall crime 
 in people to fee them ilraitcncd, and adminifter no 
 relief. Do ye not know, that they, which minifter 
 about holy things. Ijvs of the things of the temple, 
 
and they, which wait at the altar, are partakers with' 
 the altar ? Even fo hath the Lord ordained, that they 
 which preach the gofpel, fhould live of the gofpeh 
 They labor under a very great mi (take, who imagine, 
 that minifters can give themfelves wholly to thek 
 Work, enter deeply into all the fubjecls of theology, 
 and preach diltingu'irtiirtgly, even tho' they withhold 
 from them the means of fubfiltence. Should any be 
 actuated by thefe narrow views, they will ftarve them- 
 felves. Yea, they will rob themfelves and their 
 children of the fincere milk of the word, and pine 
 away for the want of that meat, which, invigorates 
 an d makes men ftrong in the Lord and in the power 
 6f his might. M millers cannot explore fubjedtb 
 great and complicated, and entertain with beautiful 
 and pleafing variety, if their time and attention are 
 occupied in worldly cares. People who are wife will 
 ftrive to fulfil the law of Chrift, by contributing to 
 the necefiities of thofe who are placed over them in 
 the Lord, and to fuch a degree, that their profeffions 
 may appear in all their public performances. No 
 large donations are pleaded for, neither is it deferable 
 the clergy (hould become opulent, as under the reign 
 diConfiantine ; but only that they fhould receive 
 fuch a portion of friendly aid, as might free from 
 embarraflment, and tend to the greateft ufefulnefs. 
 There is a happy mediocrity, in which, if minifters 
 Could be preferred, they would be liberated from 
 many inconveniences on either hand. Which of rh^ 
 extremes cornprifes the greater evil, it is not for me 
 to determine ; but that mediocrity has a decided 
 preference to either of its extremes, your judgments 
 are already fat is Med. And therefore what ought to 
 be done in an affair of this kind, is. no point ot con- 
 troverfy or difficulty ; but the whole is for people to 
 bring their minds to a known ftandard of "propriety, 
 
"~ 2 4— . . 
 
 and then if miniftersdo not bring beaten oil to the 
 fancluary, the fault is their own. 
 
 I shall conclude with foms addrefTes ;dnd firfi: 
 to the Pafior elecl;. 
 
 My affectionate and much beloved brother ; the 
 folemn moment is drawing nigh, in which you are to 
 receive one of the moil weighy charges ever commit- 
 ted to man. You are to receive the charge of the 
 iouls of a preat number who will witnefs for or a^ainft 
 you at the great day. How folemn, how awful, how 
 tremendous the fcene ! Let your heart be how affec- 
 ted by the lad example of the .ancient priefthood. 
 Spy out all their deficiences. Ponder their dreadful 
 end. Let their portion in heii revive in your mental 
 fight and diftuade, left the blood of fouls be found 
 in yourifcirts, and the painful confederation of unfaith- 
 fulnefs, weigh you down in everlafting burnings. 
 But, my brother, I am perfuaded better things of 
 you, tho' I thus fpeak. You will take this people 
 down to the potter's houfe and arraign them before 
 the bar of God. Hence you will carry them on your 
 heart to the foot of the crofs and point them to a 
 bleeding Saviour. You will bring all the docliines 
 of God to a focal point, arid drive every fentiment as 
 a nail in a lure place. You will gather their little 
 ones in your arms, and bring them to Jeius of Naz- 
 areth. You will build an altar to God, and fix: your 
 own feal to it, that you will never let him go with- 
 out his bletfiffg. This you will do, at the hazard 
 of wordly eafe and popular applaufe. For iet me 
 add, and be thou allured, to preach the foregoing 
 fvftem in the manner ddcribed, will make you bitter 
 enfemiesi Every unrcgenerate f:nner hates the light. 
 Ye hate me fc*caufe i have to\d v6u the truth. Was 
 
— 2 5 _ 
 
 your mafter hated becaufe he was pointedly difcrimi- 
 nating in his preaching ? The difciple will be hated 
 for the fame. But remember, you have inlifted, and 
 put on theharnefs, and will you fear to fight cour- 
 ageoufly for him who hath chofen you to be a foldier. 
 Be not difmayed. The weapons of your warfare are 
 not carnal. If God be for you who can be againft 
 you ? You have a glorious captain, who will lead you 
 to victory, and perfect his ftrerigth in your weaknefs. 
 Ba humble, be faithful ; and may God Almighty 
 blefs you, that on the great day, you may (land in 
 white at the right hand of Chrift, and fay with un- 
 fpeakable joy, Lord here am I, and the Children 
 whom thou haft gracioufly given me. 
 
 My brethren and fellow-labourers in the vine- 
 yard of Chrift. With you I include myfelf. What 
 infinite mercy that God mould allow fuch he1l-de- 
 ferving rebels fo much as to open their mouths in his 
 name ! Wedeferve no better portion than to lift upour 
 eyes in torment, and this for our fad deficiences in the 
 work to which we have been folemnly feparated. 
 How confounded and afhamed ought we to feel that 
 our preaching has been no more pointed and diftin- 
 guiming. Are we not ready to enter into a folema 
 renewal of covenant, that we will declare the whole 
 counfel of God ? If we walk by faith and not by fight, 
 and in our peaching exhibit the truth in its undif- 
 tinguifhed firnplicity, Chrift will fet it to our account, 
 and own us at his fecond coming. But fhould we 
 tread in the footfteps of the ancient priefts, he will 
 laugh at our calamity and mock when our fear coni- 
 eth. 
 
 This people in a few moments are to receive an 
 afcention gift of Chrift. You have juft occafion to 
 rejoice j but with trembling. We fliould not leave 
 
 D 
 
—26— 
 
 our dear brother with the care of your fouls and thofe 
 of your children, if we had not gained evidence that 
 he will preach diftinguifhingly. But tremble at the 
 thought that this preaching while it is a favor of 
 life to fame, is a favor of death to others. This 
 day is pregnant with confequences of eternal moment 
 to you. Should you hear the truth and defpife it, it 
 will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in 
 the day of judgment than for you. 
 
 Let this whole affembly be as folemn as eterni- 
 ty,and let it be imprinted in their memories, as with a 
 point of a diamond, that Chrift will thoroughly 
 purge his floor and gather the wheat into his garner » 
 but vvill burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 
 
 FINIS.