^'^ '^m*. 'Sir^^f. wjp o IV -A. T I o :3r OF- ' SAMUEL AONEW, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA. q4^o I f' ' " wl*"- — ----- fc-r v ••♦^■^ GOSPEL NEWS, Divided into eleven sections. PEACE AND JOY: Being a Brief Attempt to conuder the Evidences of the Truth of the Gosrtl,^ in which we have 'the witnefs of Peace v/itH Goii, through Jesus Christ, drawn from the Old and New-Teftaments, together with our Obligations to keep the Foundation of our Peace, thus evidenced always in Remembrance; with feveral other Pieces conneaed with and built upon this foundation, part of which wsts not before publifhed. B^SHIPPIE TOWNSEND- Isaiah Ivii. 19, I create the Fruit of the Lips 5 t'eace, Peace to far fcfFatnd to near, faith the Lord. John xvi. 33. Thefe things have I fpoken unto you, that in me jjpe might have peace. Acts x. 36. Preaching peace by Jesus CiIrist. CoLLosiAKs i. JO. He hath made peace by the blood of his crofs. immmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmiimmmimmmmmmmmmfmmmmmamimmwmmmtmwmm^em .^ t>RINTEI> At BdSTOK, By ALEXANDER YOUNG And THOMAS MINNS, FOR THE WRITER, AND SOLD AT THE SSVESLAJ. BOO K-STORES IN T0W>1. MUKCXCIV. DEDICATION. As an expreilion of unfeigned Thankfgiving, for the exceeding Ricfies of Divine Grace, exhibited in the Gof- pe), the following Collecflion is dedicat- ed by the Writer, to the Honour and Glory of the Author and Finisher of our Faith ; and as an expreflion of Love to the purchafed poffeflion, they are publifhed for their perufal. That the blefling of God may attend the work, to thofe vi^ho read or hear, is the prayer of the Writer. AMEN, The Occafion of the following Treatife. \Jh the publication of Peace in Bojlon, a num- bet of friends were coUeded together an evening af- ter, and a fpeech. delivered on the occafion ; the fub- ftance of which is the foundation of the prefent difr courfe : When the importance of underftanding the Evidence of the truth of the gofpel, which publifhcs peace with God, throqgh Jesus Christ, in order to fattsfy diftreffed, perplexed minds, and for the confo- lation of believers, gave occafion briefly to go over thefe evidences, as they appear in the law of Mofes, the Prophets and the Ffalms^ in the birth, life, death, and refurreftion of Jesus Christ : In the teftimony of the Apojlles : In the miracles wrought by the power of the Holy GHOST,in confirmation of their teftimony : The difference between thofe miracles and the deceivable miracles- of antichrift : The evi- dence arifing from the rife, reigJi, and confumpuon of antichrift, and that arifing from the ftate of the yews^ according to what Jesus Christ faid concerning them, agreeable to the Prophets and Apojlles. Thefe things being often read in the courfe of reading the bible, as hiftories of the events that took place, and not as evidences of the truth teftificd of JesusChrist, for which they were defigned ; and foour minds re- main at a lofs about the evidences of the truth of the gofpel, which is, I apprehend, the fource of much of our darknefs and perplexity. : Herein I have endeavoured to keep clofe to the fcriptures, and to fpeak of thofe things in fcriptufe' language, in words that the Holy Ghost teachcth, comparing fcripture with fcripture : Such as wifti patiently to fearch the fcriptures to fee if thefe things are 4 , OCCASION OF THE TREATISE. are fo, may be affifted in turning to many of them that may tend to lead theif minds to the evidences therein contained. When I had gone through the confideration of the evidences above-mentioned, the importanceof the truth thus evidenced being kept ir^ memor)' , (truck my mind, which occafioned the con- l^deration of many paflages to that end. I have en- deavoured to keep as clofe to the obvious meaning of the fcripture, and as free from the traditions of men as I was able : Having gone tlirough ir> as brief and plain a manner as I am capable of, I now devote it to the honour and glory of our Lord Redeemer, and to the benefit and comfort of that part of his purr chafed inheritance into whofe hands it may come. o^ PEACE PEACE AND JOY. S.ECTION I. CHAPTER L The JBIeffings of Peac? between England and Ame-. RICA. Xn eyery piece of news our minds are anxious about the evidence of its truth, in proportion to the importance of it to us ; And in order to our rejoicing, \\'ith full fatisfa^ion in good news ; thefe two things are neceflary. Firft. That we are fully fatisfiedof the evidence qf its triith. Secondly. That we underftand the greatnefs of the good therein contained. The good tidings of peace we now contemplate with joy, come to us with the fulleft evidence of their truth that can be defired, fo as to leave no room for iihe leaft doubt or hefitation : It is only requifite for the fulncfs of our joy, that we underftand the great- nefs of this mercy ; in order to which it would be needful to confider ifl, what we are hereby delivered from ; and 2dly, what we are hereby put in poffeflion of. CThe refidue of the firft chapter heing more peculiar to the time when it ^'as firft publiftied, it is here paffed overhand we proceed to chapter 2d, ] CHAP, e PE AC E AND JOY. CHAP. II. The News 0/ Peace -with GOD. W HILE I am fpeaking of the ground of re-. joicing in the glad tidings of peace, national peace, or peace from war, is there not an anxious fpot in the mind that is not yet reached an obje6lion to fulnefs of joy after this manner? Thefe things are bounded by time which is fwifdy paffing, biit there is a long eternity before me, and my concern is whether my peace is made with God. ■ If there be any news about that matter which would EQake It certain, then, I could rejoice. 'Is there any ? Yes, and it is publifhed by an angel, Luke ii. 9 to 14:. Jt is good tidings of great joy, which fJiall be to all Peo-ple ; for unto you is born in the city o^ David ^ a Saviour which is Christ the Lord ; on which a multitude of the heavenly hoft appearing praifing and faying, glor)' to Got) in the higheft, and on eaj'th peace; good will towards men; unto you: To whoi^To th-e fhepherds, exclufive of all others ? Nojitfllall 6e to all people. On earth peace, good will tow'ards men : Not a corner of the earth, nor any of the inhabitants finally excluded from it. If I am on earth, no matter what part of it, there is peace there. If I be of the race of men, there is good will to them. This is a fhort account of this good news : But what is contained in it, unto you ; to all people ? is born in the city of Da^ vid, the place whence the fcripture faith that Christ fhould come, John vii. 42, Micah v.2. A Saviour -which is Ci\\\ ij,T the Lord ; a Saviour appointed and anointed to this ofhce ; who is alfo the Lord, having all power in Heaven and earth ; able to >ac- complifh the falvation of all people. He was born a Saviour, Galations 'w. 4. When the Julnejs oj time was come^ God fentjortk his So i^^ made of a woman^ PE A C E AN'D J O Y, 7 wofnan, made under the law, to redeem them that zoere under th^ law, that we might receive the adopticn of fons^ He lived a Saviour, and made it manifell by for* giving fin, by healing diieafes, by teftifying he came not to deftroy mens' Hves, but to fave them, that the world through him might be faved. He faves by his holy life, in which the law is per- feftly obeyed, even to that precept, Matt. v. 48. Bt ye perfed as your Father in Heaven is perftEt : This Jesus fpake under the law while that difpenfatioji lafted, and it mufl; be to lead to himfelf, where alone it could have its fulfilment ; and every fon and daugh- ter of Ada^n muft defpair of attaining any other way than as they are compleat in him in whom the divine will was done on earth as it is in Heaven, Again, he faves by his death, by anfwering the pen- alty of the law for the fms of the people, 1. Cor. xv. 3. Christ died for oiirjins according to ihefcriptiires ; and the apoftle fays, We thus judge, if one died for all then all died ; all being comprehended in the one,thfi head of every man for whom he tailed death : And thus we are faid to b^ reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Again, he faves by his refurredion, as that eviden- ces the truth of his charafterand the perfection of his work and facrificc, and of the perfed fatisfa6lion thereby made to law and juftice ; fo that he could not be holden of death, as he is declared, determined, manifefted, the Son of God with power according to the fpirit of holinefs, by the refurredion from the dead, he being our head. The fcripture faith, he roft again for our juftification. So the apoftle Ipeaks of the anfwer of a good confcience t'^zvards God by the refurreStion of Jesus Christ-: It is God that ju/ii- fieth, who is he that condemnetk ? It is Christ thai died, yea rather that has 7'ifen again from the dead. Further, 8 PEACE AND jd V. Further, be faves by bis exaltation arid interceflidrf^ •who is at the right hand o/"God, who alfo viaketh in- ter cejjioji for us : He is able to fave to tbe utrrioli tbem that come to God by biin, feeing he ever lives to make interceffion for them, and to them that look for him he will appear the fecond time without fini unto falvation. He told his difciples, I go to prepare a place for you ; I will come again and receive you to myfelf^ that where I ain ye may be alfo. This is a brief account of our peace, being made with God, for he is our peace, and he hath made peace ly the blood of his ctofs. Now the truth of this Uews depends on the true charafter of Jesus Christ. If he be the Christ, the Son of God, the* news is all true, the falvation is accomplifliedi CHAP. Hi. The Evidence of the Truth of this News, from the Scriptures of the Old Teftament. X HE inquiry then is, where is the evidence of the truth of this good news ? The anfwer is in thoi whole volume of the book which is written of him, tvhich would carry us back to the firfl promife of the feed of the woman that fliould bruife the ferperit's Bead. To the promife to Abraham, Gen. xxii. 18. And in thy feed JJi all all the families of the earth hi hleffed. It would lead us to his way, which thePfalnt- ift fays was made known to Mofes, his way 6f fhewing inercy : This was made known to him in Exodus Jcxxiv. 6. Mofes had prayed in the preceding chap* ter, Verfe 13. Shew me now ihy loay that I may know ihee^ thai I may find grdce in thy fight. Yerfe iSth, And hefaid^ I hefeech theeJJiew me thy glory. The an- fwer is, verfe 19, / will make all my ^oodnefs pafs bt^ fore P E A C E AND J O Y. 9 Jon thee. In chap, xxxiv. 5. The Lord defcendedin a cloud, andjlood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. Verfe 6. And the ho kd pajfed by before him, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, long fufj-ering and abun- dant in goodncfs and truth, keeping mercy for thou- fands, for giving iniquity and tranfgreffon and fin, and that will by no means clear. How is this name of the Lord to be made manifeft ? How is iniquity, tranf- greffion and fm to be forgiven confident with juftice, but with refpeft to the furety in which juftice is fatis- fied, who was by no means cleared until all the di- vine attributes harmonized in him, he having paid the utmoft farthing ? Hefpared not his own fon, but gave Imn up for us all. We cannot poffibly conceive: of peace and forgivenefs ofiniquity, tranfgreflionand Jin, and the guilty tranfgrefibrs not cleared. The •words the guilty are fupplied as we fee by the diifer- tnx. charafter. It is added, Vifiting the iniquities of the fathers up* on the children unto the third and fourth. Under the former difpenfation there was a remem- brance of fin every year ; the priefthood and facri-^ fice could not take it away ? The children of Ifrael are afked what they mean by ufing this proverb. The fathers have eaten four grapes, and the childrens" teeth arefet on edge ? Ezekid xviii. 2. ^o Jtremiahxjixu 29. In thoft days they [hall fay no more the fathers have eaten four grapes and the childrens' teeth are fet on edge ; but every one fliall die for his own iniquity, Muft not this have its fulfilment in him who when be Was lifted up from the earth, drew all men unto him, and talted death for every man, and dying for all, all died. Is not this thought ftrengthened by com- paring verfe 34 ? For I will forgive their iniquity^ and I will remember their fin no more ; which refers to the one facrilice of Jesus Christ, in which there B is lo PEACE AMD JOY. is remiffion and no more facrifice for fin, as in Hf. hrews x. 17, i8. And thus only have we a confiftent view of every man dying for his own iniquity, and the forgivenefs of iniquity, and the remembrance of fm no more. So then the vifiting the iniquities of the fathers on the children was to continue until the coming of Christ and his perfe6l facrifice, in which there was remifl^ion, and no more ofi^ering for fin, no remem- brance of it by repeated facrifice as under the law, it being taken away by the one facrifice. Why this is called the third and fourth is matter of inquiry ; but this is plain, that Jesus Christ came under the law, and clofed that difpenfation, and brought in the gof- pel difpenfation. Which gofpel, or way of fiiewing mercy in con- fidence with juftice was made known to Mofes, as it was alfo in the paffover inflitution. Exodus xii. In •which the unblemifhed Lamb was a type of Jesus the Lamb without bJemifii and without fpot, the Lamb of God that taketh away the fin of the world ; where- in is pointed out what God had refpeft unto in pafling over the children of Ifrad^m verfes 13, 23. Anl zohen I fee the blood I will pafs over you, and when he feeth the blood he will pafs over the door, and not fufFer the deftroyer to come in unto your houfes to fmite ; leading us to the price of our redemption, the precious blood of Christ as a Lamb without blemifh and without fpot, in which v.-e have the fulfilment of this word of God. This was alfo fhewn to Mofes in the brazen fer- " pent that typified the lifting up the Son of Man, that zuhofoever believeth on him might not peri/h, but have eternal life. And in the various things under that difpenfation, that had a fhadow of good things to come, which centring in Jesus, and having their fulfilment in him, are fo many undeniable evidences of the truth of the gofpel, the good news of falvation by Jesus Christ. The PEACE AND JOY. 11 The like may be faid oFthe prophets, who all gave witnefs to him ; fee IfaiaJi liii. 3 to 6. He is dejpi. fed and rejected of men ; a man offorrow and acquaint^ ed with grief : He hath borne our griefs and carried our farrows : He mas wounded for our tranfgrefions : He was bruifcdfor our iniquities ; the chaflifement of our peace was upon him^ and with his ftripes we arc healed. All we^ like loflfJieep^ have gone afray^ and turned everyone to his own zoay ; the Lord laid upon him the iniqiuty of us all. Verfe 8. for the tranf- greffion of my people was he fnitten. Was he wounded for our tranfgreflion, bruifed for our iniquities, and the chaftifement of our peace up- on him, and we healed by his flripes, furely then ac« cording io Jer€miahii.yi\\\.6. This is the name where- by he fhall be called the Lord our righteoufnefs, Ezekiel alfo prophetically proclaims the glad tidings, chapter xxxiv. 29. And I will raife up for them a plant of renoxun^ and they fiall no more he confumeA with hunger in the land : Which is the fame fpoken of by Ifaiah in his 49th chapter, from 8 to 10. They Jliall not hunger nor thirfi^ neither JJiall the heat or fun fmite them ; for he that hath mercy on themfJiall lead them ; even by the fprings of water fliall he guide them : Which is explained, John vi. 35. And }e- sus faid unto them, I am the bread of life, he that Cometh to me fhall never hunger^ and he that believeth en me fliall never thirjl. When Daniel was fpeaking and praying, and con- feffing his fin and making fupplication, he is inform- ed by the angel Gabriel, that feventy weeks were de- ternpined to fini/Ji tranfgreffion and make an end of fn. This could not be done under the Mofaick difpenfa- tion, where the priefts ftood daily offering oftentimes thofefacrifices which only broughtfmto remembrance, and could not take it away : But this was to finifh and make an end of it, and to make reconciliation for iniquity 12 PEACE AND JOY. iniquity f and to bring in everla fling righteoufncfs. AU typical legal rigbteournefs was in its ov/n nature tran- fitory, only pointing to this, and muil fade as a leaf ■when its antitype is made manifeft, and everlafting righteoufnefs brought in. And to fral up the vijion, and the prophecy^ and to anoint the Most Holy. The fealing up the vifion and the prophecy leads to the completion of it, as when any writing is to be fea- led, care is taken that it is completely finiflied. This vifion and prophecy, or what was revealed to and de- livered by the prophets, had its completion in the anointing of the Most Holy. To whom all the prophets gave witnefs, and who is brought in by the prophet Hojea, chapter xiii. 9, fay- ing, Jfrael, thou hajl dejlroyed thyjelf^ hut in me is thy help. V. 14. I will heal their hack Jhdings ; I will ranjom thee from the power of the grave ; / will re- deem thee from death. And ch. xiv. 4. I will love them freely ; for my anger is turned away from him. This is good news, glad tidings of great joy ; of which Joel alfo fpeaks, cii. iii. 24. for I will cleanfe their blood that I have not cleanfed ; for the Lord dwelleth, in Zion. And although Amo5 was called to prophecy of the various judgments, the defolations and deftruclions that were to come on Syria, the Phihflines, Tyrus^ £do7n, the children of Ar/inion and Moab, with jfii-' dah and the kingdom of Ifrael, or the ten tribes, of whofe utter deftruftion, as a kingdom he prophecyr eth : Yet he tells us, ch. ix. v. it. In that day, or as the apoflle expreffes it, after this zuill I return and raife up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and clofe up the breaches thereof, that they may poffef the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen that an called by my name, faith the Lord. All the heathen are called by my name. Yes, and blefled be his name, with Amen, ecchoing from the utmoft PEACE AWD JOY. 13 ■Utmofl ends of the eartli : In Christ Jksus is this prophecy fulPlled ; this tabernacle, of David ruifed lip ; that as James expreffes it, the rcfidue of men niight feek the Lord, and all the glntijles upon whom my name is called, faith the Lord, that doeth all thefe things. It would draw me to too great length to mention the other prophets, which write iri their prophecies of Jesus, to whom they all gave witnefs, as fo many undeniable evidences of the truth of the news of fal- vation by Jesus Christ. The exhortation in Ifa, xli. 27, may be here introduced : Behold^ behold ihcm, and I zvill ^ft;e ?m^o Jerufalem, one that bringeth good tidings ; even good tidings of great joy, which Uiall be to a,ll people. If we pafs from the Law of Mofis and the prophets to the Pfalms, diey are con- cerning him J and we fee not the meaning of them until we fee them center in him, and teftify of him. The perfe6l charafter of the blessed maiV in the id, 14th and 2i{i PfalmsS^ nowhere to be found but in ChristJesus : The many prayers that are made in the various Pfalms where uprightnefs and love to the divine precepts, teftimonies, commandments, &c. are pleaded as the ground of .being* heard, belong to none but Jesus, who ever did the things that pleafed the Father j and are the prayers, fupplication, ftrong crying, with tears to him that was able to fave him from death, that he offered in the days of his flefh, and was heard for his piety j that thefe were his prayers, we have a fpecimen in his uttering the i{t v, pf the xxiid PJalm on the crofs ; the other part of the Pfalm was as undoubtedly a prophetical defcription of the prayers of the Messiah, as that though it was not vocally exprefled. The affurance of being heard, and the happy fruitsof his fuffcrings, expreffcd from the 21ft V. to the end of the Pfahi, bring to view that expveffion, Fath er, / ihank thee, that thou hajl heard rne^ a^iid J know that thou hearejl me always. If 14 P E A C £ AND J O Y. If we call: our eye on the i8th PJalm^ where the Prophet brings in the Messiah under the forrows, the fnares of death and the forrows of hell, in diftrefs Ccilijng upon the Lord, and crying to his God : 1th iiddedy he heard my voice out of his teTiiple^ and my cry came before him inlo his ears. The following moft majeftick defcription would lead to the anfwer of the prayers of Jesus on the crofs, in the earthquake: Then the earth Jlwok and trembled, the foundations of the hilhmoved and was fiaken becaufe he was wroth* The darknefs that was under his feet would lead to the darknefs that was over all the earth : He made darknefs his pavillion^ round about dark waters and thick clouds of theftiy. Verfe 16 and on. He fent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters, he delivered me from my ftrong enemy, and from them that hated me. Though they appeared to the view of the world too ftrong for me, he brought me forth into a large place, he delivered me, becaufe he delighted in me, hecanfe in me he zuas well pleafed. This deliverance leads our minds to his refurrection from the dead. The Lord reivarded me according to my righteoufnefs, according io the cleannefs of my hands hafh he recompenfcd me ; for I have kept the way of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God ; for all his judg- ments were before me, and I did not put away hisflat- iitcs from vie : J zcas alfo upright before him, and kept myf elf from mine iniquity ; therefore hath the Lord recompenfed me according to my righteoufnefs, accord^ ing to the cleannefs of my hands in his eye fight. Now when w'e view David in the Pfalms fpeaking of him- felf, wx are led to blunder in the dark after creature righteoufnefs, and wifh to be as good as David, that •\ve may pray, as he did ; and hope we are fmcerely defirous of it, &c. So to compafs ourfelves about with fparks of our own kindling, which will be for- ever PEACE AND J OY. 15 ever difappointing, but when we fee liim teftifying of Jesus, we find a righteoufnefs that is perfe61, that is fafe to truft and be found in : for with him who per- fcftly fulfilled, the law andenduredthe curfe in mercy to us with him who is the merciful thou wiltJJiew thy^ felf merciful ; with this upright man thou wilt Jhtxa thyfelf upright ; with \\)\s pure^ this Holy One thou •wilt flew thyftlf pure.^ while thou wil^contend with the perverfe that jflight this' perfeft righteoufnefs, and go about to eftciblifli their own : For thou, wilt fave the ajJliBed people through the divine righteoufnefs, that are altogether deflitute ofrighteoufnefs inthemlelves, hat wilt bring down high looks. Surely he fcorneth the fcorner, he refifleth the proud ; the loftinefs of man fhall be bowed down, and the hautinefs of man fliall be made low, and the Lord alone fhall be ex- alted. In that day, according as it is written, let Itim that glorieth glory in the Lord. But to confider the good news of Iklvation by Jesus Christ from the Pjalms^ would open too l^gc a field for the prefent dcfign ; if what has been brought to view may be an help to open this field, to walk in at our leilurc, a good end may be anfwered. CHAP. IV. The Evidences of this Truth fro^n the New-Teftament. If we turn over to the New-Teftament, the evidences multiply upon us from the birth, life, death and refurredion of Jesus, from the teftimony of the apoftles, from the prophecy of the rife and reign, con- lamption and deftruftion of antichrift, from the (late of the Jews^ agreeable to the prophecy of Christ and the apoftles' teftimony concerning them, PART i6 PEACE AND JO Y. PART I. OJ the Birih^ Life-, Death and RefurreBion of Jesus Christ. A O begin with his birth. When an inquiry is made for the place for the Lord, an habitation fof the Mighty Of e o£ Jacob, it is faid, Pfalm cxxxil. 6. ZV), u:e heard of it^ at Ephrata, when this habita- tion is found for the Lord. It is added, v. y. We mil go into his tabernacle, zve will worfiip at kjs footflool. The prophet Micah foretells the place of his birth, chap. V. 2. And thou Bethlehem Ephrata, thou art lit- tle among the thovfands of Judah ; * out of thee f halt he come forth unto me, thatfnall be the Ruler in If rael, whofc goings forth have been from the beginnings even from the days of eternity. The evangelift Mat, ch. ii. 1, gives an account that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, of Judah, in the days of Herod the king^ who upon hearing of his being born king of the fews^ he gathered the chief priefts and fcribes of the people together,and demanded of them where Christ fhould be born ? as being fatished that that event v/as fore- told : They faid unto him, in Bethlehem, of Judah, and quoted the prophecy of Aiicah juil mentioned. Poor deceived, miflakcn i/eroif, fuppofmg Jesus Christ to be a temporal prince, feared himfelf in danger, (alas, in danger from the Saviour, from him who came not to deftroy mens' lives but to fave them) and fought the young child's life, which occafioned the being fent to Egypt for the fulfilment of the pro, phecy ; out of Egypt I have called my fun. Upon his return from Egypt, J^fph Was afraid of king Ar- chcIuS) who reigned in the room of his father Herod, fo * It is faid the Jctosy the dunj^hter of troops, divided their country,, fo tluitfor every thoufand iheie was a Chief Captain ; and becaufc Bethlehem was not able to make up a thouland, the prophet calleth it little, but God would raife up Ifrad's Ruler therein. PEACE AND J O Yi 17 fo did not return to Judca^ but turned afidc into the parts of Galiilee, and came and dwelt in the city caMcd Nazareth^ that it might ht fulfilled that was fpokcn of by the prophets, hejliall be called a Naza- reen : As the prophets in the plural number are here fpoken of, and I have not been able to turn to any of them, in which this is particularly exprefled, it has cxcrcifed my mind in way of mquiry, and that which appegrs moft likely, is, that it was what was teftificd by the prophets concerning Jesus, in other cxpreiTions that denote the fame thing. Now when I confidcr that the holinefs of the Na- zarites under the law was only typical, and could not make the Nazarites perfect, as pertaining to the con- fcience, but they mufl offer their fin-offering when the days of their feparation were fulfilled, A'w.m. vi.13.14. Though all the days of their feparation they were called holy unto the Lord, I look for this holinefs thus typified; in him of whom it isfaid,hefhallbecalled a Nazareen. In him alone can I view that inimitably grand, majeftick defcription of her Aaz£zn^fj,wehavc in Lam. iv. 7 : Htr Nazarites were purer than fnow ; they were whiter than milk ; they were more ruddy in body than rubies ; their polijhing of Japphire. This w'as what their holinefs, all the daj^s of their fepa- ration, pointed to, which dwelt in perfection in Jesus the Holy One. When we confider Sampfon, who was a type of him, a Nazarite from the womb, as the angel told Manoah's wife, Judges xiii. 5. She added, when file told her hufband in v. 7. 'till the day of his death ; but this might not be, no perfeftion was to be found in the typical Nazarites, that was referved to the antitype. Now confidcring thcfe things, if what is faid of the Nazarites referred only to themfelves, thofe fc rip- lures would be of private interpretation ; but we are told no fcripture is fo, therefore they muft point to C Jesus Jesus who is the public interpretation of them : Scf '^V'hat is fpokeil of them is fulfilled in his being called s. Nazareen;3.nd as the A^^z^rzVes'holinefs, pointed to hivs perfeft holinefs fo the multitude of texts where h6 isfpoken of as the Holy One, all point to him. In this charafter, the purer than fnow, the ^Yhiter than irnilk', the more ruddy than rubies, whofe polifhing is f)f fapphire,the iV(7Zfl;r//?indeed, in whom is no biem- jffi; tlvisis the moft fatisfying view I can atprefcnt take of that paflage, that it might be fulfilled that was fpoken of by the prophets, he ihall be called a Naza- reen. If we take notice of the life of Jesus, we Jhall find the prophefics fulfilled herein as fo many evidences of the truth under confideration. The pfalmift, in the ciiid pfalm, bleffeth the Lord -who forgivelh all thy iniqui'hei, %}ho healeth all thy d if cafes. That Jesus >s the Lord is evidenced in his pronouncing to the fick of the J>alfy, fon be of good cheer, thy fins be for- given thee. To prov6 himfelf the Lord Wat for- gave iniquity, he healed the man with his word, as we fee Matt. ix. begining, Mark ii. 3. When thedifciples q{ John were fent to inquire, if he were thetrueMEssi ah, Lxikcvix. 2 i,m the fame hour he curedviany of infrmities^ and plagues^ and of evil fpirits; audio many that tvei-cHiiid he gave fight ^ and gave them this as an i alted, fmners of the Gentiles quickened together with Christ, and railed and made to fit together iri heav- enly places inCHRisT Jesus. Jesus the high-prieft of our profeffion, when he had offered one facrifice for fin> fat down as having, finifhed his work. We finners of the Gentiles J as low as valleys, are quickened together with Christ,- and railed and made to lit' together in him ; fit as thofe come to a place of reft and fafety. Surely here is thd place in vHiieh the brother of low degree may fit and rejoice with exceeding great joyy in that be is exalted, and the rich in that he is made Ibw ; that he hath difcovered the fading nature of hisT riches, by the knowledge of Jesus Christ. If we purfue Jdhn\ teflimony of him, after Jesus was ma- nifefted to him, as in John i. 29, 36. Behold the Lamb o/God that taketh- away the Jin of the tvorld :- behold the Lame of GoD^ Sec. It will join in yield- ing evidence that Jesus is the Christ ; for fo fure as the prophet's teflimony of the voice crying in the wildernefs, was fulfilled in John the baptifl, fo fure he bare witnefs to the truth which be thus expreffes; Jfaza aitd bare record thdt this is the Son of God. This is the character Jesus claimed ; this is the truth he bare wntnefs to, through his whole life ; this is what his works bare witnefs of. This is the chara6lcr he claimed, John viii. 24,28, 58. Before Abraham 'was I am-y which was the charatler of the God of If rael, as gjyen to Mofes^ Exodus, iii. 13, 14. Mofes in- quires, w^hat anfwer he fliall give, when the children of Ifrael fhall afk the name of the God of their fa- thers ? And Gob f aid unto Mofes, /am that I am. :■ And hefaid^ thusjlialt thou fay to the children of If rad-i I ^^ hath fent me unto you. Jesus converting with their defcendants who had this record, fays ta them, if ye believe not that I am, ye fhall die in your fins. When yc have lift up the Son of Man, ye fhall P E A C E AND J O Y. if fhall know that I am. When the band came to ap.- prehend Jefus, he faid unto them, Whom feek yc ? 'I'hey faid, Jksus of Nazareth : Jksus faith unto them, I AM. As foon as he had faid unto them, I am, they went backward and fell to the ground. He afked again, whom feek ye ? They faid, Jesus of Nazareth : Jesus aniwercd, I have told you that I AM. — -When' Jesus {diid^before Abraham was, I am, they took up ftones to caft at him, John, viii. 59. The reafon of their feveral attempts to ftone him, they gave, yohn X. ^^, for blafphemy : And becaufe thou being a manmaketh thyfelf. God, he ftill claimed this charafter, and referred them to his works. // / do not the works of my fatjier, believe me not ; but if I do, though you believe not me, believe the works ; that ye may know and believe that the father hathfentme : I have greater witnefs than that of John, for the work which the father hath given me to fnifh, the fame works that I do bare witnefs of me, thai the father hath ftnt me : Believe me that I am in the father and the father in me, or elfe believe me forthevery works fake. Thus Jesus claimed the chara6ier and did the works which the Messiah was to do, and referred the J^e-wj to the works, as bearing witnefs of him : They conftandy pppofmg and accufing him as having a devil, being mad, fpeaking blafphemy, until he is pur- fued to death as a blafphemer ; in which death we have the fulfilment of the prophefies,and the accom- plilhment of the types of the old Teftament. And although Jesus was put to death as a blafphemer, and is defpifed and reje6ted of men ; defpifed and we ef- tecmed him not : but efteemed him Itricken, fmitten of God and afflifted ; yet he was wounded for our tranfgreffions, he was bruifed for our iniquities ; the chaftifement of our peace was upon him, and by his ftripes we are healed : The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all : For the trangreflion of my people 28 PEACE AND JOY. people was he fmitten. The various other prophefies^ concerning the death of Christ (which had their fulr filment therein) in the old-teftament, would lead to too great length to take a yi^w of here. All the types and fa-r orifices have their fulfilment here, as the Lamb God would provide himfelf, of which Jbraham told Ifaac^ who was typified by the lamb caught in the thicket by his horns, that was oflPered inftead of IfaaCs Qenefis xxii. 13, as the antitype of the pafToyerlamb, the blood of which being fprinkled on the door, &c. the de- ftroying angel fhould pafs over and not come into Itheir houfes. Thefe types no doubt John had in view when he points to the antitype with, behold the Lamb of God that takethaway the fin of the world : Behold, the Lamb of God. So had John the belov- ed, when he fays, Unto him that loved us and wajlied m/rom our fins in his own blood. So had Paul^ when he fays. Even Christ our pajfover isfacrijiced for us: and when he fpeaksofthe church of God which he had purchafed xuith his own bloody of being jujl if ed by his blood, of \i2Lvmgredemption through his blood, and of his fanBifying the people with his own bloody And Peter, when he fays, for as much as ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Giver and gold, from your vain converfation, received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a L.AMB without blemiJJi and without fpot. Here the whole redeemed company will join without a diffenter, Thou art worthy, for thou wajl flain and haf redeemed us to God by thy blood. The fulfilment of the prophefies of the old-tefta- jnent in the circumftancesof the death of Jesus might here be taken brief notice of, fuch as the reproach he underwent, fpoken of P/^/m xlii. 3, 10. My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually fay unto me, where is thy God ? With nfword in my bones mine enemies reproach me^ while they fay continu- alfyi PEACE AND J O Y. as filly, where is thy Cod ? They that fit in the gatefpeak againjl me^ and I am the Jong of the drunkard. Re- proach hath broken my heart. Is it poflible to exprefig the mod keen reproach in ftronger language ? With a fword in my bones mine enemies reproach me ; re- proach hath broken my heart. Thefe were fulfilled in the dying Jesus, Where is thy God ? He truflcd in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him. They fpit upon him : What more ignominious ? They blind-folded and fmote him : What more dif- trelTmg ? The prophefy fays, they fliout out the lip, they wag the head. The hiftory fays, they that palled by reviled him, wagging their heads. The prophciV of their giving hint vinegar to drink, is then fuliillerij and the prophetick language of the xxiid Pfam utter- led ; my God, my God, why hafl thou forfaken mc ?■ And we have a fpecimen of the accompliihment of the prophefy in the ciid Pfalm^ of his regarding the prayer of the deftitute, hearing the groaning of the prilbner, and faving the fons of death, in his anfwer to the dying thief. Here we have him uttering the language of Pfalm xxxi. 5. Father, into thy hands I commend myjpirit. The prophet Daniel fays, hejliall finifJi tranjgrefjion and make an end of fin, make re- conciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlajling righ-, teoufnefs. Jesus upon the crofs fays, it is finiflied. IJaiah fays, he made inter ceffion for the tranfgrtffors. Dying Jesus pra.ys, Fat her forgive them for they know not what they do. Thofe circumftances that at firfl: view feemed merely accidental, were ordered for the fulfilment of the fcriptures : The zeal of the Jews for the the obfervation of the fabbath, made them urge that the legs of thofe that were crucified might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Con- fequcn; upon which the foldiers came and brake the legs of the firft, and of the other that were crucified with him ; but when they faw that he was already dead they 30 PEACE AND JOY. they break not his legs, but one of them with a Ipcar pierced his fide, and forth v.'ith came there out blood and water, which things vjtrt done that the fcriptures Piould he fulfilled^ The type in the paffover lamb, Exodus^ xii. 46, Numbers ix. 12. Neither JJiall ye Jfrenk a bone thereof, has its fulfilment here. And the prophefy in Pfalm xxxiv. 20. He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken, is accomplilhed in him. — (Doth the apoftle fay, we are members of his body, of hisflcfli, and of his bones ! and fhall not one of them be broken ! here is ftrong confblation.) So likewife the piercing tlie fpear is fpoken of by ano- ther prophet : Theyfliall look on him whom they have pierced, for every eye (hall fee him, and they alfoihai pierced him. Thus the fubjeft is purfued until [esus is dead : The foldiers found him fo, and therefore they break not his legs. When Jofeph allied the body of Pilate^ he would not give it until he knew from the Centu- rion that he was certainly dead. Jofeph, who before had been a fecret difciple for fear of the Jews, went in boldly to Pilate to alk the body of Jesus, and laid him in his own new tomb, that was hewed out of and the number of the men were about five tlioufand. The next cl^V? being brought before the rulers, they received power to be witnefTes to this tnlth, be- fore thefe rulers in jferufaiem ; being filled with the Holy Ghoft, J^eier laid unto them, Ye rulers of the people and elders of Ifrael, if we this day be exami- ned of the good deed done to the impotent man, by vhat means he is made whole, be it known to you a/If and 10 all the people of Ijrael^ that hy the 7iame of ]v- sus Christ, of Nazareth^ zuhovi ye crucified^ who7n- God raiftd from the deady even hy hivi doth this man Jiand before you whole: This is the ftone fet at nought by you builder?:, which is become the head of tiie corner. Neither is there falvation in any other ; for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we muit be laved. Thus with great power gave the apollles witnefs of the refurre^lion > and though they llraitly threatened and commanded them not to fpcak at all, nor teach in the name of Jksus) they received power to anfwer^ Whether i( be right in the light of God to hearken to you more than unto God, judge ye ? We oug^ht to obey God rather thivii mail ; we cannot but ipeak the things which VkQ have heard and feen. Thus hath the apofUes, bearing witnefs unto Jesus at Jerufakm^ and Judea been hinted at. Tiie Hif» tory of the Ath of the Apojiks abounds with other like inltances : Ijut I pal's to jnention their being witnelf- " F cs 4^ PEACE AND J O'V; ^.s in Sdfnnria, and to the uttermoft ends of the ear^li/ Upon the perl'ecution againft the church at Jerufa- icm, they that were fcattered went every where preach- ing the word. Then Philip went down to Samaria and preached Christ there. AncV when the apof- ties heard that Samaria had received the wor'd of G0D5 they fent to them Peter rd, and ad- drefs f E A C E AND J O Y, ^g .^refs hira as the obje6l of their worfhip, \cere bci- Jievers : Thefe appeared to underftand the nn fiery of godlinefSjthat God was manifeft in the flcfli.Whcij 1 came to Mall. viii. 2. And behold a leper wor- fhipping him, faying, Lord ! if thou wilt thou canli n>akc me clean, I was fatisfied I found a Newl'cf- tament Believer : An4 reading orj ^o ver. 6, 7, 8, I faw a Centurion befeeching him, faying, Lojid, my fervant lyeth at home fick of the palfy. grievoufly tor- mented. J zsvs faith j I zuill come and heal him. The Centurion anjwered, and /aid, Lqrdj J am noi -wor- thy that thou Jhoiddjl come under v^y '^'ooj^ bntfpcak the word only and viy fervant PifiU he healed ; I thoughi I had found another, and was confirmed that I was right, by reading down to the 10th verfe ; When Jl- sus heard, he marveled and f aid, I have not found fa great faith, no not in Ifratl. In Iqoking ii)to the 9th chapter I faw a nuniber of believers, whofe faiih waj manifcfted by their ^yorks, in bringing a man fick of the palfy to Jesus. I call them Believers with good authority ; foj- Jesus faw their faith. Proceeding to verfe 18th, I find another Believer, a worfliipper of J Ksus, fayipg \o him. My daughter is nov dead ; but come and lay thine hand upon her and flie fliall live, A difeafed woman, in the crowd? is next brought in, in a parenthefis, who had fuch faith in him, as to fay within herfelf. If I may but touch the hem of his gar- ment I fhall be whole. Next we come to the two blind men, V. 27, who followed him, crying and fay- ing. Thou Son of J^avid, have mercy on us. And as they addreded him as Son o£ David, Jesus was pleaf- ed to give them opportunity to profefs their faith, and worfhip him as Lord : Bdicvefl thou that I aon able to do this ? They f aid wn^o A/?^, F^'^z, Lord. Were I to indulge my felf further in this agreeable compa^ py, I might feem tedious, having already looked over X^o chjjptcif^ i but this- may fuflicc for a Ipccimcn^, ^ha^ 44 PE AGE AND JOY. that the firft Difciple^, to^rether with the Apoftles, vorfhipped Jesus as Lord ; beholding his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, they addrefs him as the objett of their vorfliip ; Lord increafe our fiiith ; Lord to whom Ihall ive go but unto Thee ? Thou haft the words of tternal life, and we believe, and are fure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Thtiir teflimony being mod furely believed of themfelves, it carried them to count all things but lofs fqr the exr cellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus their Lord. But I am told, that the addrefling of Jesus Christ as Lord, is not an evidence that the)' be- lieved the divinity of his Perfon, or worfhipped him, feeing there are Lords many, and the term Lord is often ufed for a fuperior, But I cannot think the inftances that I have, or that might be mentioned, can be thus fet afide ; and I am happy- to find it is the defcription and characley of the firft difciples, A^s ix. 21. Them that call on this name : And the ift cpiftle to the Corinthians U not only direfted to the chufch of Gon at Corinth ; to them that a^'e fan^lified in Chrjst Jesus, called faints ; but to all that in every place call upoi) the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. It feems Faifl thought it the character o( the fanctified in Christ Jesus. And dying Step/ten addrefl'es Jesus as the object of his worfhip, in die fame language with which Jesus addrefles the father. They {\oned Stephen, calling upon, and faying. Lord Jesus receive my fpirit. The word GOD is fupplied by the tranflators. So we have Stephen addrefling Jesus Christ, as the objeft of his worfhip in his inoft ferious and miportant dying hour, calling upon and faying, Lord Jesus receive my fpirit. Here I thought to have doled what I intended, upon the evidence of the fmcerity of the apolllcs and firft dii- ciplesj P E A C E AND J O Y. 4^ ciplcs, in their belief of tlicir teflimony ; being fo fatisfied therewith, as without hefitation, to dire£l ikcir worfhip to him, as the true God and eternal life : But as the thought has been objeBed to as ^bove, (and bringing the callers on that name to view is agreeable) I would a little further purfue the I'ub- ject. In Mait. xv. .?2, 2,5, we have a woman of Ca- -naan crying unto him, liayiwg? Have mercy on me^ LoRD>, thoiL Sgm of David ! Then came fhe and wor- 4hipped him, liiyin^^, Lord, help me. She was a cal- ler on that name, a Ncw-Teftament believer, as Jesus Christ himfelf teilifies ; O woman, great is thy faith ! She appears to be divinely taught to under^ ftand the question the pharifees could not anfwer, what think ye of Christ, whofe fon is he ? They fay unto him the fon oi David. How then doth Da/vtd in fpirit call him Lord, faying, -the Lord faid ta iny Lord, ht thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foot ftool. If David then call him I, ORD, how is he his fon? She looks to him in this united charafler, which can be feen in God manifcft in the flefli. In the 17th chap, we find another believer, tho' a weak one, caUing on that name, v. ^4. a man kneel- ing down to him and faying, Lord have jnercy on my Jon.) for he. is liuiatick^ and fore vexed. I call him a weak one, becaufe Mark fays. He addrcffed Jesus with, If thou canft do any thing, have mercy on us and help us. Jksus faith unto him, If thou can fl believe^ all things are pojjtbk to hivi that hclieveth : And flraitway the father of the child cried andfaidy with tears, hoRO I hclUve, help thou 7ny unbelief. I might take notice of the multitudes that came and were brought to Christ for healing, whofe faith in and worfhipping Jesus is not particularly mentioned, though it is clearly implied ; for who would come themlclvcs, or bring their difcafcd friends to be heaU c4, i€ PEACE AND JO Y. cd, if th^y did not believe him able to heal then? ? And fuch as were healed by him, previous to their knowledge of him, and without their application tQ him, were thereby brought to know and own him, as the man born blind; John ix. 38. He faJd, Lord / believe^ and he worjhipped him. I might take notice pf the calling of the apoftles ; of Peters confeflion, that had Christ's approbation ; of Nathaniel's con- yiOtion and ponfelTiort -, of Thomas, who, upon con- viftion, with full fatisfaction faid, MyLoRD andviyGon; But fhall clofe with the crucified thief ; Lord remem- ber vie when thou comejl to thy kingdom. Thus the apoflles' bearing witnefs, with their fincepty herein, has been briefly hinted at. The Holy Ghost tef- tifying of Christ in connexion therewith, is to be feen in the miracles wrought by the apoftle?, in con- firmation of their teftimohy, by which God bare wit- nefs witli figns and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will ; %vhen it was the divine will that miracles fhould be; wrought, in confirmation of the witnefs of the refur- reftion of the Lord Jesus, which the apoftles bare. Perhaps it would be too lengthy to recite the many miracles wrought by the apoftles, in confirmation oi their dodrine, the healing^the lame man has been al- ready mentioned. I fliall only recite the paflkge in A6ls. v. 12,. And by the hand^ of the apoftles were, many figns and wonders wrought among the people ; infomuch as they brought the fick into the ftreets, and laid on beds and couches, that at the Icaft, the {hadow of Peter's pafling by might overfliadow fome of them. Then came alfo a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerufalem, bringing fick folks, and them that were vexed with unclean fpirits j and they were healed every one. Wiflh the miracles which Philip did, in confirmation of the preaching of Christ in Samaria^ which are thus recorded 3 Unclean fpirits, crying PEACE AND JOY. 4J i6r)ing with a loud voice, came out of many that were poflblTed ; and many taken with palfies,and that were }ame, were healed. And that God wrought fpecial miracles by the hands of Paul, fo that fram his body were brought handkerchiefs or aprons, and the dif- eafes departed from them, and the evil fpirits went out of them. But here may arife an enquiry, in that we are told of the coming of antichrift, whoie coming is after the working of fatan, with all power, and figns, and lying wonders, and with alt decervablenefs of unrighteoul- nefs, 2 The/, ii. 9. 10. And of the beaft,the fpirit of devils, and the falfe prophet, Rev. xiii. 13, 14 — xvi. 14 — xix. 20 'i that wrought miracles, whereby mer\ were deceived. How may the difference be known, between the mirzicles wrought by Jesus Christ and his ap^ftle%undet the influenee of iheH^i.Y Ghost, in confirmation of the doftrine of Christ, and the figns, wonders and miracles of antichrift, the beaft, falfe prophet and fpirit of devils. To which it may be replied. That there are iw9 ihings ever obfervable in the miracles wrought by Jesus Christ and his Apoftles. Ift. They were to teftify of CHRrST. Ildly. To relieve the afflided. Ift. To teftify of Christ. Thofe wrought by Jesus Christ were to manifeft his true character ; to prove his claim to be the Son of God, one with the Father. If ye believe not me, believe the w^orks, the works I do in my Father's name bear witnefs of me. So alfo thofe wrought by the hands of the Apof- tles were to teftify of him, agreeable to what Jesus Christ faidunto them. He JJiall tejiify oj me^ andyc alio ftiall bear witnefs becaufe ye ha\ e been with me from the beginning. While they btar witnefs to the refurre6tion of the Lord Jesus, miracles wrought by 48 t*E A CE A>TD j V. by the power of the Holy Ghost, tefl:*ified of ?>.^ truth wliicli they bear witnefs to. It was not tlie pie^^ ty? power or holinefs of the Apbftlcs ; they declared themiclves to be men of like pafTions with their hear- ers : But it was the dignity and glory of Chiust that vas hereby rhade manifeft. I Idly. They were to relieve the afFlifted, bath in their bodies and minds. For infhmce, let us view the man fick of the palfy, believing Jesus, when he iaid, Son thy fins be forgiven thee^ and his afflitted mind is relieved. He is of good cheer indeed, and that his faith might be confirmed, as well as that oth- ers might know he had power on earth to forgive fms, he is bid to atife, take up his couch and go to his houfe. His body is relieved, and he is able to cany that on which he lay, out before them all. The like may be faid of all the mhacles wrought by Jesus Christ ; they were all miracles of mercy to the blind, deaf, dumb, maimed, poffefled, &c. not the pooreft, meanefl:, moft deflitute and mifcrablc, ever caft out^ that came to him^nor any cafe beyond his power^ whereby he was ftill manifefting himlelf mightv to fave. Thcie are left on record both as tlic ground of our faith in him, and as an encouragement for the moft dejetled and abjcft children of men, to look to him from all the ends of the earth and be fa- ved, whatever be their diRrcffes. Thus were the miracles wrought by the apoftles, miracles of relief to the afflifted, both in their bo- dies and minds. ,Xet us view the inftance of the lame man that never had walked, though above for- ty years old, to whom Ptttr faid. Silver and gold have I none, but fuch as I have give I thee in the. name, of Jiisus Christ, of Nazareth^ rfe up and zoalk. See him leaping and walking ; and we iee him relieved of his bodily infirmity ; view him praif. ing God ; and we fee his mind relieved. Seethe fequcl i PEACE AND JOY. 49 fequel ; and we fee it is by Jesus of Nazareth^ who was crucified, whom God raifed from the dead, and to confirm the witnefs the apoftlcs bare of him : But the deceivable miracles, I ft. Teftify of men. Ildly. Eftablifli falihood. Illdly. Lead men into flavifh fear, darknefs and perplexity. Ift. They teftify of men, AB$ viii. 9. Simon ufed forcery and bewitched the people, giving out that himfelf vidiS fome great one, to whom they gave heed. So antichrift, fpoken of by the apoftles, 2 Thejf. ii. whofc coming is after the working of fatan, with all power, and figns, and lying wonders, and with all deceivablenefs of unrighteoufnefs,is he who oppofeth andexalteth himfelf above all that is called God, or that is wor/hipped ; fo ^hat he, as God, fitteth in the temple of God, fhewing himfelf that he is God. This was undoubtedly manifeft when the authority of the church was held more facred than the written word, and a meafure of it is to be feen wherever the decrees, counfels, confefFions and catechifms of men are preferred before the written word, or where they appear to have more weight and influence : The ground of this is, they were wonderfully pious, learn- ed and holy men, who were not likely to be deceiv- ed, and we have been ready to fay, if we were as good as they we Ihould not fear, which is idolatry, putting the creature in the place of the Creator ; 16 worfhipping and ferving the creature more than the Creator, who is God, bleffed forever. Ildly. To eftablifli falftiood, to lead the mind from the fountain of living waters, to broken cifterns that can hold no water ; for while they teftify of the pi- ety and holinefs of men, and lead to the above-men- tioned idolatry, they teftify of that which is not, of error and falfhood : Becaufe the fcripture teftifies of G man 50 P E A C E AND J O Y. / man, That there is none righteous, no not one ; they are all gone out of the way ; all we like llieep have gone aftray. When we look to men there is no clufter to eat, the good is periflied out of the earth, and none upright among meh -, the beft of them is a briar, the moft upright, fharper thah a thorn hedge : So it leads Illdly. To flavijfh fear, darknefs and perplexity. The fear of man bringeth a fnare ; the fpirit of anti- chrifl tellifying of man, bringing their perfons into admiration, tends to fubjeft men to them for their fuppofed piety and importance, and to look to them as their guides, and to look to themfelves, in order to qualify them to look to Jesus, in manner and form as they fliall dire£l them, which will foon bewilder and perplex them with the anxious inquiry, what lack I yet, to adorn myfelf fuitably to go to Jesus, that I may obtain falvation by him ? Thefumof the anfwer to the above inquiry is, E\'ery fpirit that confefleth that Jesus is come in the flefli, is of God ; for if Jesus is come in the flefh, he hath in our nature and in our ftead, fulfilled all righ- teoufnefs, obeyed the precept and fuffered the penal- ty of the law, which is manifeft, in his refurredion from the dead, when he rofe forour juftification ; the belief of this truth relieves the mind, and gives the anfwer of a good confcience towards God. But every fpirit that confefTeth not that Jesus \& come in the flefh, is not of God ; the fpirit that leads us to look to men and to ourfelves, to put forth a helping hand to intereft us in the divine favour, and infifts that the work of Christ is not itfelf alone all- fufhcient to recommend us thereto, is the fpirit of an- tichrifl, 1 John^ iv. 3. It may be faid,antichrift holds forth the evidences of the truth of the gofpel, as the apoftles foretold of the rife, reign, confumption and deftruftion of antichrift, who hath arifen and reigned even over the kings of the earth, whom the Lord has been PE A CE AND J O Y. 51 been confuming with the fpirit of his mouth, and wili dcftroy by the brightnefs of his coming. The fpirit of aniichrift, whofe coming is after the working of fatan, with all power, figns,and lying won- ders, as it teftifies of men, and has raifed them into places of profit, worldly honour and power over their fellow creatures, has led men into bondage and flave- ry to thofe thus raifed, and into darknefs and perplexi- ty, fubjecling them to religious tyranny and perfecu- tion, fo as to change the appearance of primitive chriltianity, and prejudice the minds of unbelievers, both Jews and Gentiles, againft the chriftian religion. The fpirit of Christ which teftifies of him bows down the loftinefs, and lays low the haughtinefs of men, fo that the Lord alone is exalted: And where the fpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, light, joy and gladnefs ; and inen are taught thereby to love their enemies, to do good to them that hate them, and pray for them that defpitefully ufe and perfecute them, to love one another as he hath loved them, and by lovcio ferve one another: The confideration of which evidences and manifefts the New-Teftament religion to be divine, and the author of it to be the Alpha and Omega, the begining and the ending, the firft and the laft ; and fo far as it prevails it cannot fail to recommend the religion that teaches and in- forces it to the confciences of all men. By this fhall all men know^;'^ are my difciples, if ye love one another. PART III. The Jews an Evidence of the Truth before us. 1 MIGHT farther add, that the Jews may be brought in as another evidence to the truth before us, as they are preferved in the providence of God, in their difperfions among the nations cleaving to Mofes^ who 52 PEACE A^rD JOY. who wrote of Jesus Christ, as living witneffes of the truth of the record of the Old-Teftaiiient fcrip- tures, from which fcriptures the apoftles of the Lord and Saviour proved the truth of what they teftified concerning Jesus, as being fulfilled in him. So like- wife in the fulfilment of what Jesus Christ faid concerning them, that fiiould be confeaucnt on their rejefting him and perfecuting his difciples. Ift. Their rejefting him ; fee the parable of the vineyard, Mait. xxi. 38, 41. Mark xii. 7, 8, 9. Luke XX. 14, 15,16. He fays in Mafi. xxiii. 37, 38, and Luke xiii. 34, 35. O ! Jervfakm^ Jej-ufaltm f Thou that killed the prophets and ftoneft them that arefent unto you ! How often would 1 have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not ! Behold your hoiife is left unto ym dtr folate \ Soalfoin Matt, xxiy^. 12 — -Mark xxi. 5, 6, when his difciples called him to view the (tones ancj the building of the temple, he faid, Verily J fay unto you, there JJiall not he left oneflone upon another thai Jhall-not be thrown ^oww ; which had its, literal ac- complifliment in the deftruftion of Jerufalevuzn^ the temple, and the very place where they ftood plough- ed as a field, according to the prophet Micah, which was confequent on their reje^ing him : And, Ildly. Perfecuting his difciples ; Matt. kxi. from 34. Wherefore behold. I fend you prophets and wife men andfcribes, and of them ye JJiall kill and cru^fy, and of them ye Jhall fcourge in your fynagogues^ and perfecute from city to city. Jesus told them this Oiould come upon them, previous to the deftruc- tion of Jerufalem ; for when he was fpeaking of that event, he tells them, Luke xxi. 12, 16. But before all thefe they Jhall lay their hands on you and perfecute ^de- livering you up to the fynagogues, and into prifons, be- ing brought before kings and rluersfor my name fake. And ye fhall be betrayed both by parents and brethren^ and kinsfolks and friends ; and of you JJiall they cauft to PEACE AN'D JOY. f^ to be put to death. And as he fgretold of the dtOruq- \\ono{ J eriifalan and the temple, and warned nia dis- ciples of what they fliould meet with, or what ihould befall them : So he gave them a token, which they underftood, when to make their efcapp from thoCc dreadful calamities, Matt. xxiv. 15 and onwjird— Mark xiii, from v. 14^— Luke xx\. 20, &:e. I fuppofe there is a fund of evidence to the truth before us, in what befel the chil4ren of IJracU in all that came upon them, the blefling and die curfe ; and their being rooted out of their land, in anger and \yrath, and great indignation, and caft into another land, as at this day, mentioned Dtut. xxix. !?8 — xxx- 1 ; which win more fully appear when v. 6 fhajrl havp its accomplifiinient : And, the Lord thy God piall circumcife thy heart and the heart oj thy feed ^ to loxic the hoKD thy God with all f,hine heart and toil h aU thy foul, that thoumayfl live ; -yvliich js fimiUr to the prophecy If a. lix. 20-; which is thus quoted by the Apoftle, Rom. xi. 26 : As it is writen, There jhoXl come out of Zion the Deliverer, G,nd turn azuay ungodli- nefs from Jacob. For this my covenant unto than, when I Jhall _ take azuay their fi7i/S. This is tot^k£ place, according to the Apoftle, when the fuli^efs of the Gentiles fhall come in, and fo all Ifrael fhall be faved ; for notwithftanding they are, as concerning the Gofpel, enemies for the fake of the Gentiles, yet, as touching the cle6lion, they are beloved for their Father's fake, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. I apprehend Jesus Christ fpeaks of the fame thing when he fays. Ye fiiall nqt fee me until ye fay, Blcjfed is he that ccmeth.iTi- fU name of the Lord. Thus the prophet fpake.of J,?,- si] s,Pfalm cxvjii. 26. Thus the multitudes, MaiU xxi. 9. that went before and that followed after Jesus, riding to Jferufalem, cried Hofanna ! JS/^^ w he that Cometh in the 7iame of (lie Lord ! And ihus fhall the 54 P E A C E AND J O Y. the Jfwi> do when their hearts are circumcifed to love the Lord their God with all their hearts. Thus have I hinted at many particulars, wherein the evidences of the truth of the good news of the gofpel are contained, as knowing that where the character of |esus Christ is underftood, and the evidences of the truth teftified of him are fatisfaftory to the mind, nothing can hinder rejoicing in him ; forfo fureashe is God manifefl in the flefh, as his claim to Deity isjuft, as he rofe again from the dead, fo fure was his obedience in our nature perfeB:, and his one facrifice did forever take away fin. The Fa- ther is well pleafed for his righteoufncfs fake, and we are made accepted in the beloved ; for, lays the Apoftle, all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to hmfelf hy Jesus Christ; and le aft that fhould be looked upon as the privilege of the Apoftles and firft chriftians only, he adds, God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto hi7njtffi not imputing their trejpajfes unto them ; for he hath made him Jin for us who knew no fn, that we might he made the righteoifnefs of God in him. Hence arifes the anfwer of a good confcience to- wards God, by the refurreftion of Jesus Christ, which the Apoftle calls the baptifm that now faves us ; fo that the perfon whofe mind was juft now per- plexed with a fenfe of guilt, full of anxiety and dif- trefs, turning every way with difappointment to bro- ken cifterns that can hold no water, upon under- ftanding the import of the refurre6tion of Jesus Christ, finds that which quiets his mind and anfwers all objeftions, agreeable to the Apoftle, Rom. viii. It is God that juftifieth, who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that died ; yea, rather that is rifen again from the dead. We read of being begotten again tp a lively hope by the refurrcftion of Jesus Christ from the dead, i Pet. i. 4. CHAP. I>E A C E AND J O Y. 55 CHAP. V. The good contained in the Truth thus evidenced, ani our Obligation to keep it always in Reir^-inbrance. i H I S leads to the confideration of the good contained in the glad tidings of the Gofpel, which refpefcls both the life that now is and that which is to come, being furnifhed with the anfwer of a good con- fcience towards God, by the refurreftion of Jesus Christ, under a fenfeof our own guilt, inability and folly, and the various caufes of fliame, fear and terror that arife from a view of ourfelves, to have affurance from the fcriptures ^A<3^ Christ was delivered for our offences, and rofe again for ov/r ^ujiification, Rom. iv, 25. That Christ died for our fins according to the fcriptures, and that he was buried and rofe again the third day, according to the fcriptures, 1 Cor. xv. 3,4, fhews our peace is made with Geo by him who is our peace, and hath made peace by the blood of his crofs. The work is finifhed in his death, and wit- neffed in his rcfurredion ; the hope we are begotten to is a lively hope, a hope that maketh not afhamed; of which the Apoftle fpcaks, Rom. v. 5. For when he fpeaks of Jesus being delivered for our of- fences, and being raifed again for our juftifi- cation, ch. iv. 25, he adds, ch. v. 1. There/ore be- ing jujlijied : upon believing this truth, zve hav€. peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have accefs by faith into this grace wherein we now fland, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. This made them glory in tribula- tion, which wrought patience, experience apd hope ; and this hope maketh not afhamed, bccaufe the love of God is Ihed abroad in our hcans b)' ihe Hoi.y Ghost, which is given to us. }lo\': was ihr \o\ f i6 T]£ ACE AND J O Y. love of God filed abroad in their hearts, but in their being fatisfied and aflbred of the truth of the mani- feftationofit in the death and refurretlion of Jesus Christ, as the Apoftle adds in the nQi.Kt verfe; For ■when we v«*re without ftrength Christ died for the ungodly, who was delivered for our offences, and rofe again for our juftification : Therefore the hope that comes thereby is a lively hope, fpringing from the truth, from the perfe6l work of Christ ; not the hope of the hypocrite; for what is that, though he hath gain- ed.; though he hath gained a good opinion of himfelf, as being diftinguilhed from fome of his fellow-crea- tures in point of acceptance with God, on account of fomething wrought in or done by him ; will it do to mention before God wJien trouble comes ? Will he hear his cry on that aopount ? Will he hear hirh in his own n^me-?— Or though he hath gained the good opinion of, others, what is it when God takes away his foul ? Hopes from this quarter is as a fpider's web, as the giving up the ghoft : While the hope that comes by the rcfurreBion of Christ maketh not aftiamed, is a lively hope. This is the Gofpel which the Apof- tle preached, by which, fays he, ye are faved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unlefs ye have believed in vain. How believed in vain ? If Christ be not raifed your faith is vain, and you are yet in your fins : But, fays he. Now is Christ rifen and become the firll fruits of them that flept. Hence it follows, their faith is not vain, they be- lieved a truth ; therefore did not believe in vain, there- fore they are not in their fins, they arc faved by the gofpel, the hope is a lively hope. Begotten to a lively hope ; to an inheritance iin- defiled and that fadeth not away, referved in the Heavens. ' To an inheritance ; to as many as received him, or bslieved the truth concerning him, or received his teftimony. P E A C E AND j d Y. 57 tefiirnony, to them gave lie power to become the fons of God; and if thildren, then heirs, heirsof Gqd, joint heirs with Christ ; who inherits all things, and could fay, All that the Father hath is mine; all mine are thine, and thine are mine ; who has prayed for his difciples that they ma)^ be with him to behold his glory, and hath faid unto them, Becaufe I live, ye fliall live alfo. This his inheri- tance is incorriiptible, and will never fade away, be- caufe it is his in pcrfe£l rightcoufhefs, and altogether undefiled, and it is beyond the reach of moth, rull or thieves, being referved in the Heavens. Thefe hints lead to a contemplation of that good tv^hichis contained in the gofpel, which hath height and depth, length and breadth, that paffeth know- ledge, as it refpefts the prefent life, and leads to an imderftanding of the mie man's queftion and anfwer, in Ecclcf. vi. 12 — -vii. 1. Who knoweth vzhat good for man in life, or what is man's chief good all the days of his vain life, \i'hich hefpendeth a-s a fliadow? The anfwer is, a name better than precious ointment, the name above every name, the knowledge of which fliews the day of a man's death better than the day of his birth; this is man's chief good in life. He that findeth me, findeth life, and fhall obtain favour of the Lord ; Whofo harkeneth unto me fliall dwell fafely, and be quiet from fear of evil, as knowing that all things fhall work together for good, to them tliat love God, to them that are called according to his pur- pofe. And with refpeB to the life to come, if the apoftle faith, eye hath not fcen, nor car heard, nei- ther have entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him, wtll may 1 leave it in the admiring language of the Pfalm- ift, O how great is thy goodnefs which thou haft laid up for them that fear thee ! Thou haft wrought for them that truft in thee, before tl.c fons of men. H May ^8 PEACE AND J O Y. May I never forget this truth, that is thus evidenc- ed, and contains in it man's chief good in this Hfe and x\h life to come. When the apoflle would have Ti- mothy be ftrong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus', and endure hardnefs as a good foldier of, Jesus Christ, he tells him to remember ^A wc belong to him by right 70 The GOSPEL of PEACE, Sec. right of redemption, and ought to return to him aj our rightful owner, repenting of our eftrangement jftnd alienation from him : But is there any encou- ragement hereunto : May we be received into favour? Yes ! Repentance and remiffion of fins. Repen- tance with remifiion of fins is preached in his name, and becaufe there is full remiffion, there is the fulleft encouragement to repentance. There is no other name that repentance will do to be preached in ; call a man to repentance in the name of law and judice : Repent for the curfes of the law, the wrath of God, the demands of juftice are againft you, and will furely and fuddenly overtake you, except you repent ; and it may drive him to endeavour to hide himfelf as Adam among the trees of the garden, and when he finds he cannot, it may drive him to defr-' pair ; for repentance cannot fatisfy law or juftice, or ^ppeafe the divine anger : Neither is it in them to- produce repentance, they may ftir up enmity, and drive to defpair, while the gofpel is out of fight. — It is the prerogative of our Redeemer that has fully re- mitted our fins. He is exalted to give repentance end remijfion of fms. • •: ; ^"^ Among all nations this is to be preached, Jews and •' Gentiles. For God hath Jlieiued me (faith Peter) that I JJiould call no man co7}imon or unclean ; what God hath fanUiJied.hartah, chap. xii. lo. exprefles it thus, I 'will pour u^«n the hvufe of David, and on the in-, habitants of J erufalem, the fpirtt of grace and fupflications ; and they foall look on me nvhom they ha-ue pierced, ^nd they jhall mourn Jor him, as one moiimeth for his onlyfon, and be in bitternefs as one is in bitter- ncfsfor hisfirft born. But the fpirit of God makes ufe of the truth of the pofpel as a means hereunto ; is not this intimated \n Ifaiah xxx. »i. Thine ears Jhall bear aboard behind thee, * This is the'way—ivalk ye in it. Is not he the mefiTenger, the interpreter, one ofathoufand fpoken of, Job xxxiii. 23. Tofhenv unto man his upri^htnefs ; the up- n^htnefs of Jefus Chrift, lhroup;h which,' be is gracious tO' him, and faith, delin'er him, for I havefoiinda ranfom ; his flejb fhall be frefher than childhood, hefijall return to the days of his vouth, hefball pray unto God, and he fmll be fai)ourablc to him, and he fhall fee his face ivithjoy. Compare this with tlie defcription of the fame perfon before he knew Jef^s Chrift as in the 19, ao, 31 and aa verfes. » Fot- we are always looking the wrong way for remiffiOR of fins tintil taught of God. Thi gospel of peace, Sec. 79 place in the mind, repentance and converfion take place there alfo ; ^hereupon guilt, fear and terror are removed ; that which was blptted out or remitted be- fore, in the perfect work of Christ, is alfo blotted out of the mind and confcience ; agreeable to Ro- mans viii. 33, 34. // is God that jiijlijieth ; Who is he that chndemneth ? It is Christ that died, yea, ra- ther; that is rifen again : And inftead of looking for the appearing of Jesus Christ with terror and a- mazcment, it is waited for with hope, joy and confola- tion, in proportion, to the ftrength of faith, repen- tance and allegiance, agreeable to the forementioned, ift o^TheJfalonians i. 9. 10. They themfelves Jliew of 3f5 what manner of entering in we had unto you : How ye turned unto God from idols, toferve the living ani true God, and to wait for his fon from Heaven, whom he raifed from the dead, Jefus who deliver eth us from- the wrath to come. Thus have I purfued the inquiry concerning gof- pel repentance: And purpofeto clofe with an add re fs, I. To the author of a pamphlet, entitled, " The glory of God in the fnal condemnation of the ungod- ly r And, II. To all for whom Christ died. I. To TH£ Author of the Pamphlet. Dear Sir, AS your pamphlet was probably the occafion of the foregoing reflections, I have taken the freedom to addrefs you on the fubjefl. When 1 read your work, if I recolleft the idea the doftrine there ad* vanced gave me, it was this, That Christ died for all, to bring them into a falviible ftate, yet all would not be faVed, though they might, if they repented, confequendy God's glory would finally illullrioufly appear in the cvcrlafling condemnation of the finally impenitent. And as the ear trieth words, as the mouth taftcth meats, I found it did not found like the report of the gofpel, B6 The GOSPEL of P£ACE, <&:c. gofpel, and on enquiring into the doftfine of repen- tance, I have coUeftcd the thoughts which are pre- fented to you, I hope in love and faithfulnefs. The idea I received from the fcriptures of the Old Tella- ment is, that he fhould finifh the tranfgreffion — make an end of liri — rnake'reconciliation for iniquity— and bring in everiafting righteoufnefs. The New Tefta- ment witncffes that he did. — The teftatoi- appeals to the father—/ have glorified thee on earth : / have Jin- i/Jied the work thougavejl me to do, and cries out on tlie crofsj It isjinijhedy and feals it with his blood, and witncfles it in his refurrefilion, when he fhews himfelf alive to his chofen witnefTes, who teftified to the fame truth. — One paffagemay fufficfc : In Hebrews X, iidi, the apoftle fpeaking of the priefthood under the law, fays, and every prieft ftandeth daily minifter- ing, and offering oftentimes the fame facrifices, which Can never take away fm, but this man after he had offered one facrifice for fins, forever fat down on the right hand of God. They flood as thofe that had not done — could not accompHfh : But the High Priefl Jesus after he had offered one facrifice /a^ down as having finifhed his work, Jtnijhed tranf- grejfion—made an end of Jin — viade reconciliation for iniquity — and brought in everlajling righteoufnefs, Verfe 1 8th fays. Where remtfjion of thofe is, there ii no more facrifice for fin. Thus the fcripture leads to full remiffion, when he had by himfelf purged our fins, to a finiflied work. But your doftrine appears to me to lead to an un- finiflied work, dependent .on the exercifes, the exer- trtions, in fhort, the will of the creature, and be- caulb they will not come, that they might have life, he muft glorify himfelf in the deftrudion of multi- tudes for whom he died. Let me alk you, Sir, How ? Is his mercy glorified ? Is his juftice fatisfied ? Is his power made manifefl.'' Is The gospel of PEACE, &c. 81 Is he mighty to fave ? He will have all men to be fa- ved, not he would, but he will. Who hath refin- ed his will ? Is it the will of the creature ?* Cannot he make them willing in the day of his power ? His people fhall be ; and are not all his people far whom he died ? But I forbear; wifliingto fay no more than is fufhcient to difcJiarge my confcience in love and faithfulnefs to you. But I cannot pafs over your Ei- fay without taking notice of the title, to compare it with the fcriptures. Scripture text, Romans iv. 5. He that jujiifieth the ungodly. Rom. v. 6, Chrijl died for the ungodly. Your Title. Divine Glory brought to view, in the condemnation of the ungodly,. On enquiry, How can this be in confiftence with thofe fcriptures ? I anfwer, it can be no otheru'ays in a confiftence with them, than in the fulfilment of i/ffZi^A's prophecy, chap, liii. 4, 5, 6. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our forrows : Yet we did efteem himflricken, fmitten of God, and offtided. But he was wounded for our iranfgrejjtons, bruifedfor our iniquities : The thaftifement of^ our peace was upon him, and with his firipes we are healed. All we like ^/heep have gone ajiray ; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniqui- ty of us all. So dying for the ungodly, he juftifics the ungodly, and the divine glory is brought to view illuftrioufly to eternity herein. For mercy is glorified ; juftice • Two Clergymen, converfing together of the doftrine of the final Univedal Salvation of all men, very much wondered at each other;— one held that all for whom Chnll died (hould certainly be faved, but that he did not die for all ; — The other that he died for all, but all would not be faved, becaufe they would not come to him. Said the latter to the former, I'm very much altoniihed at you, that you do not embrace that dp^trine — For if 1 believed as von, I fliould, for nothing is more clear from fcripture, than that ChriA: died for all : The former anfwered, I as much wonder at you, that you do tiot cm- brace it, I am lure 1 fhould, if I believed as you, for it he died for all there is no power on earth or he'll can hinder their falvation ;— He cannot be diiap pointed. L 8« The GOSPEL op PEACE, &c. juftice is fatisfied : and he fpeaks In righteoufnefs, when he manifefts himfelf mighty to fave. But view the title page as it appears intended, what confolation is there for a poor, deftitute, ungodly creature ? Suppofe him on a death bed, agonizing with anguifh of foul, nothing fhort of perfuafion that there was an all-fufficient remedy for his deplorable condition, could afford him the leaft comfort or re- lief Were you conftrained in this fad hour to ad- minifter them from thofe texts, in the belief of your title, would he not fay, I am mocked ? But perhaps you might not offer them on fuch an occafion. Why? Are they not fcripture truths? Did not Christ die for the ungodly, and in proof, his dying for our fms was accepted ; he rofe again for our juftification, and is not the knowledge of this truth all-fufficient to qui- et the moft guilty confcience, and give hope towards God ? Would it be fafe to tell him the law of God flandsin full force againfl him, when Jesus came to redeem them that were under the law ? Would it not amount to denying that Jesus is come in the flefh ? Would it be fafe to tell fuch a man to exert himfelf in any way, however defcribed, as if this was the laft opportunity, and his all depended on it ? It would indeed be to mock him ! when his all depends on what Jesus Christ finiflied, and the re- lief of his mind on the knowledge of it. Suffer me a little further, if in looking over this dreadful tide, I exprefs my furprife that to it fliould be added in the title page. Search the fcriptures ; when you attempt to illuftrate it by reafoning, with- out producing one text to fhew that the Ever-blefled fpeaks of condemnation as his glory. When the fcriptures fpeak of the divine glory as manifefl in his grace, mercy and forgivenefs — when Mofes faid in Exodus xxxiii. 18. I hejeech thee Jhew me thy glory^ the anfwer is, I will make all my goodnejs pafs before theCf The gospel of PEACE, Sec, 83 M, and the Saviour, and there is none elfe, to tell them of remiflion of (ins, or call them to repentance, for certainly there could be no hope, if their iins were not remitted they never can be, for Christ dieth no more, there is no more facrifice for fin; but feeing the righteoufnefs of God, which is by faith, is unto all, as well as upon all that belie\fc 2.11 may be called to repentance. Firft, 86 The GOSPEL op PEACE, '-ra i iiw »H ii i ^ i W 8 TOqnm t«' M ii|i B gBjBMa jgBg^jgt»).^yii^^ 'XJie Gofpel thus Evidenced, preached ^o every creature. SECTION III, The GospujL Considered , mid the manner Iti zuhich it fnould be preached j luiith an endeav* pUR to Jhew from the scriptures, that election doth not {.iiLiTATE with preaching the cospel to EVERY creature; Several other objeiiions con- Jidered, *' Go ye therefore intp all the world, and preach th^ gofpel to ev€-» xy creature. Not in words which man's wifdom teachedi^ but which the Hol]^ jGhod tcacheth. iNot with wifdom of words, leafl the c3rofs of Chp.ist ftiould be niade of noi\e eifcLt. JlN attending to a fermcn, fome things occur- red which brought a palTage in the epiftle to the Co- lofliansj to remembrance, '''■fay to Archippus, take heed to the miiujiry, that thou hajl received in the Lord, that thoujuljil it ; which produced an inqui- ry, v/hQ ArcWppus was ; and comparing the epiftic to the Coloffians, with that to Philemon, it appeared probable, that Philemon, Epaphras and Archippus were minifters of the church of Christ, gathered from among the Cololfians, which then met in Phi- lemon's houfe ; both epiftles appear to be wrote and fent at the fame time ; however, Archippus was a mi- nifter of the church of Christ, who received his mi- niftry in the Lord, and yet was the fubjetl of this exhortation : Kence it was concluded that no minif- ter of Christ is above receiving a fimilar exhorta- tion from the brethren. The next inquiry was, what was , the miniftry be jeccived in the Lord, or which the minifters of Christ 94 The GOSPEL thus EVIDENCED, &c. Christ receive in the Lord ; fuppofmg they receive the fame now, as the minifters of the firft churches did? In anfwer, it may be faid, that their commiirion wajj " to go into all the world, and preach the gofpel to every creature.'^ It is agreed that the word gofpelj fignifiesgood news, glad tidings : The prophets and apoftles agree herein. The prophet Ifatah faith, " Zion that bringcth good tidings, get thee up info the high mountain ; Jerujalevi, that bringeth good tid- ings, lift up thy voice with Jlrength, lift up, he net afraid : Say to the cities of Judah, behold you God. 'Hoio beautiful are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publifheth peace, that bringcth good tid- ings of good : that publ'Jheth falvation % that faith un- to Zion, thy God r eigne th." And fimilar is the word which God fent to the children of Ifraeh, with which Peter was fent to the Gentiles, ^'^ preaching peace, by Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all," The fcriptures do not leave us at alofs, refpecling thefe glad tidings, '•'' for the fcriptures forefeeing that God would jvfii^y the heathen* through faith, preach- ed before the gofpel unto Abraham, faying, in thy feed, Jli all all the nations of the earth he bleffcd i' the fame gofpel is repeated to Ifaac, and confirmed to Jacobs and is proclaimed from the top of Jacob's ladder, where the Lord flood above it, and faid, '• / am the God of Abraham, thy father, and the God of Ifaac ;" this was alfo fhown to Mnfes at the bufli, and when he was fent to the children o{ Jfrael, he was direfted to fay unto them, " / am the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob ; this is my name forever, and my r/iemcrial unto all generations.'* It is my unchangeable name, the unchangable name; of the unchangeable God; infuring bleffednefs in Christ Jesus, to all the nations, kindreds, and fa- milies * Theheathcn that had no claim as bein?: of the flock of Ifraq that had no worthinefsj nothing to recommend them. TriK GOSPEL THUS EV^IDENCED, &c. 95 niiliesof the earth. And a believer of this gofpel preached to Abraham, enters into reft ; although he is in himfelf a poor, lott, wretched, miferable (inner, and iinderftanding himfelf blefied in Christ Jesus, can rejoice in him, though he hath " no confidence in the flefli." The prophet Jfaiah fpeaking of the Gentiles, in his 54th chapter, fays to them, ^^Jear not, for thoujhall not be ajliamed, neither be thou confounded, for thoit, JJiall net be put to fliame, for thou Jlioll forget the Jhame of "thy youth, and Jhall not remember the re- proach of thy widowhood any more : For thy maker is thy hifband, and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Ifraely the God of the whole earth fhall he be called.'* The prophet Jeremiah, in his 3d cahapter, fpeaking of Judah and Ifrael, faith, " turn backfliding chil- dren, faith the Lord, for I am married unto you'* And the prophet Ifaiah, appears to be fpeaking both of Jews and Gentiles, when he fays, " as the bride- groom rejoiceth over the bride, fo Jliall thy God re- joice over thee" If the nations, kindreds and families of the earth are bleffed in Christ Jesus, and both Jews and Gentiles acknowledged as married unto him, tlien he is " the God of the whole cardi." Again, the whole earth are repeatedly called to fing a new fong unto the Lord, as we fee in Pfalm^ 96, 1, Qf^,\, Ifaiah A^i, 10, 11. This new fong is de- fcribed, Rev. 5. 9. " thou art worthy, for thou wajl flairi and hafl redeemed us to God, hy the blood, out of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people :" If all the earth are called to fing this new fong, fure- ly allthe car-th are interefted in the fubje£l matter of it. Again, the mofl: oppofed to the falvation of the gofpel, and the preaching of it, are the fubjeQs of prayer. The Pfalmift, fpeaking in the perfon of Christj gS The GOSPEL thus EVid£NCED, Set Christ, in the 42d Pfalm, where he complains of his reproachers, faying," my tears have been my Tneat^ (Jtdy and nighi^ while ihcy continually fay unio me, whtte is thy God F" And adds, " mhen I remember thefe, I pour out riiyfoul in me.'' This v^e fee verified when they faid, " he triifted in God, let him dehver him, if he ivill have him ;" and hear Jesus Christ pour out his foul in him, in that prayer " Father forgive them for they know not what tlievt do ;" he alfo direfts his difciples " to love their encin'-es,^ dnd pra.y for them that defpitefully vfe them." Did he direB. them to love thofe whom he did not ; did he not die that hii) (enemies might be reconciled by his death ; was not he always heard, and did he bid his difciples pray for what fhould not be granted ? Then furely the gofpel alfo is to be preached to them, and this good news is to be publifhed as a truth among fuch charaElers, " That God was in Chrifl reconciling the world v.nto himfelf, not imputing their trefpajfes unto them ;" agreeable to the prophet Ifaiahj " / have blotted out thy tranfgrejfions as a cloud, and thine iniquities as a thick cloud, return unto me for t have redeemed thee.''' Defigned brevity, forbids the taking notice of ma- ny confiderations that offer themfelves, to prove and illuftrate this truth, that Christ's minifters, commif- fion is, '* To preach the gofpel to every creature." Two or three things offer themfelves as inquiries or objeftions, as ift. If the nations are bleffed in Christ Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles, fo that they are married un- to him, and he is the God of the whole earth, whence is it fuch a place of fin and mifery r It may be faid, if the woman interefted in the ef- tate and honours of her hufband, treacheroufly depart from him, every ftep of her way, muft be going fur- ther into the fink of fm and mifery. That The gospel thus EVIDENCED, Sec, gj That this was the cafe with ancient Ifrael, is plain from Jeremiah, iii. 20. " Surely as a wife treacherouf- fy departs from her ku/band,fo have you dealt trcache^ roufly iQith mc^ houfe of Ifraely' which will be evi- dent to any one that reads the beginning of the chap- ter, to the 12 verfe, and Ezekiel, xvi. 32, 45 — and as this was the caufeofthe diftrefs and mifery, that be- fel ancient Ifrael, foit is thecaufe of all the calamities that befal us all, in copying after their wretched ex- ample. Certainly there is no want of blefiednefs in Christ Jesus ; no want of power, riches, loving kindnefs, and mercy, in our Maker, our hufband, the God of the whole earth ; but all our unhappinefs arifes from our alienation from him, and the further We perfue that path, the greater our mifery and ca- lamity, whether we know the caufe or not. Now if the hufband of the treache roufly departing wife, own her to be his wife, call after her to return, is willing and ready to receive her on her return, without upbraiding her, fhe is certainly blefled in a hufband * though Ihe forfakes her own mercies for lying * The gofpel, the Apoflles preadied was, ' that God was in Christ,' reconciling the woild unto himfelf, not imputing their tref- pafles unto them, i Corinthians, v. 19. Agreeable to the gofpel preached to Abraham, that ' in thy feed fhall all the nations of xhc edrth be bleffed,' Galations iii. 8, 16. The Pfalmift faith, ' men (hall be blefled in him,' Pfalm Ixxii. 17. The prophet faith, ' the nations Ihall blefs themfelves in him, and in him (hall they glory,' Jeremiah, iv. 2. By the Apoftle we are faid to be ' chofen in him* Ephefians i. 4. ' To be jultified in him,' i Corinthians, vi. 11. ' To be gather- ed together in him,' Ephedans i. 10. ' To be rooted and built up in him,' Cololfians, ii. 7. ' To be fanclified !n Christ Jesus,' i Co- rinthians, i. 2. 'To be blefled with all fpiritual bleflings in Christ Jesus,' Ephefians, i. 3. ' To^be made to lit together in heavenly places, /;7 Christ Jesu?,' Ephefians, ii. 6. 'All the promifes o'f God are in him, yea, in him, Amen,' 2 Corinthians i. 30. ' And yea are complete in hiin,' Cololfians, ii. 10. ' And we are in him, that is true/w his fon Jesus Christ,' i Jchn, v. 20. Being blefled in him, denotes union as members to their head, ' all men being drawn to him wlien lie was lifted up ; and fo one dying for all, all died ; he taftin* death for every mutt.' Therefore this gofpel preached to Abraham, and preached by the Apoftles is to be preached to thofe that aie the moft remote trom bleifednefs io themlelvcs, and when it is believed they are led to rejoice in Christ Jesus, though altogether deftitnte in themfelves, unbelief and alienation, being the lource of all our mifery, believing the truth as it is in Jisu:, we fee our bltfTedncfs in him. N ^8 The GOSPEL thus EVIDENCED, &c. lying vanities, and is moft forlorn and rpiferable in hedelf, while perfifling in her alienation. I need only repeat two pafTages of fcripture? to lead our minds from the (imilitude juft mentioned up to divine mercy. Jererajah, iii. i. " But thou hajl j^layed the harlot many lovers, yet return unto me^ faith the Lord^ verfe 12, return thou hackjliding Ifraelf faith the Lord,* I will not caufe mine anger to fall up- on you. Ifaiah xlii. 22 j / have blotted out as a thick cloud thy tranfgreffions, and as a cloud thy fins : re- turn unto me, for I have redeemed thee.' Thus Gof- pel Minifters have the teflimony of God, by his Pro- phets, as well as the commifiion given tq the Appf* ties, " to preach the Gofpel to every creature^' '2dly. It may be inquired, are not minifters to preach the law .? Anfwer, " by ihe law is the know- ledge of fin, for what things the law faith, it faith to them that are under the law, that every mouth may he flopped, and all the world may become, guilty before God, having no hope' but in the righieoufnefs of God by faith of Jesvs Christ, revealed in the Gofpel." — ^ The direftion therefore, is " to preach the Gofpel to every creature.'' • Tliere were fome in the Apoftles' day, that defired to be teachers of the law, underftanding neither what they fay, nor whereof they affirm. The Apof- tle fays, " the law was our fchool-mafler unto, or until Christ," (to bring us, is lupplied by the tranflators) " that we may bejuflifed by faith ; but when faith is come, we are'nolongtr under a fchool-mafler." When ^ faith is come, that is when Christ is come, who is the obj eft of faith, and hath fent forth his fervants to preach the Gofpel, which is called the hearing of faith: " Received ye thefpirit by the works of the law,'' or by the hearing of faith ? That is by the hearing of the Gofpel preached." ObjeQion. .• It is not return and I will not caufe mine anger to fall upon you as a c6ndition ;■ the and is fupplied by the tranHators, it is, return, I will not eaufe mine anger to fall upon you. The gospel thus EVIDENCED, &c. 99 Objection. But doth not the fcripture fay, ^^cuj-f- ed is every one that cdniimieth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them ?" ' Aniwer. Yes, this is the language of the law, but the language of the gofpel, is, " Chriji hath deliver- ed us from the curfe of the law^ being made a curfe'for us," and Christ's miniftcrs are to fJreachthe gofpel; perhaps fome one will fay, they are to preach it to the prepared fubjeds that are awakened by the ter- rors of the law, to feek falvation by Christ Jesus; They are to preach it to every creature, to tell every creature " Chrifl hath delivered us from the curfe of the law, being madx a curfe for us^ To tell it as a truth J what ! to unbelievers ? Yes,' to .unbelievers ; what conllitutes a inan an unbeliever, Hut not belie- ving the report of the gofpel. He that believeth this truth is faved from the tormenting fear of the curfe of the law, believing the report of the gofpel ; while he that doth not believe this truth, remains un- der felf condemnation or damnation, being in hiis own ippreherifion under the law, and under the curfe : Man is denominated an unbeliever as not believing the truth. If Christ's minifters witli to help unbelievers, let them keep clofe to their diredion, tell the truth that is to be believed : Let them preach the " miniflryof reconciliation, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himftlf, not imputing unto them their trefpafjes : That he hath made him fm for us, who. knew no fin, that we might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him," and fet forth the evidences of it in the refurreftion of Jesus Ch'rist, from the dead, that if God pleafe to accompany the evidence to their minds, they may believe. Earnell repeated exhortations to believe, are loft',' only tending to confufe the mind that underflands not what is to be believed, but when the truth to be believed 100 The gospel thus EVIDENCED, &c, believed, is underftood, and the evidences appears undeniable, it gains credit in the mind, and what wc give full credit to is believed ; tlicrefore let the gof- pel be preached to every creatui-e, tell the good news even to unbelievers, for " it is glad tidings of great joy to all people, tidings of a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." gdly. Doth not the doBrine of ele8:ion, militate •with the gofpel's being preached to every creature ? If theeleQ; are only to obtain falvation to the rejec- tion or reprobation of all others, how is it poflTible to preach the gofpel to every creature ? For anfwer, it may be faid, that this conne6ling of final reje6tion or reprobation with the doclrine of eleftion, has no foundation in the fcriptures. Elec- tion among men, choofes men to certain offices for the benefit of thofe that are not ele£led ; and if we confider ele8;ionin the fenfe of the fcriptures, it will appear that it is defigned for the benefit of others. If we turn our attention, firft to Jesus Christ, it will lead our minds to Ifaiah xlii. i, ufliered in with a note of attention, "behold ! behold my Jtrvant whom I up- hold^ mine eU6l in whom my foul deligliteth" why is Jesus Christ called God's eleft, fee verfes, 6, 7, " / the Lord have called thee in righte^ oufnefs^ and will hold thine hand., and will keep thee and give thee for a covenant of the people^ for a light of the Gentiles^ to open the blind eyes., to bring out the prifonersfrom the prifon^ and them that Jit in darknefs cut of the prifon-houfe." Queftion. But is it not faid in the fame prophefy, that he fhall be a ^'Jlofie ofjlumbling and rock of of fence to both houfes of Jfrael ;" and Peter " fpeaks of him l> think if the doClrine of election were fighdy under* ftood, it can be no objedionto preaching the gofpel to every creature. The 104 The GOSPEL thus EVIDENCED, &e. The Apoftle Paul gives the fum of the gofpet V'hich he preached in the beginning of the 15th chapter of the firft epiftle to the Corinthians^ con- tained in the death and refurreclion of Christ with the evidences of it, and fpeaking of the other Apof- tles, he faith, verfe 11, " whether I or they, Jo zve preach and Jo ye believed. Not fo. we preached, but fo we preach, they con- tinue to preach the fame doftrine, in their writings handed down to us, and bleffed be God, we have the fulfilment of that prophecy, (in that v/e have the free ufe of the fcriptures of truth) recorded in Ijaiah XXX, 20, ^^ yet Jliall not thy teachers be driven in- io a corner any more^ but thine eyes /hall Jee thy teachers, and thine earJJiail hear a word behind thee, Jaying this is the way ;" the gofpel always finds us with our backs to it, purfuing another way, and points out the way into which we are to return, is not this turning, repentance unto life ? Is not the preaching the gofpel, included in Paul's exhortation to Timothy, ^'■my Jon be Jlrong in the grace, that is in Chrijl Jejus ;" the fame Apoftle tells us what this grace is, ^' ye know the grace oj our Lord Jfjus Chrijl, who, though he was rich J or our Jakes, became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich ; this is the grace made manifelt in the gofpel, the tidings of it are to be told to every creature ; this ist-he grace whereby we ferve God acceptably, which our Apot tie exhorts toholdfaft, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved ; we read it, let us have grace, but the margin reads it agreeable to the original, " let us hold faft the grace whereby we may ferve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear," for our God is a confuming fire ; every thing in the fervice of God, that hath not refpeft to the grace that is in Christ Jesus, is wood, hay, ftubble, and xnuft be burnt up. The The gospel thus EVIDENCED, ^c. 105 The apodlc Peter drawing to a clofe in his firfl: Epiftle, Ipcaking of what he had been writing, fays, « / have written briejly^ exhorting and tejlifying thai this is the true grace of God, wherein ye Jlarid ;" if we look back into the Epiftle, we find him writing of the grace, that is in Christ Jesus, who his ownfelf bear oiir fins in his own body on the tree, for Christ hath once faffered the juft for the unjuft, that he might bring us to God, by whofe ftripes ye were healed. Much hath been faid aboiit marks and evi- dences of true grace, in the hearts of men ; but the voice behind us, reminds us of the true grace of God, and the evidences of it manifefted in Christ Jesus, this is the gi-ace, the Apoftle exhorts the He- brews to look diligently, lead they fall from, we read it " looking diligently, leafl any man fail of the grace of God," but according to the' margin, agreeable to the original, it is, leaft any man fall from the grace of God. From the grace of God to the grace of man; from the grace that is in Christ Jesus, by which alone, we are accepted to grace, in our own hearts, which cannot procure our acceptance with God : Can any one in the exercii'e of reverence and godly fear, approach the divine prefence, in his own name, making mention of the grace, that is in his own heart, as that whereby he may fcrve God accep- tably, it brings to mind, Ifaiah,xxvii. 4. " Who would Jet the briers and thorns againjl me in battle, I would go through them, I would burn the^n together, or let him take hold of my Jlrength, he may make peace with me^ heJJiall make peace with me f peace is preached by Jesus Christ. The fcriptures tcftify of Chrifl, both in the law of Mofes, the Prophets, and the Pfalms : The great er- ror of many preachers, has centered in their appre- henfion, that the fcriptures teftificd of good men, and in proportion as this error has prevailed, we O have io5 The gospel thus EVIDENCED, &c. have heard of the virtue and piety of Abraham, David, the Prophets, and other pious men, whom we have been excited to follow, in hope of divine favor, if we could come to their attainments ; but the light difcovers this to be a fpecies of idolatry, putting the Creature in the place of Jesus Christ, or at leaft between us and him, while the gofpel calls us " to hehold iheiamh of God, that taketh away the fin of the wortd." The light difcovering this error, in the place of it, there has crept in, perhaps a more undif- cernable one, when preachers have been led to fpeak excellently of the charafter and finiflied. work of Christ, they have known fomething elfe befides Jesus Christ, and him crucified, having a great part of their difcourfes, taken up about the excellen- cy of believers, their experiences, attainments, devo- tions in their clofcts and families, and at public wor- Ihip, and in their coTidu61 in moral civil life, to the flattering of their pride and importance, caufing them to conceive themfelves the chief of faints, to the abaTement of thofe that have not thefe attainments. But let it be confidered whether it would not be more jcdvantageCus to the believers of the gofpel, as well as nearer their pattern, if they were put in mind of the various apoftolic exhortations to them, and put upon inquiring hov; much caufe they have for fhame and humiliation, that thefe exhortations have fo" lit- tle influence on their mjnds and conduft, which if attended to with fobriety of mind, would tend to ex- cite them, to take rank with the chief of fmners, and to glorify God, for mercy, upon a level with the vi- left. Such preachers as are above defcribed, draw the minds cf their hearers from the one objeft, hav- ing two to prefent before them ; whereas the Prophet Ifaiah, propofes one objeft, " The glory of the Lord fhallbe revealed, and all flepifhall fee together. Look unto me and befaved^ all the ends of the earth.'' John fays, The gospel thus EVIDENCED, Sec. 107 fays, " Behold the Lamb nf God that taketh away the Jin 0/ the world -j" diud P^ul determins ^o know nO' thing among them^fave Jefns Chrijl and him cruci- fied. Let Peter clofe with his teftjniony of Christ, as recorded in his jft Epiflle, 2d chapter, 24 verfe, *« Who his ownfclf, bear our fins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to Jin, might live to righ- teoiifnejs, by whofifiripes ye were healed.'' Should the mind of any, fuggeft the old objeflion, to preaching the gofpel to every creature, that was brought in the apoftle's days and is kept up, down to our day, that it endangers morality, and will excite to continue in fin, that grace may abound. It may be anfwercd, that the morality of the gof- pel is founded on divine love, both by Jesus Christ and his apoftles ; when Jesus Christ gave the gold- en rule, as it is defervedly called, it was founded on the love of Gqd, fet forth in a mofl; ftriking figure, " what man is there oj you, who ifi his/on afii bready "will he give him afione ?" Is there fuch a man among you that are evil, prone tp cqvetoufnefs, anger and various other evils ? Is there one among you, who, if his fon afk bread, will he give him a Hone, and thus mock his hunger ?• What heart, among you that are evil, can do this ? Ifi ye then being evil, know how to give good gifits to your children, how much morcfiiall yourfiather who is in Heaven, give good things to them that afk him ? Therefiore all things whatfoever ye. Wi^uld, thatmen Jhould do to you, do ye even [0 tothfm ; you never nced^defraud or over-reach one another, to obtain any good you may think you want, becauie yourheavenly father is more re?idy to give good thing? to them that afk him, than the beft of you are to give bread to your children, let his love conftrain you in all things, to do one to another, as ye would th^y fhould do to you: when Jesus bid his difciples love their enemies, he gave the example in his love to them. When •108 The GOSPEL xfius EVIDENCED, &c. When he bid them pray for them that faid all man- ner of evil of them falfly for his name fake, he gave his example on the crofs, " Father forgive them^jor they know not what they do.'' He faith to his difciples, a new commandment I give unto you, " That ye love one another^ as I have lovedyoii-i'' mzxk. that, and confider, how did he love his difciples ? Let one of them anfwer, " herein is love.) not^that we loved God, but he loved its, and fent ^his/on the — propitiation for our Jin,'" (he adds) *' be- lojjed^ if Godfo loved us, we ought to love one another,'' the love of God and our neighbour, contains all mo- rality, and we love him bec^ife he firfl loved us, and when we believe the love of God to our neigh- bour, as well as to ourfelves, we fliall fee the only foundation of loving our neighbour as ourfelves. The morality of the gofpel is founded on divine love by the Apoftles; they preached the gofpel to every creature, thofe who were gathered to the faith of the gofpel, they coIleQed into churches, and taught them 16 obferve all things whatfoever Jesus Christ commanded ; they exhorted, comforted, and char- ged every one of them, as a father doth his children, that they would walk worthy of God, who hath cal- led them to his kingdom and glory. Let any one^ whofe mind is concerned about the preaching of the gofpel to every creature, endangering morality, look over the epiftics, wrote to the churches, colle6led by preaching the gofpel, and they will fee in the former parts of thofe epiftles, the riches of divine grace, con- tained in the doftrine of Christ, then, the obliga- tions the difciples are under to adorn this doQrinc, in their lives and converfatibns in the various places and relations that they fuftairi ; that they which have believed in God, be careful to maintain good works, not merely to talk of them, with approbation, but be at the colt of maintaining them. If thefe things be foberly The gospel tjius EVIDENCED, &c. 109 foberly attended to, it will eppear to any impartial inquirer, that the intereft of morality is not endanger- ed by preaching the gofpel to every creature. Having inquired who Archippus was, and what was the mini ftry he received in the Lord j the next inquiry is, in what manner is this miniftry thusreceiv- cd of the Lord, to be delivered to the people ? The anlWer to this inquiry is given by the apoflle. *' Not with w if (low of words leajl the crofs of ChriJlJJiould ^e made of none effcB" ift of Corinthians, xvii. to the end. " And I brethren^ when I caiu to you^ came not with excellency of fpeech or of wifdom, declaring unto you the tefiimony of God^ for I detev' mined not to know any thing among you, fave Jefus ■Chrifl, and hirn, crucifedy ift of Corinthians ii. 1 to •5. " And my fpeech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's xvifdom^ but in demonfiration of the fpirit and of power^ nozu we have received not the fpirit of the word, but the fpirit which is of Gody that we may know the things that, are freely, given us of God, which things we f peak, not in the words which man's wifdoni teacheth, hat which the Holy Ghofl teach- 'tth, comparing fpiritual things with fpiritual." Verfes 12,13. Thai is, I conceive comparing the types and prophefies of the Old Teftament, with their ful- filment in the antitype, as recorded in the new. If it flVould be inquired, why were the a^oftles of Christ thus cautious to fhun the enticing words of man's wifdom? the two fcafons the apoflle gives, may be brought as an arifwcr ; — Firft, the corruption of the do6lrine of Christ, in thefe words, *' not with •wifdom of words, leafi th^ crofs of Christ, fhould be of none ejfcB, the preaching of the crofs, or of Christ crucified, is to the jfezu a ftumbling-block, and to the Grcfj^ /oolifhnefs," now there have not been want- ing thofe who fought by wifdom of words, to make the offence of the crofs ceafe fiom the apoftles days, dowjii iio The gospel thus EVIDENCED, ^g. down to our own. The falfe teachers in the apoftles days, laboured to reconcile the flumblinfy Jtw to the gofpel, by adding the ceremonies of the law, teacl;- ing the Gentile believers, " except they he circumcijti, ffter the manner of Mofes, they cannot be faved, mak- ing by their v^^ifdom, the crofs of Christ, of none ef- feft," for faith the apoftle, 'f whofoever is circumcif- ed, he is a debtor to do the whole law, Christ is be- come of none effed," feeking thus to be juftified by the law, they fall from the grace of the gofpel. The falfe teachers from the apoftles days to our own, have inl^ce manner ftudied by \yifdom of words, to recon- cile the do6lrine of Christ to the wife Greeks who held it foolifl) to build the hope of falvation on Christ crucified, as the only exclulive foundation ; faving it is foolilh foi an ungodly finner, to look for juftification by the work of Christ, unlefs he have repentance, faith", obedience, &c. which are brought in as props to the work of Christ, as though it were not alone all-fufiBcient ; faith, as it is thus confidered, is not the belief of the gofpel, which reports our blef- fcdnefs in Christ Jesus, but is fomething we muft have wrought in us, or exercifed by us, in order to our being interefted therein. Repentance as it is thus confidered, is not a turning from ourfelves, and all creature dependence, where we have been feek- ing life, to Christ, who. is our life ; but is a certain forrow, for our open heinous, and even fecret fins, tg qualify us for obtaining forgivenefs by Christ Jesus. Obedience is Fikewife confidered a neceflary quali- fication for our acceptance ; not as a teftimony of pur gratitude, that he hath made us accepted in the J)eloved. And in this miftaken view, faith, repentance an4 obedience, being added to the work of Christ, are f^alculated to bring the do6lrine to the wifdom of the OjreekjWho always fuppofe God will be propitious to The gospel thus EVIDENCED, Sec, lit to the believing penitent and obedient. Every fpe- cies of f'alfe religiojl, of what ever name or denomina- tion, will agree here, while every true chriftian will agree with the apoftle, that it is * a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus came to favc fmners, of whom I am chief; but that Christ came to feek and fave that which was loft, died for the ungodly, came to fave fmners, even the chieQ will not do to mention alone^ it is too weak and foolifh. It is true, fay they, that Christ came to fave that v/hich was loft, and no fmner will mifcarry, who feek. him fincerely, earneftly and perfeveringly ; but the J text fays, " he came to feek and to Jave that which was loji^' 'tis true fay they, " Christ died for the ungod- ly," and all of that difcription fliall be benefited there- by, that will come to him ; but they will not come that they may have life j but read the text, " my peo- ple/hall be willing in the day of my power " Yes, fay they, but who are his people, who are given to him ? Let the fcriptures anfwer, " the father loveth the fan, dnd hath given all things into his hands^ he hath given the heathen his inheritance^ and the ut- mofl parts of the earth, his poffeffon^zudi all that the £uher giveth, fhall come." Thus we have contemplated how the wifdom of words, is employed, to endeavor to take away the ftumbling block from the Jew^ and the imputation of fooliftinefs from the Greek ; and that every attempt of this kind, is making the crofsof Christ of none ef- fect. The fecond reafon, the apoftle draws from the effeQs on the hearers ; where the do6lrine of Christ is maintained, there fliould be a conftant care to ufe great plainnefs of fpeech, becaufe the poor have the gofpel preached to them, and if it is preached in lan- guage above their capacity, altliough it may be very good, and eafy to be underftood by the learned, yet if * And will break out with the prophet Mieah, who is a Cotl like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity. 112 The gospel Tiii/s EVIDEXCED, ScL if there come in one that is unlearned^ how JJiall he fay Amen, at thy giving thanks, feeing he underfandcth noi what thoufayeji ; except (fays the apoftle) ye utter by the tongiie, words eafy to be undeyjlood, how ^i all it be known what is fpoken, for ye fhall fpeak unto the air * 'and he fays, I had rather fpeak fve words with my un- iderjianding, that I anight teach others alfo, than ten thoufand words in an unknown tongue. Although tongues have ceafed, yet thefe expref- fions of the apoftle, may at this day be improved as a guard againft language above common capacities, and when fuch language is familiar by ufe, to any of the preachers of the gofpel, fiich would do well to attend the exhortation of the apoftle, let him that fpeaks in an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret ? let him pray that he may be able to come to the capacity of the moft unlearned of his hearers, when preaching the gofpel of Christ; it feems as if thi^ was what the apoftle meant, by faying, *' brethren be not children in underflanding, in underflanding be men^' as it im- mediately follows his faying, he had rather fpeak five words with his underftanding, that he might teach others, than ten thoufand that could not be under- ftood ; for faith he, if I know not the meaning of the voice, I fhall be to him that fpeakcth^ a barbarian, and he that fpeaketh a barbarian unto me. Upon the whole, the apoftle appears to aim at in- culcating the delivering of the gofpel with plainnefsof fpeech for the above reafons,which appear weighty and worthy of attention ; and fays, '' feeing then we have fuch hope zue ife great plainnefs of fpeech, and not as Mofes, who put a veil over his face ;" and in another place neither of men fought we glory ^ neither of you nor of others. Let gofpel minifters imitate the apoftle herein, let them attend the exprefs declaration of fcripture, both of the Old and New Teftament, that unite to publifli falvation ■v The gospel thus EVIDENCED, &c. 113 falvation, to the ends of the earth, and to the eviden- ces of tlie truth of thefe glad tidings, of great joy. to all people ; thatbemg convinced of the truth of this good newsjthcy may tell it as a truth to their heairers, even to unbelievers, in as plain, intelligible a manner as may be, that if it pleafe God to accompany thp truth with divine evidence, they may believe, and be- lieving have life- through his name. • Let the hearers, whofe minds are at a lofs aboiit the truth of the Gofpel,bend theii: attention to the fearch bf the fcriptures after the exartiple of the JBereans^io fee if thefe things are fo. Andthofe that are fatisfied of the truth, from fcrip- ture evidence, abound in thankfgiving for the mani- ifeftation of the exceeding riches of the grace appear- ing therein, and make it their conftant ftudy to live as the grace of Got), which hath appeared, which bringeth falvation to all men, teacheth, viz. " deny- ing ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and to live foberly, fighteoufly and godly in the world, looking for the blefl'ed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great pOD and our Saviour Jesus CHRisT,who gave.him- felf for our fins, that he might redeem us from all ini- quity, and purify unto himlelf a peculiar people zeal- ous of good works." Let the words of the apojflle Peier clofe, " If any man/peak^ let hivifpeak as the oracles of God, if any man minijier, let him do it as of the ability, that God giveth; that God in all things may be glorified thro* Jesus Christ, ^0 whom he praife and dominion for ever. AMEN. A A Sober Attention to the Scriptutes of Truth, &c. S E C T I O N IV, A Sober. Attention io the Scriptures c/"Truth^ for a Satisfactory Answer to the Moji Im- portant .QfuESTiON that ever Exercised the Minds of Men. To the taw and to the Teftimony. Isaiah. If Baal be a God let him plead for himfelf. Judges. My refpeEted and beloved Friend, It appears very unfuitable to tlie fpirit of the gofpcl to engage in ariv religious controverfy in a way of driving for the mafteiy, therefore when you pointed me to the 330th page of the 2d volume of letters on Theron and Afpafio, the 3d edition; where the author fpeaks of two worlds, Christ hath his world, and Satan hath, his world, &c. Were it not for an apprehenhon that the glory of him who has faid the world is mine and the fulnefs thereof; and that the peace and comfort of every creature, and their obli- gation to their rightful owner, is concerned in know- ing whofe they are, and whom they fliould ferve ; I jfliould pafs it over unnoticed j but, perfuaded that this is the cafe, and thatyofu yourfelf have much per- plexity of mind on this fubjeft, and have made me acquainted with a repeated wifli, that I would give you my thoughts upon it ; I have been excited to read the pafTage and the fcripture text alluded to in fuppoxt of that opinion : And fat down to colleft a plain fimple view of the fcriptures, in order to get a juft idea from them on the fubjed. When I recolleft- ed A SOBER ATTENTION, &c. 1,5 cd that I had already done it feveral years ago, at the defire of a female friend, who requcfted me to look into a pamphlet fliehad lately read, in oppofi- tian to the doftrine of Univcrfal Salvation, under the (ignature ofy\delos, in which there appeared to her fome arguments unanfwerable. This anonymous writer may be fuppofed to take his fentiment on this fubjed by tradition from the pafTage you pointed me to, in the aforementioned author : Therefore, I con- cluded it would comport with your requeft, to fhew you a copy of that letter, which Inow fend you as follows : Copy of a Letter ftnt to a Gentlewoman at Halifax^ December 9, 1787. MADAM, YOU requefted me to look into a pamphlet you have been reading, in oppofition to the dottrine of Univerfal Salvation, under the fignature of Adelo?, in which you think are fome arguments unanfwera- ble ; and to give ybii my opinion, I have at length found and read it. It is introduced with a preface, in which hG fpeaks of Truth as a pearl of ineftimable wbrth ; or a chafte virgin of heavenly birth, and im- mortal charms ; and in the firft chapter, fhews that men are generally uncertain where to look for it, and have a falfe direction given to their minds, by their wifh, by parents, teachers, the public, the great, the ancient fathers, &c. Now, endeavoring as much as may be to avoid thefe falfe direftions, and attend to the infallible Itandard, I ihall proceed to fay that which ftrikes my mind, and which, I mean chiefly to attend to is page 42, margin, '^^ Out of aUnalions, and kindred.^ and people^ and tongues^ and fo are part of the nations only^ and yet are God'.5 whole world, of the redeemed, df tinguiflied from Satan's world, for which Jesus nei- ther prayed nor died" The whole difcourfe turns upoii ii6 A SOBER ATTENTION, Sec, upon this as its main hinge; let us look into the fcriptures and feeifthefe things are fo : It we begin to look for S'ti^^n's world, although he told our Lord Jesus, Mark, iv.5, 6. after Chewing him all the king- doms of the world in, and faying, all this power will X give thee, and the glory of them, if thou wilt falJL down and worfliip me, all fliaU be thine : And al- though he is called, ift of Corinthians, iv. 4. The God of this ■world, and it is faid, 1 ft John, v. 19, the whoU world lieth in wickednefs, or in the wicked one ; yet I know of no textoffcripture that {peaks of any part of the world as his, by creation, or by purchafe, or by gift, or in any other way, that makes him thei| rightful owner, or makes them his, or leaves them without rebuke in obedience to him, which they would be if he were the.ii; rightful. Lord. He is reprefented as their deceiver, ift Tim. ii, 14. the woman being deceived, was in the tranfgref- Jion. Deut. xi. 16. fhews that the heart muft be deceived, to turn afide from the true God. In Rev. XX. 10, we read o^ the Devil that deceived them, and in Rev. xviii. 23. we read of the means made ufe of to this end : For by thy forcer ies were all nations de- ceived ; and as their deceiyer, he leads them captive, $d Tim. 2,26. who are taken captive by hirn at his loill; having deceived them into his fnare, and led them captive, he exercifes an ufurped dominion oveir them, and is called, thefpirit that now worketh in the children of difobedience. Being deceived and infnared, they have fallen from obedience to their rightful owner and Lord, fo are denominated children of difobedience, while they follow the dictates of Satan, the ruler of the darknefs of this world. But if they were his property^ if he were their creator, preferver, or redeemer, they would owe obedience to him, and not be (tiled children of difobedience in their fubjec- tion to him, the Devil with the principalities and powers A SOBER ATTENTION, Sec. 117 powers in his confederacy, are called, Ephefians, vi. 11, 12. the rulers of the darknejs of this world, and Satan, who is called the God of this world, is faid to blind the minds of them that believe not^ 2d Corin. iv. 4. yea, they arereprefentedas delirious, diftracled, mad. See the naan among the ^orpJDs, Mark, v. 15. Luke viii. 35. But this is not confined to an individual ; it will be found univcrfal, not only in the, fpiritaal whoredom of the houfe of Ifrael, but of all nations. 'Tis faid of Babylon (that is the aboipination of ^he whole earth. Rev. xvii. 5.J That all nations have drunk oftjiewin^ of the wrath of hex fornications^ Rev. xviii. 3. and Jeremiah faith, the nations have drunken of her wine.t therefore the nations are viad. Thus we find Satan's world a deceived, deluded, enfnared, captivated, enflaved, diftrafted, mad world. That he yfurps a dominion oyer, who are abfolutely wrong in their obedience to him, a6ling againft their rightful owner, fo as to deny his right to them, and . his dominion over them ; defcribed by the Apolile !Peter, as denying the Lord that bought them ; and' bringing npon themfelves fwift definition ; and by '\\idc:,f as turning tlie grace of our God into lafcivi- oufnefs, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord and Saviour Jefas Chrifi. This is a brief fcriptural defcription of what is called Satan's world. But does this defcription of them alienate them from being the property of their rightful owner ? If God's chofen people fliould vaunt themfelves that they were his exclufively, and the reft were Sa- tan's world, would they not embolden and encourage the deceived captives pf Satan, to continue in his fervice as their rightful owner and Lord? Would they not join with therii in denying them to be the property of the Lord that bought them, in denying the only Lord God our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? ' and »i8 A SOBER ATTENTION, StQ, and fhew that they.themfelves were fo far under the power of the deceiver. When God fpake to the children of Ifrael^ whom he feleBed ftom all other nations as his peculiar peo- ple in Exodus xix. 5. He fay s^ now therefore^ if ye Zi'illobcy my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, ye Jliall be a peculiar treafure unto me above all people, For all the earth is mine^ Pfalm xxiv. 1. the earth is the Lord'sp and the fulnefs thereof, the world and they that dwell therein, Ezekiel xv\\\. 14, all fouls are mini, hence he is called the God of the fpirits of allflePi, Numbers XVI. 22, repeated, chap, xxvii. j6, and he faith by the prophet Jeremiah, behold, I the Lori) the God of all fit Pi, Jeremiah xxxii. 27, The God, €f the whole earth fiall he be called, faith the prophet Ifaiah, chap. liv. 5. (if fo, what world belongs to Sa-^ tan of right, fo as to be called his world ?) and yet, notwithftandinga greaf part of the world are in the before-defcribed bondage, and flavery to Satan. Btit God fo loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever belicvtth in himJJiould not ptrifh^ hut have everlafling life ; for Gonfent not his Son into the world to condemntheworld, but that the world, ■through him might be faved, John iii. 16, 17, hence we read the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all 'things zVJo A/'5Afl;?2(^, verfe 35, agreeable to what was faid in the fecond Pfalm, afk of me and I fhall give the heathen thine inheritance, and the uttermofl part of the earth thy poffefjion. Hence Jesus Christ fays, alltJiat the Father hath is mine, but v;hy was this ? The anfwer, is, John "^y'n. 2., that he Jhould give eternal life, to as many as thou hafl given him, confequently Jesus Christ faith, John vi. 37, 38, 39. all that the Fa- ther giveth me, fn all come unto me, and him that cometh unto 7ne, I will in no wife cafl out ; for I came down from Heaven not to do mini own will ^ hut the will of A SOBER ATTENTION, Sec, 119 fiim that fent me ; and- this is the Father's- -will wha hath fent me^ that of all that he hath given me ^ I ^JJiould lofe nothing.) but Piouldraife it v.p at the laji day. Thus we fee divine love hath given the world a Saviour, and hath given all things into his hand, that by his faving power, he many give eternal life, to aO that are given to him. Now if we review the ftate of mankind under the power of Satan, and view the charafter of the Sav- iour, we fiiall fee their falvation in him. Have they loft the way of life, being deceived by falfliood, into the way of death ? He is the way, the truth, and the life. When he is made manifeft, truth fcatters de- ceit and falfhood, reveals the way to the loft, and fhews life to them that fit down difcouraged in the region and ftiadow of death ; he fent his apoftles to turn from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan /o God. ^ And as all the Father hath is given to him, the hea- then his inheritance, and the utmoft part of the earth his pofTeffion, thofe chofen out of the world appear in charafter as his, while the world in diftintlion from them are lying in the wicked one; yet being his in- heritance and poffeflion. Hefliall break them with a rod of iron and dafh themin pieces, as a potter's vef fcl. Their iinion in following the ufurper in oppo- sition to Christ, fliall be broken by his irrefiftible power, who is their rightful owner. For this piirpofe was thefon of God manfefled,t hat he might deftroy the works Of the Devil. In the paffage mentioned in the 2d Pfalm, their appears an allufion to an inheritance, that as we fay, is all wild, uncultivated, and inhabited by wild beafts, taken in hand by the owner, broken up with inftruments of iron, which the more fpeedily and effeftually it is done, redounds to the honor of the owner. Theri and power, unto him that fitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Saw he not then in vifion, every knee bow in the nam-e of Jesus ? Now when we confider the Apoftles and firft difciples, the firft Churches, and thole in after ages who followed the footfteps of the firft flocks elefctedj chofen or predcftinated, hereunto by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleafure of his will, to whom the myftery of his will is made known, ac- cording to the good pleafure which he hath purpofed inhimfelf. Ephefians, i. 5. 9, We find it was that in the dfpcnfation of the fulnefs of time, he might gather together in one, all things in Chrijl, verfe 10, and to make all men fee what is the fellowfhip of the myflery. (Think of the expreffionj Jesus Christ, fays Matthew, xi. 25, / thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that thou hafl hid thefe things from the wife and prudent, and hafl revealed them unto babes, even fo Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight : Tis revealed to make all men fee, not for thofe to whom it is revealed, to glory over their fel- R low i^Q A SOBER ATTENTION, 4c. low men, from whom it feems good in the light oi God, it fiiould yet be hidden, by telHng them they fliall never fee, " Thej-e are multitudes of them that belong to Satan s world, for whom Jefus neither pray^ ed nor died ? If he that hath mercy on whom he will, of his own will hath begotten them by the word of truth, that they fliould be a kind of firft-fruits of his creatures, let them remember, that the whole harveft, even the lateft part of it belongs to the fame owner, and not be fo ready to affert that a part belongs to his enemy, whom the Great Owner has caft out, and drawn all men unto himfelf, John xii. 31, 32. Now my beloved friend, let me afk myfelf and you a plain queftion, which, perhaps we have been often afked in our childhood : Who made you ? Who preferves you ? Who redeemed you ? The an- fwer will determine whofe we are, and whom we ihouldferve,forour Creator, Preferver, and Redeem- er, is our Owner and Lord. To him we look to fafcguard, and defend his own property, to provide for them, in licknefs and health, to be with them in life and death j for even death itfelf cannot alienate his property ; for living and dying, we are the Lord's. The Apoftle in Romans viii. 38, fays, / am perfuaded^i that neither death nor life^ nor Angels^ nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prejent, nor things to come, Jh all be able to feparate us from the love of God zvhich is in Chrifi Jefus our -Lord. So that deadi can neither deftroy the Divine propriety in us, nor his love to us. Glory be to his name. These things being fo, it is evident that obedi- ence is due to our Riditful Mafter and Lord : And any man that acls under the Prince of darknefs, the Prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that now worketh in the children of difobedience, in oppofi- tion to Christ Jesus, mult be. felf condemned, as in rebellion to his Rightful Sovereign : But if the contrary A SOBER ATTENTION, &c. 131 contrary vere true, and any part of the world belong to Satan, as their rightful owner and Lord ; they have to look to him for prote6lion, and owe their obedience to him, and cannot be deemed rebels in their fubje6lion to him ; fbocking confequences of attempting to prove that any part of mankind belong to Satan, fee how it opens the flood-gates to all im- piety and wickednefs. And as we are every one of us under every poflible obligation of obedience to him, fo we are to confider ourfelves members of his Great Family ; and to love one another, as he has given commandment, and as we have opportunity, do good to all men, efpecially unto them who arc of the houfehold of faith. To what hath been faid, there arifes the following objedions ; namely, Jesus Christ fays, of the ]ev!s,ye are not ofmyJJieep, as I, faid unto you. In anfwcr, it may be faid, the Prophet Ifaiah faith, all we like flieep, have gone aftray : And the Apoftle Peter, defcribihg the difciples to whon^ he wrote, fays, ye were as fJie^ep going ajiray^ but now are returned to the JJiepherd and hijhop of your fouls : But thofe Jews that rejeded hini, did not yetappear in that charafter, therefore: he faith, ye are not of my fiieep ; my flieep hear my voice ^ and they follow me j as if he had faid, they believe me to be their fliepherd ; you are not of that charafter, and do not appear as my fheep ; yet he faitli in the fame Chapter, other flieep I have that, are not of this fold^ in which exp re Ifion he ap- pears to defcribe thofe that are yet in unbelief, and do not appear in charaBcr as his fheep, are not yet brought into the fold. Them alfo I mufl bring,' and theyfJiall hear my voice, and there fhall he onefold and onefhepherd. Mark the cxpreffion, I rmifii theyJJtall, I muft bring, they fhall hear my voice. Again Jtsus Christ faith to the unbelieving Jews, that fought to kill him, John viii. 44, ye are of your 133 A SOBER ATTENTION, Sec, your father the Devil. InthispafTagej Jesus Christ appears to denominate them, by the influence they were then under, as when he called Peter Satan ; when fpeaking under his influence, we read, Matthew xvi. 21, Jesus began to jfhew his difciples, how that he mnji go into Jerufalem, and fufFer many things of the eiders and chief priefts, and fcribes, and be kill- ed, and be raifed again, the third day : Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, faying, that be far from thee. Lord : This fhall not be unto thee : But he turned, and Jaid Lo Peter, get thee behind me Satan; take notice, it follows in the fore^iientioned, John viii. 44, and the Ivjl of your father ye will do, he -was a mur^ derer, and abode not in the truth, when he fpeaketh a lie, he fpeaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the fa- ther of it. As though he had faid, while you refufe to admit the truth, teftified of me, you cherifh a lie, and that lie thus cheriflied, prompts you to feek to kill me. Thus you appear in charafter as the chil-j dren of the Devil, as being influenced by him, to ly-, ing and murder. Agreeable to i ft of John iii. 8, he that committeth fin is of the Devil, influenced by him thereunto ;, but this notwithftanding, there is this confolation, that Jesus Christ prayed for thoie thus influenced ; even for his crucifiers ; Father for- give them, for they know not what they do. And John faith for this purpofe, the Son of God was ma- nifefted, that he might deftroy the works of the Devil. Again it is faid, 2d ThefTalonians, i. 6, to the toxh, feeing it is a righteous thing with God, to rec- ompencc tribulation, to them that trouble you ; and to you that are troubled, re.fl with us, when the Lord Je- fus fhall be revealed from heaven, in flaming fre,with his mighty Angels, taking vengeance of them that knov) not God, and that obey not the gofpel of our Lord ft- fus Chrifl ; Who JJiall be punifJied zvith everhfling dcjirukioiii A SOBER ATTENTION, &c, 133 isfiruBion^ from the prefence of the Lord, and frotii the glory of ids power. Hence the inquiry is, doth pot this text militate with what has been laid. For aiifwer, let it be confidcred, the Lord Jesus Christ fhall be revealed in flaming fire, doth not that ma- nifell his Deity ? For our God, is a confuming fire. With fbbriety and reverence let it be confidered, what this everlafling confuming fire deftroys : The foregoing words in Hebrews, xii. 28, 29, are : Where- fore, we receiving a kingdorn that cannot be moved, let us hold fall the grace whereby we may ferve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a corfmning fire : the grace whereby we may ferve God acceptably, is the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Every thing afide frorn this, offered as an attempt to ferve God acceptably, will not abide the fire, will J3e confumed and dedroyed, agreeable to r ifl CQrindiians iii. from 11, to 16, for other founda- tion can no man lay, than that which is laid ; which is Jksus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, filver, precious ftones, wood, hay, ftubble ; Every man's work fhall be made manifefl, for the day fliall declare it, becaufe it fhall he reveal- ed by fire ; and the fire fhall try every mans work ; of what fort it is. If any man's work abide which he has built thereon, he Ihall receive reward. If any man's works fhall be burnt, he fhall fuffer lofs; but he hunfelf fJiall befaved : Yet fo, as by fre. Gold, filver, ' and precious ftones will abide the fire, like the grace whereby we may ferve God acceptably; but wood, hay, ftubble, is fuel of fijre, and muft be burnt up, a- greeable to Ifaiah ix. 5, where every batde of the warrior is contrafted with this ; for every battle of die warrior is with confufed noife, and garments rolled in blood ; fometimes one prevailing, and fometimes the other ; but it doth not deftroy the enmity : But this {hall be with burning fuel of fire (not burning and fUPl 134 A SOBER ATTENTION, Sec. fuel of fire : the and is fupplied) for unto us a child is born. The prince of peace, and the government ihall be on his fhoulders. Thus we fefe what the flaming fire is to confume, when the Lord Jesus fliall be revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not thegofpelof our Lord Jesus Christ, who fnall bepunifliedwith the everlafting defl;ru6lion, of all their hopes and profpefls offl;anding in difobe- dience to the gofpel : and of all the wood, hay, and ftubble,that foolifli buildershave built on the founda- tion : Of all the tares that entangle the wheat, and the chaff that cleaves to it, of every thing that is fuel of fire. Of every thing afide from the grace that is in Christ Jesus, the grace whereby we ferve God acceptably : While bleffed be his name, even the foolifh builder himfelffliall be favedyet fo as by fire. This view of taking vengeance appears agreeable to Ifaiah xxxiv. 4, fay to thein of a fearful heart, fear not, behold your Go n will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence, he will come and fave you. And Pfalm xcviii. 8, thouwafl a God thatforgavefl them^ though thou tookefl- vengeance on their inven- tions, which laft paffage, I fuppofe, refers to thofe who came out of Egypt and did not enter into the earthly Canaan, for whom Mofes prayed, Numbers xiv. 19, and was anfwered, / have pardoned according to thy word. * Who though they were cut off from entering into the earthly Canaan, were not cut off from pardoning mercy. This brief view ofthefe three texts, is brought to fhew that no divine difpenfations in reproof, or cor- reftion, diflblve the relation of the Father of the family of the whole creation : His name is unchang-. able, according to Mica iii. 6, For I thee Lord, I change not ; therefore ye fons of Jacob are not con- fumed * Note. According to thy word, what word did Mofes ufe, or whatnamedid he pray in. See verfes 17, i8, 19, according to the '■"^-Atnersoithy mercy, and as thou haft; done from Egvpt until now. A SOBER ATTENTION, &c., 135 fumed. He is ftill the juft God, and the Saviour, Fatiier and Redeemer is his name, from everlafting, and will remain fo to everlafting. Therefore, lee the prophet Ifaiah, chap. xlii. 10, 11, 12, fing unto the Lord a new fong, his praife from the ends of the earth ! Ye that go down to the fea, and all that is herein ; the ifies and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wildernefs and t#e cities thereof, lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit : Let the inhabitants of the rock fing : Let them fliout from the top of the mountains* Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare his praife in the iflands. Let us look over the various expreffions^ and find any if we can, that are excluded from joining herein ; and if there fhould ftill remain a doubt, let us turn to Pfalm xcviii. from i,to 4, O fmg unto the Lokd a new fong, * for he hath done marvellous things : his right hand and his holy arm hath gotter>him the vic- tory. The Lord hath made known his falvation ; his righteoufnefs hath he openly fhewed in the fight of the Heathen : He hath remembered his mercy and his truth tov/ards the houfe of Ifrael ; all the ends of the earth have feen the falvation of our God. (In his mercy and truth towards the houfe of Ifrael expreffed in his promife to Abraham, all the ends of the earth are included) make a joyful noife unto the Lord, all the earth : Make a loud noife, and rejoice and fing praife. Let the prophet Ifaiah, clofe the fubjecl, fee chap, xliv. 22, 23, I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy tranfgreffions, and as a cloud thy fins : Return unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens ; for the Lord hath done it : Shout yc lozuer parts of the earth : Break forth into finging,ye mountains, O foreft, and every tree therein : For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himfelf in Ifrael. Several See wbat the new fang is, Revelations, v, 9. Several Obje^^ions againft the Extent of the Gofpel Salvation confidered. SECTION V. Some Remarks en d Pamphlet, e7iiitled, all meH WILL NOT BE SAVED FOREVER *. Wl'Ote by SaMU- EL Mather, Pajlor of a Church in American 'Bo^Toii^ in anfwer to one, erUitkd, salvation roR all men ; in which there is an endeavour to clear fevcral p^JJages of Scripture^ which appear very much darkened by the Writer, and the fevcral Authors referred to in that performance : By com- paring Scripture with Scripture, or attending to the Scripture as its own interpreter. Addreffed t9 Mr. Mather : Together with fome Remark on the infididus Pamphlet (fo called, by him.) To which is annexed four Inferences from the above Remarks. To the law and to the teftimony, if they fpeak not according to this word, it is becaiife there is no morning in them. — Prophet Isaiah. For I determine to know nothin<^ amon^ you, fave Jefus Chrift and him crucified ; for though we walk in tne flefh,v,'edo not war af- ter the flefh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but migh- ty through God, to ihs pulling down of ftrong holds, carting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itfelf againft the know- ledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obe- dience of Jefus Chrift, v. hich things alfo we fpeak, not in the words, that man's wifdom teachcth, but which the Holy Ghoft tpacheth, comparing fpiritual things with fpiritual. — Paul to /At CORINTHIANS. To Mr. MATHER. S I R, jl\S> the fubjecl before us is the common falva- tion, I take liberty to lay afide your addition, as that which no way belongs to the point in controverfy, and confider myfelf as on a perfe6t level with you, (your OBJECTIONS TO THE EXTENT, &c. i^f (your fuperiority in years excepted, to which I mean: ever to have a diie regard) that I may wi'ite with thati freedom and plainnefs, that becomes one, contending for a truth, which 1 Judge, of equal importance to all the defcendants from apoftate Adam. I remember to have heard this obfervation, that while we are at- tempting topiill down our neighbour's one idoljwe are in danger of fetting up two of our own ; but I hope I am not fo ignorant of the pride ofthe human heart, and the devices of the grand adverfary, as to think myfelf not equally liable with others engaged in con- troverfal writings, to contend for vi8ory and triumph, rather than truth ; arid of being influenced by the vanity of my carnal mind, rather than the meeknefs and gentlenefs of Christ. To him who is able to keep me from falling into the condemnation of the devil, I now comniit myfelf, and proceed to the re- marks propofed ; may they be made with thatmeek- ncfs that becomes the man who fears God, loves bis truth, doth not defpife, but love his neighbour. Notwithftanding the many objeftionsi have againfl your performance, I muft acknowledge there are fome things in it that juftly demands one's attention, in the premonition to the reader ; your bringmg up to view, Matthew vii, 13, 14, the exhortation to enter into the ftraight gate — and to beware of falfe pro- phets ; was very agreeable asyouprefentitto view — *' as coming from the great light of the world, the on- ly and true way to God and happinefs ;" and it fixed my thoughts the more, as it is a paffage of fcripture, that has many years engaged me in the inquiring what is the true import of it, as not knowing but that I might profit by your interpretations thereof, which indeed did not appear fatisfa£lory to my mind, more than any thing that I had been before acquainted with ; therefore I fet myfelf to inquire into themean- ng of thofe words ofthe Lord and Saviour, with S other 138 Objections to the extent dther parts of the divine word, by compairing fcrip* ture with fcripture, as it is undoubtedly the beft, and is its own interpreter. — When I confider Jzsus Christ, as made under the law, and fpeaking as un- der the law to thofe that Were alfo under it, and that it was his defio-n to manifeft himfelf as the true Mef- fiah, the antitype of what took place under that dif- penfation, I apprehend in this exhortation he has the fame thing in view, and fpeaks of hinifelfas the anti- type of what was faid of the gate in the Old Tefta- ment fcriptures ; perhaps in Ezekiel^ chap, xliii. 4j and 4, 2, 3, and 45, 19, which paffages were they well underltood, perhaps would illuftrate this matter; but I fiiall only take notice of what is faid in Pfalm cxviii. 19, 20, where the Mefliah is brought in, fay- ing, open to me the gates of righteoufnefs ; I will go in to them and praife the Lord ; this gate of the Lord, into zohich the righteous JJi all enter. — Here we have the mediator in virtue of his own righteoufnefs, call- ing for the opening the gates of righteoufnefs, which may be illuftrated by John x. 2, he that entereth by the door is the fliep herd ofthejheep^ and he enters the gate of righteoufnefs as head of his body. By his own righteoufnefs, his pcrfeft obedience to the law, and his full fatisfaftion to divine juftice, in which the fa- ther is well pleafed: So entering by him, is entering into the ftraight gate, into the narrow way, the only way leading to life ; Jesus Christ admits no com- petitor, no rival with him ; nothing to be made men- tion of but his righteoufnefs and his only ; not mere- ly for the entrance into the gate ; but all along the narrow way, and fo jealous is he of his honor, that he allows of no fubjeftion to any other Lord ; — this appears to me, the moft likely meaning of the ftraight gate and narrow way, which it is manifeft,there be but few that find ; as it is natural for us all in fome way or other, befides him, to go about to eftablifti our own righteoufnefs OF THE GOSPEL CONSIDERED. 139 j-ightcoufnefs and feek to ennter in thereby, which though many feek thus to enter, they never (hall be able ; for eminently he is the way, the truth and the life ; whillt the body of the Jewifli nation were feek- ing righteoufnefs by the works of the law, the Lord lets them know the mailer of the houfe was about to rife up and Ihut the door of that difpenfation ; and when he fhall have fo done, their knocking and plead- ing, what they had been done, and the many, advan- tages they had enjoyed, would not avail them, while they rejetled the ftraight gate and narrow way, and they with their pleas utterly rcjefted; while he fhould fay to them, I know ye not, while others, i. e. the Gentiles^ fhould come firom the eaft and weft, nordi and fouth, and fit down with the patriarchs, and thus it would appear that the great faviour according to the good pleafure of his will, was found of them that fought him not, thus Ifrael that followed after the law of righteoufnefs hath not attained to the law of righteoufnels ; wherefore, becaufe they fought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law ; if the two paflages that fpeak of the ftraight gate be con- fidered and compared,! think thefe thoughts muft ap- pear agreeable to the fcope of them. Ma/^vii. i3,and Lukexni. 13,24 — anditmuft be acknowledged that it was not more the error of the people under the old dif- penfation by many deceitful ways, to be endeavour- ing to eftablifli their own righteoufnefs, than it is for thofe who call themfelves chriftians, and the uncer- tainty and perplexity which arifes from that painful queftion, Whatlack I yet, will forever torment them, till the ftraight gate and narrow way is wide opened to them ; wherefore, woe to them who pretend to another gate or way befide Jesus Christ, the true- way ; he warns againft falfe prophets, that come in ihceps cloathing, but inwardly they arc ravening wolves, and fays, by their fruits yc fliall know them ^ 4^ J40 OBJECTIONS to the EXTENT do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thiftles .; the fruits by which Mr. Mather judges of therti " is their own irregular, worldly and fenfual lives and con- yerfations ;" and the fame fruits of their dotlrine, but as this is not a fatisfaOtory difcovery,' becaufe men of fuch lives and do6lrines don't corne in fheeps cloathing, but appear outwardly ajid inwardly alike., and there does not feem much danger of their de- ceiving ; it may then be inquired, who are the falfe prophets? I anlwer, our Lord who hath warned us againft them, has not left us without their diftinguifh- ing marks, by which to know them, therefore looking for the meaning of Jesus Christ, let us compare the paffage with the apoftle Peter ^ 2d epift, ii. chap, beginning who fays, there were Jalfe. prophets among the people:^ even astherejhallbefalfe teatheri among you., who privily Jhall bring in damnable errors, evert denying the Lord, that bought them., and bring upon themfelvesfwift deJiru6lion, &c. Denying the Lord that bought them ; as in the ftraight gate and narrow way : the gofpel admits of no competitor, no rival with Jesus Christ, nothing to be made mention of but his rightequfnefs, no fubje6lion to any foreign lord ; fo the falfe teachers are thofe that privily bring in Ibmething befides, and cannot truft the finifhed work of Christ alone, as the exclulive ground oi' hope towards God, without fomething wrought in us, or done by us to recommend us to the divine favour j| , and though the fe teachers will with much plaufible' language fpeak honorurable of Jesus Christ ; yet will warn of the danger of holding his character and jfinifhed work as witnefled in his refurreftion, as the fole foundation of hoping for divine mercy to eternal life ; is not thispriyily denying the Lord that bought them.— Again, when the fcriptures affert, that he gave himfelf a ranjom for all; that he tajled death Jor eve- ry man -, that he is the propuiatioji for the whole ' • world ; PF THE GOSPEL CONSIDERED. ti% world ; that he will hav€ all men to befaved^ and come to the inow ledge of the truth : (or even as fome readj coming to the knowledge of the truth, and being fav- edj the love of Christ ccyiftrained the Apoftle thus to judge ; that if one died for all-i then were all dead ; aiid that he died for all, that they which livefhould not hence forth live to themf elves, but unto him that died for them and rofe again ; th^t as Jin reigned to cieatfi., evenfo might grace reign through righteoufncfs to eternal life, by Jcfus Chrijt our Lord. Is it pot denying the Lord that bought them, to aflert this cannot be fcripture do6irine, becaufe is leads to licen- lioufnefs ; when the Apoftle truly fays, he died for all, if hat thofe that livefhould not henceforth live to thetnr- f elves, but to him that died for them and rofe again : find another Apoftle teils us — v/e love him hecaufe he firfl loved us ; and this is the love of God that we keep his commandments ; let God be truc^ and every tfian a liar. The doftripe of Christ leads to himfelf as the true vine, the caufe of all jfruitfulncfs ; the root of the righteous that yieldeth fruit agreeable to Hofca xiv. ^, from me is thy fruit found ; — and to John xv. be- ginning ; as the branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me ; — / am the vine, ye are the branches, he that abi- deth in me and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing. Now when obedience is urged from other motives, and to other ends by falfe teachers, v;e may as well gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thirties. 1 muft here make a paufe, |hat I may acknowledge the great fatisfa6lion you gave me in your remarks upon Mr. White, the full teftimony you have given to the do6lrine of the great God and Saviour. I mean to credit you for the whole of what you have -wdtten from page twelve, line eleven from the bottom — 142 OBJECTIONS to the EXTENT bottom—" hut you fay tkere is one thing that follotus^ that is quite inexcufable ;" — " mark fays, he who is this faviour, i. e. of all men ; it is God, not Christ." " Let us look into the ift of Timothy^ 2. 3, and we ihall fee who is God our Saviour, and we fhall fee that in the Greek it runs, in the Jight of the Saviour our God, and fervants are enjoined to fliew all good fidelity that they may adorn the doBrine of God our Saviour in all things, in Titus ii. 10, but it is in the Greek, that they may adorn the doHr.ine of the Saviour our God m all things ; and how contrary is this to the interpretation of Mr. White, as well as other Arians. However, it is the truth as it is in Jesus the Saviour our God, and worthy of all acceptation." And in page 14, line 8 from the top, you fay, " if the words be juftiy tranflated, the fenfe will be, there is one God and one mediator of God and man, the man Chri-st Jesus, and fo it fignifies that the mediator is both Gop and man ; but we note, that the learn^ ed Biiterjteld, has propofed this tranflation of the v/ords, which it muft be owned anfwers word for word to the Greek ; the one God, the one who is al- fo mediator of God and man, is the man Christ Jesus ; fo then the man Christ Jesus, who is the mediator, is God as well as man, fo that he is God and man united." The above quotation is what ftrikes my mind with fatisfa^lion, as the truth, as it is in Jesus the Saviour our God ; and were I capaci- tated to recommend them to every ones confidera- tion, I would do it ; though I cannot, I dare not, for any other paragraph in your whole performance ; and what follows immediately hereupon, is as fhocking as that quotation was pleaftng ; to which you add, " but. although this mediator has given himfelf a ranfom for all ; for it mufi he granted that he has given a fuffi.- •cient ranfom and propitiation for all ; and he will not cafi abroad any, who penitently come to him as he ri- quire OF TH£ GOSPEL CONSIDERED. 243 . quires, to gain and enjoy the benefit of it ; yet it is no where /aid, that they who will not come to him for Ife and happinefs^Jhall enjoy the heneft of his ranfom and propitiation ;" the fum of which is, that though our Saviour be God, and has given himfelf a f^nlom, a fufficient ranfom and propitiation for all, yet it de- pends upon the will of man, whether any fhall enjoy the benefits of it ; I would afk you^ fir, Did you ev- er read Jeremiah 31, 31, 34, and chap. 32, 38, 40, and chap. 33, 8, with the Hebrews 8, from 8 to the end^and Hebrews 10, 16, 17, 18 .? Yon,feem,indeed, Sir, as if you thought the new covenant might be broken as the old one was ; but it mufl; be from your inattention to the Scriptures, / will be theif God, and they fhall be my people ; I will cleanfe thcuri from all their iniquities whereby they have fnned a>- gdinfl me, and I will pardon all their iniquities where- by they have finned^ and whereby they have tranfgrejf- ed agaivfl me ; the ground of which is the fufficiency of the ranfom and propitiation — / will forgive their iniquities and remember their fins no more ; alluding to the facrifice of Christ, where the remiJTion of them was, Hebrews 10, 17, 18) and the Apoftle fays, Having therefore brethren, boldnefs to enter into the holieji by the blood of Jesus — their boldnefs did not arifefrom their own repentance^ their own good difpofitions j but came in by the blood of Jesus. — Would it have been poffible for you to have expreff- ed yourfelf as you have done, if you had attended to Jfaiah 45, 22, 3, 4, Zoo^ untomeand beycfaved all the ends of the earth, for I God and none elfe ; I have fworn by myfelf, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteoyfnefs, andfJtallnot return, that unto me every knee fhall bow, and every tongue fJiall fwear,furely fhall fay, in the Lord have I righteoufiefs and flrengtk^ to himfliall come in praying far his immediate ^ifciples, und thoft^ tbatjb'iuld believe through their vjorj. j-48 OBJECTIONS to the EXTENT of God ourfavlour^ and they Jh all go forth and look on the carcaffes of the men that ha.ve tranfgrejfed againfi me\' I fuppofe the eight worfliippers to be an error of the prefs, putting tight for right ; but if fo, then the right worfhippers are all flefh, for all fle/k fhall toorfhip — but as this was not your defign, here is an^ evident error, that when you appear to endeavour to correfi another with the fcripture, you do not cite the text as it ftands. 3dly. Having read the text, would proceed to look for the meaning of it by comparing it with other fcriptures ; here we fhall agree that all flefli have tranrgreffed ; and the text fays, allfLeJhJhallrvorfhip, and the carcaffes of the tranfgrefforsfiall be an abhor- ing to allfefk. Now the inquiry is, wjiat is meant by the carcaffes of the men that have tranfgreffed ; if vje compare fome other fcripture prophef^es, particuT larly Jeremiah xy\. 18, 4nd firjl I will recompenci fheir iniquity and their fin double^ becavfe they have de- filed my land and filled 7}}ine inheritance with the car- caffes of their detejlable and abominable things. Esje-t kiel xliii. 7, 8, 9^ And he f aid unto me^fon of man^ the ■place of my throne and the place of thefoles of my feet •where J will dwell in the midfi ofihe children of ifrael forever, and my holy name fhall the houfe of ijrael no more defile ; they nor their kings by their whoredoms^ nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places^ in their fitting their threfhold by my threfliold^ and their pofl by my pofi -,- — they have even defiled my holy name by their abominationSiWherefore I confumed ihem in 7nine anger ; now let them put away their whoredom and the carcaffes of their kings far from wf, and I will dwell in the midfi of ther^ forever. — What is here called carcaffes, is their whoredom, their going afide from the ftraight and narrow way he had prefcribed, and worOiipping in ways of their own or others de- vifing, which is fpiritual whoredom, and abomina- tion Of THE GOSPEL CO^^SIDERED. 149 tton to him, and when thefe abominations fo prevail- ed, as to be eftabiifhed by the kings, as the form of worfhip ordered to be obfervcd as the religion of the Kingdom, they are calied the carcaffes of their kings, and as this profane worfhip was paid in high places, it was called the carcafles of their kings, in their high placesj and as it took the place of the worfliip of the true Goi>, it is called their threfhold, by my threfiiold, ■and their port, by my poft, by which they profane hi^ holy name ; — Now as this is very evident, if we look over the hiftory of the kingdoms of Judah and Ifrael, ^ a little attention would fhcw that this is applicable to all ilefh who have corrupted their way, all agree- ing in going aftray ; though every one turns to his own way, every one's own way in this view, is the car- cafe of his abomination, and when ever any are turn- ed from idols, to ^he living God, their way of go- ing aftray from him, becomes to them an abhorrence, Ijccaufe it is an abomination to the Lord, againft vhichour God, who is a confuming fire, a jealous God, has declared, and will eternally manifeft his dif- pleafurc. Wheji all flefh fhajl come to worfhip bcr fore the Lor d, the carcaffes of the men that have tranf-, greffed, will be abhorrent to them. I oifer thefe my thoughts freely, if any one uporj comparing thefe fcriptures,f}iall give a more probable meaning of them, than I have advanced, I hope it will be candidly received, if I was to inquire into the meaning of what God our faviour fays, when refer' ing to this pafTage in the 9th of Mark, I fhould take potice of the occafion of his writing thefe words, in order to undcrftandthem, and if I miftake not, they fire addreffed to his impiediate difciples, who had been difputing which fhould be greateft ; from the 33d, to the end of the 37th verfe ; then in verfe 38, John anfwered him (as not yet cured o f this fondncfs for pre-eminence) faying, majler zee Jctjj pne cajiing out 450 OBJECTIONS to the EXTENT eui devils in thy name, and we forbad him, becaufe h^ Jollowed not us. — Now the whole from the 39th verfe, to the end, appears addrefled to the difciples upon the very fubjed in anfwer to John, who fpake in behalf of himfelf, and his fellow difciples, majlerwefaw one^ i3c. Omitting what might be obferved in the preced- ing verfes, I fhall take notice of the 43d verfe, If thy hand, thy foot, thine eye offend thee, if you find a difpofition to defpife one of thefe little ones and to prefer yourfelves above them, becaufe your eyes have difcovered truth and duty beyond them, or becaufe your feet have carried you further in your mailer's caufe than they are able tp go, or be- caufe your hands have laboured therein, or have dealt out to the poor and neceflitous beyond what they ever were, or are ever like to be able ; this pride of heart is alide from the narrow way, it is taking a ftep. into the broad way, it leads to deftru6lion ; in the narrow way, Christ is all, his v/ifdom guides, his power fupplies, his feet was ever employed in going about doing good ; were it not better you had no foot, nor hand, nor eye, to enter into life, halt or maimed, being wholly hopelefs, helplefs, and deftitute in your- felf, nothing to hope for but mere mercy as manifeft in Christ Jesus ; than having two feet, hands, and t.yts, to abufe thefe gifts to the purpofes of your own pride,and fo to fall under the divine difpleafure, who fcorneth the' fcorner, refifteth the proud, and know- cth them afar off; for what can ftrike the mind of any perfon with more darknefs, perplexity, and diftrefs, than to have the apprehenfion that our God who is a confuming fire, a jealous God, is difpleafed with him. When pride of heart and d^fpifing little ones, take place, the favor of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, the fait of the covenant of God, is lacking; for every one fliall be faked with fire ; — may not this receive illuftration OF THE GOSPEL CONSIDERED. i^t llluftration froiti Matthew, iii. ii. Hr Jliall baptize zuith the Holy Ghofl and zuithjire — Is it not the fire of love, love to him and to the leaft of thefe little ones for his fake ; and every facrifice fhall be faked with ialt, that you now offer ; looking for pre-eminence one above another has no favor in it ; it doth not favor of the knowledge of myfelf, and therefore it is not accepted i every facrifice jfhall be falted with fait — have Ialt in yourfelves, and peace one with an- other. I am fatisfied that thefe thoughts are agreea- ble to the fcope of the palfage ; though being but an inquirer, am not able to comprehend the full mean- ing of them, or to fpeak of every fentence in them j but this feems evident that thofe things that Jefus Chrift meant for the inftru6lion and warning of his difciples, are now made ufe of as though they were only intended for the profane and openly vicious among mankind.! In taking notice of the title page, you fay, " Evert the title page is not without its errors ; it is this,falva- tion for all men illujirated and vindicated as a Jerip- tiire doBrine ; had the writer intended, and Jaid^JaU vationfor all men revealed and ojfered in the gojpel : this would have pajfed well enough for afcripture doc- trine ; but, that all men Jliall allually obtain falvation fooner or later^ which is the intent and meaning of this writer, this cannot be fairly illuflraied from the [acred writings, nor can it be fairly and honeflly vindicated as afcripture doBrine.'" Let us look of this a little : " Salvation for all men revealed a fcripture doc- trine ;" then it is a truth, a revealed truth it could not be, if it were not an original, eternal truth, I think I need fay no more on this. " Salvation for all men^ revealed and offered in the gofpel ;" that Jesus Christ or his falvation are offered in the gofpel, is without any foundation in the fcriptures, and conveys an idea very difhonourable to him, and very exalting to 15* dBJECtlONS TO THR^ tXTENt to human pride ; if any thing be ofFered to me I am at once in fome refpefts upon a level with the offerer, and may receive or not as I pleafe ; the gofpel re- Veals Jesus Christ and his falvation, and where the tvidence of the truth {!rikes the confcience, the light diicovers that however incenfed againft him, I haVe been, I muft be entirely beholden to him for falva- tion, and muft be fubjeft to his authority, or fall un- der his difpleafure, I cannot quit his dominions.— ABs iv. ii< 12, The various paflages, where the call and invitation of the gofpel are fpoken of, fuch as, look to me and be ye faved all the ends of the earthy come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden j mid I will give pu rejl^ calls the attention of the loft bewildered children of men that are grouping in the dark after falvation and reft, to the objeft where fal- vation and reft is to be found ; for as Mofes lift wp the Jerpent in the wilderncfs^fo mufl the Jon of mun be lijt-^ td up^ that whofoever bdieveth onhim JJiould not perijh hut have everlaJUng life ; he is brought to view that whofoever believeth the truth concerning him that feas hi^ mind fatisfied on divine e"^idence of the truths teftified of Christ and his falvation, fhould notper- iih, but have eternal life, the faith of the gofpel is the belief of the truth, not the accepting of an offer : But were it that falvation was offered to all, it could riot be fincere if it was not for all ; but Godfent not his fon into the world to condemn the worlds but that the world through him might be faved. Sir, one thing more I would take notice of, is this, that as the title of your piece is, " All men will not lefav(d the children of difobedience : For he muft reign till all his enemies be made his foot-ftool. — r-The lajl ene- viy piall be dejlroyed — Death. Death is the laft ene- iny, and it fhall be deftroyed ; it is a conquered enemy "^For he hath put all things under his feet. The Apol- tie in Hebrews ii. 8, fays. Thou hajl put all things in JithjeFiion under his feet. For in that he put all in fubjeEtion under him^ he left nothing net put under him^ But now we fee not yet all things put under him. But tue fee J&fus^ who was made a little lower than the an- gels^ for the fufferings of deaths crowned with glory and honour.) that he, by the grace of God, Jhould tafls death for every man. And when ^11 things fnall be fubdued unto him ; when this fhall take place, then fhall the fon alfo him- felf, be fubjed to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. By the Son, I under- fland, the one new man ; that Jesus Christ makes in himfelf of all nanons, kindreds, people and tongues ; that in Adam, their firfl head had been in a ftate of rebellion, and were never as one in fubjedion before ; never unitedly called God, Father: It feems to be that ftate, that every creature groans and travels in pain together for ; and not only they, but thofe that have the firft fruits of the fpirit, groan within them- felves, waiting for the adoption ; viz. the* redemption of our body. Romans viii. 23, When the whole body of which Christ is the head, are fubjeft to him, are redeemed from fin and fatan ; it is called th? adop^ tion. When Adam, who was the fon of God ; called the fon of God in his relative capacity, as head of the human nature, turned prodigal with all the difobedi- ence, (hame, forrow, guilt and mifery attendant there- upon, is recovered by the fccond Adam to favour, to fubjeftion, and to the adoption ; the fon himfelf is fubjedto him that put all things under him. It can- not or THE GOSPEL CONSIDERED. 165 pot mean Jesus Christ, confidered in himfelf ; he C'vcr did the diiiigs that pleafed the Father, never was m a ftate of rebellion and dilobediencc ; bcfidcs, jk- sus Christ fays, John x. 30, / and the Father are one ; and when he fays, all things are put under kim^ it is manifeft that he is excepted, which did. put all things under him ; But the Son in the above fenfe, V'as never in fubje^ion before. TJiat God may be all in all : While the rebellious fon plays the prodigal, captivated by Satan, his will, his various lufts, whether it be in a way of profane- pefs, unclcannefs, religious pride, or covetouhicfs, he is purfuiiig not the will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning him, but appears to be purfuing his luUs ps if they were his all ; but when brought home to lubjection, God is all in all ; Not God as diftinci from Christ, but God in Christ, Emanuel, God with us, the juHGoD and the Saviour, there is none elfe :— r-This view, is confident with Je^us, the fame, yefterday, to day, and forever : And with what the Apoftle in Htb. i. to, 11, 12, quotes from Pfalm cii. 25, 26) ^7, and applies to Jesus Chuist ; And tho-i!, Lord in the beginnings laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the viork of thy hands. They Jliall perijfi ; hut ^hou remainefi ; and they Jli all -aiax old., as a garpicnt ; and as a veflure^ Jhalt thou fold them up ; and they JJiall be changed. Bui jhou art the fame, and thy years ftiall not fail. — Arid with Jfaiahyix. 6, and Luke i. 33, And he Piall reign over ■ the houfe of Jfraelfor ever-, And of his kingdom ther-e flail he no end. To which the worfiiippcrs of the one, only living, and true God, manifeft in Chris-t Je- sus j will unitedly add dieir Ame.n, and here fmd a fource of eternal fecurity and joy. But to draw to a clofc — 1 would take notice of your laft page ; but indeed it puts me in mind of die xcpcatcd di^-c6lion in the 8th of Ezckiel. Turn thee yet ^66 OBJECTIONS to the EXTENT yet again ; thou /halt fee greater abominations. Yoi| fay, " If it be inquired^ why God fhould continue any to be the infiances of his extreme and perpetual ven- geance." In reply you fay, " That the jvjl Judge of all the earth, has an undoubted right to fupport the dig" nity of his government.'' And is not the (Jignity of his government effeftyally fupported by the obe-. dience andfacrifice of Jestus Christ, who died for the ungodly. Y014 add, *' And not fufftr any con- tempt to be cajl upon him, by the bold tranfgrefj'ors^ againfi his holy will and laws : — How is that to be prevented according to you ? It is by making theni examples of his extreme difpleafure, and perpetual vengeance j that is, according tq your own words, page 24, line 9th from the bottom, " As the fujfering of punifliment naturally excites an averfion in thefuf- ftrer, to the infliElor of the punifliment ; and as the fufferings and torments increafe, and go forward, the, enmity and rage of thofe that undergo them,, proceed and increafe againfi their punifher.'^ To put them in a ftate, where they will eternally be increafing theii: enmity and rage againfi; God ! — Indeed, Sir, I want words to exprefs the horridnefs of your evil commu- nications. What ! A great part of the dominions of the King, the Lord of hofts,, to be in eternal rebell- ion, in increafing enmity and rage againft him, as the only way to prevent contempt to be caft upon him, by bold tranfgreffors of his laws. I believe it is the divine defign, not to fuffer any contempt to be caft \ipon him by the bold tranfgreffors againft his holy will and laws ; but how ? I fliall endeavour from the prophet Ifaiah, to fhew unto you a more excellent wav ; he lets uS know, that eveiy knee fJiall bow to him. Thus I believe the contempt of bold tranfgreflbrs will ceafe, being brought to bow to him. See an ex- ample of a bold tranfgreffor being thus brought to bow in Saul, of Tarfus, who went to bind all that call on 6f'THE G6SPEL CONSIDERED. iG^ bn that Name ; but behold he prayeth — he calleth oft the Name he perfccuted before : There can be no ac- ceptable prayer but in that \s'orthy name. But I luppofe it will be objected, that this bowing will be the bowing of an overcome vi^im of jultice^ in order to his confinement, trial and execution. In anfwcr to this, I would beg your patience, till I again repeat the paflage in the 45th oflfaiah, from the latter part of the 2irt verfe,juft as it (lands, without the italick word, fupplied by the tranflators, and make fome obfervations upon them. / the Lord^ and no God elfe befide me, the jujl God and the faviour, none hejide me : Look unto me, and be yejavcd, all the ends oj the earth ; for I God, and none elfe, I have fworn by myjelf — the word is gone out of my month in righte- oufnejs, andJJiallnot return that every knee Jhall bow,* and every tongue JJiall Jwear, Jurely Jliall Jay, in the Lord,have I righteoujnefs and Jirength-^~unio himJJiall come^ * It is faid, that the true reading of the Apoftles quotation of this text in Philippians ii. lo, is, that in the name of Jeius, not at tiie name, (as it is faid) that is the true reading, and that it is the fame with Coloffiahs iii; 17. Do all ml he name ojf the Lord Jefus. If you pleafe, you nrra}' look in your Greek Teftament, and fee if it is not io, Now when we confider this, it obviates the obieftion that has been railed, after this manner : Yes, every knee (hall bow at the name of Jefus ; One day they Ihall all be brought to own him Lord ; to their eternal confufton, they fliall bow at his name, as a poor Criminal at the name of the Judge, that is jult going to pronounce a fentence of death, from which there is no appeal, nor efcape. But the text fays, Thai in the name of Jefus, every knee fhall bonv^ •and enjery tongue confefs that Jifus Chrijl is Lord, to the glcry of God the Father. iVs when a poor woman, who hath no riches, no worthi- nefs, nothing by which ihe can attain any thing in her own name, is married to a Prince, Ihe is intitled to his name, his perfon, his riches, his honour, and now appearing in his name, (he is regarded as him. So when in the name of Jelus, every knee fhall bow, it is in this view, exactly fmiiliar to the Prophet Ifaiah, to whirh the Apcftle here al- ludes ; tlie very matter ot \\ hat every tongue fhall fwear, is, Surely fljallfay, in the Lord ha'te I righteoujnefs andfirerigth, to himfjall come ; Surely Ihall fay, the mind Ihall be as latisfied of this truth, as ever any perfon was of any thing to which he was called to fwear ; thefe things being fo, we have the joint evidence of both Tcfta!!i» nts to this truth, confirmed by thf blood of the New Teftament, by the death of the tcftatcr, and witnefs in his refurretlion : So however dark, ignorant, miierablc, weare in ourfclves ; when we come to the knowledge of Jelus Chrift, to bow in his natne, we may iing ; Thou 168 OBJECTIONS to the EXTENt come^ and all that are incenfed a-gainfl him, Jliall he a/hamcd : In the Lord Jliall all the feed of Ifrael be jiflified, and fJiall glory. I the Lord^ and no God Itfide me ; thejvfl God, and ihefaviour, none kejide me. The charatier of the true GoD^ is the juft God and the faviour, there is none clfe ; no God befide ; then certainly, the jufl God, that is not the faviour, is not the only^ living and true God ; but is fuch a one as is fpoken of in verfe 20, A graven image, a God that cannot fave : — No matter whether graven on wood, or in the imagination of thofe that pray unto a God that cannot fave ; and as he is the fame yefterday, to day and forever^ with whom there is no variablenefs, neither flladow of turning ; confequently, whenever any come to the knowledge of him; they know the juftGoD and the faviour, there is none elfe, no God befide; and this is his true cha- racter, whether w-e know it or not : — So then, when the earth fliall be filled \7ith the knowledge of God^ as we are alTured it fliall, it will ht with knowledge of the juft God and the faviour. Look unto me, and he ye faved, all the ends of the earth. — ^Here is a call or command, to all the ends of the earth, it is his pleafure that it^fliould be fo ; and \vhat the Lord plcafeth, that he doth : For I^God, and none elfe^ I have ftoorn By myfelf, the word is gone out of my mouth in rightcoufnefs — That unto me, every knee fliall bow, and every tongue fhall fwear.— Then follows ^ Thou art our wlfdcm, Thou our guide. Thou art our rightcoufnefs ; We're blind and guilty, thee befides. Thou ait ourholinefs. prom flavery and bonds to fin, - . TI40U us, alone can'ft fiee ; From captive (tate, where we have been, Redeiuption we fhali fee. For he is macle to us, of God, wifdom, righteoufnefg, fanfllficatlon and redemption : He hath a name above every name, That in the name ofjefus, enjrry knee Jh all ^oto, e'very tongue J'urely Jlmll Jay ; In the Lord ia've I rlghtcoufnefi a?id jherif'jh ; tohimJhallcQme. So be it, the Lord hafl:en it, in his time. OF THE GOSPEL CONSIDERED. 169 follows the matter of the oath, that every tongue fiiall Iweax, Surely Jh all fay, in ihe Lord have I righUouf- nefs andjlrength : This being confidered, will invali*. date the objedlion ; for if every tongue fhall furely fay, in the Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength, they Iball furely be favcd by him, they fhall have no lack of rights oufnefs nor Itrength. — Unto him fJiall come — And furely the comers, are the true worfhip- pers, they are fodefcribed, under the Old Teftament difpcnfation, as Hebrews x. 1, Could never makethe comers hereunto perfe6l ; that is the worfliippers un- der that difpenfation, and under the New-Teftarnent difpcnfation. In ift of Peter-, ii. 4, the worfhippers arc dcfcribed by coming to Jesus Christ, who has promiredrelt to the weary and heavy laden, on their coming to him, ili^/ZA^ry xi. 28, Coming is alfo fy- nonymous to believing : Ht that comcth unto mr, Jliall never hunger^ and helhat bclieveth on me^Jliall never thirjl. So then, in this view, when it isfaid, unto him Jhall come, it intends they fliall be worfhippers of him, believing on his name. And all that are incevfed againji him, JJiall he a- Jhamed — Who have been incenled againft him ? Surely all, Ifaiah liii. 3, He was not dejpijed and re* jecled of men ; He was dtjpijed, and we e^eemed him not — Surely, you and I have been incenfed againSt him, and it is high time for us to be afliamed of the carcaffes of our whoredoms and deteftable things — it is time for us, with our fiftcrs, Sodo7n, Samariah and Jerujaltm, to be afhamed and confounded, and never open our mouths any more, becaule of our fhame ; when he hath revealed himfelf in Christ, pacified to- "Wards us for all that we have done. In the Lord Jhall all the feed of Ifrael he jvfifed, end fliall glory. By Ifrael I underftand Jesus Christ. Who are his feed ? Thofe that are bleffed in him ; that is all the nations of the earth. Gen. xxii. 18, — X Pfalm 1 ^o OBJECTIONS TO the EXTENT, ^C. Pfalm xxlL- 27, All the ends of the world Jliall rc^ member and tarn unto the Lord ; and all the kind- reds 0/ the nd'tions piall worfliip before thee ; for the kingdom is the Lord's^ and he the governor among the nations : Afeed Jliall ferve hh.i ; it Jliall he accounted to the Lord for a generation ; they Jliall come dnd de- clare his fighteoijiiefs unto a people that Jliall be born, that he hath done. The chofen feed that in every age are brought to the knowledge of hinijarea fpecimen, an earned, the firft fruits unto God and the larnb, and are chofen for this end, as we itiay fee in the firft of Ephefians, fVom the beginning ta the 10th vcrfe ; See verfe 5'thj Having predejlinated us unto the adoption of children by Jefus Cliriji, to himjelj, according to the good pie af lire of his will, to the prafe of the glory of his grace.- Verfe gth. Having made known unto us the 7nyflery of his -will according to his good pleafure, which he hath purpofed in himfel^; For this end, verfe 3 0th, That in the difpenfation of the fidlnefs of time s^ he might gather together m one, all things in Chriji,- both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth in hm. This being the cafe, way is made to call upon " all the human race, ds we are required, to fcrve Jehovah oar Lord, our God and judge, with fear, and rejoice with treiTibHng, and feafonably repent and give glory to God in Christ Jesus ;" not as you exprels it, <' that we may not be vexed with his fore and per- petual difplcafure," but becaufe he has blotted out, as a thick cloud, our tranfgreflions, and as a cloud, our fms, we are called to return, for I have redeemed thee. Jfaiah xliv. 22. But I w^ould further take notice of another particu- lar you mention. You fay, that the fame epithet is ufed for the pun- ifliment of the wicked, as for the life of the righteous, and why muft a two-fold meaning be given to it ?" Page 22 J line 14 from the top. The INFERENCES. 171 The rcafon I would offer, is in the words of the Apoftle, Sin reigns to death-i hut grace retgm througfp righ:coufnefs to eternal life by jfefu'S Ckrijl^ who fay, hecaufe llive^yejhall live alfo : But deaths zvhich is the wages of Jin, and the extent of its reign is to be de- Jlroyed andjivallowed up in viBory, -when the Lord God, zuith his own benign handJJiall zuipe tears from all faces. Now, Sir, keeping in view, James v, 19, 20, If any of yoxi do err from the truth, and one convert him, Itt him knozcthat he that converteth afinner fromthe error of his zuays, fhall fave a foul from death, and hide a multitude of fins. As the only way to this end, I have endeavoured faithfully to difcover fome of your er- rors, from the word of God ; and as I have no defign to offend you, I am not confciousof any thing to that end ; I reft in the truth of that word, he that rebuk- eth a man, afterward Jhall find more favour than he that flattereth with his tongue. So devoting ray labour %o the honor and glory of God, our Saviour, to whom be glory and majcfty, dominion and power, both now and ever. — AMEN. I fubfcribe myfelf, your Servant, for Jesus fake, SHIPPIE tOWNSEND. Boflon, January i, 1783. Ui INFERENCES. PON refle6ling on the truth contained in the foregoing letter, there arifes to view thefe reflce- tions, asrefulting therefrom, viz. ift, The obligations to love : 2dly, Submiflion ; 3dly, Gratitude and obedience ; and 4thly, Thankfgiving. ift. Love to him who hath thus loved us. We love him becaufe he firfl loved us : God is love^ and he that dzvelleth 1/2 INFERENCES. dwelhth. in love, dwelletk in God, and God in him ; and this comma^idment have roe from him,, that he that loveth God, love his brother aljo ; if God fo loved us, we ought to love one another. Haw ? Jesus Christ told his difciples, John xiii. 34, that ye love one another as / have loved you : How.dodihe manifefl and we perceive his love to us ? John iii. 16. Hereby perceive we !he love of God, becaufe he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down lives for the brethren ; but whofo hath this world's goods,and feeth his brother have need, and fliutteth up his bowels from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him ? — • When we fee him, zdIio was rjch,f or our fakes become j)oor, that zue through his poverty, anight be rich, it ought to excite us to lay alide profpetls and endea- vours to lay up treaiure on earth, and to engage us to lay down thefe gay profpetls of life, for the bre« thren to minifter with liberality to them ; to the necef- fities of the poor that are always left with \is,to prove the fiBcerity of our love : The poor ye have always xvtthyou ; and tohenfoever ye tuill, ye may do them good ; and if our means are fmall, we ought to ply the great- er diligence in our callings. For this very end, the gofpel motives are, ift of Thefjalonians, iv. 11, 12, That ye fiudy to be quiet, and to do your own bufmefs, end work with your own hands ; that ye may walk hon- ejily towards them that are without, and that ye may have lack of no-man. — 2d epiflle, 3d ch. p. 11, 12, For we hear there are fome which walk diforderly, working not at all ; now fuch we command and exhort by our Lord Jefus Chrifl, that with quietnefs they work^ and eat their own bread. — Ephefians '\Y.2^,But rather let him labour, working with his hands, the thing which is good, that he may have to give him that needcth, Thefe are gofpel motives. Next the gofpel examples. We have already hin- ted at the example of Jesus Christ, who went about INFERENCES 173 about doing good, healing die fick, relieving the at- ilifled, feeding the hungry j came not to be miniller- cd unto, but to miniftcr, and give his life a ranfom for many. We have the example of Paul, ABs xx. 34, Yea, vonrfelves know that thefc hands have minij'- tered to my neccjpties, and to them that art tmth Wf, Then the example of Paul and his companions, ill pf Thejfalonians, ii. 9, For ye remnnber, brethren^ our labour and travel ; for laboicring night and day^ he- caufe ive would not be chargeable to any of you, wc preached unto you ihegofpelof Cod. And his exhor- tation to the Ephefian elders, Atis xx. 35, / hav-our towering imaginations of future great^ nefs, and worldly happinefs in our relations, are all known to him, and he fees when it isneceffarytotake them from us ; who corrects us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holinefs. If our trou- bles were greater than thefe, and we have living af- fli6lions, and of long continuance in our relations, there is a hiftory in Mark 5th, from ift to the 19th, defigned for the confolation of fuch relations. Go home to thy friends^ and tell them how great things Jesus hath done for thee, and had CG'inp->Jfion on thee. He is the fame, and has the fame defigns in view in his difpenfations. The ficknefs of Lazarus was for the glor)' of God, that the fon of God might be glorified thereby — This man was born blind, that the works of God fiiould be made manifeft in him ; yea, a tribute of glory is raifmg to him who caft out fcvcn Devils from Mary Magdalen, and fet the adulterefs free, with direftion to go and fin no more. If I could paint out greater affliction than any I have mentioned, it mufl be the diftreffed cafe of poor prodigal children, from theirfa- ther's houfes,ladencd with guilt, opprefled with fhame, afflided with a itubborn loathnefs to return, pinched with hunger, going with reluftant ftcps towards the place where the fwine are fed, to look for relief from thence — Even this painting hath a bright fide, when we confider that in all the diflrefs into which their wilful 175 i i\^ F E H E N C £ S. ^'ilfiil, fliamcful folly hath plunged tliem ; there u a defign ofloveinover-rulingall thismifery,asameansio bring them to theuifelves and return them to their father's houre;What,thoughthey may notyet have come to this length, and are rclolvedly guarding againft this depth of diftrefs and poverty, that hath been defcribed ;-^ though they choofe to continue in the way leading thereunto ; there is this confolation, that every knee ihall bow, and the lofUncfs of maiiJJiallbe hov^'cd down, and the haughtinej's of vianJJidll be made lorv^ and the Lord alone Jliall be exa.lied, and the idols he JJiall ut- terly aholifh. I would further fay, we are the property of our Creator, Preferver and Redeemer, and obliged to glorify him in our fpirits, and bodies, which are his ; then furely, we arc not our own, nor at our own dif- pofal, and it is our indifpenfible duty to keep the place he allots, and do what he bids us, till he calls us away. To fuppofe our lives at our o\%\\ difpofal, is a ftrong delulion to believe a lye ; and as this de- iufion has obtained in the minds of thofe that have profelTed a high fenfe of honour and honefty in their dealings, among men, I would endeavour to (hew, ift. that it is the moft contemptible fentiment that can be embraced — ■2d. it is the moft knavifli and dif- honeft, beyond high-way robbery — sdly. it is the moft ungrateful : ift. The moft contemptible, not only as it tends to brand the name and memory of a man from age to age, among men, but firft, as it is the evidence of munnuring and difcontent with the allotments of a wife and kind providence, it is a delufion that has its rife from enmity to God. — 2dly. As it tends to a foolifli, fruidefs atttempt to run away from our right- ful owner ; I fay, fruitlefs becaufe it is impoflible, for Jj I afcend unto heaven^ thou art there : If I make 7}iy bed in hcll^ behold thou art there : If I fay, ths darknefs I N F E R E N^ C E S, 177 darknefs piall cover me^ even the night Jhall he light about me : yea, the darknefs hideth not from thee, but the night fnneth as the day ; the darknefs and the light both alike to thee — And what is more foolifh, and contemptible than a runaway, who finally runs right into the hands of his mailer. 2dly. It is the moft knavifh, as it tends to an attempt to rob Gqd at once of all his property that is in our power. 3dly. It is the moft ungrateful, as it is dire^ly con- trary to all that love, grace and mercy that is made manifcit in the golpel, and to our duty coufequent thereupon ; For the grace of God, which hringeth falvation unto all men, hnth appeared ; teaching us, that denying ungodlinef and wordly lujls, we JJionld live foberly, righteoufly and godly in this prefent world — looking for that hh:ffe.d hope, even the glorious ap- pearing of the Great God, even our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himfelf for us, that he might re- deem us from all iniquitv, and purify unto himfelf, a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 3dly. A lenfe of obligation to gratitude and obe- dience, refults from the behef of this truth ; whoev- er knows it, knows they are not their o^yn, but bought with a price, and under undifputable, indifpcnfa- blc,cternalobligations,loglorify God in their fpiritand bodies which are his. Then lurely we ought always to keep our eye on his will, as our rule in all ouj: ac- tions, and look on our interefl, our time, and all our talents as his, and at his fervice, and be frequently inquiring of ourfelyes, whether what we fpeak and do, is agreeable to the will of God in Christ Je- sus, concerning us, agreeable to the exhortation, Colofjians, iii. 17, Whaifoever ye do in word or deed, do all m the name of t/u Lord J^fi^s- And when we dtl contrary thereto, w^ are guilty of bafeingra- iitu4e» 178 INFERENCE S. What is worfe than to call a man ungrateful ? Yet, black as it is, we are guilty of it every time we hearken to the temptations of Satan, and walk after our own lufts. What can be conceived of, fo un- grateful, as when the grace of God, that bringeth falvation to all men, hath appeared, inftead of heark- ening to what it teaches, men curfe, and damn one another, bite and devour one another ? When he feeds and clothes us, the tendency of our hearts is, to make, empty the foul of the hungry^ and cauje the drink of the thirfy to fail, devifing wicked devices, with lying words, even when the needy fpeaketh right. Ifaiah, xxxii. 6, 7. O our ingratitude ! The ox knoweth his owner, and the afs his maflers crib ; lut my people doth not know, Ifrael doth nat confider. JJaiah, i. ^. But is there hope for us ? Yes; iftof Johi, iii. 5. And ye know that he was manifefl to take away our fins, ift of John, iii. 8. For thispurpofe the fon of God was manifefled, that he might defiroy the works of the Devil. Well may we cry out with the prophet Micah, vii. 18, 19. Who is a God like unto thee, that par doneth iniquity, and paffeth by the tranf- greffion of the remnant of his heritage ? he retaineth not his anger forever, becaufe he delighteth in mercy : He will turn again, he will have compaffion upon us ; he will fubdue our iniquities ; and thou will cafl all their fins into the depths ofthefea. Yea, faith God, by the prophet 7/fl;mA, chap. xliv. 22, I have blotted out as a thick cloud, thy tranfgreffions, and as a cloud thy fins, and calls upon us to return, for I have re- deemed thee. Surely then we are called, 4thly, to thankfgiving. Jfaiah, xliv. 23. Sing, ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it : Shout ye lower parts of the earth : Break forth into fnging ye mountains, forejl, and every tree therein : For the Lord hath redeemed Ja- cobj and glorified himfelf m Ifrael, This INFERENCES. 179 This is a fubjcft that would lead our minds from eternity, to eternity, back to the fource and fountain of mercy, which the Apoftle John fpeaks of, when he fays, God is love ; and forward to the fruit of the purchafe of Jesus Christ, the reward of his righ- teoufnefs, to the hope laid up in heaven, to what eye hath notfeen, nor ear hath heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man to conceive : For which all the difpenfations , of providence are over-ruled in the prefent life ; which, if rightly underftood, would lead the mind to an underftanding of that exhortation to the difciples, ill of Thejf'alonians, v. 19, In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Chrifl Jefus, concerning you. But as this opens a large held, and I have already been more lengthy than I intended, I fhall clofe with that fhort, comprehenfive exhortation, we have in Pfalm, cxvii, praife the Lord all ye nations ; Praife him all ye people, for his merciful kindnefs is great towards us, and the truth of the Lord for ever : Praife ye the Lord, SECTION \ SECTION VI. To the Singing Choir, by whom I have beenfeveril times entertained as an hearer* BELOVED YOUNG MEN, VV HEN we take a view of what we are irt ourfelves, in our fallen nature, and of the darknefs, diftrefs and mifery we are expofed to from the dread apprehenfion of the execution of the curfe of the law upon us as breakers of it, that we can have no gleam of hope from ourfelves ; and are enabled to fee our deliverance in Christ Jesus, who took our na- ture into union with himfelf, a-s our head, our fecond Adam ; and being made a curfe for us, hath deliver- ed us from the curfe of the law, hath foughtand faved our loll nature, and fent the glad tidings to every crea- ture. So that though we have not any ground of hope in or from ourfelves, the fcriptures fet before us the Lord [esus Christ^ who is our hope, as ab- folutely all-fufficient for us in our charafter as loft, deftitute, ungodly finnefs ; for when w6 were without flrength, Christ died for the ungodly. When this is underfiood as the only, and at the fame time as the all-fufficient hope, how muft our minds filled with gratitude burft forth into fongs of praife ! How cal- culated is it to ravifh our hearts, to hear the giCacioUs calls to all the earth, and every part of it, with fuch as go to fea, and all that are therein, to celebrate his praife. What a divine claim is hereby laid upon every one of us, to love him who firft loved us, and to love one another as he hath given commandment. That a fenfe of thefe things may abide on our minds whenever we join to fing the praifes of God, and that it may excite us fteadily to aim at a converfation be- coming the gofpel, is the hearty wifh of your very obliged friend, who prefents you the following view of a moft auguft Singing-Choir. Bojlon, May lo, 1793. A VIEW ^mJi.^ ■■■■«j>i-i-um.j!--j*im»j ii» A UNIVERSAL CALL to THANKS- GIVING. A ' univ erf al Call to THANKscivixoyo?- the glad tid- ings of the Gospel thus evidenced and promulgated in a View of a mofl Magnificent Singing- Choir, prefented to the Singing Societies of every denominaiio7t, and to all lovers of Music. Pfalm xlvi'u 7, S'ingyepra}fes -with u?ideijlanding, Solomon Son^;;, ii. 12, The time of finving is come. Pfalm cxlvlii. II, 13,13, Kings of toe tarth and all ■people, pr'mcpS Hnd all judges of the eurth, both young men and maidens^ old men und children— let them ^raife the name oftheLoKu. JriAViNG been fundry times admitted to a Singing-Choir as a hearer, my thoughts extend bcr yond the bounds of that fmall Ibciety, to view a move extenfive one. This turned my thoughts to the •Pfalms, to find the chief mufician ; and finding above forty of them dedicated to the chief mufician, I found in a tranllation printed in 1613, they were infcribcd to him that excelleth. A learned writer endeavours to (how from the Hebrew words, that thefe Pfahns are dedicated to Jesus Christ. It is he that excelleth, or is moft excellent. Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth ! In him I find the head, the dirc6lor and preceptor of the Choir of mufick I was looking after. I would next endeavour to find of whom it is Com- pofed, and here it may be faid none arc to join there- in but fuch as he calls ; and all that he calls are made welcome, and cannot be excluded. Who then doth he call ? Anfwcr, j82 a universal call Anfwer. AH the earth, Pfalm, Ixvi. i, 4, Mah tt joyful noife unto the Lord, all the earth, all the earth Jhall worjliip thee, andfiiig unto thee, they piall fing unto thy name. Pfahn xcviii. 4. Make a joyful noife unto the Lord, all the earth ; make a loud nofe, and rejoice and fmg prafe. Pfalm c. 1, Make a joyful noife unto the Lord all ye lands. Come before his pre- fence withfinging. But not the earth alone, he calls Heaven and earth, faying, Pfalm Ixix. 34, Let the Heavens and earth praife him. Ifaiah, xliv. 23, Sing, heavens, for the Lord hath done it. Shout ye lower parts of the earth, break forth intofinging ye mountains ;* fo- Tffl, and every tree therein. So that all the earth is not only called, but left any from their local fituation, orparticularcircumftances, fhould imagine themfelves not included, it is faid, Ifaiah xlii. 10,11,12, Sing unto the Lord a new fong, his praife to the end of the earth. Ye that go down to the fea, and all that is therein, the ifles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the tuildernefs and the cities thereof, the villages that Xfdar doth inhabit. Let the inhabitants of the rock flng, let them fhout from, the top of the mountains, let them give glory to God, and declare his praife in the ijlands. When we view the various expreffions here ufed, can we find one exception ? And if all without ex- ception are thus called upon to praife God for the redemption by Jesus Christ, included in the new fong all are included in that redemption that Jesus hath obtained as the head of every man, who when he was lift up drew all men unto him ; and ta/ied death for * Oforejl, and e-very tree therein. The fruit trees aie not men- tioned ; the foreft trees are unfruitful. If the defign of the Holy- Spirit is to call on every deftitute creature that hath no ground of en- couragement in himfelf, to fing the praifes of him wno hath faid, H^fea^ xiv. 8, From me is thy fruit found. The grace appears how great. Which fhews our obligations to fhew forth his praife by our fpeech, our fongs, and our whole conduct. TO THANKSGIVING. 183 hr every man. Dying even for the ungodly, arid ri' Jing again for our jujlijication. For we cannot fuppofe that any are called upon to praife God for what they are forever excluded from, without the moft diflionourable thoughts of God that can be conceived of. By thefe various expreffions we fee the Choir is compofed of the heavens and earth, every part of earth, the ends, the lower parts, the mountains, the inhabitants of the rock, the wildernefs, the iflands, they that go to fea, and all that is therein : And the Lord at the head of them. We may next inquire how the C4ioir is to be era- ployed, or exercifed under the diredion of him that excelleth. They are to make a joyful noife unto the Lord, fing, unto the Lord, a new fong, and his praife to the end of the earth. Unto him and his praife ; there it is to centre. They are to fhout, to give glory to God, and declare his praife. . The next inquiry, why they are to be thus exer- cifed ? We have the anfwer in Pfalm, xviii. 2, and Ifaiah xliv. 22, The Lord hath made known his falvatioit, his righteoufnefs hath he openly Jliewed in the fight of the heathen. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy tranfgreffions, and as a cloud thy fins. Return unto mc, for I have redeemed thee. Thus wc fee for what we are to rejoice, and fing praife, namely, the Lord's falvation, his righteouf- nefs, the blotting out of tranfgrelTion, the work of re- demption, which leads to the next inquiry. What is the new fong ? Here it may be faid, the Pfalmift fpcaking of Christ in Pfalm' xl. 3, brings him in faying, and he hath put a new fong into my mouth, praife unto our God. His being heard and brought up out of an horrible pit, iS4 A UNIVERSAL CALL pit, and miry clay, and his feet fet on a rock, and his goings eftablifhed, and the new fong put in his mouth, is the foundation for the new fong to be fung by the united Choir, who arc five times called upon to fing a new fong to the Lord, brought to view in the new and living way, by the new covenant or Teflament inforced by the death of the teftator. In Rev. V. 9, we read of tli^ new fong that was fung by the four living Creatures, and four and twenty el- ders, to the Lamb, which was, thou art wonhy^ for thou "jjaji Jlam^ and hajl redeemed us to God by thy bloody out of every nation^ and kindred^ and tongue^ and people^ and haji made us to our God kings and priejh^ and we Jhall reign on earth. And Rev. xiv. 3, The hundred forty and four thoufand fung., as it Tjuere a new fong before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the ciders, and no man could learn that fong, but the hundred forty four thoufand which were redeemed from the earth. Perhaps that part of the fong, " and haft made us to our God kings and priefts, and we fliall reign on earth," may be peculiar to thole defcribed as the fruits to God and the Lamb, who were redeemed out of every kindred and tongue, and people, and nation, when God vifited the nations to take out of them a people for his name : The great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and tongues, which came out of great tribulation, and have wafhed their robes, and made them white in the . blood of the Lamb, cried with a loud voice, faying, Salvation to our God which fitteth on the throne, even to the Lamb. We have ten thoufand times ten thoufand, ancji thoufands of thoufands of angels, faying with a loucj voice, worthy is the Lamb that wasflain, to receive power and riches, and wifdom and jlrength, and hon- our and glory, and blejfing. In Rev. v, i^, Johnfaw the TO THANKSGIVING. 185 \he whole Choir joined in one. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, andfuch as are in the fea, and all that are in them, heard I, fay, hlejjing and honour, and glory, and power, unto him that fitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever. Upon a review of the extent of the Call to join herein, which of us but muft wonder with great ad- irtiration ? Am I included ? What I, at the end af the earth, in the loweft part of it ? What I, out of fight, on the top of the mountains ? I, that am hid in the rock, I, that go to fea, with all that go with me, or were there before ? And are we that dwell on the iflands to declare his praife ? Yes, in welcome, how- ever unworthy in ourfelves, by Jesus Christ wc may offer the facrifice of praife continually ; the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Only obfervc the call and the welcome exprefled in the repetition of the word Let five times in the pafTages mentioned. Let the Heavens and the earth ; let the wildemefs, and the cities thereof; let the inhabitant* of the rock fing ; let them fliout from the top of the mountains ; let them give glory to God, and declare his praife in the iflands. This let is a moft efficacious word, removing every hindrance that is caft in the v^ay, by fatan, fin, and law, which unite to objeft againft finging the divine praifes, by terrifying onr confciencics, and reprefenting God, who is love, to be irreconcilable hatred, by which we are fhut up in hopelefs defpair; which caufes us to think that thefe extenfive expreffions do not really mean what they fay. But when the teftimony is believed, / have blotted out as a thick cloud thy tranfgrefjionsy and as a cloud thy fins. Return unto me, for I have redeemed thee ; and we thus come to underftand the ground of this efficacious let, all thefe hindrances are removed ; and though we cannot find encourage, A a nicni 1 86 A UNIVERSAL GALL, Sec, merit in our own charader, we find it in his. Bji him therefore let us ojfer the facrijice of praife continually ; the fruit of our lips^ giving thanks to his name. Con- ftrain^d with all our hearts to fing the fong of Mofes and the Lamb, faying, great and marvellous are thy zoorkSf Lord God Almighty ; jujl and true are thy ways^ thou King of faints ; who fJiall not fear thee and glorify thy name ? Similar to the exhortation in the forementioned paffage is Ifaiah^ let them give glory to God^ and declare his praife in the iflands. It is undoubtedly incumbent on every member of this Univerfal Choir, to make it the ftudy of his life, that his thoughts, his fpeech, and the whole tenor of his life be devoted to the glory of God. The incon- liftency of a contrary conduft is fo obvious, that it is hoped that every one whofe mouth is employed in blefling God, even the Father, will moft determin- ately watch againfl profaning his name, or curfmg men that are made after the fimilitude of God. Every one's mind and confcience muft give in to the truth of what the apoftle J-ames fays, my brethren^ theft things' ought not fo to he. We praife him as the juft God, and the Saviour. One fober thought will fliow the inconfiiftence of giving way to the temptation that would urge us at every fret, with a fellow-fervant, a child, or neighbour, to call on God, to damn them ; as though the divine charafter was the deftroyer, in- ftead of the Saviour. His call is, look unto me, and be ye faved ; his name is Father and Redeemer, from everlafting. How fliocking the thought, how great the indignity offered, to call on him to do the work of him, whofe name is the deftroyer; damn our brother who is his offspring. What greater affront can we give our fellow-men, than to call on them for any thing contrary to their character and ftation, which would debafe them below the character of men. The thought is enough to fill thofe of us with ever- lafting SONGS OF UNIVERSAL PRAISE. 1S7 lading fhame and contempt of our own charaQer and conduft, who have indulged fuch converfation ; efpecially if believing him to be the Saviour,and may now fing his being pacified towards us, for all that we have done. Remembering the words of the Apoftle Paul^ with them I now clofe, Ye are bought with a price ; there- fore glorify God in your fpirits and bodies which arc God's. UNIVERSAL PRAISE. O HEAVENS, fing your higheft praifc. While we attend to hear ; And let us fee what numbers are Joined together there. Ten thoufand times ten thoufand do With voices loud proclaim ; Thoufands of thoufands join to fing The Lamb's moft worthy name. Let earth exceed with higher praife Expreffing of it thus ; The Lamb is worthy that was flain, For he was flain for us. From earth, from the remote ft ends, Come join to fing his praife j And ye that occupy the fea, Your voice together raife, From mountains' tops give ye a fhout. Shout from earth's loweft parts ; Let thofe who dwell within the rock. Join here with all your hearts. The wildernefs and villages Their voice together raife, While dwellers on the iflands too, With joy declare his praife. Hark ! iS8. SONGS or UNIVERSAL PRAISE. Hark ! and attend to unifon, When all together join ; From every part with all their heart. The mulic is divine. For every one in heav'n and earth. And thofe within the fea ; And all therein, and under earth, Moft cordially agree. In bleffing, honor, glory, power, With union ; ceafing never ; To him that fitteth on the throne. Even to the Lamb, for ever. The ends of the earth. Ifa, xxiv. 16. From the ut- KYioji ends of the earth have I heard Jongs^ glory to the righteous. VV HILE thoufands, thoufands are employed Of the angelic hoft, In finging worthy is the Lamb, Sure men fhould praife thee moft. For thou for guilty men was flain ; Haft bought us with thy blood, From ev'ry nation, kingdom, tongue, Redeem'd us all to God. From ends of earth the moft remote, Thy praife fliould ever found ; For to the utmoft coafts thereof, Doth grace and love abound. While you lament your lortely ftatc, Diftant from fellow-men ; Lo, Christ is there the fource of joy. There praife him ever then. His love be ever on your mind, His higheft praifes found -, Your fatisfaftion will increafe. Your joy will thus abound. / The SONGS OF UNIVERSAL PRAISE. ^189 The Manner's Song, O JESUS, ever bleft, Guide thou our heart and tongue^ To magnify thy worthy name. In a becoming fong, Refrefhed was our mind, With condefcending grace, To find the feaman call'd upon To celebrate thy praife. Jfa. xlii. 10. We fing almighty power, Mat. iii. 24. That winds and feas obey ; Mark iv. 39. For by thy word the threatning ftorms Are made to calm away. Luke viii. 23, 24. In ftorms and dangers great, Difciples hope we'll cherifh ; With them to thee we'll lift our cry, Lord, fave us, or we perilh. Mat. xiv. 30. When contrary winds Make us cry out for aid, Our minds are calm'd to hear thee fay 'Tis I, be not afraid. Mat. xiv. 24. 37. If once we knew thy voice, 'Twould make us all agree ; And we'd receive thee in the fhip, With perfed unity, J^ohn iv. 21. The Wilderness. Pfalm Ixxi. 9. They that dwell in the toildernefi Jhall how before him, VV HEN dwellers in the wildernefs, In parched barren land. The tidings of the gofpel true, Are made to underftand. The wildernefs doth as a rofe With pleafant bloffoms blow ; And 190 . SONGS OF UNIVERSAL PRAISE. And in their ftraits of ev'ry kind. They joy and Tinging know. The glory thus of Lebanon^ Is given unto it ; Carmel and Sharon's excellence Doth then upon it fit. For they now fee with great delight The glory of the Lord ; The excellence of our God Doth fongs of joy afford. For the paffengers i'th' wildetnefs Behold he makes a way : Refrefliing ftreams in deferts flow. Their parching thiift to lay. Both wildernefs and cities too Are called to rejoice j And in the new fong take their part, Uniting heart and voice. Kcdar, with the lower parts of the earth, JLVEDAR was the fon of Ifhmael, who was an^ outcafi: from his youth, yet beloved of hi-s father Abraham, who prayed, that IJhmael might live be^ fore thee ; and was anfwered, / have heard thee, I have blejfed him. (If God blefs, it cannot be rever- fed.) / will make of him a great nation ; confe- quently that nation is blefled in Christ Jesus, ac- cording to the gofpel preached to Abraham. Though Kedar lignifies blacknefs or forrow, though Kedar inhabited villages, and dwelt in tents, and might be reckoned with the lower parts of the earth, yet the villages that Kedar doth inhabit, with the lower parts of the earth, are called upon to take their part in the new fong. YE SONGS OF UNIVERSAL PRAISE. igt X E who in lower parts of earth, By providence do dwell ; Redeemer's praifes you are call'd With (houting forth to tell. Kedar though black and forrowful, Is called to rejoice In Chrift, in whom all nations are Blefs'd by Jehovah's voice. Kedar, thy flocks fhall gather'd be, And with acceptance meet; With joy then in Immanuel, Come worfliip at his feet. When earth and feas, and iflands too, Are called to rejoice, And fing a new fong to the Lord, Let Kedar join his voice. From the top of the mountains^ and the inhabitants of the rod, Ifa. xlii. 6, 7, 10, 11. JlI ARK ! from the mountains there's a fliout, ' ^ And from the rock a fong ; Why ? what's the caufe of mufic heard. As thus we pafs along ? Jefus, the people's covenant, Light to the Gentile world ; The pris'ners from the prifon? freed. And darknefs from them hurl'd. When this is known, the new fong's fung O'er all the earth abroad ; Dwellers in mountains, and in rocks, May join with one accord. Proclaiming praife with joyful found, To his moit worthy name ; Afcribing honor, glory, power, To the redeeming Lamb. The 192 SONGS OF UNIVERSAL PRAISE. Theijles^ and the inhahitdnts thereof, JL E who uport the iflands dwell, ^ Your thankful voices raife, To him who kindly fays of you, Let them declare my praife. This efficacious Let removes Objeftions guilt doth raife ; The juftifier having faid Let ifles declare my praife. Doth he fay let ? Then fure 'tis true, He hath our guilt remov'd, And brought us nigh by Jefus' blood, Ep, ii. 13. As thofe in him belov'd. Then let us ftudy to exprefs Our love to him. to thofe. Who may be caft away on us, And need our food or cloaths. When thus they entertained Paul, They were repaid indeed, ABi xxviii. 1-9. Difeafcd in the ifland were Each healed as they'd need. <• Thy healing power. Lord impart, To each difeafe of foul, That breaks our peace and happinefs. May we be thus made whole. And rife and walk, leap and praife God, In all becoming ways ; By lip and life, and tongue, and fong, Ixt ides declare thy praife, [To SONGS OF UNIVERSAL PRAISE. 1^3 fTo fill two or three vacant pages^ the reader is prefentefl wUli,* A Viewof the world's mifery and happinefs in miniature;" alluding to ifa. liii. 6, All ive like Jheep have gone ajiray^ nve hwve turned every one to his o'wn 'way ; ar»d to chap. xlv. 23, 24, I have fiuo'rn bjtnyjtlfy that unto me every knee Jh all 3oao, &c, * JljOOK in, look out, look round aboutj Where'er I turn itiirie eye, I Toon deFcry Profanenefs, lewdnefs, pride and guilt; In yonder lane, the maii pirofane. The woman very lewd ; The ftanders by, moll fcornful proud. ' And though I ftart, for my own part. And ftop, and look, and ftare. In looking in, I find the fih In all its parts is there. My filence broke, and thus I fpoke, Profane he, and lewd (he, With proud we, and guilty me, Muft all agree, to bow the knee 'I'o Jefus-j Lord of all.. Both guilty, proud, lewd and profanej ♦ Muft kneel, and on him call ; To think to ftand in thefe is vain, Our loftinefs muft fall ; For by himfelf he fware it fhall. But prais'd be grace, that's found a placej Where he and fhe, and I and we, May fee his reconciled face. Though we have dellroy'd ourfelves, And fink in guilt and helpleffnefs. In midft of all our deep diftrefs, L)ur help in him is found. So when we pray, we fure may fay, I in the Lord now find, Both perfc6l ri^hteoufnefs and llrength, To eaie and heal my troubled mind. B b When i94 SONGS OF UxNilVERSAL PRAfSff. When this we fee, let's all agree. His higheft praife to found ; laftead of hate, fill'd with debate, Let Love and Peace abound. On, the Crowing of a Cock* XJlS I lay mufingon my bed, I heard the Cock crow twice ; My fmful fhame of Jesus' name, Reproach'd me more than thrice. That he, for me, fhould bear the crofsy And quite defpife the fhame ; Who have before my fellow men, Refus'd to own his name. The bereaved Mother. X H Y will be done, with me and mine, Ceafe then each murm'ring thought ; 'Tis wife and juft, and comes in love, As revelation taught. Heb. xii, 6. Job v,!/. My child he gave to my embrace, Pro.iii. 11,12. And bleffed be his name ; He took it to himfelf again. Job i. 21. Repeated be the fame. *Tis fruitlefs now for me to weep, He can't come back Ifee ; My lot is now to go to him, aSam. xii.33. He fliall not come to me. Then let my mind now fix upon, (All earthly joys before) The Living One, who once was dead, But lives for ever more. Rev^ i- « B. When SONGS OF UNIVERSAL PRAISE. 195 WHEN the Pfc^mift had fpoken of the perfeft charafler of the bleffed man Christ Jesus, in the firft Pfalm, he defcribes the treatment this bleged one met with in the world, from the heathen^ the peo- ple^ (viz. Jews and Gentiles) the Kings of the eanh, and the rulers, in the fccond Pfalm ; and the many, the increafed multitude, in the third Pfalm : fie breaks forth in verfe eighth, in an afcription of Sal- vation to the LoRP : Thy blejfing upon thy peopk* O ALVATION in thy counfels, Lord, Was perfetl wifdom's plan ; Defign'd jn jEsys Christ for us. Before the world began. Salvation ! O the pleafant found I Mine ears attend the voice ; It comes thro' perfect righteoufnefj. Then let my heart rejoice. . ' Salvation wrought in Jesus' life, jj Andfinifli'd when he died ; And witnefs'd when he rojTe again, I know no hope befide. Salvation then belongs to him, Who wrought it out alone j *Tis not our aft or wiih, but is Thy bleffing freely fhown. E Jfaiah xlvi. 3, 4. BENEZ^R the place 111 call, Wherein I now do ftand ; For hitherto I've helped been, Jehovah, by thy hand. Through all my helplefs infanc)', And tender feeble youth ; For then thy tender mercies were My conflant (lay in truth. lr\ tg$ SONGS OF UNIVERSAL PRAISE, In riper age when I gr^w up. Thy love I've not forgot ; For thou in mercy didft maintain My undeferved lot. •" Through all my wants, and wanderings, My guilt, and preffing fears, ^ I've been reliev-d and helped through. For more than threefcore years. 'Twas thou in mercy didft me bear, And carry to this age j Then let th^ praifes high employ And fill the prefent page. Thy mercies through the path I've beenj Are ever fhining bright ; But when I read the gofpel news, 'Tis as the new day light. Yea, to old age thou art the fame, And unto hoary hairs, My guide thou wilt be unto death. As in thy word appears. Then let me ever reft in thee, Although the times feem hard ; And left I murmur or diftruft, Be ever on my guard. And keep mine eye upon the hope The gofpel brings to view. That I may always joy in what Thy wifdom calls me tbrougl^. The reJlcBions 9J an Old Mait, X HREE fcore and ten's already paft, My exit muft draw nigh, \V^hen I ftjall quit the prefent fcene. And wholly be laid by. SONGS OF UNIVERSAL PRAISE le^f J^yfelf a fi nner of the chief, Confcious I freely own ; Hence hope within«or from myfelf I inuft confefs there's none. But when I read God's gracious name. Father, Redeemer top, Who's juft, and yet falvation hath, My hopes revive, 'tis true;^ I feel the force of what was told To me in early youth -, ^ Though taught me from my infancy. It is a living truth : That my encouragement to pray, Muft come from God alone j For from my finful felf I fee Moft furely there is none. My ftudy be God's gracious name, In Jesus manifeft ; Jesus our head, his life, his death^ His rifing is my reft. A Praftica! «iMMii A Practical Eflay, defigned for General Ufe— In Three Parts. S E C T I O N VII. The Consequent -Obligation of dhe Believers of the Gospel, A PRACTlCAIi ESSAY, be- » Jignedfor General Use, in Thrce Parts — Part I. Addrejfe'd to Husbands and Wives : Being an anfxver to two Inquiries'^ 'the ijl, " What is the mojl obvious meaning of the word Church, in the New Tefament ? The 2d, How doth Marriage convey, as in a myflery,'the Union of Christ and the Church ? Improved to illuflrate the honorable Relation, endeared Affeftion and mutual Duties 0/" Husbands and Wives. With a Song on Mar- riage. To whichis added, an Appendix, rmth Some Thoughts fuggejied by the provifions of the Table. Part 11. Addreffed to Parents : 'Being Some Thoughts on Education. Part III. An Inquiry concerning the Case of Children, with an Exhortation to them. *' For the Grace of God, that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all men." Or, as in the former tranflation, " The Grace of God, that bringeth Salvation to all men, hath appeared, and Teaches us, that we fliould deny ungodlinefs asd worldly lufts, and that we fliould livefoberly,righteoully and godly in thisprelent world." TiTUSii.ia. PART I. To HUSBANDS and WIVES. 1 HE words of the Apoftle, in Ephefians v. 32, " this is a great myftery, but I fpeajc concerning Christ and the church," naturally lead to two in- quiries. 1 ft. What is the moft obvious meaning of the word church in the fcriptures ? 2d How to tltJSBANDS AND WIVES. 19^ 2d. How doth the marriage utiioii convey, as in a tnyftery, the union of Christ and the church ? For the moft obvious meaning of the word church in the fcriptures, we may look into the various texts where it is mentioned. I do not recoiled that the word is any where ufed in the Old Teftament. The apoflle, in A^ts vii. 38, ufes it for the Old Teftament church, "this is he that was in the church in the wilderhefs with the Angel," &c. The words that are ufed in the Old Teftament are aflembly and congregation ; Exodus xii. 6, " the whole alTembly fhall kill it in the evening," that is, the whole church of Ifrael, that were bound to keep the paffover ; Pfalm xxii. 22, " In the midft of the congregation will I praife thee," which the Apoftlc, in Hebrews ii. 12, calls the church, " in the midft of the church will I fing praife unto thee," IjK ' in the New Teftament, the firft mentioned place t ■^ recolleft, is Matthew xvi. 18, " upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of liell fliall not pre- vail againft it." Upon this rock, the truth Peter had made confefiion of, " thou art the Christ, the fon of the living God," is the rock on which the church is built, againft which the gates, the power and policy 'of hell, ftiall not prevail. Then in the xviiith of Matthew, 1 7, in which fo far as I underftand, Jesus Christ is inftru8:ing his difciple's their duty in their particular connexion, thofe believers of the apoftles dodrine collected in the profeffion of the name of Jesus, meeting toge- ther in one place, was called the church in that place. In AEh viii. i, we read of the church which was at Jerulalem, the firft church gathered by the apoftles after the defcent of the Holy Ghoft ; ABs xiii. 1, of the church at Antioch; Ads xx. 7, and Revelations ii. 1, of the qhurch of Ephefus ; Ro^ mans xvi. 3-^-5, -and xft o IConVAmyz.?, .xvi. 19, we read 2©o to HUSBANDS AND WIVES. read of the church in the houfe of Prifcilla and A^ quilla ; in Colojfians iv. 15, of the church in Nym- phas's houfe, and of the church in Philemon's houfe, m the 2d verfe of that epiftle. . Thefe particular churches, gathered by the apof- tle's doftrine, was governed by the will of Jesus Christ, as taught by them ; and fo far as that can be underftood from the fcriptures, are the rule by which particular churches of Christ are to be governed in all ages ; but as that would be too lengthy to be 'here confidered, muft be pafied over. We read aifo of the church of the firft born, writ<- ten in heaven, Hebrews.^ xii. 23 ; of the church for which Christ gave himfelf, "that he might fan£lify imd cleanfe it, by the wafhing of water through the _ word, that he might make it to himfelf a glorious church, not having fpot or wrinkle^ or any fuch thing, but that it might be holy and without blemifh." E^ "^hejians v. 26, 27. Hence I colleQ, ift, That Jesus Christ is the foundation on whom the church is built. 2d. That thofe that were brought by the Apofto- lie do£irihe concerning him, to believe that Jesus is the Christ, in the firft ages of chriftianity, were by apoftolic authority collefted into diftinft, particular churches, in fuch places where there were a fufficient number of believers for that purpofe, and were call- ed the church in that place. There is little faid about the place of their meeting : I fuppofe any place that they could obtain, that was convenient for that pur- pofe : The church of Troas met in an upper cham- ber ; AUs XX. 7, 8, the church of the ColofTians in Philemon's houfe, as may be feen by comparing thofe two epifties. Thefe churches appeared as a reprefentation of the univerfal church, in their holding the one truth, that Jesus Christ is the fon of God, by which they were To HUSBANDS and WIVES. 201 Vere all gathered together, this being the fole foun- dation on which the univerfal church is built, and in their profefled fubjeftion to the authority of Jesus Christ, the bead of the church) and head over all things for its good. 3dly. That there is a univerfal church, which will confift of all that are included in that glorious church for whom Jesus Christ gave himfelf; the full mean- ing of which is the general aflembly and church of the firft born, written in Heaven ; Jesus Christ is the firft born among the many brethren brought to glory. Pfalm Ixxxix. 27, " I will make him my firft born, higher than the kings of the earth >" Romans viii. 29, " the firft born among many brethren ;" Co- lojjians i. 15," who is the firft born of every creature,'* verfe_i 8, " the firft born from the dead." It is his church, the church of the firft born ; this church, this general affembly, called Pfalm cvii. 32, " the aftem- bly of the people, the congregation of the elders," Pfalm cxi. 1, " the aflembly of the upright, and the congregation," Pfalm clxix. 1, " the congregation of the faints," that are reprefented to John, Revelations V. 8, by the four living creatures and four and twen- ty elders, and chap. vii. 9, by a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and kindred, and people and tongues, in addition to the hundred, forty and four thoufand, that were fealed in the for- mer part of the chapter, of all the tribes of Jfrael. — • The fame fealed number are reprefented, in chap.xiv. 1, to 5, ftanding with the lamb on the mount Zi > 1," ■which did not exclude the preaching of the golpel to every nation and kindred and tongue and people, verfe 6 ; which gofpel or word fliall not return void, but ftiall accomplifh what he pleafes, and fliall prol- per in the thing whereunto he fends it. Of this church every believer of the Apoftles tcfti- luony, or every one that believeth that Jt^us is the C C CiiKX.>T) Z02 To HUSBANDS and WIVES. Christ, according to Peters confelfion, appears, up- on the confcffion of this faith, to be a vifible member. And it is the duty of every fuch perfon, who can find a particular church built on this foundation, and who in fubjection to his authority, make the apoftolic churches their rule as to order to join with them in tlie profeffion of his name, with them obferving all things whatfoever he has commanded, walking to- gether in love, as he hath given commandment ; for this they are chofen and called to the faith of the gof- pel, ift of Peter., ii. 9, Such are made ufe of for the ingathering of others, ift of Thejfalonians, i. 8, " for from you founded out the word of the Lord ;" EpJu' Jians i. 9, 10, having made known to us the myftery of his will, according, to his good pleafure, which he hath prapofed in himfelf, that in the difpenfation of the fullnefs of times, he might gather together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven and which are on earth, in him." But the Ephefian church being chofen in him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blame before him in love, being predeftinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleafure of his will, to the praife of the glory of his grace, was not to the final exclufion or reprobation of others, but as a means made ufe of by him, that in the dif- penfation of the fullnefs of times, he might gather together all things in Christ ; chap. ii. 7, " That in the ages to come he might fhew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindnefs towards us through Christ Jesus." The church then is to hold forth the word of life; the word is to found out from them. «« As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do fliew forth the Lord's death till he come :" Thus they boldly bear his name, in bppofition to earth and hell ; fliew that he is precious, and hold forth to the world, that there is no other name under heaven given To HUSBANDS and WIVES. 203 given among men, whereby they muft be faved. Such are the means the great head of the church makes ufe of,as he pleales, to the conviftion of others: But be the confequences what they will, it is thcrr duty to teitify to liis name, truth and ways, looking for the time when he will gather all the fruit of his purchafe into one in himfelf; for every one for whom Christ died, Oiall certainly, in his time and way, come to the knowledge of him, and to partake in his falvation, as thofe who have been or are vifible nfhm- bersof his church. — For doth not the fcriptures fliew the connexionof the human race with Jesus Christ, as their head, in as extenfive a view as their connex- ion with the firft Adam, fee Romans v. 14, to the end ; Hebrews ii. 9, " we fee Jefus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the fufFerings of death, crowned with glory and honour, that he by the grace of God, fliould tafte death for every man." ill of John.) ii. 2-, " he is the propitiation for our |ins ; and not for ours only, but for the whole world." And the apoftle fays, 2d of Cori7ithians, v. 14, to the end, " we thus judge, if one died for all, then all died ; and he died for all, that they which live, fhould not henceforth live to themfelves, but to him that died for them, and rofc again." This appears to be the defign of the manifeftation of this truth, or of perfons being brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to life in Christ thereby, that they which live fhould not henceforth live to themfelves, but to him that died for them, and rofe again ■* verfe 16, " where- fore henceforth know we no man after the fleOi ;" before they knew the, Jews after the flefh, as thofe « to * The thought of this is enough to clothe with fhame, ns a garment, thofe who have hope ol" life by Jefus Chrift, that this defign has been no more attended to. For myfelf i can fay, to me belongs fhamc and confvifion of face. Praifcdbe his name, to the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgivencfs. Though wc have rebeiVed againft him, mav the hope of forgivenels ever keep us fiom defpair, and be a iiclh Ipring of excitement to live to him him that died tor us, and rofe again. «04 To HUSBANDS and WIVES. *' to whom pertained the adoption, and^ the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the fer- vice, and the promifcs, whofe were the fathers, and of whom concerning the flefh Christ came, who is over all, God blefled forever. Amen." The gofpel was firft publifhed to them,i)eginning at Jerufalem ; upon their rejefting it, the apoftles are fent to the Gentiles, and are taught to call no man common or unclean ; what God hath fanO-ified, call TiOt thou common, which the apoftle explains, y^^5 x. 28, "God hath (hewed that I fliould call no man common or unclean." Why i? Bccaufe God hath cleanfed them ; I view them cleanfed, in that Christ died for all, and defigns in his time and way to bring them all to the knowledge of himfelf, and manifeft his fanft^fying and fetting them apart for himfelf. This dtffroys all diftin6tion between Jew and Gentile, and not only as the nations of Jews and Gentilesj but of all men in every age, that on fome accoaiu or other, befides the atonement, would pre- fiime to be in, or near, or have a claim upon the di- vine favour before fome of their fellow creatures. — Henceforth know we no man after the flefh, " yea, though we have knownXHRisT after the flefli, yet now henceforth know we him no more;" Jesus Christ was a minifler of the circumcifion, was made under the law, fulfilled the righteoufnefs of it, came to his own, fent his gofpel (irft to the Jews; but when bis death and refurre^Hon were fully made manifeft, and the promifes underftood, that all the families of the earth were to be bleffed in him, that the Gentiles were to glorify God for mercy; when thefe things were made fully manifeft, the apoftle fays, « yea, though we have known Christ after the flefh, yet now henceforth know we him no more ; therefore if any man be in Christ a new creature, thefe old things are paffed away, behold all things are become new:" There To HUSBANDS and WIVES. 205 There is not a fragment of the old diIpciii'ation,or of the righteoufnefs of our own, can have any admiffion as recommending us to the divine favour, " all things are become new, and all of God, who hath reconcil- ed us to himfelf ;" us, the apoftles and firlt difciples, with the church of the Corinthians, to whom he wrote, who were together vifibly reconciled to himfelf by Jesus Christ, " and hath committed to us the word of reconcilation ;" that is, the word of reconciliation committed to the apoftles, " that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himfelf, not imputing ilieir irefpafles unto them." Now then, if God was in Chrilt reconciling the world unto himfelf; if he be the propitia- tion for the whole world ; if he tafted death for every man; if Adam was a full figure of him that was to come, and the conneftioa of the human race with Jlsus Christ as their head, as extenfive as their conncfction with the firft Adam, then we muft conceive that the church of the firft born, the church for which Christ gave himfelf, will finally confift of all nations, kir.d- reds, tongues and people ; and in this view, the de- fign of mercy forbids calling any man common, and lays a fure foundation of univerfal love and benevo- lence to all the human race, and of faith in prayer for them ; while thofe brought to believe that Jj:sus is the Christ, profeffing their faith in, and fubjeclioii to him, and appearing influenced thereby, are tub- je6ls of thatgofpel charity, which the Apoftle enjoins, when he fays, " have fervent charity among your- felves," and which I think, appears evidently diflin- guifhable from the univerfal benevolence due to the whole human race. Thus from the mod obvious meaning; of the paf- fages where the word church is ufed in fcripture, thefe things have been collefted. ill, That Jesu:; Christ is the foundation on which the church is built. 2dly, A colkclion of believers profefiing his name, j»o6 To HUSBANDS and WIVES. pame, and in fubjeftion to his authority, obferving his laws, in any place, are a vifible church there, or a vi{ib'e reprefentation of the univerfal church. 3dly, The univerfal church will finally have gathered into it, or be made up of all for whom Christ died. The fecond inquiry is, How doth marriage convey, as in a myftcry, the union of Christ and the church? Attention to this inquiry will lead us to compare this paffage in Ephejiajis, with the beginning of Gene^ Jis-i and various other paffages, one with another. In Genf-Jis i. 27, we read, " So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them." There appeared to be male and female created in the one man : The particular formation or building of the woman, was from man, of which we have the account, Genejis ii. 21, 22, " And the Lord God caufed a deep fleep to fall upon Adam, and he flept * ; and he took one of his ribs and clofed up the (lefh inftead thereof; and the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, builded t he a woman, and brought her unto the man." Thus the woman " is of the man, and for the man," ift of Corinthians, xi. 8. 9, So is the church, in every view, of and for Jesus Christ. — Romans xi, 36, " for of him, and to him, and through him, are all things." Colojians i. 16. " all things were created by him and for him." As the woman was created in him, was of him and for him, fo they are called by one name, or flie bears his name, Ge- nefis v. 2, « male and female created he them, and called their name Adam." When (he was brought to him, he fays, " flie fliall be called woman, becaufe fhe was taken out of man." She fhall be called by a name derived from that of man. So the church is called by the fame name with Jesus Christ; Jere- miah * As Adam was a figure of him that was to come, may not thisdeep fleep prefigure the death of Jefus Chrift, from which the church ai-iles. t See the Hebrew in the bible margin. To HUSBANDS and WIVES." 20; miah xxiii. 6, and xxxiii. 16, " he and flie arc called, the Lord our righteoufnefs." Yet fo as to be deno- tninated from him, " he fhall be called a Nazarene," they " the feO; of the Nazarenes ;" he is called Christ, " the difciples were firft called Chriftians at Antioch j" names derived from him (hewing, that without him they were nothing ; that he is their all, and that in him they pofiefs and enjoy all good. We have the reafon of this name, " This is now bone of my bone, and flefh of my flefli ; ihe fliall be called woman, becaufe flie was taken out of man." " So ought men lo love their wives as their OWft bodies ; he that lovcth his wife loveth himfelf, for no man ever yet hated his own flefli, but nouriflieth and chedflieth it, even as the Lord the church, for we are members of his body, of his flefli, and of his bones." The circumftances of the church with Jesus Christ, are fimilar to that of Adam with his wife, bone and flefli. " For this cjtufe fhall a man leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and they two fhall be one flefh: This is a great myftery, but I fpeak concerning Chrift and the church. " This is a great myftery ;" the myfter)'", that ia marriage conveys the union of Cpi r i st and the chutch, appears herein : That the woman was created in the man, was united to him before fhe was diftin611y builded a woman : When fhe was thus builded and brought to him, there appeared the vifible marriage union ; he faid, " This is now bone of my bone, and flefh of my flefh." " Therefore flialla man leave his father and mother and cleave tohis wife." Therefore becaufe of the previous union that was the ground of it, " But I fpeak," fays the Apoftle, " Conccmmg Christ and the church," this holds forth the union between Christ and the church, prior to the vifible marriage union which takes place upon any of the children of men, being brought to Jesus Christ ; who 2o8 Tb HUSBAND'S and WIVils. who fays, <* For no man can come to me, except the Father which hath fent me, draw him." In Ro?nans xvi. 7, Andronicus and Junia, are fpake of as in Christ before the Apoftle, though they were together chofen in Christ before the founda- tion of the world. Thus is the whole church in, Christ, in the moil: univerfal fenfe : He ftands an- fwering fully to the figure of him that was to come, the head of every man, as univerfally as Adam was. In this view there is a union or connetlion of head and members, even before the members aBually ap- pear. " And for this caufe fhall a man leave fa- tlier and mother and cleave to his wife." Jesus Christ left father and mother in cleaving to his wife; John xvi. 28, "I came forth of the father, and am come into the world." In Matthew xii. 47, 1050, and Mark iii. 32, to 35, His attention to what he had to do for his church, was not diverted by his mother.* [esus took the churches circumftances as his own; took her debts upon himfelf; undertook to look after her when loft ; and in purfuance of his un- dertaking, gave his life for her. " Even as Christ loved the church and gave himfelf for it," fhe wears his name, is complete in him, " who of God is made unto her wifdom, righteoufnefs, fanftification, and re- demption." It is vilibly fo with refpeft to thofe that are brought by the gofpel to the knowledge of, faith in, and fubjeftion to, him : It was really fo in the purpofe and purchafe of }esus Christ, before they came to the knowledge of him, and is really forefpec- ivting thofe who yet know him not, live in unbelief and" difobedience ; for, fays the Apoftle, Hebrews ii. 8, " Thou haft put all things in fubje6lion under his feet; for in that he put all in fubjcdion, he left nothing not put under him ; but now we fee not yet all things put under him : But we fee Jesus for the fufferingS of * Is it not the true antitype of Levi i Deutreonomy xxxiii. 8^ 9. To HUSBANDS and WIVES, 209 of death crowned with glory and honor, that he, by the grace of God, fiiould taf^e death for every man.'* And the prophet Ifaiah gives us the divine oaih for this, chap. xlv. 22," Look unto me," (the jufl God and the Savior) " And beyefaved, all the ends of the earth, fori God and none elfe; I have fworn by myfelf, the word is gone out of m^mouth in righteoulnefs, and fhall not return, that to me every knee fliall bow, every tongue fliall fwear, furely fhall fay, in the Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength, to him fliall come;" which muft make all that are incenfed againfl: him afliamed. The name of the vifiblc church is, " The Lord our righteoufnefs." All that are brought to him call him fo, and are denominated by it, " 'tis the name whereby flie fliall be called." But we have the di- vine oath, that " every knee fliall bow, and every tongue fliall fwear, furely fliall fay, in the Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength." The time and man- ner is with him, who faith, " I will work, and who fliall let it ;" " Who will have all men to be faved and come to the knowledge of the truth ; for there is one God, even one mediator, of God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himfelf a ranfom for all, to be teftified in due time." In Christ Jesus, God manifefl; in the flefli, we have the fullnels of the divine nature, as is exprefled in Hebrews i. 3, ", Who beingthe brightnefs of glory and the exprefs image of his perfon." Colojjians ii. 9, <' For in him dwellcth all the fullnefs of the' godhead bodily ;" who could fay, " I and Father arc one." Is there not the fullnefs of the human nature alfo in him ? The Apoftle fays, " we are members of his body, of his flefh, and of his bones," Who does he mean ? Doubtlefs the church, the apoflles, the firft «Ufciples, the church of the Ephefians, who v/ere D d vifiblv ijia To HUSBANDS and WIVES. vifibly fo, and thofe who fhould believe through their word, in every age ; yea, all for whom Jesus Christ gave himfelf. The church, in the moft extenfive fenfe, are in this union, and arc reprefented travel- ing together in pain, till the manifeftation of it. Ro- mans viii. 2 2, " For we know that the whole creation," it is the fame word we have in Mark xvi. 15," preach the gofpel to every creatwe ;" therefore every crea- ture that the gofpel is to be preached to, " groancth and traveleth in pain together ; and not only they, but we ourfelves that have the firft fruits, even wc ourfclves groan within ourfelves, wailing for the adoption, the redemption of our body." By the re- demption of our body, I conceive the idea of the body of which Jefus is the head, as captivated, enflav- ed, fold, and groaning under this bondage ; and thofe whofe minds have been led to an underftanding of redemption by Christ, though their minds are thereby relieved, yet groaning, waiting for the adop- tion, the redemption of the whole body. Now that in Jesus Christ there is the fullnefs of the human nature, is it not evident from the confi- deration of Genejis v. 2, where we read of our firft parents in their primitive ftatc, " male and female .created he them, and blefled them, and called their name Adam, in the day they were created." Whom he bleffes are blefied ; for his gifts are without repen- tance. So when we have the account of their being feduced from theirallegiance,brought under bondage, and led captive by fatan, the curfe is denounced up- on the ferpent, Genejis in. 14 ; but the way opened through which the original bleffednefs, pronounced in the day they were created, fhould beaccomplifhed, verfe 15, although they could not fin without finart and forrow ; to the woman, I will greatly multiply thy forrow ; in forrow Ihalt thou bring forth children," &:c. — to the man, " curfed is the ground for thy fake; in To HUSBANDS AND WIVES. 211 in forrow flialt thou eat it all the days of thylife,"&c. And as the way in which the original blcffing that was forfeited was to be reftorcd and confirmed, was brought to view in the i5*hverre; fo it is repeated and illudrated in Gni. xii. 3, xvi.ii. ,18, xx. 18, and xxvi. 4, " In thy feed fliall all the nations of the earth be bleflcd." This the apollle? call " preaching the gof- pel to Abraham," Gala/tans iii, 18, 'Tis agreeable to Deuteronomy xxxii. 43, " rejoice, O ye nations, his people ;" Pfalm Ixxii. 11, " all nations fliall ferve him," verfe 17, " all nations fhall call him blefled ;" Pfalm Ixxxii. 8, " arife O God, for thou fhalt inherit all nations ;" Pfulm ii, 8, " afk of me, and I will give the heathen thine inheritance, and the utmoft parts of the earth thy poflefFion ;" Pfalm Ixxxvi. 9, " all na- tions fhall come and worfiiip before thee, and glorify thy name." Pfalm c. all the earth are called upon to make a joyful noife to the Lord, on account of his making us his people, and the fiieep of his pafture : " Know ye." Who is to know ? Anfwer,all the earth. Know ye that the Lord, he God, *he hath made us, and not we ourfelves, his people and the fiieep of his pafture. Agreeable to Pfahi cxvii. " O praife the Lord." Who .? All ye nations > praife him all ye peo- ple." Where are any exempted ? " For his merci- ful kindnefsis great tov/ards us." Towards who ? All the earth, as extenhve as the call to praife him. — " And the truth of the Lord forever; praife ye the Lord." His merciful kindncfs ; how is the great- nefs of it made manifeft, and how doth the truth of the Lord appear to endure forever,butinhim, " who is the mercy and the truth," in him " in whom all nations are blelfed," in him " in whom thou wilt per- form the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham^ which thou hall fworn to our fathers in the days of old. Now * I read this vecfe without the words fupplied by the tranflators. 212 To HUSBANDS and WIVES. Now this bleflednefs of the nations, of which thefe paflages fpeak, was to have its accompUfliment in the feed oi Abraham. " In thy feed ;" which is Christ* Galatians iii. 6, Now if all the nations of the earth •sre included in the bleffednefs in Christ Jesus, they are in him as their head ; there is the fullnefs of the human nature in Christ Jesus ; fo they were con- iidered in him before the evidences of it appeared in Or upon any of them ; and becaufe of this union, he is engaged in all he doth for them, to bring them to himfdf. " This is now bone of my bone, and flefh of my flelh ; fhe fhall be called woman, becaufe flie was taken out of man." " Therefore," becaufe of the previous union, " fliall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and they fhall be one flefh : This is a great myftery, but," fays the apoftle, "I fpeak concerning Christ and the church."" This is now bone of my bone, and flefh of my flefh ; fhe fliall be called woman ;" flie fliall wear my name, come into a vifible connexion and intercourfe with me, be interefled in what I am and have, Sec. So in confequence of this union fhall the church, in the mod extenfive fenfe, even every member, from all the ends of the earth, be brought to Jesus Christ, in his times, who is the bleffed and only potentate ; fhall bear his name ; be called by the name which the mouth of the Lord doth name : Tisby his authority we are affured, fhe fhall be called " the Lord our righteoufnefs." Thefe things fliall be made manifefl when Pjdm xlv. 15. 15, and Pfalm Ixxii. from the 9th to the end of the 15th verfe> have their accom- pliihment. Againfl: what has been brought to view, particu- larly in the feveral quotations from the Pfalms, ariles this objection, that the apoftle appears to apply fuch paffages to thofe gathered by the gofpel from among the Gentiles ; not to the Gentiles, in fo extenfive i manner To HUSBANDS and WIVES. 213 jnanncr, as is cxprefTed in the Pfalpis } and fo diofe paffages are to be underftpod In the Umitted fenfc ufed by the apoftles, who direft their cpiftles to iht believers of their teflimony, cpUefted from among the Gentiles. To this it may be anfwered, that the epiftles of th? apoflles were wrote to vifible churches, and vilible believers, for their exprefs direction in their conduQ: towards God, and one another, and are left on re- cord for the fame end, to all believers in all ages, as none but fuch as are led to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, were capable of underftanding the grace there made manifeft, and the obligations thence ^nf- ing to glorify him in their fpirits and bodies which are his; but yet it is evident they were defigned as ^ means of communication of the knowledge'ofCHRis"?^ to mankind in general. See Ephejians i. 9, 10. Ephefians ii. 4 to 7, " But God who is rich ia mercy, for his great love, wherewith he hath loved us, even when we were dead in fins, hath quickene4 Us together with Christ, and hath laifed us up to- gether, and made us fit together in heavenly places m Christ Je^us." For what end? " That in thi? ages to come, he might (hew the exceeding riches of his grace in kindnefs towards us, through Christ Jesus." And in the 3d chapter, from the id verfe, we have the end of the difpenfation of grace, given to the apoftle towards the Ephefians, " how that by revelation he made known unto me the myllery, which in other ages was not made known unto tha fons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holj^ apoftles and prophets by the fpirit, that the Qenliles (hould be fellow heirs, and of the fame body, and partakers of his promife, in Chrift by the gofpel un- to me, who am lefs than the lead of all faints, is this grace given, that I fliould preach among tlie Gentiles the unl(;^^fcl,\^,le riches of Christ, and to make ali. ''- ~ MEN, 214 To HUSBANDS amd WIVES. MEN, fee what the fellowfhip of the myfteiy, which from the beginning of the world, hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." Here we have glad tidings to all men ; to ages to come ; to all things in Heaven and earth, in what divine grace did for, and among the apoftles and Ephefians. The 5th Romans, from the 14th to the end, and ift oi Cor.nihiam^v. 15. 19, fhew the fame thing, but have been already mentioned and need not be repeated. Thus the fecond inquiry has been attended to, viz. How doth marriage convey as in a myftery, the un- ion of Chtift and the church ? From what has been brought to view, we fee the obligations thofe are under, that are brought to the faith of the gofpel, to colleO: together in the profeffion of his name, and fubjeclion to his authority, after the example of the firft difciples in the firft churches, to the fame end, which will, I conceive, be the duty of the difciples till the fecond coming of Jesus Christ, or till all things are put under his feet ; till which time, he will ufe the fame means to the fame end. — Much might be faid here, " but except the Lorb build the houfe, they labour in vain that build it." And not only their obligations to (land forth in the profeffion of his name, obfcrving the order of the gof- pel, as praBifed by the firft churches, but their obli- gations to an attention to all the precepts of the new teftament, concerning their condutl in every relation they fuftain ; particularly that of hufband and wife, which the apoftle has in view in the paflage before us, beginning with the wives, verfe 22, " Wives fubmit yourfelves unto your own hufbands, as unto the Lord." Col. iii. 18, " as it is fit in the Lord." Titus ii. 4, " That they may teach the young women to be fober, to love their hufbands, to love their children, difcrete, chaftcj keepers at home, good, obe- dient To HUSBANDS and WIVES. 215 dicnt to their hufbands, that the name of God and his do6lrine be not blarphemed." id of Peier, iii. to the end of the 6th verfe, " Likewife ye wives in fubjeftion to your own hufbands ; that if any obey- not the word, they alfo may without the word, be won by the couverfation of the wives, while they be- hold your chaflc converfation, coupled with fear." In thefe pafFages, the duty of the wives is made plain ; inculcated and enforced from the obligations to JjKsus Christ, " as unto the Lord, as it is fit in the Lord ;" which fhews thfi duty of the wife to flow from the authority of Jesus Christ, and to be di- reCled by his will : So that in all her attention and fubmifTion to her hufband, the authority and direc- tions of Jesus Christ are ever to be kept in view, as the firil motive the apoftle ufes, and truly it is no barren one, but full of excitation. The believing wife may thus think with herfelf, While I am attend- ing my duty to my hufband, the ever bleffed Jesus, in his adorable condefcenfion, is pleafed to accept me as attending to him : Therefore, as to the Lord, will be mufical in her mind, and excite to chear- fulnefs tlicrein. The fecond motive, if it be a dif- tinftone, is, "that the name of God and his doc- trine be not blafphemed." Titus ii. 4, 5, "That they," the aged women, " may teach the young wo- men to be fober, to love their hufbands, to love their children." — Wives are not only taught fubmiHion to their hufbands from a fenfe of duty, but " to love their hufbands, to love their children ;" which will excite tliem, from inward affcQion, ever to be ftudy- ing and purfuing their comfort and happinefs, while their own is increafcd by the comfort of love : And when to the motive, "as unto the Lord," is joined the " love of hufbands and children, good, obedient to their own hufbands, that the name of God and bis dotlrine be not blafphemed," will follow ; will follow. '2i6 To HUSi5ANDS and WIVES. follow, did I fay ! is it not infeparably interwoven ? O my Jesus ! is thy name and do6lrine concerned in my loS'^e and duty to my hufband and children ; how happy hail: thou made me, in making love,which is my happinefs, my duty ; and bringing thy name and dotlrine to my continual view, may it never be blafphenned by my evil condu6l towards my hufband and children ; methought I moved in a low fphere in attending daily to them, but now I find I am ex- alted to wait on my Lord ; he has been pleafed to comcfiTt his name and doftrine to my daily care : Angels have not higher employment than is appoint- ed me, in the very place where he hath placed me ; and when 1 dwell in love, I dwell in him. The third motive, " that if any obey not the word, they alfo may, without the word, be won by the converfation of the wives, while they behold your chafte conver- fation with fear," mufl alfo be a powerful one, in the minds of believing wives, to an attention to the hid- den man of the heart, in that which is not corrupti- ble, of a meek and quiet fpirit, which is in the fight of God of great price. If by the hidden man of the heart, we under (land Christ dwelling in the hearts of believers by faith, we are led to that which is not corruptible, and to the pattern, fountain, and foun- dation of a meek and quiet fpirit, which indeed, in the fight of God, is of great price. In Malihew xu 2g, Jesus Christ fays, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly, and ye fhall find reft to your fouls." The believing wives underftand Jefus Chrift to be the green olive-tree, from whence this fruit is found. So did their examples in the old times ; " The holy women who trufted in God, and thus adorned them- felves, being in -fubjeftion to their own hufbands» even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, w^hofe daughters ye are as long as ye do well, and are BOt afraid with any amazement." What doth that import ? To HUSBANDS and WIVES. 217 import ? So long as you aire influenced by your duty to Jesus Christ, tcT attend your duty as wives, you appear to be tbe children, the followers, or imitators Dfthe holy women who trulled in God ; to belong to that family ; and need not be afraid with any amazement ; for if our hearts condemn us not, then have \vc confidence towards God. But if inilead of attention to the direttions of the Apoflles of Christ, there is giving heed to temptation, not contented in « modeft apparel, with fhame-facednefs, and fobri- cty," but giving way to a prevailing folicitude for " the outward adorning of plating the hair," and of *' wearing of gold, pearls and coilly array," you will appear to be under the influenceof your lufts ; to be walking according to the courfe of this world; ac*- cording to the prince of the power of the air, the fpiritthatnowworketh in the children of difobedience; and the tendency of it will be to darknefs and fear with amazement, more efpecially at times when there is mofl need of confolation. It certainly doth not become women profefling godlinefs, to be thus ad- orned ; but it bccometh them to be adorned with good works. Certainly there appears ability for the good works of the gofpel ; fuch as feeding the hun- gry and cloathing the naked, at leaft as far as the price of the gold, pearls and coftly array beyond modell apparel, that they wear ; when the wearing it can be of no ufe, except evidencing their inattention . to the fcripture, which prohibits their wearing it ; or what is worfe, oppofition to them. In which cafe they may be advifed to read James v. 1,2, 3, with fober attention, which will fhew fuch a conduct to tend to fear with amazement ; which chriftian wo- men ought to turn from ; to walk in love to Jesus Christ, to their hufbands and children, according to the direflions of the apoftles of Jesus Christ, which tends to call out the fear that has torment. E e Vviile ?i8 To HUSBANDS and WIVES, Verfe 24. " Therefore, as the church is fubje6l to CHRisTJfolet the wives to theirownhufbands, in every thing." Which fhews the duty of wives to fubmit to and feek to pleafe their hufl^ands, in every thing that is not contrary to the mind of Jesus Christ, "as it is fit in the Lord." When the wife makes this the rule of her condu6l, fhe purfues her own happinefs in connexion with her hufband's. When his will is contrary to the mind of Christ, or would wifli hir, wife to do that fhe is afraid will incur his difpleafure, file is then only to point out her reafons from the word, and to perfevere in attention to the will of Je- sus Christ. But when fhe fets up her own will in oppofition to her hufband, and glories in a vitlory over him, however flie may feem to gratify herfeli', fhe will find it leads to future fhame, and fear with amazement. W^e have alfo, in the paiTage before us, verfe 25, " Hufbands love your wives, even as Christ alio loved the church, and gave himfelf for it," Sec. Verfe 28, 29, and 30, " So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies ; he that loveth his wife loveth himfelf: For no man ever yet hated his own flefh, but nourifheth and cherifheth it, even as the Lord the church. For we are members of his bo- dy, of his fJefli, and of his bones." From this paf- fage, together with Colojfians iii. 1 9, and ift of Peter ^ iii. 7, we may colleR the mind of Jesus Christ, as fignified by the apoflles, concerning the duty of huf- bands. "Tis comprehended in love. " Hufbands love your wives." Love is the fulfilling of the law, and the rule or meafure of the love of the huf- band to the wife, is, " as Christ loved the church, and gave himfelf for it, that he might fanBify and cleanfe it, with the wafliing of water .by the word ; that he might make* it to himfelf a glorious church, not * See the former tranflation. To HUSBANDS anu WIVES. 219 rot having fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing, but that itfhoiild be holy and without blemifli." " -Jesus Christ loved the church, and gave him- felfforit." " Hufl^ands love your wives, even as Christ loved the church." . Did Jesus Christ give himfelf ; ayd am I, or have I any thing that is for the comfort and happinefs of my wife, that thro' covetoufnefs or- felf will I may withhold from her, and yet manifefi; I love her as Christ loved the church ? Jesus Christ paid the church's debt, re- deemed her from captivity, directed her in her duty, fupplied her wants, knows how to have compaffion, on the ignorant, and them that are without of the way : . He took her circumftances of want, diftrefs and mife-' ry upon himfelf, and communicates of hisfulnefs un- to her ; is of God made to us wifdom, righteouf- nefs, fanftification and redemption ;" and is in all an example to dired the love of the hufband to his wife ; that he attend to all her wants, diftreffes and miferies ; to relieve and fupply them according to his meafure. And when any thing appears in the condu6l of the wife inconfiftent with her duty, as the hufband is the head of the v/ife, he is to point out her duty from the. word. " Jesus Christ gave him- felf for the church, that he might fanclify and cleanfe it, with the wafhing of water by the word." If the word be made ule of in the exercife of love, the tendency and efficacy would be to heal, as it would always bring Christ's authority to the view of the wife, and keep his example in the view of the huf- band, and guard again ft the evil cautioned againft in Col. iii. 19, " hulbauds love your wives, and be not bitter againft them." Remember that bitiernefs al- ways fp rings from' the root, of bitternefs ; " the root that beareth gall' and worn'iwood, from the turning away from the root of the righteous, that beareth fruit." Yet fo great is the deceitfulnefs of our own ^ hearts. 220 To HUSBANDS and WIVES. hearts, and fo imperceptible the prevalence of the enemy, transformed into an angel of light, that this bitternefs may appear to fpring from a fort of religi- ous ignorance, or a miftaken religious zeal. When we read, '• That the hufband is the head of the wife," and that it is his duty to riijle v/ell his own houfe, a ftrange notion of headfhip and rule may take place, that upon every flight occafion there is a bitter refolution ; I will be mafter of my own houfe ; I will be minded ; it is my duty, &:c. That inftead of viewing the head as the feat of wifdom, care and tendernefs, it is viewed as the feat of domineering j as if its only care was to fee, that my will may be done ; and perhaps for no fault, only that a particular humour is not pleafed, there will be a flamp on the floor, enough to make all ring again, and the huf- band hold himfelf not guilty, from a religious zeal to be minded to rule his own houfe. If I find out the man, can he be offended if I fhould inquire. Dear Sir, where find you this in the example of Jesus Christ ? From this caufe often proceeds fuch difcontent with that which the induftrious wife has endeavored to prepare, with as much agreeablenefs to her huf- band, as the means he had put into her hands was ca- pable of; that he will delpife both it and her ; and inftead of coming with gratitude, thankfgiving and fatisfa6lion to his meals, as that which fliews his in- creafing and perpetual obligation to eat, drink and do all to the glory of God, there will be bitter uneafi- nefs through the whole of the time calculated for fa- mily enjoyment and happinefs. If there be fuch a man, fliall I put him in mind, that when Jesus fed the multitude with barley bread and fifh, he gave thanks j and when Paul, and thofe with him on board the fliip, were about to eat, " he took the bread and gave thanks to God in prcfence of them all, and when To HUSBANDS and WIVES. 22t when he liad broken, he began to cat ; then were they all of good chear, and they alfo took meat." — Dear Sir, ihanklgiving to God, and all of good chear, becomes a Chriftian's Table, which the head of the family is to lead in :* Every thing coritrary comes from the root of bitternefs, however difordered the head may be, fo as not to fee whence it is. The caution, " be not bitter againft them," is to be at- tended to through the whole of the condud of the hulband to the wife, with whom he is to " dwell ac- cording to knowledge." The above defcribed con- dutl muft flow from ignonmce and blindnefs, from the God of this world blniding the mind, though it be with a religious zeal for his own honor as the head of the wife, while the honor that is to be given to the wife as the weaker velTel, as his own flefh, as now, " bone of his bone, and flefh of his flefh, a:» heirs together of the grace of life," is not attended to, and dieir mutual prayers are hereby hindered. I have been the longer on this, becaufe this evil may proceed from ignorance, and the temptation in it not difcovered, whicb, when brought to light, may be the Iboner turned from ; for certainly, if a man find a pronenefs to tliefe or the like evils, in his tem- per, it will be natural to feek a hiding place, to ex- cufe and juftify himlelf, and no where can he find one more eafy, than under a cloak of falfe religion. But when the true caufe or fource is difcovered to himfelf, he muft conclude, that it is more agreeable to his duty, when he finds a legal, fretful, frowarddif- pofition working in him, only waiting an opportunity of breaking forth, to get alone, and take fliame to himfelf, before him to whom all things are naked and open, who is " the great High Prieft that is pafTed into the heavens,. Jesus the i'on of God, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, in all points tempted as we ♦ See the appendix. 222 To HUSBANDS and WIVES. we are, without fin," and take encourarrement from him, " to afk mercy, and find grace to help, in time of need," and take his example with him into his fa- mily ; who fays, "learn of me, for I am meek and lowly." Whence proceeds a gofpel difpofition, which is meek and quiet. Now then, if there be any in this honourable rela- tion, " HEAD OF THE WIFE, EVEN AS CHRIST IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH," who with their mouths fliew much love to " the grace of God that bringeth falvation to all men that hath ap- peared," who are fo far from foberly attending to its teaching "to deny ungodlinefs and worldly lafts,and to live foberly, righteoufiy and godly, looking for the blelfed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus CHRisT;-who gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, arid purify us unto himfelf a peculiar peo- ple zealous of good works," that they give themfelves over to ungodlmefs and worldly lufts^ in fuch a man- ner, as to neglect their bufinefs, their means of pro- viding for the temporal falvation and comfort of their families for idle company, and gaming, till pinched with want, they are fretful and profane in their families, to a degree, that would be a fcandal to heathens, whereby the name of God and his doc- trines are blafphemed. I dare to appeal to their con- fciences, upon fober refleftion (which they muft come to, whether they will or no) whether their hearts don't die within them and become as a ftone. I was looking in my own mind, whether there v/ere not a deception fome-how attending the temptations, by which thefe perfons are carried away. Perhaps they will fay, they thank God they are not as other men,— -worldly, covetous, afraid of fpending a little time or a little money • for- their part they don't de- defire to have their hearts over-charged with cares of this To HUSBANDS and WIVES. 223 this life, &<:. But do they not fee, that this very pra6lice involves them and their families in the litmon: perplexity ? What, though they may fometimes ap- pear to gain, hath not divine truth faid, " wealth gotten by vanity fiiall be diminifhed ?" Yes, it flialL Divine power is engaged in the caufe of divine truth, and it fliall be accompliOied. Perhaps in this very inftance in which you gain, it is fulfilled refpeding fonie other family. When Jesus Christ exhorted his difciplcs, " Take heed left your hearts be over charged with furfeiting and drunkennefs, and cares of this life, and that day come upon you unawares," did he not give ' 'an example of diligence in working the work of him that fent him ? Says he, " my meat is to do the will of him diat fent me, and to finifh his work." Is it not the chara6ler of his fpoufe ? " She worketh v;il- lingly with her hands, (lie looketh well to the ways of her houfliold, andeateth not the bread of idlenefs." And doth not his Apoftles direct his difciples, ill of Tliejfalonians^ iv. 11, 12, " That ye ftudy to be quiet and do your own bufinefs, and work with your owa hands, that ye may walk honeftly towards them that are without, and ye may have lack of nothing." 2d Qk Thejfalonians^ iii. 11, 12, " "We hear that there are fome that walk diforderly, working not at all, but ' are bufy bodies, ; now them that are fuch, we com- mand and exhort, by our Lord Jesus, that with qui- elnefs they work, and eat their own bread." E- pjiefians^ iv. 28, " Rather let him labour, working with his hands the things that is good, that he might have to give to him that needeth." In this the Apof- tle was an example, ift of TheJJalonians^ ii. 9, " For labouring night and day, becaufe we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gofpel of God." Aih xx. 34, 35, " Thefe hands have minifterdd to my neceflities, and to them that were 224 To HUSBAMDS a.vd WIVES. vere with me : So labouring, ye ought td fiipport t\\6 weak, and to remember the words of our Lord Je- sus, how he faid it is more bleflsd to give than to re- ceive.'" Let thcfe fayings fmk down into our ears, and let us remember the exhortation, Romans xiii. 13, 14, " Let us walk honelily as in the day, not in rioting and drunkennefs, not in chambering and wantonnefs, not in ftrife and envy, but put ye on the Lord Je- sus Christ, and make not provifion fbr the flefli, to fulfil the lufts thereof." 'Tis all day with him ; we are naked and open before him ; " If I fay the dark- nefs fhall cover me, even the night fhall be light about rae ; yea, the darknefs hideth not from thee, but the night fliineth as the day ; the darknefs and the light are both alike to thee." As the duty of the hufband is now in view, I would take a litde more particular notice of the ApoIHe Peters comprehenfive addrefs to them, all contained in one verfe, ill epiftle, iii. 7, " Likewife ye huf- bands dwell with them according to knowledge, giv- ing honour unto the wife as to the weaker veffel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered." '• Dwell with them according to kno^wledge." This may import the knowledge of the myftery contained in the marriage union : as it is a figure of the union" of Christ and the church, the knowledge of the love, cate, compaflion, and tendernefs, that Jesus Christ fhews to his church, as an example to the hufband, and of what his word and the nature of the marriage union binds upon them," - '' Giving honour to the wife as to the weaker vef- fel." The Apoftle fays, " If one member fuffer, all the members fuffer with it; and if one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it." 'Tis true here, if the head and hufband give honor to the wife, To HUSBANDS and WIVES. 825^ ^ife, all the fenfible pans of the family rejoice ; if ihe frequently, and without caufe, fuffer his difplea- fure, all the family fuffer herein. But how may I undt [land this expreflion, " honor as to the weaker vefl'el ?" When I look into the houfe, J fee the weak- er velTels, the glafs, the china, honored with the moft attention, ihe fafeft and moft honorable place afTigned to them J they are handled with the greateft care and tendernefs; and in Ifaiah xxii. from the 15th, I read, that when Shebna, who looked upon himfelf as the iiail faftened in the fure place, fhould be removed, cut down and fall, and the burden on it broken, God would faften Eliakim, as a type of Jesus Christ, as a nail in a fure place ; " And they fhall hang on him all the glory of his Father's houle, all veflels of fmafi quantity, from the velTels of cups, even to all the velTels of flaggons." Here is honour to the weak- er veflels. Hence the honour to the wife, denote3 the care and tendernefs with which fiie is to be treat- ed ; and in all her fears, diftreffes, and perplexities, to be put in mind of the nail in the fure place, that can never be cut down, and falL This is agreeable to what follows : " And as being heirs together of the grace of life." The grace of life, is the grace that reigns through righteoufnefs to eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord ; which comes not by works of righteoufnefs which we have done, but according to his mercy. The idea of heir- fhip, is the idea of inheriting what was not our own, by the will of another. Heirs together of the grace of life, carries the mutual obligation that the grace of the gofpel brings us under, to obedience to him in our mutual duties one to another. " That your prayers be not hindered." The di- re6lion, ill ot Peter^ iv. 7, " Be ye therefore fober, and watch unto prayer," 'together with the repeated exhortations of Jesus Christ, to watch and pray, F f fticws 226 to HUSBANDS and WIVE5. fliews the duty of watchfulnefs agarnft every tbin^ whereby oar prayers may be hindered ; and as Je- sus Christ, in Mark xi. 52, fays, " When ye ftand praying, forgive, if ye have ought againft any," we may eafily fee that the contrary fpirit muft hinder fnutual prayer ; for where envy and ftrife is, there is confufion and every evil work. That your prayers be not hindered, may ha:ve referrence to mutual pray- er in the church, which ought to be attended in the exercife of fervent charity, and which may be marred, weakened or broken, by an indulged carnage, unbe- coming the gofpel of Christ ; in which cafe the di- reclion of Jesus Christ, " If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and tliere remember that thy brother hath ought againft thee, leave there thy gift before the al- Hr, and go thy way, firft be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift," ought to be at- tended to. — It may alfo have referrence to their mu- tual prayers in the family, as their circumftances, opportunity^ and fenfe of divine mercy, may call them thereunto : For we have dire£lion to pray with all prayer and fupplication in the fpirit; and in every thing, by prayer and fupplication with thankfgiving, to be making our requefts known to God ; and it muft be the mutual duties of huftjands and wives, to guard againft that condutl which would hinder the mutual enjoyment of fuch a privilege. In what has been brought to view, the fcriptures, in their moft obvious meaning, have been attended to, as knowing they come with the authority of Js- sus Christ, who is Lord of all. The authority of the Apoftles is the authority of Christ, as he has connefted them with himfelf ; fo that he that defpi- fes thefe their exhortations, defpifeth not man, but God. And fure I am, that ^n attention to them, is the furcft way to domeftic happinefs. I have often thought, that if two jTerfons come together in the re- lation SONG ON MARRIAGE. 227 lation of hufband and wife, that wifhed to live hap- pily in that relation, they could walk by no better rules, even fuppofing they did not believe the fcrip- turcs ; but in that cafe they would have but the body or the letter, without the fpirit. The honor, the nearnefs, the endeared afFeftion, and the obligations mutually arifing in that relation, cannot be fully feen but as they center in Christ Jesus, in his union with, love to, and care of, his church ; in whom the man is not without the woman, nor the woman without the man: « For, OF HIM, and TO HIM, and THROUGH HIM, are all things :" To whom be glory for ever. AMEN, To this I vfould fiihjoin fome thoughts ly another hand^ collected together fome years pajl* ■ ON MARRIAGE. L VV HEN fuch as we attempt to fing, The praifes of our heavenly King, His mercies rife fo fail to view, That ftill the theme is always new, II. In early days his Godlike care Of all his creatures, did appear; Each of his kind an help-meet found. To pafs the days fucceffive round. ' III. When man alone no partner knew, This want was in his Maker's view ; Whofe love and pow'r the want fuppli'd, ^ From fleeping Adam's tender fide, y Whofe rib he form'd a lovely bride, J Thi3 ^28 SONG ofi MARRIAGE, IV. This good obtain'd, how blefs'd had been Man s happy ftate, unftain'd by fin ? But too, too foon th' unthinking pair, By Satan's arts beguiled were. V. From this foil'd fource did foon arife, Lufts of the flefh, the world and eyes ; Whofe all predominating power, The happieft days of man devour s VI. Difturb the joys of focial life, And di-fcord fpread t'wixt man and wife j But praife and thanks to thee fhall rife, The joyful found fliall reach the fkies ; VII. That peace and good on earth proclaim'd'. And man, th' ungrateful fubjeft, nam'd, Whom boundlefs mercy doth arreft, And thus compelleth to be blefs'd. VIII. Which brings to yiew eternal joy. Which can't admit of an alloy : To pur chafe which the Son of God Did Ihed his own moft precious blood. IX. This glorious news proclaim'd abroad. Makes wandering man return to God ; And thus the mjnd from earth is rear'dj And with eternal joy is chear'd. X. Thus o'er this fhort, contrafted fpanj Which is affign'd to mortal man. The gofpel cafts a fmile of peace. And bids our anxious cares to ceafe, XI. By this the hufband and the wife. Are taught to pafs the days of life ; Jh^ii SONG ON MARRIAGE. 229 Their duty and their happinefs, Moll clofely here connetted is : XII. £ach tender paflion doth revive, And mutual duties keep aliyc. Th' unbounded love which Christ hath fliowoj Who for hi? church his life laid down, XIII. Is to the hufband brought to view, A pattern of affedion true. The church, his fpotlefs bride, likewife. Doth as the wife's example rife. XIV. 'Tis thus-ihagofpel doth revive. And keep each gen rous thought alive 5 jVrrefts thofe lulls which bitter life, /Ind teach to live like man and wife. APPEI^DIX. ■maaBwmHBf saf APPENDIX, Containing thoughts oecafioncd by the provifions of the table. Upon looking over the time calculated for familyenjoyment, happ.inefs, &c. mentioned in the 321ft page; fome thoughts occurred on the- provifion of the table, which fwelled beyond the comgaCs of a mar- ginal note, and are brought in by way 01 appendix, a^ follows. . , VV HEN the head of a family retiring from his bufinefs to his meals, has the happinefs to make them all fet down around him, and the example of Jesus Christ and the apoftle, to dire6l, excite, em- bolden, and encourage him to give thanks before them all, if his mind is led to underftand the glory of the gofpel, what can hinder his breaking forth into praife, for all fpiritual bleffings in heavenly tilings, in Christ Jesus, as they are brought to his view in the bounties of providence on his table ; yea, though it be at a time of poverty, and there be only bread and water, to preferve life, till fome further provifions can be procured, yet even that would point us to the bread and water of life, for even they were made by him, and for him, and do filently, eminendy and con^ ftandy hold forth his glory ; if with them I have a piece of a broiled fifh, fhall I be difcontent becaufe I have no more, and feem as if the meal was not large enough to call me to thankfgiving ; or ftiall I not rather remember it is the fame with which Jesus fed the multitudes, after he had given thanks ; the fame that was laid on the coals, John xxi. 9, to which he called his difciples to « come and dine," verfe 12; or would my difcontented mind find fault with my bread, APPENDIX. 2'3f bread, becaufe I cannot obtain every day the flneft of the wheat, let it rather remind rhe, that it was barley bread with which Jesus fed the multitude, John vi. o. If the adverfary, wbofe name is legion, for they are niahy, attempt like the Midianites that typified them, Judges vi, to deftroy the increafe of the earth, by introducing murmuring, difcontcntanduneafinefs, inftead of thankJgiving at my table, may this barley bread with which the multitudes were fed, remind me of what the barley cake did,' in the hoft of the Mid- ianites, and be as efficacious to take away my mur- muring ; for will it not pierce my heart with grief and fhame that I fliould murmur at that for which my Lord gives thanks ! Can I have the leaft appearance of a fervant or difciple, to be thus above my mafler and Lord, while a " perfeft difciple fhall be as his mafter." Luke vi. 40. Herein is the love perfeft in us, that we fhould have boldnefs in the day of judg- ment, for as he is, fo are we in this W'orld." ift; o^ John iv. 17, Methinks here isalfo a further feffon for m.e; when a lad had only five barley loaves, and two fmall fiflies, they were all at tjie fervice of Jesus Christ^' of whom and for whom hehad them. If I am favour- ed with meat, it is calculated to lead me to the meat that endureth to eternal life, which the Son of man Ihall give, who fays, " my flefh is meat indeed." If I have a dinner of herbs, and the fenfe of dvine love exciting me and my family to love one another, it is better than a flailed ox, and hatred to my God, and family therewith : Shocking the tliQught ! that my ungreatful heart is capable of this ! If I cafl my eye on the fait, while I reach after it, it would filently re- mind mc of the favour of the knowledge of Christ, made manifefl by his apoflles in every place, " which is the fait of the covenant of God, that never fliould be lacking," typified by that which was to accompany all the offerings of the children of Ifrael, and which . wa«i 232 APPENDIX. was given them in Ezra's time, by Darius, cliap^ vi. 6^ and by Anaxerxes, chap. vii. 22, at the command- ment of the pricft, without prefcribing, pointing for- ward to the favour of the knowledge of Christ, which my fait would remind me of : This turns my mind to an inOru6lion we have in Ezra iv. 14, " Now becaufe we arc faked with the fait of the palace, it was not meet for us to fee the kings difboriour :" This is the inftruftion my fait, which was created by him, is of him, and for him, would communicate to me. Is my table furnifhed, and am I favoured with roots, and will they not turn my mind to the " root of Jefle," Jfaia/i xi. 16, " the root out of a dry ground." chap, liii. 2, " the root of the righteous that yieldeth or gi- veth," Proverbs xii. 12. Foi: my roots were by him, ihey ^re from him and for him, to hold forth his glo- xy. Do I find my table enriched with fruits, the fruit of the vine ; have I a cup of wine there, furely it fo fully points to Jesus Christ, that as oft as I drink it 1 ought to remember him, whether it be at the Lord's fuppef, or at my own table. Do I fee the beans, peas and fquafhes on my table, either of thefe are the fruit of the: biifh, and would lead my mind to the angel of the Lord, or the agent Jehovah, that appear- ed to Mofes in the bufh, which burned with fire and ^if3.s notconfumed, which caufed Mofes to turn afide, 10 behold with attention, when he was told to put off his (hoes from off his feet, in token of reverence and refignation to his L6rd, which he did, and was then inftrufted in the meaning, which led Mofe^ to under- fland, that though the poUerity of Abrahram, Ifaac and Jacob, Were in bondage in Egypt, fighing and groaning, and was expelled a (Granger in Midian, a flrangc land, yet God faW their trouble and heard their cry, and faid unto him, " I am the God of thy fathef, the God of Abraham, of Ifaac aiid of Jacob, this is my name forever, and my memorial unto all ages i" APPENDIX. 233 ages ;" I that delivered Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob in all their diftrefles, particularly that faved Jacob, and his family when in danger of being burnt up with famine, by bringing them into Egypt, and giv- ing them there the blefTmg of Jofeph, with which he bleffed his land in the feven plenteous years, even the fweetnefs of heaven, the dew, and the deep, and the fweet increafe of the fun and the moon, the precious things of the mountains and hills, and the precious things of the earth, and .the abundance thereof; whereby the good will of him that dwelt in the bufh, rcfted on Jofeph, and upon the top of the head of him that was feparated from his brethren, as a type of him in whom all fulnefs dwells. " I AM that I AM, I am the God of Abraham, of Ifaac, and of Jacob ; this is my name forever, and my memorial throughout all generations ; I know the forrows of their pofterity, therefore I am come down to deliver them." — And is there not in this name and memorial joy to the whole earth ? Is he the Qod of the Jews only, and not of the Gentiles alfo ? Yes, " even of the Gentiles alfo ; the God of the whole earth fhall he be called." The promife to Abraham is, " In thy feed fhall all the nations of the earth be bleffed." So that there is not held forth to Moles in the burning bufh, the diftreffed ftate of the children of Ifrael and their deliverance only, but of the whole human race, who by the curfe of the fiery law, ap- peared in danger of being burnt up without remedy; but Jesus " was made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law ;" he fuflained the fire, and freed us from being confumed. His fuftaining of, and deliverance from it was the beginning of re- venges on the enemy ; on which the call is, " Rejoice O ye nations, his people." In view of which, in the xlviith Pfalm, « All people" are called to " clap their hands, and fhout with the voice of triumph ; for G g • the 2S4 A P P E N D I X.; the Lox^D, moft High, terrible, a Great King over all the earth, he hath fubdued the people under us, and the nations under our feet." The nation and people of the Jews, apprehended themfelves above the Gen- tiles, and defpif^d them ; but fince " God is gone up with a fliout, the Lord with the found of the trumpet," It is evident he hath chofen our inheritance for us, " the excellency of Jacob, whom he loved." Our inheritance : All people, the Gentiles, who are fellow heirs, and of the fame body, and partakers of his promifes in Christ by the gofpel, and all people •are called on, Sing praifes to God ; fing praifes ; ling praifes unto our King, fing praifes ; for God is King of all the earth ; fing ye praifes that have un- derftandmg : God reigneth over the heathen ; God fitteth upon his holy throne." — Agreeable to Pfalm ii. where it is faid, " Yet have I fet my King upon my holy hill of Zion : Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee," (referring to the refurreftion) " afk of me, and I will give the heathen thine inheri- tance, and the utmoft parts of the earth thy poffeffion." Upon his refurrection, it is manifefl they are his pur- cliafed poffeffion. This King now manifeftly appears to reign in righteoufnefs : " I have fet my King up- on ray holy hill of Zion." So in the above xlviith Pfahi, on his afcenfion, he is " King of all the earth," he " reigneth over the heathen," he " fitteth on his holy throne," he is come whofe right it is ; thus " the princes of the people are gathered together, the peo- ple of the God of Abraham ;" he not only fliielded Abraham's family in their affliftion, but " the fliields of the earth belong unto the Lord ; he is greatly ex- alted." Is there not a leflbn for me, under my diftrefling trials, of what fort foever, to realize the reverence and fubjeftion that is due to my Lord, as in the cafe of Mofes, Exodus iii. 5, and Jojliua v. i5,refigningmy- felf APPENDIX. 2^5 felFup to him as not my own, but redeemed by bim? Now this was the manner in Ifrael, concerning re- deeming and changing — to e(tablifh all tilings, a man plucked offhis (hoe, and gave it to his neighbour, and this was a fure witnefs in liraei, that he had re- {igned his right, and it was the property of him that redeemed it ; which I am of my Lord Redeemer, and ought to realize it with reverend fubmiffion, under every affliftion, knowing that in hisevcrlafting name, his memorial through all generations, there is a foun- tain of all-fufficient confolation. Am I prefented with the fruit of the apple-tree, to bring to my mind the tree of life, which bear twelve fruits, and yielded her fruit every month ; which fruit was for meat, and the leaf for medicine ;" the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations ?" If my ap- ple fliould remind me of the fruit of the forbidden tree, by which ftn and death entered, it will alfo lead me to Christ, by and for whom the apple-tree was created ; for as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, fo is my beloved among the fons." I have all in this tree ; for the fruit is for food and the leaf for medicine. What may I underdand by the leaves of the tree ? Inanatu ral fenfe, it fhows that which evi- dences of what fort the tree is : Thus the fig tree was known it had leaves ; and as the leaves of a fig- tree, were fewed together for aprons, after the fall, to hide -nakednefs and fhame, as has been the manner ever fince, " to cover with a covering, but not of God's fpirit," to go about to eftablifh our own righ- teoufnefs, which covering is too narrow, a man can- not wrap himfelf in it; fo when Jesus came, the Lord our righteoufnefs, he faith to the fig-tree, the emblem of feeking life by our own righteoufnefs, " never man eat fruit of thee henceforth for ever, and immediately the fig-tree withered away ;" but his leaf fhall not wither — his profeffion. The «36 APPENDIX. The truth he heard of God at this baptifm, « this is my beloved Son, in w.hom I am well pleafed," the truth he taught through his life and miniftry, that he witnefled a good confeffion to, before Pontius Pilate, that was witneffed in his refurre6lion, whereby he is " declared the Son of God, with power according to the fpirit of holinefs," this truth, which Peter made confeffion of, on which he will build his church, is, I apprehend, what we are led lo for the meaning of the " leaves of the tree, that are for the healing of the nations," whofe virtues fliall prevail, 'till " there be no more curfe." PART PART II. THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION, ADDRESSED TO PARENTS, Ye honored, refpeftful fires, A motive now appears. Of cautious circumlpe^tion to'ards Your children young in years. Provoke them not to wrath, left they "* Difcourag'd fliould appear ; But by the nurture of the Lord, Their tender fpirits cheer. He in his word doth nurture give. And admonition too ; Let it imparted be to them, With faithfulnefs by you. And may you ever fit with joy, * At our Emanuel's feet, To learn withwifdom and with love. The little ones to treat- JT ARENT and child comprehends more en- dearing, engaging, and refpeftful ideas, than I can conceive, much lefs exprefs the fulnefsof : But when I think of them, they appear as harmonious notes in agreeable mufick, which may delight the ear of him •who cannot give them their proper found. Notwith- ftanding, I fhall attempt fomething that may be ufe- ful in conducting in that endeared relation. It is the place and duty of a child to be in his par- ents prefence with reverence and delight ; and it is the duty of the parent to guard againfl a childlefs fa- miliarity, that would tend to make the child humour- fome, and bring the parent into contempt ; and a- gainft fuch an aufterity as would make their prefence a dread which the child would feek to avoid. It is their duty alfo to guard againft ill names, and fuch phrafcs and expreffions as would intimate to the minds 238 THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION. minds of the children, that their parents have not the fear of God before their eyes. If inftead of the pa^ ternal, endearing expreffions of — my dear child, my fon, my daughter — it is — you little cur, you dog, you plague — or the like ; it is, what fhall I call it ! a vio- lent rape on the morals of the child. Such children are early capable of reafoning after this manner — if I am fuch a creature, what is my father that begat,, me, or my mother that brought me forth ? And they foon get emboldened to ufe the fame expreffions, at leaft to thofe that offend them ; which is produftive, *Df wrath and flrife, and promotes an undefirable hardnefs and harfhnefs of temper and manners. Parents mud likewife guard againft a cuftomary threatening which alienates the mind, and fowers the temper of the children, and produces contempt of the parents, when they fee their threatenings are only verbal, never to be feared except when they get into a paflion. Threatenings ought to be given out with great caution and care ; to be what will be the par- ents indifpenfible duty in the threatened cafe ; They ought to be confined to moral evils; fuch as appa- rent wilful difobedience, lying, cheating, or profane- nefs ; any thing that is an apparent fin againft God Or our neighbour : And when judicioufly given out, they ought to be punftually executed, not in paflion and anger, but in love and faithfulnefs. And when any accidental mifcarriage takes place, fuch as the breaking an earthen veffel, or a fquare of glafs, it fhould meet with a gentle admonition, never carried fo high as to tempt the children to lie to hide it, for fear of the wrath of their parents. Here I would take notice of the apoflolick direc- tion, Ephejians vi. 4, " And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath, leaft they be difcouraged, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." <« Left THOUGHTS OM EDUCATION. 239 «' Left they be difcouraged." Doth it not include in it every thing in the education of children, that would give them a dreadful difcouraging idea of God, or of their natural parents, fo as to caufe them fecretly to wifh they could hide thcmfelves from him or them, or to make them unhappy, at the thought of being always in the divine prefence (a fource of fe- curity and happinefs where his name is known) or at the thought of coming into the prefence of their parents. The fcripture account that God is love, and the way in which it is made manifeft, is calculated to fliew our higheft happinefs in his prefence and favour; and what is to be moft feared, is that which will dif- pleafe him, and procure his frown. In like manner, if parents conduct by the divine rule, their children will be happieft in their prefence and favour, and it muft be a great punifhmeiit to be turned away from them, as a token of difpleafure, but for an hour. But when, on the contrary, they cannot come where they are, without fome hard names or dreadful threatenings, they are provoked and difcouraged. " But bring them up in tlie nurture and admoni- tion of the Lord." Nurture conveys the idea of nurfing or'nourifliment, agreeable to ift oi TheJJ'alo- nians, ii. 7, " We were gentle among you, asanurfe cherifheth her children ;" ift of Peter, ii. 2, " As new born babes defire the fincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby;" ift of Timothy, iv. 6, " Nouriflicd up in the words of faith and good doc- trine." Admonition conveys the idea, to counfel, advife, inftru6l, warn and reprove. The admonition of the Lord, leads my mind to ift o^ Corinthians, x. 11, Where the Apoftle, fpeak- ing of the things written in the Old Tellament, fays, " they are written for our admonition." The fcrip- tures of the new began to be fpoken by the Lord, and 240 THOUGHTS on EDUCATIOIsr. and was confirmed to us by tbem diat heard him. They are die admonition of die Lord ; not only the fayings of Christ himfelf, but of his Apoftles, that he connctts with himfelf, " He that heareth you, heareth me ;" are the admonition of the Lord, as is cxpreffed ift of Thejfalonians^ ii. ii, " As ye know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged, every one of you, as a father his children, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you to his kingdom and glory." lit. For nurture. Let the children have the fin- cere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby ; let them fuck and be fatisfied with thefe breads of confolation. Only let us look into the various paf- fages, in which Jesus Christ fpake of, to, or about little children : See Matthew xviii. i, to' 14, chap. xix, 14, 15. Matthew xxi. 16. Mark xi. 13, to 16. Luke xviii. 14 — 16. And fee if there is any thing be- fides glad tidings of great joy to them : If it be fo, let the dear children know it as foon as they are ca- pable of underftanding ; let them be " nouriflied up in the works of faith," in thofe truths that are to be believed, " and good do6lrine j" the good news, the glad tidings that the Gospel contains. Or is there any threatenings of eternal damnation to children, by the Apollles of Christ ? If not, who dare ring them in their ears ! There is indeed, temporal deftru6lion, with the greateil infamy, threatened difobedient children, Proverbs xxx. 1 7, which is a part of the fecond branch : The admonition of the Lord fo is, Luke xv. 15, where the prodigal, from a father's houfe, where is bread enough, and to fpare,is brought to be a poor hungry fwine-feeder. So is every caution and warning through the fcrip- tures, cfpecially the New Teftament, which the par- ents ought 10 be acquainted with, and bring to the children's THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION. 241 thildrcn's view, for'warning, reproving, coiinfelling, advifing, andinftru6tingon all occalions, particularly upon any thing that is finful : The divine admonitioa ought to be brought immediately from the lively oracles, and they convinced it is difagreeable to the will of their Creator, Preferver, and redeemer, on whom their all depends. For an example of admonition, we have one drawn to our hands by the Apoftle, ift of Corinthians, 1 to 11, which being well confidered, may help parents to make ufe of other fcriptures in a fimilar way, as there may be occafion. Thus have I given fome thoughts on the educa- tion of children, to whom I wifli the blefifednefs of an early acquaintance with what God has done for them, and their obligations of gratitude to him. 'Tis the duty of parents, from childhood, to acquaint them with the holy fcriptures, wherein thefe things are contained (as Timothy was) " which are able to make wife unto falvation, through faith in Christ Jesus:" nris with him to communicate the knowledge of him- felf, according to his good pleafure : To whom be glory and dominion, for ever. AMEN. PART H h i wi i n iiil iii'iiiiidYiiiiiiii ii'i'*iiT PART III. Ail Inquiry into the Case o/" Children, with an Exhortation- TO THEM. MAtth Ew xviii. 4. — Evenfo It Is not the 'will of my Father nuh'uh iS in Ht'wvtn, that arte of thefe little ones fbouldperijh. . Third epjftle of John, 4; — I have no greater joy than to hear thatmy children nvalk in the truth. • VV HEN I meditate on i^he cafe of children, andpropofe 4^'exhQ|tation to them, inftead of being governed by the various opinions there are about them, I would turn to the fcriptures, and form my apprehenfions from them, that I may know what ground there is for a word of exhortation to them. In Matthew xwm. 5, and Mark ix. 37, Jesus Christ fays, " Whofoever fhall receive one fuch litde child in my name, receiveth mc." One fuch ; — it was a child he took in his arms, in M^r^^ ; a little child in Matthew-. And in Zzi^^ xviii. 15, they brought in- fants, and Jesus faid, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of fuch is the kingdom, of Heaven." How comes infants confti- tuted of the kingdom of Heaven? Matthew xvm. iif fliews Jesus Christ came to fave them ; therefore, " take heed that ye defpife not one of thefe litde ones; for I fay unto you, that in Heaven, their angels do always behold the face of my father, which is ir» Heaven ; for the fon of man is come to fave that which is loft," Their angels ; What is the office of the holy angels ? " Are they not all miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter for them that fliall be heirs of falva- tion ?" If their angels always behold the face of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who i«. in An inquiry into See. 243 in Heaven, doth it not convey the idea,^that nothing can be done againft them, in a way of dcfpifingthcm, but whatmuft be immediately known there ? And if angels minifler to infants, are they not heirs of falva- tion ? How came they heirs ; are they not by nature children of wrath ; are they not loft in Adam, their head; how came they heirs of falvation ? Verfe 11 informs us, " For the fon of man can>e to fave that which was loft." Though they are really loft in un- ion with the firft Adam, and however they may ap- pear loft in their own utter helpleffnefs, and the vari- ous diftreffes and miferies, even death itfelf, rfiatthey are expofed to ; yet if the fon of man is come to fave that which is loft ; has taken hold of them, taken their nature into union with himfelf, E^d^jjerTftituted them of the kingdom of G6D,^vir'tUe of his owa righteoufnefs, who fays, Luke xviii. 16, " for of fuch is the kingdom of God," then " take heed that ye defpife not onp of thefe little ones." Are they not defpifcd by thofe that freely and frequendy fpeak of the everlafting damnation of infants ? Do they get it from any word of Jesus Christ concerning them? Why is it fo ? That they are loft is readily acknow- ledged ; but the fon of man came to fave that which was loft : Will he not accomplifli his defign ; is he not mighty to fave ? He is the fiiepherd that looks after that ^^hich is loft," that " takes thejambs into his arms, and carries them in his bofom :" " How think ye, if a man have an hundred fheep, if one of tliem be gone aftray, doth he not leave the ninety- nine, and goeth into the mountains and fecketh that which is gone aftray ; and if fo be that he find it, ve-' rily I fay unto you, that he rejoiceth more of that than of the ninety-nine that went not aftray : EVEN foitis not the will of your Father who is in Heaven, that one of thofe little ones ftiould perifh." If Jlsus Cj^rift came to iave thcm^ and it is not the will of your S44 An inquiry into your Father in Heaveti that one of them fhould per-, ifh, muft not the defpifers of them, that fo freely treat; of their damnation, fufpe6l themfelves as advocates for the deflroyer ? Do they not prevail to draw a veil over the power and compaflion of the Saviour, and deftroy the peace of thoufands ? It may not be amift to illuflrate this, by bringing in the teftimony of the prophets and apoftles. Wheri God, by his prophet Jtrtmiah^ was comforting an- cient Ifrael in what he would do for them, chap.xxxi. 1, to 14, the ground and reafon of which, we have in the 11th verfe, " For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ranfomed him from the hand of ftronger than he." Having redeemed and ranfomed him — *' He that fcattered Ifrael, will gather him, and keep him as a fhepherd his flock : Therefore they fliall come and fingin the height of Zion ; and they fhall not forrow any more at all ; then fliall the virgin re- joice in the dance, both young men and old men to-, gether ; for I will turn their mourning into joy, and make them rejoice from their forrow, and I will fati- ate the foul of the prieft with fatnefs, and rny people Ihall be fatisfied with my goodnefs,, faith the Lord." That this good news may reach the bottom of their affliftionand forrow, exprefled in verfe 15, in a pro- phetic viewjof thedeftru6lionof the children of Beth- lehem, by Herod, it is faid, verfe 16, " refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears, for thy work fhall be rewarded, faith the Lord ; and they ihall come again from the land of the enemy, and there is hope in thine end? faith the Lord, that thy children ihall come again to their own border."— Death was the enemy where they went ; from which they fliall come again, and inherit their own border, in him, or by virtue of union with him, " who through death, deftroys him that had the power of death ; that is the devil." " Thus faith the Lord, even the captives The case of CHILDREN, Sec. 345 captives of the mighty fhall be taken away, and the' prey of the terrible fliall be delivered ; for I will con- tend with him that contendcth with thee, and I v;ill fave thy children, Jfaiah xlix. ^5," " They fliall come again from the land of the enemy." " And there is hope in thine end th;it thy children Ihall come again to their own border.' What is their own border ? 'Tis the fruit of the purchafeof Jesus Christ, called their own in virtue of their union to him. To this I would add theapoftle Peter, in ABs ii. 39, " For the promifeis to you and to your children, and to all that arc afar, of even as many as the Lord our God fliall call." The promife to you and your children, as extenfive as the call of the gofpel, which is directed to every creature, and expreffed in this language by the prophet, " Look unto me, and be yc faved, all the ends of the earth." It may not be unfuitable to take notice here of the error of many pareats, and others, who comfort themfelves concerning their infant children, when they die, from their innocency, faying, they arc un- doubtedly gone to happinefs ; and rob the Saviour of his glory, and themfelves of any true comfort. If they would think a few minutes, if the falvation by Jesus Christ is excluded, and they gone to happi- nefs by virtue of their own imiocency, it is a happi- nefs that they themfelves can never be admitted to ; ** for there is no other name under Heaven among men, whereby they can be faved, but the name of Jksus." They feem not to attend to the apoftle ; he hath concluded all under fin, that he might have mercy upon all." The apoftle John, when writing to the difciples, under the charaHer of litde children, fays, " I write unto you, litde children, becaufe your fins are for- given, for his name fake : I write unto you, litde 'Children, becaufe you have known the Father." The f Father 24? An inquiry into Father is not known to any, but to whomfoever the fon will reveal him. When they underftood the for- givncfs of finsforhis name's fakejthey know the father ; Thus is he, who is love, made manifeit. And this is whatlitde children in Christ's fchool are taught by an aged apoftle, " I write unto you, little children, becaufe your fins are forgiven you, for his name's fake'' which he lays in the foundation of his exhortations to them, " Love not the world," ^c. I am awpire of an objeftion againft what I have brought to view. How can thefe things be fo, when we fee children, as foon as they grow up, turn after their own lufts, after " the courfe of this world, ac- cording to the prince of the power of the air, the fpirit that now worketh in the children of difobedi- ence .?" Do we not fee children and youth foon arrive at a blocking pitch of profanenefs and immorality ? Yes, verily, multitudes of them appear to be in the fnare of the devil, and led captive by him, at his will : But whofe are they ? Do they belong to him who hathinfnared them, and leads them captive ;yea, tho' he fo blind their minds as to lead them to profane the name of their rightful owner, and to fay he fhall not reign over us, doth it alienate the property of them ? May they not be told with truth and proprie- ty, that they are not their own, they belong to Jesus , Christ, to whom they muft give an account of their conduct? who will bring every knee of them to bow to him ; that they are working out their owa fliame and confufion of face before him ? May they not be called to repent ; to return to their rightful proprietor, owner and Lord ? But how repent, unlefs they are wrong in their alie- nation to Jesus Christ, and in their walking accor- ding to the fpirit that now worketh in the children of difobedience ? How return, if they have not gone aftray ; if they belong not to their Lor© Redeem- er, TftE CASE OF CHILDREN, <£rc. fi^f ^r, if he be not the fhepherd and bifliop of theit fouls ? Is not this idea held up in every call to re- pentance ? Ifaiah xliv. 22, " Return, for I have re- deemed thee." Jeremiah iii. 12, "Return, ihovi back-fliding Ifrael, faith the Lord ;" 14, " Turn, O back-(iiding children, faith the Lord, for I am mar- ried unto you ;" 32, "Return, ye back-fliding chil- dren, I will heal your backflidings." The idea of his right as Redeemer, Hufband and Father, is im- plied in the call to return, and every call to repent- ance fuppofes mercy : " There is forgivenefs with thee, that thou mayeft be feared," and we cannot con- ceive of mercy but in a confiftency with juftice : If juftice is fatisficd, mercy flows without obftruSlion, " Return, for I have redeemed thee." Befides, as they are in the fnare of the Devil, led captive by him at his will, " for this purpofe was the fon of God manifeft, that he might deftroy the works of the Devil." — When the prophet //"^iaA introduces the inquiry, chap. xlix. 24, '■ Shall the prey be ta- ken from the mighty, or * the lawful captive deli- vered ? ' t The anfwer is, verfe 25, " But thus faith ihe Lord, the captives of the mighty fliall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible ftiall be delivered, for 1 will contend with him, that contendeth with thee, and I will fave thy children." He will not leave them in his hands; no, not one of the hundred; the fliepherd will not lofe one of the hundred flieep; he came to fave that which is loft ; he came to do his Father's will, and it is not his will " that one of thefe little ones fliould perifli." Thus much Of Children; what follows is ad- drelfcd To Ciiildren. Children — ♦ Hebrew, in the bible margin, '* Th«Gaprtvity of the juft." t By " the lawfvil captive," or " the captivity of the juft," I un- derftand, tl^fct thofe who were taken captive by the mighty adverfary, were taken from where they lawfully belonged, led captive^froirt the juft one, theif rightful owner. ft48 An address to CHILDREN*. Children — Let me aflc your attention to what 15 laid before you, fimply from the fchptures, — Are thefe things fo ? If fo, methinks it is '• glad tidings of great joy," and fhews the ground of obligaiiort that lies upon you to look upon yourfelves as not your own, as not at liberty to walk after your own lufts, as not belonging to Satan, however he may feek to devour or infnare you, — you belong to Je- sus ChiHst, our Creator, Preserver, and Re- deemer, he has bought you with his blood, and' therefore you are under tl\e higheft obligations to " glorify him in your fpirits and bodies which are his ;" and is it not in this view, mofl ungrateful, bafe and wicked, to walk contrary thereunto? I have thought whether it werd not the ignorance of chiU dren about what our Lord and Saviour is to them, has done, and is doing for them, that was the caufe of their finking fo low into the mire and filth of profane- nefs and immorality ; while a fenfe of love always car- ries with it, a fenfe of obligation to grateful obedience : Where this is the cafe, it would be natural to turn our minds to the exhortation of the apoftle to chil- dren, " children obey your parent? in the Lord for this is right." When we confider the wretched, help- lefscircuQiftances we come into the world in, and view the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, giving paternal love, tender- nefs and compaflion to our parents, and bythismeans, daily loading us with his benefits; as foon as we are capable of reflefting, itmuft give us a view of obli- gation to gratitude and thankfulnefs, which cannot be exprefled, without a fenfe of obligation to obedience; therefore, children " obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right, it muft commend itfelf to your own confciences as right. I wifh to unfold fomething of the meaning of this expreflion ; if I could, it would difcover fuch obli- gations An address to CHILDREN. 249 Rations as could not be broken through, without do* ing violence to our own confciences, our peace and comfort, for it mud lead to a united view of what our Jesus Christ has donc» and is doing for us, and what he makes our parents to us, and does for us by their means, which would lead our minds to all the thought, care, toil and labour of the father, and to the compafTionate tendernefs of the mother, who of- ten, with much pain and pleafure, nourillics her ofF- fpring from her own body, both night and day; well might the apoftle fay, " children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." Here alio is a direc- tion to children, when they come to years capable of underftanding the will of God in Ciirist Jesus con- cerning them ; if ever the parents, through the prcva- , lency of temptation, command any thing contrary to his revealed will, to remember the words of the apoftle to the rulers who commanded them contrary to the will of the Lord, "we ought to, obey God rather than man," and dutifully to remind their pa- rents of the reafons of their condutl ; to pbey in any thing contrary to his revealed will, would not be to obey them *' in the Lord." " Honor.thy father and. mother," which is the firft commandmentj with promife, " that it may ^)e well with thee, and that thou mayeft live long on the earth ;" a contrary conduQ, flights the divine autho- rity that commands, and the divine promife annexed thereto ; it flights our own welfare, and forfeits life upon earth. What bafe folly, guilt and fl>ame, doth djTobedience to parents carry along with it ! When the apoille to the Romans, fpeaks of God's giving over the Gentiles to a reprobate mind, and rehearfes what they were filled with which led there- unto, we find in the catalogue, " difobedience to parents," Romans i. 30, So when he fpeaks of the perilous times that fliould come in the laii days, one I i part iSO An address to CHILDREN'. part of the defcription is, " difobedience to parents/ 2d. of Timothy iii. 2. This is that which, befides the ingratitude, bafe- nefs and wickednefs that appears in it, has a leading tendency to various others, if not all kinds of vice and wickednefs ; Therefore, " children obey your {>arents in the Lord ;" Honor thy father and mother, that it may be well with thee, that thou may eft live long upon the earth," even till it pleafe God in his providence, to call you by a natural death, in his own time and way, and not hurry yourfelves, by your difobedience, into the hands of civil juftice, to an untimely death, to which it has a tendency. When Jesus Christ addreffcd his difciples under the charatler of little children, Jfohn xiii. 33, the ex- hortation he had to give them, to which he thus call- ed their attention, was, verfe 34, " a new command- ment I give unto you, that ye love one another ; as I have loved you, that ye alfo love one another." — This is the duty of every one, more efpecially of all who hope for falvation from the love of the Saviour, which ought to excite children to treat one another with kindnefs and love, not to wifh evil to any that offend us, not to " render evil for evil," not to defpife tbofe that are poor, but endeavour to think of the for- givenefsand condtfcenfion of Jesus Christ, agree- able to the exhortation of the apoftle, Ephejians iv. 31, let all bitternefs, and wrath, and anger, and cla- mour, and evil fpcaking, be put away from you, with all malice, and be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as Go d in C 11 r i s -^ hath forgiven you." Here I would take notice of what I have feen in fome inftanccs, with fprrow. When young perfons have been intruded with the care of little children, either at home, or to lead them abroad, they have fcemed to lofe all fenfe of that kindnefs and tender* heartednefsi An address to CHILDREN. 251 lieartednefs, of which the apoftle fpeaks ; and as it vere, cruelly divert themfelves with telling the dear little ones frightful (lories, and giving out many thrcatcnings to them, until fear anddiftrefshasbanilh- ed every agreeable feeling from their tender breafts and they burft forth into fobbing and crying ; for which they have been called crofs — twitched, fcolded at, threatened and beaten : Which conduct, in many cafes, has been of very hurtful confequenccs. How contrary is this to the obligations we are under to walk in love one to another ! There is one confideration I would fuggefl to all that have the care of litde children; i.e. what Jesus Christ faid, " of fuch is the kingdom of Heaven," and in that remarkable pafl'age, Mark ix. 36, 37, •' he took a child and fet him in the midft of them, and when he had taken him in his arms," (obferve the bignefs of the child, a child in the arms) " he faid unto them, whofoever fhall receive one of fuch children, in my name, receiveth me, and whofoever (hall receive me, receiveth him that fent me." Would Vfc treat Jesus Christ in the above manner were he upon earth ! And will not the above paflages war- rant us to fay that he is now on earth, in the Icaft of thefe his brethren ; fo that as ye did unto them, ye did unto him ; and on refleftion on the above con- duct, any of us that have been guilty, on recollecting what we have done when we thought no one faw us, may well be afraid, and fay — furely God was in the place, and I knew it not. May the thought ever excite to an attention to the forementioned exhortation, " Let all bitterncfs and vrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil fpeaking, be put away." Evil fpeaking comes from a little member, but " 'Tis a fire, a world of iniquity ; it fets on fire the courfe of nature, and is fct on fire of hell," faith the Apoftle, James iii. 6, It would per- haps 252 An address to CHILDREN. baps be impoflible to defcribe the variety into which this fire blazes and unfolds itfelf. Without attempt- ing this, I fiiall juft take notice of it, as it difcovers itfelf in profanenefs, uncleannefs, covetoufnefsj-fteal' ing, and lying. To begin with profanenefs, — Can there be any thing more bafe, ungrateful, and wicked, than to pro- fane tliat worthy name, which is above every name, in which there is falvation, the juft God and the Sa- viour, Emanuel, God with us. We know not God but as he is thus manifeft : So there can be no fpe- cies of profaning that name, but it includes in it the bafe ingratitude of profaning the Saviour. If the confideration of his being their God, was ufed as an argument againfl profanenefs M'ith ancient Ifrael, a§ Leviticus xix. 12, *?' Neither fhalt thou profane the name. of thy God," certainly the grace manifefted in the gofpel hath the fame obligations in it ; and opens up a ground of perpetual praife and thankfgiving : And who of us are not at fome times conllrained to acknowledge it j and with our tongues to blefs God, even the Father ? Shall we therewith curfe our fel- low-creatures, " that are made after the fimilitude of God ?" Jamts iii. 9, Certainly thefe things ought not fo to be -y the grace of the gofpel teaches, by precept and example, " to blefs them that curfe you, blef^ and curfe not, love your enemies \ do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that defpitefiilly ufe and perfecute you." Here w^e are warranted to make ufe of the Saviour's name, in praying for our enCr mies ; he bids us, and fets the example". How con- trary the profane praftice of calling on his name to damn thofe we think injure or difpleafe us ! It comes as evidently from the deftroyer, our adverfary, the devil, as the above-mentioned precepts and examples come from the Saviour. Stop dear child ! ftop young manj over-heated with paflTion and refentment, an4 An address to CHILDREN. ' 253 and hurried by temptation ! ftop one minute andcoa- fider vshich you ought to follow : Hear the apottle, ■i Let all evil fpcaking be put away from you, with ail malice." The next branch of evil fpeaking I would take no- lice of, is uncleannefs. If we confidcr the warnings and cautions given againft it by the apoilles of Christ,* we muft fee the the propriety of cur chil- dren's being warned to fliufi the appearance of this evil; to fhun the fpeechcs, behavior and company? that tends hereunto. What Ihameful ingratitude doth it difcover, when we fee our children, who are pri- vileged in their education fo as to be able to write theJr thoughts legibly, defiling the fences, as they paf"? the llreets, with ihameful uncleannefs! writing what they would at firfl; be afraid to fpeak, until their minds are hardened by writing, then reading and repeating, iintil they contra6l a hi>bit of evil fpeaking ; whicli has a tendency, as they grpw up, to lead after all un- cleannefs with greedinefs. I think I may tell them with truth, if they fliould live two or three times twenty years after, it would not obliterate, but in- creafe the fliame that fuch conduct muft produce, iipon the remembrance of fuch follies ; for old age has a lively remembrance of what is done in youth, though it forgets later tranfaftions ; and the fenie of forgivenefs doth not take away the ground of fliame, but * See Galations v. 19, Ephefians v. 3, to 6, Colojiatts Vn. 5, to 8, ifl of Thejfahnians, iv. 3, to 8, ift of Peter, iv. 2, 3, And in the gpiltle to the Corimhians, rhe apoftle fays, " Wliat know yc not that your bodies are the members of Christ ; fliall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an liarlot ? GOD torbid. — "What ! know ye not that he that is joined to an harlot is one body, for two fliall be one flefli ; but lie that is joined to the Lord is one fpirit. Flee fornication : Every fin that a mai) doth ib without thc body ; but he that committeth fornication, finneth againft liisown body, ^Vhat ! know yc not that your body is the temple of the holy ghofl: in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own, tor yc are bought with a'price ? Therefore glorify God in your body and in your fpirit, which are God's." ift of Corinthians, vi. 15, ty the end. 254 An address to CHILDREN. but increafes it, agreeable to Ezekielxvi, 63, " That thou mayft remember and be afhamed and r-onfoundT cd, and never open thy mouth any more becaufe of lijy fliame, when I am pacified towards thee for aU \\ *<- 2s6 An address to CHILD^REK. example, " that we fliould follow his fteps, is as " tlie fliining light that fliineth more and more unto 'the perfc6i day," while the way of the wicked one, into, which he feeks to infnare his follov/ers, is as darkncfs. Proverbs iv. 18, 19. Thu5f* dear children, 1 have endeavoured to lead your minds to the grace revealed in the gofpel, and t0 the view of the obligations this grace lays upon us ; — if you accept my attempt, and are hereby exci- ted to turn over the pages of revelation, and to attend . to Jesus Christ and his apoftles, fpeaking in them, I have all I wiili for from )^ou : I know I am not my own, and that every opportunity and talent I have, belongs to my Redeemer ; therefore, fo fiir as duty to him, and love to you hath excited me hereto, I have reafon to be faijsfied, whatever reception it hath. To his honor and glory, and your comfort and benefit it is devoted. To the only wife God our Saviour, glory and, majcfty, dominion and pov;er, bodi now and ever, A M E N. SECTION VIII. A Dialogue hetzveen Teacher and Scholar, /br fhe benefit of young men : Or, an atttmpf to imitate Timothy's Catkchism ; who from a child knew the Holy Scriptures^ that were able to make him wife to Salvation^ through the faith which is in Christ Jesus, 2d. Tim. iii. 15. Eting an attention to two quefiions o-rifing from what the Scriptures prin- cipally teach^ viz. ift. What is Man to believe con^ ccrning God ? 2d. What doth God require of Man? Scholar. O.IR5 T have been attending to the Affemblies Catechiim, and the three Mrft anfvvers appear intel- ligrblc ; but when I come to the que (lion, What is God ? I would fay, As the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever, and the fcrip- tures are the only rule to direflL us how we may thus glorify and enjoy him, and they principally teach whatmanis to beheve concerning God, and what he requires of man, in order to this chief end, I would wifh to be taught from this only rule, fuppofing it more plain and eafy to be underftod than any other. I therefore afli, that I may be taught from the fcrip- tures what I am to believe concerning God. Teacher. Though your requelt is fingular, Ican't but fuppofe it is reafonable, although it makes me at a iofs how to anfwer you ; if I fhould attempt it by bringing to your view fomc of the many paffages of fcripture in which it hath pleafed God to reveal himfelf unto us ] I would firft take notice that the fcriptures are often fpoken of as the Old and New- Tcllament, pr the old and new, ftrll and fecond Co- K k venant; «5S A DIALOGUE BETWEEM vcnant ; the letter and the fpirit, the law and the gofpel ; and in order to underftand them, we are to diflinguifh between the language of the law and the language of the gofpel, or elfe we fhall be in danger of viewing one pafTage of fcripture contradiclory to another. For inftance : The law faith, Gal. iii. lO, Ciirfed is fvery one that continuetk not in all tlimgs written in the book of the law to do them. The gofpel faith. Gal. iii. 13, Chriji hath redeemed Hi from the curfe of the law, being made a curfs for us. Ifaiah fpcaking in the language of the law, faith, chap. V. 25, and ix. 12, and xvii. 21, and x. 4, Af- ter repeating various judgments that befel the peo- ple of Judea, and Jerufalem, in cOnfequence of their iranfgreffions, repeateth, For all this his anger is not turned axoay, but his hand is firelched outflill. The fame prophet fpeaking the language of the gofpel, faith, chap. xii. 1, In that day thou fhalt fay^ O Lord I will praife thee ; though thou wafi angry •with me ; thine anger is turned away, and thou dofl comfort me. Cliap. xxv. 10, For in this viountain fhall the hand of the Lord rejl. Whatever they fuffered confequent on their rebel- lion, there was no atonement ; juftice was not fatif- fied, but his hand is ftretched out ftiil. But fpeak- ing gofpel language, he points to Jefus under the name of this mountain, where the hand of the Lord refts. Jofhua fpeaking in the language of the law, faith, chap. xxiv. 19, Ye cannot ferve the Lord your God^ for he is an holy God^ he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your iranfgreffions nor your fins, Ifaiah fpeaking in the language of the gofpel, in the name of the Lord, faith, / am he that blotteth out thy iranfgreffions for my own namcfake^ And EzekicI XX* • TEACHER AKD SCHOLAR. 259^. XX. 40, faith, For in mint holy mountain^ in the moun- tain of the height of Zion^ there Jhall all the houfe of Jfrael^ all of them in the land ferve me, and there will J accept them. Scholar. You remember, fir, the queftion was. What is God ? which I wifhed to be anfwered from the fcriptures ? Teacher. I fuppofed the obfcrvations I have made, needful for tlie underflanding of it, under the law, we read that God would dwell in the thick dark- nrfs : And Mofes drew near to the thick darknefs zuhere. God was ; and he fpake to all the people out of the. midjl of the fire^ and out of the thick darknefs ; he made darknefs his paviUion round about, darknefs was under his feet, i^c. Under the gofpel we read God is light, and in him is no darknefs at all ; that God who dwelt in thick darknefs is made manifeft to us in Chriftjefus,the great myftery that was hid in the thick darknefs of the former law difpenfation, is laid open under the gofpel, God was manifefl in the flefh. John faith no man hath feen God at any time. The finly begotten Son which was ijithe bofomof the Father he hath declared him, no man knoweth the Father, favc the Son,and he to whomfoever the Son will reveal him; if ye had known me,yefhould have known my Father alfo, and from henceforth ye know him and have feen him, Philip upon this, faith. Lord fhew us the Fa- ther, and it fujiceth us, Jefus faith unto him, have J been fo long time with you, and yd hafl thou not known me, Philip : he that hath feen me hath fee7i the Father^ and how fay efl thou, fhew us the Father, bclievefl ihon not that I am in my Father, and the Father in me. A view of thefe things fiiew that the knowledge of God was to be more fully manifefted under the gofpel difpenfation. The light of the knowledge of the glory of Goo is given to us under the gofpel difpenfation in the face of Jesus Christ, rt'Ao is the image of the invifible God, 26o A DIALOGUE BETWEEK Cod, the hrigktnefs of his gtory, and the exjtrefs image 6f hisfcrjon. Scholar. Doth not the fcriptures fpeak of God as unci ■arigcable, how then am I to underftancl the dif- tinction you Tpeak of? Teacher. To illuftrate ray meaning I would fay, \{ I were convicted as a criminal or defperate debtor; I could fee nothing but what the law manifefted as my portion, which would make all diftrefs and dark- nefs to me, look which way I would ; and coming to the judgment feat, could expeft nothing but that it was a lure ftep to the inflifclion of tlie penalty of the law upon me ; but to my furprife it was manifefted beyond all contradiftion, that my father, my friend, my hulband, my brother, whom I look on as my ene- my, and had no expeftation from, by reafon of my crimes, has, unafked, fuffered the penalty and paid the debt, that in the nature of law and juftice I was difcharged, and to my furprife found this united cha- racter was my advocate and judge. Then that eflen- . tial love which was the moving caufe of all that was done for me which before was hid in thick darknefs was now made manifeft, which took place before the manifeftation of it to me, and was as true before I knew it as afterward ; — The way is now open for your queftion, which you wifhedto be anfweredfrom the fcriptures. Scholar. The queftion is, What is Goo ? Teacher. God is love. God IS light and in him is no darknefs at all. — Saith John. The God of peace, — Saith the Apoftle to the He- brews. The God of patience and confolation. The God of hope. — Saith Paul. The God of all grace, — Saith Peter. Scholar. tEACHER AND S*CHDL4R. iU Scholar. Your anfwer is taken from the Ncw- Teftamcnt ; doth the Old-Teftament afford evidence ofthe fame truth ? Teacher. Yes ; when the law of Mofes, th'C Prophets and the Pfalms fpeaks in gofpel language. Scholar. This is an interefting fubjeft, and I vifii to have a fpecimen from each of then. Teacher. It mult be but a fpecimen, for neither the time nor my capacity will admit of confidering it fully. Scpiolar. Perhaps your mentioning a few irt- ftances may help me in my further fearching the I'cripturcs. Teacher. 'Mofes hath this name marifefted to him, * The Lord defcended in a cloudy and flood with him there, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, forgiving iniquity, and tranf' grejjion, and Jin ; and thai will by no ftieans deer,—" (the two words following) viz. /he guilty 'dVQ of a dif- ferent character, to fhew they were lupplied by the tranflators, and they appear to *darken the (enfe of the paffage ; for we can't conceive ofthe forgivencfs of iniquities, tranfgrelTions, and fm ; while he will by tio means clear the guilty : And therefore I conceive the words refer to the furety on whom the Lord laid the iniquities of us all, and fpared not his own wSon, but delivered him up for us all. This name being thus manifclted to Mofes, or as it is exprcffed in Pfalm cii. He made known his xvay unto Mofes, His way of fhewing mercy ; and his name the Lord God merciful and gracious, &c. being the fame when this ismanifefted to Mofes, in a time of great difirefs, when the people of Ifrael had rebelled and were threatened with being difinherited, he pleads the di- vine name on their behalf, " And now I beferch thee let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hajl * Exodus, xxiv. 5, 6, 7. fi62 A DIALOGUJS: BETWEEN f^({ft fpoken,faying. The Lord is long-fitjfermg and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity, tranfgrejfion, andjin^ and by no ?neaiis clearing ; (having dirett refpett to the furety who his own felf bear our fins in his own body to the tree.) Pardon, I bejeech ihee, the iniqui' ty of this ■people, ai thou haji done from Egypt until noiy, the anfwer follows, / have pardoned according to thy ' "Ujordr* Scholar, I take notice you have not mentioned a part of tlie above paflages where it is faid,^ Vifiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation. I wifli to hear your thoughts upon it. Teacher. When I have thought on the pafla- ge, I fuppofed it had reference to what was to take place under the law difpenfation, till the coming of Chrift; we read of the generations from Ahrakavi ta David, and from Dxivid to the carrying away into Babylon, and from the carrying away into Babylon^ unto Chrijl ; now Jefus Chrift came under this third divifion, difpenfation, or generation, for he was made under the law, came under that difpenfation, and introduced the gofpel difpenfation ; and in this view may be called the third and fourth generation, till which lime the law difpenfation lafted, and iniquities were thus vifited ; this is the cleareft account I am at prefent able to give, and ready to attend to any . one who hatha clearer view of the paffage. Scholar. You will pleafe to proceed to the an- fwer to the queflion from the prophets. Teacher. It is to be obferved with joy that the prophet Ifaiah unites in the Divine chara6ler thofe perfections which fecure our falvation ; t / the Lord and no God befides me ; the jiift God and the Saviour^ none befides me, which agree with +Zechariah, Behold thy King comet h unto thee, he isfufi, and having falvOf tion^ • Numbers xiv. 17 to 30. f Ifaiah xiv. si. J Zechariah ix. 9j TKACnttL AN» SCHOLAI^, 26^ Hon, fo he connefts the character of Creator, Kingi Lord, Father, Hufband, &c. with Redeemer. ♦ Thy Maker, thy Hujbani^ the Lord of Hojls his name, the God of the whole earth fhall he be called. Faffing the various paffages where this confoling con'* nettion is repeated, in the abovementioned prophet; I will juft mention the laft that I remember in the prophefy where it is called his name from everlaft* ing :f Doubtlefs thou art our Fat her, though Abrahant be ignorant of us, and Ifrael acknowledge us not, thou art our Father, our Redeemer, thy name from evcrlaji- ing. Jeremiah fpeaks of him, as calling rebellious Ifrael children, X ^^^^* ^ backfliding children : § Will thou not from this time cry unto me, my Father thou the guide of my youth, and the compaffionate tender- nefsof a Father is exprefled : ^Return, I will not canje my anger to fall upon you, return ye backfliding children, I will heal your backflidings : Not, and I will as a condition, the and, in both verfes, is fuppli- cd by the tranflator ; but 'tis return, I will heal your backflidings. Return, I will not caufe mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful, faith the Lord. When our minds are led to the underftanding view of the riches of Divine grace appearing herein, we may well, with aftoniflied admiration, call to mind that majeftic expreflion, ** Behold I the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there any thing too hard for me ? blcffcd be his name, he condefcends to fay,tt lam married untoyou,"^ and this is his name whereby he ihall be called, the Lord puR Righteousness. Perhaps I (hould lire you lo^turn to the reft of the prophets, to colleft a fpecimcn of their anfwer to the queftion ; therefore, fhall leave it to your delightful contemplation when you have opportunity. Scholar. • Ifaiah liv. 5. f Ifaiahlxlii i5. J Jeremiah iii.u. ^ Vcrfe 4. II Verfe u. •• J-remiah xxxii. 27. tf Jeremiah iii. 14. \X Jeremiah xxvi. 3. 264 A DIALOGUE BETWEEi^ SciiQLAR. You may remember, you mentioned the pfahxis, from which I fhould be glad to hear fome* . Teacher. I need only remind you, that God ijt firequently called in the pfalms, the God of our Sal- vation ; and that agreeable to the defcription in thci prophet Ifaiah, thejuft God and the Saviour : So righteoufncfs and falvation is connefted in the pfalms : For example, fee pfalm xcviii. 2, " The Lord hatk made known his Jalvaiion^ his r:ghteoufneJs hath he epenly Picwed^ in the Jight of the heathen^ he hath re* me7nhered.his r,iercy^ and his truth towards the honfcof Jfrael. All the ends of the earth have fecn the falva- tion of our God ; ' which if we compare with the di- r^dion to all the earth, in the xcvi pfalm, 1, 2, To fJiew forth his falvation from day to day, we may with |)leafure, fee the connection in the call to praife and thankfgiving in both pfalms, for all the earth, the heavens, the. fea and the fulnefs thereof ; the fields, the trees, the floods and the litde hills, which are all called to be joyful together. The matt^- of the joy is, the Lord hath made known his falvation, his RIGHTEOUSNESS hath he openly (hewed in the fight; of the heathen, &c. Scholar. What you have made mention of ap» pears fcripturai and comfortable j in every view it feems fuitable to adopt the language of Ixii pfalm, *' My foul wait thou only upon God, for my expeEla* tion IS from him^ he only is 7ny rock and my falvation^ my defence, I fJiall not he greatly moved ; in God is my falvation and my glory, the rock of my Jirength ; and my refuge is in God ; trufl in him at all times ye peo- ple, pour out your hearts before him. God is a refuge for us." But I recollect you f-iid, under the gofpel, God is manifeft in the flefli, and what v/c know of God, is manifeft in Chrifl Jefus, ivho is the image of the in- vifillc TEACHER AND SCHOLAR. 265 •jrfihh God, the hrightnefs, of his glory, and the exprefs image of his per Jon. I wifh you to exprefs yourfelf a a little upon it, to help my underllanding. Teacher. It is worthy of remark, that when MoCes was fcnt to the children of Ifrael? to fay to them, The God of your fathers hath fent me unto you, and they fhould fay, What is his name ? The anfwer was, 1 k^ that I AxM, and thus Jli all thou fay to the children of Jfrael, I k^\ hath fnt me unto you. When Jesus afked the band and officers that came to apprehend him, Wliom feek ye ? they faid Jesus of Nazareth,* Jesus faith unto them, I am ; as foon then as he faid unto them, I am, they went backward and fell to the ground. And again he fays to them,t Bejort Abra- ham zuas, I dm. . Scholar. If you pleafe, 1 fllould be glad of fome farther particulars. Teacher. I will prdceed to inftance ift. in cre- ation. Mofes faith, Genefis i. 1, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Nehe. ix. 6, Thou, thou art Lord aloiie : Thou hafl made the heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their hofi ; the earth, the fas, and all that is in them. John ipeaking of Jesus, faith, chap, i, :^, All things were created by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made : Verfe 10, the world was made' by him. Coloflians i. 16, 17, For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, all things were created by him and for him. 2dly. Prefervation. Nehemiah adds, And thou prefervef them all. Pfalm xxxvi. 6, O Lord, thou prefervejl manand beafl. So Paul, fpeaking of Jesus faith, By him all things confifl. Plebrcws i. 3, Up- holding all things by the word of his power. gdly. Redemption is afcribed to God. Pfalm cxxx. 8, HeJJiall redeem Ifraelfrom all his iniqui- L 1 ties. * John xviii. 4, 5. f John Viii. 58. 266 A DIALOGUE BETWEEN ties. And he is called our Redeemer nine times ifl the prophecy oflfaiah. The name Jesus was given, J'or he /hall fave hii people from their Jins ; and Paul fpeaking of him, in his epiftle to Titus, Qiith, chap, ii. 14, Who gave hivijelf for us that he might redeem ■us from all iniquity. 4th]y. Forgivenefs of fins belongs to God, Pfalm ciii. 3, Whoforgiveth all thine iniquities. It belongs to Chrijl in zvhom we have redemptioji through his blood ; * the forgivenefs offins^ who faid, t Man thy finsbe forgiven thee, and to her, + Thy fins are for- given. 5thly* The knowledge of the hearts of men isaf- cribed to God only, ift of Kings,viii. 39, For thoii^ thou only knowefl the hearts of all the children of men. In Matthew xii. 25, we read, Jesus knew their thoughts. And John ii. 24, Jesus knew all men ; he knew what was in man. 6thly. Healing the fick. Exodus xv. 26, I am the Lord that healeth thee. Pfalm ciii. 3, Who healethall thy difeafes. We read in Matthew iv. 23, Jesus went about all Gallilec^ healing all manner of fie knefs, and all Inan- ner of difeafe among the people. 7th1y. God is the only objeft of Divine wor (hip, Dcu. X. 20, Thou Jlialt fear the Lord thy God ; him fialt thou fcrve^ and to him Jlialt thou cleave ; and fwcar by his name. It is written^ thoujlialt worjhip the Lord thy GoD^and him onlyjhalt thouferve. In Mat- thew viii. 2, we read concerning Jesus, There came a leper and worjhiped him^ faying. Lord if thou ty/Jf, thou canjl make me clean. Of the woman of Canaan, we read, Mat. xv. 25, Then camefJie and worJJiipped hi7n^ faying. Lord help me. And they fioned Stephen, calling upon and faying. Lord Jefus receive my fpirit. And it is the defcription of the difciples, them that call * Kphefisins i. 7. Coloflians z. 14. f Luke v. 20. % Luke vii. 4S. TEACHER AND SCHOLAR. 267 call on the name of Jefus Chrifl our Lord. — Well may wc with convinced Thomas, fay, My Loiii^ and ?nyGoD. Thus have I given yon fome ii)flances, which may aflift your further fearching the fcriptures, as you have opportunity. Scholar. When I think of the various pafTages that have been produced, which manifefts, that what was afcribed to God in the Old Teflament, is afcrib- ed to Jefus Chrilt in the New j fo that divine wor- fliip is paid to him, as one with the father ; accord- ing to the divine will, thai all nun JJiould honor the Son, even as they honor the J^ather, I inquire, how are we to underftand thefe paflages that fpeak of Jefus Chrift, as God's fervant, as fentof God ; and where- in he fays, My Father is greater than L Teacher. We may conceive among men of an equal, voluntarily putting himfelf into the place of a fervant, and being fent to accomplifh fome particular bufinefs in which he that fend*, is greater than he that was fent, though in other refpe£ls they were equal. We read of Jesus zuho being in the form 0/ God, thought it no robbery to be equal tjith God ; but made himfelf of no reputation, and took upon him the forrti of a fervant, and was made in the likenefs of mwh ^^nd being found in fafliion as a man, he humbled himfelf, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the crofs ; -wherefore, God hath highly exalte^ him, and given him a name, above every navie, that in the name of ]E^\is, every kneejhould bow, in heaven and in earth, and under the earth ; and that every tongue Jhould confefs, that Jefus Chrifi is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. In, his taking ournatu.r^, and coming to do the will of God, took the form of a fervant, aiid was capable of hmxiiliation and exaltation. Scholar. Did not you ipnention in the name of Jesus, is it not faid, fl/ the name of Jesus every, knee fliould bow ? Teacher, *58 A DIALOGUE BETWEE>T Teacher. I know we read it thus ; but from the lyiouth of two or three witneffes, I have been inform- ed it is not fo in the firft reading, but is the fame word ^ we have in Coloffians iii. 17, Which is there render- ed, w.hatfoever ye do in word or deed^ do all in the name of the Lord Jefus. God is manifefled in Chrill Jefus ; therefore, he is thus to be worfliipped, thus be b'elfes his people with all fpiritual bleflings IxJ Chrift Jefus, and hath made us fet together zn heaven- ly places /A" Chrift Jefus. All the promifes are IN him : Not bccaufe of him, or for his fake. The pro- mife to Abraham, IN thy feed fhall all the kindreds, nations and families of the earth be blelfed. The Ffalm faith, Men Piall he bleJJ'ed IN him : The pro- phet faith, The nations JJiall hlefs themfelves IN him, and IN him piall they glory. By the apoftlc we are faid,'^o he chofen IN him, to he gathered together IN him-i to be rooted and built up IN him, to he jujlijied IN him, to be made the righteoufnefs of God IN him, to bejan^tified IN Chrijl J ejus, to be compleat IN him; therefore IN the name of Jefus every knee fhall bo\v, ' Scholar. I took ijotice when you faid all the promifes of God are |N him: You added not be- caufe of him, or for his fake. Is it not laid by the apoftle, when exhorting %o forbearing and forgiving one another, even as God for Chrift fake, hath for- given you ? What difference is there between being bleffedin him, and becaufe of him ; or for his fake ? Teacher. As to the firft part of your queftion, we read in Ephefians iv. 22, Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Chriji fake hath forgiven you ; but it is likewife faid to be the fame word as the other, even as God IN Chrift hath forgiven you. Scholar. What difference is there between be- ing blelfed IN him, and becaufe of him ; or for his fake ? TeacueRo TEACHER AND SCHOLAR. isGg Teacher. It may be faid, oiae pcrfon, a mere llranger, may come to another to obtain lomcthing for the fake of a third pcrfon, who fent him, and obtain it, and be a ftranger ftill.butif a wife, or a foHj go in the name of the hufband or father, there is un- ion. So if wc are blefled IN him, there is union. If we fcek to be blcffed becaufe of him, it denotes a itranger. I think the difl;in6lion is obvious, though I believe it is not generally perceived, yet I think it deferves to be fobcrly confidered. Let us attend to the fimilitude a litde. — A huf^ band or fiuher has his wife or fon in view in all he does, and their welfare flows to them through him ; according to the nature of it, the love and care is imceafmg in every circumftance of ficknefs and heahh, as long as the relation lads. So i§ their con- fidence in him perpetual, according to his ability and their wants, they bear his name, and rife and fall with him : But let a firanger come to the fame man with an order from another ; if the order is accco- ted, the fum is paid, or the thing delivered, and the matter is over, and they remain the fame Grangers, the man hath no further care, and the other hath no further expectations. The above mentioned union is fpoken of, jEphcfians v. 30, For rve are members of his body, of his /le/h, and of his bones ; and blcffed be his name. Jefus told his difciples, John xiy. 20, At that day ye fiall knozu that I avi in my father, and you in me\ and I in you. Scholar, In attending to the anfwers to the quef- tion, What is God ? I wifhed to hear you cxprefs your thoughts on the fuhjeft of the various paflages jn the New-Tertament, in which mention is made of Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, as in the commiflion jefus Chrift gave to his difciples, and in the fonn of plefiing, the Apoftle makes ufe of in his fecond cpif- tlc to the Corinthians, which John mentions, iftepif- ' tie. S70 A DIALOGUE BETWEEN tie, V. 7, For there are three that hear record in hea- ven^ the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghojiy^nd thefe three ate one. Teacher. I would take notice that three perfons is no where mentioned ; that is a tradition (perhaps from the afiembhes catechifm,) which I wifh to a- void, but the icripture expreflion is., Thefe three are one. Scho'Iar. That is the thing I wifh to have my mind affifted in the underftanding of. Teacher. James iii. 9, Speaks of men as made after the fimihtude of God. Now if man confilU of body, foul and fpirit, are not thefe three, one. Again, the fame perfon may at the fame time be in the relation of father and fon, and that filial refpe61;, that influences a reverential, fuitable deportment to- wards his father, may be fitly called the fpirit of the fon, that fame fpirit manifefting itfelf in the paternal love and care of his offspring, may fidy be called the fpirit of the father, or if fpoken of to his children, the fpirit of your father. The fame fpirit influenc- ing his general condu61, is called the fpirit of the man ; as 'tis often faid among men, I am fatisfied that this fpeech, this work, or this gift, come from fuch an one, 'tis the fpirit of the man. Now in this view, is not the Father, the Son, and the Spirit one man .'' Are not thefe three, one .? What hath been brought to view, brings to mind feveral paffages, as John X. 30, / and father are one, John xv. 26, The comforter, the fpirit of truth ; which proceedeth from the father. Gal. iv. 6, God hathfent forth the fpirit of his fon into our hearts. And in Rom, viii. 9, the fpirit of God and the fpirit of Chrijl are both mentioned in one verfe. Scholar. If I underftand you, when I read thefe various expreflions, they fjpeak of the fame fpi- rit. T£ACHER. TEACHER AND SCHOLAR. Hjt Teacher. Yes, I underftand them to fpcak of the fame fpirit, according to the various manifefta- tions of it. So when our minds are contemplating the charatler of the one only living and true God, it muft be in the way he manifefts himfelf to us ; therefore if we attend to the manifeftation of him, as Father, Son, or Holy Ghofl, we attend to the mani- feftation of the fame one God. Scholar. I would wifh to have this matter il- 1 unrated further from the Old Teflament fcriptures ? Teacher. Have we not the three in one expreff- ly mentioned, Genefis i. 2, And the fpirit of fhe Lord moved on the face of the waters. And verfe 26, Let us make man in our image, after our likenefs. Verfe 27, So God created man in his own tmage^ in fki image of God created he him, male and female created he them. This feems likewife to be expreffed in the form, of bleffmg, in Numbers vi. 24, 25, 26, The Lord blefs thee, and keep thee. The Lord make his face tofliinc upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Sure- ly the repetition is not a vain repetition. Compard it with 2d of Corinthians, xiii. chapter and 14 verfe. The Lord blefs thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face to fliine upon thee, and be gracious to thee. The Lord lift up his coun- tenance upon thee, and give thee peace. In the tirft expreffion, The love of God the Fa- ther. The grace of our Lorij Jesus Christ. The communion of the Holy Ghoft, be with you all. the Lord blefs thee, and keep thee ; we are led to the love of God, the foun- tain of life; in the next, the Lord make his face to fhi'ne upon thee, and be gracious unto thee ; we are led to the manifeftation of this love in Ghrift Jcfus, the light in which we fee light. The I 272 A DIALOGUE BETWEEN" The laft expreffion in the bleffing, the Lord litt his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace ; leads to the communion of the Holy Ghoft. This might be further illuftrated by attending to Proverbs viii. 22, to the 31ft, Which may be left to your perufal at your leifure. Scholar. Tho' I would make the inquiries withi reverence, remembering Job's queftion, Canji thou hy fear thing find out God ? Canfl thou find out the Almighty to perfeEiion ? And his aflertion, the AU wighty^ ive cannot Jind him out ; yet bleffed be his name, he hath manifefted himfelf to us in Chrift Jefus under the gofpel : and it is thofe manifeftations I am endeavouring to underfland. As you have given a fimihtude from the New-Teftament, if you recolleQ: one from the Old, I wifh you to mention it. Teacher. I wifli to fpeak of thefe things with the higheft reverence, and to fpeak of nothing but what the fcriptures fully warrant ; but in anfwer to your inquiry, I would fay, I have fomtimes thought of the panage in the xxxvi. Pfalm, 7, 8, 9, 10, How excellent is thy loving kind?iejs, God ; thc7'efore the children of men put their trufi under the JJiadoix) of thy wings. TheyJJiall be abundantly fatisfied with the. Jatncfs of thy houfe ; and thou flialt make them drink (f the river of thy pleafure ; for with thee is the FOUNTAIN of life., in thy light loe fee light. If we (land at the head of a fountain where we can find no bottom, it appears unfearchablc ; but it is manifelted to be a fountain, by the conftant rivers and fireams flowing from it ; and by thefe rivers and dreams there is a conftant communication of fertility to the adjacent lands ; and of drink for the inhabit- ants, their children and their catde, wherefoever the rivers come ; befides the other advantage from the mills, whereby the corn is prepared for bread, and in- Jiumerable other benefits, by the communication of the TEACHER A>Ji3 SCHOLAR. 273 the rivers flowing from the fountain, and as the foun- tain is unfearchable and manifefted by the rivers : So if we follow the rivers all running into the fea, and returning to the place whence tiiey came, we arc loft in the contemplation ; Soalfo, ifwe trace the bene- fits received, or the communion and communications ' we enjoy by the waters, it will prefcndy carry us be- yond our comprehenfion, and ifwe are loft in the contemplation of ourfelves^ and the things which we fee, no wonder the things of God knoweth no man but the fpirit of God ; therefore in our inquiries after the knowledge of him, we are to keep dole to the fcrip- tures, wherein we have the mind of the fpirit. Scholar. I would wifh to detain you to hear of the other branch of the original queftion, that as yjj^u have indulged my inquiries refpefting what we are to believe concerning God, you would alfo confider what God requires of man ? Teacher. In general it may be faid, that what- ever we are to believe concerning God, fliews our obligation to him in that relation or manifeftation of himfelf to us. Ifwe contemplate him as our Creator, we are his, and confequently to purfue the chief end of our crea- tion^ — to glorify and enjoy him. If we confider him as our Lord and King, it binds us to every thing whereby a loyal fubjcftion to him may be manifefted ; a contrary conduft muft weaken our confidence in his protettion, and tend to our un- happinefs. Ifwe attend to the manifeftation of himfelf to us as our Redeemer, it will fhew us we are not our own, but belong to our Lord, Redeemer ; being bought with a price, we are to^ glorify him in our fpirit and body, which are his. Our obligations hereto will rife as we are acquainted with the price of our re- demption. Forafmuch as we were not redeemed with M m corruptctU 274 A DIALOGUE BETWEEN? corruptible things asfilver andgold-, hut with thepreC* ions blood of Chri/l, as of a lamb without bUmiJh and luithout fpot. His condefcending to call himfelf our * hufl>and, binds finglenels towards hinij which increafes our hap- pinefs ill him. His relation to us as a father claims our honour, filial affeBion, and obedient behaviour, particularly it brings to mind the exhortation, Love your enemies, hlejs thtin that curje yoii^ do good to them that hateyeuy and pray for. them that defpitefully ife and perfecute you. That you may be the children of your Father^ which is in heaven ; for he maketh his fun to rife on the evil, and on the good ; and fendeth rain on thejufi an4-on the unjufl, that you may be children of your Father ; they were io, but this is to a6t in charafter as fuch. If we confider God is love, we lovfe him ; becaufe he firft loved us, and 'tis his direQion that we love one another, as he hath loved us. Ifwe attend to hischarafter as the God of peace, }t will lead us to follow peace with all men. ^ Or as the God of all grace j his grace which hath appeared, bringing falvation to all men ; teaches to denyungodlinefs, and worldly lufls ; and to live fob erly, righteoufly, and godly in the world. Scholar. The remarksyou have made, feem to arife very naturally from the characters mentioned ; but I was ready toexpeft fomething particularly from the fcriptures. Teacher. This would lead to another general view of the fubftance of the epiftles, of the apoftles ; in the former part of them they treat of the grace of God made manifeft in Chrift Jefus : Then of the du- ty of the difciples confequent thereon. Therefore for that which is particularly enjoined upon us, I re- fer • Sec sd Corinthians, xi. 2, 3. TEACHER AND SCHOLAR. JS75 fer you to the application of the epiftles of the apoU ties, of the Lord and Saviour. I. havi:^ alrcad){ mentioned the direction of Jefus Chrift, to !ove our enemies, blcfs them that curfe us, and pray for them that defpitefuliy ufe us, to which I would add that cpmprehenfivc dirc6tion : Therefore, all things what- fotvcr ye would tjiat mcn/Jiould do to you, do ye even the fame to them ; for this is the law and the pro-phets. ScHOLAi^. It may be of fervice to me to have thofe parts of the epiftles of the apoRles, that you mentioned, pointed to, that I may turn to them with greater readinefs, when my jiiind is inquiring, what doth God require of man ? Teacher. You will eafily fee in reading them, over ; but for your prefent afliftance you may take; for one leffon, or for your entertainment at one timely the xii and xiii chapters of the epiftle to the Romans, and attend to what we are called too, as members of the one body, of which Chrift is the head, according; to the place in which \fe are fet by the various gifts- beftowed upon us without flothfulnefs, being fervent in fpirit, fcrving the Lord : And to fee that ve be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good- — what- ever abufe we may meet with in the~ world. And that we live in a quiet fubjeftion to the government that God in his providence has placed over, us, and render to all their dues, attending to that love which' comprehends every commandment, worketh no ill to his neighbour, and is the fulfilling of the law. ' Scholar. As you mentioned fubjeQion to go* gernment in this pafTage, I wifli to have you a little more particular on this head, if I ftiould not take up too much of your time. Teacher. Civil government derives its honour- able origin both from Divine and human authority, as we fee by comparing Romans xiii. i, with ift of Peter, ii. 13, it is faid in one to be ordained of Godj and in the other it is called the ordinance of man, The ti6 A DIALOGUE BETWEEN The blefling of good government is the grcat^ftof all temporal bleflingSjNvithout it no outward privilege, nor even life itfelf can be enjoyed with any fecurity ; and as it is fo extenfive and univerfal a bleffing, it carries, in its own nature, univerfal obligation to hon- our civil rulers, and to pay a ready and chearful obe- dience to the wholefome laws that are eftablifhed for the welfare of the whole pditical body. As this fenti- ment muft approve itfelf to every one's confcience, he that refifteth muft receive to himfelf condemnation ir\ the very nature of it, as well as by the law of God ; but as profefling chriftians, we arc bound to be fub-. je6lfor confcience fake. In theabove rnentionedRom. xiii. ift of Peter, ii. from the 13th to the i8th,and Titus iii. 1, we have the exhortations of the apoftles of Jefus Chrift, upon this fubjeft, to which every one that calls Jefus, Lord, would do well to take heed ; And a lit- tle attention to the connexion that thefe exhortations ftand in to the grace of the gofpel : The grace that brings falvation to all men, will fhew the' indifput- able,indtfpenfible obligations of Chrift's difciples here- unto ; fo that civil government cannot be knowingly refifted by them, without refifting an ordinance of God ; without flighting the authority of Jefus Chrift, and a6ling counter to the obligations his grace lays " on them, and confequently receiving to themfelves felf-condemnation. Scholar. Pleafe to proceed to the other paffages you would turn me to. Teacher. For another ppportunity you may turn to the epiftle to the Ephefians, from the 2 2d verfe of the fourth chapter, to the eighteenth verfe of the fixth chapter. And at another time take Colof- fians iii, from the beginning, to the end of the 6th verfe of chapter iv ; with ift of Peter, iii, from the begin- ning to the end of 13th verfe. Your attention at another time may be profitably drawn to ift Thefla- loniansj iv, from the beginning, to the end of the 12th verfe^ TEACHER AND SCHOLAR. 277 veiTe, and then to the 5th chap, from the 15th verfe, to the end of the 22d, and 2d epiftle, 3d chap, from the 7th to the end of the 12th verfe. Scholar. I am obliged by your thus turning me to thofe palfages, and purpofc as I have opportunity to attend to them. TiiACHER. In the above mentioned paffages we have cautions againft every hurtful vice and exhorta- tions, to a conduft and converfation becoming the gofpel, in following every thing virtuous, praife wor- thy, and of good report, in the fevcral relations we fuftain, as huftjajids or wives, parents or children, maf- ters or fervants, in a diligent attention to the bufi- nefs to which we are called, that we may walk honeft- ly, eat our own bread, and have to give to him that needeth, all built upon, connected with, or flowing fiom the grace of the gofpel, the grace that reigns through righteoufnefs to eternal life by Jefus Chrift ; in attending to them, you take your dire6lion plainly from the authority of the fcriptures, not from the tra- ditions of men ; and I would add that I would not have my filcnce about the epiftles that have not been mentioned, efteemed as negle6t ; they have been palled over only for brevity's fake, therefore, as the fcriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what God requires of man; let them dwell in you richly, be your ftudy and your guide, and may the Divine Teacher lead your mind to the underilanding of them, that you may grow in ac- quaintance with the grace therein revealed, even in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, jtO him be glory, both now and forever, AMEN. APPENDIX, >P«i APPENDIX, X H E ftudy of the Scriptures having been re^- commended, it may not be amils to mention one mo- tive in particular to fearch them ; that deferves our moft ferious attention, contained in the exhortation v/e have in Job xxii. 21, Ac^uaini now thyftlf with him-iand be at peace^ thereby good JJiall come unto thee. If we take notice of the charafter to whom this ex- hortation is given in the foregoing part of the chap- ter, verfes 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 and 13, to whom he brings to view as a warning, the old way which wick- ed men have trodden, which were cut down out of time, whofe foundation was overflown with a flood, "we fliall find it a finful, diftrefled chara6ler; yet even to fuch a chara6ter acquaintance with Gqd is able to give peace, becaufe God was in^ Chriji^ reconciling the zuorld unto himjelf^ noi imputing their trefpajfes unto- them. Among men, if any perfon is propofed or introdu^ ced to us for an acquaintance, we are defirous firft to know his name, then his charafter, and on knowing his chara6ler, if it ftrike our minds agreeable, we wifh to know his thoughts; Well then, if we wifh to comply with the above di- re6lion as an external meansof our acquaintance with God, let us fearch the fcriptures, where we may fincj' his name^ his chara6ler, and his thoughts. If it fhould pleafe him who caufed the light to fliine out of darknefs in the firft creation, to ftiine in- to our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrift, we Ihall be at peace. When APPENDIX. 272^ When Mofes fpeaks of him, he calls him the rock^ his work is pcrfc6i,/or all his ways are judgment^ d, God of truth, and without iniquity. Jujl and righte^ ous is he ; but we need not look for his charaQer dif- tinft from his name, as we do among men, where the name only ferves to diftinguifli the perfon, and doth not communicate the character, but the name of which we f'peak in the various expreflions of it, which we find in fcripture, always conveys his character ; for inftance, if we fiiould attend to the name father, fa often made ufe of in the fcripture, we fliould find every thing fignified by that name in its perfeQion in him. It is a name that conveys an indiffolvable relation : Even among men, there is no prodigality or enormi- ty that a fon can commit, that can diffolve the rela- tion ; and I fuppofe it fcarce poffible to find among earthly parents that are evil, an inftance of one that would not wifli with all his heart for the reformation of his moft profligate fon ; in moft cafes parental af- fections work moft ftrongly towards fuch a one, and are often exprelfed in ardent prayer to the father of mercies, and in application to fuch friends as might be fuppofed to have influence over fuch a one, for his reformation ; and finally, it muft be for want of wifdom, or power in the parent, if k is not accom- pliflied; yet after all the parent is obliged to own and notice this fon, or it will break his will. in other in- ftances. But all this parental afFe8ion is but a ft ream from the fountain; if ye then thai are evil know /ww to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER. But hath it pleafed God thus to reveal himfelf in the fcriptures ? Yes ; verily have we not all one faf ken hath not one God createdus, Malachi ii. lO. Thus faith Lord, Ifrael is my fon. Exodus iv. 22, For lam a fa- ther a8o A p ip E N b i x". therto Jfrael^ and Ephraim is my firjl horn^ JcrcmilH Xxxi. 9, Is he the God of the Jews only, p.nd not of the Gentiles ? Yes, of the Gentiles alfo; the Apoftle cf the Gentiles thus fpeaks of and to them, For this caufe I bow my knees to the father 0/ our Lord jfcfuS Chrijl, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named^ one God and Father of all^ who is above all, and through ally and inyouall, Ephefians iii. 14, 15, and iv. 6, If fo, then both Jew and Gentile are in an indiflblvable relation to him, for we are all his oft- fpring. But have not both Jew and Gentile been fo cap- tivated by fatan, and alienated from God, as to be denominated the children of the devil, who led them captive at his will, and ufurped dpminion over them ? Undoubtedly ; but this, notwithftanding they belong to their Father, who is their Redeemer, in Ifaiah Ixiii. 16, Father and Redeemer are united, our Father^ our Redeemer, thy name from everlafting. O the grace that appears in this name to the captivated children of men ! how agreeable to hear the repeti- tion of it eleven times in the prophecy of Ifaiah, as well as in other parts of fcripture ! how cheering tQ captives to hear of a Redeemer ; is there one that is able to accomplifli it ? Yes ; as for our Redeemer, the Lord of hofls is his name ; but who knows it ? Read Ifaiah Ix. 16, thouJJialt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer^ the mighty one of Jacobs and not only thou, but as it is expreffed, Chap< xlix. 29, All flefli Jhall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer. Surely acquaintance with his name tends to peace. Among men the redemption price may be paid for a captive, and fomething may take place to prevent falvation from captivity ; but here Saviour and Re- deemer are united in the Lord ; the Lord of hofls, the mighty one of Jacob, the Lord thy Redeemer, the ' APPENDIX 281 tlic holy one of Ifrael ; fo that falvation and redemp- tion comes in a fure connexion in confiftence with perfe6l holinefs, agreeable to Zechariah ix. 9, He is jujl, and having falvation^ and to Ifaiah xlv. 21, I the Lord~^nd no God elfe befide we, a jufi God, and a Saviour, there is none hefide me. If there is no God befide the juft God and the Saviour, there is falva- tion in his name ; and to know the only living and true God in Jefus Chrift, is life eternal; the kaowledge of God is the knowledge of the Redeemer and Savi- our; the jull God and Saviour, therefore the- fure hope of eternal life, or the beginning of life eternal, is thereby conveyed to the mind, therefore acquain- tance with God is the way of peace, and this would be evidence from every manifeftation of himfelf in thefcripturesoftruth: If we turn our mind to what Mo- feswas dirededto (ay to the childrenof Ifrael in Egypt, / avi the God of Abraham, of Ifaac and of Jacob ; this is my name forever, and! my memorial through all generations. It brings to view the gofpel preach- ed to them, that in thy feed, which is Chrift, Shall all the nations, kindreds and families of the sarth he blefs- id. It will correfpond with Ifaiah liv. 5, The God of the -whole earth Jli all he be called. Thus acquain- tance with his name is acquaintance with his charac- ter and his thoughts. The prophet Jeremiah, chap. ix. 11, was direfted to tell the captives in Babylon, / know the thoughts that I think towards you, thoughts of peace and not of evil. Surely his chara8:er and his name of Saviour and Redeemer, gives ground of hope, that thefe are his thoughts refpefting every of the captived children of men, whom fatan hath led captive at his will : For, thus faith the Lord, the cap- tives of the mighty Jhall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible piall be delivered. The foregoing hints may. fcrve to open a fubjeSt to contemplation, that will nevpr ciofe : but theie N n hints 282 APPENDIX hints may lead our, minds to the further ftiidy of his name, in the various manifeftations of it, exprelfed in the fcripture ; forever blefTed be his name, he hath manifefted himfelf to us therein. If the ftudy of his name is accompanied with the illumination the difciples were favoured with, when he opened their underflandings, that they might un- derfland the fcriptures, it will open up the plain mean- ing of fuch paffages, as fliew the name of the Lord, a flrong tower, to which the righteous run and are fafe. They tl^at know thy name, will trujl in thee ; in his name JJiall the Gentiles tru/i. The Gentiles, thofe who were accounted far off, fmners of the Gentiles, the moft deftitute in themfelves, in all parts of the earth, the north and the fouth, which he has created, Tabor and Hermon, (eaft and weft) Jhall rejpice in iky name. Thus will the ground of thofe exhorta- tions be underftood, which dire6t, To rejoice ever more, to rejoice in the Lord always, and again to re- joice, and the poor among men,/liall rejoice in the Holy One of Ifrael, who remembered us in our low ejlatc^ for his mercy forever. ADVERTISEMENT. As the foregoing Dialogue witli the Appendix, is defigned for the benefit of young men, it may not be amifs to mention a little piece, called the History of the Mother and Child, calculated for the entertainment and inftruftion of young Children, which may be had at the places where this book is fold— Price s Cents. SECTION SECTION IX. Introduftion. L HE Pfalms, or book of Praifes, are like a treafure locked up, which cannot be Teen without the key, to open that wherein the riches is contained : However, we may admire the external ornamenls of the covering. While we view them as teflifying of good men, we are blundering^ after creature righteoufnefs, wifhing we could come to their attainments, that we could fay as good David did in many of the expreffions of uprightnefs, iincerity and love to the divine precepts, which are found in the Pfalms ; then we were ready to imagine we fhould have hope. Sec. Whereas, if we view David's character as a man, we fhall find it juftly fummed up by himfelf in three words, I have Jinned, and his hope could only be found in the gofpel preached to him by the prophet Nathan, The Lord hath put axmy thy Jin — thou JJiall not die. With an eye to the fame all-fufficient and exclufive ground of hope, contained in the appear- ing of Jcfus Chrift to put away fin by the facrifice of himfelf. But when it is given us to underftand the expref- fions of our Lord and Saviour to his difciples, when he difcourfed with them of the Pfalms, concerning me, and of the Apoftle, A6ls ii. 25, "for David fpcak- cth concerning him," verfe 31, "he feeing this before, fpake of the refurreftion of Chrift, that his foul was not left in hell, neither did his flefli fee corruption." We arc helped to the key according to the Apoftle, vhen it fiiall turn to the Lord, the vale fiiall be fha- ken 284 I NTRODU CTI ON. ' ken away ; then the expreffions of fincerity, upright- nefs and love to the divine precepts, appear to be the truth as it is in Jefus : Who being our head, is made to us of God's wifdom, righteoufnefs, fan£tification, and redemption : And our compleatnefs is in him, then fhall we abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodncfs^and Jing of thy righteoufnefs which wiH caufe us to ceafe from man, from any pretence to, or hope in creature righteoufnefs. The firft Pfalm fpeaks of Jefus as the bleffed man, and points out his perfect chara6ler, which cannot be affumed by, or applied to, any other. When this bleffed one appeared in the world, bringing grace and falvation to men, we have the heathen, and the people, Jews and Gentiles raging, imagining a vain thing, the kings of the earth, and their rulers taking counfel againft the Lord, as recorded in the 2d Pfalm, and in the 3d Pfalm, the many, the increaf- ing multitude rifing up againft him, with how great propriety is the 8th verfe ufliered in, falvation to the Lord, thy blefling upon thy people ; furely Jew an4 Gentiles, Kings and Rulers, with the increafing rnul- titude muftjoin in not unto us ; not unto us, but^ to thy namci give glory, for thy mercy and tmlh's fake. To this mercy and truth manifefted in Chrift Jefus as the center of all our hopes, the fubjeft of all our fongs, the Hyrhns, and Spiritual Songs, are attempts ed to be direfted in plain fcriptural languages, which is efteemed to excel poetical elegance, as tending more to edification, by bringing to view the holy fcriptures, which are able to make wife to falvation, through faith which is in Chrift Jefus. Afmall A fmall Colleftion of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. The connexion of the Jirjl andfecond PSALMS, I. X HE bleflrednefs of the man, ' Of which the pfalms relate, Employ with joy, my mind and pen, They are exceeding great. n. . Behold this ever bleflfed man, Who never walketh in Ungodly counfcl, nor will ftand With thofe who live in fm. III. Nor can we fee him while we fit With pride, in fcorner's chair ; This fpotlefs character cannot Appear as fitting there, IV. For in the perfe6tlaw of God, He plac'd his whole delight. Attending to it conftantly, Both in the day and night. V. 'Tis he the precious tender plant, Of which Ifaiah fhew, The righteous branch, plant of renown. The Prophets had in view. VI. He's like a tree that planted is By rivers fertile fides, That in his feafon yields his fruit, And^ever green abides, VII. a86 PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS, VII. Profperity on him attends, Whatever he commands. The pleafure of Jehovah fliall Still profper in his hands.* VIII. Not fo the ungodly, no, his hope Shall never with him ftay ; But like the chaff before the wind. Be driven clean away. IX. He therefore in the judgment fiiall Unable be to (land. Nor in the aflembly of the juil, The finners of the land. X. Becaufe the Lord, the righteous w^ay With approbation knows, While the ungodly in his way, He wholly overthrows. W^ Thefecond PSALM. L HY ? When this bleffed man appears, In perfe£l purity, Who has profperity infur'd. Why rage the heathen ? Why ? n. The people too, a vain thing think, Tho' prince and rulers join, And fet themfelves againft the Lord, Againfl; his Christ combine. IIL * Ifaiah liii. lo. PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. fiS; III. Their bands, in union caft on us, Forbiding us to teach, And ftraitway charging in that name, We never more (hould preach. IV. Lets' break by faying unto them. Judge ye if that we may, Adhere to you, more than to God, Thus caft their cords away.* V. He that in Heaven fits fliall laugli, At all the fons of pride. That thus combine againft his Christ, The Lord fliall them deride. VL In his difplcafure and his wrath. He then to them will fpeak, What muft them vex, while they oppofe ; His will they cannot break. VIL Yet tho' you plot and rage 'tis vain, I've fet my King upon, Zion my hill of holinefs. He 'ftablifh'd is thereon. VIII. Jesus the firm decree declares, The Lord hath faid to me. Thou * In the fecond Pfalm, the wordy^jzni^ at the endof the fecond verfe, that appears fupplied by the Traiiflators, feems to make the third verfe the langua As with an iron fod, And dafli'd as Potter's velTel is, That under foot is trt)d. XL Now therefore, O ye kings be wife. Princes inftruftion gain, Serve him with fear, and trembling joy. For s mercies yet remain. XIL You perifh by his anger fare, In keeping your own way, Then kifs the Son, for blelfed are All who upon him ftay. Pfalm * Jesus Christ through his whole life, particularly in his pub- lick miniftry, claimed the charaiSler that is declared in this feventh verle of the fecond Pfahn, agreeable to the truth he heard of God at hisbaptifm, and fupported his claim by the works he did inhii Father's name, which bear witnefs of him. He was charged with blafphemy, becaufe he faid, I am the/on of God, making himfelf equal with God ; tiie decifion of the controverfy was put on his re- fitrreftion from the dead, by which, as faitli the Apoftio, Rom. i. 4. jHs is determined the Son of Gody ivith fo-iver according to the fpirit bf holimfs. So the Apoftle, when treating of the refurreftion of Jesus- Christ, A<5ls xiii. 30 to the 33d, fays, but God raifcd him from the deady and be luasfeen many days of them 'tuhich came up luitb him from Gallilee to Jerufalem, TwAo «rf /»/V at>i/«<'_^/ unto the people, and lue declare untoyou slad tidines, hoiv that the promife that nuas made untt the fathers, God hath f ulfif led in that he hath raifed Jejus again, as it is alfo written in the 20 Pfalm, Thou art my Son, this day hanje I begotten thee', fhewing it referred to the day oF his refurreStion, whea the controverfy is determined, aiid tlic decree declared. PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. 289 H PSALM LXXXVn .♦ I. IS foundation for his church Immovably is laid, In holy mountains, where it Hands, Securely ever (laid. II. The Lord the gates of Zion loves, Tho' barr'd to human pride, To Jesus, and through him to his Are ever open wide.. III. Not Jacob's dwellings ever can Be fo divinely fair. As to produce a chara6ler, That claims admittance there. IV. * This 87th Pfalm appears to be a prophetic defcription of the gath- ering all things into one in Chrift Jelus, under the metaphorof a city, which is God's building, taking notice firft of the fecurity of the foun- dation, as fixed in the holy mountains. Jefus, the foundation of the church, is the holy one : Then of the "ates, which the Lord loves more than all the dwellings of Jacob; by the gate, the way, the door, we underftand the entrance. Thus Jefus is the way, Jefus is the door.and faith, by me, if anymsn enter in, he fliall be laved. The en- trance into this city, being Jekis, in whom the father is well pleafed ; Jefus, his beloved Son, in whom we are accepted, he having made us accepted in the beloved, the dwellings of Jacob cannot procure a cha- racter that can be accepted out of Jiim. Then the prophetic defcription goes on, taking notice of the glori- ous things fpokcn of the city oi God. Thefe are fo great, that the mention of them is ready to dagger the faith even of thofe that know him, to whom he condeicends to make mention of Rahab and Baby- lon. Rahab, or Egypt, where the children of lirael weie i n bondage 400 years, had their deliverance, the fame day that had been before appointed; and thus was likewifc accompliflied their return from^a- bylon after a captivity of 70 years, according to the promife of God by Jeremiah, Chap. xxix. lo. Behold Phjrliftia and Tyre, v.-itb Ethiopia. This was born there. Wlien we objeft to the f;:lvation of the heathen, becaufe they know not God, we lofe figlu of the Gofpel preached to Abraham, and even forget that God knows them. But thofe things that appear as hindrances, or thofe places that ap- peared as enemies, are Ihcv/n to be the places where this is born tO view, which was to be more particularly underftood in Zion, where this and that man, reputed eneniies and fnends, Jew and Gentile were united as one. Born to view as one new man in Chrill, which union into one buildirig,cne city.fhouldbc eftablifhedby the Moft High, %vho when he took account of the particular inhabitants, though a great multitude, which no man could number, yet are all included in one in Chrift Jefus, which being undcrftood, fet' every form of praife in mo- tion jthc grand chorus oi the Song is, all my firings arc in thee. O o ago PSALMS, HYMNS, and SOUGS. 'IV. Exceeding great, and glorious thingi^, Are fpoken in the word, To be accompliffied in thee, O city of the Lord. V. Should any doubt, they'll be fulfili'd, OF thofc my name that know, Egypt nor Babel could not let, What I purposed to do. VI. The Gentiles^ Pakjiinc^ and Tyre^ With Ethiop'a too > Inflead of hindering is the place, Where this is born to view. VII. Of Zion too it fhall be told, Both this and that man were, Both Jew, and Gentile^ one in ChrisIj Each born together there. VIII. 'Tis not the wifdom, or the power, Of any mortal men ; It is the work of the Moft High, She fliall be ftablifh'd then. IX. The Lord when he the people writes, Tho' more than men can count. Rev* vii. 9, This one new man in Jesus Christ, Makes up the whole amount. X. Thofe who can fing, and cheerful fay. For ever praife the Lord, With thofe on Inftruments that play, Shall join with one accord. XI. To fnout the praifes of thy love, For all their fong fliall be. My fprings of hope, of life, and joy, Are eve?' all in thee, PLALM PSALMS, HYMNS, as'd SONGS, 291 PSALM CXVIL I. J_iET nations all, of every tongue. Unite to praife th9 Lord ; And people all. of every land, To praife his name accord. IL Bccaufe his kindnefs merciful. And truth forever fure, Is mofl exceeding great to us,* And ever fhall endure. IIL Let old and young, let low and high. Together here accord ; And every foul, from all the earth. Unite to praife the Lord. PSALM CXXXIU. The fpirit cf Prophecy in this Pfalm appears to point to the lovt- aniong the firft Difciples on the day of Penticoft, the fruit of the Spirit fent down coniequent on the Great High-Priell's goinp^ into the heavenly holy place, in virtue of his own bloOti,* iVo^ to appear in the prefence of God for us. I- J3EHOLD ! a good and pleafant fight, In brethren that agree, In Christ their head, and thence are led To love and unity. IL Like precious ointment that ran down, The head of JJraeVs Pried, To's garments, where their names he wear. That thus they might be bleft. III. ♦ To us, the mercy and truth is doubtlefs as extenfivc as the call to fraife him ; for Pfalm Ixxii. 17, " all nations fliaU call him bleded." Jeremiah iv. 2, " the nations fliall blefs thciii/elves in liiin, and in. hira ftall they jjlory." 2^ PSALMS, HYMNS, AN5 SONGS. in. Like fruitful Hermons ufeful dew. That bleflings there produce, Which Zions mountains plenty fhew, For Ifraers daily ufe. IV. Thefe fliew the blefling God commands, Laid up in plenteous ftore, In Jesus fure it fhall endure, s 'Tis life forevermore. A PSALM CXLVIIL L UNIVERSAL fliqut of joy, , Now to Jehovah bring. Ye heav'ns high, ye angels all. Unite his praife to fmg. IL Praife him ye fun, and moon, and ftars, Ye heaven of heavens too, And waters that above them arc, For he created you. IIL His glorious power, his arm of might, Upholds you where you are ; By his eftablilhed decree. You ever ftand fall there. IV. Let dragons, deeps, and catde all, Praife him from earth below ; Fire, hail and vapor, join herein. With ftormy wind and fnow. V. Let mountains praife, and all the hills, And fowls of every wing, The fruitful trees, and cedars all, And evYy creeping thing. VI. PSALMS, HYMNS, an d SONGS. 893 VI. Come and agree his name to praife. Ye Kings of noble birth, Together with each one that make^ All people of the earth. VIL Princes to him by whom you lulc. Your grateful homage bring i And all the judges of the earth, Praife our Almighty King. VIII. Both young men and the maidens too, Old men and children fmall. In confort here moft gladly join. His praife becomes you all. IX. Come one and all unite to praife, The Lord's exalted name ; In which his glory is above Both earth and heaven's frame. X. This is the name that Jesus hath, Above each name always, That in his name each knee ihould bow. And tongue confefs his praife. XL Thus he exalts his people's horn, That's raifed up for us, E'en our falvation's mighty horn, In's fervant David's houfe. XIL He is the fubje6l of the praife, Of all with one accord, His fsiints, his Ifrael, near to him, O then praife ye the Lord. Devi. ^91 PSALMS, HYMNS, akd SONGS, Deut. X. 21. He is thy praifc. I. X HE glory of the church'^ head, Be ever on our mind, The fubjed of our fongs in him, May we forever find. n. From antichriftian pride in fongs. May we be fafe preferv'd, Nor ever dare of our own worth, To fing before the Lord. HL To him whofe life fulfill 'd the law, Whofe death doth fin attone, Whofe refurreftion from the dead, Proves him the Holy one. • IV. To him who lives for evermore, A prieft to intercede, And all who come to God by himj Can fave in utmoft need. V. E'en him who to the holiefl Is gone, with his own blood, And ever pleads his worthinefs, Before the throne of God. VI. To him who came to feek and favcj The altogether loft. Be our high praifes in our fongs. For evermore addrefs'd. VII. To him who fav'd the dying thief ; Call'd perfecuting Saul ; Look't Peter to repentance too. After his fearful fall. vm PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. £95 VIII. To him who fet th' Adulterous free, And wafh'd Corinthiam ftain, Who found Ephejians dead in finj And quicken'd them again. IX. To him who the redeemed church, Afcribe all worth alone, And conftant pay their folemn praife, Agreeing all in one. X. To him then be all praife afcrib'd, With univerfal reign, And glory, honour, power, and might, For evermore. Amen. CHRIST RIDING TO JERUSALEM. I. XvEJOlCE, O Zion's daughter here, With joy, exceeding great, rejoice : And let Jerusalem's daughter too. Join in with joyful (houting voice. IL Behold thy King cometh to thee. With fplendid ornaments divine ; He's juft, and yet falvation hath. In lowly meeknefs he doth fliine. III. BEHOLD him riding in upon A colt his own, for him prepar'd,* On which no man before had lat. Attend and hear the Kin^ declar'd. IV. * The owners held their title under their Lord : So Jefus faith t» Ms difciples, " fay the Lord hath need of him, and ftrsitway he will fend him." Markxi. 3,5, 6. Luke xix. 33. Is rot this for our in- ftruflion, and a rebuke to our coveteoufncis, that would withheW ■»v'hat he in his members hath need of. 296 PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS* IV. • A multitude, lo ! very great, With chearfulnefs their garments lay ;* Others cut goodly branches down,t And joyful Tpread them by the way. Hark! hear the fhout of highefl joy, Of which we heard the prophet ti*:;at, By thofe thai go along before. Which they who follow loud repeat. VI. Hofanna, blefled Ifratl\ King, That Cometh in the name, the Lord,J Hofanna to King David's Son, Hofanna high with one accord# VII. Look ! fee among the crowded throng, Children aloud hofanna cry ;§ But it offends chief priefts and fcribes, Who were fpeftators Handing by. VIII. Were I aniong the multitude,' Methinks I'd liften then to hear. Doth he rejeQ, or now accept, The praifes of the children dear. IX. Ffom babes and fucklings he approves, The praifes of his worthy name. And afks chief priefts and fcribes, if they|| Remember d not to read the fame. X. But 'ere I leave this wondrous fight, Methinks I long to hear the King, His fpeech, the laws, his will, the news, He doth his vaft dominions bring. XI. O" * Matthew Jfxi. 8. f Mark. xi. 8. J Matthew xxi. 6. Hofanna feems to be the acclamatiott of falvation and praife, or falvation and praife to the fon of David. J Matthew xxi. 15. [j Matthew xxi. 16. PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. 297 XL He to the heatheh fnall fpeak PEACE,* The ancient prophet teftifies ; JPeace in the Heav'ns ; and glory int The higheft ; multitudes replies. XIL PEACE comprehends the blefled news ;;j; And tho' I cannot longer flay, To hear his fpeech, his laws, his will, I'd bear this olive-branch away. FRIENDSHIP. PROVERDS XVii. 17. A Friend loveth at all Times. I. Friendship, thou eafy pleafmg word, How foon art thou profefs'd ; Friendlhip, thou aftive, helpful thing, By whom art thou poflels'd ; IL But could I find the happy fouls. Who friendfhip faft did tie, I could not here with fafety truft, Becaufe the friends muft die. III. * Zechar'i&h ix. lO. t Ltihe\\x. 37, 38. X IJaiah liii. 5, " The chaftileinent ot our peace was upon him, Ivii. :9. 1 create the fruit of the lips ; peace, peace to far olf and to near, iiith the Lord." John xvi. 23. " The(e things I have fpoken unto you, that in me ye might have Peace. John xix. 19. Jelus ftood in the midit, and faid unto them, Peace unt.,> you ; verfe ai, then laid Jefus unco them -igain, PtACF unto you ; verie 26, Peace unto you." .rfif?/ X. 36. " Preaching peace by Jefus Chrift." Ethefians w. 14, " tor he is our Peace ; verie ly, and came and preached Pface X^ you that were a far off, and to them that were nigh," k Pp ;^ 393 PSALMS, HYMNS, AUt> SONGS, III. Then look away for fricndfliip fure, Beyond the dying race, To him who Hves forevermore, Time cannot his deface. IV. My earthly friend forgets my pain, My forrow and my woe ; Yea, mothers ! ftrange ! of children too May thus forgetful grow.* V. But he, the never failing Friend, Before the world had frame, Had his delights with fons of men, And ever is the fame, t VI. He had them graven on his heart,J With all dieir guilt and woe. To fave them he their natures took. And anfwers what they owe. VII. They ow'd obedience to the law Which they could never pay. But lo ! I come to do thy will,^ The Friend is heard to fay. VIII. Wha: law and juftice both demand, The foul that fins fliall die, He as their Head and, in their ftead, Doth dying fatisfy. IX. In proof the debt is fully paid. Death could not him detain, 5 Hark ! hear the glad important news, Lo ! Jesus rofe again. X, * Ifaiah xlix. 15. f Proverbs viii. 31. J Ifaiah xlix. 16. § Pfalm xl. 7, 8. Hcb. x. 7, 9, 10. fl A£ls ii. 34. PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. 299 X. He's gone, the great High-Prieft is gone. To Heaven itfelf indeed, In virtue of his precious blood,* For us to intercede. XI. Then nothing fure can feparate Us from his friendly love, Nor tribulation, nor diftrefs,t Nor depth, nor height above. xn. For thefe he loves, tho' in the world, He loves unto the end :J This, this is our beloved Sire, And our eternal Friend. John xv. 15. / have called ye Friends^ I. J ESUS my ever prefent Friend^ Thy Friendfliip ever fure, Thro' time, thro' all eternity Unchanging doth endure. n. What tho' my earthly friends grow cold, Nor afk me in their door, Where I was welcome in and out With freedom heretofore. HI. Jesus rcmiY)dsme, I'm the door, Come enter, I will fave. Come in and out and welcome you,1I By me ihall pafturc have. IV. * Heb. U. 24. t 5^oni. viii. 35, 39 t Johnxiii, i, ^]ohn x. 9 30O PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. IV. In thy fure Friendfhip may I joy. Forever night and day, With fulleft f'atisfaftion, when My earthly friends decay. V. And may the pure unmixed love, That did thy friendfhip place Upon our nature in our fin. Which reacheth all our race, VI. May love felf mov'd, and thus extent, Be conftant on my mind, That I may treat the purchased race With tender Friendlhip kind. The Love of Jesus Christ, made manifejl to htth Children. H. I. .OW fliall a child aright conceive, Of Jesus and his Love ; That fiiines in all he doth fo bright, 'Tis angels thoughts above. II. He took a child into his arms, * There union with him fee ; Who doth receive fuch in my name, He faith, receiveth me. III. Jesus, both yefterday, to day,t And ever is the fame : He on young children laid his hands,J And bleffed be his name. IV. * Mark iv. 36, 37, f Hebrews xiii. 8. J Matthew xix. icj i; PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. 301 IV. Of fuch my heav'nly kingdom is,* Then let them come to me ; t Thus fafety for a helplefs childj And joy and comfort fee. V. Whoever through his haughty pride, Difdains to take it fo, While that prevails they never ffiall. Into his kingdom go.;J; VI. O may I from my early youth, Have conftantly in mind, The condefcending love and grace. Of child and infants friend. VII. O may I early know thy name, And always truft thy care ; Help me Lord Jesus by thy word, My conduft all to fquare. Confolation in CuKiST/or Utile Children, I. Where (hall a feeble, belplefs child, Find courage to its mind ; B!it in the power and grace of him, Who came the loft to find.J IL As he that hath an hundred fheep. If one of them doth ftray, Leaves ninety-nine to go and feek,|| And bring it on his way. III. * Matthew xix. 14. f Mark x. 14. % Mark x. 15. § Matthew Xviii. II. I', M;itthe\y xviii. 12. 302 PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. III. Your heav'niy father, Jesus faith. As in his word we're told ; Will not have one fuch little one, To perifh from his fold.* IV. O may I know his worthy name, And trufl his faithful care ; In every gloomy fearful thought. Find help and fafety there. V. Since God is love, and hath it fhewn,t In Jesus unto me ;J May I from (lavilh dread of him, Be evermore fet free. VI. And ever have upon my mind, A fenfe I'm not my own ; But am moft gratefully oblig'd. To live to him alone. O HosEA xiv. 8. Irom me is /hy fruit found, I. MY ungrateful barrennefs, Is eyer caufe of Ihame, When for a theme of fruitfulnefs I have the Saviour's name. II. When e'er I fit at home alone. Can I be at a lofs For entertainment to my mind. Since Christ dy'd on the crofs, III. * Matthew xviii. 14. •}• ift of John,iv. S, i6. J ift of John,'.iv. 9. PSALMS, HYMxNS, and SONGS. 303 III. Can I be lonely, low or dull, When Scriptures afcertain This glad, this all-important news. That Jesus rofe again ? IV. Can Imy fellow-finners meetj Silent about the news, That brings complete falvation to Our loft perplexed views ? V. And doth afford a laPiing fund Of gladnefs, love and joy, To ranlom'd captives long enflav'd, Their praifes to employ. VI. This is the ground we finners have To worfliip, when v;e meet, 'Caufe Jesus dyd and rofe again. Our hope is now complete. VII. And tho' in view of what we are, Our mouths are wholly ftopp'd, Yet viewing him, we may draw near With an affured hope. VIII. The healing of my barrennefs, No other where I fee. But in the union with the Vine, And fruitful Olive-Tree. 1 Corinthians, 3^4 PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. 1 CoRINTHIAxVS, Xi. 24. Thii do in remembrance of me. I. THOU, the Churches ftrength and fong, Be pleas'd to teach our minds and tongue To fing aright of the difplay. Of wifdom, juftice, grace divine, That meet, that harmonize and fhine In Jesus taking fm away. n. And in that firm foundatioti laid, The night in which he was betray'd, To bring himfelf and love to view ; Which in his life and death he fhew, And rofe again to prove it true, A theme the Church holds ever new. in. The flain Lamb's worthinefs they fing. Their facrifice, their Prieft and King, With lovely harmony they found ; On whom alone their hopes do reft, To whom their loyalties exprefl, W"hile they appear his table round. IV. But who of all the guilty race May at his table find a place ? A wretch replete with guilt as I ; Becaufe the Lamb that once was flain* Arofc, and ever lives again, May be encourag'd to draw nigh, V. The obligations this doth bind, Conception here is loft to find, May we as one while here combine Our higheft gratitude to fliow, By following him where'er he'll go, In hopes eternal praife to join. Lt/Kf. rSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS* 305 Luke xxii. 19. This do in Remembrance 0/ Me. 1, W] HEM in ourfelves we view ourftatCj Both fhame and guilt and Fear, Arifes to our anxious minds, We're loft and in defpair. 11. But when we read the Gofpel news, A ray of hope creeps in, Jesus was born^ liv'd. dy'd and rofcj And put away our fin. III. Tho' Satan accufe, the law condemns, And confcience guilty cries. There's life and hope in Gofpel news, 'Tis God that juftifies.* IV. He'sjuft herein for Jesus dy'd, Yea, rather rofe again, Thus law and juftice hath its due. The cafe is very plain. V. Here's now the baptifm that faves, Not wafbing hands or head, But confcience furnifhd with repiy,t By's riling from the dead. VI. Therefore we meet and break the bread, And take and eat and drink, In memry of his dying love, Of which we fpeak and think. VIL * Romans vUi. 33, -f Peter iii. ax. §o6 PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. VII. In happinefs and liberty We glory fince weVe found That we are not our own, but are Thy fervants bought and bound. Psalm cxi. 4. He hath made his wonderful works to he remembered. I. O FOR a fong of grateful praife. For love furpaffing thought, Which gladfome tidings unto us. Are by the Gofpel brought. II. For him who knew no fin at all, To be made fin for us ; For us under the curfe of law Himfelf was made a curfe. III. That we in him might now be made The righteoufnefs of God, And have full freedom from the curfe. The purchafe of his blood. IV. And have a token of his love 'Till he again fliall come, And fee the travel of his foul, And take his purchafe home. V. May hearts and lips, and lives and tongues Conceive and fpeak his praife. As it becomes the Gofpel news, Through our remaining days, PSALM. PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. 30^ PSALM Ixviii. 19. Blcjfed he the Lord who daily loadeth ws with htne- Jits, the God of our falvatiori ; Selah, L V>OME let us join as one and fing, The praifes due to Zions King, For joy of life, and health, and friends. And let our raiment and our food, Be always by us underltood. As what he undeferved fends. IL ProteSlion too from dangers great, Which multiply while we relate, From childhood both by night and day. From water, fire, wounds and falls, From ficknefs rais'd aloud it calls, That we a grateful tribute pay. IIL Our dwelling places found iniire, When oft' indanger'd by the fire, A mercy think how veiy great; His favour undeferv'd admire, He doth it certainly require. While we the circumftance relate, IV. Thefe mercies which we now relate, Altho' they are exceeding great. And claim our conftant praifing breath. Yet even in their higheft prime, Are chiefly bounded here by time. And ending in our day of death. V. But when we're taught of God to look, Into the volume of his book. For his defigns of grace therein; Eternal mercies there unfold, Which eye ha'nt feen, nor car heard told; And thought is loft where to begin, VI. 50S PSALMS, HYMNS, AND SONGS/ VI. But may our fong arifc and fwell, While by it we attempt to tell, Whats far beyond the reach of tho't j Eternal Wifdom's perfeft plan, Beyond — Beyond device of man ! To us by Revelation brought. VII. Which opens up defigns of grace. For finners of the human race, Long back from all eternity I To come to view to them in time. When not for his but for their crimCj The fpodefs Son of God did die, VIIL 'Tis finilhed, he then could fay. The debt dilcharg d, he had to pay, Juftice is fully fatisfy'd, His refurreftion fully fliews. This glad, this all important news, Death could not hold him when he dy'^, IX, He rofe, he lives for evermore, The great High-Prieft is gone before. To Heaven itfelf, the holy place, For us, (with joy be't underftood,) To plead the virtue of his blood. Before the Holy Father's face, X, This is the hope within the vail, We may lay hold and cannot fail, 'Tis there that our forerunner's gone, The anchor holds, the heads fecure, The members then muft all endure, They're only fafe in him alone. XI, PSALMSj liYMNS, and SONGS, 309 XI. The knowledge of this truth fhould caufe. That we with gratitude fhould paufe, And know our lips, and lives, and tongues, Belong to him to (hew his praife, Jn duuful becoming ways, With fweeteft, fofteft, higheft fo;igs. A MORNING THOUGHTo On Psalm Ixviii, 15. I. JVlERCIES with mornings multiply, The Lord be ever bleft, Who with them daily loadeth us, And nightly gives us reft. II. To think how high our praife fliould rife, To view the joyful claufe, *^ The God of our Salvation fure. Let Sclah make the paufe. An address to the READER. Jl ERHAPS you may be ready to fay, on looking over the foregoing, I find, as far a*. I have read, every fong centers in the refurreftion ofChrift: Why, or whence is it that that event is fo much in- filled on ? I anfwer, for the fame reafon, * that the Apoftles ofChriftinall their preaching and writing had this truth in view, a§ the only foundation of their hope : If ♦ Ads ii. 32,--lb. ch. iii. 1.5— iv. 10— 33— v, 30— vii. 51, 55, i^S, r-x. 4'5— *iii- 30. 33> 34, 37.— xvii. 3, 31. Thus for the Apoftle's oreachintj, to turn to tneir •writings on this hand wculd be too (engthy. 310 An address to ihe READER. If Christ be not raifed our preaching is vain, ye are yet in your fi!i^, and thofe who have fallen afleep in Christ are periflied ; but now is Christ rifcn from the dead, and by his accomplifliing a per- fect obedience to the divine Law, and fufFering the penalty annexed to our tranfgreflion, was fulfilled the prophecy of the Old Teftament, of his finifliing tranf- greflion, making an end of fin, bringing in everlaft- ing righteoufnefs j fo that theuniverlal Church fhall call him the Lord our righteoufnefs, and every mem- ber fliall fay, Surely in the Lord have I righteoufnefs. Now when he was on earth, claiming the chara6ler of him who was to accomplifh this, and proving it by his works, he is called a blafphemer, the ifflie of the controverfy is put on his refurreSlion, and this event taking place,he is declared the Son of God ivithpozver according to the Spirit of Holinefs^ and made it evi- dent that he has accomplifiied our deliverance from the curfe of the law, by being made a curfe for us ; in that law andjuftice could hold him no longer, /or it zvas not pofjible he Jhouldbe holden of death. Hence, faith the Apoftle, He died for our offences, and rofe again for our jujiification, and hence we read of the anfwer of a good confcience by the refiirreclion of Jefus Chrift ; and that it is God that juflifieth, who is he that condemneth ? It is Chrift that died, yea ra- ther that is rifcn again : Confequently, the Apof- tle took^reat care to keep this in the memory of the Difciples, Remember that Jefus Chrifi, of the feed of David, zuas raifed from the dead, according to my gofpel, 2 Timothy, ii. 8. Salvation by the death and relurrcclion of Chrift, is the gofpel, the Apoftles preached among them, by which, faith Paul, Ye are faved if ye keep in memory -what I preached unto you. To keep this truth in my own and your memory is the defign in view, as the underftanding, remem- brance of this truth will fave us from the diftrefling anxiety PSALMS, HYMKS, AND SONGS. 311 anxiety of the curfe of the la'\\', and the innumerable perplexities confequent thereon through life, and at the hour of death, to which we are all without excep- tion haflening ; For it is appointed unto 7nan once to die. Surely then, that by which we are faved from the fting of death, ought to be ever 'had in remem- brance. Hebrews ix. 27. It is appointed unto Man once to die* H I. ARK ! from the word a folemn truth Doth thence falute our ears. Which equally concerns us all, Alarming all our fears. II. Sin came by one man in the world. Thereby death enter'd in, So death hath pafs'd upon all men, For all partake therein. III. Ah ! death, fm arm'd thee with thy ftingj And caus'd thee forth to go Againft mankind, as if thou w'crt Their univerfal foe. IV. Not youth, nor health, nor vifefulnefsa Can ward thy fatal blow ; The rich, and thofo in honour high, Muft at thy fummons go. V. The learn'd, the pious, and the wife Mult to thy ftroke fubmit, Nor can the mighty of the earth Refilt the force of ji. VI. 312 rSALMS, HYMNS, anb SONGS* VI. The peafant low, and moft obfcure Cannot efcape thine eye, O thou dread monarch who regards The low as well as high. VII. The tender bands that wedlock ties By thee, alas, mull break ! Moll kind and loving partners thou Doft from each other take. VIII. Where then fhall we confole ourfdves, In thought that we muft die, But in the righteoufnefs of one Complete to juflify. IX. O death and grave, where's now thy fting ? Since Jesus Christ did die. Thanks to his name, who doth thro' him Give us the vidory. Wi Luke xv— i to 7, I. HEN publicans and finners wifh'd That they might Jesus hear ; And both were led with hafty fe^t Together to draw near ; II. The fcribes and pharifees agree To murmur at the fight ; This man receives the finners, and Eats with them with delight, III. I PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. §13 III. He kindly afics them, which of yoii An hundred {heep that own'd, If one be loit would ceafe to feek, Till he the wanderer found. IV. If he had earn'd them, or if thcy^ Were what his father gave, There was not one that he would lofcj Were it his power to fave. V. For tho' its loft, and ftray'd away, 'Tis ftill his property, Nor can it be detain'd from him, Paying the damage fee. VI. It might, alas, beyond the fight, Of feeble mortals ftray, Or want of power, or want of love, Prevent being brought away. VII. But praifes high be ever fung. The Shepherd great and good, Hath eyes like to a flaming fire, That pierces through the wood. VIII. He wants not riches, love, or power. The flieep he knows his own, To ranfom all his property. He hath his life laid down. IX. He rofe, he lives eternrilly, In proof he's paid the coft, His flieep fhall have eternal life, , Nor one of them be loll. His R r 314 PSALMS, HYMNS, and SONGS. X. His love be ever on our mind, With gratitude and joy, Attending daily to his voice, As our mod fweet employ.' Isaiah xli. 4. — xlviii. 12. and xliv. 6. Thus faith the Lord the King of Ifrael, and his re- deemer the Lordof hojls, I am the Firjl-, and I am the Lajl ; and befides me there is no God. — Rev. i. 8, 11, 17, and xxii. 13. lam the Fir/}, and the LaJ}» — That thefe two pafTages in the Revelations fpeak of Jefus Chrift, i^ evident from the connexion of the 17th and 18th verfes of the firft chapter, / am the Firjl and the Lajh ; /, he that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore : And from chap. ii. 8. Thefe things faith the Firjl and the Lajl^ which tjas dead and is alive. Confequently, Jefus Chrift, is the Lord, the King of Ifrael, and his Re- deemer, the Lord of Hofts, the Firft and the Laft ; befideswhom is no God, or the one only living and true God, is manifeft in Chiift Jefus, the juft God, and the Saviour : There is none befides, as faith John, ift Epiftle, V. 20. We are in him that is true, m his Son Jefus Chrifi ; this (viz. God in Chrift) is the true God and eternal life. I. Jesus our fubjea in the Firft, Our grateful fong is in the Laft, He doth begin our confidence, Then let us hold him ever faft. n. Our confidence in him's fecure, And never can or will us fail, His Priefthood ever ftiall endure, He's gone fo us within the vail, HI. PSALMS, HYMNS, an d SONGS. 3 1 5 III. The great and fure foundation laid, Is Jclus Chrilt and him alone j Other than this can no man lay, He is the chief and Corner-Stonc. IV. In him we've confolation ftrong, Our refuge that will never fail, The only hope before us fet, Our Anchor fare within the vail. V. Jefus thy love fhall clofe our fong, That flow'd unfought through ages paft, And flows to all eternity, Thou art our All — our Firft and Laft. AMEN. " Ifrael, tliou (hall not be forgotten of me, / have blotted out as a thick cloud thy tranfgrellions, anal as a cloud thy (ins : Return, for / hanje redeemed thee : Sing, O ye Heavens, for the Lord hatli done it! Shout, ye lower parts of the earth, break forth into finii;int; ye mountains, O foreft, and every tree therein : For the Lord hath rf£/rr;77frf Jacob, and glorified himfelf in Ifrael. O praife the Lord all ye nations : Praife him, all ye people ; both young men and mai- dens, old men and children ; let them praife the name of the Lord. Ye that fear the Ltird, praife him : Speaking to yourfelves and one another, in Pfalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Sengs, iinging and makinq; melody in your heart to the Lord : Let every thing that hath breath praife the Lord," Ilaiah, David, Paul. SECTION SECTION X. Introduflion, X HE method of teaching children and youth by catechifing, is undoubtedly very inftruciing, if the matter taught is accept-ihle words, even written upright words of truth, which flow from divine wif- '•- the body of Jefus Chrift once. O. What are the benejits which in this life do accompany^ or floio from jujlijication^ adoption andfanc- tification ? • . A. The benefits that accjpmpany or flow from them, are aflurance t 1 • of God's love, peace of confcience, Rom. v. /, u! joy in the Holy Ghoft, increafing in the knowledge of the grace which is in Chrift Jefus, as their only hope to the end. O. What benefits do believers hope for from Chrijl at their death, and in the refurreBion ? A. That he may be with them through the dark valley of the (ha- ?¥"^ ''?•'"• 4» 6. dow or death, and that they may be i Theff; iv. 17. with him to behold his glory. Q. What is the duty which God requires of man ? A. Theduty which God requires of man, is obedience to his reveal- * "^' ''^' ^*' ed will. O. What did God reveal to man^ as the rule of his obedience ? A. God 224 A SHORT CATECHISM, Sec. A. God gave to the children of Ifrael, from mount Sinai, wrote on Exodus %Tt. . two tables, the ten commandments, comntonly called the moral law. Q. In ike fourth commandmeni, ^ thus delivered to Ifrael, the feventh- day fahhath is enjomed ; how doth it appear, that believing Gentiles arc freed from it ? A. They were never under it : -.,..- Neither did Jefus Chrift, who is the Xukevi". 5.* Lord of the fabbath, in any of his ^t Epiftlt fotScaU expofitions of the law, or his exhor- tations to the people, enjoin it up- on them, nor any of his Apoflles afn ter him ; but fufficiently fhew, that it was jiot the defign of the gofpel to bring Gentile believers under the law. Q. The law of the feventh-day fabbath is a portion of Scripture^ and is it not for our learning, on whom the ends of the world is come ? A. Yes, verily ! it was given for a fign to the children of Ifrael, that Exod. xxxi. 13, 1 6, 17. they may know that I am the Lord that doth fanftify them ; therefore it leads us to the thing fignified by that fign. Q. What is fignified to us therC" hy ? A. It leads to the Lord, that doth fan6lify both them and us, even Jefus Chrift, who is made to I Co/, i. 30. us of God fanftification. Q. How doth the fabbath point to Chrifl ? A. It A SHORT CATECHISM, Sec. 3^$ A. It was a perfeQ. reft, in com- piemoration of the creation, when God reftcd from all his works of creation, becaufe they were very good, pointing to and centering in, the tiniflied work oi" redemption, producing the new creation, in ^^^' ^^' »*• which we are created anew in Chrift Jefus. Q. What authority have tvc^fro^n the New Tejiaincnt, to conclude the fabbath thus applies to Chrijl ? A. The fabbath is mentioned as the fhadow of things to come, but ^^^ .. ^^ the body is Chrift ; in the fhadow, they w'ere to do no manner of work, becaufe in iix days God ^fiiiifhed the work of creation, and refted the feventh : In the fubftance, Chrift Jefus havingfinifhedthe work ifai, xi. 10. of redemption, we are, through the Jfafxi!; ' ^f ' *'* whole of this gofpdl day, to reil; in Matt. iii. 17. it, becaufe in it the Father is well ple^fed ; as complete, that nothing can be added by us, any more than to work of creation, to which our attention is particularly called, on the ftrft day of the week. O. What warrant have ChriJVs dijciplesfor obferving the firjl day of the zueek ? A. It was the day on which le- • , fus Chrift Fofe from the dead, which ^"'^ ^"'- ^'-'""'"S. evidenced the completion oi the work of redemption ; on that day he appeared to his difciples the firft and fecond time ; the firft publick joimxx. 13, 26. tneeting 325 A SHORT CATECHISM, &c. Afts ii. beginning. Lev. xxiii. ir. Lev. xxiii. 36. John vii. 37. Numb. vi. 10. Lev. xiv. 10, 23. Lev. ix. X, 30. meeting of the Apoftles and firO; difciples was on that day, viz. the day of Penticoft, which was the morrow after the Jewifh fabbath ; and from that day, ever after, they met on the firft day of the week ; and the obfervation of the firft day of the week has ever fmce been in praclife, down to our day. Q. Was there any type of this change under the OM-TeJlamenit difpenfation. A. The firft fruits were offered on the morrow after the fabbath ; the eighth day was the great day of the feaft of tabernacles ; the Naza- rite was; accepted on the eighth day ; the cleanfed leper Vv^as to bring his offering for cleanfing on the eighth day. After Aaron, the Jewifli high prieft, and his fons had been confe- cratcd feven days, the offering for them and the people, was on the eighth day; when, in token of ac- ceptance, fire came out from before the Lord,and confumedthe offering; all pointing to, and entering in the antitype of thefe offerings and pu- rifications. Their being offered on the eighth day, appears to point to the refurreftion of Jefus Chrift, the manifeftation of his acceptance as our high prieft and purifier ; and in his, we have the witnefs of our acceptance, juftification, fanftifica- tion and redemption : And by be; lieving, we enter into the reft he hatk A SHORT CATECHISM, &c. 327 hath entered into, as our head; and arc partakers of an holy fabbath kept through time and eternity. Q. Whal doth the obfervation of the Jirjl day of the week imply ? A. Though mukitudes obferve it from tradition, without under- Jpl»n i^. 43. {landing, yet it is plain to thofe who underdand, that, in the nature of it, it implies a belief that Jefus is the Chrift, the Saviour of the world. Q. How ought {he difciples of Chrifl to condiiB in the obfervation of this day ? A. By endeavouring to acquaint them felves with the Scriptures, that , teftify of the chara6ler and finifhed work of Chrift, and fhew the'import of his refurredion, that they may with undcrftanding, celebrate it with joy and thankfgiving, and by meet- ing together, to worlhip God in Chrift ; to hear of his glory, and fing of his grace and mercy, and to break bread, in remembrance of ^as xx him, in imitation of the firft difciples in the primitive churches. Q. What rule is given tobelieiiing Gentiles^ under the New-Teftament difpenfation ? A. Jefus Chrift hath fummed up the moral law in thefe words, " Thou Matt. xxu.37,38,3f,4». ftialt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy mind. This is the firft and great commandment, and the fecond is like unto it, " Thou Luke x 27 » {halt 328 A SHORT CATECl-ilSM, kz, fiialt love thy neighbour as thyfelf^ On thefe two hang all the law and the prophets." O. How is this undcrjlood ? A. To love God with all the heart, z JoJia v.- ji. ^^\\\ exclude any other God, and ex- cite to worfliip him in Chrifl Jcfus, which isto worlhiphim in fpirit and truth, to reverence his name, and * obferve his inftitutions. To love our neighbour as ourfelves will ex- cite honour, duty and refpe6t to ma- , giflrates, parents and fuperiors, and prevent hatred, malice, murder, for- nication, adultery, theft, falfe wit- nefs, and covetoufnefs. Love work- j^ . ... ^ eth no ill to his neighbour, there* fore love is the fulfilling of the law. Q. What doth the preface to the ten commandment S', delivered to If- rael at mount Sinai^ teach us ? A. The preface, which is, "lam Sxod. XX. 2. the Lord thy God, "which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and out of the hpufe of bondage, teach- eth us, that becaufe God is the Lord and our God, and Redeemer, there- fore we are under the higheft obli- Ifai. xhy. 23. gations to obedience to him." O. Is any man able to keep the commandments of God ? A. No mere man, fince the fall ^ . .... is able, in this life, perfeftly to keep Gen. VI. 5, and vm. 21. , ' , c A Ji \^ \. Matt. XV. II. the commanuments or God, but doth daily break them, in thought^ word and deed. Q. Where A SHORT CATECHISM, ^c, ga^ Q. Where is then our hope ? A. If any man fin, we have an advocate with ^he Father, Jefus * John a. i, Chrift'the righteous ; and he is the propitiation for the fins of the apof- tles and believers ; and not only for j ^i "\ them, but for the whole world. He , john,' iu. /. was manifefled to take away our fins ; and in him is no fin. Q. How are the believers of this Gojpelto conduU themf elves ? A. They are to manifeft their gratitude by a thankful, cheerful Pfalm. 1. 23. obedience to his will, attending to his word and inftitutions, with pray- er for his grace, that they may adorn the doarine of God their Saviour, P^""' '* ^7- by a converfation becoming the Gof- pel. Q. How is the word to be attend- ed to Jot this end ? A. The reading and preaching of the word is to be attended with qqi j-j ,5^ , diligence, that we may, by a grow- ing acquaintance with the grace therein exhibited, be more and more acquainted with our obliga- tions to the duties therein enjoined upon us, in every relation and cir- cumftance of life. Q. What are the injlitutions of the Ncxv-Tefiament ? A. The inftitutions of the New- Matt, xxviii. 19. Teftament have been commonly' o^- '"^ »«» a4> aii3». called baptifm and the Lord's fup- per. T t Q, What 33^ A SHORT CATECHISM, Sec, Q. What is baptifm ? , A. The New-Teftament fpeaks ^^ '• -5* of John's baptifm, and the baptifm of Chrift. Q. What is John's haptifm ? A. John, as the forerunner of Chrift, baptized with water, calling Matt, ni- jr. ^^ people to repentance of every Afts xix. 4. expectation of falvation from the obfervation of the law, or from any fuppofed fuperiority one over ano- ther, by ftri6l attention to it ; full falvation being in the MelTiah, for all, without diftinBion ; for John verily baptized with water, faying, "To the people, that they fhouid believe-on him that Ihould come after, that is Chrift Jefus." Q. What is the baptifm ofChriJl ? Q. There is the baptifm that Chrift was baptized with, and the baptifm wherewith he baptized. O. What is the baptifm that Chrifl was baptized with ? A. That of which he fpakc,when Luke xii. 50. lie faid, « I have a baptifm to be baptized with ; and how am I ftraitened until itbeaccompliflied;" in which he fpake of his agony and Mark x. "9. death, that he tells the fons of Zeb- edee they fhouid partake in. Q. How is that to be undcrflood ? A. By that union which was ma- Tohn xU. 3»« nifefted in his drawing all men un- 2 Cor"v? H' ^° h\m^ when he was lifted up, and tafting death for every man ; fo that when one died for all, all died. Q. What A SHORT CATECHISM, &Q, 331 Q. WHai evidence have we of this, feeing it was fpoken only to the fans of Zebedee ? A. The Apoftle appears to have it in view, whert he fpeaks of being buried with him in baptifm, and Col. ii. 11. fays, " Know ye not, that fo many ' ^' '' of us as were baptized in Jefus Chrift, were baptized into his death," as being coniidered in him in his fufFerings and death, and partakers of the benefit of it. Q. Why -was J ejus Chrijl hapti^ zed with water in John's baptifm ? A. He gave the anfwer to John, « Thus it becometh us to fulfil all Matt. in. xj. righteoufnefs," fpeaking as the head, M^^"' v. 18. and intimating his relation to the people. This took place under the law difpenfation ; and Jefus Chrift being made under it, that not one jot or tittle of the ceremonial, as ' '"* ^^ well as the moral law, fhould fail ; thus fulfilled the righteoufnefs of it, and had this teftimony by a voice from Heaven, " This is my belov- ed Son, in whom I am wellpleafed;" john i. 33. and was thus evidenced to John to be he that fhould baptize with the Holy Ghoft. Q. What was the baptifm whert'- toith he baptized ? A. John fays, " I indeed baptize Aas i. 4, s. with water, but he fhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoft ;" and Jefus told his difciples, before his afcen- fion, " Ye ftiall be baptized with the Holy Ghoft." Q, What 335 A SHORT CATECHISM, Sec. Q. What is intended by being lapr tized with the Holy GhoJ ? A. Baptizing with the Holy Ghoft immerfes the mind in the doBrine of Chrift, fo.as to perceive the evi- » Peter iii.ii, dence of the truth and the fulnefs of' the falvation exhibited in the Qofpel, freeing from condemnation, and furnilliing the anfwer of a good confcience towards God, by the re- furreftion of Chrift. Q. What may be underjlood hy Luke iiilnV ' '^^^ P^Jf^^S^^ where mention is made of Chriji baptizing with the Holy Qhojl and with fire ? A. Fire communicates light and heat, refines gold and filver, and confumes every thing that is fuel for it ) fo the baptifm of the Hdy Ghoft both enlightens the mind to underftand the doctrine of Chrift, and warms the heart with gratitude dnd joy, under a fenfe of the ex- ceeding riches of the grace thereir^ made manifeft, and gives a lively hope of deliverance, in due time, from all the defilement that cleaves to us; and that every thing, where- Mai. iii. 3. ^ith we are ericompafled through Matt^iii. i"~ the. temptations of Satan and the weaknefs of the flefli, as wood, hay, ftubble, tares or chaff, fhall be en- tirely feparated from us, by him who hath his fan in his hand, and will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather the wheat into his garner, and burn up the chaff with un- quenchable fire, [For A SHORT CATECHISM, Sec. S38 [ For further thoughts on Baptifnj, fee the Appendix.] Q. What is the Lord's Supper ? A. The Lord's Supper is an in- llitution of Chrift, wherein his love is brought to remembrance, in ga- thering together the whole purcha- ^ ^'^'^- ^'''^ ^'h ffed poffeffioh into one, in himfelf, as the many grains are gathered in- to one bread, or the many grapes into one ^ip^l^is body being given, l,,j,„,;;. 19, ». and his blood ihed, not only tor his John vi. 32> ii- immediate difciples, but for the life of the world ; and his difciples breaking bread and drinking wine, in remem'!^ ranee of him, hereby fhew forth to the world their fatii^ fa6lion in, profefTed fubjeQion to, and dependence upon, a crucified, ^ ^°'^' *'* ^^' rifen Saviour, as th^ir only hope of eternal life. Q. Who among the finful chil- dren of men may he encouraged to partake in the Lord's Supper ? A. Every deftitu^e, loll, guilty creature, that fees enough in the perfecl character and finifhed work of Chrift, as witneffed in his refur- reftion, for his complete falvation, and the falvationof the whole world, and profelfes hearty fubje6lion to him. Q. What is required of thnn that zuould -worihily partake of the Lord's Supper ? A. The Apoftle faith, « Let a Tpan examine himfelf, an^ fo let ' C°"'^^^'- '''• »«- him 334 A SHORT CATECHISM, Sec, him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." O. Whai in particular is a ruart to examine himjelf about ^ in order thereto ? A. Our examination refpcQs ourfelves and others. Q. How doth it refpeU ourfelves ? A. Our iniquity is, whether \vc difcern ourfelves as members of the Lord's body, fo that our hope of eternal falvation is built entirely on what Jefus Chrift, as our head, has wrought for us in his life, finiflicd in his death, and witnefled in his refurreBion, exclufive of any fup- pofed perfonal excellency in our- felves ; which is examining, whcth» er we are in the faith, Q. Doth not our examination re- JpeB our praBice ? A. Yes; we have to examine, t Cor. X. 14, ai. do I underftand that partaking in the bread and cup, is a voluntary profeflion of my obligation to flee , . , every departure from the Lord, particularly to be on my guard againft every of thofe things which occafioned the overthrow of the children of Ifrael in the wildernefs, Q. How doth our fclf-examma-. Hon refpeB others ? A. As Chrift is the head of every JohnxU. 32". man, drew all men unto him, and tafted death for every man, we are to inquire, whether we difcern Heb. H. 9. every man as members of Chrift (though A SHORT CATECHISM, Set, %z^ (tViough not yet brought into fub- jetlion to him) as well as ourfclves, Heb. ii. s. io that we can remember and com- memorate the love of God in Chrift to the whole human race in faith^ that} according to the myftery of his will, which he hath made known, according to his good pleafure,. he . will, in the difpenfation of the ful- ^ • '• 9» ^ *. nefs of times gather together all things in Chrift, without which we fhall eat and drink to our own felf- condemnation, not difcerning the Lord's body, but encouraging our- felves from fome other quarter than that God was in Chrift, reconciling the world to himfelf, not imputing their trefpalTes unto them. [That you may fee how the above anfwers are drawn from ift of Co- rinthians, X. and xi. chapters, fee the Conclufion.] Q. What is to be underjlood by ihe condefcending action of jfefus Chrijl^ in ■waJJiing his difcipks fett ? A. There appears a literal and fpiritual meaning in that tranfa6lion; literally, it teaches the difciples of the Saviour to be ready to attend to every office of kindnefs one to an- other ; to be ready to wafh one an- other's feet, whenever there fiiall be an occafion for it, fo as to be an aft of kindnefs. The apoftle mentions john xlli. from verfe 4. it as a good work, lOgether with re> * "^'"i- v- f-^- lieving the afflided, Q. V/hat 33$ A SHORT CATECHISM, &:C, Q. What inJlriiBions are hereh^ conveycd^asthcfpiritual meaning of that tranfaBion ? A. The firfl thing that calls our Phill. iK6, 7. attention is the inconceivable con- defcenfion of Him, who, being ill the form of God, thought it not rob- bery to be equal with God, but made himfelf of no reputation, and took uponhim the form of a fervant, and manifefted it by taking the ♦ft Sam. XXV. 41. , r r . • n • u- place 01 a lervant m walhing his lervants' feet, who he taught. Ex- cept they were waihed, they had no part in him. ■ Q. Why u)a% the feet only wafied ? A. Jefus Chrift gave Peter the anfwer, He that is wafhed, needeth not, fave to wafh his feet, but is clean every whit ; the tempter was Gen. uL 15. ^^ bruife the heel, the human na- ture ; And when the pfalmift,fpeak- ing in the perfon of Jefus, as en- ?lalm xUx. 5 compafTed with our tranfgreflions, calls them the iniquities of my heels, the head of every man not needing Avafhinff, being holy, harmlefs and Q. What further inJlru6lions have Tve herein ? A. That nothing but his wafliing can cleanfe us. " If I wafli thee not, thou haft no part iti me." Our de- filement is fo deep, that neither our tears, repentance, reformation, nor Zech. xlii. t. ^"7 "Works of our own, can ever » ' wafh it away ; nothing fhort of the fountain A SHORT CATECHISM, &c, 337 fountain opened in Chrift Jefus to purify from iin and uncleannefs. Q. Why is the Chrijiian falutation Jo oj ten enjoined on the firji churches^ called HOLY. «* Greet ye one another •with a HOLY kifs" ^°I^' ^vi. 16. . y -'r 1 r rL I Cor. xvi. jo. A. It may refer to that pertect ad cor. xiii, 12. holinefs that is made manifeft in the embrace of mercy and truth, righte- oufnefs and ppace in Chrift Jefus ; and to that purity wath which the difciples of Chrift ought to falute one another, as partakers therein, p^-^j^^ ixxxv. to* and to diftinguifh it from all others. Q. How is it to be dijlinguijhed from all others ? A. As the giving a cup of cold Markix. 4i' water in the name of a difciple is diftinguifhed from the giving one merely from civil courtefy, viz. be- caufe ye belong to Chrift, it is re- fpedto Chrift, andto his difciples for his fake, that diftinguiftics ; which refpeft being exercifed about the boundlefs grace of the Gofpel,may be called love ; and when this falu- tation is performed from love to ' Chrift, and his difciples for his fake, it may be called, in the language of Peter, " The kifs of charity." ' ^^^^''^' '♦' Q. How is that direBion in James V. 14, to be under flood,, that Jpeaks of anointing thejick with oil, m the name of the Lord ? A. It appears to have refpeft to jniniculous healing; the prayer of hithf/iall fave the fick, even the faith that Paul perceived in the im- Afta xlv, 9. U u potent 338 A SHORT CATECHISM, Sec. potent man at Lyftra, who had faith to be healed ; and it is mentioned with calling out devils, as what was Mark vi. jj. done by miraculous power. Q. What is prayer ? Rom. viii. ^6. , ^' ^^^X^^ ^^ ^" ofFering up of Kph. vi. i8. thole defires to God, for things agreeable to his will, that are excit- ed in us by his Spirit, in the name of Chrift,with confeffion of our fins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies. Q. What rule hath God given for our direUion in prayer ? ,, . A. Every part of the fcripture is Matt. VI, 9—15, ^rr.jo. • u. •* or uie to direct us in prayer, but the fpecial rule of direftion is that form of prayer which Chrift taught his difciples, commonly called the Lord's prayer^ Q. As there are different appre- henfons in the minds of Chrijiians about the Lord's prayer^ fome fup- poji^ig it was defgned only for the uft of the difciples during the days of his humiliation^ and had its accomplifh- Tiient in the death, refarre^ion and, afcenfon of Chrifi, and the gift of the Holy Ghojl ; who take notice of this prayer by giving thanks, that thy kingdom is come, and thy will is done in Chrijl Jcfus, and that we have this G of pel-day our daily bread^ ^c. Others look upon it as a form fiilltobe ufed by C hr if s difciples : Mow then is it a rule of direUion in prayer ? A. It A SHORT CATECHISM, ^c. 33^ ' A. Itisarule ofdire£lionto both, to pstttern after ; for thofe that be- lieve it was fulfilled in Chrift, muft ^eb. ii. ?. know that while we fee not yet all things put under him, there are yet glorious things to be accomplifhed concerning his kingdom, until the feventh angel foundethjand the king- doms of this world become the king- doms of our Lord and of his Chrift, and he ftiall reign forever and ever, ^^' ^^' '^' And thofe who conftantly ufe this form, muft know that Jcfus hath glorified the Father's name, that his kingdom come, or was made fully manifeft, after the Holy Ghoft was given on the day of Pentecoft, his will bcingdoneinhim;thereforeitis necelTary that the ufe of this prayer Ihould be with underftanding ; and to each fentiment, it is a rule of "'' direftion in prayer. Q. What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach us ? A. The preface of the Lord's prayer, which is, " Our Father who art in Heaven," teaches us, in union with Jefus Chrift, to draw near to Gal. iv. 6. God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us, and that wc fhould pray with and for others. Q. Hoiv are the feveral petitions to he ufed as our dire^ion in pray- er ? - A. Every thing we are direfted t© pray for, in the Scriptures, is comprehended ^40 A SHORT eATECHISMj Sec. comprehended in the glory of the Divine Name, the advancement of his kingdom, and his will being done in earth as it is in Heaven, in our being fupplied with daily Phill.iv.fi. bread, by being enabled daily to feed on the bread of life, trufting in, and looking to him for the ne- ceffary fupport of the outward man ; the forgivenefs of trefpaffes, from ^ . him who hath power to forgive fins, * '* " ° and our being bleffed in him, with an ability to forgive thofe that tref- pafs againft us, being kept from temptation, and delivered from tlu evil one, may comprehend all wr are direfted to pray for. Q. What doth the coT^cluJion ol the Lord's grayer teach us ? A. By the conclufion of the Matt.vi. x$. Lord's prayer, which is, " For thine is the kingdom, the power, and glo- ry, for ever. Amen," We are taught r to take our encouragement in pray-. ^, , .. er from God only, and in our Obadiahai. prayers to praile him, afcribmg, kingdom, power and glory to him;; and in teftimony of our defires and affurance to be heard, we fay, Ameri. APPENDIX. !K APPENDIX. W HILE the law difpenfation lafted, JeFus Chrift, who was made under it, is faid, to make and baptize more difciples than John, tliough Jefus him- lelf baptized Aot, but *Az5 difciples; John hearing this, faith, He muft increafe, but I mud decreafe, in- timating, that his baptilm was to go out by decreafe, and that the baptifm, that was to take place after the afcenfion of Chrift, muft increafe, which was the baptifm of the Holy Ghoft : which Jefus told his difciples to tarry at Jerufalem for ; and while they were there afiembled, the Holy Ghoft came upon them ; and according to his proniife to them, that he ftiould take of mine, and fliew it unto you, they received a clear underftanding of the doclrine of Chrift, and power to be his witncftcs at Jerufalem ; and as many as gladly received the word, were bap- tized ; if by gladly receiving tlie word, is to be iinderftood, a clear underftanding of the truth of the Ap.oftles doftrinc, fo as to gain full credit in their minds, enabling them to count all things lofs for the excellency oFthis knowledge, their minds being im- merfed in the doftrine of Chrift, they were baptized with the Holy Ghoft ; which was the baptifm the Apoftles and believers were tarrying at Jerufalem for, according to the direction given them by jefus Chrift before his afcenfion; and when we conilder three thoufand were added in one day, it is difticult to conceive that fo many could in one day be bap- tized with water. It * A learned a^ed perfon has affured me that he had in his youth an ancient Greek Teflament (the lols of which lie kniented) in whidi this pafTaoe is thkis reiid, *♦ Tnoush Jefus Uiiiilelf baptized not, but diicipled,'* 342 APPENDIX. It is true, v;e have two pafTages that exprefsly fpeak of baptizing with water after the afcenfion, viz. Phil- lip b;!ptizing the Eunuch, and Peter at CorneHus's houfe : and it alfo feems probable that Paul baptized Crifpus and Gaius, and the houfehouldof Stephanus, with water ; but he thanked God that he baptized no other ', (which makes it very likely that the difciples Paul found at Ephefus were not baptized with water by him ; if they had been, it would make a greater number than he had fpoken of, for the men were a- bout tweive, who, when they heard, were baptized in the name of the Lord Jefus :) For, faith he, Chrift fent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gofpel. It is probable, he might not at firft fo fully underftand Lis commiilion, as John's baptifm was to go out by decreafe, the like may be faid of Peter, who, though he faid at the houfe of Cornelius,* Who can forbid water that thefe fliould not be baptized, who have re- ceived the Holy Ghoft, yet after, in one of his epif- tles, faith, baptifm doth now fave us, not the putting away the filth of the flelh, (which is ail water can do) but the anfwer of a good confcience towards God, by the refurreftion of Chrift. However, thofe who think themfelves bound to*.; praBice water baptifm, muft know, if they do it un- derftandingly, that it can be no more than a vifiblc profeffion of chriftianity, and they ought to beware of the error that puts it in the place of Chrift Jefus, as neceflkry to falvation, w^hich has fo far prevailed, as to caufe parents to mourn as without hope, if any thing prevented the baptizing of a child before its death, who would have had no anxiety if the child had been baptized, as if the falvation by Jefus Chrift was incomplete, till finiihed by the aBions of his crea- tures. But * In ^he fame Greek Teftament this pafTage is thus read, '* Can any man difpute about water baptifm, feeing thefe have received the Holy Ghoft as well as we, and he commanded them to be enrolled among the difciples.'» APPENDIX. 343 But it may be faid,falvation appears conneftedwith baptifm, in Mark xvi. i6, "He that believeth, and is baptized, fliall be faved ; and he that believeth not Ihall be damned." If this is underftood of the bap- tifm of Christ, it is eafy and plain to conceive, that when the mind is baptized in the do6lrine of Christ, and finds full reft in his perfeft work and facrifice, as witneffed by his refurreftion, as its complete and on- ly falvation, or finds the anfwer of a good confcience toward God by the refurreftion of Christ, that it is freed or faved, from the fearful expe6lation of the curfe of the law, juftly due as a tranfgreflbr ; while he that believeth not, remains under that fenfe of condemnation, which cannot be removed but by the belief of the Gofpel, CONCLUSIOxN- wfmtM CONCLUSION. IxOUIRiNG for the meaning of the apoftlc h\ the exhortationj Let a man examine himfelf, and fo let him eat of that hread, and drink of that cup — I find the apoftle in the tenth chapter of the firft of Corinthians, taking notice of the Ifraehtes who were baptized into MofcvS, in the cloud, and in the fea, and did all cat the fame fpiritual meat, and did all drink of the fame fpiritual drink, for they drank of that fpi- ritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Chrift. But with many of them God was not well pleafed, for they were overthrown in the wildernef;, and mentions them as our example, to the intent we fhould not luft after evil things, as they alfo lufted ; and when he had gone over thofe things which proved their overthrow in the wildernefs, he fays, " Where- fore, my beloved, flee from idolatry ; the cup of blefling which we blefs, is it not the communion of the blood of Chrift ; the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Chrift ; for we be- ing many, are one bread, and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread ;" as if an attendance on the Lord's-fupper, in its native fimpHcity, was a moft efficacious call from idolatry, and from every fpecies of the above-mentioned errors of the children of Ifrael. Being all partakers of that one bread, why fhould it not fatisfy, and fave us from murmuring un- detevery difpenfation of providence? why fhould we tempt Chrift ? being difcouraged becaufe of the way, by loathing what he provides for us, (who is our manna, our daily bread ;) the realizing that we are one bread, and of the one body, that our bodies arc the temples of the Holy Ghoft, fliould ever excite us CONCLUSION. 345 V's to fiee fornication, and not to take the members of Chrift and join them to a harlot; and that finglcnefs towards Chrift, which partaking of the Lord's-fupper \vc are called to, which calls us oif from idolatry, for, faith the Apoftle, ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of the devils ; ye cannot bepartakersof the Lord's table and the tables of the devils. This com- pared with the rebuke he gives to the Corinthians, in the next chapter, for their condu6l when they came together ; for one taking before another his own fupper, and one is hungry and another is drunk- en, looks as if they had fiid into theirformer praClices in their ftate of Gentilifm (that was then in pratlice among the Gentiles) and called it the Lord's flipper. Even as the feait made to the golden calf, was by Aaron called a feaft to the Lord, when the people fat down to eat and drink, and rofeup to play. The Apoflle t«ils them, this is not to eat the Lord's fupper : for which condu6t he could not praife them ; and then to call them off from fuch conduQ., carries their minds to an attention to it, as he had received of the Lord, which he backs with the confideration, that whoever eats and drinks unv/orthily, eateth and drink- eth judgment to himfelf, or felf-condemnation, being condemned of himfelf for not judging a right of the Lord's body ; for which caufe many are weak arid fickly among you, and many flecp. It is eafy to con- ceive of excefs in eating and drinking, together with felfcondenmation arifing therefrom, bringing on weaknefs and ficknefs, &c. Therefore, let a man examine himfelf, and fo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cnp. Now when we confider the apoRle in the midft of thefe things, of which we have taken notice ; fay I .would have you knov/, that the head of every man is Chrift, wc are taught, if the head of f very man is Chrift, then the whole human nature are taken into him, were drawn to him» when he was lifted up, and he W w tafted 346 C O N C L U S I O N. tailed death for every man, isthis my encouragement, as the ground of my acceptance, upon a level with the vilcd ? Or have I fome preference on account of fomething perfonal that encourages me to eat before another my own fupper ? this is not to eat the Lord's fupper ; for in that we being many, are one bread and one body ; all former difference between the fe- veral grains of wheat being loft in one bread, fo all diftin&ion is loft in Chrift Jefus, he being all in all. Our encouragement being exclufively from him, pro- duces the higheft fenfe of our obUgation to yield our- felves, with all our hearts, to him ; which is what ev- ery one that attends on the Lord's fupper, with un- derftanding, is fenfible of. Or, on the other hand, do I, for want of a fenfe of the complete fulnefs that is in Chrift, wifli for fome other excellency, wifti to be like fome other whom I efteem, as if I fliould then have an encour- agement which I could not find exclufively in Chrift, and come to look for it there, in order to make one of that body, and to partake in the one bread. The Apoftle fays, we are one body, and one bread, for we are all partakers of that one bread. Further, we may inquire, do I underftand the ob- ligation, that partaking in the bread and cup, I con- fidcr myfelf voluntarily under, to flee every fpecies of departure from the Lord, or the tendency of that finglenefs towards Chrift,- with which I fhould par- take in the Lords fupper, to caufe me to beware of every of thofe things, which occafioned the overthrow of the children of Ifrael in the wildernefs. Thefe thoughts being perfued, m order to find an anfwer to the queftion, what is a man to examine himfelf about, in order to partaking of the Lords fupper? Are here inferted, that any one may judge of the propriety of the anfwer to that queftion, and thofe confequent upon it. SECTION SECTION XI. The Right and Wrong way, with their T£Nden- CY and Effects. L HERE often arifes much perplexity of mind from different apprehenfions of feveral texts of i'crip- ture, and various cxpofitions of them by writers and preachers, who often run counter, not only to each other, but fometimcs appear inconfiftent with them- felves, fo that in attending to them, the mind is ready to figh out a widi, O that I knew the right way. It is a ihort, but a comprehenfive ejaculation. In order to treat of it diftin6tly, it may be ufeful to fay, Fir(t. There is the way of our acceptance with God. Second4y. The way of our peace. Thirdly. The way of our duty, or the way in which we ought to walk ; thefe are all conne8ed, but for clearer underftanding, may be confidered diflin6lly. Firft, For the way of our acceptance with God, Jefus Chrift hath told us, / am the xvay , and the apoftle tells us, He hath viade us accepted in the be- loved. Take fpecial notice of the fingle fyllable m, and it will tend to help the undcrflanding of the paf- fage : It is not faid he hath made us accepted for the fake of the beloved, but in the beloved; if we are accepted in him, we are in him. The human nature, is confidered in the firft Adam, as their head in the tranfgreffion ; he being the figure of him that was to come, they are confidered in the fubftance of that figure : For as in Adam all die, fo in Chrift fliall all be made alive, ift o^ Corinth, xv. 22. The apoftle again 348 The RIGHT and WRONG WAY. again makes it even in Romans v. 22, As Jin reigned unto deaih, even Jo might grace reign (hroi'gk rightt- Cufnefs^ unto eternal life by Jejus Chriji our Lord. The head of every man is Chrift, the human na- ture is conficlered in union with him, as members in the head, as branches in the vine, or as the marriage- union, Thy maker is thy hu/hand, the Lord of hojis is. his name, the God of the whole earth faaU he be called. In vew of this union, we underftand the particle m» lie hath made us accepted in the beloved, which agrees with the gofpel preached to Abraham, In thy feed piall all thefavulies of the earth be blejfed. With the Ixxii pfalm, Men fliall be bleffed in him. With the prophet Jeremiah, The nations Jhall blefs them- f elves in him, and in hini^Jliall they glory. The pro- phet Ifaiah faith, The Lord laid on him the iniquities of Its all, and he appeared to put them away by the facrifice of himfelf. The apoftle Peter faith, He bear our fins in his own body to the tree. The a^wftJe Paul faith. He died for our offences, and rofe again for our juflification. Hence we arefaid^o be juftified in him, ift of Corinth, vi. 11, and as we flood in need of fan£lification in our ftate of pollution, as well as to be juftified from guilt and condemnation, Jefus Chrift is made to us of God fan&;ification. So the apoftle fpeaks of being fanBifed IN Chrifl Jefiis. When we refleci on any fpiritual bleffings we enjoy or hope for, we are led to blefs the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath bleffed us with all fpirit- ual bleffmgs in heavenly things in Chrifl Jefus ; and if that expreflion fhould caft the eye of our mind back to the fountain from whence they flow, the following words will dire6l: the mind to the center — According as he hath chofen us in hivi before the foundation of the world. We are faid to be chofen in him, to be gathered together in him ; rooted and built up in himj made to fit to- gether The right and, WROMG WAY. 349 getber 'n\ heavenly places, in Chrijl Jefiis. Siuing is a. porturc of reft,- where we might paufe to reflect on the exceeding riches of grace herein made maniiell. TUele confiderations may fervc to excite us to look for acceptance, juftilication, fanclification, and all Ipiritual blefliugs, where they are, and not in our- felvcs where they are not ; which would be to fcek the living among the dead. What has been offered may help to an underftand- ing of the woids of our Lord and Saviour, who fays^ / am the zuay, no inan co-meth to the Father hut by me. 'Tis what is called by the prophet, the old path, the good zvay, referring to the gofpel preached to Adam, in the feed of the woman; to Abraham hi thy feed Ihall all the nations cf the earth be blcfled. The way made known to Mofes and the children of Ifrael in all the lipcii and facrifice^i, under titat difpenfation, pointing to, and centering in, Chrill Jefus, called, by the Pfalmilt, the way everlafting, bccaufe the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Ja- cob, is his name Jor ever, and his memorial to all genera/ions. When Jefus, the way, is made manifeft,the Apoftle calls it the nezv and living way, the way to the holiejl of all, by the blood of Jefus : Thus you have an^ at- tempt to point out the fcripture account of the right way of our acceptance with God. Objeftion. Doth not the fcripture fpeak of re- pentance, faith and obedience, as neceffary to, fal- vation. / For anfwer, I would fay, I conceive repentance to be an alteration of mind ; upon the manifeftation of a truth that was hid before, as v.hen John preached,, repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and jefus began to preach, and to fay, Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand, they preached to the Jews who were in expcBation that the Meffiah fhould have 350 The RIGHT and WRONG WAY. have an earthly kingdom, and fliould deliver them from the Romans, under whom they were in bondage; they are called to alter their minds, it was the king- dom of Heaven that was at hand. After the death and refurreftion of Chrift, we have no account of the Apoftles repeating the fame exprclfions, the kingdom was come, and repentance, and remijlion of fins, were to be preached in his name. To ufe a fimilitude — Suppofe a traveller to have loft his way, and yet knew it not, and had progreffed far in a wrong way, fliould he be overtaken by a faithful, flulful guide, that was able to convince him that he was wrong, had loft his way ; and to fhew him the right way, confequent on this he would turn, un- doubtedly grievingjiehad been fo long loft, and had gone fo far out of the way. Now it is natural for the v^hildren of men univer- fally to fuppofe that fomething muft be v/rought in in them, or done by them, in order to their accep- tance with God. Wherewithal fliall I come be- fore the Lord, is the univerfal inquiry of every thoughtful mind, if they are convinced that burnt offerings, calves, rivers of oil, yea, even the firft born, will not atone for tranfgreftion, nor the fruit of the body for the fin of the foul : Yet they arc ready to think, if I had true repentance, then I fhould be ac- cepted for Chrift's fake. And the inquiry is, how fhall I get it, how fiiall I exercife it, how fliall I know it is fincerejhow indeed ! until Jefus is known as the way. When the mind is thus loft, looking for acceptance in or from himfelf in a greater or lefs degree, it will never come to full reft in the fincerity and up- rightnefs of his own repentance. What lack I yet? will ftill diftrefs the mind, and fometimes prevail to that degree that is defcribed, Job xxxiii. 19, He is chaftened with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of The right and WRONG WAY. 351 of his bones with (Irong pain ; fo that his life abhor- reth bread, and his foul dainty meat ; his flefli is con- fumed away, that it cannot be fcen, and his bones that were not feen, ftick out ; yea, his foul draweth near to the grave, and his life to the deOiroyer. Tjie following words appear to fliew the eife6l of the good news of the Gofpel : — If there be a mcffenger, an interpreter, one of a thoufand, to fliew to man his uprightnefs, (namely the uprightnefs of Jefus Chrift made manifeli by the Holy Spirit, who Jefus Chrill promifed to fend to teftify of him, for the fcripture tells us there is none upright among men) then he is gracious unto him, and laith deliver him, for I have found a ranfoni. The fatisfadion of mind confequent hereupon, is manifefted in the following words. His flefh (hall- be frelher than a child's, he (hall return to the days of his youth — he fiiall pray unto God, and he will be gracious unto him, and he fliall fee his face with joy. Thus have I written of Jefus Chrift as the way ; and of our being accepted in the beloved,' as knowing we fhall always progrefs in the way of felf- righteoufnefs, until we are led into the new and living way. The like maybe faid of faith ; for how fhall they believe on him, of whom they have not heard : It is a fruitlefs bufinefs to labour to work faith in our hearts, and excrcife it, and evidence it by obedience while we are ignorant of the truth to be believed, and the evidence of it. Therefore have I written of the truth to be believ- ed, vizi that he hath made us accepted in the belov- ed, that Jefus is the way; if this can be evidenced to the mnid to be a certain truth from the fcriptures, can the perfon help believing it, and is it poflible for all the labour oTthe mind, with all the alfiflance of others, to produce faith, unlefs the gofpel is thui evidenced to be true. Thcr? 352 The RIGHT and WRONG WA'/. There arifes another objeftion to what hath beffl faid, concerning our being accepted in the belovedc The Apoftle Peter, when he went to Cornelius, faid, I perceive that God is no refpeQor of perHjus ; but in every nation, he that feareth God and work-^ eth righteouinefs is accepted of him. For anfwer it may be inquired, who Is he that feareth God, and worketh righieoufnefs ; was it Cor- nelius or Jefus Chrilt ? it may be faid, that the three men who were fent to Peter, called Cornelius a juft man, and one that feareth God : That was their opin- ion of him, and teftimony concerning him. But the teRimony of the fcripture concerning all man- kind is, they are all under fin, there is none righ- teous, no, not one ; there is no fear of God before their eyes, therefore Peter appears to have refpeft to Jefus Chrift, as he that feareth God, and worketh righteoufnefs, the fame of whom ,the Pfalmifl: fpeaks in the 112th Pfalm, Blefled is the man that feareth the Lord. (The man is the fmgular.) This will ap- pear, ift. From the end for which Corneliu. and fatisfaftion of our minds; X X perhaps 354 The RIGHT and WROJvG WAY. perhaps this fcripture text has been thus perverted as much as any other portion, of fcripture. Let u* look of the paffage : Nicodemus fays, We know that thou art a teacher fentJromGcd^ or proceeding from God . Forncmancan do theJe miracles that ihou doj}^ except Gcd be zu-th him* Jefiisanfwered and faid unto him except feme one were born from above be cannot fee tlie king- dom of God, as it is read in the Greek Te [lament the words, A man and again, are not there, therefore it appears that jefus Chrift is fpeaking of himlelf a» if he had faid, you are fo far right, Nicodemus, in faying I am a teacher, proceeding from (Tod, for no man can do thefe miracles, except God be with him ; for except fuch a one were born from, above, he can- not fee the kingdom of God. Here arifes a queftion, What is the kingdom of God ? Let the apofile an- fwer. He faith the kingdom of God is righteoufneis, peace and joy in the Holy Ghoft. Now where can this be feen in any man born after the flefh ? The current teflimony of fcripture is, that there is none righteous, no, not one; they are all gone out of the way ; there is none upright among men. Hence ex- cept fome one be born from above, he cannot lee tht; kingdom of God. As righteoufnefs, fo peace is ex- clufively in him, for the work of righteoufnefs is peace^ and the eff'eB of righteoifnefs is guictuifmfsy and ajfurance fof ever. Hence Jefus Chlift fays — My peace 1 give unfo you, in /he worU ye fJjnll have trilulation, hut in me ye fliall have p< ace. — And . the apoftles preached peace by Jefus Chrjl. Hence the fpirit that Jefus Chrift promifcd was to tePufy of him, not to fpeak of himfelf, or of his own work in the hearts of men, perfuadingthem that they.are bom again, that they have a new nature, an inwrouj^ht principle of grace and holinefs in themiei \ es, which makes them not like other men ; but he fJi all glorify mc, he /hall take of mine and Jhew it unto you : For faith the apoftle, No man can fay that fffus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghofl, Nicodem.us The right and WRONG WAY. 35^ Nicodemus not underftanding our Lord, fpeaking of liimfelf, faith, How can a man be born when be i$ o'd, can he enter the fecond time into his mother'* wc! lib and be born. Jefus aniwered, Verily verily t Jay unto thte^ except fame one he born of water and of th- if rit he cannot tnttr into the kingdom of God. When {efus went to John to be baptized of him, he fa id to John, Thus it become! h us to fulfil all rights' oifatfs; and when he was baptized, went up Jlraight' way out of the wa'er, and lo the heavens were opened unto him, and he faw the fpirit of God defcending like ,« dov, a,ad I ght ng upon him ; and lo a voice from h(avfn,faying., this is my beloved fon in whom I am well plcafd. This was the truth he heard of God, con- firming to him the prophefyinlfaiah xlii.i, Preparing him for his fading and temptations in the wilderneXs, and for ins public miniftry. That wh.ch is bornof the flefh is fiejh, and that that is born of the [pint, is fpirit : That Jeius was born of «hc fpirit is evident from what was faid to Mary, in anfwer to her inquiry, how fhall thefe things be, fee- ing I know not a man ; the angel anfwered and faid unto her, the holy Ghofl fhall come upon thee, and the power of /he highefl fhall overpiadoto thee^ therefore alfo that holy thing ihatfliall be born of thee, fhall he called the Son of God, this is the holy one born from above. John faith, verfe 31, He that com eth from above, is above all, he that comcth from Heaven is above all, and Jcfus Chrift faith again in Johnviii.23. I am from above, 'tis the fame word that is tranflated again in the 3d verfe. Objection. But it is faid, verfe 7th,marvel not that I faid unto you, ye (in the plural) muft be born again. For anfwer it may be remembered that the Apof- lle faith, the head of every man is Chrift, he is called the fecond Adam, the Lord from Heaven ; and the head is not without the members, nor the members witiioul the head -, cither in birth, life, death, refur- icftion, 35^ The RIGHT and WRONG WAY. re6lion, or afcenfion : The Apofile faitli, we arc his wurkmar.liiip, o^eated m Chrijl Jejus^ when there-. - fore we look for the new birth in ourielvcs, the voice •.behind us points us to Chrift Jefus, faying, this is the way. If we would look for marks, compare John i. 12, 13, with ift of John, v. 1, and we have the Apofto- lick account of this matter, He that bditvcth that jfefus is the Chrijl is born of God. The Spirit blowcth where it li/hth, and thou hear- ' ejl the found thereof^ hut canji not tell whence it Com- eth^ nor whether it goeth ; Jo is every one that is born of the Spirit, the word, that is, is not in the Greek Teftament; fo is every one born of tlie Spirit. Nicodemus anfwered and f aid unto him, how can theft; ^hi7igs be ? Jefus anfwered, art thou a viafler in Ifrael,and hiowefi not thefe things ? As if he hadfaid, do not you, that are a teacher in Ifrael, know that part of Ifaiah's prophefy that is uiliered in with a note of attention, Behold ! Behold a virgin fliall conceive and bear a fon, and thou Ihall call his name Imanuel, or do you not recoiled the other prophe- fy of the fame prophet, unto us a child is born, unto MS a fon is given, whole name is the wonderful coun^ feller, the mighty God, the everlafting Father, the Prince of peace, with the prophefy of Mica, but thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou belittle among the thoulands of )udah, out of thee fliall he come forth to me, to be ruler in Ifrael, whofe going forth hav? been from of oid, from everlafting. Verily, verih I fay unto thee, we fpeak that we do 'know, and tcjify that which we havefeen, and ye receive not our witnff ; if I have told you earthly things, and _ye believe not,how Jliall ye believe, if I tell you of heaven- ly things. If I have ufed a fimilitude from earthly •things to fpeak of my being born from above,andye believe not, how ihall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly The right and WRONG WAY. 357 heavenly things. In what follows, to the end of the 21ft verfe, where the account of the converfatioa with Nicodemus clofes, unlcfs you believe me to be born iVom above, how can ye believe me to be the antitype of the brazen ferpent or the Saviour of the world. Viewing this paffage as teilifying of Chrift, there appears a connexion between Nicodemus's addrefs and our Saviour's anfwer to him, the whole pointing to himfelf as tb^ world's Saviour, agreeable to the iapoftles expreffion, to the praife of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the be- loved. Is there not an objection arifing from what has been faid to Cain, If thou dnji wellj /halt thou not be accepiid ; but if thou dofi not well, Jin liith at the door. For anfwer, it may be faid, that Abel offi^red the jfirilling of the flock, and (/t the fat thereof, pointing to the one facrifice, the Lamb of God, that taketli away the fin of the world. The apoftle fays, by faiih Abel offered a more acceptable facrifice than Cain, which Ihew that he looked to be accepted in the be- loved. Cain being very wroth that his oiTcring was not accepted, which is mentioned before Abel's, was thus anfwercd, and in that anfwer the gofpel appears to be preached to him. If thou doft not well, lin lieth at the door : If we inquire who is the door, Jefus him- felf gives the anfwer, I am the door, by me if any man enter,he (liall be faved(any man not excluding Cain.) The paffage goes on, and his defire (viz. the defire of Jefus the door) fhall be unto thee, and thou fhalt rule over him. Chrift's defire was unto Cain, though the fame fpirit that influenced Cain, ruled over him, or prevailed to put him to death ; his Chrift Jefus, revealed in the fcriptures; and as man cannot be profitable to God, we can render him nct» things but thankfgiving; therefore he hath dire6ted us to manifeft our gratitude to him, by our conduct one to another. Hence it is emphatically included in what is called the new commandment, that ye love one another . WP* y^...^ .^ 'S^r^^ jf^~ ■ £.%^ \ )t' J.. ■^ , .^ \