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 Presented by&:&r\. 0\.C\. \J\^OQC\V[\a\\ 
 
 I y^'''\ / i Division 
 
 Section 
 
A COM P END 
 
 OF 
 
 BIBLE TRUTH. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF rUBLICATION. 
 
 1845. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 
 1845, by A. W. Mitchell, M. I)., in the oflice of llie 
 Clerk of the District Court for tlie Eastern District of 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 PRINTED BY 
 WILLIAM S, MARTIEN. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Being of God 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Holy Scriptures 8 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Creation ' 20 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 Providence of God 26 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Man's Primeval State 34 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 Fall of Man 42 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 Covenant of Grace 53 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Incarnation 6G 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Atonement 74 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Resurrection and Ascension of Christ 84 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Oflices of Christ 89 
 
IV CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 CHArTER xir. 
 
 Justification 96 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Regeneration and Conversion 109 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Repentance and Faith 117 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Sanctification 121 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Good Works 131 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 The Sacraments 142 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Baptism 148 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 The Lord's Supper 153 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 Death 160 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 Resurrection 165 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 Judgment 168 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Heaven 173 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Hell 180 
 
COMPEND OF BIBLE TRUTH. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 BEING OF GOD. 
 
 Of all conceptions of the human mind, 
 the idea of God is the most sublime. It 
 is not only sublime, but awful. Every 
 thing else appears diminutive while the 
 mind is occupied with this thought. 
 Though the idea of an eternal and in- 
 finite being is too great for the grasp 
 of the human intellect, yet it is suited to 
 the human mind. It fills it, and produces 
 a feeling of reverence, which is felt to 
 be a right emotion. If there is no such 
 being, this is the grandest illusion which 
 ever possessed the imagination of man. 
 1 
 
2 BEING OP GOD* 
 
 If it be an error, then error is preferable to 
 truth; for on this supposition, truth in its 
 whole compass has nothing, in grandeur, 
 to compare with illusion. Remove this 
 idea and the mind is confounded with an 
 infinite blank. Deprived of this, the in- 
 tellect has no object to fill it : it is con- 
 founded and distressed with the retrospect 
 of the past, and prospect of the future. 
 But it cannot be, that this noblest of all 
 conceptions of the human mind should 
 be false : the capacity of the soul of man 
 to form such a conception is a proof of 
 the existence of a great and good and 
 intelligent First Cause. 
 
 God has not left himself without a 
 witness of his being and his perfections. 
 It may well be doubted whether the evi- 
 dence of a divine existence, the author of 
 all things, could be clearer and stronger 
 than it is. A display of exquisite skill 
 in every organized body around us is far 
 better evidence than any extraordinary 
 appearance, however glorious, or the ut- 
 
BEING OF GOD. 3 
 
 tering of any voice, however tremendous. 
 Such miraculous phenomena would in- 
 deed powerfully excite and astonish the 
 mind, and would be a certain proof of 
 the existence of a superior being ; but 
 would, in reality, add nothing to the force 
 of the evidence which we already possess, 
 in the innumerable curiously and wisely 
 organized animal bodies by which we 
 are surrounded. And if we were confined 
 to the examination of our own constitu- 
 tion of mind and body, the innumerable 
 instances of manifest wisdom in the con- 
 trivance of the several parts, their exact 
 adaptation to one another, and their 
 wonderful correspondence with the ele- 
 ments of the external world without us ; 
 if any man surveys the structure of the 
 human body, its bones and joints, its 
 blood vessels and muscles, its heart and 
 stomach, its nerves and glands, and all 
 these parts put into harmonious action 
 by a vital power, the source of which is 
 not understood — if he surveys the adap- 
 
4 BEING OF GOD. 
 
 tation of light to the eye, of air to the 
 ear and to the lungs, and of food to the 
 stomachs of different animals, and no- 
 tices the exact correspondence between 
 the appetites of animals and the power of 
 their stomachs to digest that food and 
 that only which is craved by their ap- 
 petites respectively, and considers what 
 wonderful provision has been made for 
 the preservation and defence of every 
 species ; how much wisdom in their cover- 
 ing, instruments of motion and defence ; 
 in the propagation of their respective spe- 
 cies, and the nourishment of their young 
 — I say, if any man's mind is so con- 
 structed as to see all these things, and 
 yet remain sceptical respecting the ex- 
 istence of an intelligent cause, the con- 
 clusion must be that such a mind is des- 
 titute of I'eason, or has not the capacity 
 of discerning evidence and feeling its 
 force. 
 
 In prosecuting the argument from the 
 evident appearance of wisdom in the 
 
EEIJfG OF GOD. O 
 
 Structure of animal and vegetable bodies 
 it is not necessary to multiply these cu- 
 mulative proofs ; for as one watch, or 
 one telescope would prove the existence 
 of a skilful artist, so the careful exami- 
 nation of a few specimens of animal o^ 
 vegetable organization will satisfy the 
 mind, as well as the minute survey of 
 thousands of similar organizations. The 
 attempts of ingenious and scientific men 
 to account for these appearances, so evi- 
 dently indicative of design, without the 
 supposition of an intelligent Creator, are 
 so replete with folly, that we cannot but 
 think such men abandoned of God to 
 believe a lie, because they liked not to 
 retain the knowledge of God in their 
 thoughts ; so that it is still true, that it 
 is the fool who hath said in heart, " there 
 is no God." 
 
 If all other arguments for the being of 
 God were wanting, the truth might be 
 inferred with strong probability from our 
 
6 BEING OF GOD. 
 
 moral feelings. Every man feels himself 
 bound by a moral law; he cannot but see 
 the difference between right and wrong 
 in many actions. The former he feels 
 to be obligatory to be done, the latter not. 
 Whence this binding internal law, so 
 deeply engraven on the heart of every 
 man, that he cannot escape from the feel- 
 ing of its obligation? Does it not clearly 
 intimate that there is a Lawgiver who 
 has provided a witness of his right in 
 every bosom? Where there is a moral 
 law there must be a moral governor. 
 As long as conscience exists in the breasts 
 of men, athei-m cannot prevail long. In 
 the tumult of the passions, in the glare 
 of false reasonings, God may for a while 
 be forgotten and his very being denied; 
 but, ere long, these moral feelings will 
 bring men back to the acknowledgment 
 of their Creator. There is good reason 
 to think that the preservation of some 
 religion among all nations is more owing 
 
BEING OF GOD. 
 
 to their moral constitution than to any 
 reasoning on the suhject. We need 
 not fear, therefore, that atheism will 
 ever prevail very generally, or continue 
 long. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 The Bible is made up of many books 
 written through a period of more than 
 fifteen hundred years, by men who pro- 
 fessed to have received their doctrines 
 from God, and to have committed them 
 to writing by his direction. These Scrip-, 
 tures then, must contain a revelation from 
 God, or be a vile imposture. On the lat- 
 ter supposition it is marvellous, that the 
 same purpose of deception should be kept 
 for so long a period by a succession of 
 impostors, all agreeing in the same sen- 
 timents, and that the cheat should never 
 have been discovered. 
 
 Again, when we examine the moral 
 character and tendency of these books, 
 it is unaccountable that, throughout, they 
 
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 9 
 
 should inculcate a sublimer theology and 
 purer morality than any other books in 
 the world; that they should condemn 
 every species of vice, and especially, that 
 they should severely reprobate all false- 
 hood, deceit, and fraud; thus in almost 
 every page writing their own condemna- 
 tion. As it cannot be explained what 
 could have made wicked impostors wish 
 to inculcate such doctrines ; so it is con- 
 trary to all experience, that men of ha- 
 bitually corrupt minds should be able to 
 conceive or write discourses of so much 
 moral purity and surpassing excellence. 
 Read the sermons of Christ. Peruse the 
 epistles of the apostles, and try to believe 
 that these discourses proceeded from 
 men steeped in corrupt principles and 
 fraud. We are ready at once to say — im- 
 possible. When we see lio;ht, we know 
 that it must have proceeded from a lumi- 
 nous body. When we see wisdom in 
 creation, we know that there exists a be- 
 ing of incomparable wisdom ; and when 
 
10 THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 we read a book of extraordinary power 
 of argument, or replete with sublime im- 
 agery, we are sure that such works are 
 the product of gified minds. What shall 
 we think then, when we behold in the 
 Scriptures moral excellence shining forth 
 in the purest and most comprehensive 
 precepts, and embodied in bright exam- 
 ples of consistent piety and virtue ? The 
 character of Jesus Christ, as portrayed 
 by the evangelists, is itself a moral phe- 
 nomenon, which cannot be accounted for 
 on any other supposition than that the 
 writers were inspired. It is easy in 
 words to ascribe exalted virtues to a hero, 
 and to exaggerate his excellences by 
 heaping up pompous epithets; but to de- 
 scribe a character of perfect virtue by 
 merely relating what he said and did, 
 and to place him often in circumstances 
 where it is not only difficult to do right, 
 but when an extraordinary wisdom is 
 requisite to determine what is right, is not 
 easy. But in this way has the charac- 
 
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 11 
 
 t 
 
 ter of Jesus Christ been delineated by the 
 evangelists, without one word of eulogy. 
 And let it be remarked, that they were 
 unlearned men, who had enjoyed none 
 of the advantages of a liberal education. 
 Let any number of common, uneducated 
 men undertake to write a history of some 
 eminent person, and what would be the 
 result, even if their intentions were ho- 
 nest? No honest inquirer can read the 
 Pentateuch, and fail to rise from the pe- 
 rusal, astonished at the wisdom, the ma- 
 jesty, the purity, and the simplicity of 
 the composition. Is it possible then that 
 the five books of Moses are a base 
 forgery ? Could an impostor have per- 
 suaded a whole nation to adopt a burden- 
 some and expensive code of laws, if he 
 had not been able to give undoubted evi- 
 dence of his divine mission? And could 
 he have so deluded a whole nation as to 
 induce them to believe that they saw the 
 miraculous judgments of God poured out 
 on the Egyptians, that they saw the sea 
 
12 THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 divided at the word of Moses, that they 
 actually marched through an arm of the 
 sea as on dry land, and that ihey had 
 been fed with manna, rained from the 
 clouds for forty years, and had seen the 
 water gushing from the dry rock, upon 
 the touch of the wonder working-rod, if 
 no such events had ever occurred ? The 
 history of these miracles is so interwoven 
 with the common events, and with the 
 religious institutions of the Jews, that 
 they cannot be separated. 
 
 Let the sceptic tell us what motive 
 could have induced any wicked impostor 
 to write the book of Psalms ? Here we 
 have, not merely sublime poetic imagery, 
 but a spirit of fervent elevated devotion, 
 to which there is no parallel in all the 
 heathen writings. He must have been 
 a strange impostor, that could compose 
 such songs, or could have felt any plea^ 
 sure in such elevated, spiritual exercises 
 Can the deist now produce any com- 
 
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 13 
 
 positions which will bear a comparison 
 with these ? 
 
 Again, read the book of Proverbs. Do 
 you see any marks of imposture here? 
 Do we not find concentrated here more 
 useful maxims of prudence and political 
 economy, and more excellent moral pre- 
 cepts than can be gathered from all the 
 sages of the pagan world ? 
 
 But, it may be alleged, that men differ 
 in their tasles respecting the internal ex- 
 cellence of literary compositions; and 
 that in a matter of so great importance 
 we ought to possess some more decisive 
 evidence of divine inspiration. Well, 
 what will be considered sufficient evidence 
 that God has made to men a revelation 
 of his will? Will it be satisfactory, if 
 they who profess to be inspired are ena- 
 bled to do works which are far above the 
 power of man, and which require the 
 Almighty power of God? No one will 
 doubt that if God give his attestation to 
 any declaration, it should be received as 
 
14 THE HOLY SCRIPTUEES. 
 
 true, for " He is not a man that he 
 should lie." If then, the apostles actually- 
 wrought miracles in the name of Jesus, 
 and in confirmation of their doctrine, it 
 cannot be denied that they were inspired. 
 That such miracles were actually wrought 
 openly and in the presence of watchful 
 and bitter enemies is a matter of record. 
 The four evangelists have testified in the 
 gospels, that Christ gave sight to the 
 blind, hearing to the deaf, health to the 
 sick, sound limbs to the cripple, and that 
 in several instances, before a multitude 
 of people, he raised the dead. They tes- 
 tify, that after his crucifixion he rose 
 from the dead; and that forty days after 
 his crucifixion he sent down, as he had 
 promised, the Holy Spirit on the apos- 
 tles, bestowing upon them and others 
 various miraculous gifts, which Paul 
 publicly testifies were common in the 
 churches. The truth of Christianity then 
 rests on this single point. Is the testimony 
 of these miracles true, or a mere fable? 
 
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 15 
 
 That the gospels were written near the 
 time when these things were done is ca- 
 pable of the fullest proof. Indeed, had 
 not these facts been credited fully by the 
 first disciples, they never would have 
 submitted to such sacrifices, and exposed 
 themselves to such dangers. All earthly 
 considerations weighed heavily on the 
 other side. Every convert to Christianity 
 is, therefore, a witness of the truth of 
 these miracles ; for they had every mo- 
 tive to examine into the truth, and the 
 facts were of such a nature that they 
 could not have been deceived. 
 
 It does indeed require strong evidence 
 to satisfy the mind that there has been a 
 departure from the common course of 
 nature; but testimony may be so strong 
 that it would be unreasonable to doubt of 
 the miracles which it is brought to attest. 
 It is admitted that there have often been 
 false witnesses, and that we may be de- 
 ceived by trusting to insufficient testimo- 
 ny; but, we know, also, that in many 
 
16 THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 cases our faith in testimony is as strong 
 as in those things which have passed be- 
 fore our eyes. The point of examination 
 then is, whether it is more probable that 
 the testimony is false, or that a mira- 
 cle has been wrought. If many persons, 
 without any motive to deceive, and with- 
 out previous concert, agree and stand to 
 it in the midst of threatenings and suffer- 
 ings, that they have witnessed miracles, 
 it would be folly to disbelieve. And, 
 especially, if such events followed in such 
 immediate and continued succession as 
 can only be accounted for by supposing 
 the miracles to have been performed, the 
 evidence may arise to such a degree of 
 certainty as to assure us that we are not 
 deceived. Now, the conversion of the 
 civilized world to Christianity can never 
 be accounted for on any supposition but 
 the truth of the miracles and supernatu- 
 ral influence accompanying the gospel. 
 And the whole train of succeeding events 
 
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 17 
 
 goes to corroborate the truth of the evan- 
 gelical history. 
 
 Another incontrovertible evidence of 
 the truth of Christianity is the salutary^ 
 effects which it has produced in the world. 
 The conversion and reformation of sin- 
 ners has been a standing proof of the 
 divine origin of the Bible; and this evi- 
 dence is not confined to ancient days. 
 Blessed be God, clear and striking in- 
 stances of the reformation of wicked 
 men have occurred under our own ob- 
 servation. And the gospel has produced 
 in our own times such a remarkable 
 change in the moral and civil condition 
 of some of the most ignorant, degraded, 
 and vicious tribes of heathen, that if 
 there were no other evidence of its truth 
 this would go far to satisfy an honest 
 mind. Can any reasonable man believe 
 that preaching a cunningly devised fable 
 would turn men from their sins, to which 
 they had been long habituated ? 
 2 
 
18 THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 Hundreds and thousands, also, in 
 Christian lands can testify that the truth 
 of God has produced a powerful and 
 salutary effect on their own minds, con- 
 vincing them of their sin and danger, 
 and exciting in them trust in Christ, which 
 has enkindled their love, and brought 
 sweet peace into their troubled breasts. 
 And we see, continually, the power of 
 the gospel to afford consolation in afflic- 
 tion and to buoy up the soul with assured 
 hope even in the hour of death. 
 
 But, if all the convincing proofs, above 
 mentioned, were wanting, the undeniable 
 prophecies which have been literally ful- 
 filled, are a clear demonstration of a 
 divine revelation ; for who can predict 
 distant future events but God alone? 
 The prophecies relate to the fortunes of 
 the Jewish people — to the destiny of 
 many great and proud cities and nations; 
 but the most important predictions of the 
 Old Testament relate to the Messiah, 
 
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 19 
 
 which were literally fulfilled in Jesus of 
 Nazareth. Yet no prophecy of Scripture 
 is more striking and convincing than that 
 of Christ respecting the destruction of 
 Jerusalem, and the ruin and dispersion of 
 the Jews. 
 
20 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 CKEATIOK. 
 
 The first information which the Bible 
 gives us, is of the creation of all things out 
 of nothing in the space of six days. No 
 other book gives any satisfactory account 
 of the creation of the world, or of the 
 origin of the human race. The Bible 
 does not profess to inform us when the 
 substance of the heavens and the earth, 
 was created ; but it assures us that it had 
 a beginning, and that God was its crea- 
 tor. When the time arrived for the crea- 
 tion of man upon the earth, the confused 
 and shapeless mass which was covered 
 with darkness, under the forming and 
 creative agency of the Almighty, began 
 to assume a new appearance. And the 
 effects produced were not wrought in- 
 
CREATION. 21 
 
 stantly, but day after day, for six con- 
 secutive days. On the first day, light 
 was created, for God said " Let there be 
 light, and there was light." On the 
 second day, God formed the firmament 
 or atmosphere, which separated between 
 the water in the seas, and that held sus- 
 pended in the clouds, or invisibly in the 
 air. On the third day, the waters were 
 collected into the basin prepared for them, 
 and were separated from the earth or dry 
 land, which now became visible; and on 
 this day, also, the earth was planted with 
 every kind of herb yielding seed, and tree 
 yielding fruit after their kinds respective- 
 ly, with the power of propagating their 
 species. On the fourth day, the lumina- 
 ries of heaven were formed, or then began 
 to shine upon the earth ; the sun to rule the 
 day, and the moon to rule the night ; and 
 also the stars. If it be asked how light 
 could exist and form the day, before the 
 creation of the sun, it must be acknow- 
 ledged that our knowledge of the elements 
 
22 CREATION. 
 
 of matter is very indistinct and imperfect. 
 The question proceeds on the supposition 
 that light is a substance which comes out 
 of the sun by emanation ; but it is much 
 more reasonable to believe, that light is 
 nothing more than a certain condition of 
 a widely diffused fluid, which when ex- 
 cited produces in us the sense of sight; 
 just as another fluid when agitated, by its 
 undulations produces in us the sense of 
 hearing. On this subject we assert 
 nothing; but if the theory mentioned 
 will remove the difficulty, it is a proper 
 answer to the question. But even if the 
 sun were a body of light, the substance 
 of light might have been created before 
 it was conglomerated into one great body. 
 On the fifth day the water and air were 
 replenished with living inhabitants, with 
 constitutions, instincts, and senses, exactly 
 suited to the element in which they were 
 placed. On the sixth day, the earth was 
 stocked with beasts and reptiles of every 
 species. 
 
CREATION. 23 
 
 And, finally, a council was, as it were, 
 called in heaven, when the crowning 
 work of creation was about to be pro- 
 duced; that is, the adorable Trinity de- 
 liberated, speaking after the manner of 
 man, " And God said. Let us make man 
 in our image, and after our likeness, and 
 let them have dominion over the fish of 
 the sea, and over the fowl of the air, 
 and over the cattle, and over all the earth, 
 and over every thing that creepeth on the 
 earth." 
 
 As God is a spirit, and has no bodily 
 parts, what is here said of his " image 
 and likeness" must relate to his spiritual 
 and moral nature. As man was created 
 an immortal, intelligent spirit, in this re- 
 spect he bears a resemblance to his Cre- 
 ator; but we have stronger evidence for 
 referrinsf these words to the moral imao-e 
 of God. For the apostle Paul, when 
 speaking of the renewal of man in the 
 image of God, makes it to consist in 
 " righteousness and true holiness," (Eph. 
 
24 CREATION. 
 
 iv. 24.) And, in another place, he 
 makes this image to consist in " know- 
 ledge:'' " And have put on the new man 
 which is renewed in knowledge, after the 
 image of Him that created him," in which 
 last words there is a plain reference to 
 the history of man's creation in Genesis. 
 
 But, as it was not judged to be good 
 that man should be alone, his Creator, 
 in great kindness, formed for him a suit- 
 able companion, a woman taken from 
 his own side, a help meet for him, and 
 the mother of all living. To the man 
 was given the name, Adam, the import 
 of which is " red," and to the woman the 
 name Eve, which signifies " living." 
 
 God pronounced all that he had crea- 
 ted " good," " very good." Nothing im- 
 perfect ever came from the hands of God. 
 All creatures were not made equal; and 
 in respect to constitution some are more 
 perfect than others; but every thing is 
 perfect in its kind. In creation, as far as 
 it is subjected to our view, there is a 
 
CREATION. 25 
 
 beautiful gradation of creatures from the 
 most exalted angel down to the minutest 
 atom ; and among animated creatures 
 there is a scale of perfection, according 
 to which one living creature rises above 
 another by almost insensible degrees. 
 And among the creatures there is observ- 
 able a mutual dependence of one upon 
 another ; and in the whole there is an 
 astonishing harmony; or if there should 
 be the appearance of disorder and con- 
 fusion in some things, it must be attribu- 
 ted to our ignorance; for as far as we 
 can understand the works of God, every 
 thing seems to be in its proper place, 
 and governed by laws adapted to its 
 nature. 
 
26 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PROVIDENCE OF GOD. 
 
 " The providence of God is his most 
 holy, wise, and powerful preserving and 
 governing all his creatures and all their 
 actions." 
 
 All creatures are necessarily depend- 
 ent on the Creator for their continued ex- 
 istence. If he should withdraw his sup- 
 porting hand, they would cease to be. 
 If we admit that God in wisdom made 
 the world, he had some end in view in 
 the works which, by his power, he pro- 
 duced: it is most certain, therefore, that 
 he will so direct and govern his crea- 
 tures that the end designed shall be ac- 
 complished. Being perfect in wisdom 
 and power, he is able to order all events, 
 
PROVIDENCE OF GOD. 27 * 
 
 and the actions of all creatures, in such a 
 manner as to attain the end, which he pur- 
 posed to himself in the beginning. To 
 suppose that his purpose failed of its ac- 
 comphshment, or that the actual state of 
 things in the universe, is different from the 
 original plan of the Creator, would be 
 attended with so many absurd conse- 
 quences, that the idea should not for a 
 moment be admitted. Such an opinion 
 would detract essentially from the wis- 
 dom or power of the Creator, and would 
 destroy all confidence in him as the Gov- 
 ernor of the world ; for if disconcerted 
 and disappointed in the execution of his 
 plan, in one instance, there can be no 
 security that the same will not happen 
 again and again, until every thing shall 
 fall into disorder; and that the end pro- 
 posed to himself by the Creator, will be 
 for ever frustrated. The only reason 
 which has induced any to entertain the 
 opinion that the plan of the Almighty has 
 been disconcerted, is the introduction of 
 
28 PROVIDENCE OF GOD. 
 
 sin into the world by the actions of free 
 agents. It has been assumed as a prin- 
 ciple, that God is not only not the author 
 of sin, which is true, but that, consistent- 
 ly with his holiness, he could not form a 
 purpose, that it should be permitted to 
 exist. Though the motive which has 
 led many to maintain that sin has come 
 into the world in opposition to the purpose 
 of God is good, yet the opinion is utterly 
 untenable, in consistence with the perfec- 
 tions of Jehovah. It would make it 
 necessary to believe, not only that he 
 did not design that evil should exist, but 
 that he did not foresee the event ; lor if 
 he had foreseen it, he could have pre- 
 vented it, if in no other way, yet by 
 omittino; to brins; into existence a crea- 
 ture capable of frustrating his plan ; or 
 by producing a creature who, he fore- 
 knew, would not transgress. We must 
 believe, therefore, that the purposes of 
 God cannot fail of their accomplishment, 
 and hence, that he not only foresaw, 
 
PROVIDENCE OF GOD. 29 
 
 but determined to suffer his creatures, in 
 the exercise of their freedom, to commit 
 sin. Yet this permission does not imply 
 that he was the author of sin, or that he 
 can look upon it with the least favour or 
 approbation ; for sin is ever that abomi- 
 nable thing which God hates. But he 
 permitted free agents to commit sin ; 
 that is, he did not interpose to hinder 
 them from acting as they pleased, be- 
 cause he knew that he could make the 
 existence of sin and misery, the occasion 
 of more illustriously displaying his attri- 
 butes, particularly his justice and his mer- 
 cy, than could have been done in other cir- 
 cumstances. The reason then why sin 
 was permitted to exist was, that God 
 might have an opportunity of manifest- 
 ing his own glory to all intelligent crea- 
 tures more conspicuously; which is the 
 great end of all his works and dispensa- 
 tions. The providence of God in regard 
 to sin consists, first, in his purpose to 
 permit free agents, in the exercise of 
 
30 PROVIDENCE OF GOD. 
 
 their freedom, to commit sin ; secondly, 
 in so directing and governing sinful crea- 
 tures, that their actions may be made 
 subservient to his own wise purposes; and 
 when they would not have this tendency 
 they are restrained, according to that 
 declaration in the Psalms, " He maketh 
 the wrath of man to praise him, and the 
 remainder of wrath he restraineth." The 
 Holy Scriptures constantly represent the 
 providence of God as concerned in the evil 
 actions of men, not as causing or approv- 
 ing them, but as permitting, governing, 
 and directing them, so that they may 
 promote his own glory. Thus, the envy 
 of Joseph's brethren, which led them to 
 sell him as a slave, was overruled to be 
 the occasion of preserving the whole 
 family from death. The crucifixion of 
 our Lord was by the hands of wricked 
 men, in the free indulgence of their own 
 malice, but it was nevertheless, " by the 
 determinate counsel and foreknowledge 
 of God." And the same is true of all 
 
PROVIDENCE OF GOD. 31 
 
 sinful actions ; they are hateful to God, 
 considered in their own nature, and yet 
 his providence is concerned in their per- 
 mission, and direction, so as to promote 
 a good end. The providence of God, 
 therefore, in its relation to the sins of 
 men, is most holy and wise, and does not 
 interfere in the least with man's free 
 agency. " He worketh all things ac- 
 cording to the counsel of his own will :" 
 and his " counsel it shall stand." "Is 
 there evil in the city, and I have not done 
 iti" 
 
 The providence of God extends to all 
 events, great and small. Both reason 
 and revelation teach this doctrine. For 
 if God governs the world at all, his pro- 
 vidence must extend to small things as 
 well as to great, because of the concate- 
 nation of events, according to which the 
 great often depend for their existence on 
 the small. And if reason were silent, 
 the Scriptures speak out clearly on this 
 point. " The lot is cast into the lap, but 
 
32 TROVIDENCE OF GOD. 
 
 the whole disposal thereof is of the Lord." 
 "Are not two sparrows sold for a far- 
 thing, and one of them shall not fall 
 to the ground without your Father." 
 " For the very hairs of your head are all 
 numbered." 
 
 The doctrine of a particular superin- 
 tending providence, as it is a most reason- 
 able, so is a most comfortable truth. If 
 any thing could occur without being in- 
 cluded in the plan of the divine govern- 
 ment, we never could feel that we were 
 safe. The sure ground of our trust in 
 God is, " that He works all things ac- 
 cording to the counsel of his own will." 
 When the dark and cloudy day of adver- 
 sity comes, and billow after billow rolls 
 over us, and threatens to overwhelm us, 
 our consolation is that our God rideth on 
 the whirlwind and directeth the storm. 
 We may often think with Jacob, " that 
 all these things are against us;" but 
 when we can view every event, however 
 afflictive, as the appointment of our hea- 
 
PROVIDENCE OF GOD. 33 
 
 venly Father, we can say with Eli, " It 
 is the Lord; let him do what seemeth 
 him good." It is a delightful thought 
 to the true Christian, that all events are 
 under the government of Divine Provi- 
 dence. The book of providence, the leaves 
 of which are successively unfolded day 
 after day, should be carefully studied, 
 and its indications faithfully used in 
 directing us in the path of duty. 
 
34 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 As man was created a free, moral agent, 
 it is not only true that he was capable 
 of being governed by a moral law, but 
 such a law resulted necessarily from his 
 relation to his Creator. It was his duty 
 as it was his delight to exercise love and 
 every holy affection toward that Being 
 who possessed every perfection. Al- 
 though man was perfect in holiness, be- 
 ing created in the image of God, yet he 
 was mutable, as being a creature ; for im- 
 mutability properly belongs to God only. 
 All accountable creatures are, therefore, 
 from their very condition, in a state of 
 probation, that is, they are made subject 
 
man's primeval state. 35 
 
 to a law which they are required to obey, 
 but which, in the exercise of their free- 
 dom, they may disobey. It cannot be 
 doubted that man was endowed with full 
 power to comply with all the divine re- 
 quisitions. The law demanded nothing 
 but the faithful exercise of those powers 
 and affections which belong to human 
 nature. The sum of all obedience was 
 to love the Lord his God with all his 
 heart. This was not only easy to an 
 uncorrupted nature, but his highest hap- 
 piness was connected with it. Man's 
 probation would have continued with- 
 out limit, unless God, in great conde- 
 scension and kindness, had been pleased 
 to enter into covenant with him. 
 
 The word covenant is to be understood 
 in a much more general and compre- 
 hensive sense, than the common import 
 of the English term covenant. It is a 
 solemn transaction in which God appoints 
 and establishes certain conditions on 
 which man might become partaker of 
 
36 man's primeval state. 
 
 eternal life in heaven, secure from all 
 danger of forfeiting his interest in the 
 favour of God. And as it pleased God 
 that the human kind should come into 
 the world in connexion with the first 
 man, and should proceed from him as 
 his children, it seemed good to infinite 
 wisdom to make him the federal head 
 and representative of all his posterity ; so 
 that upon his rendering perfect obedience 
 to the commandments of God, for a cer- 
 tain limited period, eternal life would be 
 secured to himself and to all his natural 
 descendants ; and on the other hand, 
 if he transgressed the law given to him, 
 that his sin should be considered as the 
 sin of the whole race; or, in other words, 
 should be so imputed to them, as that 
 they should be brought into existence in 
 the same moral condition into which he 
 should fall, and subject to the same pe- 
 nalties. And in order that there might be 
 a clear and decisive test of the obedience 
 or disobedience of man, under this cove- 
 
man's primeval state. 37 
 
 nant of works, a particular tree was se- 
 lected, called on account of its use, " the 
 tree of knowledge of good and evil." 
 Although the fruit of this tree was good 
 for food, and pleasant to the eyes, yet 
 our first parents were forbidden to eat of it, 
 or even to touch it; and thus it became a 
 precise test of obedience or disobedience. 
 
 There was also another sacramental 
 tree, called " the tree of life," the fruit 
 of which was to be used to prevent all 
 disease or tendency to death; or, more 
 probably, to be a sign and seal of eternal 
 li^e to our first parents, when their period 
 of probation should be ended, provided 
 they continued in obedience. 
 
 Man, when created out of the dust of 
 the earth, was inspired with a rational 
 and immortal soul, and placed in a pleas- 
 ant garden, planted wiih every kind of 
 trees, bearing nutricious fruits; the tem- 
 perature of which was so mild that no 
 covering for the human body was needed. 
 As he was without experience, all know- 
 
38 man's primeval state. 
 
 ledge necessary for the preservation of 
 life and the performance of duty was 
 given to him, and among these gifts was 
 that of speech, without which there could 
 have been no easy interchange of senti- 
 ments, nor any considerable progress in 
 knowledge. Man was also made lord 
 of the creation ; for God said to his newly 
 formed creature, " Have dominion over 
 the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of 
 the air, and over every living thing that 
 moveth on the earth." And in this re- 
 spect, also, man was the image of his 
 Creator. It was, therefore, left to Adam 
 to give names to every beast of the field 
 and fowl of the air ; and for this purpose 
 they were made to pass before him, " and 
 whatever Adam called every living crea- 
 ture, that was the name thereof" 
 
 It would seem from the tenor of the 
 sacred history, that God conversed freely 
 with his creature man, while he remained 
 in Paradise, either by the ministry of 
 holy angels; or, more probably, by his 
 
man's primeval state. 39 
 
 Son, assuming by anticipation the ap- 
 pearance of man. But, on points where 
 the sacred Scriptures do not speak de- 
 cisively, it is our wisdom to be silent. 
 
 Here we may contemplate the inter- 
 esting condition of our first parents. 
 They were holy and happy, and had 
 nothing to fear but sin ; yet, considering 
 the natural weakness of creatures, their 
 situation was most critical, and the ever- 
 lasting interests of unnumbered millions 
 were suspended on the fallible will of our 
 first parents. And soon, alas! all was 
 lost ! 
 
 Upon a survey of the condition in 
 which man was placed, when created, 
 there are two reflections which force 
 themselves on our minds. 
 
 1. The goodness of God to the first 
 man and to the race. He was indeed fear- 
 fully and wonderfi.illy made, as to the 
 sfructureand constitution of his body, and, 
 also, as to the intellectual endowments of 
 
40 man's primeval state. 
 
 his mind, being enriched with the noble 
 faculties of reason, memory, and imagi- 
 nation. But, above all, the goodness of 
 the Creator is manifest in stamping upon 
 the soul of man his own moral image, 
 and in communicating to him all that 
 knowledge which was requisite for the 
 performance of duty and enjoyment of 
 happiness. This goodness was also con- 
 spicuous in the external provision made 
 for the supply of all his wants, and the 
 gratification of all his innocent desires. 
 
 2. Comparing the condition of Adam 
 in innocence with that of man now, we 
 may form some idea of the greatness of 
 our loss. A withering curse has fallen 
 upon the ground itself, man has lost his 
 perfection of life and health, and has 
 forfeited his immortality. But the heavi- 
 est part of the curse has lighted on his 
 moral powers. The image of God, which 
 was his beauty and dignity, has been 
 effaced. Corruption and disorder have 
 
man's primeval state. 41 
 
 ensued ; and, in the place of happiness, 
 misery, in its multiform kinds, has seized 
 upon him. Alas! the crown has fallen 
 from his head, and the most fine gold has 
 become dim ! 
 
42 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 FALL OF 3IAN. 
 
 HoAv long our first parents continued in 
 innocence we are not informed, and it 
 would be vain to conjecture; but the 
 common opinion has been that the time 
 wns short. 
 
 Already an enemy of God existed; a 
 fhllrn spirit, who had led a multitude of 
 his fellow angels into rebellion, who were 
 cast out of their celestial habitations, but 
 had liberty, for a season, to roam about 
 the universe of God. Satan, the prince 
 of the devils, envying the happiness of 
 man, formed the design of seducing him 
 from his allegiance, and bringing him 
 into the same degraded and wretclied 
 
FALL OF MAN. 43 
 
 condition with himself. He, therefore, 
 watched his opportunity, and knowing 
 the woman to be the " weaker vessel," 
 he resolved to make his first assault on 
 her. She seems to have been curiously- 
 gazing on the beautiful fruit of the for- 
 bidden tree, when the arch-fiend, making 
 use of the body of the serpent, which 
 was the wisest of the animal tribes, and 
 had originally an erect and pleasing 
 form, " said unto the woman ; yea, 
 hath God said, ye shall not eat of every 
 tree of the garden ? And the woman 
 said unto the serpent, we may eat of the 
 fruit of the trees of the garden : but of 
 the fruit of the tree which is in the midst 
 of the garden, God hath said, ye shall 
 not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, 
 lest ye die. And the serpent said unto 
 the woman, ye shall not surely die: for 
 God doth know, that in the day ye eat 
 thereof, then your eyes shall be opened ; 
 and yp shall be as gods, knowing good 
 and evil. And when the woman saw 
 
44 FALL OF MAN. 
 
 that the tree was good for food, and that 
 it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to 
 be desired to make one wise ; she took 
 of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and 
 gave also unto her husband with her, 
 and he did eat." Here the positive com- 
 mandment of God was violated, the cove- 
 nant of life broken, and the curse of 
 death incurred, not only for himself, but 
 for all his posterity. Philosophically to 
 explain how a perfectly holy creature 
 could sin is not easy ; but as a practical 
 matter the thing is not difficult. The 
 mind of man was incapable of thinking 
 of many things at once ; to his constitu- 
 tion belong many natural desires and 
 appetites. The objects suited to these 
 might so occupy the mind, for a season, 
 as to exclude higher and nobler ideas; 
 and, in a moment of inadvertenfy, the 
 lower propensities, which act with a blind 
 force, might prevail with persons, before 
 innocent, to do an act which God had 
 forbidden; especially, when by an im- 
 
FALL OF MAN. 45 
 
 pudent falsehood the danger of the act 
 was positively denied, and when it was 
 confidently alleged that great good would 
 be the result. 
 
 Whether the man was influenced to 
 eat, by the same motives which prevail- 
 ed with the woman, is a matter of uncer- 
 tainty. Many suppose that he was led 
 by love to his wife to determine to per- 
 ish with her, rather than be forever sepa- 
 rated from her. It matters little what 
 were his motives; the fact was, that he 
 deliberately transgressed the law of God, 
 and thus involved a world in ruin. 
 
 The immediate consequences of the 
 fatal transgression were, a new set of 
 feelings, of guilt, shame, and fear, which 
 caused them to cover themselves with fig 
 leaves, and to hide themselves among the 
 thick trees of the garden ; and when 
 questioned by their Maker they attempt- 
 ed to excuse themselves, and to charge 
 their fault upon another. They were 
 now driven from the garden, and flam- 
 
46 FALL OF MAN. 
 
 ing cheriibims stationed at the entrance to 
 prevent their return. The ground was 
 cursed for their sake, and doomed hence- 
 forth to bring forth thorns and briars ; so 
 that man would have to eat his bread by 
 the sweat of his brow. The sentence of 
 death was also confirmed. " Dust thou 
 art, and unto dust thou shalt return." 
 It may be asked, how the threatening, 
 *' In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt 
 surely die," was executed, since Adam 
 continued to live upon earth for more 
 than nine hundred years? " Let God 
 be true, but every man a liar." This 
 threatening was executed, or began to be 
 executed, that very day; for, from the 
 moment of eating the forbidden fruit, he 
 became mortal; death already began to 
 work. Again, in death, as threatened 
 in the penalty, every kind of evil is in- 
 cluded. Temporal death, consisting of 
 a separation of soul and body, was not 
 the principal thing ; but spiritual death, 
 which consists in a separation from God, 
 
FALL OP MAN. 47 
 
 a loss of his favour, and image, and 
 which perpetuated, is eternal d^aih, com- 
 menced on the very day on which man 
 sinned. While man, after the fall, re- 
 tained all his physical powers of soul and 
 body, and continued still to be a moral 
 and accountable creature, he entirely lost 
 that clothing of moral excellence, which 
 was the beauty and glory of his nature. 
 He was now dead in law, and dead in 
 trespasses and sins ; and from being a 
 holy being, became totally depraved ; 
 that is, destitute of any principle of true 
 holiness; but capable of unlimited in- 
 crease in wickedness. 
 
 That the posterity of Adam " sinned 
 in him, and fell with him in his first 
 transgression," is evident from the fact 
 that they have all become mortal, and 
 are subjected to all the temporal evils 
 which fell upon him. They are all ex- 
 cluded from paradise, and are forced to 
 till the earth with the sweat of their brow, 
 which still groans under the curse, and 
 
48 FALL OF MAN. 
 
 spontaneously brings forth noxious weeds 
 instead of useful grains and fruits. Wo- 
 man is still, all over the world, subject 
 to the same pains in parturition, which 
 were threatened to Eve. But more than 
 this, men come into the world destitute 
 of that holiness, or original righteous- 
 ness, in which Adam was created. " By 
 nature all are children of wrath. All go 
 astray from their earliest years. There 
 is none that doeth good, no not one. There 
 is no fear of God before their eyes, and 
 the way of peace have they not known." 
 This state of corruption is not confined 
 to idolatrous Gentiles, but belongs also to 
 the Jews, who were in external covenant 
 with God. " All have sinned and come 
 short of the glory of God." And these 
 streams of iniquity David traces up to 
 the polluted fountain, w^hen he cries out, 
 " Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and 
 in sin did my mother conceive me." 
 
 That the universality of death in the 
 human race is owing to the transgression 
 
FALL OF 3IAN. 49 
 
 of Adam, is clearly evinced from the ex- 
 press declarations of Holy Scripture. 
 "As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall 
 all be made alive." " As by one man 
 sin entered into the world, and death by 
 sin ; so death hath passed on all men, 
 because that (or in whom) all have sin- 
 ned." " As by the disobedience of one, 
 many were made sinners." "By one 
 man's offence, death reigned by one." 
 " Through the offence of one many are 
 dead." " By the offence of one, judg- 
 ment came upon all men to condemna- 
 tion." And the facts, known by univer- 
 sal experience, are in exact accordance 
 with these declarations of the Bible. All 
 men die. And that this is on account 
 of the imputation of Adam's sin, is evi- 
 dent from this, that death reigns over 
 those who have not sinned after the si- 
 militude of Adam's transgression ; that is, 
 over infants who have not been guilty 
 of any actual violation of the law of God. 
 4 
 
50 FALL OF MAN. 
 
 Whether it was just in God to consti- 
 tute Adam the representative of all his 
 posterity, and suspend their salvation on 
 his obedience, is not a question for us to 
 discuss. Whatever God does is just, 
 and not only just but wise; and though 
 darkness may rest on this transaction, 
 this is owing to our ignorance and 
 prejudice. We need not fear that the 
 Judge of all the earth will not be able to 
 vindicate his own dispensations to the 
 whole universe. 
 
 Some have thought to evade or lessen 
 the apparent hardship of the case, by 
 denying the imputation of Adam's sin to 
 his posterity, and maintaining that chil- 
 dren were only punished for the depraved 
 nature derived from Adam. But how 
 came they to inherit this depraved na- 
 ture? Is not this the principal part of 
 the curse? And it goes a very little 
 way to relieve the mind which labours, 
 to say that infants are punished for la- 
 
FALL OF MAN. 51 
 
 tent depravity, instead of suffering for 
 the sin of Adam. 
 
 Instead of cavilling and complaining 
 of the dispensations of the Almighty, by 
 which we have become miserable sinners, 
 let us not cease to bewail the deep corrup- 
 tion of our nature ; and let us, instead of 
 perplexing ourselves with fruitless inqui- 
 ries about the principles of the divine go- 
 vernment, by which we have been involved 
 in this ruin, earnestly seek to know what 
 that gracious remedy is which God has 
 provided for our recovery. The fact is 
 certain, that we are in a depraved and 
 miserable state, and unless we are re- 
 deemed from it, we must be forever in a 
 state of degradation and misery. When 
 it is asserted, that man is totally de- 
 praved, the meaning is not that he is as 
 wicked as he is capable of being; or, 
 that all men are sinners in equal degree; 
 but, that all men are by nature destitute 
 of any principle of true holiness ; all 
 
52 FALL OF MAN. 
 
 love the creature supremely and their 
 carnal hearts are at ennnity with God, 
 and not subject unto his law, neither, in- 
 deed, can be. It is evident from what 
 has been said, that man is in a helpless 
 condition. 
 
53 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 COVENANT OF GRACE ; OR, PLAN OP 
 REDEMPTION. 
 
 In this treatise, the word " covenant" is 
 used in a wide sense, to correspond with 
 the latitude which belongs to the original 
 terms, of which this is a translation. 
 Without attempting to give a very exact, 
 or logical definition of the phrase "cove- 
 nant of grace," I would say, that by it 
 is meant the whole plan of redemption, 
 from its commencement to its consumma- 
 tion ; or, that gracious method of bestow- 
 ing salvation on elect sinners, which is 
 revealed in the holy Scriptures. 
 
 The fall of man, by which God's chief 
 work on earth was ruined, was not an 
 
64 COVENANT OF GRACE ,* 
 
 unexpected event which took the omni- 
 scient God by surprise ; nor could it dis- 
 concert that scheme which had been 
 originally conceived in the eternal mind. 
 *' Known unto God are all his works from 
 the beginning of the world," (Acts xv. 
 18.) Although God is not the author of 
 sin, and can never look upon evil but 
 with the strongest disapprobation ; yet, 
 liaving created man a free, accountable 
 creature, and having endowed him with 
 full ability to obey the law under which 
 be was placed, he chose to leave him to 
 the freedom of his own will, without ex- 
 erting any direct influence on him, either 
 to preserve him in obedience, or to cause 
 him to fall. And, although he knew that 
 man would fall into sin and ruin, yet 
 he purposed to permit this, that is, not to 
 hinder it ; because he knew that he 
 could make it the occasion of a more 
 illustrious display of his attributes, espe- 
 cially of his jus'ice and mercy, than 
 could be made under other circumstances. 
 
OK, PLAN OF REDEMPTION. 55 
 
 It is essential to just views of the 
 covenant of grace, to assume it as an 
 undoubted truth, that the condemnation 
 of mankind, under the covenant of works, 
 was just, and that the Ruler of the uni- 
 verse was not under any obligations to 
 devise any plan of recovery for fallen 
 man, any more than for fallen angels; 
 for, if it would not have been just to 
 leave men under the curse which they had 
 incurred, then that covenant or law, un- 
 der which man was placed, was not a 
 righteous constitution ; and if it would 
 not have been just to leave the human 
 race in the ruin in which they were in- 
 volved, then their deliverance would not 
 be a matter of grace, but of justice. A 
 difference of opinion may exist among 
 the orthodox, as to the kind and degree of 
 punishment to which the human race 
 would have been subjected, if the law 
 had been executed fully upon them, but 
 there can be but one opinion respecting 
 the justice of their punishment, by all 
 
56 COVENANT OF GRACE ; 
 
 who entertain correct opinions respecting 
 the character and dispensations of the 
 Governor of the universe. God was not 
 bound to provide a Redeemer; this was 
 a matter of mere grace and favour. 
 
 The origin of the covenant of grace 
 was the unparalleled, incomprehensible 
 love of God to sinners of the human race. 
 The obstacles in the way of accomplish- 
 ing the salvation of those whose death 
 was demanded by law and justice, were 
 apparently insuperable. It may be pre- 
 sumed, that if the problem, how God 
 could be just and yet justify the ungodly, 
 had been proposed to a conclave of the 
 brightest angels in heaven, they could 
 not have worked out a salvation: it 
 would have baffled their utmost intellec- 
 tual efforts. That God cannot cease to 
 treat his creatures according to the prin- 
 ciples of eternal justice is most evident ; 
 and that justice required that the sinner 
 should suffer, according to his demerit, is 
 equally evident. Where, then, is there 
 
OR, TLAIV OF REDEMPTION. 57 
 
 any toundation for hope in regard to those 
 who have once transgressed? And not 
 only the justice, but the truth of God 
 stood in the way of the sinner's salva- 
 tion. God had threatened the penalty 
 of death, interminable death; and the 
 Ruler of the universe must maintain the 
 truth of his word, as it respects his 
 threatenings as well as his promises, 
 *' God is not a man that he should lie; 
 nor the son of man, that he should re- 
 pent," (Num. xxix. 13.) But that which 
 could not be discovered by the wisdom 
 of creatures, was devised by the infinite 
 wisdom of God. In the counsels of the 
 adorable Trinity the plan was agreed 
 upon. Between the Father and the Son, 
 a transaction took place, which may 
 strictly be termed a covenant, for, speak- 
 ing after the manner of men, there were 
 mutual stipulations entered into between 
 the high contracting parties. The Father, 
 as Legislator and Governor of the uni- 
 verse, appoints the Son to the office of 
 
58 COVENANT OF GRACE; 
 
 Mediator, and, on certain conditions, 
 gives to him a chosen people, elected 
 from the common mass of fallen man, 
 " according to his own good purpose." 
 The Son willingly accepts the arduous 
 office, and engages to comply with the 
 proposed conditions; and the Holy Spirit 
 consents to perform his part in the exe- 
 cution and consummation of the glorious 
 plan. But, contriving and planning was 
 not all that was requisite ; the Mediator, 
 in order to redeem man must obey and 
 suffer in his place ; and this rendered it 
 necessary, that he should descend to 
 earth and be born of a woman, and 
 made under the law. And this stoop of 
 humiliation was not enough; the Son of 
 God must suffer and die, in the room of 
 the creature man. And, in order that 
 he might exhaust the penalty due to 
 man for sin, the Redeemer must not only 
 die, but his death must be of the most 
 bitter and accursed kind. To all this 
 he consented and covenanted on behalf 
 
OR, PLAN OF REDEMPTION. 59 
 
 of his chosen, to meet all the demands 
 of law and justice against them. 
 
 If any should ask, what evidence we 
 have of this covenant of redemption, we 
 answer, in the words of the Mediator, 
 " I appoint," or, as the original word im- 
 ports, " I give by covenant, unto you, a 
 kingdom, as the Father hath appointed 
 unto me." Luke xxii. 29. Again, " As 
 thou hast given him power over all 
 flesh, that he should give eternal life 
 to as many as thou hast given him." 
 (John xxii. 2.) " I have manifested thy 
 name unto the men which thou gavest 
 me out of ihe world; thine they were 
 and thou gavest them me," (ver. 6.) " I 
 pray for them : I pray not for the world, 
 but for them which thou gavest me," 
 (ver. 9.) " Keep through thine own name 
 those whom thou hast given me." And 
 the solemn declaration in the eighty-ninth 
 Psalm, " I have made a covenant with 
 my chosen, I have sworn unto David my 
 servant," has always, by the church, been 
 
60 COVEXANT OF GRACE,* 
 
 referred to the Messiah, to the spiritual 
 David, David's Lord, and David's Son. 
 
 But why was this salvation confined 
 to a certain favoured number, called the 
 elect of God? This doctrine of the 
 sovereignty of divine grace, has, from 
 the beginning, been offensive to human 
 reason. The selection of men, and not 
 of angels, as the object of redemption, can 
 be borne with ; but that, out of the same 
 mass, some should be taken, confessedly 
 no better than others by nature ; and that 
 many should be reprobated or left, no 
 worse than those elected, has ever been a 
 stumbling-block to multitudes ; and hence, 
 however plainly the doctrine be revealed, 
 they will not receive it ; and frequently 
 manifest great hostility to all who main- 
 tain and preach it, as did the Jews when 
 our Lord inculcated it by reference to cer- 
 tain facts in the sacred history. But 
 however offensive this doctrine is to hu- 
 man reason, since it is clearly revealed, 
 and often expressed in the word of God, 
 
OR, PLAN OF REDEMPTION. 61 
 
 we are not at liberty to relinquish or con- 
 ceal it. If God might justly have left 
 all men to perish in their sin, certainly 
 he may justly leave a part in that state 
 of ruin into which they have fallen. As 
 all men are by nature children of wrath, 
 the redemption of a part cannot alter or 
 affect the condition of the rest. Because 
 the pardoning power in the State releases 
 certain persons from the penalty of the 
 law, this does not render it unjust to 
 punish others who are under a sentence 
 of condemnation. 
 
 The justice of God in this case is 
 easily vindicated ; but it is not so easy to 
 reconcile this proceeding with his bene- 
 volence. If God could as easily have 
 saved all as a part, why did he not mani- 
 fest his goodness in doing so 1 To which 
 it may be answered that we do not know 
 the reasons of the divine conduct in this 
 matter. He, as an absolute Sovereign, 
 has a right to do as seemeth good with 
 his own. He constantly refers election 
 
62 COVENANT OF GRACE,* 
 
 to his own good pleasure, to the counsel 
 of his own will. He has infinitely good 
 reasons ; but as he has not revealed 
 them, we have no right to inquire after 
 them. 
 
 The manifestation of God's gracious 
 purpose, in the covenant of grace, began 
 to be made immediately after the fall ; 
 first, in the sentence pronounced on the 
 serpent, in which it was declared that the 
 seed of the woman should bruise the head 
 of the serpent, that is, of the old serpent, 
 which is the devil. And next by the in- 
 stitution of bloody sacrifices, and accept- 
 ing the offerings of this kind made in 
 faith, as in the case of Abel ; and by 
 various communications to the saints, 
 until the time of Abraham, with whom 
 God entered into a special covenant, and 
 to whom he made many gracious pro- 
 mises, and granted peculiar privileges to 
 his descendants, and separated the chosen 
 race from all the world, and placed the 
 seal of his covenant in their flesh. 
 
OR, PLAN OF REDEMPTION. 63 
 
 But when the seed of Jacob had grown 
 to be a great nation in Egypt, where 
 they were held in abject and cruel bon- 
 dage, God appeared unto Moses at mount 
 Horeb in the burning bush, and commis- 
 sioned him to deliver his people, and by 
 a series of wonderful miracles, to con- 
 duct them to Canaan, which land four 
 hundred years before he had promised 
 to Abraham. While in the wilderness, 
 at the foot of mount Sinai, God appeared 
 in dreadful majesty to all the people, and 
 uttered his holy law in ten command- 
 ments in the midst of thunder and light- 
 ning, and the sound of a trumpet, while 
 the whole mountain burned with fire. 
 
 The moral law was binding on man 
 by nature, but it had become so much 
 obliterated, that it became necessary to 
 republish it, that the people having the 
 true standard of duty before them, might 
 be convinced of their s'ns, and driven to 
 seek refuge in the atoning blood, so co- 
 piously shed on the Jewish altar. 
 
64 COVENAIST OF GRACE,* 
 
 Besides the moral law, which was not 
 only proclaimed by the voice of God, but 
 engraved by the finger of God on two 
 tables of stone, he gave many ritual 
 laws to be observed, instituted a priest- 
 hood, and consecrated the family of 
 Aaron to this service, and directed Moses 
 to erect a tabernacle for worship, exactly 
 according to a pattern showed him on 
 the mount, where he remained in the 
 presence of God forty days, without eat- 
 ing or drinking, at two different times. 
 All these institutions, of a ceremonial 
 kind, were intended to be a shadow of 
 good things to come. 
 
 This dispensation, administered by 
 sacrifices, by types, and prophecies, con- 
 tinued, without essential change, until it 
 was superseded by the more glorious dis- 
 pensation of the gospel, introduced after 
 the advent of the Messiah ; who being 
 the Mediator of the new covenant, and 
 having answered all the types and fulfilled 
 all the prophecies, brought that dispensa- 
 
OR, PLAN OF REDEMPTION. 65 
 
 tion to an end. And the New Testament 
 dispensation, with clearer light, greater 
 liberty, more of the spirit of adoption, and 
 a spiritual worship not confined to any- 
 particular place, nor burdened with ex- 
 ternal forms and rites. This dispensa- 
 tion, it is believed, will continue until the 
 second advent of our Lord and Saviour 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
66 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 INCARNATION. 
 
 Christ did not come into the world un- 
 til about four thousand years from the 
 creation had elapsed. By this delay it 
 clearly appeared how deep was the de- 
 pravity of fallen man, as all nations, the 
 Israelites only excepted, departed from 
 God, and lost the knowledge of his true 
 character. And having apostatized from 
 the worship and service of their Creator, 
 they universally, with the exception al- 
 ready mentioned, addicted themselves to 
 the most abominable idolatries, and to 
 every species of degrading vice. 
 
 This apostasy was not owing to any 
 
INCARNATION. 67 
 
 defect of external light, for, as Paul teach- 
 es, " that which may be known of God 
 is manifest in them, for God hath show- 
 ed it unto them. For the invisible things 
 of him, from the creation of the world, 
 are clearly seen, being understood by the 
 things that are made, even his eternal 
 godhead, so that they are without excuse. 
 Because when they knew God they glori- 
 fied him not as God, neither were they 
 thankful ; but they became vain in their 
 imaginations, and their foolish heart was 
 darkened. Professing themselves to be 
 wise, they became fools, and changed 
 the glory of the uncorruptible God into 
 an image made like to corruptible man, 
 and to birds, and four footed beasts, and 
 creeping things." It was proper that the 
 world should have the opportunity of 
 making trial of their own wisdom before 
 the device of infinite wisdom should be 
 manifested. Opportunity had also been 
 thus afforded to prepare the way for the ad- 
 vent of the Mediator, by a system of types 
 
68 INCARNATION. 
 
 and prophecies, which clearly designated 
 his person and offices, and thus furnish- 
 ed indubitable evidence of his being in- 
 deed the Christ of God. The time se- 
 lected for the advent of the Saviour was 
 also suitable, because the world was then 
 full of inhabitants ; the human mind had 
 been highly cultivated, and the intellec- 
 tual faculties had attained their utmost 
 vigour, and all the civilized world were 
 subject to one government ; and the 
 Latin and Greek lano;uao;es were un- 
 derstood through the whole extent of the 
 Roman empire. And although in the 
 previous age civil discord and desolating 
 wars disturbed the empire, all was now 
 reduced to peace under Augustus Ctesar, 
 so that a favourable opportunity was af- 
 forded for propagating the gospel among 
 the nations. Besides, the time of Mes- 
 siah's advent had been fixed in the dis- 
 tinct enunciations of prophecy. Shiloh 
 was to come before the sceptre had en- 
 tirely departed from Judah, which was 
 
INCARNATION. 69 
 
 now far on the wane. He was to till the 
 temple of Zerubbabel with his glory, 
 which was soon after this destroyed. 
 And the specified weeks of Daniel, when 
 the Messiah should be cut off, were 
 drawing to a close. The "fulness of 
 time" was therefore come, when " God 
 sent forth his Son, made of a woman, 
 made under the law, to redeem them 
 that were under the law." 
 
 It had been predicted by Isaiah, that 
 " a virgin should conceive and bring 
 forth a Son, and that his name should be 
 Emmanuel, God with us. It was also 
 foretold by the same prophet, that a 
 child should be born, who should be the 
 Mighty God. There was, therefore, a 
 general expectation among the Jews, 
 that the advent of the Messiah was at 
 hand; and this expectation was increas- 
 ed, when John the Baptist began to 
 preach in the wilderness, saying, " the 
 kingdom of heaven is at hand ;" thus ful- 
 filling the prophecy of Isaiah; "The 
 
70 INCARNATION. 
 
 voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, 
 prepare ye the way of the Lord, make 
 his paths straight;" (Isaiah xi. 5;) and 
 also the prediction of JVIalachi, " Behold, 
 I will send my Messenger, and he will 
 prepare my way before me." And 
 again, " Behold, I will send you Elijah, 
 the prophet, before the coming of the 
 great and dreadful day of the Lord." 
 (Mai. iii. 1; iv. 5.) 
 
 The place of the Messiah's birth had 
 been explicitly named by the prophet 
 Micah ; so that when the wise men from 
 the east came to Jerusalem, and inquired 
 where he was to be born, who was King 
 of the Jews, Herod, the king, called to- 
 gether a convention of all the priests and 
 scribes, to determine this question, which 
 they appear to have agreed upon unani- 
 mously, for they immediately answered, 
 " in Bethlehem of Judea," and referred 
 to the prophecy of Micah. The provi- 
 dence of God in bringing about the ful- 
 filment of this prophecy was remarkable, 
 
INCA.RNATION. 71 
 
 for Mary and her husband resided at 
 Nazareth. But it had been so ordered 
 by an imperial edict, that every person 
 should resort to the town to which 
 his family properly belonged, to be re- 
 gistered, with a view to a general taxa- 
 tion ; and thus the mother of our Lord 
 was brought to Bethlehem at the very 
 time when she was to be delivered of the 
 child, conceived in her womb by the 
 power of the Holy Spirit. And as there 
 was not found room for them in the inn, 
 the Son of God was born in a stable, and 
 laid in a manger. 
 
 This glorious event for our lost world, 
 was not suffered to take place without 
 suitable notice: for however inattentive 
 the great men of this world might be to 
 this humble, but miraculous birth, the 
 angels of God had their attention direct- 
 ed to it as the most important event 
 which had ever occurred in our world. 
 One of the heavenly host, probably Ga- 
 briel, appeared to a company of shep- 
 
72 INCARNATION. 
 
 herds in the vicinity, who were watch- 
 ing their flocks by night, and said, " Be- 
 hold, I bring you good tidings of great 
 joy, which shall be to all people, for 
 unto you is born, this day, in the city of 
 David, a Saviour, who is Christ the 
 Lord." And as soon as he had deliver- 
 ed his message, "a multitude of ihe 
 heavenly host was with the angel, prais- 
 ing God, and saying, Glory to God in 
 the highest, on earth peace, and good 
 will to men." 
 
 Until Christ was about thirty years of 
 age, he lived in retirement at Nazareth. 
 When John, his forerunner, had been for 
 some time engaged in his public minis- 
 try preaching repentance and baptizing 
 the people, Jesus came forth, and was 
 baptized in the river Jordan. Having 
 voluntarily placed himi^elf under the law, 
 it was proper that he should comply with 
 not only the moral precepts, but with 
 all the ceremonial institutions then in 
 force. For although he could not attend 
 
INCARNATION. 73 
 
 on these institutions as one who needed 
 forgiveness, or purification, or repent- 
 ance, yet as he came to take the sinner's 
 place, he obeyed all the laws then obli- 
 gatory on the people ; for in infancy, he 
 was circumcised, when grown up, he at- 
 tended the Jewish worship at the temple, 
 partook of the passover, joined in the 
 worship of the synagogue, and, as John 
 was commissioned of God to preach and 
 baptize, he submitted to his baptism, 
 though John at first forbade him ; and the 
 reason which he assigned was, " For 
 thus it becometh us lo fulfil all righteous- 
 ness." By the incarnation the divine 
 and human natures were mysteriously 
 united. "The word was made flesh, 
 and dwelt among us." " God was mani- 
 fest in the flesh." " He that was in the 
 form of God, and thought it not robbery 
 to be equal with God, made himself of 
 no reputation, but took on him the form 
 of a servant, and being found in fashion 
 as a man, he humbled himself, and be- 
 came obedient unto death." 
 
74 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE EXPIATORY SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST ,* 
 OR, THE ATONEMENT. 
 
 An atonement is that which expiates sin ; 
 which reconciles an offended party ; w hich 
 makes satisfaction for offences committed. 
 The reason why an atonement was 
 necessary, was the inflexible nature of 
 divine justice. This attribule leads the 
 Ruler of the universe to render to every 
 one his due ; to treat every one according 
 to his character. The justice of God was 
 manifested in giving to man a righteous 
 law, and annexing a penalty exactly pro- 
 portioned to the demerit of every trans- 
 gression. Such a penalty being annexed 
 to the law, it is evident that to execute it is 
 
ATONEMENT. 75 
 
 a righteous thing ; and when this penalty 
 is incurred by transgression, the Judge of 
 all the earth, acting justly, must inflict it. 
 He cannot deny himself. " He is not a 
 man that he should lie, or the son of man 
 that he should repent." If the penalty of 
 the law might be set aside in one instance, 
 it might in all, and then government would 
 be at an end. Indeed, no reason can be 
 assigned for a difference ; if one sinner 
 is exempted from punishment, the same 
 treatment should be extended to all; for, 
 in the administration of law and justice, 
 there should be uniformity ; though that 
 principle does not apply to the dispensa- 
 tion of grace. 
 
 How then can any sinner be saved ? 
 This is a problem, which we are persuaded 
 no finite intelligence could have solved. 
 But, what created wisdom could not dis- 
 cern, the wisdom of the Triune God 
 was able to accomplish. The principle 
 of an adequate atonement by a qualified 
 Surety was the one adopted. But who is 
 
76 ATONEMENT. 
 
 sufficient to make the requisite satisfac- 
 tion to law and justice ; for, upon the 
 principles already stated, such a satis- 
 faction was necessary. No mere crea- 
 ture could be the substitute ; for, beside 
 that such an one would owe obedience for 
 himself to the full extent of liis powers, 
 the actions and sufferings of a mere 
 creature could not possess that merit 
 which could be accepted, to answer the 
 demands of the law against millions. 
 Neither could any person of the God- 
 head perform the work of redemption. 
 The Deity can neither suffer nor obey. 
 This mighty difficulty can only be over- 
 come by the constitution of a person, in 
 whom both natures shall bcunited; that is, 
 by the second person in the glorious Trin- 
 ity assuming human nature into such inti- 
 mate union with himself, that the actions 
 and sufferings of this nature shall be con- 
 sidered the actions and sufferings of the 
 person of the Son of God. That such a 
 substitution was admissible depended on 
 the wisdom and will of God. Amona; men 
 
ATONEMENT. 77 
 
 there would exist strong reasons against 
 permitting the innocent to die for the 
 guilty ; but when we inquire what these 
 reasons are, we find that not one of them 
 applies to the redemption of Christ. He 
 has a complete right to dispose of him- 
 self, and the power to qualify himself for 
 the arduous work ; and by admitting the 
 substitution of Christ in the room of his 
 chosen people, no injury is sustained in 
 any quarter; for, though the Redeemer 
 must endure an inconceivable weight of 
 sorrow for a season, for this he will 
 reap a glorious and endless reward. And, 
 though the guilty escape, yet the plan 
 provides for their complete reformation; 
 and the mercy of God is illustriously 
 displayed, and placed in a li,o;ht in which 
 it never could have been, if this plan had 
 not been revealed. 
 
 And not only is mercy and condescen- 
 sion exhibited in a bright and peculiar 
 light, which gives to all the intelligent 
 creation new discoveries of the divine 
 
78 ATONEMENT. 
 
 character ; but justice, which would have 
 appeared glorious in the punishment of 
 the guilty, in exact proportion to their 
 demerit, yet shines forth with a far bright- 
 er lustre in the sufferings of the only 
 begotten Son of God, than in the condign 
 punishment of a world of guilty sinners. 
 Here, then, we see what the nature of an 
 atonement must be. It must remove 
 those obstacles which stood in the way 
 of the sinner's salvation. These arose 
 from the law and justice of God, which 
 demanded the life of the transgressor. 
 The Redeemer, therefore, must make a 
 full satisfaction to law and justice, or the 
 sinner cannot be saved. He must render 
 a meritorious obedience to ihe law which 
 men had broken, and receive the pun- 
 ishment of their sins in his own person. 
 The sufferings of Christ were, therefore, 
 of a strictly vicarious nature. *' He 
 bare our sins in his own body, on the 
 tree." " He died, the just for the unjust, 
 to bring us to God." " He was wounded 
 
ATONEMENT. 79 
 
 for our transgressions, he was bruised 
 for our iniquities." " Our iniquities were 
 laid upon him." No doubt he set us a 
 glorious example of perfect patience and 
 fortitude, in enduring so much pain and 
 ignominy ; but example was not the main 
 end of these sufferings, which would 
 place them on the same level with those 
 of other martyrs. And, it is not dispu- 
 ted, that the death of Christ is calculated 
 to produce a moral impression on all in- 
 telligent minds, but even this was not the 
 direct end of Christ's sufferings, accord- 
 ing to the Scriptures; but he died as an 
 expiatory victim, a sacrifice to satisfy 
 divine justice, an atonement for all the 
 sins of his chosen, as a ransom to re- 
 deem them for their bondage; yea, as a 
 curse, to redeem them that were under 
 the curse. And this view of the atone- 
 ment is vital to the Christian system. 
 It is plainly the doctrine of the Old as 
 well as the New Testament; and it ever 
 has been the doctrine of every sound 
 
80 ATONEMENT. 
 
 part of the Christian church; and it 
 would be easy to show that the objections 
 to it are either frivolous, or they are such 
 as subvert the gospel of Christ, and 
 bring in another gospel, which exposes 
 the abettors of it to the anathema of 
 Paul. 
 
 As to the sufferings endured by Christ 
 which are expiatory, we could say that 
 all that he endured in our nature, and in- 
 deed his whole state of humiliation, should 
 be considered as belonging to his expia- 
 tion; when he first felt the pangs inci- 
 dent to infancy, when he went about 
 from day to day, " a man of sorrows, 
 and acquainted with grief," — when re- 
 proached, slandered, and reviled — when 
 hungry, thirsty, and weary — when fill- 
 ed with grief at the hardness and per- 
 verseness of the people, which drew tears 
 from his eyes — when bathed in his own 
 blood in Gethsemane — when betrayed, 
 bound, dragged to trial — when falsely 
 
ATONEMENT. 81 
 
 accused, and condemned — when mock- 
 ed and reviled — when scourged — when 
 crowned with thorns — when fainting 
 under the cross — when nailed to the 
 tree — when exposed to the profane gaze 
 of the multitude, denuded of his garments 
 — when exhausted with pain and thirst — 
 and above all, when forsaken of God — 
 and when he breathed out his soul. And 
 after he was taken from the cross and 
 laid in the sepulchre, though he suffered 
 no positive pain, yet he was bearing the 
 curse or penalty of the law, which was 
 death. And if it be asked for whom did 
 the Redeemer bear all this, the answer 
 he has given, " I lay down my life for 
 the sheep." He loved his church and 
 gave himself for it. But his atonement, 
 considered in its intrinsic value and suit- 
 ableness, is infinite and sufficient, if ap- 
 plied, to save the whole world. 
 
 The sufferings of Christ being those of 
 a divine person, have an infinite value ; 
 6 
 
82 ATONEMENT. 
 
 it follows, therefoiv, that although the 
 punishment of the sinner was everlasting, 
 yet Christ could exhaust the penalty of 
 the law in a limited time ; that is, his 
 sufferings and death, though limited to a 
 short period, were more than an equiva- 
 lent for the eternal sufferings of those 
 for whom he laid down his life. And in 
 making this vicarious atonement, it was 
 not at all necessary that the Mediator 
 should be the subject of remorse and des- 
 pair ; for these are not essential to the 
 penalty of the law, but merely incidental, 
 arising from the circumstances and moral 
 character of the sufferer. But it was 
 necessary that our substitute should suf- 
 fer a painful and accursed death, for this 
 was specifically threatened. Some have 
 supposed that Christ endured something 
 of the torments of the damned after his 
 death, as the creed says, " he went into 
 hell," but the word hell here signifies no 
 more than the place of departed spirits. 
 
ATONEMENT. 83 
 
 Christ's sufferings were finished on the 
 cross ; and on that very day his Spirit 
 entered into paradise. It cannot be rea- 
 sonably doubted that all those for whom 
 Christ offered himself a sacrifice, will 
 eventually be saved. 
 
84 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 EESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF 
 CHRIST. 
 
 The blessed Redeemer, having been three 
 days in the grave, according to his own 
 oft repealed prediction; thai is, a part of 
 three days, which, according to the usual 
 method of computing time, was reckoned 
 for three days, rose from the dead, 
 and during forty days, which he remained 
 upon earth, he appeared a number of 
 times to his disciples, and gave them not 
 only ocular but palpable evidence of the 
 reality of his resurrection. And that 
 there might remain no doubt of his iden- 
 tity, he showed them his hands and his 
 feet, and even condescended to permit 
 
RESURRECTION, ETC. 85 
 
 them to put their fingers into the print of 
 the nails, and to thrust their hands into 
 the opening made in his side by the sol- 
 dier's spear, after his death. And, on 
 one occasion, he appeared to above five 
 hundred of his disciples convened in 
 GaUlee, on a m^ountain where he had pro- 
 mised to meet them, before his crucifix- 
 ion. As the disciples had not understood 
 his predictions respecting his death and 
 resurrection, they were very slow to be- 
 lieve even their own senses. On this ac- 
 count the risen Saviour took pains to re- 
 move every shadow of doubt, and in 
 several instances ate and drank in their 
 presence, just as before his deaih. This 
 time was also improved to give the Apos- 
 tles all needful instructions, respecting 
 their ministry, after he should leave 
 them. 
 
 At the expiration of the forty days, he 
 led his disciples out to mount Olivet, 
 near to Bethany, where he blessed them, 
 and was parted from them, and carried 
 
86 RESURRECTION AND 
 
 up to heaven, in the midst of thousands 
 of angels, according to what the Holy- 
 Ghost says in the sixty-eighth Psalm, 
 " The chariots of God are twenty thou- 
 sand, even thousands of angels. The 
 Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the 
 holy place. Thou hast ascended on 
 high, thou hast led captivity captive. 
 Thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for 
 the rebellious also, that the Lord God 
 might dwell among them ;" which pas- 
 sage Paul expressly applies to Christ. 
 (Ephes. iv. 8, 9.) 
 
 Until the time of his ascension, as far 
 as appears, Christ's body remained the 
 same as before his death; but as a gross 
 body of flesh and blood, though free from 
 every stain, is not suited to the heavenly 
 state, it is reasonable to suppose, that 
 Christ's body now underwent such a sud- 
 den change, as we are informed will pass 
 on the bodies of the saints who shall be 
 found alive upon earth, when Christ shall 
 make his second appearance. Before 
 
ASCENSION OF CHRIST. 87 
 
 his ascension he had flesh and bones, 
 which could be handled and felt ; but 
 now he assumed that glorious body in 
 which he now appears in heaven, and in 
 which every eye shall behold him, when 
 he shall appear in the clouds of heaven, 
 with all his holy angels, to judge the 
 world. 
 
 That Christ appeared, after his resur- 
 rection, in the same body which was 
 nailed to the cross, and laid in the sepul- 
 chre, is as evident from the sacred Scrip- 
 tures, as words can make it. Luke 
 gives the following explicit testimony: 
 " Jesus himself stood in the midst of them 
 and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 
 But they were terrified and affrighted, 
 and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 
 And he said unto them. Why are ye trou- 
 bled? and why do thoughts arise in your 
 hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, 
 that it is I myself. Handle me and see ; 
 for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as 
 ye see me have. And when he had 
 
83 RESURRECTION, ETC. 
 
 thus spoken, he showed them his hands 
 and his feet." And though the fact is 
 not mentioned, we may certainly infer, 
 that Christ's body underwent a change 
 before he entered heaven; for we are as- 
 sured that "flesh and blood do not in- 
 herit the kingdom of heaven ;" and as 
 this is true in regard to believers, it is 
 equally so respecting Christ. Still it is 
 the sell same body which is now in hea- 
 ven at the right hand of God, which suf- 
 fered on the cross — but , lor^tied. 
 
89 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 MEDIATORIAL OFFICES OF CHRIST. 
 
 The offices of Christ have long been 
 divided into three ; the prophetical, sa- 
 cerdotal, and regal; and this is not an 
 arbitrary distinction, but is founded in 
 the wants of men; for he who under- 
 takes to save sinners must be qualified to 
 deliver them from their ignorance, from 
 their guilt, and from their depravity; and 
 he must have power to protect them from 
 ail their enemies, and raise them from 
 death and the grave, and bring them to 
 the possession of eternal life. When 
 Christ was upon earth, most of his time, 
 during his public ministry, was spent in 
 teaching. And in the exercise of this 
 ofEce, *'He taught with authority, and 
 
90 OFFICES OF CHRIST. 
 
 not as the scribes." Even in the judg- 
 ment of his enemies, " never man spake 
 like this man." But, when about to leave 
 the world, he promised to his disciples 
 another teacher, who would remain with 
 them, and lead them into all truth, and 
 who should bring to their remembrance 
 whatever he had said to them. Thus, 
 he now exercises the office of a prophet, 
 by his word and Spirit, by which agency 
 all the children of God are taught of him ; 
 and through faith in the holy Scriptures, 
 are made wise unto salvation. By the 
 law they obtain the knowledge of sin ; 
 by the gospel they are made acquainted 
 with the only remedy ; and by the influ- 
 ence of the Holy Spirit are enabled " to 
 grow in grace, and in the knowledge of 
 the Lord Jesus Christ." As Moses pro- 
 phesied, that the Lord should raise up a 
 prophet like unto him ; that is one who 
 should be the author of a new dispensa- 
 tion ; so, the same glorious person is 
 predicted in the Psalnas, as " a priest, 
 
OFFICES OF CHRIST. 91 
 
 not after the order of Aaron, but after the 
 order of Melchizedek ; a priest who should 
 have no predecessor nor successor, but 
 should possess in himself an everlasting- 
 priesthood ; and, who by the sacrifice of 
 himself, should be able to accomplish 
 what the Levitical priests never could. 
 What they performed and exhibited in 
 shadows, he executed in substance. As 
 their sacrifices and oblations were to re- 
 move ceremonial guilt and uncleanness, 
 he, by the one offering of himself, obtain- 
 ed eternal redemption for us. And as the 
 high priest, on the great day of atone- 
 ment, after slaying the sin-offering, both 
 for himself and the people, carried the 
 blood into the most holy place, and 
 sprinkled it on the mercy seat ; so Christ, 
 the High Priest of our profession, having 
 offered himself as a sacrifice on the cross, 
 has entered into the most holy place, not 
 made with hands, where he appears be- 
 fore God, to present, as it were, the 
 " blood which clean^eth from all sin." 
 
92 OFFICES OF CHRIST. 
 
 *' For Christ is not entered into the holy 
 places, made with hands, which are the 
 figures of the true ; but into heaven itself, 
 now to appear in the presence of God for 
 us," " For by one offering he hath per- 
 fected for ever them that are sanctified," 
 (Heb. ix. 24; x. 14.) Two things belong 
 to the office of priesthood, first, oblation, 
 or the offering a sacrifice; secondly, tlie 
 sprinkling the blood, or the presentment 
 of the oblation before God. This, in 
 Scripture, is called intercession ; because, 
 on the ground of having complied with 
 the stipulated conditions in the covenant 
 of redemption, the Mediator has a right 
 to claim the deliverance of those for 
 whom he undertook. This, therefore, is 
 a very necessary part of the mediatorial 
 work. It is the moving cause of all that 
 is done in the application of the purchased 
 redemption. Therefore it is written, " that 
 he is able to save to the uttermost all that 
 come to God by him ; seeing he ever 
 liveth to make intercession for them. And 
 
OFFICES OF CHRIST. 93 
 
 here we see the reason why the true be- 
 liever never comes again into condemna- 
 tion, notwithstanding all his sins and in- 
 firmities ; because he has an Advocate 
 with the Father, who is the propitiation 
 f()r his sins. As fast as he contracts guilt 
 his sins are blotted out ; or, rather, as 
 he has the righteousness of Christ set 
 down to his account, he cannot come into 
 condemnation. " If God be for us, who 
 can be against us ?" " It is God that jus- 
 tifie'h, who is he that condemneth ? Who 
 shall lay any thin^ to the charge of God's 
 elect? Shall Christ, that died, or rather 
 is risen again, who is even at the right 
 hand of God, who also maketh interces- 
 sion for us?" 
 
 The Christian then, in all his trials, 
 under all his burdens, when tempted to 
 despond or despair, should have recourse 
 to the cros.5, and should look for comfort 
 to the prevalent intercessions of his great 
 High Priest ? 
 
 In the second Psalm it is written, " I 
 
94 OFFICES OF CHEIST. 
 
 will set my king upon my holy hill of 
 Zion." And Jesus Christ was born a 
 king. He was lineally descended from 
 David, to whose family the regal author- 
 ity was promised for ever. When Pilate 
 interrogated him. whether he was a king, 
 he did not deny it, but admitted and as- 
 serted it, saying, "Thou sayest that I 
 am a king. For this end was I born, 
 and for this cause came I into the world, 
 that I should bear witness to the truth." 
 After his resurrection, he declared to his 
 disciples, " all power in heaven, and in 
 earth, is given unto me." And we read, 
 " that angels and principalities are subject 
 to him." He is made " head over all 
 things for his church, which is his body." 
 He is therefore called " the Kin^r of kincrs 
 and Lord of lords." " For he m^ust reign 
 until he hath put all enemies under his 
 feet." In the exercise of his regal office, 
 he governs all providential events and 
 revolutions, so as to promote the ultimate 
 glory and triumph of his kingdom. He 
 
OFFICES OF CHRIST. 95 
 
 holds under restraint all those enemies, 
 who would otherwise destroy his sheep. 
 Over these he watches with a shepherd's 
 care. In the exercise of his regal office 
 he will judge the world in righteousness. 
 " We must all stand before the judgment 
 seat of Christ." " When the Son of man 
 shall come in his glory, and all the holy 
 angels with him, then shall he sit on the 
 throne of his glory. Then shall the King 
 say to those on his right hand, Come ye 
 blessed of my Father, inherit the king- 
 dom prepared for you from the founda- 
 tion of the world." 
 
96 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 Correct ideas on the subject of a sinner's 
 justification are exceedingly important; 
 because this is a cardinal point in the 
 Christian system. A mistake here will 
 be apt to extend its pernicious influence 
 to every other important doctrine. And 
 there is in human nature a strong tend- 
 ency to build on a false foundation; be- 
 cause man, when created, was placed 
 under a covenant of works ; and, by 
 nature, he knows no other way, than 
 " do and live." And human reason and 
 the dictates of conscience, urge men to 
 seek the favour of God by obeying his 
 will. If we were able to render to 
 the law such an obedience as would se- 
 
JUSTIFICATION. 97 
 
 cure justification, this would stiil be the 
 right way, and no other need be sought. 
 "If there had been a law," says Paul, 
 *' which could have given life, verily 
 righteousness (or justification) should 
 have been by the law." " But what the 
 law could not do, in that it was weak 
 through the flesh, God sending his own 
 Son in the likeness of sinfiil flesh, and 
 for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that 
 the righteousness of the law might be 
 fulfilled in us, who walk not after the 
 flesh, but after the spirit." 
 
 In most cases we should think it un- 
 necessary and inexpedient to contend 
 about the meaning of a word, when they 
 who used it explained the sense in which 
 they take it ; but, here it is exceedingly 
 important, to ascertain the scriptural 
 meaning of this word ; for this is the 
 point from which men's opinions are 
 most apt to diverge from those of divine 
 revelation. And if we put a wrong sense 
 on the word "justification," it will be 
 7 
 
98 JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 sure to favour the dangerous doctrine of 
 human merit. 
 
 We would, therefore, lay it down as a 
 truth, capable of the clearest prOof, that 
 justification, as used in Scripture, does 
 not mean any change wrought within us, 
 but a change of our relation or standing 
 under the law. As condemnation does 
 not signify the making a man wicked, 
 but declaring him guilty ; so justification, 
 which is the very opposite of^ condemna- 
 tion, does not mean the infusion of holi- 
 ness or justice into the hearts of men; 
 but, it is the sentence of a judge, declar- 
 ing that the person to whom it appertains 
 is acquitted from every charge, and stands 
 right in the view of the law. It is then 
 the act of the Judge of the universe, by 
 which it is declared, that all condemna- 
 tion is removed, and that the sinful man 
 is accepted as righteous in the eye of the 
 law. It is evident, that there can be no 
 justification by any law, unless the per- 
 son accused can plead a perfect right- 
 
JUSTIFICATION. 99 
 
 eousness; for if he has sinned but once, 
 that one sin will prevent his justification 
 as certainly as a thousand. After Adam 
 had committed the first sin, it was im- 
 possible he should ever be justified by 
 his own works. And thus the word is 
 used in regard to human laws. If a man 
 is arraigned before any just tribunal, and 
 it is proved that he has committed one 
 felonious act, the judge cannot justify 
 him. And hence, it appears evident to 
 reason, and the same thing is repeatedly 
 and emphatically taught in Scripture, 
 " that by the deeds of the law no man 
 can be justified in the sight of God." 
 And the reason simply is, that no man's 
 obedience to the law is perfect. The 
 idea entertained by some, that a sinner's 
 imperfect obedience may be the ground 
 of justification, is, therefore, evidently 
 absurd. And the opinion, that the moral 
 law is changed, and so relaxed as to be 
 level to the capacity of sinful creatures, 
 is false, and unscriptural, and tends to 
 
100 JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 introduce another gospel, entirely sub- 
 versive of the true system of salvation. 
 Man's sincere obedience, though imper- 
 fect, may be an evidence that he is in 
 a justified state, but never can be the 
 ground of the sentence of the Judge. 
 
 The question then returns, "How can 
 any man be just with God, since all have 
 sinned and come short of the glory of 
 God?" To which we answer, " That a 
 man under the gospel is justified by faith, - 
 without the deeds of the law ; that is, he 
 is justified by the perfect righteousness 
 of Christ received by faith. This right- 
 eousness is imputed to the believing 
 sinner; that is, God treats him as if he 
 himself had wrought it out. 
 
 God, the Judge, views the sinner, con- 
 sidered in his own character, as he is, 
 chargeable with innumerable transgres- 
 sions of his holy law: but, when this 
 ungodly man truly believes and becomes 
 united to Christ, he imputes to him the 
 perfect righteousness of his Surety, who 
 
JUSTIFICATION. 101 
 
 has in his stead, obeyed the precept and 
 suffered the penalty of the law; and 
 thus rendered a complete satisfaction to 
 both law and justice. He can, therefore, 
 be just, while he justifies the ungodly; 
 for the sentence is not pronounced on 
 the ground of any righteousness which 
 the believing sinner has of his own, but 
 entirely on the ground of the perfect 
 righteousness of the Mediator, which is 
 accepted, as though it had been rendered 
 by himself And in this transaction 
 there is no erroneous judgment ; for the 
 Judge sees every thing as it is, and par- 
 dons the sinner and accepts his person, 
 because he is seen "not having on his 
 own righteousness, which is of the law, 
 but the righteousness which is of the faith 
 of Christ; even the righteousness which 
 is of God by faith." 
 
 Some are willing to admit that the 
 forgiveness of sin is on account of the 
 atonement of Christ; but they are strong- 
 ly opposed to the idea, that Christ's actual 
 
102 JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 obedience to the law should be the ground 
 of the believer's being adjudged to eternal 
 life. But, if this be excluded, then the be- 
 liever's own obedience raust be the ground 
 on which he receives life. But, here again, 
 its imperfection renders it impossible that 
 it should entitle him to any reward, much 
 less to the reward of eternal life. The 
 Scriptures, however, settle this dispute. 
 Paul says, " As by the disobedience of 
 one many were made sinners; so by the 
 obedience of one shall many be made 
 righteous." Christ is, by the prophet, 
 emphatically called, " The Lord our 
 
 RIGHTEOUSNESS." 
 
 This is charged upon the Jews as 
 their fatal mistake, " That they went 
 about to establish a righteousness of 
 their own, and did not submit unto the 
 righteousness of God." And it is then 
 df^clared, that " Christ is the end of the 
 law for righteousness to every one that 
 belie veth " 
 
 As it is said, " that faith is imputed 
 
JUSTIFICATION. 103 
 
 for righteousness ;" many have adopted 
 the opinion, that the act of faith is gra- 
 ciously accepted, instead of a legal right- 
 eousness. But this would be inconsistent 
 with the scope of the apostle, whose main 
 object is to show, that justification is en- 
 tirely gratuitous, on account of Christ's 
 merit ; but faith is as much our act and 
 our work, as any thing else; and, if a 
 man is justified by his own faith, then 
 boasting is no more excluded, than when 
 he seeks justification by many good acts. 
 Besides, the Judge of all cannot declare, 
 that the mere act of faith answers all the 
 demands of the law. Therefore, when 
 it is said, that faith is imputed for right- 
 eousness, it must relate to the object of 
 faith, even the perfect righteousness of 
 Christ. If a condemned criminal should 
 be pardoned by his prince, on account of 
 the intercession of his own son, when 
 the pardon is offered, the man gladly 
 accepts it ; this act of acceptance may 
 be said to save him from death ; but, 
 
104 JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 the true ground of his deliverance is the 
 intercession of the prince. In this way, 
 as a mere instrument, faith justifies the 
 sinner, and is imputed for righteousness, 
 because it lays hold of and appropriates 
 the righteousness of God, by which the 
 law of God has been completely satisfied. 
 Othei^, considering faith as the root of 
 every Christian virtue, and the spring of 
 all good works, adopt the opinion, that to 
 be justified by faith is the same as to be 
 justified by our whole evangelical obedi- 
 ence, and that the works excluded by 
 Paul, are either ceremonial observances, 
 or " dead works," not proceeding from 
 faith. To this theory the same objection 
 lies, as has been already urged ; namely, 
 that this righteousness is imperfect, and 
 no imperfect righteousness can justify. 
 And another objection, which is fatal to 
 this theory, is, that the sinner is justified 
 completely when he first believes, "There 
 is no condemnation to them that are in 
 Christ Jesus." "Being justified freely by 
 
JUSTIFICATION. 105 
 
 his grace," "being justified by faith." 
 But, if evangehcal obedience is the ground 
 of justification, no man can be justified in 
 this life, for he will be engaged in working 
 out this righteousness all his life. This 
 consequence being inevitable,* a learned 
 commentator maintains, that there is no 
 justification till the day of judgment. 
 
 There is nothing more difficult than to 
 bring men off from dependence, in some 
 form, on their own righteousness. There- 
 fore, the advocates of human merit, and 
 justification by works, have seized with 
 avidity upon the words of the apostle 
 James, who declares that a man is justified 
 by works and not by faith alone. If he 
 used the words "faith and justification" 
 in the same sense as that in which they 
 are used by Paul, there would be a flat 
 contradiction between these two apostles. 
 Thus Luther viewed the matter at first, 
 and, therefore, for a while, rejected the 
 epistle of James. But, when the scope 
 of this apostle is considered, and the 
 
106 JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 whole discourse impartially considered 
 it will be found, that in doctrine he and 
 Paul did not disagree, though they em- 
 ploy the terms mentioned in a somewhat 
 different sense. James was engaged in 
 refuting the opinion of certain professors, 
 who held that all that was necessary to 
 justification was a speculative assent to 
 the truth. He shows that such a faith, 
 being dead, could not justify. His doc- 
 trineis,that a living, operative faith, is ne- 
 cessary; and, that our faith must be shown 
 by our works; and this is the same thing 
 which Paul taught. Moreover, he uses the 
 word justification, in the passage referred 
 to, not for a sinner's acceptance with God 
 at first, but by it he means that which 
 showed his sincerity; those good works 
 which the saints perform justify them in 
 the eyes of men; and this is evident 
 from the example of Abraham, for he 
 asks. Was not Abraham justified by 
 works, when he offered up his son? But 
 the pious act of offering up Isaac took 
 
JUSTIFICATION. 107 
 
 place many years after God had accept- 
 ed Abraham, and entered into covenant 
 with him. This act, therefore, could not 
 have been the ground of his justification 
 in the sight of God ; but it justified the 
 sincerity of his profession, and showed 
 that he was indeed a true believer. These 
 apostles, therefore, do not differ, but es- 
 sentially agree in their doctrine. 
 
 By an impartial consideration of all 
 the schemes of justification which have 
 been devised, there is none which gives 
 due honour to the divine law, except that 
 which represents the righteousness of 
 Christ imputed and received by faith as 
 the only ground of a sinner's pardon and 
 acceptance. And, if God could have 
 been just, and could have justified the 
 sinner on any other ground, the whole 
 Mediatorial work of Christ might have 
 been dispensed with. 
 
 A common objection to this doctrine 
 of gratuitous justification is, that it tends 
 to negligence and licentiousness. This 
 
108 JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 objection is as old as the time of Paul, 
 for he states it distinctly and answers it 
 effectiially. "Do we make void the law 
 through faith, nay we establish the law." 
 " Shall we continue in sin that grace may 
 abound? God forbid! how shall we that 
 are dead to sin live any longer therein?" 
 The faith which justifies, works by love 
 and purifies the heart, therefore, the jus- 
 tified person cannot be negligent of good 
 works. And, if an appeal be made to 
 facts, it will be found that those who 
 maintain this doctrine are not deficient 
 in obedience. 
 
109 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 REGENERATION AND CONVERSION. 
 
 The necessity of a change of moral 
 character in man arises from the fact, 
 that by nature all men are "dead in 
 trespasses and sins," and, therefore, if 
 any of the human race are ever saved, 
 they must be regenerated; for, even if 
 a man could be justified and yet remain 
 under the power of sin, he could not be 
 happy, because sin contains in itself the 
 seeds of misery, and such an one would 
 certainly be incapable of participating in 
 the joys of heaven, which require a holy 
 nature to perceive or relish them. There- 
 fore, our Lord said to Nicodemus, " ex- 
 cept a man be born again he cannot see 
 the kinn;dom of God." 
 
110 EEGENERATION 
 
 It is not necessary to be very exact in 
 distinguishing between regeneration and 
 conversion, especially as the Scriptures 
 appear to speak of both together. But, 
 it may not be amiss to remark, that re- 
 generation, which is the communication 
 of spiritual life, is the act of God ; con- 
 version, which is a turning from sin to 
 God, is an act, in consequence of the 
 divine influence exerted on our minds. 
 
 That God is the author of regeneration 
 is evident from Scripture, and from the 
 nature of the case. The same power that 
 " caused light to shine out of darkness 
 must shine into our hearts, to give us the 
 light of the knowledge of God." " Who 
 are born, not of blood, nor of the will of 
 the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of 
 God." And, as this work in the economy 
 of salvation belongs to the Holy Spirit, it 
 is said, " Except a man be born of water 
 and the Spirit, he cannot see the king- 
 dom of God." That man cannot regen- 
 erate himself is too evident to need a re- 
 
AND CONVERSION, 111 
 
 mark. Life, in all cases, is the gift of 
 God. If spiritual life be extinct in man, 
 none but the power of God is adequate 
 to rekindle it. It would be as reasonable 
 to suppose that the human body, when 
 deprived of animal life, could restore 
 itself to activity and animation, as that 
 a soul dead in sin should be able to per- 
 form the acts which appertain to spiritual 
 life. 
 
 It is said that we are " born again by the 
 word of God, which liveth and abideth 
 for ever," and, that God, of his own will, 
 "begets us again by the word of truth." 
 But the word, in this case, must be con- 
 sidered as an instrument in the hands of 
 the Spirit; it can have no saving efficacy 
 without a divine energy accompanying 
 it. But, how is the word a means of 
 regeneration? To this two answers may 
 be given, accordingly as we use the word 
 regeneration in a stricter or wider sense. 
 As the operation of God in the commu- 
 nication of life to the soul is an instan- 
 
112 REGENERATION 
 
 taneous act, there is no place for any 
 instrumentality in producing the effect; 
 and, as the word only produces a saving 
 effect, when the heart is prepared by 
 grace, the word is the means of re- 
 generation only as God has connected 
 the influences of the Spirit with the 
 preaching and reading of the word. But, 
 if we take the new birth in a wider sense, 
 to include not merely the operation of 
 God on the soul, but also the effects pro- 
 duced in the chano-ed views, and feelinss 
 of the soul, then we can easily under- 
 stand how the word is a means of giving 
 knowledge to the mind, and of exciting 
 those exercises and affections, in which 
 the spiritual life essentially consists. The 
 word, alone, can never generate a true 
 faith; but, when the Spirit of God has 
 operated on the blind mind, the glorious 
 truths of the gospel begin to appear in 
 their true light, and become the object 
 of a saving faith. So, also, when the 
 beauty of holiness is perceived by means 
 
AND CONVERSION. 113 
 
 of the word, love is excited; and, when 
 sin is viewed as exhibited in the word of 
 God, as odious and abominable, true re- 
 pentance is enkindled; and thus of every 
 other exercise of the renewed nature. It 
 may, therefore, be truly said, that in 
 every act of the spiritual life, the word of 
 truth is concerned; it presents the proper 
 object and supplies the persuasive motive. 
 Indeed, if the mind were in a state free 
 from blindness and corruption, the mere 
 objective presentation of the truth, with- 
 out any supernatural influences, would 
 bring into exercise all holy acts and 
 affections. 
 
 In regeneration there is no new faculty 
 created, understanding by the word fa- 
 culty some constituent power of the soul; 
 for, as by the fall man did not cease to 
 be a moral agent, but retained all the 
 faculties which belonged to him as man ; 
 so in regeneration, no new faculty is pro- 
 duced. The loss was not of any physi- 
 cal power, but of the moral excellence 
 8 
 
114 REGENERATION 
 
 in which man was created. The same 
 soul may be in ignorance or filled with 
 knowledge ; actuated by holy desires and 
 affections, or the contrary. The moral 
 character is a kind of clothing of the 
 soul, which may be essentially changed, 
 while the essence of the soul, and its 
 natural faculties remain unchanged. 
 
 Although Almighty power is exerted 
 in the regeneration of a sinner, yet man 
 is only conscious of the effects, as they 
 appear in the exercises of the renewed 
 mind. And as the end accomplished in 
 this change is the partial restoration of 
 the lost image of God, or " knowledge 
 and true holiness," the evidences of re- 
 generation are the same as the evidences 
 of a holy nature. And as spiritual or 
 holy exercises are specifically different 
 from all others, there would be no diffi- 
 culty in discerning the characteristics of 
 piety in ourselves, were it not for the 
 feebleness of these exercises and the sad 
 mixture of feelings of an opposite nature. 
 
AND CONVERSION. 115 
 
 The best way, therefore, to obtain a com- 
 fortable assurance, that we are regene- 
 rated is, to press on with assiduity and 
 alacrity in the divine life. That which 
 is obscure in itself will not become clear 
 by poring over it ever so long; but, if we 
 emerge from our darkness, and come 
 forth into the light, we shall be able to 
 discern clearly, what was before involv- 
 ed in obscurity. If we would know 
 whether our faith and love and hope are 
 genuine, we must seek to bring these 
 graces into lively exercise, and then we 
 cannot avoid perceiving their true charac- 
 ter. But as faith is really the apprehen- 
 sion and reception of offered mercy, it is 
 by directly believing in Christ, or actu- 
 ally rolling our burdens on him, that we 
 experience peace and confidence. Where 
 a good work is begun, it will be carried 
 on. None but they who persevere to the 
 end shall be saved. In concluding this 
 article, we may adopt the language of 
 the beloved disciple, " Behold what man- 
 
116 REGENERATION, ETC. 
 
 ner of love the Father hath bestowed 
 upon us, that we should be called the 
 sons of God ! Beloved, now are we the 
 sons of God; and it doth not yet appear 
 what we shall be; but we know that 
 when he shall appear, we shall be like 
 him; for we shall see him as he is." 
 
117 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD AND FAITH 
 IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 Paul gives " repentance toward God and 
 faith in our Lord Jesus Christ," as a 
 summary of his preaching, during his 
 two years' ministry at Ephesus; and, as 
 comprehending the whole counsel of God, 
 and as including whatever was profitable 
 to the people. 
 
 Repentance literally signifies a change 
 of mind for the better ; but in our Shorter 
 Catechism it is defined to be, " A saving 
 grace, whereby a sinner out of a true 
 sense of his sin, and apprehension of the 
 mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief 
 and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto 
 God, with full purpose of and endeavour 
 
118 REPENTANCE AND FAITH. 
 
 after new obedience." And in the same 
 place, faith is defined to be, " A saving 
 grace whereby we receive and rest upon 
 him (Jesus Christ) for salvation as he is 
 freely offered in the gospel." Whatever 
 difference of opinion there may be as to 
 the precise meaning of these scriptural 
 terms, all sound Christians will admit, 
 that for popular and practical use, no 
 language could be selected which would 
 more perspicuously and properly convey 
 to the reader a true notion of these fun- 
 damental graces. And, as to the prece- 
 dence of one before the other, it is a 
 question as impertinent, as whether a 
 whole precedes one of its parts, or is 
 preceded by it. No man can give a 
 sound definition of evangelical repent- 
 ance which will not include faith. But, 
 if the word repentance be used in a more 
 restricted sense, for godly sorrow for sin 
 and hatred of it, it must be preceded by 
 a true faith, for seeing in a rational mind 
 goes before feeling. There must be a 
 
REPENTANCE AND FAITH. 119 
 
 perception of the holiness of the divine 
 law, before the turpitude of sin can be so 
 seen as to occasion grief and hatred on 
 account of it. But, if by faith be meant 
 that cordial reception of Christ, which is 
 mentioned in the words cited from the 
 catechism, then, certainly, there must be 
 some true sense of sin; before we can 
 appreciate Christ as a Saviour from sin. 
 But, it is altogether wrong to perplex the 
 minds of serious Christians with useless 
 questions of this sort. Let the schoolmen 
 discuss such matters to their heart's con- 
 tent, but let the humble Christian rest in 
 the plain and obvious meaning of the 
 words of Scripture. The effect of divine 
 truth on the heart is produced by general 
 views, and not by nice and accurate dis- 
 tinctions. 
 
 Both faith and repentance must be 
 proved to be genuine by their fruits. 
 " Faith works by love and purifies the 
 heart." " Faith overcomes the world." 
 James says, " show me thy failh with- 
 
120 REPEA^TANCE AND FAITH. 
 
 out thy works, and I will show thee my 
 faith by my works." Repentance is itself 
 a turning from sin unto God. It is the 
 commencement of a reformation from all 
 sin. John the Baptist, when he incul- 
 cated repentance, at the same time called 
 upon the people " to bring forth fruits 
 meet for repentance." Repentance is no 
 atonement for sin ; but it is indissolubly 
 connected with the pardon of sin. There- 
 fore it was said, " Repent and be con- 
 verted, that your sins may be blotted 
 out." 
 
121 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 SANCTIFICATION ; OR, GROWTH IN 
 GRACE. 
 
 In regeneration spiritual life is commu- 
 nicated ; but this incipient principle is in 
 its infancy when first implanted. The 
 vigour of spiritual life seems to be anal- 
 ogous to natural life, very different in 
 difl^erent subjects. But in all it is imper- 
 fect, and needs to be assiduously cher- 
 ished and nurtured, that it may daily 
 gain strength, and gradually rise to ma- 
 turity. There are various means of di- 
 vine appointment, conducive to this end, 
 in the use of which growth is as certain 
 as in the body, when supplied with nutri- 
 ment. In the former, as well as in the 
 latter, there may be seasons of decay, 
 
122 SANCTIFICATION ; OR, 
 
 arising from various untoward causes ; 
 but, it may be assumed as a fact, that 
 where the principle of piety is really 
 radicated in the soul, there will be growth ; 
 the steady tendency will be to a state of 
 maturity. And, although perfection is 
 never attained in this life, yet there is in 
 all true Christians a sincere desire after 
 it, and there may be a constant approxi- 
 mation toward it as long as they live. 
 And such a state of piety may be attain- 
 ed, as, comparatively, may be termed a 
 state of perfection, and is so teimed in 
 Scripture. From w^hat has been said, it 
 will be apparent, that sanctification does 
 not differ specifically from regeneration ; 
 the one is the commencement, the other 
 the continuance and increase of the same 
 principle. 
 
 Two things are commonly intended in 
 the word sanctification. The first is, the 
 mortification of sin ; the last, the increase 
 of the vigour and constancy of the ex- 
 ercises of piety. But, although these 
 
GROWTH IN GRACE. 123 
 
 may be distinguished, yet there is no 
 need to treat of them separately, because 
 the advancement of the one cannot but be 
 accompanied with progress in the other. 
 Like the two scales of a balance, when 
 one is depressed the other rises. Just so 
 in the divine life in the soul, if pride is 
 humbled, humility is of necessity in- 
 creased ; if the undue love of the crea- 
 ture is mortified, the love of God will be 
 strengthened ; and so of every other 
 grace. Indeed, when we examine the 
 subject accurately, we shall find, that all 
 real mortification of sin is by the exercise 
 of faith and those holy affections which 
 flow from it. By legal striving, however 
 earnest, or by ascetic discipline, however 
 rigid, very little head way is made against 
 the stream of inherent corruption. It is 
 right, indeed, to keep the body under, lest 
 its blind appetites and impulses should 
 hinder the exercises of religion; and oc- 
 casional fasting, when free from super- 
 stition, does greatly aid the spiritual pro- 
 
124 SANCTIFICATION ; OR, 
 
 gress of the true Christian; and this is 
 especially the fact, when he is in conflict 
 with some fleshly lust, or easily besetting 
 sin. A pampered body will ever be an 
 enemy to growth in grace. 
 
 It must not be forgotten, that w^e are 
 as dependent on the Holy Spirit for every 
 holy act and exercise, as for the ability 
 to put forth the first act of faith, when 
 regenerated. We have no strength in 
 ourselves, in consequence of our justifi- 
 cation and conversion. Christ has said, 
 " Without me ye can do nothing." He is 
 the vine, and believers are the branches. 
 " As the branch cannot bear fruit except 
 it abide in the vine, neither can ye except 
 ye abide in me." Yet this does not take 
 away or diminish our motives for exer- 
 tion; so far from it, that it affords the 
 only encouragement which w^e have for 
 diligence in the use of means. For though 
 the power is of God, that power is exert- 
 ed through the means of divine appoint- 
 ment. Therefore in Scripture, divine aid 
 
GROWTH IN GRACE. 125 
 
 and human agency are constantly united. 
 When Christians are exhorted "to work 
 out their salvation," the reason assigned 
 is, " for it is God that worketh in you 
 both to will and to do, of his own good 
 pleasure." 
 
 Where two opposite principles exist in 
 the same person there must be a conflict. 
 When the whole current of the affections 
 runs toward the world, there being no op- 
 posing principle, no conflict is experi- 
 enced, except that which arises from the 
 remonstrances of conscience; or from 
 the discordant craving of conflicting de- 
 sires of a sinful kind. But, in the true 
 believer, " the flesh lusteth against the 
 spirit, and the spirit against the flesh ; so 
 that they cannot do the things that they 
 would." And often the spiritual man is 
 made to groan in agony, and to cry out, 
 " O, wretched man that I am, who shall 
 deliver me from this body of death?" 
 Although, in this warfare, the principle 
 of grace is generally victorious, for it is 
 
126 SANCTIFICATION ; OR, 
 
 written, " sin shall not have dominion 
 over you ;" yet, sometimes, by the power 
 of temptation, and negligence in watch- 
 fulness, the man of God is cast down and 
 degraded, and unless raised up by the 
 hand of the Captain of his salvation, he 
 would rise no more. But, as the work 
 of grace was begun without any merit or 
 cooperation of the believer, the same 
 love which at first effectually called him 
 away from his sins and from the world, 
 still pursues him, and will not suffer the 
 enemy ultimately to triumph over him. 
 Satan shall never have the opportunity of 
 boasting that he has accomplished the 
 ruin of one whom God purposed to save, 
 and to save whom Christ died, and who 
 has been effectually called by the Holy 
 Spirit. He may fall, but he shall rise 
 again, for "God hath said, " My grace is 
 sufficient for thee," and " I will never 
 leave thee nor forsake thee." And not 
 unfrequently, the very falls of the chil- 
 dren of God are overruled for their more 
 
GROWTH IN GRACE. 127 
 
 rapid progress in future. Nothing more 
 tends to humble the soul, and destroy 
 self-confidence, than being overtaken by 
 such faults. 
 
 The means of sanctification may be 
 comprehended under two general heads, 
 the word of God and prayer. The first 
 is the food which is provided for the 
 nourishment of the soul, and by which it 
 lives. Christ himself is indeed the bread 
 of life — the manna that came down from 
 heaven; but it is only in the word, that 
 we can find Christ : there he is revealed 
 — there his dignity and glory are mani- 
 fested — there we behold his holy life, his 
 miracles, his sufferings, his death, resur- 
 rection, ascension, and intercession. The 
 whole object of faith, and love, and hope, 
 is found in the word of God. Therefore, 
 it is by the assiduous study of the word, 
 and meditation on its truths, that we are 
 to expect an increase of faith, and a real 
 growth in grace. 
 
 The other principal means of growth 
 
128 sanctification; or, 
 
 is prayer ; especially, prayer for the in- 
 fluences of the Holy Spirit. Without the 
 Spirit, as we have seen, there can be no 
 progress; but this sum of blessings is 
 graciously promised in answer to prayer. 
 And these two means are harmonious ; 
 for the word is the " sword of the Spirit." 
 The Spirit operates only by the word. 
 Therefore, though we read that sanctifi- 
 cation is of the Spirit, we also read that 
 effectual prayer of Jesus Christ, "Sanc- 
 tify them through thy truth, thy word is 
 truth." 
 
 Although all the means of sanctifica- 
 tion may be comprehended under the 
 word of God and prayer, yet there are 
 many subordinate means, which have a 
 powerfijl efficacy in giving application 
 and force to these means. In this light 
 may be considered the ministry, the read- 
 ing of good hooks, attendance on the 
 sacraments, and fasting. But there is 
 one means of grace of this class which 
 
GROWTH IN GRACE. 129 
 
 we are not required to resort to, which 
 is often employed by our heavenly Fa- 
 ther, with great effect in promoting the 
 sanctification of his children, I mean the 
 chastisements of his rod. The benefit of 
 affliction is often celebrated in Scripture; 
 and almost every child of God can, after 
 a kw years' experience, adopt the lan- 
 guage of the royal Psalmist, and say, 
 " It was good for me that I was afflicted." 
 And Paul testifies, " That though no 
 chastisement for the present is joyous but 
 grievous, yet afterwards it worketh the 
 peaceable fruits of righteousnes in them 
 who are exercised thereby." Afflictions 
 are often used as the means of recover- 
 ing the children of God from a state of 
 backsliding; as says David, "Before I 
 was aiHicted, I went astray, but now I 
 keep thy testimonies." 
 
 Though Christians do not arrive at 
 sinless perfection in this life, yet it is 
 a state to which every humble child 
 9 
 
130 SANCTIFICATION, ETC. 
 
 of God shall attain at death. Christ will 
 present his whole body before his Father's 
 throne, " without spot, or wrinkle, or any- 
 such thing." " We shall be like him, 
 for we shall see him as he is." 
 
131 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 GOOD WORKS ; OR, CHRISTIAN DUTIES. 
 
 "Truth is in order to goodness;" and 
 the great touchstone of truth, is its tenden- 
 cy to promote holiness, according to the 
 Saviour's rule: "By their fruits shall ye 
 know them." 
 
 Good works are such as the law of 
 God requires to be performed by all per- 
 sons, according to the relations in which 
 they stand, and the positive precepts 
 which he has enjoined, and which are in 
 force at the time. They have been com- 
 monly divided into three classes, the du- 
 ties which we owe to God, to our neighbou r, 
 and to ourselves ; but in strict propriety 
 
132 GOOD works; or, 
 
 of speech, all our duties, whoever may be 
 the object, are due to God. He is our 
 Lawgiver, and we are under the moral 
 government of no other. 
 
 Though Christ fulfilled the preceptive 
 part of the law in the room of God's 
 chosen people, yet he did not thereby free 
 Ihem from the obligation of obedience to 
 the moral law. Such a release from 
 moral obligation is inconceivable; for it 
 is impossible that a creature should not 
 be under obligations to love and honour 
 his Creator ; but if such exemption from 
 law were possible, it would be no bless- 
 ing but a curse; for our happiness con- 
 sists in conformity to the law of God. 
 " In keeping thy commandments, there 
 is a great reward." 
 
 As the obligation to obedience cannot be 
 removed, so neither can the requisitions 
 of the law, as some suppose, be lowered. 
 Man must ever be as much bound to 
 love God with the whole heart, as to love 
 him at all. If man had fulfilled the con- 
 
CHRISTIAN DUTIES. 133 
 
 dition of the first covenant, which re- 
 quired perfect obedience during his pro- 
 bation, he would not have been free from 
 moral obligation to obedience in conse- 
 quence of his justification. Angels, who 
 are supposed to be now confirmed in hap- 
 piness, are as much under obligation to 
 love God as ever. Indeed, as has been 
 hinted, holiness and happiness are in- 
 separable. The Holy Scriptures abound 
 in exhortations to Christians to be dili- 
 gent, zealous, and persevering in the per- 
 formance of the respective duties of their 
 stations ; and in the performance, divine 
 aid may be asked and confidently ex- 
 pected. 
 
 Some duties are incumbent on all class- 
 es of people; such as the worship of God, 
 doing good to men, and abstaining from 
 every thing which would have a tendency 
 to dishonour Christ, to injure our neigh- 
 bour, or hinder our own usefulness and 
 improvement. Two things especially 
 are incumbent on all in relation to their 
 
134 GOOD works; or, 
 
 fellow-creatures residing on the earth 
 with them. The first is the communica- 
 tion of saving knowledge to such as are 
 so unfortunate as to be destitute of this 
 precious treasure. This is a duty of uni- 
 versal obligation, though the means pro- 
 per to be used by different persons will 
 vary according to the variety of the cir- 
 cumstances in which they are placed. It 
 is the duty of all Christians to " let their 
 conversation be always with grace, sea- 
 soned with salt, that it may minister 
 grace to the hearers." It is also made 
 their duty to exhort and admonish one 
 another, and that daily, lest any be har- 
 dened through the deceitfulness of sin. 
 All Christians are bound also to teach by 
 example as well as by precept, by exhibit- 
 ing to the view of all who see them a holy 
 life. " Let," says Paul, " your conver- 
 sation be such as becometh the gospel." 
 And our blessed Lord in his sermon on 
 the mount, commands : " Let your light 
 so shine that others seeing your good 
 
CHRISTIAN DUTIES. 135 
 
 works may glorify your Father who is in 
 heaven." It is evident from the very 
 nature of this duty which arises from our 
 obligation to love our neighbour as our- 
 selves, that all Christians are bound to 
 send the gospel to those who are desti- 
 tute of this necessary means of salvation ; 
 for, " how can they hear without a 
 preacher, and how can they preach ex- 
 cept they be sent?" All, therefore, ac- 
 cording to their ability, should contribute 
 toward this object by supporting mission- 
 aries, aiding in the printing and circula- 
 tion of Bibles and evangelical tracts, and 
 institutions of learning for the training of 
 ministers. But this duty of diffusing 
 abroad the precious seed of divine truth, 
 devolves especially on those who have 
 been called to the holy ministry, who 
 have been ordained for this very purpose, 
 to publish to every creature the gospel of 
 the grace of God. When a dispensation 
 of the gospel is committed to any one, he 
 will incur a fearful load of guilt if he turn 
 
136 GOOD works; or, 
 
 aside to any secular employment. This 
 may be learned from many things left on 
 record by the apostle Paul. He call? 
 God to witness that IVe was free from the 
 blood of all men at Ephesus, because he 
 had not ceased to declare unto them re- 
 pentance toward God and faith in our 
 Lord Jesus Christ ; evidently intimating 
 that if he had not been thus faithful and 
 diligent, he would have incurred the guilt 
 of their destruction ; Avhich is exactly in 
 accordance with what is said respecting 
 the unfaithful watchman in Ezekiel. 
 The duty of preaching, to those who are 
 called and have undertaken the office is 
 not optional, which is evident from what 
 Paul says in another place, " Wo is me, 
 if I preach not the gospel." 
 
 Others, who have the instruction of 
 youth committed to them, are under 
 peculiar obligations to instil into their 
 opening minds the doctrines of God's 
 holy word. Parents, guardians of or- 
 phans, and teachers of schools of every 
 
CHRISTIAN DUTIES. 137 
 
 kind, are bound by tbis obligation, from 
 which no human laws can exempt them. 
 Another duty of universal obligation is 
 to pray to God for his blessing on all the 
 nations of the earth; and especially on 
 kings and all that are in authority, not 
 only that they may obtain salvation, but 
 that Christians, under a wise and equita- 
 ble administration of law, " may lead 
 quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness 
 and honesty." All are bound to join 
 cordially and fervently in the public 
 prayers of the church, and not to neglect 
 the assembling themselves together, as 
 the manner of some is. We have en- 
 couragement also to agree together, in 
 smaller associations for prayer; and are 
 assured that Christ will be present in 
 such meetings, and that the concordant 
 prayers there offered will be graciously 
 answered. And who can doubt, that, as 
 we are commanded " to pray without 
 ceasing," and " to pray every where, 
 holding up holy hands," family prayer 
 
138 GOOD works; or, 
 
 is an incumbent duty? But in addition 
 to all these, " we should enter into our 
 closets, and shut the door, and pray to 
 our Father in secret ; and our Father 
 who seeth in secret will reward us open- 
 
 Among the prescribed duties of Chris- 
 tians, there is none which is more sol- 
 emnly and emphatically inculcated than 
 a compassionate regard to the poor and 
 afflicted. Indeed, the phrase " good 
 works," is most commonly employed in 
 Scripture, in relation to this single thing. 
 In this we follow the example of Christ, 
 " who went about doing good," by preach- 
 ing the gospel to the poor, and by reliev- 
 ing the distresses of the afflicted. And 
 it is the assiduous performance of this 
 duty which recommends the go?pel to the 
 judgment and conscience of men, more 
 than any thing else. "Pure religion and 
 undefiled before God and the Father, is 
 to visit the fatherless and widows in 
 their affliction, and to keep himself un- 
 
CHRISTIAN DUTIES. 139 
 
 spotted from the world." Nothing more 
 is necessary to convince us of the im- 
 portance of this duty, tlian the repre- 
 sentation given by our Saviour of the 
 process of the judgment, recorded in 
 Matt. XXV., where the destiny of the as- 
 sembled race of men is made to turn 
 upon the kindness shown to the disci- 
 ples of Christ. "Then shall the King 
 say unto them on his right hand. Come, 
 ye blessed of my Father, inherit the king- 
 dom prepared for you from the founda- 
 tion of the world : for I was an hungered, 
 and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and 
 ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and 
 ye took me in : naked, and ye clothed 
 me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was 
 in prison, and ye came unto me." And, 
 in answer to their inquiry, when they had 
 done any of these things to him, he said, 
 " Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one 
 of the least of these my brethren, ye have 
 done it unto me." And to the wicked the 
 
140 GOOD WORKS ; OR, 
 
 neglect of this duty is alone mentioned as 
 the ground of condemnation. 
 
 Among the good works which Christians 
 are required to perform, relative duties 
 hold a very conspicuous place. These, 
 indeed, in number, greatly exceed all 
 other Christian duties, and no day passes 
 in which every one has not duties of this 
 kind to perform. But, as the relations of 
 men are very much diversified by their 
 condition in life, and standing in society, 
 these duties are not the same to all per- 
 sons. One is a parent, another a child; 
 one is a magistrate, another a citizen; 
 one is a pastor, another a member of his 
 flock ; one is a master, another a servant ; 
 one is a husband, another a wife. Be- 
 sides these, there are particular profes- 
 sions and occupations in life; or offices 
 in the church, or state, all which relations 
 give rise to duties, which are incumbent 
 on all who sustain these various relations. 
 It behoves the Christian to he conscien- 
 tious and faithful in the discharge of all 
 
CHRISTIAN DUTIES. 141 
 
 relative duties. And, as there is a neces- 
 sity for intercourse and commerce among 
 men, the virtues of justice and veracity, 
 should be constantly practised, "doing 
 unto others as we would have them do 
 unto us." And, in social intercourse, to 
 promote good fellowship, there should be 
 real kindness, respectfulness, candour, 
 and courtesy assiduously cultivated. The 
 standing rule should be, to do nothing and 
 say nothing which would tend to the in- 
 jury of our neighbour ; but continually to 
 seek to promote his best interests. 
 
142 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE SACRAMENTS. 
 
 Sacraments are visible signs of invisible 
 grace. They are also seals of God's cov- 
 enant with men. Just as in more solemn 
 transactions among men, besides the 
 words in which the substance of the com- 
 pact, or treaty, or deed of conveyance, 
 is contained, it has been customary from 
 the earliest times, to have certain signs 
 superadded, to give solemnity to the trans- 
 action, and to deepen the impression of 
 the obligations or stipulations into which 
 the parties had entered. And, frequent- 
 ly, such actions were performed as sym- 
 bolically represented the consequences 
 which would ensue from a violation of 
 
THE SACKAMENTS. 143 
 
 the contract, or a neglect of the duty 
 promised. Thus, it was customary, not 
 only in treaties between nations, but in the 
 more important transactions among indi- 
 viduals, to have seals appended to bonds 
 and contracts. So of joining right hands 
 and other ceremonies in marriage, and 
 wearing ribands, or stars, as a sign of 
 some military order. We learn from 
 Scripture, that it was customary, ancient- 
 ly, in forming solemn covenants, to di- 
 vide slaughtered animals, and to cause 
 the parties to pass between the dissected 
 parts, by which it would seem an impre- 
 cation was implied, that if either of the 
 contracting parties should prove unfaith- 
 ful, he might, in like manner, be cut to 
 pieces. In accommodation to the nature 
 and customs of men, God has, under 
 every dispensation, appointed certain ex- 
 ternal riles, which have no signification, 
 but in connexion with the covenant to 
 which they are appended. For these 
 signs, or symbolical actions, are never 
 
144 THE SACEAMENTS. 
 
 found but in connexion with solemn cov- 
 enants, which they are intended to con- 
 firm, or render the ratification more so- 
 lemn and impressive. 
 
 Another frequent use of institutions of 
 this kind is, to serve as memorials of 
 events and transactions, which it was im- 
 portant should not be forgotten. Many 
 such we have in the Old Testament. 
 
 But as there is a resemblance, readily 
 conceived, between certain objects or ac- 
 tions, and certain truths, which is the 
 foundation of figurative language; so this 
 resemblance is the principle on which 
 particular signs are adopted. Every 
 body, even a child, can see that washing 
 the body, or a part of it, with pure water, 
 fitly represents the moral purification of the 
 soul. And, as truth is gradually received, 
 while some important things are future, 
 it has pleased God to furnish a kind of 
 faint prefiguration of such events, which 
 would serve to give some vague idea of 
 the matter. Thus, by the presentment 
 
THE SACRAMENTS. 145 
 
 of animals of certain species before the 
 altar, and then by the offerer confessing 
 his sins over its head, before it was slain, 
 and then by the sprinkling of blood by the 
 priest, the vicarious atonement for sin was 
 prefigured for ages before the real effica- 
 cious sacrifice was offered. And by this 
 ceremony, kept up daily before the eyes 
 of the people, they were taught typically 
 to look for redemption by the shedding of 
 blood, and to obtain pardon by having 
 their sins transferred to another, who 
 would bear them away. Under the new 
 dispensation there was less occasion for 
 these ritual services; and, therefore, while 
 the old ceremonial law was abolished, no 
 new sacraments were instituted, except 
 baptism and the Lord's Supper. 
 
 According to the universal testimony 
 of Jewish writers, baptism was practised 
 by them, on the admission of proselytes, 
 long before the advent of Jesus Christ. 
 And, though circumcision was restricted 
 to males, this ceremony was extended also 
 10 
 
146 THE SACRAMENTS. 
 
 to females, and, like circumcision, was 
 administered to infants. 
 
 When John, the harbinger of Messiah, 
 was sent of God, he commenced his 
 ministry by preaching repenlance and 
 baptism for the remission of sins. The 
 object of his mission was " to prepare the 
 way of the Lord," by arousing the 
 attention of the people, and bringing 
 about a reformation in the nation. His 
 baptism was a national baptism. It was 
 the duty of all the people to repent and 
 submit to this rite, which they general- 
 ly did ; the pharisees and lawyers, how- 
 ever, rejected the counsel of God, not be- 
 ing baptized of John. 
 
 The disciples of Christ also, by his 
 direction, administered baptism to such 
 as acknowledged him to be the Messiah. 
 But baptism as a rite of the Christian 
 church, was not in existence until the 
 new dispensation commenced, which was 
 not until after Christ's resurrection. 
 Then a new commission was given to the 
 
THE SACEAMENTS. 147 
 
 apostles, " to go and make disciples of 
 all nations, baptizing them in the name 
 of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." 
 This was properly the institution of 
 Christian baptism ; and differed from the 
 rite as formerly administered in two re- 
 spects : first, in being in the name of the 
 adorable Trinity, and, secondly, in being 
 made a badge of discipleship in the 
 Christian church, or a formal initiation 
 into the visible church of Christ. " Bap- 
 tism is not to be administered to any that 
 are out of the visible church until they 
 profess their faith in Christ and obedience 
 to him; but the children of such as are 
 members of the visible church are to be 
 baptized." 
 
148 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 BAPTISM. 
 
 There has always been a tendency to 
 make too much of these external rites, 
 and to depend unduly upon thenn, as a 
 ground on which to hope for salvation. 
 Thus, the Jews so exalled the importance 
 of the rite of circumcision, that they seem 
 to have thought that being descended 
 from Abraham, and having the sign 
 in their flesh, insured their salvation : 
 which false confidence Christ and his 
 Apostles laboured to overthrow. It is 
 not wonderful, therefore, that the same 
 error should arise in regard to baptism. 
 In the New Testament baptism is both a 
 duty and a privilege ; but no undue im- 
 
9 
 BAPTIS3I. 149 
 
 portance is given to it, nor any undue 
 efficacy ascribed to it. Paul, indeed, 
 spent little of his time in administering 
 this rite. He avoided it at Corinth, 
 where there were divisions and factions, 
 lest any should say that he baptized in his 
 own name. And he says expressly that 
 Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach 
 the gospel; which single declaration is a 
 refutation of the opinion that internal 
 grace, or regeneration, always accom- 
 panies baptism; for in that case baptism 
 was far more important than preaching. 
 For Paul could not certainly convey 
 grace by preaching; but if he could have 
 regenerated all to whom he administered 
 baptism, he should have given himself 
 up expressly to this work. These sacra- 
 mental institutions are not intended to be 
 the means of conveying grace to the sub- 
 jects, in some mysterious manner, but 
 they are intended to operate on adults by 
 the word of truth, which accompanies 
 the ordinance. 
 
150 BAPTIS3I. 
 
 Some lay a great stress on the mode in 
 which baptism is administered, insisting 
 that a total immersion of the body in water 
 is essential to the right administration. 
 In the ceremonies of a sacrament, some 
 thinijs belong to its essence, because they 
 represent symbolically the truth intended 
 to be impresed on the mind; other things 
 are indifTerent, because they are merely 
 incidental, and do not affect the import 
 of the sacrament. If it could be proved 
 that the act of immersion was the thing 
 in the ceremony which is principally sig- 
 nificant of the truth intended to be incul- 
 cated, it would be essential ; but if the 
 mode of applying water has nothing to 
 do with the emblematical instruction of 
 the ordinance, it is an indifferent circum- 
 stance; as much so, as whether baptism 
 be administered in a vessel or in a river; 
 or whether in the Lord's Supper, leaven- 
 ed or unleavened bread be used, or whe- 
 ther we recline or sit upright. And in 
 regard to indifferent, incidental circum- 
 
baptis:m. 151 
 
 stances, which do not enter into the es- 
 sence of the sacrament, there is no obli- 
 gation to follow what all know was the 
 practice of Christ and the Apostles ; as 
 we know that in the first institution of 
 the sacred supper they reclined on couch- 
 es, used unleavened bread, and partook 
 of it in the evening, but we do not feel 
 bound to imitate any of these things. 
 
 The baptism of the children of those 
 who themselves were in covenant with 
 God, though not expressly mentioned in 
 Scripture, is a practice supported by good 
 and sufficient reasons. It cannot be sup- 
 posed that under the gospel dispensation, 
 the privileges of the offspring of believers 
 are less than under the Jewish. But we 
 know that by God's command, circum- 
 cision, the sign of the covenant, was ad- 
 ministered to all the males. They were 
 thus brought externally within the bonds 
 of the covenant; and although the external 
 rite of initiation has been changed, there 
 is no intimation given that the children 
 
15^2 BAPTISM. 
 
 of believers were to be henceforth ex- 
 cluded from the visible church. 
 
 Christ was displeased with his disci- 
 ples for hindering little children to come 
 unto him, " for," said he " of such is the 
 kingdom of heaven. And he took them 
 in his arms and blessed them." 
 
 Household baptism was practised by 
 the Apostles, and children form a part of 
 most households. 
 
 Infants are depraved and need the 
 washing of regeneration, and are capable 
 of being regenerated; and this renovation 
 baptism does strikingly represent. The 
 practice may be traced up to the earliest 
 period of the church, and was then uni- 
 versal in all parts of the world. 
 
153 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 THE lord's supper. 
 
 When Christ celebrated the passover 
 for the last time with his disciples, at the 
 close of the feast, he instituted another 
 sacrament, bearing a strong analogy to 
 this Jewish festival, to be perpetually ob- 
 served in his church until he should 
 come again. While they were reclining 
 around the table, he took of the bread 
 which remained, and blessed it, and brake 
 it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 
 " This is my body which is broken for 
 you, this do in remembrance of me. 
 Likewise also the cup, after supper, say- 
 ing, This cup is the new testament in my 
 blood, which is shed for vou." As this or- 
 
154 THE lord's supper. 
 
 dinance was intended to be social, that is, 
 to be celebrated by the church when as- 
 sembled, Paul calls it a communion; "The 
 cup of blessing which we bless, is it not 
 the communion of the blood of Christ? 
 The bread which we break, is it not the 
 communion of the body of Christ?" 
 
 Nothing can be plainer than the na- 
 ture of the duty enjoined upon the dis- 
 ciples, and intended to be oligatory on 
 all Christians to the end of the world ; 
 for the apostle Paul, who was not present 
 at the institution of the eucharist, but re- 
 ceived it, as he did the gospel, by imme- 
 diate revelation, when he recites the words 
 of institution, adds an important clause, 
 " For as often as ye eat this bread and 
 drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's 
 death till he come." From which it is 
 evident that it was intended to be a stand- 
 ing memorial of the death of Christ until 
 his second advent. 
 
 When Christ snys, " this is my body," 
 to suppose that he meant to teach, that 
 
THE lord's supper. 155 
 
 the piece of bread which he held in his 
 hand, was Hterally his material body, is 
 an opinion so monstrous, and involving 
 so many contradictions, that it never 
 could have originated but in a dark and 
 superstitious age. In the first place it 
 was contradicted by all the senses, for 
 the properties of bread and wine remain- 
 ed after the words were spoken. In all 
 other cases of miracles, the appeal is to 
 the senses : no example can be adduced 
 of men being required to believe any 
 thing contrary to the testimony of their 
 senses. But if the bread which Christ 
 held in his hand was literally his body, 
 he must have had two bodies ; and if 
 he partook of the bread, he must have 
 eaten his own body. He says, " This is 
 my body, which is broken for you." 
 " This is my blood, which is shed for 
 you:" if these words are taken literally, 
 then Christ was already slain, and his 
 blood already shed ; he was, therefore, 
 crucified before he was nailed to the cross. 
 
156 THE lord's supper. 
 
 Moreover, if the bread is transubstantiated 
 every time this sacrament is celebrated, 
 Christ must have as many bodies as 
 there are officiating priests: and while 
 his body is glorified in heaven, it is offer- 
 ed as a sacrifice on earth, in thousands of 
 different places. And while the glorified 
 body in heaven is no longer composed of 
 flesh and blood, the body made out of the 
 bread and wine, is a real body of flesh, 
 containing blood, as when he tabernacled 
 among men. And if the thing were pos- 
 sible, what spiritual benefit could be de- 
 rived, from devouring flesh? From its 
 nature, being material, it could not nour- 
 ish the spiritual life. And when receiv- 
 ed into the stomach as food, what be- 
 comes of it? is it incorporated, like com- 
 mon food, into our bodies? — But I will 
 not pursue the subject further. Before 
 a man can believe in transubstantiation, 
 he must take leave both of his reason 
 and his senses. 
 
 The withholding the cup from the laity 
 
THE lord's supper. 157 
 
 is an open violation of our Lord's com- 
 mand, and a manifest mutilation of the 
 ordinance; and the pretence for this pre- 
 sumptuous departure from the express 
 command of Christ is both superstitious 
 and impious; for it implies that Christ in 
 the institution of the cup, was wanting in 
 wisdom, or that he was regardless of the 
 danger of having his blood desecrated, 
 by being spilt. 
 
 As the Lord's Supper is a memorial 
 of the death of Christ, it should be cele- 
 brated often, that this great sacrifice, on 
 which our salvation depends, may not be 
 forgotten, but kept in lively remembrance 
 in the Christian church. 
 
 If it be inquired, in what sense is Christ 
 present in the eucharisti we answer, spi- 
 ritually to those who by faith apprehend 
 and receive him. The idea of a bodily- 
 presence in, with, or under the bread 
 and wine, is little less absurd than the 
 doctrine of transubstantiation. Indeed, in 
 some respects, it is even more impossible, 
 
158 THE lord's SUrPER. 
 
 for it requires and supposes the ubiquity 
 of Christ's body. The truth then is, that 
 only they who exercise faith in Christ, as 
 exhibited in the eucharist, eat his flesh 
 and drink his blood. A participation 
 of the instituted signs, without faith to 
 discern the Lord's body, is so far from 
 being beneficial, that it involves the guilt 
 of an awful crime; for he that eateth and 
 drinketh unworthily, eateth and drink- 
 eth judgment unto himself. He is guilty 
 of the body and blood of the Lord. " Let 
 a man examine himself, therefore, and so 
 let him eat of this bread and drink of this 
 cup." 
 
 To make a matter of importance of 
 mere indifferent circumstances in the 
 celebration of the sacraments, has been 
 the cause of useless and hurtful conten- 
 tions ; and to insist on any thing as neces- 
 sary to a sacrament, which Christ has not 
 expressly enjoined, is a wicked usurpa- 
 tion of his authorit}^, by adding human 
 inventions to his divine ordinances. 
 
THE lord's supper. 159 
 
 The value of the Lord's Supper is in- 
 calculable. It is admirably adapted to 
 our nature. It is simple, and its meaning 
 easily apprehended by the weakest minds. 
 Il is strongly significant and impressive. 
 It has been called an epitome of the 
 whole gospel, as the central truths of the 
 system, in which all the rest are implied, 
 are here clearly exhibited. And it ever 
 has been signally blessed to the spiritual 
 edification and comfort of the children of 
 God. They, therefore, who neglect this 
 ordinance, do at the same time, disobey 
 a positive command of Christ, and de- 
 prive themselves of one of the richest 
 privileges which can be enjoyed on this 
 side of heaven. 
 
160 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 DEATH. 
 
 All the doctrines and duties of religion 
 have relation to a future state. All reli- 
 gion is founded on the supposition that 
 man will live after the death of the body. 
 The importance of any doctrine, or reli- 
 gious institution, depends very much on 
 its bearing on the future destinies of men. 
 Religion, therefore, leaches its votaries to 
 be much occupied with the contemplation 
 of the unseen world. It is especially the 
 province of faith to fix the attention of the 
 mind on these awful but invisible reali- 
 ties, and by this means to draw off the 
 too eager affections from the objects of 
 the present world. Of whatever else 
 men may doubt, they cannot be sceptical 
 
DEATlf. 161 
 
 in regard to death. The evidences of the 
 certainty of this event to all, are so mul- 
 tiplied, and so frequently obtruded on our . 
 attention, that all know that it is appointed 
 for them once to die ; and yet, notwith- 
 standing this certainty, and the frequent 
 mementos which we have, most men are 
 but slightly impressed with their mortal- 
 ity, until death actually comes near, and 
 eternity, with its awful realities, begins to 
 open before them. 
 
 Death is, according to Scripture, " the 
 wages of sin." By sin death entered 
 into the world. The death of the body 
 is a part of the punishment of sin; ex- 
 cept in the case of the believer, who is 
 freed from the condemnation of the law; 
 and to whom death, though frightful and 
 painful, is no curse, but rather a blessing. 
 For, by the death of Christ, as his Surety, 
 the penalty of the law has been exhausted. 
 " There is no condemnation to them who 
 are in Christ Jesus." To them " it is a 
 gain to die." To them, the monster has 
 li 
 
162 BEATH. 
 
 no sting. To them, death is a deliver- 
 ance from sin and suffering, and an en- 
 trance into perfect holiness and happi- 
 f ness. As soon as the true Christian de- 
 parts, he is with Christ, and is like him, 
 J and beholds his glory. Therefore, Paul 
 J in his inventory of the rich possessions 
 ^ of the saints, reckons death as one, " For 
 all things are yours, whether Paul or 
 Apollos, or Cephas, or things present, or 
 things to come, life or death, all are 
 yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ 
 is God's." 
 
 All we know of death is, that it is a 
 separation of the soul from the body ; the 
 consequence of which to the latter is, an 
 immediate disorganization and corrup- 
 tion. As it was taken from the dust, so 
 it returns to dust again. But as to the 
 soul, being essentially living and active, 
 it continues its conscious exercises, but 
 in what wa}^, when deprived of its usual 
 organ, we cannot tell. As all our expe- 
 rience has been in connexion with bodily 
 
DEATH. 163 
 
 orojans, we of course can know nothinoj 
 of the exercises of mind in a state where 
 no such organs are possessed. All at- 
 tempts, therefore, to imagine what the 
 condition of the soul in a separate state 
 is, must be vain. 
 
 But we need not be perplexed or trou- 
 bled on account of our ignorance of the 
 future state. We may well trust, in this 
 case, as in others, our divine Redeemer 
 and faithful Friend, to arrange all mat- 
 ters for his own glory, and for our benefit. 
 The gracious declaration, that " all things 
 work together for good to them who love 
 God, and are the called according to his 
 purpose," is not only true, in relation to 
 their pilgrimage on earth, but also in 
 regard to their passage through the val- 
 ley of the shadow of death ; so that they 
 need fear no evil, for the great Shepherd 
 has promised to be with them, and to 
 comfort them, with his rod and his staff; 
 " When heart and flesh fail, he will be 
 the strength of their heart, and their por- 
 
164 DEATH. 
 
 tion for ever." " Precious in the sight of 
 the Lord is the death of his saints." 
 
 Although Httle is revealed respecting 
 the mode of existence and enjoyment in 
 a separate state, for the plain reason, that 
 no description could be understood by 
 us; yet we may confidently trust our 
 blessed Redeemer to provide for the 
 guidance and comfort of the soul, when 
 it enters an unknown world. When La- 
 zarus died, angels stood ready to receive 
 and convoy his departing spirit ; and we 
 have no reason to think that this favour 
 was peculiar to this saint ; but rather that 
 it was recorded in this instance, to teach 
 us, that the same might be expected in 
 every case of the death of a true believer. 
 
165 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 KESUKRECTION. 
 
 Leaving, therefore, the intermediate state 
 between death and judgment, in that ob- 
 scurity in which revelation has left it, let us 
 proceed, briefly to contemplate those im- 
 portant events connected with our future 
 existence, concerning which the Scrip- 
 tures speak plainly ; I mean the resur- 
 rection and judgment. The redemption 
 purchased by the merit and death of 
 Christ, respects the body as well as the 
 soul. The redemption of the body is one 
 of those things for which believers wait in 
 hope. Although the threatening, that unto 
 dust it shall return, will be verified ; yet, 
 the body itself shall rise again. Christ is 
 
166 RESURRECTION. 
 
 " the resurrection and the life." " For," 
 said Christ to the Jews, " the hour is 
 coming in the which all that are in the 
 graves shall hear his voice, and shall 
 come forth ; they that have done good, 
 to the resurrection of life; and they 
 that have done evil, to the resurrection 
 of damnation." " Since by man came 
 death, by man also came the resurrec- 
 tion of the dead; for, as in Adam all 
 die, even so in Christ shall all be made 
 alive." " Knowing that he which raised 
 up the Lord Jesus, shall raise us up also 
 by Jesus." 
 
 When it is asserted, that all must die, 
 and be raised again, they must be ex- 
 cepted who shall be alive upon the earth 
 when Christ shall come ; for, " behold," 
 says Paul, " I show you a mystery, we 
 shall not all sleep, but we shall all be 
 changed, in a moment, in the twinkling 
 of an eye, at the last trump." " For the 
 Lord himself shall descend from heaven, 
 with a shout and with the voice of the 
 
RESURRECTION. 167 
 
 archangel, and with the trump of God, 
 and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 
 Then we which are alive and remain, 
 shall be caught up together with them in 
 the clouds to meet the Lord in the air ; 
 and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 
 As to the difficulties which reason may- 
 suggest in regard to the resurrection of 
 the same body, we need give ourselves 
 no trouble. Let us believe, that " with 
 God all things are possible, and that what 
 he hath promised he is able to perform." 
 *' Why," says Paul, in his speech before 
 Agrippa, " why should it be thought a 
 thing incredible with you, that God should 
 raise the dead ?" 
 
168 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 JUDGMENT. 
 
 Immediately after the resurrection comes 
 the judgment of men and devils. The time 
 of this event is called, the " last day," 
 and the " day of judgment," (2 Pet. 
 iii. 7.) 
 
 " For he hath appointed a day in which 
 he will judge the world in righteousness, 
 by that Man whom he hath ordained." 
 " But, as it is appointed unto men once to 
 die, but after this the judgment." " For 
 we must all appear before the judgment 
 seat of Christ, that every one may receive 
 the things done in his body, according to 
 that he hath done, whether it be good or 
 bad." " I charge thee, therefore, before 
 God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall 
 judge the quick and the dead, at his ap- 
 
JUDGMENT. 169 
 
 pearing and kingdom," "And the angels 
 which kept not their first estate, but left 
 their own habitation, he hath reserved in 
 chains under darkness unto the judgment 
 of the great day." " For God shall bring 
 every work into judgment, with every 
 secret thing, whether it be good, or 
 whether it be evil." 
 
 The end of appointing a day of judg- 
 ment is, that the justice of God may be 
 manifested, in his treatment of his crea- 
 tures, and that the righteous may be vin- 
 dicated from all those calumnies which, 
 in this world, were heaped upon them. 
 When the conduct of the wicked shall be 
 disclosed, and all their secret motives 
 and purposes brought to light, it will be 
 manifest to the whole universe, that their 
 condemnation is just, and especially, 
 when it is seen, that punishment is ex- 
 actly proportioned to the guilt of the 
 offender. But the degree of guilt will 
 not be measured by the enormity of the 
 outward act alone; but the light and 
 
170 JUDGMENT. 
 
 privileges enjoyed by some, will give 
 such crimson colour to their crimes, that 
 their punishment will be greater than that 
 of much more atrocious sinners, who 
 lived in ignorance of the truths of God, 
 according to the wo pronounced by 
 our Saviour, against Chorazin, Bethsaida, 
 and Capernaum, when he says, that it 
 will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon 
 in the day of judgment, than for the first 
 tv o cities, and more tolerable for Sodom 
 than for the last. 
 
 Every one must perceive the fitness of 
 appointing Christ to be the judge, since 
 all power in heaven and earth is com- 
 mitted unto him, and he is made head 
 over all things to his church. And as he 
 was arraigned at a human tribunal and 
 unjustly condemned, it is suitable that 
 his enemies should behold him on the 
 throne of his glory. It is on many accounts 
 suitable that they who pierced him should 
 see him coming in the clouds of heaven ; 
 and that all those who conspired his 
 
JUDGMENT. 171 
 
 death, and who with wicked hands cru- 
 cified the Prince of life, should be brought 
 to answer for their atrocious crimes at 
 the tribunal of him whom they mali- 
 ciously accused, unjustly condemned, 
 and cruelly put to death. Another rea- 
 son why God manifest in the flesh should 
 be constituted judge of quick and dead, 
 is, that he can appear visibly in his 
 proper person, which the Father cannot. 
 And as his disciples can only be pro- 
 nounced acquitted on account of his per- 
 fect righteousness, it is altogether suitable 
 that he should be on the judgment-seat to 
 acknowledge them. Their conduct will, 
 also, be exhibited, not as answering the 
 demands of the law, but as evidence of 
 their sincere faith in his name ; and also, 
 because the reward bestowed on them 
 will be measured by their good works. 
 Whether their secret sins will on that day 
 be brought to light, has been disputed ; 
 but, as the glory of the Redeemer will 
 be enhanced in proportion to the guilt 
 
172 JUDGMENT. 
 
 and misery of the redeemed, there is no 
 solid reason why the sins of behevers 
 should be kept secret, especially as many 
 of their sins must be known even to the 
 wicked. Those texts which speak of the 
 sins of God's people as blotted out, as 
 buried in the sea, as covered, &c., do 
 all relate to the pardon of sin ; but not to 
 its concealment at the day of judgment. 
 
173 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 heaven; or, the state of glorifica- 
 tion. 
 
 Some things are hard to be believed, they 
 are so good and glorious. That such 
 poor, ignorant, imperfect, and unworthy 
 creatures, should ever arrive at a state, 
 in which they shall " know as they are 
 known," and shall be free from all im- 
 perfection in their moral exercises, and 
 shall be continually as happy as they are 
 capable of being, is hard for us in our 
 present state distinctly to conceive of; 
 and therefore the glorious realities of an- 
 other world make, commonly, but a fee- 
 ble impression on the minds of Christians. 
 Perhaps a more deep and vivid impres- 
 
174 heaven; or, the 
 
 sion of the nearness and glory of the 
 heavenly stale would so absorb their 
 minds as to render them unfit to perform 
 the common business of this life. It is, 
 however, exceedingly desirable, that the 
 children of God should think more of the 
 heavenly state, and have a more habitual 
 impression of the felicity and purity of 
 the celestial world, than they commonly 
 possess. In this brief summary, our ob- 
 ject shall be, in the simplest manner, to 
 exhibit, without exaggeration or amplifi- 
 cation, what is revealed in the sacred 
 Scriptures respecting the condition of the 
 righteous after the judgment is brought 
 to a close. And may the Spirit of God 
 enlighten our blind minds to perceive the 
 reality, felicity, and glory of the heaven- 
 ly state. 
 
 The righteous, at the day of judg- 
 ment, will be openly acknowledged and 
 acquitted; and shall receive from the 
 Judge a gracious welcome into his king- 
 
STATE OF GLORIFICATION. 175 
 
 dom and glory ; for then shall the King 
 say to those on his right hand, '^ Come 
 ye blessed of my Father, inherit the king- 
 dom prepared for you from the founda- 
 tion of the world." Their minds will, no 
 doubt, be wonderfully enlarged ; and it is 
 no extravagant idea, and altogether con- 
 sistent with analogy, to suppose, that we 
 have now in our mental constitution, the 
 germs of faculties which have never been 
 developed in this world, because here 
 their exercise was not needed ; but which, 
 upon our transition into the celestial world, 
 will be brought into full activity, and will 
 qualify us to participate in the social in- 
 tercourse, and in the employments of the 
 heavenly state. There, the glorious at- 
 tributes of God will be clearly exhibited 
 to the understanding. There, the whole 
 current of the affections will be concen- 
 trated on Christ, through whom the Fa- 
 ther manifests himself. There, every 
 desire, every volition, every thought, will 
 
176 HEAVEN ; OR, THE 
 
 be in conformity with the divine will. 
 Nothing will be wanting to that perfec- 
 tion of sublime and pure enjoyment, of 
 which each individual is capable; for 
 although the happiness of every one will 
 be complete, yet there will be many de- 
 grees, as some will have larger capaci- 
 ties than others ; as many vessels of dif- 
 ferent dimensions, cast into the sea, will 
 all be full, yet their contents may be 
 vastly different. 
 
 As all rational happiness is founded 
 in knowledge of objects suited to satisfy 
 and fill the rational mind, it is reason- 
 able to think, that in heaven there will be 
 a gradual progress in knowledge; and as 
 the object, even the divine attributes, is 
 infinite, this progress may, indeed must, 
 go on progressively through eternity. 
 And hence we can understand why it is 
 that the joys of heaven admit of no alloy 
 from their long continuance, or constant 
 repetition. New and interesting dis- 
 
STATE OF GLORIFICATION. 177 
 
 coveries of celestial objects, will furnish 
 continual novelty and variety to entertain 
 the taste of the rational mind. 
 
 The exercise of the social affections 
 will be a source of pure and unspeakable 
 felicity. There, no envious, narrow, or 
 selfish feelings will exist, to interrupt 
 the sweet communion of kindred spirits. 
 The unity and harmony of spirit in the 
 continual praise of God, will be a source 
 of the most pure and elevated enjoyment, 
 far above what tongue can express or 
 heart conceive. There, indeed, all be- 
 lievers will be melted down, as it were, 
 into one, and will constitute one glorious 
 body; Christ being the Head. 
 
 The bodies of the saints will be exact- 
 ly suited to the celestial world, and its 
 delights and employments. These bodies 
 of flesh and blood, created from the dust, 
 will, at the resurrection, be so changed, 
 that they will be fashioned like unto 
 Christ's glorious body, which undoubted- 
 12 
 
178 heaven; or, the 
 
 ly, is the most glorious visible object in 
 the universe. It would be vain and pre- 
 sumptuous for us to imagine what will be 
 the structure, the organs, and the habili- 
 ments of the glorified bodies of the saints. 
 The nearest approximation which we can 
 make to a conception of this matter, will 
 consist merely in removing from our 
 minds all those weaknesses and imperfec- 
 tions which cleave to these earthly bodies. 
 Paul has, with the pen of inspiration, 
 written nothing more sublime, than in 
 his discourse respecting the resurrection 
 of the bodies of the saints : " It is sown 
 in corruption, it is raised in incorruption ; 
 it is sown in weakness, it is raised in 
 power; it is sown a natural body, it is 
 raised a spiritual body :" that is, a body 
 purified and consecrated by the indwell- 
 ing of the Holy Spirit, which is the true 
 meaning of the word used in the original. 
 Further on, the Apostle writes, " So when 
 this corruptible shall have put on incor- 
 
STATE OF GLORIFICATION. 179 
 
 ruption, and this mortal shall have put on 
 immortality, then shall be brought to pass 
 the saying that is written, death is swal- 
 lowed up in victory." In heaven there 
 is no sickness, no tears, no death, no sin, 
 no weariness, no alloy, no sleep, no fear; 
 but everlasting joy and glory shall crown 
 the heads of the redeemed. 
 
180 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 hell; or, the state of future 
 
 MISERY. 
 
 The most incomprehensible of all mys- 
 teries is, that moral evil should have a 
 place in the universe of an infinitely 
 wise, holy, and powerful God. We 
 could construct a very plausible argu- 
 ment, a 'priori, to prove from the above 
 premises, that moral evil never could be 
 permitted to exist in the world. But 
 how futile are all reasonings against 
 facts experienced every moment, and 
 by every man. The philosopher who 
 undertook to demonstrate that there could 
 be no such thing as motion, received 
 the right answer, when the person ad- 
 dressed uttered not a word, but rose up 
 
HELL, ETC. 181 
 
 and walked. So we may answer all 
 arguments against the possibility of the 
 existence of evil, by pointing to the 
 prison, the hospital, and the grave. 
 We need not go so far; we need only 
 refer the sophist to his own experience. 
 Now, if moral evil have an existence, it 
 is evident that pain or natural evil must 
 follow it. No conviction of the human 
 mind is clearer or stronger than that 
 crime should be visited by punishment. 
 Every judgment of the moral faculty, 
 every feeling of disapprobation at unpro- 
 voked injury, every twinge of remorse, 
 furnishes indubitable proof that moral 
 evil should be visited with punishment. 
 From this law, written on the heart, no 
 man can escape. " The wages of sin is 
 death :" and the very practice of moral 
 evil involves misery in the very exer- 
 cise. 
 
 But some who cannot but admit that 
 moral evil exists, and that as long as it 
 does exist, there must be misery; yet 
 
182 hell; or, the 
 
 cannot be reconciled to the doctrine of 
 eternal misery, which seems to be clearly 
 taught in the word of God. That any 
 of God's rational creatures should be 
 doomed to a state of everlasting sin and 
 misery, is indeed an appalling idea ; from 
 which the benevolent sympathetic mind 
 would gladly shrink ; but as far as rea- 
 son is concerned, the chief difficulty is 
 admitted, when it is conceded, that sin 
 and misery have an actual existence in 
 the world, and have had from a period 
 near its commencement. For if evil 
 may exist, as it has done, consistently 
 with the Divine attributes, it may exist 
 hereafter — it may exist for ever. When 
 it is argued that sin cannot deserve such 
 a punishment, something is assumed 
 which cannot be known to be true. If 
 sin may exist and be punished for ages, 
 no man can prove that it may not exist 
 for ever, and for ever be the cause of 
 misery. The idea is indeed so painful 
 to our feelings, that unless the will of 
 
STATE OF FUTURE MISERY. 183 
 
 God had been revealed too clearly to be 
 mistaken, the doctrine of eternal misery 
 would never have been received by any 
 considerable number of persons ; but 
 revolting as it is to our sensibilities, it 
 has been from the beginning, the belief 
 of the whole Christian church, with a 
 very few exceptions. We believe this 
 doctrine, simply because we find it plain- 
 ly written in innumerable passages of 
 Scripture. If there is any art by which 
 this array of testimony can be set aside, 
 then it will be a legitimate inference, that 
 no doctrine is or can be proved from the 
 sacred word. 
 
 It is not intended to adduce all the Scrip- 
 ture proofs of this awful doctrine. They 
 may be met with on almost every page 
 of the New Testament. It may not be 
 amiss, however, to cite a few passages, 
 that the reader may have a specimen of 
 the proof texts which may be alleged. 
 There is a sin for which there is no for- 
 giveness, neither m this world nor in the 
 
184 hell; or, the 
 
 world to come. There was a person, 
 concerning whom our Saviour said, it 
 had been better for him if he had never 
 been born ; which can only be true on 
 the supposition, that punishment will be 
 eternal. There were some of whom 
 Christ said, " ye shall die in your sins, 
 and where T am thither ye cannot come." 
 It is said, that many " shall seek to enter 
 into life and shall not be able." Besides, 
 we have not the least intimation that the 
 lost can ever be rendered meet for the 
 heavenly state. Certainly the society 
 and blasphemy of devils have no tenden- 
 cy to fit the souls of the damned for the 
 pure joys of the celestial world. And, 
 in confirmation of the common doctrine, 
 we have in Scripture every form of ex- 
 pression which could express eternity of 
 misery. The same terms which are em- 
 ployed to teach the eternal existence of 
 God, and the perpetuity of the happiness 
 of the righteous, are also used to teach 
 the endless sufferings of the fiwally ira- 
 
STATE or FUTURE MISERY. 185 
 
 penitent. And, for aught we know, eter- 
 nity is an immutable state of existence ; 
 and he who is doomed to punishment in 
 another world, must suffer eternally, be- 
 cause the successions of time may have 
 no existence there. 
 
 We are not more certainly assured of 
 the perpetuity of future misery, than of 
 the intensity of the torments which must 
 be endured by the wretched creatures 
 who shall be doomed to everlasting ban- 
 ishment from the comfortable presence 
 of God. Whether the fire of hell is a 
 material fire is an inquiry of no import- 
 ance. It matters not whether excrucia- 
 ting pain proceeds from a material or 
 immaterial cause. The misery of lost 
 sinners must be inconceivably dreadful 
 if they should be abandoned to their own 
 feelings of remorse, despair, and the ra- 
 ging of malignant passions, now free from 
 all restraint. This state of misery is 
 spoken of as a place of outer darkness ; a 
 lake of fire and brimstone; and a place 
 13 
 
186 HELL. 
 
 where the worm dieth not, and where the 
 fire is not quenched. Let every one who is 
 within the reach of mercy, flee from the 
 coming wrath, and take refuge under the 
 outstretched wines of the divine mercy. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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