'^^m 
 
Srom t^e fci6tari? of 
 
 (profcBBox ^amuef (ttliffet 
 
 in (glemori^ of 
 
 3ub5e ^amuef (gliffer QBrecftinrtbge 
 
 ^reeenteb 6)^ 
 
 ^amuef (tttiffer QSrecfttnribge g^ong 
 
 to t^e fei6rart of 
 
 (prtncefon C^eofogicaf ^enttnarg 
 
 

MISTAKES IN RELIGION EXPOSED: 
 
 .AX 
 
 r 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 ox THE 
 
 PROPHECY OF ZACHARIAS, 
 
 By the late Rei, H. FENN, M.J, 
 
 AUTHOR OF TIJK COMPLETE DUTY OF MAX, 
 
 We have made Lies our refuge, and under Falshood Iiave we 
 hid ourselves Isaiah xxviii. 15. 
 
 Nee extra conscientiam bonam c'laric^s ; nee extra fidem consci- 
 entu bona ; nee fides extra verbum Dei. Haec qui dissolvit, a 
 scope aberrat, & pro veritate, vanitatem amplecticur. 
 
 B E z A, 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PaiXTED FOR R. OGLE, 2^5, HOLBORXJ OGLE AX I* 
 
 AlKMAN. EDINBURGH; AND M, O&LE, 
 
 GLASGO^r. 
 
 I8O7. 
 
JB. Blackadcr, Fhiiter, Took's-Court, Chancery-Lane. 
 
INTRODUCTIOX. 
 
 Mistakes in Religion, pass with many 
 for matters of small importance, because 
 tliey are supposed to have little or no 
 connexion with our present or future 
 happiness. 
 
 The following pages directly oppose 
 this tenet, now become extremely popu- 
 lar, by a winning appearance of candor 
 and free enquirj' , which its patrons never 
 fail to plead in favor of it. 
 
 To expose, therefore, the favorite con- 
 ceit, " that men are in no danger of de- 
 '' struction from embracing false doc- 
 " trine,'' is become needful, and will 
 serve as a proper Introduction to this 
 Essay. 
 
 a 
 
VI INTRODUCTIOX. 
 
 Were the conceit then true, that Mis- 
 takes in Rehgion are matters of small 
 importance, it must be true also, that a 
 well-informed judgment would be of no 
 more value towards obtaining acceptance 
 with God, than one blinded by the 
 spirit of error. Good principles and bad 
 must no lono;er influence the mind ac- 
 cording to their nature, and therefore 
 should lose ' their names. Jo-norance 
 w^ould stand upon a level with know- 
 ledge, and false conceptions of God, 
 with those which are just: for no pre- 
 ference can be due to one above the 
 other, if the practical influence of both 
 be the same. 
 
 More glaring absurdities than these 
 are, cannot be named. The notion, 
 therefore, from which they necessarily 
 follow, must itself be false. 
 
 But the mischief this libertine opinion 
 does, equals its absurditv. What can 
 pour contempt on all Religion more, 
 than to suppose mistakes about it are of 
 
IN TRODUCTIOy. Vil 
 
 ■ » ' 
 
 no consequence ? V» ill any man study 
 to know the mind oi' God, after he is 
 persuaded ignorance in that respect has 
 no hurtful tendency ? or value the Bible, 
 when the truths contained in it, instead 
 of being accounted principles of life and 
 action, are degraded into speculative 
 points, which we may neglect without 
 guilt, and deny without loss or danger to 
 the soul? Or what power of command- 
 ins: faith in the doctrines He hath re- 
 vealed, can be said to remain with God, 
 when authority over conscience is sup- 
 posed entirely to rest on every man's own 
 apprehension of truth, not on his written 
 word ? 
 
 A conceit so pernicious, we may be 
 sure must contradict the judgment and 
 practice of Christ and his Apostles- 
 Accordingly we find, they are absolute 
 in requiring men to receive the truths 
 they taught as necessary to salvation. 
 '' Except ye believe that I am He, ve 
 a 2 
 
via IXTRODUCTION". 
 
 '' shall die in your siiis/'saith the Lord. 
 " Preach the Gospel to every creature. 
 " He that believeth and is baptized, 
 " shall be saved: lie that believeth not^ 
 " shall be damned." The practice of 
 the Apostles v.as founded upon this de- 
 cisive tone of their divme Master. 
 Hence, when certain teachers at PJiilippi 
 deviated from the faith, St. Paul calls 
 them dogs, to excite universal detestation 
 of their errors, and charges the church 
 to beware of them. He commands the 
 churches of Galatia to look upon them 
 as accursecU '-vho preached any other 
 Gospel to tlieni, than that tliey had 
 heard from his mouth. And he places 
 heresies in tlie same dreadful predica- 
 ment with adultery, as a work of the 
 flesh. St. Peter, perfectly harmonizing 
 with his brother Apostle, expresses him- 
 self in as strong terms on this head. 
 " There shall be false teachers,'' he says, 
 " among you, who privily shall bring in 
 '• damnable heresies, denying the Lokd 
 
TXTRODUCTiaX. IX 
 
 '' that bought thciii, and bring upon 
 ^' themselves swift destruction/' 
 
 St. John conimands the faithful, not 
 to receive into their houses any teacher 
 who should })rinuwith him any other doc- 
 trine, than he had taught them himself; 
 charging tiiem *^ not to bid such a one 
 " God speed; lest by so doing, they 
 ** should become partakers,'' not of his 
 speculative mistakes^ but " of his e\il 
 dee^s." 
 
 It is evident from these passages, (a 
 few of many which might be alledged) 
 that Christ and his apostles were ex- 
 tremely jealous to preserve the doctrine 
 they taught uncorrupted, as a matter of 
 the last importance. No art can recon- 
 cile their declarations, warnings, and 
 commands, to the conceit, that Mistakes 
 in Relio'ion have little connexion with 
 our present or future happiness. Nor is 
 it possible to reverence their judgment 
 aiid practice as an infallible precedent, 
 ^. 3 
 
IXTRODUCTION". 
 
 unless Vve regard tliese declarations, 
 warnings, and commands, as decisive, 
 that false doctrine is poison to the soul, 
 and to be sound in the faith, necessary to 
 acceptance with our Maker. 
 
 The authority and practice, therefore, 
 of CiiRiST and his Apostles, will justify 
 every well-rneant attempt to prove the 
 malignant nature of Mistakes in lieli- 
 gion. 
 
 Every one exposed in this Work, is 
 fairly deducible, I apprehend, from the 
 Prophecy of Zacharias : a part of scrip- 
 ture highly deserving peculiar attention ; 
 because it certainly contains that very 
 system of divinity, which the Baptist, 
 from his tenderest years, was taught to 
 believe: for it is against all reason to 
 suppose the father would ever instil any 
 other doctrine into the mind of his child, 
 than what he published to the people 
 himself, when full of the holy Ghost. 
 
 This Prophecy I call a Sijstem of Di- 
 nity, because it contains several articles 
 
IXTRODUCTIOX. Xi 
 
 of religion, which, like the Ibundatiou 
 and superstructure, bear to each other 
 the nearest relation, and must stand or 
 fall too'ether. 
 
 Zacharlas^ for instance, teaches, that 
 we are all in the hands of our enemies, 
 and those that hate us. Hence our ruin 
 must be certain, unless some Deliverer, 
 more mighty than our foes, undertake 
 our rescue. In the words of the Pro- 
 phecy, the Horn of Salvation raised up 
 to visit and redeem us, must be the 
 Loud Himself. And when our guilt 
 and our pollutions are so great, what can 
 inspire men, intimidated on this account^^ 
 with full confidence in the Horn of Sal- 
 vation ? Nothino; less than the Promise. 
 Covenant, and Oath of God, that such 
 trust shall be crowned with final con- 
 quest over every foe ; or, in the words of 
 Zacharias, that ^' the people of God 
 *' being delivered out of the hands of 
 '^ their enemies, shall serve Him without 
 a4 
 
Xll TNTRODUCTIOX. 
 
 \ .-■■■ , 
 
 '* fear, in holiness and righteousness be- 
 "' fore Hiiii all the days of their life/' 
 
 Further; it follows from hence, that 
 this plan of salvation provided for fallen 
 man, and displaying e\ery perfection of 
 God in the lii-^hest desiree, well deserve!^ 
 to be the principal subject of all pro- 
 phecy, as the knowledge of it is the ap-. 
 pointed means of promoting holiness and 
 peace amongst men in every age. Za- 
 charias expressly affirms these several 
 truths, which stand inseparably connect- 
 ed together. So that without any force 
 of interpretation, or human comment, 
 we find the chief articles of the Christian 
 faith in these dictates of the holy Ghost 
 published by the Baptist's father. 
 
 Several relip;ious mistakes.besides those 
 exposed in this Essay, might have been 
 justly deduced, I am very sensible, from 
 this distinguished part of scripture. But 
 those selected, had the preference, from 
 long observation of their bad effects, in 
 the course of more than twenty years at- 
 
I XT RO DUCT 10 y. Xlll 
 
 tendance on the business of my pro- 
 fession, first in London^ and its near 
 nei^-hbourhood, afterwards in the laroe 
 and very populous Parish of HuddersJielcL 
 
 Regular practitioners in the medical 
 art are allowed to have knowledge in the 
 nature and cure of bodily diseases, from 
 seeing, much of both. Can it be just to 
 deny to spiritual physicians the same 
 advantage respecting diseases of the 
 soul, when their appointment is only to 
 study its welfare ? Strange indeed ! if 
 much thought, joined to much conver- 
 sation on the grand subject of Religion, 
 with young and old, rich and poor, ig- 
 norant and learned, devout and profane, 
 should not give sufficient opportunity of 
 discovering with certainty what are the 
 principal mistakes which defeat the end 
 of our instructions ! 
 
 Much intercourse in this way, must 
 teach all who are desirous of knowing, 
 what mistakes some fall into by bein^ 
 wise in their own eyes ; what sooth others 
 
XIV IXTRODUCTIOX. 
 
 of licentious life into a fatal secuiitj :— 
 What fill Youthful minds with prejudice 
 even against the Prince of peace ; Mora- 
 lists with contempt of Him ; Formalists 
 with obstinate confidence in their blind 
 devotions, and Antinomians with the 
 most detestable presumption. 
 
 To create a salutary dread of such per- 
 nicious errors, is the design of this Work. 
 And very few mistakes stand here ex- 
 posed, but such as all earnest Christians, 
 who ascribe their whole salvation to the 
 Grace of God, and the redemption that 
 is in Jesus, will agree are pernicious; 
 yet I never met with a treatise contain- 
 ing a form.al confutation of them. 
 
 Should any person of religious senti- 
 ments directly opposite to those main- 
 tained in this Essay, think it worth his 
 while to remark from the press, on w.hat 
 he may call my own gross prejudices, it 
 is proper he should know, that I shall 
 gladly retract any mistake 1 may have 
 fallen into, with due gratitude to my 
 
INTRODUCTION. XV 
 
 corrector, but intend no reply in vindi- 
 cation of my principles : because if a 
 book cannot defend itself to the Public, 
 it will be in vain for the author to attempt 
 doing it. Besides, how ver}^ rare is a 
 controversy in vvhich either respondent 
 or opponent keep from impertinent ob- 
 servations, disdainful irony, mean preva- 
 rication, and even personal abuse r So 
 that nothing can be more disgusting to 
 those who lov^e peace, or more hurtful 
 to the cause of Christ, than disputes 
 in divinity, as they are managed, almost 
 on every occasion. 
 
 The Reader of these pages, it is pre- 
 sumed, will not find tliem written in the 
 spirit of controversy : their sole design 
 being to prove the baneful influence of 
 notions contrary to the doctrine believed 
 by the universal church in every age. 
 This indeed is often done with some 
 warmth aa^ainst the mistake, not the 
 person v/hom it deceives. And those 
 who are ready to take offence at s^/c/i 
 
XVI IVTRODUCTION'. 
 
 warmth, seem to forget, that men and 
 their p?'i?iciples are very different things, 
 which ought by no means to be con- 
 founded together. Every sentiment of 
 compassion and love is due to their per- 
 sons, who even '* trample under foot the 
 *' blood of the Son of God/' but detes- 
 tation is no less due to their errors. Were 
 there no power of thus separating abhor- 
 rence of fatal mistakes, from ill-will to- 
 wards those who hold them, then the best 
 Christians must be deemed most uncha- 
 ritable, at the instant they prayed for 
 their murderers with all the ardor a ten- 
 der mother would ask the life of her child. 
 Since at that very instant, the martyrs 
 declared in the most affecting manner, 
 that the mistakes of their persecutors were 
 absolutely fatal ; because they suffered 
 death itself, sooner than give the least 
 countenance to them. 
 
 Indeed love to God and man require,, 
 that errors of a pernicious nature, should 
 be exposed always with warmth both fi;onx 
 
IXTRODUCTIOX. Xvii 
 
 the pulpit and press, for the more ear- 
 nestly conclusive arguments are urged, 
 the more deeply will the cause \ve plead 
 be impressed. Another objection may be 
 made to this, with all works of a serious 
 nature : It may be said to give a melan- 
 choly picture of the state of mankind, 
 who are living in general under tlie power 
 of fatal mistakes. But has not the general 
 state of mankind, in every age, been a 
 most afflicting consideration to every 
 tlioughtful and benevolent Christian ? 
 Can you believe " there is a God who 
 ^' judgeth in the earth, who is of purer 
 '' eyes than to behold iniquity;'' or that 
 they only " who have done good shall 
 " come forth to the resurrection of life,'"' 
 and see the general state of mankind in 
 a pleasing light ? Next to their own of- 
 fences and depravity, nothing has ever so 
 much imbittered this world to the great- 
 est lovers of the human species, as seeing 
 the headlong pursuits in which the mul- 
 titude are seeking death, eternal death ! 
 
XVlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 What siohs, Avliat tears in secret before 
 God, have they not, after the example 
 of Christ, poured out, because men are 
 contentious, and obey not the truth, but 
 obey unrighteousness ! AA hxat fervent in- 
 tercessions have they not offered up in 
 their behalf, who have reproached them 
 at the same time for their uncharitable- 
 ness ! What hard and long struggles have 
 they gone through, before they could 
 cease from quarrelling with the determi- 
 nations of infmite wisdom, out of love to 
 their perishing fellow-creatures ! How 
 w^ould they wish, were it lawful, which 
 they know it is not, that every individual, 
 whatever he has been or done here, might 
 escape the wrath to come. On the con- 
 trary, the purity of God, the honor of 
 his law, the end of his government, the 
 truth of his word, the interest of his up- 
 right creatures for ever exclude all hope 
 of happiness from them " who \o\e dark- 
 " ness rather than light ;' and, in the 
 lanoua2;e of Isaiah, " hold fast a he in 
 
 cj CD ' 
 
IXTUODUCTIOX. XIX 
 
 " their rioht hand." And in this case, 
 ^vhat does good -will to men, or faithful- 
 ness to God demand from us ? Surely 
 not insinuations of impunity to the un- 
 believing and disobedient. Not, but to 
 alarm them, if possible, by proving, that 
 neither numbers, nor fashion, nor pre- 
 sumption, ran destroy tlie eternal con- 
 nexion there is in the nature of thino-s 
 between unbelief and misery, hell and 
 incorrijrible wickedness. In no other 
 way, can eifectual opposition to wide- 
 spread immorality and error be made ; 
 because the greater necessity there is 
 from the prevalence of both to msist on 
 their final issue ^ doubtless, the more me- 
 lancholy must the general condition of 
 mankind appear. 
 
 Is nothinir to be feared bevond the 
 grave, let men think, speak, and act as 
 they please ? No longer then ascribe 
 unto God the perfections of Ins nature, 
 or profess belief of a Resurrection, both 
 of the just and the unjust. But if men 
 
XX INTRODUCTION. 
 
 can be saved only through Christ, in 
 the way of faith and obedience, then 
 true benevolence must be inseparable 
 from earnest contention for Christian 
 faith and practice ; must animate us 
 openly to oppose every deviation from 
 either, as full of danger ; and engage us 
 to join with intrepid zeal for the doctrine 
 and precepts of Christ, fervent prayer 
 to Him, " who openeth the eyes of the 
 " blind, and bringeth prisoners out of 
 " their prison,'' that all who err may be 
 led into the way of truth, and knowledge 
 increase to make men wise unto salva- 
 tion. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 Chap. I. — On the Character of Zacharias 1 
 
 .>___— II. — On the Mistake of asserting 
 
 Man's native Innocence - 5 
 III. — On the Redemption of the 
 
 Church ------ 8 
 
 ■ IV. — Christ the grand Subject of all 
 
 Prophecy - - - - - 15 
 .____ v.— 0/i the Mistake in preaching 
 
 Morals principally - - - 25 
 ^-' VI. — Christ the Redeemer of his 
 
 Church from the Curse of 
 
 the Lazv 29 
 
 — VII. — On the Atonement - - - 42 
 • VIII. — On the Necessity of preaching 
 
 the Law ----- 45 
 
 IX. — Peace of Conscience towards 
 
 God not the Reward of im- 
 perfect Virtue _ - - - 50 
 
 ' X. — On the Pozver and Devices of 
 
 Satan -------57 
 
 — — — XI — On supposing Heaven will he 
 open to all Men, S)C. — and of 
 some native Power in Men to 
 save themselves - - - - 70 
 
 XII. — Christ the Deliverer of his 
 
 Church from the Men 
 
 of this World - - - - 77 
 
 *--r— « XlfL — On Courting the Favor of 
 
 the World - - - . - S3 
 
co^CTE^'Ts. 
 
 Page 
 
 Chap. XlV.—Chrisf, the Deliverer of 
 his People from the 
 Love of the World - 90 
 
 XV— 0// the Natural Depra- 
 
 viti/ofMcni - - - g5. 
 
 ■ X\ l.—Sclt-eornplacenci/, from 
 
 good Reputation y ex- 
 posed ----- 107 
 
 ■ X^ II. — The Innifficienei/ of ex- 
 
 ternal Religion ea;- 
 posed - - - - - 110 
 
 ■ XVIII. — On easij and polite Re- 
 ligion - - . - 1 ] 5 
 
 — ~ XIX. — Christ a Savior from 
 
 Death - - - - 120 
 
 — XX. — On false Confidence in a 
 
 well-spent Life - - 137 
 
 ' XXI. — On the Covenant of 
 
 Grace - - - - 14O 
 
 • XXIL — On the Knowledge of 
 
 Salvation - - - - 151 
 
 XXIII.—.4 further Defence of 
 
 the full Assurance (f 
 Faith - - - - 165 
 
 XXIV. — 0« the Abuse of ihe Co- 
 
 venant of Cjrace - 175 
 
 ■ XX^ .^-On the Error of exalt- 
 
 ing Morality, to the 
 Disparagement of 
 
 Faith and Holiness 19-3 
 
 XXVI — On John the Baptist - ^209 
 
 XXVI[._0/^ the Divinity of 
 
 Christ - - ^ - - 22 1 
 
 XXVIII. — On Contempt cf Preach- 
 ing 239 
 
 — — - — XXiX.— 0;* the Connection he- 
 tweeti Christian Doc- 
 trine and Good Works Col 
 
AN 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 ON THE 
 
 PROPHECY OF ZACHARIAS, 
 
 CHAP. I 
 
 On the Character of Zackataas, 
 
 Ihe spirit of prophecy, one peculiar 
 glory of the Jewish church, was entirely 
 withdrawn for some acres before our Saviour's 
 birth. It ceased with Malachi, who closed 
 the canon of ancient scripture, and was not 
 again vouchsafed for more than three hun- 
 dred years. Judge then, what a subject of 
 discourse, surprize and joy, it must have been 
 among the true Israelites, when it was public- 
 ly known, that God had once more raised up 
 
 B 
 
On the Character of Zacharias. 
 
 a prophet amongst his people : That Zacha- 
 rias, a priest long distinguished for piety, 
 and excellency of life, was become, by mi- 
 racle, a parent in his old age, his wife being 
 old also, and full of the holy Ghost, pro- 
 claimed the approaching appearance of the 
 Messiah. 
 
 Such was the striking prelude, appointed 
 to prepare the Jews for the reception of 
 Christ, who by signs and wonders from his 
 birth, was powerfully proved to be the Lord. 
 
 Yet Zacharias^ excellent as he was, *^walk- 
 m^ in all the commandments and ordi- 
 nances of God blameless," greatly offends on 
 this occasion. For though assured by an 
 angel, that he should embrace a son of his 
 own, he could not beueve ti^e marvellous 
 promise. His unbelief is punished upon the 
 spot. In a moment he loses his speech and 
 his hearing, and is cut off from all sweet in- 
 tercourse with his friends, till the very fact, 
 which he deemed incredible, came to pass. 
 Nine whole months he remained a most af- 
 fecting spectacle; a monument of the sin 
 of doubting divine declarations, which we 
 are bound to lionour, by believing apparent 
 
On the Character of Zacharia^, 
 
 impossibilities to be no obstacle to the exe- 
 cution of God's purposes. 
 
 But what are the chief of saints before 
 sudden and violent temptations ? How la- 
 mentably do they discover, no less than 
 others, the power of corrupt nature, and 
 stain their characters which appeared almost 
 without a spot before ! This teaches us, 
 that the best have ever need to pray — *' lead 
 us not into temptation." Otherwise, if left to 
 ourselves, splendid privile«;es will only expose 
 us to greater shame. Like ZachariaSy when 
 Gabriel came from heaven to assure him he 
 should be the father of one of the most ex- 
 cellent of the prophets, we shall fall into dis- 
 grace, and incur the displeasure of God. 
 
 At length when the illustrious babe was 
 brought to be circumcised, his father's mouth 
 was opened, his tongue was loosed, and, full 
 of the Holy Ghost, he prophesied, saying, 
 
 Luke i. 68. 
 
 Blessed he the Lord God of Israel^ for he 
 hath risked and redeemed his people. 
 TO redeem, signifies to purchase the deli- 
 verance of captives, by paying down a ran- 
 B 2 
 
0)1 the Character of Zacharias. 
 
 som-price, through which alone they obtain 
 their hberty. None, therefore, but the 
 wretched and enslaved, as common sense 
 teaches, can need this mercy. Since the Is- 
 rael of God then are visited, and redeemed, 
 it follows, that they are naturally in a most 
 miserable condition. The word of truth 
 affirms, and universal experience proves, they 
 are so, till they receive the benefit of re- 
 demption. 
 
 Before this blessed hour of deliverance, 
 infernal selfishness, and enmity against the 
 truth and government of God, possesses 
 them. Sensuality, pride, impatience, anger, 
 hatred, malice, and hyprocrisy, by turns, as 
 temptations occur, are manifested in their 
 tempers and conduct; making them often a 
 burden to themselves, mischievous to others, 
 and always displeasing to God. 
 
 This totally corrupt and wicked state, I 
 allow, is frequently coloured over with fair 
 appearances of good humour, honor, social 
 virtue, and the exterior of religion ; sufficient 
 to sooth self-love, and deceive spectators, no 
 better than ourselves ; yet the infallible Judge 
 pronounces, that " we arc by nature children 
 
On the Character of Zachaiias. 
 
 of wrath," EpJi. ii. 3. and have iu us a "car- 
 nal mind which is enmity against God/' 
 Ro7n. viii. 7. 
 
 Compared with this natural character of 
 man, the unsearchable riches of grace shine 
 to the highest advantage. For, instead of 
 destroying his people, when in a state so 
 guilty, so detestablej the Lord God hath 
 visited and redeemed them^ 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 On the Mistake of asserting Man's native Innocence. 
 
 Ihis doctrine, X^n^lhy Zachai^ias, proves 
 their error who conclude men are born inno- 
 cent and good, as Adam was created. Such a 
 supposition impeaches the propliets, apostles, 
 and Christ himself, as slanderers of ujan- 
 kind, and blasphemers of God. For they 
 unanimously assert the ruin of us all, as a 
 race of sinners by birth. Upon this meian- 
 cholv truths they found the absolute necessity 
 
On asserting Ma/i's natrcc Innocence. 
 
 of redemption ; which indeed must sink into 
 nothing but a very violent and absurd nie- 
 taphor, if we are not in a fallen, lost con- 
 flition. For what absurdity could be grosser, 
 than to aflirm, that men naturally upright, 
 in peace with God, fully possessed of power 
 bo to continue, or to recover themselves if 
 they did sin, were yet visited in such a state, 
 and rcdee??2€d from it ? 
 
 Besides, you can no sooner embrace this 
 delusion, that man is not fallen, and lost, than 
 you will take offence at the name of a Be- 
 deemer. You will grow jealous of the high 
 lionours constantly paid to him, and instead 
 of being thankful for his explaining more 
 clearly the nature of religion, and revealing 
 a future state, which you aliow^ he has done, 
 you will feel a disposition to quarrel conti- 
 nually with him, and his apostles, for speak- 
 ing in the manner they do of his ever- blessed 
 person, his glorious w ork, and salvation. 
 
 Observe further, the fatal eficct of this 
 mistake. Instead of being animated with 
 love to Gor, and his service, by inestimable 
 benefits vouchsafed alreadj to a creature 
 vile and sinful : you ean receive nothing 
 
On asserting: Mans 'Native Innocence. 
 
 better from Gob on tl}is side ihe grave, than 
 a set of moral rules, with a declaration that 
 the due ohservance of them may possibly be 
 rewarded in another world, whilst much more 
 probably your violation of them may destroy 
 vour soul. In this view of things, what cer- 
 tain blessing is there granted at all ? 
 
 How much more beneficial and conso- 
 latory is the doctrine which Zacharias, with 
 all the inspired writers, teaches ! The Re- 
 demption of sinners by the Lord God, from 
 a state equally infamous and miserable — 
 \vhich challenges the most devout and 
 thankful acceptance, as the chief of all 
 the mercies of God; tliat every believer 
 in Jesus, whilst he obeys and adores his 
 precepts, as an infallible prophet, might 
 ti'iumph also in the greatness of his salvation, 
 as a complete Redeemer. 
 
 b4 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 CHAR III. 
 
 On the RedanpUo/i of the Church. 
 
 1 HE people of God, arc those, whom the 
 Pather gave to Christ — a multitude out of 
 every nation, and kindred, and people, and 
 tongue — in number as the sand upon the sea- 
 shore. They are distinguished by this title 
 of highest honour, on account of God's spe- 
 cial favour towards them, their devotedness 
 to his service, and love of his truth. All 
 these v/ere redeemed by the blood, and made 
 righteous by the obedience of Christ. When 
 he expired on the cross, he delivered them 
 from the wrath to come — lie bruised the 
 serpent's head — He made sure, in the way 
 of holiness, the salvation of every member 
 of his mystical body, the church. 
 
 The following scriptures, in their natural, 
 obvious sense, establish this glorious truth. 
 " By the one offering of himself, this man 
 *^ (Christ) for ever perfected them that 
 '* are sanctified/' Hcb. ix. that is, separated 
 bv the choice of God, and consecrated to his 
 
Oil the Hcdcmption of the Church. 
 
 service. '' This man, after he had ottered 
 '^ one sacrifice for sin, sat down on the right 
 '^ hand of God, from henceforth expecting 
 '^ till his enemies become his footstool." In 
 grateful remembrance of this complete re- 
 demption, the church is represented as break- 
 ing forth into the following joyful strains, — 
 *^ We have a strong city, salvation will God 
 *• appoint for walls and bulwarks." The 
 ministers of Christ are charged to animate 
 the faithful, in the midst of all their suffer- 
 ings, with words which breathe nothing but 
 assurance of victory — " Comfort ye, com- 
 '* fort ye niy people, saith your God. vSpeak 
 "ye comfortably to Jerusalem^ say unto 
 '^' her, her iniquity is pardoned — her warfare 
 '^ is accomplished — she hath received of the 
 
 *' Lord's hand, double for all her sins," Isa. 
 
 xl 1, 2. 
 
 In so perfect a manner, hath the Lord 
 
 God of Israel visited, and redeemed his 
 
 people. 
 
 This doctrine exposes their mistake, w ho 
 
 fancy the excellency of the gospel consists 
 
 in ascertaining a future state of rewards and 
 
 punishments, and promising the aids of grace 
 b6 
 
10 On the Redemption of -the Church 
 
 to succeed our good endeavours. Did the 
 gospel contain no ?;2cre than this, it must still 
 prove insufficient to make obedience to the 
 precepts of Christ cither deh'ghtful, or prac- 
 ticable. Because from our very constitution, 
 we all pant after present gratifications, and 
 are seduced to depart from our duty by the 
 prospect of present pleasures — which if re- 
 ligion will not afford, we shall continue to 
 despise it, however it may be our future in- 
 terest not to do so. We shall delay giving 
 up ourselves to the service of the Lord, till 
 a tim.e of sickness or old age, whilst we con- 
 clude so much more may be enjoyed from 
 forbidden pleasures at present, than we shall 
 receive from obedience. This is, in fact, 
 the grand prejudice against religion in the 
 hearts of the young and lively, the prosperous 
 and noble. A prejudice insurmountable, so 
 long as religion is represented to them, prin- 
 cipally as precept on God's part, and obedi- 
 ence on ours — promising no higher joys to 
 us here, than self-applause for having done 
 well, and hope on that ground, such as it is, 
 of being finally happy in heaven. For what 
 in their eyes who pant for. present joy, is all 
 
On the Jledemption of ilu- Church. ] ] 
 
 this, comjmred with biil]ia.nt assemblies, and 
 sensual delights, or the great privileges of 
 wealth, power, and titles ? Do not these 
 things notorioasly captivate men of all ranks 
 and ages, till ihey find in religion an imme- 
 diate spring of better gratification ? But 
 this cannot be consciousness of our own vir- 
 tues, because in the best, their virtues bear 
 no proportion to their faults, as all know who 
 are not blinded with pride. Neither can it 
 be in the expectation of happiness be3^ond 
 the grave, because our fears v/ill be stronger 
 than our hopes, till we are filled with ])eace 
 and joy, as the primitive christians vrere in 
 believing. 
 
 Some object therefore, most excellent, and 
 to an high degree at present beneficial, is 
 needful ; the possession of which will at 
 once extinguish all eager desire of forbidden 
 joys, by affording better itself. Exactlv such 
 an object is the Lord — not considered as 
 a law-giver, but as a friend and father — as 
 emptying himself of his original glory, and 
 becoming poor, that we through his poverty 
 might be 'uade rich for ever — dyiniz for us 
 on the cross, and now reigning omnipotent 
 E 6 
 
?2 On the Redemption of the Church. 
 
 on his eternal throne, giving to his faithful 
 people assurance of perfect happiness with 
 himself in heaven. — Here is enough to make 
 us exult. — Beauty in the object surpassing 
 all the eyes ever saw — benefits flowing from 
 it in never-ceasing streams, above all the 
 ear ever heard — and delight in the increas- 
 ing knowledge of both, beyond all the heart 
 of man can conceive. 
 
 As such an object, the Redeemer proposed 
 himself: and his apostles afterwards in this 
 light set forth his glory. Witness his own 
 declaration to one of the vilest of women, 
 which had instantly such an effect upon her, 
 that she commended him to the whole city, 
 after she had believed in him herself. " Je- 
 '' sus said unto her. He that drinketh of the 
 " water that I shall give him, sha.ll never 
 '•'thirst; but the water which I shall give 
 " him, shall be in him a well of water, spring- 
 ing up into everlasting Wky'' John '\\\ 14. 
 On another occasion, when the Jews were 
 going to stone him, enraged at liis making 
 himself equal with God, behold, he asserts 
 with a double asseveration, the present and 
 eterniil benefits inseparable from true fliith 
 
On the Redemption of the Church. \o 
 
 in bis name. " Verily, verily I say unto 
 ** you, he that heareth my word, and be- 
 " lieveth on him that sent me, halh ever- 
 *' lasting life, and shall not come into con- 
 *' demnation^ but is passed from death to 
 '' life," John v. 24. Paul, Peter, and John 
 repeatedly assert the redemption of the peo- 
 ple of God to be thus perfect. To the chris- 
 tians at Corinth the great apostle writes and 
 tells them, " All things are yours, whether 
 '* the world, oi' life, or death, things present, 
 " or things to come, all is yours, and ye are 
 " CnrasT's, and Christ is God's," 1 Co7\ 
 iii. 32. St. Peter, teaching the very same 
 doctrine, represents the new birth, as infal- 
 libly connected with everlasting salvation, 
 1 Peter i. And St. JoJin affirms it when he 
 says, *' Behold, now are we the sons of 
 *^ God, and it does not yet appear what we 
 '' shall be, hut uc hnozc that when He shall 
 '' appear, we shall be like him, for we shall 
 *' see him as he is," 1 John iii. 
 
 Such a coniplete redemption of sinful 
 creatures, is a work in mercy and in gran- 
 deur worthy of God — a gift engaging the 
 heart, from gratitude and admiration, to re- 
 
1 4 On the Redemption of the Church, 
 
 joice in paying obedience to him — a gift 
 enabling every possessor of it, lo challenge 
 the whole world to produce an equal good — 
 so fer from leaving its possessor to envy the 
 forbidden pleasures of the licentious, that 
 it constrains him to wish for their present 
 happiness — that it might please God, they 
 should become partakers of the nobler de- 
 light, which springs up in his ow^n heart, 
 from the knowledge of redemption. 
 
 It is evidently then a mistake, of dange- 
 rous consequence, to suppose that rules for 
 moral practice, or the revelation of a future 
 state of rewards and punishments, constitute 
 the principal excellency of the gospel — be- 
 cause the observance of these rules, which 
 is to be rewarded, cannot be accomplished 
 without some previous manifestation of the 
 love of God, great enough to allure and 
 captivate : for men must be won by love, 
 not by terror. But commands to sacrifice 
 our dearest lusts, to hate our own lives, and 
 forsake all, under the heaviest penalties, do 
 not make us love the sovereign power, which 
 dictates in this manner. And to tell us we 
 are only in a state of probation, where all 
 
On the Redemption of the Church. 15 
 
 depends upon ourselves, has no tendency to 
 inspire unreserved confidence in the Lord 
 our God ; or to make us worship him with 
 alacrity, sing of him, and praise his name. 
 Tiiis can be produced only by the discoveiy 
 of his abundant mercy, and the unsearchable 
 riches of ijis grace towards us in our first and 
 natural state, which makes our redemption 
 ever appear marvellous in our eyes. " We 
 '^ love him, because he first loved us, and 
 " sent his own Son to be the propitiation for 
 ** our sins." This is the christian's vast ob- 
 ligation to gratitude — this is the cord which 
 binds his heart in devotedness to his God. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Christ the grand Subject of all Prophccij. 
 
 Ihe scriptures above quoted aliirm, that 
 the eternal redemption of the people of God. 
 was obtained by the life and death of Christ 
 — He purchased the church with his own 
 blood. So tliat tlic heavcnlv in heri lance i? 
 
l6 Christ the grand Subject of all Prophecy, 
 
 as sure to be enjoyed in due time, by every 
 one of his members, as if they were ah'eady 
 enthroned in glory. Yet the way leading 
 to this final consummation of all the designs 
 of God's love towards them, is every step 
 through an enemy's country, who are always 
 attacking us — whom we must resist and con- 
 quer, or perish. 
 
 Lest, therefore, the power, number, and 
 subtilty of our foes, rendered more dreadful 
 by the advantage which they too often gain, 
 should make the christian armies despair, 
 Zacharkis^ after celebrating the Redemption 
 of tlie church, immediately displays the al- 
 mighty power, ever exerted in their defence. 
 — *' And has raised up an horn of salvation 
 ^' for us, in the house of his servant Davids 
 
 The horn of an animal, is its weapon for 
 defence and vengeance — its ornament and 
 beauty too. It is used therefore in the pro- 
 })hetic style, to denote the power of the 
 strongest Empires. — In the same sense we 
 are to understand it here. By this image 
 the exceeding greatness of the Redeemer's 
 strength, and the never-ceasing exertion of 
 it in behalf of his church, are si^fnified. 
 
Christ the grand Subject of all Prophecy. 17 
 
 This horn of salvation, being the sole pre- 
 servation of the saints in Christ, must cer- 
 tainly be the glory of the Bible — must ap- 
 pear to the eye of every intelligent reader, 
 the grandest part of the whole, and be ex- 
 alted from first to last in that blessed vo- 
 lume. 
 
 Zacharias affirms it is so ; — *^ for when 
 *' God raised up an horn of salvation, in 
 " the house of his servant David,'' of whose 
 seed Christ came according to the flesh, 
 this event was in consequence of frequent 
 predictions ; — '* As he spake by the mouth 
 ** of his holy prophets, which have been since 
 " the world began." 
 
 What an honour is here put upon these 
 witnesses? they were men of distinguished 
 sanctity in the judgment of their God. They 
 published not the product of their own in- 
 vention, or private judgment, but the dic- 
 tates of Jkhovah, to give us the truest con- 
 ceptions of his counsels, which we are capa- 
 ble of attaining in our present state. '* For 
 '' the prophecy came not in old lime, by the 
 •^ will of man, but holy men of God spake 
 
1 8 Christ the grand Subject of all F'rophecy. 
 
 '' as they were moved by the holy Ghost," 
 
 These prophets, who succeeded each other 
 in a long series of more than two thousand 
 years, spoke with one mouth. They deh- 
 vered an uniform testimony concerning 
 the same grand Personage; gradually un- 
 folding his glories, till he appeared himself 
 on earth, the living original pourtrayed in 
 the prophetic books. 
 
 For the business of the prophets, was not 
 only to mark with authority, as messengers 
 from the Lord of hosts, the path of obe- 
 dience and safety, of rebellion and ruin — 
 not only to comfort with divine promises the 
 afflicted church, and in the name of the 
 Lord denounce threatenings upon the wick- 
 ed ; another most important matter was in 
 their com.mission — '^ for the testimony of 
 '^ j£sus is the spirit of prophecy," Rev. 
 xix. 10. They were inspired to delineate 
 hiin^ that upon his appearance, all that un- 
 derstood their writings, might cry out with 
 the Baptist — ^^ Behold the Lamb of God, 
 *' which taketh away the sin of the world !" 
 might welcome his advent with the ioyfui ec- 
 
Christ the grand Subject of all Frophecij. 1 9 
 
 knowledgment — *^ Lo ! this is our God ; we 
 *^ have waited for him, and he will save us : — 
 '^ this is the Lord (of whom Moses and all 
 *' the prophets spake) we have waited for 
 *' him ; we will be silad and rcioice in his 
 •'^ salvation I" — That all aores of the world 
 iiiight find in them a demonstration that Je- 
 sus was the promised Messiah, and adore 
 the exact accomplishment of every prediction 
 in the ancient Oracles concerning him. 
 
 A series of prophecy respecting the person 
 of our Saviour, from the fall o^ Adam to the 
 time of Iilalach'is decease, is at once a full 
 proof of his infinite glory, and the certain 
 inspiration of the Bible. Let us take a short 
 survey of it. 
 
 Immediately after that one offence, which 
 was the ruin of us all, God was pleased, 
 before the gates of paradise were shut upon 
 our guilty parents, to promise with his own 
 mouth, in mitigation of their distress, that 
 " the seed of the woman (Ciuust) should 
 '* bruise the serpent's head." At ihe dis- 
 tance of a few centuries, Enoch, blessed with 
 a vision of his glory, prophesied, saying — 
 " Behold the Lord cometli with ten thoa- 
 
20 Christ the grand Subject of all Prophecy, 
 
 " sand of his saints to execute ludtrment." 
 To Abraham, Jehovah describes hini as an 
 infinite benefactor, ^' in whom all the nations 
 '^ of the earth should be blessed." Jacob 
 calls him by the name of Shiloh, the peace- 
 maker, '^ to whom should be the gathering 
 of the nations." Favoured with these no- 
 tices of salvation, Israel abode in Egypt, 
 till MoseSy sent to deliver them, established 
 from God's own mouth, a system of reli- 
 gious rites, designed to teach them the work 
 and offices of the Messiah — for the holy 
 Ghost expressly calls the Levitical service, a 
 figure for the time then present, Heb, ix. 9. 
 to serve unto the example and shadow of 
 heavenly things. 
 
 It was given to lead our views forward to 
 Him who v.as to come in the flesh, the great 
 high-priest of his church, and the Saviour of 
 it to- the uttermost. And to keep alive the 
 spirit of the whole Levitical service, with its 
 true intent, holy prophets were from time to 
 time inspired to describe the grand circum- 
 stances appropriated to distinguish Christ. 
 His miraculous conception by the blessed 
 virgin—the time and place of his birth — the 
 
Christ the grand Subject of all Propheci/. 21 
 
 miracles he should perform — the reception 
 of his doctrine — the treatment of his divine 
 person — the circumstances of his death, and 
 the glory which should follow from it, both 
 to himself and his church, are all recorded 
 with amazing exactness. So fully did the 
 goodly fellowship of the prophets speak on 
 these things, that when the apostles were sent 
 to preach Christ, and convert the world, 
 their sole qualification for the arduous w^ork, 
 in point of knowledge, was to understand 
 what was spoken concerning Christ, in 
 JiloseSy the Psalms, and the Prophets. 
 
 This scripture doctrine exposes several 
 mistakes in religion. 
 
 The New Testament, many tell us, is all 
 that Christians 7i€ed to study — or at least 
 ought to regard much 77iore than the old. 
 For wliat reason ? Are they not so joined to- 
 gether by divine authority, that he who doth 
 not with equal reverence receive both, can 
 receive neither as the oracles of God r Are 
 they not both the dictates of Jehovah — 
 *' profitable for reproof, for correction, for 
 " instruction in rio:hteousness ?" The New 
 Testament continually appeals to the Old. 
 
22 Christ the grand Subject of all Prophcci/. 
 
 This Jesus and his Apostles urged in all 
 their disputes with the Jews, to prove that 
 he was the Christ. Those therefore who 
 would lop off from the canon of christian 
 scriptures, the writings of Moses and the 
 prophets, or insinuate they are of little use 
 to us now, either have no good intentions, 
 or know not what they do. Neglect these 
 writings, and w4iere will you find God de- 
 scribed with such pomp of majesty, and self- 
 evident marks that He is drazcing his own 
 character ? Where, those high claims to 
 uncontrolable dominion over the universe, as 
 his own absolute property and creation, re- 
 peated with such emphasis 1 Where the 
 doctrine of a particular providence so abun- 
 dantly exemplified? or Jehovah's love of 
 righteousness, and hatred of iniquity, marked 
 m such a variety of affecting narratives, and 
 at the same time his condescending friend- 
 ship for his servants, under all their infirmi- 
 ties, so invariably manifested ? "Where will 
 you find the true character, and glory of 
 Christ, expressed in so many charming de- 
 scriptions of his person, his power, and tlie 
 blessings of his government ? Several of 
 
C/uist the grand Subject of all Prophecy. £3 
 
 these interesting subjects are sparingly treated 
 on in the New Testament, because the pro- 
 phets had insisted upon them before at large. 
 The business of the Evangelists was to prove, 
 by the history of the life of Jesus, that he 
 v^as the Messiah.— The business of the Apos- 
 tles, to bear witness of his resurrection, and 
 teach the doctrines which the ancient scrip- 
 tures contained ; which they were able to 
 do, after our Saviour had opened their un- 
 derstanding, and expounded unto them the 
 things concerning himself. But wherever 
 the New Testament was received, immedi- 
 ately the ancient Oracles, able to make us 
 wise unto salvation, through faith which is 
 in Christ Jesus, were received also, and 
 Christians were commanded to study them. 
 Thus St. Paul affirms ; that the church of 
 God is built " upon the prophets and apos- 
 *' ties — Jesus Christ himself being the 
 '' chief corner-stone," Eph. ii. 20. St. Peter 
 stirs them up to be mindful of the words, 
 which before were spoken by the holy pro- 
 phets, and of the commandment of the Apos- 
 tles of the Lord and Saviour, 2 Pet. iii. 2. 
 Is any preference to the New, above the Old 
 
•24 Christ the grand Subject of all Prophecy. 
 
 Testament, given in these passages ? No, 
 it is a crafty device in those who undermine 
 the Oracles of God, to degrade one part of 
 them, under pretence of greater reverence 
 for the other, in order that they may reduce 
 into a very small compass what is allowed to 
 be a testimony absolutely decisive — that so 
 false doctrine may the more easily escape 
 undiscovered. A device, which of late years 
 has proceeded to such a length, that we are 
 now told, the Epistles are not to be regarded, 
 as of equal authority with the four Gospels ; 
 any more than the Old Testament to be put 
 upon a level with the New. In plain Eng- 
 lish, the Gospels only are given by inspiration 
 of God. — ^Those who are practised upon to 
 believe this, will find much less difficulty in 
 getting rid of the Gospels too, at a conve- 
 nient time, than in proving one small part 
 of scripture is the revelation of God — liie 
 far greater, only the private opinion of falli- 
 ble men. 
 
 Hold fast, therefore, the faith once deli- 
 vered to the saints, that " all scripture is 
 given by inspiration of God." Contend ear- 
 nestly from love to his name, your fellow- 
 
Christ the gland Subject of all Propht'cj/ 0.3 
 
 low-crcatures, and the truth, that ^'God 
 '' spake by the mouth of his holy prophets 
 '^ since the world began" — that it is at our 
 peril to despise tliose writings, or fancy their 
 use to the church in any degree superseded 
 by the publication of the ?2cxv scriptures. 
 
 CHAR V. 
 
 Oji the Mistake in preaching Morals principalli/, 
 
 1 HE doctrine before us, exposes the mis- 
 take of substituting lectures on morality and 
 virtue, instead of discourses on the horn of 
 salvation. For though morality and virtue 
 are truly venerable, and of absolute neces- 
 sity, yet when inculcated without reference 
 to Christ, as their root, support, and sole 
 cause of acceptance with God, they deceive 
 and injure extremely — because in this way 
 we are led to conceive ourselves virtuous, 
 without those deplorable defects and pollu- 
 UonSj which in fact are chargeable on the host, 
 c 
 
20 On preaching Morals princlpa Uy. 
 
 We arc led to imagine iiuinan excellence 
 sufficient — the sure and only passport to 
 heaven. And this delusion must prejudice 
 us bitterly against several capital parts of 
 scripture, which pour contempt upon all ex- 
 pectations of divine favour, founded on our 
 own obedience. — Hence we shall denv, or 
 wrest those divine sayings, in which CiiuisT 
 takes upon himself the whole glory of saving 
 the children of men. And after we are infa- 
 tuated with the idea of our own excellent 
 virtue, one article of the Christian creed will 
 
 grow odious, then another — till we shall con- 
 es ' 
 
 elude in the end, that it is much more ra- 
 tional to be infidels, than Christians. For 
 the self-made idol of deists, is a pleasing ob- 
 ject to a proud, corrupt mind — allows of hu- 
 man merit and boasting — but the God of the 
 Bible requires us to approach iiim with 
 shame and confusion of face for our defile- 
 ment, and offences. 
 
 An unguarded recommendation of the ex- 
 r:ellency of moral virtue, to the neglect of the 
 power and grace of Christ, has contributed 
 to bring on the present increase of Deism, 
 and revolt from the gospel, much more than 
 
O/i preaching Morals princijfaUi/. 
 
 all the formal assaults of its avowed eneaiies. 
 And Deism is often defended upon this very 
 principle, that the stress laid upon articles of 
 faith in the Bible, proves a public mischief, 
 by drawing off men's attention from personal 
 virtue, and teaching low, disparaging ideas of 
 its worth. Thus a zeal for morality and vir- 
 tue, v/hich are of indispensible necessity, may 
 be, and very often is so misguided, as to 
 prove fatal to the soul. For whether men 
 will hear, or spurn it from them as an imposi- 
 tion, Christ is "the way, the truth, and the 
 *' life — no man cometh to the Father but by 
 " him," Jolin xiv. 6, " He that hath not the 
 ''Son, hath not life," i John \\ 12. though 
 his virtues may be extolled, even as a pattern 
 for imitation. '' If any man love not the 
 *' Lord Ji::sus Christ, let him be anathema, 
 '' maranatha," i Cor. xvi. 22. 
 
 Know then the true standard, by which 
 you must try the spirits — every preacher you 
 hear, and every religious book you read. It 
 should not satisfy you, that virtue is earnest- 
 ly inculcated, and obedience to the com- 
 mandments of (ioD pressed home, from con- 
 iiderations of his authority, and a iudi^rment 
 c 2 
 
e8 On preaching jSlorals principalh/, 
 
 to come — for much more than this is required. 
 You ought to esteem the performance deplo- 
 rably defective, and the preacher no fellow- 
 labourer with the prophets and apostles, un- 
 less he displays the horn of salvation — unless 
 every idol in the human heart, which usurps 
 his place, be thrown down — and all the 
 proud pretensions of self-sufficient moralists, 
 and seif-conceited pharisees, be exposed. l£ 
 a christian preacher or writer treats of mora- 
 lity and virtue in such a light, that no Jew or 
 Turk would find any offence in his work, is 
 there not cause to charge gross ignorance on 
 the preacher or writer with respect to 
 Christ ? If topics which Jews or Turks 
 would themselves use, are chiefly used by tcs 
 to enforce moral practice, what advantage 
 does the gospel afford in this grand point ? 
 They who can hear, or read such discourses 
 without grief of heart, from love to God and 
 man, are strangers to what tlie scripture 
 teaches of the glory of Christ's religion; 
 and, w.ere they to cease professing it, would 
 suffer, it should seem, no great loss in their 
 ^piritual state. 
 
( '^9 ) 
 
 CHAP. vr. 
 
 Christ the Redeemer ofJiis Churcltfrom the Curse 
 of the Laze, 
 
 All the prophets, who with one mouth 
 have spokea of Christ, speak of him as 
 raised up, " that his people should be saved 
 *'from their enemies, and out of the hands 
 *' of all who hate them." We are born in 
 captivity, and after we recover spiritual li- 
 berty, our enemies assault us all our days. 
 Some of these enemies, being invisible, are 
 little regarded, or known by the world. 
 Consequently, when they hear of a horn of 
 salvation, raised up to deliver sinners out of 
 their hands, they know not how to conceive 
 the meaning of such expressions, much more 
 to believe their truth. For if they live in 
 peace, quietness, prosperity, reputation, and 
 a good opinion of themselves, they cannot 
 understand there is any better condition oa 
 earth, nor desire deliverance. 
 
 Thus pride and ignorance hiding our con- 
 dition from us, we presame we are safe, when 
 
 c 3 
 
30 Christ the Redeemer of his Church, S:c. 
 
 our real circumstances are deplorably ruin- 
 ous. Tlie frieudly light of God's word and 
 Spirit are sent to discover this gross delusion. 
 They shew us where we are, what we are, 
 and what we want. That we are a race of 
 sinners, in base and volup.tary subjection to 
 Satan, the world, and the flesh, condemned 
 by the righteous law of God, and every mo- 
 ment liable to the arrest of the kin^ of ter- 
 rors. 
 
 Each of these foes, as soon as their power 
 is understood, will be found unconquerable 
 by any might of our own — of consequence 
 deserving eminently the name of enemies — 
 compared with whom, all we naturally dread, 
 as hostile to us, will seem as nothing. These 
 enemies are Sin, the Law, Satan, the World, 
 the Flesh, and Death. But as the law is the 
 strength of sin ; as sin is only committed 
 through the instit»ation of Satan, the world, 
 or the flesh ; and death ensues as the penalty 
 of sin ; deliverance from the power of these 
 enemies, necessarily includes victory over sin, 
 a victory everlasting. These enemies, there- 
 fore, we shall particularly consider, and the 
 
Christ the Rfckcmar of /lis Cliurch, S^r. 
 
 way in which Christ saves his people out of 
 their hands. 
 
 The first enemy is the Lav,-. Man receiv- 
 ing from God a reasonable soul, with all he 
 posses* es, is absolutely depencPfent upon him, 
 and necessarily obliged to obey his will in 
 wliatcver instance it is made known. The 
 penalty on failing to pay this most righlful ho- 
 mage, is death, the loss of the favour of God, 
 and the misery of his displeasure. Thus the 
 angels in heaven, by one act of disobedience, 
 lost all their glory, and are wretched beyond 
 expression. Thus Jdam in paradise by one 
 offence destroyed himself, and his posterity. 
 The same law, with the same sanction, God 
 published in ten commandments, accompa- 
 nied with all the terrible ensii^ns ofhisal- 
 mighty power, to more than a million of his 
 subjects assembled at tiie foot of mount 
 Si/iai; engraving it afterwards with his own 
 finger on two tables of stone. This law, thougli 
 in itself holy, and just, and good, taking oc- 
 casion from our sin, slays us. It is become 
 our great accuser and dreadful adversary. 
 It is against us in every attempt we natural- 
 ly make to escape from its eternal condem- 
 c 4 
 
Christ the Iicdecmc7- of his Church, S^;c. 
 
 nation. It is contrary to us, breathing out 
 righteous vengeance against our persons, as 
 offensive to an holy God, and guilty before 
 him — spurning all our prayers, our tears, and 
 our an.iendment, as no more compensation 
 for violating its command, than the mur- 
 derer's tears, or better behaviour, are for his 
 enormous offence. 
 
 The strictness, therefore, of the law, in its 
 demands, and the weight of its sentence upon 
 transgression, render it insupportable to sin- 
 ners — an accuser which stops every mouth, 
 brings in the whole world guilty before 
 God, and as vile criminals condemns us all 
 to hell. 
 
 Out of the hands of this enemy, the horn 
 of salvation was raised up to deliver his peo- 
 ple. *'For God sent his own Son, made of 
 " a woman, made under (that is, subject to) 
 '^ the law, to redeem them that were under 
 '• the law,''Gr//. iv, 4, 5. " The strength of 
 '' sin is the law, but thanks be to God who 
 ** giveth us the victory, through our Lord 
 " Jesus Christ," i Cor. xv. 56', 57. The 
 process, or several steps necessary to be 
 taken, in order to accomplish this deliverance, 
 are worthy of everlasting admiration. For 
 
Chii.<t the Rcdt'cmer of Iris Church.^ C)C, 33 
 
 this great purpose, God's own Son began his 
 life in the liesh, in perfect purity, not con- 
 ceived in sin, as we do ours. '' Foolishness 
 •'' is bound up in the heart of a child,'' rooted 
 and rivetted there, Frov. xxii. \5. — but the 
 holy Jzsus grew in wisdom, as in stature. 
 In manhood we indulge our evil appetites, and 
 live to self — He did always the things which 
 pleased God, and fuihlled all righteousness. 
 We are found full of faults, whenever our 
 conduct is severely scanned . and the accuser 
 of tiie brethren, might his condemning voice 
 be heard, can always alledge with trulh a 
 thousand charges against us. Jesus chal- 
 lenged his eagle-eyed foes to convince him 
 of sin, and told his chosen friends immedi- 
 ately before he suffered the last assault from 
 Satan, ^' the prince of tiiis world cometh, but 
 ^' hath noti)ing in me,"' not tlie least taint of 
 corruption to work on, or slightest stain of 
 evil to lay to my charge. Because, wiiatever 
 the law enjoins of external obedience, or spi- 
 ritual worship, as due from man to God, was 
 in all his actions, in ail his words, m every 
 temper, in every imagination of the thoughts 
 of his heart. 
 
 c 5 
 
34 Christ the Titdt'tmcr of hi& Church, S:c 
 
 Thus did God's own Son, the Lord of all 
 worlds, fulfil the law, in the fornr of a ser- 
 vant, that he might save his people out of its 
 hands — that in the verv manner of their re- 
 deniption, and acceptance with God, through 
 his divine obedience performed for them, t^ie 
 law might appear in the eyes of all intelligent 
 creatures, more glorious than if no offence 
 against it had ever been forgiven. 
 
 This doctrine corrects a mistake often 
 made by many in forming an estimate of tlie 
 obedience of Christ. 
 
 Tlje rising sun in summer is not so charm- 
 ing to an eye of sense, as his life to a mind 
 which can admire spiritual excellency. So 
 complete an union of every lovely quality, 
 without one single flaw, has compelled cvcit 
 his blasphemers to do him honor. And it is 
 common to expatiate on the consummate 
 perfection of his character, as a copy for 
 imitation. But here many stop. Tliis in- 
 deed gives him pre-eminence above tlie most 
 admired of men, yet is not half his due — for 
 the. scripture places the sinless life of Jf.sus 
 in an inhnllcly higher light — not only as a 
 perfect pattern, found in no otlier inun, or a 
 
Chriit the Haleemer of hh Church, $:c. 
 
 necessary qualiiication to make atonement, 
 but as a work of most ctricacious benefi- 
 cenee — of a kind absolutely singular, sin-j)as- 
 sing beyond all comparison eveiy other ser- 
 vice the almighty ever received, and reaching 
 in its saving virtue, through all eternity. 
 For no creature can iransjer the benefit of 
 his own performances, since perfect obedi- 
 ence is due from every creature, on his own 
 account, to God, by an indefeasible right : 
 but the unrivalled glory of the life of Christ, 
 consists in this peculiarity, it is the righte- 
 ousness of God : by vviiich njyriads of sin- 
 ners to the ends of the earth, and the end 
 of time, are made righteous. To them his 
 righteousness is imputed, because performed' 
 by co'Uipact upon their account, for their 
 salvation; accepted as such by the^ Father, 
 and deemed so really theirs, that the righte- 
 ousness of the law is said to be fulfilled in 
 them, because fulfilled by Ciirist, who is 
 their Surety, and with whom they are one. 
 
 Observe what al)ounding evidence the 
 scripture affords of this truth. Look so far 
 back as Abraham. The lirst time [)elievino; is 
 ever mr. alioncd in the Bible, iyaPjuted n'ohtc- 
 
 C (i 
 
36 Christ ike Redeemer of his Churchy Sjc, 
 
 ousjiess is mentioned too. For v. hen he be- 
 lieved in the Lord, H] that is to say, what 
 Mas promised- — what his faith received, and 
 on which it terminated, even Christ, was 
 counted unto him for righteousness, Gen. 
 XV. 6. This instance the apostle brings in 
 proof of justification by Christ — which 
 would have been impertinent, if not Christ's 
 righteousness, but Ahraham\ act of faith, 
 had been the cause of his acceptance with 
 God. Many passages in the Psalms extol 
 this divine righteousness as the glory and 
 boast of the church — but when God would 
 comfort his people with a more full reve- 
 lation of the oliice and work of the Messiah, 
 he establi.slied this doctrine by a most majes- 
 tic proclamation. Jlhovah beholds all the 
 nations of the world under condemnation for 
 sin, but instead of executing vengeance upon 
 their guilty heads, he calls from heaven with 
 ^his sweet voice of mercy — " Look unto 
 " UiC, and be saved, all the ends of the earth 
 *' — for I aui God, and beside me there is 
 " none else. I have sworn by myself, the 
 *' word is i=;one out of mv mouth in rijilite- 
 "outness, and shall not uturn: — unto mo 
 
Christ the Redeemer of hi 6 Church, c^;c. 
 
 '' every knee shall bow, and every tongue 
 ^•' shall swear, surely shall one say, In the 
 " LoKD have I righteousness, and strength,"' 
 Jsa. xiv. ^2, S24. 
 
 That this Lord, in whom the church ex- 
 ults, from assurance of possessing in him 
 both riiihteousness and strength, is Christ, 
 appears plainly from the application of these 
 words to him twice in the New Testament ; 
 and tliat the righteousness here intended, is 
 for justification before God, is no less plain, 
 because the concluding sentence of this pro- 
 clamation, again affirms — -'^ In the Loiiu 
 " shall all the seed of Israel be juslilied, 
 ^' and in him shall thev glory." 
 
 As our everlasting welfare depends on the 
 grace revealed in this truth, the inspired 
 writers frequently assert it. Jeraniah, next 
 in succession after the above pioclaniation, 
 and well acquainted with it, prophecies, that 
 the very name by which Christ should be 
 adored is tiiis, alluding to the proclamation, 
 ^' The Lord our righteousness," Jcr. xxiii. 5» 
 The angel appears to Daniel, and tells him, 
 Messiah was to come at such a fixed time, 
 not only to hiiish trangression, to make an 
 
3S Christ tlui lic'.kcmcr of his Church, S)C. 
 
 end of sin. and to make reconciliation for 
 iniquity, fyiil (o bring in everlasting righte- 
 nusness, Dan. ix. 24. — Oar Saviour exhorts 
 his disci [)les to seek in the first place the 
 kingdom of Gob and his righteousness, the 
 latter being the title to the former — and 
 the office of the holy Ghost, he affirms, is, 
 " to convince the world of righteousness." 
 — St. Paul, who did not receive the o;os- 
 pel he preached from man, nor was taught 
 it, but by revelation of Jesus Christ, after 
 his kingdom was erected, insists on the im- 
 puted righteousness of Christ — he stiles 
 the gospel, ** the power of God unto sal- 
 '* vation,"' because " therein is revealed the 
 '* righteousness of God," Rom. i. 17. which 
 a little after, in the same Episde, he de- 
 clares, is, '^ by faith of Jesus Christ, 
 *' unto all, and upon all them that believe," 
 Bom. iii. Ce. 
 
 This declaration I conceive, after great 
 pains used to explain its meaning away, 
 docs clearly assert the obnoxious doctrine 
 of imputed righteousness. For to say the 
 essential righteousness of God, is unto all, 
 and upon all who believe, is nonsense — or 
 
CJiU6i tJw Lc(Jcc77]er of his Churchy S<c. 5^ 
 
 that this expression means faith, or justifi- 
 cation by faith, must be nonsense too, be- 
 cause it is plainly distinguished here as the 
 object of failh, and the cause of justification. 
 Cease from torturing the text, and accord- 
 ing to its plain sense it must mean the im- 
 puted righteousness of Christ, \^•ho is God. 
 Neither can this be called a foreign righte- 
 ousness, because it is imputed only to those 
 who are members of Christ. — But the 
 members of Christ, according to divine 
 constitution, are one with Christ in the 
 covenant of redemption, and in the com- 
 munication of life from him their head — 
 An union no less real, than that vvhich 
 subsists between fathers and their own off- 
 spring — It is, therefore, often represented 
 under that image — " Behold me, and the 
 ^' children thou hast given me." 
 
 Further, St. Paul declares, that the per- 
 dition of the Jews, who rejected Christ, 
 was from their in-norance of the riiyhteous- 
 ness of God, and refusal to submit to it — • 
 lie affirm^:, tliat " Christ is made of God 
 "unto his church, righteousness; and the 
 *^ clur.h 's nade in Inm, the righteousness 
 
40 Christ the Redeemer of his Church, S^c, 
 
 •'•of God." — He stales at iarge the way 
 by which death entered, and by which sal- 
 vation is obtained : that ''as by the offence 
 '' of one, judgment came upon all men to 
 '' condemnation ; even so by the righteous- 
 *^ ness of one, the free gift came upon all 
 *' men, unto justification of life — for as by 
 '* one man's disobedience many were made 
 *^ sinners, so by the obedience of one, shall 
 *' many be made righteous." 
 
 After this, what more could this apostle 
 add in proof of his favourite doctrine ? 
 Only that proof which he did. I mean, 
 his pouring contempt on all the love his 
 heart felt towards God, on all his useful- 
 ness towards men, and on every excellent 
 grace which he in so eminent a degree pos- 
 sessed — On all this he pours contempt, 
 counting it no better than loss, or dung, 
 to merit his justification. — In this light he 
 rejects it with disdain, that '' he might win 
 ** Christ, and be found in him ; not having 
 *' his own righteousness, which is of the law, 
 '^ but the righteousness which is of God 
 '' by faith." 
 
 Peilectly harmonizing; with his brother 
 
Christ the Ridt'C/nc?- of his Church, S:r. 41 
 
 Paul, St. Peter addresses the church, as a 
 society highly favoured in having obtained like 
 precious faith with him, through, or rather 
 in the righteousness of God our Saviour. 
 Takinii all these divine declarations together, 
 they are surely suiUcient to prove the mis- 
 take of depreciating the life of Christ, by 
 assigning to it no other use and influence, 
 than as an example; or a qualification to 
 become a sacrifice for sin. We are war- 
 ranted by them, to consider every part of 
 the Saviours obedience as beneficial to his 
 people, and imputed to them — to contem- 
 plate Him as living and labouring every day 
 for so many years in human flesh, that in their 
 behalf, '* grace might reign through righte- 
 *' ousness unto eternal life, by J:esus Christ 
 *' our Lord." 
 
r 4G ; 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 0?i the Atonancnt. 
 
 Ike perfect righteousness of Christ, im- 
 puted to his people, was necessary, in order 
 that God might justify them, with ample 
 honor to his own law. And the infliction 
 of the penalty annexed to disobedience on 
 the offenders' suhstitute, was no less neces- 
 sary to make manifest the evil of sin, the 
 divine indignation against it, and reconcile 
 in their exercise towards his people, his jus- 
 tice and mercy, his truth and hohness. — 
 *^ For it became him, by whom are all 
 '^ things, and for whom are all things, by 
 *' making the captain of their salvation per- 
 ^^ feet through sufferings, to brinjj many 
 *•' sons unto glory. And because the chiU 
 '' dren arc partakers of flesh and blood, he 
 '' also took part of the same, that through 
 ** death, he might destroy death, and Jiim 
 ^^ that had the power of death, that is th^ 
 " devil," Thb, \l 
 
On the Atunonoit, 45 
 
 For these reasons, Chris r, after paying 
 perfect obedience to tlie law, died a death 
 absolutely without parallel. All, besides 
 himself, die, because they are sinners. He, 
 because sin was imputed to him, and punished 
 both in his body and soul. By the determi- 
 nate counsel and foreknowledge of God, 
 vet accordiniT to liis own voluntary encase- 
 inent, Jesus endured all that variety of 
 miserj^, which sin deserves. He endured 
 poverty, shame, and torturing pain of body 
 and mind. He died under loud execrations, 
 which were poured out upon him from a 
 thousand tongues — lie died under the curse 
 of the law, transfixed by the sword of eter- 
 nal justice to his cross. Prodigies then met 
 together, which were never seen before, nor 
 will be seen again — From different causes, 
 heaven, earlh, and hell seemed to conspire 
 together to increase his torment, far above 
 all comparison. For this we know from in- 
 fallible authority, " that the father spared 
 ^' him not — that it pleased the father to 
 *' bruise him — that he suffered, the just for 
 *' the unjust, bearing our sins in his own 
 *' body on the tree." 
 
4^ Oib the Atonement. 
 
 By virtue of this death, the full import of 
 it, being known and trusted in. the people of 
 God are delivered from tlie menaces of the 
 law in their consciences. Tiicy become dead 
 to it by the body of Christ, being *^ mar- 
 ^' ried to another, even to him, who was 
 ■•' raised from the dead, that we should bring 
 '^ forth fruit unto God," Rom. vii. 
 
 By this means, their obedience to him, 
 becomes pure in its intention, and in its 
 extent reaches to every commandment — a 
 service, not from sons of the bond-woman, 
 but of the xYQt — not paid for wages ta a 
 master, but from aifection to a beloved fa- 
 ther. Not as compelled by that awful threat, 
 *^Do this and live, offend and perish;" but 
 from a heart devoted to his service, and 
 penetrated with a sense of his high and holy 
 authority. 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 On the Necessity of preaching the Laic, 
 
 Ihis doctrine of the redemption of the 
 church from the curse of the law, through 
 the death and righteousness of Christ, 
 proves it is a great mistake to suppose tiie 
 haw is not to be preached to Christians. 
 
 ^' If any man speak, ought he not to speak 
 '' as the Oracles of God ?" — But they insist 
 on the special grand design of the law. They 
 tell us it was o;iven to make sin abound, 
 and appear exceeding sinful — to shut up as 
 prisoners all under sin, and thus render the 
 news of salvation by the Lord, transporting 
 to our hearts. The Oracles of God do 
 peremptorily assert, that the Holy Ghost, the 
 giver of life, strength and comfort to the 
 soul, is received, " not by the works of the 
 *' law," (the doctrine of acceptance with God, 
 by personal obedience) " but by the hear- 
 *' inor of faith" — of salvation throuij;h faith. 
 They pronounce those to be in the way to 
 
46 On the Kccessify of preaching the Laz». 
 
 perdition, who seek righteousness, as it were, 
 by the works of the law, even though they 
 have a zeal for God. They divide mankind, 
 not only into moral and immoral, religious 
 and profane, as Philosophers and Pharisees 
 are wont to do, but into two classes un- 
 known to either of them — those who are of 
 the works of the law, and therefore cursed ; 
 and those who are of faith, and therefore 
 blessed with faithful .Ihraham. 
 
 From these passages (and many of like 
 import miglit be cited) you may see how 
 fully the Oracles of God treat of the law. 
 What marvel then, if upon ceasing to preach 
 the law, preaching loses its usefulness ! 
 When the law is not explained, it is impos- 
 sible that sermons, however moral, or serious, 
 should ever teach scriptural ideas of the 
 evil of sin, or the nature of pure obedience 
 to God; or of the necessity of redemption 
 by Christ. 
 
 On the contrary, open the nature, use 
 and design of the law, it will soon prove it- 
 self an engine of divine appointment, and 
 admirable efticacy. Ky laying "judgment to 
 " the line, and riuhicousness to tlie phiuv 
 
On the Xc-'cssiii/ of preaching the Law. 47 
 
 *^ met," it sweeps away the refuge of lies, 
 under whieh sinners, of every sort, take 
 shelter. It brings all who hear what the law 
 saith, into a salutary despair of ever escaping 
 the wrath to come by personal obedience, 
 and so makes the horn of salvation always 
 appear the same necessary defence, and glo- 
 rious blessing, which the scripture affirms 
 he aclually is. 
 
 Those who omit preaching the law, sup- 
 pose themselves justified in doing so, by 
 limiling what is said on this great subject, 
 to the Jewish ceremonial law. A grosser 
 mistake, ignorance itself scarcely ever made, 
 though many great names have long pleaded 
 in its behalf. For can you call the cere- 
 monial law, the law written, and engraven 
 on two tables of stone ? Can you call it spi- 
 ritual, or apply it to bring in the whole tcorld 
 guilty before God r Yet these are the specific 
 qualities belonging to that law, of which the 
 apostle treats. Or can you think, that when 
 he says, "' the laiv is good if a man use it laxv- 
 fully,'' immediately naming the many m mo- 
 ral offenders which it condemns, that he had 
 any respect at all to the cereujonial law? 
 
43 On the Xtccsiity of preaching ike Laze. 
 
 I am not ignorant, that it is urged also by 
 those eminent preachers, who never apply 
 the law as the ministration of death, to the 
 consciences of their hearers, that Christians 
 are now under a milder dispensation, which 
 requires sincere, not sinless obedience. But 
 in this assertion there is much fallacy. For 
 by Christians must be meant either nominal, 
 or real ones — if only nominal, they are un- 
 der the law, seeking to enter into life by 
 keeping the commandments, and depending 
 upon their own obedience in conjunction 
 with the merits of CiiiirsT, to save them. 
 They are therefore of the works of the law. 
 To rescue them from this delusion, the per- 
 fect standard of duty, with its sanction, must 
 be set before them — They must be weighed 
 in the balance of the sanctuary, and be con- 
 vinced how much they are found wanting ; 
 and he who does this most faithfully, to de- 
 stroy all their false confidence, will prove 
 their kindest friend. 
 
 But if by Christians under a milder dis- 
 pensation than the law, are meant real ones, 
 who in the nervous phrase of scripture, 
 *' have flod for refuge, to lav hold on the 
 
0)1 the Ntxcsailj/ of preaching the Law, 49 
 
 ^' hope set before thciii ;" ihey are not only 
 under a milder dispensation, but undergrace 
 itself. Yet before they had access into that 
 grace, wherein they now stand, they were 
 every one of them, with the great apostle, 
 *' slain by the commandment," or they would 
 not have fled to Christ for refui^e — throu2;h 
 the law they became dead to the law, and 
 are the very persons, who prove to demon- 
 stration, both the necessity and success of 
 applying it to the conscience. 
 
 The increasing desertion of our churches, 
 beyond the example of former ages, is con« 
 fcssed, and is indeed alarming*. Should not 
 then all those teachers, who from Sunde.y to 
 Sunday see no increase of their hearers, or 
 2;ood effect of their instructions, chanjie their 
 doctrine ? Should they not at least make 
 the experiment, however strange it may ap- 
 pear, whether proving that all men are con- 
 
 * This desertion of our churches is imputed to the in- 
 crease of Methodism, as it is called — But without ciui-e, 
 since it is most obsenable in places where there are n<j 
 ]Mcthodist teachers — On the contrary, in every parish 
 where the law is scripturally taught, both an increase in 
 the nuriihcr and attention of the hearers is evident beyond 
 di-puie. D 
 
50 On the Ncccssih/ of prcachuig the Laic, 
 
 demned for sin — without a possibility of be- 
 ing ev^r accounted just before God, through 
 their own virtue, will not be attended with 
 better success ? M'hether rich and poor will 
 not be more afFected, by full proof that they 
 are absohutely lost, unless the horn of sal- 
 vation delivers them, than by leaving them to 
 think their own goodness will comfort them 
 here, and open the kingdom of heaven to 
 them hereafter? Whether a more conscien- 
 tious obedience will not be produced, when we 
 see ourselves continually indebted for life to 
 Christ alone, as the children in the furnace 
 were to a miracle of goodness, than can 
 spring from considerations of pro lit and loss, 
 according to our own conceit of a progress, 
 or decline in virtue^ 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Peace of Comciencc towards God, 7iot the Reward 
 of imperfect Virtue. 
 
 The doctrine that the church is redeemed 
 from the curse of the law, by Christ's own 
 obedience unto the death of the cross, proves 
 
Peace of ConscitHce (ozcavch God^ Sr. ,31 
 
 the mistake of supposing peace of conscience 
 towards God is the reward of virtue. Good 
 people, it is constantly said, have a right to 
 be j)erfectly free from all fears about the fu- 
 ture, from the pleasing review of a well-spent 
 life. From hence the vain and arroi^ant 
 fancy, that even the wretched fragments of 
 what has only some semblance of virtue, in 
 their own conduct, entitles them to its re- 
 ward. Therefore they grow still more proud, 
 and presumptuous — for since no perfect rule 
 of dutvis fixed, the vain and arrog-ant alwavs 
 conclude themselves tolerably virtuous upon 
 the whole, and through this soothing error, 
 stifie every risino; conviction of their dan^^er. 
 
 Those of a modest and serious turn, it 
 biuerly distresses, driving them often to dis- 
 traction, and even to death for refuo;e : be- 
 cause there are many persons, it is certain, 
 much troubled in conscience, who the world 
 judge need not be so at all. They are just 
 and upright in their dealings, of a kind and 
 generous spirit, devout, and careful to avoid 
 ail known oifences. 
 
 Now that persons of so high a character, 
 should not possess this certain reward of vir- 
 D 2 
 
52 Ptace of Conscience tozcarch God. 
 
 tue, peace of conscience towards God, ap- 
 pears very strange. Men ignorant of the 
 truth, always with great confidence impute 
 this to lowness of spirits, weakness of mind, 
 or a superstitious cast, which involves every 
 object it beholds in gloom. But where there 
 is no weakness of mind, bodily distemper, or 
 superstitious cast, this is found to be the case 
 with many persons — And the true cause of 
 their misery, is from having believed peace 
 of conscience towards God, is the reward of 
 virtue, as we all naturally do, slill forgetting 
 that it is perfect virtue alone, which is the 
 parent of peace towards God. Not finding, 
 therefore, this peace, but on the contrary, 
 fear and guilt, they conclude he is angry 
 with them. This anger they endeavour to 
 avert by better obedience, yet still find no 
 comfort ; nor can they, while they seek it in 
 a way derogatory to the obedience which the 
 Lord himself performed. For as this per- 
 fect obedience is the sole cause of our justi- 
 fication before God, the sentence of con- 
 demnation must remain in the conscience 
 (if we make a true judgment of our state) 
 until Christ be all our peace and hope; be- 
 
Not the RtTc'aJ'd if i/npdr/dct J'i^iue. o3 
 
 cause the utmoj^t efforls to lead a good lite, 
 must leave us still destitute of the righte- 
 ousness which the law requires. We may 
 persevere in prayer — we may fast — v>e may 
 give alms — we may watch over every word, 
 and every thought, and even agonize to keep 
 the commandments — thousands have done 
 as much — yet after all, we shall offend in 
 many things. 
 
 Whilst men, therefore, seek peace with 
 God, from consciousness of their own good- 
 ness, they .remain under the curse of the 
 law^, which they are always breaking. So 
 long then as their earnestness for salvation 
 continues, and this error is believed, they 
 must be in fear. They can fmd no rest to 
 their souls, till instead of labouring to attain 
 it by works of righteousness, they seek it by 
 faith in Christ. Could the answer of a 
 sood conscience towards God be reallv en- 
 joyed in any other way, the scripture vrould 
 be falsified — because it constantly ascribes 
 this inestimable blessing to the blood of the 
 cross, and to Christ's resurrection, as the 
 surety and head of his church — calls it his 
 peace, given to his disciples, upon their look- 
 
.54 Peace of Conscience towards God, 
 
 ing to him for pardon, in despair of help 
 from any other quarter. 
 
 Matter of fact, the subject of daily obser- 
 vation confirms this doctrine. Who are free 
 from distress of conscience, before Christ 
 has made them free ? Those only who 
 abridge the commandments of Gop, or are 
 daring enough to think, he ought not to re- 
 quire more, tlum they find themselves in- 
 clined to do. Or those, who in tlie dotao;e 
 of self-love, smitten with admiration of their 
 own beauty, see in themselves nothing amiss. 
 — Not a single person, endued with the 
 smallest degree of humility, and earnestly 
 striving to do his duty, but lives in bitter 
 bondage, and frequent distress, till the know- 
 ledge of the Prince of peace gives comfort to 
 his soul. 
 
 To advise, therefore, persons of good cha- 
 racter, when troubled in conscience, to take 
 confidence from their good life — to tell them 
 they can have no cause to fear, since if sucii 
 worthy people as they be, are not sate, what 
 must become of all the world ; is a fatal mis- 
 take. Neither by any means press them to 
 
Not the Rt'iiard of impcrjcct Virtue. ,03 
 
 loiu ill the circle of the p;av, and the merri- 
 meat of the thoaglitless, as a cure for their 
 melancholy. Such counsel has already de- 
 stroyed its thousands. For the persons, to 
 Vvhoni these means are prescribed, having 
 strove in vain thus to shake off the pain of 
 a guilty conscience, when they are directed 
 to repeat the same methods as their only re- 
 medy, must conclude their uound incurable. 
 No marvel then, if stranding; should be 
 chosen, rather than life. 
 
 To remove (heir distress, a totally different 
 method must be used. Tliey must be taught, 
 that they are much worse, and more sinfa!, 
 than they suppose themselves to be — that all 
 tliey have ever done, or can do from the mo- 
 tives which have governed them, is wrong — 
 because the thought of makinc^ peace with 
 
 C 3 1 
 
 God by their own obedience, is an insult 
 which pride casts upon his law, high treason 
 against his crown, and frustrates his grace. 
 They must be' told, that a painful sight of 
 their spiritual state, is designed in great 
 mercy to undeceive them — to bring them to 
 a confession, that they are lost, unless tlie 
 atoning blood of Christ be received by 
 
Peace of Conscience torcarch God, 
 
 them, as all their salvation. Consciousness 
 of guilt, they must be assured, will ever pain 
 ihem, sensible as they are now become of the 
 great extent of their duty, so Long as they 
 expect peace of conscience from personal 
 holiness, not from Christ's obedience, 
 which has magnified the law, vanquished Sa- 
 tan, and redeemed the church, to the great 
 glory of God, through all eternity. Tliey 
 must be directed to consider with great at- 
 ten lion and prayer, the scrisUures, designed 
 to overthrow the pillars of self-righteousness, 
 DVid to bring all fiesh upon an absolute level 
 in point of jusiiiication before God — and 
 when the utter impossibility of obtaining true 
 peace of conscience tov/ards Him by personal 
 obedience is perceived, they will begin sincere- 
 ly to apply to the great Physician, the mer- 
 ciful Healer, whose offjce, pleasure, and glory 
 it is, " to bind up them that are broken in 
 *' heart, and give liberty to them that are 
 '* bruised." 
 
 Generally speaking, these things arc new 
 to persons troubled in conscience, at least 
 point out a way of relief, which has not been 
 tried by them, and which upon trial is sure 
 
I^DC the Ixeicaid of imperfect T irtuc. 67 
 
 to succeed to the establishment of their souls 
 in comfort. 
 
 I have often seen the worst consequences 
 follow from giving any other advice to per- 
 sons laboring to get peace by personal obe- 
 dience, and the most pleasing ones in every 
 case from confession of sinfulness, and reli- 
 ance on the blood of Christ to cleanse 
 from all unrighteousness. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 On the Power and Devices of Satan. 
 
 A SECOND enemy, into wliose hands we are 
 fallen, is Satan. For though many affect to 
 treat the agency, and even existence of this 
 execrable spirit with derision, yet the scrip- 
 ture, from the beginning to the close of 
 mans eventful histor}^, speaks much and aw- 
 fully of both. Not to admit these passages 
 as full proof, is to make the Bible itself con- 
 temptible for the violent absurdity of its 
 phrases. 
 
 DO 
 
oS On the Poncr and Drcic(s, of Satan. 
 
 Leaving, therefore, these niodern Sadciu- 
 cees, if they ^vill, to sport themselves with 
 their own deceivings, let us attend to the 
 Oracles of God, and understand from theai 
 what have been, and still a-re the wiles and 
 malicious activit}' practised against man, 
 by that old serpent, the devil. — If we enquire 
 of the AVord of God who seduced our first 
 parents, robbing them of their original righte- 
 ousness, and paradise ? Who afterwards de- 
 bauched their posterity to prostitute them- 
 selves to idols, over the face of the whole 
 ea.rth ; to shed in sacrifice before them rivers 
 of human blood ^^ ? Who dared repeatedly 
 to attack in person our incarnate God, insti- 
 gated Judas to betray, the Jews to crucify 
 him, and after his ascension to persecute 
 unto death his niembers ? To each of these 
 questions the Oracles of God reply — Satan 
 did it all :-^Who, for tlius practising upon 
 the children of men, to their eternal ruin, is 
 branded with the names of tempter, deceiver, 
 liar, accuser, and murderer, and charged 
 
 * Dc Soils, in iiis liistory of the conquest oi Mexico^ 
 te]]s us, that, the Indians facriiiccd in ihat city eyc:y 
 year, .twenty thousand lives to their accursed idol. 
 
O/i ihc FoKcr and Bnias of Satan. 69 
 
 with *' croincr about like a roariniT lion, seek- 
 *' iniy whovn he may devoni\" Though these 
 detestable names and qiialilies belong to 
 him, he is neveriheleis '' the pjince and god 
 ** of this world, working in the children of 
 '' disobedience, to do the lusts of him their 
 *' father ;" who, for tiiis reason, are called 
 '' children of the wicked one," and doomed 
 to suffer for their sins in that world of woe, 
 ** prepared far the devil and his angels." 
 
 Thus full is the account in holy writ, not 
 only of his existence, but his empire over us, 
 his activity, and too successful malice in 
 completing the misery of man. 
 
 As an accuser, and adversary, heimpeaches 
 the people of God of high crimes against the 
 law, urging from thence the necessity of tljeir 
 condenmation, as rebels with himself. To 
 invalidate this claim, Christ expired, 
 *' blotting out the hand-writing of ordi- 
 '' nances, which was against us, which was 
 '^ contrary to us, and took it out of the 
 '^ way, nailing it to his cross^— By this v^ery 
 ^' act spoiling principalities and powers of 
 *' their grand |>iea against his people, and 
 ** making a sheu- of them openly; (as thus 
 d6 
 
60 On the FoK:er and Dcjicts of Satan . 
 
 *' defeated in their malicious accusation,) 
 '^ triumphing over them in it/' Col, ii. 14-, 
 15. 
 
 The prophet's vision beautifully exempli- 
 fies this interesting truth — " He shewed mc," 
 saith Zcchariah, " Joshua the high priest, 
 *' standing before the aui^el of the Lord 
 '* (i. e. Christ) and Satan standing (as the 
 *^ accuser in Jewish courts of judicature was 
 *^ wont to do) at his right hand. And the 
 *' Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke 
 '' thee, O Satan, even the Lord who hath 
 *' chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee : Is not 
 ** this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now 
 '' Joshua was clothed with filthy o-arments, 
 ^^ and stood before the angel, as a person ac- 
 *' cused and charged with sin — And he (the 
 *' Lord) answered and spake unto those 
 *' who stood before him, Take away the 
 *' filthy garments from him — and unto him 
 ** he said, Behold, I have caused thine ini- 
 *' quity to pass from thee, and I will clothe 
 *' thee with change of raiment," Zech, iii. 
 1—4. 
 
 What is represented so forcibly in this vi- 
 sion, as the way of delivering Joshua the 
 
On the Power and Devices of Satan. 6i 
 
 high priest from Satan's maiicious arraign- 
 ment, is expressly declared to be the way, in 
 which all the ransomed of the Lord are 
 saved. Their adversary, the accuser of the 
 brethren, follows them, as it were, into the 
 coart of judgment, where, to his everlasting 
 confusion, he hears this challenge proclaimed 
 in their behalf — '^ Who shall lay any thing 
 ^^ to the charge of God's elect? to prose- 
 '• cute them at his bar, as guilty r It is God 
 ^^ that justifieth, who is he that condemneth ? 
 '•' It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is 
 '' risen aiiain, who is even at the ri^ht hand 
 '^ of God, who also maketh intercession for 
 •' us," Rom. viii. 33, 34. 
 
 But Satan seeks our destruction, not only 
 by impeaching us of high crimes against the 
 law, and honor, and majesty of God, but by 
 various subtle temptations, practising upon 
 us to this moment, as he did at first upon 
 our original parents. Trace the >\iles by 
 which he prevailed over tiiem. Did he not 
 beguile Eve to imagine, that God would not 
 avenge their iiiipious offence, and that death 
 should not follow upon disobedience ? '^ Ye 
 "' shall not die," said the sernent. By sugses- 
 
62 Oil the Power and Dtvices of Satan. 
 
 lions of the sauie blasphemous kind, he stili 
 leads sinners captive at his will. How often 
 does be deceive men to imagine, sin is not the 
 cursed, detestable thing, which the word of 
 God constantly affirms it to be? that our 
 Maker will never punish the indulgence of 
 our natural passions, to which we are so 
 strongly excited by that very situation in 
 wliich he hath placed us? that the gate of 
 heaven is not so strait, nor the way so nar- 
 row, that only a few, out of many, should 
 find it? that all will not be lost, who die con- 
 demned by the verdict of the Bible ? Enter- 
 tain more honorable notions of God, be 
 more kind and liberal in your sentiments — 
 be assured all will be happy — the universal 
 parent has taken eiteciual care, that vice shall 
 ever hnd its own suflicient punishment here 
 — no need can there be for the shocking idea 
 of damnation. — It is but the pillar of priest- 
 craft. 
 
 By this soothing temptation — this Syren 
 song — licentious ears grow quite ravished; 
 and flattered, like Eve, with, the insidious 
 promise of security, *' Eat, and tliou shalt 
 
Gil the Vower and Dtvices of Satan. G^ 
 
 ''' not die :'" they give the reins to their lusts, 
 rebel, and in their rebellion perish. 
 
 From this snare, the Lord' the horn of 
 salvation, delivers his people, by giving them 
 tirmly to believe the words he has spoken 
 nnto them. True faith at once possesses 
 their minds with just, indehble conceptions 
 of the evil of sin, the essential holiness of 
 God, and his avenging justice. Through 
 this conviction, not the effect of education, 
 or customary assent to the truth, but of di- 
 vine teaching, they baffle these suggestions 
 of Satan, as Christ himself repelled his as- 
 saults, with — " Thus it is written.'' By this 
 means also, all the wild dreams about infir- 
 mities, temptations, S^c. as if they would in- 
 demnify us though we commit iniquity, vanish 
 away. Sin is known to be the poison of the 
 soul. Consequently a principle of self-pre- 
 servation excites us to seek deliverance from 
 it — to take alarm at its approach, and feel 
 painful apprehensions when we have been 
 overcome by some surprize, or violent as- 
 sault. — Afler much experience of this kind, 
 the understanding is more enlightened, God 
 is more knonn, the nature and qualities of 
 
64 On the Poictr and Devices of Satan. 
 
 sin clearly discovered, and its tyranny be- 
 comes hateful to the soul. 
 
 Where the case is not thus (such terrors 
 being unnecessary Vvith respect to many) — 
 M'here the heart like Lydia'Sy is sweetly 
 opened to receive divine coimsel, and just 
 ideas of the iove of God and Christ take 
 place from the first awakenings — still be- 
 lievers in him are preserved no less securely 
 from the wiles of Satan, than if the sharpest 
 pangs, for fear of perishing, had wrung the 
 heart. Both those who have suffered much 
 terror, and those who have felt none, are 
 equally persuaded, that *' tlie wages of sin is 
 ** death'' — every prohibition against it a ten- 
 der mercy — its service base, like the life of 
 thieves and ruffians; and obedience to God 
 in all things infinitely desirable. 
 
 Though this knowledge does not preserve 
 his people from ever offendmg at all, yet it 
 keeps them from ever being at peace with 
 sin. They groan under its first motions in 
 the heart, and complain against themselves 
 for what others account no evil — it is the 
 vexation of their lives that they are no more 
 holy. 
 
On the Poxcer and Devices of Satan. Ck} 
 
 In this manner the subtilty of Satan, as a 
 tempter, liar, seducer, and murderer, is de- 
 feated—and the faithful are saved out of his 
 hands. 
 
 The other grand artilice by vvliich the old 
 serpent at first erected, and still upholds his 
 empire, is by offering delicious flattery to our 
 pride. '* Ye shall be as Gods, knowing good 
 *' and evil," dazzled Eve. The towering 
 thought of independence, an amazing exal- 
 tation, even above her high condition, caught 
 her in Satan's snare. What is tantamount to 
 this he insinuates to her posterity — You have 
 powers within yourself, sufficient to acquire 
 wisdom, to practise virtue, and to attain 
 happiness. — By industry in cultivating your 
 natural faculties, moderating your passions, 
 by self-command and self-improvement, your 
 mind shall brighten incessantly with new 
 charms *, and you shall be conscious they are 
 all your own acquisition. Though indeed 
 you must stand indebted to another for your 
 creation, you shall be beholden to yourself 
 
 * See Mr. Huynt's floral Essays, or any of the So- 
 cinian writers— v;ho abound with this self-sufficient 
 lan^^iiaso. 
 
66 On the Foiccr and Deiices of Satan. 
 
 alone for moral excellency, and rectitude of 
 conduct, which is the whole of man. 
 
 Away then with the supplicating kne€, the 
 atonement, and Intercessor for transgressors 
 — Away with the aids of grace, and the dic- 
 tates of revelation, Vv'hat are these but 
 engines, used by knaves to maintain them- 
 selves in a(!iuence and authority. Be as- 
 sured, where mystery begins, religion ends. 
 
 Such artful snggsstions of m.an's native 
 dignity, the powers of reason, and our own 
 sufficiency to perform our duty, naturally 
 captivate all, who were before smitten with 
 admiration of their own understanding, good 
 life, and good heart. And these high thoughts 
 which exalt themselves against the know- 
 ledge of God, and create implacable hatred 
 of his truth, are ascribed upon the best war- 
 rant to Satanic influence. " For if our gos- 
 " pel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost ; 
 '•' in v.hom the God of this world, hath 
 '' blinded the minds of them that believe 
 '• not, lest the light of the glorious gospel 
 '' should shine unto them," £ Cor. iv. 
 
 But this snare, so sure to catch the vain 
 and arrogant, cannot take the people of God 
 
On the Pozcer and Devicts vf Satan, 67 
 
 — because their own experience, is a living 
 proof, stronger tiian a thousand arguments, 
 of the falshood of such liigh tlioughts. They 
 feci inconstancy, weakness, ignorance, folly, 
 defilement, and corruptions, notwithstand- 
 ing their unfeigned desires, their fervent 
 prayers, their watchfulness, self-denial, and 
 labor to become what they well know they 
 ought to be. Light makes manifest. Where- 
 fore the greater their progress is in copying 
 the perfect example set before them, the 
 quicker discernment and sensibility they pos- 
 f?ess of their own manifold deficiencies — Of 
 consequence, the nearer they approach to 
 heaven, the deeper is the conviction, which 
 they feel, that it is wholly owing to the free 
 grace of God, the inspiration of his Spirit, 
 tne sacrifice of his Son, his everlasting love, 
 intercession, and immutable promises, that 
 they have not already perished, and shall 
 not be condemned v. ith the unbelievinfr 
 
 o 
 woild. 
 
 Hence whatever services the Lord's peo-. 
 
 pie perform, whatever excellent qualities 
 
 adorn them, they abhor, as sacrilegious, the 
 
 first risings of self-complacency. They watch 
 
68 On the Foiccr and Devica of Satan. 
 
 \vith godly jealousy, against their native pro- 
 pensity to be great and good in their own 
 eyes; and thus resisting the devil, in his ca- 
 pital anitice, they are saved out of his 
 hands. 
 
 After this deliverance, it seems good unto 
 their heavenly Father, that many of the heirs 
 of glory should slill feel the fiery darts of 
 Satan, and be called to terrible conflicts with 
 this invisible foe. He is perniitted forcibly 
 to su22;est the most horrid thoughts, deceiv- 
 \n^ those who are assaulted with them, to re- 
 gard them as the offspring of their own 
 minds. In the closet, and at church, when 
 they would ascribe unto God the honor due 
 to his most holy name, they are often vio- 
 lently tempted to believe there is no God, 
 or to suspect liis word is falshood, or to ar- 
 Xdiim his attributes. Yet these hideous suoj- 
 gestions, from the pain they cause, shew 
 plainly from whence they come. Tiiey are 
 like the charges of a perjured villain against 
 the innocent, which prove nothing but the 
 malice, and daring impudence of their ac- 
 cuser, 
 
On the Forcer and Drcices of Satan. Go 
 
 Was not the heart dchvcrcd from Satan's 
 dominion, there would be no painful feehngs, 
 no sio'hs and tears on this account. His chil- 
 dren can hear God's name blasphemed, his 
 attributes arraigned, his being questioned, 
 and be merry in the midst of it all ; if they 
 do not join themselves in assaulting the eter- 
 nal throne. V/ait, therefore, thou afflicted 
 and tossed with tempest, on account of these 
 blasphemous suggestions. They are per- 
 mitted, like other temptations, to prove thy 
 impotence to withstand Satan in thy own 
 miglit, to exercise thy faith and try thy pa- 
 tience. In due time thy enemy shall depart 
 from thee, as he did from the great Captain 
 of thy salvation, who was in this very matter 
 tempted, as thou art, and therefore well 
 knows how to sympathize with tliee, and to 
 succour thee. Be of good cheer — though 
 this trial be grievous indeed, little danger is to 
 be apprehended from this quarter, in com- 
 parison of what we stand exposed to from 
 sensual appetites, from love of money, praise^ 
 and power. 
 
( 70 ) 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 Orf the Mistake of suppositig Heave)! will be open 
 to all Men ; — a7id of some naii-cc Pozcer in Men 
 to save themselves. 
 
 Ihis account from scripture, of the cruel 
 ariilices of Satan, proves two dangerous 
 mistakes, often vehemenlly propagated, under 
 the notion of much more rational religion 
 than ancient Christianity ; and with high pre- 
 tensions indeed of being liberal^ in oppo- 
 sition to it. Tslany of tliese liberal gentlemen 
 affirm, that heaven is open to all men. 
 Others, wiio have not yet got quite so far, 
 teach, that without the blood of Christ, 
 and the Spirit of grace, men can redeem 
 themselves by their own repentance, after 
 they have been very wicked ; — and when 
 they have not, may rest assured of salvation 
 from the mercy of God, by making them- 
 selves, through their own moral character, 
 the objects of his delight. Yet the tirst of 
 these opinions is as old as the fall, and has 
 ever been a main pillar of Satan's empire. 
 Stronger possession in our minds, than it na- 
 
On the Mhtakc of supposing Ihaven, S)C. 7 1 
 
 larally gives him, he cannot desire — because 
 when once we are so deluded as to believe 
 heaven is open to all men, ihe difference be- 
 tween good and evil instantly becomes too 
 dim to be seen by natural men in an hour of 
 temptation, or at least too little interesting. 
 Why should they sacrifice a favourite pas- 
 sion, lose, or suffer for conscience sake, 
 they will say, when they may indulge, and 
 be safe? Need 1 produce any other proof, 
 that the notion of a mercy in God, which 
 dispenses with faith and holiness, is a device 
 of Satan's, his eneni}^, and ours? Beware 
 therefore of all pleaders for the impunity of 
 the disobedient, or their salvation, who die 
 in their sins. Sooner esteem those friends 
 to society, who would abolish the penalties 
 of the lav/, the prisons of justice, and tlie 
 sword of the m.agistrate ; than those who 
 say, or insinuate, there is not in God an 
 everlasting antipathy to all evil, and an un- 
 changeable purpose to turn all the wicked 
 into hell. Did only fallible teachers assert 
 the avenging justice of the supreme governor 
 of the world, tin's mistake would not be so 
 flagrant. But ponder and v»cigh the truth. 
 
72 Oil the Mistake of supposing Heaven 
 
 All those holy prophets, by whose mouth 
 God spake from the beginning of the world, 
 who denounced his desolatincr iudsments 
 upon Babylon, Tyre, and Nineveh of old — 
 upon the unbelieving Jews, their devoted 
 city, country, and posterity, foretelling their 
 present unexampled condition, sixteen hun- 
 dred years before the event : — These men of 
 God, all of them warn the disobedient of 
 approaching vengeance, if they will go on 
 still in their wickedness. — The most compas- 
 sionale Jesus utters that solemn exhortation, 
 *' Enter ye in at the strait gate ; for wide is 
 *' the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth 
 *' to destruction, and many there be who go 
 *^ in thereat." — He immediately adds — "Be- 
 " ware of false prophets (or teachers) who 
 ''come to you in sheeps cloathing," meek, 
 mild and gentle, teaching no such shocking 
 doctrine, as that few will be saved, and many 
 perish ; — " for inwardly they are ravening 
 *' wolves,'" greedily bent on serving their own 
 bellies: — ''Ye shall know them by their 
 " fruits." — Christ's apostles after him de- 
 clare, that " there is a resurrection of the - 
 " unjust to damnation.'" — Ail these witnesses 
 
U ill be opt)} to all Men, SsC, 
 
 agree in aiTiraiiiig ihe perdition of the un- 
 godly, in wor^s so very plain, tliat no serious 
 Clirislian ever questioned their meaning pu- 
 nishment insupportable. — Vv'hen these things 
 arc so, what a'fatal mistake must it be to de- 
 pend upon a mere notion, a zci^/i of vour 
 own, a wish, tlie vile offspring of infidelity 
 and love of sin ; in contradiction to such 
 abounding evidence,, and infallible testimo- 
 nies of the wrath of God revealed from 
 heaven against all workers of iniquity? JBe 
 assured, the scripture can no more be broken, 
 than God himself can cease to reio;n. All 
 the evil, as well as all the good, which is 
 therein foretold, must be accomplished upon 
 its respective object. But should unbeliev- 
 ing, impenitent men escape their threatened 
 doom, dying in that character, the scripture 
 would be proved false, no less, than if after 
 all the proa]ises of his incarnation, the horn 
 of salvation had never been raised up ; — for 
 that most glorious event is not more plainly 
 foretold, than the perdition of the ungodly 
 world. 
 
 Away then with the cruel soothing error, 
 that the mercy of God can save us witliout 
 
 E 
 
74 On the Mistake of supposing Heaven 
 
 faith ill Christ, and without holiness. 
 Those alone are, or can be blessed, whom 
 the mouth of the hoiy prophets, apostles, 
 and Christ himself pronounces blessed. 
 Never, therefore, in wisdom and prudence 
 ought we to conclude ourselves safe, till 
 their testimony is full and clear, that there 
 is now no condemnation against us. 
 
 The other fatal mistake, that men can re- 
 deem themselves by repentance, acquire vir- 
 tue by their own native power, and gain a 
 blissful immortality in contempt of the atone- 
 ment, and the Spirit of Christ, is a chief 
 pillar also of Satan's throne ; — because such 
 notions make men se^m independent of God. 
 For though it be hiimblij granted, that they 
 did not create themselves, yet if they want, 
 after they are created, no more the help of 
 God to practise virtue, than the finished 
 vessel wants the shipwright's aid to sail, how 
 can they be more self-sufficient ? And if after 
 sinning against the majesty of G od, his mercy, 
 like a pardon from earthly sovereigns, with- 
 out any atonement, will admit us into heaven, 
 how trilling must our otfences seem, since it 
 is enough to be sorry for them, and repeat 
 
JVill be open to all Men, S)C. 
 
 them no more ? What will not at all satisfy 
 for a capital misdemeanor, in any nation 
 under heaven, and was it proposed as suf- 
 ficient, would be rejected with disdain, is 
 yet, upon this self-exalting scheme, all that 
 God requires when his law is broken, and 
 his honor trampled under foot. It is a most 
 alarming question — '^ If any man sin against 
 *' another, the judge shall judge him; but if 
 '• a man sin against the Lord, who shall 
 '^ intreat for him ?" But upon this scheme 
 we may reply, no body need intreat at all : 
 — It is enough the sinner condemns himself, 
 and for the time to come will do better. — 
 Presumption is the child of self-sufficiency ; 
 — wherefore, if we can repent when we will, 
 and by repentance redeem ourselves, and 
 put oft' beloved lusts when we please — if all 
 this is in our power, and not in the will of 
 God, whether he will <nve us his grace to re- 
 pent, believe and be saved : — if this be true, 
 we may reasonably presume, that let our 
 condition be ever so bad, all things necessary 
 for our safety, may be done just as suits our 
 humor. Thus shall we be led on to imacfine, 
 a more convenient time will come, when wo 
 i: £ 
 
7G Oil the Mistake of supposing Htciveu, S^;c. 
 
 shall live that good Vd'^^, which without the 
 Spirit of God, and without Christ, shall 
 prove our sure passport to heaven, till death 
 seizes us in our sins. Stand therefore ever 
 upon vour guard ac^ainst all those arroiiant 
 deceivers, who speak great swelling words of 
 the power of man to redeem himself, to per- 
 form duty, or gain heaven, independent of 
 Christ's sacrifice, and the influence of the 
 Spirit. This is no more than Satan's old 
 artful address from the bes^inninsj (^^ ve shall 
 *^ be as gods") though now vamped up 
 anew, and published under the name of 
 rational, liberal religion. It is an infernal 
 device to hide our great weakness and 
 guilt ; — making us of course despise the 
 heaven-appointed remedy to save from both, 
 even whilst we profess some sort of faith 
 in the scripture. 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 CHAP. XIL 
 
 Christ the DcJktrtr of his Church from the Men 
 vf Ihis World, 
 
 A THIRD enemy, from whom the Lord, the 
 horn of salvation, deUvers his people, is the 
 world — the world of unreasonable and wicked 
 men, who have not faith. Persons of tliis 
 character, making up the vast majority, in 
 every place, age, and condition of life, are 
 called on this account, as they call themselves 
 with an air of importance — the xvorld. Their 
 friendslup, we are taught, "is enmity against 
 *' God ; and whosoever will be a friend of 
 the world, is the enemy of God," James iv. 4. 
 So irreconcileable is the opposition between 
 them. Yet who can bear to be singular ? or 
 forbear to imitate the multitude? "Who can 
 subdue the love of praise, or the more vio- 
 lent fear of shame } Who dare oppose the 
 chiefs of the earth ? Does not grandeur, 
 power, wealth, or reputed wisdom, keep all 
 in awe around them ? AVho dare be mure 
 i-fligious than the great, the rich, the wise, 
 
7^^ Christ the Deliverer of his Church 
 
 choose men should be ? Add to this, that in 
 general men of the world are the very per- 
 sons we from infancy have be^en trained up 
 to revere, in youth been glad to imitate, and 
 afterwards owed them great deference, if we 
 do not still remain dependent upon their 
 favor. 
 
 Consider the zvorld in this close connec- 
 tion, and you will easily perceive the ground 
 of that spirited question — '' Wiio is he that 
 *' overcometh the world r"' Is it the man of 
 reason and philosophy, who scorns all vulgar 
 |)rcjudices: or the man whom wealth has 
 rendered independent ; or nobility of birtli 
 taught to look down on others, as made only 
 to serve his pleasure I No — not one of 
 these is delivered from a dastardly fear of the 
 faces of men. Not one of them is bold 
 enough to perform his duty, in defiance of 
 ridicule and contempt. — " Who is he that 
 *' overcometh the world, but he that believ- 
 *' eth that Jesus is the Christ? What- 
 '' soever is born of God, overcometlj tl)e 
 *' world." 'Ihis victory is derived from 
 Christ's triumph, and from the perform- 
 ance of his promise. — " In the world ye shall 
 
Ffom the Men of this JVorU. 7f> 
 
 •' have tribulation ; but be of good clieer, I 
 *' have overcome the world." 
 
 The way in which tlie Lord makes his 
 people conquerors in this combat, is the same 
 in all ages and places. He convinces them 
 of the impious absurdity of valuing tiie fa- 
 vor of men, more than of God ; — of fearing 
 momentary reproach from vile, sinful worms, 
 and not fearing everlasting contempt from 
 the Son of man, and all his holy angels. — 
 They are led also to look upon their best 
 friend, their Savior and their God, covered 
 with shame and spittle for their sakes ; and 
 at that sight they feel hatred of all selfish- 
 ness and cowardice, which would otherwise 
 prevail over them. — They are taught also to 
 understand the spirit of the world, — ihat they 
 will call themselves Christians, yet plead 
 custom and fashion against the plain com- 
 mands of Christ, in whose name they have 
 no lively hope — in whose cross they see no 
 glory : whom they fear not to oiYend, nor de- 
 light to obey ; — yet are very angry others 
 should pay liim more respect than they do 
 themselves. This discovery not only justi- 
 fies contention with the woi'ld, but demon- 
 F. 4. 
 
80 Ch/L<t the DcUierer of his Church 
 
 strates no man can be Christ's dii:cip]e, 
 except he come out from them, and be sepa- 
 rate. 
 
 Above all, the Lord gives his people his 
 own peace, — a pleasing powerful proof of the 
 wisdom of ibeir conduct, and its excellency. 
 Covered with this armor of ligbit, and en- 
 riched with this invisible treasure, sneers from 
 tiie profane, pity from tlie formal, abuse from 
 the passionate, and persecution from the 
 brutish, are all endured by them with calm- 
 ness, and faced with intrepidity. '' Thou 
 " shalt hide them in the secret of ihy pre- 
 " sence from the pride of man : — Thou shalt 
 *' keep them secretlv in a pavilion, from the 
 *' strife of tongues," F,salm xxxi. 20. 
 
 This deliverance of the church fron) the 
 world, her enemy, exposes the mistake that 
 Me may be good e}ioi(gh, without giving of- 
 fence by our religion. It is iin})Ossible ;■ — 
 for to be a Christian, is to have " the same 
 " mind in you, which was in Christ Jesus.' 
 But to resemble him is to become obnoxious; 
 — for who, under the power of natural pride, 
 can bear to see their favorite pursuits de- 
 spised, their boasted virtues slighted, and 
 
Frun the Men of this. JVorld. 81 
 
 all the ground of their hope towards God, 
 regarded as a delusion ? — Yet this very treat- 
 ment of its pleasures, virtues, and religion, 
 the world must receive from you, if you fol- 
 low the example, or obey the commands of 
 Chkist. 
 
 Though your mouth were never to be 
 opened in reproof, or vindication of the 
 truth, your conduct speaks aloud: — of course, 
 the nearer your connection is with persons 
 conformed to the world (however good they 
 may be deemed) the more provoking must 
 you prove to ihem from your principles and 
 practice. This will certainly be ttie elTect 
 of true faith — for the declaration is peremp- 
 tory and universal, — All who xc'ill live godlij 
 in Christ Jesus, shall sujfer persecuiiuii, 
 '2 Tim. iii. \2. 
 
 The substantial, unchangeable ground of 
 this offence, is given at riU length, witii 
 great force in the ancient book of Wisdom : 
 — '' Let us lie in wait for the righteous, be- 
 '' cause lie is not for our turn. He is clean 
 *' contrary to our doings. lie upbraideth 
 "" us with offending the knv, and objecteth, 
 *' to our infamy, the transgressions oi our 
 i: 5 
 
S2 Chnst the Dtliicrcr of his Church 
 
 *' education. He professeth to have the 
 *^ kjw'ic ledge of God. lie is made to reprove 
 '*' our thoughts. He is crrievous unto us even 
 " to behold ; for his life is not like other 
 *' men's, his wa3^s are of another fashion. We 
 '•' are esteemed of him as counterfeits. He 
 '^ abstaineth from our ways, as from filtlii- 
 '^ ness. He pronounceth the end of the just 
 *'• to be blessed, and maketh his boast, that 
 *' God is his Father," fPlscL Sol. ii. 12. 
 
 In this passage the reasons are strongly 
 marked, why the Lord's people always are 
 hated and despised ; — for the world charges 
 them with intolerable preciseness of behavior, 
 affected singularity, great uncharitableness in 
 judging others, spiritual pride, blasphemous 
 presumption in maintaining the knowledge of 
 forgiveness from God, with an ostentation 
 of being bis favorites. 
 
 Renounce, therefore, the vain thought of 
 being a Christian in spirit and in truth, with- 
 out "ivins; offence to the world. Renounce 
 a selfish, cowardly regard to character, which 
 would deceive you to fancy you may live in 
 all subjection to God. yet escape the censure 
 of the caj'eiess, and the iiatred of the fornrah 
 
From ihi' Men of ihi^ fVorld, 
 
 Remember the sayings of the Lord are 
 eternal truths: — '' Alarvel not if the world 
 hate yoa ; it hated me, before it hated you. 
 — If ye were of tlie world, the world would 
 love his own : — but because you are not 
 of the world, but I have chosen you out 
 of the world, therefore the world hateth 
 you/' Is not this proof of your relation 
 to Christ, infinitely better than all the es- 
 teem, applause, or preferment which can be 
 gained by such moderation in religion, as 
 will c fiend no one ? 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 On courting the Favor of the World. 
 
 1 HIS doctrine of the deliverance of the 
 church by the horn of salvation, from, her 
 enemy, the world, proves the mistake of fao- 
 cying.our usefulness depends upon the es- 
 teem and favor of. those around us. Above 
 all things avoid the name of. an enthusiast, 
 say many grave persons; and beware of giv- 
 E 6 
 
S4 On courting the Favor of the World. 
 
 ing offence, for this will ruin your charac- 
 ter, and take away ail vour influence. To 
 keep clear of real enlhusiam is highly neces- 
 sary, because it leads to the greatest mis- 
 chiefs, by pleading private impulses and re- 
 velations, to warrant practices, principles, or 
 actions, contrary to scripture. It is itself a 
 species of infidelity, and often ends in avow- 
 ed rejection of the Bible. But the woild 
 having ahvavs an aversion to the power of 
 godliness, will brand the faithful servants of 
 Christ, with this odious imputation. Ne- 
 cessary zeal for his truth, in opposition to 
 damnable heresies, sober singularity and self- 
 denial, '* without which, no man shall see 
 '* the Lord,'' is being righteous overmuch, 
 and gives great offence. The glorious y)ri- 
 vilefies also of the church, I mean the con- 
 solatioos of Christ, the cou'forl.s of love, 
 and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, are 
 in the judgment of the world, rank enlhusiasm. 
 Though these privileges arc specified in the 
 grand charter of the church, have been con- 
 stanliy implored in her public worship through 
 all ages, and attested by the most venerable 
 witnesses ; yet no reputation for learning or 
 
Ou courtuig the Tai'or of the IVorld. 85 
 
 wisdom, or steadiness of conduct, can secure 
 men from the cliarge of EntJiusiasju, when- 
 ever they boldly assert these great points. 
 
 ]\Iust necessary zeal then for the truth of 
 God, sober singularity, with the great pri- 
 vileges of the Christian church, be disowned 
 or neglected for fear of losing our charac- 
 ter, or doing less good r If so, usefulness 
 depends no longer on real excellency, or the 
 energy of grace, but on the good opinion 
 which the world and Satan are pleased to 
 entertain of us. 
 
 O shameful deceit to impose as it notori- 
 ously does upon so many grave people ! 
 How is it, that the nature of things, scrip- 
 ture, and matter of fact do not convince 
 men, that they cannot serve the immortal 
 interests of their fellow-creatures, till they 
 are disgusting to the world P For who are 
 the v.oild, but a vast ujultitude, encourao-in^^ 
 each other to despise Christian self-denial 
 and communion with God, for the sake of 
 pleasure, wealth, and power ? Now what 
 less than avowed abhorrence of so base a 
 conduct towards our I\Iaker, can ever brino- 
 such persons to feel ? Habitual intercourse 
 
86 On courting the Favor of the World, 
 
 with ihem in idleness and dissipation, to pre- 
 serve a character ; or polite silence in their 
 company, whilst they deride the power of 
 godliness, or the doctrines of scripture, or 
 talk every one vanity with his neighbour, 
 must keep tliem in countenance, and in 
 ignorance toa. But an open defence of the 
 great things revealed to us : an intimacy Avith 
 persons eminent for their godly zeal, adorned 
 by a holy conversation, reproves the careless 
 conformists to the fashion of the times. — 
 This is to act like a good soldier of Jesus 
 Christ, and prove in the highest degree a 
 friend to man. And if such irreconcileable 
 opposition subsists between God and the 
 world, that the latter is the enemy of the 
 former, nothing less than total opposition to 
 their ways, can make this manifest, and 
 prove the means of rescuing some from per- 
 dition. In other words, to do good to the 
 Kouls of men, we must live so conformably 
 to the Christian rule, as to give offence to 
 the world, and provoke them to abuse us in 
 some measure. 
 
 Hence the church of Christ is addressed, 
 in the following: tender terms : 
 
On courting the Favor of the World, 87 
 
 '• I beseech you by ibe mercies of God, 
 '' ibat ye present your bodies a living sacri- 
 ^' fice, holy, acceptable unto God, u-hich is 
 ^' your reasonable service," Ro7u. xii. 
 
 Yet most reasonable as this oblation is, the 
 holy Ghost well knew, how opposite it must 
 be to the custom of every age. The apos- 
 tle therefore immediately adds, ''And be not 
 " conformed to this world, but be ye trans- 
 '' formed by the renewing of your minds," 
 Rom. xii. 
 
 With these strong evidences, matter of fact 
 concurs to prove the gross mistake of mak- 
 ing compliances with the vrorld, in order to 
 do o'ood in it. For who shine bris^htest for 
 their extensive usefulness in enlan^in^ the 
 kingdom of God, and adding to it many 
 souls ? V^eve they prudent men, afraid of 
 offending the rich, the grave, or learned ? 
 No, they drew the sword, and threw away 
 the scabbard. They came forth to shew men 
 their transgressions, without respect to per- 
 sons, or regard to consequences. From the 
 death of the abhorred Xazarene, their ever- 
 blessed Lord, to this hour, the most deW- 
 gent copiers of his example, b.ave been most 
 
88 On courti/ig the Far or of the IVorld. 
 
 offensive ; — so scandalous, that many who 
 believed them to be in the rii>;ht, and wished 
 to be personally acquainted with them, dared 
 not. Though guilty of no evil ])ractice, nor 
 tmctured with real enthusiasm, their heaven 
 born love for Cituist, troubled the world, 
 and galled tliem to revenge^ in cruelly, dis- 
 dainfully, and despitefully speaking against 
 the righteous.. 
 
 Instead of studying then to gain the 
 world's esteem, we are conmmnded to " take 
 " for an example of suffering affliction, the 
 " prophets, wlio have spoken in the name of 
 '* of the Lord f ' who, though accounted 
 by some knaves, by others fools, by more 
 madmen, have brought thousands to glory, 
 the eternal proofs of their inestimable use- 
 fulness. 
 
 ^\'hen vvill the prudent conformists to the 
 fdshion of the times, let us see sucli success 
 from their com[>liances ? When shall we be- 
 hold them honored with th.e" highest honor 
 njan can conceive, a company of immortal 
 souls, hy them converted from the error of 
 their ways? No, to be useful either as Chris- 
 tian?; or as Christian ministers, we must copy 
 
Or courting iJie Favor oj the World. 89 
 
 the labor and zeal of those, whom the world 
 could never endure. Give over then fear- 
 ing any thing, but hypocrisy before God, 
 and cowardice in his cause before men. De- 
 sire nothing, but to live the hfe of a Chris- 
 tian. Halt no more between God and the 
 world. If the spirit of the world, pride, 
 carelessness respecting the soul, and neglect 
 of Christ, be not hateful to God, and de- 
 structive to men, the Gospel (with reverence 
 I speak it) is an imposition. Do you abhor 
 that thought as blasphemy ? Abhor as much 
 a fawning upon Chuist from year to year 
 in your closet, calling liim there your Lord 
 and God, and then coming out to consult 
 the world, how far they will allow you to 
 obey his plain commandsj without saving you 
 are a ^lethodist. Cea.se rather to profess 
 any allegiance to Christ, than treat Him, 
 under professions of duty, with such con- 
 tempt. " I would," saith He to the church 
 of Laodicea, *^thou wert hot or cold ; but 
 •' because thou art lukewarm, I will spue 
 '* thee out of my mouth," 
 
V 90 ; 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 Christ the Deliverer of his Veoplefrom the Love 
 of th^ Woi'ldt 
 
 By the World, the hispired writers undei'- 
 stand, not only the ungodly part of its in- 
 habitants, but sensual pleasures, honor, 
 riches and power : These, the beloved dis- 
 ciple calls, ** the lust of the flesh, the lust 
 *' of the eye, and the pride of life." To gain 
 a large proportion of what can gratify us in 
 each, is naturally our strongest desire, and 
 the source of endless contests amongst men. 
 Indeed, till we arc created anew in Christ 
 Jesus, these things carry away our thoughts, 
 and captivate our affections, as if they were 
 our chief good ; and in order to possess tliem, 
 we throw ourselves headlong into destruction. 
 But when objects infinitely better are brought 
 before our view, money, stale, and sensual 
 indulgencies, lose their bewitching charms, 
 as t03*3 which ravish children, become our 
 contempt in riper years. Thus by the dis- 
 covery and enjoyment of things more excel- 
 
Christ the DeUveytr of his People, S)C. 9I 
 
 lent, not by stoical disdain, or monkish self- 
 denial, Christians overcome the world. The 
 e:race of God, by brin^in^ salvation to the 
 soul, teaches them to deny worldly lusts.-— 
 " We all," (says the aposde, describing the 
 faith of the church and its effect) " behold- 
 ** ing as in a glass, the glorij of the Lord, 
 '* are changed into the same image from 
 '' glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the 
 *' Lord," <lCor. iii. 
 
 From hence appears the dangerous mis- 
 take of fancying we belong to Christ, 
 tbougli worldly lusts still hold dominion over 
 us. Yet how prone are we thus to deceive 
 ourselves ! Vv^e ^Svere once darkness, many 
 *' will say, but now are we light in the 
 *' Lord." All preaching for a course of 
 years was the same to us, we received no be- 
 nefit from it. But now we know the doc- 
 trines of grace ; we delight to attend where 
 they are displayed, and indeed can bear no 
 other divinit}^ Does not this sufficiently 
 prove, that we are the people of God ? 
 
 I answer, this is no proof the V>'orld is 
 conquered, or our minds renewed. We may 
 say and do this, yet be greedy, like Judas, of 
 
92 Christ the Deliverer of his People 
 
 filthy lucre, and as hard-hearted to the cry 
 of the poor — thh'st after worldly honors, in- 
 dulge childish fondness for dress and diver- 
 sions, be in love with pomp, and even vex 
 every one about us by our evil tempers. All 
 this may be said, and done, yet our delight 
 be only in sensual pleasures, our hearts ele- 
 vated by worldly successes, or depressed by 
 worldly fears alone, and we differ in nothing 
 from scoffers who walk after their own lusts, 
 but violent zeal for certain articles of the 
 Christian faith, which in corrupt minds do 
 much harm. 
 
 Do we then profess faith, and mean not to 
 impose upon others, or deceive ourselves ? 
 Our victory over worldly lusts, must be the 
 indisputable proof, that we partake oi" re- 
 demption. The excelU:ncy of our reli!;ious 
 principles must shine in our business and 
 station. Our spirit must not only be above 
 roguery or fraud, but above covetousness 
 also, and eagerness to get gain. And if v.-ealth 
 and affluence be our lot, we must conquer 
 the enchantments of earthly and sensual gra- 
 tifications. For without this substantial fruit 
 of divine knovvlcdi>ie, zeal for doctrmcs is but 
 
From the Love of the IVorld, 93 
 
 a burning fever, not the genial warmth which 
 flows from the love of God :— ^devotion is 
 superstition, not the worship of Him in spirit, 
 and in truth. 
 
 AMiat so much euiboldens revilcrs of the 
 doctrines of grace ? Professors, whose covet- 
 ousncss and treachery, marked with demure 
 appearance and religious talk, evidently ren- 
 der it unsafe to trust them. Who from a 
 wicked imagination that the election of grace 
 is their sanctuary, and the righteousness of 
 Christ their robe of salvation, conclude 
 that deadly thing, Sin, can do no hurt to 
 their souls. Did not the scripture affirm 
 there must be such offences, and were there 
 not many whose Christian life and doctrine 
 perfectly accord, we should be almost 
 ashamed of the Gospel itself, from the scan- 
 dalous selfishness of numbers who profess it. 
 And though the only lawful conclusion from 
 such melancholy instances is, that ** If any 
 *' man say I know Him, and keep not his 
 " commandments, he is a liar, and the truth 
 " is not in him;" yet these false professors, 
 will be loudly urged by the enemies of the 
 truti], to make it odious. 
 
f)4 Christ the Delherer of his People, ^c. 
 
 O ye self-deceived professors, enslaved by 
 worldly lusts, hear this, and tremble, and turn 
 from your evil ways. — Ye are answerable for 
 all these sad consequences before God — an- 
 swerable for strengthening their hands who 
 revile Christ — for aiding them to seduce 
 others into their wicked errors — for fixin"" 
 
 o 
 
 them in contempt of what God has reveal- 
 ed. And to imagine you can be members of 
 Christ, and safe in Him, whilst your con- 
 duct lays a stumbling-block in the way of 
 the Gospel, is an infatuation one would not 
 believe possible, was it not often seen. 
 
 Ti)e terrible doom awaiting those, who 
 persist to the last in such a mistake, is aw- 
 fully denounced. *' Woe unto the world, be- 
 ^' cause of offences, (at which they catch, 
 " and plead to their own undoing;) for it 
 *^ must needs be that oflfences come ; but 
 '* woe to that man by whom the offence 
 '^ cometh : it were better for him that a 
 '^ millstone was hanged about his neck, and 
 " he cast into the sea." 
 
( [)o J 
 
 CHAR XV. 
 
 On the Natural Dcpraiifi/ of Man. 
 
 AxoTHER enemy into whose hands we are 
 fallen, is generally called in scripture, the 
 FksJi : a word used to express the debased 
 corrupt state of our nature, which in its act- 
 ings and tendency, is perfectly contrary to 
 the law and holy nature of God. And this 
 is called fleshy because a corrupt and sinful 
 nature is what properly belongs to mankind, 
 to all fleshy as they are in themselves. For 
 man's nature, forsaken of divine and holy 
 principles, of itself became exceedingly cor- 
 rupt, and utterly depraved. See what de- 
 testable deeds ! See what infernal tempers 
 are the works of the flesh ! '' Adultery, for- 
 ^' nication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idoia- 
 ** try, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emula- 
 '' tion, strife, sedition, heresies, envy, murder, 
 '^ drunkenness, revellings, and such like,'* 
 Gal V. 2 J . 
 
 Every one of these wickednesses, if left 
 to ourselves in an hour of temptation, we 
 
fjG On the Xatural Depraiity of Man. 
 
 are capable of committing. The charge of 
 such total depravity of nature, must be de- 
 nied and highly resented by creatures so cor- 
 rupt. We could not be so vile, as God de- 
 clares we are become by the fall, were we 
 naturally disposed to plead guilty to this 
 charge. For pride, one great part of our 
 disease, so intoxicates, that many who are 
 a curse to society, by their evil example, are 
 far from holding a mean opinion of their 
 own goodness. Hence it should not sur- 
 prize us to find the violent assertors of 
 man's native innocence, amongst the licen- 
 tious in principles or practice. 
 
 In order to prove we are in the hands of 
 this enemy, a debased, corrupt nature, I 
 shall produce the concurrent testimony of 
 the word of God, with the confessed con- 
 dition of every man living, even of those 
 who have diligently used all possible means 
 to extirpate* this corruption. 
 
 Clear and full, in proof of innate cor- 
 ruption, are the words of Job. It seemed 
 hard to him, that he must be sinded out 
 as it were, to sutler such extremity of af- 
 fliction, though a sinner, since he was so 
 
On tJ>e yaiio'dl Dtpraxittj of Mg)i, 
 
 \}i 
 
 from his birth. Pic urges therefore his com- 
 plaint in that affecting question, ^' ^V'ho can 
 '^ brinof a clean thinsi out of an unclean? 
 *' Not one," Job xiv. This assertion is of 
 more weight, because Job is not here com- 
 paring men with angels, but simply speaking 
 of his condition, as born of a woman, bora 
 to trouble, because born in sin. 
 
 This ancient testimony David, himself an 
 amazing instance of the force of innate de- 
 pravity, confirms. For, to the consternation 
 of all his pious subjects, the joy of his pro- 
 fane ones, and the astonishment of all suc- 
 ceeding ages, David commits adultery, and 
 then murder, to conceal his great offence. 
 
 Such enormous wickedness done by one 
 distinguished for his knowledge and love of 
 God, loudly calls upon the most advanced 
 Christians to take heed lest they fall. Wlien 
 this backslider, (a most conspicuous monu- 
 ment of the free grace of God) is recovered, 
 he delineates, as an inspired penman, all 
 the workings of a broken and contrite spi- 
 rit, in his penitential Psalm. And here we 
 are taught, that one reason why he was 
 
 F 
 
98 On the Natuyal Dcpravify cf ?.lan. 
 
 suftered to plunge into such an abyss of 
 sin, was, that his fall might stand on re- 
 cord, a demonstration of the justice of 
 God's charge of innate depravity upon the 
 children of men. " Against Thee only liave 
 '' I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, 
 ' that thou mightest be justified in thy say- 
 " ing, (or in this saying of thine) Behold, 
 '^ I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did 
 '• my mother conceive me," Psabn li. — 
 And if David was thus shapen and con- 
 ceived, the whole huajan race, naturally en- 
 gendered, must be so too. 
 
 Tiiis positive assertion of the inspired fa- 
 ther, Solomon his son, affirms again in the 
 strongest manner possible, after recovering 
 also from the most shameful practice of 
 idolatry for many years. 
 
 ^' The heart of the sons of men is full of 
 ^' evil, and niadiiess is in their heart whilst 
 ^^ they live, and after that they go down to 
 '' the dead," Eccles. ix. 3. 
 
 Observe, Solomon does not say the heart 
 of this or that sinner, but of the whole off- 
 spring o^ Adam. He uses the word also in 
 the singular number, because ^' as face an- 
 
On the Xatural Dcpraiifi/ of Man. 99 
 
 *' swers to face in the water, so do the 
 ** hearts of the chikh'en of men." This 
 one heart of the whole human race is full 
 of eviL The word, here translated fit!/, 
 signifies as full as a thin^ can hold, beins: 
 used to express the fulness of an ovcrflow- 
 iuz river, and of the wind when it blows a 
 hurricane. The word translated evil, de- 
 notes what is mischievous and pernicious — 
 to others mischievous, to the man himself 
 pernicious. How could the inspired writer 
 more forcibly affirm the corruption of man's 
 native inclinations ? 
 
 The second clause asserts the excess and 
 obstinacy of this inbred depravity. u4}hi 
 madness (the Hebrew is plural) is in their 
 heart — They desire, purpose, choose, and 
 act, with respect to God and their own 
 eternal interest, like persons perfectly in- 
 sane, xvhilst they live in their natural state. 
 No pi'oniises or threatenings, judgments or 
 mercies from God; no advantages which 
 obedience to liim procures ; no miseries 
 springing from the indulgence of vile aifec- 
 tions, ])roduce in them any change. — Sin- 
 ners an hundred vearsold, are full of phrenzy 
 I 2 
 
100 On llie Nalitral Dcpraiilii of Man. 
 
 as in their youth, and then, if left to them- 
 selves, in this condition thei/ go dow)i to the 
 (lead — -into a miserable eternity. 
 
 Thus the holy Ghost, by David, affirms 
 the birth of man is in a depraved con- 
 dition ; by Solomon, that during the whole 
 time of his abode here, he is altogether evil, 
 and liis exit dreadful beyond imagination, 
 if left to himself. 
 
 The same doctiine was taui2;ht bv Christ, 
 DO less plainly when he was upon earth, 
 than by his prophets before his appearance. 
 '' Tliat which is born of the flesh is flesh," 
 saith the Lord, ^' and that which is born 
 *' of the spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I 
 ** said unto thee, Ye must be born again," 
 John iii. 
 
 Flesh in this sentence, is directly opposed 
 to the renewing sanctifying influences of the 
 holy Spirit. But that only which in its na- 
 ture is sinful, can in its nature be opposite 
 to the Spirit of God, Wherever therefore 
 in the Bible the flesh is opposed to the Spirit 
 of grace, the word can mean nothing else, 
 but sinful corruption. Therefore to be born 
 flesh, of flesh, is to be the corrupt ofl*spring 
 
Oil the Xataral Depraviti/ of Man. 101 
 
 of corrupt degenerate parents, so as to need 
 renewing grace fromthe Spirit of God on 
 that acconnt, even fro^n our birtli. 
 
 With these scripture proofs (and many 
 
 more equally strong might be adduced) the 
 
 condition of the human race, manifestly 
 
 agrees. " Since it is not owing," (as that 
 
 incomparable reasoner Islv. Professor Ed- 
 
 wards argues) '*' to any external circum- 
 
 " stances peculiarly prevalent, wiiich lead 
 
 '* men to commit sin. But sin is chargeable, 
 
 " according to universal experience, on per- 
 
 *' sons of all constitutions, capacities, con- 
 
 " ditions, manners, opinions, and educa- 
 
 ^'tions; in all countries, climates, nations, 
 
 .'" and ages. Hence there is ihe same evi- 
 
 ** dence, that this propensity to sin, is in the 
 
 " veri/ nature of the subject, as we have 
 
 *•' in any other case whatever : which is 
 
 wholly from observing the effect is the 
 
 same in all changes of time, and place, 
 
 ^' and under every variety of cii'cumstances. 
 
 *' It is in this way only, that we know there 
 
 '' is any propensity at ail seated in the na- 
 
 *' ture of man. And that we judge riglit, 
 
 '^ in imputing this depravity to nature, and 
 
 F 3 
 
 
i(>2 On the Natural Dtpraviti/ of Man. 
 
 '' not to custom or bad example, appears 
 " plainly from the manner in which God 
 '' s[)eaks of the first, or natural state of 
 ^' man. There is not the least difference 
 " made between one or another — All are 
 '^ lost — All are concluded under sin — All 
 '^ are enemies to God — the whole world is 
 ^' become guilty before him*." 
 
 Whatever difficulties therefore above our 
 present solution attend the doctrine of innate 
 depravit}', both scripture testimony, and the 
 universal condition of mankind, demonstrate 
 the truth of it. 
 
 With these proofs, another of equal force 
 
 * See the Reverend Mr. Professor EdurnWs Book, 
 published by Keiffi, intitled, // full Proof and D fence 
 of the 2/ eat Christian Do( trine of Original Sin, in An- 
 szcer to Dr, John Tavjor'-s Scripture Doctrine of Original 
 Sin. This performance, the first in the work], without 
 doubt, upon the subject, whether you consider the. force 
 of argument, or the spirit of the writer, has been pub- 
 lished seven years in £//«:/«/?£/. The assertors uf man's 
 native innocence have made (as far as I can learn) no 
 reply to it. If they can, the credit of their cause calls 
 aloud upon them to confute his arguings. If they can- 
 not, they ought at least to cease from vaunting, and no 
 more call Original Sin, Original Nonsense. 
 
On the yafuval DepJ-avih/ of M/nt. 10;5 
 
 may be joined ; I mean, tiic power of in- 
 dwelling sin, after diligent trial for many 
 years of every possible method to root it 
 out. Thousands in the church of Christ 
 have made the experiment, yet not one of 
 them ever succeeded. After the example 
 of David and Daiiicly they have prayed in- 
 stantly at evening, morning, and noon-day ; 
 have watched, fasted, and given most libe- 
 rally to the poor. Their souls have panted 
 for full conformity to the law of God, know- 
 ing it to be '^ holy, just, and good." Their 
 conversation has been an honor to the Gos- 
 pel, a blessing to their friends, an example 
 to all. Whatever wrong practices they were 
 drawn into by custom, they could easily re- 
 nounce, and shake off every evil habit — 
 But still the plague o^ their own hearts re- 
 mained. *' They found a law, that whca 
 " they w-ould do good, evil was present with 
 *' them; for tliey delighted in the law of 
 '^ God, after the inward man, But they 
 '' saw another law in their members, ^^arrip.g: 
 " against the law of ihcir mind, and 
 *' bringing them into captiviiy to tiie law. of 
 E 4 
 
10 i Od the Xatural DcpruiUi/ of Man, 
 
 ^^ sin which was in their members." For 
 after all the pains ^^•hich ever were or can 
 be taken, ^' there is not a just man upon 
 *' earth, that clocth good, and sinneth not/' 
 Eccles. vii. CO. 
 
 Hence persons of exact judgment, and 
 distinguished excellency, h.ave daily confessed 
 their sins, according to our Lord's injunc- 
 tion, and deplored their defilement to the 
 last. Who ever knew one single exception 
 to the following observation, that the more 
 pains men take to do their duty, the more 
 cause they find to lament their sad defi- 
 ciencies ? The more intensely they apply 
 themselves to follow after holiness, the mure 
 clearly they perceive their own vileness. — 
 As dabblers in natural pliilosophy grow con- 
 ceited of their knowledge, when a Bacon 
 or Ntxi'lon lament their ignorance; so idle 
 superficial Christians, feel no depravity with- 
 in, when St. Paul, when all ''wl.o hunger 
 •' and thirst after riuhteousness/" i£ioan un- 
 der the burden of tlie flesh, and feel them- 
 selves wretched, from their depravity before 
 God, 
 
On the Xatural Dcpravih/ of ?^Tf^/. 10 
 
 Xow what was never extirpaied by the 
 most dihgcnt use of the best means, properly 
 applied for a great length of time, it is evi- 
 dent must run in the blood, must be inter- 
 woven in the very frame of man. 
 
 Our combat therefore with this enemv, 
 'the Flesii, as with Satan and the M'orld, 
 must continue till we die. Yet the Lord, 
 the horn of salvation, delivers his people 
 from the dominion of their evil nature, on 
 this side the grave, and from its infection, 
 when He takes them to himself '* For so 
 " many as are led by the Spirit of God, 
 '' they aj^e the sons of God. And if any 
 " man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is 
 " none of his/' Rofu, viii. This almiizhty 
 Agent " cruciiies the tlesh, witii the atiec- 
 " tions and lusts. His fruit is in all good- 
 *' ness, righteousness, and truth f ' — L e. in 
 a general habitual oijedience to God, though 
 never without defect or pollution. The fruit 
 of the Spirit, is " love, joy, peace, long- 
 *' sufferin-^, ixen'tleness, croodness. faith, meek- 
 *' ness, temperance :" not one, or some of 
 these graces without the rest, but all cf 
 F 5 
 
1G6 On the KaUiral Depravihj of Man. 
 
 them growing together, a beautiful cluster 
 upon the living vine. 
 
 So that no one le-1 by the Spirit, can in- 
 dulge in^anj sin, or allow himself to neglect 
 any duty, by pleading the force of natural 
 depravity ; because supernatural aid is pro- 
 mised, and victoriously exerted in their be- 
 half, who seek it, to make them '^ holy in 
 *^ all manner of conversation." 
 
 In this condition, the people of God re- 
 main. The best of them defiled with sin, 
 whilst in the body, yet all of them obedient 
 to the will of heaven, till at length they are 
 called to join ''' the spirits of just men made 
 *^ perfect.-' Though they go on their wav, 
 therefore, mourning for sin, and each finds 
 abundant cause to cry out, '' O wretched 
 '' man that I am, who shall deliver me from 
 ^•' the body of this death ?" Slill each may 
 rejoice also in full assurance of final vic- 
 tory, saying, " I thank God, through Je- 
 '-' SI'S Christ our Lord,'' 
 
( 107 ) 
 
 CHAR XVL 
 
 Self- complacency from good Reputation exposed, 
 
 1 HE scripture doctrine of man's innate de- 
 pravity, proves the common mistake of sup- 
 posing those who are free from all vice, 
 cannot be under the wrath of God. It is 
 hard to condemn ourselves as vile, when 
 relations, friends, and neighbours, esteem us 
 higlily. In such a case, Can there be any 
 reason, we are wont to say, for looking up 
 with earnest supplication to the crucified 
 Jesus, as lost sinners ? Self-abasement to 
 this degree may become felons and harlots, 
 the dissolute or infamous, but is it necessary 
 in persons of good reputation from their 
 youth up? Undoubtedly; — for what avails 
 the sepulchres appearing beaaliful without, 
 w hen within there is all uncleanness ? If 
 it was not so, would an indictment from 
 heaven concluding all under sin, be brought 
 against us ? Is not this of itselt^ full proof of 
 our ^rcat zvicJiedness. however we may be 
 accounted excellent before men ? Shall not 
 t6 
 
108 Sclf-compIac<^iiCii from good Rt^pulalioncxpo^x d. 
 
 our Judge be believed in his declaration, 
 " that whatsoever is born of the flesh, is 
 *' flesh," sinful and corrupt : and his apostle 
 in that very alarming assertion, " So then, 
 *' they that are in the flesh, cannot please 
 *'GoD?'' — Must disobedience to parents, 
 or base lying ; open lewdness, or scandalous 
 dishonesty, be chargeable upon us, before 
 we are to condemn ourselves as vile, or 
 confess we are '^ in danger of hell-flre ?'' 
 One of the most distinguished amongst the 
 saints of God made a quite difl:erent esti- 
 mate of himself, which stands recorded, to 
 confront all who overrate their good repu- 
 tation : I mean the Baptist. From his mo- 
 ther's womb, he was full of the holy Ghost. 
 Tiie abandoned Herod stood in awe of 
 hiui ; E-MMANUEL himself attested, "he 
 v,as a burning and a shining light." If any 
 person, then, might have alledged, " I am 
 innocent, therefore I need no fountain to 
 cleanse me from my sin:"' If any person 
 could have reason to think, he did not de- 
 serve eternal death for his guilt, this was the 
 man. But what does Jolui tliink of him- 
 self? Behold it, O ye innc/cent \vorld, and 
 
Sclf-ayiuphicencii from good llcpictation exposed. \00 
 
 blush for shame. Behold it, and cease to 
 utter error against the Loud lo your own 
 destruction. When Jesus comes to be 
 baptized of him, with what humble amaze- 
 ment, does he first decline the sacred ser- 
 vice, and then cry out from a deep sense of 
 his own defilement, " I have need to be bap- 
 *' tized of thee, and comest thou to me ?"' — 
 But he could have no need to be baptized, 
 or washed in the blood of the Lamb, if tlie 
 best obedience, even from childliood, could 
 have made him innocent ; if repentance be 
 the only condition of acceptance with God, 
 or if the consequence of sin, be not eter* 
 nal death, without the Atonement. 
 
 ]^oes such a one as the Baptist cry out, 
 " I have need to be baptized of thee,'' — 
 AViiat ought we to think of our own cha- 
 racter? How little, how poor is our sup- 
 posed goodness, and fair reputation, when 
 compared with his bright example. Let 
 us keep better company than the world. 
 Let us observe the saints of God, and 
 weigh well the import of their expressions, 
 when they speak of themiSelves before liim. 
 Tiiis will soon convince US; that every man 
 
1 ]0 Sdf-compJacency from good Heputat ion exposed. 
 
 in his best estate deserves the curse of the 
 law, from which nothing can save him, but 
 infinite grace through the Atonement ; the 
 benefit of which belongs to those only, who 
 confess from the heart, that their sin caa 
 no other way be cancelled. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 The Limfficiency of external Religion exposed, 
 
 1 HIS doctrine, that we are all born after 
 the flesh, . and have naturally a fountain of 
 evil within, proves the mistake of trusting 
 in the mere performance of religious duties. 
 I\Iany very devout people ask, with an 
 air of confidence, '' What more can we do? 
 We constantly say our prayers, go to church, 
 receive the sacrament, do no harm, and 
 give alms. Are not we good Ciiristians ?" 
 I reply, the grand point is, from what mo- 
 tive, and with what end are these things 
 done ? Prayers, v/hich are merely the effect 
 of good education, not from a sense of 
 
The In^uijidcncif of external Religion exposed. 1 1 1 
 
 o'uilt and want— Prayers said to pacify the 
 conscience, or earn heaven, not offered up 
 from hatred of iniquity, or love of righte- 
 ousness — religious duties performed as a 
 task, not with alacrity, and delight to hold 
 communion ^vith God — and alms given, in 
 order to think well of ourselves, and cover 
 the multitude of sins, make up the religion 
 of a Hypocrite in grain. Will you ask 
 then, Whether any thing more than this is 
 necessary to make a good Christian ? 
 
 I would also intreat you to examine what 
 advantage you have received from your re- 
 ligion. Has it subdued your passions? or 
 rectified those gross mistakes we naturally 
 fall into, respecting the character of God, 
 ourselves, and the way of salvation. Has 
 it enriched your mind with a treasure of 
 divine knowledge, to whicii you were once 
 an entire stranger? A knowledge of effi- 
 cacy to produce all the fruits of righteous- 
 ness. If you grow angry at such close 
 questions, unable to answer them in the 
 affirmative — if vou know nothin[>; more of 
 God, or yourself ; nor have any proof that 
 you are accepted of Him, mure than you 
 
1 \2 The In^iiffickncij of external Religion exposed. 
 
 had ten or twenty years ago, into what a 
 fatal mistake are you fallen? Utterly desti- 
 tute of the benefits which constitute the ex- 
 cellency of religion, yet obstinately positive 
 you are a very good Christian, and need no 
 divine change. 
 
 Let me add, if your external religion be 
 sufficient, as you confidently suppose, then 
 what passes in 3^our breast, must resemble 
 what the scripture saints experienced : for 
 allowing they might exceed us in degrees of 
 holiness, yet every Christian's experience, 
 supposing it genuine, must be of the same 
 kind as theirs. Compare your own with 
 this standard. Watchfulness, labor, conten- 
 tion against the flesh, was tho constant em- 
 ployment of their minds. Sometimes they 
 coAild pray with delight and fervency, often 
 they could not. We see them one while 
 w^eary, faint, and ready to give up all for 
 lost. In due time their cry was heard, and 
 they sung a song of triumph. Darkness and 
 light, distresses and deliverances, joy and 
 grief, succeeded each other. At some sea- 
 sons, prayer, the word of the Loud, his day 
 and house, proved to them a rich repast. — - 
 
The JiisitJ/uiotci/ of external Itellgioji exposed. 1 15 
 
 At other times, they sat like a sick man at 
 table, and could relish nothing. Now we 
 see all within is peace and glowing admi- 
 ration or tne truth, ways, and works of CrOD. 
 By and by, trying providences move them to 
 doubt of his love or faithfulness, and to be- 
 have themselves unseemly ; till recovering, 
 each accuses himself in that humbling con- 
 fession, " So foolish and ignorant was I, 
 *' even as a beast before thee." -Many parts 
 of the Bible prove what is here affirmed, 
 and the 11 9th Psalm at large. 
 
 I appeal now to your conscience, who 
 build your hope of going to heaven on your 
 external religion and virtues ; Are you ac- 
 auaintcd with such changes in vour mind ? 
 or do you not rather hate and reproach this 
 experimental proof of innate depravity as 
 Enthusiasm? Do not you say your prayers 
 at one time as well as at another ? Do 
 not you do your duty in going to church 
 one Sunday just as well as at another ? — 
 And at all times think, without giving 
 yourself the least uneasiness about the mat- 
 tci-, you do as well as can be expected 
 from such frail creatures as we all are ; 
 
114 The LisuJ/Icioicij of Lxterual lldigion exposed 
 
 Do you not live a perfect stranger to a 
 change from darkness to light, from fear 
 to lively hope, from grief to joy, on account 
 of spiritual deliverances? Should this be 
 your case, you still want every thing essen- 
 tial to a good Christian, if to be one, is to 
 resemble those who stand in the Bible as 
 patterns for our imitation. Because the re- 
 ligion and goodness in which you confide, is 
 no more like. theirs, than an image made to 
 speak by mechanism, is hke a living man. 
 
 Be no lona;er tlien so confident vou are a 
 good Christian, because you say your pray- 
 ers, go constantly to church, and give alms. 
 Try yourself by the Oracles of God. What 
 think you of your corrupt nature, of your 
 wicked lieart ? Is the horn of salvation ab- 
 solnteiy needful in your eyes to save you 
 from yourself? Do you find in your own 
 bosom, the company of two armies, tlie law 
 in your members warring against the law of 
 vour mind : the flesh lustinsj acjainst* the 
 Spirit ? Or, on the contrary, Ave you float- 
 ing down the stream of time, at peace with 
 the world and the flesh, unknowing of any 
 hurt or imoediment vou receive from ti- 
 
The hisufficiencii of external Religion exposed. 11 
 
 ther ? In this case, the unchangeable decree 
 from heaven is directly pointed against you. 
 Hear ir, and consider yourself, and turn 
 unto the Lord. — '' If ye live after the 
 ** fleshj ye shall die ; but if ye through the 
 " Spirit i\o mortify the deeds of the body, 
 *' ye shall live," Mom, vllL 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 On casij andpoliU Religion, 
 
 b-VTAN", the World, and the Flesli, as we 
 have seen, are restless in their opposition to 
 us, and always our enemies ;. tVoni whose 
 power, CiiitiST alone can save, ilow pal- 
 pable then is the error common among the 
 rich and polite, concerning the very nature 
 of religion r It w^as never designed, say they, 
 to forbid favorite amusements, or abridge 
 us of the liberty to please ourselves from day 
 today. It is the raving Enthusiast's pen- 
 
1 16 On east/ luid polite Rtiigion. 
 
 ..:... . - -■■■■.■■ ■ ■ r irr 
 
 cil, which draws this sniiHng Ciierub* with 
 the features of a demon. 
 
 Thus under the name of innocent amuse- 
 ii:ients, hcentiousness is encouraged, and 
 Christian self-denial deemed the penance of 
 gloomy bigots. 
 
 The contrast between scriptural religion, 
 and this easy substitute, chosen in its place, 
 V ill fully appear from the following compa- 
 rison. 
 
 IMen ought always to " watch and pray, 
 '' that thcv enter not into temptation/' saws 
 the Judge of all. — You may indulge without 
 fear or scruple, if your fortune can bear the 
 expence, in every diversion, says the smil- 
 ing cherub, '^ Let your loins be girded, and 
 *' your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like 
 *'. men, wiio wait for the coming of the 
 ^' Loud ;" is his command to his church. — 
 Enjoy freely dance and bong, the stage, the 
 tavern, the card-table. After tliis the dregs 
 both of your time and spirits, will suffice for 
 
 * 
 
 Liberal n'lii;ion, as some call it, iu opposition to 
 ancient Cliristianity, is often represented under the image 
 of a smiling Cherub, to denote its groat good humor, 
 and the lari;e f^ratitications it allows us. 
 
On easif and poJ'dc Religion. 117 
 
 devotional duties, says the smiling cherub. 
 ^' Except a man deny himself, and take up 
 ^' his cross daily, and follow me, he cannot 
 '* be my disciple f saith the Lord. — There 
 can be no harm in conformino; to the voi^uc, 
 and joining in all mirthful pastimes, kindly 
 provided to relax the mind, and promote 
 good humour, says the cherub; *' Strait is 
 *' the gate, and narrow is the way, which 
 '* leadeth unto life, and few there be that 
 *' find it. For we wrestle not against flesh 
 " and blood, but against principalities and 
 '* powers : Put on therefore the whole ar- 
 " mor of God, that having done all, ye 
 *' may be able to stand,"' says the Wisdom 
 from above.— To make relio;ion a work of 
 so much difficulty, paints the Deity as tak- 
 ing pleasure in the mortilication of his crea- 
 tures, and frightens them from his service, 
 savs the sm'iling cherub. The word of God 
 calls Christians to watchfulness, as centinels 
 to their post ; — to run for the heavenly prize, 
 like racers to the goal — to hardships and war, 
 as good soldiers; adding exhortations, in- 
 treaties, commands to slay every lust, though 
 it be painful as plucking out a right eye ; 
 
118 On easjf and polite Religion. 
 
 declaring, " i>Iaiiy shall seek to enter into 
 ^' life, and shall not be able;'' — lliat fool- 
 ish virgins, and slothful servants, perish to- 
 gether with greater offenders. These ex- 
 hortations, commands, and warnings, so ex- 
 pressive of difiiciilty and labor, belong to 
 the ages of persecution, before the world 
 and the church joined in friendly alliance, 
 says the smiling cherub, and only respect 
 that fierce contest. We live in happier days, 
 when our whole duty may be done without 
 any combat, mortification, vigilance or labor. 
 O vile seducer ! Can the way to eternal 
 glory in any age, be a life of sloth and self- 
 indulgence ? Are not watchfulness, prayer, 
 persevering self-denial, always necessary to 
 preserve the weak, and defend the tempted ? 
 Do the pleasures of sin allure now with 
 less attraction than in former times r Are 
 our hearts less evil, or do worldly lusts soli- 
 cit with feebler force, than they were wont 
 to do seventeen ages past ? Or do the power, 
 subtil ty, and malice of wicked angels, long 
 practised in the destruction of souls, require, 
 on our parts, less resistance or protection ? 
 Besides, What ideas must men conceive of 
 
On cavj and polite Religion. IIQ 
 
 heaven, who suppose it possible for those to 
 enter there, who know no more spiritual gra- 
 tifications, than the stage, tavern, or card- 
 table afford ? who lead their life in snch ig- 
 norance, indolence, and voluptuousness, that 
 some well-regulated states, would have pu- 
 nished with heavy penalties? Unless a trans- 
 formation of soul take place, persons of this 
 character arc no more capable of admission 
 into heaven, than profligate villains, a nui- 
 sance to all around them ; since there is no 
 more meetness for spiritual enjoyment in one 
 than in the other. And to lead men to hope 
 a life of this kind can end well, is to take 
 part with their evil passion-, instead of ex- 
 horting them to seek deliverance from their 
 dominion. It is to set aside the essential 
 duty of Chrisrians, whilst the worship, for 
 form's sake, is retained. But such heartless 
 worship, in the eyes of men of sense, is a 
 farce ; in the eyes of sincere Christians, a 
 profanation of the name of religion ; in the 
 eyes of God, mockery and insult. 
 
 Instead, therefore, of '^saying to the seers, 
 " see not, and to the prophets, prophecy 
 " not . speak to us smooth things, prophecy 
 
1 20 On easy and poliie Religion. 
 
 ^^ deceit,, cause the holy One of Israel to 
 '^ cease from before us." — Instead of loving 
 this cruel flattery, desire earnestly to liear 
 the whole truth, — '^ whatsoever God hath 
 ^' commanded." Desire to have the devices 
 of Satanj the temptations of the World, the 
 corruptions of the Flesh, all set before you 
 without disguise. - Desire no abatement 
 whatever, may be made by the teachers of 
 Christ, in compHance with custom, or in 
 gratification of your passions. 
 
 CPIAP. XIX. 
 
 C II R I s Tj a Savior from JDcath. . 
 
 liiE last enemy, out of whose hands, the 
 Lord, the horn of salvation delivers his 
 people, is Death : which, ^^ helher its ori- 
 gin, manner of approach, or nature be con- 
 sidered, deserves the name of King of Ter- 
 rors. It entered into the world by divine 
 decree, to punish the most enormous of- 
 
Christ a Savior from Death. 121 
 
 fence, except the murder of Christ, which 
 the sun ever saw : for man, like the angels, 
 was made upright, though liable to fall : 
 surrounded with a profusion of blessings 
 from God, who beheld his new made crea- 
 ture with delight, and pronounced him t'erif 
 good, "" And the Lord God commanded 
 '' the man, saying, Of every tree in the gar- 
 " den, thou mayest eat freely ; but of the 
 *' tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 
 *' thou shalt not eat of it ; for in the day 
 *' thou eatest of it, thou shalt surely die," 
 Gen. ii. 
 
 Nevertheless Adam did eat of it, thouoh 
 he knew the threateninjj included his seed, 
 as one with himself : for it is ao;ainst all rea- 
 son to suppose the sentence could contain 
 any greater extent of punishment, than Adam 
 understood the threatening to do. P'very 
 possible circumstance therefore of provoca- 
 tion, met together in this one offence. It 
 was the vilest ingratitude against divine 
 bounty surrounding him on every side. It 
 was an impudent impeachment of his su- 
 preme Benefactor's wisdom^ goodness and 
 
 G 
 
IQG Christ a Savior from Death, 
 
 love, as if the coiinnand had been foolish, 
 hard, or envious. It was a violent suspicion, 
 if not a denial of iiis veracity. It was a 
 wilful opposition to his authority, a revolt 
 from his government, an exaltalion of him- 
 self above God, in seeking his own interest 
 and pleasure, by trampling upon the honor, 
 law, and majesty of his ^laker. 
 
 This one offence, big with all hateful qua- 
 lities, inslanllv wrought a disastrous chan^ze 
 in man's condition, as terrible eartliquakes 
 do in capital cities, leaving behind it a sad 
 scene of ruins : for the moment Adam trans- 
 gressed, the threatening began to take place. 
 Instantly the light, the presence, the love 
 and image of God, departed from him, with 
 the immortality which he before possessed : 
 for his deeply injured Maker withdrew, as it 
 seemed necessary he should, from rebel man. 
 He summoned him to appear, and hear his 
 doom, and tlien expelled him Paradise, to 
 wander on the earth, a poor, guilty, corrupt, 
 and dying creature. 
 
 Death, entering thus by sin into the world, 
 as a punishment for the highest act of rebel- 
 
Christ a Savior from Death. 12^ 
 
 lion against God, always strikes men with 
 terror, till sunk into brutish stupidity, or till 
 the Savior has taken away its sting. 
 
 The mannej* of Death's approach, bears 
 strong testimony also to its guilty origin : for 
 till superabounding grace has converted this 
 foe into a friend, he exceedingly distresses the 
 children of men, whether springing upon 
 them from an ambush, or making his ad- 
 vance by regular siege. In the former case, 
 Death appals, and seizes in a moment the 
 voluptuous in the midst of their carousals — 
 utterly impoverishes with a stroke the pros- 
 perous sons of commerce, exulting in their 
 day-dreams of realizing their wealth — drives, 
 as a whirl wmd, the ambitious from the face 
 of the eartli, when their honors are blooni- 
 mg, their preferments enlarging, and all their 
 projects ripening to their wish. 
 
 What sudden havoc also does this de- 
 stroyer make of domestic comforts in which 
 we may lawfully delight. A swift arrow from 
 iiis quiver, strikes to the heart the bride- 
 groom rejoicing over his bride — cuts off a 
 lovely blossom, the only child, from its pa- 
 rental stem — divorces those in a moment, 
 G 2 
 
124 Christ a Savior from Death, 
 
 whose conjugal affection, matured by years 
 of sweetest society, united them like soul and 
 body — divorces them, when the tender 
 pledges of their love, most need their mutual 
 care. By such daily inroads, this dreadful 
 spoiler harasses mankind, leaving those who 
 have yet escaped his shafts, and still more 
 those who have been wounded, anxious for 
 the absolute uncertainty of ail their pos- 
 sessions. 
 
 When instead of thus seizing upon his 
 prey. Death advances, as in general more 
 slowly, his assaults are bitterly distressing. 
 
 All maladies 
 
 Of ghastly spasm, or racking torture, qualms 
 Of heart-sick agony, all fev'rous kinds 
 And fierce catarrhs, and pining atrophy, 
 Intestine stone and ulcer, cholic pangs, 
 Dropbies, and asthmas, and joint -racking rheums. 
 Dire is the tossing, deep the groans, 
 ^Vllilst over them, triumphant Death his dart 
 Shakes — — . 
 
 At length he strikes the blow, which brings 
 on the entire sensible destruction of the 
 body, soon making it too hideous for the 
 eye of tenderest friends to look on, too of- 
 
Christ a Savior from Death. 125 
 
 fensive to be endured at all, a lit tenant for 
 the grave, a feast for worms. 
 
 Yet how small a part of the evil of Death^ 
 do all these p;looinyignominious circumstances 
 contain ! The}^ are but the awful introduc- 
 tion to that " outward darkness," which re- 
 ceives those who die in their sins : " for the 
 '' wages of sin is death :'' — Death, opposed 
 to the holiness and happiness of eternal life 
 in the presence of God, which must there- 
 fore mean a state of hopeless misery. 
 
 And can the horn of salvation deliver out 
 of all this dreadful calamity ? Can He cause 
 light to spring up in the midst of such dark- 
 ness, and fill the close of life with divine con- 
 solations ^ He can, He does. His ail-suffi- 
 cient grace prepares his people for the com- 
 bat with this last enemy, animates and suc- 
 cours them in the midst of it ; enriches them 
 immensely at the moment of their dissolu- 
 tion, and redeems them at last in the sight 
 of men and angels, from every trace of death's 
 dominion. 
 
 To encounter Death, the faithful are pre- 
 pared, botn by their knowledge and experi- 
 ence. " They know in whom they have 
 
 Go 
 O 
 
126 Ck/ist a Savior from Death. 
 
 '' believed; and that He is able to keep that 
 *' which thev have committed unto Him." 
 They know their Redeemer is the mighty 
 GoT) — and that part of the everlasting Cove- 
 nant between the Father and Him, insures 
 their victory over the grave ;— for it is writ- 
 ten, "Thy dead men, .shall live; with my 
 ^^ dead body shall they arise. Awake, and 
 " sing, ye that dwell in dust, for thy dew, is 
 " as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall 
 *' cast out the dead," Isa. xxvi. 
 
 These wonderful things of God's law, be- 
 ing certified to them by the holy Ghost, be- 
 come the object of their adiiiiration, the 
 foundation of lively hope, and their richest 
 treasure. Hence Death grows familiar to 
 their minds, as a translation to enjoy spiri- 
 rnalhfe to perfection in the presence of their 
 beloved, tlie sweetness of which they have 
 imperfectly known already. — Answers to 
 their prayers, and a change of state in pass- 
 ing from darkness to light, from death to 
 life, in their conversion, alters the visage of 
 Death, and its nature too. Instead of seiz- 
 ing upon them, to root them out of the 
 earth, and pluck them out of their dwelling, 
 
Christ a Savioi' from Death. 1*7 
 
 It comes to exalt them to glory, p.nd honor, 
 and immortality. 
 
 Add to this, the heart of Christ, wiio 
 endured in his own person the agonies of 
 Death; for the salvation of his people, is full 
 of compassion towards them : for \\c are 
 assured, He is touched with a feeling of their 
 infirmities. Wherefore when they walk 
 through the valley of the shadow of Death, 
 his tender care and guardian power are over 
 them, so that they shall fear no evil. 
 
 Is this a conclusion unconfirmed by facts? 
 No, it is beyond a doubt, that the saints 
 in Christ have departed with sweet com- 
 placency in their countenances, and '' abound- 
 ** ing in hope, through the power of the holy 
 " Ghost given unto them." They triumphed 
 in ancient time to the astonishment of all, 
 to the conversion even of proud Pagan phi- 
 losophers, whose chief was vvont to call Death 
 *' of all dreadful things, the most dreadful." 
 The primitive Christians conquered when 
 they fell. They cried out, " Death shall not 
 " be able to separate us from the love of 
 " God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 
 ^' — Death is ours — Death is gain," 
 G 4 
 
12S Christ a Saiior from Death. 
 
 Now are we to limit this his overflow- 
 ing love, as loo many injurious to Christ 
 and his church do, to the first believers. — 
 For at all times ile is the same all-sufficient 
 friend to his people. "What spiritual suc- 
 cours therefore He supplies, when the body 
 is sinking, appears from the behavior of many 
 of his dying members. — Who can behold 
 them in their last conflict, without being 
 compelled to say. They are not left to sufter 
 the sentence of Death on their bodies, with- 
 out the cup of consolation to drink } "We 
 have seen, we have seen, thousands can at- 
 test, the exit of real Christians, inspiring 
 every spectator at the same moment, with 
 the same request, " Let me die the death 
 " of the righteous, and let my Aftcrstate* 
 be hke his. " 
 
 * Tlie word ^cZ/enV// signi fies an aftcrthneox state ;— 
 a state, which begins again after some remarkable pc- 
 1 iod. Sec ^l\\ Pctcn's Cr'dkal Dissertation on the Book 
 vf Job, p. SS8, 1st Edition. 
 
 This masterly wriiur demonstrates, that the church of 
 God has all along been acquainted with the Covenant 
 founded in the promise of a Redeemer, and of eternal 
 life in Ilim. Bishop Sherlock read this Dissertation (I 
 have been told) twice over. An unqu^-stionable proof 
 
ChUt a Senior from Bcatlu VIQ 
 
 Their bodies, it is true, vanquislied- by 
 Deathj return to the dust. Yet their souls, 
 so fiir from sufFerinc^ loss, receive unspeak- 
 able advantage from this blow. Immedi- 
 ately they live, where the place of their abode, 
 the high excellency of the society they join, 
 and their own perfection, fill them with hap- 
 piness beyond the reach of our ideas : for as 
 soon as " absent from the body, they are 
 '* present with the Lord*." 
 
 of its uncommon excellency, since it could please a 
 first-rate genius, in a science to which he had so long 
 applied himself. 
 
 * " This scripture," (2 Cor. v. 6.) says Dr. TFatt^y 
 m his Essay vn a separate State, " seems to me so plain, 
 *' so express,. and so answerable a proof of the existence 
 ^' of the spirits of good men immtdlatelif after death, that 
 '* L could never meet with but two ways of evading it. 
 " The one, that St. Paul might be mistaken. This needs 
 " no answer. The other, that this text, with one or 
 " two more of the same kind, do indeed speak of the 
 " happiness of souls in a separate state, but they only 
 " reftT to the Apostles- themselves. — 1 answer, the whole 
 " church of CiJitiST is encouraged with this assurance 
 " of immediate happiness after Death. Witness what 
 '* g<)es before, and what follows the text. Ail agree 
 ■." this belongs to t!je whole church." 
 
 Besides, St. Jultii utterly denies this vast differcnrj% 
 G 5. 
 
130 Christ a Savior from Death. 
 
 Nor is the tnum[>h of Death over the bo- 
 dies of the saints in Christ, more than 
 transitory : for their graves, ai'e but so many 
 consecrated repositories, each under invio- 
 lable obligation to preserve and restore upon 
 demand, every atom of sacred dust, entrusted 
 to their keeping. Thousands of years indeed, 
 must pass between the interment and resur- 
 rection of the saints. Still at the destined 
 moment, the heavens shall open ; the trump 
 of God shall sound; the Savior shall come 
 in the clouds of heaven, with great power and 
 glory. Then shall men and angels see him 
 sitting on his throne, and making all things 
 new. Then shall matter of fact prove, to 
 the conviction of the whole intidel world, 
 that the horn of salvation has delivered his 
 people to the uttermost, '^ out of the hands 
 
 some are so fond of making, between the Apostles and 
 the whole church, in point of spiritual privileges; by 
 assuring us the very end of his writings, and consequently 
 of tlie whole College of Apostles, was, that All who re- 
 ceived their words with true faith, should ha.\e fclloic. 
 ihip with theui, 1 John i. 3. 
 
 If the Reader desires to «ce this matter discussed, he 
 may consult my Dufi/ cf ]ilan, p. 401. 2d Ediuon. 
 
Christ a Savior from Dcc.th. 131 
 
 " of all their enemies." Then shall he ap- 
 pear *' the resurrection and the life, the 
 " plague of death, the destruction of the 
 '* grave.'' Then shall the vile hodies oi his 
 saints, '' be changed into the likeness of his 
 " own glorious body," and become incor- 
 ruptible and splendid as the sun. 
 
 Thus the whole church consummated in 
 bliss, with eyes full of rapturous love, all 
 fastened upon Jesus of Nazareth^ shall cry 
 out, *' He hath swallowed up Death in vie- 
 - tory 1" 
 
 GHAR XX. 
 
 On fa he Confidaice iti a zcdUspent Life. 
 
 1 HIS doctrine, that the church is redeemed 
 out of the hands of Death,, only by the horn 
 of salvation, proves the mistake of attempt- 
 ing to subdue the fear of. it, by looking back 
 on a well-spent life. An attempt equally 
 absurd and impious, in those who call them- 
 selves Christians. For what is the best life 
 i,6 
 
132 0/iJaise Conjidtncc in a a:cU-speni Life* 
 
 any man can have to reflect on ? It does not 
 come up to a thousandth part of his duty. 
 Consider the excellency of God, and of his 
 law ; our increasing deht for mercies be- 
 stowed, and our great advantages to know 
 and obey Him. In these circumstances, 
 above all, should not our love to Him be 
 perfectly pure, and more active, than thirst 
 for gain in misers, or love of glory in the 
 soldier's breast ? On no account should it 
 ever be mixed with selfish motives ; prove 
 languid, much less be violated through love 
 of sin. Yet where is the man upon earth, 
 w^ho can bear to have his life brought to this 
 lest ? 
 
 Again, Our love to our neighbour ought 
 to keep us from all evil-speakmg ; from every 
 expression of unkindness and disrespect; — 
 ought to fill us with pity for his faults, and 
 bowels of mercies towards him in all his suf- 
 ferings. Who alive, dare look his fellow- 
 creatures in the face, and say. In this man- 
 ner have I ever loved you all ? 
 
 Once more ; Our hatred of the first mcr 
 tions of sin, before a purpose of offending is 
 conceived, ouaht to be (piick and eltcctual 
 
Oil false Confidence in a well-spoit Life. \33 
 
 to repel it, as our natural instinct is for self- 
 preservation. But how unaccountably stupid, 
 in this respect, are the most excellent !— 
 How often defiled w^ith iniquity, without any 
 concern ! The conclusion from this fair 
 stating of man's condition is, that the best 
 life of the best man ujx)n earth, affords 
 abundant cause for humiliation and self- 
 loathing ; needs infinite mercy to pass over 
 its offences, and the blood of Christ, who 
 is God, to make atonement for them. 
 
 Is this conclusion, so offensive to pride, a 
 conclusion di'avvn by erring mortals? No: 
 It is a self-evident scripture consequence 
 from our Lord's command to his disciples, 
 dai/^ to inaplore the forgiveness of their 
 trespasses; which must imply, that they dailj/ 
 offend. Can the same life, then, I ask, so 
 defective and stained ; which calls for daily 
 humiliation, which needs infinite mercy, and 
 the blood of Christ to put away its sins ?-— 
 Can this same life be reviewed with plea- 
 sure, and give just confidence to disarm death 
 of its sling? 
 
 So absurd w'ould it be to look back upon, 
 upon our past life, for comfort in death; 
 
124 On false Coifidence in a well-spent Life, 
 
 however excellent our works may have been. 
 But it is well known, that no truly good per- 
 son, ever trusts in his own righteousness for 
 comfort. Tins is the mistake of vain, idle 
 people, who know neither God, nor them- 
 selves : who first make their own rule of 
 duty, and then applaud themselves for their 
 observance of it, because they think they do 
 no harm, and their conduct is not scan- 
 dalous. 
 
 Further, The attempt to subdue the fear 
 of Death by consciousness of our own virtue, 
 is in the sight of God an high provocation, 
 no less than a grross absurdity in itself: be- 
 cause it pours contempt upon tlie heaven- 
 appointed means of vanquishing this last 
 enemy. The scripture teaches, '* that the 
 " death of Christ r/Zo/.e abolished death; — 
 '' that He tasted death for every one of the 
 ^^ sons He should bring to glory, to deliver 
 " them, who through fear of death, were all 
 '* their lifetime subject to bondage." The 
 scripture teaches us, that the vSavior led Sin,. 
 Death, and Hell, our captivity captive ; and 
 the World, as we have seen, is to end with 
 his triumphant appearance, as their destroyer. 
 
On fake Cmjidcncc in a uell'Sjiefif Life. 135 
 
 Every attempt, therefore, to overcome them 
 by confidence in our own righteousness, is a 
 sacrilegious attack upon his glory ; — A claim, 
 derogatory to the merit of tiie blood of tlie 
 Lamb : — A claim, which eclipses the Sun of 
 righteousness. He is as nothing; the weil- 
 spent life is all: for we may as reasonably 
 attempt to move at once in opposite direc- 
 tions, as to find acceptance with God in part 
 from our own righteousness, and in part 
 from the sacrifice of Christ. 
 
 Fatal mistake ! into which many serious 
 people fall, through pride and ignorance. 
 Base treatment of Him ! who in his own per- 
 son overcame the sharpness of Death, and 
 then as the great High Priest of his church, 
 opened the way into the Holiest, by his own 
 blood. — Self-exaltation, offensive in the sight 
 of God, as matter of fact strongly indicates!' 
 For visit dying persons, who, as is common, 
 endeavor to cover themselves with this false- 
 hood, you will find them, though in full pos- 
 session of their reason, miserably dejected. 
 Their lips drop not a single expression to 
 comfort afflicted relations, or confound infi- 
 dels, by a Christian triumph in their last 
 
136 On false Confidence in a well-spent Life, 
 
 hours. Nor is it strano;e, that the Li2;ht of 
 Life so despised, should not visit them, or 
 that there should be no appearance of any 
 advantage, received from the Gospel, in vic- 
 tory over this last enemy. 
 
 Physicians, friends, relations, generally 
 treat the sick and dying, as if Death was the 
 pursuivant of incensed justice, the beginning 
 of sorrows. And men of this self-righteous 
 character love to have it so ; because the least 
 hint that the Judge is at the door, w'ould 
 strike them with a panic. What can have 
 the appearance of delusive hope more than 
 this ? Now is the tin:ie of trial. Now, when 
 the understanding still remains entire, let 
 pleasing reflections on a well-spent life, da 
 the office of a Savior. Now let us see the 
 answer of a good conscience towards God, 
 and boldness to enter into the Holiest, ob- 
 tained without the knowledge of Christ, 
 and the power of his resurrection. 
 
 If this gloomy awful manner of meeting 
 Death, stron«;lv sinztrests the idea of false de- 
 pendence, and the hope of an hypocrite ; the 
 scripture is positive in this point. It accuses 
 all, Mho build their expectation of mercy 
 
On false Confidence in a 'weU-spait Lfc, 157 
 
 from God on a well-spent life, as frustrating 
 bis orace — and make the death of Christ 
 
 o 
 
 appear foolishness itself : for if there be a 
 law which can give life, then Christ is dead 
 in vain. Ad who expect mercy in this way, 
 are of the works of the law : " but so many 
 '' as are of the works of the law, are cursed," 
 GaL iii. 
 
 I have dwelt the longeron this mistake, in 
 hopes of relieving many serious and devout 
 people, whose case is pitiable indeed. They 
 strive to be prepared for eternity, by doing 
 many things which are commanded, yet the 
 dread of Death perpetually haunts them. 
 They tremble as much at the thought of ap- 
 pearing before God, as if Pie was an inexo- 
 rable Judge, and not a tender Father. This 
 dread is owing, not to any particular offences, 
 which pain their consciences, but to a false 
 reliance on the merit of their own righteous- 
 ness. 
 
 ]\iay such persons be brought to under- 
 stand the import, and believe the truth of 
 the glorious proclamation made from hea* 
 ven, for the full relief of guilty dying crea- 
 tures. 
 
138 On false Cohfidcuce in axceJUspent Life, 
 
 ''In this mountain (on which Jesus was 
 ^' slain, an offerin^^ for sin) shall the Lord 
 *' of Hosts make unto all people a feast of 
 ^' fat things, a feast of wines on the lees ; a 
 '• feast of fat things full of marrow, of wines 
 *^ on the lees, well retined." Such a soul- 
 Satisfying repast, are **the spiritual blessings 
 *' in heavenly things, in Christ Jesus." 
 And to crown them all, as it follows, " He 
 *' will destroy in this mountain (by the death 
 '' of Christ) the face of the covering cast 
 ** over all people, and the veil that is spread 
 *• over all nations," (in that dreadful dark- 
 ness, which our dissolution brings with it.) 
 ** He will swallow up death in victory," 
 Is a. XXV. 
 
 Acquaint thyself with this Almighty Con- 
 queror, and the last Enemy shall no more 
 appall thee. After the example of Jacob, 
 Moses, David, and St. Paul, thou shalt ex- 
 press thy confidence, when thy Resh is fail- 
 ing. *' He who liveth, and behold He was 
 *^ dead, and is alive again, and liveth for 
 <' evermore, and hath the keys of death and 
 '' hell," will not disappoint thy unfeigned de- 
 pendence upon the blood of his cross. If 
 the full use of thy reason is preserved, thy 
 
On false Confidence in a well-spent Life. 159 
 
 faith shall cheer thy heart. The time would 
 fail, but to name the multitude wiio have 
 triumphed under most afflictive, mortal dis- 
 eases — who then have testified, " there is a 
 G(>D, that giveth songs in the night." I 
 myself have seen whole families com.forted 
 for their great loss, by the dying behavior of 
 a beloved husband or wife, son or daughter. 
 And surely, for our own sakes, we should 
 wish to die in peace, when our tender atfec- 
 tions will otherwise greatly distress us, and 
 the taking final leave of dearest relations, 
 add much to our sufferings. 
 
 May the Reader and V/riter of these lines 
 feel, and those around us see, that even 
 when we are dying, we are saved out of the 
 hands of death. How shall we then magnify 
 the horn of salvation, and confirm the faith 
 of those who have believed in his name! 
 Our memory shall thus in the noblest man- 
 ner, be engraven on the hearts of relations 
 and friends, who will be taught to connect 
 with our departure, a lively idea of their 
 blessedness, " who die in the Lord/' 
 
( MO ) 
 
 CHAP. XXL 
 
 On the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 Ihe Reader may understand, from what 
 has been offered, how well that grand title 
 of Plorn of salvation, becomes the Lord r 
 since he redeems his people from the curse 
 of the law : from the dominion of Satan ; 
 from the power of this evil world ; from their 
 innate corruption ; from death itself, and 
 the grave. 
 
 This salvation of sinners, in number as 
 the drops of dew, we are authorized to af- 
 firm, is the grandest manifestation of the 
 glory of God, Ephes. iii, 10. 1 Pet, I 1^» 
 A scheme of divine beneficence, reaching in 
 its saving eiTicacy from the first offence in 
 paradise, to the day of Christ's second 
 appearance — promised to Adam, and after- 
 wards established with Abrahmn and his 
 seed, by a covenant and oath from God. 
 
 Thus supremely great is the idea, whicii 
 Zachar'ias teaches us to conceive of this af- 
 
On the Covenant of Grace. 141 
 
 fair, by -declaring that the horn of salvation 
 ^vas raised up. 
 
 *' To perform the mercy promised to onr 
 " fathers, and to remember his holy Cove- 
 *' nant : The oath which He sware to our 
 '* father Abraham, that he would grant unto 
 *^ us, That we being delivered out of the 
 *^ hands of our enemies, mi£[ht serve Him 
 ** without fear, in holiness and righteousness 
 ** before Him, all the days of our life." 
 
 Observe, the coming of Christ, is called 
 viercy- to the fathers : by parity of reason, it 
 must be so to all the faithful before his birth, 
 no less than to them. Accordingly, the scrip- 
 ture saith, *^ His blood was shed for the re- 
 *' mission of sins which are past," and "for 
 " the redemption of transgressions, Avhich 
 " were under the first testament.'' Nor was 
 it unknown to the fathers, or the faithful, 
 that they were to be saved in the Lord; 
 for though the Jews in general, like Chrisf- 
 tians, grovelling in earthly pursuits, only ex- 
 pected a Messiah, who would exalt their 
 depressed nation to the height of temporal 
 dominion ; yet the spiritual seed always looked 
 for a spiritual Redeemer. " Tiiey saw the 
 
142 On the Covcnanl of Grace, 
 
 *' promises (of Christ) afar off^ and were 
 ^^ persuaded of them, and embraced them, 
 ** counting themselves pilgrims and strangers 
 " here below." 
 
 So deeply were the fathers indebted to 
 God for his grace, that they serve as exam- 
 ples of obedience to the Christian church. 
 Yet neither ylbel's ris^hteous works, nor 
 Eiioclis walk with God ; neither Noah's 
 dauntless courage in standing forth a preacher 
 of righteousness to the world of the ungodly, 
 nor Abrahams most illustrious faith, could 
 have preserved them from perishing. Not- 
 withstanding their good qualities, they must 
 have died in their sins, had they not found 
 redemption in the blood of Christ. — 
 Through Him they obtained every excellency 
 which adorns their names; the precious failh 
 in which they lived and died, with the crown 
 of glory at the end of their warfare. All 
 was dispensed to them on the Savior's ac- 
 count, through their relation to Him : for 
 pretensions of any kind to such favors from 
 their ovvn obedience, they had none. They 
 were sinners ready to perish, when God was 
 pleased to choose and call them by his grace ; 
 
On the Covenant of Grace, 143 
 
 at their best estate polluted ; and in exalt- 
 ing them to paradise, mercy rejoiced against 
 judgment : for at all times " the wages of 
 '' sin was death, and eternal life the gift of 
 ** God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
 Zacharias, therefore, by calling the Re- 
 dcap ption, Mercy to the fathers, plainly 
 teaches, in harmony with all scripture, that 
 the salvation of those who for goodness stand 
 at the top of their species, is still all of 
 <irace. — Boasting is excluded: no idea of 
 human merit is to be found ; the whole glory 
 of delivering them, as much as others, from 
 the wrath to come, must be ascribed ^' to 
 *' the Lamb that was slain." 
 
 This chief Mercy, at first promised, with- 
 out particularly specifying the spiritual bless- 
 ings it comprised, was afterwards ratified 
 vyith Abraham and his seed by a Covenant. 
 And when he, at tlie divine command, in- 
 stantly offered up in sacrihce his son, his 
 only son Isaac, whom he loved ; in honor of 
 that amazing act of faith, God was pleased 
 to confirm the holy Covenant with an Oath. 
 In both transactions, subsequent scriptures 
 declare, {Gal. iw^H; Ileb. vi. 17.) Abraham 
 
144 Oil the Covenant of dace* 
 
 stood as the llepresentative, and Father of 
 all the Faithful ; every individual of which 
 immense society, was no less included in the 
 Covenant and Oath, than the Patriarch him- 
 self. 
 
 The Covenant was gradually unfolded by 
 the prophets, till at the distance of a thou- 
 sand years from Abraham, Jeremiah pub- 
 lished the follow^ing ample account of it : 
 
 " This shall be the Covenant that I will 
 '* make with the house of Israel^ after those 
 *^ days, saith the Lord; I will put my law 
 ** in their inward parts, and write it in their 
 '' hearts, and will be their God, and they 
 *' shall be my people. — And they shall teach 
 ^' no more every man his neighbor, and every 
 *' man his brother, saying, Know the Lord ; 
 ^* for they shall all know me, from the least 
 *^ of them unto the greatest of them, saith 
 *' the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, 
 *' and I will remember their sin no more," 
 Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. 
 
 What tender mercy, and infinite conde- 
 scension was it in the Lord God, thus to 
 bind himselti under the most solemn engage- 
 ment, to save his people ! All this was done 
 
On the Co-icnmit of Grace. 14 
 
 in pity to their slowHess of heart in believ- 
 ing upon the force of a single declaration, 
 thodgh from Jehovah Himself. Well He 
 knew what distress the guilty feel, when they 
 behold the glory of his majesty, and the 
 purity of his nature ; when they understand 
 the detestable qualities of sin, and the high 
 oggravations which have attended their own 
 offences in particular. — What dismaying. 
 thoughts possess the mind^ when men per- 
 ceive the devices of Satan ; the force of na- 
 tural lusts in solicitinrj forbidden f^ratifica- 
 tion : the bewitching allurements in sensual 
 objects : the torrent of evil custom, their 
 own impotence, and the deceitfulness of the 
 human heart : Yet against all these hostile 
 armies combined together, must they con- 
 stantly urge their way to heaven, if ever they 
 arrive there. Well the Lord God knew 
 what must be the impression from these 
 things, upon minds become sensible of their 
 orposcd condition : — sensible of the obsta- 
 cles, dangers, and enemies before them.— 
 Either they m.ust throw off all concern for 
 salvation, in despair of success, or be perpe- 
 tually harassed with the dread oi perishing by 
 
 H 
 
14(3 On the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 their foes at last : for if in these circum- 
 stances, salvation were no more than pro- 
 mised to him that should overcome, and en- 
 dure to the end; this would contribute very 
 little to relieve their distress, because the 
 interesting painful question would still force 
 itself upon their minds, *' But who is suf- 
 ^* ficient for these things r" And after the 
 least wilful de\iation from duty, or advan- 
 tage gfiined over them by the enemy, they 
 -vvould be led to s?y, If v.c could not stand, 
 how shall we arise when fallen ? For these 
 conditional promises, though necessary to 
 define the character of the people of God, 
 and confront abusers of the doctrines of 
 grace, in no degree insure success. But 
 this is the very blessing, which our tempted, 
 exposed, and assaulted condition requires. 
 As a crround of confidence towards God in 
 these perilous circumstances, the church 
 needs, what the armies of Israel enjoyed in 
 old time, an absolute promise, *'' that their 
 ** enemies should fall before them in battle." 
 When the Promise, Covenant, and Oath 
 of God, are given for tiiis great purpose, 
 and received by faith, his people can meet 
 
On tlic Coteiiant of Grace. 147 
 
 all their foes, numerous, mighty, subtil, and 
 successful too as they have been, without 
 dismay; can endure the hardships of war 
 with patience ; — can contidently expect a 
 favorable turn, when all seems to be against 
 them ; — can renew the charge, though 
 wounded and driven back, depending upon 
 the succour they shall assuredly receive : and 
 plead for it with growing importunity as dan- 
 gers press ; till they come off more than con- 
 querors; singing, '^Not unto us, not unto 
 ** us, but unto thy name be all the praise, 
 '^ for thy loving kindness, and for thy truth's 
 '' sake/' 
 
 Without this holy Covenant, and Oath of 
 God, to ascertain beyond failure the salva- 
 tion of his people, Redemption itself wants 
 a solid foundation to rest on, and must be 
 defeated : for how should those be able to 
 cope with the tempter, m.ore than a match 
 for Adam in paradise, who are destitute of 
 his original righteousness? How, without 
 positive assurance of all-sufficient help from 
 God, are they to presume they shall con- 
 quer an army of foes, stronger by many de- 
 11 2 
 
]4;9 On the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 grees, than that which vaaquished our first 
 father in all his unimpaired strength ? 
 
 But thani<s be to God for a better Cove- 
 nant, established upon new and better pro- 
 mises ! He has rejoiced the hearts of his 
 people with the certainty of final victory. — 
 He has left upon record his unchangeable 
 purpose to save their souls, in the following 
 express terms : 
 
 ''' God, willing more abundantly to shew 
 *^ unto the heirs of promise, the imniutabi- 
 *' lity of his counsel, confirmed it by an 
 *' Oath, that by Iwo immutable things, in 
 " which it was impossible for God to lie, 
 *' we might have a strong consolation, who 
 *' have fled for refuge, to lay hold on the 
 ^* hope set before us : which hope we have, 
 " as an anchor of the soul, both sure and 
 *^ stedfast, which entereth into that within 
 *^ the veil, whither the Forerunner is for us 
 *' entered, even Jesus, made an high priest 
 " for ever, after the order of Melchisedec,'' 
 Heb. vi. 
 
 Tne same idea of complete Redemption, 
 Zacharlas teaches in this prophecy : for the 
 
Qn the Covenant of Grace. 14^ 
 
 iiorii of salvation was raised up, that the 
 people of (Jon, *' being delivered oat of tiie 
 " hands of their enemies," and assured of 
 glor}^ by the Covenant and Oath of Jeho- 
 vah, " might serve Flini without fear, in 
 *^ holiness and riditeousness before llim, all 
 *' the days of their life/' 
 
 Behold the utmost wish of upright Chris- 
 tians ! an absolute security that they shall 
 persevere in dutiful allegiance, and uncor- 
 rupted afiection to tlie Lord ; neither se- 
 duced by sensual allurements, nor supplanted 
 by the deceit or the subtil, nor overpowered 
 by the assaults of the mighty ; — but havins; 
 their heads covered in the day of battle, shall 
 return victorious from the hard-fought field, 
 to be unto their God for a name, and for 
 an everlasting sign, which shall not be cut 
 off. 
 
 All, all this is absolutely secured in behalf 
 of the people of God : for they are ^' visited, 
 '* redceuK^d, and delivered" by the horn of 
 salvation " out of the hands of their enemies, 
 " that they may serve," and his AVord and 
 Oath are given that they shall serve Him in 
 holiness, in devout observance of all his or- 
 
J 50 On the Covenant of Grace, 
 
 dinances : thankful for their dehverancc ; 
 acknowledging his righteous dominion by 
 unfeigned obedience ; ascribing not unto 
 themselves, but to his grace alone, all the 
 good that is done in them and by them ; 
 zealous for his honor, and active in advanc- 
 ing his cause. 
 
 His people have also infallible security, 
 that ** they shall serve Him in righteous- 
 '/less ;" that i§, in the practice of sincerity 
 and truth, justice, kindness, and charity to- 
 wards all men, '' especially the brethren," — • 
 .^11 the days of their life ;— in the constant 
 tenor of their conduct — before the Lord^ 
 from pure motives; not such as pride or 
 hyprocrisy, desire of praise, or mercenary 
 self-love, suggest. 
 
 Such is the scripture character of the peo- 
 ple of God. What can be conceived more 
 excellent ? To serve the Lord, is the glory 
 of ancrels; to serve Him as they do, full of 
 reverence, yet i^cee from slavish fears, or 
 painful suspicions, is the privilege of his peo- 
 ple. To wear the royal livery of ^' holiness 
 *' to the Lord :'' amidst all their infirmities 
 temptations, and enemies, still persevering 
 
On tJic Coietia/it of Grace. 15\ 
 
 in obedience, is their high distinction. Such 
 a charming idea, the inspired writers unani- 
 mously teach us to conceive of the mystical 
 body of Christ, wliich is his Church, 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 Oh the Knonkclge of Salvation, 
 
 1 HE doctrine of this prophecy, proves the 
 mistake of accounting the knowled<ie of Sal- 
 vation, wild enthusiasm, spiritual pride, and 
 blasphemous presumption, as it is common 
 to do. For a present deliverance from the 
 curse of the Law, the dominion of Satan, 
 the World and the Flesh, wrought by the 
 power of the Lord, in consequence of a Co- 
 venant and an Oath, for the benefit of his 
 church, insuring their perseverance " in ho- 
 " liness and righteousness all the days of their 
 ''life," is a demonstration, that they shall 
 never perish; and, according to express tes- 
 timony of holy writ, designed to be so un- 
 derstood and believed. 
 H 4 
 
152 On the Knozckdge of Sahaiiun, 
 
 I beg leave, therefore, to offer some proofs 
 in favor of a doctrine, which, from the be- 
 ginning, has been the glory and triumph of 
 Christians, though now, with other consi- 
 derable uarts of lievelation, fallen into se- 
 neral contempt, and treated with derision. 
 
 It is plain then, from many declaration?, 
 that God greatly delights in the members of 
 Christ, as their reconciled Father, and they 
 are commanded so to regard Him. " I say 
 *' not unto you, that I will pray the Fa- 
 " tber for you ; for the Father himself lov- 
 '' eih vou, because vou have loved me, and 
 ** have believed that I came outfi'om God.*' 
 Bui this paternal love cannot be manifested 
 in temporal blessings; because many of the 
 faithful in every age, arc poor, afflicted, and 
 evil-treated. Nor would prosperity satisfy 
 them ; because they value and long for Sal- 
 vation, above all things. With one heart and 
 voice they say, "Thy favor, O God, is bet- 
 **' ter than life itself" How then can he 
 act towards themlhe part of a gracious Fa- 
 ther, if in a world full of troubles, and in- 
 capable of being satisfied with crcature-gocd, 
 they are to be kept in anxious suspense 
 
On ihc KnoKhJgc of Sahalioii. 
 
 about their eternal welfare. Yet it iiiust be 
 so, unless they enjoy the knowledge of Sal- 
 vation : because without this, thoucra the 
 Lord of glory be contemplated hanging on 
 his cross a propitiation for sin ; though the 
 promises made to "perseverance in v.ell-do- 
 ** ing" be received ; and they are now con- 
 scious, that " with simplicity and godly sin- 
 " cerity, they have their conversation ;" yet 
 since no certainty can be obtained, that tliey 
 shall be preserved in tiiis slate ; — since the 
 most sincere at one time, at another niay 
 prove most insincere; and true worshippers, 
 may turn out traitors, rebels, apostates. — 
 In circumstances thus to the last degree pre- 
 carious, what peace can be enjoyed in tiie 
 service, or family of God ? What peace 
 when none can be sure, till they join " the 
 ** spirits of the just made perfect,'' that xXiaf 
 shall escape " the fiie, prepared for the de^- 
 " vil, and his angels ?*' 
 
 Should it be said, that upright Christians 
 may have a good hope, though no know- 
 ledge that they shall be saved : I reply, 
 this mu&t be founded upon the promise of 
 GoL> to preserve them, and njust cast out 
 
 HO 
 
154 On the linoii'kdge of Sahatioii. 
 
 fear, or it uill not manifest to them the love 
 of God as their reconciled father. But if 
 the foundation oi this good hope is the pro- 
 mise of God, and the effect strong conso- 
 lation, there is the full assurance of faith, 
 whether the name be admitted, or not. 
 
 Besides; If God be the reconciled father 
 of all who are his children by faith in Jesus 
 Christ, as the scripture affirms, why are 
 the endearing testimonies of his love, to be 
 withheld from them ? 'When our own chil- 
 dren prove their affection to us by cheerful 
 obedience, are we wont to be reserved on 
 our part, in giving them to know the plea- 
 sure we take in them ? Are we backward 
 in assuring them, that we shall promote their 
 welfare to the utmost of our power ? Such 
 tokens of paternal love always invigorate fi- 
 lial affection. ''If ye then being evil know 
 " how to give good things unto your chil- 
 '' dren, how much more shall your heavenly 
 '* father, give the holy Ghost to them who 
 '* ask for Him r" The holy Ghost, whose 
 citice is to be the seal, the comforter ; the 
 earnest and pledge of the eternal inheritance. 
 J low tlierr will those disnuters answer it to 
 
On the KnorcJcdgc of Salvation. \o5 
 
 God, who choose to divest lihii of the bow- 
 els of a flither r who brand with opprobious 
 raames, the rich communications of his love 
 to those who wall^ with him uprightly ? who 
 represent Him only in the awful character 
 of moral Governor and Judge of all, sure to 
 make strict inquiry into our conduct, but 
 seem prejudiced strangely against the conse- 
 quences of that endearing relation of an af- 
 fectionate parent ; — that '' his secret should 
 '' be with them who fear Him, and that He 
 '' should shew them his Covenant; — that he 
 *' should come unto them, and make his 
 *' abode with them, filling their hearts with. 
 *' peace and joy in believing, and causing 
 " them to abound in hope, througfi the 
 •' power of the holy Ghost." 
 
 But if we are taught to conclude from the 
 goodness of God, and his paternal love to 
 the chuixh of Christ, that He will ^ive 
 them to know, that they shall certainly be 
 saved, the truth of. this conclusion is much 
 more confirmed, when the knowledge of Sal- 
 vation is proved to be the best preservative 
 from disobedience, and the strongest incite- 
 ment to lead a holy life. Yet in the very 
 II 6 
 
3 56 On the KnoichJge of Sahatimi. 
 
 nature of things, every superabundant ma- 
 nifestation of undeserved love, xcJien under- 
 stood, must have this effect. For though we 
 may abuse and insult mercy exercised to- 
 wards us, it is only whilst we know not our 
 own deserts. Those who think they have 
 received but little, will love little, whatever 
 favors are bestowed upon them. Those, who 
 contrary to their acknowledged demerit, have 
 received much, will love much ; as Christ 
 has decided the matter. And **if any man 
 love God, he will keep his commandments." 
 Almost incredible are the efforts, which have 
 been made to serve a beloved person, where 
 sense of excellency in the object, has con- 
 curred with gratitude for favors received. 
 Such instances are the embellishment of his- 
 tory, the wonder and delight of all mankind"*. 
 
 * The common people of all nations, even soldiers and 
 sailors, though in general immoral, to a proverb, alwavs 
 shew the force of love upon their hearts towards a com- 
 passionate, generous commander. Thousands of his sol- 
 diers would sooner sacrilice their lives, than see him 
 perish for want of their help. Nay, if it be lut a dog, 
 ■vvho has set his heart upon us, there are very few, who 
 feci nol tiiijnselv'.s construiucd by the atlection ut the 
 
On the KiWuIcdgc of Salvaiiau. I.j? 
 
 ]\Iost strange then would it be, and con- 
 trary to the very constitution of our nature, 
 if the manifestation of GoiVs everlasting 
 love, to those who know they deserve ever- 
 lasting destruction (which is the case of all 
 real Christians) should not constrain them 
 to love Him unfeignedly in return, all excel- 
 lent as He is. 
 
 To place us only wilhin the possibility of 
 eternal life, by a conditional ransom (pardon 
 the expression) or to encourage us in the 
 midst of ten thousand foes with a conditional 
 promise, that if we exert ourselves to the 
 end, as we ought, we shall conquer ; but 
 without positive assurance of aii-sutficient aid 
 to persevere, leaves a dread upon the spirits 
 of falling into endless misery, by a iinal mis- 
 carriage : for we can never tell what a total 
 change of our condition from good to the 
 reverse, a year, or a day may bring forth.— 
 Consequently, if our concern for salvation is 
 strong, we must be agitated like men, whose 
 
 poor animal to love him again. - From hence calculate 
 the force wjlh which the knowledge of the everlasting 
 love of God towards us, must in its natural tendency 
 opcriite. 
 
1,5S On the Knowledge of Salvation, 
 
 All lies at stake in a most perilous enter- 
 prize, where few in comparison escape with 
 their life. What joyous hope, what warmth 
 of gratitude, can ever spring from such a 
 prospect ? 
 
 Suppose, on the contrary, that God for 
 his great love wherewith He loved us, is 
 pleased to make a Covenant, and confirm 
 that Covenant by Oath, that all who really 
 commit their poor, helpless, guilty souls 
 into his hands, who is given for salvation to 
 the ends of the earth, shall, maugre all their 
 enemies, ^' serve Him in holiness and righte- 
 " ousness before Him all the days of their life," 
 and be raised up every one at the last day. 
 
 How^ forcibly adapted is such a plenary 
 "rant to eno;age the heart in the service of. 
 
 C? CD G 
 
 God ; — to make men fear and tremble be- 
 fore his goodness, feeling something of a. 
 sacred horror, when solicited to presumptu- 
 ous offences ! How mighty in efficacy to^ 
 load them with condemnation, and fill them 
 with a sense of their ow^n vilencss, should 
 they commit sin! And thus prove the means 
 of their recovery. 
 
 Facts confirm the truth of this reasoning.. 
 
Oil the Knozchdgc of Sakaiion. \5<^ 
 
 AVe cannot deny the salutary effects, which 
 flow from a manifestation of the everlast- 
 ing love of God to the soul, when u-e see 
 the wisest, humblest, best of iiien, made 
 such by this very means. For instance, 
 Abraham Mas an idolater, a Siirian ready 
 to perish; — but when Jehovah appeared 
 to him, promising to be " his God, and 
 *^ his exceedincj great reward," he was ever 
 after the Friend of God. Jacobs Mosts, 
 Samuel, and Daniel, all Christians agree to 
 admire, and are commanded to imitate. — 
 What made them to differ ? The love of God- 
 manifested to them in such an abundant de- 
 gree. Who does not stand amazed at the 
 lives of the apostles, and above all at the la- 
 bors of St. Paul ? yet how few discern the 
 cause of thejr superior excellency ! They all 
 loved much, because they were all assured, 
 that ^^ their names were written in the book 
 *• of life ;" on which account, CfiRiST com- 
 iDanded them to rejoice, and not in their 
 apostolic gifts or authority. He engaged his 
 veracity, that when He left them, He would 
 return asfain, to receive them to Himself irr 
 
IGO On the Kuo:ckdgc of Salvation. 
 
 The same certainty of everlasting salvation 
 was possessed by the primitive church of 
 Christ. Witness the apostle's declaration 
 to the faithful at Corinth j that *' All their 
 *' afflictions vvcre light, and but for a rno- 
 **ment; because xce knozc, saith he, that 
 ** when our earthly house of this tabernacle 
 *' is dissolved, we have a building of God, 
 *' an house not made with hands, eternal in 
 '^ the heavens." AVitness his forbidding: them 
 to go to law before unbelievers, by appeal- 
 ing with surprising boldness to their know- 
 ledge that they should judge the world and 
 angels ; — be present on thrones of glory to 
 attest the justice of the final sentence passed 
 on all that perish, 1 Cor. vi. 2. Witness his 
 commendation of the faithful, for " taking 
 "joyfully the spoiling of their goods, because 
 *' they knew in themselves they had a better 
 " and more enduring substance." 
 
 Human nature, it is confessed, is at all 
 times the same. And our enemies and temp- 
 tations are nearly so. Wherefore the same 
 manifestation of the everlasting love of God 
 to the soul, v.hich produced in old time such 
 excellent fruits, such unshaken attachment 
 
Oji the Knozchilge of Sahation. 16 1 
 
 to God, would work in a similar mariner at 
 present. And it is upon this account that I 
 conclude we must enjoy now, as fully as the 
 saints of old did, assurance of the love of 
 God towards us, in order to make us ^^ fol- 
 *' lowers of them vrho through faith and pa- 
 '* tience inherit the promises." Since it 
 seems a thing absolutely impossible that such 
 Christians should love and delight to obey 
 God, who think they honor him and com- 
 mend their o-vTn modesty, by denying the 
 knowledge of salvation till the judgment day, 
 or the hour of death ; like those who were 
 atwavs confident that to be absent from the 
 body, would prove an immediate translation 
 into the presence of the Lord. 
 
 Further it is necessary, that there should 
 be some invaluable privilege appropriated to 
 upright Christians, designed as a means, not 
 only of engaging more strongly their aifec- 
 tions to the Lord, but of detecting and con- 
 fronting false professors of the Christian 
 Faith. This decisive touch-stone is the 
 knowledge of salvation. Talk only of an 
 uncertain hope of going to heaven through 
 the mercy of God, and you will find no one 
 
]^2 On the Knoichdgc of Salvation* 
 
 without it. From natural instinct,, the basest 
 of men, flatter theuiselves they shall escape 
 the wrath to come; and conclude they know* 
 as much about their future allotment, as any 
 body else does concerning themselves. AVhere- 
 fore they remain easy and presumptuous, in 
 gross darkness to the last. 
 
 But from the doctrine of this prophecy, 
 such self-deceivers may be confronted. Their 
 presumption maybe overthrown, by proving, 
 that the faithful enjoy at present an inesti- 
 mable privilege, to which they are utter 
 strangers. — Propound the knowledge of sal^ 
 vation, built on oaths, and promises, and 
 blood, promised to every member of Christ, 
 which they all enjoy, or seek diligently to 
 obtain ; immediately the hypocrisy of false 
 professors stands xietected, because they are 
 convinced in their own consciences, that 
 this precious gift from heaven belongs not to 
 them. Hence they must confess themselves 
 to be what they are, or deny, against plain 
 scripture evidence, that our heavenly Father 
 is thus bountiful to his children. Wherefore 
 in ail the resentment which envious self-in- 
 terest can excite, they blaspheme the knou - 
 
On the Knotckclgc of Saltation, }G3 
 
 led^e of salvation, unable to bear the siizht it 
 gives them, of their own poverty and misery, 
 as Cain was to endure the divine favor ma- 
 nifested to his riiihteoas brother, full of 
 faith. 
 
 I add further it is perfectly rational to 
 conclude, that different motived to obey God 
 predominate in the difliTent states, through 
 which we must pass in our way to heaven. 
 Fear of wrath, like the rod to little children, 
 is of great use, in alarming conscience, in 
 working by the principle of self preservation 
 upon captive sinners to cry mightily for de- 
 liverance. Yet much more excellent prin- 
 ciples afterwards actuate the faithful, be- 
 cause what proceeds only from servile fear, 
 and mercenary self-love, all mankind des* 
 pise. How much more then must God re* 
 jcct it as refuse ? Yet so long as we live un- 
 certain whether we shall be saved, higher 
 motives to obey God can scarcely take place 
 in our breasts : because if the weight of eter- 
 nal things is duly felt, but the issue remains 
 in absolute suspense, we must fear more than 
 love ; dread more the punisliment of sin than 
 hate its properties ; — obey more in order to 
 
iG'i On the Knowkclge of Salvation. 
 
 gain eternal life, than from delight in God, 
 or his Commandments. And is not tliis to 
 be very mean, and selfish, and mercenary ; 
 that is, unholy to the last? No services what- 
 soever, springing from such base principles 
 can honor either the law, or the lawgiver. 
 In the midst of all we can do,- with these 
 views, we only resemble the monkey, who 
 refrains from breaking the china for fear of 
 the whip, or is in very good humor for the 
 sake of the nuts ! 
 
 But this reproach has no place, Avhen we 
 have received by faith, the promise, cove- 
 nant, and oath of God, " that we shall serve 
 Him " all the days of our life, in holiness 
 ** and righteousness before llim." Obedience 
 in tliis case springs from gratitude and true 
 nobility of mind. It is obedience, in quality 
 the same as that which angels pay, obedience 
 to the perfect law of liberty. '' The will of 
 '^ God is done on earth, as it is done in 
 '^ heaven," not for any advantage to be gain- 
 ed — but because the Lord is '' worthy to re- 
 '' ceive glory, and honor and power. Wor- 
 *' thy is the Lamb that was slain, for he hath 
 *' redeemed us to God with his blood." 
 
Oil the Knowledge of Sahatwn. ^6o 
 
 These are some of the solid reasons why 
 we believe that upright Christians may know 
 that they shall certainly be saved. The charge 
 therefore of wild enthusiasm, so audaciously 
 published by many modern divines against 
 the full assurance of faith, proves a charge 
 derogatory in the highest degree to the good- 
 ness of God, towards his church ; it is inju- 
 rious to the cause of holiness ; contradicts 
 repeated declarations of scripture ; and robs 
 the faithful of the noblest motives to obey 
 their God. 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 A further Dcfnce of the full Assurance of Faith. 
 
 1 HE reproach cast upon the church of 
 Christ, as guilty of wild enthusiasm, in 
 maintainino; the knowledcre of salvation, has 
 
 or) ' 
 
 been proved groundless. — No less so, is the 
 charge of spiritual pride : for there is no 
 pride in being absolutely certain of what 
 God has been pleased to bestow. Is it pride 
 
liSG A fiirtlicr Dcfaice of 
 
 in us to maintain, that we are greatly distin- 
 guished in the place of our nativity above 
 slaves, Jews, Turks, and Idolaters? And 
 why may we not possess, and know we do so, 
 spiritual as well as temporal privileges, with- 
 out self-exaltation ? 
 
 Besides, all who believe, have already re" 
 ccivcd in Christ himself, an inlinitely 
 richer gift than everlasting salvation. If it 
 be no pride therefore in his church, to be 
 certain He hath died for them, it can be 
 none in them to affirm, that they shall be 
 saved through his death : because the favor 
 of being enabled to lead a holy life, and at 
 the end of it to admission into heaven, is as 
 nothing, compared to redemption by the 
 blood of the Son of God. If -you have not 
 known and believed this before, attend to an 
 obvious proof of it. 
 
 What God is pleased to ^y. our attention 
 upon, as the highest expression of his love, 
 must be beyond all comparison his richest 
 gift. But our God never says. He so loved 
 the world as to provide a future state of re- 
 ward for the righteous, but so as " to give 
 
The full Assurance of Faith. l67 
 
 '' his only begotten Son, to the end that all 
 '^ who believe in him should not perish but 
 ^' have everlasting life." Herein is love — 
 Herein is it commended, that ** He gave his 
 Son to be " the propitiation for our sins :" 
 who died for us, when we were enemies to 
 God. — ^^ Rivers of pleasure at his right hand 
 '' for evermore," the scripture supposes, 
 must be their inheritance, for whose redemp- 
 tion a price above all price has been paid. 
 If this be denied, what force of conclusion, 
 or idea of truth, can be found in St. PauVs 
 reasonincr ? '' If when we w^ere enemies, we 
 '^ were reconciled to God by the death of 
 '^ his Son ; imich more, being reconciled, w^e 
 •^ shall be saved by his life ? He that spared 
 '' not his own Son, but delivered Him up for 
 '•' us all, how shall He not xcith Him also^ 
 ^' freely give us all thino;s ?" 
 
 When the faithful therefore afiirm their 
 knowledge of Salvation, they only conclude, 
 that He who loved them so much as to dve 
 his own Son for them, when in rebellion 
 against Him, will not, after they have laid 
 down their arms, ever love them so little, as 
 to cast them into hell : — that " He who en- 
 
168 A farther Defence of 
 
 *' dured the cross, despising the shame/" for 
 the joy of saving their souls, will not after- 
 wards see them perish, for want of sanctify- 
 ing grace. 
 
 Were so great a privilege, as the know- 
 ledge of Salvation, said to be acquired 
 through any goodness in themselves, or se- 
 cured by their own superior wisdom or 
 power, it might be called spiritual pride. 
 But when all is ascribed to the Promise, Co- 
 venant, and Oath of God, to Him alone is 
 the whole glory given. They only make a 
 just estimate of their own state, as He hath 
 been pleased repeatedly to declare, and so- 
 lemnly confirm it : ^' For if children, then 
 " heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with 
 *' Christ Jesus." And if his faithful peo- 
 ple must not believe their salvation stands 
 absolutely secured upon this sure foundation, 
 for fear of spiritual pride, they must, in order 
 to be humble, regard the strongest engage- 
 ments, which God Himself can cdve. with 
 doubt and suspicion. 
 
 To the charixe of wild enthusiasm, and 
 spiritual pride, against those, who maintain 
 the kno^^ ledge of Salvation is a privilege of 
 
'lite full Assurance of Diitli. iug 
 
 the Christian church, that of blasphemous 
 presumption is generally joined ; but withoat 
 cause. For when men promise great favors, 
 and to exclude the most distant ground for 
 suspicion, stipulate to perform them ; who 
 ever calls it presumption in the parties to 
 whom the promises are made, to conclude all 
 will be fulfilled ? We should think this still 
 more unjust, when the ability, character, and 
 fidelity of the promiser, add confirmation to 
 the security. 
 
 If then the most High promises, covenants, 
 and swears by Himself, that his people '' be- 
 *' ing delivered out of the hands of their ene- 
 " mies, shall serve Him in holiness and 
 *' righteousness before Him, all the days of 
 *' their life;*' can it be blasphemous pre- 
 sumption in them to conclude assuredly, that 
 He will not falsify his Word, alter iiis Co- 
 venant, and perjure Himself, by not bestow- 
 ing the promised blessings upon them ? 
 
 Again, What should we think if an affec- 
 tionate parent had not only subdued the 
 enemies of his children, but left each of them 
 at his death, by will, a rich inheritance ; by a 
 will valid in law, and pleadable by every one 
 
 I 
 
170 A further Defence of 
 
 of his heirs therein specified ? Should we 
 not say, it is the intention of the testator, 
 that when this will is opened and read to 
 them, they should look upon the estate as 
 their own ? But such is the case of Christ 
 and his church, as stated at large in holy 
 writ, to help our infirmities in conceiving of 
 spiritual things. 
 
 *' Because the children were partakers of 
 " flesh and blood, He also took part of the 
 *' same ;" and shed his blood to confirm to 
 them a testamentary right to the legacy He 
 hath bequeathed them ; which, for this rea- 
 son, He calls *' the blood of the New Tcsta- 
 *' ment." He is Himself "• the Mediator of 
 ** the New Testament, that by means of 
 " death, for the redemption of the trans- 
 *' gressions which ^were under the tirst testa- 
 *' ment, they which are called, might receive 
 '* the promise of eternal inheritance.*' 
 
 The reality, therefore, of this \Y\Yl and 
 Testament cannot be set aside, without dis- 
 gracing our Lord and his Apostle, by inter- 
 preting away the eficacy of his death. But 
 till this is set aside, it can be no presumption 
 in the heirs to claim tiicir inheritance under 
 
The Jull Assurance of Faith. 17 i 
 
 that divine Testament, and be certain they 
 shall receive it in all its fulness. 
 
 Should it be said (which, as far as I can 
 understand, is the only remaining objection) 
 that none can know they are themselves the 
 heirs. I reply, this is an imputation upon 
 the wisdom and goodness of our Maker, al- 
 most equal to the denial of the Testament 
 itself. For we read in scripture, that God 
 has made a Covenant, or Grant unto his 
 people, which stands confirmed by his Oath, 
 and ratified by the blood of Christ. — All 
 this we read was done, that those w^ho iiee 
 for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before 
 them in Christ Jesus, might have two im- 
 mutable things to trust to, aad derive iTom 
 thence a strong consolaiion. Uat how can 
 this be, when no one is to know, that the be- 
 neht of this Covenant and Oath belongs to 
 llimseU"? It might full as well have never 
 been given : for how trifling is the diiference 
 betv>ccn no Covenant and Oath, and be- 
 tween a Covenant and Oath to which no one 
 can infallibly lay claim? And this objection 
 is the more reproachful, and the more weak, 
 ■jecaure the huly Ghost, the Spirit of truih, 
 I 2 
 
]72 A further Defence of 
 
 is sent '* to seal the faithful to the day of re- 
 *' demption, and to teach them to know the 
 '' the things, which are freely given unto them 
 *' of God." So that if none of the church 
 of C mil ST can know they shall be saved, 
 then neither the Love, Promise, Covenant, 
 and Oath of the Father — neither the Life, 
 Death, Intercession, and Grace of the Son, 
 taught and confirmed by the Testimony of 
 the holy Spirit, are a sufficient foundation 
 for the knowledge of Salvation. They can- 
 not be safely depended on. Is not this a 
 blasphemous absurdity ? 
 
 Beware, therefore, how you take liberty to 
 abuse the church of Christ, for maintain- 
 ing their high privilege : since in so doing, 
 you reflect equal dishonor on the office each 
 Person in the blessed Trinity bears in the 
 plan of Salvation. Expose with what se- 
 verity you please every base pretender to 
 this unspeakable grace, and we will, we do 
 join with you. Men whose air and talk be- 
 wray forwardness and self-conceit, and evil 
 tempers confute their high pretensions. Ob- 
 ject to the making assurance of our eternal 
 felicity, or interest in Christ, essential to 
 
The full Asiurv.nce of Faith. 17 
 
 the faith of a Christian. We will allow the 
 difference between weak and strong t)e!iever5. 
 But let not the truth itself, the glory of the 
 church of Christ, the superabundant loving 
 kindness of Gop, be denied, reproaciied, and 
 blasphemed, on account of many impostors. 
 Amidst the arts of subtil dis})utcints agaiiist 
 Christ, and the miserable Mrandin-^rs of 
 professed believers about the meaning of his 
 words, attempt not to rob humble souls of 
 \v!mt alone can carry them above all per- 
 plexity, the full assurance of understanding, 
 faith and hope. Attempt not to bereave the 
 excellent of his flock of their joy in waiting 
 for the dawn of eternity, by telhng them, as- 
 surance is wild enthusiasm, and spiritual 
 pride. Level not the children of light and 
 of the day, with hypocrites and infidels iu 
 this m^jst interesting matter, the hioxvledge 
 of their future allotment. Nor go on to en- 
 courage all lazy, ignorant, v.icked professors 
 of Christianity with this soothing falshood, 
 that none upon earth know that their sins are 
 forgiven, and their souls shall be saved. 
 
 You cannot oppose the doctrine of the 
 full assurance of faith, without maintaining 
 1 3 
 
174 A fill tJier Defence of 
 
 it is for the honor of God, and the good of 
 men, that upright Christians should remain 
 in darkness, or doubt ; contrary to what has 
 been proved by scripture testimony. 
 
 I would proceed one step further, and 
 intreat vou to examine, whence such violent 
 prejudice against the knowledge of Salvation 
 takes its rise? Not from good-will to men — 
 because the lot of humanity, calls loudly for 
 such a healincr bahn, for such refuse in life 
 and death ; — not from zeal for God, or the 
 honor of his word, because this exceedino;lv 
 exalts the grace of God, and unspeakably 
 enhances the value of Revelation; — not from 
 a well-informed regard for holy practice, be- 
 cause the holiest of men possessed the know- 
 ledge of Salvation themselves, and earnestly 
 urged all whom they taught, '^ to make their 
 ^' calling and election sure.'' But if violent 
 prejudice against this doctrine, cannot take 
 its rise either from love to God, or man, or 
 holiness, beware it does not spring from a 
 desire to pacify conscience alarmed with the 
 report, that others are so much more favored 
 than yourself; or from gross ignorance, not 
 having devoutly searched the Oracles of 
 
The full Assurance of Faith. i75 
 
 God ; or from envy, which cannot allow 
 those privileges to be possessed by another, 
 which we possess not ourselves. 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 On the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 The doctrine of this Prophecy, proves the 
 fatal mistake of many religious professors. 
 They justly affirm, that the Promjse, Cove- 
 nant, and Oath of God, are an infallible 
 security, that not one of the Elect shall pe- 
 rish. But at the same time, they seem 
 strangely reserved and cool upon the point 
 of serving the Lord '' in holiness and 
 ^' righteousness before Him all the days of 
 ''their life:" — As if this was not as much 
 secured, the means as the end, and no less a 
 blessing. They will speak perpetually of the 
 infirmities, spots, and fulls of the Elect ; so 
 that one is at a loss to discern any holiness 
 in them, or any benefit they derive frjui 
 
176 On the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace, 
 
 Christ, except that of escaping the fiames 
 of heil at last. 
 
 This is a mistake, which it behoves every 
 preacher and hearer of the Doctrines of 
 Grace carefully ta avoid, and zealously op- 
 pose ; because it is very common to charge 
 both with weaivening the obligations to obe- 
 dience, and making Christ a minister of 
 sin.— And where the Doctrines of Grace are 
 taught, Satan has no oii}er resource to up- 
 hold his tottering throne, than that of be- 
 guiling men to imagine the everlasting Co- 
 venant will afford protection, if not to Anti- 
 monian rebellion, yet to carelessness, for- 
 mality, and sloth. At the same tinie it muat 
 be confessed, that from the Apostles days to 
 cur own, this utmost stretch of human de- 
 pravity has appeared, wherever the scripture 
 doctrines have been maintained. Some of 
 the most false, proud, lewd, covetous, and 
 oppressive of mankind, eacli practising his 
 iniquity till death, have been fierce advocates 
 for the everlasting Covenant, though enjoying 
 not one blessing from it. 
 
 It is necessary on all these accounts^ to 
 alledge several proofs that every religious 
 
On the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace. 177 
 
 professor, who fancies himself excused in any 
 decree from serving the Lord *^ in hoh'ness 
 '' and righteousness," under pretence of be- 
 ino- safe in the everlasting Covenant, is a mi- 
 serable self-deceiver, an hypocrite, and trai- 
 tor in the church of Christ, against various 
 indisputable testimonies of his guilt and pre- 
 varication. Pie is thus guilty against the 
 plainest testimony of the Coven'ant it- 
 self, of which he makes his odious boast ; 
 for this is holij — an absolute grant of 
 knowledge, power, and grace to his peo- 
 ple, enabling them to serve the Lord ac- 
 ceptably. — *' I will put my laws into their 
 " mind, and write them in their hearts. — 
 '' They shall be to me a people, and I will 
 *' be to them a God." — AVherefore the cir- 
 cumstance of slightly regarding personal obe- 
 dience, instantly stamps a man's character, 
 no less than calling Jesus accursed. — It 
 proves him to be an alien to the Covenant ; 
 — it convicts him of imposture upon the spot, 
 in laying claim to that divine grant, which 
 is the promise and certain means of sanctiii- 
 tion, himself remaining unsanctified. 
 The end and design also of the Covenant 
 I 5 
 
178 On the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 and Oath, no less than their nature, bear 
 clear testimony against such a religious pro- 
 fessor, as an hypocrite. For both are proofs 
 of the immutable purpose of God, to save 
 his people in a way of holiness, which proofs 
 they greatly need. To them, Sin is the 
 greatest evil. — They walk in a steep and slip- 
 pery path, beset with snares, and infested 
 \\ith Watchful, cruel foes. So that they 
 would be utterly disheartened, through the 
 grievousness of the way, were they not com- 
 forted by gracious engagements from Cgd 
 in their behalf AW dependence, therefore, 
 upon the Covenant and Oath, for any other 
 purpose or view, than to serve the Lord 
 with full assurance of success, is a barefaced 
 perversion of the express design for which 
 both were revealed. It is like perverting 
 the proclamation of Salvation in Christ, 
 the grand encouragement for sinners to re- 
 turn to God, into a reason to hope for Sal- 
 vation, though we never return to Him at 
 all. 
 
 The Covenant and Oath were given for 
 the benefit of brave soldiers, to make them 
 contU^ue such, not to screen one scoundrel 
 
On the Abuse of the Covenant cf Grace, l"^ 
 
 coward ; — to cheer true-hearted, manly suf- 
 ferers for the sake of their Commander. 
 What is this to a traitor, who holds corre- 
 spondence with his foes, and favors them ? 
 Such an one is proved upon the clearest evi* 
 clence an impostor, when he pretends to trust 
 in the Covenant, and should be treated ac- 
 cordingly. 
 
 Religious professors of this cast deceive 
 themselves, in contradiction to the practice 
 of the most excellent, who have received the 
 Cov^enant and Oath of God, as an infalli- 
 ble security to his church, that they should 
 be saved. Who speaks so fully on the hiixh 
 subjects of Predestination and Election, from 
 wiicncc the Covenant springs, as St. Paul? 
 But did He slight personal obedience r Did 
 He watch, did he pray, did he mortify sin, 
 or labor less in the service of his Lord, oa 
 this account ? Did He not appeal to the 
 witnesses uf his life, and the searcher of his 
 heart, how holily, how justly, iiow unblunie- 
 ably He behaved ? 
 
 What use did the primitive believers make 
 of the Election of Grace, and of the ever- 
 lasting Covenant, which St. Paul preached r 
 I 6 
 
180 On the Ahust of the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 Did they think slightly of personal obedi- 
 ence - On the contrary, see how he exults 
 in the sanctifying virtue of this doctrine. — 
 The believers at Rome were spoken of, he 
 tells us, through all the Christian societies 
 in the cnnpire, for the obedience of their 
 faitb. And he returns ardent thanks to God 
 for the churches of Thessalonica, which were 
 his glory, and examples to all them that be- 
 lieved in Macedonia and Ac ha la. 
 
 There are great numbers also to this hour, 
 who reap the same glorious advantage from 
 the everlasting Covenant. — Their discourse 
 is profitable and animating ; their watchful- 
 ness and self-denial, striking ; their cordial 
 regard to the duties of their station, and 
 their humility, beautiful in the eyes of all 
 around them. 
 
 Now either these venerable witnesses did 
 not understand the nature, design, and end 
 of the everlasting Covenant, or every care- 
 less professor of fdiih in it, must grosly de- 
 ceive himself, must be full of hypocrisy. 
 
 Such an unhappy mistake is also made 
 against the testimony of Conscience, which can 
 enjoy no peace with God, but in obedience 
 
On the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace, 18! 
 
 to his will. For, though some evil workers 
 boldly affirm the Covenant is their sure pro- 
 tection, no lively hope springs from hence. 
 — It may stupify, like false dependence on 
 the infinite mercy of God, so common in 
 the world — but it can do no more ; because 
 the Bible is the pretended warrant, from 
 whence such hypocrites would draw this 
 conclusion in their own favor. But the 
 Bible denounces wrath against all workers 
 of iniquity, in terms to the full as plain, as 
 those which assert the infallible salvation of 
 the Elect. Now it is not in the power of 
 man so hrmly to believe one part' "of the 
 Book of God, as from thence -to be easy 
 with respect to eternity ; and yet so firmly 
 disbelieve at the same time, another part of 
 the same unerring volume, as not to dread 
 the wrath it denounces to our condemna- 
 tion. — Besides, peace of conscience is the 
 gift of God, vvhich hypocrites can never re- 
 ceive : because He is of purer eyes than to 
 dwell with evil. He ever frowns upon the 
 rebellious, and under that frown, every heart; 
 not hardened to perdition, must ache. 
 
 Even large experience of his love, joined 
 
182 0?i the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 to clear knowledge of the adorable plan of 
 Salvation, makes no difference at all in this 
 matter. No sooner can sin be deliberately 
 committed by those who are justified, and 
 shall certainly be saved, than the soul in- 
 stantly suffers, as the body does by a stroke 
 of the palsy. The divine presence with- 
 draws, the. love and glory of Christ be- 
 come obscured ; — condemnation fills the 
 conscience. The hands which w^ould now 
 lay hold on the Covenant, shake and trem- 
 ble : — distressing doubts and fears, whether 
 all past experience has not been a delusion. 
 strongly assail the mind. Prayer is without 
 access to God, or any comfort, till broken- 
 ness of heart begins, and sincere lamentation 
 for the offence, till the Lord has been of- 
 ten and earnestly besought to heal the back- 
 sliding, and restore comfort to the mourner. 
 All these particulars we read in the case 
 of scripture saints, after they had been over- 
 taken with a fault. — We find them recorded 
 in the lives of the most excellent; — and they 
 are experienced by every member of Ch rist, 
 whenever betrayed or surprised into any evil 
 thing, contrary to the tenor of his upright 
 conduct. 
 
On the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace, 183 
 
 And till God ceases to be holy, to be jea- 
 lous, to love his people, and promote their 
 interest, these things must be so. Other- 
 wise, He would encourage them to despise 
 his holy authority, and lightly regard com- 
 mitting, what his soul abhorreth. Conse- 
 quently, all religious professors who trifle 
 with sin, or think little of the absolute ne- 
 cessity of bringing forth fruit unto holiness, 
 under pretence that they are safe in the Co- 
 venant, either know nothing of the grievous 
 self-reproach and distress which ingenuous 
 minds feel upon offending God ; or foam- 
 ing out their own shame, speak as if there 
 was no other reason to refrain from sin, than 
 to escape the misery of hell. Provided there- 
 fore infernal misery can be avoided, it is of 
 small mofnent, whether God be pleased or 
 provoked. Is not this the very sentiment 
 and temper of an hypocrite unmasked ? 
 
 Such religious Professors deceive them- 
 selves against the clearest testimony of the 
 absolute necessity of personal holiness, in 
 order to enjoy heaven itself. All pleasure 
 springs from suitableness in the object, to 
 the faculty which it gratifies. Sounds full 
 
134 On the Abuse of the Cotenant cf Grace, 
 
 '''--■ ■ ... ■ — ~- 
 
 of sweetest melody can give no pleasure to 
 the palate, ncr delicious food to the car, 
 froiTi want of this correspondence. For the 
 very same reason, a place of perfect purity, 
 cannot possibly yield satisfaction to the un- 
 clean. The presence of holy angels, and an 
 holy God, have nothing in them to please 
 such fallen spirits, but all to confound them. 
 We see some, evai upon earth, so divinely 
 changed, that the slaves of sin are under re- 
 straint and awe before them. What then 
 must be the effect of infinite sanctity ? There 
 can be no passage from a state of natural 
 depravity, to an immediate possession of 
 glory. Sinners must first come as living 
 stones, and be built up in Christ, a spi- 
 ritual house, an holy priesthood to offer up 
 spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by 
 Him : in wdiich holy education, the very 
 temper and constitution of heaven is ob- 
 tained. The whole scripture teaches this 
 truth, but never more clearly, than in the 
 passages, which assert the doctrine of Pre- 
 destination. In one, believers are said to be 
 '^ chosen before the foundation of the world, 
 " that they might be holy :" In another, that 
 
On the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace* 183 
 
 t!iey are '' predestinated to be conformed to 
 " the image of Christ :" — In a tliird, that 
 ** those uhoni God foreknev/, are chosen, 
 ^' through sanctification of the Spirit, and 
 *' belief of the truth." So that as the fa- 
 culty of reason is necessary to qualify men 
 fur communion in society, no less necessary 
 is love of righteousness, and hatred of ini- 
 quity, *' to make them meet for the inhe- 
 ** ritance of the saints in light." 
 
 The scripture afHrms, I alloxv^ that there 
 is a very wide dilt^rance, amongst the mem- 
 bers of Christ, in the degrees of their j>er- 
 sonal obedience. Some bring forth an hun- 
 dredfold, some only thirty. Yet all possess 
 excellent knowledge, lively faith, and love 
 unfeigned, from ^vliich they conscientiously 
 obey. 
 
 lience personal obedience, is constantly 
 declared to be the distinguishing mark of the 
 people of God, See how their excellent 
 character is drawn in the il9ih Psalm, — 
 '^ They are undefiled in the way, and walk 
 '^ in the law of the Lord : — They seek Him 
 *' with their whole heart : — They do no ini- 
 ^'quity: They esteem all God's precepts 
 
186 On the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace* 
 
 '' concerning all things to be right, and hate 
 " every false way." There would be no end 
 of repeating testimonies from all the pro- 
 phets, that " the way of the Just is up- 
 rightness." 
 
 But let us hear the Savior Himself: — " If 
 *' any man love me, he will keep my words." 
 He will will not only talk of my glory, or 
 shed tears at the relation of my sorrows, 
 which the vilest have been known to do, 
 but he will reverence my authority; and, 
 as my friend, do wiiatsoever I command him. 
 
 What impudent impostors then ought 
 those religious professors ever to be ac- 
 counted, who, like JiidaSy eat and drink 
 at the Lord's table, profess to have the 
 clearest light and knowledge of his will, and 
 then say, or seem to say, that sin in the 
 Elect, is a matter not greatly to be ab- 
 horred. 
 
 Such religious professors deceive them- 
 selves, against strong evidence of the mi- 
 sery inseparable from known transgression. 
 To live in the breach of any commandment 
 of God, is necessarily to be wretched ;—be- 
 cause every one of them is given only for 
 
0?i the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace. 187 
 
 our good always. Obedience to Plitn in 
 faith, humility, and love ; in meekness, pa- 
 tience, and entire resignation ; in mercy 
 and kindness to every creature, are all 
 peaceful, pleasing sensations ; their opposites 
 irksome to bear. Perseverance and watch- 
 fulness in earnest prayer, diligence in search- 
 ing the scripture, and using every means of 
 grace, cause the faithful to abound in spi- 
 ritual blessinc^s, as vernal showers cover the 
 earth with plenteous fruits. On the contrary, 
 from laziness, formality, or levity, we be- 
 come barren, confused, and dark in our 
 minds ; unable to withstand temptation ; — 
 unable to bear the cross, and strangers to 
 all delight in God. 
 
 Let the most exemplary Christian give 
 way to passion, or defile himself by lascivi- 
 ousncss ; let him do an unjust thing for gain, 
 or neglect stated prayer in secret ; presently 
 a melancholy change will be perceived by 
 others, or felt at least in his own soul. He 
 will neither be able to speak for God, or 
 pray to him, as he was Avont to do. The 
 Election of Grace, the Covenant and Oath 
 
188 On the Abuse of the Cotenant of Grace* 
 
 of God, neither prevent nor diminish these 
 dreadful effects, which follow, and punish 
 wilful disobedience in every degree. 
 
 And can you be satisfied in such a state 
 of soul ? Suppose you had a patent from 
 heaven, that you should certainly be saved 
 twenty years hence ; but from this hour 
 should know no communion with God in 
 fervent prayer, in deep humiliation for sin, 
 in joyful gratitude for his mercies^ in love 
 and obedience without dis$imalation.— »0a 
 the contrary, that you should remain proud, 
 impatient, passionate, obscene ;— a miser or 
 a drunkard, a murmurer and complainer, 
 or an idle consumer of your precious time, 
 till a few days before you expired. Would 
 it please you to receive salvation in this no 
 legal w^ay, rather than " in holiness and 
 '^ righteousness before the Lord all the 
 *• days of your life?" No one upon earth, 
 has face enough, I should think, to avow so 
 shameful a choice. Yet know, that if any 
 branch of personal obedience, or means of 
 attaining higher degrees of holiness, which 
 God has. appointed, be by you despised, 
 
On the Abuse of tin: Coxaiant of Grace, 180 
 
 presuming on the Covenant and Oath of 
 God in behalf of his Elect, this is actually 
 in a measure your own choice. 
 
 But if none of these proofs, ah'eady ad- 
 vanced against self-deceiving professors of 
 religion, who abuse the doctrines of Grace, 
 are regarded, there is still one considera- 
 tion to be addressed to their self-love. Such 
 persons pretend they are confident of their 
 safety. Yet they cannot be safe, until the 
 Judge of all becomes changeable as we are : 
 for his whole mind on this head is fully re- 
 vealed ; there is no room left for a doubt. 
 Wliom does He compare to the stony ground, 
 and to the seed sown among thorns ; to fool- 
 ish virgins, and slothful servants ? Professors 
 of faith in his name, who were weak and 
 wicked enough to imagine, his grace would 
 prove a sanctuary to protect them from the 
 punishment of their sins, although continued 
 in from this false confidence. To make 
 this delusion appear the more dangerous, our 
 Lord Himself draws the character of some 
 eminent professors of faith and ministers, in 
 his church. They were men, who wrought 
 miracles before the unbelieving world, to 
 
(90 On tilt Abmt of the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 glorify his name, and enlarge his kingdom. 
 — Yet these splendid gifts, so beneficial to 
 others, do not prevent the loss of their own 
 souls. When they plead in the great day, 
 " Have we not prophesied in ihy name, and 
 '' in thy name have cast out devils, and in 
 '^ thy name done many mighty works ? Then 
 *^ will 1 declare unto them, saith the Lord, 
 *' I never knew you, depart from me, ye 
 *^ workers of iniquity." 
 
 How decisive a proof is this scripture, were 
 there no other, that we cherish a fatal .pre- 
 sumption, when we plead the everlasting 
 Covenant in excuse for unfruitfulness in the 
 service of God 1 No, if we cannot appeal 
 to Him, that Ave watch, and pray, and keep 
 his commandments, our hearts are false. — 
 We hear before our trial, what must be our 
 doom. Neither can we believe the words 
 of the Lord, thus plain and peremptory, yet 
 fancy ourselves amongst the Elect : for a 
 wicked or an idle servant, is a contradiction 
 to every character given of thc7n by tht holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 Whenever, therefore, upon professing to 
 be convinced of the truth of the doctrines 
 
On the Ah me of the Covenant of Grace, I91 
 
 of Grace, you entertain slight notions of ^^^^ 
 absolute necessity of holiness, begin to neg- 
 lect secret prayer, or use the means of Grace, 
 without prizing them highly; — vvhenever you 
 delight to hear of final perseverance, and 
 finished salvation, but feel secret disgust v/hen 
 urged to " present yourselves a living sacri- 
 " fice unto God ;" be assured you grosly 
 mistake the nature, — you pervert the design 
 of the holy Covenant. Cry to God, if the 
 thoughts of your heart may be forgiven. 
 
 Thus the fatal mistake, too often found 
 amongst religious professors, who receive the 
 scripture doctrines of Predestination and 
 Election, but disregard personal obedience, 
 stands confuted upon their own principles. 
 Since upon these principles, such a con- 
 struction of the everlasting Covenant, is a 
 liagrant contradiction to the testimony of 
 conscience ; to the essential character of 
 a disciple of Christ; to the generation of 
 the faithful in all ages ; and must certainly, 
 if persisted in to the last, bring on everlasting 
 destruction, according to our Lord's decla- 
 rations. These various proofs are not to be 
 
19- On the Abuse of the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 resisted, but by that hypocrisy, which is ca- 
 pable of abusing, and turning into poison, 
 every scheme of religion which God can 
 propose. 
 
 These proofs of the absolute necessity of 
 holiness, in full consistency with the doctrines 
 of Grace, sufficiently secure obedience; — be- 
 cause by these proofs, Christ and his 
 Apostles, confront and expose hypocrites. — 
 They do not ever, as I remember, deny, that 
 the church of Christ is accepted in Him, 
 and complete : justified through faith once 
 for all, without the deeds of the law. In 
 this manner, they defended the truth against 
 all charges of licentiousness, which, from the 
 beginning, were against it. 
 
 And every other scheme for promoting ho- 
 liness, will do, in the end, much more mis- 
 chief than service to the cause of holiness. 
 For every other scheme, establishes the old 
 Covenant upon the ruins of the new ; — 
 makes the righteousness of faith, give place 
 to the righteousness of the law ; — deeply 
 shades the glory of the Redeemer's life and 
 death ; — robs his church of the strongest and 
 purest motives to obedience ; and, in the 
 
On the Abuse of I he Covenant of Grace, 193 
 -■ ■ - -»' ^==^ 
 
 conclusiofi, as certainly overthrows the gos- 
 pel, as Antinomian blasphemy itself. The 
 only difference between the Popish doctrine 
 of a second justification by works, and An- 
 tinomian abuse of the doctrines of Grace, 
 the two extremes, lies here : — The plan of a 
 second final Jastilication by works, produces 
 an apostacy from Christ by slow degrees 
 and fair appearances, thus beguiling the sim- 
 ple. Antinomians, with their heaven-daring 
 falshoods, too gross for any but abandoned 
 hypocrites to bear, stab the gospel to the 
 heart at once, in the face of the sun. 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 On the Error of exalting Morality, to the DispU" 
 ragemcnt of Faith and Holiness, 
 
 1 HE doctrine of this Prophecy, proves 
 clearly this fatal mistake. Yet what con- 
 fident pretensions to merit ! What self-sa- 
 tisfaction do we see many take in the sup- 
 
 K 
 
194 On the Error ofexalftJig Muralitj/, 
 
 posed sufficiency of honesty and benevolence, 
 'vvho, notwithstanding, possess but a very 
 small share of these excellent qualities : — 
 insen&ible, it seems, that ^Moralists (as they 
 affect to call themselves) who serve not the 
 Lord in holiness, are of all men most u?ijusty 
 are enemies to mankind in several capital re- 
 spects ; direct opposers of God ; and inca- 
 pable of admission into heaven, without an 
 entire change of heart. 
 
 Profane moralists are the most unjust of 
 men ; — because the highest degree of injus- 
 tice, is to defraud our greatest Benefactor. 
 But our greatest Benefactor, beyond compa- 
 rison, is the giver of all we enjoy, and of 
 our every capacity for happiness. Where- 
 fore adoration, esteem, gratitude, humi- 
 liation for every offence committed against 
 Him, with supreme love, are the things ivhick 
 are God's — due to Him by an indefeasible 
 right, positively required from us all. \\'hen 
 the Jews of old, withheld from Him the 
 tithes and offerinf^s which were demanded to 
 support tiie temple-service, where the God 
 of Israel uas worshipped, He accused them 
 in these forcible terms : — " Will a man rob 
 
2o the Dhparagement of Faith and Holiness. 105 
 
 ^' God ? yet this whole nation hath robbed 
 *^me." — But if this was robbery of God, 
 what is it to annihilate the first and great 
 commandment, under pretence that cordial 
 regard to the temporal welfare of our fellow- 
 creatures is sufficient ? To every person who 
 holds this mistake, we may say with the ut- 
 most propriety, — ** Thou that abhorrest in- 
 justice, dost thou commit sacrilege ? How 
 ridiculous are all thy pretensions to an high 
 regard for moral conduct, when thou thyself 
 livest in the coumiission of the basest theft 
 any creature caa commit, that of robbing 
 God, and teaching others to do the same, 
 yet account themselves good men !" 
 
 I prove further, that Moralists^ by ex- 
 tolling honesty and benevolence, to the dis- 
 paragement of faith and holiness, are Ene- 
 mies to mankind in several capital respects : 
 — Enemies, by keeping them in gross igno- 
 rance of God, his works, his gospel and 
 salvation, as if these things were of no con- 
 sequence; — in teaching them to despise de- 
 votion, the source of the best pleasures w^e 
 can know on earth : without which, everv 
 advantage of nature or station, is apt to pufi' 
 K 2 
 
1^6 Oil the Error of exalting Morality^ 
 
 up; prosperity to intoxicate ; and extreme 
 adversity, to plunge into desperation ; — ^vith- 
 out which, sohtude proves very irksome ; so- 
 ciety, full of contention ; and every con- 
 dition of life, dissatisfying : — without which, 
 men of all ranks and orders, are forced to 
 fly to childish sports, to mean, despicable? 
 wicked ways of consuming their short term 
 of life, allotted for nobler purposes. 
 
 See your claim, O ye irreligious moralists 
 to be called benevolent towards your fel- 
 low-creatures, considered as individuals ; so 
 cruel is your boasted compassion. 
 
 Considering them as members of a com- 
 munity, your maxims and practice are in a 
 still greater degree pernicious : for every so- 
 ciety under heaven suffers much from the 
 wily and powerful ; — because without higher 
 sanction, human laws are easily evaded in a 
 thousand instances. Against this calamity, 
 the fear and love of God are our sole de- 
 fence. — Where these govern, no wrong will 
 be done to man. The wdiole Creation im- 
 mediately becomes an object highly respect- 
 able, as the workmanship of God, whose 
 will is, that none should hurt or destroy. — 
 
Tu the Disparagement of Faith and Holiness. 1<J7 
 
 Pour contempt on devotional duiies, the 
 heaven-appointed means of producing and 
 maintaining the fear and love of (ioD, yuii 
 leave scciety (notwithstanding your own be- 
 nevolent example) defenceless against the 
 assaults of our worst passions ; — passions, 
 which fill the world with injured women, 
 forced into prostitution for a morsel of 
 bread; — with the cries of defrauded orphans 
 aud widows; — with quarrels, enmity, and 
 bloodshed : — for lust, covetousness, and re- 
 venge, will seldom be quelled, but by devout 
 supplications to God; nor evil desires, the 
 seed of evil actions, resisted, but by those 
 who have conscience toward Him. V/hat 
 amends then, can the strictest regard to 
 equity in your own dealings, or the mpst ge- 
 nerous acts of pecuniary benevolence make 
 to society, for immense mischiefs, sure to 
 follow from slighting religious principle, as 
 if it was a superfluous motive to be good. 
 Do you exclaim in the warmth of vour be- 
 nevolence against doing wron^ to a sino-Je 
 fellow-creature^ and yet prove a malignant 
 to society itself, by tearing up the very foun- 
 dations on which all restraints of conscience, 
 K 3 
 
19S On the Error of exalting Morality, 
 
 respecting God, are established? I mean, 
 devotional duties. 
 
 Besides, when we consider our real con- 
 dition as a race of sinful creatures, w ho can 
 be reconciled to God, and saved only in the 
 way which he hath appointed, profane Mo- 
 ralists will be found injin'ious to mankind, 
 infinitely above the fraudulent and villain- 
 ous. — These we naturally guard against and 
 detest, though they can only hurt us in our 
 our present transient property; — but pro- 
 fancness brings on the ruin of our immortal 
 souls, by denying, or despising the command 
 to live a life of faith and holiness. — Mora- 
 lists, by affecting to know no duty beyond 
 justice and benevolence, erase from the mind 
 of all who regard them, a sense of God's go- 
 vrrnmcnt over us.-— They teach us to ima- 
 gine, that faith and devotion belong only to 
 weak bigots. — They lead us to deny every 
 the most important truth He hath revealed ; 
 thu5 rendering us by our profaneness, eter- 
 nttlly incapable of admission into that world, 
 where God is all in all. 
 ' What the end of these Aloralists must be, 
 linless they are converted into devout Chris- 
 
To ific Disparagement of Faith and Holiness, lyg 
 
 tiaiis, a character they now hold in con- 
 tempt, judge ye, after observinii; their direct 
 contradiction to the dictates of God. 
 
 lie commands all his people to pray in 
 secret; to pray always; to worship Him, and 
 diligently search the scripture. — ^Moralists 
 are confident there is no need of so much re- 
 ligion ; because men may be very good, with- 
 out any devotion at all. He dwells upon the 
 absolute necessity of faith, ascribes to this 
 grace a kind of omnipotence, connecting 
 with il everlasting salvation. — Moralists vio- 
 lently dislike laying such a stress upon be- 
 lievincr. Thev substitute, therefore, honesty 
 and benevolence in its place, esteeming these 
 virtues quite sufficient. He, by every turn 
 of expression which can alarm conscience,- 
 or persuade, claims supreme love to Himself, 
 as the lirst instance of duty ; pronounces 
 every man, destitute of this divine affection, 
 accursed ; stiictly charging us, '^ whether we 
 '' eat or drink, or whatever we do, to do all 
 '' to the glory of God." Moralists sneer at 
 the malediction— nauseate so much piety — 
 reproach the terms as being unintelligible ;f 
 asking, what is meant by the glory of God ? 
 K 4 
 
'^00 On the Error cf exalting Morality, 
 
 —and suppose Him more honored by their 
 moral conduct^ than by all the prayers and 
 acts of faith in all the saints, since the world 
 was made. 
 
 Hence it is evident, that whilst other sins 
 are no more than a breach of some particu- 
 lar branch of duty, profaneness despises the 
 great object of all. "Whilst other sins are so 
 many attacks upon different parts of the 
 divine law, profaneness subverts the autho- 
 rity of the whole, — Consequently tliere can- 
 not be a greater opposition, than is found in 
 ^Moralists, (as they call themselves) to the 
 majesty and will of God ; to his truth and 
 ordinances ; to the temper of the church on 
 earth, and of the whole company in heaven* 
 None, therefore, can be farther from salva- 
 tion, none in a state more incapable of ad- 
 mission into the world of everlasting piety 
 and devotion. 
 
 That so heavy a charge, should really 
 stand in force against some of the most ad- 
 mired characters among men of the world, 
 is a melancholy reflection. It is more so, 
 that many who call themselves Christians, 
 should be fatally deceived to conclude, strict 
 
To the Dhparagcment cf Faith and Holiness. 20 1 
 
 integrity, and warm benevolence, the whole 
 duty of man. 
 
 Let such very superficial thinkers, learn to 
 examine, by the touchstone of truth, from 
 whence actions proceed, and their natural 
 tendency. — Then, they will no longer most 
 irrationally conclude, a2ii/ action can be 
 truly good, where the priiicipk is essentially 
 defective ; or any quality in an object, lorehj^ 
 which, upon the whole, proves exceedingly 
 injurious to God and man. — How comes the 
 Savior to join the doctrine of the Sadducees 
 with that of the Pharisees? To teach us- 
 that self-sufficient moralists, and devout 
 cheats, are criminals alike : — that prayerless 
 honest men, and hymn -singing villains, are 
 much more nearly related, than either will 
 choose to believe. — For which cause, the 
 same perdition is reserved for hypocrites and • 
 unbelievers. 
 
 Whenever, therefore, you observe a man 
 despising the house and day of God ; speak- 
 ing in terms dishonourable to true devo- 
 tion and holiness of life, priding himself at 
 the same tinie in his own favorite senti* 
 mrnt, that an honest man, is the noblest 
 K 5 
 
iZO^ On the Error of exalting Morality, S^c, 
 
 work of GoBy — pity and pray for him. Be 
 not dazzled by the amiableness of his natu- 
 ral temper, strict adherence to justice, ten- 
 der humanity, and uncommon benevolence. 
 "—Esteem not a profane moralist, on account 
 of these striking qualities, either worthy or 
 innocent, a good member of society, much 
 less a Christian. Because these qualities 
 (charming indeed as they are) only enable 
 him to do the more mischief, like vast abi- 
 lities, and boundless generosity in some 
 mover of sedition. In Jmn such virtues are 
 a grievous misfortune to the public : for they 
 put it in his power to spread the baneful 
 infection of profaneness. They make him 
 appear to undiscerning eyes, a noble friend 
 to Ws fellow-creatures, whilst his principles 
 and maxims undermine the welfare of so- 
 ciety, and continually militate against the 
 present, against the eternal interest of every 
 individual, against God, and his Chkist. 
 
CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 ^ On J ous the Baptist. 
 
 \A E have contemplated the grand idea 
 which ZachariaSy full of the holy Ghost, hath 
 taught us to conceive of Christ. He is 
 the Horn of Salvation, the principal subject 
 of all prophecy ; — the only hope of the fli- 
 thers and the faithful before his incarnation ; 
 - — the Deliverer of them, and all his people, 
 out of the hands of their enemies, through 
 the virtue of his life, death, and mediation, 
 according to the Promise,. Covenant, and 
 Oath of Jehovah. 
 
 After so complete a display of the adora- 
 ble plan of salvation, Zacharlas, stiil under 
 the same unerring direction, turns his eyes 
 upon his own son, a. new-born infant. — Faith, 
 adoration of the divine goodness, and holy 
 joy lighted up his aged venerable counte- 
 nance, whilst he. fixes the attention of the 
 church upon his illustrious otispring as the 
 immediate forerunner of the Messiah, and 
 the first preacher of tlie glories of his nanic, 
 after his manisfestation in the flesh, 
 k6 
 
204 On John the Baptist. 
 
 '' And Thou, child, shalt be called the 
 '' Prophet of the Highest ; — for Thou shalt 
 *•' go before the face of the Lord, to prepare 
 ** his ways: — 
 
 ** To give knowledge of salvation unto his 
 *' people by the remission of their sins :— 
 
 ** Through the tender mercy of our God, 
 *' whereby the day-spring from on high hath 
 " visited us : to give light to them that sit 
 ** in darkness, and in the shadow of death ; 
 " to guide our feet into the way of peace." 
 
 The conclusion of this Prophecy, naturally 
 leads us to consider the character and mis- 
 sion of the Baptist; the doctrine he preached, 
 his address, and the effect of the whole upon 
 his hearers. 
 
 The Lord testifies of Him, that " among 
 ** them that are born of vvomen, there had 
 ** not risen a greater than John the Baptist.'' 
 — Marvellous are the things related concern- 
 ing Him. Like Isaac^ He derived his exist- 
 ence from a miracle. His appearance, office, 
 and spirit, were delineated many ages pre- 
 vious to his birth. — An angel zvas sent down 
 from heaven, immediately before EUzahetk 
 C072ceived Him, to notify this event was at 
 
On John the Baptist. 20.5 
 
 hand, to declare his sanctification from the 
 womb, and the great success which should 
 attend his ministry. No person, excepting 
 the Savior Himself was ever so ^Teatlv dis- 
 tinguished. Yet the glory thrown round the 
 Baptist, by these things, was designed to 
 draw upon Him the eyes of all the inhabi- 
 tants of Judea and Jerusalem, that the re- 
 cord He gave of Cpirist, might spread the 
 wider, and sink the deeper into the minds of 
 men. 
 
 After having lived under the tuition of the 
 best of parents ; after employing himself as 
 we must conclude, in meditation and prayer ; 
 and in the contemplation of God, and inti- 
 mate communion with Him, being filled with 
 the holy Ghost from his birth; after this tit 
 preparation for his future high employment, 
 — when He was near thirty years of age, the 
 Word of God, probably an audible voice, 
 such as Samuel and the prophets used to 
 hear, came to John. For this He waited^ 
 not presuming to enter upon the ministry^ 
 at the impulse of his own inclination, or zeal. 
 This was his authentic appointment, and the 
 seal of his mission, which was to declare the 
 promised Messiah now stood in the midst of 
 
203 On John the Baptist. 
 
 them, — %vas come iaimediately to erect a spi*- 
 ritual everlasting kingdom ; and to prepare 
 them for admission into it, was the business 
 on which He himself was sent. 
 
 The Baptist's habit was quite rustic, re- 
 sembling that of the ancient prophets, made 
 of camels hair, bound round Plim with a lea- 
 thern girdle. His fare was coarse, such as 
 the poorest of the people ate, locusts and 
 wild honey. So seldom did he join in social 
 meetings, so great a lover was He of retire- 
 ment, and en^ai^ed with such ardor in his 
 sacred employ, that the pleasure-loving world 
 said, He had a devil : that is, was a mope, 
 mad with religion. Yet far from assuming 
 at all, upon the sanctity of his life. He was 
 clothed with humihty, comparing Himself to 
 a voice, which, after it conveys the speakers 
 mind, has no being. Herod, though a prince; 
 a prince enslaved to lewdness; a prince har-^ 
 dened in villainy; could not resist the im-^ 
 pression of the Baptist's life. — He was forced 
 for a time to fear John, whom all men knew 
 to be a prophet, and himself to be a holy 
 man, and a just. Even the Searcher of hearts 
 declared, that whilst his doctrine imparted 
 divine knowledge, his life was a flame of af- 
 
On John the Baptist, 207 
 
 fection to God and men. He was a burn- 
 i?2g and a shinwg light. 
 
 Thus furnished in the richest manner, for 
 his office, by the grace and gifts of the holy 
 Ghost, the child of Zacharias, "the prophet 
 " of the Highest, goes before the face of the 
 *^ Lord, to prepare his ways." 
 
 The angel had affirmed as much. *' ]\Iany 
 *^ of the children of Israel said Gabriel^ 
 ^* shall He turn to the Lord God ; and he 
 " shall go before his face, in the spirit and 
 *' power of EUas, to turn the hearts of the 
 *^ fathers to the children, and the disobedient 
 *^ to the wisdom of the just; to make ready 
 *^ a people prepared for the Lord." Here 
 it is plain, that the Lord, the God of the 
 children of Israel, and the Plighest, signify 
 the same individual person. But these 
 names, the inspired writers never give to any 
 but the true God. If then they are ac- 
 tually given unto Christ, the Scripture 
 compels us to confess — He i& the most 
 high God, the Lord God of Israel; 
 consequently one' with the Father. — That 
 these names are given to Him, is undenia- 
 ble : for He, before whose face Jobn was to 
 go, the angel calls, the Lord GoD-^-Zacba- 
 
208 Cn John the Baptist. 
 
 rias calls the Highest, and the Lord : — but, 
 according to John's, confession, and as the 
 event proves, He did not go before the face 
 of the Father, but of Christ. — '' I indeed 
 '' baptize yoa with water unto repentance, 
 ** hut He that cometh after me, shall baptize 
 " you with the holy Gtiost, and with fire." 
 
 Immediately before Christ, John was to 
 go, to prepare his ways. 
 
 When an earthly monarch begins his 
 march to take possession of a capital city, 
 won by his arms, or descending to him by 
 inheritance, his troops go before to remove 
 every obstacle in the road. The steep hills,- 
 they level ; the low places they fill up ; the 
 circling path, they make straight ; the craggy 
 places plain. All this labor is absolutely 
 needful, wlien the way leads through a de- 
 sert. In the prophetic style, the mind of 
 man in its natural state, is this desert; — a 
 dreary rocky w^aste, without one cultivated 
 field, or fruitful tree to cheer the eye. In 
 such a state, the Jews notoriously were, 
 when the Lord God came to his people. 
 Gross ignorance, pride, superstition, and in- 
 fidelity, blocked up the way of the Prince of 
 
On John the Baptht. 20[) 
 
 peace into their hearts; and rooted preju- 
 dices from self-love, like mountains and 
 rocks, forbad his access. To remove them 
 all John was sent immediately before iris 
 face. And if we survey the spiritual state of 
 the inhabitants of Judea and Jcrusahm at 
 this time, and the doctrine tiie Baptist 
 preached, we shall see the very same ob^ 
 structions, which prevail in all places and 
 times against the reception of Christ, with 
 the only cfTectual method to remove them ia 
 any degree. 
 
 When the Lord came to his temple at 
 Jerusalem^ the party of greatest name for 
 religion and authority, v/ere the Pharisees ; 
 of which there were two sorts. The first 
 were zealous, from a principle of conscience, 
 for all the ceremonies of the law, and tra- 
 ditions of the elders ; — paying an external 
 obedience to the commandments of God, 
 and taking much pains to save their souls. 
 It is evident this must have been their cha- 
 racter, from the high respect they obtained ; 
 from the Pharisee described by our Lord 
 in the parable ; from St. FauTs manner of 
 life before his conversion ; from the tesli- 
 
eiO On John the Baptist, 
 
 inony he bears to many of them, that they 
 -were like himself, having a zeal for God ; 
 and from our Savior's declaration, that in 
 putting his apostles to death, they would 
 think they did God service. 
 
 Yet with all this form of godliness, they 
 were sitting in darkness, and the shadow 
 of death, far from the way of peace. They 
 knew neither Christ, nor the Father;— 
 themselves, nor the evil of sin ; — neither the 
 perfection, use, and end of the eternal Law 
 published from mount Sinai : nor the mean- 
 ing of their sacrifices, nor the spirit of their 
 own religion. They were virtuous in their 
 own eyes, trusted in themselves as righteous^ 
 and despised others. — They imagined they 
 had no need of any better righteousness 
 in the sight of God, to obtain the remis- 
 sion of their sins, than what was to be found 
 in their conformity to the letter of the com- 
 mandment. And of tliis strictly religious 
 character, were the fiercest opposers of the 
 doctrines of Christ, his persecutors and 
 murderers. Of this character was the apostle 
 Paul, before his conversion, set on fwe of 
 hell, yet verily thinking, he *' ought to da 
 
Oil John the Baptist. 2 1 1 
 
 '* many things contrary to the name of 
 '' Jesus." 
 
 But though these dncere Pharisees were 
 thus grossly ignorant, they were conceited of 
 tiieir knowledge. Witli infinite disdain, they 
 asked the Teacher from heaven, '' Are we 
 '' blind also ?" Add to this, tiiey were 
 elated in common with all the Jews, on ac- 
 count of tlieir descent from Abraham^ their 
 covenant of circumcision, and separation 
 from the Gentiles, as the peculiar people of 
 God. 
 
 What a shock to every one of their preju- 
 dices, what a bold attack upon all their fa* 
 vorite errors, was the preaching of the Bap- 
 tist I What a preparation to make his hearers, 
 who believed his word, see their need of the 
 Savior, and depend upon Him wholly ! For 
 John preached the Baptism of repentance 
 for the remission of sins ; telling them, that 
 all, without difference, must submit to this 
 ordinance ; publicly confessing themselves 
 sinners extremely polluted, and no longer go 
 about to justify themselves. That not a tem- 
 poral conqueror, but a kingdom of divine 
 original, and spiritual nature ^' the kingdom 
 
'212 On John tht Baptht. 
 
 ^' of God, was at hand ;" of which the two 
 grand blessings, were, remission of sins, and 
 the gift of the holy Ghost. *' That the Law, 
 *' their boast, was the ministration of death < 
 *' but grace and truth came by Jesus 
 ** Christ, the Sox of God, who is above 
 ** all ; into whose hands all things are given : 
 *^ — the light of the world — the bridegroom 
 '' of the church — the Lamb of God, who 
 " taketh away the sin of the world :— On 
 ** whom whosoever believeth hath everlasting 
 '* life ; and he that believeth not, shall not 
 " see life; but the wrath of God abideth on 
 '' him." 
 
 This clear, full, sublime testimony to 
 Christ, the Baptist published, and so ful- 
 filled the prophecy of his fother Zacharias 
 concerning him. *^ He gave knowledge of 
 **' salvation to the people of God ;" not by 
 works of righteousness which men can do, 
 but by the frank forgiveness of their immense 
 and dreadful debt, *' by the remission of their 
 sins:" a remission, proceeding from *' the 
 *' tender mercy of our Ciod;" yet not ex- 
 ercised towards them, but through the medi- 
 ation of '• the day-spring from on high,*' 
 
On John the Baptht, 213 
 
 Christ Jesus; distinguished by this title, 
 because every communicatioa of divine know- 
 ledo:e comes from Ilim ; ''' no man knowing: 
 ** the Father, but he to whom the Son will 
 *' reveal Him :'' without whose teaching, 
 darkness rests upon the mind, as deep shades 
 of night cover the earth, till the beams of 
 opening day give light to its inhabitants. — 
 And till Christ gives this light, men sit ia 
 darkness and the shadow of death, con- 
 demned prisoners ; and hy Him alone, are 
 their feet guided into the way of peace, of 
 reconciliation with God, peace of con- 
 science, and peace with all men. 
 
 Behold the sum and substance of the 
 Gospel, proclaimed at once by this messen- 
 ger, '' who goes before the face of the 
 "Lord, to prepare his ways !" Behold 
 an abridgment of the whole that Jesus, 
 Paul, Peter, and John, and every faith- 
 ful successor of theirs in the ministry, 
 have preached to this hour, — Christ the 
 Light, the Atonement, and All the salvation 
 of his people. — What a perfect contrast v/as 
 this to the religion of the best sort of the 
 Pharisees, though bad were the best I 
 
eJ4 On John the Baptist. 
 
 ^\'ith these were mixed a large number of 
 hypocrites: Pharisees who did all to be seen 
 of men ; or still worse, covered the most tU- 
 lainous practices zcith a cloke of sanctity ; — 
 strict in observing the traditions and cere- 
 monies of religion, fasting, and ^' for a pre- 
 *' tence making long prayers ;*' whilst they 
 totally neglected justice, mercy and the love 
 of God, and even devoured widows houses. 
 
 Besides these hypocrites, yet of no better 
 character were the Sadducees, who believed 
 neithier the resurrection, nor the existence of 
 angel or spirit; looking upon religion only as 
 a fit instrument to carry on civil government. 
 
 When many of these, (excited by the reli- 
 gious novelty of a man so famous, in the ha- 
 bit and character of an ancient prophet) 
 came to hear the Baptist, and some of them 
 approached, desirous, as it seems, of b^ing 
 baptized, He immediately turns and addres- 
 ses them. He joins the Pharisees and Sad- 
 ducees, i/i pri22ciple totallif opposite, as con- 
 federates together, and openly brands them 
 both as *' a generation of vipers," full of the 
 deadly poison of hypocrisy, malice, and error. 
 He expresses his wonder that any so harden- 
 
On Jo Jut lite Baptist. 2 1 5 
 
 ed as ihey were, should at all regard his 
 preaching, begin to take warning, and be wil- 
 ling to submit to his baptism. Guarding 
 them, therefore, against their gross hypocrisy, 
 and false confidences, He calls upon them to 
 *^ bring forth fruitsmeet for repentance. — And 
 *' think not to say within yourselves, We have 
 *^ Abraham to our father : for I say untoyou, 
 ^' that God is able of these stones, to raise 
 ** up children unto Abraham. And now also 
 '' is the ax laid to the root of the tree: — 
 *' every tree, therefore, that bringeth not forth 
 *' good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the 
 " fire :'' — that is, the final destruction of all 
 destitute of faith in Christ, and hohness, 
 the fruit of faith, is at hand ; and as certain, 
 as if already executed. 
 
 Besides these Pharisees, Sadducees, and 
 Hypocrites, there were multitudes of the poor 
 people, and many Publicans (or Tax-gather- 
 ers) men of the most abandoned lives, who 
 belonged to no sect. These heard the Bap- 
 tist to good effect, and justified God, being 
 baptized of Him; whilst the Pharisees and 
 Lawyers (or teachers of the Law) rejected 
 
2 1 6 On John the Baptist. 
 
 the counsel of God against themselves, and 
 were not baptized. 
 
 To this company, as appears by comparing 
 Mark I. o-—'^, with Luke xiii. 10 — 16. He 
 spake thus : 
 
 I, upon your profession of repentance, 
 baptize you with water unto repentance, as 
 I liave authority from God to do ; — and by 
 the same authority, I threaten impenitent sin- 
 ners, with eternal vengeance ; and this is all I 
 can do.'' But He that cometh after me, is 
 " mightier than I, whose shoes I am not wor- 
 " thy to bear, He shall baptize you with the 
 *' holy Ghost," (which shall be given to all 
 them that believe on his name) "and with 
 *'iire*; Whose fan is in his hand, and He 
 *' will gather the wheat," his faithful people, 
 '' into his garner ; — but the chaff," all empty 
 professors of his religion, '' He will burn with 
 " fire unquenchable." And when these his 
 hearers, who had repented, and were bap- 
 
 * That is, ficry trials. See Luhe xii. 4^}, 50. — Mark 
 X. S8, S£). And after the word /^rf, ihefan is added, or 
 the sifting, which the faithful preaching of the Gospel 
 produces, as an explication of the woidjire. 
 
On John the Baptist. 2 1 7 
 
 lized confessing their sins, and looking for 
 Jiim that was to come, doubted whether the}* 
 might continue in their respective callings, be 
 soldiers and publicans still ; and asked him, 
 therefore, with great concern, ^Vhat thei/ 
 should do ? lie taught them, that they might 
 serve God in any station acceptably, by re- 
 nouncing all those sins, to which from their 
 way of life they were exposed, and by dwell- 
 ing in love with all their fellow-creatures. 
 
 Such doctrine the Baptist preached. His 
 manner of teaching was with power, not like 
 a lecturer on morals, defining duty, and 
 then leaving the iniportant matter there.— 
 No, lie enforced all He taught by the autho- 
 rity of the Lord God; by an alarming ad- 
 ds e<5S to every man's conscience, in his sight ; 
 disiding and distinguishinu; his hearers, ac- 
 cording to their peculiar character, and state 
 of soul ; giving to each his proper instruction, 
 and fixing the attention of all upon the sepa- 
 rating fan, the axe of alnughty vengeance, the 
 Uii([ucnchabic fn'e. 
 
 Ills manner of delivery, perfectly acrre^d 
 with the snlcmnity of his suiiject, and added 
 great force to it. It was zealous, vehement. 
 
2 1 8 On John the BaptUt. 
 
 loud, and bold ; formed to possess in a mo- 
 ment every hearer with conviction, that He 
 felt the truth of all He taught; had nothing 
 at heart, but to see it succeed in the conver- 
 sion of sinners to God; fearing no conse- 
 (Juences which might follow respecting Him- 
 self, from delivering it without concealment 
 dr palliation. 
 
 The effect of the whole upon the vast con- 
 course of his hearers was admirable. Many 
 of the most notorious offenders, harlots antl 
 publicans, our Lord tells us, heard his word, 
 believed, and repented. Many dejected 
 iftourncrs for sin, were comforted ; the poor 
 amongst the people were rejoiced. Some of 
 the haughty Pharisees, Hypocrites, and Sad- 
 ducecs were divinely changed. Their mis- 
 takes appeared fatal, their danger imminent, 
 the glory of Christ conspicuous and cap- 
 tivating. 
 
 Such success, we are certain, must attend 
 the Baptist's labors, because the angel de- 
 clared, that '* He should \\x\i\ 7na?iy of ihe 
 '^ children of Israd to the Lord their God, 
 'Vand the hearts of the fathers to the chil- 
 ** dren;" putting an end, wherever his Mord 
 
On John the Baptist. 3!^' 
 
 took place, to those bitter quarrels, which 
 are so frequently found between nearest rela- 
 tions. 
 
 Such glorious success must accompany the 
 Baptist's preaching to vast multitudes, since 
 Zacharias, full of the holy Ghost, declared, 
 that " He should give knowledge of salva- 
 *' tion to the people of God by the remission 
 *' of their sins ; light to them that sat in dark- 
 " ness. and the shadow of death." 
 
 This success puts an honor upon the first 
 publication of the Gospel, and Vvas a speci- 
 men of its divine efficacy, v/hich to the end 
 of time, is God's appointed means of bring- 
 ing salvation to the lost. 
 
 Indefatigable in these labors of love, the 
 Baptist remained, till the lewd Herodlas in- 
 stigated Herod to cast Him into prison. And 
 perceiving the uneasy impressions, JoJms 
 faithful condemnation of their abominable 
 commerce left upon Ilerod^s mind, her cruel 
 jealousy never slept, xiWJohn was beheaded. 
 Thus, like the prophets of old, *^ who spake 
 *^ in the name of the Lord,'' the Baptist 
 suffered a violent death, for discharging his 
 office, and his conscience. In the inyst<3- 
 L 2 
 
220 Ori John the Baptist, 
 
 rious course of providence, a bloody tyrant is 
 suffered, at tlie instigation of an adulteress^ 
 to put an end to the inestimable labors of one 
 of the most excellent witnesses for God, in 
 the very prime of his days, and height of 
 his usefulness ; leaving upon record this fact, 
 that the greatest honor, which can be confer- 
 red on those in whom the Lord most de- 
 lights, is, power to stand forth before his ene- 
 mies with such boldness, as to incur their re- 
 sentment and persecution, even unto death. 
 
 CHAR xxvir. 
 
 On the Ditijiifj/ of Christ. 
 
 The doctrine of tJiis Prophecy proves their 
 fatal error, who degrade ChriST into a 
 man like ourselves, or esteem Him less than 
 very Goo : for Gabriel calls Him the Loui; 
 God of /.y ra 1 1 ; an d Za ch a rias, the Lo r d, 
 the Hi^^hest. His hislorv, from his concep- 
 tion, to tiie fall establishment of his church, 
 affords abundant evidence that lie is so. 
 
On the Biiimhf of Christ. ££1 
 
 Waving, therefore, many sufficient proofs, 
 more cominonl}' urged as a scriptural foun- 
 dation for this great article of our faith, I 
 shall confine myself to his liistory ; from 
 tlience proving, that all the circumstances 
 respecting his birth, life, and death, are per- 
 fectly consistent, if Christ be very God ; 
 all strange and preposterous to the last de- 
 gree, supposing Ilim to be in his nature in- 
 finitely' inferior. 
 
 After having; l)een for near four thousand 
 years the principal subject of all prophecy, 
 in the fuhiess of time, Christ is conceived 
 of the blessed Virgin, bv the overshadowing^!; 
 power of the holy Ghost. Soon after, Mary 
 goes to salute her coii^in Etizabetk, And 
 it came to pass, xchen Elizabeth heard the 
 salutation of Alary, the babe leaped in her 
 li'omb. And Eliza bet It icas filled u:ith the 
 holy Ghost y and said, J licence is this to 77ie, 
 that the mot he >^ of my Lord should come to 
 vie ? The solemnity of the occasioUj and 
 the person dictating this question to Eliza- 
 beth^ Uiakes it the more memorable and 
 weighty. If by the expression, my Lord, 
 Elizabeth mt?ix\\. ou\w a man like ourselves, 
 L 3 
 
'2*22 On the Bhimiy of C/insr, 
 
 how was it any condescension, that her near 
 relation, the mother of one mere man, should 
 come to salute the mother of another mere 
 man ? But if Mari/ was really the mother 
 of ElizahetJis Loud and Maker, accordincf 
 to the flesh, there v/as then cause sufficient 
 for all her admiration. 
 
 The circumstances of the birth of-CmiisT, 
 strongly prove this was the truth. For it is 
 honored and distinguished by prodigies oi 
 the noblest kind, to which nothing was ever 
 seen in the least degree similar. A new lu- 
 minary, called his Star, shines in the firma- 
 ment, appointed to be the miraculous con- 
 ductor of the Eastern sages, to the place 
 where the Child lay, that they might come 
 and xvorship Him. Who is no sooner 
 born, than the angel appears to the shep- 
 herds, near Bethlehem, saying unto them, 
 ** Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great 
 *' joy, which shall be lo you, and to all peo- 
 *' pie : for unto you is born this day, in the 
 ** city of David, a Savior, which is Christ, 
 " the LORD." Listantly at the mention 
 of this divine title, there was with Him, ** a 
 '• multitude of the heavenly host, praising 
 
On the Bivinity of Chnst. £CS 
 
 ** God," and expressing in their hymn, the 
 grand effects of the Incarnation : *' Glory 
 *' to God in the Highest, and on earth 
 ** peace; good-will towards men." 
 
 We read of no mark of distinction of this 
 kind ever altending the birth of a mere 
 mortal. Not Abraham's, thouj^h the Father 
 of the liuthfui ; — not the birth of jMcses, 
 though he \N,as the month of God to Israel, 
 and tiicir Deliverer out of Egypt ; — rjot of 
 Paul, though an inestimable bencfacror lo 
 the Gentile v»o)-'id. Each of these stand 
 amongst tiie first of mere men, yet was 
 their -birth unnoticed by any, save the lit- 
 tle circle of eye-witnesses to the event. But 
 ** when lit bringeth his only begotten Son 
 *' into the world, tie saith, Let all the angels 
 *^ of God U02\ship liim."' 
 
 Here again every thing is preposterous, if 
 He whom all the angels were to worship, 
 was more inferior to them in nature, than 
 the most stupid peasant is to Solomon in 
 wisdom. And with wijat truth could Ga- 
 briel call the intant Jksus, the Lord; or 
 how could lie be the object of divine adora- 
 L 4 
 
On ilte Diiinity of Christ. 
 
 tion, at his birth, being no more than a man 
 like ourselves ? 
 
 Further, The history of Christ, proves 
 lie did the works, wijich are ascribed to 
 God alone; v. hich none of his messengers, 
 though emporvered to work miracles without 
 number, ever did ; that He spoke of Himself 
 in terms, which it were lUasphemy for any 
 but God to use; — that the rays of divinity 
 shone forth in his Death ; and that He did 
 receive on earth, and still receives in heaven, 
 the worship due to God only. Can He 
 then be less than the true God? 
 
 For instance : Power over the winds and 
 seas, was never exercised by any mere man. 
 This is allcdged in the Old Testament as a 
 decisive proof, that tl.e God of the Jews 
 was the Almighty. — Fsalm Ixxxix. 8, 9- — 
 *' O Lord God of Hosts, who is a stron«jf 
 ^' J.oiJD, like unto Thee? or to thy faithful- 
 " ne.rs round about Thee? Thou rulest the 
 '' raging of the sea ; when tlie waves thereof 
 '' arise, Thou stillest them." Paalni cvii. 
 *25, 2^. ** For He commandeth, and raiseth 
 '* the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves 
 ''thereof : — Thev mount uu to the heaven, 
 
On the Divinily of Cluist. 225 
 
 *' they go down again to the depths • their 
 *' soul is melted because of trouble : — They 
 •*• reel to and fro, and stagii;er like a drunken 
 *' man, and are at their wits end. Then 
 *' they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, 
 *' and He bringeth them out of their dis- 
 " tresses. He maketh the storm a calm, 
 ^' so that the waves thereof are still : — Then 
 *' are they glad, because they be quiet. So 
 " He brinjieth them unto their desired ha- 
 *' ven." 
 
 A more majestic description of almighty 
 power, cannot be found. Yet this very scrip- 
 ture, without altering a syllable, relates a 
 fact, which passed between Jesus, and his 
 disciples. A violent storm arises, the waves 
 of the sea are lifted up : His disciples are 
 ready to perish, for the ship was beginning 
 to sink. They call not upon the Father, 
 but upon Christ ; not to pray for their de- 
 liverance, but to save them llnnself. He 
 hears their ci*y. He rebuked the wind. He 
 said unto the sea, "Peace, be still ; — and 
 " the wind ceased, and there was a great 
 *' calm." Now if uncontrolable dominion 
 over the winds and waves, be in tiie Old 
 L 5 
 
9;^ On the Dkinity of Chrisi, 
 
 Testament a demonstration, that the God 
 of the Jews was the Almighty ; the same 
 uncontrolable dominioQ, exercised by Christ 
 in the most god-Hke manner, when invoked 
 as alone able to save, must prove with equal 
 force, that He is the Ahiiighty also, <?;?e 
 with the Fatiicr. 
 
 Again ; We find that spreading out the 
 ■heavens alone, and treading tipon the waves 
 of the sea, are joined together as equal acts 
 of almighty power, peculiar to God. — Now 
 turn to Mark vi. 49- There you read, that 
 when the disciples were ^' toiling in rowing 
 *' (for the wind was contrary to them) about 
 ♦* the fourth watch of the night, Jesus 
 ** Cometh unto them, walking on the sea, and 
 " would have passed by them. But when 
 ** they saw Him walking upon the sea, they 
 ** supposed it had been a spirit, and cried 
 ^' out (for they all .*:aw Him,) and were 
 '*' troubled. — And immediately He talked 
 " with them,'' by which they must knew zvko 
 Al was.-— After this He saith unto them, 
 ♦* Be of good cheer, Ey« f t<x», / am He, be 
 ** not afraid." Here in the very exercise 
 of an-act, deckred in scripture to appertaii: 
 
On the Diiiuity qfChn'st. £27 
 
 to God alone, He calls liimself Jehovah.; 
 ■ — tor I am He, means no less, as shall pre- 
 sently be pjoved. 
 
 Should it be said, no works wrought by 
 CiuiisT, can ever oblige us to conclude He 
 .was the true -God, because He says, '*I can 
 ^Vdo nothing of myself;" and prays to the 
 Father, when He raised up Lazarus from 
 t^ie grave. 
 
 I answer ; it would have been impossible, 
 without these declarations, for us to have 
 -believed there is any distinction of persons 
 in the divine nature, as we are taught to do ; 
 or the subjection of Christ in his offices of 
 Ser\^ai>t and Mediator, to which he. humbled 
 •himself, as the prophets foretold. Keing, 
 therefore, very God, and very Alan, in one 
 Christ. He could not, consistently with his 
 own character, but speak at different times 
 in a style proper to both. The church of 
 Christ, therefore, can perfectly reconcile 
 this apparent contradiction, and all passao;es 
 in holy writ, which express his inferiority to 
 *the Father, and entire dependence upon 
 llim.: for this belongs to his character as very 
 Man and iiediator.— But upon suppa-Jtioa. 
 L 6 
 
"^28 On the Bkinity of Christ. 
 
 that Christ is less than very God, no vin- 
 dication can be admitted for his ever using 
 the style of God, when He speaks of Him- 
 self. Wisdom, goodness, modesty, and truth, 
 all require, that creatures should, with a sa- 
 cred dread, abstain from every ihing tending to 
 confound themselves with their Creator. J]ut 
 Jesus does the very reverse. Hear Him vin- 
 dicate Himself, when accused of polhiting 
 the Sabbath: " Hiiherto the Father work- 
 eth, and I work." See the sign He gives, upon 
 the Jews requiring one of Him, as iiis autho- 
 j-ityfor driving the buyers and sellers out of the 
 temple. — " Destroy this temple, (pointing 
 to iiis own '^ body) and in three days, / will 
 raise it up/' Hear Him foretelling the victory 
 of his cross : '^ And I, if I be lifted up, will 
 *' draw all men unto me," John xii. 32. 
 
 Bin above all observe, Christ frequently 
 calls Himself J LHOVAH, or / am lie. That 
 tins expression signifies Jehovah, cannot, 
 be doubted: — for it means se[/'t\vistence ; 
 and is very often used, to denote the supreme 
 majesty of iieaven and earth. Thus Deut. 
 -xxxii. 39. *' See now that 1, even I am Ile^ 
 *' and there is no God with mc.'^—Fsalm 
 
On the Divimty of Christ. 229 
 
 cii. 27. '* Tiiou art the same," in Hebrew, 
 Thou art He. — And this title is here given, 
 immediately after the creation of heaven and 
 earth has been ascribed to God. In Isa, 
 xli. 4. *' I the Lord, with the first, and 
 '' with the last, I am He:' Many other pas- 
 sages might be cited. But these sufficiently 
 prove, that the Jews were taught from holy 
 writ to understand, that this grand appella- 
 tion, I am He, expressing necesoary existence, 
 belonged only to the Creator of all things. 
 But this very appellation, Christ Himself 
 assumes, as his own proper name. Dis- 
 covering to the apostles, the almost incre- 
 dible treachery of Judas, in betraying 
 Him, " These things I tell you," says He, 
 " before it come to pass, that when it 
 "is come to pass, ye may believe:" that 
 is, from this instance of my onmiscience, 
 "that I am He.'' When the Jews were 
 enraged at his asserting his own exist- 
 ence before Abraham, He enflames theiv 
 rising indignation against Himself to the ut- 
 most height, by affirming, with a kind of 
 oath, his supreme Divinity. — '* Verily, ve- 
 " rily, I say unto you, before AbraJzam was^ 
 ** I am," or, I am He. A truth of such ab- 
 
S30 On 'the Divinity 'of Christ, 
 
 solute necessity to be received, that He 
 ^\\s his adversaries, 'ue}\ S4. '^ If ye believe 
 ^* not that / a??! He, ye shall die in your sins.'* 
 How then could the Jews do l^jss ihm^ 
 they did, regarding Jesus only as a Hian ? 
 Xbey heard him repeatedly affirm, "I am 
 ** the Lord God. 1 solemnly assm^e you, / 
 *-€it7i He. I again tell you, that if you do not 
 ** (believe that I am He, ye sbal] die 'm yoiir 
 " sins." GaD bad given them a law against 
 i)las[>hemers and false prophets, command- 
 ing that they should be put to death by ston- 
 ing. Supposing, therefore, Jesus was a 
 fnere man, iit was their hounden. duty to stone 
 Him to death f 07^ these sayings, as we know 
 t-hey often attempted to do. And it is the 
 <bounden duty of those, who arrogate to 
 themselves the title of rational Christians, 
 chiefly for agreeing with Jews in denying 
 tbe proper Divinity of Christ, and, with 
 Jews, brand Lis church as idolaters for wor- 
 shipping Him ; it is their bounden duty, I 
 fiay, if they believe God abhors idolatry, 
 with them to call Jesus accursed; when 
 they read in his authentic history, that He 
 takes to Himself the incommuiiucaJblp n^me 
 of Jehovah, — I am He. 
 
On fkc 'Diunity of Qhrist. CSl 
 
 This supposed blasphemy, wajs the caus^ 
 of his death. Far " when the high priest 
 ^' asked Him, and said unto Him, Art Thou 
 ** the Christ, the Son of the Blessed ? Je- 
 ^* s.us said, I am ; or I am He : — and ye shall 
 *' see th^ Son of Man sitting on the right 
 ** hand of power, and coming in the clouds 
 ** of heaven. Then the high priest rent his 
 *^ clothes, and saith, Ye have heard the bias- 
 " phemy, what think ye r And they all con-^ 
 '' demned Him to be guilty of death," J/^rfr 
 xiv. ^3. 
 
 And now see how they gather round his 
 cross, casting barbarous insults on Him in 
 his agonies, and triumphing over Him in his 
 fall. Behold his face, more marred than 
 any man's, and his body ploughed up with 
 long furrows, by the scourging He endured ! 
 Hear that loud and bitter cry, as of one 
 sinking under inexpressible Horrors of mind, 
 " My God, my God, why hast Thou for- 
 *' saken me !" — Still the union of the divine 
 and human nature never appeared more in- 
 contestable, than in the midst of all this 
 shociving scene : — hs ^ ruffiij.n, uppp his oxen 
 
On the Divinili/ of Christ. 
 
 confession deserving the death he suffered, 
 calls upon Jesus to remember him. He 
 instantly receives from Him, an assurance of 
 immediate everlasting happiness. Who can 
 deliver after this manner, but God alone ? 
 Take oir'the veil, which hides from the eye 
 of sense and unenlightened reason the trans- 
 action which passed on the cross, and you 
 will perceive, that Jesus appeared in no in- 
 stance of his life so glorious, as when He 
 hung a spectacle to men and angels on the 
 accursed tree. Then " his death destroyed 
 ** death, and him that had the power of it. 
 ** As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wil- 
 ** derness, so was the Son of I\lan lifted 
 '' up," bound only by the cords of love, -for 
 the healincf of the nations. His precious 
 blood, which bathed his body, flowed ** a 
 '' fountain for all sin, and for ail unclean- 
 '* ness f of which the growing virtue, and 
 the growing praise, shall fill with wonder and 
 joy all heaven for ever. 
 
 Can such beneficent efl^ects be ascribed to 
 the blood of a mere man ? or can the death 
 of one innocent creature be the atonement 
 
On the Dk'tnity of Chrut. '13'. 
 
 for the sins of innumerable myriads, and 
 the everlasting salvation of all who escape 
 the wrath to come ? Here the things con- 
 stantly asserted in holy writ of the efficacy of 
 Christ's death, are beyond all proportion, 
 without supposing the blood of Christ, 
 which purchased the church, Vvas indeed the 
 blood of GuD. 
 
 Nor during his unexampled humiliation, 
 were proofs of his eternal Godhead v^ anting. 
 Above, below, on every side, whilst He hangs 
 on the cross, the whole frame of nature was 
 x^iolcntly disturbed. Darkness at noon-day 
 covers all the earth, for three hours. The 
 sun itself is darkened, not by an interposing 
 planet, but by a miracle. Tiie earth quakes, 
 and with the veil of the temple, the rocks 
 are rent. What manner of proportion is 
 there between such awful and gi'and prodi- 
 gies as these, and the death of a mere inno- 
 cent man ? Did ever martyred prophet or 
 apostle, receive any degree of sucii honor, 
 in their dying hours? What aileth thee, O 
 thou earth, that thou wert moved, and thou 
 sun, that thou refusedst to shine ? "We can 
 answer, Tremble not at the presence only, 
 
L>"54 On fhe Di'cinity of Chkt, 
 
 but at the crucifixion of your JMaker. In 
 this loud and terrifying manner, publish the 
 detestation due to the attrocious deed :-r- 
 and when the God of nature suffers, let the 
 whole inanimate creation express its symr 
 pa thy with Him. 
 
 Havin^ been crucified bv the Scribes and 
 Pharisees, for asserting his equality with the 
 Father ; after his resurrection, instead pf re- 
 fusing, as sacrilege, lie openly receives the 
 adoration due to God only. Thomas^ upon 
 hearing Jesus declare to Him all his thoughts, 
 and stubborn unbehef of heart, concerning 
 his resurrection, said tinto Hiniy My Lordy 
 and nil/ God ! — At his ascension, all his dis^ 
 ciples worship Him. Soon after Stephen 
 is stoned, invoking, and saying, '^ Lor© iic> 
 *' sus, receive my spirit. — And he kntekd 
 '^ down and cried with a loud voice. Lord, 
 *' lay not this sin to their charge." Here 
 a martyr *' beholding the heavens opened, 
 ** and Jesus at the right hand of Gop^'^ 
 prays to Him alone for the two greatest gifts 
 *vhich can l^ received, the salvation of his 
 own soul, and the pardon of the worst mul'- 
 ^erers under lieaven. . YeL tbis v^ry ma.rt,v:r^ 
 
On the Dhiuity cf Christ, 235 
 
 it Christ be not by nature God, with the 
 Father, dies in the very act of idolatry ; 
 therefore, according to express scripture, 
 '* can never enter into the kingdom of hea- 
 " ven." This is but one amongst u thou- 
 sand glaring absurdities, which inevitably 
 follow from deij^radinf^ the Savior into a 
 mere man, or a creature. 
 
 From this time, and no wonder, we. liad 
 the churciies of Christ constantly distin- 
 guished by the very practice of the 6r&t mar- 
 tyr, by their calling on the name of the Lo-rd 
 Jesus. And calhng upon^GoD, we know, 
 is the Old Testament phrase for worshipping 
 Him. When more than sixty years had pass- 
 ed from his ascensif^n, St. Jo^n is favored 
 with a visit from his best and dearest friend. 
 So glorious was the sight, that he fell at his 
 feet as dead. *' And lie laid his right hand 
 *' upon me, saying unto me," (observe He 
 taies^to Plimself the style of the Supreme) 
 "I am the first, and the last, I am H^ that 
 ** Hveth, and was dead ; and behold, I am 
 " alive for evermore, Amen ; and have the 
 " keys of hell and of death," Rev. i. 17. 
 And to finish the whole account, the throne 
 
236 On tht B'rdmtfj of ChrUt, 
 
 of God and the Lamb are joined together, 
 as receiving the everlasting adoration of all 
 the company of heaven. — Thus the Oracles 
 of God deliver down the character of Chiust 
 to all acres. 
 
 But how contrary to every idea of wisdom, 
 goodness, and propriety, is this history of 
 Chris r, if lie be no more than a man, or 
 a creature ! V>'hy then at his birth is He 
 called the Lord } Why does He do the 
 works of God in the manner of God ? Why 
 speak the language which appertains to God 
 only? Why in his death receive attestation 
 to his innocence from the whole inanimate 
 creation? Why after his resurrection re- 
 ceive worship as God from Thomas, from all 
 bis disciples, from all the churches, from 
 saints and angels in heaven ? 
 
 So interwoven is this grand article of the 
 Christian creed in the whole scheme of scrip- 
 tural religion, that you demolish it all, as 
 soon as you degrade Christ into a mere 
 man, or a creature. For immediately our 
 natural condition and character, sinful and 
 corrupt in that degree the scriptures describe 
 it, must be denied ; our obligations to love, 
 
On the Divinity of Chtiat. 
 
 obey, and trust God, must be diaiinished ex- 
 ceedingly ; our estimate of the nature and 
 demerit of sin, of the divine displeasure 
 against it ; of the perfections of God, and 
 the way in which eternal life is to be attain- 
 ed, must be totally different from what the 
 church of Christ hath ever believed. Im- 
 mediately we must see great reason to be 
 offended at many things which Christ 
 spoke, and many strong passages in scrip- 
 tui'e, which nothing but the utmost violence 
 of interpretation can pervert from testifying 
 to his supreme Divinity. And if we are 
 true to our principles, and men of thought, 
 we shall very soon be involved in the utmost 
 perplexity, to account for this greatest of all 
 mysteries, — how the Christian church, with 
 the apostles at the head of it, were all suf- 
 fered to fall into idolatry ; — to continue in 
 the abominable worship of a mere man or 
 creature, with the worship due to the su- 
 preme God. — This is a strong objection 
 against the Revealer Ilitrjself : — and will 
 lead to a contempt of Christianity. For 
 what great good has it doner — Jews and 
 Turks, not Christians, are the true worship- 
 
238 Oil the Dicimty of Christ* 
 
 pers, according to their scheme, who deny 
 the Son. And the crime of the Jews in 
 calling Christ, if but a mere man, though 
 a true prophet, accursed ; or of the Turks, 
 in setting aside his Gospel, because they 
 think it exceedingly corrupted, it as nothing, 
 compared to the universal idolatry of the 
 Christian Church in adoring Christ, as 
 \^ God, over all, blessed for ever." For 
 those who thus worship Him, must be, in 
 their eyes w^ho deny Him to be very God, 
 Idolaters. And they in ours, enemies to 
 the cross of Christ, blasphemers of his 
 adorable name, and subverters of his holy 
 religion. 
 
 So far, therefore, is it from being, as many 
 most falsly assert, a point of speculation in 
 divinity, what we believe concerning the cha- 
 racter and nature of Christ, that not one 
 article in the whole compass of religion is 
 of equal importance. And if there be any 
 one point of faith more characteristic of the 
 Christian church than another, it is this, 
 that *' Jesus Christ is the true Cjqd, and 
 '' eternal life.'' 
 
( 239 > 
 
 CHAP. XX VII L 
 
 On Contempt of Preaching, 
 
 1 HE great utility of the Baptist's ministry, 
 predicted in this Prophecy, proves their mis- 
 take, who undervalue the preaching of the 
 Gospel. For allowing both the mission and 
 endowments of the Baptist and the Apostles 
 were in several respects extraordinary, still 
 all ministers whom Christ sends, are, a& 
 they were, appointed to *' give light to them 
 *^ that sit in darkness, and to turn the hearts 
 " of the disobedient to the wisdom of the 
 '* just." They are also furnished with qua- 
 lifications for this office, and have assurance 
 of success, in some measure, as the Baptist 
 and Apostles had in a superabundant degree.. 
 The proof of these assertions should ani- 
 mate every faithful pastor with confident ex- 
 pectation of saving the souls of men,' and 
 convince those who, disparage this mode of 
 spreading divine knowledge, that they, greatiy- 
 err, and oiFend Gqd. 
 
Q40 On Contempt of Preachitig. 
 
 All preachers, sent by Christ, it was said, 
 are appointed to the same kind of work, as 
 the Baptist and Apostles were. Read the 
 institution of the ministerial office. You 
 must confess it to he one and the same in 
 every age: for 'Svhen the Lord ascended 
 *' up on high, after leading our captivity 
 *^ captive," He, to perpetuate the benefits of 
 his glorious triumph, '^ gave some apostles, 
 " some prophets, some evangelists, some 
 " pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of 
 " the saints, for the work of the ministry, 
 "■ for the edifying the body of Christ, till we 
 '' all come in the unity of the faith, and of the 
 '' knowledge of the Son of God, unto a per- 
 '* feet man ; unto the measure of the stature 
 *' of the fulness of Christ," Ephes. iv. 
 
 To secure these grand purposes, the Chris- 
 tian ministry was at first instituted ; and, as 
 the terms necessarily import, must be ex- 
 ercised, so long as Christ has a church 
 upon earth. But in this institution, the ex- 
 traordinary officers of the church, are ap- 
 pointed to the very same spiritual employ- 
 ment. Neither the splendid gifts peculiar 
 to the apostles, prophets, and evangelists ; 
 
On Contempt of rreacldng. 241 
 
 nor their unequalled extent of usefulness, 
 prevent a perfect equality in this respect. 
 They are all set apart to preach CnRisT, 
 and call sinners to repentance ; that *' they 
 " may receive remission of their sins, and an 
 ^' inheritance amongst them that are sancti- 
 *^ iied, through faith which is in Him :" for 
 ^' this is the work of the ministry. They are 
 all set apart '' for the perfecting of the 
 " saints," by cementing them together in the 
 unity of the faith, — '' and for the edifying 
 '^ the body of Christ;'' that is, promoting 
 their obedience, and increasing their com- 
 fort by more full discoveries of the counsel 
 of God, till they enter into glory. 
 
 But on the supposition, that pastors and 
 teachers whom Christ sends, can ever 
 cease to be useful in this most beneficent 
 manner, then his gift to the church must 
 become of no value. Then either the con- 
 version of sinners, and advancement of the 
 faithful in spiritual life, must entirely cease, 
 or be produced and maintained by other 
 means tiian the Savior ordained for this pur- 
 pose ; which would at once impeach his 
 veracity, and cast contempt on his o^vn ap- 
 
 M 
 
C42 On Contempt of Preaching, 
 
 pointment : a case which cannot be supposed. 
 Consequently the being, and well-being of 
 the church, in all ages, must depend upon 
 the instrumentality of those officers, whom 
 the Lord entrusts with the treasure of his 
 Gospel, and makes rulers over his houshold, 
 ** to give them meat in due season." 
 
 The origin, therefore, of the Christian 
 preacher's office is divine, and its design most 
 beneficent to men. Proper qualifications 
 also, are always found in those whom 
 Christ puts into this office. The inspired 
 epistles to Timotfnf and Titus, specify that 
 knowledge and love of the truth ; that facility 
 to explain and prove it to others; that ex- 
 emplary behavior, and sanctity of character, 
 which are indispensably required in this holy 
 profession. Tiiese (|iialifications are divine 
 credentials, \\\\\Q\\visihiy distinguish the men 
 whom the Loud has been pleased to call, 
 choose, and appoint to this office. Without 
 these qualifications, preachers thrust them- 
 selves by human ordination into the ministry 
 to get bread, or from vile ambition to gain 
 preferment and power in the church. 
 
 From the noesession of these qualifica- 
 
O/i Contempt of Preachin, 24S 
 
 tions, common to all teachers whom Christ 
 sends, they must harmonize with the apos- 
 tles in the unity of the faith. There can be 
 no disagreement amongst them in essentials; 
 because they are ail taught of God, out of 
 the same scripture, to lay the same founda- 
 tion, to build the same superstructure, to give 
 the same account of the fall, the redemption, 
 the world, and the church. 
 
 Thus qualitied, teachers whom Christ 
 sends must have seals to their ministry, and 
 turn some to righteousness : because the 
 Lord, in honor of his truth, for encou- 
 ragement of his servants, and in love to his 
 people, has decreed this shall be the certain 
 -consequence of preaching his vrord. In one 
 passage, lie compares its operation to the 
 influence of snow and rain, ''which come 
 " down from heaven, and return not thither, 
 *' but give seed to the sower, and bread to 
 "the eater;" — declaring, *' his word shall 
 '* not return unto him void, but shall ac- 
 ** complish that which He please, and pros- 
 '' per in the thing whereto He sent it." But 
 He sends it for the justification, conversion, 
 and everlasting salvation of men : which He 
 expresses under the following beautiful i»na- 
 
24-i On Contempt of Preaching. 
 
 gery. ** For ye" (by whom this word is re- 
 ceived) ** shall go out" of your natural state 
 of guilt, condemnation, and slavery to sin) 
 " with joy, and be led forth" (in the good ways 
 of the Lord) *^ with peace. — Instead of the 
 *^ thorn," (fit emblem of sinners, altogether 
 unprofitable) ^^ shall come up the ufeful, 
 *' stately fir-tree," well representing the ex- 
 cellent of the earth. — '' Instead of the 
 '' brier", (despicable men, vexing all about 
 them, ivhose end is to burnt) '' shall come 
 '' up the" beautiful, sweet-scented '* myrtle- 
 '^ tree," (emblem of peaceful, amiable be- 
 lievers. '' And it'' (this divine transforma- 
 tion) ''' shall be to the Lord for a name, 
 ^' and for an everlasting sign" (of the efficacy 
 of his word preached) '^ which shall not be 
 '* cut off." Isai. Iv. 
 
 In another passage, applicable to the 
 times of the Gospel, (for Jeremiah says, 
 *' what is there spoken, shall be considered 
 "' in the lalter days,") the Almighty accuses 
 false teachers of running before they are 
 sent; of prophesyin:^, before He had spoken 
 to them; of telling dreams and lies, and 
 causing the people to err. After this heavy 
 charge, He points out the method they 
 
On Contempt of Preaching. 246 
 
 should have taken to succeed : — " But if 
 ^' they had stood in my counsel, and had 
 ^' caused my people to hear my words, then 
 '* they should have turned them from their 
 '^ evil ways, and from their evil doings. Let 
 ** him that hath my word, speak my word 
 •' faithfully. Wiiat is the chaff to the 
 ** wheat? Is not my word like as a fire, 
 '* saith the Loud, and like a hammer that 
 ^* breaketh the rock in pieces ?" Je?\ xxiii. 
 How can we avoid concluding from these 
 declarations, that some degree of success 
 must accoujpany the faithful preaching of 
 God's word? Did not St. Paul conclude 
 thus, when He charged Timothy to take 
 heed to himself, and to his doctrine; assuring 
 him, that by so doing, he should save himself, 
 and those that heard him r Did he not con- 
 clude thus, when he determined to rejoice 
 that Christ was preached, though it was 
 from the basest motives, from envy, strife, 
 and malevolence against himself : No other 
 reason can be given fo*' this determination, 
 than the certainty there is of success in son>e 
 degree, from preaching that name, '* which 
 *^ is above every name.*' 
 
C:4G On Contempt of Preaching. 
 
 Should it be said, that Christ IJimself 
 *' stretched forth his hands all the day long 
 '' to a disobedient and gainsaying -people;" 
 — that the apostle cried out, '' Who hath 
 '' believed our report ? and to whom hath 
 *' the arm of the Lord been revealed?" 
 1 grant they did. Yet how many thousands 
 were saved by their labors? How many 
 churches were planted ? The case is still 
 the same. Much good upon the whole is 
 done by pastors and teachers whom Christ 
 sends, notwithstanding the vast majority 
 excuse themselves from receiving their doc- 
 trine, and either hate or despise it. Still, in 
 the language of the parable which describes 
 this matter, *' the poor and the maimed, the 
 halt and the blind, the outcasts in the high- 
 ways and hedges ;" that is, many of the help- 
 less, the afflicted, and the most guilty, will 
 be brought in to feast at the supper. Faith- 
 ful, scriptural representations of our natural 
 state ; of the qualities and desert of sin ; of 
 the person, sufferings, love and triumph of 
 Christ in the reden^ption of his church; of 
 the grace, mercy and peace enjoyed through 
 believing in his name, never fail of pro- 
 
On Contempt of Preaching' £47 
 
 ducing, in some measure, an effect worthy 
 of God, and becoming ihe publication of 
 his own word ; which He calls '' the good 
 " seed bringing forth good fruit ; in some an 
 " hundred fold, in some sixty, in some thirty; 
 *' the truth that sanctifieS; and makes the 
 ** soul free indeed." 
 
 Every faithful preacher, therefore, of this 
 word, should be importunate with his Lord, 
 to grant hin:i to see it madp the instrument 
 Uiore and n^ore of turning men from the 
 error of their way : — should boldly plead the 
 divine insfilution of iiis ofiice, its b-jnilicf^iU 
 design, his call to it, and the piomise of suc- 
 cess, till the most Mighty " girds his sword 
 upon his thigh, and rides on conquering in 
 favor of the word of truth, meekness, and 
 righteousness." What are insatiable love of 
 sin, sottish ignorance, pride, and unbelief, 
 with all their visible and invisible abettors, 
 before this rod of his power ? The word of 
 the truth of the Gospel, we read of old, 
 brouglit forth fruit in all the world. Has it 
 lost its divine efficacy in a course of years? 
 No more than the sun its light or heat : 
 ** For iiis name shall endure for ever;, his 
 M 3 
 
£48 On Contempt of Preaching, 
 
 ** name shall be continued as lonj^ as the 
 *'sun; and men shall be blessed in Him," 
 who is the great subject of the Gospel. 
 
 llovv groundless then is the common plea 
 used to disparage the utility of preaching 
 Christ : — " We know already as much as 
 we can be told. Church prayers and read- 
 ing the scriptures are sufficient. It signifies 
 very little what is preached. We do our 
 duty, when we worship God. The vulgar 
 only need to be taught." 
 
 Most absurd and false I For the prayers 
 of the Church are seldom used aright, or the 
 scripture understood, till faithful preaching 
 has enlightened the mind. And tiic reason 
 is plain : — We are naturally averse to come 
 any further under the power of religion, than 
 is consistent with great indulgence to pride 
 and self-will. Hence we exalt custouiany 
 forms of devotion in secret, regular attend- 
 ance upon ])ublic worship, external and par- 
 tial obedience, as sufficient, and grow secure 
 in the practice of these things. A zealous 
 attack, therefore, upon this favorite error, 
 from the ministers of Christ, is the way 
 God generally is pleased to use for its 
 
On Contempt of Preaching. 249 
 
 detection and overthrow. Thus in the Jewish 
 church, they had the Oracles, the Covenants, 
 and the Service of God. Of these they 
 made their boast, and from day to day at- 
 tended upon the worship of God. But it 
 was in hypocrisy, ignorance, and great wick- 
 edness, that they worshipped Him, not " in 
 *' spirit and in truth." VVith all the advan- 
 tages for the knowledge of God in their 
 hands, and in the constant use of the means 
 of grace, they were still " silting in darkness 
 " and the shadow of death, '^ And those who 
 received the light of life, did not receive it 
 principally from reading the Scriptures, to 
 which they had been accustomed from their 
 childhood, nor to the temple-service, which 
 they had always attended ; but to the Bap- 
 tist's ministry. His alarming denunciations 
 of the wrath to come, against all who trusted 
 in themselves as righteous; his full and glo- 
 rious testimony to the Lamb of God; dis- 
 pelled the mists and darkness, which till then 
 had covered their minds : though he spoke 
 only what Moses, the Psalms, and the Pro- 
 phets contained. 
 
 M 5 
 
250 On Contanpt of Preaching, 
 
 The very same instrument, namely, faith- 
 ful preaching of his word, God is pleased, 
 as appears from history, and matter of fact 
 passing before our eyes, to make use of in 
 every age, when *' He gives knowledge of 
 ^* salvation to his people." Faithful preach- 
 ing manifests the difference between nominal 
 and real Christians! — between barren assent 
 to scripture-doctrines, and the faith of 
 God's Elect; — between external obedience, 
 and spiritual life; — between honoringCuRiST 
 with all his titles, from mere influence of 
 education, and cleaving to Him from real 
 want and knowledge of his excellency. 
 
 Despise not then prophesying. It is emi- 
 nently the channel by which God has chosen 
 to convey his Grace to the children of men. 
 Do not fancy hberal education, learning, 
 honesty, or the practice of devotion, set you 
 above reaping much advantage for your soul, 
 from pastors, whom Christ has really 
 called, qualified, and sent into his virreyard. 
 Consider that from the beginning, it was his 
 manner to send his disciples before him, 
 whithersoever he Himself would come ; and 
 
Ofi Contempt of Preaching. 251 
 
 his command to all, who long for the salva- 
 tion of men, is, '' to pray the Lord of the 
 '^ harvest, to send forth laborers into the 
 *^ harvest." Remember the Ethiopian eu- 
 nuch, with all his piety, understood not the 
 scripture he was so devoutly reading, nor the 
 way of life, till Philip was sent to preach 
 Christ unto him : nor Cornelius, till Peter 
 told him " w^ords, whereby he might be 
 '' saved." How could the excellent advan- 
 tages which faithful preaching produces be 
 rendered more conspicuous, or greater honor 
 be put upon the office ? 
 
 CHAR XXIX. 
 
 On the Connection between Christian Doctrine aiicl 
 Good Works. 
 
 Ihe Prophecy of Zacharias, by being full 
 of the pecuhar principles of Christianity, 
 proves it is a great mistake to press the prac- 
 of good works in neglect of Christian doc- 
 M 6 
 
2j2 On the Conmction between 
 
 trine. Yet how many zealously contend^ 
 that men should onlij be taught to be sober, 
 peaceable, and kind in their families ; to *' do 
 /'justice, love mercy," and attend upon the 
 worship of Gor>, believing the Christian reli- 
 gion is from iieaven. But the scripture- doc- 
 trine of innate depravity infecting every 
 man, and of the Law concluding all under 
 sin, which are the ground-work of Redemp- 
 tion ; the glory of the Redeemer's person, 
 work, and salvation ; Justification by faitli 
 in his name ; the new Covenant and Oath of 
 God ; the witness and influence of the holy 
 Ghost; and " the knowledge of salvation by 
 *' the remission of sins"' — Tiiese things, they 
 suppose, are far above common comprehen- 
 sion ; for which reason they ouglit not to be 
 the topics of instruction from the pulpit. 
 The best service you can do to men is to 
 dwell only on plain and practical sub- 
 jects. 
 
 This mistake has been long asserted with 
 the greatest confidence, and much too easily 
 credited. It is necessary, therefore, to expose 
 its falshood, and many bad effects. 
 
 If Christian doctrines then arc to be passed 
 
Christian Doctrine and Good Works, 253 
 
 over in silence, as above the level of common 
 understandings, the most important part of 
 the Bible must be of very little use. The 
 most important part, is that doubtless, which 
 hath something in the manner of its delivery 
 peculiarly solemn ; and all who hear, are 
 called upon to regard with particular atten- 
 tion ; which Christ and his apostles repeat 
 from the prophets, containing what can be 
 known onlij by express revelation from God. 
 Honored with this high distinction are the 
 Christian doctrines. For instance, that ''the 
 " seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's 
 '' head;" that the child born to us, is the 
 " mighty God ; the deliverer of his peo- 
 " pie ; the propitiation for sin ; the alone 
 '^ mediator between God and man ; a great 
 , " and merciful high priest, the universal 
 "judge," in and through whom, all who 
 unfeignedly trust in Him shall be saved, and 
 all who despise Him shall perish. These 
 great things, have the highest mark of dis- 
 tinction put upon them, to make them pro- 
 ject to our notice above the rest of scripture ; 
 for they are proclaimed with the utmost so- 
 lemnity, and awfully introduced, or con- 
 
254 On the Connection between 
 
 eluded, with *' Thus saith the Lord of 
 " Hosts : The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will 
 '^ perform this." They are repeated from 
 the prophets, by Christ and his apostles, 
 and the greatest stress is laid upon receiving 
 them. But if no formal proof, explanation, 
 or recommendation of these crreat truths are 
 to be offered ; if the practice of universal 
 righteousness oiilij must be urged, all-impor- 
 tant as they are, they will very soon be de- 
 spised, or at least forgotten. For to what 
 use will any man suppose they can serve, if 
 their certainty, importance, or practical in- 
 fluence are never pressed upon the conscience 
 by them, whose office it is to do it ? These 
 doctrines have no place naturally in our 
 minds, nor are they deducible from our own 
 reasonings, since they spring only from the 
 counsel of God. By the constant omission 
 of them, therefore, on the one hand, and con- 
 stant urging the practice of good works only 
 on the other, who can avoid concluding, 
 that good works may be well produced, in- 
 dependent of Christian doctrine, and are suf- 
 ficient to salvation ; — that the moral part of 
 Christianity is only worthy of esteem, and all 
 
Christian Doctrine and Good Works. 255 
 
 in the New Testament, as well as the Old, 
 respecting Christ Himself, (his example 
 excepted) may be passed over in silence, with- 
 out offence to God, or detriment to man ? 
 Thus the most important part of holy writ 
 is made to appear insignificant. 
 
 This guilty neglect of Christian doctrine, 
 so dishonourable to the Bible, directly contra- 
 dicts the judgment of Christ and his apos 
 ties. Had all the Savior's sermons been like 
 that on the mount, it might have been pre 
 tended with some plausibility, that the whole 
 design of the Gospel Revelation was to make 
 men goody without regard to faith in any 
 particular doctrines. But how very different 
 from any thing contained in that divine dis- 
 course, are many of his dictates ? Does He 
 not plainly teach Ihe universal ruin of man- 
 kind in the fall, when He says, ** The Son 
 ** of man is come to seek and to save that 
 *' which was lost, and to give his life a ran- 
 " som for many ?" Does he not mark our 
 innate depravity, in the strongest hnes, by 
 specifying the manifold iniquities which pro- 
 ceed out of the heart, as streams from their 
 fountain-head, and defile the man ? Does He 
 
0.56 On the Connection between 
 
 not twice, with a kind of oath, assert the ab- 
 solute necessity of our being born again of 
 the Spirit, because in our first and natural 
 state u e are all born after the flesh ? Does 
 He not with the most solemn asseveration de- 
 clare, there is no life or salvation, without 
 eating his flesh, or drinking his blood r com- 
 paring Himself no less than six times in one 
 chapter to the irjanna, which was the whole 
 sustenance of Israel in the ^^ilderness," 
 John vi. 
 
 Besides, how very little in the Gospel of 
 St. John is delivered on plain practical sub- 
 jects, compared with what is there taught con- 
 cerning Christ, his work, and salvation. — 
 Great part of that brief history, is taken up 
 in displaying his glory, as *'the Lamb of 
 ''God that taketh away the sin of the 
 '' world ; — the bread of God that came 
 '' down from heaven ; — the light of the 
 /' world ; — the way, the truth, and the life ; 
 '* — the word that was hi the beginning with 
 " God, and was God ; — the good shepherd, 
 " that giveth his life for the sheep," and pre- 
 serves them from perishing, in spite of ail 
 their foes. 
 
 Now as no glimpse of these sublime truths 
 
Christian Doctrine and Good Works, Q57 
 
 is seen in those parts of scripture, ^vhich are 
 only designed to inculcate moral practice^ 
 ^vhen we meet with assertions of them, they 
 must be intended to teach us something \:ety 
 different from it, even the peculiar doctrines 
 of the Christian faith. 
 
 If the Savior then before his crucifixion, 
 when it was improper, for several reasons, to 
 speak too explicitly about the nature and ef- 
 ficacy of his own death, resurrection, and 
 ascension, did yet by no means omit teaching, 
 much more than moral righteousness, no one 
 can neglect these his sayings, without re- 
 proaching Him as a solemn trifler, for reveal- 
 ing things unnecessary to be known, and con- 
 demning that method of religious instruction, 
 which He, in infinite wisdom, adopted. 
 
 When the kingdom of Christ was set up 
 after his ascension, the apostles insist also 
 7fiicch more on the doctrines of faith, than 
 on the practice of good works. They per- 
 petually teach, that " Jesus was exalted to 
 *' be a Prince, and a Savior, to give repen- 
 *' tance and remission of sins ; — that there is 
 ''salvation in no other ; — that through this 
 ** man is preached the forgiveness of sins, 
 
258 On the Connccliou hetuecn 
 
 ** and by Ilim all that believe are justified 
 " from all things, from which *' they could 
 ^* not be justified by the law of Mo- 
 ** ^e^." What are the Acts of the holy 
 Apostles^ more than an account of their 
 travels from one city and country to another, 
 to preach the kingdom of God, and the 
 things which concern the Lord Jesus 
 Ch rist, with the effects their testimony pro- 
 duced ; subjects certainly very different from 
 justice, mercy, or the love of God, though 
 the appointed means of leading men into the 
 practice of those graces. The inspired Epis- 
 tles addressed to men who already believed 
 th« articles of the Christian faith, are almost 
 every one of them written on the same plan. 
 They open with a grand, affecting account 
 of the essential doctrines and blessings of the 
 Gospel ; from whence, towards the conclu- 
 sion, devotedness of heart to God, purity of 
 manners, and the most exemplary obedience 
 are pressed, not only as becoming their 
 Christian profession, but as fruits necessary 
 to prove a real union with Christ. The 
 loner epistle to the Romans, and that to the 
 licbreivs, is a system of divinity relating to 
 
Christian Doctrine and Good Works. S59 
 
 Christ and his church, with an appHcation 
 of the whole to praclice. Every one by 
 opening his Bible may see these things for 
 himself. 
 
 I observe further, that these doclrines are 
 not only often taught by Christ, but at fall 
 length explained and established by his apos 
 ties, and their excellent iniiuence is expressly 
 affirmed. Were they above common compre- 
 hension, ovoi ^. speculative nature, could the 
 glory of delivering men from condemnation, 
 and from slavery to sin, be ascribed to them ? 
 Yet to them this glory is ascribed, when our 
 Lord affirms, *' The truth shall make you 
 '' free;'' and when He prays for his disciples, 
 ■* Father, sanctify them by thy truth ; thy 
 ** word is truth." Would He Himself say, 
 *' to the poor the Gospel \s preached;'' or 
 St. James, that **God hath chosen the poo r^ 
 '' rich in faith ;" or St. Paul, that *' the things 
 *' which are despised, and are not," (mean- 
 ing the slaves who were bought and sold like 
 catile) " hath God chosen, that Christ 
 *^ might be made of Him wisdom, righteous* 
 ** ness, sanctitication, and redemption" to 
 them? Would these things be asserted, if 
 
260 On the Comicction heticetn 
 
 the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel Vv'ere 
 above common comprehension r They must 
 then work like a charm, and the lowest of 
 the people become rich towards Gor, and 
 wise, and holy, and be received into «;lory, 
 without understanding the things preached to 
 them, as the means of their salvation. 
 
 To positive assertions oi the usefulness of 
 these doctrines, an express command is add- 
 ed, to teach tht7n constantly ',.v,'h\c\i alone is 
 sufficient to decide the point, and ought to 
 be well considered by them, whose false, rash 
 zeal for good works, hurries them into a 
 criminal neglect of Christian principles. St. 
 P<7w/ charges Titus to declare with ail autho- 
 rity, that it is '' the Grace of God which 
 *' bringcth salvatmi^ (not the law of works, 
 *' which saith, He that doeth these things, 
 *^ shall live by them) hath appeared unto all 
 *• men, teaching them to deny ungodliness 
 *' and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, right- 
 ^^ eously, and godly in this present world." 
 He again charges Titus, to afiirm constantl}^ 
 the total corruption of human nature; free 
 justification through the kindness and love of 
 God our Savior; regeneration, and renewing 
 
Chnstiitn Doctrine and Good fl'orks. 25l 
 
 of the holy Ghost ; i?i order that '* they who 
 " have believed in God might be careful to 
 *' maintain good works/' calling these doc- 
 trines, *'good and profitable unto men*." 
 
 * The mere sound of scripture words, ha^ been much 
 abused to oppose their real meaning. This has hap- 
 pened remarkably in the text before us. Many urge 
 it, with the utmost confidence, as a command to dwell 
 on the practice of good works, when, in fact, the text 
 is a charge to all Christian ministers, to insist on man's 
 wretched state before iaith in Christ, and the ricii 
 mercy of God through Him, for justication, regenera- 
 tion, and eternal life. The inspired Apostle first af- 
 firms the truth and certainty of these things, by calling 
 the whole of this doctrine, a faithful tverd. He then 
 asserts their excellent influence, as the reason uhy they 
 must be taught comtai\thj\ " That they who have bc- 
 ** lieved in God, might be careful to maintain good 
 ** works." Here the conjunction »va, plainly proves, 
 that good works are produced by the constant teaching 
 oi these doctrines, not that pressing good works, should 
 be the constant subject of Christian teaching. To con- 
 firm this sense of the passage, the authority of great 
 critics agrees with the context. Erasmus renders^ the 
 verse, " Fidus sermo, et dc his vclo, ut confirmes, quo 
 " ioUiciti sinf , ut bonis operibus prcsint/' Jujiius tS- Tre- 
 nicilius, " ridus est sermo, it m his volo, ut ita quoque 
 ** confirmes eos, vt sctiicitisint ad facitndum bona opera,'' 
 Schodgenius in Pasorem, »■« '* froprie notat causam flna- 
 
$6€ On the Conned io?i between 
 
 . -.■ ■ - — ... . ■ , „.;■ m 
 
 But how false is all this, if they are above 
 common comprehension ? if a life acceptable 
 to our IVIaker, can be supported without their 
 aid; or if onli/ pressing upon men the ne- 
 cessity of moral practice, be the most effec- 
 tual way to produce good works ? 
 
 Added to the guilt of opposing the judg- 
 ment of Christ, of his apostles, and an ex- 
 
 " lem/' And the French versions render this conjunc- 
 tion by fl s'mque. Indeed the context will agree with no 
 other sense. For to give greater weight to the command, 
 these things which Titus was eliargcd to affirm con- 
 stantly, are said *' to be good and profitable unto men.** 
 Nov/ to understand good works by these things, not the 
 doctrines beforenamed, will make the sense extremely 
 flat, and the assertion ablolutely needless . for whoever 
 doubted whether good works were ** good and profitable 
 *' unto men?'' But that these doctrines are so, the 
 world hath in all ages vehemently denied, and reproach- 
 ed them as most unfriendly to virtuous practice. A 
 divine declaration, therefore, in their tavour, was high- 
 ly necessary. Besides, the opposition between doc- 
 trines " good and protitable unto men," and vain and 
 foolish questiens, with the ccramand to reject hreiJcs, 
 in the context, proves the inspired Apostle is speakiiig 
 of those doctrines only, which arc highly inslrumental 
 in promotino Christian rractice, and not of Christian 
 practice its* If. 
 
Christian Do :t line and Good JVorhs, 26: 
 
 press command to preach these doctrines, 
 all wlio neglect them in zeal for pressing 
 moral practice, are chargeable with defeat- 
 ing one grand end of the Christian ministry^ 
 which is, to expound the scripture. Our 
 business is to collect the vaiious testimonies 
 scattered through the sacred volume, in order 
 to prove more fully the capital truths of tiic 
 Christian faith, and throw a light and beauty 
 upon many otherwise obscure parts, till the 
 scripture itself becomes a book of great in- 
 struction, support, consolation and delight 
 to the people. On the Christian doctrines 
 all the other parts of scripture have depend- 
 ance ; and a connection with them as an 
 exemplification of their truth; so that they 
 serve, when understood, as a key to explain 
 the ivhole which relates to spiritual life and 
 godliness. But no lectures which confine 
 our attention to the practice of moral 
 righteousness Oiilij can afford the least help 
 to understand those scripture-passages, which 
 want explanation. On the contrarv, men 
 learn to contract from tiiis method a dislike 
 to the Bible, for speaking so emphatically a 
 language quite opposite to the sutRciency of 
 
264 On the Connection between 
 
 good works, which they hear constantly ex- 
 tolled. When all share in the grand business 
 of justifying a sinner before God is taken 
 from works, and the whole glory ascribed to 
 Christ : — when supreme love of Him, even 
 to losing our life for his sake, is exacted with 
 all authority, under penalty of being ac- 
 cursed and destroyed for ever, if we do not 
 thus love Him. And when so much stress 
 is laid upon faith in Him as the radical 
 grace, from which alone all goodness can 
 grow ; these scriptures must be heard with 
 jealousy and great offence, after we have 
 long been told, the stress of our salvation is 
 to be laid on our own goodness, independent 
 of any affection to a crucified Redeemer. 
 At best, all scriptures of this import, must 
 appear strange and unintelligible. And when 
 good works are thus laid as the ground of 
 our hope towards God, the nature and de- 
 sert of sin cannot be seen or believed, as the 
 scripture represents them both; because in 
 this case, the best works we can perform, are 
 of no more weight against our guilt, than 
 the genteel address of an assassin, is lo atone 
 for his atrocious crimes. But slight thoughts 
 
ChiiU'ion Doctrine and iiood fJ orks. QGo 
 
 of sin must cause the sciii>ture to appear 
 greatly exceptionable; in denouncing the 
 penalty of death as the wages of everj/ trans- 
 gression ; — in the judgment already executed 
 upon offenders, which it records, and the 
 tremendous doom reserved for them in the 
 eternal world. These things will ever ap 
 pear contrary to our ideas of goodness and 
 justice, till we have greatly humbled our- 
 selves before God, as creatures exceedingly 
 guilty; which never will be effected by ex- 
 alting the icorili of our own duties. 
 
 After strong prejudices, therefore, against 
 several parts of scripture on these accounts, 
 have brooded some tiuie in our minds, the 
 natural relief for [persons so disgusted with 
 the book, is to listen to, and cherish objec- 
 tions against its divine authority, till they 
 become covert, if not avowed inhdels : for it 
 is an easy and natural transition, from violent 
 disgust against the book, to v/ish it was an im- 
 position, and then to treat it as one. So in- 
 jurlous to divine revelation, in the conclu- 
 sion, is a rash zeal for pressing the practice 
 of good works, in neglect of Christian doc 
 trine, 
 
 N 
 
^G6 On the Co7inection bctuccn 
 
 It is no less injurious to the very cause it 
 means to serve : for the peculiar doctrines 
 which Christ and his apostles taught, and 
 all succeeding pastors are charged to main- 
 tain, have this honor put upon them, be- 
 cause the evidence of their truth is found in 
 the necessities of our natural condition, and 
 are most affecting to every individual, as 
 soon as he comes to the knozvledge of Jiim- 
 self, whether he hath received the improve- 
 ments of education, or cannot tell one letter 
 from another. A brief review of the prin 
 cipal doctrines of Christ, will prove this. 
 , What object can you place before men, 
 more likely to impress them, than an immor- 
 tal spirit in a state of ruin ? **' Foolish, dis- 
 *' obedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and 
 '^ pleasures, living in malice and env}^,'' and 
 en account of such depravity, become hate- 
 ful even to the wise and good God. Yet 
 the whole of this depravity, is manifest in the 
 purpose, tempers, pursuits, and pleasures of 
 men in all stations, and of every age, till 
 they are renewed in the spirit of their mind. 
 Consequently this black indictment, faith- 
 fully drawn up, and proved by two infallible 
 
Chthftti??. Doctrine and good Works. 267 
 
 witnesses, scripture and matter of fact, will, 
 as far as argument can, excite men earnestly 
 to seek deliverance from a condition so in- 
 famous and guilty ; — it will work upon them, 
 either to turn away in a rage, from the faith- 
 ful glass, whicli shews them their own fea- 
 tures ; or to humble themselves in a full con- 
 fession of all their misery before God, with 
 unfeigned desire to walk in newness of life. 
 
 Again ; What argument so likely to affect 
 the giddy and the gay, the rich and high- 
 minded ; awakening even them to serious 
 consideration, as a whole world of con- 
 demned malefactors; — condemned for break- 
 ing a law of most benevolent intention, of 
 consummate excellence, enacted by highest 
 authority : the penalty for which transo-res- 
 sion is, and ought to be, extremely great, 
 even the curse of God. The nature and end 
 of law, in every nation under heaven, and 
 the known condition of all capital offenders 
 coHvicted by it, join aid uith scripture-doc- 
 trine, to help our dull conceptions of the 
 consequences of our sin. In which case one, 
 as well as another, can perceive, that due 
 care ought to be taken to demonstrate, it r^. 
 N 2 
 
i268 "' On tfis CGnncctlon between 
 
 not from slight thoughts of sin, tliat God 
 receives any of us to mercy ; due care that 
 his justice and purity should he fully mani- 
 fested in the punishment of sin, lest the fa- 
 vor of formveness should be deemed a little 
 matter, and wantonly abused. But from this 
 obvious consideration, salvation by Christ 
 alone is calculated to strike the mind as the 
 wisdom and power of God. 
 
 With respect also to the person of Cii hist, 
 and his office, what circumstance is there, 
 that the people cannot comprehend ? When 
 the prophet saiih, ^' Behold your God shall 
 ^* come vvith venc^eance, even God with a 
 " rccompence, He shall come and save you ; 
 •' all who are n-eak and fearful of heart, lest 
 " they should be lost,"' (whom these words 
 address) will clearly perceive the suitable- 
 ness, the great value of the promise, and 
 long for its accomplishment. And when the 
 Savior is called *' Light of the world, Prince 
 " of peace, EmmanueV the sound is joyful, 
 the condescension amazing, and the benefit 
 it encourages us to expect, most welcome to 
 every one who desires peace and communion 
 with God. 
 
Christian Doctrine and good. J-Vorks. \l6'j 
 
 Above all, the grand central truth of the 
 Bible, the eternal reckmption of the Church, 
 is formed from our very constitution to 
 strike us, as soon as it is proposed and believ- 
 ed, above every other argument. Even an 
 enormous offender dijing under the hands of 
 justice, is a powerful preacher against his 
 own Ciimes, to a thousand spectators. His 
 end will dra-w attention from young and old, 
 rich and poor, wlio would sleep over every 
 exhortation to obey the laws, without such 
 an example of justice before their eyes. The 
 death of an innocent nian, of a rnartyr, is still 
 more interesting. But a father, affected as 
 David was for liis rebellious Absalovt : and 
 j^ot.oniy wiiling to give up his own life a 
 substitute for i:is abandoned offspring, but 
 actually expiring a sacrifice for them, excites 
 the tenderest emotions the heart can feel. — 
 We should even be reproached as wanting in 
 humanity itself, did we not passionately ad- 
 mire such a character. From these instances, 
 judge what must be the impression, when the 
 Maker of all things saith, ''Lo, 1 come; (a 
 " body hast thou prepared me, ) to die for the 
 '' ungodly, forsinners, for enemies." When 
 N 3 
 
^70 On the CcnnectiGiis hetwten 
 
 this fact is believed and realized to the mind ; 
 love and adoration, and zeal to please such 
 an unparalleled benefactor, springs up ; — a 
 Lawgiver higher than the heavens, purging 
 away sin by the sacrifice of Hinjself, that his 
 people might be saved, and the law receive 
 no dishonor ^. 
 
 * A rrrj remarkable fact in tlic life of Lycvrgu-o.^ 
 Prince of Sparfa, proves wbat strong impresbions, suffcr- 
 ini^s ciidured for our benefit naturally make upon us. 
 When Lyciirgus rJteir.pted lo bring about an equal divi- 
 sion of the Spartan lands, the very first proposal met with 
 ?o \iolcrit an opposition from the men of property, that 
 a fray ensued, in which Lycurgus lost one of his eyes. 
 The pcoplcy struck with the sight of the blood of their ad- 
 mired laxigivcrj seized the offender, onfi Jkander by 
 name, and gave Lim up to be punished at discretion. 
 Lycurgus, with the greatest generosity, freely forgave 
 him : for which Alcander instantly admired and loved 
 him ; became his warmest friend, and greatest advocate 
 with rhe men of property, who opposed his designs. 
 
 If the loss of one member of the body only, in a noble 
 contention for the welfare of the republic, wrought thus 
 powerfully on the people, d.rA on Alcander himself, when 
 forgiven his offence, we are not to wonder at that saying, 
 " And I, if I he lifted up, li'dl draw all 7nen unto meJ' 
 It was spoken from a thorough knowledge of human na- 
 ture, no less than the irreversible purpose of his own 
 mind. 
 
Christian Doctrine snd aood Works. 27 1 
 
 to^ 
 
 The rich blessings also v/hich are purchased 
 by this bleeding oblation on the cross, with 
 the godlike manner of their conveyance, are 
 formed to win the heart. Forgiveness of 
 sins, peace with God, free access to Him, as 
 his adopted children ; the pleasures of a holy 
 life ; hope abounding in the nnidst of trials ; 
 victory over death ; a resurrection of the bo- 
 dy to glory ; the sight of God as Be is, and 
 the eternal enjoyment of Him in heaven. 
 All these blessings, offered without money, 
 and without price, to every one that thirsteih 
 for salvation, however deeply he may have 
 plunged himself in guilt, are glad tidings, ex- 
 torting that exclamation, " Lord, what is 
 ** man ! that thou so regardest him ?"' These 
 things are calculated to put all the powers of 
 the soul into motion, becatise tiiey are infi- 
 nitely grand, interesting, and desirable. 
 
 But should there be no spark of ingenuity 
 in our breast, to kindle at such an object as 
 a compassionate, dying, crucitied Redeemei'^ 
 and the unsearchable riches of his grace ; 
 should nothing but fear and terror be able to 
 awaken and alarm ; what will you name 
 N 4 
 
On the Conncciion beta 
 
 ween 
 
 equal to the second appearance of this reject- 
 ed, despised, injured Lamb of God, as it was 
 presented in vision to his beloved disciple ? 
 
 '' I saw/' he says, '' a great white throne, 
 '' and Him that sat on it ; before whose face 
 *' the earth and the heaven fled away, and 
 *' there was no place found for them. And 
 *^ I saw the dead, small and great, stand be- 
 ''. fore God ; and the books \^•ere opened and 
 *• another book was opened, which is the book 
 ^•, of hfe ; and the dead were judged out of 
 *^ those things which were written in the 
 *• books, according to tlicir works. And the 
 *' sea gave up the dead which were in it ; and 
 " death and hell delivered up the dead which 
 ^' were in them ; and they were judged every 
 *' man accordinjy to their works," Jiev, xx. 
 
 Then (in the words of a spu'ited writer) 
 '' the intemperate giatificatious of corrupt. 
 "■ men, their impure indulgencies, the ruin 
 '' of the innocence, peace, and usefulness of 
 " those whom they have made subservient to 
 •' their pleasure, ambition, and avarice, shall 
 ''be recalled to their remembrance; shall- 
 '' appear in all their dreadful circumstances 
 
Chrhtiai} Doctrine a.nd irood Works. ^7S 
 
 of aggravation, and receive from the Judge 
 the due recoinpence of divine vengeance. 
 The?i neither titles of honor, possessions, 
 family connections, nor any advantages 
 they can here boast, shall avail in the least 
 to ward off the sentence of the impartial 
 Jud^e, or shelter them from the stroke of 
 that almighty arm, which shall be lifted up 
 against them. The?i the eternal conse- 
 quences of divine anger shall pursue their 
 crimes. *' The Redeemer Himself shall 
 pronounce them accursed. Heaven shall 
 reject, and for ever close its gates against 
 them. They shall be forsaken of God. 
 shunned by his holy angels, avoided by ail 
 the \\ ise, the religious, the recovered part 
 of mankind, as contagion itself, and mark- 
 ed out as vessels of wrath, endured with 
 with much long-suffering, and fitted for de- 
 struction. Then that faith, piety, and virtue, 
 which they wickedly despised, shall appear 
 to be the only distinctions of mankind, 
 which God regards^ and the sole qualifi- 
 cations for eternal happiness. — Then the 
 followers of Christ in all the excellencies 
 of the Christian life and character, shall be 
 N 6 
 
274 On tilt Conncctioyi between 
 
 " owned as tlie only genuine children of 
 " wisdom ; shall obtain the approbation of 
 "' heaven and earth, and be accounted worthy 
 '' through the all-powerful merits and inter- 
 " cession of Christ, to obtain eternal life 
 ** and glory." 
 
 There can be no greater mistake, th.ere- 
 fore, if we rea.lly mean to promote the prac- 
 tice of good works, than to omit, , or but 
 sligb.tly niention such subjects as these, in or- 
 der to lecture upon some single duty, recom- 
 mending; it as amiable and excellent, or 
 painting the conduct opposite to it, as ba^^e 
 and hurtful. These subjects, either to gain 
 attention, or rouse the soul to action, com- 
 pared with the Fall, the Redemption, the 
 Eternal Judgment, are weak as the sound of 
 a whisper to the trump oi" God. 
 
 This mistake is injurious also to the prac- 
 tice of good works in anotlier w^ay, although 
 it expresses so much zeal for tliem. The 
 chief hindrance to a good lite, is pride of 
 heart, which sets us above regarding the 
 Icnown dictates of any superior, and the af- 
 fectionate counsel even of our best friend ; 
 whilst it leads us extravaganth^ to over- rare 
 
Christian Doctrine and Good Works, 'Q!75 
 
 the least degree of obedience \vc find our- 
 selves inclined to pay ; and renders us most 
 of all averse to confess our deserts, and our 
 debt to God for his mercies. From men it 
 makes us expect much, and ready to take of- 
 fence if it is not paid us to the full measure 
 of what we imagine to be our due. Where- 
 fore, till this inbred worst distemper of the 
 mind is subdued, there can be no success ia 
 pressing the observance of duty. But in or- 
 der to put men out of conceit with themselves, 
 the most effectual way is not to prove the 
 reasonableness, excellency, or necessity of 
 good works, or the iniquity of this or that 
 particular vice. This will have little eii'ect 
 in comparison of a direct attack upon human 
 pride, by strong proofs from scripture and 
 matter of fact, that so far from having any 
 reason to think well of ourselves, every indi- 
 vidual, till renewed in the spirit of his mind, 
 is a despiser of the authority and excellency 
 of God; a vile ingrate towards Him; an 
 opposer of his government; — consequently 
 a compound of qualities so odious, that no 
 one upoji earth was ever abandoned enough 
 to speak a word in their defence. It 13 all 
 X 6 
 
G76 On the Connection betwem 
 
 this heavy charge of guilt and depravity, 
 brought home to the conscience, not some 
 particular instance of disobedience, which 
 confounds the prid^, or fires the resentment 
 of sinners, — which provokes them to con- 
 tradict and blaspheme the scripture-doctrine, 
 or stops their mouth, exciting in them ear- 
 nest prayer for deliverance from such a state 
 of wickedness. Only keep out of sight tlje 
 xohole of our vileness, and we can easily bear 
 reproach of conscience for being guilty in 
 many things : — but when this is proved to 
 our conviction, there can be no peace till 
 we become Christians altogether. 
 
 Further; By dwelling only on plain, prac- 
 tical subjects, we necessarily confine men's 
 attention to particular duties, instead of lay- 
 ing before them the spiritual Law of God, 
 and its demands ; by which omission, self- 
 complacency is flattered in those who observe 
 the single duly we press upon them, or are 
 fi'ee from the particular vice we condemn ; 
 and thus slaves to sin of every denomination, 
 find in turn something to make them easy, or 
 give them pleasure. Prove the necessity of 
 tempera-nce and chastity, many of a vile co- 
 
Christi-an Doctrine and Good fVorks, 277 
 
 vetous spirit, will think themselves sufficiently 
 virtuous, because they are neither drunken 
 nor lewd. Dwell on the necessity of justice 
 and integrity in all our dealings, many of the 
 vain and proud, of the intemperate or de- 
 bauched, will biess themselves, that they are 
 very honest men. Expose fashionable vices, 
 those who have escaped them through mere 
 prudence, not any sense of duty to God, will 
 conclude their state is safe and good. Ex- 
 hort to the diligent practice of devotion, and 
 proud formalists will trust still more in a 
 round of religious duties, and despise others. 
 In short, all will retain their original good 
 opinion of themselves, because, though con- 
 demned in some respects, their neighbors are 
 so too; no one lives without faults, and they, 
 as well as others, have their virtues*. 
 
 * Every body has heard of Him, who made no other 
 use of the Whole Duty of Man, than to point'out the 
 faults of his neighbors, by affixing their names in the 
 margin, opposite to the vice the aiithcvr condemns. This 
 is done much oftcner in the heart, than is commonly 
 supposed, when particular branches of duty are en- 
 larged on, without some check upon cur natural spirit 
 of self-preference. 
 
27 S . On the Connect wii hetueen 
 
 But no room is left for this false conclu- 
 sion ; nothing to feed vanity of mind, on ac- 
 count of freedom from this or that particular 
 vice, or the practice of this or that virtue, 
 when Ckristian doctrines are ur"[ed to en- 
 force good works. Since from these doc- 
 trines it is a truth indisputable, that in in our 
 first estate we are all vile and lost, — all con- 
 cluded under sin ; and are delivered out of it 
 (if indeed delivered) " not by works of right- 
 *' eousness which we have done," but by 
 mere mercy, throuofh the atonement and 
 righteousness of God our Savior ; and after 
 deliverance from it, can never say with truth, 
 we are accepted for our own goodness. Self- 
 complacency, therefore, the great hindrance 
 to proficiency in obedience, is mortified by 
 these considerations to the last hour of life, 
 even in the midst of the most active zeal to 
 honor God, and manifest good-will to all 
 men. 
 
 Should it be said, Care may certainly be 
 taken, so to press obedience without partial- 
 ity, . and without hypocrisy, as to prevent 
 every abuse, and all self-exaltation. — I an- 
 swer, if Christian doctrines be omitted, one 
 
Christian Doctrine and Good JVorhs, 579 
 
 capital defect must still remain, which will al- 
 ways prevent success; because no proof of the 
 excellency or necessity of good works, inde- 
 pendent of Christian principles, however 
 guarded, can give men the encouragement 
 they need, or direct them how to obtain pozcer 
 to do their duty. Little indeed is known of 
 our condition, by those who think v,e want to 
 be told, our life and practice ought to be very 
 different from what it is. Supreme love to 
 God, and good behavior to every one, all 
 allow is our bounden duty. Eiit unbelief, 
 pride, self-love, desire of gain, preferment, 
 and distinction ; love of praise, with the 
 strong impulse of sensual appetites, make this 
 confession affect us very slightly, and prove 
 an effectual obstruction in the way of our 
 duty. Hence the contrary spirit, to that of 
 love either to God or man, hath ruled the 
 human species ever since the fall, when left to 
 themselves, not from ignorance that it is evil, 
 but from want of a determined will to cleave 
 to that which is good. Find out a way, there- 
 fore, to dethrone these tyrant-passions, good 
 works will follow of course. " When thou 
 ** hast set my heart at liberty, I v/ill run the 
 
S80 On the Connection between 
 
 *' way of thy commandments." On the con- 
 trar}^, to press the necessity of moral practice, 
 without first giving plain and full directions 
 how to master these grand impediments to 
 well-doing, is no better than reading our sen- 
 tence of condemnation. What we all want, 
 is pouer to surmount the difficulties we have 
 to contend with, and assurance of its vouch- 
 safement; not taken for granted, but esta- 
 blished upon strong foundations, sufficient to 
 remove natural distrust, and painful doubts 
 about this matter. Was not such assurance 
 absolutely necessary to secure the practice of 
 good works, why are promises of aid, sup- 
 port, consolation, and final victory, given and 
 repeated so often, so solemnly to the faith- 
 ful ? Why is there any thing more in the 
 Bible than a clear definition of our duty, and 
 revelation of a future state of rewards and 
 punishments ? But no such assurance of 
 power, arises from the strongest proof of 
 the excellency or necessity of good works. 
 Till the. Christian doctrine of the success of 
 faith in Christ, his love, the power of the 
 holy Ghost, and the engagements of the nev/ 
 Covenant, are proved, explained, and ap- 
 
Chrhtian Doctrine and (load Works. 28 i 
 
 j^lied, the rule of duly, exceiient as it is, will 
 not be found practicable by us. To the com- 
 inand of God, there must be added his kind 
 exhortations, and endearing promises. We 
 must be assured, *' He giveth power to the 
 " faint, and to them that liave no might. He 
 '* increaseth strengl'n : is nigh unto all them 
 *^ that call upon Him, and will fuihl the de- 
 *• sire of them them that fear Him." An ad- 
 vocate for sinners must be set before us in 
 such a captivating point of view, as the apos- 
 tle describes him to the church, to inspire 
 hope, that our petitions will certainly pros- 
 per : '* Seeing then we have a great high 
 *' priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jk- 
 '' sus, the Son of God; let us hold fast 
 ** our profession. For we have not an high 
 '^ priest which cannot be touched with a 
 '' feeling of our infirmities; but was in all 
 " points tempted like as we are, yet with- 
 *^ out sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly' 
 " to the throne of grace, that we may obtain 
 " mercy, and find grace to help in time of 
 '' need," Heb. iv. 
 
 When these arc^uments and motives are 
 pressed, not only is support given to the 
 
28*2 On the Comitction beincen 
 
 weak, and comfort to the dejected ; but 
 every worker of iniquity is self- condemned, 
 and left absolutely without excuse, for not 
 calling on the same Lord over all, ^' who is 
 " rich in mercy to all that call on hiui : for 
 ^^ whosoever calleth on the name of the 
 " Lord, shall be saved." 
 
 Such proclamations of help and power 
 from above, are not only necessary for all, 
 as motives and arguments to abound in the 
 pi'actice of good works, but more evidently 
 still in their case, who have been long accus- 
 tojned to do evil, and made themselves ten- 
 fold more the children of hell, than they were 
 before. Persons of this black character, 
 oftener than is commonly supposed, despair 
 of ever being better. Their long-indulged 
 passions, stronger than iron fetters, bind 
 them in the house of their prison. They 
 are falling victims to love of liquor, or vile 
 lewdness, though temporal ruin and death 
 stare them in the face. Led captive, and 
 borne down by impetuous passions, in vain 
 withstood in their own strength, how do 
 tradesmen lie and defraud : the poor steal 
 and pilfer ; the covetous oppress, the pas- 
 
Christian Doctrine and Good IVorhs. 283 
 
 sionate quarrel, and men in general vex and 
 devour one another ! Out of this multitude 
 some are recovered : their life, their mind is 
 changed. But this marvellous transformation 
 is always broudit about in a way which clear- 
 ly proves, that much more than the know- 
 ledge of our duty, is necessary to make us 
 perform it. Such converts to Cjikist and 
 righteousness, are first heavy laden with their 
 sins, and so grievously feel their own inability 
 to cast away tiicir transgressions, that they 
 cry unto the Lord day and night for mercy 
 and for power. Their stale is drawn to the 
 life in those remarkable words : ** When the 
 " poor and needy seek for water, and there 
 *' is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst. 
 *' Then the Lord saith, I will hear them, I 
 *' the Gor» of Israel will not forsake them," 
 Isai. xlvii. 17. 
 
 From hence we may account for a very 
 surprising fact ; I mean, that some of the 
 most profligate on earth, during great part 
 of their lives, far exceed afterwards in the 
 excellency of their practice, and the good 
 example they set, even many who have served 
 the Lord from their youth up. The reason 
 
284 On the Conmclion bctuten 
 
 is, tlieir helplessness and misery have been 
 more deeply felt ; their prayers for deliver- 
 ance, and some suitable return for such mer- 
 cy, more fervent and persevering; their sal- 
 vation is astonishing to theniselves, and their 
 sensibility of that adorable grace, to which 
 they owe it all, quick and pcru:ianent. 
 
 This change, evident in the most cxtraordi- 
 imry converts through every age of the church,, 
 fully proves, that the most effectual way to 
 promote good works, is not only or princi- 
 pally to show they are excellent or neces- 
 sary ; but on the contrary, to fix conviction 
 on the unbelieving and impenitent, that they 
 are as wicked and base, as the word of God 
 affirms them to be ; as much need his power 
 to help them, and importunate prayer for 
 it, as the scripture teaches ; and may be ab- 
 solutely certain, that when they implore par- 
 don and strength, in and through Christ, 
 they shall be saved. The very worst of men 
 in this way, and in no other, have been con- 
 verted, made wise, and just, and good, and 
 jjQly . — whilst the most decent and regular, 
 l>y denying their own weakness and guilt ; 
 
Chrisliau Doclrint and Good l\ orhs. 283 
 
 by presuming they needed no deep humilia- 
 tion for sin, or cleansing in the fountain 
 opened for it, go on till death, self-exalted, 
 unchanged, unforgiven. In one case, we 
 see, in the strongest light, excellent fruit 
 from deep conviction of sinfulness and help- 
 lessness : in the other, a fair exterior, and re- 
 gular deportment, prove the greatest hin- 
 drance to self-knowledge, to faiih in CtiRiST, 
 to real prayer, and ahounding in every good 
 work. In both the truth of scripture ap- 
 pears, that '' PRIDE always goes before de- 
 ^' struction ;" and before honor in the sight 
 of God, humility. 
 
 When this neglect of Christian doctrines, 
 pregnant with so many evils, lias been justly 
 condemned and censured, the general reply 
 from those who allow ihey are intelligible 
 by the poor, is, that we ouglit in chanty 
 to take it for granted these doctrines are 
 known and believed ; — and for this reason 
 there is no occasion to teach them con- 
 stantljj. 
 
 What ! take it for granted, against the evi- 
 dence of our senses, and daily observa- 
 tion ? Take il for granted, when the very 
 
286 On the Connection between 
 
 means of Christian instruction are so noto- 
 riously neglected, and even despised ? Do 
 the poor know and believe any of the Arti- 
 cles of the Christian Creed, when almost 
 without exception they plead their condition 
 in excuse for the grossest ignorance, with no 
 less confidence, than if God had declared, 
 He would allow the plea ? Do men en- 
 grossed in following their trade, their farms, 
 and their merchandize, understand and be- 
 lieve these doctrines, without the least appli- 
 cation to their Bible, or fervent prayer, or 
 feeling of the infinite importance of things 
 spiritual and unseen ? Can schoolmasters, if 
 religiously disposed themselves, do more in 
 general than hear their scholars repeat the 
 Catechism by rote, which may be done in 
 perfect ignorance of all it means r Ov in 
 univer3ities, is Christian religion the science 
 which students are called upon in any degree 
 to regard ? 
 
 Unless, therefore, the Pulpit is employed 
 constantly to supply the guilty neglect of the 
 vast multitudes of parents ignorant and pro- 
 fane in educating their children, and the de- 
 plorable defies of iichcols and colleges. 
 
Christian Doctrine and Good JVorks. 287 
 
 it seoms hardly possible, humanly speakin^^, 
 that we should be more than nominal Chris- 
 tians ; so far from discerning the excellency 
 and end of the faith and hope of the Gospel, 
 as not even to know what they mean ; be 
 perfectly satisfied with ourselves if we do no 
 harm; and think we are Christians to all 
 intents and purposes, if we are but good 
 members of society. 
 
 Let us now sum up the several evil effects 
 which have been proved naturalconsequences 
 of dwelling on the practice of good works, 
 in neglect of Christian doctrines. It makes 
 the most important part of the Bible appear 
 of little use; contradicts the judgment of 
 Christ and his Apostles; and their express 
 command to teach these sacred truths. It 
 defeats one great end of the Christian minis- 
 try, which is to expound the sci'ipture; leads 
 men into such unscriptural notions, as makes 
 them first to dislike, and at last reject the 
 Bible. It keeps out of sight the most effi- 
 cacious motives to abound in good works ; 
 gratifies pride, excites to odious comparisons, 
 and passes over in silence those beneficent 
 proclamations of help and power from above, 
 
288 On tlw Conncctioji hetzvcm 
 
 without which no man is sufficient to walk 
 in obedience before God. 
 
 In answer to this charge, I am sensible, 
 some will reply, — not less evil, as history at- 
 tests, are the consequences of insisting con- 
 tinually on Grace, the precious promises, 
 and Covenant, the righteousness and merits 
 of Christ, and other comfortable doctrines. 
 Have they not created in wicked men a de- 
 testable persumption of being saved ? Have 
 they not been so taught, as to inspire even a 
 contempt for good works, and make every 
 social virtue appear a low attainment ; and 
 earnest seeking to keep the commandments, 
 a thing derogatory to the glory ofy}re grace, 
 by which we are accepted in the Beloved ? 
 What can be more pernicious than these 
 effects ? 
 
 It is granted, one extreme is no less fatal 
 than the other. It is granted, moral prac- 
 tice must be urged, and insisted on with all 
 authority, in its proper place and connection, 
 no less than the articles of tliith. Nothing 
 but Antinomian phrenzy ever can lead mcu 
 to be shy of allowing, of earnestly contend- 
 ing for this. But the important point of dif- 
 
Chrhtlaii Doctrine and Good IVorhs, 289 
 
 ference between the world and the church 
 of Christ, lies in the means which are to 
 be used to secure the practice of good 
 works, and their value when performed. 
 Pagan philosophers, mere moralists, and 
 those who think with them, will have tlie 
 fruit without the tree ; good practice without 
 Christian principles, from mere resolution of 
 mind, from approbation of virtue, and de- 
 terniined purp.ose to attain future happiness. 
 The universal church hath always taudit. 
 that knowledge of Ciiuist, love of his 
 name, and the power of the holy Ghost, are 
 previously requisite, before we can lead a 
 Christian life; that these thino-s must be 
 proved, explained, applied, as most eflica- 
 cious to win over tiie alienated heart to de- 
 light in God, and regulate the whole man 
 according to his will. On this foundation, 
 the whole building of Christian graces is to 
 rise, to the comfort of the believer, the bene- 
 fit of all in connection w-ith him, and the 
 glory of God. The sacred Oracles teach. 
 us, knowledge must go before faun; — con- 
 viction of impending ruin for sin, and de-= 
 
 O 
 
290 On Christian 'Doctrine and Good Works. 
 
 liverance from it, before supreme love to 
 Christ, without which there can be no 
 humble universal obedience, or good works 
 well-pleasing in the sight of God. 
 
 From these testimonies the conclusion 
 cannot be in/dlidated, that the great essen-. 
 tial doctrines which ministers are constantly 
 to teach, must be the very same as were 
 taught by ttie Apostles themselves, under 
 the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of 
 truth, when they first published the Gospel 
 to the world, and laid the foundation of the 
 Christian church ; not such as moral philo- 
 sophers, or those v/ho think with them, insist 
 on, to the great disparagement of the faith 
 and hope of the Gospel, 
 
 THE END. 
 
 E. EkckaJcT, PnnUf, Yook'a-Co.tft, Cr^iucry I:ns 
 
JUST PUBLISHED, 
 - R. OGLE'S CATALOGUE OF BOOKS, 
 IN THEOLOGY, 
 
 Nero and Second Hand: 
 
 Comprising the Works of the most esteemed Divines, Eng- 
 Jilh and Foreign, together with a great assortment of the best 
 Sermons, in the English and French Language, which are 
 now on Sale, for Ready Money only, at his Shop, (Blair's 
 Head) No. 295, Holborn. 
 
 R, O. begs leave to recommend to those wishing to dispose of 
 Theological Libraries, a Plan, v;hich he means to adopt, and 
 which will secure to the Seller, the full Value of ;;he Books, 
 free from the great Expences attending a Public Sale, at 
 the same time that it embraces all its advantages — Further 
 particulars by Personal Application, or Letters post paid. 
 
 THE COMPLETE DUTY OF MAN, by the late Rev. H, 
 Venny a new and neat Edition, 8vo. 7s 
 
 AN ADDRESS TO THE METHODISTS, AND LET- 
 TERS TO ALEX. KNOX, Esq. by Johi IVaiker, late of 
 Trinity College, Dublin, anew Edition, izmo. boards, 3s 6d 
 
 SERMONS, by the late Rev. J. Burn, Minister of Fragon, 
 Svo. 5s. boards 
 
 SEVENTEEN SERMONS, on Doctrinal and Practical Sub- 
 jects, by,, the Rev. Thomas Mutter^ D. D. Second Edition, 
 Svo. 76 boards 
 
 SOLITUDE SWEETENED, or Select Meditations, written 
 in different Parts of the World, by the late James Meikkj 
 Surgeon at Carnwath. Third Edition, izmo. 4s boards 
 
 A COMPLETE CONCORDANCE to the Holy Scriptures 
 of the Old asd New Testament, and Apocraphal Books, 
 by Alex. Crudcn^ a new Edition, only il 5s calf lettered 
 
 WHITBY'S PARAPHRASE AND COMMENTARY 
 
 ON THE NEW TESTAMENT, a new Edition, 2 vol. 
 4.to. 2I los boards 
 
 BROWNS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, the genuine 
 Edition, free from the Doctrinal Errors, &c. introduced 
 into the others, 2 vol. 8vo. i6s. boards 
 
 SERMONS AND TRACTS, by the Rev. Dr. John Mascn, 
 or Nfcw York, i2mo. 4.5. boards 
 
 DR. MACKNIGHT'S TRANSLATION of the APOS- 
 TOLICAL EPISTLES, with a Corameniary and Notes, 
 u new Edition, 6 vol. Svo. boards 
 
Books Puhlhhed hij R. Ogle. 
 
 DR. MACKNIGHT'S HARMONY OF THE GOSPEL, 
 
 anew Edition, 2 vol. 8vo. boards, i6s 
 
 DR. CAMPBELL'S TRANSLATION OF THE FOUR 
 GOSPELS, with Preliminary Diesertations, 4 vol. 8vo. 
 boards, il 12s 
 
 BROWN'S SELFTNTERPRETING BIBLE, z vol. 4-to. 
 neatly bound in calf, 3I 3s 
 
 HENRY'S COMMENTARY ON THE OLD AND NEW 
 
 TESTAMENT, 6 vol. 410. calf gik, 61 6s— Ditto calf 
 
 lettered, 61 — Ditto in boards, 4I los 
 This Edition of Henry, so convenient in jpoint of Size, to 
 
 those now publishing, is not more than half their price 
 EXTRACTS from the DIARY, LETTERS, &c. of the 
 
 late Colonel BlackadeKf with his Life, by Mr, Newton and 
 
 Dr. Stuart y lamo. 3s 6d. boards 
 
 ESSAY ON THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY 
 SCRIPTURES, by the Rev. J. Dkh, izmo. 3s 6d boards^ 
 
 LECTURES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, by 
 the Rev. J. Dicky 8vo. 6s boards 
 
 CLARK'S COLLECTION OF SCJ^IPTURE PRO- 
 MISES, a new Edition, larao. 3s 6d bound — very neat, 
 j8mo. as 6d bound 
 
 DR. SMITH'S VIEW OF THE LAST JUDGMENT, 
 8vo. boards, 6s 
 
 SMITH'S SYSFEM OF PRAYER, composed of Scriptural 
 Expressions, for the Assistance of those who take the lead in 
 Social Worship, and Private Christians, 7s. 8vo. boards 
 
 The whole Works of the late Rev. Dr. John IVitkerspoo?^ Pi'e- 
 
 sident of Princetown College, New Jersey, 9 vol. izmo. 
 
 il IIS 6d, boards 
 THE ECONOMY OF THE COVENANTS BETWEEN. 
 
 GOD AND MAN, by Herman mtsiusy D. D. a new 
 
 Edition, 2 vol. 8vo. azs boards 
 IRENICUM, or an Account^of the Controversies, agitated. 
 
 in Britain, under the name of Neonomir^n and An;inomian3 
 
 translated from the original Latin, by the Rev. Thomas 
 
 Belly izmo. 4s. boards 
 MEMOIRS OF ENHNENTLY PIOUS WOMEN, by the 
 
 late Rev. Dr. GiZ'^&^^J,* together with a Suppltmeotary vol. 
 
 of New Lives, by the R^v. George Jermenty embeHishcd with 
 
 15 portrait.s, z vol. 8vo. i\ is, fine, or i8s, common boards 
 SHORT DISCOURSES to be read in FAMILIES, by the 
 
 Rev. IV. Joy, z vol 8vo. 18s, boards 
 The Works of the late Dr. Joseph Stcfinet, 4 vol, izmo. i6s 
 
 boards — ditto, second paper, 14s