THE first and last clause in this verse are express in affirming negatively, that the method of justification before God is not by "the works of the law". And the affirma­tion extends universally; taking in one man as well as another, mankind without distinction or discrimination. "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law". The words [Page 2] are spoken, not of any particular man, but of man as signifying the whole species, every individual that is of the rank we call men. So the Apostle explains himself in the other clause of the verse, "by the works of the law shall no flesh be justi­fied"; that is, no partaker of human flesh, no man, whether he be Jew or Gentile, no one of the race of Adam. In this sense precisely the phrase, "no flesh", is used by this same Apostle, when speak­ing, in the following chapter, ver. 11. upon this same subject. Says he, "no man is justified by the law in the sight of God". In agreement wherewith is that prayer of pious David, ^* "en­ter not into judgment with thy servant", as grounded upon this reason, "for in thy sight shall no man living be justified".

IN further speaking to the text it will be pro­per to explain the terms "justifie", and "the works of the law". The way will then be clear to illustrate the truth here affirmed, that "no flesh", no man, "can be justified by these works".

AS to the term "justifie", it is not an original English word, but borrowed from a Latin one (justificare): Neither is this latin word of anci­ent use among the best Roman writers; ^† but has been introduced since, by christian divines, to express the sense of a scripture one, often to be met with, particularly in the Apostle Paul's epi­stles, especially his epistles to the Romans and the Galatians. It's meaning is not, to make just; as [Page 3] to sanctifie is to make holy. This may seem to be the sense of the word, judging by its etymology. But its rarely, if ever, used, in the inspired pages, as carrying in it this meaning. Tis rather to be understood in a law-sense, alluding to the acquit­ance of an accused person upon a legal process, and his being accounted just in opposition to the charge that was exhibited against him. It ac­cordingly signifies to approve, accept, vindicate or adjudge as just. We shall exemplifie this in a few instances. The holy God is applied to in those words, ^* "hear thou in heaven, and judge thy servants; condemning the wicked, and justi­fying the righteous". Where, "justifying the righteous" does not signifie, the making them righteous; but appearing for them in judgment, and vindicating them as such. It is affirmed, ^† "He that justifieth the wicked is an abomination to the Lord". By "justifying the wicked" is not meant, the making them qualitatively just: This would be well-pleasing to God: But it sig­nifies a pleading for them, and defending them in judgment as just, while, at the same time, they are wicked. Hence that threatning of the Pro­phet, ^‡ "Wo unto them, who justifie the wicked for a reward"; that is, vindicate them in judg­ment as righteous persons, when the reverse is their true character. And the word is used in this same sense in the New-testament. "Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified";^§ that is, shall be accounted and declared just in judgment. So tis said of the Publican, in the gospel of Luke, ^‖ [Page 4] that he "went down to his house justified rather than the [...]harisee"; that is, approved by God, and accepted as just. In like manner we read, ^* "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died". By "God's justifying", we are evidently to understand his ac­quiting and vindicating in judgment as just; for it here stands opposed to condemnation.—But I need not multiply instances. Tis generally al­lowed, on all sides, that the word, "justifie", is used in this judicial sense throughout the scrip­tures; at least in a sense refering to this, and cor­responding with it. Thô it ought to be remem­ber'd, and heedfully remarked here, that no one can, in consistency with truth, be judicially de­clared just, unless he really is so in the eye of that rule, whatever it is, by which he is tried; and, in consequence of this, we may be sure, that the righteous judge of all the earth will never approve of any man as just, and pronounce him to be so, if this be not the truth of his character, when com­pared with the measure of judgment in his case.

"WORKS of the law" are the other terms to be explained. Now, by "law", the Apostle some­times means law "in general", both the "law written in men's hearts", and in "the books of revelation". Sometimes he uses the word more restrainedly to signifie the "Mosaic law" in special. But whether he understands by it the "natural" or "revealed law", or law "including both", works done in conformity to it, when mentioned with reference to justification, he always sets aside [Page 5] as totally insufficient for the procurement of it. Accordingly, when he affirms, that, "by the works of the law, no one shall be justified", the thôt he would convey is obviously this, that justification is not obtainable "upon the foot of law", upon any claim grounded on works done in obedience to it. As if he had said, no man, whe­ther he be Jew or Gentile, naked law, law con­sidered simply in itself, being the rule of judg­ment, can be accounted, accepted or vindicated as just, upon the score of any works he has per­formed in obedience to it: Neither the Jew, up­on works he has done in compliance with the law as published by Moses; nor the Gentile, upon the works he has done in obedience to the law of nature. And it may be added with equal truth, nei­ther can the christian be justified in the meer vir­tue of any works he has wro't in compliance with the law, as promulged in the gospel by Jesus Christ, and his apostles. In short, all works, whether of Jews, Pagans, or Christians, are excluded from justification, law, rigid law, being the rule of tryal. They are totally and absolutely insufficient to procure for any man living an acquitance in judgment, a vindication as just and righteous.

AND this, the way being prepared for it, I now come to make evident to you: In the doing of which I shall take the Apostle Paul for my in­structor and guide. He, of all the sacred writers, is the most frequent and peremptory in affirming, that justification is obtainable by no son of Adam upon a plea of works, done in conformity to meer law. Nor does he barely assert this, but greatly enlarges in the proof of it. I shall make use of his [Page 6] arguments upon this head, and endeavour to set them in a point of light that may be convincing.

IN his epistle to the Romans, he has distinctly and largely proved, that mankind universally are sinners, and therefore incapable of attaining to "the justification of life" upon the terms of naked law. The proof he has exhibited of this is con­tained in the three first chapters of this epistle; where we shall find a very melancholy account of the degenerate state, the whole world, then con­sisting of Jews and Gentiles, had sunk into. It cannot indeed be supposed, that the character he here draws of the Jews & Gentiles justly belonged, in all its lineaments, to either of them INDIVI­DUALLY considered. There were, doubtless, a­mong these bodies of men a considerable number, who had "escaped the pollutions" that were com­mon in that day "thrô lust": Nay, there is no reason to think but that some, at least, of the INDI­VIDUALS that constituted these collective bodies, were really good men, in the sense in which the inspired Solomon says, "a good man obtaineth favor of the Lord". But still, it was true of them all, that they "had gone out of the way": Not indeed equally, considered as INDIVIDUALS, but in various degrees; some in one degree, o­thers in another; but the generality in an high degree: insomuch that the apostle might justly describe them, in the gross, as awfully corrupt. For this was the real truth of their character; tho' it might be said of some of them, in the indi­vidual sense, that they were sinners in that view only in which it is affirmed, "there is not a just man that sinneth not".

[Page 7] AND that it was the intention of the apostle to give us to understand, that both Jews & Gen­tiles, mankind in common, were sinners indivi­dually, as well as in a collective sense, would seem evident beyond all reasonable dispute. Why else should he use the terms of universality? Why the strongest ones the language could furnish him with? And why should he, as it were, heap them upon one another? He is not content with say­ing, "all have sinned"; but insists that "there is none righteous, no not one"; that "there is none that doth good, no not one"; and that "all are gone out of the way". Surely, these terms must take in a [...] the individuals of the human kind without exception. Had it been his design to include the whole world of men, he could not have expressed himself in words more full to his purpose. Besides, the conclusion he introduces from the foregoing premises requires, that the terms used in them should be explained in this universal sense. How else could he say, "we have before proved, that every mouth is stop­ped", and that "all the world are become guilty before God"? How else could he infer, "there­fore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justi­fied in God's sight"? And how else could he argue, that we are "justified freely by his grace," that is, by an act of his meer favor, in opposition to every plea as grounded on works done in obe­dience to the law, and to the utter exclusion of all boasting?

IT should seem indubitably clear, that the Apo­stle's aim was to prove the impossibility of justi­fication upon terms of law, and that his long thread [Page 8] of reasoning▪ in these chapters, was principally intended to settle this important point. But if, in consequence of what he has offered, it is not fact, that both Jews and Gentiles are sinners in the account of law, considered individually and universally, there is no argumentative connection between the point in view, and the reasoning used to defend and support it. [...]ay, if it were true of ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL, whether in the Jewish or Gentile world, that he was not a sinner, judging of his character by meer law, the apostle has left his doctrine of the "unattainableness of justifica­tion upon the foot of law" without any solid proof; at least in regard of that universality, in which he has asserted, and endeavoured to maintain it. He can, in a word, be looked upon as a coherent con­clusive writer upon no other scheme than this, that Jews and Gentiles, individually as well col­lectively considered, were sinners in the view of law, and therefore not within the possibility of being justified upon a tryal by so severe a rule.

I MAY not improperly remark here, that the apostle's reasoning, with respect to the unattain­ableness of justification upon the terms of law, ought to be considered, as refering, not only to mankind as they existed at the time when he wrote, but in all after-ages of the world▪ For the consequence he deduces, from his method of reasoning, is in those strong terms of universality, "therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight". "No flesh", that is, no son of Adam, nor one of the human race. Nor, unless he is to be understood as tak­ing into his meaning mankind in all ages, have [Page 9] we, in these days, any concern with his doctrine of "justification without law": Whereas, he most certainly wrote with a view to after-ages as well as that in which he lived; designing to affirm and prove, that no son of man, in any age, till the end of time, could be justified upon law-terms: be­cause, in the eye of law, they could not but be found guilty before God. And the plain truth is, his reasoning, upon this head, is as applicable to mankind universally in these days, as to man­kind at the time when he wrote his epistle. For it is as true now as it was then, and has all along been so, that they have universally sinned. Not that mankind, in all ages, have been sinners just in the same degree as in the apostle's days: But they now are, and always have been, and always will be, sinners in such a sense as that tis impossi­ble they should be justified by the rule of strict law.

AND this account of his reasoning, it is ob­servable, perfectly coincides with the representa­tions that are every where else, in scripture, given of this matter. Says the inspired David,^* "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities; O Lord, who shall stand"? And again,^† "enter not into judg­ment with thy servant; for in thy sight no man living shall be justified". To the like purpose is the reasoning of Job, ^‡ "How should man be just with God? If he contend with him, he can­not answer him for one of a thousand". To the same purpose still are those words of Solomon, ^§ "There is not a just man upon the earth that [Page 10] doth good, and sinneth not". Agreable whereto the Apostle John assures us, ^* that "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us": Yea, he declares ^† that "if we say we have not sinned, we shall make God a liar, and his word is not in us".

I MAY pertinently add here, this scriptural ac­count of our being universally sinners, in the eye of law, most evidently accords with the experience of every man living. Who can lay his hand upon his heart, and say, that it is clear of all sin? Who can look into his life, and declare with truth, that it has not, in a less or greater degree, been stained with "the pollutions that are in the world thro' lust? If any are thus pure in heart, and have given proof of it by their "holiness in all manner of conversation", they must be those good men, who, with pious David, "have walked in their integrity". And are there any among these who have never deviated from the path of duty? Not one. They "have all sinned, and come short of the glory of God". And they are deeply sensi­ble of it, and herefrom in readiness to exclaim with the Psalmist, ^‡ "Who can understand his errors"! and to join with him in the prayer to God which follows, "cleanse thou me from secret faults". Far from imagining that they are per­fect, and able, on account of their innocency, to stand a tryal at the bar of strict law, they adopt the words of upright Job, ^‖ humbly con­fessing, "if we justifie ourselves, our own mouths would condemn us: If we should say we are per­fect, it shall also prove us perverse". And, with [Page 11] Eliphaz, their language is, ^* "What is man that he should be clean, and he that is born of a wo­man that he should be righteous"? In a word, there is no son of Adam, be his attainments in goodness ever so high, but feels within himself the truth of what the Poet says,

OR of what is expressed in still more striking language by an inspired pen, ^† "What I would, that I do not; but what I hate, that I do. The good that I would, I do not; and the evil that I would not, that I do".

NOW, if all men are sinners, as having trans­gressed the law, how can they be justified upon the foot of law? It is not possible. Law, strict law, being the rule by which they are tried, con­demnation, and that only, must be the judicial result of a procedure upon their case. Should they be declared legally just, the sentence would exhibit a manifest falsehood; it would be the effect of perverted judgment. For nothing short of obedience without a failure, in any instance of duty, respecting either heart or life, could en­title them to an acquitance as righteous persons. Could it be pleaded in their favor, that they had in some instances yielded obedience to the law, this would be of no avail; because, in other in­stances, they had violated it, and the law de­manded [Page 12] obedience in these violated instances as truly as in the other. He that would be justi­fied by his works, upon the terms of law, must not have one bad work among them all; for one bad one only, tho' it should be attended with a great many good ones, would as certainly, if not in so high a degree, expose him to a sentence of condemnation, as if his works were all bad, with the exception of one only that was good. Law, simple naked law, shews no favor. That is its language, "this do, and thou art righteous. If thou doest it not, thou art a sinner." The con­sequence wherefrom plainly is, that every man in the world, as he is a transgressor of the law, whe­ther he has transgressed it in all instances or many, in a few or one only, is, on that account, in a state of guilt, in the eye of the law, and therefore incapable of being justified by it. For tis a plain case, the law can fasten guilt upon no man, and at the same time acquit him as inno­cent. Tis impossible a sentence of approbation and condemnation should be the legal issue of a process upon the same law, at the same time. This would be a glaring contradiction.

THUS I have dilated upon, and explained at large, one of the arguments the apostle Paul has used in proof of his assertion, "that no flesh", no man, "can be justified by the works of the law". And it carries with it the strongest conviction. Tis indeed an absolutely conclusive one; and the more closely and strictly it is examined, the more clearly it will appear to be so.

[Page 13] ANOTHER argument of this same Apostle, in proof of this same point, and coinciding with that we have been considering, is to be met with in his epistle to the Galatians. Says he,^* "As many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse". As if he had said, they who expect to be justified upon the foot of works done in con­formity to the law, be they as many as you will, they are all cursed by the law. And why? The reason follows in the next words, "for it is writ­ten, cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them". As if he had said, the scripture writes those ac­cursed, in the estimation of the law, who had not done, and gone on to do, all things that are enjoined by it. He does not proceed in a formal manner to prove, that no man has ever thus answered the requirements of the law; but leaves it with the conscience of every man to de­clare to him the truth of this fact. And as every man has a witness within himself, that tells him this truth, he is constructively told likewise the consequence from it, namely, that he is cursed by the law. And if the law curses him, it cannot justifie him; if it convicts him of sin, it can't ac­quit him from guilt; if it condemns him as a transgressor, it can't vindicate him as a righteous person.

THE Apostle again argues, that we can't be "justified by the law", or any works done in o­bedience to it, because "by the law is the know­ledge of sin" ^† The law sets before men's view, in a less or greater degree of light, what God [Page 14] commands, and what he forbids; and every man, by comparing himself with the law, may know, and can't but know, that he has been a trans­gressor of it, either by omitting what it required, or by commiting what it prohibited. Even those, who have no law but that which is "written on their hearts", may know, if it be not their own fault, "that they have done those things which are worthy of death". Much more is this the truth in regard of those, who, in addition to this "natural law", have had the law "revealed to them from heaven". By this clearer discovery of what is duty, and what is transgression, they may be more fully convinced in their consciences that they are sinners in the eye of the law. And if they know by the law that they are sinners, they must know also that, being such, they are by the law incapable of justification. To suppose that any man could be accounted and declared just by that law, in the estimation of which he is a sinner, is highly absurd. As certainly therefore as every man knows, or may know, by the law, that he is an offender, so certainly does he know, or may know, that by the law it would be utterly vain to expect a vindication as righteous.

THE Apostle yet further argues against our be­ing justified by the works of the law, from the absurd consequences that would follow from such a supposition: Two of which I shall particularly mention; and the rather, as they are matters of serious and great importance.

ONE is, that we should not be indebted to grace, if we were justified by works. For "to [Page 15] him that worketh", so as to be entitled to justifica­tion on the score of his works, "the reward would be reckoned, not of grace, but of debt". ^* And is this the scripture-way of men's being justified? No; says the apostle, "we are justified freely by God's grace". ^† And "if by grace, then not by works". ^‡ And of such consequence is it, in the judgment of this apostle, that we should depend upon "grace", and not upon "works", in the affair of justification, that he declares to the Ga­latians, ^‖ "Whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace". Justification up­on a plea grounded on works done in obedience to the law, and justification upon the foot of grace, the free favor of God, are subversive of each o­ther: Insomuch that if we are justified by works, we cannot be justified by grace; and if we are justified by grace, we cannot be justified by works.

THE other consequence of our being justified by works is, the dishonor it reflects on Christ. It renders his mediatorial interposition a needless thing, counter-acts the design of his coming into the world, and nullifies his death; making it of little or no importance in the business of salvati­on. To this purpose the apostle reasons, ^§ "If righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain". Agreably whereto he again ar­gues, ^§§ "If they which are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect". As if he had said, if they that will be justified by works in obedience to the law, may [Page 16] obtain the heavenly inheritance, then faith in Christ as the end of the law for righteousness is needless, and the promise by grace thro' him is bro't to nought.

THESE are the genuine consequences of the doctrine of justification upon the terms of law, if we may trust to the reasoning of the apostle Paul. And it was upon this account, principally, that he was so frequent and zealous in his opposition to it. He had been made to feel the absolute in­sufficiency of law and works in the great affair of the sinner's justification, and knew that it could be effected in no way but that "of grace thro' Christ". This therefore was the way he carefully pointed out both to Jews and Gentiles, that is, to mankind universally. And he was abundant in his labors relative hereto; particularly in tak­ing men off from their dependance on the law, as knowing that, if they sought to be justified on the score of their works in conformity to it, they would frustrate the grace of God, and render the whole work of Christ a thing needless, and to no purpose.

I HAVE now said what may be tho't sufficient, without any further enlargement, to make it evi­dent, beyond all reasonable dispute, that "no flesh", no man, "can be justified by the works of the law".

BEFORE I proceed to make what has been discoursed practically useful, I would interpose a remark, which I esteem an important one. It is [Page 17] this. The apostle Paul no where suggests, ^* that meer law, law seperated from grace and Christ, was [Page 18] ever since the lapse, whatever it might be before,^* a divinely constituted method for the obtainment of life; or that life could be obtained upon the foot of law, in this sense, by any works done in [Page 19] conformity to it, whether perfect, or imperfect. Far from saying thus, he declares, with great pe­ [...]emptoriness, that the supposition of coming to life by bare law would totally frustrate the grace [Page 20] of God, and nullifie the death of Christ. The case was plainly this. The Jews, in his day, had essentially corrupted the Mosaic law in their use of it with reference to eternal life. They con­sidered it as a "covenant of works", depending on [Page 21] their legal observances, meerly as such, for a title to life. It was this fundamental mistake of their's that gave rise to a great part of this Apostle's epistles to the Romans, and the Galatians; in which he labors to take them off from this use of the law, by shewing the impossibility of their ever being justified in this way. And he so manages his argument, as to make it equally conclusive, whether applied to Jews, or Gentiles. His rea­soning, in its real force, and just consequence, ex­tends universally; leaving every son of Adam destitute of any claim to life, as grounded on law only, or any works done in conformity to it. It was to illustrate this grand point, (which may be worthy of our special notice) that he introduces what he says upon the lapse by the "one man" Adam, with it's consequences relative to all his posterity. And it gives his argument a most striking force. For if both Jews and Gentiles, mankind universally, are subjected to "death" by means of the original lapse, and, in consequence of this subjection, are in such a state, as that they will certainly commit sin in violation of the law, ^* [Page 22] it is from hence demonstrable, that the doctrine of justification, upon the foot of law, in oppositi­to grace and Christ, is an imaginary notion only. The great point in view with this Apostle was, to disengage sinners from "working for life", as [Page 23] tho' they could obtain it upon the score of any works they could do to this purpose. He never once called any son of Adam to work in this sense, or gave him encouragement to hope for life, should he work ever so perfectly.

[Page 24]LET us then, as the improvement of what has been said, fi [...] it in our hearts as an indisputed truth, that we cannot be "justified by the works of the law" And as we would hope, for an ac­quita [...]e at the ba [...] of God's judgment, let our view be to the free favor of God, and the atoning blood of his son Jesus Christ. For, if we are ever vindicated in judgment, it must be "by grace, [Page 25] thro' the redemption that is in him". And blessed be God we may, in this way, obtain "the justi­fication of life". Tis the way God has provided for us, and revealed to us; and he was pleased to reveal it even from the day of the lapse of the first progenitor of men. And, in truth, had not the father of mercies intended to have dealt with the posterity of Adam in a way of grace, or gospel, he would not, I believe, have suffered them to come into being▪ He would rather have pre­vented this, by the execution of death upon the first man, so soon after his lapse as to have left no room for his having posterity. It was owing to grace, that he did not cut him off immediately upon his disobedience in the special article where­in he was tried. And, perhaps, no good reason can be assigned, why grace should continue him in life so as to have posterity, if it had not been the intention of God, that his posterity should be within the possibility of acceptance with heaven, upon the plan of mercy thro' Jesus the Saviour. [Page 26] And that this was really the intention of God seems very evidently suggested in the sacred wri­tings. For, tis remarkable, "the sentence of condemnation", occasioned by the lapse, is spoken of as posterior to the promise of a Saviour. God first declared, "the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head", and after this pronoun­ced the judicial sentence, "dust thou art, and un­to dust thou shalt return". This promise, with­out all doubt, was intended as a remedy against the disadvantages which Adam had bro't upon himself, and consequentially upon his posterity, by means of his "one offence"; and by it they were all put into such a state as that, thro' the "promised seed of the woman", it became possible for them to be justified and saved. The Apostle Paul certainly viewed the matter in this light. Hence, ^* he declares, "that the creature, [by which phrase he must needs include mankind] was made subject to vanity in hope".^† Of what? It follows in the next verse, "that ^§ the creature itself^§§ shall be delivered from the bondage of cor­ruption [Page 27] into the glorious liberty of the children of God"; which would have been impossible upon the plan of law, but is easily to be accounted for upon the scheme of grace thro' the promised Saviour. He very obviously leads us into the same way of thinking upon the matter, when he says, ^* "as by the offence of one judg­ment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. ^† What intelligible meaning can be given to this text, if the posterity of Adam, thro' the righteousness of one, were not within the possibility of attaining the justification of life? I may add here, tis the express declaration of him, who is "head over all things", "that all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the son of God, and come forth".^‡ Tis put beyond all doubt, by these words, that mankind universally shall be raised from the dead. But how is this possible according to the course of law? Law, as such, knows no mercy. Accord­ing to law, if mankind are once dead, they must be forever dead. Tis nothing but the interposi­tion of grace can deliver them from the power of the grave. And as they shall be thus delivered, and this universally, tis as certain that they are herein dealt with upon the foot of grace, as that death passes upon them, ^§ death would otherwise [Page 28] everlastingly reign over them. Those who ima­gine, that any of Adam's posterity are so under law, as not to be at the same time under grace, might do well to turn the tho't in their minds, how it is possible, upon this scheme, that they should, after they were once dead, be bro't back to life again? I shall subjoin yet further, the scrip­ture give us reason to think, that men's condition, in another world, shall be determined, at the great day, not according to the rigor of law, but the gospel-plan of grace. Ought not those observa­ble words of the Apostle Paul, ^* to be interpreted to this purpose, "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men according to my gos­pel"? That is, the mercy revealed in that gospel, I, in an especial manner, have been commissioned to preach to the world. It may be worthy of remark, the apostle had been speaking, in the foregoing verses, of Gentiles as well as Jews, which then comprehended the whole world of mankind, and affirms in this text, with reference [Page 29] to them all indiscriminately, that they shall be hereafter judged "according to his gospel". And if they will be thus judged, it must be according to the revelation of the grace that is in Jesus Christ.

THIS view of the state of Adam's posterity at once cuts off all occasion for murmuring and complaint, tho' our condition is such, that if law should be the rule of our tryal, we must unavoid­ably fall under a sentence of condemnation. For we may be "saved by grace thro' Christ", tho' sal­vation is impossible upon the foot of law. Shall we then any of us be so unadvised, as to seek to be justified by works done in conformity to the law? This has all along been the great folly of mankind. Tho' conscious to themselves that they are sinners, it has been their way to betake them­selves to doings of their own, in one form or a­nother, to procure the favor of God, and their acceptance as righteous in his sight. Tis said of the Jews, in the days of the Apostles, who "fol­lowed after the law of righteousness", that they "attained not to the law of righteousness". And why? The reason follows, "because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law". ^* And it may, with equal truth, be said of most christians so called, that neither have they "attained to a justifying righteousness"; and for the like reason, "because they have sought for it in virtue of the deeds they have done in imagined conformity to the law." Law, as we have heard, is rigidly severe; making no abate­ment, admitting of no excuses, and shewing no mercy. The man that fails in his compliance with its demands, tho' it should be in one article [Page 30] only, instantly comes under condemnation. We can't therefore take a more effectual method to fasten ruin upon ourselves, than by seeking to obtain deliverance from it upon the terms of law. Our case indeed is absolutely desperate, while law, or any works we have done in obedience to it, is what we depend upon for an acquitance in judg­ment. No son of Adam, in any age, in any place, or under any dispensation of God, was ever justi­fied in this way, or could have been For, in the eye of law, "the whole world is guilty before God". Let us be so each one of us in the view we have of ourselves Instead of "trusting in ourselves", with the proud Pharisee, "that we are righteous", let us be abased before God in a sense of our mani­fold weaknesses and defects, not to say the gross miscarriages we have too often been betrayed into. Surely, we have no cause of pride on account of our works of righteousness. They have been at­tended with so much frailty and imperfection, even the best of them, that if God should examine them with rigor, we could not stand so severe a tryal. Let us, with the Apostle Paul, "count all things but loss for the excellency of the know­ledge of Christ Jesus our Lord"; yea, let us "count them but dung that we may win Christ, and be found in him, not having our own righ­teousness, which is of the law; but that which is thro' the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith". And we may now, upon a just foundation, hope for acceptance with God here, and an acquitance at the bar of judgment hereafter; to be pronounced blessed, and to be bid to enter into the joy of our Lord, which God grant, &c.

IF it is impossible, that any of the human race should be "justified by the works of the law", as the Apostle Paul affirms in my text, and as we have abundantly proved in a former dis­course from it, it may naturally be enquired,

WHY then was the law introduced among the Jews? What was the special view of God in re­vealing it to them from Sinai, in the days of Moses? Nor may this be esteemed a question of trivial importance. The apostle Paul, having discoursed to the Galatians upon the unatainable­ness [Page 32] of justification "by the deeds of the law", tho't it proper to put the question, "wherefore then serveth the law"? As if he had said, if it be true, as I have been proving it to be, that the Jews could not be acquited as righteous persons upon the score of works done in obedience to the law, it may, with great pertinency, be askt, why was the law given to them? Why did God, in so solemn a manner, promulge it from heaven, and put them under the obligations of it? To this important question the apostle has given a direct and positive answer. But, before I come to men­tion his answer, and dilate upon it so as to make it easy and familiar, I would previously remark,

THAT the posterity of Abraham, 430 years before the giving of the law, were put, by God himself, into the way of "justification without law", or in other words, upon the foot of "grace thro' the promised seed". This was the main thing intended, when he repeatedly said to Abra­ham, "I will be your God, and the God of your seed. In thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed". The "gospel" was now summarily preached to Abraham, as it had been before to Adam; that same gospel which has since been particularly explained in the writings of the new-testament. And the "mercy" hereby promised to him lay at the bottom, as the true and great basis of the whole scheme of the divine conduct with reference to the jewish nation. It was owing to this mercy in particular, and to this only, that it became possible for them to obtain acceptance with God in this world, and admission to glory and immortality beyond the grave.

[Page 33]THE introduction of the law among the Jews must therefore be considered, not as intended by God to oppose, much less to set aside, the covenant he had made with their father Abraham; but to subserve, in some view or other, the obtainment of the blessing promised in it. If, by the cove­nant with Abraham, the Jews were put into a way, in which they might be justified and saved, it was impossible the law should be given to coun­ter-act this intention of divine mercy. "The law", in such a view of it, "would be against the promise", which the apostle Paul rejects, with a "God forbid";^* and with good reason, for it would be so against the promise as to "disannul it"; which, as the same inspired writer assures us, would be highly absurd to suppose. ^† The law was certainly introduced among the Jews as an instance of favor to them. God designed by it to promote their good; and had they regarded it in subserviency to the promise, with which it was connected in the divine intention, it would have turned out to their spiritual and eternal ad­vantage.

I AM not insensible, that the apostle Paul ex­presly speaks of the law, ^‡ as "the ministration of death", and "of condemnation". And I am fully satisfied he has herein given an accurately just account of the law. But then, it ought al­ways to be remember'd, when he thus speaks of the law, he understands by it "meer law", law "separated from grace and Christ". It was by the law, in this sense, that the Jews expected "the justification of life". This, to be sure, was emi­nently [Page 34] their fault in the days of the apostles: For which reason, even those among them who pro­fessed faith in Christ, contended earnestly for an ad­herence to the law, as what was necessary in order to their obtaining the favor of God. But they were herein egregiously mistaken. And it was this mistake of their's that gave occasion for numerous passages in Paul's epistles, from which it may with certainty be collected, that justification was ob­tainable even while the law subsisted. But how? Not "thro' the law", but in virtue of "the pro­mise founded in Christ", with which it was con­nected in the view of God. To this purpose he argues, ^* "The promise was not to Abraham, or to his seed, thro' the law, but thro' the righte­ousness of faith". That is to say, the promised grant of life was not made upon "terms of law", but in quite another method here signified by "the righteousness of faith". He adds, in the words that immediately follow, "if they which are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect". Parallel where­to is that text, ^† "If the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise". And that the law did not exclude the promise; but that the Jews, not­withstanding the law, were still to have their de­pendance on the promise for life, he argues from this, that "the covenant with Abraham was con­firmed in Christ", unalterably settled and esta­blished with a view to him, "430 years before the law was given by Moses"; so that the law could not be introduced in the room of the pro­mise, or to set it aside, without making void a [Page 35] solemn contract, after it had, in an authentic man­ner, been confirmed. His reasoning runs thus, ^* "Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; tho' it be but a man's covenant, yet, if it be con­firmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.— And this I say, that the covenant which was con­firmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was 430 years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect". Tis abundant­ly evident from these texts, that "the justification of life", tho' unattainable by the law, was yet at­tainable under the law, in virtue of the abrahamic covenant, which it neither did, nor could, set a­side. It is evident also, that it was not the in­tention of the law to frustrate, or, in any measure, oppose, the operation of the promise, but that it was rather designed to promote it by its actings in subserviency to it.

IT may, I think, be justly collected from what has been thus previously remarked, that the "Mosaic law", meerly as such, was not intended by God as a "covenant of life". His view here­in was not to let the Jews, or any of the race of men, know, that perfect innocency was the way in which they were to obtain the favor of God to eternal life; or that, unless they were thus inno­cent, they should be "cast into prison till they had paid the utmost farthing". Had this been the design of God in publishing his law from Sinai, it would have been absolutely inconsistent, not only with his promise to Abraham, "I will be your God, and the God of your seed"; but with that more ancient one to the first father of men, [Page 36] "the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head". The law of God, it is true, being a per­fect rule of righteousness, always did, and always must, require perfect innocency. And God's set­ting it before the world, as he does in the pro­mulgation of it, may powerfully tend to lead them into just apprehensions of their duty, and convince them from thence of their unhappy condition, should they be dealt with according to the re­quirements of law: But it could not be designed to let them know, that they could find acceptance with heaven in no way but by "perfectly" keep­ing the law. This would be to substitute the law in the room of grace, and, in reality of sense, to alter the method the wisdom of God, excited by his goodness, has contrived for the justification of sinners.

AN obvious corollary now presents itself. It is this. That sinners ought not to be told, that they must be "perfect", ^* that they must "un­erringly [Page 37] keep the commandments of the law in order to their obtaining eternal life". It may be proper to set the law before their view, in its ab­solute purity and perfection, to point out to them the misery of their condition, while law is the rule of judgment in their case. But to tell them, that they must be "perfect" in their regards to [Page 38] the law, or that damnation will be the consequence, is to apply to them as tho' God had provided no Saviour, and had made no revelation of his grace towards sinners; yea, it is, in true construction, to overlook the whole gospel-scheme of mercy, and to make void both the life and death of Jesus Christ.

[Page 39]WE may accordingly lay it down for certain, that, when the holy God is introduced, by the prophet Ezekiel, as swearing by his life, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die; but if a man be [Page 40] just and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live", his meaning (whatever it was) [Page 41] could not be to put the Jews under the law, as "a covenant of life". ^* For he had, many hun­dreds [Page 42] of years before this, as solemnly swore that he would be a "God to them" to all saving everlasting purposes, in a way quite opposite to this of perfectly conforming to the requirements of law. The obtainment of life by law, and the obtainment of it by grace, are absolutely incom­patible [Page 43] with each other. The Jews could not therefore be put upon obtaining life by works done in obedience to law, while, at the same time, they were put upon obtaining it upon the plan of grace thro' Christ. "The law", in this view of it, "would be against the promise", and "the promise against the law". Two opposite and in­consistent dispensations would be in force at the [Page 44] same time, and in regard of the same persons, to suppose which would be highly dishonorary to God. Besides, tis observable, the holy God is bro't in, by this same prophet, as declaring, "if the wicked shall turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all his statutes,— he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his trans­gressions that he hath committed, they shall not [Page 45] be mentioned to him: In his righteousness that he hath done, he shall live". But how could one that has been a transgressor live by his after-righteousness, upon the terms of law? To sup­pose such a thing, even tho' his after-righteous­ness should be perfect, would be to suppose, that the law might acquit and condemn the same per­son, at the same time. For no righteousness, when the law has once been violated, can make any man righteous in the eye of the law▪ If therefore God should declare he would make it the rule of his conduct towards sinners, "not to [Page 46] mention their former transgressions" in case of after-perfect obedience to the law, but to grant them life upon the score of this righteousness, it must be by the interposition of grace: But the scripture knows of no such grace; and it would indeed reflect dishonor on the divine character, as revealed in the new-testament, to suppose the ex­hibition of it: Yea, it would virtually make void the whole work of Christ as Saviour, by intro­ducing a rule of conduct towards the sinner, by which he might be saved, without any relation to him. The plain truth is, sinners for whom a Saviour has been provided, and a method con­trived and revealed conformably to which they are within the possibility of obtaining life, can't be supposed to be under a dispensation of meer law, or in such circumstances as that they "must die if they sin", and can't live but by "their per­fect righteousness" i [...] obedience to the law. This would be to suppose it both possible, and impossi­ble, for them to be saved. It would be to place them under dispensations quite opposite to, yea, absolutely subversive of, each other.

LAW therefore, whether published in the days of Moses, or Ezekiel, or at any other time since the lapse, must be considered as subservient to the plan of mercy thro' Christ, or otherwise it will be inconsistent with it, and destructive of it. And this is the view, in which the apostle Paul teaches us to consider it, as we would entertain right ap­prehensions of the intention of God in it: Which brings me

[Page 47]TO take some special notice of the answer he has given to the question, "wherefore serveth the law"? And tis sumed up in the two following particulars.

THE first is contained in those words, ^* The law "was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made"▪—The second is thus expressed, ^† "The law was our school-master to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith".

IN the first place, the apostle, in answer to the question, "wherefore serveth the law"? declares, that it "was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made". As if he had said, the law of Moses, in its complex view, made up of ceremonial institu­tions, and moral precepts, was added as an ap­pendix to the abrahamic covenant, "because", or for the sake, "of transgressions"; that is, either to prevent the commission of them, or, if they should be committed, to make them an occasion of spiritual service. And the Jews were to be un­der this dispensation, "till the seed should come", till the appearance of the Messiah, "the promised seed" of Abraham, to erect another and better dispensation in its room. This I take to be the sense of the apostle in these words. He means, by the law, both the "law-ritual", and the "law-moral", and would be understood as affirming concerning the law, in both these senses, that it was introduced among the Jews, as the dispensa­tion they should be under till the times of Christ, "the promised seed", BECAUSE OF TRANSGRES­SIONS. Accordingly let it be said,

[Page 48]THE "law-ritual" or ceremonial was intro­duced among the Jews "because of transgres­sions"; that is, to secure them from those super­stitions and idolatries, then every where prevalent in the world, which were subversive of true piety, and an inlet to all manner of vice and wickedness. Some think, that the ceremonies of the Jewish law were added because of their transgression in making and worshipping the "Golden-calf", and that God would not have enjoined on them these burdensome rites had it not been for this folly of their's. But tho' it was after their sin, in this spe­cial instance, that the Mosaic rites were instituted; yet it does not appear, that they would not have been instituted had they not thus sinned. Tis far more reasonable to suppose, that the wisdom of God saw the fitness of such a dispensation to ans­wer his own purposes, & that it was, particularly, a well adapted means to keep that people from transgression, by restraining those rites to the one true God, which they would otherwise have been in danger of converting to the worship of gods, falsely so called, after the manner of the idolatrous nations. The law of ceremonies was therefore given them "because of transgressions", that is, to preserve them from committing those trans­gressions which had corrupted the whole earth. A more simple way of worship might, in an abso­lute view, have been more perfect; but, con­sidering the then state of the world, and of the Jewish people, ritual institutions might be better for them, and a more likely means to restrain them within their duty, and preserve them from those ways of false worship which were then in univer­sal [Page 49] practice.^* Very observable to our purpose are those words of Maimonides, ^† which are a just com­ment on the apostle Paul, tho' wrote long before his birth into the world, or the coming of Jesus Christ. Says that most learned and judicious Hebrew Doctor (as the excellent Mr. Lowman stiles him), ‘When God sent Moses to redeem his people out of Egypt, it was the usual custom of the world, and the worship in which all nati­ons were bred up, to build temples in honor of the sun, moon and stars, and to offer diverse kinds of animals to them, and to have priests appointed for that end: Wherefore, God know­ing, that it was beyond human nature at once to quit that, which it hath long been accustom­ed and powerfully inclined to, would not com­mand that all that worship should be abolish­ed,— but that HE ONLY should be the OBJECT of it, that these temples and altars should be [Page 50] built to HIM ALONE, these sacrifices offered to HIM ALONE, and these priests be consecrated to HIS SERVICE ONLY.’ Thus he. And the wisdom of God, in these "ritual institutions", will shine still brighter, if it should appear (as it very evidently will by and by) that they were so con­trived, as to be a proper "school-master to bring the Jews to Christ", at the same time that they guarded them against the idolatrous trans­gressions that then defiled the earth. I go on to say,

THE law, considered as "moral", was given the Jews "because of transgressions". And in the following senses.

"IT was added because of trangressions"; that is, because, by transgressions of th [...] law of reason, persisted in from generation to generation, man­kind had obscured the light of their understand­ing, and disabled themselves from discerning in many instances, at least, with clea [...]ess and cer­tainty, the difference between vir [...]ue and vice. To prevent therefore the intire loss of all sense of moral good and evil in the earth, God was pleased to publish the law-moral to the Jewish nation, containing a rule of duty, simple and pure, clear and full, and, in a word, admirably f [...]ted to di­rect their conduct both towards God and man.

"IT was added because of transgressions"; that is, that the Jews in special, and other nations thro' them, might be better able, having a promul­gated law, containing a clear and certain rule of duty, to know wherein they were chargeable with [Page 51] transgression. Hence those words of the apostle Paul, ^* "by the law is the knowledge of sin"; that is, a more clear and certain knowledge of it, and, in some instances, a knowledge of it, when, had it not been for the revealed law, men would have been in total ignorance in this respect. To this purpose we read, ^† "I had not known sin but by the law", that is, I had not known it at all in some cases, and in none so clearly and fully, had it not been for the revealed law.

"IT was added because of transgressions", that is, that their malignant destructive nature and operation, as transgressions, might be more rea­dily & fully apprehended. Hence that language of the apostle,^‡ "when the commandment came, I died". So in the words that next follow, "the commandment I found to be unto death". And yet again, ^§ "sin taking occasion from the com­mandment, slew me".

IN fine, "it was added because of transgressi­ons", that is, that the Jews, discerning more thorowly from the law, the criminous nature, and awful demerit, of their transgressions, might be led into an affecting, convincing, constrain­ing apprehension of the desireableness, greatness, and glory of divine grace in their pardon and salvation. Hence the apostle Paul, after he had said, ^** "the law entered that sin might abound", immediately observes, in the following words, "but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" As if he had said, by how much more sin, in its evil nature, & destructive tendency, is made to abound by the introduction of the law, [Page 52] by so much the more is grace rendered conspicuous and glorious in delivering from it. For so it follows, ^* "that as sin hath reigned unto death, (that is, thro' the law, that being the strength of sin, 1 Cor. 15.5, 6.) even so might grace reign thro' righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord". Tis certain, a clear and full view of the malignity and guilt of sin, as it is made to a­bound by the promulgated law of God, is power­fully adapted to set off the riches of the glory of divine grace. And one of the chief things in­tended by God, in giving the law to the Jews was, that they might, in this way, be bro't to entertain in their minds exalted tho'ts of his grace, and be engaged to place all their dependance on it in the bu [...]siness of salvation. And it was happily suited to such a purpose. They might, from the law, be easily led to see, in a strong and full light, their need of the mercy of God, the supreme law-giver and king, and that they could be saved in no way but that of grace, and the abounding of it towards them. Tis true, they did not generally make this use of the law; but the fault lay with themselves, and not the divine law. This was very powerfully suited to give them such a sense of sin and wrath as to put them upon flying to grace, as to that only which could give them hope of an acquitance before God, and coming to the enjoyment of him in a better state and world.

THE other reason, the apostle gives for the in­troduction of the law, among the Jews, is, ^† "that it might be their school-master to bring them to Christ, that they might be justified by faith". [Page 53] What he means is, that the law stood connected, in the scheme of God, with the promised Messiah, and was a preparatory dispensation for the more perfect state of things under the gospel-oeconomy; as childhood is introductory to the more mature state of manhood, and a previous season suitably making way for it by tuition and discipline. The apostle explains himself, upon this point, in the beginning of the next chapter, where he considers the Jews as "children under age", in comparison with christians under the gospel; and "the law", as their "tutor and governor till the time ap­pointed of the father", that is, the more perfect state this was introductory to, in the times of Christ. And tis true of the "law", whether we consider it in regard of its "ceremonial instituti­ons", or "moral precepts", that it was designed by God as a kind of "school master to lead the Jews to Christ".

THE "law ceremonial" was introduced among them with this view; that is, it was a lower kind of state (like childhood in compare with manhood) appointed by God for their tuition & instruction, or to prepare them for, and suitably inroduce them to, the more perfect state of things, which was to take place by the erection of the gospel-dispensa­tion. This seems to be the meaning of the apostle. The like account is given of this matter elsewhere, in the new-testament-writings. Says this same apostle, speaking of the Mosaic ceremonial insti­tutions, ^* "which are a shadow of good things to come, but the body is Christ"; that is, their sub­stance or reality is to be found in him. In like [Page 54] manner, the law of rites is characterised, in the epistle to the Hebrews, ^* as "having a shadow of good things to come". It is indeed the main de­sign of the writer of this epistle, to point out the analogy there is between the less perfect state of things under the law, & the more perfect one un­der the gospel, & to lead us, at the same time, into the tho't, that the former of these states was, in the intention of God, emblematical of the latter, and preparatory to it. According to his sense of the matter, the temple, the holy of holies, the priesthood, the sacrifices, and, in a word, the whole jewish ritual, were types or figures of some future awswerable good things, designed for the instruct­ion of the Israelites, tho' in a lower degree, till the good things themselves, which they repre­sented, should take place in the times of Christ. It will, perhaps, be found impossible to make a great part of this epistle intelligible, upon any scheme of interpretation but that, which considers the jewish ceremonial as a pattern, type, or em­blematical representation of that state of things, which was to be established in the Gospel-day.

I AM not insensible, "the doctrine of types" has been abused by some, and objected to, by o­thers, as unworthy of regard.

IT has been abused by some, who have unhap­pily indulged to vain imaginations upon this sub­ject; giving out their own fancies for the mean­ing of God's law. This has been too often done, not only by jewish writers in the times of the law; but by christian writers, since its abolishment. [Page 55] The enemies of revelation have taken occasion herefrom to treat the things of God and religion with sneer and ridicule. But the doctrine of types ought not to be tho't the worse of upon this account. It may be the doctrine of scripture, tho' men of strong imaginations, and weak judg­ments, may have pointed out an analogy between the law and the gospel, which never had existence but in their own fancies; and tho' designing men may herefrom have taken occasion to speak of such analogies with contempt. Both our Saviour himself, & his apostles, do certainly consider many things under the jewish law, as prefigurations, shadows, emblematical patterns of answerable bet­ter things under the gospel-dispensation. There can be no reasonable dispute as to this. And if we take them for our guides, instead of giving an unrestrained scope to imagination, there will be no danger of exposing religion by a meer fan­ciful application of the things contained in the writings of Moses and the Prophets.

THIS doctrine has also been objected to, as not worthy of regard; but upon reasons that are not convincing.

IT is said, the things that are called ancient types and figures cannot be applied to any after­events, with sufficient certainty and precision. I answer, tho' the application be not precise and certain in all instances; yet it is in so many as to exclude chance, and put us upon having recourse to design. And herein, it is observable, there is an analogy between natural and revealed religion. We prove the divine wisdom and goodness from [Page 56] the harmonies and fitnesses we see in the works of nature; and we are satisfied with the evidence arising from hence, tho' these harmonies and fit­nesses have never yet been certainly and precisely made out in all instances. In some, far from be­ing made particularly & distinctly to appear, they are attended with difficulty; yea, with seeming incongruity And yet, we think it reasonable to argue from them, they are so many, and so clearly point out design, notwithstanding the obscurity in particular instances. And the same may be said, with equal reason, in the case before us. The analogy between ancient things under the law, and answerable events under the gospel, is, in so many instances, capable of being made out with such precision & certainty, as to exclude all probability of chance, and to render it highly rea­sonable to admit design. That we may perceive this in a clear point of light, let us try to apply the scripture types and prefigurations, as we call them, to other persons and events, than those they are applied to in the new-testament. If design be excluded, ^* ‘these ought to be equally, or nearly so, applicable to other persons & events; which yet, I think, no serious, considerate per­son can affirm. Now, if chance be once ex­cluded, and the necessity of having recourse to design be admitted, we shall instantly be com­peled to acknowledge a contrivance greater than human, from the long distance of time in­tervening between the type, and the thing ty­pified, with other such-like reasons.’

[Page 57]IT is said again, the things which we call types had their "literal meaning", and "literal use", in ancient times; and tis unreasonable to assign to them a "double meaning and use". The re­ply is, if there really is an analogy between "jewish rites" and "gospel-events", greater than can be supposed to result from chance, or human fore­sight, and such as obliges us to have recourse to God; and this can be evidently made out in a good number of instances: Our being able to shew, that these instituted rites had their "literal meaning and use", in former days, will be so far from destroying their nature as types or prefigu­rations, that it will rather argue the necessity of a "double sense and use" of these things, and that it was in the actual view and design of God in the institution of them. ‘All the works of God— (as Dr. Hartley expresses it) have various uses and subserviencies in respect of each other; and, if the scriptures are the word of God, analogy would lead one to expect something correspond­ing hereto in them.’

IN fine, it is still objected, how was the law, when it refer'd to Christ, by the acknowledgment of all, only in a typical, figurative, emblematical way, a suitable "school-master", or tutor, to lead the Jews into a true knowledge of him, or the gospel-dispensation that was to be erected by him? Did they understand the meaning of their "ritual institutions", considered in their typical reference? Did they use them with this refer­ence? Did they look beyond them to the things said to be represented, or prefigured, by them? In answer whereto, I will not affirm, that the [Page 58] Jews had, or that it was intended by God that they should have, a clear and full understanding of the things shadowed forth, in their law, by types and emblematical figures. The supposition of such knowledge is inconsistent with that "mode of instruction" they were under. As a late ex­cellent writer well observes, ^* ‘What was pre­figured of the times of the Messiah, either in the ancient prophets, or types of the "jewish ritual", was, in the apostle Peter's just account of it,^† as a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts". Yet, dark as it was, it gave some light, and such as was of great advantage to the principal ends designed by it, and for which a fuller light was not necessary. It will be lit­tle to our purpose to inquire, how far the Hebrew nation in general did actually understand their own ritual, and what it taught concerning the Messiah, his person, character and offices. It is more to the purpose to consider, how it might have been understood, if they had right­ly applied themselves to the understanding of it.’ And tho' we cannot say, particularly, how far their knowledge might have extended; yet we may say, in general, that they might have made considerable discoveries of the more secret mean­ing, at least, of their more important rites. As the last quoted author observes, ‘The mysteries of Hieroglyphicks, and instruction by symbols, in use among their neighbours, became a part of study and science; and they learned many things by them, not obvious to common ob­servation. [Page 59] The moral meaning of sacrifices, for instance, was of easy understanding. Why might not the Hebrews, from a general under­standing of that part of their ritual, be taught to expect a greater high-priest, better sacrifices, a better covenant, better promises and blessings, in the times of the Messiah, who was to perfect all things wanting in their law? Especially, when their own ritual shewed its own weak [...]ess, that it could not take away sin.’

BUT of however small use, the "law ceremo­nial", in its typical sense, might be to the Jews BEFORE, it was highly serviceable AT THE TIME OF THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, to prepare their minds both for a more ready understanding of, and complying with, the method of salvation thro' him.

IT was of great use, as a "school-master", to lead them more easily into right conceptions of "the things pertaining to the kingdom of Christ". For, as it was a dispensation, which really, tho' in figures and shadows only, represented the work and office of the Messiah, and that salvation with which he was to "bless all nations of the earth", it could not but prepare their minds, unless they were stupidly inattentive, the more readily to take in just notions of these things, after his incarna­tion, death, resurrection, and exaltation to heaven. However obscure their "ritual" might be, in for­mer days, as to its typical meaning, it was now opened and explained; insomuch, that if they understood it formerly in no other than its "literal use and meaning", they would be now under ad­vantage [Page 60] to understand the things that were figu­ratively signified by it. The plain truth is, "law" and "gospel" mutually illustrate each other. "By the gospel it might be seen, that the law had a ty­pical reference; and by the law, the mind was prepared more readily & justly to conceive of the gospel." The Jews, for instance, by having long seen and known the "literal" use and meaning of the "legal sacrifices", might more easily have un­derstood, by parity of reason, the nature, design and efficacy, of the "one sacrifice", which Christ 'offer'd of himself to God", to "make reconciliation for iniquity"; arguing with themselves,^* "If the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the pu­rifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who offered himself to God with­out spot, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God"? In like manner, by their seeing and knowing, that "the high-priest, once every year, entered into the holiest of all, not without blood, both for himself and for the people", their minds were assisted to understand more easily and clearly the things hereby meant, namely, "Christ's appearance for us in heaven", in virtue of "his blood shed for us" on the earth. And the same may be said of their "whole ritual", as it was a shadow of better things under the dis­pensation of the Messias.

IT was also of very important use to "facili­tate" and "strengthen" their faith in Christ, and the gospel-revelation; especially taken in con­nection with the predictions of their prophets. [Page 61] For these, and the accomplishment of them in Christ, did so correspond to each other (as in water face answereth to face) that those, who believed the law and the prophets, were under great ad­vantage, by means hereof, to believe in Christ also. Tis therefore observable, our blessed Lord, when he would satisfie his disciples, that he was indeed the Christ, and that his death, which had occasioned, at first, some staggering in their faith, was a matter of necessity, "he expounded to them, in all the scriptures, the things concerning him­self, beginning at Moses, and proceding to all the prophets".^* In like manner, when the apostle Paul labored to convince the Jews, at Rome, of the truth of christianity, the method he took, e­steeming it the most effectual, was that, ^† "he appointed a day, and many came to his lodging, to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, perswading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening". And it may be worthy of special remark, our Saviour himself as­cribed it to "the want of faith in Moses", that the Jews did not "believe in him". Says he, ^‡ "had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me: But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words"? To the like purpose is that passage, in a discourse of the apostle Paul's, recorded in the book of the Acts, ^§ "they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voice of the prophets which are read to them e­very sabbath-day, they have fulfilled them in con­demning him".

[Page 62]NOR was the "law ceremonial", taken in con­nection with the prophetic parts of the old-testa­ment, of use to the Jews in our Saviour's day only, to beget & strengthen in them a belief of christi­anity, but to Gentiles also; yea, it was then, and has ever since been, and always will be, singular­ly useful, in this respect, both to Jews and Gen­tiles, tho' in a different way to the one and the other. "The Jews believed in Christ, because prefigured by Moses, and prophesied of by the prophets; the Gentiles believed these prefigura­tions and prophesies, because so exactly and won­derfully accomplished in the appearance of Christ, and the offices he sustained and executed as the promised Saviour". And the plain truth is, the the more than human correspondence be­tween the types and prophesies of the old-testa­ment, and the state of things erected by the com­ing of Christ in these gospel-times, is a standing public reproach to the jewish people for their in­fidelity, and a standing public justification of the reasonableness of their faith, who embrace christi­anity. We may, even at this distance from Christ, and much greater distance from Moses, vindicate our reception of Christ and his gospel, from the verification of so many ancient types and figures, as well as prophesies, in his person, office, and the spiritual kingdom he has set up in the world. For tis impossible, so many incidents in the jewish dispensation, so many instituted rites, so many pro­phesies, should bear such a correspondence with the character, work, and kingdom of Jesus Christ, without having recourse to design; and no de­sign but that of God could take in a compass of time, extending thro' ages and generations, from [Page 63] the times of Moses to the times of Christ: Yea, I may say, from the days of Adam to the end of the world. For it is evidently one uniform de­sign that has been in prosecution from the begin­ning of the world, and will be prosecuted till time shall be no more.

THE "law-moral" was, in like manner, "a school-master to bring the Jews to Christ". And, with great propriety, tis thus spoken of, as, by its prohibitions and threatnings, it was adapted to lead them into such a knowledge of sin, as had a powerful tendency to dispose and influence them to repair to "the mercy of the promise", and not to depend upon a claim to life founded on their own doings in conformity to law, simply as such. It was well fitted, in this sense, to tutor and dis­cipline their minds. They could not, if they were faithful and impartial in comparing their hearts and lives with the demands of the law, but be conscious to themselves of many omissions of duty and commissions of sin; and when, with like faithfulness, they attended to the denuncia­tions of God against sin in every kind, they could not but be bro't to look upon themselves as stand­ing in absolute need of mercy, and under abso­lute obligations to fly to it by "faith", as ever they would entertain the least hope of "justifica­tion" in the sight of that God, whose law they had thus violated. It was "by the command­ment", as written in the divine law, "that sin became exceeding sinful" to the apostle Paul. ^* And it was by this sight and apprehension of sin, thro' the law, that the law became an instructor, [Page 64] tutor, or school-master to him; teaching him not to depend on works in conformity to law, but to place his hope on the mercy of God thro' Jesus the redeemer. And the "law-moral" was given by God, to the Jews, that it might, in this way, be of spiritual service to them. He intended it should be, as it were, "a school-master" to shew them their deserts by reason of sin, and in this way to disengage them from trusting in their own doings for life, and put them upon repairing to "the promise" thro' the "seed of Abraham". And it probably had this good effect upon mul­titudes of the Jews, in their successive generati­ons, from the days of Moses, till the coming of Christ, the promised seed.

AND now, from what has been discoursed, we are naturally and obviously led to entertain in our minds honorable tho'ts of the jewish law, in re­gard of its "ceremonial rites", as well as "moral precepts".

WE may, perhaps, have been ready to think contemptuously of the jewish constitution, on ac­count of those "numerous rites" with which their worship was encumbered. And, possibly, what the sacred writers of the new-testament have sometimes said, with reference to these "cere­monial observancies", may have led us into such tho'ts about them. But it ought always to be re­membered, that these "rites", however nu­merous, or burthensome, were appointed by the wisdom and authority of God; who never would have appointed them, if it had not been reasona­ble, and, for the best, all things considered, that [Page 65] the Jews should be placed under such a religious constitution. We may therefore be sure, the in­spired writers of the new-testament do never speak contemptuously of these "rites", or of the "jewish dispensation," on account of them, but in a com­parative view; that is, setting them in competi­tion with the better state of things under the gos­pel. In compare with the gospel-institution, since the coming of Christ, the jewish constitution was "weak, and beggerly, imperfect and unpro­fitable". And tis in this comparative sense, that it is thus spoken of in the new-testament-writings. It would be a dishonor to God, and a bare-fac'd reflection on his governing wisdom, to speak, in a contemptuous manner, of it in any other sense. For tho' it was not so perfect an institution, as that which has been erected by Jesus Christ, in the gospel-day; yet, it was such an one as the wisdom of God tho't best for that age of the world, and the circumstances of the jewish nation. And, perhaps, it was as good and perfect an institution of religion as could have been contrived and e­rected, for that people, in that day. It was, as we have seen, well fitted to guard them against that "idolatrous worship", which had corrupted the whole earth. And so far as it was a suitable means to answer so good an end, there can be no reason­able room to complain, either of the wisdom or goodness of God, tho' their ritual observances were many and burthensome; especially if it be remembered, that he had it in view, by these Mosaic ceremonies, to put them under tuition, that they might be prepared for higher expecta­tions, than they could reasonably have from the law, simply in itself. If when we have read the [Page 66] scripture-account of the numerous rites of the jewish saw, we have confined our view to their meer "literal use and meaning", no wonder we have been dispos'd to entertain an unbecoming notion of [...]he dispensation they were placed under; imagining it scarce worthy of so great and glorious an author, as the one true and living God. But our view has been too narrow and confin'd. The all-wise God appointed the use of these "ceremonial rites', as prefigurations, em­blematical descriptions, of that only way to life, which has been clearly and fully opened, since the coming of Jesus Christ. And the jews, by means of those "ritual institutions", as truly enjoy'd the GOSPEL in their day, as we do now; tho' more darkly- and obscurely. Their sacrifices, their priests, their temple, their whole manner of wor­ship, were the gospel in type and figure. And considering their circumstances, together with the way in which it was determined Christ should come into the world, and accomplish the work of man's redemption, this lower and more imperfect method of instruction might be best suited to an­swer the purposes of God, and the good ends he had in prosecution. It might not be proper, they should know too much of the gospel-plan; and this method of instruction, by types and fi­gures, might be well adapted to let them into all the knowledge, it might be necessary or proper they should then attain to. And the more pious­ly considerate, among the Jews, might know more of the "typical sense" of the law, than we may be ready to imagine. I don't say, or think, that their knowle [...]ge, with respect to Christ and the gospel, was any way to compare with our's, whose [Page 67] lot it is to live since the revelation God has made of himself by Jesus Chr [...]st, and his apostles; but they might know a great deal in general, and so much as to be disposed and prepared to look be­yond the "literal meaning" of the ceremonial rites appointed by their law. Moses himself, the jewish legislator, under God, "by faith" looked beyond the law to Christ, and beyond Canaan to heaven; and it was owing to this faith of his, that he was enabled to surmount the difficulties he was called to meet with, "enduring affliction with the people of God, rather than enjoying the plea­sures of sin for a season", ^* as we read in the e­pistle to the Hebrews; where we are presented with a long list of jewish worthies, after the esta­blishment of the Mosaic ritual, who, "by faith" looked beyond the "literal use of their law", and were influenced herefrom to behave so as to ho­nor God, and be "accounted worthy of a better resurrection", of the better things of the coming world. And the "ceremonial institutions" were all along, during the continuance of the Mosaic dipensation, as a "school-master to the Jews; and the more serious and inquisitive among them were taught to expect some higher and better state of things; tho' they might not particularly know what it was, or how it would be accomplish­ed. And the Jews, who lived when Christ made his appearence in the world, could scarce have had a better "school-master to bring them to him, that they might be justified by faith", than the types and figures of the law. They might have seen their ritual, in its most important articles, ac­complisht in Jesus Christ; and it was owing to [Page 68] strange blindness and perverseness, that they so generally rejected the evidence, herefrom arising, that Jesus was the promised and prefigured Messi­ah. Let us view the ceremonies of the jewish law, in their typical reference, as well as literal use; and while we consider them, as designed by God to be "a school-master" to them, to teach them to depend on Christ, instead of their law, for salva­tion, let us admire his wisdom, rather than find fault with his conduct; being in readiness to break out in the language of the apostle Paul, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out"! ^*

AND let us also entertain in our minds becom­ing thoughts of the wisdom and goodness of God, in the "moral precepts", whch he was pleased to give to the jewish people. These were certainly adapted to very valuable purposes. It was, per­haps, greatly owing to this summary rule of du­ty, that other nations, besides the jewish, became acquainted with the nature of virtue and vice in so many instances, & were not lost to all sense of the distinction between moral good and evil The various nations of the world might be more in­debted to the law, which God gave to the Jews, by the hands of Moses, than we may be ready to imagine. What we are apt to ascribe to the sega­city and strength of meer natural reason, may, pos­sibly, with greater justice, be attributed to the knowledge which learned men might have, in one way or another, of this Mosaic delineation of the law of reason.

[Page 69]TO be sure, we, whose lot it is to live since the coming of Christ, and the explanation of the "Mosaic moral precepts,", by him and his apos­tles, and their adoption into the christian scheme, may reap all the advantages, it was proposed the Jews should reap by them; and in a much higher degree. The "law moral" is not turned out as a "school-master", but still sustains this office, tho' Christ is come. Nay, so far is the "moral law" from being useless, as a "school-master", under the gospel-dispensation, "to lead men to Christ, that they may be justified by faith", that it is of stronger influence to this purpose, than it was be­fore he came into the world "for the redempti­on of transgressors". For "this law", under the gospel-dispensation, and as introduced into it, more fully commands duty, and prohibits sin; and does both under the sanction of death, beyond the grave, more clearly and certainly revealed, in case of sin. It is therefore more powerfully fitted to convince of sin and guilt, and shew men that they must die in their sins, unless they repair, by faith to grace and gospel, that they may be pardoned and saved. For christians can no more be justified by law, than the Jews could of old. A serious truth this! And we should all lay it to heart; making use of the law, even under the dispensa­tions of the gospel, to discover sin, and learn our danger, that we may from hence be awakened to flee from law to grace; depending on Christ, and not upon law, for justification in God's fight.

TWO ways of justification are here pointed out. One, "by the works of the law"; the other, "by the faith of Christ". The former i [...] declared, not to be the gospel-way of justification; and we have, in a former discourse, proved it to be impossible, that sinners, as man­kind all are, should be justified "by their works". The latter way of justification, here spoken of, is "by the faith of Jesus Christ". And the apostle Paul accordingly says, with respect both to him­self, and the Galatians to whom he writes, that [Page 71] they "had believed in Jesus Christ"; and to this end, that they "might be justified by the faith of Christ". What therefore I have more espe­cially in view, from this text, at this time, is to point out to you, in as plain and easy a manner as I am able, the meaning of faith, as connected with justification.

IN order whereto, I shall neither trouble my­self, nor you, with those discriptions of this faith, which are to be seen in books wrote upon the subject. They a [...]e almost as numerous as the books that contain them And if one w [...]re to judge, from the differing accounts they give of this first and great principle of christianity, he would readily be led to imagine, it was as per­plext a point as any in religion. Whereas, if we consult the bible only, and take our idea of faith from this sacred book, we shall meet with no difficulty. The precise meaning of this word, as used in the new-testament, and connected with justification, is easy to be understood; as indeed it might reasonably be expected it should, faith being a matter not only of essential, but univer­sal concern.

FAITH and knowledge, both agreeing in the assent of the mind to apprehended truth, are some­times, less acurately speaking, used for one and the same thing: Whereas, they really differ The assent of the mind, in faith, is gained one way; in knowledge, another. Faith is the mind's assent upon testimony; and upon the testimony of God, if the faith is christian. And tis this that distin­guishes faith from knowledge, which is an assent [Page 72] grounded on the perception of the bodily senses, or the operation of our reasonable powers. Ex­ternal objects strike our senses, and we at once know what impressions we receive from them. And we have an ability of mind to reason upon things, comparing them together, deducing con­sequences from them, forming a judgment how far this or that is true or false, and giving or with­holding our assent accordingly. In this sense, there are many things, which, tho' invisible, lite­rally speaking, may yet, in the language of the apostle Paul, ^* be said to be "clearly seen, being understood". We know them to be truths by our reasonings, without information from others. But the faith we are treating of is not of this sort. It "comes by hearing", as the scripture-expression is. It is the assent of our minds to what has been testified to. The ground of this assent is not like that of knowledge, but herein differs from it, that tis bottom'd on "the witness of God". His word, and that only, in the final result, is the proper ade­quate ground of our faith.

ACCORDINGLY, two things are to be consider­ed in the faith that is connected with justification, "the object about which it is conversant", and "the persuasion or assent of the mind with refer­ence to this object.

AS to the "object" of faith;—this is the re­port of the gospel, or, in other words, "the truth", as revealed by Christ and his apostles. Hence that affirmation of our Lord, "he that believeth", that is, "the gospel", he had commissioned his [Page 73] apostles to preach, "shall be saved". ^* Hence also that passage in one of Paul's epistles to the Thessalonians, where speaking of their being "chosen to salvation", he immediately subjoins, "thro' belief of the truth", the truth "as it is in Jesus", the truth as contained in the apostolic writings. ^†

THE object of faith is often summarily ex­pressed in some capital article only; sometimes one, sometimes another.

SOMETIMES the comprehensive object of faith is "God". So we read of Abraham, that he "be­lieved God, and his faith was counted to him for righteousness". ^‡ And our Saviour affirms with a double vehemence, "verily, verily, he that be­lieveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation". ^§ In like manner, the apostle Paul, speaking of those who were "justified by grace, that they should be heirs according to the hope of eternal life", describes them in that language, "they which have believ­ed in God". ^¶

SOMETIMES "Christ" is the specified object of faith. Hence that apostolic direction to the trembling jailor, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved". ^‖ Con­sonant whereto are those words in my text, "Knowing that a man is justified by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ". Accordingly, the sum of Paul's preaching at Ephe­sus, [Page 74] in which he had "kept nothing back that was profitable to them", is expressed in those words, "testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ".^*

SOMETIMES Christ viewed as the "Messiah", pointed out by Moses and the prophets, in the writings of the old-testament, is the object of faith. Hence that profession of Martha, "I be­lieve that thou art Christ that should come into the world". ^† Agreeable whereto is that noble confession of Simon Peter, in the name of the a­postles, "we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ", ^‡

SOMETIMES Christ considered as the "Son of God" is the object of faith. Hence the grand discriminating characteristic of one that is "born of God, and overcometh the world" is that, "he believeth that Jesus is the Son of God".^‖ And tis universally affirmed of every one "that shall con­fess that Jesus is the son of God", that "God dwelleth in him, and he in God". ^¶ And, as our Lord himself says, "God gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life". ^*‡ And John baptist declares, "he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life". ^†§

SOMETIMES Christ, as "dying and shedding his blood", is the object of faith. Hence the apostle Paul, speaking of Christ, and redemption thro' [Page 75] him, says, "whom God hath set forth to be a pro­pi [...]ation thro' faith in his blood", that blood of his which is the great atonement, and was shed for the remission of sins. ^* And one special arti­cle, this same apostle had preached to the Corinthi­ans, as that by which they should be saved, and which he would have them keep in memory un­less they would believe in vain, was, "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures". ^†

SOMETIMES, in fine, Christ, as "risen from the dead", is the object of faith; as in that observ­able passage in Paul's epistle to the Romans "if thou shal [...] confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in him that God hath raised from the dead, thou shalt be [...]" ^‡ And well might this be reckoned among the capital articles; [...]or, as this same apostle argues, "if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain, ye are yet in your sins". ^§

IN these, and a great number of similar texts, I might easily have turned you to, one point only is mentioned as comprehending the object of faith. But then it should be particularly mind­ed, whenever the truth to be believed is thus sum­marily expressed it ought to be understood, not meerly in consistency with other revealed truths, but rather as resolving itself into them by fair im­plication and natural deduction. To believe that Jesus is the Christ, or that he died for our sins, or that he rose again for our justification, if be­lieved in their true sense, and just latitude, will [Page 76] amount to the same thing with believing the whole doctrine of the gospel; for the doctrine of the gospel is really nothing more than these truths unfolded by Christ and his apostles, and set forth in a full point of view. Our faith therefore in these, or the like capital articles, can't be that which is connected with justification, if we leave that out of their meaning, which subverts their true import; or mix that with them, which essen­tially counter-acts their proper design, and genu­ine tendency. In either of these cases, we be­lieve a lie, instead of the truth; "wresting the scriptures to our own destruction".

ONLY, it should be heedfully observed here, if the faith of those who profess themselves christi­ans has, in our apprehension, no other essential de­fect than an imagined mistake, relative to the truth to be believed, great care should be taken that we don't too hastily, and peremptorily, heighten this mistake into such an inconsistency with the gospel, as shall be subversive of it; ranking the persons, who are chargeable with it, among those who "shall be damned for not believing the truth, but having pleasure in unrighteousness". For it is not every real error, in point of belief, that will give just occasion for so severe a judg­ment. Who is there, among the professors of faith in Christ, that has in his mind an unerring perception of all the truths of the gospel-revela­tion? Who, that does not labor of some positive unhappy mistake, in this or the other instance? There is not a believer on this side heaven, whose faith is perfectly pure, having no mixture of er­ror in it. Tis true, the error, if he is a justified [Page 77] believer, can't so oppose the mission of Christ into the world to be the Saviour of it, either directly or by just consequence, as to nullifie his death, or make it of little or no importance. And when­ever the faith a man possesses is of this sort, tis essentially faulty, and stands connected with con­demnation, rather than justification. But then it should always be remembered, there is a great difference between its being thus connected, in the reality of the thing, and in our apprehension of it. God only is the proper judge in this mat­ter, as he only is unerring in his judgment. No man living, be his abilities what they will, can form any other than a fallible judgment in the case: For which reason, it may differ from the truth, and God's judgment with reference to it. God may see, in this and the other instance, where ignorance and error are mixed with truth, tho' men, who are partial in their views, may not, that neither the ignorance nor error are such, as will defeat its design, or destroy its operation to the absolutely needed purposes.

THE apostle Peter was doubtless in a justified state, when he made that profession, "Thou art Christ, the son or the living God" ^* For our Lord's answer is, "blessed art thou, Simon Bar­jona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my father which is in heaven". ^† And yet, at this time, he had no notion of Christ as "the propitiation for sin" Far from it, he even rebuked our Lord for "shewing to his disciples, how that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer ma­ny things of the elders, and chief priests, and [Page 78] scribes, and be killed and raised again the third day". ^* And the other apostles, tho' in a justi­fied state also, (Judas excepted) as believing that Jesus was the Christ, yet had no idea, any more than Peter, of the necessity of his dying to make atonement for sin. For when our Lord told them, that he should be "delivered unto the Gentiles, to be mocked, spitefully intreated, spit upon, scourged and put to death, and that he should rise again the third day", what he said was so re­mote from any apprehensions they had of this sort, that "they understood none of these things, they were hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken". ^† Nay, so destitute was their faith in Christ of any imagined connection with his dying and rising again, that they seem, upon his death, to have given up all hope with reference to his being the promised Messiah. Say they, "We trusted it had been he which should have redeemed Israel".^‡ And besides this igno­rance, relative to the great work of Christ as Sa­viour, their faith was mixt with positive error of no small importance. For they were full of the notion prevalent in that day, concerning the Messiah, that he was to be head and Lord of a kingdom in this world, and that one of the main designs of his coming was to set up such a king­dom. It was, as influenced by this tho't, that they discovered great vanity in their imaginations, and an undue temper of mind in regard of one another, while they were concerned who among them should be the greatest minister in this world­ly kingdom. ^§

[Page 79]HAD our Lord been of the temper of some, who, we would hope, are his real disciples, he would have pronounced the faith of his apostles, at this time, an empty profession, as bewraying total ignorance of the true character, both of the fa­ther, and of himself: And he might the rather have been disposed to this, as his sufferings, death and resurrection had all been foretold in the pro­phesies of the old-testament; and as besides, he had plainly and particularly said it himself, that "the son of man ought, according to the scrip­tures, both to die and rise again". But, instead of telling them their faith was vain, and that they notwithstanding all their professions of regard to him, were in a state of damnation, he meekly condescended to "expound to them the scrip­tures, concerning himself"; ^* and he did it with such light and love as to make "their hearts burn within them, while he talked with them in the way, and opened to them the scriptures."^† And in consequence of these instructions, whereby "their understandings, as well as the scriptures, were opened",^‡ a once dead, but afterwards risen, Jesus became the great object of their faith. Their faith, before, embraced all the truth that was ab­solutely necessary, in their then circumstances, in order to its being connected with a state of justi­fication: But, being now differently situated, having the advantage of clearer light and more perfect instruction, the object of their faith was enlarged. They not only believed in Christ, as first crucified, and then glorified; but made this the delightful subject of their preaching, tho' it [Page 80] was "to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness".

WE cannot place before our view a better pat­tern of conduct towards those, whose faith in Christ, as we apprehend, is mixt with ignorance, or error, or both, however dangerous, should it be persisted in, than this of our Saviour. In imi­tation of him, we should, with kindness and can­dor, make all reasonable allowance for their spe­cial situation in life, their temptations, disadvan­tages, yea, their prejudices, whether arising from education, the books and company they have conversed with, or from whatever other cause; and instead of magisterially pronouncing their faith a lie that is connected with damnation, we should rather endeavour, in all proper ways, within our sphere, to set the truth before them in the strongest point of light, that their under­standings being opened, they may renounce their errors, and "receive the truth in the love of it."

AND this, I may particularly suggest here, is the proper office of christian charity or love. And, if it reigns in our hearts, as it ought to do, it will put us upon exerting ourselves, as we have opportu­nity and ability, to enlighten our ignorant or mis­taken brethren, and in proportion to the danger we think their ignorance or error are attended with: Whereas, it is no part of the duty of charity or love to do that, we are neither qualified for, nor authorised to, that is, to sit in judgment up­on our fellow-christians, and determine, if they don't believe just as we imagine they ought to do, [Page 81] that damnation will be the consequence. The apostle Paul, in his description of charity or love, says, among other things, "charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up". ^* It does not make men conceited and vain, fondly imagining, upon their believing the truth, as they think, that they are at once infallible, and properly qualified to judge the spiritual state of others. It is indeed concerned for the truth, and that all should be­lieve it in its native simplicity; but it is, at the same time, candid in its constructions, and ever accompanied with a becoming modesty and hu­mility. It won't put a man upon assuming airs of superiority, as tho' he were an apostle of Christ, or rather Christ himself. It won't make him think himself fit to take the chair of judgment, and pronounce the anathemaes of God upon those, who differ in their sentiments from him.

THE truth is, "one is our master, even Christ"; and "we must all appear, before his judgment­seat". He only is the constituted judge of men's state; nor does he allow his disciples to exercise this judicial power, which the father hath put into his hands. The command is, "judge no­thing before the time, until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts".^† And again, "there is one law-giver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who art thou that judg­est another"? ^‡ Tis a plain case, I have no more right to judge another, than he has to judge me. If he differs in his sentiments from me, I differ as much from him. And, as there is, on earth, [Page 82] no appointed infallible judge, to determine on whose side the truth lies, I am equally at liberty to pronounce damnation on him, as he has to pro­nounce it on me; that is, we have neither of us any right or buisiness to do it. Christ is the judge, and we must both, either stand or fall as he judges. And if this easy and undoubted truth of the gos­pel had been thorowly believed, and practised upon, there would not have been that anathama­tising among christians, which has been so com­mon in all ages, and among all parties; while yet, it has answered no end, unless to promote that "bitterness and wrath, that clamor and strife", which, if we may rely on the word of an inspired writer, are "works of the flesh, not of the spirit". ^*

THE short of the matter is, the truths con­tained in the revelations of God, considered in one collective view, are the proper object of faith. And he that is a believer, if his belief is such as bespeaks his being in a justified state, astents to all these truths, so far as his understanding extends, and in opposition to his rejecting any one of them, under the notion of its being a divine truth, or while he has an apprehension of it as such. He can't, if he is a justified believer, in contradiction to the light of his mind, oppose or deny any one thing, be it what it will, that has been taught and published in the revelations of God. Not but that he may fall into mistakes, not apprehending the mind of Christ, so as to admit that for a truth of his, in this and the other instance, which is really a false­hood: Tho' it must be said, at the same time, he can't so far misapprehend those truths, that are [Page 83] of essential importance, as to subvert their design in the scheme of salvation. But then to say pre­cisely, what the truths are that are thus important, at least what the nature and degree of that mis­apprehension of them is, that will totally pervert their design and proper operation, so as to apply it to particular persons, must be left with him, who is the only fit judge in the case, and has accord­ingly been authorised to judge upon it, and will certainly do so in the day God has appointed for this work. In the mean time, instead of assum­ing the character of Christ, and judging one ano­ther, we should continually live in the exercise of christian love towards each other; forbearing one another in candor and goodness: while, at the same time, we suitably endeavour, in all proper ways, to enlighten one another in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, that we may all, so far as is possible, be of the same mind, and of the same judgment, as we all have the same common hope, and are accountable to the same common Lord and Judge of all.

I NOW go on, as was proposed, to consider the faith that is connected with justification, in regard of "the mind's assent to gospel-truth", its pro­per object. For this essentially enters into the idea of its nature. There can't be faith, where there is not the assent of the mind; and where­ever this assent is, there is faith also: Tho', I must add, not always the faith that will argue a justi­fied state; which ought very carefully to be re­membered. Tis not simply a man's being per­suaded, the report of the gospel is true, that will denominate him a justified believer. A persua­sion [Page 84] of a special kind ^* is necessary to entitle to [Page 85] this character; and this only will do it. Where­ever there is this "discriminating persuasion", the man is justified; wherever it is not, tho' he may be persuaded of the truth, he may notwith­standing perish beyond the grave.

[Page 86]THE new-testament very frequently and plain­ly teaches us to distinguish between believers that are in a justified state, and a state of wrath; or, in other words, between that assent of the mind to gospel-truth, which is connected with justifi­cation, and that which has no such connection.

TIS recorded of "many of the rulers", in our Saviour's day, that they "believed on him"; ^* while yet, they were in a state of condemnation. In like manner, our Lord says, that "many, while he was at Jerusalem, believed on him, when they saw the miracles which he did".^† But, from what follows, it appears, that they were far from being believers that were justified. And the apostle James largely treats of a "dead faith, that is of no profit" in the business of justification. ^‡

TIS observable, the special reason, in all these instances, why the faith spoken of was essentially faulty, is fetched, not so much from error cleav­ing to the object believed, as from the mind's persuasion with reference to this object.

THERE is indeed nothing said concerning "these rulers", from whence we are led to think, that their faith, in their then circumstances, was totally misplaced in regard of its object. To be­sure, it is not suggested, that they mixt so much falsehood with the truth, as that the truth, by that mixture, was intirely subverted. The fault rather lay in the persuasion of their mind, which was not so rooted and enliven'd as to over-ballance the fear of man with the fear of God, and the praise of man with the praise of God. For so our [Page 87] Saviour's account of the matter runs. "Among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but, because of the pharisees, they did not con­fess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of man more than the praise of God". They had been wro't upon, by what they had seen and heard of our Saviour, to assent to it as true, that he was the promised Messiah; but the fear of loosing honor from men, and exposing them­selves to their displeasure, over-powered the in­fluence of this persuasion, it was so poorly set­tled in their minds.

THE same may be said of the "many at Jeru­salem, that believed in his name". It does not ap­pear, that they erred concerning the object of faith; at least, that they erred essentially. They were persuaded, from the miracles which they saw our Lord do, that he was the Christ. But this per­suasion was so feeble in their minds, that our Saviour, who "knew what was in man", knew that it was not sufficiently powerful to make it safe for him to commit himself to them. Had this truth so firmly possessed their hearts, as to engage them to adhere to him, in whom they had believed, in opposition to all difficulties and haz­zards, our Lord, who "knew all men", would have readily "trusted himself with them". ^*

[Page 88]THE apostle James's believers were faulty in the same sense still. For ought any thing we know to the contrary, they believed the truth with re­spect [Page 89] to the great doctrines of the gospel, but their "faith was dead". It did not shew itself to be a living powerful spring of action; as it would have done, if the persuasion of their minds had [Page 90] been of the right kind; what I mean is, if it had been that assent which is always the case, when faith is connected with justification. ^*

[Page 91]AND this likewise is the great fault of the faith of christians at this day. It does not lie, as I ima­gine, unless in here and there a detached instance, in fatal mistakes about the truth. The incarna­tion, life, death, resurrection and exaltation of Christ, and the great articles connected herewith, and dependent hereon, stand true in the minds of most christians, at least in this part of the world: Nor do they, as I conceive, commonly mix false­hood with them, at least in so gross a sense as to [Page 92] be justly chargeable with wholly subverting their real meaning. And yet, they are far from being the subjects of a faith that justifies. And the reason is, because the assent of their minds to the report of the gospel, is not of the right kind. Tis the produce of education and tradition, rather than the testimony of God. Tis a feeble inope­rative persuasion, little affecting their hearts, or influencing their lives. They receive the great doctrines of christianity as speculations, not im­portant realities. They don't exist in their minds, truths of God in which they are deeply concern­ed. This, as I take it, is the faith of most chri­stians, so called. It nearly resembles that dead faith, which, in the apostle James's account, is of no value to the purposes of salvation.

NOT but that there are some, whose persuasion of revealed truths may have a very powerful in­fluence upon them, tho' they are yet in an un­justified state. They may herefrom be excited to a care of amending their lives, and may go a great way in the reformation of them. So it was with those to whom the apostle Peter writes, who, "having escaped the pollutions of the world, thro' the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, were again entangled therein, and over­come". ^* They may herefrom also have their passions and affections strongly put into motion. This is often the case in regard of the passion of fear, which may occasion very painful sensations in the breasts of sinners, from an apprehension of the wrath of God due to them on account of their sins. And their other affections likewise [Page 93] may be sensibly wro't upon. They may gladly attend the institutions of religion, hearing the word with joy; as was the case of some in out Saviour's day, who, "not having root in them­selves, were by & by offended".^* Yea, they may have raised in them desires, hopes and joys, which, to all appearance, are like their's, whose faith is accompanied with justification. This seems to have been the case of those, spoken of in the epistle to the Hebrews, who, tho' they had been "enlightened, tasted of the heavenly gift, par­took of the Holy Ghost, and tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come", yet afterwards "fell away", so as that it was "impossible", extremely difficult, "to renew them again to repentance". ^† Tis past all doubt, that the truths of the gospel, where men's per­suasion with reference to them falls short of that which is saving, may produce very considerable effects in them, and these so like to the effects of that faith which is precious, and will endure the tryal, that it may be difficult, if possible, to distinguish between them: Nay, the very sub­jects these effects may be deceived by them, imagining they are possessed of a faith that will save them, when in reality they are not.

THE faith that will save a man, is of a "special kind". Tis a persuasion of soul, the properties of which quite differ from those of the other persuasion we have been speaking of. Three properties are inseperable from it. The first respects "the ground or reason of it"; the se­cond, the "object about which it is conver­sant"; [Page 94] and the last, the "operation of it". Each of these I shall a little dilate upon, that I may make my meaning plain and intelligible to you.

WITH respect to this persuasion, which is connected with a man's being in a saved state, the "ground" or "reason" of it is the witness of God. He sees God speaking in the sacred scriptures, and admits the doctrines, there contained, into his mind, as undoubted ve­rities, because testified to as such by the faithful God. Hence that description of saving faith, "he that receiveth his testimony [the testimony of Christ] hath set to his seal that God is true; for he, whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God". ^* Hence also the apostle Paul, giving an account of the faith of the Thessalonians, for which he "thanked God without ceasing", does it in that language, "when ye received the word of God, which ye received of us, ye received it not as the word of man, but (as it is in truth) the word of God". ^† When the faith men are the subjects of is justifying, the true bottom of it is the testimony of God. They have a view of God, as speaking in the sacred books, different from what they had before. They don't now read the scriptures meerly as the writings of apostles, or prophets, but as the writings of God; and God [Page 96] as truly appears to them in these writings, as tho' he spake the things that are here wrote. And herein the persuasion of believers, that are in Christ, differs from that of others, who are not. Others are persuaded of the truth of christianity, as the Mahomitans are persuaded of the truth of the Alcoran: They were told it for truth by their fathers; it was so handed down to them, by tradition: Or should their persuasion be bet­ter grounded, as being the fruit of enquiry in­to the evidences upon which christianity is esta­blished, they may still want that lively perception of God, as testifying to the truth of the gospel, which is always the true reason of the faith of those, who shall be saved. Perhaps, as Dr Owen represents the matter, ^* God has impressed on [Page 97] his revelations, contained in the scriptures, such signatures of his wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, truth and faithfulness, with all the rest of his adorable perfections, that, at all times, and in all places, they are capable of declaring them­selves to be his, and of being perceived to be so, and in such a light as to become the strongest ground of assent to the mind.—But however this be, the man, whose faith is saving, has this view of them, and actually sees and hears God speak­ing in them; which is not the case, where the faith is only common.

[Page 98]THE next property of this persuasion, which is connected with life, respects the "object believ­ed". And this appears in a peculiar light. Some, it may be, before they were the subjects of this persuasion, had, by the help of reason and reve­lation, formed conceptions of the attributes of God that were right and just; and had been led also into sentiments concerning the mediatorial undertaking of Christ, and the several offices he has sustained and executed as redeemer, that had no essential mixture of falsehood with them. Those, whose belief of the gospel is not justify­ing, may yet be men of considerable attainments in christian knowledge. They may be well ac­quainted with the doctrines of faith, and embrace them in their simplicity, as "once delivered to the saints", at least without construing them in a sense destructive of their real meaning. Doubtless, many among the justified, before their being en­dowed with the faith by which they were justi­fied, [Page 99] were persons of this character. But they did not, till they were possessed of this faith, ap­prehend these truths as they do now. They were then matters of speculative opinion, rather than solid belief; but now, they have a real and lively existence in them. Light has shone into their minds, and cast such a lustre on these truths, that they see them in their divinity, glory, and constituted connection with men's everlasting well or ill being. They don't now entertain them in their tho'ts, as matters of science only, but truths of the nearest and most solemn concern. They are ready to wonder they could be so little influenced by them, they have now so clear and full a view of their certain reality, and infinite importance: Or if their perception of these truths awakened their fears, or raised their hopes, or put them upon religious endeavours, they were not such as gave them, what the scripture calls, a "spiritual discerning of spiritual things".

AND this perception of gospel-truths is, per­haps, the chief thing intended by that "illumi­nation of the spirit", on account of which sinners are said, in the new-testament, to have their "un­derstandings enlightened", their "eyes opened"; to be "turned from darkness to light", and the like.

THOSE indeed who were in heathenish dark­ness, when the gospel was first preached to them, (as was the case of the greatest part of the world, in the apostles days) might p [...]operly enough be said to be "of the day, and not of the night", as the truths of the christian religion, which they were before totally ignorant of, were now exter­nally [Page 100] revealed to them. They might well be amazed to think of their former ignorance, in comparison with their present knowledge; and those who were thus "darkness", might, without a figure, be said to be "light in the Lord"; yea, to be "called out of darkness into marvellous light". But still, in regard even of these hea­then, the truths of the gospel, however manifest­ed externally to them, were insufficient to their being "transformed by the renewing of their mind", but by their being accompanied with an internal influence of the spirit, whereby their eyes were opened to see them in such a light as to convince their consciences, affect their hearts, a­waken their powers, and become a powerful prin­ciple of action in them.

AND this is that influence of the spirit which is now principally needed, and wherein principally consists his work in enlightening the minds of sinners. It does not lie, as some may be ready to imagine, in giving them new revelations, in suggesting to their tho'ts new truths, which the world knew nothing of before; but in setting those old truths, which are contained in that pub­lic, standing, authentic revelation of the divine mind, the holy bible, before their view, in such a convincing commanding light, as that they see them in their reality, and importance, and so as to be powerfully excited by them. Thus it is with all justified believers. They see the truth in this divine and spiritual light; which is not the case with others, whose faith comes short of that which is saving.

[Page 101]THE last property of this justifying persuasion respects its "influence," or "operation".^* And [Page 102] this is of such a nature, as that the man possessed of it will be quite altered from what he was. A new being is, as it were, given to him. He is furnished with new springs of motion and action. He has that within him, which, with the concur­ing influence of the Spirit, always in readiness to be afforded to him, will change the bent of his heart, give a new turn to his affections, and dis­pose him to walk in newness of life. Nor will it fail of producing these effects. His faith in­deed is, seminally and virtually, the "new man in Christ"; the "workmanship of God, created again to good works". It is, in embrio, the "gospel penitent"; the "christian convert"; the "new-born creature"; the sinner "quickened, who was dead in trespasses and sins"; the man "transformed by the renewing of the Holy Ghost", so as to be not "conformed to this evil world". It is, in one word, every thing in the root, prin­ciple, and first beginning, that is any where con­nected, in the bible, with that eternal life, which is the great promise of the gospel.

IT may accordingly be observed, this account of that persuasion of the truth, which is connected with salvation, perfectly coincides with the descrip­tions that are frequently given of it in the sacred scriptures. Tis a faith that purifies the heart. "Purifying their hearts by faith". ^* Tis a faith that is accompanied with the new-birth. "Who­soever believeth that Jesus is the Christ (that is, in the saving sense) is born of God". ^† Tis a [Page 103] faith that will sanctifie the man that possesses it. "Which are sanctified by faith in me", in Jesus Christ. ^* Tis a faith that works by love. "Nei­ther circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncir­cumcision, but faith that worketh by love", love to God and man, "the two commandments on which hang both the law and the prophets". ^† Tis a faith that overcometh the world. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God"? ^‡ In a word, tis a faith that will shew it­self in all gospel good works. "Wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead". ^§

IT will, perhaps, more strikingly, and at the same time more familiarly, convey to you an idea of this persuasion of mind, as a principle of the powerful influence we have described, should it be exemplified to you by some signal instances. The first I would mention shall be that of ABRA­HAM. And I the rather chuse to begin with him, because he is represented by the apostle Paul, ^‖ as "the father of all that believe", whe­ther under the jewish or christian dispensation; that is, their father, so as that they must resem­ble him in faith, in order to its being "imputed to them also for righteousness".

AND what is the idea the scripture gives us of the faith of Abraham? Evidently this, that it was a practical principle, or, in other words, such [Page 104] a persuasion of the existence, perfections, moral government and revelations of God, as disposed and influenced him to honor the divine authori­ty, by chearfully complying with its commands, wherein they were made known, whatever diffi­culty might attend an obedient regard to them; illustrious patterns of which are set before our view, by the sacred pen-men.

HE received a command from heaven, in those words, ^* "get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land which I will shew thee. And I will make thee a great nation, and will bless thee, and thou shalt be a blessing". Great things, it is acknow­ledged, were promised to engage his obedience to the heavenly call; but still he must quit his country, forsake his friends & relatives, yea, and leave his father's house, that he might go whither he knew not. We can't make his case our own, and not perceive the difficulty of the tryal he was now put to. And what was the result? Why, his faith in God inclined and enabled him to a ready submission to the divine pleasure. So we read, ^† "by faith Abraham, when he was called to go out unto a place, which he should after­ward receive for an inheritance, obeyed".

A LIKE, but far more severe, command was that, ^‡ "take now thy son, thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt-offering, upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of". What an amazing gradation is this! It seems calculated, in its manner of delivery, to engage [Page 105] all the softer passions of the human mind, against a complyance with it. It must be "his son", his own flesh and blood, himself existing in the per­son of his offspring. It must be his "only son Isaac". There is a singular emphasis in this. For "Isaac" was the son given him in his old-age, beyond the ordinary course of nature, and in ful­fillment of a divine promise. And it was this son in special, this son only, thro' whom "his seed", according to the express word of God, "could be reckoned". This "son Isaac" might well be the delight of his heart, the dearest to him of any object in this world. Tis therefore said, "thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest". And what was he to do with this son of his love? It follows, "get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt-offering". A most extraordinary command! God never before called Abraham to so severe a tryal, and the like he has never since put any other man to. Twas not eno' that he must part with this son by death; twas not eno' that he must part with him in a bloody manner: But he must, in his own person, with his own hands, "slay him for a sacrifice to the Lord"; yea, and after he had slain him, he must consume his body in the fire": Otherwise he could not have offered him for a "burnt-offer­ing", according to the command he had received from God. Let any man that is a father look within, and attend to the working of his own bowels, and this will tell him, beyond all lan­guage, the dreadful severity of the service Abra­ham was now called to. And what was the ef­fect? The account of it is given in these words,^* "and Abraham rose up early in the morning, [Page 106] and took Isaac his son, and went to the place of which God had told him". Far from disputing the will of God, he was instant in his obedience to it. He did not make excuses, a variety of which were ready at hand; he did not put off the matter for the present; but takes the first opportunity to fulfill the divine pleasure. What a miracle of self-denied obedience was this! The blessed God tho't fit to signifie his special appro­bation of it, in those words, ^* "I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not with-held thy son, thine only son, from me". Now, all this reverence of the divine majesty, all this submission to the divine government, was the fruit of faith. So we are taught to think of the matter, by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews. Says he, ^† "by faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises, offered up his only begotten son". To the like purpose, the apostle James, refering to this same affair of Abraham's "offering his son Isaac upon the altar", makes that appeal, ^‡ "seest thou how faith wro't with his works"? And its thus ope­rating, gave abundant proof, that it was a practi­cal principle, a persuasion of soul that powerfully influenced his whole inner and outer man.

SUCH was the faith of Abraham, that faith of his which was "counted to him for righteous­ness". And it was the same kind of faith that was "counted" to his posterity, under the Mosaic dispensation, "for righteousness" also. They could not have been believers, so as that their faith would have been connected with justification, un­less, [Page 107] like the faith of their father Abraham, it had been a powerful principle, habitually influencing their hearts and lives. For, as the apostle Paul observes, ^* they only who "walked in the steps of the faith of their father Abraham," could have "faith imputed to them for righteousness", as he had. Not that all▪ under the law, who were in a state of justification, as Abraham was, kept pace with him in his "walk of faith": But they were all, in a measure, followers of him in the same way of faith. They all trod in his steps, tho' not with equal exactness. To speak plainly, they were all, like him, the subjects of an active faith; a faith that was an abiding principle, dis­posing and enabling them, as occasions were offer­ed therefor in providence, to like exercises of love to God, dependance on him, submission to his all-wise pleasure, and obedience to his righ­teous commands; tho' not in the same emi­nent degree: Nor could they otherwise have been "of faith", so as to be "blessed with faith­ful Abraham". ^† They could not have been his children, in the spiritual sense; for as our Savior observed to them, ^‡ "if ye were Abraham's children, then would ye do the works of Abra­ham".

AND it was by this same faith, I have been de­scribing, that all the Patriarchs, even from Adam to Abraham, were justified and saved. The wri­ter of the epistle to the Hebrews, has put this beyond all doubt.

SAYS he of Abel, one of the sons of Adam, ^§ "by faith he offered unto God a more excellent [Page 108] sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts". He believed in God, and, it may be, in the pro­mise of God, that "the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head". And it was under the influence of this persuasion, that he made choice of "the fatlings of his flock, and the fat thereof"^* to offer in sacrifice to God; and when he offered the sacrifice, this same persuasion put him upon yielding to God, together with the external offer­ing, the inward homage and devotion of his soul, and, at the same time, his intire trust in the divine mercy for acceptance. It was owing to this faith of Abel, shewing itself by works, that he "offer­ed a more excellent sacrifice than Cain", and "by it he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts".

IN like manner, tis observed of Enoch, the se­venth from Adam, ^† that "by faith he was trans­lated, that he should not see death"; that is, by faith that was a powerful principle of action. For it wro't both on his heart and life, and in an un­common degree; making him an extraordinary instance of piety towards God, and righteousness and goodness towards men. Moses declares con­cerning him, ^‡ that he "began early to walk with God", and that he "went on walking with him for three hundred years together". And it ap­pears, from the epistle to the Hebrews, that this was the fruit of a firm and unshaken faith. Both his entrance on a religious course of life at first, and his afterwards going on in it for so long a space of time, was owing to his faith. This was the ruling principle of his life. In consequence [Page 109] of this faith, "he had, before his translation, this testimony, that he pleased God", and "by it" he was distinguisht from the rest of mankind, by being taken to the other world, without passing thro' death.

AND it was by the same kind of faith that Noah also, an antediluvian Patriarch "became heir of the righteousness which is by faith". ^* He not only gave credit to the notice God had given him of an approaching deluge; he not only lookt up­on this event, tho' in futurity at present, and greatly distant too, as what would certainly, in time, be the truth of fact; but his faith, in this revealed truth, was an inward, powerful spring of action. It had a just and reasonable influence both on his mind, and on his conduct. For, says the scripture, "by faith, being warned of God, of things not seen as yet," he was "moved with fear", and set himself "to prepare an ark".

HIS faith wro't upon his "fear". Not that he was in anxiety, lest he should be involved in the general destruction by water; for the same revelation that assured him of this amazing judi­cial procedure of God, assured him likewise that he should suffer no harm by it. But his faith in God's resolution to drown the world, awaken'd in him an holy awe of the divine justice, holiness and power, and such a reverential regard to the authority and government of God, as was a migh­ty restraint to him from sin, and a powerful in­centive prompting him to the discharge of duty and particularly that branch of it, "the building an ark", as God had commanded. The apostle [Page 110] therefore observes, after having said, "Noah was moved with fear", that he "prepared an ark for the saving of his house". He was so perswaded of the truth of what God had said, notwithstand­ing the contrary appearances of second causes, notwithstanding the improbabilities arising from the unlikelyhood of the thing in itself considered, that he began upon the work of "building the ark"; and he went on steadily, and in an uniform course, notwithstanding the universal infidelity of the age in which he lived, and the ridicule of ma­ny an unbelieving scoffer, till he had finished it; evidencing the reality and greatness of his faith by his punctual obedience to the will and plea­sure of God. Such was the faith "by which he became heir of the righteousness which is by faith".

IN fine, it was this same kind of faith, that was "reckoned" to even Moses, the founder of the jew­ish law, "for righteousness". For the faith he was happily the subject of inclined & enabled him to prefer an "afflicted state with the people of God", before the honors and pleasures of "Pharoah's court". ^* It carried his views beyond this pre­sent world, to the coming "recompence of re­ward", and influenced him to "esteem the re­proach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Egypt". In a word, it was a persuasion of soul, that was sufficiently powerful to take off his "af­fections from things on the earth", & to fix them "on things that are above", and to engage him in a steady care to approve himself, in his whole conduct, to the will of him, who is the supreme "law-giver, king and judge".

[Page 111]YOU have now seen, that the faith of Abra­ham, and those antient worthies, who lived and died in favour with God, was an inward, power­ful spring of right affection, and right conduct, towards God and Man. And our faith must be of the same kind, if we would hope, upon good grounds, to "inherit the promises". Our faith in God, and Christ, and the great truths revealed in the gospel, must have a governing influence on our hearts, and whole external behaviour of ourselves in the world. It must "work by love", love to God, and Christ, and one another. It must "shew itself in works", in works of piety, in works of righteousness, in works of sobriety. It must be, in a word, such a persuasion of the truth, as shall be effectual to conform our hearts and lives to the will of God, and the example of our Savior and master, Jesus Christ.

NOR unless we explain this persuasion of soul, as thus virtually comprehending in it the whole christian character, can it be the faith, in conse­quence of which, a man may, with truth, be de­nominated a justified believer. For it is to be re­membered, the justified person is a pardoned one, if we may believe the apostle Paul, who introduces David, when describing "the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth righteousness with­out works", as saying, "blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin". ^* But whoever is not virtually, or in true estimation, a "gospel-penitent", is in a state of guilt, and actually liable to the wrath of God. So we are taught to think by the apostle [Page 112] Peter, whose direction to his hearers is, "repent for the remission of sins". ^* And again, "repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out". ^† And a greater than this apostle has said, "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish". ^‡ Tis to be remembered also, the justified sinner is one that shall be glorified, according to that ex­press declaration of the inspired Paul, "whom he justified, them he also glorified". ^§ But tis most peremptorily affirmed, and by our Savior him­self, that "except a man be born again, he can­not see the kingdom of God", his kingdom in its state of heavenly glory. ^‖ And an apostle of his, speaking in his name, and as guided by his spirit, positively declares, that "they who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, shall be punish­ed with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power". ^¶ Un­less therefore a man can be in a justified state, and a state of wrath; in a state in which he may be admitted to heaven, and can have no entrance into this holy and happy place, and this at one and the same time, the faith which denominates him a justified believer, must contain in it, in God's estimation, repentance, the new-birth, and gospel-obedience; that is to say, it must be considered as the root, seed, or first elements of the whole christian temper and behaviour: Or, in other words, it must be explained to mean, as it really does mean, "the word of truth", so dwelling in the heart, as that it may properly be called "the seed of God", that "incorrupible, abiding seed", which, when it comes, by time and growth, un­der the influence of the divine spirit, to be opened, [Page 113] dilated and expanded, will appear to be "the man of God", adorned with his image, and "thoroughly furnished to all good works".

IN this view of the faith, that is connected with justification, beauty, strength and harmony, run thro' the whole new testament-writings, with re­ference to this important affair: Whereas, if we explain it in any other opposite sense, we shall make them perplext, I may say unintelligible, if not self-contradictory.

MEN may, if they please, perplex the most clear and easy truth; rendering it unintelligi­ble, while, at the same time, it is far from being "hard to be understood". And this, perhaps, has been as much done in the article we are up­on, as any in the whole christian revelation. But such a method of conduct is of no service to reli­gion, or the souls of men; but a great hurt to both. If we keep more closely to the scripture, and pay less regard to metaphysical niceties, our notion of faith will not be involved in difficulty, nor shall we be puzzled to understand that, which is so closely connected with our eternal well-being in the coming world. ^*

[Page 114]I HAVE now said all that I intended, to let you into a clear idea of the faith by which "the just do live". It only remains to make what has been offered upon this head, still more useful, by some important reflections.

I. TIS quite easy to collect, from the account we have given of faith, that there is no contradiction, not the least inconsistency, between the apostles, Paul and James, wherein they may seem to oppose each other, with respect to the affair of justification. The apostle Paul says, ^* "a man is justified by faith, without the deeds (or works) of the law". The apostle James says, ^† "by works (or deeds) a man is justified, and not by faith only". The apostle Paul says again, ^‡ "Abraham was not justified by works". The apostle James says, ^§ "Abraham was justi­fied by works". This seeming contradiction be­tween these apostles, has strangely puzzled exposi­tors, and other christian writers; many of whom have rather left their readers in confusion, than satis­faction, notwithstanding their learned and labori­ous disquisitions. It does not appear to me, to require any great degree of attention, to perceive, that these apostles were perfectly of the same mind, and spake precisely the same thing, how­ever [Page 116] it may look, at the first glance, as tho' they differed, not only in words, but in sentiment.

WHEN the apostle Paul says, "we are justified by faith without works", he can't be supposed to mean, that we are justified by a faith that will not be productive of works. Should we put such an interpretation on his words, we should make him contradict himself. For he elsewhere affirms of the faith that justifies, that it will "work by love", both to God and man; that is, in other words, that it will shew itself by works. When the a­postle James says, on the other hand, "a man is justified by works, and not by faith only", the idea he would communicate, is evidently this, that we are justified, not by a "dead faith", but a faith that will be the source of evangelically good works. For this was the point he had in view to prove; and he accordingly illustrates it by leting us know, that a "dead faith", a faith that is not followed "by works", would be of no more profit in the buisiness of justification, than good words would be to an "hungry and naked man", while we afforded him "no charitable relief". Hitherto these apostles, instead of contradicting, perfectly agree with each other, and indeed with all the sacred writers.

BUT the apostle James says, "Abraham was justified by works"; whereas the apostle Paul says, "he was not justified by works". Neither is there any contradiction between them here, un­less we attend to the found only of their words, and not the ideas intended to be conveyed by them. When the apostle Paul says, "Abraham was not justified by works", what he intends is, [Page 117] that he was not justified upon the score of works, in consideration of any thing he had done in con­formity to the divine law: In which sense, no man, any more than Abraham, was ever yet justi­fied, or ever will be. And is he herein contra­dicted by the apostle James? Can it be supposed, when this apostle says, "Abraham was justified by works", that he designed to affirm, that it was upon a plea grounded on their agreement with the law, as the rule of judgment? Had he meant to declare this, he must have bewrayed ignorance of the whole gospel-scheme of redemption; yea, he must, in true construction, have "made void the death of Christ". And yet, he must be in­terpreted to mean this, to make out a contra­diction between him, and the apostle Paul. The exact truth is, the apostle James, in saying, that "Abraham was justified by works", really intends nothing more nor less, than this, that he was justi­fied by a faith that was not "dead", but "shew­ed itself by works". And herein he perfectly coincides with the apostle Paul, whose doctrine, upon this head, is precisely the same.

IT may be worthy of special remark here, both the apostles, Paul and James, argue from the case of Abraham, in proof of the points they respect­ively had in view. And, by briefly considering what they say upon it, we shall easily be con­vinced, that their sentiments, upon the affair of justification, were exactly the same.

THE apostle Paul proves, ^* that "Abraham was not justified by works", from that scripture-declaration, ^† "Abraham believed God, and it [Page 118] was counted to him for righteousness". As if he had said, so far is it from being true, that Abraham was justified for his works, upon the account of his good deeds, that the way in which he was justified, was this; "he believed God", and God was pleased, upon the plan of grace thro' Christ, to accept of him as righteous. But then, it ought to be particularly rememered here, this faith, which was "counted to Abraham for righ­teousness", was not a "dead faith", but a "work­ing" one; that is to say, it was such a persuasion concerning God, and the revelations of God, as was a powerful spring of obedience to him, an inward principle that disposed and enabled him to do, or suffer, any thing at the divine call. Abra­ham was in fact the subject of such a faith as this; and this faith, thus influencing his heart, and op­erating in his life, was the very faith that God, in grace or favor, "counted to him for righte­ousness".

AND this is the very thing meant by the apostle James, when he says, "Abraham was justified by works". He did not intend to suggest, by these words, (as he must have done to contradict the apo­stle Paul) that "law" was the rule of Abraham's justification, and that he was accordingly "justi­fied by works", in conformity to this rule. No­thing could be more distant from his design, thro' the whole course of his reasoning, in this chapter. He had been treating of "the faith" by which men, upon the gospel-plan of mercy thro' Christ, are saved, and shewing that it was not an empty "dead faith", but a faith that discovered its rea­lity in "works" of evangelical obedience. And, in order to illustrate this great point he had in [Page 119] view, he introduces the case of Abraham, and says, ver. 21. "he was justified by works"; that is, by a "working faith", not a fruitless one; by a faith that was not "dead" and "alone", but a­live, and accompanied with " [...]", in confor­mity to the divine will. The c [...]ection of these words, with the argument he is pursuing, evident­ly determines this to be his meaning, and that he could have no other. And, that we may be con­vinced of it, I shall place before your view, the whole paragraph here relating to Abraham. It stands thus, ^* "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wro't with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abra­ham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God. Ye see then how by works a man is justi­fied, and not by faith only". As if he had said, I have been shewing you, that an empty faith, a faith that is "dead", and "alone", not operating in "works" of obedience to the gospel, will never avail a man to salvation. Let me illustrate this important point, by bringing your view to the case of Abraham, our father, according to the flesh. Was he justified by a "dead faith", a faith that did not "shew itself by works"? Is not his offer­ing Isaac his son, upon the altar, a plain proof of the contrary? Don't you perceive, by this illustri­ous "work", evidencing his submissive obedience to the pleasure of almighty God, that his faith, instead of being "dead", "wro't together with works"? Don't you perceive, that his faith, by its not being "alone", but thus operating in [Page 120] "works", was compleatly fited to the purpose of his justification? Don't you perceive, in this way of his justification, thro' an operative faith, the fulfillment of that text of scripture, which says, "Abraham believed God", and his "faith" in God, thus shewing itself in "works" of obedience and submission to his governing authority, was "counted to him for righteousness", in conse­quence whereof, he "became the friend of God"? You may then, my brethren, both easily and plainly see, in this example of Abraham, I have set before you, that "a man is justified, not by faith only", not by a faith that is "dead", and "alone"; but by a faith that shews itself in "works" of obedience, as occasions are offered therefor, in the providential government of God.

THIS explanation of the apostle James makes out a connection, and consistency, in his whole discourse, upon this head of faith and justification. Upon this plan of interpretation, it runs smooth and easy, and appears to be strongly put toge­ther. And, taking this to be his sense, (as it un­questionably is) wherein does he differ from the apostle Paul? Far from contradicting what he says, he really means the same thing: Nor can his words be understood, so as to oppose the a­postle Paul, unless they are interpreted in a sense that will destroy the coherence of his discourse, and make him a loose, weak and unconnected writer; which would be far from reflecting honor on him.

IT will, probably, be objected against this re­conciliation of these apostles, and indeed against the idea I have given of faith, that they set up [Page 121] "works" in the affair of justification; for if we are justified by faith, and faith i a work, we are then justified by "a work of our own", and not by "the work of Christ". We shall see at large, in the next discourse, that this objection is a meer pretence, having no real solidity in it. However, I would so far prevent myself, as to say at pre­sent; tho', instead of denying faith to be a work, I avow it to be one, yet I utterly deny, at the same time, that it is a work, in the sense in which works are any where, in the bible, excluded from justification.

THAT faith should be viewed as a work, in the affair of the sinner's justification, is vehemently opposed by some; ^* but in evident contradiction to what is said in the sacred books. Tis there obviously spoken of as "a work required", a "duty commanded", as truly so as to love God, or our neighbour. When our Lord "preached the gospel of the kingdom, saying, BELIEVE", did he require nothing of his hearers? Did he com­mand no duty? Did he only exhort them to set still and wait, till the salutary truth" was conveyed into their minds, without any tho't, motion, acti­on, or endeavour of their's, in any shape or [Page 122] form? It would be highly absurd to make him speak thus; especially, as he has himself taught us to look upon faith, as "a required work", in those words of his, in answer to a question that was put to him by some of the Jews, "this is the work of God", the work God commands you to do, "that ye believe in him whom he hath sent", John 6. 28. ^* Observable also to the [Page 123] like purpose is that passage in the apostle John's first epistle, ^* "this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, and love one another". Do we believe in Jesus Christ? Our faith, if the authority of God is therein regarded, is a compliance with his com­mand, and, as such, "a work done", a duty per­formed, as truly as when we "love one another" in obedience to God, who has required us so to do. It is not my buisiness to inquire, at present, how we come by an ability to believe. Be this as it may. Whenever we do believe, if we therein have our eye to God (as we must have, or our faith will be of no value) we pay religious honor to him, by doing a duty he has required of us; and, by thus doing a duty, we do that which is a work, and may, with as much propriety, be so called, as any other act of obedience that we per­form. Nor can we indeed, as intelligent moral agents, believe in Jesus Christ, upon the testimony of God, and in compliance with his command, but by the exercise of our reasonable powers. The capital truth, comprehensive of the whole object of faith, is this, "Jesus, who is the Christ, died for our offences, and rose again for our justifica­tion". I would hereupon ask, can this truth ex­ist in our minds, as a truth we give credit to, without the use of our intellectual capacities? In order to its standing true in our minds, must we not discern the connection of the terms in which it is expressed? Must we not know its just im­port? that is, have in our minds distinct ideas of, at least, all the essential truths that are con­tained in it? Must we not perceive the evidence upon which it comes testified to us? Must we [Page 124] not be satisfied, that this evidence will justifie us, as reasonable creatures, in yeilding to it? In fine, must we not have such a view of God, as, in our believing this truth, to do honor to his faithfull­ness and authority? And is there, in all this, no exercise of our intellectual and moral powers? No action, no motion, of the soul in any shape whatever? Nothing is more indub [...]tably clear and certain, than that faith partakes of all the properties of a work, and is as truly such, as love, humility, or any other christian grace: Nor is it possible it should be otherwise.

BUT then, it is utterly denied to be a work, in the sense in which works are excluded in the affair of justification. For which reason there may be, and actually is, a perfect consistency in saying, that "no man can be justified by works", and that "every man that is justified is justified by faith, which is a work"; because faith, tho' a work, is not a work in that sense, in which works are excluded from justification. It is an indis­puted maxim, that, in explaining the scripture, regard is always to be had to the MEANING of words, and not their meer sound. Upon which, the question is, what does the scripture mean by "works", when it says, "no man can be justified by works"? Look where you will, and you will always find, that it means works recured to as a title to justification; works that justifie in their own virtue; works that are the consideration up­on which justification is claimed; works that are opposed to grace and Christ, and depended on instead of these; in fine, works that give occasion for boasting in ourselves, rather than glorying in God thro' Jesus Christ, when we are justified. [Page 125] This is the scripture-meaning of works, when it declares, that "no flesh can be justified by them".^* [Page 126] And according to this meaning of works, no man ever did, or ever will obtain "the justification of life", in consequence of his doing them. But faith is so far from being a work, in either of the above senses, or in any sense that will oppose "the grace of God", or "the finished work of Christ", that it principally operates in doing honor to [Page 127] them both: Nor can it be conceived, wherein God could have taken a more effectual method to exalt his own grace, and the merits of his son, than by giving faith, considered as a working-principle, a necessary place in the affair of the [Page 128] sinner's justification. This will be distinctly and largely illustrated in what may hereafter follow.

II. TIS a just remark, from what has been said of the "faith that justifies", that the evidence in proof to a man, that he is possessed of it, can't be full and strong, till his faith has "wro't by love, and discovered itself to be of the right kind by its genuine fruits. His faith, previous to this, that is, before it had produced the meet effects, may be of the justifying kind; and God may know it to be so. For which reason, should he be called out of the world (as it is possible he may) before he has had opportunity to "shew his faith by his works", it would be no hindrance to his admission into the heavenly kingdom. For, be­ing possessed of faith in its truth, God knows that he really is, in the first rudiments, that penitent and convert, that new-man in Christ and par­taker of the divine holiness, which the scripture points out as the proper "meetness for the in­heritance of the saints in light". We judge of the cause by the effects, of the state of men's minds, by the tenor of their actions: But God, who is "greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things", can judge of effects by their cause, and know what a man's temper and conduct will be, by the springs and principles he is endowed with. Consequently, as faith, when of the right sort, is all and every thing, in the root or seed, whoever is the subject of it, in the view of God, whose judgment of it, while lying naked in the mind, is infallibly true, will be owned by him as one, marked out, in the gospel-revelation, for the joys of his presence. But this is not the way, in which we are to judge of the faith, we may [Page 129] suppose ourselves to be endowed with. We can't be assured, ^* upon just grounds, that tis of the [Page 130] right kind, but by its operation. The effects it produ [...]s, are the principal evidence, in proof of its being the faith that justifies.

[Page 131]AND this, it may be proper to observe here, is the true scripture-method of attaining to "the joy of faith", the meaning of which none can know, but by their own inward sensations. Not that this "comfort of the holy Ghost" is derived, [Page 132] either from faith itself, or any of its effects, in their own proper virtue. The work of Christ, as Savior, is its only ultimate ground. It finally terminates in this, as its true cause or reason. Men may, it is acknowledged, place an undue dependance upon those exercises, internal or ex­ternal, which they imagine are owing to the influ­ence of faith; substituting them in the room of Christ, and fetching their consolation from them, instead of him. But this does not argue, that we ought not to look to the workings of our hearts, and the actions of our lives, as produced by faith, in order to our enjoying that "peace of [Page 133] God", which belongs to those who are believers in Christ. The influence of faith, that is to say, the effects it produces, both in the inner and outer man, must be heedfully attended to, in order to our knowing, whether our faith is of the justify­ing kind, or not. This can be known, with sufficient certainty, in no other way. The effects of faith are the proper scripture-medium, by which we prove its distinguishing nature, and be­come fully satisfied, ti [...] the "faith by which we may live". And, consequently, tis by these effects, that we attain to a state of spiritual peace and comfort. "Perceiving about us these fruits of faith", we justly & strongly conclude from hence, that our faith is of the right kind; and, if of the right kind, connected, by the gospel-plan, with "the justification of life": And if we are "justi­fied by faith", we may, upon the most solid foun­dation, enjoy "peace with God thro' our Lord Jesus Christ". It is Christ, or, what means the same thing, the work of Christ as the redeemer of sinners, that is ultimately the ground or rea­son of this "peace"; but still, the "working of faith", the fruits it produces, are the "medium" by which we come to the enjoyment of it: Nor can any man give a good scripture-reason for his rejoicing in hope", but from his being able to "prove his faith by his works". For this is the only strong and full evidence, that can be given in proof of its being of the right kind. And un­less it be of this kind, tis certain we cannot be justified in consequence of it; and if we can­not be justified, should we have "peace in our minds", it must be upon a false foundation. And this leads me,

[Page 134]III. IN the next place, to put both you and myself upon the proof of our faith, that we may know, upon just grounds, whether it be of the right sort; what I mean is, whether it is the faith by which "the just do live"? And, from what has been discoursed concerning the properties of faith, especially that never-falling one, its "shewing it self by works", we may, under the conduct of the spirit of truth, attain to a fullness of satisfaction respecting this interesting and im­portant point.

DO we believe in God, as he has revealed his character in the inspired books? We shall be in­fluenced by our faith, if it is justifying, to love him with our whole souls, to fear him above all that are called gods, to trust in him as the alone all-sufficient help, to resign ourselves up to the disposal of his all-wise and righteous pleasure, and to behave towards him with all dutiful obedience; rendering to him the homage of our hearts, and the worship of our lips.

DO we believe, that "God has sent his son in­to the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world thro' him might be saved"? We shall, in consequence of this faith, be filled with the highest admiration of his "good-will towards men", and be in a temper of mind to fall down before him in humble adorations, and grateful acknowledgments. That will be our language, and we shall express it with a truly thankful soul, "blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up for us an horn of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets".

[Page 135]DO we believe the great things that are spoken, in the new-testament, of Jesus Christ, his person and office, what he has done and suffered for sin­ners, and is now doing for them in heaven, in consequence whereof he is "able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him"? Our faith, if genuine, will dispose and excite us to re­repair to him as the "one mediator", thro' whom alone we may hope for acceptance with God to eternal life: And we shall accordingly commit our souls, and their everlasting concerns, into his hands; trusting in the atoning virtue of his obedience to the death, and his consequent exaltation to all power, that he might compleat the designs of God's grace towards an apostate world.

DO we believe the scripture-declarations con­cerning the holy spirit of God, and the part he bears in forming men to a "meetness" for the future glory, honour and immortality? We shall hereupon put ourselves under his guidance, depend upon his aids, cherish his motions, follow his directions, and make it our constant care, and earnest prayer, that we may, under his in­fluence, be preserved blameless to God's heaven­ly kingdom.

DO we believe the odiousness of sin, in its nature and guilt, especially as set forth in the sufferings of Christ, when he shed his precious blood on the cross to "make atonement for it"? Our faith will set in motion our passions of grief, shame and hatred. We shall "mourn for our transgressions, as a man mourneth for his first-born son". We shall blush and be confounded at the remem­brance [Page 136] of our past iniquities. Sin will appear to us, in the strongest point of light, "the abomina­ble thing which God's soul hateth": And we shall "hate it with a perfect hatred", and avoid it as the most deadly evil; no more allowing our­selves in practice of it, at any time, or in any in­stance whatever.

DO we believe that "the commandment", ac­cording to the revealed representation of it, "is holy, just and good"? We shall herefrom be formed to an obedient and submissive temper of soul. We shall be reconciled to the government of God, and willing in all things to do, or suffer, as he would have us. That will be the inward sense of our minds, "we esteem all thy com­mands concerning all things to be right. O how love we thy law! It is our meditation all the day. We prize thy commands far above gold, and have chosen them for our heritage forever. O give us understanding, and we will keep all thy righteous precepts. Thy law is good, therefore thy servants love it".

IN short, whatever we believe, as contained in the revelations of God, by Jesus Christ, and his apostles, will, if our faith is of the right kind, operate in us, and have an influence upon us, answerable to the nature of the object believed; either exciting our love to God, or trust in Christ, or care to do honor to the divine government and authority, by our submission and obedience in this, or the other instance, as occasions are offered therefor in providence.

[Page 137]IF our faith does not thus operate, it is that "dead faith" the apostle James speaks of, which can be of no profit to us in the buisiness of sal­vation. ^* Whereas, if it "shews" its reality and [Page 138] power, by such good effects as has been described, we may be sure it is of the right sort, and will be accompanied with the "justification of life".

[Page 139]LET us then prove our faith by our works. And let us be faithful and critical in the tryal of it; putting ourselves under the guidance of that God, who "knoweth our down-sitting, and our up-rising, who compasseth our path and our lying down, and is acquainted with our tho'ts, and all our ways". We may, by thus proving our faith, "have rejoicing in ourselves"; yea, we may, upon just grounds, "rejoice with joy unspeaka­ble and full of glory".

SOME of us, it may be, have no need to be at the pains of this tryal. We know at once, with­out any labor to prove it, that our faith is nothing more than a pretence, a profession without fruits, unless such as evidence its falsehood. We "name the name of Christ"; but take no care to "de­part from iniquity". We "say unto Christ, Lord, Lord"; but "don't do the will of his fa­ther which is in heaven". We "come unto God as his people come, sit before him as his people, and hear his words; but we do them not: with our mouths we shew much love, but our heart goeth after our covetousness". We wear "a form of godliness", and, it may be, a specious one too; but we "deny the power of it"; being "lovers of ourselves, covetous, proud, disobedient, unthank­ful, unholy, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God". If this is the just character of any of us, and we are conscious to ourselves that tis so, we are, without all doubt, in a state of wrath; and must know that we are so, if we have only a common faith in the reve­lations of God. And is this a state in which we may, as reasonable creatures, sit down in quiet? [Page 140] We must be stupidly inattentive, or we should be deeply concerned to think, what a dangerous situ­ation we are in. "The god of this world" must have "blinded our eyes", and "scared our con­sciences", or we should anxiously enquire, How shall we be "delivered from the wrath to come"? Let us "consider, and shew ourselves men", by endeavouring, in the gospel-way, to obtain this deliverance.

SOME of us, it may be, have proved our faith by its fruits, and the result has been "peace of conscience" and "joy in the holy Ghost"; as knowing herefrom, that we are interested in the favor of God, and the purchases of the redeemer's cross. If this should be the happy case of any of us, we have infinite reason to bow the knee, in humble grateful adorations of the rich grace of God, that has been manifested towards us, thro' Jesus Christ. We should principally ascribe it to God, and not to ourselves, that we are what we are, and can "rejoice in hope of the glory to be revealed to us". Let us do nothing to darken the evidence of our being in a justified state, "thro' the redemption there is in Jesus Christ", or to ob­struct the lively actings of the hope we have of being hereafter crowned with immortal glory. And the stronger our hope is, the more vigorous let our endeavours be, to "glorifie the name of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ". And as we know, that we are "the ch [...]ldren of God by faith in Jesus Christ", let it be our care to be "followers of him as dear children". And as, in virtue of our being children, we are "heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that [Page 141] fadeth not away", and have an assured hope that tis "reserved for us in heaven", let us walk wor­thy of such a blessed hope; "purifying ourselves even as Christ is pure"; aiming at, and endea­vouring after, the highest degrees of conformity to the example he has set us. Let us not "think, that we are already perfect"; but make it our daily care to get the better of our corruptions; to become more ready, chearful and constant in doing the duties of the various relations we sus­tain in life; to grow in love, meekness, hu­mility, patience, resignation to the divine plea­sure, and all those graces that adorn the christian's character. Let us be more and more contented with the condition it shall please God to a lot to us, in the present world; finding no fault with him, tho' he should call us to conflict with tryals, grievous to bear; as knowing, that if we meet with evil things here, we shall be comforted here­after. In a word, let us live above the world, having our heart in heaven, and "our conversa­tion in heaven, from whence we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ", who, "when he appears a second time without sin unto salvation", will "change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like to his glorious body": And we shall then be ever happy with him, in the king­dom of his father.

IN fine, some of us, it may be, tho' we have tried our faith, and have so done again and again, are yet full of fears and doubts, as not knowing, after all, whether it is of the right sort. If we can't peremptorily determine, on the one hand, that we have no other faith than that which is common to those professors of christianity, to [Page 142] whom our Lord will finally say, "I know you not, depart from me ye workers of iniquity"; so neither, on the other hand, can we, with de­sireable satisfaction, say, that "we have believed in him that raised Jesus from the dead", with a faith that has been "imputed to us for righte­ousness". And we accordingly live sometimes hoping, sometimes fearing; always doubting, but never rejoicing in an assured hope of our being interested, thro' faith, in the purchases of the re­deemer's cross. And this, perhaps, is the truth of fact, with respect to the generality of believers in Christ, those of them, I mean, whose faith is connected with that "eternal life", which is "the gift of God thro' our Lord Jesus Christ". It may seem strange it should be thus, when so many, in the days of the apostles, were, in con­sequence of their faith, the happy subjects of "peace with God", and "rejoicing in Christ Jesus"; especially, as the way to these "com­forts of the holy Ghost" is the same now, that it was then; and christians, in these days, are fa­vor'd with the same revealed means, and advan­tages, christians were then, in order to their at­taining to the "joy of faith". But the principal reason of this is to be fetched, from the slothful inactivity of the present christians. They don't take due care to shew to themselves, any more than to others, that they have faith, by the exer­cise of those graces, which, "by Jesus Christ, are to the praise and glory of God". If they are possessed of these graces, they have made no great improvements in them. They have not "grown in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ", as might be expected and wished. "The work of God may be begun in them"; but it has not [Page 143] been carried on, in any considerable degree. They have not attained to the "stature of men in Christ"; but may rather be esteemed "babes": And their exertments, in the christian life, are ac­cordingly feeble and lanquid, and too often inter­rupted by the influence of temptation and cor­ruption. And what wonder is it, if they live in uncertainty about their spiritual state; and, in­stead of enjoying true serenity of soul, are per­plext with fears and doubts.

WOULD we attain to "the full assurance of hope", and to "joy in God thro' our Lord Jesus Christ", in consequence hereof, we must, as the apostle Peter directs, ^* "give all diligence to add to our faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, pa­tience, godliness, brotherly-kindness, & charity"; and not only so, but "to abound in these things". The apostle's view is, to engage our zeal and care in attaining to the greatest eminency in these graces, which at once "adorn" both the christi­an's character, and "the doctrine of our Savior Jesus Christ". Nor can we take a more scriptu­ral, or effectual, method to "make our calling and election sure". For it is by the graces o [...] God's spirit, thrown into exercise upon all proper occasions, that our faith is shewn, not to be "dead", but to exist in us as a real principle of life. And the higher we rise in the actings of our love to God, trust in Christ, hatred of sin, weanedness from the world, and the like, the stronger & brighter will be the discovery, our faith makes of its reality and power in us. It now shews itself by its proper fruits; and by these, under the influence of the divine spirit, we may [Page 144] certainly know, that it is the "faith, by which the just do live": [...]nd in consequence of this knowledge, we may, upon the most solid grounds, "joy in God thro' our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the atonement".

THE best remedy, after all that can be said, against spiritual darkness and distress, and the best way to get spiritual peace and joy, is to rouse ourselves up to those "labors of love", which are the "work of faith"; to quicken our pace in the paths of righteousness; to be more earnest in our cares, respecting our souls, and another world; to strive more resolutely against sin; to be more watchful against temptation; to love God more intirely; to pray to him more fervently; and to be more constant and devout in the services of piety, and more circumspect in ordering our conversation among men, that, "as we have received how we ought to walk and please God, we may abound daily more and more".

OUR faith should be productive of good dispositions, and these should be continually strengthened, till they become well established principles of action. And so shall we find, from our own experience, that the wise man spake the truth, when he said, "the path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day. ^* As we thus, by the operation of faith, under the blessing of heaven, improve in holiness, we shall find our doubts and fears will disperse and vanish, and our hope grow into assurance. We shall know, by the [Page 145] abounding fruits of our faith, that our state is safe, as "there is no condemnation to us, being in Christ Jesus". And "the peace of God will now rule in our hearts". We shall feel serenity in our tho'ts, tranquility in our consciences, and joy in our breasts that is "unspeakable and full of glory". We may now solace ourselves under the heaviest weight of outward affliction; yea, we may "rejoice in tribulation", as we are chastened because we are children, and under discipline for our spriritual and eternal profit,^* [Page 146] and may "know that all things shall work to­gether for our good", as they do for their's who "love God, and are the called according to his purpose". In fine, we may now have confidence towards God in the hour of deaths, and triumph in the prospect of those immortal joys, which the father of mercies has provided, and laid up in heaven, for all true believers in his son.

GOD grant we may all so "believe in him whom God hath sent", as to enjoy inward ease & peace while we live, and to be in the exercise of an assured hope, when we are called to depart hence, of going to be eternally happy in the kingdom of God, and of Jesus Christ! AMEN.

I HAVE already, in several discourses from this text, endeavoured to let you into the true meaning of the faith that is connected with justification. What I now principally de­sign is, to point out to you the "reason" of this connection, or to lead you into the scripture-notion of the proper "place", and "use", of faith in this buisiness of infinite importance to us all.

IN order whereto, it will be needful to observe, that several things are particularly mentioned, in the sacred books, as bearing their part in the [Page 148] affair of the sinner's justification; each of which have their "distinct use", and are, in their "pro­per place", absolutely necessary in order to our partaking of this blessed privilege. The first, relates to "God"; the second, to "Christ"; and the third, to "ourselves".

THE first thing to be considered in the affair of justification, and that indeed which gave rise to it, is the "grace of God", his free favor, good will and kindness towards men. The infinitely benevolent being was not excited, either to pur­pose, or contrive, or reveal, or execute the gospel-plan of salvation, by any motive extraneous to himself. Meer goodness was the source, and the only one, from whence it originated. Even the blood of Christ was of no consideration, in a way of motive or argument, to persuade the blessed God hereto. For the intervening mediation of Jesus Christ, and all that he did and suffered on earth, or is now doing in heaven, are to be looked upon as means only in the execution of the pur­posed scheme of redemption; not the incentive that prompted the all-merciful God to come into it. This is the point of view in which the scrip­ture represents the matter. The gift of Christ to become incarnate, and humble himself to death, even the death of the cross, is spoken of as the great astonishing instance of the moving of God's heart in compassion towards sinners. To this it was owing, that he sent his son Jesus into our world, to sustain and execute the office of its Savior. The new-testament is particularly ex­press upon this point. "In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten son into the world, that [Page 149] we might live thro' him". ^* And again, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him, should not perish, but have everlasting life". ^† The lan­guage, in these texts, is emphatically strong, and does, in the fullest manner, express the original essential benevolence of God; ascribing it to this, as the true and only spring, that Christ was sent into the world, "not to condemn the world, but that the world thro' him might be saved". Had he not been moved by the infinite goodness of his own nature, he would neither have purposed, or contrived this wonderful expedient for our ever­lasting benefit: It proceded from love, antece­dently to all considerations whatever. And to the same love it was owing, that this scheme, when purposed and contrived, was revealed to Adam, to Abraham, to Moses, to the Prophets, and more fully, in the times of the gospel, to the Apostles, and thro' them to the whole world. The inspired Paul therefore says, "we are justi­fied freely of God's grace". ^‡ And, speaking of justification, he calls it a "free gift"; "the gift by grace"; "the gift" emphatically; and again, "the free gift". ^§ And he might, with all pro­priety, speak of it in this language; for it is, in regard of its original source, an absolutely free favor. We were indeed, in the eye of God, "without strength", "enemies", "ungodly", "sinners", when he purposed and contrived the gospel-method of justification. Grace therefore, and that only, could be the excitement to it.

I NEED not now say, that faith, in this view of justification, is of no use, of no influence, in any [Page 150] sense whatever. The part it has to act is sub­sequent to, and wholly dependant on, the grace of God, that grace of his, which, previous to all consideration of faith, works, or worthiness, in any kind or shape, made this blessed privilege an obtainable one; and this, for all sorts of sinners: for the openly prophane, the hypocritically de­vout, the stupidly tho'tless, the hardened in infi­delity and an universal debauchery of manners, as well as others less odious and guilty. It was indeed, while viewing sinners in all their various degrees of sinfulness and unworthiness, that the infinitely good God found within himself an heart, disposing him to purpose and reveal the merciful plan, in consequence of which they might obtain the justification of life.

THE next thing, in the affair of justification, relates to "Christ". For the scripture not only declares, that we are "justified freely by God's grace", but "thro' the redemption that is in Jesus Christ".^* We are accordingly said to "have redemption thro' his blood, the forgiveness of sins"; ^† and to be "justified by his blood". ^‡ And "his blood", which "declares God to be just in being the justifier of the sinner", is empha­tically mentioned as one of the great truths, which are the object of that faith that is accompanied with a justified state. ^§ In agreement with these apostolic representations, "the gift by grace" is said to be "by the one man, Jesus Christ".^‖ And "by the righteousness of this one man, the free gift is come upon all men to the justification of life".^¶ —But I have no need to multiply texts. [Page 151] Tis abundantly evident, from the general run of the new-testament-writings, that our blessed Savior Jesus Christ, while in our world, "in fashion as a man", and "form of a servant", both did and suffered every thing that was necessary in order to a WORTHINESS, a RIGHTEOUSNESS, on account of which God might, in consistency with the honor of his perfections, and the authority of his law and government, manifest his mercy to­wards sinners, even the chief of them, in saving them from wrath, and admiting them to the joys of his presence in the kingdom of heaven. Ac­cordingly, this righteousness of Christ, in the re­flection on which he could appeal to his heavenly father, saying, "I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do"; and thereupon pray, "now, O father, glorifie thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was": ^* I say, this finished work of Christ is that, with a view to which, for the sake of which, in conside­ration of which, the sinner is justified and saved. This is the expedient, this the moral mean, the wisdom of God, excited by his infinite benevo­lence, has contrived for the righteous and holy display of his grace towards the sinful sons of men, in discharging them from the demands of his law and justice. And whoever are made partakers of this grace, the obedience of Christ, and eminent­ly that finishing act of it, his willingly submiting to die on the cross, is the only meritorious ground of its bestowment. Tis not for the sake "of any thing the sinner has about him" that he is acquit­ed from guilt, and accepted into favor. This is done by grace, thro' the atoning blood of Jesus [Page 152] Christ. The true reason of it is to be fetched from that astonishing love, which gave the only begotten son of God, that sinful men might be saved from perishing, and this in a way that would be honorary to that glorious being, who is as just and holy, as he is good and merciful.

TIS now easy to see, that justification, as it re­spects Christ, whose character was perfect, and the only one that was so, and, as such, well pleasing to God, excludes even faith, as well as works, from being, in whole, or in part, the CONSIDERA­TION upon which the sinner is freed from the curse of the law, and instated in a right to eternal life. Christ's work was finished on the cross, and needed neither faith, or any thing else that could be found in, or done by, us, to render it more compleat, as a reason for justifying the sinner, than it would be without them. Faith therefore, tho' necessary in order to justification, and tho' it operates to the obtainment of this privilege, is yet wholly useless, as the ground or reason of its bestowment. This is a blessing, the grant of which was made solely with a view to Christ, and upon the account of his obedience, the last and greatest act of which was, his making his "soul an offering for sin".

THE last thing relating to justification is "faith", the scripture-connection of which, with this gospel privilege I am now naturally bro't to make easy and familiar to you.

AND, in general, its office, from what has been already said, must be considered as not only sub­servient to grace and Christ, but as grounded on [Page 153] them, subordinated to them, and receiving its virtue from them, in its whole operation. It has a quite different use from that, which the inspired writers assign to the grace of God, and the atone­ment by Christ. For which reason, we shall en­tertain wrong sentiments of its use, if we substi­tute it in the room of that which is alotted to either of the former; or so mix its use with their's, as to ascribe to it the part which belongs to them, and not itself. The special operation of these several requisites are preserved distinct from each other, in the new-testament-books; which ever represent them as jointly concuring in the affair of justification, but yet in different and duly subordinated respects. These requisites must not therefore be misplaced in our tho'ts, or the use of any one of them so confounded with the use of the other, as to break that harmonious wisely subordinated order, in which the sacred pen-men speak of them as unitedly operating, tho' in different views, to the production of the same good effect. To be sure, if we give faith the part of grace, or Christ; or so mingle it's use with their's, as to destroy its subserviency to them, we shall grosly misapprehend the matter, and in­cur the danger of transfering that glory to our­selves, in the buisiness of justification, which is due only to God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith, as well as works, may be opposed to Christ in the affair of a sinner's being justified; and should we view it as the consideration, in the virtue of which we are instated in this privilege, we should be justly chargeable with that "establishing our own righteousness", in opposition to "the righ­teousness of God", which is so frequently and pressingly cautioned against by the apostle Paul. [Page 154] For "if life could come by faith", in its own virtue, that is, as the consideration entitling here­to, then is the righteousness of Christ rendered needless, as truly as in the case of works, and he "died in vain".—But to come more directly to the point.

FAITH is connected with, and operates towards, the justification of life, as it is that character, mark, or qualification in us, without which we cannot, conformably to the gospel-plan, be in­stated in the enjoyment of this benefit. ^* It is [Page 155] very expresly, as well as frequently, declared, in the sacred scriptures, that sinners at large, sinners without distinction or limitation, are not in a justified state; and that neither the grace of God, or the atonement by Christ, operate, or were intended to operate, to the putting them [Page 156] into this state, till such a change has been wro't in them, as will justly give them a new and distin­guishing character. Tis true, the infinitely good God, of his rich grace, has absolutely made the gift of justification an obtainable one, by sinners of whatever kind, be the degree of their vileness and guilt as great as can be supposed; and tis tr [...]e also, that the atoning blood of Christ, is a sufficient moral ground or reason for the bestow­ment of it upon them: But then, there is another truth as plainly revealed in the bible, which it highly concerns us all seriously to consider, and this is, that justification does not proceed, either from the grace of God, or the obedience and blood of Christ, so as to prevent the damnation of any but those, who possess a character which distinguishes them from sinners in common. On the one hand, unbelieving impenitents, so living and so dying, instead of being delivered from the [Page 157] wrath of God, shall surely be "hurt of the second death": Nor will the grace of God, however in­finite, or the obedience of Christ to the death of the cross, however perfect and meritorious, be any security to them herefrom. For it is writ­ten, "he that believeth not, is condemned alrea­dy".^* And again, "he that believeth not the son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him".^† On the other hand, tis as clearly and peremptorily written, "whosoever believeth in the only begotten son of God, shall not perish, but have everlasting life"; ^‡ yea, it is written again, "he that believeth the son hath everlasting life",^§ hath it in actual possession in the beginings of it. The sinners therefore that are in a justified state are those only, who are distinguished from others by being believers in Christ. Their faith gives them a discriminating character, which character is connected, by the appointment of God, with that deliverance from wrath, and right to life, which are the gift of grace thro' the atonement by Christ. They are, notwithstanding this character, as view­ed by the law, without relation to grace and Christ, in the same guilty undone condition with other sinners, having no claim to mercy any more than they: But, taking into our view the con­nection God has been pleased, upon the plan of manifesting his grace thro' the redemption there is in Christ, to constitute between this character, and a justified state, it becomes a most interesting one, and makes [...]he difference between these and other sinners as great, as the difference between a state of freedom from wrath, and one of conti­nual exposedness to it.

[Page 158]THE plain truth is, the justification of life, tho' the gift of God's grace, and his gift thro' the obe­dience of Christ to death, is no where, in the sa­cred writings, said to be bestowed upon sinners in common: Neither are the sinners, upon whom it is bestowed, pointed out by their names; but by this grand characteristic, "faith in Jesus Christ". They are distinguished from all others, by an appointed mark or sign, "their believing in him whom God hath sent". Upon whomsoever there­fore this character is not found, they are liable to the curse of the law, and the wrath of God, not­withstanding the life and death of Jesus the Savior; and they will accordingly be pronounced cursed, in the day of the appearing of that man, whom God has ordained judge of the world: But on whomsoever it is found, it may be assuredly said of them, they are "the blessed ones whose sins are forgiven, to whom the Lord imputeth not iniqui­ty"; and to whom the redeemer and judge of men will say, "when he comes in the glory of his father, with the holy angels, come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world". Not that they are thus favoured and distinguished, upon the score of their faith, for the sake of their character as believers; but, having this character, they have the divinely constituted mark, pointing them out as the persons, whom God has been pleased to declare, shall reap the benefit of that deliverance from wrath, the source of which is his own free grace, and the reason of its bestowment, the wor­thiness of Christ, his perfect character finished on the cross. Their faith is the instituted medium, by which they become interested in the redee­mer, [Page 159] and the virtue of what he has done and suf­fered for sinners. God has appointed a con­nection between faith, and the benefit of the Sa­vior's obedience and blood; insomuch, that what he has done and suffered is placed to the account of believers. His righteousness is, to all saving purposes, the same thing to them, as if they had wro't it out themselves.

NOR was this constituted connection between faith, and the benefit of God's grace, thro' the atonement of Christ, an arbitrary appointment; but a wisely contrived part in the plan of re­demption.

THE apostle Paul, speaking of this matter, says, "it is therefore of faith, that it might be by grace".^* And so far is faith from counter-acting the grace of God, or the righteousness of Christ, in the buisiness of justification, that it highly exalts them both; ascribing the glory to them, and not taking it to itself. The believer in Christ assents to it as true, that tis not for the sake of any worthiness he has about him, that he is justified and saved; but for the sake of ano­ther, on account of the worthiness of him, who has been "the propitiation for our sins". He "re­ceives it as a faithful saying, and accounts it worthy of all acceptation", that it was of grace that Christ was thus made a propitiation; as it was love, pure unmerited love, that sent him into the world to do the work, which he finished by dying on the cross. And it equally stands true in his mind, that his faith is of no value in itself simply consi­dered, and that it derives all its virtue from the [Page 160] appointment of heaven, which has made it a ne­cessary qualification in him, in order to his partak­ing of the benefit of grace thro' Christ. And who­soever believes thus, exalts the grace of God, and does honor to the redeemer's obedience and blood. His faith, tho' connected with life, totally excludes all boasting. And, in truth, the connection was purposely made, that "no flesh should glory in God's presence"; but that "he that glorieth might glory in the Lord"; as all believers do, being, by means of their faith, "in Christ Jesus, who of God is now made unto them, wisdom, and righteousness, sanctification and redemp­tion." ^*

IT ought to be considered still further, it was a fit, proper thing, in point of true wisdom, that there should be a "subjective capacity" in the sin­ner, for the enjoyment of the blessedness he will have an immediate right to by being justified, before he actually is so. Those who are justified have an immediate actual right, not only to de­liverance from wrath, but to the joys of God's presence; insomuch that, should they be instantly called out of the world, they would be admited into heaven. But how incongruous would a right to heavenly happiness be, where the temper and bent of the mind is such, that there would be a total incapacity for the enjoyment of it? And yet, this would be the case, if faith was not previ­ously necessary to our being vested with this right. Tis this that makes the grand subjective altera­tion in the sinner. He is no sooner possessed of faith, but he has that seed of God in him, which contains in it, virtually, the whole christian temper, [Page 161] which is the true scripture capacity for all spritual enjoyments and employments. He is now, in the first rudiments, a man of that "pure heart", and those "clean hands", which fit him "to ascend into the hill of the Lord, and to stand in his holy place", whether we mean hereby his sanctuary on earth, or presence in heaven. There is, as the apostle speaks, a "meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light".^* And it would be to little purpose to have a right to this inheritance, if we were, at the same time, incapable of enjoying it; not having been fitted herefor in the frame of our hearts. Such a right ought not to be supposed. And this shows the wisdom of God in so contriv­ing and revealing the method of justification, as that this gospel privilege cannot be had without "the faith by which the just do live".

I MAY not impertinently add here, it is by faith, as enlivened and actuated by the holy Spirit, that "redemption thro' the blood of Christ, according to the riches of God's grace", is carried into effect. Faith, operating under the divine agency, forms the sinner at first into "a babe in Christ"; and by the same faith, under the conduct of the same influ­ence, he gradually grows to "the fullness of the stature of a perfect man in him". Says the apo­stle, "of his own will begat he us with the word of truth". ^† Agreable whereto are those words of another apostle, "being born again by the word of God". ^‡ And this same word of truth, by which the sinner is "begot", and "born a­gain", is still made use of in carrying on this new workmanship of God, till it is "compleat in Christ". Says our Savior, "sanctifie them thro' [Page 162] thy truth, thy word is truth". ^* And the apostle Paul says of Christ, "he loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctifie it by the word,—and present it to himself a glorious church without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing". ^† You see it is by the truth, that the new creation is both begun, and carried on; be­gun in the new-birth, and carried on in pro­gressive sanctification. But then it is to be re­membered, it is by the truth as existing in the mind by faith. For if it lies in the bible only, and is not received into the heart, it can have no effect. By believing the truth, it has a real being in the christian, and becomes capable of use as a principle of operation. And by the truth, thus existing & operating in him, he makes, under the guidance of the holy Ghost, all his attainments, in conformity to the image, example, and will of Jesus Christ Of such importance and use is faith in the scheme of redeeming grace, thro' the blood of Christ. And no wonder therefore it is distinguished, by being made the grand character­istic, without which we shall have no benefit, ei­ther by the life or death of Jesus Christ.

THE short of the matter is, we can't be too much concerned, that grace and Christ may have all due honor in the affair of the sinner's justifica­tion; but, under the notion of magnifying grace, and exalting Christ, we must take care we don't reproach that wisdom of God, which has so con­triv'd the plan of life, as to make faith in us a necessary requisite in order hereto. Grace, Christ, and faith, are all necessary; and the latter as truly so, as the former, tho' in a different view. With­out [Page 163] grace, we should never have heard of this gospel privilege; without the worthiness of Christ, his finished character, as having been obedient even to death, there would not have been an ad­equate moral ground for the bestowment of it; and without faith, we should be wanting in that character, qualification, or distinctive mark, which the all-wise appointment of God has so connected with freedom from wrath, as that, while destitute of it, he has most solemnly declared, that we are in a state of condemnation. Thus faith, tho' ne­cessary, is made so in due subordination to the grace of God, and the perfectly meritorious obe­dience and blood of Jesus Christ. There is a most beautiful and harmonious agreement in their respective operations, in order to our being put into a justified state.

IT will, perhaps, be said, ‘Christ's work finished on the cross, was the fulfilment of all righte­ousness This gave him a character perfect in itself, and perfectly pleasing to God; and this is the sinner's justification: He is justified by this, and nothing else. This obedience of Christ to death is eminently, the truth, the simple truth, that justifies.’

IF I know my self, I would always be in a dis­position to love and thank Christ, for the great and gloriously benevolent work he finished on the cross; and next to the grace of God, it is, with­out all doubt, the grand requisite to justification: Nor can we be justified without it. Tis an essen­tial part in the merciful plan God has laid to save sinners from the damnation of hell. And it would be base ingratitude to the blessed Jesus, to [Page 164] say any thing that would take from the glory due to him, when he has done and suffered so much, that we might be justified and saved in a way that might be honorary to the perfections and govern­ment of God. But still, no truth of God, how­ever great and important, ought to be explained so as to set aside any other truth of his. Perfect harmony subsists among all divinely revealed truths. And if we interpret one, so as to oppose another, we may discover zeal for God or Christ, but it will be zeal without sufficient knowledge. We can't do too much honor to the redeemer's blood, while we view it in the true point of re­vealed light: But if we would put it to a use it was never intended for, instead of honoring, we shall reproach it.

THE question here is, not whether Christ has perfectly done the [...]ork assigned to him as medi­ator and Savior? This is thankfully acknow­ledged to be a most glorious truth The question is not, whether this work of his is essentially ne­cessary in order to the sinner's justification: This is readily owned also. There is no way in which we can escape wrath, there is no way in which we can obtain life, but by the obedience and blood of Jesus Christ. Tis always with a view to him, for his sake, and in consideration of his work finished in the days of Tiberius, that the sinner is justified. But the true and only proper question is, whether the sinner, in consequence of this finished work of Christ, can be in a justified state, without faith? If he can't, faith must have its use in the buisiness of justification; and is of such use, that the sinner will in vain expect justification without it.

[Page 165]THAT no sinner shall ever enjoy the benefit of Christ's finished work, who is not a believer in him, is a gospel-truth; and it is as simple and plain a truth, as that Christ finished his work by dying on the cross. Few, it may be, will ven­ture to deny this. If any should be disposed to do so, it would be sufficient to confront such denyal with those words, our Savior commissioned his apostles to preach to all the world, "he that be­lieveth not shall be damned"; ^* or those similar ones, which he preached himself, "he that be­lieveth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God". ^† If these words contain any real meaning, no man can be justified by any truth, call it simple, complex, or what you will, while he is an unbeliever in Christ. And to say other­wise, would be boldly to contradict the express declaration of him, thro' whom we must be justi­fied, if this is ever our happy case.

SHOULD it be said, faith indeed is necessary; but then, by faith must be understood "the truth believed". ^‡ Tis nor our belief, but "what we [Page 166] believe", that justifies. The answer is easy. Nei­ther the truth, nor our belief of it, do justifie apart from each other: Or, to speak in more ex­plicit words, the sinner is put into a justified state, [Page 167] neither by his faith, separate from the obedience and blood of Christ; nor by the blood and obe­dience of Christ, separate from his faith. They both of them have their part, and use, in this [Page 168] buisiness; nor can it be accomplished without their joint concurence; Tho' the use of the for­mer is dependant on the latter, subservient to it, and valuable only by derivation from it.

[Page 169]'T WOULD be to no purpose to plead here, "as Christ and his apostles speak of faith and the truth indifferently, to be justified by faith, is to be justified by the truth, ^* that is, to be justified [Page 170] by faith is to be justified by Christ's blood which is the truth": It would signifie nothing, I say, to argue thus, for tho' faith and the truth are sometimes promiscuously used, tis in the figura­tive sense, and not strictly and properly. The assent of a man's mind to revealed truth, is a [Page 171] quite different thing from the truth itself, that is the object of his assent. It becomes indeed a truth to him by this assent; but still, the truth itself, and that persuasion of mind, in consequence of which it exists in him, in this point of view, are distinct things. That Christ "died for sin, the just for the unjust", is a truth plainly testi­fied to in the scripture, and will be a truth, whether it be admited into my mind as such, or not; but it must be thus admited, it must stand true in my mind, or I can have no saving benefit from it. That we are "justified by Christ's blood", is one of the most important revealed truths; but I must believe it, it must be a truth in my mind, before I can be justified by it. To be "justified by faith", and to be "justified by Christ's blood", can't therefore mean precisely the same thing: Nor ought they ever to be so explained; but as jointly concur­ing [Page 172] with each other. On the one hand, to be "justified by Christ's blood", if interpreted in consistency with other sacred texts, will mean the same thing with being "justified by faith in his blood", including both the truth, and our faith in it; for they are both necessary. Both the blood of Christ, and its being true in the sin­ner's mind that he has shed his blood, must concur in order to his being justified. On the other hand, "to be justified by faith", if explain­ed in a just consistency with other inspired texts, will mean, not only that the truth believed, Christ's blood, is necessary to justification, so ne­cessary that tis not obtainable without it; but that the persuasion of mind with reference to this truth, signified by faith, has its use also; inso­much, that where this is wanting, even the blood of Christ will not avail to save the sinner from going to hell. Says the apostle Paul, speaking of himself, and other believers, "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ". Surely, his meaning, in these words, is not, that the object of faith only is necessary in order to justification. If faith, understanding by it, the mind's persuasion with reference to Jesus Christ, and his finished work, was of no use, of no service, in the buisiness of the sinner's justification, why does he say with so much particularity, "we have believed that we might be justified"? Their believing in Christ was a needless thing, to be sure it was so respecting their justification, if they might have been justi­fied without this belief.

[Page 173]THE question is short, but the true answer to it will, as I imagine, be decisive in this matter. It is necessary, in o [...]er to the sinner's being justified, that gospel-truth should exist in his mind as the truth of God? If it is not, us a vain amusement to talk, or write, about knowing the truth, believing the truth. If it is necessary, if the truth, the simple truth, must be admited into his mind, received by faith, then he can't be justified by the truth simply in itself. There must be the concurence of faith; that is to say, it must be by this truth, not as lying in the sacred books, but as admited into the heart. And if the truth justifies in this sense, it must be by some divine appointment, consti [...]ting a connec­tion between the truth in this view of it, and the sinner's being justified. He can be justified in no other way. Joy may naturally spring up in his heart, upon his believing the gospel-report of a method in which "God may be just, and yet justifie the ungodly"; as "the great guns of a neighbouring castle may give pleasure, by in­timating some public occasion of joy" But the truth of the gospel, however strongly believed, can't, in a way of meer natural operation, or in­deed by any supernatural assistance, put the sinner into a justified state. It may, under the influ­ence of the divine spirit, operate to change his heart, to change the objects of his passions and affections, and to renew his whole inner and outer-man: But it can do nothing towards his justification. For the change which justifica­tion makes in the sinner is relative, not real. It changes him from an object of wrath to an object of God's favor. It puts him into a state wherein he has a right to life, instead of being [Page 174] obnoxious to death. And there is no way in which this can be done but by a divine constitu­tion. And if, according to this constitution, a belief of the truth is necessary, then the truth se­parate, or apart, from this belief, can't do it; but they do it in concurence with each other. So God has made the connection between believed truth, and a justified state. And to talk of being justi­fied by the truth, in any other view of it but this, which God has appointed and revealed, is really delusive, to say nothing worse.

IT may be further objected, if by faith, in the buisiness of justification, any thing is meant be­sides the obedience and blood of Christ, the truth believed, then, in order to our being justified, we must be possessed of some qualification or requisite, distinguishing us from other sinners; to suppose which would be dishonorary to the "work of Christ finished on the cross", as tho' it was not of itself sufficient, but needed something in us to make it so.

I ANSWER; tis impossible, in the nature of the thing, we should be believers, and not be posses­sed of a qualification or character, distinguishing us from unbelievers. Faith in the only begot­ten son of God stamps a character, and the great­est and most interesting one too, upon the subjects of it. They are now quite different men from what they were. They have upon them that mark of God, which discriminates them from all other sinners in the world. Nor can they be justified, unless they have this discriminating mark, [Page 175] or character. ^* This we have seen to be as evi­dent a truth as any in the sacred books of scrip­ture. And if God has revealed this as a gospel-truth, for any to say, that dishonor is hereby reflected on the obedience and blood of Christ, is, in reality of construction, to reproach God. [Page 176] And it would indeed be a reproach to Christ also, to introduce his blood as operating to the sinner's justification, in a way that God has not appoint­ed. "The foolishness of God is wiser than men"; and "the wisdom of this world" is always found, in the end, to be foolishness with God". If God [Page 177] has made it necessary, that the sinner should be a believer, that is, a different man from what he was, and from what all other men are, before he shall be justified, or, what means the same thing, before he shall reap saving benefit by the obedi­ence and blood of Christ, we shall give all due [Page 178] honor to this "finished work" of his, while we consider it as available to the justification of the believing sinner only. We now give it its pro­per use, and should disgrace, rather than honor it, should we extend its use, and attribute a suffi­ciency to it to a purpose God never designed it for.

THE plain truth is, God's making faith, in us, previously necessary to our receiving saving bene­fit by Christ's obedience and blood, is the con­trivance of infinite wisdom; and, far from eclip­sing the glory due to Christ, it is the best con­ceivable method, by which he might have the whole glory ascribed to him that is his due, in the great affair of the sinner's justification. For let it be considered, it is by faith that the sinner beholds himself, in the strongest point of light, as an undone wretch, unworthy of the divine [Page 179] notice, and a fit object of wrath. It is by faith, that the only way is opened to his view, wherein God may shew mercy to him, and at the same time discover himself to be glorious, both in his holiness and justice. It is by faith, he is kept from ascribing his deliverance from wrath and hell to his own deserts, and is disposed and in­fluenced to carry his tho'ts up to the riches of divine grace, as the true source of this blessing, and the perfect character of Jesus Christ, compleated by his death, as the true reason of its bestowment. Tho' he is in a justified state, his faith teaches him, with adoring humility and thankfulness, to acknowlege that he was bro't into it "freely of God's grace, thro' the redemp­tion there is in Christ". His faith won't suffer him to look upon faith in any view, but that of a divinely appointed medium of putting him into the enjoyment of a blessing, which was wholly owing to the grace of God, and the redeemer's worthiness. His faith instructs and enables him to argue, I am, being a believer, an object of the divine favor; but I became so, not in the virtue of this character, not for the sake of it, but be­cause the good God was pleased of his meer grace to connect this character with the benefit of his son's blood. His faith directs him, not­withstanding his being a believer, to esteem him­self, comparing himself with law and justice, as a sinner in common with the rest of mankind, and worthy of nothing but the divine wrath; and to attribute it to meer mercy, that his faith, by the gospel-constitution, interests him in the everlasting advantages that result from the obe­dience of Christ to the death of the cross. This is the influence of faith. And wherein could [Page 180] God have contrived a more effectual method to secure to himself, the honor of his own grace; and to his son Jesus Christ the honor of his work as redeemer, than by making it necessary, that the sinner should be a believer, previous to his obtaining the justification of life? The utmost care is taken by this method to "hide pride from man", by filling him with the deepest sense of his own unworthiness, and the most exalted ap­prehensions of God's grace, and the Savior's righteousness.

THE last time I spake from these words, I opened to you the gospel-connection be­tween the sinner's believing, and his being justified. And it appeared, that they were insepa­rably conjoin'd. There cannot be the one with­out the other. So sure as a man becomes a be­liever, so sure is he put into a state of safety, re­specting the eternal world; and so sure as he re­mains destitute of faith, so sure is he liable to the curse of the law, and the wrath of God.

[Page 182]THIS being the truth, a most interesting que­stion naturally arises from it, in regard of those, who, thro' the want of faith, are in a state of ex­posedness to the "second death". It is this.

HOW shall we obtain faith? Are we to do any thing, or use any means, in order to the obtain­ment of it?

THE answer some would give is, ‘that faith comes not by any human endeavours, or the use of any means, even under the greatest ad­vantages men enjoy; but God bestows it with­out any exertments of our's, all which are use­less, and serve rather to prevent, than promote, the obtainment of it.’

BUT, surely, this is an answer that has no solid foundation in the word of God. When Simon, the sorcerer, made it evident to the apostle Peter, that he was not a subject of the faith that is sav­ing, did he thereupon advise him to the use of no endeavours, no means, in order to his getting into a better state? Far from this, his direction is, ^* "repent, and pray God, if perhaps the tho't of thine heart may be forgiven thee". Would he have thus directed one, that was not possessed of the "saving truth", if he had nothing to do, in order to his becoming possessed of it? He must have tho't it proper, that sinners, who, at present, are destitute of saving faith", should yet exert themselves, in the use of means, in order to ob­tain it; or he would not have exhorted this sin­ner to the use of "prayer", and endeavours "to repent". If he could have done nothing towards [Page 183] a compliance with this direction, or if what he could have done would have been of no use, to no purpose, as to any spiritual advantage, why was it given to him? It must needs appear, in this view, little better than an officious imperti­nent application to him. And when the jailor fell down, in a trembling condition, before Paul and Silas, and inquired, "sirs, what must I do to be saved"? Did they tell him his concern was needless? His question impertinent? He had nothing to do? No; but they answer in those words, "believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved".^* Without all doubt, they imagined he both could, and ought to, do some­thing, relative to this bu [...]siness of faith: Other­wise, the direction they gave them can have no intelligible meaning.

NOR did our Savior ever teach men, that they could do nothing towards obtaining that faith which is unto life. He says indeed, "no man can come to me except the father, which hath sent me, draw him". ^† And the apostle Paul speaks of faith as "the gift of God". ^‡ But nei­ther Christ, nor Paul, nor any of the Apostles, lead us to think, that faith is the bestowment of God, so as to prevent all endeavours of our's; much less so as to set them aside as totally use­less and vain. The commands in the new-testa­ment to believe in Christ; the promises encou­raging men to do so, and the threatnings denouncing damnation, aggravated damnation, against those that will not be persuaded to believe the truth, but go on to practice unrighteousness, are so many evident proofs, that they are consi­dered [Page 184] as agents, and accountable ones too, in the buisiness of faith; which they could not be, if their own activity was wholly excluded, and God only, in opposition to them, and all exert­ments of their's, was the giver of faith.

WHEN our Savior took occasion, from that exhortation, he had given his hearers "work (so it is in the original) for the meat that endures to everlasting life," ^* and from the question they thereupon askt him, "what shall we do that we may work the works of God"? ^† I say, when he took occasion from hence to tell them? ^‡ "This is the work of God (the work God ex­pects and requires you should work,) that ye believe on him whom he hath sent"; one would readily be inclined to suppose, that they had something to do with reference to faith. It would be unnatural, to an high degree, to say, the purport of his direction to them was this, do nothing, sit still, and wait, till it shall please God to work the work of faith in you. He must do all in this matter, no exertments of your's are necessary; they are rather useless and unprofita­ble. And yet, this must be our Savior's mean­ing, in real implication, if there is no concurence of man in the bestowment of faith.^§

WHEN he preached, saying, "repent ye, and believe the gospel", ^‖ had he it in view to inform his hearers, that he neither required, or expect­ed, they should do any other than fold their [Page 185] hands together, and quietly wait, till God, with­out any concern or care of their's, had wro't faith in their hearts? And yet, this must be the true import of what he preached, if it be a doctrine of his, that God, in the bestowment of faith, prevents all endeavours of our's.

WHEN he commissioned his apostles to "go into all the world, and preach, he that believeth shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned",^* was it his intention, that they should declare to mankind in his name, that if, while they carelesly sat still, doing nothing, God should bestow upon them the gift of faith, they should be saved; otherwise they should be damned? Would such a construction do honor to the com­mission, with which he charged his apostles? And yet, if all human endeavours to obtain faith are totally insignificant, and God gives it without them, or rather to the casting contempt on them, this is, in reality of sense, the true meaning of the gospel, he employed his apostles to preach to the world.

WHEN, in answer to John's question, "art thou he that should come"? ^† he said to the two disciples that bro't it, ^‡ "go and shew John those things which ye do see and hear; the blind re­ceive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are rai­sed up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them": When, I say, he sent this answer, did he mean to insinuate, that neither John, nor his dis­ciples, had any buisiness to consider this evidence of his being the Messiah, or to use any care or [Page 186] labour to get satisfied, by means of it, that he was the Christ? And yet, this, however imper­tinent it makes the answer, must be its true implication; if, in order to their believing that he was this person, their attending to, and impar­tially weighing, this evidence in proof of it, was to no purpose; as any other endeavours of their's would have been also, since they could not become the subjects of this faith, unless God, in preven­tion of all tho't and care of their's, should be­stow it upon them.

WHEN he said,^* to the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida, "if the mighty works, which have been done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes"; did he intend this as no­thing more than a declaration, that God would have given repentance, the fruit of faith, to Tyre and Sidon, without any care or labor of their's, while he saw fit to withold this gift from Chorazin and Bethsaida? And yet, this must be the sense, if, in consequence of these mighty works, nothing could be done, or was requisite to be done, towards this repentance, by either of these people; and God was to do all without them And when he goes on to say, ^† "wo unto you Chorazin, wo unto you Bethsaida, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you"; does he mean, that they deserved for their infidelity, and would, on account of it, have inflicted on them, a heavier punishment than those sinners, God tho't fit to destroy by fire from heaven for their heinous crimes, when it was absolutely out of their [Page 187] power, by any endeavours, in the use of any means, to do any thing towards the obtainment of faith; and there was no way in which they could become the subjects of it, but by the gift of God, without any care or concern of their's? It is a most dishonorable reflection on the Savior of men to suppose, that he should teach such doctrine; and yet, it is the very doctrine pleaded for, put into plain english.

WHEN he complains of sinners, and blames them for not believing on him, as in those words, "ye will not come to me that ye might have life"; ^* and again, "how often would I have gathered thy children together as an hen gather­eth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not"; ^† can it be imagined, that he esteemed it a truth of his gospel, that they could do no more towards coming to him, or believing in him, than towards bringing the truth down from hea­ven that is the object of faith. ^‡ Is it credible, [Page 188] that they should be blame-worthy for not doing that which is God's work, and in prevention too of all attempts of their own, in the use of any means whatever?

[Page 189]WHEN he, at one time and another, bespake his auditors in that most compassionate language, "he that hath ears to hear, let him hear"; can it be supposed, that they could make no use of the powers they were endow'd with, about the things he preached to them? Or that their use of them [Page 190] was quite needless, as God, without the concur­ence of human endeavours, is the giver of faith to all who are ever the subjects of it? Surely, when he upbraids, and fastens guilt upon those, as he sometimes does, ^* who, when they had [Page 191] "ears to hear, and eyes to see" other things, would neither "see nor hear" the things he preached to them, tho' of infinitely greater concern; he very evidently takes it for granted, that it was both the expectation, and requirement of God, that they should have made use of their faculties, with reference to these important matters of sal­vation; and that they were highly criminal, as they neglected to do so. But why are they bla­med for this neglect, if they had nothing to do, till God had given them faith, in the bestowment of which, all doings of their's are totally exclu­ded? Can any man, thinking honorably of Christ, suppose, that he would have upbraided these per­sons for not doing that, which was God's work, not theirs?

IN fine, when he went into his own country, and preached in a synagogue there, but met with no success, his hearers, tho' many, "being offend­ed at him", why is it remarked thereupon, in those observable words, "he marvelled because of their unbelief"? ^* What occasion was there for wonder, that they did not believe in him, if they could do nothing towards faith? Surely, the reason of his marvelling was not, that God did [Page 192] not see fit to give them faith! And yet, this would be the only true reason for wonderment in the case, if it is a truth, that faith is the gift of God in a sense that prevents, yea, absolutely excludes, all previous endeavours of men, in any shape whatever.

I AM free to own, notwithstanding all that has been said, that God is sometimes "found of those who sought him not". ^* So he is in the "king­dom of nature", and in the "kingdom of grace" also. There is, in this respect, an analogy in the divine conduct, in both these kingdoms. That providential government, which concerns itself particularly for man, sometimes prevents all human skill & industry in those discoveries, which serve for the accommodation of life. ‘The polar [Page 193] direction of the magnet obtruded itself upon the first discoverer, when he was in quest of no such thing, being occupied in some very differ­ent inquiry.’ And it is sometimes seen, that favorable turns in providence, unforeseen, un­tho't of, by the persons benefited by them, con­stitute the great difference there is between them, and others, as to their after-situation and circum­stances in the world. And thus it is sometimes in that spiritual government, which God exerci­ses over men. It was previous to any endea­vours of Saul, afterwards Paul, and indeed pre­ventive of any wish in his heart, that he was suddenly and surprisingly changed, from a perse­cutor of Christ, into a believer in him. And there may have been instances of profligate and debauched sinners, who have as suddenly (if not in the like surprising manner) been changed into good men, thro' faith in him whom God has sent to be the Savior of a perishing world. But will any pretend, tis a needless useless thing for men to employ their tho'ts, or time, or hands, about temporal affairs, because it sometimes plea­ses God, without their skill, industry, or will, to do that which greatly tends to their accommodation and benefit in life? Would a man be deemed to be in the regular exercise of his intellectual pow­ers, should he deliberately sit still, and wait for some extraordinary discovery from God, to supply the place of that use of his own faculties, bodily and mental, in the use of which only he has rea­son to expect, according to the establisht course of providence, that God will furnish him with the good things his convenience or necessity call for? It would be like folly, only heightened in degree, [Page 194] for persons, in the great [...]ffairs of salvation and another world, to lay aside all tho't, care and pains of their own, waiting for God to prevent, supersede, and cast contempt upon all human endeavours, by immediately discovering the truth to them, so as that they shall believe it to the saving of their souls. If God has sometimes, in this way, made such discoveries to sinners, he has herein acted beside his ordinary method in the kingdom of grace, as really as when, in the kingdom of pro­vidence, he has prevented men's industry, by interposing his own wisdom, without it, in be­stowing signal favors upon them. The gospel-revelation every where proceeds upon this sup­position. It speaks of God, tis true, while acting in the kingdom of grace, as the "giver of faith"; and it speaks of him also, while ruling in the kingdom of providence, as the "giver of outward good things". And why may not faith be his gift, as well as temporal prosperity, in concurence with human endeavours, in the use of properly adapted means? Why may he not, by the inter­vention of men's faculties, suitably employed, be the bestower of spiritual, as well as temporal gifts? His agency in spiritual matters, tho' different from what it is in temporal ones, and exerted to a quite different purpose, may yet be adapted to the make and constitution of men, and operate in concurence with their powers and endeavours. And this is the way in which God ordinarily be­stows spiritual good things, and faith in par­ticular.

NOT but that he has done a great deal, in order to the bestowment of faith, without the [Page 195] concurence of men, without the interv [...]ion of human faculties, or endeavours, in any view what­ever. But still, he no more ordinarily BEGINS, than carries on, the work of faith, as it respects it's existence and operation in the hearts of sin­ners, without the concuring use of their powers and endeavours. A particular illustration of this matter may be of use. It is certainly of great importance to sinners to know, whether they have any thing to do towards the obtainment of faith; and wherein their care and labor may be of ser­vice, if they are at all needful.

IT shall be my buisiness to set this whole affair in a clear and full point of light. In order whereto, I shall be distinct in shewing, what it is God does, relative to faith, preventive of all human endea­vours; what it is men may and ought to do themselves, in dependence on God; and, finally, that it is ordinarily in concurence with these en­deavours of their's, that God BEGINS, as well as carries on, the work of faith in them.

AS to the first;—it is readily and thankfully acknowledged, that God, in the riches of his grace, has done some things in order to faith pre­vious to, and preventive of, all human tho't, or labor in any kind.

THE truth to be believed, or, what means the same thing, the object of faith, is wholly of God. This can, in no sense, be said to be owing to, or dependent on, either the will of man, or any thing he was ever able to do. Tis the sole work of God. Of his meer mercy he contrived, and then [Page 196] revealed the truth to be believed. This he did, in a summary comprehensive way, to Adam; to Abraham; to the jewish nation by Moses, tho' not plainly, but under various types and figures; afterwards, to this same people by a suc­cession of prophets, thro' a long series of time, but still in a manner that left them much in the dark: And, last of all, by his son Jesus Christ, and his apostles, who opened his everlasting counsels with reference to our apostate world, and the wonderful method his infinite wisdom, moved by his boundless love and compassion, was pleased to contrive and execute for the redemp­tion of sinners. This, in general, is the truth to be believed; and it is the gift of God, his free gift, preventive of all human tho't.

AND as the truth to be believed, so the evi­dence in proof of its being the truth, is wholly of God. It must be so wherein the truth carries with it the signatures of God, and is evidential of its own divinity; because it came solely from him, previous to any skill, or will of man. And it is so also in regard of its external evidence. It was God that inspired holy men, in old time, to fore­tell the coming of Christ to be the Savior, and to publish those prophetic marks by which he might be distinguished from all pretenders, when he should come. It was God, dwelling in his son, while he appeared in our flesh, that did those miracles, wonders and signs, which gave credit to his character as an approved messenger from hea­ven. And it was God that wro't those numerous and diversified wonderful works, (in the doing whereof the apostles were only instruments) which [Page 197] are the public, standing and authentic proof of the divinity of the gospel-doctrine. These are the testimonies of God; and, by these, he has witnessed from heaven, that he sent Christ, and his apostles; and that the word they preached was the truth. And in thus bearing witness to the truth, God is every thing, and man nothing. God only is the author of this ground or reason for faith, preventive of all human skill, contriv­ance, or tho't.

THE special part assigned to the holy Ghost, in carrying the redemption by Christ into effect, is wholly of God likewise. This divine agent does nothing, in this great affair, but in conse­quence of a constitution, which took rise from God, without any thing of man. If he disposes and enables the sinner to believe the truth as it is in Jesus, he does it (whatever is the manner of his operation, which is not the thing we are now considering) as having been appointed and authorised hereto. And whatever he does in the kingdom of God, and Christ, whether in begin­ning, carrying on, or compleating, the work of faith, or any other good work, he does it as the constituted dispenser of divine grace. And this merciful establishment of God, providing for the sinner's being endowed with faith, and every other spiritual quality, is intirely of himself, and was made previous to all skill, will, or even the re­motest tho't of man. How far the divine Spirit may make use of human faculties and endeavours, in the execution of his office, will be considered afterwards; but his being vested with his office, and deputed the grand agent in producing faith, [Page 198] and other graces, in the hearts of the sinful sons of Adam, was previous to all human doing, or thinking, with reference hereto. It was the sole contrivance, and constitution of God. There is nothing of man in it, in any view whatever.

THERE are yet other ways, in which God pre­vents men's endeavours, and sometimes even their tho'ts, in order to their obtainment of faith. He has done this by sending "the word of truth", unsought, unlooked for, by them. An observa­ble instance, in this kind, we have in the 16th chap. of the Acts, by consulting which you will find, that as Paul, with two of his fellow laborers in the Lord, had it in their hearts to preach the gospel to several places, they imagined they should go thro' in their travels, they were "forbidden by the holy Ghost", as the words are, in the 6th ver. "The Spirit suffered them not", as it is otherwise expressed, ver. 7. And while they were at Troas, Paul, in "a vision of the night," sees a man, having the garb and speech of a Ma­cedonian, coming to, and addressing, him in that affecting language, ver. 9. "come over into Mace­donia, and help us": Upon which it follows, ver. 10. "and after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia; assuredly gathering, that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them". It was not therefore owing to any endeavours of the people of Macedonia, that the gospel was bro't to them, but to the di­vine Spirit, directing these ministers of Christ to carry it to them. And in this same way was the truth made known, in the first days of the gospel, to the gentile nations. And this is the meaning, [Page 199] at least in part, of those words of Isaiah, which the apostle Paul applies to these nations, "I was found of them that sought me not, I was made manifest to them that asked not after me". ^* And in those places, where the gospel has for many years been preached, and where there are great numbers of believers in Christ, as the Jews are in Moses, and the Turks in Mahomet, that is, by education & custom, and in this sense only, the first thing giving rise to the obtainment of "like previous faith" with the primitive christians, as to one and another of them, has sometimes been preventive of all endeavours of their's. Some awakening providence has roused their attention; or, without any foresight of their own, they have been in the way of some word of truth, so adapted to their case, and so observably pointing out their character, and danger, that it has, under the di­vine influence, impressed their hearts, and given such a turn to their tho'ts and pursuits, as has ended in the salvation of their souls. And there are few, perhaps, in christian countries, especially among those who have for any time, after their arrival at maturity of years, "walkt in the way of their heart, and in the sight of their eyes", but must ascribe their obtainment of faith, if they really possess it, to something or other in the pro­vidence, or word, of God, that first awakened their consideration, and this without any previous foretho't, or endeavours of their own.

IN these and such like senses, God is before­hand with sinners. The truth to be believed is certainly provided by him, without all care or [Page 200] tho't of their's; and so is the seal he has set to it as his truth; and the agency likewise of the di­vine Spirit to give it an enlivened and efficacious virtue: Nor will it be denied, that he sends the gospel, where it is not, commonly unsought for; or that he often prevents the sinners who already enjoy it, by some providential stroke, or word of truth, by which they are set a thinking in good earnest. But still, the endeavours of sinners, in subordination to the agency of the divine Spirit, are far from being superseded. Notwithstanding all that God does without them, they will be al­together inexcusable, if they sit idle as tho' they had nothing to do themselves, and all doings of their's would be useless and vain. Which brings me,

IN the next place, to point out to you what men may do, and ought to do, in order to their becoming the subjects of that faith which is justifying. Only let the two or three following things be previously observed, and considered.

THE first is; when I say, the sinner may do some things towards the obtainment of faith, I don't mean, that the things which he may do are acts or instances of the faith he is seeking, not being as yet possessed of it. This would be to speak absurdly. There must be the principle of faith, before there can be the exercise of it in any degree whatever. If therefore the sinner can do any thing in order to faith, what he does must be considered as proceding, not from the faith he is endeavouring to obtain, but from some other principle of action. While men are destitute of faith, tis a contradiction to say, that they can ei­ther think, speak, or do any thing, as taking rise from this spring of operation. To direct them therefore to such exercises, whether internal or external, as must proceed from faith, in order to their obtaining faith, is, in reality of construction, to direct them to nothing. Such a direction is [Page 202] in itself a nullity; as truly so as it would be to direct a blind man, or a deaf man, to perform some action that supposed the faculties of seeing, or hearing, in order to their being endowed with them. The direction, in both these cases, would be equally destructive of itself. It could mean nothing, unless to insult those to whom it was given.

I AM therefore free to own, that the endeavours of sinners, in order to saving faith, are not to be looked upon as acts of that faith they are at pre­sent destitute of; nay, I am ready to allow, that none of their tho'ts, no motions of their hearts, no workings of their affections, no exertments of themselves in wishes, or desires, ought to be con­sidered as exercises of this faith; but so far as they may have experience of them, they are the effects of some other principles they are endowed with. If any popular preachers, or others of more solid judgment, have expressed themselves so as to lead one to think, it was their design to put men up­on endeavours that suppose faith, in order to their being endowed with it, they are, without all doubt, chargeable with great inconsistency: Tho' I would not charge them with the percep­tion of it; much less would I take occasion, from their being unwarily inconsistent with themselves, to speak of them as deceivers that are going them­selves, and leading others, to the place of endless destruction.

ANOTHER thing I desire may be previously taken notice of is, that sinners, tho' destitute of the faith that is justifying, have yet other prin­ciples [Page 203] in their nature, that are capable of giving rise to a great variety of actions, both inward and outward; and this, as it respects religion, and the salvation of their souls. As intelligent moral beings, they are endowed not only with percep­tive powers, rendering them capable of admiting ideas into their minds, the original materials [...] all knowledge; they are endowed not only with the faculty of retaining these ideas there, [...] tending to them, of comparing them one with another, of judging of their agreement or disa­greement, and, in these ways, of discovering a great variety of interesting truths: I say, not only are they endowed with these capacities, but with li­berty of choice, and a power, in consequence hereof, of acting this way or that, without hind­rance or restraint. Besides all which, a variety of different passions and affections are planted in their nature, rendering them capable of various and different emotions, both agreable and dis­agreable, and of being roused, in consequence of them, to determinations and pursuits, as various and different, as the feelings in their minds that are the occasion of them. Nor has sin destroyed any of these powers of human nature; tho' it has greatly disturbed the regularity of their operati­ons. Sinners, notwithstanding all their depravity and guilt, are still capable of thinking, reasoning, considering, reflecting; they are still capable of chusing some things in preference to others, and of ordering their conduct conformably to such choice; they are still susceptible of all the emo­tions that are signified by love or hatred, joy or grief, hope or fear, or any other passion or af­fection; and of being variously excited to action, [Page 204] by means of them. A large fund, you see, is here opened for human endeavours, from other prin­ciples besides that of faith which is justifying; and consequently that sinners, who have not this faith, and can do nothing, not so much as exert one wish, or tho't, from this principle, may yet do a great deal from other principles planted in their nature. And these are the doings that are meant by those that are precedaneous to justifying faith, and spoken of as performed in order to the obtainment of it.

THERE is yet another thing, I would desire might be previously remembred, and this is, that, when I speak of what sinners may do, in order to the obtainment of the faith that justifies, I would not be understood to mean, much less to suggest, as tho' they could do any thing, relative to this affair, without God. For as they derived all their powers of operation from him, so are they absolutely dependant on him, not only for the continuance, but exercise, of them. "In him they live and move", as it was from him that they received their beings. Tis by his influence, sustaining their powers, and concuring with them, that they are enabled both to think, will, speak, and do: Nor without this influence could they exert any power, either of their souls, or bodies. But besides this general influence of the first cause on all the doings of men, there is another sort of influence of a supe­rior kind, a spiritual one, that is afforded even to sinners, while in an unjustified state, in relation to the affairs of religion and salvation. It will not, I suppose, be denied by any, who profess a regard to the sacred writings, that those who will [Page 205] finally perish may yet be favored with the common illuminations, and ordinary assistances, of the spirit of grace. God strove more than a hun­dred years by his Spirit with the old world; tho' he afterwards destroyed them for corrupting themselves, in opposition to the strivings of his Spirit with them. And there are thousands in the christian world, who will be "hurt of the second death", notwithstanding the strivings of God's Spirit with them, in consequence of which they may have been under convictions, awaken­ings, enlightnings, and perhaps imagined joys of the holy Ghost. There is certainly a common influence of the Spirit of God, which sinners may be the subjects of, while destitute of the faith that is saving. Whenever therefore I speak of what sinners may do in order to this faith, I would be understood to mean, not what they may do, in their own strength, under the general concurence of God with their natural powers; but what they may do with the concuring influence of the Spirit of grace, which may be, and actually is, afforded to them. These are the doings I intend. Ac­cordingly, way being made herefor, I go on to declare what these doings are: Nor shall I think it impertinent, if I am a little particular in point­ing them out. Let it then be said,

THEY may, by exerting their powers of reason and understanding, under the advantages they are favored with, be so far persuaded of the ex­istence and perfections of God, as to be left in­excuseable if they don't do honor to him. Thus much we are taught by an inspired apostle, who says, "that the invisible things of God, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being un­derstood [Page 206] by the things that are made, even his eter­nal power and Godhead: So that they (the heathen nations) are without excuse, because, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God". ^*

THEY may likewise so employ their natural faculties as to discern a difference between moral good and evil; or, what means the same thing, be­tween virtue and vice, between what is commanded and what is forbidden by the natural law of God. This, the same divine writer very evidently inti­mates, when he speaks of the Gentiles, "who have not the revealed law of God", as "doing by nature the things contained in this law", and as being "a law to themselves", tho' they "have not this writ­ten law". ^†

AND as they may, by the exercise of their intel­lectual powers, perceive a real difference in the nature of actions as virtuous or vicious, so may they, in like manner, become convinced in their consci­ences of the obligations they are under to chuse and pursue the former, rather than the latter; and be bro't to view themselves as liable to the righteous resentments of God, wherein they fail of doing so. To this purpose are those words, in the epistle to the Romans, in which the apostle Paul, speaking of the Gentiles, and their gross immoralities, in vio­lation of the law of nature, says, "they do them" themselves, and take pleasure in them that do them", while, at the same time, "they know the judgment of God, and that they that commit such things are worthy of death". ^‖

[Page 207]THEY may also, by using their implanted powers, be led into a persuasion of the immortality of their souls, a future state of retribution, and their ob­noxiousness to punishment in that state, having been sinners against the "law of their minds", which is the law of God; yea, in consequence of this per­suasion, they may, being moved with fear, earnestly inquire, what they shall do to escape this wrath of God, they are sensible they are exposed to? This is evident from the fore-bodings of vengeance in the consciences of many among the heathen, and the various methods they have taken to appease their gods, and avoid their angry resentments.

AND as they may, by care, in the exercise of their reason, under the common blessing of God, be per­suaded of the truth of natural religion, so may they, by like care, in the use of the same faculty, under the ordinary influence of heaven, become believers in revelation; what I here mean is, such believers as multitudes were, in the days of Moses and the prophets, of Jesus Christ and his apostles; who, tho' they were really believers, and did a great deal from the faith they were possessed of, were yet destitute of that faith which is unto life. The evidences in proof of revelation lie open to in­quiry by all, who are favored with the knowledge of them. And sinners, who are thus favored, may, if they please, attend to them, and examine them with a becoming care and diligence. And they will be under great advantage thus to do, if they have had excited in them a sense of guilt and danger, by the truths of natural religion. Their minds will now be prepared to take these proofs into their serious consideration, and to deliberate upon them as mat­ters [Page 208] in which they are nearly and awfully concern­ed. And if they thus attend to, and examine them, they may, under the illuminating influences of the Spirit that are common, become possest of a real faith in revelation, if it should not be the faith that is saving; and it may discover its real being in them, by the influence it has upon them. It may put them upon doing many things, they would not otherwise have tho't of doing; yea, it may strong­ly operate on their passions and affections, and in this way excite them to great zeal, diligence and activity in their endeavours to be saved.

They may, in consequence of their faith in re­velation, tho' a faith short of that which is justify­ing, be led, under the common guidance of the Spirit, to see the sinfulness of sin, and the amazing danger it exposes the sinner to, in a much stronger light than by their faith in natural religion; and this may give a more thorow alarm to their consci­ences, awakening their fears, and putting them upon inquiring, with more anxious sollicitude, "what shall we do to be saved."?

They may, in consequence of this faith, especi­ally in this awakened state of mind, heartily grieve for their past commissions of sin, and carefully en­deavour to be no more chargeable with such com­missions for the future. They may avoid the places and company that were heretofore the occasion of their being "drawn aside and enticed". They may watch against temptation, and keep upon their guard so as to "escape the pollutions of the world", and to a degree that shall engage the at­tention of those acquainted with them.

[Page 209]THEY may also, in consequence of this faith, take up the practice of formerly neglected duties, and may practise them, not only with external de­corum, but with a serious solemn frame of mind; as being inwardly and greatly concerned about the affairs of religion and another world.

THEY may (to come to instances here) engage in the duty of reading God's word; and they may perform it daily, and with such care, diligence and attention, as to become possessed of a clear doctrinal knowledge of its truths; yea, they may attain to such a knowledge of these truths, as to have excited in them an earnest sollicitude to be formed by them, under the enlightening influen­ces of the good Spirit, to a meetness for the in­heritance of the sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ.

THEY may employ their minds in religious meditation, taking off their tho'ts from the world, the vanities, the gaities, the amusements, the plea­sures, the riches and honors of it; and fixing them on those invisible objects that are adapted to soften their hearts, rouse their consciences, warm their affections, enliven their passions, ani­mate their resolutions, and preserve in them that tenderness of spirit, with reference to the things of God and salvation, without which they will soon become tho'tless and secure, the most dan­gerous state they can be in.

THEY may attend the institutions of christiani­ty, and may do it, not meerly because it is the fashion to do so, and it might be disreputa­ble practically to dispise them by an habitual neg­lect [Page 210] of them, but with a real view to be profited by them in the religious sense; at the same time, hoping and wishing to meet with that which may, by the blessing of God, prove beneficial to their souls.

THEY may, in special, be much in prayer to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and God of all grace; and they may pray to him, really believing that he may, thro' Christ, shew favor to such sinners as they are, however unworthy of his notice, how­ever deserving of his righteous displeasure. And they may continue in prayer; praying with great fervency, importunity and perseverance, as those that are in real good earnest. And, as the divine Spirit is the great agent in preparing sinners for the redemption by Jesus Christ, they may be humbly urgent in their application to the throne of mercy for the holy Ghost, to give them that view of the truth in its divinity and glory, with­out which they will never be the subjects of the faith which is "unto life". And they may pray for this enlightening influence of the Spirit, as being deeply sensible of the need they stand in of it, and that without it they shall not see the truth so as to believe it to salvation.

THUS sinners, tho' destitute, as yet, of saving faith, may do a great many things in religion, from other, and lower principles. And, I may add, their doings of this sort may be so like the doings that proceed from the faith, by which "the just do live", that there may be no visible difference between them; yea, the various af­fections [Page 211] of their souls, their love, their joy, their grief, their hatred, their shame, their hope, their fear, may be set into motion, and the appearance of it may so nearly resemble the working of the same affections in those, who are the disciples of Christ in deed and in truth, that it may not be easy, if possible, for by-standers to distinguish be­tween them.

AND need I now say, that sinners ought to do these things? Their obligation is inseperably connected with their capacity, and all along keeps pace with it. If they are capable of doing, they are bound to do, and in every instance to which their capacity extends. And herein indeed will lie their guilt, and the aggravation of it, if they continue in unbelief; not that they did not, by their own power, work faith in themselves; but that they did not do what they might have done, were endowed with a capacity, and placed under advantages, to do. And in this view of their case, they will be left without all excuse. They must stand speechless before the throne of judg­ment; and when sentence of condemnation is pronounced against them, it must be acknow­leged to be just by all angels and men.

TIS true, they can neither abstain from sin, nor practise duty, from a principle of saving faith, not being endowed with it; but, as they can do both, from other principles, tho' of an inferior kind, shall they not do what they can do? Are they not obliged to this? Is it not the reasonable ex­pectation of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ? Tis certainly fit they should avoid all acts of [...] [Page 212] within their power, tho' the motives prompting them hereto should not be those "spiritual" ones, that influence those that are "in Christ Jesus". Should they cease from doing evil thro' fear of that "indigation and wrath, which God has revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrigh­teousness of men", they would, without all con­troversy, act a more rational part, than if they went on sinning, without restraint from these "ter­rors of the Lord". Nay, may I not say, that they would act from a "good principle", tho' not the best and highest, should they, being "moved with fear", make it their earnest endeavour to abstain from even "the appearance of evil"? The apostle Paul tho't this a "good principle", tho' not the best; otherwise, he would not have "persuaded men by the terrors of the Lord". If it was reasonable in him to "persuade them by these terrors", it must be equally reasonable in them to be persuaded by them. And where­in sinners are wro't upon, by any considerations proper to work upon reasonable creatures, to forsake their evil ways, the principles they are in­fluenced by are "good in themselves", tho they should fall short of those that are peculiar to justi­fied believers. To be sure, tis infinitely better, they should avoid sin from these principles, than that they should go on in the practice of it; bet­ter in itself, better for them, better for the world: And it would be more for the honor of God, and the interest of religion.

AND tis, in like manner, reasonable and fit, that men should be earnest and diligent in their endeavours to do their duty, from the best prin­ciples [Page 213] they are endowed with, tho' they should come short of those "spiritual" ones that are the noblest. They may be excited to these endea­vours, from the same motives that excite them to avoid sin; some of which are "good in them­selves", tho' not of the highest kind. And will they not be altogether inexcusable, if they don't, from these principles, endeavour to do their duty? Is it not far more reasonable, they should do the best they can, from these principles, than that they should live in the total neglect of their duty.^* [Page 214] Tis certainly better to express a regard to the duty they owe both to God and man, tho' they should do it from no higher a principle than the "fear of hell", than that they should carelesly and habitually neglect it in disregard of this awful place of punishment.

[Page 215]BUT what makes these endeavours of sinners most of all reasonable, and fit, is the considera­tion, that they may, of the mercy of God, thro' Jesus Christ, turn out, in the end, to their spiri­tual and everlasting advantage. And this leads me to say,—

IN the last place, that tis "ordinarily" in con­curence with "these endeavours" of sinners, that God bestows his Spirit to "begin", as well as carry on, the work of faith in their hearts. He does not exert his influence to this saving pur­pose, so as to supersede, or set aside, all previ­ous preparation, in the use of means and endea­vours. If he has done thus in here and there a single instance, such rare cases ought not to be made the standard of his conduct in this matter. Tis not the way in which he "ordinarily" pro­ceeds.

AND for the proof of this, I may appeal to the experience of those, who have "obtained like precious faith" with the primitive disciples of Christ, and are clearly satisfied of it by its having formed them into new men, and disposed and enabled them to all christian labors of love, and works of piety and righteousness.

SOME of you, it may be, were going on in a course of sin, tho'tless of God, and unconcerned about the great affairs of religion and another [Page 217] world, when, by some awakening providence, or seasonable word of truth, you were roused to seri­ous self-reflection. But, after this, and before you had reason to account yourselves believers unto life, were you not sorely pressed in your minds, from a sense of sin and guilt? Were you not herefrom constrained to come to a stop in this or the other vicious course? Were you not ex­cited to take up the practice of this and that neg­lected duty? Could you be easy without search­ing the scriptures, in which you might find the words of eternal life? Could you let slip favor­able opportunities for prayer to the God, who seeth in secret? Could you avoid being present at those places, where you might be instructed in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and of Christ?—And are you not able to say, at such or such a time, while consulting the sacred books of revelation, or pouring out your souls in fervent prayer to the God of all grace, or employ­ing your minds in meditation on the invisible ob­jects of the eternal world, or giving your earnest attention to some suitable truths bro't to you in the dispensation of the word, you had such a view of God, of Christ, of yourselves; you had such a sight of the divinity, the glory and importance of revealed truths, as leads you to think the work of faith was then wro't in you with power? Espe­cially, as, from this time, you have been enabled to walk, in some good measure, "worthy of the Lord Jesus unto all pleasing", and of the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has thus called you into his kingdom.

[Page 218]IT may be, as to others of you, the same work has been wro't in you, tho' not in the same per­ceptible way. You have been concerned about your souls, and their eternal well-being; you have seen yourselves to be sinners, and, as such, liable to divine wrath; you have seen that there is no help for you, but by grace thro' Christ; you have sought the favor of God, thro' him who has been the "propitiation for sin", and have often done it, and with fervency and importunity; you have waited upon God in the use of all appointed means, and have waited upon him seriously and earnestly; wishing and hoping for a blessing: And you are at length able to say, one and ano­ther of you, "whereas I was once blind, I now see". The truths of revelation have appeared to me in such a light, have so moved my heart, have so influenced my conscience, have so bowed my will, have so turned the current of my affections, and have become such a spring of action in me, in conformity to the revealed rule of duty, that I can't but hope I am possessed of that faith in Jesus Christ, which will finally issue in "salvation with eternal glory".

I DOUBT not, I have here described "the way", in which some of you that hear me, & many others, have, under the agency of the divine Spirit, been bro't into the life of God, and a state of accept­ance with him thro' Jesus the Savior. And tis the "common way" in which the work of God is begun in those, who effectually believe; unless we should except some, who might have been savingly taught of God so early in life, that they know not how they became the subjects of "un­feigned [Page 219] faith"; tho' they are well assured it real­ly "dwells in them".

AND the scripture accords with experience in pointing this out, as the "ordinary way" of the Spirit, in making men partakers of the grace of God in truth.

THE Elias, whose coming was [...] [...]cede the coming of the Messiah, is spoken of by the pro­phet Malachi, in those words, "behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me".^* John Baptist was "this Elias which was to come". ^† And our Savior, speaking of him, calls him "a prophet, and more than a pro­phet"; adding this as the reason of so honorable a testimony concerning him, "for this is he of whom it is written, behold, I send my messenger before my face, which shall prepare thy way be­fore thee". ^‡ The language here used evidently alludes to Harbingers, and such other Messengers, as were employed, upon the journeyings of prin­ces, to take care to level the ways, and remove all obstructions that might incommode their passing along, or render it less convenient. In analogy herewith, John's buisiness, as the Messiah's harbinger, was, not only to give notice of his ap­proaching advent, but to prepare the way for it by removing obstacles, and begeting in sinners a disposition suited to the design of it, and that might tend to put them in a readiness to hearken to his doctrine. And this he did, at least in part, by rousing them to a sense of danger, that, being "moved with fear", they might endeavour to [Page 220] avoid it. That was the spirit of his preaching, at least to some of his hearers, "who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth fruits meet for repentance.—The ax is laid to the root of the trees; therefore every tree, which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire. I indeed baptise you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I,—whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire". ^* But, if all previous preparation was useless, why was John sent to make it? If it were to no purpose, that sinners should feel their exposedness to wrath, or endeavour to escape it, why was he so earnest in addressing to their fears, and warning them to flee from it? If it were as likely they should ob­tain faith in Christ, without perceiving the misery of their present condition, as by being in an a­wakened state of mind, discovering to them their absolute need of a Savior, why all this expence of labor to excite in their minds a sense of sin and guilt? It must surely be of some service, in order to faith in Christ, to have produced in us such a perception of our perishing circumstances, as may dispose us to look out for help: Otherwise, it will be difficult to point out the special pertinency of John's office, as God's messenger, "to prepare the way" for a reception of Christ as the Savior of sinners.

AND our Savior himself both began, and carri­ed on, his public ministry, by using "means" to [Page 221] prepare his hearers for, and persuade them to, a cordial reception of "the truth". Tis according­ly observable, he did not think it enough "bare­ly to preach the gospel", but called upon men to "believe it"; at the same time, exhibiting to their view "such evidence" of the divinity of his mission, and the truth of what he taught, as was naturally and powerfully adapted to awaken their attention, and dispose and engage them to give credit to the messages he delivered to them. No one can reasonably doubt of this, who has ever been at the pains to read the writings of the Evan­gelists. We are there told of the numerous mira­cles, which our Lord wro't upon the sick, the lame, the dumb, the blind, the deaf, the possessed of the devil, yea, upon the dead in raising them to life; and that he performed these miraculous works, that men might believe in him as the Messiah, the promised Savior. But what occasion was there for these exertments of almighty power, if no means were to be used with men in order to faith? Or if their attending to them was neither their duty, nor "the way", in which they might expect to be wro't upon to believe? Our Savior certainly had it in view, by "the miracles, won­ders and signs, which he did in the midst of the Jews, to approve himself a man of God among them". And, if he did these works of wonder to give credit to his character as one sent of God, it would be highly reproachful to him, either not to look upon them as a well-fited means to answer this end, or not to esteem it the duty of those, who were favor'd with them, to pay a due regard to them; endeavouring, in "this way", to be­come convinced of the truth of his pretensions [Page 222] and doctrine. Had our Lord "barely declared the truth, leaving it wholly with God to make converts", it might have been tho't, that men had nothing to do but wait for the exertment of his power to work faith in them. But his conduct was quite the reverse of this. Besides "declar­ing the truth", he offered such evidence to con­vince his hearers, that it was the truth, as left them not only inexcusable, but exposed to a heavier damnation than other men, if they would not at­tend to it, that they might be convinced by it. So he told the people of Capernaum, who con­tinued in unbelief, notwithstanding "the mighty works he had done among them" Says he, to them, "it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, in the day of judgment, than for you". ^* With what pertinency, I may rather say, with what justice, could our Lord thus address to these people, if, after he had done so many wondrous works among them, to engage their attention, and persuade them to believe in him, it was not their duty to exert either their wills, understand­ings, or any power either of their souls or bodies, in order to faith? If it lay wholly with God, without these means, or any other, or any endea­vours of their's, to bestow it on them? Was it true, that their using care and diligence in seri­ously and thoroughly examining into the force of these proofs of our Lord's character, with earnest prayer to the God of all grace that they might be led into a right judgment upon them, was not "the way" to obtain faith, any more than if they sat still and did nothing, why are they blamed for their unbelief? What should make it a dam­ning [Page 223] sin in them? These are difficult questions, and, as I imagine, impossible to be answered upon the impleaded supposition. The plain truth is, to say, that human endeavours, in the use of means, is not "the way", under the Spirit's in­fluence, in order to faith, is virtually, and in re­ality of sense, to say, that our Savior needlesly used means with men that they might become believ­ers; that they will not be blame-worthy, should they stupidly neglect to give these means a seri­ous consideration; and that they deserve no punishment, much less an aggravated one, for any folly, or sin, they are hereby chargeable with. I see not, but these consequences are strictly just; and that even the Scribes and Pharisees of old must stand justified in all their perverse stubborn­ness, in opposition to Christ and his gospel, if the "only way" to faith is to wait, without any en­deavours, in the use of any means, till we are made the subjects of it. The whole ministry of our Savior certainly proceded upon the contrary supposition, that means are to be used with men in order to faith, that men must themselves give "due attention" to these means, and that this is "the ordinary way", and the only one, in which they may reasonably hope to become believers in christianity, to the saving of their souls.

AND the apostles contented themselves, no more than their master and Lord, with laying before men the simple truth of the gospel", as "the only way" to faith. Besides "preaching the truth", they endeavoured to do that also which might have a natural aptitude, a rational tendency, under the divine blessing, to beget faith in their [Page 224] hearers. When the apostle Paul went into a synagogue at Thessalonica to preach to the Jews, he not only declared ^* "that Jesus was the Christ", that he "had suffered", and "rose again from the dead"; but "reasoned with them out of the scriptures" upon these heads: "Opening", as well as "alledging, that Jesus was the Christ, and that he must needs have suffered, and rose again from the dead". ^† And this was "his manner", the method he usually took. And surely, he hereby meant to use a proper and well suited means to convince their understandings, and per­suade them to believe the truth. But if it did not lie with them to attend to his reasoning, and consider his arguments; or, if their doing this, in the best manner they could, had no tendency towards their becoming believers in Christ, he most certainly took a great deal of pains for nothing. This conduct of this apostle very evidently shows, that reasoning with unbelievers is not only a pro­per, but the true "scripture-way", in order to their having faith. And if so, that consideration, attention, and a readiness to receive conviction upon good evidence, are suitable and fit, and in­deed "the way" in which the divine blessing may be expected: Otherwise, 'twill be hard to account for this behavior of the apostle Paul.

And Philip, upon his being driven away from Jerusalem, by reason of the persecution that had been raised against the church there, not only "preached Christ" to the city of Samaria; ^‡ but "cast out unclean spirits out of many that were possessed with them, and healed many that had [Page 225] been taken with palsies, and were lame". ^* And tis observed, by the sacred historian, "that the people, with one accord, gave heed to those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did". ^† If these miracles had no rational tendency, no moral aptitude, to awaken the con­sideration of these Samaritans, and dispose them, with greater readiness, to hearken to what he said to them, why did he work them? And why is their attention attributed, under God, to their "seeing and hearing them"? He certainly did more than "declare the simple truth". And what he did was evidently designed, by God, to prepare their minds for the reception of the truth; which was altogether needless, if no previous pre­paration was in the least useful, and it might as well have been expected, God should have given them faith without, as with it.

IN agreement with this conduct of Philip, tis observable, after the apostles had been com­missioned to "go into all the world, and preach the gospel", that is, declare the simple saving truth, they received express orders from Christ himself "to tarry at Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high",^‡ that is, with power from heaven to work miracles. They ac­cordingly tarried in the city of Jerusalem; and, "on the day of Pentecost", they were endued with this power: For they were "filled with the ho­ly Ghost", and, in consequence hereof, "began to speak with other tongues", so as that "devout men out of every nation under heaven heard them speak every man in his own language". ^§ And [Page 226] what was the effect? The minds of many were awakened to attention, and in "this way" pre­pared to hearken to what they had to say. Upon which, the apostle Peter preached a long sermon to them, wherein he not only declared, that "that same Jesus whom they had crucified, was the Christ"; but endeavoured, by clear and strong reasoning, both from "prophesie" and "miri­cles", to make it beyond dispute evident, that he really was so; as may be seen at large in the se­cond chapter of the Acts. More was here done than laying before the hearers "the saving truth". Proper care was taken, and suitable means used, both to rouse their attention, and set the evidence of our Lord's character in a clear and convincing point of light. The apostles had it in their view to make believers of these Jews. And "the way" they took, in order to it, was not meerly to tell them, that "Jesus was the Messiah"; but to ex­hibit also such evidence in proof of it, as was wisely and powerfully adapted to produce in their minds a conviction of this truth. And it appears, from what follows, that they took the right method. For, upon their giving such undenia­ble proof, "that Jesus was both Christ & Lord", great numbers were so "pricked in their hearts", as to be put upon inquiring, with sober serious­ness, "what shall we do"?

IT may be worth remarking here, tho' the distressed state of mind these hearers of Peter were now in, signified by their being "pricked in their hearts", was owing to the credit they gave to the "truth," as preached by this apostle, and confirmed with irrefragable evidence; yet no one [Page 227] knows, or is capable of knowing, that their faith now was of the justifying kind. Tis true, "three thousand" of these heare [...]s, upon being "added to the church, continued stedfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers".^* But this they might do, col­lectively considered; while yet, speaking of each one individually, they might not. Or, should it be supposed, that every individual, constituting this collective body, "continued stedfast", tis far from being certain, or indeed so much as proba­ble, that their faith, when first b [...]o't under dis­tress, was of the saving kind. It might, under the influence of the Spirit, if not different from their's who perish, be productive of this convicti­on; they might also, in virtue of it, be "added to the church", and "have fellowship with the apostles in breaking of bread, and in prayers"; and further still, this faith of their's, tho' short, at present, of that which is saving, might after­wards, under the special illuminations of the Spirit, in their use of the institutions of christianity, be­come that "faith by which the just do live", and are "continued stedfast". And this, perhaps, was no uncommon case in those primitive times; nor has it been in other ages since. Upon which, it is natural to observe the propriety of their join­ing in an attendance on the institutions of the christian religion, who have so much faith in its divine origin, as to be herefrom pierced in their minds from a sense of sin and guilt, and put upon inquiring, "what shall we do"? They should, in conformity to the pattern here set us by the apo­stle, be directed to be "baptised in the name of [Page 228] Jesus Christ", if they have not been baptised al­ready; and also to join in fellowship with chri­stians "in breaking of bread, and in prayers", and in an attendance on all the duties of piety. If their faith is not as yet saving, this is a proper means in order to its becoming so, and, as I ima­gine, the best they can be advised to.

I SHALL not think it a needless going out of my way, to take some notice here, be­fore I proceed, of the compassion of Jesus Christ towards those, who had so much faith in natural, or revealed religion, or both, as to be in distress of soul from a sense of sin and guilt. Do we ever find him telling this kind of persons, their anxiety was needless? There was no need of any such sollicitude—It answered no purpose—They might as well be without it—There was no difference be­tween them, and the most careless and secure sin­ners on this side hell, as to the likelihood of their finding the saving truth. Far from giving any such insinuations, he always treated them with singular tenderness; directing them, in the most endearing manner, to the only way in which they could find relief.

TIS accordingly observable, those who "labor, and are heavy-laden", are particularly told, by the merciful Jesus, where to go that they may "find rest".^* It would give but a poor jejune sense to his words, should we explain them meerly, or on­ly, of a "rest" by the gospel from those ceremo­nious rites, which were "a yoke" that neither the then Jews, nor their fathers, "were able to [Page 229] bear". Tis more honorable to our Savior to suppose, he is here principally speaking of those, who labor'd under a sense of guilt, such a sense of it as filled their minds with fears that were grievously burdensome. Sinners therefore, that have "only so much faith" as to be awaken'd to see, and feel, the greatness of their guilt and dan­ger, are here called upon, as it were by name, to repair to Christ, in whom they may find ease, by being freed from their guilt, and put into a state of safety respecting another world. And tis sure­ly an advantage to be in this state of mind, ra­ther than in a stupid and insensible one, if those, who have been bro't into it, are particularly taken notice of by the Savior of men, and invited to "go to him" that they may find rest unto their souls".

THIS same kind of sinners, pointed out by ano­ther metaphor, are, in like manner, mercifully directed, by Christ himself, to go to him for the supply of their spiritual wants. "In the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink". ^* "If any man thirst". The per­sons here described are those, who are in pain and distress, thro' anxious tho'ts and cares about their condition in the future world. The description is certainly applicable to such. Where there is the want of justifying faith, there may be a "thirst", and a very severe one too; that is, an uneasy distressed state of mind, resembling that of the body when a man craves drink, and is greatly pained for want of it. And this kind of [Page 230] thirst is more proper to sinners who are not be­lievers to salvation, than to those that are. Hence that remark of our Savior, "he that believeth on me shall never thirst".^* And again, "whosoever drinketh of the water which I shall give him, shall never thirst" ^† This spiritual water, when spiritually drank off, quenches the flame which be­fore occasioned the thrist Our Lord therefore pro­poses to those "who thirst, to come to him, and drink", as that which would quench their thirst, that is, remove their uneasiness by removing the cause of it.

THE same kind of sinners still are chiefly meant by the "broken-hearted and bruised", for whos [...] relief our Savior seems particularly concern'd. We are told, that he read, in the synagouge at Nazareth, those words of the prophet Isaiah, ^‡ "the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and reco­very of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord". ^§ Upon which, having closed the book, he said, "this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears" ^‖ He was the person pointed out in this prophecy; and it was fulfilled in his coming upon this merciful design, among others, "to heal the broken-hearted", and "to set at liberty them that are bruised? The heart may, with all propriety, be said to be "broken", and "bruised", when in a state of anxious fear and distressing [Page 231] concern, from a sense of sin and wrath. And this scripture, which was fulfilled by the ministry of our Savior principally respects sinners, whose hearts are, as it were, broken and bruised with painful sensations from their exposedness to the curse of the law, and the wrath of God. For they eminently are the persons, who want to be "healed of their broken hearts", and to be "set at liberty from their spiritual bruises". This has been already done for justified believers.—But to leave this digression, if it should be so called, and to go on,

NOT only were "means" used by our Savior, and his apostles, with sinners as "the way" in or­der to faith, which, in the nature of the thing, supposes it to be their duty to pay a due regard to them, as they would hope to be the subjects of this faith; but they are represented, in the sacred books, as being "more or less prepared", in a "better or worse state of mind", for the re­ception of the truth, upon the use of means with them.

REMARKABLE to this purpose are those words of our Savior to the scribe, who "answered dis­creetly" to what he had been saying, "thou art not far from the kingdom of God".^* If he was no nearer than he would have been, had he answered foolishly as one that was under the intire influence of false notions of God, and his com­mandments, what intelligible meaning can be pu upon these words? They very obviously import our Lord's approbation of what he said concerning [Page 232] the divine being, and the divine law; that he esteemed him less prejudiced, more knowing, and better prepared to hearken to the doctrine of the Gospel, than many of his profession, or than he himself might have been heretofore; and that he was, in this view of his character, not at so great a distance from the kingdom of God as he might have been, and as many others actually were.^* Not to be far from a thing means, if it means any thing at all, not to be at the greatest distance from it, to be nearer to it than it is supposeable one might be, or than others are. But if this scribe, notwithstanding his "discreet answer", and the unprejudiced teachable disposition thereby dis­covered, was at the SAME DISTANCE from the kingdom of God, he would have been, had he discovered gross ignorance, prejudice and per­verseness, with what propriety could our Savior declare concerning him, that he "was not far from the kingdom of God". Surely, he does not mean by this saying, that he was at as great a distance as any of the scribes and pharisees, in that day! If he meant thus, he has certainly ex­pressed himself in a manner not at all adapted to [Page 233] convey his sense. His intention, so far as we may judge of it from the most obvious and natural import of his words, must have been to represent this scribe, in consequence of the disposition he discovered, as really "nearer the kingdom of God" than others, who were of a worse disposition; or than himself would have been, had their disposi­tion been his. And tis from hence evident, be­yond all reasonable dispute, that tis not a matter of indifferency, in order to the obtainment of faith, what state of mind sinners are in, when the truths of the gospel are presented to their view. They may be in such an one as will argue the ut­most distance from the kingdom of God; or they may be so disposed and prepared as to be at a less distance; yea, "not far from it", as was the case of this scribe.

THERE is another saying of our Savior, of the like import with this we have been upon, and that may reflect still more light upon it. Tis his declaration to a number of the jewish priests and elders in these words, "verily, I say unto you, that the publicans, and the harlots, go into the kingdom of God before you". ^* If, in order to that faith which admits into God's kingdom, the minds of sinners need no previous preparation, but this faith may be, and always is, bestowed so as to supersede any thing of this kind, these jewish priests might as readily have gone into the king­dom of God, as the publicans and harlots: Nor would there have been any just reason to suggest, much less to say with such positive asseveration, that the latter would go into it before the former. [Page 234] One would naturally suppose, from this saying of our Lord, that these priests & elders were in a more blind, hardened and perverse state of mind, than the publicans and harlots; and less fited, on this account, for a reception of the gospel, in the "ordinary way" in which God enables persons to receive it. And from what follows, it very evi­dently appears, that this was the real truth of the case. Our Lord goes on, "for John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and harlots believed him: And ye, when ye had seen it, repented not after­ward that ye might believe him". ^* This same tho't is expressed more strongly by the evangelist Luke. ^† "And the publicans justified God, be­ing baptised with the baptism of John; but the pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptised of him". The plain truth is, John, the messenger of God to prepare the way for the Messiah, had endea­voured to awaken the fears of these jewish rulers, and excite in them a disposition that would render the coming of Christ acceptable to them; but he could make no impression on them, tho' what he said wro't powerfully upon the publicans and harlots. They were therefore more obstinate and perverse, and for that reason less likely, in the "usual way" of God's dealing with sinners, to become the subjects of the Messiah's kingdom. And this our Lord very emphatically represents in Luke 7, from the 31st to the 35th ver. where he seems to be at a loss to describe their obstinacy, and scarcely to know by what comparison to point out their perverseness, in not being wro' [...] upon by [Page 235] one way of teaching or another. As children in a froward peevish humor, when playing together, do every thing contrary to what their companions desire and expect: So they interpreted crosly every thing that was said or done, either by John the forerunner of Christ, or by Christ himself. No arguments could persuade them, no manner of behavior remove their unjust prejudices. Tis quite evident, from what our Lord has thus said of the obstinacy, insensibility and perverse spirit of these jewish teachers, that they were, upon this account, less fited and prepared to be wro't upon to come into his kingdom, than the publicans and harlots, who, being not so hardened, were more easily susceptible of good impressions, and therefore more likely, according to the "common way" of God's dealing with sinners, to go into his kingdom before them.

AND the scripture proceeds upon this same tho't, whenever it speaks, as it often does, of a greater difficulty in the way of the conversion and salvation of some sinners than of others. There are many texts to this purpose. The re­covery of one "accustomed to do evil" is com­par'd to the "ethiopian's changing his skin, and the leopard his spots"; denoting the extreme difficulty of the thing; ^* a "rich man's enter­ing into the kingdom of God" is said to be har­der, than for a "camel to go thro' the eye of a needle".^† Tis affirmed of the man, "into whom the unclean [...]it entered, after he had been cast out", [...] "the last state of that man is worse than the first"; ^‡ that [...] would be more har [...]ned in [Page 236] sin, and, for that reason, in greater hazard of perishing in infidelity. Tis, in like manner, declared of those, who, having "escaped the pollutions of the world thro' the knowlege of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, are again entangled therein and overcome", that "the latter end with them is worse than the begining", that is, they are in a worse state, a more difficult and dangerous one, respecting their souls and sal­vation. ^* And tis also remarked of those, who were "once enlightned, and had tasted of the good word of God", that if they should "fall ^† [Page 237] away", it would be "impossible to renew them again to repentance"; importing the vast diffi­culty of the thing. ^* The pertinency of these and such like texts very evidently turns upon this tho't, that tis easier, not in regard of the power of almighty God, considered simply in itself; but in regard of his "usual method" of exerting it, in the buisiness of salvation, to effect the conver­sion of some sinners, than of others; and that the same sinners may, at different times, be at a near­er, or greater, distance from the kingdom of God, and more or less likely to enter into it, as they are more or less stupid and hardened, more or less fited and prepared for divine teachings and impressions. If one state of mind is no more adapted to a reception of the gospel than another; if the stupidly secure and hardened in impeni­tency are in a disposition as well fited for the bestowment of faith, as the awaken'd and deeply concern'd about their sins; and are as near to it, and may as probably obtain it, there would be no reasonable room to say, that the conversion of one sinner was at all more difficult than the con­version of another, or that the same sinner was in a worse state now than at any time heretofore; the reverse of all which is most apparently the purport of the above texts: Nor can they be understood, in any intelligible sense, unless we construe them so as to take this into their mean­ing. ^†

[Page 238]UNDER this head, those texts also may pro­perly be bro't to view which teach us, that sin­ners [Page 239] by going on in their iniquities, in opposition to the checks of conscience, and the warnings of [Page 240] God in his word, may be totally left of him, and given up to the influence of their lusts, so as that their continuance in life shall issue, not in the ob­tainment of faith, but their "treasuring up to themselves wrath, against the day of wrath". To this purpose are the words of the Psalmist, ^* "my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would have none of me: So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts; and they walked in their own counsels". In agreement herewith, the apostle Paul, speaking of those, who had "changed the glory of God into an image, made like to corruptable man", says, ^† "wherefore, God also gave them up to uncleaness, thro' the lusts of their heart". And again, ^‡ for this cause, God gave them up to vile affections". And this same apostle, prophesying of those, who, in after­times, "would not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved", says, ^§ "for this cause, God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had plea­sure in unrighteousness". Surely, these texts im­port the awfully sad condition of the sinners, point­ed out in them, beyond that of others. But what sinners are they? Will it be said they are those, whose consciences are quick and tender? Whose [Page 241] concern about eternal life is pungent & pressing? Who earnestly seek God, if perhaps they may find him, and are importunate in their applicati­ons to him, night and day, to take pity on them? Can it be supposed, that such sinners as these are judicially given up of God to "hardness of heart", and "blindness of mind"? That he has "cast them away from his presence, and taken his holy spirit from them"? May it not rather be said, that the good Spirit is actually striving with them? And that the state of mind they are in is the effect of his influence upon them? Cer­tainly, these are not the sinners that are given up of God, so as that the "saving truth" shall not be communicated to them. They are those, on the contrary, who are securely impious and prophane, openly vile and wicked, or secretly so under the cloke of religion; they are those, who, not having the fear of God before their eyes, go on in a course of mocking heaven by their religious hypocrisie, or of trampling on the divine authority, by giving a loose to their lusts, commiting all manner of ini­quity with greediness Hence the many passages, in the sacred books, which caution sinners "not to grieve the Spirit"; not "to resist the holy Ghost"; not "to harden their hearts"; not to "depart from God", but to "take heed lest they be hardened thro' the deceitfulness of sin". It is too evident, from such texts as these, to admit of a denyal, that there is a "difference" between sinners, as to the "probability" of their finding mercy; and that some are in a "more hopeful way" in order to it, than others. And tis, in con­sequence of the real and just import of the sacred texts that have been mentioned, that sinners may, [Page 242] with all propriety, be called upon, and exhorted, and in a pressing manner too, instantly to come to a stop, and not proceed a step further in their evil ways, lest there should be "less likelihood" afterwards, than there is at present, of their finding "the salutary truth".

BESIDES what has been already said, I may pro­perly remind you of those numerous passages, in the inspired books, which expresly direct sinners to the diligent use of endeavours as "the way" to God's saving mercy in Jesus Christ.

IN general, they are called upon to "consider their ways"; ^* to "remember, bring to mind, and shew themselves men".^† They are called upon "to receive the instructions of wisdom, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold"; ^‡ to "cry after knowledge, and lift up their voice for understanding; to seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures". ^§ They are called upon to be "ashamed and con­founded for their evil ways"; ^‖ to "know, and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that they have forsaken the Lord"; ^¶ to acknowlege their iniquity in transgressing against him", ^{*{inverted †}} and to "amend their ways and their doings, ceasing from doing evil" ^§§ They are called upon to "seek the Lord, and his strength"; ^** to "seek the Lord while he may be found"; ^‡‡ and to "draw nigh to God", for that "he will draw nigh to them". ^¶¶ In a word, they are called upon to [Page 243] "do with their might whatsoever their hands find to do", as there is "no work, nor device in the grave, whither they are going";^* to "labor, not for the meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth to everlasting life"; ^† to "enter in at the strait gate"; ^‡ yea, to "strive", exert them­selves with the utmost strength & vigor, to "enter in at this strait gate", as "many will seek to enter in, & will not be able".^§ Can it be imagined, after such calls and exhortations, so frequently repeated, and pressingly urged, upon sinners, that they have nothing to do, till they are made the subjects of "saving faith"? They very solemnly command their endeavours, in the use of means; and not only so, but most evidently point them out as "the way" in which the work of God is ordi­narily "begun", as well as carried on, in them: Nor can it be reasonably tho't, that the inspired writers, in all parts of the bible, in the new as well as old testament, would have thus commanded and urged men to exert themselves, if all exert­ments of their's would be totally useless to any saving good; as not falling in with "the way of God" in communicating the gift of faith It would be a dishonorable reflection on them to sup­pose, they should be chargeable with so gross an inconsistency.

TIS true, sinners cannot, in their own strength, do any thing to purpose in the buisiness of reli­gion; but, thro' Christ's "strengthening them, they can do all things". And if the use of their endeavours is "the way", in which God is pleased [Page 244] to communicate the aids of his Spirit, these en­deavours, however weak, insufficient and con­temptible in themselves, become, in this view of them, greatly serviceable; yea, they are of such necessary importance, that sinners may perish without them: And should they perish, they must justifie God, and blame themselves: Whereas, if God bestows "saving faith" without human en­deavours, and so as to render them vain and use­less, it will be hard to point out the reasonable­ness, or fitness, of the above numerous scripture-exhortations and commands; and still harder to reconcile them with the justice of God, much more his goodness and mercy, in the aggravated damnation of impenitents under the gospel.

I MAY go on, and say still more particularly, that sinners are directed, in the sacred books, to the duty of "prayer"; and this, as "the way" to obtain saving mercy. Simon Magus was, with­out all doubt, a sinner, and a very great one too. For the apostle Peter said to him, "I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity". ^* And yet, he exhorts him to "pray God if perhaps the tho't of his heart might be forgiven him". ^† And shall we say, an apostle of Christ would have put him upon doing that, which was perfectly useless, in regard of the main thing he had in view in giving him this direction? Surely, he would not have advised him to "pray", if prayer had not been, in his apprehension, "the way" in which God was wont to bestow his mer­cy in Christ. The people of Israel were in the like sinful state, when God was pleased to declare [Page 245] that to be his purpose concerning them, "a new heart will I give unto you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh". ^* But what follows? "Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them". ^† It was in "the way" of prayer for a new heart, and a new spirit, that God would bestow these blessings, and in no other. And prayer is a duty our Savior has directed to, as "the way" in which the divine Spirit is given to beget, as well as increase grace. In what other sense shall we explain those words of his? "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you". ^‡ Were they addressed to those only, who were the subjects of the "faith by which the just do live"? Far from this; they were deliver­ed, together with the whole sermon of which they are a part, to "great multitudes" ( [...]) that followed our Lord "from Galilee, De­capolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond Jor­dan". So we are authorised to say from the 28th ver. of the 7th chap. of Matthew; where it is ex­presly declared, that "when Jesus had ended these sayings "the people ( [...], the multitudes) were astonished at his doctrine", that is, the mul­titudes before-mentioned. It follows, in the next verse, "and he taught THEM", that is, by ne­cessary grammatical construction, these "multi­tudes", who had flocked after him. from all parts of the country. It was therefore in the hearing of a mixt and great number of persons, from all parts, among whom, perhaps, there were few, [Page 246] who had obtained the justification of life thro' faith, that our Lord said, "ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you". And would he have thus preached to such an audience, if it had not been his intention to put those, who had not sav­ing faith, as well as those who had, upon apply­ing to God by prayer for the influences of his Spirit? The former to begin the work of faith in them; the latter, to maintain, and increase it in their hearts. It cannot reasonably be supposed. His directing them to prayer is, indeed, in itself simply considered, a good reason why prayer should be looked upon as "the way" of God in bestow­ing his Spirit to the purposes of saving good. He would not otherwise have given this direction. It supposes the gospel-plan of mercy, and that God may, in consistency with the honor of his justice, holiness and wisdom, bestow that grace upon sinners they are directed to seek to him for, notwithstanding their sinfulness and unworthiness, however hainously aggravated; yea, it supposes God's readiness, in "this way", to communicate his Spirit to all the valuable ends to which he is needed. ^*

[Page 247]I MAY not impertinently add here, that our Savior, besides directing sinners to the duty of prayer as "the way" to obtain saving mercy, has given them all desireable encouragement to hope [Page 248] for success in "this way". Says he, "ask, and it shall be given you". Surely, he intended this declaration, as a reasonable ground for hope, in the use of prayer. And as tho' he had not, in [Page 249] these words, said eno' to encourage their hope, he goes on, by a striking comparison, to reason the case with them; and he does it in the most convincing, as well as affecting manner. His [Page 250] words are these. ^* "What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him"? Who, after this reasoning of the Savior of men, can suspect the willingness of God, upon their seeking to him for his Spirit, to bestow him upon them? If any can harbour in their breasts jealousies of this kind, they must either want the bowels of a father, or be grosly mistaken in their notions of him, who is our father in heaven. Are we, who are parents, ready to pity our poor sinful children, when they cry to us in distress? Do our hearts move to­wards them? Are we disposed freely to give them the good thing they need, and apply to us for, wherein we are able? And shall the parent of the universe, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, the God who so [Page 251] loved sinners, while they were sinners, enemies, and ungodly, as to part with his own Son, out of his bosom, to shed his precious blood as a pro­pitiation for their sins; I say, shall this most mer­ciful God and father be wanting in his readiness to pity his poor sinful children, when sensible of their folly in departing from him, they ardently look to him for help in making their return to him by repentance and faith? The tho't is highly dishonorary to him, whose stile is that "the hearer of prayer", and "the God of all grace". And it likewise directly opposes the whole thread of our Savior's arguing, in this passage, which is evi­dently designed to give us the most exalted ap­prehensions of the mercy of our heavenly father; such as might tend to free our minds of all suspi­cion and jealousie, and encourage our application to him in full hope of his willingness and readiness to afford us all the spiritual help we need, in or­der to our salvation.

ENO', I trust, has now been said to show, not only what sinners may and ought to do, towards obtaining the faith that is saving; but that their thus doing is the "ordinary way" in which God communicates his Spirit to effect this work of grace in them.

SEVERAL objections, and of some weight, may be made against what has been offered, in the preceding discourses. My intention is, to propose these objections distinctly, and to give the proper answers to them: And, with the doing of this I shall conclude this subject I have been so long upon.

OBJ. I. THE first objection is, faith is wro't by an immediate act of God's power, in which men are only the subjects of what he works in them. There is no more of man in the bestow­ment of faith, than there was in bringing Christ from heaven to be "a propitiation for the sins of the world".

I ANSWER. Should this be the truth; should it be supposed, that faith is a "gift of God", in which men are nothing more than the "passive recipients" of what he bestows, it will not from hence follow, that human endeavours, in the sense we have explained them, are needless, as being of no use, or service. For God may, if he pleases, as well make awaken'd seeking sinners, [Page 253] the subjects of this gift, as the stupidly tho'tless and secure; he may as well display his almighty power, in giving men to believe, while exerting their powers as reasonable creatures, about their duty, as when they make no use of them, but are shamefully careless and indolent. It lies with him to chuse his own way to bestow the gift of faith; and, if he chuses to bestow it, rather upon inquir­ing, seeking sinners, than others; upon men, while acting like reasonable creatures, rather than while they are senselesly siting still, and doing nothing, "who shall say unto him, what doest thou"? Most certainly God is master of his own gifts, and may bestow them in what way he pleases. And for any to dispute this is, in reality of construction, to say, that God has no right to "do what he will with his own"; tis to oppose that "sovereignty", which, at other times, is strenuously pleaded for, as one of the distinguish­ing glories of the supreme being.

BUT should it turn out a truth, that, in the bestowment of faith, men are more than the passive subjects" of a gift; that God accom­plishes this part of his good pleasure in them, by the use of means, and the concurring operation of the intellectual faculties with which he has en­dowed them, what has been discoursed about human endeavours, instead of carrying with it the face of absurdity, will at once appear most highly congruous. There is evidently, in this view of the matter, a natural aptitude in the prescribed means, and men's use of them, in order to the obtainment of faith. Tis in reason fit, they should exert themselves in earnest endeavours, if [Page 254] tis, by co-operating with those endeavours, that God communicates the light and help, whereby faith is wro't in them. The work is now ac­complisht in a way accommodated to the human make. Men are dealt with as intelligent and moral agents. For tho' tis God principally that does the work; yet, in the doing of it, he con­siders the constitution of men, and operates by the intervention of their faculties, and in a way adapted to their proper nature.

AND this way of communicating the gift of faith appears, to me, to be most reasonable in itself, and most consonant to the scripture-account of the matter.

IF we consult our own reason, it perfectly falls in with all we are able to collect from it, to suppose, that God, in "drawing sinners to Christ", should do it "with the cords of a man, and the bands of love", that is, by co-operating with hu­man faculties, in the use of proper means. Tis true, had men's faculties been destroyed by the original lapse, or any thing consequent thereupon, these faculties must be restored, if at all restored, by an exertment of almighty power, without their doing any thing, in any kind whatever: But, as they still exist men, endowed with intel­lectual and moral powers, and capable of using them, it should seem reasonable to think, that God, when he works faith in them, should do it in a way adjusted to their character; that is, by the intervention of their faculties, in the use of suitably adapted means.

[Page 255]AND this is evidently the way, the scripture has pointed out. Why else has it made faith in Jesus Christ a commanded duty? Why has it urged this duty, by declaring, that if we "believe we shall be saved", but if we "believe not we shall be damned"? This does not look, as tho' faith was a work of God, so as that men were only the "passive recipients" of it, as a gift from him. They are certainly considered as agents, and accountable ones too, in the buisiness of faith. But where would be the propriety, or indeed consistency, of their being viewed in this light, if faith was the work of God, so as to supersede the intervening operation of their faculties, in the use of means, and endeavours? Was this the way, in which faith was wro't, they might as well be commanded, upon pain of damnation, aggra­vated damnation, to bring that truth down from heaven, which is the object of faith, as to believe this truth now tis already bro't down, and reveal­ed in the sacred scriptures. Besides, if faith was the work of God, so as that men are nothing more than the "passive subjects" of what he does, and all means and human endeavours, in the use of them are set aside, as having no concurring influence, why were so many miracles wro't by Christ and his apostles, in confirmation of the truths they published to the world, as sent from God? Why are men complained of, charged with guilt, and declared worthy of an aggravated punishment for not being wro't upon to believe, in consequence of these attestations from heaven, in proof of the gospel-revelation? Why are they applied to in all the ways that are rationally suited to work upon moral and intelligent agents? It [Page 256] would be grosly absurd thus to adress to them, if the "salutary truth" was conveyed into them, without the concurrence of their faculties, in the use of means.

TIS observable, tho' God is spoken of, in the scripture, as "the author of faith"; yet that is the inquiry of inspiration, ^* "How shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear with­out a preacher"? And that is the apostolic con­clusion deduced herefrom, ^† "So then, faith coming by hearing, and hearing by the word of God". You see, in order to believing, there must be preaching, and this by persons duly au­thorised and sent to preach; and the word preach­ed must be heard, that is, heedfully, diligently, seriously attended to. Here then there is both room and opportunity for the exercise of human faculties; and tis by the exercise of them, that God, by his Spirit, concurs to the production of faith. Men are "workers together with God" in this christian attainment; insomuch, that if they neglect to exert their own powers, in the use of the means and advantages they are favoured with, they can reflect the blame no where, but on themselves, if they are never made the sub­jects of that faith, by which "the just do live". This will be the true reason of their condemna­tion; and it will eternally justifie God in it, before all angels and men.

[Page 257]TIS a plain case, the scripture every where considers sinners, as beings that are endowed with intellectual and moral powers, and accordingly represents God as FIRST BEGINNING, and then CARRYING ON, the work of faith, in a way anala­gous to their proper character as such, by making use of "means", and by requiring "their attenti­on" to them, and the "exertment" of all their powers, in subordination to him, and the concur­ring influences of his Spirit. He don't introduce faith into them, as into beings that are not agents; neither does he make them believers, by giving them new faculties, or by destroying, or effecting any physical change in, their old; but accomplish­es his pleasure in them, by accommodating his agency to their proper make and constitution. The bible always considers the matter in this light. And it would, in truth, be quite unintelligible upon a contrary scheme of tho't.^*

OBJ. II. ANOTHER objection is, to urge men, before they have faith, that is, saving faith, to religious doing, is to invert the scripture-order. Tis to make that precede, which should follow after. Tis to put the effect before the cause. What more absurd, than to call upon men to work in order to faith, when they can really do no work at all, till they are the subjects of faith? The apostles did not proceed after this unnatural manner. They first laid before men the simple truth of the gospel. Some believed.—And, up­on this, they put them upon endeavours to "walk in newness of life".

[Page 258]HOW far any may have put men upon acting from faith before they had it, and in order to their having it, I will not, at present, take upon me to say; Tho' if they have really done thus, they are doubtless chargeable with great absurdity. For no man can do an action from a principle he is not endowed with, and to put him upon it is to put him upon doing that which is NATURALLY IMPOSSIBLE. But this is not the case, as we have stated it. We call no man to endeavours, that will argue his being a subject of saving faith, in order to his becoming so. We put him upon no exertments, but from principles he is possessed of. And endeavours, from such principles, in order to his obtaining still higher and more noble ones, are what he is capable of; yea, God re­quires them, and they are "the way" (as we have seen) in which he "ordinarily" bestows his Spirit to the purposes of saving and everlasting good.

TIS true, upon men's obtaining faith, they be­come capable of acting from this principle; and there are many apostolic exhortations, persuasions, and directions, given to them as believers. And it is thro' faith, under the influence of God's mighty power, that the spiritual life is nourished in them, to their growing in grace, and a greater meetness for that life that is eternal in heaven. But tis, at the same time, far from being true, that there are no commands and exhortations given in scripture to persons, while destitute of justifying faith. When our Savior preached, say­ing, "repent ye, and believe the gospel", ^* his hearers, for the generality, were of this sort. [Page 259] When he said, ^* "this is the work of God", the work God requires of you, "that ye believe in him whom he hath sent", he spake, to those, who followed him "for the loaves", and not "the miracles" which he had wro't. And when the apostle Paul published it as the will of God, now the gospel-dispensation had taken place, "that all men every where should repent", ^† he prin­cipally had in view the sinners we are speaking of. And sinners, while viewed as destitute of sav­ing faith, are, in innumerable places, in the sacred books, the immediate subjects of the divine ex­hortations and commands; ^‡ yea, and these are urged with every argument, that is suited to work upon reasonable creatures. Every power of the human mind is apply'd to, and every motive used, that can be fetched, either from earth heaven, or hell.

NOR is it true, that the apostles took no other care of those, who were believers, than to lay before them the simple saving truth of the gos­pel. They not only did this, but endeavoured to do that also, which might have a natural apti­tude, a rational tendency, under the divine blessing, to beget faith in them. ^§

IT may with propriety be added here, In the first days of the gospel (as has been the case ever since) there were two sorts of believers; such as were possessed of faith, which, tho' real, was short of that which is justifying; and such as were en­dowed [Page 260] with the faith that is unto life. This is represented by our Savior under a variety of simi­litudes: by the ten virgins, five whereof were wise, and five foolish; and by the parables of the talents, of the pounds, of the wheat and tares, and of the sower that sowed seed in four several sorts of ground. And all the churches gather­ed by the apostles consisted of these two sorts of believers. Some had faith in the saving sense, others had only such a faith as might be the effect of the common illuminations and assistances of the Spirit. This now being a known truth, ma­ny of the commands, exhortations, persuasions and encouragements, which were directed, by our Savior, to b [...]ievers in general; and, by the apostles, to the churches as collective bodies, may reasonably be looked upon as designed for the use and benefit of those, who had not saving faith, as well as those who had it. When they are exhorted and persuaded, not "to draw back"; to "hold fast the profession of their faith", to "labor that they may enter into rest"; to be "circumspect, watch and pray"; not to "harden their hearts"; not to "depart from the living God"; not to "grieve the holy Spirit"; not to "neglect the assembling themselves together"; to "draw nigh to God"; to examine themselves, & to eat of that bread, and drink of that cup", and the like: These exhortations are equally proper to both these sorts of believers; and they might both of them, from the faith they were respective­ly the subjects of, exert themselves in expressing a regard to them. And, in truth, no good rea­son can be given, why the means of grace, the advantages of the visible kingdom of God, should [Page 261] not be intended for the spiritual advantage of believers in common; that is, of believers who are not as yet in a state of justification, as well as those who are. Tis certainly fact, that all who made a profession of faith, in the days of the apostles, whether their faith was of the "com­mon", or "special" kind, were admitted to a participation in all visible gospel privileges; and these priveleges are, in their nature, happily cal­culated to promote the spiritual good of all that have faith, whether of the "common", or "sav­ing" sort. Tis possible in the moral, tho' not in the natural world, that "tares", by proper means and due culture, may, under the divine influence, be converted into good "wheat". And this was, doubtless, the case oftentimes in the days of the apostles; as it may have been in all ages since. Nor unless we suppose, that gos­pel-means may be used by believers, who have not as yet attained to the faith that justifies, shall we find it an easie matter to account for the conduct of the apostles, in "immediately" admiting persons to "baptism", and "fellowship in break­ing of bread", upon their profession of faith in Christ: ^* Whereas, the difficulty, upon this head, [Page 262] will be at once removed, if it is a truth, as I imagine it is, that the institutions of the christian [Page 263] religion were appointed for the use and benefit of all that have faith, whether of the "common", [Page 264] or "special" kind; that it is accordingly the duty of all such to wait upon God, in the diligent use of these means; and that, by thus using them, they are in "the way" of a blessing.

[Page 265]OBJ. III. SOME, it may be, will again object and say, the best doings of the most refined sin­ner, while destitute of that faith, without which there cannot be spiritual life, are of no value, of not the least consideration. They may rather be esteemed splendida peccata, ^* shining sins, than [Page 266] performances that have any good in them. And will God pay any regard to such worthless ser­vices? Will he take occasion from them to make sinners the partakers of the grace that is in Jesus Christ?

[Page 267]I ANSWER. The question is not, of what real value are these doings of sinners? For tis not in the virtue of what they are, in themselves simply considered, that they are ever followed with the bestowment of spiritual favor. And the same may be said, with equal truth, of the doings even of the most sanctified believers. In their own value, they are insignificant to the purposes of salvation. The worthiness of that glorious per­son, who "once offered up himself a sacrifice to God for sin", is the alone foundation of all spiri­tual [Page 268] bestowments, whether to saints, or sinners. And if, upon this foundation, God has directed to human endeavours as "the way" in which he chuses to bestow his saving mercy, who shall dis­pute his pleasure? The only proper question therefore here is, has God pointed out these en­deavours as "the way" in which he "ordinarily" dispenses his grace? If this is the truth, and ap­pears to be so from the sacred scriptures, as well as experience, tis to no purpose to dispute about their true moral intrinsick worth. For whether they are of great, or little, or no value at all, in themselves simply considered; yet, if God re­quires them, and, in the use of them, effects the work of grace in the hearts of sinners, they be­come valuable in this relative view, yea, to an high degree important and necessary.

TIS true, when the performances of sinners in religion are nothing more than form and cere­mony; when their main view in what they do, is to be "seen of men, and to have glory from them"; when they "make long prayers" for a disguise "to devour widow's houses, and appear to be righteous that they may, with greater ad­vantage, carry on some wicked design: What they thus do, however specious it may seem to men, is abomination to the Lord: Nor can such doings be well spoken of with too great severity. But the same ought not to be said of the religious endeavours of awaken'd sinners, who tremble for fear of God, and the wrath to come; who are earnest in their enquiries what they shall do to be saved, and do with their might whatever they apprehend to be their duty, and this with serious­ness, [Page 269] solemnity and concern of soul; yea, with views and aims that are "good", as being "di­rected to by God himself", tho' they are not the highest and noblest. Is ther [...] [...] difference be­tween this kind of sinners, as to th [...] state of their mind, and their manner of doing duty, and those who are in no trouble about their sins, or the consequences of them, and never engage in reli­gious services unless for fashion's sake, or to serve their own worldly ends? The difference between them is great and striking. And that God, whose eyes run too and fro thro' the whole earth, sees the difference, and will accordingly make a different estimate of them. He won't indeed esteem these awaken'd persons to be gracious ones, as this may not be the truth of their character; but he may take occasion from the state of mind they are in, and the consequent operation of it (in the production of which his own Spirit has had a great influence) to display his mercy in Jesus Christ towards them. And this, in fact, is "the way" (as we have seen) in which he "ordinarily" does it. And for any, therefore, to speak of the endeavours of these awaken'd sinners, exerted in the manner we have described, so as to lead people into an imagination, as tho' they were useless; nay hurtful, rather than ten­ding to any salutary purpose, is a bare-faced affront to the wisdom of God, in the "method he usually takes", conformably to his own ap­pointment, in dispensing the influences of his grace; and it may, besides, eventually prove to many, by leading them into a contemptuous tho't of these endeavours, and a consequent neglect of them, the occasion of the damnation of their [Page 270] souls ^* A serious tho't this, and well worthy of our serious consideration.

[Page 271]OBJ. IV. SOME, perhaps, will go on, and say still further, to put sinners upon exerting them­selves, in the use of means, to obtain the faith that is unto life, is, in reality of construction, to [Page 272] put them upon working out a righteousness of their own, which is not only dishonorary to Christ, but one of the most destructive mistakes they can be led into.

[Page 273]THE reply is obvious; If any should be so un­advised, as to put sinners upon exerting themselves, in any way whatever, in order to atone for their guilt, or do that which was effected 1700 years ago, by the work of Christ finished on the cross, they would, without all doubt, put them upon "establishing a righteousness of their own", in opposition to "the righteousness of God by faith". But this can, with no face of truth, or justice, be charged upon those endeavours, we have been recommending. Far from placing them in the room of Christ, we ground all the hope of sinners upon the perfection of his obedience, compleat­ed by his humiliation to death. We freely al­low, that their best doings are of no value, "as a righteousness" that will supply the place of grace and Christ. They suppose an atonement already made without them; and that, in con­sequence of it, God may shew mercy to sinners, notwithstanding the greatest unworthiness. And they are put upon religious endeavours, not be­cause they are adapted, in their own virtue, to procure for them the divine favor; but because [Page 274] it is in concurrence with such endeavours, that God "ordinarily" operates to form that character, without which none can, in consistency with the gospel, receive saving advantage from the obe­dience and blood of Christ.

MEN may, it is true, thro' ignorance and pride, expect that from their own endeavours, which they ought to expect, and can reasonably expect, only from the doings and sufferings of Christ. And this may be a fault too common, in a less or greater degree, among saints as well as sin­ners, that is, those who have saving faith, as well as those who have it not. All indeed are chargeable with it, who expect acceptance with God, in the virtue of any righteousness of their's, instead of the perfect work of Jesus Christ. Such righteousness may properly be called "their own", as it is of "their own devising", and not of God's appointing; and it will reflect dishonor on Christ, as constructively rendering his death a vain thing. But shall men set still, and do nothing, because they may ignorantly, or proud­ly, expect too much from what they do? They ought rather to be put upon their guard, and taught, how they may exert themselves, and, at the same time, give due honor to Christ, by placing a just dependance on what he has done. The short of the matter is, if God has required the endeavours of sinners, and "ordinarily" be­stows his grace in the use of them, we may be sure they may be so used, as not to be inconsist­ent with the doings of Christ. And to say, that they cannot, is, in reality of construction, to [Page 275] make ourselves wiser than God; for he would never have required these endeavours, nor would he have blessed them with the concurring influ­ences of his Spirit, if they had thrown contempt on Christ, and were incapable of being used, but to the subversion of his work finished on the cross.

WHAT remains then, as the conclusion of all, but that those, who are destitute of the faith that is justifying, exert themselves in the use of all proper means, that they may become the subjects of this grace. If you won't ask God to give it you; if you won't seek for it as for hid treasure; if you won't labor and strive to obtain it;—but chuse rather carelesly to set down, and do nothing, what may you expect but that God, in righteous judgment, should take from you his holy Spirit, and suffer you to live and die in a state of unbelief? And should this be the case, who could you blame but yourselves? Your mouths would be stopt; you would not be able to say a word, unless to justifie God, and con­demn yourselves.

YOU will certainly be chargeable with folly, the madness of folly, if you are thot'less and unconcerned, in this affair of infinite and ever­lasting importance. It challenges your first care, your highest sollicitude, the most vigorous exertment of all your powers. And you have this to encourage your endeavours, that it is in "this way ordinarily" that God makes sinners the [Page 276] subjects of his saving mercy in Jesus Christ. Take all due care to put and keep yourselves in this way of God. And you may humbly hope to reap the advantage of so doing, by his sending his Spirit to work that work of faith in you, which will interest you in the redeemer's obe­dience and blood, and, in consequence of this, the everlasting salvation of your souls. God grant it may be the portion of us all, thro' Jesus Christ. Amen.

I HAVE chosen this text, to take occasion from it, to discourse to you upon that "illu­mination of the Spirit", without which we cannot be the subjects of the "faith by which the just do live".

AND it may, perhaps, be of service, in order to our conceiving justly of its nature, to attend a while to the manner in which the apostle Paul expresses himself, with reference to it, in the text; "the eyes of your understanding being enlight­ened". The like figurative mode of speech is [Page 278] frequently used elsewhere in scripture. Says the inspired David, ^* "the commandment of the Lord is pure,—enlightening the eyes". Says the evangelical prophet, describing the office of Christ, ^† "He is given a light to the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes". By "the blind eyes", he means precisely the same thing with what is called, in the new-testament, "the blind mind"; and the persons he would point out are those, whose character is that, ^‡ "alienated from the life of God, thro' the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts". The apostle Paul, in like language, speaks of himself as "sent to the Gentiles, to open their eyes" the eyes of their understanding, "and to turn them from darkness to light". ^§

TIS observable, in all these passages, that "faculty of the soul", by which we discern truth, is likened to the "bodily eye", by the help of which we discern the objects of sight. And there is, in some striking respects, an analogy between the bodily, and mental, faculty of seeing. And tis in virtue of this analogy, that seeing is so commonly apply'd to the mind; and that we so frequently read, and hear, of "the eyes of the understanding", as well as of the body.

I SHALL endeavour, not only to point out to you this analogy, but so to do it as, at the same time, to illustrate the doctrine of "divine illumi­nation"; the thing I principally have in view.

[Page 279]1. IN the first place, In order to men's being capable of seeing, they must be endow'd with those bodily organs, which are naturally fited to the purpose. If they are destitute of these; were born without them, or have since been deprived of them, it is impossible they should see. Their condition is such, that none of the objects of sight can be perceived by them. Darkness and light are to them the same thing: They have no faculty by which they can discern the differ­ence between them. And if they were always without this faculty, they have no idea at all of light, or colours: Nor can it be communicated to them, conformably to the establisht order of nature. They are incapable of such communi­cation, unless by a miraculous exertment of the power of the God of nature.

AND thus it is with respect to "mental sight". The understanding is the same thing in relation to truth, that the bodily eye is with regard to the objects of sight. If therefore men are not endow'd with an intellectual faculty, they can have no perception of truth of any sort or kind. Their minds will be in as total darkness, as their bodies are when they have no eyes. No [...] can the idea of truth, while they are destitute of the understanding-faculty, be conveyed to them, any more than the idea of light to those that never had the organs of sight.

IN consequence of this analogy between bodily and mental sight, it may naturally be enquired, whether, in the work of "illumination", God creates the faculty by which men are made to [Page 280] see, or effects a moral change only in the intel­lectual faculty they are already possessed of?

I SHOULD not have tho't, that there was any room for such an inquiry, had it not been for what some have said, it may be unwarily upon this subject. It should seem past all reasonable dispute, that, in enlightening men's minds, God considers them, and deals with them, as intelli­gent beings. Tis the truth of fact, that they are so. They come into existence endow'd with an understanding-faculty. Some indeed are born ideots, as there are others that are born blind. But for the generality, they are naturally endow'd with an intellectual capacity. Tis true, the entrance of sin into the world has greatly hurt this power of the mind; insomuch that, if left to ourselves, and our own guidance, we shall "dark­en our hearts" thro' prejudice and lust. But notwithstanding the original lapse, and all that has been consequent upon it, the intellectual faculty itself remains in us. We still exist intel­ligent creatures. There is therefore, in the "work of illumination", no infusion of any new faculty by the creating power of God. "The almighty inspir'd us with understanding", the natural capa­city for it, when he gave us a being in the world. Whatever therefore is done, in the affair of illu­mination, is done upon a faculty we are previ­ously the subjects of: Nor is there any change effected, when sinners are enlightened by the Spirit of God, but what is of the moral kind Their understandings may be assisted, strengthened, enlarged, refined, and greatly alter'd for the bet­ter; but no new faculty is introduced into their [Page 281] nature. The scripture no where suggests such a thing; but always supposes, on the contrary, that men have understandings to enlighten; otherwise they could not be enlightened. There would be no foundation, in their make, for this work to be built upon.

IT will, perhaps, be said, those that are en­lightened "discern spiritually" the things of the Spirit, which the "natural man" is not capable of doing: Nor can it be done, by any, without the introduction of some new faculty. If by a new faculty is meant, a faculty so changed from what it was, that it may properly be called new in the moral sense, it is readily allowed. But this is a quite different thing from the formation of a ca­pacity, power, or faculty, in the soul, that is physically new. Their is no need of any new fa­culty, in this sense The natural one, made mo­rally new, will answer the end as well. Nothing more indeed is necessary, in order to a "spiritu­al discerning of the things of the spirit", than an ability to see them in a light that is new, and different from that in which they are seen by the understanding, considered in its meer "natural" state. And what is there in this, but the mind may be capable of, when it comes to be enlighten­ed by the Spirit of God? Tis easily supposeable, that he may so help men's understandings, as that they shall be able to see the things of God in their true point of light, and so as they never did, or could see them before.

2. We cannot see, in the literal sense without light. This is the medium by which visible ob­jects [Page 282] are made perceptible. Was the visive facul­ty ever so sound and perfect, it would be intire­ly useless if there was no light. It is by the in­tervention of the rayes of the sun, or some other luminous body, that impressions are made on the organs of sight, and those sensations caused, which none are the capable subjects of, but those who have eyes to see.

AND something analagous to this is true, in regard of the understanding-faculty. Ideas are the same thing to the intellectual eye, that the rayes of light are to the bodily eye. Were we void of ideas, we should be in total, mental darkness, and incapable of seeing with the eye of the understanding, tho' it were ever so bright and clear. There might, in this case, be the faculty of intellectual sight, but we should not be able to use it. It would be of no manner of service: We might as well be without it.

THE "God of nature" has therefore, not only implanted in us an intellectual faculty, but taken care to provide for the introduction of ideas into our minds, that it might be useful to us. Im­pressions from the material world, by the inter­vention of a variety of bodily organs, suitably adapted to the purpose, affect the soul, and, in time, conformably to a settled course of nature, store it with ideas; which ideas, together with the perceptions we have of the operations of our mental powers, serve as a light to our under­standing-faculty: And it is by this light, that we become capable of seeing with it, that is, of perceiving those innumerable "natural truths" that are the objects of this faculty.

[Page 283]BUT, besides this natural light, to come nearer to our point, the God of grace, that men's minds might be suitably enlightened, has superadded the light of revelation; which light he intended, should be of like use to the eyes of their under­standings, with respect to the great things per­taining to salvation, that the natural light is to the bodily eye, in regard of the common affairs of life. We are frequently led, by the sacred writers, to conceive thus of the matter. Says, the man after God's own heart, ^* "the command­ment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes". And again ^† "thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path". To the like purpose are those words of Solomon, ^‡ "the command­ment is a lamp, and the law is light". And Christ, Whose character is that, "the sun of righ­teousness", is represented to be of the same use to the intellectual sight of men, that the sun in the heavens is to the bodily sight. Hence he is said to have "come a light into the world". ^§ Hence he is called "a light to lighten the Gentiles" ^‖ And hence the design of his coming is spoken of in such language that, "to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death". ^* And the light he has given the world, in the revelations of scripture, is that alone, by which we are let into the knowlege of the gospel method of "redemption thro' Jesus Christ". It lay "hid in God", till he was pleased "supernaturally" to open the everlasting designs of his grace to a perishing world. This he did to Adam, and Abraham, in a general summary [Page 284] way; and to the jewish nation, under the cover of types, figures and prophetic representations; but never in a distinct and explicit manner, till the times of Christ, who came from the father, knew his mind, respecting the great affair of man's salvation, and plainly declared it to the world.

TIS observable, the natural light, without which a being on the earth would be scarce de­sireable, is the sole contrivance, and effect, of the infinite wisdom, power and goodness of God. He CREATED it. And he is, in like manner, the CREATOR of that light, which shews men the way of salvation thro' a redeemer. It came down super-naturally from above: Nor could we have had any idea of the truths it discovers, had they not, in this way, been revealed to us. This re­vealed light is therefore the same thing, in the "new-creation", that the natural light is in the "old". And we are absolutely beholden to God for it. There is nothing of man in it, no will of his, not so much as a wish, or tho't of his heart. Tis intirely the gift of heaven. And tis in this sense, with great propriety, that God is said to "enlighten our understandings"; for they have no light, nor was it possible they should have any, with reference to the gospel-plan of salvation, but what God has been pleased freely to give them; and this, in a way preventive of any en­deavours of their's to procure this gift.

I SHALL not think it a digression to subjoin here, the bodily eye, and visible objects, are so fited to each other, by the wisdom and goodness of God, as that pleasure is connected with the ap­plication [Page 285] of the latter to the former. Not but that the impressions made on the organs of sight, by external objects, are sometimes the occasion of uneasiness. It was designed they should be so. And many wise and valuable ends are answered hereby. But still, pleasure is ordinarily con­joined with seeing, according to that observation of the wise man, ^* "the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eye to behold the sun". And this is as true of the eye of the understanding, as of the body. The perception of truth is accom­panied with pleasure, unless in those instances wherein it is intended to excite aversion, and give anxiety. There is such a proportion, congruity, agreement, or whatever else any may please to call it, between the intellectual faculty, and the objects that are fited to give it delight, that this, by an establisht uniform course of nature, is the result of their meeting together. It not only perceives these objects, but perceives also, at the same time, a sweetness, beauty and excellency in them, greater or less, according to the nature of the object perceived, and the degree in which it is perceived. There are no intellectual objects, in themselves beautiful and excellent, but the understanding is formed with a capacity, origi­nally greater in some, and less in others, to per­ceive the beauty and excellency there is in them, as truly as to perceive the objects themselves: Nor has this capacity been destroyed by sin, any more than the intellectual faculty itself. And it is, perhaps, impossible it should be destroyed, but by the destruction of the faculty by which we perceive at all. Tis accordingly the truth of fact, [Page 286] that men, who, by their personal folly, have awfully corrupted their understandings, and moral taste too, are yet capable of seeing, and feeling, a beauty and glory in characters that are the re­verse of their own. When placed before their view, in a strong point of light, they command their approbation; they can't but own their per­ception of an amiable glory in them;—tho', at the same time, they are ashamed, they are not themselves the subjects of this glory.

WHAT I aim at, in this additional tho't, is to show, that, in the work of illumination, there is no "physically new sense" implanted in the sin­ner, any more than a physically new intellectual-faculty. If he had no intellectual capacity, it would be, not "morally" only, but "naturally", impossible he should understand; and it would be equally, and in the same sense, impossible he should perceive a beauty and excellency in any object of the mind, if he had no capacity in his nature for this perception. The idea of this beauty could not, in this case, be communicated to him. A physically new capacity must be put into him, in order to it; that is to say, he must be made a physically different being from what he was, and from what others of his species are. But the bible no where gives us reason to expect the implantation of any such new capacity: Nor in­deed is there any need of it. The moral change that is made in the understanding, by the illumi­nations of the Spirit of God, will, at the same time, introduce a proportionable taste, relish, or favour of divine and spiritual objects. This taste may be, and actually is, wanting in vitiated and [Page 287] corrupted minds; and so is the just perception of revealed truth also: And they bear an exact propor­tion to each other. But if the understanding is en­lightened in the things of the Spirit, a taste for them will be a natural concomitant. When the mind is illuminated, so as to perceive revealed objects in their true point of light, it will perceive also a beauty and glory in them. These perceptions are, as I imagine, inseperable from each other. The constitution of man is such, that he can't see the truth as it is Jesus, and not perceive, at the same time, the excelling glory and importance of it. And if tis the case of any, that they have no taste for spiritual and divine things, perceive no favour in them, it may with certainty be con­cluded, they have never been enlightened by the Spirit of God, so as to see them in their just and proper light.

3. THE bodily eye, where there is a sufficiency and clearness of external light, may yet be dis­abled from seeing, at least in a distinct and clear manner, by reason of natural or contracted weak­ness or disorder. This is no uncommon case; tho' an unhappy one: Nor can it be remedied, but by a removal of the cause of it. Till this is done, the eye will not see clearly, tho' the rayes of the sun should be reflected from external objects with ever so bright a lustre.

AND the same is true, with [...]espect to the eye of the mind. Such is its weak and disordered state, since the introduction of sin into the world, that its sight is obscured, in a less or greater de­gree, in regard of all mankind. There is no [Page 288] man but has upon his mind some wrong biass or other, which is a like impediment to the eye of the understanding, that a film is to the eye of the body. We may be not sufficiently aware of it, but tis a real truth, that prejudice, partiality, passion, pride, sensual and other lusts, are, as it were▪ the cataracts of the mind; and, in proportion to their growth, will cloud its sight; yea, they may prevail to such a degree of strength as, in a great measure, to put out the eyes of the understanding. And this in­deed has, in all ages, been the real truth of fact.

THE heathen world have ever so poorly under­stood, even, what they might have known of God, that they have all along lived in ignorance of him; nay, what is much worse, they have so corrupted their understanding, that, in [...]ead of being their guide, it has proved their seducer; and in so gross sense, that there are no absurdities in speculation, nor abominations in practice, but they have been led into them. As the apostle speaks, ^* "professing themselves wise, they became fools; changing the truth of God into a lie, and serving the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever." Hence those numerous passages of scripture, in which they are represent [...] [...]s having "darkened their hearts", and "blinded their minds"; yea, and as having done this to so great a degree, as that they "could not see", tho' they had intel­lectual eyes for this purpose.

NOR is this blindness peculiar to the heathen world. Tis common to all the sons of Adam, in a less or greater degree. Even the christian world, [Page 289] who are favored with the light of the glorious Gos­pel, have so blinded their minds as to grope in the dark, as it were, at noon day; admiting, for truths of God, the grossest absurdities. For such are some of the doctrines taught, and received, in the church of Rome; as the worship of God by images; the use of living and dead saints as mediators with hea­ven, particularly the Virgin Mary, who has far more respect paid her than even Christ himself; the conversion of the bread and wine, in the sacra­ment, into the real body and blood of Christ, and the like: Than which, more palpable absurdities were never introduced into any pagan religion. They are indeed as shocking as were ever received for truths, unless we should except those doctrines of this same church, which teach, that she is infal­libly right in establishing these monstrous errors; and that she takes a rational and christian method to gain the assent of men's minds to them, by in­flicting on them the severest bodily tortures. These, it must be owned, are such an affront to the human understanding, and such a defiance of common sense, as can scarce be matched with a parallel, in any part of the heathen world, however invelop't with darkness.

NOR can it be said, even of Protestants, that they han't betrayed a strange blindness of mind, in the gross mistakes which they have embraced for sacred truths. It is indeed acknowledged, the light of the reformation opened to their view the enor­mous folly of some of the popish tenets; which they have accordingly rejected: But they still, many of them at least, receive absurdities of another kind, and very great ones too. There are numbers, [Page 290] even in the protestant world, who have so strangely lost sight, both of human reason, and divine reve­lation, as that they are ready to place the substance of christianity in any thing, rather than in what it ought to be placed. Nay, to such a degree have some been blinded, either by the god of this world, or their own vain imaginations, and foolish pre­judices, as that they have encouraged themselves in a wicked life, even from the very overtures of that institution, which was purposely set on foot to destroy men's lusts and vices; pretending, that, by their "continuing in sin", they should give occasion for the "greater illustration of the mercy of God" in their forgiveness. Amazing infatuation! Their "foolish hearts" must be extremely "darkened", or tis not possible, they should have been led away by so senseless a delusion.

THE eyes of men's understanding being thus disordered, the illuminating work of God's Spirit is designed for their help. And more a great deal is included in it, than meerly his giving them the ex­ternal light of revelation. This light, tis true, is necessary. We can, in no other way, have an idea of God as "reconcilable to the world", and as "reconciling the world to himself by Jesus Christ". But tis, at the same time, true likewise, that we may enjoy this light, and not perceive the truths it would make manifest, so perceive them as to be sav­ingly wro't upon by them. Some secret powerful influence of the divine Spirit must go along with it to effect this. Our "eyes must be opened", or we shall no [...] "behold wondrous things out of God's law". Tis observable, many truths were "wrote in the law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the [Page 291] Psalms concerning Christ"; but even his disciples entertained wrong conceptions of them, till he "opened their understandings to understand the scriptures". ^* In like manner, "the hope of the christian's calling, and the riches of the glory of the inheritance of the saints", are externally revealed in the gospel; but the apostle Paul knew, notwith­standing this, that the Ephesian believers needed to have "the eyes of their understanding enlightened", in order to their taking in a more clear and just idea of these things. ^† And if those, who were believers already, needed further enlightening by the Spirit, in order to a more full prospect of the "glory of the hope that was set before them", much more are his illuminating influences necessary for others. The truth is, "the vail that is on the hearts of sinners must be taken away", or they will never "behold with open face the glory of the Lord", so as to be "changed by it into the same image from glory to glory"; that is to say, the impediments to their intellectual sight, occasioned by the mists of sin and lust, must, in a good mea­sure, be removed away, or they will be unable to see revealed truths so as to be morally transformed by them. This calls for help, from the Spirit of God, beyond that which is afforded by the light of revelation, in itself simply considered. And it is principally by means of this further help, that that effect is wro't in sinners, which is expressed in the sacred writings by their "understandings being opened", by their being "called out of darkness", by their being "turned from darkness to light", and the like.

[Page 292]THE Spirit of God, as I imagine, ordinarily be­gins this part of his illuminating work, by rousing the consciences of sinners, and exciting in them an earnest sollicitude to become acquainted with the things that are connected with their everlasting well­being. They were walking, it may be, "in the way of their own heart, and in the sight of their their eyes", tho'tless of God, and unconcerned a­bout their souls, and the important affairs of salva­tion. But, by some a [...]arming providence, or sea­sonable word of truth, suitably impressed on their minds by the influence of the Spirit, they are so changed from what they were, as to become seri­ously tho'tful; and their tho'ts, instead of running upon the vanities and gaites of the world, or the gratifications of time and sense, are turned towards the infinitely greater concerns of eternal life. This is the natural effect of an awakened state of mind; and it strongly tends to check the power of sin, and weaken the force of those wrong biasses that darken the sight of the mind. It is certainly a well adapted mean to this purpose; as truly so as external ap­plications are to the bodily eye, to take off a film that hinde [...] it from seeing. A sense of sin and guilt is ever accompanied, more or less, with distressing anxiety. This naturally puts the sinner upon looking out for help; and upon doing it, in a sober, serious and earnest manner. Persons under awakenings by the Spirit of God, especially if they are strong, and of any long continuance, are always tho'tful, and religiously so: And they are, for this reason, from the very make of the human soul, in a better disposition, in a fiter temper, to be guided by the Spirit into the knowledge of the truth, as it is in Jesus, than when they were going on in their [Page 293] sins, unconcerned about the affairs of religion and another world. Their minds are now, in a mea­sure, prepared for those higher illuminations of the Spirit, which we shall have occasion to speak of under the next head of analogy, to which I proceed.

4. THE bodily eye is not able fully to take in, what visible objects are fited to communicate, by a sudden transient glance only. It must be fixed on them, and view them with care and attention; or many things, both useful and important, will escape their notice, which yet they might have perceived, upon a more exact and close examination of them.

AND the same is equally true, if not much more so, in respect of the eye of the mind. It can't per­ceive truth, unless in a few self-evident instances, and not even in these at first, by a single cast of its discerning power. It must view it with care, deliberation and attention; otherwise it will not see it: To be sure, not so as to be in any considerable measure, impressed and influenced by it. And to the want of this care and attention it is very much owing, that so many truths are either wholly un­discerned by multitudes, or discerned only in an imperfect, partial and confused manner. Especially is this the case, in regard of religious truths; those, I mean, which are not perceivable, but by the light of revelation. This light does not transmit, to those who are favored with it, a conception of the truths, it would declare, either as to their evidence, mean­ing, usefulness, or importance, whether they attend to them, or not. Tis indeed fited to convey into the mind this perception; and so as to renew and transform it: But it does this in the use of con­sideration [Page 294] and attention. Tis accordingly observe­able, "the word" as "able to save the soul", is spoken of as "an ingrafted word". How does the cyon turn the sap of a stock into its own nature, and cause it to bring forth good fruit, but by being fastened upon it, and let into it? "The word" turns the temper of the mind into its own nature, the same way, in the moral sense, that is, by seri­ous consideration; which does, as it were, fasten the word to the mind, let the one into the other, and unite them together. In like manner, it was by this same consideration and attention that the "hearers of the word", resembled, in the parable, by "seed sowed in good ground, that bro't forth good fruit, and in plenty", are distinguished from the other hearers, resembled by "seed that was sowed, and came to nothing": Tis said of them, "having heard the word, they kept it", that is, they retained it in their hearts by serious contemplation, by frequently employing their tho'ts on it; where­in they differed from the other hearers, who, for want of this consideration, suffered the word to be "snatched away from them", or to "wither", ‘having nothing to give it "root"; or to be choked with the cares of the present life.’ And the "doer of the word", who shall be "blessed in his deed", is distinguished from the "hearer of it only", by his "looking into the law of liberty; and continuing therein", that is, continuing to look therein. In other words, expressive of the thing meant, he is one that does not, in a heedless, cursory way only, cast his eye upon the sacred books of re­velation, but looks into them with care & attention; and he continues in the use of this care, "daily searching the scriptures", if he may find in them [Page 295] "the words of eternal life". Hence the advice, "take heed how you hear". ^* And again, "give the more earnest heed to the things which you have heard, least at any time you should let them slip". ^† Hence David "tho't on his ways", as a proper means "to turn his feet into the path of God's testimonies". ^‖ And hence also that solemn prayer of his,^§ "O Lord God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the ima­gination of the tho'ts of the heart of this people, and prepare their heart unto thee".

NOW the Spirit of God, in managing the work of illumination, fixes the tho'ts of sinners upon re­vealed objects, and so governs their exercise, as that divine truths are savingly opened to their view. I observed, under the former head, that he ordinarily begins this work by awakening, in the minds of sinners, such a concern about their future ever­lasting well-being, as turns their tho'ts from the things of this world, to the things of God and their soul's salvation. I would now say, having thus excited in them a disposition to sober, religious con­sideration, he proceeds in the work, by calling their attention to divine and spiritual objects, and holding their tho [...]ts to them, by frequent and close contem­plation. So it was that he made David spiritually wiser than his enemies. He did this, by keeping divine truths, and his mind together. That is, the account of the matter, "thou, thro' thy com­mandments, hast made wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me".^‡ So he "opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended to the things which [Page 296] were spoken of Paul". ^* She "held her mind to them", kept it staid upon them by close considera­tion. And this she did, as influenced hereto by the Spirit of God. He "opened her heart", so as that she "thus attended". And, in like manner, he opens the hearts of others, by his secret and pow­erful influences, to think of the great concerns of their souls and eternity, and to think of them with an attention so earnest and engaged, as that other tho'ts are excluded, at least the force of them re­strained within proper bounds and limits. They might before this have tho't of the great truths of re­ligion and salvation, but their tho'ts of this kind were sudden in their rise, and short in their continuance. They were soon "choked with the cares, or riches, or pleasures of this life". But they have now a settled abode in them. They "meditate on them both in the day, and in the night". They are the princi­pal objects that employ their serious consideration. And tis ordinarily in concurrence with this awaken'd, and engaged attention, that the divine Spirit "shines into their hearts", so as to "give them the light of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ". Having excited in them a serious, considerate dispo­sition, he turns their tho'ts to the great doctrines of salvation, assists, superintends and conducts the ex­ercise of them, and in this way opens their under­standings so as to discover to them the truths of revelation in their divinity, reality, excellency, usefulness and necessity. And now it is, that they see divine objects in a different light from what they did before. They have now such a sight of God, as that they love him with their whole souls, and are disposed to make him the supreme object of their [Page 297] hope, trust and confidence. They have now such a sight of Christ, as one "able to save even to the uttermost, all that come to God by him", that they can readily venture their eternal concerns in his hands. They have now such a sight of sin, in its odious nature, as well as ruinous tendency, as that they find within themselves a heart to hate it, and to abhor themselves for ever having had any love to it. They have now such a sight of holiness, in the excellency of its nature, as well as the usefulness of its tendency, that they more heartily desire nothing, than that they may "be holy even as God is holy". In a word, they have now such a sight of the wis­dom, the holiness, the righteousness and mercy of the gospel scheme of "redemption, thro' the blood of Christ", that they can intirely acquiesce in it; neither expecting, nor desiring to be saved in any other way. They "count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge" they now have "of Christ Jesus their Lord".

5. I HAVE yet to say, in the fifth and last place, the bodily eye may be so circumstanced, as to be incapable of seeing distinctly and clearly, but by the intervention of foreign help. A common case this. There are multitudes, especially among those in years, whose eyes are in such a state, as that the objects of sight appear as thro' a mist; and they see them in an indistinct, and confused manner only: But, by the help of proper glasses, the rayes of light are so collected, and thrown upon the eye, as that this obscurity is taken away, and they are enabled to see with clearness and precision.

[Page 298]AND thus it is, in a great measure, with the eye of the mind. It may not be able to discern truth, in a thousand instances, with clearness and certainty, till, by foreign aid, it is placed before their view in a special point of light. They can now readily perceive it to be truth, and so per­ceive it too, as to feel the beauty and excellency of it; and the light may break in upon them with so bright a lustre, as to occasion even their wonder, that they could not discern it before.

AND, perhaps, this is eminently one of the ways, in which the Spirit of God opens the eyes of men's understandings to see the truths of reve­lation, in their certainty, sweetness and infinite importance. He may so superintend and govern the exercise of their tho'ts with reference to them; their ideas, under his guidance, may be set in such order, and placed in such an easie relation to each other, as that the mind shall see things in a point of light it never did before, and never would, or could, have done, had it not been for this inter­vening help. By giving their tho'ts this special direction, and connection, they may have the most lively sight of that, they could not discern before, or saw only, as it were, in the dark, in a partial, indistinct and confused manner. And let it not [...]em strange to any, that the Spirit of God should, in this way, shine into men's hearts, "calling them out of darkness into marvellous light". He has inspired some, even among the sons of men, with such dexterity and skill, that, by put­ting together, and placing in a proper point of light, the ideas that constitute these and those natural truths, they can easily convey a percep­tion [Page 299] of them to others, and in cases too, in which, perhaps, they would never have had this percep­tion, had they been left to themselves, and been the sole guides of their own tho'ts. And shall not the Spirit himself have an ability so to place revealed objects before the view of men, as that they shall be able to see them so as they never did, or could, before? He most certainly has this ability. And tho' he may, in the work of illumination, so mix the exertments of it, with the actings of men's own faculties, as that they can't easily, if at all, distinguish the one from the other; yet, it is doubtless principally owing to this intervening influence of his, that they are enabled to see "spiritually" the things, he has "externally" revealed in the sacred books of scripture.

THE influences of the Spirit, in helping men to this new and spiritual sight of the things per­taining to salvation, are sometimes dispensed in such a measure, as that light breaks in upon their minds suddenly and perceptibly; insomuch that they are able to say, at such a time, "the eyes of my understanding were opened", I had then such a sight of God, of Christ, of my self, and of the gospel-way of salvation, as gives me reason assur­edly to think, the life of grace was now effectual­ly begun in me. But commonly the work of illumination is carried on, in a more gradual and less perceptible way. The subjects of it can only say in general, "whereas I was once blind, I now see". Their light, like the "morning dawn", gradually and indiscernably "shines more and more" till it increases "to perfect day".

[Page 300]SOME, perhaps, may be disposed to think, if not to speak, contemptuously of this influence of the Spirit, by which men's understandings are opened to see divine truths in a new and different light, because tis, to them, inconceivable how he should operate on them, so as to give them this perception. But the inconceivableness of the thing is no just objection against the truth of it. Do those who move this difficulty know, how the objects of bodily sight affect the soul, by intro­ducing into it those sensations we have certain experience of? Can they describe the modus of their operation, pointing out the way in which impressions on the visive organs convey percep­tions into the mind? Till they find themselves able to do this, they can't, with any face of modesty or reason, object against the influence of God's Spirit upon the understandings of men, be­cause the manner of it may be secreted from us. Tis indeed an objection of no more weight against the Spirit's acting upon the minds of men, that we know not how he does it, than tis against the actings of external objects upon them by the in­tervention of the senses, that we are ignorant how this is done. The one is as easie to conceive of as the other; or rather, they are both equally beyond human comprehension. Nor is it at all incredible, that the God that made our souls, and is therefore intimately, and perfectly acquainted with them, and all the avenues into them, should be able to influence them in ways we are not formed with capacities to investigate. It would be highly unreasonable, I might say, grosly ab­surd, to suppose, he had not this ability: Tho', he ought always to be considered as exerting it, [Page 301] not only in consistency with the nature of men's faculties, but in concurrence with them, and so as to preserve and promote, not supersede, the proper use and employment of them. And in this way it is, as we have seen, that he both be­gins, and carries on, the work of illumination. He awakens men's consideration; he fixes it on the great things pertaining to salvation, keeping these and their minds continually together; he directs and assists the exercise of their tho'ts on them; and, in a word, so conducts and governs this whole affair, as that the result is, their seeing revealed truths so as to be no longer in the dark, but to become "the children of the day", and "to walk in light": All which is both easily in­telligible, and highly reasonable; tho' the modus of the Spirit's influence herein should be un­known, and not to be described.

A VARIETY of remarks might now easily and naturally be deduced, from the preceeding dis­course, which would further tend [...]o illustrate the doctrine of the "Spirit's illuminating work", as well as to correct some mistaken notions about it; but I must confine myself to two only, [...]east I should put your patience to too long a tryal.

THE first is, that the divine Spirit, in enlighten­ing men's minds, lets them into the knowlege of no truths, but those that are contained in the sacred books of scripture. These were "wrote by holy men", as "moved and inspired by the holy Ghost"; and they exhibit the whole mind of God, so far as he tho't it needful, or proper, to make a revelation of it. The design therefore [Page 302] of the Spirit, in his [...]minating-work, is not to enlarge the object of faith, by revealing any new truths; but to set those that are already revealed in such a point of light before the minds of men, as that they shall have a just, strong and lively perception of them, in their divinity, as well as excellency and importance. That light, which, under the influence of God's Spirit, gives life and vigor to the "new-creation", is "the light of the glory of God", as it is manifested in the scripture. No other light is necessary; no other is ever made use of by the holy Ghost, in "enlightening the eyes of men's understanding". He conveys into their minds no light, no knowledge, no ideas whatever, but as derived from that old, publick, standing revelation of God, THE HOLY BIBLE. To suppose otherwise would be, in true consequence, to reflect dishonor on this sacred book, as tho' it did not exhibit the mind of God in all things necessary, in order to man's salvation. For if, in the work of illumination, new truths were disco­vered, truths the scripture had not before reveal­ed, it would be an incomplete, insufficient reve­lation; as needing to be supply'd by new inspi­ration from the holy Ghost. It could not there­fore be justly said of it, that it is "profitable", so as that "the man of God might be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works"; that it is "able to make men wise unto salvation"; able to "save their souls"; and to "build them up, and give them an inheritance among all them that are sanctified"; all which is expresly affirm­ed of it, as let into men's minds, and actuated when there, by the influence of the Spirit of grace.

[Page 303]IT obviously, and necessarily, follows from this remark, that those are grosly deluded, not divine­ly illuminated, who imagine, that the "teachings of the Spirit", under the gospel, are ever afforded to men, either "without" the revealed written word, or in "opposition" to it. Would to God it were a falshood to affirm it of any, that they were thus deluded! But it has been, and now is, too common a case in the christian world; especi­ally among those, who, under the influence of an over-heated imagination, have been able to see visions; or to hear voices, audibly speaking, or softly whispering in their ears; or to feel them­selves strongly impressed with this or that notion, or as strongly impelled to this or that action. Under such warmth of imagination, there is scarce any thing too absurd for men's faith, or practice. Their supposed immediate, extraordinary commu­nications of light and knowlege from the Spirit of God, they substitute in the room of scripture; making these, not that, the rule by which they walk. If they pay any regard to the sacred books of inspiration, tis only as they may be interpre­ted to fall in with that superior teaching, they vainly conceit they are under. In their own ap­prehensions, they are above instruction from the oracles of God; as having a more safe and sure guide, even the Spirit of truth, who is their im­mediate director. Tis strange, any should so grosly deceive themselves. For nothing is ever suggested to, or impressed on, the minds of men, by the divine Spirit, but in perfect harmony with the revealed truths of scripture: He makes no discoveries of any kind, but from this sacred book. His work lies in setting gospel-truth in such a [Page 304] convincing, commanding, striking light, before the eye of the understanding, as that it may an­swer the great and good purposes for which it was revealed. The "inward" teaching of the Spirit ought therefore, in no case, upon no occasion, to be "opposed" to what is "outwardly" taught in the revelations of scripture. Tis impossible, as "the scripture was given by inspiration of God", that there should be any disagreement be­tween what he "inwardly" teaches, and what he has caused to be "externally" wrote. "What saith the scripture"? ought therefore to be the grand question in all supposed illuminations, manifestati­ons, suggestions, and discoveries from the Spirit. If they agree not with this infallible rule, they are not from him; and we may be as sure of it, as that he is the revealer of the truths contained in the bible. There is indeed no delusion more dangerous than this, of depending upon the teaching, and gui­dance, of the Spirit, "without" the word, or in "opposition" to it. Men have now a rule, that supersedes the bible, even the immediate dictates of the Spirit of God; and so are prepared for whatever delusions a heated imagination, or sub­tle devil, may suggest to them, under the dis­guise of divine communications; and this, in opposition to the clearest reason, as well as most express revelation. How many enthusiasts, vain­ly conceiting they were extraordinarily illumina­ted by the Spirit, have proceeded from one absurdity to another, till they have run quite wild! There is scarce any thing so extravagant, but they have been the patrons of it, and under the pre­tence too of being immediately instructed by God to be so. We cannot be too careful in guarding [Page 305] against any supposed influences, dictates, or mani­festations from the Spirit, to the neglect of the scripture, much more in contradiction to it. This has never yet failed of betraying men into folly; and the same effect may always be look't for from the same cause. To wait for the Spirit, and to depend on him, for teaching and guidance "with­out the word", or in "opposition to it", is an endless path of error. As one expresses it, ^* "If there be any delusions in the world, we must own this as the BELZEEBUB among them. What rule have I to try the Spirit by, but the word revealed, and written, in the scriptures? As St. John says, "try the Spirits, whether they are of God or not". But how shall I know, whether I am taught of the Spirit, or not, unless the word directs me?— The pretence of the Spirit, in its dictates of truth, "besides and above the word", will fetch argu­ments from the same Spirit to maintain them, tho' the grossest delusions; and so the word, and all ordinary means of reducing such to their right wits, become wholly useless and impossible. We have had too many years experience of the dismal sad effects of this grand principle of enthusiasm.— Admit once of new-lights and visions of the Spirit, and you cannot keep out damnable errors from following after".

THE other remark, deducible from the pre­ceding discourse, is, that God, in the work of illumination, considers men as endow'd with in­tellectual and moral powers, and conducts to­wards them as such, by influencing the exercise [Page 306] of these powers so as, in "this way", to effect the good pleasure of his grace in them. Tis true, the light of truth held forth in the sacred books of scripture, that light by which sinners are "turn­ed from darkness", and enabled to "behold the glory of the Lord", so as to be "changed into the same image from glory to glory", is ab­solutely the gift of God. He first provided it, and then supernaturally sent it down from above. Tis no more owing to men, than the understand­ing faculty itself, they are the subjects of. Both the faculty, and the object, are wholly and equally of God; the latter, as really as the former, and as exclusively of all human skill, will, or exert­ments of any kind whatever. The work of illu­mination therefore supposes, both a "faculty" al­ready planted in men's nature, rendering them capable of being enlightened; and the existence of "light", whereby it is made possible this should be done: And it accordingly lies, not in the physical infusion of any power or capacity, they were not before possessed of; nor yet in the com­munication of any other light than that, which is already provided and revealed in the scripture: I say, it consists in neither of these things, but in such influences of the Spirit, as are wisely and powerfully suited, so to bring together the "un­derstanding-faculty" in men, and "gospel-truth", its proper object, as that the latter shall be per­ceived, believed and understood, to the purposes of saving and everlasting good. This is all that is wanted; this is all that the Spirit does in the affair of illumination; and this he effects—how? Not by conveying into men's minds the "salutary truth", either in regard of its evidence, or just [Page 307] import, in the way he provided it, that is, with­out the intervening use of their faculties; but in concurrence herewith, and as influencing and conducting their exercise, so as that the work shall be accomplished. How should reasonable creatures be bro't to perceive, and understand, the sacred truths of revelation, as to their evi­dence, o [...] meaning, but by the use of their intel­lectual powers? Why were these truths commit­ed to writing, under the guidance of the holy Ghost? Why solemnly attested to from heaven, and transmited to after-ages, but that men might read, study, believe and understand them? But how should they do this, unless by the exercise of their minds in thinking, considering, and reason­ing? Tis readily acknowledged, sin has "darken­ed men's hearts", and "blinded their eyes", the eyes of their understanding; insomuch that they will never see "the truth as it is in Jesus", so as to perceive its divinity and beauty, and feel its transforming power, unless by the influence of the illuminating Spirit. But what kind of influ­ence is this? Not of a kind, we may be assured, that supersedes the use, or sets aside the exercise, of men's intellectual powers. It is rather adapted, in its nature and tendency, to excite, assist, super­intend, conduct and govern the exercise of these powers, so as that, in "this way", the light of truth shall be let into their minds, and exist and operate there as a new and powerful spring of action. It is a kind of influence that is perfectly suited to the constitution of men, as reasonable creatures; rendering their endeavours, in the use of means, highly fit; yea, necessary: Nor other­wise would it be easie, if possible, to justifie the [Page 308] wisdom, or propriety, of a "written revelation", attested to by God, and intended for universal and perpetual use. If the divine Spirit, in the "con­veyance of the saving truth", does every thing without man, to the setting aside of all motion, action, or exercise of the human soul with refer­ence to it, he might directly reveal this truth from heaven to all, God ever intended should be the hap­py subjects of it, to the exclusion of the "written word", as well as the use of men's faculties: Nor can any good reason be given, why he don't thus reveal the truth to every man, but that the work of illumination is carried on by the intervening use of means, and the concurring exercise of hu­man faculties. And tis upon this supposition only, that those, to whom the gospel has been sent, are capable of being blamed or punished, for not admiting into their minds the truths it reveals. How otherwise could they, in reason, be accounted faulty? If men have nothing to do in any kind, with respect to the admitance of the saving truth into their minds, but the Spirit of God does all, so as intirely to exclude all exertments of their's, in the use of any means, with what equity could they be blamed or punished, should it never be admited there? Will the righteous judge of all the earth account men sinners, and worthy of condemnation, for not being possessed of that, in order to the possession of which they have nothing to do themselves, and all doings of their's would be useless and impertinent? This would be, in reality of construction, to call them sinners, and to condemn them, for not taking God's work out of his hands, and doing that themselves which it lay with him to do, absolutely without them. [Page 309] The scripture no where places this matter in a light thus injurious to the name, and dishonor­ary to the perfections and government of God. On the contrary, if men admit not the light of gospel-truth into their minds, tis attributed to themselves, the fault is charged upon them, and they are esteemed worthy, on this account, of a heavier condemnation than other men. Says our Savior himself, ^* "this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved dark­ness rather than light, because their deeds were evil". "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins". ^† "If I had not come, and spoken to them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloke for their sins". ^‡ "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life". ^§ "O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things of thy peace"!—"How often would I have gather­ed you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings! but ye would not". ^‖ Surely, these texts are incapable of any real meaning, if, in the work of illumination, the Spirit of God makes no use of man, of any of his faculties, or exertments, but conveys the saving truth abso­lutely without him, and so as to set aside all means, and all endeavours that are human. How is it possible, in this case, that it should be the fault of men, if they are not the subjects of this truth? It can't be supposed, that they should be tho't worthy, either of blame, or of punishment.

THE plain truth is, men are not only endow'd with intellectual & moral powers, but charged by [Page 310] their maker with the care, use & exercise of them. And tis upon this foundation only, that they become ca­pable, in the nature of the thing, of moral govern­ment, and of being counted proper subjects, either of blame or punishment. And this is as true in re­gard of matters of pure reve [...]ation, as of meer rea­son. Wherein men can use the faculties they are endow'd with, and are called of God to use them, but neglect to do so; or, what is worse misuse them to purposes for which they were not betrusted with them, they are justly charg [...]able with guilt, and as justly [...]iab [...]e to punishment: But to speak of them, as either blameable, or punishable, wherein they have nothing to do, wherein no exercise of any faculty they a [...]e possessed of is required, or expected, is, in reality of sense, to say, that they may be blamed, or punished for nothing; which is, in itself, a downright moral contradiction.

THE result from all which is, that the Spirit of God, in the work of illumination, so manages his influ­ences, as that men, notwithstanding what he does, have so much to do themselves that it will be proper­ly their fault, and justly chargeable upon them as such, if they remain destitute of the saving truth. It would therefore be a vain thing in any to excuse their ignorance, or unbelief, of revea­led truths, under the pretence, that the divine Spirit has not been pleased, as yet, savingly to enlighten their minds. I see not, I own, but this would be a good excuse, and such an one as could never be reasonably set aside, if the work of illumination was accomplished without any exercise, motion, or activity, of the human mind; if the Spirit of God was agent in this matter, so [Page 311] as utterly to exclude all exertments of men in any shape or form. But if the influences of the Spirit, in the performance of this work, are ac­commodated to the make of men; excite, assist, superintend and guide the exertments of their faculties; and co-operate with these exertments, there is no difficulty in the case. All due honor is given to the divine Spirit, and men are agents, notwithstanding his influence; and may justly fall under blame, and become liable to punishment. This is certainly the light in which the scripture always places this matter, and the light in which we must view it, if we would entertain right con­ceptions of it.

LET us then, as the conclusion of all, consider the intellectual faculties, it has pleased God to implant in our natures, as betrustments commit­ted to us for improvement. And let us make the best use of them we can; especially, in order to our believing and knowing those sacred truths of scripture, which are connected with our eter­nal well-being in the future world. Let us dai­ly look into this book of God, and use the utmost care, caution, deliberation, diligence and attenti­on, that we may be, not only convinced by the evidence he has given, that it came from him, but let into the just import of the great things contained in it. For, it was purposely wrote by inspiration of God, to furnish our minds with the knowledge, both of the evidence, and meaning, of those truths which may be "savingly" pro­fitable to us. Yet, let us not depend upon the exercise of our own powers, as tho' we needed no help, and could of ourselves, without assistance [Page 112] from above, attain to such a faith in, and under­standing of, revealed truths, as would avail to our inheriting eternal life. This would be to deceive ourselves into ruin. For it ought to be seriously remembered, our thinking and reasoning faculty is greatly weakened and disordered by means of sin. We have "darkened our hearts"; and are indeed so under the government of pre­judice, passion, and diverse lusts, both of the flesh, and of the mind, that we stand in absolute need of the influence and guidance of the Spirit of truth, that our understandings may be enlighten­ed in the knowledge of those things that pertain to the kingdom of God, and of Jesus Christ. Let it affect us to think, that God should so pity us, in that state of ignorance and blindness we had bro't ourselves into by sin, as to make provi­sion for our being enlightened in all spiritual knowledge & understanding. Let us be thank­ful to him for the light of revelation, and for the holy Spirit to give us to see this light, and so to see it as to be changed by it into the divine likeness, from glory to glory. These are favors unspeakably great, and call for our humble and thankful adorations before the God of all grace. And let us express our gratitude to him, not only by the words of our mouths, but by a sui­table care to comport with the designs of his mercy, in thus contriving and opening a way for our knowing "the truth as it is in Jesus", so knowing it as to be eternally saved by it. Let us endeavour to get our hearts impressed with a deep sense of the need we stand in of the illumi­nating influences of the good Spirit. Let us importunably seek to God for them. Let us do [Page 313] nothing to "grieve the Spirit of God", and provoke him to depart away from us. Let us cherish his motions, and put ourselves under his guidance and direction: So may we hope that he will, by helping, and superintending the exer­cise of our faculties, "shew us God's ways, teach us his paths", and give us such a view of the great truths of revelation, as that we shall believe them, and so feel the force of them, as to be form­ed by them to a meetness for heavenly glory.

AND if we have any of us been so enlightened by the Spirit, as that we are the subjects of that faith in Christ, and knowledge in spiritual and divine things, which are connected with the "justifica­tion of life", let us bow the knee in grateful ac­knowledgements of the rich grace of God, that has been manifested towards us. And let it be our daily care to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and to get filled with all wisdom and spi­ritual understanding. Our own endeavours, in the use of proper means, are necessary in order hereunto. We have no reason to expect the assistances of the divine Spirit in any other way. Tis accordingly seen in experience, that "grace", no more than nature, if neglected, and not wisely improved, will attain to any considerable degree of perfection. All our powers, at first, are feeble and lanquid; and tis in a gradual way, under the divine blessing, that they acquire strength, and rise to any considerable height in glory. Tho', upon our coming into the world, we are endowed with all the powers which are proper to the human kind; yet, they are nothing more, in their ori­ginal implantation, than meer simple capacities; [Page 314] and it is by time and exercise, that they gradually dilate, expand, and grow to the maturity, they are fited to attain to. And this is very much the case, with respect to our moral and spiritual pow­ers. They are small, and weak, in their begin­ning; but capable of growth, and naturally tend to it; and will, under the influence of heaven, continually increase in strength, and go on to­wards perfection, if they are duly exercised. I say, if they are duly exercised; because they de­pend, in a great measure, upon our use of them in order to their growth and increase. And tis indeed impossible, consistently with the established order of God's commu­nicating his grace, that christians should make any great attainments in it, while they are slothful and indolent, and won't exert themselves with vigor, under the advantages they are favored with. Hence they are called upon in scripture, not only to depend upon the influence of the Spirit of truth, but to exert themselves, under it, in all suitable ways. Hence their "growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ", is the matter of a command, what they are exhorted to as their incumbent duty. ^* And hence also tis enjoined on them, to "give all diligence to add to their faith,—knowledge, and other christian graces". ^† In like manner, they are applied to, being "new-born babes", to "desire", in order to use, "the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby"; ^‡ yea, they are "besought by the Lord Jesus, that, as they have received how they ought to walk, so they would abound more and more". ^§ If therefore those, who are possessed [Page 315] of the truth, would be thorow proficients in the faith and knowledge of Christ, they must not let their understandings lie by neglected, but take care to employ them diligently, in an attendance on all the means of spiritual instructi­on; at the same time, seeking to God for, and depending on the help and guidance of his Spi­rit, that they may so abound in the knowledge of God's will, as that their hearts may be more and more established in goodness.

SUCH indeed is the weakness of our minds, and so many the ways, in which, thro' prejudice, or some wrong biass or other, our intellectual sight may be obstructed, that we shall, in a degree, remain in ignorance and darkness, notwithstand­ing all that we can do ourselves, or that the Spirit of God will do for us, by his enlightening influ­ences. We must put off mortality, before we may expect a perfectly illuminated mind. But tho' light, without any mixture, even, of crimi­nal darkness, is not compatible with our present state of frailty and imperfection; yet we may gradually grow in the faith and knowledge of the truth, so as that we shall perceive it more clearly and fully, feel more and more of its beauty and force, and be more and more wro't upon by it to our being dialy formed to a greater "meetness for the inheritance of the sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ".

IN order whereto, having commited ourselves to the guidance of him who is "light", and in "whom there is no darkness", we should heed­fully watch over all the propensities of our nature, [Page 316] lest they should insinuate themselves into our un­derstandings, and give a wrong turn to our tho'ts; and perpetually be upon our guard, that neither vanity, nor singularity, nor interest, nor any thing else, break in upon our integrity, and prevent our making the highest attainments in the know­ledge of spiritual and divine truths. And by a constant heedful use of suitable care, we may hope, under the influences of the good Spirit, that "the light that is in us will not be dark­ness", but a "shining light" that will "shine more and more", with an increasing brightness, till it lets us into the light of "perfect day". Which God grant may be the portion of us all, thro' Jesus Christ! AMEN.

THE story, of which my text is part, is an observable one, and would, if duly medi­tated on, naturally give rise to a variety of notes, "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness": But my present design, and the limits of this discourse, forbid my taking any further notice of it, than may be occasionally proper, in order to illustrate the words I have selected to engage your atten­tion, at this time.

[Page 318]THEY contain an address to our blessed Lord, [...] way of inquiry, upon no less an affair than [...] of eternal life. And the following particu­lars are observable in it.

THE "person" making this inquiry; the "man­ner" in which he made it; and finally, "the enquiry itself".

1. AS to the "person" making this inquiry, he is described, in the text, in a general way only. "Behold one came and said unto him". But, [...] the 20th verse, he is pointed out as a person [...] the prime and flower of life. "The young man saith unto him". The evangelist Luke, in his narrative of this story, speaks of him as a per­son of figure, one cloathed with authority. "A certain ruler asked him". And all the evangelists, who have related this story, unite in describing him as wealthy, one that "had great possessions".

THESE are the particulars descriptive of the person, who came to our Savior with the questi­on in my text. He had probably just come to the age of man, and to have a large estate at his own disposal. And, being a young man of for­tune, and perhaps of superior accomplishments, he was soon taken notice of, and, while a youth, made a ruler among the Jews. He could scarce have been placed under circumstances more like­ly to make him totally tho'tless of another life. And yet, in the height of youth, and all the en­snarements accompanying riches and honor, he extends his view beyond this present world, and inquires what he should do to obtain an inheri­tance in the better eternal world?

[Page 319]AN instructive example this! And I may pertinently take occasion from it, to bespeak our young men of rank and fortune; putting them upon their guard, lest they should live unmind­ful of their souls, and the state that is beyond the grave. Your danger, in this respect, is awfully great. You are now in that period of [...], which is attended with peculiar temptation [...], as well as advantages; and the temptations, in regard of you, are much greater, and more numerous, than in regard of ordinary young people. O how common is it for young persons, in your circum­stances, to abandon themselves to levity and va­nity; "walking in the way of their own hearts, and in the sight of their own eyes, not knowing", not considering, "that God will bring them into judgment for these things"! How common to pervert the design of God's bestowments on them, by taking occasion from them to gratifie their lusts, whether of the flesh, or mind! How common to give themselves up to the enjoy­ments of time and sense; living in the world, as tho' they had no faith in God, no faith in re­velation, no sense of religion, no concern about their existence beyond the grave! O take heed, that you also be not drawn aside, and enticed, by the amusements and pleasures of this vain and evil world! And while so many of your age, and circumstances in life, are practically saying to their souls, "take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry"; let it be your inquiry, "what shall we do to inherit eternal life"? And be wanting in no labors, nor in the use of any proper means, that you may finally, of the mercy of God, thro' Jesus Christ, come to the enjoyment of it Re­member, [Page 320] if you don't get into such a state in this world, as that, when you leave it, you may enter upon the happy life, that is the great promise of the gospel, you must suffer the "second death": Nor will the distinction, in outward and civil respects, it has pleased God to make between you and others, serve in the least to secure you herefrom; it will rather be a means to render the pains of this death the more dreadful and in­tolerable.

BUT it should be the care, not only of young persons of figure & fortune, but of every condition, to inquire "what they shall do to inherit eternal life"? And to pursue this enquiry to effect. This is the "one thing needful". Nothing can be proposed to you of more serious weight, and awful importance. Your everlasting well-being is con­nected herewith. And what more proper season for the buisiness of religion, and the concerns of the soul and salvation, than the age of youth? Now is eminently "the accepted time, and the day of salvation". Now you are under the greatest ad­vantages to secure the favor of God, and an interest in the only constituted redeemer of sinners. Now, if you seek to God for his mercy, you will have the most probable prospect of finding it: But if you lose this opportunity, you will never have a better, and you know not that you shall have any other. O be persuaded to be seriously tho'tful about your souls, and their happy existence in another world! Beg of God to impress your minds with a just sense of the importance of spiritual and eternal concerns. And if such a sense has been excited in any of you, don't suffer it to wear off; but let it quicken and [Page 321] invigorate your endeavours, in the use of all appointed means, that you may be formed to a meetness for that life in heaven, which shall never have an end.

THERE is yet another thing, in the character of this young man, worthy of notice; and that is, his regular life. He was no fornicator, nor adulterer, nor lyar, nor prophane swearer; but seems rather to have been a youth of a sober, blameless conver­sation. He therefore reply'd, when our Savior bid him "keep the commandments", as in the 20th ver. "master, all these have I observed from my youth". And he probably spake the truth, ac­cording to the sense, in which he had been instruct­ed, by the jewish teachers, to understand the law. There is no reason to think, but he had abstained from those follies, which too commonly pollute the lives of young people. And besides this, he had, in all likelihood, been externally devout; a wor­shipper of the God of his fathers; an observer of the sabbath, and the various rites of the Mosaic dis­pensation; a man strictly chaste and temperate in his life; and, in a word, as "touching the righte­ousness that is of the law", externally "blameless". And it was much to his honor, that he had been so far religious. Tis observeable, it was more espe­cially upon the account of his blameless sober life, that our Savior "loved him". So speaks the evangelist Mark, ^* "THEN Jesus beholding him, loved him. THEN, that is, "when he had answer­ed, and said, all these have I observed from my youth".

[Page 322]I MAY properly take occasion from hence, to urge upon our young people a care to conform their external practice to the divine law. This, it is true, will not suffice to constitute you good men, in the estimation either of the law, or gospel. If you go no further, you will still lack that which is absolutely needful. But for all this, a freedom from the outward acts of sin, is very commendable: Nor is it (as the times now are) a despicable at­tainment. Would to God, it could be said with truth of all our youths, they are not given "to rioting and wontoness"; they "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness"; they pro­phane neither the day, nor name of God; but are, to all appearance, virtuous and sober! It would rejoice the hearts of many sollicitous parents, and yield a comfortable prospect, with reference to the rising generation. But alas! there are too many, among our young people, who give a loose to their sensual inclinations, and are even scandalous in their pursuits of carnal pleasures. And when such num­bers of young persons are so shamefully attached to the vanities of time and sense, denying themselves scarce any thing their heart can wish, or their eyes look upon; how happily distinguished would you be, from the many of your age, shou [...]d you "flee youth­ful lusts", and escape those follies whereby their lives are polluted? Should you be chaste and mo­dest, sober and temperate; in a [...]l things confor­ming your external behaviour to the divine law? Tis true indeed, as I just now observed, freedom from vice, and a meer external conformity to the law, won't argue that men are possest of the "real power of godliness". There must be a "heart purified by faith", as well as the outward appear­ance [Page 323] of virtue in the life. But this notwithstand­ing, a freedom from sin, especially in instances that are gross and hainous, is infinitely better than an allowed indulgence to vice and wickedness. And tis a glory to a young man, or woman, to be un­like to the multitudes of their age, who are shame­fully debauched in their morals. Tis indeed an agreeable sight to behold one and another, in the bloom of life, avoiding this and the other bad course, abstaining from this and the other corrupt custom, and maintaining a care to be honest, sober and chaste; tho' they should not have attained so high as to be "transformed in their minds by the renewing of the holy Ghost". Our Savior loved the young man spoken of in my text, tho' he had no more religion than this comes to; and he will love you also with the same kind of love.

2. THE next thing observable in my text, is the "manner" in which this young man inquired of our Savior, with reference to eternal life. And tis sufficiently evident, that it was with a becoming decency. He appears to have been a well-bred youth, one who knew how to behave, and was dis­posed to behave, towards those with whom he had occasion to converse, with respectful agreableness. We are told in the text, that, upon coming to our Lord for instruction in the affairs of another life, he saluted him in that stile, "good master"! He calls him "master"; owning his authority as a teach­er, putting himself in the place of a learner, and tacitly suggesting his readiness to receive instruction. He gives him the title of "good"; signifying the honorable opinion he had of him, as well as hope of being kindly answered, as concerning the serious and important question he had proposed to him.

[Page 324]NOR was his language only respectful, but he treated our Savior with becoming decency in his behaviour; for, as the evangelist Mark observes, ^* "he kneeled to him", no doubt in veneration of him as an extraordinary teacher, one far superior to the Scribes and Pharisees, who sat in Moses's seat Of all the persons, who addressed to our Lord for religious instruction, we read of none, who car­ried it towards him with greater external decorum. And it is the more observable in this young man, because he was both rich and honorable. And riches and honor united in the same person, especi­ally when young, before he is arrived to maturity in judgment, and to have had experience of the world, is apt to elate his mind, puffing him up with a vain conceit of himself, and rendering him unfit to receive instruction, or to treat those with a becom­ing reverence, who are able to give it him. But it was not thus with this young man. Notwith­standing the elevation of his circumstances in life, he appears to have been a modest youth of a sweet, agreable, endearing deportment. To be sure, his behaviour towards Christ was decent and respectful.

YOUNG people should learn from, this example, a becoming, winning, respectful carriage, especi­ally towards their superiors. This will beautifie your character, and render you amiable in the eyes of all, who have opportunity to behold the decen­cy of your deportment: Whereas, if you are rude in your speech and behaviour, you will appear with an ill grace, and make but a disagreable figure.

[Page 325]I SHALL not think it a needless digression here to recommand this respectful carriage, in young per­sons towards their superiors, in a few special instan­ces. As thus,

CHILDREN should behave with all dutiful re­verence towards their parents Their speech should be grave, mannerly, engaging; and their carriage such as may be expressive of suitable esteem and honor. This is particularly required in the 5th commandment, which is, "thou shal [...] honor thy father, and thy mother" And what more agrea­ble, than to behold an habitual veneration in chil­dren towards t [...]eir parents, discovered upon all proper occasions both in their speech and behaviour? There is scarce a more pleasant sight. It recom­mends such children to the approbation of all, who have any notion, either of civil or religious decency, and propriety: Whereas on the contrary, what more grating than to hear children bespeaking their parents in terms of disrespect? Or to see them be­having towards them, in a rude and unseemly manner?

IN like manner, those young persons, who, by the authority of their parents, or guardians, and by their own consent, are fixed, in order to their future advantage, in the relation of servants to others, should behave towards them with all decent respect both in word and deed. They should not bespeak their masters, as tho' they were their equals; much less should their carriage towards them be expressive of the want of due ho­nor, and reverence. The apostle exhorts, ^* "Let as many servants as are under the yoke, [Page 326] account their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God, and his doctrine, be not blasphe­med". It tends to the reproach of religion, and occasions unworthy reflections on the name of God, and his doctrine, when servants, instead of expressing a just esteem and reverence of their masters, carry it indecently towards them, whether in language, or behavior. The prophet therefore observes, ^* "A servant honoreth his master". A good servant does so, one who has upon his mind a just sense of his duty: Nor otherwise will he deserve this character.

MOREOVER, young persons should carry it towards those who are in age, with all suitable de­ference. Their age gives them superiority, be their circumstances, on other accounts, as they will; and makes a respectful deportment towards them, de­cent and proper. That therefore was a law in Israel, ^† "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man". And tis peculiarly graceful, when children and young people treat their fathers in age, in a manner becom­ing their superiority in years. It discovers a modesty of temper, an ingenuity of disposition, which are highly recommending: Whereas, if the "child behaves himself proudly against the ancient"; if he carries it towards him with neglect, or despises him because he is old, either in language or behaviour, it argues a bad turn of mind, and is offensive in the sight both of God and man. But especially ought young people to be cautious of every thing, that does not favour of a just decorum towards those, whose "hoary heads are a crown of glory to them, being found in the way of righteousness".

[Page 327]In these, and such like instances, should young persons endeavour to render themselves agreable. They may, tis true, fall short of the power of reli­gion, tho they should behave towards their superi­ors, in this graceful manner we have described; but tis a desirable conduct notwithstanding. It render­ed the young man in my text lovely in the sight of the blessed Jesus. And tis in itself a lovely recom­mending circumstance in the character of a young person of whatever condition in life. It disco­vers a becoming sweetness of disposition, an agrea­ble modesty and obligingness of temper, which are highly ornamental, and appear so in the eyes of the whole civili [...]d, not to say, christian world.

THERE is yet another thing, as to the "man­ner", in which this young man inquired about eter­nal life, well worthy of notice; and that is, the engagedness of heart with which he did it. It was indeed the serious concern he had upon his mind about the affairs of another world, that bro't him to our Savior, and put him upon making the inqui­ry in my text. Some came to him to ask him questi­ons, not from any serious sense they had of religion, not with a view to receive instruction; but that they might ensnare him in his discourse. But this was not the temper of mind, with which this young man came to our Lord. He appears, from the general run of the story, to have been a tho'tful se­rious young man; and he was probably, at this time, under an awaken'd concern about the great affair of eternal life. To be sure, he appears like one, whose heart was full of the matter. Hence the evangelist Mark observes, ^* that "he came run­ning" [Page 328] to our Lord. This denotes the engagedness of his heart. He was earnest and eager to be re­solv'd in the important question he had to make, relative to eternal life.

AND he has herein set an example, worthy of the imitation of young persons; yea, of all persons whatsoever. What should engage our concern, if not an affair that relates to "our everlasting well­being, in that world we must go into, when we shall no longer live in this? O the stupidity of those multitudes, who are so concerned about the present life, that they have none at all about the other! One would think it impossible, reasonable creatures should be guily of such madness of folly! and yet, it is the very folly the generality of mankind run into. They run into it at their first setting out in the world, and too commonly continue in it as long as they live; as if their great and only buisiness was, to pursue the profits, and please themselves with the amusements and vanities of this evil and tran­sitory world. The good Lord open our eyes to see our amazing folly, and awaken in us a serious and deep concern about the affairs of religion and ano­ther world! This is the first thing necessary. Con­cern about any thing is the spring of all endea­vours, with reference to it. We must therefore be concerned about eternal life. And if this o [...]ce comes to be our case, and our concern is deep and thorow, we shall be seriously inquisitive, how we may obtain it; and our endeavours, consequent hereupon, will be such, as that we shall be in "a hopeful way" of being prepared in this world, for the enjoyment of eternal blessedness in the next.— But I must now proceed to the—

[Page 329]3. THIRD thing observable in the text, and this is, "the inquiry itself", the young man propo­ses to our Savior; contained in those words, "what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life"?

HE here takes it for granted, that there is another life after the present is ended, and that it may be an eternally happy one. So that he had faith in this first, and essential article of all religion. And, probably, the foundation of it was, not the exercise of his reason upon meer na [...]ural principles, but upon the scriptures of the old-testament which, be­ing a Jew, he had in his hands, and looked upon as wrote by holy men inspired by God. And it were to be wished, that all who are favour'd with the writings of the new, as well as old testament, had the like faith. There are Saducees among christi­ans, so called, as there were among the Jews; that is, men of corrupt minds, who say there is "nei­ther angel, nor spirit", nor future state of existence, hereby erasing the foundation of all religion For "he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him", as the author of the epistle to the Hebrews expresses it. ^*

THE young man, in my text, was not in this corrupt way of thinking. For he supposes it a matter past all dispute, that there was such a thing as eternal life; and his inquiry accordingly is, not whether there was such a life? But "what he should do that he might have it"?

[Page 330]AND here it is apprehended by most interpreters, that he discovered his ignorance of the gospel-method of salvation by grace thro' Christ. And tis highly probable, being a Jew, and educated in the principles generally received in that day, his mind was leaven'd with the notion of obtaining life upon the foot of law. He doubtless imagin­ed, when he proposed the question, in my text, that doing was the ground or reason upon which he might hope for life. Some good thing he supposed must be done; and he desires to be in­structed, what this good thing was, that he might do it. And here lay his ultimate dependance. It was his doing this good thing he concluded would, in its own virtue, give him a right to eter­nal life: In which he was grosly mistaken, and really "established his own righteousness", instead of honoring Christ as "the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth".

YOU will then possibly ask, must the concern­ed sinner sit still, and do nothing in order to eter­nal life? Or, if he does any thing, will he be chargeable with "ignorance of God's righteous­ness", and "establishing his own"?

I ANSWER, this will by no means follow from what has been said, with reference to this young querist Tis true indeed, and readily acknow­ledged to be so, that nothing ought to be done in the sense, in which he understood doing, in the question he put to our Savior. For he undoubt­edly imagined, that doing was that, in the sole virtue of which, upon the sole account of which, he might obtain a right to eternal life: In which [Page 331] view of doing, nothing can be done by us; nor indeed ought we so much as to attempt the doing of any thing; yea, so far is doing, or any attempt towards it, in this sense, either necessary, or fit, that it is, in reality of construction, and by just consequence, a subversion of grace and faith; for "if righteousness comes by the law, faith is made void, and Christ is dead in vain"; as the apostle Paul argues, ^* But still, sinners in concern about eternal life, ought by no means to sit idle, as tho' they had nothing to do. For tho' they can do nothing, nor ought to do any thing, as the "consideration" upon which they may hope for the obtainment of life; yet, in subserviency to Christ, and while their dependance is principally and ultimately on him, and not on the virtue o [...] wo thiness of their own doings, they may do all within the verge of their power. They may "ask, seek, knock"; they may "watch, pray, labor, strive, wrestle, fight", and, in a word, "do with their might whatsoever their hands find to do", a [...] the scripture expressions are. And they ought, tis their undoubted duty, thus to exert them­selves to the utmost: Nor will they, by so doing, be justly chargeable with "frustrating" either "the grace of God", or that "righteousness of his which is by faith": Nay, tis only in this way of doing, that they may reasonably hope for the obtainment of that "eternal life, which is the gift of God, thro' Jesus Christ our Lord".

BUT as this is a matter of very considerable importance, I shall not think it either unprofita­ble, or unseasonable, if I am at some pains to set [Page 332] it in a more full and distinct light. In order whereto let it be remembered,

THERE are three things, with reference to the great affair of eternal life, which are worthy of special note; namely, the rise or source of the divine plan, conformably to which it becomes obtainable; the moral ground or foundation, upon which it is obtained; and finally, the cha­racter of the persons who shall actually obtain it.

JUST conceptions of these things will, if I mis­take not, lead us into just ideas of our own exert­ments. We shall herefrom clearly perceive, not only its being fit and reasonable, that we should be up and doing, but be instructed how to give what we do, its proper place, and due subordina­tion, in the buisiness of eternal life.

AS to the first of these things, the source of the plan, conformably to which eternal life becomes obtainable,—it is the free favor of God, his un­deserved love and good-will. The excitement hereto was not from without, but lay wholly in his own breast. It proceded from the essential, everlasting, supremely perfect benevolence of his nature. No foreseen doings of our's, in any shape whatever, had the least influence to per­suade hereto. "He first loved us". We were indeed "sinners" in the view of God, when he came into the gospel-scheme of bestowing life. Adorable grace therefore was that, and that only, which moved him hereto. It sprang from this source, antecedently to all other considerations whatever. Even the appointment of Christ, to [Page 333] carry the plan of life into execution, was posterior to, and consequent upon, this love of God, and one of the amazingly glorious effects of it. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begot­ten son, that we might have life thro' him".

NOW, the consequence naturally and obviously deducible from these premises is, that eternal life, in regard of its being an obtainable blessing, has no connection with, or the least dependance on, any thing we can do: Nor is it either necessary, or fit, that we should do any thing, or attempt to do any thing, as tho' we could hereby move the heart of God to a willingness that life might be obtainable. This would be to substitute works in the room of grace; taking that glory to our­selves, which is due only to God: Whereas, that absolutely free favor, and undeserved love of God, to which it is owing that life is attainable, should be the first and great object of our depend­ance; and what we do, should be done in a be­coming subserviency hereto Grace, in this way, will be principally honored, and not our selves. And I may pertinently add, tis only this way of doing, that is adapted to give ease and quiet to the sinner's conscience He might well be filled with desponding anxiety and fear, if his depend­ance was on his own worthless doings to move the h [...]art of God towards him; but while he exerts himself, having his chief and ultimate dependance on that boundless grace of God, which, from everlasting, gave rise to the plan of redemption, he may reasonably take heart, and be of good courage. For, "if, while an enemy", the love of God was such, as to purpose and contrive a [Page 334] way, wherein he might "be reconciled; how much more, being thus far reconciled", may he hope to obtain life?

THE next thing, in regard of eternal life, wor­thy of particular remark is, the moral ground or reason of its bestowment. And this is the meri­torious life and death of our blessed Savior Jesus Christ. The inspired writings, especially those of the new-testament, every where lead us to think thus of the matter. I need not turn you to the texts. You are all, it may reasonably be presumed, too well acquainted with them to be ignorant, that that glorious person, the only be­gotten son of God, while in our world, a partaker of flesh and blood, both did and suffered every thing that was necessary, in order to a righteous­ness, on account of which God might, in consist­ency with the honor of his perfections, and the authority of his law and government, make the grant of eternal life. Accordingly, this meritori­ous righteousness of Christ is that, for the sake of which, upon the account of which, this blessing is confer'd. And on whomsoever it is confer'd, this is the true ground or reason of its bestow­ment.

TIS easie now to collect from this remark, that no doings of our's are to be look't upon, as the reason, or consideration, upon which the gift of life is made. In this sense, all works of righteousness, done by us, are totally useless▪ yea, the doing of them would reflect dishonor on Christ, as tho' his worthiness was an insufficient ground of dependance for life. The plain truth [Page 335] is, the perfect righteousness of Christ is the one only meritorious cause of eternal life. For which reason, we are to do nothing, it is not fit we should do any thing, we cannot indeed do any thing, in the virtue of which, upon the account of which, we may hope to obtain life. All doings of our's in this sense, would be that "establishment of our own righteousness", in opposition to "the righteousness of God by faith", which is so often caution'd against by the apostle Paul. They are therefore, in this view of them, with great care, and particularity excluded, in his epistles, from having any, the least hand in the affair of salvation: And with the highest reason; for if life could be obtained in the virtue of any doings of our's, it would "come thro' the law, and not thro' the righteousness of faith"; which would "make faith void", and the life and death of Christ of none effect".

THE last thing to be taken notice of, with re­spect to eternal life, is the persons upon whom it shall actually be bestowed. And these are not sinners in common. For tho' eternal life, of the rich superabounding grace of God, is a blessing obtainable by all without exception; and tho' the true reason of its bestowment, the righteousness of Christ, is meritoriously sufficient for all: Yet, the actual bestowment of it is limited to some only, and these, of a certain character. Unbelieving impenitent sinners, so living, and so dying, instead of entering into life, shall suffer the "second death": Nor will the grace of God, or the righteousness of Christ, be any security to them herefrom. The persons upon whom God [Page 336] will actually bestow eternal life are those, who so believe in his son Jesus Christ, as to be possest of a disposition to true holiness, that will throw itself out into suitable corresponding acts, as occa­sions are offered therefor in the providence of God. This is the "grand mark", by which they are described in the revelations of scripture. And upon whomsoever it is found, whether they are Jews, or Gentiles; whether they be bond, or free; whether they are male or female; they are, in the gospel estimation, subjectively meet for the bestowment of life; and life shall actually be bestowed upon them, of the rich grace of God, upon account of the meritorious righte­ousness of his son Jesus Christ. And these are the only persons, upon whom he will bestow it. As for all others, be they who they will, or their character what it will, their doom will be, to be "cast into outer darkness, where is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth".

THIS remark now will clearly and distinctly point out to us the suitableness of our own ex­ertions, with reference to eternal life; and, at the same time, ascertain their proper use, and place, in this momentous affair.

WE have seen, that eternal life will be bestow­ed upon none but persons of "such a character", that is, upon none but those, who are subjective­ly meet for it. What therefore we have to do, lies wholly in endeavours relating to this character, and this meetness. God, of his free favor, has absolutely made eternal life an obtainable blessing. Here then we have nothing to do. All doings [Page 337] of our's would be impertinent. Christ, by his me­ritorious righteousness, has furnished a compleat­ly perfect reason for the bestowment of it. Here also it would be highly absurd to suppose, we had any thing to do. This would be to place our own doings in the room of the perfect righteous­ness of Christ; which is, constructively, a subver­sion of the gospel. All therefore that we have to do must relate to that character, which the constitution of the gospel makes necessary in order to the actual possession and enjoyment of that eter­nal life, which the free favor of God has made obtainable, and which he may honorably bestow in consideration of his son's meritorious righte­ousness.

AND in this view of doing, there is both room for it, and an high degree of fitness in it, while we properly subordinate what we do to Christ and grace. For it is to be remembered, tho' God is the principal agent in the application of redemp­tion, or, what means the same thing, in forming the character, without which he will never bestow eternal life; yet, in the doing of this, he con­siders us as intelligent and moral agents, as be­ings endowed with the several powers of thinking, reasoning, willing, choosing, refusing, desiring, hop­ing, loving, fearing, hating, & the like; and accord­ingly deals with us as such, by co-operating with these powers, in use of proper means, suitably adjusted to their nature. He don't make men believers, without the use of their own faculties; neither does he form them to this character, by giving them new faculties, or by destroying, or making any physical change, in their old ones; but ac­complishes [Page 338] his pleasure in them, by accommoda­ting his agency to their proper make and consti­tution. The bible always represents the matter in this light. And this method of acting exhi­bits the true reason of the erection of God's visible kingdom, under the administration of his son Jesus Christ, with all its means, privileges, mo­tives and blessings. Of what significancy would it be to place sinners under the gospel-dispensa­tion, if they had nothing to do but to sit still? In this view of the matter, of what use would the institutions of religion be to them? Of what service, the instructions, calls, intreaties, counsels, warnings and encouragements of God's word? To what purpose would it be to apply to them to enlighten their minds, to influence their wills, to alarm their consciences, to awaken their passions and affections? There would be no pro­priety, I might rather say, there would be a down­right impropriety and absurdity, in this method of dealing with them, if they had nothing to do but to wait till God, without any exertion of their's, should make them meet for eternal life.

TIS he indeed that forms men to this meet­ness; but he does it mediately, and in a way suited to their nature as [...]sonable and moral beings. Tis therefore observable, faith, conver­sion, the new man in Christ, which constitute the character of those who are "meet for the inheri­tance of the saints in light", are not only spoken of, in the inspired writings, as "the work of God", but a work that he begins, maintains, car­ries on, and compleats, with the "concurring agency of men themselves", in the use of various [Page 339] means wisely adapted to the purpose. Here therefore there is both room, and opportunity for the exertment of our reasonable powers; and if we neglect to make the proper use of them, we can reflect the blame no where but on ourselves, if we are never made the subjects of that faith which is to salvation.

THE plain truth is, God, man, and means, are all concerned in the formation of that character, without which we cannot inherit eternal life. They ought not therefore to be set in opposition to each other; but should be considered as jointly agree­ing, and concurring, in this great affair. And the separating these, or the opposing them to one another, or the setting aside any one of them in order to exalt the other, is a disservice to religion, and dangerous to the souls of men. The order of the divine plan, and harmony of its parts, are hereby broke in upon, and those things disjoin'd, and viewed as counter-acting each other, which the wisdom of God has join'd together, and duely subordinated to each other.

IF, on the one hand, it would be extremely unreasonable, and highly derogatory from the honor of God's grace, because, in many texts of scripture, we are called upon "to believe, repent, and be converted", to argue from hence, there is no need of the powerful operations of the divine Spirit to introduce that moral change which is signified by these expressions: So would it, on the other hand, be extravagant and absurd, be­cause faith and conversion are ascribed to the in­fluences of God's grace, to conclude herefrom, [Page 340] that there is no propriety in the use of means; no need of preaching, or hearing, or praying; no need of instructions and motives, nor of the exercise of our own powers in attending to them; nor of any exertments of our's, that this work may be accomplished in us. Tis true, means, in themselves simply considered, will do nothing to any saving purpose; but still, God, by the pow­erful influences of his Spirit, can render them effectual; and with this dependance only should we use them. Tis true also, we are, in our pre­sent fallen state, poor, weak, corrupt and sinful creatures; but however weak and corrupt we are, we yet retain the character of intelligent moral agents; and the grace of God does not supersede our activity, neither does it destroy our faculties as men, but supposes the exertment of them; and by their exertment, duely subordinated to the influences of the divine Spirit, and concur­ring with them, that work of grace is wro't in us, whereby we are made meet for eternal life.

THE short of the matter is, the scripture every where considers us as men, as moral and intelli­gent agents, and represents God as beginning and carrying on the work of faith and conversion in a way analagous to our make as such, by mak­ing use of means, and requiring our attention to them, and the exertment of even all our pow­ers in subordination to him, and the all-powerful influences of his grace and Spirit. A great part of the bible would be unintelligible upon any other scheme of tho't. If it did not lie with us to make use of our several faculties, whether in­tellectual or moral, why has God taken such care, [Page 341] in all suitable ways, to apply to them to excite their exercise? Why has he offered so much light to inform our understandings? Why, so many motives to persuade our wills? Why, so many awakening considerations to alarm our conscien­ces? Why so many curses and blessings to rouse our fears, and animate our hopes? Surely, it is reasonable and fit we should exert these powers of our nature, or such reasons to engage their exertment would never have been presented to us. Shall God set before our view his law, in all its strictness and terror, on purpose that it might be a "school-master" to teach us our abound­ing sinfulness and guilt, and shew us the absolute need we stand in of the Savior he has provided for us; and we, at the same time, take no care, make use of no endeavours to learn, from this in­structor, the undone state we are in as sinners, that we may be in a proper disposition to look out for help in the mercy of God thro' Jesus Christ? Shall God reveal to us the hope of the gospel, the all-sufficiency of Christ as a redeemer, the ful­ness of merit and grace there is in him, his ability and readiness to save even the chief of sinners, and we remain unmoved under these amazing discoveries of his love and pity, and set down easie without doing any thing at all that we may par­take of the benefits of redeeming grace? Shall God apply to every faculty he has endow'd us with, every principle of action in our nature; omiting nothing we can mention, nothing we can conceive of, that is adapted to work upon reason­able creatures, and we continue notwithstanding indolent and inactive? Tis infinitely absurd to suppose it fit it should be so. And, in truth, we are so constituted, that it can't be so; tis impossi­ble [Page 342] we should sit still, and do nothing, unless we are stupidly ignorant, or as stupidly insensible.

SOME, I know, under the pretence of being jealous for the honor of Christ and grace, have represented all exertments of our's as hurtful, rather than useful; and instead of urging sinners to "strive to enter in at the strait gate", rather tell them their own endeavours are useless, and it better becomes them to wait inactive till God shall please powerfully to work the work of faith in them. But this is to run from one extreme to another, and to guard against one danger, by geting into another as truly fatal. We cannot be too much concern'd, that Christ and grace may have their due glory in the affair of our sal­vation; but under the notion of exalting Christ, and magnifying grace, we must not reflect dishonor on the wisdom of God, who has so contrived the plan of life, as to make our exertments necessary, tho' in the proper place of subordination. If there is danger, lest, if men are put upon doing, they should trust to their doings to the dishonor of Christ; is there not danger likewise, if they are instructed to sit idle and do nothing, lest they should miss of grace, die without an interest in Christ, and perish in another world? The pro­per method here is, not to suppose that men must be inactive, but to shew them how their activity may be so subordinated to the grace of God, & the righteousness of Christ, as that they may harmo­nise with each other in the great affair of eternal life; which is what I have endeavoured to do in the preceding discourse.

[Page 343]AND now, as the conclusion of what we have heard, let us endeavour to entertain in our minds just conceptions of the scheme of God, with refer­ence to eternal life. Let us adore and magnifie that unmerited love, and free favor of his, which have made it obtainable by the sinful sons of men. Let us admire his wisdom in contriving so wonderful an expedient, for the bestowment of it in a way honorary to his perfections and go­vernment, as the meritorious righteousness of his son Jesus Christ. And let our hope for life be primarily and ultimately grounded on grace and Christ, and not on any doings of our's, lest we become chargeable with "establishing our own righteousness", and not submiting to that which God has contrived and appointed: Yet, let us beware of sitting idle, and doing nothing, as if all doing of our's was needless; for it has its place; and, in its place, it is highly proper. Nei­ther the grace of God, nor the merits of Christ, take away the necessity, or the suitableness, of our own exertions in the business of attaining to life; and tis so far from honoring the grace of God, or the merits of the redeemer, to suppose such a thing, that it really casts reproach upon them both. Tis to seperate between those things, which God has joined together. Men may, tis true, place their own doings in the room of Christ, or divine grace; and so they may, under the notion of exalting Christ, and magnifying grace, reject all exertions of their's as useless, and to no purpose: But, in either of these cases, dishonor is done to the redeemer, & that grace of God which can never be inconsistent with our own endea­vours, duly subordinated. While therefore we [Page 344] give God the glory of his grace, in making life at­tainable; and Christ, the glory of his worthiness, in depending on that for the bestowment of it, let us labor and strive, that we may be made meet for this great & absolutely necessary blessing; as firmly believing, we can have no good reason to expect to be made thus meet for it, if we sit still and do nothing: Whereas, if we exert our­selves with zeal and vigor, in the use of appoint­ed means, we may encourage ourselves to hope, that God, for Christ's sake, will begin, maintain, and carry on that work of grace in our souls, which will finally end in that life of glory, in the heavenly world, which shall be eternal. GOD grant this may be the happy portion of us all for his mercy's sake, in Jesus Christ our Lord!

AMEN.