Sermons on several occasions: in four volumes. / By John Wesley, M.A. late fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford. ; Vol. I[-IV].

SERMONS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. IN FOUR VOLUMES.

BY JOHN WESLEY, M. A. LATE FELLOW OF LINCOLN COLLEGE, OXFORD.

VOL. III.

PHILADELPHIA: PRINTED BY HENRY TUCKNISS, FOR EZEKIEL COOPER, NO. 118, NORTH FOURTH-STREET, NEAR THE METHODIST CHURCH. 1800.

DISCOURSE THE ELEVENTH Upon our Lord's Sermon on the Mount. MATT. vii. 13, 14.

Enter ye in at the ſtrait Gate; for wide is the Gate, and broad is the Way which leadeth is Deſtruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Becauſe ſtrait is the Gate, and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it.

1. OUR Lord having warned us of the dangers which eaſily beſet us at our firſt entrance upon real religion, the hinderances which naturally ariſe from within, from the wickedneſs of our own hearts: Now proceeds to apprize us of the hinderances from without, particularly ill example and ill advice. By one or the other of theſe, thouſands who once ran well, have drawn back unto perdition: Yea, many of thoſe who were not novices in religion, who had made ſome progreſs in righteouſneſs. His caution therefore againſt theſe, he preſſes upon us, with all poſſible earneſtneſs, and repeats again and again, in variety of expreſſions, leſt by any means we ſhould let it ſlip. Thus, effectually to guard us againſt the former, Enter ye in, ſaith he, at the ſtrait gate: For wide it the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Becauſe ſtrait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. To ſecure us from the latter, Beware, ſaith he, of falſe prophets. We ſhall at preſent conſider the former only.

2. Enter ye in, ſaith our bleſſed Lord, at the ſtrait gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Becauſe ſtrait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

3. In theſe words we may obſerve, Firſt, The inſeparable properties of the way to hell: Wide is the gote, broad the way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be that go in thereat: Secondly, the inſeparable properties of the way to heaven: Strait is that gate, and few there be that find it: Thirdly, A ſerious exhortation grounded thereon, Enter ye in at the ſtrait gate.

I. 1. We may obſerve, Firſt, The inſeparable properties of the way to hell: Wide is the gate and broad is the way, that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be that go in thereat.

2. Wide indeed is the gate, and broad the way that leadeth to deſtruction. For ſin is the gate of hell, and wickedneſs the way to deſtruction. And how wide a gate is that of ſin? How broad is the way of wickedneſs! The commandment of God is exceeding broad, as extending not only to all our actions, but to every word which goeth out of our lips, yea, every thought that riſes in our heart. And ſin is equally broad with the commandment, ſeeing any breach of the commandment is ſin. Yea, rather it is a thouſand times broader: Since there is only one way of keeping the commandment: For we do not properly keep it, unleſs both the thing done, the manner of doing it, and all the other circumſtances are right. But there are a thouſand ways of breaking every commandment: So that this gate is wide indeed.

3. To conſider this a little more particularly. How wide do thoſe parent ſins extend, from which all the reſt derive their being? That carnal mind, which is enmity againſt God, pride of heart, ſelf-will, and love of the world? Can we ſix any bounds to them? Do they not diffuſe themſelves thro' all our thoughts, and mingle with all our tempers? Are they not the leaven which leavens, more or leſs, the whole maſs of our affections? May we not, on a cloſe and faithful examination of ourſelves, perceive theſe roots of bitterneſs, continually ſpringing up, infecting all our words, and tainting all our actions? And how innumerable an offspring do they bring forth, in every age and nation? Even enough to cover the whole earth with darkneſs and cruel habitations.

4. O! who is able to reckon up their accurſed fruits? To count all the ſins, whether againſt God or our neighbour, not which imagination might paint, but which may be matter of daily melancholy experience? Nor need we range over all the earth to find them. Survey any one kingdom, any ſingle country, or city or town, and how plemeous is this harveſt? And let it not be one of thoſe, which a •• 〈◊〉 overſpread with mahometan or pagan darkneſs. But of thoſe which name the name of Chriſt, which profeſs to ſee the light of his glorious goſpel. Go no farther than the kingdom to which we belong, the city wherein we are now. We call ourſelves chriſtians: Yea, and that of the pureſt ſort; we are proteſtants; reformed chriſtians! But alas! who ſhall carry on the reformation of our opinions into our hearts and lives? Is there not a cauſe? For how innumerable are our ſins? And thoſe of the deepeſt dye? Do not the groſſeſt abominations of every kind, abound among us from day to day? Do not ſins of every ſort cover the land, as the waters cover the ſea? Who can count them? Rather go and count the drops of rain, or the ſands on the ſea-ſhore. So wide is the gate, ſo broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruction.

5. And many there be who go in at that gate: Many who walk in that way. Almoſt as many as go in at the gate of death, as ſink into the chambers of the grave. For it cannot be denied (though neither can we acknowledge it but with ſhame and ſorrow of heart) that even in this, which is called a chriſtian country, the generality of every age and ſex, of every profeſſion and employment, of every rank and degree, high and low, rich and poor, are walking in the way of deſtruction. The far greater part of the inhabitants of this city, to this day live in ſin; in ſome palpable, habitual, known tranſgreſſion of the law they profeſs to obſerve: Yea, in ſome outward tranſgreſſion, ſome groſs, viſible kind of ungodlineſs or unrighteouſneſs; ſome open violation of their duty, either to God or man. Theſe then, none can deny, are all in the way that leadeth to deſtruction. Add to theſe thoſe who have a name indeed that they live, but were never yet alive to God: Thoſe that outwardly appear fair to men, but are inwardly full of all uncleanneſs: Full of pride, or vanity; of anger, or revenge; of ambition, or covetouſneſs: lovers of themſelves, lovers of the world, lovers of pleaſure more than lovers of God. Theſe indeed may be highly eſteemed of men; but they are an abomination to the Lord. And how greatly will theſe ſaints of the world, ſwell the number of the children of hell? Yea, add all, whatever they be in other reſpects, whether they have more or leſs of the form of godlineſs, who being ignorant of God's righteouſneſs, and ſeeking to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs, as the ground of their reconciliation to God and acceptance with him, of conſequence have not ſubmitted themſelves unto the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith. Now all theſe things joined together in one, how terribly true is our Lord's aſſertion, Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be who go in thereat.

6. Nor does this only concern the vulgar herd, the poor, baſe, ſtupid part of mankind. Men of eminence in the world, men who have many fields, and yoke of oxen, do not deſire to be excuſed from this. On the contrary, many wiſe men after the fleſh, according to the human methods of judging, many mighty, in power, in courage, in riches, many noble are called: called into the broad way, by the world, the fleſh and the devil; and they are not diſobedient to that calling. Yea, the higher they are raiſed in fortune and power, the deeper do they ſink into wickedneſs. The more bleſſings they have received from God, the more ſins do they commit: Uſing their honour or riches, their learning or wiſdom, not as means of working out their ſalvation, but rather of excelling in vice, and ſo inſuring their own deſtruction.

II. 1. And the very reaſon why many of theſe go on ſo ſecurely in the broad way, is becauſe it is broad: Not conſidering that this is the inſeparable property of the way to deſtruction. Many there be, ſaith our Lord, who go in thereat: for the very reaſon why they ſhould flee from it: Even becauſe ſtrait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

2. This is an inſeparable property of the way to heaven. So narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, unto life everlaſting; ſo ſtrait the gate, that nothing unclean, nothing unholy can enter. No ſinner can paſs thro' that gate, until he is ſaved from all his ſins. Not only from his outward ſins; from his evil converſation received by tradition from his fathers. It will not ſuffice, that he hath ceaſed to do evil, and learned to do well. He muſt not only be ſaved from all ſinful actions, and from all evil and uſeleſs diſcourſe; but inwardly changed, throughly renewed in the ſpirit of his mind. Otherwiſe he cannot paſs thro' the gate of life, he cannot enter into glory.

3. For narrow is the way that leadeth unto life. The way of univerſal holineſs. Narrow indeed is the way of poverty of ſpirit, the way of holy mourning: The way of meekneſs, and that of hungering and thirſting after righteouſneſs. Narrow is the way of mercifulneſs, of love unfeigned; the way of purity of heart; of doing good unto all men, and of gladly ſuffering evil, all manner of evil for righteouſneſs-ſake.

4. And few there be that find it. Alas! how few find even the way of heathen honeſty? How few are there, that do nothing to another, which they would not another ſhould do unto them? How few, that are clear before God, from 〈◊〉 either of injuſtice or unkindneſs? How few that do not offend with their tongue; that ſpeak nothing unkind, nothing untrue? What a •• all proportion have their hearts right before God? Clean and holy in his ſight? Where are they, w •• his all-ſearching eye, diſcerns to be truly humble? To abhor themſelves in duſt and aſhes, in the preſence of God their Saviour? To be deeply and ſteadily ſerious, feeling their wants, and paſſing the time of their ſojourning with fear? Truly meek and gentle, never overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good? Throughly athirſt for God, and continually panting after a renewal in his likeneſs? How thinly are they ſcattered over the earth, whoſe ſouls are enlarged in love to all mankind? And who love God with all their ſtrength, who have given him their hearts, and deſire nothing elſe in earth or heaven? How few are thoſe lovers of God and man, that ſpend their whole ſtrength in doing good unto all men? and are ready to ſuffer all things, yea, death itſelf, to ſave one ſoul from eternal death?

5. But while ſo few are found in the way of life, and ſo many in the way of deſtruction, there is great danger, leſt the torrent of examples, ſhould bear us away with them. Even as a ſingle example, if it be always in our ſight, is apt to make much impreſſion upon us: Eſpecially when it has nature on its ſide; when it falls in with our own inclinations. How great then muſt be the force of ſo numerous examples, continually before our eyes; and all conſpiring together with our own hearts, to carry us down the ſtream of nature? How difficult muſt it be, to ſtem the tide, and to keep ourſelves unſpotted in the world?

6. What heightens the difficulty ſtill more is, that they are not the rude and ſenſeleſs part of mankind, at leaſt not theſe alone, who ſet us the example, who throng the downward way: But the polite, the well-bred, the genteel, the wiſe, the men who underſtand the world: The men of knowledge, of deep and various learning, the rational, the eloquent! Theſe are all, or nearly all, againſt us. And how ſhall we ſtand againſt theſe? Do not their tongues drop manna? and have they not learned all the arts of ſoft perſuaſion? And of reaſoning too: For theſe are verſed in all controverſies and ſtrife of words. It is therefore a ſmall thing with them to prove, that the way is right, becauſe it is broad: That he who follows a multitude, cannot do evil, but only he who will not follow them: That your way muſt be wrong, becauſe it is narrow; and becauſe there are ſo few that find it. Theſe will make it clear to a demonſtration, that evil is good, and good is evil: That the way of holineſs is the way of deſtruction, and the way of the world, the only way to heaven.

7. O how can unlearned and ignorant men, maintain their cauſe againſt ſuch opponents! And yet theſe are not all with whom they muſt contend, however unequal to the taſk. For there are many mighty, and noble, and powerful men, as well as wiſe, in the road that leadeth to deſtruction. And theſe have a ſhorter way of confuting, than that of reaſon and argument. They uſually apply, not to the underſtanding, but to the fears of any that oppoſe them. A method that ſeldom fails of ſucceſs, even where argument profits nothing: As lying level to the capacities of all men: For all can fear, whether they can reaſon or no. And all who have not a firm truſt in God, a ſure reliance both on his power and love, cannot but fear to give any diſguſt to thoſe, who have the power of the world in their hands. What wonder therefore if the example of theſe is a law, to all who know not God?

8. Many rich are likewiſe in the broad way. And theſe apply to the hopes of men; and to all their fooliſh deſires, as ſtrongly and effectually, as the mighty and noble to their fears. • o that hardly can you hold on in the way of the kingdom, unleſs you are dead to all below, unleſs you are crucified to the world and the world crucified to you, unleſs you deſire nothing more but God.

9. For how dark, how uncomfortable, how forbidding is the proſpect on the oppoſite ſide? A ſtrait gate! A narrow way! And few finding that gate! Few walking in the 〈◊〉 Beſides, even thoſe few, are not wiſe men, • en of learning or eloquence. They are • ble to reaſon either ſtrongly or clearly; the • ot propoſe an argument to any advantage. They know not how to prove what they profeſs to believe; or to explain even what they ſay they experience. Surely ſuch advocates as they, will never recommend, but rather diſcredit the cauſe they have eſpouſed.

10. Add to this, that they are not noble, not honourable men: (if they were, you might bear with their folly.) They are men of no intereſt, no authority, of no account in the world. They are mean and baſe, low in life; and ſuch as have no power, if they had the will to hurt you. Therefore there is nothing at all to be ſeared from them: And there is nothing at all to hope. For the greater part of them may ſay, Silver and gold have I none: at leaſt a very moderate ſhare. Nay, ſome of them have ſcarcely food to eat or raiment to put on. For this reaſon, as well as becauſe their ways are not like thoſe of other men, they are every where ſpoken againſt, are deſpiſed, have their names caſt out as evil, are variouſly perſecuted, and treated as the filth and off-ſcouring of the world. So that both your fears, your hopes, and all your deſires (except thoſe which you have immediately from God) yea, all your natural paſſions continually incline you to return into the broad way.

III. 1. Therefore it is, that our Lord ſo earneſtly exhorts, Enter ye in at the ſtrait gate. Or (as the ſame exhortation is elſewhere expreſſed) Stri • enter in. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Strive as in 〈…〉 . For many, ſaith our Lord, ſhall ſeek 〈◊〉 in, indolently ſtrive, and ſhall not be able.

2. 'Tis true, he intimates what may ſeem another reaſon for this, for their not being able to enter in, in the words which immediately follow theſe. For after he had ſaid, Many, I ſay unto you, will ſeek to enter in, and ſhall not leable, he ſubjoins, When once the maſter of the houſe is riſen up and hath ſhut to the door, and ye begin to ſ • d without ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Rather, Ye ſtand without; for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſeems to be only an elegant expletive) and to knock at the door, ſaying, Lo • Lord, open unto us: He ſhall anſwer and ſay unto you, I know ye not. Depart from me all ye worker • of iniquity. Luke xiii. 26, &c.

3. It may appear, upon a tranſient view of theſe words, that their delaying to ſeek 〈…〉 rather than their manner of ſeeking, was 〈◊〉 reaſon why they were not able to enter in. 〈◊〉 it comes, in effect, to the ſame thing. Th • were therefore commanded to depart, becauſe they had been workers of iniquity, becauſe they had walked in the broad road: In other 〈◊〉 Becauſe they had not agonized to enter in 〈◊〉 the ſtrait gate. Probably they did ſeek, before the door was ſhut: But that did not ſuffice. And they did ſtrive, after the door was ſhut. But then it was too late.

4. Therefore, ſtrive ye now, in this your day, to enter in at the ſtrait gate. And in order hereto, ſettle it in your heart, and let it be ever uppermoſt in your thoughts, That if you are in a broad way, you are in the way that leadeth to deſtruction. If many go with you, as ſure as God is true, both they and you are going to hell. If you are walking as the generality of men walk, you are walking to the bottomleſs pit. Are many wiſe, many rich, many mighty or noble travelling with you in the ſame way? By this token, without going any farther, you know, it does not lead to life. Here is a ſhort, a plain, an infallible rule, before you enter into particulars. In whatever profeſſion you are engaged, you muſt be ſingular or be damned. The way to hell has nothing ſingular in it; but the way to heaven is ſingularity all over: If you move but one ſtep towards God, you are not as other men are. But regard not this. 'Tis far better to ſtand alone, than to fall into the pit. Run then with patience the race which is ſet before thee, tho' thy companions therein are but few. They will not always be ſo. Yet a little while and thou wilt come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general aſſembly and church of the firſt born, and to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect.

5. Now then ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, being penetrated with the deepeſt ſenſe, of the inexpreſſible danger your ſoul is in, ſo long as you are in a broad way: So long as you are void of poverty of ſpirit, and all that inward religion, which the many, the rich, the wiſe account madneſs. Strive to enter in, being pierced with ſorrow and ſhame, for having ſo long run on with the unthinking crowd, utterly neglecting if not deſpiſing that holineſs, without which no man can ſee the Lord. Strive as in an agony of holy fear, leſt, a promiſe being made you of entering into his reſt, even that reſt which remaineth for the people of God, you ſhould nevertheleſs come ſhort of it. Strive in all the fervor of deſire, with groanings which cannot be uttered. Strive by prayer without ceaſing, at all times, in all places lifting up your heart to God, and giving him no reſt, till you awake up after his likeneſs and are ſatisfied with it.

6. To conclude. Strive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, not only by this agony of ſoul, of conviction, of ſorrow, of ſhame, of deſire, of fear, of unceaſing prayer, but likewiſe by ordering thy converſation right, by walking with all thy ſtrength, in all the ways of God, the way of innocence, of piety, and of mercy. Abſtain from all appearance of evil: Do all poſſible good to all men: Deny thyſelf, thy own will, in all things, and take up thy croſs daily. Be ready to cut off thy right hand, to pluck out thy right eye and caſt it from thee: To ſuffer the loſs of goods, friends, health, all things 〈◊〉 earth, ſo thou mayſt enter into the kingdom of heaven.

DISCOURSE THE TWELFTH Upon our Lord's Sermon on the Mount. MATT. vii. 15, 20.

Beware of falſe Prophets, which come to you in Sheeps' Cloathing, but inwardly they are ravening Wolves.

Ye ſhall know them by their Fruits. Do Men gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thiſtles?

Even ſo every good Tree bringeth forth good Fruit • But a corrupt Tree bringeth forth evil Fruit.

A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit, neither can a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit.

Every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit, is hewn down and caſt into the Fire.

Wherefore by their Fruits ye ſhall know them.

1. IT is ſcarce poſſible to expreſs or conceive, what multitudes of ſouls run on to deſtruction, becauſe they would not be perſuaded to walk in a narrow way, even though it were the way to everlaſting ſalvation. And the ſame thing we may ſtill obſerve daily. Such is the folly and madneſs of mankind, that thouſands of men ſtill ruſh on in the way to hell, only becauſe it is a broad way. They walk in it themſelves, becauſe others do: Becauſe ſo many periſh they will add to the number. Such is the amazing influence of example, over the weak, miſerable children of men! It continually peoples the regions of death, and drowns numberleſs ſouls in everlaſting perdition.

2. To warn mankind of this, to guard as many as poſſible againſt this ſpreading contagion, God has commanded his watchmen to cry aloud, and ſhew the people the danger they are in. For this end he has ſent his ſervants the prophets, in their ſucceeding generations, to point out the narrow path, and exhort all men, not to be conformed to this world. But what if the watchmen themſelves fall into the ſnare, againſt which they ſhould warn others? What if the prophets propheſy deceits? If they cauſe the people to err from the way? What ſhall be done if they point out as the way to eternal life, what is in truth the way to eternal death? And exhort others to walk, as they do themſelves, in the broad, not the narrow way.

3. Is this an unheard of, is it an uncommon thing? Nay, God knoweth, it is not. The inſtances of it are almoſt innumerable. We may find them in every age and nation. But how terrible is this? When the ambaſſadors of God, turn agents for the devil? When they who are commiſſioned to teach men the way to heaven, do in fact teach them the • y to hell? Theſe are like the locuſts of Egypt, which eat up the reſidue that had eſcaped, that had remained after the hail. They devour even the reſidue of men that had eſcaped, that were not deſtroyed by ill example. It is not therefore without cauſe that our wiſe and gracious maſter, ſo ſolemnly cautions us againſt them: Beware, ſaith he; of falſe prophets, which come to you in ſheep's cloathing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

4. A caution this of the utmoſt importance. That it may the more effectually ſink into our hearts, let us inquire, Firſt, who theſe falſe prophets are, Secondly, what appearance they put on, and Thirdly, how we may know what they really are, notwithſtanding their fair appearance.

I. 1. We are, Firſt, to inquire, who theſe falſe prophets are. And this it is needful to do the more diligently, becauſe theſe very men have ſo laboured to wreſt this ſcripture, to their own (though not only their own) deſtruction. In order therefore to cut off all diſpute, I ſhall raiſe no duſt (as the manner of ſome is) neither uſe any looſe, rhetorical exclamations, to deceive the hearts of the ſimple, but ſpeak ſough, plain truths, ſuch as none can deny, who has either underſtanding or modeſty leſt: And ſuch truths as have the cloſeſt connection, wiſh the whole tenor of the preceding diſcourſe. Whereas too many have interpreted theſe words, without any regard to all that went before: A • if they bore no manner of relation to the ſermon, in the cloſe of which they ſtand.

2. By prophets here (as in many other paſſages of ſcripture, particularly in the New Teſtament) are meant not thoſe who foretell things to come, but thoſe who ſpeak in the name of God: Thoſe men who profeſs to be ſent of God, to teach others the way to heaven.

Thoſe are falſe prophets, who teach a falſe way to heaven, a way which does not lead thither. Or (which comes in the end to the ſame point) who do not teach the true.

3. Every broad way is infallibly a falſe one. Therefore this is one plain, ſure rule, "They who teach men to walk in a broad way, a way that many walk in, are falſe prophets."

Again, the true way to heaven is a narrow way. Therefore this is another plain, ſure rule, "They who do not teach men to walk in a narrow way, to be ſingular, are falſe prophets."

4. To be more particular. The only true way to heaven, is that pointed out in the preceding ſermon. Therefore they are falſe prophets who do not teach men to walk in this way.

Now the way to heaven pointed out in the preceding ſermon, is the way of lowlineſs, mourning, meekneſs, and holy, deſire, love of God and of our neighbour, doing good, and ſuffering evil for Chriſt's ſake. They are therefore falſe prophets, who teach as the way to heaven, any other way than this.

5. It matters not, what they call that other way. They may call it faith, or good works: Or faith and works: Or repentance: Or repentance, faith and new obedience. All theſe are good words. But if under theſe, or any other terms whatever, they teach men any way diſſtinct from this, they are properly 〈◊〉 prophets.

6. How much more do they fall under that condemnation, who ſpeak evil of this good way? But above all, they who teach the directly oppoſite way? The way of pride, of levity, of paſſion, of worldly deſires, of loving pleaſure more than God, of unkindneſs, to 〈◊〉 neighbour, of unconcern for good works, and ſuffering no evil, no perſ • ecutions for righteouſneſs-ſake?

7. If it be aſked, why who ever did • h this? Or who does teach it, as the way to heaven? I anſwer, Ten thouſand wiſe and honourable men: Even all thoſe, of whatever denomination, who encourage the proud, the trifler, the paſſionate, the lover of the world, the 〈◊〉 of pleaſure, the unjuſt or unkind, the eaſy, 〈◊〉 leſs, harmleſs, uſeleſs creature, the man who ſuffers no repooach for righteouſneſs' ſake, to imagine he is in the way to heaven. Theſe are falſe prophets in the higheſt ſenſe of the word. Theſe are traitors both to God and man. Theſe are no other than the firſt born of Satan: The oldeſt ſons of Apollyon, the deſtroyer, Theſe are far above, the •• nk of ordinary cut throats; for they 〈…〉 ſouls of men. They are continually people 〈…〉 of night: And whenever they follow the poor ſouls whom they have deſtoryed, 〈◊〉 ſhall be moved from beneath, to meet them 〈…〉 ing.

II. 1. But do they come now, in their 〈◊〉 ſhape? By no means. If it were ſo, they 〈◊〉 not deſt • . You would take the 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 for your life. Therefore they put on a quite contrary appearance: (which was the ſecond thing to be conſidered.) They come to you in ſheep's cloathing, although inwardly they are ravening wolves.

2. They come to you in ſheep's cloathing; that is, with an appearance of harmleſſneſs. They come in the moſt mild, inoffenſive manner, without any mark or token of enmity. Who can imagine, that theſe quiet creatures, would do any hurt to any one? Perhaps they may not be ſo zealous and active in doing good, as one would wiſh they were. However, you ſee no reaſon to ſuſpect, that they have even the deſire to do any harm. But this is not all:

3. They come, Secondly, with an appearance of uſefulneſs. Indeed to this, to do good they are particularly called. They are ſet apart for this very thing. They are particularly commiſſioned, to watch over your ſoul and to train you up to eternal life. 'Tis their whole buſineſs, to go about doing good, and healing thoſe that are oppreſſed of the devil. And you have been always accuſtomed to look upon them in this light, as meſſengers of God, ſent to bring you a bleſſing.

4. They come, Thirdly with an appearance of religion. All they do, is for conſcience ſake! They aſſure you, it is out of mere zeal for God, that they are making God a liar. It is but of pure concern for religion, that they would deſtroy it, root and branch, All they ſpeak, is only from a love of truth, and a fear leſt it ſhould ſuffer. And, it may be, from a regard for the church, and a deſire to defend her from all her enemies.

5. Above all they come with an appearance of love. They take all theſe pains, only for your good. They ſhould not trouble themſelves about you, but that they have a kindneſs for you. They will make large profeſſions of their goodwill, of their concern for the danger you are in, and of their earneſt deſire, to preſerve you from error, from being entangled in new and miſchievous doctrines. They ſhould be very ſorry to ſee one who means ſo well, hurried into any extreme, perplexed with ſtrange and unintelligible notions, or deluded into enthuſiaſm. Therefore it is, that they adviſe you, to keep ſtill, in the plain middle way: And to beware of being righteous overmuch, leſt you ſhould deſtroy yourſelf.

III. 1. But how many we know, what they really are, notwithſtanding their fair appearance? This was the third thing into which it was prepoſed to inquire.

Our bleſſed Lord ſaw how needful it was for all men to know falſe prophets, however diſguiſed. He ſaw likewiſe, how unable moſt men were, to deduce a truth thro' a long train of conſequences. He therefore gives us a ſh •• t and plain rule, eaſy to be underſtood by men of the meaneſt capacities, and eaſy to be applied upon all occaſions. Ye ſhall know them by their fruits.

2. Upon all occaſions you may eaſily apply this rule. In order to know whether any who ſpeak in the name of God, are falſe or 〈◊〉 prophets, it is eaſy to obſerve, Firſt, what are the fruits of their doctrine, as to themſelves? What effect has it had upon their lives? 〈◊〉 they holy and unblamable in all things? What effect has it had upon their hearts? Does it appear by the general tenor of their converſation that their tempers are holy, heavenly, divine? That the mind is in them which was in Chriſt Jeſus? That they are meek, lowly, patient lovers of God and man, and zealous of good works?

3. You may eaſily obſerve, Secondly, What are the fruits of their doctrine, as to thoſe that hear them? In many, at leaſt, though not in all: For the apoſtles themſelves did not convert all that heard them. Have theſe the mind that was in Chriſt? And do they walk as he alſo walked? And was it by hearing theſe men, that they began ſo to do? Were they inwardly and outwardly wicked, till they heard them? If ſo, it is a manifeſt proof, That thoſe are true prophets, teachers ſent of God. But if it is not ſo, if they do not effectually teach either themſelves or others to love and ſerve God; it is a manifeſt proof, that they are falſe prophets; that God hath not ſent them.

4. An hard ſaying this! How few can bear it? This our Lord was ſenſible of, and therefore condeſcends to prove it at large, by ſeveral clear and convincing arguments. Do men, ſays he, gather grapes of thorns or figs of thiſtles? v. 16. Do you expect that theſe evil men ſhould bring forth good fruit? As well might you expect that thorns ſhould bring forth grapes, or that figs ſhould grow upon thiſtles! Every good Tree bringeth forth good fruit: but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. v. 17. Every true prophet, every teacher whom I have ſem • bringeth forth the good fruit of holineſs. But a falſe prophet, a teacher whom I have not ſent, brings forth only ſin and wickedneſs. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. A true prophet, a teacher ſent from God, does not bring forth good fruit, ſometimes only, but always; not accidentally, but by a kind of neceſſity. In like manner, a falſe prophet, one whom God hath not ſent, does not bring forth evil fruit, accidentally or ſometimes only, but always and of neceſſity. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and caſt into the fire. v. 19. Such infallibly will be the lot of thoſe prophets, who bring not forth good fruit, who do not ſave ſouls from ſin, who do not bring ſinners to repentance. Wherefore let this ſtand as an eternal rule, By their fruits ye ſhall know them. v. 20. They who in fact bring the proud, paſſionate, unmerciful lovers of the world, to be lowly, gentle lovers of God and man: They are true prophets, they are ſent from God, who therefore confirms their word. On the other hand, they whoſe hearers, if unrighteous before, remain unrighteous ſtill, or at leaſt, void of any righteouſneſs which exceeds the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees: They are falſe prophets; they are not ſent of God: therefore their word falls to the ground. And without a miracle of grace they and their hearers together, will fall into the bottomleſs pit.

5. O beware of theſe falſe prophets! For though they come in ſheep's clothing, yet inwardly they are ravening wolves. They only deſtroy and devour the flock: They tear them in pieces, if there be none to help them. They will not, cannot lead you in the way to heaven. How ſhould they? When they know it not themſelves. O beware they do not turn you out of the way, and cauſe you to loſe what you have wrought.

6. But perhaps you will aſk, If there be ſuch danger in hearing them, ought I to hear them at all? It is a weighty queſtion, ſuch as deſerves the deepeſt conſideration, and ought not to be anſwered, but upon the ca • ueſt though • , the moſt deliberate reflection. For many years, I have been almoſt afraid, to ſpeak at all concerning it: Being unable to determine one way or the other, or to give any judgment upon it. Many reaſons there are which readily occur, and incline me to ſay, "Hear them not." And yet what our Lord ſpeaks concerning the falſe prophets of his own times, ſeems to imply th • contrary. Then ſpake Jeſus unto the multitude and to his diſciples, ſaying, The Scribes and the Phariſes ſet in Moſes' ſeat, are the ordinary, ſtated teachers in your church: All therefore whatſoever they bid you obſerve, that obſerve and do. But do not ye after their works; for they ſay and do not. Now that theſe were falſe prophets in the higheſt ſenſe, our Lord had ſhewn during the whole courſe of his miniſtry: As indeed he does in thoſe very words, They ſay, and do not. Therefore by their fruits his diſciples could not but know them, ſeeing they were open to the view of all men. Accordingly he warns them again and again, to beware of falſe prophets. And yet he does not forbid them to hear even theſe. Nay, he in effect commands them ſo to do, in thoſe words, All therefore whatſoever they bid you obſerve, that obſerve and do. For unleſs they heard them, they could not know, much leſs obſerve whatſoever they bade them do. Here then our Lord himſelf gives a plain direction, both to his apoſtles and the whole multitude, in ſome circumſtances, to hear even falſe prophets, known and acknowledge ſo to be.

7. But perhaps it will be ſaid, he only directed to hear them, when they read the ſcripture to the congregation. I anſwer, at the ſame time that they thus read the ſcripture, they generally expounded it too. And here is no kind of intimation, that they were to hear the one, and not the other alſo. Nay the very terms, All things whatſoever they bid you obſerve, exclude any ſuch limitation.

8. Again, unto them, unto falſe prophets, undeniably ſuch, is frequently committed (O grief to ſpeak! For ſurely theſe things ought not ſo to be) the adminiſtration of the ſacraments alſo. To direct men therefore, not to hear them, would be in effect to cut them off from the ordinances of God. But this we dare not do, conſidering the validity of the ordinance doth not depend on the goodneſs of him that adminiſters, but on the faithfulneſs of him that ordained it, who will and doth meet us in his appointed ways. Therefore on this account likewiſe I ſcruple to ſay, hear not even the falſe prophets. Even by theſe who are under a curſe themſelves, God can, and doth give us his bleſſing. For the bread which they break we have experimentally known to be the Communion of he body of Chriſt. And the cup which God bleſt even by their unhallowed lips, was to us the communion of the blood of Chriſt.

9. All therefore which I can ſay is this: In any particular caſe, wait upon God by humble and earneſt prayer, and then act according to the beſt light you have. Act according to what you are perſuaded, upon the whole, will be moſt for your ſpiritual advantage. Take great care that you do not judge raſhly; that you do not lightly think any to be falſe prophets. And when you have full proof, ſee that no anger or contempt have any place in your heart. After this, in the preſence and in the fear of God, determine for yourſelf. I can only ſay, if by experience you find, that the hearing them hurts your ſoul, then hear them not: Then quietly refrain, and hear thoſe that profit you. If on the other hand, you find, it does not hurt your ſoul, you then may hear them ſtill. only take heed how you hear: Beware of them and of their doctrine. Hear with fear and trembling, leſt you ſhould be deceived, and given up, like them, to a ſtrong deluſion. As they continually mingle truth and lies, how eaſily may you take in both together? Here with fervent and continual prayer, to him who alone teacheth man wiſdom. And ſee that you bring whatever you hear, to the law and to the teſtimony. Receive nothing untried, nothing till it is weighed in the balance of the ſanctuary. Believe nothing they ſay, unleſs it is clearly conſumed by plain paſſages of holy writ. Wholly reject whatſoever differs therefrom, whatever is not confirmed thereby. And in particular, reject, with the utmoſt abhorrence, whatſoever is deſcribed as the way of ſalvation, that is either diffe • from or ſhort of the way, our Lord has marked out in the forgoing diſcourſe.

10. I can not conclude, without addreſſing a few plain words, to thoſe of whom we have now been ſpeaking. O ye falſe prophets, O ye dry bones, hear ye for once the word of the Lord. How long will ye lie in the name of God? Saying God hath ſpoken: And God hath not ſpoken by you. How long will ye pervert the right ways of the Lord, putting darkneſs for light, and light for darkneſs? How long will ye teach the way of death, and call it the way of life? How long will ye deliver to Satan the ſouls, whom ye profeſs to bring unto God?

11. Wo unto you, ye blind leaders of the blind! For ye ſhut the kingdom of heaven againſt men. Ye neither go in yourſelvs, neither ſuffer ye them that are entering to go in. Them that would ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, ye call back into the broad way. Them that have ſcarce gone 〈◊〉 ſtep in the ways of God, you deviliſhly caution againſt going too far. Them that juſt begin to hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs, you warn, not to be righteous overmuch. Thus you cauſe them to ſtumble at the very threſhold; yea, to fall and riſe no more. O wherefore d • ye this? What profit is there in their blood, when they go down to the pit? Miſerable profit to you. They ſhall periſh in iniquity: but their blood will God require at your hands!

12. Where are your eyes? Where is your underſtanding? Have ye deceived others, till you have deceived yourſelves alſo? Who hath required this at your hands, to teach a way which ye never knew? are you given up to ſo ſtr ••• a de • , that ye not only teach but believe 〈…〉 , And can you poſſibly believe, that God 〈◊〉 ſent you? That ye are his meſſengers? Nay; if the Lord had ſent you, the Work of the Lord would proſper in your hand. As the Lord liveth, if ye were meſſengers of God, he would confirm the word of his meſſengers. But the work of the Lord doth not proſper in you hand: You bring no ſinners to repentance. The Lord doth not conſirm your word: For you ſave no ſouls from death.

13. How can you poſſibly evade the force of our Lord's words? So full, ſo ſtrong, ſo expreſs? How can ye evade knowing yourſelves by your fruits? Evil fruits of evil trees! And how ſhould it be otherwiſe! Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thiſtles? Take this to yourſelves, ye to whom it belongs. O ye barren Trees, why cumber ye the grounds? Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. See ye not, that here is no exception? Take knowledge then, ye are not good trees: For ye do not bring forth good fruit. But a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. And ſo have ye done from the beginning. Your ſpeaking as from God has only confirmed them that heard you, in the tempers, if not works, of the devil. O take warning of him in whoſe name ye ſpeak, before the ſentence he hath pronounced take place. Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and caſt into the fire.

14. My dear brethren, harden not your hearts. You have too long ſhut your eyes againſt the light. Open them now before it is too late before you are caſt into outer darkneſs. Let not any temporal conſideration weigh with you: For eternity is at ſtake. Ye have run before ye were ſent. O go no farther. Do not perſiſt to damn yourſelves and them that hear you! You have no fruit of your labours. And why is this? Even becauſe the Lord is not with you. But can you go this warfare at your own coſt? It cannot be. Then humble yourſelves before him. Cry unto him out of the duſt, that he may firſt quicken thy ſoul: Give thee the faith that worketh by love: That is lowly and meek, pure and merciful, zealous of good works; rejoicing in tribulation, in reproach, in diſtreſs, in perſecution for righteouſneſs' ſake. So ſhall the ſpirit of glory and of Chriſt reſt upon thee, and it ſhall appear, that God hath ſent thee. So ſhalt thou indeed do the work of an evangeliſt, and make full proof of thy miniſtry. So ſhall the word of God in thy mouth be an hammer that breaketh the rocks in pieces. It ſhall then be known by thy fruits, that thou art a prophet of the Lord, even by the children whom God hath given thee. And having turned many to righteouſneſs, thou ſhalt ſhine as the ſtars for ever and ever.

DISCOURSE THE THIRTEENTH Upon our Lord's Sermon on the Mount. MATT. vii. 21-27.

Not every one that ſaith unto me, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: But he that doeth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven.

Many will ſay to me in that Day, Lord, Lord, have we not propheſied in thy Name? And in thy Name have caſt out Devils? And in thy Name done many wonderful Works?

And then will I profeſs unto them, I never knew you: Depart from me, ye that work Iniquity.

Therefore whoſoever heareth theſe Sayings of • ine, and doeth them, I will liken him unt • a wiſe Man, which built his Houſe upon a Rock.

And the Rain deſcended, and the Floods came, and the Winds blew, and beat upon that Houſe: And it fell not, for it was founded upon a 〈◊〉 .

And every one that heareth theſe Sayings of mine, and doeth them not, ſhall be likened unto a fooliſh man, which built his Houſe upon the Sand:

And the rain deſcended, and the Floods came, and the Winds blew, and beat upon that Houſe: And it fell, and great was the Fall of it.

1. OUR divine teacher having declared the whole counſel of God, with regard to the way of ſalvation, and obſerved the chief hinderances of thoſe who deſire to walk therein: Now cloſes the whole with theſe weighty words; thereby as it were ſetting his ſeal to his prophecy, and impreſſing his whole authority on what he had delivered, that it might ſtand firm to all generations.

2. For thus ſaith the Lord, that none may ever conceive, there is any other way than this, Not every one that ſaith unto me, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Many will ſay to me in that day, Lord, Lord; have we not propheſied in thy name? And in thy name have caſt out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profeſs unto them, I never knew you: Depart from me ye that work iniquity. Therefore every one that heareth theſe ſayings of mine and doeth them not, ſhall be likened unto a fooliſh man which built his houſe upon the ſand. And the rain deſcended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that houſe: And it f • ll, and great was the fall of it.

3. I deſign in the following diſcourſe, Firſt, to conſider the caſe of him, who thus builds his houſe upon the ſand: Secondly, to ſhew the wiſdom of him who built upon a rock, and Thirdly, To conclude with a practical application.

I. 1. And, Firſt, I am to conſider the caſe of him who builds his houſe upon the ſand. It is concerning him our Lord ſaith, Not every one that ſaith unto me, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the kingdom of heaven. And this is a decree which cannot paſs; which ſtandeth faſt for ever and ever. It therefore imports us in the higheſt degree, throughly to underſtand the force of theſe words. Now what are we to underſtand by that expreſſion, That ſaith unto me, Lord, Lord? It undoubtedly means, "that thinks of going to heaven by any other way than that which I have now deſcribed." It therefore implies (to begin at the loweſt point) all good words, all verbal religion. It includes, whatever creeds we may rehearſe, whatever profeſſions of faith we make: Whatever number of prayers we may repeat, whatever thankſgivings we read or ſay to God. We may ſpeak good of his name; and declare his loving-kindneſs to the children of men. We may be talking of all his mighty acts, and telling of his ſalvation from day to day. 〈◊〉 comparing ſpiritual things with ſpiritual, we may ſhew the meaning of the oracles of God. We may explain the myſteries of his kingdom, which have been hid from the beginning of the world. We may ſpeak with the tongue of angels rather than men, concerning the deep things of God. We may proclaim to ſinners, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the Sin of the world. Yea, we may do this with ſuch a meaſure of the power of God, and ſuch demonſtration of his ſpirit, as to ſave many • uls from death, and hide a multitude of ſins. And yet it is very poſſible, all this may be no more than ſaying, Lord, Lord. After I have thus ſucceſsfully preached to others, ſtill I myſelf may be a caſt-away. I may in the hand of God, ſnatch many ſouls from hell, and yet drop into it, when I have done. I may bring many others to the kingdom of heaven, and yet myſelf never enter there. Reader, if God hath ever bleſt my word to thy ſoul, pray that he may be merciful to me a ſinner!

2. The ſaying, Lord, Lord! may, Secondly, imply, the doing no harm. We may abſtain from every preſumptuous ſin, from every kind of outward wickedneſs. We may refrain from all thoſe ways of acting or ſpeaking, which are forbidden in Holy Writ. We may be able to ſay to all thoſe among whom we live, Which of you convinceth me of ſin? We may have a conſcience void of any external offence, towards God and towards man. We may be clear of all uncleanneſs, ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs, as to outward act: Or (as the apoſtle teſtifies concerning himſelf) touching the righteouſneſs of the law, i. e. outward righteouſneſs, blameleſs. But yet we are not hereby juſtified. Still this is no more than ſaying, Lord, Lord! And if we go no farther than this, we ſhall never enter into the kingdom of he •••• .

3. The ſaying, Lord, Lord, may imply, Thirdly, ma • of what are uſually ſtiled good works. A 〈◊〉 may attend the ſupper of the Lord, may hear abundance of excellent ſermons, and omit no opportunity of partaking all the other ordinances of God. I may do good to my neighbour, deal my bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment. I may be ſo zealous of good works, as even to give all my goods to feed the poor. Yea, and I may do all this, with a deſire to pleaſe God, and a real belief that I do pleaſe him thereby: (which is undeniably the caſe of thoſe our Lord introduces, ſaying unto him, Lord, Lord!) and ſtill I may have no part, in the glory which ſhall be revealed.

4. If any man marvel at this, let him acknowledge he is a ſtranger to the whole religion of Jeſus Chriſt: And in particular, to that perfect portraiture thereof, which he has ſet before us in this diſcourſe. For how far ſhort is all this, of that righteouſneſs and true holineſs, which he has deſcribed therein! How widely diſtant from that inward kingdom of heaven, which is now opened in the believing ſoul? Which is firſt ſown in the heart as a grain of muſtard-ſeed, but afterwards putteth forth great branches, on which grow all the fruits of righteouſneſs, every good temper and word and work.

5. Yet as clearly as he had declared this, as frequently as he had repeated, That none 〈◊〉 have not this kingdom of God within 〈◊〉 ſhall enter into the kingdom of heaven 〈…〉 Lord well knew, that many would not 〈◊〉 this ſaying, and therefore confirms it y •• 〈◊〉 Many (ſaith he; not one; not a few only; it is not a rare o • an uncommon caſe) ſhall ſay 〈◊〉 me in that day: Not only we have ſaid many prayers; we have ſpoken thy praiſe; we have refrained from evil; we have excerciſed ourſelves in doing good: But what is abundantly more than this, We have propheſied in thy name. In thy name have we caſt out devils; in thy name done many wonderful works. We have propheſied: we have declared thy will to mankind; we have ſhewed ſinners the way to peace and glory. And we have done this, in thy name, according to the truth of thy goſpel. Yea, and by thy authority, who didſt confirm the word, with the Holy Ghoſt ſent down from heaven. For in or by thy name, by the power of thy word and of thy Spirit, have we caſt out devils; out of the ſouls which they had long claimed as their own, and whereof they had full and quiet poſſeſſion. And in thy name, by thy power, not our own, have we done many wonderful works: Inſomuch that even the dead heard the voice of the Son of God ſpeaking by us, and lived. And then will I profeſs even unto them, I never knew you: No, not then, when you were caſting out devils in my name. Even then I did not know you as my own: For your heart was not right toward God. Ye were not yourſelves meek and lowly, ye were not lovers of God and of all mankind: Ye were not renewed in the image of God. Ye were not holy as I am holy. Depart from me, ye who, not withſtanding all this, are workers of iniquity; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ye are tranſgreſſors of my law, my law of holy and perfect love.

6. It is to put this beyond all poſſibility of contradiction, that our Lord confirms it by that oppoſite compariſon. Every one, ſaith he, who heareth theſe ſayings of mine and doth them not, ſhall be likened unto a fooliſh man, which built his houſe upon the ſand. And the rain deſcended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that houſe: As they will ſurely do, ſooner or later, upon every ſoul of man; even the floods of outward affliction, or inward temptation: the ſtorms of pride, anger, fear or deſire. And it fell, and great was the fall of it: So that it periſhed for ever and ever. Such muſt be the portion of all, who reſt in any thing ſhort of that religion which is above deſcribed. And the greater will their fall be, becauſe they heard thoſe ſayings, and yet did them not.

II. 1. I am, Secondly, To ſhew the wiſdom of him that doth them, that buildeth his houſe upon a rock. He indeed is wiſe, who doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. He is truly wiſe, whoſe righteouſneſs exceeds the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees. He is poor in ſpirit, knowing himſelf even as alſo he is known. He ſees and feels all his ſin, and all his guilt, till it is waſhed away by the atoning blood. He is conſcious of his loſt eſtate, of the wrath of God abiding on him, and of his utter inability to help himſelf, till he is filled with peace and joy, in the Holy Ghoſt. He is meek and gentle, patient toward all men, never returning evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwiſe bleſſing, till he o •• comes evil with good. His ſoul is athirſt for nothing on earth, but only for God, the living God. He has bowels of love for all mankind, and is ready to lay down his life for his enemies. He loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his mind and ſoul and ſtrength. He alone ſhall enter into the kingdom of heaven, who in this ſpirit doth good unto all men; and who being for this cauſe deſpiſed and rejected of men; being hated, reproached and perſecuted, rejoices and is exceeding glad, knowing in whom he hath believed; and being aſſured, theſe light, momentary afflictions will work out for him an eternal weight of glory.

2. How truly wiſe is this man! He knows himſelf: An everlaſting ſpirit, which came forth from God, and was ſent down into an houſe of clay, not to do his own will, but the will of him that ſent him. He knows the world; the place in which he is to paſs a few days or years, not as an inhabitant, but as a ſtranger and ſojourner, in his way to the everlaſting habitations: And accordingly he uſes the world, as not abuſing it, and as knowing the faſhion of it paſſes away. He knows God, his father and his friend, the parent of all good, the centre of the ſpirits of all fleſh, the ſole happineſs of all intelligent beings. He ſees, clearer than the light of the noon day ſun, that this is the end of man, To glorify him who made him for himſelf and to love and enjoy him for ever. And with equal clearneſs he ſees the means to that end, to the enjoyment of God in glory, even now to know, to love, to imitate God, and to believe in Jeſus Chriſt whom he hath ſent.

3. He is a wiſe man, even in God's accou • ; for he buildeth his houſe upon a rock: Upon the rock of ages, the everlaſting rock, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Fitly is he ſo called; for he changeth not. He is the ſame yeſterday, today, and for ever. To him both the man of God of old, and the apoſtle citing his words bear witneſs, Thou, Lord, in the beginning haſt laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thine hands. They ſhall periſh, but thou remaineſt; they all ſhall wax old as doth a garment. And as a veſture ſhalt thou fold them up, and they ſhall be changed: But thou art the ſame and thy years ſhall not fail. Heb. i. 10, 11, 12. Wiſe therefore is the man who buildeth on him; who layeth him for his only foundation; who builds only upon his blood and righteouſneſs, upon on what he h • done and ſuffered for us. On this corner-ſtone he fixes his faith, and reſts the whole weight of his ſoul upon it. He is taught of God to ſay, Lord, I have ſinned: I deſerve the nethermoſt hell. But I am juſtified freely by thy grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt. And the life I now live, I live by faith in him, who loved me and gave himſelf for me. The life I now live: Namely, a divine, heavenly life, a life which is hid with Chriſt in God. I now live even in the fleſh, a life of love, of pure love both to God and man: A life of holineſs and happineſs, praiſing God and doing all things to his glory.

4. Yet let not ſuch an one think, that he ſhall not ſee war any more, that he is now out of t • reach of temptation. It ſtill remains, for God to prove the grace he hath given: He ſhall be tried as gold in the fire. He ſhall be temp • ed not leſs, than they who know not God: Perhaps abundantly more. For 〈◊〉 will not fail to try to the uttermoſt, thoſe whom he is not able to deſtroy. Accordingly, the 〈◊〉 will impetuouſly deſcend: Only at ſuch times and 〈◊〉 ſuch a manner, as ſeems good, not to the prince of the power of the air, but to him whoſe kingdom ruleth over all. The floods, or torrents, will come; they will lift up their waves and rage horribly. But to them alſo, the Lord that ſitteth above the water-floods, that remaineth a king for ever, will ſay, Hitherto ſhall ye come, and no farther: Here ſhall your proud waves be ſtayed. The winds will blow and beat upon that houſe, as tho' they would tear it up from the foundation. But they cannot prevail: It falleth not: for it is founded upon a r • k. He buildeth on Chriſt by faith and love: Therefore he ſhall not be caſt down. He ſhall not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the hills be carried into the midſt of the ſea. Though the waters thereof rage and ſwell, and the mountains ſhake at the tempeſt of the ſame: Still he dwelleth under the defence of the Moſt High, and is ſafe under the ſhadow of the Almighty.

III. 1. How nearly then does it concern every child of man, practically to apply theſe things to himſelf? Diligently to examine, on what foundation he builds, whether on a rock or on the ſand? How deeply are you concerned to inquire, what is the foundation of my hope? Whereon do I build my expectation of entering into the kingdom of heaven? Is it not built on the ſand? Upon my orthodoxy or right opinions (which by a groſs abuſe of wor • I have called faith!) Upon my having a ſet of notions (ſuppoſe more rational or ſcriptural than many others have.) Alas! What m • dneſs is this? Surely this is building on the ſand: Or rather on the froth of the ſea! Say, I am convinced of this. Am I not again building my hope on what is equally unable to ſupport it? Perhaps on my belonging to "ſo excellent a church: reformed after the true ſcripture-model: Bleſt with the pureſt doctrines, the moſt primitive liturgy, the moſt apoſtolical form of government." Theſe are doubtleſs ſo many reaſons for praiſing God, as they may be ſo many helps to holineſs. But they are not holineſs itſelf. And if they are ſeparate from it, they will profit me nothing. Nay, they will leave me the more without excuſe, and expoſed to the greater damnation. Therefore if I build my hope upon this foundation, I am ſtill building upon the ſand.

2. You cannot, you dare not reſt here. Upon what next will you build your hope of ſalvation? Upon your innocence? Upon your doing no harm? Your not wronging or hurting any one? Well; allow this plea to be true. You are juſt in all your dealings: You are a downright honeſt man. You pay every man his own: You neither cheat, nor extort: You act fairly with all mankind. And you have a conſcience towards God: You do not live in any known ſin. Thus far is well. But ſtill it is not the thing. You may go thus far, and yet never come to heaven. When all this harmleſſneſs flows from a right principle, it is the leaſt part of 〈◊〉 religion of Chriſt. But in you it does not flow from a right principle, and therefore is no part at all of religion. So that in grounding your hope of ſalvation on this, you are ſtill building upon the ſand.

3. Do you go farther yet? Do you add to the doing no harm, the attending all the ordinances of God? Do you at all opportunities partake of the Lord's ſupper? Uſe public and private prayer? Faſt often? Hear and ſearch the ſcriptures, and meditate thereon? Theſe things likewiſe ought you to have done, from the time you firſt ſet your face towards heaven, Yet theſe things alſo are nothing, being alone. They are nothing without the weightier matters of the law. And thoſe you have forgotten. At leaſt you experience them not; Faith, mercy, and the love of God: Holineſs of heart: heaven opened in the ſoul. Still therefore you build upon the ſand.

4. Over and above all this, are you zealous of good works? Do you, as you have time, do good to all men? Do you feed the hungry and clothe the naked, and viſit the fatherleſs and widow in their affliction? Do you viſit thoſe that are ſick? Relieve them that are in priſon? Is any a ſtranger and do you take him in? Friend, come up higher. Do you propheſy in the name of Chriſt? Do you preach the truth as it is in Jeſus? And does the influence of his ſpirit attend your word, and make it the power of God unto ſalvation? Does he enable you to bring ſinners from darkneſs to light, from the power of ſatan unto God? Then go and learn what thou haſt ſo often taught, By grace 〈◊〉 are ſaved, through faith. Not by works of righteouſneſs, which we have done, but of his own mercy he ſaveth us. Learn to hang naked upon the croſs of Chriſt, counting all thou haſt done out dung and droſs. Apply to him juſt in the ſpirit of the dying thief, of the harlot with her ſeven devils. Elſe thou art ſtill on the ſand, and after ſaving others, thou wilt loſe thy own ſoul.

5. Lord, increaſe my faith, if I now believe! Elſe, give me faith, though but as a grain of muſtard-ſeed!—But what doth it profit, if a man ſay he hath faith, and have not works? Can that faith ſave him? O no! That faith which hath not works, which doth not produce both inward and outward holineſs, which does not ſtamp the whole image of God on the heart, and purify us as he is pure: That faith which does not produce the whole of the religion deſcribed in the foregoing chapters, is not the faith of the goſpel; not the chriſtian faith, not the faith which leads to glory. O beware of this, above all other ſnares of the devil, of reſting on unholy, unſaving faith! If thou lay ſtreſs on this, thou art loſt for ever: Thou ſtill buildeſt thy houſe upon the ſand. When the rain deſcends and the floods come, it will ſurely fall, and great will be the fall of it.

6. Now therefore, build thou upon a rock. By the grace of God, know thyſelf. Know and feel, that thou waſt ſhapen in wickedneſs, and in ſin did thy mother conceive thee: And yet thou thyſelf had been heaping ſin upon ſin, ever ſince thou couldſt diſcern good from evil. •• n thyſelf guilty of eternal death: And renounce all hope of ever being able to ſave thyſelf. Be it all thy hope, to be waſhed in his blood, and purified by his ſpirit, who himſelf here all thy ſins, in his own body, upon the tree. And if thou know he hath taken away thy ſins, ſo much the more abaſe thyſelf before him, in a continued ſenſe of thy total dependance on him for every good thought and word and work, and of thy utter inability to all good, unleſs he water thee every moment.

7. Now weep for your ſins, and mourn after God till he turns your heavineſs into joy. And even then weep with them that weep: And for them that weep not for themſelves. Mourn for the ſins and miſeries of mankind: And ſee, but juſt before your eyes, the immenſe ocean of eternity, without a bottom or a ſhore; which has already ſwallowed up millions of millions of men, and is gaping to devour them that yet remain. See here the houſe of God, eternal in the heavens; there, hell and deſtruction without a covering. And thence learn the importance of every moment, which juſt appears, and is gone for ever!

8. Now add to your ſeriouſneſs, meekneſs of wiſdom. Hold an even ſcale as to all your paſſions, but in particular as to anger, ſorrow, and fear, Calmly acquieſce in whatſoever is the will of God. Learn in every ſtate wherein you are, therewith to be content. Be mild to the good: Be gentle toward all men; but eſpecially toward the evil and the unthankful. Beware not only of outward expreſſions of adger, ſuch as calling thy brother raca, or thou fool! But of every inward emotion contrary to lo • e, though it go no farther than the heart. Be angry at ſin, at an affront offered to the majeſty of heaven; but love the ſinner ſtill: Like our Lord, who looked round about upon the phariſe • with anger, being grieved for the hardneſs of their hearts. He was grieved at the ſinners, angry at the ſin. Thus be thou angry and ſin not.

9. Now do thou hunger and thirſt, not for the meat that periſheth, but for that which endureth unto everlaſting life. Trample under foot the world and the things of the world: All theſe riches, honours, pleaſures. What is the world to thee? Let the dead bury their dead: But follow thou after the image of God. And beware of quenching that bleſſed thirſt, if it be already excited in thy ſoul, by what is vulgarly called religion, a poor, dull farce, a religion of form, of outſide ſhow, which leaves the heart ſtill cleaving to the duſt, as earthly and ſenſual as ever. Let nothing ſatisfy thee but the power of godlineſs, but a religion that is ſpirit and life; the dwelling in God and God in thee; the being an inhabitant of eternity; the entering in by the blood of ſprinkling within the veil, and ſitting in heavenly places with Chriſt Jeſus.

10. Now, ſeeing thou canſt do all things through Chriſt ſtrengthening thee, be merciful as thy Father in heaven is merciful. Love thy neighbour as thyſelf. Love friends and enemies as thy own ſoul. And let thy love be long-ſuffering, and patient towards all men. Let it be kind, ſoft, benign: Inſpiring thee with the moſt amiable ſweetneſs, and the moſt fervent and tender affection. Let it rejoice in the truth, whereſoever it is found, the truth that is after godlineſs. Enjoy whatſoever brings glory to God, and promotes peace and good-will among men. In love cover all things, of the dead and the abſent, ſpeaking nothing but good: Believe all things which may any way tend to clear your neighbour's character: Hope all things in his favour, and endure all things, triumphing over all oppoſition. For true love never faileth, in time or in eternity.

11. Now be thou pure in heart; purified through faith from every unholy affection, cleanſing thyſelf from all filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit, and perfecting holineſs in the fear of God. Being through the power of his grace purified from pride by deep poverty of ſpirit, from anger, from every unkind or turbulent paſſion, by meekneſs and mercifulneſs, from every deſire but to pleaſe and enjoy God, by hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs; now love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy ſtrength.

12. In a word: Let thy religion be the religion of the heart. Let it lie deep in thy inmoſt ſoul. Be thou little and baſe, and mean and vile (beyond what words can expreſs) in thy own eyes; amazed and humbled to the duſt, by the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus. Be ſerious Let the whole ſtream of thy thoughts, words, and actions flow from the deepeſt conviction, that thou ſtandeſt on the edge of the great gulph, thou and all the children of men, juſt ready to drop in, either into everlaſting Glory or everlaſting burnings. Let thy ſoul be filled with mildneſs, gentleneſs, patience, long-ſuffering towards all men: At the ſame time that all which is in thee is athirſt for God, the living God; longing to to awake up after his likeneſs, and to be ſatisfied with it. Be thou a lover of God and of all mankind. In this ſpirit do and ſuffer all things. Thus ſhew thy faith by thy works: Thus do the will of thy Father which is in heaven. And as ſure as thou now walkeſt with God on earth, thou ſhalt reign with him in glory.

The Original, Nature, Properties, and Uſe of the LAW. A SERMON ON ROM. vii. 12.

Wherefore the Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, and juſt, and good.

1. PERHAPS there are few ſubjects within the whole compaſs of religion, ſo little underſtood as this. The reader of this epiſtle is uſually told, by the law St. Paul means the Jewiſh law: And ſo apprehending himſelf to have no concern therewith, paſſes on without farther thought about it. Indeed ſome are not ſatisfied with this account: But obſerving the epiſtle is directed to the Romans, thence infer, that the apoſtle in the beginning of this chapter, alludes to the old Roman law. But as they have no more concern with this, than with the ceremonial law of Moſes, ſo they ſpend not much thought, on what they ſuppoſe is occaſionally mentioned, barely to illuſtrate another thing.

2. But a careful obſerver of the apoſtle's diſcourſe, will not be content with theſe ſlight explications of it. And the more he weighs the words, the more convinced he will be, that St. Paul by the law mentioned in this chapter, does not mean either the ancient law of Rome, or the ceremonial law of Moſes. This will clearly appear to all who attentively conſider the tenor of his diſcourſe. He begins the chapter, Know ye not, brethren (for I ſpeak to them that know the low, to them who have been inſtructed therein from their youth) That the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? ver. 1. (What, the law of Rome only, or the ceremonial law? No ſurely; but the moral law) for, to give a plain inſtance, the woman that hath an huſband, is bound by the (moral) law to her huſband as long as he liveth. But if her huſband be dead, ſhe is looſed from the law of her huſband. ver. 2. So then, if while her huſband liveth, ſhe be married to another man, ſhe ſhall be called an adultreſs: But if her huſband be dead, ſhe is free from that law, ſo that ſhe is no adultreſs, though ſhe be married to another man. ver. 3. From this particular inſtance the apoſtle proceeds to draw that general concluſion. Wherefore, my brethren, by a plain parity of reaſon, ye alſo are become dead to the law, the whole Moſaic inſtitution, by the body of Chriſt offered for you, and bringing you under a new diſpenſation: That ye ſhould without any blame be married to another, even to him who is raiſed from the dead, and hath thereby given proof of his authority to make the change, that ye ſhould bring forth fruit unto God. ver. 4. And this we can do now, whereas before we could not: For when we were in the fleſh, under the power of the fleſh, that is, of corrupt nature (which was neceſſarily the caſe till we knew the power of Chriſt's reſurrection the motions of ſin, which were by the law, which were ſhewn and inflamed by the moſaic law, not conquered, did work in our members, broke out various ways, to bring forth fruit unto death. ver. 5. 〈◊〉 now we are delivered from the law, from that whole moral as well as ceremonial oeconomy; that being dead whereby we were held: That entire inſtitution being now as it were dead, and having no more authority over us, than the huſband when dead hath over his wife: That we ſhould ſerve him who died for us and roſe again, in newneſs of ſpirit, in a new ſpiritual diſpenſation, and not in the oldneſs of the letter, ver. 6. with a bare outward ſervice, according to the letter of the Moſaic inſtitution.

3. The apoſtle having gone thus far, in proving that the chriſtian had ſet aſide the Jewiſh diſpenſation, and that the moral law itſelf, though it could never paſs away, yet ſtood on a different foundation from what it did before, now ſtops to propoſe and anſwer an objection. What ſhall we ſay then? Is the law ſin? So ſome might infer from a miſapprehenſion of thoſe words, the motions of ſin which were by the law. God forbid! ſaith the apoſtle, that we ſhould ſay ſo. Nay, the law is an irreconcileable enemy to ſin; ſearching it out wherever it is. I had not known ſin but by the law. I had not known luſt, evil deſire to be ſin, except the law had ſaid, Thou ſhalt not covet, ver. 7. After opening this farther in the four following verſes, he ſubjoins this general concluſion, with regard more eſpecially to the moral law, from which the preceding inſtance was taken: Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and juſt and good.

4. In order to explain and enforce theſe deep words, ſo little regarded, becauſe ſo little underſtood, I ſhall endeavour to ſhew, Firſt, The original of this law; Secondly, The nature thereof; Thirdly, The properties, that it is holy and juſt and good; and Fourthly, the uſes of it.

I. 1. I ſhall, Firſt, endeavour to ſhew the original of the moral law, often called the law, by way of eminence. Now, this is not, as ſome may poſſibly have imagined, of ſo late an inſtitution as the time of Moſes. Noah declared it to men long before that time, and Enoch before him. But we may trace its original higher ſtill, even beyond the foundation of the world, to that period, unknown indeed to men, but doubtleſs enrolled in the annals of eternity, when the morning ſtars firſt ſang together, being newly called into exiſtence. It pleaſed the great Creator to make theſe his firſt born ſons, intelligent beings, that they might know him that created them. For this end he endued them with underſtanding, to diſcern truth from falſehood, good from evil: And as a neceſſary reſult of this, with liberty, a capacity of chuſing the one and refuſing the other. By this they were likewiſe enabled to offer him a free and willing ſervice: A ſervice rewardable in itſelf, as well as moſt acceptable to their gracious maſter.

2. To employ all the faculties which he had given them, particularly their underſtanding and liberty, he gave them a law, a complete model of all truth, ſo far as intelligible to a finite being, and of all good, ſo far as angelic minds were capable of embracing it. It was alſo the deſign of their beneficent Governor herein, to make way for a continual increaſe of their happineſs: Seeing every inſtance of obedience • o that law, would both add to the perfection of their nature, and entitle them to an higher reward, which the righteous judge would give in its ſeaſon.

3. In like manner, when God in his appointed time, had created a new order of intelligent beings, when he had raiſed man from the duſt of the earth, breathed into him the breath of life, and cauſed him to become a living ſoul, endued with power to chuſe good or evil: He gave to this free, intelligent creature, the ſame law as to his firſt-born children: Not wrote indeed upon tables of ſtone, or any corruptible ſubſtance, but engraven on his heart by the finger of God, wrote in the inmoſt ſpirit both of men and of angels: To the intent it might never be afar off, never hard to be underſtood; but always at hand, and always ſhining with clear light, even as the ſun in the midſt of heaven.

4. Such was the original of the law of God. With regard to man, it was coeval with his nature. But with regard to the elder ſons of God, it ſhone in its full ſplendor, or ever the mountains were brought forth, or the earth and the round world were made. But it was not long before man rebelled againſt God, and by breaking this glorious law, well nigh effaced it out of his heart; the eyes of his underſtanding being darkened, in the ſame meaſure as his ſoul was alienated from the life of God. And yet God did not deſpiſe the work of his own hands: But being reconciled to man through the Son of his love, he, in ſome meaſure, re-inſcribed his aw on the heart of his dark, ſinful creature. He again ſhowed thee, O man, what is good (although not as in the beginning) even to do juſtly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

5. And this he ſhewed not only to our firſt parents, but likewiſe to all their poſterity, by that true light which enlightens every man that cometh into the world. But notwithſtanding this light, all fleſh had in proceſs of time corrupted their way before him: Till he choſe out of mankind a peculiar people, to whom he gave a more perfect knowledge of his law. And the heads of this, becauſe they were ſlow of underſtanding, he wrote on two tables of ſtone; which he commanded the fathers to teach their children, through all ſucceeding generations.

6. And thus it is, that the law of God is now made known to them that know not God. They hear, with the hearing of the ear, the things that were written aforetime for our inſtruction. But this does not ſuffice. They cannot by this means comprehend the height and depth and length and breadth thereof. God alone can reveal this by his ſpirit. And ſo he does to all that truly believe, in conſequence of that gracious promiſe, made to all the Iſrael of God: Behold, the days come, ſaith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the houſe of Iſrael. And this ſhall be the covenant that I will make, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and I will be their G • l, and they ſhall be my people. Jer. xxxi. 31, &c.

II. 1. The nature of that law which was originally given to angels in heaven and man in paradiſe, and which God has ſo mercifully promiſed to write afreſh, in the hearts of all true believers, was the ſecond thing I propoſed to ſhew. In order to which I would firſt obſerve, That altho' the law and the commandment are ſometimes differently taken (the commandment meaning but a part of the law) yet in the text they are uſed as equivalent terms, implying one and the ſame thing. But we cannot underſtand here, either by one or the other, the ceremonial law. It is not the ceremonial law, whereof the apoſtle ſays, in the words above recited, I had not known ſin but by the law: This is too plain to need a proof. Neither is it the ceremonial law which ſaith, in the words immediately ſubjoined, Thou ſhalt not covet. Therefore the ceremonial law, has no place in the preſent queſtion.

2. Neither can we underſtand by the law mentioned in the text, the Moſaic diſpenſation. It is true, the word is ſometimes ſo underſtood: As when the apoſtle ſays, ſpeaking to the Galatians (chap. iii. ver. 17.) The covenant which was confirmed before (namely with Abraham the father of the faithful) the Low, i. e. the moſaic eiſpenſation, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot diſannul. But it cannot be ſo underſtood in the text; for the apoſtle never beſtows, ſo high commendations as theſe upon that imperfect and ſhadowy diſpenſation. He no where affirms, the moſaic to be a ſpiritual law; Or, that it is holy and juſt and good. Neither is it true, that God will write that law in the hearts of them whoſe iniquities he remembers no more. It remains, that the law, eminently ſo termed, is no other than the moral law.

3. Now this law is an incorruptible picture of the high and holy one that inhabiteth eternity. It is he whom in his eſſence no man hath ſeen or can ſee, made viſible to men and angels. It is the face of God unveiled: God manifeſted to his creatures as they are able to bear it: Manifeſted to give and not to deſtroy life; that they may ſee God and live It is the heart of God diſcloſed to man. Yea, in ſome ſenſe we may apply to this law, what the apoſtle ſays of his ſon, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The ſtreaming forth or ••••• ing of his glory, the expreſs image of his perſon.

4. "If virtue, ſaid the ancient heathen, could aſſume ſuch a ſhape as that we could behold her with our eyes, what wonderful love would ſhe excite in us!" If virtue could do this! It is done already. The law of God is all virtues in one, in ſuch a ſhape, as to be beheld with open face, by all thoſe whoſe eyes God hath enlightened. What is the law, but divine virtue and wiſdom, aſſuming a viſible form? What is it, but the original ideas of truth and good, which were lodged in the uncreated mind from eternity, now drown forth and clothed with ſuch a vehicle, as to appear even to human underſtanding?

5. If we ſurvey the law of God in another point of view, it is ſupreme, unchangeable reaſon: It is unalterable rectitude: It is the overlaſting fitneſs of all things that are or ever were created. I am ſenſible, what a ſhortneſs, and even impropriety there is, in theſe and all other human expreſſions, whe • we endeavour by theſe faint pictures, to ſhadow out the deep things of God. Nevertheleſs we have no better, indeed no other way, during this our infant ſtate of exiſtence. As we now know but in part, ſo we are conſtrained to propheſy, i. e. ſpeak of the things of God in part alſo. We cannot order our ſpeech by reaſon of darkneſs, while we are in this houſe of clay. While I am a child I muſt ſpeak as a child. But I ſhall ſoon put away childiſh things. For when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part ſhall be done away.

6. But to return. The law of God (ſpeaking after the manner of men) is a copy of the eternal mind, a tranſcript of the divine nature: Yea it is the faireſt offspring of the everlaſting Father, the brighteſt efflux of his eſſential wiſdom, the viſible beauty of the Moſt High. It is the delight and wonder of cherubim and ſeraphim and all the company of heaven, and the glory and joy of every wiſe believer, every well inſtructed child of God upon earth.

III. 1. Such is the nature of the ever-bleſſed law of God. I am, in the third place, to ſhow the properties of it: Not all; for that would exceed the wiſdom of an angel. But thoſe only which are mentioned in the text. Theſe are three: It is holy, juſt, and good. And firſt, The law is holy.

2. In this expreſſion the apoſtle does not appear to ſpeak of its effects, but rather of its nature: As St. James, ſpeaking of the ſame thing under another name, ſays, The wiſdom from above (which is no other than this law, written in our heart) is firſt pure, c. iii. 17. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , chaſte, ſpotleſs, internally, and eſſentially holy. And conſequently, when it is tranſcribed into the life, as well as the ſoul (it is as the ſame apoſtle terms it) c. i. 27. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Pure religion and undefiled; or the pure, clean, unpolluted worſhip of God.

3. It is indeed, in the higheſt degree, pure, chaſte, clean, holy. Otherwiſe it could not be the immediate offspring, and much leſs the expreſs reſemblance of God, who is eſſential holineſs. It is pure from all ſin, clean and unſpotted from any touch of evil. It is a chaſte virgin incapable of any de •• ement, of any mixture with that which is unclean or unholy. It has no fellowſhip with ſin of any kind. For what communion hath light with darkneſs? As ſin is in its very nature enmity to God, ſo his law is enmity to ſin.

4. Therefore it is, that the apoſtle rejects with ſuch abhorrence, that blaſphemous ſuppoſition, that the law of God is either ſin itſelf, or the cauſe of ſin. God forbid, that we ſhould ſuppoſe, it is the cauſe of ſin, becauſe it is the diſcoverer of it: Becauſe it detects the hidden things of darkneſs, and drags them out into open day. It is true, by this means (as the apoſtle obſerves, ver. 13.) Sin appears to be ſin. All its diſguiſes are torn away, and it appears in its native deformity. It is true likewiſe, that ſin by the commandment becomes exceeding ſinful. Being now committed againſt light and knowledge, being ſtript even of the poor plea of ignorance, it loſes its excuſe as well as diſguiſe, and becomes far more odious both to God and man. Yea, and it is true, that ſin worketh death by that which is good, which itſelf is pure and holy. When it is dragged out to light, it rages the more: When it is reſtrained, it burſts out with greater violence. Thus the apoſtle (ſpeaking in the perſon of one, who was convinced of ſin, but not yet delivered from it) Sin taking occaſion by the commandment, detecting and endeavouring to reſtrain it, diſdained the reſtraint, and ſo much the more wrought in me all manner of concupiſcence, ver. 8. All manner of fooliſh and hurtful deſire, which that commandment ſought to reſtrain. Thus, when the commandment came, ſin ••• ived, ver. 9. It fretted and raged the more. But this is no ſtain on the commandment. Though it is abuſed it cannot be defiled. This only proves, that the heart of man is deſperately wicked. But the law of God is holy ſtill.

5. And it is, Secondly, juſt. It renders to all their due. It preſcribes exactly what is right, preciſely what ought to be done, ſaid, or thought both with regard to the author of our being, with regard to ourſelves, and with regard to every creature which he has made. It is adapted in all reſpects to the nature of things, of the whole univerſe and every individual. It is ſuited to all the circumſtances of each, and to all their mutual relations, whether ſuch as have exiſted from the beginning, or ſuch as commenced in any following period. It is exactly agreeable to the fitneſſes of things, whether eſſential or accidental. It claſhes with none of theſe in any degree; nor is ever unconnected with them. If the word be taken in that ſenſe, there is nothing arbitrary in the law of God. Although ſtill the whole and every part thereof, is totally dependent upon his will: So that thy will be done, is the ſupreme, univerſal law both in earth and heaven.

6. "But is the will of God the cauſe of his law? Is his will the original of right and wrong? Is a thing therefore right, becauſe God wills it? Or does he will it, becauſe it is right?"

I fear, this celebrated queſtion is more curious than uſeful. And perhaps, in the manner it is uſually treated of, it does not ſo well conſiſt with the regard that is due from a creature, to the Creator and Governor of all things. It is hardly decent from man, to call the ſupreme God to give an account to him! Nevertheleſs, with awe and reverence we may ſpeak a little. The Lord pardon us, if we ſpeak amiſs!

7. It ſeems then, that the whole difficulty ariſes, from conſidering God's will as diſtinct from God. Otherwiſe it vaniſhes away. For none can doubt, but God is the cauſe of the law of God. But the will of God is God himſelf. It is God conſidered as willing thus or thus. Conſequently, to ſay, That the will of God, or that God himſelf is the cauſe of the law, is one and the ſame thing.

8. Again; If the law, the immutable rule of right and wrong, depends on the nature and fitneſſes of things, and on their eſſential relations to each other: (I do not ſay, their eternal relations; becauſe the eternal relations of things exiſting in time, is little leſs than a contradiction:) If, I ſay, this depends on the nature and relations of things, then it muſt depend on God, or the will of God: Becauſe thoſe things themſelves, with all their relations, are the work of his hands. By his will, for his pleaſure alone, they all are and were created.

9. And yet it may be granted (which is probably all that a conſiderate perſon would contend for) that in every particular caſe, God wills this or this (ſuppoſe that men ſhould honor their parents) becauſe it is right, agreeably to the ſitneſs of things, to the relation wherein they ſtand.

10. The law then is right and juſt concerning all things. And it is good as well as juſt. This we may eaſily infer from the fountain whence it flowed For what was this, but the goodneſs of God? What but goodneſs alone inclined him to impart that divine copy of himſelf to the holy angels? To what elſe can we impute his beſtowing upon man the ſame tranſcript of his own nature? And what but tender love conſtrained him afreſh to manifeſt his will to fallen man? Either to Adam, or any of his ſeed, who like him were come ſhort of the Glory of God? Was it not mere love that moved him to publiſh his law, after the underſtandings of men were darkened? And to ſend his prophets to declare that law, to the blind, thoughtleſs children of men? Doubtleſs his goodneſs it was which raiſed up En • ch and N • ah, to be preachers of righteouſneſs; which cauſed Abraham, his friend, and Iſaac and Jacob, to bear witneſs to his truth. It was his goodneſs alone, which when darkneſs had covered the earth, and thick darkneſs the people, gave a written law to Moſes, and through him, to the nation whom he had choſen. It was his love which explained theſe living oracles by David and all the prophets that followed: Until, when the fulneſs of time was come, he ſent his only-begotten Son, not to deſtroy the law but to fulfil, to confirm every jot and tittle thereof, till having wrote it in the hearts of all his children, and put all his enemies under his feet, he ſhall deliver up his mediatorial kingdom to the Father, that God may be all in all.

11. And this law which the goodneſs of God gave at firſt, and has preſerved thro' all ages, is, like the fountain from whence it ſprings, full of goodneſs and benignity: It is mild and kind; it is (as the pſalmiſt expreſſes it) ſweeter than honey and the honey-comb. It is winning and amiable. It includes whatſoever things are lovely or of good report. If there be any virtue, if there be any praiſe before God and his holy angels, they are all comprized in this: Wherein are hid all the treaſures of the divine wiſdom and knowledge and love.

12. And it is good in its effects, as well as in its nature. As the tree is, ſo are its fruits. The fruits of the law of God written in the heart, are righteouſneſs and peace and aſſurance for ever. Or rather, the law itſelf is righteouſneſs, filling the ſoul with a peace that paſſeth all underſtanding, and cauſing us to rejoice evermore, in the teſtimony of a good conſcience toward God. It is not ſo properly a pledge, as an earneſt of our inheritance, being a part of the purchaſed poſſeſſion. It is God made manifeſt in our fleſh, and bringing with him eternal life: Aſſuring us by that pure and perfect love, that we are ſealed unto the day of redemption: That he will ſpare us as a man ſpareth his own ſon that ſerveth him, in the day when he maketh up his jewels, and that there remaineth for us a crown of glory which fadeth not away.

IV. 1. It remains only, to ſhew, in the fourth and laſt place, the uſes of the law. And the firſt uſe of it, without queſtion, is, to convince the world of ſin. This is indeed the peculiar work of the Holy Ghoſt: Who can work it without any means at all, or by whatever means it pleaſeth him, however inſufficient in themſelves, or even improper to produce ſuch an effect. And accordingly ſome there are whoſe hearts have been broken in pieces in a moment, either in ſickneſs or in health, without any viſible cauſe, or any outward means whatever. And others (one in an age) have been awakened to a ſenſe of the wrath of God abiding on them, by hearing, That God was in Chriſt, reconciling the world unto himſelf. But it is the ordinary method of the ſpirit of God, to convict ſinners by the law. It is this, which being ſet home on the conſcience, generally breaketh the rocks in pieces. It is more eſpecially this part of the word of God, which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , quick and powerful, full of life and energy, and ſharper than any two edged-ſword. This in the hand of God and of thoſe whom he hath ſent, pierces through all the folds of a deceitful heart, and divides aſunder even the ſoul and ſpirit, yea, as it were the very joints and marrow. By this is the ſinner diſcovered to himſelf. All his fig-leaves are • orn away, and he ſees that he is wretched and poor and miſerable and blind and naked. The law flaſhes conviction on every ſide. He ſ •• ls himſelf a mere ſinner. He has nothing to 〈◊〉 . his mouth is ſtopt, and he ſtands guilty before God.

2. To ſlay the ſinner is then the firſt uſe of the law; to deſtroy the life and ſtrength wherein he truſts, and convince him that he is dead while he liveth; not only under ſentence of death, but actually dead unto God, void of all ſpiritual life, dead i • treſpaſſes and ſins. The ſecond uſe of it is, to bring him unto life, unto Chriſt, that he may live. It is true, in performing both theſe offices, it acts the part of a ſevere ſchoolmaſter. It drives us by force, rather than draws us by love. And yet love is the ſpring of all. It is the ſpirit of love, which by this painful means, tears away our confidence in the fleſh, which leaves us no broken reed whereon to truſt, and ſo conſtrains the ſinner, ſtript of all, to cry out in the bitterneſs of his ſoul, or groan in the depth of his heart, "I give up every plea beſide, "Lord, I am damn'd—But thou haſt died.

3. The third uſe of the law is, to keep us alive. It is the grand means whereby the bleſſed Spirit prepares the believer for larger communications of the life of God.

I am afraid this great and important truth is little underſtood, not only by the world, but even by many whom God hath taken out of the world, who are real children of God by faith. Many of theſe lay it down as an unqueſtioned truth, that when we come to Chriſt, we have done with the law; and that in this ſenſe, Chriſt is the end of the law, to every one that believeth. The end of the law. So he is, for righteouſneſs, for juſtification to every one that believeth. Herein the law is at an end. It juſtifies none; but only brings them to Chriſt. Who is alſo in another reſpect, the end or ſcope of the law, the point at which it continually aims But when it has brought us to him, it has yet a farther office, namely, to keep us with him. For it is continually exciting all believers, the more they ſee of its height and depth and length and breadth, to exhort one another ſo much the more, "Cloſer and cloſer let us cleave To his belov'd embrace: Expect his fulneſs to receive, And grace to anſwer grace."

4. Allowing then that every believer has done with the law, as it means the Jewiſh ceremonial law, or the entire Moſaic diſpenſation (for theſe Chriſt hath taken out of the way) Yea, allowing we have done with the moral law, as a means of procuring our juſtification (for we are juſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus.) Yet in another ſenſe, we have not done with this law. For it is ſtill of unſpeakable uſe, Firſt, in convincing us of the ſin that yet remains both in our hearts and lives, and thereby keeping us cloſe to Chriſt, that his blood may cleanſe us every moment; Secondly, in deriving ſtrength from our head into his living members, whereby be empowers them to do what his law commands; and Thirdly, in confirming our hope of whatſoever it commands, and we have not yet attained, of receiving grace upon grace, till we are in actual poſſeſſion of the fulneſs of his promiſes.

5. How clearly does this agree with the experience of every true believer! While he cries out, O what love have I unto thy law! all the day long is my ſtudy in it: He ſees daily in that divine mirror, more and more of his own ſinfulneſs. He ſees more and more clearly, that he is ſtill a ſinner in all things; that neither his heart nor his ways are right before God. And that every moment ſends him to Chriſt. This ſhews him the meaning of what is written, Thou ſhalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, Holineſs to the Lord. And it ſhall be upon Aaron's forehead (the type of our great High Prieſt: that Aaron may bear the iniquities of the holy things, which the children of Iſrael ſhall hallow, in all their holy gifts: (ſo far are our prayers or holy things from atoning for the reſt of our ſins!) And it ſhall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord. Exodus xxviii. 36, 38.

6. To explain this by a ſingle inſtance. The law ſays, Thou ſhalt not kill, and hereby (as our Lord teaches) forbids not only outward acts, but every unkind word or thought. Now the more I look into this perfect law, the more I feel how far I come ſhort of it: And the more I feel this, the more I feel my need of his blood to atone for all my ſin: and of his ſpirit to purify my heart, and make me perfect and entire, lacking nothing.

7. Therefore I cannot ſpare the law one moment, no more than I can ſpare Chriſt: Se • ing I now want it as much, to keep me to Chriſt, as ever I wanted it to bring me to him. Otherwiſe, this evil heart of unbelief would immediately depart from the living God. Indeed each is continually ſending me to the other, the law to Chriſt, and Chriſt to the law. On the one hand, the height and depth of the law conſtrain me to fly to the love of God in Chriſt. On the other, the love of God in Chriſt, endears the law to me above gold or precious ſtones: Seeing I know every part of it is a gracious promiſe, which my Lord will fulfil in its ſeaſon.

8. Who art thou then, O man, that judgeſt the law, and ſpeakeſt evil of the law? That rankeſt it with ſin, Satan, and death, and ſendeſt them all to hell together! The apoſtle James eſteemed judging or ſpeaking evil of the law, ſo enormous a piece of wickedneſs, that he knew not how to aggravate the guilt of judging our brethren, more than by ſhewing it included this. So now, ſays he, thou art not a d •• r of the law, but a judge! A judge of that which God hath ordained to judge thee. So thou haſt ſet up thyſelf in the judgment ſeat of Chriſt, and caſt down the rule whereby he will judge the world! O take knowledge what advantage Satan hath gained over thee! And for the time to come never think or ſpeak lightly of, much leſs dreſs up as a ſcare-crow this bleſſed inſtrument of the grace of God. Yea, love and value it for the ſake of him from whom it came, and of him to whom it leads. Let it be thy glory and joy, next to the croſs of Chriſt. Declare its praiſe, and make it honourable before all men.

9. And if thou art throughly convinced, That it is the offspring of God, that it is the copy of all his i •• able perfections, and that it is holy and juſt and good, but eſpecially to them that believe: then inſtead of caſting it away as a polluted thing, ſee that thou cleave to it more and more. Never let the law of mercy and truth, of love to God and man, of lowlineſs, meekneſs and purity forſake thee. Bind it about thy neck: Write it on the table of thy heart. Keep cloſe to the law, if thou wilt keep cloſe to Chriſt: Hold it faſt: Let it not go. Let this continually lead thee to the atoning blood, continually confirm thy hope, till all the righteouſneſs of the law is fulfilled in thee, and thou art filled with all the fulneſs of God.

10. And if thy Lord hath already fulfilled his word, if he hath already written his law in thy heart, then ſtand faſt in the liberty, wherewith Chriſt hath made thee free. Thou art not only made free from Jewiſh ceremonies, from the guilt of ſin and the fear of hell: Theſe are ſo far from being the whole, that they are the leaſt and loweſt part, of Chriſtian liberty:) but what is infinitely more, from the power of ſin, from ſerving the devil, from offending God. O ſtand faſt in this liberty, in compariſon of which, all the reſt is not even worthy to be named. Stand faſt in loving God with all thy heart, and ſerving him with all thy ſtrength. This is perfect freedom; thus to keep his law, and to walk in all his commandments blameleſs. Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. I do not mean of Jewiſh bondage: Nor yet of bondage to the fear of hell: Theſe, I truſt, are far from thee. But beware of being entangled again with the yoke of ſin, of any inward or outward tranſgreſſion of the law. Abhor ſin far more than death or hell; abhor ſin itſelf, far more than the puniſhment of it. Beware of the bondage of pride, of deſire, of anger; of every evil temper or word or work. Look unto Jeſus, and in order thereto, look more and more into the perfect law, the law of liberty. And continue therein: So ſhalt thou daily grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

The LAW eſtabliſhed through FAITH. A SERMON ON ROM. iii. 31.

Do we then make void the Law through Faith? God forbid. Yea, we eſtabliſh the law.

1. SAINT Paul having in the beginning of this epiſtle, laid down his general propoſition, namely, That the goſpel of Chriſt is the power of God unto ſalvation, to every one that believeth: The powerful means, whereby God makes every believer a partaker of preſent and eternal ſalvation, goes on to ſhew, that there is no other way under heaven, whereby men can be ſaved. He ſpeaks particularly of ſalvation from the guilt of ſin, which he commonly terms juſtification. And that all men ſtood in need of this, that none could plead their own innocence, he proves at large by various arguments, addreſſed to the Jews as well as the heathens. Hence he infers (in the 19th verſe of this chapter) That every mouth, whether of Jew or heathen, muſt be ſtopt from excuſing or juſtifying himſelf, and all the world become guilty before God. Therefore, ſaith he, by his own obedience, by the works of the law, ſhall no fleſh be juſtified in his ſight, ver. 20. But now the righteouſneſs of God without the law, without our previous obedience thereto, is manifeſted, ver. 21. Even the righteouſneſs of God, which is by faith of Jeſus Chriſt, unto all and upon all that believe, ver. 22. For there is no difference, as to their need of juſtification, or the manner wherein they attain it. For all have ſinned, and come ſhort of the glory of God, (ver. 23.) the glorious image of God wherein they were created: And all (who attain) are juſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt: ver. 24. Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood— ver. 25. That he might be juſt, and yet the juſtifier of him which believeth in Jeſus; ver. 26. that without any impeachment to his juſtice, he might ſhew him mercy, for the ſake of that propitiation. Therefore we conclude (which was the grand poſition he had undertaken to eſtabliſh) That a man is juſtified by faith, without the works of the law. ver. 28.

2. It was eaſy to foreſee an objection which might be made, and which has in fact been made in all ages: namely, That to ſay we are juſtified without the works of the law, is to aboliſh the law. The apoſtle, without entering into a formal diſpute, ſimply denies the charge. Do we then, ſays he, make void the law through faith? God forbid! Yea, we eſtabliſh the law.

3. The ſtrange imagination of ſome, that St. Paul, when he ſays, A man is juſtified without the works of the law, means only the ceremonial law, is abundantly confuted by theſe very words. For did St. Paul eſtabliſh the ceremonial law? It is evident, he did not. He did make void that law through faith, and openly avowed his doing ſo. It was the moral law only of which he might truly ſay, We do not make void but eſtabliſh this through faith.

4. But all men are not herein of his mind. Many there are who will not agree to this. Many in all ages of the church, even among thoſe who bore the name of Chriſtians, have contended, That the faith once delivered to the ſaints, was deſigned to make void the whole law. They would no more ſpare the moral than the ceremonial law, but were for hewing, as it were, both in pieces before the Lord: Vehemently maintaining, "If you eſtabliſh any law, Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing: Chriſt is become of no effect to you: ye are fallen from grace.

5. But is the zeal of theſe men according to knowledge? Have they obſerved the correction between the law and faith? And that conſidering that cloſe connection between them, to deſtroy one is indeed to deſtroy both? That to aboliſh the moral law is in truth to aboliſh faith and the law together? As leaving no proper means, either of bringing us to faith, or of ſtirring up that gift of God in our ſoul.

6. It therefore behoves all who deſire either to come to Chriſt, or to walk in him whom they have received, to take heed how they make void the law through faith: To ſecure us effectually againſt which, let us enquire, Firſt, which are the moſt uſual ways of making void the law through faith, and Secondly, How we may follow the apoſtle, and by faith eſtabliſh the law.

I. 1. Let us, Firſt, enquire, Which are the moſt uſual ways of making void the law through faith. Now the way for a preacher to make it all void at a ſtroke, is, not to preach it at all. This is juſt the ſame thing, as to blot it out of the oracles of God. More eſpecially when it is done with deſign; when it is made a rule, "Not to preach the law:" And the very phraſe, "A preacher of the law," is uſed as a term of reproach, as though it meant little leſs than "an enemy to the goſpel."

2. All this proceeds from the deepeſt ignorance of the nature, properties, and uſe of the law: And proves that thoſe who act thus, either know not Chriſt, are utter ſtrangers to the living faith: or at leaſt, that they are but babes in Chriſt, and as ſuch unſkilled in the word of righteouſneſs.

3. Their grand plea is this: "That preaching the goſpel (that is, according to their judgment, the ſpeaking of nothing but the ſufferings and merits of Chriſt) anſwers all the ends of the law." But this we utterly deny. It does not anſwer the very firſt end of the law, namely, The convincing men of ſin, the awakening thoſe who are ſtill aſleep on the brink of hell. There may have been here and there an exempt caſe. One in a thouſand may have been awakened by the goſpel. But this is no general rule. The ordinary method of God, is to convict ſinners by the law, and that only. The goſpel is not the means which God hath ordained, or which our Lord himſelf uſed, for this end. We have no authority in ſcripture for applying it thus, nor any ground to think it will prove effectual. Nor have we any more ground to expect this, from the nature of the thing. They that be whole, as our Lord himſelf obſerves, need not a phyſician, but they that be ſick. It is abſurd therefore to offer a phyſician to them that are whole, or that at leaſt imagine themſelves ſo to be. You are firſt, to convince them, that they are ſick: otherwiſe they will not thank you for your labour. It is equally abſurd to offer Chriſt to them, whoſe heart is whole, having never yet been broken. It is in the proper ſenſe, caſting pearls before ſwine. Doubtleſs they will trample them under foot. And it is no more than you have reaſon to expect, if they alſo turn again and rend you.

4. "But although there is no command in ſcripture, to offer Chriſt to the careleſs ſinner, yet are there not ſcriptural precedents for it?" I think not: I know not any. I believe you cannot produce one, either from the four evangeliſts, or the Acts of the Apoſtles. Neither can you prove this to have been the practice of any of the apoſtles, from any paſſage in all their writings.

5. "Nay, does not the apoſtle Paul ſay, in his former epiſtle to the Corinthians, We preach Chriſt crucified? chap. i. ver. 23. And in his latter, We preach not ourſelves, but Chriſt Jeſus the Lord? chap. iv. ver. 5."

We conſent to reſt the cauſe on this iſſue: To tread in his ſteps, to follow his example. Only preach you, juſt as St. Paul preached, and the diſpute is at an end.

For although we are certain he preached Chriſt, in as perfect a manner as the very chief of the apoſtles, yet who preached the law more than St. Paul? Therefore he did not think the goſpel anſwered the ſame end.

6. The very firſt ſermon of St. Paul's, which is recorded, concludes in theſe words. By him all that believe are juſtified from all things, from which ye could not be juſtified by the law of Moſes. Beware, therefore, leſt that come upon you which is ſpoken of in the prophets, Behold, ye deſpiſers, and wonder and periſh. For I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no wiſe believe, though a man declare it unto you, Acts xiii. 39, &c. Now it is manifeſt, all this is preaching the law, in the ſenſe wherein you underſtand the term: Even although great part of, if not all his hearers, were either Jews or religious proſelytes, ver. 43. and therefore probably many of them, in ſome degree at leaſt, convinced of ſin already. He firſt reminds them, That they could not be juſtified by the law of Moſes, but only by faith in Chriſt: And then ſeverely threatens them with the judgments of God, which is in the ſtrongeſt ſenſe preaching the law.

7. In his next diſcourſe, that to the heathens at Lyſtra (chap. xiv. ver. 15, &c.) we do not find ſo much as the name of Chriſt. The whole purport of it is, that they ſhould tur • from thoſe vain idols, unto the living God. Now confeſs the truth. Do not you think, i • you had been there, you could have preached much better than he? I ſhould not wonder, if you thought too, that his preaching ſo ill, occaſioned his being ſo ill treated: And that his being ſtoned, was a juſt judgment upon him, for not preaching Chriſt!

8. To the jailor indeed, when he ſprang in and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and ſaid, Sirs, What muſt I do to be ſaved, he immediately ſaid, Believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt (chap. xvi. ver. 29, &c.) And in the caſe of one ſo deeply convinced of ſin, who would not have ſaid the ſame? But to the men of Athens you find him ſpeaking in a quite different manner, reproving their ſuperſtition, ignorance and idolatry; and ſtrongly moving them to repent, from the conſideration of a future judgment, and of the reſurrection from the dead (chap. xvii. ver. 24—31.) likewiſe when Felix ſent for Paul, on purpoſe that he might hear him concerning the faith in Chriſt; inſtead of preaching Chriſt in your ſenſe (which would probably have cauſed the governor either to mock, or to contradict and blaſpheme) he reaſoned of righteouſneſs, temperance and judgment to come, till Felix (hardened as he was) trembled. (chap. xxiv. ver. 24, 25.) Go thou and tread in his ſteps. Preach Chriſt to the careleſs ſinner, by reaſoning of righteouſneſs, temperance, and judgment to come!

9. If you ſay, "But he preached Chriſt in a different manner in his epiſtles:" I anſwer, he did not there preach at all: Not in that ſenſe wherein we ſpeak: For preaching in our preſent queſtion, means, ſpeaking before a congregation. But waving this, I anſwer, 2. His epiſtles are directed, not to unbelievers, ſuch as thoſe we are now ſpeaking of, but to the ſaints of God in Rome, Corinth, Philippi and other places. Now, unqueſtionably, he would ſpeak more of Chriſt to theſe, than to thoſe who were without God in the world. And yet, 3. Every one of theſe is full of the law, even the epiſtles to the Romans and the Galatians: In both of which he does what you term preaching the law, and that to believers as well as unbelievers.

10. From hence it is plain, you know not what it is, to preach Chriſt, in the ſenſe of the apoſtle. For doubtleſs St. Paul judged himſelf to be preaching Chriſt, both to Felix, and at Antioch, Lyſtra, and Athens. From whoſe example every thinking man muſt infer, that not only the declaring the love of Chriſt to ſinners, but alſo the declaring that he will come from heaven in flaming fire, is, in the apoſtle's ſenſe, preaching Chriſt: Yea, in the full ſcriptural meaning of the word, to preach Chriſt, is, to preach what he hath revealed, either in the old or new teſtament: So that you are then as really preaching Chriſt, when you are ſaying, The wicked ſhall be turned into hell, and all the people that forget God, as when you are ſaying, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the Sin of the world!

11. Conſider this well; That to preach Chriſt, is to preach all things that Chriſt hath ſpoken; all his promiſes, all his threatenings and commands; all that is written in his book. And then you will know how to preach Chriſt, without making void the law.

12. "But does not the greateſt bleſſing attend thoſe diſcourſes, werein we peculiarly preach the merits and ſufferings of Chriſt?"

Probably, when we preach to a congregation of mourners or of believers, theſe will be attended with the greateſt bleſſing: becauſe ſuch diſcourſes are peculiarly ſuited to their ſtate. At leaſt, theſe will uſually convey the moſt comfort. But this is not always the greateſt bleſſing. I may ſometimes receive a far greater, by a diſcourſe that cuts me to the heart and humbles me to the duſt. Neither ſhould I receive that comfort, if I were to preach or to hear no diſcourſes but on the ſufferings of Chriſt. Theſe by conſtant repetition would loſe their force and grow more and more flat and dead: Till at length they would become a dull round of words, without any ſpirit or life or virtue. So that thus to preach Chriſt, muſt in proceſs of time, make void the goſpel as well as the law.

II. 1. A ſecond way of making void the law thro' faith, is, the teaching that faith ſuperſedes the neceſſity of holineſs. This divides itſelf into a thouſand ſmaller paths: And many there are that walk therein. Indeed there are few that wholly eſcape it: Few who are convinced, we are ſaved by faith, but are ſooner or later, more or leſs, drawn aſide into this by-way.

2. All thoſe are drawn into this by way, who if it be not their ſettled judgment, that faith in Chriſt entirely ſets aſide the neceſſity of keeping his law, yet ſuppoſe either, 1. That holineſs is leſs neceſſary now than it was before Chriſt: or, 2. That a leſs degree of it is neceſſary; or, 3. That it is leſs neceſſary to believers than to others. Yea, and ſo are all thoſe, who altho' their judgment be right in the general, yet think they may take more liberty in particular caſes, then they could have done before they believed. Indeed the uſing the term liberty, in ſuch a manner, for "Liberty from obedience or holineſs," ſhews at once, that their judgment is perverted, and that they are guilty of what they imagined to be far from them, namely of making void the law thro' faith, by ſuppoſing faith to ſuperſede holineſs.

3. The firſt plea of thoſe who teach this expreſsly, is, that "we are now under the covenant of grace, not works: And therefore we are no longer under the neceſſity of performing the works of the law."

And who ever was under the covenant of works? none but Adam before the fall. He was fully and properly under that covenant, which required perfect, univerſal obedience, as the one condition of acceptance; and left no place for pardon, upon the very leaſt tranſgreſſion. But no man elſe was ever under this, neither Jew nor Gentile, neither before Chriſt nor ſince. All his ſons were and are under the covenant of grace; the manner of their acceptance is this: The free grace of God thro' the merits of Chriſt, gives pardon to them that believe, that believe with ſuch a faith as working by love produces all obedience and holineſs.

4. The caſe is not therefore as you ſuppoſe, that men were once more obliged to obey God, or to work the works of his law than they are now. This is a ſuppoſition you cannot make good. But, we ſhould have been obliged, if we had been under the covenant of works, to have done thoſe works antecedent to our acceptance. Whereas now all good works, tho' as neceſſary as ever, are not antecedent to our acceptance but conſequent upon it. Therefore the nature of the covenant of grace, gives you no ground no encouragement at all, to ſet aſide any inſtance or degeee of obedience, any part or meaſure of holineſs.

5. "But are we not juſtified by faith, without the works of the law?" Undoubtedly we are, without the works either of the ceremonial or the moral law. And would to God all men were convinced of this. It would prevent innumerable evils: Antinomianiſm, in particular; for generally ſpeaking, they are the phariſees who make the antinomians. Running into an extreme ſo palpably contrary to ſcripture, they occaſion others to run the oppoſite one. Theſe ſeeking to be juſtified by works, affright thoſe from allowing any place for them.

6. But the truth lies between both. We are doubtleſs juſtified by faith. This is the cornerſtone of the whole chriſtian building. We are juſtified without the works of the law, as any previous condition of juſtification. But they are an immediate fruit of that faith, wereby we are juſtified. So that if good works do not follow our faith, even all inward and outward holineſs, it is plain our faith is nothing worth: We are yet in our ſins. Therefore, that we are juſtified by faith, even by faith without works, is no ground for making void the law thro' faith: or for imagining that faith is a diſpenſation, from any kind or degree of holineſs.

7. "Nay, but does not St. Paul expreſsly ſay, Unto him that worketh not, but believeth on him that juſtifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteouſneſs? And does it not follow from hence, that faith is to a believer in the room, in the place of righteouſneſs? But if faith is in the room of righteouſneſs or holineſs, what need is there of this too?"

This, it muſt be acknowledged, comes home to the point, and is indeed the main pillar of antinomianiſm. And yet it needs not a long or laboured anſwer. We allow, 1. That God juſtifies the ungodly, him, that till that hour is totally ungodly, full of all evil, void of all good. 2. That he juſtifies the ungodly that worketh not, that till that moment worketh no good work; neither can he; for an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit. 3. That he juſtifies him by faith alone, without any goodneſs or righteouſneſs preceding; and, 4. That Faith is then counted to him for righteouſneſs, namely, for preceding righteouſneſs: i. e. God, thro' the merits of Chriſt, accepts him that believes, as if he had already fulfilled all righteouſneſs. But what is all this to your point? The apoſtle does not ſay, either here or elſewhere, that this faith is counted to him for ſubſequent righteouſneſs. He does teach, that there is no righteouſneſs before faith. But where does he teach, that there is none after it? He does aſſert, holineſs cannot precede juſtification: but not, that it need not follow it. St. Paul therefore gives you no colour for making void the law, by teaching that faith ſuperſedes the neceſſity of holineſs.

III. 1. There is yet another way of making void the law thro' faith, which is more common than either of the former. And that is, the doing it practically: The making it void in fact, tho' not in Principle: The living, as if faith was deſigned to excuſe us from holineſs.

How earneſtly does the apoſtle guard us againſt this, in thoſe well known words: What then? Shall we ſin, becauſe we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid! Rom. vi. 15. A caution which it is needful throughly to conſider, becauſe it is of the laſt importance.

2. The being under the law may here mean, 1. The being obliged to obſerve the ceremonial law. 2. The being obliged to conform to the whole Moſaic inſtitution. 3. The being obliged to keep the whole moral law, as the condition of our acceptance with God: and, 4. The being under the wrath and curſe of God, under ſentence of eternal death; under a ſenſe of guilt and condemnation, full of horror and ſlaviſh fear.

3. Now altho'a believer is not without law to GOD, but under the law to Chriſt, yet from the moment he believes, he is not under the law, in any of the preceding ſenſes. On the contrary, he is under grace, under a more benign, gracious diſpenſation. As he is no longer under the ceremonial law, nor under the Moſaic inſtitution; as he is not obliged to keep even the moral law, as the condition of his acceptance: So he is delivered from the wrath and the curſe of GOD, from al • ſenſe of guilt and condemnation, and from all that horror and fear of death and hell, whereby he was all his life before ſubject to bondage. And he now performs (which while under the law. he could not do) a willing and univerſal obedience. He obeys not from the motive of ſlaviſh fear, but on a nobler principle, namely, the grace of God ruling in his heart, and cauſing all his works to be wrought in love.

4. What then? Shall this evangelical principle of action, be leſs powerful than the legal? Shall we be leſs obedient to GOD, from filial love, than we were from ſervile fear?

'It is well, if this is not a common caſe; if this practical antinomianiſm, this unobſerved way of making void the law thro' faith, has not infected thouſands of believers.

Has it not infected you? Examine yourſelf honeſtly and cloſely. Do you not do now, what you durſt not have done when you was under the law, or (as we commonly call it) under conviction? For inſtance. You durſt not then indulge yourſelf in food. You took juſt what was needful, and that of the cheapeſt kind. Do you not allow yourſelf more latitude now? Do you not indulge yourſelf a little more than you did? O beware, leſt you ſin, becauſe you are not under the law but under grace.

5. When you was under conviction, you durſt not indulge the luſt of the eye in any degree. You would not do any thing, great or ſmall, merely to gratify your curioſity. You regarded only cleanlineſs and neceſſity, or at moſt very moderate convenience, either in furniture or apparel; Superfluity and finery of whatever kind, as well as faſhionable elegance, were both a terror and an abomination to you.

Are they ſo ſtill? Is your conſcience as tender now in theſe things, as it was then? Do you ſtill follow the ſame rule both in furniture and apparel, trampling all finery, all ſuperfluity, every thing uſeleſs, every thing merely ornamental, however faſhionable, under foot? Rather, have you not reſumed what you had once laid aſide, and what you could not then uſe without wounding your conſcience? And have you not learned to ſay, "O, I am not ſo ſcrupulous now." I would to God you were! Then you would not ſin thus, becauſe you are not under the law but under grace.

6. You was once ſcrupulous too of commending any to their face, and ſtill more, of ſuffering any to commend you. It was a ſtab to your heart: You could not bear it: You ſought the honour that cometh of God only. You could not endure ſuch converſation: nor any converſation, which was not good, to the uſe of edifying. All idle talk, all trifling diſcourſe you abhorred, you hated as well as feared it, being deeply ſenſible of the value of time, of every precious, fleeting moment. In like manner, you dreaded and abhorred idle expence; valuing your money only leſs than your time, and trembling leſt you ſhould be found an unfaithful ſteward even of the mammon of unrighteouſneſs.

Do you now look upon praiſe as deadly poiſon, which you can neither give nor receive but at the peril of your ſoul? Do you ſtill dread and abhor all converſation, which does not tend to the uſe of edifying; and labour to improve every moment, that it may not paſs without leaving you better than it found you? Are not you leſs careful as to the expence both of money and time? Cannot you now lay out either, as you could not have done once? Alas! How has that which ſhould have been for your health, proved to you an occaſion of falling? How have you ſinned, becauſe you was not under the law, but under grace!

7. God forbid you ſhould any longer continue thus to turn the grace of God into laſciviouſneſs! O remember, how clear and ſtrong a conviction you once had, concerning all theſe things. And at the ſame time you was fully ſatisfied, from whom that conviction came. The world told you, you was in in a deluſion: But you knew, it was the voice of God. In theſe things you was not too ſcrupulous then; but you are not now ſcrupulous enough. God kept you longer in that painful ſchool, that you might learn thoſe great leſſons the more perfectly. And have you forgot them already? O recollect them, before it is too late. Have you ſuffered ſo many things in vain? I truſt, it is not yet in vain. Now uſe the conviction without the pain: Practiſe the leſſon without the rod. Let not the mercy of God weigh leſs with you now, than his fiery indignation did before. Is love a leſs powerful motive than fear? If not, let it be an invariable rule "I will do nothing now I am under grace, which I durſt not have done when under the law."

8. I cannot conclude this head, without exhorting you to examine yourſelf likewiſe touching ſins of omiſſion. Are you as clear of theſe, now you are under grace, as you was when under the law? How diligent was you when in hearing the word of God? Did you neglect any opportunity? Did you not attend thereon day and night? Would a ſmall hinderance have kept you away? A little buſineſs? A viſitant? A ſlight indiſpoſition? A ſoft bed? A dark or cold morning?—Did not you then faſt often? Or uſe abſtinence to the uttermoſt of your power? Was not you much in prayer, (cold and heavy as you was) while you was hanging over the mouth of hell? Did you not ſpeak and not ſpare, even for an unknown God? Did you not boldly plead his cauſe? Reprove ſinners? And avow the truth, before an adulterous generation?—And are you now a believer in Chriſt? Have you the faith that overcometh the world? What! and are you leſs zealous for your maſter now, than you was when you knew him not? Leſs diligent in faſting, in prayer, in hearing his word, in calling ſinners to God? O repent. See and feel your grievous loſs! Remember from whence you are fallen! Bewail your unfaithfulneſs! Now be zealous and do the firſt works; leſt if you continue to make void the law through faith, God cut you off, and appoint you your portion with the unbelievers!

The LAW eſtabliſhed through FAITH. A SERMON ON ROM. iii. 31.

Do we then make void the Law through Faith? God forbid. Yea, we eſtabliſh the Law.

1. IT has been ſhewn in the preceding diſcourſe, which are the moſt uſual ways of making void the law through faith: Namely, Firſt, The not preaching it at all, which effectually makes it all void at a ſtroke: And this under colour of preaching Chriſt and magnifying the goſpel, though it be in truth, deſtroying both the one and the other: Secondly, the teaching (whether directly or indirectly) that faith ſuperſedes the neceſſity of holineſs: That this is leſs neceſſary now, or a leſs degree of it neceſſary, than before Chriſt came: That it is leſs neceſſary to us, becauſe we believe, than otherwiſe it would have been: Or, that Chriſtian liberty is a liberty from any kind or degree of holineſs: (So perverting thoſe great truths, that we are now under the covenant of grace and not of works:) That a man is juſtified by faith, without the works of the law; and that to him that worketh not but believeth, his faith is counted for righteouſneſs: Or, Thirdly, The doing this practically; the making void the law in practice, though not in principle: The living or acting, as if faith was deſigned to excuſe us from holineſs: The allowing ourſelves in ſin, becauſe we are not under the law, but under grace. It remains to enquire, how we may follow a better pattern, how we may be able to ſay with the apoſtle, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid! Yea, we eſtabliſh the law.

2. We do not indeed eſtabliſh the old ceremonial law: We know that is aboliſhed for ever. Much leſs do we eſtabliſh the whole Moſaic diſpenſation. This, we know, our Lord has nailed to his croſs. Nor yet do we ſo eſtabliſh the moral law (which it is to be feared, too many do) as if the fulfilling it, the keeping all the commandments, were the condition of our juſtification. If it were ſo, ſurely in his ſight, ſhould no man living be juſtified But all this being allowed, we ſtill in the apoſtle's ſenſe, eſtabliſh the law, the moral law.

I. 1. We eſtabliſh the law, Firſt, By our doctrine: by endeavouring to preach it in its whole extent, to explain and enforce every part of it, in the ſame manner as our great teacher did, while upon earth. We eſtabliſh it, by following St. Peter's advice, If any man ſpeak, let him ſpeak as the oracles of God; as the holy men of old moved by the Holy Ghoſt, ſpoke and wrote for our inſtruction, and as the apoſtles of our bleſſed Lord, by the direction of the ſame Spirit. We eſtabliſh it whenever we ſpeak in his name, by keeping back nothing from them that hear; by declaring to them, without any limitation or reſerve, the whole counſel of God. And in order the more effectually to eſtabliſh it, we uſe herein great plainneſs of ſpeech. We are not as many that corrupt the word of God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as artful men their bad wines, we do not cauponize, mix, adulterate, or ſoften it, to make it ſuit the taſte of the hearers. But as of ſincerity, but as of God in the ſight of God, ſpeak we in Chriſt: As having no other aim, than by manifeſtation of the truth, to commend ourſelves to every man's conſcience in the ſight of God.

2. We then by our doctrine eſtabliſh the law, when we thus openly declare it to all men: And that, in the fulneſs wherein it is delivered by our bleſſed Lord and his apoſtles: When we publiſh it in the height and depth and length and breadth thereof. We then eſtabliſh the law, when we declare every part of it, every commandment contained therein, not only in its full literal ſenſe, but likewiſe in its ſpiritual meaning: Not only with regard to the outward actions, which it either forbids or enjoins: But alſo with reſpect to the inward principle, to the thoughts, deſires and intents of the heart.

3. And indeed this we do the more diligently, not only becauſe it is of the deepeſt importance; inaſmuch as all the fruit, every word and work, muſt be only evil continually, if the tree be evil, if the diſpoſitions and tempers of the heart, be not right before God: But likewiſe, becauſe as important as theſe things are, they are little conſidered or underſtood. So little, that we may truly ſay of the law too, when taken in its full ſpiritual meaning, It is a myſtery which was hid from ages and generations ſ • ire the world began. It was utterly hid from the heathen world. They, with all their boaſted wiſdom, neither found out God, nor the law of God, not in the letter, much leſs in the ſpirit of it. Their fooliſh hearts were more and more darkened, while profeſſing themſelves wiſe, they became fools. And it was almoſt equally hid as to its ſpiritual meaning, from the bulk of the Jewiſh nation. Even theſe who were ſo ready to declare concerning others, this people that know not the law, is accurſed, pronounced their own ſentence therein, as being under the ſame curſe, the ſame dreadful ignorance. Witneſs our Lord's continual reproof of the wiſeſt among them, for their groſs miſinterpretations of it. Witneſs the ſuppoſition almoſt univerſally received among them, that they needed only to make clean the outſide of the cup: that the paying tythe of mint, aniſe, and cummin, outward exactneſs would atone for inward unholineſs; for the total neglect both of juſtice and mercy, of faith and the love of God. Yea, ſo abſolutely was the ſpiritual meaning of the law hidden from the wiſeſt of them, that one of their moſt eminent Rabbi's comments thus, on thoſe words of the pſalmiſt, If I incline unto iniquity with my heart, the Lord will not hear me: That is, ſaith he, if it be only in my heart, if I do not commit outward wickedneſs, the Lord will not regard it; he will not puniſh me, unleſs I proceed to the outward act!

4. But alas! The law of God, as to its inward ſpiritual meaning, is not hid from the Jews or heathens only, but even from what is called the chriſtian world; at leaſt, from a vaſt majority of them. The ſpiritual ſenſe of the commandments of God, is ſtill a myſtery to theſe alſo. Nor is this obſervable only in thoſe lands, which are overſpread with Romiſh darkneſs and ignorance. But this is too ſure, that the far greater part, even of thoſe, who are called reformed Chriſtians, are utter ſtrangers at this day to the law of Chriſt, in the purity and ſpirituality of it.

5. Hence it is that to this day the ſcribes and phariſees, the men who have the form but not the power of religion, and who are generally wiſe in their own eyes, and righteous in their own conceits; hearing theſe things are offended: Are deeply offended, when we ſpeak of the religion of the heart, and particularly when we ſhew, that without this, were we to give all our goods to feed the poor, it would profit us nothing. But offended they muſt be: For we cannot but ſpeak the truth as it is in Jeſus. It is our pa •• whether they will hear or whether they will fo • bear, to deliver our own ſoul. All that is written in the book of God we are to declare, not as pleaſing men, but the Lord. We are to declare not only all the promiſes, but all the threatnings too which we find therein. At the ſame time that we proclaim all the bleſſings and privileges, which God had prepared for his children, we are likewiſe to teach all the things, whatſoever he hath commanded. And we know, that all theſe have their uſe: either for the awakening thoſe that ſleep, the inſtructing the ignorant, the comforting the feeble-minded, or the building up and perfecting of the ſaints. We know that all ſcripture, given by inſpiration of God, is profitable either for doctrine or for reproof, either for correction or for inſtruction in righteouſneſs: And that the man of God, in the proceſs of the work of God in his ſoul, has need of every part thereof, that he may at length, be perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good works.

6. It is our part, thus to preach Chriſt, by preaching all things whatſoever he hath revealed. We may indeed without blame, yea, and with a peculiar bleſſing from God, declare the love of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. We may ſpeak, i • a more eſpecial manner, of the Lord our righteouſneſs. We may expatiate upon the grace of God in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelf. We may, at proper opportunities, dwell upon his praiſe, as bearing, the iniqu • i • s of us all, as wounded for our tranſgreſſions and bruiſed for our iniquities, that by his ſtripes we might be healed. But ſtill we ſhould not preach Chriſt, according to his word, if we were wholly to confine ourſelves to this. We are not ourſelves clear before God, unleſs we proclaim him in all his offices. To preach Chriſt, as a workman that needeth not to be aſhamed, is to preach him not only as our great high-prieſt, taken from among men, and ordained for men, in things pertaining to God; as ſuch, reconciling us to God by his blood, and ever living to make interceſſion for us: but likewiſe as the prophet of the Lord, who of God is made unto us wiſdom. Who by his word, and his ſpirit, is with us always, guiding us into all truth: Yea, and as remaining a king for ever; as giving laws to all whom he has bough with his blood: As reſtoring thoſe to the image of God, whom he had firſt re-inſtated in his favour: As reigning in all believing hearts, until he has ſubdued all things to himſelf; until he hath utterly caſt out all ſin, and brought in everlaſting righteouſneſs.

II. 1. We eſtabliſh the law, ſecondly, when we ſo preach faith in Chriſt, as not to ſuperſede, but produce holineſs: to produce all manner of holineſs, negative and poſitive, of the heart and of the life.

In order to this, we continually declare (what ſhould be frequently and deeply conſidered, by all who would not make void the law thro' faith) that faith itſelf, even chriſtian faith, the faith of God's elect, the faith of the operation of God, ſtill is only the handmaid of love. As glorious and honourable as it is, it is not the end of the commandment. God hath given this honour to love alone: love is the end of all the commandments of God. Love is the end, the ſole end of every diſpenſation of God, from the beginning of the world, to the conſummation of all things. And it will endure when heaven and earth flee away; for love alone never faileth. Faith will totally fail: It will be ſwallowed up in ſight, in the everlaſting viſion of God. But even then love "Its nature and its office ſtill the ſame, Laſting its lamp and unconſum'd its flame, In deathleſs triumph ſhall for ever live, And endleſs good diffuſe, and endleſs prai •• receive."

2. Very excellent things are ſpoken of faith, and whoſoever is a partaker thereof, may well ſay with the apoſtle, thanks be to God, for his unſpeakable gift. Yet ſtill it loſes all its excellence, when brought into a compariſon with love. What St. Paul obſerves concerning the ſuperior glory of the goſpel, above that of the law, may with great propriety be ſpoken of the ſuperior glory of love, above that of faith. Even that which was made glorious, hath no glory in this reſpect, by reaſon of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away is glorious, much more doth that which remaineth exceed in glory. Yea, all the glory of faith before it is done away, ariſes hence, that it miniſters to love. It is the great temporary means which God has ordained to promote that eternal end.

3. Let thoſe who magnify faith beyond all proportion, ſo as to ſwallow up all things elſe, and who ſo totally miſapprehend the nature of it, as to imagine it ſtands in the place of love, conſider farther, that as love will exiſt after faith, ſo it did exiſt long before it. The angels, who from the moment of their creation, beheld the face of their father that is in heaven, had no occaſion for faith, in its general notion, as it is the evidence of things not ſeen. Neither had they need of faith, in its more particular acceptation, faith in the blood of Jeſus: for he took not upon him the nature of angels; but only the ſeed of Abraham. There was therefore no place before the foundation of the world, for • aith either in the general or particular ſenſe. But there was for love. Love exiſted from eternity, in God, the great ocean of love. Love had a place in all the children of God, from the moment of their creation. They received at once from their gracious Creator, to exiſt, and to love.

4. Nor is it certain (as ingeniouſly and plauſibly as many have deſcanted upon this) That faith, even in the general ſenſe of the word, had any place in paradiſe. It is highly probable, from that ſhort and uncircumſtantial account which we have in holy writ, that Adam before he rebelled againſt God, walked with him by ſight and not by faith. "For then his reaſon's eye was ſtrong and clear, And as an eagle can behold the ſun, Might have beheld his Maker's face as near, As th'intellectual angels could have done." He was then able to talk with him face to face, whoſe face we cannot now ſee and live. And conſequently had no need of that faith, whoſe office it is, to ſupply the want of ſight.

5. On the other hand, it is abſolutely certain, faith in its particular ſenſe had then no place. For in that ſenſe it neceſſarily preſuppoſes ſin, and the wrath of God declared againſt the ſinner: without which there is no need of an atonement for ſin, in order to the ſinner's reconciliation with God. Conſequently, as there was no need of an atonement before the fall, ſo there was no place for faith in that atonement • man being then pure from every ſtain of ſin, holy as God is holy. But love even then filled his heart. It reigned in him without a rival. And it was only when love was loſt by ſin, that faith was added, not for its own ſake, nor with any deſign, that it ſhould exiſt any longer, than until it had anſwered the end for which it was ordained, namely, to reſtore man, to the love from which he was fa • ten. At the fall therefore was added this evidence of things unſeen, which before was utterly needleſs: this confidence in redeeming love, which could not poſſibly have any place, till the promiſe was made, that the ſeed of the woman ſhould bruiſe the ſerpent's head.

6. Faith then was originally deſigned of God, to re-eſtabliſh the law of love. Therefore in ſpeaking thus, we are not undervaluing it, or robbing it of its due praiſe: but on the contrary ſhewing its real worth, exalting it in its juſt proportion, and giving it that very place which the wiſdom of God aſſigned it from the beginning. It is the grand means of reſtoring that holy love, wherein man was originally created. It follows, that altho' faith is of no value in itſelf (as neither is any other means whatſoever) yet as it leads to that end, the eſtabliſhing anew the law of love in our hearts, and as, in the preſent ſtate of things, it is the only means under heaven for effecting it: It is, on that account, an unſpeakable bleſſing to man, and of unſpeakable value before God.

III. 1. And this naturally brings us to obſerve, Thirdly, the moſt important way of eſtabliſhing the law: namely, the eſtabliſhing it in our own hearts and lives. Indeed without this, what would all the reſt avail? we might eſtabliſh it by our doctrine; we might preach it in its whole extent, might explain and inforce every part of it. We might open it in its moſt ſpiritual meaning, and declare the myſteries of the kingdom; we might preach Chriſt in all his offices, and faith in Chriſt, as opening all the treaſures of his love. And yet all this time, if the law we preached, were not eſtabliſhed in our hearts, we ſhould be of no more account before God, than ſounding braſs or tinkling cymbals. All our preaching would be ſo far from profiting ourſelves, that it would only increaſe our damnation.

2. This is therefore the main point to be conſidered, how may we eſtabliſh the law in our own hearts, ſo that it may have its full influence on our lives? and this can only be done by faith.

Faith alone it is, which effectually anſwers this end, as we learn from daily experience. For ſo long as we walk by faith, not by ſight, we go ſwiftly on in the way of holineſs. While we ſteadily look, not at the things which are ſeen, but at thoſe which are not ſeen, we are more and more crucified to the world, and the world crucified to us. Let but the eye of the ſoul be conſtantly fixed, not on the things which are temporal, but on thoſe which are eternal, and our affections are more and more looſened from earth, and fixed on things above. So that faith in general is the moſt direct and effectual mean • of promoting all righteouſneſs and true holineſs: of eſtabliſhing the holy and ſpiritual law, in the hearts of them that believe.

3. And by faith, taken in its more particular meaning, for a confidence in a pardoning God, 〈◊〉 eſtabliſh his law in our own hearts, in a ſtill more effectual manner. For there is no motive which ſo powerfully inclines us to love God, as the ſenſe of the love of God in Chriſt. Nothing enables us like a piercing conviction of this, to give our hearts to him who was given for us. And from this principle of grateful love to God, ariſes love to our brother alſo. Neither can we avoid loving our neighbour, if we truly believe the love wherewith God hath loved us. Now this love to man grounded on faith and love to God, worketh no ill to our neighbour. Conſequently, it is (as the apoſtle obſerves) the fulfilling of the whole negative law. For this, thou ſhalt not commit adultery, thou ſhalt not kill, thou ſhalt not ſteal, thou ſhalt not bear falſe witneſs, thou ſhalt not covet: and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this ſaying, thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thyſelf. Neither is love content with barely working no evil to our neighbour. It continually incites us to do good: as we have time, and opportunity, to do good in every poſſible kind and in every poſſible degree to all men. It is therefore the fulfilling of the poſitive likewiſe, as well as of the negative law of God.

4. Nor does faith fulfil either the negative or poſitive law, as to the external part only: but it works inwardly by love, to the purifying of the heart, the cleanſing it from all vile affections. Every one that hath this faith in himſelf, purifieth himſelf even as he is pure: Purifieth himſelf from every earthly, ſenſual deſire, from all vile and inordinate affections: yea, from the whole of that carnal mind, which is enmity againſt God. At the ſame time, if it have its perfect work, it fills him with all goodneſs, righteouſneſs and truth. It brings all heaven into his ſoul, and cauſes him to walk in the light even as God is in the light.

5. Let us thus endeavour to eſtabliſh the law in ourſelves: not ſinning, becauſe we are under Grace, but rather uſing all the power we receive thereby, to fulfil all righteouſneſs. Calling to mind, what light we received from God, while his ſpirit was convincing us of ſin, let us beware we do not put out that light: what we had then attained let us hold faſt. Let nothing induce us to build again what we have deſtroyed; to reſume any thing, ſmall or great, which we then clearly ſaw was not for the Glory of God, or the profit of our own ſoul: or to neglect any thing, ſmall or great, which we could not then neglect, without a check from our own conſcience. To increaſe and perfect the light which we had before, let us now add the light of faith. Confirm we the former gift of God, by a deeper ſenſe of whatever he had then ſhewn us: by a greater tenderneſs of conſcience, and a more exquiſite ſenſibility of ſin. Walking now with joy and not with fear, in a clear, ſteady ſight of things eternal, we ſhall look on pleaſure, wealth, praiſe, all the things of earth, as on bubbles upon the water: counting nothing important, nothing deſirable, 〈◊〉 thing worth a deliberate thought, but only what is within the veil, where Jeſus ſitteth at the right hand of God.

6. Can you ſay, Thou art merciful to my unrighteouſneſs: my ſins thou remembereſt no more? Then for the time to come, ſee that you fly from ſin, as from the face of a ſerpent. For how exceeding ſinful does it appear to you now? How heinous above all expreſſion? On the other hand, in how amiable a light do you now ſee the holy and perfect will of God? Now therefore labour that it may be fulfilled, both in you, by you, and upon you. Now watch and pray that you may ſin no more, that you may ſee and ſhun the leaſt tranſgreſſion of his law. You ſee the motes which you could not ſee before, as when the ſun ſhines into a dark place. In like manner you ſee the ſins which you could not ſee before, now the ſun of righteouſneſs ſhines in your heart. Now then do all diligence to walk in every reſpect, according to the light you have received. Now be zealous to receive more light daily, more of the knowledge and love of God, more of the ſpirit of Chriſt, more of his life, and of the power of his reſurrection. Now uſe all the knowledge, and love, and life, and power you have already attained. So ſhall you continually go on from faith to faith. So ſhall you daily increaſe in holy love, till faith is ſwallowed up in ſight, and the law of love is eſtabliſhed to all eternity.

The Nature of Enthuſiaſm. A SERMON ON ACTS. xxvi. 24.

And Feſtus ſaid with a loud Voice, Paul, Thou art beſide thyſelf.

1. AND ſo ſay all the world, the men who know not God, of all that are of Paul's religion; of every one who is ſo a follower of him, as he was of Chriſt. It is true, there is a ſort of religion, nay and it is called chriſtianity too, which may be practiſed without any ſuch imputations, which is generally allowed to be conſiſtent with common ſenſe. That is, a religion of form, a round of outward duties, performed in a decent, regular manner. You may add orthodoxy thereto, a ſyſtem of right opinions, yea, and ſome quantity of heathen morality. And yet not many will pronounce, that much religion hath made you mad. But if you aim at the religion of the heart, if you talk of righteouſneſs and peace and joy in the Holy Ghoſt, then it will not be long before your ſentence is paſt, Thou art beſide thyſelf.

2. And it is no compliment which the men of the world • ay you herein. They, for once, mean what they ſay. They not only affirm, but cordially believe, that every man is beſide himſelf, who ſays, the love of God is ſhed abroad in his heart, by the Holy Ghoſt given unto him, and that God has enabled him to rejoice in Chriſt, with joy unſpeakable and full of glory. If a man is indeed alive to God, and dead to all things here below; if he continually ſees him that is inviſible, and accordingly walks by faith and not by ſight: then they account it a clear caſe; beyond all diſpute, much religion hath made him mad.

3. It is eaſy to obſerve, that the determinate thing which the world accounts madneſs, is that utter contempt of all temporal things, and ſteady purſuit of things eternal; that divine conviction of things not ſeen; that rejoicing in the favour of God; that happy, holy love of God; and that teſtimony of his ſpirit with our ſpirit, that we are the children of God. That is, in truth, the whole ſpirit and life and power of the religion of Jeſus Chriſt.

4. They will however allow, in other reſpects, the man acts and talks like one in his ſenſes. In other things, he is a reaſonable man: 'tis in theſe inſtances only his head is touched. It is therefore acknowledged, that the madneſs under which he labours, is of a particular kind. And accordingly they are accuſtomed to diſtinguiſh it by a particular name, ENTHUSIASM.

5. A term this, which is exceeding frequently uſed, which is ſcarce ever out of ſome men's mouths. And yet it is exceeding rarely underſtood, even by thoſe who uſe it moſt. It may be therefore not unacceptable to ſerious men, to all who deſire to underſtand what they ſpeak or hear, if I endeavour to explain the meaning of this term, to ſhew what enthuſiaſm is. It may be an encouragement to thoſe who are unjuſtly charged therewith: and may poſſibly be of uſe to ſome who are juſtly charged with it, at leaſt to others, who might be ſo, were they not cautioned againſt it.

6. As to the word itſelf, it is generally allowed to be of Greek extraction. But whence the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is derived, none has yet been able to ſhew. Some have endeavoured to derive it from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in God, becauſe all enthuſiaſm has reference to him. But this is quite forced; there being ſmall reſemblance between the word derived, and thoſe they ſtrive to derive it from. Others would derive it from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in ſacrifice, becauſe many of the enthuſiaſts of old, were affected in the moſt violent manner, during the time of ſacrifice. Perhaps it is a fictitious word, invented from the noiſe, which ſome of thoſe made who were ſo affected.

7. It is not improbable, that one reaſon why this uncouth word has been retained in ſo many Languages, was becauſe men were no better agreed, concerning the meaning than concerning the derivation of it. They therefore adopted the Greek word, becauſe they did not underſtand it: they did not tranſlate it into their own tongues, becauſe they knew not how to tranſlate it: it having been always a word of a looſe, uncertain ſenſe, to which no determinate meaning was affixed.

8. It is not therefore at all ſurpriſing, that it is ſo variouſly taken at this day: different perſons underſtanding it in different ſenſes, quite inconſiſtent with each other. Some take it in a good ſenſe, for a divine impulſe or impreſſion, ſuperior to all the natural faculties, and ſuſpending for the time, either in whole or in part, both the reaſon and the outward ſenſes. In this meaning of the word, both the prophets of old, and the apoſtles were proper enthuſiaſts: being at divers times ſo filled with the ſpirit, and ſo influenced by him who dwelt in their hearts, that the exerciſe of their own reaſon, their ſenſes, and all their natural faculties being ſuſpended, they were wholly actuated by the power of God, and ſpake only as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt

9. Others take the word in an indifferent ſenſe, ſuch as is neither morally good nor evil. Thus they ſpeak of the enthuſiaſm of the poets; of Homer and Virgil in particular. And this a late eminent writer extends ſo far as to aſſert, there is no man excellent in his profeſſion, what ſoever it be, who has not in his temper a ſtrong tincture of enthuſiaſm. By enthuſiaſm theſe appear to underſtand, an uncommon vigor of thought, a peculiar fervor of ſpirit, a vivacity and ſtrength not to be found in common men: elevating the ſoul to greater and higher things, than cool reaſon could have attained.

10. But neither of theſe is the ſenſe wherein the word enthuſiaſm is moſt uſually underſtood. The generality of men, if no farther agreed, at leaſt agree thus far concerning it, that it is ſomething evil: and this is plainly the ſentiment of all thoſe, who call the religion of the heart, enthuſiaſm. Accordingly I ſhall take it in the following pages, as an evil; a misfortune, if not a fault.

11. As to the nature of enthuſiaſm, it is undoubtedly a diſorder of the mind; and ſuch a diſorder, as greatly hinders the exerciſe of reaſon. Nay, ſometimes, it wholly ſets it aſide: it not only dims, but ſhuts the eyes of the underſtanding. It may therefore well be accounted a ſpecies of madneſs; of madneſs rather than of folly: ſeeing a fool is properly one who draws wrong concluſions from right premiſes: whereas a madman draws right concluſions, but from wrong premiſes. And ſo does an enthuſiaſt. Suppoſe his premiſes true, and his concluſions would neceſſarily follow. But here lies his miſtake, his premiſes are falſe. He imagines himſelf to be what he is not. And therefore ſetting out wrong, the farther he goes, the more he wanders out of the way.

12. Every enthuſiaſt then is properly a madman. Yet his is not an ordinary, but a religious madneſs. By religious, I do not mean, that it is any part of religion. Quite the reverſe: Religion is, the ſpirit of a ſound mind, and conſequently ſtands in direct oppoſition to madneſs of every kind. But I mean, it has religion for its object; it is converſant about religion. And ſo the enthuſiaſt is generally talking of religion, of God or of the things of God; but talking in ſuch a manner that every reaſonable chriſtian may diſcern the diſorder of his mind. enthuſiaſm in general may then be deſcribed in ſome ſuch manner as this: a religious madneſs ariſing from ſome falſely imagined influence or inſpiration of God: at leaſt, from imputing ſomething to God which ought not to be imputed to him, or expecting ſomething from God which ought not to be expected from him.

13. There are innumerable ſorts of enthuſiaſm. Thoſe which are moſt common and for that reaſon moſt dangerous, I ſhall endeavour to reduce under a few general heads, that they may be more eaſily underſtood and avoided.

The firſt ſort of enthuſiaſm which I ſhall mention, is that of thoſe who imagine they have the grace which they have not. Thus ſome imagine, when it is not ſo, that they have redemption thro' Chriſt, even the forgiveneſs of ſin. Theſe are uſually ſuch as have no root in themſelves; no deep repentance, or thorough conviction. Therefore they receive the word with joy. And becauſe they have no deepneſs of earth, no deep work in their heart, therefore the ſeed immediately ſprings up. There is immediately a ſuperficial change, which together with that light joy, ſtriking in with the pride of their unbroken heart, and with their inerdinate ſelf-love, eaſily perſuades them, they have already taſted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.

14. This is properly an inſtance of the firſt ſort of enthuſiaſm: It is a kind of madneſs, ariſing from the imagination, that they have that grace which in truth they have not: So that they only deceive their own ſouls. Madneſs it may juſtly be termed: For the reaſonings of theſe poor men are right, were their premiſes good: But as thoſe are a mere creature of their own imagination, ſo all that is built on them falls to the ground. The foundation of all their reveries is this: 〈…〉 themſelves to have faith in Chriſt 〈…〉 had this, they would be Kings and Prieſts to God, poſſeſt of a kingdom which cannot be moved. But they have it not. Conſequently, all their following behaviour, is as wide of truth and ſoberneſs, as that of the ordinary madman, who fancying himſelf an earthly king, ſpeaks and acts in that character.

15. There are many other enthuſiaſts of this ſort. Such, for inſtance, is the fiery zealot for religion; or (more probably) for the opinions and modes of worſhip, which he dignifies with that name. This man alſo ſtrongly imagines himſelf to be a believer in Jeſus, yea, that he is a champion for the faith, which was once delivered to the ſaints. Accordingly all his conduct is formed, upon that vain imagination. And allowing his ſuppoſition to be juſt, he would have ſome tolerable plea for his behaviour: Whereas now it is evidently the effect of a diſtempered brain as well as a diſtempered heart.

16. But the moſt common of all the enthuſiaſts of this kind, are thoſe who imagine themſelves Chriſtians, and are not. Theſe abound not only in all parts of our land, but in moſt parts of the habitable earth. That they are not Chriſtians is clear and undeniable, if we believe the oracles of God. For Chriſtians are holy; theſe are unholy: Chriſtians love God; theſe love the world. Chriſtians are humble; theſe are proud: Chriſtians are gentle; theſe are paſſionate. Chriſtians have the mind which was in Chriſt; theſe are at the utmoſt diſtance from it. Conſequently they are no more Chriſtians, than they are Archangels. Yet they imagine themſelves ſo to be; and they can give ſeveral reaſons for it. For they have been called ſo ever ſince they can remember: They were chriſtened many years ago: They embrace the Chriſtian opinions, vulgarly termed, The Chriſtian or Catholic faith. They uſe the Chriſtian Modes of Worſhip, as their fathers did before them. They live what is called a good, Chriſtian life, as the reſt of their neighbours do. And who ſhall preſume to think or ſay, that theſe men are not Chriſtians? Tho' without one grain of true faith in Chriſt, or of real, inward holineſs! without ever having taſted the love of God, or been made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt.

17. Ah poor ſelf-deceivers! Chriſtians ye are not. But you are enthuſiaſts in an high degree. Phyſicians, heal yourſelves. But firſt, know your diſeaſe: Your whole life is enthuſiaſm: As being all ſuitable to the imagination, that you have received that grace of God which you have not. In conſequence of this grand miſtake, you blunder on, day by day, ſpeaking and acting under a character, which does in no wiſe belong to you. Hence ariſes that palpable, glaring inconſiſtency, that runs thro' your whole behaviour: Which is an aukward mixture of real heatheniſm and imaginary Chriſtianity. Yet ſtill, as you have ſo vaſt a majority on your ſide, you will always carry it by mere dint of numbers, "That you are the only men in your ſenſes, and all are lunatics who are not as you are." But this alters not the nature of things. In the ſight of God and his holy angels, yea, and all the children of God upon earth, you are mere madmen, mere enthuſiaſts all. Are you not? Are you not walking in a vain ſhadow, a ſhadow of religion, a ſhadow of happineſs? Are you not ſtill • ſquieting yourſelves in vain? With misfortunes as imaginary as your happineſs or religion? Do you not fancy yourſelves great or good? Very knowing, and very wiſe! How long? perhaps till death brings you back to your ſenſes; to be wail your folly for ever and ever!

18. A ſecond ſort of enthuſiaſm, is that of thoſe, who imagine they have ſuch gifts from God as they have not. Thus ſome have imagined themſelves to be endued with a power of working miracles, of healing the ſick by a word or a touch, of reſtoring ſight to the blind; yea, even of raiſing the dead, a notorious inſtance of which is ſtill freſh in our own hiſtory. Others have undertaken to propheſy, to foretel things to come, and that with the utmoſt certainty and exactneſs. But a little time uſually convinces theſe enthuſiaſts. When pla • n facts run counter to their predictions, experience performs what reaſon could not, and ſinks them down into their ſenſes.

19. To the ſame claſs belong thoſe, who in preaching or prayer, imagine themſelves to be ſo influenced by the ſpirit of God as in fact they are not. I am ſenſible indeed, that without him we can do nothing; more eſpecially in our public miniſtry: That all our preaching is utterly vain, unleſs it be attended with his power; and all our prayer, unleſs his ſpirit therein help our infirmities. I know, if we do not both preach and pray by the ſpirit, it is all but loſt labour: Seeing the help that is done upon earth, he doth it himſelf, who worketh all in all. But this does not affect the caſe before us. Though there is a real influence of the ſpirit of God, there is alſo an imaginary one; and many there are who miſtake the one for the other. Many ſuppoſe themſelves to be under that influence, when they are not, when it is far from them. And many others ſuppoſe, they are more under that influence than they really are. Of this number, I fear, are all they who imagine, that God dictates the very words they ſpeak: And that conſequently it is impoſſible they ſhould ſpeak any thing amiſs, either as to the matter or manner of it. It is well known, how many enthuſiaſts of this ſort alſo, have appeared during the preſent century: Some of whom ſpeak in a far more authoritative manner than either St. Paul or any of the Apoſtles.

20. The ſame ſort of enthuſiaſm, though in a lower degree, is frequently found in men of a private character. They may likewiſe imagine themſelves to be influenced or directed by the ſpirit when they are not. I allow, if any man have not the ſpirit of Chriſt, he is none of his: And that if ever we either think, ſpeak, or act aright, it is through the aſſiſtance of that bleſſed ſpirit. But how many impute things to him, or expect things from him, without any rational or ſcriptural ground? ſuch are they who imagine, they either do or ſhall receive particular directions from God, not only in points of importance, but in things of no moment, in the moſt trifling circumſtances of life. Whereas in theſe caſes God has given us our own reaſon for a guide: Tho' never excluding th • ſecret aſſiſtance of his Spirit.

21. To this kind of enthuſiaſm they are peculiarly expoſed, who expect to be directed of God, either in ſpiritual things or in common life, in what is juſtly called, an extraordinary manner. I mean, by viſions or dreams, by ſtrong impreſſions or ſudden impulſes on the mind. I do not deny, that God has of old times manifeſted his will in this manner. Or, that he can do ſo now. Nay, I believe, he does, in ſome very rare inſtances. But how frequently do men miſtake herein? How are they miſled by pride and a warm imagination, to aſcribe ſuch impulſes or impreſſions, dreams or viſions to God, as are utterly unworthy of him? Now this is all pure enthuſiaſm, all as wide of religion, as it is of truth and ſoberneſs.

22. Perhaps ſome may aſk, "Ought we not then to inquire, what is the will of God in all things? And ought not his will to be the rule of our practice?" Unqueſtionably it ought. But how is a ſober Chriſtian to make this inquiry? To know, what is the will of God? Not by waiting for ſupernatural dreams. Not by expecting God to reveal it in viſions. Not by looking for any particular impreſſions, or ſudden impulſes on his mind. No: But by conſulting the oracles of God. To the law and to the teſtimony. This is the general method of knowing what i • the holy and acceptable will of God.

23. "But how ſhall I know what is the will of God, in ſuch and ſuch a particular caſe? The thing propoſed is in itſelf of an indifferent nature, and ſo leſt undetermined in Scripture." I anſwer, the Scripture itſelf gives you a general rule, applicable to all particular caſes. The will of God is our ſanctification. It is his will that we ſhould be inwardly and outwardly holy; that we ſhould be good and do good in every kind, and in the higheſt degree whereof we are capable. Thus far we tread upon firm ground. This is as clear as the ſhining of the ſun. In order therefore to know, what is the will of God, in a particular caſe, we have only to apply this general rule.

24. Suppoſe, for inſtance, it were propoſed to a reaſonable man, to marry, or to enter into a new buſineſs: In order to know, whether this is the will of God, being aſſured, "It is the will of God, concerning me, that I ſhould be as holy and do as much good as I can," he has only to inquire, "In which of theſe ſtates can I be moſt holy, and do the moſt good?" And this is to be determined, partly by reaſon, and partly by experience. Experience tells him what advantages he has in his preſent ſtate, either for being or doing good: And reaſon is to ſhew, what he certainly or probably will have in the ſtate propoſed. By comparing theſe, he is to judge, which of the two may moſt conduce to his being and doing good: And as far as he knows this, ſo far he is certain, what is the will of God.

25. Mean time, the aſſiſtance of his ſpirit is ſuppoſed, during the whole proceſs of the inquiry. Indeed 'tis not eaſy to ſay, in how many ways, that aſſiſtance is conveyed. He may bring many circumſtances to our remembrance, may place others in a ſtronger and clearer light; may inſenſibly ſenſibly open our mind to receive conviction, and fix that conviction upon our heart. And to a concurrence of many circumſtances of this kind, in favour of what is acceptable in his ſight, he may ſuperadd ſuch an unutterable peace of mind, and ſo uncommon a meaſure of his love, as will leave us no poſſibility of doubting, that this, even this, is his will concerning us.

26. This is the plain, ſcriptural, rational way to know, what is the will of God in a particular caſe. But conſidering how ſeldom this way is taken, and what a flood of enthuſiaſm muſt needs break in, on thoſe who endeavour to know the will of God, by unſcriptural, irrational ways: It were to be wiſhed, that the expreſſion itſelf, were far more ſparingly uſed. The uſing it, as ſome do, on the moſt trivial occaſions, is a plain breach of the third commandment. It is a groſs way of taking the name of God in vain, and betrays great irreverence toward him. Would it not be far better then, to uſe other expreſſions, which are not liable to ſuch objections? For example—Inſtead of ſaying, on any particular occaſion, "I want to know what is the will of God." Would it not be better to ſay, "I want to know, what will be moſt for my improvement: And, what will make me moſt uſeful." This way of ſpeaking is clear and unexceptionable. It is putting the matter on a plain, ſcriptural iſſue, and that without any danger of enthuſiaſm.

27. A third very common ſort of enthuſiaſm (if it does not coincide with the former) is that of thoſe who think to attain the end without uſing the means, by the immediate power of God. If indeed thoſe means were providentially withheld, they would not fall under this charge. God can, and ſometimes does, in caſes of this nature, exert his own immediate power. But they who expect this when they have thoſe means, and will not uſe them, are proper enthuſiaſts. Such as they who expect to underſtand the holy ſcriptures, without reading them and meditating thereon: Yea, without uſing all ſuch helps as are in their power, and may probably conduce to that end. Such are they who deſignedly ſpeak in the public aſſembly, without any premeditation. I ſay deſignedly: Becauſe there may be ſuch circumſtances, as at ſome times make it unavoidable. But whoever deſpiſes that great means of ſpeaking profitably, is ſo far an enthuſiaſt.

28. It may be expected that I ſhould mention what ſome have accounted, a fourth ſort of enthuſiaſm, namely, The imagining thoſe things to be owing to the providence of God, which are not owing thereto. But I doubt. I know not what things they are, which are not owing to the providence of God: In ordering, or, at leaſt, in governing of which, this is not either directly or remotely concerned. I except nothing but ſin: And even in the ſins of others, I ſee the providence of God to me. I do not ſay, his general Providence; for this I take to be a ſounding word, which means juſt nothing. And if there be a particular Providence; it muſt extend to all perſons and all things. So our Lord underſtood it, or he could never have ſaid, Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. And, Not a ſparrow falleth to the ground, without the will of your Father which is in Heaven. But if it be ſo, if God preſides univerſis tanquem ſingulis, et ſingulus tanquam univerſis; over the whole univerſe as over every ſingle perſon, over every ſingle perſon as over the whole univerſe: What is it (except only our own ſins) which we are not to aſcribe to the providence of God? So that I cannot apprehend, there is any room here, for the charge of enthuſiaſm.

29. If it be ſaid, The charge lies here: "When you impute this to Providence, you imagine yourſelf the peculiar favourite of heaven." I anſwer, you have forgot ſome of the laſt words I ſpoke, Praeſidet univerſis tanquam ſingulis. His Providence is over all men in the univerſe, as much as over any ſingle perſon. Don't you ſee, that he who believing this, imputes any thing which befalls him to Providence, does not therein make himſelf any more the favourite of heaven, than he ſuppoſes every man under heaven to be? Therefore you have no pretence, upon this ground, to charge him with enthuſiaſm.

30. Againſt every ſort of this, it behoves us to guard, with the utmoſt diligence: Conſidering the dreadful effects it has ſo often produced, and which indeed naturally reſult from it. Its immediate offspring is pride; it continually increaſes this ſource from whence it flows, and hereby it alienates us more and more, from the favour and from the life of God. It dries up the very ſprings of faith and love: of righteouſneſs and true holineſs: Seeing all theſe flow from grace. But God reſiſteth the proud and giveth grace only to the humble.

31. Together with pride there will naturally ariſe an unadviſable and unconvincible Spirit. So that into whatever error or fault the enthuſiaſt falls, there is ſmall hope of his recovery. For reaſon will have little weight with him (as has been juſtly and frequently obſerved) who imagines he is led by an higher guide, by the immediate wiſdom of God. And as he grows in pride, ſo he muſt grow in unadviſableneſs and in ſtubbornneſs alſo. He muſt be leſs and leſs capable of being convinced, leſs ſuſceptible of perſuaſion; more and more attached to his own judgment and his own will, 'till he is altogether fixt and immoveable.

32. Being thus fortified both againſt the grace of God, and againſt all advice and help from man, he is wholly left to the guidance of his own heart, and of the king of the children of pride. No marvel then that he is daily more rooted and grounded in contempt of all mankind, in furious anger, in every unkind diſpoſition, in every earthly and deviliſh temper. Neither can we wonder at the terrible outward effects, which have flowed from ſuch diſpoſitions in all ages: Even all manner of wickedneſs, all the works of darkneſs, committed by thoſe who call themſelves chriſtians, while they wrought with greedineſs ſuch things, as were hardly named even among the heathens.

Such is the nature, ſuch the dreadful effects, of that many-headed monſter enthuſiaſm! From the conſideration of which, we may now draw ſome plain inferences, with regard to our own practice.

33. And, Firſt, if enthuſiaſm be a term, tho' ſo frequently uſed, yet ſo rarely underſtood, take you care, not to talk of you know not what, not to uſe the word, till you underſtand it. As in all other points, ſo likewiſe in this, learn to think before you ſpeak. Firſt, know the meaning of this hard word; and then uſe it, if need require.

34. But if ſo few, even among men of education and learning, much more among the common ſort of men, underſtand this dark, ambiguous word, or have any fixt notion of what it means: Then, Secondly, beware of judging or calling any man an enthuſiaſt upon common report. This is by no means a ſufficient ground, for giving any name of reproach to any man: Leaſt of all is it a ſufficient ground for ſo black a term of reproach as this. The more evil it contains, the more cautious you ſhould be, how you apply it to any one: To bring ſo heavy an accuſation without full proof, being neither conſiſtent with juſtice nor mercy.

35. But if enthuſiaſm be ſo great an evil, beware you are not entangled therewith yourſelf. Watch and pray that you fall not into the temptation. It eaſily beſets thoſe who fear or love God. O beware you do not think of yourſelf more highly than you ought to think. Do not imagine you have attained that grace of God to which you have not attained. You may have much joy: You may have a meaſure of love, and yet not have living faith. Cry unto God that he would not ſuffer you, blind as you are, to go out of the way: That you may never fancy yourſelf a believer in Chriſt, till Chriſt is revealed in you, and till his ſpirit witneſſes with your ſpirit, that you are a child of God.

36. Beware you are not a fiery, perſecuting enthuſiaſt. Do not imagine that God has called you, (juſt contrary to the ſpirit of him you ſtile your maſter) to deſtroy men's lives, and not to ſave them. Never dream of forcing men into the ways of God. Think yourſelf, and let think. Uſe no conſtraint in matters of religion. Even thoſe who are fartheſt out of the way, never compel to come in, by any other means, than reaſon, truth and love.

37. Beware you do not run with the common herd of enthuſiaſts, fancying you are a Chriſtian when you are not Preſume not to aſſume that venerable name, unleſs you have a clear, ſcriptural title thereto: Unleſs you have the mind which was in Chriſt, and walk as he alſo walked.

38. Beware you do not fall into the ſecond ſort of enthuſiaſm, fancying you have thoſe gifts from God which you have not. Truſt not in viſions or dreams; in ſudden impreſſions, or ſtrong impulſes of any kind. Remember, it is not by theſe you are to know, what is the will of God on any particular occaſion; but by applying the plain ſcriptural rule, with the help of experience and reaſon, and the ordinary aſſiſtance of the ſpirit of God. Do not lightly take the name of God in your mouth: Do not talk of the will of God on every trifling occaſion. But let your words as well as your actions be all tempered with reverence and godly fear.

39. Beware, laſtly, of imagining you ſhall obtain the end, without uſing the means conducive to it. God can give the end, without any means at all: But you have no reaſon to think he will. Therefore conſtantly and carefully uſe all theſe means, which he has appointed to be the ordinary channels of his grace. Uſe every means which either reaſon or ſcripture recommends, as conducive (thro' the free love of God in Chriſt) either to the obtaining, or increaſing any of the gifts of God. Thus expect a daily growth in that pure and holy religion, which the world always did, and always will call enthuſiaſm: But which, to all who are ſaved from real enthuſiaſm, from merely nominal chriſtianity, is the wiſdom of God and the power of God, the glorious image of the moſt High: Righteouſneſs and peace: A fountain of living water, ſpringing up into everlaſting life!

A CAUTION againſt BIGOTRY. A SERMON ON MARK ix. 38, 39.

And John anſwered him ſaying, Maſter, we ſaw one caſting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him, becauſe he followeth not us.

And Jeſus ſaid, Forbid him not.

1. IN the prec • eding verſes we read, That after the twelve had been diſputing, which of them ſhould be the greateſt, Jeſus took a little child, and ſet him in the midſt of them, and taking him in his arms, ſaid unto them, whoſoever ſhall receive one of theſe little children in my name, receiveth me: And whoſoever receiveth me, receiveth not me only) but him that ſent me. Then John anſwered (that is, ſaid with reference to what our Lord had ſpoken juſt before) Maſter, we ſaw one caſting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him, becauſe he followeth not us. As if he had ſaid, "Ought we to have received him? In receiving him ſhould we have received thee? Ought we not rather to have forbidden him? Did not we do well therein? But Jeſus ſaid, Forbid him not.

2. The ſame paſſage is recited by St. Luke, and almoſt in the ſame words. But it may be aſked, what is this to us? Seeing no man now caſts out devils. Has not the power of doing this been withdrawn from the church, for twelve or fourteen hundred years? How then are we concerned in the caſe here propoſed, or in our Lord's deciſion of it?

3. Perhaps more nearly than is commonly imagined, the caſe propoſed being no uncommon caſe. That we may reap our full advantage from it I deſign to ſhew, Firſt, In what ſenſe men may and do now caſt out devils: Secondly, What we may underſtand by, He followeth not us. I ſhall, Thirdly, explain our Lord's direction, Forbid him not, and conclude with an inference from the whole.

I. 1. I am, in the firſt place to ſhew, in what ſenſe men may, and do now caſt out devils.

In order to have the cleareſt view of this, we ſhould remember, that (according to the ſcriptural account) as God dwells and works in the children of light, ſo the devil dwells and works in the children of darkneſs. As the holy ſpirit poſſeſſes the ſouls of good men, ſo the evil ſpirit poſſeſſes the ſouls of the wicked. Hence it is that the apoſtle terms him, The god of this world: From the uncontrolled power he has over worldly men. Hence our bleſſed Lord ſtiles him the prince of this world: ſo abſolute is his dominion over it. And hence St. John, We know that we are of God, and all who are not of God, the whole world, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Not, lieth in wickedneſs: but lieth in the wicked one; lives and moves in him, as they who are not of the world, do in God.

2. For the devil is not to be conſidered only as a roaring lion, going about ſeeking whom he may devour: nor barely as a ſubtle enemy, who cometh unawares upon poor ſouls and leads them captive at his will: But as he who dwelleth in them and walketh in them; who ruleth the darkneſs or wickedneſs of this world, of worldly men and all their dark deſigns and actions, by keeping poſſeſſion of their hearts, ſetting up his throne there, and bringing every thought into obedience to himſelf. Thus the ſtrong one armed keepeth his houſe; and if this unclean ſpirit ſometimes go out of a man, yet he often returns with ſeven ſpirits worſe than himſelf, and they enter in and dwell there. Nor can he be idle in his dwelling. He is continually working in theſe children of diſobedience. He works in them with power, with mighty energy, transforming them into his own likeneſs, effacing all the remains of the image of God, and preparing them for every evil word or work.

3. It is therefore an unqueſtionable truth, that the god and prince of this world, ſtill poſſeſſes all who know not God. Only the manner wherein he poſſeſſes them now, differs from that wherein he did it of old time. Then he frequently tormented their bodies, as well as ſouls, and that openly, without any diſguiſe. Now he forments their ſouls only, (unleſs in ſome rare caſes) and that as covertly as poſſible. The reaſon of this difference is plain. It was then his aim to drive mankind into ſuperſtition. Therefore he wrought as openly as he could. But 'tis his aim to drive us into infidelity. Therefore he works as privately as he can; for the more ſecret he is, the more he prevails.

4. Yet, if we may credit hiſtorians, there are countries even now, where he works as openly as aforetime. "But why in ſavage and barbarous countries only? Why not in Italy, France or England?" For a very plain reaſon: He knows his men. And he knows what he hath to do with each. To Laplanders, he appears barefaced: becauſe he is to fix them in ſuperſtition and groſs idolatry. But with you he is purſuing a different point. He is to make you idolize yourſelves: to make you wiſer in your own eyes than God himſelf, than all the oracles of God. Now in order to this, he muſt not appear in his own ſhape: that would fruſtrate his deſign. No: he uſes all his art, to make you deny his being, till he has you ſafe in his own place.

5. He reigns therefore, altho' in a different way, yet as abſolute in one land as in the other. He has the gay Italian infidel in his teeth, as ſure as the wild Tartar. But he is faſt aſleep in the mouth of the lion, who is too wiſe to wake him out of ſleep. So he only plays with him for the preſent, and when he pleaſes ſwallows him up.

The god of this world holds his Engliſh worſhippers full as faſt as thoſe in Lapland. But it is not his buſineſs to affright them, leſt they ſhould • ly to the God of heaven. The prince of darkneſs therefore does not appear, while he rules over theſe his willing ſubjects. The conqueror holds his captives ſo much the ſafer, becauſe they imagine themſelves at liberty. Thus the ſtrong one armed keepeth his houſe, and his goods are in peace: Neither the deiſt nor nominal chriſtian ſuſpects he is there; ſo he and they are perfectly at peace with each other.

6. All this while he works with energy in them. He blinds the eyes of their underſtanding, ſo that the light of the glorious goſpel of Chriſt, cannot ſhine upon them. He chains their ſouls down to earth and hell, with the chains of their own vile affections. He binds them down to the earth, by love of the world, love of money, of pleaſure, of praiſe. And by pride, envy, anger, hate, revenge, he cauſes their ſouls to draw nigh unto hell: acting the more ſecure and uncontrolled, becauſe they know not that he acts at all.

7. But how eaſily may we know the cauſe from its effects! Theſe are ſometimes groſs and palpable. So they were in the moſt refined of the heathen nations. Go no farther than the admired, the virtuous Romans. And you will find theſe, when at the height of their learning and glory, filled with all unrighteouſneſs: fornication, wickedneſs, covetouſneſs, maliciouſneſs; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity: whiſperers backbiters, deſpiteful, proud boaſters, diſobedient to parents: covenant breakers, without natural affection; implacable, unmerciful.

8. The ſtrongeſt parts of this deſcription are confirmed by one, whom ſome may think a more unexceptionable witneſs. I mean, their brother heathen, Dion C • ſſius: who obſerves, that before Ceſar's return from Gaul, not only gluttony and lewdneſs of every kind, were open and barefaced; not only falſehood, injuſtice and unmercifulneſs abounded, in public courts as well as private families: but the moſt outrageous robberies, rapine and murders, were ſo frequent in all parts of Rome, that few men went out of doors without making their wills, as not knowing if they ſhould return alive.

9. As groſs and palpable are the works of the devil, among many (if not all) the modern heathens. The natural religion of the Creeks, Cherikees, Chicaſaws and all other Indians, bordering on our ſouthern ſettlements (not of a few ſingle men, but of entire nations) is, to torture all their priſoners from morning to night, till at length they roaſt them to death; and upon the ſlighteſt undeſigned provocation, to come behind and ſhoot any of their own countrymen. Yea, it is a common thing among them, for the ſon, if he thinks his father lives too long, to knock out his brains: And for a mother, if ſhe is tired of her children, to faſten ſtones about their necks, and throw three or four of them into the river, one after another.

10. It were to be wiſhed that none but heathens had practiſed ſuch groſs, palpable works of the devil. But we dare not ſay ſo. Even in cruelty and bloodſhed, how little have the chriſtians come behind them? And not the Spaniards or Portugueſe alone, butchering thouſands in South-America. Not the Dutch only in the Eaſt-Indies, or the French in North-America, following the Spaniards ſtep by ſtep. Our own countrymen too have wantoned in blood, and exterminated whole nations: plainly proving thereby, what ſpirit it is, that dwells and works in the children of diſobedience.

11. Theſe monſters might almoſt make us overlook the works of the devil that are wrought in our own country. But alas! We cannot open our eyes even here, without ſeeing them on every ſide. Is it a ſmall proof of his power, that common ſwearers, drunkards, whoremongers, adulterers, thieves, robbers, ſodomites, murderers, are ſtill found in every part of our land? How triumphant does the prince of this world reign, in all theſe children of diſobedience?

12. He leſs openly, but no leſs effectually works in diſſemblers, talebearers, liars, ſlanderers: In oppreſſors and extortioners: in the perjured, the ſeller of his friend, his honuor, his conſcience, his country. And yet theſe may talk of religion or conſcience ſtill, of honour, virtue, and public ſpirit. But they can no more deceive ſatan than they can God. He likewiſe knows thoſe that are his: And a great multitude they are out of every nation and people of whom he has full poſſeſſion at this day.

13. If you conſider this, you cannot but ſee in what ſenſe, men may now alſo caſt out devils: Yea, and every miniſter of Chriſt does caſt them out, if his Lord's work proſper in his hand.

By the power of God attending his word, he brings theſe ſinners to repentance: An entire inward as well as outward change, from all evil to all good. And this is, in a ſound ſenſe, to caſt out devils, out of the ſouls wherein they had hitherto dwelt. The ſtrong one can no longer keep his houſe. A ſtronger than he is come upon him, and hath caſt him out, and taken poſſeſſion for himſelf, and made it an habitation of God through his Spirit. Here then the energy of ſatan ends, and the Son of God deſtroys the works of the devil. The underſtanding of the ſinner is now enlightened, and his heart ſweetly drawn to God. His deſires are refined, his affections purified: And being filled with the Holy Ghoſt, he grows in grace till he is not only holy in heart, but in all manner of converſation.

14. All this is indeed the work of God. It is God alone who can caſt out ſatan. But he is generally pleaſed to do this by man, as an inſtrument in his hand; who is then ſaid, to caſt out devils in his name, by his power and authority. And he ſends whom he will ſend upon this great work: but uſually ſuch as man would never have thought of. For his ways are not as our ways, neither his thoughts as our thoughts. Accordingly he chuſes the weak to confound the mighty, the fooliſh, to confound the wiſe: For this plain reaſon, that he may ſecure the glory to himſelf; that no fleſh may glory in his ſight.

II. 1. But ſhall we not forbid one who thus caſteth out devils, if he followeth not us? This it ſeems was both the judgment and practice of the apoſtle, till he referred the caſe to his maſter. We forbade him, ſaith he, becauſe he followeth not us, which he ſuppoſed to be a very ſufficient reaſon. What we may underſtand by this expreſſion, He followeth not us, is the next point to be conſidered.

The loweſt circumſtance we can underſtand thereby, is, he has no outward connexion with us. We do not labour in conjunction with each other. He is not our fellow-helper in the goſpel. And indeed whenſoever our Lord is pleaſed, to ſend many labourers into his harveſt, they cannot all act, in ſubordination to, or connexion with each other. Nay, they cannot all have perſonal acquaintance with, nor be ſo much as known to one another. Many there will neceſſarily be in different parts of the harveſt, ſo far from having any mutual intercourſe, that they will be as abſolute ſtrangers to each other, as if they had lived in different ages. And concerning any of theſe whom we know not, we may doubtleſs ſay, He followeth not us.

2. A ſecond meaning of this expreſſion may be, He is not of our party. It has long been matter of melancholy conſideration, to all who pray for the peace of Jeruſalem, that ſo many ſeveral parties are ſtill ſubſiſting, among thoſe who are all ſtiled chriſtians. This has been particularly obſervable in our own countrymen, who have been continually dividing from each other, upon points of no moment, and many times ſuch as religion had no concern in. The moſt trifling circumſtances have given riſe to different parties, which have continued for many generations. And each of theſe would be ready to object to one who was on the othe ſider, He followeth not us.

3. That expreſſion may mean, thirdly, He differs from us, in our religious opinions. There was a time, when all chriſtians were of one mind, as well as of one heart. So great grace was upon them all, when they were firſt filled with the Holy Ghoſt. But how ſhort a ſpace did this bleſſing continue? How ſoon was that unanimity loſt, and difference of opinion •• ang up again, even in the church of Chriſt. And that not in nominal, but in real chriſtians: Nay in the very chief of them, the apoſtles themſelves? Nor does it appear, That the difference which then began, was ever entirely removed. We do not find, that even thoſe pillars in the temple of God, ſo long as they remained upon earth, were ever brought to think alike, to be of one mind, particularly with regard to the ceremonial law. 'Tis therefore no way ſurpriſing, that infinite varieties of opinion ſhould now be found in the chriſtian church. A very probable conſequence of this is, that whenever we ſee any caſting out devils, he will be one that, in this ſenſe, followeth not us: that is not of our opinion. 'Tis ſcarce to be imagined he will be of our mind, in all points, even of religion. He may very probably think in a different manner from us, even on ſeveral ſubjects of importance: ſuch as, the nature and uſe of the moral law, the eternal decrees of God, the ſufficiency and efficacy of his grace, and the perſeverance of his children.

4. He may differ from us, fourthly, not only in opinion, but likewiſe in ſome points of practice. He may not approve of that manner of worſhipping God, which is practiſed in our congregation: And may judge that to be more profitable for his ſoul, which took its riſe from Mr. Calvin, or Martin Luther. He may have many objections to that liturgy, which we approve of, beyond all others: Many doubts concerning that form of church-government, which we eſteem both apoſtolical and ſcriptural. Perhaps he may go farther from us yet: He may, from a principle of conſcience, refrain from ſeveral of thoſe, which we believe to be the ordinances of Chriſt. Or if we both agree, That they are ordained of God, there may ſtill remain a difference between us, either as to the manner of adminiſtering thoſe ordinances, or the perſons to whom they ſhould be adminiſtred. Now the unavoidable conſequences of any of theſe differences, will be, that he who thus differs from us, muſt ſeparate himſelf, with regard to thoſe points, from our ſociety. In this reſpect therefore he followeth not us: He is not (as we phraſe it) of our church.

5. But in a far ſtronger ſenſe, he followeth not us, who is not only of a different church, but of ſuch a church as we account to be in many reſpects antiſcriptural and antichriſtian: A church which we believe to be utterly falſe and erroneous in her doctrines, as well as very dangerouſly wrong in her practice, guilty of groſs ſuperſtition as well as idolatry. A church that has added many articles to the faith, which was once delivered to the ſaints; that has dropt one whole commandment of God, and made void ſeveral of the reſt by her traditions: And that pretending the higheſt veneration for, and ſtricteſt conformity to the ancient church, has nevertheleſs brought in numberleſs innovations, without any warrant either from antiquity or ſcripture. Now moſt certainly he followeth not us, who ſtands at ſo great a diſtance from us.

6. And yet there may be a ſtill wider difference than this. He who differs from us in judgment or practice, may poſſibly ſtand at a greater diſtance from us, in affection than in judgment. And this indeed is a very natural and a very common effect of the other. The differences which begin in points of opinion, ſeldom terminate there. They generally ſpread into the affections, and then ſeparate chief friends. Nor are any animoſities ſo deep and irreconcilable, as thoſe that ſpring from diſagreement in religion. For this cauſe the bittereſt enemies of a man, are thoſe of his own houſhold. For this the father riſes againſt his own children, and the children againſt the father; and perhaps perſecute each other even to the death, thinking all the time they are doing God a ſervice. It is therefore nothing more than we may expect, if thoſe who differ from us either in religious opinions or practice, ſoon contract a ſharpneſs, yea bitterneſs towards us; if they are more and more prejudiced againſt us, till they conceive as ill an opinion of our perſons as of our principles. An almoſt neceſſary conſequence of this will be, they will ſpeak in the ſame manner as they think of us. They will ſet themſelves in oppoſition to us, and as far as they are able hinder our work: ſeeing it does not appear to them to be the work of God, but either of man or of the devil. He that thinks, ſpeaks and acts in ſuch a manner as this, in the higheſt ſenſe, followeth not us.

7. I do not indeed conceive, That the perſon of whom the apoſtle ſpeaks in the text (altho' we have no particular account of him, either in the context, or in any other part of Holy Writ) went ſo far as this. We have no ground to ſuppoſe, That there was any material difference between him and the apoſtles; much leſs that he had any prejudice either againſt them or their maſter. It ſeems we may gather thus much from our Lord's own words, which immediately follow the text, There is no man which ſhall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly ſpeak evil of me. But I purpoſely put the caſe in the ſtrongeſt light, adding all the circumſtances which can well be conceived: That being forewarned of the temptation in its full ſtrength, we may in no caſe yield to it, and fight againſt God.

III. 1. Suppoſe then a man have no intercourſe with us, ſuppoſe he be not of our party, ſuppoſe he ſeparates from our church, yea and widely differ from us, both in judgment, practice, and affection: Yet if we ſee even this man caſting out devils, Jeſus ſaith, forbid him not. This important direction of our Lord, I am, in the third place, to explain.

2. If we ſee this man caſting out devils—But 'tis well, if in ſuch caſe, we would believe even what we ſaw with our eyes, if we did not give the lie to our own ſenſes. He muſt be little acquainted with human nature, who does not immediately perceive, how extremely unready we ſhould be, to believe that any man does caſt out devils, who followeth not us, in all or moſt of the ſenſes above recited. I had almoſt ſaid, in any of them: Seeing we may eaſily learn even from what paſſes in our own breaſts, how unwilling men are, to allow any thing good in thoſe, who do not in all things agree with themſelves.

3. "But what is a ſufficient, reaſonable proof that a man does (in the ſenſe above) caſt out devils?" The anſwer is eaſy. Is there full proof, 1. That a perſon before us was a groſs, open ſinner? ſecondly, that he is not ſo now; that he has broke off his ſins, and lives a chriſtian life? And, thirdly, that his change was wrought by his hearing this man preach? If theſe three points be plain and undeniable, then you have ſufficient, reaſonable proof, ſuch as you cannot reſiſt without wilful ſin, That this man caſts out devils.

4. Then forbid him not. Beware how you attempt to hinder him, either by your authority or arguments or perſuaſions. Do not in any wiſe ſtrive to prevent his uſing all the power which God has given him. If you have authority with him, do not uſe that authority, to ſtop the work of God. Do not furniſh him with reaſons, why he ought not any more to ſpeak in the name of Jeſus. Satan will not fail to ſupply him with theſe, if you do not ſecond him therein. Perſuade him not, to depart from the work. If he ſhould give place to the devil and you, many ſouls might periſh in their iniquity, but their blood would God require at your hands.

5. "But what if he be only a layman who caſts out devils? Ought I not to forbid him then?"

Is the fact allowed? Is there reaſonable proof, That this man has or does caſt out devils? If there is, forbid him not: No, not at the peril of your ſoul. Shall not God work by whom he will work? No man can do theſe works unleſs God is with him, unleſs God hath ſent him for this very thing. But if God hath ſent him, will you call him back? Will you forbid him to go?

6. "But I do not know, That he is ſent of God." Now herein is a marvellous thing (may any of the ſeals of his miſſion ſay, any whom he hath brought from ſatan to God) that ye know not whence this man is, and behold he hath opened mine eyes! If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. If you doubt the fact, ſend for the parents of the man: Send for his brethren, friends, acquaintance. But if you cannot doubt this, if you muſt needs acknowledge, that a notable miracle hath been wrought, then with what conſcience, with what face can you charge him whom God hath ſent, not to ſpeak any more in his name?

7. I allow, that it is highly expedient, whoever preaches in his name, ſhould have an outward as well as an inward call. But that it is abſolutely neceſſary I deny.

"Nay, is not the ſcripture expreſs? No man taketh this honour unto himſelf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron?" Heb. v. 4.

Numberleſs times has this text been quoted on the occaſion, as containing the very ſtrength of the cauſe. But ſurely never was ſo unhappy a quotation. For firſt, Aaron was not called to preach at all He was called to offer gifts and ſacrifice for ſin. That was his peculiar employment. Secondly, theſe men do not offer ſacrifice at all; but only preach, which Aaron did not. Therefore it is not poſſible to find one text in all the bible, which is more wide of the point than this.

8. "But what was the practice of the apoſtolic age?" You may eaſily ſee in the acts of the apoſtles. In the 8th chapter we read, There was a great perſecution againſt the church which was at Jeruſalem: And they were all ſcattered abroad thoughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apoſtles. ver. 1. Therefore they that were ſcattered abroad, went everywhere preaching the word. ver. 4. Now were all theſe outwardly called to preach? No man in his ſenſes can think ſo. Here then is an undeniable proof, what was the practice of the apoſtolic age. Here you ſee not one, but a multitude of lay-preachers, men that were only ſent of God.

9. Indeed ſo far is the practice of the apoſtolic age, from inclining us to think it was unlawful, for a man to preach before he was ordained, that we have reaſon to think, it was then accounted neceſſary. Certainly the practice and the direction of the apoſtle Paul was, to prove a man before he was ordained at all. Let theſe, the deacons) ſays he, firſt he proved; then let them uſe the office of a deacon—1 Tim. iii. 10. Proved? How? By ſetting them to conſtrue a ſentence of of greek? And aſking them a ſew common-place queſtions? O amazing proof of a miniſter of Chriſt! Nay: but by making a clear, open trial •• s is ſtill done by moſt of the proteſtant churches in Europe) not only whether their lives be holy and unblameable, but whether they have ſuch gifts as are abſolutely and indiſpenſably neceſſary, in order to edify the church of Chriſt.

10. "But what if man has theſe? And has brought ſinners to repentance? And yet the biſhop will not ordain him?" Then the biſhop does forbid him to caſt out devils. But I dare not forbid him. I have publiſhed my reaſons to all the world. Yet 'tis ſtill inſiſted, I ought to do it. You who inſiſt upon it, anſwer thoſe reaſons. I know not that any have done this yet, or even made an attempt of doing it. Only ſome have ſpoken of them as very weak and trifling. And this was prudent enough. For 'tis far eaſier to deſpiſe, at leaſt, ſeem to deſpiſe an argument than to anſwer it. Yet till this is done I muſt ſay, when I have reaſonable proof that any man does caſt out devils, whatever others do, I dare not forbid him, leſt I be found even to fight againſt God.

11. And whoſoever thou art that feareſt God, forbid him not, either directly or indirectly. There are many ways of doing this. You indirectly forbid him, if you either wholly deny, or deſpiſe and make little account of the work which God has wrought by his hands. You indirectly forbid him, when you diſcourage him in his work, by drawing him into diſputes concerning it, by raiſing objections againſt it, or frighting him with conſequences, which very poſſibly will never be. You forbid him, when you ſhew any unkindneſs toward him, either in language or behaviour: And much more, when you ſpeak of him to others, either in an unkind or a contemptuous manner: When you endeavour to repreſent him to any, either in an odious or a deſpicable light. You are forbidding him all the time you are ſpeaking evil of him, or making no account of his labours. O forbid him not in any of theſe ways: Nor by forbidding others to hear him, by diſcouraging ſinners from hearing that word, which is able to ſave their ſouls.

12. Yea, if you would obſerve our Lord's directions in its full meaning and extent, then remember his word, He that is not for us, is againſt as; and he that gathereth not with me, ſcattereth. He that gathereth not men into the kingdom of God, aſſuredly ſcatters them from it. For there can be no neuter in this war. Every one is either on God's ſide or on Satan's. Are you on God's ſide? Then you will not only not forbid any man that caſts out devils, but you will labour to the uttermoſt of your power, to forward him in the work. You will readily acknowledge the work of God, and confeſs the greatneſs of it. You will remove all difficulties and objections, as far as may be out of his way. You will ſtrengthen his hands by ſpeaking honourably of him before all men, and avowing the things which you have ſeen and heard. You will encourage others to attend upon his word, to hear him whom God hath ſent. And you will omit no actual proof of tender love, which God gives you an opportunity of ſhewing him.

IV. 1. If we willingly fail in any of theſe points, if we either directly or indirectly forbid him, becauſe he followeth not us, then we are bigots. This is the inference I draw from what has been ſaid. But the term bigotry, I fear, as frequently as it is uſed, is almoſt as little underſtood as enthuſiaſm. It is, too ſtrong an attachment to, or fondneſs for, our own party, opinion, church and religion. Therefore he is a bigot, who is ſo fond of any of theſe, ſo ſtrongly attached to them, as to forbid any who caſt out devils, becauſe he differs from himſelf, in any or all theſe particulars.

2. Do you beware of this. Take care, 1. That you do not convict yourſelf of bigotry, by your unreadineſs to believe, that any man does caſt out devils, who differs from you. And if you are clear thus far, if you acknowledge the fact, then examine yourſelf, ſecondly, Am I not convicted of bigotry in this, in forbidding him, directly or indirectly? Do I not directly forbid him on this ground, becauſe he is not of my party? Becauſe he does not fall in with my opinions? Or becauſe he does not worſhip God according to that ſcheme of religion, which I have received from my fathers?

3. Examine yourſelf, Do I not indirectly at leaſt forbid him, on any of theſe grounds! Am I not ſorry, that God ſhould thus own and bleſs a man that holds ſuch erroneous opinions? Do I not diſcourage him, becauſe he is not of my church? By diſputing with him concerning it, by raiſing objections, and by perplexing his mind with diſtant conſequences? Do I ſhew no anger, contempt or unkindneſs of any ſort, either in my words or actions? Do I not mention behind his back, his (real or ſuppoſed) faults? His defects or infirmities? Do not I hinder ſinners from hearing his word? If you do any of theſe things, you are a bigot to this day.

4. Search me, O Lord, and prove me. Try out my reins and my heart! Look well if there be any way of bigotry in me, and lead me in the way everlaſting. In order to examine ourſelves thoroughly, let the caſe be propoſed in the ſtrongeſt manner. What if I were to ſee a Papiſt, an Arian, a Socinian caſting out devils? If I did, I could not forbid even him, without convicting myſelf of bigotry. Yea, If it could be ſuppoſed, that I ſhould ſee a Jew, a Deiſt or a Turk doing the ſame, were I to forbid him either directly or indirectly, I ſhould be no better than a bigot ſtill.

5. O ſtand clear of this. But be not content with not forbidding any that caſts out devils. 'Tis well, to go thus far, but do not ſtop here. If you will avoid all bigotry, go on. In every inſtance of this kind, whatever the inſtrument be, acknowledge the finger of God. And not only acknowledge, but rejoice in his work and praiſe his name with thankſgiving. Encourage whomſoever God is pleaſed to employ, to give himſelf wholly up thereto. Speak well of him whereſoever you are: Defend his character and his miſſion. Enlarge as far as you can his ſphere of action. Shew him all kindneſs in word and deed. And ceaſe not to cry to God in his behalf, that he may ſave both himſelf and them that hear him.

6. I need add but one caution. Think not, the bigotry of another, is any excuſe for your own. 'Tis not impoſſible, that one who caſts out devils himſelf, may yet forbid you ſo to do. You may obſerve, this is the very caſe mentioned in the text. The apoſtles forbade another to do what they did themſelves. But beware of retorting. It is not your part, to return evil for evil. Another's not obſerving the direction of our Lord, is no reaſon why you ſhould neglect it. Nay, but let him have all the bigotry to himſelf. If he forbids you, do not you forbid him. Rather labour and watch and pray the more, to confirm your love toward him. If he ſpeaks all manner of Evil of you, ſpeak all manner of good (that is true) of him. Imitate herein that glorious ſaying of a great man (O that he had always breathed the ſame ſpirit!) "Let Luther call me an hundred devils: I will ſtill reverence him as a meſſenger of God."

CATHOLIC SPIRIT. A SERMON ON 2. KINGS, x. 15.

And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the ſon of Rechab, coming to meet him. And he ſaluted him and ſaid, is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab anſwered, it is. If it be, give me thine hand.

1. IT is allowed even by thoſe who do not pay this great debt, that love is due to all mankind: The royal law, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thyſelf, carrying its own evidence to all that hear it. And that, nothing according to the miſerable conſtruction put upon it by the zealots of old times, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour, thy relation, acquaintance, friend, and hate thine enemy: Not ſo. I ſay unto you, ſaith our Lord, Love your enemies, bleſs them that curſe you: Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that deſpitefully uſe you and perſecute you: That ye may be the children, may appear ſo to all mankind, of your Father which is in heaven, who maketh his ſun to riſe on the evil and on the good, and ſendeth rain on the juſt and on the unjuſt.

2. But it is ſure, there is a peculiar love which we owe to thoſe that love God. So David, "All my delight is upon the ſaints that are in the earth and upon ſuch as excel in virtue. And ſo a greater than he, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another: As I have loved you, that ye alſo love another. By this ſhall all men know that ye are my diſciples, if ye have love one to another." John xiii. 34, 35. This is that love on which the apoſtle John ſo frequently and ſtrongly inſiſts. This, ſaith he, is the meſſage that ye heard from the beginning, that we ſhould love one another, 1 John chap. iii. 11. Hereby perceive we the love of God, becauſe he laid down his life for us. And we ought, if love ſhould call us thereto, to lay down our lives for the brethren, ver. 16. And again, Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God. he that loveth not, knoweth not God: For God is love, chap. iv. 7, 8. Not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and ſent his ſon to be the propitiation for our ſins. Beloved, if God ſo loved us, we ought alſo to love one another, ver. 10, 11.

3. All men approve of this. But do all men practiſe it? Daily experience ſhews the contrary. Where are even the Chriſtians who love one another, as He hath given us commandment? How many hinderances lie in the way? The two grand, general hinderances are, firſt, that they cannot all think alike: and, in conſequence of this, ſecondly, they cannot all walk alike: But in ſeveral ſmaller points their practice muſt differ, in proportion to the difference of their ſentiments.

4. But altho' a difference in opinions or modes of worſhip, may prevent an entire external union, yet need it prevent our union in affection? Tho' we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, tho' we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithſtanding theſe ſmaller differences. Theſe remaining as they are, they may forward one another, in love and in good works.

5. Surely in this reſpect, the example of Jehu himſelf, as mixt a character as he was of, is well worthy both the attention and imitation, of every ſerious chriſtian. And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the ſon of Rechab coming to meet him. And he ſaluted him and ſaid, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab anſwered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand.

The text naturally divides itſelf into two parts, firſt, A queſtion propoſed by Jehu to Jehonadab, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? ſecondly, An offer made on Jehonadab's anſwering, It is. If it be, give me thine hand.

I. 1. And, firſt, let us conſider the queſtion propoſed by Jehu to Jehonadab, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?

The very firſt thing we may obſerve in theſe words, is that here is no enquiry concerning Jehonadab's opinions. And yet 'tis certain, he held ſome which were very uncommon, indeed quite peculiar to himſelf: And ſome •• ich had a cloſe influence upon practice; on which likewiſe he laid ſo great a ſtreſs, as to entail them upon his children's children, to their lateſt poſterity. This is evidence from the account given by Jeremiah, many years after his death. I took Jaazaniah and his brethren, and all his ſons, and the whole houſe of the Rechabites—and ſet before them pots full of wine and cups, and ſaid unto them, drink ye wine. But they ſaid, we will drink no wine; For Jonadab (or Jehonadab) the ſon of Rechab our father (it would be leſs ambiguous if the words were placed thus, Jehonadab our father the ſon of Rechab: Out of love and reverence to whom he probably deſired his deſcendants might be called by his name) "commanded us, ſaying, ye ſhall drink no wine, neither ye nor your ſons for ever. Neither ſhall ye build houſe, no • ſow ſeed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any; but all your days ye ſhall dwell in tents—and we have obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us, Jer. xxxv. 3—10."

2. And yet Jehu (altho' it ſeems to have been his manner, both in things ſecular and religious, to drive furiouſly) does not concern himſelf at all with any of theſe things, but lets Jehonadab abound in his own ſenſe. And neither of them appears to have given the other the leaſt diſturbance, touching the opinions which he maintained

3. It is very poſſible, that many good men now alſo may entertain peculiar opinions: And ſome of them may be as ſingular herein; as even Jehonadab was. And 'tis certain, ſo long as we know but in part, that all men will not ſee all things alike. It is an unavoidable conſequence of the preſent weakneſs and ſhortneſs of human underſtanding, that ſeveral men will be of ſeveral minds, in religion as well as in common life. So it has been from the beginning of the world, and ſo it will be till the reſtitution of all things.

4. Nay farther: Altho' every man neceſſarily believes, that every particular opinion which he holds is true (for, to believe any opinions is not true, is the ſame thing as, not to hold it:) yet can no man be aſſured, that all his own opinions taken together, are true. Nay every thinking man is aſſured, they are not: Seeing humanum eſt errare et neſcire. To be ignorant of many things, and to miſtake in ſome, is the neceſſary condition of humanity. This, therefore, he is ſenſible is his own caſe. He knows in the general, that he himſelf is miſtaken. Altho' in what particulars he miſtakes, he does not, perhaps he cannot know.

5. I ſay, perhaps he cannot know. For who can tell how far invincible ignorance may extend? Or (that comes to the ſame thing) invincible prejudice: Which is ſo often fixed in tender minds, that it is afterwards impoſſible to tear up what has taken ſo deep a root. And who can ſay, unleſs he knew every circumſtance attending it, how far any miſtake is culpable? Seeing all guilt muſt ſuppoſe ſome concurrence of the will: Of which he only can judge who ſearcheth the heart.

6. Every wiſe man therefore will allow others the ſame liberty of thinking, which he deſires they ſhould allow him: And will no more inſiſt on their embracing his opinions, than he would have them to inſiſt on his embracing theirs. He bears with thoſe who differ from him, and only aſk him, with whom he deſires to unite in love, that ſingle queſtion, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?

7. We may, ſecondly, obſerve, That here is no enquiry made concerning Jehonadah's mode of worſhip: Altho' it is highly probably, there was in this reſpect alſo, a very wide difference between them. For we may well believe Jehonadab as well as all his poſterity, worſhipped God at Jeruſalem: Whereas Jehu did not; he had more regard to ſtate-policy than religion. And therefore altho' he ſtew the worſhippers of Baal, and deſtroyed Baal out of Iſrael: Yet from the convenient ſin of Jereboam, the worſhip of the golden calves, he departed not. 2 Kings x. 29.

8. But even among men of an upright heart, men who deſire to have a conſcience void of offence, it muſt needs be, that as long as there are various opinions, there will be various ways of worſhipping God: ſeeing a variety of opinions neceſſarily implies a variety of practice. And as in all ages, men have differed in nothing more than in their opinions concerning the Supreme Being, ſo in nothing have they more differed from each other, than in the manner of worſhipping him. Had this been only in the heathen world, it would not have been at all ſurpriſing. For we know theſe by their wiſdom knew not God; nor therefore could they know how to worſhip him. But is it not ſtrange, that even in the chriſtian world, although they all agree in the general, God is a Spirit, and they that worſhip him muſt worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth: Yet the particular modes of worſhipping God, are almoſt as various as among the heathens?

9. And how ſhall we chuſe, among ſo much variety? No man can chuſe for, or preſcribe to another. But every one muſt follow the dictates of his own conſcience, in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity. He muſt be fully perſuaded in his own mind, and then act according to the beſt light he has. Nor has any creature power to conſtrain another to walk by his own rule. God has given no right to any of the children of men, thus to lord it over the conſcience of his brethren. But every man muſt judge for himſelf, as every man muſt give an account of himſelf to God.

10. Altho' therefore every follower of Chriſt is obliged by the very nature of the Chriſtian inſtitution, to be a member of ſome particular congregation or other, ſome church, as it is uſually termed: (which implies a particular manner of worſhipping God; for two cannot walk together unleſs they be agreed:) Yet none can be obliged by any power on earth, but that of his own conſcience, to prefer this or that congregation to another, this or that particular manner of worſhip. I know it is commonly ſuppoſed, that the place of our birth, fixes the church to which we ought to belong: That one, for inſtance, who is born in England ought to be a member of that which is ſtiled the church of England, and conſequently to worſhip God in the particular manner which is preſcribed by that church. I was once a zealous maintainer of this: But I find many reaſons to abate of this zeal. I fear, it is attended with ſuch difficulties, that no reaſonable man can get over. Not the leaſt of which is, that if this rule had took place, there could have been no reformation from popery: Seeing it entirely deſtroys the right of private judgment, on which that whole reformation ſtands.

11. I dare not therefore preſume to impoſe my mode of worſhip on any other. I believe it is truly primitive and apoſtolical. But my belief is no rule for another. I aſk not therefore of him with whom I would unite in love. "Are you of • y church? of my congregation? Do you receive the ſame form of church-government, and allow the ſame church-officers with me? Do you join in the ſame form of prayer, werein I worſhip God?" I enquire not, Do you receive the ſupper of the Lord, in the ſame poſture and manner that I do? Nor, whether in the adminiſtration of baptiſm, you agree with me, in admitting ſureties for the baptized? In the manner of adminiſtering it? Or the age of theſe to whom it ſhould be adminiſtered? Nay, I aſk not of you (as clear as I am in my own mind) whether you allow baptiſm and the Lord's ſupper at all? Let all theſe things ſtand by: We will talk of them, if need be, at a more convenient ſeaſon. My only queſtion at preſent is this, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?

12. But what is properly implied in the queſtion? I do not mean what did Jehu imply therein? But what ſhould a follower of Chriſt underſtand thereby, when he propoſes it to any of his brethren?

The firſt thing implied in this: Is thy heart right with God? Doſt thou believe his being, and his perfections? his eternity, immenſity, wiſdom, power: His juſtice, mercy and truth? Doſt thou believe, that he now upholdeth all things, by the word of his Power? And that he governs even the moſt minute, even the moſt noxious, to his own glory, and the good of them that love him? Haſt thou a divine evidence, ſupernatural conviction, of the things of God? Doſt thou walk by faith not by ſight? Looking not at temporal things but things eternal?

13. Doſt thou believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, God over all, bleſſed for ever? Is he revealed in thy ſoul? Doſt thou know Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified? Does he dwell in thee, and thou in him? Is he formed in thy heart by faith? Having abſolutely diſclaimed all thy own works, thy own righteouſneſs, haſt thou ſubmitted thyſelf unto the righteouſneſs of God, which is by faith in Chriſt Jeſus? Art thou found in him, not having thy own righteouſneſs, but the righteouſneſs which is by faith? And art thou, through him, fighting the good fight of faith, and laying hold of eternal life?

14. Is thy faith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Filled with the energy of love? Doſt thou love God? I do not ſay above all things; for it is both an unſcriptural and an ambiguous expreſſion: But with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy ſtrength? Doſt thou ſeek all thy happineſs in him alone? And doſt thou find what thou ſeekeſt? Does thy ſoul continually magnify 〈◊〉 Lord and thy ſpirit rejoice in God thy Saviour? Having learned in every thing to give thanks, doſt thou find, it is a joyful and a pleaſant thing to be thankful? Is God the 〈◊〉 of thy ſoul? The ſum of all thy deſires? Art thou accordingly laying up thy treaſure in heaven, and counting all things elſe dung and droſs? Hath the love of God caſt the love of the world out of thy ſoul? Then thou art crucified to the World. Thou art dead to all below and thy life is hid with Chriſt in God.

15. Art thou employed in doing not thy own will, but the will of him that ſent thee? Of him that ſent thee down to ſojourn here a while, to ſpend a few days in a ſtrange land, till having finiſhed the work he hath given thee to do, thou return to thy Father's houſe? Is it thy meat and drink to do the will of thy Father which is in Heaven? Is thine eye ſingle in all things? Always fixt on him? Always looking unto Jeſus? Doſt thou point at him in whatſoever thou doſt? In all thy labour, thy buſineſs, thy converſation? Aiming only at the glory of God in all? "Whatſoever," thou doſt, either "in word or deed, doing it all in the name of the Lord Jeſus, giving thanks unto God even the Father through him?"

16. Does the love of God conſtrain thee to ſerve him with fear? To rejoice unto him with reverence? Art thou more afraid of diſpleaſing God than either of death or hell? Is nothing 〈◊〉 terrible to thee as the thought of offending 〈◊〉 eyes of his glory? Upon this ground doſt thou hate all evil ways; every tranſgreſſion of his holy and perfect law? And herein "exerciſe thyſelf, to have a conſcience void of offence • rd God and toward man?

17. Is thy heart right toward thy neighbour? Doſt thou love as thyſelf, all mankind 〈◊〉 exception? "If you love thoſe only that love you, what thank have you?" Do you love your enemies? Is your ſoul full of good will, of tender affection toward them? Do you love even the enemies of God? The unthankful and unholy? Do your bowels yearn over them? Could you wiſh yourſelf (temporally) accurſt for their ſake? And do you ſhew this, by "bleſſing them that curſe you, and praying for thoſe that deſpitefully uſe you and perſecute you?"

18. Do you ſhew your love by your works? While you have time, as you have opportunity, do you in fact do good to all men, neighbours or ſtrangers, friends, or enemies, good or bad? Do you do them all the good you can? endeavouring to ſupply all their wants, aſſiſting them both in body and ſoul, to the uttermoſt of your power? If thou art thus minded, may every chriſtian ſay, yea, if thou art but ſincerely deſirous of it, and following on till thou attain, then "thy heart is right, as my heart is with thy heart."

II. 1. "If it be, give me thine hand. I do not mean, "Be of my opinion," You need not. I do not expect or deſire it. Neither do I mean, "I will be of your opinion." I cannot. It does not depend on my choice: I can no more think, than I can ſee or hear as I will. Keep you your opinion, I mine: And that as ſteadily as ever. You need not even endeavour to come over to me, or bring me over to you. I do not deſire you to diſpute thoſe points, or to hear 〈◊〉 ſpeak one word concerning them. Let all opinions alone on one ſide and the other. Only "Give me thine Hand."

2. I do not mean, "Embrace my modes of worſhip; or, I will embrace yours." This alſo is a thing which does not depend either on your choice or mine. We muſt both act, as each is fully perſuaded in his own mind. Hold you faſt that which you believe is moſt acceptable to God, and I will do the ſame. I believe the Epiſcopal form of church-government to be ſcriptural and apoſtolical. If you think the Preſbyterian or Independent is better, think ſo ſtill and act accordingly. I believe infants ought to be baptized, and that this may be done either by dipping or ſprinkling. If you are otherwiſe perſuaded, be ſo ſtill, and follow your own perſuaſion. It appears to me, That forms of prayer are of excellent uſe, particularly in the great congregation. If you judge extemporary prayer to be of more uſe, act ſuitable to your own judgment. My ſentiment is, That I ought not to forbid water, wherein perſons may be baptized: And, That I ought to eat bread and drink wine, as a memorial of my dying Maſter. However, if you are not convinced of this, act according to the light you have. I have no deſire to diſpute with you one moment, upon a ••• of the preceding heads. Let all theſe ſmalle • points ſtand aſide. Let them never come into ſight. "If thine heart is as my heart," if thou loveſt God and all mankind, I aſk no • ore: Give me thine hand.

3. I mean, firſt, love me. An • at not only as thou loveſt all mankind: not only as thou loveſt thine enemies, or the enemies of God, thoſe that hate thee, that deſpitefully uſe thee and perſecute thee: Not only as a ſtranger, as one of whom thou knoweſt neither good nor evil. I am not ſatisfied with this. No: "If thine heart be right, as mine with thy heart, then love me with a very tender affection, as a friend that is cloſer than a brother: As a brother in Chriſt, a fellow-citizen of the new Jeruſalem, a fellow-ſoldier engaged in the ſame warfare, under the ſame captain of our ſalvation. Love me as a companion in the kingdom and patience of Jeſus, and a joint heir of his glory.

4. Love me (but in a higher degree, than thou doſt the bulk of mankind) with the love that is long-ſuffering and kind, that is patient, if I am ignorant or out of the way, bearing and not increaſing my burthen, and is tender, ſoft and compaſſionate ſtill: That envieth not, if at any time it pleaſe God, to proſper me in this work even more than thee. Love me with the love that is not provoked either at my follies or infirmities: or even at my acting (if it ſhould ſometimes ſo appear to thee) not according to the will of God. Love me ſo as to think no evil of me, to put away all jealouſy and evil ſurmiſing. Love 〈◊〉 with the love that covereth all things, that • ver reveals either my faults or infirmities: that believeth all things, is always willing to think the beſt, to put the faireſt conſtruction on all my word •• d actions: That hopeth all things: either 〈…〉 thing related was never done; or not 〈…〉 ſuch circumſtances as are related: Or at leaſt, that it was done with a good intention: 〈…〉 in ſudden ſtreſs of temptation. And hope to the end, that whatever is amiſs, will by the grace of God be corrected, and whatever is wanting ſupplied, through the riches of his mercy in Chriſt Jeſus.

5. I mean, Secondly, commend me to God in all thy prayers, wreſtle with him in my behalf, that he would ſpeedily correct what he ſees amiſs, and ſupply what is wanting in me. In thy neareſt acceſs to the throne of grace, beg of him who is then very preſent with thee, That my heart, may be more as thy heart, more right both toward God and toward man: That I may have a fuller conviction of things not ſeen, and a ſtronger view of the love of God in Chriſt Jeſus: May more ſteadily walk by faith, not by ſight, and more earneſtly graſp eternal life. 〈◊〉 that the love of God and of all mankind, 〈◊〉 be more largely poured into my heart; 〈◊〉 may be more fervent and active in doing the will of 〈…〉 which is in heaven; more zealous of good works, and more careful to abſtain from all appearance of evil.

6. I mean, Thirdly, Provoke me to love and to good works. Second thy prayer as thou haſt opportunity, by ſpeaking to me in love whatſoever thou believeſt to be for my ſoul's health▪ Quicken me in the work which God has 〈◊〉 me to do, and inſtruct me how to do it moſt perfectly. Yea ſmite me friendly and reprove me, wherein ſoever I appear to thee, 〈◊〉 be the doing rather my own will, than the will 〈◊〉 • im that ſent me. O ſpeak and ſpare not, whatever thou believeſt may conduce, either 〈◊〉 the amending my faults, the ſtrengthening m • weakneſs, the building me up in love, or the making me more fit in any kind for the maſter's uſe.

7. I mean, Laſtly, Love me not in word only, but in deed and in truth. So far as in conſcience thou canſt (retaining ſtill thy own opinions, and thy own manner of worſhipping God) join with me in the work of God, and let us go on hand in hand. And thus far, it is certain, thou mayeſt go. Speak honourably wherever, thou art, of the work of God by whomſoever he works, and kindly of his meſſengers. And if it be in thy power, not only ſympaſhize with them when they are in any difficulty or diſtreſs, but give them a cheerful and e ••• ctual aſſiſtance, that they may glorify God on my behalf.

8. Two things ſhould be obſerved, with regard to what has been ſpoken under this laſt head. The one, that whatſoever love, whatſoever offices of love, whatſoever ſpiritual or temporal aſſiſtance, I claim from him whoſe heart is right, as my heart is with his: The ſame I am ready, by the grace of God, according to my meaſure, to give him. The other, that I have not made this claim, in behalf of myſelf only, but of all whoſe heart is right toward God and man, that we may all love one another, as Chriſt hath loved us.

III. 〈◊〉 inference we may make from what h •• • een ſaid. We may learn from hence, what is a catholic ſpirit.

There is ſcarce any expreſſion which has been more groſsly miſunderſtood, and more dangerouſly miſapplied than this. But i • will be eaſy for any who calmly conſider the preceding obſervations, to correct any ſuch miſapprehenſions of it, and to prevent any ſuch miſapplication.

For from hence we may learn, Firſt, That a catholic ſpirit, is not ſpeculative latitudinarianiſm. It is not an indifference to all opinions. This is the ſpawn of hell, not the offspring of heaven. This unſettledneſs of thought, this being "driven to and fro and toſt about with every wind of doctrine," is a great curſe not a bleſſing; an irreconcileable enemy not a friend to true catholiciſm. A man of a truly catholic ſpirit, has not now his religion to ſeek. He is fixt as the ſun in his judgment concerning the main branches of chriſtian doctrine. 'Tis true, he is always ready to hear and weigh, whatſoever can be offered againſt his principles. But as this does not ſhew any wavering in his own mind, ſo neither does it occaſion any. He does not halt between two opinions, nor vainly endeavour to blend them into one. Obſerve this, you who know not what ſpirit ye are of: who call yourſelves men of a catholic ſpirit, only becauſe you are of a muddy underſtanding: becauſe your mind is all in a miſt: becauſe you have no ſettled, conſiſtent principles, but are for jumbling all opinions together. Be convinced, that you have quite miſſed your way: you know not where you are. You think you are got into the very ſpirit of Chriſt; when in truth you are nearer the ſpirit of a ••• •• riſt. Go firſt and learn the firſt elements of 〈◊〉 goſpel of Chriſt, and then ſhall you learn to be of a truly catholic ſpirit.

2. From what has been ſaid we may learn, Secondly, That a catholic ſpirit is not any kind of practical latitudinarianiſm. It is not indifference as to public worſhip, or as to the outward manner of performing it. This likewiſe would not be a bleſſing but a curſe. Far from being an help thereto, it would ſo long as it remained be an unſpeakable hinderance to the worſhipping of God in ſpirit and in truth. But the man of a truly catholic ſpirit, having weighed all things in the balance of the ſanctuary, has no doubt, no ſcruple at all concerning that particular mode of worſhip wherein he joins. He is clearly convinced, that this manner of worſhipping of God is both ſcriptural and rational. He knows none in the world, which is more ſcriptural, none which is more rational. Therefore without rambling hither and thither, he cleaves cloſe thereto, and praiſes God for the opportuninity of ſo doing.

3. Hence we may, Thirdly, learn, That a catholic ſpirit is not indifference to all congregations. This is another ſort of latitudinarianiſm no leſs abſurd and unſcriptural than the former. But it is far from a man of a truly catholic ſpirit. He is fixt in his congregation as well as his principles. He is united to one, not only in ſpirit, but by all the outward ties of chriſtian fellowſhip. There he partakes of all the ordinances of God. There he receives the Supper 〈◊〉 • he Lord. There he pours out his ſoul in •••• ic prayer, and joins in public praiſe and thankſgiving. There he rejoices to hear the word of reconciliation, the goſpel of the grace of God. With theſe his neareſt, his beſt beloved brethren, on ſolemn occaſions he ſeeks God by faſting. Theſe particularly he watches over in love, as they do over his ſoul, admoniſhing, exhorting, comforting, reproving, and every way building up each other in the faith. Theſe he regards as his own houſhold, and therefore according to the ability God has given him, naturally cares for them, and provides that they may have all the things that are needful for life and godlineſs.

4. But while he is ſteadily fixt in his religious principles, in what he believes to be the truth as it is in Jeſus; while he firmly adheres to that worſhip of God, which he judges to be moſt acceptable in his ſight, and while he is united by the tendereſt and cloſeſt ties, to one particular congregation: his heart is enlarged toward all mankind, thoſe he knows and thoſe he does not: he embraces with ſtrong and cordial affection, neighbours and ſtrangers, friends and enemies. This is catholick or univerſal love. And he that has this, is of a catholic ſpirit. For love alone gives the title to this character. Catholic love is a catholic ſpirit.

5. But if we take this word in the ſtricteſt ſenſe, a man of a catholic ſpirit, is one who in the manner above mentioned, gives his hand to all whoſe hearts are right with his heart. One who knows how to value and praiſe God, for all the advantages he enjoys; with ••• rd to the knowledge of the things of God, the true ſcriptural manner of worſhipping him; and above all, his union with a congregation, fearing God and working righteouſneſs. One who retaining theſe bleſſings with the ſtricteſt care, keeping them as the apple of his eye, at the ſame time love as friends, as brethren in the Lord, as members of Chriſt and children of God, as joint partakers now of the preſent kingdom of God, and fellow heirs of his eternal kingdom, all of whatever opinion or worſhip or congregation, who believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; who love God and man; who rejoice to pleaſe and fearing to offend God, are careful to abſtain from evil and zealous of good works. He is the man of a truly catholic ſpirit, who bears all theſe continually upon his heart, who having an unſpeakable tenderneſs for their perſons, and longing for their welfare, does not ceaſe to commend them to God in prayer, as well as to plead their cauſe before men; who ſpeaks comfortably to them, and labours by all his words to ſtrengthen their hands, in God. He aſſiſts them to the uttermoſt of his power in all things, ſpiritual and temporal. He is ready "To ſpend and be ſpent for them; yea, to lay down his life for their ſake."

6. Thou, O man of God, think on theſe things. If thou art already in this way, go on. If thou haſt heretofore miſtook the path, bleſs God who hath brought thee back. And now run the race which is ſet before thee, in the royal •• y of univerſal love. Take heed, leſt thou be •• ther ••• ering in thy judgment, or ſtraitened in thy bowels. But keep an even pace, rooted in the faith once delivered to th • ſaints, and grounded in love, in true catholic love, till •• o • art ſwallowed up in love for ever and ever.

CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. A SERMON ON PHILIPPIANS iii. 12.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.

1. THERE is ſcarce any expreſſion in holy writ, which has given more offence than this. The word perfect is what many cannot bear. The very ſound of it is an abomination to them. And whoſoever pr •• ches perfection (as the phraſe is) i. e. aſſerts that it is attainable in this life, runs great hazard of being accounted by them, worſe than a heathen man or a publican.

2. And hence ſome have adviſed; wholly to lay aſide the uſe of thoſe expreſſions; "becauſe they have given ſo great offence." But are they not found in the oracles of God? If ſo, by what authority, can any meſſenger of God lay them aſide, even tho' all men ſhould be offended? We have not ſo learned Chriſt; neither may we thus give place to the devil. Whatſoever God hath ſpoken, that will we ſpeak, ••• ther 〈◊〉 will hear, or whether they will forbear: Knowing that then alone can any miniſter of Chriſt be part from the blood of all men, when he hath not ſhunned to declare unto them all the counſel of God.

3. We may not therefore lay theſe expreſſions aſide, ſeeing they are the words of God, and not of man. But we may, and ought to explain the meaning of them; that thoſe who are ſincere of heart, may not err to the right-hand or to the left, from the mark of the prize of their high calling. And this is the more needful to be done, becauſe in the verſe already repeated, the apoſtle ſpeaks of himſelf as not perfect: Not, ſaith he, as tho' I were already perfect. And yet immediately after, in the fifteenth verſe, he ſpeaks of himſelf, yea and many others, as perfect. Let us, ſaith he, as many as be perfect, be thus minded.

4. In order therefore to remove the difficulty ariſing from this ſeeming contradiction, as well as to give light to them who are preſſing forward to the mark, and that thoſe who are lame be not turned out of the way, I ſhall endeavour to ſhew, Firſt, In what ſenſe chriſtians are not, and, Secondly, In what ſenſe they are perfect.

I. 1. In the firſt place I ſhall endeavour to ſhew, in what ſenſe chriſtians are not perfect. And both from experience and ſcripture it appears, firſt, that they are not perfect in knowledge: They are not ſo perfect in this life, as to be free from ignorance. They know, it may be in common with other men, many things re ••• ing to the preſent world: And they know, with regard to the world to come, the general truths which God hath revealed. They know likewiſe (what the natural man receiveth not; for theſe things are ſpiritually diſcerned) "What manner of love it is, wherewith the Father hath loved them, that they ſhould be called the ſons of God;" They know the mighty working of his ſpirit in their hearts, and the wiſdom of his providence, directing all their paths, and cauſing all things to work together for their good. Yea, they know in every circumſtance of life, what the Lord requireth of them, and how "to keep a conſcience void of offence both toward God and toward man."

2. But innumerable are the things which they know not. "Touching the Almighty himſelf, they cannot ſearch him out to perfection. Lo, theſe are but a part of his ways; but the thunder of his power, who can underſtand?" They cannot underſtand, I will not ſay, "how there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and theſe three are one;" Or how the eternal Son of God "took upon himſelf the form of a ſervant:" But not any one attribute, not any one circumſtance of Divine Nature. Neither is it for them to know the times and ſeaſons, when God will work his great works upon the earth; no note ven thoſe which he hath in part revealed, by his ſervants and prophets, ſince the world began. Much leſs do they know, when God having "accompliſhed the number of his elect will haſten his kingdom: When the heavens ſhall paſs away with a great noiſe, and the elements ſhall melt with fervent heat."

3. They know not the reaſons even of many of his preſent diſpenſations with the ſons of men: But are conſtrained to reſt here, though "Clouds and darkneſs are round about him, righteouſneſs and judgment are the habitation of his feat." Yea, often with regard to his dealings with themſelves doth their Lord ſay unto them, "What I do, thou knoweſt not now; but thou ſhalt know hereafter." And how little do they know, of what is ever before them, of even the viſible works of his hands? How "he ſpreadeth the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing?" How he unites all the parts of this vaſt machine by a ſecret chain which cannot be broken? So great is the ignorance, ſo very little the knowledge of even the beſt of men.

II. 4. No one then is ſo perfect in this life, as to be free from ignorance. Nor, ſecondly, from miſtake, which indeed is almoſt an unavoidable conſequence of it: ſeeing thoſe who know but in part, are ever liable to err, touching the things which they know not. 'Tis true, the children of God do not miſtake, as to the things eſſential to ſalvation. They do not "put darkneſs for light, or light for darkneſs," neither "ſeek death in the error of their life." For they are taught of God, and the way which he teacheth them, the way of holineſs is ſo plain, that "the wayfaring man though a fool, need not err, therein." But in things uneſſential to ſalvation, they do err, and that frequently. The beſt and wiſeſt of men are frequently miſtaken, even with regard to facts: believing thoſe things not to have been, which really were, or thoſe to have been done, which were not. Or ſuppoſe they are not miſtaken as to the fact itſelf, they may be, with regard to its circumſtances; believing them, or many of them, to have been quite different, from what in truth they were. And hence cannot but ariſe many farther miſtakes. Hence they may believe either paſt or preſent actions, which were, or are evil, to be good; and ſuch as were, or are good, to be evil. Hence alſo they may judge, not according to truth, with regard to the characters of men: And that not only by ſuppoſing good men to be better, or wicked men to be worſe than they are; but by believing them to have been, or to be good men, who were, or are very wicked: Or, perhaps, thoſe to have been, or to be wicked men, who were, or are holy and unreproveable.

5. Nay, with regard to the holy ſcriptures themſelves, as careful as they are to avoid it, the beſt of men are liable to miſtake, and do miſtake day by day: Eſpecially, with reſpect to thoſe parts-thereof, which leſs immediately relate to practice. Hence even the children of God are not agreed, as to the interpretation of many places in holy writ: Nor i • their difference of opinion any proof that they are not the children of God on either ſide. But it is a proof, that we are no more to expect any living man, to be infallible than to be omniſcient.

6. If it be objected to what has been obſerved under this and the preceding head, that St. John ſpeaking to his brethren in the faith, ſays, Ye, have an unction from the holy one, and know all things, 1. John ii. 20. The anſwer is plain, "Ye know all things that are needful for your ſoul's health." That the apoſtle never de •••• d to extend this farther, that he could not ſpeak • t in an abſolute ſenſe, is clear firſt from hence, that otherwiſe he would deſcribe the diſciple as 〈◊〉 his Maſter; ſeeing Chriſt himſelf, as man, knew not all things.—Of that hour, ſaith he, knoweth no man, no not the Son, but the Father only. It is clear, ſecondly, from the apoſtle's own words that follow: "Theſe things have I written unto you concerning them that deceive you:" As well as from his frequently repeated caution, let no man deceive you; which had been altogether needleſs, had not thoſe very perſons, who had that unction from the holy one been liable not to ignorance only; but to miſtake alſo.

7. Even chriſtians therefore are not ſo perfect, as to be free either from ignorance or error. We may, thirdly, add; nor from infirmities. Only let us take care to underſtand this word aright. Only let us not give that ſoft title to known ſins, as the manner of ſome is. So, one man tells us, Every man has his infirmity, and mine is drunkenneſs: Another has the infirmity of uncleanneſs; another of taking God's holy name in vain. And yet another has the infirmity of calling his brother, thou fool, or returning railing for railing. It is plain, that all you who thus ſpeak, if ye repent not, ſhall with your infirmities, go quick into hell. But I mean hereby, not only thoſe which are properly termed bodily infirmities, but all thoſe inward or outward imperfections, which are not of a moral nature. Such are weakneſs or ſlowneſs of underſtanding, dullneſs or confuſedneſs of apprehenſion, incoherency of thought, irregular quickneſs or heavineſs of imagination. Such (to ••• tion no more of this kind) is the want of a ready or retentive memory. Such in another kind are, thoſe commonly in ſome meaſure conſequent upon theſe: Namely, ſlowneſs of ſpeech, impropriety of language, ungracefulneſs of pronunciation; to which one might add a thouſand nameleſs defects, either in converſation or behaviour. Theſe are the infirmities which are found in the beſt of men, in a larger or ſmaller proportion. And from theſe none can hope to be perfectly freed, till the ſpirit returns to God that gave it.

8. Nor can we expect till then, to be wholly free from temptation. Such perfection belongeth not to this life. It is true, there are thoſe who being given up to work all uncleanneſs with greedineſs, ſcarce perceive the temptations which they reſiſt not, and ſo ſeem to be without temptation. There are alſo many whom the wiſe enemy of ſouls ſeeing to be faſt aſleep in the dead form of godlineſs, will not tempt to groſs ſin, leſt they ſhould awake, before they drop into everlaſting burnings. I know, there are alſo children of God who being now juſtified freely, having found redemption in the blood of Chriſt, for the preſent feel no temptation. God hath ſaid to their enemies, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my children no harm." And for this ſeaſon, it may be for weeks or months, he cauſeth them to ride on high places, be beareth them as on eagles wings, above all the fiery darts of the wicked one. But this ſtate will not laſt always, as we may learn from that ſingle conſideration, that the Son of God himſelf, in the days of his fleſh was tempted even to the end of his life. Therefore ſo let his ſervant expect to be; for it is enough that he be as his maſter.

9. Chriſtian perfection therefore does not imply (as ſome men ſeem to have imagined an exemption either from ignorance or miſtake, or infirmities or temptations. Indeed it is only another term for holineſs. They are two names for the ſame thing. Thus, every one that is holy, is in the ſcripture ſenſe, perfect. Yet we may, laſtly, obſerve, that neither in this reſpect is there any abſolute perfection on earth. There is no Perfection of degrees, as it is termed; none which does not admit of a continual increaſe. So that how much ſoever any man has attained, or in how high a degree ſoever he is perfect, he hath ſtill need to grow in grace, and daily to advance in the knowledge and love of God his Saviour.

II. 1. In what ſenſe then are chriſtians perfect? This is what I ſhall endeavour, in the ſecond place to ſhew. But it ſhould be premiſed, that there are ſeveral ſtages in chriſtian life as in natural: Some of the children of God being but new born babes; others having attained to more maturity. And accordingly St. John, in his firſt epiſtle (chap. ii. 12, &c.) applies himſelf ſeverally, to thoſe he terms little children, thoſe he ſtiles young men, and thoſe whom he entitles fathers. "I write unto you, little children," ſaith the apoſtle, "becauſe your ſins are forgiven you:" Becauſe thus far you have attained, being "juſtified freely you have peace with God, thro' Jeſus Chriſt. I write unto you, young men, becauſe ye have overcome the wicked one; or (as he afterwards addeth) becauſe ye are ſtrong, and the word of God abideth in you." Ye have quenched the fiery darts of the wicked one, the doubts and fears, wherewith he diſturbed your firſt peace; and the witneſs of God that your ſins are forgiven, now abideth in your heart. "I write unto you, fathers, becauſe ye have known him that is from the beginning." Ye have known both the Father and the Son, and the Spirit of Chriſt in your inmoſt ſoul Ye are "perfect men, being grown up to the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt."

2. It is of theſe chiefly I ſpeak in the latter part of this diſcourſe. For theſe only are perfect chriſtians. But even babes in Chriſt are in ſuch a ſenſe perfect, or born of God (an expreſſion taken alſo in divers ſenſes) as firſt, Not to commit ſin. If any doubt of this privilege of the ſons of God, the queſtion is not to be decided by abſtract reaſonings, which may be drawn out into an endleſs length, and leave the point juſt as it was before. Neither is it to be determined by the experience of this or that particular perſon. Many may ſuppoſe they do not commit ſin, when they do; but this proves nothing either way. "To the law and to the teſtimony," we appeal. "Let God be true, and every man a liar." By his word will we abide, and that alone. Hereby we ought to be judged.

3. Now the word of God plainly declares, that even thoſe who are juſtified, who are born again in the loweſt ſenſe, do not continue in ſin; that they cannot "live any longer therein (Rom. vi. 1, 2.) that they are planted together in the likeneſs of the death of Chriſt (ver. 5.) That their old man is crucified with him, the body of ſin being deſtroyed, ſo that thenceforth they do not ſerve ſin: that being dead with Chriſt, they are freed from ſin," (ver. 6, 7.) that they are dead unto ſin, and alive unto God (ver. 11.) That "ſin hath no more dominion over them, who are not under the law, but under grace; but that theſe being free from ſin, are become the ſervants of righteouſneſs," verſes 14, 18.

4. The very leaſt which can be implied in theſe words, is, that the perſons ſpoken of therein, namely, all real chriſtians or believers in Chriſt, are made free from outward ſin. And the ſame freedom which St Paul here expreſſes in ſuch variety of phraſes, St. Peter expreſſes in that one (1 Pet. iv. 1, 2.) " 〈◊〉 that hath ſuffered in the fleſh, hath ceaſed from ſin,—that he no longer ſhould live—to the deſires of men, but to the will of God." For this ceaſing from ſin, if it be interpreted in the loweſt ſenſe, as regarding only the outward behaviour, muſt denote the ceaſing from the outward act, from any outward tranſgreſſion of the law.

5. But moſt expreſs are the well known words of St. John, in the third chapter of his firſt epiſtle, verſe the eighth, &c. "He that commiteth ſin is of the devil; for the devil ſinneth from the beginning. For this purpoſe the ſon of God was manifeſted, that he might deſtroy the works of the devil. Whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſin. For his ſeed remaineth in him, and he cannot ſin, becauſe he is born of God." And thoſe in the fifth, chap. verſe 18. "We know that whoſoever is born of God ſinneth not. But he that is begotten of God keepeth himſelf, and that wicked one toucheth him not."

6. Indeed it is ſaid, this means only, he ſinneth not wilfully; or he doth not commit ſin habitually; or, not as other men do; or, not as he did before. But by whom is this ſaid? By St. John? No. There is no ſuch word in the text: Nor in the whole chapter; nor in all this epiſtle; nor in any part of his writings whatſoever. Why then, the beſt way to anſwer a bold aſſertion is, ſimply to deny it. And if any man can prove it from the word of God, let him bring forth his ſtrong reaſons.

7. And a ſort of reaſon there is, which has been frequently brought to ſupport theſe ſtrange aſſertions, drawn from the examples recorded in the word of God, "What, ſay they, did not Ahraham himſelf commit ſin, prevaricating and denying his wife? Did not Moſes commit ſin, when he provoked God, at the waters of ſtrife? Nay, to produce one for all, did not even David the man after God's own heart, commit ſin, in the matter of Uriah the Hittite, even murder and adultery?" It is moſt ſure he did. All this is true. But what is it you would infer from hence? It may be granted, firſt, that David, in the general courſe of his life, was one of the holieſt men among the Jews. And, ſecondly, that the holieſt men among the Jews did ſometimes commit ſin. But if you would hence infer, that all chriſtians do, and muſt commit ſin, as long as they live: This conſequence we utterly deny. It will never follow from thoſe premiſſes.

8. Thoſe who argue thus, ſeem never to have conſidered that declaration of our Lord (Matth. xi. 11.) "Verily I ſay unto you, among them that are born of women, there hath not riſen a greater than John the Baptiſt. Notwithſtanding, he that is leaſt in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." I fear indeed there are ſome who have imagined the kingdom of heaven here, to mean the kingdom of glory: As if the Son of God had juſt diſcovered to us, that the leaſt glorified ſaint in heaven is greater than any man upon earth! To mention this is ſufficiently to refute it. There can therefore no doubt be made but the kingdom of heaven here, (as in the following verſe, where it is ſaid to be taken by force) or, the kingdom of God, as St. Luke expreſſes it, is that kingdom of God on earth, whereunto all true believers in Chriſt, all real chriſtians belong. In theſe words then our Lord declares two things. Firſt, That before his coming in the fleſh among all the children of men, there had not been one greater than John the Baptiſt: Whence it evidently follows, that neither Abraham, David, nor any Jew was greater than John. Our Lord, ſecondly, declares, that he which is leaſt in the kingdom of God (in that kingdom which he came to ſet up on earth, and which, the voilent now began to take by force) is greater than he. Not a greater prophet (as ſome have interpreted the word) for this is palpably falſe in fact. But greater in the grace of God, and the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore we cannot meaſure the privileges of real chriſtians, by thoſe formerly given to the Jews. Their miniſtration (or diſpenſation) we allow was glorious; but ours exceed in glory. So that whoſoever would bring down the chriſtian diſpenſation to the Jewiſh ſtandard, whoſoever gleans up the examples of weakneſs, recorded in the law and the prophets, and thence infers, that they who have put on Chriſt, are indued with no greater ſtrength, doth "greatly err, neither knowing the ſcriptures, not the power of God."

9. But are there not aſſertions in ſcripture which prove the ſame thing, if it cannot be inferred from thoſe examples? Does not the ſcripture ſay expreſsly, Even a juſt man ſinneth ſeven times a day? I anſwer, No. The ſcripture ſaith no ſuch thing. There is no ſuch text in all the bible. That which ſeems to be intended is the ſixteenth verſe of the twenty fourth chapter of the Proverbs: The words of which are theſe. "A juſt man falleth ſeven times, and riſeth up again," But this is quite another thing. For, firſt, the words, a day, are not in the text. So that if a juſt man falls ſeven times in his life, it is as much as is affirmed here. Secondly, Here is no mention of falling into ſin at all; what is here mentioned is, falling into temporal affliction. This plainly appears from the verſe before, the words of which are theſe: "Lay not wait, O wicked man, againſt the dwelling of the righteous; ſpoil not his reſting place." It follows, "For a juſt man falleth ſeven times, and riſeth up again: But the wicked ſhall fall into miſchief." As if he had ſaid, "God will deliver him out of his trouble. But when thou falleſt, there ſhall be none to deliver thee."

10. But however in other places, continue the objectors, Solomon does aſſert plainly, "There is no man that ſinneth not (1 Kings viii. 46. 2 Chron. vi. 36.) yea, there is not a juſt man upon earth that doth good, and ſinneth not" Eccleſ. vii. 20.) I anſwer, without doubt, thus it was in the days of Solomon. Yea, thus it was, from Adam to Moſes, from Moſes to Solomon, and from Solomon to Chriſt. There was then no man that ſinned not. Even from the day that ſin entered into the world, there was not a juſt man upon earth that did good, and ſinned not, until the Son of God was manifeſted to take away our ſins. It is unqueſtionably true, that "the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a ſervant." And that even ſo they (all the holy men of old, who were under the Jewiſh diſpenſation) were during that infant ſtate of the church, "in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fulneſs of the time was come, God ſent forth his Son, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that they might receive the adoption of ſons; that they might receive that grace which is now made manifeſt by the appearing of our Saviour, Jeſus Chriſt, who hath aboliſhed death, and brought life and immortality to light through the goſpel," (2. Tim. i. 10.) Now therefore they are no more ſervants, but ſons. So that whatſoever was the caſe of thoſe under the law, we may ſafely affirm with St. John, that ſince the goſpel was given, "He that is born of God, ſinneth not."

11. It is of great importance to obſerve, and that more carefully than is commonly done, the wide difference that is between the Jewiſh and the Chriſtian diſpenſation: And that ground of it which the ſame apoſtle aſſigns in the ſeventh chapter of his goſpel, verſe 38, &c. After he had there related thoſe words of our bleſſed Lord, "He that believeth on me, as the ſcripture hath ſaid, out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living water," he immediately ſubjoins, "This ſpake he of the Spirit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which they who ſhould believe on him, were afterwards to receive. For the Holy Ghoſt was not yet given, becauſe that Jeſus was not yet glorified." Now the apoſtle cannot mean here (as ſome have taught) that the miracle working power of the Holy Ghoſt was not yet given. For this was given: our Lord had given it to all his apoſtles, when he firſt ſent them forth to preach the goſpel. He then gave them Power over unclean ſpirits to caſt them out; Power to heal the ſick, yea, to raiſe the dead. But the Holy Ghoſt was not yet given in his ſanctifying graces, as he was after Jeſus was glorified. "It was then when he aſcended up on high, and led captivity captive, that he received thoſe gifts for man, yea, even for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them. And when the day of pentecoſt was fully come, then firſt it was, that they who waited for the promiſe of the Father, were made more than conquerors over ſin, by the Holy Ghoſt given unto them.

12. That this great ſalvation from ſin was not given till Jeſus was glorified, St. Peter alſo plainly teſtifies; where ſpeaking of his brethren in the fleſh, as now receiving the end of their faith, the ſalvation of their ſouls, he adds (1. Pet. i. 9.10, &c.) "Of which ſalvation the prophets have enquired and ſearched diligently, who propheſied of the grace (i. e. the gracious diſpenſation) that ſhould come unto you: ſearching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Chriſt which was in them did ſignify, when it teſtified before hand the ſufferings of Chriſt and the glory (the glorious ſalvation) that ſhould follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themſelves, but unto us they did miniſter, the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the goſpel unto you, with the Holy Ghoſt ſent down from heaven (viz. at the day of pentecoſt, and ſo unto all generations, into the hearts of all true believers.) On this ground even the grace which was brought unto them by the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, the apoſtle might well build that ſtrong exhortation, "Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind,—as he which hath called you is holy, ſo be ye holy in all manner of converſation.

13. Thoſe who have duly conſidered theſe things muſt allow, that the privileges of chriſtians, are in no wiſe to be meaſured by what the old teſtament records concerning thoſe who were under the Jewiſh diſpenſation: ſeeing the fulneſs of times is now come; the Holy Ghoſt is now given: The great ſalvation of God is brought unto men, by the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt. The kingdom of heaven is now ſet up on earth; concerning which the Spirit of God declared of old (ſo far is David from being the pattern or ſtandard of chriſtian perfection) "He that is feeble among them at that day, ſhall be as David: And the houſe of David ſhall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them." (Zech. xii. 8.)

14. If therefore you would prove that the apoſtle's words, he that is born of God ſinneth not, are not be underſtood, according to there plain, natural, obvious meaning, it is from the new teſtament you are to bring your proofs: elſe you will fight as one that beateth the air. And the firſt of theſe which is uſually brought, is taken from the examples recorded in the new teſtament. "The apoſtles themſelves (it is ſaid) committed ſin: Nay the greateſt of them, Peter and Paul: St. Paul, by his ſharp contention with Barnabas, and St. Peter, by his diſſimulation at Antioch." Well; ſuppoſe both Peter and Paul did then commit ſin: What is it you would infer from hence? That all the other apoſtles committed ſin ſometimes? There is no ſhadow of proof of this. Or, would you thence infer, that all the other chriſtians of the apoſtolic age committed ſin? Worſe and worſe; this is ſuch an inference as one would imagine a man in his ſenſes could never have thought of. Or, will you argue thus; "If two of the apoſtles did once commit ſin, then all other chriſtians, in all ages, do, and will commit ſin as long as they live." Alas, my brother! a child of common underſtanding, would be aſhamed of ſuch reaſoning as this. Leaſt of all can you with any colour of argument infer, "That any man muſt commit ſin at all." No; God forbid we ſhould thus ſpeak. No neceſſity of ſinning was laid upon them. The grace of God was ſurely ſufficient for them. And it is ſufficient for us at this day. With the temptation which fell on them, there was a way to eſcape; as there is to every ſoul of man in every temptation. So that whoſoever is tempted to any ſin, need not yield; for no man is tempted above that he is able to bear.

15. "But St. Paul beſought the Lord thrice, and yet he could not eſcape from his temptation." Let us conſider his own words literally tranſlated. "There was given to me, a thorn to the fleſh, an angel, or meſſenger of ſatan, to buſſet me. Touching this I beſought the Lord thrice, that it or he might depart from me. And he ſaid unto me, my grace is ſufficient for thee. For my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs. Moſt gladly therefore will I rather glory in theſe my weakneſſes, that the ſtrength of Chriſt may reſt upon me. Therefore I take pleaſure in weakneſſes,—for when I am weak, then am I ſtrong."

16. As this ſcripture is one of the ſtrong holds of the patrons of ſin, it may be proper to weigh it thoroughly. Let it be obſerved then, firſt, It does by no means appear, That this thorn, whatſoever it was, occaſioned St. Paul to commit ſin: Much leſs laid him under any neceſſity of doing ſo. Therefore, from hence it can never be proved that any chriſtian muſt commit ſin. Secondly, The ancient fathers inform us, it was bodily pain: A violent head-ach, ſaith Tertullian, (de pudic) to which both Chryſoſtom and St. Jerome agree. St. Cyprian * De mortalitate. expreſſes it a little more generally in thoſe terms, Many and grievous torments of the fleſh and of the body. † Carnis & corporis multa a gravia tormentà. Thirdly, To this exactly agree the apoſtles own words, "A thorn to the fleſh, to ſmite, beat, or buffet me. My ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs." Which ſame word occurs no leſs than four times in theſe two verſes only. But fourthly, Whatſoever it was, it could not be either inward or outward fin. It could no more be inward ſtirrings, than outward expreſſions, of pride, anger, or luſt. This is manifeſt beyond all poſſible exception, from the words that immediately follow, "Moſt gladly will I glory in theſe my weakneſſes, that the ſtrength of Chriſt may reſt upon me. What? Did he glory in pride, in anger, in luſt? Was it through theſe weakneſſes, that the ſtrength of Chriſt reſted upon him? He goes on; Therefore I take pleaſure in weakneſſes; for when I am weak, then am I ſtrong; i. e. When I am weak in body, then am I ſtrong in ſpirit. But will any man dare to ſay, when I am weak by pride or luſt, then am I ſtrong in ſpirit? I call you all to record this day, who find the ſtrength of Chriſt reſting upon you, can you glory in anger, or pride, or luſt? can you take pleaſure in theſe Infirmities? Do theſe weakneſſes make you ſtrong? would you not leap into hell, were it poſſible, to eſcape them? Even by yourſelves then judge, whether the apoſtle could glory, and take pleaſure in them? Let it be, laſtly, obſerved, that this thorn was given to St. Paul above fourteen years before he wrote this epiſtle: Which itſelf was wrote ſeveral years before he finiſhed his courſe. So that he had after this a long courſe to run, many battles to fight, many victories to gain, and great increaſe to receive in all the gifts of God, and the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore from any ſpiritual weakneſs (if ſuch had been) which he at that time felt, we could by no means infer, that he was never made ſtrong, that Paul, the aged, the father in Chriſt, ſtill laboured under the ſame weakneſſes: That he was in no higher ſtate till the day of his death. From all which it appears, that this inſtance of St. Paul is quite foreign to the queſtion, and does in no wiſe claſh with the affection of St. John, He that is born of God ſinneth not.

17. "But does not St. James, directly contradict this? His words are, In many things we offend all, chap. iii. ver, 2. And is not offending the ſame as committing ſin?" In this place I allow it is. I allow the perſons here ſpoken of did commit ſin, yea, that they all committed many ſins. But who are the perſons here ſpoken of? Why, thoſe many maſters or teachers, whom God had not ſent (probably the ſame vain men who taught that faith without works, which is ſo ſharply reproved in the preceding chapter.) Not the apoſtle himſelf, nor any real chriſtian. That in the word we (uſed by a figure of ſpeach, common in all other, as well as the inſpired writings) the apoſtle could not poſſibly include himſelf, or any other true believer, appears evidently, firſt, from the ſame word, in the ninth verſe; Therewith (ſaith he) bleſs we God, and therewith curſe we men. Out of the ſame mouth proceedeth bleſſing and curſing. True; but not out of the mouth of the apoſtle, nor of any one who is in Chriſt a new creature. Secondly, from the verſe immediately preceding the text, and manifeſtly connected with it. My brethren, be not many maſters (or teachers) knowing that we ſhall receive the greater condemnation: For in many things we offend all: We! Who? Not the apoſtles, nor true believers; but they who knew they ſhould receive the greater condemnation, becauſe of thoſe many offences. But this could not be ſpoken of the apoſtle himſelf, or of any who trod in his ſteps; ſeeing there is no condemnation for them, who walk not after the 〈◊〉 , but after the ſpirit. Nay, thirdly, the very verſe itſelf proves, that we offend all, cannot be ſpoken, either of all men, or of all chriſtians; for in it there immediately follows the mention of a man who offends not, as the we firſt mentioned did: from whom therefore he is profeſſedly contradiſtinguiſhed, and pronounced, a perfect man.

18. So clearly does St. James, explain himſelf, and fix the meaning of his own words. Yet leſt any one ſhould ſtill remain in doubt, St. John, writing many years after St. James, puts the matter intirely out of diſpute, by the expreſs declarations above recited. But here a freſh difficulty may ariſe. How ſhall we reconcile St. John with himſelf? In one place he declares, "Whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſin." And again, "We know that he which is born of God, ſinneth not." And yet in another he ſaith, "If we ſay that we have no ſin, we deceive ourſelves, and the truth is not in us." And again, "If we ſay that we have not ſinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

19. As great a difficulty as this may at firſt appear, it vaniſhes away if we obſerve, firſt, That the tenth verſe fixes the ſenſe of the eighth: If we ſay we have to ſin, in the former, being explained by, If we ſay we have not ſinned, in the latter verſe. Secondly, That the point under preſent conſideration is not whether we have or have not ſinned heretofore; and neither of theſe verſes aſſert, that we do ſin, or commit ſin now. Thirdly, That the ninth verſe explains both the eighth and tenth; "If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs: as if he had ſaid, I have before affirmed, the blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin. But let no man ſay, I need it not: I have no ſin to be cleanſed from. If we ſay that we have no ſin, that we have not ſinned, we deceive ourſelves and make God a liar. But if we confeſs our fins, he is faithful and juſt, not only to forgive our ſins, but alſo to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs, that we may go and fin no more."

20. St. John therefore is well conſiſtent with himſelf, as well as with the other holy writers: As will yet more evidently appear, if we place all his aſſertions touching this matter in one view. He declares, Firſt, The blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin. Secondly, No man can ſay, I have not ſinned. I have no ſin to be cleanſed from. Thirdly, but God is ready both to forgive our paſt ſins, and to ſave us from them for the time to come. Fourthly, "Theſe things I write unto you," ſaith the apoſtle, "that you may not ſin: but if any man ſhould ſin," or have ſinned (as the word might be rendered) he need not continue in ſin, ſeeing "we have an advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous." Thus far all is clear. But leſt any doubt ſhould remain, in a point of ſo vaſt importance, the apoſtle reſumes this ſubject in the third chapter, and largely explains his own meaning. Little children, ſaith he, let no man deceive you (as though I had given any encouragement to thoſe that continue in ſin.) "He that doth righteouſneſs, is righteous even as he is righteous. He that committeth ſin is of the devil: for the devil ſinneth from the beginning. For this purpoſe the ſon of God was manifeſted, that he might deſtroy the works of the devil. Whoſoever is born of God doth not commit ſin: for his ſeed remaineth in him, and he cannot ſin, becauſe he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifeſt, and the children of the devil." (verſes 7,—10.) Here the point, which till then might poſſibly have admitted of ſome doubt in weak minds, is purpoſely ſettled by the laſt of the inſpired writers, and decided in the cleareſt manner. In conformity therefore both to the doctrine of St. John, and to the whole tenor of the new teſtament, we fix this concluſion, "A chriſtian is ſo far perfect, as not to commit ſin."

21. This is the glorious privilege of every chriſtian, yea, though he be but a babe in Chriſt. But it is only of thoſe who are ſtrong in the Lord, and have overcome the wicked one, or rather of thoſe who have known him that is from the beginning, that it can be affirmed they are in ſuch a ſenſe perfect; as, Secondly, to be freed from evil thoughts, and evil tempers. Firſt, from evil or ſinful thoughts. But here let it be obſerved, that thoughts concerning evil, are not always evil thoughts: that a thought concerning ſin, and a ſinful thought, are widely different. A man, for inſtance, may think of a murder which another has committed, and yet this is no evil or ſinful thought. So our bleſſed Lord himſelf, doubtleſs thought of, or underſtood the thing ſpoken by the devil, when he ſaid, "All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me." Yet had he no evil or ſinful thought, nor indeed was capable of having any. And even hence it follows, that neither have real chriſtians. For "every one that is perfect is as his maſter," (Luke vi. 40.) Therefore, if he was free from evil or ſinful thoughts, ſo are they likewiſe.

22. And indeed, whence ſhould evil thoughts proceed, in the ſervant who is as his maſter? Out of the heart of man (if at all) proceed evil thoughts, (Mark vii. 21.) If therefore his heart be no longer evil, then evil thoughts can no longer proceed out of it. If the tree were corrupt, ſo would be the fruit; but the tree is good. The fruit therefore is good alſo, (Matth. xii. 38.) Our Lord himſelf bearing witneſs, "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, as a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit," Matt. vii. 17, 18.

23. The ſame happy privilege of real chriſtians, St. Paul aſſerts from his own experience. "The weapons of our warfare," ſaith he, "are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of ſtrong holds: Caſting down imaginations," (or reaſonings rather, for ſo the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſignifies; all the reaſonings of pride and unbelief againſt the declarations, promiſes or gifts of God) "and every high thing that exalteth itſelf againſt the knowledge of God; and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt," 2 Cor. • . 5, &c.

24. And as chriſtians indeed, are freed from evil thoughts, ſo are they, Secondly, from evil tempers. This is evident from the above mentioned declaration of our Lord himſelf: "The diſciple is not above his maſter; but every one that is perfect ſhall be as his maſter." He had been delivering juſt before ſome of the ſublimeſt doctrines of Chriſtianity, and ſome of the moſt grievous to fleſh and blood. "I ſay unto you, love your enemies, do good to them which hate you: and unto him that ſmiteth thee on the one cheek, offer alſo the other." Now theſe he well knew the world would not receive; and therefore immediately adds, "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?" As if he had ſaid, "Do not confer with fleſh and blood touching theſe things, with men void of ſpiritual diſcernment, the eyes of whoſe underſtanding God hath not opened, leſt they and you periſh together." In the next verſe he removes the two grand objections, with which theſe wiſe fools meet us at every turn, "Theſe things are too grievous to be borne," or, "They are too high to be attained:" Saying, "The diſciple is not above his maſter:" therefore, if I have ſuffered, be content to tread in my ſteps. And doubt ye not then, but I will fulfil my word: "For every one that is perfect, ſhall be as his maſter." But his maſter was free from all finful tempers. So therefore is his diſciple, even every real chriſtian.

25. Every one of theſe can ſay with St. Paul, "I am crucified with Chriſt. Nevertheleſs I live; Yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me:" Words that manifeſtly deſcribe a deliverance from inward, as well as from outward ſin. This is expreſſed both negatively, I live not: my evil nature, the body of ſin is deſtroyed: and poſitively, Chriſt liveth in me, and therefore all that is holy, and juſt, and good. Indeed both theſe, Chriſt liveth in me, and I live not, are inſeparably connected. For "What communion hath light with darkneſs, or Chriſt with belial?"

26. He therefore who liveth in true believers, hath "purified their hearts by faith:" Inſomuch that "every one that hath Chriſt in him, the hope of glory, purifieth himſelf even as he is pure (1 John iii. 3.) He is purified from pride; for Chriſt was lowly of heart. He is pure from ſelf-will, or deſire; for Chriſt deſired only to do the will of his Father, and to finiſh his work. And he is pure from anger, in the common ſenſe of the word; for Chriſt was meek and gentle, patient and long-ſuffering. I ſay, in the common ſenſe of the word; for all anger is not evil. We read of our Lord himſelf (Mark iii. 5.) that he once looked round with anger. But with what kind of anger? The next word ſhews; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , being at the ſame time grieved for the hardneſs of their hearts. So then he was angry at the ſin, and in the ſame moment grieved for the ſinners. Angry or diſpleaſed at the offence; but ſorry for the offenders. With anger, yea, hatred, he looked upon the thing; with grief and love upon the perſons. Go thou that art perfect, and do likewiſe. Be thus angry, and thou ſinneſt not: Feeling a diſplacency at every offence againſt God; but only love and tender compaſſion to the offender.

27. Thus doth Jeſus ſave his people from their ſins: And not only from outward ſins, but alſo from the ſins of their hearts; from evil thoughts and from evil tempers. True, ſay ſome; we ſhall thus be ſaved from our ſins; but not till death, not in this world. But how are we to reconcile this with the expreſs words of St. John? "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldneſs in the day of judgment, becauſe as he is, ſo are we in this world." The apoſtle here beyond all contradiction ſpeaks of himſelf and other living chriſtians, of whom (as though he had foreſeen this very evaſion, and ſet himſelf to overturn it from the foundation) he flatly affirms, that not only at, or after death, but in this world, they are as their maſter, 1 John iv. 17.

28. Exactly agreeable to this are his words in the firſt chapter of this epiſtle (verſe 6, &c.) "God is light, and in him is no darkneſs at all. If we walk in the light, we have fellowſhip one with another, and the blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son cleanſeth us from all ſin." And again, "If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs." Now it is evident, the apoſtle here alſo ſpeaks of a deliverance wrought in this world. For he ſaith not, "the blood of Chriſt will cleanſe," (at the hour of death, or in the day of judgment) but it cleanſeth (at the time preſent) us (living chriſtians) from all ſin. And it is equally evident, that if any ſin remain, we are not cleanſed from all ſin: if any unrighteouſneſs remain in the ſoul, it is not cleanſed from all unrighteouſneſs. Neither let any ſinner againſt his own foul ſay, that this relates to juſtification only, or the cleanſing us from the guilt of ſin; Firſt, Becauſe this is confounding together what the apoſtle clearly diſtinguiſhes; who mentions firſt, to forgive us our ſins, and then "to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs." Secondly, Becauſe this is aſſerting juſtification by works in the ſtrongeſt ſenſe poſſible: it is making all inward, as well as outward holineſs, neceſſarily previous to juſtification. For if the cleanſing here ſpoken of is no other than the cleanſing us from the guilt of ſin, then we are not cleanſed from guilt; i. e. are not juſtified, unleſs on condition of "walking in the light, as he is in the light." It remains then, that chriſtians are ſaved in this world from all ſin; from all unrighteouſneſs: that they are now in ſuch a ſenſe perfect, as not to commit ſin, and to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers.

29. Thus hath the Lord fulfilled the things he ſpake by his holy prophets, which have been ſince the world began: by Moſes in particular, ſaying (Deut. xxx. 6.) "I will circumciſe thine heart, and the heart of thy ſeed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul;" by David crying out, "Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right ſpirit within me:" And moſt remarkably by Ezekiel, in thoſe words, "Then will I ſprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean; from all your filthineſs, and from all your idols will I cleanſe you. A new heart alſo will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, and he ſhall keep my judgments and do them.—Ye ſhall be my people, and I will be your God. I will alſo •• ve you from all your uncleanneſſes.—Thus ſaith the Lord your God, in the day that I ſhall have cleanſed you from all your iniquities—the heathen ſhall know that I the Lord build the ruined places,—I the Lord have ſpoken it,—and I will do it, Ezek. xxxvi. 25, &c.

30. Having therefore theſe promiſes dearly beloved, both in the law and in the prophets, and having the prophetic word confirmed unto us in the goſpel, by our bleſſed Lord and his apoſtles: "Let us cleanſe ourſelves from all filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God." Let us fear leſt ſo many promiſes being made us of "entering into his reſt (which he that hath entered into, is ceaſed from his own works) any 〈…〉 ſhould come ſhort of it. This one thing 〈…〉 do; forgeting thoſe things which are behind, and reaching forth unto thoſe things which are before, let us preſs toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus:" Crying unto him day and night, 'till we alſo are "delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the ſons of God."

THE Promiſe of Sanctification. EZEKIEL xxxvi. 25, 〈◊〉 By the REV. MR. CHARLES WESLEY. I. GOD of all Power, and Truth and Grace, Which ſhall from age to age endure; Whoſe Word, when heaven and earth ſhall paſs Remains, and ſtands for ever ſure: II. Calmly to thee my ſoul looks up, And waits thy promiſes to prove; The object of my ſtedfaſt hope, The ſeal of thine eternal love. III. That I thy mercy may proclaim, That all mankind thy truth may ſee, Hallow thy great and glorious name, And perfect holineſs in me. IV. Choſe from the world if now I ſtand Adorn'd in Righteouſneſs divine, If brought unto the promis'd land, I juſtly call the Saviour mine; V. Perform the work thou haſt begun, My inmoſt ſoul to thee convert: Love me, for ever, love thine own, And ſprinkle with thy blood my heart. VI. Thy ſanctifying ſpirit pour, To quench my thirſt, and waſh me clean; Now, Father, let the gracious ſhower Deſcend, and make me pure from ſin. VII. Purge me from every ſinful blot; My idols all be caſt aſide: Cleanſe me from every evil thought; From all the filth of ſelf and pride. VIII. Give me a new, a perfect heart, From doubt, and fear, and ſorrow free; The mind which was in Chriſt impart, And let my ſpirit cleave to thee. IX. O take this heart of ſtone away, (Thy rule it doth not, cannot own) In me no longer let it ſtay: O take away this heart of ſtone. X. The hatred of my carnal mind Out of my fleſh at once remove; Give me a tender heart, reſign'd, And pure, and fill'd with faith and love. XI. Within me thy good Spirit place, Spirit of health, and love, and power; Plant in me thy victorious grace, And ſin ſhall never enter more. XII. Cauſe me to walk in Chriſt my way, And I thy ſtatutes ſhall fulfil; In every point thy law obey, And perfectly perform thy will. XIII. Haſt thou not ſaid, who canſt no • lie, That I thy law ſhall keep and do? Lord, I believe, tho' men deny: They all are falſe, but thou art true. XIV. O that that I now, from ſin releas'd, Thy word might to the utmoſt prove! Enter into the promis'd reſt, The Canaan of thy perfect love! XV. There let me ever, ever dwell; Be thou my God, and I will be Thy ſervant: O ſet to thy ſeal; Give me eternal life in thee. XVI. From all remaining filth within, Let me in thee ſalvation have: From actual, and from inbred ſin, My ranſom'd ſoul perſiſt to ſave. XVII. Waſh out my old original ſtain: Tell me no more, It cannot be, Demons or men! the Lamb was ſlain, His blood was all pour'd out for me. XVIII. Sprinkle it, Jeſu, on my heart! One drop of thy all-cleanſing blood Shall make my ſinfulneſs depart, And fill me with the life of God. XIX. Father, ſupply my every need: Suſtain the life thyſelf haſt giv'n; Call for the corn, the living bread, The manna that comes down from heav'n. XX. Thy gracious fruits of righteouſneſs, Thy bleſſing's unexhauſted ſtore, In me abundantly increaſe; Nor let me ever hunger more. XXI. Let me no more in deep complaint "My leanneſs, O my leanneſs," cry! Alone conſum'd with pining want, Of all my Father's children I! XXII. The painful thirſt, the fond deſire, Thy joyous preſence ſhall remove, While my full ſoul doth ſtill require Thy whole eternity of Love. XXIII. Holy, and true, and righteous Lord, I wait to prove thy perfect will: Be mindful of thy gracious word, And ſtamp me with thy Spirit's ſeal. XXIV. Thy faithful mercies let me find, In which thou cauſeſt the to truſt; Give me thy meek and lowly mind, And lay my ſpirit in the duſt. XXV. Shew me how foul my heart hath been When all renew'd by grace I am; When thou haſt emptied me of ſin, Shew me the fulneſs of my ſhame. XXVI. Open my faith's interior eye, Diſplay thy glory from above; And all I am ſhall ſink and die, Loſt in aſtoniſhment and love. XXVII. Confound, o'erpower me with thy grace, I would be by myſelf abhor'd, (All might, all majeſty, all praiſe, All glory be to Chriſt my Lord!) XXVIII. Now let me gain perfection's height! Now let me into nothing fall! Be leſs than nothing, in thy ſight, And feel that Chriſt is all in all!

Wandering Thoughts. A SERMON On 2 CORINTHIANS x. 4.

Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt.

1. BUT will God ſo bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Chriſt, that no wandering thought will find a place in the mind, even while we remain in the body? ſo ſome have vehemently maintained: Yea, have affirmed, that none are perfected in love, unleſs they are ſo far perfected in underſtanding, that all wandering thoughts are done away: unleſs not only every affection and temper, be holy, and juſt, and good, but every individual thought which ariſes in the mind, be wiſe and regular.

2. This is a queſtion of no ſmall importance. For how many of thoſe who fear God, yea and love him, perhaps with all their heart, have been greatly diſtreſt on this account? How many, by not underſtanding it right, have not only been diſtreſt, but greatly hurt in their ſouls? caſt into unprofitable, yea, miſchievous reaſonings, ſuch as ſlackened their motion towards God, and weakened them in running the race ſet before them. Nay many, thro' miſapprehenſions of this very thing, have caſt away the precious gift of God. They have been induced firſt to doubt of, and then to deny the work God had wrought in their fouls; and hereby have grieved the Spirit of God, 'till he withdrew and left them in utter darkneſs.

3. How is it then, that amidſt the abundance of books which have been lately publiſhed almoſt on all ſubjects, we ſhould have none upon wandering Thoughts? At leaſt none that will at all ſatisfy a calm and ſerious mind? in order to do this in ſome degree, I purpoſe to enquire, I. What are the ſeveral ſorts of wandering thoughts? II. What are the general occaſions of them? III. Which of them are ſinful, and which not? IV. Which of them we may expect and pray to be delivered from?

I. 1. I purpoſe to enquire, firſt, what are the ſeveral ſorts of wandering thoughts? The particular ſorts are innumerable; but in general, they are of two ſorts, thoughts that wander from God, and thoughts that wander from the particular point we have in hand.

2. With regard to the former, all our thoughts are naturally of this kind. For they are continually wandering from God: we think nothing about him. God is not in all our thoughts: we are, one and all, as the apoſtle obſerves, without God in the world. We think of what we love: but we do not love God: Therefore we think not of him. Or if we are now and then conſtrained to think of him for a time, yet as we have no pleaſure therein, nay rather, as theſe thoughts are not only inſipid, but diſtaſteful and irkſome to us, we drive them out as ſoon as we can, and return to what we love to think of. So that the world and the things of the world, what we ſhall eat, what we ſhall drink, what we ſhall put on: what we ſhall ſee, what we ſhall hear, what we ſhall gain: how we ſhall pleaſe our ſenſes or our imagination, takes up all our time, and engroſſes all our thoughts. So long therefore as we love the world, that is, ſo long as we are in our natural ſtate, all our thoughts, from morning to evening, and from evening to morning, are no other than wandering thoughts.

3. But many times we are not only without God in the world, but alſo fighting againſt him: As there is in every man by nature a carnal mind which is enmity againſt God; no wonder therefore that men abound with unbelieving thoughts: Either ſaying in their hearts there is no God, or queſtioning, if not denying his power or wiſdom, his mercy, or juſtice, or holineſs. No wonder, that they ſo often doubt of his providence, at leaſt, of its extending to all events: Or that even though they allow it, they ſtill entertain murmuring or repining thoughts. Nearly related to theſe and frequently connected with them, are proud and vain imaginations. Again: ſometimes they are taken up with angry, malicious or revengeful thoughts: At other times, with airy ſcenes of pleaſure, whether of ſenſe or imagination: whereby the earthy ſenſual mind, becomes more earthy and ſenſual ſtill. Now by all theſe they make flat war with God; theſe are wandering thoughts of the higheſt kind.

4. Widely different from theſe are the other ſort of wandering thoughts: In which the heart does not wander from God, but the underſtanding wanders from the particular point it had then in view. For inſtance: I ſit down to conſider thoſe words in the verſe preceding the text, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God." I think, "this ought to be the caſe with all that are called chriſtians." But how far is it otherwiſe? Look round into almoſt every part of what is termed the chriſtian world! what manner of weapons are theſe uſing? In what kind of warfare are they engaged, "While men, like fiends, each other tear In all the helliſh rage of war?" See how theſe chriſtians love one another! Wherein are they preferable to Turks and Pagans? What abomination can be found among Mahometans or Heathens, which is not found among chriſtians alſo?" And thus my mind runs off, before I am aware, from one circumſtance to another. Now all theſe are in ſome ſenſe wandering thoughts. For although they do not wander from God, much leſs fight againſt him, yet they do wander from the particular point I had in view.

II. Such is the nature, ſuch are the ſorts (to ſpeak rather uſefully, than philoſophically) of wandering thoughts. But what are the general occaſions of them? This we are, in the ſecond place to conſider.

1. And it is eaſy to obſerve, that the occaſion of the former ſort of thoughts which oppoſe or wander from God, are in general, ſinful tempers. For inſtance. Why is not God in all the thoughts, in any of the thoughts of a natural man? For a plain reaſon: be he rich or poor, learned or unlearned, he is an atheiſt; (though not vulgarly ſo called) he neither knows nor loves God. Why are his thoughts continually wandering after the world? Becauſe he is an idolater. He does not indeed worſhip an image, or bow down to the ſtock of a tree: yet he is ſunk into equally damnable idolatry: he loves, that is, worſhips the world. He ſeeks happineſs in things that are ſeen, in the pleaſures that periſh in the uſing. Why is it that his thoughts are perpetually wandering from the very end of his being, the knowledge of God in Chriſt? Becauſe he is an unbeliever; becauſe he has no faith, or at leaſt, no more than a devil. So all theſe wandering thoughts eaſily and naturally ſpring from that evil root of unbelief.

2. The caſe is the ſame in other inſtances: pride, anger, revenge, vanity, luſt, covetouſneſs, every one of them occaſion thoughts ſuitable to their own nature. And ſo does every ſinful temper, of which the human mind is capable. The particulars it is hardly poſſible, nor is it needful to enumerate. It ſuffices to obſerve, that as many evil tempers as find a place in any ſoul, ſo many ways that ſoul will depart from God, by the worſt kind of wandering thoughts.

3. The occaſions of the latter kind of wandering thoughts, are exceeding various. Multitudes of them are occaſioned, by the natural union between the ſoul and body. How immediately and how deeply is the underſtanding affected by a diſeaſed body! Let but the blood move irregularly in the brain, and all regular thinking is at an end. Raging madneſs enſues, and then farewell to all evenneſs of thought. Yea, let only the ſpirits be hurried or agitated to a certain degree, and a temporary madneſs, a delirium prevents all ſettled thought. And is not the ſame irregularity of thought in a meaſure occaſioned by every nervous diſorder? So does "the corruptible body preſs down the ſoul, and cauſe it to muſe about many things."

4. But does it only cauſe this in the time of ſickneſs, of preternatural diſorder? Nay, but more or leſs, at all times, even in a ſtate of perfect health. Let a man be ever ſo healthy, he will be more or leſs delirious, every four-and-twenty hours. For does he not ſleep? And while he ſleeps, is he not liable to dream? And who then is maſter of his own thoughts, or able to preſerve the order and conſiſtency of them? Who can then keep them fixt to any one point, or prevent their wandering from pole to pole?

5. But ſuppoſe we are awake, are we always ſo awake, that we can ſteadily govern our thoughts? Are we not unavoidably expoſed to contrary extremes, by the very nature of this machine, the body? Sometimes we are too heavy, too dull and languid, to purſue any chain of thought. Sometimes, on the other hand, we are too lively. The imagination, without leave, ſtarts to and fro, and carries us away, hither and thither, whether we will or no: and all this, from the merely natural motion of the ſpirits, or vibration of the nerves.

6. Farther. How many wanderings of thought may ariſe, from thoſe various aſſociations of our ideas, which are made entirely without our knowledge, and independently on our choice? How theſe connexions are formed we cannot tell: But they are formed in a thouſand different manners. Nor is it in the power of the wiſeſt or holieſt of men, to break thoſe aſſociations, or to prevent what is the neceſſary conſequence of them, and matter of daily obſervation. Let the fire but touch one end of the train, and it immediately runs on to the other.

7. Once more. Let us fix our attention as ſtudiouſly as we are able on any ſubject, yet let either pleaſure or pain ariſe, eſpecially if it be intenſe, and it will demand our immediate attention, and attach our thought to itſelf. It will interrupt the ſteadieſt contemplation, and divert the mind from its favourite ſubject.

8. Theſe occaſions of wandering thoughts lie within, are wrought into our very nature. But they will likewiſe naturally and neceſſarily ariſe, from the various impulſe of outward objects. Whatever ſtrikes upon the organ of ſenſe, the eye or ear, will raiſe a perception in the mind. And accordingly, whatever we ſee or hear, will break in upon our former train of thought. Every man therefore that does any thing in our fight, or ſpeaks any thing in our hearing, occaſions our mind to wander more or leſs from the point it was thinking of before.

9. And there is no queſtion but thoſe evil ſpirits, who are continually ſeeking whom they may devour, make uſe of all the foregoing occaſions, to hurry and diſtract our minds. Sometimes by one, ſometimes by another of theſe means, they will harraſs and perplex us, and ſo far as God permits, interrupt our thoughts, particularly when they are engaged on the beſt ſubjects. Nor is this at all ſtrange: they well underſtand the very ſprings of thought, and know on which of the bodily organs, the imagination, the underſtanding, and every other faculty of the mind more immediately depends. And hereby they know, how by affecting thoſe organs, to affect the operations dependent on them. Add to this, that they can inject a thouſand thoughts, without any of the preceding means: it being as natural for ſpirit to act upon ſpirit, as for matter to act upon matter. Theſe things being conſidered, we cannot wonder, that our thoughts ſo often wander from any point which we have in view.

III. 1. What kind of wandering thoughts are ſinful, and what not, is the third thing to be enquired into. And firſt, all thoſe thoughts which wander from God, which leave him no room in our minds, are undoubtedly ſinful. For all theſe imply practical atheiſm, and by theſe we are without God in the world. And ſo much more are all thoſe which are contrary to God, which imply oppoſition or enmity to him. Such are all murmuring diſcontented thoughts, which ſay in effect, we will not have thee to rule over us: all unbelieving thoughts, whether with regard to his being, his attributes, or his providence. I mean his particular providence over all things as well as all perſons in the univerſe: That without which not a ſparrow falls to the ground, by which the hairs of our head are all numbered. For as to a general Providence (vulgarly ſo called) co •• ra diſtinguiſhed from a particular, it is only a decent, well-ſounding word, which means juſt nothing.

2. Again. All thoughts which ſpring from ſinful tempers, are undoubtedly ſinful. Such, for inſtance, are thoſe that ſpring from a revengeful temper, from pride, or luſt, or vanity. "An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit." Therefore if the tree be evil, ſo muſt the fruit be alſo.

3. And ſo muſt thoſe be, which either produce or ſeed any ſinful temper: Thoſe which either give riſe to pride or vanity, to anger or love of the world, or confirm and increaſe theſe or any other unholy temper, paſſion, or affection. For not only whatever flows from evil is evil, but alſo whatever leads to it; whatever tends to alienate the ſoul from God, and to make or keep it earthly, ſenſual, and deviliſh.

4. Hence even thoſe thoughts which are occaſioned by weakneſs or diſeaſe, by the natural mechaniſm of the body, or by the laws of vital union, however innocent they may be in themſelves, do nevertheleſs become ſinful, when they either produce or cheriſh and increaſe in us any ſinful temper: ſuppoſe the deſire of the fleſh, the deſire of the eye, or the pride of life. In like manner the wandering thoughts which are occaſioned, by the words or actions of other men, if they cauſe or feed any wrong diſpoſition, then commence ſinful. And the ſame we may obſerve of thoſe which are ſuggeſted or injected by the devil. When they miniſter to any earthly or deviliſh temper (which they do, whenever we give place to them, and thereby make them our own) then they are equally ſinful, with the tempers, to which they miniſter.

5. But abſtracting from theſe caſes, wandering thoughts, in the latter ſenſe of the word, that is, thoughts wherein our underſtanding wanders, from the point it has in view, are no more ſinful than the motion of blood in our veins, or of the ſpirits in our brain, if they ariſe from an infirm conſtitution, or from ſome accidental weakneſs or diſtemper, they are as innocent as it is to have a weak conſtitution, or a diſtempered body. And ſurely no one doubts but a bad ſtate of nerves, a fever of any kind, and either a tranſient or a laſting delirium, may conſiſt with perfect innocence. And if they ſhould ariſe in a ſoul which is united to an healthful body, either from the natural union between the body and the ſoul, or from any of ten thouſand changes, which may occur in thoſe organs of the body, that miniſter to thought; In any of theſe caſes they are as perfectly innocent as the cauſes from which they ſpring. And ſo they are when they ſpring from the caſual, involuntary aſſociations of our ideas.

6. If our thoughts wander from the point we had in view, by means of other men, variouſly affecting our ſenſes, they are equally innocent ſtill: For it is no more a ſin, to underſtand what I ſee and hear, and in many caſes cannot help ſeeing, hearing, and underſtanding, than it is to have eyes and ears. "But if the devil injects wandering thoughts, are not thoſe thoughts evil?" They are troubleſome, and in that ſenſe evil; but they are not ſinful. I do not know that he ſpoke to our Lord with an audible voice; perhaps he ſpoke to his heart only, when he ſaid, "All theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me." But whether he ſpoke inwardly or outwardly, our Lord doubtleſs underſtood what he ſaid. He had therefore a thought correſpondent to thoſe words. But was it a ſinful thought? We know it was not. In him was no ſin, either in action, or word, or thought. Nor is there any ſin in a thouſand thoughts of the ſame kind, which ſatan may inject into any of our Lord's followers.

7. It follows, that none of theſe wandering thoughts (whatever unwary perſons have affirmed, thereby grieving whom the Lord had not grieved) are inconſiſtent with perfect love. Indeed if they were, then not only ſharp pain, but ſleep itſelf would be inconſiſtent with it: ſharp pain, for whenever this ſupervenes, whatever we were before thinking of, it will interrupt our thinking, and of courſe draw our thoughts into another channel: Yea, and ſleep itſelf, as it is a ſtate of inſenſibility and ſtupidity: And ſuch as is generally mixt with thoughts wandering over the earth, looſe, wild and incoherent. Yet certainly theſe are conſiſtent with perfect love: So then are all wandering thoughts of this kind.

IV. 1. From what has been obſerved, it is eaſy to give a clear anſwer to the laſt queſtion, What kind of wandering thoughts we may expect and pray to be delivered from?

From the former ſort of wandering thoughts, thoſe wherein the heart wanders from God; from all that are contrary to his will, or that leave us without God in the world, every one that is perfected in love, is unqueſtionably delivered. This deliverance therefore we may expect: This we may, we ought to pray for. Wandering thoughts of this kind imply unbelief, if not enmity againſt God. But both of theſe he will deſtroy, will being utterly to an end. And indeed, from all ſinful wandering thoughts we ſhall be abſolutely delivered. All that are perfected in love are delivered from theſe; elſe they were not ſaved from ſin. Men and devils will tempt them all manner of ways. But they cannot prevail over them.

2. With regard to the latter ſort of wandering thoughts, the caſe is widely different. 'Till the cauſe is removed, we cannot in reaſon expect the effect ſhould ceaſe. But the cauſes or occaſions of theſe will remain, as long as we remain in the body. So long therefore we have all reaſon to believe, the effects will remain alſo.

3. To be more particular. Suppoſe a ſoul, however holy, to dwell in a diſtempered body. Suppoſe the brain be ſo thoroughly diſordered, as that raging madneſs follows: Will not all the thoughts be wild and unconnected, as long as that diſorder continues? Suppoſe a fever occaſions that temporary madneſs, which we term a delirium, can there be any juſt connection of thought, 'till that delirium is removed? Yea, ſuppoſe what is called a nervous diſorder, to riſe to ſo high a degree, as to occaſion at leaſt a partial madneſs, will there not be a thouſand wandering thoughts? And muſt not theſe irregular thoughts continue, as long as the diſorder which occaſions them?

4. Will not the caſe be the ſame, with regard to thoſe thoughts that neceſſarily ariſe from violent pain? They will, more or leſs, continue while that pain continues, by the inviolable order of nature. This order likewiſe will obtain, where the thoughts are diſturbed, broken or interrupted, by any defect of the apprehenſions, judgment or imagination, flowing from the natural conſtitution of the body. And how many interruptions may ſpring from the unaccountable and involuntary aſſociation of our ideas? Now all theſe are directly or indirectly cauſed by the corruptible body preſſing down the mind. Nor therefore can we expect them to be removed, 'till "this corruptible ſhall put on incorruption."

5. And then only, when we lie down in the duſt, ſhall we be delivered from thoſe wandering thoughts which are occaſioned by what we ſee and hear, among thoſe by whom we are now ſurrounded. To avoid theſe we muſt go out of the world. For as long as we remain therein, as long as there are men and women round about us, and we have eyes to ſee and ears to hear, the things which we daily ſee and hear, will certainly affect our mind, and will more or leſs, break in upon and interrupt our preceding thoughts.

6. And as long as evil ſpirits roam to and fro in a miſerable, diſordered world, ſo long they will aſſault (whether they can prevail or no) every inhabitant of fleſh and blood. They will trouble even thoſe whom they cannot deſtroy: They will attack if they cannot conquer. And from theſe attack of our reſtleſs, unwearied enemies, we muſt not look for an entire deliverance, till we are lodged "Where the wicked ceaſe from troubling, and where the weary are at reſt."

7. To ſum up the whole. To expect deliverance from thoſe wandering thoughts which are occaſioned by evil ſpirits, is to expect that the devil ſhould die or fall aſleep; or at leaſt ſhould no more go about as a roaring lion. To expect deliverance from thoſe which are occaſioned by other men, is to expect either that men ſhould ceaſe from the earth; or that we ſhould be abſolutely ſecluded from them, and have no intercourſe with them: or that having eyes we ſhould not ſee, neither hear with our ears, but be as ſenſeleſs as ſtocks or ſtones. And to pray for deliverance from thoſe which are occaſioned by the body, is in effect to pray that we may leave the body. Otherwiſe it is praying for impoſſibilities, and abſurdities; praying that God would reconcile contradictions, by continuing our union with a corruptible body, without the natural, neceſſary conſequences of that union. It is as if we ſhould pray to be angels and men, mortal and immortal at the ſame time. Nay, but when that which is immortal is come, mortality is done away.

8. Rather let us pray, both with the ſpirit and with the underſtanding, that all theſe things may work together for our good: That we may ſuffer all infirmities of our nature, all the interruptions of men, all the aſſaults and ſuggeſtions of evil ſpirits, and in all be more than conquerors. Let us pray, that we may be delivered from all ſin, that both root and branch may be deſtroyed; that we may be "cleanſed from all pollution of fleſh and ſpirit," from every evil temper and word-and wor • : That we may "love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our ſoul, and with all our ſtrength:" That all the fruit of the Spirit may be found in us; not only love, joy, peace; but alſo long-ſuffering, gentleneſs, goodneſs, fidelity, meekneſs, temperance. Pray that all theſe things may flouriſh and abound, may increaſe in you more and more, 'till an abundant entrance be miniſtered unto you, into the everlaſting kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt!

A SERMON ON 2 COR. ii. 11.

We are not ignorant of his Devices.

THE devices whereby the wiſe god of this world, labours to deſtroy the children of God, or at leaſt to torment whom he cannot deſtroy, to perplex and hinder them in running the race which is ſet before them, are numberleſs as the ſtars of heaven, or the ſand upon the ſea-ſhore. But it is of one of them only that I now propoſe to ſpeak, (although exerted in various ways) whereby he endeavours to divide the goſpel againſt itſelf, and by one part of it to overthrow the other.

2. The inward kingdom of heaven, which is ſet up in the heart of all that repent and believe the goſpel, is no other than "righteouſneſs and peace and joy in the Holy Ghoſt." Every babe in Chriſt knows we are made partakers of theſe, the very hour that we believe in Jeſus. But theſe are only the firſt fruits of his Spirit: the harveſt is not yet. Although theſe bleſſings are inconceivably great, yet we truſt to ſee grea • er than theſe. We truſt to love the Lord our God, not only as we do now, with a weak though ſincere affection, but "w • all our heart, with all our mind, with all our ſoul, and with all our ſtrength." We look for power to "rejoice evermore, to pray without ceaſing and in every thing to give thanks;" knowing "this is the will of God concerning us in Chriſt Jeſus."

3. We expect to be made perfect in love, in that love which caſts out all painful fear, and all deſire but that of glorifying him we love, of loving and ſerving him more and more. We look for ſuch an increaſe in the experimental knowledge and love of God our Saviour, as will enable us always to walk in the light, as he is in the light. We believe the whole mind will be in us which was alſo in Chriſt Jeſus: That we ſhall love every man ſo as to be ready to lay down our life for his ſake: So as by this love to be freed from anger and pride, and from every unkind affection. We expect to be cleanſed from all our idols, from all filthineſs whether of fleſh or ſpirit; to be ſaved from all our uncleanneſs, inward or outward, to be purified as he is pure.

4. We truſt in his promiſe who cannot lie, that the time will ſurely come, when in every word and work we ſhall do his bleſſed will on earth as it is done in heaven. When all our converſation ſhall be ſeaſoned with ſalt, all meet to miniſter grace to the hearers: When "whether we eat or drink or whatever we do," it ſhall be done "to the glory of God:" when all our words and deeds ſhall be "in the name of the Lord Jeſus, giving thanks unto God, even to God the Father through him."

5. Now this is the grand device of ſatan, to deſtroy the firſt work of God in the ſoul, or at leaſt, to hinder its increaſe, by our expectation of that greater work. It is therefore my preſent deſign, Firſt, to point out the ſeveral ways whereby he endeavours this: and, Secondly, To obſerve how we may retort theſe fiery darts of the wicked one: How we may riſe the higher by what he intends for an occaſion of our falling.

I. 1. I am, firſt, to point out the ſeveral ways wereby Satan endeavours to deſtroy the firſt work of God in the ſoul, or at leaſt, to hinder its increaſe, by our expectation of that greater work. And firſt. He endeavours to damp our joy in the Lord, by the conſideration of our own vileneſs, ſinfulneſs, unworthineſs, added to this, that there muſt be a far greater change than is yet, or we cannot ſee the Lord. If we knew we muſt remain as we are, even to the day of our death, we might poſſibly draw a kind of comfort, poor as it was, from that neceſſity. But as we know, we need not remain in this ſtate, as we are aſſured, there is a greater change to come, and that unleſ • ſin be done away in this life, we cannot ſee God in glory: that ſubtle adverſary often damps the joy we ſhould otherwiſe feel in what we have already attained, by a perverſe repreſentation of what we have not attained, and the abſolute neceſſity of attaining it. So that we cannot rejoice in what we have, becauſe there is more which we have not. We cannot rightly taſte the goodneſs of God, who hath done ſo great things for us, becauſe there are ſo much greater things, which as yet he hath not done. Likewiſe the deeper conviction God works in us of our preſent unholineſs, and the more vehement deſire we feel in our heart, of the entire holineſs he hath promiſed, the more are we tempted to think lightly of the preſent gifts of God, and to undervalue what we have already received, becauſe of what we have not received.

2. If he can prevail thus far, if he can damp our joy, he will ſoon attack our peace alſo. He will ſuggeſt, "Are you fit to ſee God? He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. How then can you flatter yourſelf, ſo as to imagine he beholds you with approbation? God is holy: You are unholy. What communion hath light with darkneſs? How is it poſſible that you, unclean as you are, ſhould be in a ſtate of acceptance with God? You ſee indeed the mark, the prize of your high calling. But do you not ſee, it afar off? How can you preſume then to think, that all your ſins are already blotted out? How can this be, until you are brought nearer to God, until you bear more reſemblance to him?" Thus will he endeavour, not only to ſhake your peace, but even to overturn the very foundation of it: to bring you back by inſenſible degrees, to the point from whence you ſet out firſt: Even to ſeek for juſtification by works, or by your own righteouſneſs; to make ſomething in you the ground of your acceptance, or at leaſt neceſſarily previous to it.

3. Or if we hold faſt, other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, even Jeſus Chriſt; and I am juſtified freely by God's grace, through the redemption which is in Jeſus: Yet he will not ceaſe to urge, "But the tree is known by its fruits. And have you the fruits of juſtification? Is that mind in you which was in Chriſt Jeſus? Are you dead unto ſin and alive unto righteouſneſs? Are you made conformable to the death of Chriſt, and do you know the power of his reſurrection?" And then, comparing the ſmall fruits we feel in our ſouls, with the fullneſs of the promiſes, we ſhall be ready to conclude, ſurely God hath not ſaid, that my ſins are forgiven me! Surely I have not received the remiſſion of my ſins; for what lot have I among them that are ſanctified?"

4. More eſpecially in the time of ſickneſs and pain, he will preſs this with all his might. "Is it not the word of him that cannot lie, without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord? But you are not holy. You know it well; you know • olineſs is the full image of God. And how far is this above, out of your ſight? You cannot attain unto it. Therefore all your labour has been in vain. All theſe things you have ſuffered in vain. You have ſpent your ſtrength for nought. You are yet in your ſins and muſt therefore periſh at laſt." And thus, if your eye be not ſteadily fixt on him who hath borne all your ſins, he will bring you again under that fear of death, whereby you was ſo long ſubject unto bondage: And by this means impair, if not wholly deſtroy, your peace as well as joy in the Lord.

5. But his maſter-piece of ſubtilty is ſtill behind. Not content to ſtrike at your peace and joy, he will carry his attempts farther yet: He will level his aſſault againſt your righteouſneſs alſo. He will endeavour to ſhake, yea, if it be poſſible, to deſtroy the holineſs you have already received by your very expectation of receiving more, of attaining all the image of God.

6. The manner wherein he attempts this, may partly appear from what has been already obſerved. For, Firſt, By ſtriking at our joy in the Lord, he ſtrikes likewiſe at our holineſs: ſeeing joy in the Holy Ghoſt is a precious means of promoting every holy temper; a choice inſtrument of God whereby he carries on much of his work in a believing ſoul. And it is a conſiderable help not only to inward, but alſo to outward holineſs. It ſtrengthens our hands to go on in the work of faith and in the labour of love; manfully to "fight the good fight of faith, and to lay hold on eternal life." It is peculiarly deſigned of God to be a balance both againſt inward and outward ſufferings: To "lift up the hands that hang down and confirm the feeble knees." Conſequently, whatever damps our joy in the Lord, proportionably obſtructs our holineſs. And therefore ſo far as ſatan ſhakes our joy, he hinders our holineſs alſo.

7. The ſame effect will enſure, if he can by any means either deſtroy or ſhake our peace. For the peace of God is another precious means of advancing the image of God in us. There is ſcarce a greater help to holineſs than this, a continual tranquility of ſpirit, the evenneſs of a mind ſtayed upon God; a calm repoſe in the blood of Jeſus. And without this, it is ſcarce poſſible to grow in grace, and in the vital knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. For all fear (unleſs the tender, filial fear) freezes and be numbs the ſoul. It binds all the ſprings of ſpiritual life, and ſtops all motion of the heart toward God. And doubt, as it were, bemires the ſoul, ſo that it ſticks faſt in the deep clay. Therefore in the ſame proportion as either of theſe prevail, our growth in holineſs is hindered.

8. At the ſame time that our wiſe adverſary endeavours, to make our conviction of the neceſſity of perfect love, an occaſion of ſhaking our peace by doubts and fears, he endeavours to weaken, if not deſtroy our faith. Indeed theſe are inſeparably connected, ſo that they muſt ſtand or fall together. So long as faith ſubſiſts, we remain in peace; our heart ſtands faſt, while it believes in the Lord. But if we let go our faith, our filial confidence in a loving pardoning God, our peace is at an end, the very foundation on which it ſtood being overthrown. And this is the only foundation of holineſs as well as of peace. Conſequently whatever ſtrikes at this, ſtrikes at the very root of all holineſs. For without this faith, without an abiding ſenſe, that Chriſt loved me and gave himſelf for me, without a continuing conviction, that God for Chriſt's ſake is merciful to me a ſinner, it is impoſſible that I ſhould love God. "We love him becauſe he firſt loved us;" and in proportion to the ſtrength and clearneſs of our conviction, that he hath loved us and accepted us in his Son. And unleſs we love God, it is not poſſible that we ſhould love our neighbour as ourſelves: Nor conſequently, that we ſhould have any right affections, either toward God or toward man. It evidently follows, that whatever weakens our faith, muſt in the ſame degree obſtruct our holineſs. And this is not only the moſt effectual, but alſo the moſt compendious way of deſtroying all holineſs. Seeing it does not effect any one chriſtian temper, any ſingle grace or fruit of the ſpirit, but ſo far as it ſucceeds, tears up the very root of the whole work of God.

9. No marvel therefore, that the ruler of the darkneſs of this world, ſhould here put forth all his ſtrength. And ſo we find by experience. For it is far eaſier to conceive than it is to expreſs the unſpeakable violence, wherewith this temptation is frequently urged on them, who hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs. When they ſee in a ſtrong and clear light, on the one hand, the deſperate wickedneſs of their own hearts; on the other hand, the unſpotted holineſs to which they are called in Chriſt Jeſus: on the one hand, the depth of their own corruption, of their total alienation from God; on the other, the height of the Glory of God, that Image of the Holy One wherein they are to be renewed: There is many times no ſpirit left in them; they could almoſt cry out, with God this is impoſſible. They are ready to give up both faith and hope, to caſt away that very confidence, whereby they are to overcome all things, and all things through Chriſt ſtrengthening them; whereby, after they have done the will of God, they are to receive the promiſe.

10. And if they "hold faſt the beginning of their confidence ſtedfaſt unto the end," they ſhall undoubtedly receive the promiſe of God, reaching thro' both time and eternity. But here is another ſnare laid for our feet. While we earneſtly pant for that part of the promiſe which is to be accompliſhed here, "for the glorious liberty of the children of God," we may be led unawares, from the conſideration of the glory which ſhall hereafter be revealed. Our eye may be inſenſibly turned aſide from that "crown which the righteous Judge," hath promiſed to "give at that day, to all that love his appearing:" And we may be drawn away from the view of that incorruptible inheritance which is reſerved in heaven for us. But this alſo would be a loſs to our fouls, and an obſtruction to our holineſs. For to walk in the continual ſight of our goal, is a needful help in our running the race that is ſet before us. This it was, the having "reſpect unto the recompence of reward," which of old time encouraged Moſes, rather "to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon: eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt, greater riches than the treaſures of Egypt." Nay, it is expreſly ſaid of a greater than him, That "for the joy that was ſet before him, he endured the croſs and deſpiſed the ſhame," 'till he "ſat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Whence we may eaſily infer, how much more needful for us, is the view of that joy ſet before us, that we may endure whatever croſs the wiſdom of God lays upon us, and preſs on through holineſs to glory.

11. But while we are reaching to this, as well as to that glorious liberty which is preparatory to it, we may be in danger of falling into another ſnare of the devil, whereby he labours to intangle the children of God. We may take too much "thought for to-morrow," ſo as to neglect the improvement of to-day. We may ſo expect perfect love, as not to uſe that, which is already ſhed abroad in our hearts. There have not been wanting inſtances of thoſe, who have greatly ſuffered hereby. They were ſo taken up with what they were to receive hereafter, as utterly to neglect what they had already received. In expectation of having five talents more, they buried their one talent in the earth. At leaſt they did not improve it as they might have done, to the glory of God and the good of their own ſouls.

12. Thus does the ſubtle adverſary of God and man, endeavour to make void the counſel of God, by dividing the goſpel againſt itſelf, and making one part of it overthrow the other: while the firſt work of God in the ſoul is deſtroyed by the expectation of his perfect work. We have ſeen ſeveral of the ways wherein he attempts this, by cutting off, as it were, the ſprings of holineſs. But this he likewiſe does more directly, by making that bleſſed hope an occaſion of unholy tempers.

13. Thus, whenever our heart is eagerly athirſt for all the great and precious promiſes, when we pant after the fulneſs of God, as the hart after the water-brook, when our ſoul breaketh out in fervent deſire, "Why are his chariot-wheels ſo long a coming?" He will not neglect the opportunity, of tempting us to murmur againſt God. He will uſe all his wiſdom and all his ſtrength, if haply in an unguarded hour, we may be influenced to repine at our Lord, for thus delaying his coming. At leaſt, he will labour to excite ſome degree of fr • tfulneſs or impatience: and perhaps of envy at thoſe, whom we believe to have already attained the prize of our high calling. He well knows, that by giving way to any of theſe tempers, we are pulling down the very thing we would build up. By thus following after perfect holineſs, we become more unholy than before. Yea, there is great danger that our laſt ſtate ſhould be worſe than the firſt: Like them of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaks, in thoſe dreadful words, "It had been better they had never known the way of righteouſneſs, than after they had known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them."

14. And from hence he hopes to reap another advantage, even to bring up an evil report of the good way. He is ſenſible, how few are able to diſtinguiſh (and too many are not willing ſo to do) between the accidental abuſe and the natural tendency of a doctrine. Theſe therefore, will he continually blend together, with regard to the doctrine of chriſtian perfection: in order to prejudice the minds of unwary men againſt the glorious promiſes of God. And how frequently, how generally, I had almoſt ſaid, how univerſally has he prevailed herein? For who is there that obſerves any of theſe accidental ill effects of this doctrine, and does not immediately conclude, this is its natural tendency? And does not readily cry out, "See, theſe are the fruits (meaning the natural, neceſſary fruits) of ſuch doctrine!" Not ſo. They are fruits which may accidentally ſpring from the abuſe of a great and precious truth. But the abuſe of this, or any other ſcriptural doctrine, does by no means deſtroy its uſe. Neither can the unfaithfulneſs of man, perverting his right way, "make the promiſe of God of none effect." No: let God be true and every man a liar. The word of the Lord it ſhall ſtand. "Faithful is he that hath promiſed: he alſo will do it." Let us not then be "removed from the hope of the goſpel." Rather let us obſerve, which was the ſecond thing propoſed, how we may retort theſe fiery darts of the wicked one: how we may riſe the higher, by what he intends for an occaſion of our falling.

II. 1. And, firſt, Does ſatan endeavour to damp your joy in the Lord, by the conſideration of your ſinfulneſs, added to this, that without entire, univerſal "holineſs no man can ſee the Lord?" You may caſt back this dart upon his own head, while through the grace of God, the more you feel of your own vileneſs, the more you rejoice in confident hope, that all this ſhall be done away. While you hold faſt this hope, every evil temper you feel, though you hate it with a perfect hatred, may be a means, not of leſſening your humble joy, but rather of increaſing it. "This and this, may you ſay, ſhall likewiſe periſh from the preſence of the Lord. Like as the wax melteth at the fire, ſo ſhall this melt away before his face." By this means the greater that change is, which remains to be wrought in your ſoul, the more may you triumph in the Lord and rejoice in the God of your ſalvation: Who hath done ſo great things for you already, and will do ſo much greater things than theſe.

2. Secondly, The more vehemently he aſſaults your peace with that ſuggeſtion, "God is holy, you are unholy. You are immenſely diſtant from that holineſs, without which you cannot ſee God: how then can you be in the favour of God? How can you fancy you are juſtified?" Take the more earneſt heed to hold faſt that, Not by works of righteouſneſs which I have done. I am found in him: I am accepted in the beloved; not having my own righteouſneſs (as the cauſe either in whole or in part of our juſtification before God) but that which is by faith in Chriſt, the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith. O bind this about your neck: write it upon the table of thy heart. Wear it as a bracelet upon thy arm, as frontlets between thine eyes: I am juſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt. Value and eſteem more and more that precious truth, by grace we are ſaved through faith. Admire more and more the free grace of God, in ſo loving the world as to give his only Son, that whoſoever believeth on him might not periſh but have everlaſting life. So ſhall the ſenſe of the ſinfulneſs you feel on the one hand, and of the holineſs you expect on the other, both contribute to eſtabliſh your peace and to make it flow as a river. So ſhall that peace flow on with an even ſtream, in ſpite of all thoſe mountains of ungodlineſs, which ſhall become a plain in the day when the Lord cometh, to take full poſſeſſion of your heart. Neither will ſickneſs or pain, or the approach of death, occaſion any doubt or fear. You know a day, an hour, a moment with God is as a thouſand years. He cannot be ſtreightened for time, wherein to work whatever remains to be done in your ſoul. And God's time is always the beſt time. Therefore be thou careful for nothing. Only make thy requeſt known unto him, and that not without doubt or fear, but thankſgiving. As being previouſly aſſured, he cannot withhold from thee any manner of thing that is good.

3. Thirdly, The more you are tempted to give up your ſhield, to caſt away your faith, your confidence in his love, ſo much the more take heed that you hold faſt that, whereunto you have attained. So much the more labour to ſtir up the gift of God which is in you. Never let that ſlip, I have an Advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous: And the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himſelf for me. Be this thy glory and crown of rejoicing. And ſee that no one take thy crown. Hold that faſt, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and ſhall ſtand at the latter day upon the earth. And I now have redemption in his blood, even the forgiveneſs of ſins. Thus, being filled with all peace and joy in believing, preſs on in the peace and joy of faith to the renewal of thy whole ſoul, in the image of him that created thee. Mean while cry continually to God, that thou mayeſt ſee that prize of thy high calling, not as ſatan repreſents it, in a horrid dreadful ſhape, but in its genuine native beauty: Not as ſomething that muſt be, or thou wilt go to hell, but as what may be, to lead thee to heaven. Look upon it as the moſt deſirable gift, which is in all the ſtores of the rich mercies of God. Beholding it in the true point of light, thou wilt hunger after it more and more: Thy whole ſoul will be athirſt for God, and for this glorious conformity to his likeneſs. And having received a good hope of this, and ſtrong conſolation through grace, thou wilt no more be weary or faint in thy mind, but wilt follow on till thou attaineſt.

4. In the ſame power of faith, preſs on to glory. Indeed this is the ſame proſpect ſtill. God hath joined from the beginning pardon, holineſs, heaven. And why ſhould man put them aſunder? O! beware of this. Let not one link of the golden chain be broken. God for Chriſt's ſake hath forgiven me. He is now renewing me in his own image. Shortly he will make me meet for himſelf, and take me to ſtand before his face. I whom he hath juſtified through the blood of his Son, being thoroughly ſanctified by his Spirit, ſhall quickly aſcend to the "New Jeruſalem, the city of the living God." Yet a little while and I ſhall "Come to the general aſſembly and church of the firſt-born, and to God the Judge of all, and to Jeſus the Mediator of the new covenant." How ſoon will theſe ſhadows flee away, and the day of eternity dawn upon me! How ſoon ſhall I drink of "the river of the water of life, going out of the throne of God and of the Lamb? There all his ſervants ſhall praiſe him and ſhall ſee his face, and his name ſhall be upon their foreheads. And no night ſhall be there; and they have no need of a candle or the light of the ſun. For the Lord God enlighteneth them, and they ſhall reign for ever and ever.

5. And if you thus taſte of the good word and the powers of the world to come, you will not murmur againſt God, becauſe you are not yet meet for the inheritance of the ſaints in light. Inſtead of repining at your not being wholly delivered, you will praiſe God for thus far delivering you. You will magnify God for what he hath done, and take it as an earneſt of what he will do. You will not fret againſt him, becauſe you are not yet renewed, but bleſs him becauſe you ſhall be; and becauſe now is your ſalvation from all ſin, nearer than when you firſt believed. Inſtead of uſeleſly tormenting yourſelf becauſe the time is not fully come, you will calmly and quietly wait for it, knowing that it will come and will not tarry. You may therefore the more cheerfully endure as yet, the burden of ſin that ſtill remains in you, becauſe it will not always remain. Yet a little while and it ſhall be clean gone. Only "tarry thou the Lord's leiſure: be ſtrong and he ſhall comfort thy heart, and put thou thy truſt in the Lord.

6. And if you ſee any who appear (ſo far as man can judge, but God alone ſearcheth the hearts) to be already partakers of their hope, already "made perfect in love:" Far from envying the grace of God in them, let it rejoice and comfort your heart. Glorify God for their ſake. "If one member is honoured," ſhall not "all the members rejoice with it?" Inſtead of jealouſy or evil ſurmiſing concerning them, praiſe God for the conſolation. Rejoice in having a freſh proof of the faithfulneſs of God in fulfilling all his promiſes. And ſtir yourſelf up the more to "apprehend that for which you alſo are apprehended of Chriſt Jeſus."

7. In order to this, redeem the time. Improve the preſent moment. Buy up every opportunity of growing in grace, or of doing good. Let not the thought of receiving more grace to-morrow, make you negligent of to-day. You have one talent now. If you expect five more, ſo much the rather improve that you have. And the more you expect to receive hereafter, the more labour for God now. Sufficient for the day is the grace thereof. God is now pouring his benefits upon you. Now approve yourſelf a faithful ſteward, of the preſent grace of God. Whatever may be to-morrow, give all diligence to-day, to "add to your faith courage, temperance, patience, brotherly kindneſs and the fear of God," 'till you attain that pure and perfect love. Let theſe things be now in you and abound. Be not now ſlothful or unfruitful. So ſhall an entrance be miniſtered "into the everlaſting kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt."

8. Laſtly, If in time paſt you have abuſed this bleſſed hope of being holy as he is holy, yet do not therefore caſt it away. Let the abuſe ceaſe, the uſe remain. Uſe it now to the more abundant glory of God and profit of your own ſoul. In ſtedfaſt faith, in calm tranquility of ſpirit, in full aſſurance of hope, rejoicing evermore for what God hath done, "preſs ye on unto perfection." Daily growing in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and going on from ſtrength to ſtrength, in reſignation, in patience, in humble thankfulneſs for what ye have attained, and for what ye ſhall, run the race ſet before you, looking unto Jeſus, 'till through perfect love ye enter into his glory!

ORIGINAL SIN. A SERMON On GENESIS, vi. 5.

And God ſaw that the wickedneſs of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

1. HOW widely different is this from the fair pictures of human nature, which men have drawn in all ages! The writings of many of the ancients abound with gay deſcriptions of the dignity of man: whom ſome of them paint as having all virtue and happineſs in his compoſition, or at leaſt, entirely in his power, without being beholden to any other being: yea, as ſelf-ſufficient, able to live on his own ſtock, and little inferior to God himſelf.

2. Nor have heathens alone, men who were guided in their reſearches by little more than the dim light of reaſon, but many likewiſe of them that bear the name of Chriſt, and to whom are intruſted the oracles of God, ſpoke as magnificently concerning the nature of man, as if it were all innocence and perfection. Accounts of this kind have particularly abounded in the preſent century; and perhaps in no part of the world more than in our own country. Here not a few perſons of ſtrong underſtanding, as well as extenſive learning, have employed their utmoſt abilities to ſhew what they termed, "The fair ſide of human nature." And it muſt be acknowledged, That if their accounts of him be juſt, man is ſtill but a little lower than the angels, or (as the words may be more literally rendered) a little leſs than God.

3. Is it any wonder, that theſe accounts are very readily received by the generality of men? For who is not eaſily perſuaded to think favourably of himſelf; Accordingly writers of this kind are almoſt univerſally read, admired, applauded. And innumerable are the converts they have made, not only in the gay, but the learned world. So that it is now quite unfaſhionable to talk otherwiſe, to ſay any thing to the diſparagement of human nature: which is generally allowed, notwithſtanding a few infirmities, to be very innocent and wiſe and virtuous.

4. But in the mean time, what muſt we do with our bibles; for they will never agree with this. Theſe accounts, however pleaſing to fleſh and blood, are utterly irreconcileable with the ſcriptural. The ſcripture avers, that by "one man's diſobedience, all men were conſtituted ſinners:" that in Adam all died, ſpiritually died, loſt the life and the image of God: that fallen, ſinful Adam then begat a ſon in his own likeneſs: nor was it poſſible he ſhould beget him in any other: for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? That conſequently we as well as other men "were by nature dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, without hope, without God in the world," and therefore children of wrath: That every man may ſay, "I was ſhapen in wickedneſs, and in ſin did my mother conceive me:" that "there is no difference, in that all have ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God:" Of that glorious image of God, wherein man was originally created And hence, when "the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, he ſaw that they were all gone out of the way," they were "altogether become abominable: there was none righteous, no not one," none that truly ſought after God: juſt agreeable this, to what is declared by the Holy Ghoſt, in the words above recited, God ſaw when he looked down from heaven before, "that the wickedneſs of man was great in the earth:" ſo great, that "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

This is God's account of man: from which I ſhall take occaſion, Firſt, To ſhew what men were before the flood; Secondly, To enquire, whether they are not the ſame now? and thirdly to add ſome inferences.

I. 1. I am, Firſt, By opening the words of the text to ſhew, What men were before the flood. And we may fully depend on the account here given. For God ſaw it, and he cannot be deceived. He "ſaw that the wickedneſs of man was great." Not of this or that man; not of a few men only; not barely of the greater part, but of man in general, of men univerſally. The word includes the whole human race, every partaker of human nature. And it is not eaſy for us to compute their numbers, to tell how many thouſands and millions they were. The earth then retained much of its primeval beauty and original fruitfulneſs. The face of the globe was not rent and torn, as it is now: and ſpring and ſummer went hand in hand. 'Tis therefore probable, it afforded ſuſtenance for far more inhabitants, than it is now capable of ſuſtaining: and theſe muſt be immenſely multiplied, while men begat ſons and daughters for ſeven or eight hundred years together. Yet among all this inconceivable number, only Noah found favour with God. He alone (perhaps including part of his houſhold) was an exception from the univerſal wickedneſs, which by the juſt judgment of God, in a ſhort time after brought on univerſal deſtruction. All the reſt were partakers in the ſame guilt, as they were in the ſame puniſhment.

2. God ſaw all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart—Of his ſoul, his inward man, the ſpirit within him, the principle of all his inward and outward motions. He ſaw all the imaginations. It is not poſſible to find a word of a more extenſive ſignification. It includes whatever is formed, made, fabricated within; all that is, or paſſes in the foul; every inclination, affection, paſſion, appetite; every temper, deſign, thought. It muſt of conſequence include every word and action, as naturally flowing from thoſe fountains: and being either good or evil, according to the fountain from which they ſeverally flow.

3. Now God ſaw that all this, the whole thereof was evil, contrary to moral rectitude; contrary to the nature of God, which neceſſarily includes all good; contrary to the divine will, the eternal ſtandard of good and evil: contrary to the pure, holy image of God, wherein man was originally created, and wherein he ſtood when God ſurveying the works of his hands, ſaw them all to be very good: contrary to juſtice, mercy and truth, and to the eſſential relations which each man bore to his Creator, and his fellow creatures.

4. But was there not good mingled with the evil? Was there not light intermixed with the darkneſs? No; none at all: God ſaw that the whole imagination of the heart of man was only evil. It cannot indeed be denied, but many of them, perhaps all, had good motions put into their hearts. For the Spirit of God did then alſo ſtrive with man, if haply he might repent: more eſpecially during that gracious reprieve, the hundred and twenty years, while the ark was preparing. But ſtill in his fleſh dwelt no good thing: all his nature was purely evil. It was wholly conſiſtent with itſelf, and unmixt with any thing of an oppoſite nature.

5. However, it may ſtill be a matter of enquiry, "Was there no intermiſſion of this evil? Were there no lucid intervals, wherein ſomething good might be found in the heart of man?" We are not here to conſider, what the grace of God might occaſionally work in his ſoul. And abſtracting from this, we have no reaſon to believe, there was any intermiſſion of that evil. For God who ſaw the whole imagination of the thoughts of his heart to be only evil, ſaw likewiſe, that it was always the ſame, that it was only evil continually; every year, every day, every hour, every moment. He never deviated into good.

II. Such is the authentic account of the whole race of mankind, which he, who knoweth what is in man, who ſearcheth the heart and trieth the reins, hath left upon record for our inſtruction. Such were all men, before God brought the flood upon the earth. We are Secondly, to enquire whether they are the ſame now?

1. And this is certain, the ſcripture gives us no reaſon, to think any otherwiſe of them. On the contrary, all the above cited paſſages of ſcripture refer to thoſe, who lived after the flood. It was above a thouſand years after, that God declared by David concerning the children of men, "They are all gone out of the way" of truth and holineſs; "there is none righteous, no, not one." And to this bear all the prophets witneſs, in their ſeveral generations. So Iſaiah, concerning God's peculiar people, (and certainly the heathens were in no better condition) "The whole head is ſick, and the whole heart faint. From the ſole of the foot, even unto the head, there is no ſoundneſs, but wounds, and bruiſes, and putrifying ſores." The ſame account is given by all the apoſtles, yea, by the whole tenor of the oracles of God. From all theſe we learn, concerning man in his natural ſtate, unaſſiſted by the grace of God, that "all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart" are ſtill "evil, only evil," and that continually.

2. And this account of the preſent ſtate of man is confirmed by daily experience. It is true, the natural man diſcerns it not: and this is not to be wondered at. So long as a man born blind, continues ſo, he is ſcarce ſenſible of his want. Much leſs, could we ſuppoſe a place where all were born without ſight, would they be ſenſible of the want of it. In like manner, ſo long as men remain in their natural blindneſs of underſtanding, they are not ſenſible of their ſpiritual wants, and of this in particular. But as ſoon as God opens the eyes of their underſtanding, they ſee the ſtate they were in before; they are then deeply convinced, that every man living, themſelves eſpecially, are by nature altogether vanity, that is, folly and ignorance, ſin and wickedneſs.

3. We ſee, when God opens our eyes, that we were before 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 without God, or rather, athieſts in the world. We had by nature no knowledge of God, no acquaintance. It is true, as ſoon as we came to the uſe of reaſon, we learned "the inviſible things of God, even his eternal power and godhead, from the things that are made." From the things that are ſeen, we inferred the exiſtence of an eternal, powerful Being, that is not ſeen. But ſtill, although we acknowledge, we had no acquaintance with, him. As we know there is an emperor of China, whom yet we do not know; ſo we knew, there was a King of all the earth; yet we know him not. Indeed we could not, by any of our natural faculties. By none of theſe could we attain the knowledge of God. We could no more perceive him by our natural underſtanding, than we could ſee him with our eyes. For "no one knoweth the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son willeth to reveal him. And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father, and he to whom the Father revealeth him."

4. We read of an ancient king, who, being deſirous to know, what was the natural language of men, in order to bring the matter to a certain iſſue, made the following experiment. He ordered two infants, as ſoon as they were born, to be conveyed to a place prepared for them, where they were brought up without any inſtruction as all, and without ever hearing a human voice. And what was the event? Why, That when they were at length brought out of their confinement they ſpake no language at all; they uttered only inarticulate ſounds, like thoſe of other animals. Were two infants in like manner to be brought up from the womb, without being inſtructed in any religion, there is little room to doubt, but (unleſs the grace of God interpoſed) the event would be juſt the ſame. They would have no religion at all: they would have no more of God, than the beaſts of the field, than the wild aſs's colt. Such is natural religion abſtracted from traditional, and from the influences of God's Spirit!

5. And having no knowledge, we can have no love of God: we cannot love him we know not. Moſt men talk indeed of loving God, and perhaps imagine they do. At leaſt, few will acknowledge they do not love him: but the fact is too plain to be denied. No man loves God by nature, no more than does a ſtone, or the earth he treads upon. What we love, we delight in: But no man has naturally any delight in God. In our natural ſtate, we cannot conceive, how any one ſhould delight in him. We take no pleaſure in him at all: he is utterly taſteleſs to us. To love God! It is far above, out of our ſight. We cannot naturally attain unto it.

6. We have by nature not only no love, but no fear of God. It is allowed indeed, that moſt men have, ſooner or later, a kind of ſenſeleſs, irrational fear, properly called ſuperſtition, though the blundering Epicureans gave it the name of religion. Yet even this is not natural, but acquired; chiefly by converſation, or from example. By nature, God is not in all our thoughts: we leave him to manage his own affairs, to ſit quietly, as we imagine, in heaven, and leave us on earth to manage ours. So that we have no more of the fear of God before our eyes, than of the love of God in our hearts.

7. Thus are all men atheiſts in the world. But atheiſm itſelf does not ſcreen us from idolatry. In his natural ſtate, every man born into the world is a rank idolater. Perhaps indeed we may not be ſuch in the vulgar ſenſe of the word. We do not, like the idolatrous heathens, worſhip molten or graved images. We do not bow down to the ſtock of a tree, to the work of our own hands. We do not pray to the angels or ſaints in heaven, any more than to the ſaints that are upon earth. But what then? We have ſet up our idols in our hearts; and to theſe we bow down, and worſhip them: we worſhip ourſelves, when we pay that honour to ourſelves, which is due to God only. Therefore all pride is idolatry: it is aſcribing to ourſelves, what is due to God alone. And although pride was not made for man, yet where is the man that is born without it? But hereby we rob God of his unalienable right, and idolatrouſly uſurp his glory.

8. But pride is not the only ſort of idolatry, which we are all by nature guilty of. Satan has ſtamped his own image on our heart in ſelf-will alſo. I will, ſaid he, before he was caſt out of heaven, I will ſit upon the ſides of the north. I will do my own will and pleaſure, independently on that of my Creator. the ſame does every man born in the world ſay, and that in a thouſand inſtances. Nay, and avow it too, without ever bluſhing upon the account, without either fear or ſhame. Aſk the man, "Why did you do this?" He anſwers, "Becauſe I had a mind to it." What is this but, "Becauſe it is my will;" that is in effect, "Becauſe the devil and I are agreed: becauſe ſatan and I govern our actions, by one and the ſame principle." The will of God, mean time, is not in his thoughts, is not conſidered in the leaſt degree; although it be the ſupreme rule of every intelligent creature, whether in heaven or earth, reſulting from the eſſential, unalterable relation, which all creatures bear to their Creator.

9. So far we bear the image of the devil, and tread in his ſteps. But at the next ſtep we leave ſatan behind; we run into an idolatry, whereof he is not guilty: I mean, love of the world, which is now as natural to every man, as to love his own will. What is more natural to us, than to ſeek happineſs in the creature, inſtead of the Creator? To ſeek that ſatisfaction in the works of his hands, which can be found in God only? What more natural, than the deſire of the fleſh; that is, of the pleaſure of ſenſe in every kind? Men indeed talk magnificently of deſpiſing theſe low pleaſures, particularly men of learning and education. They affect to ſit looſe to the gratification of thoſe appetites, wherein they ſtand on a level with the beaſts that periſh. But it is mere affectation; for every man is conſcious to himſelf, that in this reſpect he is by nature a very beaſt. Senſual appetites, even thoſe of the loweſt kind, have, more or leſs, the do 〈7 letters〉 over him. They lead him captive; they 〈◊〉 him to and fro, in ſpite of his boaſted reaſon. The man, with all his good breeding and other accompliſhments, has no pre-eminence over the goat. Nay, it is much to be doubted, whether the beaſt has not the pre-eminence over him. Certainly he has, if we may hearken to one of theſe modern oracles, who very decently tells us, "Once in a ſeaſon, beaſts too taſte of love: "Only the beaſt of reaſon is it's ſlave, "And in that folly drudges all the year." A conſiderable difference indeed, it muſt be allowed, there is between man and man, ariſing (beſide that wrought by preventing grace) from difference of conſtitution, and of education. But notwithſtanding this, who, that is not utterly ignorant of himſelf, can here caſt the firſt ſtone at another? Who can abide the teſt of our bleſſed Lord's comment on the ſeventh commandment, "He that looketh on a woman to luſt after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart?" So that one knows not which to wonder at moſt, the ignorance or the inſolence of thoſe men, who, ſpeak with ſuch diſdain of them, that are overcome by deſires, which every man has felt in his own breaſt; the deſire of every pleaſure of ſenſe, innocent or not, being natural to every child of man.

10. And ſo is the deſire of the eye, the deſire of the pleaſures of the imagination. Theſe ariſe either from great, or beautiful, or uncommon objects, if the two former do not coincide with the latter; for perhaps it would appear upon a diligent enquiry, that neither grand nor beautiful objects pleaſe, any longer than they are new; that when the novelty of them is over, the greateſt part, at leaſt, of the pleaſures they give is over; and in the ſame proportion as they become familiar, they become flat and inſipid. But let us experience this ever ſo often, the ſame deſire will remain ſtill. The inbred thirſt continues fixt in the ſoul: nay, the more it is indulged, the more it increaſes, and incites us to follow after another, and yet another object; although we leave every one with an abortive hope, and deluded expectation. Yea, "The hoary fool, who many days "Has ſtruggled with continued ſorrow, "Renews his hope, and fondly lays "The deſp'rate bet upon to-morrow! "To-morrow comes! 'Tis noon! 'Tis night! "This day like all the former flies: "Yet on he goes, to ſeek delight "To-morrow, 'till to-night he dies!"

11. A third ſymptom of this fatal diſeaſe, the love of the world, which is ſo deeply rooted in our nature is, the pride of life, the deſire of praiſe, of the honour that cometh of men. This the greateſt admirers of human nature allow to be ſtrictly natural; as natural as the ſight of hearing, or any other of the external ſenſes. And are they aſhamed of it, even men of letters, men of refined and improved underſtanding? So far from it, that they glory therein; they applaud themſelves for their love of applauſe! Yea, eminent Chriſtians, ſo called, make no difficulty of adopting the ſaying of the old, vain heathen, Animi diſſoluti eſt & nequam, negligere quid de ſe homines ſentiant: "Not to regard what men think of us, is the mark of a wicked and abandoned mind." So that to go calm and unmoved thro' honour and diſhonour, thro' evil report and good report, is with them a ſign of one that is indeed not fit to live; away with ſuch a fellow from the earth. But would one imagine, that theſe men had ever heard of Jeſus Chriſt or his Apoſtles? Or that they knew who it was that ſaid, "How can ye believe, who receive honour one of another, and ſeek not that honour which cometh of God only?" But if this be really ſo; if it be impoſſible to believe, and conſequently to pleaſe God, ſo long as we receive or "ſeek honour one of another and ſeek not the honour which cometh of God only:" then in what a condition are all mankind! The chriſtians as well as the heathens! Since they all ſeek honour one of another! Since it is as natural for them ſo to do, themſelves being the judges, as it is to ſee the light which ſtrikes upon their eye, or to hear the ſound which enters their ear: yea, ſince they account it the ſign of a virtuous mind, to ſeek the praiſe of men; and of a vicious one, to be content with "the honour which cometh of God only!"

III. 1. I proceed to draw a few inferences from what has been ſaid. And, Firſt, From hence we may learn one grand, fundamental difference between chriſtianity, conſidered as a ſyſtem of doctrines, and the moſt refined heatheniſm. Many of the ancient heathens have largely deſcribed the vices of particular men. They have ſpoken much againſt their covetouſneſs and cruelty, their luxury or prodigality. Some have dared to ſay, that "no man is born without vices of one kind or another." But ſtill, as none of them were apprized of the fall of man, ſo none of them knew his total corruption. They knew not that all men were empty of all good, and filled with all manner of evil. They were wholly ignorant of the entire depravation of the whole human nature, of every man born into the world, in every faculty of his ſoul, not ſo much by thoſe particular vices, which reign in particular perſons, as by the general flood of atheiſm and idolatry, of pride, ſelf-will and love of the world. This therefore, is the firſt, grand, diſtinguiſhing point between heatheniſm and chriſtianity. The one acknowledges that many men are inſected with many vices, and even born with a proneneſs to them; but ſuppoſe withal, that in ſome the natural good much overbalances the evil. The other declares that all men are conceived in ſin, and ſhapen in wickedneſs: that hence there is in every man a "carnal mind which is enmity againſt God, which is not, cannot be ſubject to his law," and which ſo infects the whole ſoul, that there dwelleth in him, in his fleſh, in his natural ſtate, no good thing; but "all the imagination of the thoughts of his heart," is evil, only evil, and that continually.

2. Hence we may, Secondly, learn, That all who deny this, call it Original Sin, or by any other title, are but heathens ſtill, in the fundamental point which differences heatheniſm, from chriſtianity. They may indeed allow, that men have many vices: that they are born with us: and that conſequently we are not born altogether ſo wiſe or ſo virtuous, as we ſhould be: there being few that will roundly affirm, "We are born with as much propenſity to good as to evil, and that every man is by nature as virtuous and wiſe, as Adam was at his creation." But here is the Shibboleth: is man, by nature ſilled with all manner of evil? Is he void of all good? is he wholly fallen? Is his ſoul totally corrupted? Or, to come back to the text, is "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart evil continually?" Allow this, and you are ſo far a chriſtian. Deny it, and you are but a heathen ſtill.

3. We may learn from hence, in the Third place, What is the proper nature of religion, of the religion of Jeſus Chriſt. It is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . God's method of healing a ſoul which is thus diſeaſed. Hereby the great phyſician of ſouls applies medicine to heal this ſickneſs; to reſtore human nature, totally corrupted in all its faculties. God heals our atheiſm by the knowledge of himſelf, and of Jeſus Chriſt whom he hath ſent, by giving us faith, a divine evidence and conviction of God, and of the things of God, in particular of this important truth, Chriſt loved me, and gave himſelf for me. By repentance and lowlineſs of heart, the deadly diſeaſe of pride is healed; that of ſelf-will by reſignation, a meek and thankful ſubmiſſion to the will of God. And for the love of the world in all its branches, the love of God is the ſovereign remedy. Now this is properly religion, faith thus working by love, working the genuine, meek humility, entire deadneſs to the world, with a loving, thankful acquieſcence in and conformity to the whole will of God.

4. Indeed if man were not thus fallen; there would be no need of all this. There would be no occaſion for this work in the heart, this renewal in the ſpirit of our mind." The ſuperfluity of godlineſs would then be a more proper expreſſion than the ſuperfluity of naughtineſs. For an outſide religion without any godlineſs at all, would ſuffice to all rational intents and purpoſes. It does accordingly ſuffice, in the judgment of thoſe who deny this corruption of our nature. They make very little more of religion, than the famous Mr. Hobbes did of reaſon. Accordingly to him, reaſon is only, "A well ordered train of words:" according to them, religion is only a well-ordered train of words and actions. And they ſpeak conſiſtently with themſelves: for if the inſide be not full of wickedneſs, if this be clean already, what remains, but to cleanſe the outſide of the cup? Outward reformations, if their ſuppoſition be juſt, is indeed the one thing needful.

5. But ye have not ſo learned the oracles of God. Ye know, that he who ſeeth what is in man gives a far different account both of nature and grace, of our fall and our recovery. Ye know that the great end of religion is, to renew our hearts in the image of God, to repair that total loſs of righteouſneſs and true holineſs, which we ſuſtained by the ſin of our firſt parent. Ye know that all religion which does not anſwer this end, all that ſtops ſhort of this, the renewal of our foul in the image of God, after the likeneſs of him that created it, is no other than a poor farce, and a mere mockery of God, to the deſtruction of our own ſoul. O beware of all thoſe teachers of • es, who would palm this upon you for chriſtianity; regard them not, though they ſhould come upon you with all the deceivableneſs of unrighteouſneſs, with all ſmoothneſs of language, all decency, yea beauty and elegance of expreſſion, all profeſſions of earneſt good-will to you, and reverence for the holy ſcriptures. Keep to the plain old faith, once delivered to the ſaints, and delivered by the Spirit of God to your hearts. Know your diſeaſe! Know your cure! Ye were born in ſin: therefore ye muſt be born again, born of God. By nature ye are wholly corrupted: by grace ye ſhall be wholly renewed. "In Adam ye all died:" In the ſecond Adam, "in Chriſt ye all are made alive." You that are dead in ſins hath he quickened: he hath already given you a principle of life, even "faith in him who loved" you, and gave himſelf for you! Now go on from faith to faith, until your whole ſickneſs be healed, and all that "mind be in you which was alſo in Chriſt Jeſus!"

THE NEW BIRTH. A SERMON On JOHN iii. 7. Ye muſt be born again.

1. IF any doctrines within the whole compaſs of chriſtianity may be properly termed fundamental, they are doubtleſs theſe two, the doctrine of juſtification, and that of the new birth: the former relating to that great work, which God does for us, in forgiving our ſins; the latter, to the great work, which God does in us in renewing our fallen nature. In order of time, neither of theſe is before the other: in the moment we are juſtified by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in Jeſus, we are alſo born of the Spirit: but in order of thinking, as it is termed, juſtification precedes the new birth. We firſt conceive his wrath to be turned away, and then his Spirit to work in our hearts.

2. How great importance then muſt it be of to every child of man, throughly to underſtand theſe fundamental doctrines? From a full conviction of this, many excellent men have wrote very largely concerning juſtification, explaining every point relating thereto, and opening the ſcriptures which treat upon it. Many likewiſe have wrote on the new birth: and ſome of them largely enough: but yet not ſo clearly as might have been defired; nor ſo deeply and accurately: having either given a dark, abſtruſe account of it, or a ſlight and ſuperficial one. Therefore a full, and at the ſame time, a clear account of the new birth ſeems to be wanting ſtill: ſuch as may enable us to give a ſatisfactory anſwer to theſe three queſtions, Firſt, Why muſt we be born again? What is the foundation of this doctrine of the new birth? Secondly, How muſt we be born again? What is the nature of the new birth? And Thirdly, wherefore muſt we be born again? To what end is it neceſſary? Theſe queſtions, by the aſſiſtance of God, I ſhall briefly and plainly anſwer, and then ſubjoin a few inſtances which will naturally follow.

I. 1. And Firſt, why muſt we be born again? What is the foundation of this doctrine? The foundation of it lies near as deep as the creation of the world: in the ſcriptural account whereof we read, * Gen. i. 26, 27. And God, the three-one God, ſaid, Let us make man in our image, after our likeneſs. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him: not barely in his natural image, a picture of his own immortality, a ſpiritual being, endued with underſtanding, freedom of will, and various affections: nor merely in his political image, the governor of this lower world, having dominion ever the fiſhes of the ſea, and ever all the earth: but chiefly in his moral image? which according to the apoſtle, is † Eph. iv. 24. righteouſneſs and true holineſs. In this image of God was man made. God is love: accordingly man at his creation was full of love: which was the ſole principle of all his tempers, thoughts, words and actions. God is full of juſtice, mercy and truth: ſo was man as he came from the hands of his Creator. God is ſpotleſs purity: and ſo man was in the beginning pure from every ſinful blot. Otherwiſe God could not have pronounced him, as well as all the other works of his hands, § Gen. i. 31. very good. This he could not have been, had he not been pure from ſin, and filled with righteouſneſs and true holineſs. For there is no medium: if we ſuppoſe an intelligent creature, not to love God, not to be righteous and holy, we neceſſarily ſuppoſe him not to be good at all: much leſs to be very good.

2. But although man was made in the image of God, yet he was not made immutable. This would have been inconſiſtent with that ſtate of trial, in which God was pleaſed to place him. He was therefore created able to ſtand, and yet liable to fall. And this God himſelf apprized him of, and gave him a ſolemn warning againſt it. Nevertheleſs man did not abide in honour: he fell from his high eſtate. He ate of the tree whereof the Lord had commanded him, thou ſhalt not eat thereof. By this wilful act of diſobedience to his Creator, this flat rebellion againſt his ſovereign, he openly declared, that he would no longer have God to rule over him: that he would be governed by his own will, and not the will of him that created him, and that he would not ſeek his happineſs in God, but in the world, in the works of his hands. Now God had told him before, In the day that thou eateſt of that fruit thou ſhalt ſurely die. And the word of the Lord cannot be broken. Accordingly in that day he did die: he died to God, the moſt dreadful of all deaths. He loſt the life of God: he was ſeparated from him, in union with whom his ſpiritual life conſiſted. The body dies, when it is ſeparated from the ſoul; the ſoul, when it is ſeparated from God. But this ſeparation from God, Adam ſuſtained in the day, the hour he are of the forbidden fruit. And of this he gave immediate proof; preſently ſhewing by his behaviour, that the love of God was extinguiſhed in his ſoul, which was now alienated from the life of God. Inſtead of this, he was now under the power of ſervile fear, ſo that he fled from the preſence of the Lord. Yea, ſo little did he retain even of the knowledge of him, who filleth heaven and earth, that he endeavoured to * Gen. iii. 8. hide himſelf from the Lord God, among the trees of the garden. So had he loſt both the knowledge and the love of God, without which the image of God could not ſubſiſt. Of this therefore he was deprived at the ſame time, and became unholy as well as unhappy. In the room of this, he had ſunk into pride and ſelf-will, the very image of the devil, and into ſenſual appetites and deſires, the image of the beaſt, that periſh.

3. If it be ſaid, "Nay but that threatening, In the day that thou eateſt thereof thou ſhall ſurely die, refers to temporal death and that alone, to the death of the body only;" the anſwer is plain; to affirm this, is flatly and palpably to make God a liar: to aver that the God of truth poſitively affirmed a thing contrary to truth. For it is evident, Adam did not die in this ſenſe, in the day that he ate thereof. He lived in the ſenſe oppoſite to this death, above nine hundred years after. So that this cannot poſſibly be underſtood of the death of the body, without impeaching the veracity of God. It muſt therefore be underſtood of ſpiritual death, the loſs of the life and image of God.

4. And in Adam all died, all human-kind, all the children of men who were then in Adam's loins. The natural conſequence of this is, that every one deſcended from him, comes into the world ſpiritually dead, dead to God, wholly dead in ſin: entirely void of the life of God, void of the image of God, of all that righteouſneſs and holineſs, wherein Adam was created. Inſtead of this, every man born into the world, now bears the image of the devil, in pride and ſelf-will; the image of the beaſt, in ſenſual appetites and defires. This then is the foundation of the new birth, the entire corruption of our nature. Hence it is, that being born in ſin, we muſt be born again. Hence every one that is born of a woman, muſt be born of the Spirit of God.

II. 1. But how muſt a man be born again? What is the nature of the new birth? This is the ſecond queſtion. And a queſtion it is, of the higheſt moment that can be conceived. We ought not therefore in ſo weighty a concern, to be content with a ſlight enquiry; but to examine it with all poſſible care, and to ponder it in our hearts, till we fully underſtand this important point, and clearly ſee, how we are to be born again.

2. Not that we are to expect any minute, philoſophical account of the manner how this is done. Our Lord ſufficiently guards us againſt any ſuch expectation, by the words immediately following the text: wherein he reminds Nicodemus of as indiſputable a fact, as any in the whole compaſs of nature: which notwithſtanding the wiſeſt man under the ſun is not able fully to explain. The wind bloweth where it liſteth, not by thy power or wiſdom, and thou heareſt the ſound thereof: thou art abſolutely aſſured, beyond all doubt, that it doth blow. But thou canſt not tell whence it cometh, neither whither it goeth. The preciſe manner how it begins and ends, riſes and falls, no man can tell. So is every one that is born of the Spirit. Thou mayeſt be as abſolutely aſſured of the fact, as of the blowing of the wind: but the preciſe manner how it is done, how the Holy Spirit works this in the ſoul, neither thou nor the wiſeſt of the children of men is able to explain.

3. However it ſuffices for every rational and chriſtian purpoſe, that without deſcending into curious, critical enquiries, we can give a plain ſcriptural account of the nature of the new birth. This will ſatisfy every reaſonable man, who deſires only the ſalvation of his ſoul. The expreſſion, being born again, was not firſt uſed by our Lord in his converſation with Nicodemus. It was well known before that time, and was in common uſe among the Jews, when our Saviour appeared among them. When an adult heathen was convinced, that the jewiſh religion was of God, and deſired to join therein, it was the cuſtom to baptize him firſt, before he was admitted to circumciſion. And when he was baptized, he was ſaid to be born again: by which they meant, that he who was before a child of the devil, was now adopted in the family of God, and accounted one of his children. This expreſſion, therefore, which Nicodemus being a teacher in Iſrael, ought to have underſtood well, our Lord uſes in converſing with him: only in a ſtronger ſenſe than he was accuſtomed to. And this might be the reaſon of his aſking, how can theſe things be▪ They cannot be literally A man cannot enter a ſecond time into his mother's womb and be born. But they may, ſpiritually. A man may be born from above, born of God, born of the Spirit: in a manner which bears a very near analogy to the natural birth.

4. Before a child is born into the world, he hav • eyes, but ſees not: he has ears, but does not hear. He has a very imperfect uſe of any other ſenſe. He has no knowledge of any of the things of the world, or any natural underſtanding. To that manner of exiſtence which he then has, we do not even give the name of life. It is then only when a man is born, that we ſay he begins to live. For as ſoon as he is born, he begins to ſee the light, and the various objects with which he is encompaſſed. His ears are then opened, and he hears the ſounds which ſucceſſively ſtrike upon them. At the ſame time all the other organs of ſenſe begin to be exerciſed upon their proper objects. He likewiſe breathes and lives in a manner wholly different from what he did before. How exactly doth the parallel hold, in all theſe inſtances? While a man is in a mere natural ſtate, before he is born of God, he has, in a ſpiritual ſenſe, eyes and ſees not; a thick impeneble veil lies upon them. He has ears, but hears not; he is utterly deaf to what he is moſt of all concerned to hear. His other ſpiritual ſenſes are all locked up; he is in the ſame condition as it he had them not. Hence he has no knowledge of God, no intercourſe with him; he is not at all acquainted with him. He has no true knowledge of the things of God, either of ſpiritual or eternal things. Therefore though he is a living man, he is a dead chriſtian. But as ſoon as he is born of God, there is a total change in all theſe particulars. The eyes of his underſtanding are opened (ſuch is the language of the great apoſtle:) and he, who of old commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſs, ſhining on his heart, he ſees the light of the glory of God, his glorious love, in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. His ears being opened, he is now capable of hearing the inward voice of God, ſaying, be of good cheer thy ſins are forgiven thee: go and ſin no more. This is the purport of what God ſpeaks to his heart: although perhaps not in theſe very words. He is now ready to hear whatſoever he that teacheth man knowledge is pleaſed from time to time to reveal to him. He "feels in his heart (to uſe the language of our church) the mighty working of the Spirit of God:" not in a groſs, carnal ſenſe, as the men of the world ſtupidly and wilfully miſunderſtand the expreſſion: though they have been told again and again, we mean thereby neither more nor leſs than this: he feels, is inwardly ſenſible of the graces, which the Spirit of God works in his heart. He feels he is conſcious of a peace which paſſeth all underſtanding. He many times feels ſuch a joy in God, as is unſpeakable and full of glory. He feels the love of God ſhed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghoſt which is given unto him. And all his ſpiritual ſenſes are then exerciſed to diſcern ſpiritual good and evil. By the uſe of theſe he is daily increaſing in the knowledge of God, of Jeſus Chriſt whom he hath ſent, and of all the things pertaining to his inward kingdom. And now he may be properly ſaid to live: God having quickened him by his Spirit, he is alive to God through Jeſus Chriſt. He lives a life which the world knoweth not of, a life which is hid with Chriſt in God. God is continually breathing, as it were, upon the ſoul, and his ſoul is breathing unto God. Grace is deſcending into his heart, and prayer and praiſe aſcending to heaven. And by this intercourſe between God and man, this fellowſhip with the Father and the Son, as by a kind of ſpiritual reſpiration, the life of God in the ſoul is ſuſtained: and the child of God grows up till he comes to the full meaſure of the ſtature of Chriſt.

5. From hence it manifeſtly appears, what is the nature of the new birth. It is that great change which God works in the ſoul, when he brings it into life; when he raiſes it from the death of ſin, to the life of righteouſneſs. It is the change wrought in the whole ſoul by the Almighty Spirit of God, when it is created anew in Chriſt Jeſus, when it is renewed after the image of God, in righteouſneſs and true holineſs: when the love of the world is changed into the love of God, pride into humility, paſſion into meekneſs; hatred, envy, malice, into a ſincere, tender, diſintereſted love for all mankind. In a word, it is that change whereby the earthly, ſenſual, deviliſh mind is turned into the mind which was in Chriſt Jeſus. This is the nature of the new birth. "So is every one that is born of the Spirit."

III. 1. It is not difficult for any who has conſidered theſe things, to ſee the neceſſity of the new birth, and to anſwer the third queſtion. Wherefore, to what end is it neceſſary that we ſhould be born again? It is very eaſily di •••• ed, that this is neceſſary, firſt, in order to holiſhneſs. For what is holineſs, according to the oracles of God? Not a bare external religion, a round of outward duties, how many ſoever they be, and how exactly ſoever performed. No: goſpel-holineſs is no leſs than the image of God ſtamped upon the heart. It is no other than the whole mind which was in Chriſt Jeſus. It conſiſts of all heavenly affections and tempers mingled together in one. It implies ſuch a continual, thankful love, to him who hath not with-held from us his Son, his only Son, as makes it natural and in a manner neceſſary to us, to love every child of man; as fills us with bowels of mercies, kindneſs, gentleneſs, long-ſuffering. It is ſuch a love of God as teaches us to be blameleſs in all manner of converſation; as enables us to preſent our ſouls and bodies, all we are, and all we have, all our thoughts, words and actions, a continual ſacrifice to God, acceptable through Chriſt Jeſus. Now this holineſs can have no exiſtence, till we are renewed in the image of our mind. It cannot commence in the ſoul, till that change be wrought, till by the power of the higheſt overſhadowing us we are "brought from darkneſs to light, from the power of ſatan unto God:" that is, till we are born again: which therefore is abſolutely neceſſary in order to holineſs.

2. But without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord, ſhall ſee the face of God in glory. Of conſequence the new birth is abſolutely neceſſary, in order to eternal ſalvation. Men may indeed flatter themſelves (ſo deſperately wicked and ſo deceitful is the heart of man!) that they may live in their ſins till they come to the laſt gaſp, and yet afterwards live with God. And thouſands do really believe, that they have found a broad way which leadeth not to deſtruction. What danger, ſay they, can a woman be in, that is ſo harmleſs and ſo virtuous? What fear is there that ſo honeſt a man, one of ſo ſtrict morality, ſhould miſs of heaven? Eſpecially, if over and above all this, they conſtantly attend on church and ſacrament. One of theſe will aſk with all aſſurance, "What, ſhall not I do as well as my neighbours?" Yes, as well as your unholy neighbours; as well as you neighbours that die in their ſins. For you will all drop into the pit together, into the nethermoſt hell. You will all lie together in the lake of fire, the lake of fire burning with brimſtone. Then, at length you will ſee (but God grant you may ſee it before!) the neceſſity of holineſs in order to glory: and conſequently, of the new birth, ſince none can be holy, except he be born again.

3. For the ſame reaſon, except he be born again, none can be happy even in this world. For it is not poſſible, in the nature of things, that a man ſhould be happy, who is not holy. Even the poor, ungodly poet could tell us, Nemo malus felix: No wicked man is happy. The reaſon is plain. All unholy tempers are uneaſy tempers. Not only malice, hatred, envy, jealouſy, revenge, create a preſent hell in the breaſt, but even the ſofter paſſions, if not kept within due bounds give a thouſand times more pain than pleaſure. Even hope, when defered (and how often muſt this be the caſe?) maketh the heart ſick. And every deſire, which is not according to the will of God, is liable to pierce us through with many forrows. And all thoſe general ſources of ſin, pride, ſelf-will and idolatry, are in the ſame proportion as they prevail, general ſources of miſery. Therefore as long as theſe reign in any ſoul, happineſs has no place there. But they muſt reign till the bent of our nature is changed, that is, 'till we are born again. Conſequently the new birth is abſolutely neceſſary in order to happineſs in this world, as well as in the world to come.

IV. I propoſed in the laſt place, to ſubjoin a few inferences which naturally follow from the preceding obſervations.

1. And, Firſt, It follows, that baptiſm is not the new birth: they are not one and the ſame thing. Many indeed ſeem to imagine, they are juſt the ſame: at leaſt, they ſpeak as if they thought ſo: but I do not know, that this opinion is publickly avowed, by any denomination of chriſtians whatever. Certainly it is not, by any within theſe kingdoms, whether of the eſtabliſhed church, or diſſenting from it. The judgment of the latter is clearly declared, in their * Q. 163, 165. large catechiſm: Q: "What are the parts of a ſacrament? A. The parts of a ſacrament are two: the one, an outward and ſenſible ſign; the other an inward and ſpiritual grace thereby ſignified. Q. What is baptiſm? A. Baptiſm is a ſacrament, wherein Chriſt hath ordained the waſhing with water, to be a ſign and ſeal of regeneration by his Spirit." Here it is manifeſt, baptiſm, the ſign, is ſpoken of as diſtinct from regeneration, the thing ſignified.

In the church-catechiſm likewiſe, the judgment of our church is declared with the utmoſt clearneſs. "What meaneſt thou by this word, ſacrament? I mean an outward and viſible ſign of an inward and ſpiritual grace. What is the outward part, or form in baptiſm? Water, wherein the perſon is baptized, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt. What is the inward part, or thing ſignified? A death unto ſin, and a new birth unto righteouſneſs." Nothing therefore is plainer, than that, according to the church of England, baptiſm is not the new birth.

But indeed the reaſon of the thing is ſo clear and evident, as not to need any other authority. For what can be more plain, than that the one is an external, the other an internal work? That the one is a viſible, the other an inviſible thing, and therefore wholly different from each other: the one being an act of man, purifying the body; the other, a change wrought by God in the ſoul. So that the former is juſt as diſtinguiſhable from the latter, as the ſoul from the body, or water from the Holy Ghoſt.

2. From the preceding reflections, we may, ſecondly, obſerve, that as the new birth is not the ſame thing with baptiſm, ſo it does not always accompany baptiſm: they do not conſtantly go together. A man may poſſibly be born of water and yet not be born of the Spirit. There may ſometimes be the outward ſign, where there is not the inward grace. I do not now ſpeak with regard to infants: it is certain, our church ſuppoſes, that all, who are baptized in their infancy, a • at the ſame time born again. And it is allowed, that the whole office for the baptiſm of infants proceeds upon this ſuppoſition. Nor is it an objection of any weight againſt this, that we cannot comprehend, how this work can be wrought in infants? For neither can we comprehend, how it is wrought in a perſon of riper years. But whatever be the caſe with infants, it is ſure all of riper years, who are baptized, are not at the ſame time born again. The tree is known by it's fruits: and hereby it appears too plain to be denied, that divers of thoſe, who were children of the devil before they were baptized, continue the ſame after baptiſm; for the works of their father they do; they continue ſervants of ſin, without any pretence either to inward or outward holineſs.

3. A third inference, which we may draw from what has been obſerved, is, that the new birth is not the ſame with ſanctification. This is indeed taken for granted by many; particularly by an eminent writer, on his late treatiſe on "the nature and grounds of chriſtian regeneration." To wave ſeveral other weighty objections, which might be made to that tract, this is a palpable one: it all along ſpeaks of regeneration as a progreſſive work, carried on in the ſoul by ſlow degrees, from the time of our firſt turning to God. This is undeniably true of ſanctification; but of regeneration, the new birth, it is not true. This is a part of ſanctification, not the whole; it is the gate of it, the entrance into it. When we are born again, then our ſanctification, our inward and outward holineſs begins. And thenceforward we are gradually to grow up in him, who is our head. This expreſſion of the apoſtle admirably illuſtrates the difference between one and the other, and farther points out the exact analogy there is between natural and ſpiritual things. A child is born of a woman in a moment, or at leaſt in a very ſhort time. Afterward he gradually and ſlowly grows, till he attain to the ſtature of a man. In like manner, a child is born of God in a ſhort time, if not in a moment. But it is by ſlow degrees that he afterwards grows up to the meaſure of the full ſtature of Chriſt. The ſame relation therefore, which there is between our natural birth and our growth, there is alſo between our new birth and our ſanctification.

4. One point more we may learn from the preceding obſervations. But it is a point of ſo great importance, as may excuſe the conſidering it the more carefully, and proſecuting it at ſome length. What muſt one who loves the ſouls of men, and is grieved that any of them ſhould periſh, ſay to one whom he ſees living in ſabbath-breaking, drunkenneſs, or any other wilful ſin? What can he ſay, if the foregoing obſervations are true, but you muſt be born again. "No, ſays a zealous man, that cannot be. How can you talk ſo uncharitably to the man? Has he not been baptized already? He cannot be born again now." Can he not be born again? Do you affirm this? Then he cannot be ſaved. Though he be as old as Nicodemus was, yet except he be born again, he cannot ſee the kingdom of God. Therefore in ſaying, "he cannot be born again," you in effect deliver him over to damnation. And where lies the uncharitableneſs now? On my ſide, or on yours? I ſay, he may be born again, and ſo become an heir of ſalvation. You ſay, "he cannot be born again." And if ſo, he muſt inevitably periſh. So you utterly block up his way to ſalvation, and ſend him to hell, out of mere charity!

But perhaps the ſinner himſelf, to whom in real charity we ſay, "you muſt be born again," has been taught to ſay, "I defy your new doctrine; I need not be born again. I was born again when I was baptiſed. What! Would you have me deny my baptiſm?" I anſwer, firſt, there is nothing under heaven which can excuſe a lie. Otherwiſe I ſhould ſay to an open ſinner, if you have been baptized, do not own it. For how highly does this aggravate your guilt? How will it increaſe your damnation? Was you devoted to God at eight days old, and have you been all theſe years devoting yourſelf to the devil? Was you, even before you had the uſe of reaſon, conſecrated to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt? And have you, ever ſince you had the uſe of it, been flying in the face of God, and conſecrating yourſelf to ſatan? Does the abomination of deſolation, the love of the world, pride, anger, luſt, fooliſh deſire, and a whole train of vile affections ſtand where it ought not? Have you ſet up all theſe accurſed things in that ſoul, which was once a temple of the Holy Ghoſt? Set apart for an habitation of God through the Spirit? Yea, ſolemnly given up to him? And do you glory in this, that you once belonged to God? O be aſhamed! Bluſh! Hide yourſelf in the earth! Never boaſt more of what ought to fill you with confuſion, to make you aſhamed before God and man! I anſwer, ſecondly, you have already denied your baptiſm; and that in the moſt affectual manner. You have denied it a thouſand and a thouſand times; and you do ſo ſtill day by day. For in your baptiſm, you renounced the devil and all his works. Whenever therefore you give place to him again, whenever you do any of the works of the devil, then you deny your baptiſm. Therefore you deny it by every wilful ſin: by every act of uncleanneſs, drunkenneſs, or revenge; by every obſcene or prophane word; by every oath that comes out of your mouth. Every time you profane the day of the Lord, you thereby deny your baptiſm: yea, every time you do any thing to another, which you would not he ſhould do to you. I anſwer, thirdly, be you baptized or unbaptized, you muſt be born again. Otherwiſe it is not poſſible you ſhould be inwardly holy: and without inward as well as outward holineſs, you cannot be happy even in this world; much leſs in the world to come. Do you ſay, "Nay, but I do no harm to any man; I am honeſt and juſt in all my dealings; I do not curſe, or take the Lord's name in vain; I do not profane the Lord's day: I am no drunkard; I do not ſlander my neighbour, nor live in any wilful ſin." If this be ſo, it were much to be wiſhed, that all men went as far as you do. But you muſt go farther yet, or you cannot be ſaved: ſtill you muſt be born again. Do you add, "I do go farther yet; for I not only do no harm, but do all the good I can:" I doubt that fact: I fear you have had a thouſand opportunities of doing good, which you have ſuffered to paſs by unimproved, and for which therefore you are accountable to God. But if you had improved them all, if you really had done all the good you poſſibly could to all men, yet this does not at all alter the caſe: ſtill you muſt be born again. Without this nothing will do any good to your poor, ſinful polluted ſoul. "Nay, but I conſtantly attend all the ordinances of God: I keep to my church and ſacrament." It is well you do. But all this will not keep you from hell, except you be born again. Go to church twice a day, go to the Lord's table every week, ſay ever ſo many prayers in private, read ever ſo many good books, ſtill you muſt be born again: none of theſe things will ſtand in the place of the new birth: no, nor any thing under heaven. Let this therefore, if you have not already experienced this inward work of God, be your continual prayer, "Lord, add this to all thy bleſſings, let me be born again. Deny whatever thou pleaſeſt, but deny not this, let me be born from above. Take away whatſoever ſeemeth thee good, reputation, fortune, friends, health. Only give me this, to be born of the Spirit! To be received among the children of God. Let me be born, "not of corruptible ſeed, but incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." And then let me daily "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt!"

THE END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

CONTENTS OF VOL. III. The 11th diſcourſe upon our Lord's Sermon on the mount, from Matt. vii. 13, 14. Page 3 The 12th ditto, from Matt. vii. 15, 20. Page 17 The 13th ditto, from Matt. vii. 21, 27. Page 33 The Original, Nature, Properties, and Uſe of the Law, from Rom. vii. 12. Page 51 The Law eſtabliſhed through Faith, from Rom. iii. 31, Page 73 The 2d ditto, from Rom. iii. 31. Page 91 The Nature of Enthuſiaſm, from Acts, xxvi. 24. Page 105 A Caution againſt Bigotry, from Mark, ix. 38, 39. Page 124 Catholic Spirit, from 2 Kings x. 15. Page 144 Chriſtian Perfection, from Phil. iii. 1 • . Page 163 The Promiſe of Sanctification, A Hymn, from Ezek. xxxvi. 25, &c. Page 191 Wandering Thoughts, from 2 Cor. x. 4. Page 197 Satan's Devices, from 2 Cor. ii. 11. Page 212 Original Sin, from Gen. vi. 5. Page 229 The New Birth, from John iii. 7. Page 246