IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 
 1.0 
 
 11.25 
 
 1^12.8 I 
 
 2.5 
 2.2 
 
 I.I I '^ H^ 
 
 WUil 
 
 IMII 
 
 1.6 
 
 6" 
 
 V 
 
 :'> ') 
 
 
 Photographic 
 
 Sciences 
 
 Corporation 
 
 1.) WIST MAIN STRUT 
 
 WIBSTEN.N.Y. MS80 
 
 (716) a72-4503 
 
 V 
 
 iV 
 
 
 %^ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 *;> 
 
 ^:\ WrS 
 
 
CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHIVI/iCIVIH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 M 
 
 Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 
 
Tachhical and Bibliographic Notas/Notas tachniquaa at bibliographiquaa 
 
 Tha Instituta has attamptad to obtain tha bast 
 original copy availabia for filming. Faaturas of this 
 copy which may ba bibliographicaily uniqua. 
 which may altar any of tha imagas In tha 
 raproduction, or which may significantly changa 
 tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. 
 
 
 
 Colourad covars/ 
 Couvartura da couiaur 
 
 FTj Covars damagad/ 
 
 Couvartura andommagia 
 
 Covars rastorad and/or lai 
 Couvartura rastaurAa at/ou palliculAa 
 
 var titia missing/ 
 
 titra da couvartura manqua 
 
 lourad maps/ 
 Cartas gtegraphiquaa an couiaur 
 
 Colourad ink (i.a. othar than blua 
 
 Encra da couiaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) 
 
 I I Covars rastorad and/or laminatad/ 
 
 I I Covar titIa missing/ 
 
 I I Colourad maps/ 
 
 r~l Colourad ink (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ 
 
 I I Colourad plataa and/or illuatrations/ 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 n 
 
 Planchaa at/ou illustrationa 1% couiaur 
 
 Bound with othar matarial/ 
 RalM avac d'autras documants 
 
 Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion 
 along intarfor margin/ 
 
 La rm liura sarria paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la 
 distorslon la long da la marga int*riaura 
 
 Blank laavas addad during rastoration may 
 appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar possibla. thasa 
 hava baan omittad from filming/ 
 II sa paut qua cartainas pagaa blanchaa ajoutAas 
 lors d'una raatauration apparaiasant dana la taxta. 
 mais. lorsqua cala «tait possibla. cas pagaa n'ont 
 paa «t« filmtas. 
 
 L'Institut a microfilm* la maillaur axamplaire 
 qu'il lui a iti possibla da sa procurar. Las details 
 da cat axamplaira qui sont paut-4tra uniquas du 
 point da vua bibliographiqiia, qui pauvant modifier 
 una maga raproduita, ou qui pauvant exigar una 
 modification dans la mAthoda normala da fllmaga 
 sont indiquAs ci-dassous. 
 
 nn Colourad pagas/ 
 
 Pagaa da couiaur 
 
 Pagas damagad/ 
 Pagas andommagias 
 
 Pagas rastorad and/01 
 
 Pagas rastaur^s at/ou palliculAas 
 
 Pagos discolourad, stainad or foxa< 
 Pagas d4color«as. tachat«as ou piqu«as 
 
 Pagas datachad/ 
 Pagas ditachias 
 
 Showthrough/ 
 Transparanca 
 
 Quality of prin 
 
 Qualiti inAgala da I'imprassion 
 
 Includaa supplamantary mataria 
 Comprand du material supplAmantaira 
 
 Only adition availabia/ 
 Saula Mition disponibia 
 
 r~1 Pagas damagad/ 
 
 □ Pagas rastorad and/or laminatad/ 
 Pagas 
 
 fyl Pagos discolourad, stainad or foxad/ 
 
 I I Pagas datachad/ 
 
 r~n Showthrough/ 
 
 I I Quality of print varias/ 
 
 I I Includaa supplamantary matarial/ 
 
 rn Only adition availabia/ 
 
 □ Pagaa wholly or partially obscurad by errata 
 slips, tissues, etc., hava been refllmed to 
 ensure the best possible Image/ 
 Lea pagas totalament ou pertiellement 
 obscurcias par un fauiilet d'errata, una palure. 
 etc., ont M filmies i nouveau da fapon A 
 obtanir la mailleure image possible. 
 
 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentaires supplAmantairas; 
 
 Wrinkled pagsi may film ilightly out of focut. 
 
 This item is filmed at the reduction ratio chackad below/ 
 C* document est film* au taux da reduction indiqu* ci-dasaous. 
 10X 14X 1SX 22X 
 
 26X 
 
 30X 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 y 
 
 20X 
 
 24X 
 
 28X 
 
 32X 
 
The copy filmed here hes been reproduced thanks 
 to the generosity of: 
 
 Bibliothique nationale du Quebec 
 
 L'exempiaire filmA fut reproduit grAce A la 
 gAnirositA de: 
 
 Bibliothdque nationale du Quebec 
 
 The images appearing here are the best quality 
 possible considering the condition and legibility 
 of the original copy and in keeping with the 
 filming contract specifications. 
 
 Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed 
 beginning with the front cover and ending on 
 the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All 
 other original copies are filmed beginning on the 
 first page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, and ending on the last page with a printed 
 or illustrated impression. 
 
 The last recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain the symbol — h^ (meaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 different reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included in one exposure are filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 required. The following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 Les images suivantes ont tt6 reproduites avec le 
 plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition at 
 de le nettet* de I'exemplaire film*, et en 
 conformity avec les conditions du contrat de 
 filmage. 
 
 Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en 
 papier est imprimte sont filmte en commenpant 
 par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la 
 dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second 
 plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires 
 originaux sont fllmte en commenpant par la 
 premlAre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant per 
 la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle 
 empreinte. 
 
 Un des symboles suivsnts apparattra sur la 
 derniAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le 
 cas: le symbols — »> signifie "A SUIVRE", le 
 symbols V signifie "FIN". 
 
 Les cartes, planches, tebleaux, etc., peuvent Atre 
 fiimAs A des taux de rAduction diff Arents. 
 Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre 
 reproduit en un seul clichA, 11 est filmA A psrtir 
 de I'engle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, 
 et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre 
 d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants 
 illustrsnt la mAthode. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
:*-*«*!^Z-« 
 
 ^i 
 
 ^•^1 
 
 E BE A RING 
 
 r^ 
 
 A 
 
 ■ > i-V- .. 
 
 ITC.v 
 
 ^ A-\ 
 
 fSr > 
 
 
 iii'»« 
 
 eftEAT SIN, 
 
 St:RMQ.M* 
 
 fo^hed Lord's pay Febriuay 22, 1801* 
 
 " TO WHIGH IS ADDED . v* ; * 
 
 ^HQIJGHTS 
 
 ^^n the Glorious Gofpel of Chrift* 
 
 :?^' 
 
 ~^l 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 'J 
 
 $) 
 
 
 •< i-^ 
 
 
 .V ^> IL*' "< .•t^i 
 
 
 ^•^^lluira* Jttftot Omnes B«nis Operlbul Ornatos Fuisse: Clem. »d Corlajl^ 
 - ^V JHt that doeth Sigbtteufiiefi ji Rigbtmt.—i John 3, 7. 
 
 iAI- 
 
 
 i w 
 
 ixueliec: 
 
 UKt»0 »Y JOllVt StitlON, ilOtlNTAIM ITHET. 
 
 M.DCCCI 
 
 -xMKiBx.iimaufti 
 
 
 fe*< .» 
 
 >>'-4' 
 
 Jr 
 
 ".n*>t. 
 
% 
 
 >■ 
 
 K 
 
 
,S!!"!^IT2'1^SiiW»CpP'ii 
 
 ^*ff^^"ipglF'«Will. ..I 
 
 <^ 
 
 % 
 
 >■ 
 
 K 
 
 Prejbyterian Congregation 
 
 ASSEMBLING IN 
 
 St. JOHN'S STREET, 
 QUEBEC, 
 
 This SERMON, &c. 
 
 Is Humbly Infcribed, 
 By Their Servant 
 
 In the Go/pel of Chrijl, 
 CLARK BEN TOM. 
 
 Ljo^^^fi^ M^^ tftti^ Ttixj co'/^oc^jf^tiksL 
 
■# *^ 
 
 vfciN'' 
 
 ►f 
 
 mi 
 
 \.b' 
 
 / .-il 
 
 
 » w 
 
 
 'i.^*- 
 
 
 ,1*.. 
 
 ¥^ 
 
 '^* 
 
 ^iii 
 
 f ■...■■ 
 
 ^-***sij-H 
 
■'''«^' "^m i »!" imiit^m>'Wlf 
 
 
 ,. K ' 
 
 \ 
 
 ■a 
 i. 
 
 ui: g .ajt 
 
 SERMON. 
 
 
 Levtticus, Chap. 19, Ver. 16.— FirftClaufe ! 
 "thou ihalt not go up and down as a Talebearer athoiig thjr PeopU* 
 
 ^ t ^ "^ 
 
 w 
 
 \ ' 
 
 _ F all the famous legiflators of antiquity. 
 Moles is defervcdiy efteemed the moft famous 
 for two 1 eafons : i * the purity of his morality 
 and tho beneficence of his inftitutions : this may 
 be denied by Infidels, but experience proves 
 the truth of the afTertion. a. He was infpired, 
 having received, not merely that wifdom from 
 above which is profitable to diredt, but his laws 
 immediately from God : hence they claim our 
 highefl refped as Chriflians, and happy the na- 
 tion, city, or family obeying the moral precepts 
 of this illuflrious Hebrew. 
 
 But are his laws binding on us ? Hath not 
 Chrift abolished the Mofaic difpenfation ? 
 
 Our Lord in his perfon, worlcs, and death, 
 fulfilled the law of commandments contained in 
 ordinances*, that is, the ceremonial inftitutions 
 confequently being ufelefs, they are abolifhed. 
 He hath moreover fulfilled the moral law as our 
 furety-f- fuffering its penalties, and fully obey- 
 ing its requifitions, that by the obedience of one, 
 many might be made righteous J. The moral 
 law, therefore, has no longer any force as a Co- 
 
 
 • Ephef. 2, 15. t Heb. 7, ai. % Romans, 5, 19. 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 "•^ nthi i ^ f- 
 
 ■ifU,.'i-i,'^%..^. 
 
 t /. 
 
 (X 
 
IMiiil 
 
 mm 
 
 " 1 
 
 < i ) 
 
 Venant of life to condemn true believers in Chrifl 
 Jefus, who walk not after thejlejh, but after the 
 fpirit,^ But the moral law as a rule of Holinefs, 
 is not, nor ever will be aboliflied. To be holy, 
 becaufe God is holy, is a precept found in the 
 New Teftamwnt+ as well as in the Old. J To 
 be holy is to be like God : the law, then, is no- 
 thing more nor lefs than a defcription of God's 
 moral perfedions accommodated unto man, and 
 cxpreffed in fuch terms as are beft underftood 
 by him, a fallen creature. 
 
 My text is a branch of the ninth command- 
 ment, which is as much negleded, and as fre- 
 quently broken as any other, though few per- 
 lons go into a Court of Judicature to bear falfe 
 witnefs againft their neighbour. This bearing 
 of falfe-witnefs is the extremity of the evil pro- 
 hibited i every thing leading thereto, or in any 
 fhape participating of its nature, being equally 
 forbidden. Perhaps you do not all clearly per- 
 ceive this, yet ftill here we have a pofitivc com- 
 mand of Jehovah, not lefs obligatory than the 
 ninth precept of the decalogue : Thou Jhalt not 
 go up and down as a Talebearer among thy people. 
 
 In my attempt to enlarge on thefe words for 
 our prefent edification, I Ihall as the Lord ena- 
 bles me confider 
 
 I. The evil prohibited, its nature and eonfe- 
 quences. 
 
 II. The prohibition itfelf, with the motives 
 to obedience. 
 
 i 
 
 / f <^ 
 
 > i ^ 
 
 i 
 
 • Romans, 8, i. f »• I'etcr, i^ 15, 16, J Lev, n, 44, 45. 
 
i 
 
 f f '^ 
 
 y 
 
 I 
 
 ( 3 J 
 
 And I humbly pray the Lord the Spirit to af- 
 fift my weaknefs, and that he would give unto 
 you obedient minds, receiving with fimplicity 
 and meeknels the truth of his word. 
 
 The fiift thing propofed for confidcration, \i 
 the evil prohibited in my text, its nature and con- 
 lequences. This abominable and deftrudtive 
 vice of Talebearing, is often and varioufly ftruck 
 at in the facred oracles of God. The names af- 
 iigned unto it by the infpired writers, are fuffi- 
 ciently defcriptive of its odious nature: of thefe, 
 I fhall only mention four, as being perhaps, the 
 moft fignificant, and anfwering beft to my pre- 
 fent purpofe. 
 
 I. It is called Backbiting,* becaufe Tale- 
 bearers are one thing to your face, and another 
 behind your back ; like ferpents, fair indeed to 
 behold, yet flily from behind inflicting on the 
 heel a dangerous wound i or like a mifchievous 
 dog that runs while your eyes are fixed upon 
 him, yet watches an opportunity of gratifying 
 his vicious humour by tearing your flefh. How 
 bafe the pradlice of hiding from my neighbour 
 his fins, yet making every acquaintance the con- 
 fidant of his follies I 
 
 %, It is called whifpering :-f- Secrecy is the 
 frequent covert under which Talebearers propa- 
 gate flanderous reports. They pretend great fear 
 left any body fhould know the matter, yet are 
 never Satisfied until every one knov/s it. My 
 friends, always fufpeft a teller of legrets. This 
 
 * 2, Corinth. 12, so. t a Corinth. 12, 
 
 \\ 
 
 20, 
 
( 4 > 
 
 IS an infpired charaAeriftic of a Talebearer. ''He 
 revealetb fecrets''* faith Solomon. 
 
 3. It is called flandering :+ Here we have a 
 very appropriate name indeed, for feldom or ne- 
 ver do Talebearers ftick to truth ; they love a 
 perfedtftory, and when it reaches their hand the 
 finifhing ftroke will not be wanting. Appre- 
 henfion that a man may fall into error, will foon 
 become fufpicion i he has really done fo, and 
 fufpicion in the heart of a flanderous perfon is 
 more than fufficient to attach adual guilt to the 
 moft innocent charader. The propriety of thi$ 
 term will farther appear, if you confider Tale- 
 bearers very rarely delight in praifmg their neigh- 
 bours except by way of comparifon, and fuch 
 comparifrns are odious and invidious, intended 
 only as a )il to blacken the charader of others. 
 
 4. Talebearers are called Bufy-bodies.J med- 
 dlers in other rnen*£ matters, ever inveftigating 
 the affairs of all around them, interefling them- 
 felves unalked in bufmefs not their own. Adtivc 
 and bufy are they as if talebearing were their dai- 
 ly and lawful occupation. To this anlwers the 
 hcbrew word /^^tMt ran flated in my text,atale^ 
 bearer going up and down : it is derived from a 
 word v. iiich (ignifies to trade or to be a merchant 
 and literally means a Newfmonger, one trading up 
 and down from houfe tohoufe as it were, buying, 
 felling and exchanging matters of domeftic in- 
 telligence, dctrafting from his neighbour's good 
 name among men. 
 
 ♦Prov.11,13. + 1 Tun. 3, u. j2Thef.3.iu 
 
 > ^ < 
 
 i^^ 
 
'mmmmmmmmifllFm 
 
 I 
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 That I may yet farther expofe this unmanly, 
 unchriftian, and odious pra6lice, I will fpeak a 
 few words, on the three parts of which it may 
 be faid to confift j produ(^ion, reception, propa- 
 gation. 
 
 I . Produdion. It is a lamentable fa6l we are all 
 fmful, fallible,and imperfed; if the whole of our 
 condudt, therefore, be fcrupuloufly examined, 
 fomething doubtlefs, may be found, which, ex- 
 pofed & in the hands of an enemy or Talebearer, 
 would turn to the difad vantage of our charader or 
 fecular intereft. In other words, every man has a 
 weak fide, which it is his own as well as his neigh- 
 bour's duty to conceal, but the direft bufmefs of 
 a Talebearer toWaze abroad. This vice, then, 
 arifes from the fource of all our evils human De- 
 pravity, and its immediate object is human 
 
 Frailty. 
 
 Our own defedls may be the ground of a re- 
 port diflionorable to our good name, but fre^ 
 quently, very frequently, the report is either al- 
 together falfe, or falfely told by the addition or 
 fubftra6tion of fome material circumftance. ac- 
 cording as it beft fuits the humour of the rclater. 
 Here we may afk what are the reafons aiTignable 
 for the produftion of flanderous talebearing? The 
 reafons aflignable for its production are many ; 
 but I fhall enumerate a few only, yet fuch as per- 
 haps, will one way or other include the whole. 
 I . Malice. The charafter fpoken of may be ob- 
 noxious to us, we confequently catch readily 
 enough at whatfoever may vilify liis condud, as 
 
 
4 
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 J means of juftifying or gratifying our hatred. 
 «. The 1' v€ of mifchief, vhicb, ftiocking to fay, 
 predominates in the minds of fome men, crea- 
 ting delight in the reproach and unhappinefs 
 that fall on others. 3. Cenforioufnefs. That is, 
 a difpoiition to conceive the worft of our neigh- 
 bour's condudt, viewing in the moft unfavoura- 
 ble light their words and aiStions. This is a ve- 
 ry principal reafon of the much evil f peaking 
 found in the world. If we thought well of our 
 neighbours, we Ihould hardly fpeak ill of them. 
 4 & laftly, Inventive Loquacityj which many cf- 
 teem a very agrfeable quality, yet is not unfre* 
 quently found a very noxious one indeed. We are 
 f:reatures for the mod part naturally communica- 
 tive; this, like every other paflion of the mind, if 
 rightly exercifed, would conduce to our im-^ 
 provement and happinefs j but when the noble 
 faculty of fpeech, the glory of our nature, is em^ 
 cloyed, not, in adminiftering grace to the hearers, 
 out in the indulgence of a talkative difpofition, 
 what can be expe<aed ? but that our converfatiorl 
 Should often injure our neighbour's fame. 
 
 2. Reception. Talebearers more ufually plead 
 having heard the ftory than that their eye hath 
 feen it,* yet the taking up a reproach is not far 
 ftortof beiujg equally injurious with the inven- 
 tion. Hearing an evil report we cannot always 
 avoid, neverthelefs habitual difcountenance to 
 Tfalebearers would prevent a great deal of the 
 miichief & hinder our farther trouble and expo- 
 
 '^ 
 
 '•^•^* 
 
 * Plain 35* 31. 
 
' 
 
 I 
 
 " 
 
 ( 1 ) 
 
 furfe to temptation, for, as the *« north winddrt* 
 vetb away rain, fo doth an angry countenance a 
 backbiting tongue"* — ^Though we cannot ataH 
 times even when we would, fliut our ears to the 
 tale of detraction we may chufe wether we be- 
 lieve it or not. A readinels to entertain every re- 
 proachful account of men's adions certainly ar^ 
 gues little in favour of our own innocence. Honi 
 /bit qui maly penfe, fays the King's motto : Let 
 evil be reckoned to him who thinks evil of others. 
 None {o read)r to imagine guilt as the aftually 
 guilty. The evil of receiving Sander is muchgrca- 
 ter than generally fupjjofed j had the news-mer- 
 chant no cuftomers his trade would decay, and 
 many of its bad confequcnces prevented, but the 
 fame vile reafons afligned for the production of 
 Talebearing, will be found to operate in the re- 
 ception of its produce. 
 
 3 . Propagation. Here lies the principal part of 
 the mifchief, could we reftrain evil thinking from 
 evil fpeaking, the efFedts would be lefs fatal than 
 not unfrequently they prove. Propagation has 
 three branches ; the means, the mode, and the end 
 projpofed. i . The means. Thefe are various con- 
 verfation, geftures, writing, &c. I fay geftures, 
 for winking with the eye, ftamping with the 
 foot, or pointing with the finger, may as effec- 
 tually traduce a man's character as words ufed in 
 converfation : A wicked man walketh with afrow" 
 ard mouthy be winketh with his eyes, he fpeaketh 
 with his feet, he teacheth with hh fngers,"f It 
 **^*'*^^— — '^— *— ''™~ I ■ — — .<— — i». 
 
 f Prov, Z5, 2j. + Prov. 6, la, 13. 
 
 k 
 
( « ) 
 
 may be done by writing, which is what our com* 
 mon law calls libel. In this way the Jews werd 
 flanderoufly reported by their enemies to be ini- 
 mical to the Medo-Perfian government ; and Je- 
 rufalem, the joy and excellency of the whole 
 Earth called the rebellious and bad city.* 
 
 a. The mode of propagation. And here we may 
 fee the *ruth of Solomon's remark, "Burning 
 lips with a wicked heart, are like a potsherd cover- 
 ed with ftlver drofs:*^ Lips burning with intel- 
 ligence, not feldom with profefTions of warm 
 friendihip, thus covered with the appearance of 
 filver, yet in reality with nothing but drofs. 
 What docs this drofs cover ? a worthlefs potf- 
 herd, apiece of a broken earthen vefTel, the moft 
 worthlefs perhaps, of all commodities . Profef- 
 fed friendfliip n with Talebearers the guarded 
 hilt of a two-edged fword, or a ftrong bow from 
 which the poifoned arrows of (lander may be 
 more fecurely Ihot. They will begin withacom- 
 mendation of the perfon they mean to abufe, and 
 conclude with a— But — which, as the dagger of 
 an aiTaffin, wounds irretrievably the honor of the 
 injured objea. Tales of fcandal are moftly car- 
 ried forward by way oi^ lit tie chat as 'tis called. 
 We have tongues, and vve muft talk, and where 
 grace is not in the heart, can we expedl it on the 
 lips ? y* (Turedly not ! When graeelefs people 
 meet for a little chat, how many times would 
 their converfation be reduced to a mere (keleton. 
 
 I 
 
 ^ 
 
 y«« 
 
 • Vide Ezra, chap. 4. + Prov. a6, JJ. 
 
 ,..V,,s. 
 
> 
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 were their neighbours* condud, word^, and ac* 
 ,l lions altogether omitted* 
 
 3. The end propofed in propagating flander t 
 which is in fome much worfe than in others, in 
 noneharralefs norexcufable. Thedeiignof fome 
 is the injury of their neighbours' reputation and 
 trade, and the enriching themfelves by their ru* 
 in, but thefe, 1 hope and believe are compara- 
 tively very few. 
 V Another fort are feeking by the defamation of 
 
 this or that perfon's charader, to exalt or juftify 
 their own. Of this clafs* are thofe who malic!- 
 oufly invent, joyfully receive, and induftrioufly 
 propagate flanderous reports of godly men. This 
 is done merely to prove all men alike, that pro- 
 feflbrs of piety are no better than thofe they re- 
 prove. And if they could prove this, what do 
 they merit for their pains ? I am fure they me- 
 rit nothing of mankind, for in proving all men 
 impenitent unfandtified finncrs, they prove they 
 will all be damned 1 Thus faith the faithful and 
 true Witnefs , * * Except ye repent ^ yejhall all like^ 
 *wife^p€rijhj^ Let God be true, and every man a 
 •* lyar.-f* BlelTed be God all men are not alike j 
 there are in the World a few truly pious fouls, 
 though in comparifon, emphatically called a r«w- 
 nant. 
 
 The more numerous dafs of Talebearers, are 
 thofe whofe chief aim is the amufement of 
 themfelves and friends. They tell us, and pcr- 
 
 C 
 
 * Luke iji 3. t Romans 3, 4, 
 
 I 
 
( lO J 
 
 liapfi 'tis true, they would be foiy to injure ef- 
 fentially the charadter of the perlon in queAion; 
 but is it not, Men and Brethren, a ihocking idea 
 to amufe ourfelves with the weaknefles, tollies 
 and failings of our fellow creatures ? You mean 
 no harm ! *' throwing fire-brands and faying, it 
 is all but in fport." 
 
 Having thus endeavoured to diffedt, in fome 
 meafure, this common, yet no lefs infamous vice, 
 let us enquire, what is the caufc of its fo great 
 prevalence among mankind ? Lov^, faith Pe- 
 ter, hideth amultttude of Jins (fauhs.)* It en* 
 dureth all tbtngs^'f faith Paul. Love to God, 
 and love to man for God his Creator's fake, 
 when it poffeffes the heart, Ihuts out evil furmi« 
 ling and felfifli views, aims fingly in all its a6t* 
 ings at God's glory, and the good of his intelli* 
 gent creatures ; and whatfoever is contrary to 
 this its holy nature, is fhunned and abhorred r 
 confequently it neither delights in fin nor in the 
 unhappy efieds that follow its commiflion. But 
 Talebearers delight in fpreading abroad the fin 
 and fhame of mankind ; and why ? Their hearts 
 are deflitute of that Divine Love which neither 
 thinketh nor worketh ill to its neighbour. Man 
 is a fon of earth. Love is the firft-born of Hea- 
 ven, Man is corrupt, Love is pure. Love then 
 dwells not by nature in the heart of Man : it is 
 the offspring of that Divine Faith, which is the 
 gift of God. J This Faith, the fruitful parent of 
 holy graces, is poilefTed by few of Adam's pof- 
 
 - + . 
 
 • I Pet. 4^ 8. 1 1 Cor. 13, 7. t Ephcfc a, 8. 
 
+- 
 
 .1. 
 
 ( " ) 
 
 tcrity.* Shall we wonder then, that flanderous 
 taleDearing abounds fo exceedingly among us ? 
 Let us wonder rather at the reftraining Provi- 
 dence of God, which prevents mankind in fo 
 great a meafure, from devouring like beafts oi! 
 prey the one the other. -f* 
 
 From the evil itfelf, I proceed to its confe-i 
 quences, the bitter fruit of this tvee of mifchicf. 
 — ** A good tree i faith the Lord, bringetb forth 
 good fruity and an evil tree bringeth forth evil 
 fruit.** What fort of fruit may be expe<5tcd 
 from fo corrupt a tree as Talebearing we may 
 readily imagine. The vine thereof is the vine 
 of Sodbm, and its grapes are grapes of gall. J 
 The wife King of Ifrael tells us, there are feven 
 abominations in the hear; of him that diffem- 
 bleth with his lips § I think we may fay with 
 propriety, there are feven abominations in the 
 heart of Talebearing. 
 
 • Ifaiah 53, i. 
 + I fay •* In fo great a meafure," for the unfearchable wif- 
 dom of God hath feen meet, not to rcftrain men altogether from 
 the horrid praAice of feeding on human flclh. At the Marque, 
 fas, a group of Idands in the Pacific Ocean, the inhabitants flay 
 and eat one another aimoft as common as we do flieep and oxen, 
 neither do they appear to have the leaft idea of its criminality. 
 Temoteitei, a native of St. Chriftina,one of thefe lilands, who 
 came to England with Mr. Crook, the Miffionary, and was in 
 London when I left it to come hither, and with whom I feveral 
 timet converfed, although he had been 1 4 months among the £n- 
 glilh, was not convinced of its impropriety. ** We (fays he) 
 have no beef, no mutton, men is our proper food. "•— Behold Hu> 
 nan Nature in its Perfeftion, without Revelation, without the 
 Shackles of Regular Government, without Dignitaries, Taxes, 
 Ac. Does not this fimplc faftr v,ithout a comment, prove, Mr, 
 Paine and his more learned C« adjutors but ihallow Philofo- 
 phers ? 
 
 X Deuuron, 31, 32, \ Prov. 26, z'j. 
 
I . It injures the peace of Society: where is thero 
 ftate, where is there a city, town or village that 
 has not been difturbed by the flrife of tongues ? 
 How oft have nations been plunged into all the 
 horrors of war, by the loquacious backbiting 
 fpirit of officious Courtiers ? Private focieties 6c 
 families, from the higheft to the loweft, feel at 
 one time or other the baneful efFeds of this ma^ 
 lignant peftilence. 
 
 2. It injures the peace of Churches, All pro^ 
 feflbrs of godlinefs, it is a fad truth, are not all 
 poflelTors of vital religion: among the Apollles 
 themfelves, behold a Judas, the moft vile of 
 Talebearers. It is true, alfo, good men are not 
 always perfedl men; their words and adlions 
 therefore may occaiionally be blameable and of- 
 fenfive. The only way then to preferve the Uni- 
 ty of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace, is the for- 
 bearing one another, and forgiving one another, 
 in love.* Nothing more efFe<5ually prevents this 
 defirable ftate of things in Chriftian communities 
 than Talebearing. ** Where no wood is, there 
 the fire goeth out ; fo, where there is no Tale- 
 bearer the ftrife ceafeth,*'-f and vice versd^ 
 where there is wood the fire burneth, fo where 
 there is a Talebearer flrife is kindled and conti- 
 nued. One Talebearer in a Church will do 
 more mifchief in one week than a Minifler may 
 be able to repair in feven years. 
 
 3. It injures the peace of godly fouls. " A 
 good name is precious, more to be defired than 
 
 • Colof. 3, 13. + Prov, 26, 20, 
 
I 
 
 ( '3 ) 
 
 great riches:"'^ it is a thing lying nigh the 
 heart of every man, and in fubordination to. 
 God's glory ; it is right it fhould, for a Chris- 
 tian's duty is both to avoid the appearance of 
 evil, and to take heed that iiis good be not 
 evil fpoken of. Talebearing as I have fhowa 
 foils the reputation of the moft innocent cha- 
 racter, and muft confequently often diilurb the 
 peace of a confcientious mind, and not feldom 
 retard its growth in holinefs. David laboring 
 under the oppreflion of this hateful fin, penned 
 two of his many excellent Pfalms, viz. the 7th 
 and 5 2d. diredtly fetting forth the accurfed na- 
 ture and grievous confequences of a flanderous 
 tongue; and in leveral others, we find him com- 
 plaining unto his God of deceitful and reproach- 
 ful men, ** What Jhall be given unto thee or what 
 Jhall be done unto thee thou falfe tongue f Sharp 
 arrows of the mighty with coals of juniper **\ 
 4. It obfcures the Glory of God. Man was 
 created in the image of God : this holy image, 
 to the diflionor of himfelf and his Holy Crea- 
 tor, he loft by rebellion. The honor of man as 
 a moral Agent and the honor of his Righteous 
 Maker, are infeparably connected : a Talebear- 
 er, therefore, in publifhing the difgrace of man, 
 obfcures the glory of his Creator alfo, again, 
 whalfoever hinders the growth of Churches or 
 individual fouls in holinefs, affedls the honor of 
 God, whofe name is glorified by the holinefs of 
 his people. 
 
 f Solomon, t Pfalta 120, 3, 4, 
 
 %m^\ 4*i>^\' \\"-f^-- 
 
r 
 
 ( 14 ) 
 
 ' 5. It difhonors the great Head of the Church, 
 6Ur Lord and Redeemer Jefus Chrifl. The ho- 
 nor of a King are the peace and profperity of 
 his fuhjedts; contention and poverty among 
 them his difgrace : Talebearers are troublers in 
 Sion, bringing leannefs on their own and others* 
 fouls, wherel^ the name of our Glorious King 
 Immanuel is expofed to fhame and contempt. 
 Coniider alfo the Church is his body, the ful- 
 nefs of him that filleth all in all.* If any part 
 ef our bodies fufFer pain or reproach, does not 
 the head as well as the whole of the members 
 ^rmpathize with it ? and when any, the moft 
 Kemingly unimportant member of Chrift's 
 myftical body be grieved or put to fhame, 
 Jefus partakes of its forrow and ignominy. 
 
 6. Talebearing as a fin in itfelf, and in many 
 of its ill eflfefts, grieves the Holy Spirit. Thi 
 Holy Spirit is faid to be grieved, when the ac- 
 tions of believers are contrary and ofFcnfivc to 
 the Lord, their fandifier ; becaufe, when any 
 thing offenfive occurs unto us, we are ufually 
 grieved. God, in fpeaking of himfelf, thus con- 
 defcends to our infirmities. Talebearing, the 
 unholy fource of fo much contention and ha- 
 tred, cannot fail of being highly oflfenfive to the 
 fpirit of holinefs, peace and love. O blelTed Spi- 
 rit, wafh our guilty fouls in the cleanfing foun- 
 tain of the Redeemer's blood ! 
 
 7. What the feventh abomination is, after 
 what I have faid, you may eafily conceive. 
 
 / 
 
 ; .♦ V 
 
 mm 
 
 ♦ Ephef. I, 23. 
 
( »5 ) 
 
 Talebearing, like every other fin imwpcntcd ot 
 will bring diftruaiion on the foul. 
 
 From the depravity of our nature it mufthe 
 that fuch offences come, but ** Woe unto tbt 
 men by whom they come:* Tattling, as the Apos* 
 tie once calls it,* may be lightly e{?:ccmed and 
 viewed, if as a fin at all, yet as a vexy littk one, 
 a trifling failing of no importance: butconfidcr 
 Sirs, every thing in creation is important or Un- 
 important, in proportion as it affedls more xst 
 lefs the well-being of the whole i review, then, 
 the horrid confeguences of Talebearing abov« 
 enumerated, and if you can difprovc them, fay, 
 the evil is not fo great as I am laboring to prow 
 It, but if they are true, as they moft certainly 
 are, I befeech you, as you defire the everlafting 
 welfare of your fouls, defifttrom fodcftruaivl 
 a pra<aice. This brings me to confider, 
 
 adly. The Prohibition itfelf with the mo- 
 tives to obediaice. 
 
 I fear fome prefent may think my text ftrange, 
 if not impertinent and trifling; but let what I 
 have faid fuffice to prove it a precept not unwor- 
 thy of the God that gave it. Its neceflity, is in- 
 deed Its befi: apology: at what period of the 
 world's exiftence would it have been unneccffa- 
 ry ic warn men againft the fin of Talebearing? 
 Not in the garden of Eden, when the Devil and 
 Eve belied their maker ; not in the family of A- 
 braham, when Sarah folicited the expulfion of 
 Hagar and Iflimael, nor was it unneceffaiy in 
 
 f I Timothy 5, 13, 
 
 n 
 
 i 
 
1 
 
 , f i6 ) 
 
 the hbufe of Jacob, when by talebearing, muf- 
 der poffcffed the hearts of Joleph's brethren* 
 Would Mofes have thought it an unnecel^ary 
 precept for the meditation of Aaron and Miri* 
 am when backbiting his wife the Cuftiite ? Je- 
 hovah thought it not unneccflary to reprove them 
 publicly t though eminent chatadters in Church 
 and State. 
 
 The prohibition is moreover, very ufeful in 
 preferving fouls from finning againft God : obe- 
 dient fouls, I mean, for unto the rebellious it 
 proves as do other parts of God's wordy a favour 
 of death unta deaths* an increafe of condemnati- 
 on, for he that backbites his neighbour after 
 the reception of this command, not only com- 
 mits a fin morally evil in itfelf, but rebels a- 
 gainft a pofitive injundtion of the Lord God. 
 
 You all know, 1 am perfuaded, the thing to 
 be evii, having moft likely experienced more or 
 lefs of its hurtful efFeds. I entreat you, then, 
 confider when tempted to relate a fcandalous re- 
 port of your neighbour, it cannot be done with- 
 out grievoufly offending God, the omnipotent 
 Judge of Heaven and Earth. Afk at fuch a time 
 with the pious fon of Jacob, ** How can I do this 
 great wickednefs and Jin againjl GodV'\ What ! 
 fay you, mufl we fhut our mouths ? Mufl we be 
 ever watching the door of our lips? Not for you, 
 truly Sir ! Our lips are our own, who is Lord 
 over us ? Nay, my Brethren, confound not my 
 words with the word of the Lord : it is not 
 
 * n I ■ II iM». I . - 
 
 * Corint. 2, (6. f Gen. 39, 9, 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 written «• Thus faith the Preacher," but " Thus 
 faith the Lord," ThouJJjalt not go up and down 
 as a Talebearer among thy perple. Should there 
 be prefent a (inner lufficiently hardened to ufe 
 fuch ungodly language as ** My tongue is my 
 own, &c.** I beg him to confider for a few mo- 
 ments, the third and fourth verlcs of the twelfth 
 Pfalm, ** The Lord Jhall cutoff all fiatteiing lips 
 and the tongue that fpeaketh proud things who 
 have faidf with our tongue will we prevail, who 
 is Lord over us ^** 
 
 I proceed to fpeak on the motives that ihould 
 induce obedience to this beneficent command of 
 our God, contained in thefe words ** Thy Peo- 
 ple." The firft principle of obedience to any of 
 God*s commands is fupreme regard to the di- 
 vine authority of the Eternal Lawgiver ; yet o- 
 ther fubordinate motives, as the fitnefs or unfit- 
 nefs of the thing commanded or prohibited, are 
 proper and ufeful to intelligent beings : the 
 Lord in his word hath therefore furnifhed us 
 with thefe fubordinate motives to affift us in the 
 mortification of our corrupt affedions, the in- 
 dulg:^nce of which, would fecure unto us the e- 
 verlafting wrath of God. On this emphatic 
 claufe ** Thy People," 1 would obferve, 
 
 I . It is the duty of every man to feek the 
 peace and welfare of the community at large in 
 which he refides, which can alone be done by 
 a fleady perfeverance in the pradice of thofe 
 virtues which conduce to its happinefs, and by 
 
 
 «.jdki^~^ 
 
, I 
 
 , r 
 
 ! ' 
 
 I 
 
 hi 
 
 u 
 
 ( 18 ) 
 
 the continually avoiding fuch vices as are pre- 
 judicial to its interefls. 
 
 The feuds and animofities engendered by- 
 backbiting, whifpering, &c. fufficiently teach us 
 we are far from feeking the good of our fellow 
 creatures when cxercifing a flanderous tongue. 
 The injurious effedls Talebearing has on k>ci- 
 cty, fhould ftimulate us at all feafons, to avoid 
 and difcountenance the unworthy pradtice. 
 
 a. As men imperfect and fallible, we ought 
 to remember our liability to fin and error, yea 
 rather our adlual ofFenfes againft the Adorable 
 Majefly of Heaven, which might tend to hum- 
 ble the foul and filence the tongue. Let us ever 
 bear in mind the truly fignificant admonition of 
 our Lord Chrift, «* He that is without fin let him 
 cafi the frji Jione" If when tempted to fpeak 
 ill of others, we were to examine our own hearts, 
 the force of the temptation would not only be 
 broken, but fpiritual advantage often derived 
 from it, 
 
 3. As Chriftians more efpecially, it is our 
 duty never to forget, if we are indeed followers 
 of Jefus Chrifl, it is becaufe the Lord hath/)^/-- 
 doned our Jins through the atoning merits of a \ 
 Righteous Mediator.* 
 
 Nor ought we to forget our probationary flate 
 in the flefh, expofed to temptations on the right 
 hand and on the left. When a Brother, ei^'r r h^r 
 nature or grace, falls into fm, confider ^h\ . 
 left thou alfo be tempted, and for thy piauil m^ 
 vilings of thy fellow, God fhould leave thee to 
 * 'iitu« 3, 3--.«. "- : 
 
 ! &iBj e j«<i i II I I 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 ( 19 ) 
 
 thyfelf, and thy foot Aide into worfc iniquity. 
 
 4 And laftly ; If Men or Chriftians {peak not 
 well of themfelves, can they exped others 
 fhould do fo ? Angels with grief, muft confefi 
 our guilr, and Devils rejoice in our Ihame. Can 
 profeffors of Religion pleafe the world better 
 than by reviling their affociates ? Certainly not I 
 The Roman Emperor Julian exclaimed, •* Sec 
 how thefe Chriftians love one another t" I would 
 to God the enemies of the Church in the prefent 
 day were all conftrained to a like confeffion. 
 ^las ! how often is it juftly inverted " See how 
 the Chriftians hate one another 1" 
 
 I (hall now conclude, by humbly propofing a 
 few things which pracSifed ma)r operate iafome 
 meafure as a cure for the evil I have thus repro- 
 bated. 
 
 1 . Judge not, left ye be judged :* endeavour 
 always to put the moft favourable conftruftion 
 on the words and aftions of all w ith whom you 
 have dealings or intercourse : remember your- 
 iclves accountable to a Righteous Judge, at 
 whofe tremendous bar every man muft ftand & 
 receive a reward or puniftiment according to the 
 deeds done in the body. ** fFit^ what meafure 
 ye fnete, it Jhall he meafured to you again, -f* 
 ¥or he Jhall have judgment without mercy that 
 bath/hewed no mercy, and mercy rejoiceth againft 
 
 judgment, % 
 
 2. Speak evil of no man,§ whether true or . 
 ^ D2 
 
 • Matthew 7, i. \ Mauhew 7, s. % \^XBiii^, 13. 
 ^ Titus 3, a. 
 
i 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 f 20 } 
 
 falfe, unlefs an evident neceflSty call yoii there- 
 to, as the vindication of the charader or eftatc 
 of another, or when the good of fociety in le- 
 gal cafes demands the expofure of vice or wick- 
 ed men, and yet permit me to fiy, the indul- 
 gence of a viiididive fnirit is by no means the 
 mark of a righteous man : of Jofeph, the be- 
 trothed hulband of the BlelTed Virgin it 5s faid, 
 when he found his fpoufe in a ftate of pregnan- 
 cy, thinking her criminal, " He being a jufl 
 man and not willing to make her a public exam- 
 ple was minded to put he* away privily t*'\ How 
 beautifully does the Holy Ghoft thus commend 
 his pious compaflion and manly forbearance 
 towaids the fuppofed culprit ! 
 
 3* Always fpeak as far as truth permits in 
 favor of an abfent perfon. Bad indeed muft be 
 a man's charadler, if it affjrd no trait worthy 
 of commendation. While others then are bufily 
 occupied in finding and expofing that which is 
 evil, let us be as diligently employed in difco- 
 vering and fettina: forth as an alloy that which 
 is good. To vindicate an accultd man in his ab« 
 fence is but doing as we wi^n all merj fhould 
 do unto us, and this is the law and the pro- 
 phets. J 
 
 4. Confider efpecially the charafler of the 
 Apoftle and High Priefts of our profefTion Je- 
 fus Chrift. He defcended from the heights of 
 glory and blifs to the depths of poverty and 
 Ihame, that he might weave the righteous gar- 
 
 + Matthew i, 19. J Matthew 7, la. 
 
 ! l H ) Ud lW M» ' I . "■? ! 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 ments of love with which to cloathe the naked 
 fouls of his people and hide their tranfgreffions. 
 This was the purpofe of his life, and at death 
 behold his lips employed in the noblefl work 
 of Charity, praying for his enemies, and plead- 
 ing in their behalf the only circumftance that 
 could extenuate their crime ** father forgive 
 them they know not what they do /*' Yet obferve, 
 our Lord came not to hide tranfgreflion from 
 the linncr himfelf, far otherwife ! he was as 
 faithful in reproving as gracious in forgiving : 
 fo ought we faithfully as commanded, Levitt 
 19,17, admoniftiing our brother, and in no wife 
 fuffering fin upon him, left, as fays the margin 
 of the paflage juft quoted, we bear Jin for him. 
 The tongue, according to St. James, is a world 
 of iniquity, fetting on fire the courfe of nature, 
 itfelf fet on fire of Hell ; ever fpeaking when & 
 what it {hould not, and when the caufe of God 
 and Truih requires the due exertion of its pow- 
 ers we moft frequently find it bridled by the 
 Devil. I add no more may command his blef- 
 fing. Amen. 
 
 \ 
 
 END OF THE SERMON. 
 
it 
 
 I ■ ) 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 '^ ! 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 i ' .' 
 
 1 
 
 f 
 
 \ 
 
 E I 
 
 Il| 
 
 f^ 
 

 \ 
 
 ( 23 ) 
 
 THOUGHTS 
 
 ON THE GLORIOUS 
 
 GOSPEL OF CHRIST. 
 
 themT -^ a«/? whoisiheimagcof God IhiJld SSnc b?o" 
 
 How dreadful the fall of Man ! While obc- 
 dient to the authority and laws of his Creator 
 his honor and happinefs were complete : when 
 fin by the fubtilty of the old Serpent calfed the 
 Devil and Satan* found place in his heart, how 
 great the change ! How is the gold become dim, 
 how ts the moji fine gold changed 1\ In a ftate of 
 hohnefs Jehovah, the ineffably Glorious Jeho- 
 vah was the Lord and Protestor, the Joy, Con- 
 fidence and Glory of our race, in a word our 
 God, *• O Adam what has thou done !" Is Je- 
 hovah no longer the God of this world ? What 
 Foreign Deity ulurps the prerogatives of Divine 
 Governance ? Has the Prince of Darknefst 
 got uncontrouled poffeffion of our hearts, ap- 
 propriating to his fervice the noble powers of 
 the foul created for the worfhip of God, and 
 God alone ? Oh that it were falfe ! But what 
 fay the fcnptures ? «• The heart is deceitful a^ 
 bove all things and defperately wicked. Man is 
 born a wild q/s*s colt. A Child of wrath taken 
 
 * Rev. I a, iq. t Lament. 4, 1. X Ephef. 2,"2&6, iz. 
 
 I!«|WWk 
 
 
 ^^im*ii-ii'.. 
 
' -'iiJ Ii pwi li 
 
 i w i i .. nmmvv mm}^f mtiffmiim mitm i g^m^ 
 
 
 
 r- 
 
 ( 24 ) 
 
 captive by the Devil at his will.*'* Are we at 
 any lofs then to divine who is the God of this 
 world ? His fervants are we to whom we obey 
 whether to Qod by righteoufnefs or to the De- 
 vil by works of iniquity. -f- 
 
 The wages of fin is death. Death Tempo- 
 ral, Death Spiritual, Death Eternal I Alas, alas 
 how deep the wound that fin hath made ! But 
 is there no Balm in Gilead, is there no Phyfi- 
 cian there ? Ever bleffed be God there is a fo- 
 vereign, an all-powerful Remedy, the Native 
 Balfam of the tree of life,:j: there is a Phyfician 
 whofe fkill is infinite, and whofe compaflioii 
 towards the poor, the deftitute is unbounded. 
 No cafe, however defperate, when entrufted to 
 his care, ever failed of a perfeft cure. Why 
 then is not the health of the Daughter of my Peo- 
 pie recovered ^ § The Remedy is unapplied, 
 the Phyfician Is defpifed, his fervants treated 
 with fcorn and their commendations of their 
 matter's grace and Ikill hooted as profound 
 quackary. Wherefore ? ** The God of this 
 world hath blinded the minds of them which be- 
 lieve not lefs the light of the Glorious Gofpel of 
 Chrijlwhoisthe image ofGodfoouldJhine into them. 
 
 The Glorious Gofpel of Chi ilt ! Behold the 
 Balm in Gilead, behold the Phyfician there. 
 The Glorious Gofpel of Chrift I Behold the 
 foundation of a Chriftian*s Hope, an Hope 
 pregnant with immortality and the fure expec- 
 
 ,B — _ , -- - ri ■ ■ r 
 
 * Jercm. 17, 9. Job 11, 12. Ephef. 2, 3. 2 Tim, 2, 26, 
 f Ro(Q. 6j 16. X ^c>^* ^^i '• h Jeiem. 8, 22. 
 
 / ^ 
 
J. ^ 
 
 ( 25 ) 
 
 tation of Eternal Glory. This, O ye fons of 
 Adam is the only yet infinitely fufficient Re- 
 fuge for fmners expofed as ye are to the ven- 
 geance of Everlafting Fire ! 
 
 Surely then it is important to a{k : Who is 
 this Chrift ? What is his Gofpel ? Wherein is 
 It Glorious ? 
 
 Who is this Chrift ? The Everlafting Father 
 the Creator of the ends of the earth, the Al- 
 mighty, God over all, bleffed forever. Upholds 
 mg all things by the word of his " Power, and 
 before whofe Judgment feat we all muft ftand 
 and give an account of ourfelves unto God e- 
 ven unto the Great God and our Saviour Jefus 
 Chrift who is one with the Father and Holy 
 Spirit, and in whom dwells all the fullnefs of 
 the Godhead bodily.* Do you aik " How can 
 thefe things be," can one be three and three be 
 one ? How thefe things can be I know not 
 God who dwells in the thick darknefs having 
 caft an impenetrable veil over this as well as 
 over every other modus of his Unfearchable Per- 
 lections. 
 
 That thefe things are I know, God having 
 revealed them in his word, and to me his I^e 
 Dixit (thus iaith the Lord) is infinitely more 
 than all the hows ? of Philofophy from the 
 Lofty Speculations of the would-be intuitively 
 wife Mother of Mankind to the Learned So- 
 
 E 
 
 • ICiiah 9, 6. Colol. I, 1 6. Rev. i. 8. Rom. 9, 5. Heb. i, 3. 
 Rom. 14,10-13, Tit««2, 13. ijoh. 5,7. Colof.a,9. 
 
 Jtik 
 
 .z;...i>mt0^*^^j'' 
 
 /A 
 
luijMupivaiiiiiiiiiE 
 
 phlfms of this y^ge of Reafon* Tell usO ye So- 
 cinians, how God is from Eternity, then will 
 we explain unto you how God is three in one. 
 
 Who is Chrift ? Immanuel, God with us 
 the Eternal Word, the Efficient Power of 
 the Godhead who was made Fiefh and dwelt 
 among us.* Though he was rich in all the 
 glories and attributes of Deity, he became poor 
 a Man of forrows, and acquainted with grief, 
 that we through his poverty rtiight become 
 rich :+ rich in pardon, rich in the divine favor, 
 rich in the fanc^ifying influences of the Spirit. 
 Blelied be God» he was indeed a Man^ and as 
 man and mediator inferior to the Father,^ and 
 when his mediatorial work is done, then fhall 
 he deliver up the unlimited Powers of his Me- 
 diation unto the God that gave them, and the 
 Son himfelf as the firft born among many bre- 
 thren (hall be fubjed unto God alfo that the 
 Divine Nature majr again as originally be all 
 in all.§ 
 
 What is the Gofpel of Chrift? Evangelion 
 tranflated Gofpel || fignified to the Greeks any 
 good or acceptable intelligence ^ hence its ufc 
 with the infpired writers to denote the blefled 
 dodtrine of man's Redemption, and the great 
 truths conneded therewith. 
 
 This Gofpel is the beft intelligence that ever 
 founded in the ears of man, or ever interefted 
 
 * Math. I, 23. John Chapter ill in initio, f 2 Cor. 8, 9, 
 t John 14, 28. § I Cor. f5, 28. || God's Spell or Speech 
 Saxon, f Quujn enim Evangeliam Grauis quemvis bonam tt 
 •pXatum nuQCium declaret, &c. Beza. 
 
 / \ 
 
 / 
 
 \ 
 
 n \ 
 
 --^tSSlWta''. 
 
 «i--..>^ .^« J ■*. rt 
 
 f W» -'.f I" 
 
 "^l>3B*li£-J**« 
 
 i ^<£A»U * 
 
 liWiWiiliiiiMIKiriiMlHni mnwirtlfaliii ■' wniwii 
 
/ 
 
 \ 
 
 ( 27 } 
 
 tjic feelings of the human heart. Man had for- 
 feited by his crimes the favor of God: cut off 
 from the Fountain of Holinefs, the difpofition 
 and a6tings of his foul quickly became altoge- 
 ther corrupt and fmful. What remained ? A 
 fearful looking for of Judgment, Eternal Dif- 
 tance from God ! But Glory to redeeming 
 Grace, *• Jefus hath died the juji for the unjujf, 
 that he might bring us unto God,*** This, then, 
 is the Gofpel of Chrift; Reftoration unto God, 
 bis Favor and Holinefs, unto his Favor by the 
 Blood of Chriil, unto his Holinefs by the Soi- 
 ritofChrift. ^ ^ 
 
 Sin being an ofFenfe againft the Moral Govern- 
 ment of an infinitely Juftand Holy God, could 
 not be pardoned without an adequate fatisfad:ion 
 to his Juftice, by which the Truth, Holinefs 
 and Equity of the Divine Nature might be ma- 
 nifefted.f Nor could the {inner be admitted in- 
 to communion with God, which is an effential 
 part of Salvation, until the pollution as well as 
 the guilt of fm were removed, J ♦* Without 
 Holinefs no man Jhall fee the Lord.X 
 
 Jefus, our Great High Prieft, by the once 
 offering himfelf a Sacrifice for fins acceptable 
 to God, hath for ever perfected the Salvation 
 of them that are fanaified. § Man had finned, 
 behold a Man dymg for fin. The iatisfadion 
 required was infinite; behold Jefus the Gadman^ 
 
 Ea 
 
 *#" 
 
 *l Peter 3, 18. + Romans 3, 23—27. % Heb. 12, 14. 
 Jo^n 3> 3» S- h Heb. 10, 10—15. ' Jol»n »> >4« 
 
 Ah.'^. 
 
 ■'V«"tji^*'' 
 

 
 11 
 
 fi 't it. 
 
 t ; 
 
 ( a« ) 
 Redeemer numbered with the rransgrejfors, 
 rendering unto Juftice the glory due. The 
 Riehteoufncis of God, and the Righteoufncfe 
 of the Surety being thus declared, God is now 
 Tuft, (manifeftly fo) yet the Juftifier of the un- 
 godly that believe in Jefus, although he con- 
 demns unbelievers and executes upon them his 
 fierce wrath, * He that believeth Jhall be faved, 
 he that believeth not Jhall be damned.-f My foul, 
 it concerneth thee toafk what is this Believing j 
 this Faith that bringeth Salvation into the foul 
 of its Poffeflbr ? There is a faith whofe fruit is 
 only fear in the confcience. ** Devts beltevs 
 ^ndtremble.X but Devils (hall not be laved. 
 There is a Faith unaccompanied by the iantti-j 
 fying operations of the Spirit, leaving the foul 
 as barren as it found it, without fruit unto God, 
 •' Faith without works is dead"§ Faith that 
 does not fandlify the heart will not profit m 
 the day of God. far other wife: He that know^ 
 ethhis Mafler's will and doeth tt not, Jhall be 
 beaten with many Jlripes. II Faith which is the 
 Gift of God,f not only faves the foul froni 
 wrath and condemnation by the application ot 
 the blood of Chrift to the confcience, but puri- 
 fi-s the Heart*'^ and when the heart is purified, 
 the life will be fantlified : it cannot be other- 
 wife ; the fountain being holy, the ftrcams will 
 be holy alfo. 
 
 •Rom. 3. 26. 2Thef. i. 7. 8. + Mark 16, 16. t J^mes^ '9. 
 Mark c, 7. h James 2, 26. || Luke 12, 48. 1 Ephcf. 2^8. 
 .» Vth« ^"«' I ™^^" ^^'^ Underftanding. Will and AfFeai. 
 •ns, which arc the Main Spring of Aaion. 
 
 / \ 
 
fors, 
 
 Thte 
 ifnefs 
 
 now 
 le un- 
 
 con- 
 m his 
 favedt 
 
 foul, 
 sving, 
 le foul 
 fruit is 
 believe 
 laved, 
 fandi^ 
 e foul 
 3 God, 
 h that 
 ofit in 
 ' knoW" 
 (hall be 
 
 is the 
 1 from 
 tion of 
 t puri- 
 lirificd, 
 : other- 
 ms will 
 
 ,mes'2, 19. 
 phef. 2, 8. 
 id Affeai- 
 
 / \ 
 
 ( «9 ) 
 
 The Un/anBtfied man then is in fciipture 
 fenfe, an Unbelieving man, is as yet unrdtored 
 unto the Holincfs of God, and whatever his 
 profefliori may be, is in the gall of bitternefs. 
 fin, and in the bonds of iniquity *, under the 
 condemnation of the Liw,* Whom God par- 
 doneth them he fanftifieth. '* If any man bath 
 not the Spirit of Chrifl he is none of his.**f 
 
 Wherein is this Gofpel Glorious ? Glorious in 
 its origin. The God of Glory in Eternity by an 
 ^a of Grace, Free Grace, Unmerited, Unafked, 
 Unthought of Grace, planned the aftoniihing 
 fchcme of Man's Redemption. If it were not 
 thus fovereign and free, why is Salvation fcnt to 
 Men while the fallen Angels are referved, un- 
 der wrath, unto the blacknefs of darknefs for 
 ^ver.J 
 
 Glorious in its Execution. The Triune God 
 dffumes and is revealed under the relative Cha- 
 racters of Father, Son and Holy Ghoft§ Equals 
 in nature, operation, and attribute. The Father 
 foliciting the concerns of Truth and Jufticc, 
 the Son in concord herewith, opening the door 
 of Mercy by the facrifice of himfelf, the Eternal 
 Spirit as the agent of the Father and of the Son, 
 applying the Redemption by the fanaification 
 of the Redeemed. How infinite the condefcen- 
 fion ! how amazing the wifdom I how confum- 
 mate the Grace ! that wrought Salvation. 
 
 * Afts 8, 23. t Cor. 15, 56. + Romans 8, 9. J Vide Judc'i 
 Epiftlc, § John 5,7. 
 
 

 :f 
 
 i 
 
 . ** O /i&^ depth of the riches both of the wrfdom 
 and knowledge of God I horn unfearchable ate hh 
 judgments and his ways paji finding out,'*^ 
 
 Glprious in its Effects. Difplaying the Per- 
 j^^iqns of the Divine Nature in an infinite de- 
 gree beyond ail the Creation befides vifible and 
 invifible could do, *■ To the in fen f that now 
 tmto she principalities anii powers in heavenly 
 places might be known by the Church the mani' 
 fold wifdom ofGod.**^ In the Gofpel God is ma- 
 ivrfefted at once Holy, Juft, and True, Merciful, 
 Sibwto Anger, andof GreatKindnefs.J 
 
 Man totally ruined without God and with- 
 out hope in the world, is again brought nigh 
 Irjr the blood of Jefus. His \o\i\ alienated from 
 the life of God, from heavenly, fpiritual and 
 holy, become earthly fertfual and develilh, is re- 
 newed by the Spirit in knowledge and true ho- 
 Knefs, after the image of God that created him: 
 thus fitted for the enjoyment of God and 2^n 
 inheritance among them that are fandified, will 
 in due leafon, receive a far more exceeding and 
 an eternal weight of Glory, § Glory, Glory, 
 Glory, to the wonder-working God the Saviour, 
 Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, Amen and Amen^ 
 
 Methinks I hear fome Reader exclaim, Glo- 
 rious Enthufialm 1 Confummate Fanaticifm 1 
 1 reply Glorious Truth I Prove the Scriptures 
 not the Word of God, prove what I have faid 
 
 * Rom. 11, 33. + Ephef. 3, 10. % Exqii). 34, 6, 7. 
 ^ Ephcf. 4,, 18, ig, 24. Colol, 3, 10. Att$ i6, 18. a Cor, 
 
 4»»7» 
 
 r\ 
 
 "•-«**■■.. ,«ii^&B 
 
 
 
( 
 
 3' ) 
 
 unrcvealcd in the Scriptures, or for the fake of 
 common fcnfe be filent and fear, left a Promife 
 being left of entering into reft, thou fhouldft be 
 everlaftingly excluded ! 
 
 ERRATUM. 
 
 Page 21— In the'Vaft line but one of the Sennnn« for **min 
 t$mmaini his bltffing'* read — may God command his filefliaf. 
 
 In Page zp—At the end of the fecond paragraph* after the 
 words ** for tvtr** infert a note of interrogation. 
 
 ,,f..r. 
 
 't: