IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // w :/. Ua (/f. % 1.0 I.I 1.25 lU 12 li^ ^ 1^ IIIII2.0 6" IIIIIM U 11111.6 <^ w /a /a // O?/^: /A SciencGs Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. MS80 (716) 873-4S03 iV '^ O % V -'<^ ..^ \ ^» a2 ^ \ v^n •^i 1 IV Life of the Author. His parents were dissenters of the Calvinistic per- suasion, and, of course, took him with them to their stated place of public worship; but the preaching which he attended, according to his own account, " was not adapted to awaken his conscience, the min- ister having seldom any thing to say, except to believ- ers; and what believing was, he neither knew, nor cared to know." Notwithstanding, !iowever, of this aversion to every thing which was sp'ritual or holy, divine grace took hold of him ere he reached his sixteenth year. He felt he was a sinner; he ardently desired to be at peace with God; but so confused were his ideas of the doc- trines of grace, and of the way of reconciliation through the Redeemer, that, for a considerable time, the exercises of his mind were painfully harassing. "I felt," says he, "an uncommon load upon my heart. The remembrance of my sins,— the breach of my vows, and the shocking termination of my former hopes and afiections, ell uniting together, formed a burden I knew not how to bear." Though he was con- vinced that he stood in need of such a Saviour as Christ, and of such a salvation as the gospel reveals, yet, he was not then aware that every sinner has a warrant to believe in the Lord Jesus, but supposed that there must be some qualification to entitle him to the blessings of salvation. The work of grace, however, being begun in his soul, he was gradually led to perceive the futility of all human merit, and at length enabled, unreservedly, to cast himself, as a guilty sinner, on the Redeemer of the fallen. "I perceived," he adds, *' something at- tracting in the Saviour, — and, as the eye of my mind was more fixed on him, my guilt and fears were gra- dually and insensibly removed. I now found rest for my troubled soul, and I reckon that I should have found it sooner, if I had not entertained the notion of my having no warrant to come to Christ without some previous qualification." s J. Life of the Author. ^ Having thus found "peace and joy in believine " Mr. Fuller, in April 1770, joined himself to a RnptiW Church at Soham; believing, with that body of Chris- tians, that the administration of the ordinance of bap- tism ought to be confined to adults, lie then also formed an intimacy with Mr. Joseph Diver, who was baptised at the same time with himself; and, durincr the summer of that year, he appears to have been exc*eed- ingly happy, both ia his connection with the church at Soham, and in the enjoyment of the friendship of Mr Diver. Disputes, however, soon arose among the members ofthat church, respecting the power of fallen man to obey God, and to keep himself from sin, which, after much contention, issued in the division of the congrc- gjilion, and in the resignation of their pastor. Mr Puller was deeply atflicted at these disputes- yet ho u.:knowledgc3 that "they were ultimately the means o. leading his mind into those views of divine truth which have since appeared in the principal part of his wntmgs." The dissolution of the congregation at boham now appeared to be inevitable. The maioritv of the members, however, still kept together, and nut being able to support another minister, the worship was conducted by Mr. Diver, who was one of the deacons. Mr. Fuller also assisted occasionally in con- ducting the exercises; and so well satisfied were hus brethren with his piety and talents, that they strongiy urged him to accept the pastoral office. For some tiinc be declined the invitation; but, at length, in February rJu' J^^^^^^^^Pt^^^the call, and was ordained ministe'r of the Church at Sohani, on the third day of May fol- . owing. He continued for seven years, labouring i,. the gospel ministry, among thi. little flock; and thougn his exertions for their spiritual benefit were hot unattended with success, yet, he experienced manv tnals-trom the lukewarnmess of some, iiic dissati«.^ faction of others, and the little appearance of odifi--«- .ti...n among the greater part of his hearers. Duriux A 3 VI lAjt of the Aulhor. this period, however, he found more leisure for study than he could have enjoyed in a less retired situation, and devoted part of his time to the composition of the substance of a treatise, which was published afterwards, under the title of " The Gospel worthy of all accepta- tion; or, the Obligations of Men cordially to believe whatever God makes known." The leading design ct this performance was to prove that the Calvinistic doctrines, of the divine decrees, the covenant of works, man's natural inability, the necessity of a di- vine' prmciple m order to believing, i*.c. were perfectly consistent with the indefinite calls of the gospel, — a doctrine which many rejected, who yet pretended that they were Calvinists, while, by their hypothesis, that the calls and invitations of the gospel were not to be addressed to sinners, they showed their ignorance at once of true Calvinism, and of the word of God. In October, 1783, Mr. Fuller was removed from Soham to Kettering, where his ministerial labours, though not distinguished by any remarkable success, were very highly esteemed. At the invitation of his friends he also frequently preached in the neighbouring villages; and, notwithstanding the magnitude ofhii other engagements, he devoted a considerable portion of his time to the instruction of the young. The fol- lowing, among others, is a striking instance, not only of his piety, but of his humility, and his earnest desire for the spiritual welfare of youth: — "I have been think- ing of a plan," says he, in a letter to a friend, "for dis- seminating truth among our little lacemakers. A quan- tity of white wrapping paper is used in the sale of small parcels of lace thread; so, I will draw up a num- ber of little hymns, the most impressive that I can f ither find or make, and get them printed on one sido ofthc paper. Then, every child that comes for a >:Tnall quantity of thread, will find it wrapped up in a ji.iper, containing a short impressive hymn, addressed to its lieart." From the cnt.^-lnce to tlie close of his public life m- Ufe of the ^ulfior. Til I * deed, Mr. Fuller devoted all the energies of liis mind to the cause of evangelical religion. . As a preacher he was always practical, but his practical oxbortations were founded on evangelical principles. His exposi- tions. were clear, simple and natural; and his addresses to the conscience close, pungent, and often aminently pathetic. Possessed of a deep and penetrating judgment, he displayed much originality, perspicuity, and simplicity, as an author. Although there is often a certain coarse- ness in his siyie, yet his reasoning is forcible; and the evangelical sentiments, and sterling piety, which char- acterise all his performances, cannot fail to make the works of so faithful a writer be long held in deserved estimation. > Though we cannot, in a brief sketch like the present, enumerate all the works of Mr. Fuller, yet we shall take notice of a few of those which are considered the most important. Among these is hid celebrated work on the Socinian controversy, which was published in 1793, entitled "The Calvinistic and Socinian Systems examined and compared, as to their moral tendency; in a Series of Letters, addressed to the Friends of vital and practical Religion." This able tvork, for which the religious world cannot but retain a lastinf' sense of their obli;^ation to the author, gave so clear and scriptural a view of the Calvinistic doctrines, that the Socinians have never been able to meet the argu- ments which are employed in it, or to defend their own system on the principle which it adopts. Instead, therefore, of answerinj; Mr. Fuller's rcasoBings, they had recourse to the meanest subterfuges, hoping to ob- tain some advantage by controverting detached passa- ges of Scripture. Jn reply to these artifices, our au- thor published another work, in 1797, entitled " So- cinianism Indefensible, on the ground of its moral tendency; containing a reply to Dr. Toulmin an<| Mr. Kentish." Mr. Fuller's attention was next turned to the Deis- Till Lift of th* Author. ticn! controversy, and, in 1800, ho pnhlislied a work under tho following title; "The Gospel its own Wif- ness; or. tho Holy Nature and Divine Harmony of tho Christian Religion, contrasted with the Immoral- ity and Absurdity of Deism." In this performance he reviews the principlea of deisticul writers in gene- ral, in contrast with the doctrines of revealed religion • and, confining himself chiefly to the m/«rna/ evidence which Christianity possesses, brings the opposite sys- tffmto tho test of its moral tendency. He als) publish- ed " Letters to Mr. Vidler, on tho Doctrine of L'ni- verial Snlvati^n ;" " Dialogues, Letters, and EsBays on various Subjrcts;" "Strictures on Sandemanian' ism, in T..olve Lf-ttcrs (o a Friend," Sic. And in addition to these works, which relate to controversial theology, his writings on doctrinal and practical reli- f;ion are both numerous and intere?tin,:, till hi-» death, Mr. Fuller, who was appointed Secretary- evinced the most iudefati^rable zeal, and assiduous at- tention, to whatever could promote its welfare. To his exertion?, indeed, that Society was more indebted f.>r iti justly acquired popularity, than fo those of any other man. He not only wrote in its defence, but of- ten went fr.om house to hou^-c, collecting private sub- scriptions to replenish its exhausted treasury; nay nearly a fourth part of his time was fipent in journeyg soliciting aid in its behalf He visited Scotland fivo times, Ireland once, and London often, on the busi- ness of the mission; besides journeys into Lancashire Yorkshire, Norfolk, Esse.x, the west of Entrland anri Wales. " ' Ih siiort, the history of Mr. Fuller's life, for the last twenty year., was so completely identified with that ofthe mission, that all its principal transaction-i must be referred to his agency. The mission to India was -ma -great measure, his own production; he tbrmed Uft of the Author. IX and moulded it with exquisite skill, watched over and directed all its movements, and most disinterestedly laid himaclfout for its welfare, from its commencement to his death. While on a journoy with a friend, he once remarked, " Friends talk to me about coadju- tors and assistants, but, I know not how it is, I find a difficulty. Our undertaking to India really appeared to me, on its commencement, to be somewhat like a fow men, who are deliberating about the importance of penetrating into a deep mine, which had never be- te. --e been explored. We had no one to guide us; and, while we were thus deliberating, Carey, as it were, •nid, « Well, I will go down, if you will hold the rope." But, before he went down, he, as it seemed to me, took an oath from each of us, at the mouth of the pit, to this effect, that ' while we lived, we should never let go the rope.' You understand mc. There was great responsibility attached to us who began the busi- nes.s; and so I find a difficulty." After having, for several year*, made collections, m various parts of Britain and Ireland, in behalf of the mission, an event occurred which involved both the Society and its Secretary in great trouble and perplex- ity. Two missionaries having arrived in India, in 1806, they were not allowed to join their brethren at Serampore, and, for the first time, the government seemed disposed to act towards them a hostile part. When the news arrived in England, Mr. Fuller, in the name of the Society, drew up a "Statement" of all the proceedings, and went to London, in June 1807, to watch over the interests of the institution. This storm soon died away; but others, of a similar kind, speedily followed; and the enemies of Christianity] both at home and abroad, laboured incessantly to •waken the fear of the government, and to get the mis- sion rooted up. Through the exertions of Mr. Fuller, however, all their machinations were completely frus- trated. Accompanied by two other ministers, he re- paired ta London, in 1813, and obtained an interview X Life of the AJhor. with several noblemen, to solicit their influence in ma- lting some provision in the newcharter of the East India Company, for the toleration of Christian missionaries. The?e applications were followed with petitions to Par- liament, from the general body of dissenters; and both the government and the legislature did themselve^^ the •honour to become the patrons of Christianity in India. In promoting the interests of th^^ mission, Mr. Fuller had no idea of sparing himself; and, though his health was constantly impaired by the greatness of his exer- tions, yet he p<'rsevered in them to the very las*. Tne following sentiments, delivered by him, in a sermon at Bedford, in 1801, show, that while he expected that these labours would one day cost him his life, he re- mained unmoved, and unabated in zeiU for the cause which he had espoused: — " It is not impossible," said he, " that we may live to see things of which, at pre- sent, we have scarcely any conception; but whether wo do or not, Jesus lives, and his kingdom must in- crease. And what if, while we are scaling the walls of the enemy, we shjuld, a few of us, lose our lives? We must die some way, and can we desire to die in a bet- ter cause? Probably, many of the Israelites, who went up with Joshua to possess the land, perished in the at- tempt; yet this was no objection to a perseverance in the cause. In carrying the glad tidings of eternal life to Jews and Gentiies, Stephen and James, with many others, fell sacrifices at an early period; yet, no one was discouraged on this account, but rather stimulated to follow the example." The remaining years of Mr. Fuller's life passed over without any material occurrence to interrupt his tran- quillity, or to augment his justly acquired celebrity. In 181 1 ho was seized with inflammation in the lungs, attended with bilious fever, occasioned by colds, which he contracted during his numerous journeys. Notwith- standing his weakness, however, he endeavoured to go into Wales in ^18 12, buc was able to preach very lit- tle. In a letter to a fric.id, he iays, " 1 seem to be Life of the Author. Zi : near the end of my course, and hope, through grace, and grace only, to finish it with joy. I have no tran- sports, but a steady hope of eternal life, on the ground of my Saviour's death. I feel some freedom in ray ap- plication for mercy in his name. If I should die, I shall be able to say to the rising generation, ' God will surely visit you.' A work is begun that will not end until the world be subdued to the Saviour. We have done a little good, accompanied with much evil, the Lord grant that it may not be laid to our charce in that day!" ^ About the month of September, 1814^ he went to Leicester, to assist at the ordination of Mr. Yates, who was preparing to join the baptist missionaries in India. On this occasion he appeared remarkably solemn, and preached and prayed like one standing on the veroje of eternity. He was then very ill, but his chief wish wa3, " to finish his course with joy, and the ministry which he had received, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." His "indisposition continued through the winter; but, as the spring approached, his complamt was so far checked that he engaged to assist at the ordination of Mr. Mack over the baptist church at Clipstone. He accordingly, on the 20th of March, 1815, preached there a peculiarly solemn and imprest Bire sermon. When he came down from the pulpit, one of his friends asked him how he felt himself- to which he replied, " I am very ill.—I am a dying man." And, on a second interview with the same person, he added, " All is over,— my work is nearly finished; I* ■hall see you no more; the blessing of the Lord at- tend you. Farewell." Having returned home, he appeared on the follow- ing Sabbath, the 2d of April, in his own pulpit, for the last time. The manner in which he conducted the ex- ercises of that very solemn day, made a deop impres- sion on the minds of his hearers, and they could not *»e'P forboding that he^would be able to appear 5i«vr:g -.iiv!- uQ more. iu« anjiiviy gf jtig congrega- XII I^ftofthe Author. liT Ted thifrll^t' '' P'°^°"^' if possible, his valuable e. Jed them to use every means in their power for h.s recovery. But his disorder made such ?apiS p o- gress, that it soon appeared that the time of hL^drpIr- LXT-l'"^- J^'"ard, and he has given us to reap together in his vintage I expect this is nearly over; but, I tus we shall meet, and part no more."" I have very iule hope of recovery ; but I am satisfied to drink of the cup nh.ch my heavenly Father giveth me to dri«T.. With- out experience, no one can conceive of the depresnion of my spirits; yet I have no despondency. I k o^ whom I have believed, and that he is able to keep , ha^ which I have committed to him againgt that day I am a poor guilty creature; but drist is an almighty ^CT- ^..^.^^^P'-^^^^ed and written much against the a6tt,e of the doctrine of grace, but that doctrine is all my salvation and all my desire. I have no other lr^.Z T f?'^^*^°" ^y '"^'-^ sovereign efficaci,)u, Whh 'fhi- r^ V^' atonement of my Lord^nd Saviour. rnmV I A^V 'f" ^° ^"*° ^^^'""'^y ^ith composure. Come, Lord Jesus! come when thou wilt! Here lam- let him do with me as seemeth him good. If I should never see your face in the flesh, I could wish one last testimony of brotherly love, and of the truth of the gospel, to be expressed, by your coming over, and preaching my funeral sermon, if it can be,^ from Rom. vni. 10. I can dictate no more, but am, Ever lours, Keltertng, ^pultS, I81S." I^ife of the Author. ^^ On the afternoon of the same day on which he dic- tated this letter, he complained of great depression and smking, saymg that he must die. A friend replied. I do not knoNV of any person, Sir, who is in a more enviable situation than yourself; a good man on the rerge of a blessed immortality." He humbly acquies- ced and hoped it was so; and then, lifting up his hands exclaimed, " It I am saved, it must be by great sove- reign grace,— by great sovereign grace " With regard to the state of his mind, under his afflic- tion, he enjoyed a considerable degree of calmness and resignation; but, during the last month, he be- came unable to converse, unless in detached sentences At one time he said, "I feel satisfaction in the thought that my times are in the Lord's hands. I have been importuning the Lord, that whether I live it may be to him, or whether I die, it may be to him. Flesh and heart fail, but ' God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.'" At another time, he ex- pressed himself in the following manner :-v-" Into thy hands I commit my spirit, my family, and my charge- I have done a little for God but all that I have done needs forgiveness. I trust alone in sovereign grace and mercy I could be glad to be favoured with some lively hopes before I depart hence. God, my supporter and my hope, I would say, ' Not my will, butthine be done.' ' God is my soul's etirnal rock. The strength of every saint.* I am a poor sinner, but my hope is in the Saviour ot sinners. On the morning ofSabbath, the 7th ofMay, the dav on which he died, he said to one of his daughters "I wish I had strength to worship with you." Soon after another daughter entering the room, as soon as he knew who It was, he said, "Come, Mary, come and 1^^ me. He was then raised up in bed, and, for the last half hour appeared to be engaged in prayer. Hi* I b XIV Life of Ihe Anllioi'. rliililrcn wurrounil(Ml liii^ hod, listoninj; altrntivoly, to t .tloli, ir|n)8sible, Ihc Inst wordu ol'lhrir tlyin}; purint ; liut iiotiiiiig rotild 1)0 (]iN(iiii'tly licurd but (iio \v0rd4, " llrlp mr!"wliioli words W(5ro ro|)rred on INIonduy the loth, in the buryinp gronnd iidjoinin<» llie phieo ol' worship where ho hud preached lor thirty-two yeiu>. In person, Mr. FnMer wiis tall, stout, and muscular, and, being en(h)wed with great mental, ns well as cor- poreal strength, he was eminently lorined lor active and important services. I lis spirit was nrdent and invincible, dis^plnyini^ nn ulmost nne(]iiulled decision of character; and his judgment on most points, whe- ther of rt religious or tempt»ral nature, was generally tbriDod with such t'oree and precision, that he seemed a stranger to hesitation, nnd seldom Ibund occasion to review any of his resolutions. He. was also speedy and ardent in action, " working whilo it is called to day," lik'MMic who seemed continually aware that " the night eonioth when no man can work." Possessed of an extensive knowledge of the inspired volume, his preaching and conversation were rendered peculiarly interesting. 'rh»'U<;h he could not endure any thing that had the oppearance of lightness, espc- r'.i mcoiing, hn took occasion to correct an err^iu.Mjti.-! .^jiniori. driivtired by one <»f his brethren; niul ))o liid ou iiis ..-ensure so hfavily. that • If, iii ilia own pecu- < v. t><. UlOl XTI lAft of the Author. liar tone of voice, " Brother Fuller, brbther Fuller! jou can never admonish a mistaken friend, but you must take up a sledge-hammer and knock his brains out!" " His failings, however," says Mr. Morris, " though they cast a shade over his brightest performances, and diminish the esteem that is otherwise due to the most splendid talents, did not affect the grand motives by which his general conduct was directed. His entire character was formed of sterling integbitt, rami- fied into all his actions. In principle, as well as in doctrine, he * showed incorruptness,' and 'great sin- cerity. The severest suspicion could never reach him; his elevation on this part of the moral scale placed him far beyond the keenest eye of jealousy, and nearer to the throne of eternal justice than is common to the most distinguished niortals. His sense of honour and fidelity tdlowed of no resort to the schemes of interest, or the too common arts of diehonest temporising. No Jhopes, no fears, no considerations whatever, could cause him to deviate from what he judged to be the path of uprightness. Never was human integrity- found more inflexible, or honesty more true to her intention. Unlike as he was, in many respects, to that ' disciple whom Jesus loved,' he bore a strong resemblance to that prince of apostles, who cut off the •ar of Malchus." " He was probably," says Dr. Ry- land, " the most judicious and able theological writer that ever belonged to the Baptist denomination , and he will be highly esteemed for his able defence of the truth as it is in Jesus, and for his zeal for the pro- pagation of the gospel, not only by his contemporaries of various religious persuasions, but by posterity, as loo^ as the lL.nglish language, and the history of the Baptist Mission to India shall endure." L-tjt './ ihe Aaihor. XTll The following inscription. was placed on a tablet, erected to his memor/, by his congregation at Ketter- ing:— In Memory of their revered and beloved Pastor, THE REV. ANDREW FULLER, »hc Church and Congregation have erected this Tablet. Hia ardent piety, tho strength and soundne&ii of his Jadgroent, hi9 intirnato knowlodge of tho human heart, and hid profound acquaintance with the Scriptarei, eminently qualified him for the ministerial office, which he sustained amongst them thirty-'.wo yearn. The force and originality of his genius, aided by undaunted firmneea, raised him from obscurity, to high distinction in the religious world. By tho wisdom of his plans, and by his unwearied diligence in executing them, he rendered the most important services to the Baptist Missionary Societt, •f which he was the Secretary from its commencctuent, and to the prosperity of which he devoted his life. lu addition to his other labours, hii writings are numerous and colebr»ted. Ho died May 7tb. 181S, ag«d SI. 2 1 PREFACE. Whbn the following pages were first written, which was in the year 1781, 1 had no intention whatever of publishing them to the world. I had formerly enter- tained different sentiments. For some few years, however, I had begun to doubt whether all my princi- ples on these subjects were scripturdl. These doubts arose chiefly from thinking on some passages of scrip- ture, particularly the latter part of the second psnhn, where wicked kings whose/ tkemselves against the Lord, and against his anointed, are positively commanded to kivho preached Christ with so much success to the American Indians, their work, like that of.the apostles, seemed to be all plai7i btfore Ihcm. They appeared to me, in their addresses to those poor souls, to have none of the shackles with which I felt myself incumbered. This sometimes led me to the throne of grace to im- plore instruction and resolution. I saw I wanted both ; the one to know what was truth, and the other to avow it. XX Prtface. I was for some time, however, deterred from dis- closing my doubts. For nenr four years they occupied my mind, not without increusing Being one day in company with a worthy minister, he su^'gested that he thought we generally had mistaken views concerning unbelief. Unbelief, said he, is a caltiiifr in iincslion the truth cf %ch(it God liaih said, be that uhnl it muij.' I ad- mired his thought, which appeared to me to carry in it its own evidence. My thoughts began to swell pretty largely on this subject. I preached upon it, more than once. From hence my mind was naturally led to think on its opposite, faith, and to consider that as a hearty credit of whatever God hath said, be that what it may. From hence by an easy transition, my mind was led farther to suspect my former sentiments concerning faith not being the duty of unconverted sinners. It was natural to argue after this sort — If true faith is no- thing more not- less than an hearty or cordial belief of what God says, surely it ,must be every one's duty where the gospel is published, to do that. Surely no man ought to question or treat wiin indifference any thing ^vllich Jehovah hath said! I was aware that it was common to deny the belief of the truth to be saving faith, and to reckon him,a S.vnde- MANiAN who asserted it. I thought I saw plainly that ■what was commonly meant by the belief of the truth was nothin" more than a cold assenlto the doctrines of the gos- pel in general, unaccompanied with love to them, or a de- pendence on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvatiori. I had no doubt but thdt such a notion of the subject ought to be rejected. So far from thinking such a cold assent ta be saving faith, it appeared to me, in some views, to he criminal. The assent, so far as it goes, is right; but the coldness of it is criminal, and even detestable. If Mr. Sa.^deman meant to call such a cold assent sav- ing faith, or if the faith which he calls saving, be un- accompanied with a dependence on Christ for salvation, (which by the way I do not know, having never read any of his works.) i uiiciiy ui»oiuiui hi» piinoiplw*. Preface. W It appeared to me that we had taken carnal men too much upon their word, when they told us they bcliev- - ed the truth. I doubted not but that they might be- lieve many things concerning Jesus Christ and his sal- vation; but they only amount to their simple existence, without taking *in their adherin}j; qualUiea. Yet, as I found tho scriptures as fully revealed tohat they arc, namely their real excellency, as that they are at all, I concluded they that did not believe the one as well as the other, disbelieved a great part of the report of the gospel; yea, the very essentials of it. That seemed to me to be essential to the gospel, without which it would not be the gospel. Now what constitutes the gospel t« good nevs: but whatever faitii a wicked man may have in it as a piece of news, he hath none in the goodneit of it; he is thercforo an unbeliever in the very essence of the gospel, or in that without which it would not be the gospel. To this 1 may add, I think, another cujse, which contributed to the same end. I had read and consi- dered, as well as I could, Mr. Jonathan Edwards'* Enquiry into the Freedom of the. Will, with some other performances on the distinction of natural and ftioral ability, and inability. I always found great pleasure in this distinction, as it appeared to me to carry with it its own evidence, was clearly and fully contained in the scriptures, and calculated to disburden the Cal- vinistic system of a number of calumnies with which its enemies have londed it, as well as to afibrd clear and honourable conceptions of the divine government. — Thinking on this, I have frequently been enquiring into the nature of that inability so plentifully ascribed in the scriptures to fallen men. I found this to bo chiefly of the moral kind; a voluntary,' and therefore criminal and punishtible inability. Now, thought I, respecting faith, if that is not the duty of unconverted sinners, then their inability to come to Christ must be purely natural, or it must be an inability wherein they are not voiuniary. But, upon examination, i found thai XXII Prefa ce. It °!' men s inability to tliat, and all other things truly and spiritually good, was of the voluntary kind — that they ivill not con;e to Christ that they may have life — will not hearken to the voice ot'thc charmer, charm he never so wisely — will iwl seek after God — di:sire not the know- ledge of his ways, &c. kc. From hence I concluded it criminal, and the contrary their duty. At length I wrote my thoughts out, with u view to inform myself by wndcivouring' to place them in as ex- plicit a light as I could, and to give myself an oppor- tunity of conviction by lending the MS. to a few judi- cious friends, who, if they saw me wrong, would, I hoped, point out my mistakes. Accordingly I lent it to several ministers, and other persons, who were of different opinions relative to the subject. It is at the request of the greater part of these that it now appears in print. Th^y apprehended the subject to be of import- ance, as it is not a mere speculative point, but involves in it a great deal of practical religion; and, I suppose, might think the present performance ca.culated at least to excite a spirit of impartial enquiry. I have often had discouraging thoughts concerning publishing. Though I verily believe the cause in which I engage is, in the main, the cause of God and truth; yet I am not wholly insensible of my own insufficiency to plead it. From a consciousness also of the preju- dices of my own mind, and an observation of the same in others, where received opinions are called in ques- tion, I have been often ready to indulge despair, and to resign all hope of the principles here offered to con- sideration, meeting with an impartial trial. I have like- wise been ready sometimes to iveep, from an expecta- tion of hard thoughts, and perhaps hard words from several of those with whom I could rejoic*^ to spend my days in cordial friendship. Indeed, every considera- tion, but that of a firm persuasion that the cause ia which I engage is the catjse of truth and righteousness, would induce me to desist. I wish to avoid the spirit into which we arc all very Vrefucc. xxiii, prone to fall, when engaged in any controversy, and that is to majrnify the iinportiince oCthe subject beyond, its due bounds; yet I seriously think the subject treat- ed of in the following pages is of no small importance. It would be the language of dispassionate reflection, were I to say, I think it is no less than the same con- troversy for substance, that has in all ages, subsisted between God ond a wicked world. God hath ever maintained these two princij)ies, M thai is nil comts from the creature, and he shall hare the blame ofii; and all that is jj^ood comes from himself, ami he uilihare theprai$c of it. Bulh these principles are what the carnal heart will never grant him. Many seem willing to grant him one, though tliey are divided about which; some take one aide, and some the other. Those comnionly now called Arminians seem willing to grant him the, first, to own that they arc to blame for all the bad; but then they will as well have the honour of all the good. Others, that err as much on the opposite side, seem willing that God should have all the praise for the good; but then they are determined as well he shall have all the blame for the bad, for they will have nono of it. It seems as if both had agreed in this, that either God should take both praise and blame, or they will. Now here lies GoJ's grand controversy with them; maintaining that to him belongs all tin: fi lory, and to them shcme and confusion of face. Here lies the spirit of true religion, heartily to yield this point to God; and here lies the turn of a great part of the pre- sent controversy. I shall here premise a few things in general concern- ing the subject. Half the work would be done if we could come to a right statement of the question^ and leave out every thing foreign to the purpose. The disputes, then, in the first place, is not about Election, nor any of the discriminating doctrines of grace. They are allowed on both sides, and that none ever did or will believe in Christ, but such as are chosen of W God from etnrnitv! on which aomtm* nmUahiv i* im XXIV Preface. called the faith of Cod's elect.— The question docs not turn upon what ore the causes oj salvationf but rather upon ti'hat are the cmises of damnation'! The excellent CiivR.NocK expresses tlie whole of our sentiments on these subjects in a few words. ' No man, says he, is an unbeliever but because he will be so, and every man is not an unbeliever, because the grace of God conquers some, changeth their wills, and bends them to Christ.'* It might be safely affirmed, that if the doctrines of grace are in any danger, it is not from the principles here maintained, but from their opposites. Nor is there any disputes about who are the proper objects o(encourao:ement. We allow that no sort of hope is held out, in all the book of God, to any sinner, as such coiisidcrcd. It is to a sinner considered ns peni- lent, that the gospel holds out its golden sceptre; and to him, and him only, that is convinced of sin, and ot his lost cnnilition through it, is the promise of salvation to be presented. When we speak oUnvUattons to un- Tcgenerate sinners, w' mean no more than that the ^vicked is invited to forsake his way, and the unright- eous man his thoughts, with the promise of abundant pardon on such relinquishment, and not before. II a prince admonish his rebellious subjects to return to their allegiance, with a promise of pardon on their sub- mission, we call such an admonition an invitation; yet it is easy to see these are not invited to partake of pardon as rebels, but as submitting rebels. Farther, the question is not, whether men are bound to do any thing more than the law requires, but whether the law of God does not require every man cordially to embrace whatever God reveala; or in other words whether love to God with all the heart, soul; mind, and strength, does not i.iclude a hearty approbation, and cordial reception of whatever plan he shall, at any pe- riod of time, disclose. Again, the question is not, whether men are required * Vol, IT. page 473. 2d EJit. Scr. on John yi. 64 Preface. XXV U believe any more than the report of the gospel, or ami thing that 13 not true. That they are not is freely al- lowed; yea, for any man, whether good or bad to do ^o, would be presumption, and not faith. But the point IS, whether they ought to believe that report with all their hearts, and whether, if they did so, this would not be saving faith. Again, there is no dispute about the ability of fallen men to do things spiritually good. We have a far worse opmion of human nature, in its present stato, than to suppose them capable of any thing of this sort, lo what purpose then, it has been asked, is the dis- pute ? Of what use is it to talk of what men ought to do, when you allow they cannot doit.? We answer, very great. Men are unable, in their present state, to keep (jod s law; but it does not thence follow that it is of no use to vindicate its authority, and ascertain its extent, it IS by this, God's prerogative is maintained, the sin- ner convinced of his sin, and the grace of the gospel appears in its forgiveness. Besides, the nature of this inability renders a just -statement of men's obligations peculiarly necessary VVe mamtam with the apostle, that the natural manre- ceinthnot the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he finow 'hem; but then, we as well maintain, that his in- ability is no other than that of a man under the domi- nion ot carelessness and prejudice, who, while he con- tinues such, IS unable to discern and embrace the truth. We grant that carnal men are unable, totally unable to doanything acceptable to God; but then we maintain as well, that they are no otherwise unable than a man that is under the dominion of enmity to another is una- ble to love and please him. In this sense we maintain nmtUiey that are m the flesh cannot please God; but we are tar iroin imagining that on this account they are not ^nwsv to please God! 'Tis easy, one should think, to -see that this inability is so far from excusing men, that »t is the most criminal thing in the world; and therefore iv liiw cviurary ougiu ly uv uuriicuiariy tllPlr nltligrn^ir^r. «_ XXVI Prtface. i 11' pointed out, if it might be to convince them of their sin. The question is not, whether we may hope to bring the rarnalmind, ivhile such, to do things spiriimlly good; but whether we ought not, however that be, to endeavour to convince tliem of their sin. We hope to be believed when we say the design of all our preaching and writ- ing is not to persuade sinners that they can beP*ive in Christ of their own accord, wc know they aretoowick- »'.. for that. Our great end is rather to convinc them of their INABILITY and utter depravity; and luis we believe cannot be done but by dwelling upon their great obligations. The way the apostle Paul was con- vinced of his inability and depravity was by a view of the spirilualUy of the law. The only way that we know of to convince any man of sin, is to show him whai he ought to be, and compare that with what he is. We reck- on faith in Christ one of those things required by the law ofGod.ofthose where the gospel is preached, and we preach the obligation of men to it for the same ends with which others preach ether branches of the law; namely, not with any hope that our carnal hearers, while such, will obey it; but with a view, if it please God to bless our endeavours, shewing them what they ^ ought to be, to convince them of what they are, and so to bring them to pray in the spirit of JEpAratm, Turn llwume, and I shall be tum*d! We remember the fatal example of the Jews, which the apostle Paul holds up to our view. The Gentiles, says he, whofolloxtednot after righteousness, have attavn- ed to lighteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: Bid Israel, who followed afUr the late of righteous- ness, hath not attained to the law cf righteousness. Where- fore? BECAySE THEY SOUGHT IT WOT BY FAITH, but as it u'ere by the works of the law; for they stumbled at that stumbling stone.'* This, even though we were not ex- pressly told elsewhere, that in so dwng they were dw- obedicnty-\ we should think was their dreadful sm, as well « T»-»r in a? + 1 Pet. ii. 8. Preface. xxvn hid as their fatal fall: and we dare not but charge ail our hearers, whether they will hear, or whether they will ibrbear, to beware of stumbling upon the same «tone, and of falling in the same awful way! I hope I need not add, there is nothing pergonal in what- is written. It is the subject, and that only, which I wish to have examined. Should any suggest that it is hardly liberal to animadvert on the writmgs of some who are incapable of answering; it is replied, had there been any other writers on the subject but those of that description, that part had been omitted. Besides, though authors are mortal, their publications are, in a sense, immortal. Did their works die with them, there would be no justice in remarks upon them after their death ; but as they, and the principles they contain, live for the inspection of future ages, they ought to lie open to the examination of those ages. Perhaps too, it is the likeliest way to have the subject considered in a dispassionate manner. It is for the benefit of the liv- ing we ought to preach, and write, and do every thing we do. Now it is well known, most people can bear to have their principles examined in the person of another better than in their own persons. We are sure the pas- "3ions of the dead will not be irritated; and if the judg- ments of the living be but informed, all is well. If we do but retain a christian spirit towards one another in this world, there is no fear of our falling out in the next. I hope I have not taken any undue freedom with either the dead or the living; and as they are not names, but things, that we ought to attend to, I have generally omitted mentioning the names of those wri- ters on whose works the animadversions are made. 1 say as Mr. Brine said in one of his polemical perform- ances, ' I hope to have such a guard upon myself in the following lines, as not to give occasion for any just censure of unfairness and disingenuity, and such free- dom I wish any one to take with me.'* Let anv one * Mr. Johnson's mistakes noted, &c. p. 2. XXVIll Preface. ! !! S i! who wishes to see truth predominant, examine, in a christian spirit, what is here presented to him. If he think I am mistaken, and be so disposed, let him point out my mistakes. Let him, however, not barely ccUl them mistakes, but prove them so, by solid scriptural evidence. In that case, so far from doing me an in- jury, he will be justly intitlcd to every mark of honour and christian respect. I ask nothing of the reader but a fair an • ->did peru- sal of what is offered, before judgment i, ..en. This I have a right to demand, and this I havo reason to expect from sincere and humble christians. These, conscious that they have not arrived to a perfection of knowledge, have their minds open to conviction; and, desirous to take all blame and shame to themselves, are willing to know the utmost of their obligation. As to others, who think they know enough already, and that every opposition to their sentiments must of course be subversive of the faith, these will probably be for- ward to pass sentence without condescending to give it a reading. Concerning these I only say, as such kind of sentences are no honour to a cause when given in its favour, so neither are they any dishonour when given on the contrary. I may here just inform the reader, that in order to avoid a needless repetition of words, I have often used the terms men and sinners, for unregcnerate men and m»- regmerate sinners, who hear, or hare opportiavtij to hear the gospel — also the terms faith and true failh, for spe- cial faith; and whenever I use the tcrmsormg as applied to faith, I do not mean that faith is the cause of salva- tion, but barely what accompanies it. The piece itself is now committed to the blessing of God, and the manner of its execution to tl e readers candour. CONTENTS. PART I. The Subject stated, defined, and explained. Tntroduction on the importance of the subject 1 An enquiry into the scriptural idea of faith 4 Faith 19 not the believing of our interest 'in Christ 5 Faith in Christ defined 10 Definition explained • 12 The most important truths of the bible cannot be believed with- out holy dispositions •• 15 That wicked men do not believe the truth, proved from the connection between faith and practice - • 16 And by our Lons reasoning, in John v. 46. • 18 Believing the truth contains every material idea of faith 19 The faith of devils and Simon Magus considered 20 SOME OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. On the objects of faith, not being baro axioms 21 Faith being a trusting in Christ no objection to the definition- • • 22 This idea of faith does not represent it as a mere natural act* • 26 Distinction between believing Christ and believing in Chr-st con- sidered 27 This view of faith plain and easy 28 Renders several passages of scripture easy to be understood, par- ticularly 1 John V. 1. Mark xvi. 16. Rom. x. 9. and Act^ viii. 37. 29 Scriptures considered which have been thought to make against it, viz. Isa. liii. 1. and Rom. i. 18. with those passages where persons are said to believe, who were afterwards proved to have been unregenerate 30 The use of the definition in respect to the argument 33 "Whence it may be supposed that mistakes on this f»ubject have yiistiu 3a XXX Conltnta. f I ' i^ PART THE SECOND. Arguments to prove faith iu Christ the duty of all men who hear the sound of the gospel, reduced to six propositions. Prop. I. Faith in Christ is commanded in the SCRIPTURES TO UNCONVERTED SINNERS. ScCOnd psalm considered — also Jer. vi. 16, and John xii, 36, and vi. 29, and v. 23, and such texts at command men to seek the Lord, and trust in him — An ebjection, that men have no warrant to receive Christ as a saviour, considered— Receiv- ing Christ, what it is not.^and what it is 37 — 49 Prop. II. Every man is bound conoiALLy to re- ceive, AND HEARTILY TO APPROVE, WHATEVER God reveals. Confirmed from Phil. iii. 7, 8, and 1 Pet. ii. 7. This required hy the law of God 49 — 36 Two important quotations from Maclaurin and Bellamy 55- — 56 Prop. III. The gospel, though it be no law, but a message of pure grace, yet virtually re({uire3 such an obedience to it which iacUides savhig faith. True saving faith proved to be herein included, from the Joint consideration of the gospel being an embassy, and acquiescence in God's way of salva- tion called obedience — 2 Cor. v. 19, 20, particularly consi- dered •, 57—64 Prop. IV. The want of faith in Christ is ascribed in the scrip- tures to men's depravity, and is itself there represented as a heinous sin. Ignorance, pride, dishonesty , and aversion "of heart proved to be the reasons why men do not believe — under which are considered 2 Cor. iv. 4, John v. 54, Luke viii. 15, John v. 40, vi. 44, Acts xxviii. 27, Luke vii. 29, 30, and John xvi. 8,9 65 — 74 An argument founded on Luke vii. 29, 30, peculiarly deserving the attention of the Baptists 72 — 73 Prop. V. God has threatened and inflicted the most awful pun- ishmeijts on men for their not believing iu the Lord Jesus Christ. Mark xvi. 16, considered— Objection to this sense of it answered — John iii. 18, considered — and Luke xix. 27, and 2 Thes. ii. 10. 12. ' 74-79 Prop. VI. Seeing other graces, or spiritual dispositions, with which salvation is connected, are represented as the duties of men in general, there is no reason why faith should not be the same. Spiritual arts, what they are— Incumbent on all men. Scriptures enjoining them. Love, fear, praise, . repentance, holiness and humility incumbent on all men 79—97 This part concluded with some general observations on the ext»nt and sources of hi'jn.in obligation — Love to God for his ou'Jt ex ce//encc considered and pleaded for« •••••• -97 — 108 Conienti. PART THE THIRD. XXXI —49 »— 36 i — 56 f t B 1 r— 64 1 1 ) — 74 2- -73 1- 13 )f r. r4- -79 ,h le in e, . 79- -97 ic or ■ 108 OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. Observations on their general nature • •• 111 Considered naore particularly under six heads, as concerning, I. The nature of that divine principle which Adam possessed. The objection stated — summarily answered from the case of Cain and Abel — two kinds of incapacity, essential and cir- cvmstantial, Adam's proved to he the latter — True love to God sufficient to lead a fallen creature, to whom the gos- pel is preached, to believe in Christ 112 — 123 II. Concerning the decrees of God. The objection proves too much — many things the duty of men to seek after, which yet in the end, it appears v?ere never decreed for them ; and to endeavour to avoid, which yet in the end were determined to be brought upon them — Some considerations tending to re- concile these profound subjects — Not the same reason for election, redem])(tion, regeneration, orwtiatever aete are pe- culiar to God being our duty, as faith 123 — 131 III. On particular redemption. If faith weie a believing Christ died for me in particular, this objection would be unanswer- able — No necessity for the party knowing his particular in- terest in' Christ's death in order to believe in him, or for his having any such interest to render it his duty — Quotations from Coles, Ridgely, Witsius, and Owen, on this sub- ject 132—139 IV'. On men being under a covenant of works. What is meant by being under the law as a covenant, &c. — In what sense though men are under that covenant, yet it is uieir sin that they are so — The seeming absurdity of the same law saying ' do and live,' and ' believe and be saved,' con- sidered 139—144 V. On the work of the Spirit. The necessity of this not here- by atfected, for we need the Spirit of God to enable us to do our duty — Men's inability, though criminal, is yet real and total — and requires a greater instead of a leeser ex- ertion of divine power to remove it than a mere natural in- ability 141—149 VI. On the necessity of a divine principle in order to be- lieving. If this objection be of any force, then all real good may bo denied to be the duty of an unprincipled mind 149 r-onie other lesser objections touched 152 ( . Xxxu Cfonlenls. Inferences from the whole. I s 154 155 If the foregoing principles are true, then I. Till law of God is what the scriptures affirm it to be, cw Testan.cnt dwells much unon Great stress .s there laid upon the reception ^vhich the posn,.l .Ix.uld nu-rt with. 1 he same hps which ccnuuis/K n the apu.tles to ^o, ami pnack ihc irospcl fo inry cvadinr, added, he that ukliev- ..,„,, ,- ^,.»it iiF nAMNEI). lo THAT UEE1E\»-1H NOT SHALL HE DAMNED. as manv as received him, power was given thorn that rey should hecome the sons of God; hut those that rJived him not, hut nfused him, and rejected his way of salvation, to them he became a stumh hng stone, and a rock of oflence, that they might stumhle, and fall, and perish. Thus the go.po , according to the diflerent reception it »neets with becomes n savor of life unto lift to some, and oj death unto death to others.! Not only Is salvation itself then a matter of great imnortance but the treatment tchtch it deserves to X' P those rrho hear, or have oppoHin.ty to hear ] proclaimed. The many debates which have taken lace concerning faith in Jesus Chris , are not so uch to be wondered at, as the conduct of those vho affect to run down the subject as if it was of no Irtance. Fixing bounds to the duty of men owards God in any case l^^^'^W'^^ 'J'l'^,1 account To enjoin that on them which God ha h norenToined, is to act without warrant, and would e cruelty to our own specie^, as ,t suhjec s them to char''e of abundance c. guilt, ot w neh God ' fbev have enough in the breach ot what he u know has enjoined! Arts xiii. 1^' On the other hand, to curtail the IG. I's. cxviii. 22. Matt, xxi.^42. t Mark xvi. io. i r«t- "• S. 2 Cc 1 Pet. ii. 7, lalroduitian. ^thVi'jVLtioas of nuMJ, is to iiivae su|)iM)S('if.\ so, incur the reproof of Christ, what must be thought of such a conduct, towards tiic g---.' i/cs-/ .'' Ifiaith in Christ be a duty at all, it will hardly be supp.osed to be one of the least. The greatness of its object forbids that. And it deserves to bo consider(;d whether the apostle to tile Hchreii's did not entertain this idea when he 4 introduction. exclaimed, hoic shall wc escape if wc neglect so great talvatiorif and the Lord Jesus himself, when he declared, he that believeth .not shall be DAMNED. In order to co'ne at a clear and distinct view of things, it may be proper that what is meant by faitli should be particularly stated, defined, and explained. 'Tis needless, however, to stand long to enumerate the various senses in which the term is used. It is pAit for the virtue of integrity,* the power of working miracles,! the belief of the truth, § and the truth believed:| sometimes for real faith, j| and sometimes for what is only partial and pretended ;| sometimes, perhaps, for the principle, IT and sometimes for the act as arising from the principle.** The same word, in numberless cases, beiag applied to kindred ideas, acquires a variety of imv i .i;igs. Thus it has been with faith. It would be no difficult thing, however, to trace all these to one source, and to observe one general idea running through the whole. The two last of these are what we have principally to do with. Concerning these, and the distinction betwi.\t the one and the other, much has been said ia a controversial way. Perhaps when the scriptures speak of faith, they generally speak of it as including both principle and act or of the act of faith as ne- cessarily arising from its principle. Common sense teaches us to consider these together, as much as when speaking of a tree wc i.. elude both root and branches. Indeed, all sorts of acts and exercises do necessarily rise from their principles. If we speak of honesty, we must speak of such an upright conduct as ariseth from an uini^ht principle or disposition: and \ii » Deut. xxxii. 20. t 1 Cor. xiii. 2. § 2 Thes. ii. 13. :|: Acts vi. 7. II Acu viii. 37. i Acts viii. 13. John v. -i(i. ^ Eph. ii. 8. *♦ Murk ix. 21. '•( ,'M: .V'.i'/'uir O'tr I.UereHtin Christ. .*> ill iiio.t c.isus tir;t is not hoijcsty where both are not i;i''lutlc(i. Without iittonditii; any I'lirthor, then, to this, let iM iiou riKjuiro i;i{.) tin." (Iifinitiin and cxph'imtion of that I'.iitii whi'h ;u'.:()iii|);mics salviitiou. Ami hero It will he proiKT to onsidi r thiit notion ot* the subject which l;ii-<, i>r lias Hi'ttned to have been ontcrtained by many; niincly, t!i:;t it is a helicriirj; our personal hifrr.sl ill lite Litril Ji.i.is Clirist. This is what has I);.'e:i couiinnnly ca!l(xl rt .'I'/zyvnue, and soinciinics ' pos- st'ssiiii^ a.id (ii)pr>)i)'riit'it>^x Christ.' This, the author of The furllur E.uinirij thinks to be of the essence ul laith; as lie ' (juerics whether th'MC be any act of special faith whicli hatii not the nature of appropriation in it.'* If this can be proved a mistake, ueaily the wliole of his perfnrniauce must be aUowed to be an- swered, as this is the ground on which he sets out, an(l ahiio'-t al! t!i it follows is built upon it. This is the same thinjr whicii others have expressed by tlic terms " pardon is mine, grace is mine, Christ is mine," &.c. And others who would not be thought to maintain this a^i essential to faith, for the sake of thousands of real Christi uis, who they cannot but observe upon this principle to be, generally speaking, unbelievers, yet maintain wiiat fully implies it. Though they will allow, for the comfort of su(rii Chris- tians, tliat assurance is not of the essence of faith, but rliat a reUnncc on Christ alone for salvation, is suflicient, yet in almost all other things, they speak as if they did not believe what at those times they say. It is common for such to call those fears whicli occupy the minds of people al)out their interest in Christ by the name oi' unbcJief, and to reprove them for being guilty of that God-dishonouring sin, exhorting them to be strong in faith like Abraham, f!;icin. r> Faith in Christ is 7wt hcUcvinsr our Interest in Christ. i I doubtinf^. Indeed, if this be faith, and this unbelief, the controversy is, or ought to be, at an end. Verily, none but real Christians have any warra.it thus to believe; for it cannot be any man's duty to believe a lie. But several things may be objected to this defini- tion, some of v/hich are as follow: 1. The scriptures always represerit faith as terminatinir on something without ua; namely, on Christ, and the truths con- cerning him; but this represents it as terminating prin- cipally on something within us, namely, the work of grace in our hearts; for to believe myself interested in Christ IS tl'.c same thing as to believe myself a subject of special grace. And hence, as was said, it is com- mon for those who entertain this notion of fiiith, to consider its opposite unbelief to be a doubting whtthtr we have ever been really converted. But as it is the truth and excellence of the things to be interested in, and not his interest in them, tha< the sinner is apt to disbelieve; so it is these, and net that, on wliicli the faith of the believer primarily terminate^. Perhaps what relates to personal interest may, in general, more properly be called hope than faith, and its opposite fear than unbelief. '2. This is a vican and hw idea of faith. Barely to believe myself in a safe state, however desirable when grounded on evidence; yet is far inferior in its object to .special faith. The grand object of that is, u-hat Christ ij, and not the happij condition that I am i::, as inteveited in hiy.i. The latter, doubtless, affords great consolation to my soul, and the more I discern The cxcc'.l; r.co of Christ, the more ardent shall 1 be after an interest in him, and the more disconsolate v.hiie th;it c'.sr.tinucs a matte'- (*" doubt. This conso- lation, no doubt frequently accompanies taith; but yet ;r i^, not that \vhei\'i;i its chief glory consi-ts. When Chri::;t is -=:x:d to be preelozi^ to them tiiut believe, it 1 Failh in Christ i? not believing oxir Interest in Chrisl. 7 does not mean, I apprehend, that they that believe, believe their interest in him, and so ho is precious to tliem only, or chiefly, tn that account; but they that believe, enter into the evil of that on iiccount ofwliicii he died, the generous i)riaci])lca and cmh of his under- taking, the (uniahlcntss of his character and conduct, and iiis suitableness, all-sulfiiirneij, and n-illii}S!;ness, to answer the utmost wants and wislies of those who come unto God in his name. This kindler. a holy flame of love to him, this renders him precious in their eyes, even though there may be at the same time a jealousy of themselves lest they should not be of those who truly cor.ie unto God by him. 3. The apostle Paul represents this as an aflerpriei- lc2:e bestowed upon believers, and not what constitute:5 them believers.' Afteii yt believed, says he, j/e ivere scaled tvith that holij Spirit of promise* Without par- ticularly enquiring what is meant by being sealnl, as that may admit of some dispute, it will be allowed, I think, ou all hands, that includes « sense cf personal interest. Now this is declared to be afler they believed, and consequently something distinct fiom it. Sense of personal interest seems to be an indulgence with which some believers are much more favoured than others, and which is generally connected with a close walk with God. 4. That is called /aj/.'i, and great faith in the New Testament, where a sense of special interest in Cljrist'a favour could not exist. The leoinan of Canaan believed in the all-snfficiencij of Christ to help her daughter; but we have no reason to think she had any sense of her interest in his favour. She did not apply to him, considering herself as a favourite, but was willing to bo called a dog, and as a dog repeated her petition. it was duriii" this her state of suspense too, not It ' Lph. i. 13. ;i ii i ' i Vi r 3 Fciilk it C'tr'nf ii nil 1}L-Iicvi,i'jr our Inlcresl in Cluiii. kiiowiiitr vvii.it would !)e the issue, th;it (.'hrist horo tliis tivstitiDiiy of her, O ironiiin. :ii\nl ii llnj fnilh! 'Tis friio. shr altcrwiinls < rijovcd a sciisn fit" iti{(Mfst in his lavou)-, but tlia! was m.^ till he had added, /> ■ it nnlo thee even ,m tiion irill! i' Th:) iait.'i of the elievii;L;- hirnsell', or liis servant, to he specially interested in CI. list's favour; hut in a lirnj persuasion of his a//-.sM//i(/L'/(r7, .uid a castin;:; liiniserf upon it. This ho expressed in sucli a manner, in that most heaifitiil passjuje recorded hy Ht. iNfatthew, that tiic J^ord Jesus iiiin-;elt" ;;if/iwt7/t'(/; Lord, says lie, / (un not worthy l/nil th>a si'ouldsl conir inul-r mij roof; but spca/c th'' word oni'ij, oiid uiij sc)i-(tiJ rJniil he healed. For I aiii ' man undtr aulhorilij, having :;ol(iiers under nic ; und Isaylolhis uuin, ov,, ami hegorth; and to another, i-om<\ and he cotaclh ; an.l to inij servant, do this, and he docth if. As if he had .■■,\k\, " I, who am only a man, and a le.an v.u'er aiithuritjj, have so much influ- ence over my servants as to call or send thetn hither or thither aceordin without evidence. These are hereby deemed t(.j6(7icr- t Mutt. XY. 2^. § Matt. viii. 5—10. Faith in Christ is not believing our Interest in Christ. 9 ers ; and as they arc taught to affix no other ideas to the terms " tearful and unbelieving" than those of doubting whether tliey be real Christians, and fearinfi; they shall finally miscarry, it is natural for tliem, if they believe tl.esc things, to reckon themselves with the "abominable, and murderers, and whoremon- mongers," Sec, who are all togetlier doomed to " have their portion in the lake. "1' But this is not all. While modest and sincere Christians are exch'- ded by thousands, self-contident hypocrites are built up in their most wnholy faith. These are apt enough to boast cf their being strong in faith, in proportion as they can work themselves up into a persuasion of the goodness of their state. No s)rt of internal evidence is necessary to support their claim, that would be legal; nor any sort of sensible communion with God neces- sary to their joy, that would be living by sense, and not by faith. A life of faith on the Son of God with them does not mean a life of habitual applicatir ^ to him, and sensible dependence upon him for all sup- plies; but a constant undisturbed persuasion, let things go on as they may with them, of their being interested in him; and the less spirituality the more faith, as if faith in Christ and fellowship with him, were opposite things. These things are certainly both discouraging to the sincere Christian, and pernicious to others. All who have thus represented things, may not have t Rev. ixi. e. * ' A want of assurance, says tho great Charnock, is not 'unbelief. Drooping spirits may be belie\ers; there id a niauifest 'distinction made betvve<;n believing to eternal life, and knowiiig ^ ICC have eternal life, 1 Jolin, v. 13. These things have I * written unto yon that believe on the name of the Son of God, ' that ye may know that ye have eternal life. — If the want of 'assurance were thid unbelief, a child of (Jod would be an unbe- ' liever every time Cod Ls plea.sed to draw a cloud between heaven ' and the soul, and deny him tiie present tas es of the hidden man- ' na. Uid)elief is a sin, the want of assurance is not; to have it is ' not our duty, but (iod's dispensation; he liath oblijif'd the believer ' to seek it, but not tj pJioUis it.' — jT'ermou ou unbelief. ■i 10 Fttith in Cliriit defined. f\. i discerned their tendoru y; but such is their tendency, whether discerned or not. But, unt to attend any farther to what it is not, let us enquire what it is. Faith appears always to carry in it the idea oi' accfcditi}i talse; if authentic, we call it true If it relate to historical facts, it has been called historical laith; ii to a divine power accompanying the {)rimitive disciples, enabling them to work miracles, their faith in that promise we *'a!l the faith of miracles. If it relate only to certain circumstances of the gospel, and the bare existence of things, without taking in their nature and <}ualities, then 'tis partial faith; if to the essence, sum, and substaiice of the gospel, then 'tis what accompanies salvation. But in all these, faith is the credit of some testimony. True saving laith is no less so than any of the rest. Nothing de- serves that name hiit what is founded on substantial evidence When the apostle calls the Thessalonians believer.", he assigns tliis as the reason, or as what constituted them such. Our testimony among you was believed.* Perhaps no better definition, then, can be given of true faith than that which is given by the Holy Ghost himself in 'i Thes ii. 1.3. The belikf ok the way of eminence, Tr UTII, Til le gospel IS here, by called the truth. The ai)ostle knew there was other truth in existence, as well as that, but the importance of thai was sucii as to eclipse all the rest. Tiiat was it that represented God in his true character, and men in theirs— th-.ii told them the truth without falsehood or flattery, concerning the evil of sin, and its just de- merit — tJKit gave them a Irw account of their miseries and necessities, and as well exhibited the glorious ^ Thesi. i. 10. '"■<*Cn«r Fiiitli in Clnnst cJcfinecl. \i ■^ realiticF, of life and immortality to view. That was > it which formed the subject matter of the apostles embassy, and in the reception of which he knew men's everlasting interests were concerned. That was it of which the Son of God himself came down to bear iciliiess.'\' To acquiesce therein is to view things in measure as God views them, and as Christ viewed them when he offered himself a sacrifice lor sin. Never was such iviiness borne to the excellence of God's law and character, to the evil and demerit of sin, and to the worth of the everlasting enjoy- ment of God as he then bore.'' To view things then as he viewed them, is to view them as they are, and that is the same thing as the apostle calls the belief of the truth. It deserves also to be particularly noticed that what is here called the belief of the truth, is peculiar to the elect, accompanies saneiif cation of the spirit, and terminates in salvation. Probably this will at first sight be thought a very loio and defective definition, and 'tis possible some may pronounce upon it with an air of positivity •* this is no more than a man may have, and go to hell notwithstanding." But I apprehend this is much sooner said than proved. Perhaps it were much easier to prove that such have low and defec- tive notions of believing the truth, than that a real belief of the truth is a low and dcicctive definition of faith. Does God in his word ri present the under- standing and belief of tlio tnitli in sucli a light as this, or does he notr Wl)at does he mean in the forecited passages? What can he mean hy rcprescntin;^ those hearers only who arc compared to the good ground, as hcariiijT the word so as to inuUrsland it't* What could tiio ].ord Jesus mean, when he said, ye shall knoif I'll- Iriilh, a:ul the Irulk shall make you free ! l and what, v.hcn he j)rayed, aanclifj Ihem Ihrongh ihij truth; thy word is truth ? § t .lohn xviii. 37. * Matt xiii. 23. t John viii. 32. 5 Jolm ivii. 17. E< t k- 12 ./2 cold assent not the belief of the truth. How low and defective soever this definition may seem, perhaps it may be found that every material idea whicli the scriptures give us of faith, is lierein comprehended. However, to avoid obscurity, I shall attempt more fully to explain the terms. And First, It is not supposed but tliat there mav be a cold assent to many of the general truths of Christianity; so far as that a man may obtain the character of being orthodox, and may really think himself a believer, yea and may be able to defend those truths for which he is an advocate with clearness and enern-y; and yet be destitute of saving fiiith. I would not for a world encourage those deceived souls who receive r.otthe love of the truth, while it is manifest a lie is in their right hand! By beleief, then, I understand, and I thmkthe apostle? understands, a cordial reception of the truth as it is in Jesus; or as the Holy Ghost elsewhere speaks, a believing vith all the heart .l and perhaps it may prove, if closely examined, that notlnng short of that, properhj and strictly speaking, deserves the name of faith. Those wiio received not the love of the truth, notwithstanding the profession they made, are said in the next verse~but one, not to believe the truth at all. \\ To believe only the shadoiv of truth, without entering into the spirit of it, is little more than to believe nothing at all about it. The apostle Paul, notwithstanding his knowledge of, and zeal for, the law, while blind to its spiritnalily, reckons himself to have been xcilhout the law.TT The same may be affirmed concerning mere professin'^ zealots in Christianity. The> tell us they believe the truth, and doubtless think they do; but while they continue blind to its spiritual glory, which will appear by their knowledge having no tendency to transform them into the image of God, they ought to be considered in no other light than as without the truth. i Vt t Acts viii. 37. II 2Thos. ii. 12. IT Rom. vii. 9, fVhai is included in truth, and the belief of the truth. 13 Farther, by truth I do not mean, and I think the apostle does not mean, barely s-i.ch general truths of the gospel, as thpt thee was such a person as Jesus Christ — that he was born at Bethlehem — lived, and wrought miracles in Judea — was crucified, buried, and raised again from the dead — that he ascended to flory, and will judge the world at the last day. — 'hat he is God and man, and bears the titles of jsing, priest, and prophet of his church. — That there is an eternal election, a particular redemption, an effectual vocation, a final perseverance, &c. &.c. Sac. — These, no doubt, are truths, and great truths, and what, it 18 allowed, may be believed where no saving faith is. But by truth I mean (and I think the apos- tle means the same) to include with the forementioned doctrines their qtialitie$ or properties, which make a great, and even an essential part of their truth. It is as true, and as much a part of the record God hath given of his Son, that he is altogether lovely, as that he exists at all.* The beauty of the divine character, the evil of sin, and the ca;ce//ence of Christ, are truths independent of our belief of them. It is as true, and as plainly repced ii^the scriptures, that the gospel is intrinsically good, ^perlatively glorious, infinitely important, and, in one word, worthy of all acceptation, as that it has any existence at all. But to believe this is true saving faith. It is in believing as it is in doing. There are some things of an external nature, laudable in themselves, which may be done, and yet the doers of them be destitute of real religion ; so there are some things of that nature v/hich may be believed^ and vet the be- lievers of them be destitute of saving faith. But as there are some things, such as loving God, and holi- ness, which cannot be done without the party being truly gracious; so there are some things which cannot * C«mt. V. 16. G r ft 14 What is included m» Irulh, and the belief of the truth. he believed in reality witiiout constitt ing fhe party a true believer. The scripture not only requires inter- nal as well as external duties, but, if I may so say, exhibits internal as well as external truths. It not only affirms general truths, but describes their intrin- sic nature and glory; and no person can properly be said to believe the gospel, unless he believe one as well as the other, because this only is believing it to be what it is. Some men think they are great friends to the doctrine of election, yea, almost the only friends it has left in the world, who yet never from their heart believed it would be a fair thing in God to choose others, and to cast them off. Such cannot be said to believe the equity of the doctrine, and they might al- most as well have believed nothing at all about it. So many seem great advocates for the doctrine of per- severance, who yet never cordially admitted the idea of pertevering in grace and holiness. Perseverance with Huch, as one said, is ' the tacking together a begin- ning and an end, and leaving the devil to fill up the middle. Such, instead of believing the truth, believe a lie, in supposing eternal bliss to be connected with such a kind of life. There is as great a discord be- tween what they account truth and what really is so, as between the doctrine of lying still and the doctrine of going forward. Such h partial assent, it is al- lowed, there may be, without saving faith; but l>roperly to believe a scripture doctrine is to believe It as the scripture represents it. It is not to admit this idea of it, and reject that; but to receive it as it is; and whoever thus receives the truth receives tne love of it, for that being must not be human that believes an object lovely and yet does not love if. The infinite excelltncy of God, the reasonableness nn«i goodncas of his law, the exceeding sinfulness of sin in itself considered, men's vile, dangerous, and lost f Truths which cannot be believed tcithout holy di^positionn. 1 o I condition, the equity of God in sending them to hell, the infinite loveliness of Christ and excellence of his way of salvation, the beauty of holinoss, &.c. &tc., are truths, concerning which every wicked man is an infidel. These are truths which cannot be really credited without an answerable disposition of heart. Men in general, instead of believing them, believe the direct contrary of them all. Their heart is enmity against God, and therefore they cannot con- ceive of him as an excellent, lovely being: They judge the law of God, if it must take cognizance of their hearts, to be too rigorous; therefore not rea- sonable or just. Tiiey believe, if they were to obey it in it^i full extent, it would render them melancholy and miserable; therefore they cannot believe it to be good. Sin is what they believe to be in its own nature desirable, and adapted to make them happy. -If they might but go on in it witkout being called to account, they would give a loose to their utmost desires; therefore they cannot believe it to be in its own nature so exceeding sinful. Perhaps men may be- lieve that God hates sin; that, however, is more than some do, who imagine God to be altogether such a one as themselves;* but the question is, do they believe it is what ought to be so hated by him? Far- ther, they are full of self-admiration, and their ways, be they what they may, seem right in their own eyes; therefore they cannot believe themselves vile. They live generally in ease and security, and secretly cherish a hope that things will not be so bad at last as the scriptures and their preachers tell them; yes, the secret language of their hearts is, / shall have peace though I icalk in the imagination of my heart.] How can such people be said to believe the danger of their condition.? Again, they do not entirely despair of pleasing God by their works, or their knowledge, or something in themselves; therefore i * Pb. 1. 21. t Deut. xxii. 19. i6 Wicked Men*9 practice. I L they do not believe themselves utterly lost. They think it would be a hard and cruel thing for God to send them to everlastinor misery for so trifling faults as they have been guilty of, and they consider their being poor fallen creatures as what renders even these excu- sable; therefore they cannot be said to believe his equity in so doing. They see no form nor comeliness in Christ, nor beauty that they should desire him; therefore they cannot believe him to be a -ether lovely. They never prayed heartily in their lives for an interest in his salvation, unless under the impressions of terror, with a mere view to escape misery; there- fore they do not believe its excellence, and that it is worthy of all acceptation. Finally, they conceive of holiness as what would kill all happiness, yea, heaven itself would be to them a hell ; therefore they cannot be said to believe its beauty. Holiness has no charms in their eyes. The necessary connexion there is betwixt faith and practice induces me to think it impossible for a wicked man, while such, to believe the aforementioned tfiths. Persons may profess to believe many things which they do not, yea, may suppose themselves really to believe them; but if it indeed were as they say, it would shew itself by their actions. Men be- lieve various things in the world to be odious, and others dangerous; that arsenic will poison them or fire burn them; and they act accordingly, they make, it their constant endeavour to shun them. Moreover, they believe that an enjoyment of the profits, pleasures, and honours of this life, would certainly make them happy. These are things they believe unth all their heart, and they act accordingly, they pursue them with all their might. They likewise profess to believe that very contrary thing the bible; which, if their profession were true, would be the same thing as to believe that of all things in the world nothing is so odious, nothing so dangerous as sin — that of all the aftcna prove them to be literallff unbelievers. 17 I nnjoynients ever possessed by any creature, nothing is so desirable, nothing so excellent, as the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, is it posshble, in the nature of things, to suppose they can really believe these con- traries? With etjual propriety might we suppose u person capable of believing an object to be the chiel' good, and its opposite the most desirable! It is an awful fact, that men do pursue one of these kind of objects, and avoid the other: but human nature cannot pursue evil as evil, nor avoid good as suck. Men must, therefore, as the scriptures intimate, believe evil lo be good and good evil, previous to such practices.* Were a company of intoxicated people to sit to- gether in a house that was all in flames; and if, on the alarm of fire, they should coldly reply, "aye, we believe you," but continue to sit round their bowls, and take no measures to escape, could any one think that they really did believe the alarm? surely not. Just thus it is with wicked men. The fire of divine wrath is revealed from heaven against them. The solemn declarations and warnings of the bible give the alarm, and withal point to a way ot escape, saying, flee from the tvrath to come! Men re- ply, we believe these declarations, and the danger we are in," but yet live unconcerned, and take no measures in real earnest for their soul's escape. It must, therefore, be concluded that unbelief lurks at the bottom, and that they do not, in reality, credit the declarations of the bible. • Note, by good and evil here is meant the same as lovely and unlovely. No doubt people may pursue what is, and what ihey know at ihs time to be moral evil, and as well avoid what they know to be moral good; otherwise no man would act agaiiist his conscience; but what is here asserted is, that whenever any man chooses moral evil, it is under the notion of its being a good, that is, something adapted to make him happy. And whenever he avoids moral good, it is under the notion of its being evil, that is, some tiling adapted to make him miserable. C3 18 Believing the ti-uth contains \i I Our Lord reasons after this sort with the Jews. They strongly professed, and doubtless verily thought that they believed Moses. They gloried in being Moses's disciples; and yet the Lord, far from taking their word, argMes the impossibility of their believing Moses, from the want of a correspondent practice. Had m believed Moses, says he, ye would have believed tne, for he icivte ofme.'f As this definition surpasses what any wicked man ever experienced, so it comprehends tvery material idsa of that faith of which true believers are the subjects. Does faith consist in discerning and believing the spiritual glory of religion — viewing the glorious blessings of the gospel as worthy of all acceptation — seeing a beauty in Christ that we should desire him — embracing him as precious-^— receiving the love of the truth, &.c. Stc. ? What is all this but believing the truth? Is it not ttue, whether we believe it or no, that religion has a spiritual glory — that the blessings of the gospel are worthy of all acceptation — that Christ is precious — that truth is lovely, and therefore worthy of being received in the love of it? These are truths, inde- pendent of our belief of them. If we believe not, still he abideth what he is,^ and all spiritual en- joyments are what they are. Faith, therefore, only draws aside the veil, and views things, in some mea- sure as they are; or, in other words, it is a sweet and . '20 Simon Mas;tu's FatVi. -if they wcr. porlonnod nu.st hTrf'. t Inl'tvedT^ Christ was, and some littlo of ,i,/.«/ u »<-"«ved that the cluofnart of hiJ r l «rwond(.. ful ;,ower; but veaicd in,' ^^tr^,^::^"::^' ""''-'r "" ^^■ part of his belief. ' ^''^^ S'^'i'^'' ^^'^^ nu Truth, in its full latitude ha>^ I thint ,„-.i Now, ,ru,l, in exist, .col" , J*, n ''"° ,™"'=""«1- i» lo UF.A1.1ZK it, or to coiisi,l,.r comeptwn, consider it ,, .i .s/^St: 'r^l 'e'^^.t™ ' /" heart and conduct- as rpnl nn«n /u ... all possiUU »uan 'to obtain i^^ Or as when a pesson standing on the nrech r? of rock, realizes the danger of hU ^.iM.lr '^'^^il'^,^*- «* ^ mour; falls back and L^. / ^'^"'*^'?n; /'«'« a tre- Now it annpnr. ; ! •''' "'"^'^ *''« *atal verge ^:^be':!Eth:^?-e;:;;te;:lri^^^^ .0.0 U should be otherw.;e^^ ^uppose^a^^ ^e^' 3 •'truth. Truth in nppr.hmnon or ^ *^""'' «•■ l>hysical "/mm/; and that is when our n.?.nn,- ^' conception of the •• .he nature, propertie a'd f 2 rof'.'.'''^^ '"'li^'."^'""^ -*'^' •' logical truth: its oppo^u" 1 . rl; or a w"^'" ^^'^ '-"^ '""^'^ "the nature of thiW Tn-'i^.V* /A^ .'"''"^ """"^'I""^" «*' "ethical truth, is styled sincenV J. ^''^^t ot n.oruj anv(M. The person, blood and righteousness of Christ, icsiijicd in ike loord of Hod as the way of a 22 r Faith being a trusting in Chmt, iec"s'of onr rTh^'^r"' "?• ^'""^^'^y speaking, the oh- ,.hJ^%'"f ^- P'^"«>bJ« objection, perhaps, against the above defimtion is this: that the scriptue Ss of thl'yidtsurrH"^/ "r^^ ^^^^^ soul Awards h m , ,r'"' Christ for salvation-a venturing upon h m_a receiving of him-and trusting our eternal aim his hands: and this seems to be something more than a credit of the divine report, something Km said '/"''^'l^^-^^ ^--"^h- "This, itlia been fleeiU to "i' •^'^"J"^^^^ *^"^^' •« not a sinner's ft>r afvlln T'k^-^'I' ^"^ '■"^^•"g «n Christ alone IhltGohtV^ '^fl ^"^ ^••°'" ^^^^ h^^^t believes What God hath said of the nature of sin. his own vile savinri';'"^''"",'. ^'^^ '^' Slory of Christ's way of rest u^poX^r ""' "!.^^^«^^|'/ fl-e to. receive, ^and thn 7T salva ion. Unless it can be supposed ceDtation'"''";"'^ ^'r' "" "^J^^^ ^«^thy of all ac- case Ke i^ /h ^'"T^T^P' ''' ^^^« ^^^' be the soul to Chrii ? ,' '^' '^" ^^*""^ «"t§o'ng o^ the soul to Christ for salvation in a way of dependence on Jim. IS something distinct from the belief of theTruth ncV'fr'om ' Us'" ' °"^^ 'f?- ^" '"^^^^^^^^ ^«^'' ^ "^ - Z be bn/d Tf;. ^^'«t'ng»i«hed. perhaps, they may be, but divided they cannot be. Such a deoen- dence on Christ or trust in him, is at least anlmme Th?.o'fr?r^'''f"'"^ ^'^^^ ^°^ '^y^ concerning hTm ^Ui;:Jt^i:'Zt^;;^\ -d brieve ^s excelLc'^; When the scripture calls such a trusting in Chri^f by the name of faith, it is. I apprehend 1>y way o • " is"cTu'se''f7h'" ^''^^^ '^ ^^"^^ byLnLe ot Its cause. So the act of relieving the needy is Mot IV 63 to L. and U. P age 28. § Ps. ix. 10. no objection to the definition. 23 commonly called charity; but this is not charity nro perly speaking; for I may give all my goodsfo C he poor, and have no charity after all. It is ra- ther an immediate #cahereof, than the thing itself- and effrct. however, which, if there be ability and opportunity, certainly follows. Charity sTrict"v spcak.ng, IS a principle of love towards ^o'urfS creatures and christians; when, therefore, the act of ltV7^ '^'^^^'^.^y. i^ called by that ^ame it is easy to see that it 13 so called not properly bit me! us cause, or the act by that of its principle Sn •: '? k'"'''"/ •" ^^''''' '^ ^-»«. Acta vui. y Pajsa<;es of ScApture supposed to male against it. 31 express or imply any such tliinj^. It is quoted twice ill the new testament ; once hy the cvanf^elist John (ch. xii.38.) where such a helievinfr j^ affirmed to bo what wicked men could not r/o (vcise ,09). It should seem therefore to be of a spiritual nature. IJesides in verse 40, such believin<:ins to be thonpiht that a n)an may believe tlie whole truth of God, and yet live in unritrhteousness, and consequently be destitute of saving faith. But it may he replied it can hardly be supposed, that these men believed the v, hole truth of God. All that is meant here by truth seems to be the existence, and at most the unity of God, together with a few manghul ideas of so- jc of his perfections. Those were things manifest to them by tlie works of creation ; (verses 19, 20.) and this was the wliolc of what the best ofthem attaiuefl. All this, no d,)u!)t may be believed, and the believers, n-jtv/ithstrvnding, live in all unrigliteousnesi!. As to those passages where persons arc said to believe, as .S;inou .'Vl't.'TKs', and ^;>:rinpa,^ who were ^ et in a state of unregeacracy, it is answered. T tieij. V. y. § Act'? viii. i;j. xxvi. 27. ty Uac of tht definition. S-- 11 I. Persons may heliovc many llun^s in reliirion of • general «.,d external nature without cntorirTg into the.r mtnnfl.c excellence, as hath heen fully acknow- lod-ocl ; nml when they do this, may ho said to helievo thmgh It '.e m a very partial sense.' Many oftho chief rulers among the Jews are said to have believed on Christ, when n.» more i^ intended than a secret testi- mony ot the.r r..nflriencrs that he was tl>€ true Mes- s-';, lor they d,d not openly confess him, but loved the praiso of men more than the praise of God.* And nro- bahly none will cnre to attirm that Simon Mufr^.s or ^ixrippn sveut nuu'.U n.rthcr, save in this, that they acknowlrdi^id tljeir belief. ^ 2 Persons may profrss fo believe many things wluch yet, ,t .t wen- thoroughly examined info; they do not believe ,n fact. It is common to de- nominate persons arcording to what they profess rho Jews were n.-eourited Moses's disciples, and had no d')ubt but that they believed Mcses Yet when our Lord camo thoroughly to try the affair ho pUunly int.matod that they did not; for, says he' had ye btluved M.scs, yc would have believed me for he wrote oj me.f And from this passage we may easily infer, that even -^S^rppa^s bdief of the prophets was but ./W a belief, a mere superficial assentffo had he believed them alioU[)on any declaration of (iod, sayslMr. Charnock, ' id the belief of it ; an assent totlij trjth, and con- ' snnt to the goodness. The law of nature teaches us ' that every revelation of (iod is to be believed as ' true, and embraced as good. Wo are as much bound ' to believe God because of his truth, as to love him • because of his goodness. What can )C more ' reasonable than to turn to (jod, trust in him, accept ' of a righteousness from him, that we may be freed * from guilt, and glorify liis name ?' Sermon on John vi. 64, Those who deny faith to be a duty, allow it to be the duty of all men to believt the gospel report, since it id expressly said he that believtth not God hath made him a liar, bccatise he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.^ But then, this they suppose natural men may do, and that believing the record God hath given concerning his Son comes far short of saving faith. But whence is this inferred .' Surely not from the passage it ;elf. Not believing God so as to make him a liar does not there stand opposed to a mere co/rf ns.sen/ to the truth, but to true saving faith. The words are, He that believeth on the Son of God haih the roilness in himself, and consequently is a true believer. It follows, he that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he bclievHh not the record that God gave of his Son. By this it should seem the scripturea know no modiuui § 1 John V. 10. .11 Use of the definition. behveen true faith on the Son nf C^a a ■ ■ unbelief, which i« Joi, ?. I ^®^' ^^^ crimina A^\,u ^' -*" avowed deHtnrwy be n%ore of an mfi ho I aT/^r"'" V'ok,.iu. ohriatiJn, butTnfideU .hev" ;;;?»£Lrtr.:::..-,s.,;az;™i stir? SHs^^^^^^^^^ *J»=t z'"*"- ine revelation made at the time of mir says Mr. Br.ve, is not a conveyance of the know " mtlL n- '''""'' "•""" "'"'=h -en had not °he means of discovenng before, and which they were truths not already revealed to us in his word, is real • Psalm cxix. 106. t Eph. i. 1§. 1 Use of the definition. 35 " enlliusiusm ; and has nothing to support it in the " holy scriptures : on the contrary, such a wild con- " ceit stands there awfully condemned. "§ Now as every intrinsic glory and excellency in Christ, which is at any time seen by an eye of faith is repoiifd, can that be any thing short of savin«» faith that really believes that report ! Can any but true believers see any beauty in Christ that they should desire him ? Can any thing short of true faith believe him to be altogether lovely ? And yet, how else can they be said to believe the report of the gospel ? As these are things exj . >ssly recorded of him, how can ♦'\ey believe the record which God gives of his Son 1 Finally, If it is denied to be men's duty to believe these intrinsic excellencies of religion, let it be proved that these are not a part of the ncord which God hath given of his Son : or if the belief of these is allowed to be their duty, then let it be pointed out what there ig more in saving faith. If there is any thing therein which is not the duty of men in general, let it be particularly specified. i Tht Chri$tian Religion r«/ destitute of Argument. Pagft 44. ■i i an PART SECOND. Containing Arguments to prove Faith in Christ thm incumbent Dulii ot Men in grn-ral under the Soun'i ol the Gospel. Thocch I have said, if the foregoing definition be just, l.itle more need be added tn prove the point ; yet I would not be understood as if that were the toU pound on vfhich the ful.ject re^ts. There in much more evidence dtdueil.le, I Q| prehond, from holv Bcriptiire not only in concurrence with this, but independant of it: being equally valid whether the dehnition stand or M\. 1 shull eomprise the chief of it which has occurred to n;e. under five or six proposi- tiona, and endeavour to state the arguments theuc« arising. " HRIST IS COMMANDID IN THE Prop. I. Faith in C SCRIPTUUES TO UNCONVERTED SINNFRS — It is heTe cninmanda, is is commanded If then unconverted sinners, any injunctions of that taken for granted, that whatever God the duty of those to whom it is true faith were not the duty of we might expect never to find nature directed to tl le mm the holy scriptures. We m.::h expect God would as soon command them to be angels as christians, if the latter is no more their dntv than the former. But if. on the other hand, we ..hould find h.m frequently calling upon persons of this charac- ter to believe in his Son, or to do that which amounts to the same thing, then it necessarily fallows that this IS their duty, frnl'^fK ^'''L '" .*'' ^^ ^'""'^' ''•PP^«" evident both irom the old and new testament. The «ecowi ptalm S8 Believing in Christ cominuudcd of God. seems full to the purpose, particularly the 10th, 11th, and li2th versps. This psalm is most evidently a prophecy of the resurrect ioa Jind exaltation of the Messiah, occlng it is that, and that only, to which it will //frono/;.;^/ apply; and to this it is expressly and plentifully applied in the new tostatnent. The Son ' here spoken of cannot apply to Sulvmoii, or any mere creature, any more than, ' lliou wilt ml suffer tliine lidy 071C to sec corriipliov,' in the sixkenlh. psalm, can apply to David. Of him it is said, Th^' Lord hath said, thou art mj/ Son, this day have I begoitin thee. But this is a , dignity too great for ana??g-t'/to possess, /or unto which oftkc augels said he at any time, Ihou art my Son, tkij diy have 1 hegoUen thee (* much less then can we wppose it a dignity to which Solomon was equal. Besides none but the Messiah ever had the uttermost part of the earth promised him for his possession; and of no mere cr'eature can it bo said, bUssed r.re all they thatput their ti^st in him. From hence then I remark two things in reference to the question. 1. The kings and judges here commanded to kiss the Son are the same persons mentioned, verse 2. which we Hnd in the new testament applied to "Herod, and Ponvius Pilate, with the gentiles, and the people of lHrael,"t who were most certainly enemies to Christ, unre generate sinners ; and such these rulers lived and died, for aught appears to the contrary. i. Kissing the Son denotes a spiritual act^ a being reconciled to, and embracing the Son of God, which doubtless is of the very essence of true savinor faith. This lis evident by its being added, lest ye perish from Ihc way, implying that ifthe> -^id kiss the Son, they ^liould nut perish from the way; also by its being .ndded. blrjised are < 'I tluy that put Ihtir trust in him, * Heb. i. 6. t Acta iv. 29. Believing in Christ commandt d of God. 30 ■ft.; "*4 i Now putting their trust in him and kissing him seem nearly a-kin, both have the promise of bliaa annexed. That passage also in the 6th chapter of Jeremiah, verse 16ti», I apprehend is lully expressive of the same sentiment. Tiius says the Lord, sland yt in tht ways and see, and aslc for the old paths, where is tht »eem3 they were given over to judicial blindness, and were finally lost, verse 40. By the lifrhl they were commanded to believe in was undoubtedly meant himself. Indeed he explains it of himself in the 46th verse, saying, / am come a lioht hio the Korld, that vhnsoerer bvlievdh in me ahou'd not q6»'/e in darkness —-And what *»ju/ of faith it was that they were called upon to exercise is very plain, for 'Sat on their believing they would not have abode in darkness, but would have been the diildnn of li- is the work of G >d that >ie beltve on him whom he hath, sent wliich if it be a pertinent answer to the question asked (and no doubt hut it is so) is as if he had said, " this is what yon mu?f do if you think to please God— this ij« the first duty incum')eut upon you in that great v>'orkof labouring for that which endureth unto cvcrlastino- life, and without which it will be impossible, with any otiier labour whatsoever, to please God." — Or as th(! Jliumbbf, in their annotations, express it, " Thi.s i,-; his cominondincnt and will it is that which God roquireth of yon, that you should believe in me."- k If attendance on the means of grace be all that is required of unregenerate sinners, tiien I do not se<; what reason our Lord had to blame these people, at most, what reason he had to exhort them to what is spiritnalhi .elf known; ftnd this evidently in- cludes faith in him. This pa««sage not only proves Christ's equality with the Fathc'r, l»ut the obligations of mankind to believe in him. Men cannot be said to honour the Son us the Father Fcquircs to be honourf^d while they rejert him in all his offices and excellencies* and neglect bis great salvation. What is it to honour a king but to bow to his sceptre, and cheerfully obey his laws? — What to honour an ad- voratH but to commit our cause to him? What to honour a physician but to trust our lives in his 44 Delieiingin Christ coir.manded of Gcd. hand ? — and what to honour an in^illihlo teacher but to place an implicit and unbounded confidence in all he says ? These are chjiiactciH id wjiich Christ hath made himself known : to trust him therein is to honour liiui, and to distrust him is to dishonour him. Wicked men arc commanded t o SEHK the Lord whih he ma>i befonnd; and that in the ch;iractrr of the God o/^mcf, proinisinji mercy and abundant pardon to them pray » ii; a spiritual that seek him> Simon Ma aus, v/as c.\hv)!((d tor to the Lord for iUr pardon of' sin, nhitl bless^njr f Tiio contrary is represoiited as a hciimus sin — God lool.ed down from Jtic.vcn upr.^i the child) d " Iiruel knth not attained to the law of ri^liteonnncss, says the apostle. fVnertforel Because thrv sooght it not by faith, bid «» it were by the ivjrks of :he I ito, for they ?'a iibltd atthn' btiimblinx- «/onf. IT Oujiht they n<»t to have souijht it by faith? why, then, a'o th^^y blHined becaiisr they did not? Did they rijrbt, ana wliat tlu-y ou:Tht to do in stumbling at that Htu:n!)ling-stoin'? why, then, are they, in ho doinj^ said t.) be dtsobcdientff To these mi'^ht be addi^d, siish passages of scripture as command men to put their trust in the Lord, and blame them for the contrary practice. Thouj^h there be some ditfrrenco, as before observed, between /nii/i, strictly speaking;, and trust, yet there is not so much difference, but that the one always is attended with the other. Yea, trustinj^ includes believinfi, since no one can fully trust in another unless he believe his suitableness to help him. Now, that men, even while carnal, are commanded to put their trust in the Lord, and that in a spinlual way, is pkin from the fourth Psalm, where they who loved vani'y and sought after lying, are commanded to offer the sacrifices (f righUous- ness and pal their trust in the Lord. A trust connected with the sacrifices of righteousness must be a spiritual trust. And as men are commanded to put their trust in tae Lord, so they are frequently dehorted from, and blamed for, trusting in any thing else. Trust not in oppresnon, beconv. not vaiu in robberii — /^t-/ not him that is deceived trust in vanity — They trmt in vanity and speak lies.* Yea, the author of The Farther Enquiry seems here to unite in fixing blame upon such conduct. ' They plainly declare,' says he, ' that Christ is not • all and in all to them, but that he comes in but at * second hand, and their regard is more unto them- ▼ Rom. Lx. SI, 82. t 1 Pet. ii. 8. * Job xv. 31. Pa. UiL 10. Isaiah iix. 4. 46 Cf ficitn^ in ClirUi commanded of God. 'selves, and their dependence more upon their own * d.)in<;s, than upon the mi^xhtv one, on whom God hath •laid our help.' Pa;ri. mo.' Truo, hut wliat thon? If, m so djing, they only do as they nu.;ht, why these charges? If it is not men's duty to trust in the Lord for the sal- vation of their sotib, in what is it their duty to tfusi nny thing or nothing? Certainly iliey ouirlit not to Uust in Ihcmsclii's, for he that trusttth his oun hiart is a joul\— nor in clhcy men, for cursed is the imtn that liKstcih in man, and maLcth f.fsk /n'.son/i^ — nor in God, rnth
    |/e whutever from that quar- ter, which is the same as bei!)g dend io the laic It is allowed men have no irarrar.t to. expect salva- ttfiii by Clirist while they continue alive to tho law, or, which is the same thing, under an expectation of life frori soir.tt'iinii in Iheiuselres ; but when we say it is the duty of men to trust in Christ for salvation, we mean it is their duty tockase tri;stii«o in evert thing else, and to cast themselves on the Ijord Jesvs C'hi'ist as the only possible iray of tscnj^e. Every man has a warrant ao to trust in (^lirist. 'J'hat declaration, whosoever will, Ut him comr, is a sufficient one; and him thai comeih I will in no wise cast out, is another as sufficient. Surely it is every man'.s duty to think of hiniself a» lie RLAi LV IS, and as God iiatii tAiD he is; and if so, then it is his duty to consider himself as utterly ruined, Helf-ruined, void of hope from every quarter, unless it be a God in Christ, absolutely at divine discretion. In this condition, like the Syrians, having heard from the scriptures th^at the King of Israel is a merciful King, it is his duty, as well as interest, to go, as with ropes on his head, and cast himself at his feet. Whe- tl»€r he will accept and save him is another question; that he ought to leave with him. The lip of truth, how- ever, in that matter, has tcld u.s, him that comdh unto me I will in no vise cast out. — It is to no purposo to say here "• This is the effect of regeneration."* It is granted, and wiiat then? Such is' the error of men's minds, and enmity of their hearts, that they must undergo an entire renovation of soul before they can be set right. They must be born again, and as ft were, 7iew }i.ade. But this does not disprove, but in»p|y, their obligation to br right, previous to such renovation. t M»t. tn \.. and U-- narn S9. 48 •^/iu to bt vui Soiioit, ; hut tliis can hy no rncans l.e ullourd. 'J hat lei riving Chii!>t includes " a lirarty iLi.vt of hiui as Cod's ap}:oit)ttd way of salvatii II, ' and an rarrust f/fsiel IS preached, or it is not. If it is, the cause is ..oc.ded ; 1 It IS not, then they do right in disapproving of God ,s pla.1^ or in other words, are right in not beine willmg that God should be glorified in the highest! their lusts crucified, and their pride abased. When the apostle Paul so estimated Ch-ist's excellence as to account all other things but loss and duu^^ in compui-:son with him,§ did he over-estimate him. Did he set too high u value upon him, and too ow upon other things .' Few, if any, it is hoped will affirm that -Well, are others e.vcusable then when they undervalue him? Ojght not every sinner to account things to be what thpy are'^ But If any sinner where to do that, he would' account all his own possessions, and acquisitions to be but loss and ■iung compared with Christ's e.xcellence— that is h« wo.ldbe of the same spirit with the apoHtlePaul, and «o be a true believer. Faith in Jesus Christ, in the account of the apostle Pcler seems to consist in a//om»^ him that honour and excellence, of which he is in himself possesse 1, and which God in his word hath g^ve h-m-(I refer to his 1st epistle, ch. 2. ver. iT'n lnl,M K i'°" ^^'r^ '" «"•• expectations. The apos le had ju.st before said of him, that he was dvsallowed rndeed of nun, hut chosen of God, aJl prectous. Then in the verse referred to he 'adds Untoyo. therefore which believe, he rs precious: but unto them which be diso' dienl, the stone which the biulders '' "' '^^'ing dinners throu J. tne death oj his Son. ■= To suppose that the law obliges man to love God as man.testing himself in the works of creation und providence, but not m the work of redemption 1 to suppose that in the highest, and most gloriou. display of himself, he deserves no love, no'praise no approbation ! Those very excellencies the display ot which render him lovely in all his other works, such as wisdom, holiness, justice, and so on shine here wUh a tenfold lustre. To be obli-ed to love these excellencies when th. r appearance i5 a! he ghmmeriug star but not uhen it is as the blazin:. sun, IS very extraordinary. As these things cannot be separated in noin ot obligation so neither can they in fact. He tha loves God for any excellency, as manife^ i ir one w( 'ay, must, of nece.s:.ity, love him for that excellency, let it be manifested in what wav it will and the brighter the display, the sti'onger will bcl!!. \- 3 '1 54 Men ought to rec:ive and approve lohat God revea Z^. lore. This is verified in the holy angels, who when irst created, loved God only for the displays ol' himself in the creation of the natural and moral world. They saw him lay the foundation of the earth, and all in concert shouted for joy. Afterwards they saw his excellencies discovered in his works of frovxdence, in governing the world which he had made. Now they see more of his moral perfections, of his holiness, justice, and sovereignity, and now their love increases. Seated on his holy throne they compass him about. — On every occurrence of providence that displays his glory, one cries to anotlier, saying, holy, HOLT, holy is the LORD OF HOSTS, THE WHOLE EATTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY * Bye and bye thoy saw him discovered in a way more glorious still. The ever- fasting' God appears in human nature, wrapped in in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger — The jjreat design, not entirely unknown before, is now to them more fully unfolded — A'^otv their love rises higher ittill. Thither they bend their way — With joy one of the company hails the amazed shepherds — With jov too great to be contained, the rest arrive, and burst forth into a son^, Glory to God in the highest ; thus they sang, Glory to Gon ix the highest, os liAUTH PEACE, GOOD WILL TO MEn'!"!' Now whence did all this arise r whence but from supreme love to God 1 Whence is it but from this that tiie mysteries of redeeming love have ever since employed their chief L^.ention .' To what other principle can we impute it that these glorious truths are what above all things they desire to look ^/^^>?i^ Supreme love to God would naturally lead anv intelligent being to approve and admire the way of Halvation by Christ. If he had a soul, or ten thousand souls to save, he would be sure if he might, to venture his all there; and if he needed no salvation for himself. * Isa. Yi. + L«ke ii. 8 — 14. i 1 f'et. i. 12. Men ou^hl to receive and approve lehal God reveal*. 90 yet, like the angels, he would wish for an eternit)' to explore its wonders !— Hence it was, with the I greatest propriety, that our Lord told the Jews, / know I yni, that ye have nut the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not.l As if he should say, ' Whatever love you pretend to God and lus law, 'tis all pretence ; for it is impossible for any being to love God, and not embrace the greatest friend of God that ever existed ; to love his law, and not be ravished with a plan that above all things 'tendx to magnify, and make it honourable.' ° 1 will here subjoin some thoughts of the kind from two excellent writers, Mac Lauriv. and Ur Bellamy. The former expresses himselt'thus I he affections included in divitie love are founded ' on those truths, for which there is the .rreate«t ' evidence in the world. Every thing in th? world ' that proves the being of God, proves that his ' creatures should love him with all their hearts ' The evidence for these things is in ilself very ' strong, and level to every capacity. Where it does ' not ^ beget conviction, it is not owing to the ' v/eakness of men's capacities; but the strenrrth ot ' their prejudices, and prepossessions.' ' What- ' ever proves that reasonable creatures arc obiifred to ' Icye God and his law, proves that sinner^s are • obliged to suitable hatred of sin, and self-abasement •'°'"r^^', ^'^f""^'" c^""«t have due prevalent lovo •to God and hatred of sin, without prevalent desiv,' :foblaininrr deliverance from sin, and Ihc cnjomn^nt of God. A suitable desire of ao i.nportant end.^ ' cannot bo without proportionable desire of tie « necessary means. If a sinner, therefore, who hears • the gospel, have these suitable affections of love to ' God, and hatred of sin, to which he is oblitred h- ' tiic lawa of natural religion, these thino:, carnal he } John Y. 4?, a. Il II 56 Men ought to rtctice and approve what God reveals I separated from a real complacency in that redemption ' and ^racc which are proposed in revealed religion.-^ ' This docs not suppose that natural religion can • iliscovcr, or prove the peculiar things of the • f^o.-?pel to he true ; hut wi,cn they arc discovered ' It proves them to he infinitely desirahle. A hook ' of laws that are enforced with awful sanctions ' cannot prove that the sov 1<2. The latter, with still greater energy, if possible expresses himself as follows : — ' If any man has a ' taste for moral cxcoliency, a heart to account ' God glorious for being what he is ; he cannot but ' see the moral excellency of the law, and love it ' and conform to it ; because it is the imarrc of ' God : and so he cannot but see the moral ex- ' cellency of the gospel, and believe it, and love it • and comply with it ; for it is also the image of ' God. He that can see the moral beauty oi' the ' original, cannot but sec the moral beauty of the ' image drawn to life. He, therefore, that despises ' the gospel, and is an enemy to the law, even he is at ' enmity against God himself Rom. viii. 7. Ignorance ' of the glury of God, and enmity against him, make ' Men Ignorant of the glory of the law, and of the gospel ' and enemies to both. Did men know and love him ' that bcgal^ they would love that tchich is begotten of him ' I John V. 1. He that is of God, hcareth God's words ; 'ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God ' John viii. 47. True Religion delineattd, Page 332 The Gapel lirtuclltj teqvi es laiirgfciiL L I r rop III. The oosrEi., thouoii it nc no ^ LAW. BUT MESSAGE OF FUftE GUACE. IBT ▼ laiUALLT HEqUIRES SUCH AN CEEJDIENCK TO IT, WHICH INCLUDES SAVING FAITH. By tllC gOSpel riRxuAM,Y UEdumixG onEDiENCE is meant, that by- reason of the dignity of its author, with the excellence and importance of its subject matter, men are required to yield submission to it, and th;it with all their heart. 1 suppose it might be taken for granted, that the gospel possesses some degree of virtual authority ; as it is geui^rally acknowledged, that by reason of tho dignity of its author, and importance of its subject matter, it deserves the audience and allenlion of all mankind. The law of God requires so much on it.^ behalf The only question is how far thai ctithorily reaches} and how far men arc laid under obligation by it. If living faith is not the duty of men in general, then it must be supposed that the gospel contains no ■uch authority as to oblige them to it, and that a bart attendance on it, with a cold assent to its general doctrines, is all that is required. On the other hand, if living faith is the duty of men in general, then w« may expect to find the gospel possessed of so much virtual authority as to require it ; or ia other words, that such is the excellent nature of the gospel, that the law of God, which is the law of reason and equity, requires thus much on its behalf. Whether or no this bo the case, lei it ba impartially examined. Two things may be considered in proof that it is so. — 1. The nature of the gospel. — It is an embassy — an embassy from our rightful owner and ruler, against v/hom we have unreasonably rebelled — an embassy from one at whose pleasure we lie, and who could destroy us all in a moment — an embassy dictated by sovereign grace, and formed by itifinitc n 5U The Gospil virlually requires saving faith. wisdom— an embassy of peace, publishing a way ubcrein (Jod ran and will make peace with sinners on terms iiifmitciy Inmonrable to himself, and advan- tageous to them. S( e !2 Cor. v. 18, to the end. Now It is of the nature of an embassy of such a kind, even amongst men, to require more than a bare audience, more than an allailinn, yva. more than a belief that U tumefram him trhoni it pnfisscs fo come from. — It requires that those in rebellion should give it a cordial recepliun, ^:nmeduilclij lay duun all arms of hoslUihj, and entirely sabuM to menij. It requires that they cordially ac- (juusce t;j all ils dt'si<:ns, and iiitrcat to be in the number of those that shall be reclaimed by it. All this, or what amounts to as much, I apprehend is included in that forccited passage, Be yt reconciled unto God. 'I hat a oordial reception of God's embassy, rnd n hearty reconciliation to him, are incumbent on f^very sinner, one should think, needs no proof. It Jippears to carry its own evidence with it. For if it IS not their duty to give the gospel a cordial reception, or to receive it in the love of it, then carelessness, and indifference towards it are no sins. If not to lay down all arnis of hostility, and submit to mercy, then they are right in mmn/rtUM/jg- fl n-ar xvith God.'' So also, if it is not their duty to acquiesce in the grand designs of the gospel, then il is right that they should maintain opposxtion against those designs— and if not to be reconciled to God, then they aie right in being un- reconciled I ' When the apostle beseecheth us, ?ay8 Dr. Owen, to be reconciled unto God, I would know whether it be not a part of our duty to yield obedience to the apostle's exhortation.? If not, his exhortation is frivolous, and vain.' Display of Jirmin. chap. X. Yet if, on the other hand, it be allowed that these things are every one's duty, this is the game thing as allowing saving faith to be w I I The Coxpel lirivally n^jtVta scvir^ fcxih. i^ their duty. For he that f^ives the gospel a cordial reception, or leceives the lovi of the truth shall he $aved* And to lay down all arms of hostility is the same thing as submtsswn to the righteousness of God, which certainly is savin<,i; faith. f To acquiesce in the grand designs of the gospel, is to be heartily willing that God should he glorified, man abased, satan confounded, and sin destroyed. These arc certainly the grand ends, or designs of the gospel, and he that so heartily acquiesces as to finite, if I may HO speak, with God therein, is no doubt the subject of true saving faith. \or can reconciliation to Uod in- clude any thing less, seeing it is opposed to a state of enmity and unregencracy.^ i. Those ivho acquiesce in thcrvny of salvation in this spi- rilual manner, are rcpresLnlcd in their so doing, as fxtr- cising 0UF.i)iE:iCR — They are described as obeying the gospel, obeying; the truth, and obeying Christ. J The «'nd of the Christian ministry is said to be for obedi- ence toihe faith among all nations. || This accords with llie idea of an embassy of peace to a company of rebels. Submission in such a case, is properly an act of obedience. And that this obedience is spiritual, and so ofth % 1.0 I.I bi 128 1^ 22 2.0 1^ i^ a <% 7] A / / om Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 145(0 (716) 872-4503 4. ■'^ iV ■^ \\ o^ ^ ^' .^ m k II .il In II 60 The sense ofi Cor. v. 19, particularly considered. regenerate state, and bei7ig such, it is then his duty — It might be replied, then they only are capable of dis- obeying the gospel who are in a Htatc of regencracy; Ibr there can be no disobedience where there is no obli- gation. But those wbo disobey the gospel are not re- generate, but unregenerate persons, lor they are punished with everlasting dcstructionfrom the presence cf the Lord,* which the regenerate are not. And the apostle Peter asks very solemnly, what shall be the end of them xcho obey not the gospel of Croti?| which no doubt refers to the unregenerate. The passage of scripture on which the former part of this argument is founded, (namely, 2 Cor. v. 19, 20.) has been thought totally inapplicable to the subject, because ' it is supposed to be an address to the Church at Corinth, who were considered by the apostles as believers; and, therefore, it is thought, must mean a being reconciled to providence, or to the discipline and and ordinances of Christ, or something of that nature, iind so can have nothing to do with unregenerate sin- ners.* Now, let this matter be fairly and fully con- sidered. It appears to mc that the passage is not to be considered as an inmiediate address to the Church at Corinth, beseeching them then to be reconciled to God. Take the whole connexion togethor, and it may appear to be no immediate address to them in any sense, but ▲ REHEARS.VL OF THE AFOSTLE's OAV.N AND HIS brethren's conduct in the ministry, in ViN,DICA- TlOtf or HIMSELF AND THEM FROM THE INSINIA- TI0N8 OF CERTAIN FALiE TBACHERi. These teachers had crept in among the Corinthians, and by flattering their pride, had established their own reputation at the expense of the apostles. It appears, by Paul's answers, they had insinuated, among other things, "that tke apostle and his companions were either a stt of crafty men, who, by their soft, canting, * 2 Thes. i. 8, 9. t 1 Pet. if. 17. iiLl The sense oft Cor. v. 19. particularly eoruidered. 61 and beseeching style, ingratiated themselvea into peo- ple's esteem, thus caUhingihem, as it were, teiih gwU; (ch. i. 12, andxii. 16.) or at best a company of poor contemptible enthusiasts, very probably beside themsehe$ — (ch. V. 13.^ That they came in a iceak silly manner, entreating and beseeching people to this and that (ch! XI. 2 1 . ) That they were a company of wandering indi- gent, insignificant men ; afflicted ; necessitous, and rfw- tressed people— (chap. vi. 4.) People that made no account of themselves, and therefore should be made no account of by men of such wisdom and learning as were the Corinthians— (see ch. xi. especially verses 7. 19, 20, 21.) That as to Paul himself, however he might make a blustering noise in his letters, and wrxte like one of great wtrght and authority; yet bring him to hand and he was nothing ;— AtV bodilu presence, say they, is weak, and his speech contemptible ch. X. 10. '^ Paul, in behalf of himself and his brethren, enters on a vindication, by rehearsing what had been their conduct: He allows that they did enireat and beseech m their preaching ; but it was not owing to anv weakness, mucli less to craft or guile, but in con- formity to the example of Christ, (ch. x. 1.) and in compassion to tho souls of men. • We see, as if he should say, the wrath of God hanging over a euiltv world-we see the general judgment, the period ' 7h-ll r" ''"'■'^ "P°° *^^"^' ^'■^^'ng near— (see this 5th chap. ver. 10.) hwwing,thenfore the terror of ^ the I^d wepersuade men. Yes, we grant we persutd men, but we are made manifest to God. The intentions think they cannot be hidden from you, (ver II \ We do not speak this for the sake of commendine ourselves, but to furnish you with an answer to thosf who have reproached us ; whose whole boast con- sists in mere empty outside appearances ; in pedigree, G , I f f'2 Thetemcofl Cm', v. 19, particularly considtrtd. ' riches, and eloquence, in the form of a man's person, ' or the sound of his speech, instead of the integrity ' of Uis heart, (vcr. 12.) — Whatever we are, whether ' mad or sober, that we will not now determine ; but ' thus much we will say, it is love to God, and ' love to you, that makes us what we are,(ver. 13.) ' Yes, the love of Chri$t conslraineth us. If he loved ' sinners, (and us among the rest) so as to die for them, ' even when they were under the sentence ofdiaih; and this he did, for his dying for them in fuct, is a proof that they were all dead in demn-ii; surely we may love them so as to preach to them with all our souls, and that without being reckoned to be beside ourselves, Surely it highly becomes us, like Aaron, to run as with fire in our censors, and stand between the living and the dead !' (ver. 14.) * ' In thus devoting ourselves wholly to the love of God and souls, we answer the i^nd of Christ's death, which was, that those for whom he died ahotdd not henceforth live unto themselves ^ but unto him who died for them, and rose again, (ver. 16.) — Wherefore let your teachers glory in appearance as they will, we, for our parts, are determined to know no man after thejlesh. It matters nothing to us whether a man be Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, learned or unlearned. Yea, though Christ himself was of the Jews, and we for a * '3hon1d any object, ' that if the apostle is vindicating the pro- priety of his preaching to sinners from the consideration of Christ's •Iring for them, then, if he was bound to preach to all men, C'hiist niutt have died for all men ; and so universal redemption must be 4dnnttcd.' It is replied, the apostle's design is not to speak about the extent of cither Christ's death or his own preaching, but barely tho rondition of those for whom Christ died, and to whom he ]>rcached ; they were dead. His argument is, ' If Christ had love -^noagh to die for sinners when dead, surely we may have love rsuue^h even while they are in the same condition, to preach to ui'^m, nnd that with eamestsees, without being reckoned btaide rtf.'t i-.'t»r.t. (I I < I « < t 4 t i < I < < I t 4 I I I I t ( TA« sense o/2 Cor. ▼, 19,par/i'c«/ar/y consiileyeJ. 61 time rejoiced in our carnal relation to him ; yet now do we value ourselves no longer upon that score, (vef. 16 ) — Circumcision or uncircumcision with ua avails nothing— we wish to forget every thing bat Christ— to be dead to, and buried from, all other thmgs ; and to rise us into a new moral world. This IS thp spirit of real religion ; and do you, and your teachers, and all of us take notice, that without this there is no real Christianity.' vcr. 17. ' Our ministry then is of God, and we are not im- postors. And as we act in character, and not as bettde onrselves, in our zeal for God and souls ; io also m the manner of exercising it, viz. in beteechin- and persuading men. We are reconciled unto God bv l>hri8t ourselves, and have an embassy entrusted lit our hands to others. This our ministry is a ministnj 01 recoHcthahon, an embassy of peace, (ver. 18.) li xu declarative of the gracious counsels of God to that end (ver. 19.) Herein the eternal justly-offendtd i^d stoops so low as to beseech poor rebels to be reconciled to him, though he never did any thing to mcur their resentment ! Herein Christ the mediator unites with him in commissioning us as his ambassa- dors to go fortb, and in his stead beseech men to be reconciled, (ver. 21.) Urging also his having been rnade a sacrifice to obtain salvation for all those who A^u ^^ JV^conciled. (ver 21.) So then, not onlv doth God beseech, and Christ beseech, but it hath been our manner also, as workers together with them, to beseech that ye receive not this gospel of ^acf. this embassy of peace, in vain; (ch. vi. 1.) A little while and it will be recalled. ' Soon, ani if ye be not reconciled ye shall remain at eternal variance !' i '™^' <^°»?tinues the apostle to the Corinthians, this hath been the subject of our preaching, and these the Gi> -•jp« H m 64 The »ense of 2. Cor. v. 19 particularly considertd. motives that have in<1uced us, which your false teachers have wickedly imputed to guile or weahiess. This hath been our spirit, to beseech with meeknets and gentleness, giving no offence, that the ministry be not blamed, (ver, 3.) But they have turned that which was our excellence to our disadvantage. Had we come with the vain bombast of these pretenders, and and given ourselves airs like them ; then it seems we had been highly esteemed by you. But we sought not to approve ourselves to men, but to God ; and that in circumstances and by means, very different from th^ir's. In much patience, in affliclions, in necessi- ties, in distresses ; — bij pnreness, by knowledge, by long- ..,/r.,.;^o. h,. >h' rr ')., /.'/.,„» /, ; ... ,..,/•.;,., » , ,.' these are things surely which ought to endear us unto you, rather than give you a low opinion of ua.' —{See v^r. 4, to 12.) If the apostle is to be considered as immediately addressing the Corinthian ministers in this 6th chap- ter, as it has been understood, beseeching them then not to receive the grace of God in vain, he would have said in ver 4, in all things approving YOVRselves, and not ovRselves. By this it appears plain, as indeed it does from the connexion throughout, that th^ whole is a rehearsal of what was their manner of preaching. And if so, then this way of preaching to unconverted sinners is justifiable from apostolic •sample. Probabty there are two things that have contributed to cause this passage to be misunderstood. — one is the supplement you, which the translators have put three times over in the 20th verse of the 5th chapter, when it might have been better without them ; or if it must have been supplied, the word men, as it is in the text ofch. V. 11, might have better conveyed the apostle's idea. The other is the dividing the 5th and 6rh ii Tlie tcant of faith ascribed lo men's depravity. 65 chaptera. These are divided in the midst of the argu- ment, as will appear to any attentive person, which frequently tends to mislead the reader.* Prop. IV. The want op faith in Christ is ASCRIBEP IN THE SCRIPTURES TO MEn's DEPRAVITY .NO IS ITSELK THERE REPRESENTED AS A HE.NOU; IZ'T~ . T ^'^'^e" ^^-^ granted, that whatever i, charged on h.m as a cnme. nor imputed to any de- pravity in h.m. II then true faith in Christ is not mcumbent on sinners in general, we might expect never to hear the want of it charged on them a., a ftmlf -.iy mure tuaauoi oemg elected, or redeemed, which are acts in all respects peculiar to God. and therefore no! their duty. Yes, if so. we must expect to find r^en'H incapacty to believe in Christ purel} of a natural kZ\ and to have no more of moral euil in it than there is in the incapacity ot a lame man to walk, a blind man lo •With these thoughts agree those of Dr. Guise. 'It u to U f^'lt' 'V'u ^l\ '^T '" '*•« ^^" '"iddle clauses of this leriT ; th* apostle ha.i said. ^^r:TZ:::irtZ'i:^rT^^^^^^ we persuade men, we may naturally fuono^ .ha. h r ; .«en whom, as he there safd. they^rSS; td t ZTmZ supply the words wanting to fill up the ori.ri„al th.,; ^. .a I ' God did beseech men ftj us, we^praythmlnl^^^^^^^^^ aaytng he ye reconciled to God. Or else as th« nr^l .1 u a- •the verse immediately before this snoke of r^^'^ r *" eA.t.or/. inclusive Jf Gen^iCtortm^h^t^rnTn .'Sf though God did beseech the world bv u% w^ Jlr^l. A ' ; Christ's stead, sayin,, be ye reeon^iUd^o' Jo7.' u:::,^^ me. that the apostle was not here so directly addre^ ng hSf t^ • the Corinthians, according to their thnn ^L , 't S """•«"' <• • were supposed to be .IreldVac L ly recone ed t"'^^^^^^^^ •"*"' ' them an account of the general ten J^ Jht. ^^^' *' «'"""« • what he preached '• 37, 44, 45 66 An^ I chapter, yerses 35, Christ.' come to him afti? ""^^ "^'"e ^"^^t to •ufficient sa-iour. anS in ther'.' **'''' '"'''*^'^ »"<* [eady to perish; and as "^ch ?hi''' "' "'"""' ^^^ f'm with a welcome: but thlse'^m":' T/''"^ ^^ themselves as such nordiAth " ^'^ "°* ««• had of coming to Christ for h ^ T ^"^ "^^^ t»»«7 eternal life ei.ewhere •' IZ I ^''^^^^^ ^^^y »»ad ranee of themserves and "ch'rUt"'. their W prejudices against him • ^J' .■"** ^"<^^ their perverseness.^nd -ti^birn^nt. '^f' th'^' '^.f*^'^^' they had ao inclination desTre ' H n"" '^'"'' ^'^^^ Christ, any more than™' ^hich''; '" '°'"' ^^ against, and not for the free wi I .^ *" ^'-gument »• be to that which is J/ T i ^u^*"' ""'°«« ness of their wills tn « '^"^ t'^'* perverse- ^ealtd in the ox?e Ll "^- '^ ^^•''»*. ^^en ro^ n tfte external mm.gtry of the worJ, wm Tke want of faith auribed to men'i depravity. 1 1 I the word, was blai th< •ince tbi* WORTHY ' was not owing to any decree in God, but to tbe •CORRUPTIOIf ANP VITI0»1TY OF WATURE, WHICH •being blame wortht m them, that which • FOLLOWS urow MUST BE SO TOO; and it was the • greater aggravation ol" their sin that they had the • scriptures, which testified of Christ, and pointed at • him as the way of life, and yet would not come to •him for It. That ye might have life, that is •eternal life, as is expressed in the foregoing • verse, and is so read here in Beza's old copy in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions.' Epos! on the place. It is true, we expressly read pte-»w»,nr« *hg^f ^j, man ci.v come unto Christ except the t'ather draw him ;• but there is nothing inconsistent in this. The cannot Itself consists in a will not, or in other words, in the want of a heart to come to Christ, with a settled aver- nan to him. The inability of men to come to Christ IS, doubtless, by this expression, represented as beina total, which we never deny; but that is no proof of iti being tnnocent, which is the point in question. It be- ing expressly said no man oajt come, no more proves that theje is any other bar beside what lies in the wickedness of the heart, than its being expressly said of Joseph's brethren, they covlv itot speak peaceably to htm, proves that they had any other bar than their own pride and revenge. It is expressly said of some tnat they have eyes full of adultery, and cannot cease /rom»tn,t but none. I should think, supposes them to have been under any other necessity of sinning than what consisted in the strength of their propensities. So It IS expressly said, the camel mind is not subject to the law of God, neii/ier indeed can be, and that they that are tnthe flesh ci^tiHor please God;% but are they under any other inability than what lies in the badness of their * John ri. 44. t SP«t. ii. 14. 4 Bo«. TJii. 7, I. 72 The want of faith ascribed to men's depravity. a 11 i own hearts? or are they free from all obligation to be subji ci iV God's law, and to please him on that account? Is God indeed such a hard master that if a man were of ever such a right spirit, yet it would be all in vain? 'It is carna lily,' says Dr. Gill, ' that sets the soul 'against, and diverts it from, Christ, the way of life.' Expos, on Rom. viii. 6. ' It iaindiceUinf^ sin,' says Dr. OwEff , • that both disenableth men unto, and hinders 'them from believing, and that alo.^c. Blindness of ' mind, stubbornness of the will, sensuality of ihe af- ' factions, all concur to keep poor perishing souls at a ' distance from Christ. Men are made blind by sin, ' and cannot see his excellencies; obstinate, and will ' not lay hold of his righteousness; senseless, and take ' no notice o^ their eternal concernments.' Indwelling Sin, chap. 16. Farther, A voluntary and judicial OLiNDNiaa, oB»TiNACT, and HARDNxst OF HEART, are represented as the bar to conversion.! But if that which is pro- duced in conversion were what they were never in any state, nor in any sense possessed of, nor obliged to, how is it that any depravity in them should be bar to it? If there be no difference in point of duty between conversion and election, as some have suggested, then it is equally absurd for the apostle to say, Their eyes have they closed, lest they should see, and, be converted, as it would be to say, Their eyes have they closed, lest ihey should be elected! Again, those who embrace the gospel, and submit- ted to the government of the Messiah, and were bap- tized with the baptism of John, arc said, in Luke vii. 29, in so doing, to hnve juslijied God; their conduct was au acknowledgment of the justice of the divine law, and the wisdom and love of the gospel. Those, on the other hand, who did not thus submit, are said, in the li--.. Thv want of faith ascnbed to men's depravity. 75 1 next verse, to have rejected the counsel of God af^ainst themselves, not being baptized. But no Christian, I .•suppose, however, no Baptist, thinks it was their sin not to be baptized while they continued enemies to Christ; and probably very few, if any, serious pocdo- baptists would think it the duty o{ adults to be baptized in Christ's name while they continued enemies to him. How, then, can this passage be nnderstood, but by supposing (hat tliey ought to have repented of their sin, embraced the gospel of the Messiah, and so submitted to his ordinances? and that not with a mere outside re- pentance, or cold assent to the truth; for a profession of more than these was required to baptism, even such a repcii a ICC as should bring forth fruits ; and surely it was not their duty to profess what they had not. Finally, Unbelief is expressly declared to be a sim, of which the Spirit of Trtith has to convince the world.* Jiut unbelief could not be a sin, if faith were not a duty. And tliat unbelief here means more than barely an open disowning him to be the Messiah, if not cer- tain, is at least highly probable. The Spirit's work is not barely to convince the world of their open infi- delity, and to bring them to yield a cold assent to the gospel; this may be brought about without his special agency; but rather to convince them of their wicked opposition of heart to the way of salvation, and to bring them cordially to acquiesce in it. If it barely intend a conviction of his Messiahship, then that part of the Spirit's work is now unnecessary in the Christian world; but if otherwise, then there is as great a need of his work now to convince those of their unbelief who are born in a Christian land as ever; yea, in some sense greater. It seems to be a greater work to con- vince thtm of that sin than others who are professed heathens. Their infidelity and opposition to Christ • Joha xvi. 8,9. II il i] ll •: 74 Pvniehmenli thre^itenfd and ivfic((dfcr not beliiviftg. being more hid, and out of view, it is very difficult tp inAke them believe that they are eneroiea to Christ, Ofid VfiiJd not be tared in Aw nay if they covld. So f«r, then, as one case caA be saiJ to be harder than another where the agent is omnipotent, theee may be affirmed to he the most difficult cases, and most to stand in need of the spirit of truth to convince them of their sin. See the judicious Charnock's excellent sermon on Unbtlief the greatest sin, from the above passage. Vol. II. of bis works. prop. V. God has threatened awd inflicted TH^ ^lOST AWFVL rUMSHMKNTS ON MEN FOB THEIR rrilT BELIEVING IN THE LoftD JeSUB ChRIST. It JS here taken for granted that nothing can be the cause of God's inflicting punishmeot but sin. If, then, true faith he not the duty of men in general, and the want of it is npt their sin, we may certainly conclude we shall never anywhere in scripture find that assigned aa ajrewon of their punishment. But if, on tie contrary, we^ilhould find that npt believing in Jesus Christ in a^- *ijSW^^ a* a reason of God's inflicting punishment, then ni^y.we with certainty concb^de that it is their sin, a^id the co|it;rary their duty. Tp :*)egin wijh the Qonjinission vhich «ur J.,ord gaxe to .liis apostles (M^rk xvj. 16.) wherein are thoa? r "^»e procuring causes oftheir being consumed. Again, in Psalm cxlvii. 6. we read, The Lord hfteth up Ok »»«* : hi castelh the wicked dnwn to thf. f^rotmd. But it might be said, as the meekness of the former is not the procuring cause of his being lifted us ; so it cannot be from hence inferred that the wickedness ofth* latter is the procuring cause of his being cast dbWtt. Again, in Psalm cxlv. 20. we read, The Lord pre- t Mot. to L. andU. pagedt, 32, U2 I m 1 1 76 Punishni^iUa threatened and inflicted for not believing. serveth all that love him; b-ut the wicked will he dtatroy. But it might be said, as the love of the one is not the procuring cause of his preservation, so it cannot be proved from hence that the wickedness of the other is the procuring cause of his destruction— that these declarations contain onjy the Meatriptive charactera of those who arc saved, and of those wlio perish i Might not ahiiost all the throatenings in the book of God be thus made to say nothing r for the mode in which they are delivered it the same with the above passage. For instance. What shall be given unto that, or tehat ahall be done unto thee, thou falac iongiul Sharp arrows of the mighty with coala of juniper.^-Ht that aheweth no mercy, shall have judg- meni without mercy. — Whoremangera and adulterer a God will judge. — Be not deceived; neither fomicatora, nor idolaters, noradulterera, nor effeminate,, nor abuaera of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionets, shall inherit the kingdom of God.— Behold the day come0t, that ahalC burn as an ovsn, atid all the proud, yea, and all that da wickedly, shall be stubble.— Bring hither those miitt enemies that would not Hhat I should reign over them, and slay them before me. — The fearful^ and unbelieving ^ and ahonnnable,^ and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liara, ahall have their part in the lake which bumeth with fire and brim- atone: which ia the aecond death! — But none of these awful threatenings declare that the respective crimen which are mentioned are the procuring cofitea of the evils denounced. Though it is said concernjuRg th/B falae tonpie, that sharp arrows of the mighty, with coala of juniper, ahall be given him; yet it does not say that these shall he given him btcauae of hia faiaehooi, and so on of the rest. And thus they may be only descriptive characters of those who shall be damned, Pumahmenl8 threatened and inflicted for not belitting. TJ «nd ftlF these characters for ought these denoncia(i60i prove, may be blamelesd ! The foregoing passages are offered for ednst^ttt- tion instead of numbers more that might be easHy produced, to shew the tendency of the abote reaBOd'' ing. The truth is, though eternal life be the gift &f God; yet eternal death is the proper WAOKt of «in. So it is apprehended, though faith is not repre- sented in the above passage, as a pfocuring cattse of salvation, yet it does not thence follow but (hat unbelief is of damnation. As it is usuhI in tFre scrip- tures to describe those that shall be saved, by some- thing which is pleasing to God, and by which they are meetened for glory; so it is as usual to describe those that shall be lost by something which ig dis- pleasing to God, and by which they are fitted for destruction. The next passage I wish to have considered is in John iii. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned already, beemtse he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Here /wo things are observable: first, that the faith spoken of in the former part of the verse mufst be special faith ; seeing its subjects are exempted from condemnation. Second, that the want of that faith is represented as a formal cause of a 6mntt*i being condemned. The passage which was last con- sidered was thought to prove nothing, because though it declared that he that believed not should be damned; yet it did not assign the want of faith as the procuring cattse of that damnation. But that cannot be pleaded here. Here it is expressly said, such ctre condemned because they have not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of Gfod. 11 i sj= «^=ijj4i wi liiw cYOiiguiioi nere. i apprviiep'^ h3 IS J iff *K 78 Pnni8hmeni$ threaiened and inflicUdfcr net heHiunf;. not to represent them as barely under the Rentence of rlie law/or their other, ins, they not having believed in (.hrist; though that, no doubt, is a great and awful ■ i: /A^. *•*■ "®^^'" ^^^ *o '""> ^or refuge, the wrath of God most certainly abideth on him for all his oUur crimes. But the design here was to assure them, that, added to all these, they lay under the tremendous charge of neglecting, and so rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ, the life and light of men; and that this was sofar fi^om being a trifling oflTence, it was the hnishmg piece to all their other offences, and what was sufficient of itself to ^ndemn them. This apDcars Irom two things: first, from the sncominm given to Christ in the passage, the only begotte;* Son op UoD as aggravating the rejection of him. Secondhl rom the following verse, which expressly determines tho meanrtig of the verse foregoing. 77m w the cowDEM.VATiON', that light is come into the world; and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deed, were enl. I li I'll li , !! il M II Again, the treatment which those who reiect ti^ «overnnr.ent of Christ shall receive at his hand is a proof of what he thinks of tlipir conduct. But' those mine enemies, said he, that would not that I should rcien x!r Q^' ir^K^fr^ and slay them be/ore me, Lufe xix. 27 But if Christ, as wearing his med atorial crown, had not a right to their unreserved submission and hearty obedience, he had no right to be anTrv much less to punish them as his enemies, for not bfine willing that ho should roign over them. He had no right to reign over them, at least not over their hearts i{ they were not obliged to obey/rom their hearts Everv .nan ought to be Christ's friend, or else his enemy or else to stand neuter, and be neither . To suppose' tho t.rst, IS to grant all we plead for; to suppose the second is too horrid to need a refutation: if then neither of these will satisfy, it must fall upon the third— it SiiUSl ij Other apirilual di$poiilion» incumbent. 70 be their duty neithertolove bim nor hate him, obey him ncr resist him, to bless him at all, nor curae him at all- but to remnm in a state of absolute neutrality. It falls out however, equally unhappy f„r this supposition as for the last, it proves to be an impossibility. He that i$ not^wUk me, says Christ, i$ against me ; and he that .^^t / . ..., .....L tcalterelh abroad* L!;atherclh mt with me, Another paasaga I wish to have well considered, in iii2Thes. n. 10, II. 12. There the coming of anti- «^hri3t 13 said to be icUh all deceivablenesa of untightcous- ncss, m them that perish : because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be sav^a. J/irf for this ratue God shall send them strong delusion, that they should hcliete a he : that they all might be damned, xtho believed not the truth, but hadplecsiire in unrighieovaness From iience we remark two things ; first, that faith is here ycf relented as a receiving the love of the truth; and that It IS true saving faith here spoken of, is certain, it being added, they might be saved. This plainly intimates that they would have been saved had they so received the truth. Secondly, that their not receiving the love of the truth, or which is the same thing, not believing witn such a faith as that to which salvation is promised i-i here assigned as a cause of their being given up of C»od, and carried away with all deceivableness of un- nghteousness—of God's sending them strong de- lusion that they should believe a lie, and be damned liow_ this can be accounted for but by allowing that they ought to have received the love of the truth, is difficult to say ; and yet if this is allowed, it is the same thing as allowing saving faith to have been their duty. Prop. VI. Seeing other graces, or sfiritual DISPOSITIONS, WITH WHICH SALVATION IS CONNECTED ARE REPRLSENTED AS THE DWTIES OF MBW IN GENeI * Matt. zii. to. If I:' ! '1 80 Other tpiriluai di$po$ition$ ineumbeni. »1L, THCRB It NO REASOff WHT FAITH SHOVLD WOT M TW% SAME. If the former part of this propo- sition can be proved, I luppose the latter will not be ditputed ; for though these controversies hare in general been carried on under the names of repentance MdfaUh; yet they, in fact, have always extend- ed to every thing truly and spiritually good. I query If an instance can be found of a person who allows of carnal men being obliged to do things spiritually good who yet denies it to be their duty to believe in Christ' However, if such an instance can be found it is cer- tainly very rare. In general those who deny one spiritual disposition being the sinner's duty, deny all- and go upon tiiis principle, ' that none caa be obliged to act spiritually but spiritual men.' If a person could be brought to acknowledge one of these disposi- tions to be incumbent on carnal men, probably he would soon be brought to acknowledge others As this then seems to be at the bottom of the controversy ajd is a subject of very great importance, the whole of Cxod s authority over the hearts of men being herein concerned, it must be allowed to deserve a particular consideration. , Before we proceed any farther, it may not be amiss to determine the meaning of spiritual actt and spiritual dispositions. The scripture appears to me by the term spnrUual, when applied to the dispositions of the mind, to mean truly holy, as opposed to carnal So the law of God ia said to be spiritual, though we are camal;f and so spiritual mindedness is opposed to carnal mindedness. J 'Tis allowed, these terms sometimes change their meaning. They are made use of to distinguish things heavenly from things earthly ; as when the apostle says, If we have sown unto you spiritual ihinfrs, it if a great thing if we shall reof your carnal thinz* ?§ In this use of the terms, t Rom. vii. 14. % Rom. vffi. «. § 1 Cor. ix. 11. Olher apirUual dispositions incumbent. 81 the idea of virtue on the one hand, or crimioalily on the olher, must be lei\ out, they not being applied to the dispositions uf the mind. So also spiritual is sometimes opposed to natural, as when the bodies of dying Adam, and the risen Redeemer are con- trasted, as also the bodies of saints when buried and when :ai3ed.§ But whenever applied to the disposi' tiona of the mind, spiritual stands opposed to carnal, and that in the criminal sense of the word. It appears t^o me, that the scripture knows nothins: of natural holiness, as distinguished from spiritual holiness — that it knows of but one kind of rea/ holiness, and that is a conformity to the holy law of God — that such a conformity is spirituality, and its opposite, carnality. See Jer. xxxi. 33. compared with Rom. viii. 7. If this, however plain it may appear to me, should not be universally allowed, I may go upon a more undisputed ground. The criterion by which I shall all along judge of what are spiritual dispositions, will be their hating the promise of spiritual blessings. What- ever has the promise of eternal glory, or of any blessing of special grace, that will be taken for granted to be a spiritual disposition ; and this it is hoped, will not be denied. Whether these dispo-. ^itions be incumbent oi^ c^rpa] men, \&\ us ^o^Y enquire. 1. The law \f God is expressly said to be spiritual; 0.nd that in the same sense as the hearts of believcra, sanctified by the grjice of God are said to be spiritual, namely, in opposition to carnal.\\ ' The law may ' be said to 'be spiritual, ssiys Dr. Gill, because it ' comes from the spirit of God, and reaches to the ' spirit of man ; it requires truth in the inward parts; < SPIRITUAL SERVICE AND OBEDIENCE; a serving of it with ^ our minds ; a worshipping of God in spirit and § 1 Cor, XV. 44, 45,^ 46. It Rom. viii. 6. TJi. U^ 12 Ott*r tpirUval dispasitiotu incumbent. ' 1^ well „ ""5 f^'"" ^•^'^ «" «"^ hearts and soul.. • ^ZiL A r'"^"'''"''"*^*' °^ «" »'»e «"f^«rd acts of • obeflH??,'* ^T • "J^ ''^""^^ '« <^«nnot be July • the Spir^^^^^^^^ ^'^hout the as8;«tancc o^f ' DntiT * ^ ^"I!^ ?*P**»- «n Rom. vii. 14 • Mr BRr. discharged ir. a spirih,„, manner, says Mr Ur.^b are unacceptable to God, for without c*rn». " " '"'possible to please him '1-11? then «rna| n,en arc not obhged Jo do any thing spLnaiW God ;t air '?;"' r^""" '^^ '^^^ "«^ ^ound ?o please ^06 at all. or do what is acceptable in his sight muSJ W^„ aL •*^"'- r^ ."^^^ '^"' ''^'f'^P f'^. »n^ ^ .^* ^°° '^ ^« much a sp ritual beinu .37,. j^; '*" "'''°'' *""< '■> worship, as much when beni o'rf r "'"i"*"^^ disposition or action is inciim- J^rthinVr//;' ,i^i'',: L" il::;;^ TgT '^''' " br nature are nof onlyde'srit:;;''Xn;tlt^^^^^ in being so are not at all to blame-they have no ground to reflect upon themselves for i7 nor anv o J^l^'ch "r,-'*' — the Lord Jesus Christ? this is commanded lo men in general. Love, as it respects God for its ohject, is cither feigned or real; the former cannot be the duty of any man, unless it be his duty to bo a hypocrite. The latter consists in either a gratitude for the bcstowment of favours, or in a hearty approbation of, and holy complacency in bim, for his own native excellency; such as his holiness, justice, sovereignty, faithfulness, kc. The ^rrf of these is the duty of every one who is a sharer of those favours, and that according to the nature and degree of what he shares. The last, which is, perhaps, the purest, noblest kind of love that can be exercised, is incumbent on every one who has the natural use of his faculties, and the means of knowing those excellencies; which every intolligent creaturo has in a greater or less deforce. Those who have ac- cess to the holy scriptures have the means plentifully of knowing what God is, and nothing but a shameful disinclination and wicked aversion hides his glory from their minds. As to those who have never heard ot the scriptures, they have the works of creation and providence, by which they might learn, if they vere rightly disposed, so much of the divine cha- racter as to know him to be a most amiable, lovely being. The apostle tells us, Tkat which may be known of God .is manifest to them, for God hath shewed it unlo them* * Ronv L 19. Olher spintual disposUioHS incumbent. 89 If nothing but n love of ^m/i< de is due from carnal men to God, then God doen not deserve to be loved for hi« own excellency ! His h(»liness, justice, so- vereignity, and faithfulness, are not what ought to render him lovely in thoir eyes ! Surely the contrary must be evident, not only from the thing itself, which is its own evidence, but from the concurrent language of holy writ. Thou shnll love Ike IjOrd thy God, with all ilitj heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thif mindy and with all thy stirn;rthf If any man love not the I^rd Jesus Christ, let him be ^Qnalhema Maranatha!^^ Men, by sin, have lost all just ideas of the beauty of God's character, and so have sunk into a total disregard of him; are become dead to all sense of moral excellence; yea, and it is to come to this, that now they think themselves not oblin;ed to love him. Blinded through the love of sin to ail the real excel- lencies of his nature, they cannot think themselves bound to love a Being of his character. All this is shocking:— but should the friends of God join with them in it, and say ' true, you cannot love him, you hnve no principle to excite you to such a thing, there- fore we allow you to be free:' this would be shocking beyond expression ! Is it a spiritual act to fear God? this also is re- quired of all men. Fear, as it respects God for its object, is either a dread of the misery which God has threatened for sin, so the wicked, and slothful servant feared him;;| and so hypocrites and devils have feared him in all ages; or a tenderness of spirit, hating evil and dreading to offend, and dishonour his holy name- so the godly have always feared him. If the first only ot these bethedufy of carnal men, then the honour and glory of (rod's holy name ought to have no imprcs- + Matt, xrli «17 I r'„- I 3 *^ •^ tv « , A I A , '3 hi? ■I- I r :i - ' I 90 Other spiritual disposUom inciimhent. sion on their minds; nor ought they to hate evil, noi refrain from it because it is a stain and dishonour to his blessed character, and breach of his authority ; but barely because of the mischief that it brings upon themselves ! An assertion this, which one would hope, no true lover of God would dare to mairrtain ! This would make God's law require such a fear only as hypocrites and devils possess — a fear whf^ - there can be no real virtue, nor piety towards G inlcss we suppose the devils have virtue and piety in tliem ! In proof of the contrary, if proof be wanting, let the following passages be impartially considered. O that there tare such an heart in them, that thcij wouhl FEKiime, and keep all my commandments always. ' Fc\K bejyre him, all the earth. Let all that be round about him brino; presents unto him that ought to UK FEARED. IVho would iwt FEAR thcc, O king of nations ? Fear thou God. Fear God, and keep Atv (ommandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Gather the people together, men, women, and children, and the dranf!;er tliat is tnthin thy gates, that they may hear, aiut Ihat they may learn, and fear the Lord your God: and that their children, which have not known any - thing, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling, ^^nd 1 saiu another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the cver- Idsting gospel to preach unto them that dwell en the earthy und lo every nation, and kindred, and tongue, ami people,— saying Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven a7id earth! Who shall not feau thee, O LoM, aiui glorify thy name 1 for thou only art hoi l — And as the fear of the Lord is the duty of all men. l>i t. V. '>f). I C'hron, xvi. 30. Pa. l\\\\. 11. Jer. r.cr\ V. 7. Kii. IS Rev. Dout. xxxi. I?., 13. xiv. G, 1. \y \. Vf. ii. li T. 7. Olhcr splriliial dispo^iliom incumbent. 01 HO the want of it is represented as their dreadful sin. When men's depravity is described, nothing need be brought as a greater proof of it, than their having no Kn\R OF God before theih eyes !I| OF God a spi- Is PRAISE, or an holy adoration ritual exercise ? this also is every one's duty. Of praise it may be said the same as of love, of which it i.^ the joyful expression, it is either feigned or real; either in mere words, or with the heart. The former cannot be the duty of men, unless it be their duty to be hypocrites; and if so, then the latter must. This consists in either thanking God for mercies received, or adoring hiin for his infinite excellencies. Both these were the common employment of the sweet singer of Israel. Often he praised the Lord icho heard liis cries and became his salvation; and as often resolved to this effect, / loill praise the Lord, according to his righteousness ; and ivill sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.* The last^ue Psalms are full of these holy adorations. They each begin and end with a hal- r.ELUJAii, and speak the writer to have reached almost the suburbs of the heavenly world. Now, though none amongst men but saints, ever have thus praised the Lord, or ever will; yet it is that in which every one ought to bear a part. All creation ought to unite in this; and all creation in some sort, will unite in it, except devils and wicked men. Every creature that is in heaven, a)id on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in Ih^.m, heard /, said the divine, saying blessing, honour, glory, and power be iinto him, that silteth on Ihc throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and crer.' J Whatever may be said against its being the duty of carnal njcn to praise him for the bestow- ment of spiritual blessings; surely they ought to praise lloin. IS. *Ph. oxviii. 21. vii. 17. i Ruv. v. 13. h: f li- ill! I'l 92 Other $pirUttal dispotUions incumbtnt. and adore him for his own infinite excellencies; and this is the most noble and spiritual kind of praise of any that is offered to God. The language of the /to/t/ scriptures on this subject is, Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds nj the peopie, give unto the Lord glory and strength — Give unto the Lord the glorif DUE wdo his name. Bring an offering, and cotne before him — worship the I^rd in the heavli; of holiness. Make a joyful noife unto the Lord all ye lands — kings of the earthy and all people, princes, and all judges of the earth — Both young men, and maidens, old men, and children — let them praise the name of the Lord, for lus NAME ALONE IS EXCELLENT — his gtory is above the earth, and heavens. Let the people praise thee, O God, let all the people praise thee /"f Is REPEInTANCE, OR A OOULY SORROIV FOR SIN a spiritual exercise? this also is every one's duty. Re- pentance is either on account of the consequencet attending sin, so Judas repented: or on account of the heinous nature of sin, so the godly in all age.s have repented. The former has nothing of that in- genuous grief that ariseth from love to God, and a holy self-loathing for having offended and dishonoured him; the latter has. If the first only be the duty of sinners, then it is not their duty to love God, nor be grieved for having offended and dishonoured him; nor to be angry with themselves for having so treated him ! But surely the latter is their duty, however far they are from it ! Surely for this the concurrent voice of revelation and right reason is heard. The language of the former is, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded. t 1 Chron. 3vi. 28, 29. Pa. cxlviii, U, 12, 13. Ixvii. 3. J Other spiritual dispoailions incumbent. 03 Be afflicltd, and mourn, and weep : lei your laughter he turned to moumingy and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall Ujt you up.^ The hardness of heart which our Lord found in the Jews, and which is the opposite of repentance, grieved him, which it would not, had it not been their sin — and a hard and impetiitent heart treasures up wrath against the daij of wrath; but impenitence could be no siir, if penitence were not a duty, J As to the language of right reason, surely nothing can be more reasonable than for him that committeth bin to be sorry for it, and that with all his hea^t and soul; not merely on account of consequences, hut for its being so contrary to what it ought to be; so offensive and dishonorable to the ever blessed God. For us to allow God no other repentance as his due than a repentance for consequences, is certainly to put him off with what wo should scorn to be put off with ourselves. If we are offended by a fellow- creature, we think it bul right, and reasonable, that he should be sorry for the evil of his conduct; and not merely because having incurred our dis- pleasure, that puts him to an inconvenience. Nay, we do not use to make any thing of <«uch a repent- ance: we should call it a gallows repentance: Ojj'tr it now unto thy governor, will he be pleased with thee, or ac- cept thy person, aaith the Lord of Hosts!* If I be a father, xohere is mine honour 1 and if a master, where is m»y yj-ar?*— Once more, Is the exercise of humility a spiritual exerciser this also is every one's duty. Humility is that state of the mind, wherein, in some sense or otiicr, it is brought down, or lies loiv. It is variously applied in scripture, and in common speech. It sometimes § Matt. iii. 2. AcU iii. 19. Ja. iv. 8, 9, 10. :j: Mark iii. .'>, Kyin. u. 5. Mai. 1. a, 8. 94 Other spirUual dispnsiliona incumbent. Nignifies no more than a being brought into circum- Htances of shame and disgrace, because that is sup- posed to be what mortifies and brings down the mind. So, when a woman ia disgracefully forced, she is frequently said in scripture to be hnmbltd. Sometimes it signifies that involuntary shame that arises from conscious guilt: so Saul humbled himself to David, when it was impossible for him to defend his cause. Sometimes a mixture of fear unites with this kind of shame, which tends to bring down the mind. So Ahab, when he was reproved and threatened, htin^led himself before the Lord; partly because his wickedness admitted no defence; and partly be- cause he trembled, and felt himself appalled at the threatenings of him who, he knew, was stronger than ho. ; That humility in fallen men, with which salvation ii connected, consists in a spint brought down to our condition, whether it respects our temporal or spiritual concerns. If the former, it is a spirit brought down to that state of poverty, afiliction, or whatever adver- sity, to which God has brought us. This spirit was exemplified in David, and its opposite in Saul. The one, when in danger of losing his crown and life, by the unnatural rebellion of his own son, thus expressed himself: Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favour in the eyes ojthe Lord, he icxll bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation. But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee, behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him!'\ The other, when told that the Lord had rejected him from being king, instead of justifying God, and humbling himself before him, immediately commenced war with him; tried all he could to kill David, the Lord^s anointed, and so to overthrow the divine counsel. When sinners are humbled, it is forced t 2 Sam. XT. 25, 26. ! 4 Other ipiritual dispoaUiom incumbettl. 05 work. They lie low, but as a spring, no longer than the prcsning hand of providence is upon them. As soon as that is rcinoved, they instantly spring up again into their own position, ^o it was repeatedly with Pharaoh. But saints love and chuse to lie low. They have even judged trials themselves to be best for them, and have been willing to bear them, and that merely for the sake of that lowliness of spirit which has accompanied them. So Jeremiah, per- sonating his country, prayed, O Litrd, correct me!^ and so the church, in extreme affliction, judged it good for a man to bear the yoke in /»w ymith; and that be- cause of the effect that attended it, He iitteth aloncj and keepeth $ilencf, because he hath borne it upon him. Ht pulteth his mmith in the dust, if so be there may be hope!* If this kind of humility be not the duty of men in general, then it is not their sin to have a murmuring spirit, under the humbling providence of God; but they are right in not having a frame of heart answer- able to their lot! If it respect our tpiritual conceins, that is, our state as creatures, and vile sinners before God; then it consists in a spirit brought down to that condition; in a willingness in all our dealings with God for sal- vation, to consider -ourselves as such, and to act ac- cordingly. Pride maKCs men scorn to go to Christ, as ignorant, to be instructed, as naked, to be clothed in another's righteousness, or as guilty, to implore a free forgiveness. If they pray at all, they had rather transfer the idea of guilt to some other profligate wretch ; to that publican ; and consider themselves as upon terms with the Almighty. But humility is a lowliness of spirit, suited to our low, degraded, and wretched condition. I speak of humility as to its own nature, or way of working. It is true, no man in this world hath fully such a thought of himself, aa his « Jer. z. 24. * Lam. iii. 27. 28. 29. 96 Other npiriliial dispositions inciimhenl. case nnd circumstances require; but this in owing to humility being so very small in degree, and there being so much remaining pride in us all Solar as humility goes, it works in this way: So it was with the publi- lican, when he durst not lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, an'l cried, God be merciful to me, a sinnerf and so with the woman of Canaan, when she was contented to be treated by Christ as a dog, and as a dog, made her petition. If this is not the duty of men in general, then it is not their duty to think of themselves as they really are, and as God hath said they are. If a man were but to view himself as he really is, he would find two grand reasons for humility: the one, his littleness as a creature, and the other, his odiousn«sg as a sinner. In the first view, he would shrink into nothing, as it were, before the eternal all; but in the last, he would think himself infinitely worse than nothing! The most poisonous serpent, or loathsome toad, would be inconceivably less odious in his sight, than he must know himself to be in the sight of God. He would appear to himself a most ugly, vilo, filthy creature; utterly unfit for the society of holy beings; yea, utterly unworthy to breathe God's air or tread upon his earth! He would think it a wonder that the very creation of God did not rise up against him, and send him quick to hell ! He would impute it to the mere mercy of God that they were withheld, by his making a covenant for him with the very stones and beasts of the field! And all this would fill his heart with holy gratitude. Yea, and when he had gone thus far, he would be far from ihinliing much of his humility. It would seem no more for him to think thus himself, than for a thief or a murderer, to think himself odious to mankind. Now, all this is men's duty, unless it can be proved that they ought not to think of them- selves OS they are, and as God hath said they are. i\ i I Oetural obaervattom on the extent of God't law. 97 To think thus, is only to tfnnk sobrrh, of themsdvt9, which, xi an aposile had never said it, reason and conscience might have told us, is no more than ercrw man ought to think f * The last proposition has been the longrr dwelt upon, because o( the varii ly ofthe subjects contamed in It, and because it seems to lie at the bottom of the controversy It is hoped that what has b. en said will make It manliest, that 8piritvahli:illn,ebe their duty, bt the reasons be given why >//* sho«Jd not be the same. *' I ehall conclude this part with some ofneral OBIERVATIONS ON THE EXTENT OF THE RILE OF HU- MAN CONDUCT. It has been thoufrht by many that we have certainly been too superlirial in our ennuiries into this great standard of right and wrong, which he who knows, has declared to be ^xncdw<>^ lj,oad ' It 13 not to be wondered at that the ung« dly part of mankind should i\cnY the spirilvaivy ol tl,e Jaw and so endeavour to diminish their obligations It 'is no easy thing lor vile man to be reconciled to God So blinded ,s he by prejudice, pride, and a dishonest heart; so infinitely distant iVom what he ought to be his debt, has the audacity to deny it. But ^^ hat can be the reason of oood men having such contracted views? let It be closely and candidiv considered? whether one cause of many mistakes in this matter he not a partial considtrcdion of the sources of human obligation. '* ""*-***" Our obligations to God, as hath been hinted before, T iioni. XII, 3, 98 General ob^erraHont on Ike exteit of GodU law. appear to rise from two grand springs; the one is,^ what Ccd DOTH for tu, or the numerous bounties of his hand; the other is, \chat God is in himstlf or the mfinite excellence of his nature. The fir$t is bindmg on all those, and only thofo, on whom his gifts arc bestowed, and that in proportion to the value and circumstances of those gills. Carnal men are under obligations to love God for his innumerable bounties to them as the God of nature and providence; and the circumstance of these bounties being given them amidst their rebellion against him, ou^ht to heighten their love. Good men are under exceeding higher obligations for his peculiar gifts to them, as the God of all grace. Carnal men are not bound to love God for hifi° !fpecial distinfrtiishing lore to them, seeing there i.H no evidence of his having any such love towards them; but godly men p" ■■ Thry owe an amazing debt 'of gratitude ! It becomes them frequently to think, and ask, uhat shall I render Jo the Lord for all his bencfite' Now this being the case, many seem to have con- cluded that no manner of love and obedience is due to God from carnal men, except a tribute of praise for the common mercies of life. But it should be remembered, that this is but one source of men's obli- cration. Another grand spring of it I's what God is in himself und this is binding on every intelligent being. By V hat God is in himself, is not meant any hidden or unrevcalcd excellencies in him. If there are any such we cannot know them in the present state, and 'therefore are not obliged, for any thing of this 1 md, to love him. But by this is meant, those glorious attributes of holiness, justice, sovereignity, faithful- iu-s>, &tc. which any one who is not criminally blind, moy! yea must read in hia word and works, ' God is to be loved, says Dr. Gii.l, for himself; ■ j ':"ausc of ins own httiuic, anu I Love to God for nii nu^n e.rcttlencr. m;« -' which lender him amiable and lovoly, and worthy * of our strongest love and atFectioi. ; as these are dis- ' played in the works of creation and providence, unti especially of grace, redemption, and salvation; to ' all which the psalmist has respect when he says, O * Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name, nature and ' perfections, in all the earth f Psalm viii. I. As Go.^ * is great in himself, and greatly to be praised! great. ' and greatly to be feared; so, great, and greatly to ' be loved for what he is in himself And this is the purest, and* most perfect love ot a creature towards ' God; for if we love him only for his goodness to us. ' it is loving ourselves rather than him, at least ii * loving of him for Ourselves, and so a loving ourselves ' more than him.' Body of Div. vol. III. ch. 9.— The prophet Zechanah was not only taken with his goodness as the liberal benefactor, but likewise with his bounty as '•- infinitely amiable God. Hoio great, says he, is his goodness, and how great is his BEAUTY If As this is a subject of great importance in itself as well as to the matter in hand, it seems necessary that It should be well established. Though this part comes m under the name of general observations- yet, if we can but come at the truth here and eriter into the spirit of it, it may afford us particular advantages. And first. To shew the reasonableness of supreme love to God for his own excellencies, and the great evil' ol the contrary, suppose these excellencies for once, existing somewhere, without taking into con- ^deration the particular subject in tvhom they are lound Truth— RIGHTEOUSNESS— CONDESCENSION PURITY— t Zech. Lx. 17. B 2 100 Love to God for hi/< own excellence. 'i ■| GOODXESS v'j/, surely these are amiable things, be they in whom they may. Bad as the world are, they cannot but allow them to be such. Indeed they cannot help admiring them in others, and abhorring the contrary in many instances, however void of such principles they are themselves. The most false heart is not so in lave with falsehood, but he loves to have to do with frue men. In every department of responsi- bility, from the prime minister of an em[)ire to the meanest servant in the scullery, all the world agree to approve of huth. Indeed the world could not subsist without it. — The same may he said of riif^f- eousnesa. Who that is not interested in the contrary, but wishes to have a just king, and just judges; to have every magistrate just in the execution of his office, arid every man upright in all his dealings? — Who is it that does not approve of condescenslm in the great, and exclaim agamst a proud and haughty jpirit? — l^rily and chasti'ij are lovely qualities, in the eyes of all, except those unclean monsters who wish for companions in iniquity to gratify their desires, and keep themselves in countenance — And as to frondness, whoever is an enemy to that, is looked upon as hardly fit to live upon the earth. Indeed, whoever through private interest, or any such cause, are enemies to these excellencies, are so far supposed to he enemies to mankind. What a monster must that man appear, even though, for murder, he might be under sentence of death, who should avow himself an enemy to all righteousness, truth, and goodness. All the world would justly exclaim, ' away with him, away with him; it is not fit he should live upon th'? earth !' Nor would the> think of excusing him in this his en- mity, because truth, and righteousness, in his situa- tion, were inimical io his inter .if; — this is no more, say they, than what ought to be; they could not be truth and righteousness if they were otlierwise. Love to God for his own exctUence. JOI / in is a _ Now if these things are reckoned so amiable themselves that whoever is an enemy to them is scarce fit to liye amongst men, suppose them all to be found tn the spirit and conduct of some one living character; that is. suppose some great personage S prince, for instance, in whom truth and righteou- ness condescengion, chastity, and goodness were all united, and in his whole life and government con- stantly displayed. For any person not to love him must argue a mind void of every good principle ' o be an enemy to him, would be to be an enemy' to an good And should any one of his subjects who might have an unreasonable, yet strong aver- Mon to him, plead that he coidd not love him, it would be no hard matter for others to see that the reason why he could not love him, was, because he could not love truth and righteousness : and such an in- ability, instead of being an excuse, they would account almost to deserve the halter. It is easy to apply this to him whose name alone is excellent He is the sum of all excellence, the source of all the good which appears in our world, or any part ol his dominions ; the divine original, of which all the excellencies in human or angelic beings are but pictures. Could we unite in Sne person all the la.thtulness justioe, holiness, condescension, and goodness that has existed from age to age n all the worthy characters upon earth; and could we add to this all the moral excellence in all the angels and samts m the upper world ; this, no dou^: ou^d form a character truly glorious, and worthy of uni- versal admiration. But all this would be but finite and would bear infinitely less proportion to God's character than the glimmering of a glow-worm to the sun shining m his strength. To love h.m supremely then, IS but to love holiness, truth, and righteous- ness; and to be disaffected to him, is to be disaffected '"' •■^-"^" mn-^n iiuiiiiii^ ^^j, ij^ more detestable ' K 3 • 1 I n n 10:2 Love lo God for his ovfn excellence . Further If God ought not to be loved for his own excellence, as well as for what he has done for us then sin ou^ht not to b>: haled for its own odunts- n^is as well as for xvhnl it hn^ broufiht upon HS. Sin can' have no Innate odiousness hut in exact propor- tion to God's loveliness, seeirifr it i>* rhat from whence the evil of sin arises If then God lias nothing in himself considered, thut deserves to he loved, sm has nothin.r in itself cour^idered. that deserves to be hated hrthis cuse the .noderii Smiuum hypothesis must he admitted, namely, that 'moral evil were no evil if there were no u:itural evirj— tliat is, that sin has no other innate evil in it than its tendency to hurt Hie creature. And here it is easy to see through that way of answering to these subjects, which, if I mistake not some have adopted. To talk, say they, of what God is in himself, and what he is to us, is distinguishing upon matters where no distinction ou-ht to he m uje ; for whatever excellency I love in "God, that excellency is engaged in my favour. To pretend theref .re to view these things abstractly, is to he more nice than wise; and to talk ol loving God for his own excellence in distinction Irom what he hath done for us, is to talk without meaning.— Might it not with eq.ial propriety he said m the lunL'uage of mod^-an Sonnwism, that for Calvamsts to talk of the evil nature of sin in itself considered, ^8 well as of its tendency to bring evil upon the ereature, is distinguishing upon matters where no distinction ought to be made ; for whatever is dis- honourable to God is hurtlul to us To pretend. therefore, to view these things abstractly, is to be more mce than wise; and to talk of r-penhng tor sin ;. s)ii against God, as well as that which b.:ngs evil I>v. PfKJsUoy t iiiu«iraiiyii> ui'i»">iiiv--jp:iieu! "t: i! Love to God for his oxcix etcellence. 103 upon U3, is to talk without meaning. — Let those who think and speak of love to God in this manner, duly reflect upon the tendency of their reasonings; and let them seriously consider upon what j|o;-round they can maintain the innate evil of sin, against the So- cinians, but upon that of the innate Jovclincss of the divine cliaracter. Again, If God ought not to be loved for the ex- cellence of his nature as well as for the gifts of his grace, then all that love and ndmiratioii n^hick chris- tians have cvt-r had towards h'v.n, on account of tuk way IN WHICH HIS SALVATIO.'J WAS KFFKCTED, 13 tlcedtcSS and s;rouwlless. It is conunon for christians not only to rejoice that they are saved from sin and misery, but to admire at all this being done in a lomj honour- able to the cattse of truth and ri-xhteonsnesH. It is com- mon for them to admire the character and condr.t of the giver, as well as the gift itself. But if that is a matter that is not to be taken into consideration in our love to God, then it seems it is, and ought to be, indiiferent to us whether he did it in an ho- nourable or dishonourable wiy If so be wo do but get it, we ought to ca.-e nothing about the man- ner in v.hich it was obtained. It has been before noticed of hohj nns^eh, how they love \.\u\ Lord Jo«;us Christ, and are charmed with hi-; way of salvalion. Hi-^ vohint.iry uiidertakiu"', and ;;lorioMsly c|}('cfirig. so astoni-^hiiig a work, con- etitiites a part of tl)e 1 )V(>li!ie«s mT his ciiaracter, and renders him lovely in their ♦■yos. I'hey loved and adored hini in every stane of his h''.iniliatioii, and hymned his way to tlie celestial a'.to'.l.s ! liut if there is no love t> bo exercised but thai of <>ratitude f«>r the bestowaient of lUvoiir, \\\\y all (his ado.' 1'h(yj had no iminediato share; iii his s;:lv;ition — they did not need it. It was i'-r no pait »)f ///<()• .s;>t'(,(ca tiiat hn died, fir he look not on hi:n the nalurc of an''ch. hut i! ! f fi :. i J 1 Love lo God for his own excellence. the seed of Abraham. What then ? with hearts un- tainted by envy, they joyfully congratulate the shepherds: To you, say they, is bom, this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, Christ the Lord I Yes, peace on earth and good toill lo men, are joyful sounds in their as well as our ears, so long as they bring with them olorv to God iw the high- est. Should it be said, their bliss is augmented by the redemption of njen, which therefore was to them a favour ; it is granted, but this additional bliss is in a way of beholding God^a native excel- lencies as discovered in that amazing affair. The salvation of the church by the blood of Christ, serves to them as a mirror, by which they discern the mani- fold wisdom of God.^ It has been common to suppose that devils are bound still to love and obey the ever adorable Jeho- vah — that they owe the same debt of obedience as if they had never fallen, seeing their change makes no change in the excellent nature and rightful authority of God — and consequently that they have sinned from the beginning, X yea, and that their sin, in steadfastly hating and opposing hini, is very great. But if there were no other source of obligation than the bestow- ment of favour, it should seem they are very nearly blameless for all' that they have done from the time of their first apostacy. From that time they have been cut off"from all the enjoyments of divine favour. Not a ray of mercy, nor gleam of kope, from that day to this, has ever visited their dismal cell ! Yea, and to this excuse they could add their utter iriabiliiy to love God. They might truly say, ' we cannot love him; we cannot abide him, nor any that pertain to him. — We hate his government, we hate his gospel, and cannot but hate them. — His very goodness to men makes our hearts boil in eternal enmity against both him and them. V i^i'iil, III. lU. i John siii. 44. Love to God J or his oron excellence 105 Ifthenfavour be the only source ofobligation, and moral inability will excuse from it, they are now very nearly, if not altogether, Cree from the yoke of God's authority, and are very little, if at all, bound to love Iwrn; and consequently, their sin must, in proportion, at most, be very trifling; for where there is no obligation, there can 1)0 no transgression. The only favours that can be pretended to bind them, are, their/or^ner happiness, and their present 8in:tll degree of misery, compared with what they shall endure after the day of ju3 U^aUiot liiixi f^iiu ■ u ' ' II 1 •. I! I 106 Love lo Christ fur his own excellence. his Father. And though he acted in a sovereign way, as, indeed, it is but right he should, in saving whom he would, he is, nevertheless, a glorious character. We have forfeited all claim, for our parts, and lie at his mercy. If he save us alive, we live; if not, we justly perish. Be it as it may, he deserves to be loved by us, and all intelligent beings. Moreover, men are obliged to love Christ, not only for having died, but for having died for some of the human race, and for aught they know, for them. The preference given to our species above the fallen angels, requires our wonder, and deserves our grati- tude. They are doomed io a state of entire and per- petual despair, without the least hope or possibility of escape in jiny sense whatever. Thus it is not with any of the sons of men, while in this world. If special mercy is designed for some of the human race, and no man alive knows but that he may be one of that number; and if the declaration of mercy is indefinite, to all who are willing to be saved in God's way, then no man alive can say there is no hope, no possi- bility of my being saved. There is a hope, and in some sense, a possibility of his salvation; for, granting that it is impossible for him to return to God without special grace; yet it is possible he may be one of those whom God hath determined to make willing in the day of his power. The experience of Christians might be appealed to, whether they have not, at some period of their lives, perhaps when their understandings were first enlight- ened, had some such thoughts as these: — ' I fear I shall never enjoy his salvation — shall never see his face with comfort. Bui whether I do or not, whether I be saved among his elect, or perish with the rest, he is just, he is lovely^ His excellence is such, I uanuyt but love him. The work he has effected for Love to Ckrist for hix oicn excellence. 107 sinful men is glorious, and rendc-s him worthy of my best affections, I should be a monster not to love him! O, that I may but be found in him! I am re- solved to lire and die imploring an interest in him. Yes, I am determined to venture my all upon him who can tell? if I perish, I perish! This way of speaking of love to God, Christ, and divine things, namely, as for their own excellence, however some may represent it as an abstract meta- physical subtilty, tending to perplex plain, sincere Christians, will be found, if fairly examined, adapted more than a little to their encouragement. Are there not wany of that character, who dare not say they love the Lord Jesus Christ, because he died for them in particular; for of that they are afraid they have no evidence. They seldom experience the ef- fusions of joyful gratitude for distinguishing love to thena, because they go from day to day in painful ap- prehensions that they may have no part nor lot in that matter^ If, therefore, they ^ are taught to conceive of no other kind of love but this, they must, generally speaking, conclude themselves to be void of love. But were it put to them, whether they did not approve of Christ, and his way of savfng sinners, whatever might be their state as to interest in him— whether they did not love, that God should be just what he is, and Christ just what he is, and abhor themselves for being no more like him — whether any other way of salvation than that which glorifies God, hum- bles the sinner, and destroys his sin, would suit them? Here, methinks, they would find no such diffi- culty to answer. — Now, must it not be very encouraging to such, to be told that this their love is not only of the right kind, but is ' the purest and most perfect Ipv«,' as Dr. Gill says, ' that a creature can exer- cise towards God.' Such may be told, from the best authority, that they need not fear being denied a share 111 TTiifcll t.liwT ^\J wVi^l^i'V £*W|'iUVLr, Ti iiiC uciigfit 01 108 Love to Christ for his own excellence. the all-compassionute Saviour to say, Bk it unto TUEE EVEN AS THOU WILt! ! i' This most pure and perfect love is incumbent on all mankind. All mankind, wen; they of such a spirit as they ought to be, would feol themselves thus af- fected towards the J.aw-givcr and the Saviour. Yes, veiily, thb native excellence of God and Jesus Christ is such, that he that is not ta'un with it must be an abaiideing str»ngly impressed with on idea of his infinite loveliness, 4ie thus breaks forth. He that loveth not the Lord Jesvs Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha! He that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ must be an enemy to God and all real good, an enemy to mankind, and to kis own soul; and such an one deservet surely to be anathematized from God, and exoommuiiicated from all his iiappy domiaiOQs! 110 General remarks on the I ' I I I them. This has been confessed by those that urgo them, though they deem those answers of the Calrin- itl» insufficient.* Secondly, Objections drawn from these sources against a principle which, it must be allowed, seems to have a great share of the perceptive part of scripture, according to its natural unbiassed meaning, in its favour, are very precarious. Suppose that by reason of our darkness we could not o^certain with precision the nature and extent of our firo parents principles and abilities; is that to be wondered at? It is certain we can know but very little about a lift) of innocence; our disordered souls are incapable of forming just ideas of so glorious a state. For us therefore to attempt to determine the nature and ex- tent of his principles and abilities, is in many cases to walk in a path where we have little else to guide us but our own conjecture. There are but itco ways by which we can judge in those matters; the one is from the character of the Creator and the other from scrip- turc testimony. From the former we may be sure of the perfect purity of Adam, as coming out of his hands who is purity itself; but what can be determined from hence of his incapacity to believe in Christ, had he been in circumstances which required it? As to the latter, I do not remember to have seen any thing of this sort produced, of any account, unless it be 1 Cor XV. 47. The first man is of the earth, eaithy — which Mr. JoHMSO.v produced to prove the earthiness of Adam's mind and principles; but this Mr. Brini suf- ficiently refutes, proving that this divine proposition barely respected Adam's body ' J and thus Dr. GiLi. expounds it. As to its supposed inconsistency tcith the doctrine of God^s decrees, many who firmly believe those decrees oan see no inconsistency in it. It seems all harmo- * ?See Arminian prineiplet af a late toriter refuted., page f. t >*ee MiMtakei noted and rectified, page io— 28. P^' ! Nature of the objections. Ill 5 ( Ine of crets irmo- I I hious to them. But suppose it did not, suppose we could not discern the consistency between these prin- plcs; there are other principles as well as these wherein we should be glad to obtain more satisfaction of this sort, though we have undeniable evidence ■ of their being truths. Undoubtedly all truths are har- monious with each other; but their harmony is not always discerned in this ithperfect state.— If I find two doctrines affirmed or implied in the scriptures, and these two doctrines seem to me to clash with each other; I ought not to embrace the one and reject th« other because of their inconsistency; for on the same ground another person might embraca that which I reject, and reject that which I embrace, and have «qual SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY for his faith as I have for mine. The truth is, there are but two ways for me to take in this caae: the one ia to reject them both and the bible with them, for their inconsistency; o? else embrace them both, concluding that as they are both revealed in the scriptures, thay are both true, and both consistent, and that 'tis owing to the darknesa of my understanding that they do not appear so to me. Surely this is what we ought to do, Who can doubt whether it becomes us to receive God's declarations, and if we cannot discern their consistency aa wa could wish, wait and pray for more light.' Let as ' his written will obey. And ivait the great decisive dajr!' Had we but more of that about which we contend, It would teach us more of a spirit of self-diffidence! ^'Ibrmham, that pattern of faith, might have cavilled with the Almighty about the inconsistency of his promise with his precept. He had commanded him to go and offer up his son, his only son of promise, Isaac. Abraham might have replied, • what command me to , a 1 12 %idam*a incapacity to htlxtve contidtred. ft offer up Isaac? Didst thou not promise thai my »eed skoiddot a» the star* of heavenl that the Messiah, in tohom all natioru nf the earth are to be ble»$ed, should descend from me? and that irf Isaac should my seed be calledl This thy command of sacrificing him while a youth muat be iitconsisteni with thy decree* and promises. Therefore I must of necessity put some other sem»6 upon the command than what it seems to have, and so not sacrifice my son.' But nothing of all tbi^: occupies the breast of the Father of the faithful. He led God to reconcile his promises and precepts: — fully persuaded that what he had promised k« wa& able to perfoi-m — he stretched his obedient arm to giv^ the fatal stroke^ nor had he recalled it, had not heaven, interposed t Theie general observations however are not brought^ with a. view to avoid a more particular attention to the subjects in hand, but rather as preparatory to it. Let each of the following subjects har« a close an4 impartial considerction i viz, A4am*9 iaoapacity — ^ divine decrees— particular redemption— the covenant of works — the work of the spirit — the necessity of a divine principle in order tOibelieving^. with some other lesser things^ I. C<>NCERNING THK NATURE OF THAT DIVINE PRIN- CIPLE WHICH Adam possessed. This objection has been stated in the ibllowing man- ner: ' Th» holy principle connatural to Adam, and * concreated wi^ him waa not suited to Uye unto God * through a mediator; that kind of life was above the ' extent of his powers, though perfect; ^nd therefore * as he in a state of integrity had not a capacity of ' living unto God agreeably to the nature of tho ' new covenaojtx it is apprehenijed ^hat his posterity. ■ J '4dait%'s incapicUylo belitvecoTuidtrt'l. 1|3 ' while under the Jirsi covenant, are not comniandtd ' to lire unto God in tliat sort, or in other words to Uve by faith on Go.' through a mediator.* If I understand the sense of this objection, it amounts lo tliis; because an innocent creature, who stands in no need of a mediator, cannot while such approach to God in that manner; therefore, when he IS become guilty and does stand in need of a mediator It IS not then his duty to come to God through him* If wc were to reason thus in human affairs it would l»c thought very extraordinary. A subject while he preserves his loyalty to his prince cannot, nor need he approach the throne through a mediator • therefore it is not his duty to do so when he has so revolted as to render the throne inaccessible without one ! Had Cain lived before the full, God had never beoi offended at his bringing aa offering without ancxpiaton, s:icnjice; but after that dire event, and the revelation ofthe woman's seed, such a conduct was an insult upon the threatening ofthe lawfriver, as well as a conte not of the promised seed. Cain did as ill therefore in ne-lecting him as Abel did ivell in believing in him It was as much a3 saying, God did not mean^'what 'i - said, when, by guarding the tree of life, and insti- tuting sacrifices, he had declared himself inacce33i"il.> but through a mediator. Yea, it was a? much ds saying, there was no such groat evil in sin, but that ' God might very well be approached witliout a media- tor. Indeed he not only thought Gad might bcthjs aproached, but had formed high expectations of the applauses hi was to receive, as appears by his bei-ir ^owrotkanlfalle'i ii coii:Uc>ianc e at>is disappointment"^ 1 hese two cases of Cam and Mel seem esDCciallv db signed of G)d to express at the outset ofthe t >rM his ^ Mot. to L. and U. pago SO, 51. l3 1 14 ^idain's incapacUy to believe consideredt. determination to all future ages. Being resolve c never to speak or be spoken to, in any way of friend- ship, by any of the fallen race of Ajdam, but through the mediation of his Son; he took occasion in these two first-born sons of man to testify what he approved and wha* he detested.. It ought to be observed that there are ttvo kinds of incapacity that may attend a principle as to its outgoings on various objects ; essential and circum- stantial (I know not by what terms better to express the difforence.) The first lies in the nature of the principle ; so a principle of carnality is incapable of savoring spiritual things, and a mere principle of common honesty in things of this life, though not opposed to spiritual things, would yet be utterly inadequate to the discernment of their real excel- lence. The last lies in a variety of circumstances- that may attend the person, together with the state of those objects with which the principle is conver- sant so an innocent being is incapable of repentance for sin, of any kind, legal or evangelical. So Adam while innocent, though possessed of love to God and man in an high degree, was yet incapable of dis- covering that love by sighing for the abommations of the land, or pitying and relieving the miserable. The reason was, there were no abominations m the -land to sigh for, nor miserable beings for him to pity. But no one imagines that because Adam was not capable of sighing for the abominations of tlic land, therefore his descendants ought not : or tiial because he could not pity the miserable, therefore they are not bound to do so. Adara could have (lone all this had he been in circumstances which required it. Why thf^n should that circumstantial incapacity of Adam to repentance and iaith, be brought as an argument against the present duty ot lii« df^acftndants? If such a mode of reasoning prove any thinrovc that .Mam^s incapacUy to believe oensidered. 115 ■i i no sort of repentance ia thje duty of fallen men, not legal any more than evangelical, and that a common historicat faith in the gospel is what they are not obliged to, for Adam wa» as much incapable of these as of any other. — ' That Adam, says Dr. Gill, in a state of inno- cence had a po^ver of believing in Christ, and did believe in him as the second person of the Trinity, as the Son of God, cannot well be denied, since with the other two persons, he was his creator and pre- server. And his not believing in him as thr MEDIATOR, SAVIOUR, AND REDEEMER, DID NOT ARISE FROM ANV DEFECT OF PQWEJR LN HIM, BUT FROM THE 8TATR, CO:^DITION, AND SITUATION IN WHICH HE WAS, AND FRi>M THE NATURE OF THE REVELA- TION MADE UNTO iiim; fof DO doubt Adam had a power to believe every word of God, any revelation *■ that was or might be made unto him.' * Dr. Owen, in his Display of Armini(mism,f com- plains of the attempts of the Arminians to ' draw down our first parents, even from the instant of their forming, into the saiiite condition wherein wc are engaged by reason of corrupted nature.' He mentions several of their maxims and sentiments, and among others, two of their sayings, the one, of the Retnonstrants in their apology, and the other, of the six Arrainian collocutors at the Hague,. ' The will of man,' say the former, * had never any spi% ritual endowments.' ' In the spiritual death of sin,' say the latter, • there are no spiritual gifts properly wanting in will, because they were never there.' ' The sum is,' adds the Doctor, ironically speaking their language, ' man was created with a nature, not ' only weak and imperfect, unable by its native ' strength and endowments to attain thai supernatural * Cau^eof Uon. If he would create Adam, his nature required that he should create him holy; but he is under no necessity of nature to pro- duce an holy principle in a lapsed creature. The one was left to the choice of its subject to keep it in being; so is not the other. The one was exercised in contemplating and adoring God in all his glorious perfections, as displayed in the works of creation and providence; the other contemplates and adores him not only in these characters, but as the God of sovereign saving grace. But as these differences lie not in the nature of the principle, but are merely circumstantial, they make nothing in circumscribing present duty. In proof that the principle of Adam in innocence, and that in believers, notwithstanding these differences SLtc essentially, or for substance the same, let the fol- lowing things be considered: Adam^s incapacity to believe considered. II? 1. They are both formed after the same rule, and thai rule is the holy law of Ood. — Observe particularly, (1.) The spirit and conduct of Adam in ioAocence were nothing more nor less than an entire cotiformity to the moral law of God. This, I 8«ppo«e, needs no proof. (2.) The spirit and conduct of Jesus Christ, so far as be was the model after which we are formed, were nothing more nor less than an entire conformity to fhfif same divine law. If this need proof, if will rec6iv« it from John iv. 34., with Psalm xl. 8. The formet tells us what was the spirit of Jesus Christ, it was to do the loill of his Father; the latter shews us what that will was — it was the fulfilment of the divine law. Christ went to the end of the law for righteousness, but it does not appear that he went any farther. The superiority of his obedience to that of Adam's, while innocent, laid not in his doing more than the law reqiitrcd, but in the dignity «/ his jierson. Being God over all, it was infinite condescension for him ta become man, and be made under the Law. Its author hereby became its subject, and thus it wa» magni&edv and made honourable! Hence, also, it is that bis obedience is properly meritorious. (3.) The spirit and conduct of Christians, so far as they are formed after the image of Christ, must be the same. It is not a^y new law, but the same divine law, that iaiornWc/i on their hearts in regeneration, as was written on Adam's heart in his state of innocence; see Jer. xxxi. 33. And the ultimate state of hoUness to which th^ey shall arrive in Heaven will be no, more th^ an entire conformity to that rul^, 9fi^ thayt modj^L The spirits of just men will be WAcp terfect — and ice s/ioW ^c u^E. HIM.* If, then, the spirit and conduct of Ada^m in inno- cence were nothing more nor less than an entire con- formity to the moral law of God — if the spirit and con- * Heb. xu. 28. 1 John iii. 2. .1 . 1 .- ) i II 1 !1 ! t I I ■ » 118 »/ldam*4 incapacify to believe considered. duct of Jesus Christ so far as he was our example, were nothing more nor less than a perfect conformity to the same divine law--.and if believers are formed after the same rule, and are made partakers of the same spirit as that of which Christ partook, then how docs it appear that their principles should be essen- tially different ? 2. The TERMS by tbhich our eoniiersion to Ood u, expressed, imply a similarity between the principles lost by sin, and those produced by grace. — We are then said to RETURN to God:t but how this could be it is difficult to conceive, if the state into which we are brought at conversion essentially differs from that which we were in previous to our departure from God. The return* iNG prodigal represents not a backslider's return, but that of a sinner at his first conversion. This is evi- dent from the occasion of the parable, which was, Christ's having called profane publicans and sinners, and by so doing, offended the scribes and pharisees. The former of these are represented by the prodigal, And the latter by the elder son. Now of hin» it ia 0aid, when he came to himself, he said, I will arise, kc. by which it appears he had for a time been beside himself, and that no sooner did he return to his spirittuii tenses but he returned to his father. Again, we read of the washing of regeneration,* which seems to be a restoring of the soul to purity, from which it had degenerated; hence, as explanatory of this, the same divine work is in t'lc same verse called the renewing of the Holy Ghost. The remark that has been made on this passage is, that 'this renovation is spoken of the mind, and not of a principle in the inind.'\ But let it be calmly considered whether this distinction be not calculated rather to bewilder than instruct. It is allowed that the mind is said t laa. !v 7. ♦ Tit. iii. 5. t Mot. to L. and V , page 2% Adam's incapacily to believe considered. 1 19 to be renewed, and is renewed in regeneration; but then it might be asked, is it renewed in a natu- ral or in a moral sense ? If the former, that is, if our minds are renewed simply as minds, then it should seem we have by sin deprived ourselves of human na- ture, and that regeneration consists in restoring our natural faculties. If the latter, then by it is meant the disposilion of our minds, or as the scripture speaks, the spirit of our minds ;l which, doubtless, is the case, and so it comes to the same thing as the j^rinciple in our minds. What difference is there be- tween a mind being restored to a right state and condi- tion, and a right state and condition being restored to the mind? That the life we enjoy through Christ is in many respects different from that which was promised in the covenant of works, may, for aught that appeals to the contrary, be allowed, without supposing our principles essentially different. It is certain, we shall contemplate and enjoy God in a different character, and as exercising his attributes in a different way than what could have been, had man continued in innocency. And, no doubt, the bliss will be far more glorious than that which was lost in Adam. Christ came not only that we might have life, but that we might have it more abundantly. But this circumstantial difference in the object enjoyed makes nothing in proving hii and our prin- ciples to be different in their noture. The joy of angels is greatly increased by man's redemption, but It does not thence follow, that their principles are different from what they were prior to the revelation of that event. A life of joy in heaven is far more glorious than a life of communion with God on earth • yet the principles of saints on earth and saints in heaven are not therefore of a different nature. ' The 4 tpn. IT. 29. I I I h ' \ OSi^dom's incapacity to believe considered. •advantages.' says Dr. Ribgely ' which Christ ' came into the world to procure for his people, which « ar6 promised to them in the second *??venant, • are for substance the same with those which man . would have enjoyed had he not fallen. When I say ^for substance the same, it is supposed that there are •some circumstances of glory m which that salvation • that was purchased by Christ differs from that hap- • piness which Adam would have been possessed of had ' he persisted in his integrity. '§ The only question to which the whole ought to be reduced is this: Whether supreme love to God WOULD not necessarily lead a fallen creature, WHO HAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO HIM, TO EM- BRACE THE Lord Jesus Christ, and his way of svLVATioN? It should sccm, if our Lord's reasoning to the Jews be just, it would. I know you, saith he. That you have J. H.^B.^ or God rn you I a^ come in my Father's name, and ye receive me w>t.\\ As U ne should say, ' If you had any love to my Father TiL government, that would necessarily lead you to Embrace me, and the way of salvation by me- for I am come into the world in his cause, and To glorify his name; but you have no love to ^m and your not receiving me is a proof of it. 1 he Jews might have replied upon the contrary hypothe- sis • ffit is no proof of our not having the loveoj God in us; for be it so that you are the Messiah, the fdend of God, and that yours is the only way of salvation; that principle which would enable us to em- brace you, and youi doctrine, must be something suoerior in its nature to mere love to God How therefore can you bring this to prove thatjve have no thrVove of God in us?^ We may have that and yet not be capable of receiving you, seemg that is a spiritual act.' § Bod. Div., Vol.1., page 314. Joha V. 42, 43. Mam's incapacity to believe considered. Hi It cannot be denied that holy angels are capable of understanding, approving, and admiring the way of salvation by Jesus Christ; and it is hoped it will not be denied that the holy principle of Adam in innocence was, in this respect, equal to theirs. His being of the earth, earthy,' as to his body, no more proves his in- feriority in this respect, than it proves the inferiority of our Lord, who, before his resurrection, was pos- sessed of a natural and not a spiritual body. The glo- rious truths of the gospel are thijigs which the angels desire to look into.^ They are full of love to God, and this leads them to love that saviour, and that way of salvation, that brings so much glory to his all-glorious name! Yes, it will be said, but they cannot love the Lord Jesus Christ as their saviour, because they stand in no need of him in that character. True, but they love him as a saviour, though not as their saviour; and give a being that wants a saviour but a bible, and their principles, and it seems impossible that he should scruple a moment about casting his eternal all, if he might, on this saviour, and longing with his whole soul after this salvation. It cannot be denied that the same principle, in different circumstances, and as concerned with dif- ferent objects, will operate in different ways. A principle of love and loyalty to my prince, lor in- stance, that excites me to cheerful obedience in a state of friendship, will excite me, if I am but possessed of it, to repentance, humiliation, and sub- mission, after an unreasonable revolt. Yes, it would excite me to long after a reconciliation, and if there were any hint of a plan of reconciliation being on foot, it would naturally excite me to enquire after it, and long for an interest in it. And, sap- posing the terms should be something to this pur- * 1 Pet. i. 12. >i I 1 122 Mains lucnpadly to believe considired. poso 1 Tiic prince shall have it proclaimed through- out 'his rchellious dominions that his government has boon ahogcther pure, equal, and benevolent, that his Bul)jcct8 had no provocation or excuse whatever to plead ibr their revolt— a7i^ all the pcovle shall say, Jlmcn! 2. That as he was wholly in fhe right, and they wholly in .the wrong, they ^liall have all the shame and blame of the revolt, and its consequences, and he will have the sole ho- nour of the peace, as being founded entirely on a free act of grace which they never deserved. 3. That whoever is pardoned shall lay down his arms, sub- mit to mercy, and return to his allegiance. Were terms to this purpose, I say, held out, it would be natural for me, if I felt real love to my offended prince to approve of them with all my heart; for this, I should feay, is no more than what ought to be He is ri'^ht and I am wrong. I should never think of rca- so'ning in this manner. It was not my duty to repent, nnd return to my prince before I revolted, and, therefore, it cannot be so now! ^o far from if I should freely own, I have revolted without any provocation; it is right, therefore, that I should sav amen to that proclamation which declares him and his throne to be guiltless, and all the blame and sharne to redound on me! It is right he should have all the «lorv of the reconciliation, for to me belongs nothing hut shame and confusion of face ! It is right, yea, and what I long for, to go and submit to mercy, and return to my allegiance! It is ea=y to apply this to the revolt of sinners from the ffovcrnment of God, which is holy just, and oood And why should it be thought a thing iRcredi- blc that the same principle that delights in God while iu a ^tntc of friendship, would long after a reconcilia- tion when that friendship is broken? Yea, and be riady to embrace every hint of a plan of Jehovah s On the divine decrets. 1^2:5 f,Mving out, tending to that end, and earnestly plead to be interested in it? Can a being who tnves God ivilfi all his heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, and his neighbour as himself, forbear loving and admiriuir the plan of redemption, with its all-glorious author" Is it possible for a being to love God, and yet not love the greatest friend of God that ever existed? To lovu God, and yet reject or neglect the most glorious plan for bringing honour to him that ever was devised? If this is possible, surely we never need in future fo think any thing impossible. The reasdn why the gospel of salvation by .k-sus Christ, then, is not in general embraced in a spi- ritual manner, is not because supreme love to God would not excite to it, but, as Christ told the Jews, because men in general have not the love of God in them. And hence arises the necessity of the work of the Spirit. We need not only the gospel to be held forth to us, in the manner above, but an almighty power to accompany it, that our rebellious spirits may be so brought into subjection, as to embrace it. II. Concerning the decrees op God. Since it is allowed on all hands, that the blessings of grace, and faith among the rest, are all sovereiirn and free gifls of God through Christ— are what he dispenses according to his own purpose and grace given to his elect in Christ Jesus before the world began— since it is allowed that God never determined to bestow special grace upon the non-elect; it has from these considerations, been thought a very great absurdity, and what imputes mockery to the Holy One, and has been represented as a thing impossible that God should require men to believe in Christ. It ... ..^.. ,. „.,„„„-^ „^ j^.-jjj^ j^.j.g ,j,aKes ii men s sin 5ind the ground of their punishment, that they have M 2 ■f 124 On the divine decrees. *t f V. '! not tliat wliich God never designed to give thorn— that they might equally be blamed for not being elected or redeemed, as for not* having faith in Christ, since the latter is equally a spiritual blessing as the tor- nier.* It is hoped this objection will be allowed to bo stato^d in its full force, though it is not in the express words of any writer; and probably at first sight it will seem to be very formidable; but it may possibly appear less so when a little examined. In general it might be remarked of this objection, the same as of the lormcr it is of ^nninian extraction, and has been answered lontr ago by the Calvinists, in their controversies with the^Arminians.t But waving this, let the following things bie considered. First, If it prove any thing, it will prove too much; for instance, it will prove that it is not the duty ot the non-elect, at all to seek after the salvation of their souls, or once to care, or ever be concerned about it; for the natural language of the objection is, how can it be their duty to seek after, or be concerned about that which God has never designed for them? And it so it will be difficult to clear the doctrines of election and decrees from the charge of their leadmg to licen- tiousness. Farther it would prove that it is not the duty of all men to seek after a comfortable subsistence in things of this life, for themselves and their families, ihe portion of men in this life is as much the subject of God's decrees, as is that of the next. God must hen have decreed concerning some men, that they shall be exposed to poverty and misery throughout their ives —and how, says the objection, can it be their duty tu t Sec ^ - 3 i o ^"- "''^^ ^^'^' ^^^' Dn'owEN's 2?ea«k 0/ Death, book IV. di. 1. 2 O.i the divine dccrccu. 12"; seek after that which God h.-n decreed they shall never have? If (iod'a having decreed not to hestow eternal hliss on some, exempt them from all duty in seeking it, why should not his having decreed not to bestow a comforta!)le subsistence in things of this lite on others, exempt them from all duty in seeking that? But common sense checks the presumption here^; why does not religious sense check it elsewhere? 4 It has generally been maintained by Ctdi'inish. that it is men's duty to seek afler many things^ which yet it appears ih the end, God has never designed to give thom; and to endeavour to avoid many things, which yet it appears in the end, he has determined to bring upon them. And herein their views of things, it must be said, seem to accord with scripture representations. The destruction of Pharaoh was determined of God to be at the time, place, and manner in which it actually came to pass; and yet, who will say that he ought not to have taken the counsel of Moses, and let the people go? and that it was not his sin to follow them into the sea in order to destroy them?* The Lord had long before determined to give Sihoii king of the Amorites to de- struction, and his country to Israel for a possession; and yet, surely it was his duty to have accepted the message of peace which was sent him, and his sin to make war with Israel, by which his destruction was brought about. t If the days of man are determined, and his bounds appointed that he cannot pass them, then it was determined that /Aaf generation who went out of Egypt should die in the wilderness; and yet, whowi!! deny that it was their duty to have persevered in their pursuit of Canaan, and their sin to turn back in their hearts to the fleshpots of Egypt? It was the deter- mination of God that Mab should fall in his expedition against Ramoth Gilead; and yet, who will say it wa.s Ex. ix. 13, 16. t Gen. xv. IG. Deut. ii. 26, 32. yi3 I 1 I' I I i I 1 12« 0,1 Ihe divine decrees. not his duty to have taken the prophet's counsel, and forbore going up against that cityr§ The de- struction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans was deter- mined, and for years preceding, foretold;! and yet, the prophet frequently counselled them to turn from their evil ways that they might avoid it; he parti- cularly entreated king Zedekiah to follow his counsel, and save the city and himself from ruin— and surely It was his duty to have obeyed the command ot the Lordlt In short, the objection directs its force against the express language and meaning of holy scripture, in things concerning another world as well as this. Wo read of some who were given over to strong delusions, to believe a lie and be damned, and one reason assign- ed for this awful punishment is, bccaiisc they rcccned not the love of the truth thai llu>j mi^ht be saved. jj But, says the objection, how could it be their sin not to receive the love of the truth that they might be saved, when salvation was never designed for them? This is to arraign the Spn it of God himself; let him arise and plead his own cause! The truth is, the decrees of God were never de- signed for, nor can they be made any rule of, human action The commands of God are the sole rule ot this God's secret will belongs to himself, and is the rule of his conduct to us; but his revealed will belongs to us and is the rule of our conduct to him. ' God s word'' says Mr. Brine, ' and not his secret purposes, ' ia tb- 'ule of our conduct.'* ' We must exactly dis- ' tinguish ' says Dr. Owen, ' betwixt man's duty and * God's purpose, there being no connection between c tij^m The purpose and decree of God is not tne ' -ule of ourduty; neither is the performance of our 5, 1 Klne af- firmed to be what no man ought to be. It is solely owing to ignorance, unbelief, pride, and presumption, that any sinner thinks of being accepted on account of any thing in him. Though none but believers are dead to the law, yet it is what every sinner ought to 6e, and would be, if he believed what the law says. It i» madness for him to be otherwise. While man was inno- cent, it was his duty to perform perfect obedience, and to expect acceptance with God by it. Since h9 it fallen, having forfeited all right to the promises of the covenant by breaking its conditions, he ought not now to expect acceptance with God in virtue of any thing in himself, or done by himself. To obty is still every man's duty, and ever will be; but unless they wero the subjects of a perfect obedience, to ob»y to those ends which Adsm did, namely with a view to be . justified by this obedience, would be now their sin. Upon the whole, then, Itoo things seem evident — 1. That though men in general are under a covenant of >vorks, yet it is, in some respects, their ain that they are so. It is their sin and folly, when they hav« broken the conditions, vainly to expect the reward, t Gal= iii= X. 1 4'-^ On men beijif^ iindtr the covenant ofvorka. And if «o, tlu'ti wlinlt'ver nrguim iits nrc built upon the Kupposition (.fits not hcinj; lln-ir duty to hn dead to tke law, uhirh 1 think all that I hiivr f^ocn art, cuiinoi hv ».f any fore.'.— '2. That the .lidrn'nco be- tw«'cn thr Inw, iih n riih« of liic, and us a covenant, yim\)\y declare* what is duty; the other adds to tltis declaration the promises mid threntenin^'H of life and death that shall follow ohedienee or disobedience to it. The fifHt is a mere rule, ascertaining what obedience men ought to yield; the lust is the same rule, with the particular rewardrt that shall accompany that obe- dience, and the penalties that flhall lidlo'w a defaull, ■ nnexed; including also, man's acceptance of these conditions. And if ho, then that supposition that • faith and all evangelical graces are reipiired by the law, simply as a bxw, but cannot be the duty of tho8«v that are under it as a covenant,' is voiil of foundation. If the difference between the law^, as a rule of life, and as a covenant, doth not lie in Hie lhins:s rcqnirtd, then the latter form being superadded, cannot make uny difference in the extiiit of its demands. It is not pupposcd that the law, as given to Adam, required these things formally, but it did radualhj. What- CTCr is now formally required of men, even of good men, was radically required by the law of inno- ccncy. Kvon obedience to positive instructions was was thus required by the covenant of works. That rovennnt, every one knows, did not require Adam to be baptized, nor yet to celebrate the Lord's supper; but it required in him a disposition to obey wiut- BVER God did then, or should at any other r«Rior), MAKE KNOWN TO DF, HIS wit.L. It required the disposition, though not the exercise of it in such u particular mode; and this is meant by those things being required radically. The same ma/ be said of 0/1 men bciii^ under the covenant ofnorki. \.\i) tvanfrilical frracca. The law rorjuirc^d n tliHnosition which, It undrr lalloti cirnimMtnncfw, ari.l the rcvrla^ tion of a Haviour, would op.rate the saincj way (hat evan- gclicul graces now operato. Possil.ly a littlo atlention to tho foro/^roin^r obacrva- tioriH mi.jht HMnovo ihos.; .secmiiiir ahsurditics to Whi(;h s-une of |li.,s,, spiitiuuMi' i huvo been rrdijced It has hLMMi ri'prr.srnted, lor instanco, uh a thin-r im- poHsiblo, that 'that which rcMniircrt workin/r for" life as tho cov. nant of works docs, Hhonl.l enjoin helievinLr unto salvation, and lift,,'-_„„d that ^ obnj, nnd lire' aro the command and promise of that covenant- not believe and he snred.* This may seem plausible; but the truth IS, neither life nor sahulion are promised by tho covenant of works to a J'alhn creature. Not life for though that cov ilni pncepla ilili^cuihj. Here he owns hi8 obli^'ations; biit teelin^'- hin insutliciency, imme- diately turns It into prayer, adding, O that my wayt were directed to kit}, tlnj slalvtts!^ It might be well, too, for such to cnnsider what they themselves mean in their near approaches to Ciod, when they pray to be kept from inl. Surely it is their duty to keep from evil; and vet by their prayers it Bhould seem they need Ike Spirit rf God to enable them to perfoitn that dutv. Yes, will some say, but we do not deny our obligations as christiavs, nor our need of the Spirit to enable us to do our duty, it is nnregcnerale per- aona wo speak about.— Indeed? and do you really think that you have so much evil in your heart that vou need the Spirit of (iod to enable you to do your duty but that wicked men have not? Make Huch and such things incumbent on them, and wc set aside the work of the Spirit; because they are so good they do not need the Spirit of Cod to enable them to do their duty; but make the same things incum- bent upon a good man, and the Spirit is not at all dishonoured, because he is so bad as to need divine influence to perform his! Besides, if this be the case then the whole law of God may be fulhlled l)v a fallen creature, (for that is certainly our duty) and that without the Spirit of God, and so the carnal nund may become subject to the law of Qod, and the work of the Spirit in writing that law upon the heart becomes unnecessary. 'J If the inability of men to do things spiritually „ood though it be 'crimiml, is nevertheless rtal and Ma/; then there is the same need for the work of t Rom viii. 26. § Pt. ciixt 4, 6. On the work of the Spirit 417 tho Spirit as if it was not criininiil. This, it ought to be remembered, wo coustiii.lly uHirm. We sijpi)osc, though men's inability lies wholly lu their crnninal disinclinations and vile dispositions, yet those dispositions Inivinir an cnlirc dominion over them, they arc as r.all, ..nal)le to do good, while thi« IS the case as ifthiMr incapacity was simply natural. A man, while he continues under the dominion of aversion to another, is as incapable of doing him a kind aclton, as if he were literally bound m chain.; We believe that such IS the wicked aversion of every man's heart by nature, to come to Christ, that tio man am cwnr nnh km, crrepl the Father dmw him 1 hough nothing but our badneys renders divine in- fluence necessary, yet Ihul being what it is is abundantly sufficient. ' The bare and outward 'dc- I claration ofthe word of (jlod,' says Calvin, 'ought ' TO HAvi: LAUGEi.v sut/iei;iv to make it to be ' beheveJ, if our own blindness and stubbornness 'did not withstand it. JJut our mind hath such an ' inclination to vanity, that it can never c'eave fast 'to tho truth of (iod; and such a dulness, that it is ' alway.s blind and cannot see the light ther of Ihereforo there is notlu.ig available done by the • word without the enlightening of the Holy Ghost.'* 3.- So far is this kind of incapacity from requiring a less degree of power to remove it than the other, that perhaps it will be found to require a greater. It has been usual with Calvinisls to say, ' It requires a greater exertion of divine power to turn the heart of H smner, than it did to create him'— yeo., some have said greater than to create a world. And the reason thcr assign, 18, that in creation, though there is nothing to work upon, yet there is nothing to oppose; but in th case there is not only an equal want of any thing ^ InstitolioD*. book III. ch. 2. § 33 o2 148 On tkc icork of the Spirit. to work upon, but every thing lo oppose. Hence not only is faith represented as the gijt of God and as being of the operation of God ; but we read of THE EXCEEDING OUE\TNESS OF HI3 POWER TO Ui WARD WHO BELIRVE, ACCOUUING TO Tlir. WORKING OF HIK MIGIIXr POWER.! 4. Let it be considered whether the denial of faith and all spiritual dispositions, being the duty of sinners, does not tend rather to undermine the necessity of the Spirit's work, than to prove it. It has been a usual way with all our Calvinistic d- vines to prove the necessity of the Spirit's work from the consideration of men's utter depravity, and aversion to spiritual thing's. For instance, that on account of the blindness of their minds to the beauty of Christ and the gospel, they need the cnlightemng of the Holy Ghost;— on account of their aversion to God and spiritual things, they need an almighty power to conquer their wills;— and on account ot the depravity of their hearts, and pollution of their spirits they need a new heart to be ^tven them, and a ntxo spirit to be put within them. In one word, on account of thei.- being entirely under the dominion of sin they must be born again, and be as it were 7iet» mac/e.— But if men's inability to things spiritually oood be simply natural— if Adam himself in innocence was neither able nor obliged to do any thing spiritually *ood, nor any of his posterity whilj unregenerate; Then It cannot' be their depravity that renders the work of the Soirit necessary. And so all these arguments that have been usually drawn from that source, must be laid aside: yea, though they have done great ex- ecution against the Arminian cause, yet now must they all be betrayed, and at once given up into th- harids of the common enemy. t Eph 1, \9.. 4 I On the necc^ii / ■)f,i divine principle. 149 If the necesstv of tlio Spirit's wmk can be main- fa.nod at all upon this rrvnuul, it cannot be on account of the thinir it.Hf, but barely in respect of what IS connecied witli it. It may be necessary for rnc m order that 1 may know and enjoy God and escape eternal mi-fory, tor the Spirit of God t) work a disposition in my heart to which I was not previously oblijrcd; but one should think it cannot be necessary on account of the thinir itself any more than it was necessary for me to°have a teacher to instruct me in what I am under no ob- ligation to learn, or a helper to enable me to do what I am not at all bound to perform. The idea ot a prior obli^ration to those things which are wrought ill us la reoroncration, appears plainly therefore to strengthen the evidence for the necessity ofthe Spirit's work, rather than weaken it. V^I. Of the NRCESSITY of a DIVIVE PniNCIfLB i.v order to believing. It has been often objected to this erfect, ' It is impossible to believe in Christ without having a principle of faith created in the heart. Now as it is God's work to create that principle, till that work in effected, it cannot be any man's duty to believe in Christ.'— -That is, it cannot be the duty of any man to have, or exercise, a principle which he has not. That no man can do a good action without a good principle, is readily granted. As well mirrht anrvil tree bring forth >good fruit. But that tliii affords any e.xcuse to sinful men in the neglect of goovo.k is effected, it cannot he my duty to love God. Rebuke a man for his having no fear of Gud befo e his eyes, no holiness in his heart or he, nor any hing that deserves the name of obeduncc to God hemaytdlyou, and tell you the truth too, that he !r!^ofpxorciseany of these without a holy principle; cannot e^^^^'^^, ,^"y ■ ^^ Cvd's work to create that ::mc:ple" 1 dnot^bJmyduty, till possessed of it, to Exercise 'ariy of these virtues. And thus God's yoke is ertectuany thrown off, and the unprmcipled monster comforted and vindicated in his so doing. Yea upon this mode of reasoning, all obligation ,„'':,Me for me to act honestly without an ho„«s. Twiad. I l'-vo'n>t. What w.ulJ y.u Im-o m« Oil the n^c€i$itij •/ m diciiu principlf. 151 dor Can I croatc a principle of honmty in mysell? or 13 it my duty to do so? — It is pos^iiblo some peo- ple mi:^lit be apt to summon sucli an objector to the bar of common sense, and to answer him in some su(;li manner as tiiis; ' Create a principle ol" honesty in yourself? — you villain! — wheth(;r it is your duty t'» crcatt it or no, you certainly ou;fht to have it, and yon are a monster in human siia|M; lor l)eiiij^ without it.' But he that maintain •; it to be no man's duty to liave and exercise a [)riiiciple which ho has n »t, couM not thus reply. He must !je >.iient, or else dcpur' from his favorite notii;n. Is it not strange that plain thiut;-; sh )iild beoome so obscure? The moni beiiig thert^by excused, that it is itself theii great .^'in, and the spring head oi' all tiieir other sin-i 102 Some leaser objectioni. It is the ain of their nature ; from whence all the sins of their life proceed. Men ought to be hob] — ought to love God with all their heart — oup;ht cordially to hcUevt and embrace whatever he reveals — and ought to have a principle or di position so to do. Their not having this prevailing bias of mind so (hriposing them, is a moral drftct; and when that bias is wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, it is only producing that in us of which we ought to have been the subjects before, as well as at the time. ' There is nothing in us,' says Dr. Owen. by the way oi' habit or act, from the beginning of our faith, to the consummation thereof, that is not re- quired of us in the go^ipel.'* Should it be said, though the want ofa good prin- ciple be no excuse for the want of a good action in general, yet it is so here, because the principle which Adam lost, and which the law requires, essentially differs from that which is necessary to believe in Christ; so that if men were now of such a spirit as they ought to be, still they woi'ld be unable to believe. It is replied, this is allowing that the objection has no weight but upon the supposition of that being true which as yet is a point in dispute. But this is begging the question; taking that for granted which ought to be proved. It is hoped this, in the answer to the first objection, has been sufficiently disproved; but however that be, it is contrary to all right reasoning to draw conclusions from disputed premises. Some other lesser objections have been made, but which, I believe, are allowed by the most judicious to have little or no weight in them; such as men having no power to believe, and faith being the gift of God. As to the former, men want power to do this no more than they want power to do every thing * Display of Armiaaiam, ch. 10. The law exceeding broad. 1.3-5 else that is really good, even so much as to thxnk a >"' > \ ;V 154 Men^s depravity great. 'xr-j; -if-. •il !1 truth, to receive his truth in love, and heartily ap- prove of whatever he reveals; I say, if they ought not to do any of these things, then, for aught appears, the law ,of God is exceeding narrow. It can extend very little farther, in respect to unregenerate sinners, than that they should behave honestly and decently in the world, regularly in their families, and make their ap- pearance once in the week at the worship of God. If it oblige them to pray, to be sure it must be only for temp ral blessings, though we read of Vell might he represent God as rich in imercv in so doing ! Vea, well might he add in a parenthesis, as express- ■H' f •*!.< II i ,< 1 60 The grace of God *«r«6tf exaUtd. ing the utmwt effusiou of hii toul by orac» te ark Now iince that repretentation of things that moat 4nrfie. the grace Jf God. bids fair in the oP-,on of both sides who have engajred in this debate for being the truth, this also seems a presumptive argu- ment in favour of the foregoing principles. Should it be objected that the former P*^ of thi« representation describes God as taniahztn^ or mochng hi? fallen creatures, holding out •."J^^jajo' ';'*»«'»• when he knows befor, hand what will be 'he i«iue nay that they cannot embrace him. unless he give them an heart to to do. It is replied, First. If thiscwMioe be nothing else but atoti/«o«. or such an inability as lies in the depravity ofth* heart; then ther<, is no more mockery m so doing. Than fa prince should proclaim in »be Presence of a number of rebels, that he ^iU f g»^^^» «"^*» ^^^^^s a. will humble themselves before h.m. and ask his pardon; though he knows there are many amongij them so proud and obstinate that they cannot find in their hearts to comply. S«oondlv If Ood knows they cannot return to hini, the^rn!j'seem sensibly to know it t^XtVhey^" in general think they are much better Oianthej are. h is common for them to blame Jldam for thw misery Tnd to think they are hardly dealt w.th-that God ^ ^vantage of his being stronger than they, and so in ; manner imposes tt/e«ceupon them. But that if they werTbut A d«»»' ^i*»»' '**3 *'**""'• ''T; to man^ Ztil enough 2ff in the end. Hence, in order to mam- Epb. iL 4, 6. 9. 77w grace of God htnhy exalted. l€l feat what they are, ', God determrned actually to try them, and has been trying them in various periods of Mime, and in a variety of circumstances, ever since ' the fall of man: not in any hopo they will return of * themselves, but to manifest the contrary— well ' knowing the issue would be such as to confirm the ' doctrine of grace, evidence the depravity and naoffal ' inability of man, glorifying God's justice in the con- ' demiialion of reprieved, but ungrateful rebels; mad ' evince thb sovereign freenbss or his oracb • i.v 4-iiE SALVATION OF HIS ELECT. God tries the ' heathen world, not in hope they will find liim with- ' out a revelation; but to show the need of it: tries ' sinners under the gospel, not in hope they will con- ■ veri without special grace; Dut to "show how' their ' bad hearts will be sure to refuse his salvation, unless ' made willing by efficacious grace. All tends to show ' his justice in punishing, end his right to acf ' sovereignly in shewing mercy. t « -. ' It is God's command,' says Dr. Gooowrw, ' that ' wc should believe, and lay hold upon Jesus Christ, ' and east ourselves upon him for salvation; therefore ' it is our duty, and we are to labour to attain thi.«, ' and to labour after it in truth, and in the spiritualness ' of it not so much to show what we are able to do, but ' what we ouf^ht to do, and what our duty is to do. — ' God requires men's endeavours to this very parpo^, ' that men may see their inability, which is a groat • lesson that furthers -faith. Nature nvill, and dotli ' think it can believe and repent till it makes a; trial. ' and as wc used to put conceited persons upon ' service.^ to show them their folly, and their v. eakne.ss * upon trial, so God deals with U8.':|: t Sep a Sermon, (froa whence thia paisngo ih taken,) liv .Mr ilvi-ANn, jun. entitlod Go.Vs experiment il probation of intflli- ^(nt agfnti, page 18. X Works, toI. IV. book IV. p 3 4 1 ;} i I ^ I 1, let «iioo«rof«iii«ii< (0 poor itwicrt. Thirdlf , It might, with equal propriety, ^ J^i^J^*** to Ae cokdttot ?f Mo«. to Sihon, k.ng of the Amo- %T that he only lantoliterf and moclced him wheo El^ I mewage of peace to him* purposing to iLTSrougThi. Und in quietness; seeing it wi« Sm To destruclioa. From these instances, t is *^^"^ ^lieT'^h;^ a ti^r inability to" have com- a^ Wd he denomination was founded on a fore- ^Sj'oftheTr wicked conduct, of wh-h their non^ Xpliance with these messages of peace was no iaooQiiderable part. l?«..rthlv Then there is free and full encouragement for u^Jf:J'Tcome o/T^m all his self confidence, and :2LC&ir^/«P^nXlird Jesus Christ /or sal.atu^n^ ^faiih in Chi\st i. to be considered not as a duty iTcumbent upon all; but merely as a privilege, to .acumbeni upon , ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^g^^^, Tatf thrnoo^rca'nla'wfully and^arrantably ventu^ hil ioul upon Christ until he can first prove himself to ms soui " P » Thou«Th it be granted, that in order '? I^lfure hi t rigeae'rated bf fore he believes, yet iris not "ufficfeot; that is only granting that vi mist'have a eood disposition before he can do he must aave a g p ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^,^ a good act»o". but m regenerate "Lrrei^l' but'musttnow hLself to I such; SwUe rv'iature upon Christ may be, tor • Dettt. ii. 16.10. to Calli, Sfc. k> tiimert perfectly contUtent. 163 aught he knows, yea, it certainly must be, an act of prtnimption; seeing he does what he does not know at the same time to be his duty, nor that ho hath any warrant for so doing. But to set a poor sinner this task, is to put him upon a natural impossibility. It is putting him to prove himself possessed of gracious principles before those principles have ever discovered themselves by gracious acts, than which it would not be more absurd and impossible for a man to prove himself the subject of an honest principle before he has ever so much as purposed or desired to act in an honest way. This is to require ii»/>«ren< 9uo/t/ica/»orM, in order to warrant our coming to Christ, than which nothing can be more discouraging and perplexing to a poor ' distressed' sinner. Never a true Christian yet made his first applica- tion to Christ, viewing himself as a regenerate saint, but as a vile, wicked sinner. Such a one knows .nothing, and perhaps thinks nothing about his being the subject of gracious principles; or if be does think about it, he cannot perceive it. It must fol- low, then, upon this hypothesis, that every believer in the world, in his first application to Christ, and venture upon him, commits an act of presumption; seeing he does that which, at the same time, he does not knoxD to be his duty, or perceive himself to have any warrant for. But if, on the other hand, it be the duty of every man to believe in Christ, then every man jiath a warrant, I do not say to hope. for sal- vation tcithout a renunciation of sin and self; but renouncing these, ao to trust in him for the salvation of his soul.* Fifth, and lastly, Then calls, tcamings, invitationa, expostulations, Ihreatenings , and exhortations, even to * Seft, on 'his subject, Mr. R. Hall's Help to Zion's Travellers, pages 116—119. U; I CalU, Sfc. to »intur», pfrftctly comislent. ii the unrrfj^iiuraU, arc perfectly con$istent. If wo could not entirely reconcile iiurh nddropseB with thn doctrine of free grace; yet, Hccing they were so conHtantly used by Christ and his npo.stlen, and so often bicssrd to the naivation of «ouls, we mijtht very well reckon ourselves warranted, in the use of them. Hut if we can obtain satisfactory ideas on these subjects, they fire certainly well worth our attention. It is not intended here to vindicate all the lanjjruajj;^ that has been addressed to unconverted Hinaorn, >ior all the principles of those whose practito it ha^ been to nddressthcm. Doubtless there have been extremes in fhes"* •:!«' in all other thip:,'^, and many who hixve used them may have been very wide ol the truth as to 8cn- timentS; on other subjects; but a sober use of Huch aieans is, Bevertheless, to be retained. When we uddrcsa sinner, in the general, pcrliapv Home regard ought to paid to the order of thinp;*. Though it be the duly ef every man to be perfectly holy, yet it would be very utrange for any one of us thus to address another, 'bo perfectly holy, now, this moment.' The order fiflhn.crs rather requires that we endeavour to convict him.ot his unholiness, and of it* evil nature, before we cxhorf him to the contrary ; and then, when we do exhort him to perfect holiness, it should be by directinj him to tho.^e means which tend towards perfection. Were 1 to address a company of unconverted sinners, as I nu^'ht suppose them to be, I should think it my duty first to labour to convince them of the evil of their sin, with the awfulness and equity of their condemnation— then to point them to the saviour, and exhort them to cast their souls at his feet for mercy to pray to God for an interest in his salva- tion— to go like the four lepers to the Syrian camp, ' If he save us alive we shall live; and if he kill us. we can but die.' Calli to unconteried iinnert vindicaUd. 166 In many ipeeial addresses, regard should be bod to tme$ and circumstances, which often determmc their propriety, and add thereto a peculiar energy.— A funeral is a season in which people in general, and relations in particular, ought to be warned of their eternal concerns, and exhorted to consider of their lat- ter end.— If wo have been eye'witneB$€$io any particular wickedness, we then have a double advantage in calling the authors thereof to repentance. It was with special propriety that Peter ftddresscd his audience, to whose sin, in crucifying Christ, he had been an eye-witne«8.— after having painted it in its own colours, saying. Repent, therefore, etmd be conveHed, that your fmrtutrig^Tarnat thtngt, inm is it a proper ume lo check them, and exhort them to the pursuit of spiritual things. That was a word spoken in due «eMon which our Lord addressed to them that followed him for loaves, Labour not for tht meal that fffrrtheth, b*U for that tohich endureth unto everla$ting «/otn curiosity, rather than solid wisdom, it is proper to check that disposition, and exhort thenj to attend to things that respect their soul's eternal welfare. Thus Christ addressed himself to such a vain, curious enquirer, who asked him, saying, Lord, are there few that shall 6c oared^ Jesus replied, not by gratifying his curiosity, but by referrfr^.g him to what more immediately concerned him. Strtvs, says he, to enter in at the strait gate! q. d. 'Let there be many or few that shall be saved, be it yoitr • Acta ui. 19. t John vi. 8'#. § John xii. 86. 166 Calls to unconverted sinners vindicated. If n concern to be saved for oneT'^ — Tliese are means that ought to be used, and that frequently, both in and out of the pulpit. We have the Lord's example, together with the apostles'; and while we follow these, we can- not err. I write not these things with a view to dictate to any of my brethren, of whom I had rather learn; but barely in vindication of myself. The ministers of the gospel, upon these principles, may he said to have their work plain before them; but il" coming to Christ be merely a privilege, to which nono have n right but the regenerate, then, unless tiiey knew men's hearts by some other method than by their fruifs, their work of directing souls must bo exceedingly perph^xing. It ha.s been often said of several of the apostolic addresses, such as that of Peter in the s6c' id chapter of the Acts, and of Paul to the Jailer, that they were addressed to sensible sinners; and that when wo see persona under concern about their eternal state, like them we may then venture to exhort them to repentance ond faith in Christ. To this it might be replied, this was not always the ca«e. We have no evidence that those were sensible sinners whom Peter addressed in the third chapter of the Acts, nor many of those to whom our Lord addressed hi« exhortations before cited. But waving this, it is al- lowed that the apparent concern of mind in those per- sons afforded great encouragement to Peter and Paul, in their addresses; but if that were the ground on v'hich the propriety of their exhortation?) rested, and ihey went upon the principles here opposed; then it must be supposed they had a solid foundation to believe these persons had a good work begun before they ad- dressed '.hem; and those who thus, as they suppose, r«>llow their example, ought to have the same founda- tion for such a conclusion, beR)rc they make any such CalU to unconverted $inneri vindicated. 167 addresses. But is a person's barely appearing under concern, while we are preaching to him, n sufHcient warrant for us to conclude that a good work ofgrace is beguti in him? Surely no one will pretend to that! It is easy to see that if we are to stay till we have evi- dence ofthat, before we exhoit them to repentance and faith, we must stay till they have repented and believed, and given some good proof, too, that their repentance and faith are genuine, for till then we have no warrant to conclude any man regenerated; and so our direc- tions will always come too late. Many a worthy minister, whose principles have been unfriendly to addressing sinners, ban felt himself sadly perplexed with his shackles in the presence of a nume- rous auditory. Sometimes, the generous feelings of his soul have been cruelly suppressed through fear of tailing, into inconsistencies; at other times, however, the goodness of his heart has prevailed against the badness of his system; he has forgot his creed, burst his bonds, and (O, unpardonable crime!) addressed himself to the consciences of his carnal auditors. For this, some of his critical hearers have censured him. as legal and inconsistent; but God hath blessed it to the salvation of souls! Perhaps a great number of prejudices have ariben against this practice, from a becoming jealousy, shall I call it, for the doctrines of free mmI all-sufHcient grace. Great and precious, no doubt, are these doc- trines, and whatever tends to eclipse or obscure their glory, ought to bo suspected, if not abandoned. It ought to be confesse/], too, that too many of those who have dealt in addresses to unregenerate sinners, have B&dly neglected the very spirit and glory of the gospel. [n such addresses, perhaps it has been too common, likewise, to go aside from the scriptural intent of them, and to dabble in Armia'vnism. If, instead of telling 168 Call» iff unconverted $inneri vindicated. Binncrs their duty, in order to convince them of sin, and 8o bring them to Chritt, we give them a diminu- tive idea of their own depravity, and bloat them up with a notion of icK-sufficien'cy; then do we deceive the souls of men! So, alsd, if instead of using exhorta- tions to sinners, merely that we may use the means which God hath appointed, we give them to suppose that any work that is truly good, is, in whole or m part, to be effected by or ascribed to themselves, then do we dishonour the Spirit of God! On these accounts, it is likely some worthy persons have taken a dislike to the practice itself of addressing sinners by way of exhorta- tion Alas, into what endless extremes are we per- petually liable to be transported! The excesses and defects of this sort no more prove addiesses in them- selves unlawful, than the scandalous wickedness of of come faring Antinomilins proves it unlawful to preach the doctrines of grace. It has been as common for per- sons of that character to avow those doctrines, and use them as a cloak to their licentiousness, as for Ar- minians to abuse exhortations to sinners. Blessed are the people that walk in the narrow way of truth and righteousness!' Whatever has a tendency to build up a sinner upon a covenant of works, ought to be at all events avoided. Of such a tendancy is that preaching that leaves out the ereat doctrines of the gospel, which point to the only wav of a sinner's ^escape, and introduces, instead ot it, a mere syst«^n:'of heathen morality. Of the same ten- dency, perhaps, is that preaching that merely censures cross enormities, and leaves the corruption ofthe heart Untouched; or which presses men to the performance of eood works in a general way, without directing them first to faith in Christ, without which it is impossible to please God. We ought rather to exhort, and so- lemnly charge them first to come off from a covetmnt of w)rk$, to cease resting on themselves and to CalU tv unconvtrted nnnen vindicated. 1«9 biiild all thoir hopes of acceptar^ee with God on th4 mediator; than to do things which may be done un- derthat covenar^, and all from selfish principles; or other things, good in themselves, but which cannot be done without this being laid as a foundation. To inveigh against particular sins, and admonish men to external duties, may, on some considerations, he a good work, and productive of great good to society; but for a minister of the gospel to attend merely or mainly to this, may, on other considerations, prove injurious to the souls of men. Men in general will understand a preacher in his directions as pointing them to what concerns another world, and not merely as teaching them how to behave themselves in this. They will reckon that if they take but the preacher's advice, all must ba well with them. To point them, therefore, to an intuffieient remedy, is, in this case, worse perhaps than to point them to no remedy. Our main concern with men as miniatir* of the goapelj does not appear to be to regulate their outward conduct: omt principat huaineaa is rather lo strike at the root, to detect wicked principles; to prove, from the badness of their conduct, the vileness of their nature; and endeavour from hence to impress them with a sense of their utter undone con- dition, and absolute need of Christ. Then, and thua it appears to be our duty to exhort thetn to come to htm as the only door of hope for lost sinners, and rely upon his mediation. If this is but brought about, their outward conduct, to the good of society, wiil be reformed; and what is of infinitely more account, their souls eternally saved! If a man were the subject of some dangerous disease, and that disease kept breaking out fre- quently in different parts of his body ; it woul-' b« but pitiful conduct in a physician to direct all I 110 CalU lo unconveried sinner $ vindtcaltd. his itteation to the healing of those eruptions. He oufiht rather honestly to tell the man that these erup- tions are but so many indications of the dangerous diseaae that reigns within, and that unless that be cured, apply what he will to the repalhng of these, he is a lost man. So we should even make use of the sins of men's lives to convince thena of the desperate badness of their hearts, and our main atten- tion should be directed to that end. Since the above was written, I accidentally cast my ^yea on a passage in Dr. Owen full to the •June purpose. Speaking of the mort^f cotton of par- ticulw »in$, ' Let men know* it is their duty,' says tba Doctor, ' but in its proper place; I take not ' wen. r^ra roortidcation, but put them upon con- * version. He that shall call a man from mending *a hole in the wall of bin honse, to quench a ' 6cc that ia consuming the whoie building, is not ^ bis enemy. Poor soul! U is not thy sore finger, 'but thy hectic fever that thou art to apply thyself * to*he consideration of. Thou settest thyself against ' a particular sin, and doat not consider that thou ' art nothing but sio. ' l^t me add this,' cantinuea th« Doctor, * to ' them who are preachers of the word, or intend ' through the ^ood hand of God that employment. ' It is their duty to plead with men about their * iUQs to lay loads on particular sina; but always ' remember that it be done with tb«t which ia the ' proper end of the law and gospel: that is, that ' Ihcy make use of the sin they speak against, to ' the diacpvery of the state and condition wherfin 'the sinr.er is; otherwise haply they may work men to formality and hypocrisy, but little of the ^ true" end of prciwbiiig the |fO»pcl will bt brought Colts to utifonverlid sinners mndicated. 171 ' about . It will not avail to beat a man oft froTi , ' his drunkenness into a sober formality. A nkilful ' master of the assemblies lays his axe at the root» * drives still at the heart. To invei^ against par- * ticular sins of ignorant unregenerato persons, such ♦ as the land is full of, is a good work: but yet, ' though it may be done with great efficacy, vi- ' gour, and success, if this be all the effect of it, ' that they are set upon the most sedulous endea- ' vours of mortifying t'^eir sins preached down, all * that is done is but like tbe beating of an enem^^ ' in an open field and driving him into an impreg- ' nable castle, not to be prevailed agaitasC. Get you ' at any time a sinner at th« advantage, on the • account of any one sin whatever; have you any ' thing to take hold of him by, bring it tp his • state and condition, drive it up to the head,^ and there ' deal with him: to break men of particular sins, • and not to break their hearts, is to deprive oim-|- • selves, of advantage» of dealing with ttiem.** Ta all this, I venture to add, by the bye, those persons must have very different ideas from these of Dr. OwEX , who represent John the Baptist^ Christ, kn^ his apostles, in all their admonitions to unregejierate sinners, as aiming at nothing higher than aa out- ward refbrmation. I have said it is our duty as ministers, first to endeavour to convince men of their state by nature, and then to exhort them to come to Chisi^. I would not be understood by this as if I thought they were not to be exhorted to this till they ane actual'y so con- vinced; it is sufficient to warrant such an exhorta- tion that we first lay before them their real stale; and endeavour to convince them of it. It is trup it has been thought by some worthy persons, who Mortification ef tiv, ch. vii. 172 Colli to unconvtrttd nnnert vindicaUd. are very far from being enemies to addresiiia^ sin- ners, that nevertheless, positively calling such to come to Christ is unwarrantable. They think we should first preach conviction to them, and endea- vour to make them sensible of their vile .and lost condition, and then address them in some such man- ner as this, ' If you perceive yourselves thus vile and lost, then come to the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will have mercy upon you.' Let this matter be closely considered, it is acknowledged as before maid, that we ought first to preach conviction to sin- ners; and farther, that nothing ought to be held up fo them, by way of hope or encouragemer^, but as under the supposition of their b.^mg convinced of their vile and lost condition, and returning to God; but aa the main idoa of coming to Christ seems to be an act of submission, this ought bo enforced, whether they are sensible or insensible; whether they will hear or whether they will forbear. Sup- pose a peraou to be making a speech to a com- pany j a people pripured of the I^rd.l; — By preaching re- pentnnce and baptism, to bring both old and young, who before had be^n disobedient, to agree in cm- bracing the Lord Messiah, and submitting to hii ordinances. Thus he made ready a people by pre- piring materials wherewith to erect gospel churches. Now the means which John used were of this kind, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at handf nor were "hey without effect — great rvumbcrs were baptized of him in Jordan, confesnng their sinsf^ — so alio in the case of Peter, he called to hia carnal audience. Repent, therefore, and be con- iferied, that yonr sins may be blotted out I and it was followed with great and good effects! J Nor hath God leA off to work by these means still: I believe it will be found that in almost ail the remarkable seasons of conversion that wo have ever known or heard of, these are the means, that have been generally used. If we look at the great works which God hath wrought by I.uthkr, Cai.vin, L4TIMER, Knox, Bunyan, Elliot, Edwards, BaAiNEtD, Tennent, VVhitefjeld, and numberless others of onr reformation champions; we shall find they all went forth in the use of these weapons. Yes, these worthies of later ages, who turned m.iny to righteousness, and whose names will shine in the page of impartial history, like stars in the fir- mament, for ever; in this faith may be said to have wrought righteousness, quenched the violence of fire, and put to flight the powers of antichristian aliens. t Lako i. IT. § Matt, iii. 2. Mark t, i, ; Act* lii. 19. »v. 4. Colli to UHV^hat then? If the principle cannot be persuaded, the person may, if God set in with it, and be brought to be of another principle or disposition of mind. And, seeing Christ and his apostles appear to have used these means in their addresses to their carnal auditors, who we cannot suppose made use of such means as were not adapted to answer the end designed; it becomes us, surely, instead of raising objections from meta- physical subtilties, to follcw their examj)le, lest wo be reproved for aiming to be wise above what is written. Should it be said a privation diflers from a negation: the former is the ab.sence of something which ought not to be absent, such are honesty and loyolly ; the lat- ter is the mere absence of something which there is no obligation, or reason why it should be present; of this kind are spii-itual dispositions. — It is replied, this is tacitly allowing that the objection would have no force but upon the supposition of that being true which is a point in dispute; but this is begging the question. Indeed, this matter has been too often already taken for granted when it ought to have been proved; and will be found, it is probable, to be much sooner said than proved. It is very common for those who thu» object, to speak of the state of men by nature as being DEAD TO SPIRITUAL THINGS; but death is a privative, and not a mere negative idea. Besides, how can it be men's 'dreadful sin, and what justly exposes them to ' direful vengeaoce, not to pray to God for grace an4 it Calls to inconverlrd sinners vindicated. IM ' holiness,' if a disposition so to pray be not their duty, and the want of it only a nes^otion? Surely, it is not so dreadful a sin to he destitute of that which they are under no obligation to have! 3. If the inability of unrejj:cncratc sinners to comply with QnWa to spiritual things [trove that hey ought not to be expostulated with at all, then, . )r the sama reason, good men ought n >t to be expostulated with, or at most but a very Utile, siiicn ' the beat are subject to abundance of collness, forinalily, and wanderings of mind/ that is, ahundame of inability to things spiritu- ally good. If a total inability make it necessary to lay expostulations totally aside, then a partial inability will prove that they ought to be laid, in part, aside. And so in proportion as we see coldness and formality prevail in a christian, we are to cease exhorting and expostulating with him! ' The misrepresentation,' says a judicious writer of the present age, ' principally arises from there ' being no distinction made betwixt a natural and a ' moral inability to do the will of God. A distinction of ' more consequence to the right understanding of the ' divine dispensations towards fallen n)an, than many ' seem to be aware of. Were the inability of man to * do the will of God a natural inability, or the same ' kind of inability a man has to walk when he has a ' broken leg, f<> ^>aA jxTAi- nitraii unv nfr^iislon lor it. General observations on natural and moral inability. 18-5 ' a clean heart, and to renew in them a ri}:;ht spirit. ' And till they have this, it is as impossible, ui a moral ' sense, that they should do the will of God, as ' though they laboured under a natural incapacity of ' doing it. But yet, reasonings, expostulations, pro- ' mises, and threatcnings, it is very evident, are highly ' proper in the one case, though thev would be absurd ' and cruel in the other.'* As this distinction of natural and moraZ ability and inability is of great importance in this as well as other controversies, a few additional observations on thit* subject shall conclude the whole. By natural ability is meant ' the enjoyment of RATIONAL FACULTIES, BODILY POWERS, AND EXTERNAL ADVANTAGES. Infants and ideots are under a natural incapacity of knowledge; and every one of weak men- tal powers, though he should be neither infant nor ideot, yet, in proportion to that weakness, is the sub- ject of a natural inability. The same may be said of a defect of bodily powers : to be blind, or deaf, or sick, or lame, is to be naturally unable to see, hear, acti &.C. A want of opportunity, or external advantages, likewise constitutes the sajiie thing. A man, for in- stance, in the perfect possession of all his faculties, may be cast upon an island where there may be no Bible, nor any of the means of grace, to be obtained. In that case he will be equally under a natural inca- pacity of reading and hearing God's word, as if he were blind and deaf So that part of the heathen world who never heard of the gospel are under a natural inability of believing it. By a moral ability to do good is meant, a disposi- tion TO USE OUR NATURAL ABILITY TO RitHT PUR- „ * .'"'' 9- ^♦^"«''* Address to ihe icriotts and candid prohuon of (.'iiristianity, page 11 — 18. R 3 •i m m 1 86 General observatioriM on neUural and moralinability . V09ES. It consists in a heart to know God, o heart to love him. and a heart to devote all the powers of our 80ul9 and members of our bodies to be instru: onts of righteousness to servo him, and a heart to improve every opportunity that offers to glonty his name. Every wicked man is destitute of this, and so is under the dominion of a moral inability. He hath no heart to know God, to love him, or to serve him; no heart to devote his body, soul, or oppartumtie., to his glory. miural abUity may, in the style of scripture, be caWed the poivcr of the hand,1^ and moral abdih, the pmcer of the hea^l The former is not of its.'lf sufhcunt for the performance of good. If a man have ever so much power of this sort to do good, yet if he have no dispo- sition that way, it is to no purpose INIany a rich man has It in the po^oer of his hand to do great good to he poor; but not havinir it in the power oj hrs heart, the Soor are never the bettor. So many a one enjn>-s great reZrous opportunities and advanta;,os; but be.n,? under "he dominion of a wicked careless disposition they are of no use to him. He hatii a j. .cc ,„ Ins hand Tit wisdom, it is true; but it is « pr.cc -^^^^^^jT a fool, seeing he halh no hf.art to it.* "^^^^"^^^ the necessity of the Spirit's work npon the heart; and that upo^ men of the greatest nal.ral po^vcrs as well ns upon those of the smallest; these, notwithstanding Their great parts anJ powers, be.n-^ as far off tiom a iX%i.itf and frequently farther than the o her^ Hence also the work of the Spirit is represented by putting God's law into men's hca.ls, and writing it in puuing uuu . . ^, ^ j,,,^. heart— n new Cod, &ct t Prov. iii. 27. * Prov. xvii. 16. i O, It. A V/. M Cfcneral ohservalions on natural and tnoral inabilHy. 1 87 JValiiral inaluily, so far as it prevails, excuses from all obligation and blame. It may be, and often is an effect of sin; but it is not sin itself. Though it is an effect of sin for a man to be blind, and may be the ef- fect of some parlicular sin of which he has been guilty; yet it is not sin itself; nor is it that of wliich any man can be made to repent. lie may repent of that which brou;^ht it upon him, but cannot repent of the thing itself In respect to things morally good, whatever a person would do, but cannot, on account of some natural impediment, nobody tliiuks him to l)lame for that; even the judge of all the earth will acquit him, and in sucii a case accept the will for the deed. — But moral inability is so far from excusing men from blame, that it is the thing itself wherein blanie consists. Whatever good thing a person could do, as not being hindered by any natural impediment, but will not; or, as we sometimes express it, camiot fmd in his heart to do it, that is what all the world agioe in saying he ought to have done, and is to blame for the contrary. No man in the world, in his right senses, ever thought of excusing another in an unreasonable hatred towards him, merely because his propensities that way were so strong that he could not overcome them. And why should we think of excu-ing ourselves in our unreason- able and abominable enmity to God? If the testimony of an i.ii^pi'.cd apostle may be taken, it is because our minds are by nature wholly carnal, and enmilij against God, that while v.'C are in the fitsh we cannot toease God'.§ It is of great importance that we consider our in- ability to good as being sin ilscif, and not barely a con- sequence of sin. Great numbers of people in the religious woild seem willing to own their inability, and that"" it is the effect of the fall; and so, by laying all the § Rom. viii. 7, 8. I I 188 General observaliont on natural and moral inahUittj. blame on Adam, sit down very comfortahlv. They will own they are poor fallen creatures, a:i(l c.in do nothing, and thus content themsrlves with, ut considering that their very inability is their sin; or if rnav l)-, are con- vinced of a (GVf of their actual sins, but forjjet this, which is the source; of a'l, tin; v» ry siv ok theik WATURF. Thus, that wliicli o\\^\\\ t<» be matter of humiliation and srir-a!)li )rnnc(;, becoines niaiter of excuse; and instead of furnishing grounds for convic- tion, proves a shield against it. If the f)rrrroing observations be true, then it is not a natural nnd moral inability that mankind are under to do (he hill of Gild. Strictly spiakinix, ii in impossi- ble for any one to bo under a natural inai)ibtv to please Cod; lor no sooner does a person become" naturally unable t.> perform any thing, but tlint thing ceases to be his duty. It is a moral inability, therefore, that we are under in respect to keeping th'e whole law of God, which is our duty. And hence this is represented as the main grief and burden of the i^odly, for the remo- val of which their most earnest prayers have ascended to heaven in all aijes. This subject seems fully to be taught us in that sum- mary which our Lord gives us of the moral law; T/iat thou shall lore the Lord thy God wilk all thy heart, soul, inind and strc7i« flond-frnte!* for of- fending him; ofzcnl, let it burn always in his service; of haliril and revaize, let them spend their shafts against that which h initnifal to his honour. JVever sacrifice any of your scnues or memhcrs to iniquitous purposes, but devote them all to G )d. Squander away none of your precious /ioc, but ijrasp at every opportunity to promote his glory.' When the pious psalmist called upon his a)?//, and am. that was within him, to bleas and praise G>d's liolij name* he discovered tliia law to be written upon his heart. It does not at all tend to cry up human nature to say men have natural power, or are possessed of all the faculties necessary to love God and keep his whole Jaw, if their hearts tcere but rightly disposed. It is not at all to be ascribed to the goodness of men that their natural powers are not lost by sin, any more than it is to he ascribed to the goodness of the devil, and of damned souls, that they have consciences, and other natural powers awake, even in hell itself Mere natural power has no virtue in it, and so nothing praise- worthy; otherwise the devil would be very virtuous. Nor is it sufficient of itself to lead us to God, or to do any good thing, as before observed. The whole end, therefore, for which it is continued in intelligent be- ings, and for which wc plead for it, is not in the least to set aside the necessity of the Spirit of God to enable us to do every good thing; but merely to continutt them rational and accountable beings, subject to tho divine law and government. Somo have treated this distinction as a new invention, but that only proves their own want of reading; others affect to treat it as a distinction without a difference, or as what amounts to nothing; alleging that if men * P». eiii. 1. Oe eral obacrvalicM on natural and moral inability. lOi are unal.le, Ihcy are, and it docs not .signify what kind of inability it is— that if their prrjudicrs and proptn- sitios to vvil arc iiivinciblo thoy arc excusable —Hut if 8o then it should seem Cod's government resembles what IS sometimes said of some other governments its burden is all thrown upon the middle sort ofpeo'ple Those that are wholly good, such as holy angels they can have nothing laid to their charge, they are bhane- less; and those that are wholly bad, such as deviln and the worst ofmoa, they cau h:ive nothincr laid to their charge, for their prejudices and propensities to evil are invincible, they are dead in sin; all the blame therefore, must fall upon those that are neither wholly good, nor wholly bad. In that case the safest way for these people to get rid of their load too, is, if they cannot make themselves as good as angels, to make themselves as bad as devils. But seriously, was the inability of Joseph's brethren who COULD NOT speuk peaccabhj h him , no more blame- worthy than if they had been literally dumb? Does not common sense make a difference between the ina- bility of a lazy fellow who cannot work because of his invincible propensity to idleness, and one that is unable through a heavy affliction.? Or between one that can- not keep from abusing us through an unconquerable spirit of malevolence, and one that does the same thing through being deprived of reason.? Our Lord said to the Jews, Hoiv can ye being evil speak good thin .as been wrote: and which the late Mr. Toplady highly recommends to ail who wish to seethe Arminian sophistry totally unrav- elled and defeated.^ I may observe concerning this distinction, as Dr. Gill con-^erning the kindred distinc- tion between the natural and moral freedom ot the will that it is of great service in this controversy, ^ and t See Jcr. vi. H— 10. § Toplady on Necessity, page 117, 148. * The dstinction between the natural and moral liberty of the ,riU," says Dr. (iii^L. " is ok great seuvice in this (the Arni..ian) controvkrsy. though these two are artfully con- rounded to-reher, and because the one is domed by us, it is con- 'ludedthat^theotherisalso; whereas we atlirm, that the natural l.bortv of the will is essential to it, and always abides with it m overy action, and in every state of life. A wicked man m the bi.rhest decree of servitude to sin, his will acts as Ireely in this «t:ue of bondage as Adam-s will did in obedience to God in a state of innocence; but the mcrai liberty ol iiie wiii i» uoi e^enuaj lo ;;, General ohsevvalions on natural and moral inabililij. 1 93 cannot but conclude that were it more generally and thoroughly understood it .would prove fatal to Arminian and Pelagian principles. It has been said, by way of objection, that we place the inability of man wholly in the will, whereas it ought to be extended to the understanding and affec- tions, these being equally depraved as the other — or words to that effect. To this we reply, I . If by placing the inability in the will, we are understood as excluding the other powers of the soul, we are misunderstood. We do not suppose men's ina- bility to lie in their will in distinction from their under- standing and affections; but in distinction from the want of natural powers. We mean to include, under the terms moral inability, all sinful blindness of mind, hardness ofheari, and ii regularity of the passion.^, as well as slothfulness, and rebellion in the will. In a word, all that depravity that diffuses itself throughout, and infects the whole soul, let it be in what power it may, that is it which we suppose constitutes man's inability to do the will of God. 2. If we have used the term will, and inabilily of will oftener than other terms, it is partly because the will is a leading power of the soul, and so we use a part for the whole; — and partly because whatever other powers a. e infected by sin, all is voluntary. If men's inability lies partly in blindness of mind, as we readily grant, still that blindness is voluntary; for they refuse to knoio me saith the Lord, and are willingly ignorant. So far, indeed, as ignorance may arise from a want of the means ofknowlcdgo, or natural ability to use them, so far we allow it is innocent; but that is not the case r ihough it adds to the glory and excellency of it; and therefore may. and may not be with ii, without any violation to, or destruction of tho natural lihertv of tlicwill. — Cause of Truth, jv 1. Nn n 1 94 General observations on natural and moral inabilily. IP Hi m I t with the far greater part of that which prevails througli- out the world. If it lies pj^ftly in their affections, those affections, are all voluntary, for we do not exer- cise love, hatred, joy, sorrow, anger, zeal, desire, revenge, or any other p<^*^rion, against, but in con- currence with, our wil^ The point then in question is, whether any man b^ the subject of any other inability to do the will of God than what lies in the depraved state of his soul, and whether, if he were so willing as he ought to be, and all his whole soul rightly disposed, he would feel any remaining inability to any thing spiritually good. Once morp, The apostle PauVs declaration has been thought to afford a strong- argument against our manner of speaking, where he says, Wheit f ^vovh3 do good, evil is present with me — and again, To will t5 present; but how to PERFORM that which is good, I find not* By this it should seem as though his inability to that which is good did not lie in the want of ? will, but in the went of power; not in the depravity of his Ijeart, but in something distinct from it. To this it is replied 1. The best of men are^sanctified but in ;)or/. Their understanding, will, and affections, are not ichGlly on the Lord's side: so far from it, that perhaps there is a great deal more ignorance than discernment in the most enlightened mind, more sloth and contrariety than fervour and conformity in the most holy will, and more carnality than spirituality in the most sanctified affec- tions. Now if all our powers be sanctified but in part, then it cannot be said of us at any time that we are per- fectly willing to be what we ought to be. Perfection is the object wille*!, or rather desired, by every real christian; but we never desire that object to a perfect Nevertheless, considering the soul as speak- (icgree. Rom. Ml IS — 21. General observatidns on natural and moral inability. 1 f).'; ing according to that degree of sanctity which it does possess, or as the apostle elsewhere expresses it, as after the inner man, it is natural to speak in some such manner as this, To will is present tpilh me; but how to perform that which is good I find not — as if he should say, 'I feel a desire in a certain degree to be perfectly holy ; but that degree is so small, compared with the remaininj; degrees of opposing carnality, that how to accomplish my desires I find not,' There is no necessity for sup- posing that the apostle felt any other inability than what consisted in remaining blindness of mind, sloth- fulness and rebellion of will, and carnality of heart. These afforded opposition enough to render it impos- sible for him to be what, as sanctified, he longed to be though that impossibility was wholly of a moral, and thereforeof a sinful nature. 2. We often find a willingness, and even resolution to do many things, but before those things can be put in execution, our resolutions fail, and so come to nothing. There are a thousand cases in a christian's life wherein he feels determined to do otherwise than perhaps he has done heretofore; but alas, how com- 'njj^l^it % these determinations to Hag and fade and (^iflP tliey have long been put in practice! Hence weireed God's Spirit to work in us not only to will, but to do of his good pleasure: that is, we need him not only to enable us to form holy resolutions, Tut to keep up those resolutions till they are pu< in execution. It is impossible to supposQ one of Paul's character destitute oi^^such resolutions. Greatness and goodness of heart v^ere in Mim united. He had a heart that •rjowed with lo\^ te Chfist, to holiness, and to the souls of men; a heart that wa^ habitually devising new plans, a^d compassing great objects. It is natu'^al to suppose,*vh^n in^cioset, pressed with the impor- tance of things, TW soul often felt determined to be more diligent .an#earnest in his work than ever he had been before, ^and to press towards the mark of personal s 1' i 96 General observations on tiaiural and moral inahilUy. and perfect purity with redoubled ardour. Thus to will was present; -hut when he went forth to put these reso- lutions into execution, alas, Iwic to perform lie found not ! He felt a body of sin like a heavy clog upon his spirit, baffling his purposes, damping his r il, and causing Iiim to go softly in the Litterness of his soul! This accounts for the complaint of the apostle, with- out supposing any other inability than the evil propen- sity of his heart to spiritual declension. The purport of his language appears to be this, ' I feel at this hour, for instance, a determination to be more watchful, diligent, and constant; but alas, such is the evil pro- pensity of my heart, ere this is performed for any con- siderable time, my resolutions will flag, and if not upheld by almighty grace, I shall sink into a spirit of wretched indifference.' ^ If it had been any other than a moral and a sinful inability, Paul would not have exclaimed against it in such bitter lamentation as he did at the close of the same chapter. O, wretched man, that lam, saith he, loho shall deliver me from the body of thjs death! To a holy mind a body of sin was a body of death, yea worse than death itself; seeing he longed for that in order to be freed from this. And what was this body of death, but his remaining blindness of mind, sluggishness and perversenes^ofwill, carnality of affections, and hard- ness of heart? These hindered him in the pursuit of those things which, as sanctified, he longed to accom- plish, and not any supposed want of natural power. And now may the Holy Spirit of God lead both the writcp^and reader into all truth; and hasten the happy period when truth and righteousness ghall reign in the earth. ^ FINIS. •^ fS'