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 THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, | 
 Princeton, N. J. 
 
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 |i Case, Division ..^^.—.4. 
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TWELVE 
 
 DISCOURSES 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 LAW AND THE GOSPEL. 
 
 PREACHED AT 
 
 ST. DUNSTAN'S CHURCH, IN THE WEST, 
 LONDON, 
 
 Bj^ /r. RO MJINE, M. A. 
 
 LECTURER OF THE SAID CHURCH. 
 
 THK FOURTH EDITION. 
 
 %\^t Ilavci toa0 cJtjen lip ^ofefi, but derate anti 
 'E^rutb came Up Jtiix^ €%xi^, — Johni. 17. 
 
 LONDON; 
 
 I'RINTED AND SOLD BY M. TRAPP, NO. I, PATi.?. 
 >JOSTER-RO'.V, NEAR CIIEAPSIDP:. 
 
 MDCCXCIir. 
 
^nteretJ at ^tatimm^' ^alL 
 
\THSOLOGICi 
 
 
 yfef^; 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 fJNT are the miftakes at frejent about reUgmis 
 ■ matters ; hut none are more dejiru5iive than thcje 
 "jjhich concern the law and the go/pel. 'The generality 
 cf our people confound them, and put one in the place 
 of the ether, ^ome fuppofe they arc to he accepted of 
 God for their works, and that they can be jujlified by 
 the lavj in the fight of God Others make their keep^ 
 ing of the law the condition of their receiving the hlej'^ 
 ings of the gofpel, as if thefe were t6 he the purchafe. 
 and reward of their partial obedience. Some are per- 
 Juadedthcy mufi do all they can, and keep the law 
 with all their might, and wherein they come fhort of 
 theperfe^ deman^.s cfthe law, Chrifi will, cut of his 
 merits, atone for their failiirgs. And others again 
 think that C^rifi has abated the rigour of the law, and 
 that the gofpel is nothing more than a new law difpen- 
 fation, in which the Lord has been pleafed to declare 
 that he will accept cf fine ere obedience in/lead of per^ 
 feit, Theje and many more fuch like miftakes prevail 
 in our times, and they are exceedingly dangerous, tend- 
 ing to the utter ruin both of body and foul In the 
 following difcourfes I have endeavoured to diftinguifjj, 
 and precifely to fettle the diffcrencejhween the law and 
 the gofpel. So-me of the principles' upon zvhich I have 
 proceeded are thefe : 
 
 I. ^he Lfrd God, the Almighty Creator of all 
 things vifihle and invifible, has an unalienable right to 
 rnake laws for the government of his creatures. This 
 
 A 2 right 
 
iv PREFACE. 
 
 right is fomided in his ahjolutc dominion and Jovereignty 
 ever them They are his property, the work of his 
 hands. He hath created and made them, and not they 
 themf elves, Their lifey and all things belonging to it 
 ere his, caning from his gift, and continued by his 
 bounty ; and therefore he has a mojl indifputable claim 
 to their obedience. What he requires they muft per- 
 form : Becaufe they are his creatures, The relation 
 between the Creator and bis creatures puts them under 
 c necejfity of obeying his law and zvill, or efe ofjuf- 
 fering whatever he fhall threaten to inJiiSl upon their 
 d'Jobedience. 
 
 2 . The law of the Lord God the almighty Creator 
 is unalterable. It changeth not : For it is the copy of 
 God's mofl holy mind and will, in which there can be 
 770 variablenejs, neither fijadow of turning. If the 
 mind and will of God were to change ;, then God would 
 be a changeable being, and whatever is changeable is 
 imperfeSi ; but God is perfetl, therefore his mind and 
 will change not. His word will he not break, nor 
 alter the law that is gone out of his mouth. His in- 
 finite wifdom, and his almighty power, ft and engaged 
 
 to jnaintain its dignity, that it may be always an 
 holy, jujl, and good law, which he will not break or 
 alter, 
 
 3 . The moral law, which the Lord God revealed 
 to Adam in Paradifc, required of him perfe£f uninter- 
 rupted obedixncc. The whole moral law is fumyned up 
 in one word, namely, love\ love to God for the bleffings 
 of creation and providence, and love to man for God's 
 
 fake. This love W4S the indijpenfable homage due to 
 the Creator, It could not be alienated from him, and 
 given to any other ohjel^f without idolatry: For which 
 reafon the moral law is unalterable. If a man with- 
 draw his love in the leafl from God, he breaks that 
 law which pofitively enjoins him to love the Lord- his 
 5 God 
 
PREFACE. r 
 
 God with all his hearty with all hisjoul^ with all his 
 windy and with all his Jlrcngth. 
 
 4. The law give?! to Adam being unalterable^ all 
 his defcendants are bound to keep it : For they are all 
 tinder the laWy as God's creatures. His will is the 
 indifpenjable rule of their obedience. He requires their 
 lovey and if they refufe to give it him^ then their will 
 is oppojite to his, which is rebellion againjl their Jo- 
 vereign Lord, and which mufl bring upon them Jivift 
 deflru5iion. 
 
 5. All mankind have finned and broken the moral 
 lazv, 'The authority of God's word is pcfitive and ex- 
 prefs. " We have before proved, fays the apoftle, 
 <* both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under fin, 
 " as it is written, there is none righteous ^ no not one, 
 <f There is none that underflandeth, there is none that 
 *' feeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way^ 
 *^ they are altogether become unprofitable, there is none 
 <^ that doeth good, no not one.'' Rom. iii. 9, 10. &c. 
 And after the apoftle has proved thcfe truths from va- 
 rious argU7nents, hefums up the evidence thus, * Now 
 " we know, that what things foever the law faith, it 
 *' faith to them who are under the law ; that every 
 *' mouth may be flopped, and that all the world may 
 " become guilty before God : Therefore by the deeds of 
 " the law, there fh all no flefh be juftifiedin his fight.'* 
 Rom. iii. 19, 20. // is evident from thefe autho- 
 rities, that all have finned, and are trangrcjfors of the 
 law. 
 
 6. The law has made no provifion for the pardon 
 of the leafl tranfgreffion. It requires perfel^ u) fuming 
 obedience in thought, word, and deed. This is its jujl 
 demand. And in cafe of the leaf failing, it immedi- 
 ately paffes fentence and condemns. It will not accept 
 of forrow or tears, of repentance or amendment, as 
 any fatisfa^ion; but its language is " Do this, or 
 
 A3 *' thou 
 
V] 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 " thou jJjalt die.'" 'There is not a isJorcl Jaid ahiid 
 Jorroiving for zvhat was ■pajl^ and reforming for the 
 future^ as if the fly le of the law waSj " Bejorryfor 
 " thy fin i and reform, and then thou fhalt not die:" 
 But it is pofitive and exprejs, " Keep the laWy and 
 " thou fjalt live, Tranfgrefs it, and thou Jhalt die: 
 *^ for curfed is every one, who continueth not in all 
 *^ things, that are written in the book of the law t(f 
 *' do them." 
 
 7 , From thofe premifcs it follows, that the law 
 being unalterable, and all men having broken it, and 
 there being no provifion made in the law for the pardon 
 of the leaf; tranfgreffion, but a punifoment threatened to 
 the leafi, they are therefore guilty before God. The 
 law brings them in guilty, and condemns them, and di' 
 vine jufiice is bound to infli5i the deferved pains and pe- 
 nalties; fo that there can be no pofjibility of jujiifying 
 them by the law By the zvorks of the law fljall no 
 fefrj be jufified: for the law is exprejsly called by the 
 apofile, the minijiration cf condemnation, and the mi-^ 
 nifiraticn of death. 
 
 8 Since the law is thus unalterable, and punifh- 
 ment is threatened to the leaf breach of it, andjince 
 all men have broken it, and all the world is guilty he" 
 fore God, and^ condemned by the law to death and hell, 
 and without frength to do any thing for their deliver- 
 ance, it follows that there can he no Jalvation by the 
 law. 
 
 From thefe particulars w^y may be able to flate the 
 true nature of the moral law. It is the revealed will 
 of God difcovering to his creatures what obedience he 
 requires of them, namely, perfeEl iinfinning obedience, 
 an abfclute conformity to the law in thought, word, and' 
 deed. It is an unalterable law, founded on God's unal- 
 terable will, and therefore it requires this perfc5i obe- 
 dience of all men, and at all times. It has made na 
 
 provifion^ 
 
PREFACE. . v»ff 
 
 provijhn for partial obedience, or for fmcere ohedienccn 
 but iyjijis upon mans continuing to do all things that 
 are 'written in the book 'of the lazu, if he hope by the 
 deeds of the lazv to bejifjlified and five d. 
 
 If this be the true Jlate of the cafc^ hozv zvidely do 
 thefe men rnifiake the nature and demands of the moral 
 law, zuho cxpeEl to be made righteous before God, by 
 their partial obedience. The lazv knozvs nothing of any 
 rightcou fiefs, but what is perfect . If you put your 
 trial at God's bar upon this ifue, that you have kept 
 the law in mofl inflances, having failed only in fonte 
 few \ this is pleading guilty . It is ozvning your tranf- 
 greffion, and Cunfejfing that you have not fich a righ- 
 tcoufnefsy as the law demands : For a part is not the 
 whole. And the law infijls upon the whole, and in cafe 
 of failure, paffes fntence, and condemns you ' For it is 
 written, ' ' Cur fed is every one, who continueth not in 
 *^ all things, &c:' 
 
 But Jome may afk, Will not the law accept of fncere 
 obedience f Nay. It will abate nothing of its demands. 
 It will have abfolutely per feci obedience, if by the zvorks 
 of it a man be jujiified before God. There is not om 
 word in the lazu about Jincerity; no, not a Jingle hint, 
 as if a man might be pardoned, zvho kept the lazv fin- 
 cerdy, although imperfi^ly. The lazu fays — Do all 
 things zt'hich God has commanded, and continue to do 
 them with all thy heart, mind, foul, and Jtremth, and 
 then thoufJjalt be jufiifed by thy works-, but if thou of- 
 fend in one inflance, thou come/i under the curfe : For 
 he that ofendctFin one point is guilty of all, and confe- 
 quently fmcere obedience f ailing in one point leaves a man 
 guilty, and under the curfes of the broken lazv. 
 ■ It highly concerns ihofe pcrf.ns to conjider this matter 
 well, who fancy that Chrifl came as a great lawgiver, 
 to publflj milder terms cf acceptance than the nwral law 
 had required. Tkey have a notion of Chrijl, cs if he 
 
 A 4 %;srg 
 
vili PREFACE. 
 
 'ivere only the puhlijhir of fome ?iezv remedial law, zvhich 
 abated fomcthifig of the demands, and //liiigatcd fomc of 
 the rigour of the moral lazv. IVbereas he came not to 
 piihrijlj any nezu lazv, but to fave his people from their 
 Jtns committed againjl the old law. He came to be a 
 Saviour, and not a lazvgi-ver. Indeed he preached the 
 lazv, bid it zvas to bring men to the knozvledge of /in, 
 and to fee and to feel their want of his falvation. But 
 he preached nothing nezv. He only enforced the lazv in 
 its fpirltiial nature, and in its full extent, floczving the 
 length and breadth, the depth and height of the com- 
 'mandment. He ivoidd not have his people fo much as 
 entertain a thought of his coming to make' any change in. 
 the moral lazv. '* Think not, fays he, that I am come 
 " to dejiroy the lazv, I am not come to defiroy, but to 
 *' fidfil it:'* And he did fulfil it', for he zvas born 
 under the lazv, and was obedient to it even unto death. 
 The lazv zvas unalterable. It could not change, unlefs 
 God's mojl holy mind and zvill could change, which is 
 impofible, and therefore the law being broken could not 
 remit the defer-ved pun>fhment, unlefs fome infinitely per- 
 fcvi obedience fbouid be paid, and fome infiniicly merito- 
 rious fufferings foould be undergone in the fmner'sfead, 
 by zvhich the lazv might be magnified and made honour- 
 able. Arid the Lord Chrift undertook to do this. He 
 'uouchfafed to obey and to fujf'er for his people, to obey 
 the precepts, and to fufi'cr the pains and penalties of the 
 ia\v. The laio had indicled them, and found them guil- 
 ty of difobedience. Chrifi came to obey for them, as it is 
 zvrit'en, *' By the obedience of one /hall many be made 
 '• rigrjtCGUS.*' The law had put them under the curfe^ 
 and he came to redeem them from the curfe of the law. 
 The lazv threats -Jcd to punip them, and he came to bear 
 their fins, and the puiiifl.^ment due to them in his ozvn 
 bjdy upon the tree. So that Chrift came not to publijh 
 a new remedial law, hit to glorify the moral law, and 
 
 to 
 
PREFACE. is 
 
 to dcmwjirate the unchangeable nature of it', jince no 
 obedience^ and no fufferings, but his, 'which zvere ah" 
 folutely perfc5l^ divine, and infinite, could zvork out fuch 
 a righteoufnefs for any onefimier, as the lazv required, in 
 order to his being jujiified in the ftght of God. 
 
 As thefe arguments fhciv that the finner cannot ofhiiK' 
 felf attain the perfeci righteoufnefs zvhich the lazv de- 
 mands, fo dd they prove that he cannot by any means in 
 kis ozjcn pozver cfcape the punijJmwit which the law 
 threatens* The lazv requires unfmning obedience^ and en- 
 forces it upon thofe fan5lions. Do this, and thou palt 
 live: In the day that thou tranfgreffejt, dying thou fi:) alt 
 furely die. Thefe fanElions of the lazv are as much the 
 viind and zvill of God, as the rule of the lazv itfelf. 
 And his zvill is unalterable, confequently upon iranfgrejfion 
 the fanSiion took place, and the tranfgrejjbr became fub- 
 jecl to the firfl, and to the fecond death, which jujlice 
 zjvas bound to fee injlified upon him. IVhat could he do 
 in this cafe to deliver him felf? Could he offer any thing 
 to divine jujiice to five himfelf from receiving the zvages 
 of fin? No. They are his due, mid he mvjl receive 
 them. Say, he is forry for his Jin, and weeps and 
 mourns bitterly. IVhat does this avail ? This is only 
 an open confejjion of his guilt, and an acknozvledgment 
 that he deferves puniflmicnt. Suppoje he amends and 
 reforms kis life, IVhat atonsme,it is this for his for- 
 mer bad life ? The lazv zvill not be fatisfied with fuch 
 partial obedience. But he promifes never to fin for the 
 future: If he could keep his promife, it zvould not fa- 
 tisfy the lazv, for zv hat becomes of his pajl di fob e die nee? 
 One finglefin cuts him off for ever from being favcd by 
 t}>e lazv ; and fince all have fumed, confequently by the 
 zztorks of the broken law can no man living be jtif- 
 tified. 
 
 This is the true Jlate of all men by nature. They are 
 ail finners, and they cannot be favcd by the moral law. 
 
 It 
 
K PREFACE. 
 
 It can neither alto^ethe>\ nor in part jujlify them^ and 
 therefore it Jhuts them up under guilt , and leaves them 
 without remedy, and zvitbout hope. Js foon as man 
 was fallen into this Jiate, it pkafed God to reveal that 
 rich plan of grace and mercy ^ which is contained in the 
 Co /pel, of which this is ajhortfketch. 
 
 1 . 'The gofpel is falvafion from the law. It brings 
 glad tidings for poor convinced JinnerSy dlfcovering to 
 them how their fins may be pardoned, and they may be 
 redeemed from the ciirfes of the broken law. It reveals 
 to them what Chriji has done and fuffered to fatisfy the 
 law, and how he endured the -pains and penalties of itj 
 dying the death, to which the lazu had fentenced them, 
 Jind the gofpel calls upon them to receive the benefit of 
 what he did and fuffered as his free gift, propofir.g to 
 them, without money and without price, all the graces and 
 hleffmg^ which the Saviour purchafed with his life a^id 
 death. 
 
 2. The gofpel fets forth to the convinced Jinner fil- 
 vation from guilt and punifloment, by giving him freely 
 as perfeci a righteoufnefs as the law demands* It in- 
 vites him to receive the righteoufiefs ofChrift, againji 
 which the iitmofl rigour of the law can make no objec^ 
 tion : Becaufe it is the righteoufnefs of God, a divine, 
 infinite and abjolutely perfed righteoufnefs. fVhen this 
 righteoufnefs is imputed to the finner, he is pardoned^ 
 thi law ceafes to accufe, confidence no longer condemns, 
 he has peace with God, and the love ofi God reigns in 
 his heart. 
 
 2. In order to receive this right eoufinefis the gofipel re- 
 quires no previous qualifi.cation. The Jinner is not re- 
 garded, as fit and meet to receive ChrijVs right eou fiefs 
 by any thing he himfelf can do. Chrifi freely wrought 
 it out, a}id he fccly gives it. The works of the law. 
 have no merit to purchafe it: For it is zvritten, " IFe 
 ** are iufiifi.ed frceh by his grace, through the redemp- 
 
 " tion 
 
PREFACE. xi 
 
 '* tion that is in Chrijl Jcfus.'* JnJ if it he hy grace, 
 then it Ciiiuiot be by any zcorks or qualifications. 
 
 4. But how is ChrijVs right eoujnefs received, and 
 the /inner made righteous by it at God's bar f By fait h^ 
 and not by works: *' For to him that zvorkcih noty but 
 ** believeth on him that ji'fiifieth the ungodly, his faith 
 ** is counted for right eoiifnefs. IVhcre is boa/ting then? 
 *' It is excluded. By zvhat lazv P of works f Nay, 
 ** bid by the lazv of faith. Therefore we conclude, 
 ** that a man is jvftified by faith zvithont the deeds of 
 *' the lazv.'* 
 
 5. PFith refpe5i then to the Jtnner*s acceptance and 
 jnfilfication before God, the lazv and the gofpel ought 
 to be dijiinguifhed in thcfe as zvcll as in other refpccis. 
 
 According to the lazv falvation is by zmrks, according 
 to the gofpel it is by grace. 
 
 The law fays, Do this j hut the giyfpelfays, Believe 
 this, and thou Jhalt be faved. 
 
 The law threatens to punijh the Jinner for thefvfi of- 
 fence, but the gofpel offers him pardon for many offences.. 
 
 The law leaves him under z^'ilt and condemnationf 
 the gofpel invites him to receive pardon and falvation. 
 
 The law fcKtences him to death, the gofpel ojj'as him 
 jiijlification to life. 
 
 By the law he is a guilty /inner, hy the gofpel he may 
 be made a glorious faint. 
 
 If he die under the guilt of th: broken Liw, hell will 
 he his everlajling portion ; if he die a partaker of the' 
 grace of the gofpel, heaven zvill be Jns eternal inheri- 
 tance. 
 
 6. But if the lazv and the gofpel an dijlin^ bi thefe 
 and fever al other rejpetls, fome perfons may think the 
 lazv is totally repealed by the gofpel: for they cannot fee^ 
 wherefore ferveth the law, unlep it be to j:{lVtfy a 
 /inner. The law is unalterable. It cannot change any 
 more than Cod caa change. I'd this day it /la/ids in 
 
 full 
 
 7 " 
 
xii PREFACE. 
 
 full force, and not one tittle of it is repealed. It isjlitt 
 the revelation of God's mojl holy niind and zvill concern^'' 
 ing the obedience which he requires of his creatures. And 
 if they difobey, the law iinmediately pafjes fentence and 
 condemns them to death. While they continue carelefs 
 and fecure in Jin , they confider not the law as the minif- 
 iratton of death and condemnation \ and none of them fee 
 it in this light , until the holy Spirit azvaken them. It 
 is by his preaching of the law to their confciences, that 
 they are alarmed with fearful apprehenfions of their guilt ^^ 
 arid of their danger. He brings them to fee the exceed' 
 ing Jinfulnefs of finning again]} the holy, juji, and good 
 law of God, and convinces them that the broken laiu can 
 never make them legally righteous, ^iois puts them upon 
 fecking fuch a righteoufnefs as the law requires, and 
 difpofes them to receive gladly the righteoufnefs of the 
 Lord Chriji: For he is now the end of the law for 
 righteoufnefs to every one that believeth, 
 
 7» Thus the Holy Spirit convinces finners that the 
 law is not repealed by the gofpel, and when he gives 
 them the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith, and 
 they have jujlification to life freely by grace, does he teach 
 them to make void the law by faith P God forbid, I'ea, 
 they eJiahl'ifJi the law : For they confent unto it that it 
 is good. 1'hey delight in the law of God after the in- 
 Ti'ard man, and they keep it in their outzvard life and 
 converfation. It is the rule of their holy walking. They 
 are free from the law as to its condemning killing pozver^ 
 but they are under the law to Chrijt, They knozv, that 
 if the law had not been unalterable, and of indifpenfable 
 obligation, Chriji had lived and died in vain. And he 
 did not come to give his people liberty to break the unal- 
 terable law ; that would be a contradiHion in terms. But 
 he came to ejiablifh the law, by rejloring it to its honour 
 and dignity, by his obedience to its precepts, and by his. 
 fuffering its pains and penalties, and then by making it 
 
 honourable 
 
PREFACE. xiii 
 
 honourable in the confcjjion of convinced Jinners^ and in 
 the lives of his redeemed people. 
 
 Thcfe are fome of the principal points treated of in 
 the folloiving difcourfes. In 7x'hich I have endeavoured 
 to follow fcripture clofely. 'This has been my guide ; 
 and I have conjlantly deftred his teaching who infpired 
 it. And I nozv pray him to fhine into the heart of every 
 one zvho reads thefe difcourfes. May he always accom- 
 pany the perufdl of them zvith his divine grace and bleff- 
 ing ; and if they be made ufeful to the church of Chrifty 
 may his be all the glory. Give it him, reader j for it 
 is his due, and pray for thy hearty well-wifhery 
 
 CONTENTS- 
 
G O N T E N T S. 
 
 DISCOURSE I. 
 
 The Neceffity of Divine Teaching. 
 
 John vi. 45. 
 
 // is written in the ^rophetSy And they pall he all 
 taught of God. P. X^ 
 
 DISCOURSE II. 
 
 Upon the Moral law. 
 
 Rom. vii. 12. 
 
 ffherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, 
 jnjl, and good. P. 5 1 
 
 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 Upon the Ceremonial Law, 
 
 Solomom's Song iv, 6. 
 Until the day breaks and the Jhadowsjlee away^ I will 
 get me to the mountain of myrrhy and to the hill of 
 frankincenfe, P» ^9 
 
 DISCOURSE. IV. 
 
 Upon the Law of Faith, 
 
 Rom. iii. 27. 
 fVJ^ere is hoafling thenP It is excluded. By what 
 lawP Of works P Nay, hut by the law of . 
 faith. P. 123 '^ 
 
 PISCOFRSE ., 
 
 4/ 
 
CONTENTS. ^v 
 
 DISCOURSE V. 
 
 Upon imputed Righteoufnefs, 
 2. Cor. v. 21. 
 
 lie hath made him to be fin for us, who knew no fin ^ 
 that TOQ might be m^de the righteoiifnefs of God in 
 him, P. 157 
 
 DISCOURSE VL 
 
 Upon being Righteous over much. 
 
 JLccLES. vii. 16. 
 
 ^e not righteous over much, P« 191 
 
 DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 Upon the right Knowledge of the Lord God. 
 
 Mark xii. 28, 29, 30, 31. . 
 And one of the fcribes came, and having heard them 
 reafoning together, and perceiving that he had an- 
 fwcred them well, ajked him, which is the firft 
 commandment of all. And Jefus anfwered hi?n, the 
 frjl of all the commandments is. Hear, Ifrael, 
 the.JLord our God is one Lord; ami thou fialt love 
 the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all 
 thy foid^ and with all thy mind, and with all thy 
 Jlrength : This is the firfi commandment. Aid the 
 Jecond is like, namely, this, TbiK flialt love thy 
 neighbour as thyfelfi there is none othsr command- 
 ment greater than thefe, P« 223 
 
 PlSCOVRSli 
 
xvi CONTENTS. 
 
 DISCOURSE viir. 
 
 Upon the right Love of the Lord God. 
 
 Mark xil. 2S, 29, 30, 31. 
 And one of the Scribes camcy and having heard them 
 reafoning together y ^c, P. 255 
 
 DISCOURSE IX. 
 
 Upon the right Love of our Neighbour. 
 Mark xii. 28, 29, go, 31. 
 And one of the Scribes came, and having heard them 
 reafoning together, ^c, V. z^y 
 
 DISCOURSE X. 
 
 Upon the cleanfing Virtue of Chrill's Blood. 
 
 Zechariah xiii. r. 
 In that day there Jhall be a fountain opened to the 
 houfe of David, and to the inhabitants of Jeru- 
 falem, forfia and for uncleannefs, P, 337 
 
 DISCOURSE XL 
 
 The balm of Cilead, 
 
 Jer. viii. 22. 
 h there no halm in Gilead? Is there no phyfician 
 there? IVhy then is not the h€alth' of the daugh- 
 ter of my people recovered? P« 381 
 
 DISCOURSE XIL 
 
 Upon the Promifes of God. 
 
 2 Peter i. 4. 
 IVherehy are given unto us exceeding great and pre' 
 ciou^ promifes, P» 423 
 
THE 
 
 NECESSITY 
 
 OF 
 
 DIVINE TEACHING. 
 
 DISCOURSE I. 
 
 John vi. 45. 
 
 // is written in the prophets. And they Jhall 
 be all taught of God, 
 
 X HIS is a fweet promife, full of comfort to 
 the children of God. So foon as he has given 
 them a delir'e to be taught, the Lord has 
 fpoken it by the mouth of his holy prophets, 
 that they may come to him to receive in- 
 ftruftion. He, the all-wife God, will be 
 their teacher. He will open the eyes of 
 thjeir imderftandings clearly to difcern fpi- 
 
 B ritual 
 
( '8 ) 
 
 ritual things, and will make them wife unto 
 falvation. In the book of Pfalms we find fre- 
 quent prayers for this divine teaching, and 
 among the high and honourable titles of God, 
 this is ufed to defcribs his goodnefs to the 
 children of men — *' He that teacheth man 
 " knowledge :" and not man confidered mere- 
 ly as ignorant, but alfo as guilty. " Good 
 " and upright is the Lord, therefore will he 
 *' teach finners in the way," Pfalm xxv. 8; 
 which fhews the wonderful condefcenfion 
 of our divine teacher. He vouchfafes to be 
 the*in{lru6lor of finners, in order to bring 
 them out of darknefs into light, and out of 
 mifery into happinefs : " For blefled is 
 *' the man," fays the Pfalmift (xciv. 12), 
 *' whom thou teacheft out of thy law." He 
 is blelTed, becaufe he is taught of God, and 
 taught by him out of the law, to know his 
 guilt and mifery ; and taught alfo to know 
 the remedy provided for both. Blefied 
 furely is he, whom God thus teaches ; and 
 yet how few among us feek this bleffed- 
 nefs? Even among thofe who profefs their 
 belief of it, its importance is not fufficiently 
 valued. The privilege is great, ineftimably 
 great, but they are too apt to negle^fl: it ; 
 while others proudly fancy they can teach 
 
 themfelves ; 
 
( '9 ) 
 
 thcmfelves ; or they think it no honour to be 
 taught of God; they dilbelieve the reality, 
 or they negle£l the importance of divine 
 teachinij. Some of thefe reafons prevail 
 with the generaUty of nominal Chriftians, 
 and hinder them from being convinced of 
 the truth of what is written in the prophets, 
 " And they fhall be all taught of God." 
 But he that teacheth man knowledge can, 
 and, glory be to his rich grace, he does, con- 
 vince him of the neceffity of being taught 
 of God. He does enlighten the darkeft, he 
 does humble the proudeft mind, and bring 
 it earneftly to pray for inftrudion — '' Lord 
 ^' what I know not, that teach thou me." 
 May this be the prayer of all your hearts, 
 while I am explaining the nature of the 
 promife in the text, and may God fulfil it 
 to you at this time, that you may be con- 
 vinced 
 
 Firil, Of the neceffity of being taught 
 of God : 
 
 Secondly, Of the manner in which God 
 teaches his people : 
 
 Thirdly, Of the proper difpofition of 
 B 2 mind 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 mlncl which he gives them, in order to 
 their receiving and profiting from his 
 divine teaching. 
 
 o 
 
 Fird:. Divine teaching confifts in opening 
 the eyes of the underftanding to perceive 
 fpiritual and divine objecls, and to fee their 
 value and importance, in difpofing the will 
 to choofe them, and the heart to love them. 
 The divine teacher is the Holy Spirit, tie 
 prepares tiie mind to receive his inflru(51:ion, 
 and then fills it with the knowledge of his 
 will in all wifdom and fpiritual underftand- 
 ing. The necefiity of his doing this is 
 founded in the prefent fiate and circum- 
 flances of fallen men : for through lin all 
 the faculties of the foul were loft, and 
 the underftanding, which is the eye of the 
 foul, was left in the fame condition as the 
 bodily eyes would be if they had no light. 
 Hence the Pialmift declares, that there is 
 none who underftandeth the things of God, 
 and he reprefents God as looking down from 
 heaven to lee if there were any who did 
 underftand and feek after God ; but he 
 found none, no not one. They all had 
 their underilanding darkened, being alien- 
 ated from the life of God throusrh the i";- 
 7 norance 
 
( z- ) 
 
 norance that is in them, bccaufe of the 
 bhndiiels ot their heart. The prophets give 
 us the lame character, and Ipeak ol men as 
 if they were ail bUiid, and defcribe the 
 Melhah to be the fun of righteoufnefs, the 
 lioht who was to arife to hi^hten the Gcii" 
 tiles, and was to be the glory of his people 
 Ifrael. Thus Jehovah fays of his beloved 
 Son, " 1 the Lord will eive thee for a co- 
 " venant of the people, for a Hght of the 
 *' Gentiles, to open the blind eyes." Ifa. xlii. 
 7. And again — " I will alfo give thee for 
 " a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayeil: 
 " be my falvation unto the ends of the 
 " earth." Ifa. xlix. 6. How did our Lord 
 fulfil thefe prophecies ? He did not, while 
 he was upon earth, open the bodily eyes of 
 any blind perfons among the Gentiles, but 
 he has fulfilled them, and, glory be to his 
 great name, he is daily fulfilling them iii 
 the gentile world, by opening the blind eyes 
 of our underftandinQ-s to fee and to difcerii 
 
 o 
 
 the things of God. In this {enf^ the Pfalm- 
 ift, fpeaking both of Jews and Gentiles,- fays, 
 Pfalm cxlvi. 8, '* Tlie Lord openeth the 
 ** eyes of the blind," that is, the Lord 
 Chrift: for we read, Ifa. xxxv. 4, 5, " Sdy 
 ** unto them that are of a fearful heart, be 
 
 B 3 ** flrong. 
 
( " ) 
 
 *' ftrong, fear not, your God will come and 
 " fave you, then the eyes of the blind fliall 
 " be opened : for in that day (Ifa. xxix. i8) 
 " fhall the deaf hear the words of the book, 
 '* and the eyes of the blind fhall fee out of 
 " bbfcurity, and out of darknefs.*' All thefe 
 fcriptures had their happy accomplifhrnent, 
 when God, who was to come and fave us, 
 fpake with his own mouth, and faid, " I am 
 " come a light into the world, that whofo- 
 *' ever belie veth on me fhould not abide in 
 " darknefs." John xii. 46. 
 
 From thefe authorities it is certain, that 
 fallen man is in darknefs, and cannot fee 
 the things of God. The eyes of his under- 
 flanding are in the fame condition as his 
 bodily eyes would be without light. He 
 cannot fee any fpiritual objects, and how 
 then can he come to the knowledge of them, 
 nnlefs he be taught them of God ? By what 
 other way or means can he difcern. them ? 
 Has he any powers or faculties of his own, 
 which can help to enlighten him ? No, he 
 has none : for, fince the eyes of his under- 
 ftanding are in darknefs, ull his endeavours 
 to enlighten them, without divine teaching, 
 will be like thofe of a blind man, who only 
 
 makes 
 
( ^3 ) 
 
 makes his blindnefs more manifefl the more 
 he labours and ftrives to give an account of 
 thole objedls, which he never faw nor felt. 
 
 But cannot the arts and fciences enlight- 
 en his blind eyes ? No. They cannot help 
 him to difcover one fingle fpiritual idea. — 
 The arts and fciences treat of the obje£ls of 
 fenfe; to thefe they are confined, and can- 
 not get beyond the bounds of nature : for 
 it is a certain truth, and indeed it is at pre- 
 fent a received opinion, that all our ideas 
 come from fenfe. We are not able to form 
 an idea of any thing, unlefs it fall under the 
 obfervation of fome of our fenfes. If any one 
 of the fenfes be deftroyed, the man is not 
 able to form an idea of any obje£l peculiar 
 to that fenfe. A man born deaf has no idea 
 of founds,'nor a blind man of colours. Since 
 then the arts and fciences treat entirely of 
 the objecls of fenfe, how can they give us 
 any ideas of thofe things which are not objeds 
 of fenfe : for was it ever known that the 
 ftream rofe higher than the fountain head? 
 
 From hence it appears, that if the under- 
 ftanding be ever fo greatly refined and en- 
 larged with the knowledge of arts and fci- 
 
 B J. ences. 
 
( n ) 
 
 cnces, yet it flands in as much need of dU 
 vine teaching, as the moft ignorant peafant 
 does ; becaufe the things of God are not 
 difcoverable by the arts and fciences. Let 
 matter of fadl fpeak to this point. Has 
 there not been a total icrnorance of divine 
 
 o 
 
 things, whenever the light of revelation has 
 been extinguifhed ? Look into the learned 
 ages of Greece, and you find the feveral fecSls 
 of philofophers enquiring, What is the chief 
 s^ood of men ; and none of them could dif- 
 cover what it was, and difputing about the 
 origin of evil, and never coming near the 
 truth. Look into the times when Rome 
 was raifed to its higheft glory, and was as 
 famous for its learning as for its conquefts, 
 and you will not find one learned Roman, 
 who can tell you what God is. Tully has 
 written a book upon the nature of the gods, 
 and it is one of the mofi: valuable of his writ- 
 ings; for therein he gives us the opinions of 
 the philofophers upon this fubje(St, and fhews 
 his own and their exceeding great ignorance 
 of it. From thefe inftances, not to men- 
 tion others, it is evident that a man may have 
 all the knovvledofe which arts and Iciences 
 
 o 
 
 can give him, and yet be totally ignorant of 
 God, and of the things of God. This has 
 
 appeared 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 appeared from undoubted matter of fact. We 
 know from the experience of the Greeks and 
 Romans, that arts and fciences never did lead 
 them to the knowledge of any fpiritual and 
 divine obje6ls ; and we are allured from the 
 teftimony of God's word that they never 
 can. Man, in his natural ftate, blinded by 
 fin, and under the power of it, cannot attain 
 to any fuch knowledge. The Apoftle has 
 decided this point for us. Speaking of the 
 politeft cladical age of Rome, he fays of her- 
 great philofophers, and celebrated authors, 
 that they were without underflanding, that 
 they became vain in their imaginations, and 
 their foolifh heart was darkened. What ! 
 was Tullv without underftandins:, was the 
 imagination of Virgil vain, and the heart of 
 Seneca foolifh? Yes, in the things of God : 
 *' for the natural man receiveth not the 
 ** things of the Spirit of God, for they are 
 *' fooli(hnefs unto hinh, neither can he know 
 *' them, becaufe they are fpiritually dif- 
 '^ cerned." i Cor. ii. 14. While he re- 
 mains a natural man, it is abfolutely im- 
 polfible that he (hould know them, *' nei- 
 *' ther can he know them," becaufe he has 
 no fpiritual difcernment, by which alone fpi- 
 ritual objedls can be difcovered ; and there- 
 fore 
 
{ ^6 ) 
 
 fore he muft remain for ever ignorant of 
 them, unlefs God (hould open the eyes of his 
 underftanding, and bring him out of dark- 
 nefs into his marvellous hsht. 
 
 D 
 
 This is a very humbling, but it is a real 
 view of human nature, and I need not to 
 have gone to diftant ages and countries for 
 proof. We have it near enough at home, 
 if men's pride would but let them fee it ; 
 but their pride arifes chiefly from their ig- 
 norance of it, and helps to keep them ig- 
 norant. If they had but a little humility 
 they would difcover how imperfect their 
 knowledge is, even of the things about them, 
 and they would therefore fee the neceflity 
 of being taught of God in thefe things, 
 which were out of the reach of their fenfes : 
 fuch are all fpiritual and divine things, and 
 in thefe they want divine teaching, and 
 the promife is, concerning thefe, " All thy 
 '' children fiiall be taught of God.'* Now 
 God never adls in vain. Unlefs his chil- 
 dren wanted teaching, he need not be their 
 teacher : but in what belongs to the fpiritual 
 world they are entirely ignorant, and they 
 have no means of difcovering, unlefs they 
 he taught of God, what flate they are in by 
 
 nature, 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 nature, and if it be a ftate of guilt and nii- 
 fery, how they arc to be delivered from it. 
 God has revealed in his holy word the 
 knowledge of what belongs to thefe two 
 jR-ates ; but fin has fo blinded men's under- 
 ftandings, and depraved their judgments, 
 that they will not affent to what is revealed, 
 nor be determined by it, until the Holy 
 Spirit convince them what they are by na- 
 ture, and what they may be by grace. Ac- 
 cordingly the fcripture declares, that the 
 Holy Spirit is the infpirer of every good 
 thought, and word, and work. He en- 
 lio:htens the children of God with favincr 
 truth, and fubdues the oppofition which 
 was in their wills to it, and that enmity 
 which was in their hearts. From the firfl 
 moment he awakens them, and opens the 
 eyes of their underflanding; until he bring 
 them fafe to glory, he is their teacher. He 
 teaches them to look upon fin, as it is in. 
 itfelf, exceeding finful ; he alarms the coii- 
 fcience, and makes it feel the guilt and dan- 
 ger of fm ; he leads the humbled and con- 
 vinced fniner to Chrift for pardon ; he gives 
 him faith, and hope, and love; and, by 
 grafting him, like a living branch, into the 
 true vine, enables him to bear much fruit 
 
 to 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 to the glory of God. And fince every thing 
 good in hinri comes from divine teaching, is 
 it not abfoiutely neceflary that he fnould be 
 taught of God ? 
 
 If you will confider all thefe authorities 
 together, I hope they will convince you, 
 my brethren, that there is a necelTity for 
 your being taught of God : for by nature 
 you are ignorant of all fpiritual and divine 
 things ; and you cannot, by any means in 
 your own power, attain to the knowledge of 
 them ; the arts and fciences can give you 
 no affiflance. It is a matter of fa6l that 
 they never did, and the fcripture declares 
 that they never can, help any man to dif- 
 cern the things of the Spirit of God. The 
 natural man, while he remains fuch, be he 
 ever fo learned, cannot know them. And 
 how then can he ever attain any ideas of 
 them but by divine teaching ? If this evi- 
 dence has convinced you, you are prepared to 
 follow me in my fecond enquiry, which re- 
 lates to the manner in which God teaches his 
 people. 
 
 His eftablifhed method is by the word, 
 and by the Spirit. In all divine teaching 
 
 thefe 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 thefe two go together, the word, and tho 
 Spirit explaining and applying the word. 
 The word is the whole will of God, which 
 he revealed to be the means of brin^iins: fm- 
 ners from darknefs to light, from lin to 
 righteoufnefs, and from the power of fataii 
 unto God, and unto the kingdom of his dear 
 Son, here in grace, and hereafter in glory. 
 Thefe great things are fpoken of the written 
 word : for it is able, according to the Apof- 
 tle, to make a man wife unto falvation ; but 
 then the quickening Spirit muft accompa- 
 ny the hearing, or reading of it, or elfe you 
 will never find in it this favinoj wifdom. It 
 is only a dead letter, unlefs the living Spirit 
 animate it : for the 'letter killeth, biit the 
 Spirit giveth life. The word is the means in 
 the hand of the Spirit of beginning, carrying 
 on, and perfecting, the life of God in the 
 foul. When the Spirit works in it, and by 
 it, he makes it eftectual, through his mighty 
 operation, to build up and to perfcd: the man 
 of God. He works in the word ; for the 
 Spirit is received in it, as the Apoftle ihews, 
 2 Cor. iii. 8, where he calls the preaching 
 of the gofpel, '* The minillration of the 
 *' Spirit," that by whichjhe Spirit was ad- 
 minidercd and given, and he lays to the 
 
 C7alatians, 
 
( 3° ) 
 
 Galatians, that, by this hearing of faith 
 (which hearing was of the word of God), 
 they received the Spirit ; Gal. iii. 2. And 
 being received, he enhghtened their minds 
 and opened their underflandings, that they 
 might underhand the fcrlptures, and thereby 
 he wrought that faith in them, which com- 
 eth by hearing : for faith is his gift. It is 
 called, Gal. v. 22, " the fruit of the Spirit ;" 
 one of the fruits produced in the heart by his 
 grace, upon which account he is called " the 
 " Spirit of faith," 2 Cor. iv. 13. And when 
 he has thus wrought in the word, he then 
 works by it, and helps the believer to a6t 
 faith upon it. The Holy Spirit puts it into 
 his heart to defire the fincere milk of the 
 word, that he may grow thereby. And he 
 does grow, and is nourifhed up, as Timothy 
 was, in the words of faith, when he is ena- 
 bled by the fame Spirit to a6l faith upon the 
 word ; for then the word preached profits 
 him, when he can mix faith with it — when 
 faith and the word, like two fluids of the 
 fame properties, readily mix together, and 
 clofely Incorporate. Thus the word nou- 
 rifhes him in the inner man, and he grows 
 thereby. The Spirit applies it and renders 
 it effectual to the promoting of every gra- 
 cious 
 
( 3' ) 
 
 clous pnrpofe, for which it was revealed, and 
 by its means he makes the man of God wife 
 unto filvation, through faith, which is in Je- 
 fus Chrift. 
 
 This is the ufual and common way ia 
 which God fulfils the text. He teaches his 
 children fpiritual and divine things by his 
 word, as explained and apphed by his Spirit: 
 which two cannot be put afunder. The 
 word is the eye, and the Holy Spirit is the 
 light fhining upon it. Now a man cannot 
 fee without eyes, and having eyes he cannot 
 fee without light. So if you have the word 
 without the Spirit, you have eyes without 
 light ; and if you have the Spirit without 
 the word, you have light, but no eyes to fee 
 it : the word and the Spirit therefore mufl 
 go together. To expefl that the Spirit will 
 teach you without the word, is rank enthu- 
 fiafm, as great madnefs as to hope to fee 
 without eyes ; and to expe<5l that the word 
 will teach you, without the Spirit, is as great 
 an abfurdity as to pretend to fee without 
 light ; and if any man fays, that the Spirit 
 teaches him to believe, or to do what is 
 contrary to the written word, he is a mad 
 blafphemer. God has joined the word aiid 
 
 5 the 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 the Spirit ; and what God has joined too-e- 
 ther, let no man put afunder. 
 
 Convinced of thefe things, have you, my 
 brethren, reduced them to practice? Do yoii 
 go with humility to the word of God to be 
 taught, and do you find that inib-u6lion 
 from it, of which you fband in need ? Per- 
 haps you fay, you do read it, but you find 
 it very difficult : it is fo hard to be under- 
 fiood, that it is for the moil part to you a 
 fealed book. This is a very general com- 
 plaint ; but what is the caufe of it ? Certain 
 it is, that this fcripture cannot be broken — 
 *' All thy children fhall be taught of God.'* 
 The fault is not in God, nor yet in his 
 word. Surely then it is in yourfelves. Either 
 you have not been deeply convinced of your 
 own blindnefs in fpiritual things, and there- 
 fore are not pradlically perfuaded of the ne- 
 ceflity of the word ; or you have not looked 
 up to the Holy Spirit for his divine teaching, 
 praying him, in the prophet's words, " Lord, 
 " open thou mine eyes, that I may fee 
 " wondrous things out of thy law :" for 
 until he opens your eyes and enlighten them, 
 you cannot fee any of the wonders con- 
 tained in the book of God. Confider thefe 
 
 points 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 points then, and examine them clofely* Be 
 faithful, my brethren, to your own fouls, 
 and be not afraid to difcover the true ground 
 of your complaint. Have you been led to 
 read and to hear the word of God under a 
 flrong fenfe of your darknefs and blindncfs 
 without it ? And do you always feek the 
 grace of the Holy Spirit to explain and to ap- 
 ply it ? The hrft of thefe is abfolutely necef- 
 fary ; becaufe you will not afk wifdom of 
 God, until you be convinced you lack it. And 
 you will afk it with more or lefs earneftnefs 
 in proportion to the fenfe you have of your 
 want of it ; fo that when you are made deep- 
 ly fenfible of your great ignorance, then you 
 will become very humble and teachable. This 
 is the proper difpofition of mind which the 
 Holy Spirit muft work in you, both before 
 and under divine teaching, and the confidera- 
 tion of which was the third particular I pro- 
 pofed to fpeak to. 
 
 Divine teaching is abfolutely neceifary for 
 the learning of divine things, and God teaches 
 his children by his word and by his Spirit. 
 You may be convinced, my brethren, of 
 thefe truths in fpeculation, but it is very dif- 
 ficult to bring them into pradice. For fuch 
 
 C ic; 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 Is the pride of the natural man, that he will 
 not fubinit to be taught, no, not of God. He 
 will exalt his own reafoning faculties above 
 the wifdom of God*s word, and above the 
 teaching of God's Spirit. Although he has 
 nothing to be proud of, being a creature made 
 np of ignorance and fin, yet is he exceflively 
 proud : for pride is Interwoven in his very 
 frame and conftitution. Our Lord fays, pride 
 proceeds from within, out of the heart, Mark 
 vii. 21. It comes from a corrupt principle 
 that is within us, in the heart ; there it has 
 taken deep root, and, grown luxuriant, bring- 
 ing forth a vail crop of proud looks, words, 
 and works. Nothing but the almighty grace 
 of God can pull down the high opinion which 
 this proud creature entertains of himfelf, and 
 which he will continue to entertain, until he 
 be well difciplined into the knowledge of him- 
 felf. He muft be brou2;ht to fee his io:no- 
 ranee, and to feel his guilt and mifery, before 
 he will be humble enough to apply to God for 
 infl:ru6lion. And this is the work of the 
 Holy Spirit. It is through his gracious opera- 
 tion that the proud, felf-fufficient finner is 
 made thoroughly acquainted with his igno- 
 rance and his finfulnefs. The Holy Spirit 
 gives him a view of himfelf in the glafs; 
 
 of 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 of the law, and fhews him and makes him 
 feel the entire corruption of his nature, the 
 blindnefs of his underftanding, - tlie depravity 
 of his will, and the rehellion of his heart. 
 The natural man is a bad fchohr at this 
 humbling lefTon. He learns it very flowlv, 
 and with great pain and difficulty. Thf.; 
 practice of it is like plucking out a right eye, 
 or cutting off a right hand : for his inbred 
 fuis are as dear to him as any member of his 
 body. But the Holy Spirit lo alarms him 
 with his guilt, and with his danger, that by 
 degrees he is brought heartily to wi(h for de- 
 liverance from his ignorance, and from his 
 fins ; and thus he is made teachable. He 
 becomes fimple, and is willing to be taught 
 of God. He is brought into a proper frame 
 of mind to fit with Mary at the mafter's 
 feet, hearin':! his word, in order to be en- 
 lisrhtened with favins; wifdom, and to H* 
 bleflbd with the comforts of favin.g faith. 
 To perfons of this humble, teachable tem- 
 per, the fcripture has made many fwcet pro- 
 mifes, both when they at firft go to the 
 fchool of Chrifl: to learn his will, and alfo 
 when they afterwards fit at his feet hearing 
 his words, that they may do them. In ge- 
 neral, it is faid, that God giveth grace to 
 
 C 2 ^ the 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 the humble, and particularly grace to learij^ 
 his will, as Pfalm xxv. 9. *' The meek will 
 " he guide in judgment, and the meek will 
 " he teach his way." The meek are they, 
 who, with an humble and lowly fpirit, re- 
 ceive the word of Godj according to the 
 Apoftle James, i. 21. " Receive with meek- 
 " nefs the ingrafted word, which is able to 
 " fave your fouls," They (hall be taught of 
 God, whom he has difpofed to receive his word 
 with meeknefs, he will engraft it inwardlv' 
 in their hearts, and will enable them to bring 
 forth the precious fruits of it in their lives, 
 and thus he will teach them his way. And 
 then they will be able to take up the words 
 of Chrifl-, gratefully acknowledging what 
 God has done for them — " We thank thee^ 
 '* O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, be- 
 *' caufe thou haft hid thefe things from the 
 *' wife and prudent, and haft revealed them 
 " unto babes." The things of God are ftill 
 hid from the wife and prudent, from the 
 wife and prudent ones of this world, who 
 feek the knowledge of them by mere hu- 
 man learning, which, without grace, only 
 puffs them up, and hinders them from fee- 
 ing: their want of divine teachins;; from all 
 fuch he hides the knowledge of fpiritual 
 
 thin2:s. 
 
( 37 ) 
 things, but he reveals them to thofe whom 
 the Holy Spirit has made humble and teach- 
 able. When fuch perfons come with a meek 
 temper to be taught of him, then he mani- 
 fefts to them the fecrets of his kin2;dom : for 
 he reveals them unto babes: unto them that 
 bleffed promife of the New Teftament is ful- 
 filled, " If any of you lack wifdom, and is 
 " humbled under the fenfe of his want of it, 
 ^' let him afk it of God, who giveth unto all 
 '* afkers liberally, and upbraideth not, and it 
 ^' (hall be given him." James i. 5. 
 
 This then is the proper difpofition of mind 
 with which the Holy Spirit prepares the chil- 
 dren of God for divine teaching, and by which 
 he helps them to profit under it. He makes 
 them humble, meek, and lowly in their own 
 eyes, and deflrous of being taught of God. 
 To fuch perfons he giveth grace to under*- 
 ftand the word, to apply it, and to be edir 
 fied by it. To thofe whom he has humbled 
 he giveth his grace, becaufe they will take 
 no merit to themfelves ; but will afcribe the 
 glory of what they learn to their divine 
 teacher, and ufe it to the praife of the glory 
 of his grace. You are, I hope, convinced 
 of thefe great truths, but perhaps fome of 
 
 C 3 you 
 
( 38 > 
 
 you do not fee clearly how you are to attain 
 this humble, teachable difpofition. Are you 
 convinced of your own want of it ? If you 
 are, this is the work of the Holy Spirit. He 
 has begun to make you fenfible of your ig- 
 norance; and he tnufl: prepare you to receive 
 inftrudion, as well as give it you. The de- 
 fire to b6 taught of God cometh from him, 
 as well as the teaching itfelf. He muft work 
 in you both to will and to do: for it is writ- 
 ten, Prov. xvi. r, " The preparations of the 
 " heart in man are from the Lord ;" if there 
 be any preparations in your heart to be taught 
 of God, this is not from yourfelf, it is from 
 the Lord, and is exprefsly afcribed to him, 
 Gal. v. 23, where meeknefs is mentioned 
 among the other fruits of the Spirit, that 
 meeknefs whereby we receive the engrafted 
 word is the fruit of his grace in the heart. 
 Apply to him for it, and he will make you 
 an humble, teachable fcholar in the fchool of 
 Chrift ; and when he has thus difpofed you to 
 give him all the glory of teaching you, then 
 to you his promife fhall be fulfilled, and you 
 ihsW be taught of God. 
 
 From what has been now offered, the 
 doctrine of the text is, I hope, made plain 
 
 and 
 
C 39 ) 
 
 and clear: if fcripture authority can con- 
 vince, and if matter of fa<3: can determine 
 the point, they give in full evidence for the 
 neceffity of divine teaching, which is far- 
 ther confirmed from the eftablifhed method 
 in which God teaches his children. He re- 
 vealed his word for their inflruclion, and 
 his Spirit flill accompanies the hearing or 
 reading of it, and renders it efFe6lual to the 
 purpofes for which it was revealed. He ftill, 
 by his grace, prepares the linner's mind to 
 |-eceive it, by convincing him of bis igno- 
 rance of the things of God, by bringing him 
 with an humble, teachable temper to learn 
 them from the word of God, and then he 
 works faith in the finner's heart by the word, 
 and helps the believer to a£l faith upon the 
 word of God's grace, which is able to build 
 him up, and to give him an inheritance 
 among all them which are fandified. Thcfe 
 particulars have been eftablifhed upon ex- 
 prefs paflages of Holy Scripture ; and what 
 effect, my brethren, has our prefent confi- 
 deration of them had upon you ? Has it 
 been the means of (lie wing any of you how- 
 much you flood in need of divine teaching ? 
 Has it ftirred up fervent dcfircs in any of 
 you for the teachings of God's Spirit ? If 
 
 C 4 neither 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 neither of thefe good efFe£ls followed, what 
 is the caufe which hindered ? If you believe 
 the fcripture to be the word of God, you 
 cannot deny the do6lrine. No words can be 
 plainer than thefe written in the prophets, 
 " They (hall be ALL taught of God." If 
 all are not to be taught of God, how do 
 you under ftand the words ? Do you think 
 they fpeak only of the apoftles and primi- 
 tive Chriftians, to whom they were fulfilled, 
 but we are not now to expe£t their accom- 
 pli (limenit? This is the opinion of many per- 
 fons, but it is quite unfcriptural. The 54th 
 chapter of Ifaiah, as explained by an infalli- 
 ble interpreter in the New Teftament, treats 
 of the Gentile church in the laft days, of 
 which it is faid, verfe 13, '* And all thy 
 •^^ children fliall be taught of the Lord," 
 ALL without exception, all God's children 
 among the Gentiles in every age (hall be 
 taught of the Lord. To the lame purpofe 
 the Prophet Jeremiah, ch. xxxi. fpeaks of 
 the new covenant, which was to be eflablifh- 
 cd in the laft days, declares from the mouth 
 of God, ver. 34, " And they fhall teach 
 *' no more every man his neighbour, and 
 *' every man his brother, laying, Know the 
 '' Lord ; for they fliall all know me from the 
 
 *' lead 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 «« leaft of them to the greateft of them, faith 
 *' the Lord." This promife belongs to the 
 new covenant, under which God himfelf 
 engages to teach his people, and they all, 
 from the lead to the greateft, fhall know the 
 Lord. And when our bleflfed Saviour in 
 the text referred to thefe and fuch-like pro- 
 mifes, which are written in the prophets, he 
 made no limitation, but faid, *' they Ihall 
 *' be all taught of God," — all in every age 
 of the church, who are made fenfible of 
 their want of divine teaching, and look up 
 to heaven for a divine teacher, fhall be taught 
 of God. Certainly thefe paflagcs cannot be 
 fo far wrefted and tortured as to make them 
 fpeak for divine teaching in one age of the 
 church only. How can you, with any ap- 
 pearance of truth, fix a limited fenfe to thefe 
 univerfal propoiitions — ALL thy children 
 (hall be taught of the Lord — they fliall ALL 
 know me from the lead to the greateft : 
 for they (hall be ALL taught of God— All 
 were to be taught by him, all his children, 
 therefore his children nov/ have the fame 
 promife of divine teaching which the primi- 
 tive Chriftians had ; for the promife is to 
 us, and to our children, and to all that are 
 
 afar 
 
( 4^ ) 
 
 afar off, even as many as the Lord our God 
 fhall call. 
 
 Since then the fcripture fo clearly confutes 
 this abfurd and wicked opinion, do you, my 
 brethren, give it up, and acknowledge the 
 xieceffity of divine teaching ? If not, what 
 other obje6lion have you againit the doc- 
 trine ? Have you been ufed to think, that 
 it carried with it an air of enthuiiafm ? I 
 know many perlons look upon it in this 
 light. If any of you do,, pray tell us what 
 you mean by enthufiafm ? for it feems to 
 lis only a bad name given to the beft thing. 
 At this day the knowledge of vital and ex- 
 perimental religion is fo far loil:, that when- 
 ever the generality of our people bear it 
 fpoken of, they do not underftand it ; and 
 what they do not underftand, they reject 
 under the odious name of enth'uiiaim ; fo 
 that this name does not ftand for any bad 
 properties in the thing to which they apply 
 it, but only fignifies their didike of it. And 
 if they exprefs their difiike by an hard nan:e, 
 what hurt can that do ? Can it really turn 
 the words of truth atid fobernefs into en- 
 thuiiafm ? Can that be enthufiafmj Vv'hich 
 
 believes; 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 believes God to be a faithful promifc-keep- 
 iaor God, and that his word cannot be broken ? 
 What ! is it cnthufiafm to defire to be taught 
 of God, and to afk wifdom of him, after he 
 has commanded his children to a(k it, and 
 has engaged to teach it to them ? Surely, no. 
 God's promifes muft be fulfilled, and they, 
 who feek their accomplifhment, cannot be 
 difappointed. He hath fpoken by the mouth 
 of his holy prophets, that all his children 
 iliall be taught of God ; and heaven and 
 earth fhall pafs away, before one tittle of 
 thefe words (hall fail. Men and brethren^ 
 what do you think now of this objeclion, 
 which wants to make God a bar, for pro^ 
 mifing to teach his children, and vv^hich treats 
 them as enthufiafts who expect to be taught 
 of him r Certainly you cannot defend fuch 
 a blafphemous opinion. Well then, the way 
 is farther cleared for a favourable recep- 
 tion of the dodxrine ; and do you iiideed re- 
 ceive it ? Perhaps }ou alfent to it. But 
 what fort of an aflent do you give ? Is it 
 aclive and operative? If not, what will it 
 avail? You v/ill learn none of the things of 
 God, by fimply believing that God does 
 teach them to his children. You muft alk, 
 jfyou would have: you mufl feck, it you 
 
 would 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 would find that wifdom which cometh from 
 above. And you muft afk with earneftnefs, 
 and feek with dihgence ; not as if you could 
 thereby merit, but to exprefs your wants and 
 your humility. The divine diredlion in this 
 cafe is, Prov. ii. 3, 4, &c. ** If thou cried 
 *' after knowledge, and liftefl up thy voice 
 ** for under ft anding," jiot afking faintly, but 
 crying aloud, and lifting up the voice through 
 the fervency of the defire after wifdom. 
 " And if thou feekeft her as filver, and 
 *■' fearchefl for her as hid treafures," feeking 
 with as great pains, and fearching with as 
 conftant application, as ever worldly man 
 took to enrich himfelf : " Then (halt thou 
 " underfrand the fear of the Lord, and find 
 '' the knowledge of God: for the Lord giv- 
 " eth wifdom,'* he giveth it to every one 
 who feeks with humble diligence. 
 
 Thefe are words of comfort to you who 
 defire to be taught of God, and who are 
 feekins; of him the knowleds-e of divine 
 things. Seek, as he has dire6led you, and 
 you fhall find. He will teach you, becaufe 
 he has made you teachable. He has already 
 taught you one lefion, which is perhaps the 
 liardcft you have to learn. He has con- 
 vinced 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 Vinced you of your entire ignorance of di- 
 vine things. You no longer take up your 
 reft in the fancied abilities of nature, but are 
 confulting the word df God, and praying 
 for the teachings of the Spirit of God. This 
 is the appoitited way to receive indruc- 
 tion. And if you wait in this way, he who 
 diredled you to the way will meet you and 
 inftrudt you in it. Only remember, that his 
 glory, being the motive and end of all his 
 dealings with men, muft be your motive and 
 end in learning divine things. You mud 
 have a fingle eye to his glory in alking know- 
 ledge of him ; and what he gives, you mud 
 ufe to his glory. His glory muft be pro- 
 moted by all that he teaches you : and there- 
 fore you muft come to learn of him, /jum- 
 lie, under a continual fenfe of your igno- 
 rance and unworthinefs, and meek, difpofed 
 Like a new-born babe to receive the fincere 
 milk of the word, that you may grow there- 
 by, and you muft be a diligent fcholar, you 
 muft read much, and pray more ; yea, you 
 muft watch in prayer with all perfeverancc, 
 and then the promifc, Vvhich wifdom itfelf 
 has made, fliall be fulfilled to you. Prov. 
 viii. 34, " Blefled is the man that heareth 
 ** me, watching daily at my gates, waiting 
 
 "- at 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 *' at the ports of my doors.'* He that watches 
 and waits thus, is bleffed : for God, who 
 comrrtanded light to (hine out of darknefs, 
 will fhine into his heart, to give the light of 
 the knowledge of the glory of God in the 
 face of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 What thanks can we render unto God 
 for his exceeding gr-^xc, who ftill fhines into 
 the hearts of his children ? Glory be to his 
 great name, there are many among us who 
 have realbn to praife him for his divine 
 teaching. They have found him faithful 
 to fulfil his promifes : for he has opened 
 their blind eyes, and has led them into the 
 knowledge and belief of the truth. Daily 
 are they magnifying the riches of his infi- 
 nite love, which has brouo-ht them out of 
 darknefs into his marvellous lights and has 
 tranflated them out of the kingdom of fatan 
 into the kingdom of his dear Son. Thefe 
 perfons are witnciles for God, and can fet to 
 their feal that he ftill tibaches his children by 
 his word and by his Spirit : for they have 
 been illuminated with the true knowledge 
 and underftandino; of his word, and bv their 
 living they fet it forth and ^\t\N it accord- 
 ingly. 
 
 7 This 
 
( 4? ) 
 
 This is the happy ftate of io many of yoU 
 as are real Chriftians. You have experience 
 of the truth of the text, and know it to be 
 nn undoubted matter of hSi. My Chriftiaii 
 brethren, what return will you make to 
 your divine teacher for the comfortable lef- 
 fons which he has taudit vou ? What lefs 
 can vou d6, than praiie him with your lives, 
 as well as with your lips ? Praife him foi' 
 what you have already learnt, and continue 
 humbly to wait on him for your growth 
 in knowledge. Remember that the new 
 man which you have put on is to be re- 
 newed in knowledge day by day. The fpirit 
 of wifdom is to help you to grow in grace, 
 and in the knowledge of your Lord and 
 Saviour Jefus Chrift. This is your privi- 
 lege ; and it is your intereft to make a con- 
 ftant ufe of it. The wifeft of us know but 
 little of what is to be known, therefore 
 you fliould be diligent in your attendance 
 upon the means appointed of God for your 
 teaching. Read the word, and meditate in 
 it day and night ; and when the Holy Spirit 
 explains and applies it, then it will be a 
 lantern unto your feet, and a light unto 
 your paths. Pray over the word. Prayer 
 will disreft it, and the oravcr of faith mixed 
 
 with 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 With it, will make it nourifhing and ftrength-* 
 eiiing to the inner man. And thus you will 
 grow in grace, and be renewed in know- 
 ledge — the underftanding will be renewed 
 with ftill clearer views of fplritual things, 
 the heart, no longer prejudiced againft them, 
 will be renewed with a more determinate 
 choice of them, and the affedions will be 
 renewed with a more hearty love, and a 
 fuller enjoyment of them. Hereby your 
 fandlification will be carried on, and you will 
 be renewed day by day in true holinefs af- 
 ter the image of him that created you. — 
 Having therefore thefe privileges, dearly be- 
 loved brethren, having fuch a teacher, and 
 fuch things to learn of him, having the Spi- 
 rit of the Mod High God to teach you all 
 things, which belong to your prefent peace, 
 and to your eternal glory. Oh what dili- 
 gence fhould you ufe in attending upon the 
 means, by which your divine teacher has 
 promifed to inflru^l you. In them be ye 
 conftantlv found waiting, waitins; with hum- 
 ble, teachable tempers, and praying for the 
 blefling of God upon the ufe of his appoint- 
 ed means. And while you thus continue 
 to wait upon God, he will continue to 
 teach you. He has promifed it to his chil- 
 dren 
 
( 49 ) 
 dren, and he cannot lie. He will niake you 
 wife unto falvation. 
 
 Having thus exhorted you, my Chriftlan 
 brethren, to make a diligent u/e of the great 
 privilege of the new covenant, I have no- 
 thing farther to offer, but my prayers. May 
 he that heareth prayer, fend down his blcfl- 
 ing upon what has been now fpoken. May 
 the God of our Lord Jefus Chrifl:, the father 
 of glory, give unto you the Spirit of wifdora 
 and revelation in the knowledge of him, 
 that the eyes of your underftanding being 
 enlightened, ye may know what is the hope 
 of his calling, and what the riches of the 
 glory of his inheritance in the faints, and 
 what is the exceeding greatnefs of his power 
 to us ward who believe. Oh may our God 
 manifeft thefe great truths to your under- 
 ftandings, and give you the fweet experience 
 of them in your hearts, that you may be 
 filled with the knowledge of his will, in all 
 wifdom and fpiritual underflanding, and that 
 ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all 
 pleafing, being fruitful in every good work, 
 and increafins: in the knowledsie of God, un- 
 til you fee him face to face ; and then fhall 
 you know, even as alfo you arc known. To 
 
 d' this 
 
( 5° ) 
 
 tills perfect knowledge and ever-bleffed frui- 
 tion of God may the Lord Jefus bring you 
 all by the miniftry of his word, and by the 
 teachings of his Spirit, that you may be for 
 ever happy in giving thanks and praife to the 
 three divine perfons in one Jehovah, to whom 
 the church in earth and heaven afcribes all 
 glory in time and in eternity. Amen, and 
 Amen. 
 
 UPON 
 
UPON THti 
 
 MORAL LAW, 
 
 DISCOURSE 11. 
 
 Romans vii. 12. 
 
 V 
 
 Wherefore the law is holy, and the command- 
 ment holy, jujl, and good, 
 
 J. H E great Creator and PofTeffor of heaven 
 and earth hath an indifputable authority to 
 make laws for the government of his crea- 
 tures, and to require their obedience. Since 
 every thing that they have is receiv^ed from 
 his hands, and held under him at his plea- 
 fure, it therefore behoves them to enquire 
 upon what terms they hold it. And if God 
 has given them any laws, it is their duty 
 to rtudy them, and their intereft to obey 
 them. If there be any fandlions to enforce 
 
 D z thele 
 
( 5i ) 
 
 thefe laws, any rewards or punlfliments, they* 
 ihould enquire, where thefe things are to be 
 known, and by what means difcovered, that 
 they may obtain the reward and efcape the 
 punilliment. 
 
 Whenever a fcrious unprejudiced perfon 
 defires to be fatisfied in thefe points which 
 fo nearly concern his prefent peace of con- 
 fcience, and his future happinefs, he will 
 foon be convinced that God has made a 
 gracious provifion for his inftrudlion. God 
 has opened his mind and will in this matter. 
 He has recorded his laws, and publifhed 
 them. The facred volume of divine fla- 
 tutes is in our hands, and in our mother 
 tongue. It is fo very Ihort that none can 
 M'ant time to perufe it, and it is fo very 
 plain and intelligible, as to the rule of duty, 
 that none can plead ignorance. He that 
 runs may read it, and the fimple may under- 
 ftand it and learn knowledge : for upon a 
 very curfory view of this divine treatife, it 
 will appear, that there are three diftinifl bo- 
 dies of law mentioned in it, namely, the 
 moral law, the ceremonial law, and the 
 law of faith. We are all highly concerned 
 to enquire into the nature of thefe laws, 
 
 and 
 
( S3 ) 
 
 and therefore I purpofe, through God's afTift- 
 ance, to enquire into the fcope and defign 
 of each of them. At prefent I (hall con- 
 fine myfelf to the moral law, which alone 
 is fpoken of in my text. The apoftle is 
 treating of its ufefulnefs to difcover the fin- 
 fulnefs of fin : " I had not known fin," fays 
 he, ** but by the law ;" the h\v mufi: firll: 
 lay down a rule, before it can be known 
 what fin is, which is the tranfs^reflion of 
 that rule : " For 1 had not known luft," 
 and that the very firft rifing and motion of 
 evil in the heart was a fin, " unlefs the law 
 *' had faid. Thou fhalt not covet." This is 
 the law of the tenth commandment ; from 
 whence it is very evident that St. Paul is 
 here treating of the moral law, which is of 
 fuch perfedl purity as to reach to th© defires 
 and covetings of the heart, and which, by 
 reftraining them, makes them appear more 
 finful and grow more outrap-eous. " But 
 *' fin taking occafion by the commandment, 
 *' wrought in me all manner of concupi- 
 *' fcence: for without the law lln was dead," 
 although it be in us, yet it is not perceiv- 
 ed, until it be held before the holy fpi- 
 ritual law of God, and then it begins to fi:ir 
 ^nd rage: for as it follows, '' 1 was once 
 
 D 3 *' alive 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 " alive without the law," fays the apoflle, 
 when I knew not the law I thought myfelf 
 alive, nny confcience never troubled nme, nor 
 did I apprehend the deadly nature of fin, 
 *' but when the commandment came," when 
 I beg^an to underftand the commandment in 
 its fpiritual nature, and it came to my con- 
 fcience, and was applied with a divine pov/er 
 to my heart, " then fin revived, and I died," 
 I found rnyfelf dead in trefpaffes and fins : 
 ^' for the fame comrhandment which was 
 ^' ordained unto life was found to be unto 
 " me unto death : but fin took occafion by 
 '' the commandment," not through any fault 
 in the commandment, but entirely through 
 my own fault, " deceived me, and by it flew 
 " me. What fhall we fay then ? Is the 
 " law and the commandment fin ? God for- 
 *' bid. The law is holy," all the fault is 
 in us, who abufe the law, " and the com- 
 *' mandment is holy and jull: and good.** 
 The occafion of the words aiid the context 
 thus in part opened and explained may help 
 us to determine, 
 
 Firfl, What the moral law is. 
 
 Secondlv, Whether it be flill in force. 
 
 Thirdly, 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 Thirdly, Whether we have all kept it, 
 and if not, 
 
 Fourthly, What is the penalty due to the 
 breach of it ; and then I fh Ul draw fome 
 praaical inferences from thefe particu- 
 lars. And may the Spirit of the living 
 God apply what (hall be fpoken. May he 
 enlio-hten all your underftandings with a 
 clear view of the fpiritual nature of the 
 moral law, that by it you may be brought 
 to the knowledge of fni, and to fee and 
 to feel your want of a Saviour. Unde/ 
 the teachings of this good Spirit let US 
 confider, 
 
 Firfl, What the moral law is. I define it 
 to be the holy, juft, and good will of God 
 made known and promulged to his crea- 
 tures in all thefe particulars, wherein he re- 
 quires their perfed obedience, in order to 
 their happinefs. The law is the difcovery of 
 his will : for the almighty Creator and fove- 
 reign Lord of heaven and earth governs all 
 his works and creatures according to the good 
 pleafure of his own will. His will is the ab- 
 folutely perfea law of the natural world. 
 He hath given to the inanimate works of his 
 
 D 4 hands 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 hands a law which fhall not be broken. The 
 a6live powers in nature fhall work, and paf- 
 live matter fiiall obey by an unalterable rule, 
 until the heavens be folded up like a fcroll, 
 and the earth and all the works therein (hall 
 be burnt up. And his will is as abfolute a 
 law to his rational creatures, as to the na- 
 tural agents : becaufe he qan enadl no laws, 
 but what partake of his own adorable perfec- 
 tions. His law is his will made known. It 
 is a copy of his infinitely pure mind. It is a 
 fciir tranfcript of his holinefs, juftice, good- 
 nefs, and of every other divine attribute : for 
 by the law he difcovers to his creatures what 
 it is his Xvill they fhould be and do, in order 
 to preferve his favour. He would have them 
 holy, juft, and good, and the lav/ makes 
 known to them the rule of their obedience; 
 by an exa61: conformity to which they are 
 holy, juft, and good. The will of God re- 
 vealed in the law is holy, and conformity to 
 it is holinefs. Holinefs, in the Old Tell:a- 
 ment language, fignifies a feparation from 
 impurity, and when applied to the divine 
 nature, it rather exprefles what God is not, 
 than what he is. It is a negative idea, de- 
 noting an entire feparation from every thing 
 which can defile. Holinefs in God excludes 
 
 all 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 all pofliblllty of pollution. In him there nei- 
 ther is, nor can be, the leafl impurity. He 
 is of purer eyes than to behold the leafl 
 iniquity. He cannot even look upon any 
 thing which is in the leafl: unclean : for 
 without hohnefs no man (hall fee the Lord. 
 Now the law is an exact copy of God's ho- 
 linefs. It is the outward difcovery of his 
 moft holy mind and will, informing his 
 creatures how perfectly pure they mufl: pre- 
 ferve themfelves, if they would preferve his 
 favour. The law difcovers to them what 
 God is, and fhews how like him they ought 
 to be in holinefs. And fince God cannot 
 behold the leafl: impurity, confequently his 
 law cannot, becaufe it is his mind and will 
 revealed concerning this matter. He will 
 not fuffer any deviation from his law, no, 
 not in thought : for the language of the 
 law is pofitive and exprefs out of the mouth ' 
 of the fupreme law-giver himfelf — " Be ye 
 ** holy, for I am holy." And are you, my 
 brethren, thus holy ? This fliould be a mat- 
 ter of clofe examination. Are you what 
 the law requires you to be? Do you look 
 upon the law as perfedly, infinitely holy 
 in itfelf, even as holy as God is ; and have"^ 
 you considered fin as an offence again fl the 
 7 holinefs 
 
( J8 ) 
 
 hollnefs of God and of his law, even fuch 
 an unpardonable offence, that you could ne- 
 ver make the leall; fatisfadion for it r It is 
 very evident thefe things are not well un- 
 derftood, becaufe the pra6lice of mankind 
 ihews what low ideas they entertain of them. 
 What makes fin appear light and little, and 
 Ibme offences fmall ? Is it not becaufe finners 
 are ignorant of the abfolutely perfe£l holinefs 
 of the law ? And after they have broken it, 
 how mean an opinion have they of its holi^ 
 nefs, when they think that a little forrow 
 and fome few tears, that repentance and 
 amendment can make them holy, and fatif- 
 {y the demands of the broken law ? If any 
 of you entertain thefe unworthy ideas of 
 God and of his law, you fhould confider 
 that, although God does require you to be 
 perfeclly holy, yet he can require nothing of 
 you but what is jufl. The law is juft as well 
 as holy, jufl in all its demands, and juft in 
 the T^le of its procefs in rewarding obedi- 
 ence and puniflfing tranfgretlion. The fcrip- 
 ture word for juftice is taken from human 
 affairs, and from thence is applied to di- 
 vine. In the firft ages of the world, mo- 
 ley was paid and received by weight, and 
 he who kept an even balance in paymg and 
 
 receiving 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 receiving was a juft man. His juftlce con- 
 iifted in keeping the fcales even, in weighing 
 all things with aa equal balance, and in giv- 
 ing and taking only what was lawful and 
 right. Now the law holds this balance of 
 jullice in its hands, that it may prove the 
 Judge of all the earth does right, and will be 
 glorified in all that he requires of his crea- 
 tures : for the holy obedience which he de- 
 mands of them is a juft obedience. He had 
 a fovereign authority to require it, and he 
 gave them power to pay it him, and there- 
 fore they could not complain of any injuf- 
 tice, if he (hould inflict the puniftiment threat- 
 ened to the difobedient, any more than if 
 he fhould beftow the reward promifed to the 
 obedient. Thus the law is juft. It is the 
 exa6l copy of God's juftice, and is as per- 
 fectly juft as God is. It can no more re- 
 quire or do an unjuft thing, than God can : 
 for the law only difcovers what is the in- 
 finitely juft mind and will of God concern- 
 ing the behaviour of his creatures. The 
 law fays, ** Do this and thou fhalt live. 
 *' Tranfgrefs this, and dying thou flialt 
 ** furely die." This is the will of the fu- 
 preme law-giver, and his juftice is engaged 
 to fee the honour of his law maintained, as 
 
 well 
 
( 6o ) 
 
 well in punlfhing tranfgreffion with death, 
 as ill rewarding obedience with life. The 
 law cannot poflibly do any injuftice^ be- 
 caufe it is dire6ted by the unerring will of 
 God. God, and his will, and his law, are 
 alike juft ; for it is written in the law, Deut. 
 xxxii. 4, *' The Lord's work is perfe6l; for 
 *' all his ways are judgment, a God of truth, 
 ♦* and - without iniquity, juft and right is 
 ** he." 
 
 All his ways and dealings with the chil- 
 dren of men are perfe6lly juft, and they are 
 alfo good. His law is good. It partakes of 
 the goodnefs of its divine author, inafmuch 
 as it tends to promote the welfare and hap- 
 pinefs of his creatures. The creature was 
 made to fhew forth the glory of its great 
 Creator, and the law was the rule by which 
 it was to walk in order to promote his glory, 
 and in this holy walking there was all good 
 to be met with. It was the way of pleafant- 
 nefs, and the path of peace. It preferved 
 the affurance of the divine favour, afforded 
 a perpetual feaft of confcience, and gave fu re 
 and certain hopes of a glorious immortality ; 
 for Mofes thus defcribeth the righteoufnefs 
 which is of the law, that the man who 
 
 doeth 
 
( 6. ) 
 
 docth thefe things fliall live by them. If he 
 do all the thinsis written in the book of the 
 law he fhall live unto God, and Hiall live with 
 God. He (hall enjoy a life of happinels here 
 in the love and communion of God, and he 
 (hall enjoy an endlefs life of glory. Surely- 
 then the law is good ! Since the keeping of 
 it would have produced all good, and faice 
 the tranf^reffing; of it has brousfht all the evil 
 upon man which he can fufier in time and 
 in eternity. Coniider, my brethren, how- 
 good the law is from that deluo;e of evil 
 which came in upon the breach of it. When 
 the Lord God, at the end of his fix days work, 
 furveyed all that he had made, behold it was 
 very good. There was then no evil of any 
 kind to afflict either body or foul j but by 
 (in the body became fubjedl to ficknefs, pain, 
 and death, and the foul to guilt and mifery, 
 and in the next life both body and foul were 
 fubjedl to the worm that never dieth, and to 
 the fire that never fhall be quenched. 
 
 Such is the goodnefs of the' law. Tt is- 
 fhe all wife proviiion which God has made 
 for his own glory, and for the hanpinefs of 
 his creatures ; to whom he has pubhihed it. 
 He made it known to our lirO: parents in 
 
 paradife. 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 paradife. It was their rule of adlion, while 
 they flood in the likeiiefs and inriage of God. 
 They had no oppofition then to his good 
 and acceptable and perfe^ft will, but the un- 
 derftanding had a clear view of it, the will 
 chofe it, and the heart loved it, and they 
 were able to do it with all their mind and 
 with all their ftrength. And when fin en- 
 tered into the world, the will of God was 
 not changed, nor his law repealed. The 
 law was in full force from Adam to Mofes, 
 in whofe time the Lord God recorded it with 
 the moft awful majefty on mount Sinai, and 
 engraved it with his own hands upon two 
 tables of ftone. And it ftands unrepealed to 
 this day; promifing life to obedience, and 
 threatening^ death to tranf«;refIion. 
 
 Since then the law has been properly pro- 
 mulged, an holy, juft, and good law, that 
 altereth not, let us hear what it requires. It 
 is the will of the law-giver, that he who do- 
 eth the things written in the book of the 
 law fliall live by them. But then he muft 
 do all things without exception. He mufh 
 not fail in any one point. If he will enter 
 into life, he muft keep all the command- 
 ments. He muft be univerfally holy, ju(l, 
 
 and 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 and good, as the law is. If he ever receive 
 the promifed reward, he muft perform the 
 condition ; that is, he mud pay the law per- 
 fect uninterrupted obedience with every facul- 
 ty of foul and body, in their utmoft ftrength 
 and vigour: for it cannot fuffer any tranf- 
 greffion ; but for the leaft inflidts the threat- 
 ened punifhraent. 
 
 This is an eflential property of the moral 
 law. Upon the very firfl offence it cuts the 
 linner off from all claim to the promifed re- 
 ward, and as to any thing that he can do 
 cuts him off for ever. It is not in his power 
 to make himfelf innocent ao;ain. Havincr 
 once failed in his obedience, the law knows 
 nothing of mercy, cannot accept the great - 
 eft repentance, nor be fatisfied with the 
 deepeft forrow for Vv'hat is pafl: ; but im- 
 mediately paifes fentence according to what 
 is written, " Curfed is every one that con- 
 *' tinueth not in all things which are writ- 
 *' ten in the book of the law to do them." 
 If you fail in one lingle inftance of obedi- 
 ence, you do not continue to perform all 
 things, but fall under the curfe of the broken 
 law, and are as much liable to punifhmcnt, 
 though not in the fame degree, as if you had 
 
 failed 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 failed in every inftance. In which fenfe the 
 words of St. James are to be underftood, 
 *' He that otFendeth in one point is guilty 
 " of all.'* 
 
 I have now gone through the feveral parts 
 of the definition before given of the moral 
 law, and it appears to be the holy, juft, 
 and good will of God made known and pro- 
 mulged to his creatures in all thofe particu- 
 lars, wherein he requires their perfect obe- 
 dience in order to their happinefs. Since 
 this is the cafe, it highly concerns every one 
 of us to enquire, whether we be under an 
 obligation to keep this law, which is the 
 fecond particular I propofed to confider, 
 namely. 
 
 Whether the moral law be ftill in. force, 
 and flill requires of them, who expetfl to be 
 faved by it, perfe(5l unfinning obedience. 
 And upon the firft propofal of this queftion 
 it would occur to eyery attentive perfon, 
 that the law, being as holy, juft, and good as 
 God is, can no more admit of any variable- 
 nefs or (hadow of turning, than God him- 
 felf can. He fays, *' I change not,'* and 
 how then can his law, which is the difco- 
 
 very 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 Vel-y of his mind and will be changeable ? 
 Man may change, but the law is the fame 
 yefterday, to-day, and for ever. It alter- 
 eth not. If man does not keep it, it will 
 lofe none of its honour. Juftice will be 
 glorified, by fupporting the holinefs of the 
 law, and by inflicting the deferved punifli- 
 ment on the tranfgreflbrs of it. But let us 
 Gonfult the law and the teftimony. The 
 Pfalmift fays, Pfalm cxi. 7, 8, " All his 
 *' commandments are fure : they ftand faft 
 ** for ever and ever, and are done in truth 
 " and uprightnefs." ALL his command- 
 ments, not excepting one, are fixed upon a 
 fure, immoveable foundation : for they ftand 
 faft for ever and ever in full force^ eftablifli- 
 ed by the unchangeable will of God, and are 
 ordained in perfe£l harmony with all the di- 
 vine attributes, being done in truth, which 
 cannot lie, and uprightnefs, which cannot 
 err. To the fame purpofe he fays in another 
 Pfalm, cxix. 160, *' Thy word is true from 
 *' the beginning ; and every one of thy 
 *' righteous judgments endureth for ever;" 
 thefe righteous judgments are the decrees of 
 the moral law^, and there is not one of them 
 that can be repealed, but they fhall all endure 
 in full force for ever. Our bleffed Saviour 
 
 £ has 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 has tKrowri great light upon this rnbje(fl:. The? 
 whole moral law is fummed up in the ten 
 commandments, which he has reduced ta 
 thefe two, the love of God, a'nd the love of 
 our neighbour : on thefe two command- 
 ments, fays he, hang all the law and the 
 prophets ; for love is the fulfilling of the 
 law, and love never faileth, confequently 
 the law of love can never fail, but its debt 
 of gratitude will be paying, and happy is 
 he, who ihall be paying it to all eternity. — • 
 Thus the moral law flands eflablifhed by the 
 authority of our divine teacher. In his fer- 
 mon upon the mount- he reforms the abufes 
 and falfe cjomments which the Scribes and 
 Pharifees had put Upon the moral law, and 
 he begins with this remark, Matt. v. 17, 
 *' Think not that I am come to deftroy the 
 *'-law and the prophets; I am not come to 
 '* deftroy, but to fulfil ;'* to fulfil the law by 
 paying it infinitely perfect obedience, and by 
 being: obedient unto death, even the death of 
 the crofs ; and by this active and paflive obe- 
 dience he fhevved that it was eafier for hea- 
 ven and earth to pafs away, than that one 
 tittle ot the law Ihould fail. If the law 
 could have abated any thing of its demands, 
 there would have been no neceffity for 
 
 Chrift's 
 
C 67 ) 
 
 ChrllVs fulfilling it by his obedience and 
 death. But the law was unalterable. It 
 could not be fatisfied with any obedience^ 
 but what was abiolutely holy, juft, and 
 good ; and as all men had failed in paying it 
 this obedience, they mull: therefore have 
 been punifhed in their own perfons, unlefs 
 God, out of the riches of his wifdom and 
 grace, had found out a way, by which the 
 honour of his law might be advanced, and 
 yet the finner might be faved. And that was 
 by fending his Son to fulfil the law. He 
 was equal to this work ; becaufe he was God, 
 equal with the Father, and he took our na- 
 ture, and God and man were united in one 
 Chrift, that he might be capable of doing 
 and fufFering and meriting in an infinite de- 
 gree. Accordingly, in the fulncfs of time, 
 he ftood up in the place of finners, and there- 
 fore he became liable to do and to fufFer what- 
 ever law and juftice demanded, that having 
 magnified the law, by obeying its precepts, 
 and made it honourable by fufFering its pe- 
 nalties, the righteoufnefs of the law might bf 
 fulfilled in them, who fliould believe on hiin 
 to everlafting life ; but the law is ftill in force 
 to condemn every one who does not favingly 
 E z believe 
 
( 68 ) 
 believe on him, and will be for ever in forc^ 
 to inflid: the deferved punilhmeat. 
 
 It is evident then that the moral Idvv {lands 
 to this day unrepealed. Although man may 
 be changed from what he was at firft, yet the 
 law is not. It is ftill the holy, juftj and good 
 will of God requiring perfect obedience.-^ 
 And when the holinefs of the law is violated, 
 the juftice of God is bound to fee the fanc- 
 tions of the law executed upon the difobe- 
 dient ; and the divine goodnefs cannot plead 
 an arreft of judgment, becaufe it is a good law 
 which is broken, and therefore it is a good 
 thing to fee that the tranfgreffors of it be paid 
 the wages of fin. 
 
 My brethren, are not thefe very alarming 
 truths, and ought they not to fuggeft fo 
 every one of you fuch reflections as thefe ? 
 What, am I under the law, bound to keep 
 it with a perfect unfmning obedience ? Can 
 the law abate nothing of its demands, but 
 muft I love God always, and with all my 
 mind, heart, foul, and ftrength, and my 
 neighbour as myfelf, if I hope to enter into 
 life by keeping the commandments ? Surely 
 
 then 
 
( 6? ) 
 
 then I ought to examine, whether I have al- 
 ways loved God and my neighbour, as the law 
 requires ? If thefe be the thoughts of your 
 hearts, then you are prepared to follow me 
 to a ferious confideration of the third head of 
 difcourfe, namely, 
 
 Whether we all have kept the moral law. 
 Its demands arc very great. It will not ac- 
 cept of any obedience, unlefs it be conti- 
 nual. You muft continue, without the leaft 
 interruption, to do all things, that are writ- 
 ten m the book of the law. And have any 
 of you walked with a ftedfall: eourfe in the 
 way of the commandments, without once 
 turning afide ? Confult confcience. Does it 
 not accufe ? Confult fcripture. Does it not 
 fay, " ALL we like flieep have gone aftray, 
 ** we have turned every one to his own 
 ** way ?'* leaving the way of God's conc\y 
 mandments, 
 
 The law alfb requires fpiritual obedience. 
 It reaches to the inmoft; thoughts and intents 
 of the heart. You nauft never have one (in- 
 ful thought in you, if you expe£l: life from 
 your keeping the law : for the law is fpi- 
 ntual. It fearches the heart and the reins, 
 
 IC :; and 
 
and ftrikes at the very firft motion or rifino- of 
 fin. One finful defire cuts you off from legal 
 righteoufnefs, as much as ten thoufand fins : 
 for it is written, " Thou (halt not covet;" 
 and he that covets offends in one point, and 
 therefore is guilty of all. 
 
 Befides, the law is perfe61:, perfe^lly lioly, 
 jufl, and good: for it is the will of God, and 
 can no more fuffer the leaft iniquity in its 
 light, than God himfelf can. It will abate 
 nothing of abfolutely perfe6l obedience. All 
 the flrength and all the mind, every faculty 
 of foul and body is to be exerted, and with 
 their utmoft vigour, in the obfervance of the 
 law. The heart too is to love it, and the af« 
 fevElions are to be delighted with obeying it. 
 
 This is what the law demands of every 
 one of you. It will have a continual, a fpi- 
 ritual, and a perfe6l love of God, without 
 one thought ever arifing in oppofition to his 
 holy will, and the love of your neighbour 
 muft be like the love of yourfelf. And does 
 any man or woman keep the law in this 
 manner ? Do any of you ? Certainly you 
 cannot fuppofe that you have never broken 
 the law, becaufe you have jufl now declared 
 7 the 
 
( 7' ) 
 
 the contrary out of your own mouths. You 
 have confelVed this day, and on your bended 
 knees before God — " We have offended agauifl 
 *' thy holy laws. We have left undone thofe 
 ** ' ., )^^s which we ought to have done: and 
 " jiavc done thofe things vv'hich we ought 
 ** ljo: to have done." — And when you fpake 
 theie words, did not your confciences aflure 
 you, that they were true r For have you not 
 offended againfi the holy law of God, and have 
 not you left undone what it required, and 
 done what it forbid? Surely you did not pre- 
 varicate with God, when in another part of 
 the fervice you confeiled that you had broken 
 all the commandments. The rubric fays — 
 " Then fhall the priell, turning to the peo- 
 *' pie, rehearfe diftindly all the ten conimand- 
 " ments; and the people ftill kneeling fhall, 
 *' after every commandment, alk God mercy 
 *' for their tranfgrefiion thereof for the time 
 " pad, and grace to keep the fame for the tim^ 
 " to come," 4nd accordingly after every com- 
 mandment you prayed God to have mercy 
 upon you for breaking it, and to incline your 
 hearts to keep it. And have you not all 
 finned, and come (hort of the glory of God, 
 by robbing his law of its due obedience ? 
 
 E 4 What! 
 
( 7^ ) 
 What ! would you make me a breaker of 
 all the commandments, fays fome felf-righ* 
 teous formalift ? I never murdered any body, 
 nor conimitted adultery. No ? Had you 
 never one angry thought or word againft 
 your neighbour ? Thi? is murder. Or did 
 not one impure and unclean thought ever 
 arife in your mind? This is fin, according 
 to the fpiritual law of God. You look at 
 your adlions in the glafs of man's law, and 
 becaufe you have not outwardly offended, 
 you think you have kept the law of God. 
 There is your miftake. Look at Matt. v. 
 21, &c. and at i John iii. 15, and you will 
 fee that anger and hatred are murder in the 
 eye of God ; and read Matt. v. 27, 28, 
 where our Lord teaches you, that one luflr 
 ful look is heart-adultery. God regards the 
 heart, and heart-fm is as much fm againft his 
 fpiritual law as outward tranfgreflion ; an4 
 when the formalift fees his heart naked and 
 open, as God fees it, he will not pretend 
 that he has not broken all the command- 
 jnents, but will rather defire God to have 
 pciercy upon him, and to incline his heart to 
 Jceep his law3, 
 
 If 
 
( 73 ) 
 
 If any of you refufe to be determined by 
 thefe authorities, hear what the Lord God 
 has declared concerning you, and his decree 
 will, I hope, be decifive. He is reprefent- 
 ed, in the 14th Pfalm, as looking down 
 from heaven upon the children of men to 
 fee if there were any that did underftand 
 and feek after God. But they were all gone 
 out of the way ; they were altogether be- 
 come filthy, there was none that did good, 
 no, not one ; there was not one of the 
 children of men, that did good and fmned 
 not. We have, in the third ch:ipter of the 
 Romans, the apoftle's comment upon this 
 pfalm. After having proved both Jews and 
 Gentiles that they are all under iin, and 
 tranfgreflbrs of the law, as it is v»Titten, 
 there is none righteous, no, not one, legally 
 righteous, he fays — ver. 19, '* Now we know 
 " that what things foever the law iaitli, it 
 ^* faith to them who are under the law, that 
 ^^ every mouth may be (topped, and all the 
 *' world may become guilty before God," 
 Thus God himfelf has declared, that you 
 have not done good, that you are under fin, 
 and in his fight guilty. And what can you 
 object to thefe fcriptures ? Sirs, are you not 
 greatly alarmed at hearing them ? For they 
 
 come 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 come home to every one's cafe, and ought 
 to reach every one's contciencc. And what 
 are the prefent appreheniions of your minds 
 concerning them ? Have you broken the 
 holy law of God, and you know you have, 
 and do you not dread the confequence of 
 your tranfgreflion ? What can tempt you to 
 hope that you fhall efcape the threatened 
 penalty ? Has your forrow for breaking the 
 law, or your repentance, or your amend- 
 ment, merit enough fo far to undo the fin 
 committed, as that law cannot demand, nor 
 juftice inflidl punifhment for it ? Or have 
 you fome blind notions of abfolute mercy in 
 God, as if he would ceafe to be jufl:, rather 
 than not be merciful to you ? Men and 
 brethren, if any or all of thefe falfe notions 
 tempt you to be fecure under the breach of 
 the law, and under the wrath of the almigh- 
 ty law-giver, let us bring them to the fiand- • 
 ard of fcripture, and enquire, 
 
 Fourthly, What is the penalty due to the 
 breach of the moral law ? 
 
 When God publiflied his law, he enforc- 
 ed it with proper fanclions. He promifed 
 reward to the obedient — " Do this, and 
 
 «* thou 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 *' thou (halt live." And he threatened pu- 
 nifliment to the difobedieiit — *' In the day 
 *' that thou tranfgrefleft, dying thou flialt 
 '« furely die." This is the rule of God's 
 procefs. If you keep the law, you fliall have 
 the hfe promifed. But if you traufgrefs, 
 you (hall be alienated from the hfe of God 
 and fubjecl to death, to the firfl and to the 
 lecond death, to a death of nature, and to 
 a death of grace : for both thefe kinds of 
 death are the punifliment of fin : *' For as 
 '* by one man fm entered into the world, 
 *' and death by fin, fo death pafled upon 
 *' all men, for that all have finned :" And 
 befides this death of the body, there is a 
 death of the foul — *' The foul that finneth, 
 *' it ihall die," Ezek. xviii. 4, it (hall be 
 ahenated from the life of God for ever and 
 ever, and (hall fuffer the vengeance of eter- 
 nal fire ; fo that the broken law not only 
 cuts you off from the fountain of life, but 
 alfo pours out its curfes, and inflidls real tor- 
 ments upon the unholy, the unjuft, and the 
 evil, according to the defcription in Rev. 
 xxi. 8, '* And the fearful and the unbe- 
 '* lieving, and the abominable, and murder* 
 " ers, and whoremongers, and forcerers, 
 '* and idolaters, and all lun s, fhall have theif 
 
 '* part 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 ** part in the lake which burneth with 
 " fire and brimftone, which is the fecond 
 " death." 
 
 Thefe are the penalties which every tranf- 
 grelTor of the law deferves, and thefe God 
 has threatened to inflidt. His will herein is 
 unchangeable. His truth requires the per- 
 formance of his threatenings. His juftice 
 is bound to fee them inflided. His holinefs 
 and goodnefs call upon juftice for the im- 
 mediate execution of the penalties due to 
 fill. And how can the {inner efcape ? What 
 can he do to deliver himfelf ? He has no- 
 thing in his own power wherewith to fa- 
 tisfy the demands of law and juftice. Sup- 
 pofe him forrowful for his fin ; that for- 
 row proves him guilty, and leaves him {o. 
 Say, he tries to repent ; the law knows no- 
 thing of repentance ; its language is, Do 
 this, or thou fhalt die. Grant, he amends 
 his life for the future, yet what becomes of 
 his paft fins ? Is his doing part of his duty 
 any fatisfa(£lion for neglcdling part of it ? 
 The law makes no provilion for any fuch 
 groundlefs pleas, but infifts upon perfect 
 obedience, and for the leaft failure puts the 
 in\ncr under the curfe and under the wrath 
 
 of 
 
( 7- ) 
 
 of God, and there leaves him to fuffcr the 
 juft punifliment of his fin. 
 
 But fome perfons perhaps may objecV, if 
 this be the cafe, what flefh can be iaved ? 
 None, no, not one, can be faved by keeping 
 the law : for all have finned and tranfgrefled 
 the law of God : therefore, by the deeds of 
 the law there (hall no fle(h be juflilied in his 
 light. 
 
 But ftill fome may alk, Why then do you 
 preach the law ? Becaufe it is a fchool-maf- 
 ter to bring men to Chrift. It teaches them 
 the nature of fin, and convinces them of 
 their v/ant of a Saviour. *' By the law is 
 " the knowledge of fin,'* Rom. iii. 20, and 
 vii. 7. Men are fecure and carelefs in fin, 
 until thelaw> that workcth wrath, reach their 
 confciencesj then they begin to know fin, 
 and to feel the exceedinsr finfulnefs of it : 
 *' for it is the miniftration of condemna- 
 *' tion,** 2 Cor. iii. 9. The law, fpiritually 
 linderftood and applied, convinces the (inner 
 that he is a condemned creature, fhews him 
 in God's word the fentence paft upon him, 
 and makes him dread the execution of it. 
 And thus it becomes to him *' the minif- 
 
 ** t rat ion 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 ** tration of death,'* 2 Cor. iii. 7, proving 
 him to be guilty of fin, and to be deferving 
 of death. The apoftle*s cafe is very com- 
 mon. I thought myfelf alive, fays he, v^'ith- 
 out the law ; he had no doubt but he was 
 alive to God, while he was a ftridl Pharifee, 
 but when the holy fpiritual nature of the law 
 was made known to him, he found himfclf 
 to be dead in trefpaffes and fins. This then 
 is the office of the law. It brings tranf- 
 greflbrs to the knowledge of fin, condemns 
 them for it, and puts them under the fen- 
 tence of death, and when the law has thus 
 convinced them of their guilt and of their 
 danger, they then find their want of a Sa- 
 viour. But without this work of the law, 
 they would not have been fenfible that they 
 ilood in any need of him. If they were ne- 
 ver fick, they would never fend for the phy- 
 fician. If they were nev^er brought to the 
 knowledge of fin, they would never defire 
 the knowledge of a Saviour. If they never 
 found themfelves under guilt and condem- 
 nation, they would never fue for his par- 
 don, and would never alk life of him, un- 
 lefs they found that they deferved to die the 
 firfi: and the fecond death. For thefe reafons 
 the law mufi: be taught. It is the fchool- 
 
 mafter 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 mafter appointed of God to bring Tinners uut6 
 Chrift, and when the fchool mafter comes in 
 the name and power of the divine Spirit, and 
 convinces them of their diftrefied ftate and 
 condition, and makes them ienfible of their 
 guilt and of their mifery, then he brings 
 them to Chrift, earneftly to alk, and humbly 
 to receive mercy from him, who is the end 
 of the law for righteoufncfs to every one that 
 believeth. 
 
 And now, men and brethren, let ns hear 
 this fchool-mafter, who is fent from heaven 
 to teach us a divine lefibn. He'fneaks to you, 
 ye carelefs and fecure in fin, and denounces 
 the ansfer of the almis;htv la\y-o^iver a2;ainfl: 
 vou. Oh ! with what a terrible voice does he 
 reveal the wrath of God from heaven aojainft 
 all vour ung^odlinefs, and unri'^hteoulnefs. 
 There is nothing dreadful in earth or hell, 
 nothing to be feared in time or in eternity, 
 but what is included in this mod awful icii- 
 tence, *' Curfed be he that confirmeth not all 
 " the words of this law to do them.'* Deut. 
 xxvii. 26. Have you done them ? Have 
 you done ALL that the law required ? And 
 in the perfedl manner required ? I dare appeal 
 to vour confciences. You mav trv to rtifle 
 
 their 
 
( 8o ) 
 
 their evidence, but they will fpeak ; and Jo 
 they not at this very time charge you with 
 (in ? You know that you have not kept all 
 the law, and what then is the confequence? 
 Why, the law pronounces you curfed, and it 
 would make your ears tingle, and your heart 
 melt within you, if you were to confider what 
 it is to be under the curfes of the law, and 
 to have the wrath of God abiding upon you 
 for ever and ever. Have you no fenfe of thefe 
 things, and no fearful apprehenlions about 
 your prefent condition ? Is not confcience 
 alarmed at the greatnefs of your danger, and 
 do not the terrors of the law ftir you up to 
 flee from the wrath to come ? If not, if all 
 be quiet therein, while you hear the law of 
 the moil: high God, which ought to convince 
 you of your guilt and to make you apprehen- 
 {ive of your mifery, then you are indeed fleep^ 
 ing the fleep of death. Oh may the God of 
 all mercy take pity on you and awaken you I 
 left you (hould fleep on, until the curfes of 
 the law be actually inflifted, and wrath come 
 upon you to the uttermoft-. 
 
 Some perfons may think it happy for them 
 that they are not carelefs and fecure in fin ; 
 for they endeavour to keep the law as well 
 
 as 
 
( 8i ) 
 
 as they can, and God is a merciful God, he 
 will forgive them, when they do amifs. 
 This is a common, but it is a very danger- 
 ous miftake : for it fuppofcs that the law 
 can abate fomething of its demands, and can 
 accept of an imperfect obedience. Where- 
 as the law is the holy, juft, and good will of 
 God, which altereth not. It requires per- 
 fed and univerfal obedience ; and in cafe 
 of the lead tranfgrefhon condemns the fin- 
 ner, and paffes fentence. If he plead that 
 he never offended but in this particular in- 
 ftance, that is pleading guilty. If a man be 
 indi£led for murder, and the facft be proved 
 upon him, and he be found guilty, and the 
 judge pafs fentence, what would it avail 
 him if he (hould make this plea, that he had 
 never been guilty of high-treafon ? The 
 judge would obferve to him, that he was 
 not accufed of high-treafon, but of murder, 
 of which he was found guilty and condemn- 
 ed, and his not being a traitor was no rca- 
 fon why he fliould not be executed for be- 
 ing a murderer. So your not having broken 
 this or that commandment cannot lave you 
 from the juft fentence of the law, if you 
 have broken any of them. Suppofe you are 
 not an adulterer, yet if you are a murderer, 
 you deferve to die, and to receive the wao-es 
 
 F of 
 
( 8z ) 
 
 of Tin : *' for he that faid. Do not commit 
 .*' adultery, faid alfo, Do not kill. Now if 
 *' thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, 
 *' thou art become a tranfgreflbr of the law." 
 James ii. 1 1 . 
 
 But fome will fay, Shall we not be ac- 
 cepted, if we endeavour to keep the law as 
 well as we can ? No. The ftyle of the law 
 is. Do. It does not fay, Endeavour to keep 
 the commandment, but it fpeaks with au- 
 thority, Do it, and do it perfe(5tly, and in 
 every point, and with all the mind, and with 
 all the foul, and with all the heart, and 
 with all the ftrength. Here's no room left 
 for good refolutions or good endeavours, but 
 an actual performance of the whole law is de- 
 manded. The leafl: failing or fliort coming 
 is a tranfgreffion, and therefore is an abfolute 
 forfeiture of legal righteoufnefs, and of every 
 bleffing promifed to the perfe<SV keeping of 
 the law. 
 
 Some perfons go a little farther than good 
 endeavours, and think God will accept them 
 for their fmcere obedience. Whereas the 
 law has nothing to do with fincerity. When 
 you come to be tried by the law, the only 
 queflion will be, whether you have broken 
 
 it. 
 
( 83 ) 
 
 It, or not ? i If not, the promifed reward is 
 yours. You may claim it as your due : for 
 to him that worketh is the reward not rec- 
 koned of grace, but of debt. But if you have 
 broken the law, your fincere obedience can- 
 not be accepted in the place of perfcd: obe- 
 dience: bccaufe the law has made no pro- 
 vifion for your cafe. It requires a continual 
 performance of all its commands, and in a 
 perfed manner ; and if you fail, and then 
 plead your fincerity in your favour, that is 
 owning your guilt, and is a confeffion of 
 your not having continued in all things 
 which are written in the book of the law to 
 do them, and therefore as your fincere obe* 
 dience is not perfe6l, it leaves you ftill under 
 the curfe of the law, and under the wrath 
 of God. 
 
 There are other perfons who think that 
 there is fome kind of abfolute mercy in God, 
 and that although they have finned, yet he 
 is ready to forgive. But this is not the cha-^ 
 rader of God as drawn in the law ; for the 
 law confiders him as the foverei2;n Lord of 
 heaven and earth, havin"; abfolute authoritv 
 to enacl laws for the Q;overnment of his crea- 
 turcs ; over whom he prefides with unerring 
 F 2 iuflicc 
 
( 84 ) 
 
 judlce to fee his laws carried Into execution. 
 Juftice is the ruling attribute of the fupreme 
 law-giver. As his law is juil:, fo are its fanc- 
 tions. It is equally juft in him to punifli 
 tranfgreflbrs, as to reward the obedient ; for 
 the judge of all the earth cannot but do right, 
 and diftribute impartial juftice. Whether 
 he can fliew mercy to the guiltv, is not the 
 queftion, but whether he has made any pro- 
 vifion in his law for fhewing them mercy ; 
 and he certainly has not. God is not de- 
 fcribed in the law as a God of mercy, but 
 as a lovereign judge, whofe wrath, and not 
 whofe mercy, is revealed from heaven againU: 
 all uns;odlinefs and risihteoufnefs of men. 
 
 But if the law -giver has made no promife 
 in his law, that he wall fliew mercy to fln- 
 ners, yet will he not be prevailed on by their 
 forrow and tears, their repentance and a- 
 mendment ? There is not one word in the 
 law to encourage a llnner to hope for mercy, 
 becaufe he is forry for his fm. It is full of 
 threatenings againft the leaft offence, and 
 for the leaft cuts the offender off* from all 
 claim to legal rlghteoufnefs. When he is in 
 this (late, what merit is there in forrow, 
 that it fliould change the laws of the moft 
 
 high 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 high God, or what efficacy in tears, that 
 they (hould caufe him to be reputed inno- 
 cent, who is in fa£l guilty ? He has forfeited 
 all right and title to the happinefs which the 
 law promifed to obedience, and when he 
 fees this, he grows forry for what he has 
 done amifs. So does a murderer, when found 
 guilty, and condemned to futter ; but does 
 the judge pardon him becaufe he is forry 
 for his crime ? By no means. But he gives 
 figns of true forrow. He weeps bitterly. 
 Suppofe he does, yet the law demands o- 
 bedience, and not tears for difobeying. 
 Thefe tears flow from a fenfe of guilt, and if 
 there were rivers of them they could not wa(h 
 the flain of guilt out of the confcience : be- 
 caufe the law has not afcribed any fuch vir^ 
 tue to them, as to accept of many tears for 
 having offended, inftead of unfinning obe- 
 dience. And granting he goes a llep farther. 
 He repents and amends. But what becomes 
 of the broken law and of the deferved 
 penalty ? Can fimple repentance undo the 
 fin committed ? Or can amendment for the 
 future avert the penalty already deferved ? 
 No, thefe are things impofllble. The law 
 will have obedience or punifliment, and 
 juftice is engaged to fee that the law be 
 F 2 obeyed, 
 
( 86 ) 
 
 obeyed, and the threatened puniHiment in* 
 fiidled ; and therefore, after you have dif- 
 obeyed, the law can allow no place for re- 
 pentance, nor no way to efcape puniihment, 
 although you feek it carefully with tears. 
 
 But if the law cannot fhew the offender 
 mercy, does it leave him without hope ? 
 Yes. It can fliew him no mercy, nor does 
 it give him any hope. It convinces him of 
 fin, condemns him for it, and fentences him 
 to the firil: and to the fecond death. 
 
 What ! muft he defpair then ! Of being 
 able to attain mercy by any means in his ow^ 
 power he mull: defpair — defpair of working 
 out for himfelf fuch righteoufnefs as the law 
 demands — defpair of efcaping, by any forrow 
 or repentance of his, the punishment which 
 juftice is bound to inflict. And when he 
 iinds himfelf in this guilty and helplefs flatc, 
 then will he be glad- to hear of a Saviour. 
 Bieffed he God, there is falvation for him, 
 who defpairs of being faved by the law. 
 To him the gofpel offers a free pardon. 
 When he flies to the gofpel, feeking to be 
 iaved by free grace, then there is mercy £ox 
 jiim and plenteous redemption. When he 
 7 cries 
 
( 87 ) 
 cries out, Oh wretched man that I am !. who 
 (ball dehver me from the curfes of the bro- 
 ken law, and from thejuftice of an offend- 
 ed God ? The gofpel points out unto him 
 the vi^lorious Saviour, who hath redeemed 
 his people from the curfe of the law, being 
 made a curie for them, and hath fatisfied all 
 the demands of his father's juftice, having 
 made reconciliation for iniquity and brought 
 in everlaflnig righteoufnefs. And therefore 
 he can fave to the uttermoft. If there be 
 any of you, whom the broken law accufes, 
 and whom juftice is purfuing to infli6l the 
 threatened punifhment, fly to this almighty 
 Saviour, and you will find in him a fafe re- 
 fuge. He can fave you from the condem- 
 nation of the law ; for there is no condem- 
 nation to them that are in Chrift Jefus. 
 And he can deliver you from the ftroke of 
 juftice ; for who fhall lay any thing to the 
 charge of God's elecl, iince it is God him- 
 lelf that juftifieth them ? 
 
 This is the great falvation fct before you, 
 who defpair of being faved by the law. 
 It is a free, full, and eternal falvation. He 
 who has it to give, has gracioufly convin- 
 ced you of your want of it, and has made 
 F 4 you 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 you willing to receive it as a free gift. Alk 
 it then of him, deeply fenfible of your un- 
 worthinefs, and of your helplefihefs, and he 
 will incline his ear unto your petitions : for 
 he never caft out the prayer of the poor 
 deftitute. Alk, and ye fhall have the pre- 
 cious gift of faith, and great joy and peace 
 in believing that you are redeenaed from the 
 curfe of the law, and that you are enriched 
 with the bleffings of the gofpel. You will 
 be made the children of God, and will re- 
 ceive the adoption of fons through faith in 
 Chrift Jefus, and if fons, then you will be 
 heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with 
 Chrift of an inheritance incorruptible, and 
 undefiled, and that fadeth not away, referv- 
 cd in heaven for you : vvhich may the Fa- 
 ther referve for you all, for the fake of his 
 beloved Son, through the effeclual grace of 
 the Holy Spirit, that to the three perfons h\ 
 one Jehovah you may be happy in afcribing 
 equal honour and glory, and bleffing and 
 praife for ever and ever, ^men. 
 
 UPON 
 
UPON THE 
 
 CEREMONIAL LAW. 
 
 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 The Song of Solomon, iv. 6. 
 
 Until the day break and the JJoadows jlee away, 
 I will get me to the mountain of myrrh ^ and 
 to the hill offranki7icenfe, 
 
 A^TER man had broken the moral law, 
 and had fallen into a helplefs ftate of guilt 
 and mifery, it pleafed God to reveal the 
 covenant of grace. As foon as the way 
 to falvation was ftopt by the law, he open- 
 ed a new and living way by the gofpel. 
 The Mefiiah was promifed, and the rites 
 and ceremonies were inftitutcd, which were 
 to reprefent what he was to be, and to 
 
 do 
 
( po ; 
 
 Jo for the falvation of men. ** Which 
 " thincrs were a ihadow, but the body, or 
 '* fubftaiice, was Chrift." They were ex- 
 preffive figures and Ihadovvs of bis a(5lions 
 nnd fufferings, and in them the religion of 
 the gofpel was delineated to the fenfes of the 
 believer. This law of ceremonies was re- 
 vealed upon the fall, and afterwards repul> 
 liflied in writing by Mofcs. It had God 
 for its author, and was eftabliflied by his 
 divine authority, and therefore it deferves 
 our particular conlideration. 
 
 In my laft difcourfe I endeav^oured to ex- 
 plain the fcope and defign of the m^oral law, 
 and to prove that by its works no flefh can 
 bejuflihed in the fight of God. The next 
 body of law is the ceremonial, which preach- 
 ed fdvation from the pains and penalties 
 incurred by the breach of the moral law. 
 It held forth this doctrine under a great 
 variety of types and figures, and taught it 
 3n many plain paflages. The words, which 
 I have read, contain the Meffiah*s own fen- 
 timents of this fubjetl. The commentators 
 allow him to be the fpeaker, and he is ad- 
 dreiling himfelf to the believer, with whorn 
 he holds fweet and fpiritual difcourfe in 
 
 this 
 
( 9' ) 
 
 this divine treatife. He particularly informs 
 them, where he vouchfiifed his prelence, 
 and would be found of them that fought 
 him, fo long as the ceremonial law was in 
 force. Until the day break, fays he, until 
 the day of my firft coming in the flefli (hall 
 dawn, and the fliadows flee away, the types 
 and fhadows of the law (hall vanifli, I will 
 get me to the mountain of myrrh and to 
 the hill of frankincenfe, to the mountain of 
 the Lord's houfe, even to the holy hiil of 
 Sion, and there I will be fpiritually prefent 
 in the temple fervice ; I will there give my 
 bleffing to the ordinances, and will make 
 them the means of grace : whatever your 
 \\ants may be, apply to me in thefe inftituted 
 means, and you will find an abundant fup- 
 ply : for until the day break and the ihadovvs 
 flee away, £?r. 
 
 The confidcration of this paflage will, I 
 hope, by the affiftancc of God, help us to 
 comprehend the fcope and defign of the 
 ceremonial law. And may the Holy Spirit, 
 who infpired thefe words, accompany our 
 prefent meditation upon them, that we 
 may, 
 
( 9^ ) 
 
 T'lrft^ Clearly underftaud their true fenfe 
 and meaning, and 
 
 Secondly^ May be eftabli(hed in the doc- \ 
 trine which they contain. 
 
 There are many parts of the fong hard to 
 be underftood, elpecially by the unlearned 
 and unflable, who wrcft it, as they do alfo. 
 the other fcriptures, to their own defl:ru£lion. 
 Bat the paffage which we have now before 
 \is is very cafy. There is no difficulty in it 
 to perfons, who have a little acquaintance 
 with the Icripture manner of writing, which 
 conftantly ufes and accommodates natural 
 things to explain fpiritual, fuiting its inftruc- 
 tions to man's prefent embodied ftate, in 
 which he cannot fee the things of grace, but 
 through the glafs of nature. The language 
 of the Old Teflament is entirely of this kind. 
 Every Hebrew word has a literal fenfe, and 
 flands for fome fenfible obje£l, and thereby 
 gives us a comparative idea of fome fpiritual 
 objeil:. As this is the nature of the language, 
 fo is it alfo of the fubjecl- matter of the book 
 oi Cantkks^ It is drawn up in the manner 
 of a dialogue, in which outward and mate- 
 rial things are ufed to reprefent inward and 
 fpiritual things. This way of writing is very 
 
 abftrufe 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 abilrufe to them, who have not the fenfes of 
 their fouls exercifcd to difcern the things of 
 God, but to them who have, it is an eafy 
 book. He that runs may read it, if he has 
 but a httle acquaintance with the fcripture- 
 language, and fome of that love in his heart, 
 of which this book treats : for it is a fons: 
 of loves, fetting forth the mutual affection 
 between ChriH: and the believer, who is uni- 
 ted to him by faving faith. And in the 
 words of my text, Chrift informs the believ- 
 er where he might at all times find his pre- 
 fence. tie would be fpiritually prefent, ia 
 the fervices and ceremonies of the temple. 
 By thefe he would convey grace and ftrength 
 to his faithful people, until his coming in 
 the fiefh. 
 
 Until the day break. The fcripture men- 
 tions two days by way of eminence, and 
 diflinguifhes them by two of the greateft 
 events, v^'hich the Redeemer's love and power 
 are to produce, the day of Chrift's firft co- 
 ming, and the day of his fecond coming. 
 The day of his firfl coming in the fledi is here 
 fpokeu of— the day which Abraham earneftly 
 defired to fee, and which is often mention- 
 ed in the prophets under the exprefTions, 
 *' of the day of the Lord, or of the dav of 
 
 '* our 
 
C 94 ) 
 ^^ our God," and fometimes it is very em* 
 phatically ftiled " that day,'* that day's won* 
 ders railing it above all days from the begin- 
 ning to the end of time. And in the New 
 Teftament our Lord calls it my day, the day 
 of my incarnation, when I Je/jova/j fliould 
 take a body of flefh, and God and man 
 fhould be one Chrift. This day many pro- 
 phets and kings defired to fee ; for God ma- 
 nifeft in the flefli was the foundation of 
 their faith and hopes. They longed to fee 
 this day break, and to behold the fun of 
 rio;hteoufnefs with his favino; and healino; in- 
 fiuences arifing upon the earth, and when 
 he did arife, we find thofe, who were then 
 looking for redemption, finging his praifes 
 with grateful hearts, " Bleffed be the Lord 
 '* Godof Ifrael, through whofe tender mercy 
 " the day-fpring from on high hath vilited 
 '* us ;" they blefled God, becaufe the fub- 
 fiance was now to take place of the fhadow^ 
 and all the legal ceremonies were to be fuc- 
 ceeded by gofpel realities. When the glo- 
 rious day of Chrift's appearance in the flefli 
 was come, and the light of life was rifen 
 upon the earth, then 
 
( 95 ) ■ 
 
 I'he Jhadows were to Jiee away. The legal 
 ceremonies are called fhadows in fcripture, 
 becaule they were the outward and viiible 
 figns of inward and fpiritnal objects. St. 
 P^z/Zfay?, the ceremonial law " had the fha- 
 *' dow of good things to comQ,'''' Heb. x. r. 
 of the ffood thinsjs which are now come to 
 US by the advent of Chrift, and it had the 
 patterns and examples of heavenly things ; 
 every one of which had God for its author, 
 and was inftituted by him to be an apt figure, 
 and to raife a juft idea of fome fpiritual ob- 
 ]cdi ; as Mofes was admoniilied of God, when 
 he was about to make the tabernacle. *' For 
 ** fee, faith he, that thou make all things 
 ** according to the pattern fliewed to thee 
 *' in the mount." — Every rite and ceremo- 
 ny was a pattern of fome heavenly objecl, 
 the real exiftence of which the pattern pro- 
 ved, as a fhadow proves the reality of the 
 fubftance from which it is call:, and the 
 refemblance and likeuefs of which it fet be- 
 fore the eyes, as the fhadow of a body is 
 a reprefentation of it. The fcripture has 
 exprefsly determined, what all thefefliadows 
 were to reprefent : for the Apoftle, fpeaking 
 of them in Col. ii. 17. declares " that they 
 *' were the [hadow of things to come, but 
 
 ** the 
 
( 96 ) 
 
 " the body is of Chrift." Chrift is the r- 
 ality of all the fhadows of the law ; h^. 
 the body, the fubrtance, of whom they i 
 the pictures. If you take away their refer- 
 ence to him, they ceafe to be examples and 
 fliadows of heavenly things ; but if you fup- 
 pofe them to reprefent him and his actions, 
 and fufferings, &c. then they anfvvered ma- 
 ny noble purpofes, until he came in the 
 fiefh to fulfil them : for then thefe fhadows 
 were to flee aN^ay, one great end of their 
 infiitution being anfwered. The obfervance 
 of them was to be no longer in force ;• but 
 they were to be entirely repealed and abro- 
 gated. However until this blefied day fhould 
 break, and thefe legal fhadows fhould thus 
 flee away, the text fays they were to ferve 
 a double purpofe, they were flrfl to be 
 the outward and vifible flo-ns of the inward 
 and fpiritual grace given unto us, and or- 
 dained by Chrift himfelf, to be fecondly a 
 means whereby we receive the fame, and a 
 pledge to aflure us thereof. This is plain- 
 ly implied in the lafl words of the text, 
 in which Chrifl: declares, that until the 
 ceremonies were fulfilled by his coming in 
 the flelh, he would be fpiritually prefent in 
 them. 
 
 / will 
 
( 97 ) 
 
 I mill get me to the mountain of myrrhs and 
 to the hill of frankincenfe» Where was this 
 mountain of myrrh ? Was it Hot the place 
 in which the Lord was prefent, until tne 
 Ihadows were fled avVay ? And where ^vas 
 he prefent but in the fervices bf the cererno- 
 iiial law, which could not be performed 
 any where, when the text wa^ fpoken, but 
 in the temple ? There the Lord had put 
 his name 5 and had faniflified the houfe by 
 the prefence of his glory. " I have cHofenj 
 *' fays the Lord, 2 Chron. vii. 16. and fanc- 
 " tified this houfe, that my Name may be 
 *' there for ever, arid mine eyes, and mine 
 *' heart fhall be there perpetually :*' there 
 vvill I receive the facrifices which 1 have 
 forbidden to be offered any where elfe^ 
 there will I accept of the players of the 
 faithful offerer, and there will I dwell be- 
 tween the Cherubim with vifible tokens of 
 my divine prefence and glory. As he chofc 
 the people of tfrael out of all the nations oi* 
 the earth to be his people, fo he chofe hi» 
 fandluary in Juddh, and the holy hill of Sion 
 to be his dwelling place, manifefling his 
 prefence there in fuch a manner as he did 
 no where elfe in the world ; and therefore 
 we may infer that when Chrift fays, I will 
 get me to the mountain of myrrh, until the 
 
 G , (hadows 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 fliadows flee aw'^y, he certainly meant the 
 mountain of the Lord's houfe. And the 
 Hebrew word juftifies this inference : for the 
 word rendered myrrh is the very fame root 
 with Moriah^ the mount upon which the 
 temple ftood. I will get me^ fays Chrift, to 
 the mountain of Moriah, and there will I 
 dwell, becaufe I have a delight therein. So 
 that we have here a plain teftimony of Chrift's 
 prei-^nce ii> the ceremonial fervices perform- 
 ed upon mount Morlah, In thefe he was to 
 be foivnd of them that fought him, until the 
 day of his manifeftation in the flefh. And 
 the meaning of the word feems to me far- 
 ther to confirm this interpretation : for it 
 fignifies bhtetncfs, what is bitter to the tafte, 
 and bitter to the fpirif, grievous and hard to 
 be borne ; aild what was there to be feen or 
 doive upon mount M&riab to render this its 
 proper" name ? Look at the chief part of the 
 temple-fervice, and then judge. It confin- 
 ed in making gifts arvd iacrifices for fin, in 
 which you may behold a ftriking piclure of 
 the bitter fu firings of the lari:ib of God. 
 In the facrifices were reprefented every day ' 
 thinsjs more bitter than death, the fiieddinsf 
 of his blood, and the taking away of his 
 life. Pie made his loul an offering for fin, 
 
 aiid 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 and to fluisfy the infinite demands of hw 
 and juftice. His agony and bloody Iweat, 
 his crofs and paffion (hew what bitter things 
 the Father had written againft him. Thefc 
 were reprefentcd in the roafting of the paf- 
 chal Iamb with fire, and in the eating it with 
 bitter herbs. And when Chrift, our paflb- 
 ver, was facrificed for us, and really under- 
 went the fire of the Father's wrath, there 
 never was any forrow like unto that Ibrrow, 
 which forced him to cry out, in the bitter- 
 nefs of his foul, *' My God, my God, why 
 *' haft thou forfaken me r" 
 
 If all thefe circumftances be laid together 
 they will evidently determine the place of 
 Chrift's prefence while the ceremonial law 
 was in force. He was fpiritually prefent in 
 the temple-fervice, to render the facrifices 
 and the other typical rites the means of grace, 
 and effedlual to the ends for which they 
 were inftituted : for after the moral law was 
 broken, there was no way to falvation but 
 faith in the promifed Saviour, and the neceffi- 
 ty of faith in him was taught by the fervices 
 of the ceremonial law, as it is written, ** thro' 
 ** faith they kept the paflbver," they a6lcd 
 faith upon Chrift in the paffbver : they flew 
 G 2 » and 
 
( lOOr ) 
 
 and foafted the pafchal lamb with Hkc, aud 
 cat it with bitter herbs, knowing it to be a 
 type of the future facrifice of the lamb of 
 God, of the benefits of whofe death they 
 were then, through faith, partakers. They 
 found his fpiritual prefence flrengthening 
 and refrefliine their fouls at the oaflbver, as 
 we do now at the Lord's fupper, and they 
 knew that through his merits and mediation 
 their perfons and their fervices were accept- 
 able to God the Father, which is, I think, 
 the fenfe of the laiil words of the text, 
 
 / willg.et me to the hill offrankincejife. 
 
 This is the fame place mentioned beforcy^ 
 only dfefcribed by another name, ta exprefs 
 a different property. Incenfe was, by divine 
 command, a chief part of the temple-fer- 
 vice. As the facrifiees offered in the temple 
 were to rsprefent the death of Gh.rift,> fo the 
 incenie there offered was to repreient the 
 fweet favour of his meritorious death, which 
 alone could reconcile God to finners, and 
 could render them and their fervices well- 
 pleafing in his light : and therefore that rich 
 perfun>e, mentioned JEsXod. xxx. which- was- 
 the type of the fweet incenfe of Ch rift's me- 
 rits. 
 
( 10' ; 
 
 rits, was forbid, upon pain of death, to be 
 ufed upon any other occafion, than in the 
 fervice of God, and in any other place, than 
 in the tabernacle at that time, and afterwards 
 in L-he temple. The command is, ven 36, 
 *' Thon (halt put of it before the tcftimony, in 
 *' the tabernacle of the congregation, where 
 ** I will meet with thee : it (hall be unto 
 *' you mod: holy, ver. 38, Whofoever (hall 
 *' make like unto that, to fmell thereto, fliaJl 
 *' even be cut off from his people.'* This 
 was to (hew, that God the Father is feen to 
 be propitious to finners, only through the 
 merits of his Son's facrifice, and that he 
 who feeks to be accepted in any other way 
 or means, (hall die in his (ins. The incenfe 
 then was a type of Chrift's meritorious death, 
 and the hill of frankincenfe was the holy 
 hill of Siofi, upon which incenfe ufed to be 
 offered, and a pure offering. The offering 
 Avas that great facrifice of the lamb of God, 
 Ihadowed out by all the facrifices (lain from 
 the foundation of the world, and the in- 
 cenfe was to reprefent the efficacy of his 
 facrifice. It is faid of the typical offer- 
 ings, that the Lord fmelled a fweet favour, 
 bow much more was he pleafed with the 
 Qifciing and facrifice of Chrifl, which wa;i ■ 
 G 3 indeed 
 
( 102 ) 
 
 indeed a fweet-fmelling favour, acceptable 
 and well-pleaiing unto God ? 
 
 But how was Chrlft prefent ia the ofFer-r 
 ing up of the inccnfe ? It was his inftitution, 
 and he was fplritually prefent to render it 
 efFe^lual to the ends, for which he inflitut- 
 ed it. He appointed it to be one of the 
 means of grace ; for he taught beUevers by 
 this ceremony, that he could make them and 
 their fervices acceptable to the offended Dei- 
 ty, and by his Spirit he gave them the com- 
 fortable . knowledge of their acceptance. 
 When therefore he mentions his prefence on 
 the hill of frankincenfe, it is as if he had faid, 
 When the high prieft enters once every year 
 at the great feaft of atonement into the holy 
 of holies, and there fumes the incenfe before 
 the Cherubim of glory, and fprinkles the 
 blood before the mercy feat, I will then 
 enable believers to act faith upon my future 
 fulfilling and realizing of this fervice : for 
 after my facrifice upon earth, I will enter 
 into the holy of holies, and will there plead 
 my merits before the mercy-feat in heaven, 
 and by my all- prevailing interceffion will 
 render the perfons and the fervices of be- 
 lievers well pleafing unto God the Father. 
 
 Thus 
 
( 103 ) 
 
 Thus Chrlil: was prefent upon the bill of 
 franklncenfe, and there the faithful expell- 
 ed to meet with him; for while the piicfl 
 was offering up the incenfe in the temple, 
 the people ufed to be at prayers without, 
 hoping that the angel of the covenant, who 
 bad much incenfe given to him to otfer it 
 up with the prayers of all the laiiits upon 
 the golden altar which was before the throne, 
 would make the fmoke of the incenfe afcend 
 up with their prayers before God. In this 
 hope we find the whole multitucie of the 
 people {huke i. lo.) praying without at the 
 time that Zachar'ias was burninfr the incenfe 
 in the temple of the Lord. 
 
 From the fenfe and meaning of the words 
 as thus in part opened and explained, the fol- 
 lowing dodrine may be eftablifhed. Upon 
 the brea9j;i of the moral law, the ceremonial 
 law was inflituted to prefigure the promifed 
 Mefiiah and his adions and fufferings, and to 
 preach' forgivenefs of fins through him. Un- 
 til the day of his coming in the fie(h, the 
 ceremonies ferved as Shadows to raife ideas 
 of him, and as means of grace to fupport 
 the faith and hopes of his people : they 
 were outvvard and vifible fisius of inward 
 G 4 aijd 
 
( 104 ) 
 and fpiritual grace in the very fame manner 
 a? the facrarpents are at prefent, figning an4 
 fealing to believers the benefits purchaied by 
 the obedience and fuiferings of the lamb 
 of God. This is the dodtrine which I pur- 
 pofed, under ray fecond general head, to 
 ellabliflio 
 
 The whole volume of fcripture confiders 
 the ceremonial law in this fame point of 
 view. It was the fcope and defign of the 
 Old Teflament to reveal to fmners the cove- 
 nant of grape, and to teach them how they 
 might attain pardon for their breach of the 
 moral law. Upon the firft breach of it, the 
 MeiTiah was promifed, and the rites and fer- 
 vices of the ceremonial law w^re inftituted, 
 to keep up faith and hopes In fiim, until his 
 coming in the flefh ; for they fliewed what 
 he was to be, and to do, and to fuffer. The 
 New Teftament relates the acconiplifhment 
 of the Old, proving ye/us oi Nazareth to be 
 the promifed Meffiah, and declaring how he 
 did and fuffered every thing prefigured by 
 the types, and foretold by the prophets. Both 
 teflaments therefore treat of one and the 
 fame fubjes5l, namely of the way and method 
 by which the tranfgreflbrs of the moral law 
 
 may be delivered froni the guilt and punifh^ 
 
 rcentj 
 
( 105 ) 
 ment, which they have incurred. This i§ 
 the opinion of our church in her fixth article. 
 *' The Old Tcftament is not contrary to the 
 ** new, for both in the Old and New Tefta- 
 *' ment everlafting life is offered to mankind 
 *' by 'jefus Cbri/ir The everlafting life for- 
 feited by the breach of the moral law is of- 
 fered to mankind in the Old Teftament as 
 well as in the New, and offered by the fame 
 Saviour, Jefus Qhyifit and offered by the fame 
 gofpel of the grace of God ; *' for unto us, 
 " lays the apoftle [Heh. iv. 2.) was the gofpel 
 *' preached, as well as unto them.'- He is 
 fpeaking of the Ifraelltes^ who, after their 
 deliverance from Egypt, perifhed in the wjl- 
 dernefs through unbelief, and he fays, that 
 "what is preached unto us, was preached unto 
 them. They had the fame gofpel which 
 -P^/^/ preached, and what it was he thus in- 
 forms the Corinthians^ I declare unto you 
 the gofpel which I preached unto you, how 
 that Chrift died fqr our fins, according to the 
 fcriptures, and that he was buried, and that 
 he rofe again the third day, according to the 
 fcriptures. This is our gofpel, and it was 
 theirs under the Old Teftament difpenfation. 
 Beli*?vers then had the fame faith that wq 
 l;^ave, i^ the fame Saviour. The goipei preach- 
 
 e4 
 
( io6 ) 
 
 cd to them the coming of Chrlfl:, his fufTer- 
 ings and death for their fins, and his refurrec- 
 tioii ; they beheved he would come, and we 
 beUeve he is come. In this fingle circum- 
 flance their gofpel differs from ours. Our re- 
 formers, in the fecond part of the Homily upon 
 faith, fpeaking of the fathers, martyrs, and 
 other holy men mentioned Heb. xi, have thefe 
 remarkable words : " They did not only 
 ' know God to be the Lord, maker, and go- 
 ' vernor of all men in the world ; but alfo 
 ' they had a fpecial confidence and trufl, 
 ' that he was, and would be, their God, their 
 ' comforter, aider, helper, maintainer, and 
 ' defender. This is the Chriftian faith which 
 ' thefe holy men had, and which we alfo 
 ' ought to have, and although they were 
 ' not named Chriftian men, yet was it a 
 ' Chriflian faith that they had ; for they 
 ' looked for all the benefits of God the Fa- 
 ' ther through the merits of his Son Jefus 
 
 * Chriji^ as we do jiow. This difference is 
 
 * between them and us, that they looked 
 
 * when Chrift ihould come, and we be in the 
 ' time when he is come; therefore, faith St. 
 ' Augiijline^ the time is altered and changed, 
 
 * but not the faith.'' Faith was always the 
 fame. Ever lince the rnoral law was firft 
 
 8 broken. 
 
( 107 ) 
 broken, there has been but one gofpel, which 
 preached falvation by one Lord, and one 
 faith. 
 
 If you afk, How was it preached to the 
 holy men of old: It was revealed to thetn 
 by many plain prophecies ('* for the tefti- 
 " mony of the 'Jejus is the Spirit of pro- 
 *' phecy") and by many fignificant types 
 and expreflive ceremonies ; under which 
 Chrift was as clearly preached as he is under 
 the facraments of the New Teflament : for 
 all thefe were memorials, inflituted on pur- 
 pofe to keep him in memory, and they were 
 patterns ferving as copies to convey ideas of 
 their originals, according to what is written, 
 JLxod. XXV. 40. And look, lays God to Mofes^ 
 that thou make them, namely, the tabernacle 
 and all its veflels, after their pattern, which 
 was (hewed thee in the mount; they were the 
 patterns of heavenly things, as St. Paul^ rea- 
 foning upon this paffage, has affured us, Heb, 
 Tiii. 5. *' Who ferve unto the example and 
 *' (hadovv of heavenly things, as Mofcs was 
 " admonifhed of God, when he was about 
 *' to make the tabernacle : for fee, faith he, 
 *' that thou make all thing^s according to the 
 " pattern (hewed to thee in the mount.'* 
 
 Here 
 
( io8 ) 
 
 Here is a plain defcriptloii of the fcope and 
 defien of the ceremonial law. An infallible 
 interpreter affures us, that it ferved for an 
 example and fhadow of heavenly things. Its 
 ceremonies were examples to fet thefe h'^a- 
 venly things before men's eyes, and to raife 
 ideas of them^ and they were fhadows to 
 delineate them, and to give an outward 
 iketch of them, and they were patterns like 
 a good plan or deilgn, reprefenting them 
 clearly and dif}:in£lly. This was the nature 
 of the types ; they were inflituted to pre- 
 figure the heavenly things which were to be 
 in ChriO-, and which were to be derived fron^ 
 him to believers, 
 
 In this fenfe Chrifl: was prefent upon 
 mount Moriah, He was there in the types 
 and fervices. Thefe were his reprefentatives. 
 They flood for him, and a£led in his name, 
 and by his authority were deputed to de- 
 clare his gracious intention^ towards the 
 tranfgreffors of the moral law : for they 
 all preached Chrift, ai^d falvation through 
 his infinitely meritorious facrifice. The 
 whole temple-fervice reprefented hini in this 
 light : for the temple itfelf was the type and 
 figure of his body. Our t^ord himfelf calls it; 
 
 fOa 
 
( I09 ) 
 
 fo. " Deftroy this temple, and hi three days 
 ** I will build it up." John ii. 19. But he 
 fpake, fays St. John, of the temple of his 
 body, of the true tabernacle which the Lord 
 pitched and not man. And herein he fpakc 
 agreeably to the well-known ufage- of fcrip- 
 ture, which calls the type and the thing 
 typihed by the fame name. The temple 
 was the type of his body, and every part of 
 its furniture was a type and figure of what 
 was to be in the humanity of the incarnate 
 God. All its veflels were apt figures and beau- 
 tiful pidures of thofe divine graces which 
 were in him, and which believers were to re- 
 ceive out of his fulnefs. The holy place re- 
 prefented what he was to do upon earth, the 
 fioly of holies reprefented what he was to do 
 in heaven for his people. At the entrance of 
 the holy place flood the laver filled with wa- 
 ter, with which the priefls were to wafh, when 
 they went in and came out of the temple. 
 This was to fet forth t|je infinitely purifying 
 virtue which was in Chrifl:, and with which 
 te was to clcanfe finners from the pollution 
 of fin, as he fays in the prophet ; *' Then will 
 " I fprinkle clean water upon you, and ye 
 ♦' fhall be clean : from all yoiTr filthinefs 
 ** and from all your idols will I ckanfe you.*' 
 Ezek. xxxvi. 25. Next to the laver flood 
 
 the 
 
(1*0 ) 
 
 ihc^ altar of burnt-offering, on which the 
 blood of the facrifice was offered, hereby was 
 reprefented the all-meritorious blood of the 
 lamb of God, which alone taketh away the 
 guilt of fin. On one fide of the holy place 
 Hood the candleflick^ with its lamps always 
 burning, to reprefent that divine light which 
 came into the world, that he who foUoweth 
 it fiiould not walk in darknefs, but fliould 
 have the light of life. On the other fide ftood 
 the table of (hew-bread, the figure of that 
 bread of God, which came down from heaven,- 
 and of which if any man eat, he fliall live for 
 ever. At the upper end of the holy place, 
 next the veil, flood the altar of incenfe, to re- 
 prefent the fweet-fmelling favour of Chrifl*s 
 facrifice, through faith in which the tranf- 
 greffors of the moral law are reconciled ta 
 God the Father, and rendered acceptable and 
 well pleafing in his fight. 
 
 The mofl holy place, or the holy of ho^ 
 lies, was the figure of heaven, and what was 
 done in it once a year by the high-prieft was 
 to reprefent what our great high-prieft does 
 in heaven for us and for our falvation. This 
 do£lribe is very clearly taught in feveral parts 
 of the epiflle to the Hebrews, Thus we read 
 
 that. 
 
( III ) 
 
 that, " into the fecond tabernacle went the 
 " high-pried alone once every year not wlth- 
 " out blood, which he ofFered for himfelf, 
 ** and for the errors of the people. The 
 *' Holy Ghoft this fignifying, that the way 
 *' into the holiefl of all was not yet made 
 " nnanifeft, while as the firft tabernacle was 
 " yet ftanding : which was a figure for the 
 *' time then prefent.'* Heb. ix. 7, 8, 9. And 
 what the Holy Ghoft fignified by this fervice 
 could not but be known, while the taberna- 
 cle and temple flood, becaufe it was a figure 
 for the time then prefent. The 9th chapter 
 and great part of the loth treat entirely of 
 this fubjedl. The hlgh-prieft was the type 
 of Chrift, our great interceflbr. His going 
 in once a year into the holy of holies was the 
 figure of Chrift's appearing once in the end 
 of the world, and opening a new and living 
 way for us into the holiefl:. His carrying 
 blood to fprinkle upon the mercy fe^t, and 
 incenfe to fume before th^ Cherubim of glory 
 was to reprefent Chrift*s pleading the merits 
 of his blood at the throne of grace, which 
 was an odour of a fvveet fmell, a facrifice well 
 pleafing and acceptable to the Holy Trinity. 
 The high-priefts coming out of the holy of 
 holies to blcfs the people, was the figure of 
 
 Chrift's 
 
( "^ ) 
 
 ChrilVs coming from the holieft to blefs hi^ 
 {)eople with an everlafting blefling— *' Come 
 *' ye blefled of my Father, inherit the king- 
 *' dom prepared for you from the foundation 
 *'ofthe world." 
 
 It appears then, from all thefe authorities, 
 that the ceremonial law preached Chrifl, and 
 falvation through him from the guilt and 
 punifhment incurred by the breach of the 
 moral law. All its fervices prefigured him, 
 and were lively and expreffive pictures of 
 "Svhat he was to be, and to do, and to fuffer^ 
 in order to make an atonement for fin. His- 
 facrifice for this purpofe was reprefented by 
 all the typical facrifices : for without {bed- 
 ding of blood there was no remiffion, and it 
 was net pofiible that the blood of bulls ancJ 
 of goats fhould take away fins ; therefore be- 
 lievers hoped for remiflion through his mod 
 precious blood, and facrificed in faith, rely- 
 ing on the future offering of the laftib of 
 God. So that it was plainly the fcope aucJ 
 defign of the ceremonial law to preach re- 
 tn'iffion of fins through the (bedding of bloods 
 When any perfon had offended, and his con- 
 fcience accufed him of fin, he was required 
 to bring his facrifice to the pried, and to lay 
 
 his 
 
( «>3 ) 
 
 his hands upon its head and to confefs his 
 iins over it : after this its hfe was to be taken 
 away and its blood (hed inftead of the finners 
 hfe. And this was to be done, even when 
 a perfon had offended through ignorance. 
 But in what did the merit of the facrifice 
 confift ? Did its blood take away fin ? No. 
 It was not poffible the blood of bulls and of 
 o-oats fhould do that. The facrifice was onlv 
 a memorial inftituted to bring the Mediah 
 into mind, as if he had faid, Do this in re- 
 membrance of m.e, remembering in every fa- 
 crifice the future facrifice of the lamb of God ; 
 and believers did remember him. When 
 they eat of the pafchal lamb, by faith they 
 difcerned the Lord's body, and enjoyed com- 
 munion with Chrift, our paffover, as we do 
 now at the Lord's fupper. They found him 
 prefent in the ordinances, according to his 
 moft true promife in the text. Until the 
 day dawn, fays he, the great day of my ap- 
 pearing in the flefh, and the Ihadows flee 
 away, the fhadows of the ceremonial law be 
 realized and fulfilled in my life, obedience, 
 fufi^erings, death, refurre£lion, and afcenfion, 
 until thefe things be, 1 will be fpiritually pre- 
 fent upon mount Moriah^ in the temple wor- 
 ship, and upon the hill of frankincenfe, to 
 
 H render 
 
( <i4 ) 
 
 tender the perfons and the fervices of my peo- 
 ple well-pleafing and acceptable unto God the 
 Father. 
 
 Since then it was the fcope and defign o£ 
 the ceremonial law to prefigure Chrift under 
 its expreflive types and fliadows, do you, my 
 brethren, look upon it in this light ? Are you 
 convinced, that the Old Teftameht contains 
 the gofpel, and the evidence for its dodlrines ? 
 And have you read it carefully, in order to 
 colledt this evidence, and to eftablifti your- 
 felves in your moll: holy faith ? Or, inflead of 
 'making this ufe of the Old Teftament, have 
 you greatly negledled it, fuppofing it to con- 
 tain a religion different from Chrillianity ? 
 This is the opinion of too many among us. 
 But it is very unfcriptural. The New Tefta- 
 ment is fo far from being contrary to, that it 
 is in perfect harmony with, the Old. They 
 Ijoth preach one gofpel, one Saviour, and one 
 *faith : for both in the Old and New Tefta- 
 ment everlafting life is offered to mankind 
 by ye/us Chrtjl. And this life by him was 
 preached by the ceremonies of the OldTefta- 
 raent, as well as by the facraments of the 
 New, with only this difference, the New is 
 the fulfilling of the Old ; the Old Teftament 
 
 promifes 
 
'( "5 ) 
 
 promifcs the MefTiah fhould come and dwell 
 among men, and the New proves that he did 
 come, and that God has been manifeft in the 
 flefh. Confider what has been faid at prefent 
 in propf of this point. Weigh it carefully ; 
 and then I hope you will read the Old Tefta- 
 ment with great pleafure and profit, finding it 
 teftifying throughout of Chrift, and of falva- 
 tion through him. 
 
 JBut what have we to do, may fome fay> 
 with the Jewijh types and ceremonies ? Are 
 they not all now repealed and abrogated ? Yes. 
 Chrift has fulfilled them, even to the leaft 
 jot and tittle ; but they ftill {land upon re- 
 cord to teach us what he was to fulfil. They 
 ftill continue to bear evidence for Chrifl, al- 
 though the obfervance of them hath ceafed ; 
 therefore we are (till concerned to fearch 
 what witnefs they bear of him. " Search. 
 " the fcriptures, fays Chrift, for thefe are 
 *' they which teftify of me." There were 
 no fcriptures, when he fpake this, but the 
 Old Teftament, and it teftified of Chrifl. It 
 did bear v^atncfs of him, by its types, for 
 they were (hadows of good things to come, 
 of which Chrift is the body, and by its pro- 
 phecies, for the teftimony of Jefus is the 
 
 H 2 fpirit 
 
( "6 ) 
 
 fplnt of prophecy. This tellimony it dill 
 bears, witneffing to us what Chrift was to 
 be, and to do, and to fuffer, as the New 
 Tedament witneiles to us thzt Jefus o{ Na^ 
 %areth was the promifed Meffiah : for he 
 was, and did, and fufFered what the Old 
 Teftament had foretold. Thus they mu- 
 tually fupport each other. The Old Tefta- 
 ment looks forward to the accomplifhment 
 of its ceremonies and prophecies, referring 
 its readers to fome perfon, who was to fulfil 
 the law and the prophets, and the New Tef- 
 tament proves ^ejus of Nazareth to be the 
 perfon ; and thus all the fcriptures teftify of 
 him. 
 
 If you aflc in what particular refpe6): does 
 the ceremonial law tcftify of him ? It con- 
 fiders him chiefly in this point of view. 
 The moral law being broken, and the tranf- 
 o:refrors of it beinsj under suilt and liable to 
 punifhment, Chriit was propofed to them 
 by the types as the facrifice and atonement 
 for their fins. All the facrifices pointed at 
 his facrifice, and the atonement made by 
 them had no merit, but what was derived by 
 faith from his all-perfedl atonement : for 
 Jie was the lamb fore-ordained to be flain by 
 
 the 
 
( ''7 ) 
 
 the covenant of the ever-blefled Trinity, 
 which was made before the foundation of 
 the world, and he was the lamb typically 
 llain from the foundation of the world in all 
 the facrifices after the fall, and flain really in 
 the fulnefs of time, when he appeared to put 
 away fin by the facrifice of himfelf. hi this 
 refpe^t all the facrifices pointed to the lamb 
 of God, referring the tranfgreflbrs of the 
 moral law to his moft precious blood, with- 
 out the fhedding of which there could be 
 no remiffion : becaufe it was not pofTible 
 that the blood of beafls could take away 
 iin. 
 
 Upon this flate of the do(finne there arifes 
 an important queftion, in which, my bre- 
 thren, you are all nearly concerned, namely, 
 Whether you look upon Chrift in the fame 
 light that the ceremonial law places him. 
 All the ceremonies pointed to him, and 
 when any one had offended againft the mo- 
 ral law, the ceremonial law required him 
 to brinsf his facrifice to make an atonement 
 for his fni : for without fhedding of blood 
 there was no remifiion ; and thus he was 
 taught to hope for remiilion only through 
 the fhedding of the blood of the lamb of 
 
 It 3 God, 
 
 o 
 
( n8 ) 
 
 God. Now, my brethren, Do you a£l: aa 
 the ceremonial law enjoins ? Are you con- 
 vinced of your offences againft the moral 
 law, and fenfible of your guilt, and appre- 
 henfive of your danger ? Have you put your 
 truft in the facrifice of the immaculate lamb 
 of God ? Have you placed all your hopes 
 of pardon on the merits of his moft preci- 
 ous blood ? If not, What befides can you 
 fely upon ? You have finned, and the wa- 
 ges of fin is death. The almighty law-giver 
 has declared, that you (hall die — '* The foul 
 ** that finneth, it fhall die.'- Under this 
 fentence you lie, as to any thing you can 
 do, either to refpite it or to revoke it, until 
 it be executed upon you. Your life is for- 
 feited, and you rnufl die the death. And 
 while juflice fpares you, how do you refolve 
 to a6l ? You hear there is a Saviour, and re- 
 demption in his blood. He laid down his 
 life, and died to purchafe life for all tranf- 
 greffors, who v/ill come unto him for it : 
 either, therefore, you mull: receive life of 
 him, or die, Confider then fenoufly, which 
 p{ thefe two is your choice. Which woul4 
 you have ; life or death '? If you refufe tq 
 come to Ghrift for life, you mud die. Your 
 jplood muft be ihed, and your foul rquft pe- 
 
( "9 ) 
 
 rifh : for the Lord God, who cannot lie, hath 
 fpoken, that without fhedding of blood there 
 is no remiflion ; iinlefs, therefore, you are 
 faved by the blood of Chrift, there is no re- 
 mlffion for you. You muft die in your 
 iins. 
 
 But if you feek to be faved by the blood 
 of Chrift, and defire the life purchal'ed by 
 his death, you have all poliible encourage- 
 ment to hope for his favour. He has begun, 
 and he muft carry on the work. Wait upon 
 him then for his grace in the ways of his 
 appointment, and you will find him ftill pre- 
 fent in them. Seek his face in prayer. Hope 
 to find his good Spirit in hearing and read- 
 ing his word, and continue thus in his fer- 
 vice, and he will give you to experience 
 the truth of the do6lrine preached by the 
 ceremonial law. All its facrifices taught re- 
 million of fin through blood, and all pointed, 
 to the bleeding lamb of God, ancj to his 
 atonement ; and, by faith, believers of old 
 received the benefit of his atonement, as 
 we do at prefent : for by faith they kept the 
 paflbver and the fprinkling of blood, left he 
 that deftroyed the firfi:-born in Egypt flioulc} 
 ^')uch them. Wait upon God, and he will 
 i"I 4 epablq 
 
( I20 ) 
 
 enable ycu alfo to a£l faith upen Chrifl your 
 paflbver, and when his blood has been 
 Iprinkled upon your heart, the deftroying 
 angel cannot then touch you. This blood 
 will keep you frorn death and from him that 
 hath the power of death. Through faith in 
 it, you will live in the comfortable know* 
 ledge of what this fcripture means, " He 
 " that believeth in n^e, fays Chrift, though 
 ** he were dead, yet (ball he live, and who-!. 
 " foever liveth and believeth in me fhall 
 " never die,'' {Jjohn xi. 25, 26.) Happy 
 are they who thus believe and live in him, 
 They have redemption in his blood, even the 
 forgivenefs of fins, and they are pafled from 
 death unto life. They know the infinite 
 value of his atonement, not only for the for- 
 givenefs of their pad offences againft the mo- 
 ral law, but alio for their prefent failings. 
 They want the benefit of his naofl precious 
 blood every day : for all that they do wants 
 to be cleanfed in the fountain, which v^as 
 opened for fin and for uncleannefs. They 
 are forced to bring their very duties to be 
 cleanfed here ; becaufe thefe do not come 
 lip to the perfed demands of the moral law. 
 There are fhort comings in their mod holy 
 things, for which they want an atonement. 
 
( 121 ) 
 
 Oh how precious then mufl the blood of 
 Chrift be to fuch perlbns ! With what love 
 will their hearts burn towards him ? With 
 what gratitude will they ferve him ? How 
 dear will the ordinances be to them, fuice 
 there they find their Lord fpiritually prefent, 
 comforting, ftrengthening, and eftablilhing 
 their hearts. Thefe perfons want no argu- 
 ments to perfuade them to a conftant attend- 
 ance upon the ordinances : for they know 
 that they (hall in them find him, whom their 
 foul longeth for, and (hall in them enjoy 
 fweet communion with him, ULitil the day 
 of glory break, and the earthly (hadows flee 
 away. Then they (hall fee him face to face, 
 and fhall be for ever happy with their Lord, 
 Oh that this happinefs may be yours and 
 mine. Grant it. Holy Father, for thy dear 
 Son's fake, to whom, with the eternal Spirit, 
 three perfons in one Jehovah, be equal ho- 
 nour and glory, praife and worfhip for ever 
 and ever. Amen* 
 
 UPON 
 
UPON THE 
 
 LAW of FAITH, 
 
 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 Romans iii. 27. 
 
 Where is boafling then ? It is excluded. By 
 what lawf of works f Nay, but by the lavi 
 of faith, 
 
 xIaving already confideied the nature of 
 the moral and of the ceremonial law, I am 
 now to treat of the law of faith mentioned 
 in my text. The moral law is the holy, 
 juft, and good will of God, to which he 
 required, and does require, perfect obedience: 
 for his will is like himfelf, always one and 
 the fame without variablenefs, or ihadow of 
 turning : but there is no falvation now to 
 \it expeded from this law, becaufe all have 
 
 finned 
 
( 1^4 ) 
 
 finned againil: it, and are liable to the threat- 
 ened penalties. Upon the firft breach of 
 it God was gracioufly pleafed to reveal the 
 ceremonial law, the defiga and fcope of 
 which was to point out the promifed Mef- 
 fiah, and to be the means of grace to the 
 people of God : for by its fer vices, which 
 were fhadows and types of Chrift, and of 
 the good things to come through him, the 
 eye of faith was kept looking earneftly upon 
 him, and waiting for the happy time, whea 
 the day fhould break and the fhadows flee 
 away, and he fhould come in the flefh, to 
 deliver his people from the curfes of the mo- 
 ral law. At the end of 4000 years he came, 
 and having fulfilled the ceremonial law, and 
 accomplifhed every thing lignified \)y its 
 typical fervices, it was then repealed, and 
 the law of faith alone was eflablifhed, by 
 which believers have been faved from the be^ 
 ginning, and are to be faved tq the end of 
 the world. 
 
 If we take a fliort view of the Apofl:le's 
 reafoning in this chapter, we fhall eafily dif- 
 cover what this law of faith is. He is treat- 
 ing of the corruption of mankind, of the Jeufs 
 as well as of the Gentiiesy and he proves that 
 7 th^y 
 
( 1^5 ) 
 
 they are all under fin : for they have all bro- 
 ken the moral law, and are guilty in the fight 
 of God, and are thereby become abiblutely 
 incapable of ever attaining inherent legal 
 rif^hteoufnefs. After the moral law has been 
 once broken, it can never afterwards juftify 
 the finner : becaufe it requires perfed unin- 
 terrupted obedience, and allows of no failing, 
 no not in thought. Its ftyle and language 
 is—" Do this, and thou (halt live," — *' If 
 *' thou tranfgrefs, dying thou (halt furely 
 *' die." And when any one traufgreffes, it 
 knows nothincr of mercy, nor has made any 
 provifion for pardon, but calls aloud for 
 juftice to inflid the deferved punifhment. 
 And fince all men have tranfgrefled, there- 
 fore the Apoftle concludes, that by the deeds 
 of the law there (hall no flefh be juflificd in 
 the fight of God. Thus every mouth is 
 flopped, and all the world is become guilty 
 before God. But now the ri^hteoufnefs of 
 God without the law is manifeded in the 
 covenant of grace, in which the honour and 
 dignity of the moral law is fecured, and a 
 wonderful way is revealed, whereby the (in- 
 ner may be pardoned, and infinite juftice may 
 be glorified in (hewins; him mercv- The 
 Lord Chrift being God equal with the Fa- 
 ther 
 
( 136 ) 
 
 ther freely covenanted to take man's naturei 
 and in it to adl and fufFer as his reprefenta- 
 live, to pay the law perfect and infinitely me- 
 ritorious obedience, and to endure fatisfadory 
 and infinitely meritorious fufferings, yea, to 
 bear the wrath, and to die the death, which 
 man deferved, and thus he wrought out an 
 all- perfect righteoufnefs, even the righte- 
 oufnefs of God, which is by faith of 'Jefus 
 Chriji unto all and upon all them that be- 
 lieve. And this method of juftifying fmners 
 by his being made fin for us, who knew no 
 fin, that we might be made the righteouf- 
 nefs of God in him, is thus opened and ex- 
 plained by the Apoftle in the v/ords going 
 before the text. All have finned, fays he, 
 and come ihort of the glory of God, being 
 juftified freely by his grace, and if by grace, 
 then it is not by works, but it is all a free 
 gift through the redemption that is in Chriji 
 JefuSy whom God hath fet forth to be a pro- 
 pitiation through faith in his blood, his blood 
 made the propitiation, and faith applies and 
 receives it, and thereby declares the righte- 
 oufnefs of God for the remiflion of fins that 
 arc pafl. And in this way of juftifying fm- 
 ners through the rio-hteoufnefs of the Lord 
 Chrifl, God the Father proves himfelf to 
 
 be 
 
( 127 ) 
 
 be juft, and the juflifier of him who is of 
 the faith of Jefus. He vindicates his juflice 
 and the honour of his law, and thefe being 
 fecured, he can then juftify him that is un- 
 godly, if he believe in Jefus : for then his 
 faith will be imputed unto him for righte- 
 oufnefs. 
 
 When the carnal man hears this doc- 
 trine, he is apt to take offence at it. He has 
 fuch a high opinion of himfelf, and of his 
 owil boafled abilities, that he cannot con- 
 ceive how God fliould juftify fmners by his 
 free grace, without any of their works and 
 merit, and he is ready to aik. What ! mull: 
 r do nothing towards my juftification ? No. 
 You can do nothing : becaufe while your 
 fins are unpardoned, you are under fentence 
 of death. You are dead in law, and you 
 can no more do any avfl that is good and 
 valid in the court of heaven, than a con- 
 demned criminal can do any aft that is good 
 and valid in one of our courts of juftice. 
 What ! am I not to work out, fays he, 
 and to merit fome part of my juftification ? 
 No, none at all. The fcripture gives all 
 the glory to God, that it may cut off all 
 boafting from man ; for if God juftify fui- 
 
 ners 
 
( "8 ) 
 
 ners freely by faith, without any works^ 
 where is boafting then, fays the Apoftle ? 
 Man would have room to boaft, if he was 
 juflified wholly by his own works, or partly 
 by faith, and partly by his works ; \i yi bra- 
 ham were juftified by works he hath where- 
 of to glory ; but finee he is juftified entirely 
 by free grace, through faith, in the righte- 
 oufnefs of another, all boafting is excluded* 
 By what law ? By the law of works ? No, 
 by the works of the law ftiall no flefh be 
 juftihed, and therefore no flefli can boaft ^ 
 for how abfurd would it be to boaft of the 
 works of that law, which brings finners in 
 guilty and condemns them ? But all boafting 
 is excluded by the law of faith ; for faith re- 
 ceives jaftification freely from Jefus Chriji^ 
 without any merit or works of man, and 
 therefore is obliged to give all the glory to 
 God ; fo that faith effedtually excludes boaft- 
 ing, and the law of faith, the obligation 
 that a finner is under to go out of himfelf 
 for righteoufnefs, and to believe in the righte- 
 oufnefs of another, in order to his being jufti- 
 fled, ftill farther excludes boafting ; for the 
 Lord God has made a decree, and heaven 
 and earth Ihall pafs away rather than it ftiall 
 
 not 
 
( J29 ) 
 
 ^not be carried into execution, that a (inner 
 (hall be juftified no other way, but by faith. 
 This is the law of the moft high God, which 
 he hiith revealed from heaven, that ye be- 
 lieve in him, whom he hath fent, for righte- 
 oufnefs. Under this law we now live, and 
 by it only can we be faved, and may he, 
 who teacheth man wifdora, teach you the 
 nature of it. May he accompany with his 
 grace and blefTuig what I (hall obferve from 
 the text, 
 
 Firjly Concerning the law of faith, and 
 
 Secondly^ In defence of the Apoftle's doc- 
 drine, and 
 
 'Thirdly y By way of application. 
 
 As to the firfl: head, the Apoftle has thus 
 explained the law of faith. The moral law 
 is ftill in force, but there is no falvation by 
 it : becaufe it requires perfe61: uninterrupt- 
 ed obedience, and will not allow of the leaft 
 failing, no not in thought. If you offend 
 once, you have loft all claim to legal righte- 
 oufnefs for ever; fo that by the works of 
 
 I the 
 
( ^3^ ) 
 
 the moral law no flefli can be jiiftlfied, (incc 
 all have finned and come (hort of the glory 
 of God. And as the moral law cannot fave 
 the finner, neither can the ceremonial : for 
 it is now repealed. Chrift the fubftance is 
 come, and has fulfilled all the legal types. 
 Thefe fliadows of g^ood things are now fledV 
 away, and to obferve them at prefent would 
 be denying that Chrift has been manifefted 
 in the fledi, and has completed them. And 
 therefore fince the moral law brings us all 
 in guilty, and condemns us for tranfgreiTing 
 it, and the obfervance of the ceremonial law 
 is now repealed, there remains only the law 
 of faith, by which a guilty fuuier can be 
 faved. This way of falvation by faith is 
 cftabliflied by law. The Lord God has 
 made a decree, and has enabled, by his fo- 
 vereign authority, that he who with his 
 heart believeth unto rig-hteoufnefs fhall be 
 faved. This is the great charter of heaven, 
 by which all the divine graces and bleffings 
 of time and of eternity are conveyed to tranf- 
 gFelfors, The law of faith fays to them, you 
 have broken the moral law, and are under 
 fentence of condemnation, but behold the 
 lamb of God, believe in liim, dnd you fhall 
 
 be 
 
( '3') 
 
 be juftified. And thus the law of faith takes 
 a poor finner off from working and driv- 
 ing to merit his juftification, and requires 
 . him only to beheve what Chrifl: has done 
 and fufFered for him and in his ftead. It 
 commands him to rely entirely upon the 
 righteoufnefs of the Lord Chrifl for his par- 
 don and acceptance with God the Father. 
 This is the only way of juflification now 
 eftablifhed by law. All other ways are ille- 
 gal, and are exprefsly forbidden by a divine 
 ftatute in this cafe made and provided, in 
 which are thefe words — " Therefore we 
 ** conclude, that a man is juftified by faith 
 *' without the deeds of the law,'* either 
 moral or ceremonial. The moral law is 
 broken and it condemns him, and the ce- 
 remonial law is repealed, therefore we con- 
 clude, that he cannot be juftified but by 
 the law of faith ; and by this he is obliged 
 and bound to accept of juftification by be- 
 Keving, and not by working, fo that if he 
 feek to enter into life, he muft keep this 
 commandment, he muft renounce all merit 
 of his works, all righteoufnefs of his own, 
 and accept of the Saviour's righteoufnefs as a 
 {rec gift, and have it, by faith, imputed to 
 him for his juftification. This is the law of 
 
 1 2 faith, 
 
( '32 ) 
 faith, upon which the fcripture is very full. 
 The Apoftle has difculTed this point at large 
 in his epiflles to the Romans and to the Gala^ 
 ttans. In the third chapter of the Romans^ 
 he proves both Jews and Gentiles, that they 
 are all under fin and guilt, and cannot by any 
 of their own works be juftified before God ; 
 and then he fpeaks of the manner of their 
 juftlfication, which is freely by grace, through 
 the redemption that is in Ch-'i/t Jefus, whom 
 God hath fet forth to be a propitiation through 
 faith in his blood to declare his righteoufnefs. 
 In the fourth chapter, he proceeds to illuftrate 
 this do(Slrine from the cafe of Abraham, who 
 believed God, and it was imputed unto him 
 for rig-hteoufnefs. Now unto him that work* 
 cth, the reward is not reckoned of grace, but 
 of debt. But to him that worketh not, but 
 believeth on him that juftifieth the ungodly, 
 his faith is counted for righteoufnefs, and 
 fince this is entirely of grace, then it is no 
 more of works ; for it is a manifeft contra- 
 diction to maintain, that we are juftified free- 
 ly by the grace of God ; and yQt that the 
 work of man is fome way needful to merit 
 our juftification. Is not this fomething like 
 purchafmg a free gift ? Equally inconliilent 
 is the grace of God beftowing freely, and the 
 
 works 
 
( ^33 ) 
 
 works of man meriting, righteoufnefs. Man 
 has nothing to do but to believe, and this 
 too is the gift of God*s free grace : for righ- 
 teoufnefs is imputed to him who woikcth 
 not, but beheveth, even as David alfo de- 
 fcribeth the bleflednefs of the man unto 
 whom God imputeth righteoufnefs without 
 works, faying, Blcfled are they whofe ini- 
 quities are forgiven, and whofe fuis are co- 
 vered, blefTed is the man to whom the Lord 
 will not impute fm. In thefe fcriptures our 
 juftification before God is afcribed to faith 
 without works. Thefe two, faith and works, 
 cannot ftand together. The righteoufnefs 
 of Chrift freely received by faith, is incon- 
 fiftent with man's working in hopes of at- 
 taining a righteoufnefs of his own : for he 
 hopes to attain an impoflibillly. The Apo- 
 ftle in his mofl excellent fermon, preached at 
 Antioch^ recorded ^^j xiii. declares 'that we 
 cannot be juftified by the works of the law. 
 After he had fini(hed the argumentative part 
 of his difcourfe, he makes this ap[)licaiion : 
 ** Be it known unto you, therefcjie, men and 
 ** brethren, that through this man is preach- 
 " ed unto you the forgivenefs of fins, and 
 '* by him all that believe are juftified from 
 I 3 ** all 
 
( '34 ) 
 
 ** all things, from which ye could noi be juf-' 
 *' tified by the law of Mo/c-j," neither by the 
 works of the moral, nor yet of the ceremo- 
 nial law, fo that the whole of a finner's jufti- 
 flcation is put upon his believing — *' All that 
 " believe are juftified.'* 
 
 I might bring many more palTages of fcrip- 
 ture to confirm this do6lrine, but they would 
 be needlcfs, becaufe it is already abundantly 
 confirmed by the articles and homilies of 
 our church. The title of the eleventh ar- 
 ticle is, 
 
 *' Of the juftificatlon of man. 
 
 " We are accounted righteous before God 
 " ONLY for the merit of our Lord and Sa- 
 '* viour Jefus Cbriji by faith, and not for our 
 " own works or defervings, wherefore that 
 " we are juftified by faith ONLY is a mod 
 '' wholefome do6lrine and very full of com- 
 '* fort, as more largely is exprefTed in the 
 *' homily of juftification." 
 
 In v/hich homily we have thefe words : 
 
 '' This 
 
(. '35 ) 
 
 ** This faying, that w c be juAihed bv 
 
 ** faith ONLY, freely, and without works 
 
 ** is fpokeii for to take away clearly all merit 
 
 " of our own works, as being unable to de- 
 
 ** ferve our juftificatioa at God's hand, and 
 
 ** thereby moft plainly to exprefs the weak- 
 
 *' nefs of man and the goodnefs of God, 
 
 '* the great infirmity of ourfelves, and the 
 
 ** might and power of God, the imperfec- 
 
 *' tion of our own works, and the moft 
 
 ** abundant grace of our Saviour Chrifl:; and 
 
 ** therefore wholly to afcribe the merit and 
 
 *' deferving of our juftification unto Chrift 
 
 *' ONLY, and his moft precious blood ihecj- 
 
 '* ding. This faith the holy fcripture teach- 
 
 *' eth us is the flrong rock and foundation 
 
 '* of the Chriftian religion ; this dodrine all 
 
 ** old and antient authors of Chrill's church 
 
 *^ do approve ; this doclrine advanceth aqd 
 
 ** fetteth forth the true glory of Chrifl:, and 
 
 *' beateth down the vain slorv of man : 
 
 " this whofoever denieth is not to be ac- 
 
 " counted for a Chriftian man, nor for a fct- 
 
 ** ter forth of Chrift's dorv, but for an ad* 
 
 *' verfary to Chrift and his gofpel, and for a 
 
 ** fetter forth of man's* vain-slorv." Thefe 
 
 j-pmarkable words are in the fecond pa"t 
 
 I 4 of 
 
( «36 ) 
 
 of the homily; in the third part we have this 
 pafTage : 
 
 ** The very true meaning of this propofi- 
 
 * tion or faying, We be juftified by faith 
 
 * in Chrift ONLY is this ; we put our 
 ' faith in Chrift, that we be juftified by 
 
 * him ONLY, that we be juftified by 
 
 * God's free m.ercy, and the merits of our 
 ' Saviour Chrift ONLY, and by no virtue 
 ' or good works of our own, that is in 
 '■ us, or that we can be able to have, or to 
 ' do, for to deferve the fame, Chrift him- 
 ' felf ONLY being the caufe meritorious 
 « thereof." 
 
 Thefe authorities are very plain and very 
 deciiive. They declare that we are juftified 
 by faith ONLY without any of our works 
 or defervings. What words can be more 
 full to the point than thefe are ? " We put 
 ' our -faith in Chrift, that we be juftified by 
 
 * him only, and by no virtue or good v/orks 
 ' of our own that is in us, or that we can 
 ' be able to have or to do for to deferve the 
 ' fame." And are thefe the words of our efta- 
 
 blilhed church ? Are they indeed part of one 
 of our homilies ? What ! does ftie teach, that 
 
 no 
 
( ^?il ) 
 
 no good works, which we can be able to do, 
 dcferve our juftlficatloii ? Surely then, my 
 brethren, the law of faith is here with great 
 plainnefs enforced, and you cannot, as good 
 members of our church, refufe your allent to 
 this propofition, th^it in the way of juftifying 
 a (inner by fliith in the righteoufncfs of Chrift 
 all boallins: is 'excluded. • 
 
 The natural man cannot receive this pro- 
 pofition, although it comes recommended to 
 him by the highefl: authority. His heart 
 fifes a9:ainft it. To leave him nothing to 
 boaft of, no work, no virtue to glory in. 
 Oh it is too hiimblirig to be borre ! Scripture 
 may be plain, and our church's comment 
 upon it ftill plainer, but he cannot allow him- 
 felf to. be quite helplefs. It appears flrange 
 to him, that he fhould have no hand or me- 
 rit in juftifying himfelf. His carnal reafoa 
 cannot conceive how this (hould be, and 
 therefore whenever he hears of juftification. 
 by faith only, he always faftens the idea of 
 licentioufnefs to it, and is ready to objedt, 
 '* If this doctrine be allowed, what a v\'ide 
 " door is here opened for all manner of * 
 *' wickednefs ? At this rate, men may do 
 '* jull: what they pleafe : for if they are to be 
 
 ** jufliliei 
 
( '38 ) 
 
 "juflified by faith only without works, is 
 
 ** not the moral law hereby made void and 
 
 ** all obedience to it ? Can there be any ne- 
 
 *' ceffity for their obedience, unlefs they are 
 
 " to merit heaven by it ?" The apoftle was 
 
 aware of this obje(£lion, and has anfwered it 
 
 in this chapter: '' Do we then make void 
 
 *' the law through faith :" Do we repeal 
 
 the moral law by fliewing that it cannot 
 
 juflify a flnner ? Is this making it void ? 
 
 God forbid. '' Yea, we eflablifh the law.'* 
 
 It Hands ertablifhed by faith, and by no other 
 
 method, that has been revealed from heaven, 
 
 or can be contrived on earth, as I propofed 
 
 to fhew under my 
 
 Second general head^ wherein I was to prove 
 the truth of the Apof^le's dodrine in my text. 
 The do6liine is this, hi the way of pardon- 
 ing and juflifying a finner God was willing 
 to fhut out all boafting, that the whole glory 
 might be afcribed to his ix^t grace, and there- 
 fore he chofe the law of faith, which oblioes 
 the fmner to acknowledge himfelf juflly con- 
 demned for breaking the moral law, and to 
 rely upon the righteoufnefs of the Lord 
 Chrift as the only means of his pardon and 
 acceptance ; for if the finner's juftitication 
 
 hacj 
 
( 139 ) 
 
 had been altogether of works, or partly of 
 faith and partly of works, then he would 
 have had whereof to glory, becaufe he would 
 have done fomething whereby to merit ; but 
 now that righteoufnefs which is the matter 
 of his juftification being freely wrought out 
 for him, and given to him by fovercign grace 
 as a free gift, and then apprehended and re- 
 ceived by faith only without works, in this 
 cafe all boafting is utterly excluded. This 
 is the Apoftle's do£lrine, which I will en- 
 deavour to eftablifh by the following argu- 
 ments. And 
 
 Flrjt, There has been no other way or 
 method difcovered of eftablifliing the moral 
 law after it had been broken, and of repair- 
 ing its honour and dignity, but by the law 
 of faith. The moral law is holy, juil:, and 
 good. It is the will of the moft high God, 
 and therefore partakes of the divine holinefs, 
 juflice, and goodnefs. It is as holy, juft, and 
 good as God is, and can no more behold the 
 leafl: iniquity, than he can ; fo.that v\hen all 
 fiefh was become guilty before God upon ac- 
 count of the breach of the moral law, there • 
 could be no longer any falvation expccled 
 from it ; for the decree is' pohtive and abfo- 
 
( 140 ) 
 
 lute — *' By the works of the law (hall no- 
 " flefhbejuftified." 
 
 Ill what way then, or by what means may 
 they be juftlfied, whom the law condemns ? 
 As all have (Inned and robbed the law of its 
 glory, it pleafed God, of his infinite grace, 
 to contrive a way, vv^hereby the (inner might 
 be faved, and yet his law and juftice might 
 be maintained in their full honour and dig- 
 nity. The Son of God, equal with his Fa- 
 ther in every perfedion and attribute, under- 
 took to fliand in the place of finners, and as 
 their reprefentative, to do and fuffer for 
 them, whatever law and juftice demanded. 
 The Father was well-pleafed for his righte- 
 oufnefs fike, becaufe he knew that his be- 
 loved Son would magnify the law, and bring 
 honour to his juftice. When the fuhiefs of 
 time was come, and the word was made 
 flelli, for us and for our falvation he wrought 
 out that righteoufnefs, with which his Fa- 
 ther was well-pleafed. His obedience to the 
 moral law was for finners, that by the obedi- 
 ence of one many might be made righteous^ 
 and he kept the law in all things, continu- 
 ally, perfedly, in thought, word, and deed, 
 in its fpiritual nature, and iu its utmofl ex- 
 tent. 
 
( 141 ) 
 
 tent. This obedience was fuch, that he 
 challenged the enemy to find the lead failing 
 hi it, John xiv. 30. " The prince of this 
 *' world cometh, and hath nothing in me/' 
 Yea, he could appeal to the all-fearching eye 
 of infinite juftice for the abfolute perfeftion 
 of his obedience. Juft before his fufferings 
 begun, he faid, " Father, I have finiflied 
 " the work which thou gaveft me to do.'* 
 John xvii. 4. The work of his aaive obe- 
 dience being finiihed, he then undertook to 
 lufFer for finners the pains and penalties due 
 to their breach of the moral law. He fufFer- 
 ed once for fin, the juft for the unjuft, he 
 took their griefs, and carried their forrows, 
 he was wounded for their tranfgreffions, and 
 was bruifed for their iniquities, the chaftife- 
 ment of their peace was upon him, and by 
 his ftripes they are healed. He bled, he was 
 made a curfe," he died, that by his death they 
 might live : for he who did and fuffered thefe 
 things was God. He was truly a divine and 
 infinite perfon, felf-exiftent, co-eternal and 
 co-equal with the Father : for as our church 
 well expreflfes it, *' that which we beheve 
 <« of the glory of the Father the fame we 
 " believe of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, 
 • *' without any difference or inequality.'* 
 
 And 
 
{ H^ ) 
 
 And fince there is no difference or inequalify 
 between the perfons of the ever-blefled Tri- 
 nity, confequently what the Lord Chrift did 
 and f-affered was as infinitely meritorious, 
 as if the Father had done and fuffered it. 
 When the Lord our righteoufnefs flood np 
 to pay the law obedience, the dignity of his 
 perfon brought more honour to the law, 
 than the obedience of all created beings, 
 angels and men, could poflibly have done ; 
 becaufe their obedience would have been 
 only finite, whereas his was divine and in- 
 finite, and they could only have wrought out 
 a righteoufnefs fufficient to fave themfelves ; 
 whereas he has brought in an everlafting 
 righteoufnefs to fave even the ungodly. 
 The prophet Ifalah fpeaking of this fubje6l, 
 fays, xlii. 21. ." The Lord is well pleafed 
 " for his righteoufnefs fake, he will magni- 
 *' {y the law, and make it honourable ;" and 
 he did magnify it by completing it. He paid 
 it both an adlive and a paifive obedience iu 
 the moft perfect degree, and eftablifhed it in 
 his highefb honour and dignity; by which 
 means even that juftice, from which the 
 Cnner had moll to fear, may now be glorified 
 in juflifying him ; for God may now be juft, 
 
 and 
 
( M3 ) 
 
 and yet be the juflifier of him, that belleveth 
 in Jefus. 
 
 The righteoufiiefs, which is the ground 
 and matter of our juftification, is called in 
 fcripture the righteoufiiefs of faith y becaufe 
 faith receives and applies it, and the law of 
 faith, becaufe the fmner is obliged to accept 
 of this righteoufnefs by faith only, and the 
 manner of his receiving it is by imputation. 
 As Chrift took our iins upon him, and was a 
 (inner by imputation — He was made fin for 
 us, who knew no fin, fo we are made the 
 righteoufnefs of God IN HIM, not righte- 
 ous in ourfelves inherently, but in him ; vse 
 are righteous only in him : his ris^hteoufnefs 
 is imputed to us, and made ours by faith, 
 even as Abraham believed God, and it was 
 imputed unto him for righteoufnefs. And 
 in this way of juftifying a finner by imputed 
 ricrhteoufnefs, the moral law is fo far from 
 being m.ade void, that it is eftablifiied, and 
 the great end of it is anfvvered : for the Apof- 
 tle favs, " Chrift is the end of the law for 
 ** ric^hteoufnefs to every one that believeth/* 
 The end of the law was to juftify thofe who 
 keep it, " Do this, and thou fhalt live," 
 but we attain not to this end, becaufe througli 
 
 the 
 
( U4 ) 
 the corruption of our nature, we do not 
 keep the law perfectly ; but Chrift fulfilled 
 the law for all thofe who believe in him, 
 and thereby he became the end of the law 
 for righteoufnefs to every one that beiievetli. 
 By believing we receive his righteoufnefs, 
 and then we anfwer the end of the law. 
 Thus the law of faith does infinite honour 
 to the moral law, and the believer is conti- 
 nually glorifying it: for his language is this — 
 I acknowledge the law of God to be per- 
 fectly holy, jufl, and good ; it requires no- 
 thing but what is for the glory of the great 
 law-giver, and for the good of his creatures, 
 and no fatisfaClion can be made to its honour 
 and dignity, after it has been once broken, 
 but what is infinitely meritorious, which no 
 fmner can pofiibly pay. But thanks be to 
 God for the unfpeakable gift of Chrift's 
 righteoufnefs, which, by faith, is mine. His 
 adlive and pafllve obedience are imputed unto 
 me for righteoufnefs, and I can now give 
 glory to the moral law of God by acknow- 
 ledging myfelf to be juflly condemned by it, 
 and by placing my whole truft and confidence 
 in Jefus Chriji, who of God is made unto 
 
 me righteoufnefs. 
 
 Thus 
 
( H5 ) 
 
 Thus the moral law Is eftabllfhed. It was 
 fulfilled in Chrift, and the end of it is an- 
 fwered in believers ; from whence it appears, 
 that the law of faith has provided a full fe* 
 curity for the honour and dignity of the mo- 
 ral law, and has magnified it and made it 
 honourable, not only in the way of juftifying 
 finners, but alfo in their walk and converfa- 
 tion after they are juftified, which is the fe- 
 cond argument I (hall brino; in defence of the 
 Apoftle's do6lrine. , 
 
 i The law of faith abfokuely excludes all 
 boafting, and all confidence in our works, but 
 it does not make void the moral law : for al- 
 though Chrifl: does deliver the fmner through 
 faith in his righteoufnefs from the guilt and 
 condemnation of fin, and thereby juflify him, 
 yet he does not give him a difcharge from all 
 obedience to the moral law, but by many 
 gracious motives inclines and enables him to 
 keep it. He fends his good Spirit to enable 
 the juftified believer to exercife all his fa- 
 culties in paying a grateful obedience to the 
 will of his God. 
 
 His underflanding was before in darknefs. 
 He knew not the will of God, and therefore 
 
 K formed 
 
( H^ ) 
 
 formed a very wrong judgment of it, but 
 now the Holy Spirit enlightens his under- 
 ftanding, and lets him fee the goodnefs and 
 equity of all God's commandments. He ufcd 
 to think fome fins were very little and might 
 eafily be pardoned, and in the commiffion of 
 others he lived fecure without any remorfe of 
 confciencc, hoping to make amends by re- 
 pentance and reformation, and fome forrow 
 and tears. But now the cafe is altered. He 
 fees the law in its fpiritual nature and extent, 
 in its holinefs and juftice, and confefles that 
 the lead breach of it deferves everlaftinof mi- 
 fery, and although Chrift has delivered him 
 from the curfc of the law, yet with his un- 
 flandinsr he aflents to its beinor for God's 
 glory, and for his own intereft, to walk in 
 the law of the Lord. 
 
 And, as the Holy Spirit enlightens his un- 
 derftanding to fee what the law of the Lord 
 is, {o he takes away the prejudices, and fub- 
 dues the oppofition, which were in his heart 
 againft it. The commandments ceafe to be 
 grievous unto him. The love of God being 
 Ihed abroad in his heart conftrains bim to 
 love God, and to love the will of Ged : for 
 God and his will are one. He that loves 
 
 God 
 
( U7 ) 
 
 God cannot hate God's will. Love cannot 
 be^ret hatred. And therefore when the Holy- 
 Spirit gives that faith, which worketh by 
 love, he then reconciles the believer's will 
 to God's will, and he can truly fay— Lord, 
 what love have I unto thy law II fee the 
 holinefs, and goodnefs, and juftice of it, my 
 will approves of it, and my affe£lions love it ; 
 yea, I love it above gold and precious ftones. 
 Oh ! give me ftrength that I may keep it 
 with my whole heart. And the Holy Spirit 
 does wonderfully ftrengthen believers in 
 keeping it. He makes them ftrong in the 
 Lord, and in the power of his might : for 
 he fets their hearts at hberty, and then they 
 run in the way of the commandments. So 
 far then is faith from making void the moral 
 law, that it eftablilhes it as a rule of life 
 for the believer, who endeavours, by his 
 holy walking, to glorify it. As he has re- 
 ceived Chriji Jefus^ the Lord, fo he defires 
 to walk in him unto all pleafing : And this 
 he would do, not to procure himfelf a right 
 and title to heaven ; for he received that 
 when the Redeemer's righteoufnefs was im- 
 puted to him for his juftification, and grati- 
 tude for this ineftimable gift conftrains hijn 
 to love God who fo exceedingly loved him, 
 
 K 2 and 
 
( .48 ) 
 
 and to evidence this love in the way vvhicll 
 God has required, and that is in a grateful 
 obedience. This love, which cafteth out all 
 other fear, brings in a filial fear of difpleafing 
 his loving Father. He dreads nothing fo 
 much as fin, becaufe he knows nothing elfe 
 can offend his Lord and his God ; and there- 
 fore he would refift unto blood flriving; againft 
 fin. He would rather die than fin. This 
 fear of offending God influences his whole 
 life and converfation, and keeps him continue 
 ally watchful, that he may walk worthy of 
 God, who hath called him unto his kingdom 
 and glory. 
 
 Upon thefe two arguments we may reft 
 the truth of the Apofi:le's do£lrine in my text. 
 The law of faith excludes boafting, becaufe 
 it excludes all man's work and merit in his 
 juflification. His keeping of the moral law 
 cannot in the leafi: jufiify him before God, 
 becaufe after he has once broken it, it be- 
 comes to him the miniflration of death and 
 condemnation. In this ftate Chrift finds the 
 finner, guilty and condemned, under the 
 curfes of the broken law, miferable and 
 helplefs. He takes pity on his diftrefs, and 
 determines to fave him. With a love truly 
 
 divine 
 
( U9 ) . 
 
 divine and infinite, he comes from his eternal 
 tlirone, appears in the hkenefs of fulfill fle(h, 
 and God and man are united in one Chrift, 
 This was neceflary in order to his working 
 out in our nature a divine and infinite rio;htc- 
 oufnefs for believers, againfl which law and 
 juftice might have no exception. He attain- 
 ed this righteoxifnefs by obeying the law, by 
 fuffering its pains and penalties, even unto 
 death, and by being put into the prifon of the 
 grave. He was kept there three days, but it 
 was not poflible he fhould be holden any 
 longer. On the third day he rofe triumphant 
 from the dead, and thereby demonflrated that 
 law and juftice had no farther demands upon 
 him : for they had certainly received full fa^ 
 tisfa£tion when they releafed him out of pri=- 
 fon. The law was magnified infinitely by 
 his obedience and fufferings, and it is made 
 honourable, whenever a finner is brought to 
 lubmit to be juftified through the rightcouf- 
 nefs of Chrifl; becaufe he then acknowjedo^es 
 the law to be holy, jufl, and good, allows 
 himfelf to be juflly condemned by it, and Is 
 convinced that no righteoufnefs can lave hiip, 
 but what is Infinitely perfect. Such i^ the 
 Redeemer's. The benefit of this Jie fecks, 
 3nd when he receives It, and it. is imputed 
 
 K 3 unto 
 
' ( '5° ) 
 
 unto him by faith, he then flands juftified in 
 the righteoufners of God which is by faith of 
 ^cfus Chrijij and has the Spirit of Chrift to 
 guide, ftrengthen, and fandify him. This 
 good Spirit enlightens him to underftand the 
 law, to love it, and gives ftrength to keep it ; 
 and thus by his holy walking the law gets 
 honour : fo that the law of faith does not 
 make void the moral law, but eftablifhes it, 
 both in the juftification of a finner, and alfo 
 in the holy walk and converfation of a be- 
 liever, 
 
 / It is evident then, that ever fincc the mo- 
 ^ral law was broken, there has been but one 
 way, in which a finner could be faved, and 
 this was the law of faith, which ftands efta- 
 blifhed by the fovereign decree of the mofl 
 high God. He has folemnly provided and 
 enabled, that whoever would enter into life 
 muft believe in the name of the only-begot- 
 ten Son of God, Have you then, my bre- 
 thren, kept this commandment and beiieved 
 in him ? Apply this to your own hearts, and 
 examine them flridly. Do you believe the 
 record which God hath given of his Son ? 
 If not, how do you expe£l to be faved ? 
 A^ainfl God's will you cannot be faved. 
 
 You 
 
( 15' ) 
 
 You cannot refift omnipotence. And his 
 will is, that you fubmit to the law of fiiith, 
 and with the heart believe unto ri^hteoufnels. 
 The moral law condemns you to death for 
 iinning againft it, and no tears or forrow, no 
 repentance or amendment can repair the in- 
 jury you have done it, afid therefore by it you 
 cannot be faved. There remains then only 
 the law of faith. This offers you a free par- 
 don, and obliges you to accept of it upon paiti 
 of dying in your fins. The offer is, *' He 
 *' that believeth fhall be faved,'* but, oh ! 
 how dreadful is the fentence which follows 
 the kind offer, " He that believeth not (hall 
 *' be damned.** 
 
 Perhaps fome of you may be convinced 
 of the neceflity of believing, but you cannot 
 fee how faith in the risihteoufnefs of ano- 
 ther can gain you acceptance with God. 
 You think that your works and Chrifl's mufl 
 go together to your juftification. This is the 
 opinion of too many among us, who will 
 not fubmit to the righteoufncfs of Chrift, 
 but will go about to eflablifh their own 
 righteoufnefs along with his. Their mif-r 
 take arifes from their ignorance of the moral 
 law ; they know not its infinite holinefs, 
 
 K 4 and 
 
 ) 
 
( '52 ) 
 
 and what its demands are, and from their 
 ignorance of the gofpel, which by the law of 
 faith obliges the finner to accept of that 
 righteoufnefs as a free gift, which is to fatifr 
 fy all the demands of the moral law. Such a 
 righteoufnefs Chrift has wrought out, and he 
 offers it freely, and the (inner by accepting 
 it receives juftification to life. He is. made 
 alive to God, and then can a6l and work in 
 fpiritual duties, but before this he was dead 
 legally and fpiritually, dead under the fen- 
 fence of the law, anc} dead to ajl motions 
 and afis of fpiritual life. While he lies in 
 this ftate, he can do no rnore than a dead 
 corpfe can ; but by the gift of righteoufnefs 
 he is legally alive. The fentence of death 
 is' taken away, and he is freely pardoned ; 
 and then he becomes fpiritually alive, and 
 can perforp the offices of fpiritual life. Be- 
 ing made alive at the root, he produces the 
 fair blolToms and brings forth the ripe fruits 
 of righteoufnefs. But thefe fruits do not 
 make him legally alive ; they only evidence 
 him to be fo. They are the proper efFe6ls 
 and cpnfequences of his being, fpiritually 
 alive, as j:he bringing forth the blofToms and 
 fruit prove the tree to have life, but do not 
 give it life. Oh ! beware then, my brethren, 
 
 ■ "of 
 
( ^53 ) 
 
 of the dangerous miftake of making up' a 
 righteoufnefs, which is to be your juftifica.- 
 tion to Hfe, partly with your own works and 
 partly with Chrift*s. Thefc two cannot 
 fland together in your j unification. The 
 prophet fcparates them entirely, " I will 
 " make mention, fays he, of thy righteouf- 
 " nefs, even thine only," P/a/m \xxi, i6. 
 and yet he had as much righteoufnefs to 
 make mention of as any of the Old Tefba- 
 ment-faints. And the Apoftle, whofe praife 
 is in the gofpel for his labouring more abun- 
 dantly than all the Apoflles, yet prayed to 
 be *' found in Chrifl, not having his own 
 " righteoufnefs which is of the law, but that 
 *' which is through the faith of Chriil:, the 
 *' righteoufnefs which is of God by faith.'* 
 P/jI/. iii. 9, 
 
 What ! (hall we not do good works, will 
 fome fay ? Yes. Work from life, but not for 
 life. You cannot work any thing accept- 
 ably, until you who were dead in trefpaffes 
 and fms be quickened, and when you are 
 made alive unto God through Je/us Chrifi 
 our Lord, then you will ftudy to walk wor- 
 thy of the Lord unto all pleafing, being fruit- 
 ful in every good word and work, 
 
 This 
 
( 154 ) 
 This careful walking,' my Chriflian bre- 
 tliren, is in a more efpecial manner incum- 
 bent upon you. You are called unto liberty, 
 only ufe not your liberty for an occafion of 
 fin : for you are flill^under the law to Chrift. 
 Although you are freed from its condemning 
 power, yet it is ftill a rule for your life and 
 condu6t : becaufe it is the holy, juft, and 
 good will of God your reconciled Father, 
 whom you love, and whom you are exceed- 
 ingly defirous of pleafing. And it is the will 
 of Chrift, your Saviour, to whofe image you 
 feek to be conformed, and in whofe fteps you 
 would gladly tread. And it is the will of 
 the Holy Spirit, who is your guide, your 
 fan6tifier, and your ftrengthener : By him 
 being led you can take up your crofs daily, 
 mortifying fin, refiiling the world*s allure- 
 ments, overcoming the temptations of Satan, 
 and fubduing the rifings of your carnal minds 
 againft the moral law. Under the teachings 
 of this good Spirit you will be led right, 
 and under his influence you will be enabled 
 to bring forth much fruit. Oh that this 
 Spirit of the Lord may reft upon you, the 
 Spirit of wifdom and underftanding, the Spi- 
 rit of counfel and might, the Spirit of know- 
 ledge and of the fear of the Lord, that you 
 
 may 
 
( ^55 ) 
 
 may always walk worthy of the vocation 
 wherewith you are called. May he help you 
 to adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour in 
 all things, and fo to walk before him as to 
 demonftrate publickly, that you do not make 
 void the law by faith, but do perfe<£lly efta- 
 blifh it in its full force and vigour. Grant 
 this^ holy Father, for Jefus Chrift his lake ; 
 to whom with thee and the eternal Spirit be 
 equal honour, praife, and worfhip for ever 
 and ever. Amen. 
 
 UPON 
 
( ^S7 ) 
 
 UPON 
 
 IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS. 
 
 DISCOURSE V. 
 
 2 Cor. v. 21. 
 
 He hath made him to he Jin for us, who knew 
 nofm, that we might be 7nade the righteouf- 
 nefs of God in him. 
 
 It Is the great and merciful defign of the 
 gofpel to acquaint a finner, who is guilty and 
 condemned by the holy law of God, how 
 he may be pardoned and juftified. Every 
 one of us is a finner : for all have finned, 
 and therefore all of us ftand in need of par- 
 don, and ought to receive it with thankful 
 hearts as foon as the gofpel preaches it 
 
 to 
 
( «58 ) 
 
 to US. But the greateft part of mankind are 
 not fenfible of their guilt, nor apprehenfive 
 of their danger. Sin has nothing in it ter- 
 rible to them. They love it, dream of 
 happinefs in the enjoyment of it, and while 
 this delufion continues, they fee not their 
 want of, and therefore have no defire for, 
 the gofptl falvation. But v^dien one of thefe 
 perfons awakes and opens his eyes, he is 
 then terrified at the fight of his prefent ftate. 
 Sin appears to him in a new light : he finds 
 it to be exceeding finful, and the wrath of 
 God revealed from heaven ao;ainft it to be 
 beyond meafure dreadful. His guilty con- 
 fcience alarms him with an awful fenfe of 
 his danger, and makes him feel fome of the 
 punifhment due to fin, and then he cannot 
 be eafy, until he know that his fins may be 
 pardoned, and he cannot be happy, until 
 he has fome evidence of their being par- 
 doned. Now Chriftianity is the only reli- 
 gion which can give fuch a perfon relief: 
 becaufe it alone teaches him by what means 
 he may be pardoned and juftified, and have 
 peace with God. He may be pardoned free- 
 ly through the grace of God, and juftified 
 through the righteoufnefs of "Jefus Chrijfj 
 whom God the Father hath made fin 
 
 for 
 
( '59 ) 
 
 for us, although he knew no fin in him- 
 lelf, that we might be made the lighte- 
 oufnefs of God in him, and being thus 
 juftified by faith in him, we might have 
 peace with God through our Lord Jefus 
 Chri/l, 
 
 Although this dodrine be clearly taught 
 throughout the fcriptures., yet there are at 
 prefent two forts of men, who are great ene- 
 mies to it, and who ftrive to keep convinced 
 finners from the comfort of it ; I mean the 
 Papifts, who go about to eftablifli their own 
 righteoufnefs, and the Pharifees among us, 
 "who will not fubmit to the righteoufnefs of 
 God. The notion of the Papift's concerning 
 merit is the foundation of all their errors. 
 They teach, that Chrift merited the grace 
 for them, which is in them, and then this 
 grace in them merits their juftiflcation, and 
 for this inherent grace God doth juftify them. 
 And thus they make a Saviour of inherent 
 grace, and put it in the place of Chrill:, and 
 give his glory to their own works. But if 
 inherent grace be our righteoufnefs before 
 God, then how does God juftify the un- 
 godly, who have no grace, or how can he 
 juflify a roan for thofe graces which are 
 3 imperfcifl, 
 
( i6o ) 
 
 Irriperfe6l, and which want the benefit of 
 Chrift's atonement ? Abfiird as this opinion 
 *of theirs is, yet they muft defend it. Their 
 caufe refts upon it : for if you take away 
 their do6lrine of merit, down falls the v/hole 
 fliperftrudlure of their fuperftition, all their 
 indulgencies, pardons, pilgrimages, maffes, 
 fiifls, penances, and the mighty Babel of 
 man's inventions. When this do£lrine was 
 grown to a monftrous height, it pleafed God 
 to raife up Luther and the reft of the re- 
 formers to preach againfl it. Their princi- 
 pal aim and delign was to overthrow the 
 merit of works, and to eftablilh juftification 
 by faith only, and they fucceeded. Several 
 nations were converted from the errors of 
 popery, and among the reft the inhabitants 
 of this iiland. Our forefathers threw off 
 the Romi/h yoke, and received the pure doc- 
 trines of the gofpel, which amidfl our feve- 
 ral changes and revolutions of grovernment 
 have been happily preferved, until there 
 has been of late years a manifeft departure 
 from them. Great multitudes of Protejlants 
 are going faft back again to Popery, and 
 feemingly without knowing it ; for it is a 
 received opinion in England, as much as in 
 France, that man's works are eifedual and 
 
 meri- 
 
( '6i ) 
 
 hieritorious towards his juftification before 
 God. This is the fundamental herefy of 
 the Pap'ijls, and how many nominal Pro- 
 tejlants have fallen into it, our enemies can 
 tell. They fee, with plcafure, that there is 
 very little appearance of religion left among 
 us, and that fome of our mofl: decent profef- 
 fors are become Papijis in that leading princi- 
 ple, which feparates the Pop'tjh from the Pro- 
 teflant communion. 
 
 Things being in this unpromifing flate, 
 the friends of the reformation fliould beflir 
 themfelves. They fhould try to point out 
 the old land- marks. This is more efpccially 
 incumbent upon the clergy. It is high time 
 for them to hold forth to their people the fun- 
 damental do6lrines of the eftabliflied church, 
 and to warn them a^ainft the errors of Po- 
 pery and Pharifaifin, With this view, I 
 have chofen the words now read for your 
 prefent meditation ; and may the Lord give 
 his bleffing to what fhall be fpoken upon 
 them. Oh that he may accompany with 
 the etfe£lual working of his power, what 
 (hall be faid, 
 
( i6z ) 
 
 Flr/i, Concerning Chrift's unfpotted inno- 
 cence. He knew no fm. Yet, 
 
 Secondly, God made him to be fin for us, 
 and 
 
 Thirdly^ For this reafon, that we niight be 
 rhade the righteoufnels of God in him* 
 
 And firll:, our Lord's fitnefs to be nfiiade 
 fin for us is here fet forth by his knowing 
 no fin. He knew it not in the fcripture fenfe 
 of the word. He had no pra6lical know- 
 ledge of fin, either in thought, word, or deed. 
 Speculatively he knew it well, but that could 
 not defile him : for it was the fin of others 
 which he knew, and hated, and came to put 
 away by the facrificc of himfelf Chrifi: was 
 pevfedly acquainted with the holy, juft, and 
 good law of God ; he fiw clearly into the 
 purity and fpirituality of it, which could not 
 fuffer the leail: offence, being as holy, juft, 
 and good uS God himfelf is, and being the 
 copy of his mod: perfed' mind and will. In 
 this view our Lord beheld the odious nature 
 of fin, and the exceeding finfulnefs of it. 
 He knew the hatred which the all-pure God 
 had to it, the puniuiment it deferved, and 
 
 the 
 
( >63 ) 
 
 the everlafting fire which it had kindled in 
 the nethermoft hell. No one ever under- 
 ftood thefe things fo clearly as Chrift: did. 
 He faw the deftrudive effeds of fin, what 
 dlforder it had brous-ht into the world, and 
 to what temporal and eternal evils it had fub- 
 jeded the bodies and the fouls of men. He 
 knew alfo, that there was no help upon 
 earth, and that no creature in heaven, of 
 the highefl: order of angels, could deliver any 
 one finner from his diftrefs, and much lefs 
 a multitude ; therefore, his eye pitied us, 
 and his compaffion was moved at the fight 
 of our loft and helplefs ftate. Behold what 
 manner of love he hath beftowed upon fuch 
 (inners as you and me ; a love which led 
 him to do greater wonders to fave, than he 
 had before done to create us : for he, the 
 moft high God, blefled for ever, humbled 
 himfelf to be made man. He, whom angels 
 and arch- an gels had been wor (hipping from 
 the moment of their creation, took upon him 
 the form of a fervant, and came to fave his 
 people from their fins. Adore, my brethren, 
 and praife this infinite condefcenfion of the 
 incarnate God : for it was for you who be- 
 lieve it by true faith, and for your falvation 
 that the word was made flefh. He was 
 L 2 equal 
 
( I<54 ) 
 
 equal to this great work : bccaiife he wajl 
 perfeft God and perfecl man in one Chrlft, 
 and as fuch he was abfolutely free from fm— 
 " he knew no fm/' he knew it not in prac- 
 tice. No fin, no inclination, no motion, or 
 rifnig of fin ever entered into his heart, and 
 therefore he was pure from the leafl fpot or 
 flain of pollution. 
 
 Thefcripture is very plain upon this poinf- 
 
 Chrift Was known in the times of the Old 
 
 Teftament by the titles of the Holy Name, 
 
 the Holy One, the Holy One of Ifrael^ and 
 
 the prophet Ifaiah fpeaks of the Lord the 
 
 Redeemer of IJrael and his Holy One, and 
 
 when the fulnefs of time was come, that 
 
 this Holy One fiiould be made flefh, he was 
 
 conceived and born without the leaft taint of 
 
 corruption, conceived of the Holy Spirit, 
 
 and born of a pure virgin. Yea, the angel 
 
 Gabriel pronounced him to be holy before his . 
 
 birth, in the raeflage to the virgin, Lukei. 2S- 
 
 ' The Holy Ghoft fhall come upon thee, 
 
 * and the power of the higheft (hall over- 
 
 ' fliadow thee * therefore alfo that holy 
 
 ' thinsf w'hxh Ihall be born of thee fhall 
 
 ■' be called the Son of God." He was born 
 
 holy, and fuch was the life of the holy 
 
 child 
 
C ^65 ) 
 
 child Je/us, as his birth had been. We may 
 fee clearly how pure he came into the world, 
 from the purity with which lie lived in it. 
 How different was his life from ours? lie 
 knew no fin in thought, word, or deed. 
 The prophet fays, " He had a clean heart," 
 all his thoughts were clean ; *' He had pure 
 " hands," all his actions were puie ; " and 
 *' he had a mouth without guile," no idle, 
 fdfe, or finful word ever paflcd through his 
 ]ips. He was altogether holy, harmlefs, and 
 undefiled, and feparate from finners. In the 
 Jaw of the Lord was his fludy and his de- 
 light. He came to glorify it, and by keep- 
 ing it in its fpiritual nature, and in its full, 
 extent, with every faculty of foul and body, 
 and at all times he made it honourable. He 
 paid it that obedience which it demanded, 
 and continued in all things that were vvrittea 
 in the book of the law to do them. Thus 
 in him was no fin, fin beins; the tranfo-ref- 
 fion of the law. And accordingly we fin4 
 him challenging his bittereft enemies upon 
 this point, " which of you, f^ys he, {John 
 " viii. 46.) convinces me of fm r" Nay, he 
 went farther, and defied Satan himfelf, as 
 well as the Jews, " The prince of this world 
 
 J^ 3 '* Comeiij, 
 
( '66 ) 
 
 *' Cometh, and hath nothing in me," no Cm 
 of mine own to lay to my charge. 
 
 From thefe pafTages it plainly appears, 
 that Chrift knew no fin. He was a pure 
 and fpotlefs lamb, holy and without blemifh ; 
 and it was necefTary he fliould be fo: becaufe 
 if he ever had any fin of his own, he could 
 not have obeyed and fufifered for the fins 
 of others. The infinite purity of God's law 
 can pafs by no fin. Upon the leaft tranf- 
 greflion, if it be but a thought or motion 
 in the heart, the law paffes fentence and 
 condemns, " Curfed is every one who con- 
 *' tinueth not in all things that are written 
 *' in the book of the law to do them.'* 
 And if you continue not to do them, juflice 
 calls aloud for the infli£ling of the threat- 
 ened curfe, and waits to fee it fully exe- 
 cuted ; therefore, unlefs Chrift had conti- 
 nued to do all things which are written in 
 the book of tbe law, he could not have 
 obeyed and fuffered for the fins of others ; 
 becaufe he would then have fuffered for his 
 own, which mufl not be imagined. It would 
 be blafphemy to fuppofe any fuch thing. 
 When the lafl fcene of his fufFerings began, 
 he was led like a lamb to the Daughter, a 
 
 lamb 
 
( '6; ) 
 
 lamb without blemifh and without fpot, fuch 
 as the ceremonial law required. You know, 
 niy brethren, that no creature could be of- 
 fered in facrifice to the Lord, if it had the 
 leafl: blemifh or deformity. By this type was 
 prefigured the perfect iinlefs purity, whicl> 
 was to be in the great lacrjflce for fin. He 
 was to be a lamb without blemifli, without 
 the leafl: fpot or ftain of fin, either in his 
 nature or in his life, and fuch an one was 
 the lamb of God. The Apoflle fays exprefs- 
 ly, I Pet. ii. 22. " He did NO fin," and 
 St. yo/6;/, I Ep. iii, 5. fpeaks to believers, 
 ** Ye know, that he was manifefled to take 
 *' away our fins, and in him is no fin :'* 
 this was a known and eflablifhed truth, that 
 ir^ Chrifl: there was NO fiq. If judgment 
 was laid to the lii^e, and righteoufnefs to the 
 plummet, there would be found in him a 
 perfe<5l conformity to the L-^w, And this hh 
 adliye obedience was neceflary to prepare 
 him for his pafiive, that having obeyed th^ 
 law adively he might fuffcr pafijvely what- 
 ever was due to our difobedieuce, i\nd th^t 
 righteoufnefs, by whicl^ \^'e nre accounted 
 rightcqus before God, is the effedl of hjs 
 being obedient unto death, of his obedience 
 \o the preceptive part of the law, which was 
 L 4 hvs 
 
( 168 ) 
 
 his fulfilling the rightcoufnefs of the law, 
 and of his obedience to the vindiftive part 
 of the law, which was his bearing the 
 curfe of it. His aftive obedience was abfo- 
 lutely perfed:. He knew NO fin, and there- 
 fore was every way fit and qualified to fuf- 
 fer for fin, ^* to be made fin for us," as 
 the Apoftle exprefles it in my text, which 
 words I am, in the fecond place, to con- 
 fide r. 
 
 Although Chrift knew no fin, yet he was 
 made fin. How could that be ? How could 
 he be made fin, who knew no fin ? He was, 
 made fin not pra£lically, but by imputa- 
 tion. He had no fin inherently in him, but 
 had fin imputed to him, when the Lord 
 laid upon him the iniquities of us all. In 
 his own perfon there was no inherent fpot or 
 ftain of fin, or any fuch thing. He could 
 not touch the pollution of fin, nor could he 
 praclically know its filthy defiling nature. 
 He was not a drunkard, a whoremonger, a 
 thief, or whatever you call a finner as fuch. 
 He neither was a finner praclically, nor had 
 he ever the leafl: inclination to be fo : be-, 
 caufe his will v/as always in perfe6l har- 
 mony with the will of God, From whence 
 
 1% 
 
( '69 ) 
 
 it 'appears, that Chrlfl was not made a pol- 
 luted linner, nor yet a guilty finner as to 
 the merit and defert of lin. In this relpei^l 
 he v.'as not capable of being made fin. He 
 did not, as to himfeh^, delerve the piinlfli- 
 ment of fin, for which he fufFcred, Punifh- 
 ment is due to tranfgreflbrs, but Chrift had 
 not tranfgrefled. Even when he fuffered, 
 according to St, Peter, he wasjuft and righte- 
 ous in himfclf, (i Pet. iii. i8.) '* Chrifl 
 *' alfo hath once fuffered for fins, the jufl for 
 ** the unjufl:." He was perfeclly juft, and 
 therefore capable of undertaking to fuffer for 
 the unjuft, that as no fuffering was due to 
 him, the merit of what he fuffered might be 
 imputed unto them. And Co it was. He 
 freely entered into an obligation to lland ia 
 the place of the unjuft, and to undero;o the 
 punifhment due to them, and this with his 
 own confent the Lord laid upon him, and 
 in this fenfe he was made fin for us. He 
 was made fin in the fame way that we are 
 made righteous. Now the righteoufnefs by 
 which we are juftified is not inherent in 
 ourfelves, but it is in Chriff, and is made 
 ours through God's imputing it to us. In 
 like maimer our fins were not inherent in 
 ChriH", but imputed to him and laid upoa 
 2 him. 
 
( I/C' ) 
 
 him. He was willing to become our furety 
 and to anfwer for our fins, and to have them 
 imputed to him, fo as to be obliged to bear 
 the punifliment of them, even the wrath 
 and curfe, which, if he had not endured 
 them, would have funk every one of us 
 into the pit of hell. But Chrift his own 
 felf bore them in his own body upon the 
 tree. As the furety of all that (hall believe 
 in him he undertook to anfwer all the de- 
 mands which law and juftice had upon them. 
 And he was willing to have all their fins 
 imputed to him, and placed to his account, 
 that he might fatisfy for them. According- 
 ly we read that he was once offered to bear 
 the fins of many, and that by his own blood 
 he obtained eternal redemption for them. 
 When their iniquities were laid upon him, 
 although he knew no fin, yet he knew what 
 it was to fuffer for fin. He died the death 
 and endured the pains, which were in na- 
 ture and proportion due to them for their 
 fins, and for the full fatisfadion of law an^ 
 juftice. 
 
 In this fenfe Chrifi: was made fin ; but 
 what would this avail, if he was a mere 
 man ? He might be made fin, and naight 
 
 fuffer. 
 
( '7' ) 
 
 fuffer, but not for us. The Apoftlc fays in 
 my text, he was made fin for us. What 
 was efFe(£lual to us, muft be more than hu- 
 man, and could be nothing (hort of divine. 
 Chrift's undertakinsfs were too great to be 
 performed by any perfon lefs than the mod 
 high God. And accordingly the fcripture 
 teaches us, that Chrift was Jehovah, the 
 true felf-exiftent God, a co-equal and co- 
 eternal perfon with the Father and the Holy 
 Spirit, and in his perfon God and man were 
 united in one Chrlft. By this perfonal uni- 
 on, what the manhood did and fuffered par- 
 took of the infinite merit of the Godhead- 
 The manhood of Chrift had no fin in it, and 
 therefore what it fuffered for the fin im- 
 puted to it, was infinitely meritorious, be- 
 caufe he who fuffered was God as well as 
 man. This moft wonderful method of bring- 
 ing many fons unto glory, was contrived by 
 the ever-blefled Trinity, and fettled by the 
 covenant of grace. God the Son was pleafed 
 to become their furety, and to ftand up in 
 their nature to a6l and to fuff'er for them. 
 And what he undertook he could not fail 
 of accomplifhing ; for all things are alike 
 pofiible to his almighty power. When he 
 a£led for his people, he was God as well as 
 
 man. 
 
( >7^ ) 
 
 man, his obedience was therefore divine and 
 infinite, and by the merits of it fliall many 
 be made righteous. When he fuffered for 
 his people, his fufferings were of fuch in- 
 iinite merit and efficacy, that by his flripes 
 they are healed and freed from futFering. 
 He took their griefs and carried their for- 
 rows, that they might never feel them. 
 When he died, and paid the debt to juftice, 
 which they pught to have paid, he foon 
 brous;ht them a difcharo;e : for although he 
 was buried and defcended into hell, yet on 
 the third day he rofe again from the dead, and 
 thereby demonflrated, that all the ends were 
 anfwered, for which he was made fin fgr 
 them. 
 
 Here, my Chriftian brethren, let us flop 
 ?ind adore the free love and rich mercy of 
 our Divine Redeemer. He, the mod high 
 God, blefled for ever, condefcended to be 
 made man for us, and for our falvatlon. 
 Oh \^'onderful condefcenfion ! that there 
 ihould be any mercy for fuch enemies and 
 rebels as we have been, and how did he 
 magnify his compaffion, that when he might 
 in tuftice have deftroyed us, yet he hum^ 
 bled himfelf and flooped down to fave us ! 
 
 But 
 
( ^n ) 
 
 But how great was his humiliation in vouch- 
 fatino- to take on him the form of a fervant, 
 and to live in poverty and contempt. Con- 
 fidering who it was that became a man of 
 forrows, and acquainted with grief, we fee 
 the greateft wonder of all, the depth of his 
 humiliation. He that was the lowed upon 
 earth was the higheft: in heaven. He came 
 down to be made fin for us, to have our fins 
 imputed to him, and to anfvver for them to 
 law^ and juftice. Accordingly they were 
 laid upon him, and he bore them in his 
 own body on the crofs, and thereby faved 
 us from our fins. BlefTed, for ever blefled 
 be the name of our dear Redeemer. Glory, 
 and honour, and thanks never-ceafing be to 
 him, who took all our fufferings upon him- 
 lelf, becaufe he could bear that which we 
 could not, and becaufe he could fatisfy for 
 that in a fhort time, which we could not 
 in eternity, and who having thus delivered 
 us from fin and fufFering, has righteoufnefs 
 to impute unto us, in which we may fland 
 blamelefs at the bar of juftice. Oh let us 
 praife him with our lips and lives, who was 
 made fin for us, that he might be made 
 righteoufnefs to us, which is the third point 
 I was to confider. 
 
 He 
 
( 174 ) 
 
 He was a fpotlefs lamb, and therefore 
 capable of being made fia for us, that we 
 might be made the righteoufnefs of God in 
 him. Righteoufnefs is a perfecfl conformi- 
 ty to the law and will of God, and without 
 this no man (hall fee the Lord : " For the 
 •* unriditeous fhall not inherit the kinor- 
 " dom of God,'* I Cor. vi. 9. and we arc 
 all unrighteous, becaufe we have all finned 
 and robbed God of his glory. The queftion 
 then is. In what way or by what means 
 can we attain righteoufnefs ? Can we attain 
 it by the works of the law ? No, it is im- 
 poffible : becaufe if it was attainable by cor 
 own works, then we (hould be inherently 
 righteous, and fhould have fuch a righteouf- 
 nefs as the law demands ; but the law de- 
 mands perfe£l unfinning obedience, which 
 we have not paid it. And upon our fail- 
 ing to pay it, the law pronounces us guilty, 
 pafles fentcnce, and leaves us, as to any 
 thing we can do, for ever under the curfe, 
 it being the irreverlible decree of the al- 
 mighty law-giver ; that flnce all flefti has 
 finned and broken the law, therefore, by 
 the works of the law fhall no fiefh be jufti- 
 fied. 
 
 But 
 
( '75 ) 
 
 But if finners cannot be juftified by any In- 
 herent righteoufnefs, what righteoufnefs have 
 they to plead at the bar of juftice ? They 
 have a righteoufnefs abfolutely perfe£l and 
 complete, called in fcripture, the righteouf- 
 nefs of God, becaufe the Lord our righte- 
 oufnefs contrived and wrought it out. He 
 came into the world, and took flefh in or- 
 der to fulfil all righteoufnefs. By his obe- 
 dience and fufferings he fatisfied all the de- 
 mands of law and juftice, and paid that im- 
 menfe debt which none of us could pay, 
 and hereby he was made of God unto us 
 ric-htcoufnefs ; God the Father conftituted 
 and ordained him to be the perfedt righteouf- 
 nefs of believers. In him is their righteouf- 
 nefs, " Their righteoufnefs is of me, faith 
 *' the Lord.'* {Ifai. liv. 17.) For Chrift is 
 the end of the law for righteoufnefs to every 
 one that believeth. 
 
 If you a(k how the righteoufnefs of ano- 
 ther can be made yours ? It muft be in the 
 fame way that Chrift was made fin. He 
 had no lin of his own, and yet he was 
 made fin by imputation ; and believers have 
 no righteoufnefs of their own, and yet arc 
 tnade righteous by imputation. Chrift had 
 
 3 ""^ 
 
( 1/6 ) 
 
 no inherent fin of his own, nor have they 
 any inherent righteoufnefsj but he was made 
 fin by having their fins imputed to him, and 
 they are made righteous by having his righte- 
 oufiiefs imputed to them. The manner of 
 God's proceeding is the fame in both cafes. 
 When the Pfalmift fays, *' Blefled is the 
 *' man to whom the Lord imputeth not ini- 
 *' quity,'* How is this to be underftood ? 
 Has he no iniquity in him ? Yes, he has 
 original and inherent fin, and if he fays he 
 has no fin, he deceives himfelf ; but he is a 
 bleffed man, becaufe the Lord does not im- 
 pute fin to him, nor charge him with it. So 
 when David defcribeth the bleffednefs of the 
 man to whom God imputeth righteoufnefs ; 
 has the man this righteoufnefs in himfelf, 
 and is he inherently righteous ? No, but 
 by an a6l of grace God accounts him righte- 
 ous, and imputes righteoufnefs unto him, 
 and therefore he is blefi^ed. And thus God 
 imputes righteoufnefs to them who believe, 
 not for a righteoufnefs which is in them, 
 but for a righteoufnefs which he imputes 
 to them. As their iniquities wer-e laid upon 
 Chrift, and fatisfa6lion for them required 
 cf him, as a debt is of the bondfman, al- 
 though he had none of the money, fo is 
 
 the 
 
C "^11 ) 
 
 the righteoufnefs of Chriil: laid upon them. 
 In like manner, as their fins were made his, 
 fo is his righteoufnefs made theirs. He is fin 
 for them, not inherently, but by imputation ; 
 and they righteoufnefs through him, not in- 
 herently, but by imputation. 
 
 This is the righteoufnefs in 'which alone 
 a finner can ftand acquitted at God's bar. 
 There he muft make mention of this ri^hte- 
 oufnefs, even of this only : for none but this 
 can anfwer the demands of the law, and ex* 
 piate the curfe of it, and this righteoufnefs 
 can be made his by no other way than by 
 God's imputing it to him^ which, as it is the 
 great truth held forth in my text, I will en- 
 deavour more fully to explain and defend by 
 the following reafons. 
 
 And firft, the ceremonial law taught this 
 doflrine very clearly. Whenever a perfon 
 had finned, he was to bring his facrifice to 
 the prieft, and to lay his hands upon its 
 head, confeffing his fins over it, and then 
 the guilt was transferred to the facrifice, and 
 its blood was fhed inftead of his. This is 
 mentioned feveral times in Leviticus iv. And 
 of the fcape goat we read, Lev. xxvi. 21. 
 
 M '* Aaron 
 
( '78 ) 
 
 " Aaron {hall lay both his hands upon the 
 *' head of the live goat, and confefs over him 
 '* all the iniquities of the children oi IfraeU 
 *' and all their tranfgreffions in all their fins, 
 " putting them, upon the head of the goat." 
 All the fins o^ the children of Ijrael were 
 pafTed over to the goat, but were they put 
 into the goat, or were they inherent in 
 him ? No. This is too abfurd to be fup* 
 pofed, but they were put upon the goat. 
 And this was a very expreflive image of 
 our fins being laid upon Chrifl ; for all the 
 facrifices reprefented him. As the fcape 
 goat had imputed to him all the people's ini- 
 quities, fo had Chrift all his people's ini- 
 quities imputed to him ; and as the goat did 
 bear upon him all their iniquities, fo Chrifl 
 did bear all their fins in his own body upon 
 the tree. What was prefigured by the type 
 was fulfilled by the reality, when Chrift 
 fuffered once for fin, the jufl for the unjufl: 
 for then he was made fm for us, that we 
 might be made the rio;hteoufnefs of God 
 in him. Our righteoufnefs is in hi?n, this 
 IS a 
 
 Second argument. That righteoufnefs which 
 is our juftification before God is IN Chrifl. 
 
 Believers 
 
( 179 ) 
 
 Selleve{"s have it not in thcmfelves. Tfiey 
 have not an inherent righteoufnefs, wrought 
 out and attained by their own works, but 
 their juftifying righteoufnefs was wrought 
 out by another, and it is in him. How then 
 can it be made theirs in any other w.^y than 
 by imputation ? Mufl it not be transferred 
 to them in the fame way that their fins 
 were transferred to hirti ? And how were 
 they transferred to him ? They were im- 
 puted, not inherent ; they were laid upon 
 him, not into him. So his righteoufnefs is 
 in him, as their fins were in them, and it is 
 imputed, not inherent ; it is not put into 
 them, but upon them. Their righteoufnefs 
 is in him, and he is the Lord their righteouf- 
 nefs, and confequently that righteoufnefs for 
 which they are juftified, cannot be in them ; 
 but it is made theirs when God imputes it to 
 them, and they by faith receive it. The 
 manner of receiving it, which is by faith, 
 is the 
 
 ^hird argument, I fhall bring in fupport of 
 the Apoftle's do6trine. Faith is the only in- 
 ftrument which God is pleafed to ufe in ap- 
 plying Chrifl's righteoufnefs. The Apoflls 
 M 2 QalU 
 
( i8o ) 
 
 calls it the righteoufnefs of faith ^ becaufc 
 faith alone is employed in the application of 
 this righteoufnefs. It is never called the 
 righteoufnefs of any other grace, but of 
 faith. We never read of the righteoufnefs 
 of humility, meeknefs or charity ; thefe are 
 of great price in the fight of God, but they 
 have no office in juftifying a finner. This 
 belongs folely to faith : for to him that 
 vvorketh not, but belie veth, is righteoufnefs 
 imputed. It is not by working, but by be- 
 lieving, that finners are juftified. When 
 they are convinced of fin, find no righteouf^ 
 nefs in themfelves, hear the dreadful fen- 
 tence of the law againft the unrighteous, and 
 feel in their guilty confciences fbme of the 
 miferies which they dcferve, then they are 
 ftirred up to feek for a righteoufnefs in 
 which they may fland acquitted before the 
 tudgment-feat of God. The fcripture offers 
 to them fuch a righteoufnefs in Chrifl, and 
 when God enables them to refl and to rely 
 upon it for their juflification, they then by 
 faith have peace with God through Jefus 
 Cbriji their Lord. Thus the convinced fni- 
 ner is forced to feek a righteoufnefs out of 
 himfelf, and to rely upon the righteoufnefs 
 cf another, and how can this be made or ac- 
 
 4 counte(J 
 
( '8' ) 
 
 counted his in any other way, than by impii- 
 tation ? How can he be made righteous in 
 Chrift, but by having Chrift's righteoufnefs 
 imputed to him ? 
 
 If thefe arguments be well confidered, 
 they will, I hope, eftablifti the dodlrine of 
 the text : for they clearly prove, that God 
 hath appointed the Lord Jefus Chriji to be 
 the only righteoufnefs of his people. He 
 was made fin for them, their fins being laid 
 upon him, as the fins of the children of Ifrael 
 were laid upon the fcape goat. And he was 
 made of God unto them righteoufnefs, and 
 their righteoufnefs is in him, not an in- 
 herent, but an imputed righteoufnefs, and 
 received by faith, which fubmits to be jufti- 
 fied by the righteoufnefs of another, and refts 
 with full truft and confidence upon it. This 
 is the fundamental dodlrine of Chriftianity, 
 and the diredl contrary is the fundamental 
 do6lrine of Popery. At the reformation, the 
 Lord raifed up faithful witnefles to bear their 
 teftimony againft that reigning hercfy of the 
 Papijisy which places merit in man's works ; 
 yea fuch merit as to juftify a finner before 
 God ; yea ftill greater merit, for they main- 
 tain, that a man can do more than the mo- 
 M 3 ral 
 
( i8. ) 
 
 fa! law requires, and can perform works of 
 fupererogation, the merit of which may be, 
 imputed to another perfon, and yet, at the 
 fam.e time, they deny the imputation of 
 Chrift's merits. The firft reformers preach- 
 ed boldly agaiiift thofe blafphemies, and that 
 bleiied fervant of God, Luther, was bpld in? 
 deed. He knew well the dans^erous ten^ 
 dency of the dodrine of naerit, and therefore 
 he principally wrote and preached againft it, 
 and God gave him great fuccefs. A linner 
 made righteous by the righteoufnefs of 
 Chrift, is, as he ufed to fay, the dudrine 
 upon which a church ftands or falls. Upon 
 jt our church was eftabliftied, and has long 
 flood ; but do we iland upon it now ? Are 
 we all champions for the Protejiatit dodlrine, 
 or are we in general departed from it ? Alas ! 
 pur enemies can tell, with triumph they tell 
 of thp increafe of the Pop'ijh intereil: among 
 vs. And why does it increafe ? Whence 
 is it, that they make fo many converts ? 
 Is it not, becaufe pur people are not well 
 eflablifhed in this Protejiant do<5lrine ? If it 
 was taught and preached more, our churches 
 would not be fo empty, as they are, nor 
 the mafs-houfes lo full. Many of our peo- 
 ple know not what it is to be a P7'oteJiant^ 
 
 and 
 
( '83 ) 
 
 and therefore they become an eafy prey to 
 the Paptjis, who are fo bufy and fuccefsful 
 in making converts, that they pretend they 
 have on one Lord's day more communicants 
 at the mafs-houfe in Lincoln s- Inn-Fields^ 
 than we have on the lame day at all the 
 churches in London, I fear this may be 
 true ; but is it not greatly alarming, and 
 ought it not to ftir up the Proieflant clergy, 
 to try to put a ftop to the fpreading of Po- 
 pery? But how can they do this more effec- 
 tually, than by laying the axe to the root, 
 and ftrlking at the do£lrine of merit, which 
 is the fundamental error of the Papifts ? Over- 
 throw this, and Popery cannot fland. A man 
 cannot be a Papijl, who believes that his 
 juftifying righteoufnefs is in Chrift, and who- 
 ever does not believe this, is not a Proteflant, 
 ATay the Lord raife us up faithful and able 
 men (for we greatly want them) to defend 
 his righteoufnefs againfl: them who have 
 eftablifhed a meritorious righteoufnefs of 
 their own, and will not fubmit to the riehte- 
 oCilnel^ of God. 
 
 But befides the Papifls^ we have other 
 
 enemies to the dodrlne in the text. The 
 
 carelefs finner treats it with great contempt ; 
 
 M 4 for 
 
( iH ) 
 
 for he does not fee its value, nor his own 
 want of it, ^nd therefore he Hves eafy and 
 fecure in the praflice of fin. The fcripture 
 has revealed the wrath of heaven againft all 
 his unrighteoufnefs, hut he does not regard 
 the revelation. The law brings him in guil- 
 ty and condemns him, but he gives himfelf 
 no concern about the threatenings of the 
 law. The gofpel offers him mercy, and its 
 ininiflers intreat him to accept of it, but he 
 ftops his ears. Neither the grace of the gof- 
 pel, nor the terrors of the law can prevail 
 upon him. Although he has no righteouf- 
 nefs of any kind, yet he lives as if he was in 
 no danger. Oh deluded man ! if thou didft 
 but know thy flate, thou wouldfl cry earnefl- 
 ly to the Redeemer, and feek to be accepted 
 in his righteoufnefs. May he take pity upon 
 thee, and fend his good Spirit to convince 
 thee of fin? and to convince thee of righte- 
 oufnefs. 
 
 The formalifl is another enemy to the 
 do6lrine in the text. He will not receive 
 juflification by imputed righteoufnefs, but 
 will have his own righteoufnefs feated on 
 the throne along with Chrift. He falls into 
 this great rniftake from his ignorance of the 
 
 pcrfevSt 
 
( '85 ) 
 
 perfect nature of God's law, which has made 
 lio provifion for any failing, but for the very 
 firft palies fentence, " Curfed is every one 
 ** who continueth not in ALL things, ^r.'* 
 and lince all have failed, confequently all 
 are under the curfe, and can never be jufti» 
 fied by that law which has condemned them. 
 And his miftake aiifes alio from his igno- 
 rance of the gofpel. He takes the gofpel to 
 be a propolal of terms and conditions, miti- 
 gatiiis; the ri2;our of the law, and fo he makes 
 Chriil only a milder law-giver than Mofes^ 
 requiring not perfedl but fincere obedience 
 of his creatures. Whereas Chrlfl came to 
 redeem us from tlie curfe of the law, by 
 obeying it? precepts, and by fufFering its pe- 
 nalties, and our righteoufnefs comes to us 
 from him as the fulfiller oi the law, and is re- 
 ceived by faith without any of our works or 
 jdefervings. 
 
 If any of you, my brethren, have fallen 
 into this miftake, weigh and coniider atten- 
 tively what has been before faid upon the mo- 
 ral law, and upon the law of faith, and if you 
 are not convinced, can you afk God to direct 
 you in the right way ? If you can, he has 
 promifed to give you wifdom ; he will teach 
 
 you 
 
( i86 ) 
 
 you the true dodlrine, and will enable you 
 to fubmit to the righteoufnefs of God. But 
 if you are convinced, are you waiting for the 
 precious gift of faith, or have you received it ? 
 If you are waiting for it, ren:3ember whofe 
 gift it is. The Holy Spirit alone can work 
 faith in your heart. It requires his power, 
 even that almighty power, which raifed up 
 *^efus from the dead. The fcripture afcribes 
 to him the office of convincing finners of 
 Chrift's righteoufnefs, and of givitig them 
 faith to reft upon it for their juftihcation. 
 Look up to him for this bleiling. Wait in 
 his appointed ways, hoping for it. And when 
 the Spirit fliall be poured upon you from on 
 high, then you will be juflified by faith in 
 Chrift's righteoufnefs, and the work of righte- 
 oufnefs fliall be peace, and the effe^l of righte- 
 oufnefs, quietnels and aflbrance for ever. 
 
 Happy are you, my Chriftian brethren, 
 who have received the righteoufnefs of faith, 
 and know in whom you have believed. 
 Since Chrift's righteoufnefs is yours, bring 
 forth its proper fruits, and fhew publicly, 
 that there is an infeparable conne6lion be- 
 tween juftifying faith and fandlifying grace. 
 By juftifying faith the believer is united to 
 
 Chrift, 
 
( »87 ) 
 
 Chrlft, and receives life from him, as a graft 
 (does from the flock upon which it grows. 
 By virtue of this union, Chrirt liveth in the 
 bciievtr, and enables him to put forth the 
 proper ads of fpiritual life, as the ftock upon 
 which the graft grows fupplies it with fap 
 and jiiices to put forth leaves, and blolTom 
 and fruit. This is the certain efFedl of the 
 abiding of a branch in the vine ; it will bring 
 forth fruit ; and if any one fancy himfeif 
 to be a believer, and neither brings forth, 
 nor is ieeking to bring forth any fruit, he 
 only deceives himfeif, and the truth is not ia. 
 him : for v\ hofoever has Chrift for a Savi- 
 our, will have the Holy Spirit for a fandi- 
 fier, and will bring forth fruit to the glory of 
 Qod, 
 
 See then, my Chriftian brethren, that ye 
 value and prize this righteoufnefs, and give 
 it its proper honour, both wdth your hearts 
 and lives. While you are bringing forth its 
 peaceable fruits, you will continually find 
 the comforts of it. This righteoufnefs i? 
 one of the pieces of Chriftian armour. It 
 is called a brea ft- plate : becaufe it is the pro^ 
 per armour for the vital parts. Your life is 
 always fafe while you have your breail-plate 
 
 on. 
 
( i88 ) 
 
 on, you need not fear the terror by night, 
 nor the arrow that flieth by day. Let thou- 
 sands fall you are fafe. You are defended 
 from outward attacks : for although many 
 be the afflidtions of the righteous, yet the 
 Lord delivereth him out of them all ; and 
 you are kept in inward peace : for the work 
 of righteoufnefs is peace, and the effect of 
 righteoufnefs quietnefs and affurance for ever. 
 In time of ficknefs this righteoufnefs will 
 be a perpetual cordial. It will not fuffer 
 the heart to fink, although the body grows 
 weak and faint ; for this breaft-plate is not 
 only proof againfl: the pains of ficknefs, but 
 alfo againfl the weapons of death. " Righte- 
 *' oufnefs delivereth from death ;*' Prov. xi. 
 4. not by keeping the juftified perfon from 
 dying, but by keeping him from the fear 
 of the firfl, and from the power of the fe- 
 cond death. The righteous man, armed 
 with this invulnerable breafl-plate, can chal- 
 lenge all his enemies. Who fhall feparate 
 me from the love of Chrifl ? fhall tribulation 
 or diflrel's, or perfecution or death ? Nay, 
 cloathed in the robe of Chrifl*s righteoufnefs 
 I fliall not be afraid to go through the valley 
 arid fhadow of death, nor yet to (land at the 
 awful bar of God^s infinite juflice. Why 
 
 fhould 
 
( .89 ) 
 
 fliould he fear to ftaiid there to be tried? 
 For who (hall lay any thing to the charge of 
 God's elea ? It is God himfelf that juftifieth. 
 Who is he then that condemneth ? It is 
 Chrlft that died, yea rather that is rifen again 
 for their juftification, and in his righteoufnefs 
 they fhall ftand holy and unblameable and 
 \inreprovable before the judgment-feat of 
 God. 
 
 Since thefe arc fome of the benefits of 
 having on the breaft-plate of righteoufnefs, 
 let us, my Chriftian brethren, keep it always 
 in ufe. Since we are fighting under the cap- 
 tain of our falvation, let us be ever armed 
 with his righteoufnefs ; and may we all wear 
 it upon our breafts, that neither guilt with- 
 in, nor troubles without, may ever feparate 
 us from the love of Chr'ifi Jefiis our Lord ; 
 but may we, in life and death, find the blef- 
 fednefs of this armour, by its proteding us 
 from the threatenings of the broken law, 
 and from the vengeance of almighty juflice ; 
 and may we in time and in eternity live to 
 his glory, who humbled himfelf to be made 
 fm for us, that we might be made the righte- 
 oufnefs of God in him. Grant this, holy 
 
 Father, 
 
( 19^ ) 
 
 Fitther, for the fake of thy dear Son, ^efus 
 Chriji: to whom^ with thee and the Holy 
 Spirit, three perfons in one Jehovah, be ho- 
 nour and glory, and bleffing and praife for 
 ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 iJPOJl 
 
( 191 ) 
 
 UPON BEING 
 
 RIGHTEOUS OVER-MUCH. 
 
 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 EccLES. vii. 1 6. 
 
 Be not righteous over-much* 
 
 JL HE generality of men think it a very eafy 
 matter to get into heaven. They have never 
 tried in earneft to get in, aiid therefore they 
 are not fenfible of any difficulty. Scripture 
 may fpeak contrary to their opinion, but they 
 will not hear it. Plain matter of fa(St may 
 be againft them, but they v^dll not regard it. 
 They fit down eafy and unconcerned about 
 their eternal fl:ate, refolved to enjoy the 
 prefent world, like the fool upon record, 
 " Soul, take thine eafe, eat, drink, and be 
 ** merry," live jovially at prefent. Give 
 
 tbyfelf 
 
thyfeifnC) trouble about religion, and let not 
 one thought of death difturb thee. It will 
 be time enough to prepare for eternity at 
 fome future period. Thus they think and 
 acl. Nay, many have arrived at fuch an 
 abfolute indolence, that they are angry and 
 provoked, if any one tells them they are cer- 
 tainly in the vi^rong, and they will not bear 
 it, no not from their miniftcr, whofe office 
 and duty it is to try to convince them of 
 the neceflity of driving to get into the king- 
 dom of heaven. But if fuch carelefs crea- 
 tures will not hear us, yet they ought ta 
 bear him who has the power of life and 
 death, and who fays, " Strive to enter in 
 *' at the ftrait gate : for wide is the gate, 
 ** and broad is the way that leadeth to de- 
 •' flrudion, and many there be who go in 
 •' thereat. Becaufe, flrait is the gate, and 
 " narrow is the way that leadeth to life„ 
 *' and few there be that find it." Matt, ix. 
 
 As foon as thefe great numbers, who are 
 going through the wide gate and in the 
 broad way, fee any of their acquaintance 
 beginning to drive to enter in at the ftrait 
 gate, and to walk in the narrow way, imme- 
 diate! v 
 
( m ) 
 
 (^lately they are offended, and they try to flop 
 them with urs-ins^ the authoritvof the text — 
 ** Be not righteous over-much" — Whj*, fay 
 they, cannot you be content with the reli- 
 gion of your forefathers; you ufed to keep to 
 your church, and you hved as good a Wfc as 
 any of your neighbours, and you was righte- 
 ous enough, what occafion is there then for 
 fo many prayers, and fermons, and facra- 
 ments ? Indeed you carry things too far, and 
 if you do not flop in time, you will quite ruin 
 your charad:er. 
 
 This is their manner of talking to every 
 man, who is determined to fave his foul. 
 As foon as he begins to live different from 
 his neighbours, and refufes to join with them 
 in their way of murdering their time, they 
 mark him out for a precife godly fellow. 
 They think he makes more ado about reli- 
 gion than need be, and if, after many trials, 
 they cannot laugh him out of his oddities, 
 they heartily defpife him for an over-rio-hte- 
 ous fool. 
 
 But if the fame man fhould be convinoed 
 
 of the great change which Chriftianity ought 
 
 to make in him. If he begin to talk of the 
 
 N neceffity 
 
( 194 ) 
 
 ncceltity of the new birth, smd of the Holy 
 Spirit's beginning and t:arrying on a faving 
 work of grace in his heart, without which 
 no man is a Chriftian, more than in name* 
 then worldly men Jlre thoroughly provoked : 
 they cannot bear this enthufiaftic ftufF, But 
 if he infift farther upon the neceffity of 
 Chrifl*s righteoufnefs, without which no fin- 
 ner can be accepted and juftified before God^ 
 and that his righteoufnefs is imputed to the 
 flnner by faith only, without any previous 
 good works ; although it be productive of all 
 good works ; for they are all the fruits of 
 righteoufnefs : thefe feem to worldly men 
 the wild notions of a diftempered brain. If 
 he prove thefe points and enforce them from 
 plain parages of fcripture, they are ever ready 
 to object, What ! Ihall we not be accepted 
 if we do all the good we can, if we do no 
 body no harm, but pay every one his own^ 
 and keep ftrid to our church, and go to the 
 facrament, as often as we have time to pre- 
 pare, is not this being righteous enough ? 
 And although we fail fometimes, as who 
 does not, yet is not God merciful, and will 
 he not for Chrifl's fake forgive us ? Thefe 
 wordly men know of no righteoufnefs, but- 
 what confifts in outward duties,, in a mere 
 
 outfidc 
 
( '95 ) 
 
 outfide conformity to fonie parts of the law. 
 They forget that the law is fplritual* reach- 
 irlg to the very thoughts of the heaft ; and 
 perfect, allowing of no offence, nor offering 
 a pardon for the leaft, but pronouncing him 
 guilty who ofTendeth in one point, and under 
 guilt he muft lie for ever, as to any thing he 
 can do, unlcfs he be juflified freely by grace 
 through the righteoufnefs of the Lord Chrift. 
 Whoever infifls upon thefe things is fure 
 to be reckoned in the number of the over* 
 righteous, and will certainly have this cau- 
 tion given him — *' Be not righteous over* 
 ** much." 
 
 it is cehain then, that the meaning of the 
 text is generally miflaken. Natural men 
 fancy it commands them not to take too 
 much pains about faving their fouls, nor to 
 be Angularly religious, but to be content to 
 live According to the courfe and fafhion of 
 the widrld. More thatl this, is being righte- 
 ous over-much. Befides, many ferious per- 
 fons do not underftand the text, and there- 
 fore have not an anfwer ready for their ad* 
 verfaries, who are at every turn mifapplying 
 this fcripture, and putting a wrong fenfe 
 ■!ipon it. The do£trine, which it teaches, 
 N a gught 
 
( '96 ) 
 
 ought alfo to be frequently inculcated TitiS 
 enforced, being one of the fundamental arti- 
 cles of our mofl holy faith. For thefe rea- 
 fons, I have determined to give the paflage a 
 particular confideration, and will endeavour 
 to fhew, 
 
 Firjf, Negatively what the words do not 
 rnea;i ; 
 
 Secondly, What is their pofitive and precife 
 meaning, and 
 
 T/jirdfy, I ihall bring fome arguments to 
 prove the do£lrine contained in them. And 
 while I am fpeaking to thefe points, may the 
 Lord God open all your underftandings clear- 
 ly to fee his mind and will in this fcripture, 
 and prepare your hearts to pradife th-e duty 
 which it enforces. May his good Spirit be 
 with us for thefe gracious purpofes, while I 
 am 
 
 Fir/if Shewing what the words do not 
 mean. They are generally undefflood in a 
 wrong fenfe. People fancy they contain a 
 caution againfl: attaining too much of the 
 rfghteoufnefs which is of the law ; whereas 
 7 that 
 
 i 
 
( ^97 ) 
 that is impoffible, A man Cannot have too 
 much legal rlghtcoufnefs. Let him keep the 
 law always and perfe«5lly, in its fpiritual na- 
 ture, and in its full extent, yet he can be but 
 righteous. He does not perform more than 
 the law requires, he only pays it its juft de- 
 mands : for the love of God and the love of 
 our neighbour comprehend the whole la\^ 
 On thefe two commandments hang all the 
 law and the prophets. Now we cannot love 
 God too much, nor yet our neighbour, fince 
 we are required to love him as ourlelves ; and 
 therefore if we love God with all the heart 
 and foul, and mind and flrength, and our 
 neighbour as ourfelyes, yet we only do our 
 duty, we do* no more than is commanded us, 
 :jnd confequently we are only righteous, but 
 not righteous over-much* Byt, 
 
 Secondly, The fcripture declares, there is 
 no man living who fo perfectly loveth God 
 and his neighbour, as to attain the rigbtCr 
 oufnefs which is of the law. All have fin- 
 ned, and have thereby robbed God of that 
 love, and his law of that fervice, which are 
 their due, and all are therefore unrighteous. 
 'The pfalmifi: declares, (Pfalmliii. i.) " there 
 ^' is none that doeth good,'* which words 
 N 3 the 
 
( .98 ) 
 
 the apoftle cites in this manner, (Rom. iii. 9, 
 10.) " We have before proved both Jews 
 " and Gentiles that they are all under fin, 
 '^^ as it is written, there is none righteous, 
 ''' no, not one.** Now fince there is none 
 fo righteous, and much lefs more righteous, 
 than the law requires, confequently there 
 ^n be none, no, not one, righteous over* 
 rnuch, 
 
 Thirdly, To this agree the words of our 
 blefled Saviour, Luke xvii. 10. When ye 
 *' fhall have done all thefe things which are 
 *< commanded you, fay, we are unprofitable 
 ^* fervants, we have done that which was our 
 <' duty to do." Who does all thofe things 
 which are commanded him ? Not one : for 
 all have finned. But fuppofmg he did, yet 
 he would be only as righteous as the la\v re- 
 quires. He would not be righteous over- 
 much, becaufe he would only do that which 
 was his duty to do. 
 
 h fourth argument may be taken from hence : 
 That any man living can be over righteous, 
 and do more than the law requires is a Pa- 
 pifh tenet, exploded by the whole Protefiant 
 
 church. 
 
( ^99 ) 
 
 church, and particularly by the church of 
 JSngland in her 1 4th article. 
 
 Of works of Supererogation, 
 *' Voluntary works, befides, over and above 
 ^' God's commandments, which they (the 
 '* Paplfts) call works of Supererogation, can- 
 *' not be taught without arrogancy and im- 
 *' piety : for by them, men do declare, that 
 " they do not only render unto God as much 
 *' as they are bound to do, but that they do 
 ** more for his fake, than of boundcn duty 
 ** is required ; whereas Chrift: faith plainly, 
 ** When ye have done all that are command* 
 ** ed to you, fay, we are unprofitable fer- 
 ** vants." This article condemns the s:eneral 
 interpretation put upon the text, and declares 
 that it cannot be maintained without arro- 
 gancy and impiety. To thefe arguments, I 
 will add a 
 
 Ffth, Taken from the chara£ler given in 
 this verfe, of the nten who would be over 
 righteous, namely, that they thereby de- 
 flroy themfelves ; the righteoufnefs which 
 they are feeking will bring upon them de- 
 ftruclion. *' Be not righteous over-much • 
 ♦♦ Why fhouldefl: thou dellroy thy felf:" This 
 N 4 fmglc 
 
( 20G ) 
 
 iinglc* circumflance will help us to deter- 
 mine, what kind of righteoufnefs it cannot 
 be : for it cannot ;be the righteoufnefs of the 
 law. This promifes life to him that keeps, 
 it — '* Do this and thou (halt live/* and there- 
 fore this cannot be a deftroying righteoufr 
 nefs. Indeed, if after a man has broken the 
 law, he afterwards turns to it for righteouf- 
 nefs, and hopes, by his keeping of it, to be 
 made righteous, then he will def^roy himfelf ! 
 becaufe the law promifes life only to perfect 
 obedience, and threatens to put therxi, who 
 offend in onq point, under the curfe : for he 
 that offendeth in one point, is guilty of dl. 
 This indeed is a deftroying rightecufiiefs, 
 oppofi];e to which is the righteoulnefs of the 
 gofpel. It is to fave finners from being 
 deflroyed by the law. It was wrought ou£ 
 for them by the God-man, Chrift Jeftis, 
 and is imputed unto them by faith, aiid 
 when they with the heart believe in it, thej 
 are then favcd from deflru^lion. Of this 
 faving righteoufnefs it is impoffible a man 
 fliould have too much. He mufi: have all 
 that is needful for his juftification, and more 
 than he needs he cannot have. He want^ 
 righteoufnefs in an infinite degree, fuch 
 ♦is none can give him but the Lord our 
 
 righte^?. 
 
( 201 ) 
 
 rit^hteoufiiefs, and without this he cannot be 
 faved. 
 
 It is evident then that the text fpeaks of Ti, 
 righteoulneis, to which if a man truft, it will 
 deltroy him, which cannot be the righteouf- 
 nefs of the law, for this promifes life to them 
 who keep it, nor yet the righteoufnefs of the 
 gofpel, for this promifes pardon and life to 
 them who have broken the law, but behevc 
 in the name of the only begotten Son qf God. 
 And fmce it is neither the righteoufnefs of 
 the law, nor of the gofpel, I come now under 
 my fecond general head, to confider what is 
 the pofitive precife meaning of the text, and 
 what is the falfe pretended righteoufnefs of 
 which it treats. 
 
 The context may lead us to the true mean- 
 ins:. In what fenfe a man is commanded 
 not to be righteous over- much, may appear 
 from the following words, " Neither make 
 ^' thyfelf over wife.'* How can a man b^ 
 over wife ? Certainly he cannot know too , 
 much. Knowledge is part of the image of 
 God in the foul, as the apoftle teaches, *' The 
 ^' new man is renewed in knowledge, after 
 ^* the image of him that created him." (Col. 
 
 iii. 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 iil. 10.) A man cannot be too wife, but he 
 may think and fpeak of his own wifdom more 
 highly than he ought, and that is making 
 himfelf over wife. In hke manner, righte- 
 oufnefs is part of the image of God in the 
 foul, Eph, iv. 24. " And that they put on 
 *' the new man, which after God is created 
 *' in righteoufnefs." A man cannot poffibly 
 be over righteous, he cannot do more than 
 the law requires, but he may think and fpeak 
 of his fancied righteoufnefs more highly than 
 he ought, and that is making himfelf over 
 righteous. It is fuppofing him to be what 
 he is not, which is felf- righteoufnefs. In 
 this fenfe Theodore Beza, one of the great 
 lights of the reformation, underftood the 
 paflage : for, in his note upon it, he fays, 
 *' Boafl: not too much of thine own righte- 
 ** oufnefs and wifdom ;'* he fuppofed a 
 man*s boafting of his righteoufnefs was mak- 
 ing himfelf righteous over-much ; and this 
 is really the cafe. A man cannot poffibjy 
 have too much righteoufnefs, but he may 
 fancy himfelf to be righteous when he is not, 
 and if he fpeak and a£t according to his own 
 fancy, then he is one of the over righteous, 
 And 
 
 Secondly^ 
 
( 203 ) 
 
 Secondly, The true fenfe of the wordi 
 ao-rees with the context. Stridtly rendered 
 they read thus, *' Be not thou a great felf- 
 ♦' juftificr,'* the original word, which is tranf- 
 lated righteous, is in the conjugation Hiphil, 
 which in the Hebrew tongue lignities, to 
 make righteous, or to juftify, and being here 
 ufed perfonally, it flands for a juftifier, one 
 who would make himfclf righteous, and he 
 does it to excefs, he juftiiies himfelf over- 
 much, pretending to a greater righteoufnefs 
 than he has. This is the meaning of the text, 
 ** Be not thou a great felf-juftifier:'* for there 
 is not a righteous man upon earth, who doeth 
 <rood and fmneth not, and confequently there 
 is not one man upon earth righteous enough, 
 much Icfs righteous over-n^uch^ except in his 
 own proud conceit. And againft this felf- 
 righteoufnefs the text cautions us, advifing us 
 not to think of ourfelves more highly than 
 we ought to think. But granting this to be 
 the meaning of the text, fome will fay. What 
 tieceflity was there for this caution, My an- 
 swer to this i§ a 
 
 nird argument. By which the meaning 
 of the words may be fettled. It was always 
 neceflary to give nieii this caution, becaufc 
 
 1>0» 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 no nwii can be righteous over-much, and 
 yet men have been always trying to make 
 themfelves fo. It is impoffible to do more 
 than the law requires, ;ind it is impoflible 
 for fallen man to do all that it requires, 
 and yet his pride puts him upon trying im- 
 poffibilities. There is a lelf- righteous fpirit 
 in him, which leads him to hope he can, by 
 bis keeping of the law, attain to fuch a 
 righteoufnefs as God will accept, and for it 
 juftify him. This, jjppears from the hiftory 
 ef the Jews in the Old Teftament. Mofes 
 often diffuades them from the opinion of 
 their own righteoufnefs, and the prophets 
 enlarge upon this particular. The book of 
 Job treats entirely of it, being written pro- 
 fefiedly to fhew, that no man could be 
 iuQified before God by any righteoufnefs of 
 his own* Job infifts upon it in his debate 
 ivith his three friends, that his life and con? 
 verfation had been fuch, that he could main- 
 tain his own ways before God. " Let me 
 '* be weighed in an even balance, that 
 '* God may know mine integrity ; for till I 
 *' die, I will not remove mine integrity 
 ^' from me. My righteoufnefs I hold fafl 
 ^' and will not let it go, my heart (hall not 
 ^^ reproach me fo long as I live. I am 
 
 " clean. 
 
( ^05 ) 
 ** clean, without tranfgreffion, I am iniio- 
 *' cent, neither is there iniquity in me." But 
 he foon changed his opinion, after Elihu 
 had found a right indi(flment againft him, 
 and charged him with having faid, that hd 
 was righteous, and Ihould be found fo, if 
 God was to weio-h him in an even balance. 
 Elihu's arsfuments bro\iQ;ht down and hum- 
 bled his proud felf-righteous fplrit, and he 
 confefled, " I hav<b uttered what I under- 
 *' flood not, things too wonderful for me, 
 *' which I knew not. Behold, I am vile, 
 *' I abhor myfelf, and repent in duft and 
 *' afhes.'* The Lord God knew the temper 
 of the Jews, and that they would be al- 
 ways leaning to feif-righteoulnefs, and there- 
 fore he left this book upon record to filencc 
 all the pleas which they fliould ever make 
 for the fufficiency of their works towards 
 their juftification at his bar. How necef- 
 fary this book was, we may fee clearly front 
 the great decree, to which a felf-ris^hteous 
 
 DO' CD 
 
 fpirit prevailed in our Lord's time ; for then 
 the Pharifees, and all that made a great 
 fhew of religion, knew of no righteoufnefs, 
 but what they could attain by their own 
 works, and not fo m.uch by the works of 
 the moral, as of the ceremonial law. They 
 
 fuppofeci 
 
( 20^ ) 
 
 fuppofed the obfervance of the ceremonies to 
 be meritorious, and hoped to be made righte* 
 ous by keeping them ftridtly. In confe- 
 quence of this opinion^ the learned do£lors, 
 rabbies^ and fcribes, introduced a vaft num- 
 ber of traditions* and thought that by keep- 
 ing them with the ceremonies, they fhould 
 be holier than others* and they condemned 
 our Lord, becaufe he would not pra6life the 
 traditions of the elders, but oppofed them, 
 and faid that they had made the law of God 
 of none efFe£t by their traditions ; they had 
 made the moral law of none efFeft* becaufe 
 they thought to atone for their offence? 
 again ft it* by keeping the ceremonial lavv^ 
 which alfo they rendered of none effedl^ 
 becaufe it was inftituted to point out the 
 ^lefllah* who was to make an atonement 
 for the fins committed againft the moral 
 law. Our Lord often preached againft the 
 Scribes and Pharifees, and he never fpakc 
 fuch iharp words againft any fort of finners 
 as againft them, for he fays, they were far- 
 ther from the kingdom of God than publi- 
 cans and harlots. In all his miniftry, he 
 never made fuch a fevere difcourfe as in the 
 23d chapter of St, Matthew, where he is 
 cxpoling the errors of the Scribes and Pha** 
 
 rifeeS, 
 
( 207 ) 
 
 rifees, and notwithftandiiig their many long 
 prayers, and alms, and failings, and pains to 
 make profelytes, and frequent walhings, and 
 many other fuch-like things, which they 
 thought made them righteous, yet he /ays 
 to them, *' Ye ferpents, ye generation of 
 ** vipers, how can ye efcape the damnation 
 " of hell ?" How necefl'ary then was the 
 caution in the text to fuch perfons, who 
 thought themfelves righteous and defpifed 
 others, and is it not ftill neceflary for thofe 
 who are feeking righteoufnefs by the works 
 of the law ? How many thoufands and tens 
 of thoufands are there now in the world, 
 Proteftants as well as Papifls, who place 
 righteoufnefs in duties, in living up to the 
 law as near as they can, in keeping clear of 
 grofs fms, in going to church, and in hearing 
 and reading the fcripture, and if they do all 
 this, they then think themfelves fafe. But 
 there arc fome more flrid than thefe who 
 enjoin themfelves a round of duties, fet forms 
 of prayers and times of falling, and give 
 many alms, and never mifs the facrament 
 «ncc a month ; and perhaps have fome fa- 
 naily worfhip ; upon which account they 
 think themfelves very good, and can thank 
 O&d that they are not like other men. If 
 
 4 ajiy 
 
( io8 ) 
 
 iny miaifter dares attack this falfe righteoitf- 
 nefs, they cry out againft him, as the Phari- 
 fees did againft Chrift. If he tell them, that 
 he does not fpeak againft what they do, but 
 againft the motive upon which they atSl, not 
 againft the thing done, but againft the end 
 they propofe in doing it, this provokes them 
 more ; becaufe it tends to lay open the rot- 
 tennefs of their hearts, which being not 
 cleanfed from fin, all their outward and pre- 
 tended righteoufnefs is only like painting a 
 fepulchre, or waftiing the outfide of a cup, 
 while there is left within all manner of un- 
 cleannefs. 
 
 Since then a felf- righteous fpirit has pre- 
 vailed, and ftill prevails in the world, the 
 wife man*s caution has been, and is ftill 
 neceflary. He calls to perfons of this tem- 
 per, who are feeking righteoufnefs by the 
 Works of the law, and fays to themj Why 
 will ye try to juftify yourfelves by your du- 
 ties ? You are attempting an impoflibility : 
 for the law requires abfolutely perfe6t obe- 
 dience which you have not paid it. You 
 have finned, and you are none of you righte- 
 ous, no, not one. There is not a righteous 
 man upon earth, that doeth good, and fin- 
 
 neth 
 
( 209 ) 
 neth not, and confequently there is not one; 
 who has that unlinnhig righteoulhefs which 
 the law demands, and without which none 
 can be juftified by it. Truft not then to your 
 imperfed obedience. It can only deftroy you, 
 but feek a better righteoufnefs, even the right- 
 eoufnefs of God. 
 
 If thefe arguments be carefully confidered, 
 they will, I hope, lead you to the true 
 meaning of the text. The wife man is not 
 ipeaking againfl the righteoufnefs of the 
 moral law,' nor againft the righteoufnefs of 
 the law of faith, but he is difluading fni- 
 ners from feeking righteoufnefs by the works 
 of that law, which they have broken, and 
 which condemns them. But trufting to this 
 falfe righteoufnefs they muft inevitably be 
 dcftroyed ; for it is the righteoufnefs of a 
 finner, which is a contradi<£lion in terms. 
 It is an unrighteous righteoufnefs. The law 
 knows nothing of it. The righteoufnefs of 
 the law confifts in perfect obedience ; aad 
 one lingle failing renders the finner ever after 
 abfolutely incapable of being made righte- 
 ous by his keeping the law. This is the 
 dodrhie of the text, which, becaufe of the 
 great oppofition made to it, I proceed to 
 
 O defend 
 
deFeiid under my third general head. And I 
 will only mentioit two arguments, the firft 
 taken from the righteoufnefs of the law, and 
 the lecond from the righteoufnefs of the 
 gofpel. 
 
 The righteoufiiefs of the law confifts in 
 paying it its due, and that is unf.nning ohe- 
 dience. Whoever is les-aliy ric-hteous muft 
 ]<eep the law in its moft perfed: degree, not 
 ofFendino' even in a finQ-le thous^ht. He 
 riiLifi: continue to do all things always and 
 peife£tly, as the law requires, and then it 
 will pronounce him righteous and give him 
 the prorailed life. But who is thus righte- 
 ous ? Not one : for all have fumed. And 
 how then can any one be righteous over- 
 much ? So far from it, no one can be righte- 
 ous at all, by his keeping the law, after he 
 has once broken it ; becauie it immediately 
 brings him in guilty and condemns him^ 
 Having offended in one point, he has there- 
 by loil his claim to the ri~ghteoufnefs of the 
 law, as much as if he had offended in all, 
 atid therefore he cannot be made n2:hteous 
 by the deeds of that law, which has pafled 
 fentence upon him, and given him up into 
 i'hc hands of juflice to fuffer the firft and 
 
 ihcond 
 
( 2" ) 
 
 fecond death. While he lies in this mifer- 
 able, helplefs (late, he can no more do any 
 a6l which is good and valid in law, than 
 a malefactor can under fentence of death, and 
 yet he is fo proud as to fancy, that he can 
 merit heaven by his dead works. Poor vain 
 creature, he is fo full of felf, as to think he 
 can do all that the law requires, although he 
 has broken it, and although he can do no- 
 thing but fin, until he be pardoned and be- 
 lieve in the name of the only begotten Son of 
 God : for what foe ver is not of faith is fin. 
 What great numbers are there among us of 
 this felf-righteous fpirit ? Who, becaufe they 
 are fomewhat ftridler in their lives than 
 others, and are more conftant attenders upon 
 ordinances, therefore take ftate to themfelves, 
 and expert you fliould give them place ac- 
 cording to their own fancied rank of merit. 
 They are ftill proclaiming, as the Pharifees 
 ufed to do. Make way there, ftand by, I am 
 holier than thou. Againft this mock righte- 
 oufnefs the text is levelled. The defig-n of 
 it is to ftrip the felf-righteous of ail their 
 borrowed plumes, and to convince them that 
 after they have broken the law, they cannot 
 be made righteous by a partial keeping of it. 
 The wife man would lead them to confider 
 
 O 2 what 
 
( 212 ) 
 
 what tlie moral law is, how far fliort they 
 come of the obedience it requires, and how 
 ^mperfeift, yea finful, their works and du- 
 ties are, and thus he would convince them 
 of their want of a better righteoufnefs than 
 their own. The Jews were exceedingly 
 prone to truft to their own righteoufnefs, 
 and therefore he tried to beat them off from 
 any reliance upon it. When our Lord 
 came, he found them under the influence 
 of the fame felf- righteous fpirit ; and in all 
 his preaching he fpake with great fharpnefs 
 againfl the pretended righteoufnefs of the 
 Scribes and Pharifees. We have ftill men of 
 the fame fpirit among us, whofe righteouf- 
 nefs does not exceed the righteoufnefs of 
 the Scribes and Pharifees, and yet they hope 
 to enter into the kinyjdom of heaven. To 
 all fuch perfons the wife man direds his 
 advice, and counfels them not to truft 
 to their works and duties for a righteouf- 
 nefs, in which they may be juftified before 
 God — " Be not ye great felf-juftifiers. Why 
 *-' will ye deftroy yourfelves ?" Your falfe 
 righteoufnefs will de(h"oy you, if you ven- 
 ture to put your trial upon it at God*s bar : 
 for he has already decreed, that fince all 
 have finned, therefore by the deeds of the 
 
 broken 
 
( 213 ) 
 
 broken law fliall no flcfh be juftified in h:^ 
 
 light. 
 
 It is certain then, that the text does not. 
 fpeak againft the righteoufnefs of the law, 
 nor yet, fecondly, againft the righteoufnefs 
 of faith. The law of God is as holy, juft, 
 and good as he is, and cannot pafs by the 
 leafl: fin. It has made no provifion for a par- 
 don, nor given any promife to repentance or 
 to amendment ; but requires abfolutely per- 
 fect unfnining obedience, and upon the fiifl 
 offence it puts the finner under the curfe, 
 and leaves him in the hands of juftice to in- 
 flict upon him the threatened and deferved 
 pnnifliment. In this ftate the gofpel finds 
 him, and offers him the righteoufnefs of the 
 Lord Chrift ; but the proud fiinier will not 
 fubm.it to be juftified by it, until the Holy 
 Spirit preach the law to his confcience, and 
 convince him of its holy, fpiritual, and per- 
 feift nature, upon which he feels guilt, con- 
 fcience accufes and condemns him, and he 
 fees no rio;hteoufnefs in his fancied grood 
 works to rely upon, but finds he muft go 
 out of himfelf for a righteoufnefs, in which 
 he may appear before God. Then the Holy 
 %irit convinces him of Chrift's righteoufr 
 
 Q 3 ncfs, 
 
( 214 ) 
 
 nefs, how infinitely perfect it is, and how 
 fafely he may truft to it, and gives him faith 
 to apprehend it,- and to apply it to himlelf 
 for his juftification. And then he no longer 
 *joes about to eftablifli his own righteouf- 
 nefs, but fubmits to the righteoufnefs of 
 God. i\£^ainll: this the wife man cannot 
 caution us. We all want it, and over much 
 
 of it we cannot have. It is the rio-hteouf« 
 
 o 
 
 nefs of God, as perfect as God is, and the 
 divine perfon, who wrought it out by his 
 obedience and lufferings, humbled himfelf 
 to be made fin for us, that we might be 
 iTiade the righteoufnefs of God in him. Be- 
 lievers are not only righteous in him, but 
 ri^^hteoufnefs, and that the righteoufnefs of 
 God too, againft which law and juftice can- 
 not make any exception ; therefore of this 
 j-ighteoufnefs, though not of their own, may 
 they boalT; all the day long. The merits of 
 it are their juflification, the fruits of it are 
 their fandification, and when they come to 
 heaven, this righteoufnefs will be their ever- 
 lafting robe of glory, and to ling his praifes, 
 who cloathed them with it, will be their , 
 employment and happinefs for ever and ever. 
 Surely then, the wife man's caution in the 
 text was not levelled againfl this ail-perfed 
 
 and 
 
( ^'5 ) 
 
 and 2:lorious risrhteonlncls ? No. He knew 
 the ineflimable value of it, and intended tc» 
 recomnaend it by detedins that falfe rig-htc- 
 OLifnels, upon which linneis are apt to rtTi 
 and fee not their want of a better. This \v;i:; 
 his deiign, which having proved and cftablinv- 
 ed by feveral arguments, I fliall only add two 
 or three pradical obfervatioiis upon what lia;, 
 been faid. 
 
 This greatly midaken text is, I hope, no-y 
 fet right, and the meaning of it is made plaiij 
 and clear. The v.'ife man did not intend 
 to fpeak againfl: the rightcoufnefs of the lav/, 
 nor againd: the righteoufnefs of faith, but 
 againfl: a falfe righteoufnefs, which was then 
 and is flill in the world. IJow Qiany arc 
 there, who after they have broken the law, 
 think of being juflihed by keeping it better, 
 and hope to make themfelves very goo3 and 
 righteous enough by their works and duties ? 
 To every fuch perfon, the wife man favs, 
 *' Be not thou a great felf-juflifier : W'hv 
 ** fhouidft thou dcftroy thyfelf ?" But vcrv 
 few will take his advice. There is a trcnera- 
 tion of men, proud and felf-righteous, who 
 think their own works can recommend theiTi 
 ro God. Although they have iinncd, yet they 
 O 4 fancy 
 
( ^>6 ) 
 
 fancy that duties can atone for fins. The Jew^ 
 were much addicted to this error, and the apo- 
 cryphal books are full of it. In our Lord'^s 
 time we find the religious among the Jews 
 placing righteoufnefs in works. Our modern 
 Pharifces copy exadly- after them, and refufe 
 to attend to the wife man's caution in the 
 text. Thefe over righteous ones make a fa- 
 viour of their duties, and hope to merit heaven 
 by their works ; and yet, alas ! their works 
 are but few, and thefe very imperfe^l. Their 
 righteoufnefs is chiefly negative, confifting in 
 doing no harm, in not murdering, or ftealing, 
 or getting drunk, or breaking the command- 
 ments outwardly. Then they are what you 
 call very good fort of people. But if they 
 keep clofe to their church, and go to prayers 
 on Wednefdays and Fridays, and on a faint's 
 day;i if they have nothing elfe to do ; and 
 will not play at cards, or go to the play- 
 houfe on Saturday night before the facra- 
 ment, although they have no objedion againft 
 going on Monday after they received. Oh, 
 thefe are your mighty good people indeed ! 
 Who are righteous, if they are not ? But if 
 they go to the facrament once a rrionth, and 
 ufe the new week! s preparation^ and follow it 
 flridly ; or if they mifs any of the prayers 
 
 through 
 
( 217 ) 
 
 through an engagement in the evening, they 
 will be fiire to lay them all the next morn- 
 ing ; and if they have lome new book of de- 
 votion, out of which they fay then' formal 
 talk, morning and evening, like the ftupid 
 Papifts gabbling over the bead-roll of their 
 Ave-Mary's and Pater- nofters ; thefe are our 
 great faints : Who (hall 2;o to heaven, if thev 
 do not ? Thefe, like their predeceflbrs of 
 old, think thcmfelves righteous and defpife 
 others. Their pride deceives them, and 
 hinders them from fubmittins: to the riehte- 
 oufnefs of God. They are too proud to fub- 
 mit. The knowledge of the law and the 
 knowled2;e of themfelves would humble 
 them. But they are fo ignorant of the law, 
 as to believe that by doing fome of its duties 
 they fhall be made righteous enough ; and 
 they are fo ignorant of the plague of their 
 own hearts, as to fee no neceffity for an in-r 
 ward change. They cannot be perfuaded 
 but they have very good hearts, and there^. 
 fore they have no reafon to pray with the 
 pfalmift, Create in mc a clean heart, O God, 
 and renew a right fpirit within me. Without 
 this clean heart and right fpirit, they have 
 only the form and outfide of Chrillians. 
 The life and power is v/anting, and Chrift 
 
 may 
 
( 2l8 ) 
 
 may fay to them, as he did to the church of 
 Sardis, " I know thy works, that thou hafl a 
 '* name that thou lived, and art dead." 
 
 But if this be the cafe, fome will he apt to 
 fay, Why need we do any good works, if 
 they be not meritorious ? Why need we go 
 to church, and pray, and hear and read the 
 word, and go to the facrament, and do good, 
 if all this be no part of our righteoufnels be- 
 fore God ? It certainly is not : ' • for by grace 
 "' are ye faved, fays the apoftle, through 
 *' faith : not of works, left any man fliould 
 *' boaft." And to this do6lrine the whole 
 Proteflant church fubfcribes, and all the Pa- 
 pifts deny it. The reformers were called 
 Proteflants, becaufe they protefted chiefly 
 againft this blafphemous tenet of Popery, 
 namely, that works merit towards a finner's 
 juftification before God. This is the grand 
 diftindtion between us and the Papiils, and 
 yet, alas ! this diftindion is wearing out. 
 What great numbers have we among us, 
 •who truft to their own fancied good works 
 for acceptance with God ? In this point, and 
 it is a very leading one, they are perfe6lly 
 agreed with the Papifts. They are both 
 great felf-juftihers, having at leaft ecjual, if 
 
 not 
 
( 219 ) 
 
 not fuperior merit to Chrift in the matter of 
 their juftification. Hear the form of a monk- 
 ifh ablolution, in which the dodrine of merit 
 is thus taught. 
 
 *' God forgive thee, my brother, the mc- 
 f' rit of the paffioii of our Lord Jefus Chrift 
 '* and of bleffed faint Mary, always a virgin, 
 *' and of all the faints, the merit of thine 
 " order, the ftri<flnel3 of thy religion, the 
 " humility of thy confeffion, and contrition 
 " of thy heart, the good works which thou 
 *' haft done and fliall do for the love of our 
 " Lord Jefus Chrift, be unto thee available 
 '' for the rcmifiion of thy fins, the increafe 
 *' of defert and grace, and the reward of 
 " everlaftinsf life. Amen.'' What a deal of 
 felf- wrought ftuft" is here, the merit of which, 
 inftead of the merit of Chrift alone, is faid 
 to be available for the remiflion of fins ? And 
 is it not the fame with our half Papift Pro- 
 teftants ? Are there not multitudes of them 
 who think that the merit of their church- 
 coinsr, and the ftri<3:nefs of their lives, and 
 the merit of their prayers and alms, and other 
 good works, will juftify them before God, 
 or if they dare not truft vi'holly to them, 
 yet they hope Chrift will fupply what is in 
 
 them 
 
( 220 ) 
 
 them deficient ; but this is mixing grace and 
 works, which the fcriptnre will not allow to 
 iland together : for if works, wholly or in 
 part, merit our juftification, then there would 
 be room for boafting, which God in his way 
 of juftifying finners by the righteoufnefs of 
 Chrift has abfolutely excluded, that no fiefli 
 might glory in his prefencc, Chrifi: being 
 made of God unto finners all that they want, 
 even wifdom, righteoufnefs, fanftification, 
 and eternal redemption : that, according as it 
 is written, he that glorieth, let him glory hx 
 the Lord, 
 
 Since then Chrifi has made an atonement 
 for fin, and brought in everlafting righteouf- 
 pefs, why will you glory in yourfelves, ra- 
 ther than glory in the Lord ? Why will you 
 trufl to your own fancied righteoufnefs, fince " 
 nothing but pride could tempt you to glory 
 in it ? Your ignorance of Chrifl's righteouf- 
 nefs hinders your feeing, how infinitely per- 
 fect it is, and your own felf-fufficiency will 
 not let you fubmit to be faved by it, and 
 therefore you go about to.eflablifh your own 
 righteoufnefs. You may work for a time 
 upon this plan, and think yourfelves fafe. 
 You n^ay lull confcience afleep, and deceive 
 
 yourfelveSj 
 
( 221 ) 
 
 yourfelves, and deceive others with your fair 
 outiide. But the cheat cannot laft long. 
 God fees your hearts, and the corruption 
 in them is naked and open to him, although 
 you ftudy to hide it from yourfelves. He 
 has declared of you, although you will not 
 believe him, that vou are not rio;hteous : for 
 there is none righteous in himfelf, no not 
 one. This is his fovereign decree. Oh ! 
 that your confciences may fubmit to it, and 
 feek for a righteoufnefs which God will ac- 
 cept at his bar. Dreadful will be the time, 
 if you appear there without a complete and 
 infinitely perfect righteoufnefs. Such there 
 is in Chrift, and in none elfe, and it is offer- 
 ed freely, even to you, ye felf-righteous 
 Pharifees. You may receive the free gift of 
 his righteoufnefs, if you will renounce your 
 own. And what is your own ? What me- 
 rit can there be in thefe duties, which are 
 done out of pride, done in fin, and done in 
 oppofition to the word of God. If you can 
 rejeft all dependance upon thefe, the gofpel 
 offers to you freely the righteoufnefs of God 
 for your j unification. Oh that he may dif- 
 pofe you to accept of it, that being juflifi- 
 ed by faith, you may have peace with God 
 through Jefus Chrift our Lord, and may live 
 
 in 
 
( 223 ) 
 
 in the comfortable fenfe and enjoyment oF 
 this peace, until you receive a crown of 
 righteoufnefs, which fadeth not away. 
 Grant this, Holy Father, for the all-per- 
 fe<^ righteoufnefs fake of thy beloved Son 
 Jefus Chrill: ; to whom, with Thee and the 
 Holy Spirit, three perfons in one Jehovah, 
 be equal praife and honour, and glory and 
 dominion, and power, in- time and in eter- 
 nity. Amen, and Amen. 
 
 UPON 
 
( 223 ) 
 UPON THE RIQIIT 
 
 KNOWLEDGE of GOD. 
 
 DISCOURSE VJI. 
 
 Mark xii. 28, 29, 30, 31. 
 
 And one of the Scribes came, and having heard 
 them reafoning together ^ and perceiving that 
 he had anfivered them luell, a/Iied him, which 
 is the Jirjl commandment of all. And Jefus 
 a?jfwered him^ T'he firjl of all the com^nand- 
 ments is, Hear, O Ifrael, the Lord our God 
 is one Lord; and thou fjalt love the Lord thy 
 God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul ^ 
 and with all thy mmd, and with all thy 
 Jirength: This is the firfl commandment. And 
 the fecond is like, namely this, I'hou foalt 
 love thy neighbour as thyfelf \ there is 7iot:e 
 other commandfuent greater than thefe, 
 
 vJuR blefled Saviour had been difputing with 
 the chief priefts, and elders, and the Scribes, 
 and after he had filenced them, they left him 
 and went their way. But they departed with 
 
 8 cnrasfcd 
 
 o 
 
( 224 ) 
 
 enraged and malicious hearts, determined to 
 take the firft opportunity to deftroy him, and 
 they fend certain of the Pliarifees and of 
 the Herodians to catch him in his words ; 
 thefe hypocrites pretended to beUeve him to 
 be a faithful teacher of the way of God, and 
 to come to him with no other view than to 
 defire his opinion upon a very difficult cafe, 
 namely, Whether it was lawful to give tri- 
 bute unto Caefar, or not ? Our Lord folved 
 this difficult queftion in a manner that afto- 
 niflied his very adverfaries ; for he knowing 
 their wicked hearts, faid unto them, Why 
 tempt ye me ? Bring me a penny • and 
 when they brought it, he faid, Whofe image 
 and fuperfcription is this upon it ? And they 
 anfvvered, C^efar^s. Then, faid he, render 
 therefore to Ciefar the things that are Cae- 
 far's, and to God the things that are God's. 
 As foon as he had filenced them, certain of 
 the Sadducees came with a cafe out of the 
 law, which they thought he was not able to 
 folve ; but he prefently fhewed them, that 
 their error arofe from their ig^norance of 
 fcripture, and he put them to filence. While 
 he was confuting them with the authority 
 of Mofes, the Pharifees were gathered toge- 
 ther againft him, and one of them being a 
 
 Scribe, 
 
( 225 ) 
 
 Scribe, learned in the law, having heard 
 him reafoning with the chief priefts, then 
 with the aerobians, and afterwards with the 
 Sadducees, and perceiving that he had an- 
 fwered them well, was wiUing to try him 
 with a queftion out of the law. The Scribe 
 alked him, Which is the firft commandment 
 of all. And Jefus anfwered him, the flrll: of 
 «11 the commandments is. Hear, O Ifraely 
 the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou 
 fhalt love the Lord thy God, ^c. And the 
 Scribe faid unto him. Well, maftcr, thou 
 haft faid the truth : for there is one God, 
 and there is none other but he, and to love 
 him with all the heart, and with all the un- 
 derftanding, and with all the foul, and with 
 all the ftrength, and to love his neighbour 
 as himfelf, is more than all whole- burnt of- 
 ferings and facrifices. And when Jefus faw 
 that he anfwered difcreetly, he faid unto 
 him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of 
 God. And no man after that durfl alk him 
 any queftion. 
 
 In this paffage we have the fum and fub- 
 flance of vital and practical religion. The 
 firft and greateft commandment is the love 
 
 P of 
 
( 226 ) 
 
 of God aniiiig!; from the t'l^hl knowledge of 
 his efl'ence and perfonaUty, and the fecond is 
 like unto it^ namely, the love of our neigh- 
 bour founded upon the true love of God* 
 There is none other commandment greater 
 than thefe : for upon thefe two hang all the 
 law and the prophets ; and lince theie two 
 are the greateft, they therefore deferve our 
 o;reate{l attention. Our Lord demands it of- 
 us in the text. What he enjoins for the two 
 greateft corrimandments we ought to efteem 
 fuch, and to fludy them moft, and to pra6life 
 them beft. To that end let us confider them 
 carefully, and may his good Spirit open our 
 underftandings to comprehend them, and dil- 
 pofe our hearts to love them, and give us 
 t^race and ftrength to pradife them agreeably 
 to his holy will. 
 
 The £rfl: comnl'tindment confifts of two 
 parts, the knowledge of God, and the love 
 of God. The true knowledge of God i$ 
 contained in thefe words — Hear, O Ifracl^ 
 the Lord our God is one Lord. And the na- 
 ture and degree of love to God is thus de- 
 fcribed. — Thou fhalt love the Lord thy 
 God with all thy heart, mind, foul, and 
 ftrength. I H^.all coaHne myfclf at prefent 
 
 to 
 
C 227 ) 
 
 to the flrft of thefe particulars, purpofing 
 through divine afTiftance to explain and en- 
 force what is laid down in the text concern- 
 ing the true knowledge of God, referving 
 the other parts of the text for fome future 
 opportunity. 
 
 The firfl and chief point in our religious 
 enquiries is, to difcover what God is. This 
 is the fundamental article, upon which all 
 the reft depend. We muft know the na- 
 ture and perfonality of God, before we can 
 ferve and love him, and therefore our bleff- 
 ed Saviour very properly places the know- 
 ledge of God before the love of him. Wc 
 cannot love what we know nothing of. 1^- 
 norance of God cannot poflibly beget love 
 of him. If there be very dark and con- 
 fufed ideas of him in the underftanding-, 
 there cannot be much true love of him in 
 the heart : for which reafon the text deter- 
 mines and fixes the proper object of worfhip, 
 before it requires the love and fervice, which 
 is to be paid him. Our Lord begins with 
 the knowledge of the true God, and does 
 not propofe any thing new upon this point, 
 but goes to the law and to the teftimo- 
 ny. He cites a paflage from Deut, vi. 4. 
 
 P^2 in 
 
( "8 ) 
 
 in which the divine ellence and perfonality 
 .are clearly ftated, " Hear, O Ifrael, the Lord 
 " our God is one Lord." This is a comnfiand 
 to the whole If?'ael of God, whether Jews or 
 Gentiles^ to hearken to what the Lord God 
 fays concerning himfelf. He calls to them 
 and requires them to hear him — " Hear, O 
 " Ifracl,'" by which means it becomes a mat- 
 ter of duty, and we are indifpenfably bound 
 to attend to this revelation of his will. He 
 has not left us at liberty to think what we 
 pleafe about his effence and his perfonality, 
 becaufe he has revealed what we are to be- 
 lieve about both. And it was neccflary he 
 fliould do this, becaufe there is no religion 
 without a God, and no true religion without 
 the true God. How fhould we know what 
 religious fervice to perform, if we were igno- 
 rant of the proper objecfl of worfhip ? It be- 
 ing abfolutely necefiary that we fhould know 
 God, the knowledge of him is therefore re- 
 vealed, and fettled in the lirll: part of the 
 greateil commandment. We are not left to 
 reafonino; about the beins; of God from the 
 light of nature, or from philofophy or meta- 
 phyfics ; but the fcripture has fixed our 
 creed, and we mufl: abide by it ; other wife 
 wc cannot keep the following parts of the 
 3 text ; 
 
( 229 ) 
 
 text ; we cannot love God and our neigh- 
 bour arl2;ht, unlefs vvc firfl know what God 
 is. Since this is a material point in our 
 prefent enquiry, and not thoroughly under- 
 flood, I will endeavour to prove the necef- 
 flty of fettling the proper object of worfliip, 
 before the worfiiip due to him can be paid. 
 It is very certain there can be no falvation 
 without belief in God. An Atheifl cannot 
 be faved. He that cometh to God muft bcr 
 lieve that he is ; but the Atheijl denies his 
 very being, denies that God is, and thereby 
 withdraws all allegiance from him. Now, 
 if a man cannot be faved without believing 
 in God, confequently he cannot be faved 
 without believine; in the true God : for a 
 falfe God is no God at all, it is a mere idol, 
 a nothing in the world. Whoever pays his 
 fervice and worfliip to this falfe god is an 
 idolater, and guilty of high-treafon againO: 
 the fupreme Majefty of heaven. If any of 
 you, who owe your allegiance to king 
 George^ were to go to Rome and pay it to 
 the Pretender, in what light would the law 
 confider your proceeding ? Would not it 
 try you for a capital offence, and if found 
 guilty, would not it deprive you of your 
 fortune and life ? The law of the moft 
 
 p i high 
 
C 230 ) 
 
 high God treats thofe, who withdraw their 
 allegiance from him in the fame manner, 
 having already paiTed fentence upon them, 
 and decreed, that idolaters fhall not inherit 
 the kingdom of Chrifl, and of God. 
 
 Since then the true ohje6l of worfhip 
 muft firft be known before we can worfhip 
 him aright, how are we to come to the 
 knowledge of him ? This is the next flep 
 in our prefent enquiry. And who fliall de- 
 termine this point for us ? What authority 
 fhall we abide by ? Shall fcripture or reafon 
 decide ? If fcripture be judge, its determi- 
 nation is clear. What words can be plainer 
 than thefe are ? '* Canfl: thou, by fearching, 
 " find out God ? Canft thou find out the Al- 
 " mighty to perfe6lion ? No. It is as high 
 *' as heaven, what canft thou do ? deeper 
 " than hell, what canft thou know ? The 
 " meafure thereof is longer than the earth, 
 ** and broader than the fea," {Job' xi. 7, 8, 
 9.) entirely out of the reach of our facul- 
 ties. The reafon of this is affigned in Matt. 
 xi. 27. '* No man knoweth the Son but 
 *' the Father ; neither knoweth any man the 
 *' Father, fave the Son, and he to whom- 
 *' foever the Son will reveal him,'* no man 
 
 therefore. 
 
( 231 ) 
 
 therefore, be he ever fo wife and learned, 
 knoweth God the Father, but by the reve- 
 lation of his Son. And to tliis agree the 
 words of the Apofllc, i Cor. i. 21. ** The 
 •' world by w ifdom knew not God.'* The 
 world by fuch wifdom, as it could attain, 
 was not able to difcover the true God, 
 
 If thefe teflimonies of holy writ be not 
 fuffered to determine the point, it is not bc- 
 caufe they are of doubtful interpretation : 
 for words cannot fpeak plainer, but becaufe 
 you would have the matter tried before fome 
 other judge. Well then, let us hear what 
 reafon fays ; but we will not hearken to its 
 proud boaftings of what it can difcover ; we 
 will examine matter of facl, and enquire 
 what it has difcovered. Did reafon ever 
 find out God, and did any reafoners ever 
 find out the almighty to perfedion ? Who 
 were the men ? When, where did they 
 live ? In the renned and enlightened ages of 
 Greece? Tell us, ye difputers of this world, 
 did your Arijiotl'e, or any of his followers, 
 with their fubtlc reafoning, attain to the 
 knowledge of God? It is an undoubted 
 truth, that they did not. And did any of 
 the otl)cr Qrcek philofophers fuccecd better 
 
 P 4 i.; 
 
( 232 ) 
 
 in their enquiries ? No, not one of them. 
 Profeffing themfelves to be wife they be- 
 came fools, and fell into grofs idolatry along 
 with the ignorant vulgar : for they changed 
 the glory of the incorruptible God into an 
 image made like to corruptible man, and to 
 birds, and to four-footed beafts, and creep- 
 ing things. But if the Greeks failed, did 
 not the learned Romans find out God ? No, 
 not one of them ever difcovered what God 
 was. The Rotnan philofophers, aided and 
 affifted with all the difcoveries of the Greeks^ 
 yet remained as ignorant of God as they 
 had been, Stilly has left us a curious trea- 
 tife upon the nature of the gods, in which 
 he has demonHrated the apoflle's propofition, 
 that the world by wifdom knew not God : 
 for in this volume, there is not a conje6lurc 
 or a hint about the nature of the true God. 
 After the fruitlefs enquiries of fuch a genius, 
 I need not bring any other arguments to 
 prove, that the Romans, with all their learn- 
 ing and refinement, knew not God. Their 
 reafon was not equal to the talk. And 
 where fhall we find greater reafoners ? Did 
 any man ever make a better ufe of his rea- 
 foning faculties than 'Tiillyf and yet with all 
 his fearching he could not find out God. 
 
 In 
 
In thefe inflances we fee the utmoH: ftretch 
 of reafon, and what it can difcover. Indeed 
 it boafts great things, and pretends, by the 
 help of metaphyfics, to difcover the fecrets of 
 fhe fplritual world ; but thefe are vain boaft- 
 ings. Matter of fa/fl difproves them : for 
 there was not one reafoner in Greece or Rome 
 who difcovered the true God. Thefe men 
 came the nearefl to the truth, who ere6lcd 
 an altar to the unknown God ; by which 
 they held forth and expofed the weaknefs of 
 human reafon, fince in one of the mofl fa- 
 mous univerfities of the heathen world the 
 philofophers worfhipped an unknown God. 
 How weak and groundlefs then are the 
 boaflings of our modern unbelievers, who 
 pretend to difcover what God is by the mere 
 dint of reafon ? What have our Arians and 
 Delfts difcovered of him ? Do they know 
 more of God, than the philofophers did ? 
 No. They have indeed greater helps, but 
 by rejecling them, their pride is greater, 
 and their ignorance appears more manifcfl : 
 for they have left revelation, and have in- 
 vented to themfelves as empty an Idol as 
 any heathen philofopher ever worfhipped. 
 They reje£led the Godhead of Chriil, and of 
 the Holy Spirit, and have imagined to them- 
 felves 
 
( 234 ) 
 ' felves a god exifting in one perfon, infi- 
 nitely extended, filling infinite fpace, with 
 ,many other fuch like chimerical attributes. 
 And this idol, this nothing in the world, is 
 become the fafhionable divinity of our times ; 
 but its worfhippers are all traitors. Every a£l 
 of worfhip paid to this idol is high-treafon ; 
 for by fuch a£l men withdraw their allegi- 
 ance from the true God, and pay it to what 
 has no more divinity than flocks and flones. 
 And ou»ht not the fervants of the mofl hi^h 
 God kindly to admonifh their fellow crea- 
 tures of their guilt, when they fee them fe- 
 duced by this dangerous herefy ? And if 
 the watchmen give them not warning, will 
 they not be partakers with them in their 
 fins ? If we hold our peace, they will perifh, 
 but their blood will God require at our 
 hands. So that as well for the fake of our 
 own fouls, as of theirs, we ought to fpeak 
 plainly upon this fubjefl, and bring it to 
 a matter of felf-examination. Let each of 
 us put thefe queflions to himfelf : Is it fo, 
 then, that there can be no true worfliip or 
 love of God, unlefs it be paid to the true 
 God, have I then the right obje£l of wor- 
 fhip for my God ? How was I brought to 
 the knowledge of him ? for this is the befl 
 
 way 
 
( 235 ) 
 
 way to difcover the certainty of what, I think, 
 I know of him. Did I find him out by 
 the Yi^hi of reafon ? And did metaphyfics 
 help me to find him out to perfeclion ? If 
 I have taken this method, I have been de- 
 ceiving myfelf, for the world by its reafon 
 never found out God. Or was 1 brought to 
 the knowledge of him in this way ? Was I 
 convinced of fin, and humbled under the 
 lenfe of it, and did 1 then find myfelf fallen 
 from God, and alienated from the life of 
 God, fo that I had ne means of difcovering 
 his nature and perfedions, but as revealed 
 by his word and by his Spirit ? Did 1 read 
 the word, and pray for the Holy Spirit to 
 open and to explain it, that I might come 
 to the knowledge of the only true God and 
 of Jejui Chr'ift, whom he hath fent ? And 
 am I flill in this humble, teachable fram« 
 of mind, reading the word, and praying for 
 the teachings of the Spirit of God ? If this 
 be your caie, happy are ye. God has pro- 
 mifed, and his word cannot be broken. Alk 
 and ye fliall have. Alk and ye (hall have 
 this great promife of the new covenant ful- 
 filled to you, Jer. xxxi. 34. " And they Ihall 
 ** no more teach every man his neighbour, 
 ** and every man his brother, faying, Know 
 
 '« the 
 
( ^36 ) 
 
 *' the Lord: for they fhall all know mc 
 ** from the leaft of them to the greatefl: of 
 " them, faith the Lord." He will teach you 
 the knowledge of himfelf, and will manifefl 
 to you his eflence and his perfonality. You 
 fhall know him as he has been pleafed to 
 j-eveal himfelf in the text, in which we have 
 the whole of what is contained in the facred 
 volume : for here he declares what his ef- 
 fence is, he is one Jehovah, and what the 
 perfons in this one Jehovah are, they are 
 Akhhn, Jehoviih our Akhim is one Jehovah. 
 This proportion is one of the deep things of 
 God which he hath revealed unto us by his 
 Spirit, and which contains more than can 
 be written in many volumes. Each word 
 has a rich copioufnefs, and explains to us 
 many treafures of divine truth. May that 
 Lord and God, in whom are laid up all the 
 riches of grace and knowledge, open them 
 to you at this time, that you may under- 
 lland the will and mind of the Lord in his 
 great and glorious name Jehovah. 
 
 The word tranflated Lord, is in the origi- 
 nal Jehovah, which fignifies a manner of 
 cxiftence peculiar and proper to the moft 
 High God. He is the only felf-exiftent 
 
 offence. 
 
{ '^?>1 ) 
 
 eiTence. All other beings owe their exig- 
 ence to his will and pleafure, and depend 
 on him for life and breath and all things ; 
 but he exifts by a neceflity of nature^ and this 
 necefl'ary exigence is the meaning of the word 
 Jehovah. We cannot fully comprehend the 
 idea conveyed by this word, becaufe we are 
 not acquainted with the manner of neceflary 
 exigence. The wifeft man upon earth can- 
 not defcribe in what manner any material 
 obje<ft exifts : for the atoms of which bo- 
 dies are compofed fall not under the obfer- 
 vation of our fenfes. We know that srold 
 differs from water, but we are ignorant of 
 their conflitucnt particles, which make them 
 differ, fo that we confefledly know not the 
 manner of their exigence ; and the plain 
 reafon is, gold and water do exill: in a diffe- 
 rent manner, but our fenfes cannot difco- 
 ver how their particles or atoms differ. And 
 fince we know not the manner of the ex- 
 igence of the material bodies with which 
 ourfelves are converfant, how abfurd would 
 it be for any rnan to pretend to know the 
 manner of the exiftence of a fpiritual being ? 
 How preiumptuous then would it be for any 
 man to undertake to defcribe how Jehovah 
 exifls, and rafl^ly to affirm that he exifts 
 
 in 
 
( 238 ) 
 
 ill a manner which excludes all perfonality, 
 while this very man does not know the 
 manner of the exiftence of any one thing in 
 the world. And yet every little philofo- 
 pher, who has but juft learned to reafon up- 
 on the obje6:s which are within his reach, 
 pretends to reafon about the nature and at- 
 tributes of God, and every minute infidel 
 \jndertakes to prove by metaphyfics, and one 
 of them more proud and ignorant than the 
 reft thought he could prove a priori, that Je- 
 hovah exifts in one perfon, although Jeho- 
 vah himfelf declares he does not. If thefe 
 jmen would attend to the meanins; of the 
 name Jehovah, it might correal fome of their 
 miflakes.^ It fignifies neceflary exigence. 
 Now from whence fliall we form a perfedl 
 idea of this word ? We have no ideas but 
 from our fenfes, and there is no obje6l with- 
 in the reach of our fenfes, which exids by 
 a neceffity of nature. All thefe Jehovah 
 hath formed and made : confequently the/ 
 can only give us ideas of dependent exift- 
 ence. There is but one Jehovah, the text 
 fays, and he exifts in a manner, of which 
 no other thing can give us a perfe£l idea, 
 and therefore vv^ can have no reafon to re- 
 je(^ the account which God has given lis 
 
 of 
 
( 239 ; 
 
 of the manner of his exigence, but if wc a(ft 
 confidently, we mud receive and abide by 
 the revealed account, which teaches us that 
 Jehovah is the felf-exiflent effence, and that 
 this eflence is one, one Jehovah, but the 
 jUehim, the perfons in Jehovah, are three. 
 There was no doubt in thofe ancient times 
 about the perfonality, the fcripture guards 
 mod the unity of the effence, and while it 
 affirms the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to 
 be of the felf-exiftent eflence, it, at the fame 
 time, teaches us that thefe three are one, one 
 in eflence, but three in perfons. 
 
 The perfonality in Jehovah is defcribed in 
 the text by the word Alehi7n^ which is in 
 the plural number, and acknowledged to be 
 fo by the Jews as well as Chrlftians^ and if 
 they had not owned it, yet the fenfe of the 
 paflage would lead us to feek for a plural 
 interpretation, becaufe there was no need 
 for a revelation to teach us, that Jehovah 
 our one Alehim is one Jehovah, which is 
 no more than that one is one. But the 
 word Alehim being plural, the Father, Son, 
 and Holy Spirit being Alehhn^ it was necef- 
 fary to reveal to us the unity of the eflence, 
 
 and 
 
( 240 ) 
 
 and to teach us that thefe three perfons were 
 one Jehovah, and therefore being of the 
 felf- exigent eflence, none is before or after 
 other, none is greater or lefs than another, 
 but the whole three perfons are co-eternal 
 together and co-equkl. Each of the perfons 
 is Jehovah. The Father is Jehovah, as we 
 read Ifai. Ixiv. 8. *' But now, O Jehovah, 
 *' thou art our Father.** The Son is Jeho- 
 vah, Ifai. xlv. 21. " Who hath declared 
 *' this from antient time ? Have not I Je- 
 " hovah ? and there is no God elfe befjde 
 *' me, a jufl: God and a Saviour ;'* here the 
 Son our Saviour is called Jehovah. And 
 the Holy Spirit is Jehovah, Jfa'iah xi. 2. 
 " The Spirit Jehovah ihall reft upon him, 
 *' the Spirit of vvifdom and underfland- 
 *' ing, &c." 
 
 Each of the perfons is called Alebhn. The 
 Father is fo called, i Chrofi. xxix. lo. " And 
 *' David faid, Bleffed be thou Jehovah, 
 *' Alebim of Ifrael^ our Father, for ever and 
 *' ever." The Son is Alehim, Ifaiah xlv. 21. 
 *' There is no Alebim elfe befide me, a jufl 
 *' God and a Saviour.'' The Holy Spirit is 
 Alebim, Exodus xxxi. iii. " I have filled Be-' 
 *' zaleel with the Spirit Alebim,'* not of 
 
 the 
 
 ^■■^ 
 
( 241 ) 
 
 the AUhhn^ the Hebrew 13, with the Spiijt 
 Aleh'm, io that the Spirit is the Alchim.^* • 
 Theie fcriptL)res Confirm the dodriue of the 
 text, namely, that Jehovah is one, and that 
 ia the unity of Jehovah there are three Ale^ 
 himt which word does not fignify their man- 
 ner 0/ exiftence. Jehovah denotes that, but 
 i^t is a relative worcj, defcriptiye of the gra- 
 cious offices of the eternal three in the oeco- 
 nomy of man*s redemption. And neither 
 the perfonality exprefled by its being plural, 
 nor its meaning, are retained by our tranfla- ' 
 tors in the lingular word God* God is no 
 ^ore the {pnfQ of A/ehim, than goodnefs is. 
 And if the tranfiators could not find a pro- 
 per word in our language, they (hould have 
 given a definition of it in the firft place they 
 met with it in the Bible, and then have re- 
 tained the Hebrew name ever afterwards. 
 By their negledl our people are kept in ig- 
 norance of this gracious name, under which 
 Jehovah would have himfelf to be known. 
 It belongs to the covenant of grace, and is 
 defcriptive of the ads and gflices of the eter- 
 nal three in the glorious plan of man*s fal- 
 vation, and it fignifies the binding a6l of the 
 covenant, the obligation entered into up- 
 on oath to fulfil it. This i^ the fenfe of 
 
( 242 ) 
 
 j4leh, the root from whence Alehhn is deriv- 
 ed, and there is no other root from whence 
 it Ci^n be derived, without offering great vio- 
 lence to the eftablifhed rules of the Hebrew 
 tongue The oath of God is often men- 
 tioned in fcripture, and the people's entering 
 into it is beautifully defcribed, Deut, xxix. 
 19, n, \%^ *' Ye fland this day all of you 
 *' before the Lord your God, your captains 
 '^ of your tribes, your elders, and your of* 
 ^* ficers, with all the men of IfraeU your 
 ^% littles ones, your wives, and thy flranger 
 ^' that is m thy camp, from the hewer of 
 ** wood unto the drawer of water, that thou 
 *' {houldefl enter into covenant with the 
 ^* XiOX^ thy God, and into his oath.** God 
 is here fai4 to have made an oath, emphati- 
 cally flil^d his oath, becaufe it was the oath 
 of the covenant from v^hence the name Ak^ 
 htm\% tal^en. 
 
 If you alk, when was this covenant made 
 by oath, and by whom, and for what end \ 
 the fcripture ^nfwers thofe points very clears 
 
 The covenant was made before the world 
 began, as Titi^^ i. ?. '* In hope of eternal 
 
 «'Hf(§ 
 
( 243 ) 
 
 •* life which God that cannot He promlfeJ 
 '* before the world began.** Was not this 
 promife the oath of the covenant ? What elfe 
 could it be ? God who cannot lie promifed 
 before the world began, and fore-ordained 
 (as I Peter i. 20) that Chrift ftiould be the 
 lamb, who (hould take away fin by the facri- 
 fice of himfelf. This was fore-ordained by 
 an eternal purpofe, which he purpofed in 
 Chrift Jefus our Lord, EpL iii. 1 1. What 
 is called in thefe fcriptures the purpofe, the 
 promife, and fore-ordination of God, was the 
 covenant o( grace which was made before the 
 world began, yea, by an eternal purpofe, and 
 from which the divine perfons who confirm- 
 ed this covenant by an oath, are called Ak" 
 him, and as the covenant was made before the 
 world began, they therefore took their name 
 from it, and are defcribed by it before the 
 creation in the firfl: chapter of Genejis, They 
 had done fome adt before, from which this 
 name was taken. Now it llgnifies, to con- 
 firm any thing by oath, therefore they had 
 confirmed fomething by oath before the 
 world began; and what it was thefe fcrip- 
 tures determine, which fpeak of the purpole, 
 counfel, promife, and fore-ordination of God 
 aiade before all worlds, to bring many fons 
 
 () 2 unto 
 
C 244 ) 
 
 imto glory by Jefus Chrtjl, This was the 
 deiigii of the purpofe, counfel, ^c. and the 
 perions vvho defigned this, are the three iil 
 Jehovah : for each of them is called Jeho* 
 vah, and each of them is called Aleh'im^ be* 
 paufe each peiTon in Jehovah had a diftin^l 
 office in the oeconomy of the covenant. The 
 Father undertook to demand full fatisfadtioa 
 for fin ; therefore he is called a jealous God 
 find a conf^rning fire, Chrifl: undertook to 
 pay this fatisfa<9:ion, and is therefore called 
 ^od th® Saviour, and the Holy Spirit cove- 
 fiaiited to apply and to render effii^tual the 
 benefit of Chrift's fatisfadion to believers ; 
 ^nd therefore his conftant name is Spirit, 
 i^hich word fignifies the air that we breathe, 
 pn which our animal life depends, as our 
 fpiritual life does on his infpiration. Now 
 fince the divine pcrfons have entered into a 
 povenant, and do fuftain thofc diftiniSt of- 
 fices itl it, and fince our falvation depends 
 ^pon the knowledge of thefe truths, was it 
 fiot an a6l of infinite love and condefcenfion 
 for the divine perfons in Jehovah to take the 
 gracious name oi Alehim^ and to reveal them^ 
 felves to us, as perfons bound by the obliga- 
 tion of an oath to carry the covenant of grace 
 into execution ? 
 
 If 
 
( MS ) 
 
 If you a(kj what necefTity there was for 
 this oath ? It was necefl'ary only on our parts, 
 and it was^an a<5l of aftonilhlng mercy, and 
 will demand our evcrlafting tribute of praife, 
 that God would vouchfafe to sive convinced 
 finners fuch encouragement to hope for mer- 
 cy, as to bind himklf by two imnautable 
 things to fave them. The ApoiHe, Heb. vi. 
 1 6, 17, 18, thus fpeaks of this wonderful 
 inllance of God*s love. ** An oath for con- 
 *' firmation is among men an end of all ftrife ; 
 '* wherein God, willing more abundantly to 
 *' (hew unto the heirs of promife the immu- 
 ** tability of his counfel, confirmed it by an 
 ** oath, that by two immutable things, in 
 *' which it was impoffible for God to lie, we 
 *' mis^ht have a flrono- confolation, who have 
 ** fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope fet 
 *' before us.** In this fcripture the Apoftle 
 defcribes the counfel, or covenant of God to 
 fave iinners, and this was confirmed by an 
 oath ; and the reafon of the oath, was for the 
 fake of the heirs of promife, that they might 
 have two immutable things to reft their faith 
 upon, namely, the immutable counfel and 
 the immutable oath of God, and thefe ought 
 to filence all doubts in the heirs of promife, 
 
 0^3 becaufe 
 
( ^46 ) 
 
 becaufe it is impoffible that either of them 
 (hould be broken, 
 
 Thefe authorities may fuffice to deter- 
 mine the meaning of the divine name Ale* 
 hhm It is expreflive of the perfonality in 
 Jehovah, and denotes what the Father, Son, 
 and Holy Spirit, the three Alehim, have co- 
 venanted upon oath to do for the falvation 
 of linners. Aleh'im fignifies the Trinity in 
 covenant, and particularly exprefles the oath, 
 which was the binding a6t of the covenant, 
 and thereby it denotes the mofl: merciful 
 relation, in which divine love could mani- 
 feft itfelf ; a relation productive of the richeft 
 blefiings of time and of eternity. Jehovah 
 is a name of majefty and greatnefs. Akh'im 
 is a name of grace and mercy. Jehovah 
 exprefles the felf-exiftence of the Godhead, 
 and the infinite difference between his man- 
 ner of exifting and that of his dependent 
 creatures, and after they had finned it was 
 to them a name of terror. Whereas Alehim 
 exprefl*es nothing but tender love and abun- 
 dant mercy to returning finners : for the co- 
 venant was made for fuch, and it was con- 
 firmed by an oath, that they might place 
 their whole truft and confidence on what 
 
 the 
 
( 247 ) 
 
 the Trinity had covenanted to do for them 
 and for their falvation : for the Father, al*- 
 though he be the avenger of iin, yet has 
 been fatiafied with the obedience and fuffer- 
 ings of his co-equal and co-eternal Son, and 
 will be fatisfied with all thofe who fubmit to 
 be faved by his righteoufnefs, and the Holy 
 Spirit will influence them to accept the 
 righteoufnefs of God for their juftlfication, 
 and he will work mightily in them to enable 
 them to bring forth the fruits of righteouf- 
 nefs, until he bring them fafe to glory.— 
 Thefe are the mercies promifed in the Co- 
 venant of grace, and exprefled by the di- 
 vine name Alehim> How greatly then fhould 
 this name encourage convinced finners to 
 come and alk the covenant mercies ? And 
 what ftrong confolation does it give them, 
 when they flee for refuge to Jefui Chriji, 
 to lay hold of the hope fet before them in 
 him ? 
 
 From what has been faid, it appears that 
 the firft part of the commandment, relating 
 to God, is the right knowledge of him, 
 and what we are required to believe con- 
 cerning his eflence and perfonality is de- 
 scribed in thefe words :— *« Hear, O Ifrael, 
 Qj. *' Jehovah. 
 
( 248 ) 
 
 *^ Jehovah our Ale him is one Jehovah.** Je- 
 "hovah the felf-exiftent efleace, who is oul* 
 \/ikhhn^ our Trinity, bound by the oath of 
 the covenant to fave fuiners, thefe three in 
 covenant. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are 
 not before nor after other, greater or lefs 
 than another, but they are of one and the 
 fame felf-exiftent eiTence, thefe three are one 
 Jehovah, the holy, bleffed, and glorious Tri?^ 
 nity are one Jehovah. 
 
 This, my brethren, is the doiflrine of the 
 text, which the Lord God hicnfelf calls upon 
 you to hear—*' Hear, O IJraeL'* And have 
 you heard him? Have you received his ac- 
 count of the divine effence and perfonality } 
 If not, why do you rejeil it ? Is not his com- 
 mand a law, and are you not bound to be- 
 lieve what the Lord has revealed concerning 
 himfelf? 
 
 Perhaps you think the revealed account 
 is not eftablifhed upon fufficient authority. 
 This point does not come under confidera- 
 . tion at prefent. We are only treating of the 
 doctrine, and v/hat can you objeft againfb it, 
 as it has been now ftated? Why, fay fome, 
 , I ftill think, after all that you have faid, the 
 
 do^ftriuQ 
 
( 849 ) 
 
 dodrlne is incoiififtent : for you are fored 
 to maintain that three are one. Nay, wff 
 maintain no fuch contradidion ; for the Ti> 
 liity is not three and one in the fame refpeiH:, 
 but three in perfon and one in cllbnce, Th§ 
 air which is reduced to atoms in the a^flioa 
 of fire, and the light which comes from it, 
 and the grofs fpirit of the air which feeds th§ 
 fire, thcfe three conditions of the air are oi^ 
 in effence, and is it any coiUradi(5tion to Uy^ 
 thefe three are one ? No furely. Juft fo w§ 
 fpeak of the effence as one, md of the per* 
 Tons in it as three, 
 
 Suppofing this to be a good illnftratioq oi 
 the doctrine, yet ftill we cannot receive jt, 
 fay fome, becaiife it is uniutelhgible, Whs^ 
 is unintelligible ? The propofition itfelf jg 
 p!ain, in the felf^exiftent effence there are 
 three perfons. You cannot objedl to the dlf^ 
 -ficulty of the terms, or of your forming a 
 clear idea of what they convey. But you Qm* 
 not conceive how there can be three perfoi)§ 
 .in one effence. And is this the eaufe of yoyf 
 unbelief? If you will not believe the dog:» 
 trine of the Trinity, until you comprehea^ 
 the manner of the divine exiftence, coniidff 
 • how ^bllirdly you 2.3:: For dp ypu knpw 
 
 hp^ 
 
( 250 ) 
 
 how a {pint eJtlfts ? No. And yet you be* 
 lleve the cxtftence of an immortal' fpirit with- 
 in you. Can you comprehend how an infi* 
 nite Spirit exifts ? No. You know not how 
 your own fpirit exifts, and yet while you 
 are confefledly ignorant of a finite object, 
 you pretend to be fo well acquainted with 
 the mode and manner of exiftence of an infi* 
 nite Spirit, as to reje6t what is revealed in 
 fcripture concerning it. Whether this be 
 not ading an abfurd part, I leave it to your* 
 felves to judge* 
 
 .But ftill you cannot think the fcripture- 
 ^o6lrine of the Trinity is rational. If you go 
 to try it by reafon, you forget that the world 
 by reafon knew not God. It did not know 
 him formerly in the learned ages of Greece 
 and Rome, And if then , this enlightened 
 age has difcovered how Jehovah exifts, let 
 our reafoning infidels demonftrate, that he 
 exifts in fuch a manner as abfolutely ex- 
 cludes all perfonaUty. But this they can- 
 not demonftrate, they know they cannot, 
 and yet they pretend the fcripture-do^trinc 
 of the Trinity is not rational, althoiigh they 
 have no reafon againft it; no good reafon, 
 however, none that they dare publicly own. 
 
 The 
 
( 25' ) 
 
 The caufe of their unbelief muft be afcribed 
 chiefly to their fins. While they live in wil- 
 ful fin they cannot know God, becaufe their 
 minds are in total blindnefs, and will con- 
 tinue fo, as long as they continue alienated 
 from the life of God. They muft be con- 
 vinced of fin, aad humbled under the fenfe 
 of it, and fue for mercy, and receive it, and 
 then they will know the blefled Trinity is 
 Jehovah : for no man knoweth the Son but 
 the Father, neither knoweth any man the 
 Father, but the Son, and he to whomfoever 
 the Son will reveal him by the teaching of 
 his good Spirit. May he, who has the refi- 
 duc of the Spirit, fend him to take away ig- 
 norance from all unbelievers, hardnefs of heart 
 and contempt of his word, that they may be 
 converted, and believe to the faving of their 
 fouls. 
 
 But befides thefe more open deniers of 
 the doflrine, we have feveral of our own 
 people, who attend upon the ordinances . of 
 the church j and yet are ignorant of this fun- 
 damental do(flrine. For their fakes we ought 
 to infift upon it, and to explain it as taught 
 in fcripture, and in the liturgy of our church, 
 with which the ilate of the dotSlrinc, as now 
 
 laid 
 
( 252 ) 
 
 iaid down, is perfe6:ly confiftcnt. The iirft 
 ^ of the thirty-nine articles treats of faith ia 
 Ihe Holy Trinity, and fays that in the unity 
 Qf the Godhead there be three perfons of 
 #ne fubftance, power, and eternity, the Fa- 
 fher. Son, and Holy Ghofl : and the pro- 
 per preface in the communion-fervice for 
 Trinity Sunday is more clear and determi- 
 nate. " It is very meet and right that wc 
 ** fliould give thanks to thee, who art one 
 *' God, one Lord, not one only perfon, but 
 *' three perfons in one fubftance, for that 
 ^' which we beUeve of the glory of the Fa^ 
 •' ther, the fame we believe of the Son, and 
 *' of the Holy Ghoft, without ANY DIF- 
 *' FERENCE or INEQUALITY." Thefe 
 are the teftimonies of our church, and they 
 4fe very full iu confirmation of the dodrine 
 Xvhich you have now heard. Confider them 
 carefully, my brethren, and beg of God to en- 
 lighten your underilandings with the know- 
 ledge of the truth. Oh that he may mani- 
 feft it fo clearly, as that you may know the 
 Father to be your reconciled Father, the Soa 
 to be your Almighty Saviour, and the Holy 
 Spirit to be your coun feller and comforter, 
 your flrengthener and fandifier unto the 
 end. 
 
 4 Happy 
 
( ^53 ) 
 
 Hap^y are they who thus know God, or 
 rather arc known of God. You, my Chrif- 
 tian brethren, enjoy this happinefs : for you 
 know in whom you have believed. By faitH 
 you have come to God, believing that he i§ 
 Jehovah, the felf-cxiftent efTence, and that 
 he is a rewarder of them who diligently feck 
 the mercies of the covenanr, which wa? 
 made by the blefled three in Jehovah, iind 
 \vhich is expreiTed by thfc gracious name 
 jiiehim. You know Jehovah your Akhim, 
 and thus you keep the firfl: part of tte great 
 commandment t^f all— ^Hear, O Tfrael^ Jeho- 
 vah our Alehrin is one Jehovah. Y(ra believfe 
 in and vv'orfliip Jehovah, one in eflence and 
 three in perfon. Ypu are thankful for what 
 is revealed concerning the perfonality, and 
 the merciful offices fuftained by the divine 
 p^rfons in the covenant of grace. With 
 your lips and with your lives you are ready to 
 fhew forth the thankfulnefs of your hearts, 
 and to follow me to the next part of my 
 text, which treats of the love of Jehovah 
 Alehhn. But this I muft referve for the fub- 
 je6l of another difcourfe, only defirins^ you 
 at prefent to look up to that Lord and Go4 
 of whom we have been fpeaking, and to 
 befccch him to render ufeful what has bcer^ 
 
 fki4 
 
( 254 ) 
 
 faid to all of us. O that he would enable us 
 all to make ufe of the words of our church 
 upon the occafion, and with the prayer of 
 faith to fay. 
 
 Almighty and everlafting God, who haft 
 given unto us, thy fervants, grace by the con- 
 feflion of a true faith to acknowledge the 
 glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the pow- 
 er of the divine majefty to worfliip the unity ; 
 we befeech thee, that thou wouldeft keep us 
 fledfaft in this faith, and ever more defend 
 us from all adverfities, who liveft and reign- 
 eft one God, world without end. Amen. 
 
 UPON 
 
( 255 ) 
 
 UPON THE RIGHT 
 
 LOVE of the LORD GOD. 
 
 DISCOURSE VIII. 
 
 Mark xli. 28, 29, 30, 31* 
 
 j4nd one of the Scribes came, and having heard 
 them reafontng together y and perceiving that 
 he had anfwered them well, a/ked hijn, which 
 is thefirft commandment of all. And Jefus 
 anfwered him, Thefrjl of all the comtnand- 
 tnents is. Hear, Ifrael, the Lord our God 
 
 ' is one Lord ; and thou Jhalt love the Lord thy 
 God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul ^ 
 and with all thy mind, a?id with all thy 
 Jirength: This is the frji commandment. And 
 the fecond is Hike, namely this, 'Thou Jhalt 
 love thy neighbour as thyfelf % there is none 
 other commandment greater than thefe, 
 
 C/UR blelTed Saviour has delivered in thefc 
 words, four wtvy important truths : 
 
 Firji, He teaches us the right knowledge 
 of the Lord God. 
 
 Secondly, 
 
SccbHdiy, The right love of hirtl* 
 
 mrdiy, The right love of our lieighbdiif 
 ariling from tlie right love of God ; and 
 
 Fmirthlyy The greatnefs of thefe Command* 
 liients, there is none other commandment 
 greater than thefe. 
 
 The firil: of thefe particulars has been aU 
 fiady treated of. It is contained in thefe 
 words! Hear, O -^^f/, Jehovah our ^/^Z^Z/b, 
 is One Jehovah* Thei*^ are three that have 
 entered into covenant in heaven, Father, 
 Son J attd Holy Spirit, and thefe three are 
 ©iie, three perfons of one effence. this is 
 the revealed account, and this, my brethren^ 
 you are bound to receive if you believe in 
 Odd : for if you withdraw your allegiance 
 from the three perfons in one Jehovah, and 
 ^a-y it to an abfolute God exifting in one 
 perfon, you are as guilty of idolatry as if you 
 had twenty thoufand gods. This is the 
 GJife of every Dvijl, who, by rejecting the 
 fcripture-do£lriiie of the Trinity in unity, is 
 in as 'bad ^ il:ate as the Atheiji; for what 
 is the difference between him who has no 
 Ood, and him who has a falfe god \ They 
 are both without the true God in the world, 
 
 both 
 
( ^Sl ) 
 
 both traitors again ft the majefty of Jehovah, 
 and both have turned away^ their ears from 
 hearing his laws. He has commanded them 
 to beheve in him as Jehovah /1/eh'im, but 
 they refufe to beheve in him. The Atbeiji 
 fays there is no Jehovah, and the fool upon 
 record, the Delfi hath faid in his heart, there 
 are no Aleh'im ; and hovv' then can they efcape 
 his vengeance, fince he has threatened that 
 they \v\iO only forget him fhall be punifl ed 
 in everlafting fire, " the wicked fliall be 
 " turned into hell, and all the people that 
 " foro-et God." The crime is fmall to fors;et 
 God, compared to theirs who deny his very- 
 being, or who refufe to worfhip him as the 
 true God. In either cafe they are guilty of 
 high-treafon : for the Lord God calls upon 
 them to hearken to him. He is about to de- 
 liver the firfl and great commandment, and 
 he requires his people to attend and to receive 
 the law from his mouth — Hear, O Ifrael — 
 Jfrael fignifies all the people of God in what- 
 ever age or country they live, whether they 
 beyfici or Gentiles. " Hear, O Ifracly Jehovah 
 " our Alehlm is one Jehovah,*' Jehovah is one, 
 but Aleb'im is plural, more than one, namely, 
 the three in covenant. Father, Son, and 
 Holy Spirit, who took this name becaufe 
 
 R the 
 
C :5« ) 
 til*; Covenant was confirmed by an oath tor 
 the fiikc of the hens of promife, that they 
 might have two immutable things to reil: their 
 faith upon. The right knowledge of God 
 then confifts in beUeving, that in Jehovah 
 the felf-exiftent effence there are three co- 
 equal and co-eternal pcrlons, between whom 
 there is no difference or inequality, but what 
 is made by the covenant of grace. Their 
 names, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are 
 not defcriptive of their nature, but of their 
 offices, they are not to teach us in what 
 manner they exift in Jehovah, but they are 
 covenant names, belonging to the offices 
 which the divine perfons fuflain in the co- 
 venant* The fcripture does not ufe thefe 
 names to teach us how the divine perfons 
 exiil, but how they a6l ; how they lland 
 related to the heirs of promife, and not what 
 they are in themfelves, as perfons in Jeho- 
 vah. This is a truth of great importance, 
 which I have endeavoured to defend both 
 from the pulpit and from the prels ; and 
 particularly in a printed difcourle upon the 
 felf-exiflence of 'jcfm Chr'ijl. The true ob- 
 je£l of worfhip then, to whom our obe- 
 dience and love are due, is Jehovah Aleh'wi^ 
 according to what is faid in the Creed, " the 
 
 '* unity 
 
( 259 ) 
 ** unity In Trinity and the Trinity in unity 
 ** is to be worflilpped." And is this, my bre- 
 thren, the objedl of your worfliip ? Do you pay 
 your allegiance to a God in one perlon, or to 
 Jehovah in Trinity ? If you have not been 
 determined to worfliip Jehovah Alebhn^ but 
 have broken this firfl: part of the great com- 
 mandment of all, you cannot keep the other 
 parts : for the love of God depends upon 
 the knowledge of God. How fliould you 
 love the true God until you know him ? But 
 if you know him as he has been pleafed to 
 reveal himfelf to us in the text, as three 
 perfons in one effence, and are defirous of 
 paying him that tribute of love which he re- 
 quires, then you will gladly follow me to my 
 fecond general head, namely, to the confider- 
 atlon of the right love of the Lord God. 
 And may he be prefent with us, while we 
 are treating of his love. Oh that he would 
 fend his good Spirit to ftir up longings In 
 their hearts, who have as yet no defn-e to 
 love the Lord God, to fhed his love abroad 
 in their hearts, who arc huno;erIn'^ and thirft- 
 ing for it, and may both fpeaker and hearers 
 find their love to God increafe from what 
 fhall be fald upon thefe words — " Thou 
 *' ihalt love the. Lord thy God with all 
 
 R 2 '* thv 
 
( 1(^0 ) 
 
 *' thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with 
 " all thy mind, and with all thy ftrength.'* 
 In difcourfing upon which I (hall 
 
 F/r/?, Shew the nature of the love here 
 commanded. 
 
 Sccondlv, I (hall confider, whether all men 
 keep this commandment. 
 
 nirdh. If they do not, in what way thd 
 fofpel direifls us to attain the love of God, 
 and then in order to ilir us up to attain it, I 
 will lay before you 
 
 Fourthly^ Some of the exceeding great and 
 precious promifes made to them, who love 
 God. 
 
 Firfy The text treats of our love to the 
 Lord God, requiring our love to arife from 
 our knowledge of him. When the under^ 
 (landing perceives what he is, the heart 
 ou2;ht to receive him for its chiefeft e:ood. 
 As Jehovah, he is the fountain of all good; 
 he is the felf-exiftent cflence, through whofe 
 power and goodnefs all other beings exift, 
 and therefore to him they all owe their tri- 
 bute of love and obedience. As Jehovah 
 ^ Alehhn 
 
( ^6i ) 
 
 yUcb'mi the Trinity in covenant, he has en- 
 gaged to beftow upon his redeemed people 
 every grace and every blefling, which they 
 {land in need of in time and in eternity, and 
 on this account he has an undoubted claim 
 to their allegiance. When they view him 
 in this light, their hearts (hould be deter- 
 mined to love him, and when they partake 
 oi the graces and bleflings of the covenant 
 they ought to love him out of gratitude. 
 The debt of gratitude is fo immenfe, that 
 they can never repay it, and therefore they 
 are the more obliged to make every poflible 
 acknowledgment of their thankfulnefs. They 
 ought to love Jehovah their Alehhn with all 
 their heart, with all their foul, with all 
 their mind, and with all their flrens^th. 
 And yet when they do love him in this 
 perfect manner, they can only acknow- 
 ledge the debt, for they leave it ftill un- 
 paid ; and it will be for ever unpaid, as 
 to any return in kind, that they can make. 
 They can only love, (and what lefs can they 
 do than love) the Lord their God for his 
 inhnitely rich bleflings, and this love he de- 
 mands. As Jehovah, he has a right to de- 
 mand it of all his creatures, and as Alclo'im 
 he may claim it of every one who partakes of 
 
 R 3 the 
 
( 262 ) 
 
 the benefits of the covenant. They ought 
 to love him 
 
 Wtib all the heart. The heart is the feat 
 of afFeclion. All the affeclions belong to 
 the heart, and the Lord God here clain:is 
 them all. They are all to centre in him. 
 He is to reign fole monarch of the heart, 
 and the affedlions are to be his willins: fub- 
 
 o 
 
 je«£ts, loving him above all things and in all 
 things. Whatever any of them defire as 
 good, they are to defire it out of love to 
 God : and they are not to give any obje6t a 
 place in their efteem, unlefs their love to it 
 be a proof of their love and obedience to 
 God. My fon, fays he, give me thy heart, 
 all thy heart, and let me have no rival to 
 Ihare in thy affe6lions. And as he thus de- 
 mands the love of the immortal fpirit with- 
 in us, fo does he in the next words claim the 
 afFe£lions of the human frame. " Thou (halt 
 '* love the Lord thy God 
 
 * ' With all thy Soul''' The Hebrew w o rd h e r e 
 rendered foul, does not fignify the immate- 
 rial and immortal Spirit, but is generally vifed 
 in fcripture for the parts concerned in car^ 
 rying on the circulation of the blood, and in 
 
 which 
 
( a6j ) 
 
 which the appetites of the human frame arc 
 placed. Thefe are to be regulated by the 
 love of God, and they are all to be ufed in 
 his fervice. The heart, being the command- 
 ing and ruling faculty, ought to influence 
 them at all times to acfl upon a principle of 
 love to their infinitely kind creator and bene- 
 faiflor. Every defire and craving, every in- 
 ftinct and pafiion of the animal faculties 
 fliould be broue-ht into fuch a chearful lub- 
 jedion to the Lord God, that to do his will 
 fhould be their delight. There (hould not 
 be a motion or ftirring of defire in any of the 
 appetites, but what took its rife from love : 
 for all the foul, the whole human frame 
 was to be e:overned and influenced bv the 
 perfefl: love of God. There fliould not be 
 a defire in any one indinfl or appetite, but 
 what fprung from divine love, and when 
 carried into a£l: and 2;ratified, it ou2:ht to be 
 invariably directed by the fame principle. 
 And the Lord God not only demands the 
 fervice of all the afl'cdlions of the immortal 
 fpirit, and of all the appetites of the hu- 
 man frame, but the text goes on to claim 
 the fervice of all the rational faculties : for 
 that is the fenfe of the Greek word which is 
 rendered 
 
 R 4 /r/>/6 
 
( 264 ) 
 
 With all thy mind. It denotes that power 
 of the mind, whereby it deduces one thing 
 from another. It is what the logicians call 
 difcuifus, or the art of reafoning : the mind 
 having before received ideas by fimple ap- 
 prehenfion, and formed a judgment of them, 
 is then enabled to reafon upon them, and 
 this faculty of reafoning is here meant. Fo 
 that every thing which the mind can rca- 
 fon upon ought to lead it up to God, and 
 to increafe its love to God. Reafon with all 
 its powers, fhould be under the influence of 
 divine love. And thus the Lord God ex- 
 perts us to keep the firft and great com- 
 mandment : he requires all the afteCcions of 
 body, loul and fpirit, and all the reafoning 
 iaculties to be invariably fixed upon him ; 
 and he would not only have them to be in- 
 fluenced by his love, but he would alfo have 
 each of them to exert their whole flrength 
 in manifening their love in him, 
 
 Jlfrd zvith all thy Jlrength, The love of 
 God muft be perfect in kind, in degree, in 
 duration. Whatever ftrength there is in man, 
 divine love iLould have the command of it, 
 and the continual ufe of it. All the powers 
 of foul and body, and of all tlieir faculties, 
 
 fliould 
 
( 265 ) 
 
 fhould be directed in every thought aiid^ 
 word and work by the love of God ; and 
 there (hould be no abating of their vigour 
 in any refpedl ; but they (hould be continu- 
 ally carried out with their whole ftrength 
 into erateful a6ls of love and obedience. 
 
 This is the nature of the love required in 
 the text, and it is required by the Lord God, 
 to Vv'hom we are all under infinite obliga- 
 tions, and whom we are bound, by innu- 
 merable ties, to love with all the affedlions 
 of the immortal fpirit, and of the human 
 frame, with all our rea/oning faculties, and 
 with all our flrength. This is the firft and 
 great commandment, and whoever keeps 
 it in this perfe61: maimer, fulfils the law 
 of the firfl table. He cannot have any other 
 God as an obje£l of love or worfhip, 
 neither can he fet up any falfe worfhip, 
 nor diflionour the divine name, by taking 
 it in vain, nor forget the time appointed for 
 enjoying communion with his God. How 
 can he break any of thefe commands, while 
 the love of God reigns in his heart, and 
 commands all his afi^e^lions ? But if he 
 breaks any one of them, does he not there- 
 
 by 
 
( 266 ) 
 
 .by withdraw his love and fervice from God ? 
 and if this be done only once, he has not 
 kept the firft and great commandment, but 
 is become a tranfgreflbr of the law, and lia- 
 ble to fuffer the punilhment due to his trauf- 
 greflion. 
 
 Here then there arifes an important quef- 
 tjon, in which you are all nearly concerned, 
 and every one of you fhould alk his own 
 heart, Have I kept this firft and great com- 
 mandment ? The Lord God has an un- 
 doubted right to this tribute of perfect love, 
 have I paid it him ? Whether you have or 
 not fhall be now enquired under my 
 
 Second general bead, and it was propofed 
 to confider, whether all men keep this conn* 
 mandment. 
 
 Let us examine thefe two faithful witneiles 
 upon the point, fcripture and matter of 
 fa£l, and by their concurrent teftimony let 
 the truth be eftablifhed. Look around you, 
 my brethren, and fee what men's affections 
 appear to be moft fet upon. What are they 
 coveting with all their hearts, wifhing for 
 with all their fouls, and purfuing with all 
 
 their 
 
( 207 ) 
 
 their flrcngtb, and in the enjoyment or* what 
 do they account themlelves happy ? Is God in 
 all their thoughts ? Is he the chief obje£l of 
 their love, and the great end of all their pur- 
 fuits ? Is gratitude to him the ruling prin- 
 ciple of their lives, and do they think them- 
 felves mofl: happy when they love him moft 
 and ferve him bell: ? A very little acquaint- 
 ance with mankind will foon convince you, 
 that God does not reign in their hearts, al- 
 tho* his hands have made them and fadiion- 
 cd them, and their life and breath and all 
 things come from his bounty, and the ufc 
 of them depends upon his good, pleafure. 
 They have forgotten all his benefits, and 
 turned traitors to their fovereign Lord. They 
 have taken up arms, and have entered into 
 rebellion againfl his lawful government. 
 They have enlifted freely in the fervice of 
 fin to fight under the banner of fatan. Their 
 love to (in has drawn them into this unna- 
 tural rebellion, and their flrong attachment 
 to its pleafbres has made them rejecl the 
 happinefs which God offers them. While 
 they are at war with him, he publifhes an 
 acl of grace, and 'out of his infinite mercy 
 declares his willingnefs to forgive them, if 
 they will throw down their arms ; but they 
 
 refufc 
 
( 268 ) 
 
 refufe to receive his free pardon, being not 
 only lovers of pleafure more than lovers of 
 God, but alfo fuch defperate lovers of plea- 
 fure, that they are haters of God. They 
 hate him for denying them the fweet enjoy- 
 ment of their beloved fins ; and they hate 
 him the more for threatening to punifh 
 them. And this hatred fhews itfelf openly, 
 by their hating his will, his ordinances, his 
 people ; yea, by their hating every thing, that 
 God loves. 
 
 Well might the prophet fay, Lord, what 
 is man ? What is he indeed ! What a moft 
 wonderful creature is he, that he fliould not 
 be afraid to £ght againfl the i\lmighty, and 
 that he fhould dare to hate an infinitely per- 
 fea God ! Oh, furely he is fallen ! fallen 
 greatly from his high eilate, fince he is fuch 
 a monfler of ingratitude, as to hate his bed 
 friend and benefactor, even the God who 
 gave him thofe very faculties of body and 
 foul, and who continues the ufe of them, 
 although he makes them the inftruments 
 and weapons of rebellion j and with them 
 oppofes God's lawful fovereignty over him. 
 
 But 
 
( ^69 ) 
 
 But perhaps fome will aflc, What ! are all 
 men haters of God ? Yes, in their natural 
 {late every one of them hates him, and this 
 may be demonftrated from their love of 
 what God hates. All have finned, and what 
 can tempt them all to fin, but the love of 
 it ? All men love the world, and place their 
 afFe<fl ions upon the things of it; how could 
 this be, if their hearts were placed upon 
 God, and their affections upon the things 
 of God ? If they loved the God of infinite 
 purity, they could not at the fame time 
 love the world that lieth in wicked nefs ; 
 becaufe this is fetting up their will in op- 
 pofition to his holy will, in which all en- 
 mity confifls. " If any man love the world, 
 '* the love of the Father is not in him.'* Thafe 
 two kinds of love cannot be in the fame 
 heart; they are at irreconcileable enmity; 
 and yet the love of the world is in the 
 hearts of all natural men. They are turned 
 from the love of God to the love of evil. 
 The heart of the fons of men is fully fet in 
 them to do evil. So fays our ninth ar- 
 ticle, " Fallen man is of his own nature in- 
 " clined to evil," his incHnations are turned 
 from the love of God to the love of evil ; 
 yea, fo entirely turned, that the imagina- 
 tions 
 
( 270 ) 
 
 tions of the thoughts of his heart are not 
 fet upon God, but are fet upon evil, and 
 that continually. And this love of evil is 
 deeply rooted in the very nature and frame 
 of man, and has gotten fuch entire pofTei^ 
 fion of him, that it has made him hate 
 God. This hatred chiefly fhews itfelf by 
 its oppofition to the will of God, which is 
 in fail, oppofition to and hatred of the perfon 
 of God ; according to what is written by 
 the prophet, " ye that love the Lord, hate 
 *' evil." Pfahn xcvii. 10. To which agree 
 the words of our Lord, *' If ye love me, 
 *' keep my commandments,'* fhew your 
 love to me by your love and obedience to 
 my will. Does any natural man fliew his 
 love in this way ? . No. His heart is in an- 
 other intereil. He hates the commandments 
 of God, therefore he hates God. There 
 appears a fettled fixed hatred in him to the 
 divine ordinances. How little does he read 
 or know of the word of God ? many large 
 volumes he has perufed, many novels and 
 play-books he has treafured up in his me- 
 mory, but the facred volume, in which 
 God has revealed all the treafures of wif- 
 dom and knowledge, is negle£led. How. 
 xnaBy are there of us who never read the 
 
 Bible 
 
( 271 ) 
 
 Bible through in our lives ? Whereas, if we 
 loved God, wc fhould certainly read the 
 fweet volume of his grace and love with 
 care and diligence, and fhould be medita- 
 ting in it day and night. No reading would 
 be fo pleafant, as none would be more im- 
 proving. But the devil's book is far more 
 perufed than God's. We hear of very few 
 parties that meet together to read the fcrip* 
 tures : thank God there are fome ; but 
 thoufands meet together in this city every 
 evening to ftudy the devil's book. How 
 can thefe perfons love the Lord God with 
 all their hearts, fince they hate his revealed 
 will, and can fpend three or four, or more 
 hours every day at a mofh flupid diverfion, 
 and at which God is not in all their thoughts ? 
 And as the natural man hates the word, fo 
 he hates prayer. It is a vaft burden to 
 him. If you propofe to him to be of a 
 party, who are going to fpend an hour this 
 evening in prayer, you will foon fee he has 
 no reli(h to the duty. He will try to get 
 himfelf excufed, if he can, and if he can- 
 not, it will be to him a mod miferable long, 
 dull hour, and he will be very glad, when 
 it is over. The reafon is ; he has no com- 
 munion with God, and therefore doef5 not 
 
 love 
 
( 272 ) 
 
 love to converfe with him. The thin grs oftime 
 
 o 
 
 and fenfe pleafe hira more than the things 
 of God ; yea fo much more as to render te- 
 dious and hateful all the exercifes and or- 
 dinances of religion. The very table of the 
 Lord is not pleafant to him. God has been 
 pleafed to prepare a rich feafl for his people, 
 but the natural man has no appetite for it. 
 He has no faith to live upon Chrift's broken 
 body, and blood ihcd ; and therefore perhaps 
 never was at the Lord's table in his life, un- 
 lefs for fome prudential reafons, to pleafe 
 fome relations, or to quahfy for fome good 
 place. And as to the Lord*s houfe, he never 
 goes there, but out of form and cuftom. If 
 he is to fee fome favourite new play or en- 
 tertainment, he goes with very exalted fpirits 
 to the devil's houfe, but coming to church 
 is a burden ; and when he is there, the fer- 
 vice is quite tirefome. He wifhes it was 
 over, and the dull fermon was ended. The 
 Lord's day has nothing pleafing to engage 
 his heart. It breaks in upon his bufinefs 
 and pleafures, and is the moft flupid day in 
 the whole week. If he be a polite man, and 
 of a plentiful fortune, he will fliew how 
 \vearied he is with the divine appointment 
 of this portion of time, by his manner of 
 
 fp ending 
 
( '^iz ) 
 
 (pending it. The day being got over as well 
 as he can in vifiting and company, he thinks 
 the evening may be fpent at an innocent 
 game of cards, or at a concert of mulic. Can 
 thefe people love God, who thus demonflrate 
 their enmity to his will and to his ordi- 
 nances? And if any one reprove them, they 
 will foon exprefs their enmity againft himj 
 and will make him feel it too, if they have 
 it in their power. How dwelleth the love 
 of God in fuch pcrfons ? Can love beo-et 
 hatred ? If you love any perfon, will you 
 do everything which you know he hates? 
 Certainly this is the way in which hatred 
 fhews itfelf; and therefore, fmce all meti 
 Jove fin, which God hateth, and love the 
 world and the pleafures and enjoyments of 
 it, and negled and hate the divine ordinances* 
 it is evident that the love of God is not in 
 
 th 
 
 em. 
 
 This may be the cafe of the bafer fort of 
 ra€n, may fome fay, but not of the more 
 civilized and polite. Vcs, it is the cafe of 
 all alike. Human learning: does not brines 
 »€n to the knowledge of God, nor polite- 
 nefs to the love of him. What people weit 
 more learned* and polite than the Rotnayn ? 
 
 S and 
 
( 274 ) 
 and yet they vvefe " haters of God.** Ront. 
 i. 30; They had attained to the higheft re'-* 
 frnement of claffical learning, and neverthe- 
 lefs they continued to hate the true God. 
 They were very poHte and civilized in theif 
 mainners to one another, but in their reli- 
 gion no nation was ever more rude and bar- 
 barous. Their city was full of idols, and 
 yet they were without God in the world, for 
 his perfon they rejected by their idolatry, and 
 his moft adorable attributes and perfections 
 they hated. 
 
 But fonrte may afk, Is there no difference 
 between us, who are born in a Chriftian 
 country, and others, who have no kn6w- 
 ledo-e of Chrift? No, none but what is made 
 by grace. You have many outward privi- 
 le^es in a Chriftian country ; but you ^o 
 not therefore partake of the love of God, be- 
 caufe you partake of thefe privileges. Is not 
 this matter of fa(fl ? Is there; not as much 
 love of the world, of riches^ pleafures, and 
 honours among nominal Chrijlmns^ as among 
 yews ox Heathens f For in what does a no- 
 minal Chnjlian differ from a Heathen^ but 
 in name ? He has, indeed, fome outward 
 privileges, btit thefe cannot of themfelves 
 
 change 
 
f ^IS ) 
 change the inward frame and temper of- his 
 mijid ; becauie they operate, not mechani- 
 cally or phylically, but by the divine influ- 
 ence upon them, and where this is not pre- 
 fent, although P<3Z// ihou Id plant, and Apollos 
 ihould water, yet there would be no incrcafe 
 cither of the knowledge or of the ]ove of 
 God* 
 
 Does this (late of the cafe offend vou, 
 my brethren, becaufe it gives^youfuch mean 
 ideas of human nature ? Navj be not of- 
 fended at what fcripture plainly teaches, and 
 experience demon ftrates. Rather fearch your 
 own-hearts, and fee vvhether there be not 
 in you a fettled hatred of God. If you ex- 
 amine yourfelves by the rule laid down in 
 the text, and if confcLence does its duty, 
 you will own yourfelves to be guilty of the 
 breach of the firft and great commandment. 
 But wliether you own it or not, it is an 
 infallible truth. As certainly as God hates 
 fni, fo certainly does the unpardoned linner 
 hate God : for he that loves fin cannot love 
 God. While he hates the mind and will of 
 God, how can he poilibly love the perfon 
 of God ? And fuch haters of God have we 
 all been. We have all loved fin, which is 
 
 S 2 dired 
 
( ^76 ) 
 
 dii'ect enmity agaiaft his Ibvereigii will. We 
 have all committed fin, v/hich is open re- 
 bellion againil: his government. Could we 
 have a6led in this manner, if the love of 
 God had been perfecled in us ? No, furely. 
 The love of God would never have led 
 us to break his holy laws, to infult his 
 authority, and to provoke his juftice : for 
 hereby the wrath of God abideth upon us, 
 and did we indeed love him, how could we 
 bear to be under his wrath, or how could 
 we think of its abiding upon us for ever 
 and ever ? Thefe are undoubted proofs of 
 our having failed in our love to God. We 
 have all broken the tirfi and great com- 
 mandment, and are thereby become tranf- 
 greflbrs of the law. We are all fubje6l to 
 ^he pains and penalties threatened to tranf- 
 greflion, and are unable to do any thing to 
 deliver ourfelves. This is our guilty and 
 helplefs ftate. My brethren, are you con- 
 vinced of it ? This conviclion is abfolutely 
 iieceflary : for you can never be brought to 
 love God, until you have been made tho- 
 roueblv fenfible, that bv nature you were 
 haters of God. When the Holy Spirit be- 
 gins to turn your hearts from fin to righte- 
 oufnefs, the firft flep he takes is to convince 
 
 you 
 
( 277 ) 
 you of your former hatred to God and to his 
 will. Under a fenle of this he humhlcs yon, 
 and makes you pray to God for the dil- 
 covery of his love. Finding yourfclves mi- 
 ferahle without it, you will earneftly afk it ' 
 of him who has it to give. But thele points 
 come now in order to be confidered under 
 my 
 
 'Third head, under which I purpofed to 
 explain in what way the gofpel dire^fls us to 
 attain the love of God. One great defign 
 of Chriftianity was to reform our love, by 
 bringing it back to its proper objed, and by 
 fixing it there. By fui we had withdrawn 
 our hearts from God, and placed them upon 
 the things of time and fenfe ; whereby we 
 had not only fallen into a (late of guilt, but 
 if we had continued in it, we could not 
 have been happy, no, not in heaven. Be- 
 caufe we cannot be happy in what we hate. 
 Our hatred would turn heaven itfelf into a 
 place of torment. Chriftianity was the gra- 
 cious contrivance of God, by which we might 
 be brought to love what would make us really 
 and eternally happy; and this it does by rail- 
 inor our afFe£lions from the love of the crea- 
 ture to the love of God. It begins this work 
 
 S 3 by 
 
C 27S ) 
 
 by convincing us, that we have failed in all 
 the duties of the firft table, and have broken 
 the great commandment of love, which in- 
 cludes them all. He that is never convinced 
 of this, will never fee his want of divine 
 love, and therefore will never a(k it. Have 
 you then been convinced, my brethren, 
 from what has been faid, that in vour na^ 
 tural ftate you neither do love God, nor can 
 love him by any means in your own pow- 
 er ? If yoii are not convinced what I am 
 going to offer will be of no lervice to you ; 
 becaufe it is in vain to fnew you how to at- 
 tain the love of God, if you fee not the ncr 
 ceflity of attaining it, May the God of love 
 Limfelf convince you of* this neceffity, and 
 help you to follow me with profit in the con- 
 f.deration of the feveral fleps, by which the 
 gofpel directs (inners to the love of God, and 
 thefe are three. The 
 
 Firfl, Is 'a lively fenfe and cOnvi^lion of 
 their want of the love of God. 
 
 Secondly, A clear difcovery of what Chrifl: 
 did to manifefl: the love of the Father, and to 
 reconcile finners to hira ; and, 
 
( 279 ) 
 
 ^Jjirdly^ The work of the Holy Spirit in 
 bringing them to the knowledge and expe- 
 rience of the love of God. 
 
 The firft flep towards the attainment of 
 divine love, is a lively fenfe of the want of 
 it. The Holy Spirit convinces the (inner of 
 his guilt for having: withdrawn his love and 
 obedience from the Lord God, and for hav- 
 ing thereby robbed him of his due honour 
 and fervice. The linner upon this feels what 
 it is to have provoked an Almighty God, 
 and in his guilty confcience he has fearful 
 appreheniions of God*s anger, and of abid- 
 ing under his wrath. He finds he fliould 
 have grovelled on in the fiijful love of the 
 creature, if the Holy Spirit had not thus con- 
 vinced him of his guilt, and made him feel 
 his mifery. He now fees he has broken all 
 the firft table, and is become a tranfgreflbr of 
 the law, and therefore is ftirred up in earneft 
 to feek for the fenfe of God*s pardoning 
 love. 
 
 This is the Lord's way, in which he 
 brings him to know himfelf, and to experi- 
 ence the emptinefs of all creature love ; and 
 thus he puts him upon feeking happinefs in 
 
 S 4 God, 
 
( 28o ) 
 
 God. l\Ty brethren, have you been made 
 lenfible of your want of it ; and are you 
 feeking it in him ? If you are, you have 
 great reafon to be thankful ; for you have 
 already fome tokens of his love. He has put 
 it into your hearts to feek his flu our ; may 
 he draw you by the cords of hio iovc, until 
 YOU have a clear difcovery of what Chrifl 
 did to manifeft the love of the Father, and 
 to reconcile (inners to him ; which is the 
 fecond flep towards the attainment of divine 
 love. 
 
 We could never have attained it by any 
 means in our own power, and no mere 
 creature could have attained it for us : be- 
 caufe before the Father would manifeft his 
 love to us, he would have all the demands of 
 his law and juftice fully aniwered. While 
 the broken law ftood out againft us, and juf- 
 tice was concerned to lee its pains and penal- 
 ties infli'fled, v/e could have no peace with 
 God. But Chrift undertook the work of re- 
 conciliation, by doing all that his law requir- 
 ed, and by fuffering all that his juflice de- 
 manded, and thereby making a full atone- 
 ment for our fins. The law he fully fatisfied 
 \)w his infinitely perfect obedience ; for by it 
 
 / 7 ^^ 
 
( ^8r ) 
 
 he mag-nified the law, and made It honour- 
 able, infomuch that *' by the obedience of 
 " one, many (hall be made righteous." Rom. 
 V. 19. His obedience was abfolutely necef- 
 fary to make them righteous before God, 
 othervvife Chrift obeyed in vain. Juftice he 
 fully fatisfied by his infinitely meritorious 
 fufferings. It was decreed, that without 
 Iheddlng of blood there fhould be no re- 
 miffion ; but it was not poffible that the 
 blood of bulls and of goats fliould obtain 
 remiffion; wherefore, when he cometh into 
 the world, he faith to his Father, Sacri- 
 fice and offering thou wouldefl not, but a 
 body haft thou prepared me. In burnt of- 
 ferings and facrifices for fin thou haft had no 
 pleafure ; then faid I, Lo, I come to do thy 
 will, O God, by making myfelf an offer- 
 ing for fin. This was the Father's will. He 
 accepted the fufferings of the juft for the 
 unjuft ; and when the holy lamb, through 
 the eternal fpirit, offered himfelf without 
 fpot to God, he was an offering and a facri- 
 fice to God for a fweet-fmellins; favour. The 
 Father is well pleafed with him, and is alfo 
 well pleafed with them, who have redemp- 
 tion through his blood, even the forgivenefs 
 
 of 
 
( 28l ) 
 
 offms. For the prophet, fpeaking of them, 
 fays [Pfalm Ixxxv. 2,3), " Thou hafi: for- 
 ** given the iniquity of thy people, thou 
 *' haft covered all their fin. Selah. Thou 
 *' haft taken away all thy wrath, thou haft 
 " turned thyfelf from the fiercenefs of thine 
 *' anger.** This is the charafter of God in 
 Chrift. His wrath is turned away from his 
 people. For what reafon ? Are they not 
 iinuers, even as others ? Yes, but he is well 
 pleafed with them for Ch rift's righteouf' 
 nefs fake, through whom he has forgiv- 
 en their iniquity, and has covered all their' 
 iin. 
 
 -. . When the finner, convinced of his want of 
 divine love, is thus fatisfied that Chrift has 
 paid the full price to obtain it, having an- 
 fwered all the demands of law and juftice, 
 ?ind that ftnners may now be brought nigh to 
 a reconciled Father, and may tafte and fee 
 how gracious he is, then he waits for this 
 blefling, which is the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
 It is. his work and office to bring convinced 
 finners to the knowledge and experience of 
 the love of God, and this is the third particu- 
 lar I w^s to treat of. 
 
 The 
 
( 283 ) 
 
 The Holy Spirit directs the hearts of 
 awakened and convinced Tinners in^to the love 
 of God in this u^ay and method. He makes 
 them (enfible of their wants, and then fhevvs 
 them u'here they may have a fupply. He 
 <:ives them evidence to beheve the all-fuffi- 
 ciency of Chrift, whofe obedience and fuffer- 
 ings were divine and infinitely meritorious, 
 and made a full and perfefl: fatisfa^lion for fin. 
 God the Father accepted them as fuch ; and 
 fince his juftice was well pleafed and fatisfied 
 with them, the (inner thinks he may be fa- 
 tisfied with them alfo : for as there is no ob- 
 jeftion againft them in the court of heaven, 
 ^o there ought to be none in the court of his 
 coiifcience. Then the Holy Spirit enables 
 him to put forth an a6l of faith, and to rely 
 upon Chrift as a tried foundation. He cafts 
 himfelf upon Chrift's power to fave, believ- 
 ing him to be Jehovah the Lord God Almigh- 
 ty ; and hearing and reading the gracious 
 promifes of Chrift*s readinefs to fave all that 
 come to him, he fees there is no reafoii 
 for him to doubt either of Chrift's power, or 
 ofChrift's love to fulfil his promifes: upon 
 which he is enabled thus to addrefs the Lord 
 Chrift; 
 
 O almighty 
 
{ 284 ) 
 
 O almig''hty and mod merciful Saviour, in 
 whom the Father is reconciled to returnins:' 
 iinners, thou haft the reiidue of the Spirit with 
 thee, by whom they may be reconciled to 
 God ; I blefs thee, I praife thee and glorify 
 thee for the ineftimable gift of thy good Spi- 
 rit, by whom I have been enabled to reft up- 
 on thy promifes, and to rely upon thy faith- 
 fulnefs to fulfil them, even to me a mifera- 
 ble, helplefs finner. O Lord, ftrengthen 
 my faith by the grace of the fame Spirit ; 
 that it may work by love, that having ftill 
 more clear evidence of the Father's being re- 
 conciled to me, I may love him with all my 
 heart and with all my foul. 
 
 With fuch actings of faith in prayer God 
 is well pleafed ; for they are the bieathings 
 of his own Spirit in the believer's heart, and 
 he will anfwer them. He ftrengthens faith 
 and increafes lov^e, according to what is writ- 
 ten. Rom. V. 5. " The love of God is filed 
 " abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghoft 
 " which is given unto us." The Holy Spi- 
 rit is given to the believer to bear witnefs, 
 with his fpirit that he is a child of God : and 
 when the word of God, and the Spirit of 
 God, thus bear their jofnt teflimony to his 
 
 beine 
 
( ^-85 ) 
 being beloved of the Father for Chrifl's fake, 
 then he is rooted and grounded in lov^e, and 
 is dirpofed, and mightily flrengthened in the 
 inner man to perform every work, and labour 
 of love. 
 
 Thus the gofpel reprefents the whole Tri- 
 nity as concerned in directing the fmner's 
 heart into the love of God. The Father for- 
 o;ives all his offences throudi the atotiement 
 of his beloved Son, who did and futTered all 
 that was required by law and juftice, and the 
 Holy Spirit difpofes the linner to be reconcil- 
 ed to God, and to beheve in his word; and 
 then gives him faith to apply the promifcs 
 to himfelf, and to love God, who firft loved 
 him. Our love to him arifes from the evi- 
 dence we have of his love to us : for without 
 this evidence an awakened finncr cannot love 
 Ciod. While he looks upon God as the 
 juft avenger of his fins, it is impoflible that 
 he (hould love him, and fo lonsc 3S i<uilt re- 
 mains in his confcience, he cannot but fear 
 and dread the julHce of the Almighty, and 
 thefe' terrors will entirely fliut out all love: 
 for it is agalnll: nature to love pain ; and how- 
 then can the awakened linner love that of- 
 fended God, who is to infiidl it upon him ? 
 
 lie 
 
( 2^6 ) 
 
 He cannot love him, until he has feme (enCc 
 of God's pardoning love, and of his in':ereft 
 in the covenant of grace. The text declares 
 this truth — '^ Thou fhalt love the Lord t/jy 
 *' God," thy covenant God, not an abfolute 
 God, fuch as the Dei/Is worfhip, but a God 
 related to thee in the covenant of grace. T/jy 
 God is a relative term, implying the relation 
 which God flood in to the believer, and 
 which is here exprefi'cd by the word ^/<?/6/w, 
 thy jik him. The Trinity bound in covenant 
 to redeem man are thine, and ftand related 
 to thee in all their covenant offices, the Fa- 
 ther is thy Father, the Son is thy Saviour, the 
 Holy Spirit is thy counfellor, guide, fandli-^ 
 fier, and ftrengthener, all the graces and bleff^ 
 mss of the covenant are thine in time and in 
 eternity ; therefore thou fhalt love Jehovah 
 thy AUhhriy for thefe ineftimable mercies, 
 with all thv heart and mind, and foul and 
 ilrength. 
 
 My brethren, is this your experience? — 
 You were once haters of God, have you 
 been brought to love him, and do you know 
 him to be your reconciled Father ? The 
 gofpel has revealed no other way of attain- 
 ing his love, but feeking it through Chrift, 
 
 and 
 
C 287 ) 
 
 and receiving it by the grace' of his" Spirit. 
 Have you then fought and received it in this" 
 way ? If you have, you will gladly follo^v- 
 me to my 
 
 Fourth general head. Which was to treat 
 of the promifes made to them, who love 
 God. Thefe promifes are exceeding great 
 and exceeding precious, containing every 
 covenant bleffing of grace and glory. The 
 Lord has engaged to preferve them that love 
 him (Pfalm cxlv. 20) ; and to keep cove- 
 nant and mercy with them that love hinti 
 {Deut. vii. 9) ; yea, they that love the Lord- 
 fhall be like the fnn, when he goeth forth 
 in his might [Jiidges v. 31); nothing (hail 
 ftop their courfe, afflldlions, ficknefs, temp- 
 tations, all manner of trials fhall help them 
 forward : for all things fhall work together 
 for <?ood to them that love God. (Rom, viiir 
 28.) But it is impofTible to defcribe the 
 oreat things, which God hath prepared foe 
 them that love him. If a man love me, 
 fays Chrifl, he will keep my words, and my 
 Father will love him, and we will come 
 and make our abode with him. {Jo/jn xlv, 
 23.) This fellowfhlp with the Father and 
 the Son by the bond of the Spirit is the great*' 
 
 efl 
 
( 388 ) 
 
 tOi happincfs which can be enjoyed, next to 
 the crown of life, which God hath promifed 
 to them who love him {James i. 12), and 
 who fhall be for ever happy in the enjoyment 
 of his love. Are not theie promifes exceed- 
 ing great and precious ? And on whom, my 
 brethren, can you place your afFe£lions, who 
 has any fuch promifes to make you ? Can 
 the world bid fo high for your hearts ? Are 
 its pleafures worthy to be compared with the 
 pleafures laid up at God's right hand for ever- 
 more ? Are its honours and riches like the 
 honour and riches which come from God ? 
 What can fin offer you, what can Satan pro- 
 pofe, what can the flefli covet, that can be 
 put in competition with the blefiednefs which 
 God has promifed to them who love him ? 
 If they promife more than God, they are 
 liars, and if you trufl them, you will be de- 
 Reived. But God*s promifes are like him- 
 felf, unchangeable. He is faithful and jufh to 
 fulfil them. And he does fulfil them daily. 
 His people are witneffes for him ; they de- 
 clare, that not one thing hath failed of all the 
 good things which the Lord hath promifed 
 in his word to them that love him. All 
 are come to pafs unto them, and not one 
 thing hath failed thereof. Oh that you were 
 
 aU. 
 
( 289 ) 
 
 all his witnefles and knew the happinefs of 
 his love. May he fhed it abroad in all your 
 hearts for his mercies fake, and enrich you 
 with the hleflings of his love in time and in 
 eternity. 
 
 Having confidered the nature of the firfl 
 and great commandment it behoves us to ap- 
 ply what has been fpoken, and make it ufe- 
 fui to ourfelves. My brethren, have you 
 found any ufe in it ? Are your hearts placed 
 upon the Lord God ? Is he the reigning ob- 
 ject of your afFcdions ? How were you 
 brought to love him ? Did you ever find 
 yourfelves miferable becaufe you were at en- 
 mity with him ? And did you feek the Fa- 
 ther's love through Chrift, as the effe£l of 
 his obedience and fufFerings, hoping that the 
 Father was your Father for the righteouf- 
 nefs-fake of his beloved Son ? And did you 
 continue in this way feeking, until you re- 
 ceiveJ the faith which worketh by love ? If 
 this be your experience, blefs God for this 
 unlpeakable gift. It becometh you well to be 
 thankful. Praife him with your lips. Praife 
 him with your lives, and give him every tef- 
 timony of your love, which he requires ; efpe- 
 daily give him your hearts, and let him rcigu 
 
 T ir 
 
( 290 ) 
 
 in them. There let Chrill: fet up his king- 
 dom, and by his fovereign power fubdue your 
 enemies and his : for, when Chrill: dwells in 
 your hearts by faith, ye fiiall then be rooted 
 and grounded in love, and Ihall be ftrength- 
 ened with might in the inner man to do his 
 will, and to fufFer it. Then your conftaiit 
 language will be, What fiiall feparate us from 
 the love of Chrifl ? Shall any trouble, be- 
 caufe painful ? (hall any temptation, becaufe 
 ftrong ? fiiall any duty, becaufe hard ? Nay, 
 in all thefe things we are more than conquer- 
 ors through him that loved us. 
 
 Are there any of you, my brethren, who 
 are not thus rejoicing in the love of God, 
 but are wifiiing and defning to be in this 
 happy ftate ? From whence arife your de- 
 fires ? Do they come from the convidion of 
 your fin and mifery? Do you feel the en- 
 mity of your wills, and the rebellion of your 
 hearts againfi: God ? And do you there^ 
 fore wifii, that although you are now ene- 
 mies, yet you may be reconciled to God by 
 the death of his Son ? Have not you been, 
 trying to do fomething in part to make a re- 
 conciliation with God ? and what was the 
 event ? Have not all your attempts failed, 
 
 and 
 
( 291 ) 
 
 and have not you been brought to fee the in- 
 fufficiency of your works to make your peace 
 with God ? And did the Itnfe of this fend 
 you, as helplcfs finners, to the throne of 
 grace, intreating the Lord Chrift to be your 
 peace, and to make both one ? Is this your 
 experience ? If it be, thus far you have been 
 directed aright unto the love of God. But 
 who brought you thus far ? Is it not he who 
 is to carry you on, and to give you the bleii- 
 ing for which you wait. It is the Holy Spi- 
 rit who has convinced you of your guilt and 
 mifery in turning your hearts from God, and 
 who has difpofed you to feek his love, and 
 who is alfo to flied it abroad in your hearts. 
 And this he will do by giving you the faith 
 which worketh by love. He will enable 
 you to truil God*s faithful word, which can- 
 not be broken, and to rely upon his un- 
 changeable promifes, which cannot pofiibly 
 fail of being fulfilled to every one, who comes 
 and fues for mercy and favour through the 
 righteoufnels of the Lord Chrift. Thus he 
 will give you power to put forth, and to afl 
 faith, and to apply the promifes to your- 
 felves, whereby he will bring you to fee that 
 Chrill: loved you, and gave himfelf for you, 
 which will produce love in your hearts, and 
 
 T 2 the 
 
( 292 ) 
 
 the fruits of love in your lives. Wait ther^ 
 Vpon him for this bleffing. Wait under the 
 word, hoping and praying that h^ would 
 make it the rneans of working faith in your 
 hearts ; and when it is given urito you to be- 
 lieve ii\ the name of the only begotten Son of 
 God, then he will fulfil the work of faith 
 with power, he will fupport the patience of 
 hope, and he will carry on the labour of love 
 even unto the end. 
 
 Perhaps there may be fome pprfons here^ 
 who have no defirc to love God. They have 
 given up their hearts to other objedls, and are 
 pleafed v/ith their choice. Qye fons of men, 
 how long will ye thus idolize the (inful crea- 
 ture, and rebel againft the almighty Creator? 
 How long will ye love vanity, and feek after 
 happinefs in the ways of fin ? Can thefe things 
 rnake you happier than God can ? Nay, know 
 ye not, that at the end of your fancied plea- 
 sures there is real mifery for evermore ? And 
 are you making ^ good bargain ? Is it worth 
 your while to give up all hopes of heaven anc^ 
 glory for the fake of fome prefent joys ? And 
 what are they ? are they folid and lading, and 
 4o they rnake you happy through life ? Have 
 you no uneafy fenfations when you are fome- 
 
 times. 
 
( 293 ) 
 
 limes alone, or when you are vlfited with 
 licknefs? Does not a troublefome thoueht 
 then intrude, *' What will become of me, 
 " if I (hould die ? If 1 was to be in heaven, 
 ** I could not be happy ; becaufe I love na»» 
 ** thing that is there. I have no love for 
 *• God, nor for his will, nor for his people ; 
 ** I find no pleafure in praifing God herCj 
 *' how then could I rejoice in furnno- his 
 " praifes hereafter ?'' If ever your mind has 
 been led to fuch reflexions, how did you 
 get rid of them ? Did you try to drive them 
 away by company or diverfions? And yoii 
 fucceeded ; the melancholy fit wore off, and 
 you thought it a great bleffing you was eafy 
 again. This fingle inftance is fufficient to 
 demonftrate that yOu are not happy ; arid 
 indeed it is impoffible that you fhould hd 
 fo. While your heart is turned from God, 
 it is fet upon fin, and fin has no happinefs 
 to give. Its promifes are all lies, and its en- 
 joyments are all delufions : for it undertake^ 
 to make you happy in that, to which the AU 
 mighty has threatened eternal mifery^ and 
 the pradice of which will bring this misery 
 upon you. Men and brethren^ are riot thefc 
 things fo ? And why then will ye fet your 
 love upon fin ? Can it make you perfeXly 
 
 T 3 happy? 
 
( ^94 ) 
 happy ? Deal fairly with yourfelves. ■ Arc 
 you as happy as you would wifh to be ? You 
 know you arc not. I appeal to your own 
 hearts. But if any of you are fo defperately 
 deluded as to wifh for no other happinefs, 
 than what the pleafui;es of fin can give you, 
 yet did you ever confider what would be the 
 end of this delufion ? OL think upon that, 
 and may the fenfe of it open your eyes : for 
 furtly you are ading a mofl unnatural and 
 wicked part, to choole eternal mifery rather 
 than part with fome finful pleafure. May 
 the God of all grace convince you of your 
 want of his love, and bring you to know 
 and experience the happinefs of it, and oh 
 that he may now put it into your hearts ta 
 pray for it. May he, the Lord and giver of 
 every good gift, blefs what has been now 
 fpoken, and render it the means of increaf- 
 ing his love in the hearts of all this congrega- 
 tion. May he pardon our imperfedt manner 
 of thuiking and fpeaking of his divine and in- 
 finite love, and may he fhed it abroad .abun- 
 dantly in all our hearts. Oh that he would 
 fend us away inflamed with bis love, and 
 would give us grace to walk in love, conti- 
 nually evidencing our unfeigned love to hin:jt 
 by our love to his commandments. 
 
 Grant 
 
( 295 ) 
 
 Grant us thefe our requefts, moft holy Fa- 
 ther, for the fake of Jefus Chrifl, our Lord, 
 to whom with thee and the eternal Spirit, 
 three co-equal and co-eternal perfons ir^ one 
 Jehovah, we afcribe the kingdom, and the 
 power, and the glory, now and for ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 UPON 
 
UPON THE RIGHT 
 
 LOVE of our NEIGHBOUR. 
 
 . —Ill ■ ..' , : .... ,„.. . ,- ' , ..K, ,^ 
 
 DISCOURSE IX. 
 
 Mark xli. 28, 29, 30, 31. 
 
 And one of the Scribes came, and having heard 
 them reafoning together, and perceiving that 
 he had anfwered them well, ajkedhim, which 
 is the Jirji commandment of all, And JqIus 
 a?ifwered him, T'he firjl of all the command* 
 merits is. Hear, Ifrael, the Lord our God 
 is one Lord', and thou Jh alt love the Lord thy 
 God with all thy heart, and with all thy Joulf 
 and with all thy mind, and with all thy 
 flrength \ this is the Jirjl commandment. And 
 the fecondis like, namely this, T^houjhalt love 
 thy neighbour as thyfelf\ there is none other 
 commandment greater than thefe* 
 
 X N thefe words our blefled Saviour has given 
 us the fum and fubflance of all practical reli- 
 gion. He has reduced it to two (hort rules, 
 which yet are fo full and copious, that they 
 
 comprehend 
 
.( 298 ) 
 
 comprehendi all the law and the prophets* 
 The whole fcripture was to lead ns to the 
 right knowledge of the Lord God, that we 
 might pay him the love and obedience which 
 are his due, and might love our neighbour as 
 ourfelves* 
 
 I have already dircourfed of the two parts 
 of the firft commandment, and have endea- 
 voured to explain and to enforce the right 
 knowledge and the right love of the Lord 
 God, and I come now to the feeond com- 
 mandment, which is contained in thefe Words 
 of the text: " And the feeond is like, name- 
 **" \y this, Thou (halt love thy neighbour as 
 " thyfelf '* The feeond is like unto the firfl:, 
 becaufe it treats of the fame fubjecft, is en- 
 forced by the fame authority, and is enabl- 
 ed for the fame \.ife and gracious purpofes $ 
 and the feeond is farther like, becaufe it 
 arifes and branches out of the firfl, fince if 
 any man has the true love of God in his 
 heart, it will evidence and prove itfelf to be 
 there, by enabling him to love his neighbour 
 as himfelf. The right love of our neighbour 
 is the fruit and effect of our love of God, 
 and can fpring from no other root, efpecial- 
 ly in the perfcd degree here required, Thou 
 
 Ihalt 
 
( 299 ) 
 
 fhalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf. This is 
 an abridgment of the whole moral law, and 
 comprehends all the duties of the fecond ta- 
 ble. As he who loves God keeps the firft ta- 
 ble, fo he, who loves his neighbour as him- 
 felf, keeps the fecond. May the Lord incline 
 all our hearts to keep it, and may his good 
 Spirit render ufcful and profitable what fhall 
 be faid, 
 
 Flrjl^ Concerning the infeparable connec- 
 tion between the two commandments, the 
 love of God and the love of our neigh- 
 bour. 
 
 Secondly^ Concerning the nature and ex- 
 tent of the fecond commandment — Thou 
 flialt love thy neighbour as thyfelf. 
 
 nirdly^ Concerning the fcripture-method 
 of enabling us to keep this commandment. 
 And then, 
 
 Fourthly^ I fhall make fome practical ob- 
 fervations upon thefe particulars. 
 
 As to the firft of thefe points, I lay this 
 down for an evident truth ; that the man can 
 
 have 
 
( 3^0 ) 
 
 have no real love for his neighbour, who haS 
 not firfl the love of God in his heart, fuch. 
 a true experimental fenfe of God*s love to 
 him in Chrift Jefus, as was treated of in 
 the laft difcourfe : for the love of our neish- 
 hour ftands upon the love of God. It has 
 iio other foundation. Build it upon what 
 you pleafe but this, you will find nothing 
 elfe ftrong enough to a£l againil: the oppo- 
 fition of a man's own felfifli heart. But as 
 iVe have many pretended mafter- builders, 
 who lay another foundation than that is laid, 
 and as fome of the moft dangerous miftakes 
 in religion arife from building upon thefe 
 men's foundation, I will therefore bring 
 fome arguments to prove the infeparable con- 
 nc£lion between the two commandments, 
 the love of God and the love of our neigh- 
 bour. And 
 
 F/r/, A man cannot love his neighbour 
 aright, until he be endued with the love of 
 God ; becaufe he has no principle of love in 
 hh heart. Man, in his natural ftate, or as 
 our church expreffes it, man, before he re- 
 ceives the grace of Chrift and the infpiration 
 of his Spirit, has no holy pure love of any 
 kind. All his affedlions are placed upon' 
 
 wrong 
 
( 301 ) 
 
 wrong obje6ls and direded to wrong ends. 
 They are turned from God, and placed upon 
 thofe objedls, the love of which he has for^ 
 bidden, and they are dire6led to the plcafing 
 of felf, and not to the glory of God. This 
 is the fcripture-chara£ler of fallen man. Ho 
 has no brotherly love ; and how (hould he 
 have any ? for he has no natural affedlion. He 
 acls contrary to thofe very inftin£ts by whicli 
 the brutes a(£l invariably. With all his 
 boafted reafon, and dignified faculties, he is 
 in fecial life lower than a brute : for are there 
 not parents who have no love for their child' 
 ren, and childreri who have no love for their 
 parents ? Is it not a common thing to find 4 
 family divided againft itfelf, and Cain perfe-? 
 jcuting Abel unto death ? And what princU 
 pie of love can he have in his heart, who is 
 thus without natural afFedion ? Natural af» 
 fedion ties men together with the ftrongefl 
 bonds of love, but all thefe he breaks afun-» 
 der ; and therefore it is juft as poflible that 
 any brotherly love (hould be in him, as that 
 a fountain (hould fend forth at the fame time 
 fweet water and bitter. But 
 
 Secondly^ The natural man i§ not only 
 
 without 
 
( 3^2 ) 
 
 without a principle of love, but is alfo de- 
 fcribed by that God who created his heart, 
 and knows it intimately to be aduated by a 
 principle of hatred. Until he has fome of 
 the love of God flied abroad in his heart, he 
 cannot have any true love for his neighbour : 
 Becaufe he is abfolutely under the influence 
 of vicious felf-love, and while this reigns in 
 the heart, brotherly love can have no place; 
 nay, it will be abfolutely fnut out, as the 
 Apoftle'lhews, Titus iii. 3, " We ourfelves 
 " alfo (as well as others' fometimes lived in 
 '* malice and envy, hateful and hating one 
 " another." When did he, as others, live in 
 this malicious, envious, hateful flate ? He 
 Was, he fays, a flave to thefe bafe tempers, 
 until the kindnefs and love of God our Sa- 
 viour was manifefced to him ; and therefore 
 until this be manifeiled to any man, he 
 muft be a flave to the fame tempers. He 
 cannot be delivered from them by any hu- 
 man means. No knowledge, no power of 
 philofophy, no fyftem of morality, no llretch 
 of genius, nor refinements of polite life, can 
 make a man lefs hateful in himfelf, or lefs 
 difpofed to hate others. Had not the Ro' 
 mans all thefe advantages, and yet we have 
 
 this 
 
( S'^S ) 
 tliis character of them drawn by an infallible 
 pen. They were filled with all unrighteoul- 
 nefs, covetoulnefs, malicioufnefs, full of en- 
 vy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whiP- 
 perers, backbiters, haters of God, defpiteful, 
 proud, boafters, diiobedicnt to parents, cove- 
 nant-breakers, without natural affection, im- 
 placable, unmerciful. Thus were they hate- 
 ful, and hating one anotlier; and fuch is every 
 man before lie receives the grace of Chrifh 
 He has all thefe evil tempers in him, which 
 the Ro?7imis had. 
 
 But fome perhaps may alii. What is the 
 caufe of this univerfal depravity of man's af- 
 fe^lions r The corruption of his nature is the 
 true caufe : for all our evil tempers forin* 
 from the corrupt heart. The fountain is pol- 
 luted, and therefore the flreams run foul. 
 Out of the heart, fays our Lord, proceed 
 evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, with the 
 other abominable deeds of the {]e(h, fome 
 of which the Apofile mentions by name, 
 Gal, V. 20, fuch as hatred, variance, emu- 
 lations, wrath, Itrife, envyings. Thele are 
 in every heart : for the imagination of the 
 thoughts of the heart is only evil, and that 
 continually, continually evil, becaufe con- 
 4 tinually 
 
( 3^4 ) 
 
 tinunlly fet againft the love of Cod, and 
 againft that love of our neighbour, which the 
 -will of God requires us to pay him. Surely 
 then this heart mud be changed, before bro- 
 therly love can enter into it» Grace muft 
 work upon its evil tempers, and the Spirit 
 of God muft fubdue them, that love and its 
 fweet difpofitions may rule in the heart. 
 Love firft takes place in us, when the Spirit 
 ©f God (heds it abroad, and manifefts to us 
 the pardoning love of our God. Then a new 
 principle of love takes pofleffion of the heart, 
 which ftrives againft and conquers our felf* 
 i(h tempers. Bat until this be done by the 
 fpirit of love, there is nothing in any man 
 but SELF. His views are all narrow and 
 felfifh. The end of all his purfuits is felf* 
 leeking, and the end of all his enjoyments 
 U felf-pleafing. This is God*s own ac- 
 count of his fallen creature, man. And 
 what fays matter of fad ? Is this man's real 
 character ? I fliall endeavour to prove under 
 
 my 
 
 T/jirJ argument that it is. Experience de« 
 ttionft rates it. Look around you, my bre- 
 thren, and fee what men are doing. Does 
 love reign in every breaft ? Are they ftudy* 
 
C 305 ) 
 
 ing how to make each other happy, and re- 
 joicing in each others happlnefs ? No. The 
 contrary Ipirit prevails. Is there any httle vil- 
 lage free from difputes and quarrels ? Where 
 is there any large bufinels or manufactory free 
 from contention and envy among the vari- 
 ous perfons concerned in carrying it on ? If 
 they be all of one mind and of one heart, is it 
 not generally a wicked combination to enrich 
 themfelves by oppreffing others ? Is there any 
 trading city, vvhofe merchants rejoice in the 
 profperity of others, as in their own ? Is there 
 any ftate free from parties ? Blefled be God 
 for the leflening of party fpirit among us. 
 It has received a great blow, but it is not 
 dead. It is only waiting for fome public mif- 
 fortune to give it a fpecious occafion of raifino- 
 frefh difturbance and confufion. And look 
 into the prefent melancholy ftate of E^/ro/)^: 
 where do you find brotherly love ? Oh where 
 can it fubfiil: amidft the horrors of war ? It 
 was not brotherly love which raifed armies, 
 ranged them in order of battle, put them 
 upon aflion, and made brethren rejoice in 
 the flaughter and death of each other* Bro- 
 therly love has not a more diftreffino; fieht, 
 than when it lurveys a field of battle, upon 
 which there lay ten or twenty thoufand un- 
 
 U happy 
 
( 5o6 ) 
 
 happy aieii (lain ia one day. Thefe ard 
 awful proofs of the afcendency which ha- 
 tred has in the human breafl. It has got 
 poircOion, has feized the throne, and has 
 entirely banidied all brotherly love. The 
 iatSI: is notorious : for men are every where 
 complaining of the miieries which they meet 
 v/ith in foe ial life ; and they do not com- 
 rilaiii without reafon. The time is come 
 when this character is fulfilled. " Men fhall 
 ** be lovers of themfelves, covetous, proud, 
 " boaflers, blalphemers, difobedient to pa- 
 *' rents, unthankful, unholy, without natural 
 " affeclion, truce-breakers, falfe accufers, in- 
 " continent, fierce, defpifers of thofe that 
 *^ are good, traitors, heady, high-minded.'* 
 Is not this a real picture of mankind ? Do 
 we not find thefe unfociable tempers pre- 
 vailing among them at this day, and do 
 not 'thefe demonftrate, that man is inca- 
 pable of having any true love for his neigh- 
 bour, until he has the love of God in his 
 heart. 
 
 But fuppoting that man, in his natural 
 ftate, could do fome feeming adls of love to 
 his neighbour, yet they would avail nothing 
 without the love of God, which is "my fourth 
 
 '■'. \ '.' '- argument. 
 
Argument. Since fallen man has not tlie 
 love of God in his heart hy nature, nor is 
 capable of attaining it by any means in his 
 own power, the great bufinels of religion is 
 to bring him to love God, and to keep the 
 firft and great commandment ; which the 
 gofpcl alone can enable him to do* Moral 
 philofophers have been trying, but they have 
 always failed. They make religion confift 
 in the duties of the fecond table, omittins; 
 the firll:, which is the fame thino; as if they 
 laid the foundation in the air, and built the 
 houfe downwards. Morality has no foun- 
 dation without t;he love of God. All moral 
 obligations to brotherly love fail in their mo- 
 tives, and in their end. Their motives are 
 like fo many ropes of fand. They have no 
 ioiQt to bind and to oblige the confcience. 
 We have many men who write and fpeak 
 learnedly about moral duties, but here they 
 fail : thev can offer no obli^iation flrono: 
 enough to over-balance the propenfity in 
 the linner*s heart againft thofe duties. His 
 heart pleads more flrongly againft them than 
 they can plead for them. They may talk 
 eloquently to him of the beauty of virtue, 
 and may argue with him clofely upon the 
 fitnefs of things, and may try to perfuads 
 
 U 2 him 
 
( 3^8 ) 
 
 him by a fine chain of reafoning to acl 
 agreeably to the nature of things and to the 
 moral fenfe, and they may recommend the 
 whole from the charms of univerfal benevo- 
 lence. All this looks very pretty in theory, 
 and may make a fine fyftem of the religion 
 of nature delineated, but bring it to prac- 
 tice. Oiter thefe motives when felf-love has 
 fome favourite paflion to gratify, or felf-in- 
 tereft has fome great profpeiSt of advantage, 
 and what is the confequence ? The man is 
 deaf to all your moral arguments. They 
 cannot reach his heart, nor open and en- 
 large it to receive brotherly love, but leave 
 it ftill under the power of its felhfh tempers, 
 Thefe have too deep a root in nature to be 
 driven out by the mere dint of moral reafon- 
 ing. Grace alone can fubdue them ; and 
 when grace places the love of God in the 
 heart, then it delivers the afFedions from 
 vicious felf-love, and makes them a6l by 
 a conftant uniform principle of love to the 
 brethren. 
 
 And as morality fails in its motives, fo 
 
 does it alfo in its end. It propofes a wrong 
 
 end. The glory of God fhould be the end 
 
 of all our adions, but moral men feek their 
 
 7 ovvn 
 
( 3^9 ) 
 
 own glory by their works : for they fuppofe 
 that their works are meritorious, and can 
 procure them the love and fiivour of God by 
 way of defert. Thus they fet afide faith, 
 without which no moral works can be ac- 
 ceptable. Faith alone directs us to a right 
 end, and propofes the right means to attain 
 it, and every a<5l and exercife of faith to- 
 wards the attaining of it is well-pleafing un- 
 to God. But morality without faith cannot 
 pleafe God : for it is an adjudged cafe in 
 fcripture, *' that without faith it is impoifir 
 *' ble to pleafe him," and it has been deter- 
 mined by our church in her thirteenth arti* 
 pie, that works done before the grace of Chrift 
 and the infpiration of his Spirit are not plea- 
 fant to God, forafmuch as they fpring not of 
 faith in Jefus Chrift. It is faith working by 
 Jove, which renders thofe works pleafant to 
 God, that done upon any other motive would 
 be highly diipleafing to hiui. 
 
 Let thefe arguments fuffice for the proof 
 of the firft point. It appears from their evi- 
 dence, that the love of our neighbour arifes 
 from the love of God. There is no other 
 foundation for it. You muil keep the duties 
 
 U 3 of 
 
( 3^0 ) 
 
 of the full: table before you can keep thofc 
 of the fecond. The conne(5lio!i between them 
 is infeparable. Unlefs a man firft has the love 
 of God in his heart, he cannot have any true 
 love for his neighbour. He cannot love him 
 at all, and much lefs in the perfe<£l: man- 
 ner here required — Thou {halt love thy 
 neighbour as thyfelf. And this leads me to 
 fpeak of the nature and extent of the fe- 
 cond commandment under ^r fecond general 
 head* 
 
 The text requires a very exalted and refin-* 
 ed degree of brotherly love. It commands 
 us to love our neig-hbour as ourfelvrs, "ith 
 the fame flrength, with the f-in .iicy 
 
 of affection : for no man ever yei .-.a his 
 own fieih, but nouridiethit, and chenih^th 
 it ; fo fliould he nourifh and cherifli his 
 neicrhbour in all .o-ood thinf:i;s. Whatever 
 good he wifheth to himfelf, the fame fhould 
 he v/i(h to his neighbour ; and whatever evil 
 he would have kept oft from himfelf, the 
 fame fnocild he endeavour to keep off from 
 his neighbour; and he (hould, in boththefe 
 refpecls, exert himfelf for his neighbour, as 
 fXiuch as fof himfelfo But who are required 
 
 thus 
 
( 3H ) 
 
 thus to love their neighbour? The law- 
 reaches to all men and to all cafes. The 
 fame authority which enjoins the perfect love 
 of God, enjoins alfo the perfect love of our 
 neighbour ; and can any fallen man keep 
 thefe commandments ? No, while he is in 
 his natural ftate it is impoffible. We have 
 before proved, tliat he can neither love God 
 nor his neig-hbour, until his affections be 
 changed, and vicious felf-lo\^e be taken out 
 of his heart. But when grace has made him 
 a new creature, when his underftanding is 
 enlightened, his will is rightly difpofed, and 
 Ins heart is under the influence of divine 
 love, then the text fpeaks to this man, and 
 iays. Thou fl'^alt love thy neighbour as thy- 
 fclf. The fame grace, which led thee to 
 love thyfelf aright, will operate with equal 
 force in the love of thy neighbour, and 
 will fhew itfelf in every work and labour of 
 love. 
 
 It Is evident then, that the duty is of 
 great extent. The objeCl on whom it is to 
 be exercifed is mankind in jreneral : for 
 
 o 
 
 every one is our neighbour who (lands re- 
 lated to us in the common bonds of huma- 
 i^t^. If he be a Heathen^ a T^urk^ or a Jcw^ 
 
 U 4 he 
 
( 3^2 ) 
 
 he is neverthelefs bone of our bone, and 
 flefh of our flefli. Nay, if he be our enemy, 
 yet ftill he is our neighbour ; we are of one 
 flimily, and have one father, and therefore 
 his hatred to us fliould not flop the current 
 of our love to him, as our Lord has taught 
 113 in the loth chapter of St. huke. A cer- 
 tain lawyer alked him. Who is my neigh- 
 bour ? Jefus anfvvered him in a parable. 
 The yews and the Samaritans v/ere at fuch 
 great variance, that they would not even 
 have any dealings with one another ; and a 
 certain man, in going down from yeru/akm 
 to Jericho^ fell among thieves, who llripi: him 
 of his raiment, and wounded him, and de- 
 parted, leaving him half dead. A pried and 
 a Levite faw their countryman in this dif- 
 trefs, but pafifed by without giving him any 
 help; and afterwards z Samaritan came to the 
 place where he was, and when he faw him, 
 he had compaflion on him, and gave him 
 all the affiflance in his power. Which now 
 of thele three, fays Chrifl:, was neighbour 
 to him that fell amons; thieves ? The law- 
 yer anfwered. He that had mercy on him. 
 Then faid Jeius unto him. Go, and do thou 
 Jikewile. Go and imitate this Samaritan, 
 X-.earii of him to look upon all men, evea 
 
 thine 
 
( 3^3 ) 
 
 thine enemies as thy neighbours, and love 
 them, and do good to them, as he did. Thus 
 it is plain, from our Lord's explanation of 
 the word neighbour, that we ought to ex- 
 tend our love to all men, and alfo to all cafes. 
 It is to reach to the inmoft defires of the 
 heart. The love of God being (hed abroad 
 there, will take the command of the affec- 
 tions ; and when love is on the throne reign- 
 ing in the heart, it will fweetly incline and 
 mightily enable the other faculties to obey 
 its dictates. Love will not dwell in the 
 fame heart with felfi(hnefs and hatred, but 
 will oppofe and fubdue them, in order to 
 rnake room for brotherly love ; and when 
 this comes and dwells in the heart, the man 
 is thereby always difpofed to think and fpeak 
 and acl for the good of his neighbour. He 
 has in him an abiding principle of love, 
 which, according to what is written, *' think- 
 ^' eth no evil.'* Love works firft upon the 
 thoughts of the heart, from whence all the 
 words and adions fpring. It infufes its gra- 
 cious influences into the root, that the lap 
 ■and juices communicated from thence may 
 partake of its nature, and that whatever 
 .grows upon this ftem may be the fruit of 
 love. That heart- love, which thinketh no 
 
 evil, 
 
( 3^4 ) 
 
 evil, will fpeak none: for as out of the abun* 
 dance of the heart the mouth fpeaketh, fo 
 iove being in the heart will fiiew itfelf in the 
 tongue, and will not fpeak evil of its neigh- 
 bour; nor can love do him any harm. " Love 
 *' worketh no ill to his neighbour, Rom. xiii. 
 •*' 10, therefore love is the fulfilling of the 
 •" law;'"' to love our nei2:hbour as ourfelves 
 is the fulfiUin^f of the law of the fecond table. 
 Which they that have the love of God in 
 their hearts endeavour to keep, not to merit 
 heaven ; for that was the purchafe of Chrift's 
 blood ; but they are kind one to another, 
 tender-hearted, fordving; one another, even 
 as God for Chrift's lake hath forgiven them, 
 and they walk in love as Chrift hath alfo 
 loved them. 
 
 , This is the nature and extent of brotherly 
 love. It fprings from the love of God, and 
 is guided and influenced by it. Whatever 
 tlie love of God .'teaches a man to do for his 
 own good, brotherly love will pat him upon 
 doing the fame for the good of others, and 
 not only of his particular friends and rela^ 
 tions, but alfo of mankind, yea, of his very 
 enemies; even for them brotherlv love has 
 >ts .good.:W.irnes, and its good offices. It 
 
 would 
 
( 3^5 ) 
 
 would not entertain an injurious thought of 
 its neighbour, nor fpeak a word to his pre- 
 judice, nor do any thing to his hurt. Its 
 conftant breathings are, As I have opportu- 
 nity, 1 would do good unto all men. And 
 is this, my brethren, the language of every 
 one of- your hearts ? Have you a principle 
 of brotherly love actuating and influencing 
 every thought and word and work ? Exa- 
 mine yourfelves clofely upon this point. It 
 may help to fhew you clearly the flate of 
 your fouls : for this commandment iiave we 
 from him, that he who loveth God loves his 
 brother alfo. If your love to God be from a 
 right motive, and to a right end, it will 
 work in all the kind offices of brotherly love. 
 If you fail in thefe, you certainly fail firft in 
 your love to God : for thefe are the ftreams 
 which flow from the fountain, and thcv 
 could not fail, unlcfs the fountain ceafed to 
 fupply them. There is a want of the love ' 
 of God in the heart, when there is a want of 
 any of the good offices of brotherly love in 
 the life. Search and fee if this be not your 
 cafe ; and if it be, look up to God and intreat 
 him to direct your hearts into his love, that 
 you may hear with profit what fhall be faid 
 lUider my 
 
( 3i6 ) 
 
 'Third general head. Concerning the fcrip» 
 ture method of enabhng us to keep this 
 commaadnient, Man has no generous prin- 
 ciple in him by nature. Vicious felf-love 
 diredls and governs all his views and a(5lions, 
 aad therefore he mud be changed and re- 
 newed in the fpirit of his mind, before bro- 
 therly love can have any place in his heart. 
 The fcripture treats largely of this great 
 change, and afcribes the whole of it to thP 
 Spirit of God. He enlightens the under^ 
 {landing, and convinces the finner of his 
 guilt and of his danger : then he attacks 
 the ftubborn felf-will, and makes the finner 
 feel, that \i he follow his own will he mufl 
 unavoidably perifh, and that everlaflingly : 
 and he alfo fliews him the horrid rebellion, 
 of his heart, whofe affections are all apoftates 
 from God, having fet up the creature and 
 ferved it in the place of the Creator. The 
 fniner becomes deeply fenfible of his guilt 
 and of his mifery, and is made earncflly to 
 vvifh and to pray for deliverance : and when 
 the Lord has thoroughly humbled him, aiid 
 fey various ways and means has convince4 
 him of his own utter helpleffiiefs, the^i he 
 enables him to believe to the faying of his 
 foul. He finds himfelf at peace with God 
 
 through 
 
( 3^1 ) 
 
 throus:h the rio-bteoufnefs of the Lord Chrlfl:, 
 on which he can rely for his acceptance and 
 pardon ; and therefore he loves God, who 
 has firfl: fo exceedingly loved him ; and he 
 proves by his unfeigned love to the brethren, 
 that this love of God is in his heart : for, 
 being there, it will produce the kind difpoli- 
 tions, and will draw forth the good offices 
 of brotherly love. In this way grace' over- 
 comes the felfifhnefs of nature, and anger, 
 wrath, malice, hatred, and the other unfo- 
 ciable tempers of the old man are fubdued, 
 and the new man puts on bowels of mer- 
 cies, kindnefs, humblenefs of mind, meek- 
 nefs, long-fuffering. Thefe are fan£lified 
 affedions in him ; becaufe they are the ge- 
 nuine fruits of that faith which vvorketh by 
 love. 
 
 This is the fcripture-method of attaining 
 brotherly love. It cannot be attained but by 
 the grace of God : for the eftablifhed rule 
 is — " Ye are tau2;ht of God to love one an- 
 *' other." It is not from human, but from 
 divine teaching. Brotherly love is not learnt 
 in the fchools of moral philofophy. The 
 greateft profeflbrs of Ethics may write pret- 
 ty fyflems, and read lectures upon them to 
 
 their 
 
( 3'8 ) 
 
 their pupils, and perhaps they may explain ta 
 them fomething about brotherly love ; but- 
 they can place none of it in the heart. Chrift* 
 alone can do that. He is the great teacher 
 of brotherly love ; and it is in his fchool 
 only where men can learn it pradlically. 
 He teaches his difciples firfl their want of 
 it ; and when he gives them his love, and 
 fheds it abroad in their hearts, then alfo he 
 gives them the love of the brethren, as it 
 is written, i Jo^n iv. 7, " Beloved, let us 
 " love one another : for love is of God ; and 
 '* every one that loveth, is born of God, 
 *' and knoweth God ;" he is a child of God, 
 becaufe he loveth Kis heavenly Father, and 
 loveth all his Father's children : which doc- 
 trine the fame Apoftle maintains in thefe 
 words, I yo/mv, i, '* Whofoever believeth 
 " that Jefus is the Chrift, is born of God, 
 *' and every one that loveth him that begat, 
 " loveth him alfo that is begotten of him." 
 Here the apoftle difcovers the true caufc 
 from which arifes our love to God and to 
 man. It is through faith apprehending and 
 laying hold of Chrill:, that we are made 
 the children of God, and therefore we love 
 the Father of whom v/e are begotten, and 
 the brethren who are besotten of him, and 
 
 who 
 
( 3^9 ) 
 
 who have obtained hke precious faltii wltfl 
 us. Believers, who are thus born again of 
 God, and adopted into his family, are clofely 
 connected and joined together in the bonds 
 of love. Love fiovvins: from the head intd 
 all the members, unites them in affection to 
 their heavenly Father, and in affeclion to 
 all his children ; for, being members of the 
 fame body, they have the fame care one for 
 another ; and if one member fuffer, all the 
 members luffer with it ; or if one member 
 be honoured, all the members rejoice with 
 it. 
 
 It is certain then from thefe fcriptures, that 
 no man can love his neighbour as himfelf, 
 unlefs he be taught it of God. There is 
 fomething called univerfal benevolence, and 
 the moral fenfe, and the patriot fpirit, which 
 pretend to teach brotherly love upon the 
 principles of moral philofophy, but thefe are 
 falfe baftard kinds of love, arifing from felf- 
 ifh motives, and directed to felfifli ends. And 
 let them appear ever fo refined and exalted, 
 yet they are not fandified aifcflions, becaufe 
 they fpring not from faith in Jefus Chrift; 
 and without faith in him it is impoifible to 
 ■pleafe God. Works done before the grace 
 
 of 
 
( 320 ) 
 
 or Chrifl and the infpiration of his fpirit are 
 not pleafant to God. You may do many 
 feeming a£ts of love, you may be the foremoft 
 ill all charitable fubfcriptions, you may be 
 very kind to your needy relations, and very 
 good to the poor, nay, you may build hofpi- 
 tals and leave your eflate to endow^ them, yet 
 if thefe things be not done in faithj they 
 have in them the nature of fin, and are not 
 acls of brotherly love, but a6ts of your own 
 proud felfi(h fpirit. God looks at your heart* 
 He fees upon what principle you are work- 
 ing, and if your principle be wrong, your 
 actions cannot be pleafing in his fight. Make 
 the tree good, and its fruit will be good ; 
 but a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good 
 fruit. This is the main point with refpe«ft to 
 brotherly love, and this comes to be confider- 
 ed in the 
 
 Fourth place^ under the practical obferva- 
 tions upon the dodtrlne of the text* The 
 do(flrine is this : Whoever keeps the firft ta- 
 ble will keep the fecond. If the love of God 
 be in his heart, he will give proof and evi- 
 dence of it by his unfeigned love of his 
 neighbour, and he will love him as himfelf, 
 not with that vicious felf-love which in- 
 fluences 
 
( 3^1 ) 
 
 flucnccs the views and a<fllon3 of all natural 
 men, br.t with that holy fan6ci(icd affedlion, 
 which Tprlngs from, and is guided by, the 
 love of God. If this brotherly love was 
 in every heart, i. would turn the world into 
 a paradile. If all men had true heart-love 
 to their neighbour, earth would be heaven : 
 for fo much love as there is on earth, io 
 much of heaven is brought down upon it. 
 The hateful and felfidi tempers of mankind 
 make the world what it is ; thefe are the 
 caufe of all the miferies in fociety, and thefe 
 are in all men by nature. Their love cen- 
 ters in felf, and feeks not another*s good 
 but its own. One great defign of Chriftianity 
 was to reform their love, by giving them that 
 fliith which v/orketh by love, by love to God 
 for his ineftimable mercies, and by love to 
 men for the fike of God ; by which means 
 the old felfifli heart becomes a loving heart, 
 and is ever prepared to do all the good it can 
 to the bodies and fouls of men. This is the 
 true charafler of a Chri.lian. He whhes 
 well to all men, fpeaks evil of no man, and 
 is ready to evc\-y good work. In thought, 
 word, and deed, he is influenced by unfeign- 
 ed love to his neighbour, whether he be a 
 flranger, a friend, or an enemy. Is thi^ 
 
 X your 
 
( 322 ) 
 
 youf character, my brethren ? Have you tile 
 true love of your neighbour in your hearts, 
 and are you confliantly manifeding it in your 
 lives? How many perfons have we among 
 us, that make great profefiions of brotherly 
 love, even of univerfal benevolence, and yet 
 they divide the two tables, and make reli- 
 gion confift in keeping the duties of the fe- 
 cond. All our moralifts act upon this plan. 
 They . fpeak and write very prettily about 
 moral duties, but they lay the foundation of 
 them upon land. They neither build them 
 upon the love of God, nor upon faith in 
 Cbrift Jefus ; and other foundation can no 
 man lay for the love of God, nor upon the 
 grace of the Holy Spirit difpoling and ena- 
 bling them to love God, and then to love 
 their neighbour. Thus thefe men put afun- 
 der what God hath joined together. The 
 love of God and the Love of man cannot be 
 feparated : for there can be no true brother- 
 ly love, but what fprings from the love of 
 God. Let it fpring from any other caufe, 
 there will be fomethin^ in it feliifh, it will 
 arife from private narrow views, and will be 
 dire6ted to mean ends, and be it ever fo re- 
 fined and patriot- fpirited, yet it will be un- 
 fandified; becaufe wbatfoever is not of faith 
 3 is 
 
( 3^3 ) 
 is fui. Without faith the (inner is under 
 guilt and under fcntence of death, and is as 
 iiicapahle of doing a fingle a6l which is 
 good and valid in the court of heaven, as a 
 condemned criminal is of doing any legal 
 a6l, which would be allowed to be valid iu 
 a court of juftice. The law of God has 
 attainted him of high treafon, and found 
 him guilty ; upon which juftice has a right 
 to infli\ft the defervcd punifhment, and to 
 put the fentence of the law in force againfl 
 him ; but if he own the fentence to be juiT:, 
 and fue for mercy, and feek it through Jefus 
 Chrift, relying on his grace and righteouf- 
 iiefs, then by faith he is pardoned ; his at- 
 tainder is reverfed, and he is capable of do- 
 ing ads well-pleallng unto God through Je- 
 fus Chrift his Lord. The moral works done 
 by fuch a perfon are acceptable, becaufe his 
 perfon was firft accepted, apd he was what 
 they call reHus in curia ; but v/ithout faith it 
 was impoffible that his moral works (houkl 
 pleafe God : ** for whatfoever is not of faith 
 *' is fin.'* 
 
 But I need not enlarge upon this point. 
 Perhaps there may be none of thofe perlons 
 here. By our prefencc we declare ourfclves 
 
 X 2 to 
 
( 3-4 ) 
 
 to be profcffors of Chriflianity, and as i'llcli 
 we are nearly concerned in what has been 
 now faid. The fcripture has drawn our cha- 
 raL^er before we receive the o-race of Chrift 
 and the in {pi ration of his Spirit, and has 
 painted in very expreilive colours the inward 
 lineaments of our hearts. It n'ot only'de- 
 Icrihes every fallen man to be without any 
 true love of God or of his neio-hbour, but 
 alfo reprelents him to be at enmity with 
 God, and to be under the power of corrupt 
 inclinations, which are oppofite to God's 
 will, and of felfidi views, which are de- 
 ftruclive of brotherly love. But while the 
 Icripture thus defcrib«s our malady, it offers 
 us a remedy, which faith receives, and then 
 works by love to God and to man ; by love 
 to God in loving him and his will, and by 
 unfeigned love to the brethren fhewing itfelf 
 in every srood word and work. There are 
 great complaiiits in the world of the want 
 of this brotherly love ; and indeed there is 
 very little of it to be found any where. But 
 what is the rcafon ? Is it not, becaufe there 
 is a great want of the lo^e of God ? For 
 fjtice brotherly love fprings from this, as 
 from its only fountain, how can there be 
 ]cv& p.bandant in the ilreams, if it fail in 
 
 the 
 
( 3 = 5 ) 
 the fountain ? It love does not operate Iti 
 your life, how can love be in your heart ? 
 And if it be not there, what are you r Not 
 a Chriftian. What the fun would be with- 
 out light, fuch is a Chriftian without love. 
 He has none of the life and Ipirit of Chrift, 
 and wants the very mark and badge of Chrid's 
 difciples. *' By this,'* fays he, " Ihall all 
 " men know that ye are my difciples, if ye 
 " have love one to another." O Lord, where 
 are thy difciples at prefent ? Haft thou not 
 faid, Ye (hall know them by their love to 
 one another ? But upon whom is this mark 
 found ? Upon all nominal Chriftians r No ; 
 they are diftinguidied by a contrary temper. 
 But is it not among profeflbrs r What pro- 
 feflbrs ? We have profeflbrs of fo many de- 
 nominations, and of fo many different parties, 
 that it is hard to fay, who has the narroweft 
 views, or the mod party fpirit ; but it is ealy 
 to fee at fufl fioht that brotherly love is the 
 peculiar charafter of few of them. Alas ! alas! 
 they have lofl: their proper mark, by which 
 they were to be known to be ChrilVs difci- 
 ples ; and thus the fcripture is fulfilled, which 
 laith, *' In the latter days the love of many 
 ** (hall wax cold." It is cold, indeed, with 
 many j thank God, not with all. There are 
 
 X 3 fome 
 
( r-6 ) 
 
 fome (although but few), perhaps of every 
 denomination, who flill have unfeigned love 
 for the brethren. May the God of love in- 
 creafe their number. 
 
 Since there is fp little brotherly love in the 
 world, let each of you, my brethren, examine, 
 yourfelves, and fee, whether you be Chrifl's^ 
 difciples more than in name and profcfiion. 
 Are you known to belong to the houfehold 
 of faith by your love to one another ? Do you 
 love your neighbour as yourfelf, with a well- 
 j-egulated, holy love, arifing from a right mo- 
 tive, and direded to a right end ? If you 
 think you have this love, how did you attain 
 it ? Was you taught it of God I Have you 
 been humbled before him under a fenfe qf 
 your guilt, and have you felt the mifery of 
 being enflaved to your own wicked and felf- 
 i(h tempers l And did you apply to Chrift for 
 deliverance ? Did he take guilt out of your 
 confcience, and give you that faith which 
 worketh by love to your reconciled father, 
 and by love to your brethren for his fake ? If 
 you have been thus taught of God, you will 
 alfo be enabled of God to love one another. 
 And this I pray, that your love may abound 
 yet more and more. 
 
 ?ut 
 
( 3-7 ) 
 But if this be not your experience, then 
 you cannot have the true brotherly love, and 
 without it what are you ? You are not a 
 Chriftian ; for this commandment have we 
 from Chriil:, that he who loveth God, love 
 his brother alfo. Your want of love to your 
 brother demonftratcs your want of love to 
 God; and contider what flate you are in, 
 while you are not reconciled to God, nor at 
 peace with him. You are under the guilt ot 
 all your fins, and liable to fuffer the defer ved 
 punifhment of them. That God, whom you 
 daily provoke, daily fpares you. He might 
 get himfelf glory in punilTiing fuch a rebel ; 
 but his long-fuftering bears with you ; and 
 what return do you make him for keeping 
 you out of hell ? Do you love him, and ferve 
 him with grateful obedience ? No, you at- 
 tack him with open avow^ed rebellion, as if 
 you had an arm like God, and was not afraid 
 of the fire of his wrath : and you carry on 
 your war againft him by declared war again ft 
 your neighbours, indulging the malicious en- 
 vious tempers, and gratifying the unjuft de- 
 fires of your own felfifh heart. Suppofe God 
 .{hould call you to his bar while" you are in this 
 (late : as you have no love for him, you 
 
 X J could 
 
( 3^-8 ) 
 
 could have no happlnefs in beholJIno- or en- 
 joying him ; and as you have no love for his 
 faiiiily, you could not be happy in their com- 
 pany. You hated them upon earth, and they 
 are fo much unlike yourfelf, you would hate 
 them in heaven. What then could you meet 
 with at his bar, but v»'hat you are prepared 
 to receive, even an eternal feparation from the 
 prefence of the Lord, and from the glory of 
 his power ? And can you think of this with- 
 out concern ? Have you no fear, left the 
 wrath of God fhould abide upon you for ever 
 and ever ? What! have you not one wifli 
 to flee from the wrath to come. Oh dread- 
 ful ftate of hardened finners ! May the Lord 
 take pity on you, and fubdue your rebellious 
 hearts by his almighty grace, that you may 
 be brought to the ri^iht love of God, and of 
 your neighbour. 
 
 Perhaps fome of you may fay, I thank 
 God, I am not in this flate. I have been 
 made to fee and to feel my enmity againfl 
 God and againfl: man ; and I heartily de- 
 fire to love botli. You have reafon, in- 
 deed to be thankful ; for this defire is a fign 
 and token of God's love to you. Wait up- 
 on 
 
( 3^9 ) 
 
 on him, that you may know and experience 
 his love. He has encouraged you to alk this 
 grace of him, and has promifed to eive it, 
 upon your alking. It is his gift ; for God is 
 love, and he is more willing to give than you 
 are to afk. It is one of his choice gifts, 
 which he delights to beftow upon the chil- 
 dren of men, and with the right ufe of which 
 he is well pleafed. " If ye fulfil the i-oyal 
 " law according to the fcripture, thou fhalt 
 " love thy neighbour as thyfelf, ye do well." 
 panics ii. 8. Ye do well in prefcnting this 
 odour of a fweet fmell, a facrifice acceptable, 
 well pleating unto God. Oh ! wait then up- 
 on him, and be found in the ways of his 
 appointment, not to merit his love, it is a free 
 gift, and it is ineftimable, the price of it is 
 above all the riches of earth and heaven, but 
 wait humbly for the time of his love; and 
 when out of his foverei2:n g;race he iheds it 
 abroad in your heart, then he will e[iable you 
 to love your neighbour as yourfelf. Surely 
 thefe bleffinfrs are worth vour waitlnsr for : 
 efpecially fince you are encouraged by thofe 
 comfortable words, the truth of which many 
 thoufands now alive have found true by hap- 
 py experience j ** They fhall not be afhamcd 
 
 ** that 
 
C 330 ) 
 
 *' that wait for me, faith the Lord." Ifau 
 xHx. 23* 
 
 Thanks be to his rich and free love, which 
 has fulfilled this fcripture to fo nnany in our 
 days. You, my brethren, who kqovv the 
 love of God, (hould remember, that as you 
 love him who bespat, {o vou ousfht to love 
 them who are begotten of him. The found- 
 nefs of your love to God fliould be made evi^ 
 dent from your acls of love to j^our fellovv'-r 
 creatures ; for that fliith which brings you to 
 the knowledge of God's love to your foul, 
 ihould work by love to tlicm ; and this work 
 of love proves it, does not make it, but 
 proves it to be a living faith. While it lives it 
 loves. Love is the very breath of faith, and 
 while love breathes in the believer, it difpofes 
 him to do all the good he can to the bodies 
 and to the fouls of his neighbours ; for his is 
 heart-love. He cannot lee any one fick, poor, 
 in prifon, naked, or wounded, but love haf- 
 tens to his relief. It does not fay — Be ye 
 well, be ye relieved, ^c. but it freely gives 
 them fuch things as they have need of. My 
 Chriflian brethren, you know that thefe are 
 the proper offices of brotherly love. Oh ! be 
 
 careful 
 
( 33^ ) 
 
 careful then in the pra£lice of them. Ifyoa 
 would hc^ve your evider.ces kept clear for 
 heavei], and youi peace and comfort abiding, 
 let your faith be coiitinuallv working. Ex- 
 ercifc it upon Chrifrs diftreffed members. 
 Go about doing them good. Refule no la- 
 bour of love ; for he has commanded, and he 
 has encouraged you to embrace every oppor- 
 tunity. This is the commandment of God, 
 that you fliould believe on the name of his 
 only begotten Son Jefus Chrifl, and love one- 
 another, as he gave you commandment ; 
 and the day is approaching, when you will 
 hear him fay — *' Inafmuch as ye have done 
 ^* it unto one of the lead of thefe my bre- 
 ^* thren, ye have done it unto me." Keep 
 your faith then working by love ; for they 
 cannot be fcparated. Faith is the root, and 
 love is the fruit ; if the root be alive, it will 
 bear fruit, even the abundant fruits of love 
 and charity, to God's glory, and to man*$ 
 profit. 
 
 And as the believer is kindlv alieiflioned 
 with brotherly love to relieve the bodily 
 wants of his neighbour, fo is he influenced 
 towards his fpiritual wants with more affec- 
 tion, becaufe the foul is more precious than 
 
 tha 
 
( 3r- ) 
 
 the body ; at kail:, if he be not, he ought 
 however to be thus influenced. There is 
 in men a Itrange remiffnefs and backward- 
 iiefs to the performance of the" offices of 
 love, relating to the fouls of their neigh- 
 bours : but grace makes them willing and 
 able. It fweetly inclines and mightily ena- 
 ables them to the fplritual a6ls of brotherly 
 *love ; but one cannot help lamenting how 
 little grace is exercifed this way. While 
 worldly people are creeling magnificent hof- 
 pitals, and doing princely acls of charity, oh ! 
 how fliort of them do profeflbrs come in 
 their works of charity ? You are a profeflbr, 
 you call yourfelf a Chriftian, and do you 
 not know one of your neighbours who lives 
 ill open lin, and yet you never fpeak to him 
 of it ? You thought, indeed, fometimes of re- 
 proving him ; bat then fear, or (hame, or in- 
 dolence prevented you, Thefe paffions were 
 flrono^er in vou than brotherly love. And 
 does not this convince you how unlike you 
 are to your bleffed mafter ? Did he ever de- 
 cline doin^ STOod for fear of fome little in- 
 convenience which might attend it ? No, he 
 went about doing good, although at the ha- 
 zard of his life ; and yet your love to Chrifl 
 and to precious fouls is fo very cold, that you 
 7 can 
 
( 233 ) 
 can faitsir your neighbour to live in fin, yea 
 perhnps to die'i!i it, without one kind reproof. 
 And haft thou not then., boaaing profelTor, 
 <^reat realoii to examine thyl"::lt, whether 
 tliou be in the faith ? For how^ canft thou 
 prove it to be true and alive, fmce it does not. 
 work by love ? May tjiis hutr.ble thee, and 
 put thee upoii feeking more of the fpirit and 
 oower of jefus Chriih Perhaps you are the 
 mafler of a family, how do you (hew your 
 love to vour fervants ? You fee they do your 
 work, and you take care to pay them their; 
 wao-es, and what more do you than publicans 
 aud f.nners ? But do you watch over their 
 fouls, indructing and admoni(hing them with 
 all gentlenefs and diligence ? Have you any 
 family worfhlp ? Do you pray conftantly 
 with them, and for them ? fo that the Lord 
 may juftly fay of you, as he did of the father 
 of the faithful, " 1 know Abraba??:^ that he 
 *' will command his children, and his houfe- 
 " hold after him, and they (hall keep the' 
 *' way of the Lord, to do juflice and judg* 
 ^' meat.*' God knows, there are hw heads 
 of families, who take any care at all of the.. 
 fouls of their fervants ; and few indeed do 
 their duty by them in brotherly love. The 
 Lord pardon what is pall, and reform us for 
 
 the 
 
( 334 ) 
 the future in^his rcfpeiSl:. Perhaps you may 
 be a parent, and you take pains enough to 
 provide for the temporal welfare of your chil- 
 dren. You rife up early, and late take reft, 
 and eat the bread of carefulnefs, that you 
 may get a great fortune for them. And what 
 more do you for them than for your beads ? 
 You pnovide for your children's well-being 
 in the world, and do you not the fame for 
 your cattle ? Chriilian love would put you 
 upon another work, and would ftir you up 
 to catechife them, to teach them to know 
 themfelves, to become early acquainted with 
 their corrupt and iinful nature, and to fee the 
 neceffity of their falvation by Jefus Chrift, 
 This is your bounden duty as a parent. The 
 bleffing upon the difcharge of it is in God's 
 hand ; but he requires you to ufe the means ; 
 and if love be alive and adtive in your hearty 
 you will ftrive more to have your children 
 rich in grace, than rich in thofe things which 
 periih in the uling. In whatever other fta- 
 tion of life God has placed you, do you per- 
 form the offices of brotherly love in it ? Do* 
 yQU love your neighbour as yourfelf ? Search 
 diligently, and watch your heart narrowly. 
 If you have any true love, pray for more of 
 it, and may the Lord God Almighty help 
 
 you 
 
( 335 ) 
 
 you to fubdue felf, and all your felfifli tem- 
 pers, tlaat love may iiicreife and abound In 
 your foul. May you grow up unto him in 
 all things, who is the head, even Chrift ; 
 from \^'hom the whole body fitly joined to- 
 gether, and compacted by that which every 
 joint lupplieth,* according to the effectual 
 working in the meafiire of every part mak- 
 eth increafe of the body unto the edifying of 
 itlelf in love, liear us, thou God of love, 
 and anfwer ; and grant that all men may 
 know us to be thy difciples by our edifying 
 one another in love. May no felfifh temper, 
 no bigotry, or party fpirit, hinder us from re- 
 lieving the fpiritual or bodily wants of any 
 of our diftreffed brethren, but unite all thy 
 members clofely among themfelves. Make 
 us, Lord, of one mind and of o;Te heart, and 
 may all that love thee in finccrity, think and 
 fpeak the fame things. O give us that love 
 which never fiileth. We aik it for thy mer- 
 cy's fake, to the honour of the holy, blelfed, 
 and glorious Trinity, three perfons in one 
 Jehovah, whofe is the kingdom, and the pow- 
 er, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 UPON 
 
UPON THC 
 
 CLEANSING VIRTUE 
 
 OF 
 
 CHRIST'S BLOOD. 
 
 DISCOURSE X. 
 
 Zechariah xiii. i. 
 
 In that day there fhall be a fountain opened to 
 the houfe o/' David, and to the inhabit a?its of 
 ]c:u{alGm,/brfn and for uncleannefs. 
 
 1 HEY that be whole need not a phyfician, 
 but the lick ftand in need of his advice and 
 help. The perfons, who feel no malady of 
 •fin, fee not their want of a Saviour. They 
 are not in pain, and therefore they defire no 
 
 Y remedy ; 
 
remedy ; but it is othervviie with the con- 
 viiiced tinner. He feels the milery ot fin. 
 He fuiFers the torment of it in his 2:ulltv con- 
 fcience, and earneftly feeks for relief. No 
 perfon in exquifite pain ever cried out for 
 help with greater fervency than he does. He 
 has heard of the almighty phyfician, and of 
 his o-reat readinel's to heal all diftrefled ob- 
 jefts, who come unto him, and therefore he 
 earneftly implores his affiftance. How com- 
 fortable to his aniidled foul is fuch a fcrip- 
 ture as this, when explained and applied to 
 him by the Spirit of God — " In that day 
 *' there ihall be a fountain opened to the 
 " houfe Oi Daviri, and to the inhabitants of 
 " 'jcrufakm^ for fin and for uncleannefs.'* 
 He hears the words with joy, and blefTes 
 God for having opened a fountain for fuch 
 polluted fnners, as he is, to wa{h in and be 
 clean. lis believes the record that God 
 gave of his Son, namely, that his blood 
 cleanfeth from all fm, and through faith he 
 finds great joy and peace in receiving redemp- 
 tion through' the blood of Jefus, even the 
 fv)rgivcnefs of lins. But the cafe is quite 
 dittereiit x^'ith tbofe, wiio liave never been 
 in any concern about their fouls. They 
 maj' give a-'kirsd c)f limple adent to fuch 
 8 icriptu.res 
 
( 339 ) 
 
 fcriptures as this. Perhaps they may be con- 
 vinced, that they (hall want to be cleanfed 
 from fin lome time or other, but at prelent 
 they fee no abfokite neceffity for it. They 
 have no painful fenfe of the malady of fin, 
 nor any apprehenfion of their danger ; and 
 therefore they give themfelves no uneafinefs 
 about the great phyfician of fouls. But the 
 lefs they are concerned for themfelves, the 
 more ought we, who are fenfible of their 
 danger, to be concerned for them. Wc 
 ought to preach the law to them, by which 
 is the knowledge of fin, and to fet before 
 them their pollution and their guilt, and the 
 mifery and puni(hment to which they are 
 fubjecl ; and we ought to look up to God 
 fur his blefling, that he would fet hpme 
 and apply by his grace to their confciences, 
 what we fpeak to the outward ear. . And 
 when he has convinced them of the danger- 
 ous fi:ate in which they live, before they 
 are waflied in the fountain of Chrifl's blood, 
 and they carneftly defire and pray to be 
 \\ I'fhed in it, then we may fifely preach to 
 them the comforts of the gofpel, and tlie in- 
 finite riches of a Saviour's love. Then we 
 may exhort them to wafli and be clean ; 
 though their fins be as fcarlet, they /hall be 
 
 Y 2 as 
 
( 340 ) 
 
 a? wlute as i'liovv, when wafhed in the foun- 
 tain of the Redeemer's blood ; though they 
 be red like crimfon, they fhall be as wool. 
 May the Lord God, who opened this foun- 
 tain, be with us this day to apply its cleanfmg 
 healing virtue. May his good Spirit awaken 
 the carelefs and profane finner to fee his pol- 
 lution and guilt ; may he increafe the delires 
 and ftrensjthen the loncrinsfs of thofe who are 
 waiting for the blood of fprinkling, and may 
 he edify and comfort his own people by 
 means of what fhall be faid in order to deter- 
 mine 
 
 F/r/?j What the fountain is, which is men- 
 tioned in the text. 
 
 Secondly^ The time when it was opened, 
 iiere faid to be a particular day. 
 
 Thirdly, The wonderful property of this 
 fountain — it could cieanle and do away the 
 pollution of fms of the deepeft dye ; and 
 then 
 
 . Fourthly^ By what means and in what way 
 iinners receive and partake of its cleaniing 
 property. 
 
 It 
 
( 341 ) 
 It will not require many words to deter- 
 mine what the fountain is. There is a cir- 
 cumftance mentioned in the text, which 
 will eafily fettle this point. It is faid to be 
 opened for fin and for uncleannefs : Now 
 what fountain could it be, which had the 
 wonderful property of cleanfing from fin ? 
 The fcripture has laid down this infiUiblc 
 rule; without fhedding of blood there is no 
 remiffion ; and the (hedding of what blood 
 ever obtained remiffion ? Did the blood of 
 the facrifices under the law ? No. " To what 
 ** purpofe is the multitude of your fiicrifices 
 *' unto me, faith the Lord ? I delight not 
 *' in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or 
 ** of he-goats, Ifaiah'u ii. For 1 defired 
 " mercy and not facrifice, and the knowledge 
 *' of God more than burnt-offerings." Hof, vi. 
 6. He commanded facrifice, but not in pre- 
 ference to mercy. Men were not to refl in 
 the facrifice, as if its blood could atone, but 
 to look with faith at the s;reat facrifice which 
 the mercy of God had provided, and which 
 was to make a full atonement for fui, and to 
 bring in evcrlafling righteoufnefs. This was 
 the facrifice of the lamb of God. No blood, 
 but his, ever did or could atone. If all the 
 cattle upon a thoufand hills had been offered- 
 
( 342 ) 
 •up, they could not have taken away the leaft 
 lui. If a man had given the fruit of his 
 body for the fin of his foul, ihll his fin 
 would have remained. If he had repented, 
 his repentance without faith in the blood of 
 Chrifl: could not have obtained remiffion. 
 There would be occafion to repent of his re- 
 pentance. If he was to fhed rivers of tears, 
 yea, tears of blood, thele very tears would 
 ■want wafhing. Nothing can cleanfe and 
 do away fin, but fome divine and infinite- 
 ly precious blood ; and in whom is there any 
 fach ? Not in a mere creature. A creature 
 has blood, but none that has any virtue to 
 cleanfe a finner from the pollution and guilt 
 of fin. This is the property of the Lamb 
 of God, who, being both God and man in 
 the perfon of one Chrifl, did thereby give a 
 divine and infinite virtue to the blood which 
 he fhed, fo that it can cleanfe from all fin. 
 Here then is the fountain. It is the moft 
 precious blood of Chrifl', which is always 
 lending out its virtue, as a fountain is always 
 fcndins; out water. Its cleanfins: flreams 
 have never flopped, fince there was fin to 
 cleanfe ; and they can never be exhaufled. 
 Whoever wadics therein Ihall be made clean, 
 let hini have been ever fo defiled or polluted. 
 
 The 
 
C 343 ) 
 The pool oi Eethcjdj. was a lively image of 
 this fountain. After tlie angel went down 
 and troubled the water, then whofoever hift 
 flept in was made whole q^ whatfoevtr d.i- 
 eafe he had. As this cured every bodily, k> 
 does the blood of ChriH: cure evehy i'piritual, 
 difeafe : for it takes away fin, which is \\\i 
 caufe of all difcaies and obtains eternal re- 
 demption. 
 
 Are any of you, my brethren, thorouglily 
 fenfiblc of the defiling nature of hn, and do 
 you find how ottenfive it malies you in the 
 eyes of an holy God'? Has the angel o\. tlie 
 covenant come down and troubled your con- 
 fciences, and are you convinced that nothiing 
 can cleanfeyou but the blood oi J'cfus CbriJI'^ 
 then believe his word and rely upon l:is pro- 
 mife, that if your polluted fouls be waihcd 
 in this fountain, how filthy and defiled io- 
 ever they be, they fliall be made clean : 
 for it can clean fe from all fm, A^re your 
 pollutions numerous, of a long continuance, 
 and of the deepeft die? The blood of Chri(l 
 CM\ infallibly clea^nfe them and make tlu^m 
 as wbiite as fnow : bec.uile it partakes of 
 the intini*"e a!id divine nature of the Ciod- 
 ma:) Chrifi ycfiis. He who o.^JCiR^d t'nis tvauv- 
 Y 4 tain 
 
( 344 ) 
 tain for fin, was God and man united in one 
 Chrift, whereby the anions of the one na- 
 ture may properly be afcribed to and predi- 
 cated of the other. The man 'Jefus had 
 blood to fhed, but he who fhed it was God 
 as well as man ; and therefore it is called 
 by St. Paul " the blood of God \' for as the 
 reafonable foul and flefh is one man, fo God 
 and man is one Chrift. The manhood fuf- 
 fcred and bled, the Godhead merited infi- 
 nitely by thofe fufFerings, and by that blood - 
 fhedding, and fo the one Chrifl who fuffered 
 and bled, merited infinitely, according to 
 what the Apoflle "John fays, " That God laid 
 ** down his life for us ;" and the ends and 
 purpofes for which God laid it down, could 
 not pofTibly be defeated. Hear this, ye poor 
 guilty finners ! whofe confciences are trou- 
 bled with a fenfe of your many and great 
 pollutions. The Lord God has opened a 
 fountain for fuch as you are, to wafh in and 
 be clean, and he has given to it a divine and 
 almighty virtue to cleanfe all manner of fins. 
 His power is prefent to make it an all-per- 
 fect cleanfer. Oh that God m:iy enable yoa 
 to make ufe of it. Is it not vour hearts' de- 
 lire, that you may be made clean ? And here 
 are -the mean-s. .The fountain ftands open. 
 
 What 
 
( 34S ) 
 
 What hinders you then from wafhlng in it, 
 and having your confciences purged from 
 dead works ? You cannot doubt of its vir- 
 tue. Has it not clcanfed finners, who were 
 once as black as hell, a Manajfcb, a Majy 
 Magdalen^ a Saul? Put it then to the trial. 
 Believe the record which God has given of it. 
 Apply it for the cleanfing of your fouls, and 
 it will infallibly take efFedt. All the finners 
 from Adam to Chrlfl:, who have been ad- 
 mitted into the prefence and kingdom of 
 God, were cleanfed from every fpot and ftain 
 of fin in this fountain ; and all the finners 
 from Chrift to the end of the world mufb 
 wa(h their robes in the fame fountain, if they 
 appear in fpotlcfs purity before God. But 
 although this fountain has had its all-cleanf-- 
 ing virtue ever fince the fall, yet there was^ 
 a fixed time in the council of God, called ia 
 the text in that day, when the immaculate. 
 Lamb of God {hould come into the world,- 
 and (hed his blood, and put away fin by the 
 facrifice of himfelf ; and this brings me to 
 my 
 
 Second head, — Under which I purpofed to 
 
 confider the time when this fountain was 
 
 opened, here faid to be a particular day, 
 
 7 And 
 
( 3+6 ) 
 
 And this was certainly the day when the 
 Redeemer fuffered and bled upon the crois, 
 which being fixed and unalterable in the 
 decrees of the mofl: high God, they, who 
 lived before Chrift: 2;ave himfelf an oiferin'! 
 for fin, were faved by faith in him, as we are 
 iince he was offered; for the merits of his 
 facrifice looked backward as well as forward, 
 and like as the fun fends out lic'ht in every 
 direction, fo did the efficacy of our Lord's 
 facrifice. It communicated its cleanling 
 qualities, as well to thofe who lived betore, 
 as to thofe who lived fuice Chritl: made his 
 foul an offering for fin; But neverthelefs 
 there was a day, a precife determinate tin^.e 
 for his offerins;. Chrid was the lamb fiain 
 from the foundation of the world, flain typi- 
 cally in every facrifice, but in the fulneis of 
 time he came, and was really flain, and the 
 day of his fufferings was the day when the 
 fountain for fin and for uncleannefs was 
 opened, which is clearly determined by the 
 context : for in the foregoing chapter the pro- 
 phet is fpeaking of an extraordinary mourn- 
 ing in the land of Ifrael, and he introduces, 
 his defcription with thefe words : " And I 
 " will pour upon the houfe pf David, and 
 " upon the inhabitants of Jerujalem the 
 
 *'• Spirit 
 
c 347 ; 
 
 " Spirit of grace and of fupplications, and 
 *' they (hall look upon me, whom they 
 *' have pierced." Thefe words are applied 
 by an infallible expofitor to our Lord's being 
 pierced upon the crofs : for St. 'John fays, 
 " When the foldiers came to Jefus, and faw 
 " that he was dead already, they brake not 
 '* his legs, but one of them, with a fpear, 
 *' pierced his fide, and forthwith came out 
 *'• blood and water : for thefe things were 
 done, that the fcripture fhould be fulfil- 
 led, " A bone of him Ihall not be broken.'* 
 And again another fcripture faith, " They 
 *• fliall look on him, whom they have 
 ** pierced.'' From hence it is evident, that 
 the fountain was opened on the day of 
 Ch rift's fufPerings, here pointed out by this 
 diftinguifhing mark ; namely, the foldiers' 
 piercing his lide, from w'hence there flowed 
 blood and water. When this iixed day was 
 come, and Chrift had fuifered whatever 
 the hand and counlel of God had deter- 
 mined before fhould be done to him, then 
 his blood had an all-cleanfins; virtue. What 
 he once flied was for ever meritorious. It 
 was fo abfolutely perfe^fl, that he need not 
 Ihed it any more. The flicrifice of that 
 one day w^as fufficient to fati?>fv all the de- 
 
 mands 
 
( 348 ) 
 
 mands of law and juftice ; " fo that Chrlfl 
 ** need not offer himfelf often, as the hi eh- 
 •' prieft entered into the holy place every 
 *' year with the blood of others : for then 
 •* muft he often have fuitered fince the 
 *' foundation of the world ; but now once 
 ** in the end of the world hath he appeared 
 *' to put away fm by the facrifice of him- 
 ** felf.'* Once, the jufl: fuffered for the un- 
 juft, and the blood which he (lied on that 
 day had fuch an infinite cleanfing virtue, as 
 to make fcarlet-crimfon fins as white as 
 ihow. The ends for which h.e bled could not 
 poflibly be defeated : for he was God and 
 man united in one Chrifl, and the one Chrift 
 merited infinitely by the fliedding of his 
 moil: precious blood, and it was indeed fhed 
 as abundantlv as if it had flowed from a 
 fountain. From the time that his agony and 
 bloody fwcat began in the garden until he 
 expired upon the crofs, he was a bleeding 
 victim, wounded for our tranfgreflions, and 
 bruifed for our iniquities. When he was 
 buffeted and fcourged ; when he was crown* 
 ed with thorns, and their fliarp points were 
 flruck into his head by the barbarous fol- 
 diers ; when the crofs was laid upon him, 
 and the weight of it opened his wounds 
 
 and 
 
( 349 ) 
 
 and mnde them bleed afrefli ; when the n:ill5 
 went through his hands and feet, and he 
 hung for fix hours bleeding upon the crofs ; 
 then was the moft precious blood (hed, whicb 
 is the only fountain to wadi away fin and 
 nncleannefs. Sinners, confider the great 
 need you have of this fountain, and the in- 
 cftimable love of Chrifl:, who opened it for 
 fuch as you are. He calls upon you, he 
 intreats you to view him, as he hung bleed- 
 ing upon the crofs in his bitter paffion — " Is 
 *' it nothing to you, all ye that pafs by? 
 *' behold and fee, if there be any forrow 
 ** like unto my forrow, which is done un- 
 ** to me, wherewith the Lord hath affli^l- 
 *' ed me in the day of his fierce anger.'* 
 This is his earnefl requeft to you who are 
 paffing by and minding other things. He 
 would have you to flop, to lay afide all other 
 concerns, and to employ your thoughts upon 
 his un-paralicled fufterings. Oh hearken then 
 unto him ! Look upon this man of forrows. 
 View him tormented, bleeding, dying, and 
 t-hen aik your heart. Why does the inno- 
 cent Lamb of God thus fufter ? Was it not 
 that there might be a fountain opened for 
 fin and for uncleannefs ? And how then are 
 you afFe(!^ed with the fhedding of that blood, 
 
 which 
 
( 35^ ) 
 
 which can cleanfe from all fin ? If grace be 
 flirring in your hearts, you will mourn with 
 a godly forrow for your fins, which occa- 
 lioned his bitter fufferings, as it is written in 
 the chapter before the text — *' I will pour 
 " upon the houfe of David, and upon the 
 " inhabitants of yeru/akm, the Ipirit of grace 
 " and fuppUcations, and they fliall look upon 
 " me, whom they have pierced, and they 
 ** (hall mourn for him, as one mourneth 
 *' for his only fon, and (hall be in bitter- 
 " nefs for him, as one that is in bitternefs 
 " for his firft-born." As tender parents arc 
 aifedled with the death of an only fon and 
 of a firft-born, fo (liall the holv mourners 
 in Sion be afFe6led with the wounding^ and 
 piercing of Chrifl. They fliall be in bitter- 
 nefs not only for his death, but for the caufe 
 of it. Their fins were the betrayers and 
 murderers of the Son of God, and it is their 
 conftatit language — " My fins« pierced Chrift 
 *' vvith a thoufand forrows in the dav of his 
 *' fuffering:, while he was wounded for mv 
 *' tranfgreflions and bruifed for mine Iniqni- 
 *' ties ; and yet vile, ungrateful wretch that 
 ** I am, daily am I piercing him with my 
 *' fins, and making his wounds bleed afreili." 
 Whoever can fpcak thefe words feelingly will- 
 mourn 
 
( 35- ) 
 
 mourn after a godly fort, and will knov/ 
 how to value that precious blood which 
 has merit and efficacy to ilive him from his 
 bafe ingratitude, as well as from his other 
 Inis. He will look, upon every one of our 
 Lord's wounds as a fountain opened for the 
 purifying of fin and of uncleannefs; for every 
 fin is of a polluting nature, and wants cleanf- 
 incr. Nothincr can be fo loath fome in the 
 eyes of a holy God, as fin. A leper, cover- 
 ed over with fores and ulcers, is not more 
 oiTenfive in our fight, than he that is defiled 
 with the leprofy of fin is in the fight of God. 
 He is not only of purer eyes than to behold 
 it, but he alfo rejects the finner for it, as 
 filthy and abominable altogether; and he 
 will be rcje6led for fvcr, unlefs he be con- 
 vinced of the defilinGi; nature of fin and 
 defire to be cleanfed from its pollution. 
 When thefe defires come from the Holy 
 Spirit, he will flreiigthen them, until the 
 finner, being juftified by the blood of Chrifi:, 
 be made clean and righteous altos;ether. But 
 this point comes more particularly to be 
 treated of in the 
 
 T/jird place^ Under the confideration of 
 the wonderful" property of the fountain men- 
 tioned 
 
( 352 ) 
 
 tioned in the text, It could cleaiife, and take 
 away the pollution of fins of the deeped dye. 
 The fountain is the blood of Jefus Chriji^ 
 which is able to clean fe from fin by the di- 
 vine ordinance and appointment. The ever- 
 bleffed Trinity have given it an almighty 
 power in order to its anfwering all the pur- 
 pofes of cleanfing ; and therefore it is called 
 by the apoftle " the blood of the everlafting 
 " covenant,'* becaufe the eternal Three en- 
 tered into a covenant, and by an eternal pur- 
 pofe decreed to bring many fons unto glory 
 through the obedience and blood- fhedding 
 of Jefus Chnji, He, being a perfon in the 
 Godhead co-equal and co- eternal with the 
 Father, undertook, as their reprefentative, to 
 obey the law for them, and to fuffer the pe- 
 nalties, to flied the blood, and to die the death 
 which they deferved, and thus to fatisfy all 
 the demands which his Father*s juftice had 
 upon them. The Father accepted him as 
 their fubflitute, and was well-pleafed with 
 them for his fake, even before he came in 
 the flefli ', and when he did come in the 
 fulnefs of time to put away iin by the 
 infinitely perfect facrifice of himfelf; and 
 when he faid upon the Crofs, *' it is finifh- 
 *' ed," then the blood of the everlafling co- 
 venant 
 
( 353 ) 
 
 Venant made a full and perfe(Sl atonement 
 for their fins. Of this there can be no 
 doubt, becaufe he rofe from the grave in 
 a public character, as the firfl fruit of the 
 dead, and becaufe he afterwards afcended 
 up on high to give gifts unto men, and ac- 
 cording to his mofl true promife he gave his 
 roy il gifts, even to the rebellious. He fent 
 them the Holy Ghoft the comforter, whofe 
 office in the covenant it was to awaken fin- 
 ners, dead afleep in fin, to convince them 
 of their guilt and danger, and to bring them 
 to the blood of fprinkling to be made clean. 
 When the Holy Spirit thus gracioufly ftirs 
 up and difpofes them to be clean fed in the 
 fountain, which was opened for fin and for 
 unckannefs, why fhould not they inftantly 
 make ufe of it ? The fountain can cleanfe 
 them. It is almighty to cleanfe from all 
 fin. The holy, bleffed and glorious Trinity 
 have covenanted to give an infinitely pu- 
 rifying virtue to it. Although Jefus alone 
 fhed his blood, yet the Father covenanted 
 to accept it, and the Holy Spirit covenanted 
 to apply it and to make it effectual to the 
 linner's heart ; fo that the whole Trinity 
 have appointed it to be an infallible cleanfer. 
 And let troubled confciences remember, 
 
 Z that 
 
( 354 ) 
 that the divine virtue and almighty power of 
 the godhead will now work with the blood 
 of the everlading covenant to make it effec- 
 tual for every end and purpofe for which 
 it was filed ; yea, even the P'ather'-s juftice, 
 from which they had molt to fear, is as 
 much bound to five thofe who feek to be 
 cleanfed by the blood of Chrifl, as his mercy: 
 for infinite juftice has been fatisfied with 
 the (hedding of this blood. Ail its demands 
 have been fully anfwered, and juftice and 
 mercy are now alike engaged to receive thofe 
 finners, who come to Jefus to be made 
 clean. Think of this, thou affli^fled foul, 
 tolled with doubts and fears and not com- 
 forted : Why cannot that blood fatisfy thy 
 confcience, which has Satisfied the infinite 
 juflice of God? The Lord deliver thee from 
 unbelief, and help thee to rely upon the 
 blood of the everlafting covenant, until thou 
 find every thing that is faid of it in fcrip- 
 ture to be infallibly true by thine own expe- 
 rience. 
 
 The wonderful property then of this foun- 
 tain eomes from hence, that there is in it 
 the moft precious blood of Chrift, which 
 has a divine virtue and power to cleanfe, as 
 
 the 
 
( 355 ) 
 
 the whole 'fcripture bears tefUmony. Un- 
 der the ceremonial difpenfation, whenever 
 any pcrfon had broken the law, he was pro- 
 nounced unclean, and was fliut out of the 
 camp, until he was cleanfed by blood. He 
 was to bring his facrifice to the priefl:, who 
 was to flay it, and then to fprinkle the blood 
 of it upon the unclean, that he might be 
 fantflified to the purifying of the fleftl. Thu$r 
 the Mofaic ceremonies, which were figures 
 of sfood things to come, then taught the 
 {inner, that as his fin fhut him out of the 
 congregation of the Lord's people below, fo 
 would it (hut him out of the congrregatioti 
 above, into which nothing unclean can en- 
 ter; and then they farther taught him the in- 
 finite efficacy of Chrifl:'s blood to do away 
 lin : for if the blood of the facrifices could 
 cleanfe outwardly, how much more fhall 
 the blood of Chrift, who, through the eter- 
 nal Spirit, offered himfelf, without fpot to 
 God, purge the confcience from dead works 
 to ferve the living God, 
 
 Thus the ceremonial law fhewed; that 
 blood could cleanfe, and referred the fmner 
 to the blood of the Lamb of God, bv faith 
 ill which he might be made clean. The 
 
 Z 7. New 
 
( 35^ ) ^ 
 
 New Teflament refers him to the fame foun^ 
 tain, and has given fuch defcriptions of it^ 
 as ought to filence doubt^ and fears, and to 
 enable every convinced finner to rely upon 
 its virtue, and to wafli and be clean. All 
 that Jefus has purchafed ; all that the Holy 
 Spirit has to apply ; all the graces of time, 
 and all the bleflings of eternity, are afcribed 
 to the merit of bis moft precious blood- 
 (hedding. Thus the fcripture fets forth its 
 ineftimable value. By it the price of our 
 redemption was paid. The debt v/as fo 
 immenfe, for vi^hich juftice had feized upon 
 our perfons and eftates, that we could not be 
 redeemed with corruptible things, fuch as 
 filver and gold, but with the precious blood, 
 of Chrift, The blood alone of that God- 
 man was fufficient to pay our ranfom, and 
 he paid it to the utmoft farthing, as thefe 
 fcriptures teftify. " In whom we have re-. 
 *' demption thro' his blood.'* Ep/j. i. 7. Co/, i. 
 14. And as the redeemed of the Lord could 
 thus fay by faith, " we have redemption 
 *' through his blood," fo we read in Rev. v. 
 that the redeemed of the Lord in heaven fung 
 a new fong, when the fealed book was given 
 to the lion of the tribe of yuda/j, the root 
 of David, who alone prevailed to open the 
 
 book, 
 
( ' 357 ) 
 book, and to loofe the feals thereof, faying, 
 *< Thou art worthy to take the book, and 
 *' to open the feals thereof: for thou waft 
 *' flam, and haft redeemed us to God by 
 " thy -blood '* Through his blood alio wc 
 have remiftion and forgivenefs of fins. With- 
 out flieddins: of blood there is no remlirion, 
 and no blood could merit remiflion but his ; 
 as he fays himfelf, " This is my blood of 
 *' the new teftament, which is (hed for ma- 
 *' ny for the remiflion of fins.*' Matf. xxvi. 
 28. And the Apoftle, fpeaking of himfelf 
 and of the ColoftmiSy fays, by it they had 
 remiflion, *' \\\ whom we have redemption 
 *' through his blood, even the foro-ivenefs 
 " of fms." Col. i. 1 4. And the Apoftle John 
 thus praifes Chrift for this blefling, " Unto 
 ** him that loved \is, and waflicd us from our 
 ** fins in his own blood, be glory and domi- 
 ** nion forever and ever. Amen.*' Rev. i. 5, 6. 
 And as believers have redemption and remif- 
 fion of fins through the mofl precious blood 
 of Chrift, fo have they alfo through it another 
 ineftimable privileg^e, even free juftification, 
 according to what is written, Rom. v. 8, 9. 
 *' While we were yet enemies, Chrift died 
 ** for us, much more then, being now jufti- 
 " fled by his blood, we ihall be faved from 
 
 Z 3 '' wrath 
 
( 358 ) 
 
 ■** wrath through him.'* And we are thus 
 juftified and faved through faith in his biood : 
 *' For we are juftified freely by grace thro' 
 '* the redemption that is in Jefus Chrifl:, 
 ** whom God hath fet forth to be a propitia- 
 ** tion through faith in his blood,'* Rom. iii. 
 24, 25. And being thus juflified by faith in, 
 his blood we have another privilege, greater 
 than the world can give, and fuch as the 
 world cannot take away, even peace with 
 God : " But now in Chrift Jefus, ye who 
 " fometimes were far ofF, are made nigh 
 " by the blood of Chrifl:: for he is our 
 '* peace." Eph. ii. 13, 14. He was confti- 
 tuted and appointed by the covenant the 
 prince of peace, who was to reconcile God 
 and man : " For it pleafed the Father that 
 *' in him fhould all fulnefs dwell, and hav- 
 *' ing made peace through the blood of his 
 *' crofs, by him to reconcile all things unto 
 '* himfelf, by him, I fay, whether they be 
 *' things i earth, or things in heaven.'* 
 CoL i. 19, 20. And when the finnr- is re- 
 conciled to the Father by faith in the blood 
 of his Son, then the fenfe of this peace will 
 enable him to rejoice in God through Jefus 
 ChriH: his Lord, by whom he hath now re- 
 ceived the atonement. And when he is 
 
 thus 
 
( 359 ) 
 
 thus redeemed, and his fins are forgiven, 
 and his perfon juflified, and the peace of 
 God rules in his heart, then there is another 
 blefled pjivilege received by the blood of 
 ChriR, even fan^lification. '* The bod,ies of 
 *' thofe beads," fays the Apoftle, *' whofe 
 ** blood is brought into the fandluary by 
 *' the high-priefl for fin, are burnt without 
 " the camp ; wherefore Jefus alfo, that he 
 ^' might fantSbify the people with his own 
 *' blood, fuffered without the gate." Heb. 
 xiii. ir, 12. His people are delivered from 
 the dominion, as well as from the guilt of 
 fin by the merit of his blood : " For he 
 *' gave himfelf for them, that he might re- 
 *' deem them from all iniquity, and purify 
 ** unto himfelf a peculiar people, zealous of 
 ** good works.'* Titus ii. 14. He gave him- 
 felf to death for them, that he might re- 
 deem them from the power of iniquity, as 
 well as from the guilt and punishment of it, 
 as the Apoftle witnefles. Col, i. 2 1 , 22. *' And 
 '* you that were fomctimes alienated, and 
 ** enemies in your mind by wicked works, 
 *' yet now hath he reconciled in the body of 
 *' his fiefli through death, to prefent you 
 *' holy and unblameable and unreproveable, 
 *' in his light." And when believers are 
 
 Z 4 thus 
 
( 36q ) 
 
 thus through obedience and fprinkling of the 
 blood of Jefus Chrift renewed day by day in 
 the fpiri^ of their minds, then they have 
 another exceeding great and precious privi- 
 lege, namely, liberty of approaching God, 
 and accefs with confidence unto him, as 
 their reconciled Father. Their happinefs in 
 this refpe6l is greater than can be expreffed. 
 They can call: all their care upon him, and 
 thereby cafe themfelves of the burden, and 
 they can lay all their wants and complaints 
 before him, knowing that their God will 
 fupply all their wants out of the riches of 
 his glory in Chrift Jefus. And this inefti- 
 mable privilege comes to them through the 
 ^ilood of Chrift, as the Apoftle has proved, 
 fleb, X. 19, 20, &c. " Having therefore, 
 " iDrethren, boldnefs to enter into the holi- 
 ^' eft by the blood of Jefns, by a new and 
 *' }iving way, which he hath confecrated 
 *' for us through the vail, that is to fay, his 
 *' flefh, and having an high-prieft over the 
 ** houfe of God, let us draw near with a 
 *' true heart in full afturance of faith.'* 
 
 Thefe are fome of the privileges which 
 believers receive from the moft precious 
 blood- ftiedding of Jefus Chrift ; and are not 
 
 thefe 
 
( 36i ) 
 
 thefe fufficient to demonftrate the Infinitely 
 cleanfing: virtue of the fountain of his blood ? 
 For by it they are wafhed from every pollu- 
 tion and defilement of fin, and are prelented 
 without fpot or blemifh before God. Did 
 fin bring them into captivity ? The blood of 
 Chrill: redeems them from all their enemies, 
 who led them captive, from fin and fatan, 
 from death and hell. Did lin bring guilt into 
 the confcience ? The fprinkling of the blooc! 
 of Jefus takes it out, and fpeaks pardon and 
 forgivenefs. Did fin make us unrighteous, 
 and condemn us at God's bar? There is 
 now no condemnation to them, who are 
 juflified by the blood of Chrill. Did fni 
 provoke a holy God, and arm his jufticc 
 to execute the pains and penalties of th(? 
 broken law upon the tranfgrefTors r Chrifl 
 has made peace by the blood of the crofs, 
 and he gives them peace in their confciences, 
 when they are juftified by faith. Are we 
 by nature fold under fin, and under its power 
 and dominion ? The blood of Chrjft has 
 merit and efficacy in it to purge our con- 
 fciences from dead works to ferve the living- 
 God. Did fin fhut the door of mercy again ft 
 us, fo that God would receive none of our 
 prayers or fervices ? The blood of Chrift 
 
 has 
 
( 362 ) 
 
 has opened a new and living way, and be* 
 lievers may with boldnefs enter into the ho- 
 lieft with their petitions : for whatever they 
 aik of the Father in bis Son's name, he will 
 give it them. Thus the blood of Chrift faves 
 from all iniquity. Whatever pollution or 
 guilt iniquity had brought upon the foul, 
 all is done away in the fountain of his blood. 
 And thefe fcriptures have fo particularly de- 
 icribed its virtue, that convinced finners 
 might have fi:rong encouragement to rely 
 npon its power to cleanfe from all fin : for the 
 Lord God has appointed it for this purpofe, 
 and it cannot fail of anfwering it ; becaufe he 
 is almighty to render his own appointment 
 effe6lual. The blood of Chrift clean fes by 
 a divine virtue, which nothing can refift. 
 God has engaged and promifed that his al- 
 mighty power fhall work in the application 
 of this blood, and that not only in the prefent 
 life, but alfo in the next. He has given to it 
 an infinite and eternal virtue. It can cleanfe 
 for ever. Oh ! doubt hot then of any leffer 
 virtue afcribed to it in fcripture, fince it has 
 the greateft that pofiibly can be. Surely it 
 can cleanfe in time, fince it can cleanfe to 
 eternity. '* Chrift by his own blood enter- 
 ** ed in once into the holy place, having ob- 
 
 " tained 
 
( 363 ) 
 
 ** tained eternal redemption for us. Heh. ix. 
 ** 12. P'or by one offering he hath perfe6led 
 ** forever them that are fanctified.'^ Hcb, x. 
 14. And when the beloved Apoftle favv ia 
 a vifion the great multitude, whom no man 
 could number, {landing before the throne 
 and before the lamb, cloathed with white 
 robes and palms in their hands, one of the 
 elders afked him, *' What are thefc which 
 *' are arrayed in white robes, and whence 
 *' came they ? And I faid unto him. Sir, thou 
 *' knoweft. And he faid unto me, Thefc 
 *' are they who come out of great tribula- 
 *' tion, and have washed their robes, and 
 ** made them white in the blood of the lamb.'* 
 Rev. vii. 14. Thefe precious robes, in which 
 they appear before God, and ftand confirm- 
 ed for ever and ever in blifs, were wafhed 
 and made white ik the blood of the lamb, 
 and this gives then:\ an eternal purity and 
 an endlefs glory. 
 
 Has not the fountain then, which was 
 opened for fni and for uncleannefs, a divine 
 property, iince believers receive from it all 
 the graces of time and all the bleffni'^s of 
 eternity ? The fcriptures, which I have 
 quoted, afcribe to it the wonderful power 
 7 of 
 
( 3«4 ) 
 
 «f cleanfing from all fin, and that for evef. 
 Sins of the greatefl guilt, fcarlet-crimfon 
 Tins, whofe deep dye cannot be taken out 
 by any other means, wafhed in the blood 
 of the lamb become as white as fnow : And 
 the fountain, which has this infinite virtue, 
 ftands open night and day. It cleanfes 
 freely, without money and without price. 
 Whofoever will, let him come and be made 
 clean. The Spirit and the bride invite him, 
 and fay, Come, and let him that heareth fay. 
 Come, and let him that defires to be cleanf- 
 ed, come. Come, and try its virtue, and 
 it will infalhbly fucceed. Though thou- 
 fands, and ten thoufand times ten thou* 
 iand finners have waflied in it, and been 
 made clean ; yet it has lofl: none of its vir- 
 tue. Still it is almighty to do away fin. 
 Whofoever is waflied in ihe blood of Chrift 
 is made clean and pure to all eternity. My 
 brethren, do you believe this ? And do you 
 dciire to experience its cleanfing virtue ? 
 Have you been convinced of the polluting 
 nature of (in, and how it has defiled your 
 fouls, and rendered them in the fight of a 
 holy God more filthy and abominable, than 
 the mofl: loathfome object is in our eyes, and 
 would you be made clean freely by the blood 
 
 of 
 
( 365 ) 
 
 of the Lamb of God ? Is this the prayer of 
 your heart ? " I am convinced that God is 
 ' of purer eyes than to behold the leaft ini- 
 ' quity, and I am nothing but iniquity, 
 ' Oh ! that the Lamb of God would take 
 ' pity on me, and out of his inere love 
 ' and mercy cleanfe my polluted foul from 
 ' every fpot and ftain of fin. I believe nO'» 
 ' thing elfe can cleanfe me, but his moft 
 ' precious blood, and it cannot cleanfe, ua- 
 ' lefs it be applied and received by faith : 
 
 * Lord, apply it then for thy mercy's fake, 
 
 * and wafh mv foul in the fountain which 
 
 * was opened for fin and for uncleannefs,'* 
 If thefe be your real deiires, you will fol- 
 low me, profitably, to the coniideration of the 
 
 Fourth particular I was to treat of, name- 
 ly, By what means and in what way fin- 
 ners receive and partake of its cleanfing 
 property. Although Chrift has (hed his 
 blood, and although it can cleanfe from all 
 fin ; yet it cannot cleanfe, unlefs it be ap- 
 plied. You can have 110 benefit from it, 
 unlefs it be fprinkled upon your confciences. 
 By the fhedding of it he obtained merit to 
 cleanfe, but the efficacv of it in cleanfing 
 comes from the application. The law point'- 
 
 ed 
 
( 366 ) 
 
 ed out this in the fprinkUng of the blood of the 
 facrifices, and particularly in the cleanfing of 
 the leper. When the prieft had examined him 
 and found the plague of the leprofy was heal* 
 ed, then the leper was to bring his facrifice, 
 and it was offered for him, and its blood was 
 ilied, but he was not pronounced legally 
 clean, until the blood was fprinkled upon 
 him. The fhedding of the blood did not 
 cleanfe without the application. And thefe 
 figures of the law are applied to Chrift in the 
 New Tcftament. The Apoftle P^«/fpeaks of 
 the fprinkling of the heart from an evil con- 
 icience, and the Apoftle Peter fhews what it 
 is which is able thus to cleanfe the heart, 
 namely, the fprinkling of the blood of Jefus 
 Chrift. This fpeaketh better things than that 
 g{ AbeL Abel\ blood cried for vengeance, 
 but Chrift*s blood cries for mercy, and when 
 it is applied, it fprinkles the heart from an 
 evil confcience, and purges it from dead 
 works to ferve the living God. 
 
 This confideration brings us to meditate 
 upon the office of the Holy Spirit. As Chrift 
 covenanted to fhed his blood, fo the Holy Spi- 
 rit covenanted to apply the merits of it, and 
 to render it effedual to the -linner's heart. 
 
 This 
 
( 3^7 ), 
 
 This is his ofEce-charaifter : he was to- take of 
 the things of Chrilh and to fhew them unto 
 us, to fhew us our want of them, and then to 
 ftiew us our interell in them. And in the pre* 
 feat cafe he was to convince Tinners that they 
 wanted cleaning, and that there was a foun- 
 tain opened for uncleannefs, and by his 
 grace he enables them to wafh and be clean. 
 As there can be no outward wafhing away 
 of any pollution, but by an outward appU- 
 cation ; fo there can b© no inward clean- 
 iing, but by his fpiritual application. If 
 there was a bath famous for curing fome 
 particular difeafe, you know it could not 
 cure the difeafed perfon, unlefs he was 
 bathed in it : fo neither can this fountain. 
 It was opened for ufe, and whoever is cleanf- 
 ed by it, muil be wafhed in it, inwardly 
 and fpiritually, by the Holy Spirit. He ap- 
 plies, and faith receives the benefit of that 
 blood, which cleanfeth from all fin : for the 
 Apoftle, fpeaking of Chrift, fays, '* Whom 
 *' God hath fet forth to be a propitiation 
 ** through faith in his blood." Ronu iii. 25, 
 The fhedding of his blood had merit to 
 clean fe, but faith apprehends it and receives 
 its cleanfing virtue. That faith, which is the 
 gift of the Holy Spirit, and is wrought ia 
 
 the 
 
( 368 ) 
 
 the heart by his operation relies upoii the 
 blood of Chrift, and puts its whole trufl and 
 confidence in its power to cleanfe, and then 
 finds the heart fprinkled with it from an 
 evil confcience, guilt being taken out, and 
 peace brought in^ with love and joy^ and all 
 the graces of the Spirit of God* 
 
 From what has been faid, it appears, that 
 there is a fountain open for fin and for un- 
 cleannefs, and that the blood of Jefus Chriil: 
 can cleanfe from all fin. It had this virtue 
 given it by the covenant of grace, when the 
 holy, bleffed, and glorious Trinity agreed to 
 give their power to it, and nothing can refifl 
 the power of the Godhead. He who fhed 
 it was God and man in one perfon. As God, 
 he was co-equal and co-etcrnal with the Fa- 
 ther, and when he took our nature* that in 
 it he might obey and fuffer for firiners, no- 
 thino[ could be wantino; to render his obedi- 
 ence and fufferings abfolutely complete : for 
 all the works of God are perfe6t ; nothing 
 can be added to them, or taken from them. 
 When Jefus fhed his blood upon the crofs,- 
 it was the will of the ever-blefled Trinity, 
 that this blood (hould be of infinite efficacy 
 to take away fin. It cannot want power to 
 4 cleanfe, 
 
( 3(>9 ) 
 cleanfe, bccaufe the whole power of the 
 Godhead is engaged to make it efFe(5luaU 
 It is the blood of the everlafting covenant. 
 The foil has flied it, and the Father has 
 received it as a full iatisfaclion and atone- 
 ment for fin, and the application of it is now 
 in the hand of the eternal and almighty 
 Spirit ; and when he applies it, and gives 
 the finner faith to rely upon it, what can 
 then refift its power, or hinder its efficacy ? 
 My brethren, how do you find your hearts 
 affedted with thefe great truths ? Do you fee 
 the polluting nature of fin, and do you de- 
 iire to be cleanfed from it in the fountain of 
 Ch rift's blood ? And do you therefore defire 
 it, that you may be made holy as well as 
 righteous ? Would you have the blood of 
 Chrifl to fave you by its efficacy from the 
 dominion of fin, as well as to fave you by its 
 merit from the guilt of fin ? Sirs, what fay 
 your hearts to thefe things ? Do you really 
 wiffi to be cleanfed from the power, as well as 
 from the pollution of fin ? If you do not wifh 
 for it, what do you think of the text ? Is it 
 true that there is a fountain opened for fin 
 and for unclcannefs, and has the blood of 
 Chrifl the cleanfing virtue here afcribcd to 
 it ? Can it take out the guilt of fins of the 
 
 A a deepeft 
 
( 37^ ) 
 
 deepeft dye? Are fcarlet-crimfon fins wafll- 
 ed ill it, as white as Ihow ? Surely they are : 
 for it can cleaufe from all fin. By the fhed- 
 ding of his blood, Chrift obtained infinite 
 merit to cleanfe iinners ; but in order to 
 their being cleanfed it mufl be applied, and 
 the. application is now made by the grace of 
 the Holy v^pirit. Has he then applied it to 
 you or not ? This is the main point. Have 
 you been washed in this fountain and made 
 clean ? What are you the better for its cleanf- 
 ing others, if it never cleanfe your fouls ? 
 You can be benefited only from its applica- 
 tion to you in particular, and by your expe- 
 riencing the power of it in your own hearts. 
 Let each of us then examine ourfelves con- 
 cerning this particular,* and ^may we do it 
 through the affiflance of God with profit 
 and improvem.ent. 
 
 I. It is not unlikely, but there may be 
 fome perfons here who are not thoroughly 
 acquainted with the defiling nature of fin, 
 and who never heartily defired to be cleanf- 
 ed from it. This is the cafe of all unawa- 
 kened finners. They fee not the pollution of 
 their hearts and lives, and therefore they are 
 eafy and content in their prefent ftate with- 
 out 
 
( 37' ) 
 
 out ever defiring to be cleanfed by the blood 
 of Chrift. Does any one's coiifcience fpeak 
 to him at prefent, and fay—** This is my 
 ** cafe ; I have not been cleanfed from my 
 ** fins, nor do I defire it. My fins arje fo 
 -*' fvveet and pleafing to me, that I (hould be 
 ** very unhappy if I was to part with them/' 
 But are they more fweet and pleafant than 
 heaven, and would you part with heaven, 
 rather than part with them ? Confider this 
 matter a little. You mud part with one or 
 the other : for hear what God fays of you 
 in his word. You are the objeds of his 
 hatred. " Thou, O God ! (fays the Pfalmifl) 
 ** hateft all workers of iniquity.'* Pjalm v. 5. 
 Yea, fo great is his hatred, that he cannot 
 fuffer you to appear before him. " Thou 
 ** art of purer eyes, fays the Prophet, than 
 *' to behold evil, and canfl not look upon 
 ** iniquity." Had. i. 13. And if you die in 
 your iniquity, without the blood of fprink- 
 ling, you can never enter into heaven : '* For 
 ** no unclean perfon hath any inheritance 
 ** in the kingdom of Chrifl: and of God." 
 Ep/j. V. 5. To which agree the words of St. 
 Jo/jft in his defcription of the heavenly je- 
 rufalemy *' there fhall in no wife enter ;a- 
 ** to it any thing that defileth." This aw- 
 A a 2 ful 
 
( 31'^ ) 
 ful fcripture will be fulfilled in you. In no 
 wife (hall you enter into the city of the liv- 
 ing God, unlefs your polluted fouls be wafh- 
 ed in the Redeemer's blood. You will be 
 fhut out of his prefence and glory, and your 
 eternal habitation will be with unclean fpirits 
 in the regions of torment and defpair. 
 
 But bad though your prefent ftate be, 
 yet the gofpel fets before you perfe£l deli- 
 verance. You are invited to come and be 
 made clean. The fountain is open, and if you 
 now find it in your heart to make ufe of it, 
 you may be wafhed in it without money and 
 without price. All is free. Your fins fhall 
 be freely pardoned, and your pollutions freely 
 cleanfed-. Free grace (hall do all for you, 
 and all in you. And this day you have an 
 offer of all its bleffings. Clofe in with it, 
 and they are all yours. But if you now re- 
 ject them, you cannot pretend, that you 
 never heard of your danger : for you have 
 now been warned of it. You cannot plead 
 your ignorance of the merits of Chrift's 
 blood : for you have now heard what great 
 things the fcripture fays of it. From it are 
 received all the graces of time, and all the 
 bk (Tings of eternity ; and you have been in- 
 vited 
 
( 373 ) 
 
 vited to come, and to be cleanfed freely m 
 the fountain, that was opened for fin, and 
 for uncleanncfs. If then you ftill refufe 
 to be wa(hed In this fountain, you are with- 
 out excufe : for if you rejed this wilfully, 
 and harden your hearts againfl: it, there re- 
 maineth no more facrifice for fin, but a cer- 
 tain fearful looking for of judgment and 
 fiery indignation, which (hall devour the 
 adverfaries. Meditate upon this fcripture. 
 Think ferioufly what a fearful thing it is to 
 fall into the hands of the living God. And 
 may the eternal Spirit fet in with this confi- 
 deration, and fo effeftually convince you 
 of the pollution and guilt of your fins, that 
 you may feek to be made clean, and may 
 find the blood of Jefus Chrift clean fing you 
 from all fin. 
 
 2. Are there any of you, my brethren, 
 who are now defiring to be made clean, 
 and to be wafhed from all your fins ? For 
 you the fountain ftands open, and what 
 Ihould hinder you from making ufe of it ? 
 Do you doubt of its power to cleanfe you r 
 Remember it is the blood of the everlafting 
 covenant. It clean fes in virtue of the cove- 
 nant of the ever bleflcd Trinity, and confc- 
 A a ^ nuciitlv 
 
( 374 ) 
 quently by the power of the Godhead. Fa* 
 ther. Son, and Holy Spirit have agreed to 
 make it almighty to do away fin ; lb that it 
 cannot cleanfe only in time, but it can alfo 
 cleanfe for ever and ever. This is the plain 
 do6lrine of fcripture, and if you believe it, 
 why do you not find great joy and peace in 
 believinor it ? 
 
 o 
 
 perhaps you think it can cleanfe, but you 
 are afraid it is not appointed for your cleanf- 
 ing. Nay, my brethren, rcafon not againft 
 your own comforts. For whom was it ap- 
 pointed, if not for you, who fee your want 
 of it, and who are deiirous of experiencing 
 its divine power ? You have the warrant of 
 God's word, authorifing you to wafh and 
 be clean. The text fays, the fountain was 
 for the inhabitants of Jertifakm, for the pro- 
 feffuig members of the vifible church, that 
 whenever any of them were convinced of 
 their uncleannefs, they might make ufe of 
 this fountain, and have their hearts cleanfed 
 from an evil confcience. Oh ! rejedl not then 
 the offered blefling. Take it upon the war- 
 rant and authority of God's word, and doubt 
 not but the fountain is open for you. 
 
 Why 
 
( ?>1S ) 
 Why then are you not cleanfed in it ? Are 
 you afraid that your fins are fo many and fb 
 great that you cannot be made clean ? As 
 to their number, it can cleanfe from al/ fin, 
 and as to their greatnels, it can take out the 
 guilt of fcarlet-crimfon fins, the greateft that 
 pofiibly can be ; therefore this is no objec- 
 tion. You may come with all your fins and 
 be wafhed freely frotp all in the fountain of 
 Chrift's blood. 
 
 Come then — But you draw back, you 
 fear it would be prefumption in fuch a fin- 
 ner as you are. What ! is it prefurnptiofi 
 to believe in the word of God, which can- 
 not be broken, and to rely upon the pro- 
 mifes of God, which are as unchangeable 
 as himfelf ? No. It is glorifying God, and 
 honouring his word. Whereas you make 
 God a liar by your falfe modcfty, as if he 
 could break his word to you, and as if you 
 might be difappointed, when you claimed 
 the fulfilling of his promifes. My brethren, 
 thefe things cannot be. God's word and 
 promifes are like himfelf, without any vari- 
 ablenefs or (hadow of turning, and what 
 ever they offer you, is yours, when you rely 
 ypon him for the receiving of it from his free 
 A a 4 grace, 
 
( 376 ) 
 
 grace. And fince you have the authority of 
 God*s word and promifes to filence your 
 doubts and fears, are you refolved in the 
 ftrength of grace to rely upon them ? If you 
 be, then they fhall be made good to you. 
 Heaven and earth ihall pafs away, rather than 
 one tittle of them fliall fail. Your robes fhall 
 be wa{hed in the blood of the lamb, and 
 whatever graces and blefllngs Jefus has to 
 give his people fliall be yours in time and in 
 eternity. 
 
 3. Perhaps fome perfons may enquire, 
 Of what ufe is this fountain to believers ? 
 The ufes of it are many and great. All 
 . their graces flow from it, all their duties 
 are to be walhcd in it, and all their comforts 
 are maintained by it. Surely then it is of 
 great and infinite fervice to believers. Un- 
 der the third head of this difcourfe I confi- 
 dered the high character given in fcripture of 
 this fountain. From it are received redemp- 
 tion, forgivenefs of fins, juflification, peace 
 with God, fandification, freedom of accefs 
 to God as a reconciled Father, eternal re- 
 demption, and the robe of everlafling righte- 
 oufnefs, in v/hich the faints fland confirmed 
 in blifs. All thefe graces and bleilings flow 
 
 fvom 
 
{ 311 ) 
 
 "'- :ti the fountain of Chrift's blood, and 
 
 ' freely. They coft us nothing. They are 
 
 ^ree sfifts of our loving Saviour, which 
 
 .. ins abundant mercy he beftows upon his 
 people ; and this makes his blood very pre- 
 cious to them, that the gifts, which are in* 
 cftimable, they receive from it freely; and 
 by their repeated trials of its worth and value 
 thev srow in the knovvledoje and love of its 
 precioufnefs : for they find it not only ne- 
 cellary for their fins, but alfo for their duties. 
 The holieft duty, which was ever done by 
 a mere man, wanted wafhing in this foun- 
 tain. The ceremonial law taught this doc- 
 trine in a very clear manner : For upon 
 the holy crown of the high priefl there 
 was a plate of pure gold, with this in- 
 fcription, Holinefs to the I.ord^ ** And it 
 " fhall be upon Aaron ^ forehead, that Aa-^ 
 " ran may bear the iniquity of the holy 
 *' things which the children of Ifrael (hall 
 *' hallow in all their holy gifts, aiid it fhall 
 '* be always upon his forehead, that they 
 *' may be accepted before the Lord." Exod, 
 xxviii. 38. Herein he reprefented the office 
 of the high priefi: of our profeflion, who bears 
 the iniquity of our holy things: for there 
 is imperfeclion in every duty, in every a6t 
 
 of 
 
( 378 ) 
 
 of obedience fome fhort coming, which re- 
 quires the atoning blood of Chrift, that it 
 may be accepted before the Lord. There 
 is no believer, who loves God in that per- 
 fed manner, which the fpirituality of the 
 law requires. This appears very evidently 
 from their failings in the fervjces which they 
 pay him. When do they pray without fome 
 wandering thoughts ? When do they hear the 
 word as in the prefence of God, and receive 
 it not as the word of men, but as it is in 
 truth the word of God ? Do thev not fome- 
 times hear with great dulnefs, and at other 
 times are not able to mix faith with what 
 they hear ? Arc they not negligent in fearch- 
 ing the fcriptures, and negligent in praying 
 for a bleffing, when they do fearch them ? 
 How little do they treafure up in their me- 
 mories, and how little fruit does the en- 
 grafted word brins; forth in their lives? When 
 they go to the Lord's table, how often do 
 they complain of their want of devotion and 
 gratitude ? And therefore their ferviees, yea, 
 the very befl of them, becaufe of thefe im- 
 perfe61:ions and fhort comings, would not be 
 acceptable, unlefs they were wafhed in the 
 fountain of Ghri{l*s blood. Senfible of this 
 they live by faith upon frefli applicatipns of 
 
 it, 
 
( 379 ) 
 
 it, fulng for its merit, and hoping for it? ef- 
 ficacy in every thing they do. And as the 
 acceptance of their duties, lo their comforts 
 are derived from the blood of Chrift. Their 
 love, their peace, their joy flow from this 
 fountain. This is their continual matter of 
 rejoicing, that the blood of Chrift was freely 
 fhed for them, and that he, who gave his 
 blood for them, will with it give therri all 
 things. This bears them up under trials, 
 flrengthens them againft temptations, fup- 
 poits them in^ ficknefs, and arms them 
 againft death. They know that all thefc 
 things are working together under God for 
 their good. Yea, they experience it, and 
 that makes them happy ; happy in time, 
 and happy in eternity. What is now theii 
 crown of rejoicing below, will be much 
 more fo above. Then their joy will be 
 full, when they fliall join that innumerable 
 company, whom no man can number, and 
 with them give honour and glory, and blcff- 
 ing and praife to him that was (lain, and 
 hath redeemed them uwto God by his blood 
 out of every kindred, and tongue, and people 
 and nation, and hath made them kintrs and 
 priefts unto God and his Father. Then 
 they will know how to value that blood 
 
 which 
 
( 38° ) 
 
 which brought them to fuch perfect and e- 
 ternal bleifednefs. O Lord, help us to fet a 
 greater value upon it than we commonly do. 
 Teach us more of our want of it, and of its 
 worth. Supply us more abundantly with 
 the graces and bleffings purchafed by its 
 merit, and freely beftowed by its efficacy. 
 And may the dear Lamb of God give his 
 bleffing to what has been now fpoken, al- 
 though it has been in much weaknefs, that 
 if it be his holy will, all who hear mc this 
 day may be brought to fee and to lament 
 their fpiritual uncleannefs, and to apply for 
 cleanfing to the blood of Jefus. Oh ! that 
 the Lord God would dired you all to the 
 fountain, which he has opened for fin and 
 for uncleannefs, and may he give you faith 
 to wafh in it and to be cleanfed from all fm, 
 according to what we have been afking this 
 day in the excellent words of our church. 
 
 *' Grant, we befeech thee, merciful Lord, 
 ** to thy faithful people, pardon and peace ; 
 " that they may be cleanfed from all their 
 *' iins, and ferve thee with a quiet mind, 
 *' through Jefus Chrill our Lord. Amen.** 
 
 THE 
 
( ssi ) 
 
 THE 
 
 BALM of G I LEAD. 
 
 DISCOURSE XI. 
 
 Jeremiah viii. 22. 
 
 Is there no balm in Gilead ? Is there no phyjt^ 
 dan there f Why then is not the health (f 
 the daughter of my people recovered'^ 
 
 All men love health. The defire of it 
 is founded in nature. It is one of the na^ 
 tural inftinds which never leaves us. So 
 long as we love pleafure and hate pain, 
 we cannot but love health, as the chief 
 of all outward bleffings. Indeed it is to be 
 defired beyond them all, becaufe without 
 it we can enjoy none of them; without 
 
 it 
 
( 382 > 
 
 it we are unfit for our worldly bufiiiefs 
 and employment, and unfit for the duties 
 of religion. A good man would there- 
 fore wiih for health with a view to the con- 
 cerns of a better life, as well as to thofe of 
 the prefent life. All men defire it upon a 
 temporal account. But alas ! how few have 
 any real defire for the health of the foul? If 
 the body be in great pain, with what hafte 
 do they fend for relief, and ho\y carefully do 
 they follow the phyfician's prefcription ? But 
 when their fouls are wounded with fin, and 
 they may endure the fmart and anguilh of 
 their wounds for ever : for thefe are by any 
 human means incurable, and when a divine 
 remedy is propofed, and they hear of a lov- 
 ing and an almighty phyfician, under whole 
 hands no patient was ever loft, yet they have 
 not one wifli to be healed. What can be 
 the reafon of this ? Why are the very men, 
 who with an invariable afFedlion love bodily 
 health, fo far from defiring the health of the 
 foul, that when thev have an offer of beino[ 
 healed of all their fpiritual maladies, they 
 neglect the remedy, and defpife the phy- 
 lician ? Is not this unaccountable condu6l ? 
 What can make the fame men in the fame 
 cafe reafon fo differently ? If they had an in- 
 1 fallible 
 
( 3h ) 
 
 fdllible remedy for the recovery of bodily 
 health, there is not one of them who would 
 rejcifl it ; but there is a fovereign remedy for 
 the recovery of the health of the foul, there 
 is balm in Gilcad, and a mofl: kind and able 
 phyfician there to apply it, and yet fpiritual 
 maladies abound. Let us enquire into the 
 caufe of this inconfiftent behaviour. It is an 
 enquiry in which we are all nearly concern- 
 ed. Our welfare depends on our being heal- 
 ed of the wounds of fin by this balm of 
 Gifead. We can have no true peace of con- 
 fcience here, nor no true happinefs hereafter, 
 unlefs we take this fovereign medicine. May 
 the Lord God difpofe us all to take it by 
 means of what fhall be faid in opening and 
 explaining the text, in which there is, 
 
 Fjrji, Some ficknefs referred to. 
 
 Secondly, A fovereign medicine — there is 
 balm in Gikad to heal it. 
 
 Thirdly^ A great phyfician to apply it ; and 
 all the means of heahng being thus ready at 
 hand, the queftion naturally follows, in the 
 
 Fo7i?:/j 
 
( 384 ) 
 
 Fourth place. Why then is no^ l\t^ i) :h 
 of the daughter of my people rc-^'>vercc; ' 
 
 If we look back to the \ ' 1 
 
 find an account of the fick;. o 
 
 in the text. The people wer^ fl:Viti'" 'A^tJi 
 ferpents and cockatrices, and of \ 
 
 venomous and fiery fort, vvhofe | 5 
 
 infufed into the blood, ads like the ri. : t 
 raging fire, confuming and dryihg up the 
 fluids of the body, and in a fhort time bring- 
 ing on certain death. " For behold I will fend 
 " ferpents, cockatrices among you, which 
 *' will not be charmed, and they fhall bite 
 *' you, faith the Lord.** This is a juft pic- 
 ture of that more deadly poifon, which the 
 old ferpent the devil infufed into both body 
 and foul, the effeds of which all the human 
 race have felt : for he drew us all into fin, 
 and the dreadful confequences of fin appear 
 in that variety of difeafes which bring down 
 our bodies to the erave of death, and in that 
 variety of corrupt and depraved appetites, 
 which proves the foul to be alienated from 
 the life of God, and to be incapable, unlefs 
 it be entirely changed, of enjoying God. It 
 was fin which thus poifoned our nature : for 
 before -fin entered into the world, all things 
 y were 
 
( 33i ) 
 xvere good. There was no evil to nfflia 
 either body or foul. But when fin entered, 
 then the fandion of the law took place, 
 *' In the day that thou eatefl of the forbid- 
 *' den fruit, dying thou ftalt die." Gen, ii. 
 i;. In that day thy body fhall become 
 mortal, and liable to thofe pains and difeafes 
 which in a courfe of years fliall deftroy its 
 animal life, and thy foul lliall be feparated 
 from the fountain of its fpiritual life, and cut 
 oil from all communion with God in this 
 world, and in the next it fhall be feparated 
 from him for ever, which is the fecond death. 
 Oh fin ! what haft thou done ! Thou art the 
 author of all the evils which mankind are 
 capable of fuftering in earth and hell. Thou 
 broughteft them all upon us, thou enemy 
 of God and man. And wilt thou afterwards 
 pretend to be our friend ? Wilt thou come to 
 court us with promifes of happinefs, that by 
 deceiving us, thou mayeft more effecTiually 
 poifon and dcftroy our bodies and fouls ? 
 Look upon this bafe traitor, my brethren. 
 Can he be a friend to your nature, who has 
 fubjeAed it to all the miseries of mortality ? 
 If you have any true love for yourfelves, 
 .how can you love and cherifh fin, which 
 has made you habic to fu0cr the fITft and the 
 
 B b fecond 
 
( 386 ) 
 
 fecond death ? What I is this a friend to be 
 taken into yonr bofom, one that will murder 
 your body, and bring both body and foul 
 into hell ? Accuftom yourfelves to view fin in 
 this light, and it will help you to fee the 
 horrible deftrudive nature of it. When you 
 behold a dead corpfe, think what a mur- 
 derer fin is : for that body would never have 
 died, if fin had not polfoned it. And then 
 turn your eyes inwards, and let each man 
 fay to himfelf — This beloved body of mine, 
 upon which I fpend fo much time and care, 
 was made mortal by fin, and all the pains 
 and difeafes, which I can fuffer, came from 
 the fame curfed caufe ; yea, from it came all 
 the miferies which I deferve to fuffer with 
 devils and condemned fpirits in the fire that 
 never is to be quenched, and fliall I love 
 and delight to ferve fueh an enemy ? Shall I 
 give up the members of my body as inftru- 
 ments of unrighteoufnefs vmto fin, and (o 
 work out mine own everlafting defi:ru<£lion ? 
 God forbid. i\s fin is the author of all the 
 evil, which I do or can endure, I will there- 
 fore fight againft it, and may the Lord Gfod 
 fave me from the guilt, ai^d deliver me from 
 the^dominipn of it. 
 
 This 
 
( 3^1 ) 
 
 This Is the language of every heart, which 
 
 is made fenfible of the poifonous qualities of 
 
 fin. When the awakened (inner feels the 
 
 malignant venom working in his conftitu- 
 
 tion, he will be led to abhor and to deteft 
 
 it, and the more fo, when the fcripture dif- 
 
 covers to him the execrable foe, who poi- 
 
 foned him with fin, and that was the old 
 
 fcrpent. What thefc ferpents are faid in the 
 
 1 7th vcrfe to have done to the body in poi- 
 
 foning it, the fame did he both to body and 
 
 foul ; and as he did it at firft in the ferpent, 
 
 he has therefore been known and diftin- 
 
 guifhed by this name from the time that he 
 
 deceived our firft parents in the fubtle ferpent. 
 
 The apoftle has given us a very alarming 
 
 defcription of him, Rev, xii. 9. where he is 
 
 treating of the war which was in heaven 
 
 between Michael and his angels, and the 
 
 dragon and his angels. *' And the great 
 
 ** dragon, he fays, was caft out, the old 
 
 *' ferpent, called the devil and fatan, who 
 
 '* deceiveth the whole world." Here he is 
 
 called the ferpent, alluding to his crafty 
 
 wifinefs, and the old ferpent, to denote hia 
 
 having employed all his wiles to deceive arid 
 
 ruin mankind. As foon as they were created 
 
 he plotted their deftru£lion, and he became 
 
 £ b 2 fatan. 
 
( 388 ) 
 
 fatan, their fworn adverfary, and the deviij 
 their accufer, who fought to deftroy their pre- 
 cious hvcs with the rage of a dragon ; yea, 
 with more rage thati common dragons have, 
 even with the burnins: furv of the great 
 drao-on. And alas! he was iuccefsful : for 
 he dcceiveth the whole world. He poifoned 
 the whole human race. He corruptee! all 
 flefli, and we are now groaning under the 
 dreadful cffedts of our total corruption. The 
 curfed venom of fin, which he infufed into 
 our bodies, (till works in them ; but its 
 more curfed venom ftill works, though lefs 
 perceptibly, in our fouls. The poifon keeps 
 working in the body, until it bring on fick- 
 • nefs and death, and reduce us to the dufl". 
 from whence we wfere taken j ^nd it keeps 
 working in the foul; in every hateful and 
 unholy temper, which tends to ftir up the 
 wrath and indignation of God, and to fepa- 
 raie the loul for ever and ever from him the: 
 fountain of life and crlory. 
 
 This is the great and univerfal malady re 
 ferred to- in the text, the malady of fill 
 with which the old ferpcnt, the d€vil, ha 
 poifoned the whole world. When he dei' 
 eetved our f rfl; parents, he then poifoned th 
 8 
 
 foun 
 
( 5h ) 
 
 fountain, and all the dreams which have 
 been ever ilnce [lowing from it paitake ot 
 the direful Infedion : for the word of truth 
 declares, " That as hv one man fm entered. 
 " into the world, and death by fm, fo death' 
 " pafied upon all men, in whom all have' 
 *' fnined." Here the entrance of fui is faid 
 to be the caule of the entrance of death, 
 and we all die in Adain^ therefore we all 
 finned in him : for the wages of fm is death.- 
 Now God being infinitely jud and righteous 
 would not pay the wages, unlefs there were 
 fome fin to deferve them, but infants receive 
 the wages of fin, and confequentiy they are 
 finners ; they die in Adam, becaufe in him 
 they finned. *' For by the offence of one 
 *' judgment canic upon ail men to condem- 
 *' nation." Thus was ouV whole nature, 
 both bod}^ and foul, corrupted by the fall, 
 and there is not a found part or faculty in 
 either of them. Thev are cornint and a[)o- 
 minable altG2;ether, and in nothin? does this 
 total corruption more ^evidently diicover it- 
 felf, than in their entire blindnefs and in- 
 fenfibility of their dangerous condition. They 
 are poifoncd<and yet they k^ow it not ; nay, 
 they are fo unwilling to know it, that when 
 we inform them of it, they are hi2;hlv of* , 
 B b 3 fended, 
 
( 390 ) 
 
 fended. They cannot bear to be told of it, 
 no, not by the minifters of the gofpel, 
 whole office and duty it is. We are fure to 
 flir up their rage and hatred, if we difcover 
 to them the workings of this poifon in their 
 hearts, and if we appeal to the effects of it 
 in their lives, and refer them to the plenti- 
 ful ftreams of iniquity, which are continu- 
 ally flowing from the corrupt fountain of 
 the heart, then they cannot bear us ; they 
 are like the deaf adder, that ftoppeth her 
 ear ; which will not hearken to the voice of 
 charmers, charming ever fo wifely. They 
 are refolved not to be difturbed about theiiv 
 fins, and therefore they will not hear of their 
 ficknefs or of their danger. They had ra- 
 ther die of their malady, than be made un- 
 eafy about it. Let lin do its worfb in the 
 next life, in the prefent they will enjoy it ; 
 and in fweet fecurity too, if they can. Is 
 not this an aftonifhing degree of infatua- 
 tion ? Is it not one of the (Irongeft delufions 
 of the devil, that he (liould make thofe very 
 men inlenfible of their fpiritual maladies, 
 who are exquifitely fenlible of the lead bo- 
 dily ma^ad V, whofe fears are all alarmed at 
 the thoughts of their dying to this world, 
 but who have not the leaft concern about 
 
 their 
 
( 39^ ) 
 'their dying from God and glory ? Are any of 
 you, my brethren, in this cafe ? Are you 
 cjfy about the Oate of your fouls, having 
 never been in any diftrefs about original 
 and a(Slual Cm ? Did you never feel your- 
 felves fo fick of both, that you were afraid 
 you {hould perifli everlaftingiy ? If not, con- 
 fider what it is, which keeps you in this 
 fatal fecurity. Are not you finners r For all 
 have finf)ed. And has not fin poifoned both 
 body and foul ? And is not this one of thq 
 fad, flupifying effects of its poifon, that while 
 there is byt a flep between you and death, 
 yet you have no concern about yoyr being 
 healed? Are thefe things fo? Jf they be, 
 may the almighty God avyaken you to a 
 fenfe of your danger. Oh I that he may fet 
 home and fix fuch a conyi£lion of fin upon 
 your confciences, that, feeling your malady, 
 you may earneftly feek the great phyfician's 
 help, and may happily find that there is 
 balip in Gikdd'i which is the 
 
 Second particular 1 was to confider. Glojy 
 be to God, who hath not left us without 
 remedy. Our difeafe is dangerous, but there 
 is balm in Gilead, which can heal perfciSlly 
 rind eternally. The country of Gilead was 
 B b 4 famous 
 
( 392 )' 
 
 famous for a precious balm which grew ■ 
 there. " Go up to Gilead, and take balm,'* 
 fays the prophet Jeremiah^ xlvi. ii. Its 
 heahng virtue is defcribed by him, chap. li. 
 8. where fpeaking of the downfal of Baby- 
 lon^ he fays, " Take balm for her pain, if 
 *' fo be fhe may be healed." This fovereign 
 medicine, v/hich then grew in Gilead, could 
 afluage the pain of wounds and heal thera, 
 and thereby was a type of the gracious re- 
 medy, which God had provided for the 
 healing of the v/onnds of fm ; namely, the 
 moil precious blood of the lamb of God, 
 applied and made eifcLLual by the holy Spi- 
 rit : for as this cleanles away all the pollu-2^ 
 jtions, fo it heals all the difeafes of fin. The 
 fcripture has treated largely of its healing 
 virtue, but it is no where more forcibly re- 
 commende4 than in the parable of the good 
 Samaritan. Our Lord fays, " A certain man 
 *' went dowi> from Jerufakm to Jericho, 
 *' and fell among .tbiieves, who flripped 
 " him of his raiment, and wounded him, and 
 *' departed, leaving hiin half dead." This 
 certain man was Acknn, whofe polfeffion was 
 in a paradife of peace and refl:, and there 
 he was innocent, fate and happy : But he 
 left this blifsfvil flate of his own accord, con- 
 trary 
 
( 393 V 
 
 tmry to God's exprefs commandment, and 
 he fell among thieves, fatan and his angels, 
 who drew him into fm, and fl:ripped him of 
 his raiment, robbed him of his rigiiteouf- 
 nefs, in which his foul had hitherto appear- 
 ed in immaculate purity before God. This 
 fpotlefs robe they took away, and left poor 
 fallen man naked and wounded. They 
 wounded his body with tbofe pains and dif- 
 eafes, which bring it down to the du^, /rpm 
 whence it was taken j and they, wounded 
 his foui in all its ficulti^s, his underfland- 
 i[ig with darknefs, his will with a vicious 
 choice, and his affe6lions with worldlymind- 
 ednefs, fo that he placed his love upon thq 
 creature inftead of the Creator ; they wound-: 
 cd his conlciencc with guiit, and with feac 
 of death and of helL "And they .d,q>ai^ed 
 *' leaving him half dead :" for his foul, the 
 better part, was fepar-ated from Qod, and al- 
 ready dead in trefpafles and lins, and the 
 body was dying. When man was fallen 
 into this helplefs flatc, the patriarchal dif- 
 penfxtion took place iiom Jlciani to Mojes, 
 under which the Hrft-born was pri'efl:, and 
 had a right to offer up the appointed lacri- 
 tices ; but thefe could not give life to the 
 finner, and therefore the prieft came and 
 
 looked 
 
( 394 ) 
 
 looked >upoii him, and paffed by on the ©ne 
 fide, being unable to raife him up from the 
 death of (in. Next fucceeded the levitical 
 di<'penfation from Mofes to Chrift : The he- 
 •y//^, came and looked upon him, and pafled 
 by on the other fide, being unable, by any of 
 the legal rites and ceremonies, to raife fallen 
 man to his former righteoufnefs and perfec- 
 tion. ** But a certain Samaritan^ as he jour* 
 *' neyed, came where he was." Samaritan 
 Signifies a keeper^ and it here ftands for the' 
 keeper o^ Ifrael^ wbofe companions fail not: 
 *' for when he faw him, he had compallion 
 '* on him." His love difpofed him to ufe 
 his power for the iinner's recovery. He was 
 almighty, and he rcfoived to ufe his almighty 
 power to heal him. He went up to him, 
 and applied the balm of Gilead — ** he bound 
 *' up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine,*' 
 wine, the cflablifhed type of the moft pre- 
 cious blood of the lamb of God ; and oil, 
 the known emblem of the falutary influence^ 
 of the holy Spirit : Pour thefe into the deep- 
 eft and moft dangerous wounds ot fin, and 
 they will infallibly work a perfetft cure : for 
 the blood has a divine- virtue to heal, being 
 appointed and ordained of God for that very 
 purpofe. It cleanfeth us, fays one, who had 
 
 3 experience4 
 
( 395 ) 
 
 experienced Its virtue, and by clcanfing heal- 
 etl]j us, from all fin. And no wonder: be- 
 caufe it is the blopd of God. He, who fhed 
 it, was G«d and man united in one Chrift, 
 and therefore it had infinite and divine me- 
 rit. And when he ftood in the place of 
 dinners, obeyed and fuffered for them, and 
 Avas obedient even unto death, his obedience 
 and fufFerinsfS could want nothing to render 
 them as fa'tisfadory as the law and juftice of 
 the Father could require : becaufe his blood 
 had virtue as a releafe to difcharge believers 
 from all the pains and penalties, to which 
 they were fubje6led for their fins, and as a 
 purchafe to put them in poflefllon of their' 
 forfeited eflate. Tlie Apof^le defcribes its 
 operating, as a releafe, when he fays of it, 
 *' that we have redemption through his blood, 
 '* even the forgivenefs of fins,"" 'and as a pur- 
 chafe, when he fays, *' that Chrift, having 
 ** wafhed us from du'r'jfins in hi^ own blood, 
 •* hath made ns kings and'priefts unto God 
 *' and his Father." 
 
 Now fince the blood of ChriH: has this {o^ 
 vereign heal.ng virtue, and fince we have 
 through it redemption, even eternal redemp- 
 tion from all the pains and milerics of fin, 
 
 furel/ 
 
( 396 ) 
 
 furely then, it is an effential ingredient in 
 that precious balm of Gilead, which has vir- 
 tue to heal every finner who takes it, let his • 
 cafe be ever fo dangerous ? But then it rnuft 
 be .taken. A lick nfian may have a very 
 good remedy at hand ; but if he never take 
 it, it can never cure him. In like manner, 
 it is not enough that the blood of Chrifl can 
 heal, but ui order to heal, it mufl. be applied. 
 The application makes it effeclual, and there- 
 fore we read of the, blood of fprinkling both 
 in the Old Tefiamsnt, and in the Nev/. The 
 blood mufl: be fprinkled upon the confcience 
 in order to heal the wounds of iin, and this 
 is the office of the holy Spirit. He applies 
 the blood of Chrifl : He brings this heahno; 
 balm to the wounded foul. And as oil was 
 the emblem of his falutary influence, there- 
 fore in the good Samaritan o prefcription we 
 find the medicine was made up of oil and 
 wine, of the blood of Chrifl:, and of the 
 grace of his Spirit, which two, fweetly joined- 
 and tempered together, make up the heal- 
 ing balm of Gilead There is not a wound 
 of fin fo deep, a difeafe of Iin fo defperate, 
 but the blood of Chrift applied by the holy 
 Spirit can heal them : for God hereby heal- 
 eth the broken in heart, and giveth this me-? 
 
 ^ic^ne 
 
(, 397 ) 
 
 (Viciiie to heal their ficknefs. Although they 
 be half dead, yet it can recover them ; be- 
 caufe it operates by a divine and ahuighty 
 power. The blood of Chrift can raile tfie 
 deadeft foul to j unification of life, andthroUdi 
 
 ■J ' o 
 
 fandlification of the Spirit this life is renew- 
 ed and ftrengthcned day by day, until every 
 Ipiritual malady of fin be removed, and for* 
 row and lighing be done away for ever. 
 Hear this, ye mourners in Sion, and lift up 
 your drooping heads. Looking into your- 
 felves you may have rcafon to grieve. Your 
 fms are many and great. They have wound- 
 ed your confciences. You feel the fmart, 
 and your diftrefs is exquifite. But defpair 
 not. Lo, there is balm in Gilead. The blood 
 of Jefus is an infallible remedy. The holy 
 Spirit is almighty to apply it, and he has al- 
 ready {hewed you your want of it. Oh ! that 
 he may give you grace to wait until he fup- 
 ply your wants, and you feel its fovereign 
 virtue healing your wounded confciences. 
 And to encourage you to feek and wait until 
 you lind, remember that there is not only 
 balm in Giicad^ but alfo that there is a phyii- 
 cian there ; as I am,, in the 
 
( 398 ) 
 
 T'bird place to confider, under whofe hands 
 you cannot fail of a perfect recovery; and- 
 he is no lefs a perfon than the great phy- 
 fician of fouls, who is alfo God over all^ 
 - blefled for ever. He who created all thinsfs, 
 viiible and.invihble, and who fupports them 
 by the word of his power, vouchfafes to heal 
 his people of their fins ; fo there can be no 
 doubt of his power, becaufe he is almighty 
 to heal. And can there be any doubt of his 
 love? Did not his love bring him down from 
 heaven to the loweft humiliation, even to 
 veil his divine glory under a covering of 
 flefh, and did not his love then lead him to 
 put forth his divine power to heal every 
 one-vvho- applied to him for a bodily pure? 
 'Whc^reby he demonflrated to us his readi- 
 nefs to eixert the fame power to heal the fpi- 
 ritual infirrmties of. thofe who come to him 
 for. his affi (lance. The eternal God, whom 
 angels and ,arch.-^ngels worfhip and adore, 
 was pleafed to be manifefted in the fleHi, fo 
 that God and man were one Chrift, and the 
 one Chrift, the God-man, flood up in the 
 place of finners, as their reprefentative ; for 
 them he obeyed the law, and fufFered the 
 pains and penalties due to the breach of it, 
 that by his ilripes they might be healed: 
 
 He 
 
( 399 ) 
 
 He was obedient, even unto death, and then 
 rifing from the dead, as their reprefeiitative, 
 he wrought out an all-perfe6l righteoufnefs 
 for them, which being imputed unto them 
 by faith, they thereby receive juftification io 
 life, and all the deadly wounds of fin are 
 healed* Thus the great phyfician of fouls 
 has demonflrated his love. You may read 
 it in every action of his life, and in every 
 fuffering unto death. You may read it en- 
 graven in every wound of his crucified body. 
 What were the marks and fears which the 
 crown of thorns made in his head, and the 
 whips and fcourges made on his back, but 
 vifible figns and feals of his luve ? 1 he love 
 which led him to his agony and bloody 
 fweat, to his bitter crofs and paffion, was 
 greater than that of the ftrongeft inflinft 
 and natural afl^ctflion in the human breafl : 
 *' For can a woman forget her lucking child, 
 *' that fhc Ihould not have compaflion upon 
 *' the fon of her womb ? Yea, they may 
 " forget, yet will not 1 forget thee, iaith 
 *' the Lord : for I have graven thee upon 
 ** the palms of my hands.** While he looks 
 upon them, he cannot forget his people : 
 becaufe on the palms of his hands are the 
 prints of the nails by whicli he was faflened 
 
 to 
 
^ ( : 4PO . ) 
 
 to the crofs, and thefe prints are the pre- 
 cious engravings of his wonderful lovco 
 Look upon the crucified Jefus, my chriftiaa 
 brethren, as wounded for your tranfgreffions 
 and bruiied for your iniquities, and fee if 
 ever there was love hke his. Every wound 
 fpeaks forth his love, every bruife loudly 
 proclaims the greatnels of it. His death 
 demonftrates his love to have been ftronger 
 than death, and his pierced fide (hewed that 
 he had fet his people as a feal upon his heart ; 
 for from thence there flowed blood and wa- 
 ter, water to cleanfe the pollution, and blood 
 to heal the wounds of their fins. Surely 
 then, he who fhed his heart's blood for tham 
 cannot want love ? Let this encourage poor 
 dejecled fouls to wait upon him. Why are 
 ye fo troubled, as if God had not provided a 
 medicine to heal the broken-hearted ? Is 
 there" not balm in Gileadf Is there not a 
 phyfician there ? Oh ! wait upon him then 
 for his kind afhftance, and you will certainly 
 find that the fountain of his love is not dried 
 np. He is now indeed on the throne of 
 glory, king of kings, and lord of lords, but 
 he has the fame tender heart, which once 
 bled to death upon the crofs. Apply to him 
 for relief, and he will not cafe you. out. 
 
 . You 
 
( 401 ) 
 Vou can have no diftemper, but what he 
 has power to heal: for he is an almighty 
 phyfician. And no diftemper but what he 
 has love to heal ; for God is love, and the 
 Saviour the Lord Chrift is God. How great 
 foever the wounds of fin may be, yet if 
 you fall low at his footftool, crying for mer- 
 cy, he will not reject your fuit. What ! was 
 it ever known that he cafl out the prayer of 
 the poor deflitute ? No. There never was, 
 and there never will be fuch an inftance. 
 When he was upon earth he never refufed 
 to heal any one who afked his help. He 
 never fent one (ingle perfon away unrelieved, 
 whatever his difeafe might be, or however 
 unworthy he was to be healed of it. He 
 cured all that came to him, and he did 
 not half cure them, but it is written, " they 
 " were made perfedly whole." Perfecflly 
 does he heal all the wounds of fin, and eter- 
 nally. He heals for ever. His medicines 
 reftore his patients to everlafting health. He 
 forgiveth all their fins, and healeth all their 
 infirmities, and thus admits them into the 
 city of the living God, the inhabitant of 
 which (hall not fay, I am fick ; for the 
 people that dwell therein fhall be forgiven 
 their iniquity, and fo freely and fully for- 
 
 C c 
 
 givenj 
 
( 402 ) 
 
 given, that God will remember it no more. 
 And is this indeed- the charader of the great 
 phyfician of fouls ? Is his heart fo full of 
 love, that he is always difpofed to ufe his 
 power for the perfed recovery of convinced 
 and afflicted finners ? Is he as willing as he 
 is able to heal them ? No doubt he is. Let 
 fuch perfons then feek his help, and look up 
 unto him for medicine to heal their wounded 
 confciences. He hath wounded you out of 
 love, and he will heal. He hath convinced 
 you of your wants, in order that you might 
 wait upon him to have them fupplied. Wait 
 then, and he will give you abundant reafon 
 to admire and to praife the wonders, which 
 he will do for you and for your falvation. 
 He will pardon you freely, and will heal all 
 the wounds which fin has made, and then 
 he will enable you to declare upon your 
 own happy experience, that there is balm in 
 Gilead, and a phyiician there. 
 
 Now fince this is the cafe, why do men 
 labour under the maladies of fin ? Since the 
 blood of Chrift is the fovereign balm, and 
 Chrift is the phyfician, whofe power and 
 love are able and willing to heal the moft 
 defpcrate difeafe, and the holy Spirit is al* 
 
 mighty 
 
( 4oj ) 
 
 h:ilghty to apply the healing balm^ may we 
 not then reafonably enqnire, Why is not the 
 health of the daughter of my people reco- 
 vered ? And this is the 
 
 Fourth and lad particular to be confidered. 
 Why are any men fick, when they have an 
 offer of health ? Do they choofe, do they love 
 ficknefs ? Yes. The fame men, whofe every 
 pulfe beats after bodily health, choofe and 
 love fpiritual ficknefs. They are alarmed at 
 the leaft diforder which attacks the body, 
 and yet they have no concern about the foul, 
 although it be wounded with fin, and fick 
 nnto death, yea juft ready to perilh. How 
 abfurd is this condu6l ? Thus to prefer the 
 health of the meaner and bafer part of their 
 conftitution to the more noble and exalted 
 part, is a flagrant abfurdity. Nay, not to 
 defire the health of the foul, when it is of- 
 fered them, is a£ling unnaturally againfl their 
 own intereft. To reje6l it, when the great 
 phyfician himfclf offers it in his word, is 
 treating him with vile ingratitude ; and not 
 to receive this ineftimable remedy at hjs 
 hands, when he fends out his miniflers to 
 invite finners to take it, to fpurn it from 
 them, as if it was a thing which they did 
 C c 2 not 
 
( 404 ) 
 
 not value or did not want, this is the height 
 of fin and wickedncfs ; for whofoever thus 
 acGounteth the blood of the covenant an 
 unholy thing, and thereby doth defpite unto 
 the fpirit of grace, for him there renaaineth 
 no more facrifice for fin, but a certain fear- 
 ful looking for of judgment and fiery indig- 
 nation. 
 
 This being the cafe, the queftion returns. 
 What can be the reafon, that the health of 
 the daughter of my people is not recovered. 
 Here is the all- healing balm of Gileady here 
 is an all- wife, and an almighty phyfician, 
 and why then, my brethren, will you not 
 for his fake, for your own fakes, receive the 
 fovereign medicine at his hands ? What other 
 caufe can be affigned, but that you love your 
 difeafe more than health. Sin, with all its 
 infirmities, is dearer to you than the full en- 
 joyment of the pleafures of a perfect reco- 
 very. Sin, although you die of it, is more 
 precious, than to receive life from the hand$ 
 of our redeeming God. Sin, although it 
 Tend you to hell, is more defirable than, 
 health in heaven. , Sin, although it bring 
 on vou never-endinsr torments with devils 
 '.uid condemned fpirits, is fwecter to you 
 
 thaii 
 
( 405 ) 
 iTian thefe eternal jovs which arc at God's 
 rio'ht hand for cverrnore. Oh ! what a won- 
 derful delufion is there in fin, that it fhoiild 
 thus make men love it more than health 
 and happinefs ? How ftrong is the delufion, 
 fince the fame men rcafon in the things be- 
 longing to the body, directly contrary to 
 what they do in things belonging to the foid ! 
 Propofe immediate relief to any of them 
 lying in a fevere fit of the gout or flone, 
 they embrace the propofal with eager joy. 
 Propofe immediate relief from the pains and 
 miferies of fin, they will not hear of, much 
 lefs take the remedy. There is balm in Gi- 
 fead, a phyfician is there, even the Lord Je- 
 fus, the fovereign phyfician of fouls, and yet 
 they will not apply to him. Sick as they 
 are, and ready to expire with the infirmities 
 of fin, yet they had rather perifli than be 
 beholden to him for a cure. All his attri- 
 l)utes, his power, his wifdom, his goodnefs, 
 cannot win them. All his graces, his par- 
 doning, juftifying, llmdifying grace, have 
 no influence. He may be a God almightr 
 to fave, but the charms of fin, though but 
 for a feafon, feem to them preferable to the 
 blefilngs of his prcfeivt and etern-il falvatioiu 
 
 C c ^ But 
 
( 4o6 ) 
 
 But whence is it that fui fhould be ca* 
 pable of deluding men fo far as to make 
 them prefer ficknefs to health ? The true 
 caufe is this. Sin blinds their eyes, and 
 hardens their hearts. It ftupifies and deadens 
 the fenfes, fo that they feel not their fpiri- 
 tual in the fame manner as they do their 
 bodily difeafes. The underftanding is ir^ 
 darknefs, they know not that it is difeafed. . 
 When they know it, the mernory is (hort 
 and foon forgets it. When they remem^ 
 ber it, yet confcience is faft afleep ; it nei- 
 ther checks the will in the choice, nor the 
 affedlions in the love and enjoyment of fin, 
 Thus has fin impaired all their faculties, and 
 they have no defire \o be healed, becaufe 
 they are infeniible of their malady. When 
 we endeavour to convince them of it, they 
 "will not believe us : And becaufe they do. 
 not feei the immediate fmart of their lins, 
 they will not therefore give credit to us, 
 when we declare, from the word of God, 
 that they will fmart for thern, and to eter- 
 nity, unlefs they come to the phyfician of- 
 fouls to be healed. And this will be the 
 cafe, fo long as they are intent upon their 
 prefent purfuits, and live entirely to fenfe 
 and to its enjoyments. All this tinie their 
 4 own 
 
( 407 ) 
 
 own hearts deceive them: for it is one of 
 the greateft delufions of fin, to keep men ig- 
 norant of the true ftate of th^ir fouls. It 
 flatters them with peace, while the Al- 
 mighty is at war with them ; and it promifes 
 them happinefs in the enjoyment of thofe 
 things, which will bring on them eternal 
 torments. And while it keeps them in this 
 ftate of carnal fecurity, nothing can appear 
 to them more abfurd than to hear that they 
 are fick, when they fancy themfelvcs ta be 
 in perfed health. 
 
 I. My brethren, are any of you in this 
 ftate ? Do you feel no pain, and do you ap- 
 prehend no danger from your fins ? Are you 
 entirely fecure, although your fins be' un- 
 pardoned, and God might glorify his judice 
 by immediately inflicting the defervcd pu- 
 nifliment ? Nay, do you not find part of fin's 
 punifliment already infliaed, and why then 
 {hould you hope to efcape the remaining 
 part ? For have you. not fufl^ered fome of 
 thofe pains and ficknefies, which in a courfe 
 of years will infallibly bring down your 
 bodies to the grave, and infiia the fentence 
 on them, " Dufl: thou art, and unto dud 
 '' fhalt thou return." The body was not 
 C c 4 at 
 
( 4o8 ) 
 
 at firft liable to this fentence, until fin pour* 
 ed its cnrfed poifon into it, and infedled it 
 with thofe painful maladies, which no art of 
 phyfic can heal, and which wear it down to 
 the grave of death. Every pain which it 
 feels, every ficknefs which it labours under, 
 all the outward and inward dangers which 
 threaten its mortal life, are owing to fin ; for 
 the wages of fin is death. All the harbin- 
 gers of death, which afflidt and weaken men*s 
 bodies, and thereby prepare the way for his 
 feizing on them, and carrying them pri- 
 foners to the dark and cold regions of the 
 grave, all thefe derive their power over us 
 from fin ; for, as by one man, fin entered 
 into the world, and death by fin, fo death 
 pafiTed upon all men ; for that all have fin- 
 ned. Sin has moft undoubtedly -wounded 
 your bodies with pains and ficknefiTes, v. ;ih 
 mortality and death ; and what a madnefs 
 then and infatuation is it to think, that Cia 
 has not wounded your fouls as well as your 
 bodies? For what fays the fcripture ? " The 
 •« foul that finneth it fhall die." Is not 
 that a defperate wound ? ** It fhall die.'* 
 How ! Can the foul die ? Yes. It may be 
 deid m trefpafifes and fin. Its death con- 
 fifts in being feparated frojn God, the foun- 
 
 taiu 
 
( 409 ) 
 
 tain of life, and in having no commiiniou 
 with him either in this world or in the next. 
 And is not this a gre.iter puniihment than 
 the death of the body, and is it not infinitely 
 more painful too, thui to die from God and 
 glory, and to he tormented with the worm 
 that never dieth, and in the fire that never 
 fhall be quenched ? What ! is not that a 
 wound indeed which thus alienated you from 
 the life of God r yea, a mod dreadful wound, 
 the torment and anguifli of which you m;iy 
 fufFer for ever and ever? Men and brethren, 
 are thefe things fo ? Examine the evidence 
 and determine. Is not fin the great mur- 
 derer, who has wounded your bodies with 
 pains and difeafes, and mortality, and has 
 ieparated your fouls from God, the fountain 
 of life, and made you fubjecl to the firfl and 
 fccond death ? Is not the proof of thefe truth.^ 
 as complete and full as the cafe will admit 
 of? Does it not amount even to a demon- 
 flration ? And do you not then fland in need 
 of fome fovcreign balm to heal vou, and do 
 you not want a phyfician ? You certainly do, 
 as much as ever dying men did. And why 
 then do you neglect the remedy, and flight 
 the phyfician ? 
 
 But 
 
(4^0 ) 
 
 But perhaps fome perfon may fay, How 
 can thefe things be ? Am not I in perfect 
 heakh, and how then can I labour under 
 thofe difeafes which you are mentioning ? 
 Yes, my brother, you may be in health, your 
 body may be perfectly well, but you have 
 a miferable, finful foul within you, which 
 is infected with the plague and foul leprofy 
 of original fin, and which has been wounded 
 with thoufands of a6lual crimes. This is 
 your cafe, and it is mofl deplorable. All 
 the powers in nature can give you no relief. 
 There is no remedy in heaven or earth, but 
 the blood of Jefus Chrifl: applied by the grace 
 of his good Spirit, and yet fin has fuch power 
 over you as to perfuade you to neglect that 
 precious medicine, without which you mud 
 perifh everlaftingly. 
 
 What ! fay you, Can I be in this defpe- 
 rate condition, and not know and feel it ? 
 .Yes, you may. It is an undoubted matter of 
 fad, that fin brought as many difeales upon 
 the foul, as it did upon the body. Indeed 
 it left the foul entirely fick, and without any 
 foundnefs in it, as we daily confefs in the 
 words of our church, " there is no health 
 " in us.*' And if there be no health in you, 
 
 furelv 
 
( 4" ) 
 
 furely then you are iick in every part ? And 
 you have no fenfe of your malady, becaufe 
 lin has fo impaired all your faculties, that you 
 have no fpiritual difcernment. You do not 
 difcern your cafe to be dangerous, which is 
 one of the worft fymptoms you could have. It 
 proves you to be hr gone in a fpiritual letharr 
 gy, fo that the lefs fenfe you have, the greater 
 is your danger. And is not this a dangerous 
 difeafe which makes the patient infenfible ? 
 For how can he avoid perifhing of it, v/hiie 
 confcience, which oqght to give the alarm, 
 is feared with a hot iron, and the other fa- 
 culties of the foul are pad feeling ? This is 
 the fcripture account of your condition, and 
 if it has not convinced you, may the Lord 
 God Almighty rnake you fenfible of your 
 malady, that you may apply to the great 
 phyfician of fouls for the balm of Gllead 
 along with thofe convinced finners, who are 
 now waiting upori him for the fovcreign 
 femedy. 
 
 2. When finners are firfl: brought to a 
 fe^ife of their guilt and of their danger, and 
 confcience begins to do its duty, they are 
 apt to write bitter things againft themfclves, 
 and through unbelief to rejed: the ottered 
 
 mercies 
 
( 4^2 ) 
 
 mercies of the gofpel. They feci the wounds 
 of fin more fliarp and pahiful, than ever its 
 pleafures had been fwcet and deUghtful. 
 The law flirs up guilt, terrifies their con- 
 fciences with its threatenings, fets God be- 
 fore their eyes as armed with almighty juf- 
 tice to inflict the threatened punifhment, 
 and they fee no way open to efcape. Speak 
 to perfons in this diflrefs of the balm of 
 Gil e ad, the remedy appointed of God for 
 their difeafe, they cannot believe it as able to 
 heal them, or if they are brought to be- 
 lieve this, yet they rejedt the comforts of the 
 blefled medicine, for want of faith to apply it 
 to themfelves. 
 
 Let us conflder this cafe a little. My bre- 
 thren, fin has wounded your bodies and 
 fouls, and you are becdme fenfible of the 
 malady. You feel the anguifh of it, and 
 you defire to be healed. What obje6lion 
 have you to the remedy which the Lord 
 God had appointed for your recovery ? Has 
 it not virtue to heal your wounded con- 
 fciences ? You know what the remedy is : 
 It is the balm of Gilead^ the moH precious 
 blood of the lamb of God, applied by the 
 eternal Spirit, and it heals not by any na- 
 tural 
 
( 413 ) 
 
 tural or pbyfical qualities, but by a divine 
 and fpiritual efficacy. The power of God is 
 always prefent with it to heal. You cannot 
 therefore obje<fl againft the medicine ; becaufe 
 God has provided it, arid he, with his own arm, 
 renders it effectual for the cure of wounded 
 confciences. 
 
 True, fay you, I believe the remedy is 
 infallible, but how do I know that God will 
 apply it to my foul ? You are wounded, and it 
 is balm for wounj^ed confciences, therefore 
 for yours. God has awakened you, be has 
 brought you to the knowledge of your dif- 
 eafe, and you feel the pain of it. For what 
 ^eafoja has God done this ? but that the fenfe 
 of your mifery might fend you to the phy- 
 fician for his advice and affiftance. When 
 the enemy of fouls fees you thus efcaping 
 out of his hands, he would try to perfuade 
 you, that the remedy is not for you ; where- 
 as you are the very perfons to whom the 
 gofpel offers it. Chrift iays, he came not 
 to call the righteous, but finners, to repent- 
 ance; and you arc finners, you feel the 
 mifery of fin, and therefore Chrift came to 
 call you. Since you are fick, he calls you 
 as much as if he had called you by name in 
 7 the 
 
( 414 ) 
 
 the gofpel, to receive of him the balm of GU 
 lead to heal all your fpiritual infirmities. 
 
 You think you fhould be happy, if yoa 
 could believe this, but you find fo many and 
 fuch defperate wounds, fo many foul-mur- 
 dering fins, that you dare not believe the 
 remedy is for fuch as you. But why not? 
 Is not the medicine for (in-fick- fouls ? And 
 the more fick you are, the more you want 
 the medicine, and be your cafe the worfl 
 that ever was, yet the virtue of the mcdi* 
 cine is almighty. If from the fole of the 
 foot, even to the crown of the head, there 
 was no foundnefs in you, but in every part 
 wounds and bruifes, and putrifying foresj 
 yet the balm of Gilead can make a perfect 
 cure; yea, if you have ten thoufand more 
 wounds than you have, it could heal them 
 all. Confider then how greatly you dif- 
 paragc and vilify the love and power of our 
 divine phyfician, by fuppofing your fins more 
 able to kill than he is to heal. Is not he the 
 Lord God Almighty, and are not all things 
 poffible with him ? Oh ! be not faithlefs then, 
 but believing. 
 
 But 
 
( 4'S ) 
 
 But perhaps guilt fuggefts to you, Mj 
 cal'e is lingular, I have finned againft hght 
 and convi<flion ; often did I refolve to leave 
 my fins, but I as often broke my refolu- 
 tions, and therefore I fear that 1 have fin- 
 ned away my day of grace, and that there 
 is no mercy for me. Your cafe is bad, 
 but not defperate. Looking back on your 
 paft hfe, you ^Ihould be humbled, but not 
 defpair ; for are you not convinced of your 
 want of the balm of G'llead^ and does not it, 
 by a divine virtue, heal all manner of fins ? 
 Sins againfi: light, againft many folemn refo- 
 lutions, and againft many warnings of con- 
 fcience, as well as other fins ? The medi- 
 cine certainly can heal them all ; becaufe it 
 is appointed of God for that purpofe, and 
 by his almighty power he renders it effec- 
 tual, and therefore whatever keeps you from 
 relying upon its power to heal you, is an 
 enemy to your foul. Oh ! pray againfl un- 
 belief, for that is at the bottom of all your 
 objedions againft this fovereign medicine^ 
 and may the Lord give you faith to be 
 healed. 
 
 What ! can it heal me, fays fome pooi 
 dejected broken-hearted finner, who fees 
 
 nothing 
 
( 4i6 ) 
 
 Nothing but fin in his heart and life ? Yes, it 
 is appointed for you by name. *' He healeth 
 " the broken in heart, and bindeth up their 
 *' wounds.'* FJalm cxlvii. 3. The great phy-« 
 fician has an efpecial regard for your cafe. 
 He fays, he was fent to heal the broken- 
 hearted. But not fuch as I am, fays one, my 
 heart is worfe than broken, it is dead to God, 
 and to the thinsrs of God. Be it fo. Our 
 phyfician is famous for railing the dead. It 
 is his office and his glory. In the parable of 
 the good Samaritan^ he healed the man who 
 was halt dead. His foul was as dead to God 
 as yours is. But the precious balm, which 
 >vas applied to him, made him alive to God. 
 The fame remedy can quicker^ you, although 
 you have been dead in treipaffes and (ins ; and 
 as you are fo far quickened as to fee your 
 want of this remedy, may you foon expe- 
 rience its ibvereign virtue, and receive from 
 it favinsf health. 
 
 After many doubts and fears have been 
 fiienced, new ones ftill arife. Unbelief may 
 perhaps have been iuggefting to lome of 
 your hearts; the medicine certainly can heal 
 all cafes, but I have nothing to recommend 
 me to the phyfician, Have you nothing? 
 
 Then 
 
( 417 ) 
 
 Then this is your heft recommendation. He 
 always relieves poor diftrefled dying obje£ls, 
 tvho have nothing to bring him, but their 
 fins and their miieries. He is therefore a 
 phyfician, that he may relieve fuch ; for by 
 healing thofc, whom none elfe can heal, 
 he-gets all the glory ; and by.heahng theni 
 freely, he exalts his fovereign grace. Thus 
 he adled in the parable of the good Samarir 
 ian. What had the wounded traveller to 
 recommend him ? was it not, that he was 
 miferable and helplefs ? This moved the 
 Lord's compaflion, and he (hewed him mer- 
 cy. ' " Go, and do thou likewife." Apply to 
 the great phyfician, becaufe thou art fick, and 
 canft not heal thyfelf, and then he will exalt 
 hi5 rich grace and love, by freely forgiving 
 thee all thy fins, and by pouring the balrvj 
 of Gilead into thy wounded confcience to heal 
 all thine infirmities. 
 
 When this obje^lion, which arifes from 
 pride and unbelief, is removed, and we would 
 perfuade the convinced (inner to rely upon 
 the promifes of health and falvation, which 
 God has made in his word, he has-(lill dif- 
 ficulties to crct over. He is afraid it v/ould 
 be prefumption in lum to rely upon the pro- 
 
 D d mifes. 
 
( 4-8 ) 
 
 tnlfes, and to take comfort from bellevins'* 
 that he fhall have his fhare and interefb ia 
 them. Whereas he is the very perfon to whom 
 the promifes are made. His particular cafe 
 is defcribed in Luke iv. i8. Our Saviour 
 fays, The fpirit of the Lord is upon me, bc- 
 caufe he hath anointed and commiffioned 
 me with full powers to relieve every dif- 
 trefled objed, that fhall apply to me for 
 help. Are you a poor affli£led finner ? He 
 has good news for you : He was ordained 
 to preach the gofpel to the poor. Have 
 you a broken contrite heart ? He is fent 
 to heal the broken-hearted. Are you in 
 bondage to fin and fatan ? He is fent to 
 preach and to give deliverance to the cap- 
 tives. Is your underflanding blind and ig- 
 norant of fpiritual things?- He is fent to 
 preach and to give recovering of fight to the 
 blind. Arc you faft bound with the chains 
 of fin, and has the iron entered into your 
 foul ? He is fent to fet at liberty them that 
 are bruifed. Here is your character: you 
 are poor broken-hearted captives, blind and 
 miferablc. Here is your promife ; Chrifl is 
 appointed of God, and has a divine com- 
 mifTion to fupply all your wants. Is it pre- 
 fumption then in you to apply this promife 
 
 to 
 
( 419 ) 
 
 lo yourfelves ? What ! after God has gra- 
 cioudy made it for the comfort of your af* 
 flicled confciences will you fay. It would be 
 prefumption in us to take comfort from it ? 
 My brethren, the promife cannot be bro- 
 ken. By relyiiig upon it, it is yours. Your 
 dependancc upon it calls upon God's faith* 
 fulnefs to fulfil it to you. And it is no pre- 
 fumption, it is a high a£t of falth^ not to 
 flagger at the promife through unbelief, but 
 to give glory to God, by relying upon it* 
 May he enable you thus to give glory to him^ 
 and you ftiall find that his promife is like 
 himfelf, unchangeable, and that his word can^ 
 not be broken* 
 
 Since then there is balm in Gilead for 
 wounded confciences, provided purpofely for 
 you, and fince your obje£lions againil: re- 
 ceiving it are groundlefs, why, my bre- 
 thren, will you not apply to the almighty 
 phyficlan, and now alk his help? Oh I that 
 this may be the accepted time, and this the 
 day of your falvation ! Fall down at his feet^ 
 implore his affiflancei and his tender heart 
 will melt with compaflion towards you. 
 If you are difcouraged in your addrefles to 
 him, it is becaufc you have not clear ideas 
 D d z of 
 
( 420 ) 
 
 of his power and love. He is almighty* 
 He can heal the moft broken heart, and the 
 moil wounded confcience ; and his love ne- 
 ver failed to influence his power to heal fucb 
 cafes, when they came before him. Keep 
 not then poring upon your wounds and 
 fores. By looking too much at them, you 
 eherifh your doubts and fears. Look unto 
 Jefus. Remember his advice, ** Look unto 
 ** me, and be ye faved." You Ihould look 
 into yourfelves, to fee your want of falva- 
 tion, and look unto him for a fupply of 
 your wants. And that you may be fup- 
 plied out of his fulnefs, believe his promifes. 
 Rely upon his faithfulnefs to fulfil them tO' 
 your fouls, and tliereby you engage his power 
 to give you health and falvation. 
 
 3. Bleffed be his holy name, for exertiiig 
 his divine virtue at this day, and for healing 
 all manner of fpiritual ficknefs and all man- 
 ner of difeafe among the people. Great 
 numbers, now alive, are witneffes for him, 
 that his hand is not fhortened. Still he faves 
 his people from lin, and from all the mala- 
 (6ies brought upon them by fin. You, my 
 chriftian brethren, who have had experience 
 of his divine power and love,- ought to (hew 
 3, ., . - forth 
 
( 4^-1 ) 
 forth his praife. It bccomcth you well to 
 be thankful. Much has been forgiven yoCi, 
 therefore you fhould love much. The fweet 
 Pfalmifl of Ifrael calls upon you by his ex- 
 ample to a grateful acknowledgment of the 
 Lord's mercies — ** Blefs the Lord, O my 
 *' foul, and all that is within me, blefs his 
 ^* holy name. Blefs the Lord, O my foul, 
 " and forget not all his benefits ; who for- 
 <' giveth all thine iniquities, who hcaleth all 
 " thine infirmities." Pfahncm. i, 2, 3. Af- 
 ter you have received fuch great benefits, it 
 will be your delight to praife him with your 
 lips, and with your lives. The health and 
 llrength which he has freely given, you will 
 ufe in his fervice and to his glory, until he 
 take you to himfelf, and give you more 
 happy experience of his great falvation, by 
 delivering your foul from every infirmity 
 and corruption ; and the time will not be 
 long before he will raife your bodies from 
 the grave, and make them like his own glo- 
 rious body. And then he will get himfelf 
 honour indeed, when he fliall heal both 
 body and foul of all the wounds of fin, and 
 fliall heal them for ever and ever. That is 
 the glory of our phyfician, he heals to eter- 
 nity. He makes the fpirits of juft men per- 
 D d 3 feci ; 
 
C 422 ) 
 
 fc<^ ; and they ftand before the throne of 
 God without any fpot or ftain of corrup* 
 tion. And in the morning of the refur» 
 redlion, this corruptible body fhall put on 
 incorruption, and this mortal Ihall put on 
 immortality. Thus he beftows eternal health 
 and falvation upon both body and foul. 
 Where is there, nay, where can there be fuch 
 a phyfician ? There is none like unto thee, O 
 Lord, glorious in holinefs, fearful in praifes, 
 doing wonders. Still thou are difplaying 
 the wonders of thy power and love, and ad-f 
 miniHerlng thy fovereign balm for recover?- 
 ing the health of the daughter of thy people. 
 Oh ! that thou wouldil difplay thy divine 
 virtue among us this day. Arile, thou fua 
 of righteoufnefs, upon all this congregation, 
 with healing under thy beams, and fave us 
 from every malady of fin, from the pollution, 
 from the guilt, and from the power of it, 
 and fave us from the punifliment of it with 
 thine eternal falvation. Hear us, thou al- 
 mighty Saviour, and anfwer us to the glory 
 of the Father, and of the holy Spirit, three 
 co-equal and co-eternal perfons in one Jeho- 
 vah, to whom we give honour and worfhip, 
 and blefiing and praife, now and for ever, 
 Arnen and Amen« 
 
UPON THE 
 
 PROMISES of GOD. 
 
 DISCOURSE XII. 
 
 2 Peter i. 4. 
 
 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great 
 and precious promifes. 
 
 When the Lord God firft publi(hed his 
 law in paradife, he enforced it with proper 
 fandions. He promifed to our firft parents 
 the continuance of his favour and immortal 
 life, if they continued to keep the law ; but 
 if they fhould tranfgrefs it, he threatened them 
 with the lofs of his favour, and with the firll 
 and the fecond death. Upon their tranfgref- 
 (ion, the promifes bec^pie null and void. All 
 D d 4 right 
 
( 424 
 
 right and title to them was forfeiteci, anrj the 
 fovereign law-giver was bound to inflift the 
 threatened penalties. His truth-, his juftice, 
 his holinefs called upon him to put the fanc- 
 tions of the law in force. Accordingly the 
 offenders were arrefted and brought to his 
 bar ; and being examined, they confeffed 
 their crime, but fludied to throw part of 
 the blame upon their temipters. The man 
 could make no other defence, but that the 
 woman offered him the temptation ; and the 
 woman had no plea to urge, but that the 
 ferpent beguiled her. Upon this confefiion 
 they were found guilty ; but the Lord God, 
 whofe mercies are over all his works, was 
 pleafed to make a difcovery to them of the 
 covenant of grace. He revealed to them 
 his mind and will concerning the pardon of 
 their tranfgreffion, and promifed them a 
 Saviour, who fhould bruife the ferpent*s 
 head, and thereby- deftroy his power. The 
 fcrpent's poifon lies in his head, and when 
 this is bruifed, he can do no more mifchief. 
 The promifed feed was to undertake this 
 work, and for this purpofe was the Son of 
 God to be manifefled, that he might de- 
 ftroy the works of the devil. This firft pro- 
 mife, and all the following promifes of grace 
 
 and 
 
( 425 ; 
 
 and mercy centre in Jefus Chrlft : for all 
 the promiies of God in him are Yea, and in 
 him Amen unto the glory of God. In him 
 they are Yea ; he undertook to ratify and 
 to make them good : and in him they are 
 Amen ; they are confirmed and fulfilled to 
 believers. Every promife made in Chrift is 
 an a£l of God's free grace, and which being 
 made, his perfedions bind him to fulfil ; 
 for he has engaged, in the promife, to give 
 the grace and bleffino; therein mentioned, to 
 thofe vv'ho believe in Jefus Chrift ; fo that 
 the believer's happinefs confifts in living by 
 faith upon the promifes. Faith apprehends 
 and receives Chrift as held forth in the pro- 
 mife, and thereby gets poffeflion of the pro- 
 mifed bleffi ng. While faith is kept thus ill 
 ad and exercife, the believer walks fafely 
 and comfortably : although he has many 
 enemies, and is in the midft of many dan- 
 gers, yet he has a promife of God's help 
 to fupport him in every eftate and circum- 
 flance of life, and to carry him through all 
 trials and troubles. If he rely upon this 
 promifed help, he cannot be difappointed ; 
 for the promife cannot poflibly fail. All the 
 perfe£lions of God fland engaged to fee it 
 fulfilled, and when flvith calls upon God, 
 
 and 
 
( 426 ) 
 
 and relies on him for the fulfilling of it, he 
 cannot deny himfelf, or break the word that 
 is eone out of his mouth. Faith brinsis 
 down his almighty power to make a way 
 for the fulfilling of the promife, and thus 
 the believer receives a fupport under all dan- 
 gers, fafety againft all enemies, and a cor- 
 dial againfl all troubles. This is his happi- 
 nefs. He ftaggers not at the promife of 
 God through unbelief, but is ftrong in faith, 
 giving glory to God, and God gives grace to 
 him and makes his faith flronger, by which 
 he finds more of the fweetnefs and riches 
 of the promifes. My brethren, I wiih you 
 were all in poffefTion of this happinefs, and 
 it is my prefent defign to direft and to en- 
 courage you to feek it. The fcripture which 
 I have chofen for this purpofe affords us 
 fome very powerful motives : May the Lord 
 God render our prefent confideration of them 
 ufeful and profitable to all our fouls, that 
 we may know clearly, 
 
 F/'r/?, The nature of the promifes of 
 God. 
 
 Secondly^ The characHier of thofe to whom 
 
 the promifes belong ; and 
 
 nirdly-^ 
 
( 42? ) 
 ^fhirdly, Their exceeding greatnefs and 
 precioutiiefs. And while we are confider- 
 ing thofe particulars, may we have the Lord's 
 prefence with us. We have a promife of it, 
 ** Wherever two or three, fays he, are met 
 *' together in my name, there am I in the 
 *' midft of them.** Oh! that he may be pre- 
 fent with us at this time. May he feiid the 
 holy Spirit of promife into all our hearts to 
 teach us, 
 
 Firfl, The nature of the promifes of God, 
 I define a promife to be an a£l of God*s 
 free grace, whereby he has engaged, in his 
 word, to beftow upon believers all the blefl- 
 ings, which come to them through the obe- 
 dience and fufferiwgs of Jefus Chrift. The 
 promife can fpring from no other caufe 
 than from free grace. God had no motive 
 to induce him, but what arofe from his own 
 abundant and unmerited love, and there 
 was no power to compel him to make any 
 promife to fallen man. He had broken the 
 law, and was fubje6l to all the pains and 
 penalties threatened to tranfgreffion, and if 
 God had left him in this Rate without any 
 promife, he would have dragged on a mi- 
 ferable life under the terrors of his guilty 
 
 confcience. 
 
( 438 ) 
 
 eonfcience, until the executioner came to 
 call him to God's awful bar, and being tried 
 there, and found guilty, how could he ef- 
 cape the damnation of hell ? To fallen man, 
 thus fubjeft to the prefent and eternal punifh- 
 ment of fin, God was pleafed to make a re- 
 velation of mercj. He took compaffion on 
 him, and provided for his falvation, by the 
 covenant of grace, which is a covenant of 
 promifes. Such is the exalted grace of God, 
 that he has made a free promife of deliver- 
 ance from all the miferies of fin, and that 
 convinced finners might be enabled to rely 
 upon the promife, and to find comfort in it,, 
 God revealed it in his word, which cannot 
 be broken. There it is written and entered 
 upon record ; and what he has there en- 
 gaged to befiiow upon believers, (hall be made 
 good to them for ever and ever. To them 
 be will freely give without money and with- 
 out price, both in time and in eternity, all the 
 bleffin2;3 which are the fruit of the obedi- 
 ence and fufFerings of Jefus Chrifi:. To them 
 he gives freely what coll him an infinite fum. 
 The merit of all that he did and fuffered i^ 
 made theirs by faith, and faith is one of the 
 blellings which he obtained amono; the reft ; 
 for it is one of his precious gifts which he 
 
 bcftows 
 
( 429 ) 
 beflows upon his people by the operation of 
 his good Spirit, who works with, and ani- 
 mates the incorruptible feed of the word, 
 rendering it the means of formino; faith in 
 their hearts. The word of promife begets 
 faith in them, by the holy Spirit's enabling 
 them tirfl to rely upon it, and afterwards ta 
 experience its fweetnefs and . richnefs, and 
 then they know the truth of the fore-men- 
 tioned definition, namely, that a promife is 
 an ad: of God's free grace, whereby he has 
 engaged, in his word, to beftow upon be- 
 lievers, all the bleffings which come to them 
 through the obedience and iufferings of Je- 
 fus Chrift. 
 
 Now lince this is the nature of the pro- 
 mifes, there is but one point to be cleared 
 up, and it is this — What fecurity has God 
 given for the fulfilling of the promifes ? 
 The Lord knew what power unbelief had 
 over carelefs finners, and how hard it was to 
 bring convinced finners to believe, and how 
 believers would be tempted by their remain- 
 ing corruptions to entertain doubts and fears^ 
 and therefore he provided the moft full and 
 perfe<5t evidence, that the cafe will admit of. 
 
 Fhjl, 
 
C 43^ ) 
 
 "Pirjly Every promife ftands confirmed ia 
 his revealed word, which word is the mind 
 and will of God made known to his crea- 
 tures, and which is therefore as perfect and 
 unchangeable as God himfelf is. His word 
 cannot be broken. It is impoffible to break 
 it. What weapons would you ufe ? Force 
 of arms? What force can you ufe againft the 
 almighty God ? His mind cannot alter or 
 change, and thereby fufFer his word to be 
 broken : for with God there is no variable- 
 iiefs or fhadow of turning. And fince no- 
 thing from without, and nothing from with- 
 in can caufe any variablenefs in him, his 
 word therefore will ftand faft for ever and 
 ever. God is not a man, that he fhould lye, 
 neither the fon of man, that he fhould re- 
 pent : hath he faid, and fhall he not do it? 
 Or hath he fpoken, and fhall he not make it 
 good ? What Ihould hinder him ? Is not 
 his hand almighty to fulfil what he hatk 
 fpoken with bis mouth ? Here then is fafe 
 ground for faith to ftand upon. You can 
 rely upon one another's word. When a 
 man has a fair chara£ter, and is known to be 
 of good principles, you can truft him, and 
 you have a faying among yourfelves. That 
 an honeft man's word is as s;ood as his boiid. 
 
 JL And 
 
( 43' ) 
 
 And may you not give better credit to God*3 
 word ? For what fufpicion can you entertain 
 of its ever being broken ? He, who is truth 
 itlelf, has faid, *' Heaven and earth (hall 
 " pafs away, but my words ihall not pafs 
 '* away;'* they (hall not pals away, becaufe 
 my almighty power fhali eftablifh them ia 
 time and in eternity. And is there not then 
 Sufficient reafon to rely upon thofe words 
 which God declares fhall not pafs away ? 
 And is there not abundant evidence to en- 
 courage the convinced (inner to trufl to that 
 ' word of promife, which can never fail, but 
 fhall ftand faft, when heaven and earth fhall 
 pafs away, and the place of them ihall no 
 more be found. Even then, when all things 
 elfe fail, the promifes will be receiving 
 their full completion. Surely then the word 
 of God, which cannot be broken, is a 
 good fecurity for our relying upon the pro- 
 mifes. 
 
 "Butfecondly, God, who knoweth our hearts, 
 out of tender companion to our infirmities, 
 has been gracioufly pleafed to confirm his 
 promifes, not only by his word, but alfo by 
 his oath. The oath was the obligation 
 which the perfons of the ever-blefled Tri- 
 nity 
 
( 432 ) 
 nity entered into to fulfil their diftin^l parts 
 and offices in the covenant of grace, and they 
 entered into this obligation for the fake of 
 thoi^ who fhould flee to Chrift for refuge, 
 that they might fee the immatability of 
 God's counfel to fave them : becaufe he had 
 confirmed it by an oath, and had thereby 
 given them two immutable things to rely 
 upon. The Apoftle has reafoned thus upon 
 the fubjecft. " When God made promife 
 " to Abraham^ becaufe he could fwear by 
 *' no greater, he fware by himfelf ; for men 
 " verily fwear by the greater ; and an oath, 
 *' for confirmation, is to them an end of all 
 ** ftrife. Wherein God willing more abun- 
 *' dantly to fhew unto the heirs of promife 
 " the immutability of his counfel confirm- 
 *' ed it by an oath, that, by two immutable 
 " things, in which it was impofTible for God 
 " to lye, we might have a ftrong confolation, 
 " who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the 
 " hope fet before us." In which words we 
 have a clear account of the nature of the 
 oath, *' God fware by himfelf," and of the 
 perfons for whofe fakes he fware, namely, 
 the heirs of promife, and the defign of his 
 fwearing, namely, to put an end to all flrife 
 in their confciences concerning his faithful- 
 
 nef? 
 
( 433 ) 
 
 nefs to fulfil his promifes to them. And the 
 Apodle*s argument {land> thus: when there 
 is any difpute or ftrife among men, and th* 
 matter comes to be tried in a court of juftice, 
 the caufe is finally determined, by examin- 
 ing the parties and their witnefles upon oath. 
 And there being a ftrife l->etween God and 
 fmners, on his part he proclaims his grace^ 
 promifing them full pardon, if they feek it 
 through Chrift, binds himfelf to give it, by 
 his word, and confirms his word by his oath. 
 And ought not this oath for confirmation of 
 the word of promife to put an end to all 
 firife in the finuer's confcience? For how caa 
 God*s oath be broken ? Here are two im- 
 mutable things, vvhich cannot poflibly fail, 
 the counlel of God to fave the heirs of pro- 
 mife, and the oath of God to carry his 
 Counfel into execution. His counfel is what 
 he decreed in the covenant of grace, when 
 all his attributes determined to bring, many 
 fons unto glory by Jefus Chrift. This di- 
 vine counfel revealed to his creatures in his 
 Word was fufficient evidence, and ought to 
 induce them to believe ; but he was ** willins- 
 " more abundantly,'* more than was need- 
 ful, if they had not been very faithlefs and 
 unbelieving, to convince them, and thcre- 
 
 E c fore 
 
( 434 ) 
 fere confirmed his counfcl by an oath ; fo 
 fhat here are two immutable things in which 
 it is impoiiible for God to lye, and which 
 confequently ought to make the faith of the 
 heirs of promiie immutable. The founda- 
 tion upon which faith {lands can never faiU 
 It relies /upon the unchangeable word of pro- 
 mife, and the promife is confirmed by the 
 Gounfel of God, of which he fays himfelf, 
 " My counfel (hall ftand, and I will do all 
 *'':Tiy pleafure. IJaiah yAv'u lo. Yea, the 
 ^'counfel of the Lord flandeth for ever, 
 *' and tlic thouo;hts of his heart to all eene- 
 " rations." Pfal. xxxiii. ii. and the promife 
 is alfo confirmed by the oath of God, which 
 is immutable and cannot be broken. " The 
 " Lord hath fworn, and will not repent.'* 
 He will not repent of his oath, unlefs he 
 could ceafe to-be wife, or could be perjured^ 
 which to fuppofe poffible would be the high- 
 eft blaiphemy. Oh ! what full fecurity then 
 has a gracious God given to the heirs of pro- 
 mife ? He would not have them to doubt of 
 his love, or of his power to fave them, and 
 therefore he condefcends to give them two 
 immutable things for the fupport of their 
 faith : but knowing whereof they were made, 
 ■and how flow of heart they were to believe, 
 
 he 
 
( 435 ) 
 
 h<f has been plea fed to exalt his free and fo« 
 verelgn grace by giving them a 
 
 Third irnmutable thing to enable them to 
 rely itill more lledfaftly upon his promiies, 
 and that is the nnchancreable covenant. The 
 ever-bieffed Trinity, moved by mere love 
 and rich mercy, contrived the gracious plan 
 of the finner's redemption, and each pcrlbn 
 was to get himfelf glory by fuflaining a di- 
 ftindt office in the ceconomy of the covenant. 
 The Father was to glorify the truth, juftice, 
 and holinefs of the Godhead, by demand- 
 ing full fati.sfa6:ion for fin. The Son co- 
 venanted to pay it, and to glorify the wif- 
 dom and love of the Godhead by fatisfying 
 all the demands of law and ju/lice. And 
 the holy Spirit was to glorify the power and 
 grace of the Godhead by raifing the dead 
 ' in fin to life, and quickening them toge- 
 ther with Chrifl, and then* enabling them 
 to walk againft all oppofition in his fteps 
 and after his example, until they attain eter- 
 nal life. This is the covenant of promife. 
 And what could induce the holy Trinity 
 to make it ? What, but the divine love and 
 mercy ? And what can hinder the fulfilling 
 'Of this covenant ? Can i^ny thing refi/l and 
 E e 2 defeat 
 
( 43^ ) 
 
 ^defeat the will of the Almighty ? No. tlh 
 power will carry his will into execution. But 
 may not the will of God change ? That is 
 impolllble. The covenant is everlaAing, and 
 how then can it change ? Though it be but a 
 man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no 
 man difannuUeth or addeth thereto; and 
 iince a human covenant is not liable to 
 change, certainly the everlafling covenant is 
 alike ordered in all things and lure ? For he 
 that cannot lye, hath laid, " My covenant 
 *' will I not break, nor alter the thing that 
 *' is £one out of mv mouth." Pfalni Ixxxix. 
 ^4. It cannot be broken, it cannot alter, and 
 how then can one tittle of it ever change or 
 fail ? All things elfe (hall pafs away. " The 
 '* mountains fhall depart, and the hills be 
 ** removed, but my kindnefs fliall not de- 
 *' part from, thcc, neither fliall the cove- 
 *' nant of my peace be removed, faith the 
 ** Lord, that hath mercy on thee." Ifatah 
 liv. 10. 
 
 This is the fecDrity which God hath 
 vouchfafed to give for the fulfilling of his 
 promifes, and it is the moft full and com- 
 plete evidence, that any promiie can have ; 
 and what then can the heirs of promife deiire 
 A. more ? 
 
( 437 ) 
 
 more ? Has not God been willing more 
 abundantly to fliew them the immutability 
 of his counfel r For he has given them his 
 word to rely upon, which cannot be broken, 
 his oath, of which he will not repent, and 
 his covenant, which he will not break or 
 alter. It is impoflible any of thefe fecurities 
 ihould fail, and why then fhould unbeliev- 
 ing doubts arife in their minds, and tempt 
 them to think they could fail ? My bre- 
 thren, if you give way to thofe doubts, they 
 will foon rob you of your peace and com- 
 fort : for althouj^h vou be heirs to a great 
 eflate, yet it is chiefly in reverfion. You 
 have very little in poffeifion at prefent, but 
 the promifes. You are heirs of promife, and 
 if vou lofe your reliance upon the promifes, 
 you lole fight of the evidence of your eftate, 
 and the comfortable hope of your inherit- 
 ing: it. Oh! remember then how difhonour- 
 able this is to God, after he has provided 
 fuch immutable things for luth and hope 
 to reft upon, and how hurtful this is to your 
 own intereft, and therefore whenever doubts 
 and fears begin to tempt you, alk vourftlf, 
 ** What am T going to do ? Shall I fancv, 
 ** that God can lye, or be perjured, or be a 
 " covenant- bleaker ? Would not this be 
 E e 3 *' blaf* 
 
( 438 ) 
 
 ** blafpheming his word, and his oath, and 
 " his covenant ? O Lord, keep thy fervant 
 *' from this great wickednefs, and ftrengthen 
 ** my faith, that it fail not." And if you 
 thus go to the throne of grace for help, you 
 ihall find it in time of need. God will ena- 
 ble you not to ftagger at his promifes through 
 unbelief, but will make you ftrong in faith, 
 relying fledfaftly upon his fulfiiUng them all, 
 to your fouls.. 
 
 Some perfons perhaps may be thinking, 
 *' God has provided full and complete evi- 
 " dence for the certainty of his fulfilling his 
 *' promifes, and I think I could reft upon this 
 *' fecurity, if 1 did but know that I was an 
 *' heir of promife." Rely upon the promife, 
 and it is yours. Live upon it, and you are 
 undoubtedly an heir of promife. But this 
 point comes to be more particularly confider- 
 ed under the.fcripture chara6ler of the perfons 
 to whom the promifes belong, which is the 
 
 Second general head of difcourfe. When 
 our Lord gave his apoftles a commiflion to 
 preach, it was in thefe words, *' Go ye into 
 ^' ail the world, and preach the gofpel to 
 5' every creature.'* The* gofpel brings the 
 
( 439 ) 
 
 glad tkllngs of the covenant of promlfe made 
 in. Chrld, and full fccurity for all the promif- 
 cd bleffings of the covenant. You have the 
 gracious call this day. In my mailer's name I 
 ftand up, and invite every unpardoned (Inner 
 to come and leceive of him free mercy and 
 forgivencls, ''Andth. Spirit and the bride fay, 
 " Come, and let him that heareth fay, Come; 
 " and kt him that is athirfl, Come." Ho ! eve- 
 ry one that thirtieth for redemption in the 
 blood «'t Chr.ff, even the forgivenefs of iins. 
 Come to the Wood of fprinkling, that you 
 n ay be nr.nle clean from all your fins. And 
 if you find it \n your hearts to a^ccept of this 
 free invitation, let not the fenfe of your un- 
 worthineis keep you back. Jefus is aWe to 
 fave you, be ye ever Co unworthy ; for he 
 can fave -to the uttcrmolL, All is finiflicd 
 on his part. He is able . he is alio willino-- 
 and he engages to uie his almighty power 
 for you, if .you a(k it. He freely calls you, 
 without money and without puce, to tdke 
 pardon, rigliteoulnefs, holinefs, glory. He 
 promifcs them in his word, binds it by oath, 
 and confirms it by covenant. All he has of 
 blcfifednefs and glory to give hi- people hall 
 be yours," if you will accept his ca^i, and rely 
 upon his pro mile. 
 
 E e 4 J?.. 
 
( 440 ) 
 But you are thinking ft ill with yourfelves, 
 the promifes are indeed freely offered to all, 
 but they belong to none, except to the heirs 
 of promife. That is very true ; and there- 
 fore it concerns you to he afllired, that you 
 are an heir of pronQife. Do you defire to be 
 fo ? Would you willingly be an heir to the 
 unfearchable riches of grace and glory ? Oh ! 
 fay you, from my heart 1 defire it : What 
 would not I give to know that the exceed- 
 ing great and precious promlltb in Icnpture 
 belong to me. But how aame this defire 
 into your heart ? Was it from any i;h' ati- 
 nefs in your mind about yi/ur fnis ? Have 
 you been awakened to lee that al! the threat- 
 enings of the law belong toyou, 'Hi^i 'hat you 
 have an intereft in none of the pionuies of 
 the gofpel, and was it from hence that you 
 waited upon God for mercy, defiring to ex- 
 perience his promiled grace and lalvation ? 
 And are you now waiting, detplv humbled 
 \inder a fenie of your finfulnels and helpkir- 
 nefs ? If this be your cafe, thus far you are 
 risht : for this is the firll: work of God's 
 
 c 
 
 Spirit upon all the heirs of promile. He be- 
 gins with convincing them of (in. They are 
 lying in the fame mafs of corruption with 
 ©thet men, under the law, under guilt for 
 
 bieakinsr 
 
( 44^ ) 
 
 VeaVing it, fubje£l to death and hell. The 
 holy Spirit makes them fenfible of their be- 
 ino- in this flate, and apprehenfive of their 
 danger, and puts them upon feeking deli- 
 verance. They feek, but cannot find, for 
 want of faith. They hear and read in Icrlp- 
 ture of the love and power of Chrift to lave 
 fuch finners as they are, but they have no 
 faith to relv upon the promifes. This is 
 not a comfortable ftate, but it is the way to 
 <T^t comfort : for none will ever afk faith of 
 God, whofe gift it is, until they know the 
 want of it, and therefore the holy Spirit 
 convinces all the heirs of promife, that they 
 have no faith, and they find, that without 
 faith they cannot take comfort in any of the 
 precious promifes : upon which they look 
 up to him, who, by his mighty operation, is 
 alone able to work faith in the heart. And 
 let every one of you, who are thus wait- 
 ino- upon God, leek and you Ihall find. lie 
 'that put the defire into your heart u ill give 
 you poflelhon of the bleffing defircd. The 
 Spirit of God will enable you to rely upon 
 the word of promife, and to apply it to y or 
 own foul, and thereby he will fpcak pcac* 
 and con^fort to your confcicnce. And by 
 aaing faith thus upon the word, you will be 
 
 bi ought 
 
( 442 ) 
 
 ' brought to the knowledge of your union 
 with Chrift. United to him by the bond of 
 the Spirit on his part, and by faith on yours, 
 you will be a member of his myftical body, 
 and will derive influence and nourifhment 
 from him for the growth of your fpiritual 
 life. And bei'ng thus one with Ghrifl, and 
 Chrifl With you, you will have an interefl 
 in all that he has. His grace fhall be yours, 
 his Spirit yours, and all his promifes fliall 
 be yours j for all things (liall be yours, whe- 
 ther the world, or life, or death, or things 
 
 I prefent, or things to come, all (hall be yours j 
 hecaufe ye^ are Chrift's. 
 
 This is the experience of every heir of 
 promife. The Spirit of God has convinced 
 bim of his linfulnefs and of his mifery. He 
 has been brought to fee his loft and helplefs 
 flate ; and in his guilty confcience he was 
 felf- condemned, finding himfelf to be a chil4 
 of wrath, ^nd an inheritor of everlafting 
 torments. After the holy Spirit had thu§ 
 humbled him, he dilcovered to him the ex- 
 cellency of the Lord Chrift, the infinite dig- 
 nity of his perfon, and the infinite perfec- 
 tion of his righteoufnefs ; and then by the 
 grace of the fame good Spirit^ he was led tq 
 
 rely 
 
( 443 ) 
 rely upon Chrlft for flilvation ; and to trufl 
 the word of promife, which engages to give 
 free and full and eternal falvation to every 
 one who believeth in the name of the only- 
 besrotton Son of God. And after the holv 
 Spirit has enabled the foul to believe, and 
 to rely upon the word of God, he carries oa 
 his work, until faith be grown exceedingly, 
 even up to full aflurance. This the fcrip- 
 ture calls the feal of the Spirit, which he 
 fets upon all the heirs of promife. Scaling 
 comes from believing, and is a frefli evi- 
 dence in confirmation of it. " After that 
 *' ye ■ believed, fays the ApoHle, ye were 
 *' fealed with the Spirit of promife." Firfl:, 
 he enables the foul to reft upon the promife 
 and to apply it in this manner — -He that be- 
 lieveth fhall be faved : I believe, therefore I 
 {hall be faved ; and then he confirms this 
 with his own teflimony, and feals it to the 
 heart : fo that the fealing is for the believer's 
 affurance, and not for God's. The Lord 
 knoweth them that are his. Their names 
 are vvritten in his book. He knoweth their' 
 weaknefs, and how to flrengthcn them with 
 .might in the inner man. And when temp- 
 tations are ftrong, and trials great, then thq 
 holy Spirit commonly flrengthens faith with 
 
 his 
 
( 444 ) 
 his inward witnels. He honours faith with 
 his own feal, bearing teflimony udth the be- 
 liever's Spirit, that be is a child of God. 
 JEvery child of God has this feal fet upon 
 him fome time or other. When it is mofl 
 for his advantage, and mofl for God's glory, 
 then the Spirit gives him this earnefl: of his 
 inheritance, until the redemption of the 
 purchafed poffeffion. 
 
 But perhaps fome perfon may enquire. 
 How fhall I know that I am fealed by the 
 Spirit of God ? You may know it by thefe 
 fcripture marks. Firft, have you been deep- 
 ly convinced of fin, and of ChrilVs power 
 to fave you from fm ? Have you been con- 
 vinced of your damnable efrate without fiith, 
 and have you been afking faith of God: And 
 has he enabled you to rely upon the word of 
 promife, which offers you free and full fal- 
 vation, and are you venly perluaded that 
 God canuot break his word to you, who are 
 relying upon it r And have you been wait- 
 ing for the feal of the Spirit, hoping he 
 would give you the inward witnels of your 
 adoption ? All this is right. This is the 
 work of the holy Spirit, by which he puts 
 his feal upon the heir of promife j and if 
 
 this 
 
( 445 ) 
 this be your experience, you need not doubt 
 but the witnefs is from heaven, when the 
 Spirit of God beareth teftimony with vour 
 fpirits, that ye are the children of God : For, 
 iecondly, in the ad of bearing witnefs with 
 your fpirits he will give fufficient evidence, 
 that it is his teftimony, both for his ov/n 
 glory, and for the ailurance of your faith. 
 He comes to bear witnefs to a matter of facl, 
 that there may be no more doubt concern- 
 ing it in the court of the believer's confcience. 
 The fa6t is this — " Thou art now a child 
 " of God through faith in Chrift Jefus.*' 
 He feals this teftimony upon the heart witK 
 his own feal, that it may be authentick and 
 lading, and then doubts and fears vanifli, 
 confcience is allured that all enmity is now 
 flain, and that God is a loving reconciled 
 Father, upon which the foul is led out into 
 a6ls of praife and thankfulnefs, and with a 
 holy triumph can fa/, " My beloved is mine, 
 *' and I am his." 
 
 But fome may think it is an eafy matter 
 to be deluded in this cale. No, there will 
 be no room for delufion, if your experience 
 by the teftimony of the Spirit was fuch as 
 I have been mentioaing^ and if you attend, 
 
 thirdly. 
 
( 446 ) 
 
 thirdly, to what follows after it. Does thd 
 witnefs abide ? Is confcience at peace ? Is 
 your heart grateful ? Is your faith lively and 
 active ? Not perhaps in fo high a degree, as 
 when the Spirit did bear his teftimony, but 
 flill in fome good degree. In this cafe there 
 can be no deluiion ; becaufe that which has 
 thus drawn your heart up to God, did cer- 
 tainly come from God. If the feal had not 
 been from the holy Spirit, how could this 
 fruit of the Spirit have been produced ? The 
 impreffion, which is left, demonftrates that 
 it was made by a divine hand ; for when 
 the holy Spirit feals the foul, he not only 
 feals it for Chrill's property, but he alfo 
 ilamps the image and likenefs of Chrift up- 
 on it, which appears outwardly by its love 
 to Chrift, and by the a6ls of love. The foul 
 is in love with the perfon, and with the of- 
 iices and excellencies of ChriO:, and evidences 
 this love by its love to his life and to his 
 example, following and preffing clofe after 
 them, and by its love to his graces, defiring 
 ilreneth from God fo to walk even as Chrift 
 walked. This conftant love to Chrift, proves 
 the foul to be fealed by his Spirit, and the 
 perfon thus fealed to be an heir of promife : 
 for now he lives by faith npoii Chrift, and 
 8 believes 
 
( 447 ) 
 believes that all the promlfes made in Chrii^ 
 ihall be made gocd to him. lie has the ear- 
 iiell: of their completion in his heart, and he 
 hasfome of theui hiltilled to him every day 
 lor a daily pledge of the perfetfl complctioa 
 of the reft. 
 
 This is the charat^ler of the heirs of pro- 
 mife: and if any of you are thinking with 
 yourfelves, fome part of this charter is 
 agreeable to our experience, but not the 
 whole of it, and therefore we doubt, whe- 
 ther we aie heirs of promife or not; you 
 fhould remember, that the heirs of promife 
 grow up to this charader by feveral fleps 
 and degrees, and if any part of it be yours, 
 you ought to prefs on to the attainment of 
 the other parts. The fathers in Chrift were 
 once babes in Chrift. The Spirit begins his 
 work with convidtion of fin, which is ne- 
 ceiTary to put the fmner upon feeking the 
 promifed mercies of the gofpel. If you are 
 feeking, that is another flep towards your 
 reliance upon God's word, and believiiig him 
 faithful to fulfil his promifes to your foul. 
 And if j'^ou can rely upon his v/ord, you 
 have advanced one flep farther towards the 
 afiurauce of faith and the feal of the Spirit* 
 
 So 
 
( 445 > 
 
 So that If any part of this chara(^er be yours ; 
 doubt not but the reft will be yours alfo, 
 only prefs you on to the attainment of what 
 is yet before. Let what has been done in 
 you, encourage you to proceed. You have 
 fome evidences of your inheritance, endea- 
 vour to get more, looking up to him who 
 has begun, and praying him to carry on his 
 own work, and fear not but you fhall be 
 brought to know, that Chrifl: is yours, and 
 that all the promifes made through him are 
 yours alfo. And may this confideration ftir 
 you up to prefs forward, that what you are 
 feeking is of ineftimable value, and the hap- 
 py poffeffion of it will be eternal. When 
 you are once heirs of promife, you will be 
 heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrift, 
 born to inherit the riches of grace, and the 
 riches of glory. All the bleflednefs which 
 God has promifed to give his children in 
 time and in eternity is yours. You are 
 heirs to the exceeding great and precious 
 promifes, and this brings me to the 
 
 ^hlrd general head of difcourfe, under 
 which I was to treat of their exceeding 
 greatnefs and precioufnefs. They are great 
 in quantity, containing the greateft bleff- 
 
 ings 
 
( 449 ) 
 
 ings, vvhieh God has to give ; yea, exceed- 
 ing great beyond all defciiption, and they 
 are as good as great, they are exceeding 
 precious, containing every thing truly valu- 
 able in earth or heaven. The greatnefs of 
 the promifes might be proved from many 
 confiderations. 1 fhali mention, at prefent, 
 but three or four. And the 
 
 Firji^ is the ftate from which the promifes 
 offer to fave man. He is fallen into a moft 
 miferable and helplefs bondage, and to the 
 worft of enemies, and none but an almighty 
 arm can deliver him. Before the promife is 
 brought to him, he is a tranfgrelibr of the 
 law, under the curfes of it, liable to be cut off 
 every moment, and to fufFer them in ever- 
 lafting torments. And when juftice comes 
 to inflidl the curfes of the law upon him, 
 what fatisfa<£lion can he make ? What has 
 he to plead, why fentence (hould not be» 
 immediately executed ? Hfi is filent. His 
 mouth is flopped. He is felf- condemned, 
 and owns the fentence to be juft, which 
 afligns him over to the tormentors to fuf- 
 fer with them the ven2;eance of eternal fire. 
 This is the dcfert of every fon and daughter 
 of fallen Adam, Sin has made them fubjedt 
 
 Ff to 
 
( 450 ) 
 to all this triifery, and has left them totallv 
 hfelplefs ; they can no more fave themfelves 
 from the fecond death, than they can from 
 the firft. While the lon2;-fufFerin2: of God 
 bears with them in this mortal life he fends 
 them his promifes ; in which he offers to fave 
 them from guilt and mifery, to cleanfe them 
 from the pollutions, and to heal them of the 
 wounds of fin. And are not thefe great pro- 
 mifes, which engage to fee fuch an almighty 
 Work performed ? Surely they are exceeding 
 great, lince it requires the arm of the Lord 
 God omnipotent to fulfil them by faving 
 poor, guilty, helplefs man from lln and fatan, 
 from death and hell. Muft not that be an 
 exceeding great promife, which engages to 
 lave man from exceeding great mifery ? And 
 this greatnefs appears evidently in the 
 
 2. Next place from what the promifes 
 offer to beflow upon the linner. They not 
 only engage to fave him from all evil, but 
 alfo to beftow upon him all good. They 
 offer him a dee pardon, that his fins may be 
 forgiven, and he may be juftified by faith 
 and reconciled to God, and may have the 
 love of God fhed abroad in his heart, and 
 may walk as an adopted fon of God, wor- 
 thy 
 
( 45' ) 
 
 thy of his high calling unto all well-pleailng. 
 And in this holy walking heavenwards, the 
 Lord promifes him every grace and blefling 
 which lliall be needful for him, yea, he has 
 engaged to make all things, ficknefs, re- 
 proach, perfecution, trials, and troubles of 
 every kind, work together for his good. Are 
 not thefe great promifes, which engage to 
 beftow pardon, j unification, peace with God, 
 adoption, fandification, and grace to profit 
 under every difpenfation of providence ; yea, 
 are not thefe exceeding great promifes, which 
 beftow upon the finner fuch exceeding great 
 blcflings ? And beftow them upon him, 
 
 3. Upon the greateft motive, that pofTibly 
 can be, even the free grace of God. Deli- 
 verance from the evils of fin, and the be- 
 ftow ins: of the bleffin2:s of falvation is all of 
 grace, proceeding wholly from the unme- 
 rited love and mercy of God. He is the fo- 
 vereign Lord of heaven and earth. All crea- 
 turesare his, bound to obey his holy will, and 
 in cafe of difobedience, bound to fuffer the 
 threatened punifhment; and when man had 
 difobeyed, he had a right to nothing but 
 punifhment, and if it was remitted, yea, but 
 for a day, this was an afl of grace; but how 
 F f 2 mush 
 
( 452 ) 
 
 much greater an ad was it to pardon the fifi* 
 ner, to put honour upon him, and to reftore 
 him to a better flate than he was in before 
 he fell. If a friend beftow upon you a free 
 gift, you acknowledge yourfelves to be un- 
 der a greater obligation, than if he was to 
 pay you the fame fum for a juH: debt. How 
 much then are you indebted to God ? For 
 he had no motive, but mere love, to induce 
 him to nidke you any promife. Confider 
 this motive, confider the promifes, confider 
 from what a fl:ate of mifery, to what a flate 
 of- happinefs God offers to raife you, and 
 then admire and praife the greatnefs of that 
 love, which led God to make you fuch great 
 promifes. Well might the apoftlc call upon 
 us to behold what mannei' of love it is : for 
 it pafTeth knowledge, it is fo exceeding great. 
 The blefiings which his free grace has pro- 
 mifed, furpafs all underftanding. Even the 
 fouls of juft men made perfed,. who are now 
 inheriting the promifes, cannot adequately 
 fet forth the greatnefs of them : for they are 
 eternal. And this is another 
 
 4. Confidcration, which exalts the great- 
 nefs of the promifes. They are of everlafl- 
 kig duration, and can never fail. When 
 
 nature 
 
( 453 ) 
 nature itfelf fliall be diflblved, aiul heaven 
 and earth fhall pafs away, then the promiles 
 fhall he eftablifhed. Not a tittle of them 
 ihall fuffer in the unlverfal conflagration ; but 
 they fliall be then in their full extent mofl: 
 glorioufly fulfilled. Many of them are re- 
 ferved for the wonders of that great day. 
 The railing of the body, free from corrup- 
 tion and mortality, admittins; it to the vifion 
 of God, putting upon it and the foul never- 
 fading glory, a crown of righteoufnefs, and 
 palms of vi^flory ; and then bringing them 
 to drink of thofe rivers of pleafure which are 
 at God's right hand for evermore, thefe are 
 fome of the exceeding great promifes, which 
 are to be completed at the Lord's coming 
 to judgment. In that day the redeemed of 
 the Lord will find that his divine power will 
 fulfil the greateft of his promifes. When 
 the captain of their falvation has brought 
 them to the heavenly Canaan^ the prornifed 
 land of everlafling reft, then he will put 
 them into the a£lual pofleffion of all the 
 promifes. Like as Jo/hna, when he had 
 brought the people into the promifed land, 
 called upon them to be witneiTes for God, 
 that every promife had been fulfilled to them, 
 Ff3 fo 
 
( 454 ) 
 
 ib may our almighty Jojhua uy to his re- 
 deemed people in the fame words, " Ye 
 ** know in all your hearts, and in all your 
 ** fouls, that not one thing hath failed of all 
 *' the good things, which the Lord your God 
 *' fpake concerning you; all are come to 
 '* pafs unto you, and not one thing hath 
 " failed thereof." "jojhua xxlii. 14, 
 
 Let thefe confiderations fuffice to fct forth 
 the greatnefs of the promifes. They are ex- 
 ceedinsr ereat in ofFerine; to deliver us from 
 all evil, and to heilow upon us all good ; the 
 motive for doing this is the infinite love and 
 fovereign grace of God, which advances the 
 greatnefs of the promife by the freenefs of 
 it, and flill further advances it by what grace 
 has promifed to do for us in glory, even to 
 give us the aclual pofleffion and eternal en- 
 joyment of all the promifes. 
 
 And are thefe things fo ? If they be, who 
 then would not wifh to be an heir of pro- 
 mife ? Are the promifes thus exceeding great ? 
 Why then do they not appear fo to every one 
 of us? What is the reafon that the generality 
 of men had rather be heirs to any other 
 
 eflate. 
 
( 455 ) 
 
 eflate, than to the prpmifes ? The text tells 
 lis the true caufe : They know not the pre- 
 cioufnefs of them. They are pxceeding great 
 in themfelves, but they are not apprehpnded 
 to be fo without faith. As the Apoftle favs 
 of Chrift, *' to them that believe, he is 
 *' precious," fo we may fi\y of the promifcs, 
 to them that believe they are precious, and 
 therefore their greatnefs does not flrike anv 
 man, until he by faith taftes fomething of 
 their precioufnefs. Chrift is the fum and 
 lub(iai]ce of all ^he prpmifes. Chrift him- 
 lelf is the firft promife, and all the reft are 
 branches from that radical promife. They 
 are all made in Chrifb, and in him they are 
 all completed. God has no good to give 
 to finners, but in relation to Chrifl, and all 
 the promifes of good are made in him, in 
 confequence of his meritorious life and death, 
 his refurre£lion and afcenfion, yea, the fpi- 
 rit of promife is given as the blefled fruit of 
 Ch rift's interceftiqn. Now no man fees any 
 thing precious in Chrift without faith ; fo 
 neither without it does he fee ^ny thing pre- 
 cious in the promifes. Chrift has no form 
 or comelinefs, that he ftiould defire him, and 
 the promifes have no fuch charms as to 
 perfuade him to live upon them. But faith 
 F f i^ gives 
 
( 456 ) 
 
 gives a fubflance, a fubftantial prefenee to 
 the things hoped for in the promifes, and 
 gives evidence of the believer's intereft in the 
 things not feen by the bodily eyes, and thus 
 it enables the foul to experience the reality, 
 and to find fonnething of the value of the 
 good things contained in the promifes. 
 
 Perhaps you may be convinced of the ne- 
 ceffity of faith to difcover the precioufnefs of 
 the promifes, but you do not clearly under- 
 fland, how faith a6ls upon them when it 
 firft difcovers and afterwards lives upon their 
 precioufnefs. The vv'ord of promife is the 
 eftabhfhed means in the hand of the Spirit 
 of begetting faith, and of ftrengthening it : 
 for a finner can expert no good from God, 
 nnlefs he vouch fafe to give him a free pro- 
 mife. The fcripture is a revelation of God's 
 will, in which he engages, for Chrifl's fake, 
 to beftow graces and bleffings upon his 
 children ; but the unawakened finner fees 
 no want of thofe graces and blefllngs, until 
 the holy Spirit convince him of fin, ftir up 
 guilt in his confcience, and make him fen- 
 fible of his danger. Then he is glad to hear 
 of a promife, and is alking. Who will (hew 
 me any good ? The Lord God fends him 
 
 the 
 
( 457 ) 
 
 the gofpel with a free title to all good, and 
 out of his infinite grace to enrich him with 
 the unfearchable riches of Chrill:. The ho- 
 ly Spirit enables him to receive the gofpel, 
 and to rely and to a(5l faith upon the word 
 of promife. Faith looks at the word, fees 
 what God has promifcd therein, reds and 
 flays upon him for. the fulfilling of it, and 
 by this dependence and reliance upon the 
 word of promife, the behever calls upon and 
 engages the divine power to fulfil it. And 
 the fulfilling of it gives it a peculiar fweetr 
 nefs and precioufnefs to the believer's foul. 
 Every frefh proof of God's faithfulnefs to 
 fulfil it flrengthens the believer's reliance 
 and dependence upon it, and thereby it 
 grows more precious to all the faculties of 
 his foul. The underflanding fees and ac- 
 knowledges the promifes to be important 
 realities, the will choofes them for its in- 
 heritance, and the affedions love them and 
 live upon them. Thus they become more 
 and more precious. Tried promifes are pre- 
 cious promifes. Every time the believer 
 goes boldiy to the throne of grace, and aiks, 
 through Chrifl, the fulfilling of any promife, 
 and receives it, then his faith grows, and as 
 
 his 
 
( 458 ) 
 
 bis faith grows exceedingly, fo the promifes 
 grow exceedingly precious. 
 
 But all our experience here, is only an ear- 
 neft and foretafte of their future precioufnefs. 
 The chief part of thenn is to be fulfilled be- 
 yoftd the grave, and many of thena at the 
 hfi day, und even then there will be no ade- 
 quate defcription of their precioufnefs. The 
 faints in glory will be able only to fet forth 
 half their praife, the promifes being ftill 
 conipleting through the endlefs ages of eter- 
 nity, fo that it will require an eternity to 
 ^ew forth all their praife. May it be your 
 happinefs, my brethren, now to experience, 
 by faith, the greatnefs and precioufnefs of the 
 promifes, and to have reafon daily to praife 
 him, in whom they are made, and by whom 
 they will be all made good for ever and 
 ^ver. Such are the promifes. They are 
 exceeding great and precious. They are 
 certainly fo in themfelves, but do they, my 
 brethren, appear fo to you at prefent ? If 
 they do not, confider a little what your flate 
 is before you are interefted in the promifes. 
 You are tianfgreilbrs of that law, which has 
 decreed — " The foul that linneth it fliall 
 
 '* die." 
 
( 459 ) 
 ** die.** Under this fcntence you live, fu b- 
 jc<5l to whatever is meant by the foul's dying 
 from God. You are liable to tlie wrath and 
 juftice of the Almighty, and to thofe eternal 
 torments, which he has threatened to inflict 
 upon finners ; and was it not for his long fuf- 
 fcring, which of you would have been fpared 
 to this hour ? And while the long-fuffering 
 of God is waiting, he fends his minifters 
 with th^ glad tidings of the golpel to call 
 you to a free pardon. They invite you in 
 Chri{l*s name, and in Chrifl's words. They 
 affure you of his readinefs to receive you into 
 his favour, and to forgive, and to forget all 
 your offences. For your encouragement they 
 relate unto you his promifes, which cannot 
 be broken. They earneflly prefs you to ac- 
 cept of them, and to be happy in the en- 
 joyment of them. But in vain. Their mef- 
 fage is ineffectual. You had rather have the 
 realities of fin, than the earnefts of the pro- 
 mifes. And what is this but abfolute infide- 
 lity ? For if you knew what fin is, and be- 
 lieved the divine promifes to be fo great and 
 precious as they are, you would certainly 
 prefer them to the delights of fin. Whereas 
 you neither believe the word, nor the oath, 
 nor the covenant of God ; which is really 
 
 p radical 
 
( 46o ) 
 
 pradical Athelfm : for you arc withcrut Chrift-, 
 you are flrangers from the covenant of pro- 
 mife, you have no hope, and you arc 
 without God, Atheifis in the world. You 
 may not perhaps deny the being of God, 
 but you Hve without Chrift, and without 
 God in the world; and therefore you are 
 practical Atheijls. While you arc in this ftate 
 you cannot poffibly have any true happinefs, 
 not in time, becaufe your fms are unpar- 
 doned, not . in eternity, becaufe then you 
 will receive the puniihment of unpardoned 
 fm. And is this a true defcription of your 
 o"uilt and of your danger ? You know it is. 
 The word of God will not fuffer you to doubt 
 of it, unlefs you deny its authority. And 
 how then do you determine to a6l ? What ! 
 will you ftill feek your happinefs in the ways 
 of fin ? God forbid. Turn ye, turn ye unto 
 the Lord ; certainly he bids higher for your 
 hearts, than fatan can. His promifes are 
 greater than fin or the world can make. You 
 know they are. And flill his promifes follow 
 vou, although you have often turned a deaf 
 ear to them. Once more I call and invite 
 you in his nr.me ; oh that he would fpeak to 
 your hearts, and call effectually. My bre- 
 thren, ye are finners, God offers you par- 
 don. 
 
( 4<5i ) 
 don. You are guilty, he offers you free juf- 
 tificatlon. He promifes you his Son to be 
 your Saviour, his Spirit to be your fandiher, 
 his grace to be your ftrength, his glory to be 
 your eternal inheritance. He opens his trea-( 
 fury, and invites you to come, and to receive 
 freely of him unfearchable and ineftimable 
 riches. Come then at the invitation of this 
 gracious God, and hearken no longer to the 
 lying promifes of fin. If the Lord has now 
 put it into your hearts to feek the fulfilling 
 of the great thino-s, which he has engaged 
 to give his people ; may he enable you to 
 feek, until you find^ him faithful and jufl to 
 fulfil all his promifes. 
 
 2. There are many of you feeking and 
 waiting for the fulfilling of them. You are 
 convinced of the (1 nfulnefs of your hearts 
 atid lives, and are hurnbled under a fenfe of 
 your vilenefs and helpleflhefs, and you find 
 the neceffity of being faved from your fins, 
 but you cannot rely with fuch confidence 
 upon the word of God, as to believe that 
 you Ihall be heirs of promife. But why not ? 
 To whom are the promifes made ? Are they 
 not made to finners ? And are they not dif- 
 coveries of God's gracious intentions towards 
 
 tfie:n 
 
( 462 ) 
 
 them ill the Son of his love. And fincc 
 you are fiiuiers, convinced of fin, and wait- 
 ing for mercy, furely the promifes are made 
 to you, and by relying on them they are 
 yours. 
 
 But you are afraid to rely upon them. 
 What ! are you afraid God will break his 
 promife ? Confider what has been befor* 
 laid of the fecurity, which God has vouch- 
 lafed to give you, in order to filence your 
 doubts and fears, and to put an end to all 
 ftrife in your confciences. He has given 
 you his word, and his oath, and his cove- 
 nant. Thefe are immutable things; and 
 why then Ihould you fear to rely upon thofe 
 things, which cannot pofiibly change or fail ? 
 
 Perhaps you believe, that the promifes 
 are immutable, and yet you are afraid to 
 rely upon them, becaufe of the greatnefs of 
 your fins. The greatnefs of your fins fhould 
 humble you, but not drive you to defpair : 
 for are there not great promifes for great 
 iinners, yea exceeding great promifes for ex- 
 ceeding great fuMiers ? Is it not written, 
 ** Come now, and let us reafon together, faith 
 ** the Lord, though your fins be as fcarlet, 
 
 " they 
 
( 463 ) 
 
 " they fhall be as white as fnow ; though 
 ** they be red Hkc crlmfon, they fhall be as 
 ** wool ?'* 
 
 But flill you are afraid to rely upon the 
 promifes, becaufe you have got fuch a wicked 
 heart : You think there is not any perfon in 
 the world, whofe heart is fo wholly fct in 
 thera to do evil, as yours is. Be it defpc- 
 rately wicked, yet can you defire God to 
 create in you a clean heart, and to renew a 
 right fpirit within you? If you can, then 
 hear what he has proraifed, " A new heart 
 ** alfo will I give you, and a new fpirit will 
 ** I put within you.'* 
 
 Why then do you dagger at the promifes 
 of God through unbelief? Are you com- 
 plaining of your corruptions, and are they fo 
 many and flrong, that they tempt you to 
 think there is no mercy for you ? Bring 
 them to the blood of fprinkling, and when 
 you are cleanfed from the guilt of fin, the 
 Lord has promifed that his grac^ fhall be 
 fufficient for you, and that fin (hall not have 
 dominion over you. Your corruptions, be 
 they ever fo many, or ever fo flrong, fliall be 
 fubdued by bis almighty grace. 
 
 What 
 
( 4^4 ) 
 Whdt then {lill hinders you from relying 
 on God's promifes ? Can they ever fail ? 
 Ko. On God's part all is fixed and immuta- 
 ble, and whatever it be on your part which 
 makes you flaggcr at the promifes, has it- 
 felf a promife, that you lliall be delivered 
 from it^ which renders your unbelief more 
 inexcufable. Whatever fni it be, or guilt, 
 or corruption, or mifery, the Lord has pro- 
 mifed you falvation from it. He will re- 
 deem you frorn all evil ; from all the evil of 
 fin, and from all the evil of punifhment. 
 He has given his word, and his word can- 
 not be broken. And why then cannot you 
 rely upon it, efpecially fmce God has pro- 
 mifed to deliver you from that very thing 
 which hinders your reliance upon his word ? 
 Is this indeed the cafe ? And are you con- 
 vinced of it ? Why then do you make God 
 2. lyar, by not believing the record which 
 he hath given of his Son ? Oh ! beg of him 
 to enable you to give glory to his word of 
 promife, by relying upon it, and by fetting 
 to your feal, that God is true, and then 
 God will fet to his feal, and. the Spirit of 
 promife will feal you to the day of redemp* 
 tion. 
 
 3. B^eiTed 
 
c 465 ) 
 
 3. Blefled he his rich grace and love, 
 who is daily fulfilling his promifes. Many 
 of you have had happy experience of his 
 faithfulnefs to fulfil them. You oueht al- 
 ways to remember, my chriftian friends and 
 brethren, that whatever you enjoy of grace, 
 or hope for in glory, is freely promifed and 
 freely given you in Jefus Chrift ; and let 
 your gratitude bear fome proportion to his 
 mercies. He has opened the treafury of 
 his promifes, and has put you in poflefliou 
 of his unlearchable riches. Oh what man- 
 ner of love is this ! that he HiOuld raife you 
 from the loweft beggary to fuch an exceed- 
 ing great and precious inheritance. Every 
 promife made to you in this life is a bank- 
 note of heaven, and when you go to the 
 throne of grace to demand the payment of 
 it, he cannot fend you away with a denial. 
 If you plead the promife, and defire the ful- 
 filling of it in the name of your Lord and 
 Saviour Jefus Chrift, he cannot deny the 
 word that is gone out of his 'mouth. Hi:5 
 divine power will give you all things that 
 pertain to life and godlinefs. For when he 
 gave you Chrift, with him he gave you all 
 thino-s. In Chrift there is all that you can 
 want treafured up for you: for it plcalcd 
 
 G g the 
 
( 466 ) 
 
 the Father that in him ihould all fuliiefs 
 dwell. There is a fnlnefs of wifdom to teach 
 you the true nature of the promifes, and a 
 fulnefs of falvation to deliver you from every 
 thing that hindered your relying upon them, 
 and a fulnefs of power to put you into the 
 eternal pofleiiion of them all. Having then 
 thefe promifes, dearly beloved, let us live 
 upon them, and we fnall thereby live to his 
 glory, in whom they are all made. Let us 
 beg of him to acl as our prophet, for the en- 
 lightening of our underflandings, that we 
 may fee the great promifes made through 
 him, and as our pried to pardon and to for- 
 give us our fine, that we may have by faith 
 the earnefl of our inheriting the prom.ifes, 
 and as our king to rule in us and over us, 
 until he bring us fafe to the promifed inhe- 
 ritance. In thefe three offices Chrift has 
 engaged to ail for his people here below. 
 He was to be their wifdom, their righteouf- 
 nefs, and their fandification, and they find 
 him faithful to fulfil his offices, and to per- 
 form his promifes. And this experience 
 keeps their minds ftayed upon him for the 
 performance of what remains as yet unac- 
 complilhed. They have no reafon to doubt 
 of his love : for they continually find his 
 
 power 
 
{ 46; ) 
 
 power exerted in their behalf. Happy mea, 
 who have the Lord for their God, a faithful 
 promife-keeping God, who will be their 
 God for ever and ever. His covenant mer- 
 cies fhall never fail. They fhall be receiv- 
 ing their perfect accomplifhment hereafter, 
 when time fhall be no more. May he, in 
 whom they are all made, and in whom they 
 are all eftabliflied, now get himfelf glory by 
 enabling every one of us to rely upon his 
 promifes, and may we at this time find the 
 promife, which he has made to us while we 
 are here gathered together, fulfilled to ns 
 all. He has faid, *' Wherever two or three 
 " are met together in my name, there am 
 *' I in the midfl: of you.'* Oh that we may 
 all find his fpiritual prefence. If there be 
 any poor deluded worldlings here, who had 
 rather have the poffeifion of this world's 
 goods, than the riches of the promifes, may 
 the Lord convince them this day of their 
 guilt and of their danger, and put them 
 upon feeking the promifed mercies of the 
 gofpel. And may he be gracioufly pleafed 
 to vouchfafe his prefence to thofc who are 
 feeking him, that they may no more by their 
 unbelief difhonour his word, and his oath, 
 and his covenant. Put an end, blefled Lord, 
 c; to 
 
( 468 ) 
 
 to all flrife in their confciences, that they 
 may no longer ftagger at thy promifes. En- , 
 able them to believe to the favins: of their 
 
 o 
 
 fouls, that the promife by faith of Jefus Chrift 
 may be given to them that believe. And ac- 
 cept of thanks and praifes from thy redeem- 
 ed people. Oh ! make us more thankful for 
 thy great and precious promifes, and for faith 
 to apply them, and to live upon them. May 
 they grow more precious to us every day. 
 Fulfil, Lord Jelus, what remains, that .we 
 may be receiving continually out of thy ful- 
 nefs, flrength of faith, increafe of grace^ 
 power over hn, and may at laft be more than 
 conquerors, through him that loved us. Hear 
 us, for we aik thofe things according to thy 
 promife, and grant us them for thy great 
 name's fake, to the honour of the Father and 
 of the eternal Spirit, the holy, blefled and 
 glorious Trinity in one Jehovah, to \yhom 
 be equal honour and glory, and bleffing and 
 praife, in' earth and heaven, in time and ill 
 eternity. Amen and amen. 
 
 F I N^ I S. 
 
\' 
 
 ■»*?'wiis^>^i*|i