ILLINOIS
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
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Rare Book & Manuscript Library University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign 2015









CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES
RECOMMENDED;
A
SERMON
Preached at
St. George’s, Hanover-Square,
o N
SUNDAY\ October 18, 1752. By JOHN GARDNER, A.M.
LONDON:
Printed by G. Woodfall, at Charing--Crofs.I
\CQoM5VJ
T O
William Foster, Efq;
Joseph Foster Barham, Efq; George Downing, Efq;
This Difcourfe is,
With the utmoft Reipeét, Gratitude and Affedlion, Infcribed by their Moil Obliged,
Moil Obedient,
And moil Humble Servant,
JOHN GARDNER.(I)
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PSALM cxix. 9.
Wherewithal pall a young Man cleanfe his Way, even by taking Heed thereto according to thy Word.
HE R E is a Queftion of the utmoit Importance to us in the Conduit of our Lives, propofed with Per-fpicuity, and refolved with Brevity. How fhall a young Man ? one whofe Blood is warm, and Paiiions impetuous, one who is conceived in Sin, and brought forth in Iniquity, one whole Heart is naturally fet in him to do Evil, one who is furrounded with Dangers, and encompaffed with Temptations, one who ruiheth on to Wickednefs as the Horfe ruiheth on to the Battle. How fhall fuch an one fo regulate his Conduit, as to be meet to behold God's Prefence in Righteoufnefs, and qualify him-felf to inherit that Kingdom, where no unclean Thing can ever enter. There is furely but one Way to be taken in order B	to(2)
to the obtaining this deiired End, by being early brought acquainted with God and his Laws, by whom all Things are fet before him in a clear Light; where the State he is bom in is moft pathetically defcribed, where he is inilruited by an infallible Mailer as to his Condition by Nature, and as certainly informed what it may be by Grace, where there are not only Rules for the Conduit of his Life, but to his unfpeakable Comfort likewiie, the moil gracious Promifes of Affiilance to enable him, to run with Patience the Race that is fet before hi?n ; where there is a Fountain opened for Sin and for Uncleannefs, where lie is allured that though he is polluted and iinneth, his Flefh fall be frefher than a Child's, he fjall return unto the Days of his Youth, Job xxxiii. 25. to that State of Innocence from which by the Tranigref-lion of his iiril Parents he fell.
From my Text therefore thus opened and explained, I fhall take Occaiion to infill,
Firft, On this grand Truth. The ab-folute NeceiTity of Chriilianity, in order for the due Regulation of our Lives, which will lead me,
Secondly,( 1 )
Secondly, to apply the Do&rine of the Text by drawing fome Inferences from it.
But firft I am to ihew the abfolute Ne-ceflity of Chriftianity, in order for the due Regulation of our Lives.
For the Illuftration of this important Point, it will be neceffary to coniider the State and Condition that Man is at prefent in.
Adam came perfeft out of the Hands of his Maker, endued with fuch Faculties, and poifeifed of fuch Powers, as might have enabled him to have qualified himfelf for the Enjoyment of his Creator, for ever and ever, in Heaven: But he fell from the Situation that he was created in, and forfeited the Glory that he was intended for, Sin entered into the World, and defaced this beautiful Image of the Almighty. No longer did he retain any Likenefs of God, no Features remained of the Divine Original. His Faculties were impaired, his Reafon was weakened, his Light became Darknefs. This fatal Confequence attended the Tranigreifion of Laws ; a Confequence fo terrible, and of which he was fo fenfible, that Ada?n exprefles his Senfe of
the(4)
the miferable Situation to which he was reduced, by ftiling it Nakednefs: He was then, though too late, convinced that he was made naked to his everlafting Shame. It was not the Nakednefs of the Body that he exprefled fo much Deiire to hide; Nakednefs only conveys an Idea to us of the miferable Situation into which his Soul was brought. It was deprived of its Innocence, and expofed without Shelter to everlafting Vengeance: It was ieparated from that great Being from whom it {prang, who is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity. Separated from the Fountain of Life, in what a miferable Situation muft the Soul be, Things that are naked are defencelefs, and become an eafy Prey to the Enemy and the Avenger. Mifery, everlafting Mifery attended the Tranfgreftion of God’s Law. In the Day thou eat eft thereof thou Jhalt furely die. “ Thy Body fhall <1 not only become fubje<ft to Corruption, iC but thy Soul fhall be involved in a like <c dreadiul Calamity ; It will be Dead in « Sin, and liable to eternal Deftrudion “ from my Prefence, and from the Glory of my Majefty.” How truly this Sentence
c<( 5 )
tcnce is executed in one Senfe let the daily Inftances of Mortality teftify, and how ftridly true it is that we are by Nature dead in TrefpaiTes and Sins, let thofe Multitudes evidence, who are alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them.
Certain it is, that we were all floapen in Iniquity, and in Sin did our Mothers conceive us : We are all gone out of the Way, we are altogether become abominable, there is none that doth Good, no not one. This is the Language of Scripture, and it is, it muft be the true Defcription of our Nature. Inftances, innumerable Inftances fhew, that God’s Word in this Reipedt is true.
Let us but follow our Fellow-Creatures into common Life, and we fhall fee thatMan is indeed as fob fpeaks xi. 12. a wild Ajs’s Colt. View the unregenerate Man, and you will find that Thorns and Thiftles are the only natural Product of his Soul, that he hath Fellowfhip o?ily with the unfruitful Works of Darknefs : You will fee that Senfuality, Pride, and Ambition are prevalent in his Nature, and rooted in his Heart. Plow eagerly does he purfue the C	perifh-( 6 )
perilhing Things of this Life, as if they were of the moft momentous Concern! How ea-rneftly does he walk after Things that do not profit, and fpend his Labour for that ’which fatisfieth not.
Thefe are not Creatures of my own Imagination, for it is a Truth, though a melancholly one, that the Lufi of the Flefh, the Lufi of the Eye, and the Pride of Life are, and rnuft be, the only Principles upon which the natural Man, does or can ait.
Can we deny, that fome are ailuated by Ambition, when we fee many fo anxious about the Pomps and Vanities of this mortal Life ?
Can we aflert that Men are free from, and that they are not led by carnal Lulls, at the fame Time that we fee fo many terrible Inftances of thole, who are perpetually making Provifion for the Flefh, to fulfill the Lufis thereof f Thefe Fails glare in our Eyes, and are too ftrong to be ihaded, and too evident to be denied. But fay fome amongft us, thefe are only the loweft Part of the Species, who are not worthy of the Name of Men, that there are others who
ail( 7 )
ail up to the Dignity of their Nature, But, I am told by him who cannot lye, that his JVays are equal: Does he then buffer one Man to be born with all the Seeds of Corruption in his Heart, and another to be perfect and compleat, wanting nothing ? This is arraigning his Juftice, it is queftioning his Goodnefs. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right f Yea let God be true, though every Man be found a Liar. Though Men may carry it well in the Eyes of the World, though they may feem to be not only almoft, but altogether fuch as they ought to be. Yet it is to be feared, that if the whited Sepulchre was to be fearched, it would appear to be full of all Uncleannefs, was the Mafque to be pulled off, it would be a Shame to fpeak of thofe Things that are done of them in Secret. However fpecious the Appearance may be, let their own Confciences determine, whether they have that Love of God in their Hearts, that fpiritual Life in their Souls, that Joy, that Peace, that Tranquility of Mind, which are the glorious, the foie Privileges of thofe who have learned the Judgments of God's Mouthy i John i. 8.( 8 )
If we fay that we have no Sin, we deceive ourfelves, and the Truth is not in us, faith the Apoitle. Again, i Johni. io. if we fiy we have not fi?med, we wake him a Liar. Romans iii. 23. All, faith the Apoitle St. Paul, have finned and come fhort of the Glory of God. Ifaiah i. 5« The whole Head is ficky a?id the whole Heart faint. There is not one clean that is born of a Wvnany Job xxv. 4. The Word of God is exprefs, and the Concluiion of the whole Matter is, that the Scripture hath concluded all under Sin, Galat. iii. 22.
We therefore bring nothing into the World but Sin and Ignorance, and what muit be the Fruit of fuch terrible Stocks, the Progeny of fuch dreadful Parents ? fames i. 15. Luft when it hath conceived, bringeth forth Sin, and Sin when it is fimfh-ed, bringeth forth Death ; and it is an adjudged Cafe, that thofe that are born in Sin, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
Here then, give me Leave to aik, how a Man, born with all the Corruptions of human Nature, liable to the Temptations of the World, the Fleflo and the Devilj fhall be purified from the Pollutions of them, fo as
to( 9 )
to be meet to be an Inheritor with the Saints in Light.
We have had whole Volumes wrote to teach us the Way wherein we ihould go. Innumerable have been the Precepts that have been delivered, and infinite the Methods that have been tried, to regulate our Lives and to re&ify our Conduit. Morality is a Subject that has employed the Pens, and engaged the Attention of Multitudes in every Age ; it has been the chief Study of the Learned, to paint the Beauties of Virtue, and the Deformities of Vice in fuch ftrong Colours, as to endeavour to reprefent the one to be defired as the true Sourfe of the Happinefs, and the other to be avoided as the Bane of human Life. But this is far from having anfwered the intended End, and the Attempt has only tended to confirm this great, this fundamental Truth, Jerem. x. 23. That it is not in Man to direSi his Steps. This is like building before we have laid the Foundation. To what Purpofe is it to lay down Rules for the Condud of our Lives, when all Men lie under the Bonds of Sin, and the Fetters of Corruption ?
D	The( 10 )
The holy Pfalmift aiks, Wherewithal a young Man Jloall cleanfe his Way : But what Occafion is there for cleaniing if there is no Filthinefs to be purged, no Spots to be erafed. We have the Teftimony of an Apoifle, Rom. vii. 18. That in him, that is in his Flejh dwelt no good Things Verfe 19. That the Evil which he would not do> that he did, nay^ that when he would do Good, Verfe 21. Evil was prejent with him. What then muft be the Cafe with Regard to the Bulk of Mankind ?
If a Perfon that had God’s Word to in-ftru<ft, his Spirit to direct, and his Sacrament to feed him complains, that in him, that is in his Flefh dwelt no good Thing? If he acknowledges that he could not do the Things that he would ? How fhall thofe who have not tailed of the Word of God nor felt the Powers of the World to come, live according to the eternal Law of Rea-fon ? If thefe Things are done in a Green Tree, that is watered and nourifhed in the Garden of God, what muft not be done in a dry ?
Shall thofe who are born in Darknefs, walk as Children of the Light? will they
not( 11 )
not rather ilumble, like Men who wander in the Night ? How ihall they be able to ftand in the evil Day, who have not only the fiery Darts of the Devil to ward off from without, but likewlfe a mutinous Garrifon ready to favour any Attempt of the grand Enemy, and to furrender upon the firft Affault ?
Were we perfect in our Nature, we might live up to the Rules that are pre-fcribed, but till our Attainder is taken oft, and our Blood is reftored, it will be in vain to lay down Rules for the Conduit of our Lives. Well therefore, might the holy Pfalmift aflert, that the only Method to be taken to cleanfe our Way, is by taking heed thereto according to God's Word.
Here, and here alone it is, that we have all Things pertaining to Life and Godli-nefs. Here we are informed not only of the miferable Situation that we are in by Nature, but to our unfpeakable Confola-tion, are likewife taught how we may be delivered from it.
It is in the facred Scriptures alone, that we are inftruiled in, and allured of, that Myftery of Myfteries, the Covenant of
Grace,Grace, made, and I may add, {worn to, by thePerfons in the ever bleffed Trinity, before the Earth and the World and Man were made, Men werechofen in Chrift, even before they were created, God the Father was to demand Satisfaction for our Sins at the Elands of our Surety, and was not to require it of us, who by reafon of Sin, and the Tyranny of Satan over us, were rendered incapable of atoning for pail Tranfgref-fions, or of living without Sin for the future.
God the Son, ftiled fo in Confequence of the Covenant of Grace, entered into a Bond, if I may fo fpeak, to fecure the Payment of that Debt, which we might contract. Chrift was, as his Type Aaron did, to take the Incenfe of his Merits, to Hand between the living God, and Men, who, it was forefeen, would become dead in Sin, to turn away his wrathful Indignation, leaft it fhould confume us: God, the Holy Ghofl, engaged to regard the Merits of this Atonement, and to aCt on the Minds of Men, to renew the defaced Image of God in our Souls, to turn us from Dai~k-( *3 )
ttefs to Light, and from the Power of Sa-tan unto God.
This is a Sketch of that grand Scheme for the Redemption, which the Angels deiired to look into ; a Scheme which lies at the Root of all Religion, which is the Foundation of the Belief and Hope of a Chriftian; a Scheme which all Scripture, was given to illuftrate, to enforce, and explain ; a Scheme which employs the Thoughts of the Faithful here, and will prove an inexhauftible Subject of Praife, where they ceafe not Day nor Night to afcribe Worfhip, and Honour, and Glory, and Power to.God and the Lamb^ for ever and ever.
Whoever ponders thefe Things will under (land the loving Kindnefs of the Lordy will know what paffeth Knowledge, the Love of God through Chrift; will fee what gracious Proviiion is made by the Almighty, to turn his Feet into the Way of Peace • will fee how he may run with Patience, the Race that is fet before him ; will fee, that though he is weak, he may be frong in the Lord', and in the Power of his Might: For hath God laid it, and E	&all( 14)
ihall he not do it; hath he fworn, and ihall he not bring it to pafs ? He will bring our Souls out of Hell: He will keep our Lives from them that go down to the Pit, He will, and he alone can, raife us from the Death of Sin, unto the Life of Righteoufnefs.
What more likely, nay, what other Method can we purfue, then, to purge our
Confciences from dead TVirks, to ferve the living God, than by doling with, and accepting of the gracious Terms of Salvation, that are offered in the Bible, for to us is this TV)rd of Reconciliation fent.
The Gofpel undoubtedly, points out to us the only Means to enable a young Man to cleanfe his Way. For what is fo great a Purifier as Blood ! If then, the Blood of Bulls and Goats, and the Hfhes of an Heifer, fprinklmg the Unclean, fanBifeth to the purifying of the Flejh, how much more fhall the Blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himfelf without Spot to God, purge your Confcience from dead TVirks, to ferve the living God\ Heb. ix. 13, 14.
' It is one of the exprefs Titles and Attributes of Chrijl, that he is the Purifier ; to this glorious Truth give all the Prophets Witnefs ; the Law had likewife a Shadow of the good Things to come, and in all the Purifications it enjoined, pointed at him, who was to cleanfe Men from all Filthinefs, both of the Flefh and of the Spirit, that we might perfeft Holinefs in the Fear of God.
I might cite many Texts in Proof of this Afiertion, that to Chrift alone is afcribed the Power of bringing a Clean 'Thing out of an Unclean, but ihall alledge only fuch as aflert this Truth in fuch exprefs Terms, that he that runs, may read and fee it.
The Prophet Mai. Chap. iii. 3. fays, that he is like a Refiner s Fire, and like Fuller s Soap, that he fhall purify the Sons of Levi. Zachariah xiii. 9. / will bring the third Part through the Fire, and I will refne them as Silver is refined, and will try them as Gold is tried: They floall call on my Name and I will hear them. Daniel xii. 10. Many fhall be purified and made white and tried; but the Wicked fhall do wickedly, and none of the Wicked floall un-
derfland;• ( i6 )
derfiand; but the Wife fhall underfland. Ads xv. 8, 9. And God •which knoweth the Hearts, bear them witnefs, giving them the Holy Ghoft, w*#	he did unto us, and\
hath put no Difference between them and us, ' purifying their Hearts by Faith. Rev. i. 5. Unto hbn that loved us, and hath wafh-ed us from our Sins in his own Flood. And we read of thofe, Chapter vii. 14. who have wafhed their Robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.
Where then fhall our polluted Souls be wafhed, but in this Fountain, that is opened for Sin and for Uncleannefs ? Here, though the Lepers be ever fo white, though there be no whole Part, not only in our Bodies, but even in our Souls; yet, if we wafh, we fhall be made perfectly clean. 7hough our Sins be as Scarlet, they fhall be as white as Snow ; though they be red, like Crimfon, they fhall be as W10I, Ifaiah, i. 18. Surely then, that mu ft, moil effectually, enable a Man to cleanfe his Way, which infallibly purifies his Heart.
It is Sin alone that caufes all the Mif-chief and Diforder that there is in the World, from whence come Wars and Fight-
ings( i7 )
tngs among you, come they ?iot hence, even of your Lufts that war in your Members, James iv. i. And if we examine, we fhall find that all the Sins Mankind commit, are aller ted in the Scriptures to proceed from the carnal Mind, which is Enmity againft God. But when a Man has felt the Power of the Gofpel, when he is renewed in the Spirit of his Mind, the Fountain is in a great Meafure flopped. For if any Man be in Chrift, he is a new Creature. Out of the Heart, faith one who knew what was in Man, cometh that which defileth himy Matthew xv. 18. When therefore this is right before God, (as it is faid, Matthew xii. 34. out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth fpeaketh) it will undeniably follow, that it will bring forth much Fruit unto Perfection. When Chriflianity has had its per fehl Work, old Things pafs away; behold all Things become new ; and as we who were before Aliens, are then brought near unto God, fo muß we be pure, as he is pure.
Then Men will, indeed, ufe the World as not abufing it, knowing afluredly, that F	the(>8)
the Failiion of this World paffeth away. Senfual Pleafures will rind no Place in a Heart, that is fwept and garniihed, and in which, the Spirit oi God hath taken up its bleiicd Abode.
Riches will be conridered in the lowed: Light, for thofe, who are pofleifed of the true Pviches, only make to thei?ijelves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs ; they know the true Uie of them, and are fen-iible that they will not profit in the ID ay of Wrath.
Temporal Power and Grandeur fhare the fame Fate, in the Judgment of aChri-Rian.
Ambition and Cruelty can rind no Place in that Breaft, into which pure and undefiled Religion has once entered. It opens the Heart, and enlarges the Affections, turns out the narrow felrifh Spirit, that before lurked there, and lets our Neighbour in, for a Share in our Affections; we conri-der every Man as our Brother, for whom Chnfi died, and rince he fo loved us, we are led to do all the Good we can to all Men.
The( r9 )
The eery Violence of our Affeifions be-comes even a Bkiling, when they are fixed on their proper Objedb
No Morality is comparable to that, which iprings from Chriftian Principles, nor any Man s Life fo perfect as his, whofe Faith is right. If there be any Virtue, if there be any Traife, it is found inculcated and enforced the ftrongeft Manner under the Chriftian Difpenfation : For can the Chrijlian fail to add to Faith, Firtue\ to Firtue, Knowledge ; to Knowledge, Temperance; to Temper,ance^ Patience; and to Patience, Godli-nefs ; to Godlinefs^ Brotherly Kindnefs; and to Bro>herly Kindnefs, Charity, 2 Pet. i. 5> b, 7. This is the Procefs, theie are the Efte^ls of Chriftianity, as deferibed by the infpired Penman, and fuch Fruit muft a-bound in thoje that really abide in Chrift.
Of the Things therefore that have been delivered, this is the Sum: We have traced Man from his original State we find that he is in a fallen one ; that he is not able of himfelf, fo much as to think a good 1 bought: We fee what gracious Provision is made by the Almighty, to extricate( 20 )
him from the Difficulties, in which he is involved ; that the Perfons in the Godhead have condefcended to take a Method neceffary for the Satisfaction of infinite Juffi ce ; that God was in Chrift, reconciling the World unto himjelf\ to rcfcue Man from the Dominion and Power, as well as the Guilt and Puniihment of Sin : That the holy Spirit is offered to raife him from the Death of Sin unto the Life of Righteoufnefs.
Whether this therefore be the Means, the only Means, to enable a young Man to cleanfe his Way, even ourfelves may judge ; for all that attend to the Tranfac-tions in their own Breafls, that are fenfible of the Wretchednefs and Mifery of their Condition, will fee that there is no other Name under Heaven, given among Men, whereby we may obtain Health, fpiritual Health, and Salvation, fave only the Name of our Lord Jefus Chrijl: This I truft I have fully proved, I ihall therefore proceed as I propofed, to apply the Do&rine of my Text, by drawing fome Inferences from it.
Firft( 21 )
Firft then, I ihall infer the Neceility that is laid upon every young Man, to fearch the facred Scriptures. If there is fuch Benefit to be derived from the Gofpel, it will not only be our Righteoufnefs, but our Wifdom alfo, to hearken what the Lord faith unto us in his own Word.
Very great and excellent Things are fpoken of the Book of God. The holy Pfalmift afierts Pf xix. 7. That the Law oj the Lord is perfeSl, converting the Soul; the Commandment oj the Lord is pure, enlightening the Eyes. Chrift himfelf and his Apoftles have witnefifed the fame Thing. John xv. 3. Ye are clean through the Word which I have fpoken unto you. Rom. x. 17. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Heb. iv. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful, and fharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even ta the dividing afunder of Soul and Spirit, of the Joints and Marrow, and is a Difcerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart. 1 Pet. i. 23. Being born again, not of corruptible Seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which abideth for ever. 1 Pet. ii. 2. At new-born Babes def re the fin-G	cere( 22 )
cere Mill of the Word that ye may grow thereby.
This is the Record which God has born of the Power and Efficacy of the facred Scriptures. This Book of Books therefore, if a young Perfon has any Defire to cleanfe his Way, he muft read, mark, learn, and inwardly digeft : He muft meditate upon it, when he walketh by the ITay, and when he lieth down, and when he rifeth up. T he Scriptures will make the Man of God both JTife unto Salvation, and thoroughly perfeSl in every good JTork. God s W^ord is ‘Truth, it muft therefore infallibly lead the praying, the ferious, the fin-convicted Searcher, to the Knowledge of thofe moll important Myfteries, Redemption by the Blood, and Sanctification by the Spirit of Chrift. When Wifdom thus enters into his Tleart, and Knowledge is pie nfeint unto his Soul, his Feet difentangled from the Snares 01 the World, fhed with the Preparation of the G of pel of Peace, fhall run the Way of God s Com-mandment, till he arrive at the new Jeruia-lem, the City of the Great King.
But, fecondly, I muft infer their Duty who have Children committed to them. How necefifary is it for them to fee, that all
who( 23 )
who are intruded to their Care and Charge, are brought up in the Nature, and Admonition of the Lord !
We are born poor helplefs Infants, inefficient and unable to guide our own Feet into the Way of Peace : Who then ffiall nurfe fuch tender Lambs, whofe Bufmefs is it to carry them in their Bofoms ? Surely thofe that brought them into the World, ought to take the utmoft Care to condud them through it. If Children are differed to grow up in all the Ignorance in which they are born, in all human Probability it had been infinitely better for them never to have exifted. Thofe that have freely received,, muft freely give, that Pojlerity may ktiow the Lord', and the Children which are yet unborn. How can any Perfon expert to receive the Honours due to a Parent, at the fame Time that he negleds the Duties entailed on him, by that comprehend ve, that endearing Name? IJ a. Son afk Bread oj any of you that are Fathers, do you give him a St one, or if he afk a Fifh, do you give him a Serpent. How then, can you fuffer poor Wretches to ftarve foi Want of the Bread of Lite, and let their
Souls( 24 )
Souls perifh for Lack of Knowledge : Certainly thofe that are thus loft, will be with the utmoft Rigour required at their Hands to whom they were intruded. But if the negligent Parent fhall be condemned, how fhall they ftand in the evil Day, who have added Profanenefs to Irreligion, and Contempt to Neglecft ; who have not only failed to point out to them the Way wherein they fhould go, but have even done their utmoft to hinder them from purfuing it, have even forced their Feet into the Path that leads to the Chambers of Death! What Apology, what Excufe, fhall fuch Wretches make in the great and terrible Day of the Lord Jefus, when thofe of their own Flefh, fhall rife up in Judgment a-gainft them, fhall charge their everlafting Deftru&ion at their Doors who gave them Being? Surely in Comparifon of fuch Parents, thrice happy are the JVombs that never bare, atid, the Paps that never give fuck.
The Church has indeed wifely provided fome Remedy, in Cafe of Negligence in the natural Parent; but alas, thofe that undertake for Infants, are often with Regard to
fpiritual( 25 )
fpiritual Things not even Babes themfelves, and are as indifferent about the folemn Obligation they enter into, as if the Ceremony was infignificant, and the Vow, they there make, was to be of none Effect.
In a Word, all that are defirous of keeping their Confcience, in this Refpetf:, void of Oftence, all who are intrufted with the Care, and would be found pure from the Blood, of others, mult feed them with the iincere Milk of the Word, muft not fuffer them to ipend their Time in raking into the Dirt of the Heathen, or in admiring the Inventions of Men, but muft bring them acquainted with that perfect Declaration of the Will ofGod, his Word, which contains all the Treafures of Wifdom and Knowledge. The Rule holds equally ftrong with Regard to the King and the Beggar, from the Palace to the Dunghill. There is one Law for the High and for the Low, for the Rich and for the Poor. If God give his Judgments unto the King, and his Righteoufnefs unto the King s Son, then Jhall he judge the People according to Right, defend the Children of the Poor, and punifh the wrong Doer, he will refolutely defend that Faith, H	of( 26 )
of which he has felt the Power, and take Pleafure in thofeScriptures, which he fees are deiigned to make him wife unto Salvation.
Men do not gather the Produce of Chri-ftianity from the Briars and Thorns of corrupt Nature. If we fow to the Flejh, we (hall of the Flejh alfo reap Corruption, but if we fow to the Spirit, we Jhall of the Spirit, reap Life everlafting. May the Grace of God imprint this grand Truth on the Hearts of all, from the higheft to the lowed, that we may go forth in the Strength of the Lord God, and make Mention of his Righteoufnefs only, that young Men and Maidens, old Men and Children, may praife the Name of the Lord, for his Name only is excellent> and his Praife above Heaven and Earth.
Now to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghofl, be afcribed\ as is jnoft due, all Honour, Power and Glory, Mighty Majejly and Dominiony both now, and to all Eternityy and let all the People fayy Amen.
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