^•3,1; ^ M A'»W ' '"'^4'/'' ' /S8A r ' "lit r ^ \* ' ' ¦y L." --* 4' _" 1' frsS?;. j*as. :^. * ^'> 3tiarp Icuip D IS C 0% R S E S O N VARIOUS SUBJECTS, By JACOB DUCHE, M. A. Rector of Christ-Church and St. Peter' Sj in Philadelphia; AND FORMERLY OF CLARE-HALL, CAMBRIDGE. VOLT. LONDON: Printed bv J. Phillips, George-Yakd, Lombard-Street; And Sold by T. Cadell, in the Strand; H. Payne, Pall-MaU; C. DiLLY, in the Poultry ; and J. Phillips. M.DCC.LXXIX. Mra4 I TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LADY JULIANA PENN. Madam, IH A V E ever deemed it one of the moft favourable circumftan- ces of my life, that your Ladyfhip condefcended to honour my early youth with your kind counter- nance and protection. Your amia ble character, and exemplary vir tues, have always thrown fuch a luftre around you, as could not but enlighten and improve thofe, who came within their influence. This teftirnony from me is no more than the juft tribute of gi grateful heart. a 2 I am iv DEDICATION. I am, therefore, happy in hav ing your Ladyfhip's permiflion to infcribe to you the following dif- courfes. You are no ftranger to the fentiments they contain : you love and honour the dodrines they inculcate. The authour intreats to be in dulged with a continuance of that regard, which your Ladyfhip hath hitherto fhewn him ; and which he hath always held more defira- ble, in proportion as he hath been better qualified to judge of what is truly honourable and eftima- ble in the intercourfes of focial life. With DEDICATION. v With this fentiment deeply im- preffed upon his mind, he cannot but rejoice in the opportunity your Ladyfhip hath granted him, of thus publickly fubfcribing him- felf. Madam, Your Ladyship's Moft obliged and Mbft faithful Servant, J. DUCHE. a 3 PREFACE. TH E following difcourfes were preached in the united Churches of Chrift Church and St. Peter, in the City of Philadelphia, of which the au thor was appointed affiftant minifler in the year 1759, and to the re£torfhip of which he was eledted in the year 1775. The reader will find in them no difplay of genius or of erudition. To the for mer, the authour hath no claim : of the latter, he contents himfelf with as much as is competent to the difcharge of his paftoral duty. His divinity, he truils, is that of the Bible: to no other Standard of Truth can he venture to ap peal. Senfible, however, of his own a 4 fallibility. viii PREFACE. fallibility, he wiihes not to obtrude his peculiar fentiments ; nor to have them received any further, than they carry with them that only fair title to recep tion, a convidtion of their truth and ufe- fulnefs. From his own Heart he hath written to the Hearts of others ; and if any of his readers find not there the Ground of his doftrines, they are, fure- ly, at liberty to pafs them by, if they do it with Chriftian Candour, and to leave it tp time and their own refle(5tions, to difcover that Ground or not. Universal Benevolence he con- fiders as the Sublime of religion ^ the true Taste for which, can only be derived from the Fountain of Infinite Love, by inward and fpiritual commu nications. The mind, that is pofTeffed of this true Tafte, whatever its peculia rity of opinion may be, cannot be very " far from the Kingdom of God." — " God PREFACE ix " God is Love ; and he that dwelleth " in Love, dwelleth in God, and God " in him." One tranfgreffion of the great Law of Love, even in the minuteft inflance, muft appear more heinous in the Sight of the God of Love, than a thoufand errors in matters of docftrine or opinion. If the reader perufes thefe volumes under the influence of fuch fentiments, it is not likely, that he will be offended with any fingularities of didlion, or any inelegant and colloquial expreffions he may now and then meet with. Much lefs will his cenfure' be incurred by the Gonftant ufe of Scriptural Ideas, and Scriptural Language, in prefer ence to what are called Moral and Philosophical. Deviations from the Simplicity of Evangelical Truth, have too often been occafioned by devi ations from the Simplicity of Evan gelical Language. A Chriftian ought X PREFACE ought never to be " afhamed of the " Gospel of Christ, which is the " Power of God unto Salvation," but (hould always fpeak of Chriftian Truths by Chriftian Names. The revifal and corred:ion of thefe difcourfes have relieved the authour's mind from much of that anxiety and dejedtion, which a long abfence from his family and his churches had occafioned. And he is now happy in the thought, that thefe volumes will ere long reach his native country, and revive the me mory of his labours of love among a people, with whom he enjoyed a reci procation of kindnefs and affection, which for eighteen years had known no abate* ment or interruption. He moft gratefully acknowledges the kind and honourable reception he hath met with fince his arrival in England j the chearfulnefs and generofity with which PREFACE. xl which perfons of all ranks have honour ed his publication ; and the affedlionate zeal of his friends, relations, and con nexions, in undertaking and compiete- ing his fubfcription, without giving him the trouble of folliciting a fingle name. To his moft ingenious and worthy Friend and Countryman, Benjamin West, Efq. Hiftory Painter to his Majefty, he is happy to acknowledge himfelf indebted for the elegant defigns, taken from two of his moft capital paint ings, which are placed as frontifpieces to thefe volumes. To his dear and valuable friend, the Authour of the late accurate and elegant Tranflation of Thomas a Kempis, he is fincerely thankful for his kind and chearful advice and afliftance, in con ducing the whole publication, to which the authour's inexperience in printing, as well as his frequent and neceffary ab fence xii PREFACE. fence from the prefs, 'svould have ren dered him altogether unequal. He hath only to add, that the revifal and publiftiing of thefe difcourfes was undertaken at the inftance of fome of the moft refpedlable names in the lift of his fubfcribers, under whofe kind patronage, and in hopes of every indul gence from the candour of the publick, he now ventures to fend them abroad. Hampftead, Sept. i, 1I779- SUB- SUBSCRIBERS N M E S. HIS Grace the DUKE OF ARGYLL Sir Edward Aftley, Bart. of Melton, Norfolk Hugh Ackland, Efq. Bath M. Afpden, Efq. Hammond Alpe, Efq. of Francham, Norfolk Rev. Mr. Saltier Afhton, Effex M. Allifon, Efq. Capt. Alnright, Greenwich Capt. Anderfon, ditto Rich. Aldridge, Efq. Briftol Mr. Wm. Aldridge, ditto Mifs Aldridge of Stroud, Gloucefterfliire William Andrews, Efq. Mr. James Allott of At- terclifFe, Yorkfhire Mr. Theodore Aylward Mefl". Angus andSon, Book- fellers, Aberdeen John Addey, Efq. .Nor wich B Sir Edmund Bacon, Bart. Raveningham, Norfolk Lady Bacon Lady Blois Sir George Bromley, Bart. of Stoke, Nottingham- fhire Hon. Mrs. Bofcawen Mr. Biggs, Bath William Brocket, Efq. ' Bolton, Efq. Coun- fellor at Law Jofeph Bunney, Efq. Mrs. Bunney Rev. Dr. Backhoufe, Arch deacon of Canterbury Rev. Mr. Barnard, Oxon Rev. Mr. Buckland, ditto Rev. Mr. Bradley, ditto Rev. Mr. Booth, Merton College, ditto C. W. Batt, Efq. Student of Chrift-Church, ditto Rev. SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Rev. Dr. Brown, Mafter of Pembroke-Hall, Camb. John Beevor, A,. B. Chrift- College, ditto Rev. Will, Bond, Fellow of Caius College, ditto Rev. T. Brecken, M. A. John Brogden, Efqi H. Bowarman,Efq. of Cork. Mr, John Bateman Rev. George Beaver Mr. R. Bright Mrs, Butfon Mifs Burgh Peter Boun, Efq. Henpy Beuden, Efq. Mr. Edward Baker W.B. Brand, Efq. of Pol- flead, Suffolk Edward Benfon, Efq, Can terbury William Alfton Brandreth, Efq. Mrs, Burnett, Greenwich Thoma^ Birch, Efq. Rev. Mr. Bromley, Reffor ofSt, Mildred's, Poultry Mrs. Britton of Bath Ditto for two Ladies Mr. Blaqlii^re, Hampftead Ifaac Hawkins Brown, Efq'. Thomas Brown, Efq. James Street, Bedford-Row Mrs. Baines Rev, Mr, Beadon, Arch deacon of London Mr. Jof. Burnham, Col- Chefter Rev, Robert Baynes, Ston- ham Afpall, Suffolk Mrs. Bacon, Park-ftreet Rev. William Browne Rev. Mr. Burrows, Reftor of St. Clements, London William Baker, Efq. of Bayfordbury Henry Baker, Efq. Samuel Baker, Efq, Mrs, Baker Mifs Baker Robert Pope Blackford, Efq, Lowbridge Bright, Efq, Briftol Rev, Mr, Buckner Mrs, Buckner Mrs. Bruce Mr.,Edw, Bennett, Mor peth, Yorkfliire Mr.Thomas Bennett, ditto Robert Barclay, Efq, of Ury, Scotland William Brereton, Efq*, M. C. Bath Jobn Bathoe, Efq. Bath Mrs, Bedingfield, Beccles, Suffolk Mr, Burton of Sheffield Mr. George Brittain, ditto A. B. ditto Mr, Jofeph Badger, ditto Mr. John Batty ditto Mr, Sam, Broomhead, ditto Mr, Tho, Broadbent, ditto Mr, Tho, Bland, ditto Mr, Jof, Broomhead, ditto Mr, Robert Bremner Rev. Dr. Burnaby, Vicar of Greenwich Rev. SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Rev. Lawrence Bourne, Vicar of Dranfield, Der- byfliire Mr. Bull, Bookfeller, Bath Col. Beckwith, Howarth, Yorkfliire Rev. Bafil Berridge, Tick- hill Caftle, Yorkfliire Rev. Leonard Berridge, D.D. Mr. John Bourne of Spittle near Chefterfield Capt, Bulkeley Jacob Bryant, Efq. Mrs, Bernard Rev. Mr. Bacon, Shrub^ land Hall, Suffolk Rev. Nicholas Bacon Rev, Mr. Broome, Ipfwich Ifaac Broadley, Efq. Rev. Thomas Bentham, Stockport, Chefhire Mifs Bower, Dranfield, Derbyfliire Rev. Dr. Blair, Prebendary of Weftminfter William Blair, Efq. Thomas Bradbury, Efq. of Iflington T, B. Bramfton, Efq, Screens, Effex Henry Briftow,Efq. Dover- ftreet Charles Buckle, Efq. Stew ard of Norwich ' Philip Bedingfield, Efq. Ditchingham, Norfolk Philip Bedingfield, Jun. Efq. ditto Mrs, Bedingfield ditto Mr, Brownfword, Clapham Mrs, Ann Bacon of Nor wich Miles Branthwaite, Efq. Taverham near Norwich John Berney, Efq. Bracon, Norfolk Tho. Barnard, Efq, Par- liament-ftreet, Weftm, Rev, Mr, Bettefworth Mr. Jofeph Beck, Briftol Mr. Jonathan Bell, Hert ford James Bland Burgefs, Efq, Lincoln's Inn Samuel Blincoe, Efq, Stif- ted, Effex Mr, John Barclay Mr, Robert Barclay Mr, Robert Barclay, Jun, Mrs, Sufanna Barclay Mrs, Rachel Barclay Mifs Mary Barclay Mr. Benjamin Barnett Mr. Henry Beaufoy Mr, James Beefley Mr, Thomas Bell Mr, Daniel Bell, Jun. Mr, Ambrofe Benning Mr, Silvanus Bevan Mr, John Blackburn Mr. William Blake Mr. John Bland Mr. John Bockett, Jun. Mr. John Bowftead Mr, John Boydell John Burn, Efq, Litchfield Mr, Rich. Bufti, London Rev. Mr. Borlafe, Corn wall Cuthbert SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Cuthbert Baines, Efq. Fal mouth Dr. Buxton, -Greenwich ¦His Grace the Lord Arch- bifliop of Canterbury Right Hon. the Marquis of Carmarthen Right Rev. the Lord Bi- fhop of Chefter Right Hon. Lady Henrietta Conyers Mifs Conyers Ab,Chapman,Efq, Whitby Mifs Hannah Chapman Mifs Jane Chapman Hon. Mrs. Caftelman Hon. and Rev. J. Craven Sir Archer Crofts, Bart. Rev. Sir Rich. Cope, Bart. Prebendary of Weftm, Rev. Dr. Caryll, Mafter of Jefus College, Camb. Rev, Mr, Clark, Fellow of Clare HaLI^ Camb. Rev. Mr. Chapman, Arch deacon andReftor of Bath Rev. Mr. Church, Reftor of Boxford, Suffolk Rev. Dr. Creffield, Redor of Bildeftone, Suffolk Rev, S. Clarke, Redor of Hexham, Northumber land Rev. Mr. Cooke of Green wich Rev. Dr. Connor of Clap ham Rev. Tho. Coker, M. A. Rev. Dan. CoUyer, Wrox- ham, Norfolk Rev. Mr. Cole of Ely Rev, Mr. Chapman, Redor of Weftpn near Bath Rev. John Carver, Morth- en, Yorkfliire Rev. Charles Chadwick, Sheffield Rev. Mr. Cobbold, Ipfw. Rev. Dr.. Clarke, Dean of Tuam Rev. John Carne of Nafli, Glamorganfliire Rev. Dr. Colombine, Nor wich Rev. Mr. Cole, Bath Richard Coxe, Efq. B. Colborne, Efq. J. Curtis, Efq. Mr. J. Collett Mr. T. Collett Mrs, Crow Mr, C. Crutwell, Surgeon of Bath David Clarke, Efq. Thomas Carlyon, Efq. Lady Cleark Mr. Nimfon Coverdale Mr. Rich. Cleaver, Hack ney Martin Challif, Efq. ditto Mrs. Challis ditto Mrs. Cotsford, Chelfea Rich. C]ay,Efq, Hampftead Mr. R. Clay ditto Mifs Cary ditto Alex. Chriftie, Efq. Mon- trofe H, B. Cay, SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. H. B. Cay, Efq, of the Middle Temple Mrs, Craycrofts, Bath Mr. Tho. Crewdfon, Ken dal, Weftmoreland Edw. Chamberlayne, Efq. Tho. Richard Carter, Efq, Charles Nalfon Cole, Efq, Mr. Thomas Cole, Briftol Mr, Walter Cargill, Dun- keld Rob, Clay, Efq. Sheffield Mrs. Clay, ditto Mr, Edward Cooper, ditto Mr. William Cutler, ditto Tho. Curtis, Efq. Bath Mrs. Elizabeth Carter John Coxe, Efq. John Curfon, Efq. Ipfw. ¦ Clavel, Efq. Mrs. Clutterbuck, Claver- ton Houfe, Somerfet{)iire George Childrens, Efq. Tunbridge Mrs, Crofts John Chamber, Efq. Nor wich Col. Champion Mrs. Champion Fran. CouHbn, Efq, Scar borough Collier, Efq, Gro- ton, Suffolk Mrs, Cotton Mrs. Cromwell, Hamp ftead Mr. Copley, of Leicefter- fquare Mr. Cadell, 50 Copies John Caillaud, Efq. Vol, I. Mr,Mich,Clayfield,BriftolMr. Alexander Champion, London Mr, Benj, Champion, ditto Mr. John Clements ditto Mr.Will. Creighton, ditto Mr. William Curtis, ditto Thomas Cooper, Efq. ditto Mr. Jofeph Cockfield, Up ton, Effex Mr. CoUifon, Worcefter D Right Rev. and Hon. the Lord Bifliop of Derry Right Hon. Countefs of Donnegal Right Hon. Lord Dartrey Right Hon. Lady Dartrey Right Hon. Lady Lucy Digby Hon. and Rev. Mr. Digby Lady Dacre Lady Dick Rev. Dr. Dumarefq, Yeo- vilton, Dorfetfh, Rev, Dr Douglas, Canon Refid. of St. Paul's , Rev. Dr, Dechair, Little Riffington, Gloucefterfli. Rev. John Day Rev, Mr, Darby, Redor of Whatfield, Suffolk Rev. Mr, Downes, Old Sam ford, Effex Rev. Mr. Davis, of Mac clesfield, Chefliire Sir John Durbin, Briftol b Mrs. SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Mrs, Sophia Drake Major Darch John Dixon, Efq. Mrs. Deane Tho. Diggs, Efq. Mifs Dawfon of Lower Brook-ftreet Edward Dawfon, Efq, ditto Two Ladies, by the Hands of Mifs Dawfon Mr, Rich, Dann of Hack ney Thomas Derring, Efq. Will. Dawfon, Efq. M.C. Bath John Dunning, Efq. . Ducane, Efq. of Mrs, Dowding Monf. De Bafterot B. G, Dillingham, Efq Norwich Charles De Laet, Efq, Dr. Archibald Drummond, Rudgeway, Gloucefter fliire Mr, Will, Duguid, Aber deen Dr, De la Cour, Bath Mrs. Dawfon, Sheffield Mr. Dennifon Mrs. Dunbar Thomas Dea, Efq. Mr. Donne, Norwich Dr. Dack, ditto Mr. John Dixon, Whit- tington, Derbyfliire Mrs. Dennifon, James- ftreet, Bedford-row Edward Dowfett, Efq. Mr, Cha, Dilly, 50 Copies Mr. Samuel Day, Stanfted, Effex Alexander Donald, Efq. Merchant, Glafgow Mr. Abr. Darby, Cole- brook-Dale, Shropfliire Mr. William Davis, Lon don Mr. Thomas Davey, Nor wich Mr. Dennis De Berdt, Lon don Baron Dimfdale ditto Rev. Mr. John Duke, Bar- badoes Mr, JohnDumont of New- York Mr. Dawfon, Apothecary, Bath Right Rev. the Lord Bifliop of Ely Right Hon, Countefs of Elgin Sir Archibald Edmonftone, Bart, Lady Edmonftone Campbell Edmonftone, Efq, Rev, Dr, Evans, Preben dary of Worcefter Rev. Mr, Eaton, Rqaor of St, George Martyr, Queen-fquare Rev. John Ella, Vicar of Ellerton, Nottingham shire Rev, SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Rev. Bartholom. Edwards, Fellow of Caius College, Cambridge Mr. John Early William Ellis, Efq. - Mrs. JExley of Chancery- lane Mrs. Egerton, Bath Alex. Edgar, Efq. Briftol The Epping Society Mr, Egerton Wm, Elton, Efq, Briftol Mr. Philip Elliot, Briftol Mr, John Ewen, Aberdeen Mrs, Ewer, Bath Mrs, Eyre, Duffield, Der- byfhire ]V^r, Edward Evans, Stock port, Chefliire Mr, Will. Edwards, Bank of England Mr, Leonard Ellington, London Mr. Charles Eddy Right Hon, Lady Camilla Fleming Hon. Tho. Fitzmaurice, of Lleweney-Hall, Wales Dr. Falconer of Bath T.Ed. Freeman, jun. Efq. G, Croker Fox, Efq, Mr, John Fofter, Bath Rev. Dr. Foley, Dean of Worcefter Rev. Mr, Foley, Reftor of Old Swipford, Worcef- terfliire Rev, Mr, Fountain, Pre-» bendary of Worcefter Rev, Mr, Fofter Rev. William Fitzherbert Rev, Dr, William Fordyce Rev. Mr. Favell, Reaor of Brington, Huntipgdon- fliire Rev. Hen. Freeman, M .A. Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge Rev, Mr. Forfter, Tun bridge Wells Rev. Mr. Foulkes Rev. Mr. Freeman, Norw, Rev, Mr. Forfter, Heden- ham, Norfolk Rev. Mr. Freeman, Combs, Suffolk Rev, Mr, Fromantel, Nor wich Mr, Freyer of Hampftead Mr, John Ford, Surgeon, Briftol George Farley, Efq. Mrs, Fell, of New Hall, near Sheffield Mr. Francis Fenton, Shef field Falconer, Efq. Rob, Fellowes, Efq, Shot- tefliam, Norfolk Mrs, Freeman, Stowmarket Suffolk John Frere, Efq, Bedford- rov/ Mrs, Frere, ditto James Furnies,Efq. Green wich ^' John b 2 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. John Fenn, Efq. Eaft Den- ham, Norfolk Bacon Frank, Efq. Camp- fel, Yorkfliire Mr, Wm. Fowden, Stock port, Chefliire Mr. Thomas Fletcher Mr, Thomas Fothergill Mr, Thomas Frazer Mr, J, M, Fiflier Right Hon, Lord Godol- phin Right Hon. Lord George Germaine SirThomas Gunfton, Bart, G. De Ligne Gregory, Efq. Richard Glover, Efq. Rich. Glover, jun. Efq, Robert Gofling, Efq. Rev. Dr. Goodall, Arch deacon of Suffolk Rev. Dr. Goddard, Mafter of Clare-Hall, Camb. Rev. Mr. Gould, Fellow of Clare-Hall, ditto Rev. Dr. Griffith, Redor of St. Mary Hill Rev. Dr. Gooch, Preben dary of Ely Rev, Mr. Gapper Rev. J. Culliford Gooden Rev. P. Gunning, M. A. Rev. Edward Gregory Rev, Peter Grand, Reftor of Durham ' . Rev. Mr. Green, Harding* ham, Norfolk Rev. Mr. Gutteridge Rev. Edward Goadwin of Sheffield Rev. Mr. Gee, Ipfwich Rev. Rich. Greaves, Rector of Claverton near Bath Rev. Brampton Gurdon, Official of Sudbury, Suf folk Rev. PJiilip Gurdon, Af- fington Hall, ditto Rev. Mr- Green, Norwich Rev. Mr. Gregory, Corn wall Thomas Gibbons, M. D. Hadleigh, Suffolk Rob. Clobery Glynn,M.D. Fellow of King's Coll, Cambridge Mr, Thomas Gowland Mr. Guyon of Hampftead Tho. Gooftry, Efq. Sher- rard-ftreet, Soho Wm. Greaves, Efq. Full- bourne, Cambridgefliire Mr. James Gander, Sher borne, Dorfetfh. Francis Gofling, Efq. Mr. Jofeph Glover, Mer- , chant, Briftol Mr. Wm. Gibbons, ditto Mr. Griffin, ditto ' Goulbourn, Efq. Bath Rev. Dr. Griffith, Bath Mrs. George Walwyn Greaves, Efq. Mickleton, Gloucefterfli. Mr. SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Mr. John Greaves of Shef field Mr. John Greaves, jun. ditto Mr. George Greaves, ditto Mr. Tho. Gunning, ditto Mr. Jacob Gehrwin, ditto Leflie Grove, Efq. John Glafsford, Efq. Glaf gow Mrs. Goodlad,Weymouth- ftreet, Cavendifh-fquare William Grove, Efq. Thornhagh Gurdon, Efq, Letton Hall, Norfolk Mrs. Elizabeth Gurdon, Norwich Mrs. Gurdon, Stowmarket Suffolk Mrs. Greaves, Norwich The Lord Provoft of Glaf gow Mr. JohnGreenway, Dran field, Derbyfliire Mr. William Giles of the Bank of England Robert Gooden, Efq. Mr. John Gainftjorough, Sudbury Mr. Samuel Gallon, jun. Bifmingham Mr. John Gray, London Mr. Walker Gray, ditto Mifs Mary Green, ditto Mife Grizell Green, ditto Mr. Richard Gurney, Nor wich Mr. John Gurney, ditto Mr. Bartlet Gurney, ditto Mr. Jofeph Gurney, Nor wich Mifs Martha Gurney, ditto Mifs HannahGurney, ditto Mifs Sarah Gurney, ditto Mifs Prifcilla Gurney, Bath Mr. Samuel Goolden,Per- fhore Mifs Goolden, ditto Mr. Tho. Goolden, Wor cefter H Right Hon. Countefs of Huntingdon Sir George Howard, K. B. Hon. Mrs. Howe Sir Gilb. Heathcote, Bart. Sir Tho. Heathcote, Bart. Mrs. Jennetta Heathcote Rev. Thomas Heathcote Mrs. Heathcote Hon. Henry Hobart Sir Rob. Hamilton, Bart. Lady Hamilton Sir Harbord Harbord, Bart. Gunton, Norfolk Jonas Hanway, Efq. Lady Harland, Portman- fquare Mifs Harland, ditto Rev. Mr. Harrington, Powderfliam Rev. William Hill Rev. H. Hawkins Rev, Mr. Hennah Rev. Mr. Hankey, Reftor of Eaft Bergholt, Suff. Rev. SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Rev. Mr, Harper, Britifli Mufeum ¦ p.ev. Mr. Hicks, Fellow of Clare-Hall, Camb. Rev, Mr. Hume, Dean's- yard, Weftminfter Rev. Dr, Hallifax, King's Profeffor of Civil Law, Cambridge Rev, Mr, Hutchens, Sher borne Rev, Mr, Henry Hinde Rev, Mr, Haynes, Minor Caiion of Briftol Rev. Tho, Hartley, Reftor of Winwick, Northamp- tonfhire Rev, Mr, Humfrey,Thorpe near Norwich Rev. Mr.Howman,Bracon, Norfolk Rev, Mr, Hal ton, Reaor of Waters Upton, Salop Rev. Mr. Hewit, Redor of Harthill, Nottinghamfli. Thomas Hinde, Efq. Mer chant, Lancafter Mr. Hill of Stonehoufe, Gloucefterfliire Dr. Hooper of Worcefter Jof, Hurlock, Efq. Col. Hunter, Bath A Gentleman, by the Hands of Col. Hunter Wm. Hagen, Efq, Green wich Mr, James Hobbs, New- Bond-ftreet W. H. Hartley, Efq, Soho- fquare Mrs, Hartley ditto H, Hayes, Efq, Percy-ftreet Mr, Hake, Princes-ftreet, Lothbury Mrs, Hill,Bux-Hall, Suf folk John Heavifide, Efq. William Hayton, Efq. Mifs Hayton Mr. Charles Abel Heartly, Sunderland Mrs. Hake Mifs Heaton, Sheffield Mr, William Hoyle, At torney at Law, ditto Mr, John Hawkfley, Sur geon, ditto Mr, John Hool, ditto John Hatfield, Efq, Don- cafter Mrs, Hare, Limehoufe Mr. Hare, ditto Mrs. R. Hare, ditto Dr, Howard, Organift of St, Clements Mr, Hutchinfon, Apothe cary, Bath Mrs. Harris Mrs. Heme, Harrow, Mid- dlefex Mifs Howard, Norwich John Hookham, Efq. Be- dington, Surry Mrs. Harvey Mr. Hake Henry Havard, Efq. Shef field John Hodgfon, Efq. New- caftle upon Tyne Mr. T. Huntley Mrs. SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Mrs, Mary Halfey, Cam- berwell Mrs. Catharine Hancock, Wifbeach Mr, Richard Harford Mr, John Harman Mr, Jeremiah Harman Mrs, Hannah Harman Mr, George Harrifon Mr. Richard Harris Mr, Jofeph Hayling Mr, Wm, Herring, Nor wich Mr. John Hingerton Mr. Samuel Hoare Mr. Samuel Hoare, jun. Mr, Jonathan Hoare Mr, Thomas Home Mr, Thomas Home, jun, Mr, Anthony Home Mr, Jofeph Hooper Mr,Harrifon, Lamb's Con- duit-ftreet Right Hon. the Countefs Dowager of Ilchefter Sir William Jerningham, Bart, Coftefey, Norfolk Major General Val, Jones Dr. Samuel Johnfon Mrs. Johnfon, Upper- Brook-ftreet Mrs. Johnfons, Briftol John Jackfon, Efq. Red- Lion-fquare Rev, Thomas Jackfon, Hampftead Rev, Mr, Jenkins Rev, J. Jenkins Rev, Mr, Jones, Nayland, Suffolk Rev, Mr, Ingles, Macclef- field Mr, Jaques, Chichefter Thomas Jenkins, Efq. of the Ifland of Jamaica David James, Efq. Ampt- hill, Bedfordfliire t Mr. George Jeeve of Shef field Mr. Jones, Bath Mr. Jofeph Ibberfon, Shef field Mrs. Jacob, of the Rocks, Gloucefterfliire Jeremiah Ives, Efq, Nor wich Jeremiah Ives, jun, ditto Mr, John L, Ifelin, ditto Mr. John Jackfon Mr. Edward Janfon Mrs. Mary Janfon Mr, James Johnfon Mr, Alex, Jaffray, Dublin K Rev, Dr, King, Chaplain to his R, H, the Duke of Gloucefter, and Fel low of the Roy, and An- tiq. Societies Rev. Mr. Keble, C, C. C. Oxon, Rev, Mr. Keymer Rev. SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Rev. Richard Kilflia Rev. Mr. Kempfon Thomas Kinnerfley, Efq. New Caftle, Staffordfli, John Kirkman, Efq. Mrs. Kenwray William Keymer, Book- f:-:ler, at Colchefter Mr. Thomas Killigrew, Briftol Mr, Richard Keld, Mer chant, of Whitby Mr. John Kenyon, Shef field Mr. James Kenyon, ditto Mr. King, Bath • Knox, Efq. King, Efq. John-ftr, Bedford-row John Kirby, Efq. Ipfwich Mr. John Kaye, Merchant, Leverpool Mr. John Kearfley, Man- chefter Mr, Tho. Kett, Norwich His Grace the Duke of Leeds Right Rev. the Lord Bp, of London Lord George Lenox George De Ligne, Efq, Rev, Dr, Lynch, Reflor of Addifliam, Kent Rev, Dr, Lloyd, Dean of Norwich Rev, Dr. Lewis, Dean of Offory Rev. Dr. Law, Archdeacon of Rochefter Rev. Mr. Locke, of Ireland Rev. Mr, Layard, Lower Grofvenor Place Rev. Mr. Lonfdale, Bar- ham Houfe, Cambridge fliire Rev. Mr. Leman, Fellow of Clare Hall, Camb, Rev, Wm. Leigh, Shotte- fbam, near Norwich Capt. Littleton Mifs Latty, Bath Jeremiah Leeds, Efq. Mr. James Lockyer, Briftol Mifs Leake, Southwich, Hampfliire Mr, Edward Loftus, Shef field Mr. Thomas Law, ditto Anthony Lax, Efq. Chef terfield Mifs Le Plant, Truro, Cornwall Mr. W. Longfdon, Eyam, Derbyfliire Wm. Lynch, Efq, Ipfwich John Le Marchant, Efq. Guernfey Mr.Wm, Linley, Sheffield Larpent, Efq, Mr. Thomas Langcake, Briftol Mr, Wm, Looker, Amwell Mrs,Lochee, Little Chelfea John Coakley Lettfom, M. D. London Mr. Sampfon Lloyd, jun. itV Birmingham Mr, SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Mr. Charles Lloyd, Bir mingham Mr. John Lloyd, ditto Mr. Ambrofe Lloyd, Brom ley, Middlefex Mrs. Lucy Lewis Mr. Edward Lowe, Wor cefter , M Right Hon. the Earl of Macclesfield Right Hon. the Countefs of Macclesfield Right Hon. Lord Milford Richard Mafters, Efq. Rich. Mills, Efq. of Can terbury Wm. Moore, Efq. Abing don, Berkfhire William Melmoth, Efq. Bath Rev. Dr. Mills, Reftor of JjHitcham, Suffolk kIv. Mr. Mills, of Hitcham Rev. Mr. Maule, Green wich Rev. Mr. Mirehoufe, Fel low of Clare-Hall, Cam bridge Rev. Mr. Markes, Vicar of Wilcot, Wiltfhire ¦Rev. Tho. Moore, Reflor of North-Cray, Kent Rev. Dr. Moore, Stowe- Hall, Norfolk Rev. Cha. Moore, Brough- ton, Kent 'Wh Vol. L ^ Rev. Mr.Moorwood, High- field near Chefterfield Rev. Dr. Mafkelyne, Aftro- nomer Royal, Greenwich Rev. James Montgomery Mr. Robert Maddox Mr. Thomas Minchen Mr. William Mavor Mrs. Munn, Greenwich Mrs.May, Maidftone, Kent Mrs. Mauvaillain, Privy Garden Francis Maferes,Efq. Cur- fitor Baron of the Ex chequer Dr. Monro, Red Lion-fq. Mifs Hannah More, Briftol Mifs Montolieus Mr. William Moore Mr. Benjamin Morris Dr. Manningham Mulfo, Efq. Mr. Evan Morgan, Briftol Mr. Rob. Morrifon, Perth Jofeph Matthewman, Efq. Sheffield V Mifs Matthewman, ditto Mr. Norman M'Cleod, ditto Mr. Jofeph Mitchell, ditto Gamaliel Milner, Efq. At- tercliff, Yorkfliire Mrs. Murifon, Bath Charles Middleton, Efq. Comptroller of the Navy Mrs. Montagu, Portman- fquare Rob. Marfliam, Efq. Strat- ton, Norfolk » SUBSCRIBERS NAMES, Richard Milles, Efq. Elm- ham, Norfolk Mr. Marriott, Stowmarket, .Suffolk Jlichard Milnes, M. D. Chefterfield Mr. Robert M'Clellan Mr. Wm. Marriott, Stock port, Chefliire P. Cobb Methuen, Efq. Major General Morrifon Capt. M'Kay Archibald M'Call, Efq, Glafgow Mr. Robert M'Kerrel Mr. Thomas Mills, Briftol Mr. Rob. Maitland, Lonr don Mr. Ebenezer Maitland, ditto Mr. William Markes, ditto Mr. John Mafterman, ditto Mr. Daniel Mildred, ditto Mr, Napthali Hart Mier, ditto Mr. Phillip Martineau, Norwich Mr. David M^ttineau, ditto }Jlr. John South Morfe, ditto N Right Hon, Lord North Right Hon. Lady North Right Hon. Lady Newhar ven Hon, Mr. Neville Rev, Mr. Newcome, Vicar of Penmark, Glamorgan fliire -^¦^— Needham,' Efq. Mr. Nelm, Craven-ftreet Mrs. Nodder, Sheffield Mr. Sam. Newbould, ditto Mr. Samuel Norris, ditto Mrs.'Norris, Witton, Nor folk Dr. Norton, Macclesfield, Chefhire Mr. David Nefbitt Mr.William Nanfon, Lon don John Nutt, Efq, ditto O Right Hon, the Ear! of Orford Charles Owen, Efq. Bath Rev. Mr. Onley, Stiftedr HaU, Effex Mrs. Oft)orne . «. Mifs Ofljorne * Mifs Ann Ofl)orne Mifs E. Ofborne William Oft)orn, M. D, Percy-ftreet Mrs, Ofborn, ditto Mrs. Ottey, Dean's-yard, Weftminfter The Ongar Society Mr, John Owen, London Mr, John Oxley, Nor, wich SUBSCRIBERS N-^MES. Mifs Pierit.,^ Kelfield near York Col. Pechell Mrs. Pechell Mr. Pelham Sam. Prime, Efq, of Whit- ton Mr. Paddy, Weftminfter W. Weller Pepys, Efq, Mr. Prattenton John Pye, Efq. Mr. Wm. Pearfon, Shef field Mr. John Parkin, ditto Mr. Jofephus Parkin, ditto Mr. Charles Pro6lor, ditto Mr. Luke Proftor, ditto Thomas Pewtrefs, Efq; Northampton Mr. John Payne, of the Bank of England Mr. Rich, Phillips, Red ruth, Cornwall Mr. J. Phillips, 50 Copies Mr. J. H. Powell Edw. Payne, Efq. London Mr. Rene Payne, ditto Mr. Martin Petrie, ditto Mr. Thoi Pomeroy, ditto Mr. Bladen Powell, ditto Mr. John Piatt, ditto Mr. Richard Prime, ditto Mr. Robert Prior, ditto Mr. Henry Pattefon, Nor wich Mrs. Pattefon, ditto Mr. Hen. Payne, Pall-mall, Bookfeller, 30 Copies Mr. Richard Phillips, Lin coln's Inn c z (^ Right Rev. the Lord Bifliop of Peterborough Right Hon. Lord Vifcount Palmerfton Right Hon, Lord Vifcount Parker Right Hon. Lady Mary Parker Right Hon. Sir Thomas Parker Mifs Parker Right Hon. Lady Juliana • Penn John Penn, Efq. Sir John Pringle, Bart, Lady Prime, Chelfea Lady Pennington Lacy Primatt, Efq* Rev. Mr. Pearce, Preben dary of Wells Rev. Mr. Payne, Canon of Wells Rev. Mr, Prowfe Rev. Mr. Partridgej Nor wich Rev. Mr. Peel, ditto Rev. Mr. Pinnock Rev, Mr. Parkin, Corn wall Mr, Pearkes of Worcefter Mifs Proudfoot Mr, Pretor Jacob Prefton, Efq, Nor folk Mrs, Prefton, ditto Mifs Page, Harrow SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. a Mrs. Quick of Bath R Right Hon. the Earl of Rofeberry Right Hon. the Countefs of Rofeberry Right Rev. the Lord Bp, of Rochefter Lady Rowley of Tendring Hall, Suffolk Lady Rofs- Sir Walter Rawlinfon, Lincoln's Inn Fields Rev. Dr. Roberts, Fellow of Eton College Rev. Mr. Ruftat, Reftor of Stutton Rev. Mr. Robinfon, Fellow of Clare-Hall, Camb. Rev. John Ryland, North ampton Rev. Mr. Rous Rev. Tho. Radford, Shef field Rev. Mr. Routh, Ipfwich Rev. Mr, Reynolls, Corn wall Rev. Mr. Robinfon, ditto Francis Rodd, Efq. Tre- bartha Hall, ditto Mifs Rodd, ditto Bateman Robfon, Efq. Thomas Ryder, Efq, Lin coln's Inn Dr. Renaudet, HotWelk^ Briftol Mr. Rofe, of Chifwick Edmund Rack, Efq, Bath Marchant Ruffell, Efq. Thomas Reed, Efq. Mr. Roche Mr. William Rawes Col, Reid Mr. G. Reed Mr, J, Richards Mrs, Roberts, Eaft- Ber gholt, Suffolk Richard Ray, Efq, Haw- leigh, Suffolk Mrs. Ray, ditto Mrs, Mary Rogers, King's Road, Bedford-row Woodford Rice, Efq. Samuel RoUeftone, Efq. John Richards, Efq. Ham- bledon, Hants Mr. B. Roebuck, Mer chant, Sheffield Mr. John Rutherford, ditto Mr. Dean Raynor, ditto Mr. Ezra Ridgard, ditto Mr. Wm. Reynolds, Cole- brookdale, Shropfliire Mr. Edw. Rigby, Norwich Mr. Dan. Roberts, Lond. Mr. Sam. Robinfon, ditto Right Hon, the Countefs Spenfer Ri^ht Hon, the Earl of bhelburn Right SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. kight. Hon. the Earl of Shipbrooke Right Hon. the Countefs of Shipbrooke Right Hon. and Rev. Lord Francis Seymour, Dean of Wells Lady Style, Harley-ftreet Governor Skene Sir Richard Sutton, Bart. Sir John Smith, Bart, Hon. Mrs. Samphill General Smith Rev. Dr. Sandby, Chan cellor of Norwich Rev. Mr. Stephenfon, Fel- lov/ of Clare-Hall, Cam bridge Rev. Dr. Smythe, Inni- fkillen, Ireland Rev. Dr. Stonhoufe, Lec turer of All Saints, Bri ftol Mrs. Stonhoufe Mifs Clariffa Stonhoufe Mr. John Stonhoufe Mr. Timothy Stonhoufe Rev. Jafper Selwyn, Vicar of Wetminfter, Glou- cefterfhire Rev. Mr. Stedman, Reftor • of Womington, Glou cefterfliire Rev. Dr. Spry Rev. Mr. Sibley, Reftor of Walcot, Bath Rev, John Stacey, of Bal- lifield near Sheffield Rev. Mr. Storey, of Mel ton near Norwich Rev. Mr, Fullwood Smer- den Mrs, Sandby H. W. Sandford, Efq, Mr, Robert Spendlove Mrs. Smart Richard Slade, Efq. George Stratton, Efq. Port- man-fquare Mrs. Stratton Mr. Samuel Stuckey Mr, John Stidfon Mrs. Stretch Lieut. Smith, Greenwich Mr. Stony, Surgeon, ditto Morris Swabey, Efq. Pem broke College, Oxon J. T. Scrivener, Efq. of Sibton Abby, Suffolk Mrs. Scrivener Mifs Scrivener Mifs Dorothea Scrivener Mrs. Stone,. Privy-garden Mr. John Stevens, Brump- ton Culling Smith, Efq.. John Seare, Efq. Mrs. Shewell William Brigh-twell Sum ner, Efq. Mr. Jofeph Shapland, Apo thecary, Eriftol Mr. George Softley, Mor peth, Northumberland Mr. John Smith, jun. A.bev- deen Edw. Shepherd, Efq. Shef field Mifs Sharp Mr. Spry, of Batli John SUBSCRlBEliS NAMES. John Sayer, Efq. Lincoln's Inn Mifs Sharpe, New Bond- ftreet Mr, Salmon, Devizes Samuel Shore, Efq, Shef field Mrs, Smith, ditto Mr, Samuel Stanniforth, ditto Mr, Alexander Sharp, ditto Francis Sitwell, Efq. Ra- nifliaw, Derbyfhire Francis Shore, Efq. of Norton, ditto Mr,William Shore, Mear- fl)rook-Houfe Mr. Richard Swallow, of Attercliff, Yorkfliire Mr. Robert Stanniforth, Manchefter John Stockdale, Efq. Knarefborough Mifs Snelling, King-ftreet, St. James's Mr. Wm, Salter, of Nor wich Alex, Scott, Efq, James- ftreet, Bedford-row Henry Stevens, Efq. Che- venage, Gloucefterfliire Mr- Richard Stone, Dublin Francis Shepherd, Efq. Knarefborough James Sheppard, Wapping Wall Hugh Speed, Efq. Chefter James Sharp, Efq. Lon don William Sharp, Efq, ditto Granville Sharpe, Efq* London Walter Stirling, Efq, dittd Mr, Andrew Stirling, ditto Mr. Walter Stirling, ditto James Shepherd, of Upton Mrs. Saxton John Scott, Efq. Amwell Mr. Sam. Scott, Hertford Mr. Samuel Sake, Lon don Mr. Philip Sanfom, ditto Dr. Selkrig, ditto Dr. John Sims, ditto Mr, John Strettell, ditto — ^ Mifs Richenda Springall^ Norwich Sir Tho, Thorogciody Knt* of Kerfey, Suffolk Rev. Jofiah Tucker, D.D^ Dean of Gloucefter Rev. Dr. Tanner, Redtor of Hadleigh, Suffolk Rev, Dr. Thomas, Mafter of Chr-ift's Coll, Cam bridge Rev, Mr. Talbot, ReStot of Elmfet, Suffolk Rev. Mr. Tefli, Oxon Rev, Cha. Toogood, Sher- • borne, Dorfet Rev. Philip Toofey, Ston- ham, Suffolk Rev. Mr. Tapps, Norwich Rev. Jofeph Townfend, Reaor of Pewfey, Wilts Robert SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Robert Tudway, Efq. Charles Tudway, Efq. Rev, Mr, Toulmin Rev. Mr. Torrent Mr. Thomas Thompfon William Toogood, Efq. Mr. Tryon Philip Thickneffe, Efq. Bath Rev. Mr. Temple Anthony Todd, Efq. Mr. John Turner Mrs. Tindall, Greenwich Mr. William Theed, ditto Mr. Tennant, Bath Jofeph Tompkins, Efq. Abingdon Benjamin Tom_pkins, Efq. ditto John Thornton, Efq. Lon don William Turner, Efq. Bel mont, Somerfetfliire Colonel Dudley Templar, London John Taylor, Efq, of the Circus, Bath Mrs. Tryon, Bath Mr. James Turner, Shef field Mr. George Townfh^nd, ditto Samuel Thornton, Efq. Rob. Trotman, Efq. Ipfw. Mrs.Tugwell, of Bradford, Wilts Mrs. Mary Turner, Norw. Anonymous, by the fame Mr. William Trueman, Merchant, Glafgow Mr. John V. Taylor, Lon don Mr. John H. Trjtton, dittet Rev. Dr. Vincent Mrs, Vandevall Mrs. Sarah Vafton John Vere, Efq. Norwich Mr. James Vaftpn, Loi^- don W Right Rev. the Lord Bifliop of Winchefter Sir JohnWodehoufe, Bart. of Kimberley, Norfoljc Lady Wodehoufe Lady Wake Lady Wheeler Rev. John Warren, D. D, Archdeacon of Worcefter Rev. Dr. Wickham, Pre bendary of 'Wells Rev. Mr. Wake, of Bath Rev. Mr. Weller Rev. Mr. Whitchurch Rev. Mr. Warren, Hamp-, ftead Rev. Mr. Wright, Reftor of Great Waldingfield, Suffolk Rev. Golden Wells Rev.Mr.Wco Jroofe, Cran^ ham, Eflex P.ev. Mr. Vv^illian Rsy, SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Rev. Rob, Darley Waddi- love Rev. Mr. Whitmore Rev, J.ames Wilkinfon, Sheffield Rev. John Wood, Chefter field Rev, Philip Wodehoufe, Prebendary of Norwich Mrs, Wodehoufe Rev. James Walker, Redor of Lanlivery, Cornwall Rev.' Mr. Webber, Corn wall Mrs, Williams Mr, Richard Walford Mr. Edward Wits Mr, Elijah Waring James Wallington, Efq. Jer, Waring, Efq, Mrs, Witheral John Wadman, Efq, William Wright, Efq. Mr, Warner, Surgeon, Greenwich Mr, John White J, Walker, Efq, Oxford Mr, J. Withers, Hackney John Wifliaw, Efq. Richard Wood, Efq. Red Lion-fquare Mr. Hutton Wood, ditto Mrs. Wallace Brook Watfon, Efq. Lond, Edward Wynne, Efq. of the Inner Temple Mr. Wm. Webfter, Metr chant, Dundee Mr. Wigget, of Clare- Hall, Cambridge Samuel Whitbread, Efq. Mifs Whitbread John Wightwick, Efq. Mr. Ed. Watkins, Briftol Mr. John Winpenny, ditto Mr. George Watfon, jun. Merchant, ditto Mr. Rich. Webb, Stroud, Gloucefterfliire Samuel Webb, Efq., ditto Mr. Richard Ware, Mer chant, Whitby James Warren, Efq. Bath Benjamin Weft, Efq, William Webb, Efq, Mifs Wingrove Mifs Watts Matthew Wyldbore, Efq, Mr. Wake Mrs. Lydia Winter, Shef field Mr. John Winter, ditto Mr, James Wheat, ditto Mr. Geo. Woodhead, ditto Mr. Benjamin Wood, ditto Mr, John Wingfield, ditto Mr. Tho. VVatfon, ditto Mrs. Waterhoufe, ditto Dr. Woodward, Bath Mrs. Weftby, Howarth, Yorkfliire Mr. Edward Worthington, Stockport, Chefhire Mr. Chriftopher Wilfon, King-ftreet, London John Way, Efq. John Weftbrook, Efq. Fo- reft-Hall, Effex, Mrs. Weftbrook, ditto Mr. Woodward Mrs. SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Mrs. Woodward Jofbua Wilfon, Efq, Pon- tefrafi: Mrs, Willyams, Carnan- ton, Cornwall Mr, S.Warburton,Bridge- houfes near Sheffield Mr. J.Wilfone, Merchant, in Frone Gate, Glafgow Jonathan Watfon, Efq. Mr, Ifaac Walker, London Mr, John Warder, ditto Mr.William Wavell, ditto Mr. John Whitehead, ditto Mr. John Wright, ditto Mr. William Walker, ditto Mr, Rob, Wright, Norw, Thomas Younge, M. D. Sheffield John Younge, Efq. ditto Mr. Sim. A. Younge, ditto Mr. JohnTrevers Younge, ditto Rev. Henry Zouch, Sand- all, Yorkfhire Mr. John Zachary, Lond, Names omitted. Right Rev. the Lord Bp. of Meath Rev. Mr, Frith, of North- Cray, Kent Mr, William Fox, Hopton, Derbyfhire Rev, Mr, Kaye, of Cough- ton, Warwickfliire Mr, James Mainftone, Effex-ftrefet Mr. Robert Pool, of Shef field Mr. Tho. Pierfon, ditto Samuel Salt, Efq. of the Inner Temple Rev. Mr. Wake Rev. Mr. Woodroofe, Fel low of Clare-Hall, Cam bridge Mr. Wathen, Surgeon, London Vol, L CON- C ONTENTS OF VOLUME FIRST. '^j DISCOURSE I. The Character of Wisdom's Chil^ DREN. St. Luke, Chap, vii, Ver. 35. " But Wifdom is juftified , of all hef " Children." ^'DISCOURSE II. Evangelical Righteousness. - Jerem. Chap, xxiii. Part of Ver* 6. '* And this is his Name, whereby he " fliall be called. The Lord our" " Righteoufnefs." '^4? DISCOURSES III. and IV. ''The Religion of Jesus, the only Source of Happiness. Sti John, Chap. vi. Ver. 66, 6j, 68. " From that Time many of his DiA " ciples went back, and walked no d 2 CONTENTS. " more with him. Then faid Jesus *' unto the Twelve, Will ye alfo go " away ? Then Simon Peter anfwered, " Lord, To whom fhall we go ? " Thou haft the Words of Eternal " Life." ^^9 D I S C O U R S E V. True Religion, a costly and continual- Sacrifice. 2 Samuel, Chap. xxiv. Ver. 24. " And the King faid unto Araunah, " Nay, but I will furely buy it of *' thee at a Price : neither will I offer " Burnt- Offerings unto the Lord my " God, of that which doth coft me " nothing. i; D I S C O U R S E VL/ Truth, the only Friend of Man. Galatians, Chap. iv. Ver. 16. " Am I therefore become your Enemy, becaufe I tell you the Truth .?" D IS- CONTENTS. '/^DISCOURSE VII. // The Strength and Victory op Faith. I John, Chap. v. Ver. 4. -** Whatfoever is born of God over- " cometh the World : and this is the " Victory that overcometh the World, " even our Faith." f? DISCOURSE VIII. Faith TriuM'Phant over the Powers of Darkness. St. Mark, Chap. ix. Part of Ver. 24. *' Lord, I believe : Help thou mine " Unbelief!" V;9D I S C O U R S E IX. The flourishing State .of the Righteous. Psalm }. Ver. 3. ** He fhall be like a Tree planted by *' the Rivers of Water, that bringeth " forth his Fruit in his Seafon : His " Leaf CONTENT g. " Leaf alfo fhall not wither, and " whatfofever he dOth fhall profpdr." ,^^^ D I S C O U R S E X. The Cause and Cure of the Dis orders OF Human Nature. St. Mark, Chap, vii.' Ver. 34* ** And looking up to Heaven, he fighed j " and faith unto him, Ephphatha ! " that is. Be opened." ^DISCOURSES XLXILjgiL Tjhe Riches, Privileges, and Hon ours OF THE Christian. I Cor. ChaIp. iii. Ver. 21, 22, 23. " Therefore let no Man glory in Men : " for all Things are yours ; whether *' Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or " the World, or Life, or Death, or *' Things prefent, or Things to come ; *' all are yours : and ye are Christ's, " an4 Christ is God's.". DIS- CONTENTS. '^/DISCOURSE XIV. Christ, known or unknown, the Universal Saviour. St. John, Chap. xiv. Part of Ver. 9. " Have I been fo long Time with you, " and yet haft thou not known me, " Philip?" di^f DISCOURSE XV. Human Life, a Pilgrimage. Psalm xxxix. Part of Ver. 12. ** For I am a Stranger with thee, and *' a Sojourner, as all my Fathers ^llO DISCOURSE XVI, XVII. The true Knowledge of God in ternal AND practical. Job, CifAP. xlii. Ver. 5, 6. " I hav^ heard of thee by the Hearing " of the Earj but now hath mine " Eye feen thee : therefore I abhor " myfelf, and repent in Duft and *' Afhes." DIS. CONTENTS. ^j./rD I S C O U R S E XVIII. On the Nativity of Christ. St. Luke, CnAP.ii. from Ver. 6, to 20. ** And fo it was, that while they were ** there, the Days were accomplifhed, *• that fhe fhould be delivered," &c. DISCOURSE DISCOURSE I, The Character of WjfSDOM's Children. St. Luke, Chap, vii, Ver, 35, Vol. L DISCOURSE I. St. Luke, Chap. vii. Ver. 35. ** But Wisdom is justified of all *' her Children." IF we take an impartial view of the fentiments and condudt of mankind with refpedl to religion, we fhall find, that their errors in fpeculation, as well as in pradtice, originate, for the moft part, in the will ; that their underftandings are blinded by their pafHons, and that their ignorance of truth too often proceeds from their averfion to goodnefs. To combat this prevailing depravity of human nature, and to ftrike at that root q£ evil which we bring with us into the A 3 . world, 4 DISCOURSE I. world, was the grand and principal defigrt of all thofe different difpenfations, by which Heaven hath condefcended, from time to time, to fpeak to the fons of men. Inftead, however, of yielding a grateful attention to this benevolent purpofe, they have, in fome inftances, wholly rejedted, and, in others, perverfly mifconftrued, the difpenfations therpfelves. Whether "God fpake at fundry times, and in •' divers manners, in times paft, unto " the fathers by the prophets ;" or, whe ther he fpake, as in thefe latter days, to the children, by his own Incarnate Son ; the generality of men have either been deaf to the falutary meffage, or have availed themfelves of fome idle pretexts to elude a compliance with its moft feri- ous and folemn contents. Hence arofe the inattention and oppofition of ancient unbelievers, to the miflions of patriarchs and prophets -, and hence it is, that in fidels of later ages have called in queftion the truth and authority of that moft full and DISCOURSE I. 5 and complete Revelation of the Divine Will, with which mankind have been favoured by the miniftration of the Bles sed Jesus. Far, however, from re- fenting their obftinacy, or indignantly with-holding from them any further communications of Divine Light, the great God and Father of Spirits hath ftill perfevered in carrying on the purpofes of his Love ; and, " whether *' they will hear, or whether they will ** forbear," ftill feeks, by a variety of difpenfations, to gain poffeflion of the hearts of his creatures. Notwithftand- ing, therefore, the general indifference and obftinacy that have prevailed, there have not been wanting, in every age and nation, fome docile virtuous minds, who have liftened to the Heavenly Voice, and received with gratitude the inftrud:ions of that " Wifdom which is from above;" and who, as her true children, have vin dicated her ways to man, and admired and juftified the different methods by A 3 which 6 DISCOURSE L which fhe manifefts herfelf to different fouls. The truth of thefe obfervations we find remarkably exemplified in that con- dudl and behaviour of the Jews, and particularly of the fed: of the Pharifees, which is mentioned in the verfes pre ceding my text, and which indeed gave rife to the pertinent and beautiful maxim there expreffed. Ignorant of the fpirit of that difpenfa- tion under which they lived, and perver fly attached to thofe externals of their re ligion, that rnoft gratified their pride and felfifhnefs, they feem to have been equally offended with the doftrines and manners- of John the Baptift, and thofe of the Blessed Jesus. And though the grand objedt of the Mafter and his Forerunner was one and the fame, even the reforma tion of the heart and life j and though the outward means, however inconfiftent they DISCOURSE I. 7 they might appear, were but different parts of the fame fpiritual and redeeming procefsj yet thefe degenerate Ifraelites fought to ftifle the power of convidtion in their breafts, by childiihly objedting to the abftradled, fevere, and rigorous life of the Baptift on the one hand, and the eafy, open, and condefcending beha viour of Jesus on the other j infinuating, that the former was only the eifedt of a gloomy, dark, and diabolical fpirit ; and that the latter fhewed a familiai-ity and levity, unworthy the charadter of a pro phet fent frorri God. Our Blessed Lord expofes the weak- nefs and inconfiftency of thefe objedlions, by the following apt and lively fimili- tude : ", Whereunto fhall I liken the *' men of this generation, and to what "are they like.'' They are like unto " children fitting in the market-place, ** and calling one to another, and fay- ** ing. We have piped unto you, and ye A 4 " have 8 DISCOURSE L "have not danced; we have mourned " unto you, and ye have not wept." That is to fay : We have taken every me thod we could devife to engage your at tention, and to prevail upon you to bear a part in our recreations ; but you have unkindly and fuUenly refufed to come. We have endeavoured to adapt our little fports and exercifes to what we conceiv ed might be your particular tafte and humour ; but ftill we have failed of fuccefs. In application of this allufion, our Lord proceeds — " For John the Baptift " came neither eating bread, nor drink- " ing wine ; and ye fay. He hath a devil." The aufterity of the Baptift's life, which was meant to inculcate a leffon of felf- denial, and abftradtion from the follies and vanities of a worldly life, as well as a folemn preparation for the happinefs of an heavenly one, ye malicioufly declare to have proceeded from the melancholy fuggeftion DISCOURSE I. 9 fuggeftion of fome dark and evil fpirit, that hurried him into the defart, and fe- cluded him from all affedlionate inter- courfe with men. On the other hand, becaufe *' the Son of man is come eat- " ing and drinking, ye fay. Behold a " gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber, *' a friend of publicans and finners!" To anfwer the great purpofes of Divine Love, I have, with condefcending free dom, mingled with all ranks of people ; put myfelf in the way of the giddy and the profligate, and even accepted the in vitations of publicans and finners. For this, without knowing the motives of my condudl, you have vilified me with the opprobrious names of glutton and drunk ard; and infinuated, that the friendly attention I fhewed to men of their cha radter, proceeded not from a regard to their fouls, but from a fondnefs for their vices. But notwithftanding your blind- nefs and obduracy, notwithftanding your weak and wicked mifconftrudtions, be affured. to DISCOURSE 1. affured, there are thofe, who can do juftlce to thefe difpenfations of Heaven, whofe minds, illuminated from above, can dif- cern the beauty, propriety, and unifor mity of defign, which Wifdom manifefts in thefe various methods of addrefling herfelf to the fons of men. Such child ren of Wifdom are abundantly convinced, that the felf-denying life of the Baptift was necefiarily preparative to that meek, gentle, condefcending Life of Love, which I have inculcated in my precepts, and recommended and enforced by my exam ple ; and that both thefe are the happy effedts of that Redeeming Power, which I manifeft in the hearts of thofe, who, with fimplicity and felf-abafement, re- cej;ve and gratefully acknowledge my fpiritual falutary vifits. " But Wifdom " is juftified of all her children." The truth was this : the Pharifees con- lidered the feVere exercifes of John, hi^ contempt of the world, and total difre- gard DISCOURSE L II gard of the pleafures and honours of life, as a perfonal cenfure of their hypocritical pretenfions to religion, by which, under the appearance of great zeal for the ex ternal and ceremonial parts of the law, they " fought the praifes of men, more " than the praifes of God." In like manner, the humility and condefcenfion of Christ, his free and affedlionate in- tercourfe with all ranks of people, even with thofe, whom (on account of their ignorance of fome minute traditionary precepts of their Rabbins), they held ac- curfed, were a perpetual impeachment of their intolerable pride and arrogance, and moft effedtually tended to leffen their cre dit and reputation with thofe whom they wifhed and earneftly fought to engage for their pupils and admirers. No wonder, then, that whilft they continued thus attached to favourite paffions and preju dices, they fhould wilfully mifconftrue the pureft intentions, and vilify the faireft adtions of thofe, who attempted to com bat 12 DISCOURSE L bat and expofe them. Their objedtion» to the perfon and dodlrines of Christ, as well as to thofe of his illuftrious Har binger, came rather from their wills than their underftandings : nor would they ever .have called in queftion the Divine authority of their miflions, had not the defign and fpirit of them militated againft their own evil tempers and difpofitions : " Light was come unto them ; but they *' chofe darknefs rather than light, be- ** caufe their deeds were evil." In every age of the world, and under every difpenfation of religion, human nature, in itfelf, has always been the fame. The ferpentine fubtilty of human reafOn, when engaged in the fervice, and adting under the influence of vice and er ror, will never be at a lofs for arguments to fupport their caufe againft the voice of truth and virtue. Hence the fpecious objedtions, which modern infidelity hath thrown out againft the neceflity of Divine Revelation ; DISCOURSE h 13 Revelation ; and hence the weak and idle cenfures, which libertinifm on the one hand, and falfe enthufiafm on the other, fo liberally denounce againft the fin- cere, honeft, and cordial votaries of true Chriftianity. Sincerely to be pitied is the poor un^ believer, whofe fhort-fighted reafon, in capable of feeing further than the exter nals of Chriftianity, furnifhes him with fome plaufible objedtions, that feem to weaken its outward evidence, but cannot reach the fpirit and power by which it is animated and fupported. ** Chriftianity was inftituted for the common falvation of all men : its effential truths, therefore, are plain and obvious, level to every ca pacity, and ftand in no need of learned labour to inculcate and explain them; they are rather matter of feeling, than of reafoning. " Whatever is within, whatever is without us, calls alouci for a Saviour. Change^ 14 DISCOURSE I. Change, corruption, diftemperature and death, have, by the fin of fallen angels, and of fallen man, been unhappily in troduced into this fyftem of things which we inhabit. The whole creation groan- eth ; and animals and vegetables, and even the Immortal Image of God himfelf jn man, are all in bondage to their ma lign influences ; fo that every thing cries out, with the apoftle Paul, " Who fhall " deliver me from this body of death ?" fo that every thing cries out, with the apof tle Peter, " Lord, fave me, or I perifh ! " *• What kind of a Saviour then is it, for whom all nature thus cries aloud, through all her works ? Not a dry mora- lift, a legiflator of bare external precepts, fuch as fome would reprefent Christ to be : no, the exiftence and influence of the Redeemer of Natur'e, muft, at leaft, be as extenfive as Nature herfelf. Things are defiled and corrupted through- put; they are diftempered and devoted tQ DISCOURSE L 15 to death, from the inmoft effence of their being; and none, but He alone, "in *' whom they live, and move, and have *' their being," can poflibly redeem and reftore them." Thefe are inevitable truths, which all men, at fome time or other, muft feel, and feel deeply too, whether they attend to them now or not. The redemption and reftoration of every finner can be ac complifhed in no other way, than by Christ's fpiritual entrance into his heart, awakening in him an abhorrence of evil, and a love of goodnefs. This is the fpirit of the Gospel of Jesus ; this the grand purpofe of Heaven, under every difpenfation of Revealed Truth, from Adam down to this day. The modes of communication, the outward forms of worfhip and of dodtrine, may vary; but the fime fpirit runs through the whole; and the enlightened eye of " Wifdom's i6 DISCOURSE I. *' Wifdom's children " can fee and adore her radiant footfteps, in paths that ap pear dark and dreary to the eyes of Others. However her outward garb may change; whatever different appearances fhe may put on, under the patriarchal, legal, and evangelical difpenfations ; her real features, her whole perfon and em ployment, have ever been invariably the fame. Thefe different appearances were only adapted to the different circumftan-^ ces of men, and calculated to diredt their attention to the one great and principal objedt fhe has always had in view, even the Redeniption of immortal fpirits from the tyranny of earth and hell, and the full reftoration of them to their prime val innocence and blifs. Turn then, ye advocates of infidelity ! O turn back from thofe delufive danger ous paths, iftto which the falfe light of fallen reafon hath led your wayward fleps, "SJViiJdom herfelf, and all her true and Heaven-. DISCOURSE I. 17 Heaven-born children, lift up their fweet and inftrudtive voices, and prefs you to return ; to recognize your illuftrious ori gin ; to fpurn the tranfitory and polluting joys of earth,' and to afpire after the pure and permanent pleafures of Heaven ! From the Throne of the Moft-High, the center of her enlightened kingdom, fhe fpeaks, fhe illuminates, fhe warms every intelligent being that turns to her benignant ray : the darknefs of nature kindles, at her approach, into the Light and Life of Heaven ; every evil principle, every evil paffion, fhrinks from before her, and retires to its native hell ; whilft the fpirits of her redeemed children iifue forth from their long captivity, and trium phantly re-enter the realms of purity and peace. Who would not wifh, then, to become a votary, a pupil, a child of Wifdom ? But how is this privilege to be obtained ? what path muft we purfue, that will lead us to her delightful manfion ? what con- VoL I. B dudt i8 DISCOURSE L dudt muft we obferve, that will entitle us to be members of her illuftrious houf- hold ? Muft we put on the raiment of camel's hair, and the leathern girdle ; fol low the mortified Baptift -into the defert, and feed upon locufts and wild honey ? Or muft we not rather adopt the gentler manners of the Holy Jesus, mix with the world as he did, and chearfully em ploy ourfelves in adts of kindnefs and bro therly love } It is evident from the whole paffage of Scripture, of which my text is part, that our Lord blames the Jews no lefs for their dif- regard of the miniftry of John, than for the contempt with which they treated himfelf; and plainly intimates, that by the Children of Wifdom, we are to un- derftand all thofe who fee the Baptift's miniftry in its true point of view, viz. as introdudtory and preparatory to his own; and in confequence of this are fully con vinced, that the chearfulnefs of Faith, and DISCOURSE L 19 and the fw^etnefs and condefcenfion of Love, muft naturally be preceded by the feverity of Repentance, and the falutary bitternefs of forrow and contrition. " Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Hea- " ven is at hand," faid the Harbinger of the Son of God : " The Kingdom of " God is come; he that believeth fhall " be faved;" faid the Son of God him felf. " Repentance, therefore, and Faith " working by Love," are the fure cha- radleriftics of Wifdom's Children, It is not, therefore, any diftinguifh- ing peculiarity of tlie Baptift's charadter, the outward garb, or the outward deport ment, that we are to affume, but an in ward temper and frame of mind corref- ponding to both. A deep fenfibility of the evils and infirmities of our fallen na ture, an heart-felt convidlion of the guilt and mifery of fin, and a penitential for row for our own numberlefs lapfes and B 2 deviations 20 DISCOURSE L tisns from the path of virtue, are the true Harbingers of Christ in our hearts. When, under their powerful miniftration, we find ourfelves called, not perhaps to a life of outward folitude and mortifica tion, but of inward retirement and ab ftradtion from the world; in the lan guage of Scripture, ** we repent, we are " converted:" we turn our backs upon every gay and glittering fcene, which worldly honour, wealth, or pleafure, can exhibit ; we find nothing in any of them, that can give a moment's real peace or reft to our " weary heavy laden" fouls ; we are humbled to the duft ; we feel our felves, as " worms, and not men," as " lefs than the leaft of God'^ mercies." In this mortified, penitent, and afflic ted ftate, which is mercifully intended to bring us to a proper fenfe of our help- leffnefs by nature, and of the indifpen- fable neceflity of Divine Supernatural affiftance, we muft remain, till the happy effedl DISCOURSE I. 21 effedl is produced, and till God is gra- cioufly pleafed to call us out of the wil- dernefs. The Harbinger then hath fulfill ed his office; " The Lamb of God" ap pears " to take away the fins of the " world;" " The kingdom of heaven is " come" into our hearts. To forrow and difquietude, fucceed fweet peace and hea venly compofure of mind : the under- ftanding is enlightened ; the will re^' ceives a new and happy dir^dtion ; a new principle animates our whole frame, a new condudl appears in our whole life and converfation : the Spirit of Loye breathes and adts in every duty we are called to perform, in every little office, which com mon civility and politenefs requires us to do, even to thofe, who have yet no tafte or defire for the fublime comforts of religion. Thus it is, that Wifdom is juftified of all her Children ; and thus it ap pears, that the Religion of the Gofpel, which is the only True Wifdom, is a B 3 Religion 22 DISCOURSE L Religion OF Love. ALifeofLove, therefore, is the beft, the only evidence, which its difciples can give, of the fince- rity of their profeflion ; and the fureft method they can take of recommending it to others. " Let your light, then, fo " ihine before men, that they may fee "your good works, and glorify -youy " Father which is in Heaven," DISCO URSE DISCOURSE 11. Evangelical Righteousness, Jeremiah, Chap, xxiii. Verse 6. B 4 DISCOURSE 11. Jerem. Chap, xxiii. Part of Ver. 6. " And this is his Name, whereby " HE shall be called, The Lord " OUR Righteousness." TH E great and efi^ential diftindtion betwixt the legal and evangelical difpenfation, is accurately pointed out by the Apoftle, where he tells us, that " the *' law is but the fhadow of good things *' to come, and not the very image of *' the things." Its types, ceremonies, and outward ordinances, are taken from the objedts of temporal nature, which are, at beft, but fhadowy reprefentations of Eternal Truth. " The comers there- " untq could never be perfedted," by the 26 DISCOURSE II. the moft minute obfervation of its ex ternal rites. The pious, fpiritual Jew, therefore, would look further than thefe, and would confider every outward puri fication, as figuratively expreffive of an inward cleanfing to be performed- in his Jieart. Mofes, their infpired legiflator, and the prophets that Succeeded him, did not fail to acquaint them with the immediate and necefl'aty reference of thefe temporal fymbols to Spiritual and Eternal Truths. Neverthelefs, it appears but too evident, from the whole Jewiih hiftory, that the generality refted their hopes of falvation, merely upon their outward law : "They " went about to eftablifh a righteoufnefs ** of their own," founded upon a ftridt obfervance of the Levitical ceremonies, which were only adapted to their prefent circumftances, without paying the leaft attention to that Inward Law of Righte oufnefs, DISCOURSE IL 27 oufnefs, to which thefe ceremonies re ferred. Hence it was, that their prophets were diredled by the Moft High, to exprefs, in the ftrongeft terms, his difapprobation of thofe very ordinances, which he him felf had. originally inftituted for their good; and to tell them, that " he had no " pleafure in their burnt-offerings and " facrifices, that their oblations were " vain, and that incenfe was an abomina- " tion in his fight." His difpleafure was not with the ordinances themfelves ; for, if confidered and obferved with pro per views and difpofitions, they would have been fubfervient to the moft glori ous purpofes : but he was offended with the grofs and flagrant abufes of them, which the people were daily committing. Hence alfo it was, that the fame in fpired prophets, when the hand of the Highest drew afide the curtain of fu turity. 28 Discourse ii. turity, and exhibited to their aftonifhcd view^ the fueceffive difplays of Gofpel Light and Truth, Vv^ith all that variety of heavenly fcenery, which his Incarnate Son was to open upon our benighted Vv'orld; hence it was, I fay, that the fame infpired prophets were particularly careful to diftinguifh the new difpenfa- ' tion, by every figure and mode of ex- preffion, that might lead the moft dark and ignorant Tew to confider it as inter- nal and fpiritual. The righteoufnefs of the new covenant is widely different from what the carnal Ifraelite apprehended to be the righteouf nefs of the old. With refpedl to their effence, their foundation, their motives and ends, both covenants are the fame, differing only in the external mode of re velation; the old one being " the fhadow," the new, " the image of good things to " come;" the old, pointing to Christ; the discourse II. 29 the new, revealing him in all his fulnefs to the faithful. Christ Jesus, therefore, is and muft be, " the end of the law to thofe that *' believe;" that is, he is and muft be, in himfelf, that very Righteoufnefs to which the law pointed, but which it could not attain. " As a fchool-fnafter," it ferved to inftrudl its ignorant, dark, and fallen pupils, in the outward rudi ments of Divine Truth ; but could never communicate to them the Light, Life, and Spirit of that real Evangelical Righte oufnefs, which is only to be found in the Incarnate Word of God. It is for this reafon, that the prophet, fpeaking of the approaching kingdom of the Messiah, in whom all the law and the prophets were to center, reprefents him as "a righteous branch fpringing " forth from the root of David ; as a " king, reigning, profpering, and exe- " cuting 30 DISCOURSE IL " cuting judgment and juftice on thfc *' earth;" in confequence of whofe mild and equitable adminiftration, " Judah " fhould be faved, and Ifrael fhould dwell "fafely:" and as the moft charadle- riftical defignation of his nature and of fice, tells us, that " This is his Name, " whereby he fhall be called. The Lord " our Righteousness." Let us then enquire, in the firft place, why our Blessed Redeemer has the name of Righteousness, afcribed to him by the prophet ; and fecondly, what we are to underftand by his being cal led " our Righteousness." I. A name in Scripture is generally put to exprefs the intrinfic nature and qualities of the objedt named. When, therefore, the name of the Messiah is here faid to be " Righteoufnefs," we muft neceffarily conclude, that Righteoufnefs is his very nature, his effence, the fub- ftance DISCOURSE IL 31 fiance of all his attributes and perfec tions. He is not called righteous, but Righteousness itfelf; the fource and fountain, from whence all that is really and truly righteous, throughout the lini- verfe, perpetually proceeds. Jesus Christ is " the Brightnefs of " the Father's Glory, and the Exprefs *' Image of his Perfon." All the beau ties, excellencies, powers, and virtues, which are effentially hidden in the in- vifible Godhead, are fubftantially, vi tally, inwardly, as well as outwardly, opened, revealed, and illuftrioufly dif- played, in the perfon of the Incarnate Jesus. " All things v/ere made by *' him, and without him was not any *' thing made, that was made : " all the ** thrones, dominions, principalities and ** powers," pofTeffed by angels, arch angels, cherubim and feraphim, are de rived from him; for, " in, and through *' him, did the Father create all things." The 32 D-ISCOURSE IL The higheft degree of Righteoufnefs which the higheft Seraph can attain, is but a beam or efflux from this Eternal Sun. With glory undiminifhed he per petually imparts fpiritual life and vigour to all thofe countlefs myriads of intelli gences, which inhabit the whole compafs of univerfal nature. He is himfelf the living law, the eternal rule of order and redtitude. God the Father hath " fet this his King of Righteoufnefs on *' his holy hill of Sion." Every out ward inftitute, revealed and v/ritten, which God hath " at fundry times and *' in divers manners," delivered to the fons of men, was but a tranfcript of that original law, which lives for ever in the heart of Christ. " I am the way, the " truth, and the life;" " no man cometh ** unto the Father, but by me ; ye will " not come unto me, that ye may have " life; without me, ye can do nothing — " are his own blefifed words. Nature DISCOURSE IL 33 Nature, without this Christ of God, is impurity, emptinefs, poverty, want, and wretchednefs extreme : nature illuminated, enriched, refrefhed, glorified by him, is holy, righteous, lovely, fu- premely happy. Known or unknown to our fallen race, it is he alone, who in- fpires every good thought, every righte ous deed, every fentiment and adlion that is amiable and endearing. In the adls of the apoftles we read of an altar with this infcription, " To the un- ** known God !" St. Paul, taking occafion from this circumftance, tells the Atheni ans, " Him whom ye ignorantly wor- *' fhip, preach I unto you." In the whole frame of nature, fays a truly fublime writer, every heart, every creature, every affedlion, every adlion, is an altar with the fame kind of infcription, " To the " unknown Beauty ! — To the unknown *' Righteoufnefs ! — To the unknown Je- " sus !" This is the eternal ftandard of Vol. L C truth. 34 DISCOURSE II. truth, order, righteoufnefs and perfec tion, to which every being in nature ig norantly moveth ; this is that which all underftandings, all hearts, cannot but admire and adore. But bleifed above all beings are thofe, whofe hearts are fpi ritual altars, with the righteous perfon of Christ engraven upon them by the fin ger of God, flaming with the fire of Hea venly Love, and bearing this radiant in fcription, " To the known and experi- " enced Beauty and Righteoufnefs of that " Jesus, whom we know; that Word of " Life, which our eyes have feen, our " ears have heard, our hands have hand- " led, and fpiritually embraced !" And this leads me, in the fecond place, to en quire what we are to underftand by Christ's being called " Our Righ- " TEOUSNESS" IL Under my firft head, I obferved to you from Scripture, that God created all things " in and by Jesus Christ ;" and that c DISCOURSE II. 3 that " without him, was not any thing " made that was made." Man, in parti- ticular, was " created in the Image of "God:" Christ is "the Brightnefs " of the Father's Glory, and the Exprefs " Image of his Perfon :" and, therefore, man was created in Christ. Man in himfelf, in his outward na ture, was but an empty veffel, till the Christ of God became his fulnefs and perfedlion. His outward form was from the duft of the earth ; but his inward fpirit was the breath of the Most High. The Image of God, even Christ himfelf, was his firft, his fole Righteoufnefs and perfedlion; the infallible inftrudlor and enlightener of his underftanding, the unerring guide and diredlor of his will. The Name by which the Son of God was known to him, was " The Lord " his Righteoufnefs," Angels themfelves know no other Righteoufnefs, than the Righteoufnefs of God in Christ. C 2 The ^6 DISCOURSE II. The fall of man, or " Original fin," (as our church article with great truth and propriety expreffes it) " is the fault and " corruption of the nature of every man, " that naturally is engendered of the ofF- " fpring of Adam ; whereby man is very " far gone from original righteoufnefs, " and is of his own nature inclined to " evil." We have already feen what this original righteoufnefs was, which man pofTeffed in a ftate of ianocence, viz. that it was Christ, "the Lord his Righte- " oufnefs," in him. This is what Adam loft — This is what Christ alone can reftore. Man in his prefent fallen ftate, without Christ, muft be naturally inclined to evil : he has no righteoufnefs of his own. And he can no more be faved by any ex ertion of his own natural powers, than he can fee by the utmoft ftretch of his organs of fight, without the light of the fun. Here DISCOURSE IL 37 Here then a ferious and inquiring mind may be ready to afk — How is this Blessed Redeemer to become my Righteoufnefs } I feel the force of thefe Scripture truths you have mentioned, and experience in my foul the dreadful con- fequences of an original apoftafy — But I know not, whether Christ is my Righteoufnefs, or not. I know not, whe ther I have the leaft traces of his Righ teous Image in my foul. " Hath Christ, then, been fo long " time with thee, and yet haft thou not " known him ?" Every little rebuke of confcience ; every emotion of kindnefs, tendernefs, and love ; every fympathetic feeling of the profperity or diftrefs of thy neighbour; every fenfibility of ad miration, efteem, and joy, from contem plating a truly wife and virtuous charac ter ; every fervent defire of imitating what is good and excellent in others; every weak afpiration after holinefs and perfec- C 3 tion ; ^;8 DISCOURSE II. tion ; nay, every little feeling of the rcft- lefs cravings of thine own nature, every little longing after happinefs unpoffeffed ; all, all is Christ, fpeaking within thee, and waiting and watching to reveal himfelf in Righteoufnefs to thy foul. Nothing, therefore, is wanting, on thy part, but a calm and quiet refignation of thyfelf, and all that is within thee, to his fovereign dif- pofal, to redeem, purify, and reftore, to do every thing that is neceffary to be done, and which he alone can do, for thy falvation. ^._- Thus have I endeavoured to give the plain and obvious meaning of the text. / Diftindlions upon diftindlions have been multiplied ; books upon books have been publifhed, to tell us that we are to be juftified by the Perfonal Righteoufnefs of Christ outwardly imputed, and fandli- fied by the inherent graces of the Holy Spirit; that one muft neceffarily pre cede the other ; and that we muft be per- fedl in Christ by Juftification, before we DISCOURSE II. 39 we can have the leaft fpark of Holinefs by Sandlification. This is, indeed, travel ing in the broad and popular road ; and fuch kind of preaching might be to the " praife of men." Let fyftems be writ ten upon fyftems, and comments upon comments; let preachers oppofe preach ers, and hearers wander after this or that form of godlinefs : but may Heaven in mercy preferve us from taking Up our reft, or placing our dependence upon any thing lefs than an intimate and experimental knowledge of " The Lord our Righ- *' TEOUSNESS " revealing himfelf, Avith all his holy heavenly tempers, virtues, and difpofitions, in our hearts ! May we ne ver reft fatisfied with a nominal profef- fion of Chriftianity, a nominal acquaint ance with Christ, or a nominal remiffion of fins; for, furely, we are not warranted, by Scripture, to look upon ourfelves as re deemed by Ch R I s T, and born again of hirn, till by a total purification, a complete deliverance from all the evil tempers and C 4 paffions 40 DISCOURSE II. paffiohs of our fallen life, he hath obtained a full and peaceable poffeffion of our whole nature, .eredled his Throne of Righte oufnefs in our hearts, and by the ef- fedlual working of his Holy Spirit brought us to the " meafure of the fta- " ture of that Fulness, which is in " Himself." DISCOURSE DISCOURSE III. The Religion of Jesus, the only Source of Happiness. St. John, Chap. vi. Ver, 66, 67, 68. DISCOURSE m. St. John, Chap. vi. Ver. 66, 67, 68. *' From that time, many of his " Disciples went back, and " walked no more with him. " Then said Jesus unto, the " Twelve, Will ye also go " away } Then Simon Peter " ANSWERED HIM, LoRd! TO WHOM " SHALL WE GO ? ThOU HAST THE " Words of Eternal Life. HAPPINESS is the great end and aim of all thofe reftlefs pur- fuits in which mankind are perpetually engaged. The laborious peafant, and the contemplative philofopher ; the man that wifheth for wealth, and the man that 44 DISCOURSE IIL that poffeffeth it; the gay votary of world ly pleafure, and the gloomy tenant of the folitary cell, are alike induftrious in exploring this hidden treafure. Their imaginations are ever upon the ftretch af ter this fomething yet unknown. Their ideas of happinefs indeed, as well as the means which they make ufe of to attain it, are as different as their prevail ing tempers and inclinations. Whatever objedls coincide with their prefent con ceptions, thofe they efteem, and thofe they purfue, with all the eagernefs of newly awakened defire. Deluded, how ever, by fpecious appearances, miftaken again and again in their choice of objedts, loathing to-day what they purfued yefter- day with ardour, chearful and confident inprofpedl, difappointed and melancholy in pofleffion, they fondly rove from one ^cene of imaginary blifs to another, un able to reft on any with permanent fatif- fadtion. They never once confider, that no finite objedls can fill up the immenfe void DISCOURSE III. 45 void of an immortal foul, no temporal enjoyments fatisfy its boundlefs defires ; and that nothing lefs than " life eternal" can afford an happinefs commenfurate to its eternal nature. This is not mere theory or empty fpe culation. There is not One in this affem- bly, but could bear witnefs from expe rience to the melancholy fadl. Was each of us to be afked, in a ferious and fo lemn manner. Are you really happy? very few, I am afraid, if they would fpeak ingenuoufly, could anfwer in the affirma tive. And yet, perhaps, moft of us have attained, from time to time, what we once deemed the height of our wifhes ; and what we were then fure, if attained, would make us completely happy. The child wifhes for the employments and pleafures of youth ; the youth longs to arrive at what he calls this freedom and independence of manhood ; the man anxi- oufly 46 pi[SCOURSE III. oufly fchemes and plots, and contrives, and labours and toils, and then wifhes to fee the fuccefs of his fchemes, the accom- plifhment of his labours. His fchemes turn out to his fatisfadtion ; the end is ob tained; the objedt is enjoyed : his blifs is confummate, to be fure; he cannot be happier — No fuch thing — New wants fucceed ; new fchemes are formed ; new purfuits, new labours, new anxieties and wifhes, tread clofe upon each other's heels. But where is his happinefs all the while .? Why he lofes fight, at laft, of the grand and principal objedt, in the purfuit of which he had fet out : failing of fuccefs in this, he foolifhly adopts the means for the end ; and perpetual care, toil, and vexa tion, are the wretchisd effedts of his mif taken choice. Thus, for inftance, the covetous man grafps, and faves, and fills his coffers — for what .? Not to make himfelf, his fa mily, or his poor neighbours round him, happy with the fruits of his penurious efforts. DISCOURSE IIL 47 efforts. No — he not only turns a deaf ear to the piercing cries of indigence, but grudges even his family the common neceflaries of life, and never parts with a farthing, without uttering fome ridi culous complaint of the hardnefs of the times, and their want of economy. He faves therefore for the fake of faving ; his heart is fhut up in his cheft with his be loved mammon, both alike inacceffa- ble to the mild and foft approaches of kindnefs and liberality. We cannot but fhrink back with hor ror, from a charadter fo odious and de- teftable as this. But the obfervation with which I fet out, will hold equally true, when applied to any of thofe falfe paths, which men purfue in queft of hap pinefs. Pleafure and ambition will deceive them, as furely as avarice. Enjoyment in every inftance may pall, but cannot fatisfy 48 DISCOURSE III. iatisfy the reftlefs defire. Nor will it ever be fatisfied, till the foul gets fight of the only true beatifying objedl in the univerfe, to which fhe can rife, and upon which fhe can reft, with the whole ftrength and energy of her immortal nature. The light of another world, however, muft open and irradiate her fpiritual fenfes, before fhe can have the leaft glimpfe of this fupreme fource of blifs. The vani ty and deception of all creaturely happi nefs muft in fome meafure be unfolded to her view, before fhe can ftretch one fee ble thought towards Heaven ; and fhe muft be intimately convinced of the bondage of her fallen life, and the mifery of her condition in this fallen world, be fore fhe can feel the force, or difcern the fpiritual depth of thefe expreffions of St. Peter, " Lord ! to whom fhall we go ? " Thou haft the words of eternal life." There DISCOURSE III. 49 There are many people, indeed, who though they are walking on. in thofe very paths of error and delufion, which I have juft mentioned, would fain have their condudl hallowed by fome religious ap^ pearances. They begin with deceiving themfelves, and then go on to deceive others. But, do what they will, they can not wholly diveft themfelves of the feel ings of truth and virtue. For they have within them a Spiritual Nature, that is continually ftriving, under theinfluences of its native Heaven, to get difengaged from the fervitude of its corrupt com-: panion. Call it by what name we pleafe, confcience, the light of nature, common {tn(e, common or preventing grace ; or, as the Scripture denominates it, " the " Light that lighteth every man that '' cometh into the world, Chrift in us the ^' hope of glory, the Incorruptible Seed " of the Word of God," (for, as Chrif- tians, I think we ought to prefer fcrip- tural to philofophical terms;) I fay, call Vol. I. D it 50 DISCOURSE III. it by which ever of thefe names we like beft, certain it is, that every man at times feels this Divine Power ftirring within him, and endeavouring to awaken, re prove, inform, illurninate, and govern his life and adtions. Now it always happens, that the coun- fels of this ' Heavenly Monitor clafh with and oppofe the didlates of corrupt nature. At this contradidlion, the paffions are alarmed : they demand immediate gratifi cation ; and the trembling mortal dares not at once yield to their folicitatjons. A ¦ftrong fenfibility of the falfehood of their claim, is felt in his breaft. Something muft firft be done, to ftifle or quiet this uneafy fenfation'. Avarice, he will fay to himfelf, is criminal, it is true; but a well-timed parfimony is virtuous and commendable ; and a good and prudent man will think himfelf in duty bound to provide for the future fupport of his children. Senfual DISCOURSE III. 51 Senfual pleafure, vain mirth, and jo vial company, are not quite confiftent with the precepts of the Gofpel of Christ: but a few innocent amufements can do no harm; and it is but in cha radter for a Chriftian to be chearful. The purfilits of ambition are diametri cally oppofite, to that meeknefs and hu mility, which fhould charadterize the difciple of the lowly Jesus : but pofts of honour, and exalted ftations, may ena ble a man to be of confiderable fervice to his neighbours, and enlarge his fphere of ufefulnefs. Thus, every evil temper and inclina tion, wrath, hatred, revenge, envy, jealou- fy, &c. may cloath themfelves in the garb of virtue. Men may firft deceive them felves, by endeavouring to reconcile their criminal purfuits with the didla;tes of confcience; and then employ the fame infernal arts, to deceive and impofe upon D 2 others. 52 DISCOURSE III. others. It is with fuch mafks as thefe, that hypocrites, pharifees, and all pre tenders to true religion, ftep forth upon the ftage of life, dare to enlift themfelves under the ftandard of virtue, and even fometimes affume the rank and authority of commanders. But when they are fummoned to the field of battle ; when they are called upon, from within, or from without, to exert themfelves againft their fpiritual adverfaries, to affert the rights of Heaven, as well in themfelves as in the world around them, to fubdue the evil lufts and paffions that tyrannize in their own breafts, or to engage with that bitter and malevolent fpirit, who oppofes the advancement of their Mafter's kingdom in the life and condudl of others ; then it is, that the traitors drop their mafks ; they meanly defert the ban ner of the crofs, openly difavow their pretenfions to religion, and " deny the ". Lord that bought them." They flirink from the combat, honourable as it would have DISCOURSE III. 53 have been for them to engage, and hap py as they would have found themfelves in the iffue; and meanly barter away their falvation for a falfe peace, fhort in its continuance, and ending in woe and mifery extreme. Like the cowardly difciples mentioned in my text, " they " go back, and walk no more with their " Mafter."Doubtlefs thefe timid Ifraelites were alarmed at that heavenly difcourfe of the Blessed Jesus, which we read in the preceding part of this chapter. The rriyfteries of his kingdom there delivered, were too refined for their grofs concep tion. The nature, nouriihment, and growth of the Inward and Spiritual Man, which is there indifpenfably required, militated too powerfully againft their, far vourite paffions and prejudices. Their high-blown hopes of future preferment in a temporal kingdom, were, by this fpiritual addrefs, entirely diflipated ; and D 3 they 54 DISCOURSE III. they were taught to feek and expedl no thing from their Mafter, but what was oppofite to the life, and fpirit, and maxims of this world. Alas ! how many apoftates from the religion of Jesus, have imitated the condudl of thefe unworthy difciples ? Paft, as well as prefent times, afford too many melancholy examples of this kind. A temporizing fpirit hath prevailed in almoft all ages ; and ecclefiaftical hiftory abounds with examples of its venomous influence upon the minds of men. The temporal profperity of the church hath, in many inftances, proved its ruin ; and acceffions of wealth and power have only ferved to increafe its corruptions. Under the profeffion of a religion, v/hich breathes nothing but purity, meeknefs, and benevolence, men have been adtuated by all the diabolical paffions, that ever inflamed the breafts of the moft ignorant and unenlightened Pagans. Wherever DISCOURSE III. S5 Wherever the external profeffion of Chriftianity hath been attended with any outward emoluments, its difciples have increafed, and an outward fhew of zeal for its advancement, hath not been want ing. This outward fhew gives them but little trouble ; and the hypocrite's garb, though cumberfome at firft, is not only made light and convenient by cuftom, but even defirable for the profits and advantages it brings. Whilft the Blessed Jesus is diftri- buting his bounty, and loaves and fifhes multiply under his creating hand, he will never be vvithout crouds of follow ers to partake of his royal munificence. Whilft he is riding in triumph through the ftreets of Jerufalem, nothing is heard from every quarter, but " Hofannahs to " the Son of David;" every one is ambi tious of joining his train, and of being in the number of his adherents. But when the powers of this world con- ¦ D 4 federate 56 DISCOURSE III. federate againft him; when Herod and Pontius Pilate, and the whole nation of , the Jews, rife up in arms, feizie upon the innocent vidtim, and drag him to con demnation, torture and death ; then, in deed, his falfe friends appear in their proper colours ; and, O melancholy truth ! even his difciples " go back, and " walk no more with him;" fome of them deny him, and all fly and forfake him. Let us not deceive ourfelves, my bre thren. It is not an outward profeffion of Chriftianity, or an outward zeal a- gainft its adverfaries, that will ftand us in any ftead : all this may well enough confift with inward impurity, a worldly fpirit, and an heart devoted to the fer vice of fin. The great trial of our faith, the fure proof of the fincerity of our ¦ converfion, muft be fought for in deeper exercifes than thefe. , When DISCOURSE III. s7 When ftorms arife, when dangers threaten, when inward and outward ene mies attack our peace, when we cannot maintain our difcipleihip without the fa- crifice of fome darling paifion of almoft irrefiftible power, when we can walk no longer with our Mafter, without the lofs of fome confiderable temporal ad vantages ; when we are fummoned by him to fly from the foft allurements of pleafure, to burft the bonds of avarice or ambition, to difclaim all dependence upon the world, ourfelves, or any created being; in a word, " to forfake all, take " up our crofs, and follow him ;" then, indeed, is our hour of trial ! then the fincerity of our attachment to Christ, will be made manifeft to ourfelves, and to the world ; and we ihall learn to know afliiredly, whether we are, or are not, of the number of thofe difciples, who " go " back, and walk no more with him." Therefore, 58 DISCOURSE III. Therefore, O Chriftian, thy Beloved is then only thine, and thou art then only his, when thou canft abide with him in the darknefs of the vale, as well as in the fplendors of the mount ; when thou canft walk with him in the wil- dernefs, as well as on the plain ; and when " neither tribulation, nor diftrefs, *' nor trial, nor perfecution, can feparate " thee from the Love of. God, which " is in Christ Jesus our Lord." DISCOURSE DISCOURSE IV. The Religion of Jesus the only Source of Happiness. St. John, Chap. vi. Ver. 66, 6j, 6^. DISCOURSE IV. St. John, Chap. vi. Ver. 66, 67, 68. " From that time many of his *' Disciples went back, and " walked no MORE WITH HIM. " Then said Jesus unto the " Twelve, Will ye also go " away? Then Simon Peter an- " swERED him. Lord, To whom " SHALL WE GO? ThOU HAST THE " Words of Eternal Life." TH E motives which induced many of our Lord's firft followers to withdraw themfelves from his perfon, and wholly relinquifh the connedlion they had formed with him and his difciples, I have explained in the preceding dif courfe. 62 DISCOURSE IV. courfe. The erroneous condudl of man kind in general, their miftaken notions of happinefs, the falfe and dangerous paths in which they purfue it, their de lufive hopes and real difappointments ; the palliative arts they make ufe of to re concile their duty with their paffions, and the various methods by which they deceive themfelves as well as others, their hypocritical pretenfions to religion, and the ways in which their deceptions a^-<& difcovered, and their pharifaical profef- fions unveiled, in a word, the genuine fources of that error and apoftafy, into which the unworthy difciples mention ed in the text, as well as others who have fince imitated their example, have fadly degenerated; all thefe particulars were fuggefted to my mind, from the confideration of thefe words of the evan- gelift, " From that time many of his " difciples went back, and walked no " more with him." The DISCOURSE IV. 63 The tender and pathetic expoftulation which this ungenerous condudl produced from the bleffed lips of the common Friend and Saviour of Man, breathes fuch a fpirit of love, kindnefs, and compaf- fion, towards the fouls of thofe whom he came to redeem, as cannot but claim our moft ferious and grateful attention. The deep concern he muft have felt for fuch an inftance of apoftafy, added to his apprehenfions of the fatal influence it might have upon his beloved Apoftles, awakened in him all thofe innocent and delicate fenfibilities, which, even in his human nature, were the genuine off- fpringof that Eternal Love to which he was effentially united. F|iendfhip, true friendfhip, is the Heaven-born Offspring cf Divine Charity. Heaven is her native country. In that pure and gentle element ihe lives and moves without conftraint, free, chearful, delighting and delighted. If ever 64 DISCOURSE IV. ever (he deigns to aifpciate with the fons of men, it is among the truly virtuous alone fhe can be found. She vifits none but thofe, whofe " converfation is in " heaven," who have within them a birth congenial with her own, whofe hearts and affedlion s are governed by the Spirit of Love, and can only be wooed and won by correfpondent tempers and charadters. Her facred name, indeed, is often proftituted to venal, bafe, and corrupt purpofes. Her fair and beauteous garb is often worn by the votaries of avariee, pleafure, and ambi tion. Her fweet afpedt, her mild and winning graces, her obliging and difinter- efted difpofition, yea, even her peculiar warmth of affedlion, and glowing fen fibility of heart, are all profanely coun terfeited by the felfiih and fenfual, the vain and the afpiring. Take it for granted, however, that man, whether gay, diffolute, covetous, xor DISCOURSE IV. 65 or ambitious, is incapable of real friertd- fhip : all his defigns and profpedls cen ter in himfelf, and every feeming adt of kindnefs, every fplendid appearance of courtefy and generofity, is calculated to promote fome felfifh purpofe, to procure fome temporal emolument. Far different is the friendfhip of thofe who are " born of God;" who, froni a vital union with the Source of Love, derive fuch pure and unadulterated ftreams of Charity into their breafts, as mani feft themfelves in a life of general bene ficence towards all men, and a wartn, affedlionate, fpiritual attachment towards ** thofe efpecially who are of the houf- " hold of faith," Such, but in the pu reft higheft degree, were thofe heavenly feelings of true friendfhip, with which the heart of Jesus glowed, when he ut tered this fweet and endearing expoftula tion, " Will ye alfo go away ?" Vol, L E ^ The 66 DISCOURSE IV. The words are few, but the fentiments are manifold, gracious, and animating ; and they cannot but appear fo to thofe, who attend, with nice difcernment, to the common feelings of human nature. It is to thefe common feelings that our Lord makes his appeal, in all his heavenly difcourfes. Though, from the general corruption, it is a cafe that has but feldom occurred in the page of hiftory, yet let us fup- pofe a good and virtuous man, affo- ciated with a fet of good and virtuous companions, bound to him by the ftrong and endearing ties of private friendfhip, in the defence of fome good and vir tuous caufe. Novelty, the love of fame, a defire of appearing to the world in fome confpicuous point of view, the profpedl of fome great temporal advan tages, and a variety of other motives of a felfifh nature, might fuddenly prompt a confiderable number of per fons DISCOURSE IV. 67 fons to join thefe champions of virtue, and follow them in the glorious enter- prize. Enemies appear, dangers threat-* en ; yea, death, perhaps, in all its hor rors, prefents itfelf to their view. Per fonal fecurity is to be preferred before the general intereft of virtue ; and where virtue cannot be fupported without per fonal lofles, her caufe muft be abando ned. Upon thefe principles, the weak and timid multitude forfake their gallant leader. Attached to him by no bonds, but thofe of intereft or ambition, when thefe fail, they think themfelves at liberty to abandon his perfon and his caufe. The noble chieftain, not fo much affedted with the profpedl of danger to himfelf and his caufe, as with a real concern for the bafenefs of his followers, and an ap- prehenfion, that their flight might per haps intimidate thofe, whom he knew to be attached, from principle, to virtue and himfelf; the noble chieftain, I fay, might with great propriety, and without the E 2 leaft 68 DISCOURSE IV. leaft tindlure of fear or defpondency, but rather as a trial of their fidelity, and a moft powerful incentive to new and rriorc vigorous efforts, addrefs himfelf in fuch words to the chofen few, as thofe, which the great Captain of our Salvation delivered upon this occafion : " Will ye ** alfo go away ?" In this addrefs, there is not implied the leaft unkind fufpicion of their integrity. It is no more than an affedlionate appeal to the warm and tender fenfations of trrue and genuine friendfhip. O, my beloved Apoftles ! ye fee the weaknefs, timidity, and worldly-minded- nefs of thofe pretended friends, who have hitherto affociated with us. So violent hath been their attachrrient to earthly purfuits, that they would not fuffer truths of the higheft importance to in terfere with them for a moment. My laft fpiritual addrefs was too deep and powerful a ftroke at their corruptions. Could DISCOURSE IV. 69 Could they have continued in fellojvfhip with us upon their own terms, and made their connexion fubfervient to their own views of temporal intereft, they would not have fo fuddenly forfaken us. But fhall their condudl have the leaft influ ence upon yours ? Will ye be intimidat ed by their flight ? Will ye fuffer your fidelity and perfeverance to be fhaken by their evil example? Will ye unkindly abandon a Mafter, into whofe fervice ye entered upon the moft difinterefted prin ciples, and who knows and feels you to be attached to him by the heavenly ties of religion and love ? After having feen fo many indubitable teftimonies of that almighty power wherewith he is invefted, will ye doubt his ability to protedl and deliver you ? After fo many kind and in ftrudtive converfations, in the courfe of which he hath gradually, and as he found you *' could bear them," opened to you the great truths of his fpiritual king dom ; will ye be fuch enemies to your- E 2 felves. 70 DISCOURSE IV. felves, and your real happinefs, as to for fake your beft of friends, your kindeft and moft powerful protedtor ? " Will ye " alfo go away ?" Thefe fentiments, and more than thefe, are expreffed in this pathetic expoftula tion : and for our comfort, my brethren, may we ever recolledl, that, though af- cended into the higheft heavens, and feated at the right hand of his Father, he continues the farrie loving condudl to wards all his faithful friends and follow ers, that he obferved towards his difci ples whilft he was upon earth. The fame gentle and affedlionate modes , of fpeech, the fame tender, but awakening expoftulations, to which his Apoftles were accuftomed, he ftill applies to the heart of every believer. If we look back to paft experience, we fhall be convinced, that this very expof tulation of our compaflionate Mafter, hath DISCOURSE IV. 71 hath frequently founded in our ears. When the infedlious influence of evil example, the fudden attack of fome pow erful temptation, fome fevere ftroke of adverfity, oi* fome fmiling profpedl of temporal fehcity ; when thefe, or any of thefe, have fecretly folicited our frail na ture, to relinquifh our religious pur fuits, to furrender ourfelves to the do minion of fin, and renounce the favour and protedlion of our Mafter ; hath he not frequently, and with ineffable ten dernefs, whifpered this gentle reprehen- fion to our hearts, " Will ye alfo go away ?" Happy, indeed^ if, with Peter's affedlionate warmth, and honeft faithful adherence to our ' Lord, amidft the feve- reft trials, we have been enabled to reply, from a full convidlion of our own weak nefs, arid of his all-fufficiency, " Lord ! *' to whom fliall we go ? Thou haft the '** words of Eternal Life." E 4 Peter 72 DISCOURSE IV. Peter generally fpoke in the name of all-his brethren, His anfwer here, there fore, is to be confidered, as a folemn decla ration on the part of the Apoftles, of their firm truft and confidence in their Mafter, founded on the full evidence they had re ceived of his Divinity. As if he had faid : ^Think not, deareft Mafter, that thy faithful difciples are adtuated by fuch unworthy motives as have prompted fome of their weak and carnal brethren to for fake thee. No-T-we are intimately con vinced of the folly of depending upon any creaturely ftrength, or feeking for happinefs in any fublunary profpedls. Thou haft opened upon our wandering fouls Tuch fcenes of heavenly blifs, thou haft manifefted to our outward fenfes fuch aftonifhing difplays of thy abfolute power over all temporal nature, thou haft revived our hearts with fuch fweet draiights gf thofe rivers of pleafure that furround tllJF DISCOURSE IV- 73 thy Father's throne, thou haft enlightened our underftandings with fuch piercing beams of truth, thou hail placed fuch en dearing objedls before our will and af- fedlions, and haft fo enamoured our fouls with the beauty and excellency of thy Gofpel, that we are perfedlly fatisfied to remain with thee for ever, implicitly to follow thy bleffed footfteps, to accom pany thee through all the difficulties and dangers of life, and even to meet death undaunted at thy fide. Indeed, " to *' whom fhall we go ?" Every creature around us bears the ftamp of its own imperfedtion. Whatever they poffefs of beauty or of blifs, it is all from thee, thou Lord of life, and fource of all perfec tion ! They are in themfelves, as poor and iridigent as we are. If we make the expe riment, and go to them in queft of hap pinefs, our fond hopes are fuddenly over thrown, and vexation fucceeds to difap- jpointment. The life we are now in, is fal len. 74 DISCOURSE IV. len, temporal, and tranfient. The words of this life are as vain as the life itfelf : for it can only fpeak what it knows and feels, and the fum and fubftance of this is want and woe. But as thou haft in thy"- felf the very fource of eternal life, by virtue of thy eternal union with the Father ; as the powers, fenfibilities, virtues, and per fedlion s of this life are completely opened in thee; as the "fulnefs of the God- " head dwells bodily" in thee, fo thy words muft be the " words of eternal " life :" for thou " fpeakeft that thou " doft know, and teftifieft that thou " haft feen." Thy outward words are, indeed, but the outward figns of this life eternal ; the real participation of it can be nothing lefs than an inward and vital union of our wills with thine, eftedlually co-operating, and gradually " transform- " ing us into thine own image, from glory " to glory." Such DISCOURSE iv. js Such was the import of the Apoftle's reply ; and fuch muft be the real heart-felt language of every finner, that expedls peace and pardon at the hands of the Almighty. Pardon of fin, is not, as fome vainly ima gine, like the cancelling of a bond, the remitting of a debt, or the forgivenefs of an injury betwixt man and man. No — It is a " dying unto fin, and a rifing again ** unto righteoufnefs." It is life eter nal opening itfelf in the fallen foul, and extinguifhing the life of fin, or at leaft keeping it in due fubjedlion, till the dif^ folution of the body puts an end to its connedlion with this fallen world ; it is, according to the Apoftle's language, " the ^' law of the fpirit of life making us free *' from the law of fin and death." That eternal life, which we have, and can have only from Jesus Christ, the fecond Adam, can alone pardon, remit, atone, cover, extinguifh, (for all thefe are words of the fame fpiritual import) that earthly X 76 DISCOURSE IV. earthly life, which we have received from the firft Adam. The very firft motion of this eternal life within us, is a convidlion of the vanity, fin, and folly of our earthly life. " They that are whole need not a " phyfician, but they that are fick," A fenfibility of want and weaknefs muft neceflarily precede a defire of relief : and the foul muft be " weary and heavy la- ** den," oppreffed beneath the burden of her fallen nature, and convinced of its in ability to yield her a moment's real peace, before flie will think of making this fo lemn enquiry, " what fliall I do to be " faved ? to whom fhall I go ?" Yea, even after flie is come thus far, many a weary ftep muft be taken, many doubts and dif ficulties muft be encountered, before fhe will be able, from her own experience, to adopt this declaration of the Apoftle, " Thou haft the words of eternal life." Thofe doubts and difficulties, with which men are frequently embarrafied in their D I S C O U R S E IV. 'jj their fpiritual refearches, do in a great meafure proceed from that general devia tion from the primitive fimplicity of Gof pel Truth and Gofpel Language, which fo fadly prevails among the various deno minations of Chriftians ; in confequence of which a multitude of ufelefs and un- fcriptural diftindlions have been intro duced into catechifms, fyftems of divi nity, and even books of pradlical devo tion, which ferve only to perplex and confound the minds of anxious and well-difpofed inquirers " To whom fliall I go ?'" cries the poor penitent finner, whom Christ, by the Power of his Grace, hath brought to a fenfibility of his fallen life. Why,- go to the prieft, fays one; confefs, and get abfolution, and you will come away as innocent as a new-born babe. Go, and ftudy the Augfburg confeffion, fays ano ther, and you will foon have every doubt and difficulty removed. Go, fays a third, and 78 DISCOURSE IV. and read Calvin's fyftem with great atten tion, and you will foon find your foul at reft. Some advife him to join himfelf to one {eO: of Chriftians, and fome to another; each maintaining, in his turn, that the life and power of religion is only to be found among thofe of his own particular ¦ fociety. The poor mifguided feeker eagerly catches at every thing that looks like fpiritual advice ; runs from one book to another, from one church and conven ticle to another, " feeking reft, but find- " ing none," or at moft, a temporary peace, a partial truce from extreme dif trefs ; whereas after all, a few plain words of Scripture, properly applied and at tended to, will go further towards fet- ting him right in his refearches, than all the popes and priefts, and Luthers, and Calvins, and fedls and denominations in the world. What then hath a minifter of Christ, or indeed any private Chriftian, to fay or do. DISCOURSE IV. 79 do, when atrue penitent under fuch cir cumftances applies to him for advice, and afks him with the utmoft anxiety, ** To whom fhall I go ?" What can he do, what can he fay, that will have a more immediate tendency to fix his attention, and compofe his diftradled mind, than to anfwer him in the words of the text ? " To Vvhom fliouldft thou go, but to "Jesus Christ? it is he alone who " hath the words of Eternal Life." « I know no other end of preaching but this ; and I am fure, that we are war ranted by Scripture to declare to every fuch humbled, penitent, and afHidled fin ner, that if he thus feeks Christ, he fliall not feek in vain. By faithfully di- tedling his will and affedlions towards his Redeemer, thus inwardly unfolding his graces and virtues in his heart, he will become more and more acquainted, and more and more comforted, with that " Life Eternal, which is the gift of God " in Christ Jesus." DISCOURSE DISCOURSE V. -True Religion, a costly and continual Sacrifice. 2 Samuel, Chap. xxiv. Ver. 24. Vol. L DISCOURSE v: 2 Sam. Chap. xxiv. Part- of Ver. 24. " And the King said unto Arau- " nah. Nay, but I will surely " BUY it of thee at A PRICE ; " neither will i offer burnt- " offerings un to the lord my " God of that which doth cost " ME nothing. THE preceding part of this chapter prefents us with an awful and in ftrudtive example of the fatal confequences which refult from an unbelief or diftruft of the providential power and goodnefs of God. Contrary to the exprefs com- F 2 mand 84 DISCOURSE V. marid of the Almighty, contrary to the fpirit of that difpenfation, which incul cated an abfolute and implicit reliance upon Heaven in all dangers and difficul ties, yea, contrary to an happy experience of the mpft fignal interpofifions of Om nipotence; David had rafhly iffued a com- miifion to the general and officers of his hoft, to go through all the tribes of Ifrael, and take a particular and exadl account of the numbers of his people. Such a fla grant inftance of unfaithfulnefs to his God, after fo many merciful deliverances received, drew upon him a moft fevere chaftifement. To humble the haughtinefs of his fpirit, and convince him of the folly of depending upon the arm of flefh, inftead of taking the moft High God for his fhield and defence, a meffenger of ven geance was immediately fent forth. From Dan even to Beerfheba, he marked his pro- grefs with carnage and defolation : feventy thoufand men, within the fpace of a few hours, fell a facrifice to the devouring peftilence. DISCOURSE V. Bs peftilence. He foon reached the beloved city, and was preparing to pour his phial of wrath upon the mount of God. The eyes of the unhappy monarch were now opened : he faw the deftroying angel, humbled himfelf in the duft, acknow ledged his guilt, and deprecated the fur ther progrefs of the contagion. " Lo *' I have finned, and I have done wick- *' edly : but thefe fheep, what have they *' done ?" Omnipotence arrefted the an gel in his progrefs : " It is enough — *' ftay now thine hand." And David was diredled by the prophet Gad, to rear an altar unto the Lord, on the very fpot where the peftilence had ceafed. This fpot was the threfhing- floor of Araunah the Jebufite. Deeply fenfible of the greatnefs of his deliverance, the king immediately pro ceeded to execute the divine command. Araunah difcovered him at a diftance; and with all the fubmifliion of a'conqiiered F -J and 86 DISCOURSE V. and tributary prince, haftened to meet hirn, and " bowed himfelf before the " king on his face to the ground." " And " Araunah faid. Wherefore is my lord the " king come unto his fervant ?" And David faid, " To buy the threfhing-floor, " of thee, to build an altar unto the " Lord, that the plague may be ftayed " from the people." Araunah, as a king, with a princely generofity of fpirit, im mediately offered hirn, not only the threfhing-floor, but alfo his oxen for the facrifice, and his threfhing inftruments for wood. " And the king faid unto Arau- " nah. Nay, but I will furely buy it of " thee at a price; neither wiU I offer *' burnt-offerings unto the Lord my "God of that which doth Qoft me " nothing." The plain and obvious meaning of which is undoubtedly this ; Hath God favoured me with fuch an aftonifhing deliverance ? Hath he mani fefted his goodnefs and loving-kindnef? in DISCOURSE V. 87 in withdrawing his chaftifing hand, par doning my guilt, and fparing me and my people from utter deftrudlion ? Surely, then, I will not grudge the trifling expence of eredling, upon this fpot, a monument of his love. Surely I will not accept of the labours of another, or teftify my gratitude by burnt- offerings and facrifices at another's ex- pence. The leaft I can do is, to make fuch an acknpwledgrrient, and in fuch a manner, as will beft evidence my fgnfe of the obligation, and the honour that is due to my Almighty Deliverer. Thofe who look beyond the letter and the outward hiftory, will readily difcern the ftate of David's mind. They will readily difcern-this outward adlion of his, though adapted to the outward difpenfa tion under which he lived, to he highly expreffive of that great and fundamen tal principle, which every difpenfation of Truth, from the fall of man down to F 4 this 88 DISCOURSE V. this very day, hath ftrongly inculcated, viz. that true religion is an inward life, that cannot reft in external appearances, but manifefts itfelf in an abfolute unli mited furrender of the whole man to his Creator. This can never be accom plifhed without confiderable coft and ex- pence on the part of the creature, inaf- much as his will and affedlions muft firft be drav^'n off from all that variety of ima ginations, defires and enjoyments, to which his fallen nature ftrongly allures, and deeply enflaves him. Hence it is, that our Blessed Lord makes the very firft duty of difciplefhip to confift in " denying ourfelves, taking ^' up our crofs, and following him :"that is to fay, in bearing, with meeknefs, the neceffary evils of our fallen life, refift- ing and overcoming its finful fuggeftions, and humbly waiting for and co-ope rating with his Spirit revealed in our hearts. , This DISCOURSE V. 89 This is the fpiritual warfare, the ftruggle betwixt the " law in the mem- " hers," and the " law of the mind ;" the fighting " not only againft flefli and " blood, but againft principalities and " powers," in which conteft we are all fummoned to engage. The whole burnt- offering and facrifice, the whole price which this muft coft us, is nothing lefs than the turning our wills, with the whole tide of our affedlions, from the evil to the good principle within us. And that God through Christ hath given us ability to do this, will appear from the following confideration s. The will of man, as coming forth from the Eternal Will of God, muft be eternally and effentially free. The will of the fallen angels in hell, was as free as that of the higheft archangel now in heaven : Freely they flood, who flood ; and. fell, who fell. The whole difference betwixt them confifts in this, that the will of thofe who 9o DISCOURSE V. who fell, is freely turned to evil ; the will of thofe who ftood, is freely turn ed to God and Goodnefs. Man ftands in an intermediate ftate, betwixt light and darknefs, betwixt life and death, betwixt heaven and hell. The whole tenor of Scripture, from beginning to end, reprefents him in this critical fituation ; reprefents his Heavenly Father, as calling to him and inviting him to " efchew evil, and to do good;" to " love light rather than darknefs ;" to " come to him, that he may have " life." All which certainly implies, that God, by his Grace, hath given him a power of choofing, and has made his falvation or deftrudlion to proceed from -himfelf, and not from any predeter mining divine decree. Jesus Christ is always fpoken of, as a freely given Saviour ; but falvation, as DISCOURSE V. 91 as " a treafure to be purchafed, as a race " to be run, as a battle to be fought, as a " work to be accompliflied, even with *' fear and trembling." The power or capacity of being faved, the whole merit of falvation, comes from Christ; the ufing of this power, the availing our felves of this merit, from ourfelves." Why "will ye die, O houfe of Ifrael ? " Turn yourselves, and live ye. Ye " WILL not come to me, that ye might " have life. How often would I have *' gathered you, as a hen gathereth her " chickens under her wings, and ye " WOULD not." Upon this principle of forfaking fin, and turning our will to Goodnefs, are founded all thofe Gofpel precepts, which fpeak of " crucifying the flefh with its " affedlions and lufts, deftroying the old " man, dying to fin, fuffering with " Christ, cutting off a right hand, ** plucking out a right eye, paffing " through 92 DISCOURSE V. " through much tribulation ;" all which plainly fhew, that True Religion is a perpetual facrifice ; and that this facrifice cannot be " offered to the Lord our God, " of that which doth coft us nothing;" that the price will be far mOre, than " fifty ihekels of filver," the purchafe of Araunah's threfhing-floor and imple ments ; yea, that it will be no lefs than the " whole body of fin," which we carry about us, with all its affedlions and lufts ; which we muft, with meeknefs and hu mility, furrender to our Blessed Re deemer, to be burnt up and confumed upon the fire of his altar. Having thus endeavoured to eftablifh this fundamental principle, that " true *' religion is a coftly and a perpetual facri fice;" let us now, to prevent any dangerous deception, turn our eyes to thofe falfe ap pearances of it, which we frequently meet with in the world, which are very cafily affumed, and which coft nothing. The E) I S C O U R S E v. 93 The man of moral honefty firft fteps forth, and puts in his claim to the cha radter of religious. He looks upon any Revelation from Heaven to be quite un- neceffary ; and, with all the forwardnefs and prefumption of his own blind reafon, pronounces thofe books, which Chrif tians believe to be of Divine Authority, to be idle and chimerical. His religion, he will tell you, is, " to do as he would " be done by." Poor man ! it were well, if he even pradtifed this golden rule ; it might lead him to fomething further ; for, by endeavouring to fulfil this, he might be brought to a view and feeling of his own natural inability ; of the evil tempers and paffions of his foul, which, in innumerable inftances, hurry him on to do to others, what he would, by no means, have them to do to him. His religion, therefore, is properly vifionary. Every thing to him is juft and right, that comes within thofe bounds of honefty, which have been fixed by the laws of the 94 DISCOURSE V. the land. A right life is not, with him, a right principle in the heart, but only a fet of outward adtions, that in the eyes of the world give him the charadter of an honeft man. The religion of fuch a perfon " cofts " him nothing." He has nothing to facrifice, but much to gain by the prac tice of it; at leaft, much of worldly hap pinefs ; for he can have no idea of any other. Being wholly deftitute of all fen fibility with refpedl to the evil of his fallen life, he is not in the leaft defirous of purchafing a better, at the price it will coft. Before he can. form any con ception of the neceffity of religion, as a real inward change and renewal of heart, he muft firft be made fenfible of his . prefent error and mifery: " for they " that are whole need not a phyfician, " but they that are fick." Next DISCOURSE V. 95 Next comes the nominal Chriftian, who hath been baptized, and profeffes to, believe the great truths of the Gof pel, and joins wil^li fome publick affem- bly of Chriftians in outward worfhip. Surely his claim to the religious charac ter, hath a better foundation than the preceding one : he purchafes it at an higher price ; it cofts him more to fup port it. He negledls no outward duty, either moral or inftituted ; you never mifs him at church, or at the facra- ment : he hath been ftridlly educated from his infancy ; he is fober, virtuous, kind, and charitable. In a word, he ap pears to be, what it were to be wiftied every man in the world really was. Thus far he is undoubtedly right : a ftridt ob- . fervance of all the outward duties of religion, a minute attention to things in themfelves indifferent, and a prudent ab- ftaining from every appearance of evil, are doubtlefs incumbent, even upon thofe who 96 DISCOURSE V. who have made the greateft progrefs in the Divine Life. Let us, however, remember, that this outward ftridlnefs will avail little, with out a conformity of our inward man to the temper and difpofition of Christ ; without being " born again," and com mencing a new life, even a life of Hea-' ven upon earth. The nominal Chriftian is a ftranger to this bleffed procefs. Talk ' to him of the neceffity of regeneration; of doing all that he does from a principle of Divine Love, and with a view to God's glory, and not to any felf-fatif- fadlion, and he will riot underftand you. His round of duties feems to be the God whom he worfliips ; at leaft, he makes them the opus operatum. He is never tormented with fpiritual doubts and temptations ; he knows nothing of the fevere conflidls which real Chriftians fuftain, and the dreadful pangs they muft fuffer, before their purification is accom- DISCOURSE V. 97 accomplifhed ; before they can " bow " their heads," with the great Captain of their Salvation, and fay with him, " It " is finifhed." He is willing to go to Heaven by an ' eafier and lefs thorny path, and to purchafe glory at a cheaper rate. The laft I fhall mention, but the moft fpecious appearances of religion, are thofe which are exhibited by the pha rifaical profeffors of Chriftianity. And here I would willingly throw a veil over thofe follies and extravagancies, to which falfe enthufiafm frequently gives the name of fpiritual exercifes and experi ences. But my duty calls upon me to put you on your guard againft thefe delu five appearances ; as- I cannot but think, that fpiritual pride, or an over-weening conceit and forward exhibition of our own fancied fpiritual attainments, is the moft fatal rock, upon which the Chrif tian can make " fhipwreck of his faith." Vol I. G In 98 DISCOURSE V. In an age, wherein every appearance of religion ought to be encouraged and promoted, it is nielancholy to think, that we fhould be under a neceffity of fpeak ing even againft fome ap{)earances. But that you may form a right notion of what I mean by a pharifaical profeffion of religion, I will endeavour to draw the charadter of a modern Pharifee, In the firft place, he is one, who talks much in a religious ftrain, but takes care to make himfelf the chief fubjedl of converfation. His own illuminations and experiences, his convidlion and conver fion, with all the particular circumftances attending them, he never fails to com municate, without diftindlion, to all thofe who will give him an hearing ; and to communicate in fuch a manner, as to let them know, that he confiders his own a? the infallible ftandard by which he mea- fures the experiences of others. In DISCOURSE V. 99 In the next place, you will generally ¦find him infifting upon points of con- troverfy, rather than thofe of pradtice; urging your affent to fuch and fuch arti cles of his faith, calling upon you to ap ply for inftrudlion to fome favourite Rabbi of his own fedl, or fome favourite fyftem which himfelf has adopted, in ftead of fending you immediately to him, v7ho is the Fountain of all Wifdom, and *' who giveth it liberally" tp thofe that afk it of him. You will find him careful to " pay *' tithes of mint and annife, and cum- ** min ;" to go to what he calls a gofpel- fermon, though he fhould negledt the ne^- ceffary duties of his occupation ; and to fpend hours in talking about religion, whilft he paffes by " the weightier mat- *' ters of the law, judgment, and mercy, " and faith." Tell him of the neceffity ¦" of dying daily to fin, of fuffering "" with Christ, of mortifying the flefli, G 2 " denying loo DISCOURSE V. " denying himfelf, cutting off a right " hand, &c," he will anfwer you, that his peace is made, that his fins are pardon ed, that he has a full affurance of ever- lafting life. Tell him of the neceffity of being " born again," of having the righteous nature, temper, and difpofition of the Holy Jesus in his heart ; he will reply, |that he knows of no righteoufnefs but that of Christ imputed, and that his Saviour's perfonal obedience is ac cepted by God inftead of his own ; and though he may not go fo far as to deny the great dodtrine of fandtification, but will even allow and infift upon it, yet it is fuch a fandtification, as will turn to very little account. For, who that looks upon his work as already done, will chufe to labour any longer ? Who that believes his fins to be already pardoned, will think it neceffary to implore the forgivenefs of God, or to obtain the healing influences of the Spirit of Grace ? In DISCOURSE V. loi In a word, if we may judge from his converfation, he thinks himfelf perfedl — ¦ if we may judge from his adtions, he is indeed very far from it. He fliews the ut- termoft bitternefs againft every one that happens to diffent from his opinion ; and looks upon all thofe as carnal and unre- generate, who do not walk in his foot fteps. Meeknefs, humility, benevolence and charity, the moft charadteriftical graces of the true difciples of Jesus, are not to be found in any part of his condudl. His life, therefore, is not in Christ, but in a fet of dodlrines and opinions, fupported by a " zeal that " is not according to knowledge." Till he is taught to fee his own pride and prefumption; till he difcovers, and ftrives to eradicate the felfifh principle that lurks at the centre of his heart ; he cannot be faid to offer any other facrifices to God, than fuch as " coft him nothing." G 7 To 102 DISCOURSE V. To conclude : Having feen what thofe real facrifices of religion are, which will be acceptable to God, and in how many inftances men deceive themfelves, and others, by falfe appearances ; let us de termine to judge of our acquaintance with and progrefs in True Religion, not merely by outward obfervances, nor yet by any tranfient fits or lively and pleafant frames of devotion ; but rather by the difcovery which God is pleafed to make to us of our weaknefs and mi fery, by our fincere defire of being united to Christ, and in heart and fpirit affimilated to his nature. Thus having followed a Suffering Mafter, "tra- " veiling in the greatnefs of his ftrength," through the enfanguined paths of a fpi ritual warfare, we fhall at length " come "forth out of great tribulation;" and, having " wafhed our robes in the Blood " of the Lamb," fhall be partakers of his triumphs, and receive the accom- plifhment DISCOURSE V. 103 plifhment of his great and glorious pro- mife : " To him that overcometh will " I grant to fit with me in my throne, *' even as I alfo overcame, and am fet " down with my Father in his throne." G4 DISCOURSE DISCOURSE VI. Truth, the only Friend of Man. Galatians, Chap. iv. Ver. i6. DISCOURSE VI. Galatians, Chap. iv. Ver. i6. " Am I therefore become your " Enemy, because I tell you " THE Truth ?" ME N are generally too apt to con fider religion as unfriendly to their happinefs, and incapable of yielding them any fatisfadtions, equal to thofe which they derive from the purfuit of worldly objedls. Hence, the averfion to exercifes of piety, and the fociety and converfation of the good and virtuous. Hence, the liftleflhefs and unconcern about the ftate of their fouls, whilft the whole attention of their minds, their thoughts, their defires and affedli\)ns, their hands and their io8 DISCOURSE VI. their hearts, are all bufily and conftantly employed, in making provifion for the fupport, ornameht, and gratification of a perifhing body. Surely, fuch a ftrange condudl as this, muft proceed from a fecret perfuafion, that religion will inter rupt their purfuit of fome prefent favou rite objedts, and damp and deaden all the fprightlinefs of enjoyment. Were they, indeed, charged with holding fuch principles as thefe, they would doubt lefs take it exceedingly amifs ; and look upon that man as their enemy, who fhould prefume thus to arraign their con dudl, and afcribe it to motives, which they would blufh to own. The tender and affedlionate expoftula tion in my text, is evidently founded upon an intimate knowledge of human nature. The fagacious Apoftle readily difcovered the fecret workings of pride and difguft, in the hearts of his Galatian converts. After having expreffed his aftonifh- DISCOURSE VI. 109 aftonifhment, that "they were fo foon " removed from him, that called them " into the Grace of Christ, unto ano- " ther Gofpel;" after having charged them with folly, for fuffering themfelves to be " bewitched," as he expreffes it, by the artifices of deceivers ; after hav ing declared his fears and apprehenfions, left he fhould have beftowed upon them labour in vain ; and, after having enu merated fome former teftimonies of their reciprocal regard and affedlion for each other ; he, at length, addreffes himfelf to their confciences, and folemnly calls upon them to declare, whether they could, with the leaft juftice or propriety, change their former fentiments of him, or deem him unfriendly to their beft interefts, " becaufe he told them the *' Truth;" becaufe, by his Chriftian and apoftolical reprehenflons, he fought to refcue them from the dominion of paffion and prejudice : " Am I therefore become *' your enemy, becaufe I tell you the " Truth ?" One no DISCOURSE VL One would think, that fuch well- meant remonftrances, from the minifters of Truth and friends of Virtue, would be kindly received, and have a falutary influence upon the hearts of finners ; but experience, alas ! tells us the contrary. There have been many inftances, and fome, perhaps, within our own perfonal knowledge, in which refentment, rather than gratitude, hath been awakened by , fuch expoftulations ; and, inftead of hum bling the fpirit, they have produced a re ply that bore the marks of paffion, checked and difappointed in its favourite purfuits. Confidered with refpedl to the real ftate of his foul, every man, who lives under the dominion of any evil paf fion, or fuffers himfelf to be drawn afide from" the paths of virtue by the delufive arts of vice, is doubtlefs in a fituation fimilar to that of thefe Gala tians. For though his paffions and pre judices may not be exadlly the fame, yet they proceed from the fame fource, and enmity DISCOURSE VI. Ill enmity to God and Goodnefs is at the bottom. But, bleffed be God ! there are no Galatians without an Apoftle ; no finner without an higher meffenger of* God than St. Paul; a greater witnefs, and more awful reprover of his evil ways; a friend that fpeaks to him at all times and feafons, in the hurry of the day, and the filence of the night, amidft the anxiety of expedlation, and the ardour of poffeffion ; vigoroufly remonftrating againft every finful fuggeftion, and fharp- ly cenfuring and reproving the mind for every finful adt. . The fallen fpirit of man, it is true, brooks not the frequent appearance of this Heavenly Meffenger ; but, as the Apoftle fays of the Galatians, treats him as an enemy, and replies to all his friendly remonftrances and affedlionate warnings, with indignation and difdain. " Go t 112 DISCOURSE VL *' Go thy way for this time," was the lan guage of voluptuous greatnefs to the fame bleffed Apoftle. *' Go thy way for this " time," is ftill the language of every un converted heart, when it is checked or in terrupted in its vicious and lawlefs purfuits, by the voice of this Inward Monitor — Why art thou perpetually intruding upon my hours of bufinefs, pleafure, or repofe, and teizing and difquieting me with thine ill-timed admonitions or rebukes ? Who amongft us, let me aflc, hath not, in innumerable inftances, given fuch arafli and impatient anfwer to the Servant of God within us ? When fome darling paffion hath importunately folicited for immediate indulgence ; fome pretty fan- taftical objedt prefented itfelf to our de- "^ fires ; fome impetuous call of pride, en vy, covetoufnefs, or refentment, demand ed an immediate anfwer; have we not, though we were, at the very inftant, warned againft the artifice and delufion, by DISCOURSE VI. 113 by this conftant and infeparable Friend, have we not petulantly rejedted his coun- fel, bid him " away for that time " at leaft, and treated him with more con tempt than we would dare to fhew to a real earthly enemy ? His meeknefs, however, is not dif- compofed by our rifing wrath ; his for titude is not daunted by our repeated in- fults ; his perfevering love is not in the leaft abated by the ftubbornnefs and obduracy of our hearts. He ftill keeps clofe to our fide, accompanies us whi- therfoever we go, and, " whether we " will hear, or whether we will forbear," ceafes not, at one time, to whiiper to us in the foft language of heavenly in ftrudlion ; and, at another, to thunder in our ears the moft alarming reproofs and menaces. But who is this Apoftle, this Meffen ger of God, this Inward Witnefs and Vol, I. H Monitor, 114 DISCOURSE VL Monitor, whom deluded mortals are fo apt to confider as an enemy to their peace ? — Hear, O finner, and let thy face be covered with confufion ! let thine hard heart break with deep com- pundlion for its paft obduracy, whilft thou art told, that this enemy, as thou haft hitherto deemed and treated him, is no other than the Eternal Spirit OF THY God and thy Redeemer, who, by continually oppofing the lan guage of truth to the fuggeftions of er ror, hath been endeavouring to emanci pate thy foul from its grievous bondage, and to bring it forth into a ftate of light and liberty. Thou haft miftaken death for life, mifery for happinefs, time for eternity ! Thy will and affedlions have been fixed upon objedls of unreal blifs ; turned from thy God, the true and only fource of Goodnefs arid Happinefs, and work ing evil in the element of fin and dark nefs I DISCOURSE VI. 115 nefs ! Spirits thus employed, muft min gle with congenial fpirits : there is " no " communion of Christ with Belial ;" no fellowfliip or likenefs betwixt thy fpirit in fuch a ftate as this, and the Spirit of thy Redeemer. He appears, arid cannot but appear to thee, as thine enemy, becaufe the truth he tells thee militates againft thy darling lufts, and fliews thee thofe dark deftrudlive pur pofes, which, becaufe thou canft hide them from others, thou wifheft alfo to hide from thyfelf. But this feeming enemy is, indeed, thy real friend. He is only purfuing thee with his internal counfels and reproofs, that he may fnatch thee out of the hands of the deftroyer ; that he may call thee out of thy prefent " darknefs, into his " own marvellous light." When thou haft experienced this bleffed change, re conciliation will foon take place; an union of fpirits will commence betwixt thy H 2 Saviour ii6 DISCOURSE VL Saviour and thee; and thou wilt gra dually grow into his Image and Likenefs, till thou art made perfedl in his Love. Believe me, my brethren, till this great change hath paffed upon our fouls, till we begin to feel, and admire, and love the communications of this inward friend and comforter, we muft be ftrangers to true peace of mind, and totally igno rant of the proper enjoyment of our felves, and the proper ufe of the world in which we now fojourn. In our natural ftate, all is darknefs, diforder, and difquietude. We fee every thing through a falfe medium. We are under a fpiritual delirium. Our hea venly phyfician is endeavouring, by the methods I have juft mentioned, to reftore our health of mind, to open our fpiritual fenfes, to give us a clear and diftindt view of " the things that belong to our ' " peace." We muft-, therefore, co-ope rate DISCOURSE VI. 117 rate with his " labours of love." Even the feverity of his applications proves him to be our friend; for he knows that, without them, we can never come to a " right mind." Let us, then, recolledl, how often thefe applications have been made ; how often, through inattention and negledt, they have failed of fuccefs ; how often we have flighted his counfels, defjpifed his prefcriptions, and eaft his medicines from' us. But let us alfo re member, that there is a time at hand, when, light as we may think of fuch a bleffing now, we fhall moft ardently long for his fupport and confolation. When languifhing with ficknefs, and opprefled with pain, it is he alone who can foften our pillow, and fupply us with inward ftrength ; when tottering with age, and bowed down with infirmities, it is he alone who can be our rod and ftaff; and when the lamp of life is fo near expir ing, that we can fcarcely fee our paffage to the verge of time, it is he alone that H 3 can n8 DISCOURSE VI. can light up the Lamp of God in our hearts, and condudl us through the dark valley of the fhadow of death, to the bright confines of a celeftial world. In a word, if the enmity is not de- ftroyed in our fouls in this life, we muft neceffarily carry it with us into the next. And to thofe who die under the dominion of a fallen life and finful nature, " our " God muft be a confuming fire." Let us lay thefe things ferioufly to heart. Let us earneftly feek Reconcilia tion with God through Christ, and endeavour to perfedl ourfelves in the great work of Peace and Love, " whilft it is " day ; becaufe the night cometh,, when " no man can work." DISCOURSE DISCOURSE VII. The Strength and Victory of Faith. I John, Chap. v. Ver. 4. H 4 DISCOURSE VII. I John, Chap. v. Ver. 4. *' Whatsoever is born of God, " overcometh the World ; and " THIS IS THE Victory that " OVERCOMETH THE WoRLD, EVEN ** OUR Faith." AL L the dodlrines of our moft Holy Religion confpire to inform us, that the fupreme happinefs of man is not to be attained without unnum bered labours and conflidls ; and all its precepts are calculated to inforce a per petual adlivity, and unwearied perfeve rance, in the " purfuit of the things " that belong to our peace." " The 122 DISCOURSE VII. " The Devil, the world, and the " flefli," are the great adverfaries, who are continually plotting our ruin. Thf flefli, by which is meant that corrupt na ture which v/e bring with us into the world, is ever haraffing us with its im pure fuggeftions : " the DevO walks " about as a roaring lion, feeking whom " he may devour :" and the world, by which we are to underftand that fallen ftate of things, in which we at prefent dwell, never fails of oppofing our progrefs toward Zion, with its fpecious, but de lufive fcenes of happinefs. Againft the united efforts of fuch formidable ene mies, where fhall we find armour of fuf- ficient proof ? In a conflidl fo long and arduous, where fhall we meet with fuch fupplies of ftrength, as will enable us to contend and finally to overcome ? The power of contending, and the means of obtaining the vidtory, are clearly pointed out by the Apoftle in my text. " Whatfoever is born of God, overcometh " the DISCOURSE VII. 123 " the world : and this is the Vidtory that *' overcometh the world, even our Faith." From thefe words it appears, that thofe who enlift in this heavenly war fare, are perfons of the higheft dignity, and moft illuftrious birth : they are the offspring of him whofe " kingdom is *' not of this world ;" they are ** heirs " of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus *' Christ;" they are " born, not of the " will of the flefh, nor of the will of " man, but of God." To be " born of God," is to rife out of the ruins of a fallen nature into the glory of a redeemed one. It is to die to Adam, and to live to Christ; it is to fee, and feel, and forfake our own weaknefs and vanity and fin, and adhere to the ftrength and fufficiency and righteoufnefs of C h r i s t . The firft great work of the Spirit of Truth, as our Lord affures us, is to " con- 124 discoujr.se vii. " vince the world of fin." The foun dation of that fpiritual edifice which Heaven eredls in the fouls of men, muft be laid in humility : " Bleffed are the " poor in fpirit, for theirs is the kingdom " of Heaven !" He that is " born of God," lives and adts in diredt oppofition to him who is " born of the flefli :" meeknefs and love are the prevailing difpofitions of the former ; pride and felfifhnefs the ruling tempers of the latter. A difcern- ing mind, fpiritually enlightened, and viewing mankind as they really are, and not through the falfe medium of world ly philofophy, will readily difcover the manifeft contrariety with which their charadters are marked by thefe two principles. Look round you, my , bre thren ; look into your own hearts ; judge for yourfelves : your own experience of what is continually pafling within and about you, will afford you ample de- monftration of thefe great truths, Wherever DISCOURSE VII. 125 Wherever we difcover in ourfelves, or in others, the corrupt pafiions of pride, envy, ill-nature, avarice, anger, jealoufy, malice, prevailing, there we may be as certain of the marks of unrege- nerate nature, as we are of a diforder in the elements, when we fee the hea vens overcaft with clouds, and thunders and lightnings iffuing from every quar ter of the fky; On the other hand, where meeknefs and gentlenefs, felf-abafement, a forgetfulnefs of our own intereft, and a difinterefted attention to the happinefs of others, an heart-felt fympathy in their joys and forrows, an univerfal love of God and man, teftified by a life of uninterrupted piety and charity ; where- ever we find thefe amiable graces and virtues, there are the fure marks of Rege neration ; there is the true difciple of Jesus, "born of God, and overcoming " the world." The 126 DISCOURSE VII. The ftate of fuch a foul, with re fpedl to its God, may be expreffed in words to this effedl: " Lord, what is " man, that thou haft fuch refpedl unto " him ; or the Son of man, that thou "vifitefthim?" "Behold, Lord, I am *' lefs than the leaft of all thy mercies !" And yet thou haft had refpedl even unto me ; and yet thou haft vifited even me, with the greateft of thy mercies ! Thou haft caufed thy light to fhine into the darknefs of my nature ; thou haft laid open every fecret recefs of my heart, and fhewn me thofe roots of evil, from whence the innumerable fins of my paft life have fprung forth, and diffufed their venom throughout my whole frame. Yea, thou haft not only difcovered to me the depth and malignity of fin, but, with thy Light, thou haft alfo imparted thy Life to my foul : thou haft fupplied me with ftrength from above ; thou haft furnifhed me with armour of heavenly proof to encounter the enemies of my peace. DISCOURSE VII. 127 peace. ThoU haft taught me to defpair , of my own ftrength, and to truft in thine arm alone for falvation ; thou haft taught me to, defpife my own righteouf nefs, and to feek thy righteoufnefs in Christ Jesus. Though the world fhould prefent to me her moft alluring charms ; though fhe fhould give, to her vifionary forms, the faireft features that fancy's pencil can delineate ; though fhe fliould court me to accept her proffered pleafures, in all that falfe tendernefs of language, which artful vice fo frequently affumes ; yet, armed with thy celeftial pa- ' noply, I fhall be enabled to contend with the enchantrefs, and overcome her ma gic power; I fliall nobly triumph over all her devices, affert the dignity of my heavenly birth, and preferve my heart unfpotted from her impurities. For fure I am, that whilft united in fpirit with thee, my God and Saviour, I breathe the air of Heaven, I feed upon the bread of angels ; the ftrength of Omnipotence 128 DISCOURSE VII. Omnipotence is exerted amid the weak nefs of nature, and I ihall go on, under thine aufpicious guidance, " conquering *' and to conquer." Such is the ftate of the virtuous and regenerated Chriftian, with refpedl to his God. With refpedl to man, his con dudl flows from the fame Divine and lovely principle. He deems every fpi ritual bleffing, by which he may be diftinguifhed from the reft of his bre thren, as the gift of God, to be ac cepted and enjoyed, not with an haughty, but an humble mind. He does not, therefore, ftand aloof from them, as if he was holier than they. He cannot, indeed, but fhrink from their vices, and, by a prudent diftance of behaviour, fhew himfelf averfe to, and even offended with their levities. But he pities theif blindnefs, and compaffionates the obdu racy of their hearts. He is ever ready to exert himfelf for the real fervice of wicked. DISCOURSE VIL 129 wicked, as well as of good men ; know- " ing, that his " heavenly Father fendeth *' his rain, and caufeth his fun to fhine *' upon the unjuftnolefs than the juft." If he is bleffed with worldly afHu- encCj he cheerfully adminifters to the temporal neceffities of his indigent neigh bours. If he is poor, and can give them no earthly aid, he will do all he can- he will pray for them, and beg his God to fhower down upon them his tempo ral, as well as fpiritual comforts. He fuffers no ill condudl on their part to excite his indignation, or make him for get that they are his brethren, to be redeemed by that precious blood, whofe falutary influences he has himfelf ex perienced. He envies none their for tunes, honours, and accomplifliments ; neither does he repine, becaufe he is not fo rich, or learned, or polite, or advanced to fuch an exalted rank in life, as others are. He endeavours to be dead Vol. I. I alike 130 DISCOURSE VIL alike to the cenfure and applaufe of beings, mortal and fallible as himfelf; inafmuch as he is convinced, that their good or ill opinion cannot make the leaft alteration in the real ftate of his foul : he is, therefore, guilty of no mean com pliances ¦ or time-ferving pradlices, to obtain one, or to avoid the other. He gives " honour to whom honour is due." He endeavours to " owe no man any *' thing but love :" he is, therefore, careful, not, only to pay every juft debt, but to avoid embarking in any worldly fchemes or profpedls of advancing his own intereft, to the injury of others. In a word, by piety to God, juftice and charity to his neighbour, and chaf- tity and temperance in his own perfon, he feeks to maintain " a confcience void " of offence towards God and towards " man;" to fill the ftation in which he is placed, and .fupport the charadter in which he appears, in fuch a manner, as will do honour to the Religion of his Mafter. This DISCOURSE VII. 131 This is Evangelical Morality, jiot confined, as you may obferve, to the exter nal condudl of life ; but reaching inward, even to the fecret thoughts and incli nations of the heart. What is gene rally called morality, I am afraid, is little more than an external decency and common fobriety ; and it is well if, in every inftance, it is carried even fo far. But furely none, but the truly Regenerate Chriftian, adting under the immediate influence of the Divine Spi rit, can properly be called a moral man. For morality, without an inward princi ple, is but a name ; and the Scriptures tell us of no other true principle, but ** the Love of God fhed abroad in " the human heart by his Holy Spi- Having thus given fome of the marks or charadlerifticks by which the Re generate Chriftian, or the " Born of " God" is to be known, let us now 'I 2 enquire 132 DISCOURSE VII. enquire what the Apoftle means, by *' overcoming the world," and afcribing " the vidtory to Faith :" " Whatfoever *' is born of God, overcometh the " world ; and this is the Vidlory, that " overcometh the world, even our Faith." " Overcometh the world ! " — me- thinks I hear fome fay — " that is im- " poffible — ^human nature has paffions, " and the world abounds with objedts *' fuited to gratify them. Surely the " God of nature hath not placed man " in his prefent circumftances, to make " him miferable. He created us for- " happinefs, and hath furnifhed us with " the means of obtaining it. What a " fenfelefs dodtrine this, that would fhut *' us out from all the joys, which earth *' holds forth for our acceptance." Alas, vain man ! who told thee, that God had given thee fuch corrupt paf fions, as now folicit for indulgence ? Who DISCOURSE VII. 133 Who told thee, that God created thee for this world ; and that thou art to take up thy reft in that vifionary hap pinefs, which thou findeft here ? Thefe paffions are the proofs of thy fall ; for thou haft them in common with the beafts of the field. This world is thy temporary prifon, though thy diforder- ed imagination may reprefent it as a palace. Thou art dreaming, though thou thinkeft thyfelf wide awake. Thou art in darknefs, and canft not diftinguifh the true appearance of objedls around thee. Let but the Sun of Righteous ness dart one beam into thy benighted foul, and thou wilt foon difcover the deception, and long for the power of his Grace to enable thee to triumph over thofe paffions, that have been lead ing thee blindfold to deftrudlion, and to overcome that world, which hath been cheating thee with vifionary gra tifications. I 3 " Overcome 134 DISCOURSE VII. "Overcome the world!" fays fome faint-hearted Chriftian — " Ah me ! how " infinitely fhort do I fall of this glo- " rious ftandard ! I have been ftriving " for months, for years, to get the " maftery of this powerful adverfary, " without being yet able to difcover " that I have gained the leaft advantage; " though I have exerted my utmoft en- " deavours to difengage myfelf from his " fubtil, but violent affaults." Haft thou fo ? But didft thou ever attend to the true and only medns, by w^hich the Scriptures have affured thee this conqueft-may be obtained ? *' This is " the vidtory that overcometh the world, ** even our Faith." Now, what is Faith ? It is " the *' fubftance of things hoped for, the " evidence of things not feen :" that is to fay, it is a full and affured truft and confidence in Christ, that the things O hoped for will be furely obtained, and the DISCOURSE VIL 135 the things not feen will be fully ma nifefted to our fenfes. It is fuch a truft and confidence as realizes the imme diate poffeffion of them to our minds, fo that we regard not any pain or dif ficulty we meet with in the purfuit, refting upon an Omnipotent God, hy whofe ftrength in us every obftacle will be gradually removed, and a com plete vidlory at length fecured. Why then, O Chriftian, fhouldft thou defpair of fuccefs ? If thou haft hitherto been ftriving in thine own ftrength, and de pended upon the power of thine own weak refolution, it is no wonder, thou haft made fuch fmall advances. " Without me, ye " can do nothing," fays our Blessed Redeemer." " I can do all things " through Christ ftrengthening me," fays his experienced Apoftle. When v/e repofe fo much confidence in a friend, as to entruft him with the whole management of our temporal af- I 4 fairs. 136 DISCOURSE VIL fairs, looking to him in every inftance, and upon the leaft appearance of difficulty or embarraffment, running to him for counfel, and implicitly following his di- redtions, from a thorough convidlion of our own ignorance, of his fuperior fkill in bufinefs, and his known regard and attachment to us ; we are then faid to have Faith in fuch a friend. And canft thou not, O Chriftian, have as much Faith in thy Saviour, as one frail mortal has in another ? When temptations rife, when dangers threaten, when enemies attack us from within and from without, fo that our fouls are hard befet, and we know not how to extricate ourfelves from the perilous fituation ; can we not fly with confidence to our Heavenly Friend, afk his counfel, and entreat his powerful interpofition in our behalf ? He is ever ready and willing to come to our fuccour. Nothing is want ing but Faith on our part : and " ac- " cording DISCOURSE VII. 137 " cording to our Faith, fo fhall it be " done unto us." We are not, however, to expedl, that this Vidlory will be eafily or fpeedily obtained. The Canaanites were fuffered to keep poffeffion of the land of promife for a confiderable time, left the Children of Ifrael, inftead of afcribing the glory of the conqueft folely to the Lord of Hosts, fliould vainly arrogate it to them felves, and in confequence of this, lofe all fenfe of their dependence upon him. Many ftrong and powerful temptations may be permitted to remain unfubdued, to exercife the Chriftian's Faith, to keep him humble, and duly fenfible of his own weaknefs and inability. Befides, there is a wonderful analogy betwixt natural and fpiritual things. The Child of Grace, as well as the Child of Nature muft have a gradual growth, during which many an anxious inter val. 138 DISCOURSE VII. val, many a fevere pang, many an ar duous conflidl, muft be endured. F-or let this truth be ever prefent to our minds, that the Inward Man increafes in ftrength, in proportion as the out ward man weakens and decays ; and the earthly nature muft be totally fubdued, before " the Born of God" can attain the " meafure of the ftature of the ful- " nefs, which is in Christ." Nor let what hath been faid dif- courage thofe fincere and upright minds, who have but lately turned their backs upon the world, and entered into the fchool of Christ. Our trials are al ways fuited to our ftrength. "God " will not fuffer us to be tempted *' above that we are able to bear." The Child, the Young Man, and the Father in Christ, have exercifes pro per to their different ftates ; they are led on to glory by an unerring hand, which fupports them by its invifible, but powerful DISCOURSE vn. 139 powerful influence, through the moft rugged thorny , paths of the Chriftian courfe. Tfiere is no fpiritual adverfkry too ft:rong for the Chriftian, that engages in the Strength of his Redeemer. David, though a ftripling, vanquifhed with eafe the giant of Gath, becaufe " he went ** out againft him," not in his own ftrength, but " in the Name of the " Lord of Hofts, the God of the ar- " mies of Ifrael." The world, with all its temptations and allurements, will be as eafily overcome by him, who is truly " born of God," as the uncircumcifed Philiftine was by the hand of David. To conclude, a worldly fpirit is one of the greateft enemies we have to encounter, becaufe it infinuates itfelf into , our hearts under as many differ ent forms, as there are different earthly defires predominant. The man of bufi nefs. 140 DISCOURSE VII. nefs, according to the more common acceptation of the phrafe, hath obtained the name of a worldly man. But the truth is, wherever a worldly temper prevails, whether it manifefts itfelf in the- purfuit of wealth, or honour, or plea fure, or literary applaufe, or indeed of any objedl, intereft, or end, that is confined merely to this tranfient ftate of things ; there is the Worldly Spirit, the foe to our real happinefs, the " man *' of fin, the fon of perdition ;" from which may God of his infinite mercy deliver us, for the fake of the Son of his Love, Christ Jesus our Saviour. DISCOURSE DISCOURSE VIII. Faith triumphant over the Pow ers of Darkness. St. Mark, Chap. ix. Part of Ver. 24. DISCOURSE VIIL St, Mark, Chap. ix. Part of Ver. 24. Lord, I believe : Help thou " mine Unbelief !" TH E falfe eftimate of happinefs, which is made by the generality of men, entirely proceeds from their not taking into the account the real, though invifible, objedts of another world, with which they are much more intimately concerned than with the prefent tempo rary ftate of things. Hence it is, that they judge of the feeming pleafures of this life, not from a comparative view of them with the fuperior enjoyments of a better, but according to the propor tion 144 DISCOURSE VIII. tion which they bear to one another. It is upon this principle, coinciding with the peculiar conftitutional defires of dif ferent men, that their different worldly purfuits are formed and regulated. The penurious grafping mifer declaims, with an eloquence which avarice alone infpires, againft the rafli and filly con dudl of the gay and thoughtlefs fpend- thrift. The man of pleafure expreffes his aftonifhment at the ftrange tafte, and ftupid employment of his neighbour, who can fit poring over his accounts from morning till night, , and values himfelf upon the accuracy with which they are kept, and the ftridt economy with which all his expences are regulated. The vo tary of ambition confiders his tafte and purfuits of a far more fublime nature than thofe of either of the former, and looks down with contempt upon the plodding dullnefs of the mifer, and the fhort- lived pleafures of the fenfualift.. In the mean DISCOURSE VIII. 145 mean while, the fagacious enquirer after knowledge, who fpends days and nights in the moft laborious refearches, perpe tually feeking after Truth in the count lefs volumes of antiquity, congratulates himfelf upon the fuperiority of his genius, and wonders that all mankind are not fo captivated with the charms of fcience, as immediately to forfake the falfe and fleeting joys of avarice, ambition, and voluptuoufnefs. Now all thefe various defires, employ ments, and purfuits, however fuperior fome of them may, on comparifon, ap pear to be to others, terminate generally in the nourifhment and growth of that fallen life, under Avhich man, in con fequence of an original apoftafy, is born into this world ; and it may truly be faid, with refpedl to them all, that " he " is only making provifion for the flefh, " to fulfil the lufts thereof:" for when the feeming good of this world is the Vol. I. K fole 146 DISCOURSE Vlli. fole objedl of his attention and affec tions, he muft neceffarily be regardlefs of the real good of another, and a bet ter world. Whatever his defires center in, that conftitutes his life ; and his own will may be faid to create or call forth, from furrounding nature, every thing that can feed and nourifh thofe defires. He ftands in the midft of three worlds, principles, or kingdoms, earth, hell, and heaven ; and to which foever of thefe he furrenders his heart, he becomes fub jedl to its power and influence ; fo that the real ftate of every man's foul depends upon the exercife of his will : his will conftitutes his faith ; and " according " to thy faith," fays the unerring Stand ard of Truth, " fo fhall it be done unto " thee." An afflidted parent brings to our Bles sed Lord a favourite child, who was forely vexed and tormented by an evil fpirit, and in the moft earneft manner entreats ¦ DISCOURSE VIII. 147 entreats his advice and affiftance. The compafRonate Jesus, after having en quired into the nature and circumftances of the diforder, and obferved the diftrefs and folicitude of the father, tells him, " If thou canft believe, all things are " poffible to him that believeth." This anfwer abundantly evinceth the truth of the obfervation above-mention ed, that our ftate depends entirely upon the inward exercife of our will or de fires. A fenfibility of diftrefs naturally difpofes us to feek for relief. Nature, without God, is nothing but reftlefs want and anguifh : and though fallen man is poffeffed of the powers and prin-^ ciples, by which this want may be fup plied, and this anguifh effedlually re lieved, yet he too frequently feeks the remedy in a wrong fource ; and cannot be convinced of his error, till the pangs of difappointment fucceed to the delu five affurances of worldly faith, and the K 2 vain 148 DISCOURSE Vlil. vain anticipations of worldly hope. Upon this view of human nature it was, that the Blessed Jesus founded his re ply ; " If thou canft believe, all things " are poffible to him that believeth. " As if he had faid : Thou appeareft to be undei- great con cern and anxiety of mind, for the pre fent afHidling circumftances of thy child. Thou haft a clear and full perception of the cruel agency of an evil fpiritj and canft not doubt, but that all his tor ments are the effedts of diabolical influ ence. If thou defireft to fee him refcued from this violent fpirit, and reftored to a found ftate of mind and body, thou muft believe in the more powerful agency of a Superior Spirit, to whofe unlimited controul, all the realms of nature, and its innumerable beings, are fubjedted, and, confequently, that none but This Spirit, or thofe to whom he imparts his healing powers, can poffibly reftore thy fon. DISCOURSE VIII. 149 fon. When this belief rifes in thine heart, by a living fenfibility that carries its own evidence along with it, thou wilt not entertain a doubt of the will and ability of fuch a Divine Spirit to per form this miracle of Love, but, in the full confidence of Faith, wilt apply to him, and to him alone, for relief. This very turning of thy will and defire to the Fountain of Goodnefs, makes it unite with thofe emanations of fpiritual health and vigour, which are perpetually flowing forth from his all-merciful, and compaffionate heart. " All things are " poffible " to a foul thus difpofed and attempered ; and thy child's health, and thine own peace of mind, will be the fure and bleffed confequence. The affedlionate parent, overjoyed at a declaration which was accompanied with fuch a Divine Power as awakened new fenfations in his breaft, burft into a flood of tears, and cried out, " Lord, K 2 "I 150 DISCOURSE VIII. " I believe, help thou mine unbelief!" I am fenfible, deeply fenfible of the ab-, folute neceffity of a fupernatural interpo fition ; and the mild Majefty of Love, which fliiries fo confpicuous in thy per fon and addrefs, and whofe efficacy hath already paffed from thy lips to my poor heart, more than convinces me, that this Supernatural Power of Goodnefs is lodg ed with thee. To thee, therefore, and thee alone, I apply ! In thee I defire to place my full confidence, earneftly en treating thee to remove from me all dark nefs, doubt, and uncertainty, by fur ther arid brighter manifeftations of thy felf, and thy heavenly virtues, in my weak and unbelieving heart ! We are very apt, when we read this, or other fuch paffages of Scripture, to confider them merely as hiftorical fadls, in which we are in no wife particularly interefted. What have we to do with evil fpirits, or poffeffions, at this day ? Such things might have been permitted, whilft our DISCOURSE VIII. 151 our Saviour was upon earth, to give him an opportunity of difplaying the Divine Powers with which he was in vefted, Alas I my brethren, human nature is juft the fame now, that it was then : " the prince of the power of the air," and his infernal affociates, are as malici- Qufly bent upon our deftrudlion as ever they were ; and the fame miraculous in terpofition of the fame powerful and compaffionate Jesus, is ftill equally ne ceffary for our fecurity and relief. Thefe fpirits of darknefs are continually " walk- " ing about, feeking whom they may "devour;" they enter into all our worldly fchemes and views ; nay, they are themfelves frequently the firft pro- jedlors of them : they enter into our very blood and fpirits, ftrive to gain poffef fion of the very effence of our fouls, and to bring the whole man in fubjedlion to their infernal fway. They have deceived K 4 the 152 DISCOURSE VIII. the wife men of this world, 'whom they have taught to call them by fome honour able appellation . Philof6phy itfelf feems, in fome inftances, *to aid them in carry ing on their dajigerous delufions. Pride, envy, covetoufnefs, luft-, malice, which . are real fpirits of darknefs, operating by real, though invifible, influences in the human frame, have made their appear-r ance in a fafhionable drefs, and have been fuffered to keep what is called the beft company, when introduced by the names of honour, decency, tafte, dignity of fentiment, virtuous refentment, free- thinking, and free-adling: tliey are, however, devils in difguife, and are fe cretly undermining the real felicity of man. Had we fuch a view of their cruel treatment of us, as the father juft men tioned had of their treatment of his child, you may think, perhaps, that we fliould take the fame fteps which he did, towards DISCOURSE VIII. 153 towards obtaining relief. And what is it that hinders us from having fuch a view of our real mifery ? What, but that fafcinating charm, which thefe very fpirits throw before our eyes to deceive us ? They furround every worldly objedl with a falfe luftre, and thus dazzle, in order to enfnare. Yea, though we fre-» quently detedl the impofture, a fucceed- ing one blinds us again. A future world leffens to our view, in proportion as we become attached to the prefent. Nor is the charm totally diffolved, till by fre quent difappointment and vexation, we have learned to read and underftand the true name and charadter of worldly blifs, even " Vanity of vanities !" As long as we have Faith in this world, we can have no Faith in another; as long as ever we " think ourfelves whole," we fhall not apply to a phyfician, or have the leaft confidence in his fkill. But, 154 DISCOURSE VIII. But, bleffed be God, there is a time, when the evil fpirit tears and wounds the child, and cafts him into the fire, and into the water, infomuch, that the affrighted parent is conftrained to fly to Jesus for aid. In pain, in forrow, in diftrefs, in temptation, or upon a fick and dying bed, the fad effedls of every diabolical delufion frequently appear in their true colours. Though the infer nal fpirits themfelves then work within us with aggravated rage; though they feem to avail • themfelves of our bodily indifpofition, to ftorm the citadel of our hearts ; yet they are, in thefe inftances, often egregioufly deceived themfelves. The trembling finner, deftitute of every outward comfort, which fun, and air, and animal fpirits could give him, be holds every fublunary objedl in its genu ine colours, ftripped of its falfe glare, and emptied of its delufive treafure. He cries aloud for help — "What fliall I " do to be faved ?" The Child of God, the DISCOURSE VIII. 155 the offspring of Heaven within me, will be torn to pieces and deftroyed by the fpirits of darknefs. Lord, if thou canft do any thing, have compaffion on me and help me ! *' If thou canft •" believe, all things are poflible to him " that believeth," is the foft anfwer whifpered to his foul. A beam of Hea venly Light and Love accompanies itj fweet filence and ftillnefs fucceed ; till at length the foul, overpowered by an in- expreffible fenfibility of meeknefs and humility, breaks forth in the language of my text : " Lord, I believe, help ** thou mine unbelief !" The ftorm cea- feth ; the ^^^1 fpirits are eaft out, and the Child of God is delivered fxom their oppreffive bondage. " Lord, I believe, help thou mine " unbelief," fhould be the conftant lan guage of every Chriftian's heart. No words can more emphatically exprefs the weaknefs of man, and his abfolute refig nation 156 DISCOURSE VIIL nation to the Will of God, than thefe : they take every thing from the creature, and give all to the Creator. Whenever the human will is thus effedlually turned to God, it foon manifefts its origin, as coming forth from the effentially and eternally Free Will of God, It brings down Heaven into the foul ; it triumphs over all oppofition ; and, through the greateft weaknefs of human nature, it evidences the all-conquering power of Divine Love. Why then, O man ! O Chriftian ! Why fhouldft thou defpond in the hour of trial ? " Faith is, indeed, the gift of " God ;" but it is a gift, which he be- ftoweth liberally upon all that afk it. Light and darknefs, life and death, hea ven and hell, are fet before us : freely ^ to chufe, and freely to rejedl, belongs to that free particle of the Divine Effence, which " ftirs within us." It was, ori ginally, before the fall of man, the gift of DISCO. URSE VIII. 157 of God in Christ Jesus. It was the conftitution of our nature in its unfallen ftate : it was, if I may fo fpeak, the Great Charter of Heaven, freely deliver- ' ed by the King /of Heaven, to all his fons and fubjedts ; and though blotted, obliterated, loft by an original apoftafy, it is now reftored, regained, and pur chafed by a Redeemer's blood. Shall we then tamely fuffer thefe Rights of Heaven to be invaded by the powers of darknefs ? Shall we fuffer the Child of God, the Redeemed of the Holy one of Israel, to be taken captive by the armies of aliens ? Shall the fplendor of accumulated wealth, the gay circle of worldly pleafure, the tin- fel trappings of honour, or the fading breath of popular applaufe, make us for get our native home, forget that we are but " ftrangers and pilgrims upon earth," and that we are ** fellow-citizens with " the faints, and of the houfhold of "God?" 158 DISCOURSE VIIL ** God ?" Shall we continue the willing flaves of the fpirits of darknefs, of pride, envy, covetoufnefs and wrath, vv-hilft Heaven is declared to be our inheritance, and orir Redeemer hath affured us, that we have " manfions prepared for " our reception in his Father's Houfe." Ah me 1 regardlefs as many of you, my brethren, may be of thefe illuftrious privileges now, the time may come, when a proper fenfibility of your prefent bondage, will make you cry aloud for deliverance ; when the fervice. of earth and hell will appear bafe, difhonourable, and unworthy the free-born fons of Light. When the good Providence, of God, in kind commiferation of your fecure and thoughtlefs ftate, fhall fend forrow and afflidlion to your houfes and to your hearts; when the fhaft of anguifh fhall wound you, either in your own per fons. DISCOURSE VIII. 159 fons, or in the perfons of thofe whom you love; when duty, when affedlion fhall call you to fome folemn death-bed fcene, where you fhall behold expiring life juft quivering uppn the lips of a dear departing friend or relative ; or when your own frail tabernacles fhall be fhaken by difeafe, and you fliall feel death ap proaching to take poffeffion of the throne of life ; when the counfels of the wife, and the forrows of the tender-hearted, can ftand you in no ftead ; when the im mortal tenant of your earthly manfion is juft ready to take his flight, and ftands trembling on the confines of a world unknown ; at thefe, or fuch like awful feafons, thofe amongft you, who have not heretofore experienced the power of Divine Faith, will then, if ever, be made fenfible of your want of it. The vifionary fcene of earthly blifs will vanifh like a morning cloud, and deep heart felt anguifli will wring the foul, and make it feel the full horrors of its bon dage. i6o DISCOURSE VIII. dage. But to thofe, who have already tafted the comforts of religion, and who liave been long groaning for deliverance from the captivity of an evil nature, and an evil world. Faith will open the doors of their prifon, let in the Light of Hea ven as they are able to bear it, and fweet- ly fing this fong of confolation to their departing fpirits : ^* I will rarifom them " from death ; I will redeem them from " the power of the grave. O death ! I " will be thy plague ; O grave ! I will be " thy deftrudlion." DISCOURSE DISCOURSEIX. The Flourishing State of the Regenerate. PsALM i. Ver. 3. Vol. L L D I- S C O U R S E IX. PsALM i, Ver. 3. " He shall be like a Tree plant- " ED by the Rivers of Water, " that bringeth forth his *' Fruit in his Season : his Leaf *' also shall not wither, and " whatsoever he doth shall " PROSPER." WHATEVER feeming inequali ty there may be iu the difpenfa tions of the Almighty, or however par tial he may appear to the eye of human reafon, in his diftribution of fpiritual or temporal bleffings among the fons of nien; it will, neverthelefs, be found, at the confummation of the great fcheme of Pro- L 2 vidence. i64 DISCOURSE IX. vidence, that he has done every thing " in number, weight, and meafure;" and that every part and period of the Divine Adminiftration hath been planned by un erring Wifdom, and condudted by uni verfal and impartial Love. Minute philofophers, and men who value themfelves upon what they call a liberal and enlarged way of thinking, may imagine, that this is no more than a religious dream, and argue, from prefent appearances, that " all things happen " alike unto all men, and that there is " but one event to the righteous and to " the wicked, to him that ferveth God, " and to him that ferveth him not." But the Heaven- taught philofopher, whofe inward eye is illuminated from above, can fee into the fecret fprings, by which the vaft machine is perpetually kept in motion, and by which all the in finite variety of workings in intelligent and inanimate nature, are rendered fub fervient DISCOURSE IX. 165 fervient to the Glory of God, and the final confummation of his eternal plan in the fupreme felicity of his creatures. By virtue of that heavenly euphrafy with which his vifual ray is purged and clean- fed, he fees, and is intimately convinced, that notwithftanding the frequent vici- ffitudes with which the life of a good man is fadly checquered, he is neverthe lefs " like a tree planted by the rivers of " water, that bringeth forth his fruit in " his feafon; that his leaf alfo doth not " wither, and whatfoever he doth fliall " profper." There is a peculiar beauty and proprie ty in this fimilitude, and every part of it bears a wonderful analogy to that fpiri tual life, into which fallen man hath been reinftated by the Mediation of THE Son of God. Man, by turning his will from his Maker, loft that paradifiacal glory, in L 3 which i66 DISCOURSE IX. which he was originally created; and found nothing left, in its ftead, but a wrathful fpirit within, and a dark dif- ordered world without. By this adl of his own will, he tranfplanted his nature, if I may fo fpeak, from the delightful gar den of Eden, in which the Almighty had placed him, into the midft of a thorny barren defart. He deprived it of all that nourifhment it received from thofe waters of life, which furrounded the blifsful fpot ; and,, in confequence, it muft have been parched up and have withered away, had not Divine Love affedtionately in- terpofed, and put him once more into a capacity of recovering his loft inheri tance, and regaining the vital ftreams, by which alone his heavenly nature could be preferved and cherifhed. It is true, man ftill continues in the defart of fallen nature : the firft Adam is ftill condemned to till the ground from whence he was taken. But the fecond Adam, DISCOURSE IX. 167 Adarri, the Lord from Heaven, hath caufed thofe rivers of water, which are folely at his difpofal, to flow through the dry and comfortlefs wafte, that " the *' wildernefs and folitary place might " thereby be made glad, and the defart " rejoice and bloffom like the rofe." When man, therefore, convinced of his dark and barren ftate by nature, and the fovereign efficacy of thefe waters of life to chear and reftore him, freely opens his heart for their reception, he is then, indeed, like " a tree planted by the ri- " vers of water." His roots fhoot deep, and his branches fpread fair and luxuriant in the heavenly element. The kindly moifture infinuates itfelf into every part, and leaves and flowers and fruits mani feft the internal operation of the life- giving ftream. " I am the vine ; ye are the branches" — fays the Lord of Life. "As the L 4 " branch i68 DISCOURSE IX. " branch cannot bear fruit, except it " abide in the vine; no more can ye, " except ye abide in me." There muft be an intimate union betwixt Christ and his redeemed offspring; an union not fuddenly formed, and as fuddenly broken, but pioufly and conftantly main tained; an abiding union, without which there can be no communication of his Heavenly Virtues, and, confequently, no fruits of holinefs. But wherefoever this bleffed union effedlually takes place, the regenerated nature foon fprings forth; the bud, the bloffom, the leaves, the fruits, all appear in their proper feafon : the man of God ftands forth confeft, and, like a tree nouriihed by a living ftream, imparts his refreihing ihade, and pleafant wholefome fruits, to all around. Would you know what thefe fruits are ? They are fully enumerated by the Apoftle, who tells, us, that " the fruits " of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, " long- DISCOURSE IX. 169 " long-fuffering, gentlenefs, goodnefs, ** faith, meeknefs, temperance." Thefe fruits, fays my text, are " brought forth " in their feafon." The fun muft fliine upon the tree, the air muft breathe, the dews arid rains muft defcend, and the rivers of water muft rife through the roots into the trunk and branches. All this procefs muft be performed, before the fruit will appear. It is juft fo with that " plant of cele- " ftial feed," which is fown in the human heart. Meeknefs, humility, refignation, love, &c. are not the growth of an hour : days, and months, and years, muft pafs, before they will begin to appear. I well know, that the firft faint manifeftation of thefe graces, in an awakened foul, hath frequently been miftaken for, the whole of a finner's converfion. It has been called the *' witnefs of the fpirit," teftifying to the finner, that the adl of his juftification is paft, and that his par don 17C DISCOURSE IX. don is fealed in the courts of Heaven. The Witnefs of the Spirit it undoubted ly is, becaufe it refults from an union of the human fpirit with the Divine. And as the Divine Spirit is meeknefs and love fupreme, fo it is no wonder that fuch an union fhould produce fuch a fpiritual fenfation. But we are not to conclude from hence, that a fudden, and feemingly inftantaneous fenfibility of Heavenly Peace and Love, can be the whole of our converfion. It is, doubtlefs, a fweet token of Divine Grace ; an happy earneft of the refidence of the Divine Spi rit, who, perhaps, for years before, had been feeking to manifeft himfelf in our hearts, and now gives us this prefent con folation, as the refult of previous and fre^^ quent operations. Our falvation is fo far from depending upon thefe momen tary fenfations, that our Lord exprefsly affures us, that though we are united to him by as intimate an union as " the " branches are to the vine ; yet, except DISCOURSE IX. 171 " we abide in him, we fliall be eaft as *' withered branches into the fire." " Let him, then, that thinketh he " ftandeth, take heed left he fall." Let us not value ourfelves upon paft experi ences, or think that we are God's child ren, and that our names are indelibly written in his book of life, merely be caufe we were once under ipiritual dif trefs, and were once refcued from it by the confolations of his Spirit. Nothing can preferve us in a ftate of union with our Divine Redeemer, but an inward, conftant thirfting after thofe " waters of " life," which he alone can give us. Whilft we ftand before him in fuch a frame of foul, meekly and humbly wait ing for fuch portions of his Grace, as he fees neceffary and expedient to im part, we may then be affured, that " our " leaf fhall not wither, and that whatfo- " ever we 'do fhall profper." For when the will of man coincides with the Di vine 172 DISCOURSE IX. vine Will, and is implicitly refigned thereto in every fituation, circumftance, and event of life, he muft neceffarily profper, becaufe God wills nothing but Good, and Good Supreme is the aim and end of all his difpenfations. Well, but fay fome. How can this be ? Do we not daily fee the beft of men, groaning under the moft grievous cala mities, pining away with ficknefs, worn out with pain, or afflidled with fome fad reverfes of fortune ? On the other hand, do we not daily behold men, who fhew not the leaft regard to religion, who have no fear of God before their eyes, who neither in private nor in pub lic teftify the leaft fenfe of their deperid- ance upon him, or their connexion with another world, who violate his fabbaths, deride his Revelation, and feoff at every thing that bears the appearance of feri- oufnefs or fobriety; do we not daily behold fuch men advanced to the pinna cle DISCOURSE IX. 73 cle of preferment, abounding in wealth, favoured with health and ftrength, and furrounded with every good thing this world can afford ? Yes — we certainly do; and fo did David many ages fince. But attend to David's refledlions upon this fubjedl, and you will find them ratio nal and fatisfadlory. ¦" I was grieved at the wicked : I do " alfo fee the ungodly in fuch profpe- " rity. For they are in no peril of " health, but are lufty and ftrong. They " come in no misfortune like other folk, " neither are they plagued like other " men. Lo, thefe are the ungodly ; thefe " profper in the world, and thefe have *' riches in poffeffion : and I faid, then " have I cleanfed my heart in vain, and *' wafhed my hands in innocency. Yea, ^' I had almoft faid even as they ; but " lo, then I fhould have condemned the " generation of thy children. Then *' thought I to underftand this, but it 174 DISCOURSE IX. " was too hard for me, until I went into " the fandluary of God ; then underftood " I the end of thefe men, namely, that " thou doft fet them in flippery places, " and cafteft them down and deftroy- " eft them. O, how fuddenly do they " confume, perifh, and come to a fear- " ful end !" Thefe are David's refledlions on the condition of wicked men in his day; and the experience of preceding, as well as of after-ages, does abundantly confirm them. Vice will, fooner or later, meet with its recompence, even in this world. But fuppofing this fhould not be the cafe, and that good and righteous men fhould have a much larger fhare of tem poral mifery than the wicked; yet it may with truth be faid, that by this very mifery they profper ; yea, that their inward profperity keeps pace with their outward fufferings. Every DISCOURSE IX. 175 Every thing that has a tendency to difengage the heart and affedlions from this tranfient fcene of things, ought to be deemed a real bleffing. Now, who can deny, that ficknefs, pain, forrow and afflidlion, have in their very nature this tendency ? and, when feen by the happy fufferer in a true point of light, they never fail of producing this effedl. Hence it is, that many a pious foul is enabled to rejoice in fuch vifitations, and to thank God for them as the richeft blef fings : for, " though no chaftifement " for the prefent is joyous, but rather " grievous ; yet it afterwards yields the " peaceable fruits of righteoufnefs to " thofe that are exercifed thereby." True it is, that the outward man fuf fers, and is fadly weakened and diftreffed ; but the Inward Man, the Child of God, thrives and profpers. The riches of eternity appear more and more real, in proportion as he difcovers the vanity of time ; and his difappointment in any worldly 176 DISCOURSE IX. worldly concern, is fure to render him more profperous and fuccefsful in mat ters of eternal moment. Alas I methinks I hear fome fay, it would be well if it were always fo. But are not many good men afflidled. inward ly, as well as outwardly ? Are they not often deftitute of fpiritual as well as of worldly comforts ? Are not their fouls as much bowed down by the weight of their finful nature, as their bodies by tempo ral evils and infirmities ? And can thefe men be faid to " profper in whatfoever " they do ?" Surely, they are alike un fortunate with refpedl to the prefent and the future world. Sufpend thy judgment, poor partial obferver ! reafon not from appearances. ' Inward darknefs, and diftrefs, and an guifh, are the proper inlets through which the Christ of God is received into the heavy-laden foul. A fenfibility of its DISCOURSE IX. 177 its burden makes it groan for relief: and the very moment that " patience " hath done its perfedl work," and the human will is thereby brought to yield itfelf with irnplicit refignation to its God, the burden drops, and fweet peace and tranquillity of foul fucceed. God never willingly afflidls his children ; he deals with them as a moft indulgent parent. Sin muft be known and felt, before it can be fhunned and conquered. And it is by repeated ftrokes, that the wayward -child is taught to avoid what may prove injurious and deftrudlive to its happinefs. To conclude with the apt fimilitude of my text : the real Chriftian is " like " a tree planted by the rivers of water;" they afford it all the nourifhment that is neceffary. The ftormy wind and the beating rain, while they try its ftrength, increafe it ; they make it cling clofer to the kindly foil, take deeper root, and bear Vol. L M fruit 178 DISCOURSE IX. fruit in greater abundance. Thus, " all *' things work together for good, to thern " that love God ;" and " whatfoever ** they do," notwithftanding the many apparent difappointments and difquie- tudes they meet with, " fhall finally " profper," and terminate in never-fading blifs. DISCOURSE DISCOURSE X. The Cause and Cure of the Disorders of Human Nature. St. Mark, Chap. vii. Ver, 34. M 2 DISCOURSE X. % St Mark, Chap, vii, Ver. 34. ,gL And looking up to Heaven, he " sighed; and s aith un to him, " Ephphatha ! that is. Be open- " ED. A Serious and philofophical mind, contemplating the innumerable evils, phyfical and moral, to which men are expofed during their fhort continu ance in this world, would very naturally conclude, that the prefent ftate could not be that for which the Almighty originally intended them. Storms and tempefts, ficknefs and pain, darknefs and diforder, in the natural world ; and the various and deftrudlive effedts of pride, envy, covetoufnefs, and wrath, in the M 3 moral i82 DISC OURSE X. moral world; are fo contrary to the Divine Nature, which is Life, Light, and Love, eternal and unchangeable, that it would be almoft blafphemy to fay, that fuch a fyftem was the original finifhed workmanfhip of his adorable hand. ^ To fuch contemplations as thefe, phi lofophy might lead her fober votary — But Divine Revelation alone can carry him back to the origin of things, and give him the true information with refpedl to their prefent appearances. By this we learn, that the beautiful order and harmony of creation were marred by the creature's tranfgreffion; who turning his will from the fource of infinite ^oodness, loft that firft ftate in which his Maker had placed him, arid wherein all was light and joy; and found himfelf in fubjedlion to an evil nature within, and a world of darknefs and diftrefs without. By this DISCOURSE X. 183 this too we are informed, that nothing lefs than a return to his Original Source, could reinftate him in his original bUfs ; that this return could be rendered pof fible in no other way, than by a ray, a fpark, a feed, an earneft, a tafte or touch of his firft life, imparted or in- fpoken into his fallen nature by the God of Love, to be gradually opened and unfolded by fuch a Redeeming Pro cefs, as, with the co-operation of his own will, would effedlually reftore him to his primeval felicity ; and that this was undertaken, and only could be undertaken and accomplifhed, by that Eternal Son of the Father, in and by whom man was originally created, and in and by whom alone he could be redeemed. Accordingly we find, that when this Exprefs Image of the Hidden Deity ap peared on earth, cloathed in our fallen fleih and blood, he was invefted with an abfolute and uncontroulable power and M 4 authority i84 DI S C O U RS E X. authority over the whole fyftem of tem porary nature. His wonder-working Fiat was fuificient to calm, in an inftant, the moft aggravated fury of the winds and feas ; and, as proceeding from the fame wrathful fource, to affuage the violence of raging fevers ; to heal, by a mere touch, by a word, the moft inveterate dif- eafes ; and to reftore every organ of fenfe, which had been injured or deftroy ed, to its true ftate, and proper ufe and fundtion. And as all outward diforders primarily proceed from a wrong ftate of the human fpiirit, his influence pervaded the inmoft receffes of the foul, and awakened and called forth that precious fpark of his own Heavenly Fire, which had lain buried under the aihes of fin ; and bade it enlighten, invigorate, and reftore health and peace to the whole man. i* f The gofpel for the day prefents us with a very remarkable inftance of the amazing DISCOURSE X. 185 amazing effedts of thefe redeeming pow ers — "Jesus, departing from the coafts *' of Tyre and Sidon, came unto the fea " of Galilee, through the midft of the " coafts of Decapolis : and they bring, *' unto him one that was deaf, and had ** an impediment in his fpeech ; and " they befeech him to put his hand " upon him. And he took him afide *' from the multitude, and put his fin- *' gers into his ears, and he fpit and " touched his tongue : and looking up " to heaven, he fighed, and faith unto " him, Ephphatha ! that is. Be opened!" There are three circumftances in this miraculous cure worthy of our ferious attention, viz. the looking up to heaven, the figh, and the Ephphatha. I. T|ie looking up to heaven, was beautifully expreifive of the real fitua tion, in which this great Reftorer of human nature ftood before his Heavenly Father. i86 DISCOURSE X. Father. It was intended, no doubt, to communicate to every attentive obferver, this great leffon of inftrudlion ; that all the powers and virtues of which he was poffeffed, came down from above ; that they were communicated to him " with- " out meafure ;" and that he could have no authority over the evils of human life^ fo as either to mitigate or remove them, but by ftan ding continually in the Hea venly World, infpiring its air, re ceiving its beams of light and love, and fending them forth into every human heart, that was truly defirous of receiving them ; and that it was by fuch a com munication alone, that he ihould be en abled to reftore hearing and fpeech to the unhappy patient they had brought be fore him. II. This look was accompanied with a figh. A figh feems to indicate diflrefs. An anxious oppreffed and afflidled heart is fometimes fo full, as to deprive the tongue DISCOURSE X. 187 tongue of the power of utterance; it vents itfelf, therefore, in a figh. But what could opprefs or afflidl the heart of the Meek and Innocent Jesus ? His body, though a fallen one, does not feem to have been fick or in pain ; his foul was fweetly attempered to Divine Love, and could have felt nothing but inward peace and ferenity — and yet, he fighs ! — The poor deaf and dumb finner, who ftood before him, had reafon enough to figh : but he was infenfible of his mife ry, and therefore fought not for relief. The truth is this : The Blessed Jesus, as the Second Adam, the Father and Re generator of our whole lapfed race, vo luntarily affumed our nature, and be- came as intimately united to it, as the head to the members of the body. In confequence of this union, " he knows ** whereof we are made, he remembers " that we are but duft." His fympa thetic heart is fenfible of every want and diftrefs of every fon and daughter of i88 DISCOURSE X. of Adam. He is perfecuted with the church that Saul perfecuteth ; and who- " fo toucheth his children, toucheth "the apple of his eye." Yea, he feels for thofe, who feel not for themfelves ; and fighs over the fad ftate of thofe, who are blind to their true happinefs; " v/ho call evil good, and good evil ; " who put darknefs for light, and light " for darknefs." It was from fuch a tender fenfibility of human woe, that our Lord fighed, whilft he was preparing to perform this miracle of love. This look, this figh, feem to have uttered fome fuch lan guage as this : " O Heavenly Father ! I am come into th^ world to fulfil thy bleffed will, in the reftoration of fallen, men to their primeval light and glory. My defire of accomplifhing this great work, which is continually called forth by a general view of their complicated ftiifery, as well as by »the ' patticular wauts and diftreffes of individuals, now folicits. DISCOURSE X. 189 folicits, in favour of the poor mortal that ftands before me, the application of thofe healing powers, which I have received from thee !" This expreflion of our Lord's defire, coinciding with the Eternal Will to All Goodnefs, imme diately produced the Divine Ephphatha. IIL 'f And he faith unto him, Ephpha- " tha! that is. Be opened." Whatever fa lutary efficacy there may be in medicine, it muft proceed from that Heavenly virtue, which rifes from the re-union of divided properties. This re-union is the fource of health, and the reftora tion of aught that may be impaired in any of our outward organs, or inward faculties. To him, who had all na ture under his controul, who knew how to bring together and unite, in an in- fl;ant, thofe properties which have been feparated, a fingle word, the mere mo tion of his will, was fuificient to pro duce the defired effedl. The fame Ma- 190 DISCOURSE X. jefty that faid, "Let there be light!" when " darknefs was upon the face of " the deep," now uttered the authori tative cure, "Be opened!" The injured organs were inftantly renewed ; "his " ears were opened, the ftring of his " tongue wasloofed, and he fpake plain." The fame Supernatural Powers, which the Blessed Jesus difplayed upon this occafion, he ftill continues to exercife in the hearts of his redeemed offspring. This look, this figh, this Ephphatha, is fpiritually fulfilled in the relief of every one, who is convinced of his fpiritual diforders, and applies to Christ for^ cure. Deaf and dumb with refpedl to our inward and fpiritual fenfes, we all are by nature. We can hear and fpeak, in deed, of worldly things, with a quicknefs and facility, which manifefts, in innur merable inftances, the ftrong attradlion by DISCOURSE X, 191 by which they hold our attention and affedlions : the calls of bufinefs and of pleafure, we are ever ready to anfwer. Our earthly fenfes are continually open ; but our heavenly faculties are clofed by a thoufand obftrudtions, which we fuf fer the devil, the world, and the flefh^ to forna in our hearts. The great Shepherd of Ifrael, who is perpetually employed in " feeking and ** faving that which was loft," -makes ufe of a variety of means and methods to bring the foul to a convidlion of its lofs. The efficacy of thefe depends, in deed, upon the concurrence of the hu man will; becaufe nothing can come into the foul, but what itfelf wills or defires. The different difpenfations of Providence are wifely and affedtionately adapted to the different circumftances pf individuals : the end and defign of them all is one and the fame, viz. to bring the wandering creature to a fenfe of his deviations. 192 DISCOURSE X. deviations, and " to guide his feet into " the ways of peace." By whatever means this convidlion is wrought, the foul foon becomes fenfi ble of its miftaken choice, and foon de termines to withhold its attention from the calls of earthly objedls. In vain does the Syren fing her delufive fong, it ceafes now to charm ; for the finger of God ftops the outward ear, that the inward ear may be opened to a fweeter note. The aWakened finner " looks up " and lifts up his head, for his redemp- ^' tion draweth nigh" — looks up to Hea-r ven — For what ? for the healing hand of his Redeemer to interpofe, and re move every remaining obftrudlion — looks up, and fighs — no defire pf deliverance, without a previous fenfibility of difr trefs — a figh is the true language of defire ; it is more effedtual than long prayer ; it is prayer itfelf, in its true * fpirit : words do frequently . render it lefs DISCOURSE X. 193 lefs fpiritual. The figh of a contrite finner brings down Heaven into his heart. Jesus often fighed. He loves a figh ; it invites him into his own Tem ple; and " Ephphatha, be opened!" is the bleffed voice that precedes his falutary entrance. Be opened ! — Opened, to what ? — To the Harmony of Heaven ; to the fym- phonies of angels ; to " the Voice of " the Bridegroom." " The marriage of " the Lamb" is come ; the Bride is prepared ; the filver chord is tied ; the bleffed union is completed ! The foul is now all eye, all eat, all heart, all tongue: and eye, and ear, and heart, and tongue, are all employed in receiving the gifts and graces, and celebrating the beauties and perfedlions of him, who is " faireft among ten thoufand, " who is altogether lovely." O Blessed Jesus ! vouchfafe, we befeech thee, fo to manifeft thy power Vol. I, N in 194 DISCOURSE X. in opening our cars, and loofing our tongues, that we may henceforth hear no voice but thine, and offer up our facrifice of praife and thankfgiving to none but thee, who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, art One God, bleffed for evermore ! DISCOURSE DISCOURSE XL The Riches and Glory of the Christian. I Cor, Chap. iii. Ver. 21, 22, 23. N 2 DISCOURSE XI. I Cor. Chap. iii. Ver. 21, 22, 23. " Therefore let no Man glory " in Men. For all Things are "yours: whether Paul, or Apol- *' LOS, OR Cephas, or the World, " OR Life, or Death, or Things " present, or Things to come ; " all are yours, and ye are " Christ's, and Christ is God's." THESE words contain a com plete and beautiful enumeration of thofe diftinguifhing privileges to which human nature is exalted, by virtue of that glorious plan of Redemption, which Jesus Christ the Son of God hath accomplifhed for our whole fallen race. N 3 They 198 DISCOURSE XL They were • occafioned by fome little jealoufies and envyings, which had bro ken out among the Corinthians, in con fequence of an undue attachment to par ticular apoftles and preachers of the gof pel ; fome declaring themfelves publickly in favour of one, and fome of another ; fome faying they were of Paul, others of Apollos, and others of Cephas. Upon this occafion the bleffed Apoftle, in the true fpirit of Chriftian Love, and free difinterefted impartial Charity, reminds them of this grand and important truth, " that no man can lay any other foun- " dation, than that is laid, even Jesus " Christ ;" that whatever difference there might be in the particular gifts and talents of their different preachers, yet no preference was to be given on this account, but their attention was folely to be diredled to thofe fundamen tal principles, which all were labouring to inculcate, though all were not equally agreeable and captivating in their modes of DISCOURSE XL 199 of communication and addrefs. Thefe differences were to be confidered as ac cidental and external, and by no means fuificient to warrant any partial perfo nal diftindlions. He makes ufe of a va riety of the moft fenfible and cogent arguments, to diffuade them from a condudl fo illiberal and unchriftian ; and in order moft effedlually to filence fuch a fpirit of contention, he reminds them, in my text, of the high and exalted privileges to which they themfelves were called in Christ Jesus, — " Therefore " let no man glory in men. " As if he had faid : Let none of you value yourfelves up on your perfonal attachment to this or that favourite Apoftle ; let none of you boaft of the fuperior fpiritual excellencies of thofe particular teachers, to whom you have fondly furrendered your affec tions ; or look upon the fpiritual know ledge you have acquired, as proceeding N 4 from 200 DISCOURSE XL from any powers or virtues in them, fuperior to thofe of their brethren : for let me affure you, fuch vain diftindlions Ar= beneath the charadter of thofe, who are themfelves united to that very Source and Fountain, from whence the living ftreams of real knowledge, holinefs, and happinefs, do alone proceed : " For all *' things are yours, whether . Paul, or " Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or " life, or death,' or things prefent, or " things to come; all are yours, and ye *' are Christ's, and Christ is God's." What a glorious inheritance is here! the whole univerfe of things declared to belong to the Redeemed Race of Adam! No prophecy is of private interpretation. From the beginning to the end of the Bible, every predidlion, every promife, every truth therein delivered, equally belongs to every individual of the human race : they are addreffed to all without exception. What a fenfelefs diftindlion then DISCOURSE XL 201 then is that, which fome narrow minds have adopted, and are fond of propaga ting, that the promifes of Scripture are made to none but believers ? Whereas, thefe promifes are the very foundation of every one's faith, and the ground upon which every one's hope of Salvation refts. No fon of fallen Adam can apply for pardon upon any other ground, than that the promifes of Scripture, which are founded upon the Univerfal and Im partial Love of God, are made to him, and every other perfon in the like cir cumftances. His faith in thefe promi fes makes a glorious change, with refpedl to himfelf; but, on the part of God, who is " the fame yefterday, to-day, and *' forever," they were made to him be fore he believed, or thought any thing about them : " We love him, becaufe " he firft loved us." He hath eledted all mankind to falvation, in his Son Jesus Christ. 202 DISCOURSE XI. Christ. An immortal inheritance is 'fecured to all, by the Merits of this Blessed Mediator; and if any fall fhort of this falvation, or lofe their in heritance, the blame muft lie at their own door : " They would not come to " Christ, that they might have life." Should an affedlionate parent, with the utmoft care and anxiety, make fuch an ample provifion for the fober and vir tuous education of his children," as, if accepted and improved by them, would fecure to them knowledge, efteem, and happinefs in this world ; would not fuch a parent be thought to have done all that love and tendernefs could do in this refpedl, for the future welfare of his offspring ? The provifion is equally fecured to all ; and yet, if any thought lefs, perverfe, difobedient child, fhould refufe to avail himfelf of thefe paternal bleffings, and prefer an idle, diffolute, and abandoned life, to all the advanta- tages DISCOURSE XL 203 tages which the father had taken care he fhould be furnifhed with, he might juftly be told, as the Apoftle tells th(i Corinthians — " All thefe things are yours." Your Father hath made you equal with the reft of his children — knowledge, efteem, and happinefs, is as much in your power as in theirs; your falling fhort of them, therefore, is owing to nothing but your own perverfe difpofi tion — " they are yours," but you will not enjoy therri. The lame might be faid of a tempo ral inheritance equally divided among a family of children ; each has an equal portion : and yet if any child fhould be fo weak and filly, as to chufe to forego the enjoyment of his fliare, and prefer penury and contempt to opulence and honour, he might ftill be told, that the portion was his, though he was fo fool- ifh as to negledl and forfake it. Even 204 DISCO U R S E XL Even fo, " an inheritance incorrupti- j ble, immortal, and that fadeth not iway," is fecured, in Christ Jesus, to every individual of our fallen race : " All things are ours," by virtue of that Heavenly Nature, which we inhe rit from Jesus Christ the fecond Adam. Upon the birth, growth, and maturity of this Heavenly Nature, de pends our poffeffion of this Eternal In heritance; and this birth, growth, and maturity again depend upon the co-ope ration of our wills, which are eter nally and effentially free, with the Di vine Will. What I have here afferted, is fully confonant to the very letter of Scripture : "God is not willing that any fhould *' perifh, but that all ihould come to *' repentance." But if God is willing to fave all. Why are not all faved ? Why do not all men come immediately to re pentance ? — The reafon is obvious : it de pends DISCOURSE XL 205 pends not, as fome vainly affert, upon a Secret Will of God, diftindt from his Revealed Will. Such an idea of the Gqd of Truth and Love, is unfcrip- tural, and even blafphemous — No, it de pends wholly upon the co-operation of our wills, with the unchangeable Will of God. The proriiife is made to all; the inheritance is fecured to all; but the poffeffion and enjoyment can never come, till the will of the creature is united to the will of the Creator; till from a deep convidlion of his own nothing- nefs by nature, he freely opens his heart to the influences of Grace — and then he finds, by a bleffed experience, that, " having nothing, he poffeffeth all *' things." When a minifter of Christ, there fore, addreffes himfelf to a finner, in fenfible of his fallen condition, and ftrongly attached to that earthly life, which he inherits from fallen Adam, he 2o6 DISCOURSE XL he cannot ufe 'a more effedtual argument, than that which the Apoftle in my text preffes upon the divided and contentious Corinthians — For fo far as thefe jealou fies and difputes prevailed among them, they were doubtlefs under the evil in fluences of the fame corrupt nature, to which the unregenerate are in bondage. " Why, vain mortal, why, alas ! art thou fo ftrangely blind to thy beft interefts, fo amazingly negledtful of thy real happinefs?" Thou fleeft from the fubftance, and embraceft a fhadow ; thou purfueft the vanity of time, and defpifeft the riches of eternity; thou preferreft the life of a beaft to the life of an angel ; thou art content to feed upon hufks among fwine, whilft in " thy Father's houfe there is bread " enough, and to fpare.'' — Thou art in fearch of a falfe and delufive hapT- pinefs in this world, whilft, if thou wouldft but attend to and " know the " things DISCOURSE XL 207 " things that belong to thy peace," thou wouldft foon difcover, that " all " things are thine." For poor, wretched, finful, polluted as thou art in thine out ward nature, thou haft, within thee, a Seed of Eternal Life, a Birth of the Triune God, a Son of the Second Adam, a Reconception of the Light and Love of God, an Angel near its birth. To this feed, this birth, this fon, this reconception, this angel in thy breaft, belongs the Kingdom of Hea ven, the pure element of Life, and Light, and Love. Jesus Christ, thy Ever Bleffed Redeemer, hath fown in thy heart, and in the hearts of all thy fellov^-finners, this Seed of his own Heavenly Nature, by means of which, he affedtionately purpofes to redeem thee from the bondage of corruption, and exalt thee to a glorious ftate of life and liberty. As he is invefted with " all " power both in heaven and in earth," fo this offspring of his, which is with in 2o8 DISCOURSE XL in thee, will become a partaker of his Power, in proportion as it becomes a partaker of his Life and Spirit, in pro portion as it increafes in Heavenly Wifdom and Stature. If thou fliouldft afk, how this growth and increafe is to be obtained, arid how all things are thine?" — I could an fwer thee, that as the earth-born babe could never grow and increafe in bodily ftrength, without a perpetual fupply of the light, and air, and food, which this out ward world affords ; fo it is as really and phyfically true, that the Heaven-born < offspring of the Second Adam, can never grow or , increafe in fpiritual ftrength, without the light, and air, and food of the heavenly world, imparted by its tender and affedlionate parent, Jesus Christ : and as nothing difpofes the earthly infant to receive that nourifh ment which is fuited to its nature, but the hunger of that nature, earneftly cry ing DISCOURSE XL 209 ing for a fupply; fo nothing can dif- pofe the Heavenly babe within, to re ceive the precious influences of Divine Life and Grace, which alone can fatisfy its nature, but an hunger and earneft defire of this Heavenly Food; or, in other words, the fpirit of the will turn ing to Christ, loathing all other nou rifhment, and defiring only to be fed with his Bread of Eternal Life. Thus fed, fupported, and ftrengthened, by a Vital Union with thine adorable Redeemer, thou ftandeft not in thine own ftrength, but in his ; not in thine own righteoufnefs, but the Righteoufnefs of Christ within thee; not in thine outAvard and perifhing nature, but in thy inward. Angelical, and Divine Nature. In this nature, fweetly mingling with its own kindred element, thou art fafe, firm and colledled ; all temporal objedls are beneath thy feet ; like Adam in his paradifiacal ftate, the earth, and all that Yol. I. O is 2IO DISCOURSE XL is therein, is fubjedl to thy will. Health and ficknefs, profperity and adverfity, ftorms and calms, fpiritual coriiforts or fpiritual diftreffes, the viciffitudes of lite, the horrors of death, the vanity of time, and the riches of eternity, are. all at thy command, and thou makeft them all fubfervient to thy fpiritual growth and confolation. All thefe powers, virtues, and enjoy ments, are thine ; thine by the Free Gift of God in Christ Jesus, imparted to thee, and made thine, at the very mo ment the " Seed of the Woman" was infpoken into Adam's fallen nature. It is true, they are in an hidden ftate, and require the ftrongeft exertion of thy v/ill co-operating with thy Saviour, in calling them forth. They can only appear and manifeft themfelves, in proportion as thy will is given up to Christ, in propor tion as thou dieft to thine earthly nature, and its earthly defires, and becomeft one De- DISCOURSE XL 211 fire, one Will, one Spirit with thy Re deemer. This is not a fudden and in ftantaneous work : the procefs is flow and painful. Many a right hand muft be cut off; many a right eye muft be plucked out; many a favourite paffion muft be facrificed, many a weary ftep taken, many a temptation baffled, many a vidlory obtained againft the devil, the world, and the flefli, before " all things " are thine" by adlual poffeffion. The combat is tedious, and the vidtory fometimes appears doubtful. But be not difcouraged at this — darknefs as well as light, doubt as well as affurance, weaknefs as well as ftrength, will help thee on thy way. Thy Redeemer is perpetually watching over his own offspring; he eyes thee with inejQfable compaffion throughout thy whole pro grefs, and renders all its viciffitudes fub fervient to thy real and eternal welfare. O 2 Think 212 DISCOURSE XL Think not, that it is neceffary to thy fpiritual growth, that thou fhouldft walk in perpetual fun-fliine, beneath a clear unclouded fl<;y. The howling winds, the beating rain, are equally neceffary at times ; and are as powerful and opera-. tive in fpiritual, as in earthly vegeta tion. Through thefe, and worfe than thefe, even the gloomy vale of the fha dow of death, the invifible hand of an Omnipotent Redeemer fliall condudl thee fafe to a region of uncreated light and glory, where eternal nature, in its effential and unchangeable fplendors, ma nifefts the Beatifying Prefence of Fa ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, in their full and undivided Trinity of Glory. What though pain of body, and in ward anguifh of foul, fhould affault thee; what though difeafe fhould blaft the bloom of health, and convulfion rack and rend thine earthly frame ; what though DISCOURSE XI. 213 though death, with all his grim attend ants, fhould knock at thy door, fummon thee to irelinquifh all thy temporal pro fpedls, and to enter at once into the world of fpirits ; this fingle refledlion, that Christ has made " all things " thine," will be fufficient to fupport thy finking frame ; nay, more, thou wilt rejoice in thy deliverance from the cap tivity of the body, look forward with traniport into the Paradife to which thou art haftening, nor " eaft one long- " ing lingering look behind." Such an addrefs as this, from a minif ter of Christ, to a poor thoughtlefs finner, I cannot but think, by the blef fing of God, would have a more fure and certain effedl upon his hardened heart, than all the terrors of eternal damnation, thundered, as is too frequent ly the cafe, with more than brutal vio lence and impetuofity againft him. For O 3 fuch 214 DISCOURSE XL fuch a method would open two things to his mind, which are equally neceffary to be revealed to him, neither of which he can attend to in his prefent thought lefs condition, viz. the fin and vanity of his fallen life, and the comfort, happi nefs, and glory of his redeemed nature — one ihould never be opened without the other: it would only be probing the wound, without adminiftring the reftor- ingbalfam. This method which I have mentioned, was that which our dear Redeemer and his bleffed Apoftles al ways ufed ; and if Chriftian minifters would more carefully tread in their foot fteps, they might be fure of greater fuc cefs : not perhaps in the way of extra ordinary awakenings, violent convidlions, and inftantaneous joys ; but in the ftill, calm, and foothing ways of the Gofpel of Peace and Love. We ihould never tell the finner, that he is by nature under the bondage of the DISCOURSE XL 215 the devil, the world, and the fleih, with out acquainting him, that he has in him an High and Heavenly nature, to which he would do well to attend, as to a Light fhining in the midft of his darknefs. When we point out the de ftrudlive confequences of fin, we fliould enlarge at the fame time upon the de lights of holinefs, and the exalted pri vileges of thofe that follow it. Thus we ihould imitate the Apoftle in my text, who upon giving this advice to his Corinthian brethren, " Let no man " glory in men," immediately adds this high and encouraging motive to their pradtice of it, " For all things are yours." O 4 DIS- DISCOURSE XII. The Riches and Glory of the Christian. I Corinth. Chap. iii. Ver. 21, 22, 23. DISCOURSE XII. I Cor. Chap. iii. Ver, 21, 22, 23. " Therefore let no Man glory " IN Men : for all Things are *' YOURS; whether PaUL, OR " Apollos, or Cephas, or the World, or Life, or Death, OR Things present, or Things " TO COME; ALL ARE YOURS, AND " YE ARE Christ's, and Christ " is God's. MY former difcourfe from thefe words contained a general view of the Apoftle's reafoning in this chapter. I obferved, that this part of his epiftle was occafioned by fome envyings and jea loufies which had crept into the Co rinthian church, in confequence of an undue diftindlion and preference which different perfons had fhewn to differ ent 220 DISCOURSE XII. ent Apoftles and Preachers of the Gof pel; and that, in order to filence thefe controverfies, the Apoftle, after a va riety of other excellent arguments, con cludes with enumerating the high and diftinguiftiing Privileges, to which the Corinthians themfelves were called, in common with thofe very teachers, whofe excellencies they were fo injudicioufly magnifying. He tells them, that they ought not to " glory in man ;" that is, to boaft of the fuperior excellencies of this or that favourite Preacher, becaufe " all *' things were theirs;" that by virtue of that Heavenly Nature, which they, as well their teachers, inherited from Jesus Christ the Second Adam, they were provided with a glorious inherit ance, and invefted with high powers and privileges, whereby this world, and every thing in it, was fubjedl to their. will, when in union and co-operation with the Eternal and Unchangeable Will DISCOURSE XII. 221 Will of their Redeemer: fo that all perfonal diftindlions among men, all perfonal admiration of their peculiar talents and moft ihining endowments, were beneath the charadter of fuch high born fouls, and ought not to corne into competition with the Heavenly Graces of love, meeknefs, humility, mutual forbearance, condefcenfion and peace, by which alone the dignity of their birth could be afferted, and the adlual poffeflion of their fpiritual privileges known and afcertained. I endeavoured likev/ife to explain to you, the glorious and cornfortable meaning and import of this general pro- pofition of the Apoftle, " All things " are yours :" and fhewed, by feveral fimilitudes and obfervations, that this was not only applicable to the Corin thians, and the moft e.ffedlual motive that the Apoftle could make ufe of, to difengage them from their narrow and car nal notions and jealoufies ; but that it is equally 222 DISCOURSE XIL equally, applicable to all men, at all times, and in all places and circumftances; and the moft effedtual method that a Minifter of Christ can make ufe of, to awaken thoughtlefs finners, and en gage them to purfue the things that belong to their peace. Let me now, therefore, entreat your attention, whilft I enter upon the con fideration of thofe particular Privileges, which are enumerated under this gene-. ral head. As thfe immediate defign of the Apoftle, upon this occafion, was to put an end to that ftrife and divifibn, which fub- fifted among them from the attach ment of different perfons to different preachers, fo the firft • Privilege he mentions, is this, that in whatever light they might confider the matter, thefe Apoftles and Preachers were no thing in themfelves, but were furniihed with peculiar talents and endowments foi: DISCOURSE XII. 223 for the fervice of their brethren : they were " theirs," becaufe inftruments in the hands of Heaven, to awaken their attention, and engage their purfuit of real fpiritual knowledge and happinefs ; and they were only to be confidered in this light, without any other perfonal refpedl and veneration, than that which their cha-r radler, as inftruments, might claim : for ** all things are yours ; whether Paul, or " Apollos, or Cephas." That this is a true and juft reprefen- tation of the Apoftle's defign, we may learn from his reafoning in the pre ceding part of the chapter. He charges them with adting under the immediate influence of earthly and carnal motives ; and though he had adapted his preach ing to their flender capacities, -though he had fed them with milk, as being yet in the ftate of infants, and incapable of receiving or digefting the ftrong meat of the great and glorious myfteries of the 224 DISCOURSE XIL the Gofpel, yet they did not profit even by this ; for they had acquired no new fpiritual ftrength from thence ; nay, they not only remained in their infant ftate, unable to bear a further revelation of Gofpel Truth, but gave themfelves up again to the principles and didlates of cor rupt nature. " Ye are yet carnal: for " whereas there is among you envyings, " and ftrife, and divifions, are ye notcar- " nal, and walk as men ? — For while " one faith, I am of Paul, and another I " am of Apollos, are ye not carnal? " Who then is Paul, and who is Apol- " los, but minifters, by whom ye be- " lieved, even as the Lord gave to "every man? I have planted, Apolr "Jos watered; but God gave the in- " creafe. So then neither he that plant- " eth is any thing, neither he that wa- " tereth, but God who giveth the in- " creafe. Now he that planteth, and he " that watereth, are one," As if he had faid : I DISCOURSE XII. 225 " I am truly forry, O Corinthians ! to find that fuch unexpedted animofities have rifen among you : they are too fla grant proofs of your deviation from that path of Gofpel Truth and Love, into which you had but juft entered. Certain indeed, it is, that I have la boured among you with unceafing vi gilance and care ; and " by the Grace of "God that was given me," have planted a Church of Christ in the midft of you. The glad tidings of the Gofpel were fent from my lips to your awaken ed hearts : you were taught to fee, and feel, and relinquifh the vanity arid cor ruption of your fallen life, and to look for and experience the birth and grov/th of an Heavenly Nature within you. To this Heavenly Nature, I adminiftered fuch mild and gentle food and nourifli- ment, as I knew was beft fuited to its tender opening ftate. In this fitua tion I left you to the Grace of Christ, and the affedlionate labours of thofe other Vol. I. P Apoftles 226 DISCOURSE XII. Apoftles and preachers, who feconded my miniftry among you. The labours of Apollos and Cephas were as necef fary to your growth in Grace, as mine : for as ye " are God's hufbandry, as " ye are God's building," fo God hath beftowed different talents and endow ments on thofe fevcral Lbourers or work men, vvhom he choofei to employ for the culture of hi; vineyard, and for the progrefs and completion of his great Ipiritual edifice. " We are all, therefore, *' labourers tosether with God." We have all our different talks allotted us bv the ereat Hulband-man and Mafter- builder, imder whom we labour, and frcni Trhom alone we receive ftrength a.-d wifdom to execute his will. My brJinefs was to plant, Apollos 's to wa ter; but what could it avail to plant or to water, unlefs God gave the in creafe ? The Sim of Righteoufnefs muft Ihed his genial light and warmth, and the Divine Spirit muft breathe its re frefhing DISCOURSE XII. 227 frefhing gales upon the tender plants, or they will wither and die. " He that " planteth, and he that watereth, there- ** fore, are one," united in the fame bleffed work. The culture, growth, and perfedlion of the plant, are equally the care and concern of both, though their bufinefs or employment in this work be different. Paul, and Apollos, and Cephas, are only " minifters, by whom " ye believed, even as the Lord gave " to .every man," and profpered their feveral labours. Paul, and Apollos, and Cephas, are yours : they are equally con cerned, and equally laborious, for your Growth in Grace, though their parti cular talents and exercifes may be different. Away then with your vain and unchriftian diftindlions ! for the planter, and the waterer, are equally neceffary, and equally eftimable. Con fider them always in thefe charadters ; entertain an equal love and refpedl for them all ; and beg of your Heavenly P 2 Father 228 DISCOURSE XIL Father to give increafe to their re- Ijpective labours." I need not take up your time, my brethren, in endeavouring to afcertain the peculiar and charafteriflical gifts of thefe feveral Apoftles : this would neither aug ment, nor diminifh the weight of the argument. \^'hatever thefe gifts vrere, they were not their own, but only in- trufted to them by Jesus Christ, for accomplifhing his own wife and falutary purpofes towards the children of men. Some might be eminent for one kind of ufefulnefs, and fome for another. But it is probable, that thofe who poffeffed fuch talents, as moft captivated the at tention and affedlions of animal nature, were moft followed ; and this merely on account of the talents themfelves, with out any refpedl to thofe fpiritual falu tary truths, which, through them, were intended to be conveyed to the hearers. This DISCOURSE XII. 229 This condudl, however, is not pe culiar to the Corinthians. The fame evil carnal principle, that raifed fo many unchriftian anirhofities in that infant church, has ever fince been working in every part of Chriftendom. It is the fatal fource of all that variety of fedls opini ons and dodlrines, into which the out ward church has been, and is ftill, fadly divided. But Truth is One — it has been fo from the beginning, and will con tinue fo for ever. The different fenti ments and conceptions of mankind about Truth, can no more alter its nature, or make it eeafe to be what it is, than the looking through a variety of glaffes of different colours, forms, and dcnfities, can change the real colour, form, and pro portion of objedls. Every man ad- niires and efteems his own glafs moft; and not content with this, quarrels with his neighbour, becaufe he does not make ufe of it as well himfelf. This is but too true a pidture of the prefent ftate P 3 of 230 DISCOURSE XIL of Chriftianity — while its profeffors are difputing and differing about their own peculiar opinions and notions of Truth, which are no better than the glaffes through which they contemplate it, they loofe fight of the fair and beauteous ob jedt itfelf. The minifters of Jesus Christ ought to have but one end in view, and that is, the converfion of hearts to his Re deeming Love. Their talents for this great work may differ as much as their perfons ; but by this diverfity of gifts, they are better enabled to do the dif ferent kinds of work that are neceffary to be done in their mafter's vineyard. They fliould be careful, however, not to run before they are fent, not to in trude upon the labours of their bre thren, but be content to be employed in a way fuitable to their peculiar ta lents, and in the field which Heaven hath affigned them. He that planteth, fhould be fent put only to plant; he that DISCOURSE XII. 231 that watereth, to water ; he that giveth milk, fliould continue to give it till he has fomething ftronger to give, and his hearers are better able to receive it. At the fame time, neither he that plant eth, nor he that watereth, neither he that giveth milk, nor he that giveth ftrong meat, fliould interfere with, de preciate, or counter-adl each other's peculiar work ; but rather fhould faith fully and lovingly co-operate in the ufe of his peculiar gifts and experiences, to edify and perfedl the body of Christ. Were minifters thus tender, chari table, affedlionate-, and helpful to each other, were they truly fellow-labourers in Christ, it is more than probable, tliat- there would be lefs divifions and jea loufies among the people. Much de pends, under God, upon their prudence and forbearance with refpedl to each other : and though fuch is the corruption ¦and perverfenefs of human nature, that P 4 the 232 DISCOURSE XII. tlie clofeft union among themfelves may not entirely prevent difputes among their hearers (as was the cafe at Corinth, though the Apoftles did, no doubt, affedtionately harmonize in all their labours) yet fuch an union would have a great tendency to heal or difperfe them. But how dreadful muft be the con fequences, when any ambitious afpiring preachers do themfelves raiie and fo ment thefe divifions; when they limit the Mercies of Jesus, and call upon men to join and affociate themfelves to their particular fedl or party ; as if the ftreams of Spiritual Life had left every other channel which Providence had opened, and, by their direction, taken entirely to one of their own conftrudlion ! If a preacher of this clafs happens tp pof-, fefs any popular talents, he is capable of abufing them to great mifchief— to, impofe his own dodlrines and opi-. nions upon the ignorant multitude, by firft DISCOURSE XII. 233 firft captivating their paffions, and then leading their judgments and confciences as he pleafes. Many a foul has been awakened, indeed, under fuch preach ers, but few have attained to any fo- lid or fubftaritial piety. Their minds have been kept in bondage to certain peculiarities of dodtrine and pradtice, but their hearts and wills have ne ver been furrendered to their true and only Mafter Jesus Christ. They have blindly followed the commartdments of men, of their clamorous and enflamed leaders ; but have negledled the weigh tier matters of Love, Peace, and Spi ritual Union with Christ and all true Chriftians. Paul, Apollos, or Cephas, they are ready enough to magnify and extol ; but the Mafter of Paul, Apollos, and Cephas, they too eafily forget — their attention and affedlions are too much engaged by the inftrument, to obferve and adore the Hand by which it is, Pf ought to be, diredled. to 234 DISCOURSE XII. To conclude this head : As the beft of teachers, even the Apoftles them felves, found it fo diificult to controul the pafiions and prejudices of men, and difengage them from partial diftindlions and preferences among their minifters ; how careful fliould all minifters be, to inculcate the Apoftolical dodtrine con tained in this chapter, upon their hear ers ! to caution them againft depend ing upon, or glorying in man ; againft trufting to the piety, zeal, or elocution of the moft liberal teachers, and much more againft giving up their confci ences to thofe, whofe views are par tial and confined, and who publickly avow them to be fuch, by endeavour ing to draw a deluded multitude into the narrow limits of their own mif guided fedl. How often fliould they remind their hearers, that they are no more than their fervants, men of like paf fions with themfelves, though feledled by Divine Providence to convey the glad DISCOURSE XII. 23s glad tidings of Salvation to their hearts } that they can, at moft, but plant and water ; nor even this, without the con tinuance of Divine affiftance ; but that it is to God alone they muft look for an increafe ! O my brethren ! let thefe truths firik deep into your hearts. Without a tho rough convidlion of them, all the preach ing in the world will be of no fervice to you. You may hear a fermon every day, and every hour in the week, and be as far from Christ as ever, if you continue to depend upon preaching and preachers alone for your falvation. The utmoft they can do, is to diredt you to Christ. Regard them only when they give you this advice. Value them not for their natural or even fpiritual en dowments; you may be deceived in both. The fureft and moft profitable way you can take, is to confider them as mere planters and waterers ; and to follow them, fo far ouly as they follow Christ. DISCOURSE DISCOURSE XIIL The Riches, Privileges, and Ho« nours of the christian. I Cor. Chap. iii. Ver. 21, 22, 23. DISCOURSE XIIL I Cor. Chap. iii. Ver. 21, 22, 23. " Therefore let no Man glory " IN Men : for all things are *' YOURS ; WHETHER PaUL, OR A- *' poLLos, OR Cephas, or the " World, or Life, or Death, " OR Things present, or Things " TO COME; ALL ARE YOURS, AND ** YE ARE Christ's, and Christ " IS God's. TH E fcope and defign of the Bleffed Apoftle in this paflage of his epiftle, together with the true meaning and import of his general pro- pofition, ** All things are yours," hath been already explained in my firft dif courfe from thefe words. In my fe cond 246 DISCOURSE XIIL cond difcourfe, I entered upon the con fideration of thofe particular privileges of the Chriftian, which are enumerated undef this general head : And as the firft of thefe privileges had a more immediate and ftriking reference to the great end he here had in view, which was to convince the Corinthians of the fin and folly of attaching themfelves to par ticular and favourite preachers ; I en larged upon this head, and endeavoured to prove, that Paul, and Apollos, and Cephas, and all other minifters of the Gofpel, were no more than the fervants of their brethren; that they were " theirs" by a particular privilege, inaf much as their office, their labours, ta lents, and feveral endowments, were en- trufted to them for no other purpofe, but that