DISCOURSES 
 
 O N 
 
 THREE ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GOSPEL-REVELATION, 
 
 Which demonftrate its divine original. 
 
 WITH 
 
 A Caution againft Infidslity, addrefledto Youth. 
 
 AND 
 
 A Supplemental Discourse on the fupernatural 
 Conception of Jesus Christ. 
 
 By C A L E B ^:f L E M I N G, D. D. 
 
 Make it plain uton Tables, that he may run that readeth it. 
 
 Habaickuk. 
 
 Jill Jh all knoiu me, from the leajl to the greatejl, Jehovah. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J. Towers, at No. in, in Fore-Street, 
 near Cripplegate. MDCCLXXII. 
 
 (Price Two Shillings.) 
 
A Caution againji Lifidelity : Addrejfed 
 to the rijing Age. 
 
 YOU who are in earlier life, be pleafed to con- 
 ficier yourfelves as peculiarly interefted in 
 fuch Caution •, lince it is probable that the fate of 
 Britain will much depend upon your religious or 
 infidel complexion. And, moreover, the attempt 
 made to throw the light of evidence, cannot be 
 fuppofed to do much fervice to the well-informed 
 believer in revelation; and the numerous unbe- 
 lievers will admit of no information, fo thick is 
 the veil over their minds, that however repeatedly 
 their objev5tions have been fully anfwered, they re- 
 tain fceptical cavils, and fanciful diftailes to the 
 evidence.. Even fo confirmed are their prejudices, 
 that they can fuppofe prophecy and miracle never 
 had any exiftence. Their moil; admired publica- 
 tions are written with an air of unaccountable 
 afTurance. 
 
 But the m.ore efi^e<5lually to intrench themfelves, 
 and colour over a fabulous fyftem of infidelity, 
 they have been conftrained to deny a providence, 
 and the ufefulnefs of prayer j by virtue of v/hich 
 artifice, they fancy to have gained an acquifition 
 of liberty to relax fome bonds of moral obliga- 
 tion. Nay, had thefe two articles been admitted 
 into their lyllem, rank abfurdity would have flared 
 them in the face j and would, with grear force, 
 have retorted upon their denial of a divine reve- 
 lation, becaufe of the manifeft confiltency there is 
 between them. For we thus argue ; if there be 
 conitant exertions of an ad:ive efficacious provi- 
 dence, a conitant acknowledgment of the divine 
 
 A 2 c^ve 
 
4 A Caution againji Infidelity. 
 
 care and goodnefs muft be reafonable. And if 
 there has been very fignal and remarkable inter- 
 pofals of almighty power, in fupport of the ho- 
 nours of God's moral government, whether in fuc- 
 coiiring and comforting, or in retraining and re- 
 buking mankind, in part ages, it is but reafonable 
 to conclude, fome authentic hiftory of the plan 
 Ihould furnifh information concerning the do6lrinal 
 inflruction of thofe divine interpofals ; and efpe- 
 cially if fome great and interefting events, to na- 
 tions and people, have been foretold by m.en whom 
 God raifed up to exhort, rebuke, and forewarn-, 
 there can be no manner of doubt, but fome au- 
 thentic record would be made for the divine end 
 of Ihewing man his dependence ; exciting in him 
 admiration, gratitude and praife, and encouraging 
 an hope and confidence in the tender care, and 
 unwearied goodnefs of his fupreme almighty Lord. 
 
 Allow me farther to inform you, that every mind 
 that thinks, will be apprehenfive of a firft concern 
 with Godi becaufe he is creator, preferver, go- 
 vernor, and judge of all. He hence will infer, 
 an exprefs revelation muft have been, of v/hat is 
 his will and law concerning the behaviour of man- 
 kind tovv'ards him, towards one another, and to- 
 wards themfelvcs. 
 
 Some record muft have been made, and fome- 
 where preferved, for public ufe and benefit, 
 throughout the finilhing ages of the world — to 
 which written record it fhould feem allufion is 
 had, when it is faid, he has magnified his word 
 above all his name ! 
 
 Highly reafonable it is to conclude, that the 
 adorable difplays of Deity, in paft ages, affording 
 moft important, divine inftrudion, muft have had 
 
 fome 
 
A Caution againfi Infidelity. ^ 
 
 Ibme certain conveyance from one generation to 
 another. 
 
 But if we admit that of all God's meflengers, 
 the man Chrift Jei'us was the laft, even he who 
 fhould reveal, with fuUeft evuien e, his truth and 
 grace, as a determinate, decifive canon of the final 
 judgment; it will follow, that a public record of 
 tliofe teachings would be neceffiry for the guidance 
 of m.ankind, as the great, invariable ftandard of 
 God's moral rule and government. And this ap- 
 pears yet more conclufive, fince thofe teachings do 
 affirm, that that laft revealer of truth and grace, 
 is ordained the vifible judge of all. 
 
 Notwithftanding fuch plenary evidence, there is 
 little probability of the unbeliever's attending to 
 the believer's argument; confequently there re- 
 mains no other encouragement for fuch a publica- 
 tion as this, but that only, of preventing the fpread 
 of a peiliilential infecljon on the young, the yet 
 innocent and undepraved mind. This you will 
 t!ien fee to be a weD-defigned attempt, every way 
 difinterefted, humane, and friendly; becaufe of the 
 unwearied endeavours of the lafidel, to inculcate 
 on unguarded, unfurniflied minds, a contempt ot 
 the facred fcriptures. 
 
 We readily own to you, there are too many oc- 
 cafions given the unbeliever to blafpheme, or to 
 caft reproach on the Chriftian profeffioq, from the 
 very abfurd and ridiculous tenets of the far greater 
 number of piofefiTors — opinions, which infult the 
 reafon of man, and highly difhonour the divine 
 majedy of the New Teltament canon — to expofe 
 which, is one defign of the following difcourics. 
 
 A 3 Neverthelefs, 
 
6 A Caution againjl Infidelity, 
 
 ■' Ncverthelefs, in thefe imaginary, thefe cobweb 
 fubterfuges, the Infidel fhekers-, perfuading him- 
 felf, that he cannot be lefs lecure of the divine fa- 
 vour, than thofe of fo very deformed a com- 
 plexion — he is thus led to pour contempt upon ail 
 religion, and no wonder j for if that can be faid to 
 be a reli^^ioji from God^ which countenanceth the 
 rankeft abfurdity of idea, and the immorality both 
 of principle and pradice in its profefibrsj it can 
 never dcferve the veneration of men, who form an 
 ellimate of it nature and tendency from fo ftupid 
 and vicious a profeiTion. 
 
 The grofs ignorance, idolatry, fuperftition and 
 vice, apparent among nominal Chrifcians, do infi- 
 nite mifchief, both in fpreading and confirming in- 
 fidelity. And yet we may not by any means allow, 
 that thefe foul Ipots and blemifhes in the Chriftian 
 profeflion, are lufficient apologies for that negle6t 
 and contempt which is thrown upon the Gofpel by 
 the unbeliever — for he certainly would not allow 
 it to be a juft and fair conclufion, that becaufe 
 there are many inhuman, many favage minds, 
 worfe than brutalized, found in the Pagan world, that 
 therefore the principles of natural religion are of a 
 deformed, difgultful fpirit and complexion ! or that 
 becaufe great numbers of Jews have forfeited all 
 claim to human confidence, that therefore the Mo- 
 faic fyftem of laws is depraving. — And yet, no bet- 
 ter is the conclufion drawn by the Infidel againft 
 Chriftianity. 
 
 Confider again, that that written Code of in- 
 ftruftion, which hys the claim to a divine origina- 
 tion, ought to be judged of as it lies in the facred 
 volume itfelf, and not as mifreprefented by the 
 temper, fpirit, and behaviour of many who profefs 
 to receive it as their canon. The reafon of which 
 
 is 
 
A Caution againji Infidelity. j 
 
 is fo very plain and undeniable, that no one of the 
 lead undtrftanding can avoid feeling the weight of 
 the argument. But notvvithftanding this is the 
 truth of the cafe, or a fair expofure of the en- 
 chanted ground of infidelity, many there are who 
 have clear heads and a good underttanding in civil 
 and political affairs, Mho yet, in the article of re- 
 ligion, do appear egregioufly abfurd, irrational, 
 andftupid*. It therefore would have been very 
 difficult to account for this contempt thrown upon 
 a revelation well fupported by prophecy and miracle, 
 had not a folurion been abundantly given, both by 
 our Lord and his apoftle St. Paul. The former 
 affirms, " that every one who doeth evil hateth the 
 " light, and cometh not to it left his deeds Ihould 
 " be reproved -f ;" and that it is a defedl in men's 
 dejire of doing the will of God. His words are 
 thefe, " If any man will do his will, he fhall know 
 " of the do6trine, whether it be of God J." — The 
 other declares, it is becaufe of their worldlinefs. — 
 His words are, — " But if the Gofpel be hid, it is 
 " hid to them that are loft, in whom the God of 
 " this world hath blinded the minds of them that 
 " believe not, left the light of the glorious Gofpel 
 " of Chrift, who is the image of God, fhould 
 " fhine unto them §." 
 
 All young perfons Ihould be very ftudious to ex- 
 plore the delufive ground of infidelity, and make 
 themfelves well acquainted with the infinite im- 
 portance of the facred writings; for thefe writings 
 do, above all others, regulate the heart and life: 
 they make a man wife, and underftanding in what 
 the will of the Lord is. Thtir ufefulnefs is found 
 in an uniformly beneficial, efficacious influence on 
 
 A 4 the 
 
 * The great Locke made this obfervation. f Joh. iii. 20. 
 \ Joh. vii. 17, § 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. 
 
8 A Caution cigmnfi InfJelity. 
 
 the temper and behaviour of man. A faith in 
 them derives all its faving benefit from that con- 
 fillency which it gives to all the faculties, powers, 
 and paflions of the foul. Herein youth will avcid 
 thofe idle, abfurd, and mifchievous definitions of 
 faith, invented by church-men and myftics-, and 
 they will approve the judgment which they them- 
 felves make of the revelation, when they have 
 cnce brought that canon to the tell of reafon, 
 truth, and God. 
 
 As an encouragement to the youth's paying a 
 religious regard to the Gofpel canon, he will find 
 that, in fad", it gives him daily improving; and con- 
 firming felf-fatisfailion, a firm and fixed confi- 
 dence and hope in God, by reafon of his fpirit, i. e. 
 his word dwelling in him* : a principle that is both 
 dignifying and immortalizing. For " he who 
 " keepeth the commandments, [that is, the com- 
 " mandments as they are explained by Jefusj God 
 *' dwelleth in him, and he in God -j." 
 
 Such an attainment, we are afTured, is not with- 
 in the reach of infidelity. It cannot: becaufe the 
 man who denies that God did ever make any ex- 
 prds revelation of his will, has no ability of judg- 
 ing what are fome of his perfedlions-, what the 
 Itatute-laws of his kingdom ; what the terms of 
 man's acceptance •, what the purpofes of his grace 
 and mercy; becaufe totally ignorant, either of any 
 divine command, or of any divine promife. Nei- 
 ther can he, with any certainty, determine about a 
 future flate, or world. He is deftitute of every 
 of thofe great ideas that enrich the mind, and 
 which are derived wholly from an intimate ac- 
 quaintance with a written revelation. — And yet, 
 
 alas ! 
 
 Joh. vi. Gy f i Joh. iii. 24. 
 
A Caution againjl Infidelity. ^f) 
 
 alas! fuch is the conceit of the infidel, that he 
 fwells, and is quite bloated with his ignorance, 
 pride, and vanity. 
 
 Did but young minds form a juft conception of 
 the unbeliever, they would fee him to be an obje6t 
 of piry and cornmiieration-, for truly that man's 
 condition mutt be very deplorable, who, in the 
 Jevity of his fpirit, refufts to admit into his own 
 breall, the m.oft cheering, reviving, ravifliing rays 
 of divine truth, life, and love. This prayer wocdd 
 therefore be proper for us to put up, both for the 
 
 infidel and ourfelves " From hardnefs of heart, 
 
 *' and contempt of thy word and commandment, 
 *' good Lord deliver us." 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 THE three following difconrfes were promifed 
 when I publifhed The open addrefs of New- 
 Tejiament evidence^ or three plain monuments^ &c. 
 Thofe had refped to the external, thefe to the in- 
 ternal evidence. In both I have endeavoured to 
 flate the divine teftimony, with all the perfpicuity 
 which my underfranding would permit, as it lies in 
 the Gofpel-canon ; and with the freedom and faith- 
 fulnefs of a Chriilian, who owns no human autho- 
 rity on earth, in the province of religion. 
 
 Cf- In my former publication, through forget- 
 fulnefs, I omitted, in the difcourfe on the Sabbath, 
 that argument for the change of the feventh to the 
 firft day of tlie week, taken, from the effufion of 
 the Spirit at Pentecoft on the firft day, by Dr. 
 Lightfoot, in his obfervations : fee his works, vol. ii. 
 p. 642, 643. Another prefumptive argument 
 might alfo have been adduced, from Mahomet's 
 changing his fabbath from that both of the Jew, 
 and of the Chriftian. 
 
 The fupplemental difcourfe upon the ftipernatural 
 conception, which follows the three internal evi- 
 dences, has to do with a fad very much ridiculed 
 by the unbeliever, and difputed, if not denied, by 
 fome who profefs to be believers in the New Tefta- 
 ment. If I have not miflaken the fenfe of the 
 prophecy, that difcourfe mufl be allowed to have ^ 
 place properly given it in this publication. 
 
DISCOURSE I. 
 
 On the Unity of Gofpel-Principks. 
 
 IN an age when vice and infidelity are In the 
 height of profeffion, even in a chriflian pro- 
 teftant country, a careful furvey of the internal 
 evidence of the truth and divinity of the Gofpel 
 fyftem cannot be unfeafonable. An attempt fhall 
 therefore be made, in three difcourfes, on the unity 
 of principles, on the original divine purity, and on 
 the univerfality of the Gofpel-canon. If then it 
 fhall be made manifeft, that the New Teftament 
 afierts an unity of all divine principles throughout 
 its teachings ; that there is no admixture of human 
 invention in all its fyftem; and that the truth and 
 grace of that new Covenant has an impartial, uni- 
 veiTal addrefs, there will be found in it all the di- 
 ftinguifhing, conclufive charafteriftics of a reve- 
 lation from God. 
 
 Now it is well known, that the moft fhocking 
 fuperftition, and the vileft impofture, have been 
 generated by a departure from genuine Gofpel 
 teachings. For it is certain, that Mahomet availed 
 himfelf of that greater degree of refpe<fl which was 
 paid to his Koran, on account of his maintaining 
 the unity of God, in oppofition to the trinitarian 
 herefy, which alfo gave popery its foundation; and 
 has continued to be the great fcandal of the chri- 
 ftian profeiTion, even yet more extenfively. — This 
 premifed, 
 
 In the fir ft difcourfe we fliall inveftigate the 
 unity of Gofpel principles, as they are laid down 
 by an apoftle. See Eph. iv. 4, 5, 6, [^ There is 
 
 " one 
 
12 On the Unity of Gofpel-Prbiciples, 
 
 " one body and one fpirit, even as ye are called 
 
 " in one hope of your calling ; — one Lord, one 
 
 " faith, one baptifm, — one God and father of all, 
 
 " who is above all, and through all, and in you 
 
 « all." 
 
 St. Paul, now a prifoner at Rome, in the year 
 of Chrift 6r, writes to the church at Ephefus, ex- 
 horting the Chriftians to walk worthy the vocation 
 ■wherewith they were called, by preierving a grace- 
 ful confillency in all their behaviour, even an ha- 
 bitual exertion of every perfonal and focial virtue; 
 and the more powerfully to afilft them in this divine 
 labour, he placeth before them, in one concife 
 view, all the fundamentals of Gofpel-teachings ; 
 therein he fhews the unity, the harmony, or com- 
 padnefs of this moft amiable conftitution of God's 
 moral Government, under the adminiftration of 
 the man Chrift Jefus. — In treating the fubject, 
 
 I. I Ihall take a diftinct furvey of the fyftem. 
 
 IT. Afcertain the weight of evidence. 
 
 III. Shew what amazing perverfions of the 
 unity of the Gofpel plan have obtained among pro- 
 fefllng Chriftians. 
 
 The firft article runs thus, there is cne body. A 
 phrafe which figuratively rcprelents the Chriftian 
 church; and therefore comprehends all thofe who 
 fpiritually and morally ftand related to their head, 
 as truly as members of a natural body do to theirs -, 
 viz. all who have, or ever fhall have received and 
 lived upon his teachings, are thus united to Jefus 
 in every a^e of the church, and do conftiiute and 
 complete that one body. The metaphorical term, 
 lody^ thus underftood, will be fupported by various 
 
 pafflige^ 
 
On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles. 1 3 
 
 pafTagcs in the writings of this Apoftle. Such as 
 follow, I Cor. xii. 12, 13, 14. " For as the body 
 *' is one, and has nnany members, and all the 
 *' members of that one body being m;.ny, are one 
 *' body; lb alfo Chriil, i. e. the body of Chrift, 
 *' for by one fpirit we are all baptized into one 
 " body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond, 
 " or free — for the body is not one member but 
 " many." — Again^ Ch. x. 17. " For we being ma- 
 " ny are one bread and one body." — Compare 
 Col. iii. 15. " Let the peace of God rule in your 
 *' hearts, to which ye are alio called in one body." 
 
 The onenefs of this fpiritual body does appear 
 likewife from every member's deriving all its nou- 
 rifhment and vitality from one and the fam.e head. 
 So Col. ii. 19. " From the head all the body, by 
 *' joints and bands having nourifhment minillred 
 " and kp.it togetiier, increafcch with the increafe 
 " of Gcd." — And hence it is, that in favour to 
 the church, v/hich is Chrifl's body, God has given 
 him to be head over all things ! Vv^hich church is 
 thus denominated, " the fulneis of him who filleth 
 *' all in all." Eph. i. 22, 2^. i. e. The church, 
 confidered in this union, partakes of all the ful- 
 nefs, both of the truth, and of the grace of God. 
 
 Jgain^ this fpiritual body, like the natural one, 
 does confift of innumerable m.^mbers, which have 
 their diftinfl offices and departments, each poffef- 
 fing an equal claim to divine guidance and refrefli- 
 ing influence; and therefore cannot admit of fupe- 
 riority and lubordinacy among themfelves, or of 
 an ind.^pendence one on another: for even here we 
 metaphorically affirm, " the eye cannot fay to the 
 " hand, I have no need of thte: neither can tiie 
 *' foot life this language. And as to the ear, it 
 *' cannot fay it is not of the body, becaufe it is 
 
 " not 
 
14 On the Vnky of Gqfpcl-Principles. 
 
 *' not the eye. For God hath fct the members, 
 " every one in the body, as it hath pleafed him, — 
 *' and he has fo difpofed them, that there fhould be 
 " no fchifm or divifion in the body> but the mem- 
 *' bers fhould have the fame care one for another. 
 " And whether one member fuifer, all the mem- 
 *' bers fiiffer v/ith it j or one member be honoured, 
 " all the members rejoice with that member.'* 
 Such are the divine fympathies, which are habi- 
 tually found in the Chriftian church, among all its 
 genuine members. 
 
 If by the one hody\ we thus underlland the Chri- 
 ftian church, I would humbly afk, whether it is 
 not diftinguifiied from all civil church eftablifh- 
 ments, or ecclefiaftical hierarchies,, that ever did, 
 does, or ever fliall exiil ? — Is not the idea of fuch 
 civil eftabhfliments incompatible with the nature 
 and conilitution of his fpiritual body, which has 
 in it no inequalities, i. e. no fuperiorities and fub- 
 ordinacies? — None fhould take oifence at thefe 
 queftions, when the New Tefbament reprefentation 
 of the church of Chrift feems, fo exprefsly to forbid 
 any prelatical or hierarchical powers *. The lufh of 
 pre-eminence was that depraved fpirit in the apoflles, 
 which their Lord condemned -j-. — The common 
 rights of Chrifcians are undoubtedly of a like 
 worth and importance, to each and to every indi- 
 vidual; their claims are all equal, as well as with 
 apoflles ; no legiflative, no executive authority, of 
 a fpiritual nature, can be lodged in any member or 
 members of this body; but every one is alike 
 amenable to its head and Lord. 
 
 Befides 
 
 * Match. XX. 25, r6, 27. xxiii. 4, 8. Mar. ix. 35, 36. 
 
 Luk. ix. 46, 47. Joh. V. 44. Ch. xviii. 36. 
 
 f Math, xviii. 4. xxiii. ii. Mar. ix. 34, 35. Lak. ix. 46. 
 xxii. 24. 
 
 I 
 
On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles. 1 5 
 
 Befides there being but one body, there is alfo 
 but ONE SPIRIT. — -Now this is no other than what 
 guides, direfts, animates, and invigorates that 
 whole body, vJz. the fpirit of truth and love. 
 There is therefore a fimilitude in the governing 
 temper and tafte of all true Chriftians. *' The 
 " fame mind is in them which was in Chrill Jefus.'* 
 Phil. ii. 5. " God has not given us the fpirit of a 
 " flavifhfear; but of power, and of love, and of 
 " a found mind." 2 Tim. i. 7. " He who is 
 " joined to the Lord, is one fpirit," i Cor. vi. 17. 
 " By which fame fpirit, all true Chriftians have 
 " alike freedom of accefs to God, as a father.'* 
 Eph. ii. 18. 
 
 The fpirit of benevolence which the fame Gofpel- 
 teachings do infpire, is what guides^ governs, and 
 diredfs, the whole aim of the Chriftian. Hence, 
 " if there be any confolation in Chrift, if any 
 " comfort of love, if any feilowfhip of the fpirit, 
 " if any bowels of mercies, they are like-minded, 
 *' having the fame love, of one accord, of one 
 " mind," And we cannot fuppofe it Ihould be 
 otherwife, when we confider that all Chriftians have 
 the fame divine rule, both in doftrine, precept, and 
 example, upon which they attemper and form their 
 own fpiritSj fo that " by one fpirit v/e are all bap- 
 " tized into one body, and have been made to drink 
 '* into one fpirit." i Cor. xii. 13. 
 
 This will be yet more confpicuous, as we in- 
 veftigate the ratio, or ground of the onenefs of 
 body and fpirit, viz. this, " Eveji as we are called 
 
 •' IN ONE HOPE OF OUR CALLING." 
 
 Here we may obferve, that all foreign, irre- 
 concileable principles and motives are wholly ex- 
 cluded this heavenly divine fyftem. The Gofpel 
 
 calling. 
 
1 6 0)1 the Unity of Gofpel-Princlples. 
 
 calling, is an high, holy, and heavenly one, as It 
 invites men to virtue and to glory. Thus it is that 
 St. Paul has obferved to the Theflalonians, " God 
 " has, from the beginning, chofen men to falva- 
 " tion, through fandlification of the fpirit, even a be- 
 " lief of the truth." — To which he adds — " where- 
 " unto he calieth you by the Gofpel, to the ob- 
 " taining of the glory of the Lord Jefus ChriPc." 
 2 Thcff. ii. 13, 14. — In like manner fays Sr. 
 Teter^ " the God of all grace, who hath called us 
 " unto his eternal glory by Chrift Jefus, after that 
 " ye have fufFered a while, make you perfeft, 
 *' ilablifli, ftrengthen, fettle you." i Ep. v. 10. — 
 In a word, its being an holy calling, is what makes 
 it an heavenly one. See Hcb. viii. i. compared 
 with 2 Tim. i. 9. 
 
 Now as but one and the fame objecl of hope is 
 propofcd to the Chriilian, fo there can be but one 
 reafonable ground of exercifmg that hope, which 
 muft be the purifying effedl which it has upon us.— 
 We are taught by St. John thus to reafon, when 
 he fays, " he who hath this hope in him, purifieth 
 " himfelf, even as he is pure." j Ep. iii. 3. And 
 St. Paul affirms, that the falutary grace of God 
 which has appeared to all men, teacheth all to live 
 foberly, righteoufiy, and godly, who would look 
 for the bleffed hope. Thus it is that the ground 
 of hope is fuch as will never iiil, or difappoint the 
 Chriftian. Heb. vi. 8. Nay, St. P^«/deilribes the 
 Deity as the God of hope! Rom. xv. 13. From 
 all which it appears, that there is but one hope, or 
 one crround of hope in the Chrifiian's calling-, and 
 that is, a being wholly fandlified by the truth of 
 God. For an Apoftle " gives thanks to the fa- 
 *' ther, who hath made us meet to be partakers 
 « of the inheritance of the faints in light." Col. i. 
 18. Indeed this is the great end for which the 
 
 Gofpel 
 
On the Unity of GofpeUFrtncipIes. 1 7 
 
 Gofpel revelation was given, vix. to " open blind 
 " eyes, to turn men from darknefs to light, from 
 " the power of fatan unto God, that they might 
 '* receive the forgivenefs of fins, and an inheri- 
 " tance among them that are fandified.'* Thus 
 Chriftians are called in one hope of their calling \ in- 
 afmuch as holinefs is fhewn to be their meetnefs or 
 iqualification for happinefs. 
 
 So much may fuffice for giving diftind and clear 
 ideas of the one body, and one fpirit, from the 
 one great exciting and enlivening motive, which is, 
 the hope of our calling. 
 
 We are to proceed to contemplate the governing 
 head of this body, thus animated j to wit, the one 
 Lord. 
 
 This, moll evidently, is peculiar to the Chriftian 
 difpenfation, and oppofed to the Pagan theogony ; 
 for St. Paul obferves, " they had had Lords many." 
 I Cor. viii. 5. The heathen world had many me- 
 diators between them and their fupreme deities. 
 Thefe the Greeks were wont to call Demons. And 
 the Jews had learnt to afcribe to demons, all extra- 
 ordinary diftempers and uncommon evils, which \t 
 very apparent from the Gofpel hiftory. At the 
 fame time, I fhould humbly be of opinion, that 
 the apoftle may have alfo oppofed the one Lord^ 
 Under the Gofpel, to the miniltration of Angels 
 under the Jewifh difpenfation. For he fpeaks of 
 the word, or law delivered by Angels, Heb. ii. 2 . 
 Alio of the law being ordained by Angels, in the 
 hand of Mofes the mediator, Gal. iii. 19. St. 
 Stephen likewife fays, his nation received the law, 
 by the difpofition of Angels^ Ads vii. SZ' 
 
 B The 
 
i8 On the Unity of Go/pel- Principles. 
 
 The learned Mr. James Pierce thus writes, 
 *^' The Angels, before our Saviour's time, feem 
 " plainly to have had provinces and domi- 
 " nions allotted them, one prefiding over one 
 " country, and another prefiding over another 
 " country." See his note on Col. ii. i^. And, 
 in truth, we have hints given us, in the Mew Tefta- 
 ment, of an undue worfhip having been paid to 
 angels; Col. ii. i8. Nay, according to y<?/^^i?//j-, 
 *' the EiTenes, a fed among the Jews, made great 
 " account of the names of angels, and fhould 
 *' leem to have addrelTed them as mediators." It 
 is alfo obferved, from fome paflages in Pbilo's 
 writings, that he thought " angels were mefiengers 
 " who prefent.d men's prayers to God. And like- 
 " wife, from Tobit^ ch. xi. 14. — xii. 5. even this 
 *' fhould appear to have been a notion which had 
 " prevailed among the Jews*." 
 
 It fhould therefore be reafonable to conclude, 
 that the one Lord^ under the Gofpel difpenfation, is 
 oppofed both to the many Lords among the ido- 
 latrous Pagans, and to the fuperftitious and undue 
 homage paid to angels by the Jews \ and efpecially 
 .to their having received the law by the miniltration 
 of angels. Accordingly v/e hence fee, with what 
 great propriety the apollle reports to the Hebrew 
 Chriftians, that when God had brought his firit- 
 begotten from the dead, and had advanced him to 
 the right hand of power, he faid, let all the angels 
 of God worjkip him. This was enough to indifpofe 
 the mind of a converted Jew, from ever once more 
 directing his homage to angels. 
 
 There is a fine pafTage to my purpofe, in i Cor. 
 xii. 3. where St. Paul, having told the Corinthians 
 
 that 
 
 * See Goadby's lUuftration of the New Teftament, &c. on 
 Col. ii. 18. 
 
On the Xlmty of GofpeUTrlncipks. i q 
 
 that they knew they the.T.felves were Gentiles, who 
 had been carried away to the worlhip of dumb 
 idols — he adds, *' wherefore I give you to under- 
 " (land, that no man fpeaking by the ipirit of God, 
 " calleth Jefus accurfed, or anathema." i. e. none 
 of them who were divinely informed, would rank 
 Jefus with demons, or dead men, thofe dumb idols 
 .whom they had been wont to worlhip. — And far- 
 ther he fays, " that no man can fay that Jefus is 
 " Lord, but by the Ipirit." i. e. either by the fpirit 
 of prophecy or of miracle, or by that fpirit of 
 holinefs which :has feparated the idea of the Lord- 
 fhip of Jefus, from that of all other Lords. 
 
 There is yet another kind of ufurpation of 
 power, to which the authority of the one Lord is 
 oppofed; and that is, a dominion exercifed over the 
 faith of men, by fpiritual wickednejfes in high places! 
 Such a Ihocking claim of authority, in giving law 
 to conlcience, . had ailually obtained among the 
 Jews ! which tyranny our great prophet often cen- 
 lures, and openly condemns. " Their teaching 
 *' for do6liines the commandments of men,, and fo 
 *'- unlording the commandments of God ;" — he 
 remarks upon as capitally criminal, Matth. xv. 6, 9. 
 He openly contradi^fts their teachings, fee Math. v. 
 21. to che end of that fermon, and gives the true 
 fpirit and fenfe of every precept they had per- 
 verted. And in ch. xxiii. he very cxprefsly for- 
 bids that his difciples ihould, in their religious cha- 
 fadter, a'^knowiedge any hum:.n authority whatfo- 
 everi for..fmuch as they . have but o/?^ Lord and 
 Mafter, and ail they are brethren. He every where 
 afierts the fa-crcd rights of private judgment, and, 
 chargeth with enormous wickednefs Scribes and 
 Phanfees ; denouncing a v/oe upon them for af-. 
 fuming a fovereignty over minds ; the prerogative, 
 of none but God. — No other being can prefcribe 
 
 B 2 to 
 
20* On th^ Unity of Gofpel-Frinciples, 
 
 to the faith and worlhip of man. — To inculcate 
 this truth, was a capital defign of his miflion, Joh. 
 viii. 36. In fa6t, both Jews and Gentiles were en- 
 flaved under the exercife of a prieftly fpiritual ty^ 
 ranny, till Jefus Chrift came to preach deliverance 
 to captives, and to fet fuch prifoners free. " For 
 *' all whom the Son makes free, they are free in- 
 " deed." And this, aflliredly, is an efiential part 
 of that falvation which we have under the Golpel, 
 viz. being redeemed from a (lavifh fubjeftion to an 
 affuming prieilhood : in which the generality of 
 mankind were involved at the time of the Gofpel's 
 firft addrefs. And yet, alas ! liow very foon did 
 Chriftians forget what are the unalienable, and mod 
 facred and important rights of the human mind, by 
 pretending a power to prefcribe and impofe ar- 
 ticles and rules of faith and worfhip. And here- 
 upon erecting an human mock-tribunal, fitting in 
 judgment upon thofe who religioufly differed from 
 them, as to the fenfe they formed of the divine 
 canon •, and thus defeating one manifeft defign of 
 Chriil's miffion as a redeemer. Whatever pre- 
 tence is therefore made, or by whomfoever, to give 
 law to confcience, by requiring fubfcription to ar- 
 ticles of faith, or conformity to modes of wor- 
 fhip, it is notorioufly Anti-christian; becaule 
 it imports an explicit and exprefs denial of the 
 truth of this fundamental Gofpel-principle, viz. 
 " that the Chrillian has but one Lord." — Will the 
 religion of Jefus ever appear in its native genuine 
 light, fo long as hierarchies, fpiritual didtators, and 
 law-givers are found within the Chriftian pro- 
 feflion .? Can civil-church-eftabiifliments be made 
 to coirefpond with the plan of the Gofpel Confti- 
 tution ? which confecrates and acknowledges but 
 one Lord ; and which divinely alTerts the equality 
 of Chriilians — all ye are brethren. 
 
 Do 
 
On the Unify of Gofpel-Principles. 2 1 
 
 Do not let my reader think I am taking too 
 
 much freedom, in being thus diffatisfied with civil- 
 
 church-eftablifhments-, for it" I do at all underftand 
 
 the teachings of Jefus, and of his apoftles, thefe 
 
 eftablifliments have no countenance at all given 
 
 them, but are mod exprefsly condemned in thofe 
 
 divine teachings. And if this be the cafe, they 
 
 muil, fo long as they continue, be the reproach 
 
 and fcandal of the Chriftian profelTion. For, as 
 
 one fays, " what are thefe commonly called na- 
 
 " tional churches, or human eftablifhments of 
 
 " Chriftianity, fenced in with creeds and confef- 
 
 " fions, enclofed with canons and conllitutions of 
 
 *' various kinds, authoritatively enjoined to be 
 
 " fubfcribed and obferved j and fortified with the 
 
 " powers and fan6lions of this world ? — What are 
 
 ** they, but temporary inftitutions of human po- 
 
 " licy, as variable as the civil government of each 
 
 " country where they are? — Utterly repugnant to 
 
 *' the nature and extent of Chrift's kingdom *.'* 
 
 Such a fymbolizing with Pagan governments, 
 may perfeftly lliit a Popifh fyftem •, but muft be 
 the inevitable ruin of Proreilantifm. — The young 
 among us of this day, may polTibly live to lee its 
 fatal effefts taking place in Britain ■\\ 
 
 Thus much for that fundamental, 'viz. — t\iQ one 
 Lord. 
 
 The next in order, is, one faith. 
 
 B 3 We 
 
 * Theological Repofitory, Dec. 1770, p. 456. 
 
 t See repeated advertifements of Sacred Mufic in the Pope's 
 Chapel, price 10s. 6d. and the'Hiftory of the famous Preacher, 
 Friar Gerund de Campazas, 2 vol. prige los. 6d. Are poj 
 thefe ugly figns of the Times ? 
 
12 On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles. 
 
 We may underftand this, either of one rule of 
 faith, or of one principle of faith, exercifed on 
 that one rule. Now, the written Gofpel is, with- 
 out controverfy, that one rule of faith to all 
 Chriftians, in all places and ages.— Nay, Faith is a 
 term oiten put for the Gofpel. Rom. i. 5. — x. 8. 
 — xvi. 26. Gal. i. 23. Phil. i. 27. i Tim. iv. i. 
 2 Ep. iv. 7. Jude, verfe 3. Rev. xiv, 12. — Chri- 
 ftians are likewife to judge for thcmfelves of this; 
 one rule of faith, and for none but themfelves. 
 The reafon is very plain ; becaufe none can ever 
 render either the doctrine or the precept principle, 
 but the man himfelf It m.uft be the efforts of his 
 own powers, religioufly to obferve the rule, and 
 imitate the example. To this purpofe it will be 
 ncceffary, that the Chrillian underftands the rule 
 to be fully declarative of the divine will, as re- 
 vealed by his Lord and Mafter •, and that he care- 
 fully enters into the true fpirit of the inftrudlion -, 
 elfe he cannot be laid to have the one common 
 faith. — On the other hand, if he believes only as 
 fuch or fuch men fay they believe ; or if he in- 
 terprets fcripture by fome church-articles, he is 
 not a believer in Chrift, but in fuch men, or in 
 fuch a church. Hence his faith is not of the com- 
 plexion of this one faith •, becauie it has all its ex- 
 iftence in the wildom of men, and not in the power 
 of God. 
 
 Again, the one faith muft accord with the rea- 
 fon of m.an. So the learned Spencer^ — " God, I am 
 " fure," fays he, " has no where required us to a 
 " faith which cannot fatisfy the reafon of a man, 
 ** which fearcheth into the grounds and reaions 
 ^ thereof,-' See his diicourfe on prodigies, p. 252. 
 
 Another fundamental, is, one baptism. 
 
 The 
 
On the Unity of Gofpel-Frinciples. 23 
 
 The Jews had divers wafliings or baptifms, and 
 were very ceremonious and exa6l: in applyiiig the 
 water of purification. So had the Pagan Greeks 
 various wafhings and purifications ; fome before they 
 facrificed to their celeftial, and others before they 
 facrificed to their infernal Gods. — The Chriftian 
 has only one baptifm, which acknowledges the ex- 
 altation, or fovereign authority of the one Lord, 
 and initiates into his church and kingdom. ^ — N. B. 
 The Romans alfo had ?:n early dedicatory rite*, as 
 well as the Pagan Greeks f. 
 
 The laft fundamental article in this harmonious 
 fyftem, is, " one God the father of alU ivho is above 
 all, and through all, and in us all."'' 
 
 This is the utmoft which language could exprefs 
 of that ineffable, incomprehenfible fpiritj the one 
 unchangeable, infinite, and eternal fource of all 
 being and bleflednefs. He has been known and 
 worlhipped, as the one living and true God, under 
 all former difpenfations •, even as pofiefied of all 
 polTible perfection ! And yet, under the Gofpel, 
 the manifeftation made of him, as the God and fa- 
 ther of Jefus Chrift, has rendered him yet more 
 glorious ! For, fince he who can have no limitation 
 of prefcnce, power, and influence, is alike the fa- 
 ther of every fmcere Chriftian, they are his fons 
 and daughters. And, moreover, he is not only 
 above all, but he is through all, and in us all. 
 
 This is very aptly oppofed to the polytheifm of 
 the Gentile idolatrous world, who had Gods many. 
 For St. Paul fays, " to us Chriftians there is but 
 " one God the father, of whom are all things, and 
 
 B 4 " we 
 
 * See Hooke'% Rom. Hill, Vol. HI. p. 272. Where he mer\- 
 tions the dedication of Cicero, on the 5th day of his birth. 
 t See Potter' i Greek Antitjuiuei, Vol. II. p. 328, &c. 
 
24 On the Unity of GofpeWPrtnctples, 
 
 " we in him." i Cor. viii. 6. — He there adds, 
 " one Lord Jefus Chrift, by whorn are all things, 
 *' and we by him." — I the rather mention this, be- 
 caufe of the obvious diflindion here made between 
 the one God and the one Lord ; the one, the un- 
 originated fource; the other, the mmifbcr by whom 
 he preferves, fucconrs, and governs his church. — 
 So much for the unity of Gofpel-Principles. 
 
 Secondly. — Thus we have gained a m,oft compre- 
 henfive view of the unity and harmony of the 
 Gofpel-Syflem, in all its fundamentals ; and can- 
 not fail difcovering its divine original. No one can 
 be at a lofs how to calculate the weight of evidence. 
 
 For who does not fee the wifdom and prudence 
 in which God has abounded towards mankind, in 
 the uniting idea of ail the fubjedls of his Kingdom 
 as one body -, confifting of various members, which 
 have but one head ? The benevolent fpirit, or 
 principle of brotherly affeflion, muft, and does 
 opcate in all genuine Chriftians. And with the 
 utmoft reafon, becaufe this is their difcriminating 
 charadterillic mark, viz, their loving one another. 
 Joh. xiii. 35. But as benevolence is the end of the 
 Gofpel inftitution, i Tim. i. 5. and as benevolence 
 is the higheft refemblance man can pofiibly have of 
 his maker. Math. v. 48. hence, the evidence of 
 this fyftem being of God, rifes to demonftration. 
 
 jigain^ — The grace of the Gofpel conftitution, 
 or the Chriftian's being raifed to the hope of eternal 
 life, has its bafis on the benevolence of his fpirit, 
 and his being formed by Jove. Order, harmony, 
 agreement of fpirit and principle, qualify for the 
 blifsful enjoyment of efiential love ! 1 Joh. iv. 8. 
 and muft render the aflbciation of kindred minds, 
 I. e. minds of the fame moral and divine com- 
 plexion, 
 
G;2 the Unity of Gofpel-Principles, 25 
 
 pkxion, for ever felicitating. — Yet, inafmuch as 
 the objed of hope, eternal life, required, from 
 jhe aftonifliing greatnefs and glory of its idea, fome 
 very convincing illuflration \ therefore it was, that 
 the miniftrations and endurances of Jefus Chrift 
 were appointed. — And becaufe he has thrown io 
 much light upon it, we are faid to have the divine 
 beftowment made by him, i. e. inftrumentally. 
 
 Again, Since mankind, in every age of the world, 
 have either had fome divine medium of worlhip, 
 or fome fanciful mediators, it dem.onftrates the 
 wifdom and goodnefs of God, in confecrating and 
 appointing one mediator, with full powers to fhew 
 us the father ; and virtually become, to all his dif. 
 ciples, the way, the truth, and the life ! or, in other 
 words, the light of the world ! and the life of men ! 
 He is emphatically the one Lord, as he is the only 
 Law-giver in the Chriflian church. 
 
 For this reafon, Chriftians have but one rule of 
 faith, and that is, the teachings of Jefus and his 
 Apoftles, in the New Teilament writings j which 
 every one is to interpret for hinifelf, and apply to 
 himfelf. A rule that is not only intelligible, but 
 plain, to all who are willing to do the will of 
 .God. Joh. vii. 17. This demonftrates the divi- 
 nity of the Gofpel inftitution. 
 
 And we are alfo to obferve, there is but one ri- 
 tual which initiates into this heavenly Kingdom, 
 and that is, haptifm, or the application of water ; 
 in acknowledgment of the fovereign authority of 
 the one Lord. 
 
 But a moll conclufive evidence, that this inftitu- 
 tion muft be of divine original, is, " its afferting 
 " and maintaining, the unrivalled, the peerlels 
 *' majefty of the fupreme Being; the one God, 
 3 " the 
 
16 On the Unify of Gofpel-Pnnciples. 
 
 " the father of all, who is above all, and through 
 " all, and in us all." — A doftrine, on which all 
 true religion only can have its fupport. And which 
 is found to be conftantly taught by Jelus Chrift 
 and his apoflles, at a time when polytheifm and 
 idolatry covered and darkened all the great Em- 
 pires in the habitable world ! and whofe capital 
 lav/s had been mod fliockingly corrupted, or per- 
 verted, by that very people whom he had feparated 
 from the nations. For though the Jews are not 
 chargeable with a national acknowledgment of 
 more Gods than one, at the time when the MefTiah 
 was perfonally addrefling them -, yet they were 
 over-run with immorality, vice, and a grofs fuper- 
 ftition. In this dark and depraved condition of 
 the world, the Gofpel revelation was, manifeftly, 
 the wifdom of God, and the power of God. 
 
 Thus we have afcertained the weight of evidence, 
 as it is found to derive from the unity of Gofpel- 
 principles. 
 
 We fhall proceed to fhev/,' feme of the many^ 
 grofs perz^erftcns made of this heavenly inftitution. 
 And, 
 
 I. From the above idea of the one body, we 
 fhall be able to deted: vulgar errors concerning the 
 church of Chrijl. For his church is not confined to 
 any human enclofure, or national efcablifiiment „ 
 not to any one diftinguiilied denomination, or mode 
 of profefllon. It has no mortal, i. e. no fallible 
 head. But all men throughout the habitable earth, 
 who acknowledge Jefus Chrift to be the one Lord 
 and Law-giver, and are cordially united to him on 
 the principles of Gofpel-truth, and in the fpirit of 
 divine love, they are members of his myftical body : 
 and none . but fuch who thus have their converfa- 
 
 tiona 
 
On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles, 27 
 
 t4ons in heaven, do properly make a part of his 
 church. Thefe, all of them, have one fpirit, as 
 they are called in one hope of their calling; they 
 have one faith, one baptifm, one God and father 
 of all. Every other idea of the church of Chrift-, 
 is confufed, falfe, and erroneous ; narrow, contradt- 
 ed, and unworthy of the Kingdom of heaven. 
 
 But from the view above taken, we are furnifhed 
 with a moft delightful profped of the wide extent 
 of the Chriftian church, and its fpiritual, divine 
 complexion. Nay, we infer from hence, a prefent 
 -ftrliowfhip, and inter-communion of minds, which 
 fhall have an everlailing happy aflbciation in the 
 future world ! And this, becaufe of their having 
 been alike formed and attempered upon the very 
 fame divine principles : and who, from the infini- 
 tude of moral excellencies, are called, the fulnefs 
 cf him who filleth all in all. 
 
 II. From the unity and fimplicity of the Gofpel 
 fj^ftem, we are led to deplore the abfurdity and 
 impiety of Chriftian profelTors, who have been 
 employing themfelves to no better purpofe, than to 
 perplex and confound all fundamental principles of 
 the Gofpel-inftruftion, to the great depravity of 
 one another. I will make a citation from Dr. 
 IDan. JVhithy^ a dignified divine of the Englifh- 
 church-eftabliihment — who fays, when treating on 
 the unity of the fpirit, " Hence it demonftratively 
 " follows, that no Church-Governors, jointly or 
 *' feverally, can be appointed by God, to be the 
 *' living judges, or the infallible directors of our 
 " faith. For fince, in matters of faith, we mufh 
 ?' have a judgment of certainty, we cannot own 
 ^* them as fuch, till we are certain that thty belong 
 '.' to that church, of which Chrift is the head, and to 
 /* which alone the promife of the fpirit does be- 
 
 *' long/ 
 
28 On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles. 
 
 " long : i. e. till we are certain they are fincere 
 
 " and upright Chriftians. Since, therefore, God 
 
 *' has given us no certain rule to know this by, 
 
 " we may reft iatisfied, that he defigned no fuch 
 
 " magiilerial guides fhould be found in his 
 
 *« church*." 
 
 This is faying enough, to cut off all claims to 
 dominion over conlcience. But I can go further, 
 being alTured that God has not appointed any Sub- 
 governor in his church ; nor has given authority to 
 any to take upon them the direflion of other men's 
 faith. If I am right, the very pretenfion to fuch 
 authority, muft confequently be a full proof that 
 they do not belong to that church of which Chrift 
 is the head ; but are forccrers, cheats, or impoilors. 
 This furely is plain, forafmuch as all Chriftians 
 have one and the fame rule, for frying the fpmts, 
 whether they are of God. — It is therefore impoffible, 
 that any one or more fhould be invefted with the 
 power of giving law to confcience, in the province 
 of religion. Confequently, to make creeds, and 
 impofe them, is an open invadon of the unaliena- 
 ble rights of Chriftians : for all the real or genuine 
 members of Chrift's body, have an equal relation 
 to him, and do derive from him all needful light, 
 aid and fuccour, under the trial. 
 
 III. This defcription of the fundamental prin- 
 ciples of the Chriilian religion, encourages every 
 honeft, ferious mind, to read and ftudy the New 
 Teftament writings for ihemfelves, as a divine ca- 
 non of temper, difpofition, and life. None fhould 
 ever imagine it can have what is dark or doubtful, 
 either in its dodrine, precept, or example. And as 
 to the manner or method in v/hich this divine boolc 
 
 fhould 
 
 * His Paraphrafe and Commentary, in loco. 
 
On the Unity of Gofpel-Prmciplei. 29 
 
 fhould be confiilted, we may avail ourfelves of 
 fame advantage, from a rule laid down by the ce- 
 lebrated author of The Spirit of Laws, — which 
 is, — " The laws fhould be explained by the laws -, 
 " and hiilory by hiftory." So, by a parity of rea- 
 foning, the New Teftament canon fhould be conli- 
 dered as its own bell Expofitor. No commentator 
 can throw fo much light upon the facred text, as 
 it does upon itfelf, when carefully examined and 
 compared. And every Commentator who has d©- 
 ferved notice, has taken this method to illuftrate 
 its divine inftrudlion. 
 
 There is not a better key to the whole New 
 Teftament tea.chings, than my text provides. W« 
 muft fo interpret all its do6trines, as to render them 
 confiftent with this unity. But inftead of fo read- 
 ing the New Teftament, men carry along with 
 them fome education-prejudices, or fome fyftema' 
 tic-prepoffeflions •, and they read the facred page 
 only to countenance and confirm, not at all to cor- 
 rect and remove thofe prejudices. 
 
 Perhaps there is not any thing more depraving of 
 theological ideas, among profeilbrs, than the very 
 mifchievous difiin6tion of orthodoxy and heterodoxy^ 
 which has been inculcated upon weak and vulgar 
 minds ; the ftandard of which is no other, than 
 fome adopted fyftems of opinion, that are wholly 
 pf human original. Whereas, we may be certain, 
 po man is found in the faith, who is unfound in his 
 morals, — and that no man is unfound in the faith, 
 who has a foundnefs in his morals. Orthodoxy 
 and heterodoxy, do lye in the fandifying effect 
 which the Gofpel has, on the temper and life of the 
 profefTor \ — and in the want of fuch influence. — \ 
 confefs I know of no other criterion, either of the 
 
 foundneG or imfoundnefs of aChriftian's faith. . 
 
 Every 
 
3© On the Unity of Go/pel- Principles. 
 
 Every honeft perfon will therefore be encouraged 
 to read and ftudy his New Tellament, from an af- 
 furance that he cannot run into any. fatal error or 
 miltake, fo long as he reads and applies it, as a 
 rule of life and manners, and preferves the unity 
 and harmony of all its firil principles. 
 
 IV. From this fcale given of the unity and har- 
 mony of the Golpel fyftem, v/e can eafily; account 
 -for the fuperftition and bigotry, copioufly found 
 among profelTing Chriflians. They, not content 
 with its plainnefs and fimplicity, have prefumed to 
 introduce pompous rites, and ridiculous ceremo- 
 nies, into its worfhip, as ornaments and decorations 
 of the mode and figure of the addi"eis. Though, 
 as we have obferved, the Gofpel has delivered 
 mankind from the burthenfome ritual of Mofes, 
 and from the favage rites of the idolatrous Gentile 
 nations. The world was in the moft abjc6t flavery, 
 when the Gofpel {tt the prilbner free. An advan- 
 tage has neverthelefs been taken of the powerful 
 influence which fcnfitive objefts are found to have 
 upon the human mind \ and hence the whole pomp 
 and parade of ceremony. The eye, allured by 
 paintings and ftatuary, the ear with vocal and in- 
 llru mental mufic : the paffions are thus arrefted, 
 the fentiments materialized and depraved ; and thus 
 a diiability brought on the mind of ever entering 
 into the fpirit of truth in men's devotions. What 
 a flrange idea muft m^ankind have of the Beity^ 
 who can luppofe that magnificence of building, 
 fine mufic, and mafteriy paintings, do give an ac- 
 cepcablenels to the homage offered to a pure fpirit, 
 who has faid, he will be worfhipped in Jpirii and 
 in truth ? for fuch the father feeketh to wor/loip him, 
 Joh. iv. 23. A popifh writer can fay, " let us 
 " not ofier up our treafures to God, uniefs w^e- are 
 ^' proud of Ihewing that we elleem what he would 
 
 " have 
 
On the Unity of Gofpel-Principles, 31 
 
 " have us defpife." Spirit of Laws, Vol. : II. 
 p. 178. 
 
 V. If the Chriflian has " but one God and fa- 
 " ther of all, who is above all, through all, and 
 *' in us all ;" then what mull be faid or thought 
 of great numbers of profeflbrs, who feem to have 
 jnaniferdy perverted this primary fundamental of 
 the Gofpel fyilem ? And when, upon this very 
 bafiS^ ail true religion ever has, and ever muft have, 
 its fupport ? Affuredly, the fupreme homage paid 
 to Jeius Chrifi:, by thofe who contend for his being 
 God equal with the father, does by no means con- 
 fift with this capital idea, of the one God the father 
 cf all! — Will any prefume to call in queftion the 
 truth cf this firft principle ? Will any of the Atha- 
 nafians fay, that the Son is the one God, the fa- 
 ther of all, who IS . above all, through all, and in 
 us all ? If they are not able to fay this, their affir- 
 mations about, and afcriptions unto Jefus Chrifb, 
 or to the Son, as God equal with the father, are un- 
 juftifiable : and they are guilty of notorioufly per- 
 verting the very firft fignificant fundamental prin- 
 ciple of all true religion. 
 
 It is abfolutely impofllble that the one Lord 
 fhould be this one God, inafmuch as the one God 
 the father is here faid to be above all-, and there- 
 tore muft be above him whom he has conftituted 
 the one Lord. Nor is it any where in the New 
 Teftament once intimated, that this Lord is pof- 
 fefTed of any one effential perfection of deity •, or 
 that any one of thofe pcrfedlions can be commu- 
 nicated to any being whatfoevcr. I mean. Eternity, 
 omnifcience, omniprelence, immenfity, and infinity^ 
 no more than fupremacy, are communicable attri- 
 butes. None but the one God the father, can be 
 abo'iie, through, and in all. — Thefe perfections «re 
 
 afcribable 
 
32 On the Unity of GofpeUFrinciphs, 
 
 afcribable to none elfe.— Deity can have no eqiial,^ 
 either in prefence, power, or glory. — He i^ Gody 
 and there is no God befides him. 
 
 But becaufe of thefe his adorable, incommuni- 
 cable perfedions, a reality, a fpirit, and an energj^ 
 are thereby given to the Gofpel-fyftem of princi- 
 ples, becaufe of their unity and harmony. Indeed, 
 the better any one is acquainted with the teachings 
 of Jefus, the more he v/ill be perfuaded of the de- 
 rivation and dependence of the Son, and of his 
 fubordinacy to the Father. It has been the con- 
 ftant labour of the divine addrefs of the Son of 
 God, to perfuade men, that what he faid, and 
 what he did, was by virtue of that . authority and 
 power he received from the one God, his God and 
 lather *, for which there was great occafion ; fmce 
 he , forefaw how apt mankind would be to mifre- 
 prefent him, from die amplitude, fubliraity, and 
 peculiar luftre of his commilfion ; and alio from 
 the mofl perfed revelation, or that wonderful ma- 
 nifeflation he made of the father. 
 
 VI. The Sceptic and Infidel have their ftupi- 
 dity manifeftly condemned by this very reprefen- 
 tation of the unity of Gofpel principles ; fince it is 
 impoffible there fhould be a more conclufive evi« 
 dence of the divinity of any fyftem. There 
 never was unity and integrity found in any hu- 
 manly devifed fyftem of religion. Unity never yet 
 appeared in any plan laid by the wifdom of man ; 
 for what originates therein, muft neceflarily have 
 imperfeftion and difcordancy. Even the blefled 
 Jefus difclaims the idea of having Ipoken of him- 
 felf. See Joh. vii. i6. xiv. lo, 24. xiu 49. Even 
 the beft laid fcheme of civil policy, has ever be- 
 trayed 
 
 ■ 1 1« ■ i '■ « ■ — 
 
 * Confult St. John's Goipel, pajjim. 
 
On the Unity of Goffel-Frincipks, 33 
 
 trayed its imperfect original. But in the Gofpel- 
 Ifillicution, there is a perfc6l coincidence of all its 
 parrs, and an undiflurbed harmony from the unity 
 and concord of all its principles. 
 
 The rejeftor of this divine fyftem therefore ftands 
 condemned, becaufe he has taken no due pains to 
 difcover the fulnefs or perfeftion of Golpel-evidence. 
 He has fed his prejudices from the abufive rcpre- 
 fentations made of it by profeflbrs. No fair judg- 
 ment of that heavenly divine canon, has been made 
 by him : — for whatever he may think of himfelf, 
 the New Teftament writings do moft clearly dif- 
 play the truth and grace of God, though he may 
 
 fancy to defpife or negledl that revelation. ^It is 
 
 a fair confequence, that that man runs no fmall 
 rifque, who rejefts this counfel of God againft him- 
 felf: — i. e. who defpifeth the riches of fuch good- 
 nefs, which has nothing lefs than eternal life in its 
 addrefs ! — how would one grieve over his ftupidity ! 
 
 See we to it, that none of us receive the grace 
 of God in vain, but that we hold the unity of the 
 Spirit in the bond of truth, peace and love, and 
 
 fo grace fhall be multiplied upon us. But 
 
 otherwife, that interrogation of an Apoftle will have 
 its awful, tremendous afpedt upon us, — " how (hall 
 " we efcape if we negledt fo great falvation ! which 
 *' at the firft began to be fpoken by the Lord, and 
 " was afterwards confirmed by them that heard : 
 " God alfo bearing them witnefs, both with figns, 
 " wonders, divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy 
 " Spirit, according to his own will.'' 
 
DISCOURSE II. 
 
 On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Canon, 
 
 HAVING, in the preceding difcourfe, confidered 
 the unity of Gofpel- Principles i it will be 
 both natural and eafy in this, to make it very- 
 evident that the wifdom of man, Jiis cunning and 
 contrivance, had no hand at all in framing any 
 part of that fyfteni : which done, we fliall dilcover 
 it to be of a purely divine original, and perfeftly 
 complete in its inftrudion. — Let St. Paul again 
 guide us in this inveftigation ; fee i Cor. ii. 4, 5. 
 " And my fpeech and my preaching was not with 
 " the enticing words of man's wifdom ; but in 
 *" demonftration of the fpirit and of power : that 
 " your faith fhould not ftand in the wifdom of 
 " men ; but in the power of God." 
 
 Notwithflanding this, juft as it was in the 
 apoftolic age, fo it continues to be to this day ; 
 mankind are ever extremely fond of the rhetorical, 
 mufical, paflTionate addrefs. The flowers of oratory 
 are fenfitively grateful ; and the well turned periods 
 are mechanically ftriking, — Image and figure have 
 more engaged the attention, than logical reafoning 
 and good fenfe are wont to do. Our crouded operas 
 ancl oratorios^ are, at this day, in full proof of the 
 truth of this obfervation. The melody of founds, 
 which delight the ear, do raviih, and feed the 
 paflion. And however ferious or folemn the fub- 
 jeft, even that wherein the moft important bufmefs 
 of man is everlaftingly concerned, in the religious 
 addrefs, yet abfurdity and myftery, rather than 
 I the 
 
■On dii divine Pmity of the Gofpel-Canon, ^S 
 
 the real dignity and majefty of truth, fire the 
 admiration, and furnilh the fervors of devotion. 
 No matter how little light is thrown into the 
 intelledj for if the paffions be but vigoroufly 
 excited and the imagination bufily employed, the 
 fpeaker foon becomes popular. Hence it was that 
 St. Paul found the Greek eloquence fo much 
 admired in his day j and that it was with them, 
 the excellency of fpeech^ and the enticing words of 
 man*s wifdom. 
 
 So a learned writer of the lafl: age, has expofed 
 " the ignorant imaginations of thofe men, which 
 *' (like the heathens of old) look upon heat and 
 " noife, words full of charms thrown out without 
 *' method or meafure upon the fuddam, and very 
 " vehement affections, the fymptomes of a perfon 
 ^'^ full of God, and managed by fome power tran- 
 " fcendent to natural. Whereas all thefe things, 
 " howfoever, like meteors, they carry an heavenly 
 ** appearance in the eie of ignorance, we have 
 *' found of a more common and bafe extraction. 
 " Nor is the mighty power they may have over 
 *' the fpirits of others, any argument to the 
 " contrary; all fluent language, feathered with 
 " foft and delicate phrafes, and pointed with 
 *' pathetical accents, being naturally htted (as the 
 " STAGE will alTure us) to make deep impreflion 
 " upon the heart. Plutarch fpeaking of the rare 
 " art which thofe matters of language, the Grae- 
 " cian Sophifts difcovered in compofing and deli- 
 " vering of their orations, tells us, that they 
 " raifed up a kind of Bacchical Enthufiafm, and 
 " tranf ported their hearers with fome honey words ^ 
 J' foft and effeminate phrafes and accents, and a kind 
 ** (f fwging tones. And no doubt thofe hearers of 
 " whom he there fpeaks, which ufed to applaud 
 \\ their orators at the end of their declamations 
 C 2 " with 
 
^6 On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Canon, 
 
 " "with a S'£jwf, S'eo^opTiTWf, Scuixovug, aiirpoTiTW?, 
 " divinely, heavenly, inimitably fpoken ; found 
 " themfelves as much ftirred and moved as many 
 *' a man at a fermon, who yet thinks it is not the 
 " art of the preacher, but the Spirit of God that 
 *' warms and excites him.*" — " Whereas, this 
 " fame writer fays, all thtfe ph^nanena may be 
 " folved by mere mechanical principles, all gene- 
 " rally being but the ilfue of a natural pregnancy 
 " and fervor of temper, exerting itfelf in fluent 
 " words tindured with religion and fcripture 
 " phrafes.f" 
 
 It is a proof of extreme depravity in a people, 
 when nothing; will engao-e their attention to divine 
 things, but the Theatrical addrefs of the public 
 teacher ; when men will not endure found doctrine, 
 but after their lufts heap up to themfelves teachers', 
 having itching ears, 2 Tim. iv. 3. 
 
 This rhetorical mechanical addrefe, St. Paul 
 heartily defpifed, and would by no means admit it 
 could have any propriety, in declaring the wifdom 
 of God to mankind ; even that wifdom which 
 had been till then a myftery, the hidden wifdom 
 which had refpe<5l to idolatrous, vicious^ Gentiles 
 being called, by the Gofpel, unto virtue and unto 
 glory! — The more fully to convince the Corin- 
 thians of the fovereign contempt he had of this 
 their worldly wifdom, he was determined to know 
 nothing among them, as an Apcftle, public-teacher, 
 or orator, but only the dodrine of a crucified 
 Jefus — and accordingly, he was with them, in 
 weakncfo, and in fear, and in much trembling, ;'. e. 
 
 • Spencer on Vulg. Prophecies, pages 77, 78, 
 t Ibid. p. 72. 
 
On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Cajion, 37 
 
 as I underftand him, the fubjeffc of his preaching 
 had an aptitude in it to put his auditors into fuch 
 a deeply humiliating ftate of mind -, for as much 
 as it opened to them their deplorable ignorance, 
 idolatry, and vice ! It fet before them their very 
 weak, deformed, guilty charaflers ; and expofed 
 tremendoufly their perilous condition: and poflibly 
 might have fome reference to the very great 
 concern he himfelf had about tlie fouls of men, 
 and their falvation. 
 
 We find, to our purpofe, that God, by his 
 prophet Ezekiel, in ancient times, complained 
 much of a like depraved tafte in the Jewilh people, 
 «— " they come to thee, fays the oracle, according 
 " to cuftom, and as my people they fit before 
 " thee, and they hear thy words : but they will 
 " not do them : for with their mouth they fhew 
 *' much love, but their heart goes after their 
 " covetoufnefs. For lo, thou art unto them as a 
 " very lovely fong of one that has a pleafant 
 ** voice, and can play well on an inftrument, for 
 " they hear thy words, but they do them not." — 
 It fliould feem by this, that Ezekiel had the 
 natural powers of a fine orator, his voice melodious, 
 and his addrefs extremely engaging; he was a very 
 popular preacher. Not fo St. Paul ; he had not 
 thefe natural talents ; and he was far from borrowing 
 any of the artful flrokes of oratory. He delivered 
 no truths, but juft as he had them by divine 
 jnfpiration. A plainnefs of fpeech run through his 
 addrefs, virhoUy unornamented by the flourifhes of 
 elocution •, hence it was in demonftration of the 
 fpirit and of power. His aim he wholly levelled at 
 the moral ftate of the mind ; and his addrefs had 
 immediately to do with firft-principles of truth 
 and life.— — 
 
 C 3 Thi^ 
 
' 3^^8 Ori the divine Purity of the Gofpel^Carion. 
 
 This fh \\ ferve as a Ihort commentary, cm the 
 former part of my text. And I will now proceed 
 to'confider more diftindly the divine end of St. 
 Paul's apoflolic labors, viz. fays he, 
 
 " That your faith Ihould not ftand in the wif- 
 ** dom of men, but in the power of God." 
 
 Here, we muft Jirji attempt the doctrinal 
 inftruftion, and then make fome ufeful obfej?-. 
 vations. 
 
 A more general view of the dodrinal inftruc- 
 tion, might be given in the words of an Englifli 
 high-church prelate — " the Gofpel of Chrift, y^-j 
 " ^^, at its earlieft appearance had all the proba- 
 *' bilities in the world against its fiiccels : for it 
 " v/as pOiTeffed fcarce of any one of thofe advan- 
 *' tages which do moll fignally recommend a new 
 ^•■^ d^drine, and make it thrive. It had no com- 
 ** piving tenets, to looth mens appetites and 
 *' paflioni :; but was all harih and auftere. — It had 
 " no encouragement from the civil power ; it had 
 *' no force nor ainning to uphold it; no men 
 " of efteem and eminence to engage on its fide. — 
 *' The age of difcovery, was more difcerning and 
 " enlightned, more curious and inquifitive than 
 *' any that either preceded or followed that age : 
 " and therefore the fuccefs of this dodlrine could 
 *' not be owing to mens ignorance, or to their 
 *' fupinenefs. Finally, the publifhers delivered it 
 " not out by parcels, as is the way of cunning 
 " and defigning miCn ; but they offered the whole 
 " of it to be examined and compared.*" — 
 
 This 
 
 * Dr. Atterbury Bp. of Rochefler's 14 Sermons, p. gS^ 
 97, 98. 
 
On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Canon, 3:9 
 
 This gives pretty juflly, I apprehend, a general 
 view of the dodrinal inllrucbion -, and yet, a more 
 diftinfb inveftigation may be very proper. It wiU^ 
 I apprehend, convey to our minds the following 
 truths. 
 
 Firji, the apoftolical canon is not, cannot be 
 of human original ; becaufe it comprehends and 
 enforces each and every of the firft principles of 
 natural religion, feparate from all the corruptions 
 of polytheifm, idolatry, fuperftition and vice ; 
 by which, the religion of nature had been fadly 
 perverted among pagans. And it alfo delivers 
 the religion of the Chriftian from the local, 
 ceremonial, feparating Mofaic ritual -, and from 
 the traditions of the elders, which had difguifed the 
 moral. — All of which might be expedledj fince 
 thefe apoftolic teachings do contain the moft 
 compleat and perfeft view that was ever given of 
 immutable, eternal truth ; its obligation and 
 motive are drawn from the known charafter of 
 God, and from the molt adorable ideas of his 
 providence and government. In the whole of 
 which teachings, there is nothing inconfiftent, 
 nothing dark or myfterious, nothing little, mean, 
 or trifling. Upon the whole, the Gofpel-Infti- 
 tution has all the evidence that can now be given 
 of the wifdom, power, and goodnefs of God. 
 Nor is there one fingle conceivable idea of the 
 divine majefty that is adorable, which is not to 
 be found in that written-canpn. 
 
 Another truth which my text would fuggell, 
 is, there are no marks of the artful, fanciful, and 
 conjedural ; no tokens of man's inventive faculty 
 in any New Teftament doftrines, maxims, motives,- 
 or injunftions. On the contrary, its doftrines are 
 all confident, rational, moral, heavenly, and 
 C 4 divine 
 
40 On the divine Purity of the GofpeUCanon . 
 
 divine, — its rules and laws are all calculated to 
 regulate and refine the tempers, talles and fpirits 
 of men : to produce in them an habitual rectitude i 
 to render them fuperior to the infectious, ma- 
 lignant influence of temptation. So all its maxims 
 are wife, jufl, and benevolent : they infpire wi:h 
 an univerfal good will to mankind, and they 
 admit of no partialities nor referves in the 
 Chriftian's morals. — 'Not a fingle motive is there 
 in the whole, taken from this world, that would 
 gratify either avarice, ambition, or fenfuality. 
 But every of the excitements to the defire, de- 
 light, or joy of man, are from objefts which are 
 
 fpiritua], heavenly and divine :- Objects which 
 
 have no imperfection, and can neither delude, 
 deprave, nor difappoint the mind. — 
 
 Again^ ail Gofpel-Injun6tions are calculated to 
 give mere a6tive life and renewed vigor to the 
 practical frheme of labor and purfuit. Its Sym- 
 bolical -Inititutions are alio very fimple and ex- 
 prefTive ; and what manifeftly do fubferve the 
 order, beauty, and benefit of the Chriftian pro- 
 fefl^on. So it is with the Chriftian Sabbath, 
 which is a conitant memorial of the fad of Chrift's 
 refuricition \ — ^juft as baptifm is of his exaltation •, 
 — and as the Lord's-Supper is of his fufferings 
 and death. The firft prefents to our minds, the 
 finifhed divine evidence given to his character and 
 million ;— the fecond reports his authority as the 
 one Lord and Law-giver, to whom we are to 
 pay a conftant fubjeftion and obedience-, — the 
 third reprefents to us the malignity of worldlinefs -, 
 and fhews the neceflity there is of our being 
 crucified to the world with all its affections and 
 lulls. The firft provides us with the feafon for 
 Ibcial worlhip : the fecond gives us an admiflion 
 into his church and kingdom i and the third is 
 
 an 
 
On the divine Purity of the Go/pel- Canon. 41 
 
 an ad of fellowlhip with the whole body of 
 Chriftians, wherein we renew our engagements to 
 love our head, and all his members *. 
 
 Another truth fuggefted by this apoftolic decla- 
 ration, is, the full afTurance it gives of the Gof- 
 pel's being a purely divine canon, from its imme- 
 diately addrelTing every individual as equally and 
 intimately concerned in its teachings, both as a 
 rule of life, and as the ftandara of the final judg- 
 ment. If therefore any argument could have been 
 produced in confutation of the divinity of this 
 canon, it muft have been notorious within the 
 courfe of 1700 years. But in as much as it has 
 itood the teft of fo many ^ges ; and no other 
 fyftem of inftrudion could ever be (hewn to 
 come in competition v/ith it, we may be perfectly 
 well fatisfied that the authenticity and authority 
 of the New Teftament is unqueftionably and con- 
 clufively divine. 
 
 Nay, befides the Gofpel-Addrcfs being equally 
 interefting to every individual oi mankind, to 
 whom it is made ; the nature and tendency cf its 
 inftru6tion, is fuch as makes an open and direft 
 appeal to the judgment and confcience of every 
 man ; and refers that claim which it has of a 
 divine original, to the moft fatisfa6tory teft of his 
 own experience. — In fact, thefe facred writings 
 require no interpreter ; but the man's own honeft, 
 unprejudiced attention and diligent application. 
 And they give him proof that as he is willing 
 and defirous to do the will of God, fo he becomes 
 capable of knowing the doctrine ; and of diftin- 
 guifliing very clearly, that it is of God. — Now 
 
 tills 
 
 * See the argument at large, in the open addrefs of New 
 ^ejiament e'videnccj or three plain monument i, Sec. 
 
42 On the divine Purify of the Gofpel-Canon. 
 
 this is what no other inftitution could ever boaH', 
 the glory being relerved for that of the Gofpel ; 
 concerning which Jeremiah thus prophefieth, — 
 " and they fhall no more teach every man his 
 " neighbour and every man his brother, faying, 
 " know the Lord : for they fhall all know me, 
 *• from the leaft of them unto the greateft of 
 " them, faith the Lord." Jer. xxxi. 34. Which 
 is fo applied by an apoftle in Heb. viii. 11. 
 Whereas, the unenlightened Gentiles were under 
 the ablblute guidance of proud prielts and very 
 artful and conceited philofophers. Nay, even the 
 Jews depended wholly on their priefts to offer 
 facrifices for them, and explain not only their 
 ritual, but their very code of laws delivered at 
 Sinai: and they depended likewife on their prophets 
 to inform them, what were the teachings of the 
 ORACLE that fo frequently fpake by them. While 
 the iNew Teflament code, is as well underflood 
 by the unlearned, as it can be by the moft learned 
 o'i mankind. 
 
 Eternal thanks be to God, thefe fcriptures arc 
 yet found, by all who do cordially receive their 
 inftruclions, to be the favour of life unto life. 
 Men are transformed by them from being igno- 
 rant, immoral and vicious -, into judicious, moral, 
 and virtuous characlers. They are experimentally 
 known by thoufands and ten thoufands to be both 
 the wifdom of God, and the power of God. 
 This is truly the cafe with every fincere, every 
 genuine Chriftian. 
 
 A yet farther important truth, fliould feem to 
 be fuggefted by the apoftolical declaration before 
 ns, 'ViZ. that the original written records which 
 were at firft delivered to the churches, have been 
 faithfully tranflated into other languages, and 
 
 tranf- 
 
•On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Canon, 43 
 
 tranfmitted down to ,ns, unaltered in all their 
 important intercfting ihftruftion. For notwithfland- 
 ing a fpiirious palTage has been introduced in St* 
 John's, firfl epiltie concerning the witnefies, yet 
 the interpolation has been dilcovered from niany 
 of the bell and mod ancient Gteek copies *. And 
 we might expeft the purity and integrity of the 
 canon would be preferved, fince the autographs 
 of apoftles would be immediately or very foon 
 tranfcribed, and then tranflated into different lan- 
 guages. Nay, the firft publiihers of the Gdfpiel 
 were qualified, by the fupernatural gift 6f tongues, 
 to deliver the Gofpel-meffage in the different 
 languages and dialefts of the different people and 
 nations wherever they came. And as the original 
 fcriptures were held in the highefl efteem by all 
 Chriftians, fo it was that in all controverfies which 
 arofe among them, a conftant appeal was made 
 to thefe writings. And becaufe in every age of 
 the church, Chriftians have had different inter- 
 pretations of fome mere figurative paffages in this 
 facred code, hence the eye of jcaloufy would be 
 kept open, and perpetually fixed on the written 
 record ; which mufl have prevented any material 
 alteration being made in that decifive divine 
 ftandard, And when we add, that an Anathema 
 was mod folemnly denounced -f on any who fhould 
 
 attempt 
 
 * It is not in the mofl ancient copies of the Greek, Syriac, 
 Arabic, Ethiopic, or Armenian Bibles, nor in the moil 
 antient Latin Bibles. Brief Hid. of Unitarians, p. 43. 
 
 " Not found in anyone ancient copy in Chrillendoin nor 
 
 *' in any one ancient verfion or tranflation nor in any 
 
 *' one ancient commentary ; nor in any one citation till about 
 *' the 15th Century." See the Scripture Account of the attri- 
 butes and -zvorjhip of God : and of the charaCler and ojjiccs of 
 Jefiis Chriji, — printed 1750, 
 
 f See Gal. i. 8, 9. Apoc. xxii. 18, 190 
 
44 On the divine Purify of the Gufpel-Canon, 
 
 attempt a change of the facred text ; I ihould con- 
 clude, we may be infallibly certain of its purity 
 and integrity. — 
 
 Even from Ecclefiaftical teftimony, fo early 
 
 as the beginning of the 3d century, this fhould 
 
 appear, fince Tertullian fays, " we lay down this 
 
 *' as a certain fundamental truth, that the 
 
 " Evangelic fcriptures (or inftruments). have for 
 
 " their authors the apoftles, or apoftolical-men, to 
 
 ** whom the work of publifhing the Gofpel was 
 
 " committed by our Lord himfeif." — And again^ 
 
 *' if it be certain that is moft genuine which is 
 
 " moft ancient, and that moft ancient which is 
 
 " from the beginning, and that from the begin - 
 
 *' ning which is from the apoftles ; in like manner 
 
 " it will be alfo certain that has been delivered 
 
 *' from the apoftles which is held facred in the 
 
 " churches of the apoftles. Let us then fee what 
 
 " milk the Corinthians received from St. Paul ; 
 
 " to what rule the Galatians were reduced ; what 
 
 " the Philippians read ; what the Theffalonians •, 
 
 " what the Ephefians ; and likewife what the 
 
 " Romans recite, who are near us : with whom 
 
 " both Peter and Paul left the Gofpel fealed with 
 
 " their blood." — And this reafon he affigns for 
 
 the propriety of fuch authentic inftruments being 
 
 preferved facred in the churches, viz. " foraf- 
 
 *' much as the preaching of the difciples might 
 
 " have been fufpeded as liable to the charge 
 
 « of a defire of glory, if not fupported by the 
 
 " authority of the mafters, yea of Chrift who 
 
 «' made the apoftles mafters." Once more^ Tertullian 
 
 fays, " well, if you be willing to extrcile your 
 
 " curiofity profitably in the bufineis of your 
 
 ♦' falvation, vifit the apoftolicai churches, in 
 
 « which the very chairs of the apoftles yet prefide, 
 
 *' ia 
 
On the divine Purity of the Gofpel-Canon, 45 
 
 ** in which their very authentic letters * are recited, 
 " founding forth the voice, and reprefenting the 
 *' countenance of each one of them — as at 
 " Corinth, Philippi, Ephefus and Rome. -f" 
 
 Admit the credibility of this teftimony, there 
 was no poflibihty of men's being deceived, as to 
 the purity and integrity of the facred canon, 
 at the beginning of the 3d century : and if fo, 
 there does not appear, to me, any probability that 
 it could be changed in any after-age of the church. 
 If any one (hould doubt of this, I would aflc 
 him, whether he can conceive of a poflibility 
 there is of making a change of the Gofpel record 
 in the prefent age, notwithftanding the general 
 fhocking depravity of Chriflians ? — 
 
 Thus, I truft, it muft appear, with fatisfaftory 
 evidence, that the faith of the Chriftian has no 
 exiftence in the artifice, cunning, wifdom, or 
 authority of men ; but only in the wifdom and 
 power of God. In truth, as St. Paul would hint 
 to us, we need look no farther than into the 
 do6lrine of a crucified Jefus, in order to convince 
 us, that the Gofpel fcheme could never be the 
 refult of human invention, device, or contrivance. 
 — One might add, not any thing can be more 
 evident, than that all former divine revelations' 
 and difpenfations were -preparatory to this laft, 
 under the Mefliah's kingdom. 
 
 'ty 
 
 Thus the doflrinal inftruftion has been at- 
 tempted : and fome ufeful obfervations may now 
 be made upon that truly divine inftrudion. — 
 
 I. If 
 
 • By authentic letters, he meaneth the originals them- 
 felves. See Dr. Lardners Credib. vol. ii. p. 559. 
 • t Ibid. p. 577, 578. 
 
46 On the divine Purity of the GofpeUCanon, 
 
 I. If I iinderftand the apoftle's reafoning 
 throughout this context, New Teftament teachings 
 could receive no advantage in their addrefs to 
 mankind, from any flu died rules of oratory. 
 There is fuch a divine fimplicity, plainnefs, and 
 jrrefiftible weight in their principles, motives, and 
 reafoning, that the more men would affeft to put 
 on them the ornaments of a flowery rhetorical 
 addrefs, or the paintings of a fine imagination, 
 the lefs will their native beauties be confpicuous : 
 or the more they are covered with the artilt's 
 colourings, the lefs will the pure original rays of 
 divine truth and grace difplay the wifdom and 
 power of God. Hence the very beft judges of 
 their vail importance have ever propofed, that a 
 tranflation of the facred text into any language 
 Ihould be as literal as the eftabriilied idioms of 
 that language' will permit. And we have ever un- 
 happily found the liberal to be no better than a 
 licentious tranQation. Men fadly forget them- 
 felves, when they fancy a dcvifed imagery of their 
 own can add a beauty and energy to the facred text, 
 in its native original divine drefs. 
 
 It has been before obferved, that it is probable 
 St. Paul had not a very mufical voice, nor the 
 llriking abilities of the fine orator. But if he 
 had acquired them at the feet of Gamaliel, under 
 whom he purfued his ftudies, he would make no 
 ufe of them in his apoftolic labours. The truth 
 and grace of God flood in no need of fuch helps, 
 in order to imprefs teachable minds. And hence 
 it is he fays, " brethren, when I came to you, 
 " I came not with excellence of fpeech, or of 
 " wifdom, declaring to you the teflimony of 
 *' God." — In one word, divine teachings borrow 
 no additional energy from the befl fpeaker in the 
 world. Mufical tones and vibrations are too mo- 
 mentary; 
 
On the divine Purify of the GofpeUCdnon, 47 
 
 mentary, mechanical, and paflionate ; they rather 
 entertain, than inftrud; they rather amule, than 
 imprefs. Had rhetorical addrefs been needful, 
 St. Paul's want of the powers of elocution would 
 have unfitted him for the apoftolate. 
 
 Ildly, Human authority is not, never was, 
 nor never may be a foundation, on which rel'gion 
 can fupport. So that the civil power can have no- 
 thing to do authoritatively in religion. — At the 
 fame time, it muft be owned, there are feveral 
 apoftolic injun(5lions on Chriftian people, to reve- 
 rence their infpired inilruftors. Such as, i Tim. 
 V. 17. " Let the elders that rule well, be 
 ** counted worthy of double honour." And Heb. 
 xiii. 7. *' Remember them who have the rule over 
 " you : who have fpoken to you the word of God ; 
 " whofe faith follow." — Again, ver. 17. " Obey 
 " them that have the rule over you, and fubmit 
 " yourfelves ; for they watch for your fouls as 
 " thofe who muft give an account." — But then 
 nothing is more plain, than that this reverence, 
 this obedience, this fubmiflion, v/as wholly owing 
 to the authority of that divine meffage which they 
 delivered, and not to any perlonal claims of thefe 
 teachers. It is therefore evident, that the demand 
 of reverence could only be made by virtue of that 
 meffage. Juft fo the people were required to receive 
 the firft Gofpel meffengers, as God's ambaffadors. 
 See 2 Cor. v. 20. Math. x. 14. And whoever 
 did not, " they were to fhake the duft off their 
 " feet, as a teftimony againfc them." But in 
 no other light were apoftles objefts of fuch reve- 
 rence. For this apoftle fays, " not that we have 
 *' dominion over your faith. — And we preach not 
 " ourfelves, but Chrifl Jefus the Lord ; and 
 *' ourfelves your fervants for Jefus fake." 2 Cor. 
 i. 24. — iv. 5.—-Th"y are not Chriftians who 
 
 receive 
 
48 On the divine Purify of the Gofpel-Canon, 
 
 receive honour one of another, and not the honour 
 which comes from God only. Joh. v. 44. 
 
 When once the truth and grace of God, as 
 revealed by Jefus Chrift and his apoflles, had 
 been committed to writing, and the churches 
 were poflefTcd of thofe writings ; when the apoitles 
 had thus finilhed their labors, no authority could 
 then remain any where elfe in the Chriflian-church, 
 but in thofe writings. And every individual 
 Chriftian became equally concerned with and in- 
 terefted in them. Had thefe writings been every- 
 where religioufly attended to, and at all times, 
 none would ever have dreamed of church-o-ovcr- 
 nors, and church-government, exercifed by fanci- 
 ful fallible deputies, or frail vicars of the one Lord. 
 But men who prefide in Chriftian-churches, and 
 lead the public worfhip upon the Gofpel plan, 
 can have no authority, nor any thing like jurif- 
 di(5tion. — This has been the cafe even with all 
 thofe called Bishops, both in Denmark and Swe- 
 den j and for aught I know, may yet be the 
 cafe with them, to this day. 
 
 It is an undoubted truth, that the mofl learned 
 of the Chriftian world are themfelves altogether 
 as much amenable to the divine authority of the 
 New I'eftament writings, as the moft illiterate 
 Chriftian can poflibly be, and thefe very fcriptures 
 are equally an obligatory rule to them, as they 
 can be to any others. Nay, I will add, thefe 
 veiy fcriptures, when read juftly by a mechanic, 
 have as much authority, as when they are read 
 by any prieft or prelate whatlbever. It cannot 
 be otherwife, fince they borrow no authority at 
 all from man ! and all true Chriftians are a royal 
 priefthood ! i Pet. ii. 9. And therefore are 
 equally qualified to offer up Golpel facrifices. 
 
 Heb. 
 
On the dhine Purity of the GofpeUCanon, 4^ 
 
 Heb. xiiK 15. — This then is' a juft obfervation, 
 1}%%, " that human authority can no where operate 
 " m the Chriftian church." 
 
 Illdly, Since that fewer of God, in which the 
 faith of the Chriftian has all its exiftence, does 
 certainly import his truth and grace, we may 
 clearly underliand all thofe pafiages in the New 
 Teftament, which afcribe the fandificadon a/d 
 
 falvation of men to ^be power of God. FvlH 
 
 the Gofpel itfelf, is, for th-is reafon, faid to be 
 ** the power of God to falvation, to oil that 
 " believe." Rom. i. 16. " And the preaching of 
 " the crofs, is, to all who are faved, the power of 
 « God." I Cor. i. 18. And fo Chrift, or his 
 Golpel, is faid to be both the power of God, and 
 the wifdom of God, v. 14. — To the fame purpofe 
 St. Peter fpeaks of Chriftians, " as kept by the 
 " power of God,' e. by the power of his truth 
 2nd grace, through faith unto falvation. i epiftle 
 
 Tke power of God, whenever applied to,. the 
 falvation of men, does therefore m.aniftftly intend, 
 that efficacious influence which the divine teachings 
 cf his written word, have had upon the human 
 mind^ in its renovation and fandification. Which 
 €xa6tly agrees with other reports made of the great 
 deiign of the Gofpel. Such as that of 2 Thefll 
 ii. 13. " Ye are chofcn from the beginning, 
 " (i. e. of the Gofpel age) through fandlification 
 " of the Spirit, even a belief of the truth, as 
 " it is in Jefus." And t^gaifii Eph. iv. 24. we 
 are faid to be *' created in righteoufnefs, and in 
 " the truth of holinefs." Likewife men who 
 form themfelves upon Gcfpel-Teachings, are alfo 
 iaidto be fpiritually-minded. Rom. viii, beginning. 
 
 D Thus 
 
^o On the divine "Purity of the Gofpel-Canon. 
 
 Thus the fdutary power of God, when applied 
 to human minds, denotes, that efficacious influ- 
 ence and efFe6t which his truth and grace have 
 upon them, in attempering and difpofing to 
 order and rectitude every of their elections and 
 determinations. For whenever his will becomes 
 ours, and we have no other governing defire 
 but that of being approved by him, it may then 
 be very juftly faid, that our faith, or that exercife 
 of the mind, which is the habitual pious prin- 
 ciple, does not exifl: in the wifdom of men, but 
 in the power of God. Now, at all times, the 
 Gofpel-rule of faith is exprefllve of fuch divine 
 power. 
 
 IVthly, This exercife of faith in the energy 
 and efficacy of divine truth and grace, is what 
 diftinguifhes and difcriminates human chara6ters. 
 So in the context, our apoftle has obferved, that 
 there is a natural^ and there is a fpiritual man : 
 and that the one knows not the things of the 
 other, i. e. the natural man has no idea of thofs 
 exertions and fruitions which belong to the fpiritual 
 man. And the reafon is obvious ; fince the 
 natural man has no higher principle which guides 
 and governs him, than what is fenfitive, viz. his 
 animal feelings and pafTions. Temporal, perifhing 
 good is his prime obje6l, and he knows of no- 
 thing more defirable than to gratify thefe pro- 
 penfities. He knows not what it is to live by 
 faith in the power of God -, for he lives only by 
 fight. He has no conception of what it can 
 mean, " to have his affe6lions fet on things 
 " above \ and not on things on the earth.'* His 
 taftes and relifhes, his principles, fentiments, 
 and fpirit, are of a very reverfe complexion, to 
 thofe of the fpiritual man ; confequently, they 
 nuift form very difagreeing oppofite characters. 
 
 Neither 
 
O/? the divine Purity of the GofpeLCanon, 51 
 
 Neither can we wonder it fhould be fo, fince 
 the one has no other final home^ than this tranfi- 
 tory, fliort'lived, bodily tenement •, nor any other 
 pleaiing gratifications, but what arife from this 
 
 material fyftem. Whereas the other is here 
 
 but zfiranger^ and is looking for a more durable 
 habitation, an houfe that is from heaven. All 
 his moft delightful expedlancies, are, of an 
 
 everlafting inheritance ! The one has all his 
 
 good things in hand; the other has all his good 
 things in hope. The one has only a creaturely- 
 good as his portion ; the other has the Creator 
 himfelf for his unfailing objeft of fruition. 
 The origin and fource of this difference of cha- 
 racters, is, the one is converfant with, and daily 
 lives upon the truth and grace of God, as revealed 
 in the Gofpel : the other has no defire of, no 
 talle, no reiifh for the New Teflament teach- 
 ings •, but allows himfelf to remain deplorably- 
 ignorant of them: or, at lealt, never takes the' 
 pains to enter into the fpirit and power of thofe 
 teachings. Once more; this exercife of faith, is 
 what dillinguifhes the rational Chriftian from the 
 enthufiafb, fmce it always is the refult of con- 
 vincing evidence. See Heb. xi. i. For fays a 
 learned writer, " That man who can believe 
 without reafon, is in next capacity to believe 
 agatnfi it*." 
 
 Vthly, The abundant evidence we have of the 
 purity and integrity of the New Teftament canon, 
 is a cogent reafon of thankfgiving and praife. 
 A general review of that evidence, I am of 
 opinion, may be thus taken — Gofpel-Teachings 
 do contain every of the firfl principles of natural 
 religion, feparated from any adulteration, whe- 
 D 2 ther 
 
 * Spencer's Difc. on Prodigies, p. 254. 
 
^2 On the divine Purity of the Gd/pel-Cancn, 
 
 ther from idolatry, fiiperftitious depraving idea, 
 or foreign ritual. The canon has not one mark 
 of human invention upon it ; either in principle, 
 fpirit, maxims, motive, or even mode of worfhip. 
 Its addrefs is immediate to every man, as inti- 
 mately and equally concerned therein, both as a 
 rule of life, and as an univerfal ftandard of the 
 final judgoient. The New Teftament in our 
 own language, we have reafon to conclude, is fo 
 faithful and juft a tranflation, that it has the 
 fame divine authenticity with the autographs of 
 apoftles ; inafmuch as it produces the fame moral, 
 benign, and falutary effe(5ts on every mind, 
 which is formed upon its heavenly teachings. It 
 is thus, and thus only that any can know experi- 
 mentally or efficacioufly, that it is both the wifdom 
 and power of God. And becaufe the unlearned 
 Chridian is as capable of a truly faving ufe of 
 that divine canon, from the judgment he makes 
 for himfelf of its teachings, as the moil learned 
 can i he may reft fully fatisfied with the evidence. 
 He will do fo, as it gives him a rational, fettled, 
 felf-complaceney, an eftablilhed ferenity, and a 
 
 peace of mind that pafles all] underftanding 
 
 as it makes him a bledlng to all around him— 
 as it gives him confidence in Almighty God ; 
 and renders him fuperior to all temptation. In 
 fad:, therefore, the appeal which it makes to 
 the reafon, underftanding, and experience of all 
 mankind, is what throws the utmoft confufion on 
 the face of the conceited infidel : and will do no 
 lefs on the immoral believer. 
 
DISCOURSE III. 
 
 On the Vniverjality of Qofpel-Teachings. 
 
 A FTER having in veftigated the unity of the 
 /~\ Gofpel fyftem j and — alfothe pure, unmixed, 
 divine originality of its teachings ; we are next 
 to treat upon its Universality. I know not of 
 any idea that can be formed of God's grace and 
 mercy, that is more adorable than when under 
 the confidpration of its impartiality and univer- 
 fality. It is certain, that both St. Peter and St. 
 Paul do lay a great emphafis upon the Deity*s 
 being no refpeSier of perfons ; i. e. upon his being 
 no way capricious, no way arbitrary in his 
 favours ; qn the contrary^, we are aflured, that 
 he would have ail men come to the knowledge 
 of the truth and be faved i Nay, even an Hebrew 
 prophet, I mean one ^n old time, 600 years before 
 Chrift, could reprefe.nt the fupreme Being as 
 exprefsly declaring, " I have no pleafure in the 
 " death of him that dieth^ faith the Lord God : 
 ** wherefore turn and live *." — 
 
 There i? in truth fomething extremely difguflful 
 to an humane, an ingenuous mind, in any con- 
 traded, monopolizing conceptions, or limitations 
 of the divide goodnefs. The idea is only found 
 in little, mean, fyftematic, contemptible fpirits, 
 yvho would engrofs the favour of God to them- 
 D 3 felves : 
 
 y.^ ■ ■ I - * 
 
 * Ezek. xviii. 32. 
 
54 ^^2 ^^^ Univerfalify of Gojpel-Teacbings, 
 
 felves : or, who can imagine none to be th? 
 proper objecls of his love, but what are of their 
 own ungenerous, illiberal, and depraved com- 
 plexion. — 
 
 I lliall therefore attempt an illuftration of the 
 ufiherjality of the truth and grace of God, in 
 Gofpel addrcfs, from that exordium of St. Paul, 
 in his firft epiftle to the Corinthians, chap, firft, 
 verfes firft, fecond, and third : 
 
 " Paul, called an apoftle of Jefus Chrift, 
 *' through the will of God, 2nd Softhenes our 
 
 " brother unto the church of God which 
 
 " is at Corinth, — to them that are fandified in 
 " Chrift Jefus, called Saints -, with all that in 
 " every place call upon the name of Jefus Chrift 
 *' our Lord, both theirs and ours. — Grace unto 
 *' you and peace from God our Father, and th^ 
 « Lord Jefus Chrift." 
 
 It may be proper to obferve, " that Corinth 
 " was a populous, rich, and ancient mercantile 
 ^' city, the chief of Achaia, or of Greece ; a 
 " place of great refort for the traffic of very difr 
 " ferent remote countries." And as to the ac- 
 counts tranfmitted of them, — " they were a people 
 *' of a quick and lively genius, and had a kind 
 " of univerfity, which was fupplied with orators 
 " and philofophers ; and great numbers of Jews 
 *' dwelt there, who had afynagogue. — " 
 
 y^^;y,-^This firft epiftle which St. Paul fent to 
 the Chriftian-church at Corinth, is fuppofed to 
 have been written from Ephefus at the beginning 
 of the .year c,6. — And that it was written from 
 Ephefus, ftiould appear from ch. xvi. 8. where 
 
 the 
 
On the Vniverfality of Gofpel-Teachings, ^^ 
 
 the apoftle tells them, he will tarry at Ephefus 
 until Pentecoft *. 
 
 The reafon why St. Paul puts Sojihenes along 
 with himfeif in the beginning of this firft epiftle 
 to that church, I fhould conjedure to be this ; 
 Softhenes had been the chief ruler of the Jewifli 
 fynagogue at Corinth, (who was now with him 
 at Ephefus ;) and had greatly fuffered on Paul's 
 account, having been openly beaten by the Greeks, 
 even under the eye of Gallio, the governor of 
 Corinth ; as St. Luke informs us. Ads xviii. i y. 
 It was therefore qu.te natural for him to join 
 Softhenes with himfeif, in this friendly falutation 
 made to his fellowrcitizens -, thereby fliewing his 
 truly Chriftian-fpirit •, and accordingly, St. Paul 
 affedionately calls him, the brother. — 
 
 Having premifed thus much, we now pro- 
 ceed to confider this apoflolical addrefs ; which 
 appears to be a kind of dedication of his epiftle 
 to that church, — In treating upon it we may, 
 
 I. Notice the manner in which this apoftle 
 aflerts his divine mifiion. 
 
 II. The univerfaHty of his meflage. 
 
 III. With what authority it is that he pro- 
 nounceth grace and peace from God the Father, 
 and from the Lord Jefus Chrift, on all genuine 
 Chriftians, 
 
 As to the manner in which this apoftle aflerts 
 
 his divine miffion he thus expreifes himfeif, 
 
 D 4 " Paul 
 
 * Confult Mr. Locke's Paraphrafe and Dr. Lardnerh 
 
 Suppl. vol. II. p. 170. 
 
56 On the XJnwerfiility of Gcfpei-TeacJmtgs. 
 
 *' Paul zn apoflle of Jefus Chrift through the will 
 " of God." — There are not any words or phrafes, 
 which could have been more expreflive of his 
 mifllon being divine ;' for he is well affured it was 
 through, by, or according to the will of God, 
 that Jefus Chrift had appointed him to the office 
 of an apoftle ; which office had refpe<5t to his 
 preaching the Gcfpel to mankind, and to his 
 planting the churches among Gentiles. The 
 extraordinary manner in which he was called to 
 the apoftolate, St. Luke has related with great 
 precifion. And in St. Paul's epiftle to the Gala- 
 tians, very exprefs mention is made of that hea- 
 venly interview which he had with Chrift. That 
 fame epiftle, I would obferve, was written there 
 ' years before this to the Corinthians : in which he 
 fpcaks of himfelf in the very fame ftyle — " Paul 
 *' an apoille, not of men, neither by man, but 
 •* by Jefus Chrift, and God the Father, — who 
 ;<** raifed 'him tVom the dead." — In truth and fad, 
 he had all the evidence both of inlpiration and 
 of the power of working miracles, to enable him 
 thus to fpeak of his miffion. And in this epiftle 
 to the church at Corinth, ch. ix. i. he is able 
 to make this moft open appeal, ** Am I not an 
 " apoftle ? Have I not feen Chrift Jefus our 
 *' Lord ?" — And in his fecond epiftle, he mentions 
 both the revelations with which he had been 
 honoured, and the miracles which he had aflually 
 wrought among them, when he firft plant-ed the 
 Chriftian-church at Corinth, See chap. xii. i, and 
 12. — From which accounts, the divinity of his 
 miffion is unqueftionable. — 
 
 Secondly^ — We are next to attend to the urn- 
 verfaliiy of his addrefs. " Unto the church of 
 " God, which is at Corinth, to them which are 
 t' fandificd in Chrift Jefus, -called Saints, with 
 
 ^* aH 
 
On the Univerfality of Gofpel-Teachings. 57 
 
 *« all that in every place call on the name cf 
 ^« Jefus Chrift our Lord, both theirs and ours.'* 
 
 Now it is evident, that by the fanftified, or 
 the Saints, St. Paul meant, all that were or Ihouid 
 jn any age be feparated from a love of the world, 
 by virtue of their faitl) in Gofpel-Teachings.— 
 Men, who are God's peculiar people, by reafon 
 of their departure from all iniquity, by their 
 denial of all ungodlinefs, by their living foberiy, 
 righteoully, and godly ; and by their being 
 zealous of good works. This gives the full fenfe 
 of the terras, fanHified and Saints. Though 
 fometimes, indeed, we may find the word Saints 
 .ufed indifcriminately for all profeffing Chriftians ; 
 thus emphatically diftinguiflaiflg them from aa 
 unbelieving world. 
 
 Further^ — Not only does our apollle infcribe his 
 cpiftle to the Chriftians at Corinth, " but to all 
 " in every place who call upon the name of Jefus 
 *' Chrift our Lord :" or, in other words, all who 
 profefs his religion. And moreover, as if not 
 iatisfied with faying, that Jefus v/as his Lord, 
 he adds, both theirs and ours. He would have the 
 fulleft emphafis laid upon the divine relation, in 
 which all genuine Chriftians do equally ftand to 
 this exalted glorified man, whom the one God 
 has conftituted the one Lord, or head of his 
 irhurch. 
 
 Neither fhall we have the leaft reafon to call in 
 queftion the univerfality of the written apoftoiic 
 canon, when wc are alTured from the mouth of 
 Jefus himfclf, that his divine miflion was ori- 
 ginally intended for the benefit and tilvation of all 
 mankind. " God fo loved the world, that he 
 '* gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever 
 
 " believeth 
 
58 On the Vniverfality of Gofpel-'Teachmgs, 
 
 " bclieveth on him fhould not perifh, but have 
 " eternal life." — Jgain, he fays, '' I am the light of 
 " the world. — And whofoever followeth me, 
 *« fliall have the light of life." — And once more^ 
 " I give my flefli for the life of the world." — 
 Befides thefe declarations, there are fome yet more 
 explicit, as that of John x. 16. "I have other 
 " fheep which are not of this fold : them alfo I 
 " muft bring, and they fhall hear my voice \ and 
 " there fliali be one fold, and one fhepherd." 
 And Luke xxiv. 46, 47. " Thus it is written, 
 *' and thus it behoved Chrift to fuffer, and to 
 «' rife from the dead on the third day \ and that 
 " repentance and remiflion of fins fhould be preach- 
 " ed in his name, among all nations, begin- 
 *' ning at Jerufalem/' 
 
 Such full aflurance have we that the written 
 records of apollles were intended for the benefit 
 both of all nations and all ages of men. And for 
 this reafon St. John fays, " thefe things are 
 *' WRITTEN that ye might believe that Jefus is 
 ** the Chrift ; and that believing ye might have 
 *' life through his name." The many references 
 made to the writings of Mofes and the Prophets, 
 both by our Lord, and by his apoftles, will not 
 fuffer us to imagine, that the teachings of the 
 Son of God fhould be left to the great uncertainty 
 of unwritten, or of oral tradition : fo that we may 
 be abfolutely certain, the laft revelation of the 
 truth and grace of God, fhould be, by a written 
 record, moft fecurely tranfmitted from age to age 
 for the benefit of mankind. 
 
 Again^ — The univerfality of the teachings of the 
 written canon, might be argued from both their 
 primary and ultimate moral intention ; vix. their 
 feparating all who cordially embrace them, from 
 
 • idolatry. 
 
On the UniverfaUty of Gofpel-'Teachings, 59 
 
 rdolatry, fuperftition, worldlinefs and vice •, from 
 their rendring men rational, regular, holy and 
 heavenly. From fublimating their ideas and Ten- 
 timents, refining their taftes and relifhes, giving 
 them that principle and fpirit, which realizes 
 their exiftence, and fecuring them of a blifsful 
 immortality, for, in truth, men who are called 
 into the fellowlhip of the fon of God, are daily 
 " enriching with knowledge, and confirming in 
 " all goodnefs -, even fo as to be found blamelefs 
 *' in the day of Chrift." i Cor. i. 5, 8. 
 
 Again^ — If we give credit to the Gofpel-hillory 
 of the life and teachings of Jefus Chrift, we muft 
 be firmly perfuaded that thefe apoftolic writings 
 ,are intended for the univerfal and perpetual ufe 
 and faving benefit of mankind, becaufe of their 
 vaft moment and infinite importance. They beft 
 explain the nature of the divine conftitutions ; they 
 beft exhibit the plan of God's kingdom and 
 moral government \ and are that full medium 
 of light and life, whereby we are rendered 
 capable of entring into the true fpirit and power 
 of religion. It is in thefe great refpefts, men 
 are made wife unto falvation •, even by exploring 
 the divine fcheme in all the miniftrations of Chrift 
 Jefus, and in every of his exalted appointments. 
 It is in them that we fee, how his advancement 
 to fupreme iovereignty has the moft favourable 
 afpedt on all the children of men. 
 
 Gofpel- Teachings, as they lye in the written 
 eanon, do likewife ftiew us, with the utmoft pre- 
 cifion, how the ignorances and prejudices of the 
 human intellect, and the depraved paflions of 
 the human heart, do operate ; what abufive 
 jde^s, and difguftful fentiments men did at firft 
 (l}icoyer,in oppofition to Gofpel addrefsj and beficks 
 
 this, 
 
6o On the Vniverfalify of Gofpel-Teacbings, 
 
 this, the many corruptions, and fhocking abfur- 
 <lities that would be found under the grand 
 apoftacy. We have like wife in this heavenly 
 canon, all the excellence and perfeftion ol divine 
 teachings which reipect the firli principles of truth 
 «nd mercy •, all the purity and power of precept ^ 
 all the greatnefs of mind and benevoknce of heart 
 which they infpires all the fimpiicity and fpiri^ 
 tuality c^ worfhip -, and together with this, the 
 majefty and everlafting worth of its motive, and 
 the great eacouragemeat it gives to the hope and 
 defire of man. — 
 
 Had not St. Paul known, that Gofpei-Teach^ 
 ings are far above all others, emphatically the 
 <v}ifdo'/n of God, and the power of God, in the 
 kifluence and effed which they hav-e on the human 
 mind, he would not have fo pathetically infcribed 
 his epiftle to Chriftians in all places, and of ali 
 future ages of the world ! But in truth, he was 
 confident that it fanctifies ail fincere believers, 
 renders them holy, and iecures them both of 
 jH-efent inconceivable benefits, and alfo of an 
 everlafting bleffcdnefs ! all whom Gofpel-truth 
 fenftifies, Gofpel-grace faves ; all whom the one 
 fandifies, the other glorifies. 
 
 A yet further reafon may be given for the uni- 
 verfaiity of the New Teftament code ; and that is, 
 the appointed authoriled judge has exprefsly 
 affirmed, that it is the fixed decifive ftandard or 
 rule of the final judgment. See Joh. xii. 48. 
 ** He that rejefleth me, and receiveth not my 
 ** words, hath one that judgeth him : the word 
 »* that I have fpoken, the fame fhall judge him 
 *' in the laft day." Which perfe<5lly agrees with 
 the dodrine our Lord taught of himfelf, John v. 
 22. *' The father hath committed all judgment 
 
 « to 
 
On the TJnherfalky of GoJpel-'Teachmgs, 6 1 
 
 ** to the fon; that all men fhould honour the 
 
 « fon." But this they could not do, under 
 
 the charafter of judge, unlefs they were made 
 acquainted with the rule on which he will condutSl 
 
 the judgment. Now this very rule they exprefsly 
 
 have in the New Teftament writings ; for our 
 apoftle tells the Chriftians at Rome, " that God 
 " fhall judge the Tecrets of men according to his 
 " Gofpel." Rom. ii. i6. And in his fecond epiftle 
 to the Corinthians, chap. v. ver, lo. he fays, 
 " We mud all appear before the judgment-feat 
 '* of Chrift ; that every one may receive the 
 ** things in his body, according to that he has 
 *' done, whether good or bad." 
 
 Now, upon the whole, it is not at all probable, 
 that the great God Ihould have conftituted the 
 man Chrift Jefus judge both of quick and dead, 
 having revealed both his truth and his grace by 
 him, and yet, not have given mankind an exprefs 
 written-ftandard or rule of the judgment. There 
 would be an abfurdity in the fuppofition. And we 
 are conftrained to conclude, that that written rule 
 muft be univerfally interefting. — But we find, in 
 fadl, that the facred volume gives us the very 
 ratio of the fentence which muft pafs on all good 
 and bad men, of every age and nation. Such as 
 have had but one talent, iTiall be anfwerable only 
 for one talent — and he who has had ten, iliall be 
 anfwerable for the improvement of every one of 
 
 thofe numerous talents. In the cafe of the one 
 
 talent,—" as many as have fmned without law, 
 *' fhall peridi without law." The diftates of 
 natural confcience, or of reafon unenlightned 
 by revelation, will render man accountable. They 
 affure us, that the truly religious Gentile was an 
 objedt of the divine approbation, as in the cafe 
 of Cornelius, Atls x. i — 4. — So the <jentiles 
 
 " who 
 
6z On the Univerfality ofGofpel-'TeachingSi 
 
 *' who have not the law, yet do by nature the 
 *' things contained in the law, are a law unto 
 *' themfelves." Rom. ii. 14. — Such are the 
 abilities of the human mind, that mankind are 
 univerfally accountable : for God has not any 
 
 where left himfelf without witnefs. Of this, 
 
 and of the extent of moral obligation, the apoftolic 
 writings do inform us, with great perfpicuity and 
 the utmoft precifion. Truth miikes an open and 
 common appeal to the reafon, underftanding, and 
 confcience of man. Or, as Puffendorf fomewhere 
 cxpreffes it, — " the law of nature mull be drawn 
 *' from the reafon of man, when the faculty is 
 " free and unbialTed by prejudices or pafTions. — 
 " The didtates of right reafon are true principles, 
 *' which as;ree with the nature of things well 
 *' oblerved and examined." In this lenfe the 
 Gofpel is a rule, as it teaches the ratio of the final 
 judgment. But this will be yet more evident 
 when we confider, that the teachings of Jefus do 
 remove all obfcurities which had been thrown on 
 the law of nature, and do reftore it to its original 
 purity, fpirit and power. So much for the 
 univerfality. 
 
 We propofed in the next place to Ihew, 
 
 Thirdly^ — With what authority it is, that St. 
 Paul pronounces. grace and peace from God the 
 Father, and from the Lord Jefus Chrilt, on all 
 genuine Chriflians ? I know not whether this 
 idea has been fufEciently attended unto, or has had 
 much place in the minds of many profeiTors ; but 
 here is a divine benefit derived from the apoftolic- 
 writings, which none other writings in the world 
 could ever boall. For verily the Chriftian who 
 enters into the fpirit of them has, from the pen of 
 an infpired apoftle, who load every divine credential, 
 
 grace 
 
On the Vntverfality of Gofpel-'Teachings, 63 
 
 grace and peace from God the Father, and from the 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, authoritatively pronounced 
 upon him. The benedidion he can rely upon, as 
 having an undoubtedly divine meaning. Nay, 
 thefe unfpeakable bleflings are ablblutely infured 
 to him. And they are not only reverfionary good 
 things, but of what he has at prefent, fome dt^gree 
 of pofTeflion. Yea, fuch is their comprehenlive 
 extent, that they contain in them all that is requi- 
 fite to make him comfortable and happy. — Indeed, 
 whatever can be meant by grace and peace, from 
 their infinite fource, and from the appointed medium 
 of conveyance, is to be found in the New Tefla- 
 ment writings. They fhew us, that by grace, we are 
 to underfland the favour of the Almighty towards 
 us ; even his being our God and Father. For not 
 only does he intereft us in himfelf as the fupreme 
 and everlafting governor, whofe laws we reve- 
 rence and obey, whofe will we would always be 
 obferving ; but he is known as a tender parent 
 who has complacency in, or who looks upon us 
 as his dutiful children. He has exprefsly de- 
 clared, he does fo look upon us, becaufe we have 
 chofen to come out from among, and are a6tually 
 feparated from a world which lies in wickednefs. 
 It is of his grace and favour, that we receive fuch 
 plain and full information of both what he would 
 have us do and be. And we are privileged with 
 thofe great and precious promifes which are yea 
 and amen unto us, under this lad difpenfation : 
 therefore there can be no pofTibility of our being 
 deceived or difappointed in thofe hopes, which 
 they raife and feed in our breads. For verily, they 
 are, like their author, immutable, and can never 
 
 fail us. So much for the grace which is in 
 
 t^e benedidtion. — 
 
 But 
 
©4 On the Univerfality of GoJpeUT!eachmgS, 
 
 But befides this, there is Peace, i. e. there is 
 enough in the Gofpel-Covenant to calm, compofe, 
 and quiet the mind under whatever circumftance 
 of the prefent trial. Enough to banifh all dif- 
 quieting, diitrefling fears ; and enough to remove 
 all painful apprehenfions about a future- ftate of 
 
 being. For though we have, in many things, 
 
 all of us offended and come fhort of the glory of 
 God ; yet, adored be his fovereign grace and 
 goodnefs, we have the Utmoft alTurance given 
 us, that repentance and reformation do appear to 
 be fruits meet for remiffion. And we can depend 
 upon his readinefs to receive us gracioufly and love 
 us freely. That he will with-hold from us no 
 good things, but make all events co-operate for 
 our final good. And as this is our fafe and 
 comfortable condition, no ruffling anxieties fhouid 
 have an abiding lodgment in our breafls ; no 
 prefent afBiction however heavy or painful, fhouid 
 hinder the patient pofleiTion of our fouls. — But 
 then, we mufl give evidence, that the peace which 
 religion bellows, is a peace of God, i. e. a moit 
 excellent peace ; which pafTes all underftanding ; 
 as it garrifons or keeps the heart through Chrift 
 Jefus. — The man who is juitified by faith, he has 
 peace -with God. Rom. v. i. 
 
 Let us next attend to \hzform of the benedidion. 
 
 " Grace unto you and peace from God the 
 " Father, and from our Lord Jefus Chrift.'* Why 
 the apoflle mentions both God the Father and the 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, is eafy to be accounted for 5 
 fince God is the origin and fource of the grace 
 and" peace ; and Jefus Chrift, as the revealer of 
 the Father, is the channel of conveyance, or the 
 initrument of communication. There are no lefs 
 than thirteen of St. Paul's epiftles which have this 
 3 form 
 
On the Umverfalky of GofpeWTeachmgs, 65 
 
 form of benedidlion *, which fliews, the great 
 emphafis he had laid upon it : And which feems 
 almoft peculiar to this apoftle. Nor can we 
 wonder it flioull be fo familiar to his addrefs, 
 when we confider the tranfporting interview he 
 had had with the exalted Jefus, who fo illuftrioufly 
 revealed the grace and mercy of God to him ; 
 fliewing forth in him all long-fuftering, as a 
 pattern or type of his giving peace to all who 
 embrace the Goipel-Teaciiings, — i Tim. i. 16. — 
 During the life of this apoftle, none of the others 
 do appear to have had fo much perfonal intercourfe 
 v^ith the afcended Jefus. For as to the vifions of 
 St. John, which are called the Apocalypfe, thefe 
 were probably about the year 95 or 96, long after 
 the death of St. Paul. — So that in nothing was he 
 behind the very chiefeft of the apoftles ; for, even 
 Peter, James, and John, who were prefent at 
 their Lord's transfiguration, faw his glory and 
 were eye-witnefies of his majefty, did not equal 
 St. Paul's revelations. — We cannot therefore at 
 all wonder, that a mind fo much animated with 
 Gofpel-grace, Ihould be accuftomed fo pathetically 
 to announce the bleflednefs which is the inheritance 
 of all true Chriftians : and becaufe men m,ay per- 
 ceive him divinely authorized to pronounce the 
 benediction, this alTuredly gives the ferious and 
 attentive eye, a matchlefs pleafure in reading his 
 epiftles. 
 
 Laftly, — I fhall proceed to make fome ufcful 
 obfervations. And 
 
 E I. Whereas 
 
 * Rom. i. 7. I Cor. i. 3. 2 Eph. i. 2. Gal. i. 3. 
 Eph. i. 2. Phil. i. 2. Col. i. 2. i ThcfT. i. i.— 2Ep. 
 i. 2. I Tim. i. 2. — 2 Ep. i. 2. Tit. i. 4. Philem. 3. 
 and fimilar to ihefe, is that of Heb. xiii. 20, 2 1 . 
 
66 On the tlniverfality of Goffel-^eachings, 
 
 I. Whereas St.. Paul was the great apoftle of 
 the Gentiles, who had all divine atteftations to his 
 apoftolic-miflionv we, the defceqdants of idola- 
 trous Gentiles, fhould be filled with thankfulnefs 
 and praife to God for the inexpreflible benefit of 
 his writings ! and fliould delightfully look upon 
 them as intended for the faving benefit of all true 
 believers, in every age and nation. Whenever there- 
 fore we read his Gofpel-Inflrudions^ we fhould 
 regard him as writing every whit as properly to 
 us, as to any of the primitive churches which were 
 his immediate care and charge. — What then if he, 
 and all the other apoftles, did die within the limits 
 of the firft, and we live in the latter part of the 
 1 8th century? This makes no difference in refpedl 
 to the capital doftrines and inftrudlions, which are 
 found in his epiftles : — or, as St. Peter, fpeaks, 
 " though all flefh is grafs, and the glory of man 
 *' as the flower of grafs — though the grafs 
 *' withereth, and the flower thereof falleth av/ay— ^ 
 *' yet the word of the Lord endureth for ever : 
 *' and this is the word which by the Gofpel is 
 " preached unto us." The apoftle to the Hebrews, 
 has accordingly thus cxprefTed the invariable truth 
 and grace of Gofpel-Teachings, " Jefus Chrift, 
 " the fame yefterday, to day, and for ever." — 
 Kor could they be otherwife than immutable, 
 eternal truth ; becaufe the apoflles who delivered 
 thefe writings to the world, "- are, on their ac- 
 *' count, a fweet favour of God in them that are 
 " faved, and in them that perifh. In the one, 
 *' the favour of life unto life ; in the other, the 
 
 *' favour of death unto death." 2 Cor, 
 
 ii. 15, 16. 
 
 It is not in the power of any of us to render 
 their writings of lefs importance •, for whether < 
 we will, or will not read them ; or whether we 
 
 read 
 
On the Vntverfality of Gofpel-Teachifigs. 6'f- 
 
 read them with a cold indifference, or elfe with 
 a ferious and religious attention, as a divine canon, 
 they will have their refpedtive eflablifhed effefts : 
 i. e. either to enlighten, and enliven our fpirits, or 
 elfe to determine our obftinate and criminal inat- 
 tention to thefe lafl teachings of God. It is not 
 in the power of any being whatfoever to prevent 
 thefe con fequences. And the fhutting our eyes 
 upon, or hardning our hearts againft their initrnc^ 
 tions, will be no apology. In a word, they are 
 a divine talent, in which we have infinitely more 
 concern, than we can pofllbly have with any thing 
 elfe in the whole world. A negledl or contempt 
 of them muft therefore be fatal ! For unlefs we 
 are able to prove, that they are not expreflive of 
 the truth and grace of God, or that they have 
 no divine authority, it will be at our everiafting 
 peril, if we are found trifling with the New Tefta- 
 ment canon. But, on the contrary, when we 
 confider its falutary divine intention, our gratitude 
 fliould be excited, and we ought to be filled with 
 thankfulnefs and prailb for that fyilem of heavenly 
 inftriKftion. 
 
 II. Since the manifefl defign and end of the 
 apoftolic writings, is to fandify or feparate men 
 from worldlinefs and vice, and to enable them to 
 Iceep free from the dominion of liift •, the fceptic 
 or infidel muft certainly ftand condemned : becaufs 
 he rejects the moft open addrefs that was ever made 
 to man, of divine truth and grace. Fie m.ay 
 fay or think juft what he pleafeth, — thefe writings 
 "have all the poffible intrinfic marks and evidences 
 of the will of an all-perfecl Being : for, afiu redly, 
 that which recovers the mind from ignorance, 
 immorality, and vicious tafte, to juft conception, 
 to reditude of defire and averfion, and confirms 
 in all the paths of piety and virtue, cannot bu€ 
 
 E 2 hav:" 
 
^ Gn the Univerfality of GofpeUTeachings, 
 
 have a divine original, and demand a religious 
 reverence. 
 
 Should any object and fay, — " if thefe writings 
 " which ycu call apoftolical, are of divine autho- 
 " rity, and were intended for univerfal ufe, how 
 " comes it to pafs, that they are not every where 
 " received as luch ; and made the ftandard of 
 *' religious idea, fentiment^ and conduct to all 
 " nations ?" 
 
 The anfwer would be ready at hand j for this 
 reafon, they are not ; viz. becaufe man was ori- 
 ginally made and ever left free, either to attend 
 unto, or not ; to receive, or to reject them, and 
 by an abiife of this freedom the world, more gene- 
 rally, lies in wickednefs. " The God of this 
 *' world, i. e. a love of the world having blinded 
 " the eyes of men, that they fhould not obey the 
 *' truth." Confequently, fmce the Gofpel has no 
 compuifive force in its addrefs, though it is mod 
 exprefiive of the truth and grace of God, this 
 will account for its non-univeiTality. For though 
 our bleifed Lord, during his miniftrations in 
 Judea, /pake fo as never man fpake., i. e. with far 
 more authority than any of their inilrudlors ; yet, 
 very few did cordially receive his melfage, or own 
 his divine miuion : and he gives this reafon of their 
 inatte.-ition and infideiity, " They have ears to 
 *' hear, but they will not hear, — they love darknefs 
 " rather than light, becaufe their deeds are evil. 
 " Tiierefore thr-y will not come to the light, left 
 " their deeds Ihould be reproved :*' i. e. left their 
 deeds liiould appear to them in all their defor- 
 mity and m.alignity. On this account it is, that 
 they hate die light. — Nay, fo verv depraved were 
 the generality of the Jewilh nation, though 
 fcparared from the reft of mankind by a Ipecial 
 
 provi- 
 
On the Umver/aliiy of Gofpel-Teachlngs. 69 
 
 providence, that " they would not come to him, 
 *• that they might have life." John v. 40. 
 
 And here it might be fhewn, with undeniable 
 evidence, that the Gofpel is as completely fitted 
 to become an u'niverfal ftandard rule, to guide 
 mankind in the path of fafety and life, as the 
 elementary light of the fun, is, to afnft the eye 
 of man in his bodiiy operations, and his local 
 movements, as well as to aid his ftudious attentions 
 to fundry written volumes of the arts and fcicnces. 
 Nay, Gofpel-Teachings might be fliewn, to be as 
 well adapted to the end of becoming a moral divine 
 ftandard of univerfal order and regularity ; as the 
 rational powers given to man are to the purpofe of 
 guiding, reftifying, and governing, his appetites and 
 pafTions. — But in each of thefe cafes, there are vafl 
 numbers of the human family, who are inatten- 
 tive to the manifeft defign and er.d both of the 
 natural and the moral luminary, e. g. How dread- 
 fully common is it for mankind to make a perverfe 
 life both of the elementary light, and of their 
 own intelleftual faculties and powers ! But does 
 this very extenfive egregious perverfion prove, 
 that either the light of the fun, or that candle 
 of the Lord, reafon^ were not intended for uni- 
 verfal guidance or inftrudion. Whatever therefore 
 may be the parts of the habitable globe, which 
 are not under the illumination of the Gofpel, it can 
 be no manner ot objedicn to its being fitted for 
 univerfal inftrudtion *. — We can well account for 
 its being refufed admittance in the wide dominions 
 of the impoftor, Mahomet -, and in thofe extenfive 
 regions of popery., v/hcre its lamp is put under a 
 
 E 3 bufliel 
 
 * Chrift is ftyled, emphatically, the teacher, — the 
 (hief guide and iTiJiruiior : i. e. t/je ivay, the truihf and titt 
 //^.— John iii. 2. ch. viii. 12. xiv. 6, Heb. xii. 2. 
 
'JO On the TJniverfalify of Gofpel-Teachings, 
 
 bufliel. Upon the whole» as well might an ob- 
 je6lion be formed againft .the light of nature's 
 being divine and intended for univerfal benefit, 
 as againft that of the Gofpel revelation xinu- io, 
 becaufc of the vaft numbers, who defpife, abufe, 
 or negled the light of the one and of the other. 
 
 The infidel or the fceptic, has therefore no rea- 
 fonable excufe ; nor can he make any rational 
 apology, for his rejedting the New Teftament 
 canon, becaufe of the non-univerfality of its 
 reception. — 
 
 III. All men whatfoever, ftand cenfured and 
 condemned, who can either fpeak or think con- 
 temptuoufly of fandification : i. e. of a feparation 
 of the mind from all worldly luftings. — And yet, 
 there are not a few who dare to make the appella- 
 tive. Saint, a fubje6t of fneer and ridicule. 
 They can play off much raillery upon this divine 
 compellation : and ufe the term with mockery 
 and dcrifion. Whereas, there is not one fingle 
 prophane charafler in all the world fojuftly re- 
 fpedable, as the man whom the truth and grace 
 of God have landtifieJ, whatever his external cir- 
 cumftance or condition *. Hence the ridicule will 
 return with great force upon the worldling, as 
 the moft debafed and contemptible of the human 
 family. 
 
 It is proper that we fhould reafon a little clofely 
 upon this theme — Pray, what is the precife or 
 exact idea that we fhould form of a Saint ? 
 
 Why, in truth and faft, it is no other than that 
 
 <' of 
 
 Advert to the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus, 
 
On the JJniverfality of Gofpel^Teachings, yi 
 
 ** of a ratidnal creature habitually, reverencing his 
 *' maker." One, whom the teachings of reafon, 
 nature, and revelation have informed and en- 
 lightned ; made regular and confident in all his 
 powers and paffions. — One that has thereby at- 
 tained unto, or recovered the original rectitude 
 of his frame ; having his imagination, appetites, 
 and paflions fubjedled to reafon and confcience : 
 one who has no volitions, no ele6tions, no deter- 
 minations, but what are direded by the known 
 will of the fupremely adorable fovereign. 
 
 . It mull then be a proof of very depraved talle, 
 when any can ridicule or defpife what gives the 
 true dignity and glory of man. But truly, it is 
 none who do fo, but the ignorant and impious, 
 the vain and wanton, that are incapable of feeing 
 the beauties of holinefs -, the charms which there 
 are in piety and virtue. — But unhappily their car- 
 nalities, their fenfualities, their debaucheries have 
 rendered them fuch deplorable ftrangers to the 
 fandifying influences of truth. 
 
 I cannot forbear obferving, that in the lafl 
 lefllon of parliament, fome fpeeches made by 
 feveral of our fenators, borrowed phrafes and 
 pafl!ages peculiar to the facred writings, in order 
 to give a poignancy to their wit ! at the fame time, 
 they affbrd no proof of the reverence which is 
 religioufly due to the truth and grace of God — 
 but it is to be feared, are little better than the 
 effufion of fcorners; — and they would do well 
 to remember, what Jefus Chrill faid to Saul,-— 
 // is hard for thee to kick againji the goads ! 
 
 Further, — Pray tell us, if you can, what real 
 
 excellence, or what true merit is to be found in a 
 
 man, whom the truth of God has not fandified ? 
 
 E 4 —What- 
 
>jz On the Vniverfality of Gofpel-'Teachings, 
 
 — 'Whatever may be his prefent ftate or condition^ 
 he is one whom the divine mercy cannot fave. — 
 Let me tell you, men might, upon the fame ratio, 
 reproach, or fpeak prophanely and irreverently of 
 the holinefs of God, as of the holinefs of thofe 
 of his creatures whom his truth has fanftified j 
 creatures v/ho bear his image, and refle(fl his glory. 
 The fubje(5t is therefore of much too ferious and 
 important a nature, ever to beconie the fubjeft of 
 ridicule or of raillery : it muft be fo, " Since 
 " zviihout holinefs no man can fee the Lord.^''--' 
 Heb. xii. 14. 
 
 IV. How peculiarly delightful, and beneficial 
 muft it be, for Chriftians to confult religioufly 
 the apoftolic-writings •, fmce they do authoritatively 
 pronounce grace and peace, on all who give them 
 fiich attention? — I have before obferved, that this 
 very form of benedi6lion is to be found in thirteen 
 of St. Paul's epiftles, or in all that have his name. 
 And would now remark, that St. Peter has fome- 
 thing very analogous ; for he vviflieth, — " That 
 " grace and peace may be m.ultiplied on thofe 
 " to whom he wrote." Such benediftion is found 
 in both his epiftles. — And St. john'^ firft epiftle 
 has thefe reports, — viz. " God is light ! and 
 " God is love !" — Nay, his fecond epiftle has 
 a very fimilar addrefs — " Grace, mercy and peace 
 " from God the Father, and from the Lord Jefus^ 
 *' Chrift the Son of the Father, in truth and 
 
 " love." So St. Jude calls himfelf " the 
 
 " fervant of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the brother 
 ^' of James :" and at the fame time, he afcribe? 
 his epiftle " to them who are fanctified by God 
 " the Father, and preferved in Chrift Jefus, and 
 " called." — -And tlien announceth, " mercy unto 
 *' you and peace, and love be multiplied." And 
 though St. Ja-mes has not this form of addrefs, 
 ' ■ ' 2 ' ye^ 
 
On the Univerfalify of GofpeUT! cachings. 73 
 
 yet he has fomething equivalent, for he obferves, 
 " that every good gift, and every perfed gift 
 " is from above, and cometh dovv^n from the 
 " Father of lights, with whom is no variablenefs, 
 " nor the Ihadow of turning." — -From all which 
 declarations, I would here obferve, that there is 
 no fuch dodlrine taught in the New Teflament 
 writings, as that of the diftinft perfonality of the 
 Spirit ; nor the peculiar office of a fanftifier ever 
 once affigned to fuch diftind perfon. — 
 
 On the contrary •, St, Jude exprefsly fays, " that 
 " men are fanclified by God the Father." Jude, 
 'uer. I. — Hence wherever the fandlification of the 
 Spirit is mentioned, it cannot intend any thing 
 elfe, but the truth and grace of God ; for thefe 
 are the Spirit of the Gofpel ; they are the Spirit 
 and power of that difpenfation. Agreeable to which, 
 as hath been obferved, Jefus faith, " my words 
 *' they are Spirit, and they are life." Every 
 where, throughout Gofpel-Teachings, v/e are led 
 to fix our eyes on God the Father, as the 
 fountain or infinite fpurce of the grace, mercy 
 and peace. 
 
 And thus it is that we are kept from all that 
 confufion of ideas v^^hich is found to hang on the 
 popular fchemes ; and may reafonably folace our- 
 lelves in that revelation, which affords the human 
 mind a truly divine refrelhment, as it is at- 
 tempering and fcrnung irfelf upon apoftolical in- 
 ftructions.-— 
 
 "We may now take a retrofped of what we 
 have attempted : and it is, to have Ihewn in the 
 firft difcourfe, that the religion of Jefus, has in it 
 a fimplicity, harmony, and unity of principles : 
 f nd that this unity is an irrefragable proof of its 
 
 divine 
 
74 On the Vniverfality of Gofpel-^reachings, 
 
 divine original. — That next to its unity, is its un- 
 mixed purity, having nothing of human invention 
 in its whole plan ; which is a farther powerful 
 argument of its divinity. And thirdly, that as 
 it appears manifeftly calculated to be the univerfal 
 canon of heavenly inftruftion to mankind, it 
 cannot fail to convince and perfuade every honefl 
 mind of the completenefs and conclufivenefs of its 
 internal evidence. 
 
 So true it is, that the infpired New Teftament 
 writings " are profitable for doflrine, for reproof^ 
 for correftion, for inftru6lion in righteoufnefs, 
 that the man of God may be perfeded, the-., 
 roughly furnifhed unto all good works." 
 
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCOURSE, 
 
 ON THE 
 
 SUPERNATURAL CONCEPTION 
 
 OF 
 
 JESUS CHRIST 
 
On thefupernatural Cojiception of Jefus Chriji* 
 
 IPrefume it will not be thought impertinent, to 
 add a dilcourfe upon the fupernatural concep- 
 tion of Jefus Chrift ; fince it confirms the prophe- 
 tic-teftimony of his being the feed promifed to 
 Abraham, in whom all nations Ihould be blelled ; 
 and is a full and exprefs accomplifhment of a 
 prophecy, which Ifaiah delivered about 700 years 
 before his birth : the which we have If. vii. 13, 14, 
 " And he faid, hear ye now, O houfe of David, 
 *' is it a fmall thing with you to weary men ^. but 
 ** will you weary my God alfo ? Therefore the 
 " Lord himfelf fhall give you a fign, — behold a 
 " virgin fliall conceive, and bear a fon, and fhall 
 " call his name Immanuel. — Butter and honey 
 " fhall he cat, that he may know to refufe the 
 " evil, and choofe the good : for before the child 
 " fliall know to refufe the evil and choofe the 
 " good, the land that thou abhorreft fhall be 
 " forfaken of both her Kings." 
 
 Since the prophetic-teflimony muil be from 
 God, it will demand our religious attention. For 
 fo fays the oracle, " Remember the former things 
 *• of old, for I am God, and there is none elfe ; 
 " I am God, and there is none like me : declaring 
 " the end from the beginning, and from ancient 
 
 " times the things that are not yet done." 
 
 If xlvi. 9, 10. 
 
 ^ifhop 
 
7 8 On the fupernatural CoJiceptlon 
 
 Bifhop Chandler obferves of my text, that it is 
 one of the five which have been charged witk 
 unfaithfulnefs in the application of them to the 
 Mefliah. Neverthelefs, St. Matthew having re- 
 lated the wonderful formation and birth of Chrift, 
 tells his readers of the Jewifh nation, that God of 
 old had prepared their fathers for giving credit to 
 the great event y " AH this, fays he^ was done, 
 " that it might be fulfilled Which was fpoken by 
 *' the prophet, behold a 'virgin jhall conceive" 6zc, 
 the Bijhop thus remarks upon it, " the occafion 
 " of the meflage by Ifaiah was, Ahaz king of Judah 
 " being in the iitmoft diftrefs, at the boafted 
 *' invafion of his capital city, from the kings of 
 " Syria and Ifrael. To comfort Ahaz, the pro- 
 " phet is fent to tell him, that the counfels and 
 " attempt fhould prove ineffeftual. And in aflur- 
 " ance that he fpake in God's name, he ofi^ers 
 " the king his choice of any other fign, either 
 " in the depth, or in the height above. — It ap- 
 *' pears from the anfwer, that Ahaz was fullen, 
 " and that he and his counfellors defpifed the 
 
 " prophet and diftrufted God. Since Ahaz 
 
 *' refufed to aflc any fign which God had off'ered 
 *' to give him, the prophet is inftrufled to 
 " declare, God will give him one without alldng ; 
 " yet it fhould neither be in the heavens, nor 
 " from the depth : but it fhould be a fign, or 
 " token to him and his people, of the birth of 
 *' a great perfonage, in whom all the promiles 
 " of God fhould have their full accomplifhment. 
 " Accordingly the prophet fays, Hear ye noWy 
 " houfe of Davidy' * &c. 
 
 I fhould paraphrafe the prophetic meffage thus, 
 — " The Lord himfelf fiiall give you a fign^ 
 
 " token^ 
 
 See Biihop Chandkr's Defence, &c. ch, iv, fee, n 
 
of ye/us Chrijl. 79 
 
 " token, or earneft, that behold a virgin fiiall 
 " conceive, and bear a fon, and his name Ihall be 
 *' called Immanuel. q. d. You are afraid left the 
 " line of David Ihould be extinguiflied, from 
 " which the promifed Meffiah is to defcend ; but 
 " it fhall not. For even of a virgin of that very 
 " family fhall he be born.. And that you may more 
 *' fully credit the predidion, God fhall gracioudy 
 " vouchfafe to give you an unexpeded national 
 '* deliverance j a fign of which, the Lord himfelf 
 " affords you by the child which is now in mine 
 *' hand, jhear-jajhuh^ who fhall eat butter and honey, 
 " i. e. he fhall partake of plenty, your land being 
 " freed from^ hoftile invafions, even before he 
 *' fhall know to refufe the evil and choofe the 
 " good ; fo that the land about which thou fo 
 " much diftreffeft * thyfelf, fhall be rid of both 
 " the. hoftile kings." — Thus, I underftand, the 
 prophet's fon, was to be the fign or eai-neft to them 
 of the certainty of that future event, of a virgin's 
 having a fon, who fhould be called Immanuel. 
 
 Should it be objefted to the above interpretation 
 of the prophecy, " that a promife made of what 
 " fhould be done in fome future age, was, by no 
 " means, an apt meafure of exciting and fixing 
 " the faith and confidence of a people in the pro- 
 " mife of a near deliverance from their enemies." 
 
 I would reply, this was not at all within the 
 defign of the prophetic mefTage. Yet, the near 
 accomplifhment of a promife of deliverance mads 
 to a nation, was divinely adapted to eftablilh their 
 
 faith. 
 
 * N. B. The Hebrew word rendered abhor, is tranflated, 
 grleye, Exod.i. '12. And dijirejfed^ Numb. xxii. 3. Vid. 
 l^oli Synopf. in loco. 
 
8o On the fupernaiural Conception 
 
 faith, and enliven their hope in the promife of a 
 more remote falvation. 
 
 To proceed, the prophet v/hen fpeaking of the 
 fulfilment of the promife which had relpecfb to 
 the everlafting covenant made with David, he 
 lifeth the word Alma, rendered virgin ; which 
 learned men have fhewn, does always fignify in 
 the Hebrev/ fcriptnres, a woman who has not known 
 a man. And even the Greek tranQators before 
 Chrift, who were not interefted in the controverfy, 
 and who knew much better the fignification of 
 Hebrew words than any Jew has done fmce their 
 laft difperfion, do fo render Alma in this very 
 place *. And any one may fee, that after fuch 
 a pompous introduction, the prophet muft have 
 greatly mocked his hearers, had he meant no more 
 than that a young woman Jhoiild he with child. 
 
 Thus this remarkable prophecy, will perfeflly 
 well account for a notion prevalent among the 
 Jews, of the fupernatural birth of their Meffiah, 
 of which fome fpecimen Iliall be given, by and 
 by j — at the fame time, it is riot at all probable, 
 that they could have any pohtical purpofes to 
 ferve, under fuch an expedation. 
 
 Thus much lliall fuffice as a fort of commient 
 on the predi(5lion. In further treating upon it, 
 the following method may be obferved ; 
 
 L I Ihall inveftigate the ground of certainty, 
 with which the prophecy has an application to the 
 MefTiah. 
 
 II. Shew, 
 
 * lo&v r' Tra^SEKi^ w y«rp» "Krt^i^M, virgincus intadus. 
 
ofjefiis Chrijl. 8 1 
 
 II. Shew, in what fenfe the word Immanuel is 
 only applicable to Chrift Jefus. 
 
 III, Point out the evil which there is in 
 infidelity. 
 
 As to the ground of certainty on which fuch 
 application fhould be made of the prophecy, we 
 fhall find the New Teftament accounts of the 
 birth of Chriil, in perfed harmony. For the 
 Evangelifts Matthew and Luke, who clearly 
 imderftood the meaning of the prophet Ifaiah, 
 do, both of them, exprefsly report the virgin 
 Mary's conception of Jefus to have been fuper- 
 natural ; which they would not have done, with- 
 out conclufive evidence. Accordingly the two 
 firft chapters of St. Luke's Gofpel, are filled with 
 narratives which fupport the credibility of the fad:. 
 e. g. The preternatural conception of the MelTiah's 
 harbinger, by his mother Elizabeth, who had 
 been barren till her old age, much beyond the 
 time of child-bearing, according to the courfe of 
 nature. The Evangelill: informing us, that Za- 
 charias and Elizabeth were both aged in their days * ; 
 and that an Angel firft announced the preternatural 
 conception to Zacharias, whilft officiating in his 
 prieftly office, at the altar of incenfe ; who him- 
 felf w^as perfuaded, that his own advanced age 
 as well as his wife's, forbad fuch expedation. 
 Luk. i. 1 8. That hiflorian alfo affirms, it was 
 the very fame angel Gabriel^ who announced to 
 the virgin Mary her fupernatural conception, v. 31. 
 In both cafes he is reprefented as foretelling, be- 
 F fides 
 
 Luc, i. 7. 
 
82 On the fufernatural Conception , 
 
 fides their fex, the high offices ^nd appointments 
 of the two children. 
 
 Upon Mary's vifit to Elizabeth, they are both 
 fo infpired, as to offer up praifes to God for the 
 honour done them, of the one being made the 
 mother of the harbinger, and the other of his 
 prince, the Meffiah. Thefe gratulatory fbngs of 
 praife, St. Luke records, and alfo gives us an 
 account of a multitude of angels who appeared 
 to the fhepherds, announcing to them the birth of 
 the Mefliah, afcribing praifes to God in the 
 higheft •, after which he mention* the facrifice 
 that was made in the temple, by which Mary's 
 firft-born was fanctified to the Lord ; immediately 
 both Simeon and Anna upon feeing the infant 
 Jefus, utter fongs of praife, under a divine 
 impulfe. 
 
 Now when thefe concomitants of the fuper- 
 natural conception are well confldered, and care- 
 fully compared with the narrative, which St. Ma- 
 thew has recorded of the angelic informations 
 to Jofeph, Mary's efpoufed hufband ; we are con- 
 flrained either to give full credit to the fad, or 
 elfe to reject thefe evangelical narratives, as fabu' 
 lous and incredible. 
 
 The argument might be farther urged from the 
 congruity or agreement which this fupernatural 
 conception has with the meafures God had early 
 taken to render the line of the promife confpiciious: 
 fmce it v/as by no other than a preternatural con- 
 ception, that Ifaac the fon of the promife was 
 given to Abraham, he having received him, as it 
 were from the dead, when he was born of Sarah. 
 See Heb, xi. 9. compare Gen. xvii, There was 
 therefore a manifell agreement in the fupernatural 
 
 concep' 
 
of Jefus Chriji. 83 
 
 conception of the promifed feed ; and not any 
 thing of the leafl difficulty, to a people well 
 acquainted with the hiltory of the father of their 
 nation. Nay, even the p.poftle Paul has laid fo great 
 emphafis upon Abraham's faith in the preternatural 
 conception of Ifaac, that he fays, it was ac- 
 counted to him for righteoufnefs. See Rom. iv. 
 19 — 22. 
 
 And as to the promife given to Abraham, that 
 in his feed all the nations of the earth fhould be bleffed : 
 Gen. xxii. 18. neither Jew nor Chriftian, have 
 with any evidence, denied that this was to be 
 applied to the Mcfiiah. The_/2?« of Sirach fo un- 
 derftood it, who fays, " becaufe Abraham w^s 
 " found faithful, God affured him by an oath, 
 " that he would blefs the nations in his feed.'* 
 Ecclus. xliv. 21. And both St. Peter and Paul 
 apply that promife to the Chriftians Lord, Acts 
 iii. 25, 26. Gal. iii. 8. From thefe views of 
 the Abrahamic covenant, the fupernatural concep- 
 tion of Jefus opens upon us with all the evidence 
 of certainty, as well as of congruity and propriety. 
 Compare Luke i. 73. 
 
 Neither have we yet colledled the whole of the 
 evidence ; for St. Paul is wont to fpeak of the 
 man Chrift Jefus, as having had a diftinguifhed 
 formation. So he tells die Galatians, " that in 
 " the fulnefs of time, he was made of a woman.'* 
 Gal. iv. 4. And that in his humiliation, when he 
 confented to be divefted of the miraculous powers 
 conferred on him, and which wrought by him 
 throughout his public miniftrations, " he was 
 " then found in fadiion as a man, feized by the 
 " hands of violence." Phil. ii. 8. To the Co- 
 rinthians he is reprefent^d as the fecond Adam, 
 l^ecaufe he had no other father but God: i^n^. 
 F 2 b-'caiif? 
 
84 On the fuper natural Conception 
 
 becaufe of his fuperiority to the ^rft Adam, who 
 was of the earth, earthy, he is faid to he the 
 Lord from heaven. 1 Cor. xv. 45 — 50.— com- 
 pare 'ver. 25. 
 
 Let us now proceed to adduce the teftimony 
 of Jewifh writers. And the above-mentioned 
 Bilhop Chandler cites three or four Rabbles who 
 fay, that the birth of the Mefliah mull be extra- 
 ordinary. " The Mefliah is the feed that {hall 
 " conie from another place, i. e. he fhaU have 
 " another principle of generation." Others fay, 
 " the birth of Chrift alone fhall be without any 
 ;" defed j his birth fhall not be lilce that of 
 " other creatures into the world -, none Ihall know 
 *' his father before he tells it •, the Redeemer 
 *' that fhall copie fliall be without a father." And 
 Jlabbi Jfj/^j fays, on Pf. Ixxxv. 12. " The gene- 
 *« ration of the Mefliah fhall be Angular, and not 
 •' like that of creatures generating in the world j 
 f« none fhall know the name of his father, till he 
 *« comes to declare it*." With which accounts the 
 opinion of the Jews correfponds •, fee John vii. 27. 
 
 We cannot therefore wonder that feveral impojlors 
 fhould pretend to have been born of virgins. " It 
 " was thus that Simon Magus would have it, 
 *' that his mother Rachel bore him whilfl a virgin, 
 " and before fhe co- habited with her hufband 
 *' Antony. And that Domitian, the fon of Vef- 
 ** patian, would be thought to have been the 
 *' fon of Minerva. " So Virgil compliments 
 Auguflus, by telling him, " That the child of 
 " which his wife was pregnant, would he the be- 
 *' lioved fop, and great offspring of Jupiter." 
 
 What- 
 
 Bilhop Chandler's Defence, p. 337. 
 
ofjefus Chrifi, '85 
 
 Whatever then may or can be faid, theie are 
 open, full, undeniable evidences of the fupernatura^ 
 conception of Jefus ; and are in fatisfatlory proof 
 of his having been born of a virgin. 
 
 Should it, however, be objeded, " that only 
 " two Evangelifts mention the fupernatural con- 
 •* ception?" 
 
 I would anfwer, perhaps there is not one of 
 the four evangelical hiftorians, but what has fundry 
 narratives peculiar to his record. And we are 
 well afllired, that both St. Luke and St. John 
 have many reports which are not found in the 
 ' other Evangelifts. But muft we therefore reckon 
 thofe reports or narratives lefs credible ? Pray, 
 vvho tv6tild part with the parable of the prodigal, 
 becaufe only mentioned by one Evangelift .? Or, 
 with the difcoUrfes which our Lord had with 
 Nicodemus, and the woman of Samaria ? Who 
 would give up the fermon on the mount, becaufe 
 mentioned only by two ? It is enough that we 
 aiie fatisfied thefe hfftorians were divinely qualified 
 for making their diftindt written records : in this 
 confidence, not one of them will lofe a whit 
 of their great importance with us. 
 
 Another argument might be alleged in favour 
 of the evangelical account given of this great 
 event of the fupernatural conception, and that 
 is, had it been omitted, the hiftory of our Lord's 
 entrance into being would have been lefs complete 
 and perfed than that of many others ; inafmuch 
 as the hiftorical records of feveral characters of 
 old, fuch as that of Ifaac, of Jacob, of Jofeph, 
 Samfon and Samuel, were fo diftinguifhing, as 
 may be feen. Gen. xvii. 16, 17. ch. xxv. 21. 
 ch. XXX. 22, 23. Judges, 13th chapter, i Sam. 
 F 3 ift chap- 
 
86' On the fupernatural Conception 
 
 ill chapter-, which five inftances, were of children 
 preternatLirally given, in conlequence of a promife 
 from God made to barren women. Confequently, 
 there would have been a lefs perfedl account of 
 the origination of Jefus Chriit, than had been 
 given of thofe diltinguilhed charaders. 
 
 Here let me notice a ftrange opinion of a de- 
 fender of revelation, who would have it, " that 
 *' Jefus Chrift could not be a perfed man,- if 
 " not begotten by an human father and mother, 
 " in the ufual fenfe of the words, fon of many 
 *' throughout the Bible.*" 
 
 We are ready to acknowledge, he was not the 
 fon of man, by ordinary generation, as other men 
 are : but to fay, that for this reafon he could not 
 be a perfect man, would be the fame thing as to 
 deny that either Adam was a perfeft man, or 
 
 Eve a perfed woman. However, the fame 
 
 gentleman tells us, " that Jefus does fo often 
 " call himfelf the fon of man, in order to pre- 
 " vent any idolatrous ideas and notions of him, 
 " as it had been the wont of the pagan wojld to 
 " deify their heroes." j V:> 
 
 Upon which, I would thus reafon ; had it been 
 notorious that our Lord was the product of an 
 ordinary generation, he muft have had much lefs 
 occafion to guard the people againft fuch idola- 
 trous notions, than he would upon his being the 
 offspring of a fupernatural conception ; fince 
 
 this 
 
 * See the fcriptnre account of the attributes and worfliip' 
 
 of God, and of the charadler and offices of Jefus Chriit,, 
 •■ 143. Printed for Noon, J750. 
 
of Jefzis Chrlji, 87 
 
 this would furnilh a cogent reafon for his fo 
 guarding mankind againft the idolatrous opinion. 
 
 Thus much for the certainty with which the ap- 
 plication of this prophecy is made to the MelTiah. 
 
 We 2iVtfecoftdly, to fhew in what fenfe the name 
 Immanuel is applicable only to Jelus Chrift. — And 
 the word, our tranflators have rendered, God with 
 us ; but Erafmus, perhaps with as much reafon, 
 has rendered it, God with him. And if that 
 ihould be the true {'^'c&^ we may conclude St. 
 Peter had it in his eyCj when he gave this account 
 of Jefus of Nazareth, that God anointed him 
 with power, who went about doing good, for, 
 God was with him. Adls x. 38. 
 
 We are very fure, the word of God did refide 
 with the man Chrift Jefus, as in a tabernacle : or, 
 the prefence of God was fo with him, that who- 
 ever has i^tn him, has feen the Father ; i. e. he 
 has feen all that is to be feen of him, viz. all his 
 truth and all his grace. And hence the name 
 Immanuel is applicable to him, and to him only. 
 And in faifV, he has undoubtedly made the fulleft 
 and cleareft revelation that ever was made of the 
 will of God. In and bv him God has made, or 
 rather hiL^ finijloed the ages *; in other words, has 
 compleated the plan of his providence, and in 
 him all the promifes of God are accomplifhing, 
 throughout the revolutions of time. 
 
 o 
 
 And moreover, as God has exalted him to the 
 
 right hand of power, and made him the vital and 
 
 governing head of his church j having given him 
 
 F 4 a name 
 
 * Ai ov y^ Ta; «i*'>«5 £7ro>-/;a-j>. , Hcb. i. 2. 
 
88 On the fupernatural Conception 
 
 a name above every name ! by raifmg mankind 
 to the hopes of eternal life under his admini- 
 ftration •, from thefe high appointments we fee 
 the propriety of applying to him the name Im- 
 
 MANUEL. 
 
 The before-mentioned Bifhop feems to me, 
 to have widely miftaken, when he imagines 
 that Ifaiah would be underftood to fay, that a 
 fon to be born of his wife fliould be called by 
 this name. For I can find in the text no fon to 
 be fo called, but the fon of a virgin ; which could 
 not be the fon of the prophet's wife. And I 
 conclude, no other fon of the prophet's is men- 
 tioned but Shear-jajhub, a child already born, and 
 now in his arms. 
 
 There is a remarkable marginal reading of this 
 meffage — " Behold a virgin fhall conceive, and 
 " bear a fon ; and thou, O virgin, Ihalt call his 
 " name Immanuelj" which is the language of a 
 future event, that could not relate to any fon of 
 Ifaiah's. 
 
 We are in the next place, to point out the evil 
 of Infidelity. The prophet fays, " Is it a fmall 
 *' thing for you to weary men .? but will you 
 " weary my God alfo ?" — Obferve, the Hebrew 
 word rendered weary^ is tranflated grieve^ Job iv. 
 2. and Prov. xxvi. 15 *. And there mufl: be 
 fomething extremely difpleafing in the idea of 
 a rational accountable creature obftinately rejecting 
 divine evidence •, inafmuch as a deplorable de- 
 pravity is what obftrufts the mid-day light of 
 ruth. It even grieves and diftreffes a generous 
 
 human 
 
 • Vid. Taylor's Heb. Concord. No, 923. 
 
of Jefus Chrifl. 89 
 
 human breaft, to fee a fellow-creature wilfully 
 Ihutting his eyes, and ftupidly refufing the light 
 of life i whatever may have been the motive that 
 gave a diflike to the cxercife of reafon, and to 
 the divine lead of truth and goodnefs. 
 
 Here we might aptly remark, there are two 
 demonftrative Evidences of a mifTion or meffage 
 being from God, viz. prophecy and miracles. 
 Under paft difpenfations, I fhould fuppofe, thefe 
 have ufually been found in connexion. The pro- 
 phets of old muft have had a miracle-working 
 power, prefent fign or token, in order to excite 
 attention, and fecure credit to their predidions *. 
 It feems very plain that Ifaiah had fuch power, 
 becaulfe ht bid Ahaz afk a fign cither in the depth, 
 or in the height above. Which furely he would 
 not have done, unlefs he had been empowered to 
 gratify him. All the heralds of heaven had the 
 badge of fome divine figns, whereby unpoflefled 
 minds might eafily diftinguilh them from impoftors. 
 Spencer on Vulgar Proph. p. 61. 
 
 Both prophecy and miracle do bearteftimony 
 to this great event of Chrift*s fupernatural for- 
 mation. Witnefs the predidlion, together with the 
 preternatural conception of the harbinger •, for Za*- 
 charias foretold he fhould be ftruck dumb, as the 
 fign given him, and upon the fulfilment he 
 inftantly recovered his fpeech : — compare alfo the 
 infpiration of Elizabeth and Mary, with the 
 aftonifliing circumftances which did attend their 
 falutation ! Now, when Deity has given fuch 
 
 demon- 
 
 * Which feems to have been always expeftedfrom the Jewil^ 
 prophets, and always performed by them. See Dr. Middle- 
 ion'i Examination of the Biihop of London's Difcourfest 
 &c. p. 41. 
 
90 On the.fupernatUral Conception 
 
 demonilration of a fadl, and taken every proper 
 meafure which infinite wifdom and goodnefs could 
 devife to convince and perfuade of its truth ; 
 an obftinate refufal of credit muft be very offenfive 
 in the eye of heaven. We conclude therefore 
 much evil muft be implied in infidelity. 
 
 But this will be yet more apparent, when it is 
 confidered, that after all the raillery which un- 
 believers have plentifully beftowed upon the fuper- 
 natural conception, no more has yet been done 
 than a difplay made thereby of prejudice, conceit, 
 and vanity. For undoubtedly, there was in this 
 event fomething worthy the interpofition of Al- 
 mighty power ; an aftoniihing aptitude to con- 
 vince and perfuade ; elie it could have had no 
 place in the divine fcheme of manifeftation. 
 Farther^ 
 
 There is, in fact, nothing to oppofe to the 
 record : for not any thing m,ore incredible can 
 be in the fupernatural formation of Chrift, than 
 there was either in the formation of the firft man, 
 or in that of the firft woman ; or in the feveral 
 preternatural conceptions. So that we, on the 
 other hand, difcover an amazing propriety in this 
 diftinguiftied formation, not only in fulfilment 
 of prophecy, but in its io identifying the perfon 
 of the promifed Mejfiahy as that it is rendered 
 utterly impoflible the honeft enquirer fhould 
 miftaice his perfon. Nay, even the truth and 
 faithfulnefs, the wifdom and goodnefs of God are 
 made illuftrious in that fupernatural formation.-— 
 Let no one then forget how the prophet has cen- 
 fured the crime of infidelity. — " Is it a fmall 
 " thing that ye weary men ? Will ye weary my 
 " God alfo ?" 
 
of Jefus Chrijl, 91 
 
 Some Reflexions. 
 
 • I. There is a fuperlative pleafure in reading 
 the feries of prophetic openings which have refe- 
 rence to the MefTiah promifed from the beginning ! 
 nnd yet it is deplorably fafliionable, to negled; and 
 defpife the written volume of God's word. Men 
 are accuftomed to think they are not at all obliged 
 to confult religioiifly the divine oracles : and even 
 learn to perfiiade themfelves, thefe facred writings 
 are of no importance. Various are the excufes 
 they make, to quiet their own minds in this 
 inattention. Papijis they fee are not allowed to 
 confult the holy book. Protejiants who are pof- 
 fefled of that privilege, do, great numbers of 
 them, appear to be never the better for the liberty 
 they have ; many making no ufe of it ; — and 
 not a few perverting and abufmg the manifeft 
 fenfe of its teachings. Neverthelefs, thofe records 
 of ages, which heaven has intended for the bene- 
 ficial information of mankind, are of too great 
 fignificance to be neglected with impunity. The 
 oracular voice, is, " he that has ears, let him 
 " hear." 
 
 To what, but to this contempt of the divine 
 oracles, can we attribute the fhocking impiety, 
 and atrocious debauchery of the age ! which 
 has no tafte either for knowing, or doing thp 
 will of God ! 
 
 II. I might obferve, from the fupernatural 
 conception of Jefus, that the honour done to his 
 mother, was not in confequence of any perfonal 
 merit j and cannot entitle her to any homage 
 from mankind. There is no reafon to, doubt 
 
 cither 
 
92 On the fupernatural Conception 
 
 either of her innocence, or virtue \ (he appears 
 to have been truly pious. But though (he was 
 the mother of Jefus, that gave her no more 
 intereft in the Goi'pel-falvation than any others 
 had, who were but as careful to do the will of 
 God as (he was. This we may fairly infer from 
 Math. xii. 50. Whofoever Jhall do the will of 
 my Father^ — the fame is my brother, and fijier^ 
 and mother. 
 
 III. It (hould appear from our Lord's fuper- 
 natural formation, that he had no prior exiftence. 
 All ancient prophecy fpeaks of him, as not yet 
 having had any exiftence ; but always as he that 
 was to come. And St. Paul fays, " it was in the 
 " fulnefs of timey that he was made of a woman.*'* 
 Some leud minds, I would here obferve, have 
 fyoken with great levity on the declaration of the 
 angel to Mary, " that the Holy Spirit (hould 
 *« come upon her, and the power of the highe(t 
 " fhould over-(hadow her."-^ — But this angelic 
 account of the fupernatural formation of Jefus, 
 is in perfedt agreement with the Molaic reprefen- 
 tation of the Spirit of God moving upon the 
 face of the waters ; and with the evangelic 
 narration of its hovering over Jefus, at his baptifm. 
 The Hebrew word rahhaph^ fignifies to move, 
 or agitate -, as in Genefts, ch. i. 2. Buxtorf 
 lays, it alludes to the fluttering motion of the 
 eagle's wings, when (he would excite her young 
 to fly. It evidently denotes, in St. Luke's account, 
 a like exertion of the fame creative power, that 
 moved upon the chaotic waters. That Hne de- 
 finition given by St. Paul of the creation of this 
 
 fyftem, 
 
 ♦ See the argument againft the pre-exiftence, in the true 
 Kew 7ejlame»t doSlrine of Jefus Chrifi confidered. 
 
ofjefus Chrifl. 93 
 
 fyftem, is here applicable, viz. *^ The worlds were 
 *' framed by the word of God, fo that things 
 *' which are liben were not made of things which 
 " do appear.'* Juft fo was the origination of Jei us, 
 in Mary's fupernatural conception of him ; which 
 forbids our fuppofmg any prior exiftence *. 
 
 IV. From hence we conclude his divine cha- 
 rafter and mifiion j and alfo that the meflage he 
 delivered muft be of the greatefl: importance to 
 mankind. It is not fuppofable that fuch an ap-m 
 paratus of prophecy and miracle, Hiould be without 
 a defign and end worthy of the adorable governor 
 of univerfal nature, and deferving the religious 
 attention of mankind. The revelation which he 
 has made of the will of God, gives the reafon 
 of his being ftiled Immanuel : for as it is the moft 
 perfed, fo it muft be the laft revelation which 
 Ihall ever be made to this world of ours. And 
 becaufe of this revelation, he is faid to have fhewn 
 \,is the Father : and is alfo reprefented as the 
 brightnefs of the Father's glory, and the exprefs 
 image or character of his perfon. 
 
 But to prevent miftake, though he is properly 
 ftiled Immanuel^ not only from the revelation 
 he has made of the mind and will of God, but 
 as being conftituted head over all things to the 
 church of God \ yet we are not to conceive of 
 him as really and truly God. Thisi he cannot 
 ^)ei becaufe God by his fpirit or power formed 
 or made hini of a woman. But whatever God 
 has made, muft be a creature. Whereas the 
 one living and true God, is not capable of the 
 ftiadow of change j and the idea of his becoming 
 
 an 
 
 See more on this fubjed in the Appendix. 
 
94 On the fupernatiiral Conception 
 
 an infant, is, beyond meafure, fhocking ! Terlullian 
 faid, " he would not believe that the fovereign 
 " God defcended into the womb of a woman, 
 " though even the fcripture itfelf Ihoidd affirm 
 " it.*" And we find our Lord, throi;g:iouthis mi- 
 niftrations, conftantly declaring, that the words he 
 fpake, and the works he wrought, were not by his 
 own fpirit or powe'- ; but by that of his father 
 WHO fent hitn 
 
 Lajlly^ we cannot but fee ourfelves under an 
 indifpenfable obligation to reverence Jefus as the 
 ient of God, by conforming ourfelves religioufly 
 to thofe divine inftruclions which he has delivered 
 to us in the New Teftament canon. — It is allov/ed, 
 that we m^ay highly entertain ourfelves, and take 
 a refined pleafure in reading the amazing book of 
 nature ! We may take much delight in confulting 
 the hiftorical volumiC of providence. We may 
 reap mucii advantage from converfing with the 
 writings of inquifitive men,* and derive confiderable 
 information from their experimental knowledge. 
 Not a little is to be learnt from difcoveries made 
 by philofophic minds, who have, with great ftudy 
 and much accuracy, invefligated nature's laws, 
 and taken a comparatively extenfive view of her 
 latent treafures. — But, after all thefe laborious 
 and entertaining refearches, we are ccnftrained 
 to own, with admiration, that there are no fuch 
 riches of divine wifdom and knowledge, to be 
 any where found, as in the teachings of Jefus. 
 For, verily, by him, God has abounded towards 
 ns in all wifdom and prudence ! his teachings 
 give the light of life, of immortal life ! 
 
 How 
 
 * See Platonifm unveiled : Part i. p. 8. 
 
ofjefus Chrifi, 95 
 
 How aptly then did an apoftle fay, " whofoever 
 " ihall confefs that Jefus is the Ion of God — 
 " God dwelJeth in him, and he in God — for this 
 " is the record, that God hath given to us eternal 
 " life, and this hfe is in his fon. He that hath 
 " the fon, hath life ; but he that hath not the 
 " fon of God, hath not life/* 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 LETTER 
 
 ADDRESSED TO THE 
 
 ARIA N S, 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 A 
 
 Letter addrefled to the A R I A N S : 
 
 Occafioned by a late Publication of 
 
 Mr. Martin Tomkins's Reply 
 
 T O 
 
 Dr. Lardner's Letter on theLocosw '^- 
 
 Fellow ChriJiianSf 
 
 I Begin Vv'ith obferving to you, that what Vif. 
 Tomkins has advanced concerning the Logos, 
 or that word of power by which God created the 
 heavens and the earth, becoming the foul of the 
 man Chrift Jefus, appears to me to be very wide 
 from the truth, and far from being defenlible on 
 any folid grounds. The idea of reducing an im- 
 mcnfity of prcfence and power, an unqueftionable 
 divinity to the embrio-llate, or to the narrow con- 
 finement of an infant human body, is, I frankly con- 
 fefs, beyond the utm.cft reach of my conceptions. 
 Nor do I apprehend, that this idea has the leaft 
 analogy or agreement, with any one image the 
 mind of m.an can form, from comparing any 
 manifeftation God has made of himfelf, in his 
 works, ways, or word. Indeed, it feems to 
 Hand in contradiftion to truth, reafon, nature, 
 and revelation •, for v/e are well afliired, that tlie 
 wife Creator has eftabliflied a fpedfic difference 
 in the various orders of beings he has formed; 
 and therefore cannot inform and actuate a real 
 ^ ; ;' (^ G 2 human 
 
100 A P P E N D I X. 
 
 human body by the fpirit of an angel, any more 
 than by the fpirit of an animal of the loweft: 
 order -, forafmuch as this would deftroy that 
 fpecific difference which he has invariably efta- 
 blilhed throughout all his works. 
 
 Mr. T. obferves, that " if it fhould be made 
 *' appear that the death of Chrift carries in it 
 " an utter inconfcioulhefs, he fhould make no 
 *' fcruple of fuppofing, that the Logos was for 
 " that time in a ftate of unconfcioufnefs.'* Had 
 he faid no more than this, in defence of the 
 Arian Hypothefis, my mind would have revolted ; 
 lince I cannot fuppofe it agreeable to the divine 
 conftitutions, that God's well-beloved fon, who, 
 throughout his miniftrations, had fuftained the 
 form of God, and at their finifliing had commended 
 his own fpirit to him, fhould be reduced, even 
 in l?adeSi to a ftate of inccnfcioufnefs. If my 
 ideas are right, a iincere habitual conformity 
 to the will of God, is a life-principle in m.an, 
 which death cannot injure : much lefs could it 
 render inconfcious the fmlefs, the'perfcdly obedient 
 foul of Jefus, the brighteft image of the Father's 
 glory ! At the fame time, it would greatly increafe 
 the difficulties of the Arian Hypothefis, by its 
 fuppofing the Logos, [an agent by which God made 
 the worlds! reducible to a ftate of inconfcious 
 cxiflence, were it but for a fingle moment. 
 
 As unaccountably does Mr. Tomkins fpeak'of 
 Chrift's agony in the garden, and complaint on 
 
 the crofs. His words are thefe, — " It is pro- 
 
 *' bable that the dezil, in the temptations re- 
 " corded, took him, as I may fiy, at the greatefl 
 " advantage, when the circumftances he was in, 
 *' made him more liable to the imprefTions of 
 *^ tnings then propofed to him."^This, alluredly, 
 
 is 
 
APPENDIX. lor 
 
 . IS a very ftrange account of the matter. And he 
 might have been much better informed from the 
 mouth of Jefus, who, in the eve of his fufferings, 
 faid, the prince of this world coraeth^ and hath 
 nothing in me. So far from taking any advantage 
 of him, the prince of this world, whom Mr. 
 T. calls the devil^ when he came, could make 
 no imprefTion at all upon him. — Neither do I 
 think our bleficd Lord made any complaint whilft 
 he hung on the crofs. He indeed appeals to 
 God, as his God^ from the revilings of the chief 
 priefts, in proof of his knowing that God had 
 not forfaken him. — Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani, 
 
 Mr. T. comments thus on Phil. ii. 6, 7, 8. 
 " Our Lord took the form of a fervant, in his 
 " being made in the likenefs of man." ev oi^oiu^x 
 av^pooTT'jjv yivoy.tvc<;. This is not intelligible, for 
 unlefs he made himfelf, and made himfelf too in 
 that likenefs, there is no propriety in faying, he 
 took upon him that form. Whereas one may eafily 
 conceive of his being made truly man, like to 
 his brethren ; and in that true humanity, we 
 can confider him as confenting to take upon him 
 the form of a fervant ; and alfo as willingly fub- 
 mitting to be treated as a criminal, fuffering the 
 ignominious death of a Roman flave, in his cru- 
 cifixion. — But then, it is not pofTible we fliould 
 conceive of any l)eing God ever created, as either 
 affenting or confenting to his formation. This 
 would be to fuppofe the creature's exiftence prior 
 to itfelf. Neither can it be any mark of humi- 
 liation, or an exprefllon of a creature's humility, 
 to be made what it is. One might farther argue, 
 that to be made in the likenefs of man, is no 
 proof of his having the form of a fervant, in the 
 humiliating fenfe, if we can believe either Moles, 
 or St. Paul. Mofes fays, God made man in his 
 I own 
 
102 APPENDIX. 
 
 own image, after his own likenefs, and gave 
 him dominion. Gen. i. 26. And St. Paul lays, 
 that man is the image and glory of God ! i 
 Cor. xi. 7. 
 
 My furprize is not in the leaft abated, by that 
 worthy man (whom I loved) thus expreffing his 
 ideas of the exalted Jefus, — " he is now con- 
 " fidered, not as in a ilate of fubjefbion even to 
 '' the father j but as invefced with fupreme autho- 
 " rity, deputed indeed, but, as it fliould feem, 
 " not under diredion, neither is he accountable." 
 If this can be juftly faid of the man Chrift Jefus, I 
 mull own a total ignorance of all firft principles 
 Vv'hich concern the law of relation ; as well as of 
 all thofe reprefentations made of him by apoftles. 
 — In the reafon and nature of things, by the 
 laws of immutable eternal truth, all beings that 
 are originated mufc be dependent, none can have 
 independence bu: the one God, who has none 
 befides him. Again, ChriiTs inveiliture with 
 fupreme power from the Father, undoubtedly 
 infers his dependence. Ke is only capable of 
 performing th.e fundlions of his high office, by 
 virtue of God's prefence with him. For it is 
 God's throne at the right hand of which the 
 Father hath placed him. Heb. xii. 2. — 
 
 As to that phrafe, t Cor. xv. 28. T'henfiaU 
 the fon himfelf oJjo he fuhjeot., this no Vv^ay proves 
 he is not under diredtion, nor accountable, during 
 his mediatorial adminiftration, or that he is any 
 other rhan the Shechinah of God, invefled with the 
 Father's glory, See Matth. xvi. 27. Mar. viii. 38. 
 
 — ^^At the end. of which adminiftration, he 
 
 Ihail deliver i:p the kingdom to the Father, that 
 God may be all in all. Or, it may perhaps be 
 underllood of the children of the kingdom being 
 
 pre- 
 
APPENDIX. 103 
 
 prclented to the Father, as an heave-offering, 
 r.fter they have been with him to behold the glory 
 v/hich the Father hath given him. Joh. xvii. 24. 
 But does not St. Paul fay, that the name given 
 him above every name, to which every knee 
 fhall bow, and every tongue confefs him Lord, 
 Jhall he to the glory of God the Father ? And if fo, 
 is there not an end to which he is to condud: his 
 government ? A full proof that he is neither 
 without dire6tion, nor in a Itate of non-fubje6lion. 
 Indeed Mr. T. owns he is a deputy — deputed in- 
 deed : But who of mankind ever had an idea of 
 a deputy, that was neither under direflionj nor 
 accountable? 
 
 I Ihall only notice another text, about which 
 mode of exprcfTion Mr. T. is extremely fanguine, 
 and is confident it clearly determines the pre- 
 exiftence of Chrift, and that is, John xvi, 28, 
 1 came forth from the Father^ and am come into the 
 world: again I leave the world, and go to the 
 Father. He lays much ftrefs on the [TraAiu ci(pi7\fM.2 
 I have the pleafure of obferving, that an ingenious 
 writer has fliewn * the word here rendered worlds 
 is to be confidered only as a fcene of bufinefs, 
 exercife and trial ; he fupports this fenfe, by 
 John xiv. 19. XV. 18. xviii. 9, and 18. i John 
 iii. I. I would add, John xviii. 37. *' For 
 *' this end was I born, and for this caufe came 
 " / into the world, that I might bear witnefs to 
 " the truth ;" where, coming into the v/orld, 
 manifeftly fignifies, his entring on public bufinefs, 
 as the great prophet of God, to reveal his will 
 to mankind. 
 
 The 
 
 * Theological Repofitory, No. III. Vol. III. paper figned, 
 
 3L-1BERIVS. 
 
104 APPENDIX. 
 
 The above text will then read thus, I cams 
 forth from the Father, i. e. I had my divine 
 credentials from him ; — and am come into the world -, 
 i. e. have engaged in a fcenery of bufinefs, exercife 
 and trial. — Again I leave the world, and go to 
 the Father. This literally and exadlly agrees with 
 ■what he had faid, verfes i6, 17. " A little 
 *' while and ye fhall not fee me : and again a 
 " little while and ye Ihall fee me, becaufe I go 
 *' to the Father." Accordingly, he left them 
 and all the fcenery of bufinefs when he was 
 crucified, and went into hades for part of three 
 days ; during which little while they faw him not. 
 And again they fhould fee him for a little while, 
 i. e. during the forty days he converfed with 
 them, and more fully inftrufted them in things 
 pertaining to the kingdom of God, — after which 
 he left them a fecond time to go to the Father. 
 Thefe are the two leavings of the world, confidered 
 as a fcene of bufinefs. And every one may fee, 
 that his coming forth from the Father, has the molt 
 important meaning, of his receiving his credentials 
 from him, by which he was qualified for coming 
 into the world, and difpatching the bufinefs of 
 his public miniftry. Here is a natural and eafy 
 fenfe of that declaration, but no intimation at 
 all of his pre-exifi:ence. — At leaft, this \s the 
 opinion of one unattached to any fyfliem, h\M 
 thofe of reafon and revelation. 
 
 F I N I S»