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 r/y 
 
 •■; -7/V.- u'^r .-M'- ' ■ - . - ■ 
 
 *0 PRINCETON, N. J. '»^' 
 
 Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Agncw Coll. on Baptism, No. 
 
 , ViTiTV 
 
 sc<^ 
 
-^ 
 
Sa Ivation Compleated : 
 
 And SECURED in 
 
 CHRIST, 
 
 A S T H E 
 
 COVENANT of the PEOPLE. 
 
 Confidered in 
 
 A Difcourfe on that SubjecSt. 
 
 By J A M E S ni E L L Y. 
 
 Wrote in the Year 1753. 
 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by J. DAVIS, Blewett's-Buildings, 
 Fetter-Lane, mdcclxxix. 
 
r 
 
 ■^* 
 
 (3) 
 
 Salvation Compleated : 
 
 y^nd give thee for a Covenant of the 
 People^ &c, Ifaiali xlii. 9. 
 
 O D, and MaUy who by reafon of Sin, 
 appeared to be at an infinite diftance 
 from each other, are brought to- 
 gether by Covenant relation in Cbrijl Jefus. 
 
 This covenant, or agreement, is that j where- 
 in they mutually undertake, to perform punc-* 
 tually the condition required on the part of 
 each, that their contract might be legally va- 
 lid, and without exception. 
 
 The perfon, given for a covenant of the 
 People, is ye/us Chrijl: the parties, agree- 
 ing, or covenanting in him, 'AX^God, 3.nd man : 
 whofe covenant, confiils in the unity of two 
 natures, but one perfon, in our myilerious 
 Emmanuel or God with us : where the offend- 
 ed, and offending natures, meeting together 
 in covenant, make but one Chrift, who is up- 
 on //^^/'^i^^i/z^^z/' with propriety, called the Co- 
 venant of the People. 
 
 B % God 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 God, in all the fulnefs of his perfedlions* 
 in the perfon of the Word, or divine nature 
 of "Jejus ', and the people in all the fulnefs of 
 their number, miferyand imperfedtion in the 
 man who is God's fellow, or the human na- 
 ture of Chriji 'y (thro' the alone love and 
 good will of God towards men) peacefully- 
 met together in the God-man ; who, hath 
 taken into himfelf, the fulnefs of both natures, 
 in the unity of one perfon thus becoming the 
 covenant of the people. 
 
 The conditions, required of each party to 
 beperformed, for the validity of this covenant, 
 and that it might be unexceptionable, are 
 fulfilled in the fame; as it conlifls in the per- 
 fonal onenefs of both natures ; there, God has 
 made his demand of perfed: obedience, ac- 
 cording to the tenor of the law, without which 
 hecould not injustice juflify man. And there, 
 Man, as the party to whom the law was given, 
 has perfedlly anfwered its demands, that the 
 gift of falvation, might not be injurious to the 
 law. In this covenant, God, as ajuftjudge, 
 hath actually executed, what he threatened 
 upon the breach of his law : which was death, 
 appointed as the wages of iin. It was here, 
 the foul that fmned died : for as J ejus when 
 pafiing by the Angels that fell, took upon 
 him the feed of Abraham, the myflical con^ 
 ftitution of his humanity, was fallen man : 
 who are therefore confidered as members of 
 
 his 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 his Body, of his flefli, and of his bone : in 
 this fenfe, the foul that finned was puniflied 
 in his fuffering nature ; when he was made 
 (in for us, by taking hold of ourfallen nature, 
 his colledled, myftical body the Church, and 
 alfo, by taking into that nature, the fulnefs 
 of our guilt, lin, and curfe : that he, being 
 numbered among tranfgreiTors, might be-* 
 come for his children, the one public linner: 
 when he was fpeechlefs under the accufation 
 of our crimes, and bare the chaftifement of 
 our peace, and was made a curfe for us. Thus 
 did he purge our lin, by his own blood and 
 facrifice, when he took the fulnefs of it into 
 himfelf, until he had healed us by his ftripes: 
 we being in his Body through the whole of 
 his doing and fufiering, as members thereof. 
 
 And, as the human nature through obedi-r 
 ence and fuffering, in this covenant ^ has per- 
 fed:ly performed the conditions required on 
 its part ; it will alfo appear, that God has 
 performed his, according to his promife : 
 where he fays, / uoill hold thy hand., and will ' 
 keep thee, and will give thee /for a covenant of 
 the people, &c. He, was to capacitate the hu- 
 manity, or fuffering nature of Jefiis, to make 
 atonement for fin, and to feai the covenant 
 by his blood : and this v/as done where that 
 humanity through the whole of his obedience 
 to death, had its fubliflance in the Deity. The 
 }iuman nature of C/6r^''/ hath no perfonal fub- 
 
 iiilance 
 
_ _ ( 6 ) 
 
 finance in itfelf, conddereda-part, or diftind: 
 from the deity j as all his creatures hath, but 
 the perfonal fubfillance, of the Holy Jefusy 
 being in his Godhead, and not in his Huma- 
 nity, all his words, and works, are cloathed 
 with infinitude : all his obedience, temptati-^ 
 ons, poverty, affliftions, all the agonies, un- 
 known forrows, bruifes, wounds, and bloody 
 death of his fuifering nature, wasintliat per- 
 fonal fubfiftance, which he had in his Qod- 
 head : therefore, was he, as truly God, as 
 man, through all his humbled fteps. Hence 
 it is, that there is no part of his obedience, 
 fuffering, -S^r death, but what is pregnant with 
 the inconceivable merit, of his eternal power 
 and Godhead. His bloodihedding, was in 
 the merit, impaffibility, and eternity of his 
 Godhead. Therefore it is true that God has 
 piirchafed the church with his own blood. The 
 death of his fuffering nature, was in the life,, 
 love, and immortality of his Godhead: There- 
 fore it is true that God has la'^d dow?! his life 
 for us. The defpifed,. fliameful, bloody foriix 
 in which he wascxpofcd, was in tlie inefiable 
 beauties and glory of his Godhead. There- 
 fore, was it the Lord of Glory who was cru- 
 cified. All his wcaknefs, was in the ilrength^ 
 and power of his Godhead, therefore is it 
 called th^,weak?iefsofGod. All thefooliflinefj 
 of his crofs, was in the infinite, and unfearch- 
 able wiidomof his Godhead: Therctore, is 
 it thcJt thefoolifviefs of God j is wifer than men. 
 
 Thus. 
 
(7) 
 
 Thus, his every ftfipcj and pain, and 
 rack, and torment, orfalling clodof blood, 
 or pearly fweat, has all the riches, value, 
 power and meritof his Godhead in it: whilfl: 
 the conditions required on either part are, 
 fulfilled in the covenant: and all the mercies 
 of it made fure to David, and his feed. It is 
 in the faithful view of this Gofpel, we can 
 j uftify the moil impartial] uftice, in acquitting 
 the prifoner, and bringing him out of the pit, 
 by the blood of the covenant. This deep 
 contrivance loudly fpeaks the wifdom of God, 
 who has kmown his mindy or who hath 
 been his councellor ? but where was the ob- 
 ligation or what neceffity was the eternal 
 mind under, to give this gift to man, this 
 covenant to iinful people ? Lo ! here we fee 
 eternal mefxy ftoop, with condefcention, to 
 fave a ruin'd race. Unmerrited, unthought 
 of, undeferved, it comes to us. Oh! mercy 
 darling theme, in heaven, and favourite an- 
 them ofthejuft.ikf(?rrK, triumphant attribute; 
 built upthrough time, and to eternity, ikffrrjr, 
 O 'tis of thee, that we are not confumed : 
 thou art, the helplefs finners daily plea, and 
 flialt be mine, till with my lateft breath, my 
 foul wafts to eternity. 
 
 David {aid f the Lord had made with him 
 an everlafiing covenant, ordered in all things 
 find fure : this correfponds with the fore- 
 going defcription of the covenant : for when 
 
 through 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 through faith we underftandour membcrfliip, 
 in the body of the Lord, we know that God 
 hath made a covenant with us in Chriji Jefus: 
 in general^ as a body compofed of many mem- 
 bers, and in particular, as diftind: members 
 of the fame body : the perpetuity of which 
 covenant is fecuredin that indifTolvable union, 
 between two natures, God and Man, in one 
 Lord ChriJI : and every believer, having faith 
 forhimfelfinthisGofpel, can fay with S^^-z;/^, 
 the Lord hath made witJh me an evedafting 
 covenant, ordered in all things andfure, which 
 is all my hope, and all my falvation. 
 
 In this covenant^ our nature laid wafle by 
 iin, and once a barren v/ildernefs, is now be- 
 come a fruitful field. Once a pricking thorn, 
 but now the true vine : of which we are the 
 branches. Whilft the eternal Father is the 
 great hufbandman ; who has in this covenant 
 union, cultivated this once barren wildernefs, 
 our fpoiled nature : when the plowers, plow- 
 ed Mcffiah's back, making long and bloody 
 furrows. It is in this covenant, our nature, 
 which was the veffel marred between the 
 potter's hands, is now made another, and a 
 nobler veiTel. In our iirfl original, we were a 
 little lower than the angels, yea, the lowefl 
 of the intelligent beings ; but to us, when 
 fmking, has God reached out the hand of 
 love and power, and paffing by more glori- 
 ous natures, has taken ;/^ on himfclf: raiiing 
 
 us 
 
_ ( 9 ) 
 US to fuch an eminence, that wheii he brmight 
 in his Jirjl begotten Jon into the worlds he com" 
 majided all the Angels of God to worfiip him. 
 
 In this covenant, our nature is raifed from 
 the dunghill to a glorious throne : Angels ad- 
 miring, adoring, and willingly flying to exe- 
 cute his commands : whilfl we, who were with- 
 out ftrengthjpolTefs omnipotence, in our exalt- 
 ed Head; who now, having all power in hea- 
 ven and earth, committed to his hand; and 
 the government of providence, and grace, 
 laid upon his fliouldersj with ftedfailinefs 
 holds the reins thereof, over every world : 
 and in infinite wifdom, and love, unfpeak- 
 able to man -, moves all the wheels from the 
 greateft, to the mofh minute difpenfation 
 thereof. 
 
 In this covenant, the7^/Vz> is given, andin- 
 fured, to all the feed : where the holy anoint- 
 ing, in its unmeafurable fulnefs, was poured 
 upon our honourable and holy Head, 'J ejus ; 
 which comes down to thefl^irts of his cloath- 
 ing, even to the weakeft, and meanelT: member 
 of his body. TheJpiritoJ'the Lord God being 
 upon him, anointing hiniy to 'preach good ty dings 
 to the meek, to bind up the broken hearted, to pro- 
 claim liberty to the captives, and the opening of 
 the prifon to them that are bound-, and all this 
 he has perfe(5lly WTought, thro' the falvation 
 of our nature in himfelf : where, he has given 
 
 C us 
 
( lO ) 
 
 us beauty for afies, the oil of joy for jnourningi 
 the garment of praife for the fpirit of heavinefs, 
 7naki7ig us trees of right eoufnefs, the plants of 
 the Lordy that he might be glorified. 
 
 In this covenant, we overcome the accufer 
 of the brethren, and know the communion 
 of faints, in the unity of the body. This tef- 
 timony, mixed with faith to them that hear, 
 proves that prophecy, which moves the dry 
 bones, bringing bone to its bone, until the 
 hope of the houfe of Ifrael is revived. And 
 is that word, which is fpirit and life, to all 
 the holy feed : who are naturally dead in tref- 
 paffes and iin. Nor is this myftery hidden 
 from the followers of the lamb, the fecret of 
 the Lord is "with fuch that fear him, and he 
 will Jhew the?n his covenant. 
 
 Having fliewn, that Jeftis is this covenant, 
 I proceed, in difcourling of the fulnefs of 
 gracC) and glory, laid up in him, as our in- 
 heritance. 
 
 Firft, In Chrifi our covenant, we have life : 
 this is valuable, all that a man hath will he 
 give for his life. We are reprefented, as being 
 dead in trefpalTes and fin, by nature: without 
 hope, and without God in the world. But, 
 thefcriptures affureus, that in fefus we have 
 life, God hath given us eternal life, and this 
 life is in his fon. Hence is it, the faviour faith, 
 
 becaife 
 
{ II ) 
 
 hecaiife I live, you fiall live alfo. The head 
 and the body have but one life. It is now the 
 alone concern of a chriftian man, to know 
 that 'Jefus lives. It is alfo, that fufficiency of 
 comfort, and fupport, v/hich he affords to his 
 faints, in the greateft diftrefs: I am he that 
 was dead, but am alive, and lives far ever . It 
 is that alTurance which a chriftian hath, that 
 he can never be loft. For, if whe7iji72ners, we 
 were reconciled to God, by the death of his f on, 
 much more now, being reconciled -, we fiall be 
 faved by his life. When fefus arofe from the 
 dead on the third morning, and fliewed him- 
 felf alive to many witneifes ; there appeared 
 to thefpiritual eye, his beloved Bride, in the 
 perfection of beauty: even, all his myflical 
 members, quickened together with him. This 
 the holy fcriptures fufficiently teach, arcd you 
 hath he quickened, together with Chrijl, faith 
 the ApolHe : of this alfo, the Prophet fpake, 
 when he faid, thy dead men fiall live, together 
 with my dead body, fijall they ari/e. The life 
 of fefus is the believer's life, not only as he 
 livesj^r him, as mediator of the new cove- 
 nant ; nor only as he lives in him, by the re-, 
 velation of his fpirit ; but as he lives in hit?i~: 
 yd'//' an unchangeable life, and that which 
 hath no end : in this life of his, we live, ac-. 
 cording to the Apoille : ye are dead, and 
 your life is hid with Chriji in God : with 
 his humanity, in all the fulnefs of the per- 
 fedion of his Godhead ; which, being all 
 C 2 engaged^ 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 * engaged for the final prefervation of our life, 
 proves \k\Q fountain znd fecurity of it, to all 
 who are members of his Body, of his Flefli, 
 andof his Bones. That, indifTolvable union 
 between God and man, in the perfon oi Chriji, 
 being the fure, and certain pledge, of this 
 our fecurity, whilfh all who know their 
 memberfhip in the body of Chriji, know 
 what it is to live in his life. As tbe firft 
 Adam was made a living foul, and by his fin 
 brought death upon Jns pofterity, fo the fe- 
 cond Adam was made a quickening fpirit, in 
 whom all his feed are quickened and live^ 
 as they died in the former : The Church, 
 being myftically quickened, in the refurrec- 
 tion of the body of Chriji, which was fown a 
 natural body, but raifed a fpiritual body ; he 
 having died for iis, that ^whether wefeepy or 
 wakcy we might live together with him. To 
 this purpofe, mofi; excellent are the wordsj, 
 in the communion office of the church of 
 England : the body of our Lord fefus Chriji y 
 which was given for thee, preferve thy body 
 and foul, unto everlafi:ing life. That once 
 crucified, but now ever-living Body, of God 
 our Saviour, preferves and fccures our eter- 
 nal life in its owni : as the branch in the 
 vine, or the exterior parts of the natural 
 body are preferved, as living membejs, and 
 live in the fountain life of the body : fo all 
 his children, as members of his body, live in 
 the life, and unity of the fame. Hence is 
 
 it 
 
(13) 
 
 it, with propriety, he is called our life : and 
 this charad:er he bears as a living faviour -, in 
 whofe life we live. This word mixed with 
 faith, is the revelation of the fon of God 
 in our hearts, and proves through the ope- 
 ration of his fpirit, that quickening power 
 which raifes us in our minds, from the ruins 
 of lin and death, to that lively hope of im- 
 mortality, and eternal life which is brought 
 to light in the gofpel. This is Chri/i in us 
 the hope of glory : this is Chriji dwelling in^ 
 our hearts by faith : where the life and con- 
 quefh of his humanity, is become the living 
 food of every believer, in his flefh and blood, 
 which is meat indeed, and drink indeed; and 
 this feeding is in the heart by faith, where 
 we difcern, and feel fuch a relation to his 
 flefh and blood, that his facrifice, death, life, 
 vidlories, triumphs, honour, and glory are 
 all our own : and we rejoice in it, and are 
 enriched in it, with the fulnefs of grace, and 
 glory, and eternal life ; and thus is it, we eat 
 his flefh and drink his blood : the faith and 
 meditation of it, being of the fame nourifli- 
 ment to our mind and fpirit, as meat and 
 drink to the natural body. He having taken 
 part of our flefh and blood, is not afhamedto 
 call us brethren : and here we follow the 
 Apoftle's dired:ion, reckoning ourfelves in- 
 deed dead unto Jin i but alive unto God through 
 yefus ChriJI our Lord : thus having eternal 
 life in Chrifi our covenant. 
 
 This 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 This life is the gift of God, who hath 
 given us his ownfon; he that hath the fon, 
 bath life ; fuch as hath not been produced, 
 merited, nor deferved by us ; neither does 
 it depend upon any condition to be perform- 
 ed by us, for the continuation of it, but refts 
 alone upon the life of Jefiis, That peace, 
 comfort and fatisfadtion, which this doctrine 
 affords, flows from a ftedfaff belief in the 
 heart, without fear or doubting, that the 
 man yefusy who was crucified without the 
 gates of yeriifalem, died upon a crofs, and' 
 was buried, is rifen again; and now lives. 
 This, is enough for us to know, fince it is in 
 i^/jlife, wflive: accepted, in his acceptance; 
 pure and free, in his purity, and freedom -, 
 exalted in his righteoufnefs, and in his glory 
 glorified. I fpeak not this to that meer tra- 
 ditional or hiftorical afi"ent, which is given in 
 the world, to the death and refurred:ion of 
 the holy Jfus y but I teftify of this peace 
 and joy in believing, to the faith of the ope- 
 ration of God, which is his gift to them 
 that believe : and to them, again would 1 fay, 
 that as the perpetuity of this life in Its foun- 
 tain, is not dependant upon any condition 
 performed by them, but upon the trium- 
 phant life of the lamb of God alone : to 
 this life of his are we at all times to look, 
 for flrength, for acceptance with God, and 
 for certainty of eternal falvation ; and not ta 
 look for thefe things, to any meafure of 
 
 know-. 
 
( 15 ) ^ 
 knowledge, or enjoyment, which we might 
 have of it in the ftream ; as in ourfehes 
 nor to any habit, or worth, wrought in us, or 
 byusy through fuch an enjoyment. There- 
 fore, let the eye be lledfaftiy fixed upon the life 
 oijefiis. and the heart be intirely fatisfied in if, 
 as our own ; in all its glory, and unchangea- 
 blenefs : then Ihall we have a fufficiency of 
 fupport : under all our trials, and afflid;ions, 
 whilft here; and fliall fet toourfeals that he 
 is true, where he hath faid, becaufe I live 
 y oil JJoall live alfo. Let all know, that this 
 life is unchangeable : becaufe Jefiis Chriji is 
 the fame yejlerday, to day, and for ever. It 
 is alfo eternal : for in that he died once, 
 he dieth no more : but being alive, liveth 
 for-ever. Of this, we cannot be deprived : 
 becaufe Jefus liveth. This is the life that can 
 never fail, whilft he is alive. This life, is 
 hidden from the face of the enemy : hidden 
 in the glory of God -, where his faithfulnefs, 
 juflice, love, and power, is engaged to fup- 
 port it, and to fecure it frbm every invader, 
 yea from all that feek its ruin : In this, let 
 us therefore be glad and rejoice, with ex- 
 ceeding great joy. This life, has no infir- 
 mity attending it : nor, (liall length of days, 
 no, nor eternal a^es, ever impair its health, 
 or caufe us to loath it. But, in its full bloom, 
 and youthful vigour, fliall it remain, when 
 fun, moon, and ftars fhall fail, and pafs 
 away. Nor, can its unchanging duration 
 
 be 
 
( .6 ) 
 
 be meafured, but, by endlefs days, by the 
 eternity of God himfelf. And our God al- 
 fures us, that a moment of it, fhall not pafs, 
 without a fuhiefs of joy, and pleafure, for- 
 ever more. Glory be to God on high, luhen 
 Chriji, who is our life jhall appear ^ we fiall 
 alfo appear with him in glory. 
 
 Secondly, Wc have righteoufnefs in this 
 covenant. The holy fcriptures, experience, 
 and common obfervation, jointly teftify, that 
 man is far gone from original righteoufnefs: 
 cr, that we have lofh the divine rectitude of 
 nature, in which we were created. That, our 
 nature once was pure is apparent, from the 
 Fountain of purity himfelf : when, viewing 
 the work of his hands, he pronounced it very 
 good. And, that it is now unrighteous, and 
 impure, is as evident ; from the fame lip of 
 truth who hath declared the imaginations 
 of man's heart, to be evil continually : all 
 having Jinnedi and come Jhort of the glory of 
 God. Nature alfo teaches, that mankind is 
 contrary, in habit, and action, to what it 
 conceives of God : this found is gone to the 
 ends of the earth, but more diftindily, and 
 with greater certainty, are they taught the 
 truth of this matter, who in God's light, fee 
 light. This want of righteoufnefs, renders 
 mankind obnoxious to the wrath of God, 
 guilty in thefnfelves, ftript of all lawful claim 
 to eternal life, unworthy of the love and 
 
 favour 
 
( >7 ) 
 favour of God : nor can he, whofe eyes are 
 purer than to behold iniquity, have any de- 
 iight in them, as thus conlidered : It being 
 inconiiftent with his moral character, as a 
 God infinite in purity, and holinefs, to 
 love, or delight, in v/hat is unclean or fin- 
 ful. And as out of an unclean and fmful 
 nature, none can bring the thing that is 
 clean ; it is impoliible, that man, by any 
 power whatever, fliould raife from thence a 
 clean, and acceptable righteoufnefs, where- 
 by he might be juft before God. There- 
 fore is it, that all our righteoufnejfes are as 
 filthy rags, and as a menjlruous clothy and 
 that by the deeds of the law, no jiejJo can be 
 jujiified. Withal, fuch is the miserable ftate 
 of man by nature, that he cannot deliver 
 himfelf : fmce his utmoft efforts to do it by 
 his own power and merit, would prove his 
 great and final deflrudlion j had not God of 
 his infinite goodnefs and mercy, provided 
 better things for us : where he gave us grace 
 in Chriji jej'uSy before the ivorld began, and 
 declared him to be the Lord our righteouf- 
 nefs ; therefore, now we believe, and con- 
 fefs to the glory of God, that in the Lord ive 
 have righteoufnefs and firengib. Nor, is 
 this righteoufnefs, meerly the merit of hi'j 
 obedience, or fuiterings, reckoned or im- 
 puted to us, as fomething diitind: from his 
 perfon, t^ut as he is in himfelf, he is our 
 righteoufnefs : this wepoflefs in him, as the 
 
 P member^; 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 members of his body, there being but one, 
 and the fame righteoufnefs upon him and us : 
 where we became his fin, he became our 
 righteoufnefs j he being made fin' for us, that 
 we might be made the righteoufnefs of God in 
 him, thus with propriety are we called the 
 righteoufnefs of God. Not as we are in our- 
 fclvesy but as we are in him : having our 
 myftical or fpiritual being and exigence in 
 his humanity, and with him in God. Hence 
 is it that the fame name is named upon him 
 and us : both the Saviour, and his Church, 
 2.ve ns-ined the Lord our righteoufnefs. This 
 is the righteoufnefs wherein we are exalted ; 
 it is this, which has raifed our nature to an 
 eternal fonfhipj and feated it upon the 
 throne of his glory : this is that matter of in- 
 terceffion for us, upon the right hand of 
 the majelly on high ; where f any manfmy 
 ive have an advocate with the Father, fcfus 
 Chrift the righteous : this is our righteoufnefs 
 in heaven ; before the face, and throne of 
 God for evermore ; and always well accepted 
 of him. The righteoufnefs, fhining in the 
 face of the anointed without intermiffion, 
 prefents usever in its own brightnefs, before 
 the eyes of his glory, without blemifh, fpot, 
 or wrinkle, or any fuch thing. Hence is 
 it, that the manifold fin, and infirmity of 
 our fielli, deilroys us not, nor once deprives 
 us of the love and favour of our God* Our 
 gaviour is perfed righteoufnefs, therefore, 
 
 are 
 
f 19 ) 
 
 are we compleat in him : even in the per- 
 fection of '^efiis himfelf. To this there cart 
 be no addition made, nor can it ever fuftain 
 lofs. He once took into his own body, the 
 fulnefs of our Gurfe and fhame^ and having 
 by himfelf, through his unknown forrows, 
 purged our fin away, he fat down as our 
 righteoufnefs on the right hand of the eternal 
 Majefty : where he is our everlafling righte- 
 oufnefs. y^-f lives for ever, therefore it 
 waxeth not old, it is durable riches and 
 righteoufnefs, it is that righteoufnefs which 
 fin can never fpot nor ftain. In this righte- 
 oufnefs, let us wrap ourfelves, and ever 
 more appear before the king of faints. Nor, 
 let our manifold imperfediions hinder us at 
 any time, to appear before him with boldnefs 
 in this righteoufnefs : for as much as our ac- 
 ceptance with him, is as that of Chriji him- 
 felf. Let our boafting be of this all the day 
 long, and trampling all other righteoufnefs 
 under our feet, let our joy, and rejoicing, be 
 in the Lord as our righteoufnefs and ftrength. 
 — Let us learn with chearfulnefs, to yield 
 more hearty and conftant fubmiffion to this 
 divine righteoufnefs. Never let us go about 
 tooppofeit, by endeavouring to eftabli(h one 
 of our own. But be content for the honour 
 and exaltation of the righteoufnefs of God, 
 to abide the crucifixion of the flefh however 
 painful, to the utter ruin and death of our 
 own righteoufnefs ; until every thought 
 
 D 2 Ihall 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 fliall be brought in fubje(5tion to the obedi- 
 ence of Chrijl : and, we never draw one 
 moments fatisfacftion from the thought of any 
 righteoufnefs, but that which Chriji is made 
 unto us in this covenant. With this let us be 
 fatisfied, as our heavenly Father is fatisfied 
 with us therein. Never let us be looking 
 forward in expedation of any other righte- 
 oufnefs, or to be found in any other form 
 before God, than what we are found in, as 
 we are in Chriji our righteoufnefs. — Let this 
 faith abide lively upon our hearts, leafl this 
 righteoufnefs becomes lefs valuable to us, for 
 this will be the cafe where felf-fufficiency, 
 and felf-righteoufnefs creeps in : or where 
 we are led, to think of any other way of 
 coming to God than as thofe vile finners, 
 whofe only and perpedt righteoufnefs is their 
 Lord and Saviour. — Let us learn daily, thra 
 the knowledge of ourfelves, and of this 
 glorious righteoufnefs, to be more deeply 
 delighted with it : whilft our wonder, joy, 
 and peace increafing, we pour contempt on 
 all other righteoufnefs: and anathematize, 
 and follow with a hue and cry, to the death 
 of the crofs, every thought or fuggeftion, 
 which would once propofe in our mind, an 
 exped:ation of^ or fearch after, any other 
 righteoufnefs than our Lord ; who is our 
 covenant righteoufnefs. Let the fultablenefs 
 oi this righteoufnefs be more fenfihly upon 
 our minds, from the deeper experience we 
 
 have 
 
( 2« ) 
 
 have of the neceffity of it, as alfo from the 
 inexplicable bleflednefs of our being found in 
 it. O ! let it with inconceivable pleafure 
 and fweetnefs, be fuitable to us : as raiment 
 to the naked, food to the hungry, drink to 
 the thirily. Yea heaven itfelf, to fuch vv^ho 
 v^ere borderers on hell. Let us recommend 
 this righteoufnefs to all poor fmners : and 
 that, not only w^ith the calves of the lips ; 
 but more effedtually, by the work of it, 
 v^^hich is peace: and by the effedi of it, 
 v^^hich is quietnefs, and alTurance for ever. 
 Let that peace, calmnefs, and full alTurance, 
 vi^hich we have in our minds -, of our accep- 
 tance with God, teftify to all, the divinity of 
 this righteoufnefs : and prove matter of en- 
 couragement to all miferable iinners, to fly 
 hither for fhelter ; where they alfo fhall fet 
 to their feal that God is righteous in j uni- 
 fying the ungodly. 
 
 And now, my brethren, as the neceffity, 
 nature, and benefit of this righteoufnefs, is 
 revealed from faith to faith, let us be atten- 
 tive to the voice and teaching of that Spirit, 
 whofe office it is to glorify "Jefus in the re- 
 velation of this righteoufnefs : and this it 
 does, through the deeper convidrion, and 
 certainty, it works on our hearts : of the 
 enmity and perverfenefs of the carnal mind, 
 which is not fubje(5t to the law of God, 
 neither indeed can be. This will be always 
 
 to 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 to us a furc proof of the neceffity of this 
 righteoufnefs. This fpiritalfo difcovers the 
 lamb of God, our glorious righteoufnefs ^ in 
 all his divine heights, depths, breadths and 
 lengths, until we have that inexprellible fa- 
 tisfadiion in him as our righteoufnefs, which 
 is heaven itfelf. Our minds being thus 
 flaid upon him, the peace of God which 
 paffeth all underftanding, as a flowing river 
 is extended towards us : whilfl: the affurance 
 and reality of the religion of yefus, and of 
 his being the Lord our righteoufnefs y is rooted 
 and grounded upon our hearts with fuch 
 confidence, that all the powers of nature, 
 fin and fatan combined, fliall flrive in vain 
 tofhakeour ftedfaftnefs, or drag us down to 
 mifery. Our joy fliall be always alone in 
 the Saviour, making mention of his righte- 
 oufnefs, and of y6/j' onlv. 
 
 Thirdly. In this covenant we have holi- 
 nefs. Righteoufnefs is that privation of guilt, 
 and of every charge againft us, through the 
 attoning blood oijejus, which leaves us no 
 more confcience for fin : but gives us bold- 
 nefs to enter the holieft, and to lay claim to 
 eternal life. Whillliholinefs is that aptnefs^ 
 difpohtion, ormeetnefs, for theenjovmentof 
 God in the purity and perfedtion of his na- 
 ture, without which no man can fee the 
 Lord : nor could heaven be heaven, if this was 
 wanting : Therefore, is Chriji made of God, 
 
 unto 
 
, ( 23 ) 
 unto US fan(flification. And as he Is our co- 
 venant we have a perfecStion of purity in 
 him. We were indeed the velTel which was 
 rnarr'd between the potter's hands, but yet 
 he thought meet not to caft us away, but 
 made us another veffel : this was brought to 
 light at Betheleniy where that holy thing 
 born of the virgin, was called the Son of 
 God. It was there, our fpoiled nature was 
 born and created a-new. And ail the curfe, 
 and mifery of our birth, was deftroyed in 
 this holy nativity. Here, were v/e created 
 a-new in Chrijijefus, that holy child, being 
 the beginning of this new creation of God. 
 It is here, that we are in hirn new creatures: 
 old things being pafTed away, and all things 
 become new. In him, are we made par- 
 takers of the divine nature : where each be- 
 liever, as a part of his humanity, as a mem- 
 ber of his body, partakes of that new created, 
 pure and holy nature. Yea, in that huma- 
 nity, are they iilied with all the fulnefs of 
 God: which dwells bodily in him. There- 
 fore, have they in this holy nature of i'/V, 
 the famemeetnefs for the enjoyment of God 
 and glory, which that man has v/ho is rifen, 
 afcended, and feated on the throne of his 
 glory. In him has the Lord given us what 
 he promifed, a new hearty and a new fpirit, 
 having taken the ftony from our heart, and 
 given us a heart of flefh ; even the holy, 
 j^roken, pierced heart, of the crucified Jefus. 
 
 That 
 
( =4) 
 That one pure heart of his fhall fuffice for all 
 the thoufands of Ifrael : every member of his 
 body, having a full poffellion of it, as his 
 own. Both he that fandlijiethy and they ivho 
 are fanSliJied, are all of one : therefore, that 
 once fufFering nature of his, which as ours, 
 was purged and puriiied from all oar of- 
 fences, and impurity, is now our perfection 
 of holinefs : being made of God unto us 
 fandtification. The holinefs, and purity of 
 his human nature, and all its meetnefs, for 
 union and communion with God, is the 
 portion of the people. In which he hath 
 made them meet, for an inheritance amongft 
 the faints in light. This our holinefs is 
 perfect, delighting in the Lord, and delight- 
 ed in of him. This holinefs is not only im- 
 puted, or reckoned of God to believers, as 
 myftical parts, or members of the facred 
 humanity of Jefus ; but it is richly and 
 comfortably pofleiTed by them through faith 
 in the belief of this gofpel : wherein they 
 underftand, and feel their memberlhip in the 
 body of the Lord Jefus : he in thc?n, and 
 they in him, enjoying the perfedion of holi- 
 nefs ; and that in fuch fort, as to bring di- 
 vine fatisfactioh to their minds, concerning 
 a(5lual meetnefs, preparednefs for God and 
 glory : this is our true perfed holinefs, or 
 iandtiiication. 
 
 Theje 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 There is, what fundry call fandification 
 befide : viz. a change in manners and fpi- 
 rit, fuppofed to be always attendant on the 
 belief of the truth. It isalfopropofed, that 
 this is continually increaiing in proportion to 
 faith, or the knowledge of Chrijl. We have 
 indeed in thofe proportions a very pleafant 
 picture exhibited; but threatned by the pro- 
 phet with the day of the Lord, Ifaiah ii. i6. 
 And that this is not our fandtification is evi- 
 dent from its imperfed;ion : for notwithiland- 
 ingfuch who preach for dod:rines, the com- 
 mandments and traditions of men, wouldim- 
 pofe upon us, with a fan(flification in part : 
 the divine law, which is evermore to be con- 
 fidered as the touchflone andilandard of true 
 holinefs ; will not by any means admit of it : 
 but conftantly declares the offender in one 
 point, guilty of the whole. 
 
 As it appears, that fan(5tification, andper- 
 fedion, are in the fcripture terms fynony- 
 mous ; and that man in himfelf is not per- 
 fed:, as knowing but in part, feeing but in 
 part, not daring to fay he hath no lin in him, 
 where there is the leafl regard to truth : with 
 fafety and eafe we conclude, that any par^- 
 tial change in man, however ufeful and ne- 
 cefTary in common life, cannot be his fand:i- 
 ^fication -, nor dare we give flattering titles to 
 men nor things, by calling that pure, which 
 the lav/, holy, juil and good, will not ac- 
 knowledge fuch. 
 
 E Again, 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 Again, that this is not our fan^tlfication, 
 is farther plain from the Apoftle, who tells 
 us, that Chriji is made of God unto us, 
 righteoufnefs and fanBification ; what God 
 hath joined together, let no man put afun- 
 der. Chrtft is here preached, as flridly in 
 his own perfon, our holinefs, as he is our 
 righteoufnefs ; as perfedily and as fully the 
 one as the other i and as inflantaneoufly re* 
 ceived, and felt in all its fruits and eifedts. 
 Again, the change in man cannot be his 
 fandiification, from the nature of true holi- 
 nefs, which always tends to the annihilation 
 of felf, and the alone exaltation of God our 
 Saviour, emptying the creature of all his 
 own wifdom, righteoufnefs, goodnefs, and 
 purity, that ye/us might be his whole Savi- 
 our. And this is only produced through the 
 knovv^ledge of J ejus ^ and our belief and truft 
 in him, as our only and perfedl holinefs. 
 But that holinefs which a man fuppofes he 
 hath in himfelf, tends only to lift him up in 
 the pride and arrogance of his own mind 3 
 and being ignorant of the nature of true ho- 
 linefs, he exalts in a pharifaic impudence be- 
 fore God j pleading his own purity he takes 
 part with Satan, and turns the accufer of 
 the brethren, as though all were vile and 
 impure befide himfelf. This holinefs at beft 
 is but a picking, whifpering, uncharitable, 
 back-biting, evil-fpeaking, envying, malici- 
 ous holinefs. Hence is it we fee many who 
 are advocates for this holinefs, hating their 
 
 fellow- 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 fellow-creatures with a perfedt hatred, and 
 that becaufe they think them not as good 
 an^ virtuous as themfelves. Others will 
 contend from this principle, with fuch ear- 
 neflnefs forholinefs, that they run themfelves 
 into all manner of ungodly tempers, until 
 they are filled with all the fruits of unrighte- 
 oufnefs. Others are fo im merged in it, that 
 they think it not enough to withdraw their 
 company, fo as to have no dealings or cor- 
 refpondence with the unholy people, but 
 they ufe all diligence in back- biting, evil- 
 fpeaking, cenfuring, and condemning the 
 linners ; raifing them as many enemies as 
 may be, daily feeking their ruin, rejoicing 
 in their mifery, and would, if poffible, not 
 only rob them of their life and being here, 
 but alfo fentencethem to eternal death. Thefe 
 are the fruits of man's holinefs. Now I can 
 be fooner perfuaded that I have not a being, 
 than that this mifchievous fpirit can be the 
 fprit of God's holinefs, fince I fee it bear fuch 
 accurfed fruit. For us once to entertain a 
 thought of our being holy in ourfelves, is an 
 abomination before God, and a ilirewd {iga 
 that we are not yet wafhed from our filthi- 
 nefs. When we once begin to pleafe our- 
 felves with the thought of our being better than 
 we have been, orbetterthan our neighbour, or 
 draw the lead comfort or fatisfad:ion from 
 any holinefs we think we have in ourfelves, 
 we difcover our enmity againfl: God, and are 
 blinded with the pride of our nature. Pride 
 E 2 and 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 and prefiimptlon being the only eyes by 
 which a man thinks he can fee at any time 
 any holinefs out of Chrifi. For, if the moft 
 upright among the fons of men were to be 
 carefully weighed in the balance of the fanc- 
 tuary the fpiritual mind would difcern, not 
 only imperfe(^ion attending fome particulars 
 of their life, but the whole of it. Every 
 thought, and word, and work unholy. I 
 think itimpoiiible for man whilft here, to do, 
 ox Jujf'er any thing for Godfejijibly, without 
 that pride and vanity attending it, which is 
 enmity againft God. Fie cannot fpeak a word 
 for him boldly and aife(5lionately, buthe muft 
 feel this tickling evil of pride if he knows 
 himfelf. Nor has he in fecret one pious, 
 thought riling in his bofom, if noticeable to 
 him, but what he has this fecret pride and 
 vanity attending it. I am ienfible this will 
 not be very acceptable to many, becaufe it is 
 taking away their Gods, and then what have 
 they more ? Befides, that which I call pride 
 and vanity attending doing, or fuffering for 
 God, is rather efteemed of by many as that 
 only divine comfort and fatisfad:ion which is 
 found in religion : the removal of which 
 would leave them in a miferable fituation : 
 llowevcr, as I fpeak nottopleafe men 1 fhall 
 not be difcouraged. If any one fhould an- 
 fvvcr that the holinefs of man appears, in the 
 Jig/jt that he has of this pride and legality of 
 his nature, and in the hatred that he bears to 
 
 it ; 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 it : I would only afk fuch if they do not find 
 pride rife again from the fight and hatred of 
 their former pride ? And from the fight of 
 this rifing evil they may find it rifing again, 
 and fo on to infinitenefs ; where every difco- 
 very of the nature and evil thereof ferves ta> 
 exalt it and raife it higher ; it fi:rengthens it- 
 felf from every meafure of hatred we feel in 
 our hearts to it, fiiill gaining a furer founda- 
 tion. And thus it works, until he that feels 
 this, is as fure as he is of his own exiilence, 
 that there is no holinefs in man, and cries out 
 with the prophet, the heart is defperately 
 wicked and deceitful above all thingSy who 
 can know it ? This is a dodtrine of mifery to 
 the children of felf-righteoufnefs ; but not 
 fo to fuch who can deny themfelves, and 
 make choice of Jefus as the better part, the 
 one thing needful : they hailily retire from 
 themfelves to God our Saviour, as their per- 
 fedion of righteoufnefs and holinefs, being 
 deeply fenfible that they are faved by grace, 
 and that what man has in himfelf is not his 
 fandtification, but only as he hath Chriji re- 
 vealed in him, the hope of glory : and to 
 fuch it appears, that ChriJl only is their ho- 
 linefs, as their nature is pure and fpotlefs in 
 him. I am pofitive, that whilfi: a believer 
 lives in the faith of this gofpel, continuing to 
 believe in ChriJl^ as his perfed:ion of holinefs, 
 he will find the end of fanftification, or true 
 holinefs anfwcred in his fpirit, through that 
 
 peace 
 
( 30 
 
 peace, fatisfadlion, a(5lual readinefs, and fen-* 
 Sble meetnefs for the enjoyment of God in 
 glory. Nor can his froward flefh hinder 
 this by all its obftinacy, pride, and enmity. 
 His meetnefs for glory and happinefs is not 
 founded upon any conformity which is fup- 
 pofed to be in the flefh, to the law and pu- 
 rity of God ; but it is founded alone upon 
 that conformity to it which he feels, as he 
 has his fpiritual being and exiftence in the 
 holy glorified humanity of his God and Sa- 
 viour : which being or exiftence is without 
 enmity towards God, it having been deflroy- 
 ed in his body on the crofs. And whilfl he 
 lives in the faith and underftanding of his 
 memberfhip in that body, he fhall without 
 interruption feelingly pofTefs the grace and 
 glory of which I now fpeak. — Whilft we 
 abide in this faith it is true, there is a gra- 
 dual conquell of nature in its oppoiing powers, 
 which are exercifed in the tempers and paf- 
 fions of the mind -, there is a calling down 
 of every high thought and imagination, and 
 a bringing of it into fubje6tion to the obe- 
 dience of CJjrijl. This is that following of 
 ye/us, under his influence, as our fountain 
 of holinefs, which he recommends when he 
 fays, take ?ny yoke upon you , and learn of f}ie -, 
 whereby the fpirit and behaviour of the 
 chriftian man becomes more like unto his 
 Lord, inmeeknefs, lowlinefs, love, joy, hu- 
 mility, felf-denial, and heavenly mindednefs. 
 
 And 
 
( 3' ) 
 And if any would afk, why might not 
 this be called our holinefs or fandtification ? 
 To this I anfwer, that if we take it to be 
 what it is noty it will immediately ceafe to 
 be what it is. At prefent we confider it as 
 the effedls of righteoufnefs, where we believe 
 yefus to be our whole falvation, and live in 
 him as fuch. But when we once would 
 look upon this fruit or change as any part 
 of righteoufnefs, and would fet it up in Chriji's 
 place, or endeavour to fatisfy ourfelves in it, as 
 our holinefs or fandtification, it becomes our 
 fhame, our own righteoufnefs, our filthy rags 
 and menftruous cloth. Befides, true holi- 
 nefs confifts in a conflant privation of itfelf, 
 as it refers to any knowledge or conception 
 which man has of it, as being in himfelf. 
 It cannot be imagined, that our Lord calls 
 upon us to fpeak a lie, when he would have 
 us after we have done all, to acknowledge 
 ourfelves unprofitable fervatits ; if this was 
 |iot truth the leifon which the apoflle teaches 
 us would be impracticable in reality, where 
 he exhorts each man to ejieem of others as 
 better than himfelf. Again, thefe fruits can- 
 not be our fandification, becaufe they in- 
 creafe not to perfection ; and this it does not, 
 becaufe the increafe of it depends upon the 
 Jife and conftancy of that faith by which we 
 as finners reil in Chrijl for falvation, and as 
 our perfed: holinefs. Therefore it neither 
 Jpcreafes, nor remains to be what it is in its 
 
 eyangelick 
 
( r- ) 
 
 cvangelick nature, any longer than we thus 
 believe. Not only the light, but the expec- 
 tation of perfedlion in ourfelves, cannot but 
 admit of fuch conceptions, which leads us 
 from that true poverty of fpirit wherein the 
 fruits of holinefs confift, into thofe thoughts 
 which are highly affronting and derogatory 
 to the honour of God's wifdom, love, and 
 purity, which has produced that great and 
 complete falvation in Chriji, wherein he only 
 is wellpleafed, and evermore delights in us. 
 If we had perfed:ion in ourfelves from the 
 fruits of faith, the effedl would deftroy the 
 caufej the caufe of this change or fruit is 
 allowed to be that faith and truft, which we 
 as linncrs in ourfelves have in Chriji J^Jus ; 
 but if we had perfection in ourfelves, we 
 fhouldhave this faith no longer; and there- 
 fore the caufe being deftroyed, the effedl 
 muft of neceffity ceafe, and is no longer 
 produced. Therefore to exped: perfection 
 in ourfelves is to turn from that we have in 
 Je/iiSy or to withdraw that fatisfaCtion wc 
 have therein -, fo that by looking to this for 
 perfe(ftion we turn it into fm and folly. Let 
 us therefore learn to be content wit^, and 
 fully fatisfied m that perfection of holinefs 
 which we have in Chrifi our covenant ; let 
 our glorying be alone in that. Let us not 
 endure the temptation to turn from a cer- 
 tainty to an uncertainty ; yea, rather from 
 a certain truth to a certain falfhood. And 
 
 out 
 
( 33 ) 
 out of a foolifh complalfance to what is called 
 orthodoxy, to call that holinefs which God 
 and our own confciences tell us is unholinefs, 
 yea, enmity againft the Lord. But let us 
 honeftly bear witnefs, that there is none good 
 but God ; and that all the imaginations of 
 mans heart are evil continually ^ and that 
 Chriji only is our holinefs. And this let us 
 do by a conftant renouncing of all our own 
 good, neither feeking nor expecting any thing 
 in ourfelves, whereof v/e might boaft before 
 God or man ; but faithfully abiding in our 
 Saviour, as our alone purity and perfediion ; 
 depending, trufting, and believing in him 
 with all our hearts ; and there fhall we feel 
 a conftant readinefs and meetnefs for glory 
 and immortality, and (hall want no other 
 preparations than what we have in him, and 
 by us poiTelTed in him through believing. Our 
 peace, love, joy, fellowfliip, and commu- 
 nion with God Ihall then abide ; nor fliall 
 the manifold corruptions, with which we 
 are befet in the fledi, hinder us to wait v/ith 
 delight for the coming of the great God, and 
 our Saviour fefus ChriJl. 
 
 Fourthly, In this covenant we have peace 
 and reconciliation. In me you have peace, 
 faith the Saviour : he is our peace, faith the 
 apoftle : out of him all mankind comes un- 
 der the denomination of wicked men : be- 
 caufe all have finned, and have come ftjort of 
 
 F ' the 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 the glory of God. Nor is there any peacf un- 
 to the wicked, faith my God, Therefore was 
 it that he bare the chaftifement of our peace, 
 and by his ftripes our breach of peace was 
 healed, infomuch that yefus is our peace, 
 nor have we any befide him : and that not 
 only as he has purchafed, or procured peace 
 for us, nor only as the gofpel of his blood is 
 to us the tydings of peace, but as he is in 
 himfelf he is our peace, as having two na-» 
 tures in one perfon, being always Emmaniiely 
 or God with us. When we look to Chrijl 
 on this account, we inherit and feel that 
 peace to be our own, which he himfelf hath, 
 with no other difference, than that he is the 
 prince^ and we are thzfubjeBs thereof. All 
 that fulnefs of peace, which ahvays fubliflis 
 and abounds in his perfon as God-man, is 
 ours ; for it is in that union our nature is in 
 peace with God ; and according to the mea- 
 fure of our faith and underftanding, is our 
 ferifible poiTeffion of this matter. This is 
 that peace on earth, and good-will towards 
 men, which was mentioned in the angel's 
 fongon themorningof the redeemer's birth. 
 God and man, heaven and earth, have made 
 peace in his perfon, and this peace remaineth 
 without interruption. To have one's heart 
 abiding here, is to have peace extended to 
 one as a river ^ he has promifed to keep that 
 mind in perfed: peace, which is ftaid upon 
 hiin. This peace in the fountain as our co- 
 venant, 
 
(.35) 
 
 Venant, can never fail -, a true believer's peace 
 fprings not from any matter of goodnefs> 
 which he hath done or thought of; neither 
 from any change, or quality, which he feels 
 as wrought in him ; but it arifeth alone from 
 that harmony in righteoufnefs and true holi- 
 nefs, which he perceives between God and 
 man in the perfon of Cbrijl ; of whofe body 
 he being a member, or part, is therein put 
 in polTeffion of all that fulnefs of peace which 
 the human nature of Jcfus pofleireth as in 
 perpetual union with God. Thus have we 
 everlafting and perpetual peace in our glori- 
 ous covenant. Now this peace is in reality 
 feelingly, and with unfpeakable joy in our 
 hearts, whilil we live in the faith of Cbrifi's 
 being our peace ; but when we depart from 
 this faith, and begin to feek peace elfewhere, 
 as in our repentance, hatred to fin, holy con- 
 verfation, and the like ; we err from the 
 Lord, as thofe who have not known the way 
 of peace, and either bring ourfelves into mi- 
 fery and defperation, as thofe to whom there 
 is no peace, or elfe, which is as bad, or 
 worfe, we reft in a falfe peace, and glory 
 before God in own fhame. 
 
 Let us therefore be fixed upon God our 
 Saviour for everlafting peace. Let us care- 
 fully avoid, treat with difdain, and pour con- 
 tempt upon all the offers of peace, which arc 
 made unto us by the flefli, upon what con- 
 F 2 dition 
 
ditlon foever, whether it be for repentance, 
 for hatred to fin, for love to God, or for ho- 
 lincfs of life. Let all fuch offers of peace 
 be flighted by us, trampled under foot, and 
 eternally rejedled ; and let It be our fole con- 
 tentment, fatIsfad:ion, and exceeding great 
 joy, that Chriji alone, as he is in himfelf, is 
 in our peace. Let us at all times with chear- 
 fulnefs, readinefs, and infinite pleafure, ac- 
 cept of that peace, which his wounds, blood, 
 and facrifice, tenders unto us, as having 
 deftroyed the enmity which once fubfifted, 
 and now makes over to us, as our own, 
 that unfpeakable peace, which that once cru- 
 cified, but now exalted man ; has, as feat- 
 ed on tlie right hand of the.maieftyon high;^ 
 and fitisfied with the travel of his foul. 
 This is that covenant of peace, which lliall 
 not be removed, faith the Lord. 
 
 If, at any time, through the darknefs and 
 blindnefs of our mind, the malice or cun- 
 ning of the enemy, we lofe fight of this 
 covenant of peace, after we have believed i 
 and are therefore involved in fin and fear, let 
 us not think it enou2:h that we are broken 
 hearted for our pait tranfgrefilons, that we. 
 \V(^ep and mourn for oiu- '6ffences, and re- 
 folve not to err from his path^ for the future; 
 I fay, let us fldt from the c^nfideration and 
 fenfe of this difpofition, fpeafc peace to our 
 fouls, and be at reil : for tte is dangerous, 
 
 falfe 
 
{ 37 ) 
 falfe, and deceitful ; and fpeaking peace 
 where there is no peace. Rather than ac^ 
 cept of peace upon thefe terms, let us chufe 
 forrow, and refufe to be comforted, until we 
 return as at the firft to the joy of his falva- 
 tion : to view the faviour, a§ our perfed: 
 peace, in whom God and man are in per- 
 fed: amity, the cQunfel of peace being between 
 them both. In this view let us conftantly 
 abide ; that the peace of God, which palTeth 
 all underftanding, may keep our hearts and 
 minds in the knowledge and love of God 
 our Saviour. 
 
 God 'was In Chrijl (our covenant) reconcil- 
 ing the world to himj'elj: not imputing their 
 trefpajfes unto them. The offended, and 
 offending natures are here brought together 
 in one Lord yejus Chrijl : where they are 
 reconciled, yea married to each other, in the 
 unity of one perfon : which union is durable 
 as the days of eternity. And this is our 
 glory, as it fecures our peace and reconcili- 
 ation. To know this for ourfelves with cer- 
 tainty, is to believe God : and no longer to 
 go about to make him a liar : yea, indeed 
 it is to be reconciled to him, and that in all 
 the perfediions of his nature ; fo as not to be 
 affrighted at the difcovery of any one of his 
 perfediions, but to rejoice in the infinitenefs, 
 eternity, and fullnefs of God. In this faith- 
 ful view, we are reconciled to all his dealings 
 
 with 
 
( 38 ) 
 with us : being perfuaded that God is love, aftd 
 in him there is no fury at all. It is here out- 
 Maker is our hujbandy the Lord of hofts is 
 his name. Here it is that he has betrothed us 
 unto himfelf forever : yea, he has betrothed 
 us in righteoujhefs, and in judgment, and in 
 loving kindnefsf and mercies, and in faithful- 
 nefs, and therefore we know the Lord. He 
 loath reconciled us, in the body of his fejh 
 through death ; in that body we are brought 
 very near to God j and whilfl we abide in 
 the living faith and experience, of our mem- 
 berfhip in this body, we fhall feel the heights 
 and depths of this reconciliation in our 
 hearts; through much inward peace, and 
 love of God, much nearnefs to him, and 
 familiarity with him. We lliall not then 
 fay, who fhall go to heaven to bring him 
 down, or to the deep to fetch him up, for, 
 by the blood of this covenant in Chriji 
 yefusy we are made nigh to God, the fu- 
 preme fountain of all love and bleil'ednefs. 
 In this covenant God is familiar with us; 
 nor ftandeth he at any time, afar off from 
 us. He is familiar with us as a father, 
 hufband, and friend: he opens, and difclofes 
 his fecrets to us, nor does he ever wear a 
 frown upon his face towards us, let us there- 
 fore beware of entertaining any thought of 
 him, as a dreadful, or terrible Being : for 
 this is to live and think of him, in the car- 
 nal mind : which is enmity againfl, him. Let 
 
 us 
 
{ 39 ) 
 US be watchful againft every found that re- 
 prefents him as an enemy to mankind : or, 
 that with feeming folemnity and frightful 
 devotion, goes about to hedge him round 
 with the inconceivable terrors of his rnajefty : 
 fo that the children of men dare not draw- 
 near, but fmitten with horror and amaze- 
 ment, they endeavour to fly from the face of 
 the Lord. Thefe thunders, and terrible ap- 
 pearances of God, are referved for the tor- 
 ment of devils, and is the portion of fuch 
 unhappy fpirits, who refufed to kifs the 
 fon. But when our God appears for the de-» 
 liverance of "Jacob, and to fave finners from 
 the wrath to come, he covers himfelf with 
 a veil of flefh, and appears in fajhion as a 
 mariy not to affright us, but to banifh our 
 fears, and to cure all our woes : where he 
 fays. Be not afraid, it is I ; racks and tor- 
 tures, thefe inftruments of cruelty may ex- 
 tort confelTions, as they put the miferable 
 objedt to moft exquifite pain, but they ne- 
 ver were intended to convey the power of 
 love ; nor is it exped:ed they fhould ever in- 
 fluence the mind with that divine and fofter 
 paflion. Nor can the threats of damnation, 
 the terrors of hell, and an angry God repre- 
 fented to the fenfes ', ever be of any ufe to 
 bring fouls to the knowledge and love of jfe/iis, 
 nor is God manifefted thereby as a God of 
 love ; fo that none are converted thereby to 
 the religion of Chriji. Let our ears be fhut 
 
 therefore 
 
( 4° ) 
 therefore to all thefe founds, and only open 
 to the voice of that blood, which fpeaketh 
 better things than the blood oi AbeL Under 
 this facred found, let us always approicii our 
 God, believing in him as reconciled in this 
 covenant, nor ever think any otherwife of 
 him. It is in this covenant we cry unto him, 
 my father, my God, the rock of my falvation : 
 and he anfwers us, that he has loved us with 
 an everlajiing love : and that he will not re- 
 move the covenant of his peace f rem us. Here 
 has he gathered us with everlafling kind- 
 nefs, and hath folemnly and peacefully fworn 
 that he will not be angry with us, nor rebuke us 
 for ever. In this let us evermore rejoice and 
 abide with fatisfadtion, then fhall we be 
 faved from every devouring care and all dif- 
 quietude of mind, and fliall be without mur- 
 muring under every difpenfation of his grace, 
 and providence, however the dehrcs and 
 inclination of the flefh might be croiled and 
 difappointed thereby. And, though his ways 
 are in the great deep, and as the heavens are 
 above the earth, fo are his thoughts above 
 ours, yet {hall our joy and rejoicing be in his 
 will, And ceafing from all anxiety of mind, 
 we Ihall conftantly know and feci, that all 
 things work together for the good of them that 
 love God, and are the called, according to his 
 furpofc ; this is that true peace and reconcili- 
 ation which we have in Chrijl Jefus our holy 
 covenant. 
 
 Fifthly, 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 Fifthly, We have in this covenant flrength 
 2ind victory; ftrength for the war, and vic- 
 tory over the enemy. Our ftate here is com- 
 pared to a w^arfare, from the trials we are 
 expofed to, and the manifold enemies we 
 have to encounter with j and how unable 
 we are to maintain fuch a flate, and to per- 
 fevere therein, appears from the word of the 
 Lord, which fpeaks of us as without ftrength j 
 yea, our Saviour has declared, that without 
 him we can do nothing. Our trials are nume- 
 rous, I know of none that human nature is 
 fubjed: to, that a chriftian can be faid to be 
 exempted from ; but with a difference truly> 
 fince all things work together for good, to them 
 that love God. The enemies of our falva- 
 tion are indeed powerful, politick, vigilant, 
 implacable ; the fulnefs of this conlideration 
 laid in the fcaie againfl our weaknefs, io 
 abundantly outweighs the hope of man from 
 himfelf, that it is not without furprife and 
 wonder, we fee one child of man perfevere 
 to the end in the way of the Lord ; yea, Vv^e 
 fhould look upon it as an utter impoffibility, 
 had we no other wifdom for our guide than 
 our own, or no other arm for our defence ; 
 but in the Lord have we righteoufnefs and 
 firength. Unto him Jhall men come, and all 
 that are inceiifed agaiiifi him fiall be afiamed. 
 This affords us infinite matter of fupport un- 
 der all our trials, that the captain of our fal- 
 vation was made perfe(ft through fufferings ; 
 G perfe(5t 
 
( 42 ) 
 
 perfedt in that power, which as our kinf- 
 xnan, and Saviour, is given into his hand ; 
 this he has received as a reward of his tor- 
 menting, bloody fufFerings, and (hameful 
 death. He has alfo received it on our be- 
 half, always to be employed for our protec- 
 tion artd fafety. He was made perfedt alfo 
 in the deep experience of all human mife- 
 ries ; not a trial awaits us, nor enemy for us 
 to encounter with, but what he hath met with 
 already, and conquered through his unknown 
 Ibrrows. He is alfo perfedt in fimpathy, and 
 fellow-feeling with us under all our infirmi- 
 ties, fo that he is ^ble to fave to the utter- 
 moft, and alfo to have compafHon on the 
 ignorant, and on them that are out of the 
 way. Such an high prieji becomes us. He, 
 by bearing all our licknefles, fin, and forrow, 
 hath fandtified the whole itate of trial to us j 
 fo that we cannot now tread in any afflidtive 
 path, but we behold the footfteps of God 
 our Saviour before us ; this keeps us fearlefs, 
 and fupports us in the lonefome tradt ; and 
 by degrees learns us in whatever itate we are 
 therein to be content : this is our fortitude 
 and pafTive ftrength in the time of trial. When 
 the ene?ny comes in like a fiood, the fpirit of 
 the Lord lifts up aftandard agaitijl hi?)!. This 
 -mmi ff;iall be the peace when the AJjyrian comes 
 into the land. That power and ftrength 
 which we employ again ft the opprefTor, thar 
 he might not make inroads upon our p^eace, 
 
 or 
 
(43) 
 
 or lay wafte the heritage of the Lord, is the 
 itrength and omnipotence of 'J ejus oi Na- 
 zareth 'y this he hath taught us where he 
 hath told us, that all power in heaven and 
 earth is given into his hand; this ftrength is 
 given to every one of us in him, but chiefly 
 entrufted in his hand, as one to whom it is 
 more natural to care for us, then it was for 
 him to live : and being chofen to be the cap^ 
 tain ofotirfalvation, he hath ftrength, coun- 
 cil and fkill for the war. All the fulnefs of 
 the Godhead dwells bodily in the man Jefus, 
 and is the portion and polTeffion of his human 
 nature ; in which nature of his we being 
 made fons, are heirs of God, and joint heirs 
 with Chrijiy in whom all that is called God, 
 and that is to be worfliipped, is our ftrength 
 and fupport j hence it is we can do all things 
 through Chriji jlrengthening us. in him, 
 as our covenant, have we ftrength for the 
 war. 
 
 Take hold of my firength, faith the Lord, 
 and be at peace with me. Let us not dilho- 
 nour our God and Saviour, and that by our 
 groundlefs fears, or blafphemous fuggeftions, 
 as though fin and Satan had more firength 
 and power to deftroy us, than our Lord hath 
 to heal and deliver us. Nor let us think: 
 that Satan is more watchful for our ruin than 
 our God is for our welfare ; or, that Satan 
 hath more policy and wifdom to enfnare us, 
 than what our Saviour has to prevent our 
 G 2 mifery. 
 
(44) 
 mifery. Let us not be afraid of our ene- 
 mies, whilil: our God is flronger than they. 
 Let us alwiiys oppofe his flrength to theirs, 
 then fhall we know the eternal God to be 
 our refuge, and his everlafting arm our de- 
 fence. 
 
 His ftrength is perfeded in our weaknefs, 
 when we ceafe to have any exped:ations from 
 our own power or ftrength againft the face 
 of the enemy, but wholly rely upon Chriji 
 our ftrength, and by the fpirit of faith em- 
 ploy him as fuch, then will it appear, that 
 he is the ftone cut out of the mountain with- 
 out hands, which fmites the image of felf- 
 fufficiency, until there is no place found for 
 it, whilfl this ilione becomes a great moun- 
 tainy . and fills all the earth, then are we 
 ilrorig in the Lord, and in the power of his 
 might. The ftrength whiph preferves us 
 fons of God, is that which maintains the fon- 
 flalp of Jefus y and this is the everlafting 
 ftrength of the Lord "Jehovah ; in this we 
 are impregnable, and look with defiance and 
 contempt upon all the enemies of our falva- 
 tion and peace, and have our glorying only 
 in the Lord our God. All this fulnefs of 
 ftrength, which is in Chriji our covenant, is 
 to be poffefTed and made ufe of by us, 
 and to be turned in every time of need againft 
 the face of the adverfary. And this we do 
 whei> y/e abide in the faith of our relation to 
 
 himi 
 
( 45 )_ _ 
 him, as one flefh and fpirit with him, then 
 we find that every lifted hand and moving 
 tongue v^^hich is againft us is againll; him, 
 and that we are unconquerable whilil he is 
 fo. We ufe his ftrength when we ceafe from 
 ourfelves, and have not the leaft dependance 
 or expectation, in any ftrength or refolution 
 of our own, to overcome the leaft, or moft 
 defpifed of our enemies : but when our heart 
 and eye is fixed, with all confidence, im- 
 moveably, and with full certainty upon God 
 our Saviour as our ftrength, we go forth 
 conquering and to conquer. This is our pa- 
 tience and fortitude in the hour of adverfity, 
 and a felf-denying mind in the day of prof- 
 perity. 
 
 In this covenant, vidlory has declared for 
 us againft all our adverfaries j yea, we are 
 more than conquerors, for our enemies are 
 made to ferve us. The world, the flefti, and 
 the devil, our three potent enemies, are de- 
 ftroyed in this covenant, as our Saviour af- 
 fures us, when he bids us be of good cheer, 
 becaufe he hath overcome the world -y alfo that 
 he hath crucijied the jiefiy when for fm, he con- 
 demned fin in the fleJJd -, and that he alfo hath 
 dejiroyed him that had the power of death , even 
 the devil 'y over all thofe principalities and 
 powers our God and Saviour openly triumph- 
 ed, andweinhim. His vicftories and triumphs 
 gfe all our own; therefore i^s it that our war^ 
 
 fare 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 fare is accomplijhed, that our iniquity is par- 
 doned. He hath not only conquered for him- 
 felf, to get him an everlafting nam^, but he 
 has conquered in our feeble flefh, and in our 
 name ; fo that all his vidtories are truly our 
 own ; all the fpoil and benefit thereof is 
 ours. It is his will that his dominion and 
 power (hould be our vidlory, ftrength, and 
 joy, yea our heaven ; therefore was it that 
 he faid, / will that they may be with me wfoere 
 I amy that they may behold my glory. Glory 
 be to thee, O Lord. Our God and Saviour 
 would have us be glad and rejoice in his vic- 
 tories as our own j therefore has he confign- 
 ed them over to us, as the lawful matter of 
 our triumph and comfort : where he fays, 
 be of good cheer) I have overcome the world. 
 And here it is, [and here only, that we over- 
 come and inherit all things. This is the vic- 
 tory that overcometh the world, even your 
 faith; that faith which perfuades us that our 
 Lord hath gotten himfelf the victory j that 
 faith which informs us of the manner of this 
 vidiory's being obtained in our name and na- 
 ture; that faith which appropriates this vic- 
 tory, and lays claim to it, to all the benefit 
 and joys of it as our own , that faith which 
 rejoices and triumphs in it, and fatisfies the 
 Ibul in it, under all its tribulations; this is 
 the vid:ory by which we overcome the world ; 
 a greater vidiory than ever Alexander or Ccefar 
 won ; and yet it hath not coil us in our own 
 
 identical 
 
( 47 ) 
 identical perfons one blow, nor one moment's 
 ftudy ; but the cofl was all our Saviour's, 
 who trod the wine prefs alone, and conquered 
 by his blood and death, by which blood we 
 overcome through this word of our tefti- 
 mony. 
 
 Thus have we ftrength and vid:ory in 
 Chriji our covenant. In the faith of this let 
 us abide ; then fliall we come to the fpirits 
 of jufl men made perfect, whofe life is a 
 life of triumph. Here indeed {hall we tri- 
 umph over the world, lin, death, and the 
 devil, and rejoice with exceeding great joy; 
 here fhall our joy be full. And if ever we 
 are caught in the toils of lin and Satan, it is 
 becaufe we abide not in this faith where we 
 are always vi(5torious ; nor are thefe entangle- 
 ments without the efpecial permiffion of the 
 holy one, that we may know our own weak- 
 nefs, and not attempt by any power of our 
 own to gain that victory, which is already 
 won by Chriji our covenant, in whom we 
 are delivered from the hands of our enemies y 
 and from all that hate us, that we might ferve 
 him Without fear, in holi?iefs and righteouf- 
 nefs all the days of our life. Glory be to 
 thee, O Lord. 
 
 Sixthly, In this covenant we have eternal 
 reft. Vi-ftory leads us to refty and this wa 
 have in fefus Chriji our Lord. That pre- 
 
 fent 
 
( 48 ) 
 fent ftate of things in which men hVe after 
 
 fenfe and reafon is not their reft, it is pollu- 
 ted. But yet there remai?ieth a rejl for the 
 children of God. Mankind are defcribed by 
 nature, as working, toiling. labouring, and 
 like IJJ'achdr couching between two burdens, 
 by which the reftlefs and unfettled ftate of the 
 mind is plainly pointed out. The unbeliev- 
 ing ftate is as devoid of reft, as the Egyptian 
 bondage was to the children of Ifraely whofe 
 increafing flavery kept them ftrangers to reft. 
 Therefore is it to him that worketh ?2oty but 
 believeth on him that jiijlifies the ungodly y that 
 our God giveth reft, even all that fulnefs of 
 reft which is in Chriji our covenant. And 
 this is the reft that Jefus himfelf is entered 
 into, by virtue of that one facrifice of his 
 own body, bloody and foul, through the 
 eternal Spirit unto God, as a lamb without 
 Ijpot or blemifti. The compleatnefs and ful- 
 nefs of this one facrifice, hath adminiftered 
 an abundant entrance for him, and we in 
 him into eternal reft. Tliis reft is fecured to 
 us in the perfection of that facrifice, and in 
 that infinite pleafure.and fatisfa(5lion that 
 God has therein. It is in this facrifice that 
 God refts in his love towards us, and it is 
 in this we reft alfo in our confidence towards 
 him. In the fufiiciency of this facrifice we 
 have perpetual reft, becaufe this man, after 
 he had oftered one facrifice for fin, for ever 
 fat down on the right hand of God. And 
 
 as 
 
( 49 ) 
 as he laid the foundation of his reft in fuifer- 
 ing, blood-lliedding, and death ; fo now is 
 he entered upon it in all its glory, and that 
 for eternity. With hi7n are 12)6 entered into 
 reft, as we are rifen 'with hinii and feated 
 with him in heavenly places in Chriji yefus -, 
 and thus have we entered with him as that 
 fpiritual feed, who had their being and exif- 
 tence in him as his myftical body ; the com- 
 pleatnefs and falvation of which depended 
 upon the perfection and falvation of that real 
 body ot his flefti. This body of his flelhpre- 
 ferved without a broken bone, infallibly pre- 
 fcrves the myftical body in its own perfection, 
 without the lofs or ruin of one mepiber 
 thereof. The body of his flefti raifed and 
 faved from fin and death ; from all farther 
 fuffering, fatigue, and toil, and now feated 
 where the wicked ceafe from troubling, and 
 where the weary are at reft, has perfected 
 the myftical body in the fame bleftednefs. 
 The one being always contained in the other, 
 without any poffibility of a feparation. This 
 body confifts of many members, yea theful- 
 nefs of it is the church, confifting of ths 
 many thoufands of Ij'rael, wailicd in the 
 blood of the lamb. Thi.s body, as thus exift- 
 ing in him, entered in with him, to all that 
 fulnefs of reft, and glory, which he is entered 
 into and abides with him, and in him there 
 for ever. Thus have we reft in the cove- 
 nant, his reft being truly ours ; but though 
 H th^ 
 
( 50 ) 
 this gfrace was given us in Chrijl Jefus, 
 and this glorious refl referved for us in 
 him, yet having ©ur foolifli minds darkened 
 through unbelief and vanity, and being 
 Grangers to the grace given us in Chriji, we 
 are by nature a miferable people in ourfelves, 
 and like the dove can find no reft for the 
 fole of our foot. However, our ignorance 
 Ihall not fruftrate thti grace of God, nor hin- 
 der us to enjoy this rcil which we have in 
 Chriji our covenant. And therefore when 
 the Holy Ghofl: fent down from heaven, re- 
 ceives of the things of Chrift, and fliews 
 them to us, taking of the eye-falve of his 
 Blood and merits, and anointing our eyes 
 that we might fee his glory, then we per- 
 ceive that we are already entered into that 
 reft in our Saviour, which we had fo long 
 fought in vain. We then immediately be- 
 gin to take poil'effion of it in our hearts y 
 and through believing to enter more fully 
 into the glory of it. This is to know, and 
 polTefs for ourfelves according to our mea- 
 fure, th?t perfect reft which we have in "Je- 
 fus, as members of his body, and as hav- 
 ino: our fpiritual bein2:in him. And as our 
 fulnefs of underftanding and light into this 
 matter is, and according to that meafure of 
 influence it has upon our hearts, fo is that 
 alTurance, quietnefs and reft, which we 
 adiualiy have in our own fouls. This is to 
 have reft- in the covenant. 
 
 * He 
 
{ 5^ ) 
 
 He that is enter-edinto reji hath ceafed from 
 his own works, as God alfo ceafed from his. 
 This is that true fabbath of reft, into which 
 the Jews could not enter, becaufe of unbelief. 
 God refted not until he had finiihed the 
 works of his creation, and pronounced them 
 very good. Neither doth the believer reft, 
 until he fee the fecond creation iinifhed as 
 the firft, and alio pronounced very good. 
 And this creation he perceives is iiniftied in 
 Chrijiy where we are created a-new , and 
 immediately upon fight of this we enter into 
 a new ftate, and poftefs a new heaven, and a 
 new earth, where we have a perpetual fab- 
 bath. When God refted on the feventh day, 
 it was from all his works, and in this cove- 
 nant reft, the believer ceafes from all bis 
 works. He had been long before now ft riv- 
 ing poffiblv to be a creator, and would not 
 hear of reft, until he had created fome good 
 habits, frames, or qualities in himfelf, from 
 whence he might reafonably expe(5t reft, and 
 for a feafon tormented himfelf in vain, to 
 makes ropes of fand. And here he had re- 
 mained, had not the day-fpring from on 
 high vifited him, and led him to the true 
 reft. There all his afpirings drop down to 
 the duft, his fabbath begins, and his toil is 
 over, and ceafing from all his own works, 
 he refts for ever in the new creation of God, 
 
 H Z Their 
 
( 50 
 ^heir reft fiall be glorious, faith the 
 Lord. He that enters this reft, ceafeth 
 from all his cares : the finiflied falvation is 
 before his face for ever. He hath done 
 plotting, contriving, and laying fchemes to 
 obtain happinefs, or to fecure what he has 
 obtained : Such is the compleatnefs and 
 fufficiencyof that one facrifice of the Lord 
 Jefus, that it has at once obtained and fe- 
 cured his falvation. This delivers him from 
 all fear, the bond-woman's tormenting fon 
 iscaft out, fo as not to be heir with the fon 
 of the free-woman. This reft is a divine 
 fatisfa(5tion in the mind, as fully fatisfied 
 and contented with that redemption, which 
 is in the blood of Jefus, even the forgive- 
 nefs of fins. Nor are we any longer trou- 
 bled, and careful about many things, but are 
 content with our Saviour, as the one thing 
 ■needful, the better part, v/hich ftiall not be 
 taken away from us : and fo fure are we of 
 his fufficiency, that we reft from all defire 
 after any other matter to make us happy. 
 And if at anytime, through the legality and 
 over bufy nefs of our corrupt heart, our mind 
 fhould be darkned, and we get into fearing, 
 toiling, and caring again, let us remember 
 from whence we are fallen, and cry out be- 
 fore our Saviour, return to thy reft, O my 
 foul. Let us alfo be careful to avoid the tafk- 
 rnafters, fince we are Haves no longer; and 
 $Jfo lo let our old tutors and governors know 
 
 thai 
 
(53) 
 that the Father's appointed time is come, 
 when we ihould no longer be under their 
 rule. Let not the cenfure of the Pharifee, 
 nor the fnarling of fuch who are holy in 
 their own eyes, and wife in their own con- 
 ceit, affright thee from thy reft. And if 
 they fliould complain, that thou haft left 
 them to ferve alone, yea, if they fliould ac- 
 cufe thee to thy Lord, be not affrighted, 
 and driven from thy reft, as though fome- 
 what yet remained to be done, ere thou 
 couldft be happy ; remember thy ftrength is 
 to fit ftill, and conftantly believe, with all 
 thy heart, that Chriji and thee are one : that 
 thou art free, as he is free, and all his reft 
 is thine. 
 
 Having very briefly coniidered the nature 
 of this covenant -, and given a few hints of 
 what grace and glory is fecured therein for 
 the heart that believeth ; I fhall conclude, 
 with a few words more, by way of farther 
 recommending this covenant. 
 
 This covenant is indeed given for the peo- 
 ple, for the people of Adam\ race; nor 
 has the Lord pointed out any particular peo- 
 ple, by any efpecial qualities, which they 
 might be fuppofed to have above others, as 
 the perfons for whom this covenant is given : 
 but he has told us, that it is given for 
 jhe people j for the loft and finful people, 
 
 that 
 
( 54 ) 
 that none amongft the people, however vile 
 and hell-deferving they may feel themfelves, 
 may have any ground for this objedlion, tJiat 
 the covenant was not given for them : ne- 
 verthelefs, the unbelieving mind will raife 
 many objedtions, why they fliould not be- 
 lieve, that this covenant, with all its ful- 
 nefs of grace, is given for them. And fir il, 
 they judge themfelves unqualified for the re- 
 ception of this gofpel, but, indeed, this is a 
 miflake, for I dare venture to affirm, that 
 you are qualified for it ; fin and Satan has 
 qualified you, whether you know it or not j 
 for the fcripture has c otic hided all tinder Jin^ 
 by which you are qualified for this falvation 
 by grape. Are you finners, contemners of 
 God's word and commandment, haters of 
 God, and your minds enmity againft him ? 
 Have you flefhly lufls, which war againft 
 your foul ? Have you a hard heart, wander- 
 ing afFedtions, pride, ignorance, unbelief, 
 anger, deceit ? And withal, are you thofe, 
 who although you feel thefe things, yet cannot 
 mourn or be grieved for it ? then are you a 
 iinncr, and yet but a firmer, therefore you 
 are qualified for the belief of the truth, even 
 of that redemption, v/hich is in the blood 
 of the lamb, the forgivcnefs of fjns ; fmce it 
 is for fmners, and only linners, the Saviour 
 died, and for them was p.vt\\ a covenant of 
 grace. Again, you will fay, that you are 
 unworthy of the glory and riches of this co- 
 venant: 
 
(. 55 ) 
 venant : that is true, in regard of any merit 
 of our own, we are eternally unworthy, but 
 in his love, who gave this covenant, you are 
 worthy of eternal life ; and if you are con- 
 tent, as a worthlefs finner, to ihelter you in 
 this covenant, I bid you welcome in the 
 name of the Lord. Here you fliall feel all 
 your wants fupplied. May my God and Sa- 
 viour fhew you this covenant. Here is 
 ri^hteoufnefs for you that are unrighteous j 
 holinefs for the impure in heart j life for the 
 dead ; peace and reconciliation for you whofe 
 minds are as a troubled fea; ftrength and 
 vid;ory for the weak and fearful, and refl for 
 you that are weary : yea, here is perfect, 
 finiflied, eternal falvation for you, and all 
 fecured in the power and glory of God. 
 When you feel the deadnefs, unrighteouf- 
 nefs, impurity, anxiety, weaknefs, and evil 
 of your linful nature, be not difcouraged, 
 but let your heart and mind be fixed upon 
 Chrifi your covenant, and your eye be open 
 to behold your compleatnefs in him, in whom 
 you are jufi; aftd holy, r.nd bleffed and faved, 
 with an everlafting falvation. Let this know- 
 ledge be real in your heart, then you will be 
 fatislied with Jefus Chriji our Lord, and then 
 there fhall be no more complaining in your 
 flreets, nor leading into captivity ; and as 
 the corruption and enmity of your own hearts 
 cannot make you afraid, neither v/ill any pre- 
 tended goodnefs or far^dity of m.an ilumble 
 
 you. 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 yoii, as though they had whereof they might 
 boaft ; for in the knowledge of yourfelves, 
 you will know human nature with that cer- 
 tainty^ that it will be in vain they put the 
 vizard on, and you will be as fure, as you 
 are, that your God and Father has created 
 you, that Jefus only is holy, that he only is 
 the Lord : then it will matter nothing with 
 you what any man pretends to be, for you 
 fliall gather every day with greater certainty 
 from yourfelves and all mankind, that there 
 \.%none good but God y and thaty^/z/j-is the whole 
 of your righteoufnefs, jftrength, and purityy 
 and he lliall be your glory : and whilfl you 
 are here, let me remind you of that word of 
 God our Saviour : bleffed is he whofoever Jhall 
 not be offended in me. When we come to reft 
 with fatisfadiion in this covenant, there are 
 feveral offences arife, as the fcandal of his 
 blood. Whofo is coming off from all to Je- 
 fusy the devil throws him down, mid tears hifn. 
 There is then fiercer aifaults from him, be- 
 caufe the agreement with death is broken, 
 • and the covenant with hell is difannuUed ; 
 the mind is at fuch a feafon more ftrangely 
 bcfet ; but bleffed is he who takes no offence 
 from hence at the covenant of peace. At 
 this time alfo is linful nature more abundantly 
 exafperated, and a man's foes are them of 
 his own houlhold, with a witnefs. This 
 covenant condemns the carnal mind to tor- 
 ment, that Dives, once fo rich in righte- 
 oufnefs. 
 
( 57) _ 
 oufnefs, goodnefs, and felf-fufficiency is ftript 
 and crucified, and condemned to hell, by 
 this revelation of the Son of God, and a 
 gulph fixed to keep it there, whilfl: not a 
 dram of comfort is afforded it from the 
 riches of the covenant : therefore is it en- 
 raged, and, like a lion in a chain, roufed up 
 and provoked, it roars, and fiercely flrives to 
 devour, but happy is he that is not affright- 
 ed at it j yea, blelied is he who takes no oc- 
 cafion from thence, as perceiving it in him- 
 felf, or others, to be offended at jfefiis, or 
 his free falvation. Again, there are thofe 
 who watch for the reproach and difhonour 
 of y ejus J and take pleafure in it, through the 
 infirmities of his children. They cannot 
 think how a man that is a finner can be 
 happy. They think the truth and power of 
 the gofpel flands in the goodnefs of man, 
 and therefore they defpife the treafure, when 
 they find it in an earthen vefTel. They either 
 objed; againfl the gofpel as a licentious doc- 
 trine, becaufe they that believe it are men, 
 and are fubjed: to infirmities, as thofe who 
 are yet in the body ; or elfe they take occa- 
 fion to wound and difhonour it, by grofsly 
 reprefenting to mankind the fin and imperfec- 
 tions of them that believe : thus hardening 
 the hearts of men againfl it, they are offended 
 at Chriji in his members, becaufe they are 
 t-empted or ai^lidled, or becaufe they have 
 been found finners. But, O my brethren, to 
 
 I yoa 
 
f S8 ) 
 
 you I fpeak, who know this covenant : re- 
 member the words of your Lord ; blejfed is 
 he ivhojbever Jhall not he offended in me. O 
 be not offended at Jefus, if thofe fouls who 
 are a coming to him are thrown down, and 
 torn by the enemy : he is yet a God of love 
 I can affure you ; indeed he is. I^et not thi^ 
 difcourage you, or caufe you to think that 
 he regards not the peace of his children. O 
 be not offended with Chrift your covenant, 
 when you fee the ftruggles of nature in them 
 that believe, or when you feel them in your- 
 felves. Do not then fay I am deceived by 
 this covenant, becaufe you feel yourfelves no 
 better, but rather worfe, as to the corrup- 
 tions of the mind, than what you were when 
 you leaned upon your own righteoufnefs. 
 Let not this make you offended at the Sa- 
 viour, or weary of him, nor angry with his 
 gofpel ; for indeed he intends goodnefs and 
 mercy towards you, and only means to drain 
 you of your own righteoufnefs and ftrength, 
 that you may be compleatly happy in him, 
 and that you may enter into the reff of the 
 covenant. 
 
 O, be not offended with 'J ejus, from his 
 childrens fpots and infirmities ; let his grace 
 and love appear more free, rich and illuftri- 
 ous through their weakneffes, fmce where 
 fin hath abounded, grace hath fuperabound- 
 ed. You wonder, perhaps, why fo many 
 
 infirmities 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 infirmities attend them that believe, and pro- 
 fefs to be happy in 'Jefus -, but wait patiently, 
 and our Lord will let you know the reafon, 
 and that there was a needs-be for them all, 
 according to the order of his dealings, in his 
 providence and grace with man. They have 
 ho pleafure in what is contrary to Chriji, 
 though poffibly they have been feemingly 
 more overtaken, and caught in the toils of 
 fin and fhame than any. They can tell you 
 that fmis hell, and they find it fo, and with 
 ftrong cries and bitter tears, they have often 
 befought their God, that they might never 
 diflionour him, through the mefi^enger of 
 Satan buffetting them, when he has only an- 
 fwered them that his grace was fufficient for 
 them. Our Lord defigns to teach them, 
 and others, by all their imperfedlions, the 
 inexplicable riches of his blood and death. 
 Our Saviour is fatisfied with them, as the 
 travail of his foul ; and though they are black 
 in themfelves, yet are they comely in Chriji 
 their covenant, where all the fulnefs of his 
 righteoufnefs, grace, and mercy is theirs j 
 and there are they without blemifh, fpot, or 
 wrinkle, or any fuch thing; view them al- 
 ways there, behold them there, then will 
 you never take bffence at the faithful lover 
 of fouls, at our gracious, holy, compafilonate 
 God and Saviour; nor will you then, with 
 the Pharifees, objed: againft him, with fay- 
 ing, this man receiveth Jinmrs, and eateth 
 'with them. 
 
 I 2 O, mrj 
 
( 6o ) 
 
 O, my brethren, beware of being offended 
 at the myfteries of the grace of God, no- 
 thing is more common than for perfons to 
 fet down that for foolilhnefs, yea, for a 
 falfhood, which they themfelves underftand 
 not, and for no other reafon, than becaufe 
 they underftand it not. I doubt not, but 
 this covenant will be treated thus by many, 
 but if I might give my advice, it ihould be, 
 not to pafs rafh cenfures upon any thing you 
 read or hear, but learn to fufpend your judge- 
 ment, until you have honellly w^eighed it, 
 in that thought and confideration, which is 
 fubordinate to the teaching of the word and 
 fpirit of the bleffed Jefus. Learn, with the 
 difciples, to alk the meaning of fuch things 
 that are too high for you, and he will give 
 you to know the myfteries of the kingdom 
 of God. As I would warn you to beware 
 of being fo much prejudiced in favour of 
 any man, to receive and fwallow from their 
 hand, without any examination, that which 
 might terminate in your hurt, and the dif- 
 honour of your Lord ; fo would I alfo warn 
 you of being prejudiced againft any child of 
 man, fo as to rejed: the teftimony of the 
 Lord upon that account. Is there not caufe 
 to fear, that many fink into a dangerous 
 lituation here, and that they rejed:, ilight, 
 and fpeak evil, either with anger or ridicule, 
 of what they know to be the truth, and as 
 coming from their own mouths could die for 
 
( 6i ) 
 it) and that only, becaufe it is profelTed, and 
 born witnefs of, by fuch whom they, upon 
 fome account or other, are prejudiced againft ? 
 Such is their hatred to their fellow-creatures, 
 that they will fpitefully and obftinately, and 
 that contrary to their own confciences, tram- 
 ple on, and endeavour to fupprefs the glory of 
 yefusy rather tlian the object of their hatred 
 ihould be thought to be in the right. And 
 yet this is very conliilent with the holinefs 
 and goodnefs of man, and fuch is the 2:eal 
 of human nature for this ; that when the 
 man has once drawn his fword againll his 
 adversary, rather than he will put it up in 
 peace, he will revengefully wound him, 
 though it fhould be through the heart of the 
 lamb of God. But, O my brethren, fly from 
 this, let not your hatred to your fellow-crea- 
 ture be greater than your love to your God ; 
 nor flight the covenant becaufe a finful man 
 bears witnefs of it. If you underftand it not, 
 fpread it before the great prophet of his 
 church, as what you want him to teach you, 
 and he will guide you, and lead you into all 
 truth. 
 
 And you that are entered into the refl: of 
 the covenant, let it appear that this reft is 
 fruitful, and that it does not confift, as the 
 carnal mind would fuggeft, in fpiritual floth- 
 fulnefs. But that it rather produces an atflive 
 mind for the glory of your God and Saviour. 
 
 There 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 There are none of the children of men, can- 
 ferve God with that chearfulnefs which you 
 ferve him with. To you his fervice is per- 
 fect: freedom -, to you his ways are ways of 
 pleafantnefs, and all his paths are peace. You 
 can fet to your feal that his yoke is eafy, ahd 
 his burden light. Your body, foul, and fpi- 
 rit are his, as bought with the price of his 
 blood, and therefore would you glorify him 
 in the one and the other. Nor let any thing 
 be painful to you to exercife yourfelves in, 
 where yejiis may be glorified, and man be- 
 nefited, and yet you may reft from your la- 
 bours. You may reft from all your devour- 
 ing care, you have a fufficiency in the cove- 
 nant. There is your righteoufnefs, purity, 
 peace, ftrength, reft:, and life eternal, and 
 all for ever with the Lord, and well fecured 
 in all the power and ftrength of his eternal 
 Godhead. Let your eye and heart be al- 
 ways fixed upon this fulnefs, that you may 
 be without care. Let this fulnefs content 
 you, under every apprehenfion you may have 
 of diftrefs and fcarcity in the things which 
 concern your prefent life. Be always fatis- 
 fied with the riches of this covenant. 
 
 You may reft from all your fear, for 
 greater is he that is for you, then they that 
 are againft you. In this covenant all your 
 enemies are put under vour feet, nor doea 
 there now remain any caufe of fear. Here 
 
 may 
 
(63 ) 
 may you learn the heart of JefiiSt by look- 
 ing to him as your compleat lalvation, and 
 by beholding him in this glory, you fliall 
 link into his fpirit, whiift all his facred tem- 
 pers fhall abound in you, if any have been 
 injurious, you fhall feel a heart to forgive 
 them, and give glory to God. If you have 
 enemies, as you mufl of neceffitv have, if you 
 are in. this covenant: youlhall feel a heart to 
 love them, vea all mankind, glorifying our 
 Saviour. If vou have trials in common life, 
 you fliall pofTefs vour foul in patience, trufl^ 
 ing in Jefus, If you have provocations, you 
 fhall confider the meek and lowly heart of 
 the crucified Lamb. If you are tempted, you 
 fhall endure with fortitude, looking to the 
 author and finifher of your faith. If you 
 are reviled, you fhall not revile again, but 
 render good for evil ; blefling for curfing, 
 and kindnefs for bitternefs. The rage of 
 your perfecutor's fpirits, and the fharpnefs of 
 their tongues, fhall not terrify you, you fhall 
 be as though you heard them not, with a 
 bov/ing of tlie heart before our Saviour, and 
 offering thankfgiving before his pierced feet, 
 for this honour conferred upon you. Nor 
 fhall you be difcouraged when they accufe 
 you of fin and imperfediion, becaufe you are 
 no deceiver, for you never pretended to be 
 anv thing in yourfelf, but a finner. Learn to 
 abide in the view of the covenant, where your 
 confcience will be always void of offence to- 
 wards 
 
(64) 
 
 wards God and man. Let not the poverty, 
 weaknefs, and ihameful bloody form of your 
 Saviour's death, ever make you afbamed, 
 becaufe he is your Lord and God. Nor all 
 the (lander, reproach, contempt, and fcandal 
 that may be caft upon you for his fake, of- 
 fend you, where you may be rcprefented as 
 lovers and promoters of fin, becaufe you only 
 w|W have that man to reign over you. And 
 when you have done and fuffered all for the 
 Saviour, with an eye to his fpirit and temper 
 in all your condudl; and behaviour, remem- 
 ber you are a finner, retire from it all to his 
 facred wounds, leave your glory in the duft, 
 and let your glorying be in this, that he has 
 loved you, and given himfelf for you, and 
 have wafhed you from his fms in his own 
 blood. Then fhall this language be rooted 
 upon your heart : tiie Lord Joas made ivitb me 
 an everlajiing covenant, ordered in all things 
 and Jure, 'which is all my hopCy and all m^ 
 falvation. 
 
 FINIS, 
 
I'he Trial of Spirits. 
 O R, A 
 
 TREATISE 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 NATURE, OFFICE, 
 
 AND 
 
 OPERATIONS 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Spirit of Truth. 
 
 ' By J A M E S '^R E L L T, 
 
 The second EDITION. 
 
 He that fpeaketh of himfelf, feeketh his own Glory : but he thai 
 feeketh His Glory that j'ent him., the fame is true, and no Un^ 
 righteoufiiefs is in him, John vii. 18. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by M. L E wis, in Faternofter-Row. i^62| 
 

 THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 Christian Reader. 
 
 A V I N G very minutely and im- 
 partially examined my motives 
 in writing the following difcourfe : the 
 teftimony of my confcience is, that my 
 fole aim was the honour and glory of 
 Jefus Chrift. Therefore, can I, with 
 calmnefs and confidence, commit what 
 I have written ; unto His protedion 
 and bleffing. 
 
 My endeavour, through the whole, 
 
 hath been to fliew, that all the works 
 
 of God, and all Flis ways with man 
 
 conipire to glorify Jefus Chrift; and 
 
 A 2 that 
 
iv The PREFACE. 
 
 that by this we are to determine of the 
 true and fah^e fpirits. 
 
 In the profecution of this, I hope I 
 have not fccmed as one afiiiming ora- 
 cular authority, nor given myfeif any 
 majefterial airs, or politive beyond de- 
 monfiration ; forafmuch as I would 
 carefully avoid this in all things, as 
 that which my foul abhors. How 
 fully I have cfcaped it, and how clofely 
 adhered to the fcriptures lor proof of 
 what I have written, and that not ac- 
 cording to forced explications, but ac- 
 cording to their literal import, and 
 w^hat may rationally be drav/n thence, 
 I fhall leave the reader to determine. 
 
 And as I would not darken coun- 
 fel by words without knowledge, I 
 have aimed at rendering my ideas in- 
 telligible, and that v/ith as much plain- 
 nefs of fpeech as my capacity would 
 admit of ; hence I may have ufed more 
 wprds and repetitions than will appear 
 
 needful 
 
The PREFACE. v 
 
 needful to fundry of my readers ; but: 
 I hope the intention will atone for the 
 defed: in this particular. 
 
 If it fliall be thought, I have Ipohen 
 a little too freely of mankind, where 
 (attempting to difcover the impofture 
 they put upon themfelves and others 
 through pretenfions to extraordinary 
 holinefs) I defcribe their fruits ; I here 
 declare, it proceeded not from a cyni- 
 cal principle, or fpirit, towards them 
 in general, nor from any perfo- 
 nal pique to particulars ; but, from 
 candid and impartial obfervations, 
 with felf-evident experience, I was 
 afilired of the truth thereof; and 
 thought it neceiTary for ftaining the 
 pride of all flefh, and for the honour 
 and glory of Jefus Chrift our only Lord 
 and Saviour, to fpeak as I have done, 
 with earneftnefs and lincerity. 
 
 Whoever is diffatisfied therewith, 
 
 and fain would prove me a falle wit- 
 
 A 3 ncfs| 
 
vi The PRE F A C E. 
 
 nefs ; I here tell them plainly, there 
 is but one way to do it; and that is, 
 by fhunning all the evils I have men- 
 tioned, and by bringing forth with a 
 conftancy the contrary fruit. 
 
 And when they do this in truth and 
 fincerity, Jefus will be glorified, and 
 I will acknowledge my felf a falfe wdt- 
 nefs : but until then, mere speculative 
 argument and difputes, will not prove 
 me fuch : but, with all their bitter in- 
 vedives againfl; me, it will plainly de- 
 monftrate the truth of what I affirm. 
 
 I am very well aware, that, where 
 I have {poken flightly of the fuppofed 
 holinefs of man ; their learning, wif- 
 dom and popularity, as tending to de- 
 ceive, and through a falfe fpirit, en- 
 tice fouls from Chrirt; from behold- 
 ing their righteoufnefs and i-trength in 
 Him : it will be objeded, that my own 
 deficiency, makes me fpeak thus con- 
 temptuoufly of the oppofite charader : 
 
 But 
 
The PREFACE, vii 
 
 But let me here affirm, I envy- 
 no man the charader of being holy, 
 wife, learned, or popular; nor have 
 I for years paft defired it. I am very 
 fenfible that men of this charader are 
 fet in fiippery places, and too com- 
 monly rival Jefus Chrift in the heart 
 and aiiedlions of the children of men. 
 'And withal, being very well apprifed 
 of the pride and vanity of human na- 
 ture, and how well men like to have 
 it fo : I look upon it as a really dange- 
 rous lituation, and very derogatory to 
 the honour and glory of Jefus, who 
 faith unto all what he fays to one. My 
 fon^ give me thy heart. But forafmuch 
 as this withholds the heart from Him, 
 and makes men (wallow, without tri- 
 al, whatfoever is impofed upon them ; 
 I would fet my felf againfl: it, and fpeak 
 of it as I think it deferves, when it comes 
 in competition with the Saviour of the 
 body. And, if I am of the contrary 
 charader, I have the lefs to fear from 
 this quarter, as not being likely to aduL 
 A 4 terate 
 
Vlll 
 
 The Preface. 
 
 terate the afFedlions of the fpoufe of 
 Chriftj or to profelyte the fouls of men 
 to my perfon or excellencies, to which 
 I have an utter, yea an irreconcilable 
 averfion, and am perfuaded my beha- 
 viour teftifies it, as hating affedation, 
 grimace, and fawning. 
 
 Having endeavoured, in this dif- 
 courfe, to prove the fcriptures the rule 
 for the trial of fpirits, by the fame rule 
 I defire my dodlrine may be tried, and 
 not by the traditions, confeffions of 
 faith, and creeds of men (for by thefe, 
 I doubt not, I fhall be condemned.) 
 I am perfliaded the fcriptures will ac- 
 quit me, therefore to them I appeal ; 
 and where they v/ill not juftify me, I 
 am content to acknowledge that I err, 
 as not knowing the fcriptures : but 
 this I know, I am at peace with them 
 all, and have not, in this treatife, wil- 
 fully injured one of them. Let me 
 therefore earneftly befeecli the reader 
 to compare me with them, and to try 
 
 the 
 
The P R E F A C E. k 
 
 the fpirit fpeaking in me by them, and 
 if they declare themfelves in its favour, 
 is there, who calls himfelf chriftian, 
 that will rejed it, becaufe it may be 
 deemed contrary to the received max- 
 ims and traditions of men ? are fuch 
 proteftants ? what ever their profeflion 
 is, are they chriftians ? do not they pre- 
 fer man to Jefus Chrift, yea, make the 
 witnefs of man to be greater than the 
 witnefs of God ? and is not this mon- 
 ftrous impiety ? and O how fliocking 
 the thought, the mafters in Ifrael will 
 not attempt to undeceive them : what- 
 ever ^^/>2 they may have from this quar- 
 ter it is certain there is no real god- 
 linefs in it. 
 
 I expert, when this book fliall fall 
 into the hands oi fame perfons, they 
 will immediately look into the title- 
 page for the author's name ; it being 
 ufual with them, if prejudiced in fa- 
 vour of an author, to read him with 
 eare, refpeding many things therein as 
 
 very 
 
X The P R E F A C E. 
 
 very great, though probably far from 
 meriting the admiration of any one. 
 But, if the author appear to be one of 
 whom they have before recei\^ed an ill 
 opinion, they will either throw it by 
 and not look into it at all, or, if they 
 read, prejudice and ill- nature makes 
 them unreafonable cnticks, they ga- 
 ther what they judge faulty therein, 
 and treafure it up with joy ; that by 
 blazing it abroad, they may bring, 
 if poffible, the whole into difrepute. 
 And, as to v/hat they find therein tru- 
 ly great, they will endeavour to think 
 it error : but if the truth thereof is too 
 manifeft for them to think fo, then 
 will they infinuate that it is only fpe- 
 culation, becaufe they will not have 
 the writer to be an experienced chri- 
 ftian, or to be dire<!^ed by the Spirit 
 of Truth in what he VvTites, and 
 therefore, that there ought not to 
 be any regard paid to his writings. 
 How ungenerous, tyrannical, and cruel 
 this way of ading is, every man's rea- 
 
 fon 
 
The PREFACE. xi 
 
 fon will teach him, if he calmly at- 
 tend unto it ! therefore, unto reafon 
 I appeal: And how contrary it is to 
 Chrift and the Spirit of his golpel, 
 the fcriptures will teflify : where all 
 Rich partial and uncharitable proceed- 
 ings are continually reproved and ccn- 
 fured as a falfe and antichriftian ipirit, 
 yea fuch a fpirit, that none who tru- 
 ly walk with Jefus, can poffibly be 
 led by. 
 
 Therefore reader, if as a man thou 
 wouldft behave humane, generous, and 
 reafonable, and as a chriftian, impar- 
 tial, charitable and faithful ; I recom- 
 mend this trad: unto thee; give it a 
 fair reading, nor do thou defpife the 
 treafure : becaufe in an earthen vef- 
 fel; but learn to diftinguifh the 
 treafure from the veffel. And think 
 not with thyfelf, that where there is a 
 line veffel there mufl certainly be pre- 
 cious treafures ; but remember the 
 word of the Lord, how that he hath 
 
 chofen 
 
Xll 
 
 The PREFACE. 
 
 chofen the foolifh to confound the wife, 
 and the weak to confound the mighty y 
 and the bafe^ and the dejpifed hath God 
 chofen ; and thijtgs which are not^ to 
 bri7tg to nothing things which are. 
 
 This I leave with thee as my beft 
 advice, and pray our good Lord to 
 feal inftrudlion upon thee by what 
 thou readeft. 
 
 Tie 
 
( I ) 
 
 
 THE 
 
 Tnal of Spirits. 
 
 I John iv. i. 
 
 Beloved^ believe not every Spirit'^ hut 
 try the Spirits^ 'whether they be of 
 
 God, 
 
 f^^g^"^ HIS fcripture briefly contains the 
 '^ rx-i ^ divine caution and advice of an a- 
 ^ ^ poflle unto the Church of Chrift. 
 
 £^Q^j^ Beloved, a proof he cautioned 
 not from contracted bowels, an ill-natured, 
 or uncharitable ^vmc\^\t— believe 7iot every fpi- 
 rif 'y a plain indication that the falfe fpirits re- 
 quire our belief; yea, truly they have their 
 iigns and lying wonders — but try the fpirits. 
 This fuppofeth man liable to err in this parti- 
 cular, but withal that we have a rule whereby 
 to determine, to which we do well to give 
 heed as unto a light fliining in a dark place. 
 Whether they be of God-, an intimation, that 
 
 there 
 
(2 ) 
 
 there are fpirits which bear his name, and 
 work an appearance of piety, whom he ac- 
 knovvledgeth not 5 and when tried, to be re- 
 jeded by us. 
 
 The Words naturally afford this dodrine : 
 there is a rule given for the trial of fpirits, 
 whereby, if we impartially determine, we may 
 know whether they be of God, or not. 
 
 In treating of this, I fhall 
 
 Firjl^ Point out the rule, or flandard> fixed 
 for the trial of fpirits. 
 
 Secc?idly, Shew the manner of trying the 
 ipirits by this rule. And 
 
 thirdly. Attempt fome fuitable ufe and im- 
 provement of the whole. 
 
 Either there is a rule for the trial of fpirits, 
 or there is not; if not, all have the fame force 
 of argument in averting their being of God, 
 however different and contrary to each other in 
 nature, work, orteltimony; to grant which, 
 would be at once to conclude God the author 
 of confufion, and to father, not only all the 
 corrupt fallies of the human mind, but all the 
 lies and inconfiftcncies of the wicked one upon 
 Him : to banifh all order and unanimity out 
 of the locicty of man, to open a gap for 
 doubtfulnefs, uncertainty, yea,infidelitv, with 
 
 all 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 all its train of arrogance and horrors, to break 
 in like a deluge upon us. — As this muft be 
 obvious to every feeing eye, the neceffity of a 
 rule to try the fpirits by, will abundantly appear. 
 Ifobjedled, that this is to fuppofe the fpirit infe- 
 rior to the rule, and that his teftimony without 
 this is fallible and uncertain. — I anfwer, the 
 fign is not greater than the thing iignilied : it 
 is the fpirit of truth himfelf who hath given us 
 the rule as a tranfcript of his own- nature, office, 
 and operations, whereby we are to determine 
 with certainty of him, as diftinguifhed from 
 every falfe fpirit. And with refpedt to the wit- 
 nefs of the true fpirit ; the rule for the trial of 
 fpirits is fo far from denying its infallibility, as 
 rather with conftancy to alfert it, being a fe- 
 condwitnefs of the fame thing, as defcriptive of 
 what is the matter of the fpirit's teflimony. — 
 To this end hath the fpirit himfelf given it us ; 
 and that we might oppofe it to every fpirit 
 which anfw^ers not to the defcription. Befides, it 
 will be always true in this world, that the heir, 
 whilft a child, differeth nothing from a fervant, 
 though lord of all. And this being the cafe, 
 they know not what manner of fpirit they are 
 of: fuch was the condition of thole whom our 
 Saviour reproved on that account; and all of 
 like characfler may need the trial of fpirits for 
 their reproof. Withal, the trial of fpirits by 
 the rule appointed for that purpofe, as it will 
 give the defcriptive charadter of the fpirit of 
 truth, may be of ufe for edification to fuch 
 
 . who. 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 who, though they are in a meafure under his 
 influence, have not attained, with certainty, to 
 know his voice. True it is, thofe who have 
 received the perfedl witnefs need no trial there- 
 of for their own fatisfacftion, becaufe they know 
 His voice; as he, with unerring evidence, 
 bears His witncis to their heart : however, it 
 is pleafing and delightful to them, when they 
 conlider the trial of fpirits 3 that the fpirit of 
 truth is pointed out and defcribcd, in his na- 
 ture, office, and operations, as they have con- 
 ceived and known of him in the heart. More- 
 over, if they would demonftrate to others, that 
 they are led and fpeak by the true fpirit, they 
 muft do it by this rule, as that which is ap- 
 pointed of God; otherwife, they ought not to 
 cenfure, where their teflimony is rejected. — 
 And this, I think, the apoflle's advice chiefly 
 tends to, where he bids us try the fpirits whe- 
 ther they be of God ; hence we have authori- 
 ty to deny that fpirit's being of God which doth 
 not fpeak and adt according to this rule and 
 flandard. 
 
 The rule or flandard, which infinite wif- 
 dom hath fixed for the trial of fpirits is the ho- 
 ly fcriptures, containing the writings of the pro- 
 phets and apofties. To the law and to the tejli- 
 mony : If they [peak not according to this ivord, it 
 is becaufe there is no light in them^ Ifa. viii. 20. 
 
 As to the divinity of this rule we have proof 
 fufficient from reafon and revelation. From 
 reafon, where the prophecies fpeaking of the 
 
 deflruc- 
 
(5 ) 
 
 deflrudlion and revolutions of kingdoms, &c, 
 defcribing 'the perions, yea pointing them 
 out by name who (liould execute it, with other 
 particular circumflances, and that fome hun- 
 dred years before hand, or ever the perfons 
 fpoken of were born, hath vet notwithftand- 
 ing been literally fulfilled in all particulars, ac- 
 cording to the teflimony of the Heathen writers 
 themfelves. What ever definitions of true 
 virtue have been given, by the moft famous 
 theories of any age, are but fo many faint imi- 
 tations of the fcripture perfection. The moft 
 refined philofopher, drinking at this fountain, 
 will find bis ideas enlarged, enlightened, and 
 quickened, and be able thereby to improve up- 
 on the moft rational and fublime ethic that ever 
 the wit or reafon of man produced. Nor hath 
 the evil and deformity of vice been ever painted 
 with like perfedion as in the holy writings, nor 
 are there any motives fo powerfully perJuafive 
 and exciting to virtue as here are found ; yea, 
 many things here are inconteftibly proved evil, 
 which borrowed the name of virtue among 
 the wifeft Heathens : virtue and vice, with 
 them, was, as the ftream or Nile among the 
 Egyptians, abundantly obvious ac prefent with 
 them, whilft the fpring or fountain-head re- 
 mained a fecret. But in the fcripture, the rife and 
 caufe of each is afligned and opened to our view. 
 Who is that divine Being, whom the Heathen 
 acknowledge and ignorantly worfhip, but that 
 God who hath reveaied lumfelf to man in the 
 
 B fcrip- 
 
(6 ) 
 
 fcriptures ? What is the caufe of the apparent 
 evil bias and depravity of human nature univer- 
 fally ackncv^'ledged and confefTed in the world ? 
 there is nothing fo truly and rationaly points it 
 out as the fcriptures, in the offence of our firft 
 parents. What are the facrifices which all na- 
 tions under heaven ufe, or have ufed, in their 
 various religions, but an acknowledging the ne- 
 celTity of facrilice to reconcile God and man ? 
 though what this facrifice was, they neither 
 knew nor were agreed upon : the fcriptures on- 
 ly can fhew this, in their teftimony of the fuf- 
 fering Jtfus. What are thofe faint acknow- 
 ledgments of nature, but that found which, 
 the fcripti'.re fays, is gone to the ends of the 
 earth ? AH the predidions of the prophets con- 
 cerning the promifed Mcffiah have been exadtly 
 fulfilled in Jefus Chrift, the author of the New 
 Teflament : yea, all the whole fyflem of the 
 Jevvifli religion, however fabulous and trivial 
 many parts thereof might feem to the eye of 
 reafon, hath its witnefs in the perfon, life, 
 death, and refurredtion of the holy Jefus, as 
 the antitype and lubflance of the whole. Be- 
 fide, it might be urged for the divinity of the 
 fcripture, that never book was wrote like it: 
 with fo much honefty, felf-denial, and difin- 
 terellednefs in the writers. All fuch, who go 
 about to deceive their fellow-creatures and im-> 
 pofe upon them in matters of religion, do it 
 under a profeffion of extraordinary fandtity: 
 they conceal their own faults, and as much at 
 
 licth 
 
( 7 ) 
 lieth in them the faults of all who are of their 
 party, left the goodnefs of their caufe fhould 
 be lufpeded. What man is there who, when 
 he publilhcs his life to the world, will publifh 
 his faults and milcarriages ? while he is picking 
 out all the flowers thereof to oblige the world 
 with a nofegay, will he prefent them with his 
 ftinking weeds alfo ? nay, he is cautious of 
 that; and therefore whilft he fpeaks of his 
 good works and difpofitions, he fays nothing of 
 his evil ones, except in general terms, that 
 he is a worthlefs creature, or the like ; but 
 this confefBon is defigncd to evidence his good- 
 nefs by his humility ; or, probably he will ac- 
 knowledge feme abominations in particular 
 which he has been guilty of, but then it was in 
 the days of ignorance, and the like, before his 
 converfion. This confelTion is defigncd ftill as 
 a foil to fet him off to admiration, as though he 
 had not linned, had not been guilty of faults 
 Unce he commenced a chriftian. But this was 
 not the cafe with thofe who wrote the fcrip- 
 tures ; they confeffed themfelves men of like 
 paffions with others ; they publiflied their own 
 faults, and the faults of fuch who with them 
 were the heroes' of the caufe ; and did not, in 
 general terms only, acknowledge their worth- 
 leffnefs. Furthermore, they publifhed their 
 faults not only as committed in times of igno- 
 rance, but after they were eminent for religion, 
 the knowledge and worfhip of the true God^ 
 and truly their faults were none of the leaft, 
 B 2 Now, 
 
(8) 
 
 Now, had it been their defign to impofe up- 
 on mankind by their writings, or to aggrandize 
 themfelves in any (hape, it would have been the 
 greateft madnefs and folly in them, to fet them- 
 lelves upon a level as they did, with the mean- 
 eft of the people: to publifh their own faults, and 
 fuch that were fo heinous, committed by them 
 even while they were prophets and apoftles : 
 they could not have taken a more unreafonable 
 ana unlikely method, had they fought them- 
 felves, and their own glory : nor can it be ob- 
 jected that it proceeded from their foolifhnefs, 
 for their writings evidence they wanted not 
 underftanding : it is therefore fufficiently ap- 
 parent, that thofe writings were wholly di(5ta- 
 ted by the Spirit of God; and, that the writers 
 thereof wrote as they were moved by the Holy 
 Ghoft : and not as they were moved by interefl, 
 vain glory, or felf-feeking in any refpeCt. 
 The holy fcriptures are writings that do not fa- 
 vour of the things of men, but of the things 
 which are of God, as may rationaly be ga- 
 thered from the foregoing hints. This, and 
 much more, I might offer as reafonable proof 
 of ihe fcriptures divine original : but, as all 
 who believe the Bible, are not called upon to 
 conlider thefe things as the ground of their faith 
 therein, there is yet to them more certain proof 
 by revelation j where the Spirit of Truth opens 
 the fcriptures, and bears witnefs to their con- 
 fcience of their divinity; upon the limple cre- 
 dit of which witnefs, the mind is fully per- 
 
 fuaded. 
 
( 9 ) 
 fuaded, and is not fuffered to call the truth in 
 queliion, elfe what lliall they do, who being 
 illiterate and incapable of argument, are igno- 
 rant of reafonable prool refpedting this matter ? 
 reafon and divinity forbids our thinking as 
 thofe fuperftitious bigots, who denounced a- 
 nathema's on all fuch that knew not their law; 
 nay, notwithftanding their ignorance, they are 
 capable, by the grace of God, of knowing and 
 believing whatever is requifite for their falva- 
 tion and comfort. 
 
 The holy fcriptures thus known, are always 
 to be coniidered as the rule given us for the 
 trial of fpirits : Search the fcriptures, faid He, 
 in whom is hid all the treafures of wifdom 
 and knowledge, for they teftify of me. And 
 the Holy Gholl: commends it in the Bereans 
 as a noble adl, that they tried the fpirit, fpeak- 
 ing in the apoftles themfelves, by the fcrip- 
 tures, Adts xvii. 1 1 . 
 
 Having thus pointed out the rule whereby 
 we are to try the fpirits, I (hall proceed to treat 
 of the method thereof. As it would be endlefs 
 to bring every falfe fpirit feperately to its trial, 
 and would render my writing on the fubjec^l 
 too voluminous J I {liall by this rule attempt a 
 defcription of the Spirit of Truth in His na- 
 ture, office, and operations : by which means 
 every falfe fpirit will be at once fearched out 
 and deteded. 
 
 Whilll: treating of the nature of the Spirit of 
 Truth, I Ih all not prefume to propofe it meta;^ 
 
 B 3 phyfi- 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 phyficaly of his being and elTence, for, befides 
 iny incapacity for luch an arduous tafk, He 
 Himfelf aiTures us, that none, by fearching, 
 can find him out to perfedtion. Job xi. 7 j 
 {hall therefore rather confine mylelf to the 
 confideration of Him according to His proper- 
 ties and difpofitions, as revealed in the fcrip- 
 tures. 
 
 As a tree is known by its fruit, fo alfo is the 
 Spirit of Truth — and the fruit of the fpirit is 
 kve^ joy, peace^ Jo?ig-ji/ffcri?ig, gentlenejs^ good- 
 nefs^ faith, mcehief, temperance. Gal. v. 22. 
 For the jridt of the fpirit is in all goodnefs, and 
 right eoifnefs, and truth, Eph. v. 9. 
 
 Hence we difcern fomewhat of the native 
 properties and difpofitions of the Spirit of Truth ; 
 it is love, free, pure, unchangeable, everlaft- 
 ing, 'which fuffereth long, is kind, eivcieth noty 
 'vaunt cth not itfcf, is not puffed up, behaveth not 
 it [elf luijeejnly, fceketh not its o^ijon, isnoteajily pro- 
 voked, thinketh no evil, rcjoiceth not in iniquity, 
 but rejoiceth in the truth : beareth all things, be- 
 licveth all things, hopcth all things, endureth all 
 things^ never jaileth. Whatfoever things are ve- 
 nerable, 'whatfoever things are juft, uhatjoever 
 thi?igs are pure, 'whatfoever things are lovely, think 
 on ihcfe things, Phil. iv. 8. For this is the fruit 
 . of the Spirit, and a fpecimen of his divine nature. 
 The Spirit is defcribed as the life and quicken- 
 ing of mankind to everlafling happiwefs; there- 
 fore called, l.he spirit of Life, Rom. viii. 2. A- 
 gain, it is fiid, the Spirit givcth Life, 2 Cor.iii. 6. 
 
 and 
 
( lO 
 
 and that the Spirit of Life entered \r\io the flam 
 witnefles, Rev. xi. ii. // is the Spirit that 
 quickeneth, John vi. 63. From whence it ap- 
 pears the property of the Spirit to give Hfe. 
 
 Again . The Spirit is faid to enlighten the eyes of 
 our under ft anding^ Eph. i. 1 8. In him was lije, and 
 this life was the light of men^ John i. 1 4. it being 
 the property of the Spirit to enlighten. 
 
 Furthermore, the Spirit is compared to wa-. 
 ter — with joy fhall ye draw water out oj the 
 wells offalvation^ Ifa. xii. 3. For^ in the wilder- 
 nefs fhall waters break out and ft reams in the defer ty 
 Ifa. XXXV. 6. yefus flood and cried^ if ^^'y ^^'^ 
 thirflj let him come unto me and drink ; he that be- 
 lieveth on me, as thefcriptures hath faid, out if his 
 belly Prnll flow rivers of living water : but thisf pake 
 He of the Spirit, &c. John vii. 37> 38, 39. 1 will 
 pour water upon him that is thirfiy, and floods upon 
 the dr'^ ground: 1 will pour my Spirit upon tloyfeed, 
 and my blefflng upon thy offspring, Ifa. xHv. 3 . Then 
 will Ifprinkle clean water upon you, andyoufljall be 
 clean, Ezek. xxxvi. 25. That he might fanSlify and 
 cleanfe it with the wafliing of water by the wordy 
 Eph. v. 26. Hence we learn the nature and 
 property of the Spirit is to cleanfe from all fil- 
 thinefs, as watery and by his comfortable in- 
 fluence to allay the third of panting fouls. 
 
 Moreover, the Spirit is likened to fire — He 
 
 fl:all baptize you with the Holy Ghoft, and with 
 
 fire. Matt. iii. 1 1. There appeared cloven tongues 
 
 like as of fire, and they were all filled with the Ho- 
 
 ly Ghofly Ads ii. 3. The fire fl:all try evety 
 
 B 4 ma?i5 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 mans nrork, of what fort it isy i Cor. iii. 13. the 
 nature and property of the Spirit, as hre, is to 
 purify from all drofs, to burn up and conlume 
 every falfe work. 
 
 Again, the Spirit is compared to wind — 
 awake north wind^ and come then jluth^ blow 
 upon my gar den .y that the Jpices thereof fnay Jiow 
 out J Cant. iv. 16. The wind blowcth where it 
 lifiethy and thou hearejl the found thereof^ but 
 canfi not tell whence it comeih and whither it go- 
 eth : fo is every one that is born cf the Spirit ^ 
 John iii. 8. Thus, as wind, the nature of the 
 Spirit is to refrefh by his gracious influences. 
 
 Having briefly coniidercd the nature, and 
 properties of the Spirit of Truth according to 
 the fcriptures, I haften to treat of His office, 
 in that relation wherein it concerns mankind. 
 
 When our Saviour was about to leave the 
 world, left his difciples lliould be overcharged 
 with lorrow, he promifed them another Com- 
 forter, whom he called the Spirit of Truth; 
 and leif they fliould be fearful of this promifed 
 Comforter, that he would promote an intereft 
 contrary to what they had already engaged in, 
 he affures them, that when this Spirit came, 
 he would not fpeak of himfelf — whoi the Spi- 
 rit of^ruth is come he will guide you into all 
 Truths for he jhall not fpeak of himfelf \ but 
 whatfoevcr he fldall hear^ fall he jpeak : and he 
 will Jhew you things to come. He f:atl glorify 
 me^ for he fJjall receive oj mine^ and f jail Jhew it 
 unto you i John xvi. J3, 14. He that fpeakcth of 
 
 himfelf 
 
( '3 ) 
 
 hlmfilf^ feeketh his own glory ; but he thatfeeketb 
 his glory that fent him, the fame is true, and 
 720 UP right eoujnejs is in him, John vii. i8. 
 From hence it appears, that the proper office of 
 the Spirit of Truth, is to glorify Jefus : and this 
 He dofh by fpeaking of Him, and {hewing us 
 the things v/hich are His 5 and not by fpeak- 
 ing of himfelf. 
 
 For our better underftanding in this impor- 
 tant matter, I fhall endeavour 
 
 Firji, To (Lew what is intended by a fpirit 
 /peaking of himfelf. And 
 
 Secondly, What by the Spirit of Truth fhew- 
 ing us the things of Chrift, and fpeaking of him 
 only, which according to the word is his proper 
 office. 
 
 For a fpirit to fpeak of himfelf by man, is 
 when he makes it his bufinefs to take of the 
 learning, wildom, eloquence, honour, or piety 
 of man, and fl:ew it to the world, thereby 
 feeking his own glory : and this he doth when 
 from this principle men labour to be admired, 
 and aim at enfnaring their fellow creatures on 
 thefe accounts. 
 
 Again. The fpirit fpeaks of himfelf in 
 man J and confequently feeks his own glo- 
 ry; when he leads us to eye his impulfe, 
 operation, or work, as the objed: of our faith, 
 
 and 
 
( H ) 
 
 and foundation of our hope : when the fpirit 
 by which we are govern'd in matters of religion, 
 in order to witnefs his being of God, leads us 
 to confider his impulfe on the mind ; from 
 whence, through the working of the paiTions, 
 flow fudden tranfports of joy, forrow, love, de- 
 fire, (^c. and would thence perfuade us of our 
 being pofTeft of the Spirit of Truth ; this fpirit 
 evidently fpeaks of himfelf, and feeks his own 
 glory, and not the glory of Chrift. 
 
 Again, When the fpirit which is in man, 
 would lead him to any change, as wrought 
 within him ; confifting in habit and principle ; 
 or to any reformation of life and manners, 
 taking an occafion thence to fpeak peace 
 to his mind, as unto one who is under the work 
 and government of the fpirit j I fay, when this 
 is the cafe, it is manifeflly a fpirit which fpeaks 
 of himfelf. 
 
 That fpirit who infinuates that he is injured 
 by the preaching of Chriil onJy ; (as where the 
 teftimony of free and complcat falvation in Jefus 
 Chriil, is accufed of denying, or flighting the 
 work of the Spirit) may be faid to fpeak of 
 himfelf, and feek his own glory ; it is evident 
 . he is in a feperate intereft from the Lord Jefus, 
 and therefore cannot be the Spirit of Truth. 
 
 Above all, that fpirit which denieth that 
 Jefus is come in the fielh, is of antichrift; by 
 which, as I think, we are not to underftand, a 
 denial of his incarnation only, or his having a 
 body of fledi, but a denial of his having anfwer- 
 
 ed 
 
( 15 ) 
 
 ed the end of his coming in the flefh; which 
 was to evidence the love of God to mankind, 
 to take avi^ay their lin, and to fave them with an 
 everlafting falvation : this is in effed: to deny 
 that Jefus is come in flefli. 
 
 I ihall not particularly conlider that fplrit, 
 who not only profefTes equal infallibility with 
 him who di(ftated the holy fcriptures ; but a right 
 to contradid: them, where they claOi with its 
 fuggeftions : as miftaken, and untrue; or elfe as 
 containing a lower difpenfation of matters; and 
 therefore that his light, and affirmations, are 
 preferable to what is taught in the Bible. This 
 fpirit refufes to ftand trial by the Scriptures ; 
 therefore, I have nothing to do but to warn all 
 againft this fpirit : becaufe there is no end of 
 the evil and danger he will lead men into : a 
 mifchievous, lying fpirit, pretending authority 
 for all his evil works. 
 
 I am perfuaded that as many as believe the 
 fcriptures ; where they tell us, that when the 
 Spirit of Truth is come, he will not fpeak of 
 himfelf, norfeek his own glory; but the glory 
 of Chrift ; by receiving the things which are his, 
 and fliewing them unto us ; will acknowledge^ 
 that in all the inftances I have mentioned, the 
 fpirit fpeaketh of himfelf, and feeketh his own 
 glory, and therefore is not the Spirit of Truth. 
 
 The Spirit of Truth, when He is come, will 
 glorify Chrift, by receiving of the things which 
 are His, and fliewing them unto us : He leads 
 not the fons of God to view any impiilfe, ope- 
 ration, 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 ration, or work wrought In them, nor any thing 
 wrought by them, thro'PIis power, as the foun- 
 dation of their faith, or matter of their comfort} 
 nor, will he fufFer them to gather the leaft con- 
 fidence thence; but it is His nature and office 
 to fpeak only of Him that fent him. It is to 
 Jejiis He leads -, and points Him out perpetually, 
 as made of God unto us, whatever we want or 
 fland in need of. Whatever influence we feel ; 
 whatever change, or reformation is produced 
 in us by the Spirit's teftimony of Jefus ; or 
 whatever we are enabled thereby to do, or fuf- 
 fer for Him ; the Spirit of Truth is fo far from 
 fpeaking of it to us, or from once prefenting it 
 to our view, that he faithfully leads us off from 
 all apprehenfion or truft therein, and is con- 
 ftantly employed in fliewing us the things of 
 Jefus and glorifying Him. 
 
 By the things of Chri(f, I would underfland 
 the myftery of His Perfon, birth, life, fuffer- 
 ings, death and refurredion ; with all the grace 
 and glory abounding in Him : yen, all thofe 
 things which tend to manifeft Him to man- 
 kind, as lovely, valuable, precious, and glori- 
 ous i under every confideration endearing him 
 unto the fouls of men. 
 
 By the Spirit receiving of thofe things, I con- 
 ceive, is intended the miniftry of the Holy 
 Ghoil, in this particular : all the glory of what 
 our Saviour was, and did, in the flefli, the 
 Spirit of Truth is now commiffioned and fent 
 to reveal unto the children of men. 
 
 In 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 In the day of his humiliation^ his judgment was 
 taken away y and there were none to declare his 
 generation. His own difciples were offended 
 becaufe of him j they ftumbled at his unknown 
 forrows, his {hameful and bloody death : nor 
 could they bear the many things which he had 
 to fay to them ; neither underwood they when 
 he fpake to them of the myftery oj God^ arid of 
 the Father, andofChrifi. Though all thefe things 
 were then done and fpoken by our Saviour, 
 yet the explication of all was referved for the 
 admin iflration of the Spirit — But the Comforter ^ 
 the Holy Ghoji, whom the Father will fend in my 
 Name, heJJjall teach you all things, and bring 
 all things to your remembrance, whatever I have 
 faid unto you, John xiv. 26. 
 
 Thus hath the Spirit of Truth received in 
 truft, the fulnefs of the myftery of Jefus, to ma- 
 nifeft unto mankind J therefore it is faid, hefhall 
 receive of the things which are mine, and iliall 
 fhew them unto you. I am aware of this ob- 
 jection, the Spirit is faid to convince, regene- 
 rate, &c. and that this is appointed him as part 
 of his office, as well as that of lliewing us the 
 things ofChrifl; I anfwer, whatfoever may 
 properly be called a work of the Spirit, is 
 wrought by his glorifying Jefus, and fhewing 
 us the things that are his. And where ever any 
 work of the Spirit can be diflinguifhed from this, 
 we muft be excufed when we deny that fpirit 
 and his work, as one who fpeaketh of himfelf 5 
 and therefore falfe, as the fcriptures are true. 
 
 Indeed 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 Indeed the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, when 
 he is come, will reprove or convince the world 
 of fin, righteoufnefs, and judgment. The 
 fcripture expreilly fays. He reproves of fin-, 
 what fm ? Unbelief, fays Jefus — oj jm^ becaufe 
 they believe not in me. It is not the office of the 
 law, as naturally in us, nor as revealed from 
 Sinai, to convince of the fin of unbelief ; this 
 is the work and office of the Spirit of Truth. 
 Unbelief lurks and gathers its flrength under 
 the fliadow of the law: unbelief joins itfelf 
 in affinity with the law principle in our nature, 
 yea agrees with it in numbering the manifold 
 imperfections thereof, taking occafion from a 
 confcioufnefs of fin to flrengthen itfelf, and to 
 fill its mouth with arguments againfl the grace 
 of God, whilfl its own nature and finfulnefs 
 is flill unknown : but when the Spirit of Truth 
 comes, manifefling Jefus in the fulnefs of his 
 grace and glory, unbelief is deted:ed, and the 
 evil nature thereof declared as making God a 
 liar, believing not the record which he hath 
 given of his Son, how that he hath given to iis 
 eternal life, and this life is in his Son , i John 
 V. ID, II. in this the Spirit fpeaketh not of 
 himfelf, but of Chrifl : Ihewing that the fin 
 of unbelief confifis in a rejedion of him ; nor 
 can the world be convinced of it until the Spirit 
 of Truth reveal it, by fhewing them the things 
 of Chrift, manifefting, in the fulnefs of his 
 grace and glory, that Jefus whom they had re- 
 jected. 
 
 The 
 
( 19 ) . 
 
 The Spirit alfo reproves of righteoufnefs and 
 judgment — of right eoufnefs^ faid the Saviour, 
 becaufe I go to the Father ; intimating that he 
 could not have been accepted of the Father, 
 had he not fulfilled the lavi^, atoned for fin, and 
 brought in everlafting righteoufnefs. But 
 fbrafmuch as. he is gone to the Father, the Spi- 
 rit of Truth will (hew from thence that he hath 
 fulfilled all righteoufnefs 3 and is therefore ac- 
 cepted and received into glory. Hence man 
 is convinced of the infufficiency of his own 
 righteoufnefs and the all-fufficiency of Chrift s 
 — of judgment^ becaufe the prince of this world is 
 judged. This judgment to condemnation paf- 
 fed upon him in the death of Jefus, where man- 
 kind were delivered out of his toils, and he 
 judged and condemned as their deceiver. All 
 this doth the Spirit of Truth teach us by {hew- 
 ing us the things of Chriil, and glorifying 
 him. 
 
 The regeneration, or renewing in the fplrit 
 of our mind, afcribed to the Holy Ghoft as his 
 work and office, is wrought alfo by the revela- 
 tion of the Son of God j that is, by difcovering 
 to us the redemption which is in his blood, the 
 forgivenefs of finsi we are delivered from the 
 guilt and (lavery of fin, and brought into a new 
 ftate, where old things are done away^ and all 
 things are become new^ 2 Cor. v. 17. For as 
 Gur nature was regenerated and born anew in 
 Chrift Jefus, through whofe fufferings and 
 blood it vf^^ purged from all fin, Heb. i. 3. 
 
 recoil' 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 reconciled unto God, Col. i. 21, 22. and fully 
 conformed to his Image, Rom. viii. 29. the 
 Spirit of Truth receives of this and (hews it 
 unto US; withall witneffingourinterefl therein, 
 as thofe whom Chrift perfonated in all that he 
 did and fuffered : by this means, being dead unto 
 the law, we are married unto another y even to 
 him who is rijen from the dead, that we might 
 bring forth fruit unto God, Rom. vii. 4. Hence 
 we have the anfwer of a good confcience towards 
 God, by the RefurreSfion of Jefus Chriji, i Pet. 
 iii. 21. As the Spirit of Truth fliews us this, 
 he, by teaching and enabling us to relblve our 
 all into Jefus, authorizes the confcience to ap- 
 propriate his condition, his righteoufnefs, ho- 
 linefs, yea all his gracious qualities and full 
 conformity to God, until we come to the lan- 
 guage of the apoftle, who fays, as he is, fo are 
 we in this prefent world, ijohniv. 17. Thus 
 doth the things of Jefus which are fliewn us by 
 the Holy Ghoft attradl and draw the foul until 
 we wholly leave ourfelves, diX^^ are found in 
 Him, Phil. iii. 9. In him we are put in pof- 
 feflion of a new and clean heart, new delires, 
 new will, new affections, a new confcioufnefs of 
 ourfelves, which is not after the old Adam, but 
 after him who is rifen from the dead. By this 
 new and fpiritual birth we pafs out of darknefs 
 into light, yea tranfiatedjrom the power of dark- 
 nefs into the kingdom of Gcd's dear Son, Col. i. 
 1 3 . where being horn of God we cannot fin, be- 
 caufe the /w/^or/^/remainingyiff^is pure, i John 
 
 iii. 9. 
 
( 2' ) 
 
 iii. 9. In all this the Spirit of Truth glorifies 
 JefuSj as him in whom we are regenerated, 
 born anew and changed, being Gcd s 'workman-' 
 ■Jljtp^ created anew inChriJiJeJustintogoodworkSy 
 which he hath before ordained y that we Jhouldwalk 
 in them, Eph. ii. 10, According to this grace, 
 the Spirit of Truth reveals Chrifh in the heart 
 through a gradual manifeftation, and as we dif- 
 cern him from faith to faith ; he teaches us to 
 put him on, Rom. xiii. 14. until we come im- 
 to a perfedi man^ unto the mealure of the Jlature of 
 the fubiefs of Chrift^ Eph. iv. 13. This is a 
 wonderful and great change, and is thus de- 
 fcribed in the fcriptures : We all, with once faccy 
 beholding^ as in a glafs, the glory oj the Lord, 
 are changed into the fame image, from glory to 
 glory y as by the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. iii. 18. 
 Thus whatever the Spirit worketh for the fal- 
 vation, and comfort of mankind, is all wrought 
 by his fliewing us the things of Chrift, and tef- 
 tifying of him that he might be glorified. He 
 fhews us the myftery of the perfon of Jefus, as 
 God-man, Rom. ix. 5. as Rmmaniiel^ or God 
 with us. Matt. i. 23. and how that we, as the 
 church, are the fuhiefs of him that filleth all in 
 all, Eph. i. 23. Members of his body^ of his 
 fiefh, and of his bones^ Eph. v. 30. Heirs of 
 God, and joint-heirs of Chrifl, Rom. viii. 17. 
 
 Being thus interefted in, and related to the hu- 
 man nature of our Lord, we are together in and 
 with that nature related unto God; the union 
 of natures in him, being that marriage-union, 
 
 C where 
 
_ ( 22 ) 
 
 where our Maker is our Hiijhand^ Ifa. liv. ^. that 
 blefTed and eternal life of ours, which is hid 
 with Chrijl in God, Col. iii. 3. 
 
 Again, the Spirit is faid to bear vvitnefs with 
 our fpirit that we are children of God, Rom. 
 viii. 16. and in this alfo he glorifies Chrift. The 
 matter of this witnefs is, that God hath given to us 
 eter?ialUJe, and this life is in his Son-, i John v. 1 1 . 
 That he died for our fins, aitdwas raifed again 
 Joroiirjuftification, Rom. iv. 25. and hath ^z/^ 
 away f 91 by the facrijice of himfelf] Heb. ix. 26. 
 hath by oiie offering perfeBedj'or ever^ them that 
 are fajiBifiedj whereof the Holy Ghoji alfo is a wit- 
 nefs to uSj Heb. X. 14, 15. His argument is the 
 faithfulnefs and truth of him who hath fpoken 
 it j and being infinite in wifdom, and in power 
 omnipotent, he can. overthrow the enemies of 
 our peace, and perfuade our hearts beyond all 
 uncertainty and doubtfulnefs. Thus doth he 
 witnefs cur fonfliip, and withal, fhew us the 
 method of it as by one Lord Jefus. To bear 
 which witnefs from any work of our own hands, 
 from any reformation, or change wrought upon 
 us, from any frame, or difpofition within us, or 
 from any light, knowledge, &c. would be to 
 deny the Lord that bought us j to run counter 
 to his religion, to walk by fight and not by faith ; 
 to make the fpirit fpeak 01 himfelf, and not of 
 him that fent him : but the witnefs of the Spirit 
 of Truth is known by its agreement with the 
 fcriptures, which teach that we have the adoption 
 of fons by fcfus Chrify Eph. i. 5. arguing the 
 
 reality 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 reality and fecurlty of this grace, from the truth, 
 faithfulnefs, and unchangeablenefs of Him who 
 gave it us. lam the Lordy and 1 change not, there- 
 fore ye fons of Jacob are not confumedj Mai. iii. 6. 
 Jefus Chrtji the fame y efler day , to-day^ andjorever^ 
 Heb. xiii. 8. and fuch is the perfuafive power 
 and force of this witnefs, thro' illumination, in- 
 fluence and argument, that all our reafonings 
 and unbelieving objections fail before him j and 
 its tyranny ceafing, the confcience is brought 
 into a ftate of purity and peace, not flaggering 
 through unbelief, but believing in hope againjl 
 hope, Rom. iv. i8. that is, whilfl: from a deep 
 convid:ion of the defperate wickednefs and de- 
 ceitfulnefs of the heart, Jer. xvii. 9. reafon and 
 fenfe deny all ground of hope from ourfelves, yea 
 would rather urge our defpair : The Spirit of 
 Truth points out Jefus to us in all his fulnefs, 
 and fuitablenefs to our neceffities, witneffing 
 our intereft therein, and that with fuch al- 
 mighty power, that we believe in hope of what 
 the Spirit teftiiies concerning Jefus, againft the 
 hopelefs and defperate views we fliouid have of 
 ourfelves, were we to judge ourfelves by our- 
 felves,, or to compare ourfelves with ourfelves; 
 thus whilfl in the world, and in ourfelves, we 
 have tribulation, we have peace and joy in the 
 beloved Jefus. From all which, the truth of 
 this propoiition flill appears, it is the office of 
 the Spirit of Truth to glorify Chrift. 
 
 I come novf to the third thing propofed, the 
 
 confideration of the Spirit of Truth in his opc- 
 
 B 2 rations 5 
 
( 24 ) 
 
 rations ; it is compared by our Saviour to the 
 wind: 'The iui?2d bloweth whe?'e it lijleth, and thou 
 hear eft thejoimd thereof^ but canft not tell ^whence 
 it Cometh^ and whither it gceth j Jo is every one 
 that is bG?'n of the Spirit, John iii. 8. itbloweth 
 where it lifteth, denoting the free agency of 
 the Spirit in his operations, as not obligated 
 thereto by any human power, nor to be refift-^ 
 ed thereby Vv^hen he will work. 
 
 As we are in no wife conducive to the winds 
 blowing, neither are we to the Spirit's opera- 
 tions; we merit it not; nor is our wifdom, dili- 
 gence, or faithfulnefs, any inducement thereto ; 
 to haften, increafe orfl:reno:thenit : for it blow- 
 eth where it lifteth, when it will., and on whcnt 
 it will : fometimes on fuch who feek him not, 
 Ifa. Ixv. 7. paffing by many who were in fearch 
 after the law of righteoi/f?jefs, Rom. ix. 3 1 . Thus 
 taking occafion to baffle the wifdom and abafe 
 the pride of all flefli, plainly evidencing, that 
 human excellencies and abilities are of no ad- 
 vantage in this particular ; declaring it impof- 
 fible for man, by the beft obfervations he is 
 capable of making, to point out by an unex- 
 ceptionable rule, the perfon qualified and pre- 
 pared as a proper objed; of the Spirit's opera- 
 tions. 
 
 The operations of the Spirit are unlimited : 
 fometimes by the word, as where he makes ufc 
 of any portion of the fcripture, thereby to re- 
 veal the things of Jefus to the heart. The ap- 
 plication of the promife, by the Spirit, is a 
 
 cuflomary 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 cuftomriry phrafe amongft fuch who profeis 
 chriftianity, and to be feared, often ufed igno-^ 
 rantly : it is probable, that many who ufe it, 
 underftand nothing more by it, than that when 
 fome particular text of fcripture corning to their 
 remembrance ftirs them up to forrow, joy, glad- 
 nefs, &c. from the confideration of which in- 
 fluence, they perfuade themfelves of its being 
 applied by the Spirit, and fo reft thereon. I 
 need not be at much expence of time^ or ar- 
 gument, to {hew that this is not the Spirit of 
 Truth J becaufe he neither reveals Jefus, nor 
 /peaks of him, but fuffers the mind to reft in 
 that influence it felt on the remembrance of 
 ihe literal word. 
 
 Again, when the promife is conditional, and 
 requires certain qualifications in fuch to whom 
 it may be faid to belong, there are fundry, 
 who imagining they are poflefl^ed of the quali- 
 fications required, lay claim to the promife on 
 that condition, but efpccially if the promife oc- 
 cur to the thought fuddenly and unexpecfled, 
 they think it muft be the Spirit of Truth, that 
 applies a word of promife fo fuitable to their 
 ftate, and therefore take comfort and reft 
 therein. 
 
 Now this is to be under the law and not 
 under grace, forafmuch as the promife is here 
 embraced and trufted in upon law terms : when 
 we fuppofe ourfelves to have that qualification, 
 which the promile as conditional requires in 
 us, and upon that condition lay claim to it, h i& 
 C 3 manv'^:^ 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 manifeft judaifni j a fecking falvation by the 
 works of the law, and not the chriftlan religion 
 which direds all our truft and confidence to 
 Jefus Chrift. The Spirit of Truth teaches us 
 that whatever fpecious appearances there may 
 be, we have nothing in reality on condition 
 of which we can claim the favour of God in 
 the promife j for the fcripture having condu- 
 cted all under fin, Gal. iii. 22. affirms that^- 
 braham had not whereof he might glory before 
 Godj Rom. iv. 2. Therefore that Spirit which 
 lulls us in a falfe operation cannot 'be the Spirit 
 of Truth, but of error and falfliood ; as it is 
 apparent that this way of relying upon the pro- 
 mife is antichriftianifm, and in eiiedt, a.denial 
 that Jefus Chrift is come in the fieflh. 
 
 Again, there are promifes of an abfolute 
 found ; fuch as, / ivill be their God\^ and they 
 fiall be my people^ Jer. xxxi. 33. / will heal 
 their backjlidi^igs afid love them freely, Hof. xiv. 
 4. and lundry others of like import. Now 
 when thofe promifes occur with energy to the 
 remembrance, there is a refting on them as 
 unconditionalj in expedation of what is pro- 
 mifed being fulfilled as an adt of God's fove- 
 reign pleafurej nor is this the operation of the 
 Spirit of Truth, for this would be to make the 
 promifes of (^od againfl the law, which God for- 
 bid. Gal. iii. 21. Forafmuch as the law would 
 be againfl the abfolute promife of falvation, as 
 not refpeding the demands of juftice and ho- 
 ]inefs. 
 
 The 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 The manner of the Spirit of Truth's opera- 
 ting by the word, is to refrefh and comfort 
 from the views of Jefus thereby. Whatfoever 
 we cannot read Chrift in, is fcarce worth our 
 perufal ; nor is that fweet that hath not the fa- 
 vour of his name. All the promifes of God are 
 in Chrift Jefus yea and arnen^ to the glory oj God 
 by all his witneffes, 2 Cor. i. 20. And when 
 ever the Spirit of Truth brings any part of 
 fcripture to our remembrance, he brings Jefus 
 in it, without whom all is dead and killing 
 letter : if the promife he brings is conditional, 
 he comforts us from the views of the condition 
 being fulfilled in Jefus, and the promifed grace 
 freely ours by union with him ; or if the pro- 
 mife hath an abfolute and unconditional found, 
 he fliews us by what means it is fo ; even by 
 the obedience to death of the bleffed Jefus, in 
 whom God is our God, and we his people, 
 and that confident with his flridefl juflice and 
 purity. Thus the Spirit of Truth, in all his 
 operations by the fcriptures, glorifies Chrifl:, 
 opening the wells of lalvation in him, whence 
 we draw water with joy, Ifa. xii. 3. 
 
 The law is not againfl the promifes of God 
 in Chrifl, though they give the waters of life 
 freely, becaufe of fatistadion rendered by his 
 life and death, and everlajling righteoiifnefe 
 brought /«, Dan. ix. 24. 
 
 Sometimes the Spirit of Truth may be faid 
 to operate without the fcriptures, though al- 
 ways agreeable to them ; as where, thro' the 
 
 internal 
 
. ( 28 ) 
 
 internal dlfcoveries of Jefas and of our re- 
 demption in his blood, he frees the mind fromi, 
 guilt and fear, proceeding to quicken, comfort 
 and ftrengthen the heart in him j and this he 
 often doth without the concurrence of any por- 
 tion of the written word in the remembrance 
 thereof, nor need any one fear being deceived 
 in thofe views of Chrift, and comfort in him, 
 which may not have any particular text of 
 fcripture attending it upon their mind : the main 
 queftion is, whether it is agreeable to the word 
 or not ? Is it from a view of what Chrift is, 
 of your relation to him, and redemption in his 
 blood, that your confolations abound ? then it is 
 according to the law and to. the teftimony, be 
 affured it is the operation of the Spirit of Truth, 
 nor is there any deceit therein, tho' you may not 
 have what is called, the application of a text of 
 fcripture therewith. There can be no error, ac- 
 cording to the word of the Lord, where man is 
 abafed and Chrifi: alone exalted — the loftinefs of 
 man Jlall be bowed dowU:, and the haiightmejs of 
 menJJjall be made low, and the Lord alone j]:a.ll be 
 exalted in that day^ Ifa. ii. 17. in that day Abra- 
 ham became dujl and aJJxs, Gen. xviii. 27. the 
 Pfalmift as a bea/i before God, Pfal. Ixxiii. 22. 
 Job abhors himfelf /« dufi and apjes, Jobxlii. 6. 
 Jeremiah's Heart is dejperafely wicked^ and de- 
 ceitful above all things, Jer. xvii. 9. Ifaiah is 
 imdone, a jna?i of unclean lips, Ifa. vi. 5. Da- 
 niel's comelinefs was turned ijito corruption, Dan. 
 3f. 8. Paul was the chief of iinners, i Tim. 
 
 ■j. 15",' 
 
(29) 
 
 i. 15. and ]ohn Jell as dead at his feet. Rev. i. 
 17. O how glorious the day when man is a- 
 bafed, his haughtinefs brought low, and the 
 Lord alone exalted ! But concerning Jefus, he 
 glorifies him, he exalts him above all heavens; 
 declares him to be the defire of imtions. Hag. ii. 
 7. the Jirength of Ifrael, i Sam. xv. 29. the faU 
 "vation of God unto the ends of the earthy Adts 
 xiii. 47. upon whom is hung all the glory of 
 his Father s houfe, Ifa. xxii. 24. whofe throne 
 endureth for ever and ever, the Jcepter oj whofe 
 kingdom is eternal righteoufnefs, Heb. i. 8. 
 whofe name is above every name, to which 
 all things in heaven and earth bow, and every 
 tongue jhall confefs that fefiis is the Lordy to the 
 glory of God the Father, Phil. ii. 9, 10, 11. 
 
 Again, the operations of the Spirit of Truth 
 are to be diftinguifhed from the paffions, for 
 want of which diftindiion, many things have 
 been fathered upon the Holy Ghoft, which 
 were manifeftly the fruits of man's own corrupt 
 pafiions. Where the paffions are miftook for 
 the Spirit's operations, people will not fail to 
 afTert, that they are led by the Spirit in this 
 and the other thing, though it be manifeft they 
 be influenced in what they do, by pride, anger, 
 envy, hatred, malice, &c. and becaufe their 
 zeal, in the execution thereof, is fuch 3 as to a- 
 nimate and invigorate them to that degree, that 
 they can fuflain any lofs, fuffer any reproach 
 or extremity, even to death, for the caufe they 
 are engaged in, they think certainly they are 
 
 led 
 
( 30 ) 
 
 led by the Spirit of Truth, elfe they could not 
 have fuch fortitude and comfort in fuffering, 
 and doing what they have done. But alas ! 
 what is it that a perfon thus infatuated will not 
 do, what is it they will not fuffer to gratify the 
 flefh, either in pride, aiming at felf-righteouf-^ 
 nefs, applaufe, or praife of men, or to be re- 
 venged on fuch who may be the objed: of their 
 anger, envy or hatred ? The truth of this 
 doubtlefs occaiioned that memorable and ever 
 blefTed fentence of the Holy Ghofl : Though I 
 fpeak with tongues ^ have the gift ofprophefy^ have 
 all knowledge^ have all faiths though I bejlow all 
 my goods to feed the poor , and my body to be burn- 
 ed^ and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing, 
 I Cor. xiii. i, 2, 3. The pafiions, v/hilrtkept 
 in fubordination to the Spirit of Truth, are 
 pleafant in religion, and renders the exercife 
 thereof delightful. But when miftaken for the 
 Spirit, and followed, they lead into fo many 
 enthufiaftic extravagancies, that whofo looks 
 coolly on, and tries the fpirit, will eafily per- 
 ceive the deception j and indeed to judge of 
 the operations of the Spirit by the paffions, is 
 to be always at a lofs. To raife the paffions 
 is an art, in a great meafure depending upon 
 gefture, found of voice, pronunciation, ^c. but 
 the operation of the Spirit is not dependent upon 
 any human power or excellency, nay but 
 choofes rather to work without it. Choofmg the 
 foolijh to confound the wife, and the weak to con- 
 found the fnighty, and the bafe, the dejpifed, and 
 
 things 
 
(31) 
 
 thhtgs ivhich are not, hath God chofen to bring to 
 ?2othi?ig things that are, i Cor. i. 27, 28. And 
 7, brethren, when I came to you, came not with 
 excellency of fpeech, or of wifdom, and my fpeechy 
 and 7ny preaching was not with enticing words oj 
 mans wifdom, but in demonjiration of the spirit 
 and of power, i Cor. ii. i, 4. It was the -fay- 
 ing of a certain orator, touching the eftedl his 
 orations had upon the people, in raifing the paf- 
 iions ; that it did not fo much matter whath.^ 
 faid, as how he faid it ; however excufable this 
 might be in Heathen policy, it is utterly un- 
 worthy a chriftian minifler's imitation; yea 
 to be had in abomination of all who would win 
 fouls to Jefus Chrifl:. The Spirit of Truth ope- 
 rates according to judgment, and always 
 comforts the heart from luitable difcoveries of 
 Jefus. A judicious chriftian will check, with 
 difdain, his fwelling paffions, however plea- 
 fing, unlefs fome chearing view or confidera- 
 tion of Jefus, his beloved Bridegroom, be at 
 the bottom ; as the rife and fpring of all 3 and 
 then he will be cautious, however pleafing 
 they are, of following them too far, left he 
 forget or lofe light of his Beloved. 
 
 When we hear, read, or meditate of Jefus, 
 of his defpifed life, his bitter fuffering, his 
 bloody and ftiameful death, we may be eifedled 
 thereby, as the daughters of Jerufalem were 
 when they faw him go forth, bearing his crofs, 
 and yet Dur forrow and tears flow all from paf- 
 lion : where there is no faithful view of a fuf- 
 fering 
 
( 32 ) 
 fcring Jefus, there is no operation of the Spirit 
 pf Truth. Such who know him thus, only 
 after the flelli, mourn in the tumult of their 
 paffions, to think on the fufferings of fuch an 
 innocent and good man j they hate the inftru- 
 ments of cruelty, are extremely angry at the 
 Jews, the Roman foldiers, and all who were 
 concerned in his death. In like fort the hiflo- 
 ry of his refurredtion iills them with joy and 
 gladnefs : now where this is, without appre- 
 hending the end and defign of his fuffering, 
 dying, and rifing again, of their interefi: therein, 
 and benefit thereby, it can be but the falfe 
 flame and working of the paffions, and not the 
 operations of the Spirit of Truth ; forafmuch 
 as Jefus is not glorified, either in his perfonal 
 dignity, or in his end and defign in fufi^ering 
 and dying, which was to fave his body the 
 church, and to put a new fong in her mouth, 
 even of mercy a?2d judgment, Plal. ci. i. 
 
 The operations of the Spirit of Truth pro- 
 duceth the proper effeds ; whilfi:, as the light 
 enlightening the mind, helhews us thewretch- 
 ednefs of our nature, and as life from the 
 dead, quickens us to feel it^ felf-loathing, abafe- 
 ment, and an utter abhorrence of ourfelves, na- 
 turally becomes the principle and temper of 
 our fouls. But from the revelation of the Son 
 of God in the heart, we are infpired with joy 
 and gladnefs. He glorifies him as tnade of God 
 unto us, wijdom, right eoufnefs.JanB'ijicmon, and 
 redemption^ Cor. i. 30. and opening our under- 
 
 ftanding 
 
(33 ) 
 
 {landing to dlfcern this 3 he perfuades, encou- 
 rages, and ftrengthens our hearts to the belief of 
 the truth, and fills m ivith py mtd peace in belie^- 
 *vin'g^ Rom. xv. 13. and, as he enlightens and 
 confirms us more fully in the faith, Jeiiis appears 
 more valuable, more glorious and precious ; 
 and thus growing in grace and in the know- 
 ledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, 
 2 Pet. iii. 18. the righteoufnefs of God being 
 revealed to us, from faith to faith, Rom. i. 17. 
 we are led on by the fame fpirit in the unity of 
 the faith y and of the kmijoledge of the Son ofGody 
 unto apefeB man^ unto the meafure oftheftature 
 cf the fulnefs of Chrijiy Eph. iv. 13. until we 
 have fo fully ceafed from ourfelves, as to have 
 no more expediation of what is good and ac- 
 ceptable from any work of our own hands, 
 than we would have of grapes from thorns, or 
 figs from thiftles 5 but all our prefent joy and 
 happinefs, and expectation of future glory, is 
 in Jefus the Lord that loved us, and bought us 
 with his own blood. Thus all the operations 
 of the Spirit of Truth conipire to abafe the 
 creature, to ftain his glory, but to exalt the love 
 and grace of the Creator, yea to fet on high the 
 Man of God's right hand, the Son of Man 
 whom he hath made ftrong for himfelf. 
 
 Having in fimplicity, and I truft agreeable 
 to the fcriptures, confidered the matter accor- 
 ding to my propofals ; I would now attempt 
 the natural and proper ufe of what I have 
 already faid on this fubjed. 
 
 If 
 
( 34 ) 
 If it be allowed that the fcriptures are the 
 rule for the trial of fpirits, let us then faith- 
 fully make ufe of them to that purpofe, and 
 always beware of prefering the traditions of 
 men to them : let not the wifdom, learning, 
 holinefs, or popularity of any man deceive us, 
 fo as to receive implicitly what they affirm ; 
 nay, if they were apoftks let us try their fpirit 
 by the fcriptures, whether they be of God or 
 not. It is too common, where men are counted 
 wife in their generation, learned, holy, arid 
 withal popular, to be blindly followed, and all 
 that they fay, however inconfiftent and un- 
 fcrlpturai, efteemed of as the oracles of God : 
 thus, on the credit of their charader, their doc- 
 trine and traditions are received. For a man 
 to call in queftion the truth of what they affirm, 
 after the trial of their fpirit, would be deemed 
 an unpardonable crime : fuch is the courfe of 
 this world : nor may we exped: they will un- 
 deceive the world in this particular, as that 
 would be to deny themfelves, which goes hard 
 with men of their fubflance. Myjlery Babylon 
 the greats the mother of harlots and abominatiom 
 cf the earth, and the root of apoftafy from 
 Chrifl. Beloved, beheve not every fpirit, but 
 try the fpirits whether they be of God ; bring 
 them to the fcriptures, let that indeed be the 
 rule of your faith and pradice, and, if it ffiould 
 be thought a deviation from the beaten track 
 of man's traditions, be not terrified, neither be 
 afraid of being fmgular for Chrift, when you 
 
 have 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 have the fignature of the Spirit of Truth for 
 what you do : this will preferve you from be- . 
 ing tofTed about with every wind of dodrine ; 
 nor will you then cry, Lo ! here is Chrift, or 
 lo ! there is Chrift ; but you will ftridly abide 
 by that rule, whereby you may know the Spirit 
 which is of God. 
 
 Is it true, that the nature of the Spirit of 
 Truth is known by his fruit ? and is the fruit 
 of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-fiiffering, gen- 
 tlenefs, goodnefs, faith, fueeknefs, temperance f Gal. 
 V. 23. AH who profefs to believe the fcriptures, 
 acknowledge thefe as the fruits of the Spirit, 
 though the greateft part are yet at a lofs where 
 to find them as really produced and brought 
 forth. They read the fruit of the Spirit is love, 
 but when they look to fuch who profefs to have 
 the Spirit j they perceive bitternefs, envy, ftrife, 
 uncharitablenefs, and all the reverfe of love ; 
 or where there is an appearance of love, is it 
 not contrafted to the narrow limit of a party ? 
 is it not to fuch who wear our own complexion ? 
 or, if now and then it make an extraordinary 
 advance towards fuch, who are not within thofe 
 pales, is it not becaufe they are popular ? is it 
 not becaufe their perfons are had in admira- 
 tion ? But when doth it extend to our enemy, 
 and that in heart, and not in tongue only ? 
 when doth it fatisfy his hungry foul with bread, 
 and relieve his thirft with water ? whofe foul is 
 that, which will always blefs where it is cur- 
 fed ? and who is he, that will always do good 
 
 where 
 
^here evil is done unto him ? fhevv me thd 
 man or the woman upon earth, and I will lliew 
 you one who brings forth the fruits ot the 
 Spirit of Truth : and yet this is the plain and 
 poiitive dodrine of the Lord Jellis ; but Ifdy 
 untoyou^ love your enemies^ do good to them which 
 hate you^ blejs thetn that ciirfe you^ and pray j or 
 them which dejpitefully ufe you^ Lukevi. 27, 28. 
 every proud boafter would do well to confider 
 this, and afk his confcience calmly, in the pre- 
 fence of him who fearcheth the heart and trieth 
 the reins, am I the man ? certain it is, the en- 
 vious, the malicious, the uncharitable, the bigot, 
 cannot be the perfon. And with what face, 
 any man can boaft of his bringing forth the 
 fruits of the Spirit, or with what confcience he 
 can pleafe and footh himfelf in the thought 
 thereof, whiift he anfwers not in character to 
 this dod:rine, which our Saviour hath fo plainly 
 diflinguifhed his religion by, in its influence 
 and powerful effecfls, from all religions upon 
 earth, I cannot underftand : but fure I am it is 
 unfcriptural, and I think, utterly inconfiflent ; 
 and indeed inftead of loving our enemies, &c. 
 is it not with us yetj rather, a?i eye for an eye^ 
 a tooth Jor a tooth ? yea, is not this our wretched 
 cafe, the more we boafl of the Spirit, and pro- 
 fefs to bear his fruit, the farther we are from 
 it and the more contrary to his nature ? is it 
 not from the profefiion of bringing forth the 
 fruits of the Spirit, which is love, &c. that men 
 take an occalion to hate their brethren their 
 
 fellow 
 
( 37 ) 
 fellow-creatures ? whence Is that language of 
 the heart, ft and by thyfelf] come not near to 7ne^ 
 for I am holier than thou f Ifa. Ixv. 5. Whence 
 is it we think ourlelves authorized to run cciin- 
 ter to our profeffion (which is the love of God 
 and man) in back-biting, evil-fpeaking, Pan- 
 dering, lying, uncharitably cenfuring, bear- 
 ing falfe witnefb againft our neighbour, but 
 from a feififh and miftaken conceit of our be- 
 ing fomething, when we are nothing? All 
 manner of perfecution is inconfiifent with chri- 
 ftianity, yea cxpreflly forbidden, where we are 
 taught to love our enemies, and to ejieetn of 0- 
 thers better than oiirfeJves, Phil. ii. 3. But alas ! 
 how few are there (if any) who fully follow 
 thefe bleffed maxims ; but on the contrary, are 
 full of ftrife and hatred, living in open violence, 
 or fecret whifperings ; and though, under the 
 truly valuable government of thefe kingdoms, 
 they are indeed reftrained from an immediate 
 dipping their hands in each other's blood 3 yet 
 will they, thro' hatred and evil fpeech, mur- 
 der without mercy, all iuch whofe fuppofed er- 
 rors in principle, or practice, have rendered' 
 them the objed:s of their hatred and contempt, 
 and all under a profeflion of bringing forth the 
 fruit of the Spirit, which is love. 
 
 I am perluaded thefe things are too obvious 
 and well known to require particulars in proof 
 thereof, forafmuch as they are not confined to 
 corners, but ftalk in open day : and is this the 
 method of doin^ good unto all men? Gal. vi. 10. 
 
 D is 
 
( 38 ) 
 is this the method oi efteeming others better than 
 ourfelvesH Phil. ii. 3. is this the acknowledg- 
 ment we make of our having nothing but ivhat 
 ive have 7'eceived? i Cor. iv. 7. are thofe the 
 iruits of the Spirit of Truth ? God forbid j e- 
 very reafonable man muft conclude, that if a 
 ipirit is known by his fruits, that fpirit, from 
 whom fuch fruits as thefe proceed, muft be 
 diabolical ; elfe where is the love of the Spirit, 
 which is free, impartial, unchangeable? where 
 the joy, peace, long-Jufferiiig^ gentknefs, good" 
 nefs, faith, meehiejs, temperance"^ Sec. True, 
 there are appearances of this amongft chriftians, 
 and fo there is in uncultivated nature, where no- 
 thing fways but reafon and the natural difpofition 
 of the mind; will it be urged that it is in a 
 greater meafure among chriftians ? it is granted 
 it ought to be fo from their profeftion : but 
 whether it is fo is a matter of difpute I think. 
 Whether love and friendfhip amongft the Hea- 
 then, are not with more truth and conftancy, 
 than they are in the generality amongft thofe 
 called chriftians ? vea, the former would fcorn 
 fuch mean and pitiful behaviour, as fuch who 
 are counted moft eminent amongft the latter, 
 make no confcicnce of. The fpirit of the one 
 is open, generous and free ; they fail not to ap- 
 pear in their own colour -, whilft the other, 
 under a cloak of religion, a pretended zeal for 
 holinefs, the glory of God, and the good of 
 fouls, give the moft pregnant proofs of their 
 pride, hatred, malice, revenge and covetouf- 
 
 nefsi 
 
( 39 ) 
 nefs ; as though the wrath of man, with the fpi- 
 rit of Satan, was to work the righteoufnefs of 
 .God, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit 
 of Truth. Bict be not deceived^ God is not mock" 
 ed -J for what a manfoweth^ that fd all he r-eap. 
 Gal. vi. y. O my brethren, how long fliall we 
 call light darknefs, and darknefs light. 
 
 As you prcfefs to bear the fruits of the Spirit, 
 only produce them, Jefus fliall have the praife, 
 and you the comfort. If the fruit of the Spirit 
 is love, what is the objed: thereof? If it is i^l^t 
 I confefs there is a plentiful produce of felf-love 
 in the world : but if it is God and your neigh- 
 bour, bring it forth and it is well 3 loving the 
 Lord your God with all your heart, love your 
 neighbour as yourfelves, yea better than your- 
 felves; for this is the love of the Spirit; and 
 then all hatred, evil fpeaking, whifpering, and 
 treachery will ceafe of courfe. Is the fruit of 
 the Spirit joy ? fliew it by your rejoicing in the 
 Lord aiway, in every ftate and condition, and 
 let the whole of your conduct, towards your 
 fellow-creatures, be fuch as will increafe their 
 joy, and not their diftrefs. Is the fruit of the 
 Spirit peace ? have not only peace yourfelves, 
 but feek it and enfue it 3 be always a maker and 
 promoter, but never a breaker cf peace : join 
 not yourfelves with the fons of blufter and vio- 
 lence, who jump upon the threfhold and fill 
 the houfe with ftrife. Is the fruit of the Spirit 
 long-fuffering ? forbearing revenge, fuffcr all 
 wrongs and injuries done you with patience^ 
 
 D 2 and^ 
 
( 4° ) 
 
 and refl in the will of God. Is the fruit of the 
 Spirit gentlenefs ? laying afide all haughtinefs 
 and auflerity, be eafily entreated and approach- 
 ed without fear. Is the fruit of the Spirit good- 
 nefs ? O how extenfive is this ! let your heart 
 be heavenly, compaffionate, affedtionate, kind, 
 tender, without guile, and all your adions be 
 benevolent, juft and refrcfliing towards man, 
 felf-denying and fincere towards God. Is the 
 fruit of the Spirit faith ? flagger not through 
 URbelief, but be ftrong in the faith, giving glo- 
 ry to God 3 always believe him, always truft 
 him, in every ftate, in every condition, be fa- 
 tisfied, be content j never murmuring nor re- 
 pining. Is it meeknefs and temperance ? let 
 your fpirit and pradice fhew it forth, that you 
 may have both name and thing. It is not fuf- 
 iicient to fay we have the appearance of thcfe 
 things, or that we have them in reality, whilfl 
 inconflant, imperfed:. 
 
 All the fruits of the Spirit of Truth are per- 
 fed, elfe they would not be proof and evidence 
 of his nature. It all the works and fruits of 
 the Spirit of Truth are declarative of his na- 
 ture, they muft be perfedly holy. And if 
 thofe works and fruits are wrought and orodu- 
 ced in man, do they not, mull they not an- 
 fwer this charader r I coniefs, the common 
 folution of this, perfedton in part, but not 
 in degree, is not intelligible to me ; and I ra- 
 ther think it is too intricate and fcholartic, for 
 the piaiji and iimple dodrine of thnftianity, 
 
 which. 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 which, in divine wifdom, is ordained for the 
 edification, not only of the learned, but the 
 unlearned, yea the way-faring men^ tho fools Jhall 
 not err therein^ Ifa. xxxv. 8. Befide, it appears 
 to me utterly inconfiftent with the main end 
 and defign of the chriftian religion, which is 
 the glory of God, and the good of mankind : 
 becaufe, if it may be fuppofed that the fruits of 
 the Spirit are in a man, who yet can be proud, 
 malicious, angry, envious, hateful, unchari- 
 table, &c. wherein is God glorified, or his 
 fellow-creatures benefited by his fruit? but, 
 fhould it be urged, although the fruit of the 
 Spirit in man do not perfedily free him from 
 fin, yet it keeps under the lufls, paflions, and 
 corruptions of his heart, fo that they do not 
 break out at any time to the difhonourof God, 
 or the prejudice of his fellow-creature : fhould 
 this be allowed, though I cannot fee how it 
 may, (nor have I known amongft all my ac- 
 quaintance one fingle inftance of it) it is ftill 
 granted, that though they are delivered from 
 the outward ads of fin, yet the feed and evil 
 thereof remains. Who are they, that believing 
 the fcripture, will deny that our Saviour ex- 
 pounds the inclination as an ad: of the heart 
 before God ? Matt. v. 28. Therefore, what a 
 falfe foothing of the foul muft it be, when a 
 perfon, under the power of his paflions and cor- 
 ruptions, reckons of himfelf to have the fruits 
 of the Spirit, and confequently to be ia a ftate 
 of fafety, becaufe, at times he feels a contrary 
 D 3 difpo- 
 
{ 42 ) 
 
 difpofitlon of mind, looks upon himfelf as ha- 
 ving two principles in him, good and bad; 
 reckoning of his condition towards God by 
 the good principle, though his fpirit and con- 
 du6t are manifeftly under the power of the bad ; 
 and here values himfelf on the account of in ward 
 holinefs, and takes occaiion to be very bitter 
 againft fuch whom he thinks deficient therein, 
 though he himfelf brings few other fruits to 
 light than what I have already mentioned. 
 
 lam perfuaded there are but few, if any, 
 fo abandoned amongft the human race, but 
 what their confcience, at times, accufes or ex- 
 cufes them ; there is a principle in them which 
 cannot but approve of true virtue and piety, 
 and acknowledge the evil of vice : Why might 
 not a perfon of this charader conclude he hath 
 the fruits of the Spirit, and therefore that all 
 mankind have them ? Becauict if this propofi- 
 tion, perfedion in parts, but not in degree, be 
 true, then the leaft meafure thereof is perfedl, 
 and denominates the perfon fanclified, yea, one 
 who hath the fruits of the Spirit. And, if it 
 can be proved that ail mankind have at times, 
 good and pious motions, yea, habitually a wit- 
 nels for God in them, accufing or exculing 
 them, as Rom.ii. i^. then, notwithftanding 
 their meafure is fmall they are all fandtiiied, 
 all filled with the fruits of the Spirit, which 
 may not be granted. Jf it fhould be urged, that 
 the pious motions and difpofitions which are in 
 chriltians, are different in nature from thcie 
 
 which 
 
( 43 ) 
 which are in mankind in the general, ^nd that 
 this difference is commonly defined as working 
 for life 2iX\^from Ufe : that a chriftian, knowing 
 the grace of God, works from Hfe^ that is, re- 
 joices, obeys, and performs all the exercifes of 
 religion as naturally as the fun rifes, as we 
 breathe, and the like j which is not the cafe 
 with the unregenerate, who are driven by the 
 threats of puni(hment, or drawn by promifes of 
 reward in all they do ; if this is the cafe, why 
 is itfuggefted that chrilHans cannot have com- 
 fort, nay cannot have life, except they work and 
 obey ? and if it is thus natural for them to obey, 
 why then all the exhortations and motives made 
 ufe of to excite them to it ? what need of all 
 this fpurring, where is it fo natural for them 
 to run ? befides, who is there, knowing his 
 own heart, that is not apprized of this ? He 
 cannot doy feel, ovfiiffer any thing for God, but 
 what he mufl be fenfible that his mind cleaves 
 to it ; and, more or lefs, takes comfort thence, 
 and Kath dependence thereon; nor can he, I 
 believe; whilft in the body, be wholly free 
 from a legal temper. 
 
 Should it be granted, that mankind in the 
 general, not underftanding thofe terms of di- 
 llin(flion, working yro;^;; life and /c;r life, nor 
 being converfant with the fcriptures, have 
 greater expedtations from the work of their 
 own hands ; and mav be faid more abundant- 
 ly to work for life : but are there not times 
 when they are, in meafure, fenfible of the in- 
 D 4 \ fuffi- 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 fufficiency of of their own works to fave them, 
 and therefore appeal from themfelves to the 
 goodnefs and mercy of God ? If it is fuppofed 
 that there is the leaft fpark of good, the doc- 
 trine of perfection in part s^ but not in degree, 
 cannot deny their being fandified, nor their 
 having the fruits of the Spirit, however Imall 
 their meafure. Probably it may by urged, that 
 real chriftians are changed, are reformed 
 irom ail vice, whereas the generality of man- 
 kind remain in their fins. This indeed would 
 be a powerful argument, if the change, or re- 
 formation, was fo effedual as to make men new 
 creatures in them.felves : True it is, there are 
 many who are reformed from drunken nefs^ 
 uncleannefs, thefts, fwearing, gaming and all 
 outward crimes : but what are they reformed 
 unto ? is it not unto fpiiitual pride, with pray- 
 er ? to anger, hatred, malice, with the ufe of 
 lacraments ? to all uncharitablenefs, with the 
 reading of the fjriptures ? to back-biting, evil- 
 Ipeaking, lying and llandering, with a precife 
 and pretended holy liie ? Now we will fuppofe 
 a man living in drunkennefs, whoredoms, 
 thefts, gamings, &c. and another to be re- 
 formed from ail this wickednefsj and to pray 
 often, to hear fermonj, to frequent the Lord's 
 table, to give alms, to faff, to keep the fab- 
 bath, to have been deeply afi^iCted for his fins, 
 to have received comfort from his amendment 
 of life, and trutl: in the grace of God through 
 Chriil:, to have comfortable views from the 
 
 work 
 
(« ) 
 
 work of fan(5tificaiion carried on In him, &c. 
 and yet this perfon be fpirtually proud, that is, 
 good in his own eyes, better than what he has 
 been, better than his neighbours; a whifperer, 
 back-biter, evil-fpeaker, revengeful, yea, a mur- 
 derer, (if to hate one's brother be murder, as 
 the Holy Ghofl fays it is, John iii. 15.) now 
 what fays the fcriptures of thefe two perfons ? 
 what think you of them ? the fcriptures call 
 the former, a dog, a fwine, 2 Pet. ii. 22. and 
 calls the latter, a ferpent, a viper. Matt, xxiii. 
 33. When a man is apprized of his danger, he 
 is more eaiiiy provided againfl the hurt he 
 may receive from a dog, or fwine; for they, 
 though enemies, are more public and generous ; 
 but a ferpent lies concealed in your paths, and 
 biting your heel, gives you an unexpecfted 
 wound : though the rending of a dog, or a 
 fwine, may often be very hurtful, yet the 
 fling, or bite of a viper, is much more dange- 
 rous, and, by reafon of its emited poifon, often 
 proves mortal. When a perfon, utterly un- 
 acquainted with the nature of thofe animals, be- 
 holds a foaming dog, or a fwine bedaubed with 
 mire, he will avoid them as dangerous and 
 naufeous ; but feeing a ferpent of a beautiful 
 colour • bafking in the fun, judging by the 
 outward appearance, he concludes it harmlefs, 
 as beautiful ; and becoming familiar with it, 
 gives it an opportunity of biting him ; whilfl 
 the poor afflidted wretch, to excufe his credu- 
 lity, cries out, Who could have thought it! 
 
 who 
 
( 46 ) 
 who would have expected it from a creature of 
 fo beautiful an appearance! A dog, a fwinc, 
 however fierce and cruel, are not lb much 
 to be dreaded, becaufe they are impoliticly rafh, 
 and run upon us with noife and clamour ; 
 but a viper, a ferpent, is the mod fubtle of all 
 the hearts of the field ; we are hardly fecure 
 from their attacks ; when we think leaft of it, 
 and arc walking in the greateft fecurity, we are 
 ftung without warning. And, as I would avoid 
 the fellowihip and acquaintance of both, fo 
 would I much more that of the viper and fer- 
 pent, as more dreadfully dangerous. And yet, 
 perfons who anfwer this character, are general- 
 ly the greateft boafters of the Spirit's fruits, and 
 moft contentious for inward holinefs and purity: 
 .but, have not this felf-righteoufnefs and holi- 
 neis, been, in every age, the bane of ZIon's 
 peace and love ? what bred the contentions in 
 the church between the Arians and orthodox, 
 in the firft ages of chriftianity, on which ac- 
 count there was fo much blood fhed, and each 
 party, as^ they had power, revenged themfelves 
 on the other ? was it not, that the one thought 
 themfelves more orthodox, and confequcntly 
 more righteous, more holy than the others ? 
 What was it occasioned thePopiiliperfecutions, 
 whcnfuch dreadful fires were kindled, in which, 
 liianyofthe noble army of martyrs rendered 
 up theii: fouls to God their Saviour, but the 
 'fame curfed principle ? What occafioned the 
 perfecution of the Proteftant difienters by the 
 
 hierar- 
 
(47) 
 
 hierarchy, but the fame principle ? And when 
 fo many of them had fled to a ftrange land, 
 on account of religion; what moved them, 
 when they had power, to perfecute, even to 
 death, others of their fellow-creatures on reli- 
 gious accounts, but the fame curfed principle ? 
 What makes one fet of chriftians hate another, 
 and perfecute them with vile names, reproach 
 and anathema's, when they have no farther 
 power to punilh, but the fame principle ftill ? 
 What makes one chriftian perfecute another 
 with the fword of the tongue, wound his name, 
 his character, yea, murder him according to 
 the fcriptures, and all probably without know- 
 ing the perfon they fmite, or the truth of 
 what they fmite him for ? is it not felf-righ- 
 teoufnefs, felf-holinefs, that accurfed, hellifli 
 thought ? O ! it is the fountain of enmity a- 
 gainft God, and of all contentions, flrife, hatred 
 and confufion amongft men. From hence that 
 unruly evil, the tongue, takes occafldn to de- 
 flroy where the hands are tied. And to ex- 
 plain this more fully, hear what James faith, 
 when he fpake of it as in the tongue : The 
 tongue is a fire^ a world of iniquity j // defileth 
 the whole body^ andfetteth cnjire the courfe of na- 
 ture, and is fet on fire of hell. For every kind of 
 beajisy and cf birds ^ and offerpejits^ and of things 
 in the fea^ is tamed, and has been tamed of man- 
 kind: but the tongue can no man tame, an unru- 
 ly evil, full of deadly poifon ; therewith blefs we 
 God, even the Father ; and curfe we men, who 
 
 are 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 are made in the fimilitiide of God, Jam. iii. 6, 7, 
 8, 9. When felf-righteournefs lets this unruly 
 evil a going, there is no end to its ilanders, 
 bitter inved:ives and murders ; therefore prays 
 the Pfalmift, T^hou Jkall keep them fecretly in a 
 favil'ton from the Jlnfe of tongues, Pfal. xxxi. 20. 
 Can that, which is the caufe of fo much mif- 
 chief, fo mi'.ch evil, be the fruits of the Spirit ? 
 God forbid ; can that, which hath a tendency to 
 puff up man, to make him wife, orthodox and 
 holy in his own eyes, and from thence to bring 
 forth the curfed fruits before-mentioned, be 
 the fruits of the Spirit ? God forbid : is it poffi- 
 ble that man can be wife and holy in himfelf, 
 in his own eyes, without being puffed up, and 
 confequently bring forth fuch fruits ? 1 think 
 it impoilible : and from thence conclude, that 
 we cannot find the fruits of the Spirit, in truth 
 and perfedlion, in man. But then fome one 
 will fay, if they are not to be found in man, ac- 
 cording to hisfpirit and behaviour in life, why 
 have you mentioned them, as what we are to 
 know the nature of the Spirit of Truth by ? To 
 this I anfwer, though we have fought for them 
 amongftthe many thoufands of Ifracl here be- 
 low, and cannot find them in their perfecflion 
 and glory, yet is it in reality a glorious truth : 
 that all thefe bleffed fruits of the Spirit are 
 brought forth and produced in man. And if 
 you would know this wonder of a Man, this 
 Perfon, fo worthy of admiration, in whom all 
 thefe fruits abound, and in perfedt beauty 
 
 Hiine, 
 
( 49 ) 
 fhine, give me leave to fay tis J e s u s ! who 
 only is holy, who only is the Lord. Come, 
 fee, wonder at, and admire the fruits of the 
 Spirit in Him ! In Him is love, without par- 
 tiality, without bitternefs, without wavering, 
 without diffimulation : how infinite, how un- 
 speakable his love to God, even the Father ! 
 he loved him with all his heart, and mind, 
 and foul, and ftrength ; he loved fo, that it was 
 his meat and his drink to do his will. How 
 great his love to the fons of men ! and without 
 partiality, as extending to Jew and Gentile, to 
 bend and free ; to the moft wretched of man- 
 kind, yea, whether they are fifty, or five hun- 
 dred-pence finners, with infinite franknefs, his 
 love extends without diftindion to them all. 
 Without bitternefs, as admitting of no ingredi- 
 ent of wrath, no fpark of anger, fury was not 
 in him, but love was all his intention, defire, 
 heart and nature towards man j without wa- 
 vering, as ftedfafi:, unfhaken, having loved his 
 own he loved them to the end : no confide- 
 ration whatever, not that of the unknown for- 
 rows and dreadful fufferings, which fo forely 
 amazed his foul, could fhake his love or caufe 
 a momentary wavering ; not that of the enmi- 
 ty of man, yea, the bafe ingratitude of his own 
 houfhold, the thought of which, though it 
 wrung fweat in bloody drops like rain from 
 him, caufed not the leaft fhadow of turning in 
 his love to man. Love ! undifi"embled love 
 led him through his unfathomed humiliation, 
 
 ivhere 
 
1 
 
 (50) I 
 
 where Ms judgment was taken away^ where dwelt; 
 the darknefs of the fhadow of death ; and tho'i 
 death and hell put on their moH: dreadful forms, ' 
 and, armed with all their terrors, fought toop-j 
 pofe his paffage through to light and immor- 
 tality, as the reprefentative of man j yet fingly; 
 armed with love, he would not, could not flee,j 
 but greatly fwallowed up death, and the grave, 
 in vidlory, and deftroyed him who had the 
 power of death, that is the devil. Ohowl 
 fervent, how iincere his love, pafTing know-; 
 ledge, ftronger than death, enriching the chil- \ 
 dren of men with grace, glory, and immor- i 
 tality ! This indeed is love, the Spirit's fruit of' 
 loYCi fuch, that for the falvation of man, finful i 
 man, endui*ed the crofs and defpifed the fhame. | 
 The force of that ancient maxim, love your | 
 friend, and hate your enemy, was here repel- i 
 led J and love, love without diffimulation, and \ 
 that to the mofl inveterate enemies, proved to the \ 
 greateft demonftration : feeding their hungry '; 
 fouls with bread, the bread of life; and quench- i 
 ing their thirfl with the waters of life : Yea, ] 
 not withholding his own flefli and blood, but 
 freely giving it for the life of the world, ma- 
 king it meat indeed, and drink indeed, to his 
 church. He blefled where he was curfed, and 
 prayed for fuch who ufed him defpitefully. 
 Behold every fruit in its greateft perfection and 
 ripenefs abounding in him ! The joy of the 
 Lord was his ftrength -, he rejoiced not in ini- 
 quity, biit in the truth ; in the glory of God 
 
 and 
 
( 5' ) 
 
 and the falvation of man. He was the Prince of 
 peace, the God of peace, the Son of peace, the 
 peace between heaven and earth, between God 
 and man, between Jew and Gentile, between e- 
 very believer's conscience and God the judge of 
 all men. His birth proclaimed God's intention 
 of peace to the earth, his every adtion and fufFer- 
 ing in life promoted it, his bloody death and paf- 
 fion hath for ever ratified it, and the gofpel of his 
 blood is the tidings of this everlafling peace to 
 mankind. He hath the fruit of iong-futFering, 
 who endured the contradiction of finners againll 
 himfelf J when reviled he reviled not again, but 
 bare it with patience and long-fuiFering : How 
 amazingly hath he fhewn it in all the diftrefs 
 and torments of his life and death ! How infi- 
 nite his forbearance and patience towards man- 
 kind, notwithftanding the manifold provoca- 
 tions w^herewith they have provoked the eyes 
 of his glory ! He truly hath the gentlenefs of 
 the dove, humane, kind, eafy of accefs, and as 
 eafy to be entreated j no aufterity, fternnefs, 
 iliynefs, fury, or paffion to be feen in him ; but 
 all is gentle, mild, fweet, calm, furpaffing the 
 utmoft defire and conception of our mind. 
 His goodnefs exceeds all defcription. Is it good 
 to be compafiionate ? he hath compaffion on. 
 the ignorant, and on fuch who are out of the 
 way. And as a father pities his own children, 
 fo he pities them that fear him. Is it good to 
 be benevolent ? as his ftores are immenfe, fo 
 is his benevolence boundlefs. He hath healed. 
 
 all 
 
C 50 
 
 all our maladies, and fupplied all our wants, 
 according to the riches of his grace. In brief, 
 his goodnefs towards God and man is perfect. 
 To do good, and to communicate is his nature 
 and property. 
 
 Faithfulnefs is the girdle of his reins : faith- 
 ful in things pertaining to God, and faithful 
 to man : faithful in his word, in his offices, in 
 his relations : faithful to every facred name he 
 bears, and chara(fler which he afTumes : faith- 
 ful in his love, frienddiip, fympathy and kind- 
 nefs. O he is a friend who flicketh clofer than 
 a brother, nor is there any unfaithfulnefs in 
 him! 
 
 Meeknefs In perfed:ion dwells in him : Mo- 
 fes was meek, but not perfectly foj witnefs his 
 wrath when he brake the tables of the law; his 
 fury and unadvifed fpeech at the waters of 
 ftrife ; and though he was more meek than 
 any man upon earth, yet it was but a figure 
 and {hadow of the meeknefs of Jefus ; for in 
 him it is without mixture or contrariety : his 
 meek and lowly heart is always the fame; nor 
 can he ever be provoked to fury and anger, or 
 ever drop an unadvifed word. 
 
 Temperate in all things, as one who ftrove 
 for the maftery over Satan, lin, and death; and 
 therefore, when accufed of gluttony, wine- 
 bibbing, fedition, &c. it was no farther true, 
 than as, when made fin for us, he bare thofe 
 offences of the people in his own body upon 
 the crofs ; and the charader of fmners falling 
 
 upon 
 
( 53 ) 
 upon him, He was numbered amongft the 
 tramgreiTors. For in himfeif he was tempe- 
 rate J not fo in profeffion, or appearance only, - 
 that he might gain the praife of men : for he 
 fought not his reputation thereby, nor was his 
 honour or kingdom of this world. His ufe of 
 abftinence, and falling, was not that under the 
 holy guife he might have an opportunity of 
 devouring the widow's houfe, and amaffing 
 the prcfent world : But his temperance was 
 lincere, without guile, yea, univerfal, in meats, 
 drinks, apparel, fleep, and bodily reft, in his 
 ufe of the world, its riches, honour, pleafures, 
 cares, the paffions of the mind, or whatevet 
 the foul of man may be temperate in ; and 
 thus all the fruits of the Spirit of Truth abound 
 in him. 
 
 Who is he that would learn the nature of 
 the Spirit of Truth from his fruits? let him 
 come and learn it here, in the perfed; man, 
 who, thus adorned, is fairer than the fons of 
 men, from whofe lips drop grace and truth. 
 When we look to man, to ourfelves, for thefe 
 fruits ; we find fo many contrarieties and im- 
 perfedions, as to imbitter our refled:ions, and 
 makes us cry, O my leannefs ! fo that we can- 
 not learn the nature of the Spirit of Truth 
 there, as already obferved. And if we would 
 diftinguifh between man and himfelj, accor- 
 ding to different principles in htm, fo as not 
 to judge of his good by his bad^ but confider 
 his good in the abflrad, bringing it for tri- 
 
 E gj 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 al to the ftandard of all good, the divine na- 
 ture, there is neither proportion nor compari- 
 ■fonj fo that man may not, confidered after 
 what he is in himfelf, be juftly the objedl of 
 his own or another's admiration : nay, the Fa- 
 ther hath referved this honour and glory for 
 the beloved Son, who is the head of his body 
 the church, that in all things he might have the 
 pre-ejninence. 
 
 We are called upon to confider him as the 
 Apoftle and High-prieft of our profeffion : to 
 rejoice in him, to admire him, to love him, 
 to boaft of him, to gaze upon him as the bean- 
 ty of holi?jefs, yea, the perfeclion of beauty^ the 
 chief amongji ten thoifand^ the altogether lovely ; 
 to efleem of him as precious above all. — 
 Wljo?n have I in heaven but Thee ? and there 
 is none upon earthy that I defire befides Thee, 
 This is the chriftian's chief delight, his 
 higheft pleafure. 
 
 Whatever the holy fcriptures define as the 
 Spirit's fruit, that Jelus is in himfelf; infomuch 
 that he is the true and glorious fruit of the Spi- 
 rit of Truth ; he is love, he is joy, he is peace, 
 he is long-fufFering, he is gentlenefs, goodnefs, 
 faith, meeknefs, temperance, againlt whom 
 there is no law. Let us admire him, adore 
 him, and rejoice in his light. 
 
 Furthermore, having a little confidered the 
 ftate and condition of mankind, how poor, how 
 vam a crcauue man is, notv. ithflanding his 
 boafling of his fruits, his holinefs, &c. and 
 
 how 
 
( 5S ) 
 
 how that Jefus only is perfecfl, only is holy, 
 thejuft admiration of all his people. 
 
 I would farther conlider wherein his chil- 
 dren are benefited by what he is in himfelf : 
 / am like a greetijirr-tree^ fays he, from me is 
 thy jriiit joimdy Hof. xiv. 8. Again, 1 am the 
 vine J ye are the branches^ John xv. 5. Our Sa- 
 viour, by comparing himfelf to a Jirr-tree, 
 points out his everlafting verdure and fruitful- 
 nefs ', and, by telling the church that her fruit 
 is found from /6/;;?, he fheweth that his fruit is 
 hers, ih^Ltfie hath a jull: claim to it, and that 
 Jhe cannot ceafe to be fruitful whikft he is fruit- 
 ful. / am the 'vijieyye are the branches % where- 
 by he fheweth, that as the vine and branches 
 make one tree; fo he, and his children, make 
 one body : and as the branches were naturally 
 in the vine before a fprout appeared ; lo were 
 his children in him as beloved and chofen from 
 everlafting : and as, in the fulnefs of time, the 
 vine puts forth its branches, in order to bear 
 fruit i fo did he bring forth his children into 
 exiftence, that he might bring forth fruit unto 
 God : and as the vine, confining of flock and 
 branches, is dreffed by the hufbandman, in or- 
 der to its fruitfulnefs ; fo was Jefus, confifting 
 of head and members in one body, bruifed, af- 
 iiided, and dealt with by the Father, the great 
 Hufbandman, for the deflrudion of fin, and 
 the bringing forth of good fruit : and as the 
 vine brings forth all its fruit upon the branches i 
 (having no diflinct fruit from the branches, nor; 
 E 2 an;^ 
 
(56) 
 
 any other way of bearing it,) fo Jefus hath 
 brought forth all the fruit of his obedience and 
 fufferings, with every gracious quality that was 
 manifeft in him, upon his people ; nort accor- 
 ding to the confideration of this union between 
 him and them, has he any diftind fruit from 
 them, or any other way of bearing fruit but 
 upon them. Thus he bears their fruit, and, 
 as he fays, from me is T HT fruit found. In 
 this myftery of our fruitfulnefs in Chrift, he a- 
 lone is glorified and hath the pre-eminence j for 
 here the branch doth not arrogantly affume 
 the character of being fruitful in itfelf, confi- 
 dered as diftin(ft from the tree j and indepen- 
 dent thereof, elfe the hufbandman, carting his 
 eye upon it, feperate from the tree, might fay, 
 O thou blelTed and fruitful branch ! to the dif- 
 honourof the tree-j but confidered in the tree, 
 and as fruitful only in that, the hufbandman 
 beholding it as having all the branches laden 
 with fruit, fays, O thou blefled and fruitful 
 tree, my pleafure profpers in thee ! 
 
 Thus hath Jefus the pre-eminence, glory and 
 praife, where all our fruitfulnefs is in him : of 
 this we attempt to rob him, when we, com- 
 lt)encing proud boafters, talk and contend for 
 cur bearing fruit and doing wonders, forgetting 
 him on whom our help is laid, and from whom 
 all our fruit is found. As the branch cannot bear 
 fruit of if elf except is abide in the vine^ neither 
 can ye except ye abide in 7ne^ John xv. 4. hence 
 it appears, that the chriflian only is fruitful a$ 
 
 he 
 
(57) 
 
 he abides in Chrift. He is in him as a rnember 
 of his bod)\ of his Jiefi^ and of his bones, Eph. 
 V. 30. And according to this myftery he hath 
 produced all the fruits of his life, death, and 
 refurre(ftion upon us j and when Chrift is re- 
 vealed in us the hope of glory, Col. i. 27. the 
 confcience cleaves, yea, is united and married 
 unto him ; infomuch, that all that he is, and 
 all that he hath done, becomes ours, according 
 to the aflurance of the underftanding and tefti- 
 mony of the mind. We, thus receiving him, 
 have power given us to become the fons of 
 God, John i. 12. and, according to the con- 
 fcience, we do the works which he did, as he 
 promifed, John xiv. 12. All his fruitfulnefs 
 being upon us, we bear it, and bring it forth 
 in Spirit unto God, being married unto him who 
 is r if en from the dead, that we might bring forth 
 fruit unto God, Rom. vii. 4. 
 
 But as in phyliognomy, when we would 
 guefs the nature and condition of a perfon, we 
 look into the face^ for what concerns the whole 
 perfon ; fo, as Jefus is the Head of his body the 
 church, he is alfo her face ; and whoever would 
 guefs of her nature and condition in general, 
 oj: that of any one member in particular, let 
 them look into her face, and learn it there ; 
 there alone is the beauty and perfedion of the 
 king'^ daughter feen, cloathed with her gar- 
 ment of wrought needle-work. In this view 
 every chriftian appears as led by the Spirit of 
 Truth, as bearing all the precious fruits thereof, 
 E 3 as 
 
( 58 ) 
 as having clean efcaped the garment fpotted by 
 theflefli, no more fulfilling the lufts thereof; 
 having this tellimony, that they pleafe God, yea, , 
 that they always do the things that pleafe 
 him, becaufe of Jefus their Head and Fore- 
 runner. » 
 
 If it is true, that the office of the Spirit of 
 Truth, according to tiie fcriptures, is to glorify 
 Chrift j then may we know whether the fpirits 
 which fpeak, or profefs to preach the gofpel, 
 are of God, or not. 
 
 I have already iliewn, according to the word 
 of God, that where a Spirit is found fpeaking 
 of himfelf, it cannot be the Spirit of Truth, 
 and therefore not of Gc d. 
 
 And if it is true, that by a fpirit's fpeaking 
 of himfelf, we may underftand it's pointing out, 
 and teflifying of the impulfe, operation, or in- 
 fluence of the mind as productive of joy, for- 
 row, love, delire, though centering in hea- 
 venly things ; thence perfuading mankind of 
 their being pofleffed of the Spirit of Truth; 
 there, nor only permitting, but encouraging 
 them to found their hope : I fay, if this is to 
 fpeak of himfelf, and confequently to be a falfe 
 fpirit ; let us not believe nor follow that fpirit, 
 but with all boldnefs, and the aiTurance of un- 
 derflanding, reject it as not of God. And in 
 fo doing, let us not be afraid ofmafi, who jhall 
 die^ nor of the fin ofrnan^ 'who is butasgrafs. 
 Neither let their high titles, learning, or wif- 
 dom be of any weight with us, when we are 
 
 led 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 led, in purfult of the Truth, into fingular 
 paths. We would difclaim all foolifli, affedl- 
 ed iingularity, where theconfcience is not con- 
 cerned, as that which is vain and ridiculous. 
 But when a man, limply aiming at the glory 
 of Chrift, without partiality, fearches the Icrip- 
 tures, what his confcience clearly, and with- 
 out doubtfulnefs, from thence luggefts unto 
 him, is the Truth, which he is to abide by, 
 though all the world fhould teftify the contra- 
 ry. And, however fuch an one might be char- 
 ged with error and obflinacy, yet will he abide 
 by the teftimony of his confcience, nor may 
 he depart thence on any account whatever, 
 unlefs he will pierce himfelf through with many 
 forrows. If this is not true, then our determi- 
 nation, in cafes of confcience, and matters of 
 faith, muft not be in our own bofoms, as evi- 
 dent in the fcriptures. But the church hath 
 the keeping and power of this, fay they, who 
 would have the clergy only to be the church ; 
 and others would perfuade us, that the expoli- 
 tions on the fcriptures, and dead bodies of di- 
 vinity, wrote by learned and holy men, and 
 approved of by the multitude, have the power 
 and keeping of it. If this is not true, then the 
 martyrs of old fhed their blood and laid down 
 their lives for trifles, yea, for nothing, when 
 they died for the teftimony of a good con- 
 fcience. But we have not fo learned Chrift, 
 nor are we thus taught by the fcriptures, to 
 E 4 ivhith 
 
( 6o ) 
 
 which we do well to give heedj as unto a light 
 fiining in a dark place. 
 
 If that Ipirit, which fpeaks of reformation 
 and change wrought upon man, thence, per- 
 fuading you of your fafety, and glorifying him- 
 felt in you as the author of this change j if 
 this fpirit may be deemed to fpeak of himfelf, 
 and therefore antichriftian ; let us not blindly 
 follow the multitude, whatever profeffion of 
 piety and virtue, whatever plea of confolation 
 the good man {(o called) hath, from the con- 
 templations of his own pious a.5tions and habits* 
 but faithfully confefs ourfelves chriftians, whole 
 hope and rejoicing are in Cbrift Jefus, and not 
 in ourfelves J being well allured, that the Spi- 
 rit of Truth will not fpeak of himielf, will not 
 lead us for falvation, nor confolation, to any 
 change, or virtuous habit, which he, by re- 
 vealing Jefus, hath wrought in us, but will 
 always glorify Chrift, as him alone in whom 
 we are faved, without works of righteoufnefs 
 as wrought by us ; as him, w-ho in the fulnefs 
 of his grace and glory, is the only comfort and 
 joy of our heart. 
 
 If that fpirit, who infinuates that he is inju- 
 red by the preaching of Chrill: alone, is anti- 
 chriilii leL us be aware thereof, and conftantly 
 rejedl it, as not of God. I mean by this fpirit, 
 that which flirs up, and raifes objedtions againft 
 gofpel-faith and docftrine, infinuating that it 
 dertroys the work of the Spirit, by not making 
 it a chief fubjedt -, but, that, by afcribing the 
 
 whole 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 whole of our lalvation to Chrifl, we exclude the 
 work of the Spirit. This objecflion makes fuch 
 a wide diO;ind:ion between Chriil: and the Spirit, 
 as to make their works and interefts different. 
 
 That there is an inexplicable myftery in the 
 Deity is certain, of which, it appears to me, the 
 higheft arrogance to attempt a definition j yet, 
 that Jefus Chrift and the Spirit of Truth have 
 feparate interefts, the fcripture denies j teaching 
 us, that the whole Godhead is interefted in the 
 honour and glory of Jefus: as where it fays. He 
 that honoureth not the So?!, homureth not the Fa- 
 ther, John V. 23. And concerning the Spirit of 
 Truth; he lays, When he is come, hewilhwt 
 Jpeak ofhimfclj, but will glorify me. And, as all 
 the fulnefs of the Godhead dwells bodily ia 
 him, (and he is God manifejied in the flejh) we 
 conceive, according to the fcriptures, that God, 
 Father, Word and Spirit, is to be believed on 
 and trufted in, approached unto and wor(hipped 
 in Him. And, as fuch who objed: to the divine 
 honours given Jefus in the church, as derogatory 
 to the Father, may not be faid to have feen his' 
 day, nor digefled the fcriptures concerning him ; 
 fo thofe who objedl to the faith and dodrine of 
 Chrift alone, as denying the work of the Spirit, 
 or as deficient without our adding to it the 
 work of the Spirit, as adiftind: fubjed; may be 
 iaid, either to err, as not knowing the fcriptureSy 
 720?; the power of God concerning this matter; or 
 elfe, to fpeak, from a warm and inconfiderate 
 zeal, what they have nothing to fupport, but 
 
 the 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 the dodrines and traditions of men. For, I think, 
 I have proved by the fcriptures, or at lead given 
 fuch hints that any unprejudiced and impartial 
 enquirer may eafily perceive, that the office and 
 work of the Holy Ghoft confitls in glorifying 
 Jefus, in teftifying of him, flievving us what 
 he is, what he has done, drawing us to him, 
 perfuading us of our falvation and glory in him, 
 liirring us up to the acknowledgement and 
 confeffion of his worthy praife. And the clearer 
 this is, the more evidently the work of the Spi- 
 rit of Truth appears. How dreadful the mif- 
 take then, when either thro' enmity to Chrift, 
 or zeal for the traditions of men, light is called 
 darknefs, and darknefs light; and many objed: 
 to the work of the Spirit of Truth itfelf, that it 
 oppofes the work of the Spirit, and thereby take 
 part with a fpirit of delufion and falfliood a- 
 gainft the truth itfelf: and this will be always 
 the cafe, until we are content to fee with our 
 own eyes, hear with our own ears, and judge 
 for ourfelves, and no longer fee and hear with 
 other men's eyes and ears, nor judge by their 
 determinations. Well might the apoftle, in the 
 words of the text, fay, Behvcdy believe not every 
 fpirit^ hilt try the fpirit s ^whether they be of God. 
 
 O my brethren, how long will it be e'er wc 
 {hall think for ourfelves \ when (hall we be deli- 
 vered from the tyranny of tradition, and no 
 longer enflaved thereby ? let not the authority of 
 any, though called great men (and on fome ac- 
 counts probably, truly accounted fuch) fway 
 
 with 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 v/ith us, when what concerns our eternal life 
 and happlneis comes under our coniideration ; 
 but, let us to the law, arid to the tejiimony j there 
 firft let us facrifice all our favourite fentiments, 
 yea, every darling opinion that clafhes with the 
 facred word j with this let us offer all in man, 
 on the credit of which we would fwallow their 
 dodrines without examination by the word ; 
 whether it is learning, wifdom, piety, or popu- 
 larity} and abiding the deciiion of the fcriptures 
 be content to be judged thereby, and, by its 
 fimple authority to determine of what we hear. 
 
 My aim in fpeaking thus, is to draw all, who 
 profefs chriitianity, to the fcriptures, as the rule 
 of their faith and pradice. By them would I be 
 tried in all things, particularly in what I here 
 write. Yea, to them I appeal, and that not ac- 
 cording to any private interpretation, but ac- 
 cording to what every generous and candid 
 mind may difcern in them. 
 
 The holy fcriptures pofiti vely declare that fpi- 
 rit, which denieth that Jefus is come in the flefh, 
 to beantichriilj by which, if we may not only 
 underftand a denial of his incarnation, but, that 
 of his having anfwered the end of his coming, 
 which v/as to fulfil all righteoufnefs, to atone for 
 fin, andtofave his people with an everlafting fal- 
 vation, let us then learn to avoid, firft, that fpi- 
 rit which denies the incarnation of our Lord Je- 
 fus Chrift, or his coming in the fiefh, or that he, 
 who is God blejfed for ever, amen^ according 
 to the flefh, came of the ftock of Ifrael. 
 
 The 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 The apoftle gives us fuch a plain defcription 
 of antichrift in thofe words, that except we 
 wilfully fhut our eyes againft the truth, we 
 cannot fail difcovering it ; for as it is the office 
 and work of the Spirit of Truth to glorify 
 Chriftj infomuch that no man can Jay that Je- 
 fus is the Lo7'd, but by the Holy Ghoji ; fo is it the 
 true charad:erifl:ick of antichrift to deny the p- 
 ternal power and Godhead of the Lamb. 
 
 Let us then rejed; this falfe fpirit as an ene-^ 
 my to our Saviour ; and with this the fpirit 
 which denieth his having anfwered the end of 
 his coming* For it is at heft but a compliment 
 paid to Jefus, where his Godhead is confeft, but 
 the all-fufficiency of his blood and facrifice de- 
 nied j truly to deny the latter, is to deny the 
 former, whatever pretenfion there may be to 
 the contrary, whatever pleas thofe falfe fpirits 
 may make for the denial of his Godhead as 
 contrary to reafon, or for the denial of his all- 
 fufficient grace and merit for our falvation and 
 happinefs, without works of righteoufnefs as 
 done by us, as having a tendency to deftroy holi- 
 nefs, and make people carelcfs of good works. I 
 fay, notwithftanding thofe pleas, let us upon the 
 authority of the fcripture, reje6t every fuch fpirit, 
 as not of God. Do the fcriptures fay that Je- 
 fus Chrift was God mam f eft in the fleftD ? i Tim. 
 ili. i6. Do they fay, th^t He bare our Ji?iSy in 
 bis own body y on the crofsy i Pet. ii. 24. and hath 
 appeared to put fin away by the facrifice of himfelf? 
 Heb. ix. 26. Then this is the language of the 
 
 Spirit 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 Spirit ofTruthj and plainly teflliies that the 
 other is not of God. 
 
 What if our reafon cannot attain the compre- 
 henfion of all that God hath revealed, muft we 
 therefore doubt, and deny it ? Wherein is he 
 honoured and glorified in the credit we pay to 
 him in his word, if we believe him no farther 
 than it is demonftrate to our reafon and fenfes ? 
 it may indeed be urged, that this is credit fuffi- 
 cient to the teftimony of man becaufe fallible, 
 and therefore liable to err : but is it fo to him 
 who is infallible and cannot lie ? I fuppofe it 
 will not be affirmed. How inconfiftent and 
 falfe then is the fpirit which denieth that Jefus 
 is come in the flefh ! Altogether as falfe, and 
 much more inconfiftent, is that fpirit which, 
 profeffing the dignity of his perfon, denies the 
 all-fufficiency of his merit, as deftrudlive toho- 
 linefs of life. Here may it be faid, vaht man 
 would be wife though born a wild ajfes colt^ Job 
 xi. 12. Vain man would be good, though 
 there is none good but Gody Luke xviii. 19. Vain 
 man would do wonders, though it is not in him 
 that walketh to direB his jleps^ Jer. x. 23 . 
 
 The Pharifees of old accufed our Saviour 
 of deftroying the law and the prophets by his 
 doctrine, and of ungodlinefs in his pradiice, as 
 breaking the fabbath-day, &c. their brethren 
 of this generation, though they v/i/l not im- 
 mediately accuie him, as the former Pharifees 
 did, yet it is plain they fufped: him, yea, are 
 very jealous of him j they are for foftening his 
 
 wordsj 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 words, as though they were wifer than he ; 
 and for mixing his dodlrine with cautions, and 
 proper expofitions upon his phrafes, lei\ it 
 Ihould hurt weak minds. And as for the faith 
 of his gofpel, who can bear it? that is reckoned 
 fo deftrudtive to holinefs of life, and in itfelf 
 fo dangerous on many accounts, that whofo- 
 ever will confefs it, muft partake of the afflic- 
 tions thereof j deny himfelf, and take up his 
 crofs, yea, lofe his life, for the fake of Chrift 
 and his gofpel : forafmuch as it is impoiTible 
 that any man fhould live godly in Chrift Jefus, 
 without fuffering perfecution, 2 Tim. iii. 12. 
 As for the godlinels which reafon plans, that 
 is admired by all, yea even by fuch who are 
 far from the pradice of any, becaufe it makes 
 a fair fhew in the flefh, makes trial of its pu- 
 rity by reafon, and not by the perfedlions of 
 God, and is therefore looked on as real god- 
 linefs : whereas, if it was to be tried by the 
 perfection of God (of which his law is a tran- 
 fcript) all the pride, vain-glory, feif-feeking, 
 &c. with which all that man is capable of do- 
 ing abounds, would appear, and all his righte— 
 oufnefs become filthy rags. But the reason- 
 ing plan cannot difcover this, and therefore 
 allows man to pride himfelf in his own works, 
 under the notion of delight and pleafure in 
 virtue, and that without any confideration of 
 reward, yea, allows him a fecret pleafure and 
 thankfulnefs of heart, that he is not as other 
 men, nor as this or that publican 3 yea farther, 
 
 it 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 it will allow him, as that which is lawful, the 
 praife and refped; of his fellow-creatures, and 
 that he fhould takepleafure therein, and efteem 
 of it as a bleffing attending the uprightnefs of 
 his heart and the cleannefs of his hands ; yea, and 
 that he fhould look on it as a particular mark of 
 God's favour to him. Now this is the good man, 
 for vihoxn feme would even dare to die^ Rom. v. 7. 
 But we will fuppofe this man brought over 
 to believe the golpel, that is, to believe and. 
 confefs that Jefus Chrift, in the myftery of his 
 perfon, by his obedience to death, hath eternally 
 faved him, and perfected him in righteoufnefs 
 and true holinefs to God, and that without 
 works of righteoufnefs done by him : from 
 whence it appears fo far from being lawful for 
 him to pride himfelf in his own works, that he 
 now rather denies them, and having done all 
 things commanded, confefTes himfelf an unpro- 
 fitable fervant, and acknowledges all that de- 
 light and pleafure which others profefs to have 
 in doing good, to be in him but pride, felf-righ- 
 teoufnels, and a lifting up of the heart againfl 
 Chrift : he can no longer thank God that he is 
 better than other men, as he has known his heart 
 to be defperately wicked and deceitful above all 
 things^ himfelf the chief of finners, and hath 
 therefore learned to ejleem of others better than 
 himfelf: he can no longer count it right, with 
 Chrift, for him to court the praife and refpedt of 
 his fellow-creatures, nor ever think he has de- 
 ferved it, or that it is any mark of God's favour 3 
 
 becaufe 
 
(68 ) 
 
 becaufe he knows now, that the friendfhip of 
 the world is death ; and his mafter hath faid, Wa 
 unto you 'when all men ftmll jpeak well of you ^ for 
 fo did their fathers to the falfe prophets^ Luke vi. 
 26. We will farther fuppofe, that this man, not- 
 withftanding the change which hath pafied up- 
 on him, hath made no alteration with reiped: to 
 his former exercife of piety, is yet as upright, 
 as virtuous, as liberal, as truly religious, and of 
 as tender a confcience as before, yea, we will 
 fuppofe him more abounding in all this, yet 
 forafmuch as the before-mentioned change has 
 pafTed over him, and he with his whole heart and 
 foul, declares all his righteoufnefs to be filthy 
 rags, and as a menftruous cloth, whilft in the 
 Lord alone he hath righteoufnefs and flrength : 
 He fhall now be fufped:ed, accufed, condemned, 
 laden with calumnyand reproach: there are none 
 who will die for him now\ however great his 
 character, and admired his conduit before, yet 
 ;zo'Z£; is he looked on as a/)f/?amongftmen. This 
 truly is the crofs of Chrilt, and happy is the man 
 who can glory therein. For a good man fuch as 
 he was under his firfl charadter, fome would 
 even dare to die : but for a righteous man, fuch as 
 he is noWy whofe tranfgrefTion is forgiven and lin 
 covered, who worfhippeth Godinthefpirit, rcjoi- 
 ceth in Chriji Jefus^ and hath no co7ifidence in the 
 flcjldy fcarcely one will die. Hence have we a fpe- 
 cimen of the enmity of man's heart againft jefus 
 Chrift and his gofpel; and hence we may in a 
 meafure account for the afflictions and perfecu- 
 
 tions 
 
( 69 ) 
 
 tbns which attend all who truly believe the 
 gofpel. 
 
 But let not this antichrift, who denieth that 
 Chriftis come in the fle(h, that he hath by his 
 coming fulfilled all righteoufnefs, and finilhed 
 the ialvation ot his people, ever fright us from 
 the profeliion of our faith j let all his objections 
 and reproaches be difregarded by us, as the fruits 
 of his enmity againft Jefus Ghrift our Lord. 
 Let the all-fufficient merit and glory of his 
 perfon and atonement be ever valuable, ever 
 dear to us. 
 
 There is an everlafting fixed jealoufy deep 
 rooted in the chriflian mind, of every work, 
 word, or thought, left it would be a competitor 
 to Jefus and his atoning blood, nor can his 
 eye fpare, or his heart pity, whenever he finds 
 the traitor out) but would with the Pfalmift 
 pray. Let burning coals fall upon them^ let them 
 be cafi into thejire, into the deep pits that they rife 
 not again t Pfal. cxl. lo. 
 
 Is it true, that the fpirit of truth, whether 
 he reprove the world of fin, regenerate to God, 
 or witnefstothe fpirit of the believer that he is 
 born of God, doth in and by all glorify Chrift j 
 then will it appear that the Father, in all his 
 counfel and purpofes, intended theglory of his 
 Son. He defigned it in creation, as creating 
 all things by him, making him the firft adding 
 caufe of all things, andy^r hi?)i, that he might 
 govern all, as his rightful inheritance. He glo- 
 rified him in permitting the fall of man, that 
 
 1' as 
 
(7°) 
 
 as fin abounded in them, he might exhibit hlm^ 
 as his much more abounding grace. He glo- 
 rified him in their recovery, when he made him 
 his falvation unto the ends of the earth. He 
 glorifies him in all his dealings with man, as 
 being now afcended above the highefi: heavens 
 and filling all things, filling all the works and 
 ways of providence towards us ; and not only 
 fuch, which are more chearingand delightful, 
 but the more gloomy and difmal alfo : whether 
 it is lofi^es, the lofs of health, or friends, or 
 goods ; whether it is crofi^es, all our ends, aims 
 and endeavours fruftrated ; all the defire of our 
 hearts denied us ; tormented by bodily pains, 
 wounded by evil tongues, hated and defpifed by 
 all; adding to all this, the (harper trial fi:ill, the 
 fufpenfion of all divine comfort from the foul, 
 attended with the fierce afiaults of the enemy 
 through fiery temptations, and the horrid fer- 
 ment of a corrupt heart. How dreadful and 
 afHidive foever all this may be in its nature, 
 yea, coming on us as the tempeft of a whirlwind 
 upon a feather, yet may we fearlefs fi:and, for 
 he that rideth upon the wings of the wind,Jefus, 
 our Lord and God, filleth all things, fo that we 
 iliall not be moved. He Ipeaks to us out of 
 thick darknefs, he fpeaks to us out of the burn- 
 ing flame, he fpeaks to us out of the tumultous 
 waves, and his conftant language is. Be net 
 afraid^ it is /; yea^ though clouds and darknefs 
 are round about him^ righteoufnefs and judgment 
 are the habitations of his throne. He fills every 
 
 ftate 
 
(71 ) 
 
 flate and every condition wherein we are, and 
 where he is, there is the fulnefs of grace and 
 Icve. To know this, is to be content in every 
 iiate wherein we arej but if we know it not, 
 he is the fame, and changeth not. He girds 
 us when we know him not. And if at any 
 time, through frightful appearances, we are 
 driven as men to our wit's end, even there Je- 
 fus meets us, faying, Be not afraid^ it is I. 
 Nor can all our fears and ignorance turn his 
 heart away, or alter the property of his grace. 
 He iilleth all things, need we wonder then 
 that all things fhould work together for our 
 good ? O glorious grace ! O flupendous love ! 
 /hall we not learn hence fubmiffion to the will 
 of our heavenly Father, lince he always wills 
 our welfare, and hath made Jefus to be all in all 
 unto us! Herein is the Saviour glorified. In 
 the glorious face, and fulnefs of this divine 
 Lamb, the Spirit of Truth points out the evil 
 of fin: Can any thing fpeak its heinoufnefs 
 more fully than that amazed and forrowful 
 heart of Jefus, when beneath its prefTure in the 
 garden it fweated fliowers of ruddy drops? Can 
 any words or device of man paint the abomi- 
 nation in a truer, ftronger light, than that brui- 
 fed and fwoln face, that head fo pierced with 
 thorns, that back fo rent with fcourges, thofe 
 hands and feet fo bored and torn, thofe deep 
 vented lighs, thofe cries, tears, groans, and 
 breaking heart-firings ? all evidencing foul- 
 pangs, yet unheard of, by reafon of their inex- 
 F 2 plicable 
 
( 72 ) 
 
 pllcable height, depth, breadth, and length. 
 From hence the Spirit of Truth reproves of fill 
 and aggrandizes the offence, fhews, from the 
 all-fufficiency of his death and grace, the curfe 
 and evil of unbelief ^ and if this Spirit, in its 
 reproof, influence and teftimony, glorifies Je- 
 fus, let us beware of that fpirit which would 
 ufe arguments and means derogatory to the ho- 
 nour of Jefus, to convince, convert, or com- 
 fort man. 
 
 Is it true, that the Spirit of Truth, in all his 
 operations, glorifies Chrift ? then all fuch opera- 
 tions as have a tendency to bury us in unbe- 
 lief, either from a fenfe of our finfuinefsand un- 
 profitablenefs, or adoubtfulnefs of the all-fufti- 
 cient merit of our Saviour's blood and death, 
 cannot be theoperations of the Spirit ot Truth, 
 becaufe Jelus is not glorified. Whatever opera- 
 tions on the mind tend to puff up, to make us 
 wife, righteous, holy, or powerful in our own 
 efteem, cannot be of the Spirit of Truth, becaafe 
 it is a lifting up of the heel againll: Jefus, and a 
 cafting off om dependence on him. But wli u- 
 ever operating power and influence (upon our 
 heart) tends to lead us to bhn for rightcoulhefs 
 and ffrength, to him for wifJom and purity, to 
 hi?n for eternal falvation and comfort, flievvs us 
 his glory, and endears him to the foul, yea, con- 
 Itantly leads us out of ourfelves, tohaveall our 
 hope and dependence on bim\ this is the Spirit 
 f)f Truth, the Holy Gholl:, the Comforter: O 
 let us hear his voice and know it, fubmit to his 
 
 teachinirs. 
 
(73) 
 
 teachings, and then will he guide us into a^. 
 truth. And let us not limit him to particular 
 texts of fcripture, nor fermons, nor facraments, 
 nor prayers, nor meditation, as refpediing the 
 means or method made ufeof by him to honour 
 and reveal Chrill: in us the hope of glory. The 
 great queflion is, whether is Chrill Jefus, our 
 dear and only Lord, glorified, or not, ? let him 
 do it wkh or without means as ufed by uSj as it 
 fhall feem beft in his fight. Let us not fail to di- 
 ftinguifli between the operations of the Spirit 
 and the paffions, in ourjehes2ind others; in our- 
 felveSj left when, having had our paftions 
 worked up, we conclude v/e are believers, 
 fuch that know and enjoy much j but when we 
 cool and find ourfelves other men than we 
 imagined, we deem God changeable, and the 
 joys of his fpirit fleeting ; or elfe, as men awa- 
 ked and recovered from drunken nefs, we are 
 afliamed of the raptures we feemed to be in, of 
 all our fwelling words, yea, of the whole of 
 our behaviour ; would fain hide us from our- 
 felves, and from all before whom we hcd boaft- 
 ed of great matters; our faith and joys having 
 left us to fliame and confulion of face. Let 
 us carefully make this diftind:ion, left, mifta- 
 king our paffions for the operations of the Spi- 
 rit of Truth, and being of a fanguine com- 
 plexion, we go about to force things upon 
 mankind which are contrary to the truth itfelf ; 
 or, if it happen to be the truth, the man of 
 paffions will alTert either, as it comes on his 
 F 3 inind^ 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 mind, with all the abiblute pofitlvenefs of in-» 
 fallibility, will tell you, he will pawn his foul 
 for the truth thereof, or that it is as true as 
 Jehovah livethi if you afk for proof, it is that 
 he hath experienced it, or hath had it revealed 
 to him J whereas, probably, it will not be ma- 
 ny days before he is found, not only denying 
 this, but aflerting, with equal pofitivenefs, 
 what is diametrically its oppoiite: this is odious 
 and dangerous, and always to be avoided by 
 every Chriftian. A fpirit which is pofitive, with- 
 out proof, is a fpirit to be fufpecJHied, as favcur- 
 ing more of pafiion than of truth. 
 
 Let us learn alfo to make this diflindion in 
 others, that, as we would not deceive our- 
 felves, we may not be deceived by them, ei- 
 ther by converiing with them, or by hearing 
 their repoi't^ enquire thus by the fpirit which 
 is in you: are they, in their meafure, judi- 
 cious? Do they fing of mercy and judgment, 
 or, do all their joy and comfort fpring from 
 fcriptural and faithful views of Jefus, and of 
 what he is made of God unto man ? Are they 
 confiftent, not aiferting with one breath, what 
 they contradid: with another ? are they con- 
 flant, in fpeaking of Jefus, and profefTing him ? 
 for 'Jefus ChriJ}^ the Son of Gody is not yea 
 and nay, but in him is yea. Do they aim 
 more at fealing inftrudion upon the mind by 
 fcripture-proof and argument, than at raifing 
 the paffions, bygefture, noife, change of voice 
 into loud fpeaking, or unnatural tones f where 
 
 wc 
 
( IS ) 
 
 we can difcern this, we have reafon to con- 
 clude, that they are led by the Spirit of Truth, 
 and not by their paffions. But on the contrary, 
 where we find them much in joy and tranfport, 
 and but little in judgment, not having that fcrip- 
 tural and faithful idea of Jefus, from whence 
 true comfort fprings, not being able themfelves 
 to account for their joy, as to any view of 
 divine love, from whence it fhould arife : 
 where they are inconfiftent and inconftant, af- 
 firming and denying the fame thing, not abiding 
 in one voice concerning Jefus : where the aim 
 is more at the paffions, than at inftruc^ing the 
 mind, and building it up in the faith of the 
 gofpelj and that by artful geftures, unnatural 
 founds, much noife and vehemency of words : 
 Where there is a profeffion of knowing by the 
 Holy Ghoft, and of being immediately diredied 
 by him (in things which come more particu- 
 larly under the cognizance of reafon) and that 
 often contrary to common honefty : This, and 
 the like, where we find it, fpeaks the paflions of 
 a corrupt mind more than the Spirit of Truth. 
 Therefore it will be well, if we hold only com- 
 mon friendfhip and fociablenefs with perfons of 
 this character j holding ourfelves in a readinefs 
 to do them good, when it fliall pleafe our Lord 
 to make ufe of us to that purpofe, but not to 
 connect too clofe with fuch who are given to 
 change^ left it (hould prove a trap and a fnare 
 unto us. For they think it right to be your 
 friend to-day, and yom foe to-morrow 3 to do 
 F 4 you 
 
(76 ) 
 
 you 3. gcoJ turn one day, and an evil one ano- 
 ther day; to-day hofannah, to-morrow crucify; 
 and yet pretend to be direded by the Spirit 
 through all. If this fpirit (viz. their paffions) 
 calls them to any thing, they ardently follow 
 it, trampling all moral honefty and engage- 
 ments beneath their feet; and wil] not fubmit 
 to thefcripture rule and decifion of things. 
 
 But the Spirit of Truth teaches judiciouily, 
 confidently, faithfully ; blelTed are all they, 
 who are no longer governed by their paffions, 
 but are led by that true and peaceful Spirit, 
 which always glorifies Jefus in all his opera- 
 tions and teachings. 
 
 I have before noted, that the revelation of 
 Jefus Chrift, by the Spirit of Truth, produ- 
 ceth its proper effects in every one who be- 
 lieveth his holy gofpel ; and that this con fills 
 in a deep abafement and abhorrence of our- 
 felves, working to an eternal, inexplicable 
 veneration for the name and pcrfon of our ever 
 adorable Jefus. But then let us remember, by 
 the way, that, as it is not every one who com- 
 pliments Jefus with calling him Lor^that en- 
 ters his kingdom ; neither does every one who 
 proleffes felf-loathing and abafement, know 
 any thing of it, as it will plainly appear. Self- 
 abafement proves itfelf in a fecond fruit, which 
 is very vilible and intelligible to man, and doth 
 not conlift in profeffion, or word only. Self- 
 loath'ng and abafement fuppoi'cs a real convic- 
 tion cf the evil of fin, and withal a right fenfe 
 
 and 
 
(77) 
 
 and underftanding of the 7'cot^ and various 
 branches thereof, as rooted in the heart, and 
 Jprouting in all our works, words and thoughts, 
 as the Lord telliiieth, that e'-oery imagination of 
 the tkoughts of maris heart is only evil continually. 
 Gen, vi. 5. and tkat tke heart is defpcrately 
 wicked and deceiful above all things^ Jer. xvii. 
 9. until we know that we are carnal and fold 
 under fin, Rom. vii. 14. in u?, that is in our 
 fejhj dwelleth ?io good thing, Rom. vii. 18. That 
 whillT: we ferve the law of God with the mind, 
 w^e ferve the law of lin with the deih, Rom. 
 vii. 25. until we know that we are the chief of 
 iinners, i Tim. i. 15. and in felf-loathing and 
 abafement fall dead at his feet. And where- 
 ever this is, according to the fpirit and power of 
 the gofpel, it will produce this fecond fruit, an 
 efteeming rf others better than ourfehes. We 
 can no more judge nor condemn our brother, 
 becaufe we are very feniible we have nothing 
 but what we have received. It h here natural 
 to us to forgive the injuries done us. We are 
 here preferved from hopelefs fcrrow and fecret 
 Ynurmurs under the deeped calamities which 
 befal us, or the moft grievous flights put upon 
 us. In fliort, a perfon truly exercifed in this, 
 can never fall far below his exped:ations, nor 
 be much deceived in the courfe of this world. 
 Should we 720W uncharitably cenfure our fel- 
 low-creature, the quick and powerful word of 
 God would feize us — Uljy dofl thou judge thv 
 brother y or why doji thoufet at nought thy brother ? 
 
 let 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 let him who is without fit caji the fir ft fine at 
 them. 
 
 Where there is true felf-abafement the con- 
 
 fcience will not admit of back-biting, evil- 
 
 fpeaking, revenge, hatred, llander, and uncha- 
 
 ritablenefs, becaufe the true knowledge of our 
 
 own hearts will preveitt us therein ; teaching us 
 
 pity and compaflion towards the mofl abandon^ 
 
 ed, yea, peace and fellow-feeling with all 
 
 tnankind.But where felf-loathing and abafement 
 
 is only in i£;5r<:/and not in^owfr, people can 
 
 profefs to know themfelves, and yet hate their 
 
 neighbour, backbite them, fpeak evil of them, 
 
 ilander them, uncharitably cenfure them, &c. 
 
 as being worfe than themfelves ^ for, if they do 
 
 not really think them worfe than themfelves, 
 
 they fin grievoufly againft the light, to judge an4 
 
 condemn them, where their confcience tefti- 
 
 fies their own worthlefnefs to fuch a degree, as 
 
 not to admit of their being better than their 
 
 neighbour ; how like a two-edged and fliarp 
 
 fword doth God point his word againll: fuch as 
 
 thofe ! Thou art inexcujable^ fnan, whofoever 
 
 thou art, that judgefi, for wherein thoujudgejl a- 
 
 nother thou condenmeji thyfeJf, for thou that judgejl 
 
 dojl the Jame thing, Rom. ii. i. A perfon who 
 
 profeiTeth to know himfelf, and behaveth thus 
 
 towards his neighbour, turns judgment into gall, 
 
 and thejruit of righteoufnefs into hemlock, Amos. 
 
 vi. 12. Turns judgment into gall ; when inflead 
 
 of judging righteous judgment conliftent with 
 
 truth, and according to the love and fpirit of 
 
 the 
 
(79) 
 
 the gofpel, they judge according to appearances, 
 according to the gall, bitternels, and rancour of 
 a felf-rightcous and prejudiced mind. And as 
 for the fruit of righteoufnefs, which I have (hewa 
 to be felf-loathing and abafement, and from 
 thence peace, and love towards mankind -, that 
 they turn into hemlock.^ a noxious and poifonous 
 plant, with which, having poifoned themfelves, 
 their heart is Hfted up, and being fwoln with 
 pride and felf-fufficiency, and ignorant of their 
 own true ftate, they fpit their venom withfuch 
 zeal and fiercenefs, as if envy, maUce, revenge, 
 murder, and fury was the moft demonftrative 
 "proof of being a real chriftian : fuch fpirits as 
 thofe, are not content wirh fmiting kindly, 
 and reproving, unlefs their precious oils break 
 your head. Can luch as thofe know what felf- 
 loathing and abafement is ? if they do, what 
 means this inconliil:ent, hateful, hurtful prac- 
 tice? do they not thereby greatly injure their 
 own confcience, condemn themfelves, and dif- 
 honour the Lord v/ho bought them ? truly this 
 is fo far from proving felf-abafement, through 
 the revelation of the Son of God, that it proves 
 the reverfe rather j pride, arrogance, and felf- 
 fufficiency, the natural and predominant quali- 
 ties of a foul unacquainted with Jefus Chrift. 
 How fooliflily they deceive themfelves by call- 
 ing light darknefs, and darknefs light ! But let 
 not lis be thus deceived ; for in the day of the 
 manifeflation of Jefus, the haughtinefs of man 
 is brought low, his pride abafed, and the Lord 
 
 alone 
 
( 8o ) 
 
 alone exalted. And if this is proved by a fecond 
 fruit, as before-mentioned, let us remark, that 
 true felf-abafement excites to love, forgivenefs, 
 frienddiip, kindnefs, fellow-feeling and com- 
 panion amongft men, and as it is an everlafting 
 ftain upon the glory of all fleih, Jefus only re- 
 mains to be adored, reverenced and efteemed. 
 of all his children. Vntoyoii therefore which be- 
 lieve he is precious ^ i Pet. ii. 7. Precious in his 
 name; his name is as ointment poured forth y 
 therefore do the virgins love him. The name of 
 Jefus is precious, not only in its found, or as 
 that by which we diftinguifh his beloved per- 
 fon from all other beings, but great is the 7ny- 
 Jiery of his precious name; he is called Jefus, 
 becaufe he faves his people from their fins ; 
 his name is exprefiive of the condition of his 
 perfon. If he rightly bears the name of Jefus, 
 then hath he favcd his people from their iins ; 
 and if he bears that name for ever, then hath he 
 faved them with an everlafting falvation. This 
 is the name that gives glory unto God on high, 
 brought peace to the earth, and good-will to- 
 wards man. All his facred names, whether the 
 Woman s Seed, the Shiloh, the Wonderful, the 
 PIa7it of Renown, the Defire of Nations, the 
 Branch, or Emmanuel, are gathered into this un- 
 d:uous name yefus. This name however com- 
 pendious, contains not only all his former 
 names, but all the grace and glory revealed and 
 pointed out by them, is at once exhibited in this 
 new and glorious name Jtfiis. It is a name a- 
 
 bove 
 
( 8i ) 
 
 bove every name; every knee (hall bow to it irl 
 heaven, in earth, and under the earth ; yea, eve- 
 ry tvngiie JJjall co?ifefs^ that J ejus Chriji is Lord^ to 
 the glory of God t he Father, Phil. ii. 1 1. All that 
 is called God, and that is to be worfhipped, is 
 known in this name. Now is the day come, when 
 there JJjall be ofte Lord, and his name one, Zech. 
 xiv. 9. This name is ajirong tower, the righteous 
 JJjall run into it and fjallbe Jaje. How chearing, 
 how balmy, how valuable this name is to a 
 chriftian no tongue can ever tell ! it is a full 
 confeffion of his faith, and a perfect anfwer 
 given to every one who aifketh, a reafon of the 
 hope that is in us. Would they afk us of what 
 religion ? v/e anfwer, Jefus. Would they aik us 
 what proof we give of chriftianity ? we anfwer, 
 Jefus. Would they afk what righteoufnefs 
 v*^e have ? we anfwer, Jefus. What holinefs ? 
 Jefus. What wifdom ? Jefis. What redemp- 
 tion from lin, hell, and death ? Jefus. What 
 hope of eternal glory ? Jefus. This name is an 
 anfwer of faith, given by the chriftian, to men 
 or devils, who would reafon with him. How 
 dry and taftelefs is every book, fermon, and or- 
 dinance, which is not fweetned by this precious 
 name 1 without this, the moft admired oratory 
 is but a meer croaking. How empty and flat 
 the fineft eloquence where this emphatic name 
 of Jefus is not found ! what is all the wifdom of 
 words, and the enticements of fpeech, where 
 this is not ? what is all preaching, praying, 
 reading, meditating on religious matters, where 
 
 this 
 
( 82 ) 
 this name is not the dodrine, the argument, 
 the application, the petition, theconverfation, 
 yea, the anointing in all? I fay, what is all, 
 without this, but formality and dulnefs ? 
 Therefore is this name truly fweet and precious 
 to every chriftian ; the name of "Jejm is writ- 
 ten upon his heart. 
 
 'Jejus is truly precious in his perion to a be- 
 liever, and that under two confiderations, that 
 of his ;;7v/?f;j and of our falvation in him, and 
 that of his beauty and powerful attrad:ion. 
 
 ' He is precious in his myftery as God-inan 5 
 wherein the Creator's marriage with the crea- 
 ture is exemplified : in which union, through 
 his blood-fhedding and death, we are made 
 the righteoufnefs of God, holy, pure, and 
 without fin. He is precious as our durable 
 riches and rigliteoufnefs, as him in whom are 
 all ov:r treafures of grace and eternal glory. 
 
 He is precious, as beautiful, and of powerful 
 attraction : Oh ! he is fairer than the fom cf 
 men ! He is ivhite and ruddy, the jlandard-bearer 
 amongft ten thoujandl When we have but a 
 glimpfe of that perfeBicn of beauty which dwells 
 in him 3 we wonder, we admire, Vv'e love, we 
 adore, and lofe fight of heaven and earth in 
 him ! He becoming all and in all unto us ; for- 
 getting all things, yea, for a fcafon forgetting 
 our benefits and riches by him j we gaze upon 
 his glory, and, through the views oihis bright- 
 nefs, ' fwallow large draughts of wonder, de- 
 light, love, defire, and joy unfpeakable ! we 
 
 forget 
 
( 83 ) 
 
 forget both our poverty and riches, and caught 
 up into amazement at the beauties of his holi- 
 nefs, we are as thofe created on purpofe to ad- 
 mire hi}?i ! his glory, his beauty, his excellen- 
 cy, is all the language of our fouls! without 
 considering Ot7r knowledge, cur faith, or falva- 
 tion, we only now confider him, contemplate 
 him, and cry, it is good for us to be herej 
 wondering and lilently admiring the untold 
 beauties of that dear Man who died for us. 
 Whilft the beamings of his beauty, warming 
 and attrading the heart, at length burfl our 
 feeble fouls with praife : Hail Son of Mary y 
 hail, hail, all hail thou Bridegroom of the 
 Church ; hail thou perfe£iio7i of beauty y who 
 fhineft out of Zion ! Glory be to Ihee thou 
 beautiful Emmanuel ! Glory be to Thee thou 
 altogether lovely Lord Jefus ! Glory and honour 
 be to Thee my Beloved : Thy head is as the moji 
 fine goldy thy locks are bufiy, and black as a ra^ 
 veny thy eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers 
 of waters y ivajljed with ?Jiilk, and fitly fet -, thy 
 cheeks are as a bed of fpices, as fweet flowers ; 
 thy lips like lillieSy dropping fweet-fmelling myrrh ; 
 thy hands as gold rings Jet with beryl; tljy belly 
 as bright ivory overlaid with fapphires ; thy legs 
 as pillars of marble fet iipoji fockets of fine gold-, 
 thy countenance as Lebanon, excellent as the ce^ 
 dars i thy mouth is moft fweet , yea thou art alto^ 
 gether lovely, Glory^ honour, and eternal 
 thankfgiving, be to Thee thou lovely, beau- 
 teous Son of man, who art in the midfi of the gol- 
 den 
 
CS4 ) 
 
 ^cn candle flicks^ chat bed ivith a garment doit)n to 
 the j cot ^ and girt about thy paps with a golden gir^ 
 die ; ivhofe head and hairs are white like wool^ as 
 white as jnow ; and ivhofe eyes are like a flame of 
 fire ; ivhofe jeet are like fne brajs burning in a 
 furnace-, and ivhofe voice is as the found of many 
 waters : who holdefi in thy right hand f even fiarSy 
 whilfl out of thy mouth goeth a fjarp two-edged 
 fword ; ajid thy countenance as the fun fnning in 
 its full Jlrength. Glory be to Thee O Lord.- 
 O how excellent the Perfon ! how divine the 
 beauties of our yefus / In comparifon of him all 
 created glories are grofs darknefs, and the moffc 
 refined beauty is deformity. He is indeed pre- 
 cious beyond defcription j and yet what we 
 now fee, is but darkly^ as through a glafs, but 
 when we Hiall fee him with open face, and 
 without a cloud, what fhall we fee ! what (liall 
 we feel ! that our tongues dare not attempt to 
 tell ; nor is it poffible that words Oiould ever 
 paint it, becaufe it doth not yet appear what we 
 floallbe, but it is enough, that we fl:all be like 
 him, for wefiallfee him as he is ; until then we 
 exprefs all the defire of our fouls in a fcvv 
 words : We befeech thee foew us thy glory ^ let 
 thy prefence go up with us, and let all thy 
 goodnefs pafs before us. 
 
 He is precious in his atoning blood and 
 death ; where he is to the few a fiimibllng-bhck^ 
 and to the Greek Joolijhnefs, he is to us, the 
 wifdom and power oj God unto fahation. How 
 precious the form, where he looks like he 
 
 had 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 had been flain ! and that hisfiifferrngs, bCood and 
 death are precious to the chriftian 3 witnefs that 
 fharp-fighted and burning jealoufy in every 
 true believer's bofom 3 of all things in heaven 
 and earth, left it fhould take place of his pre- 
 cious blood, or join itfelf with it in the matter 
 of our redemption and falvation j and what- 
 ever we deted: afTuming thefe honours, whe- 
 ther they wear earthly or heavenly forms, we 
 fpare them not, but purfue them with anathe- 
 ma's to the lowefl; hell, as traitors to the King 
 of glory. And to every found and objed:, which 
 would charm our hearts from this, let us fhut 
 our ears, our eyes, and refolutely abide by the 
 fountain of his blood, and evidence how pre- 
 cious a crucified Jefus is to us ; yea, and in com- 
 parifon oi this, let us, with Job, fay. If 1 was 
 perfeB^ I would not know my foul ^ but would def- 
 pfe my lif. In this fenfe, facrificing ally whe- 
 ther lightj love, knowledge, faith, yea, all cur 
 goodnefs, to the honour of His moft precious 
 blood. 
 
 He is precious In his gofpel ; his gofpel is 
 his heart and nature tranfcribed to man. All 
 who profefs to preach the chriftian religion are 
 in a meafure fenftble, that the gofpel is the on- 
 ly valuable found; and therefore whatever 
 they preach, each calls what he preaches, the 
 gofpel. Is preaching upon ftate affairs the gof- 
 pel ? is the preaching of dry morals, or the 
 rules of Seneca, the gofpel ? is the preaching 
 againft the divinity and atonement of the blef-* 
 
 G fed 
 
(86) 
 
 fed Jefus, the gofpel ? or is it the gofpel to 
 make man a co-partner with Jefus Clirift in 
 the work of falvation? is the threatning man- 
 kind with hell and damnation for their fin, and 
 promifing them eternal life on the amendment 
 ot their ways, the gofpel ? or, is it the gofpel ta 
 preacli the necefllty oi this, and the otfoer things 
 as wrought by us as our own work, or in us as the 
 work of the Spirit, for our falvation and eternal 
 iiie ? if the gofpel is not only God's good word, 
 or fayings, but as the angel declared, tidifigs of 
 great joy, which P:oiiU be unto all people, if it is to 
 be diftinguifhed from the law given by Mofes, as 
 that g7'ace and tj'uth which came by 'Jefus Chrift, 
 wherein does that, which I have mentioned, 
 anfwer this charadler ? The gofpel is the re- 
 velation of the love of God unto mankind by 
 Jefus Chrift, in whom he hath deftroyed our 
 fins, and (aved our fouls, through his death and 
 facrificej or, it is contained in thefe words, God 
 was in Chijl, reconciling the world to himfelf, 
 not imputing their trefpajj'es unto them, i Cor. v. 
 19. and as the gofpel thus exalts Jefus as the 
 Jalvation of God unto the ends of the earth, and 
 abafes the creature ^ it is precious to the chri- 
 ftian ; it is ^.jcyjidfoimd, it refreflies and chears 
 the heart, and is a cordial to the fainting fpirit: 
 It is what a truly chriilian heart prizes above 
 thoufands of gold and filver : nor is there any 
 famine they would (o nuich dread as a famine 
 of the chearing word. Until a perlbn knows 
 to diftinguifti it from every other found, there 
 
 will 
 
_ ( 87 ) 
 will be no real fatlsfadion j they will be expec*^ 
 ting it in the whirl-wi?id, in the Jire, and in 
 the earthquake 'y but when they have heard 
 the [mail flill voice, they ceafe from noife and 
 clamour, and converfe with Jefus in a calmer 
 manner, in a more familiar way: the gofpel, 
 as the wifclo?7i and power of God, recommends 
 itfelf to their conlcience, infomuch that they 
 no longer look to the chara(5ter of man, as 
 learned, wife, or holy, to recommend the 
 word unto them, and indeed here is the main 
 difference between juch who know the gofpel 
 in truth, and fuch who do notj iliQ Jonner 
 being taught it of the Holy Ghofi, the latter re- 
 ceiving it from man. IVhofo will lofe his lije for 
 my fake, and the gofpel, faith our Saviour, the 
 fame fdall findit. And, as all our power and 
 excellencies are flain by the reception of the gof- 
 pel ; we have the moft reafon to exped; it a- 
 mongft the people who are moft defpifed, a- 
 gainfl whom are vented the moft bitter invec- 
 tives,calumnies and reproaches, efpecially where 
 they endure them patiently and joyfully; a true 
 fign that they have loft their lives for Chrifl's 
 fake and his gofpel. Thus is it precious to the 
 chriftian who counts himfelf no lofer, though 
 he hath loft all to win Chrift and his gofpel. 
 
 Jefus is precious in his people; therefore 
 were they of old accounted of, as the only excel- 
 lent ones upon earth. When we once learn the 
 relation between Jefus and his people, expref- 
 fed in thefe words, Forafmuch as you did it unto 
 G 2 them^ 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 themy you did unto me. Matt. xxv. 45. And 
 when Saul, madly breathing out flaughters a- 
 gainfl his children, was afked this queftion by 
 him. Why perfecutejl thou met Ads ix. 4. Theriy 
 and not until the?i, are we able to conceive a- 
 right of the children of God, and to fet a pro- 
 per value upon them ; as it will plainly appear 
 unto us, that Chrift and his people are fo tru- 
 ly one, that there is no meddling with ofie with- 
 out the other. All the deeds, whether good or 
 bad, done unto them are fet down by Jefus, 
 and confirmed in heaven as done unto him. 
 AH the flights put upon them, are but fo many 
 flights put upon him ; their joy is, his, their forrow 
 his, //Wr temptations /^/^, their gvicfs his, their 
 troubles and perfecutions all his. 
 
 Read, and tremble, ye fmoaking fire-brands, 
 whom nothing Vv'ill fatisfy but the deftrucftion 
 of his people : Ye children of violence, who 
 opprefs them, and always ftudy to work them 
 diftrefs and anguifli : Ye venemous and fub- 
 tlefpirits, who lie in wait for their halting, and 
 by evil fpeech, with fly ferpentine infinuations 
 endeavour as much as in you to ruin them. 
 I fay, tremble when you read, that whatfoever 
 you do unto them, you do unto the Lord who 
 created you, and redeemed you ! O horrible 
 to confider then how he is treated amongft 
 men ! yea, and amongfl fuch who profefs to 
 be his friends ! Would you have it thought 
 that you are mad againfl: Jefus, and earneflly de- 
 lire his deflrudion f would you have it thought 
 
 that 
 
( 89 ) 
 that you fludy to load him with diftrefs and 
 anguilh, and to lie in wait by evil fpeech and 
 ferpentine cunning to ruin him ? God forbid, 
 fay you, that we lliould treat hifu fo. But 
 what will you do to acquit yourfelves of it ? 
 the word of God finds you guilty, the Holy 
 Ghoft maintains the charge againft you: Is 
 Chrift divided ? or can you when you wound, 
 diftinguifli the head ^^orci i\\Q members? doth 
 not the harmony of the body teach us, that the 
 head cannot be an idle fpedator whilfl the o- 
 ther members are a mangling, nor be infenfible 
 when they endure torment \ The children and 
 bride of Jefus are the moft tender part of his bo- 
 dy, they are the apple of his eye, Zech. ii. 8. 
 which part is fo quick and fenfitive as not to 
 admit of the fmalleft daft without intolerable 
 torment; yea, when in the days of his flefli, he 
 was buffeted, fpit upon, andfcourged, until his 
 bones appeared through the bleeding furrows^ 
 yet he complained not, but endured it patient- 
 ly, and unto the end prayed for his perfecu- 
 tors. But no fooner did the zealot Saul and 
 his fellows begin to alliid: his poor church, 
 but as one awakened by tlie moft exquifite 
 torments, he cries out v/ith the utmoft fer- 
 vour, Said^ Saul, ivhy perfecuteji thou met 
 why didft thou keep the cloaths of the men 
 who ftoned me at Jeruialem, why v/aft thou 
 confenting to my death, and with a mercilels 
 and unrelenting eye, beheldft ?ne daftied in 
 pieces by the ponderous ifones thrown upon 
 
 my 
 
( 90 ) . 
 
 my head, with all the furious rage of men, 
 whofe hearts were harder than the ftones they 
 threw ? why didft thou drag me with fpite and 
 cruelty out of every houfe, and make havock 
 of me? And is it not enough that thou haft 
 treated me thus at Jeriifakmy but that thou 
 muft purfue mc to Damqfcus alfo, to bring me 
 bound before the blood-thirfty priefts ? What 
 have 1 done to thee ? wherein have / offended 
 thee, that thou putteft me to this jecond pain, 
 hy far more grievous than iht fir/i? conflrain- 
 ing me thus to reafon with thee, Saidy Sauly 
 why perfecuteji thou me ? is it not hard Jor thee 
 to kick againfi the pricks ? to fight againfl thy 
 God, a potfherd of earth to ftrive with his 
 maker ? Learn hence, what a tender feeling 
 Jefus hath of all the miferies and diftrefs of his 
 children. And O! would to God that every 
 perfecuting Saul, every envious, malicious, 
 back-biting, flanderous, lying fpirit againft 
 his people, could fo effedluallj hear the Savi- 
 our's voice, crying to them, Why perfecuteji 
 thou7nef why art thou envious and malicious 
 againft me f why doft thou backbite and flan- 
 der me ? why dofl thou fo cruelly fpeak lies 
 of me ? But then fome one will fay. If we be- 
 lieved them children of God, we would not 
 treat them fo i but as we think they are not, 
 they deferve fuch treatment. When a certain 
 Jewifh zealot, who thought that none but 
 fuch of his own nation had any right to his 
 love, hearing our Saviour enjoin us to love 
 
 our 
 
( 91 ) 
 
 our neighbour, impertinently afked him who 
 was his neighbour : (thereby making an anti- 
 chriftian diftindion, as if none were to be fo 
 accounted of, but fuch of his own nation, 
 church and fentiment) He was anfwered in a 
 parable, where, under the limilitude of the 
 Samaritan, he was taught that his fellow- 
 creature, of whatever nation, church, or fenti- 
 ment, was his neighbour. Moreover, fhould 
 it be granted that your diftindion is juft, as 
 you do not always know who are the children 
 of God, or who are not ; you have no autho- 
 rity for your diftindlion : and when you have 
 once acknowledged them fuch, nothing is 
 more common than for you to call back the 
 verdid: you once pafled in their favour, and to 
 condemn whom you once acquitted^ whenever 
 you have received fome ill impreffions toward 
 them} and, blinded with prejudice and paf- 
 fion, you thus deal with them, tho' contrary^ 
 probably, to your own fentiment, and unto what 
 you would have others think of you. But 
 what then, you poor changing worms ! do 
 you think God is fuch a one as yourfelves, 
 jujiify and co77demn, juft as you do ? I am per- 
 fuaded, you would fain have him fo, but for 
 your happinefs, and the happinefs of thofe 
 whom you condemn, Jefus is the fame yefler- 
 day, to-day, and for ever. O then do not de- 
 ceive yourfelves with foolifli quibbles, foraf- 
 much as you have caufe to fear, you wound 
 and injure yefm Chriji in every fon or daughter 
 
 of 
 
( 92 ) _ 
 
 of Adam, whom you thus grieve and opprefs^ 
 It is an eternal inconfiflency for you to profeis 
 frienddiip to the Head^ whilll: you wound and 
 vex the members ; to profefs love to the Bride- 
 groof7iy whilfl you hate the bride, and pour 
 contempt upon her m any one individual of 
 his children. To fay, I abhor the thought of 
 giving Jefus pain, and immediately pierce tho 
 apple of his eye. Confider thefe things, you 
 that eat up his people as grajs\ feeding upon 
 their fins until you are fat and flrong, not 
 ceafing to bite and devour, taking part with 
 the acciijer of the brethren againfl thofe whom 
 God hath juftified. 
 
 But unto every foul who hath a right ap- 
 prehenlion of Jefus, he is precious in his peo- 
 ple; and they know what it is to difcern the 
 body of the Lord, and not as thofe Corinthi- 
 ans, who having refped; of perfons amongft 
 them, came unworthily to the table of the 
 Lord, as though they could partake of that, 
 and the table of devils alfo. 
 
 There is nothing fo powerfully excites to 
 brotherly love and kindnefs, yea, to univerfal 
 kindnefs and compafilon to mankind, as a 
 gofpel view of Jefus Chrifl our Lord. 
 
 Do we in heart believe that whatfoever is 
 done to his children is done unto/j/w.? how ten- 
 der fliall we then be of grieving and oppreffing 
 them; can we then hate them, whifper againft 
 them, envy them, and uncharitably condemn 
 them? O God forbid ! it is utterly inconliftent 
 
 with 
 
( 93 ) 
 with a true veneration for Jefus Chrin;. Can 
 we fee them hungry, and not feed them^ 
 thirfly, and not give them dx-ink j naked, and 
 not cloath them ; in priion, and notvilit them ? 
 Doth not he fay, forafmuch as vjt do it jwt to 
 them^ yea to the leafi: o'i thevj, we do it not to 
 him? what a robbing of Jefus would this be, 
 a keeping back from him what he hath given 
 us in truft for the ufe of all his children. Are 
 any of them defpifed, forrowful, troubled on 
 every fide, and grievoufly tempted, and will 
 we be (liv of them, fliun them and difown 
 them ? Will not this be to be afhamed of the 
 humiliation o^ Jefus ^ and to leave hi?7i and for- 
 fake him in the day of his temptation, as the 
 afflicflion of his people is a filling up of the 
 fufferings of Jefus which are behind? Let us 
 not flumble at hi?7i now, as fundry did, on the 
 Jirjl day of his diflrefs j but a foul, who glo- 
 ries in his humiliation, and draws all his com- 
 fort from thofe deep ivells of fahatiofi^ can 
 never be offended at him, in his defpifed fuf- 
 fering members, as he will, under every 
 form and appearance, be precious to all fuch. 
 
 He is precious in his children to every one 
 who walketh in the light, for there we love 
 our brethren, and fee none cccajion of Jhumbling 
 in them, Whofoever can fee Jefus as heisy can 
 fee his children like him j for the King's 
 daughter is all glorious within. O happy, 
 happy fpoufe and bride of Jefus ! whom God 
 loves, for v/hom Jefus hatii died, whom an- 
 
( 94 ) 
 gels with joy attend. Let my tongue for ever 
 cleave to the roof of my mouth, ere I fpeak 
 evil oiTbee; and let my right hand forget its 
 cunning, ere I grow weary of waiting upon 
 Tbeey or of being an ufeful, as I am a living 
 member in i/jy body ; or ere I ceafe to deliver 
 Thee affedionately and faithfully, the whole of 
 every mieflage our common Head and Huf- 
 band fhall intrull me with to thee , for in thee I 
 behold thy Hufband's beauty, love and grace, 
 yea all the glories of that eternal redemption 
 and falvation, which He obtained for thee. 
 Therefore, I fummon all my powers to join 
 with tbee in afcribing all praife, might, ma- 
 jefty, dominion, honour, power, and glory, 
 unto ye/uSy the Lord of life and glory, in 
 time and to eternity. Amen. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
THE 
 
 Salt of the Sacrifice; 
 
 Or, the true 
 
 Chriftian Baptifm 
 
 DELINEATED, 
 According to Reason and Spirit : 
 
 As gathered from fundry Difcourfes on 
 that Subje^fl, 
 
 M— 1— ■— M^MB^—— — ^^— ^— ^^P— W» I I I II W.JfUIUMi 
 
 By JAMES RE LLY. 
 
 HAVING ahhjhed in his fejh the enmity, the lanxi of 
 commandments, contained in ordinances, for to make in himfelft 
 ef fwain, one fieiv man, fo making peace, Eph. ii. 15.— 
 Blotting out the hand-'writing of trdinances, that 'vjas againji 
 KS, tAjhich tAjas contrary to us, and took it out of the ixiay, nail- 
 ing it to his crofsy Col. ii. 1 4.. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for the AUTHOR; and fold by S. Bladon, 
 Bookfeljer, in Paternofer-roiv. — Price Two Shillings. 
 
T O t H E 
 
 READER. 
 
 AMONG thofe who may read the 
 following treatife, on the Reafon 
 and Spirit of Baptifm, there will be 
 tnany who, inftead of attending to argument, 
 or of fubmitting to the convidioa of truth, 
 will be challenging the reafons of fuch a 
 publication ; as if it were extremely diffi- 
 cult, if not totally impoffible, for the author 
 to propofe to himfelf, or to the community, 
 any valuable end, by writing on fuch a fub- 
 
 PrepofleOion difqualifies men for reading 
 with candour and impartiality} and even 
 irritates them to condemn, where they have 
 not yet heard : to prevent, if poffible, the 
 lead of fuch a fpirit, I fhall endeavour in this 
 preface to the reader, to render fuch rea- 
 fons for my writing and publifhing on the 
 fubje<fl of ordinances, as will, I truft, fatis- 
 fy the truly candid, that I have not adted in 
 it altogether without reafon. 
 
 a Satisfied 
 
(") 
 
 Satisfied with a pofitivc teflimony, con- 
 cerning Jefus the Son of God, as the perfedt- 
 ed and final falvation, fet forth before the 
 face of all people ; many years elapfed before 
 I faw it needful to treat negatively of the 
 matter ; by an attempt to fhew, that certain 
 ufages in the church, which are judged to 
 contain the elTence of chriftianity, are not 
 perfectly confident with the truth of Chrift. 
 
 The things, which I and others were 
 taught to abflain from, as weak and beggar- 
 ly elements, were never animadverted on in 
 my difcourfes, only when juftice to fuch 
 pallages of fcripture as I happened to treat 
 on abfolutely required it ; and then they 
 were touched with all pofiible brevity, and 
 tendernefs. 
 
 The ufe of ordinances amongft others, I 
 never inveiglied againft; nor did I at any 
 time attempt, either publicly or privately, to 
 difluade men from fubjedlion to them : nay, 
 fo far was I from defiring to impofe my faith 
 on others, that I rather difcouraged their 
 abflinence from thofe things, when it ap- 
 peared that their conviiflion was not from 
 above. 
 
 Under this influence, faithfully following 
 the light that direded my own path, I fliould 
 
 have 
 
{ Hi ) 
 have refted well content that all mankind 
 fhould do the fame, however they might - 
 differ from me ; nor was it poffible for me 
 to cenfure any man for thinking otherwife 
 than my felf ; having thefe words engraven 
 on my heart, " No man can receive any 
 " thing, except it be given him from above." 
 
 The utmofl that my friends and I fought 
 for was, that having faith, we might be 
 permitted to have it to ourfelves ; and this 
 we thought we had a right to expe6t : but, 
 alas, we were taught by experience, that 
 our hopes were by much too fanguine; and 
 that, confidering the attachments of men to 
 externals in religion, we had but little reafon 
 to expect fuch a toleration as exempted us 
 from their cenfure. 
 
 We were calumniated as evil-doers ; and 
 loaded with reproaches, as negled:ers and 
 contemners of divine ordinances; the mofl 
 rigorous, and even fevere cenfures, were efti- 
 mated as mild, in comparifon of our deferts, 
 fo very atrocious were our errors judged to 
 be. That we might poffibly err from, 
 miftake, or that we had the leaft degree of 
 good-meaning among us, or that we were 
 able to render but the fhadow of a reafon 
 a z for 
 
( iv) 
 
 for our condud:, were hypothefes much too 
 favourable for our indulgence. 
 
 It was conftantly infinuated, and even 
 affirmed, That we, bidding defiance to reve- 
 lation and reafon, negled:ed the ordinances 
 of God, and poured contempt on themj, 
 only becaufe they were commanded, and 
 the continual obfervance of them enjoined 
 us, in the Bible'; and, that having no colour- 
 able plea for our proceedings, we affeded 
 to treat all reproof, and every attempt to re- 
 gulate our fentiments, with wanton fneering 
 and ridicule. 
 
 Our adverfaries continued challenging, 
 and even defying us to render a reafon of 
 our faith; and our forbearance made then> 
 not only conclude, but affirm, that we had 
 no reafon to render. Hence, we were regi- 
 flered as obftinate hereticks, rejected and 
 cut off from the Chriftian name, in their 
 judgrnent j and expofed to feel the fmart of 
 every rod of power, but that which provi^ 
 dence has not put into their hands. 
 
 I could yet have been well fatisfied, to 
 have pofTeffed my foul in patience, and 
 peaceably to have endured what I eftcemed 
 as the reproaches of Chrifl; but fome fincere 
 {learts {tumbling, and others growing uneafy^ 
 
it was judged needful that a defence fhould 
 be made, by rendering a reafon of the hope 
 that is in us, refped:ing thefe matters. 
 
 This induced me from time to time to 
 treat on the fubjedl of ordinances ; and at 
 Jaft it was thought right that I fhould print 
 thofe difcourfes, as a proof that we had a 
 foundation for our faith : but, as I had no 
 notes by me, to affift my memory in recapi- 
 tulating by the pen, what without pre-me- 
 ditation I had delivered in the congregation, 
 it may not be expedled, that I fhould recol- 
 left, with any precifenefs, what I had thus 
 delivered; therefore, I chofe to entitle it, 
 as a gathering from fundry difcourfes, &c. 
 
 I can propofe none other advantage to my- 
 felf from this publication, than what confifts 
 in taking up the crofs of Chrift, and in fol- 
 lowing Him. But as mankind, in propor- 
 tion as they are fubjed to ordinances, as they 
 are bigoted to externals under the idea of real 
 chriflianity, are, in my judgment, deprived 
 of the fweet felicity of the gofpel ; and arc 
 either ftrangers to, or greatly eftranged from, 
 the adorable Perfon, and imbibed Spirit of 
 our Saviour. So if by means of this, or by 
 any other, they may be brought to fee that 
 Jefus is All and in All— That He is before all 
 
 things. 
 
( vi ) 
 
 things, and that by Him all things confifl:— 
 That in Him, as the Firfl and the Laft, 
 the curfe is removed — That in Him all the 
 promlfes are yea, and amen — That He is 
 the Spirit, the Subftance, the Accompliih- 
 ment, and Final End of every ordinance ; 
 the advantage is great, as the comfort is 
 real, both in him who communicates, and 
 in him v^^ho receiveth. 
 
 If thefe matters, fo well attefted, and ex- 
 plicitly taught in the holy Scriptures, are, 
 as the things of Chrifl, (hewn to us by the 
 Spirit of Truth ; they will not only endear 
 the Perfon and Salvation of Chrill: to us, but 
 they will endear all his creatures to us alfo, for 
 his fake; and herein confifts the true fpirit 
 of morality ; for if love thinketh no evil, 
 much lefs will it injure its neighbour. 
 
 He who belleveth doth not make hafte— 
 Nor is this a hafly publication. — The manu- 
 fcript has lain by me thefe three years; 
 during which time, I have often ferioufly 
 read it over i and though my frames of mind 
 at fuch times have been various, yet I have 
 always found, in the reading of it, a full 
 convidion of its truth ; my confcience alfo 
 always bearing me witnefs, that it was writ- 
 1 ten 
 
( vii ) 
 
 ten with a fingle eye, to the glory and ho- 
 DOur of our Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 But, as the love of Jefus renders the mind 
 exceedingly tender, I have hitherto delayed 
 printing it, left, though fome approved of it, 
 other lincere hearts might poffibly feel am 
 uneafinefs, to them unknown before; this 
 I confidered as a certain mifery to my felf, 
 as the unfeigned forrow of my fellow crea- 
 ture is really my own. 
 
 Therefore, nothing but the convidlion, 
 that I feek not myfelf, but Chrift Jefus the 
 Lord i and that my witnefs is on high, that 
 I had nothing in view in writing it, nor 
 have I any thing in view in publiihing it, 
 but the glory of Divine Grace, as exhibited 
 by Jefus Chrift our Lord -, and that I believe 
 it to be really Spirit and Truth ; and that- 
 as fuch, it may be ufeful in turning men 
 from darknefs to light, and from touching, 
 tafting, and handling what perifties with the 
 ufing, to the incorruptible bread of life: 
 thefe, I fay, with the judgment of my 
 friends, are the only confi derations which 
 could poffibly induce me to print on the fub- 
 jed: of ordinances. 
 
 If there be yet other objedions to the 
 
 do(^rine contained in this treatife, than thofe 
 
 3 which 
 
( viii ) 
 which I have already noticed, and anfwered, 
 or at leall, have attempted to anfwer, I de- 
 clare I know them not : therefore, let 
 it not be imputed to a timid, or deceitful 
 filence in me, that I have not noticed them ; 
 for I here promife, that when I do know 
 them, as I feel my heart is not incorrigible, 
 I will pay a ferious and due attention to 
 them. 
 
 J. R. 
 
O N E B APTI S 
 
 One Baptif'M Ephef. iv. 5. 
 
 THE Apoftle to the Hebrews Ipeaks 
 of the doctrine of Baptifms, as of 
 many -, but in the text before us, he 
 emphatically mentions " One Baptifm." 
 '^^ One Baptifm," as only necefTary; " One 
 Baptifm," as comprehenfive of the many; 
 and as that wherein every other Baptifm 
 hath had its final period. 
 
 The Baptifm mentioned in the text is, not 
 only limply and invariably one, but the only 
 one ; and this is manifeft, not only from the 
 emphatic "One Baptifm," but alfo from the 
 articles wherewith it is clafTed ; " One Loi-d, 
 One Faith," each of which, is in truth, un- 
 changeably one, and excluding all others.. 
 
 What this one necelfary ChriRian Bap- 
 tifm is, remains flill to be a matter of dif- 
 pute among men. There are a few indeed 
 who believe the one Baptifm to be fpiritual, 
 and that (relating to what hath been accom- 
 plifhed in Chrift) it operates upon the mind 
 and confcience, throush the taith of liim : 
 but thefe are but few. The mu'titude ar^ 
 B oa 
 
[ 2] 
 
 *n th« other fide of the qiieftion, and beh'eve, 
 or pretend to believe, that it is external, and 
 intends the Baptilm of water only. 
 
 To inveftigate the truth of this One Bap- 
 tifm, and to hold it up to public view, is my 
 prefent defign : and as it is impoffible, in my 
 judgment, for us to attain to truth in things of 
 this nature, while we follow the lead of 
 cuftom, tradition, and human authorities, 
 I purpofe to fet very lightly by thefe, and 
 to confine myfelf to the fcriptures, and to 
 found reafon; and this I promife to do, at 
 leafl:, in truth and faithfulnefs ; not courting 
 the favour of any man, nor dreading his 
 frown. As I am well aware of the recep- 
 tion this attempt will meet with in the world 
 from man's native ignorance of truth, and 
 from his attachment to the works of his own 
 hands, however external and confifting of 
 bodily exercife, I fhall feel no difappoint- 
 ment from that quarter. Thus ajiticipating 
 their fury, but with a view to their inftruc- 
 tion and happinefs, and as a witnefs of the 
 glory of Chrift, I (hall ceafe from care and 
 fear, and perfift in fpeaking the words of 
 truth and fobern efs. 
 
 That Water-baptifm was not an ordi- 
 nance of our Lord's appointing, is manifefl, 
 from its being ufed by John Baptifl,. before 
 our Saviour entredupon his office; and that 
 it was not an ordinance of Moles, or of the 
 prophets, is as manifefl, from its not being 
 once mentioned io all their writings : and 
 
 yet. 
 
[3] 
 
 yetj Something fimilar to Water-bap tifm 
 feems to have been pra(ftired among the 
 Jews, before the days of John Baptifl. They 
 are faid, to have enjoined the washing of 
 water, as a neceffary circumftance towards 
 making a complete profelyte. 
 
 It is not improbable, but that the Jews 
 might have taken the cuftom from the hv/ 
 of Mofes; where ablutions of that kind 
 are commanded to the priefts, and to fuch 
 •who had the plague of leproiy; or, who 
 had defiled themfelves by contad: with any 
 thing unclean. Hence the Jews, regardijig 
 the Gentiles as unclean, would not admit 
 them as complete profelytes. until they had 
 been thus wafhed, or baptized. Accord- 
 ingly, when John Baptiftcame baptizing with 
 water, the Jews were fo far from confidering 
 his pradice as novel, or as an innovation, 
 that they rather feemed as people accuftomed 
 to the ufage; and confequently, in their 
 various ranks and degrees, attended to be 
 baptized of him, in Jordan. But I do nc^t 
 mean to infinuate, that John Baptifl: took 
 his miffion and pattern from the Jewifh cu- 
 ftom : nay, but John had a divine warrant 
 for what he did, both refpeding the thing, 
 and the manner of it. 
 
 Our Saviour bears an honourable tefti- 
 monyofjohn, where he fays, *' Verily I 
 fay unto you, among them that are born of 
 women, there hath not rifen a greater than 
 John the Baptift." But except fome other 
 B a meaning 
 
I 4] 
 meaning be tolerated heie> than what ap- 
 pears upon the face of the letter, it will 
 more than imply that Jefus himfelf was not 
 greater than John the Baptift, fince he alfo 
 was born of a woman ; than which nothing 
 can be more abfurd, or a more palpable con- 
 tradiction to the teftimony of all the pro- 
 phets and apoftles concerning him. 
 
 But our Lord's meaning in the propor- 
 tion, is, as I conceive, to be underftood as 
 follows : Women, in the fcriptures, are of- 
 ten confidered as a fymbol of weaknefs; 
 hence the prophet, " My people, children 
 are their oppre/Tors, and women rule over 
 them." And in the above, they are em- 
 blematical of the darknefs and weaknefs of 
 the Old Teflament difpenfation ; and to 
 be born of women, in the text, denotes a 
 being under that difpenfation; which dif- 
 penfation, under various adminiflrations, 
 extended from Adam to Chrift. The king- 
 dom of heaven, contrafled to this ftate in the 
 text, intends the Chriftian difpenfation ; or, 
 our Saviour mud have (only) taught that 
 the leafl: angelic pouxT, was greater than 
 ■John f lince all human beings, howevcV 
 glorified, (Adam and Eve excepted) were 
 literally born of women. But it doth not 
 appear to have been our Lord's deiign, "to 
 teach that angels were greater than John 
 theBaptifl ; but that the kingdom of heaven 
 intends the gofpel ilate, and that the being 
 born of women figniiies the law; which 
 
 was 
 
Is] 
 
 was weak, and had but the fliadow of good 
 things j and that the greateft, under the lat- 
 ter ftate, was not equal to the lead under 
 the former, in point of righteoufnefs, peace, 
 and joy in the Holy Gholi. 
 
 Thus the Old Teftament difpenfatlon is 
 reprefented as a flate of bondage and fear ; 
 whilft the New Teftament, or Chriftian 
 difpenfation, is that of the fpirit of adoption, 
 where we cry Abba, Father. Again, the 
 former is faid to contain but the pattern of 
 heavenly things,, but the latter contains the 
 heavenly things themfelves : under the for- 
 mer, they are faid to be born of women, 
 alluding to their imperfed: means of in- 
 ftrucftion, and to that fcantinefs, in point of 
 real happinefs, unto which they attained ; 
 but under the latter, they are faid (i. e. be- 
 lievers) to be in the kingdom of heaven, 
 where they are born of God. And in this 
 latter, the leail:, as born of God, is greater 
 than the greateil: under the former, as born 
 of women. 
 
 Thus, from Adam to Chrift, there was 
 none greater than John the Baptift; no, 
 not Mofes, nor Elias, nor any one of the pro- 
 phets. The greatnefs of the prophets and 
 apoftles is not eftimated by creature-excel- 
 lence, or by any advantage of perfon or fla- 
 tion, which one pofTelled above another, but 
 this was always to be determined of by the 
 Divine Prefence; he who had the grcatefl: 
 meafure of the Spirit of Chrift, and who was 
 B 3 mod 
 
[6] 
 
 moH: peculiarly taught of him, was ever 
 efteemed of in the church as the greateft ; in 
 which fenfe, none of thofe who went before 
 Him were greater than John the Baptill: : 
 For John came in the full fplrit and power 
 of Elias, and had alfo the additional honour 
 of pointing out in perfon, the Lamb of God, 
 who took, away the fins of the world. But 
 the lead: in the kingdom of heaven is greater 
 than John ; by which we are to underftand, 
 either Chriftians in general, or rather (as I 
 conceive) the apoftles, 6cc. in particular, 
 the leaft of whom had more of the Spirit of 
 Chriil, and was more immediately acquaint- 
 ed with the glories of his perfon, and the 
 nature of his kingdom, than John the Bap- 
 tift was. Our Lord's defign in fupporting 
 the dignity of the Baptift was to {hew, that 
 though his pradice was not perfedly cor- 
 refpondent with that of Mofes, and of the 
 prophets; yet that he, being inferior to 
 none of them, might have an immediate and 
 particular miffion from God, and which was 
 not limited to their rules ; thereby account- 
 ing for his ufing Wajter-baptifm, which they 
 did not, 
 
 I have faid, that under the Old Teflament 
 there were various adminiftrations ; as from 
 Adam to the flood ; from the flood to Mo- 
 fes ; from Mofcs to the prophets ; from the 
 prophets to John, the Baptift; and from 
 John the Baptill: to the accomplifliment of 
 all things in Chriil. It is pofliblc that they 
 
 might 
 
[?] 
 
 might be much more varied, but the above 
 being fufficient to anfvver my purpofe, I de- 
 cline attempting it. It may be obferved 
 that thefe, as the times of the Meffiah drew 
 nigher, continued to brighten upon the 
 church, from one degree of brigbtnefs unto 
 another. From Adam to the flood, they 
 had the promife of the Mefliah, the ufe of 
 facrifices, &c; from the flood to Mofes, their 
 fprings of faith, and itsdiredory to its ob- 
 jed, received fome additions, in fundry pro- 
 mifes and figures, and in the appearances of 
 the divine prefence^ with the inftitution of 
 circumcilion, the feafl of the Pafchal Lamb, 
 &c. all which were properly digefted in 
 Mofes' code, with many additions flill, all 
 written by the finger of God, As an addi- 
 tion to this, flill coming on to perfecflion, 
 fucceeded tbe prophets, with new inflruc- 
 tions, promifes, &c. enforced by fimilitudes 
 not contained in the former ; unto thefe fuc- 
 ceeded John the Baptifi, as a prophet, yea, 
 and more than a prophet, being the imme- 
 diate forerunner of the Meffiah, the melTen- 
 ger before his face to prepare his way ; and 
 he, by the divine diredion, added to all the 
 former figures of Chrift, and to the fymbol 
 of m.an's falvation and purity in him, the ar- 
 ticle of Water-baptifm ; which, as an outward 
 wafliing and cleanfing, was fiill more ligni- 
 ficant of that promi fed purification of the 
 people, now foonto be accomplifhed through 
 the ofiering up of the MeiUah. Upon which 
 
 I 
 
[8] 
 
 I build the following propofitlons ; — i . That 
 Water-haptifm was not pradiled, by divine 
 authority, before John; — 2. That John the 
 Baptifm did pradiie it by divine authority j — : 
 3. That it w^as temporary, and that John was 
 apprized of this, and had the ligns of its pe- 
 riod given him; — 4. That it was an addi- 
 tion to the ceremonial law, and a figure of 
 Chrift, and cannot in reafon, nor fpjrit, ex^ 
 tend beyond the accompliilimentof all things 
 in Him. To prove the firfl:, the filence of 
 the fcriptures is fufficient. To prove the 
 fecond, wc have not only our Lord's vindi- 
 cation of John, as before recited, but we 
 have alio the teilimony of the Baptill: him- 
 {dfy who fays, *' But he that fent me to 
 baptize with water, the fame faid unto me, 
 &c." Here we learn, that he who diflin- 
 guidicd to the Baptift's notice, the perfon of 
 Jefas, was the fame that fent him to baptize 
 with water; but as none but the Spirit of 
 truth could glorify the one, fo none but the 
 fame Spirit could fend him to adminifter the 
 other. The third propofition, I conceive 
 to be alfo proveable from the Baptift's own 
 confcffion, *' And I knew him not : but he 
 that fent me to baptize with water, the 
 fame faid unto me. Upon whom thou {lialt 
 fee the Spirit defcending and remaining on 
 him, the fame is he which baptizeth with 
 the Holy Ghoft ;" thofe words contain at 
 lead a tacit acknowledgment, that John, 
 upon being fent to baptize with water, was 
 "- ■ ' ^ " giver^ 
 
[9] 
 
 given to underftand, that his mlniftry and 
 jBaptifm fhould be of no long continuance ; 
 for that the Lord's Meffiah, or the kingdom^ 
 of heaven was at hand ; who, as the fpirit 
 and fubftance of his miniftry, and as the 
 true adminiftrator of fpiritual Baptifm, (of 
 which his Baptifm of water was only a fi- 
 gure) fliould totally fuperfede and make void 
 his commiffion. Which commiffion, in its 
 original intention, was only an introdudion 
 to our Lord's coming, a preparation of his 
 way, and therefore cealing of courfe upon 
 his being mademanifeft unto Ifrael. I fay, 
 it may be gathered from John's own confef- 
 flon, that he was apprized of this, upon his 
 being fent out to baptize with water; hence 
 alfo his teftimony concerning Jefus, *' He 
 *' mufl increafe, but I mull decreafe." Yea, 
 and he had a certain infallible lign given him 
 withal, whereby he was not only to diflin- 
 guifh the perfon who was to baptize with 
 the Holy Ghoft, but alfo the date of that 
 epoch ; " Upon whom thou fhalt fee the 
 ** Spirit defcending and remaining on him, 
 " the fame is he which baptizeth with the 
 " Holy GhoOii" but this fign did not ap- 
 pear until Chrift himfelf was baptized with 
 water: as we read, ** And Jefus when he 
 *' was baptized, went up ftraightway out of 
 ** the water : and lo, the heavens were open- 
 *' ed unto him, and he faw the Spirit of 
 *' God defcending like a dove, and lighting 
 f upon him." The fpirit, and the mean- 
 ing 
 
[lo] 
 
 ing of which, I fhall have an occaiion to 
 ip^ak of in another place. 
 
 I have propofed, that Water-baptifm was 
 an aggregate to the ceremonial law, and ty- 
 pical of man's falvation in Chrill; which is 
 /ynonimous with the Baptifm of the Holy 
 Ghoft : and here it will be expeded that 1 
 ihould give my reafons. 
 
 Whatfoever is commanded in the fcrfp- 
 tures belongs to the decalogue, or moral 
 few, or to the ceremonial or typical law ; 
 or otherwife, to {om^ new law of command- 
 ment, given by Chrifl, or his apoftles. I 
 have chofen to make thofe difti nations, not 
 that they all exift in my ov^n fentiment, 
 but as they are the common received rules, 
 by which men determine of the fcriptare 
 precepts. 
 
 The whole of the moral law, as the eter- 
 nal invariable rule of righteoufnefs, is con- 
 tained in the Old Teflament; but Water- 
 baptifm is not found in the Old Teftament, 
 therefore Water-baptifm is no part of the 
 moral law. Again, the decalogue or moral 
 law, as written by the finger of God, was 
 unalterable, permanent, and perfect in its 
 cxtenfion and circumfcription, and there- 
 fore cannot admit of diminution ; no, not 
 from the coniideration of any change of 
 circumftance in man, to whom it was given : 
 neither can it admit of interpolations nor 
 additions. Therefore, the New Teftament 
 eontains no mitigation of the moral law, 
 2 Bor 
 
nor datli it contain any additions to it ; but 
 the New Teftament is rather an elucidation 
 and fulfilHng of the law, gloriouily magni- 
 fying it, and making it honourable. Hence 
 my argument — Water-baptifm's being men- 
 tioned or even commanded in the New 
 Teftament, as it is only mentioned or com- 
 manded there, is fo far from being a proof 
 of its being contained in the decalogue or 
 moral law, that it infallibly proves the con- 
 trary. Again, if Water- baptifm was im- 
 plied in the moral law, then, without the 
 confideration of faith in Chrift, it would be 
 the duty of all men to fubmit to it. But this 
 is contrary to the fcriptures, and to the ge- 
 nerally-received fenfe of things, and there- 
 fore needs none other confutation. 
 
 The moft generally received fenfe of 
 Water-baptifm is, that it is an ordinance of 
 Chrift, a new-teftament or gofpel command, 
 and independent of the law of Mofes. I have 
 already thrown out a hint relative to this 
 matter, but I fhall now treat it more expli- 
 citly : Water-baptifm, as I have already 
 fhewn, was pradtifed by John the Baptift, 
 before the Lord Chrift was manifeft unto 
 Ifrael ; therefore, Water-baptifm hath not 
 its original from the dodlrine nor pradice of 
 Chrift; hence it cannot be an ordinance of 
 Chrift. To this it will be replied, that 
 though Water-baptifm be not originally an 
 ordinance of ChriiVs inftitution, yet he ap- 
 proved 
 
[12 J 
 
 proved of it, adopted it, and commanded 
 his difciples to pradife it. 
 
 To this I anfwer — The various nfages in 
 the church until Chriflj had doubtlefs their 
 fignihcancy, and were adapted to their par- 
 ticular difpenfations, nor could the faithful 
 bat approve of thofc ufages : hence our Lord 
 approved of Water-baptifm as a fignificant 
 myftery, and a practice fuited to that dif- 
 penfation. But this proves not that he in- 
 tended its continuance in the church, nor 
 indeed that it ihould continue longer than 
 until the Baptifm of the Koly Ghoft took 
 place. That our Lord adopted the pradice 
 of Water-baptifm, is fo far from being 
 plain, that I think the coiitrary appears; 
 this v/e are certain of, that Jefus himfelf 
 baptized none, and therefore it cannot be 
 faid that he perfonally adopted the practice. 
 It is true, that the difciples of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, are not required to imitate 
 him in all things, there being many parti- 
 culars in his lite, and death, which were 
 peculiar to himfelf; yet 1 cannot but con- 
 dude, that the pra<5tice of every gofpel mi^ 
 nirter, is fo perfedtly exhibited and circum- 
 fcrlbed in the example of the Holy Jefus, 
 that no man is left at liberty to pradife inno- 
 vations. But Jefus himlelf baptized none, 
 therefore no man, follov/ing his fleps, can 
 find from his example any authoritv to ufe 
 Water-baptifm. Hence, the Apolllc to the 
 Gentiles fays, that he " was not fent 
 
 *' to 
 
[ '3 ] 
 
 *' to baptize, but to preach the gofpel;-'* 
 which is an intimation by the way, thst 
 Water-baptifm is no part of the golpel ; or 
 the adminiflration of Water-baptifm would, 
 in fome fenfe, be to preach tlie gofpel. 
 
 It is confidently afferted, and generally 
 taken for granted, that our Lord command- 
 ed his difciples to pradife Water-baptifm: 
 I have carefully and candidly fearched the 
 four Evangelifls, but cannot find this com- 
 mandment; and indeed, it would be a thing 
 not eafily accounted for, to find our Saviour 
 commanding them to pradife adively, what 
 himfelf never pradifed but paffively. 
 
 But I fuppofe the commandment gene- 
 rally meant, is in that commiffion which 
 our Saviour after his refurreclion, gave to 
 his difciples; as follows, " Go ye there- 
 <* fore and teach all nations, baptizing them. 
 " in the name of the Father, and of the 
 " Son, and of the Holy Ghofl." But lay- 
 ing tradition afide, it becomes queftionable, 
 whether Water-baptifm be the Baptifm 
 meant in the commiifion. To me, it ap- 
 pears reafonable to conclude the contrary, 
 both from what I have already mentioned, 
 and from what I have yet to fay upon the 
 fubjed:. John the Baptill hath very expli- 
 citly fliewn, that W'^ater-baptifm was a dif- 
 penfation committed to him in particular; 
 *' 1 indeed baptize you with water :" but 
 that the difpenfation committed to Chriil, 
 was the Baptifm of the Holy Ghoil ; *'- He 
 2 « Oiall 
 
" (hall baptize you with the Holy Ghoft 
 ** and with fire." It is Curdy impoffible to 
 readthofe words, with an unprejudiced and 
 candid mind, without perceiving that Wa- 
 ter-baptifm was a figure, and but a figure 
 of fpiritual Baptifin; and that as fijch, it 
 was only to continue until the fpiritual Bap- 
 tifm took place. And moreover, that as 
 John Baptift was thedefpenfer of the figure, 
 fo was Jefus Chrift the fole adminiftrator of 
 the fubftance, Thefe things confidered, 
 the propofition that our Lord fent forth his 
 difciples to baptize with water, appears ar- 
 bitrary, forced, and deformed ; not beau- 
 tified withreafon, nor intitled to the fhadow 
 of propriety. 
 
 Teaching and baptizing are infeparably 
 connedled, in our Lord's commiffion to his 
 difciples ; and more than an implication con- 
 tained, that teaching and even believing, 
 without Baptifm, are inefficacious and ufe- 
 lefs. But of Water-baptifm it cannot be 
 faid, that it is thus abfolutely necefiary to 
 the falvation and happinefs of mankind; 
 therefore the Baptifm of water, is not the 
 Baptifm which our Saviour connected with 
 teaching, in his commifiion to his difciples j 
 but a baptifm, rather, without which man 
 in the midft of all his uprightnefiTes would 
 be yet impure, and though abounding in 
 knowledge, would be ftill unhappy. 
 
 Again, if Water-baptifm was the Baptifm 
 intended in our Lord's commiilion to his 
 
 apoftles. 
 
1^5) 
 
 apoftles, then were all the apoftles unto 
 whom this commiffion extended, under a 
 neceffity of adminiftring Water-baptifm : 
 but our Lord's commiiTion extended unto 
 Paul, his call to the office of an apoftle was 
 immediately from Chrift, and his commif- 
 lion as ample as that of the other apoflJes, 
 none excepted : but Paul fays, " Chrift 
 *' fent me not to baptize, but to preach the 
 ** gofpel." Therefore Water-baptifm was 
 not the Baptifm intended in our Lord's com- 
 miffion to his apoftles. 
 
 Again, the commiffion above mentioned^ 
 was given by our Lord after his refurred:ion, 
 when he had exhibited undeniable proof of 
 his having fulfilled ail righteoufnefs : there- 
 fore the Baptifm contained therein, could 
 not poffibly be figurative, nor relate to any 
 thing that was to have its period, but with 
 the prefent world. But it was manifeftly 
 deiigned, as a perfect invariable rule of a- 
 poftlelhip, not only to fuch who were already 
 thus importantly imployed, but to all thofe 
 alfo vvho ffiould hereafter be dignified with 
 the office. Paul was chofen to the office of 
 an apoftle, nor was he a whit behind the 
 chiefefl: of them, and vet he declares that 
 he was not fent to baptize; (i. e. with wa- 
 ter) therefore the Baptifm contained in our 
 Lord's commiffion to his apoftles, was not 
 Water-baptifm, but fomething more divin« 
 and fpirituah 
 
 Having 
 
I i6] 
 
 Having thus contrafted Paul's teftimony> 
 to the generally- received fenfe of our Lord's 
 commiffion to his apoftles, I fl:iall now in 
 their harmony, endeavour to fix a criterion 
 whereby to determine of the truth of this 
 matter. I fuppofe the term Baptifm, in the 
 apoftle Paul's declaration, to be of different 
 import from the fame term in our Lord's 
 commiffion to his difciples j by the former 
 is manifeftly underilood Water-baptifm, 
 which the apoflle fays, he was not fent to 
 pradife ; and, in my judgment, by the latter 
 is as manifeftly intended fpiritual Baptifm, 
 or that wafhing and purification of the con- 
 fcience to God, through the Blood of Jefus^ 
 which is ever attendant on the belief of the 
 truth : now, if the apoftles were originally 
 fent forth to baptize with the Spirit, as the 
 fruit or confequence of their preaching the 
 pure gofpel, which they certainly were, then 
 was their commiffion the fame with that of 
 the apoftle Paul ; but where any of them . 
 miftook the Baptifm of the Spirit contained 
 in their commiffion, for the Baptifm of wa^ 
 ter, the apoftle Paul ftill fets us right, by 
 declaring that it was not contained in his 
 commiffion -, therefore, we muft neceflarily 
 reafon that it was not contained in theirs. 
 
 All the apoftles were fent to baptize with 
 the Spirit, which they fuccefsfully effedled 
 by the word of truth ; they were all agreed 
 as to fpiritual Baptifm, that they were fent 
 to adminifter it by preaching the gofpel ; 
 
 but 
 
but with refpetSl td Water- bap tifm, they 
 were not all fatisfied of their being lent to 
 adminifter it. Nay, the contrary is manifeft, 
 from him who fays, that he was not lent to 
 baptize, &c. Therefore, the Baptifm con- 
 tained in their commilHon was that about 
 which they were all agreed, and to the ad- 
 miniftration of which, each of them Was 
 clear of his calh This proves that the apo- 
 ftles were fent to baptize with the Spirit, and 
 not with Water. 
 
 To this it will be obje(5ledr— That the 
 apoftle Paul had no intention to deny the 
 pradice and utility of Water- baptifm, iti 
 faying that he was not fent to baptize. Sec. 
 in thanking God that he baptized none but 
 a few particulars, &c. but that his defign 
 was to check the fpirit of party and fadlion, 
 at that time beginning to lift up its head in 
 the church of Corinth, and which had its 
 rife as follows : For the work of the mini- 
 ftry, for the perfecting of the faints, for 
 the edifying of the body of Chrift, God was 
 pleafed to lend fome apoftles, fome paflors, 
 fome teachers, as Paul, Cephas, Apollos, 
 &c. who (though they preached the fame 
 gofpel, and were under the influence of 
 the fame Spirit) might yet in many refpedts 
 be very differently gifted ; with fome, Paul's 
 gifts and manner took moft, whilft with 
 others, thofe of Cephas, or of Apollos w^ere 
 moft taking. Thus, as they were differently 
 attach'd, and efpecially if they had received 
 C ' Water- 
 
[ '8 ] 
 
 Water-baptifm by their hands, they cried 
 out for Paul, or for Cephas, or Apollos, to 
 ^he exclulioii of the other apoftles. Yea, 
 matters were carried fo far among them, in 
 the party way, that fome pretended to be 
 for Chrift, as though he was divided againfk 
 himfelf. And though it b^ very probable, 
 that (by much) the greater part were for 
 Paul, as the perfon who had fecft preached 
 the gofpel among them, yet it recbmmended 
 not their proceedings to this apoftle, who, to 
 convince them of their error, rcafons with 
 them as follows ; *' Is Chrift divided ? Was 
 ** Paul crucified for you ? Or were ye bap- 
 '* tized in the name of Paul ? I thank God, 
 ** that I baptized none of ycVu but Crifpus 
 ** and Gaius, left any fhould fay that I had 
 ** baptized in mine own name : and I bap- 
 ** tized alfo the houftiold of Stephanas : 
 *' befides I know not whether 1 baptized 
 ** any other. For Chrift fent me not to bap- 
 f' tize, but to preach the gofpel." Here 
 (fay fome) the apoftle's words are fo far 
 from containing a denial of Water-baptifm, 
 that they rather intend an excufe for his 
 condud in not pradlifmgit; as is evident 
 from his faying, ** Left any ftiould fay that 
 I had baptized in mine own name." 
 
 To this I reply, had the apoftle judged it 
 prudent to defift from pradtifing fuch parti rr 
 culars of his office, as either gave offence to 
 mankind, or an occafion to enmity, divifions, 
 and fadion to the profeflbrs of Jefus, he 
 
 would 
 
[ 19 1 
 
 would have defined not only from baptizing, 
 but from preaching the gofpel alfo ; fincc 
 (without controverfy) wherever it proved a 
 favQUr of death, as it did to feme, it always 
 produced the above efFeds : but '* Woe be 
 " to me (faith he) if I preach not the gof- 
 ** pel." Wherefore ? Becaafe Chrift fent 
 him to preach it. And had he been fent 
 to baptize with water, the fame woe would 
 have been to him upon his declining that 
 alfo; nor could he then have faid, I thank. 
 God I baptized none of you. 
 
 Again— Had it been the apoftle's duty to 
 have ufed Water-baptifm, he ought to have 
 adminiftered it at all events, nor is it to be 
 doubted but he would have done fq. If the 
 prdinance be divine, mens abufe of it is no 
 reafonable plea for rninifters negled: of it : 
 nay, it (liould rather ftir them up to a more 
 -diligept and confcientious exQrcife gf them- 
 felves in fuch matters. 
 
 Is it enough, is it reafonable to fay, I will 
 ,Opt do my duty, lefl it be mifrepref^nted ? 
 Nay, though God our Saviour hath com- 
 manded that Water-baptifm (hould be pb- 
 ierved, as an ordinaiice in the church for 
 .ever, yet I will not adminifter it, left it 
 fhould be faid that I did it in mjri^ gwn 
 name? Can any man fuppofe fuch reafoning 
 as this worthy of an apoftle ? Or will any 
 xnan prefumptuoufly impute fuch palpable 
 chicanery to that Spirit, who is infinite in 
 wifdom and fimplicity ? Gpd forbid! rathe? 
 C 2 let 
 
[20] 
 
 let the voice of truth be heard, though it be 
 to the condemnation of our moft darUng 
 opinions. 
 
 But yet, fomething of this nature muft 
 neceflarily be fuppofed, from the apoftle's 
 faying as recited above, by all fuch who af- 
 firm thatWater-baptifm is adivine ordinance, 
 to be obferved in the church for ever ; or I fee 
 not that they have any pretenfion, or even the 
 fhadow of a pretention, to a conformity in 
 their fentiments to the apoftle's declaration. 
 
 To difpenfe with the commandments of 
 God, for fearof confequences, would be not 
 only to impeach the divine ceconomy, but 
 alfo to afcribe fupcrior wifdom, foreknow- 
 ledge, purity, and prudence to the crea- 
 ture J than which nothing can be more ab- 
 furd and blafphemous. But yet, fome man 
 will poflibly aflc me. Did not the apoftlc 
 mean to excufe his condudl, in receding 
 from the admi^iiftration of Water-baptifm, 
 where he fays, ** Left any {hould fay that I 
 " had baptized in mine own name ?" To 
 which I anfwer — The apoftle's conduct in 
 the above was free from error, and there- 
 fore he could mean nothing lefs than an ex- 
 tenuation of his condu(5t in the words : he 
 did not only know that it was not his duty to 
 baptize with water, but he alfo knew that it 
 would be contrary to his commiffion, (if not 
 to the truth itfelf ) for him to pradife Wa- 
 ter-baptifm : hence he fays, ** I thank God 
 ** that I baptized none of you,** &c. I can 
 
 cafilj 
 
[21 ] . 
 
 cafily conceive the reafon, and even the ex- 
 pediency of giving God thanks, for my having 
 efcaped error, in judgment or prad:ice : but 
 the propriety of giving God thanks for what 
 I have done amifs, or even for my leaving 
 undone the things which I ought to have 
 done, is totally inconceivable to me ; and 
 therefore, it is impoflible for me to impute 
 that to an apoftle, which in myfclf would 
 be fo unreafonable, and fenfelefs. 
 
 The apoftle's giving God thanks that he 
 baptized none, &c. is fo far from fuppofing 
 that it was right for him to baptize, that it 
 fuppofes quite the contrary; he was con- 
 vinced that it would have been wrong in 
 him to have adminiftered it ; he knew that 
 Water- baptifm teem'd with creature-righte- 
 oufnefs, fadion, and party in the church ; 
 but that it anfwered no one valuable purpofe 
 to counter-balance thefe: and therefore, he 
 could with much propriety, thank God that 
 he had prad:ifed it but little; nor was it 
 poflible that his condu(ft in receding from 
 the practice of it, fliould need an excufe. 
 
 It may indeed be fuppofed, that the 
 Chriftians of that day, ignorant of the de- 
 lign of Water-baptifm, not knowing unto 
 what it tended, nor yet diftinguidiing where 
 it had received its accomplifliment, were 
 very tenacious of it, as they were of circum- 
 cilion, and of other typical matters ; and 
 therefore, that they were not a little alarm- 
 ed, when they perceived him, who to the 
 C 3 Gentlbs 
 
[ 22 ] 
 
 Gentiles was the fiift and principal apolUc, 
 to decline the adminillration of it. This 
 might render it needful in fome degree, for 
 him to give them a reafon of his condutft ; 
 which he does, by declaring that ChriH: ha4 
 not fent him to baptize, thereby indicating 
 that it was not negied: of duty, novelty, of 
 a defire of being fingular, that occafioned his ' 
 giving up Watelr-baptifm, but his know- 
 ledge of his commilfion, he Was not fent to 
 baptize with water. And, that though tra- 
 dition, the general voice, and even his own 
 popularity required that he fhould baptize 
 with water, yet he would not go beyond his 
 commiflionj he Would not pradtile what hd 
 was not called unto, upon any confideration 
 whatever j *' Chrift fent me not to baptize^ 
 ** (faith he) but to preach the gofpel." Here 
 We learn, that the true gofpel miniller knows 
 what he is called to pradlife, and what not to 
 pradlife; and that all who are called to 
 preach the gofpel, are not called to baptize 
 with water. But thefe are things that our 
 modern preachers, and teachers, give them- 
 fclves litrle trouble about : there are but few 
 of them who can prove that they are fent 
 of Chrill: at all. But where, from felfifh 
 purpofes, or from the heat of imagination, 
 they perfuade themfelves they are fent, they 
 inake no inquiry as to the particulars of 
 their commiilion, but take it for granted, 
 that being preachers, or teachers, they have 
 authority to adminiller Water-b^ptifm, the 
 
 Lord'sr 
 
f 23 ] 
 
 Lord's-fupper, with other fuppofed peculi- 
 arities of the office. Thus it is very difficult 
 to find one among them, who does not fup- 
 pofe his commiffion to be much more en- 
 larged, than that of the great apoftle to the 
 Gentiles j he was fent only to preach the 
 gofpel, and not to baptize; but they, almofl: 
 to a man, fuppofe themfelves fent to perform 
 all things. 
 
 I am aware that this is generally imputed 
 to enthufiafm, and I believe it may be the cafe 
 with many at the firft, but I have long ob- 
 ferved that enthufiafm is but fhort-livedj 
 the human fyftem cannot poffible admit of 
 its long reign : reproveable enthufiafm con- 
 fifts in miftaking the paffions, a heated ima- 
 gination, &c. for divine in fpiration; under 
 fuch a deception, men are fo full of them- 
 felves (while they think they are filled with 
 the Spirit) that they never permit a doubt 
 of their own knowledge, wifdom, faith, 
 and holinefs \ in their own conceit, their 
 abilities are equal to the moft difficult un- 
 dertakings; their zeal is hot and full of te- 
 merity ; in doing, and fufixring, their for- 
 titude is often amazing, and they think they 
 have nothing in view but the glory of God, 
 and the good of mankind. It is eafy to con- 
 ceive, that men thus tind:ured think them- 
 felves the particular favourites of heaven, 
 and that their commiffion is equal, if not 
 more than equal, to the apofiles. 
 
 This occafions their pretenfions to infalli- 
 C 4 bility, 
 
[H] 
 
 bility, in preaching what they call the gof* 
 pel ', thefe towering imaginations are they 
 that occafion their rulhing into the admini- 
 flrat.on of what they call the Gofpel ordi- 
 nances, without once inquiring, whether 
 Chnft hath lent them to adminifler them, 
 or not : without their pradifing thefe things 
 they think their ofike would be defedlivein 
 dignity, and poflibly they may judge them 
 ncceffai-y to falvation ; and therefore, they 
 are generally very earnefl upon this head. 
 But, by degrees, the funplicity, fincerity and 
 zeal, which feemingly influenced their fpi- 
 rits at the firft, dwindle and degenerate into 
 more felfifh motives; until felf importance, 
 and the love of profit, fwallow up all. Then 
 the adminiftration of ordinances is necelTary 
 to complete the miniflcrial charader; ordi- 
 nances are then judged nccejTary to gather 
 congregations, and v»'hen the congregation 
 is gathered, ordinances are deemed a proper 
 cement to hold it together; ordinances are 
 made ufe of to ferve worldly purpofes ; in 
 brief, ordinances arc ufed as if our Saviour's 
 kingdom was oi' this world, in manifeft con- 
 tfadidlion to his o\yn facred teflimony. 
 
 Before the apoflle made his declaration 
 as above, our Lord's difcjpjes had fo praclifed 
 Water-baptifm,that it wasconfidered as p^rt 
 of their office, and it \yas taken for granted, 
 • that all the apoftles were fent to baptize, as 
 well as to I each ; and therefore, there mull 
 have been fo > e efp^^cial rcafon for Paul's 
 
 bcii^g 
 
[ 25] 
 
 being fcnt to preach only, and not to bap- 
 tize. To me it appears, that the apoftlc 
 viewed Water-baptilm, as having in its ori- 
 ginal a reference to what was to be accom- 
 pHfhed in the perfon of Chrift, thio' his fa- 
 crifice ; and therefore, that he, blefled with 
 this view of things, knew that he was not 
 fent to baptize, but to preach the gofpel. 
 To elucidate this proportion, I would yet 
 propofe, that the apoftlePaul,at his being firft 
 fent out to preach, did not know that he 
 was not fent to baptize; but as he grew in 
 grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and 
 Saviour Jefus Chrift, he was able to diftin- 
 guifli as above, and confequently was con- 
 vinced that he was not fent to baptize. To 
 prove the firft, I would obferve, that for a 
 time after his being fent out to preach, he 
 ufed the Baptifm of water as the others did, 
 for by his own confeffion he baptized fome; 
 which we cannot fuppofe he would have 
 done, had he then known that it was not 
 included in his commiffion: therefore, the 
 apoftle did not at iirft know that he was not 
 fent to baptize. The fecond is clearly 
 proveable from his ov/n teftimony, where, in 
 a period future to that of his pradtifing Wa- 
 ter-baptifm, he pofitively fays, that he wa$ 
 not fent to baptize : therefore, this was a 
 point that the apoftle was convinced of in 
 procefs of time, as he knew more perfedlly 
 the myftery and mind of Chrift. Hence, we 
 may aipcoupt fgr his baptising fomc at the 
 
 firft. 
 
[26] 
 
 firfl, and for his receding from the pratflice 
 afterwards, and declaring that he was not 
 fent to baptize. 
 
 A minifter df truth (though aflured of his 
 call, and that Chrift hath fent him to preach 
 the gofpel) may, not being clofcly attentive 
 to the particulars of his call, pradife for a 
 feafon, fuch things as are commonly thought 
 to belong to fuch an office, though thefc 
 things are abrogated in Chrift, and have nov?" 
 none Other importance than what tradition or 
 cuftom gives them. But here their miniftry is 
 always fpiritlefs, and without that favour to 
 themfelves, which attends their pradice in 
 what they are pofitively called to ; and from 
 their own feelings, from the abfence of the 
 HolyGhoft,inhiswitnefs and undion,as nei- 
 ther bearing witnefs to thefe things, nor ren- 
 dering themundtious in their ufe, they may be 
 allured, that they are now of no real import- 
 ance. And tho', during this period, minifters 
 may not be able to render an explicit reafon 
 wherefore fuch pradices {hould ceafe. by 
 (llewing the original end or defign of them 
 to have been fully anfwered, yet may their 
 minds be free fromdoubtfulnefs in this mat- 
 ter: for tho' they may not be able, diftindly 
 and clearly, to affign the reafon or caufe of the 
 death, yet from the fpirit's being fled, they 
 may be perfeflly allured of the body's being 
 dead. 
 
 In things of this nature, a minifter of the 
 gofpel cannot a<5t with Zeal and fpirit ; he 
 * may 
 
[ ^7] 
 
 ftiay poflibly from cuftom, form, or infir- 
 mity, drag heavily on in the ufe of thefc 
 things for a feafon, calling them by the 
 name of things indifferent, &c. becaufe hd 
 thinks they merit no name of more impor- 
 tance : but thefe are things that he will not 
 ^dminifter at all events, particularly where 
 they are abufed, and made to clafh with what 
 he is pofitively fent to adminifter ; nay, he 
 will then totally ceafe from them, and fay, 
 I thank God, I never was forward in the 
 ufe of them ; I have exercifed myfelf but 
 very little in them, left any (hould fay that 
 I baptized, &c. in mine own name. 
 
 Thefe may ferve to illuftrate the meaning 
 of the apoftle in the words, *» I thank God, 
 ♦« that I baptized none of you but Crifpus 
 ** and Gaius, left any ftiould fay that I had 
 ** baptized in mine own name," which iri 
 my judgment, is equal to his faying, •* Ndw I 
 know and declare, that Chrift did ilot fend 
 me to baptize with water ; but befdre I 
 knew this, or had made any fuch declaration, 
 ^nd confequently ufed W^ter-baptifnl occa- 
 fionally, I ufed it fparingly, I Only baptized 
 Crifpus and Gaius, and the houlhold of Ste- 
 phanas, left any (hould fay that I baptized 
 in mine own name ; for againft fuch an evil, 
 fo highly derogatory to the name aftd honour 
 of the bleffed Jefus, as is that of being- 
 thought to baptize in mine own ftame, there 
 remained no remedy equal tO that of totally 
 I'cnounping the pyadice ^hat occafioned it : 
 
 and 
 
[28] 
 
 and this I could do the more cafily, bccaufc 
 1 law no honour to Chrift, no good, no ad- 
 vantage to mankind, could poflibly be pro- 
 pofed from the ufe of Water-baptifm, as a 
 counter-balance to the evil occafioned there- 
 by; and therefore, 1 thank God, that I 
 baptized none of you : it is to me now a de- 
 lightful reflexion, that I ufed it fo fparingly, 
 that 1 abftained from the adminiftration of 
 it fo much as I did." Thus, in my judg- 
 ment, it may fairly be gathered from the 
 teftimony of this apoftle, that Water-bap- 
 tifm was not the Baptifm intended in the 
 commiflion which our Lord gave to his dif- 
 ciples, after his refurredtion from the dead; 
 but that the Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft was 
 what was there intended : *' Go ye, there- 
 ** fore, and teach all nations, baptizing them 
 ** in the name of the Father, and of the 
 " Son, and of the Holy Ghoft." Our Sa- 
 viour, in thefe words, did indeed command 
 his apoftles to teach all nations ; to teach 
 them, I fuppofe, the things concerning him- 
 felf, as the things that belonged to their 
 peace; but Baptizing is here fpoken of as a 
 neceffary confequence, or fruit of the divine 
 teaching, as what was to be effedted by 
 means of fuch teaching. The apoflle to the 
 Ephefians fays, that ** Chrill loved the 
 ** church, and gave himfelf for it : that he 
 ** might fandify and cleanfe it with the 
 ** wa(hing of water by the word." The 
 waihing of water here, by which the church 
 
 is 
 
[29] 
 
 is fandlified and cleanfed, and which is by 
 the Word, muft, in my judgment, mod cer-» 
 tainly denote the purification of the mind, 
 and confcience, from the filth and guilt of 
 (in, which is by the Word of Truth's being 
 preached, and believed on ; this is figura- 
 tively called the wa(hing of water, from the 
 well-known property of that element to 
 cleanfe and purify. Thus, the Baptifm in- 
 tended in our Lord's commiffion, is the fame 
 with what is here called the wafhing of wa- 
 ter by the Word ; and which from reafon, 
 and fpirit, cannot poffibly be conceived to 
 be external. Briefly, our Lord's commiffion 
 to his apoftles, contains Teaching as the 
 caufe, and Baptifm as the efi?e(5l. The for- 
 mer they are commanded to do, the latter is 
 (hewn to be dependent thereon, promifed 
 thereto, and joined to it, by Infinite Wifdom 
 and Goodncfs, as the effeA to the caufe. 
 
 Having (hewn that Water-baptifm is not 
 exprefsiy commanded in the decalogue, and 
 that it is not a law-commandment, nor an 
 ordinance of our Saviour's ; it remains for 
 me to (hew what law, difpenfation, or pe- 
 riod, it did belong to, with its reafon and 
 u(e. And here I would propofe, that Wa- 
 ter-baptifm was an appendix to the ceremo- 
 nial law, and that it bare a llrong figurative 
 refemblance to the falvation by Jefu5 Chrifl:. 
 What I have here, conforming to cuftom, 
 called the ceremonial law, the apoflle 
 fomewhere calls the ** law of command- 
 
 3 ** ment? 
 
t 3° ] 
 
 ** ments eontained in ordinances j" and 
 whidh, he fays, Chrift abolifhed in the fleHi, 
 as the fource of the enmity that fubiifted 
 between Jew and Gentile. This law of 
 commandments contained in ordinances, 
 may be thus diftinguifhed from the deca- 
 logue, or moral law. — That, as a tranfcript 
 of the divine nature, is conlidered as the 
 perfedt rule of righteoufnefs, the infallibly 
 ftandard, whereby to determine of good or 
 evil, and the only balance of moral redli- 
 tude : but this, as a rule of worfliip, and a 
 diredory to the faith of the worfhipper, ac- 
 cording to the covenant of promife. That 
 entered, that the offence might abound ; it 
 was given for the knowledge of fin, and that 
 the whole world might ftand guilty before 
 God : but this was ordained to manifeft the 
 method of falvation by Jefus Chrift, accord- 
 ing to the divine purpofe, revealed in the 
 original promife. That was extended, and 
 circumfcribed in perfe<5lion from the firft^ 
 fo as neither to admit of any new commandf- 
 mcnt being added to it, nor of one jot of 
 tittle thereof being taken away : but this, 
 gs I have already hinted, was capable of 
 augmentation, and under each difpenfation, 
 frprn Adarrj to Chrift, as times and exigent 
 cies required) it was ftill increafed and im- 
 proved. The laft ceremonial difpenfation, 
 was that of John the Baptift ; which, 
 ^s it immediately preceded the Meffiah, and 
 tb^ s^CCQippU^iin^nt Qf all things in him, 
 
 was 
 
[34 ] 
 
 was enriched with a fymbol of falvatlon, not 
 pracflifed nor known under any former dif- 
 penfation : this was Water- baptifm, which 
 the Holy Ghoft fent John to adminifter, as 
 the meflenger before the Saviour's face; 
 who, whilft he proclaimed the approach of 
 the Mefliah's kingdom, was to exhibit the 
 nature and properties thereof under that 
 figure. 
 
 The Baptifm of water, as pradifed by John 
 the Baptift, may be confidered as confining 
 of three particulars : I. The requisite in the 
 fubjeds thereof ; II. The matter; and III. 
 The manner thereof. The requilite was re- 
 pentance, which confifted in, ift, confeflion 
 of fins, idly, a forfaking of them, and 3dly, 
 newnefs of life. The material of this Bap- 
 tifm was water, and which, as a fimilitude 
 ufed in holy writ, hath various fenfes affigned 
 it; fometimes it is ufed as a metaphor of 
 the deepeft fufferings, forrows, and diftrefs: 
 thus the Pfalmift, ** Save me, O God, for the 
 " waters are come in unto my foul." And 
 again, ** All thy waves and thy billows are 
 ** gone over me." And, in fundry other paf- 
 fages of fcripture, it is put for troubles and 
 afflidions. So doth it alfo certainly denote 
 the means of cleanfing, purifying, and refrefh- 
 ing. Hence, the promifes to waQi them 
 with clean water, &c. and the invitations in 
 the Old and New Teflament, to come unto 
 Chrift and drink. The manner, form or 
 mode of John's Baptifm, was to immerfe 
 
 3 and 
 
[ 30 
 
 and overwhelm the baptized in the water j 
 this is fufficiently manifeft, from his making 
 choice of fuch places to perform his baptifm 
 where there was much water; and from the 
 accounts we have of their going down into 
 the water, coming up out of it, &c. 
 
 From the above remarks, I propofe to 
 {hew, that John's Baptifm was, as a figure, 
 both propitiatory and purifying : that it was 
 propitiatory, appears from the confeffion of 
 fin, which the candidates for this Baptifm 
 were required to make at their being bap- 
 tized; as we read, " Then went out to him 
 " Jerufalem, and all Judea, and all the re- 
 ** gion rsund about Jordan, and were bap- 
 ** tized of John in Jordan, confeffing their 
 ** fins." So, in the cafe of the fin-offering, 
 and of the fcape-goat, both which were ex- 
 piatory, it was required that the fin of the 
 people fhottld be confefied over them; 
 which intended a transfering of fin from the 
 people to the facrifice, in that to be chaftifed 
 and cancel'd. But to cancel, or blot out 
 the fin of the people by adequate chaftife- 
 ment, is in the fcriptures term'd a wafiiing, 
 a being w^aflied, &c. which is of equal im- 
 port with the term Baptifm. 
 
 Again^ — The waihing of water in John's 
 Baptifm implied, in a figure, the putting 
 away of fin; and that the Baptift himfelf 
 thought fo, is manifefi: enough, according to 
 my judgment, from his fpeech to our Saviour 
 upon that occafion; ** then cometh Jefus 
 ** from Galilee to Jordan, unto John to be 
 
 " baptized 
 
l3il 
 
 *' baptized of him. But John forbad him. 
 *' faying, I have need to be baptized of thee, 
 ** and Gomeft thou to me?" Here it is plain, 
 that John faw no propriety in Chrift's fub- 
 mitting to his Baprifm; and wherefore, but 
 becaufe he conceived gf Chriil:, as of a per- 
 ion perfeiftin innocence and holinefs ? There- 
 fore John looked upon his Baptifm to be a 
 figurative purgation of fm, and that it had 
 no fignification but to linners. Again, that 
 the vvadiing of water, in John's Baptifm, 
 implied a cleanling from fin by a legal cha- 
 flifement, may alfo be gathered from its ii- 
 nonymals in the fcriptures : to be in the wa- 
 ter, in the deep waters, to have the waves 
 and billows thereof pafs over us, &c. are fi- 
 gures ufcd in holy writ, for fach troubles, 
 aiHiLtions, and dillrefies as denote chafiife- 
 ment for fin, as I have hinted above. Tlius 
 the Baptifm of John was, in my judgment, 
 a figure of the fufferings of Jefus, and of the 
 expiation of fin thereby. 
 
 Hence the comers thereunto were obliged 
 toconfefs their fins, as over the fin-oilering, 
 &c. fignifying that their fin, thus confeifed, 
 was transfer'd, from the finner's perfon, to 
 the perfon and facrince of Chrifi, as repre- 
 fented by thefe; for which purpofe, contact 
 was as necefiary as confefiionj nor would 
 confefiion, withoutcontad, haveavailed them 
 any thing at all : thus it was necefiary for 
 them to lay their hand upon the head of the 
 facrifice; ib alfo in Baptifm, it was equally 
 D neceffary 
 
[ 3+] 
 
 HCcciTary for them to go into the "u'atcr ; snd 
 it may be fuppofed, that they did not make 
 their confefTion until they were in the wa- 
 ter ; it was alio needful, that they fliould go* 
 {iown into the water, in fuch fort as to cover 
 the whole furface of the body, that the whole 
 man might in this figure be united to the pu- 
 uifhrnentand propitiation. It is faid of John's 
 Baptifm, that it was the Baptifm of repen- 
 tance, and that he baptized with water unto 
 repentance ; but I cannot think, that by re- 
 ipentance Here is intended the forrows, con- 
 tritions, and repen^tances, which his difci- 
 ples might exprefs at their baptifm ; becaufe 
 thofe who were only baptized with his Bap- 
 tifm received not the Holy Ghoft > they 
 knew not Chrifl, and confequently their re- 
 pentance was not of faith , and what is not 
 of faith is {in. Again, their repentance in fuch 
 aflate, could not poffibly extend farther than 
 to the putting away of the filth of the flefh, 
 or to a meer reform of con du(5l ; they were 
 incapable of bringing forth fruits, meet for 
 fuch a repentance as God required for fin j 
 nor indeed are any o^ our humiliations equal 
 to luch a repentance. But that repentance 
 which is not to be repented of, that repen- 
 tance which is equal in its merit to the de- 
 merit of fin, and without which we muft 
 all have periflied, confified in thofe ftrong 
 cries and tears, wherev»'ith the Saviour called 
 upon God in the days of his flefh, and was 
 heard in that he feared ; this repentance 
 
 Unto 
 
Us] 
 
 Unto Life confifted in thofd unknown for- 
 rows that overwhelmed his righteous foul, 
 when it was forrowful even unto the death ; 
 in thofe wounds and diflrelTesoffpirit, which 
 befides himfelf none could poffibly bear : 
 all which was more than equal to the hell, 
 the death, and punifhment which fin de- 
 ferved, and wherewith the iniquities of man- 
 kind had been threatned. This repentance, 
 in figure, was held forth in John's Baptifm; 
 this was that whereunto they were baptized, 
 where it is faid that they were baptized with 
 water unto repentance, though the comers 
 thereunto were not yet made perfect, per- 
 taining to the confcience ; That being refer- 
 ved for another difpenfation, when Jefus, 
 exalted as a Prince and as a Saviour, fliould 
 give repentance and remiliion of fins unto 
 Ifrael. 
 
 It is confefs'd, by even the warmefl: ad- 
 vocates for Water-baptifm, that it was in 
 the hands of the Baptift an outward and vi- 
 fible fign of inward fpiritual purity : to this 
 1 alfo aflent, and explain it in the following 
 manner. J®hn's Baptiim, rel'peding both 
 the necelTary confeffion and reformation in 
 the baptized, and alfo the wafliing of their 
 bodies with water, was typical of fpiritual 
 purity i which purity, was to be effected in 
 Chrift, legally and phyficaily, by his for- 
 rows, facrifice, and death ; buih which 
 were manifeft at his refurrcdion from the 
 dead: there he gave proof of his having 
 D 2 fuftained 
 
[ 36 ] 
 
 fulUined the adequate chaftifement, b^ 
 which he had legally purified mankind; 
 and there, in his own holy and purified perfoD^ 
 he exhibited them as naturally and perfon- 
 ally purified from all fin and iniquity. Thefe 
 things being firfl true in him, are alfo true 
 in every faithful worfhipper, who being 
 once purged, hath no more confcience of 
 fin, and which an apoftle defcfibes as fol- 
 lows; *^ Unto the like figure whereunto 
 ** Baptifm now faves us, not the putting 
 ** away of the filth of the flefh, but the 
 <« anfwer of a good confcience towards God, 
 " by the refurredtion of Jefus Chrift/' 
 
 Here, by putting away the filth of the 
 flefli, we muft either nnderftand the putting 
 away of bodily filth, by the wafhing of wa- 
 ter, or otherwife the filth of the fi^rmer 
 converfation, put away by contrition and a 
 reformed condu(5t ; nor can the mofl fanguinee 
 and bigotted to ordinances propofe any 
 thing beyond this, from their ufe of Wa- 
 ter-baptifm now. But the Baptifm fpokeii 
 of by the apoflle iibove, doth not confifl ia 
 the putting away of the filth of the flefh ; 
 it is the Baptifm of falv.ation which he 
 fpeaks of, nor does that depend on any ex- 
 ternal purification of the body, nor reforma- 
 tion of conduct, nay, nor yet upon any in- 
 ward change in man ; but the true Chrirtian 
 Baptifm here fpoken of, and which relates 
 to the purity, peace, and joy of each indi- 
 vidual worfliipper, confifls iimply, and at 
 
 all 
 
all times, and in every condition of life, in 
 the anfwer of a good confcience towards 
 God, by the refuiredion of Jefus Chrifh 
 A good confcience certainly implies a con- 
 fcience free from filthinefs, guilt, and fear; 
 a confcience perfed: in righteoufnefs and true 
 holinefs, and which is only attainable through 
 the perfed: work of Chrift, as manifeft by his 
 refurredion. 
 
 The Lord, the Redeemer, and Saviour 
 of mankind having, from kindred, relation, 
 and union to the people, the right and of- 
 fice of redemption inverted in him, under- 
 took, on behalf of the people, to do the will 
 of God, which will was their fandification : 
 to baptize, wafh, purify, or to fave them 
 from all their fins, was his errand into this 
 world ; in order to which, he took on him 
 their nature, perfons, and condition, and 
 was confidered in all relpeds as the people : 
 hence, through his obedience, fufferings, 
 death, and purification, he legally, fpiritu- 
 aily, and gracioully effeded what he under- 
 took. But, as the proof of this refts upon 
 his refurredion, as his refurredion is our af- 
 furance of his having fucceeded in his under- 
 takings, the anfwer of the good confcience 
 is particularly afcribed to that. And the fame 
 apoftle propofes, that this Baptifm, as the 
 Ribflance, anfwers to Noah's flood as the 
 figure ; the latter was the purification of the 
 world, through'the punilhment of their ini- 
 fluities : the falvation of Noah and his fa- 
 D 3 ^ mily 
 
[ 38 } 
 nii\y by water denotes, that what was the 
 means of deftrudlion to the world, was the 
 means of falvation to them. The eight per- 
 sons mentioned in the text, as partakers of 
 this falvation, were a figure of the whole 
 church ; and the world, deftroyed by the 
 flood, were figurative of the fins, and fin- 
 ner chara<^er of the church; the chaftife- 
 ment and deftrudion of the latter, being the 
 falvation and purity of the Jormer : accord- 
 ing to which figure, the true Chriflian Bap- 
 tifm now faves us. 
 
 Of this Spiritual Baptifm another apoftle 
 fpeaks, and under another figure, as follows : 
 ** Moreover, brethren, I would not that you 
 *' fiiould be ignorant, how that our fathers 
 *< were under the cloud, and all palled 
 '- through the fea ; and were all baptized 
 ** unto Moles in the cloud, and in the fea." 
 It is indeed amazing to think, what wrang- 
 lings and diiputings z^e among religious 
 people, about the apoflle's meaning in thole 
 words, as if they were only calculated to 
 fettle the form or mode of Baptilm. There 
 are fome who pretend, from hence, to have 
 authority for the mode of fprinkling in Bap- 
 tifm ; and this they ground upon its being 
 faid *' They were ail baptized unto Mofes in 
 " the cloud, and in the fea." The Baptifm 
 of the cloud, they fuppofe, intends the rain 
 wherewith the people were fprinkled while 
 they pafied under it; and that, during their 
 paffagc through the fea, the waters being, 
 
 gathered 
 
r 39 ] 
 
 gathered together on each hand, and ralfed 
 as a wall, much higher than their heads, 
 the wind fweeping over the furface of the 
 waters, fprinkled them with the fpray of 
 the fea, as they paffed on : and by thefe 
 means, they imagine the exad mode and 
 form of Baptifm to be afcertained. 
 
 But there are others, who as ftifHv main- 
 tain the contrary, and fay, that while the 
 waters of the fea were raifed on each hand of 
 them on an heap, the cloud was over their 
 heads, fo that being furrounded with the 
 waters denoted immerfion, and lliewed 
 That to be the true form and mode of Bap- 
 tifm. But all difputes of this kind may, in 
 my judgment, with the utmoft propriety, be 
 termed a vain jangling, a difputing about 
 trifles \ and therefore, unworthy of farther 
 notice. 
 
 I am ready to acknowledge, that by the 
 cloud fpokenof in thetext is literallyintended 
 that pillar of a cloud, which God gave the 
 Hebrews at their departure out of Egypt, to 
 direcfl theiH in their march ; this cloudy pil- 
 lar was commonly in the front of their ar- 
 my, but on the appearance of the Egyptian 
 army, behind tiiem : on the borders of the 
 Red-fea, the pillar of the cloud placed it- 
 felf between the two armies, having a bright 
 fide towards the Ifraelites, that they might 
 fee to pafs the channel opened for them 
 through the midft of the fea; but to the 
 Egyptians it had a dark fide, which we may 
 D 4 fuppofe 
 
I 40] 
 
 fuppofe great^.y added to the darknefs of the 
 night, fo that they could not come near the 
 Ifraelitcs all the night; but in the morning, 
 when the Egyptians perceived the channel 
 by which the Hebrews had entred the fca, 
 they purfued and went in after them to the 
 niidll: of the fea, even all Pharoah's horfes, 
 his chariots, and his horfemen ; but full the 
 rear of the IfraelitilL army was protedred 
 and fecured by the cloudy pillar : and the 
 Lord looking unto the hoil of the Egyptians, 
 through the pillar of hrc, and of the cloud,,. 
 troubled the holl: of the Egyptians ; it is 
 faid, that he took off their chariot wheels, 
 fo that they drave them heavily; vvhich de- 
 notes, as I fuppofe, that he difpirited them, 
 he planted terrors in their bofoms, andfowed 
 the fnares of death thick amongll: them; the 
 face of the Lord, in the fire and in the cloudy 
 pillar, unmann'd them ; it loofed the girdle 
 of thtir reins, and made them to feel the 
 pangs of the fecond death. Then would 
 thev have ficd from his face, but the toils 
 of death v»'e: e laid for them by an unerring 
 hand ; at the voice of the Omnipotent the 
 floods clap'd their hands, and, fv/ifter than 
 the chariots of Pharoah, came rufhing upon 
 the Egyptians, to their utter deftrudion y 
 not one of them efcaping. Tiius the means 
 of falvation to Ifrael, v/ere the means of 
 ruin and perdition to the Egyptians. 
 
 Egypt, fpiritually, is the Hate of involved 
 nature; and therefore, one of the names of 
 
 the 
 
[41 ] 
 
 the great city, where our Lord was cruci- 
 fied : from its wifdom and learning, it de- 
 noted flefhly excellence. Hence, the E- 
 gyptians are faid to be men great with flefh; 
 full of the v/ifdom of this world, of its 
 knowkdge, learning, and religion, and of 
 confequence conceited ; puffed up and in- 
 flated V. ith pride and arrogance. Egypt was 
 alfo the houfe of bondage, and intends ipi- 
 ritually, the miferable and perplexed condi- 
 tion of human nature ; as men are without 
 hope, and vvdthout God in the world. The 
 ^afk-mafters, in Egypt, without making the 
 leaft allowance for imbecility, and even with- 
 out allowing them materials for the work, 
 continued to exad; the fame tale of bricks of 
 the Hebrews, daily corred:ing in them with 
 many ftripes, what they deemed them faulty 
 in, though the fuppofed fault was from ab- 
 folute neceffity. Such is the natural ftate of 
 man ; according to the firil awakenings of 
 his confcience, he apprehends the law, as 
 demanding perfedl obedience of him, with- 
 out making the leafl: allowance for his frail- 
 ties; and as perpetually curling him for his 
 mifcarriages, without adminiftring to him 
 the leaft degree of wifdom, or power, to do 
 that which is right : nay, it rather enfeebles 
 him v/ith its terrors, and irritates him to 
 wrath and enmity. 
 
 Hence, the deliverance of the Ifraelites 
 cut of Egypt, under the condud of Mofes, 
 
 hath 
 
[42] 
 hath always been viewed, as a figure of man's 
 falvation, by Jefus Chrift our Lord. 
 
 In brief, Egypt is fpiritually the ftate of 
 corruption, bondage, and mifery, a ftrange 
 land J the Egyptians, as the natives of this 
 land, are the iniquities and fruits of the fie(h. 
 The IfraeUtes were a figure of mankind, or 
 the church in general, who, for a feafon, 
 were fojourners in the ftrange land ; during 
 which feafon, the natives of the land pollu- 
 ted and oppreffed them. But when God 
 would deliver his church out of this flrangc 
 land, and from all the iniquities thereof, it 
 muft be done by punifliing their fins, and 
 yet fparing their perfons ; as a flcilful phy- 
 iician deflroys the difeafe, but faves the pa- 
 tient. I have already fhewn, that the wa- 
 ters, particularly the deep waters, indicate 
 punilhment, or afflictive chaftifement ; nor 
 does the fire, and darknefs of the cloud, in- 
 tend any thing lefs ; under, and through 
 thefe, did the Ifraelites, or the church, pafs 
 unhurt; whilfl their iniquities, i.e. Egyp- 
 tians, were totally deftroyed. Thus were 
 they purged, wafhed, or purified from the 
 filth and fear of Egypt, through the cha- 
 itifement of their fins exemplified in that fi- 
 gure, and are therefore faid to have been bap- 
 tized unto Mofes, in the cloud, and in the 
 fea : the fpirit of which is, " God in 
 '* Chrifl:, reconciling the world unto him- 
 ** felf, not imputing their trefpafles unto 
 " them." 
 
 Thus, 
 
[43l 
 
 Thus, from the relation that the term Bap-' 
 tifm, as ufed by the apoftle, bears to the 
 falvation of mankind in Jefus Chrift, and 
 from the affinity of Water- baptifm as the fi- 
 gure, to the great falvation as the fubftance, 
 it is manifefl enough to me, that the former 
 belonged to the ceremonial law, and there- 
 fore had its accomplifhment and final end 
 in the latter. 
 
 Again — That Water-baptifm belonged to 
 the ceremonial law, and was intended as a 
 figure or type of what Chriil was to accom- 
 plifh in himfelf, is farther manifeft, fi-om our 
 Lord's fubmitting to it in his own perfon,and 
 from his ever memorable faying on that oc- 
 cafion. 
 
 John the Baptift conceiv'd fo highly of 
 the Perfon and Baptifm of Chrift, in com- 
 parifon of himfelf, and of the Baptifm which 
 he adminiftered, that when our Lord came to 
 him to be baptized, he not only judged it un- 
 neceffary, but forbad him : nor v/as he pre- 
 vailed on to do it, until our Saviour faid, 
 ** fufFer it to be fo now, for thus it becometh 
 ** us to fulfil all righteoufnefs." The righte- 
 oufnefs which it became our Lord to fulfil, 
 may be diftinguiftiedinto active, and paflive; 
 the former confifted of what the decalogue, 
 or moral law, commanded and required ; 
 but Water-baptifm was no part of this obe- 
 dience, becaufe not commanded nor required 
 in that law ; therefore, our Saviour did not 
 intend it this fenfe. His paflive obedience, 
 
 or 
 
t 44 ] 
 or rightcoufnefs, conlifted in his patient Tub- 
 mitting to endure fuch pains and penalties, 
 35 the fins of mankind had merited at the 
 hand of God : which punilhments of fin, 
 and the purification of the people thereby, 
 were reprefented under the various figures, 
 contained in the ceremonial law : and amone 
 tliefe I would confider Water-baptifm, and 
 that it was in this fenfe the Saviour fpake of 
 it, when he faid, *' it becometh us to fulfil 
 " all rightcoufnefs," i. e. pafTive as well as 
 active. Thus rendering a reafon, why a 
 perfon fo pure, and perfectly holy in all 
 adive obedience, fhould yet fubmit to Wa- 
 ter-baptifm, becaufe, as belonging to the ce- 
 remonial law, it related to his paffive obe- 
 dience, or rightcoufnefs ; hence the empha- 
 tic ALL righteoufiiefs. Our Lord in ac- 
 knowledging that it became him to fulfil all 
 righteoufnefs, confelleth himfelf under an 
 obligation fo to do : which is true, from his 
 kindred relation to the people; and again, 
 from his covenant engagements, and alfa 
 from the joy that was fet before him, as the 
 reward of his toil. 
 
 , But our Lord fpeaks in the plural, " It 
 <* becometh us to fulfil," &c. which intends, 
 as I conceive, that he perfonated mankind, 
 andcontainingthe people in himfelf, through 
 all his adive and palTive obedience, they are 
 confidered as having fulfilled all righteouf- 
 nefs in him, and with him, and that from 
 thence they are intitled to the benefits of the 
 
 2 whole i 
 
[ 45 ] 
 
 whole ; hence the faying, *' it becometh 
 *' us to fulfil." Thus, the Saviour, from 
 his onenefs with the people, is pleafed to 
 confider them as co-workers, and fufFerers 
 with himfelf, agreeable to his teflimony elfe- 
 where; ** And the glory which thou gavell 
 ** me, I have given them : that they may be 
 " one, even as we are one, I in them, and 
 " thou in me, that they may be made per- 
 ** fed: in one." From the above remarks, I 
 thus argue — Water-baptifm was an article 
 of righteoufnefs, and of that righteoufnefs 
 which Chrift, as the Reprefentative and Sa- 
 viour of mankind, was under an obligation 
 to fulfil ', but Water-baptifm was not com- 
 manded, nor required by the law, and 
 therefore, no part of righteoufnefs in that 
 fenfe : it follows of neceffity then to con- 
 clude, that Water-baptifm was an article of 
 ceremonial righteoufnefs. And this the Sa- 
 viour, for reafons already offered, was ob- 
 liged to fulfil, and that in a twofold fenfe; 
 firll, typically, in the letter or figure, and 
 finally, in the fpirit and fubftance. The firft 
 he was obliged to, as he was one of the 
 people, " Made of a woman, made, under 
 ** the law,'* As the certainty and method 
 of man's falvation by Jefus Chrift was 
 proved, and exhibited under the particulars 
 of what is called the law of ceremonies, it 
 may be viewed, as the gofpel preached to 
 the Jews, and the obedience thereof, as the 
 obedience of faith -, fince it was not only re- 
 
 .quifite. 
 
[46] 
 
 quifite, that the vvorfhipper nioiild pun du- 
 ally perform what was literacy required of 
 him, but it was alfo neceflary, that he fliould 
 be able to look unto the end of what was to 
 be aboli{hed ; for, an obedience meerly li- 
 teral and implicit to thefe things, rendered 
 them an abomination even to him who com- 
 manded them : and it is hence we find 
 practices literally commanded, {o often cen- 
 fared in the fcriptures. In all the facrifices, 
 wafhings, feflivals, &c. it was needful that 
 they fhould have the Meffiah and his falva- 
 tion in view, as the origin of their appoint- 
 ment, as their final accomplifhment, and 
 the end of them all for righteoufnefs. But, 
 for their ignorance and unbelief in thefe, 
 there was an atonement to be made, as for 
 the fin of their holy things ; plainly deno- 
 ting, their inequality to the knowledge and 
 faith required in the performance of thefe 
 things. Hence alfo a reafon of our Lord's 
 fubmittingto the pradice of the law of cere- 
 monies ; the people were unequal to the per- 
 fe(5tion required in the pracftice of it : but 
 this perfection of faith and knowledge was 
 neceffary. Therefore, Jefus being, in the 
 myflery of his perfon, and in the fpirit of his 
 office, the complete afTemblage of all the 
 nations of the earth, judged it becoming 
 Him, both for Himfelf and them, to fulfil 
 all righteoufnefs with a perfecft heart j hence 
 the faying, *' It becometh us," &c. But 
 again-^The Saviour was obliged to fulfil all 
 
 in 
 2 
 
r 47 ] 
 
 in a higher fenfe : if we apply the term 
 righteoufnefs to the things which our Sa- 
 viour fufFered, it may intend an exertion of 
 Divine Juftice, in the punilLment of our fins 
 in Him; where fin, confidered as criminal, 
 is expiated and cancell'd by an adequate 
 chaftifement : or, viewing it as a debt, it is 
 paid to the uttermoft farthing; unto which 
 righteoufnefs, I will fuppofe, our Saviouif 
 had a particular reference, in the words be- 
 fore mentioned. And it may be urged, as 
 a reafon of our Lord's fubmiffion to Water- 
 baptifm, that it was a figure of this righte- 
 oufnefs. 
 
 In brief, our Saviour's words to John the 
 Baptift, on this occafion, are words of great 
 grace and fpirit ; they contained a full anfwer 
 to his objedtion, and a perfect refolution of 
 his doubts concerning this matter. John 
 thought his Baptifm to be calculated only 
 for finners, for fuch as needed repentance, 
 purification, &c. and therefore it was, that 
 conceiving of Jefus, as holy and free fronl 
 fin, he at firft forbad him; but our Lord's 
 anfwer taught him, that though in Himfelf 
 he was pure and undefiled, yet, as bearing 
 the fins of the people, as fuftaining the fin- 
 ner charadler, he needed repentance and 
 purification, and therefore would fubmit 
 to Water- baptifm, as an acknowledgment of 
 it; and that as the reprefentative of man- 
 kind, and as the captain of their falvation, 
 he was to be made perfect through fuffer- 
 
 ings. 
 
[ 48 ] 
 tngs. Hence, he fal-d, fufFer it to be fo 
 now; partly intimating thereby, that there 
 would be no neceffity of repeating it; and 
 moreover, that he was under an obligation 
 to fulfil all righteoufnefs, both in its figure 
 and fubftance. He had, from eight days 
 old, fubmitted unto, and pra(5lifed the law; 
 of commandments, contained in ordinances, 
 in all its ceremonies; and Water>-baptifm 
 being one of thefe, he would alfo fubmit to 
 that. And having fubmitted unto, and 
 praclifed with a perfect heart, the whole of 
 what was figurative, he, when the time was 
 fully come, entered upon the fubftance, and 
 there fulfilling and accompli {l:iing in fpirit 
 and truth the whole of what was repre- 
 fented under the figure, he put a final end 
 to the figure, totally abolishing in his flefh 
 the law of commandments, contained in or- 
 dinances. And here, as I conclude, VVa- 
 ter-baptifm had its period, in reafon and 
 fpirit. For if fo it be that we are wafhed, 
 that we are fanQified, that we are juftified, 
 in the name of the Lord Jefus, and by the 
 Spirit of our God; external wafliings will 
 not only appear to us unnecefiary, and un- 
 meaning, when ufed for religious purpofcs, 
 but inconfirtent and antichridian. Thus 
 have I (hewn, or have endeavoured to fliew,. 
 that Water-baptifin is to be numbered 
 among thofe cerem.onies, or ordinances, that 
 were appointed and ufed as figures of Chrift, 
 
 and 
 
[49] 
 
 and of his falvatlon ; and therefore of courfo 
 abrogated, according to real chriftianity. 
 
 But, to all that I have yet faid on this 
 fubjed: it will be replied. That the apoftles 
 pradifed Water-baptifm, after our Lord was 
 received into glory j and therefore, it could 
 not relate to what was accomplifhed in his 
 deceafe at Jerufalem, but it was deligned as 
 an ordinance, to remain in the church to 
 the end of time. 
 
 To this I anfwer. That the practice of the 
 apoftles during a certain period, and even 
 after our Lord's refurreclion, is not in all 
 things an abfolute rule for Chriftians now. 
 Theapoflles attended tothejewifh worfhip, 
 though it was abolifhed in the flefh of Jefusj 
 they pradlifed circumcifion, though totally 
 abrogated in Chrift; they continued to di- 
 ftinguiHi between Jew and Gentile, between 
 meats and drinks, as clean and unclean, 
 though the middle wall of partition was 
 broken down, and all thefe diftindions re- 
 moved. In like manner, they might prac- 
 tife Water-baptifm, notwithftanding its be- 
 ing difannul'd, as having had its accompliih- 
 ment in Chrift. 
 
 There appears to have been a time fixed 
 with God,, when the things already fulfilled 
 and perfected in Chrift (hould ceafe to bs 
 literally obferved, or ufed among believers; 
 and of this time, our Saviour often fpake, 
 as the End, &;c. the beginning of which, 
 very probably related'^d the fubveriion of the 
 B Jewilh 
 
[so] 
 
 Jcwidi church and polityj and until which, 
 the apoftles feem to have kept up, in many 
 particulars, an outward conformity to th« 
 manner of the Jews. 
 
 Though the apoftles fucceeded to our 
 Saviour's humiliation, and to the accomplilh- 
 mentof all things in him, as his ambalTadors, 
 and the publifhers of glad tidings, yet it 
 does not follow, that they immediately 
 knew the reafon and fpirit of fuch things as 
 they publiflied for truth ; nay, the contrary 
 is manifeft, and therefore, it was only in 
 proportion to their enlightnings, and to the 
 purging of the confcience, through the ac- 
 compUfhment of all things in Chrift, that 
 they ceafed from ordinances; there being 
 degrees in faith, and in the knowledge of 
 our Lord ^nd Saviour Jefus Chrift : hence 
 faith an apoftle, " When I was a child, I 
 ** fpake as a Child, I thought as a child, 
 <* but when I became a maa, I put away 
 «' childifli things:" and again, ** Not as 
 ** though I had already attained, or were al- 
 ** ready perfect." 
 
 The Spirit of Truth e^tprefsly declares, 
 that ** God was in Chrift, reconciling the 
 <* world unto himfelf, not imputing their 
 *« trefpalTes unto them." And that Jefus 
 reconciled Jew and Gentile in *' one body 
 •' on the crofs," that he brake down the 
 middle wall of partition that was between 
 them, and that of twain he made ** one new 
 •* man, fo making peace.' ' Confequently, 
 
 in 
 
In the commiffion before recited, which ouf 
 Lord gave to his apoftles, after his tri- 
 umphant ffefurredtion, he commanded them 
 to go into all the world, and to preach the 
 gofpel unto all nations. But the apoftles did 
 not comprehend thefe things at firft, there 
 was fome time elapfed before this grace was 
 clearly revealed to them ; nor did they eafily 
 come into it at laft : fuch were their preju- 
 dices as Jews, and their felf-righteous max- 
 ims, as being not yet fully inftrud:ed in the 
 nature of the Mei5iah's kingdom. 
 
 In the article of meats and drinks, how 
 much they were for a feafon at a lofs, both 
 refpeding the reafon and fpirit of the diftin- 
 dlion, between clean and unclean j and alfo, 
 of the annihilation of thofe dillindlions in 
 Chrifti I fay, how far behind they v/ere re- 
 fpedting thofe things for a feafon, is obvious 
 enough from Peter's fcruples at Joppa, and 
 afterwards from his conduct at Antioch ; and 
 indeed, from their general voice, in their 
 great council at Jerufalem, where they de- 
 creed that the Chriftians fhpuld abftain from 
 blood, and from things ftrangled, &c. it does 
 not appear, that they then faw the lawful- 
 nefs of eating whatfoever was fold in the 
 fhambles j nor, that when they were bidden 
 to a feaft, they were to eat whatfoever was 
 fet before them, afking no queftions for con- 
 fcience-fake. The correfpondence between 
 their faith and pradice, refpeding the one- 
 nels of Jew and Gentile in Chrift, was very 
 E 2 irregular 
 
[52] 
 
 irregular and unftedfaft > of which there arc 
 many inflances. And though their corr>mif- 
 liofi ran exprefsly, that they fliould preach 
 thegofpel to " all nations," yet it was Tome 
 fime before they faw the expediency, or even 
 the lawfulnefs, of preaching falvation to the 
 Gentiles. Nor, were they generally agreed 
 that the Gentiles had a title to falvation, un- 
 til the gift of God to the Gentiles rendered 
 it impoffible for them to deny it, without a 
 refufal of his favour to themfelves. From 
 all which, it appears to me, that during a 
 certain period, the pradice of the apoflles 
 confided not with the reafon and fpirit of 
 chriftianity, in many things ; nor, with their 
 own pofitive teftimony under another dif- 
 penfation. When Paul would have Timo- 
 thy to go forth with him, he took him and 
 circumcifed him ; and yet, Paul himfeif 
 fays afterwards, "if ye will be circumcifed, 
 Chrifl fhall profit you nothing." Peter was 
 taught, that he ought not to call any man 
 common, or unclean; but the part which 
 he adled at Antioch, was very different from 
 this teaching. 
 
 Let it not be falfely furmifed, that I altn 
 by thefe remarks, at depreciating the apo- 
 ftoHc charader : God forbid f But I diftin- 
 guifh between the apoftles teftimony, and 
 their condud; for this, I have authority 
 from the fcriptures, even from their own 
 writing : and I truft that I do it, with the 
 fame faithful view to the glory of Chrift. 
 
 The 
 
I 53 ] 
 
 Tbe do6lrine of the apoftles hath cer- 
 tainly much more authority than their ex- 
 ample j the one is infallible, the other was 
 not fo : their dodrine was Chrift Jefus the 
 Lord, the fame yefterday, to-day, and for 
 ever, holy and irreproveable : but being, 
 perfonally, men fubjedl to like paffions with 
 others, their condud: exhibiting infirmity, 
 and therefore, beneath the ftandard of per- 
 fection, they merit not an implicit and uni- 
 verfal imitation ; this being only due to 
 their doftrine, and to him v/ho was the fub- 
 ie6t of their dodrine. Hence he, who was 
 not a whit behind the very chiefeft of them, 
 exhorts the church, to follow him but as he 
 followed Chrift. 
 
 For fome time after the refurredion and 
 afcenfion of the Lord Jefus, his apoftles 
 feemed to countenance the things that were 
 aboliflied in him; and which in their epi- 
 ftles, written afterwards to the churches, 
 they declared to be abolifhed, and pro- 
 nounced it antichriftian to obferve them. 
 Hence it follows, that their example, during 
 this period, was not a perfed pattern for 
 their fucceflbrs. But it is from the exam- 
 ple of the apoftles during this period, that 
 the generality of the people called chriftians 
 draw their copy : and hence it is, that there 
 is fo much of the old leaven retained amongll 
 ^em. 
 
 It is true, there are fome of thofe that ufe 
 
 Water-baptifm, who reckon it among things 
 
 E 3 indifferent 
 
[54l 
 indifferent, and who (though t*hey be inca- 
 pable of giving a reafon of their hope in the 
 ufe thereof) thinii they may with fafety 
 comply with fuch ufages ; yea, and who 
 think they ought to comply with them, ra- 
 ther than give offence, or fuffer any incon- 
 venience for their Angularity. But let fuch 
 remember, that whatfoever is not of faith 
 is fin ; and that whatfoever a perfon does 
 doubtingly, he is condemned in the doing 
 of it. Nor are there any fuch things in the 
 true worfhip of God our Saviour, as things 
 indifferent; the things which are not for 
 him, are againft him ; what leads not to 
 the faith and obedience of Chrift tends to 
 idolatry, and, as fuch, ought to be difufed 
 and expofed by every faithful worfhipper : 
 as we may learn from the examples of He- 
 zekiah king of Judah, and the apoflle Paul, 
 
 When the children of Ifrael, for their re- 
 bellious murmurings, were bitten by the 
 fiery ferpents, and the dreadful King of 
 Terrors with awful ftrides marched thro' 
 their camp, the heart of the people failed 
 them for fear; until, overwhelmed with di- 
 ftrefs, they cried out, *< We have finned,'* and' 
 befought Mofes to pray for them. Imme- 
 diately upon his intercefiion, the Lord com- 
 manded, and Mofes made a Serpent of 
 brafs, and fet it upon a pole ; and it came 
 to pafs, that if a ferpent had bitten any man^ 
 when he beheld the ferpent of brafs he lived. 
 Our Lord himfelf makes honourable men^ 
 
 tion 
 
is;] 
 
 tion of that ferpent, as an eminent type of 
 his perfon and falvation; and as fuch it 
 Hood, witneffing the great deliverance, for 
 more than feven hundred years, even unto 
 the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, who 
 utterly deftroyed it. For a long feafon be- 
 fore its deftrucftion, the people of the land, 
 niiftaking its real ufe and defign, idolatroufly 
 offered it divine honours, by burning in- 
 cenfe to it. This gave the royal reformer 
 fuch indignation againfl it, that though it 
 was originally formed, and kt up by divine 
 dire(Slion; yea, though God had wrought 
 by it a great falvation in Ifrael, yet King 
 Hezekiah would not Ipare itj nor did he 
 think it fufficient to deftroy it, but that it 
 was alfo needful to pour the moft public 
 contempt upon it, by calling it Nehufhtan, 
 (which is interpreted, a trifle of brafs;) 
 thus (hewing, at once, the unimportance, 
 the v/orthlefsnefs, yea, even the impiety of 
 all things in the ufe thereof, though of a 
 divine ordination, when profaned to a wrong 
 ufe, or made to be competitors with God. 
 In like manner, the apoftle, when he faw 
 that Water-baptifm interfered with the glory 
 of Divine Grace, and that men were rather 
 difcipled to men, and to the works of their 
 own hands thereby, than to the perfon and 
 falvation of Jefus thrift ; I fay, upon this 
 convidtion and view of things, the great 
 apoftle feems to treat Water-baptifm, as He- ^ 
 aekiah did the ferpent, where h'e fays, ** I 
 
 « thank 
 
[56 ] 
 
 " thank God, I baptized none of you;" &c. 
 thus in effe(fl calling it (though not a trifle 
 of brafs) a trifle of water. 
 
 But polTibly it will yet be urged, that 
 Water-baptifm is more than an empty form, 
 or a meer figure of things, as being not 
 only of a divine appointment, but alfo at- 
 tended originally with fuch fpirit and power 
 as fufliciently evidenced its being of God ; 
 and therefore, to be retained and pradtifed 
 in the church at ail events. 
 
 Unto this I reply, that nothing could be 
 more exprefsly commanded of God, than 
 the making and fetting up of the brazen fer- 
 pent, as noted above ; infinite wifdom it- 
 ielf drew the model of it, and directed how 
 it fbould be lifted up or exalted. And O 
 how unparallel'd was the power attendant 
 on that very fignificant figure ! merely the 
 fight of it expell'd the poifon and terrors of 
 death, drawing back from the brink of the 
 grave, and inftantly recruiting with life and 
 ftrength, fuch who but a moment before 
 were grinding between the jaws of the de- 
 Vourer. 
 
 And to fhew that the virtue of life and 
 healing was not in any bodily or mental adt 
 of the patient, but altogether in the ordi- 
 nance, and power of God, it is to be noted, 
 that a Ample looking, or turning of the eye 
 to this ferpent, without the ufe of phyfical 
 means, and even without any preparation of 
 the Hiind, perfedJy eftedled the cure, and 
 
 delivered 
 
[ 57] 
 
 delivered out of their diftrefs, the mofl: mi- 
 ferable of mortals. 
 
 That the origin of this ordinance was di- 
 vine, that it was of the utmoft benefit to 
 the afRided, and that it was an almoft un- 
 parallel'd difplay of the glory, power, and 
 goodnefs of God^ and that it v/as withal a 
 ftriking figure, and an eminent type of Je- 
 fus Chrifh our Lord, is undeniable. But 
 when that great end, for which it was formed, 
 was ferved, when the divine efficacy and 
 power no longer attended the ordinance, 
 it not only funk into a ilate of worthlefsnefs, 
 but became the objedl of an idolatrous wor- 
 fliip; and therefore, it richly merited the 
 deftrud:ion it met with. 
 
 In like manner, if Water-baptifm was at 
 any time a means, by which proper fubjeds 
 received the Holy Ghoft, (though I cannot 
 perceive from the fcriptures that it ever was 
 thus bleft) it is not fo now : this I conclude 
 is manifeft enough ^ and therefore, being 
 now an unmeaning lifelefs form, it can only 
 ferve to purpofes of idolatry. 
 
 While Water-baptifm retained its fignifi- 
 cancy, as a figure of the Chriftian falvation, 
 I doubt not but the fmeere worfhippcr might 
 receive confolation through the ufe of it : 
 but, that falvation being perfed:ed, the 
 reafon of the ufe of Water-baptifm no 
 longer remains; nor does the Spirit now bear 
 witnefs to it. And, fuppofing it to be flill 
 ^ fignificant figure of fome future grace, if 
 
 5 thofe 
 
[5«] 
 
 tliofe who ufe it do not ufe It fimply to that 
 purpofe, it becomes in its nfe, either the flii- 
 boleth of a party, by which men are dif- 
 cipled and profelyted to men, or the worlliip 
 of ignorance, blindly following the lead of 
 tradition ; or otherwife, it is pradifed as an 
 article of righteoufnefs, and by fimdry, made 
 to be the new- birth, jaftification, fandtifi- 
 cation, &c, and, though external, and al- 
 together a bodily exercifc, yet fubftituted irt 
 place, not only of the true Spiritual worflTip, 
 but even in the place of Chrifl, and of his' 
 felvation. Thus, like the ferpent above- 
 m<jntioned, being profaned to a wrong ufe, 
 it merits a (imilar refped:. 
 
 That there are fome who pretend, that' 
 the Holy Ghoft is yet given by their hands, 
 in the adminiftration of Water-baptifm, T 
 am well aware. But thefe, in general", ate* 
 men particularly concerned for their craft,, 
 which is in great danger, if outward ordi- 
 nances be fuperfeded ; for the adminiftration 
 of thefe (as to the fundion of clerical men) 
 may be confidered as the principal fapport of 
 their order, their ground, and pillar of dig- 
 nity. Hence, until they are content to let 
 themfelves down to a level with the unhal- 
 lowed laity, impartiality, in things of this 
 nature efpecially, is not to be expected from 
 them; being fcrupuloufly tenacious of every 
 thing they deem effential to their authority. 
 
 One of thofc gentlemen, in a printed let- 
 fet which I have lately feen, cxprefTes him- 
 
 i fcif 
 
• [ 59] 
 felf thus : ' I know this, from plain fadl; 
 • many have received a fcnCe of pardon, 
 « when I baptized them.* But I am con- 
 flrained to conclude, that this is much too 
 confidently fpoken. How (hould this gen- 
 tleman know, that the perfons whom he 
 baptized, received a fenfe of pardon? He 
 could know this only from their ownn- 
 feflion ; but infants are incapable of making 
 fuch a confeffion, therefore, their Baptifm 
 is out of the queftion here: and the good 
 man's affertion muft of neceffity relate to his 
 Baptifm of adult perfons ojily; and this ad- 
 mits of various queltions. Was it by the a6t 
 of Baptifm, or by what he fpake to them on 
 the occafion, that their faith and the fenfe of 
 pardon came? Is it not poffible for a perfoni 
 to receive a fenfe of pardon, by the preach- 
 ing of the gofpel, without the adminiftration 
 of Baptifm? This, I fuppofe will be granted. 
 But may the fame be afferted of Baptifm 
 without the Word ? Or is it neceflary to a 
 perfon's receiving a fenfe of pardon^ that^ 
 both be joined ? The latter is denied, from 
 the pradice of the apoftle Paul, who was 
 not fent to baptize, but to preach the go- 
 fpel : and yet it is not to be difputed, bat* 
 that many received a fenfe of pardon under 
 his miniftry. Hence we argue, that Wa- 
 ter-baptifm is no part of the gofpel; nor may 
 the adminiftration of it, m any fenfe ^ be con- 
 fidered now, as preaching the gofpel. By 
 the preaching of the gofpel, the Spirit ope- 
 rates . 
 
[6o ] 
 
 rates upon the heart of the hearer, to a fenfe 
 of pardon ; but, by that which is not the 
 gofpel, the Spirit does not thus operate : 
 Water-baptifm is not the gofpel, therefore, 
 the Spirit does not thus operate by Water- 
 baptifm. What is not the gofpel, does not 
 preach Chrift, does not manifeft him ; and 
 what does not preach Chrift, conveys no 
 fenfe of pardon : but Water-baptifm is not 
 the gofpel, it does not preach Chrift, there- 
 fore, it conveys no fenfe of pardon. 
 
 If, as he aflerts, many received the fenfe 
 of pardon wheA he baptized them, it does 
 not follow that they received it by the means 
 of Baptifm : why may it not be fuppofed 
 that their faith came by hearing, and their 
 hearing by the word of God ? This is cer- 
 tainly more eligible, and confident with re- 
 vealed truth, than that any external appli- 
 cation fhould effedt it. 
 
 But the time when they received the fenfe 
 of pardon : * When I baptized them,' fays 
 the perfon above mentioned : this proves no- 
 thing relative to the point in hand yet ; it 
 neither proves that they received the fenfe 
 of pardon by means of Water-baptifm, nor 
 by the fandtity of him who adminiftred it. 
 Perhaps it would not be very difficult to 
 produce inftances of fuch who have received 
 a fenfe of pardon, at a time when the cir- 
 cumftances of their then employment were 
 by no means hallowed thereby ; no, nor re- 
 commended by divine authority to others, as 
 
 a 
 
[61 ] 
 
 a means whereby they alfo might receive the 
 fame fenfe of pardon. Thus the Lord is 
 found of them who feek him not, and re- 
 veals himfelf to fuch who have not aflced af- 
 ter him. But it does not follow, that fuch 
 a wretched, ignorant, fupine ftate, is the 
 means of attaining the knowledge of the 
 Only True God, and of Jefus Chrifl whom 
 he hath fent. Nor does it follow, becaufe 
 a perfon received a fenfe of pardon at the 
 time of being baptized, that he received it 
 by means of Baptifm ; or, that Water-bap- 
 tifm is enriched with fuch gifts. 
 
 From the wh6le, I cannot but conclude, 
 
 that Water- baptifm is now an unmeaning 
 
 fpiritlefs ceremony. All ufages and forms, 
 
 when their end isanfwered, and the Spirit hath 
 
 left them, are no more than the dead body; 
 
 rather tending to defile, than to purify, all 
 
 who touch, tafte, or handle. W^here the foul 
 
 and fpirit is departed, the corpfe {hould be 
 
 buried out of the iight of the living. But 
 
 where men retain the form, when the rea- 
 
 fon and fpirit of it is no more, they do in 
 
 effed: embrace the dead body, and keep it 
 
 among them, to the reafonable diflike of 
 
 many, who on that account are conftrained 
 
 to leave them. 
 
 There are alfb fuch, who pretend that 
 Water-baptifm fucceeded to circumcifion ; 
 and upon this hypothefis, their authority for 
 Infant-baptifm is in a great meafure found- 
 ed ; but how inconfiftent with true reafon 
 
 and 
 
[ 62 ] 
 
 and fplrlt, I {hall now proceed to (hew. 
 
 -Water-baptifm cannot be faid to fucceed 
 
 -circumcifion, by divine appointment, for 
 various reafons : ift. Water- baptifm took 
 place before circunjcifion was aboliflied, 
 and they both were obferved by the fame 
 perfons. 2d, Circumcifion was typical of 
 what was to be accomplifhed in Chrift, and 
 therefore it remained but until Chrift. But 
 it would be abfurd to fuppofe, that one type 
 was fucceeded by another, and efpecially 
 after that end was anfwered for which it 
 was originally appointed. Where the apoftle 
 faith, ** if ye be circumcifed Chrift fhal 
 ** profit you nothing," it is manifed enough, 
 that he does not fpeak this with a view to 
 introduce Water-baptifm, as an ordinance 
 that was to take place of circumcifion ; but 
 his defign was to (hew, that circumcifion 
 being aboliflied in Chrift, as a matter which, 
 in its reafon and fpirit, had always referred 
 
 ;;to him, the ufe of it now (fuppofing it to 
 have had fuch a reference to Chrift) would 
 be in effed: to deny that Chrift was come in 
 the fieflij or, that though he was come in 
 the flefti, it would be to fay, he had not ful- 
 
 ^ filled that for which he was promifed ; and 
 therefore, the things which as figures 
 related only to him, and to what he was to 
 fulfil, were not yet abolifiied. Or other- 
 wife, the ufe of circumcifion then yi'ould 
 
 • be, to fuppofe it an ordinance independent of 
 Chrift, and without the leaft reference to 
 
 his 
 
[63 ] 
 
 his falvation; which would he at once to 
 eftablilh it as an article of human righteouf- 
 nefs. The ufe of it, in either of thefe fenfes, 
 would imply a rejection of Chrift, and fuch 
 an affront put upon his falvation, as would 
 naturally exclude the offender from its be- 
 nefits. To fuppofe then that Water-baptifm 
 was appointed to fucceed circumcilion, is 
 cither to make it an article of human righte- 
 Gufhefs, or to deny that Chrifl, by coming in 
 the fleih, hath fulfilled all righteoufnefs ; for 
 if circumcifion was a figure of what was to be 
 accompliihed in Chrilt, wherefore fhould 
 it, when it was thus accomplifhed, be fuc- 
 ceeded by another figure ? But, if it v/as 
 not a figure of Chrift, it mufl of necefhty be 
 an article of the moral law ; or otherwife, a 
 political inftitution. But that it is not an 
 article of the moral law is manifefl:, f/om 
 its abrogation by divine authority; nor, had 
 it belonged to that law, could it have been 
 mitigated, or fucceeded by a milder ordi- 
 nance, fuch as Water-baptifm. And, as J 
 have only to do at prefent with fuch who 
 profefs the fciiptures to be their rule of 
 faith, I need not wafte time, nor words, to 
 fhevv that circumcifion was more than a po- 
 litical inftitution, and therefore of neceffity 
 it muft be cpnfidered as typical : but every 
 type refers to its antitype, in whom it hath 
 its reafon and fpirit; and is not to be fuc- 
 ceeded by another pattern of heavenly things, 
 but by the heaveiniy things themfelves, 
 
 2 But 
 
[ 64 1 
 
 But to all that I have yet faid upon this 
 fubjed:, it will pollibly be replied — That 
 circumcifion was a feal of *' the covenant 
 •* which God made with Abraham, where 
 ** he commanded him and all his feed to be 
 ** circumcifed ; and ordained that, for the 
 «• future, they fhould undergo the operation 
 *' at eight days old : but this being a yoke, 
 ** which neither we nor our fathers were 
 *• able to bear, the Lord took it out of the 
 ** way, and fubftituted Water-baptifm, as 
 ** lefs grievous; and yet perfectly anfwering 
 ** the fame end." In anfwer to this, let us 
 firft confiderthe nature of the covenant which 
 God entered into with Abraham : — The 
 promife was unto Abraham, and unto his 
 feed, that he {hould be heir of the world. 
 By this feed, ** Chrifl was intended," who 
 was to proceed from the loins of Abraham 
 according to the fleHi, and in whom all the 
 nations of the earth were to be blelTed. In 
 thefe promifes, Abraham faw the falvatiori 
 of mankind in his feed Chrift, and believing 
 this, it was counted unto him for righteouf- 
 nefs ', and this was the righteoufnefs of faith 
 which he had, being yet uncircumcifed. 
 But in this covenant, it was required cf him, 
 and of his pofterity, that they (hould receive 
 the fign of circumcifion, as a feal of the 
 righteoufnefs of faith. As it was to be worn 
 in their flefh, a fign, teftimony, or witnefs 
 for God, of his goodnefs in promifing, and 
 of his faithfulnels in performing, fo was it 
 
 alio 
 
[ 6s ] 
 alfb ordained a fign of the grace promifed ; 
 confining of a feparation between them and 
 their fins. Righteoufnefs fuppofes a priva- 
 tion of fin, and the righteoufnefs of faith im» 
 plies fuch a flate effeded by Chrift alont, 
 without works of righteoufnefs as done by 
 us. And of this righteoufnefs circumci- 
 iion is faid to be the feal ; confirming and 
 fecuring under a covering, the grace and 
 falvation thus promifed, until the feed 
 Should come, Circumcifion was a fign and 
 feal of this righteoufnefs : firft, in itfelf, as 
 it confifted in a cutting off the fuperfluous; 
 thereby denoting, that its antitype, or fpirit, 
 confifted in putting away the body of the 
 lins of our flefh ; in feparating our fins from 
 us as the eaft is from the weft. Secondly, 
 the part circumcifed (hewing, until the pro- 
 mifed feed lliould come, that he was to be 
 a defcendant of Abraham, who ftiould eftedt 
 fuch a feparation between mankind and their 
 lins. Thirdly, the manner of circumcifion ; 
 it was painful and bloody, to fhew, that 
 this falvation was to be efteded by the (hed- 
 ing of the blood of Jefus, and by his endu- 
 ring the pains and penalties due to ftn. 
 Fourthly, the fubjeds, infants eight days 
 old, having not finned after the fimilitude of 
 Adam's tranfgreflion; implying the inno- 
 cence of the fufferer in his individual right : 
 ** he who knew no fin was made fin for us, 
 " that we might be made the righteoufnefs 
 ** of (Sod in him." Thus was circumcifion 
 
 F fi^nificant. 
 
[66] 
 
 fignificant, a fign and feal, refpeding both 
 the method and matter of the righteoufnefs 
 of faith. 
 
 This accounts for circumcilion's being 
 aboliflied in Chrift; or for its being taken 
 out of the flefh and the letter, into the heart 
 and fpirit ; as is manifeft from the New 
 Teftament: *' And ye are complete in him, 
 " which is the head of all principality and 
 " power. In whom alfo ye are circumcifed 
 ** with the circumcifion made without 
 ** hands, in puting off the body of the lins 
 *' of the flefti, by the circumcifion of 
 ** Chrift." And again, " We are the true 
 ** circumcifion, who worfhip God in the 
 *' Spirit, who rejoice in Chrilt Jefus, and 
 ** who have no confidence in the flefli." 
 " And circumcifion is that of the heart, in 
 ** the fpirit, and not of the letter, whofe 
 *' praife is not of men, but of God.'' Thefe 
 teftimonies are fo plain, as to need no com- 
 ment : the vail is here taken off from the 
 face of Mofes, fo that we are able to look to 
 the end of circumcifion, and to fee it abo- 
 lillied in Chrift. But that man who firft in- 
 vented the hypothefis, of circumcifion's 
 being a figure of Water-baptifm, had an un- 
 reafonable warm fide to ceremonies, and a 
 fruitful imagination indeed j fince it is con- 
 trary to revelation, and even to common fenfe. 
 And I may alfo venture to fay, that his fol- 
 lowers in this fentiment are no lefs famous 
 
 for 
 
for tame credulity, or for being under the 
 influence of the fame craft. 
 
 Thus have I fhewn, or at leaft I have en- 
 deavoured to (liew, that Water-baptifm 
 orginally pertained to the law of ceremo- 
 nies, as a type or figure of the purification 
 of mankind by Jefus Chriil; which being 
 accomplifhed in Him, Water-baptifm is no 
 longer a reafonabis fervice. Nor is Bap- 
 tifm of the Letter now, but of the Spirit; 
 which Spiritual Baptifm, I would here pro- 
 pofe to be that O N E Baptifm mentioned 
 in the text : and of which Baptifm 1 fliall 
 now proceed to fpeak. And here, uninflu- 
 enced by the favours or fear of man, I fhall 
 faithfully follow the lead of that light, which 
 God my Saviour hath given me; and which, 
 in conjunction with the facred records, fhall 
 ever be the guide of my judgment, and the 
 purity and peace of my confcience. 
 
 The apoflle fays, *' For as many of you 
 " as have been baptized into Chrlfl have 
 " put on Chrift." Men but lightly tindlured 
 with truth may poflibly aver, that being 
 baptized into Chrill intends no more than a 
 being baptized with water, into the name, 
 religion, and church of Chrifl ; and that to 
 put on Chrift, in confequence of fuch a Bap- 
 tifm, implies only a putting on the profeflion 
 of chriftianity ; or, that it can intend no 
 more at fartheft, than a putting on of Chrift 
 by an imitation of his fpirit and condud:. 
 
 F 2 But 
 
[68] 
 
 But in anfwer to this, I would obferve, 
 it is highly probable, that all the members 
 of the Roman church, whofe faith at that 
 time was fpoken of throughout the world, 
 were baptized with water : they publicly 
 profeffed Chrift, and in their meafure were 
 all zealous imitators of him : I take it for 
 granted, that the generality of Chriftians 
 make no doubt of this. But the apoftle's 
 words imply a doubtfulnefs of their being 
 all baptized into Chrift : this appears from 
 a manifeft caution in the text — " As many 
 " of us." And again to the Galatians, *' As 
 '* many of you as have been baptized into 
 " Chrift, &c." All are agreed, that thofe 
 epiftles were written to particular churches, 
 or focieties of people called Chriftians. But 
 none were intitled to this facred appellative, 
 much lefs to church-fellowftiip, until they 
 had not only believed, but alio conformed, 
 and fubmitted to fuch rules and ordinances, 
 as were at That time judged to be a proper 
 teft of faith in Chrift ; and in the very front 
 of thefe ftood Water-baptifm. But, tho' 
 thofe people profefted to believe on the Lord 
 Jefus, though they fubmitted themfclves to 
 the ordinances, and confequently had been 
 baptized with water, yet the apoftle fpeaks 
 with great warincfs and reftri6tion about 
 their being baptized into Chrift, and of 
 their having put on Chrift. 
 
 If it may be fuppofed, that there were no 
 unbaptized perfons in the churches of Rome 
 
 and 
 
[69] 
 
 and Galatia, unto whom thofe epiftles were 
 immediately written, wherefore does the 
 apoiile fix thefe Hmits, ** As many of us," — ■ 
 *' As many of you," 6cc? Is there not a di- 
 ftindion manifeftly fuppofed in the words,, 
 between fuch who had been equally parta- 
 kers of the outward Baptifm ? Would not 
 the apoftle's words be defedive in fenfe and 
 propriety, if he intended the Baptifm of 
 water, wherewith they all had been baptized, 
 whei^ he fays, *' As many of us," — " As 
 " many of you as have been baptized into 
 ** Chrift," &c ? The words plainly imply, 
 that the apoflle thought it pofTible, that fome 
 of the people to whom he fpake them, might 
 not be baptized into Chrift ; but they had 
 been all baptized with v/ater : therefore, the 
 apoftle intended not the Baptifm of water, 
 when he fpake of being baptized into Chrift. 
 
 But what he meant by being baptized 
 into Chrift, may be known by this criterion, 
 *' They put on Chrift." How This is to be 
 underftood, I ftiall have an occafion to iliew 
 in the fequel ; but in the interim, I fiiall 
 juft take notice of fome general opinions re- 
 lating to this matter, and of thefe in their 
 variety, as abounding amongft men of diffe- 
 rent complexions, attachments, and fenti- 
 ments. 
 
 The more remote from the Spirit of Truth, 
 
 in this matter, are fuch who make nothing 
 
 more of it than to have the fign of the crofs 
 
 drawn upon the forehead with a wet finger. 
 
 F 3 Hence, 
 
[ 7° ] 
 
 Hence, they pretend to have put on Chrift 
 from their infancy ; and that they were then 
 made members of Chrift, children of God, 
 and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven j 
 that they were then regenerated, born again, 
 and made Chriftians, and all without their 
 own knowledge of the matter. 
 
 This is that which hath filled the world 
 v/ith ignorant Chriftians, who know not 
 wherefore they are fo called : from hence 
 proceeds the innumerable fwarm of Unbe- 
 lieving Chriftians, who have juft as much 
 confidence in Jefus Chrift, as they have in 
 Mahomet : hence, that notorious contra- 
 didion, that abominable lye againft the 
 truth, the perfecuting Chriftians; fuch who 
 (from the delight which they have in blood) 
 are promifed blood to drink : hence alfo, the 
 fighting Chriftians, whofe kingdom is of this 
 world, and who therefore delight in war. 
 In brief, from hence proceeds fuch who are 
 Chriftians without faith, who are good with- 
 out holinefs, who are fruitful without works, 
 who, having the form of godlinefs, deny the 
 power thereof, and who imagine Chriftianity 
 to confift of external ceremonies. The pro- 
 pofition, that Chrift is put on inlnfant-bap- 
 tifm, is fo unreafonable, and unfcriptural, 
 that (but for the confequences attendant 
 thereon, a few of which I have mentioned, 
 and which need none other confutation than 
 barely to mention them) it merits not my 
 notice. 
 
 But 
 
[ 7« ] 
 
 But there are others who, totally rejeding 
 the above as an invention of Antichrift^ 
 ■propose, that an imitation of Chrift is what 
 the apodle means by putting him on. This 
 I confefs, hath a much greater air of proba- 
 bility, than the above; and if an imitation of 
 Chrifl: in truth and perfection could be pro- 
 duced, it would have great weight, and a 
 fair claim to the meaning of the apoflle : 
 but neither the fcriptures nor experience 
 will permit the conclufion, that there is any 
 fuch imitation of Chrift to be found among 
 mankind. The fcriptures teach that all men 
 are linners; that there is none among them 
 who doth good, no not one; that in many 
 things all offend : and if any man fay that he 
 hath no fin he deceives himfelf, and the 
 truth is 'not in him. The knowledge of 
 ourfelves, and of mankind in general, from 
 one degree thereof unto another, ferves more 
 and more to confirm us in this truth. Amons: 
 fuch Vv^ho profefs themfelves the followers 
 of Jefus, there are indeed high pretenfions 
 to an uniform imitation of him; but they 
 are meer pretenfions. For whofo is capable of 
 delineating what they call their new-crea- 
 ture, their refemblance to Chrift, &c. is as 
 capable of (hewing that it hath not one fi- 
 milar feature to the great original. All 
 pretended Chrifl-like appearances in man, 
 when properly fifted, will be found to be 
 altogether chaff; not partaking in the leaft 
 degree of the true fubflance. 
 
 To 
 
[ 72 ] 
 
 To begin with the motives to holinefs, or 
 to what they call an imitation of Jefus Chrift ; 
 thefe in man are felf-feeking, felf-love, &c. 
 and therefore, wholly corrupt i as n(5t par- 
 taking of the difinterefled, or of that which 
 flows perfedlly from love. It is impoffible 
 that man fliould diveft himfelf of felf, and 
 felfi(h principles, whilft he is an inhabitant 
 of this world ; let him do what he will, let 
 him difguife himfelf as he can, it w^ill ftill 
 be difcoverable, that thefe are his fprings of 
 adion : whether vice or virtue diftinguifli 
 his choice, thefe are ftill his leading princi- 
 ples. For where a man rufhes into vice as 
 the horfe into the battle, it is under the in- 
 fluence of felf-love, felf-pleafmg, felf-grati- 
 iication, &c; thefe triumphing over his 
 reafon, fo perfectly lor^ it over him, that 
 there is no law, be it divine or human, civil 
 or focial, that he will not break through, 
 and trample under foot to indulge and gratify 
 thefe. 
 
 Again, where the paths of virtue (as 
 called) are the choice, it is but a transfor- 
 mation of the fame principles ; to avoid pu- 
 nifhment, to gain the reward, to court the 
 praife of men, to pleafe himfelf by reflec- 
 ting on his own adions and manner, where 
 he becomes his own idol. Some, or all of 
 thefe, are ftill the fource of his virtue, and 
 his motives to piety : and, under this confi- 
 deration, his virtue and piety (however ex- 
 cellent in their appearances) ftand expofed to 
 
 the 
 
[73l 
 the cenfure of revelation and right reafon, as 
 llavifh, mercenary, vain-glorious, and idola- 
 trous. 
 
 To fuch who know mankind, it is fuffi- 
 ciently notorious, that all friendfhip, love, 
 goodwill, and kindnefs, fubfifting among 
 men, have their foundation in fejf only. In 
 ftri<fl propriety, mankind know no other 
 love than the love of themfelves ; and their 
 diflike is governed by the fame principle : 
 whom do you at any time make choofe of for 
 your friend, but him, whofe perfonal accom- 
 plifhmentSjOr manner, or fentiments, or piety, 
 &c. pleafe you ? And wherefore do you make 
 choice of fuch, but becaufe he pleafes you ? 
 Thus from your own will you choice no- 
 thing but what gives you delight ; nor have 
 you any other motive for choofing it, than that 
 it gives you delight. If we love a friend, it is 
 for our own fake ; and if we hate an enemy, 
 it is from the fame motive : every adt of be- 
 nevolence which we do, it is for our own 
 fake that we do it, and where we withhold 
 our hand, we are influenced by the fame 
 principle. In every adion of life, mankind 
 flill facrifice to their own net, and burn in- 
 cenfe to their own drag. And where they 
 contend for ading difmtereftedly, generoufly, 
 and without mercenary motives; and that 
 they love virtue, or holinefs purely for its own 
 fake, they are ftill pleading the caufe of felf- 
 love, and exhibiting proof, beyond excep- 
 tion, of its abfolute dominion over them. 
 5 But 
 
[ 74 ] 
 
 But this by no means agrees with the fcrip^ 
 ture-account of our Saviour's virtue and obe- 
 dience.; that confifted of difmter^fted love, 
 felf-denial, and doing the will of him who 
 fent him. But this (i. e. human virtue) 
 being perfedly the reverfe, cannot, with 
 any fhadow of juftice, be called an imi- 
 tation of Ch rift. 
 
 Perhaps, as an objection to what I have 
 faid upon the fubjed:, it will be afked, if 
 man befo fully under the power and influence 
 of felf-love, as you have reprefented him to 
 be, to what purpofe do the fcriptures re- 
 quire him to love his neighbour as himfelf, 
 yea, to efteem of others as better than him- 
 felf; to love his enemies, and to render good 
 for evil, &c ? I anfwer — The fcriptures do 
 not require this of man, as fuppoling him 
 capable of it; for the coming of Jefus 
 Chrift into the world to fave linners, proves 
 the contrary : the law was given that the 
 oftence might abound, and the command- 
 ment took place, that man might die. It 
 was to diftinguifli to man, between good 
 and evil, and to make him fenfible that he 
 could not perform the good ; to prepare the 
 way of the Lord, by proving the neceffity 
 and utility of our Saviour's appearance, as the 
 fulfiller of all righteoufnefs, that the law took 
 place : but Chrift being come in the flefh, 
 and having fulfilled all. In us, and For us, 
 his virtue and glory is ours, and we are 
 taught to reckon by him, and not by the 
 
 works 
 
[75] 
 
 works of our own hands : thus we fland 
 perfe<fled in his love to God, and to his 
 neighbour; whilft we are confcious that 
 felf-love ftill predominates in our perfons, 
 and in all our perfonal fruits. 
 
 But it will yet be objedted probably, that 
 thefe things are not only required of men in 
 the law, before the coming of Chrift, but 
 that the Chriftians are alfo exhorted to them 
 in the New Teitament, by the apoftles them- 
 felves. To which I anfwer — Though the 
 law be fulfilled in Chrift, and we delivered 
 from the curfe thereof, by his being made 
 a curfe for us ; fo that it hath Now no au- 
 thority to infli(ft pains and penalties on us, 
 as fuch who cannot perfonally fulfil its pre- 
 cepts, forafmuch as we are not under it^ 
 yet the nature and the properties of the law 
 are the fame, its voice is the fame, and it is 
 of Angular ufe in the houfe of God, not 
 as a mafter indeed, but yet as a fervant 
 faithful in all the houfe; and as fuch it is 
 made ufe of by the Spirit of Truth to gra- 
 cious purpofes. 
 
 The law, in the New Teftament, is made 
 to dete(ft, expofe, and cenfur^ all human 
 righteoufnefs ; and that it doth continually, 
 left at any time the Chriftian man, forgetting 
 the hole of the pit from whence he was 
 digged, and the rock from whence he was 
 hewn, (hould grow wife in his own eyes, 
 and holy in his own conceit. Hence it is, 
 that fuch who are far gone in thofe matters 
 
 will 
 
[ 76 ] 
 
 will not, by any means, allow their fandi- 
 iication to be tried by the law; but are 
 obliged to have recourfe to many inventions, 
 to keep up their fpirits in this particular : 
 but fuch who do allow of the law here, are 
 ever fenfible of their own nothingnefs, and 
 that it is in the Lord only that they have 
 righteoufnefs and ftrength. Again, where the 
 apoftles urge the voice of the law, in the re- 
 proofs, precepts, and exhortations which 
 we find in their epiftles, it is not that they 
 fuppofe the people to whom they write, ca- 
 pable of fulfilling it ; nor is it with a view 
 to mitigate the feverity of the fpiritual law, 
 by eftablifliing an imperfect righteoufnefs, 
 confiding of fincerity, of mens befi: endea- 
 vours, and of obeying from a good inten- 
 tion, from a peculiar principle, &c. thefe 
 were not the defign of the Spirit, fpeaking 
 by the apoftles. But his intention, by hold- 
 ing up .the purity of the perfect law before 
 them, was to keep low the fpirit of conceit 
 and felf- importance; and that they might 
 feel themfelves under the necefllity of a con- 
 tinual looking unto Jefus. To people in 
 their circumllances, in whofe principles, 
 condud:, and confcience, fo great a change 
 had been wrought, it was natural to con- 
 clude, that they increafed in goods ; and 
 that they had more wifdom, flrength, and 
 righteoufnefs, according to the works of their 
 own hands, than they had before they be- 
 lieved : in proportion to thcfe thoughts, 
 
 they 
 
I 77] 
 
 they muO: necelTarily be lifted up, and wander 
 from the right way. To prevent which, by 
 fhewing them that they are in themfelves 
 as weak and infufficient as ever, the law is 
 in its precepts and fpirit fet before them, 
 that they might have no confidence in the 
 lielh, nor any rejoicing but in Chrjft Jefus : 
 thus is Chrifl the end of the law for righte- 
 oufnefs, to every one that believeth. 
 
 But to return from this digreffion — As 
 man's pretended imitation of Chrift is cor- 
 rupt in its fource, it is yet more fo in the 
 dream : the obedience and holinefs of Chrift 
 have continuance in them ; his purity is 
 conftant, invariable, and everlafting; but 
 man's goodnefs is as the morning cloud, and 
 as the early dew it pafTeth away, and hath 
 no continuance in it. Again, the obedience, 
 or holinefs of Chrift is compreheniive, uni- 
 verfal, and uniform : but fuch is not the 
 holinefs of the moft upright among men; 
 their goodnefs is very con traded, confined 
 to particulars, generally coniifting of ufelefs 
 peculiarities, very ii*regular, and full of 
 chafms and contrarieties. Again, the holi- 
 nefs of Jefus is all perfection; it was pure in 
 the fountain, it wab unpolluted in the ftream, 
 nor could it admit of any corrupt mixture: 
 but fuch is not the holinefs of man ; that, 
 as I have fliewn, is corrupt in the fountain, 
 becomes more fo in the ftream, and admits 
 of abominable mixtures ; fuch as pride, re* 
 
 venge. 
 
[ 78 ] 
 
 vcnge, the love of money, deceit, and many 
 more fuch, too tedious to mention at prefent. 
 
 With what propriety can it then be faid, 
 that man*3 holineis is Hke Chrifl's holinefs, 
 when the nature and properties of the latter 
 are not, in any degree, difcernible in the 
 former? • Man is not only defective under 
 the predominancy of his particular foible, 
 but his very wifdom is folly, and his greateft 
 ftrength is weaknefs itfelf; he is extremely 
 defective in that wherein he moft excels; 
 as daily experience, and the examples of the 
 holy men of old, recorded in facred writ, 
 plainly teach. 
 
 But fome man will aflc me— Do not thfe 
 fcriptures fpeak of following ChrilVs exam- 
 ple, of walking in his fteps, of being in his 
 likenefs, &c? I anfwer — They certainly do, 
 nor do they fpeak in vain. But of this I fhall 
 have occalion to treat, when I come pofi- 
 tively to defcribe the True Baptifm j and to 
 fhew that the putting on of Chrifl: is a fpiri- 
 tual a(ft J my defign here being only to fhew, 
 that it is not of the flelh. For as to man's 
 pretended likenefs to Chrift, in his imita- 
 tion of him, it is not more than equal to an 
 ador's mouthing and ftrutting upon the 
 ilage, in the charadter of fome hero of an- 
 cient ftory; where there is neither identity, 
 or fimilarity, but in the whim of folly and 
 romantic fancy. 
 
 Man's flefhly imitations of Chrift, may be 
 
 farther explained, by that beautiful and ini- 
 
 5 mitable 
 
[79] 
 mltable fimile of the prophet; where he 
 fays, " That the day of the Lord Ihall be 
 <* upon all pleafant pidures." A pidure, 
 however well executed, however flrong the 
 refemblance, has not the properties eflentlal 
 to the original. The mofl; pleafant pidlure, 
 as it is only a (hadowy reprefentation of the 
 original, fo is it a reprefentation to one 
 fenfe only ; nor are there any of them fo 
 perfect, as in this particular to deceive th^ 
 eye of the judicious, that they lliould mif- 
 take them for real life. 
 
 Nor can the moft fpeclous appearances of 
 holinefs in man fo far impofe upon the 
 judgment of fuch as know mankind, and 
 who are not unacquainted with the fcrip- 
 tures, and with the power of God, that 
 they fhould at any time miflake fuch appear- 
 ances for the fame with the holinefs of 
 Chrifl ', or ever fuppofe, that they amount 
 to what is intended by putting on Chrift. 
 It is impoffible for men to put on Chrift, ac- 
 cording to their own righteoufnefs,or by fuch 
 imitations of him as they are capable of, 
 but as the comedian puts on his hero, or as 
 the dead pidure wears the living original ; 
 and which none but children and fools can 
 iniftake for reality. 
 
 The term Baptifm is applied, in the New 
 Teflament, with propriety and confiftency to 
 fpiritual things ; fometimes to the fufterings 
 and death of Jefus, and again to the belief of 
 the truth, in its eifeds on the mind and cbn- 
 fcience of the believer : the death and fuf- 
 
 ferings 
 
[ 8o ] 
 
 ferings of our Lord Jefus Chrifl were de- 
 iigned to wa(h and purify the people. 
 Hence, He Himfelf terms it a Baptifm, 
 where he fays, " But I have a Baptifm to 
 ** be baptized with, and how am I ftraitned 
 *' till it beaccomplifhed?" This was the Bap- 
 tifm which he fpake of to his difciples, 
 when he promifed them that they fhould 
 drink of the fame cup with himfelf, and be 
 baptized with the fame Baptifm. This is 
 alfo called the Baptifm of fire, and with much 
 reafon and fpirit; as it implies a purification 
 obtained by enduring the penalty. Fire is 
 ufed for various purpofes of agriculture ; 
 fometimes to purge the land from thorns, 
 briars, thirties, and other noxious lumber; 
 and at other times, to burn the face of the 
 ground, in order to its fruitfulnefs ; particu- 
 larly, fuch ground as is naturally barren and 
 difiicult in its culture. 
 
 Fire is alfo a purifier of putrid and corrupt 
 air, by purging it of impure animalcula, and 
 noifom vapours, thereby reftoring it to health 
 and fweetnefs. 
 
 It is alfo the property of fire to purify me- 
 tals, by feparating the precious from th« 
 vile J and to dilHnguidi the true ore by con- 
 fuming the drofs. Upon thefe, and other 
 fimilar accounts, we may fuppofe the meta- 
 phor was made ufe of to denote, that the 
 Lord having laid upon Jefus the iniquities of 
 us all. He, as comprehending us in Him- 
 felf, did through his death and pafiion purge 
 
 our 
 
[8i ] 
 
 our fins, He confumed our tranTgreffions and 
 purified our nature. Hence, it is called a 
 Baptifm, and the Baptifm of fire; and hath 
 the preference in the dodrine of Baptifms, 
 
 For, though the waQiing of water im- 
 plies the putting away the fihh of the flefli, 
 yet this filth is again contraded, and foon ; 
 which urges the necefiity of repeated wafh- 
 ings. But the Baptifm of fire doth not only 
 feparate between us and our fins, but it alfo 
 confumes them; fo that we may not be de- 
 filed with the guilt nor filth thereof any 
 more. This is true in Chrifr, who being 
 the captain of our falvation, and compre- 
 hending us in Himfelf, was made perfect 
 through fufferings. Thus the fire of his 
 Baptifm was both penal and purifying, the 
 latter in confequence of the former ; and 
 occupying the nature and perfons of man- 
 kind throughout the whole of his fufferings 
 and death, they were baptized with the 
 Baptifm wherewith He was baptized, they 
 drank of the cup which he drank of, and 
 were together with Him perfected through 
 the fame fufFerings : Chrifl being with re- 
 fpedt to the people, through the things 
 which he fuffered, as the fuller's fope, and 
 as the refiner's fire. 
 
 To elucidate which, let us notice the 
 following paflage from the words of the 
 apoftle, " For as the body is one, and hath 
 ** many members, and all the merpbers of 
 " that one body, being manv, are one body, 
 G ' " fo 
 
( 82 ] i 
 
 ** (o alfo is Chrift :" Thus runs the propofi- 
 tion, and the parallel as follows : Chrift be- 
 ing one, hath many children, or members, 
 thefe being many are one Chrift. The fub- • 
 ilance, or do(flrine of which is — The church , 
 is Chrift diffufed, or in the many, in variety; i 
 and Chrift is the church in one, in uni- | 
 ty, and perfection : and as Chrift was thus ; 
 the church, it was that He fulfilled all righte- ; 
 .oufnefs, in the holinefs of His life, through ; 
 the (harpnefs of His fuftering and death, at- 
 tefted by the power and purity of His refur- 
 •reclion. y \ 
 
 Jefus, by perfedllng himfelf through fuf- ; 
 ferings, from the character of the wicked ; 
 which he fuftained, from the iniquities of i 
 us all, which were laid upon him, and thus ' 
 ■in knowledge and experience qualifying | 
 himfelf to prefide over the houfe of Goci, j 
 hath brought life and immortality to light;; ' 
 and has given afllirance unto all men, that ] 
 they fhall be judged by Him; that every | 
 threatning, wherewith fallen men have be^fi i 
 threatned from the beginning, has been ex- \ 
 ecuted upon Him, to their final exemption 
 from all; and that He hath intitled them, , 
 together with HimfelF, to every benefit re- < 
 fulling from his obedience and fufferings. | 
 All which (from his natural care for them, i 
 and from his perfed knowledge and qualifi- ^ 
 cation, through a famenefs of experience 
 with themj He, as the appointed, Hands en- i 
 
 gaged ' 
 
[83 ] 
 
 gaged to render ufeful to them, through all 
 •the viciffitudes of their mortal life. 
 
 In the holy gofpel we are taught, that 
 Chrifl fandified the church. By and In 
 Himfelf; and that, as her fubftitute and 
 furety, he blefled her with the opening of the 
 •prifon, and cloathed her with the garments of 
 falvation : He put the robe of legal inno- 
 cence upon her, and not only £o, but com- 
 prehending her, with all her infirmities 
 about her, in Himfeif, He really and phy- 
 iically purified her, by eradicating the evil, 
 and by conforming her in NatUi'e and ia 
 Perfon to the holy image of God, 
 
 The Lord Jefus, having taken on him the 
 rrialadies and perfon of mankind. He, as 
 the phyiician of value, deftroyed the dif- 
 eafe> and faved the patient; He .made an 
 end of fin, He finiihed tranfgrerfion, but 
 faved the people with an evcrlafting falva- 
 tion. This, as having the people in Him- 
 feif, he effe(fted through his obedience unto 
 death, without the conlideration of any thing 
 done by them ; or, any thing wrought 
 within them, in their individual limple per- 
 fons : of which He exhibited undeniable 
 proof at his refurredion from the dead, when 
 he was declared to be the Son of God with 
 power, according to the fpirit of holinefs. 
 And this falvation is further defcribed by the 
 apoRle, as follows : ** Not by works of 
 ." righteoufnefs which we have done, but 
 -** according to his mercy he faved us, by 
 " the wafliing of regeneration, and renew- 
 G 2 ** ins: 
 
[84 ] 
 
 '* ing of the Holy Gholl:, which he flied ott 
 " us abundantly through Jefus Chriil our 
 ** Saviour." 
 
 Thus are mankind, together with and in 
 Jefus their forerunner, baptized unto the 
 Father. In this grace the church is prefent* 
 cd a glorious church, not having fpot or 
 wrinkle, or any fuch thing; but holy and 
 without blemilh. The apoftle, in afcribing 
 glory and dominion to Him who loved u&, 
 and who wafhed us from our fins in Flis own 
 blood, hath doubtlefs a reference to this 
 Baptifm ; for he manifeltly places not only 
 the pardon of fin, but the being purified, or 
 waflied from them, to the account of our 
 Lord's death and fufFerings, where he fays, 
 ** He waflied us from our fins in His own 
 *' blood:" which not only implies a legal 
 purification, by a chaftifement proportioned 
 to the offence, but a radical cleanfing of our 
 nature alfoi not only a forgivenefs of fin, 
 and an exemption from future punifliment, 
 but a conformity to the Divine Nature alfo : 
 a meetnefs to be partakers oi a glorious in- 
 heritance among the faints in light. 
 
 This was the Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft 
 and of fire, with which it was faid that the 
 Saviour lliould Baptize the people ; for as 
 the fire denotes penal fufi^eiings, andjufiifi- 
 cation and legal innocence in ronfequence 
 thereof, fo the Baptifm of the Holy Ghoil 
 intends fandtification, or fuch a fpiritual pu- 
 rification, as renders us partakers of tlie Di- 
 vine 
 
vine Nat'jre. And that our bkiTed Lord hath 
 efFe(5ted this, that he hath baptized us with 
 the Holy Ghofl and with fire, is fiifficiently 
 proved from his own flate at his refurredlion 
 from the dead, where he appeared the fecond 
 time without Cm unto falvation ; having by 
 himfelf purged our fins, he fat down on the 
 right-hand of the Majelly on high. 
 
 In brief, I am conflrained to conclude — " 
 That the Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft and of 
 fire, of which John the Baptift declared our 
 Saviour to be the adminiil:rator, and likewife 
 that Baptifm which our Lord Himfelf fpake 
 of, as a Baptifm which he had yet to be 
 baptized with, and for the accomplifhment 
 of which he was flraitned, and in which he 
 promifed his difciples a participation with 
 himfelf; I fay, I mull neceiiarily conclude, 
 that thefe all related to what was to have its 
 accompliihment through the obedience, fuf- 
 ferings, and death of Chrilfj and that they 
 have their perfect reafon and fpirit in the 
 finiflied work of Jefus. 
 
 Hence, in coni'equence of what Jefus ac- 
 complilhed through his one offering upon 
 the crofs, Peter was taught to call no man 
 common or unclean, becaufe God had 
 cleanfed them. The apoftle Paul taught that 
 God had of the Jew and Gentile made one 
 New-man, io making peace ; that he might 
 reconcile both unto God in one body by the 
 crofs, having ilain the enmity thereby, and 
 came and preached to you which were afir 
 G 3 off, • 
 
[86] 
 
 off, -and to them that were nigh j and that 
 God was in Chrift reconciling the world to 
 himfelf : with many other fimilar paflages. 
 AH which, according to my judgment;, 
 plajnly indicate, and even pofitjvelv teach, 
 (hat mankind, notwithftanding contrafting 
 appearances in them as individuals, are wa{h- 
 ed, cleanfed, and reconciled unto God iq 
 Chriiljefus; which being wrought in the 
 Name of the Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit 
 of our God, is that True Baptifm of the 
 Holy Ghoft wherewith Jefus was to baptize 
 the people. 
 
 But here I expedl it will be aflced me — 
 
 * Is this the 'whole of what the fcriptures 
 
 * mean, by being baptized with the Holy 
 « Ghoft V Unto which I reply — This is the 
 primary meaning of the fcriptures refpeding 
 the matter ; but I am fo far from denying, 
 that they fpeak of the Baptifm of the Holy 
 Ghoft in a fecond fenfe, as confifting of a 
 divine operation upon the human mind, that 
 I believe and affirm that the things which 
 are true inChrift, are alfo true in them who 
 believe on him. If in purfuit of this fub- 
 je<ft, I have firft fpoken of truth as it is in 
 Chrift, it is but a mite of that infinite fum 
 Vv^hich is due to His name; He, as head over 
 all things unto his body the church, hath iri 
 all things the pre-eminence. Befides, in 
 Chrift is the fountain of the waters of life, 
 but in man a ftream only j the ft ream may 
 be fufpended, cut off, or dried up, but the 
 
 ^ foi^n'.aja 
 
[ 87 I 
 
 ouiitain is always full, inexhauflible, ncvef 
 ailing; the dream, while it flows, is com- 
 fortable, refrefliing, and chearing to our 
 lenfes, but in the fountain is our hope, truft, 
 and delight j we know that There we are ever 
 filled. That can never fail us, becaufe Jefus 
 Chrift is the fame yeflerday, to-day, and for 
 ever; in Him is the ftability of our times, 
 and the ftrength of our falvation : nor is it 
 confident with truth, that any attainments, 
 confolations, or fpiritual fruits in ourfelves, 
 Ihould ever render us indcpendant of Him, 
 or make us unmindful of the hoHOurs which 
 are due to His Name. 
 
 The Baptifm of the Holy Ghofl:, as relat- 
 ing to his operations on the human mind, or 
 on the heart of individuals, is fpoken of in 
 the fcriptures fometimes in an extraordinary, 
 and at other times in an ordinary fenfe ; the 
 one limited to the ajre of the aooftlcs, but 
 the other familiar to all true believers to 
 the end of time ; the former confided of 
 iiich an effuiion of the Holy Ghod, as did 
 not only include the witnels of falvation, 
 with righteouihefs, peace, and joy; but 
 miraculous gifts and powers alfo : and this 
 was it Vv^hich the Lord promifed the apodles 
 ■after his refurred^ion, faying, *' For John 
 *' truly baptized with water, but ye diall be 
 «* baptized with the Holy Ghod not many 
 ** days hence ;" and for the accomplidiment 
 of which they were to wait at Jcrufalem. 
 And of this fame Baptifm fpeaks the apodle 
 
 Peter, 
 
[ 88] 
 
 Peter, ill vindication of his conduct, when 
 acculed of preaching the gofpel unto the 
 gentiles; where he fays, ** And as I began 
 *' to fpeak, the Holy Ghoft fell on them as 
 ** on us at the beginning : then remembered 
 ** I the word of the Lord, how that he faid 
 ** John indeed baptized with water, but ye 
 *' (hall be baptized with the Holy Ghoft." 
 This falling of the Holy Ghoft on the Gen- 
 tile converts, was according to his miracu- 
 lous gifts nnd powers, as is manifeft from 
 the following reafons: Firft, It was accord- 
 ing to the manner of his falling on the apoHles 
 on the day of Pentecoft; which was not as 
 a fpirit of faith in Chrift, for that they had 
 before; nor as a witneffing fpirit of their in- 
 tereft in Chrirt, for this we may fuppofe 
 them polfeiled of before; nor as a fandlifying 
 Ipirit, which they certainly had from their 
 jird: faith in Chriif; it therefore follows, 
 that the Holy Ghoft fell on them that day 
 in his miraculous gifts and powers, fpeaking 
 with tongues as the Spirit gave^hem utter- 
 ance ; according to which was the manner of 
 his falling on the people to whom Peter 
 preached. Again — That it was fo is farther 
 evident, from the inftantaneous proof they 
 gave of it ; the apoflle difcerned it imme- 
 diately, v.'hich had not been the cafe had 
 their Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft here fpoken 
 of intended his landifying influences ; as to 
 have afcertained this, fome time of probation 
 and perfeverance would have been necelTary : 
 
 and 
 
[89] 
 
 and as both our Saviour and his apoftles have 
 taught, that men may have extraordinary 
 joys, and even from hearing the word of 
 truth preached, and yet give no certain proof 
 of their being the good ground, or of their 
 being fuch who are baptized with the Holy 
 Gholl, and who Qiall endure to the end, 
 there can be nothing inferred with certainty 
 from fuch appearances ; nor could the apoftle 
 determine from their exprefled comfort, that 
 the Holy Ghoft was fallen on thofe Gen- 
 tiles, as he did at the beginning on tha 
 apoftles. It follows then, that Peter deter- 
 mined of the Gentiles having received the 
 Holy Ghort, by proofs fimilar to what were 
 exhibited on the day of Pentecoft in himfelf 
 and the other apoftles, when they received 
 the Holy Ghoil: : and this out-pouring of 
 the Spirit is termed by our Saviour and his 
 apoftles " the Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft." 
 By this Baptifm were the difciples of Jefus 
 diftinguiftied in the fight of men, and unde- 
 niable proof given that they were of the truth, 
 under the inftuence of this Spirit ; they nei- 
 ther thought their own thoughts, nor fpake 
 their own words ; but they thought and 
 fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft: 
 though they were men compalfed about with 
 infirmity, and fubjed: to like paffions with 
 other men, yet purified with the Spirit, im- 
 merfed in the Holy Ghoft, they were cleanfed 
 from themfelves, fo that their perfonal weak- 
 j^eft^es could neither prevent nor impede the 
 
 . Divine 
 
[9°] 
 
 i)ivine Power which wrought In and By 
 them. Thus were the apoftles and other 
 eminentbeUevers of that epoch baptized with 
 the Holy Ghoft; they were by this means 
 feparated, purified, and influenced to the 
 glory of Chrift, as his difciples and unerring 
 witnelTes ; the truth of which they demon- 
 ftrated and confirmed by many figns and 
 wonders, which they wrought in the name 
 of Jefus by the fame Spirit. But the Bap- 
 tifm of the Holy Ghofi, confidered in this 
 fenfe, was extraordinary, as hinted above, and 
 peculiar to the apoftles and Chridians of the 
 firft clafs in that age ; nor doth it appear, 
 with any degree of certainty, that this ful- 
 nefs of Spirit and Power extended beyond 
 that age. But though modern Chriftianity 
 can make no juft pretenfions to the Baptifm 
 of the Holy Ghoft in this extraordintry man- 
 ner, yet every true believer in Jefus is ftill, 
 in fome fenfe, baptized with the Holy Ghoft; 
 nor without this, is it poifible for men to 
 enjoy either fpiritual purity, or true confo- 
 jation : the truth of this hypothefis is 
 granted by all that have any right of claim 
 to the Chriftian name (as a doctrine very ex- 
 plicitly taught in the New Teftament), who 
 are yet far from being agreed as to the nature 
 and properties of the thing itfelf. 
 
 There are fome who unreafonably,and un* 
 
 fcripturally, reft thedo6lrine altogether upon 
 
 externals, pretending that the Baptifm of the 
 
 floly Ghoft operates In and By bodily exer- 
 
 ^ 2 cif^ji 
 
[9« 3 
 
 pife, or by the ufe of outward things ; as by 
 the waihing of water, and ihe formal ufe of 
 words on that occalion ; and that fuch a 
 Baptifm may be, where no fubfequent change 
 can be proved, nor any correfpondent fruit 
 produced J as in the cafe of infants, who are 
 fjppofed to be baptized with the Holy Ghoft, 
 when they are baptized with water. 
 
 Others fuppofe it to confift in a reforma- 
 tion of manners and fentiment, &c. and 
 having in their own eftimate experienced 
 fuch a change in themfelves, they conclude 
 themfelves regenerated, baptized with the 
 Holy Ghoft, and changed into the image of 
 the Lord from glory to glory, even as by the 
 Spirit of the Lord. 
 
 There are yet others, who elated with the 
 conceit of perfonal purity, and abounding 
 with aflurances, joys, and extatic feelings 
 (in confequence thereof) eafily miftake their 
 pafTions for divine infpiration, and their 
 imaginary purity for the Baptifm of the 
 Holy Ghoft : but this partakes fo much of 
 the nature of fpiritual pride, and which is fo 
 perfedly repugnant to the gofpel purity, 
 that it is impoiTible for the chafte virgin to 
 Chrift to be deceived by it, by miftaking it 
 for the Spiritual Baptifm. And fo far arc 
 the above from being authenticated by the 
 fcriptures, that they ftand rather expofed to 
 the cenfure of the divine word, as inven- 
 tions of men; and as having their founda- 
 tion in ignorance and pride. 
 
 Again — 
 
[92] 
 
 Again — There are fome who not diflln- 
 guidiing between being baptized With and 
 By the Holy Ghoft, conceive of the Holy 
 Ghoft in an adive fenfe ; or under the no- 
 tion of fpiritual agency in this Baptifni : con- 
 trary to the fcriptures, except it be granted 
 that the Lord Chrift is that Spirit, and that 
 He baptizes His difciples with Himfelf. 
 
 The plain fcripture-account of this mat- 
 ter is. That Jefus is the agent or admini- 
 ftrator of Spiritual Baptifm, and that the 
 Holy Ghoft is that wherewith he baptizes 
 us, or the material of this Baptifm to the 
 foul or fpirit, as water is to the body in the 
 external wafliing. The Holy Ghol} is not 
 fpoken of in an a(flive fenfe, as the Baptizer 
 or Purifier; but paffively, rather as the ele- 
 ment of purification, as that innocence, life, 
 and purity, wherewith Jefus was to wafli 
 mankind; and which, in the firft fenfe of 
 the promife, He hath perfedly accompliflied 
 in Himfelf, as I have already (liewn. 
 
 The name Gholt, in its common accep- 
 tation, fignifies the fpirit or exigence of a 
 deceafed perfon, and the epithet of Holy ad- 
 ded to it, fliews it to be a ghoft or fpirit di- 
 vinely pure. This may be applied, and not 
 improperly, to the refurreftion of our Lord 
 Jefus thrift; where that which was fown 
 natural was raifed fpiritual. Mankind, as 
 comprehended in Jefus, died in his death; 
 but whether this death was their eternal 
 lofs, or, whether it was propitiatory, and 
 
 confequently 
 
■ I 93 ] 
 
 conTeqiiently the gate of life, did not Im- 
 mediately appear : for while Jefus lay in the 
 fepulchre, both men and angels were feem- 
 ingly in a Hate of fufpence with refped: to 
 the Deceafed; but in His refurredion, not 
 Oiily the Ghoil:, but the Holy Ghoft of the 
 Deceafed made its appearance^ and gave 
 proof, ndt only of His exiftence with God, 
 but of His acceptance with Him alfo. In 
 brief — I would here propofe, that the terms 
 Spirit and Holy Gholl:, are not always per- 
 fonally applied in the fcriptures j but that 
 fometimes they denote truth, in oppofition 
 to faldiood : and again, they intend reafoii 
 and fubftance, in oppufition to fhadows 
 outward ordinances, and literal appoint-, 
 mentsj they alfo defign fupernatural influ- 
 ence and operations, in contradiftindion to 
 lifelefs forms, and to the heats of imagination: 
 but more efpecially, they intend the reafon 
 and purity of redemption by our Lord Jefus 
 Chriil:, which is the Spirit that giveth life, 
 in oppofition to the dead and killing Letter. 
 The reafon of our redemption by our Lord 
 Jefus Chriil:, which is the Spirit that giveth 
 life, confifts, Firft, In the Divine Decree, 
 wherein the glory and honour of being the 
 Redeemer was affigned him ; and again. In 
 that union, or onenefs, fubfifting between 
 the Redeemer and the Redeemed : hence, the 
 Redeemer had His right of redemption, and 
 His capacity of fultainlng their perfons and 
 condition i and hence alfo appears, the equity 
 
 of 
 
1 94 ] ; 
 
 •f their maladies being healed by His ftripcSi; ! 
 The purity of this redemption was manifelled • 
 and afcertained in our Lord's refurredion, by j 
 which he was declared to be the Son of God , 
 with power, according to the fpirit of holi- ! 
 nefs ; and by which, mankind alfo were be- \ 
 gotten unto a lively hope. Briefly, The ; 
 refurre(3:ion of our Lord Jefus Chrid exhi- • 
 bits, in holinefs, the redemption of man- ' 
 kind by His blood and death; and may (not \ 
 improperly) be called, the Holy Spirit or 
 Ghoft of every promife, ordinance, or ilia- , 
 dow, relating to this promifed falvation. ; 
 And to have the mind and confcience 
 brought up into contad: with the refur- 
 redlion-flate of Chriil:, fo as to anfwer to the ' 
 purity of that ftate, as face anfwers to face ' 
 in the glafs, is true Spiritual Baptifm ; it is ' 
 to be baptized, waflied, or purified with ! 
 the Holy Ghoftj that is — with the refur- 
 redion-power and purity of our Lord Jefus ; 
 Chrift. ) ; 
 
 This may be fuppofed to be what the ] 
 apoftle had in view, when he was defirous : 
 of knowing tlic power of our Lord's refur- 
 redlion; its pov/er to difcharge him from i 
 all guilt and impurity, and to perfedl him i 
 pertaining to the conlcien.e : but more par- . 
 ticularly, where he fays, ** If by any, means j 
 ** 1 might attain unto the refurredion of 
 ** the dead j not as though I had already at- ' 
 ** tained, either were already perfect i but i 
 " I follow after, if that I may apprehend ' 
 
 ♦* thai 1 
 
[95] 
 
 " that for which alfo I am apprehended 
 *' of Chrift Jefus." Here, in my judgment^ 
 the apoftle plainly fheweth, that as the 
 people comprehended in Chrifr were raifed 
 from the dead, together with Him, in His 
 refurredion. To the true Chriftian perfedion 
 confifts in attaining according to the heart, or 
 to the harmony of our faculties, to that re- 
 furredion, power, and purity j Where we 
 are to the teftimony of our own confcience. 
 What we are to the eye of the Father, as 
 accepted in the Beloved. 
 
 The diftindtion between what Chrill: hath 
 perfed:ed For us in Himfeif, and that of the 
 revelation of this matter In us, for the Bap- 
 tifm or purification of the confcience, is not 
 a devifed fable, but a truth authenticated by 
 the fcriptures. It is not only propofed that 
 Jefus loved us, and walhed us from our fms 
 in his own blood; and that by Himfeif He 
 purged our fins, &c. which intends the fal- 
 vation that He wrought out and perfected 
 for us, in His own perfon ; but it is alfo 
 propofed, that the blood of Chrift fhall purge 
 the confcience from dead works to ferve the 
 Jiving God : the former intends our falva- 
 tion finifhed in Chrift; and the latter im- 
 plies its power or efiicacy in the human 
 heart, when knvown and believed; and 
 which may be confidered, as a Baptifm with 
 the Holy Ghoft, that is, in common to all 
 believers in Jefus, even unto the end of the 
 WQrld. 
 
 I 
 
[96] 
 
 I have already aimed at (hewing, that the 
 material of this Baptifm, or that wherewith 
 we are baptized, is the Holy Ghoft ; or the 
 finished work of Chrift, as brought to light 
 and afcertained in His refurredion; and that 
 this grace and truth, through its knowledge 
 and faith, purifies the heart from the filth, 
 guilt, and fear of an evil confcience : hence, 
 the apoftle calls it " the wafhing of water by 
 " the Word." 
 
 The Spiritual Word hath, to the mind or 
 confcience, the fame property of baptizing, 
 washing, or purifying, as water hath to the 
 external man. The Word is that which 
 by the gofpel is preached unto us, it is that 
 which endureth for ever^ though all flefli 
 be but as grafs, and the goodlinefs thereof, 
 but as the flower of the grafs : the Word is 
 the Spirit and Truth of the fcriptures; the 
 Fadls of falvatlon, diftinguifhed from the Re- 
 port. This Word, in its baptizing virtue, 
 was what our Saviour intended when he faid 
 to his difciples, *' Now ye are clean through 
 " the Word which I have fpoken to you." 
 THE WORD is indifcriminately applied to 
 the perfon, and falvation of Chrift; and is 
 that which the apoflles were fent forth to 
 preach, by the gofpel, to all nations : and 
 wherefoever it was received, and proved a 
 favour of life, the receiver was baptized, or 
 purified thereby, in the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holv Gholh 
 
 ^ 
 
 2 
 
 This 
 
[97i 
 
 This Saptifm may be confidered, in the 
 Name of the Father^ as the origin of love, 
 who gave us to the Son, and decree d our fal- 
 vation by him; and irt the Name of the Son, 
 as he redeemed and faved uS; and in the 
 Name of the Italy Ghoft, as he convinces 
 of this grace, fhews it to us, bears witnefs 
 of it, and keep us in the truth of it. Again, 
 as the Father teache"S us and draws us to the 
 Son; the Son juftifies uSi faves us, and fpeaks 
 peace to us ; the Holy Ghoft, as glorifying 
 Jefus before the e3^es of our minds, diftin- 
 guiiliing his beauftcs. and unfearchable 
 riches, and as influencing thofe difcoveries 
 t(.) out hearts ; or, we are baptized in the 
 Name of the Father; as Him of whom are 
 all things, and we in Him ; and in the 
 Name of the Son, as the One Lord Jefus, 
 by ^vhom are all things, and we by Him; 
 and in the Name of the Holy Ghoft, as the 
 precious teftimony and influence of that love 
 to our fpirits ; until we come up to the ac- 
 knowledgment of the myftery of God, and 
 of the Father, and of Chrift ; that is, to 
 the revelation and confcioufnefs of the grace 
 concealed under each facrcd appellative, as 
 relating to our happinefs in time and in 
 eternity. 
 
 This Baptifm (as I have already propo- 
 fed) is called a being baptized into Chriftj 
 and is evidenced by the baptizcd's putting 
 on Chrift : to put on Chrift is a fpiritual 
 a<^, and intends the exercife and appeal of 
 H the 
 
I 93 ] 
 the foul to God. We are taught in the 
 fcriptures, that our Lord Jefus Chrift is 
 not only cur friend, our benefador, our 
 kinfman, our brother, but ourfelves; one 
 flefh, one blood, one fpirit with us : the 
 people, as many, make one Chrift; as the 
 members, being many, make one body. 
 Chrift and the church are confidered in the 
 fcriptures, throughout the whole of his un- 
 dertakings and attainments, as but one per- 
 fon ; in the articles of his fufferings and 
 death as the guilty finner, whofe foul was 
 doom'd to die 3 and in his refurre(fbion, as 
 the righteous, the fandified, made perfedt 
 through fufterings. Jefus being thus made 
 of God unto us wifdom, righteoufnefs, fandli- 
 lication, and redemption ; He being the 
 New-creature, the perfed; Man, not only 
 for Himfelf, but for the people; they, as 
 many as believe on his Name, have power 
 given them to become the fons of God, by 
 putting on the Son. 
 
 Chrift is put on by appropriation founded 
 upon, right, arifj:-!^: from the ordinance and 
 gift of God, and from his union or onenefs 
 with the people ; from hence, we have an 
 undoubted right, to confider him as our 
 New-man; and to deny every felf, in our 
 appeal to the Higheft, but Him who is our 
 perfed felf. 
 
 Before Jacob could inherit his father's 
 blefling, he found it needful to put on his 
 elder brother; he not only put on his appa- 
 
 " rel, 
 
[99 ] 
 
 rel, and afTumed his name, but he clad hlm^ 
 felf with his perfon in a figure, where he 
 drew on him a fimilar flcin to that of his 
 brother's; and takin? on him withal the 
 name of his elder brother, he aflced and ob- 
 tained the bleffing in his perfon and name. 
 
 The reafon and fpirit of which is, the el- 
 der brother is Chrill: ; to whom pertains the 
 birth-right, the father's bleffing, the inhe- 
 tance, the office of prophet, prielf, and king 
 in the family : it is true. He is not alhamed 
 to call us brethren, becaufe both He and we 
 are of one, of one original, of one parent-root; 
 but, as the younger brethren, we have no 
 inheritance but by Him, being ordained to 
 a ftate of dependence on Him ; He gives us 
 leave to afk in his Name, that our joy may 
 be full, with an alTurance of receiving what 
 we fo ailc. 
 
 But how can we aflc in his Name, except 
 we are found in Him; by entering into, and 
 appropriating his Perfon, as Jacob entered 
 into the perfon of Efiu? The gofpel exhi- 
 bits our right of appropriation, from the or- 
 dinance of God; from the elder brother's 
 love, confent, and defire; and from the 
 Cnenefs fubfifting between Him and us in all 
 His undertakings. It was the wiil of God, 
 that Jefus (liould be the Saviour and Salvation 
 of mankind ; therefore, were they the body 
 prepared for Him to do that will in : in con- 
 fequence of which, they were to look unto 
 Him, to come unto Him, to believe on 
 pl 2 Him, 
 
[ 100 ] 
 
 Him, to put Him on; and to reckon of their 
 ftate and condition, in time and in eternity, 
 both to their own confcience, and to God the 
 judge of all men, by Him; faithfully con- 
 cluding, that as He is, even lo are they in 
 this prefent world. Tiius was He ordained 
 to have the pre-eminence, and that no man 
 (hould glory before God but in Kim. 
 . To this Jefus confented, faying, " Lo I 
 <* come to do thy will, O my God ;" fo in- 
 tenfe was his love, and fo fully was his heart 
 fet upon the redoration of the people, that 
 it was the joy which v/as before him, when 
 he endured the crofs, and defpifed the fliame. 
 He took on Him the feed of Abraham, and 
 faved them In and With Himfelf, with an 
 everlafling falvation ; and now calls upon 
 them to be of good cheer, in that he has 
 overcome ; afTuring them that his grace is 
 fufficient for them, that his ilrength is per- 
 fe(fted in their weaknefs, and that they Ihall 
 have peace in Him, whilfl in the world 
 they have tribulation : yes, to as many as 
 . believe on him. He gives power to become 
 ' the fons of God; requires them to reckon 
 themfelves indeed dead unto fin, and alive 
 unto God by Him ; to put Him on, to 
 walk in Him; and to allure themfelves, 
 that becaufe He lives, thev iliall live alfo. 
 
 We are alfo intruded in the gofpel, that 
 there was fuch a gathering of the people into 
 One, into the Name, Peribn, and Office of the 
 Lord Jefuj, as rendered them His body. His 
 
 fulnefs. 
 
[ lOI ] 
 
 fulnefs, members of his body, of his ilefli 
 and of his bones; and indeed the reafon and 
 equity of his humihatlon, obedience, fuiFer- 
 ings, and death : here the Many were made 
 perfed: in One, and a reafon rendered, 
 wherefore no man (liould be called common, 
 or unclean, becaufe God had cleanfed them. 
 Here Jefus appears to be our New-man, our 
 perfedt Man, our New-creation -, and from all 
 thefe confiderations, our right of appropria- 
 tion takes its rife. 
 
 We put on Chrifc — We put him on for 
 the adoption of fons — We put him on for 
 our title and claim to the love of God — We 
 put him on as our wifdom, and righteouf- 
 nefs, and fandification, and redemption— 
 We put him on as our deliverance from all 
 evil, as our final perfeverance, and eternal 
 life. 
 
 To put on Chrift is an acH: of the mind, 
 and purely fpiritual : it fuppofes without 
 doubtfulnefs, fuch a kindred-relation to 
 Chrift, fuch a onenefs with Chrift, and fuch 
 a decreed real and full reprefentation of us, 
 in all His doings and futrerings, as clearly 
 entitles us, together with Him, to all the 
 benefits which He has obtained through His 
 doings and fufFeringe, 
 
 Thus we go out of the confideration of 
 what we are in our individual exigence, as 
 from the things which are behind, to the 
 limple, faithful confideration of what God 
 hath wrought in Chrift, and in us as com- 
 H 3 p^ehended 
 
[ 102 1 
 
 preliended in Him, This is the mark of the 
 prize or our high calHng in Chrift Jefus j 
 which is let before us, and unto which wc 
 aie requited to prefs forward. 
 
 Here the real beHever in Chrift is con- 
 fcious of being as Chrift is, yea, even in this 
 world : he is righteous in Ch rift's righte- 
 oufnefs, as Chrift is righteous ; holy as He 
 is holy, and in the fame holinefs ; and ac- 
 cepted of God in Him, with the fame ac- 
 ceptance which he hath obtained. As this 
 implies a waftiing, or purification from all 
 human righteoufnefs, and an immerfion in 
 spirit and Truth, it is term'd a being bap- 
 tized into Chrift, a putting on of Chrift, 
 ■and anfwers to the true Spiritual Baptifm. 
 
 This in the language of the holy fcripturcs 
 fignifies, *' A change into the fame image 
 *• (with the Lord) from glory to glory, even 
 -** as by the Spirit of the Lord : as He is fo 
 *' are we in this world — Perfed, pertaining 
 ** to the confcience — Becaufe that the u^or- 
 " fliippersonce purged, iLould have no more 
 *' confcience of fin. — Therefore, if any man 
 *' be in Chrift, he is a new creature; old 
 ** things are paft away, behold, all things 
 *' are become new. — Be ye therefore perfect, 
 •* even as your P'ather which is in heaven is 
 " perfed — Till we all come in the unity of 
 '* the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son 
 '*ofGod, unto a perfect man; unto the 
 '* meafure of the ftature of the fulnefs of 
 *• Chrift." Nor are thefe pafiages to be ex- 
 pounded 
 
 2 
 
L ^^3 ] 
 pounded as outward, and In the flefli : 
 *' But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly, 
 ** and circumcifion is that of the heart, in 
 •* the fpirit, and not in the letter, whofe 
 *' praife is not of men, but of God." 
 
 The benefits attendant on the true Spiri- 
 tual Baptifm are many, and great ; and may, 
 by comparifon, be thus illuftrated : 
 
 The Baptifm of water hath no higher' 
 claim than that of putting away the filth of 
 the flefhj but the Baptifm of the Spirit is a 
 cleanfjng from all filthinefs, bothof fleih and 
 fpirit. 
 
 Outward Baptifm is a meer bodily exer- 
 cife, and cannot poffibly contain any argu- 
 ment of profitablenefs in it, beyond mens 
 falfe conceptions of the Divine Being ; for 
 while they think Him to be fuch a one as 
 themfelves, they will alfo imagine Him to 
 be delighted with the like kind of homage. 
 But the Inward Baptifm, which is of the 
 heart, is a fpiritual operation ; a purity and 
 worfliip fuitable to the properties of that 
 God, who is a Spirit, and who feeketh fuch 
 to worfliip him, as worlliip him in fpirit 
 and truth. 
 
 The Letter-baptifm, as it is a creature - 
 acfl, leads men to glory in themfelves ; as 
 the ancient Pharifee, who boafted of being 
 circumcifed on the eighth day ; or as the 
 modern Pharifee (unto whom the face of 
 Mofes is yet vailed) boafts of his fubmifiion 
 to ordinances. But the Spiritual Baptifm, as 
 
 it 
 
[ 1^4 ] 
 
 it i"S an zd: of Chrift, purging the conrdence 
 from dead works by his own blood, that men 
 might ferve the living God in the ncvvnels 
 of the Spirit, is a Baptiim that baptizes us 
 out of ourfelves into Chrift, where rejoicing 
 in Him we worfliip God in the Spirit, and 
 have no confidence in the flefh. 
 
 The External Baptifm leaves its fubjecSts 
 where it found thein, whether infants or a- 
 dults ; it produceth no change in them, they 
 are as much in their ignorance, unbelief, or 
 felf-righteoufnefs afterwards, as they were 
 before. But the Internal Baptifm is a deli- 
 verance from the power of darknefs, and a 
 tranflation of men into the kingdom of God'? 
 dear Son. 
 
 The Fleflily, or Water- baptifm, does not 
 only permit bigotry, but even makes men bi- 
 gots ; for as they are either led to think, that 
 to baptize with water is to chriftianize, or 
 that it is eflential to Chriftian obedience -, fa 
 are they taught to cenfure, and condemn as 
 hereticks, and heathen men, all thpfe who 
 refufe fubmiffion to their Baptifm ; and this 
 lays a foundation for the injurious fpirit. 
 
 But the Baptifm with the Holy Ghoft 
 gives rnen very different ideas ; this Baptifm 
 expels the fpifit of bigotry from the heart, 
 and teaches the Chriltian to determine of 
 real chriOianity in men ; not from their ufp 
 of ceremonies, from their fubjecftion to ordi- 
 nances, but from their having their faith, 
 
 hope. 
 
C los] 
 
 hope, and rejoicing in Chrift Jefus; . and 
 from their having imbibed his Spirit. 
 
 And as to thofe, whom the fpiritua!Iy-bap« 
 tized cannot as yet (on thefe grounds) call 
 Chriftians ; they are taught to confider them 
 as beloved of God, as redeemed by Jefus 
 Chrift; and therefore, fuch who may 
 fooner or later be bleffed with the One 
 Spiritual Baptifin. 
 
 Hence, they are taught to treat them as 
 their neighbour, yea, as their brother, ac- 
 cording to the Word of Truth, which fays, 
 " For this end Chrift both died, and rofe 
 ♦* and revived, that he might be Lord both 
 ** of the dead and the living. But why doft 
 *' thou judge thy brother, or why doil: thou 
 ** fet at nought thy brother ? We fhall all 
 " (land before the judgment-feat of Chrift : 
 *« For it is written, As I live, faith the Lord, 
 ^< every knee fhall bow to me, and every 
 ** tongue iliall confefs to God." 
 
 Thus does the Baptifm with the Holy 
 Ghofl, purify the Chriftian man to the 
 love of God, and of his neighbour -, it fo 
 deeply tiqdures his heart with the compaf- 
 fions of the Lprd, that he cannot opprefs, 
 he cannot injure; nor does harlhnefs, or 
 feverity, cqpfift with the Chriftian charadler; 
 nor can he coniider any man fo remote, as 
 to behold his miferies with an unpitying 
 eye : but according to the Spirit of Him 
 who hath baptized him, he is influenced by 
 tendernefs, and good-will to all ; and as a 
 
 2 child 
 
[ io6 J 
 
 child of tlie higbeft, he is kind even unto 
 the unthankful, and to the evil. 
 
 Thefe, and many more, are the advan- 
 tages attendant on the Baptifm with the- 
 Holy Ghofl ; which is fufficient to (hew its 
 importance, and to prove beyond all dis- 
 pute, that this Baptifm of the Spirit, is 
 that One Baptifm, which the apoflle fpeaks 
 of in unity with the One Lord, and the 
 One Faith. 
 
 As I am now drawing nigh to a conclu- 
 llon, it will not be improper to take fomc 
 notice of what might otherwife, in a pre- 
 judiced and critical reader, give a feemingly 
 plaufible occafion to charge me with felf- 
 contradiiflion and inconfillency ; from my 
 defining the Spiritual Baptifm to be firfl 
 what Chrift has effeded on behalf of man- 
 kind in Himfelf, through his doings and 
 fufferings, having exhibited undeniable proof 
 through his refurrecftion, of his having pu- 
 rified and laved the people in Himfelf, with 
 an everlafting falvation. And again, to be a 
 divine operation on the hearts of fuch who 
 believe on Jefus ; whereby they are waflied 
 from their filthinefs, and purified to the 
 anfwer of a good confcience towards God, 
 by our Lord's refurredion. 
 
 If, by a few brief hints, I can free the 
 above diftindlions from the charge of contra- 
 diction, by fliewing, that though 1 have di- 
 flinguifhed the Biptifm with the Holy Ghoft, 
 wherev/ith Chrifi; v/as to baptize the people, 
 
 m^ 
 
[ 1^7 ] 
 into what he hath perfeded in Himfelf,. 
 and again, into the operations of His grace 
 on the heart of the believer j yet that thefe 
 difiindlions are truly in unity in the one Spi- 
 ritual Baptifm; I fhall attempt faying nothing 
 fnore on the fubjed:. 
 
 The great falvation, in every gracious par- 
 ticular, is v^rought out, finiOied, and per- 
 fefted for ever in Jefus Chriil : to this all 
 the prophets, who have been iince the world 
 began, bear witnefs, that '* Ifrael fhould be 
 *' faved in the Lord, v/ith an everlafting fal- 
 '* vation." That In the Lord all the feed of 
 Ifrael fhall be juftified, and fliall glory, were 
 the leading docflrines of the Old Teftament ; 
 and to this faith, every particular of the ce- 
 remonial law was appointed to be a direc- 
 tory. 
 
 This alfois the do(flrine of the apoftles — 
 Chrifl; is the feed to whom the promifes were 
 made; made to Him as comprehending man- 
 kind in Himfelf, on condition of perfedt 
 obedience, aftively and paffively; made to 
 Him, as the Spirit and Truth of every blef- 
 fing contained in the promife. Chrifl hav- 
 ing fucceeded in all his undertakings, all the 
 promiies of God are in Him nov7, yea and 
 amen. Whether it was forgivenefs of fm, 
 or righteoufnefs, or holinefs, or that fpiri- 
 tual effufion, which anfwers to the Baptifm 
 with the Holy Ghofl, that was contained 
 in the promife; they are all fulfilled upon 
 the people as comprehended in Chrifl Jefus. 
 
 Thus 
 
[ io8 ] 
 
 Thus we affirm, that Chrift baptized us 
 in!Himfelf with the Holy GliUil:, and that in. 
 Him the beloved^ we are made accepted, 
 having redemption in His blood, the forgive- 
 nefs of fins ; and :'• ^^ ■ ■ -^s is as furely true in 
 Him, when wc .1' -iance and unbelief, 
 
 as when we Hve n. jvv ledge and enjoy- 
 
 ment thereof i no c^^ any thing but this 
 record's being a pe-.rnanei t tiuth, ever con- 
 vince the world of tin, bccaufe they believe 
 not. Thus ftands ihe truth in Chrift, and 
 thus are we {een of God in Him, whatever 
 fituation we may be in refpeding our own 
 confcioufnefTes. 
 
 But when it pleafes God to reveal his Son 
 in us, when we are brought up to the know- 
 ledge and faith of the Truth, as it is in Chrift, 
 our ll:ate of mind, refpedling purity, peace, 
 and joy, anfwers to the particulars of Grace 
 and Truth in Chrift, as face anfwers to face 
 in a glafs. 
 
 Thus that Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft, 
 wherewith Chrift has baptized us in Himfelf, 
 becoming intelligible to us, we believe it, 
 appropriate it, and purify ourfelves in it -, fo 
 as to be free from guilt, and fear, and fil- 
 thinefs. Thus, in our pieafure, we expe- 
 rience that Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft, 
 wherewith Chrift baptized us in Himfelf; 
 but we can no longer experience this, than 
 we are found believing, and rejoicing in the 
 truth as it is in Him : hence, the neceffity 
 ^f a continual looking unto Jefus, 
 
 As 
 
[ 109 1 
 
 As the facred writings often fpeak indif- 
 criminately of the truth as it is in Chrift, 
 and the manifeflation and effedls of the 
 truth as in us, as the kingdom of God, the 
 falvation of God, &c. without ever intending 
 that any thing befides Jefus Chrift alone is 
 the falvation of God; fo I, (where I have 
 defined the Truth as in Chrift, to be the 
 Baptifm with the Holy Ghoft, and the fame 
 of this Truth's operation on the Chriftian 
 heart) have had none other view than to tef- 
 tify of the Salvation that is in Chrift, and ©f 
 the knowledge and experience of it, as in 
 every one who believeth. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 •,* Shortly ivill he publijhtd by the fame Author, b^ 
 Subfeription, y^ Treatise on the L O R DV SUPPER; 
 another on the MINISTRY of the New Testament; 
 And athird on the CHE RUBIMIC AL MYSTERY, 
 er an Ejfay on theMimov <?/Ezekiel the Prophet. Sub' 
 fcriptions 'will be taken in by the Author, and S. Bladen, 
 Book/glUrf in Paternofter>row. 
 
THE 
 
 SADDUCEE 
 
 Detedted and Refuted, 
 
 In Remarks on the 
 
 WORKS 
 
 O F 
 
 RICH'ARD COPPIN. 
 
 — __ _ 
 
 JAMES ^RELLT. 
 
 For the Sadducees fay. That there is no Re/urreilicn, neither 
 Angel, nor Spirit. Acts xxiii. 8. 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by M. Lswis, at the BUle and Dovt^ in PattrnoJJef- 
 Roiju. 1764. 
 
 [Price One -Shilling. J 
 
"^ Hovigh I greatly dlQlke the fenti- 
 mcnts of Ricba-'d Copphiy yet their 
 obfoletenefs would have effectually lecured 
 them from my attacks : had they not beea 
 now re-pubiifhed and Ibid, as it wtre under 
 my nofe j many of my hearers, being Tub- 
 kribers to the re-printing of them. From 
 which circumftance, it being quite natu- 
 ral for the public to fuppofe that our doc- 
 trines are congenial j I thought it right to 
 undeceive them : by giving them, in ail 
 thefe particulars, a fpecimen of my fenti- 
 ments ; which muft neceillirily be the fen- 
 timents of all fuch, who underfland, and 
 believe the doctrines which I preach. Un- 
 to this, with the dsfire of fome friends, 
 the following Remarks owe their exiftence : 
 much rather then to any fanguine expeda- 
 tions by me entertained j of convincing fuch 
 (of their error) who have already turned 
 afide. For, where there is no heart for 
 the authority of fcripture, nor an ear to 
 receive the arguments of reafon, it is in 
 vain for man to attempt the conviction 
 and inflruCtion of his brother : as objeds 
 of pity, all fuch muft be left to the wif* 
 a 2 dom •. 
 
dom, power, and goodnefs of him that 
 made them : and who only can convince 
 them of their error. 
 
 As I am rather confident of my matter, 
 than of my manner, I hope the candid 
 reader will pafs over all faults of the latter, 
 and attend particularly to the former, ho- 
 nouring it with their credit, as far as it 
 confifts with the fcriptures and right rea- 
 fon. 
 
 THE 
 
[5] 
 
 THE 
 
 ^ADDUCEE 
 
 Detected and Refuted, &^e. 
 
 My Dear Friend^ 
 
 CONTROVERSY is not my element : 
 yet, if (in the fmalleft degree) it will 
 contribute to your pleafure, and fatif- 
 fadtion, for me to caft my mite into the 
 treafury, I fhall readily comply with your 
 defire. 
 
 You defire me to give you, and the public, 
 my opinion of Cofpbi's works j as they are now 
 re-publiHiing. 
 
 That I might be able to do this fmcerely and 
 impartially, I applied myfelf with the utmoft 
 care, and candor, to the reading of them. — I 
 read three numbers of a work, intitled, Michaers 
 oppofmg the dragon^ &c. and alfo another 
 book by the fame author, intitled, The advance- 
 ment of all things in Chrijl^ and of Chrijl in all 
 things : prefaced with a warm recommendation 
 by Mr. Cayley. 
 
 A 3 Having 
 
[6] 
 
 Having thus far qualified inyfelf to give you 
 an anfwer *, I fhall firft tell you, as a matter 
 not at all foreign to your enquiry, that I was 
 not in the leaft degree accellary, no, nor fo 
 much as privy, to the prefent re-publicarion of 
 Copphi's works, or to any part thereof. 
 
 As to the author, i think him unnecefTarily 
 abftrufe : He labours to cloarh himlelf with 
 darknefs as with a garmert, and carefuliy 
 avoids fpeaking intelligibly, except when he 
 rails at his antagonifts : and then he ufes great 
 plainnefs of fpeech. Bur, to daiken c(,unfel, 
 with words without knowL.dge, is the grai-.d 
 arcanum of myfliciflTi : and by fome, reckoned 
 to be the infallible criterion of fuiriiual teach- 
 ings : wltncls Mr. Q-ij'efs preface, to pait of 
 this author's works. 
 
 Again, inftead of f:bmitting, when pinched 
 by argument, or nianircftiy cn.poied by truth, 
 he is very evafive : and oittn utgs the queftion, 
 trat he may have anopj^Mjitunivy ot beipatter- 
 ing his adverfary, and vt giving his own fyf- 
 tcm an air of plaufibility. 
 
 One inflance of this, I fliall give you, out of 
 the many that may be gathered tiom his works. 
 No. 3. chap. 12. o'^ M2chael oppq/ing the dragon. 
 Where, (becaufe his opponents argue for the 
 refurredlion of the fame body) he infinuates that 
 they plead for the rclurjection of a finhil body : 
 whereas there was nothing farther from their 
 thoughts : and this he very well knew. 
 
 If 
 
 * It was fuppolcd by many, and even nffirmed by fome, 
 fhat i privately CDcourapcd the re-publication of Ceppiuh 
 V\o;j{s. Which accounts for rny manner of fpeaking above. 
 
[ 7 ] 
 
 If I affirm, that the fame body that died, and 
 was buried, Ihall rife again : doth it follow 
 from thence, that it mull rife a finful body ? 
 I muft deny it, except Ccppin had proved, or, 
 that his admirers will yet prove, that fin is a 
 property, or part of the body, and efiential to 
 its exiftence — And that would be juft the fame 
 as to fay, that a leprofy, a fever, a delirium, 
 being dilorders in the body, are a part thereof; 
 and that the body cannot exiH without them. 
 
 Again, I think him opinionated, and con- 
 ceited, even to fillynefs : as appears from his 
 boaftings of light, knowledge, purity, i^c. 
 above his fellows ; thaugh there is not the lead 
 fpark of this pre-eminence difcoverablc : neither 
 in his fpirit, nor manner. 
 
 As to that infallibility which he pretends to, 
 in all \m filly, unfcriptural determinations ; I 
 believe every man of fenfe, will attribute it to 
 pride and ignorance. Though he affecfts to treat 
 his opponents in a very fupercilious manner, 
 yet he cannot help difcovering, that their accu- 
 fations give him fmart. He betrays a much 
 greater fondnefs for himfelf, than becomes an 
 apoftle : by complaining of his perfecutions, 
 t^c. But I Ihall now leave the author, and 
 take notice of his dodlrines. 
 
 In his book, intitled, ^he advancement of all 
 things in Chriji ; (the fame which Mr. Cayley 
 hath authorized, and blefled with the higheft 
 encomiums) he begins with this hypothecs : 
 That there are two principles, or qualities, in 
 man ; which he calls good, and evil : and that 
 thefe principles are the eleft, and reprobate; 
 the believer, and unbeliever; the faved, and 
 A 4 the 
 
[ 8 ] 
 
 the damned ; the 'Jacch and Efau \ the Chrift, 
 i^c. in every man. And, that the Perfons of 
 mankind are not at all concerned in any of 
 thofe characters. For fliith he, " God hates 
 ** no man's perfon, but the evil in the perfon : 
 *' neither doth he love any man's perfon any 
 *' farther than as they fhcw forth lomtthing of 
 " himfelf." 
 
 7his is not only unTupported by fcripture, 
 and common fenfe; but uumctricaily oppofite 
 to both. Doth the woid of truth ever aiiiim, 
 or even fuppofe, that there is any good m man ? 
 did the prophets, our Saviour, or his apofties, 
 ever bear fuch a leftimony ? ,Is it not their con- 
 flant language, that the imaginations of man's 
 heart are evil, and that continually ? that there 
 is none, who aoth good, no not one ? that we 
 are all as an unclean thing, and all our righte- 
 oufnefs are as filthy rags ? that there is none 
 good but one, even God ? and that all the 
 deeds of this world are evil ? that m our flefh 
 (or perfon) there dwells no good thing ? 
 
 And as to the fuppolition of the principles of 
 good, and evil, refi- ting in man -, the fame word 
 of truth enquires, What fellowjhip hath righteouj- 
 nefs with unrighteoufnefs^ and ivkat cammumcnhath 
 light with darknefsy uhat concord hath Chrijl with 
 Belial, or what part hath he that heltc'-jcth with 
 an infidel? 
 
 If thefe cannot dwell together in the fame 
 houfe, much lefs can they dwell together in the 
 fame heart; in the fame perfon. Our Saviour 
 tells us, that the iam.e perfon cannot ferve two 
 mailers, i. e. God and mammon. The apoftle 
 fsith, that the fame fountain cannot fend forth 
 
 bitter 
 
[9] 
 
 bitter waters and fweet. Thus the fcriptures 
 deteft, and explode, the notion of thofe prin- 
 ciples being in man. 
 
 For, if the lame perfon be an habitation in 
 common -, for God and the Devil, for Chrift 
 and Belial, for light and darknefs •, then would 
 the apoftles be found falfe witnefTes : the fame 
 fountain would then fend forth bitter waters and 
 fweet : Chnji and Bdial would then have con- 
 cord : and the believer would have part with an 
 infidel. 
 
 Again, it is contrary to experience, to* fup^ 
 pofe the being of thofe two principles in man. 
 The prophets, and apoftles, all confelTed, that 
 they were finners -, and that there dwelt no good 
 thing in them. Their good confifted wholly in 
 that which dwelt in Chrift : in what he was 
 made of God unto them — and which was re- 
 vealed in them by the Spirit of truth. 
 
 Every chriftian, in every age, who have tru- 
 ly known themfelves ; have confefTed, and do 
 confefs, that according to the propenfities of 
 theii own hearts, they are carnal and fold under 
 fin : and that in them, in their flefh, or in their 
 own perfons -, there dwelleth no good thing. 
 
 That all men are finners, their adions, fpirit, 
 and manner, fully prove : We judge of this, 
 according to what we are taught, to conceive of 
 the nature, and properties, of the divine Being : 
 and, if we are to judge by this rule, it is ob- 
 vious even to common fenfe, that there is none 
 that doih good, no hot one. 
 
 The fuppofed good, in man ; is quite invi- 
 fible : If you believe it, you mufb believe it 
 Ursfeen : you mull take their word, for what 
 
 they. 
 
t JO J 
 
 they, to a judicious eye, to an unbiafled judg- 
 ment, can never make appear. So that if God 
 loves no man, but in proportion to the good 
 that is in him, we may look upon the eternal 
 ruin of every creature as inevitable. 
 
 This antichriftian invention, owes its original 
 to that fpirit, which attempts to inveftigatc 
 truth by the flu<5luating paffions : by frames, 
 and vifions, rather than by the teftimony of the 
 prophets and apoflles. 
 
 The felf-righteous fpirit was alfo deeply con- 
 cerned in the fcheme : when fondly dreaming 
 of goodnefs, and holinefs, in the creature j and 
 at the fame time convinced of the evil, by fcrip- 
 ture and experience ; there remained no other 
 way of folving the difficulty, but by propofing 
 that there are two principles in man : or two 
 diftinct qualities, i. e. good, and evil. 
 
 Nor has oppofition to the true Chriji been 
 wanting here. As appears from its afcribing 
 to this phantafm in man •, the whole of the fal- 
 vation, and characters of the Lord Jefus : which I 
 lliall have occafion to Ihew, more particularly, 
 in my following remarks. 
 
 Having denied, that the perfons of mankind 
 are either the objeds of God's love, or hatred ; 
 that they are either the fubjefts of falvation, or 
 condemnation, he, to maintain fome fhadow of 
 confiflency, denies alfo the refurredlion of the 
 body : No. 9. page Gj. — So does he the af- 
 cenfion of our Saviour's body, if not his re- 
 furredlion, in No. 2. ch. 9. in which, he has 
 lalfified the fcriptures, and made void the hopes 
 of the children of God from the beginning. 
 
 To 
 
[ " ] 
 
 To do this, with impunity ; he pretends 
 that the fcriptures are an allegory — that there 
 are allegories in the icriptures, I deny not. But 
 they do not deftroy fad:s -, and make void the 
 truth of relation , and narrative , contained 
 therein : Paul, Tpeaking oi Abraham'' s affair with 
 the bond-woman, caiis it indeed an allegory — 
 but Paul, in lb faying, does not deny that there 
 was fuch a perfoa as Abraham, nor that he had 
 a fon by a llave : but his allegory confided in a 
 fpiritual doctrine, concealed under that fad ; 
 until revealed to him by the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Where allegories have no affinity to fadts, 
 and to fa6ts properly ftated, and afcertained ; 
 the man who attempts to build by them, is as 
 though he attem>pted to build caftles in the air: 
 Such kmd of a building is Copping : who will 
 have it, that the refurredlion, and afcenfion of 
 the Lord Chnjl, is to be underilood fpiritually 
 pr allegorical] y only. 
 
 This brings to my remembrance, the dream 
 .pf a certain vifionary, who would be an in- 
 ftrudtor of others : This perfon, not long fince, 
 being in company where the fiege of Samaria 
 was talked of, ot what diilrefTes the inhabitants 
 felt, how a v/oman in the rage and fury of 
 hunger eat her own child, ^c The fame perfon, 
 then afked, with a contemptuous fmile, whe- 
 ther they thouglit the thing literally true, or not ? 
 Upon their anfwering in the affirmative, the 
 perfon replied: It is not true in your fenfe; 
 I myfelf am the Samaria : and have 
 been fo very ftraitly belieged ; that I was 
 pbliged to eat my firftrbornj i. e. that inward 
 
 goodncfs 
 
[ 12 ] 
 
 goodnefs, which I had brought forth in forrow ; 
 and until then had no'Jrifhed fo carefully. 
 
 But to return j I confefs myfeJt fimple e- 
 nough to believe all things that are written in the 
 Jaw, and in the prophets ; and that I have hope 
 towards God, that there jfhall be a refurredion 
 •of the dead : I particularly reverence the tefti- 
 mony of the evangelifts, concerning Jcjus Chriji 
 our Lord. And in them we learn, that our Sa- 
 viour was God incarnate, God maniteft in the 
 •flelli, the word made fielh, ^c. and that he 
 was a real man ; he had a reafonable foul, 
 and a material body : that from infancy to a 
 perfedt Itate of manhood, he lived upon this 
 earth j going about doing good, and fulfilling 
 all righteoulnefs. And, that as a man, he felt 
 pain, ficknefs, wearinefs, hunger, third, joy, 
 Ibrrow, i^c. That in the article of his luffer- 
 ings, his foul was forrowful, even to death ; 
 whilft his body was fcourgcd, crowned with 
 thorns, fpit upon, buffeted, and treated with 
 thz utmoit indignity. And after all, by many 
 wounds, he was nailed to a crofs j where, 
 having vented ifrong cries and tears, he expired 
 under the torment. That, when dead, he was 
 taken down from the crofs and laid in a fepul- 
 chre, wherein never man was laid before — that a 
 guard of ibidiers was appointed to watch the 
 tomb, left his difciples fhould fteal him away — 
 that on the third morning, notwithftanding all 
 their pre-caution, the angels defcended ; and 
 fmiting the keepers with deadly fear, rolled the 
 ftone from the mouth of the tomb; (this was 
 altogether unnecelfary if the material body did 
 liot rife again) — [hat tlic very identical body of 
 
 our 
 
r -3 ] 
 
 onr Saviour, which was laid in that grave, did 
 then arife ; and Ihewed himfelf alive to his dif- 
 ciples. All this I afluredly believe. He firil 
 convinced his difciples of the truth of his refur- 
 reftion, by his well-known form and features ; 
 by his voice, manner and matter of Ipeech. 
 He fecondly fhev/ed them the wounds in his 
 hands and his feet, by which he had been nailed 
 to the crofs : as they \^ell knew how he had been 
 treated ; thofe marks, being perfedlly corref- 
 pondent, fhewed them it was he. Thirdly, he 
 propofed to Thomas (who was the moft incredu- 
 lous of them all) in the prefence of the ten, 
 that he fhould put his hand into his fide, and 
 his fingers into the nail-prints : and to them 
 all, he propofed that they fhould handle him, 
 and fee, for that a fpirit had not flefli and 
 bones, as they might perceive him to have. 
 
 He converfed with them, he eat and drank 
 in their prefence ; and gave them every pofii- 
 ble and neceffary proof of his refurreftion, in 
 that material, individual, identical body ; which 
 was crucified and laid in the fepulchre. After 
 continuing with them for the fpace of forty 
 days, he, (in their prefence, before their eyes) 
 lifting up his hands and blefling them, afcend- 
 ed up on high : an intervening cloud receiving 
 him out of their fight. And they were then 
 told, that that fame Jefus Jhould corns in like 
 manner as they had feen him afcend. 
 
 Now, as it is manifeft, that he retained the 
 identity, and corporeity of his body, to the 
 moment of his afcenfion ; it belongs to the 
 oppofcrs to tell us what became of his body, 
 if it did not afcend j what mountain, or hill, 
 
 was 
 
r u] 
 
 was it found upon afterwards? did it dlfTolve 
 into air ? or is it prelerved fomewhere until he 
 come again ? (becaufe they were taught, that he 
 fliould come again, in like manner as they had 
 feen him afcend) If it is, let them tell us 
 where ? Did not the manner wherein they faw 
 him afcend, and in which he was to come 
 again, relate to the reality of his perfon, and 
 the method of his afcent ? and alfo to their 
 feeing him with their bodily eyes ? I think it 
 did : Let fuch who think the contrary, con- 
 vince me of my error if they can. 
 
 Again, if the body of Chrijt did not afcend, 
 it will be pretty difficult to affix a meaning to 
 the term : It cannot be applied to the god- 
 head •, the nature and properties of which, 
 denies all circumfcription and paffibility : nor 
 can it be applied to the human foul only, for 
 reafons given below *. 
 
 To 
 
 * The terms defcend, and afcend, implies ; either a change 
 «f ftate, Or change of place, or both. But the godhead as 
 cmniprefent, impafiible, unchangeable, l^c. cannot admit 
 of change in either : Therefore, thefe terms cannot be ap- 
 plied to our Saviour refpedting his godhead only — Nor have 
 they a limited application to his foul : becaufe it doth not 
 appear, that our Saviour ever manifefled his perfon, his glo- 
 ry, his falvation, but as in the matter and form of a human 
 body. — He is reprefented, as inhabitant in fuch a body, at 
 the formation of Adam — when, as the image and likeneis of 
 God ; he was alfo the firft born, and the beginning of his 
 creation ; exhibiting in himfelf, the model after which man 
 was to be created. In the form, and manner, of a human 
 body, he appeared unto Abraham — in the fame manner, and 
 form, he wrcftled with Jacob — in the fame likenefs he ap- 
 peared to Mofes, Jcjhua, Job, Jjaiah, i^c. And in fuch a body 
 he always manifefted himfcIf unto his apolllcs, as well after his 
 
 rrfar- 
 
[ 15 ] 
 
 To turn all the fcripture-account of our Sa- 
 viour's refurre(5lion, and alcenfion, into fuck 
 an allegory, as deftroys the fads -, is juft the 
 fame, as if they denied that there ever was 
 fuch a perfon as Paul the apoftle : but that all 
 that is faid of him, relates to certain difpenfa- 
 tions which mankind pafs under in their own 
 minds. And again, in hiftory •, it is as though 
 we fhould aver, that there never was fuch a 
 perfon as our king Harry the fifth : but, that 
 the tradition of fuch a perfon, and of his bat- 
 tles, and vidorics in France ; relate altogether 
 to the good principle in man, the divine power 
 fighting and conquering in the France of our 
 nature. 
 
 What would be our conceptions of fuch a 
 ranting fpirit as this, madly drawing every 
 thing into that devouring vortex, himself? I 
 believe, that the mofl charitable conftrudions 
 
 we 
 
 refurreftion, as before : and in the fame manner doth the 
 Holy Ghoft now reveal him : when he takes of the things 
 which are his, and (hews them unto us. Hence it is mani- 
 feft, that the Lord jefus always occupied a human body; 
 both in matter, and form : particularly in his defceniion and 
 afcenfion. When he defcended to a fellow-feeling with the 
 creatures, even to the loweft depth of human mifery ; it was 
 in the whole man, confifting of body and foul. When he 
 defcended into torment, where the pangs of death encompaffed 
 him round about, and the pains of hell gat hold upoa liim ; 
 it was as the whole man, confifting of body and foul. In 
 the fame fenfe he defcended into the chambers of death, ex- 
 ploring the fides of the pit ; and finking to the lower parts 
 of the earth. The apoftle afTures us that, he that defcended, 
 is the fame alfb that afcended, up far above all heavens. 
 Upon which authority, we affirm ; that the body of the Lord 
 Jefus is rifen from the dead, and afcended up on high— 
 otherwife he wh« defcended, is not the fame that afcen^ied. 
 
[ i6 ] 
 
 we could poflibly put upon fuch fentiments, 
 would amount to this : The poor creature is 
 altogether under the baneful influence of igno- 
 rance and pride. 
 
 And is not this the cale with the author, 
 whofe writings are the fubjedt of my prefent 
 confideration, and indeed with the myftics in 
 general ? do not they pretend to account for 
 the truth of all things in themfelves ? They 
 certainly draw all fcripture-fafts, fuch as the 
 incarnation, perfonality, birth, life, fufFerings> 
 death, refurredion, and afcenfion of Chri/i ; 
 into their own vortex : and deny their reality, 
 or at lead their ufefulnefs in any other fenfe. 
 
 I need not ufe many arguments to prove, 
 that whilft a man, by fuch a conduft, betrays 
 the moft wretched ignorance of himfelf : he alfo 
 gives evidence fufficient, of his being one of the 
 children of pride. The blefled Jefus faith of 
 himfelf, I am the truth. But the perfon above- 
 mentioned, contefts the point with him: by 
 declaring that the truth of all things is to be 
 looked for in man. And thus as a thief and a 
 robber, he fteals the brightefl jewel in Immanu- 
 el's crown ; to ornament felf with. 
 
 Allow but the fads of the refurreflion, and 
 afcenfion of our Saviour's body ; and then you 
 may fpiritualize as much, as high, as refined as 
 you pleafe upon it; provided you always 
 crown the head, by keeping the pre-eminence 
 and exaltation of our Saviour's perfon in view : 
 other wife, the fpirit which is in you, with all 
 its niceties and appearances of piety, is but an 
 sintichrift. 
 
 If 
 
[ «7 J 
 
 i{ the refurreftion of our Saviour's body, be 
 afcertained in the fcriptures ; and guaranteed 
 by all the apoftles, as it furely is i we may eafi- 
 ]y come to a determination, concerning the re- 
 ■fiirreclion ^nd future ftate of our own bodies : 
 for the apoftle tells us, that our bodies fliall be 
 fafiiioned like unto the glorious body of the Son 
 of God. The New-Teftament teaches us, that 
 the refurreition of the Lord jt^fMS, his fcatCt 
 as then appearing and manifefting himfelf, is the 
 perfeift pattern, end fample of our ftate and con- 
 dition eternally with God. 
 
 What does the term refurreilion imply, if 
 not the rifing again to life, of that which was 
 fubjefted to death .'' But the foul is immortal, 
 as proved from fcripture and reafon, and can- 
 not die. It is the body ojsly that dies : There* 
 fore the future refurreftion of the dead, if there 
 be any, muft be that of the body, and of the 
 body only : otherwife there is no meaning in 
 the term. 
 
 I confefs that the term is fometimes ufed In 
 the fcriptures, as refpedling the raifing again of 
 mankind in the fecond Jdam ; from that death 
 of trefpafles and fin, wherein they were involved 
 in the firft J!da}7i. There are thofe alfo, who 
 apply it to that quickening, or renewal, which 
 is effeded and v/rought in the fpirit of the mind, 
 throuo;h the manil^ftacion of the truth. 
 
 To limit and conhne the term to this, is cer- 
 tainly to deny a future refurreflion, and to 
 commence diiciples of Hymeneus and PhiUtus ; 
 of whom hear what the apoftle Paul faith : 
 Their vjord -will eat as doth a canker^ who con* 
 
 B cerning 
 
[ i8 ] 
 
 cerning the truths have erred; faying^ thai the 
 refurre^lion is pajfed already : and overthrow the 
 faith of feme. For an Infidel, a Deift, to fet 
 up his own opinions in oppofition to the apo- 
 ftle, is not to be wondered at : but for peo- 
 ple profefiing themfelves Chriftians, who ac- 
 knowledge the rpirit fpeaking by the apoftles, 
 to be infallible : for fuch to prefer the inftiga- 
 tions of a private fpirit, to the public teftimony 
 of the divine word : is very ftrange and incon- 
 fiftent. 
 
 For my own part, I do not fee that death dif- 
 folves the union between foul and body, any 
 more than what deep doth. In fleep, the body 
 is paiTive and inadive, as in a ftate of death : 
 and yet the union of foul and body is difcover 
 able in fleep.— So alfo in epileptic fits, i^c. 
 when the body is deprived of motion, and fenfe- 
 lefs as a corpfe ; when all the channels of ad- 
 vice are ftopt, and the common fenforium de- 
 prived of intelligence : the foul doth then evi- 
 dence her own exiftence ; and confefles her uni- 
 .on to the body, by retaining its organs : which 
 ■fhe occupies in the fpiritual world ; (of which 
 world the foul herfelf is a native) though ac- 
 cording to things prefent, fhe hath ceafed from 
 the exercife of the material eye, ear, hands. 
 
 Death being only a fleep, a ftate of fufpen- 
 fion, refpefting the exercife of bodily funftions, 
 deftroys not the unity of foul and body j nor 
 does it hinder, but that the foul pofTeiTes the 
 bodily organs, in her confcioufnefs of unity to 
 the body. 
 
 Should 
 
[ '9 ] 
 
 Should it be objedled, that death is fuch a 
 ^.eep as deftroys the body: I anfwer. The 
 change, or alteration of the body in death, re- 
 peds form and manner only, and doth not im- 
 ply the lofs of matter : or that it lofeth its iden- 
 tity : And therefore, I deny that death anni- 
 hilates the body. The fcriptures fpeak of man, 
 as confiding of three parts : body, foul, and 
 fpirit. The body is meerly material, earthly, 
 inactive and ienfeleis : And yet the body itfelt, 
 is fearfully and wonderfully made : That wif- 
 dom, power, and glory which manifeft them- 
 felves, in the exquifite workmanfliip and ftruc- 
 ture of the human body, effectually demon- 
 llratethat it was built for eternity j and not for 
 a moment of time only. 
 
 The fecond part of man, called his fpirit, is 
 his fenfes : This fpirit, dwells /«, and is united 
 unto the whole body j even in^ and unto every 
 minute part thereof. This fpirit, is guardian to 
 the body, difcovers bodily dangers, and con- 
 cerns itfelf for the prevention of them. It alfp 
 difcovers what is good for the body, aUenting 
 to it, and chufing it. This is the fpiric, thac 
 immediately occupies the bodily organs in this 
 material world. It hears through the earj \% 
 fees through the eye ; it fmells through th? 
 noftrils •, it taftes through the palate j it feels 
 through the (kin : and fwifter than lightning, 
 it fends intelligence of all its difcovcries to the 
 common fenlbrium : where, in the head, as in 
 the pre-eminent member, the fpirit hath its 
 higheft refidence : according to the determina- 
 tions there, which are as fpeedily communica- 
 B 2 ted 
 
[ 20 ] 
 
 ted to the whole •, the paflions predominate : 
 either love, joy, forrow, hatred, anger, {ffr. 
 Thus far this fpirit is in common to men and 
 brutes. 
 
 But this fpirit in man, as dwelling in, and 
 united unto every minute part of his body, is 
 alfo united to his foul : And thus becomes the 
 medium of unity between foul and body, in the 
 rational creature. 
 
 The foul in man, is an immortal confciouf- 
 hefs of exiflence, having the powers of think- 
 ing, reafoning, refleftion, will, refolution, i^c, 
 — This foul, united to the animal fpirit in 
 man •, improves, and raifcs that fpirit in him, 
 much above what it is in the brutes. Thus, 
 though the faculty of fpeech be in common to 
 man and other creatures, as birds, ^c : yet the 
 latter has not the pov/er of invention, order and 
 reafon, and can only fpeak at random what 
 they hear. But man has reafon, invention, 
 order and defign in his fpeech : which proves, 
 that the principal, or head of the triad, in his 
 compofition •, is a fpiritual dignity. 
 
 As the foul in man, is immediately united to 
 the fpirit, and the fpirit t© the body ; I would 
 obferve, that the foul always retains the fpi- 
 rit : Hence it is laid, that the fpirit of a man 
 goeth upward (/. e. in conjundlion with the 
 foul which is divine) whilft the fpirit of a beaft 
 (as not having a divine and immortal foul) go- 
 eth downward. 
 
 As the foul, in man, retains the fpirit, and 
 lifts it upward with herfelf — fo does the Spirit al- 
 fo retain the body, in its organical fyftem: even 
 
 when 
 
[ 2« ] 
 
 when the material machinery is fu bjecfled to cor- 
 ruption, and ferment in the grave *. 
 
 In a dream, when tlie body is as de^d, the 
 foul, by the medium of the animal fpirit, occu- 
 pies its organs -, and feels the pafllons, lome- 
 times to very great degree. Nor, doth the bo- 
 dy's being in the grave, hinder the foul, (who 
 by the medium of the fpirit, holds the body in 
 union through all its changes) from fo retain- 
 ing the organical fyftem thereof, as to feel the 
 pafTions ; as perfeiflly at kaft as fhe does in a 
 dream — for which reafon, the apoftle with the 
 utmoft propriety calls death a fleep. 
 
 And here, it may not be improper to obferve, 
 that fleep doth not always imply reft. There 
 is a fleep ; which, with very unpleafant dreams, 
 extreamly troubles the mind ; and fatigues the 
 body : I'ired, diftreflcd, and tormented ; we 
 find gladnefs in awakening from fuch a fleep ; 
 and reft, in refleding tJiat our mifery was but a 
 dream. 
 
 I have been credibly informed, by fome who 
 have undergone the operation •, that after the 
 a-mputation of a difealed member, the patient 
 has felt pain, (in every particular to their kn- 
 fcs) as if in the feparared limb ; juft as though 
 B 3 it 
 
 * May we not fuppofe that the foul, by the medium of 
 the animal fpirit, may (even after death) retain the body : 
 refpeding its mode, and its necefTary conjundion ; for the 
 operations of the foul : in a manner ineffable, and peculiar 
 to fuch a ftate ? whence through the organs thereof, as fuited 
 to the fpiritual world ; the foul may be capable of hearing, 
 feeing, feeling, tffc. and alfo of appeara?ice in an a2rial, or 
 ITbadowy form : and of fubjeftion to the pafTions — fo far, as 
 £0 render her fufceptible of joy, or mifery, in a future ftate ? 
 
["J 
 
 it was yet in union with the body. Th^ truth 
 of this I Ihall not attempt to inveftigate here ; 
 Yet I profefs to fee no caufe, why the foul, 
 through the aHimal fpirit, may not, according 
 to the Jaws and powers of union j feel as l;y and 
 in the body, though the latter according to 
 fenfe be put off: And if fo, the loul cannot 
 but long for the time -, when the body having 
 undergone its neceffary ferment, fhall be raifcd 
 in glory and immortality •, like unto that ot the 
 fon of God : a fit habitation for a fpirit to 
 dwell in. 
 
 We look for the reality of all the joys, and 
 reprefentations, which we have in dreams -, un •• 
 to thofe that we have when awake : when the 
 whole machinery is in exercife. So may de- 
 parted lpiri:s kok forwards, from their vifiona- 
 ry enjoyments : for perfe(^ion, for confummate 
 blifs, to the reftitution of all things. When 
 the body lliall be raifed ; when the creature it- 
 felf fhall be reilored from the bondage of cor- 
 ruption, and brought into the glorious liberty 
 of the fons of God — when the redemption (to 
 wit, that of the body) ihall be fully come — 
 when every leed fiiall have its own body. 
 
 The apoftle faith, If ye be ChrijTs.^ then are ye 
 Abram'j feed — And elfewhere, fpeaking of our 
 - Saviour, he faith, that he took upon him the feed 
 of Abram— And again, that we are one fleff:> 
 •with him — that we are his fuhiefs — that we are 
 mefnbers of his body, of his feJJj^ and of his bones. 
 From thefe, and many other teftimonies in the 
 divine word, it appears that we are compre- 
 hended in Chriji : our bodies, in his bodyj and 
 
 our 
 
[ 23 J _ 
 
 •our fouls, in his foul ; He being in himfelf, the 
 fountain of lives. 
 
 If it be true then, that Chj-ift faved himfelf, in 
 the whole man, confiftingof body and foul ; as his 
 refurreftion fufficiently demonflrates : then were 
 our bodies, faved in his body ; and our fouls, in 
 his foul. Unto which falvation, i. e. of our fouls, 
 in his foul •, we come up even in this life — when 
 through the knowledge of the truth, we attain 
 to the end of our faith. But we are yet obliged 
 to wait, for the redemption : to v/it, that of the 
 body. We cannot come up, in the prefent ftate 
 of things, according to our bodies, to the ftace of 
 Chriji's perfect body : Therefore the apoftle 
 fays, We look for the Saviour, the Lord Jefus 
 Chrifi •, who fh all change our vile body. 
 
 But, if the redemption of our fouls, in the 
 foul of Chrijl, did not deftroy their indivi- 
 duality J nor prevent their being brought up, 
 through the knowledge of the truth, unto the 
 enjoyment of that falvation, which they had in 
 his foul : Wherefore, fhould it be fuppofed, that 
 notwithftanding the redemption of our bodies, 
 in his body, they miift lofe their individuality, 
 ihey muft not rife again, nor be brought up to 
 inherit that falvation which they have in the bo- 
 dy of Chrifl ? Let me fay, as there was a time 
 for the one; fo there remains a time for the 
 other : when the whole man Ihall be faved j 
 when both in body and foul, he Hiall be forever 
 with the Lord. 
 
 Again, the pia<5lice of thofe who deny the 
 
 refurreftion of the body, gives their opinion 
 
 the lie. Why are they fo remarkably fond of 
 
 ^heir bodies ? to feed them, to drefs them, to 
 
 B 4 beautify 
 
[ 24 ] 
 
 beautify them, to preferve them in health ar>d 
 vigour, to honour them — and to gratify their 
 appetites, is the whole employment oi life — 
 what are all the cares, and toils of life, diredl- 
 ed to, but to the body r Man, can reap no 
 other advantage, than food, and cloathing, 
 from all his labours beneath the fun. 
 
 What fools then, to make fuch a momentary 
 being, as the body, the fole objedl of our care 
 and concern ! And to be fo very unwilling to 
 part with them ; which excepting lunac y, is 
 manifeftiy the cafe with every mian : No man 
 hateth his own body. I will fuppofe that the 
 apcftle, who bare this ttftimony, had at leali, 
 as miUch underftanding as a man, and as much 
 divine light and real piety, as a Chriftian -, 
 4s Ccppin ; his admirers i or, as any myftic 
 whatever — And yet he, though he knew -, that 
 he had a building of God ; an houfe not made 
 with hands, eternal in the heavens : and was de- 
 firous of being cloathed upon, with that garment 
 of immortality : (I hy) though he was well 
 afTured of this, yet he fays, not for that ive would 
 be undvathed — hut cioathed upoiiy that mortality 
 might he f'jjallo-i^oed up of life. By which, he 
 means as I fuppofe, that he was not defirous ot 
 being found naked : by the lofs of his body — 
 but his defire was to be cloathed upon — both 
 body, and foul, with that glory and immortali- 
 ty which God had prepared for him. 
 
 And again, he faith in another place. Behold 
 I f^cji) you a my fiery \ 'u;e fhall not all fleep^ but 
 'Vjc fljall all be changed^ in a moment .^ in the twink- 
 ling of an eye., at the laji trump. (For the trumpet 
 pull fctindy and the dead j'ball be raifed incorrupti ■ 
 
 hie, 
 
[25] 
 ik\ and we Jhall be changed.) I apprehend his 
 ^neaning in thofe words, to be, that luch who 
 are alive, at the end of time, fhall not die : but 
 that they (Hall ceafe from all vile, earthly qua- 
 jities, in a moment •, in the twinkling of an eye : 
 The body fhall be purified, and changed, with- 
 put putting it off: into an incorruptible ftace — 
 Ibe dead fhali be raifed incorruptible., and ive [nail 
 he changed. He not only affures us here, of the 
 body's being faved, and of its entering into 
 glory : but alfo of its falvation, and entrance 
 into bJifs, without t,afting death. 
 
 Should fome poor anchorite in the defarr, 
 confumed with famine, expofed to cold, and 
 nakeunefs, finking under his infirmities, and 
 whofe whole life in the body, is one continual 
 penance. I fay, fibould fuch an one deny the 
 refurredion of the body, as not feeling muck 
 confolation from its exiftence : it would have 
 fome appearance. But for thofe, whofe time, 
 labour,' and fludy, are fpent altogether on ac- 
 count of the body -, and whofe chief felicity in 
 Jite, feems to confift in gratifying its appetites. 
 I fay, for fuch to deny its future blifs, and to 
 treat it only as a pampered bead, whereon they 
 ride for a feafon, is to ad a very unreafonable, 
 and inconfiftent part. 
 
 But fo it is : I'he child of afflidiion believing, 
 that his poor famifhed or difeafed body fhall rife 
 again, and be fafli'oned like unto the glorious 
 body of the fon of God \ he lays it down in 
 hope — whilft the worldly, jolly, pretended-fpi- 
 ritual man — the refined genius, as he would be 
 thought — (though pofTibly he hath not one ab- 
 (tradted idea, of exiftence, feparate from the 
 ^•' ■ body) 
 
[ 26] 
 
 body) unreafonably fuggefts, that the body be- 
 ing meerly brutal ; Ihall as fuch, perilh in death 
 everlaftingly. 
 
 Becaufe the fcriptures fay, 'That flejh and blood 
 fjall 710 1 inherit the kingdom of God. — And that 
 ^heing fown a natural body^ it is raifed a fpiritml 
 body : there are thofe who infer, that the body 
 Ihall not rife again. But I would obferve, that 
 the terms flefh, and blood, as ufed in the fcrip- 
 tures ; doth not always imply, the material bo- 
 dy. Sometimes it intends man's natural wifdom, 
 underftanding, and reafon ; as where our Sa- 
 viour fays to Peter ^ Flejh and blood hath not re- 
 vealed thofe things unto thee — but my Father which 
 is in heaven. Are there any fo ftupid, as to ima- 
 gine that the Lord meant, thy body has not re- 
 vealed thofe things unto thee ^. Upon a ferious 
 confideration I hope there are none fuch. 
 
 Again, the term intends eafe, honour, and 
 profit, according to this world. Hence the apo- 
 (lle tells us, that when it pleafed God to reveal 
 his fon in him, he conferred not with flefh and 
 blood : but gave himfelf up to preach Jefus un- 
 to the Heathen. 
 
 Again, it intends our own righteoufnefl^es.-— 
 The apoflle Paul^ calls his circumcifion on the 
 eighth day — his being of the llock of Ifrael — his 
 being of an orthodox, and refpeftable feft — his 
 zeal in his religion — his blamelefs righteoufnefs 
 as touching the law. I fay, he calls all this 
 flcftQ. And in this fenfe the divine evangelift un- 
 derilood it : When fpeaking of the fons of God, 
 he tells us, that they were born, not of blood, nor 
 <?/ the mil of the flefh, (£c. Paul ufes the term 
 fiefh, in the fame fenfe, in another place, where 
 
 he 
 
[ 27 ] 
 he fays. So then^ they that an in the fle/h, can* 
 not pleafe God. And again, having begun in the 
 Spirit, are ye now fnade perfect by the fleJJj. But 
 Paul does not mean, that they that are in the 
 body, cannot pleafe God-^becaufe he tells us 
 elfewhere, that Enoch, before his tranjlation, had 
 this tejiimony, that he pleajed God. 
 
 At other times thej:erm is not limited to our 
 fuppofed excellencies, &c. but ufed in a more 
 indefinite lenfe •, including all the weaknelles, 
 frailties, and corruption of our mortal ftate — - 
 and in this fenfe it is ufed in the abovemention- 
 ed text, i. e. fiefh and blood cannot inherit the 
 kinguom of God. It is evident, that the apo- 
 ftle does not apply the term in thofe words, to 
 the material body ; nor did he intend to deny 
 the refurredlion thereof. But his defign was to 
 fliew the necefllty of the body's being purged, 
 through death, from all the bafe qualities and 
 infirmities, which conftitute what he terms flefh 
 and blood -, and which, he fays, cannot inherit 
 the kingdom of God. 
 
 He explains himfelf more fully in the follow- 
 ing words — Neither doth corruption inherit incor^ 
 ruption. But we are not pleading for the refur* 
 reftion of a corrupt body-^nay, we fhould then 
 gain nothing by the change. The body of man, 
 as the immediate creation of God, wa& incor- 
 rupt — corruption as applied to man, in body or 
 mmd, certainly intends, the evil bias, and vile 
 properifities of human nature. Or, if by a cor- 
 rupt body, we underftand, its purulency, its 
 liabienefs to putrefa6i:ion-— -I would obferve that 
 the latter, is only an effefl of the former. And 
 that It neither is effential to the being, or ex- 
 *' ~ iftence. 
 
r 28 ] 
 
 iflence, of the body nor foul : Corruption in the 
 HtH fenfe, is an accident only in man, and no 
 part of him ; and difeafe, death, or corruption, 
 in the fecond fenfe, is to be confidered, meerly, 
 as tlie effedt or confequence of the former, and 
 can only fubfitl by it ; and where that is found. 
 Chriji being made fm for us, fuftained corrup- 
 tion in the firfl fenfe j but as he totally eradica- 
 ted it, put it away, and deftroyed it ; by his 
 fufferings, and death, he did not fee corruption 
 in the fecond fenfe : that is, his body did not 
 putrify, nor moulder to dull:— Thou wilt not 
 fuffer thy holy one to fee corruption. 
 
 But our bodies are not thus privileged, be- 
 caufe they are vile, flefh and blood, or corrup- 
 tion dwells in them — They like the houie that 
 had the leprofy in the walls, mull be taken 
 down for the deftrudlion of the plague. We 
 who make our exit, before the time of the end, 
 mud fee corruption, becaufe our bodies are vile. 
 But we are taught that they fhall be raifed in 
 incorruption : yea, we have the pattern exhibit- 
 ed in perfe6cion, in the glorious body of our di- 
 vine Immannel: In him, we view the glorious 
 reality, of what we are with God, and to God, 
 and of what we fhall be, /«, and unto ourfelves, 
 when raifed from the dead. 
 
 As to the propofition, that the body is fown 
 natural, and raifed fpiritual. I would obferve, 
 that natural and fpiritual, are diftindl and oppo- 
 lite qualities only ; and not diftinft beings. 
 Therefore, the change from natural to fpiritual, 
 doth not imply, that one being is loll, nor that 
 one being becomes another : but it implies, that 
 all thofe qualities which conftituted the natural 
 
 charaderj 
 
[ 29 ] 
 
 charafter, being deftroycd in death, the body 
 rifes in the qualities which conftitute the fpi- 
 ritual chara(5ber. And thus the body is Town a 
 natural body ; and raifed a fpiritual body : 
 Firfl, the body is natural from its manner of 
 fubfifting, as by meats, drinks, deep, &c. 
 Again, it is natural from its infirmities ; fuch as 
 hunger, thirft, wearinefs, pain, ficknefs, and 
 death. Again, the body is natural from its affec- 
 tions, and operations, as generation, augmen- 
 tation, motion, Cffc. 
 
 The body as fubjed: to thefe, is a natural 
 body; but having put off (by death) ill thefe, 
 it becomes a fpiritual body ; a body fubfiiling 
 without the ufe of natural means ; fuch as 
 meats, drinks, fleep, phyfic, (jfc. A body free 
 from all infirmities, and from all earthly affec- 
 tions, and operations. A body, though re- 
 taining its materiality, yet in the refurredlion as 
 the angels of God. 
 
 Know you not, faith the apoftle, that your 
 bodies are members of Chrijl ? Shall I then take 
 the members of Chrijl, and make them the 
 members of an harlot ? God forbid. To which 
 I may fay, fhall we take the members of Chriji 
 and deftroy them ? fhall we alTert, that they 
 have no pre-eminence above a beaft, but that 
 they muft perilh everlaftingly ? God forbid. 
 
 When Lazarus died, and Jefus approached to 
 raife him from the dead, one of the filters of 
 the decealed, went forth to meet him ; and in 
 reverence to the Saviour (whilft Ihe bewailed 
 her departed brother) fhe faid. Lord, if thou 
 hadji been here, my brother had not died. Unto 
 which, the compafTionate High-Prieft anfwer« 
 
 ed, 
 
[ 30 ]1 
 
 fd, ^hy br ether Jhall rife again. Yea Lord, (faid 
 ihe) 1 know that he jhall rife again in the re-^ 
 furre5lion at the laji day. Jefus replied, / am 
 the refurre^ion and the life\ he that believeth 
 en me, though he were dead, yet fhall he live : 
 jind whofoever liveth, and believeth on me, fhall 
 never die. Believejt thus this ? She faid unto hiniy 
 Tea Lord. That Martha believed the refurrec- 
 tion of the body at the laft day, is declared in 
 words as exprelTive as can poflibly be ufed : 
 nor did our Saviour reprove her fentiment (for 
 it is highly probable that fhe had received it 
 from him) he only taught her, that the refur- 
 reclion of the human body, doth not proceed 
 from natural confequences, but that it depend- 
 ed altogether upon him. I am the refurreBion 
 Mud the life, faith he. The faft of our Savi- 
 our's refurredion, doth not only afcertain that 
 of ours i exhibiting the moft glorious and 
 fliining pattern thereof j but it is alfo the caule, 
 xh<i means and fecurity of our refurreftion. It 
 may alfo denote that power, wherewith he, as 
 the Son of man, ftands invefted by the Father. 
 Martha believed that her brother fhould rile a- 
 gain at the laft day: But our Saviour 
 taught her, that as her brother could not rife 
 tJ:>en, without him who was the refurredion and 
 the life : fo neither was his power confined to 
 that dayi but that he could exert it wh^n it 
 pleafed him fo to do : and which he then in- 
 tended to do, by raifing her brother from th« 
 grave. 
 
 It is faid of the apoftles, that they preached, 
 through Jefus, the refurre5fion fnm the dead. 
 And again of Paul^ that he . preached Jefus, 
 
 and 
 
and the reji&reEiion : and when they heard of the 
 refurreolion^ fame mocked. Of the hope and re- 
 furre^ion of the dead, (faith the fame apoftle) 
 am I called in quejlion. Again, That there fhall 
 he a refwrre5lion of the dead, both of the jufi^ 
 and of the . unjujl. Our Saviour faith j I'he hour 
 is comings in which all that are in their graves 
 fhall hear his voice, and fhall come forth : they 
 that have done good, unto the refurreSiion of life j 
 and they that have done evil, unto the refurre^ion of 
 damnation. And the graves were opened, and 
 many bodies of faints which flept, arofe and came 
 out of the graves, and went into the holy city 
 and appeared unto many. — If the dead rife not, 
 then is not Chriji raifed-, our faith is vain, and 
 cur preaching vain ; ye are yet in your fins. A- 
 bram accounted, that God was able to raife up 
 Ifaac, even from the dead. But not to multi- 
 ply citations, it is manifeft, that the refurrec- 
 tion of the body, is pofTitively and clearly 
 taught in the New-Teftament : and was a prin- 
 cipal article in the preaching of the apoftles. 
 
 But fome man, fuch as Coppin, and his ad- 
 mirers, will lay, How are the dead raifed up ? 
 and with what body do they come ? Thou 
 fool, faith the apoftle, tlrnt which thou foweft, 
 is not quickened except it die. The intention 
 of this anfwer is to teach us, that as the death 
 and ferment of the grain fown in the ground, 
 hinders not its rifing again ; but is rather ab- 
 folutely necellary to its Ipringing up in a plant : 
 fo the death of the human body, is no hind- 
 rance to it rifing again. Attd that which thou 
 fowefi, thou fiweft not that body that Jhall be. 
 \ This 
 
r 32 1 
 
 This is to fhew us, that the body beirrg 
 fown natural, and raifed fpiritual, is not tht 
 fame in its refurrefbion, as it was in its 
 death : becaufe (as I have fhewn before) all 
 thofe quahties which conftituted the natural 
 charafter, are deflroyed in death : and the 
 ipiritual charafter as no longer reflrained, and 
 concealed by the former, is now perfedly fuftain- 
 . ed in the refiirrcclion. The body thus changed, 
 is faid, not to be the fame body ; that is, 
 the comparifon, which proves, that the fown 
 body, is not the fame as the rifen body -, doth 
 not refped its materiality, or identical exiftence, 
 but its qualifies ; or mode of exiftence only. 
 
 Where the apoftle faith. Thou foweft not 
 that body that fhall be, but bare grain, ^c. 
 There are none fo fimple, I fuppofe, as to 
 imagine that the apoftle would not have us ex- 
 pedt to reap wheat, where we fow wheat : 
 or that by another body, we are to expeft Ifar- 
 ley where wheat is fown. Nay, his defign is 
 to fhew us, that though the grain fown be 
 bare, and fimple, yet it rifeth a glorious body, 
 producing many-fold : as an emblem of the 
 body, which is fown in corruption, but raifed 
 in glory, even an hundredfold, when com- 
 pared with what it has in this life. 
 
 The grain which is fown, refpe6ling its fub- 
 llance, is not loft : for though it ferments and 
 dies, it ftioots upwards into the ftalk. Were 
 you then to take the ftalk properly out of the 
 earth, you fhall find that the fown grain, is faft 
 at the root in appearance : but upon examina- 
 tion, you may perceive, that all its fubftance, 
 every material particle, containing all its ger.ii- 
 
 ine 
 
[ 33 ] 
 
 rne qualities are ipent ; are ri/en in the plant ; 
 and nothing remains but the chaff, or huf]^, 
 which is alJ of it that is loil. Tiiis is a finiile 
 of the refurredlion : All the original genuine 
 properties of the body are preferved ; and no- 
 thing loit but the chaff: /. e. the bafe quali- 
 ties that adhered to it. Bui Gcd givcrh it a 
 body^ as it hath pkafed him •, arid to every feed 
 its' ozvn body. The meaning of which, I appre- 
 hend to be, that God, without accounting for 
 his ways to man, without their being able to 
 comprehend the depths of his wifdorn, and 
 power, is pleafed in an ineffable manner, to 
 give a body to the fown feed. Bewildered, and 
 iofl:, in the refearches of reafon, Vv'e are con- 
 ftrained to refolve all into the good pleafure of 
 God. Gcd giveth it a body^ as it hath "pleafed 
 him ; and to every feed, its oivn body. But if 
 God does not give a human body, to every 
 human body fown, how can every feed be faid 
 to have its own body ? 
 
 In the paffages above- cited, the apoftle is ma- 
 nifeflly fpeaking of the future refurrection of the 
 body : but Mr. Coppin, and his admirers, will 
 hot fo undcrftand hirri. They will make it out 
 in fuch a manner, as fays that the refurre6lioQ 
 is paff. Thus erring concerning the truth, and 
 overthrov/ing the faith of fome ; in The ad- 
 vancement of all things in Chrift^ &c. Chap. 6. 
 he fpeaks thus, " God hath fowed the feed, 
 *' or planted the image of eternity, the image of 
 " the divine Being, the image of himfelf, 
 *' which is Jefus Chrijl^ in this world, as in 
 " general, fo particularly in Jdam^^—m the 
 '' fiefli of Chrijl — m the ficfh of his faints — 
 C 'Mn 
 
[ 34 1 
 
 *« in the whole world of things." What baa 
 this unfcriptural, this unmeaning propofiiion, 
 to do wit,h the matter in hand ? what hath 
 it to do with that Icripture-paflage, of which it 
 i^ a pretended expofition ? v/hat affinity has the 
 phrafeology, or fenle, (if it has any knCt) of 
 his propofitions, to this interrogation ? Hew are 
 ibe dead raifid^ and zviih ijuhat body do they 
 come ? And what relation doth it bear to the 
 apoftle's anf.ver, 'Then focl^ &c. except an af-^ 
 fertion of right, to appropriate the charader ? 
 
 The term, image •, as applied to God, may be 
 iindtrftood in various fenfes. Kings, and ma- 
 gillrates, from their power and rule, may be 
 faid to be the image of God. Any ptrfon, 
 pxercifmg himieif in works of m.ercy, com- 
 paliion, love, benevolence, i^c. miay be faid, 
 in fo doing, to be an ima,-e ot God. — The fun 
 is an image ot his brightn^fs •, tne rock of 
 his ftability \ the fire ot his purity, ^V. In 
 this fen'e, aU creatures m.ay be confidcred as 
 having lomewhat ot the divine image : The 
 heavens declare thy power, and firmament 
 Iheweth forth thine handy work. 
 
 But, it by the m:iage of God, we mean the 
 alTemblage of all divine perfeftions j reprefenred, 
 and retiedted, as in a mirrour, which in the 
 fcriptiire, is the primary fenfe of the term : 
 theie is then, none other image of God, than 
 Jefm Chrijl : Fie is the brightnefs of the glory 
 of God, and the exprefs image of his perlon. 
 The light of the knowledge of the glory of 
 'God, is in the face of Jefus Chnji. Coppin liiys, 
 that God planted this divine image in Adam : 
 ^ut neither the prophets, nor apoftles, fay fo. 
 
 . Mofes 
 
[ 35 ] 
 Mofes indeed tells us, that God made man in 
 his own image, and after his own Jikenefs. 
 But this image, and lilcenefs of God, in whom, 
 •and after whom, man was made •, was Jefus 
 Chriji : the fame yefterday, to-day, and forever. 
 
 God, eternal, invifible, imm.ortal, incompre- 
 henfible, was pleafed to exhibit an image of 
 himfelf, of his own nature, and properties, 
 in the perfon of his Son ; who v/as with him, 
 as one brought up with him from everlafting. By 
 which medium he wrought all his works. And in 
 which he was known, and his glories reflected on 
 the angels, and on all the heavenly powers. In 
 this image, and after his model and fimilitude 
 (he being the head of mankind) was y^dam 
 formed, y^dam was fo far from being the ex- 
 prefs image of God in himfelf, or from having 
 it planted, or fown in him ; that he, in his 
 brighteft perfe6lion and glory, was but an out- 
 ward, fhadowy, fleeting figure, of him who is 
 the perfed:, exprefs, unchangeable, and eternal 
 image of the invifible God. — Hence the apoftle 
 calls j^dam the figure of him that was to come. 
 
 Again, inftead of acknowledging Cbriji him- 
 felf to be the image of God, he talks of the 
 image of God, being fown, or planted in the 
 human nature of Cbrifi ; and that when Cbriji 
 laid down his fiefh, by the death of the crofs, 
 this image was raifed up into the divine nature, 
 where it lives forever. Here he Ihews himfelf 
 to be a divider of CbriJl, by diftinguifhing the 
 Cbriji, from the perfon of Jefus of Nazareth. 
 In this he feems to follow Cerinfbus, a perfon 
 Vvho lived in the firft century •, who held, that 
 jffifs was the fon of Jofepb and Mary ; but that 
 C 2 CbriJ( 
 
[ 36 J 
 Chrift^ in the form of a dove, defcended upon huii 
 ar his baptifm : and that when Jefus fuffered 
 death, Ckrift flew np into heaven, v/ithout being 
 fenfible ot any inconvenience. To confute the 
 errors of this heretic, and his followers, John is 
 reported to have wrote his gofpel. Coppin in his 
 definition of the true Chriji ; fays, he is to be in 
 us, to redeem and fave us as he v./as in the man 
 ChriJI Jefus. He alfo fays, that when Jefus laid 
 down his flefh, by the death of the crois, (the 
 C.brijl^ or) the image of God, was raifed up into 
 the divine nature, where it lives forever. 
 
 By faying that the image of God which Cbrijl 
 had in his human nature, was at his death, 
 raifed up into the divine nature, where it lives 
 forever : he affirms, cither that the body, or 
 f:efh of Cbnfr, did not rife again •, but that his 
 hum.an nature perifhed and ceafed to be in" 
 death : Or otherwife, that though his human 
 nature doth now exiil, it is not the image of 
 God : nay, the image of God douh not fo much 
 as dv;ell in it new, according to him. But the 
 image of God is raifed up into the diviiiC na- 
 ture, where it lives forever. According to 
 w^hich, there is no exhibited image of God now. 
 Thefe things are fo horribly biafpliemous, and 
 antichriltian -, that they need neither the argu- 
 ment of reafon, nor fcripture, to confute them. • 
 Again, what a rant it is, to talk of the image 
 of God being planted in the flefh of his faints! 
 and then to quote fundry paiTages of fcripture, 
 in fupport thereof: which bear no more re- 
 jation io bis propofirion, than they do to the Coran, 
 I have already fhewn from fcripture, experir 
 CRCe, and reafon, that there is no fucli thing as 
 
 the 
 
[ 371 _ 
 
 the divine image, or good principle dwelling in the 
 individuals of mankind : neither in their flelh, nor 
 fpirit ; and therefore fliall fay no more to it here. 
 
 Nor will I fpend my time, to fliew the im- 
 propriety of aflerting, that this image is fown 
 in the whole world of things ; but Ihall leave 
 the fuperlativcly enlightned, to admire, and 
 worfliip the divine image, in dogs, fwine, fer- 
 pents, ^c. which are not creatures of the _^/;«^//~ 
 sjT confequence, in the whole world of things. 
 
 Thus, according to this author, the dead, 
 or the feed fown, is Jefus Chrifi^ or the di- 
 vine image. And that this kzd^ was fown, 
 died, and was buried, in the human nature, or 
 flefli of man ; and in the whole world of things. 
 — That God raifes this dead feed, or Chrifl^ by 
 his voice ; And being rifen in us, it returns to 
 God again : whilft the nature and perfons of 
 men, with the whole world of things, are all left 
 behind to perifh. " Thus, (faith he) God hath 
 *' carried the image of himifelf, through all 
 -' things in the world, and to the end of all 
 " things again even to himfeif." (And again) 
 ''' This is the lall and general refurredtion.'* 
 
 Without doing him any injury, i may ven- 
 ture to affirm : that his doflrines are unfcrip- 
 tural, and unreafonable^: tending to the fub- 
 verfion of chriftianity in general. For firft, with. 
 Hymeneus dir\d Pbiktus^ he aliirms, that the refur- 
 rection is pad already. Secondly, he denies thac 
 the body rifes at all. Thirdly, hs denies thac 
 man, or any part of him, is the objed of fal* 
 varion. Fourthly, he alierts tha: the perfons of 
 jnen, having no pre-eminence above a bead, 
 rtiall perifh everlaftingly as the beaft. 
 
 C 3 Whether 
 
[ 38 ] 
 
 Whether this man iinderftood the apoftles, 
 or payed any regard to their do<5trine, or not, 
 1 leave the reader to judge : and fhall here ob- 
 ferve, that if the matter in hand, had related 
 only to trie refurreftion of our bodies-, I fhould 
 not have meddled with it : but Qiould have left 
 Coppin and his admirers, to the time of the re- 
 ftitution of all things ; when every man fhall be 
 reftored to his right fenfes ; at leaft, fo far as 
 to diftinguiHi between truth and error. But the 
 apoftle fliews us, that if the doctrine of the 
 refurredlion be not true, if there be no refur- 
 redlion of the dead, then Chriji is not raifed : 
 and if he be not rifen, then our preaching is 
 vain : our faith is vain : we are yet in our fins. 
 Thus it appears to be, (not a meer opinion, a 
 fpeculation, or fable •, butj a matter of the ut- 
 moft importance : the fource, and evidence of 
 our falvation : our happinefs in time and in 
 eternity. 
 
 Again, this author, denies the human nature 
 of ChriJl^ No. 2 . page 2 6. where he feoffs at a 
 corporal Chriji: and No. 3. page 58, 59. 
 where he more than once, treats the doftrine of 
 our Saviour's having a body of flelh and bones, 
 with fneers and derifion : as alfo in fundry 
 parts of his book, intitled, l^he advancement of 
 all things in Chriji^ &c. How amazing ! that 
 any perfon who believes, or even pretends to 
 believe the fcriptures, fhould difpute the truth 
 of our Saviour's having a body of flefh and 
 bones : when the evangelifts afTure us, that the 
 Lord Jefus^ after his refurrediion, was particu- 
 larly careful, to give his difciplcs the fulleft 
 evidence, the mod indifputablc proof, of his 
 
 being 
 
[39 1 
 
 being rlfen ; in the very fame body wherein he 
 luffered and died. 
 
 Of the truth of this, he convinced their eyes, 
 their ears, their hands, and heart. — He who 
 knew all things, forcfaw that men of perverfe 
 minds would arife : who, (though they confef- 
 fed themfelves chriftians) v/ould conteft, and 
 deny, the reality of his refurrc6lion. His form, 
 his features, his voice, his v/ounds, the mate- 
 riahty of his fiefh and bones ; all v/hich were 
 manifeft, and proved to a demonflration ; per- 
 feiftly convinced his difciples, that the" fame, in- 
 dividual, material body of JefuSt which was 
 crucified, died, and was buried, v/as rifen from 
 the dead \ nor was it poffible for them to be 
 deceived, by any phantom or fhadowy appea- 
 rance ; becaufe he convinced them of his hav- 
 ing fiefh, and bones ; which they very well 
 knew, were not the properties of a fpirit. 
 
 Behold my hands, and my feet^ (faith our Savi- 
 our) that it is I myfelf: handle me, and fee, for 
 a fpirit hath net fiefh and bones, as ye fee me have. 
 And again to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger^ 
 and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, 
 and thrufi it into my f.de : and he not falthlefs, but 
 believing. But the Chrifi, v;hom Coppin, and 
 his admirers reverence, neither is, nor was ca- 
 pable of making any fuch propofal to his fol- 
 lowers ; becaufe he has no body of flelli and 
 bones -, nor indeed has he any other exiftence^ 
 than in their anrichriftJan conceit. 
 
 That the Chrtfl whom the apoflles preached, 
 
 had a body of fiefh and bones, is manifeft i 
 
 where Paul tells the church, that they are msm- 
 
 hers of his body, of his fiefk^^-^id of his bones. 
 
 C 4 ' But 
 
[ 40 1 
 But this propofition, cannot pofubly be true, 
 if Chrijl lias no body of flefli and bones •, as this 
 author afTerts. Let God be true, and every 
 man a Har. The word of truth afilires us, that 
 he has a body of flefh and bones ; and that this 
 body, notwithftanding all its wounds and 
 bruiles, was fo preferved that not a bone there- 
 of was broken. But it was preferved to no 
 furpofe, if it did not rife again: or, if it was 
 loft afierwards. — The Holy Ghoft, bearing 
 witnefs of the Lord Jefiis^ by the prophets ; 
 teftihes, tliat a bone of him Hiould not be bro- 
 ken. Speaking of the paflover, the type of 
 Chrijl j he fays, Neither fball ye break a hone 
 thereof^ Exod. xii. 46. And again, nor break 
 any bone of it ^ Num. ix. 12. And again. He 
 keepeth all his bones : not one of them is broken^ 
 Pfal. xxxiv. 20. And, that this related to the 
 body of the Lord Jefus^ the evangel ift John bare 
 witnefs. Our Saviour, and thofe who fuffered 
 with him, being crucified on the eve of an 
 high fabbath among the Jews \ the latter be- 
 f )ught Filate (as the crucified were long dying) 
 that they might have leave to break their legs : 
 and to take them down, that their bodies might 
 not be feen on their croiTes on the following 
 day : To this he confented ; upon which, they 
 brake the legs of thofe who were crucified 
 with our Lord ; but when they came to Jefus^ 
 and faw that he Vv'as already dead, they brake 
 not his legs. And the beloved difciple in his 
 remarks upon this, fays, for thefe things were 
 done that the fcripture Jhould be fulfilled^ A hone of 
 him fhall not be broken, John xix. 36. Thus, 
 the apollle fhews that it was not accident, but 
 
 the 
 
[ 41 ] 
 the purpofe and council of God, that defeated 
 the defign of the Jews : when they would have 
 broken his legs with the others. Nor are we to 
 refped: it as a trifling, or common occurrence : 
 That would be to impeach the wifdom of God, 
 who had fo long before his fufferings, declared 
 by his prophets, that a bone of him fhould not 
 be broke 
 
 The prefervation of our Saviour's body was 
 for his own glory, and for the benefit and ad- 
 vantage of mankind. As mankind were com- 
 prehended in his body, fleih of his flefh, and 
 bone of his bone ; it denoted their final prefer- 
 vation and fecurity in the fame body : Not the 
 fmalleft member, was to be feparated from the 
 whole •, nor the body from the head : that we 
 might live by him. It alfo denoted his faith- 
 fulnefs, power, and love, in preierving the 
 whole body, all that had been committed to his 
 trull. 
 
 Again, Mr. Richard Coppin by propofing 
 Chriji to be a meer qualir.y in man, denies his per- 
 fon, No. I. page 13. He fays that Chriji "is to 
 " be in you to teach, redeem, and fave you, 
 " as he was in the man Chriji Jejus^ Thus ac- 
 cording to him, the man Chriji Jefus^ who was 
 born at Bethlehem of a pure virgin, who 
 wrought many miracles, and went about doing 
 good i who fuff'ered, and died upon a crofs, in 
 the reign of Tiberias Cafar \ and who rofe again 
 from the dead, on the third day •, I fay, ac- 
 cording to Coppin, this perfon was not the 
 Chriji, in fpirit, and truth : but that the true 
 Chriji was in him only, to redeem, and fave 
 
 him \ 
 
[ 42 ] 
 film i in like manner as he is to be In the peo- 
 ple. 
 
 And No. 3. pag. 59. he fays : " And you fay^ 
 '* When Chrift, who is our life, Hiall appear i 
 *.' then fliall we alfo appear with him in glory : 
 " and this life, even Chrift, you fay is eternal 
 " life. Then I anfwer, this muft not be meant 
 *' of a body of fiefh, and bones, for that can- 
 *' not be our eternal life. And this life, the 
 " apoftles then waited for, and received ; which 
 " was a fpiritual Chrift, even Chrift in them 
 " the hope of glory : and not a fleflily perfonal 
 *' Chrift as you fay ; for how can fuch a one be 
 " in us to be our eternal life V* 
 
 If I miftake not, Mr. Coppin intitles his 
 works, [in defence of which, that which now is 
 a 're-publiftiing in numbers, was written :] A 
 Blow at the Serpent. But whether his admirers 
 will excufe me or not, I am obliged to give it a 
 new title •, and as I think a very juft one ; /. e. A 
 BLOW AT THE SEED OF THE 
 WOMAN. 
 
 He fays, that Chrift as a perfon, or as having 
 a body of flelh, and bones, cannot be our eter- 
 nal life. That our Saviour hath a body of flefli, 
 ind bones, I have already proved from the 
 fcriptures. And I fliall now endeavour to prove, 
 that the perfon of Chrift, as having fuch a bo- 
 dy, is our eternal life. 
 
 Our Saviour, in the 6th of John -, declares 
 that his flefti is meat indeed, and that his blood 
 is drink indeed. And faith, wholb eateth my 
 flefli, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. 
 But how can we eat or drink what hath no ex- 
 iftence ? can a man fill his belly with the eaft 
 
 wind ? 
 
[ 43 ] 
 nvind ? can he drink of a river, whofe waters arg 
 cut off, and whofe ftreams are perfeftly dri^ 
 up ? We anfwer, he cannot. It is not meers 
 ly faying to the body, be fed, that feeds hi 
 nor, will our bidding it be warm, adminiftej' 
 any heat to it. 
 
 As the Lord Jefus, has propofed to all gene* 
 rations, that fuch who eat his flelh, and drink 
 his blood, hath eternal life ; fhall live thereby, 
 (ifc. I think I may venture to propofe, with 
 as much confidence, and upon much better 
 grounds than Coppin aflerts the contrary : tha^ 
 our Saviour always has a body, a material body, 
 a body of flefh and bones. And that this bo^? 
 dy, as united with his foul, to the deity; in thg 
 glorious perfon of Immanuel, is the eternal life? 
 Hence whofo eateth him, ihall live by him. 
 
 To eat and to drink his flelh and blood, eer=? 
 tainly intends fuch an apprehenfion of our 
 ynion and onenefs with Chrift ; as inipires y$ 
 with wifdom, refolution, and power to appror 
 priate him. So to mingle with his flefh and- 
 blood ; ;. e. his human nature •, that all his ia^ 
 bours, fuflrerings, viflories, and triumphs, being 
 ours as they are his ; we might eat his fleflj, 
 5ind drink his blood : that is derive life, purity, 
 confidence, and blifsj from our being one fleHi 
 and blood with him ; intitling us to his peacf 
 and joy, which is unfpeakable, and fujl of 
 glory. 
 
 What a perfon eats; and drinks, being proper^ 
 ly digefted in the ftomach ; the nutritive part^, 
 after chylification, becomes blood -, and ming* 
 les with the whole mafs : adding healthp 
 ilrcngth, and rnagnitude xq the. i?9dy, through- 
 
 9U5, 
 
[ 44 ] 
 out. Thus, what a perfon eats and drinks, be- 
 comes one with himfelf : and except it does fo, 
 the perfon is not nourifhed, nor can he Uve 
 thereby. 
 
 In like manner, to eat the ^cCii^ and drink 
 the blood of the Son of man •, is to apprehend 
 our union with him, our memberfnip in his 
 body, even of his fiefli and of his bones : in 
 fuch fort, that becoming one with his ^(t^a and 
 blood, we rejoice together with him ; in all the 
 benefits of his humiliation, and exaltation in the 
 body. And thus, that Cbrijl who hath a body 
 of fiefh and bones, is our eternal life. 
 
 As Copphi tauntingly afks, how a perfonal 
 Chriji can be faid to be in us, as our eternal 
 life ? I anfwer, Chrift, in the fcriptures, is faid 
 to be our eternal life, in a two fold fenfe ; firft, 
 as he hath taken upon him the feed of Ahrahaniy 
 perfonating, and wearing the people in the body 
 of his ilefh : he was born in them, circumcifed in 
 them, baptized in them, tempted in them, fulfil- 
 led all righteoufnefs in them ; he fuffered in them, 
 died in them, rofe again in them, afcended in them, 
 andiiveth forever in them. Thus faith the pro- 
 phet : hord^ then •wilt ordain peace for us : for thou 
 alfo hafl wrought all our worh in us. And thus 
 is ChriJi in us, the hope of glory. Thus did 
 Joi? behold God in his flefli. Thus all the 
 promifes, relative to God's dwelling in the peo- 
 ple, to his coming in the flefh, &'c. are fulfil- 
 ed in him. In Chriji Jefus, all the promifes- 
 are yea and amen. Here we underlland, how 
 the perfonal Chriji is in us, and is our eternal 
 life, and hope of glory. The life which he 
 lives, in his own perfon, he lives in us, and/<7r 
 
 us: 
 
[ 45 ] 
 «s : Hence the apoflle telis us, that the eternal 
 life which God hath given us, is in his Son. 
 And our Saviour fays, Becr.iife I live, ycu fhall 
 live aljo. 
 
 Again, Chrijl is faid to be in man by faith, 
 by revelation, by manjfeilation, by his fpirit, 
 i^t. In this fenfe, he is in us, according to 
 pur individual perfons. Faith is the evidence of 
 things unf^en, ^c. Therefore it is that v/it- 
 nefs •, 2/?, and "JDith power, light, and love to 
 our minds ; of the glorious perfon, and falva- 
 tion of Chrifi : Though v/e have not ieen hisn, 
 peither are v/e permitted to determine of him by 
 what we feel, or know from ourfelves ; yet our 
 iinderflandings are enlightened to difcern him, 
 according to truth : our wills confent to his fal- 
 vation, and fubmit to his glory : our aitedions 
 rejoice in him : our confcience hath peace, pu- 
 rity, and perfe6lion in him. 
 
 The Chrijl\, thus explained to our judgment, 
 thus glorious before the eyes of our miind, thus 
 borne witnefs of in our hearts, by the Spirit of 
 truth ; is not fome creature of fancy, or the off- 
 fpring of enthufiafin : but a perfonal Chrift •, 
 that very Jefiis whom the apoilles preached -, 
 that identical perfon who died upon the crofs^ 
 .without the gates of Jerujalem : who rofe from 
 the dead, who afcended up on high, and 
 who liveth forever. This perfon, according 
 to his perfonal properties, glory, ^race, and 
 falvation •, being explained, revealed, and wit- 
 nefied of, in, and unto our faculties, is Chrift^ 
 dwelling in our hearts by faith : There, realized 
 (though unfeen) in his perfon, and benelits : 
 dwelling there, as the objed of our peace arid 
 purity. - ' ■. Copfin 
 
[ 46 1 
 
 Coppia cannot conceive how .i perfbnal Chflfe 
 ^Sn be faid to dwell in our hearts, no more 
 fhan the Jeivs could conceive, how he could 
 give them his flefli to eat : but this is certainly 
 ©tving to his ignorance, both of the fcriptures, 
 Siid of the power of God : Where he has not a 
 Mnd to believe any thing, he exercifes his rea- 
 fehingS) afking, how can a perfonal Chrift be 
 iff tis ? He might as well have afked, how can 
 the body, when dead, and mouldered to duft, 
 ^er rife again ? how could the body of Chriji 
 gjf^end in air ; without fteps, or fome other con- 
 Vgfiience to go up by, ^c. &c. ? For thefe are 
 IRatters which he pofitively denies, becaufe he 
 CSftnot comprehend them : But with regard to 
 his own fyftem, he is as far above all reafon in 
 his propofitions, as the heavens are above the 
 #grth : he is there, all infpiration, and infallibi- 
 Jity : trampling the weak and beggarly elements 
 ^ reafon, and common fenfe, under his feet. 
 
 I hopCj I have fufficiently proved, that our 
 i^viour hath a material body ; a body of fleih 
 S*ld bones : and have alfo fhewn, how he, as 
 hiving fuch a body, may be faid to be in usj 
 Sg our eternal life, I would here obferve of 
 C6ppin, and his admirers, that their Chrift is no 
 hdy : They will neither allow him to have a 
 hwman body, nor to be a perfon. Confe- 
 ^yently, he is neither God nor man : nor is he 
 9 fpirit of any kind; otherwife he muft be 
 pitfonal. ChriJl, is by them, fuppofed to be a 
 pfjliciple, or quality of good : originally im~ 
 plsflted in every creature. This fuppofed good, 
 m tails the Jacch^ which is loved of God : the 
 If^ precious ; the believer -, the Cbrijii i^c. 
 
 And 
 
[ 47 1 
 And the eyil principle, or quality in man, he 
 calls the Efau, which God hares j the repro- 
 bate, the unbeliever, the antichrift, i^c. 
 
 If you compare the above, with the doc*- 
 trines of the Manichees •, you v/ill Ibon perceive 
 that Coppin's, fentiments, are only a revival of 
 the Mankheean herefy. They held that there 
 were two principles ; the one of good, from 
 which proceeded the good foul of man -, and 
 the other of evil, from which proceeded the bad 
 foul, with the body j and all other corporeal, 
 iand perifhable creatures. They, alfo held that 
 the good foul, went to God, unto whom it 
 was rejoined. They denied the refurreftion of 
 the body. They denied that Chriji had a real 
 body. — Whether Coppin gleaned his fentiments 
 in the Mankheean field, or whether they were 
 fown in him by the fame hand which firfl: fow- 
 ed them in Manes, the leader of the feet j I fhall 
 not determine : But manifeft it is, that they are 
 perfedtly fimUar ; and that they raife the fame 
 inferences from them. 
 
 Hence it is, that in No. 2. page 45. he fays 
 " Man is become one with God, in all that 
 ** God was above man."- — I hope I fhall be 
 able to cloath my ideas, properly -, and if I am, 
 I doubt not but to deted, and expofe, the fal- 
 lacy, and danger, of this blafphemous propo- 
 iiticn. He pretends that this propofition folr 
 lows of confequence, from man's reconciliation 
 in Chri^, to the tather: and thus denies the 
 perfonality, pre-eminence, and medium of 
 Chrijl. Excufe me, if I fubjoin part of a letter, 
 which I wrote to a perfon in the country, not 
 Jong fince, on a fimilar fubjed, 
 
 I' I 
 
[4S ] 
 
 " 1 cannot but greatly diflike that propofitiofi 
 in your letter, of our being equal vjilh God. It 
 is laid of our Saviour, indeed; that he thought 
 it no rchbcry to be equal iioith God. This vvas in- 
 tended as a proof of his real godhead : fince in 
 a ftricl fenfe of the word, God has no equal. 
 Whatever equality, our Saviour as a man, has 
 to God i it is according to that grace, and fa- 
 vour only, which the deity hath conferred upon 
 the human nature in his perlbn. Hence he is 
 called the man, God's fellow. That is, his 
 companion, his friend, whom he hath exalted 
 at his ovv^n right hand, to be a prince, and a 
 Saviour : And unto whom he is fo clofely, 
 myfterioiifly, and eternally united \ that the 
 Lord Jejus., according to the properties of his 
 human nature, {lands invcfted by the godhead, 
 with all divine perfe6lions : fo that it was no 
 robbery for him to think himfelf equal with 
 God. But it does not follow from thence, 
 that "we are equal with God : It is manifeft 
 robbery, for us to think in fuch a manner : 
 we rob the fcriptures of their truth -, for they 
 declaic the contrary : We rob that God of his 
 honour ; who fays, my glory I will not givj to 
 another : We rob our Lord Jejiis Chrijl of his 
 pre-eminence, and are fchifmatics in the firfc 
 ianit of the word. It is, as if the foot fhould 
 fay, I am the head •, therefore put the crown 
 upon me ; or at leaft, let me have a crown, as 
 well as the head. If we claim a right to fay, that 
 we are equal with God ; becaufe Chrijl is equal 
 with him : Is it not as if the foot fhould lay, 
 I mull needs be the feat of wifdom to the body ; 
 becaufe the head is fucli '^ Or, I mud needi 
 
 have 
 
[ 49 ] 
 have the pre-eminence and crown, becaufe the 
 head hath them ? do not you perceive how 
 groundlefs, and falfe, all fuch inferences are ? 
 
 To infer that we are equal with God ; be- 
 caufe Chriji thought it no robbery to be equal 
 with God ; is either to deny, that ChriJI is any 
 Other perfon than the church, and, that the 
 fcriptures have any other meaning than the peo- 
 ple ; in what they fpeak of him : Or, if we 
 confefs him to be an individual, a diftin6l per- 
 fon, wholly independent of mankind, in point 
 of exiftence : I fay, if we thus confefs him, 
 and yet infift on our being equal with God ; be- 
 caufe he is fo : we certainly rob him of his pre- 
 eminence, and deny him as the mediator be- 
 tween God and man. To fay, that ChriJl hath 
 none other" body, or perfon, than the people ; 
 is the fame in argument, as if we faid, the head 
 hath none other reality of exiftence, than what 
 it hath in the hand, or in the foot. 
 
 The Lord Jefus^ in his perfon, and in the 
 myftery of his body, may be confidered as fim- 
 ple, and aggregate. Simple, as he ftands a- 
 lone, in an uncompounded exiftence ; where 
 he is not the people, neither are the people him. 
 In this point of view, he ftands high above eve- 
 ry creature in heaven, on earth, and under "the, 
 earth •, he is there fairer than the Ions of men, and 
 the perpetual objeft of their v/orfliip. 
 
 But in h'is office-capacity, as he reprefented, 
 and perfonated mankind ; v/hich he did in his 
 birth, obedience, fulferii^gs, death, refurredion, 
 and afcenfion ; and now doth in his everlafting 
 life •, he was the aggregate. He was in all this^ the 
 fum total of mankind ; who were thus gathered 
 
 D into 
 
[ so ] 
 into one body. But the aggregate, was fub- 
 jeft to the fimple. Hence it is, that the people, 
 who are purified, and exalted in the aggregate ; 
 pay eternal homage to the fimple •, falling be- 
 fore his feet, and torever finging. Worthy is the 
 Lamb, ^c. And whilft they acknowledge him 
 to be the Lord, to be the only holy, they con- 
 fefs that the fimple is the head of the aggre- 
 gate. 
 
 The apoftle tells us, that the head of every 
 man is Cbriji, and the head of Chnji is God. 
 From this, you may perceive, that we have no 
 imm.ediate umon with God ; much lefs an e- 
 quality with him. 
 
 It is Chriji only, in his fimple exiflence ; 
 who is united to God : he only, is one with the 
 Father : In him , the deity is immediate 
 head to the human nature : which branch of 
 human nature, in the man Cbnfl Jefus, is imme- 
 diately head over all things, to the aggregate ; 
 i. e. to his body the church. 
 
 By Chrifiy as the medium between God, and 
 man -, every good, and perfect gift cometh. 
 He is the immediate receiver of all good, from 
 God. He is the exalted, he is the anointed, 
 he is the crowned King of kings, and Lord of 
 lords : whilfi: we, without envy, without re- 
 pining, rejoice in his glory; and are joyfully 
 lubjeft to him. 
 
 Should it be granted, that the hand, the 
 foot, or the more uncomely parts of the body ; 
 have a right to claim an equality with the 
 head, (which is not an unexceptionable rule) 
 yet this right, in every member, mufl be 
 limited to its ov/n head. With what propriety 
 
 then 
 
[ 51 ] 
 
 then can we claim an equality with God, who is 
 the head of Chrift, and not our immediate 
 head ? 
 
 We certainly can claim no more, than to be 
 as our own head ; nor is that claim afcertained 
 any farther, than as he is confidered the aggre- 
 gate : for in his limple, and individual exift- 
 ence, he is anointed with the oil of gladnefs a- 
 bove his fellows. He is there the obje6t of our 
 woriliip, love, praife, delight, and eternal ad- 
 miration. 
 
 From all which, I conclude, that the propo- 
 fition of our being equal with God, is meer 
 rant; and more than bordering upon blafphe- 
 my. It is produdlive of many hurtful and per- 
 nicious errors : it infpires mankind with lucife- 
 rian pride ; though in comparifon' of the Al- 
 mighty, they are lighter than vanity, they are 
 lefs than nothing. It difhonours our Creator, 
 by making him fuch a one as ourfelves. It de- 
 ftroys the medium between God and man ; 
 which is Chrift Jefus the Lord. It denies the 
 pre-eminence of our Saviour, as head over all 
 things to his body the church. 
 
 But as Mr. Richard Coppin, in his writings, 
 does not gather with Chrijt ; as he denies the 
 body, and perfon of the Lord Jefus : it will be 
 obje6led probably, that my arguments do not 
 comprehend the grounds of his propofition. I 
 believe I am as well aware of his meaning, as his- 
 admirers are ; excepting none of them. But I con-' 
 fefs, there is fome difficulty, in framing argu- 
 ments againft things which will fcarcely bear any : 
 as is the 'cafe here. He fays that *■' Man is be- 
 ** come one v/ith God, in all that God was above 
 D 2 *' man." 
 
C 52 J 
 
 " man." But it is neither true in divinity, nor 
 philofophy. Is man become one with God in 
 his eternity, wifdom, power, purity, (jfc i^c. ? 
 the propofition is odious, and blalphemous. 
 
 Had he faid of Chrift, according to the pro- 
 perties of his human nature ; that he is become 
 one with God, in all that God was above him ; 
 he had erred againft the truth. But, as he de- 
 nies the perfon of Chrifi \ he mud by man, 
 whom he fays is one with God, mean the crea- 
 ture, himfelf, his brethren, ^c. And does it 
 appear, cither to men, or angels j that man, a 
 worm, fubje6l to pallions, and compalTed a- 
 bout with infirmities, is one with God ; in all 
 the tremendous height of his glory and majef- 
 ty .'' Nay, as the heavens are above the earth, 
 fo are his ways, and his thoughts above ours. 
 
 Again, as he denies the perionality of C^r///— - 
 as he treats all the fcripture-account of things 
 allegorically. — as he fays, that the believer, and 
 unbeliever, are, in every man, i^c. He afts 
 confident with himfelf, in making out that fal- 
 vation, [which our Saviour taking upon him 
 the feed oi Abraham by his obedience, fufFer- 
 ings, death and refurredlion, wrought out for 
 us in his own perfon :] to confift in a work, or 
 operation, wrought within us. 
 
 " God (faith he) reveals all his fecrets 
 " within, and all the works that he doth in 
 " this new creation, he doth within us : And 
 " therefore, let all thofe that defTrc to be 
 " made partakers of this nev/' creation, look 
 " for it within them ; for there will God 
 " work it." Advancement of all. things in Chrifty 
 &c. pag. 24. 
 
 God, 
 
[ 53 ] 
 
 God, wiio at fundry times, and in divers 
 mamiers, fpake unto our fathers by the pro- 
 phets, faid, Beye gldd, and rejoice in that which 1 
 create. But if this new creation is wrought in 
 us J it follows that we are to rejoice in our- 
 felves. But the apoftle tells us, that Chriji is 
 made of God unto us wifdom, righteoufnefs, 
 fandlification, and redemption ; that whofoever 
 glorieth, fhould glory in the Lord. Chri^ fays, 
 L.ook unto me all ye ends of the earthy and he ye 
 faved: but Coppin fays, we muft look unto 
 ourfelves for it. The apoftle fiys, We are God's 
 workmanjhip created anew in Chriji Jefus, &;c. 
 But Coppin fays, we are created anew in our- 
 felves. The promife, which God made, of 
 creating all things artew ; Coppin fays he fulfills, 
 by v/orking it within us. But Chriji told the 
 apoftle John, that this promife was fulfilled in 
 his perfon ; // is done, Jaith he, I am the Alpha^ 
 and Omega, the beginning and the end. The pro- 
 phet fpeaking of mankind, (not excepting Mr. 
 Coppin) fays, '^he hcjl of them is as a briar, the 
 moji upright is {Joarper than a thorn hedge, dzc. 
 &c. therefore will I look unto the Lord, &c. The 
 apoftle fpeaks of the fentence of condemnation 
 in ourfelves, that we fnould not truft in our- 
 felves, but in the living God. 
 
 If we try it by experience, reafon, and com- 
 mon fenfe, this new creation is not difcernable 
 in man. There has no phyfical change palfed 
 over him -, his body is the fame, fubjed to pain, 
 ficknefs, and death ; and compaffed about with 
 manifold infirmities. Nor is there any inward 
 chahge, anfwerable to a new creation : where 
 old things are done away, and all things are 
 D 3 bxonris 
 
[ 54] 
 
 become new. Thofe who pretend to the high-» 
 eft refinements, and fpirituahty, are men fub- 
 je6l to like paffions with others ; as is very 
 obvious in the author himfelf, who could 
 not bear the leaft oppofition from his antago- 
 nifts. Their cenfures, and reflections, wounded 
 his vanity, and felf-importance, in fuch fort that 
 he could not contain himfelf; but refolving not 
 to be behind hand with them, he gave them as 
 good as they fent -, yea, I think rather exceeded 
 them in the article of judgment and cenfure. 
 But this I luppofe he thought he had a right to 
 do, as being more fpiritual than his opponents. 
 And I have fufficienc reafon to conclude, that 
 the cafe is ftili the fame, with fome of his 
 admjreis. 
 
 And if m.en are cenforious, proud, vain, and 
 feltifh, with what propriety, or juftice, can they 
 look for this new creation in themfelves ? and 
 wherein doth it confift ? If its a truth, that they 
 Jove God, it is an invifible one. But it is a 
 truth vifible enough that they love the prefent 
 world J and yet the apoftle faith. If the love of_ 
 the 'World is in any ma?i, the love of the Father is 
 not in him. They may tell us that they love 
 their brethren, but it is a matter that we are no 
 further fure of, then as we take their bare 
 word for it ; but this, we are very fure of, that 
 they love themfelves •, that being notorious 
 enough. And yet to be lovers of their own 
 felves, is ranked by the apoftle among the re- 
 probate charadlers. 
 
 In fact, where men differ nothing from 
 others ; (except in partiallity to themfelves) opi- 
 Tiion, fentimenc, or theory, is not fufHcient to 
 
 prove 
 
[ 55 ] 
 prove them fpintual men, or that the new crea- 
 tion is within them. 
 
 Pray, is not this enthufiaftic conceit, this 
 vain-glorious imagination, or the good princi- 
 ple in man •, the beaft", that was^ and is not ? 
 that it is full of the names of blafphemy, I 
 think is plain enough : for, it arrogates the per- 
 fonal characters, names, works, fufFcrings, 
 death, refurredion, afcenfion and glory ; of our 
 only Lord and God, Jefus Chrift -, ufurps his 
 crown, and throne ; and exalts itfelf againft 
 all that is called God, and that is to be wor- 
 fhipped. 
 
 I'his is the beaft that all the world worfhip- 
 peth, and goeth after. Pagans, Mahometans, 
 Jews, Chriftians of all denominations, and of 
 every fed, worlhipthis beaft; going after him per- 
 petually, in their admiration, defires, and efteem. 
 
 This beaft, bears different names, according 
 to the different languages of men : The Hea- 
 then call him virtue. The Jews, and Mahome- 
 tans, call him obedience : only the one refpecl 
 Mofes^ (as their prophet and legiQator) and the 
 oxhtr, Mahomet. Amongft Chriftians, this beaft 
 bears divers names, according to their various 
 divifions ; and every diftinft name, by which it 
 is called, may be confidered as the lliibboleth of 
 the feet, making ufe of it. By fome he is called 
 grace, and the falvation of man, very cordially im- 
 puted to him i to the difnonour of the Son of God. 
 
 By others, he is called inward holinefs, fanc- 
 tification, imparted righteoufnefs, inherent 
 righteoufnefs, i^c. Whilft others, call him the 
 inward light, the Spirit, ^c : and make him 
 iafallible in reproof, inftrudion, and doi5lrine, 
 D 4 An0 
 
[56] 
 
 And agaim, there are others, as Coppin^ i^c, 
 who call him Chrijl^ the eleft, the behever, 
 yea, God himfelf. 
 
 Now I fay, that the different names, and epi- 
 thets, made ufe of amongft all thefe -, (^lotwith- 
 ftanding their various attachment to men and 
 things) makes no difference at all, with refpecl 
 to theh- objeft of admiration, and worfiiip, or 
 to their hope of falvation : for the terms, vir- 
 tue, obedience, grace, holinefs, light, or 
 Chriji as llippofed to be naturally in man, are 
 all congenial: and charaderillics of the beaft 
 that zvas, and is not : And this beaft is al- 
 ways manifeft, from its being oppofed to the 
 perfon of Jefus ChriJI our Lord : and to that 
 free, and gracious falvation which he has 
 wrought out for mankind, without Vv^orks of 
 righteoufnefs ; as'done by them. 
 
 As to the origin of^ this fuppoled good in man^ 
 its admirers are not perfeftly agreed about it ; 
 there are fome, fuch as Coppin, (d'c. who con- 
 fider it as the feed of God, lown in man at his 
 .firfi: creation ; which was not totally loft, or ex- 
 tinguiihed by the fall •, but buried only, as it 
 were, under a heap of rubbiih : from whence, 
 not being quite dead, it fends forth, fome weak 
 breathings by way of conviftion, repentance, 
 defire, Qc. until it hear the voice of God, and 
 come forth out of its grave. But others rejedt 
 this, as unfcriptural, unwarrantable, and enthu- 
 ftaftic ; and tell us, that this good is only to 
 be attained by ftudy, by induftry, by obferving 
 and copying good examples, &c.^ Others, tell us, 
 that it proceeds from the imprefiions which the 
 belief of particular do(5trines makes upon the 
 
 mind. 
 
[ 57 ] 
 fiVind. And. others, that it is the free gift of 
 God to them, without any corifideration what- 
 ever. Thofe divers opinions, caufe difputes, 
 and bickerings, even amongft fuch who are 
 otherwife perfectly agreed in patronizing the 
 fame matter. 
 
 But in the general, it is enough ; to be or-^ 
 thodox in this particular. To profefs it, to 
 make pretenfions (at leafh) of being poffefied of 
 it, to converfe m.uch of it, to declaim in its 
 favour, to paint out its beauties, i^c. this^ 
 in general, I fay, is thought fufficient to deno- 
 minate a man virtuous and good. But if he 
 add to this, an appearance of care and diligence, 
 in cultivating it -, by pra6tifing fome aufterities, 
 relative to meats, drinks, reft, fleep, and things 
 of that nature j if his apparel, gefrure, fpeechj 
 and manner, bear any, even the leaft cor- 
 refpondence with his pretenfion, it is then 
 enough indeed: it makes no difference, whe- 
 ther he believes in God, and in Chriji, or not :. 
 and though he may have many lufts, and vi- 
 ces predominant in him ; fuch as pride, incon- 
 tinence, covetoufnefs 5 deceitfulnefs, cruelty, 
 fuperftition, &c. yet thefe, if knov/n, are in the 
 eftimation of mankind, abundantly over-bal- 
 lanced by the fuppofed good which is in them : 
 though the latter, in reality, can only be in ap- 
 pearance^ whereas the former is mantfeji. 
 
 Upon this principle it is, that numbers a-^ 
 mong the Chriftians, both antient and modern, 
 have thought it right to compliment the Hea- 
 then, fuch as Socrates^ Cicero, Seneca, and o- 
 thers, with the favour and falvation of their 
 God: and that not becaufe they were human 
 
 creatures. 
 
[58 ] 
 
 tredtures, or the offspring of Adam ; but be- 
 caufe they were great men ! good men ! wife 
 men ! they faid a great many wife and good 
 things. Their admirers among the Chriftian?, 
 in order to make them fpeak feme knowledge of 
 the true God, and of Chrift ; ftretch their fay- 
 ings upon the tenter-hooks of their enthufia- 
 ftic fancy, in fuch fort, that they break their 
 connection, and render their fine things quite 
 
 Unmeaning. 
 
 Thus the relator oi Anfoji's voyage, i^c. 
 tells us, how that a jefuit, (in favour of Mr. 
 An/on) explained that article of the Romifh 
 church, which denies the falvation of he- 
 retics ; in a lax and hypothetical fenfe : Where* 
 fore .'' why truly, on the account of fome fup- 
 pofed goodnefs in him : he did not ravifh their 
 women -, nor kill and eat their men ; that fell 
 into his power : though it was not their per- 
 fons, but their gold) that he was in fearch of: 
 In the taking of which from them ; neither his 
 modefty, as a philofopher, nor his felf-denial, 
 as a chriftian, was fo very confpicuous, as to en- 
 courage them to canonize him. But conftitu-^ 
 tion, or acrident, (befriending him in fome o* 
 ther particulars) gained him the reputation of a 
 faint (in thofe parts) it feems. 
 
 But 
 
 It is faid of the grand vizior Cuprogii, that when dying ; 
 fome of the laft words that he fpake, fixing liis eyes upon 
 the Alcoran, were thefe : " Prophet, I fhall foon fee whe- 
 *♦' ther thy words are true ; but be they true or falfe, I am 
 " fure of being happy, if virtae be the beft of all reli- 
 " gions" He was certainly a perfon of much fagacity; 
 courageous and faithful to his mafter : But if thii i; virtue. 
 
[59] 
 
 Put ^ perfedb, uniform pradice, is not at all 
 jiecefTary to the formation of this character -, tq 
 be a zealous theorift is fufficient: with fome 
 fpecious appearances of virtue ; however irre- 
 gular, or tarniihed wdth pride, felf-feeking, t^c. 
 Thus a perfon of this chara6ler, Ihall be judged 
 to have a fure title to happinefs : v/hether he be- 
 lieve in God, in Chrijl^ in Mofes^ or in Maho- 
 met ; or indeed if he believe in neither. Diame- 
 trically oppofite to truth, as relling upon rea- 
 son and experience : and in the mod glaring 
 contradidlion to divine revelation : it is alTerted 
 upon this principle, that every truly happy 
 man, is wholly" the fon of his own aflions : 
 without being under the leaf!: obligation to the 
 grace, mercy, and love of his God and Re- 
 deemer, 
 
 Mankind in the general, make this their 
 fundamental, vvhilft matters of faith, are con-^ 
 fidercd, rather as a fcience to be flu died : or as 
 fomewhat calculated for men to employ their 
 wits about. Thus, whatever they profefs to 
 believe ; in every time of danger, their corpfe 
 of referve is their own goodnefs. 
 
 I call 
 
 it is not impolTible to find a virtuous dog. This man, To 
 virtuous in his own eyes, was, to all appearance, a Gran- 
 ger to humanity, tQ the univerfal love of mankind, and 
 to that lelf-denial, i^c. which conftitate true virtue. He 
 was proud, cunning, and cruel ; but affiduous in his office : 
 and an inftrument perfedtly qualified to raife the pride and 
 pomp of a tyrant, in the deftrudiion of thoufands of his 
 fellow-creatures. And yet this is the perfon, who, in the 
 article of death (when he can do no more mifchief) fings 
 a requiem to his foul, becaiife virtue is the beft of all i-e=» 
 }j|;i?ns, ' ^ 
 
[ 6i ] 
 
 1 call this the beafl:, becaufe 1 think* it an- 
 fwers to the charad:er of that bead fpoken of 
 in the book of the Revelations, whom all the 
 x\'orld goeth after : the charader is ,there drawn 
 tipverybriefi i.e. WHICH WAS, AND 
 -is NOT. By v/hich, I fuppofe, we may iin- 
 derftand j that there was once, before the fall 
 of Adam^ iome truth_, in what man now vainly, 
 and faifly pretends to. Therefore, that which 
 was., is not : it hath now, none other exiftence 
 m man, than v/hat it has in pride and igno- 
 rance. 
 
 Upon this beafl:, rides the great whore, or 
 the talfe church, compofed as I have fliewn, 
 of all nations, kindreds and tongues •, and of 
 all profefTions. 
 
 And yet, notwithftanding there is fuch an 
 admiring multitude, fuch a cloud of witnefles 
 daily chaunting forth the praifes of this beafl : 
 The moil curious fearcher, can never find out, 
 by realbn and fcripture, (nor by reaibn alone, 
 confiflent with its ideas of the divine perfec- 
 tions) this boafled good, this divine ftamina in 
 man : nor can the moil intelligible fpeaker de- 
 fcribe it, as exifling in the creature, in any de- 
 gree of confiJlency, with what is notorious, de- 
 monflrable and certain in him. 
 
 Nay, God himfelf, (whofe eyes are as flames 
 of fire, and whofe eyelids try the heart of the 
 children of men) cannot find out this good 
 in man : he fays, that he looked dozvn from kea-* 
 ven upon the children of men.^ to fee if there were 
 miy that did imderftand., that did feck God : every 
 me of them is gone hack j they are altogether become 
 filthy \ there is none that doth gocd^ no not one., 
 
 vi. 
 
[6. ] 
 
 Pf. liii. 2, 3. and xiv. 2, 3. God, upon ck- 
 amining the human heart, tells us, that eVery 
 imagination of the thoughts of man's heart, is evil 
 and that continually ; and that the heart, is defpe- 
 rately wicked and deceitful above all things. 
 And again, that the good man is periilied out 
 of the earth ; there is none upright amongH 
 men: the beft of them is as a briar-; and the 
 moil upright, is fharper than a thorn hedge. 
 Our Saviour and his apollles, teftify that this 
 2-ood is not in man. Our blelTed Lord, thouo-h 
 holy, harmlefs, undefiled, would not fuffer 
 them to give him the epithet of good, whilft 
 they faw him only as man, faying, Why callefl: 
 thou me good ? there is none good hut one^ even 
 God. And the apoftles faith, if any man 
 hath whereof he may glory in the flefh, I more. 
 Yet he counts it all but lofs, for the excellency 
 of the knowledge of Chrift J ejus his Lord ; yea, 
 but dung, that he might win Chrift., and 
 be found in him. How vain and frivolous 
 then, are all the pretenfions of m.en, to this new 
 creation, falvation, or holinefs as wrought ia 
 them. 
 
 Again, Mr. Coppin fays, with a great de- 
 gree of boldnefs, and certainty ; that all man- 
 kind fhall be faved, No. i. ch. 6. Hence, I 
 can account for the attaclrments of particular 
 people, to his writings : for had he been a pro- 
 felled Infidel, with refped; to faith in Chrift, 
 this very opinion, of univerfal falvation, would 
 fufHciently recommend him to thofe who have 
 nothing befides to comfort their minds with % 
 which, it is to be feared, is the cafe with toQ 
 many of fuch who make a point of it. 
 
 But 
 
[ 6M 
 
 Sut in this, the author is ilrangely incon* 
 fiftent: for his hypothefis is, that falvation, 
 the ne'd) creation^ &c. is wrought in the crea- 
 ture •, and that every man is to look for it in 
 himtelf. But it remains to be proved, that 
 this new creation, this falvation, is wrought in 
 every man : And yet, except it be thus 
 wrought within them, they cannot be faved, 
 according to him : But the apoflle fays, Al! 
 men have not faith. Arid as the terms faith, 
 Chrift^ falvation, &c. are fynonimous with Mr. 
 Coppin \ either he, or the apoflle, are in the 
 wrong, if he fay, that this falvation is in every 
 man : P'or my own part, I fhall, for fome 
 weighty reafons, always give the preference to 
 the apoflle. 
 
 Had he afferted the falvation of all mankind, 
 upon the principle of Chrift ; through what he 
 has done, and fuffered for them in his own 
 perfon -, it would at leafl have had a more 
 plaufible, and confiftent appearance : but to af- 
 fert it upon the following principles, which 
 are his : " Let all thofe who dcfire to be made 
 " partakers of this new creation, look for it 
 " within them, for there God will work it." 
 And again, " Not to look for the rifmg of a 
 " flefhly body, but a fpiritual body within, 
 " for the truth of all things is within." I fay, 
 to affert univerfil falvation upon thofe princi- 
 ples, fo very repugnant to the fcriptures, and 
 to common fenfe, was a mofl unadvifed con- 
 ceit. If every man is to judge of his future 
 and eternal ftate, by thofe inward and divine 
 appearances -, and not according to the love of 
 God, manifell through the fulferings, death, 
 
 and 
 
[ 63 ] 
 
 -and refurredion of the Lord Jefus : there are 
 but few, , nay there are none, who will have a 
 juft and clear title to it. 
 
 But alas, we are only upon the furface as 
 yet, we have not founded the depths of this 
 author. — In the firft chapter of this book, in- 
 titled, Tbe advancement of all things in Chrift ; 
 he tells us, that he had obferved amongft pro- 
 feflors, people of oppofite fentiments ; the one 
 part holding, that all mankind fliould be faved ; 
 and the other aflerting, that a part only fliould 
 be faved : Upon which Mr. Coppin fays, 
 " There is a miflake in both thefe parties, nei- 
 " ther of them underflanding the mind of God, 
 " nor the myftery of his will, as laid down in 
 ** a dead letter. *" A nioft furprizing decla- 
 ration 
 
 * It is a very pernicious error, to call the fcripture 3 
 dead letter: for our Saviour faith. The ^words that 1 /peak 
 unto you, they are fpirit and they are life. By which words, 
 he means, thofe which the evangelifts penn'd from his 
 mouth : As alfo thofe which he, in the Spirit of truth, 
 put into the mouths of his apoftles. Again, to cpnfider the 
 fcriptures as a dead letter, is to deny them as a rule for 
 the trial of fpirits : which is to give all private fpirits ani 
 opportunity to afiert their being of God : however incon-^ 
 liftent and contrary to each other. Again, If the writings 
 of the apoftles be a dead letter : then, every man fuppo- 
 fing himfelf to be led by the Spirit, is at liberty, not only 
 to put what conftru£tion he pleafes upon their doftrines ; 
 but alfo to correft them, and contradi(5l them, where they do 
 notfuithim. Hence, maybe eafily difcerned, what diforder 
 and confulion muft neceflarily follow the propofition that the 
 fcriptures are a dead letter. It is not of the fcriptures, that 
 the apoftle fpeaks where he fays the letter killeth. Nor is 
 it of that fpirit, by which any man profefles to be led, and 
 inftruded, in a manner independent of the fcriptures : that 
 he fpeaks, where he fays ths Spirit giveth life. \i is the meey 
 
 coinage 
 
[ 64 ] 
 
 ration indeed f neither the whole of mankind,! 
 nor a part of them are to be faved ! I fhould 
 have thought, that the moft fimple, and un- 
 biafled mind upon earth, would have readily 
 concluded, that the one or the other was in the 
 right : that where there was a falvation of man- 
 kind, either the whole, or a part of them 
 would be faved, though they might not deter- 
 mine 
 
 coinage of sn antichriftian brain to call the fcripturcs a dead 
 letter : and as foreign from the defign of the apoftle, as light 
 is from darknefs. The apollle, by the letter underftands the 
 law of commandments contained in ordinances ; which, by 
 reafon of their darknefs and contrariety unto us, are a dead 
 and killing letter. And by the Spirit, he intends the Lord 
 Jelus, the fubllance, and fulnefs of all grace, fignified by the 
 ordinances ; who having aboliflied them in himfclf, as being 
 the end of the law, is called the Spirit which giveth life. The 
 law confifts of precepts, requiiites and ihreatnings : and the 
 depravity of human nature, being fuch ; that mankind are 
 utterly incapable of fulfilling the precept, of producing the 
 requifite, or of enduring the punifhment, they are, in point 
 of confolation, dependance, and hope from themfelves con- 
 demned and flain by the law : therefore it is called, a killing 
 letter. The life-giving Spirit, is the gofpel, or that infinite 
 love, and difpenfation of grace : where the commandment is 
 fulfilled in Chrift : where all requifites, as repentance, faith, 
 love, Sec. are produced in him, and the punifhment as perfe<ftly 
 » adequate to our offences fuftained by him. This, is Spirit, as 
 being the alone work of the Spirit, wrought in Chrifl: ; and 
 perfeftly free from the fpot of human righteoufnefs. This be- 
 ing the quickening Spirit, it is faid to give life, becaufe it 
 gives the perfe<^ falvation of Jefus, freely unto fuch who are 
 dead by the law. And thus it is, that the letter killeth, but 
 the Spirit giveth life. With what propriety then, can any 
 man call the written word of God wherein thofe things are 
 contained, a dead letter ? or wherefore mull the perfon who 
 believes, what he reads in the fcriptures, be accounted of as 
 a miilaken man ? 
 
[«5 ] 
 
 j-Tiine which, but rather have waited for the day 
 of decifion. 
 
 But as the knowledge, and enjoy me^nts, 
 which are yet future, with relpect to fuch 
 as me -, were prefent to this author, (if you 
 will believe him) and are lb now to his dif- 
 ciples — he immediately determines the matter, 
 by affirming, that neither a part, nor the whole, 
 of mankind (hall be faved. He declares that 
 the perfons of mankind are neither faved nor 
 damned, that they are neither hated, nor 
 loved of God : but, that it is the good and 
 evil which is in them, that God lov^es, and 
 hates, which he faves and damns. 
 
 " God, faith he, hates no man's perfon, 
 *' but the evil in the perfon : neither doth he 
 " love any man's perfon, any further than as 
 " they fliew forth fomething of himfelf -, as 
 *' they were created by him : and in this fenfe 
 " he loves all creatures." I look upon this 
 firft chapter of his Advancement of all things <in 
 Cbrift^ to be a compleat compendium of his 
 whole fyftem. All the fruit of his labours, 
 the produce of his wifdom and knowledge, 
 ftands here delineated, and may without prejudice, 
 or critical narrownefs, be fummed up, and per- 
 f^ftly comprehended in the following propofuion. 
 
 God at firft, put forth mankind, and all 
 creatures, as an outward image, or form of 
 himfelf, and fbwed the feed of eternity, or 
 planted Chr'iji the good principle in them : but 
 evil taking place in time, they had two oppo- 
 fite qualities, or principles in them : and thefe 
 two principles, conftitute the diiferent charac- 
 ters, which are applied to the perfons 'jf men, 
 E as 
 
[ 66] 
 
 as believer, and unbeliever, &'c. they alfo 
 conftitute the charaflers of Chriji^ and Belialy 
 i^c. After the will of God is accomplifhed 
 upon them, man dies : and in the article of 
 death, Chrifi, or the good principle, or quali- 
 ty, returns to God, and is abforpt in him, 
 whilft the evil principle is deftroyed in his 
 wrath. As for the perfon of man, that being 
 only erefted as a itage, for thofe principles to 
 combat each other upon for a feafon, (for 
 whofe diverfion, I cannot pretend to fay) it is 
 thrown down in death, and being there anni- 
 hilated, it perifhes eternally as a beaft. 
 
 This is a perfc6t anatomy of his body of di- 
 vinity, not fomething meerly deducible from 
 his writings ; but what he in fundry parts of 
 his works, has pofitively affirmed for truth : 
 This he hath cloathed with confequent propo- 
 fitions, fuch as denying the perfonality of 
 Cbrijt^ the refurredlion of the body, and the 
 falvation of man's perfon. 
 
 He faith, that the perfon of man, is no 
 more than a beaft, and hath no pre-eminence 
 above a beaft. From hence it follows, that 
 there is nothing loft, nor faved, but the good 
 and evil qualities in man. As thefe qualities 
 are no part of man, but are, by him, diftin- 
 guilhed from the perfons of men, it follows, 
 that the perfons of men are not at all interefted in 
 the fate of either : Nay, he fays, that the per- 
 fons of men, hath only the portion of a beaft, 
 to die and be no more. 
 
 As we muft neceffarily lofe all intelligence, 
 and confcioufnefs of exiftence, in the lofs of 
 our perfons, it remains to be aflced, for what 
 
 purpofe 
 
[ 6? ] 
 
 purpofe were we created ? wherefore was man 
 diftinguifhed from the brute, by be;ing pofTelfed 
 of the powers of thinking, reafoning, reflefting, 
 hoping, fearing, ^c. ? Wherefore the dcfire of 
 immortality, and the perfe6t averfion to anni- 
 hilation, which we feel within us ? To what 
 purpofe did Ccppin himfelf write ; and what was 
 his hope under the perfecutions, which he re- 
 ports to have met with in the world ? 
 
 Is this, the falvation that he hath promifed to 
 all mankind ? Truly they are not much obliged 
 to him : I believe, that the generality of thofc 
 who think, will not thank him for the tidings 
 he brings to their ears, nor once bid him God 
 ipeed. But fuch inconfillent, and horrible 
 whims, are ever the confequence of men's for- 
 faking their own mercies, to follow lying 
 vanities. 
 
 And yet there are thofe, whofe attachment, 
 to the opinion of univerfal fdvation, is fuch, 
 that rather than part with it, they will be con- 
 tent, that fome very minute part of them only, 
 iliall be faved : Or, with Coppin, that only 
 fome principle of good, in them, fhall be fav- 
 ed, whilft their peribns iliall perifh everlafting- 
 ly : Yea, they would rather that the whole 
 race of Adam, fliould be annihilated, than that 
 all fhould not be faved. 
 
 The caufe of which, is eafily difcovered : 
 They are a people, whofe confcience reproaches 
 their conduct, and will not fulTer them to have 
 any hope from themielves. They are a) To def- 
 titute of that faith in Cbrijf, v/hich as the evidence 
 of things unfeen, and the fubilance of things 
 hoped for ; gives aifurance of perfonal interefi: in 
 E 2 ^,^: ' the 
 
[ 68 ] 
 the fdvation of Jefus. — Thus, that they might 
 not be left as perfons without hope •, neceflity 
 compels them to have recourle to the opinion of 
 iinivfrfal falvation. 
 
 I do not mean that this is the cafe with all, 
 who are of this opinion : there may be fome, 
 who though well perfuaded of their own perfo- 
 nal intereil, in the falvation of Chriji \ are yet 
 touched with fympathy, and compafTion for 
 their fellow-creatures : and feeing nothing in 
 themfclves better than others, perceive no rea- 
 fon why others lliould not be benefited by 
 Chriji as well as themfelves. They may alfo 
 reafon from the riches of divine love, from 
 the all-fufficiency of redemption by the blood 
 oi Jcfus, &c. But after all, this opinion is not 
 eflentiai to their happinefs ; they do not make a 
 point of it ; nor would they in the leaft refped, 
 iacrifice the glory and honour of our Saviour to 
 it: They may defire, hope, and think, but 
 .they are not pofitive. It would be unchari- 
 table, and cruel , to cenfure fuch as thofe, 
 whole hearts feem to be right with the Lord. 
 
 It is therefore rather to the ferious confidera- 
 tion of the former, than to the latter, that I 
 would recommend the following objedtions to 
 their darling opinion : as they coniift with the 
 fcriptures, and with reafon. 
 
 I will begin with a queftion once propofed to 
 our Saviour upon this head : Lord, are there few y 
 thatbe faved? Lukexiii. 24. It is certain that the 
 perfon who allied the queftion, had drawn fuch 
 conclufions from the dodrines, which he had 
 heard Chriji preach. Remark the Lord's anfwer : 
 Strides to enter in at the jlrait gate ; for manjy I 
 
[ % 1 
 
 fay unto yoii^ will feek to enter in^ and Jloall net 
 be able. Doth not our Saviour Teem to approve 
 of this perfon's ideas , and to confirm them rather, 
 by his anfwer ? or what are we to under- 
 ftand by the ftrait gate -, through which but few 
 comparatively enter? 
 
 Again, But if our gofpel be hid, it is hid to 
 them that are loft, 2 Cor. iv. 3. That all men 
 do not beheve the gofpe], or that it is hidden 
 from fome ; is fo very notorious, that it re- 
 quires no proof from me. It remains for us 
 then, only to enquire into the meaning of the 
 term loft, as it is applied in the text. Firfl:, it 
 cannot intend our being loft in Adam, for that 
 would be to make the apoftle fay, if our gofpel 
 be hid, it is hid to them who are loft in /idam : 
 But all mankind are loft in Adam ; and yet the 
 gofpel is not hidden from all mankind : as ap- 
 pears from the diftindion made in the text. 
 Doth not the term loft, in the text, relate to the 
 , prefent and future mifery of fuch, who believe 
 not the glorious gofpel of the fon of God ? if 
 not, what does it then relate to ? 
 
 Again, our Saviour faith, If ye believe not 
 that I am, ye floall die in your fins. And again, 
 Whither I go, ye cannot come, John viii. 24, 21. 
 As it is needlefs for me to attempt proving, 
 that all mankind do not believe in Jefus : we 
 have only to confider the meaning of thole words : 
 Te fhall die in your fins. Whither I go, ye cannct 
 come. What dbes a perfon's being in his fins 
 intend ? does it not imply a guilty confcience, 
 unwafhed, impure, and miferable : a confcience 
 not believing, not apprehending the great fal- 
 vation : and therefore as unhappy through ig- 
 norance, and unbelief, as if the Saviour had' 
 E 3 nj 
 
[ 70 ] 
 not died, and rifen again ? Is not living and dy- 
 ing in this ftate •, what is meant by dying in 
 their fins ? and if they die in their fins, where- 
 fore fhould it be fuppofed, that their ftate is 
 chano;ed in the article of death ? Is not this 
 afcribing the glory, and honour of our Saviour, 
 to death ; which is an enemy ? If a man was 
 to die a thoufand times, he will not be the hap- 
 pier for that. True happinefs confifts in be-- 
 holding the glory of God, in the face of Je- 
 fus Chriji. It is not by death, that we believe 
 the gofpel, but by faith, which is the gift of God, 
 and which cometh by hearing. It is not death, 
 that purifies the heart, and purgeth the con- 
 fcience from dead works : but the blood of our 
 Lord Jeftis Chrijh It is not by death, that we 
 are changed, but it is by beholding the glory of 
 the fon of God. 
 
 Thus death, cannot in any fenfe, be faid to 
 be our Saviour. If death infallibly cured all ills, 
 and rendered every foul happy that pafied 
 through it ; it would be advifeable for all the 
 miferable to fly to it with fpeed : as they would 
 lind in death a fure refuge from all diftrefs*. 
 
 How 
 
 To be, or not be : that is the queftion ; 
 Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to fufFer 
 The flings and arrows of outrageous fortune. 
 Or to tnke arms agairfl a fea of troubles, 
 
 And by oppoilng end them. To die, to fleep 
 
 To fleep perchflnce to dream : ay, there's the rub ; 
 For in that fleep of dcarh what dreams may come. 
 When we have fliuffled off this mortal coil, 
 Mull give us paufe ; there's the refpeft 
 That makes calamity of fo long life. 
 
 lot 
 
[ 7' ] 
 
 How ifhall we underftand thofe words : U'^hi- 
 ther I go^ ye cannot come ? do it not fuppofe, that 
 there are fome, who at death, cannot enter into 
 that glorious blifs, where Jelus is gone? If this, 
 is not the meaning of the words, I would glad- 
 ly know what the true meaning is. 
 
 Again, Our Saviour faith, Marvel not at this, 
 for the hour is comings in which all that are in 
 the graves JJmU hear his voice^ andjhall come for th^ 
 they that have done good^ unto the refurreilion of 
 life ; and they that have done evil^ unto the refiir- 
 region of damnation, John v. 28, 29. Doth 
 not this intend the future refurrecftion of the 
 body ? As to what Coppin fays upon thefc 
 words, I pay no attention at all to it, becaufe 
 it is unfcriptural, and irrational. If it is ob- 
 jected that the grave in fcripture, fignifies hell. 
 I anfwer, it doth not intend it here, for two 
 reafons. Firft it is in the plural number •, i. e, 
 graves, which it never is, where it intends hell. 
 Secondly, we read here of good and bad, com- 
 ing out of their ^r<3WJ J which cannot be appli- 
 
 ri ed 
 
 For who would bear the whips and fcorns of time, 
 Th' oppreflbrs wrong, the proud man's contumely. 
 The pangs of defpis'd love, the law's delay. 
 The infolence of office, and the fpurns 
 That patient merit of the unworthy takes. 
 When he himfelf might his quietus make 
 With a bare bodkin ? Who would fardels bear. 
 To groan and fweat under a weary life. 
 But that the dread of fomething after death, 
 (That undifcovered country, from whofe bourn 
 No traveller returns) puzzles the will. 
 And makes us rather bear thofe ills we have. 
 Than fly to others that we know not of? 
 
 E ^ Shakesp£ar, 
 
[ 72 ] 
 
 cd to hell : becaufe it is not fuppofed, that fuch 
 who have done good, are in hell : and therefore 
 cannot come forth thence. 
 
 It will be objected pofTibly, that the term 
 graves^ is figurative ; and implies that darknefs, 
 and ignorance, v/herein we are dead and buried by 
 nature : and from which, we are brought forth 
 in the perfon, and faivacion of Jefus. I anfwer, 
 fometimes the term gfdves^ as uled in the fcrip- 
 tures, may be underftood thus: as in the 37th 
 of Ezckiel, ^c. But this doth not appear to be 
 its meaning in the text before us, for two reafops. 
 Firft, here are two diftindl charafters, raifed out 
 of their graves : they that have done good, and 
 they who have done evil : which cannot be applied 
 to that, v/hich is raifed in the perfon, and fal- 
 vation of Jefus ; becaufe thofe only were raifed 
 by him, who were dead in trefpafies and fins. 
 Secondly, It is fpoken of as a future matter, the 
 hour is ccmim. &c. whereas our falvation in him, 
 was not future, but prefent as well : And rc- 
 fpeding the purpofe, execution, and manifella- 
 tion thereof J it may be faid, to be that which 
 ivCiS, v/hich /j, and which is to come. Thus 
 fpeaks our Lord, ver. 25. Verily^ ^verily I fay tinio 
 you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the 
 dead jhall hear the voice of the fon of Gcd : and 
 they that hear fhall live. There is a very ma- 
 nifeft difference, between faying the hour is 
 coming, and no-jj is : and that of faying only, 
 the hour is coming. The former intends the 
 prefent, as well as the future ; but the latter 
 intends the future only ; the former, by propofing, 
 that what now is, is yet coming, bears v/itneis 
 of a divine progrelTion j in quickning mankind 
 
 
[ 73 ] 
 
 to the knowledge of the truth : But the latter, 
 fpeaking in the future tenfe only^ relates whol- 
 ly to the refurredion of the body. 
 
 If it fhould be objeded, upon Coppin's prin- 
 ciples, that thofe terms, they that have done 
 good, and they that have done evil, do not re- 
 late to the perfons of mankind : but to the 
 principles of good and evil, which are naturally 
 in every man •, and which are raifed, the one to 
 lalvation, and the other to damnation. 
 
 I anfwer, it mufi: firft be proved that the 
 evil principle was dead, and buried in man, be- 
 fore it can be faid to be raifed : And here lies a 
 great difficulty, becaufe there are fo many wit- 
 neffes to prove, that the evil principle has been 
 always alive in them, and therefore needed no 
 refurreftion ; when I would do good, evil is pre- 
 fint with me. Good and evil, being qualities 
 only, or principles, as Coppin calls them -, they 
 bear- no perfonal charadters in the fcripture : 
 But the characters mentioned in the text, are 
 perfonal ; and therefore cannot intend the qua- 
 lities of good, and evil. Would it be fenfe, to 
 fay of the principle of good, they Ihall arife to 
 the refurredion of life ? or of the principle of 
 evil, they fhall arife to the refurreftion of dam- 
 nation ? Good and evil, as qualities, or princi- 
 ples in man, have none other mode of exif- 
 tence, than by the actions, words, thoughts, 
 inclinations, defires, &c. of the perfon in 
 whom they are : feperate them from'the perfons, 
 and they lofe their mode of exiftence, and be- 
 come names without meaning. Good, and evil, 
 as applied to man, have the perfons, faculties, 
 ^nd fruits of mankind, for their fubftantives i 
 4}., . . ' ■ , and 
 
[ 74] 
 and it is eafily feen, that the ufe, meaning, and 
 exiftence of the adjeflive, depends upon the 
 liibftantive : So do the terms, good, and evil, 
 when applied to man, depend upon their per- 
 sons and conduft. 
 
 How extravagantly filly, muft it then be, to 
 talk of raifing, faving, or damning, the meer 
 principles, or properties of good, and evil : 
 diftind:, and feparate from the perfons of man- 
 kind ! To talk in that manner, is indeed fo to 
 fight, as one that beateth the air. 
 
 Laying afide all partiality, and prejudice, 
 doth it not appear that the text under confidera- 
 tion, hath thi^ meaning ? There is a day ap- 
 proaching, wfien the Almighty Jefus^ by the 
 fame all-powerful word, which in the begin- 
 ning, fpake the things which are, out of no- 
 thing, into materiality : fhall call the dead to 
 life again. That they fhall all arife, refpe6ling 
 good, or evil ; or that ftate of confcience 
 wherein they died, in the fame ftate they were 
 in, when they laid down the body* : And that 
 
 their 
 
 * I would not be mifunderftood, as if I meant that the 
 foul dies, or fleeps with the body until the refurreftion. 
 No : God forbid ! as a chriftian I am aflured from the fcrip- 
 tures, and as a man, I am perfuaded from reafon ; of the 
 contrary. But, where I fay, that the dead will arife, re- 
 fpeding the confcience, in the fame ftate wherein they died : 
 1 mean, that it is the blood of our Lord "Jefus Chrijl (and 
 not death) that is tlie fountain opened for fin, and for un- 
 cleannefs. To fuppofe that mankind are faved in the article 
 of death, whether they have believed on the Lord Jefus or 
 not: is to make death a purgatory; through which, who- 
 ever paffeth is made meet for the kingdom of God : or other- 
 wife it fuppofeth, that all iniquity, and ©ppofition to God, 
 
t 75 ] 
 their expe6lations will be according. Some, as 
 confcious of falvation ; arife in full expedatioii 
 of a glorious immortality : whilft others, 
 confcious only of their fins, arife in woeful ex- 
 pectation of damnation ! I fay, doth not this 
 appear to be the fimple, genuine meaning of 
 the text ? As to the charafters, they that have 
 done good, and they that have done evil -, that 
 fpirit who gathers with Chrid, can eafily ac- 
 count for thefe : They who have done good, arc 
 thofe, who believing on the fon of God, and 
 properly apprehending him ; appropriate his 
 ! obedience. 
 
 is of the body ; and confequently dies with it: or elfe, it is 
 to imagine, that God, not only reverfes his decree; but alfo 
 for their fakes, inverts the order of things ; by making them 
 happy without believing on his Son : by feeding them with 
 bread which they have not eaten, or by warming them with 
 a garment which they have not put on : but the minors are 
 falfe, as contrary to fcripture and reafon ; and therefore the 
 major is not true. Mankind are naturally miferable, and if 
 they do not all feel it, it is owing to fuch things in life, as 
 divert their thoughts and attentions from it : as ambition, 
 honour, power, riches, pleafure, diverfions, i^c. But m 
 death, all thefe are cut off from man ; and he is left to mife- 
 rable refieftions, and feelings. This mud be the cafe with all 
 who die in their fins ; i. e. without the faith, and knowledge, 
 of their fins being done away, by the blood of Jefus : Their 
 ignorance and unbelief is hell ; and as fuch it will be felt, 
 when there remains nothing to divert the attention from ito 
 And as we know of no difpenfation, for their delivery, be- 
 tween death, and the reftitution of all things ; therefore was 
 it, that I faid : They would rife, refpedting good, or evil, 
 or their ftate of coiifcience; in the ftate they were in, when 
 they laid down their body. If it (hould be aflced, whether 
 it is not poffible, for fuch who were once believers in Jefus i 
 to lie down in forrow ? and whether they will remain in that 
 ftate of mifery wherein they died? I anfyver, that, which 
 i. from 
 
[ 76 ] _ ; 
 
 obedience, and fufFerings : and thus by union 1 
 with him, are confcious of bis good doings ; \ 
 in which confcioufnefs, they live, and die, and , 
 rife again. They who have done evil are the j 
 jcontrary chara6ler-, they believe nor, they ap- : 
 propriate not -, they are only confcious of their | 
 own works, i^c. which being all evil, they are" 
 charad:erized accordingly. 
 
 I might quote many other paflages of fcrip- • 
 ture, as objections to the opinion of univerlal i 
 falvation ; but as they are all of like nature i 
 with thofe already mentioned, I fhall mention | 
 no more of them here \ but fhall now, offer i 
 
 fuch 
 
 from the fears, terrors, and complaints of a dying perfon, • 
 may appear very dark to the furvivorsj may yet be cleared I 
 up to the afflided, before they have left the body : and j 
 when they are incapable of giving ftanders-by, any account ^) 
 thereof. As in the mariner's compafs, when the needle, || 
 which is touched by the loadftone; is fet upon the pivot, it * 
 naturally points towards the north; nor will it ftand to any I 
 other point, without a force put upon it: So the real chrif- 1 
 tian, is a perfon whofe heart the Lord hath touched, and 
 Cbiiji is the pole to which it points. If it is left to the bias ' 
 which is given it by the divine contadl, it will not bear to ■ 
 sny other point: Therefore, whenever we find the heart thus * 
 touched, varying from its pole, we conclude; that it is held \ 
 by fbme malignant power, contrary to its fpiritual bias : j 
 Should this continue until death, which may be the cafe with \ 
 fonie ; the power which re/lrained the heart, is then broken ; .; 
 and it gladly returns KaChrift the center of all its joys. Thus, \ 
 though the enemy may for a time, make the chriflian heart "j 
 vary from its pole; by working upon their bodily infirmities : \ 
 fuch as nervous diforders, melancholy, lunacy, phrenfy, ' 
 idiotifm, deliriums in fevers, i^c. Yet death frees the foul 
 from all thefe; and adminiflers an entrance for it into the 
 fulnefs of that blifs, which, at any time it had tafted, in the 
 knowledge of the fon of God. This, is the difierepce. 'vi\ 
 «).eath, between the chrillian, and the infidel. 
 
[ 77 ] 
 fuch objeftions, as reafon and common fenfe 
 fuggefts, to this opinion. Doth not the opinion 
 of univerfal falvation, fuppofe ; that the irreli- 
 gious, and unbelieving part of mankind -, hath 
 greatly the advantage of others ? The Plalmift 
 faith of the former, 'They are not in trouble as 
 other men : neither are they plagued like other men. 
 If all, who die, go immediately to glory •, then 
 the flats of that perfon, wlio pafTeth through 
 life, without thought, without conviftion, 
 without fear, without temptation, without re- 
 proach, without perfecution, i^c. which is the 
 Hate of an unthinking infidel, of the man of 
 pleafure, the worfhipper of the God of this 
 world : I fay, the ftate of fuch a perfon, muft 
 be vaftly preferable, to that of the religious 
 man, z, e. of the true believer. The apoftle 
 iaith of the latter. We were troubled on every 
 fide : without fightings ; within fears. They are 
 troubled with the plague of a corrupt heart ; 
 (of which others are not convinced) they are 
 troubled with the temptations of Satan ; (where- 
 as in others, the ftrong man armed keeping 
 his palace, all his goods are in peace) they are 
 troubled from without ; hated, defpifed, and 
 perfecuted in life. But, if unbelievers, and def- 
 pifers, are equally advantaged with them in 
 death j then inftead of gaining by the faith of 
 the fon of God, we fufter lofs : which God 
 forbid ! 
 
 This argument, will be anfwered, with fay- 
 ing : That where troubles abound, as in the 
 true chriftian, confolations much more abound : 
 and that the happinefs, which a believer feels, 
 through the faith of the fon of God, much 
 
 mors 
 
[ 78 ] 
 more than compcnfates for all the affliclions, 
 which he has fuftained more than other men. 
 That there are unfpeakable confolations in the 
 knowledge of the fon of God, I readily confels : 
 and, that there is fomething in the religion of 
 JefuSy fo delightful, and fatisfaflory to the 
 mind, that fv.ich who know it, cannot chufe but 
 think, and fay, that if there was nothing far- 
 ther than the grave, it is preferable to all that 
 this world can afford. But this is not always 
 the cafe ; let it be remembered here, that the 
 religion of Jejiis propofes a future ftate ; and 
 fuch a ftate is believed, by thofe who make their 
 confefiion as above. Befides, every chriftian hath 
 not equal confolations : There are fome, who 
 are children of afflidlion all their days ; fubjedl 
 to bondage, and to the fear of death ; and are 
 yet dependant on Jeftis^ under a particular dif- 
 penfation. Again, the generality of thofe who 
 talk much of their happinefs, are but proud 
 boafters \ they have taken up chriftianity, as a 
 fyftem ; they know nothing of themfelves, and, 
 not having Chrijl revealed in them, by the Spi- 
 rit, there is no oppofition from the enemy : 
 they are not plagued as other men •, but being 
 of chearful, joyous difpofitions, they think 
 themfelves perfeftly aiTured, of matters which 
 they know nothing at all of. Such as thefe 
 cannot fay with the apoftle, If we had cnly hope 
 in this life, we fhould he of all men moft mijerahle. 
 Neither the prophets, nor apoftles, ever pro- 
 poled, that the enjoyments which we have, of 
 divine matters, over balances the diftrelles, 
 which every real chriftian meets with in life ; 
 but quite the reverfe. Hence it is, that we are 
 
 dired:ed 
 
[ 79 1 
 
 dire(5led to that, far more exceeding and eternal 
 weight of glory, which remains for us ; in 
 comparifon of which, our prefent afflidions in- 
 deed are but light ; but they would be heavy 
 enough, if we had no /a/^^r^ expectations. 
 
 Again, if according, to the opinion of uni- 
 verfal falvation ; all mankind went immediately 
 through death, to glory ; the fcriptures are of 
 no ufe, they have been continued unto us, to 
 no purpofe -, and the preaching of the gofpel is 
 vain. If all are equally faved, unto what pur- 
 pofe do we read, and ftudy the fcriptures ; be- 
 leeching our Saviour, to give us a true under- 
 ftanding of them ? pofTibly it will be anfwered, 
 they might as well be let alone ; every man 
 might fpare himfclf the pains of reading and 
 Itudying them ; fmce when they come to die, 
 they would be equally as well off as Paul, or 
 Peter, or any other of the apoftles who wrote 
 them. — Is not this a true ftate of the cafe, if 
 the abovementioned opinion be true. But leaft 
 any one, fhould, through the Itupor of this 
 opinion, neglect the great falvation •, and find 
 themfelves moil miferably deceived when_ they 
 come to die. Let us treat the matter ferioully, 
 as being of fome importance. 
 
 We muft acknowledge, that, through a fe- 
 ries of divine providence, the holy fcriptures 
 have been continued to us even to this day : 
 And that, though they have paffed through the 
 hands, not only of fuch, who believe not the 
 true gofpel, but even through the hands of 
 fuch who are enemies to chriftianity in general ; 
 yet they have not been loft. This is the Lord's 
 doing, and its marvelous in our eyes. Our 
 
 Saviour 
 
[ 80 ] 
 Saviour bids u§ fearck them, for they teftify o{ 
 him. But to what purpofe were they continu- 
 ed unto us, and wherefore did the Lord bid us 
 ftudy them ; if they were not defigned to be 
 our guide, and direflory, and to make us wife 
 unto falvation ? But, if all, are faved at death, 
 the fcriptures are of no ufe ; and our Saviour's 
 advice to read them, to fearch them, is alto- 
 gether unimportant. 
 
 Again, if the opinion of every man's enter- 
 ing into glory when they die, be true ; would 
 it not be truly politic, to imbibe the popular 
 fentiment, though it fhould be with the denial 
 of Chrift ? By that means we fhould avoid, the 
 cenfure, calumny, reproach, hatred, and con- 
 demaation of the world ; which otherwife falls 
 upon us, for our fentiments, and manners. 
 From what fuch who call themfelves chriftians, 
 have imbibed from heathen philofophers ; I 
 may exped this objediion. A chriftian, with- 
 out having any view to future matters, loves 
 truth, and makes choice of it for its own fake ; 
 when at the fame time he knows he fhould be 
 altogether as happy after death, if he defpifed 
 it, and poured the utmofl contempt upon it. 
 To this argument, there are two very material 
 objedions. The one from the nature of man, 
 and the other from the nature of God. Firft, 
 I think the compliment a great deal to high, 
 which is paid to human nature : in making it 
 capable of loving virtue for its own fake. (Ex- 
 cepting that man who laid down his life for his 
 enemies) I may challenge proof, that any one 
 individual of Adam^s race, in any one adion of 
 life, were perfedlly detached from felf The 
 
 apoftle 
 
[Si ] 
 
 apoftle tells us, that Mofes, when he forfook 
 Pharaoh^ court, to fuffer afflicflion with the 
 people of God ; had refpe5l unto the recompence of 
 the reward. There is not one adlion of our 
 lives, however difinterefted, and generous ic 
 may feem ; but what we promife fome advan- 
 tage, fome confolation or pleafure to ourfelves 
 by it. Hence I affirm, that the profefTion, 
 of loving truth, or virtue, meerly for its own 
 fake, is theory, only ; altogether without 
 pradtice. 
 
 Again, fhould it be granted, that mankind 
 may aA from their love to truth ; for its own 
 fake : as this would be obedience in the fuper- 
 lative degree ; Ihall we not fuppofe that the 
 divine Being, holy, righteous, and equitable as 
 he is, would diftinguifii fuch a fpirit •, and in 
 fome fenfe" manifeft his approbation of it ? But 
 this is not done in life, according to the tefii- 
 mony of experience, and of the fcriptures : 
 Since the fame events happen to the one, as to 
 the other" i and if all are equally happy when.. 
 they die, it is not done then : which would be 
 to fuppofe that good, and evil, are alike to 
 God. f'A propofition, blafphemous in icfelf, 
 and highly dilhonourable to the divine Being. 
 
 Again, if this opinion be true, wherefore did 
 our Saviour fend forth his difciples, into all the 
 world, to preach the gofpel to every creature ? 
 and wherefore did the apoftles, martyrs, and 
 confeiTors of Jefus, fuffer the moft cruel tor- 
 ments, and even death for his name fake ? If 
 all, were to be equally happy in death, the 
 apoftles certainly preached in vain : for man^- 
 kind had all been faved, had the v been filenr. 
 
 F ^ It 
 
[ 82 ] 
 It had been more genuine mercy, not to have 
 dillurbed the world, with the animofities, and 
 bloody perfecutions, which took place upon 
 preaching the gofpel ; nor to have diftrefled 
 individuals, by interrupting their peace, and 
 repofe, with convidions, and manifold trou- 
 bles. Wherefore did the apoftles, under in- 
 numerable hardlhips, labour inceflantly, to 
 bring fouls to the knowledge of the truth, fince 
 if they had left them alone, they had been equally 
 happy ? 
 
 If the latter be the cafe, the apoftles, con- 
 feffors, and martyrs of Jefus \ were guilty of the 
 moft egregious folly, in fubje(5ling themfelves to 
 fuch hardfliips as they did \ in giving their 
 bodies to be ftoned, to be beheaded, burned, 
 crucified, ^c. for a teftimony, the belief of 
 which, gave them no advantage above any one 
 of the human race : A teftimony, which, if 
 they had recanted, and denied, it could not have 
 prevented their happinefs. 
 
 Again, it makes void, and totally deftroys 
 all divine retaliations*. With what reafon, or 
 
 from 
 
 * It may not be unnecefiary to diftinguifh here, between 
 grace ; and providence : according to the former, God hav- 
 ing concluded all under fin ; the free gift is upon all men, 
 unto juflification of life. But even here, a man cannot fill 
 his belly with the eaft wind : he cannot have any perfonal 
 happineJs, until believing in the fon of God, he knows his 
 perfonal intereft in the great falvation. When this is ap- 
 prehended, whether the perfon was a bloody perfecutor, a ra- 
 pacious publican, an avowed enemy of God, of Chrift; of 
 mankind, l^c before; or not: it makes no difference, be- 
 taufe, it is feen here, that all manner of fin and blafphemy 
 fs foxgiven unto men. He who owes but fifty pence, is not 
 
 more 
 
[ 83 ] 
 from what revelation, can we fuppofe, that the 
 mocking infidel, the bloody perfecu cor, the barba- 
 rous, the cruel, the avowed enemy of God, oiChrifty 
 and of mankind, Ihall when they die, though they 
 die in the fame flare wherein they lived \ be equal- 
 ly happy with Faiil^ Peter^ John^ &c. ? I would afk 
 the chriflian, can any man be happy by J ejus: 
 Chriji^ without believing on him ? And let me 
 alfo afk the Infidel, can any man be happy on 
 the principles of human goodnefs, without be- 
 ing pofTeiTed of that goodnefs ? Thou forgavefc 
 
 them 
 
 more frankly forgiven, than him who owed live hundred 
 pence. Paul fpeaking of himfelf, fiys — who was before a 
 blafphemer, and a perfecutor, and injurious ; but I obtained 
 mercy becaufe I did it ignorantly in unbelief, i Tim. i. 13. 
 The mercy which he obtained, exempted him from guilr, 
 and condemnation; but not from the retaliations of provi- 
 dence: for he, who with a mercilefs and unrelenting eye had 
 beheld the torments of his fellow-creatures ; and had even 
 been an abettor, and affiftant, in ftoning the martyr Stephen: 
 was ftoned himfelf at Lyfira, and drawn out of the city for 
 
 dead He who had purfued the difciples of "Jefm with the 
 
 fury of the deftroyer, even unto cities remote from Jiruja- 
 Jalcm; was purfued, himfelf; by the Jci^vijh nation, in the 
 elders of the people, in Ananias the high-prieft, and in Ter- 
 tullus the orator, even unto Cefarea : where they accufed him 
 before Felix, as a blafphemer, cffr. a man worthy of death. 
 He, who was ufed to make havock of the church, haling 
 men, and women to prifon : was in proccfs of time, upon 
 the very fame principles, cad into prifon himfelf. When 
 i^fl^'zVj' fmned heinoufly againft the laws of fociety; in defiling 
 the wife of a faithful fervant; and then, to cover his fhame, 
 murdering the innocent worthy hufkind ; by the hand of the 
 children of Amnion : even then the prophet pronounced his 
 iniquity forgiven : but gave him to underftand that the fword 
 fliould not depart from his houfe : which probably occafioned 
 this faying ; Thou wafl; a God that forgaveft them, though 
 thou tookeft vengeance of their invention;, Pf. xcix. 8. Nor 
 F 2 was 
 
[ 84 ] 
 them (faith the Pfalmift) but thou tookeft ven- 
 geance on their inventions. But we do not always 
 fee thofe charafters retaliated in this life ; on the 
 contrary, they fiourifh as a green bay tree : but 
 it is unreafonable to fuppofe, that when they 
 die, they fhall be equally happy with Noah, 
 Daniel, and Job. 
 
 Again, hath not this opinion a bad efFeft 
 upon the minds of mankind ? doth it not make 
 them loofe, frothy, and carelefs ? doth it not 
 teach them to laugh at ferioufnefs, to defpife, 
 and make a jefl of divine matters ? do they not 
 
 from 
 
 was it long before Tatnar the daughter of DwvU, was de- 
 flowered by her brother ^ww// — and when this grief began 
 a little to fubfide ; behold Amnon is murdered by Abfalom, 
 and the murderer becomes an exile. When time had in a 
 irteafure erafed the memory of this evil, and partly afTwaged 
 the grief of the king; lo Abfalcm was permitted to return. 
 Soon after he raifed a rebellion againft his father; chafed 
 him from his royal palace, and from his beloved capital ; 
 and then entring into his father's houfe, he fpread a tent up- 
 on the top thereof, and lay with his wives before all Ifrael : 
 Nor, did Da^Ws troubles ceafe, when Abfalom was dead. 
 From thefe, and many more inftances which I might mention 
 from the fcriptures ; we may obferve that tliere is a diftinc- 
 tion to be made between grace, and providence. The for- 
 mer pardons all, as fm againft God; but the latter, one 
 time or other, retaliates rcfpedting our behaviour towards 
 our brethren, or fellow-creatures. And if faith in Chrift, 
 the knowledge of the forgivenefs of fins, doth not exempt 
 perfons from fuch a retaliation ; as appears from David, ■ 
 Paul, Iffc. what muft be the end of fuch who believe not 
 the gofpel, but are rather enemies to it all their days ? We 
 do not fee that they always meet with retaliations in this life. 
 The pfalmift fays, that they are not plagued as other men : 
 but to fuppofe, that thofe who live, and die in fuch a ftate, 
 fliall enter into glory, without meeting any retaliation at all, 
 is to impeach divine juftice and equity, and to make God a 
 rcfpefter of perfons ; which God forbid, that anv man ihould 
 think. 
 
[ 85 ] , 
 
 from hence, negleft the fcripturcs -, and pre- 
 ferring their own opinions, defpife the gofpel 
 of our Lord Jefus Chriji ? In brief, do they not 
 by means of this opinion, lofe what they had at- 
 tained untOi and fmk into infidehty, or what is 
 as bad, dwindle into an unthinking, ilupid, 
 carelefs ftate : and all from the opinion of uni- 
 verfal falvation ? Doth it not encourage the ufe 
 of unlawful means, as fuicide, ^c. to eicape 
 prefent trouble -, by entring into that blifs, unto 
 which it pretends to entitle all mankind ? 
 
 Again, it deftroys the nature, properties, and 
 ufe of faith : by deriving all hope, and certainty 
 of future blifs, from falfe reasoning. — Having 
 firft laid down this propoficion. All mankind 
 fliall be faved : what follows, but this conclu- 
 fion; if every man is faved, I lliall be laved ? 
 But the major is not proved % therefore the 
 hope, and comfort, which is drawn from the 
 minor, is precarious, and unfatisfadory. But 
 faith is of a divine original, it is not fomething 
 acquired ; it is the gift of God : it confiils of 
 light, perfuafion, and power : its properties are 
 to make manifefb, to perfuade, and to evidence 
 the truth of unfeen things ; to repel oppofi- 
 tion ; to lean, truft, hope, and depend on ma- 
 nifefbed truth -, and to allure the mind of future 
 blifs, from the veracity of the divine record. 
 As light, it manifefts Jefus Chriji in the 
 heart j according to the fcripture report of him 
 as our Redeemer and Saviour : it perfuades us 
 of the truth, of what we difcover, it repels 
 our fears, and falfe reafonings, and gives us 
 joy and peace in believing. 'I'his is not of our- 
 F 3 jelves, 
 
[ 86 ] 
 
 felves, but of the free gift and operation of 
 God our Saviour. 
 
 But to conclude, that we fliall be faved, upon 
 the fuppofition that all fhall be faved ; hath no 
 faith at all in it : but it is a low reafoning, a 
 reafoning from very great uncertainties •, from an 
 opinion that hath no foundation in revelation. 
 Therefore I faid, it made void faith ; which in- 
 deed it does, and alfo the preaching of the gof- 
 pel ; and the hearing of the word, by which 
 faith comes j as I have already fhewn.' 
 
 Thefe are a few of the many objedions, oc- 
 curring to my mind; againft the opinion of uni- 
 verfal falvation. And thefe, I fubmit to the fe^ 
 rious confideration of thofe, who are attached 
 to that opinion. 
 
 I think I have now done with Coppiii's works ; 
 except a few remarks, which I fhall make upon 
 the preface, to his book intitled, The advance- 
 ment of all things in Chrifi^ Sec. 
 
 Mr. Cayle)\ the author of this preface, in 
 order to recommend the book, more effe<5lually, 
 xt\i% us, that it was written above an hundred 
 years ago. Pray what dependance hath truth 
 upon antiquity, or wherein confifts the necelTa- 
 ry connection } Is it necelTary to our happi- 
 Jiefs that we fliould be antiquarians in divinity ; 
 or was that book written in an N. R A of time, 
 when men were infallible } Mr. Cayky pretends, 
 that the def] gn of his writing the preface, 
 (v/as for the fake of weak brethren) to remove 
 their prejudices, i^c. And here I cannot but ob- 
 serve ; that he muft have a high opinion of 
 hjmfeJf, even beyond all rules of proportion j 
 to fuppofe, that his very name would frighten 
 
 the 
 
[ 87 ] 
 
 the adverfary, and remove the prejudices of 
 the weak brethren : befides which, we have no- 
 thing but his bare word, for the glorious 
 truth contained in this book. Mr. Cayley tells 
 the reader, that, if he is a father in Chrijl, the 
 unflion of God, in him, will witnefs to the 
 truth, without any other argument. What a pro- 
 digious thing, felf-importance is ! V/e are fa- 
 thers in Chrjji, if we think as Mr. Cayky does ; 
 if we rejoice with him, to fee fo glorious a tefli- 
 mony ; if the unftion within us witnefs to the 
 truth of it, without any other argument. I 
 would gladly know, whether the undion in Mr. 
 Cayley witnefied to the truth of it, v/ithout his 
 reading it ; for, needing not his confelTion, I 
 am well perfuaded, that he did not attend to 
 any argument, neither from reafon, nor fcripture, 
 when he fet about recommendins; it. 
 
 Either Mr. Cayley perufed this book before he 
 prefaced it, or he did not : If he did read it, 
 he either underftood it, or he did not under- 
 ftand it : If he did not underftand it, with what 
 face of honefty could he recommend it .^ If he 
 did underftand it, and recommend it, he muft 
 be fuppofed to be of the fame principles with 
 thofe which I have expofed •, and I hope con- 
 futed. But if he recommended it with ^o much 
 warmth, without reading and confidering it, 
 which I almoft fulped, from bis pretending, 
 that fathers in Chrijt (of which he is no fmall 
 one in his own conceit) know the truth of 
 books, without attending to argument. I fay, 
 if he did this, I cannot but confukr him as' an 
 enthufiaft, if not fomething worfe. 
 
 F A. But 
 
[ 88 ] 
 
 But what if we cannot palate, cannot digeft 
 this precious morlcl ? Why then according to 
 Mr. Cay ley, we are babes, meer little-ones, who 
 as yet feed on milk, and know not how to di- 
 geft flrong meat ; not having as yet, our fpiri- 
 tual fenfcs exercifed, to dilcern between the 
 myftery of good and evil. The apoftle faith, 
 JVof a novice, leaji being lifted up with pride, he 
 fall into the condemnaticn cf the devil. Was I 
 called upon to give my opinion of the novice 
 character, I w^ould do it thus : A novice, is a 
 perfon of but fmali experience in the knowledge 
 of God, or of himfelf. Hence he arrogates 
 characters, and authorities, difallowed of by 
 God and man : he experts that you fhould im- 
 plicitly receive his faymgs, or what he recom- 
 mends for truth : he would perfuade mankind, 
 that he is pofiefTed of an unerring undtion : by 
 v/hich, without attending to argument, or ma- 
 king any ufe "thereof, he knows, writes, and 
 fpeaks the truth infallibly. Hence it follows, 
 that whofo receives not his layings, are abfo- 
 Jutely babes, have no knowledge of fpiritual 
 things, i^c. 1 need not fay that this is a being 
 lifted up with pride ; and with fuch pride, as is 
 very nearly related to the devil's pride ; a ipiri- 
 tual pride, produftive of oppofirion, to the 
 perfon of the fon of God. Mr. Cayky charges 
 the babes, the little-ones, to beware of judging, 
 or cenfuring what they uhderftand not j which 
 by the way, is to tell them that do not ap- 
 prove of it, that the fault hes akogether in their 
 underftandij^.g, for that the book is faultlefs. 
 As to his cautions, advice, &c. I think them 
 Jufficiently impertinent, as applied to the read- 
 ing 
 
[ 89 ] 
 
 ing of human compofitions ; for I know of no 
 faith, or credit, which we owe them ; any far- 
 ther than they confift with the word of truth ; 
 and with the argument of reafon : and where 
 the latter is not the cafe, we are at Hberty to 
 rejeft them as error, or nonfenfe, whoever the 
 writer be. He charges us, to be fo reafonable, 
 as to embrace what we can comprehend ; and 
 what is out of our reach, to leave it to God, 
 and judge it not : perhaps what is dark to-day, 
 may be light to-morrow. What a perfon is 
 convinced of, comprehends, and believes to be 
 true, that he naturally embraces : advice upon 
 this head, is therefore needlefs. As to our not 
 judging what is out of our reach, but leaving 
 it to God •, I would obferve, that what is out 
 of the reach, of our experience, may not be 
 out of the reach of our underftanding : there- 
 fore we are at liberty to judge of the truth of a 
 propofition, from its rationality, conliftency, 
 (^c. without having recourfe to our experience ; 
 i. e. to fuch operations and effefts, produced 
 in our minds, as are perfectly correfpondent 
 with fuch a propofition. Every reafonable man, 
 has a right to judge of the truth of what he 
 reads, in the former fenfe, though he may be a 
 flranger to the latter. Therefore, though what 
 Mr. Coppin and Mr. Cayley fays, may be out of 
 our reach ; refpefting the experience of it ; it 
 cannot be out of the reach of any reafonable 
 man ; i-efpecling its rationality, confiflency, and 
 confonancy with fcripture ; according to thele 
 he hath a right to judge of it. 
 
 As to his faying, what is dark to-day, may 
 be light to-morrow j I fee not how it relates to 
 
 truth 
 
[go] 
 
 tnith and error, for they are alv/ays the fame. 
 "Jefus Chrijl is not yea and nay ; he is the fame 
 yefterday , to-day , and forever : but that 
 which oppofeth him, is darknefs to-day, and 
 to-morrow alfo. Beware, faith he, of pinning 
 thy faith on any man's fleeve •, (a poor un- 
 meaning faying!) Learn to fee the Sun of 
 righteoufncfs (faith he) with thine own eyes, 
 and not through another man's fpecflacles, 
 which may deceive thee. A faying of the fame 
 nature with the former, but intended as a cau- 
 tion to us, againft thinking ; or feeing things 
 in a different light from Mr. Cayley. 
 
 I would defire thee, O reader ! (faith he) to 
 take notice, that the fpirit, which breathes in 
 the following treatife, is nothing hut glory to God 
 en higb^ and on earth, -peace and good will towards 
 men : which is the true mark of a^gofpel-fpirit. 
 
 I muft confefs, that I had once a better opi- 
 nion of Mr. Cayley^s judgment. I could not 
 have thought, that he would v/ith fo much 
 confident warmth, have recommended a book fo 
 very repugnant to the fcriptures : and even to 
 common fenfe. But there is one thing to be faid 
 indeed on his behalf: that he does not attend to 
 argument •, or to what the book fays, fo much, 
 as he does to the breathings of the fpirit in it. 
 But whether the book, or the fpirit that 
 breathes in it, has deferved the characfler given 
 ii by Mr. Cayley^ I have already fhewn in the 
 courfe of my remarks upon it. If denying the 
 body oiCbriJi, the perfon oi Chrijl, the refurreflion, 
 and afcenfion of Chrift, the falvation of Chrilli 
 the refurreftion of our bodies, the falvation of cur 
 perfons, I fw, if thefe glorify God in thehigheft. 
 
[9' ] 
 
 &c. then Mr. Coppin has done it; and Mr. 
 Cayley is not a falfe witnefs ; othervvife, the con- 
 trary is manifeft. But whether thefe dodlrines, 
 and this fpirit, breathes glory to God on high, 
 peace upon earth, and good-will towards men -, 
 or not, judge all ye people. Here (faith he) 
 is no encouragement to fin, but great encou- 
 ragement to finners, to behold the Lamb ofGod^ 
 who taketh away the Jin of the world. In fhort, 
 in this book, (faith he) there is contained a 
 feaji of fat things^ furniflied with what is fuitable 
 both to men and babes. Is it poffible, that 
 Mr. Cayley fhould be fo greatly charmed ; and 
 that he fhould have fuch a prodigious relifli 
 for things which he did not underftand : Nay, 
 jet us rather in a judgment of charity fuppofe, 
 that he did perfedly underftand it ; and that 
 when he read it, he not only found it to be 
 favoury, but to be the moft delicious food to his 
 foul. Such a fuppofition, and none but fuch, will 
 excufe that fervent zeal, with which he recom- 
 mends it. Let us alfo imagine, that it is from 
 hence, he declares, that there is no encourage- 
 ment to fm in it. 
 
 What encouragement it may be to fin, in 
 telling a man that his body fhall not rife again, 
 that God neither hates, nor loves his perfon -, 
 that his perfon is neither the objefl of falvation, 
 nor damnation -, that every man hath in him, 
 the principles of good and evil; and that the 
 good principle fliaJl be faved, and the evil one 
 loft : I fay, what encouragement thefe may be 
 to fin, I fliali leave to others to determine. 
 But I am very well allured, that there is no en- 
 couragement given to finners : to look to the 
 
 Lamb 
 
[ 92 ] 
 
 Lamb of God who taketh away the fin of the 
 world, as he infinuates •, becaufe firft, in deny- 
 ing the perfonality of the Lamb of God, and 
 that falvation from fin, which is by his facrifice 
 upon the crofs ; he dejtroys him, and fets up in 
 his Head, a creature of his own fancy -, a meer 
 calf, gilded with the fuppofition of a good 
 principle in man. Mr. Cayley will call this the 
 Lamb of God, if he pleafes, but it is not the 
 perfon whom John the Baptijl^ called the Lam.b 
 of God, that is certain : nor does looking to the 
 Lamb of God, in Mr. Cayley''s fenfe, intend any 
 tiling more, than a man's looking to himfelf. 
 But here, again, I am almoft tempted to think, 
 that he does not perfectly underftand the fyftem 
 which he has adopted •, for according to Ccppin, 
 man is no more a finner than the beail that pe- 
 rifhes. The perfon of man, is neither good nor 
 evil •, but only a theatre, a temporary conveni- 
 ence, whereon thofe jarring elements, thofe op- 
 pofite principles, and powers, make war upon 
 each other for a feafon ; the peribn of man, be- 
 ing quite neutral, hath nothing to do in the 
 affair. 
 
 Oh reader (faith he) do not fall out at table, 
 and turn this feaft into a battle, by ralh judg- 
 ings, and cenfurings, of what thou cannot yet 
 underftand. 
 
 I finceiely afk my friend Cayky^s pardon, if 
 I appear as one, who falls out at table. It is 
 becairi'e he hath invited me to a feaft: where 
 there is nothing to eat : but what I (fuppofing 
 myfelf pofiibly, as good a judge as himfelf) 
 know to be unpalatable, and unwholefome: 
 and this, to a perfon of appetite, is no fmall 
 
 difap- 
 
[93] 
 
 diiappointment. I am not qiiarelling, but giving 
 my realibns only, why I cannot partake of his 
 teaft ; which I take to be a point of good man- 
 ners, where I am with fo much earneilnels 
 preffed to eat. 
 
 Poflibly, the title page of the book, which 
 Mr. Qiyley prefaced, was not a fmall induce- 
 ment to his doing it; where we are told that 
 the book contdAus fome fparkles of that glory, and 
 fome beams of that light, '-j:jhich fijines mui dwells in 
 Richard Ccppin, What an enthufiaftic, and an- 
 tichriftian puff, this is ! O Paul ! you were but 
 a babe, when compared with thele apoftles. I 
 do not remember to have read any fuch lan- 
 guage in your writings, as this : being fome 
 fparkles, of that glory, and fome beams of that 
 light, that fhines and dwells in me Paul. Nay, 
 but you taught, and yet teaches, that all the 
 fparkles of glory, and b«ams of Hght, fhines 
 and dwells in Jefus Chrift : who is the fun of 
 riCThteoufnefs, the bright, and the m.orning- 
 liar. 
 
 Thine, O great apoftle, was the fpirit of 
 truth : Thou bearefl not witnefs of thyielf j 
 though if any man had whereof he might glory 
 in the flefli, thou hadit more : But thou glori- 
 fiedft JefiSy by receiving of the things which 
 were his, and fliewing them unto us : It was thy 
 bufinefs to efpoufe mankind to one hufband, as 
 a chafle virgin to Chrijl. 
 
 But not fo Mr. Coppin, v/ho talks of fparkles 
 of glory, and beams of light fhining and 
 dwelling in himfelf ; he bears witnefs of him- 
 felf, and his v/itnefs is not true. 
 
 If 
 
19*1 
 
 If Mr. Cayley^ or any of Coppin's admirers, 
 think that I have mifreprefented them, let 
 them not only impute it to my ignorance, but 
 let them convince me of it. It Hes particularly 
 upon Mr. Cayley to do it j by giving us a pro- 
 per comment upon Coppin ; and in fo doing, 
 he will a<5t up to his own memento, at the 
 clofe of his preface ; nor has he any juft reafon, 
 to think of me otherwife, than as his fmcere 
 friend, and well-wiflier. 
 
 I N I S. 
 
Ihe Life of CHRIST: 
 The Perfevera?ice of the Christian. 
 
 A 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Preached at 
 
 Coachmakers-Hall, 
 
 On Sunday Is/lomingi y^;?. 30, 1762. 
 
 B Y 
 
 JAMES R E L L Y. 
 
 For if by one Alan's Offence, Death reigned by one ; much more 
 they which receive Abundance af Grace, and of the Gift of Righ- 
 teoufnefs, Jhall reign in Life by one, Jefus Chrifi. Rom. v. 17, 
 
 * * 
 
 %I*S# 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed in the Year MDCCLXIL 
 
John XIV. latter Part of the igth 
 Verfe. 
 
 Becaufe I live^ ye fjall live alfo» 
 
 THESE are the words of yejus 
 Chrifl our Lord, defigned for the 
 inftrudion and comfort of his dif- 
 ciples. And furely nothing can be more con- 
 folatory, than to be affured of the truth of this 
 proportion, from the divine Wifdom himfelf ; 
 Becaufe I Ihe^ youfiall live alfo. 
 
 The words of the text, claim our attention, 
 and credit, from the confideration of the per- 
 fon who fpake them : 
 
 1 . As he is the mejfenger of the covenant ^ 
 Mai. iii. i. the perfon ordained of old to re- 
 Veal and make manifefl: the love of God t» 
 man. 
 
 2. As he is the covenant itfelf : and give 
 ihee for a covenant of the people^ Ifa. xlii. 6. 
 Therefore in him the covenant itfelf fpeaks : 
 
 4. A 2 - In 
 
[4] 
 
 In his words you may hear the voice of love, 
 life, and peace. 
 
 3. He is that prophet of v^^hom Mofes 
 fpake ; concerning whom you read, The Lord 
 thy God will raife up unto thee a prophet^ from the 
 midjl of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me 3 unto 
 him ye pmll hearken. Deut. xviii. 15. 
 
 4. They claim our chearful and unwa- 
 vering belief, becaufe he who fpake them 
 hath the words of eternal life — / am, fays he, 
 the way, the truth, and the life. Therefore, 
 that which is fpoken by him, muft be un- 
 queftionably true : the lip of truth cannot 
 err ; not all the united powers of earth, and 
 hell, can make that to be falfe which he hath 
 declared to be true ; and this, of all others, 
 is a truth the moft worthy of all acceptation : 
 Becaufe I li've, youjhall live alfo . The u nlpeak- 
 able goodnefs, and riches of divine Grace, which 
 they contain and exhibit to mankind, renders 
 them apples of gold in piBures of f her. They 
 are not only words of truth, which they might 
 be, and yet not of that r^^/concern, and infi- 
 nite importance to mankind ; but they are 
 words of eternal life : words of weighty of 
 confjquence ', yea, of the very Inji impor-» 
 tance to the children of men : Skin for fkin. 
 
[5'] '_ 
 
 but all that a man hath, ivill he give for hi^ 
 life: they extend not to our prefent life only^ 
 but they concern our future, and everlafting 
 exiftence j as they are the words of eternal 
 life. 
 
 Let this confideratlon, lead us to en- 
 quire into our Lord's primary and principal 
 defign, in fpeaking thofe words to his difci- 
 ples : and what their ufe and fignification is 
 to us, in their true import and full extent. 
 
 Thofe words were not intended for his 
 immediate difciples only ; were not only fpok- 
 en to the circumcifed ear, to the underftand- 
 ing and believing heart j but deiigned as glad 
 tidings unto all people : the voice and pro- 
 phecy of love to thofe who are afar off, as 
 well as to fuch who are near. The Lord 
 commanded the prophet to fpeak to the dry 
 bones, even to the bones which were very 
 dry, and to fay to them, O ye dry bones, hear 
 the word of the Lord I Exek. xxxvii. 4. The 
 dead fhall hear the voice of the Son of God, 
 ■ and they that hear, fhall live. In the words 
 of the text his voice is heard fpeaking to the 
 living, that they might rejoice 5 and to the 
 dead, that they might hear and live. 
 
 Our Lord's principal defign in the words, 
 was, firft, to point out the relation which he 
 
 flood 
 
[6] 
 
 flood in to the people -, as the rock, upon which 
 they were built : as the hufband, and head of 
 their body : as their funety, their fubftitute ; 
 yea, as containing their nature, perfons, and 
 condition in himfelf : in his life, death, re- 
 furred:ion, power and purity, and in eternal 
 glory : hence this glorious promife, Bscaufe 
 I /he, youjhall live alfo. His defign was to lead 
 his difciples from all fublunary and tranfient 
 dependences, to himfelf; to have their hope 
 and expedlation of eternal life, founded wholly 
 upon his fuccefs; where he undertook to lay 
 down his life for their fms, to rife again 
 for their juftification, and to live for ever- 
 more for their final falvation : therefore is it 
 he fays, Becatffe I live, youfiali live aljo. The 
 ufe of thofe words is inftrudlion, and comfort, 
 to all the followers of the Lamb : lirft, as it 
 ihews them their help laid upon one wh6 is 
 mighty; and that his life is the pledge and 
 fecurity of tbeirs. 
 
 The text contains this ufe of comfort alfo ; 
 it releafes us from ourfelves, from all jealou- 
 fies, anxious cares, and fears, refpe<5ting per- 
 feverance, and eternal life : arifing from the 
 fenfe of the weaknefs, irrefolution, and 
 changeablenefs, of human nature. And 
 
 thus 
 
[7] 
 thus delivered from all fears, cares, hopes or 
 expectations from ourfelves ; from the appear- 
 ances of good, or evil, as m us: we are com- 
 forted and rejoice in God our Saviour, in his 
 glorious unchangeable life^ (or becanfe h liv€s^ 
 im JI:>^U live aljb. 
 
 That we all may fuck at this breaft of con- 
 folation, and be fed by the iincere milk of 
 the word, I fhall endeavour to (hew : 
 
 iji. What life that is, which our Lord here 
 mtends. 
 
 oJly^ How this life may be laid to be de- 
 pendent on Chrijiy fo comprehended and in- 
 cluded in his life, as not to be feparated there- 
 from : thefe words, becaufe 1 iive^ ye Jhaii 
 live alfOf naturally imply this. 
 
 Lajily^ I fliall confider the confequenccs, 
 as raanifeft, i. In the method of God's deal- 
 ings with us : 2, In the joy, peace, and reft^ 
 of all thofe who believe. 
 
 To judge of the manner of life which 
 our Saviour here fpeaks of, we need on- 
 ly confider the perfons to whom they were 
 ipoken, and alfo the time when thofe words, 
 iQ precious, fo eminently diilinguiflied for 
 
 their 
 
[81 
 iheir grace and truth, fell from his facred 
 Jips. 
 
 They were fpoken firft to his Difciples; 
 men indeed of low eftate, but who had left 
 their all to follow him. Men, who from their 
 Mafter's do6trine, or example, had never had 
 their expedlations raifed with the profpedt of 
 worldly advantages : nay, he had checked with 
 awful feverity ; the very Jirft motions of this 
 nature in them : carefully ftifling in the birth 
 the offspring of their ambition. Hence it is 
 plain, he intended not that Hfe which confifts 
 in the enjoyment of things prefent. 
 
 To live : with the fenfiiali/I, is the conti- 
 nual gratification of all his appetites — with the 
 vain and ambitions^ it is grandeur, honour, 
 power, &c. whilft with the more abjedl, to 
 li^De^ is meerly to be — with the pietift, to live, 
 is to be found conftantly in all the round of 
 religious duties j and as the living out of the 
 world, to be yet fubjed: to ordinances : But 
 to live-y with yeftiSj and with his difciples, 
 confifts in what is eternal and unfeen : and 
 not in what is prefent and feen ; for his king-^ 
 dom is not of this world : nor is it of works 
 of righteoufnefs done by us. 
 
 Our 
 
[ 9 1 
 
 Our Saviour having warned his difciples, 
 of his leaving them J they were under many 
 uneafy appreheniions, on the account thereof. 
 Though they had forfaken all to follow him, 
 yet hitherto they had lacked nothing: nor 
 did they fee any caufe to be fearful of want, 
 oppreffion, ficknefs or death, whilfi: he con- 
 tinued with them^ for in their prefence he 
 had fed five thoufand fouls with five loaves, 
 and a few fmall fillies : on the conclufion of 
 which feaft, the gathered fragments j were 
 more than the real fubftance, at the beginning. 
 How could they then fear the want of food, 
 when they faw their Mafler had power to 
 create it ? When called upon to pay tribute 
 toCafar, though they had neither inheritance, 
 nor trade, nor did they toil or fpin : yet fuch 
 was the authority of their Mafrer, that at his 
 command, even an inhabitant of the deep, 
 fupplied them with the neccflary coin. They 
 were v/itnefles of his healing the fick, and of 
 his raifing the dead, and of his flopping the 
 mouth of the mofi: fkilful and inveterate gain- 
 fayers; yea they had heard the very devils 
 Gonfefs their fubjedion to him. Who the^ 
 could fear under the conduit of fuch a lead- 
 er ? But to have him taken away, to be de- 
 I B prived 
 
[ 10 ] 
 
 prived of him ; this was what filled them 
 with fear. They were confcious of their being 
 ignorant, and illiterate, and therefore unable 
 to put their adverfaries to filence. They knew 
 creation was not at their command, and 
 therefore they might poffibly want food ; mo- 
 ney to pay their tribute, &c. They faw in 
 their apprehenfions, licknefs, and difeafe a- 
 waiting thetn^ whilft their phyfician of va- 
 lue, was taken from their head. The dread of 
 being left orphans, terrified them, and their 
 heart was troubled. But in the words of the 
 text, our Saviour fhews them, that he ihould 
 not ceafe to be careful of their intereft 3 and that 
 the removal of his bodily prefence, fhould 
 make no difi^erence in this particular : but, 
 that their prefervation, in time^ and in eternityy 
 depended upon his life : and therefore he faid 
 to them J Becmife I live, you jJoall live alfo. 
 They might alfo be fearful on the account of 
 religion i as if they had faid. How fliall we be 
 fupported in the fpiritual life ? It may be wc 
 iliall be fo befet by our enemies, as to render 
 us unable to preferve our integrity, when you 
 are abfent from us. And though we have fet 
 our hands to the plough, we fiiall peradven- 
 ture look back, when our Majier is departed 
 
 from 
 
[ " ] 
 
 from us. This was a point they feemed to be 
 doubtful of; and therefore to remove their 
 fears in this particular, their Lord affures 
 them : becaufe I Iroe^ you jhall live alfo — Let 
 not your heart be troubled, fays he, yen believe 
 in Gody believe alfo in me : i. e. be not dif- 
 couraged on account of your own weaknefs, 
 and infufficiency : though you are confcious 
 of imperfections, and feel the imbecillity of 
 your nature, yet be not caft down, and de- 
 jected, for my grace is fufficient for you : Be- 
 caufe I live, youfiall live alfo. 
 
 The difciples had indeed a very great vene- 
 ration for the perfon of their Lord, and there- 
 fore appeared as unable to fuftain the iofs of 
 his prefence : But alafs, in thofe days they 
 were mere novices in the faith, they had not 
 properly underilood, nor attended to the myf 
 tery of his perfon, nor to the end and deiign 
 of his coming into the world : for as yet they 
 knew 7Jot the fcripture that he muft rife again 
 from the dead. John xx. 9. Xor J, fays Thomas, 
 we know not whither thou goeft, and how can 
 we know the way? John xiii. 5. Their igno- 
 rance, and unbelief, more than fuppofes them 
 at that time, uncertain, and doubtful of their 
 eternal happinefs : Therefore the words of 
 the text was defigned for their in{lruG;ion, and 
 B 2 comfort 
 
C " ] 
 
 comfort in this particuliar ; by alTurlng them 
 of future everlafting blifs : Hence the life 
 here fpoken of, intends eternal life. Eternal 
 life, is not only an eternity of existence, but 
 an eternity of all poffible, (and to us at 
 prefent) inconceivable happinefs : Becaufe I 
 know not that the fcriptures has any where, 
 made mere immortality, a contradiction to 
 niifery. Eternal life in fcripture phrafe, is, 
 what can only be conceived of; by con- 
 fidering the properties of the divine Being : 
 Eternal purity, love, joy, peace, adoration, 
 thankfgiving, and glory : all perfedt, un- 
 changeable, eternal. This is eternal life: 
 and though whilft in the body, knowing 
 but in part, feeing but in part, we cannot 
 comprehend the glories thereof: yet fuch 
 who are blefTed with the enjoyment of fellow- 
 fhip, and communion, with the Father, and 
 with his Son Jefus Chrift, in this life ; have 
 the undoubted prelibation, or foretafte oi etevr 
 nal\\^^ : there God is all in all, and the whole 
 is fubjecfled to him : There our life, which 
 is hid with Chri/i in God, is manifefted in all 
 its fulnefsi in all its unfpeakable variety of 
 happinefs. To conceive or to fpeak, with 
 a juft propriety; of the inexplicable glo- 
 nes of /te fiate, is impoflible : Let it 
 
 therefore 
 
[ 13 ] 
 
 therefore fuffice, that it is to be, ever, ever 
 with God, and with the Lamb : To be- 
 hold his glory, to rejoice in his perfon, in 
 the obedience that he learned through the 
 things which he fuffered : In his victories, 
 and triumphs, over fin, death, hell, and over 
 him that had the power of death, even the 
 devil. Briefly, Jefus is our eternal life : and 
 to have eternal life, is to have him : to be as 
 he is : to be fo truly one with)6//w, and he with 
 usy as to have our life, and happinefs, depen- 
 dent on his: according to his bleffed word, 
 Becaufe 1 live, youjljall live alfo. 
 
 Having confidered the life, intended by our 
 Saviour in the words before us : I haften now 
 to {hew how this life may be faid to be de- 
 pendent on the lifd of Chriji: according to 
 the implication of his own words. 
 
 1 . Our life depends on hisy as the life of the 
 child does upon that of t\iQ pare?it : who feeds 
 it, cloaths it, guides it : continually preven- 
 ting with careful love, thofe needs and dif- 
 trefles, which would otherwife foon accom- 
 plifli its ruin. 
 
 2. As the life of th^Jheep depends on the 
 life of the Jhepherd : their fafety is wholly 
 pwing to his watchfulnefs, courage and Ikill : 
 
[ H ] 
 
 they having neither /;7«a/?/f nov difpojition oi 
 defence in themfelves: Therefore he as the 
 good {hepherd, laying down his Hfe for the 
 flieep, and taking it up again j fays, Becaufe 
 1 live ^ you JJmU live alfo. As their high priefi 
 and interceJJ'or^ their life depends upon his. 
 He ever liveth, to make interceffion for us. 
 As he is oMxfurety, 2^nd fubjlitute : perfonating 
 us in his Hfe, death, refurredion and glory : 
 Our eternal life, is dependent on his. 
 
 For if when we were finners, we were re- 
 conciled to God by the death of his Son, how 
 much more being reconciled, fhall we be fa- 
 ved by his life. Our life is built upon his as 
 he is the Redeemer : Our bodies, fouls, 
 peace, and happinefs, he redeemed with his 
 own : therefore are we faid to be bought with 
 a price. He bare our ,fips in his own body 
 upon the crofs, and put them away by the fa- 
 crifice of himfelf. He fufiained our guilt, 
 when the pains of hell gat hold upon him ; 
 but his foul was not left in hell, nor did the 
 Holy One fee corruption. He^ from the Fa- 
 ther's choice, from his own confent, and de- 
 iirej from the right of redemption pertaining 
 to him as the neareft kinfman -, flood charged 
 with all our debts : and having paid them all, 
 
 he 
 
he cancelled, and blotted out the hand-writing 
 which was againft us. His refurred:ion is our 
 legal difcharge. He arofe for our juflification, 
 thus is our life dependent on his. He gave 
 himfelf for us. He put himfelf into our con- 
 dition, and was accepted as a law-fuliiller ; 
 and as a punifhed finner, in lieu of the peo- 
 ple. The people were to be treated accord- 
 ing to his fuccefs : Had he failed to pay their 
 debts, to expiate their guilt, to fubdue their 
 enemies j there would have remained nothing 
 for them, but the eternal pains of the fecond 
 death. But if he fucceeded in his underta- 
 kings, if he arofe from the dead, unto everlaft- 
 ing life ; they were to live alfo. The equity, 
 reafon, and baiis of this ; is the union fubfift- 
 ing between Chriji and his churchy which 
 the apoftle thus defcribes j As the body is one^ 
 and hath tnany members , and all the members of 
 that one body, being many, are one body -, fo alfa 
 is Chrijh i Cor. xii. 12. 
 
 The inftruftion of which is evidently this : 
 Chriji being one, hath many people, children, 
 difciples, or members; and all thofe being 
 many, make one Chriji. 
 
 The union fubfifting between the man 
 Chriji Jefust and the church, hath for its foun- 
 dation 
 
[ .6 ] 
 
 dation and reality, i. The brotherhood : they 
 having originally one Father ^ thus teftifies 
 the apoftle : Both he that fanSiifieth, and they 
 who are fandiijied, are all of one :for which caufe 
 he is not ajhamed to call them brethren. Heb. 
 ii. II. 
 
 The Lord J ejus when triumphant over 
 lin, death, hell, and the grave, declared 
 the fame truth : faying, Go to my brethren^ and 
 Jay unto them^ I afcend unto my Father^ and your 
 Father, and to my God, and your God. John 
 XX. ij ; and that this kindred relation, or 
 brotherhood, was antecedent to his birth at 
 Bethlehem , and did not confift in, or com- 
 mence upon his taking flefh of the virgin ; is 
 manifeft from the argument of thofe words : 
 Forafmuch then as the children are -partakers of 
 flefh and blood-, he alfo hijnfelf likewife took part 
 of the fame. Heb. ii. 14. 
 
 That they were children, and confequently 
 his brethren, before he took part of the fame 
 flefh and blood with them, is very confpicu- 
 ous in the words : and is there rendered as 
 a reafon of his taking part of their flefli and 
 blood. 
 
 That 'Jefus had (according to thofe pro- 
 perties which conftitutc him Ihe head of every 
 
 man. 
 
[ 17 ] 
 
 h\an^ The one Mediator between God and man,) 
 an exiftence with the Father before the world 
 was, appears from his prayer : "Johit xvii. 5. 
 And 920'Wj O Father J glorify thou me with thine 
 own felf, with the glory which 1 had with thee 
 before the world was. And he tells us after- 
 wards, that this glory was given him : given 
 by the Father to him^ and by him to his dif« 
 ciples : A plain proof that he fpeaks of 
 himfelf according to his human nature : 
 which in the glorious perfon of Immaniiel^ 
 receives honour, glory, and power, from the 
 divine nature : and according to which, tho' 
 rich he became poor for our fakes, &c. 
 • And again, it is in this nature, that the 
 head of every man is Chrijl, and the head of 
 Chrif is God : And that he is called the be- 
 ginning of the creation of God : the iirfl:- 
 born of every creature, &c. And as we are 
 thus taught to conceive of Chriji, as exifling 
 with the Father before v/orlds : fo are we 
 taught in the fcriptures alfo, that the church 
 exiiled in Chrift before worlds. We were 
 in him to the eye of the Father, to the love of 
 the Father, to the choice of the Father, always 
 prefent : Blejfed be the God and Father of our 
 Lord Jefiis Chrifl^ who hath blejfed us with all 
 I C fpiritual 
 
[ i8 ] 
 
 fpirttual bleffings in heavenly places in Chrlji : 
 According as he hath chofen us in him^ before 
 the foundation of the world, Eph. i. 3. 4. Who 
 bathfaved us, and called us with an holy callings 
 not according to our worksy but according to his 
 own purpofe and grace, which was given us in 
 drift fefus, before the world began. 2 Tim, 
 i. 9. Our Saviour, under the charafter of 
 Wifdom, fpeaks thus : I was daily his delight y 
 rejoicing always before him : Rejoicing in the 
 habitable part of his earth, and jny delights were 
 with the fons of men. Prov. viii. 3 o, 3 1 . Hence 
 it appears, that as Chrifl exifted with the Fa- 
 ther before worlds, fo the fons of mea 
 exifted in and by him. They inhabited him : 
 and his delights were with them. They, as 
 comprehended in him, as his fulnefs, as the 
 dew of his youth, v/ere begotten and born in 
 him : in the beauties of holinefs, from the 
 womb of the morning. Tky were compre- 
 hended in his fonfhip, hence they are faid 
 to have the adoption of fons by him. They 
 were included in that love, wherewith the 
 Father loved him : Therefore is it, he fays 
 Thou haft loved thein, as thou haft loved me : 
 and again, For thou lovedft me, before the foun- 
 dation of the world. Thus his eledion, his 
 
 fonfhip. 
 
[ '9 ] 
 
 fonrhip, his love, his purity, his eternal life, 
 his union to the Father, was the purpofe and 
 grace which was given us in him before the 
 world began. O the love of God! how a- 
 mazing ! how ftupendous ! whilft we con- 
 fefs his priority, and pre-eminence, as theiirfi:- 
 born of many brethren, and the head over all 
 things to his body the church : we yet con- 
 ceive of his being in us as our reprefentative, 
 as our reality of exigence, and the truth of 
 our ftate and condition with God. And of 
 Gur being in him, as his fulnefs, and the dew 
 of his youth from eternity j as God is truth : 
 begotten in his eternal love, and purpofe, and 
 born from the womb of the morning. Hence 
 the ordinance, fo much infifted on in the law 
 of Mofes, that ih^firff, or that which openeth 
 the matrix, (hall be the Lord's. Thus it ap- 
 pears, that the fanSiijier and the JanBijied are 
 both of one : and that the former is not 
 afhamed to call the latter brethren. 
 
 When the appointed time of the Father 
 was come, that the children, (i. e. the youn- 
 ger brethren, refpeding priority) fhould be 
 partakers of fieih and blood, they were exhi- 
 bited in an earthly image : they were put 
 forth in the man who was of the earth, 
 C 2 earthv: 
 
[ 2° ] 
 
 earthy : this image in its mofi: perfed: ftatc, 
 was not the very fubflance of the parpofed 
 grace ; nor the real purity, and dignity of 
 human nature : Tlie apoflle tells us, that the 
 iiril Adam was but a figure of him who was 
 to come. Rom. v. 14. The children as par- 
 takers of flefh and blood, held the reins but a 
 very iliort time. The fable fays that Phce-r 
 ton attempting the chariot of the fun, could 
 not guide it for one day. But with much more 
 propriety is it faid, that ??ian being in honour 
 abideth not. His capacity for government, 
 was quickly loft : his power, and fl^ill, was 
 no more: Rebellion immediately enfued : all 
 hispaliions rebelled, his judgment was loft, his 
 innocence was flain, concupifcence, guilt, 
 and fear, grew riotous : whilft reflection on the 
 paft, the prefent, and to come, continually 
 goaded him with pain. 
 
 But in the midft of all this, hear the voice 
 of love enquiring after him : O ! Adani 
 where art thou ? He was indeed fallen un- 
 d-T the dominion and power of the ferpent, 
 whofe cxiftence was wrath; and originally 
 deiigncd as a cjntraft to love, for the pro- 
 duction of everlafting harmony : The de- 
 liverance of the children^ from the corroding 
 
 flavcry 
 
[ 21 J 
 
 ilavery of the jirjl^ and their eternal reft in 
 the latter J was promifed them in thofe words 
 of threatning, to the ferpent: it (i. e. the 
 feed of the woman) fiall bruife thy head-, 
 that is his power and dominion : to efFed: this, 
 becaufe the children were partakers of fiellTt 
 and blood, he alfo himfelf partook of the 
 fame. He married them : Like the patri- 
 archs of old marrying into their own fami- 
 lies ; and thofe of their neareft kindred. 
 How the union of Chri/i and his church, is 
 the fubftance, truth, and reality of the hiif- 
 ba7jd 2ind ivife y the vine and bra?2c/jes, the head 
 and the body^ the foundation and buildings I 
 fhall not attempt explaining here : But (hail 
 refer you for that, and for what remains to 
 be faid on the nature of union, to my trea- 
 tife called Union. 
 
 But from what has been faid, I think 
 this truth is manifeft : that our eternal life is 
 dependent on the life of Chriji : and that his 
 life, is the certain pledge, and fecurity of 
 ours. And thu'o, would I explain his mean- 
 ing in the words of the text : Becaufe I live 
 you Jhall live alfo. 
 
 When withdrawing our attention from the 
 judgment of commentators, when laying a- 
 
 fide 
 
[ 22 ] 
 
 iide tradition and partiality in opinions ; we 
 attend to the letter fenfe, reafon, and argu- 
 ment of the words, we mufl: conclude from 
 them ; that the life of Chriji is the canfe^ pre- 
 fervation, and final fecurity of our life. If 
 our life is thus wholly dependent on the life 
 of yefus Chriji our Lord, it does not depend 
 on ourfelves : not any improvements we can 
 make, not on any difpofition, obedience, or 
 conftancy o^ ours : nay not on the degrees, or 
 ftedfaftnefs of our frn'tb, refpeding our abi- 
 ding in him. It has not any dependence on 
 hian, or on the things of man, but is altoge- 
 ther dependent on the life of him, who is the 
 Jtwie, yejle'rday^ to-day, mid forever. 
 
 It is a matter of the highefl: importance to 
 us, to know that Jefus who was dead, is a- 
 live, and lives for evermore : and hence it is, 
 that this truth is fo often propofed in the fcrip- 
 ture, as the foundation of our life, and the 
 fole caufe and alTurance of our prefe?jt com- 
 fort, and future happinefs. An inftance of 
 which, we have in our Lord's appearing to 
 'John^ in the ille called Patmos : To give 
 prefent comfort to his affli<5ted heart, and to 
 fuftain his foul in life, his Saviour fpeaks to 
 him in the following words : Fear not-, I am 
 
 the 
 
[ 23 3 
 
 the firfi and the laji : I am he that Ihethy and 
 was dead J and behold I am alive for evermore ; 
 Amen : and have the keys of hell and of deaths- 
 Rev. i. 17, 18. 
 
 When our Saviour arofe from the dead, he 
 was particularly careful to fet the reality of 
 of his refurredlion beyond all difpute : and to 
 confirm the faith of his difciples in that im- 
 portant point. He appeared in the midft of 
 them, v/hen aflembled together ; faluting 
 them 3 with, F eace be unto you : But as they 
 yet remained doubtful, and were terrified ; 
 fuppofing they faw a fpirit : with infinite con- 
 defcennon he offered them the utmoft de- 
 monflration of his refurred:ion : yea the re- 
 furredtion of his real body : by propofing that 
 they fhould handle zndfeel him : and by being 
 convinced that he had flefh and bones, be af- 
 fured that he was no phantom. And, that 
 (whilft they were afilired of his having a real 
 Jiibfiantial body) they might not doubt its 
 identity j he exhibited fuch undeniable proof, 
 of his being the very fame man that was cru- 
 cified, by (hewing them his pierced hands, 
 and feet, that they had no more doubtfulnefsin 
 this particular to combat : but what arofe 
 from the inundation of joy which brake in up- 
 on 
 
t 24 ] 
 
 on theiii. And in order to calm, and fmooth 
 their furface j fo difturbed, and ruffled widi 
 furprize, wonder, and joy j and to familiarize 
 them to his prefence, as rifen from the dead : 
 he afked them as he was wont, Children^ have 
 ye any meat^ and when they gave him broil- 
 ed fifh, and honey-comb, he eat it before 
 them. 
 
 The argument of which condefcenfion is 
 this : My difciples, I would have you, and 
 all my followers, be fo fully convinced that I 
 am indeed rifen from the dead, in that fame 
 body wherein I was crucified, and which was 
 laid in yofepljs fepulchre, that you may be- 
 come certain, and infallible witnefTes thereof: 
 and that it may be handed down with that 
 unqueflionable credibility, and ailurance, 
 which a truth of this nature and importance 
 deferves. For this fadt, is intended to be the 
 reafon, and ground, of chriftian triumph 
 over fin, death, hell, and him who had the 
 power of death, even the devil : and to be 
 confidered as the canfey fupport, and jecitrity^ 
 of their eternal life. The proofs which I have 
 given you, may convince you of what confe- 
 quence it is to the fons of men, to know that I 
 am rifen 5 and am ^ alive for evermore: and 
 
 how 
 
[ 25 ] 
 
 how it relates to thofc words of comfort, 
 which I fpake unto you whilft I was yet with 
 you, when I fald, unto you ; and to all who 
 have an ear to hear : Becaufe I live you fiall 
 live aljo. 
 
 It was upon this fad, alone, without the 
 confideration of any thing relative to the faith 
 or obedience of man, that the apoftle founded 
 his challenge; when rejoicing in fpirit, he 
 faid. Who is he that condenmeth? it is Chrifl 
 that died, yea rather that is rifen again. He 
 exults in the life of Chrift, as all-fufiicient to 
 preferve us, body, and foul, to everlafting 
 life : and through the faithful view, and per- 
 fuajion thereof, to fuftain, and comfort our 
 hearts, all the days of our appointed time up- 
 on earth. 
 
 If Chrijl be our life, than in that life, we 
 are as he is : all the members rejoice in the ho- 
 nour of the exalted head. The head does not 
 live without the body ; nor the body without 
 the head : the fame life, the fame condition, 
 and circumftances, are alike applicable to the 
 head : and members : (the pre-eminence ex- 
 cepted, which Chriji the head, has over all 
 things to his body the church) it is impoffible 
 the one fliould be honourable, and the other 
 I D dilho- 
 
[ 26 ] 
 
 dillionourable : It is impofllble that the 
 head fliould be pure, and the body impure: 
 For if the jirfi fruit be hoh\ the lianp is alfo ho- 
 ly : and if the root be holy^ fo are the bra?iches. 
 Rom. xi. i6. 
 
 God the judge of all men, ever beholds 
 us in the life ot Chrijl : therefore are we al~' 
 v.ays holy and unblameable in his fight: he 
 hath prefentcd us in himfeif, a glorious 
 church ; without Ipot, or wrinkle, or any 
 iuch thing. We are entitled to the peace of 
 his life. Before he died, he bequeathed it unto 
 us 3 faying, M\' peace I give unto you : and af- 
 ter his reiurredtion, he confirmed it : faying, 
 Peace be unto you. His life is our peace with 
 God : beholding us in that life, he hath 
 fworn that he will not be angry with us^ nor re~ 
 butze' us jor ever. In that hie, we have alfo 
 peace with God ; becaule there we have the' 
 anfwer of a good confcience towards him : in 
 this life, our hearts condemn us notj there- 
 fore have we confidence towards him. In his 
 life, the gift of God to man is manifeft : that 
 eternal life which he hath given us in his fon : 
 and. of which he fpeaks, when he fays, Be- 
 caufe 1 live you Jlmll live alfo. 
 
 Confider the beauty, excellence, and glo- 
 ry of: this life : the righteoufnefs, holinefsj 
 
 triumphsj 
 
ttiumphs, unchangeablenefs , and eternity 
 thereof: and having confidered the unfearch- 
 able riches, learn to rejoice in them with joy 
 unfpeakable ; as your own durable riches, 
 and rightejufnefs. 
 
 In this life, let all who are troubled, reft 
 with us : For if when we were enemies, we 
 were reconciled to God by the death of his Son : 
 much more being reconciled^ we Jl:all be faved by 
 his life. Rom. v. lo. What then can ever 
 tnove him to caft us away? can we at any 
 time fink into a lower character, or into one 
 inore oppofite to the divine nature, than that 
 oi enemies^ And ill that he found us when 
 he reconciled us by the death of his fon ; there 
 remains then no ground for the fear of our be- 
 ing rejected : but that being reconciled by his 
 death, we fhall much more be faved by his life. 
 Moreover, if his death, {l:iameful, ignomi- 
 nious, and accurfed, was efficacious to our 
 reconciliation : fhall not his life, all glorious, 
 viflorious, triumphant, holy, and powerful ; 
 fnuch morCj fave us with an everlafting falva- 
 tion : for which in his lif he ftands engaged ; 
 as he did in his death for our reconciliation : it 
 Certainly will, for we hear him fay, Becanfe I 
 live, you fhall live alfo. 
 
 D 2 Great 
 
[28] 
 
 Great is the buftle, which is made in the 
 world, about what is called the perfeverance of 
 the faints j fome there are, who aflert that 
 after they have been juftified, and fandtified, 
 they may yet fall finally away : and that as 
 God loves them no longer than they are faith- 
 ful, and obedient, they may after all their 
 attainments, periOi eternally. Whilft their 
 antagonifts maintain the contrary : i. e. that 
 their inherent grace, and goodnefs, can never 
 be totally extind: : though they may fall fo 
 foully, that their graces do not appear : And 
 that God being fovereign, and unchangeable 
 in his love, will reftore them again-. 
 
 This controverfy concerns not us, nor fhall 
 we take any part therein ; becaufe we judge 
 that God has Ihewn us a more excellent way. 
 He has taught us that our perfeverance and 
 prefervation to eternal life, depends upon the 
 life of Jefus Chriji alone : who died for us^ that 
 whether we wake, or feep, we fJjould live toge^ 
 iher with him. i ThefT. v. lo. Therefore in- 
 lliead of looking to our own faithfulnefs, our 
 own obedience, or grace ; or once expeding 
 that God (liould be a refpeder of perfons on 
 our account, we look to him only, and to his 
 life who fays, Becaufe Hive, you fhall live alfo, 
 O ! how balmy are thofe precious words ! they 
 
 are 
 
C 29 ] 
 
 are full of grace and truth : They were in- 
 tended to make us perfecfl in love, by cafting 
 out all fear. When under the deepeft fenfa- 
 tions of our natural mifery, poverty, blind- 
 nefs, and nakednefs; and when the painful 
 fears, of your coming fhort of eternal life at 
 laft, prefTes hard upon you : In the divinity 
 of thofe words, you have deliverance from all : 
 they repel, and caft out your fears, and fap 
 all their foundations : and whiift you feel the 
 fentence of condemnation in yourfelves, they 
 raife you to a fure trufl in the living God : Be- 
 caufe I livej you Jloall live alfo. O precious 
 Chrijl I O glorious grace ! What ! wilt not 
 thou live without us O Lord ? Is thy bleffed 
 life our fecurity ? and may we indeed depend 
 upon what thou fayeft ? And is there no other 
 caufe, or condition, of our eternal life, but 
 that thou liveft ? Glory, honour, thankfgiv- 
 ing, and praife, be thine for ever j our God, 
 our Saviour : over whom death hath no more 
 dominion, who liveth for evermore. 
 
 Through all the viciffitudes of life, under 
 all pains, and fickneiles of the body, when 
 heart and flefli faileth, thefe words are a rich 
 cordial in the hand of the great Phyfician, 
 held out to you: Becaufe I live, you Jhall live 
 alfo. In the hour of temptation, which comes 
 
 upon 
 
[ 3° ] 
 tipon all tHe world, to try them that dwdU 
 therein : When men rife up againft you with 
 implacable hatred, for the truth's fake ; yea, 
 when hated of all men for hii name's fake : 
 when they endeavour by all means to diilrefs 
 you, and would even think they did God fer- 
 vice in killing you, remember the word of 
 the Lord : it is a prefent help in the day of 
 trouble, and a fufficient reafon wherefore you 
 fliould not fear fuch as can o?jIy kill the body : 
 Becaufe I live, youfiall live aljo. 
 
 At the approach of the king of terrors, 
 when the keepers of the houfe tremble, when 
 the {Irong men bow themfelves, when the 
 grinders ceafe becaufe they are few, and thoft 
 that look out of the windows be darkened ; 
 when the doors are fhut in the ftreets, when 
 the found of the grinding is low, when he 
 rifes at the voice of the bird, and when all the 
 daughters of mulic are brought low : when 
 there is fear in the way, and the very grafshop- 
 per is a burden, and defire fails ; when the filvet 
 cord is loofed, when the golden bowl, the 
 pitcher at the fountain, and wheel at the 
 ciftern, are broken : when the duft is about to 
 return to the earth, as it was, and the fpirit to 
 God who gave it : How expreffive, how glo- 
 rious are the words of our beloved Lord ! Be- 
 
 caufc 
 
[ 3« ] 
 
 cmfi I lii}^) y^^ P^^^^ ^^'^^ ^^fi' '^^^is is life in 
 the midft of death : and his ftrength perfeded 
 in our weaknefs. 
 
 When Chrijl who is our life, {hall appear, 
 then (hall we alfo appear with him in glory. 
 Then iliall our life, which at prefent is hid 
 with Chrijl in God, be made manifeft. It 
 fhall theft be known, that he is our life : that 
 be lives us : lives in our nature, names, 
 and perfons : that the life of his human na- 
 ture, as hid in the eternity, power, and glory 
 of his Godhead, was the hiding of our life* 
 Then (hall the full meaning, and fubftance 
 oTthefe words, Becaufe I live ^ you fiall live alfoy 
 be manifeft in perfedtion to all. Until he comes, 
 to be glorified in his faints, and to be admired 
 in all them that believe : This alone is our 
 cx)nfolation, that he who was dead, is now 
 alive, and lives for evermore. His life are 
 Vve to confider, as our own : ours by the gift 
 of God, ours by the love of Jefus ; who gives 
 us the glory that the Father hath given him : 
 Ours by union to our living head : the head, 
 and members, in one body ; have but 
 one life. Unto his life let us afpire : to the 
 vi(5tories, triumphs, purity, peace, joy and 
 eternity thereof: Married unto him who is 
 rifen from the dead, and fo truly one with the 
 
 ever- 
 
[ 32 ] 
 
 everlafting JefuSy we come up to his life, and 
 live with him in the fame : The joy, peace, 
 and purity of the confcience therein ; is without 
 the conlideration of any other matter what- 
 foever ; yea, that triumphant boldnefs, and 
 perfed:ion, which we have pertaining to the 
 confcience, is in the life of Chrift alone : and 
 that under all the difficulties, trials, and temp- 
 tations, which we meet with in life : and is 
 a proof that we walk in newnefs of life : and 
 that the life of Jefas is manifeft in our mor- 
 tal fleOi. 
 
 Our Saviour faith, that whofo gathereth 
 not with him, fcattereth. To gather with 
 him, is to know nothing by ourfelves, to have 
 no hope or expedation from ourfelves, not 
 from any thing we have done, or may do : 
 where we have been wholly, or in part, 
 adive : But to conclude of our flate, and 
 condition with God, from his as received into 
 glory ; Yea to gather all our purity, peace, 
 joy, and eternal reft, by him ; by the myftery 
 oihis perfon, by the labours c^ihis life, by the 
 forrovvs of lis death, by the power and tri- 
 umph of /j/i refurred:ion. And to gather all 
 our hopes of eternal glory by his life, who 
 fays, Becaufs I live, youfiall live alfo, 
 
 FINIS. 
 
•'<•• 
 
 Mt ■-■■ 
 
« 
 
 
 
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